OHIO STATEWIDE FILES OH-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List Issue 208 *********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 00 : Issue 208 Today's Topics: #1 History, Hamilton County ; Anderso ["Maggie Stewart" To: OH-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <0cbb01bfe3aa$bbcd4280$0300a8c0@local.net> Subject: History, Hamilton County ; Anderson Twp pgs 242-254 (3) Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Tina Hursh frog158@juno.com April 15, 2000 Transcribed by Kym Pitman *********************************************************************** Anderson Twp pgs 242-254 *********************************************************************** History of Hamilton County Ohio with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches. Compiled by Henry A. Ford, A.M. and Mrs. Kate B. Ford, L.A. William & Co., Publishers; 1881. Pages 249-254 ~ pg 249 ~ Martin HESS was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1803, from which State he emigrated to Anderson township in 1828, when he took immediate charge of the TURPIN mills. He continued in his position, respected by all, for twenty-five years, and died in 1855. His wife - Eliza FLINT previous to her marriage - was born ~pg 250~ in 1806, and is still living, at the advanced age of seventy-four. The children are Sarah MUCHMORE, Martin V. HESS, G. W. HESS, Lottie SEARLES, and Amanda HESS. Mr. M. V. HESS was elected township clerk in 1868. Two years later he became township treasurer, which office he has since held, with the exception of two years. He is the present incumbent. Isaac EDWARDS emigrated from New Jersey to Ohio, and settled in Clermont county about 1805. Two years afterward he came to Anderson township, where he died in 1827, being a leading man of his time. His wife was Hannah MARTIN. She died in 1837. The surviving children are William EDWARDS, of Anderson; Rebecca HORN, of Knox county; Elizabeth DAY, of Van Buren county; Samuel and Edward EDWARDS, both of Anderson township. Edward EDWARDS was born in 1812, on the old homestead, where he yet lives. The farm consists of two hundred and ninety-six acres of rich bottom lands. His wife's name was Eliza GLANSEY. The children are Euphemia JONES, Laura JEWETT, Harry EDWARDS, Melvin EDWARDS, and Clara HAMMEL, all living at the present time in Hamilton county. William H. AYRES was born in the year 1849. Leaving school at the age of nineteen, he entered the employ of Mr. W. R. MCGILL, and still holds his position, respected by all who know him. The first representative of his family in Ohio was his grandfather, John JONES, whose wife was Hattie DURHAM before her marriage. R. W. HIBBEN first settled in Anderson township in 1839. He was born in Charleston, South Carolina, and came from that city to Ohio. He died in 1844. His wife's name was Rebecca E. GOODMIN, and they have seven children living. Duke G. HIBBEN, the son of the preceding, was born in South Carolina in 1829. At the age of ten he came to Anderson township, and still remains on the old homestead, surrounded by many friends. Samuel SHAW settled at Newtown in 1828. He was a Pennsylvanian by birth, but emigrated from there to Ohio, where he lived until the time of his death in the year 1848. He was the proprietor of a hotel for thirty-one years. His wife was Isabel JEFFERIES. Five children are living. The son, Moses SHAW, was born in 1833. In 1861 he was married to the daughter of Jacob ROSS. He has always followed the business of farming. Elisha MILLER settled in Anderson township in 1812. He followed the business of blacksmithing and farming, and has given the art of wood carving a deal of attention, receiving a diploma for the finest carving on exhibition at the tri-State fair of Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. He was married, in 183-, to Hester J. HOPPER, daughter of Abraham, who is noticed elsewhere with the Hopper family. He is a man respected by all. ************* The oldest house remaining in the township is a hewed log house near the site of GERARD's station, which was built in 1805 by Josiah and Samuel HOLLEY. It is much in repute as a veritable relic of the olden time, and one of the most venerable dwellings in Hamilton county. The first mill in the county was WICKERSHAM's (some say COLEMAN's), upon, or rather in front of Nathaniel WILSON's survey No. 2,204, at the rapids of the Little Miami, about two miles from its mouth and below the mouth of Clough creek, not far from the present site of Union bridge. Colonel TAYLOR says his father, General James TAYLOR, was at the mill in 1792; and further: He went with a servant with two bags of corn to have it