SEAL TOWNSHIP

GEOGRAPHICALLY LOCATED.

     Seal Township is in the north-center of Pike County, east of and bordering on the Scioto River.  The boundary is irregular owing to the adoption of the Scioto River as the western boundary line.  The general course of the Scioto here, though very irregular, is southwest.  This being the case, it takes the place of the entire western border, and nearly all of the northern, leaving the township nearly triangular in shape.  With the exception of about three sections in the southwest corner the township is within township 5, range 21, of the old Ohio Purchase, which extended originally to the Scioto River.  The eastern tier of sections of this congressional township does not belong to Seal Township.
     Seal Township is one of the oldest settled in the county.  It has a rich bottom land in the valley of the Scioto, making it a splendid agricultural township.  It has, in the aggregate, 17,854 acres of land as assessed, divided as follows:  Township proper, 14,041 acres; Piketon school district, 3,694; Piketon corporation, 119.  This was assessed in 1882 as follows:  Real estate, township, $199,873; personal property, $174,647; real estate, school district, $207,235; personal property, school district, $62,470; real estate, corporation of Piketon, $56,532; personal property of Piketon, $95,121; town, $795,878.
     It is bounded on the west and north by the Scioto River; on the east by Beaver and Jackson townships, and on the south by Union and Scioto townships.
     It had a population in 1840 of 1,875; 1850, 2,210; 1860, 1,509; 1870, 1,451; 1880, 1,41.  Its greatest loss in population of the decade between 1850 and 1860 was the formation of the township of Scioto from her territory in the year 1851.

TOPOGRAPHY.

     Having spoken of the bottom lands, it may be added that after leaving the river the land rises and becomes somewhat rolling but does not materially change the nature of its soil.  That which lies immediately upon the river bank, except in a few places, is subject to overflow, but the water never rises to cover what may be termed the second bench.  This latter is above high water, rolling, and as you get further from the river assumes the feature of table-lands backed by hills, somewhat broken and in some places rugged and stony.  Straight Creek and other small streams are in the eastern side of the township, while Beaver Creek traverses a portion of its southern boundary and flows on its winding way to its union with the Scioto River.

LINE CHANGED.

Dec. 4, 1848.

     In compliance with the request of residents of that part of Seal Township attached at this date, the township line was changed as

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follows:  Beginning at the northeast corner of section 3, township 5, range 21, running thence south to the one-half mile corner; thence east one mile to the old township line between Beaver and Seal townships; thence north one-half mile to the northeast corner of the aforesaid section; thence west one mile to the place of beginning.
     The removal of the county seat from Piketon to Waverly in 1861 was the first serious blow to the prosperity of the township .

PIKETON BRIDGE

is a fine structure, about one-fourth mile from Piketon up the river, and is of great convenience to the people of Seal, Newton, Camp Creek and the townships in the southern portion of the county.  The act granting the privilege of spanning the Scioto River by a bridge at or near the village of Piketon was passed at the session of the Legislature in the winter of 1879-'80.  The act gave the right to levy a tax, the bridge not to exceed in cost $12,000.  The levy was made in 1880, and a contract was let to the Dayton Bridge Company, who completed the work.  It is a substantial structure, with three spans and four large stone pillars for its support.  The trestle was put up by a further tax upon the people, but the bridge is every way satisfactory.  Hon. Isaac Austill was the first to drive across the bridge, and as the approaches were not finished, his buggy was lifted upon the bridge, and he drove safely across.

SCHOOLS OF SEAL TOWNSHIP.

     Just when the first school was taught in Seal Township is not positively known, but it was probably not later than 1802 or '3.  It was a subscription school, and was kept up some three months.  There was no schoolhouse erected until the winter of 1810-'11.  Among the first teachers, if not the first, was Shadrick Newingham.  In the year above mentioned the first school-house, of logs, was built.  It was located in the hills, some three miles west of Piketon, in a forest of timber, and here was the seat of learning in pioneer days for the children and youth for six miles.  School was opened by James McLease, of Irish descent, who had the idea that brute force was the true science of teaching.  There are in Seal Township, outside of Piketon, five school districts.  The value of the school property is placed at $2,000.  There is an enrollment of some 211 pupils, with an average attendance of 175.  The teachers receive a salary of $35 per month.

