|
The surface of
this township presents an almost perfectly
level appearance. The settlement
advanced slowly, owing to the general wet
nature of the soil. In fact, the only
lands really considered available for
culture, were those skirting the Scioto
river; but, by a judicious system of
under-draining, the greater part of the farm
lands have been rendered arable, and now
compare favorably with the sister townships
in Franklin county, for productiveness.
Jackson township is situated in the extreme southern
part of the county, adjoining Pickaway
county. It is bounded on the north by
Franklin township; east, by Hamilton; west,
by Pleasant and Prairie townships, and south
by Scioto township, in the above county.
The streams found within the limits of this township
are all tributary to the Scioto river, which
flows fro north to south along the eastern
line of the township. Commencing on
the south we find, first, Turkey, and
immediately north, Plum run, flowing
eastward, and forming a junction a short
distance from the river. Grant run
comes next, northward, so named from the
fact that, in the winter of 1806 and 1807,
the father of Hugh Grant was killed
while engaged in cutting a bee-tree,
standing on its bank. The next stream,
to the northward, is Republican run, and
north of this, near the township line, is
Brown's run, so named, doubtless, in honor
of a family by that name, who early located
on its bank, and whose descendants yet live
along its course. Wild game of all
kinds abounded in great plenty in Jackson
township at the time its wooded fastnesses
were first invaded by the sturdy
backwoodsmen. Indians were also
numerous. They were not, however,
usually troublesome, and had it not been for
the constant fear their presence engendered,
would not have been disagreeable neighbors.
SETTLEMENT.
HUGH
GRANT,
who was a native of Maryland, removed to
Pittsburgh, and there married Catharine
Barr. In 1804, he came with his
family, then numbering five, to Ohio,
locating first in Ross county. while
there he purchased some four hundred and
fifty acres of land, in Jackson township,
and, in the spring of 1805, he removed to
this township, but, not knowing the exact
location of his purchase, he "squatted" on
land near the river, where he was killed not
long afterwards, and his widow eventually
located on the land above mentioned, where
she passed the remainder of her life, dying
Aug. 17, 1836. Mr. Grant
was a great hunter, and it is said that he
killed eighty-two deer during one fall.
The children were: Alexander, who married
Lucy Parish, and eventually located in
Hancock county, Ohio, where he died;
Jacob, who became a soldier in the war
of 1812, contracted a disease, then known as
the "cold plague," came home, and died;
Isabella, who became the wife of
Benjamin Wood, lived the greater
part of her life in Jackson township, and is
now deceased; Nancy, who remained
single, and died in Jackson township a few
years since; Mary who was twice
married, and died in Kansas, and Hugh,,
who was the youngest child (born June 30,
1807), and the only one now living, still
lives upon the farm; he has been twice
married - first to Leah Diemer
by whom he had eleven children; next to
Mary J. Scott, by whom he had
three children. Mr. Grant is,
without doubt, the oldest person now living
in the township, who was born here.
JONAS ORDERS
was, by birth, a Virginian. He was one
of General Wayne's Indian
fighters, and, receiving his discharge at
Detroit, was on his way home, when, reaching
Franklinton, then but a small collection of
log huts, He was taken sick. While
here, he became acquainted

Pg. 385 -
with Sarah
Ford, whom he subsequently married.
For a time he lived on what is now the
Fullerton farm, in Jackson
township. In 1829 or 1830, he bought
the farm now owned by his son, Michael
where he died in January, 1863; his wife
died many years previous. Of the
sixteen children composing this family, but
three are now living: Allen who
married Mary Gallion;
Michael who married Phebe Lowe,
and Joshua, who married Fanny
O'Neal. They are all prominent
farmers, and live in Jackson township.