ground. The mill, he said, was a rough affair, constructed out of two Kentucky flat-boats, which made meal of a very coarse character. He said travelling to that spot at that day was not considered very safe, as Indians had been seen a few days before on the trail leading to the mill from Fort Washington, and in fact had killed a man. Philip TURPIN, who settled on CRITTENDEN's survey NO. 410, about 1795, subsequently built a flouring-mill near the spot where WICKERSHAM built his mill. Said mill stood there until within the last ten years, when (1870) it was torn down by his heirs. The TURPIN mill, which was a very fine one for its day, and did excellent service for two generations, was built about 1805. In the same year the first ferry over the Little Miami was established in the vicinity by the HOLLEYs before mentioned, which they leased for one hundred dollars in cash and one hundred gallons of whiskey. This beverage was then made in considerable quantity at a large distillery half a mile from TURPIN's mill, upon or near the site of the old block-house. All ferries across the river in this region have long since been superseded by bridges, the finest of which is the Union bridge, between Mount Washington and Linwood, so-called from the former union of Hamilton and Clermont counties in sustaining the expense of the construction of a bridge built in 1836, at the old FLINN's ford, about a mile below the present site of the bridge. It was a plain wooden structure, which was removed in 1875; and in that year and the next the fine suspension bridge now used was erected upon its more eligible site by the Cincinnati Iron Bridge company. Its expense, seventy-nine thousand eight hundred dollars, was sustained by Hamilton county alone, a bonded indebtedness being created therefor, upon authority granted by the legislature. It is three hundred and fifty-three feet long, and every way a substantial and graceful structure. The river, on the Miami front of Anderson township, is also spanned by two railway bridges, erected for the Cincinnati & Eastern and the Cincinnati & Portsmouth narrow-gauge railroads. There is also a wagon bridge for the turnpike near the mouth of the Little Miami, and another across the river at Plainville, from which a plank sidewalk connects it with Newtown - an improvement made by the enterprise and liberality of the citizens of the latter village. EARLY RELIGION. The Miami Island church, the second church of the Miami association in order of time (afterwards Little Miami Island church, and finally simply Miami), on one of the islands in the river of that name, was formed about 1795, by settlers of the Baptist faith removing from Columbia, and was served at first by Elder John SMITH, of the latter place, who had then or a few years afterwards a mill at the island, about eight miles from Columbia. He was also pastor from 1801 to 1804. Elder James LEE was pastor from 1799 to 1801. Elder John CORBLY, who had settled a few miles below Milford, preached here for some time afterwards. In 1808 Moses FRAZER was ~pg 251~ called as pastor, and was still with the church when it was dismissed in 1816, with eight others, to form the East Fork Baptist association. James JONES was pastor in 1816. In 1799 the membership here was reported to the Miami association as sixty-two, nearly twice the number of any other church in that body, and almost exactly one-third of the entire membership of the association, although it then consisted of six churches. Willliam MILNER was a lay-delegate from this church to the meetings in 1797-8, to organize the association, and was on the committee to draft its "principles of faith, practice and decorum." The association met with the Island church October 20, 1798, when the rules were adopted, and so the association was fully constituted. The venerated name of Rev. Philip GATCH will ever be associated with the records of pioneer settlement and early religious movements in Hamilton and Clermont counties. He was one of the most remarkable men of his time in the Little Miami valley. Mr. GATCH was born near Baltimore, Maryland, March 2, 1751, of Prussian stock on his father's side and Burgundian on his mother's. He was converted under Methodist influences in 1772; began to speak as an exhorter in the same year; the next year was sent into New Jersey as the first itinerant of the church ever sent into the State. He and the Rev. Mr. WALTERS, then laboring in Virginia and Delaware, were, indeed, the first preachers recruited for the Methodist itinerancy in this country. At the conference of 1774, held in Philadelphia, he was one of five received into full connection. January 14, 