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Bloom
Township
This
township is noted for its great deposits of iron ore, coal
and fire-clay. The township covers a little less than 49 square
miles. The settlement of Bloom Township was at an early day,
but the date of arrival of the first pioneer was not obtainable.
There were enough, however, to organize a township August,
1812. Among those who were there from 1805 to 1810 were: Samuel
Baker, Samuel Bennett, Benjamin Bennett, Jr., Joshua Gilman,
John Bennett, Mr. Edgar, Samuel Malone and others. Some old
settlers who's lives date back to early childhood in Bloom
Township were: John Bennett, Madison Cole, John Phillips,
Washington Richey, Dr. William Watts, John Loomis, J.W. Crawford
and Branson Miles.
The
Webster Fire-Brick and Coal Company was organized in the
fall of 1869, the officers being John Bennett, President;
George Edmunds, Secretary; and W.S. Gillilan, Superintendent.
They made bricks in all shapes for furnaces, rolling mills,
gas-works, lime-kilns, etc., shipping their goods to Indiana,
Illinois, Michigan and the Southern States, besides all over
the State of Ohio.
Bloom
Furnace, located in northwestern portion of section 30,
in Bloom Township, was built in 1830 by Christian Benner and
two sons, John and Joshua. It was run by different parties
until 1874, when it went out of blast. In 1879 J.D. Clare,
J.H. Simmons and Oliver Lyons bought the property and immediately
started the furnace again.
Scioto
Furnace was erected in 1828 by General Wm Kendall, one
of the pioneers of Scioto County. It went into blast that
year. It changed hands several times, the last company to
purchase it being L.C. Robinson & Co.
The above information abstracted from the
Newsletter of SCCOGS and from the publication "History
of the Lower Scioto Valley: both of which contains more information
on the above township and individuals. See our books and publications
page to order.
Greene
Township
Greene
Township is the southeastern township of the county and is
noted for being what is known as the French Grant, its southern
boundary being Lawrence County and the Ohio River, and the
latter is also its western boundary. Porter township is on
the north and Vernon township and Lawrence County bound it
on the east. It has an area of 22,236 acres.
The
Ohio Furnace was located in Greene Township, something over
a mile from the Ohio River and only about three miles from
its eastern border. Ohio Furnace was laid out in 1844 by David
Sinton and Thos. W. Means. The furnace went into blast June,
1845, John T. Woodrow being superintendent, and fourteen hands
employed that year. It continued in blast for thirty-seven
years without a break, except for repairs, and was blown out
February 24, 1882.
The
Union Furnace was erected in 1826 by James Rogers, John Sparks,
John Means and Valentine Fear. It went into blast in 1827
and continued for several years.
The
Junior Furnace was built in 1828, was in blast in 1829 and
blown out in 1865.
The
Franklin Furnace is another of those that once had a busy
life but has been out of blast since 1860. It went into blast
in 1827, and was the property of Daniel Young, John Young,
Jesse Y. Whitcomb, Josiah Merrill, John Hurd and Martin Ruter,
all from New Hampshire.
The
old settlers of the French Grant were the French immigrants,
but they were not inured to hardship and were little calculated
to buffet the storms and trials of pioneer life. A few settled
on the grant, many more remained in Gallipolis, and others
returned to France as soon as they could dispose of their
gift from Congress. The Cadots, the Duduits, the Valodines,
Gervaise, Bertrand, Chabot, Dufliquy, Ginats, Ruishoud, Vincent
and a few others of the French colony settled on the grant.
Some of these, however, also sold out. Some of the names mentioned
who received land were: Jno G. Gervais, Matthew Bartlet, Thomas
Gilruth, Widow Hempstead, Nicholas Thevenin, Robert Buchanan,
Vincent Ferguson, John Haily, Wm. Haily, , Thayer D. White,
Luke Kelly, Darby Kelly, Peter Vanbibber, Daniel Wolford,
George Austin, George Steward, Wm. Kelly, Wm. Forester, Michael
Bacus, Peter Bacus, Francis Valodin, Wm Didway, John Fletcher,
Eli Barton, Jno. Bertrand, John Gennett, Jno. Stump, Peter
Fort, Kimber Barton, John Bacus, Jno. Davisson, Jacob Suitor,
Jos. Crank.