WAVERLY SANDSTONE.

     There is considerable of this celebrated sandstone within the limits of Seal Township, and one quarry is mentioned here, the "Green Quarry," which shows the nature of the stone.  In this quarry is found the nine ledges of this stone, which has proved so valuable for building and other purposes.  These lodges vary form twelve to twenty-four inches in thickness, working easily, separating into smooth, clear blocks.  There is also a cross scam about every forty feet, which saves the labor of cutting, and causes the stone to be handled with much less strength.  The top layer of this quarry is a gray sandstone, and the next six ledges are the blue sandstone.  Still below all these is found a slab, blue in color, and from one and a half to two inches in thickness, that cannot be surpassed for pavements, and under this is found stone of a coarser grain and some six inches in thickness, that makes excellent curbing and, when broken, the rubble foundation of buildings.  This quarry was opened in 1878 by S. C. Green. Some twenty carloads of stone are taken out weekly, and the supply is considered inexhaustible.  The demand has exceeded the supply.

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OFFICIAL

ELECTION - 1858

     Trustees, Jas. Givins, Phillip Buckart and S. C. Green; Clerk, A. J. Phelps; Justice of the Peace, John Darnell.

 IN 1883.

     Trustees, J. W. Gregg, C. P. Landrum and C. A. Vallery Treasurer, P. P. Hamons; Clerk, I. N. Austill; Justices of the Peace, J. D. HAgans and J. F. Parrell.

JEFFERSON.

     The Chenoweth brothers, settled not far from the location of the village with the above name, which was first platted in the year 1814.  It was named after Thomas Jefferson.  One year later the county of Pike was organized and named after General Z. M. Pike, and the hamlet of Jefferson, was called Piketon.  Eli Sargent, who had been appointed commissioner to locate the seat of justice for Pike County, received from Elisha Fitch and his wife Susannah a deed of the town plat of Piketon as such commissioner.  This deed was worded as follows:
     "his Indention, made this 12th day of May, 1815, between Elisha Fitch and wife Susannah of the county of Pike in the State of Ohio, of the first part, and Eli Sargent, Director of the town of Piketon, of the county of Pike and the State of Ohio, of the other part.  That the said Elisha Fitch and wife, for said in consideration of the sum of $870, to them in hand paid, they do hereby acknowledge and forever acquit and discharge the said Eli Sargent, and have granted, bargained, sold and confirmed, and by these presentations do hereby grant, bargain and sell to the said Eli Sargent, all the tract of land lying and being in the county of Pike and State of Ohio, vi.:  Being the same tract of land on which the town of Piketon is now about to be laid out, and beginning one pole south of said Fitch's lower corner and the river; thence south eight poles to a stake; thence east eighty poles to a stake; thence north ninety-seven poles to a stake near the bank of the river; thence down the river within one pole of the top of the bank, south seventy-three degrees, west thirty-nine poles to a stake; thence south eighty-two degrees, west forty-one poles, and from thence to the beginning, containing forty three acres, one half and eleven poles, be the same, more or less."
     The survey was made by John G. McCain, and the deed was recorded in Book A, on the 17th day of May, 1815, by Joseph J. Martin, Recorder of Pike County.
     Judge Reed is credited with being the first settler after the above survey.  Although located as the county seat, there being no public buildings, the first session of the County Commissioners Court was held at the house of Arthur Chenoweth, something like a half mile from the hamlet and on the opposite side of the river.
     Piketon is situated on the east bank of the Scioto, lying along its bank for about one-fourth of a mile and above high water, and back of teh town a range of hills.  Its first addition was that of Jonathan Clark, and known as Clark's Addition to the town or hamlet of Piketon.  The survey was finished Sept. 17, 1816.  It was west of the original plat, and is the spot chosen for many handsome dwellings and their pleasant surroundings.  Piketon became a thriving town and grew as rapidly as any other, in its day, in Southern Ohio.  The improvements and growth caused another addition to be added in 1823, called the Eastern Addition, and added June 6.  The first serious drawback was the canal going west of the river, leaving Piketon without even a bridge to reach the canal.