JOHN CURRY,
who was of English extraction, first saw the
light of day upon the broad bosom of the
Atlantic ocean, while his parents were en
route for America. His mother
dying before reaching land, the child was
adopted by an aunt (Mrs. McGath), and
came to live in Deer Creek township,
Pickaway county, in about 1801. There
he grew to manhood, and married Sarah Smith,
with whom he eventually settled in Brown
township. Both he and his wife are now
dead. The children were: Aaron,
who lives in Indiana; James, who
married Catharine Shultz, and lives
in Jackson township, the owner of nearly
nine hundred acres of land; Owen T.,
and Elizabeth, who are dead; Amos,
who married Elizabeth Studebaker, and
lives in Wells county, Indiana; and John,
who married Mary Ballard, and lives
near Harrisburg, in this township.
SAMUEL B
RECKENRIDGE
came from the State of Pennsylvania to
Franklin county, in about 1800. His
wife was Margaret Starrett. The
family settled in Hamilton township, and
there the parents died. The children
were: Robert, Alexander, Samuel, John,
William, Elizabeth, Mary, and Nancy,
now of whom are now living.
PERCIVAL ADAMS,
also a native of Pennsylvania, settled in
Hamilton township, about 1800. His
wife was Margaret Breckenridge.
The date of his death was September, 1865.
One of his sons, Thomas, settled in
Jackson township, and married Elizabeth
Barbee. He died Aug. 7, 1872, and
his wife Mar. 30, 1866. Of his
children, T. J. Adams, esq., is the
only one living in the township.
Franklin B. another son, was a member of
company B, Fifty-fourth regiment Ohio
volunteer infantry, and was killed at
Pittsburg Landing, Apr. 6, 1862.
WILLIAM C. DUFF was a native of the Emerald Isle from
whence he emigrated to this land of freedom,
in the year 1800. In Pennsylvania he
married Catharine Dungan, who lived
at Norristown, and, in 1806, he reached
Ohio, locating on the farm now owned by
John Brown, in Jackson township.
He was a wheelright by occupation. He
died in 1827, and his widow became the wife
of Dennis Queen, and died in 1851.
The children numbered six, only two of whom
now live in their native township:
William B., whose present wife was
Mrs. Jane Lazalier, and Margaret,
now the wife of W. Preston. Two
others, John and Nancy (Mrs. M. Parish),
live in Indiana.
JAMES SEEDS, having
purchased one thousand acres of land in
Daniel Morgan's survey, number one
thousand two hundred and ninety six, moved
thereon with nearly his entire family, at an
early date. The children were:
Robert, who married Catharine
Hornbaker; James, who married a lady in
Fairfield county; Aaron, who married
Miss Miller; John, who married
Elizabeth Roler; William, who married
Margaret Hoover; Moses, who moved to St.
Louis, when single, and married there.
Robert, John, William and
Aaron settled on the old homestead, and
are deceased, as are the entire family of
children. James Seeds was a sort of
"stand by" in the settlement, and for years
furnished the pioneer families with salt,
which he brought, by aid of pack-horses,
along a blazed path, from Zanesville.
In the general exodus of the family of Ohio,
we learn, a daughter, Martha, who had
become the wife of William Seeds,
remained in Pennsylvania. In the
spring of 1820, this family arrived in
Jackson township, and was settled also on
the old homestead. The children of
this couple were: James, John, Elizabeth,
William W., Robert, Henry, Isabella, Harvey,
Samuel, Mary A., and Cyrus.
Two of these now live in Jackson township:
William W., who married Mary Seeds,
and Cyrus, who married Isabella M.
Beckett. Harvey, who
married Mary A. Hatton, lives in
Iowa.
JOHN HOOVER, a
native of Pennsylvania, and a soldier of the
Revolution, married Margaret Smith,
who lived near Hummilstown, and removed to
Kentucky prior to the admission of that
State into the Union. In that State he
remained until the legalizing, by the
constitution, of human slavery. This
measure being contrary to his convictions,
he emigrated to the free State - Ohio -
arriving in March, 1807. He purchased
some two hundred acres of land in Jackson
township, and here, in the improvement of
his wilderness home, he passed the remnant
of his days. In 1840, he died, aged
nearly one hundred years. His wife
died in, perhaps, 1833. There were
nine children in the family, only one of
whom now lives in the township: Margaret,
widow of William Seeds. The
remainder of the family were: Elizabeth,
Catharine, Peter (who was a soldier
in the war of 1812, and died at Franklinton,
soon after the close of the war, of disease
contracted in the service), Polly,
Abraham, Nicholas, and George.
