Source:
A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia
 of
Butler County, Ohio
With Illustrations and Sketches
of its Representative Men and Pioneers
Publ. by Western Biographical Publishing Co.
Cincinnati, O
1882

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP
pg. 486

     THE highly cultivated farms, the good horses, the many pikes and other improvements in this township speak favorably of the thrift and enterprise of its citizens and the character of its agriculture.
     Of the early settlers in this section of the county may be mentioned the names of John Nelson, John Beatty, David Williamson, Ephraim Baker, Thomas Hunt, John Morrow, Duran Whttlesey, Thomas Kyle, David Griffis, Cornelius Murphy, the Ellitts, Hugheses, Voorheeses, Lowerys, Kains, Howards, and others.
     The principal towns are Princeton, Bethany, Jericho, and Huntsville; none having attained much size, nor being in importance what they were years ago.
     When all was a wilderness, and before any of the sturdy oaks had been felled, John Nelson moved into the township, and cleared the first farm.  This was where Jasper Rose lives now, and prior to 1796. John Beatty came in 1797, and found him snugly fixed in his pole cabin.  He had come with his father David Beatty of Port Union, in 1795.  The father died soon after this event, a very old man, and was buried at Tylersville, the second burial in the township.  A child of McMahon's was buried here prior to that time, and was the first event of that kind.  John Beatty had two sons, John R. and James, and one daughter, afterwards Mrs. Stewart.  John R. Beatty married Miss Nancy Stewart, and raised a family of seven children, all of whom are dead now but Mrs. 'Squire McLean.
     Mr. John Beatty settled just above where Bethany is now, and his house was probably the second in the township.  He subsequently started the "Beatty Tavern," which was also the first house of that kind in the township.  This tavern was carried on for a long period of time; first before his death by Mr. Beatty himself, then by his widow, and subsequently by his son, John R. Beatty.  David Williamson next came to this part of the township and settled on a farm adjoining that of John Beatty, building his house where 'Squire McLean's house stands.  This was in 1798, and was the first house built in what was afterwards Bethany.  His brother, Peter Williamson, had come just previous to this time, and settled in the north-east part of the township.  Peter and David Voorhees came this year  also, but settled in Huntsville.  William Lowery came prior to 1800.  His