The above information abstracted from the
Newsletter of SCCOGS and from the publication "History
of the Lower Scioto Valley: both of which contains more information
on the above township and individuals. See our books and publications
page to order.
Nile
Township
Nile
Township is the largest in the county. The township is the
extreme southwest of the county and has an Ohio River front
of nearly 15 miles.
The
township is bounded on the north by Brush Creek and Union
townships; on the east by Washington township and the Ohio
River; south by the Ohio River and west by Adams County. It
has a land area of 48,140 acres.
The
pioneers of Nile Township were a sturdy set of men. The names
of all cannot her be given but many others who made Nile Township
their home will be found in the old settlers' list in the
county history. Among those who left the impress of their
lives upon the progress of the township were David Mitchell,
Geo. Hutton, Geo. Kinney, Jno Tucker, Abraham Tucker, Sr.,
Jesse Williams, Thos. Cooper, Solomon McCall, John Calloway
and Middleton Harmon.
Buena
Vista is one of the prettiest little villages on the Ohio
River, lying in the extreme southwest corner of the township
and county. It is eighteen miles from Portsmouth by the turnpike
and about twenty by the river. The place is the principal
shipping point for the numerous stone quarries in its neightborhood.
The shipping of freestone is its principal business.
Friendship
is located in a pleasant little valley on the bank of Turkey
Creek and about one mile north of the Portsmouth and Buena
Vista turnpike.
The above information abstracted from the
Newsletter of SCCOGS and from the publication "History
of the Lower Scioto Valley: both of which contains more information
on the above township and individuals. See our books and publications
page to order.
Portsmouth,
Ohio (Wayne Twp)
Portsmouth
was platted in 1803, but it's history extends back to the
establishment of a community called Alexandria on the west
bank of the Scioto River, an Indian word meaning "fresh
water". Repeated flooding of the lowlands on which Alexandria
was built prompted Major Henry Massie to lay out a new community
on the higher east bank. He named it Portsmouth to honor his
former home, Portsmouth, Virginia. The floods eventually destroyed
Alexandria, but Portsmouth grew.
The
city was incorporated by the state legislature in 1814, but
it was not until the legislature authorized the town council
to provide support for schools in 1838 that the first public
schools were established. Prior to that, several fee schools
were conducted by trained educators, the first established
in a log house in 1823.
The
first religious services were conducted in 1813 by a Methodist
minister. The following year saw the arrival of the first
circuit preacher. By 1875, Portsmouth had 15 church buildings
and a synagogue.
Two
factors contributed to the early growth of the community.
One was the Ohio River, a major transportation asset. Completion
in 1832 of the 300-mile-long Ohio-Erie Canal added significantly
to this asset. It meant that goods produced in northern Ohio
could be brought to Portsmouth for transfer to steamboats
which navigated the Ohio River. The second contributing factor
was iron. Smelting furnaces sprung up throughout the Portsmouth
area and have left behind names like Franklin Furnace and
Scioto Furnace, now assigned to the small settlements that
developed around them.
The
railroad arrived in the area in 1853 and continues to be an
important asset to the economic health of Portsmouth and the
neighboring communities. The Chesapeake and Ohio Eastern Railway
bridge at suburban Sciotoville, built in 1917, is one of the
world's longest continuous spans. The bridge and its approaches
extend one-third of a mile. It is considered to be one of
the world's ten most notable railroad bridges.
Flooding
of the Ohio and Scioto Riveres plagued much of the early history
of Portsmouth. Certain floods were guaged by high water marks
on the walls of a local tavern. The particularly disasterous
flood of 1937 spurred construction of a flood wall system
that has since held back high water.
