This township,
which was formed as early as 1807, is
bounded as follows: On the north, by
Prairie township; south, by the township of
Darby, Pickaway county; east, by Jackson
township; and west, by Fairfield and
Jefferson townships, Madison county.
The surface is varied. While some portions
present an almost level plain others,
especially along Darby creek, are exactly
the reverse, being broken and often
decidedly hilly. There is, however,
but little waste land in the township.
The soil along the bottoms is a strong black
marl, of great fertility; on the upland it
is, for the greater part, clay, and west
adapted to the growing of corn and grain
crops generally. It is exclusively an
agricultural township.
STREAMS.
These are Big and Little Darby, which enter
the township near the northwest corner, form
a junction at, or near, Georgesville.
From here, the former continues a general
southeast course through the township.
SETTLEMENT.
The
first settlers in the south part of Pleasant
township were two brothers,
Thomas and
Elijah Chenoweth, natives of
Maryland, who removed, with their families,
from Pike county, Ohio, to this township, in
the fall of 1799. They purchased two
hundred acres of land each, in, and north
of, the present village of Harrisburgh, and
immediately erected, upon their respective
purchases, rude log cabins, to shelter them
from the inclemency of the long dreary
winter now rapidly approaching. The
cabin of Elijah stood just at the
foot of the hill, near the spring, and a few
rods northeast of the site of the present
residence of a son, Elijah. The
work of improvement was begun at once, and,
in time the Indian neighbors were supplanted
by the hardy backwood settlers. The
log cabin was exchanged from the substantial
mansion, the dense forest gave way before
the keen axe of the settler, and, in its
stead, were broad acres, rich with their
store of waving grain.
Thomas Chenoweth married Cassandra Foster,
and lived to enjoy the full fruition of his
labors. After his death, his widow and
children removed westward. None now
live in the township. The children
were: John, Benjamin, Thomas, Joseph,
Rachel, and Cassandra. Elijah
Chenoweth married Rachel Foster.
He died, Dec. 5, 1828; his wife died
Apr. 17, 1825. The children of this
couple were as follows: Joseph,
who married Rachel Morgan, and,
eventually, moved to Illinois, where he
died; Elizabeth who married John
Carr, also died in the west; Lewis,
who died in infancy; John F., who
married Margaret Ferguson, and now
lives in London, Madison County, Ohio;
Sarah, who married John Haines,
lived for a time in Madison county, where he
was elected to the State legislature; after
several removals, he settled in Illinois,
where he died; Joseph, who married
Margaret Heath, was also a member of the
State legislature; the greater portion of
his life was passed in Pleasant township
where he died (Mrs. Sarah Hays, who
lives in Darby, Pickaway county, is a
daughter of above); Cassandra, who
married John Morgan, and lived many
years in Pickaway county, eventually moved
west, where she died; Rachel, who
married Jesse Wood, also died in the
west; Elijah, who married Nancy
Chenoweth, now lives on the old
homestead, and is the only one of the
children now living in the township.
To this gentleman, the writer wishes to
express his gratitude for material aid in
the collection of data for this history.
Benjamin Foster and
Samuel Kerr, with
their families, settled in this vicinity
soon after the Chenoweths. Of
these, the writer could learn nothing.
John Biggart, a native of the Emerald Isle,
married Margaret Gibson, of
Pennsylvania, and located near Harrisburgh,
in the year 1800. Some two years
later, he purchased the farm farther north,
still occupied by his heirs. He was a
weaver, but, ,by the aid of his family,
became quite a successful farmer; he died,
May 27, 1848; his wife died, Apr. 14, 1862.
The children numbered nine, of whom,
Mary, Matilda, charlotte, William, John,
and Joshua, are deceased; Samuel,
who married Mary R. Roberts, is the
only one now living in Pleasant township;
Rachel (Mrs. D. Clark), lives in Madison
county, and Margaret (Mrs. D. McHenry),
lives in Circleville.
John Dyer, was the first settler in the vicinity
of Georgesville, formerly known as the forks
of the Darby.