The last named married Catharine
Kious, and died on the old farm, Mar.
17, 1872. His wife died June 29, 1875.
Three children yet live in the township:
George W., Polly (Mrs. Wm. Neiswender),
and Margaret (Mrs. J. Smith).
WILLIAM BROWN and
wife, Harriet (Thomas) Brown, were
natives of Ireland, he having been born
there in 1732. Early in the present
century they emigrated to America, and for a
time lived at Chillicothe. In 1809,
the family located in the northern part of
Jackson township, on the stream now known as
Brown's run. The brick house built by
Mr. Brown is now occupied by a son.
In the war of 1812, Mr. Brown became
a soldier for a short time. He died on
Sept. 27, 1830. Mrs. Brown
survived him many yeas, dying Apr. 5, 1876.
The children were: Mary Ann, who
married Jesse Courtright and who now
lives in Prairie township; William C.,
who married Rachel Holton, lives in
Indiana; John, who has been twice
married - his present wife was Elizabeth
Ricketts - occupies part of the old
homestead; Martha J., who married
D. L. Holton; and Samuel, who
married Margaret J. Holton, lives in
the house where he was born. He has in
his possession a double gun, which
Pg. 386 -
his
father brought with him from the land of his
birth.
In the year 1810, William Miller, Joseph
Bennett, and John Keyes, came
with their families, from Hardy County,
Virginia, and made a settlement in the
southeastern portion of Jackson township.
None of the Bennett family now live
in the township, and but two of the Millers, who are grandchildren -
Wesley P., and Mary F. (Mrs. T. J.
Adams). John Keyes, jr., lives on
Holton run, in this township, and is among
the prominent farmers in the township.
*
JACOB
and MAGDALENE BORROR, of Hardy county,
Virginia, were the parents of the following
children: Martin, Jacob, Solomon,
Isaac,
Absalom, Christina and Myomi.
In 1804 the father died, and seven years
later, his widow came, with her entire
family, to Ohio, and made a settlement in
Jackson township. A rude log cabin was
rolled up in the dense wood, and at no great
distance from where now stands the
substantial brick mansion now owned by
Absalom, the last survivor of the
children. At this time all was a wild
wilderness for miles around, there being but
one log cabin nearer than Franklinton,
nearly ten miles away. But strong arms
and determined hearts were equal to the
occasion; little by little the forest
disappeared, until now in its stead are
forms, whose broad acres, with their wealth
of waving wheat or rustling corn, bear
witness to the success of those hardy
pioneer sons of toil. The mother lived
to see this happy consummation. The
children settled as follows: Martin,
who married Anna Bennett, located in
southern Indiana; Jacob, who married
Catharine Coonrod, died near where
the family first began improvements - his
son, Jacob, occupied by a son,
Ichabod; Isaac, who married
Olive Babcock, occupied the farm now
owned by Jonathan Swagler, and many
of his descendants still live in the
township; Absalom, who has been twice
married, lives on the home farm. His
present wife was Margaret Badger.
The writer would express his thanks to this
gentleman for many items of interest.
Christina, who married P. Morris;
and Myomi, who became the wife of
S. Brunk located in the west.
HENRY
BAUMGARTNER
came from Virginia to Jackson township,
early in its settlement. He was a
soldier in the war of 1812. Here he
married Hannah Haughn.
His farm is now occupied by Jackson Hardy.
He died Dec. 24, 1868. His wife died
Mar. 27, 1877. There were nine
children in the family, three only are now
living and these all reside in their native
township: Catharine, who married
J. Borror; Levi, whose present wife was
Elizabeth McGroom; and Henry,
who married Christina Miller.
JOHN G. NEFF was
among the early settlers in Prairie
township. He was twice married.
He amassed a great amount of real estate.