One
survivor of those early floods is the Boneyfiddle district
of Portsmouth with its pre-1900 architecture. Today, this
area is the subject of intensive restoration and surely will
become one of the state's most notable attractions for tourists,
historians and architecture buffs. Its beautiful Old Market
Square sector, with its collection of shops and splendid housing
for senior citizens, has already become a prominent cultural
focal point in the community. A long range plan for redevelopment
calls for continuing expansion of business in the area, construction
of riverfront condominiums and recreation areas, revitalization
of other housing in the area and development of the district's
distinctive cultural assets.
Portsmouth
is the home of a number of notable personalities in the arts,
sports, politics and business. Among the prominent names are
Jesse Stuart, poet laureate of Kentucky; artists Woddi Ishmael,
Richard Zoellner and Clarence Carter; cowboy actor Roy Rogers;
band leader Clyde McCoy; William Lucas, an early Ohio govenor;
Shakespearean actress Julia Marlowe; baseball greats Branch
Rickey, Del Rice, Rocky Nelson, Al Oliver, Larry Hisle, Don
Gullett and Gene Tenace; and two novelists: Barbara Webb Robinson,
author of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" which
has been produced for television; and Lou Anne Walden, a popular
romance writer.
The above information abstracted from a Profile
Publication created and produced for The Portsmouth Area Chamber
of Commerce in 1984.
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Brush
Creek Township
The
county map shows this township to have the most territory,
but the tax duplicate gives Nile Township the largest number
of acres assessed at 48,140 while Brusch Creek Township contains
only 47,847 acres. It is of irregular form, its western border
being about eighteen miles from north to south, while its
greatest width is less than nine miles.
Brush
Creek was organized in 1820. It is bounded on the north by
Pike County, on the east by Morgan and Union townships, on
the southeast by Union, and south by Nile and west by Adams
County. On September 26, 1878 another slight change was made
adding a portion of the township to that of Union, and the
latter was to pay the assessment of the territory given to
her.
Brush
Creek has a few pioneers scattered here and there over her
vast and rugged territory and among the number were Jesse
Edwards, Samuel Edwards, Isme Freeman, Aaron Armstrong, Christopher
Oppy, Thornton Kendall, John Liston, Henry Caraway, James
Jones, William Thompson, Joshua Armstrong, Thomas Brown, James
Wilson, William White, Joseph and James Walker, Xenthus Kennedy
and Peter Randall.
The
townships records from organization up to 1887 were destroyed
by fire.
The above information abstracted from the
Newsletter of SCCOGS and from the publication "History
of the Lower Scioto Valley: both of which contains more information
on the above township and individuals. See our books and publications
page to order.
Harrison
Township
This
township was organized March 6, 1832. It is bounded on the
north by Madison, on the east by Bloom, on the south by Porter
and on the west by Clay and a portion of Jefferson. It covers
a surface of 24,320 acres.
Harrison
township, along the valley of the Little Scioto, was settled
as early as 1798. A few years later quite a number of early
pioneers had found homes and erected mills along this water-course.
There was much good hunting along this stream and the hills
on either side and the eastern part of the township were famous
hunting ground for the pioneer. Among the old settlers were:
Simeon Wood, Joseph Bennett, Solomon Monroe, George Bowers,
S.T. Shumway, Saul Crull, R.T. Collins, Daniel White, John
White, Thos. Feurt, Jno Snyder and Robt. Bennett.
The
township officers in 1832 were: Trustees, Daniel White, Thomas
Hatch and Sylvanus Shumway; Clerk, Abijah Batterson; Treasurer,
Abner B. Wood; Overseers of Poor, Henry Bower and Simeon Wood;
Constables, George Scott and Royal T. Collis; Justices, T.R.
Wood and Luther Wheeler.
The above information abstracted from the
Newsletter of SCCOGS and from the publication "History
of the Lower Scioto Valley: both of which contains more information
on the above township and individuals. See our books and publications
page to order.