1788, he was married to Miss Elizabeth SMITH, of Powhatan county, Virginia. After much laborious and able service at the east, part of the time under severe persecution, being often threatened, once dangerously assaulted, and once plastered with tar, he engaged in farming for a time; emancipated his slaves in December, 1780, removed to Buckingham, Virginia, and improved a large farm. In 1798 he resolved to emigrate to the Northwest Territory, and set out for the land of hope October 11th, of that year, with his brother-in-law, the Rev. James SMITH, and family, and a near friend, Mr. Ambrose RANSOM and his family. Thirty-six persons, white and colored, were in the colony. After many tribulations, by land and water, they reached the Little Miami valley. Says Mr. GATCH in his journal: >From Williamsburgh we passed on to Newtown, and for some days pitched our tents in TURPIN's bottom, and there, with those who were with me, were accommodated with a small shop used by a mechanic. On Sunday morning after our arrival the boats landed. My heart was dissolved into love and gratitude to God for his care over us on our journey, and bringing us safely into this desirable and distant land. I rented a house in Newtown, and we were treated kindly by the people, though they cared little for religion. The land which l had taken in exchange for my farm in Virginia did not answer for a settlement, so I purchased a tract in the forks of the Little Miami river. His residence in Anderson township was, therefore, brief, lasting only till the middle of the next February, when his cabin was finished and he moved beyond the East fork into it. His history thenceforth belongs mainly to Clermont county, which he served long and ably in public stations, as justice of the peace, associate judge of the court of common pleas, member of the first constitutional convention, and otherwise. He remained identified, however, with the religious interests of the lower Miami valley, preaching regularly at Newtown and other places, though not as a circuit preacher until circuits were regularly established and appointments made to them, and frequently preached thereafter. He died in the fullness of years and honors December 28, 1835, and was laid to rest beside his venerable wife, in the burying-ground upon his farm. In this connection the following recollections of Mr. GATCH, concerning early Methodism on the Little Miami, will be read with interest: The conference did not appoint a preacher to Miami circuit in 1800. There were at the time four or five local preachers in the Miami country, and they went everywhere preaching the word. They systematized their operations, preached not only on Sabbath, but also on other days, held two-days meetings, and kept up a routine of quarterly meetings. They were much encouraged in seeing the pleasure of the Lord prosper in their hands. Those popular meetings were held at different points, but most of them were held in the forks of the Miami, and it was matter of astonishment to see the numbers that attended; women would walk twenty and even thirty miles to attend them. The whole care devolved on three families; each would have frequently to provide for from fifty to a hundred people. The men at night quartered in barns and out-buildings, while the women lodged in the cabins. It was a striking scene to witness the breaking up of one of these night meetings. The people, though coming from a distance, had no way of returning in the darkness but by dim paths or traces, some of which had been first formed by the tread of wild beasts. To obviate this difficulty they would procure fagots made of bark from the trees or splinters made fine and rendered highly combustible; these would be fired up on starting home, and in every direction they might be seen like so many meteors, bounding amid the thick forest and gilding the foliage of the loftiest trees, while the air would often be made vocal with their songs of rejoicing and praise. Bishop MCKENDREE, in one of his letters, speaks of a meeting at Mr. GATCH's house in June, 1802, which some women walked thirty miles to attend. A powerful revival occurred at this meeting. Another remarkable service was held in 1805, under an awning in front of Mr. GATCH's cabin, by Bishops ASBURY and WHATCOAT, and their travelling companion, the Rev. J. CROFFORD. When each of these had preached at the same service, it was insisted by Bishop ASBURY that Mr. GATCH should preach also, which made four sermons in succession. And yet, says Mr. GATCH, "so precious was the word of the Lord in those days that the congregation evinced no uneasiness, but paid the greatest attention to all the