Thomas Roberts, a native of Martinsburg, Va.,
married Sarah Poisel, of the same
locality, and removed to Ohio a short time
prior to the dawning of the present century.
He lived for perhaps two years in
Darbyville, Pickaway county, and then
removed to Pleasant township, locating near
the forks of Darby. His log cabin was
built on the hill and not far distant from
the site of the present substantial
residence of Samuel Biggart.
After a residence, at this place, of forty
years, he removed to West Jefferson, where
he died Sept. 29, 1860. His wife died
the November following. They had
eleven children, of whom but few survived
the years of childhood; three only are now
living: Nancy, who married Matthew
Bonner, and resides in Clark county,
Ohio; Mary R., who married Samuel
Biggart, and has an elegant home on the
old farm; and Edwin R., who has been
twice married, and is comfortably situated
in Madison county, Ohio.
Pg. 434
James Gardner who was, it is believed, the third
settler on the forks of Darby, was a
Virginian by birth. On arrival in
Pleasant township, he purchased the property
upon which stands the Dyer mill.
This he improved, and here he passed his
life, engaged in farming. His first
wife was Polly Conwell. The
children, the fruits of this marriage, grew
to maturity: William, who has been
twice married, and now lives in Madison
county; Betsey (Mrs. W. Winders),
and Nathanial, who married Mahala
Walker is deceased, and his widow
(mother of Dr. G. W. Gardner, of
Harrisburg), lives near Georgesville.
Mrs. James Gardner deceased, and he
married Susan Beevers, by whom the
following children were born: Michael,
James, Mary A., Susan, Vilinda J., Nancy,
and Joseph, none of whom are now
living in Ohio.
Philip Huffman, who was of German descent, came
from Virginia to Ohio in 1802. His
wife was Elizabeth Reel, a native of
Virginia. The family first located in
Ross county. They eventually located
in Pickaway county, (Monroe), and died there
many years since. This couple,
contrary to most pioneer families, were
blessed with but two children: John
and Sidnie. The latter became
the wife of Lewis Ballard, and is now
dead. John, who was born in
Virginia, Mar. 12, 1794, married
Sarah Deyo,
and, in 1835, settled in Pleasant township,
where he still resides, without doubt, the
oldest man in the township. His wife
died Jan. 10, 1879. His children
numbered thirteen, of whom the following are
living: Mary (Mrs. T. Barker), Lydia
(Mrs. J. Scott), Nimrod, Minerva (Mrs.
Spangler), Eliza (Mrs. G. Goodson), Margaret
(Mrs. R. Alkire), Sarah (Mrs. Spangler),
John, and Rachel (Mrs. L.
Nutter).
Adam Spangler was an early settler in Franklin
county. His wife was Rachel
Tanquarry who is now living.
Mr. Spangler died Mar. 16, 1878.
The children of this couple who live in
Pleasant, are Alexander, John, James,
Joseph, William, Calvin, Rachel (Mrs.
T. Poulson), and Caroline (Mrs. D.
Litery). Betsey (Mrs. J. Rush)
lives in Pickaway county.
Foster Price was among the earliest settlers in the
south part of the township. He died
many years since. The children, now
living, are Joseph, Benjamin, John,
Tamsey, and Kitura.
James Walker of Virginia, married Millia M.
Foster, and settled in Ross county at a
very early period. In 1812 he removed
to Pleasant township, locating on the farm
now occupied by the youngest daughter,
Mahala (Mrs. Nathaniel Gardner).
Here he engaged in farming, and lived to be
over ninety years of age; he died Dec. 6,
1860, and his wife, June 18, 1859. The
children, beside Mrs. Gardner, who is
the only one living, were William, George
and Sidney.
John McKinley married in Virginia, and came from
that State to Pickaway county, in the year
1814, locating in Darbyville, where he died
in 1877. He was three times married.
His last wife, who survives him, was Mrs
Sophia Williamson. Of the children
the following are living, at present, in
Franklin or Pickaway: John Welsey,
Joseph, Seymour, Russell, William, Harriet
(Mrs. P. Morgan), Mary (Mrs. J. Fuller),
and Sarah J. (Mrs. A. Thomas).
