Township History

Lower Scioto Valley (1884)

FROM THE HISTORY OF LOWER SCIOTO VALLEY 1884

CHICAGO:INTER-STATE PUBLISHING CO.1884Jefferson 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 the organization of the township, but if it is one of the original divisions it was organized May, 1803, and at all events before the year 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.

Metes and Bounds and Area

The township of Jefferson as now defined 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 townships. There are but three smaller townships in the County than Jefferson, and they are Porter, Washington, and Rush, Valley, which was taken from it, has nearly 1,100 acres more land assessed than Jefferson. The latter’s area is 14,383 acres, of somewhat hilly surface. The assessed valuation of Jefferson Township is the least of any township in the county. It has an uneven surface, and, not having any large quantity of mineral deposit, it is better adapted to stock-raising than to cereal-growing. There is little to give value beyond productions from year to year, which do not accumulate rapidly, and its and land valuation is not rated at a high figure for assessment purposes. In 1882 it was assessed upon its lands at $81,330; upon chattel property $27,189; total, $108,519.PopulationJefferson Township, while next to the smallest in population, Rush only having a less number of inhabitants, has increased in the past decade more than any township in the county except Union. The population of the township varied, as in 1870 Valley had been taken from it, but it has shown a steadyincrease, and at a greater percent, taking the last four decades than any township. The population in 1840 was 578; 1850, 840; 1860, 1,226; 1870, 559; 18S80 919, There have been several small changes in the boundary line of the township since its organization, but they were not of much consequence being made to accommodate the interest of individuals. For instance, the first change made, Dec. 5th 1826 was as follows ; “The east half of the southeast quarter of section 25, of township 3, of range 21 the land and residence of Jacob Myers in Jefferson Township, be taken from said township and attached to Madison.” Mr. Myers petitioned for this change on account of convenience, and got it. There were one or two others of a similar nature, one taking three miles by one, for about the same reason -local convenient and attached to Madison Township, but the area as given previously is correct at this time, being its present boundary. Jefferson Township is no exception to the general rule as regards its township records. Like nearly all others; a good portion of them are lost, and what are found are of mixed dates; here and there a year, but scarcely a decade complete in any place. This prevents a full list of township officers being given and much local history which should be found recorded. The township has but one voting precinct, which is held at Blue Run, so called. It may be considered an agriculturalTownship so far as the land is susceptible of cultivation. There is yet a large amount of timber in the township, and railroad ties and tan-bark form no inconsiderable portion of the yearly productive wealth.

Old Settlers

The settlement at 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 its history were Jesse Rice,

Daniel McLaughlin, Daniel Conklin. Jared Spriggs, Thomas Carlisle, Abner Field, William Mitchell, Aaron Gee, Richard Grimshaw, Joshua Tritt, Rodney Marshall, Samuel Farmer, Jacob Crouse and J. H. Munn. There were a few others whoso names were not remembered; but were members of the pioneer band.

Township Officers, 1851. The township officers in 1851 were; Trustees, James O. Johnson, Hugh Rose and Adamyah Crane; Treasurer, James D. Thomas; Clerk, Leonard Groninger; Justices of the Peace. Mark Snyder and Isaac N. Johnson; Constables, Thomas Carlisle, John Stewart and O. B. Murphy. The present officers, 1883, are: Trustees, Ira H. Munn, Jacob H. Carley and John H. Tritt; Treasurer, David Crull; Clerk John H. Shuman Justices of the Peace, Robert Chapman and Jared Spriggs; Constables, Thomas Hager and Adam Swavel.Churches

The Blue Run Methodist Church was organized and the church building erected in 1859. Rev. Harris Willis was its first pastor; Trustees, James Varner, Milton Deselm, and John Morgan. The original members were: Samuel Miller and wife, Jared Spriggs and wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Varner, James Varner

and wife, John Morgan and wife, Mrs. Nancy Marshall, Abner Field and wife. The present pastor is the Rev. George W. Ray; Trustees Abner Field, William Coburn, Joshua Tritt and Richard Grimshaw. Church services are held once a month and Sunday-school every- Sabbath. Louis Hancock is Superintendent and Benjamin Grimshaw, Secretary. The average attendance is about ninety.

The Fallen Timber Christian Church, Organized in the year 1865, at the close of the late civil war, has steadily prospered and its influence has become widespread for good wherever that influence has extended. Rev. Asa Eblin was the first pastor of the church, and the Trustees elected at the time were William H. Ward, Daniel Conkling, Sr. and Harvey Eblin. The original members of the church were: Mrs. Asa Eblin, David Kemper and wife, Henderson Eblin and wife, Rachel Kent, Nathaniel Kent and wife and Phoebe Conklin. The church has grown strong in number. The present pastor, 1883, is Rev. William Jenkins. The Trustees are those first elected and still holding their offices. Services are held once a month, and Sunday-school every Sunday. The attendance is about 100 .Superintendent, James McWillams; Secretary, Edward Gillen.

The Flat Wood Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1876 with a few earnest members who wished to form a church in their own immediate neighborhood. Rev. Perry Orr was called to the pastorate and Jared Spriggs, Hamilton Meyers and Nicholas Funk were elected Trustees. The original members were Abigail Crull, David Crull and wife, William Porter and wife, Henry Bricker and wife. Rachel Ralphsnider, and Catharine Farmer. It has gradually grown and prospered, and it is now. 1883 under the pastoral care of Rev. William Hollinshed, and the trustees are Jared Spriggs, Nicholas. Funk and David Crull. Its present membership n umbers sixty. Service is held once a month and a Sabbath-school every Sunday.

