CHAPTER XV.  NOT FINISHED
CENTER TOWNSHIP AND CARROLLTON VILLAGE

NAME - LOCATION - BOUNDARIES - RAILRAOD - ORGANIZATION - COUNTY SEAT - POPULATION - FIXING MERIDIAN BY NORTH STAR -
PLATTING OF CARROLLTON - EARLY SETTLEMENTS - AFTER THE CIVIL WAR -
A NEW ERA OF INDUSTRY - HENRY HOWE'S VIEW OF CARROLLTON IN 1888 -
CARROLLTON FIFTY YEARS AGO - OLD TIME RESIDENTS - HISTORICAL DATES -
CITY PARK - INCORPORATION HISTORY - POSTOFFICE HISTORY - INDUSTRIES.

     Center Township is so called as it is practically in the center of the county of Carroll.  It is bounded on the north by Washington and Harrison townships, on the east by Washington Township, on the south by Lee and Union townships.  It is to the east of Harrison Township and is of an irregular shape and contains about fourteen and one-half sections of land.
     the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad passes through this township from north to south, entering the territory in section 33 and leaving it from section 31.

POPULATION

     According to the United States census reports, the population at different enumeration periods has been as follows:  In 1840 it had 1,139; in 1880 it was (including the village of Carrollton) 1,590; in 1890 it was 1,605; in 1900, had reached 1,704 and in 1910 it was reported as being 2, 149.

ORGANIZATION

     Center Township was not organized as a separate civil township until several years later after the organization of Carroll County, when the county commissioners had presented them a petition asking for the erection of a separate township to be called "Centre", being composed of parts of Harrison and Washington townships.  The county seat had already been built on parts of sections 31 and 32 of Washington Township.  The section line divided the original townships of Washington and Harrison and the land on the north side was owned by Joseph Lane and on the south side by other parties (See Carrollton village history hereto annexed.)

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

     Thirty five years ago lands in this section were selling at from $60 to $200 per acre, but now prices have been reaching very much more.
     From 1820 to 1864 there lived a wonderful abolition agitator in the east part of this township, named Thomas L. Moore, born in Maryland December 10, 1800, died in Harrison County, Ohio, in June, 1882.  His resolute purpose in keeping the question of the final freedom of the American slaves was his hobby and his zeal in this knew no bounds.

FIXED BY THE NORTH STAR.

     In 1868 the true meridian of this vicinity was fixed by R. Raley, Esq., assisted by J. B. Strawn, civil engineer, by placing stone markers for that purpose in the fair grounds, near Carrollton.  These stones are each five feet long and two feet square and are set in the earth all but one foot of their length.  They were fixed in their position at 2 o'clock in the morning, by the use of the light of the North Star.  These posts are of great interest and value to surveyors and others interested in land surveys and civil engineering.  The needle of a compass may vary but the Polar star never!

VILLAGE OF CARROLLTON.

     The early settlements of land around what is now Carrollton were made by Isaac Dwyer, Richard Baxter, Peter Hoart, Richard Elson, John Caskey, William Ceoxton and others who settled here in 1810, then in Columbiana County.  They came mainly from Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland, with some Germans and Irish.  Mr. Dwyer erected a large log house on what has since been known as the John Caskey farm and later the James Cellars farm, at the west end of Main Street.  Here he kept what he called upon the sign the "Rising Sun Tavern."  The Stark and Columbiana county lines passed through the house and were the lines passing north and south.  When the commissioners of Columbiana County (who were Quakers) refused him license to sell strong drinks he moved his bar into the room on the Stark County side of the line and handed down the bottles and mixed drinks "according to law."
     Prior to this time the pioneers were more or less annoyed by bears and wolves and an occasional deer was killed for the venison.  Elizabeth McClintock, better known after her marriage as Betsy Ebersole, has said that she remembered having seen her father shoot a bear while trying to enter their cabin-door, when they lived on the Dwyer farm west of town.  Mr. Dwyer died on the farm afterwards owned by Samuel G. Perry at New Harrisburgh.  Richard Baxter settled on the farm since owned by Thomas McCort, where he died.
     As late as 1880 there was an old pack-saddle about Mr. Baxter's barn which was used many times in "packing" salt and other household necessities from New Lisbon where the taxes were paid as late as 1833.  Peter Bohart, a Pennsylvania German, settled upon the land east of town, part of which is embraced in that portion known as "Park Hill," where he laid out the town of Centreville (now Carrollton) on the 4th of October, 1815.
     The name of Centreville was changed to that of Carrollton about the date Carroll County was formed by the Ohio Legislature, during its session of 1832-33 - named as before stated, after Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, Maryland, the last survivor of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.  Captain John Beatty married Nancy Bohart and was elected the first sheriff of Carroll County at a special election held February 22, 1833, at which time his brother George was also elected the first county auditor of this county.  John Beatty was born October 4, 1804, oppositethe mouth of Yellow Creek (now in West Virginia), where hte Poe brothers, Adam and Andrew had a fight with the Indian chief "Big Foot."  When moving into Stark County, Ohio, about 1810, John Beatty with his father's family stayed over night with Adam and Andrew Poe on Beaver Creek, and heard them relate much of their frontier experience among wild animals and still wilder Indians.  Captain Beatty says the last tiem he ever saw the Poe Brothers was at a whig meeting in Massillon, in 1840.  They were seated on the speaker's stand.