The children dead, are David, who
married Elizabeth Chenoweth (his
widow lives near Harrisburgh); Susan,
who married Jacob Rush, and James,
who was a soldier in the Union army of the
Rebellion, and was killed in action.
William Cummins was amongst the first settlers in
Walnut township, Pickaway county, where he
died. Three of his children now live
in Franklin county: John who married
Mary May, lives in Pleasant township,
and is prominently connected with the Mt.
Zion United Brethren Church; James,
who married Margaret Williams, and
Edward who married Margaret Henderson,
live at Galloway station in Prairie
township.
Marmer Duke Story came from Delaware to Pickaway
county, in 1815. His wife was
Rachel Baggs. In 1837 he removed
to Pleasant township, where he purchased a
wild farm, and erecting his log cabin in the
dense forest, he set about with a will, the
removal of the heavy forest; his efforts
were successful at his death, which occurred
some twenty years since. Much of the
lands were in a good state of cultivation.
Only one of his children now lives in the
township -
Joseph who has been thrice
married; his present wife was Margaret
White He lives some two and
one-half miles southwest of Georgesville.
Maamer Duke Story was a
soldier in the war of 1812.
Handy Smith
came from Maryland to Monroe township,
Pickaway county, in about 1839. He
married Sarah Littleton, by whom
several children were born. She is now
dead. Of the children the following
are all farmers, and live in Pleasant
township: Josiah O., who married
Nancy Lane; Lemuel, who married
Lucinda King, and Stanford, who
married Nancy Foster.
William L. Foster, of Madison county, married
Mary Athey, and in December, 1829,
settled in Pleasant township, where they
both live at this time. The children are
John, Elijah, Nancy, Elizabeth, Emily, Mary,
Margaret, William F. and Sarah
(twins), and Cynthia J. Seven
are now living, and all, with one exception,
in Franklin county.
James Bradfield came from Pennsylvania to Pleasant,
in 1831. He was single, and was
among the first wagon-makers in the
township. He married Priscilla
Adams, and lives near Georgesville.
Of a large family of children, but one is
now living - Mary (Mrs. W. Waples),
who lives in Darby township, Pickaway
county.
George Francis, married in England, Anna
Walter, and in 1836 emigrated to
America. Immediately on arrival he
came to Columbus, where he lived some
eighteen months; after which, he located in
what became known as the "Pennsylvania
settlement," in Pleasant township. He
here engaged in farming, and continued that
peaceful vocation until the spring of 1865,
when he came to live again in Columbus.
His living children are: Frederick
F., who married Elizabeth Heath,
and lives on the old homestead; and Mary
(Mrs. William Poulson). Among
other first settlers in this settlement,
were James O'Day, Tobias Bulen,
James Luckens, St. Clair Adams, Thomas
Bourlen, Edward Hays, Jesse Fenton, William
Norton, and Timothy Boucher.
THOMAS TIPTON & MRS. ELIZABETH TIPTON
CAPTAIN THOMAS TIPTON was
born in Frederick county,
Maryland, January, 1792.
His father, Sylvester Tipton,
was a teacher by profession, and
lived in Jefferson county,
Virginia, near Harper's Ferry,
but at the time of the birth of
the subject of our notice, he
was temporarily residing in
Frederick county, Maryland.
Both his paternal and maternal
and maternal ancestors were of
Scotch-Irish extraction, and
were worthy descendants of that
sterling race of Highlanders
whose representative was the
famous John Knox, of the
Reformation. Sylvester
Tipton was a man of very
limited means, but had a fair
education, and, better than all
else, possessed a good name.
He was small in stature, but had
a good constitution, and lived
to a ripe old age, dying at the
age of ninety years. His
wife was a woman of more than
ordinary strength of character.
Her maiden name was Mary
Starks, a niece of
General Starks of
Revolutionary fame. She
was tall and dignified in
appearance, and being unusually
intelligent, occupied a
conspicuous place in the
communities where she resided.
Such were the parents of
Thomas Tipton, who was ten
years old when they settled in
Chillicothe, Ross county.
