OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: Tidbits of Ohio -- Part 48C ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgenwebarchives.org ************************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Darlene E. Kelley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374 May 19, 2005 ************************************************************************** Historical Collections of Ohio And Then They Went West Know Your Ohio Tid-Bits part 48 C by Darlene E. Kelley notes by S. Kelly Adams Cty Historical Society ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tid Bits - Part 48 C Adams Cty Townships Oliver Township Oliver Township lies in the north central portion of Adams County, and was organized from territory taken off Wayne, Scott and Tiffin on March 8, 1853. It is one of the low inland townships of the county, and its figure is that of an irregular oval. It was named in honor of John Oliver, a highly respected citizen, who was at the time a member of the Board of County Commissioners. John Clark, who settled on the old Clark farm west of the present village of Harshaville in 1805, is said to be one of the first settlers of the Oliver Township. Samuel Wright settled in 1806 where Harshaville now stands, and Robert Finley located on the Nathaniel Patton farm in the same year. James Hemphill settled near the mouth of George's Creek about the same date and operated a small mill and a still-house where a good quality of whiskey was made. The celebrated " Whiskey Road " was cut from New Market to Hemphill's. Villages were as follows; Dunkinsville, near the mouth of Lick Fork, on the West Union and Peeples turnpike, is the oldest village in Oliver Township. It was laid out December 14, 1841. Harshaville is a little hamlet grown up about the celebrated Harsha Flouring Mills on Cherry Fork, in the northwestern portion of the township. The post office was established June 30, 1864 with George A. Patton as postmaster. Unity is a hamlet on the Harsaville and Dunkinsville pike near the center of Oliver township. Near the little hamlet of Unity, there resided in 1855, William H. Senter and Nancy, his wife, a daughter of Aaron Roebuck, in a little round-log cabin on the farm now owned by the widow of William Davis. In the autumn of that year, Clinton Dixon, of Brown County, a relative of the Senters, introduced them to Alexander Milligan, a native of England, who had lived ( so he said ) several years in Pennsylvania prior coming to Ohio. He had been employed as a farm laborer by Dixon for some months, and at this time said he desired to purchase a small farm, such as Dixon represented the Senter premises to be, and which had been offered for sale. This was about the first of November, and while at Senter's, Milligan bargained for the farm in the sum of $1,000 to be paid on the first day of December following, when the deed was to be delivered to him. The contract for the sale of the farm was drawn up by William B. Brown, then a merchant of Unity, and was witnessed by him and Dixon. It was agreed that Milligan should take with the farm the live stock, farming implements, and of the household goods and utensils such as would be necessary for his use in keeping a rude sort of " bachelor's Hall," and that he should be permitted to make his home with the Senters until he could make some collections due him to comply with the terms of the agreement of the sale of the farm. During his stay with the Sente family, Milligan familiarized himself with the farm and its surroundings, formed acquantances in the community, and took a part in the social and friendly gatherings, such as choppings and huskings, occurring in the neighborhood. It is said of him that he was of rather pleasing personality. He is described as being of good stature, fair complexioned with blue eyes, sociable, but quite in his manners, with a broad Yorkshire accent in his speech, and seemingly intelligent in the ordinary affairs of life. He was at this time about twenty-five years of age, and had been among the people with whom he had been associated in Brown County for the year and half prior to his coming to Senter's, the reputation of being a quiet, hardworking young man. Nothing of his former life was ever learned excepting what has already been stated. The fact of the sale of Senter's farm and chattels to Milligan soon become noised over the neighborhood, and George A. Patton, then a merchant in Harshaville, whom Senter owed a sum of money, upon inquiry was told by Senter that the report of the sale was correct, and that on the first of December, he would settle his account with him when he received the cash for his farm. Within a few days following his conversation with Senter, Patton learned that Senter and his wife had gone from the neighborhood without informing their relatives and friends of their intentions to leave. Accordingly Patton. somewhat annoyed about his claim, rode over to Senter's place to make inquiry concerning the rumor of their departure. He found no one at the Senter residence except Milligan, who said Senter and Nancy had gone away without making him a deed for the farm. But, he expected them to return the next day, December 1, to comply with their agreement, as he had been to Irontown to collect his money and was ready now to make the payment for the farm and chattels. Mr. Patton returned to the Senter residence the next day and found Aaron Roebuck and wife, parents of Mrs. Senter, there, whom Milligan informed that Senter and his wife had gone " out among their friends some days before" and had not yet returned. Two days later, Patton went to West Union to take