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Welcome to
Clinton County, Ohio
History & Genealogy

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HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO
Indianapolis, Ind. :: B.F. Bowen & Co.,
1915
Albert J. Brown, Supervising Editor


DEDICATION.

     To the dear, departed ones, whose busy hands changed the giant forests into fertile fields; whose love of home established the hearthstones, the tender ties of which yet bind together the heartstrings of the native born; whose patriotism gave the best of their lives and substance for the defense of their country; whose graves make sacred the soil their feet so often trod.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
  PAGE
CHAPTER I - RELATED STATE HISTORY 33
  - First White Men in Northwest Territory
- English and French Claims
- Three Successive Sovereign Flags Over Present Ohio Territory
- Passing of the Indians
- Battle of Fallen Timbers
- Northwest Territory
- Ohio, the First Northwest State
- Early Settlements
- Activities of the Traders
- French and Indian War
- Pontiac's Conspiracy
- Northwest Territory and Quebec Act
- Revolutionary Period
- George Rogers Clark and His Campaign
- First Surveys and Early Settlers
- Ordinance of 1787
- First Stage of Government Under the Ordinance
- Second Stage
- Organization of the Northwest Territory
- Representative Stage of Government
- First Territorial Legislature
- Division of 1800
- Census of 1800
- Symmes Purchase and Other Early Settlements
- County Organization
- Indian Wars
- Formation of a New State
- Date of Ohio's Admission to the Union
- Capitals of Northwest Territory and of Ohio
- Constitutional History of Ohio
- Military Record
- Land Grants
- Military Lands
- Refugee Tract
- Road Lands
- Canal Grants
- Zanes Sections
- Ministerial Lands
- School Sections
- Ohio Politics
- Boundary Lines
CHAPTER II - GEOGRAPHY, TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY 51
  - Location and Boundaries of Clinton County
- Area
- Topography
- Diversified Natural Features
- Streams and Drainage
- Geological Formations
- Glacial Period
- The Drift
- Bounders, Gravel and Sand
- Bones
- Stone Implements
- The Cincinnati Group
- Clinton Formation
- Niagara Formation.
CHAPTER III - ORGANIZATION OF CLINTON COUNTY 61
  - Legislative Act Establishing County
- Commissioners Record
- Survey of the County
- Location of the County Seat
- Erection of Townships
- Their Subsequent Subdivisions
- Court House History
- Jails
- County Office Buildings
- The New Court House and Jail
- County Officers
- Sheriffs
- Coroners
- Treasurers
- Recorders
- Auditors
- Representatives in the State Legislature
- State Senators
- Commissioners
- District Assessor
- Deputy Assessors' Returns for 1915
- Board of Soldiers' Relief
CHAPTER IV - LAND GRANTS, ENTRIES AND SURVEYS - Started May 2, 2017 77
  - Virginia Cession, and Its Conditions
- Military Tract and Its Survey
- First Entries in Territory Now Comprising the County of Clinton
- The Murray Deeds
- Difficulties of Early Surveyors
CHAPTER V - EARLY SETTLEMENT IN CLINTON COUNTY 81
  - Natural Condition and Appearance of the Country at the Beginning of Sttlement
- Opening of the Land-office
- Prior Explorations
- The First Settler
- The VanMeter Family
- Wilson Family
- Township Settlements
CHAPTER VI - HIGHWAYS AND TRANSPORTATION 89
  - Indian Trails
- Laying Out of the First Roads
- Early Commissioners' Records
- History of Some of the Well-known Early Roads
- Turnpikes, Plank Roads and Early Improvements
- Plank Road Companies
- Abolition of Tolls
- Railroads
- Public Aid in Building of the First Railroads
- Proposed Roads
- Highway Statistics
- Bridges
- Macadamized Roads
- County Highway Superintendent
- Limestone for Road Construction
CHAPTER VII - MILITARY HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY - Updated 5/9/2017 - NOT FINISHED YET 101
  - Residents of Clinton County Who Served in the War of the Revolution
- The War of 1812
- Clinton County Men in the Mexican War
- The Civil War
- Clinton County's Magnificent Record in Enlistments
- Relief of Soldier's Families
- Soldiers' Aid Society
- Military Committee for Clinton County
- Warp and Woof
- The First Draft
- Cincinnati Threatened
- The Second Draft
- The Second Morgan Scare
- The Third Draft
- The Various Commands in Which Clinton County Men Served.
