LAWRENCE COUNTY OHIO - History of Elizabeth Township (published 1882, 1887) *********************************************************************** OHGENWEB NOTICE: All distribution rights to this electronic data are reserved by the submitter. Reproduction or re-presentation of copyrighted material will require the permission of the copyright owner. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. *********************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Maggie Stewart-Zimmerman July 14, 1999 *********************************************************************** From Atlas of Lawrence County, Ohio Hardesty 1882 From Atlas of Lawrence County, Ohio 1887 D.J. Lake & Company Elizabeth Township is in the western part of the county. Land is very hilly and forest covered. Streams are Pine Creek in the west. Cannons Creek on the east empties into Pine and Storms Creek on the southeast empties into the Ohio at Ironton. Wayne National and Dean State Forests are part of Elizabeth Township. State Route 93 runs north through the center; Rt. 650 runs north on the western end, and Rt. 522 runs north and west off Rt. 93 joining Rt. 650 at Pine Creek. Mining was once an important industry. Today, only a small amount of limestone is quarried. Centre at Superior, Etna, Vesuvius. Lawrence Pine Grove, Old Union, and Old Empire furnaces once provided employment for many people. During the 1930's a Civilian Conservation Corps was encamped at Vesuvius which provided labor for the construction of Lake Vesuvius in the southeast part. It covers 142 acres and extends 2 1/2 miles downstream from the headwaters of Storms Creek. Swimming, fishing and boating are enjoyed. Lawco, a private lake, is also man-made on Darby Creek on State Route 522. The Pedro Post Office serves the residents of Elizabeth, Decatur and part of Aid Townships. Some businesses are groceries, carry-out convenience stores, a ceramic shop, and a sawmill. Several large farms are in the Pine Creek Valley . The Rock Hill High School, #3 Elementary, and Middle School are within the township. Ohio Center, once a Job Corps facility at Vesuvius, houses troubled youth and provides schools for them. Early landowners were: Knapp, Wagner, Hosey, Compliment, Silliman, Monnig, Orthmeyer, Puckett. White, Kelley, Primm, Christian, Sanders, and Cline. However, most land was owned by Means Kyle and Company, Etna Iron Works, and Lawrence Furnace Company. Early Settlers are: CLINE COMPLIMENT CHRISTIAN HOSEY KANPP KELLEY MONNIG ORTHMEYER PRIMM PUCKETT SANDERS SILLIMAN WAGNER WHITE Most land was owned by Means Kyle and Company, Etna Iron Works, and Lawrence Furnace Company. Name Post Office Occupation Nativity Date of Settlement Crichton, J.M. Steece Mining Lawrence Co., OH 1854 Cox, George Pedro Furnace Manager Kentucky 1863 Ketterer, Chas. Hanging Rock Merchant Germany 1852 Keating, James Vesuvius Merchant Schuylkill Co., PA 1860 Lawrence Furnace Co. Ironton Pig Iron Manufacturer Mackintosh, A.R. Hanging Rock Furnace Manager Scotland 1861 Monning, Fred Kelley's Mills Farmer Hanover, Germany 1838 Peters, George Culbertson Clerk Lawrence Co., OH 1836 Peters, Ptolemy Culbertson Mining Lawrence Co., OH 1850 Pirrung, Henry Vesuvius Superintendent Coal Works Bavaria, Germany 1850 Pleumer, A. Box 726, Cincinnati Manager Etna Iron Works Rauck, John Jas. Vesuvius Catholic Clergyman Germany 1852 Sweeney, Hugh Vesuvius Grocer & Liquor Dealer Ireland 1855