Madison
Township
The
township of Madison occupies the northeastern corner of Scioto
County, but does not extend as far east as Bloom. The township
includes about 50 square miles. In 1810, back of which date
the records are lost, Madison was one of ten townships which
formed Scioto County.
As
the mouth of the Little Scioto was the site of the first permanent
settlement in the county, it was perfectly natural that the
valley should be explored up as far as Madison Township at
a very early day. Settlements were made here as early as 1797.
Between this date and 1820 the following are some of the settlers
who made their homes in this township: Robert, Caleb, John
and Charles Bennett, Edward Dawson, Absalom Pyle, Jacob Rickey,
Nathaniel Squires, Andrew Snyder, Daniel Dodge, Jas. Rockwell,
Joseph Rockwell, Benjamin Rockwell, Ephraim Rowell, Johnathan
Rockwell, Ezra Rockwell, James Field, Aaron Miller, Jacob
Myers, Jeremiah Brittainham, Michael Milliron, Moses Mault,
George Dever, Wm. Dever, Wm. Stockham, John Fullerton, Samuel
Low, John Rickey, Daniel Massberger, Wm Plum, Edward Milam,
John Slavens, George Adams, Peter Lagore, Thomas Phillips,
John, Hiram and Thomas McDowell, William and Henry Crull,
John Higgins, James Brian, Wm. Kitchen, Jess and John Martin,
Moses, Barnebus, Solomon, Aaron and Jesse Monroe, Joseph Couthorn
and Judiah Mead.
The above information abstracted from the
Newsletter of SCCOGS and from the publication "History
of the Lower Scioto Valley: both of which contains more information
on the above township and individuals. See our books and publications
page to order.
Porter
Township
Porter
Township has the honor of being the first settled in Scioto
County, claiming Sam'l Marshall, Jno. Lindsay, Isaac Bonser,
Uriah Barber as its first settlers.
Porter
Township has an Ohio River front of fully ten miles and also
has the valley of the Little Scioto within its borders for
a distance of five miles.
In
regard to size Porter Township is the smallest of the fifteen
townships, outside of Portsmouth, comprising the municipal
division of the county. It is bounded on the north by Harrison
Township, on the east by Vernon, on the south by Greene and
the Ohio River and on the west by the Ohio River and Clay
Township.
When
the county was organized in 1803, the present territory of
Porter was a part of Wayne and Greene townships, and it was
not until 1814 Porter became a separate municipality, the
order forming it made December 6, 1814.
There
are names of many of the old pioneers of Porter Township entered
among the list of old settlers given in the history of Scioto
County, and among those are: Madison Price, Elias Marshall,
Levi Smith, Jonathan Hurd, James Littlejohn, Theodore Bliss,
Isaac Fullerton, John Baccus, Mr. and Mrs. Gibbens.
The above information abstracted from the
Newsletter of SCCOGS and from the publication "History
of the Lower Scioto Valley: both of which contains more information
on the above township and individuals. See our books and publications
page to order.
Union
Township
Union
Township was one of the origninal townships and took in a
part of Washington, which was made from Nile and Union, all
of Rush and Morgan, and probably all of Brush Creek except
what belonged to Nile. It has now been curtailed of its dimensions
to a considerable extent, and from being one of the largest
in the county at its organization in 1803, it is now one of
middle size, eight townships being larger and six smaller,
not counting Portsmouth.
Union
Township is now bounded on the north by Brush Creek and a
corner of Morgan townships, east by Rush, south by Washington
and Nile and west by Brush Creek township. It has an area
of 19,118 acres, the land being very broken and hilly, with
a far better surface for stock-raising than for that of grain.