[PHOTO PUBLIC SQUIRE, CARROLLTON]

     William Clark, who formerly owned the Frans Wagoner property, in the east end of town, says that his father killed a bear on the lot now owned by S. L. Sterling in the rear of the Presbyterian church, and roasted the meat near the spring in the rear of Stockton's bank.  A flint-lock musket in those days was considered ample protection against both man and beast, and performed indispensable service in procuring the necessary meats for the early pioneers.  Fires were kindled by the use of the flint, and the punk and the steal, until the discovery of the "lucifer match".  Even in town, when the fire went out, neighbors "borrowed" fire from each other in the days when there was a large wood pile in front of every house, the use of coal then being unknown.  From the first settlement of the county, until 1825-30 wild animals were abundant; bears, deer and all kinds of wild game, especially wolves, were numerous.  James Ferrall (one of the first county commissioners) is supposed to have killed the last deer in Fox Township, about Christmas, 1844, after a three days' chase.
     The deer started from the deer-lick on the north branch of Yellow Creek and was finally killed by a well-directed rifle ball.
     The early settlers upon the land now covered by the village of Carrollton, had no idea at that time of their being a town located here.  About six years after locating land here, Peter Bohart built a tavern stand at the cross-roads leading from Steubenville to Canton and from New Lisbon to New Philadelphia.  It is now upon the map as the northeast corner of Main and Lisbon streets.  Two years later he laid out the town of Centreville, Columbiana County, now Carrollton, the county seat of Carroll County, Ohio.
     ISAAC ATKINSON became proprietor of the Bohart estate bfore the organization of Carroll County; and at this early date had built a grist mill, oil mill and carding machine.  All of his machinery was at first propelled by a yoke of oxen on a tramp-wheel until changed to steam, one of hte first steam mills west of the Ohio River.  Afterwards a woolen factory was added, which made flannels and satinettes of a superior grade, until the whole was consumed by fire on September 20, 1843.  Mr. Atkinson agitated the formation of Carroll County for at least six years before it was consummated.  It is said that when the news of the erection of Carroll County was made known, it was hailed with great joy by the people.  A bond-fire was kindled; the people, crazed with delight, marched the streets in wild procession, while Stidger's cannon belched forth the news of a triumph long delayed.  It was a gala day and an eventful time for the people of the new county.  Usually a staid and sober people, they were wild with delight and stimulated with joy.  Shout after shout rent the air; all manner of antics were performed on the streets in which all- old and young, male and female - joined.  Let it not be forgotten that except for the efforts of Isaac Atkinson, there would have been o Carroll County and the people of "Little Carroll" might yet be paying tribute to the old county of Columbiana in the transaction of all county business, and would have to travel more than twenty-four miles.  The Ohio Patriot published at New Lisbon, on December 29, 1832, has this brief mention of the act passed December 25, 1832: "Carroll County - the bill for creating the county of Carroll with the seat of justice at Centerville has passed both houses of the Legislature;" the paper of this village made no mention of it.  After the Legislature had passed the following: "Act to change the name of the town to Centreville in the county of Carroll" the Centreville Recorder changed its name to Carrollton Gazette; the contract was let to John M. Lacy of Cadiz for building the courthouse and jail, and the enterprising men of the village put forth energies that have not been excelled since that time, as can be readily imagined by viewing the corner buildings yet standing upon the public square.  The brick work at that time was laid in what was called "Flemish bond," each alternate brick being a header.
     After Mr. Lacy...........................................

QUIET AFTER THE CIVIL WAR

A NEW ERA OF INDUSTRY.

AS OBSERVED BY HISTORIAN HENRY HOWE.

CARROLLTON FIFTY YEARS AGO.

[PICTURE OF THE MILL, CARROLLTON]

OLD TIME RESIDENTS.

[PICTURE OF BRIG.-GEN. WILLIAM CROZIER]

SOME BRIEF HISTORICAL DATES.

THE CITY PARK

EARLY BRASS BAND HISTORY.

THE "SILENT CITY"

[PICTURE OF GRAND VIEW CEMETERY]

INCORPORATION HISTORY.

ACT OF INCORPORATION.

STAGE RACING.

[PICTURE OF CARROLLTON POTTERY COMPANY, CARROLLTON]

INDUSTRIAL INTERESTS.

THE CARROLLTON POTTERY COMPANY.

TUSCAN TIRE AND RUBBER COMPANY

[PICTURE OF TUSCAN TIRE AND RUBBER COMPANY]

THE ALBRIGHT CHINA COMPANY.

THE AMERICAN GAS COMPANY.

[PICTURE OF THE GEO. H. BOWMAN COMPANY ALUMINUM WARE AND TOY FACTORY]

ALUMINUM WARE AND STEEL TOYS.

COMMERCIAL INTERESTS IN 1921

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