CHAPTER XX.
EAST & FOX TOWNSHIPS
Pg. 179

BOUNDARIES - LOCATIONS - POPULATION - RAILROADS - ALTITUDE -
ASKING FOR A GRADED HIGHWAY - KILLING OF THE LAST DEER -
MORGAN'S GREAT RAID - MINERAL RESOURCES - VILLAGES -
NORRISTOWN - MECHANICSTOWN - WATTSVILLE - PINE HILL -
SCROGGSFIELD.

EAST TOWNSHIP

     This township is the extreme northeastern sub-division of Carroll County and was originally under the name of Franklin Township, in a contribution from Columbiana County.  It contains three rows of sections out of the original surveyed township 14, range 4, together with six sections taken off Augusta Township by the county commissioners.  It has now twenty-four square miles within its limits.
     In 1840, it had a population of 995; altitude above Lake Erie 509 feet.  At the eastern line of the township bordering on Columbiana County, the surface in many places is strewn with bowlders of northern origin.  The topography is such as to indicate coal measures.
     Three-fourths of a mile of the trackage of the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad passes through the northeastern corner of this township.

POPULATION FOR THIRTY YEARS

     The United States census returns show that in 1890, this township had a population of 640; in 1900 it was 606 and in 1910 was given as only 572.

VILLAGE OF NORRISTOWN

     The only platted village in this township is Norristown, platted in the southwest quarter of section 29, township 14, range 4, by Daniel Norris, Sept. 4, 1832.  It has only a name in memory as it never developed to be known as much of a place.

FOX TOWNSHIP

     Fox township is six miles square, situated on the eastern line of Carroll County and contains thirty-six sections and has on its surface village plattings as follows: - Mechanicstown, Wattsville, Pine Hill, Scroggsville, none of which have developed into much in way of business centers, but of great value to the farming communities surrounding them.
     This township is bounded on the north by East Township and Columbiana County, on the east by Columbiana County, on the south

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by Columbiana County and Lee Township, Carroll County and on the west by Washington Township.
     The Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad passes through the township from sections 35 and 36 to section 19 on the south line where it enters Jefferson County.

POPULATION

     In 1890 this township had a population of 1,210; in 1900 it was 1,149 and in 1910 was placed at only 1,008.

ORGANIZATION

     Fox Township which is all of township 13, range 4, hence has 23,040 acres of land within its borders, was taken from Columbiana County by the Ohio legislature in 1832-33.  An early mention of the township is found in the Centreville Record, Oct. 24, 1832, as follows:  A petition will be presented to the next legislature in Ohio, praying for a graded road to be laid out in the following direction to-wit:  Commencing at Thomas Sipilar's wood-yard in Knox Township, Jefferson County, Ohio; thence to Abraham Myer's mill, in the township aforesaid; thence to William Hoaten's in Fox Township, Columbiana County, Ohio; thence to intersect the graded road from the mouth of the Big Yellow Creek to the Ohio Canal near Henry Micks in Fox Township."  (Signed, Oct. 10, 1832.)

THE LAST DEER

     It is believed that the last wild deer killed within Carroll County was killed about 1844 in Fox Township, by James Ferrell, one of the first county commissioners of Carroll County.  This deer was chased for three days from the north branch of the Yellow Creek and finally brought to bay - that innocent animal of the wilderness.

MORGAN'S RAIDERS

     As elsewhere mentioned in this work, the famous rebel cavalry raider was in Carroll County in Civil war days and along with his band of guerrillas, passed over the farm of Jonah Queen of this township, Sunday morning, July 26, 1863.

RESOURCES

     The coal industry here has been for many years of great importance.  Millions of tons have been taken from the bowels of the earth and shipped hither and yon.  The land is rolling and well watered by streams and springs of a never-failing type, making it a desirable place for stock raising.