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brother, Samuel Lowery, dug the grave for John Beatty in 1816.
     The first marriage in the township occurred Dec. 25, 1798.  The parties contracting were Miss Mary Howard, of New Jersey, and Samuel Kain.  Mr. Kain bought land just above Bethany, where Drake now lives.
     John Morrow was settled on land now owned by David Swearingen, before 1803.  His brother, Jeremiah Morrow, was governor of Ohio.  John Morrow was the first justice of the peace in Liberty Township, and served in that capacity for eighteen years.  He was followed by 'Squire McLean, who held the office twenty-four years, and following him was Silas Williamson, who is, and has been, 'squire for fifteen years.  Each of these three men have been peace-makers in the strict sense of that term.
     Silas Williamson's grandfather, David Williamson, married Mary Vandyke in 1787, emigrated from Pennsylvania to Kentucky in June, 1797, and from Kentucky to Ohio, settling on Section 14, of this township, in 1798.  He had four sons: George, born 1788; John, father of Silas, born 1790; David V., born 1795, and Peter, born in 1801. 'Squire Williamson has also been township clerk, elected in1865, and held the office many years.  He was married to Christiana White in 1843.
     John McLean was born in 1810.  In 1843 he married Miss Sarah Clayton.  She died in 1847.  In 1850 he married Miss Mary Ann Beatty, daughter of John R. Beatty.
     Bethany was laid off into lots, four by eight rods, in 1822, by Samuel Lowery.  Five of these lots were surveyed by Nesbit, and were on the east side of the street.  A man by the name of Crawford built a house just opposite where
Squire McLean lives now, and kept a grocery; it was a small affair at first, there not being ten dollars' worth of goods in his house.  The first blacksmith's shop was in the woods at that time, and just opposite where Mr. Legg now lives.  It was kept by Mr. B___y. He was followed by Mr. Garrett, and he in turn by Peter C. Dilley.  This was before 1822.
     John McLean, of Bethany, is descended from the McLeans of Scotland.  After the rebellion of 1715, a portion of that clan emigrated to Ireland, and after a considerable sojourn, to America.  They settled in York, now Adams County, in Pennsylvania.  The McLean who was the ancestor of John McLean, of Bethany, had seven sons, all surveyors.  Their names were Archibald, Moses, William, Samuel, John, James, and Alexander.  Each and all of them took an active part in our Revollutionary struggle.  Archibald and Moses were both members of the Pennsylvania Legislature, and Moses was also a captain in the Eleventh Regiment of the Pennsylvania line.  Samuel McLean, the grandfather of John McLean, of Bethany, moved to Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and left two sons, William and John.  The latter remained in Fayette County, while the former removed to Butler County, in 1808.  He was a farmer, and had six sons and three daughters.  His sons were Samuel, born Dec. 24, 1799; Elisha P., born Mar. 3, 1802; Stephen, Jan. 7, 1804; William, Dec. 21, 1805; Elizabeth, Sept. 25, 1807, the widow of William Goudy; John, born Feb. 13, 1810; James, born Sept. 25, 1811; Sophia, born Dec. 8, 1813; and Sarah Ann, Apr. 13, 1816.  Samuel, Elisha P., Stephen, William, James, and Sophia are dead.
     Mr. McLean came to Butler County in 1808, and settled on Seven-Mile, Wayne Township, where he purchased a hundred acres of land.  He came down the Ohio River in a flat boat.  He traded his farm in Pennsylvania for castings and sold them in Cincinnati, and with their proceeds purchased here.  He died in Union Township, Sept. 12, 1824, and his wife died Sept. 27, 1834, in Springfield Township, Hamilton County.  His son, John McLean, was born Feb. 13, 1810, in Wayne Township, and married first, Jan. 3, 1843, Sarah R. Clayton, born in Liberty May 5, 1813, and died Sept. 19, 1847.  They had one child, Anna Isabella, born Nov. 3, 1844.  She died June 3, 1846.  He married second, Nov. 20, 1850, Mary Ann Beatty, daughter of John R. Beatty and Nancy (Stewart) Beatty.  She was born in Liberty, Dec. 29, 1814.  By her he had three children, one being now alive, Lewis.  He was born Oct. 18, 1852, and is married.  John A. born Jan. 7, 1855, died an infant; and William C., born Mar. 6, 1860, died Aug. 5, 1881.
     Mr. McLean is one of the most prominent citizens of Liberty Township.  He has held several township positions, and , in fact, has always held some township office.  He was appointed assistant revenue assessor in 1865, an office he has held two terms; has been justice of the peace for eight terms, ommitting one term, or a total of twenty-four years, from 1836 till 1864.  He was also postmaster at Huntsville, and is at present notary public, serving his sixth term.  He has acted from 1864 till the present time without interruption.  He is a Mason and Odd Fellow both, but of late years has not attended.  He held the office of recording secretary in the Old Fellows.  His uncle, Colonel Alexander McLean, was out in the Revolutionary War, being a colonel of frontier rangers.  He also served in McIntosh's campaign of 1780.  He was also one of the surveyors engaged with Mason and Dixon in running the division line between Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland, in 1766 and 1767, and in 1782 and 1783 he, in connection with Joseph Neville, carried out the southern boundary from where Mason and Dixon stopped at the Indian warpath.
     Mr. Samuel Kain carried on wagon making for many years, beginning as early as 1823 or 1824.  We read of the Kain wagons receiving the first premiums in the Butler County Agricultural Society.  On Oct. 13, 1836, Mr. Kain received three dollars premium on the