Eventually, he lived in Jackson township,
where he died, and where his numerous
offspring still reside, among whom are:
Scott, John, Leonard, McDowell, a
daughter, Elizabeth (Mrs. S. Kell),
who lives in Prairie township, and another,
Clarissa, who lives in Illinois.
JOHN MITCHELL was only and early settler in Jackson
township. His wife was Elizabeth
Brubaker. He purchased a piece
of wild land, which he improved; this is now
owned by Solomon Swagler, of
this children but one , Joseph B., now lives
in the township.
HAWES BARBEE was
married in Virginia, and in 1818 removed to
Ohio. He lived for a time near
Shadeville, in Hamilton township, and after
a few years removed to Jackson township,
locating permanently on the farm now owned
by Augustus Bear, and here he died.
One child, William, lives in Jackson,
and another, Hawes, resides in
Columbus.
VALENTINE F.
SHOVER
and Elizabeth, his wife, were natives
of Virginia. They came to Ohio in
1820, but did not locate in Jackson township
until 1844. The lands he
purchased at that time are still occupied by
his heirs. Mr. Shover died in
May, 1847, and his aged widow still lives in
the township. Three of the children
also live here; they are: Henry, who
married Caroline Miller; Harriet (Mrs.
Abraham Miller); and George W.,
who married Jane Forst. The
remainder of the family are: John,
who lives in Indiana; Sidner J., who
lives in Chicago, Illinois; Ashford
and Eli, who live in Ohio.
ABRAHAM MILLER and
his wife, Sarah, were natives of
Virginia. They came to Ohio in about
1811, locating in Madison county. In
1828 a permanent settlement was make in
Jackson Township. Mr. Miller
died Apr. 20, 1844. His wife survived
him several years. Of the ten children
who composed the family only three are now
living; they are: Cynthia A. ( Mrs. J. B.
Mitchell); Abraham, who married
Harriet Shover, and lives in Jackson
township upon the old homestead;
Catharine, who became the wife of
William C. Mitchell, and lives in
Illinois.
In 1830,
ANDREW GANTZ,
a native of the State of Pennsylvania,
purchased a tract of land in Jackson
township, and about one year later, two
sons, Adam and John, settled
thereon. A few years subsequently,
another son, Jonathan, arrived, who
yet lives on the pike west of Grove City.
Adam, who married Catharine Pinnex,
died in Jackson township in December, 1877;
his wife died in May, 1875. The
children of this couple numbered fourteen.
Six now live in the township; Elizabeth
G., (Mrs. W. P. White), Lydia (Mrs. J. W.
Welch), Nancy, (Mrs. William Watts), George
W., Adeline (Mrs. T. Barbee), and Albert,
who lives on the home farm. Others
of the children live in the county.
John Gantz, who married Mahala Shafer,
now lives in Iowa. His settlement in
Jackson, above referred to, was of short
duration.
JOHN HAINES, a
native of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania,
married Susan Jarvis, and, in the
spring of 1831 located in Jackson township.
He was a farmer, and improved the farm now
owned by Messrs, Miller & Shover.
After some years' residence here, he removed
to Allen county, Ohio, where he died,
Apr. 18, 1864. His wife died many
years previous, and he remarried. The
children by the first wife were: Amos,
William, John, Robert, Levi, Joel, Joseph,
Samuel, and Jacob, one only of
whom now lives in Jackson townships -
Robert, who married Nancy Mills,
and now resides near the old homestead, in
the south part of the township.

ZACHARIAH H. MARSH
|
The subject of this sketch was
born in Baltimore Maryland, on
the seventeenth day of August
1788, and in 1815 came to
Belmont county, Ohio,
accompanied by his father and
mother, John and Catharine
Marsh. His parents remained
in Belmont county until their
death. On the fourth day
of June, 1817, Zachariah H.
Marsh was married in Belmont
county, to Rachel Miller,
daughter of George and Hannah
Miller, who settled in that
county in 1812 or 1813.
