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FRANKFORT TOWNSHIP
Although the
first permanent habitation of the white man in this county
was on the present sit Cambridge, yet the first sites for
towns platted were where Frankfort and Washington afterwards
stood. Frankfort was the first town laid out in what
is now Guernsey county. The plat was made in 1804.
The town was located on lands now owned by John Doyle
in Wills township, and which but a few years ago he bought
from the McNutt's, who we believe were purchasers
from the Moores, who owned it for many years.
The town was laid out by Joseph Smith, and grew until
it had a population of about two hundred people. It
had two stores, a mill and a distillery. When the town
was first platted there were but about thirty families
within the present boundary of the county.
In 1805 General Beymer laid out the town of
Washington, and in 1806 Cambridge was platted. These
towns soon attracted to and near them the new arrivals of
emigrants and became the centers of the then small business.
Frankfort began to decline and on the establishment of the
National road was abandoned. The last house, an old
tavern, was torn down about fifteen years ago and in the
foundation walls were found concealed a number of gold
sovereigns of the region of Queen Anne.
WASHINGTON.
The town of
Washington, in Wills township, is the oldest existing town
in Guernsey county, and is antedated by but one other
settlement here, viz.: the town of Frankfort, which
no longer exists. Its only thoroughfare is the
National pike, on both sides of which buildings of the which
buildings of the town are ranged. This pike runs
through the village from east to west, and the structures on
either hand are of the most ordinary character. Old
log cabins are the prevailing order of architecture, the
only notable exceptions being the residence of the
Lawrences and of Dr. Rea, which loom up in
strange contrast with their surroundings. The
residence of the late William Lawrence is beyond
question greatly superior to any other ever constructed in
this county. In the rear of the Lawrence mansion
and a few rods to the left is the neat little cemetery where
the early fathers of the hamlet sleep. On the pike
some four hundred yards east of the town, are the county
fair grounds. In the village there are two large dry
goods stores kept by ladies, a large and handsome shoe store
known as Lawrence's, a first class agricultural,
machinery, and hardware store, of which Roland S. Frame
is proprietor, several hotels and churches, and the usual
number of business places of various kinds which are to be
found in every town of any size. There are, however,
no industrial establishments.
Washington was laid out in 1805, by the proprietor of
the land, Simon Beymer, from Cumberland county,
Pennsylvania. Simon Beymer and Cyrus Beatty
commanded two companies raised in this county, which
entered into war with Great Britain. Washington was
for many years quite a business place, in fact the best in
the county until after the Central Ohio railroad was built.
This town was originally named Beymerstown,
after its founder, but the name was changed when the town
was incorporated. It is in the center of the county.
From the reminiscences of an old resident we cull the
following facts in relation to its early history. On
the present site of the Ark stood a tavern which was kept
first by Mr. Frazey, then by John Murphy, Mrs.
McCreary and her son James, and afterwards by
E. D. Withers. The property was then sold; the
east lot to Joshua Martin, and west lot to John
Lawrence. Martin demolished the old rickety
buildings standing on his lot, erecting in their stead a
large brick building, now known as the "Ark." Mr.
Lawrence used the old tavern building for various
purposes for some years, and then sold the premises to the
Old-school Presbyterian denomination, and they erected a
fine substantial and commodious edifice. Just west of
the old tavern above mentioned was the tanyard of Jacob
Saltsgaver, whose daughter married James Spence,
still residing near here. On the site of a portion of
this tan yard now stands the mansion of Dr. Rea, who
settled here thirty-five years ago. The Omstot
property was bought by Josiah Conwell, a carriage
and wagon-maker, who came here in 1830. Andrew
McCleary, a carpenter, came early and lived in a two
story hewed log house, which stood where James McDowell's
shop now is. He was sexton of the old Associate Reform
church many years. West of McCleary's was the
old tavern square, and on the east corner a blacksmith shop,
occupied by William Haines, a great braggart and a
genuine bar-room beat. Next to his shop was a great
gate for wagons to drive through to the back yard. On
the lot west of this stood the old tavern, the first part of
which was erected by Henry Beymer, in early times.