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HOW IT HAD IMPROVED

     In 1840 Piketon had a population of 507, and was doing a good general business.  It was still the leading town in the county, and the country around being in a thriving condition the town felt the impulse, and its growth if not rapid was solid.  It had three churches - Presbyterian, Methodist and German Lutheran.  It had a fair school building, and with four general stores and a newspaper it supplied the wants of its citizens and the people of the country around.

REMINISENCE OF DAVID WARE.

     "When I came here in April, 1816, the country was all a wilderness, there being but a few farms yet occupied.  The town of Piketon had been paid out the year previous, and there were a few buildings erected here and there.  The first house built in Piketon, I think was by Enoch Moungs, and was afterward used as an inn.  The old building is yet standing, and occupied by Andrew Laughbaum  There was a house, also, on the lot where Buger & Sargent's store now stands, and a few others that were not of much importance.  The first store was opened by General Kendell and Robert Lucas.  They kept what was called in those days a large store, carrying a stock of about $400 or $500, and of course their sales were in proportion to their stock.  The General was a veteran of the Revolution, and was one of the old-timers.  The first wagon-maker was John Nessel; the first blacksmith was Colonel Moore, and the first shoemakers were Hinds & Mayhue.  The first professional men were Dr. Spurck and Lawyer Seaton.  Piketon, like the great cities of Athens and Rome, has had its days of prosperity, and of course must meet the destruction of time.  While Piketon was the county seat of Pike County it bid fair to blot the pages of history with as much interest as any town in the valley."

PIKETON AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

was organized in 1852, and was decidedly a primitive affair but none the less worthy of encouragement.  The first fair was held in the fall of the above year in a lot where the public school building now stands.  Not having their grounds enclosed no entrance fee was charged, and a rope constituted the exhibition ring.  Inside of this rope the stock was shown, and the winner received his premium in cash.  There was no loss and no discount.  The money was raised by "throwing in," and after getting all they could the premiums were graded to meet the amount subscribed.  The officers and citizens all helped, and their services were free, consequently there were no outgoes.  There was a good time three days of each year for four years.  In 1856 they had progressed so as to have their fair ground fenced.  It was on the land of Wm. Sargent, and their it was held until the opening of the civil war and the removal of the county seat.  It was then allowed to fall through, and no other organization has ever taken its place.  These fairs were the only ones ever held in Pike County.

EARLY INCIDENTS

     Feb. 1, 1845, at two P. M., the steamer America arrived at the Port of Piketon.  This was the first steamer that plowed the waters of the beautiful Scioto.
     The first shovelful of dirt on the Scioto Valley Railroad was taken from Snowden Sargent's field, May 7, 1877.  The road has since been completed and a depot located at Piketon.
     The first passenger train of the Scioto Valley Railroad arrived at Piketon at two o'clock P. M., Nov. 4, 1877.
     Jared Danielis the oldest living resident of Piketon, and one of the oldest in the county.  He came in the year 1810, at the age of eight years.  He has been a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church for fifty-five years.

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     Another old citizen worthy of mention is B. C. Dunham.  He has resided in Piketon for over half a century and been a Class Leader in the Methodist Episcopal church for forty-seven years.
     The first telegraph office in Piketon was established in March, 1873; Will D. Ragon, operator.
     Among the early physicians who were residents of Piketon were Dr. Peter Surck and Dr. Lewis.  The latter died in 1819, and the former some years later.  Dr. Reynolds also practiced for a short time and then removed to Kentucky.  Doctors Tate, Morrow, O. P. Phelps, and Abel Phelps, who died in 1832, all practiced here in the years previous to 1840.  There are four resident physicians in Piketon at the present time - Doctors Scurlock, Andre, Berry and Hurst.
     The first postoffice in Pike County was established in Piketon, in 1817, and John Hines was the first postmaster.  He kept his office in his hat, and after the mail came in his letters were safely deposited there, and then he started out about his business.  When a letter was called for, or a neighbor met him and the question asked, "Have you a letter for me, Uncle John?" down would come the old hat and a search made for the letter in question.  W. D. Ragon as Postmaster for several years and died Jan. 4, 1879.  The present Postmaster is John McMonigal.
     The Chapman Guards were a military company which flourished a few years and then disappeared.  They were organized May 25, 1876, with George L. Hays as Captain; Henry Lewis, First Lieutenant.  Geo. D. Chapman presented the company with a flag.  They disbanded October, 1880.