CHAPTER VIII - COURTS AND LAWYERS OF CLINTON COUNTY 126
  - Constitutional Provisions for Judicial Establishment
- Provisions of the Constitution of 1851
- Changes by the Constitution of 1912
- First Court of Common Pleas
- First Grand Jury
- Interesting Items from the Early Court Records
- First Session of the Supreme Court in Clinton County
- Story of a Murder
- The Early Judges
- Early Members of the Bar
- President, Associate and Common Pleas Judges
- Probate Judges
- Prosecuting Attorneys
- Clerks of the Court
CHAPTER IX - EDUCATION 139
  - First Schools in the State
- Primitive Equipment and Methods
- Improvements Under the Constitution of 1851
- Splendid Progress Through the Years
- Present School System
- County Superintendent
- District Superintendents
- District Statistics
- Normal School
- Wilmington College
- A Splendid Record
- Endowment Funds
- Buildings
- Library
- Museum
- The Schools of Wilmington
- High School Principals
- Boards of Education
- Interesting Items
- Colored Schools
- High School Graduates
CHAPTER X - CHURCHES OF CLINTON COUNTY 152
  - Friends Churches
- Schools
- Ministers
- Methodist Episcopal Churches
- Centennial of the Washington Church
- African Methodist Episcopal Churches
- Methodist Protestant Churches
- Baptist Churches
- Primitive Baptists
- Colored Baptists
- Christian Churches
- Wilmington Presbyterian Church
- Universalist Church
- Episcopal Church
- Mennonite Church
- Seventh Day Adventists
- Catholic Churches.
CHAPTER XI - CLINTON COUNTY NEWSPAPERS 187
  - One Hundred Years of Newspaper History
- List of All Papers Published in the County
- History of the Present Papers and Record of Those Which Have Passed Out of Existence
CHAPTER XII - THE MEDICAL PROFESSION 195
  - Prevalence of Disease in Early Days
- Laommi Rigdon, the First Physician in Clinton County
- Other Pioneer Doctors
- Hardships and Privations of the Early Practitioners
- Brief Personal Mention of Many of the Physicians Who Have Practiced in this County
- Present Physicians of Clinton County
- Clinton County Medical Society
- Veterinary Surgeons
CHAPTER XIII - SECRET SOCIETIES 205
  - Free and Accepted Masons
- Royal Arch Masons
- Independent Order of Odd Fellows
- Knights of Pythias
- Grand United Order of Odd Fellows
- Modern Woodmen of America
- Royal "Arcanum
- Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
- Junior Order of United American Mechanics
- Daughters of America
- Knights of the Maccabees
- Grand Army of the Republic
CHAPTER XV - WOMEN'S CLUBS AND FRATERNITIES 229
  - The Six and Twenty Club
- The Wilmington Woman's Civic League
- The Progress Club
- The Yani Club
- Woman's Christian Temperance Union
- Woman's Relief Corps
- Daughters of the American Revolution
- The Conversation Club
CHAPTER XVI - FARMERS' ORGANIZATIONS 238
  - Clinton County Agricultural Society
- The Sabina Fair
- Patrons of Husbandry
- Beech Grove Grange, and Those at Blanchester, New Vienna, Westboro and Clarksville
CHAPTER XVII - ADAMS TOWNSHP 244
  - Boundaries
- Water Courses
- Timber
- Formation of the Township
- Survey of Adams Township
- Mills
- School Houses
- The Pioneers
- Present Township Officers
- Sligo
- Ogden
CHAPTER XVIII - CHESTER TOWNSHIP - Partially done on 9/16/2014 257
  - Location
- Boundaries
- Organization
- Township Records
- Streams
- Mills
- Roads
- Burial Grounds
- Pioneers
- Present Township Officers
- New Burlington
- Oakland
- Kingman
CHAPTER XIX - CLARK TOWNSHIP - Started 5/8/2017 263
  - Boundaries
- Irregular Shape
- Area
- Natural Features
- Settlement
- Mills
- Present Township Officers
- Martinsville
- Business Interests
- Farmer's Station
- Jonesboro
CHAPTER XX - GREEN TOWNSHIP - Started 5/8/2017 269
  - Organization
- Early Official Record
- Location and Boundaries
- Topography
- Settlement
- First School
- Present Township Officers
- New Vienna
- New Antioch
CHAPTER XXI - JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP 275
  - Organization
- Boundaries
- Area
- Natural Features
- Storm
- Soil
- Early Settlers
- Mills
- Early Events
- Schools
- Present Township Officers
- Westboro
- Midland City.