There he obtained his education,
in such schools as the times and
place afforded. It may be
a matter of some interest to the
young people of to-day to note,
in this connection, what were
the facilities for education,
and what the qualifications
expected of school teachers in
those primitive times. The
school-house was built of
unhewed logs; the floor was made
of puncheons, as were the most
uncomfortable seats, which were
supported, when not on wooden
legs, by the ends being passed
through between the unchinked
logs. The qualifications
of the teacher were in harmony
with the school-house and other
appliances. The
certificate stated that the
person therein named was
"qualified to teach spelling,
reading, writing, and ciphering,
excluding fractions." At
the age of fourteen, young
Tipton closed his school
days, at which time he could
spell most of the words in
Webster's spelling book, and
write his name, as will be seen
by reference to his autograph,
which was written at that time.
He was united in marriage, Dec.
6, 1813, by Asa Shepard,
a justice of the peace, to
Miss Elizabeth Tomlinson, of
Chillicothe, a woman of heroic
fortitude which, it is said,
never gave way amid all the
hardships and privations of
their pioneer experience.
Her beneficence was limited only
by her ability, and the poor and
destitute who were the special
objects of her care and
attention, regarded her with
reverential respect and
gratitude. Mr. and Mrs.
Tipton began their married
life in Franklin county, where
they purchased, from time to
time, one thousand acres of
land, and brought the same under
cultivation. To build up a
home of this sort, from such a
forest, with poverty on one
hand, distance from market on
the other, and malaria
everywhere, gives some idea of
Captain Tipton and his
good wife's energy of character,
courage, and determination.
During the war of 1812, Captain Tipton was
called into the military service
of his country, and responded by
at once raising a company, and
was with General Harrison
at Fort Defiance at the time of
Hull's surrender.
Captain Tipton, or "Uncle
Tommy," as he was familiarly
called by his friends and
neighbors, possessed a hopeful,
buoyant nature, and a kind and
benevolent disposition; he would
often, at great inconvenience to
himself, help those less
fortunate than himself, who
could render no return but
kindly good will and gratitude.
He was an ardent friend and
absolutely had no enemies.
The young approached him as a
father, the aged sought his
counsel as a friend in whose
motives and judgment they had
the utmost confidence. His
character was one to be held in
pleasant remembrance by all who
enjoyed an intimate acquaintance
with him, on account of his
quiet, unobtrusive manner, and
the healthful moral influence he
exerted. Perhaps nothing
more conclusively proves the
pure and upright character of
the man than the respect and
filial affection of his children
for him. While his life
was always strictly moral and
upright, he was over fifty years
of age before he made a
profession of religion. In
October, 1841, he was called to
witness the wonderful
consolation of religion in |
|
the triumphant death of his
daughter, Mary, then the
wife of Elijah Chenoweth, jr.
This of his daughter, Mary,
then the wife of Elijah
Chenoweth, jr. This
was the first time that death
had ever visited his own family
circle, and it made a deep
impression on his mind.
His daughter, shortly before it
made a deep impression on his
mind. His daughter,
shortly before her death,
exacted a promise from both
father and husband that their
names should be enrolled on the
church book in place of her own.
Shortly after this event Mr.
Tipton, called his family
together, on a Sunday morning,
and opened the family devotion
with singing two verses of the
hymn, beginning:
"And must this body die,
This well-wrought frame decay?
After which his wife offered
up one of those soul-stirring
petitions for which she had long
been noted in the praying
circles of the neighborhood.
In the evening of the same day
he offered, in the presence of
his family, his first prayer -
at least his first audible one.
The family altar thus
established was continued the
remainder of their lives, and
they enjoyed the consolation of
often hearing each of their sons
conduct the family devotion.
Captain Tipton was a
member of the Methodist church,
as are all of his children, save
one, who is, at this time, a
member of no church.
In politics, he was a Republican, an his sons are
adherents of the same party.
He served as county commissioner
of Franklin county for the term
of two years - but he was not an
aspirant for office, and once
declined a nomination for State
representative.