FLOURING MILL.

     The most important addition to the business interests of Piketon for many years is a completion of the new flouring mill, with the new roller patent.  It was ready for business in March, 1883, and put up by Geo. L. Hays, in 1882, at a cost of $12,000.  It has also a corn burr.  It has all the latest improved flouring mill machinery and an engine of sixty horse-power.  It has a capacity of 100 barrels every twenty-four hours.

PIKETON PUBLIC SCHOOL

     The School Board, in 1837, by the passage of an ordinance, was enabled to erect a school building at a cost of $3,800.  This served the village until 1873, when an addition was made to the old building, doubling the former school facilities and otherwise improving it at a total cost of $4,000.  This made a handsome and imposing structure, 57 x 66 feet in size, sufficient for grading the schools into five departments; four of these are for the white children and one for the colored.  The session just passed shows an average attendance of 235 white scholars and 25 colored.  John Dakas was the first Superintendent, but the school was not fairly graded under his charge.  J. R. Parcy succeeded him and under his administration the school was properly arranged and made what it was intended to be, a graded school.  He was followed by many able teachers and the school has sustained, since Superintendent Purcy's administration, an excellent standing as an educational school.  The present Superintendent is S. K. Smith.

PIKETON LODGE, NO. 323, I. O. O. F.,

was organized July 17, 1857, by W. Chidsey the present Grand Secretary of the Lodge of Ohio.  The charter members were:  E. R. Allen, J. W. Dunham, Sr., David Ware, C. D. Whitney, Jas. B. Turner, Jr., and James James.  The first officers were:  E. R. Allen, N. G.; James James V. G.; Jno. W. Dunham, Recording Secretary; J. B. Turner, Permanent Secretary; David Ware Treas.  During the history of this lodge it has received 127

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members and its present number is thirty-seven.  The Past Guards number twenty-five.  Its financial condition is sound and the order a successful one from its inception.  There is cash on hand, $245.18; invested of the general fund, $1,810.75, and in the widows and orphans' fund, $620, which gives a total of $2,675.93 of cash and safe investments.  The present officers are:  Henry Brown, N. G.; C. C. Dailey, V. G.; I. N. Austill, Recording Sec.; Samuel Brown Permanent Sec.; Geo. L. Hays, Treasurer.  It has been the means of much good to the members and families of the order.

CHURCHES.

     The Salem United Brethren Church is an old-organization and but a few members were able to meet together.  It now has a membership of thirty-two.  In 1882 a subscription was raised to erect a church building in their neighborhood, the southeast corner of the township.  It is a neat and commodious frame building and was completed at a cost of $700.  It is in size 24 x 30 feet, but plainly and comfortably furnished.  The Trustees of the church are:  Frederic Fry, E. Forest and Frederic Voelker.  Rev. Valentine Assall is the pastor.

     Bethlehem Church. - This is a substantial brick church in the eastern portion of Seal Township of the United Brethren denomination, and was organized in 1845 with nearly forty members.  They erected their neat church at a cost of $3,000 in 1848.  It is 35 x 40 feet in size.  Their present pastor is the Rev. Valentine Assall, and the membership has increased to seventy at this time.

     The German United Brethren Church of Piketon was organized in 1864 under the labor of Adam and Phillip Rheinfrank only four members uniting at the time.  The little congregation struggled along, slowly increasing, until they felt strong enough to erect for themselves a house of worship.  This was done by raising a subscription, the house being commenced in 1871.  The building is a good one, 28 x 40 feet in dimension, and cost $1,800.  It has a membership of thirty-one, under the pastoral charge of the Rev. Valentine Assall.

     The Methodist Episcopal Church. - The progress of Methodism in Pike County is almost coeval with the advent of the first white settler, starting as it did within a few years of the settlement of Pee Pee Prairie.  In 1801, at the house of Snowdon and Mary Sargent preaching was begun by the Methodist ministry.  Their house continued the place for divine worship until 1813, when it was moved one mile up the prairie, to the house of John Chenoweth (now the Prather farm, occupied by T. B. Chenoweth) where it remained till 1818, when John Chenoweth moved west, after which the place of worship on the prairie was Abraham Chenoweth's (where his son Abraham now lives).  This continued to be a regular appointment for preaching until 1850, when many of this faithful who labored to sustain the preaching of the gospel in their neighborhood had moved to other places, and some were taken to that better country, and because of the proximity of the churches in Piketon and Waverly this old and faithful society was dissolved.  In later years, or in 1869, a Union Sunday-school was commenced in the Prairie School-house of which James Wesley Hayes became the Superintendent.

