KNOX COUNTY OHIO - Norton's History of Knox County [Chapter XLIV] ************************************************ 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 XLIV. HARRISON TOWNSHIP. ON the 9th of March, 1825, another township laid out, and named after General Wm. Henry Harrison. In 1830, there were 726 inhabitants ; in 1840, in 1850, 751 ; and in 1860 778. The earliest settlers were Wendel Melker, Adam Lybarger, the Gorsuches, Peter Wolf, Joseph Horn, Benjamin Horn, Andrew Casto, the Dudgeons, the Biggses, the Schoolers, Philip Melker, Isaac Cohen, Arthur Fawcett, the Welkers. The Dudgeons, among these, deserve more than a passing notice. Three brothers and a sister, at an early day, settled in this wilderness region. In company with their father, they had crossed the Atlantic in 1801. Simon. Moses, and Hugh Dudgeon, brothers, were natives of Ireland, who came to this country poor and penniless, and by honest industry acquired a competency. Simon had served six months as a British soldier in the Revolutionary war, He was in his 26th year, of great physical strength, resolute and determined. He landed in the city of New York with only an English shilling in his pocket, which he paid out to a washerwoman for washing his clothes. he worked, as he could get employment, in Vermont, Connecticut and New York, and lived with his father and brothers, Thomas and Hugh, for eight years, until he accumulated $1,000; and with that, in 1810, he started from Delaware county, N. Y., west to hunt a better location, visited Knox county and bought the tract of land upon which he erected his house and lived until death. He went to Washington county, Pa., married, and returned to his land in 1811. The issue of this marriage was ten chi ldren. Nine are now living, to wit: Charles. Moses. David, Simon, May, John, and Andrew in Harrison township William, Jane, Mrs. Horn, in Auglaiz county. Simon. Sr. first bought three quarter sections land, and added to it by purchase till, at his death he had 712 acres. He was very industrious and domestic in his habits. Paul Welker, one of the oldest settlers in that part of the county, tells. with much humor, the way in which he first became aware of Dudgeon being in the county. He was out hunting one day, and having chased a deer into some under brush in some frog-ponds, was startled by the sound of an axe cutting wood; he stealthily approached the spot from whence the noise proceeded, expecting to find an Indian, when, greatly to his surprise, he discovered our pioneer chopping trees to make cabin. He had not heard of this new comer. and could but express his astonishment that he should have chosen a spot back of the big frog ponds for a house. Forbidding as the place then was. Simon by dint of labor, there made his living, and left to his children, as its result, an estate of over $25,000. besides some $10,000 advanced to them during his life time. They now own over 1,500 acres of land in that vicinity. Simon died of apoplexy in the street. Mt. Vernon, in his sixty-ninth year. Two of his brothers died of this same disease Thomas, in Delaware county, N. Y., and Hugh, in Knox county, February 16th. 1861. Moses, another brother, died in this county about thirty years ago. Their sister, Mrs. Young Love, is now living near Fredericktown. The Lybarger family became quite numerous also. Adam died in April, this year. He had risen from dinner , after eating very hearty, and walked into the yard to get a stick of wood for the fire, when he dropped dead. Wendel Melker, with his brother Philip, moved into this country from Virginia in 1808. All that survive of the Melker name in Harrison are four children-all mutes. Silas Ralston, Joseph and Martin Horn, "blathering John " Wolf and John Trout man were other notable setlers of long standing. Arthur Fawcett was, like the Dudgeons, from the Emerald Isle., and felt the effects of poverty, in early youth. After a time he too makes his way to the "great West," and is found in this county, in 1810, clearing land, upon which he has since resided. he is now in his 77th year, and his wife, Susannah, in her 67th year. They have had ten children—eight now live, viz; Samuel, who married Elizabeth Biggs, daughter of James Hayes. He was horn in Harrison township, in 1816, and now lives in Butler. Philip, who married Mary Ellen Vance, lives in Illinois ; Elizabeth, wife of Geo. W. Schooler, in Allen county ; Lucinda. wife of Hamilton Marshal, in Allen county ; and the following in Harrison township Anna, wife of Isaac Hays ; Mary, Mrs. Ralph Faucett ; John. who married Hannah Washburn ; Icetas, who married Rebecca Barnett ; and Catharine, wife of Joseph Horn. Andrew Casto moved into Marion county, and died sixteen years ago. None of his blood now live in this county. Isaac Coen, another of the earliest settlers, died, with none here to represent him. Joseph and Benjamin Horn died about the same time, eight years ago. the Biggs brothersWilliam, Noah and Jeremiah—came to this township about 1811. The Schoolers settled in the neighborhood, where that name is now found, in 1818. John Schooler died in 1853; he was from Beaver county, Pa.,: had twelve children-nine now 1iving. Isaac is at Carthage, Jasper county. Mo. George and Rachel, Mrs. Ashbourne, live in Auglaize county, James in Coshocton ; William, Joseph, Moses and Samuel are in Harrison. Both the justices of the peace in the township are sons of John Schooler. the people of Knox county twice honored him with a seat in the Legislature; he died some eight years ago, much lamented by a large circle of relatives and friends. Marvin Tracy held many public positions, and was universally respected for his honesty and integrity. Paul Welker and John Troutman have been hard-working farmers of good reputation. Nathaniel Ross emigrated from Greene county, Pa., in 1811, and is yet living, in his sixty-ninth year. His brother, Samuel, came out in 1817, and is now sixty-three years of age. These men have been useful citizens. The first brick house in this township was that of Nathaniel Ross. The first road laid out was from Mt. Vernon to Coshocton. The proprietors of the town were all from the East, and they then believed light must be sought from that quarter. They did not know there was a Lake Erie, or if they did, they did not seem conscious that the great commerce and trade of this section must be drawn north and south ; hence, supposing that travel would be most from east to west, they laid out the town with this view-making its principal street, "High," the widest, and "Market," the present Main Street, much the narrowest. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE Within territory have been the following Justices: 1819. Marvin Tracey, re-elected in 1822 and 1825. 1825. John Schooler. 1836. Asa Freeman. 1829. Isreal Dillon. 1839. Asa Freeman. 1834. Ben Ellis 1842. Asa Freeman. 1834. Ben Ellis 1845. Asa Freeman. 1835. Nathaniel Ross. 1847. M. W. Schooler. 1837. Hugh Miller. 1848. Wm. Marlow. 1840. Hugh Miller. 1849. Marvin Tracy. 1843. Hugh Miller. 1852. Jonathan McArtor. 1850. Moses Dudgeon. 1855. Jonathan McArtor. 1853. Moses Dudgeon. 1856. M. W. Schooler. 1855. Sam. F. Schooler 1858. Jonathan McArtor. 1862. Sam. F. Schooler 1859. M. W. Sclooler. 1862. Jacob Hays.