KNOX COUNTY OHIO - Norton's History of Knox County [Chapter XXIX] ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/oh/ohfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Dave Ketterer Ketterer@empireone.net September 1, 2002 ************************************************ A History of Knox County, Ohio, From 1779 to 1862 Inclusive: Comprising Biographical Sketches, Anecdotes and incidents of men connected with the county from its first settlement: Together with complete lists of the senators, representatives, sherriffs, auditors, commissioners, treasurers, judges, justices of the peace, and other officers of the county, also of those who have served in a military capacity from its first organization to the present time, and also a sketch of Kenyon College, and other institutions of learning and religion within the county. By A. Banning Norton. Columbus: Richard Nevins, Printer. 1862 Entered according to the act of Congress in the year 1862 by A. Banning Norton, In the Clerk’s office of the Southern District of Ohio. ____________________________________________ CHAPTER XXIX. JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP. THE township bearing the honored name of President Jefferson, after having served a tutelage of several years composing a portion of the bailiwick of Brown, is, in 1829, at thee March term Of the Commissioners, declared a, "distinct Township," and an election is ordered for township officers the 1st Monday of April 1829, at the house of Andrew Lockard. Its Metes and bounds had been prescribed on the 9th of March 1825. but from lack of population an organization was not then effected. The Mohican river passes through this township, furnishing several mill seats. In 1830, it contained ;311 inhabitants in 1840, 994 in 1850, 1,484 and. in 1860, 1,458. In this as other eastern townships. the names of a few families predominate. The Geers, the Critchfields. the Sapps, the Hibbitses, the Frosts, the Schultzes, the Bakers, are to lie met with on almost every hill. The Critchfields and Sapps we have elsewhere spoken of. The Greers are mainly descendants of that noble old patriarch John Greer, who was a native of the Emerald Isle. and was what is called an Irish patriot. Possessed of a powerful Constitution and vigorous intellect, he took a prominent position among the pioneers hee was particularly efficient in the in military line, and raised a company for service in the war of 1812. He did much too promote the formation of companies in the eastern townships. He was from 1812 too 1817 collector of taxesa, in 1830 Representative, and for many years Justice of the Peace, and during his life a very useful citizen. For thorty years some of the Greer family have officated as Justices in this township. Among its most valued citizens have been alexander, late County Treasures and father of the present Treasurer, Robert, Richard, Silas, Mark, James, "Big Jim" and "Little Jimmy." Capt Jack Melton, Aaron Mathene, Andrew McKee, Ephraim McMillen, Jacob Shiner and George Greer, were also old settlers. Jacob Colopy has resided in this township Since 1825. He is a son of Timothy. it native of Ireland, who emigrated from Virginia in 1813. Jacob married a daughter of George Sapp, in 1825 They have eight children-five now living in eastren part of Knox. John Hibbets, Joseph Critchfield, Josiah Trimbly, Matthew Davidson, Charles Miller were also much respected. In this township there are two post offices-- Greersvile and Nonpareil. Greersville was estab- lished aboutt 1848. and the post masters have been Robert Greer and Alexander Greer. Nonpareil is at Mt. Holly, and was established ill 1849. Its post masters have been Robert Long, A., Gardner, John Critchflield and A. Gardner. In earl times there were many insects and reptiles of great annoyance to the early settlers.Among other evidences of the fact is the following comical affair related by a citizen of this township. Old John Daily and Alex. Darling got up a bet of a quart of whisky about the ability of a man to stand black ants, ticks and all else, save gallinipers, without flinching. Daily, accordingly, too show it could be done, stripped off his clothes and laid down on his face in the sand, where the ants were thick, and Darling was to keep the gallinippers off. After laying there several minutes Darling let three or four gallinippers on his bare back, but Daily did not flinch for them--then determined to win his bet he whispered to one of the spectators to bring him a coal of fire, which was got and put on him, but Daily let the live coal roast his flesh for fifteen minutes without ever flinching, and with his muscles firm bore it together with the ants and gallinippers until the half hour was up, and won the quart of whisky. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE 1825. Jas. Henderson. 1855. Robert Greer. 1829. Jas. Henderson. 1838. Josiah Frost. 1829. John Greer. 1854. " 1832. John Greer. 1857. " 1835. James Greer. 1837. James Witherow. 1838. Joseph Sapp. 1840. " 1840. James Greer. 1843. " 1842. Alex. Greer. 1846. " 1845. Alex. Greer. 1857. James Greer. 1848. Alex. Greer. 1858. Charles Miller. 1849. Robert Greer. 1861. Charles Miller. 1852. Robert Greer.