They remained there twenty-two
years, and were born to them
seven |
|
children - one son and six
daughters. In 1839 they
removed to Ohio where Mr.
Marsh bought a farm in the
north part of Jackson township,
Franklin county, and where the
family has since resided.
Mrs. Marsh died in 1853,
at the age of about sixty-two
years. HE still lives on
the place, a hale and hearty man
of ninety-one years. In
his early life he was a hard
worker, but in life's declining
day he lives in quietude, cared
for by the loving hands of his
children. Of these, four
are married and three remain
single. All are living
hear home.
SHARON WICK'S NOTE: Click
Here for more on Zachariah Marsh |

Residence of Louis Bunn, Jackson Tp.,
Franklin Co., Ohio
Pg. 387 -
WESLEY PRESTON,
whose father was a pioneer in Washington
county, Ohio, married Margaret C. Duff,
and, in the spring of 1832, came to Franklin
county, locating temporarily on Big run, in
Franklin township. Nine yeas later, he
purchased the land, upon which he still
resides, near the center of Jackson
township. The children are: James
H., whose present wife was Rosanna
Smith; Catharine A. (Mrs. John S. Moler)
who lives in Iowa; William H.
(deceased); John D., who lives in
Illinois, and has been twice married;
Ezra C., who married Mattie Adams;
Solomon C., who married Clara
Reynolds, and lives in Illinois;
David L.; George W., who
married Jennie E. Swisher, and lives
on the home farm; Martin L.
(deceased), and Wesley H., by
profession a teacher, who yet remains at
home.
JOHN
MARTINO came
from the State of New York, at an early
period, and remained for a time in Pickaway
county. There he married Catharine
Woolery, and, in 1833, removed to
Jackson township, locating on the farm now
owned by Scott Neff. Here he
died, Sept. 23, 1869. his wife died
Jan. 4, 1856. The children were nine
in number, several of whom live in the
county. We have a record of only one -
Joseph- who married Margaret
Peoples. He located on the farm
still occupied by his heirs. His death
occurred Nov. 26, 1871.
JOHN
HOUGHN came
from near Winchester, Virginia, in 1838.
He reached Jackson township on January 2d of
that year. His lands were situated in
the west central portion of the township,
and were in a perfect state of nature - low
and wet. They are now as productive as
any in the township. John Houghn
and wife, who was Rachel Clippert,
have been dead many years, he dying first.
Five of the twelve children composing this
family now live in the township: Henry,
who married Abigail Holmes;
Elizabeth (Mrs. F. Shover); Abraham,
who married Margaret Borrer; Philip,
who married Elizabeth Coonrod; and
Frances (Mrs. I. Miller.
ZACHARIAH
MARSH,
who is the oldest man in the township, was
born in the city of Baltimore, in the year
1787. During the war of 1812 he came
to Belmont county, Ohio. There he
married Rachel Miller. He
located in Jackson township in 1838.
His wife died Sept. 11, 1853. His
children are: Catharine, Rebecca, Hannah,
John, Drusella and
Elizabeth.
SHARON WICK's NOTE: Click Here for
more on
Zachariah
Marsh
EARLY EVENTS.
The first white child born in the northwest
part of the township was Nancy, a
child of William C. and Catharine Duff,
born in 1806. She eventually became
the wife of Mr. Parish, and now lives
in Indiana. Hugh Grant, was the
first child born near the vicinity of Grove
City, the date being June 30, 1807. He
is yet living there, hale and hearty.
Among the first adult deaths in the township
was that of Hugh Grant, sr., already
referred to
The first brick house in the township was erected by
William Brown, as early as 1814.
It is now occupied by a son, Samuel.
The first and only post-office in Jackson.
William F. Breck was the first
postmaster, and the office was located at
his store. The present postmaster is
A. G. Grant, the office being kept at
the store of R. D. Grant, who is
deputy postmaster.
The pioneer mercantile establishment in the township
was opened at Grave City, by William F.
Breck, about 1852. Mr. Breck
showed a fair stock of general merchandise.
The present stores at this point are: R.