legal advice about his claim. Learning that Milligan had been to Stevenson's and had represented himself as William Senter, and had had a deed written for his farm to Alexander Milligan . On the next day, Patton again went to the Senter home and saw Milligan, who informed him that Senter and his wife had returned with the deed, that he paid them the purchase money, after which they again went away to visit some friends up the river. On being requested to produce th deed, Milligan said he had lodged it with James B. McClellan, and after much persuasion went there with Patton and others, when it was discovered that the alleged deed had not been acknowledged, Squire Stevenson having refused to certify the acknowledgement until Mrs. Senter came before him as he afterwards stated at the the trial of Milligan for murder. Strange as it may seem, Patton, Brown, and McClelland, all of whom Senter owed money, and whose claims Milligan agreed to secure, came to West Union that day with Milligan, where he gave notes and mortgages to the amount of $250 on the farm to secure the several amounts owed them by Senter. But when Brown returned to his home in Unity that night, he found his shop and store crowded with people of the neighborhod who demanded that Milligan be put under arrest for murder. A.J. Roebuck, a bother-in-law of Senter, was sent for, but he refused to make the affidavit until Brown brought Patton who related the facts in the case to Roebuck as he knew them. Squire J.C. Milliagan of Oliver Township, was then aroused from his slumbers, and the affidavit was made and a warrent was issued to old Johnny Moore, the constable, to arrest Milligan on a charge of murder. Milligan was found eating his breakfast and refused to go with the officers until he finished his meal. By this time, a search of the premises was begun. Blood spots on the pilows and bed-clothing in the cabin were discovered. Then, some bloody clothing was found in some wheat barrels in the smokehouse. And finally the bodies of the murdered couple were discovered buried under some logs and brush in the spring branch below the cabin. They had been killed with an axe while asleep in bed, and then dragged to the spring branch, their hair being matted with blood, burrs and leaves. Upon closer inspection, the poll of the axe yet had traces of blood on it, and bits of hair from the heads of the murdered couple, and there were marks on the joists of the cabin over the bed where the blade of the axe had struck when uplifted to crush the skulls of the victims. Yet, in face of all this, Milligan declared his innocence of the murder, even when taken into the room where the deed had been committed and placed before the bodies of his victims and their gastly wounds exposed to view. He had committed this horrible crime on Sunday night, November 26, and had slept in the bed in which he had murdered Senter and his wife, every night until their bodies were discovered on December 06. And he had, in the meantime, entertained visitors at the cabin, and one young man, William Johnson, had stayed all night with him on December 04. Milligan was indicted for murder in the first degree and was tried before Judge S.F. Norris and a jury in November, 1856. He was defended by James H. Thompson J.R. Cockerill, Thomas McCauslen and J.M. Wells. The attorneys for the State were J.W. McFerren, Joseph McCormick and T.J.Mullin. The trial consumed a week and after a day and night's deliberation, the jury returned the verdict of murder in the second degree. Milligan was sentenced to the penitentiary for life, where he died in a few years after his confinement. The following nemed persons constituted the trial jury: George W. McGinn, Daniel Kenyon, Starling Robinson, Michael Roush, Simon Dunn, James Abbott, Samuel Phillips, James Vandegrift, John Scott, John Plummer, James Middleswart and Joseph McKee. While in jail at West Union, Milligan attempted to escape Oct. 22, 1856. As the jailer opened the door of the cell in which he was confined, he rushed out past him, made his way through the house, got into the street and was making off as fast as possible. The jailer pursued him, and after running a few rods, Milligan fell and he was secured and returned to jail. He had been hobbled, but had cut his irons in two near one leg, and had fastened the long end of the chain up as to enable him to run, but this came down and he tripped and fell. John Cochran was sheriff at that time. Scott Township Scott Township lies in the northern tier of townships bordering Highland County. It was formed from the north part of Wayne Township, Feb. 25, 1818. Since then, Manchester and a portion of Oliver townships have been taken from its original territory. It was named in honor of Edwin Scott, an old and respected citizen. Some of the first settlers of Scott Township were; John McIntyre and William McIntyre, who settled on the lands recently owned by the Honorable J.T. Wilson at Tranquility; Robert Elliott, who settled on the A.C. McCollough farm; John Hamilton, who settled west of Tranquility; Reuben Smith, James Montgomery, George Secrist, and John Oliver on George's Creek were among the first settlers, who came about the year 1800. Joseph Gaston, David McCreight, Mathew McCreight, James McCreight and their families came from So. Carolina to George's Creek in the year 1802. The Williamsons, Simmondses, Martins and the McCulloughs came a few years later to the same vicinity. The first mill was built by Peter Simmonds on George's Creek. Of the other early mills, Smith's and McCormick's were on the West Fork, and Campbell's on Buck Run. Villages were; Tranquility, a hamlet on