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best wagon manufactured.  The shop was afterwards turned into a buggy and carriage factory, and was such for many years, and is now a factory for the manufacturing of the Kain barrows.
     Doctors Stephens, Samuel Withrow (a steam doctor), Casley, and Armstrong were the first physicians.
     The first brick house in Bethany was built by Peter Williamson in 1839.  It stood near where the Presbyterian Church now is.  The next brick structure was the first brick house erected for David Lee, in 1841, in Jericho.  The brick was burned and the building erected by 'Squire McLean. carried on brick-making for a period of five years, and during that time burned a million of brick.  He became the proprietor of the first saw-mill in Jericho, in 1850, and conducted it for eight years.  He sold the mill to Benjamin Boyd, who finally transferred it to other parties, and it was by them taken down and removed to Lebanon.
     The Beatty Tavern was the principal stopping-place for travelers, but there were other houses, also, subsequently.  Mr. Williamson had a good tavern for many years, as also did Robert Carter.  The amount of travel was enormous.  Old residents say that it was not uncommon to see four and six horse teams, a dozen at a time, stopping over night in this place.  Houses of entertainment were along the highways every few miles, and necessarily so, to accommodate the traveling public.  As soon as the railroads sprang up the hotels went down.
     The mail was carried, prior to 1834, by Dr. Stephens, on horseback, from Brookville to Lebanon.  Abner Ross had the contract also, and sometimes went with his oxen, making the round-trip in one week.  He went by the way of Lasourdsville and Hamilton, to Brookville, Indiana, and would return by the way of Hamilton, Princeton, and Huntsville to Lebanon.  Dr. Stephens had the office up to 1834,'Squire McLean to 1841, at which time it was moved to Bethany.  Peter Williamson then took it and kept it for a long time.
     The Methodist people of this place formerly worshipped at private houses, and frequently met at the Beatty Tavern, where they were always welcomed.  The Rev. Samuel Parker was presiding elder when the popular and youthful Rev. John Strange served as their first minister, in  1809.  The first Methodist Episcopal Church building was a frame, erected in 1849, and is standing yet, doing duty as a town hall.  The present brick was erected in 1876.  The Bethany people attended the Huntsville Methodist Episcopal Church from 1817 up to 1849, at which time this Church was removed to Bethany.  The Cumberland Presbyterians built here in 1875.  The society has forty members.

HUNTSVILLE.

     Among the early settlers of this vicinity were the Hunts, Voorheeses, Wm. Elliott, Elijah Hughes, John Hardin, John Holden, John Mahally, Charles Legg, and others.  The place was named from Thomas Hunt, who died June 25, 1814, aged sixty-eight years, nine months, and twenty-eight days.  He came here prior to 1800.  His wife, Anna Hunt, lies by his side in the old private grave-yard.  Duran Whittlesey and his wife, Ruth, also lie in this yard; he was buried Sept. 26, 1823, and was forty-eight years old.  She died Sept. 24, 1855, at seventy-five years of age.
     Prominent among the early events of this place was the building of the Spring meeting-house, the first Methodist Church in the county.  The Elliotts especially were greatly interested in this work.  The Rev. Arthur Elliott, the pioneer Methodist preacher, too the matter in hand, and his brother, Joshua Elliott, gave the ground for both the building and the grave-yard.
     The county was then under heavy timber, and when a daughter of Charles Legg died in 1816, the trees and brush had to be cut away to make room for the digging of a grave.  The next year the hewed, log-house owned by Joshua Elliott, a half mile distant, was moved bodily through the woods to the allotted place, and was known as the Spring meeting-house.  The building stood some twelve years, when a brick church was built. This last Church building was used as such until 1840, when the society moved to Bethany, since which time there has been no Church in the place.
     Mr. Charles Legg was the first class-leader in this Church; he came from Washington County, Pennsylvania, in 1805, and settled first between Huntsville and Bethany.  The Rev. John Waterman was the first preacher.  Samuel West, Mr. Goddard, and Mr. Matthews were also early missionaries in this field.
     The New Lights were numerous in this place at this time, and had a building of their own where the old grave-yard is now.  It was made of brick, and erected above 1831 or 1832.  Ira Hunt at that time burned brick, and had the first brick-yard in the township.  He and his sister, Phoebe,  were leading spirits of the Church.  The Rev. Mr. Simonton, was one of their principal pioneer preachers, and the Church society was very large.  It was not then thought far from the beaux and their girls to walk two or three miels to attend one of those night meetings, and usually a large congregation would assemble.  Nor was it an unusual thing to have a noisy time for it.  The sight of a hundred new converts, clapping hands, shouting, singing, praying, yelling, confusing noise itself with deafening cries, was not uncommon, and was often witnessed there.
     Ira Hunt moved West, finally, and the Church gradually went down.  He did much for the town with his brick-yard and mill.  Nicholas Curtis had a distillery in the place, and Joseph Curtis the pioneer store.  This horse was just opposite where Alexander Dykes now keeps one.  Zebedee Akers has been a blacksmith in this town for forty years or more.  The Voorheeses were set-