In
1867 Rush was taken bodily from Union Township, which caused
its sudden loss in 1870, but in the last decade it has grown
wonderfully. The old settlers of this township came in early,
but it is doubtful if the territory now known as Union Township
was settled until some time about 1808 or 1809. What is now
Rush and Washington Townships, lying in the valley of the
Scioto, was, when this county was organized, called Union
Township, and it was settled as early as 1796 at the lower
end, for Alexandria was part of Union Township then, and the
upper part of the valley, now Rush was settled in 1797. Thus
in giving names of old settlers, many of them will not be
found in the Union Township of today, but of that part of
Union Township whish is now designated as Washington and Rush.
The following names were settlers of Union Township between
1796 and 1802: Peter Noel, William Russell, James Norris,
Phillip Moore, John Collins, Gabriel Feurt, Benjamin Feurt,
William Lucas, Jr., John Noel, William Campbell, John Devers,
Peter Noel, Jr., John Pollock, Conrad Throne, John White,
Henry Utt, William Robey, James Collins, Joseph Williamson
and Thomas Williamson.
Gabriel
Feurt was the first Collector of Union Township in 1803 and
continued for five years. The first Assessor, or in those
days called "Listers", was David Gharky, who first
came to Alexandria and was for years a prominent citizen of
Scioto County. In 1921 Samuel G. Jones, who was also well
known in early days, moved up to the mouth of Brush Creek
to help General Kendall build his mills, was Justice of the
Peace of Union in 1821.
The above information abstracted from the
Newsletter of SCCOGS and from the publication "History
of the Lower Scioto Valley: both of which contains more information
on the above township and individuals. See our books and publications
page to order.
Vernon
Township
Vernon
Township lies in the southeastern part of the county and was
formerly part of Upper and Franklin Townships. It was organized
in 1818 and is bounded on the north by Bloom Township, on
teh east by Bloom and Lawrence County, on the south by Lawrence
County and Greene Township and on the west by Greene and Porter
Townships. It has an area of 22,890 acres.
Vernon
township was early settled and very hunted over two or three
years before the first permanent settler located his claim.
The last buffalo killed in this section of country was by
Phillip Salladay in Vernon Township about 1798 and on the
farm of Mr. Chaffin. Soon after this a few pioneers settled
on Pine Creek. Among those who first made Vernon Township
their home were: David Salladay, Rueben Smith, Reuben Chaffin,
Shadrack Chaffin, Nathaniel Searl, Wyatt Chamberlin, Lemuel
Cadot, Jacob Halterman, Richard Malone, Robert Bradshaw, William
Bacon, Samuel Perry, Peter Bussey, Edward Barkalow, Francis
Duteil, Lewis Duteil, James Patton, John Patton and Jerry
Patton.
Chaffin's
Mill was erected by John Shope in 1816, sold to Henry
Summer in 1819. The latter kept it one year when he disposed
of it to Thomas Burt in 1820, who, after running it until
1823, sold out to T.S. Hayward. Mr. Hayward owned it until
1829 or 1830, when Reuben Chaffin became the owner and held
it until 1863. It changed hands several times since passing
through ownership of Dearborn Emory, Willis Newland adn Aaron
Hollinshead and finally becoming the property of Jacob Newland.
It is a saw and grist mill and has a general store in connection.
It is located on teh southeast corner of section 10, on Pine
Creek.
The
Howard Furnace was started in 1852 by Campbell, Woodrow
& Co. who continued the business until 1868. The Charcoal
Iron Company took hold of it in 1870 and ran it until 1877,
then they disposed of it to John Campbell. The furnace was
started up December 1879 by Mr. Campbell, but only ran two
years when it stopped again.
The
Clinton Furnace was erected in 1832 and went into blast the
same year. It continued until September 22, 1848 when Thomas
G. Gaylord sold it to Glidden, Smith & Co. The furnace
was then run until March 1, 1851. Mr. Smith retired and George
Crawford became a member of the firm and the business continued
under the name of Glidden, Crawford & Co. This firm kept
the furnace in blast until October 15, 1867, when Mr. Crawford
purchased the interest of the other partners and took in Wm
J. Bell, changing the firm name to Crawford & Bell. The
firm remained in blast until the fall of 1873.