discourses." He elsewhere writes: "The first circuit that was formed here extended over a tract of country from the Ohio up the Miami rivers to Mad river, and the labors of the preachers who travelled it were great. Now [1827] there are seven circuits within the bounds of the first one." The quarterly meetings were held commonly at the house of Mr. GATCH, when his patient, devoted wife would have to provide for the entertainment of fifty to one hundred persons. NEWTOWN. This is the oldest town in the western part of the county, and by far the oldest in Anderson township. A cluster of settlers, as we have seen from Mr. GATCH's narrative, was here as early as 1798; and no great while after that, we may presume safely, the place was almost, if not quite, as populous as in 1830, when it contained one hundred and sixty-one people. It was laid off on ~pg 252~ General MASSIE's survey, No. 2,276, in the north part of the township, and on the border of the Little Miami bottoms at the foot of the hills, in 1801, by General James TAYLOR, and was by him at first called Mercersburgh, in honor of General MERCER, of Revolutionary fame. The most easterly part of the present site as first built up, and bore the name of Mercersburgh; but afterwards the whole of the site was occupied under the designation of Newtown. The first hewed log house in Anderson township was built near Newtown on the premises now occupied by Mr. E. J. TURPIN by Isaac and David JONES, immigrants from Hampshire county, Virginia. A stone building was erected at Newtown in 1813 for the use of the Methodist Episcopal church. When a new meeting-house was put up on the same site in 1861, the stones used for this basement were taken from the old building. Rev. John STRANGE was the first circuit-rider to serve the Methodist charge here. The Revs. Philip and James GATCH, and other pioneers of Methodism in the Miami valley, also often preached here. "Mother JONES" is remembered as the first Methodist woman in or near the place. Newtown has also a Regular Baptist and a Universalist church, the latter which contains also an Odd Fellows' hall. The fine school-house now occupied, was erected in 1860, and received an addition in 1880. It contains five school-rooms, three of which are occupied. The principal of the school is Mr. J. C. HEYWOOD, who has held his place with much acceptance for several years. The first school-house in the place stood at no great distance from this one. One of the earliest teachers here was Eli DAVIS, a native of Salem, New Jersey, who removed to Hamilton county from Lexington, Kentucky, and taught school for several years with marked success, as he was thorough in discipline and scholarship. He won equal popularity as a justice of the peace, in which capacity he served for several years. In 1808 he married Ruth LONG, and after a further residence of four years at Newtown, he removed to Union township, Clermont county, where his remaining years were spent. At one of the early fourth of July celebrations in Newtown, Colonel Clayton WEBB was the reader of the Declaration of Independence, and Mr. William DE COURCY, of Clough creek, was orator of the day. Newtown has a population of four hundred and twenty-seven, by the census of 1880. MOUNT WASHINGTON. The advantages of this locality, as a suburban residence for business men of Cincinnati, were early apparent. It occupies one of the highest tracts of land in the county, and at some points commands views stretching along the river valleys five miles in each direction. The highland reaches westward almost to the banks of the Little Miami. King's Pocket-book of Cincinnati says of this place: It is noted for its beautiful rolling private grounds, perfect drainage, and consequent good health; also for its fine avenue of evergreens and deciduous trees, with probably the finest collection of magnolias in the county. It has a town hall, a fine-graded public school, young ladies seminary, and three churches." The original village of Mount Washington was laid off in 1838 by James C. LUDLOW; but large additions have since been made to it. The municipality was incorporated November 14, 1867, and it has since had a full village organization, with mayor, common council, board of health, etc. Captain Benneville KLINE was mayor for several years, in the earlier day of its corporate existence. About 1840 the post office of Mount Washington was established, that at Salem, or "Mears," a mile distant, upon which the inhabitants had chiefly depended for their mails, being vacated in favor of the new one. S. J. SUTTON, the merchant of the place, was the first postmaster, and his clerk and deputy, Mr.. W. B. DUNHAM, then