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tlers  here prior to 1800, and this is where Daniel Voorhees, of Indiana, was born.
     Daniel W. Voorhees, of Terre Haute, Indiana, and Senator from that State, was born in Liberty Township, not far from the old Spring meeting-house, Sept. 26, 1827, and was only two months old when his parents removed to Fountain County, Indiana, where they now reside.  His father, Stephen Voorhees, was born in Mercer County, Kentucky, 1798, and emigrated when quite young to Butler County, and in December, 1827, moved to a farm in Fountain County, Indiana, where he now occupies.  His grandfather, Peter Voorhees, was born in New Jersey, and soon after the close of the Revolutionary War, emigrated to Kentucky.  Peter Voorhees's wife, whose maiden name was Van Arsdale, was born at Brant's Station, then a fort.  Her father, Luke Van Arsdale, fought at the battle of Blue Licks, and distinguished himself there and elsewhere against the Indians under Daniel Boone.  His other grandfather, Stephen Voorhees, was a soldier in the Revolutionary army, and fought at Princeton, Monmouth, and other celebrated historic fields.   His paternal ancestors came from Holland, the original name being Van Voorhees.  Mr. Voorhees's mother, Rachel Elliott, born in Maryland, of Irish ancestry, was married in 1821, and still survives.  Daniel W. is the third child, and was brought up on a farm about ten miles from Covington, Indiana, remaining there until 1845.  In 1845 he entered Asbury University, whence he graduated in 1849.
     Soon after graduating he entered the law office of Lane & Wilson, at Crawfordsville, and the following Spring settled to practice at Covington, the county seat of Fountain County.  Here E. A. Hannegan, formerly Unites States Senator, having heard him deliver a "Fourth of July" _ration, made proposals for a law partnership, taking effect in April, 1852. In June, 1853, Mr. Voorhees was appointed by Governor Wright prosecuting attorney of the Circuit Court, in which position he soon established a fine reputation as a criminal lawyer, and broke up a nest of desperadoes whose headquarters were at Lafayette.  In 1856 he was nominated by acclamation Democratic candidate for Congress, but was defeated by two hundred and thirty majority in a district previously Republican by 2,600.  In November, 1857, he removed  to Terre Haute, the county seat of Vigo County, and the ensuing April, 1858, was appointed United States District Attorney for the State of Indiana, by President Buchanan, in which position he increased his reputation as an orator and lawyer.  He was elected to Congress in 1860 and 1862, and in 1864 was again a successful candidate, but in this last election his majority was contested by his opponent, Henry D. Washburne, who obtained the seat.  In 1866 Mr. Voorhees refused the nomination, but in 1868 he was elected, and again in 1870.  In 1872 he was defeated by Morton C. Hunter.
     As a precursor of the late war the insurrection at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, in which John Brown and others were concerned, and for which they were convicted and hung in 1859, will always stand prominent in the history of the country.  At that time the gifted A. P. Willard as governor of Indiana, and the champion of the Indiana Democracy, and it was with sorrow and dismay that his friends learned that Colonel J. E. Cook, arrested with "Ossawatomie Brown," was a brother of Governor Willard's wife.  Governor Willard was not the an to turn his back upon a brother or a friend.  His first thought was of "Dan Voorhees," who was then at Vincennes arguing a case before Judge Michael F. Burke.  Governor Willard sent a message to Vincennes, and Judge Burke continued the case while Mr. Voorhees immediately started to consult with Governor Willard.  Several gentlemen advised him not to undertake the defense, but he emphatically declared his resolution to defend his friend's brother regardless of consequences.  He went and took part in that celebrated trial.  The result is known.  John Brown was convicted of murder and treason, but Mr. Voorhees succeeded in having a Virginia jury convict Cook of murder only, thus bringing him within the pardoning power of the governor.  Governor Wise, however, refused to pardon, and Cook was executed with the others.  This was, however, the beginning of Mr. Voorhees's national reputation.  His speech was listened to by the vast audience with rapt attention, and met with unequaled approbation.  He was the recipient of enthusiastic congratulations, and his speech was published all over the country and in Europe.  From this time forward he has occupied a conspicuous place in the eyes of he public.  At the bar, on the stump, and in the halls of Congress, he has been a man of mark.  Mr. Voorhees's political career and principles, his powers as a parliamentary orator and a statesman, are now a portion of the history of the nation.
     From the sobriquet of "the tall Sycamore of the Wabash," so often and familiarly applied to Mr. Voorhees, it will be inferred that he is of tall stature.  He stands six feet and one inch in height, and weighs over two hundred pounds.
     In 1850 he married Miss Anna Hardesty, of Greencastle, Indiana, and they have four children.
     Mr. Voorhees was appointed Nov. 6, 1877, to succeed Governor Morton in the United States Senate.  The issue in the election of 1878 in Indiana was whether be should be elected by the Legislature to succeed his appointment.  On this issue the Legislature pledged to his support was elected by a majority of over thirty thousand over all opposition.  During his term of service in the Senate he has been assiduous in his attentions to the public needs.  He is always present, and allows no measure of his political opponents to pass without the severest scrutiny.  With him vigilance is the price of liberty.  He has recently shown his power of breaking