D. Grant and Hiram V. Malott, who
each keep a general stock. At
Borrer's corners there is a grocery, and
these comprise the mercantile interests in
the township.
The pioneer hotel was established at Grove City, by a
man named Blackburn. The same
building is a present occupied for alike
purpose by William Voelkel.
INDUSTRIAL PURSUITS.
The first saw-mill in the township, now
remembered, was built by Robert Seeds,
on Turkey run, some forty years since.
This was carried away by the floods some
three years later. He afterwards built
one on Grant's run.
In about 1850, William F. Breck erected a stream
sawmill at Grove City. Stone, for
grinding purposes, were subsequently added.
This mill is now being torn down, and near
it George H. Grant has in process of
erection a brick building, to be occupied
for a grist-mill. This will be
propelled by steam, and is to be a
first-class, mill in every respect.
There are a wagon manufactory and several
black-smith-shops at Grove City; also, two
of the last named at Borror's Corners.
George Vanceiver, S. J. Hughes, and
E. E. Miller, have drain tile
manufactories in the township. The
first-named is near Grove City.
ORGANIZATIONS.
Jacksons township, which was originally a
part of Franklin, was organized under its
present name in the year 1815, but no
records are now extent showing who were
first elected its township officials.
Following is a list of justices of the
peace, as given in Martin's History of
Franklin county, with additions by T. J.
Adams, esq.; 1815, William Brown,
William Badger, Woolery Coonrod,
William C. Duff, William Seeds, Jacob H.
Deimer, John Gantz, Joshua Glanville,
Robert Seeds, Isaac Miller, H. S. Mitchell,
Isaac White, E. C. Brett, Henry Andrews, A.
C. Borror, who are the present incumbents.
The township officers for 1879 are:
H. Patzer, J. C. White, R. C. Alkire,
trustees; T. J. Adams, clerk; Levi
Baumgartner, treasurer; J. E.
Goldsmith, assessor; J. T. Brink, S.
P. Houghn, constables. There are
nine supervisors of highways. the
board of education are: James Crabb
(president), I. B. Borror, John
Keys, G. W. Huffman, George H. Bantz, Hiram
Borror, J. C. White, George H. Allen, John
Linebaugh, and J. W. Woolum.
GROVE CITY
The
lands comprised in this hamlet, as
originally laid out, were owned by John
Smith. In the summer of 1852, a
son-in-law, William F. Breck, caused
the lands to be platted, and to this embryo
village he gave the
Pg. 388 -
name it now bears. Its growth, for
years, was a slow one, but recently a new
interst has sprung up, and substantial
buildings are now in process of erection.
It is pleasantly situated on the Harrisburgh
pike, and seven miles from Columbus.
The first election under the act of
corporation, was held on May 10, 1866, at
which time the following persons were
elected: Dr. Joseph Bullen,
mayor; R. Higgy, recorder; William
Sibray, Anton Pilger, jr., H. Anderson, J.
L. Smith, L. Buckhaltz, trustees.
Following are the names of the mayors to the
present: 1869, W. P. Mench;
1870, William Nichols; 1872,
Joseph Pence; 1874, William Sibray;
1878, M. L. Harst, who still
retains office. The remaining officers
are: Dr. L. S. Hoover, treasurer;
Thomas Sample, clerk; Dr. Francis Hoy, Henry
Funk and William Bodel,
councilmen
CHURCHES
The following sketches of churches are
prepared from data collected by personal
interviews with members of the different
organizations represented:
SCIOTO CHAPEL.
The denomination who worship here are of the
Christian faith. As early as 1812,
meetings were held at the house of
William Miller, by ministers of this
faith, and some two years later a church
organization was effected, composed, in
part, of the following persons: William
Miller and wife, Joseph Bennett
and wife, Jacob Strader and wife,
Martin Boots and wife, James
Seeds and wife, Robert Seeds
and wife, and Mrs. Magdalena Miller.