Schools

There are five school districts in the township, named and as follows: Sub-district, No. 1, Munns Schoolhouse; Sub district No.2; Flat Wood’s School-house Sub No. 3 Backwoods School-house; Sub-district No.4 Blue Run School-house; Sub-district No.5, Fallen timber School-house. VALLEY TOWNSHIP (Next to the youngest). While the territory of Valley Township was as early settled permanently as any in the county Valley Township did not come into existence 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 last remained the territory of Jefferson until June 4, 1860 when a petition was presented to the County Commissioners for a separate township, to be taken from the west half of Jefferson and to be called “Valley.” The question had been agitated early in the spring in Jefferson, and two township e lection tickets presented to the voters-those in favor of and those opposed to dividing the township, The ticket for division was carried) and in’ May the petition for division was presented to) the County Commissioners, as also a remonstrance and the following action was taken June 4, I860.Organization

“A. petition was presented by A. F. MIillar and others together with a plat, praying the commissioners to divide the territory of Jefferson Township and create and make a new township and lay off and designate the same from the said territory of Jefferson Township, in Scioto County. . And your petitioners propose and ask that said new township shall be laid off and designated with the following boundaries, to-wit : Beginning at the Scioto River, where the county line between Scioto and Pike counties strikes said river; thence east on said county line between said two counties to the section line between sections 3 and 4 ,in township 3 in said Scioto County; thence south on said line between sections 3 and 4, and between sections 15 and 16 to the southeast corner of said section 16; thence west on the south line of said section 16, to the splitting corner on the south Line of said section 16; thence south on the north and south splitting line of sections 21, 28 and 33, in said township 3, and of sections 4 and 9. in said township 2, to the south line of said section 9; thence west with the south line of said section 9, section 8 and section 7 to the Scioto River; thence north running with the meanders of the Scioto River to the place of beginning, and your petitioners further suggest and ask that said new township be called V ALLEY. And your petitioners further represent that the said new township proposed to be laid off as aforesaid will contain an area of not less than twenty two square miles, and that the said township of Jefferson, after laying off said new township as aforesaid, will also contain an area of not less than twenty-two square miles. There was also a remonstrance presented by Jared Spriggs and others against the establishment of said new township as proposed in the foregoing petition; for reasons therein expressed. Thereupon the commissioners took the matter under advisement; read the petition remonstrance, and all the papers presented for and against the granting of the prayer of the aforesaid petitioners; and after hearing all the allegations of the parties, and it appearing there from that it is necessary and expedient to lay off the said new township, and that the said petition has been signed by a majority of the trustees of said township of Jefferson, and by the majority of the householders residing within the boundaries of said proposed new township, and also by a majority of the householders residing in Jefferson Township as aforesaid, and it further appearing that notice of the intended application for the laying off of said new township has been given by advertisement at three public places within the bounds of said proposed new township for more than thirty days prior to the commencement of the present session, and it also appearing that there is contained within the bounds of said proposed new township more than twenty-two square miles, and that there is a1so contained within the bounds of said Jefferson Township outside the limits and bounds of said proposed new township more than twenty-two square miles, It is now Ordered, That a new township be and the same is hereby laid off and designated from the territory of said Jefferson Township as prayed for in said application. And it is further Ordered, That said new township be known by the name o f and called “VALLEY”. And it is further Ordered, That the boundaries of said new township be recorded in the book kept for that purpose. And it is also farther Ordered, that an election be held at the tavern of John McCown, in the town of Lucasville, in said township, on Saturday, June 16, 1860, for the election of township officers for the said township of “V ALLEY”. June 4, 1860.Area, Boundary, and Valuation

The area of the township as now given is 15,477 acres of land, and the boundary is, 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, It is irregular in form, Its southern

part, by a bend in the river, being within a half a mile of the southern border, less than

a mile wide. It gradually widens until its northern line is about four and a half miles wide, while north and south it is about eight miles long. Valley Township according to size and population is the wealthiest of the fifteen townships of the county. Clay township has, an assessed valuation of about $101.000 more than Valley but it has 440 acres more land and a population nearly 200 greater.

Clay has an assessed valuation of $611.20 to. each inhabitant, and Valley $640.22 or

$29.00 more to each person in the township. The assessed valuation in 1882 was: Real

estate, $405,580; personal property, $193,268; total, $598,848. The population of Valley Township commences with the census of 1870… In that year it was 724; in 1880, 921, a gain during the last decade of twenty-seven per cent., much more than the average gain of either the county or State.Old Settlers

The first settler of Valley Township was Hezekiah Merritt, who planted the first corn in

the township, and one of the three corn crops which were 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,-‘6. Jacob Groninger came in 1798; then

Henry Spangler, Wm. Marsh, Jas. O. Johnson, Isaac N. Johnson, A, F. Millart Mark

Snyder and Caleb B. Crull followed soon after, The oldest settlers now living in the township

are L. Groninger, W. A. Marsh, Jas. D.Thomas, Jno. L. Jones, G. 0. James and

Joseph Brandt, Sr. The first mentioned, Mr. Groninger, is the oldest native born.