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*Source:
Centennial History of Columbus, and
Franklin Co., Ohio
by William Alexander Taylor
- Vols.I &
II -
1909
CHAPTER XIV.
PLAIN TOWNSHIP.
pg. 419
When Plain
township was organized in 1810, it embraced fully twice
and a half as much territory as at present. It was
reduced to its present limits, five miles square, in
1815 and 1816 when the townships of Jefferson and
Blendon were erected out of it and organized. It
is township 2 of range 16, on the old time maps of the
county, being a part and parcel of the United States
military lands.
Revolutionary
Soldier Lands.
The fourth
quarter of the township, being the southeast quarter of
the same was surveyed into lots of one hundred acres
each for the benefit of
Page 420 -
revolutionary soldiers,
holding one hundred acre land warrants, which they had taken
in part as payment for their military services during the
war for national independence. Upon the presentation
of these warrants a patent was issued thereon. They
were all take up by the holders of such warrants.
Quarters one and two of the township, being the north half
thereof, were laid out in squares or sections of six hundred
and forty acres each, and these were sub-divided into four
quarters of one hundred sixty each and these quarters being
divided into half quarters or eighths of a section, so that
the government surveys gave: Section, six hundred forty
acres; quarter sections one hundred sixty acres; eighths or
half quarters eighty acres each. Under the land entry
laws, they were disposed of to purchasers at $1.25 per acre
in one or more of these units beginning with the lowest or
next above.
The Woodbridge Patent.
The third
quarter of the township being the southwest quarter of
the township, containing four thousand acres, was
patented by the United States government to Dudley
Woodbridge in 1800. It would appear that
Mr. Woodbridge had taken out his patent not so much
for agricultural purposes. The grounds or
consideration upon which the patent was issued is not
avail able, but presumably was upon a warrant or
warrants issued in payment of military claims to
citizens of Virginia most largely, during or after the
close of the war of the Revolution.
One Gallon of Whisky per Acre.
According to the historical records of the period,
Mr. Woodbridge, in 1802, sold his four thousand
acres of land, taking in payment therefor four thousand
gallons of Monongahela whisky — a gallon of whisky for
each acre. Nor was this considered as anything but
a fair and legitimate business transaction in that day.
The deed of conveyance however gave the consideration as
''one dollar per acre," the price per gallon of whisky
on board the flat boat at Marietta, Ohio, being one
dollar per gallon. More than half the business
transactions in that day being barter or exchange of
goods. The scarcity of money in those days made
the exchange of commodities, especially in large
quantities, a necessity. The whiskey was delivered
at Marietta be cause that was the western shipping point
to the southern and Mississippi markets, where it
eventually went to the consumers, who paid in cash for
the smaller quantities, which in turn, going back up
stream in cash or money exchange reached the pockets of
the original barterers.
Woodbridge, the seller, was later Judge
Dudley Woodbridge of Marietta noted for his
probity and good citizenship and left behind him a name
of which his descendants were justly proud. The
purchaser of the four thousand acre farm was John
Huffman of Washington county, Pennsylvania, but
not even tradition accounts for his possession of the
liquor, but the chances are that he, as in the case of
Woodbridge, took it in trade. He came from
Washington county to Franklin soon after acquiring the
lands and became a
Page 421 -
prominent citizen. In 1822 he divided the four
thousand acres of land among his numerous children.
The First Settler.
It appears to be
a well-settled fact that the first actual settler of
Plain township was Joseph Scott, who took a lease
on a part of the Huffman tract early in 1802.
It was but a few months later when Adam and Samuel
Baughman and one or two others came on from
Pennsylvania, cutting their way as they went,
through the thick forests, which they frequently
encountered, with only a compass for a guide to their
destination. Henry Huffman, a
brother of John, Thomas B. Patterson and
others came within the next few months. Samuel
Baughman continued to reside in Plain township until
he passed off the stage of mundane existence, which
occurred at the beginning of the period of the Civil
war. He accumulated a competence and made for
himself a good name.
Some Other
Early PIoneers.
Among the other early settlers in Plain, whose names hae
been ascertainable after the lapse of more than a
century, were Lorin Hills, Jesse Byington, Gilbert
Waters, William Yantis, Abraham Williams and
Joseph Moore all of whom were the heads of families
and the most of them large ones.
The land was not regarded as first class by the
settlers when placed in comparison with the rich bottom
lands, but this was compensated for by an abundance of
the best water and the freedom of the locality from the
original malaria from which the locality was immune.
The result was that the population increased rapidly and
by the turn of the half century (1858) it was one of the
densely settled portions of the country.
Plenty of Saw Mills.
In 1858 there
were seven saw mills in the township, but not a single
flouring mill. Evidently the sale of Plain
township lumber was so ready and profitable that the
people considered sawmills as more valuable community
assets than flouring-mills, and so went to the mills in
other neighbor hoods for their bread stuffs.
Daniel Kramer erected the first sawmill in
1827, and later additional ones were erected by
Archibald Smith, Christian
Bevelheimer and David Swickard.
These sawmills are now, however, but the merest
reminiscence. Churches of various denominations
sprang up in each community or quarter of the township,
and the people being of a religious turn of mind they
were well attended, especially the camp-meetings of that
day.
Early Town Building Attempts.
In 1826 Lorin Hills and Lester
Humphrey laid out a town on the Granville road, not
far from the present site of New Albany, and named it
La-
Page 422 -
fayetteville
in honor of the Marquise de LaFayette; the plat
was recorded, but the town was never built, and so far
as can be ascertained no building lots were sold, and
the proprietors continued to farm the town site.
Mr. Francis Clymer likewise sought to transform
his farm into the town of Mt. Pleasant, and laid it out
into lots, streets and alleys but that was the end of
the undertaking.
New Albany Founded.
In May, 1837,
Messrs. Noble Landon and William Yantis laid
out the present town of New Albany. They were not
partners, however. They were owners of adjoining
farms which lay on either side of what was to constitute
Main street. They had two tracts laid out and
platted as one, but each owned, held and controlled the
sale of lots on his side of the street. It grew
into a thriving village; was a good country business
point, and still continues to be a pleasant and
hospitable village.
Was Duly Incorporated.
In 1856 the
legislature incorporated the town. At the April
election of that year; the following officers were
elected: mayor, S. Ogden; recorder, C. S.
Ogden; marshal, R. Phelps; councilmen, F.
Johnson, J. McCurdy, C. Baughman,
A. B. Beem and S. Stinson. In
1850 the population of the township was one thousand
five hundred and sixty-one; in 1858, one thousand five
hundred and ninety-seven, and the population of New
Albany was fifty. In 1900 the population of the
township according to the United States census was one
thousand one hundred and sixty-three, and of the village
two hundred and twenty-four. In 1908 the township
population is estimated at one thousand two hundred and
of the village at three hundred. The post office
at New Albany was established in 1838 and was named
Hope, but subsequently changed to the name of the town.
Pioneer Postmasters and
Other Pioneers.
Noble
Landon was the first postmaster and held the office
from 1838 to 1853. Daniel Horlocker
served from 1853 to 1855 and Jacob Ullery
served from 1855 to 1860. Among the other pioneer
heads of families who came into the township were:
John Scott, Simeon Moore,
Jacob Thorp, Jacob Smith,
Thomas B. Patterson, George Wells,
Asa Whitehead, John Davis,
Abraham Williams, Daniel Swickard,
Paul Farber, Daniel Hamaker,
James Carpenter and George
Wagner.
NEXT - MIFFLIN TOWNSHIP
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