The above information abstracted from the
Newsletter of SCCOGS and from the publication "History
of the Lower Scioto Valley: both of which contains more information
on the above township and individuals. See our books and publications
page to order.
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Clay
Township
Clay
Township lies on the east bank of the Scioto River and
its southern boundary is Wayne Township and the Ohio
River. It is bounded on the north by Jefferson and Valley
townships, on the east by Harrison and Porter townships.
It has an irregular boundary line with an area of about
17,000 acres.
The
organization of the township was on June 7, 1826, but
there has been some slight changes at different times
since.
The
officers elected at the first election in the township
in 1826 were: Trustees, Gabriel Feurt, Asa Andrews,
Enoch Lawson; Clerk, Turner M. Martin; Treasurer, Dennis
Smith; Justice of the Peace, Jacob Noel; Constable Jonathan
Cutler.
The
voting precinct is at the Noel Schoolhouse. The only
saw-mill in the country is located on Munn's Run, owned
by P. Summers, but in the summer of 1883 was lying idle.
For fine farms, good residences and solid farmers, Clay
Township is willing to compare notes with her sister
townships.
The above information abstracted from
the Newsletter of SCCOGS and from the publication "History
of the Lower Scioto Valley: both of which contains more
information on the above township and individuals. See
our books and publications page to order.
Jefferson
Township
Jefferson
Township was undoubtedly one of the original townships
or was a township before 1810. Four of the original
townships named and known in 1810 are not now on the
map - Seal, Upper, Lick and Franklin. The loss of the
county commissioners records from 1803 to 1811 inclusive
prevents the dates being given of teh organization of
the township, but if it is one of the original divisions
it was organized May, 1803 and at all events before
1810. Seal Township, which lay on both sides of the
Scioto River, was taken from the map, and that portion
lying east of the Scioto was added to Jefferson. The
township then extended further south, and also took
in all of the present township of Valley, which was
cut off from Jefferson in 1860.
The
township of Jefferson is bounded on the north by Pike
County, east by Madison and Harrison townships, on the
south by Clay and on the west by Valley. Jefferson Township
contains 14,383 acres. A good portion of Jefferson Townships
records are lost and what are found are of mixed dates.
The
settlement of Jefferson Township was at a pretty early
day, but at that time Valley Township was then Jefferson,
and the earliest settlers were located in the valley
of the Scioto River. The present Jefferson Township
was settled about 1808, though up to 1815 very few pioneers
had found permanent homes within its limits. Among those
who came in the early days of history were: Jesse Rice,
Daniel McLaughlin, Daniel Conklin, Jared Spriggs, Thomas
Carlisle, Abner Field, William Mitchell, Aaron Gee,
Richard Grimshaw, Joshua Tritt, Rodney Marshall, Smauel
Farmer, Jacob Crouse and J.H. Munn.
The above information abstracted from
the Newsletter of SCCOGS and from the publication "History
of the Lower Scioto Valley: both of which contains more
information on the above township and individuals. See
our books and publications page to order.
Morgan
Township
Morgan
Township was organized June 7, 1825 and was formerly
part of Seal Township and then of Union. It lies on
the Scioto River; is rather of an oblong shape, with
a surface hilly, rough and broken.
Morgan
Township was first settled about 1804, although a portion
of the valley bottoms undoubtedly found tenants a year
or two earlier. Hezekiah Merritt settled on the east
side as early as 1796, just above Lucasville, but he
was a pioneer and claims to have raised the first crop
of corn in the county.
However,
definite knowledge is had that Morgan Township had more
than one settler in 1804 and that it grew in population
along the Scioto River which skirts its easstern boundary
for some seven miles.