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old shackles by speaking for protection to American industry.

JERICHO.

     Jericho is virtually a suburb of Bethany, and nigh unto it, hence its name.  It has but four or five families, the eldest resident being Vincent Wyle, who came there twenty-four years ago.  'Squire McLean built the most of this town, the first house being David Lee's, just opposite Mr. Wyle's.  This house was erected in 1841.  Mr. Wyle was born in Maryland in 1815, came here in 1838, and married Miss Jane Curtis in 1843.  She died in 1851, when he married Mrs. Jane Perrine, of New Jersey, formerly Miss Kyle, daughter of James Kyle, who came in 1803.

KYLE'S STATION.

     Kyle's Station is on the Short Line Railroad, and is the place where Thomas Kyle settled in 1803.  He came from near Cookstown, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, bringing his wife and son, James, who was then thirteen years old, with him.  And here he lived until his death.  He struck an ax into the first tree ever felled in this neighborhood by a white man, and endured all the hardships incident to pioneer life.  James Kyle became a subscriber to Liberty Hall, now the Cincinnati Gazette, fifty years ago.  He married Esther Clarke, Apr. 16, 1816, and by this union had six children, all of whom are dead, except Mrs. Wyle, of Jericho.  His wife died in 1832, and in 1884 he was married to Elizabeth Conover, by whom he had three children.  He died Apr. 19,1879.  He was born in Pennsylvania, Sept. 17, 1791, and was never sick save during the few days of his last illness which ended his days.  B. F. Kyle lives on the homestead of Kyle's Station.

HUGHES'S STATION.

     Hughes's Station is also on the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis Railroad, and was named after Joshua Hughes, who owns the land on which the town is built, and was the first postmaster of the place.  He was born there June 6, 1822, and on Dec. 6, 1847, married Miss Mary Ann Legg.  He owns a good farm, on which is a fine country residence, and is a representative citizen.
     Early among the first arrivals in this part of the township was Cornelius Murphy, the father of Peter Murphy.  He settled near here as early as 1800, and lived till a comparatively recent period.
     Among the oldest settlers of the county now living is Daniel Griffis.  His father, David Griffis, who was a Revolutionary soldier, subsequently moved to the banks of Shady River, Virginia, where, after clearing up a farm, he found the title to his lands worthless and left, going first to the Ohio River, where he took passage on a flat boat for Cincinnati.  He here bought a dumpling of a pony, a small pair of oxen, and a rickety two-wheeled

PRINCETON.