VILLAGES OF THIS TOWNSHIP

     Mechanicstown was laid out in 1836  by Thomas McGavern and is situated nine miles northeast of Carrollton.  In 1880 it had a population of 200; had a Population, Methodist Episcopal and a United Presbyterian church.  Its business at that date included the following dealers:  Saw mill by Samuel Anderson, and another by Samuel Hardgrove; general dealers, Boyd Brothers; physician, Dr. William Callhoun; hardware, Clark & Ralston; boots and shoes, John Hoase; undertaker, S. McFaddden; millinery, Mrs. M. Spence; postmaster, John McKee; agricultural implements, Samuel Stinges.
     The present business includes the following: General dealers, J. C. Dumbleton, W. M. Hoobler and S. L. Newbold; hardware, same as above; groceries, same as above.
     The postmaster is J. C. Dumbleton who was commissioned Feb. 8, 1907, being in office to date, fourteen years.

SCROGGSFIELD

     This hamlet is seven miles east of Carrollton; in 1880 had a population of seventy-five and about as many as at present.  Its general dealers were then John George and Anderson & Son; blacksmith, John Barber; the hamlet was named for Reverend Scroggs, a pioneer missionary who called it a "good field" for his work. 

WATTSVILLE

     This place is situated in the southwest quarter of section 20 and was platted by David Watt, Mar. 27, 1838, ten miles from Carrollton.
     In 1880 its population was reported to be fifty persons - about the same as today.  At that date there was a general store, two saw mills, a shoe shop, a blacksmith shop and a physician.

GENERAL REMARKS

     In Civil war times this township gave of her men and money freely.  One of her favorite sons was Gen. B. F. Potts, who General Grant appointed as governor of the Territory of Montana.

     This civil township was named for John Brown, who then resided at Pekin, and who built the first mill in that part of Carroll County.  Brown Township originally was embraced within the limits of Stark County, was made an independent township in 1815.  It now covers an area of 27,000 acres.
     It was first settled by Richard Vaughn and Moses Porter, the former of whom settled near Oneida, the latter on the tract of land where the village of Malvern now stands.  Isaac  Craig and Amos Janney soon after settled where Pekin now stands and which they laid out in 1808.  They soon erected a small frame mill, which was propelled by a "tub" water wheel.  It helped many a farmer out and saved the pioneers many a long, and mean trip to mill at Canton on horseback.  Soon after, however, the floods carried this mill away.  The mill-site was sold to David and Jacob Crumbecker, who built a good flouring mill which served its customers many a year.
     The first couple married in Brown township was Martin Ayers and Elizabeth Reed, June 10, 1812.  They were united in marriage by General Augustine, a justice of the peace.  Colonel Ayers led an active life at New Harrisburgh; died many years ago of a cancer, after years of intense suffering.
     The Tuscarawas branch of the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad passes through this township, via Pekin, Oneida and Malvern.  This road was constructed in 1853-54 and the Carrollton & Oneida road was put in operation in about the same time.
     The first schoolhouse in the township was built in 1812, and the first sermon preached was by Rev. Thomas Rigdon, in 1815, in Pekin.  He was a strict Baptist and a brother of the famous Mormon Sidney Rigdon, who preceded Brigham Young.
     The first election in this township was held in 1816 - all the voters within the township were out to vote and twenty-nine ballots were cast.  Fourteen were cast for James Reed for justice of the peace and fourteen were cast for Thomas Latta for the same office and one blank ticket was cast.  It was then settled by lots being cast which resultedin the seating of James Reed who held the office twenty-one years.
     The population of Brown Township in 1840 was 2,165; in 1880, it was 2,325; in 1884 it was placed at about the same and its assessed

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valuation was $66,960.00.  In 1910 the township has a population of 2,655.
     The villages within this township are Minerva, Malvern, Oneida, Pekin and Leyda.

VILLAGE OF MALVERN

     Originally this was called Troy, as shown by the county plat books.  The date of its platting was November, 1834, by William Hardesty.  It is a station on the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad and in 1884 had a population of 500 souls.  At that date it had four churches, a flouring mill by W. A. Baxter & Co.; a furniture store by G. Deckman; a planing mill by Fishel & Buel; a grocery by Van M. Gween; hotel by A. Lawton; physicians were Drs. W. R. Spratt and John Moffett; dry goods by T. H. Poessler, also by J. H. Wilson.

HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING, MALVERN

     This village was among the early incorporations effected in Carroll County - away back in the '30s or '40s.  Its present elective officers are:  C. W. Ruff, mayor; H. Hart, clerk; F. E. Hoffee, treasurer; Fred Reed, marshal; street commissioner, Henry Parker; councilmen, S. G. Deckman, William Diesinger, W. S. Kilpatrick, Harvey Eckley, Walter Elson (chairman).  The village was paved in 1915 at a cost of $35,000; pavements run from thirty to forty feet in width of most excellent home-made paving brick.
     A successful system of waterworks was installed in Malvern in 1915.  Three very deep wells furnish the best quality and quantity of health-giving water.  It is forced to a stand-pipe on the highest hill overlooking the village.  This gives a pressure of over seventy-five pounds per square inch at the curbing of the main street.  A volunteer fire-fighting equipment includes two chemical engines and over 500 feet of workable hose.

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     The village has electric lights produced by a private company organized in 1920, owned by local capital and is known as the valley Electric Light Company.
     The village has a town hall two stories high - a brick structure.

BUSINESS DIRECTORY FOR 1921

THE POSTOFFICE.

     The postoffice at the village of Malvern was established in 1844.  Among the persons who have served as postmasters the following list has been furnished especially for this history:
     David Shull, H. W. Ackley, C. G. Prosser, A. R. Hains, David Shull, Jr., T. H. Peossler, E. H. McCall, V. M. Green, W. C. Lewis, T. H. Newton, W. H. Deckerman, Isaac Kirkpatrick, H. C. Ross, R. T. Spratt.
     The office is now a third class postoffice and has one rural free delivery route with Robert W. Hewit as its carrier.
     During the last fiscal year this postoffice transacted a business of $2,291.01, and a money order business of $35,000.

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     The present postmaster received his commission August, 1919.  His only office clerk is Ora B. McMillen.  The office has been located where it is now situated for seven years.  Dec. 21, 1918, the safe was blown open and the contents stolen..

THE VILLAGE OF MINERVA.

     This sprightly business center, is situated partly in Stark and partly within Carroll County.  It is situated geographically in section 1, township 16, range 6.  It was laid out by Tim Taylor, Jan. 3, 1835.  In 1884 it had 1,200 population and was noted for its being the market for much wool and farm products in its trade circle.  The Pennock brothers located their extensive car shops there; there were then five physicians; two attorneys; one bank; one green-house; a planing mill; three hotels; a flouring mill; opera house, and other business places.  the place is sixteen miles from Canton and twelve miles from Carrollton.
     The present industries include the Owen China Company established twenty years ago as a home stock concern and now employs 150 men the year round.  then there is an extensive toy factory where twenty-five persons find constant employment.  The flouring mill is a flourishing plant.  It was the first to be erected in Carroll County - a log shack of a building but in 1824, changed to a better building over a half century ago and changed to the roller process system and is still doing a good flour-making business.  At the near-by hamlet of Pekin, a large fire-proof building block factory is fully equipped and doing an extensive business; it is owned by Canton capital.

     The business factors of the village in the winter of 1920-21 were:

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THE POSTOFFICE

     Minerva is a third class postoffice, with present office force in the persons of the postmaster, J. C. Ruff; Grace V. Betz, assistant, and Nellie N. Harsh, clerk.
     Among the postmasters now recalled by the present patrons of the office are:  J. F. Greenwood, George E. McDonald, S. E. Moorehead, James Simpson and James Jerome.  The present incumbent received his commission signed by President Woodrow Wilson, Sept. 17, 1916.

LEYDA

     This is a hamlet in section 27 of Brown Township; it is a way-station on the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway and of no commercial significance.

PEKIN.

     This is an old hamlet platted by Amos Janney and Isaac Craig, Sept. 21, 1808 and is really now a suburb to Minerva.  It has some clay industries.

WIERTEMBURG

     This was platted by John G. Hudelmeyer, Sept. 29, 1836.  It is on the opposite side of the creek from Oneida.

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ONEIDA

     This is a station and junction point on the Pennsylvania and the Wheeling & Lake Erie railways, in the center of section 16 of Brown Township  In 1884 it had a good mill, general store, hotel and a marble shop.  It has but little business today.

THE CLAY INDUSTRY OF MALVERN AND VICINITY
(By Hon. C. W. Ruff)
Pps. 174 - 178

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