KNOX COUNTY OHIO - Norton's History of Knox County [Chapter XXXVIX] ************************************************ 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 XXXIX. MORGAN TOWNSHIP. In the first division of the county one of the four town ships was called Morgan in honor of the brave native of New Jersey, Jersey Daniel Morgan the distinguished General in our Revolutionary war. who was a member of Congress from 1795 to 1799. and died July 6, 1802 ; and in the general reorganization of townships in March, 1825, it was reduced to its present limits. Under the old dispensation we find the total number of voters at the October election, 1809, to have been 13. In October. 1813 Moses Merrit. Jacob Hanger, Abraham Carnes were Judges ; John Dunlap and John Boyle. Clerks the number of voters had increased to 27, and among them were Jonathan Agnew, Ben. Leonard, Wm. Beam, Wm. Knight, Geo. Cooper. Philip Melker, Jacob Smith, and Smith Hadley. Other early settlers besides the above named. Were John Losh, Philip Smith, Thompson and Michael Mills, Abner and David Brown, Joseph and John Harris, John and Adam Fox, John Vance, sr., and John, jr., Jacob Rabb, Azariah Davis, Titus Rigby, Cornelius Callighan, and the Harrods, The only ones of this old set now known to be living are Smith Hadley, Levi, Wm. and Sam. Harrod, and Philip Smith. Hadley is in Centerbnrg, Levi and Sam. Harrod in Clay, and Wm. Harrod in Indiana, where he moved some fourteen years ago. Philip Smith lives on Big Run, where he first located. His sons James and Wm. are in Clay, his daughter, Mrs. Henry McLain, is in this township, and Rebecca, wife of George Swank, lives in Union county. John J. Tulloss, a Captain in the war of 1812, emigrated from Fauquier co., Va., in 1807. He was a brick maker, school teacher, and farmer, first in Licking and afterwards in Knox ; his widow is living, aged 76, with her children. In 1816, at the October election, there were 35 voters. Among these was Caleb Pumphry, who died in 1817. There is not one of this family now living in the county. They were very kind and hospitable, zealous Methodists, and as their house was a sort of head-quarters for itinerants, the fame of Pumphry's tavern, as it was called, was quite extensive. Bernard Reece was another old settler: and another was Wm. Green, of Maryland, who moved into Morgan from Licking co., in 1816 ; he died in 1856. Of his 10 children the only ones living are Daniel of Harrison, Hugh of Chesterville, Mrs. B. McClurg and Mrs. J. Kegg in Indiana.. Another father of 10 was Bennet Thompson, of Va., whose only child now in Knox is James, who was born in this township in 1827, married Mahala, daughter of Jesse Larue, in 1850, and has six children, of whom George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, now five years old, are twins. John F. McLain emigrated from Seneca Co., Pa., in 1828, and was for many years a prominent citizen. He was a large operator in stock and farm- ing, and about 1836—8, was interested in a store in Mt. V ernon ; he died in 1858, in his 61st year. His sons, Charles S. and Abijah, are in Morgan. and Wm. in Wyandot co. His daughters, Mrs. Sarah Welsh and Mrs. Amelia Hufty are in Crawford co. ; Mary, wife of Morgan Booze and Cassandra. Levi Sellers are in this township. C. S. married Miss Berryhill ; Henry Miss Smith, and Abijah, Miss Hook. Simon Litzenhurg emigrated from Washington co. Pa., to this township 1829, bought part of the celebrated prarie farm, and has lived upon it ever since. He is now in his 79th year. Henry Barnes married one of his daughters, and Dr. M. H. Litzenburg, of Cheviot, is one of his sons. The West brothers and the Ewarts are deserving of notice. The former were natives of Brooke county, Va. Samuel, in 1830, emigrated from Washington county, Pa., and is now in his 77th year. His wife, Mary Clear, was also a native of Virginia and is yet living. Of their eight children, four are living—Alexander Clear at the old homestead; William H., of Logan county; Thomas in Morrow county ; and Samuel, a Baptist preacher. in South English Iowa. Amos West, Sr. is living, in his 72d year; has had 11 children, of whom those living are: Enos, in Tazewell county, Ills. ; William in Morgan; Joe in Pleasant ; John in Le Roy, Ills. ; Amos in Buchanan county, Iowa ; Margaret in Morgan ; Ann Eliza, wife of John Penick ; and Elizabeth Woodruff. These are descendants of Jonathan West, one of the first born in Brooke county, Va. The Ewarts are from Greene county, Pa.. and natives of Ireland-Robert and John, and their sisters. Mrs. Haver and Mrs. Ewart. John died in 1858. Haver emigrated from Green county, Pa. They are intelligent and industrious people. Jesse Mattocks, a native of Erie co. Pa., married Elizabeth Johnson, and has had six children is worthy of note for two reasons first, he has served 13 years as constable, and second he furnished the country round with their baskets for gathering corn, for many years, and therin has been a benefactor. In 1830, the inhabitants numbered 653, and 16,582 acres were upon the tax list; in 1840, there were 912 inhabitants; in 1850, 823; in 1860, 688. CONSECUTIVE JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. 1810. John Harrod. 1839. Jacob Sperry. 1815. John Green. 1833. James H. Smith. 1817. Peter Veatch. 1836. John Clutter. 1818. Jacob Hanger. 1839. John Clutter. 1819. John Wheeler. 1842. John Clutter. 1822. John W heeler. 1845. John Clutter. 1825. John W heeler. 1848. C. S McLain. 1830. Ziba Leonard. 1854. C. S McLain. 1821. Jacob Hanger. 1854. C. S McLain. 1824. Jacob Hanger. 1855. John Miller. 1821. Jacob Hanger. 1858. A. H. Thornhill. 1830. Jacob Sperry. 1860. Cary Bell. 1833. Jacob Sperry. 1860. James Campbell. 1836. Jacob Sperry.