Among
the first settlers were the Shelpmans, the Deavers,
the Murphys, Noels, Corbleys, Glazes, Walls and Nices,
the first four being known to have come as early as
1801-1805, if not earlier. The Deavers sold property
in 1806 and the Noels are among the early pioneers before
the organization of the county in 1803, or about that
time. Some of the old settlers who are now dead are
remembered well. Of these were A. Noel, Thomas Morgan,
Abraham Glaze, Isaac Glaze, David Shelpman, Spicer Shelpman,
Joshua Cutler and Pliney Cutler.
The
oldest settlers now living in the township are Abraham
Shively, Elias Simpson, William Shelpman and David Glaze.
There are also a few more nearly as aged as those above
mentioned.
The
first Justice of the Peace after its organization was
William Deaver, as near as we can learn, the township
records being missing.
The above information abstracted from
the Newsletter of SCCOGS and from the publication "History
of the Lower Scioto Valley: both of which contains more
information on the above township and individuals. See
our books and publications page to order.
Rush
Township
Rush
Township was the last of the municipal divisions of
the county organized and was taken wholly from Union
Township, June 3, 1867. It lies on the Scioto River,
a distance of some seven miles north and south and the
largest and best portion of its agricultural area is
in the valley. In length the township, north and south,
will average about seven miles. Rush township contains
approximately 14,500 acres.
A
Curiosity: On the farm of Henry Russell, on the top
of what is known as Cambell's Hill is a spot, which
is a depression of the earth's surface, to the extent
of twenty feet in diameter, and about three feet deep.
It is very nearly circular in form and its peculiarity
is in the fact that it generates heat in winter. In
the coldest weather, with snow on the ground all around
it, and the thermometer below zero, no snow as found
in the depression or hole, and on holding a thermometer
on the bottom it rose to fifty-six degrees above zero
within ten minutes. The depression has a pebbly bottom,
very little dirt seen, and has probably filled up in
part. This has been the condition of the spot since
its discovery a half century ago. Where does it lead
to?
The above information abstracted from
the Newsletter of SCCOGS and from the publication "History
of the Lower Scioto Valley: both of which contains more
information on the above township and individuals. See
our books and publications page to order.
Valley
Township
While
the territory of Valley Township was as early settled
permanently as any in the county, Valley Township did
not come into existance until 1860, and then too late
for the United States census of that year. It was first
a portion of Seal Township. A few years after, or in
1814, Seal Township elected its last Assessor and in
1815 that on the west side of the river was given to
Union Township and the east side to Jefferson. This
remained the territory of Jefferson until June 4, 1860.
The
area of the township is 15,477 acres of land and the
township is bounded on the north by Pike County, on
the east by Jefferson township, on the south by Clay
township and on the west by the Scioto River, which
separates it from Rush and Morgan townships.
The
first settler of Valley township was Hezekiah Merritt,
who planted the first corn in the township, one of three
corn crops raised in the summer of 1796. Mr. Merritt
several years after removed to Ross County, but he was
the First Justice of the Peace in that section of the
county in 1804-06. Jacob Groninger came in 1798; then
Henry Spangler, Wm Marsh, Jas. O. Johnson, Isaac N.
Johnson, A.F. Miller, Mark Snyder and Caleb B. Crull.
The oldest settlers are: L. Groninger, W.A. Marsh, Jas.
D. Thomas, Jno. L. Jones, G.O. James and Joseph Brandt,
Sr.
Valley
township is all its name implies, for it lies wholly
within the valley of the Scioto, on the east side of
the river and extends back to the hills with only an
average width of perhaps two and a half miles, or a
little over. It is of course the best agricultural township
in the county.
Lucasville
is the only village in Valley Township and is pleasantly
situated upon a rising eminence, sloping to the west
on the bank of the stream that forms the island in the
Scioto River, opposite the place. The distance from
Portsmouth and the Ohio River is ten miles, nearly due
north and the Scioto Valley Railroad passes within its
limits. The village of Lucasville was laid out by Captain
John Lucas in June 1819 and the record of the survey
received and recorded Aug. 7, 1819. Captain Lucas built
the first tavern in the village and kept it until his
death in 1825. His house for a long time was headquarters
for the Democratic leaders of Southern Ohio.