He died, of a malarial fever, the thirteenth day of
September, 1864, and his wife on
the fifth of February of the
same year.
Pleasant Ridge farm, known as the "Tipton farm,"
is on the west side of Darby
creek, two miles north of
Harrisburg, in Pleasant
township, Franklin county, and
is now owned by J. H.
Chenoweth. The old
cabin has been demolished, but
the associations connected with
it remain in the memory of the
children, who, though long since
grown to man's estate, speak
with peculiar tenderness of the
old home, and with the most
affectionate veneration of the
father and mother who built it
in the woods, protected it from
savage violence, and brightened
it with love and kindly feeling;
regarded no trial or sacrifice
too great, or labor too severe,
to raise their children to a
condition better than their own.
Captain Tipton was the father of eleven
children: Samuel S.,
who married Miss Lydia Gantz,
is a farmer and stock dealer,
and lives in Kansas.
Frances married John
Taylor, who is also a Kansas
farmer; John S. married
Miss Tabitha Stump.
He resides in Kansas, where he
is engaged in farming and the
manufacture of agricultural
implements. Jonathan
married Miss Rebecca
Shattuck. He lives in
Franklin county, Ohio, and is a
farmer. William A.,
now deceased, married Miss
Julia Wilcox. Richard H.,
married Miss Minerva Buckles,
and resides in Darbyville,
Pickaway county, Ohio. He
is a physician and surgeon of
thirty-four years' experience,
and is a graduate of Jefferson
college, Philadelphia.
Dr. Tipton was surgeon of
the Ninetieth regiment Ohio
volunteer infantry, in the war
of the Rebellion, serving with
credit for three years.
Mary, now deceased, was the
wife of Elijah Chenoweth,
jr.; Sarah is the wife of
George Stump, a farmer
living in Kansas; Thomas C.
married Miss Miranda Loomis,
and is a resident of
Williamsport, Pickaway county,
Ohio. He is a physician
and surgeon for many years'
practice. A biography of
Dr. Tipton is given
elsewhere in this book.
Nelson F. married a Miss
Elder of Illinois,
who died, leaving him with one
child - a daughter. He
married, for his second wife,
Miss Hayes, of
Harrisburg, Ohio. She
died, leaving a son as a result
of this union. His present
wife was a Miss Morgan.
He is a minister of the
Methodist Episcopal church, an a
member of the Southern Kansas
conference, and is at present
stationed at Melvern, Kansas.
Hiram C. married Miss
Mary Shattuck, and is a
farmer of Franklin county, Ohio.
|
R. M. WORTHINGTON & MRS. R. M. WORTHINGTON
Residence of ROBERT M. WORTHINGTON,
Pleasant Tp., Franklin Co., Ohio
R. M. Worthington came from
Montgomery county,
Pg. 435 -
Pennsylvania, in 1837.
He was
a single man. Making a stop in
Pleasant township; he, in 1840, secured a
wife, in the person of Miss Ann Stump,
whose parents located in the township also
in 1837. Mr. Worthington now
lives on the Harrisburgh pike. His
children are: Jane (Mrs. M. Bradfield),
John W., Mary (Mrs. J. White), George, Sarah
(Mrs. W. Rush), and Clark, who
all live in Franklin county, and the greater
portion of them in their native township.
Gideon Walton, whose wife was Rebecca Gilbert,
was an early settler in Columbus. He
now lives in Pleasant township.
It is folly to think that the foregoing gives the names
of all early settlers in the township,
worthy of mention. Many came very
early, and remained a few years, going still
farther west; others, perhaps, lived in the
township many years, but have gone and are
forgotten. Following are the names of
settlers of whom the writer has no
particulars. Some are among the very
first; others, perhaps, are not:
Samuel Kerr, Reuben Chaffen, William D.
Adams, John V. Leach, who was an
early merchant; John Turner, Charles
Hunter, Morris Yates, John Harvey, George
Goodson, Simon Cochran, and James
Walker.
EARLY EVENTS.