CHAPTER XXII - LIBERTY TOWNSHIP 280
  - Early History
- Location
- Boundaries
- Streams
- Timber
- The Land
- Stone
- The Pioneers
- Early Churches and Schools
- Statistics
- Present Township Officers
- Port William
- Lumberton
- Gurneyville
- McKay's Station
- Mt. Pleasant
CHAPTER XXIII - MARION TOWNSHIP 285
  - Location and Boundaries
- Soil
- Streams
- Settlements
- First Events
- Formation of the Township
- First Election
- Early Schools
- Present Township Officers
- Blanchester
- Business Directory
- Present Officers
CHAPTER XXIV - RICHLAND TOWNSHIP 291
  - One of the Original Townships
- Division
- Survey
- Final Boundaries Fixed
- Location
- Natural Features
- Soil
- Timber
- Land Entries
- Early Settlers
- Roads
- Schools
- Early Industries
- Present Township Officers
- Sabina
- Business Interests
- Water and Light Plant
- Schools and Churches
- Municipal History
CHAPTER XXV - UNION TOWNSHIP 302
  - Boundaries
- Contour of the Land
- Timber
- Streams
- Early Roads
- The Pioneers
- Township Organization
- Mills
- Present Township Officers
- Clarksville
- Business Directory
CHAPTER XXVI - VERNON TOWNSHIP 313
  - Location and Boundaries
- Streams
- Formation of the Township
- Clerk's Statement for 1825 and Some Subsequent Years
- The Pioneers
- Schools
- Roads
- Present Township Officers
CHAPTER XXVII - WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP 316
  - Location and Boundaries
- Natural Features
- Early Settlers
- Formation of the Township
- Commissioners' Record
- Mills
- Schools
- Present Township Officers
- Cuba
- Morrisville
CHAPTER XXVIII - WAYNE TOWNSHIP 320
  - Establishment of the Township
- Location
- Altitude
- Area
- First Permanent Settlements
- The Pioneers
- Present Township Officers
- Centerville
CHAPTER XXIX - WILSON TOWNSHIP 322
  - First Settler
- Other Pioneers
- Formation of the Township
- Commissioners' Record
- First Election
- Present Township Officers
- Location and Boundaries of the Township
- Streams
- Bloomington
CHAPTER XXX - TOWN OF WILMINGTON 327
  - Location of a County Seat
- Its Various Names
- Description of the Plat
- Incorporation of the Town
- Corporation Boundaries
- First Election
- Town Officials
- Present Officials
- Salaries
- Additions to the Town Plat
- Fire Department
- Waterworks
- Wilmington Gas, Light and Coke Company
- Electric Light Plants
- Light Arches
- City Hall
- Street Paving
- Walker Memorial Building
- Wilson Flag Tower
- Military Band
- Champion Bridge Company
- Irwin Auger Bit Company
- Farquhar Furnace Company
- Wilmington Casting Company
- National Safety Snap Company
- Wilmington Auto Compressor Company
- Turnbull Manufacturing Company
- Cemeteries
- Postoffice History
- Wilmington Library Company
- Wilmington Reading Room
- Present Wilmington Library
- Wilmington Commercial Club
- Business Directory
CHAPTER XXXI - SIDELIGHTS ON CLINTON COUNTY HISTORY 351
  - Abolition in Clinton County
- The Deserted Camp
- Shadagee Square
- The Clinton County Home-coming
- Clinton County Infirmary
- Clinton County Children's Home
- Valuation of Public Utilities in Clinton County
- Friends with Lincoln in the White House
BIOGRAPHICAL MENTION 365

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