Jacob Strader and William Miller
were elected deacons. A few years
later, a log meeting house was erected upon
land of Christopher Strader,
and this was occupied until the church grew
to be a strong organization. In about
1850, the present church edifice was built.
This stands on land donated for the purpose
by Absalom Borror. The trustees
were: Solomon, Levi, Hiram, and
Absalom Borror, and Robert
Seeds. The present church
membership is sixty. Rev. Samson M.
Stone is the present minister.
JACKSON CHAPEL.
Early in the settlement, meetings were held
at the house of William Breckenridge,
by Rev. James Rose, of the Methodist
faith, and soon a class was formed. It
was composed of the following: Rev.
John Solomon and wife, Jacob Diemer
and wife, ___ Fortune and wife, and,
possibly, a few others, whose names are
forgotten. Meetings were held at the
house of Mr. Breckenridge until the
erection of the school-house in district
number three (Hopewell), when they were
transferred there. In about 1859, the
neat church building, known as "Jackson
chapel," was erected. This stands upon
land donated for the purpose by William
Breckenridge. Its cost was one
thousand dollars. The trustees, at its
building, were: Andrew Dimpsey,
Isaiah Price, John
Huffman, Henry King, and
William Breckenridge.
Among early ministers the names of
Hathaway, Lewis, and Doughty
are remembered. The pastor is Rev.
Stephen Frampton who lives at
Grove city. George W. Huffman
is the present class leader. The
trustees are: Isaac Breckenridge,
George W. Huffman, J. B. Mitchell, John
Polling, and Henry Smith. A
Sunday-school was formed early, and is now
in a flourishing condition. L.
Breckenridge is its present
superintendent.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
AT GROVE CITY
The first meetings at or near Grove City,
were held in about 1844, and this year a log
meeting-house was erected. It was on
the union plan - all the settlers in the
vicinity contributing toward its erection.
The plan was not a success. The first
sermon delivered within its walls was by
Rev. R. K. Davis, of the Protestant
Methodist church, and a church organization
was soon after effected. This was a
feeble affair, and was only in being some
five years. Divers denominations were
accommodated within the rough hewn walls of
this primitive house of God, which is
now converted into a barn, and is owned by
A. G. Grant.
In 1859, a
small class of Methodist Episcopal church
was formed, and shortly after, the church
edifice at Grove City, at present occupied
by this denomination, was erected. Its
cost was one thousand five hundred dollars.
The membership of this church now numbers
about forty. Charles Harper and
Cornelius Harst are the leaders; Hugh
Grant, Emanuel M. White, W. R. Mench, George
Allen, and Charles Harper, are
the trustees. A Sabbath-school was
early organized, and has grown to goodly
proportions. Dr. Myers is the
superintendent. The attendance
averages one hundred.
CONCORD CHAPEL.
As early as 1847, a class was formed at this
point, composed of Isaac Miller,
wife, and daughter, Amanda; Mrs.
Sarah Miller, Jacob Spillman and wife,
William C. Duff and wife, and Jacob
Dove and wife. No other names are
remembered. Meetings were held at this
time at the house of Abraham Miller,
and subsequently in the school-house, in the
Houghn settlement, known as the
Hickory seminary. Among the early
ministers were Revs. William Sutton, John
W. White, now of Worthington, and
David Smith. In 1847, a log
meeting-house was erected near the site of
the present chapel, and in this services
were held until, perhaps, 1859, when Concord
chapel was erected. Its cost was one
thousand eight hundred dollars. The
trustees were: John and Henry
Linebaugh, Isaac Miller, Solomon Swigler,
Abraham Miller, Jacob Spillman, and
William C. Duff. The present
membership is seventy-five. the class
leaders were E. E. Miller, Solomon
Swigler, and G. W. Shover.
A Sabbath-school was formed soon after the
church organization was effected. It
has an attendance of sixty-five. E.
E. Miller is its present superintendent.
Rev. Mr. Callahan, of Darbyville, is
the present pastor, the church being
attached to that circuit.