The
first white child born in Pleasant township
was, without doubt, a daughter, to Elijah
and Rachel Chenoweth. The date of
this important addition to the pioneer
colony was Dec. 9, 1800. The child was
named Cassandra. She grew to
woman's estate, and became the wife of
John Morgan, going to live in Darby
township, Pickaway county. Here her
husband died. She eventually married
Joseph Morgan, and removed to the
west, where she died. Among the first
marriages in the township was John
Chenoweth to Elizabeth, daughter
of Thomas and Mary Foster. The
date was soon after the present century
began. This couple lived for a few
years in Pleasant, removing then to Green
county, where they passed the remaining
years of their lives. The first
burials were on the Chenoweth farm,
and not far from the present residence of
Elijah Chenoweth. The writer was
unable to ascertain who was the first person
buried here. The first log houses were
constructed by the brothers Chenoweth,
in the fall of 1799. The first frame
house was doubtless built by Samuel Kerr,
early in the settlement. It stood on
the farm owned at present by Elijah
Chenoweth, jr.
John Biggart erected the pioneer brick house in the
township some two miles from Georgesville,
many years since. The pioneer house of
entertainment was at Harrisburgh. It
was built by John Morgan, and was by
him named White Hall. The writer was
unable to get the date of its construction.
This is at present owned by John P. Bolen,
and is known as the United States Hotel.
Divers persons have played the role
of host within its walls. Samuel
Hill has another hotel at Harrisburgh.
Thomas Chenoweth, without doubt,
planted the first orchard in this portion of
the township. The date was not far
from 1800. A small number of these
trees are still standing. On Mar. 24,
1837, George Geiger and William
Foresman opened the pioneer mercantile
establishment in Pleasant township.
The goods were displayed in a small building
standing in what is now the southwest corner
of the village of Harrisburgh. This
firm, subsequently, built what is now the
post-office row, and here, for years,
prosecuted the business of merchandising.
Joseph Chenoweth became a partner in
the business, buying the interest of
William Foresman. The present
business at Harrisburgh is: L. W. Sifert,
and A. C. Rush & Co., dry goods;
F. Chenoweth and Henry Manning,
groceries; Dr. H. A. Turner, drugs.
There are also a number of small
manufactories - shoe shops, wagon shops,
etc., and several blacksmith shops.
The first post-office was authorized in
Pleasant township in 1815, and bore the name
of the township. The following year,
Georgesville was laid out and, a
short time after, the post-office was
changed to that name. Following is a
list of the postmasters: Thomas Roberts,
William Scott, George Ray, and Thomas
Story, who is the present incumbent.
Harrisburgh was surveyed by Frederick
Cole, under the direction of Joseph
Chenoweth, in June, 1836. A few
years prior to this, a post-office was
established here, called Darby Cross Roads.
This now took the name of the village.
The succession of postmasters is as follows:
John Haines, George Geiger, Abram
buckles, Dr. T. Thompson, Henry Miller, J.
W. Goetschius, O. T. Curry, and the
present incumbent, R. B. Parks, who
was appointed to the office in July, 1861.
Of manufactories, the first was a
grist-mill, erected by Samuel Dyer,
in 1805. This had a numerous
ownership. It has been entirely
rebuilt, and is now owned by the widow of
William Dyer, whose husband built the
present mill. Some fifteen
years since, Thomas Chenoweth erected
a flouring-mill on Darby creek, the second
in the township. Numerous saw-mills
have been built, generally small affairs.
ORGANIZATION
Pleasant township, as organized in 1807,
embraced many times its present area.
In 1815, Jackson township was cut off, and
in 1819, Prairie township to its present
limits. The records of the township do
not date back far enough to be of service to
the historian. The officers for 1879
are: F. Francis, clerk; J.
B. Chenoweth, treasurer; W. J. Brooks,
assessor; Richard Buzzard and E.
Phillips, constables. Following is
the succession of justices of the peace:
1807, Samuel Kerr, John Smith, John
Turner, Alexander Blair, Michael Dickey,
Samuel Dyer, Reuben Golliday, Jacob Gundy,
John Tipton, William Walter, Richard Heath,
Henry Shenefelt, Geo. W. Helmick, Zelotes G.