George's Creek in the central portion of Scott Township, was founded by Honorable John T. Wilson. In 1832, Mr. Wilson opened a small store on George's Creek at the house of John Smiley about a half mile above the present village, where he sold dry goods, groceries and whiskey, as was the custom in those days. Afterwards, the store was conducted at his late residence. In 1861, W.A. Blair built a store room on the present site of Blair's store where Wilson & Blair's store and the place took the name of Tranquility, as suggested by Mr. Wilson to the post office department when the office was established in 1848. John McCreight was the first postmaster. The first shoolhouse was a round log cabin erected in 1807 on the hill near the site of the United Presbyterian Church. Here the children of the McCreights, Glasgows, Milligans, Elliotts, McCulloughs, Mongomeries, Williamsons, and Beards were taught to read, write and cipher, by Samuel McCollister and James McGill. May Hill is not a regularly laid out village, but like the above village grew up around a country store. It is located in the northeastern portion of Scott Township on the border of Bratton Township, on high rolling land, and is surrounded by poor hilly country. John A. Williamson was its postmaster. Seaman was laid out after the extension of the Cincinnati and Virginia railroad from Winchester to Portsmouth. It was one of the newer villages that sprung up along the line of that railroad. It was laid out on the lands of Mrs. Ann Mower in 1888. A post office was established in 1880 waith A. Day as its first postmaster. the first store in the place was kept by J.Q.Roads. Buck Run, is in the western portion of Scott Township and had formally Campbell's Mills. On the Criswell farm at West Fork, at what is known as " Indian Bottoms, " was a village site of a tribe of Shawnee Indians. Families of these Indians came here to camp as late as 1803. While in camp at this place, a son of James Montgomery, a lad about sixteen years old, became acquainted with the Indian boys and joined them in their sports. He became so attached to his Indian friends and their mode of life that he ran away from his home and accompanied them to their villages on the Mad River. He could never be induced to return to the home of his parents. One of the most welcome comers to a pioneer settlement was the old time nurseryman with his stock of apple, peach, and cherry trees. These he grew from seed and grafted and budded the young trees himself and warrented each tree to be true to name. Under his methods, apple trees lived and bore fruit for fifty or seventy five years. In the pioneer days of the Township, David McCreight conducted a small nursery on his farm on West Fork, where he grew engrafted fruit trees, and warrented as genuine such delicious old varieties as Belle Flower, Warner's Russet, Golden Pippin, Vendiver, Romenite, Cannon Permain, Nutt's Large Early and Butter Apple. Near the Village of Seaman, in Scott Township, is the od homestead of the Silcott family, where Craven Edward Silcott, once a prominent character in local affairs and county politics, was born and reared. He resided for many years at the village of Youngsville, near his old home, where he was engaged in merchandising and conducted a general store. While here, he was nominated on the Democratic ticket for county auditor in 1878, but was defeated at the election following, that champion being regarded as the bitterest contest in the history of partisan politics in the county. In the campaign, one of his staunchest supporters was John P. Leedom, afterwards a member of Congress from Adams County. Silcott and Leedom be - came very close personal friends, and when the latter was chosen Sergeant at Arms of the House after the expiration of his term as member of that body, he per- suaded Silcott to leave his business and took him to Washington and made him his cashier and chief accountant, a very responsible position. It then was the custom for the Sergeant to draw salaries of members upon their vouchers, who checked on his cashier for funds. In this manner, hundreds of thousands of dollars came into the hands of the cashier for temporary care. But life at Wahington under the baneful influence of " the lobby" had begun to tell on " the statesman from Adams" and soon it dragged down the "genial merchant from Youngsville." They frequented the races and, it is said, lost large sums of money. They became involved, and the cashier in 1889 fled the country, a defaulter or embezzler, to the amount of $75,000. Many of Mr. Leedom's friends in Adams County had gladly gone on his bond when he was first chosen Sargeant-of-Arms of the House, and the news of Silcott's embezzlement and flight brought anxious days and sleepless nights to them, until an investigation revealed the welcome fact that upon his selection as Sergeant-at-Arms for a second term, Mr. Leedom had not given a new bond, and the first was invalid. Silcott fled to Mexico where afterwards his family joined him and where he died a dishonored broken-hearted man. Leedom lost caste with his former friends and associates, separated from his wife, and died penniless among strangers. It has been said by some that Silcott assumed the disgrace and fled to shield his bosom friend, Leedom. Others assert that Leedom was basely betrayed by Silcott, whom he had so implicitly trusted. Be that as it may, the awful fact remains that two bright and useful citizens of the county sacrificed home, family, friends, honor; all through the allurements of modern politics. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ To be cont. in Tid Bits - part 48 D.