filled the post for twenty-five years, from 1852 to 1876, when he was succeeded by the present incumbent, Mr. John ROELL. Mr. DUNHAM was also one of the early School teachers in this region, having taught in a country school-house upon the site of the present public school building, as long ago as 1836. While postmaster he did also a general merchandizing business, and is still living, retired from business, at his old home in Mount Washington. One of his sons, Mr. J. H. DUNHAM, perpetuates in a manner his services to education, by printing the Public School journal, an educational monthly magazine edited in Cincinnati by Professor WILSON, of the public schools, and published by Messrs. HENLEY & CHADWICK, of that city. Mr. DUNHAM's printing-office and the Mount Washington Canning company, a large establishment previously mentioned in these notes, now furnish the chief industries of the place. The present school-house, upon a site occupied for fifty years for purposes of education, was erected under the auspices of the Odd Fellows' organization to some extent. The schools occupy four rooms under the charge of Mr. A. W. WILLIAMSON, principal. A Methodist Protestant church was erected here in 1861, a small, plain, frame building, and was used more or less continuously, by this and the Baptist denomination, until about 1872, when it was abandoned. A Catholic congregation here, together with one each at Newtown, California, and Columbia, is served by the Rev. Father B. ENGBERS. The Methodist Episcopal church here is ministered to, at this writing, by the Rev. John H. STORY. We append a sketch of the Mount Washington Baptist church, kindly furnished by its pastor, the Rev. B. F. HARMON: This church began its life in 1866 as a mission of the Columbia Baptist church, under the direction of its pastor, Rev. B. F. HARMON. Its meetings were held at first on Sunday afternoons in the Protestant Methodist church, which was hired for the purpose. The mission grew steadily in interest and numbers until 1869, when it was constituted into a separate church, and was recognized by a large council composed of the pastors and representatives of the city churches and others in the vicinity. Great interest and unanimity marked the sessions of the council. The church immediately called to its pastorate the Rev. B. F. HARMON, who has remained with it continuously to the present time. The same year was distinguished by the dedication of a new church building. It is a two-story brick edifice, and is accounted a model of taste and beauty. The church property is valued at ten thousand dollars, is free from debt, and an ornament to the beautiful village in ~pg 253~ which it is located. Several extensive revivals have occurred in the history of the church, and its growth has been steady and healthful. One of the most notable citizens of Mount Washington, in the present generation, was Dr. Leonard W. BISHOP, a native of Cheviot, in Green township, but who removed to this locality in 1849, to practice medicine. It was a terrible cholera year, and he soon found abundant opportunity for professional activity. He was a thoroughly public-spirited man, and one of his projects was that of a fine academy in the place. During the war he was secretary of the Anderson township relief society, of which Captain KLINE was president, and aided to keep the township clear of all drafts and to disburse large sums for the assistance of soldiers' families. After the battle of Pittsburgh Landing a large meeting of citizens of the township was held at Mount Washington, to consider the best means of sending relief to the two companies from the township that were in that hard-fought action. Dr. BISHOP was unanimously deputed to go to the front with suitable supplies for the Anderson men, and to bring back their dead, sick and wounded. At Cincinnati he fell in with Dr. COMEGY's, of that city, who was about to leave for Pittsburgh Landing in an official capacity, and was by him appointed a surgeon on his staff, which gave him superior facilities of movement within the lines of the army. He found the Anderson companies, and promptly relieved their wants. Within two weeks he had fulfilled his mission, and returned with his precious charge of disabled and dead heroes. At another large meeting held after his return, he received a unanimous vote of thanks on behalf of the people of Anderson township, which was all the compensation he asked or received for his services. He was thereafter often summoned to Cincinnati to assist the army surgeons in the work of the hospitals. After the war he removed to Mount Carmel, in Clermont county, where we believe he