Weddle, J. B. Mitchel, Reuben Chaffin, Raper
Millard, Henry Walker, John S. Young, J. O.
Smith, and the present, S. V. Dalby
and George Ray, who were elected in
the spring of 1879, and who are strongly
Republican.
CHURCHES.
Meetings were early held in the log house of
Thomas Chenoweth, by the settlers, who
were principally of the Methodist Faith.
As early as 1810 the Rev. John Col-
Pg. 436 -
lins
and James Quinn began a series of
meetings at the house of Elijah Chenoweth,
which resulted in the formation of a class.
This was composed mainly of the following:
Benjamin Foster and wife, Thomas and
Elijah Chenoweth, their wives and
several of the children. Mr. Foster
was the leader. Meetings were
continued at Mr. Chenoweth's as late
as 1842, when, the class having grown to
such large proportions, and the attendance
increased to such an extent that the
accommodations were inadequate, a church
edifice was erected. This was of
brick; in size, some forty by feet, and cost
about one thousand, two hundred dollars.
Its location was near where now stands the
residence of Dr. Joseph Helmick.
This did duty until 1858, when the present
meeting-house was built. This is also
of brick; forty-one by sixty-one feet in
size, and cost two thousand, eight hundred
dollars. The present membership of
this church is one hundred. The
officers are as follows: William B.
Chenoweth, W. W. Carson, and Theodore
Gantz, leaders; W. W. Carson and
E. Chenoweth, stewards; William
B., Elijah, and J. Hill Chenoweth, W.
W. Carson, David Hurst, and T. Gantz,
trustees. A Sabbath-school was
organized in the old log house. This
is still in active operation, and has
seventy scholars. S. V. Dalby
is its superintendent. The present
minister, who is located at Harrisburgh, is
Rev. W. H. Sayre.
THE GREEN HILL CHURCH.
which is attached to the
Harrisburgh circuit, was formed about ten
years since. It has a neat framed
church building, and a respectable
membership. The Sabbath-school is well
attended.
BYER CHAPEL
The
first meetings in the vicinity of
Georgesville, were held at the houses of
John Biggart and Thomas Roberts,
by Rev. James Hoge, of the
Presbyterian church, in Franklinton.
The date was early in the century. No
church of this denomination was ever formed
here, to the writer's knowledge.
Ministers of the Methodist Episcopal church
preached at the dwellings of Charles
Hunter, George Goodson, Simon Cochran,
and James Walker, and also at the
school-house in Georgesville. Dyer
chapel, a neat wood structure, was
erected in 1875, and cost one thousand eight
hundred dollars. It is attached to
California circuit. The present
minister is the Rev. Mr. Alexander.
The membership numbers fifty.
Albert Keyes is class leader, and
Joseph H. Gardner, superintendent of
Sabbath-school, which has a goodly
attendance.
MOUNT ZION UNITED BRETHREN
CHURCH.
Meetings were held at the house of John
Cummins in about 1860, and the following
persons were in due time organized as a
church: John Cummins and wife,
William Forsyth and wife, Nathan
Abbott and wife, and Mr. Long and
wife. John Cummins was the
leader of this class. Meetings were
held at the house of Mr. Cummins, the
greater part of the time, until 1864, when
the present meeting-house was built.
The following are the trustees who were
elected at the building of the church, and
continued in office: John and Edward
Cummins, N. Abbott, William Scott, and
William Forsythe. A Sabbath-school
was organized soon after the erection of the
church, and John Cummins elected its
superintendent. Its membership is at
present not far from forty. The church
membership is now very small, being only
thirteen. The following are the
ministers who have had charge of this church
from its inception: Rev. Mr. Johnson,
Daniel Bonebrake, William Waters, Solomon
Zeller, George Brown, and John Brown,
the present minister, who located here some
five years since.
SCHOOLS.
In
the summer of 1811, one Thomas Miller
taught a term of school in a little log
cabin, standing on the farm owned by
Samuel Kerr. This was a small
school, and was composed of the children of
the Chenoweth, Kerr and
Foster families. This is believed
to have been the first school in this
portion of the township, though of this the
writer has not positive knowledge.