The above information abstracted from
the Newsletter of SCCOGS and from the publication "History
of the Lower Scioto Valley: both of which contains more
information on the above township and individuals. See
our books and publications page to order.
Washington
Township
Washington
Township, originally Union Township or a part thereof,
is about as old settled as any portion of the county.
There is only a few months difference between the settlement
of what is now Washington Township and those settlements
on and near the Little Scioto and the French Grant.
It is a township old in ancient history, for it was
once the home of the Mound Builders and later of the
earliest white settlers north of the Ohio. The last
hostile indian killed in Scioto County drew his last
breath near John Craig's, at deer lick. It was John
McDonald or his brother, probably the latter, who did
the killing, for he claimed to have built the first
cabin ever erected where the waters of the Scioto mingled
with that of the "La Belle Riviere".
In
the Summer of 1797, Thomas Parker, who had been a Colonel
in the Revolutionary war, located his land warrants,
for he had two or more, at and near the old mouth of
the Scioto River. HIs brother, Alexander, laying off
the town. The following is the record: "I do hereby
certify that this plan contains the in and out lots
of the town of Alexandria laid out by me and laid down
on the scale of twenty poles to an inch, done by the
order of Colonel Thomas Parker, of Frederick County,
Va. Alexandria, June 3, 1799. E. Langham".
"I
do hereby certify that this plan contains the lots in
the town of Alexandria, which I have sold as such for
Colonel Thomas Parker of Frederick County, Va., situated
in the county of Adams, in the Territory northwest of
the Ohio. A. Parker."
"Sale
of the lots in Alexandria will commence at 12 o'clock,
at the corner of the river of Thomas Street, on Lot
No. 19. Filed in the Recorder's Office, June 4, 1799.
John Bell, Recorder of Adams County."
This
was the first town laid off in Scioto County, and it
was settled in the fall of 1796. The first school taught
and the first schoolhouse erected and the first donation
of land or lot for school purposes in Scioto County
was in Washington Township as now known, and in the
town of Alexandria, now unknown, except by the tradition
of the past. Scioto's first county seat was then located
here. One of the first associate Judges, John Collins,
lived here. When it was first setled it was part of
Adams County, the fourth organized county in the State,
or rather Territory, of OHio, which was in 1797. When
Scioto became a county in 1805, Washington Township
was known as Union; afterward Nile was a part of its
territory. It was not until 1814 that Washington Township
came into existence and under the following: A petition
for a new township, to be made out of Union and Nile,
came before the commissioners at the August term, 1814,
and it was granted on the first day thereof. It read
as follows: "Ordered, that the township prayed
for bounded as follows: beginning at the mouth of Turkey
Creek; thence up the Ohio River with its meanderings
thereof to the mouth of the Scioto River; thence up
the Scioto River to the mouth of Pond Creek; thence
westerly course with Thomas Wilcoxon's upper line to
the dividing ridge between Pond Creek and Carey's Run,
and following said ridge to the head of Stoney Creek;
thence down said creek to Turkey Creek; thence down
Turkey Creek to the Ohio River. And it is further ordered
that said township be called Washington."
Among
the first pioneers who first settled in Washington will
be found in the list of settlers in Union Township history,
among those are: Lemuel Moss, James Andrews, Joseph
and Thomas Williamson, Levi Moore, Francis Cleveland,
David Roup, Sylvester Veach, Stephen Casey, Isaac Williams,
Anthony Clifford, Mrs. Milly Moore, John Worley, James
Edison, William Carey, Hiram Devers, John F. Smith,
Miss Rebecca Smith, Roswell Crane, Abel Bradford, Isaac
Worley, Joshua Nurse, Samuel B. Nurse and a few others
who names were forgotten.
TThe above information abstracted from
the Newsletter of SCCOGS and from the publication "History
of the Lower Scioto Valley: both of which contains more
information on the above township and individuals. See
our books and publications page to order.
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