     The Methodist Episcopal Church of Piketon was one of the earliest churches of the county and was undoubtedly a branch of the above church.  It was organized in 1816, the year after Piketon became the county seat.  In 1831, after a suspension of same months, it was reorganized under the auspices and services of the Rev. John Ulin.  In 1834 they erected their first place of worship at a cost of $900.  In 1854 they found the old church too small and sadly in need of repair and concluded to build another.  A brick church,

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size 40 x 60 feet, was erected at a cost of $3,000.  The church is now financially in good condition.  Service is held every Sabbath day, the pastor being the Rev. James Adams.  The church has at present a membership of 240, and the Sabbath-school has an average attendance of 175.  The Class Leaders are Mark Landrum and A. . Wanias.

     Bumgarner Baptist Church - This church is located in the eastern part of the township and is one of the oldest churches of any denomination in the county.  The members were first preached to at their cabins by traveling ministers of their church, and their own organization was formed in 1817, many years after their first service had been held.  The first organization was that of the Hard-Shell Baptists, who held services many years, then their present place of worship was erected through the energy and perseverance of Jacob Bumgarner, and a missionary Baptist church was organized.  This was maintained for quite a number of years when this house of worship was purchased by the Free-Will Baptists who had a large following in Scioto County, organizing as early as the year 1816.  The church is still occupied by this latter denomination.

     First Presbyterian Church. - This church was organized March 13, 1837.  On the 15th of the same month a meeting was held to elect trustees and other officers of the church organization.  The presiding officer was Samuel Reed; Clerk, H. Hemstead; Wm. Reed, Treasurer, and Samuel Reed, Clark Alexander, N. K. Clough, Robert Clark and Jno L. Reed, Trustees.  Their church building was not fully completed for several years, funds being less than the expense of building.  When far enough advanced the basement of the church was used for school purposes for years, but is now used for the Sabbath school connected with the church.  The cost of the structure completed was $2,000.  the first pastor was the Rev. Beeman.  The present minister is the Rev. J. P. A. Dickey.  The membership at this time numbers eighty.  The Trustees are:  Henry Brown, James Sherlock, C. McCoy, J. D. Hagans and J. R. English.

     The German Lutheran Church at Piketon was organized in 1845 by the German population living in the village and the vicinity .  The organization though effected was a small one, and continued too weak in numbers and finances to support a pastor.  They had a church building, but being too few to keep up the church with credit they sold their place of worship in 1859, since the organization has been suspended,

     Methodist Episcopal Church, Colored, - The first organization of this church is given as being in 1856.  It was reorganized in 1863, and has since maintained itself.  In 1872 they purchased of Charles H. Lucas for $300 a building which they remodeled and made into a very comfortable church building.  They have only a small membership at present, under the pastorate of Rev. Daniel Newsom.

BUSINESS OF PIKETON.

     J. R. English, Dieterich & Hammon, Rheinnnnfrank & Foster, general stores; Rheinfrank & Bro., T. M. Bateman, groceries; Barger & Sergent, general store in connection with a stock of drugs; G. L. Hays, hardware; C. A. Richards, groceries.  Besides this there is a buggy, wagon and blacksmith shop carried on by J. B. Patterson in connection with a paint shop; also, A. Kellison, who runs a boot and shoe shop, with which he has a stock of boots and shoes.  The Cussins Hotel, Joshua Cassius, proprietor; livery stable, W. E. Barger,

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proprietor; one furniture factory; one harness shop; one curiosity shop; one City Hall.  It has besides the railroad the turnpike road, called the Columbus & Portsmouth Pike.

OFFICIAL.

     The present township officers (1883) are:  Mayor, S. L. Patterson; J. D. Hagans, A. C. Emory, A. J. Foster, A. Kellison, Joseph Whittaker and G. L. Hays, Councilmen; Clerk, Hallam Hempstead.

BIOGRAPHICAL