Schools were taught in this cabin for
several years. In 1817 or 1818, a log
school-house was built in the southwest
corner of what is now Harrisburgh village.
One of the earliest teachers in this
building was Mrs. Elizabeth Kilpatrick.
No frame school-house was built here until
about the time the village was laid out.
The village school district was organized in
1870, and convened in the building now
occupied as a town hall. On May 1,
1875, it was, by vote, decided to erect a
suitable school-building. The board
consisted of: G. M. Stark, president;
William B. Chenoweth, treasurer,
A. Poulson, clerk. It remains the
same-to-day, with one exception: A.
Poulson resigned, Dec. 4, 1876 and A.
C. Rush, the present clerk, was
appointed. He was subsequently
elected. The building was completed in
1876. It is of brick; some thirty by
sixty feet in size, two stories in height,
and cost, complete, five thousand dollars.
The school is divided into primary and
intermediate departments. The
enrollment of scholars is one hundred and
thirty-six. The amount paid teachers
for the year 1878 was nearly seven hundred
dollars. The records of this district
are in such a condition that the writer
could learn but little from them. In
Pleasant township there are thirteen school
districts. The board of education is
as follows: D. W. Machlin
(president), J. W. Worthington, E.
W. Young, W. B. Adams, I. F. Miller, John
Cummins, N. Jenney, George Hay, J. Boyd, M.
Billman, J. B. Story, S. Jackson, and John
Price.
PHYSICIANS.
The
writer learns that, in 1824, Dr. Lemuel
Boyd was practicing in Harrisburgh, but
failed to obtain any data of him.
Dr. Thomas Thompson located here from
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as early as
1837. Dr. Thompson was an
excellent practitioner, and soon acquired a
large practice. He died in about 1840,
and soon after, George W. Helmick,
who was a graduate of Jefferson medical
college - class of 1838 and '39, located
here; he was of good medical attainments.
He was twice married; his death occurred
some twenty years since.
The present physicians are: Joseph Helmick, a
brother
Pg. 437
of the above, and a graduate of the
same school; he located in Harrisburgh in
1842; he married Jane Chenoweth, and
yet enjoys a lucrative practice.
William J. Bashaw was the next physician to
locate at Harrisburgh; he now lives in the
country, where he still practices.
G. W. Helmick, jr., graduated at Starling
medical college, Columbus. Edward
F. Morgan, a graduate of the same
school, and George W. Gardner, a
graduate of Miami medical college,
Cincinnati, Ohio, constitute the medical
staff of Harrisburgh. Dr. W. N.
Shoemaker is located at Georgesville.
He is spolken of as a rising practitioner.
HARRISBURGH
This village was incorporated in 1851, and
an election held, when the following persons
were elected: Mayor Dr. J. Helmick;
recorder, Z. G. Weddle; trustees,
Henry Miller, J. Chenoweth, O. T.
Curry, L. W. Sifert, and Dr. George
W. Helmick. The records are so
imperfectly kept that the writer is unable
to give the succession of officers.
The present are: Mayor, J. L. Smith;
clerk, S. G. Lyday; trustees, G.
M. Stark, J. R. Manning, J. P. Bolen,
c. Vieman, O. T. Curry, and C. V.
Sheeders.
This village has, at present, quite an efficient
cornet band, numbering ten musicians; C.
V. Sheeders, leader.
Lodges of Good Templars have, at divers times, had an
organization in Harrisburgh village.
There are none at present, though the need
of thorough temperance work is painfully
apparent, at least, to stranger eyes.
Georgesville was laid out many years since.
Now there is no vestige of a village on the
opposite side of Darby creek; at the
railroad station is J. L. Moore's
addition or New Georgesville - a little
hamlet containing a few houses, general
store by J. R. Biggart, and grocery
by G. W. May. Dyer
chapel is situated in this village.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
JOSEPH W. STORY
ELIJAH & RACHEL (FOSTER) CHENOWETH
R. M. WORTHINGTON
ELIJAH & NANCY CHENOWETH |