now resides. The Rev. Francis MCCORMICK, formerly a neighbor of Rev. Philip GATCH, on the East fork of the Miami, and, like him, one of the pioneer preachers of Methodism in the Northwest Territory, spent his last days near Mount Washington, whither he removed in 1806. He was an old Revolutionary soldier, who had served under Lafayette at Yorktown. At his cabin beyond the East fork, in 1797, it is said the first Methodist class organized in Ohio was formed. The people of Mount Washington formerly reached the city principally by omnibus to the Little Miami railroad it Plainville, and thence by rail; but since 1878 they have been more conveniently served by the Cincinnati & Portsmouth narrow-gauge railroad, which has a station half a mile below the village. The place had three hundred and ninety-three inhabitants in the year 1880. CALIFORNIA. This place, sometimes erroneously called Caledonia in old documents, was laid out in 1849, by Joseph GUTHRIE, John W. BROWN, AND Thomas J. MURDOCK, in the southwest part of the township, upon the Ohio river, about a mile below the mouth of the Little Miami and upon Bennett TOMPKINS' survey number three hundred and sixty-five, one of the first, as has been noted, to be settled in the township. The place is about eight miles from Fountain Square, in the city of Cincinnati, which furnishes it with a goodly share of its residents, and also the opportunity for some manufacturing to advantage. The first business of importance here was the Molders' Union foundry, which was established on the co-operative plan while the town was still new, by a number of striking stove-molders from Cincinnati. Mr. James C. C. HOLLENSHADE, a prominent citizen connected with the business, had warmly espoused their cause, and was employed to conduct their enterprise at California. They organized a regular corporation, of which he was made president and business agent. He opened the stock-books for the molders, subscriptions of stock to be paid in work, and Mr. HOLLENSHADE relying upon his own credit to secure the means for building the foundry, procuring the necessary machinery and stock, and running it until money was in the treasury of the company for his repayment. This he successfully accomplished, and ran the establishment to satisfaction the first year, paying the full bill of prices as stipulated to all the workmen. He then resigned to go into the wrought-iron and hardware business in Cincinnati; and the enterprise in due time went the way of nearly all similar undertakings. The prospects of the place since, however, have at times looked up quite bravely; and in 1871 (May 1) the California Building and Savings Association, No. 1, filed its certificate of incorporation in the secretary of State's office at Columbus, for operations at this point. The Richmond turnpike passes this place, as also the projected line of the Ohio River & Virginia railway, and the Cincinnati & Portsmouth narrow-gauge has a station but a mile distant. St. Jerome's church (Catholic), supplied, as before noted, by the Rev. Father ENGBERS, is located here. The tenth census allows the village three hundred and seventy-six people. OTHER POST OFFICES. The post offices of the township, not already indicated, are Cedar Point, Fruit Hill, Cherry Grove, Pleasant Valley, and Sweet Wine. The first-named of these is of very recent establishment, and has Mr. R. A. SHANNON for postmaster. It was formerly TAYLOR's Corners at the junction of the road from Mount Washington to the Ohio turnpike, and takes its present name from the fine cedar trees at the point of junction. These were planted by Mr. TAYLOR, an Englishman who settled there about 1845, and put up a large frame building for a grocery store and residence. This locality became celebrated far and wide, especially for its beautiful garden and grounds, and was long maintained by its proprietor, who finally sold it and removed to the west. Sweet Wine takes its unique name from one of the chief products of the colony of Germans in the southeast of the township, who are mainly its patrons. POPULATION. The population of Anderson township, by the census of 1880, was four thousand, one hundred and forty-one, ~pg 254~ against four thousand and seventy-seven ten years before. A comparative statement of the number of its inhabitants, during the several years in which the federal census has been taken, will be found, as in the case of other townships of Hamilton county, at the close of chapter X, in the first part of this work. -------------------------------- End of OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest V00 Issue #208 *******************************************