     Princeton, now known as Clawson Post-office, was laid out by Samuel Enyart, in 1812.  Benjamin Enyart built in this town prior to 1820, and his house is still standing.  He kept tavern up to about 1830, and subsequently this house was occupied by Dr. Hitchcock

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Dr. Opdike was here previous to Hitchcock.  There are two physicians now in the place.
     Princeton was a lively business center in early times.  Mr. Cummins owned a tan yard that brought its quota of custom.  A carding-machine was full blast before 1820.  Here were some distinguished personages.  Benjamin Van Gorden came here in 1810, served as justice of the peace full forty years, and represented the county two terms in the State Legislature.  He was also county collector for several years.  Christopher Hughes represented the county in the Lower House of the Legislature at the same time Peter Murphy did the Senate.  Benjamin Van Gorden and Daniel Woodmansee represented the county in the Legislature as early as 1825.
     The first brick house was built as early as 1830.  It was erected by William Carroll, who burned the brick, laid them into walls, and did the carpenter work himself.  James Clawson, now in the eighty-seventh year of his age, was the first shoemaker in the town.  He was also a weaver.  His son Stephen lives in the town, and is in the sixty-third year of his age.  The Russells were also early settlers in Princeton.  Baldwin and Gowdy packed pork here in former times, and then sent it off in wagons to Cincinnati.  Whisky was also a large product of the township.
     The Princeton Methodist Episcopal Church was built in1835, Samuel Bayliss being the grantor to Benjamin Van Gorden, Thompson L. Bring, Alexander McDonal, Robert Doty, Solomon Flenner, William B. Peck,  and James Bullion, trustees.  In 1848 a revival brought into the society about seventy-five additional members.  The new brick was erected in1859.  The lot for this building was formerly owned by Pearson Carl, who bought it from the county when sold for taxes.
     The Universalist Church in Princeton was built in 1851.  Uriah Walter donated the ground.  The trustees are Richard Sewell, Christopher Hughes, and Elias Stickle; David Bascom is pastor.  The membership is small, and during the war the services in this church were suspended.
     Auburn Church was built on Rudolph Feller's land after the erection of the Methodist Episcopal building in Princeton, but owning to some discussions it is now abandoned, and there has not been a Sabbath-school in the place for twenty years.  A successful revival was held there last Winter.
     The list of the justices of the peace of Liberty Township does not include all who were elected from that township, as prior to 1823 the justices of Liberty were also those of Union, as both townships were then one.  We have given, in the list of Union Township, those who were then residents there.
     Isaac Swearingen, William Hays, Peter Williamson, John Ayres, Michael Ayers, Benjamin Van Gordon, James Cummins, John Morrow, Joseph Worth, John McLean, Linus Parkhurst, John Gibson, David Pearce, Stephen B. Squier, Richard Sewell, Joseph Breaden, Silas Williamson.
      Below will be found a list of the postmasters of the township.
      Huntsville.     John Hunt, April 1, 1817; Eliphalet Stevens, Apr. 3, 1826; John McLean, Aug. 12, 1837; Elijah, Elliott, Oct. 1, 1811.  Changed to Bethany June 24, 1844.
     Bethany. - Peter Williamson, June 24, 1844; Elisha G. Lesourd, May 01, 1870; John Lesourd, Mar. 8, 1880; Isaac P. Clark, Dec. 28, 1881.
     Fontana. - James R. Kyle, Aug. 22, 1872; B. F. Kyle, Aug. 18, 1879.  Changed to Kyle's, Aug. 29, 1879.
     Kyle's - Jesse P. Little, Aug. 29, 1879; Stacy B. Brant, May 30, 1881.
     Princeton. - Samuel Bayliss, Dec. 27, 1816; Benjamin Van Gorden, Apr. 24, 1826; Cyrus Osborn, Jan. 8, 1830; Samuel Hitchcock, Apr. 17, 1832; Benjamin Van Gorden, Oct. 27, 1848; Stephen B. Squier, Nov. 25, 1854; Joseph Breaden, May 25, 1857; Charles S. Drake, May 16, 1860; James H. Kronmiller 1864.  Changed to Hughes's Station, Dec. 9, 1872.
     Hughes's Station.  - Elmore T. Anderson, Dec. 9, 1872; Joshua E. Hughes, Apr. 22, 1873; Augustus E. Williamson, Jan. 26, 1880. Changed to Hughes, Sept. 19, 1881.
     Hughes. - Augustus E. Williamson, Sept. 19, 1881.
     Clauson. - John W. Cornell, Dec. 20, 1881.
      Jericho. - Robert Steele, Mar. 8, 1852.   Discontinued Dec. 28, 1855.

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