OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS

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Welcome to
Knox County,
Ohio
History & Genealogy

History of Knox County, Ohio
From 1779 to 1862 Inclusive:
comprising
Biographical Sketches, Anecdotes and Incidents of Men Connected
with the County from its First Settlement:
together with
Complete Lists of the Senators, Representatives, Sheriffs, Auditors,
Commissioners, Treasurers, Judges, Justices of the Peace, and other Officers of the
County, also Those Who Have Served in a Military Capacity From Its
First Organization to the Present Time.
and also A Sketch of Kenyon College, and Other Institutions of Learning and Religion
By A. Banning Norton
-----
Columbus:
Richard Nevins, Printer.
1862

CHAPTER XXVIII.
BROWN TOWNSHIP
pg. 310

     THIS township was laid out March 9, 1825, and "attached to Jefferson until it shall be ascertained that there is inhabitants enough in Brown to have it organized."  March 6, 1826, "ordered by the Commissioners that Brown be hereafter considered a separate and distinct township, and the election be held at the house of Josias Ewing, for township officers, on the first Monday of April, and Jefferson be henceforth attached to Union."  The name was given to perpetuate the memory of Major General Jacob Brown, the hero of Chippewa and Fort Erie, who had but recently become commander in-chief of the U. S. Army.
     The first post-office, called Phifer's X Roads, was where Brownsville now is, and of late has borne the name of Jelloway, after the stream of this locality.
     The present merchants are, Wm. Patton, Sam'l Beeman, Pinckley & Watz; doctors, E. Booth, L. D. Whitford; wagonmakers, Thomas Thompson, Emanuel Storer; blacksmiths, Smith & Hagerman, D. Thompson; tailor, F. Schuch; shoemakers, E. Waddle, W. Stull and Knee; tavern, Mrs. Phifer; tanner, Henry Franzier; gunsmith, Henry Raisin; grocer, J. H. Burriss.  The Methodists have a meeting-house, wherein Rev. Mr. Ball preaches.
     In 1840 the inhabitants of Brown numbered 1,204; in 1850, 1535; and in 1860, 1,440.

[Pg. 311]
     The most numerous families in this township are the McKees, Waddles, Halls and Blairs, descendants of early settlers, who cleared the way for the present.
     Charles McKee emigrated from Ireland, with fourteen children, about 1808.  Alexander McKee settled in this county in 1809; he resides on his old place on Big Jelloway, where was once an Indian camp; and when he first settled there, sixty-five Indians called at his hut, drank metheglin with him, and they had a jovial time all round.
     The Halls, Sovernses, Pinkertons, Waddles, and Stewards have also been plenty in Brown.  John Carghman (pronounced Carnahan) was a wild Irishman of much note about 1826; he was a warm-hearted, impulsive creature; and "faith, an' he was a knowledgeable mon."  Many anecdotes are quoted of him, which we have not room to produce.
     Jacob Phifer from Strasburg, Germany, located in this township in 1818, when all was wild and new.  He died Oct. 9, 1816, aged 89.  He had served ten years a soldier in Europe, three years in the Revolutionary War, and three months in the war of 1812.  The old soldier was the father of Freeman, John, James and Michael.
     James Blair
, our old friend, "God bless you," was one of the early stock.  In 1816 he tended the old Shrimplin mill; moved to Brown in 1820, and has been one of its most prominent men, having served as justice long enough to entitle him to vote, and his decisions have been generally approved of by his fellow citizens.  He has been engaged in

[Pg. 312]
milling, farming, raising children, writing "poetry" and making himself generally useful.  His memory will endure in Brown forever.
    Zephaniah Wade, who commanded a company of Riflemen from London co., Va., in 1777, moved to this county in October, 1816, with his son, Thomas.  Zephaniah and his wife, Irene Longley, are both dead.  J. J. Skillings has been one of the most active business men.
     There have been a few small mills on Big Jelloway from its early settlement, but the want of water, during the year, has caused some of them to suspend.  Emor Barret's grist mill was built about 1833, and is yet in operation.  It is run by an overshot wheel 16 feet  high.  Thomas Wade has a saw mill 2½ miles above it run by an overshot wheel 30 feet high.  A set of carding machines have also been run at this stand.  The mills of James Blair, Ab. Whitney, and Joseph Hall have gone into dilapidation and decay.
     Jacob Roof and his wife, Polly, Jacob Darrow and Wm. Prior, Jacob Baugh, Daniel Worley and Richard Deakins,  were old settlers.

SUCCESSIVE JUSTICES OF THE PECE.

     Samuel Barkhurst was the first, and Josias Ewing succeeded him in 1826.
     1830.  James McMillen; re-elected in 1833
     1831.  James Blair; re-elected in 1834, '37, '40, '43, '46, '49
     1837.  Thomas Wade; re-elected in 1840 and 1844.
     1845.  John W. Gurberson
    
1846.  Wm. Soverns; re-elected in 1850
     1850.  Joseph Pinkley; re-elected in 1853 and 1857
     1852.  Solomon C. Workman
     1854.  John Hicks
     1856.  J. W. Leonard; re-elected in 1859 and 1862

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