SALEM METHODIST EPISCOPAL
CHURCH.
which is
situated on the line between this township
and Pleasant, was formed about the same time
as that at concord chapel. It is
attached to Harrisburgh circuit. Its
membership is large, and in connection,
there is a flourishing Sabbath-school.

Residence of JOHN LINEBAUGH, Jackson Tp.,
Franklin Co., Ohio
THE GERMAN LUTHERAN CHURCH
was formed at Grove City, as
early as 1855, and soon after occurred the
erection of their first meeting-house - a
large log building. This was occupied
for a few years, when the congregation
became so large that greater accommodations
were needed, and the present frame building
was erected. This church has the
largest membership of any at Grove City, and
the writer regrets that he was unable to
secure data sufficient for a full history of
it.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
at Grove City was formed in
about 1861, or at least permanently
organized at that time. The
meeting-house, the construction of which is
largely due to the efforts of William F.
Breck, Among the constituent
members of this church were: Daniel
Smith and wife;, Adam Gantz and
wife, George Weggandt, wife and
family, Mrs. William F. Breck, and
perhaps a few others, whose names are not
remembered. This church has quite a
numerous membership. It has also a
flourishing Sabbath-school in connection, of
which Michael Smith is the present
superintendent. The present pastor is
Rev. Samuel D. Smith, whose residence
is at Reynoldsburgh.
ZION CHAPEL
This
organization is composed of members from
Scioto chapel, who, in the year 1869,
erected the present substantial brick church
edifice, which cost three thousand five
hundred dollars. In about 1872, the
following were formally organized as a
church: G. W. Gordon and wife,
Henry Clark and wife, J. Smith
and wife, Mrs. Rachel Adams, James,
William, George and Henry Houghn
and wife wives, and L. A. Lewis and
wife. The officers on organization
were: G. W. Gordon and Henry
Clark, deacons; George and James
Houghn and W. P. White trustees,
who remain the same at present. A
Sabbath school was formed at the same date
with the church. Henry Clark is
its present superintendent. The
average attendance of children is fifty-two.
The present church membership numbers
seventy. Rev. Samson M. Stone,
who assumed charge of the circuit in 1870,
is its pastor. The writer desires to
thank this gentleman for data furnished,
relating to church matters.
SCHOOLS
The
first school of which the writer has any
data was held in the Borror
settlement, as early as 1815. A little
log school-house was erected on the corner
of Solomon Borror's farm, and in this
building, during the winter of 1815, Asa
Davis taught a term of school.
This was supported by subscription, and the
greater part of the children composing it
were from the families of the Borrors,
Millers, Seeds, Fishels, and
Fizgeralds, and numbered, perhaps,
twenty. Schools were taught in this
building until the erection of a brick
school-house, in the same locality. In
1840, the old log building in the Houghn
settlement, afterward christened the
"Hickory seminary," was erected. This
did duty for many years, as a school-house,
and also as a place for religious worship,
but is now now going to decay. The
first school-house at Grove City is of
recent date. It was a framed building,
and stood on the site of the present
school-building. There are now ten
school-houses in the township.
PHYSICIANS
The
first of these valued members of every
community who located permanently in the
township, was Dr. Joseph Bullen.
the date of his arrival was about 1852.
Dr. Bullen was a successful and
popular practitioner, and he soon acquired
an immense practice, by which he amassed a
fine competence. He died on Dec. 17,
1878. Other members of the medical
profession have made short stays in the
township, but they always sought "new fields
and pastures rare." after a brief sojourn
here. The present medical staff
numbers five, and they are all, it is said,
having a fair practice. Their names
are: L. S. Hoover, Francis Hoy, T. W.
Taylor, Charles McGiven, and -- Myers.
Their history is left for a future historian
to record. May it be a successful and
honorable one.
Of societies, the writer finds nothing to record, save
that the farmer's order, the Patrons of
Husbandry, once flourished in the township,
as have, also, temperance societies.
Neither are now in operation.
BIOGRAPHIES:
JOHN LINEBAUGH
THE BORRER FAMILY
<
CLICK HERE to
RETURN to TABLE of CONTENTS >
|