It was afterwards kept by John A. Roe, and during his
administration an animal show tent was spread in the rear of
the tavern. Afterwards the tavern was run by John
and David Miskimmons, and then Frazey took it.
At the east end of town is what is known as Robb's
addition, on which lived David Robb. He moved
to Zanesville, and his landed property on the south side of
the National road was sold to John Barton, and all on
the north side to Alexander Frew and his son-in-law,
William Anderson. Mr. Withrow was a
blacksmith, who came here forty years ago. About
twenty-five years ago he resided in the brick house just
east of the mill, where his wife and eldest daughter were
instantly killed by lightning. Mr. William
Englehart came here before 1812, and is now living, at
the age of ninety. He is the oldest person in our
village, and is a Presbyterian in religion, a Democrat in
politics, and a carpenter by trade. At first he was a
clerk in the only dry goods store here, kept by Thomas
Hanna.
'Squire Peter Omstot, the owner and occupant of the
two lots west of Mr. Barton, was an honest Dutchman,
who was almost the fist justice of the peace and postmaster
here, and held both offices for thirty years. He used
to make wooden plows. this dignitary's office was
located about where the Ark storehouse now stands. 'Squire
Omstot caused the expulsion of the "leatherwood God"
from this county. He closed his earthly career at his
favorite amusement. The old gentleman had just
finished singing Auld Lang Syne, accompanied by Mr. R. J.
Clark on the clarionet, in the store of the late John
Craig, when he took off his spectacles, put them in his
pocket, and turning to go, fell dead on the floor.
SALESVILLE.
The settlement at
Salesville, Guernsey county, was begun in the year 1806.
The settlers composing it were principally from the States
of Pennsylvania and Virginia, with occasionally an immigrant
family who had ventured from the old world to fight the
battle of life in the new. The lands within the limits
of the settlements were very rich, well watered and heavily
timbered. Through them flowed the Leatherwood creek,
skirted by wide bottoms. Its clear, bright waters,
sparkling amid copses and woods, fell sufficiently at
various points to afford water-power for mills, while
numerous tributary streams coming down from the hills, laved
the banks of narrow, fertile valleys, and gave ample
supplies of good water for man and beast. Springs were
abundant, and the scenery at many points was picturesque and
romantic. A region possessing such a variety of
advantageous conditions was well calculated to attract to
it, as this did, a class of settler averaging above those of
the majority of the settlements in the valley of the Ohio in
intelligence, morality, and educational advancement.
Prominent among the early settlers here were the
Brills, Frames, Williamses, and Pulleys, the
numerous descendants of whom have contributed so much to
make that neighborhood one of the most enlightened and
refined in our great and beautiful State.
At the pioneer settlements of the West, the families at
any given point were generally of one religious creed, being
drawn together by the reciprocal attraction of a common
sentiment, Salesville, however, was an exception. The
settlers here were of diverse religious views; some were
Methodists, some United Brethren, while others represented
many of the sects of the day. Nearly all were men of
deep religious convictions, to whom the worship of the Most
High was a necessity. Hence, as early as 1816, all
united in a common effort, and put up a commodious, hewed
log church, about the fourth of a mile north of the
Leatherwood creek, on the hill overlooking the present
village of Salesville. As it was the property of no
sect, it was called by common consent the Temple. At
this house for many years the settlers met regularly to
offer up their devotions. But as ministers came there
only at long intervals to deliver religious instruction,
that work fell generally upon some of themselves, and it was
done with a will and force that caused the Temple and its
worshipers to be a power in the land, widespread and
influential.
CUMBERLAND.
The town of
Cumberland, in Spencer township, was laid out by James
Bay, and named by his wife in 1828. The first
house was Mrs. Bay's, built for C. Annon.
Stephen Charlotte built the Bradley house
in 1828, being the first hotel. George &
Stranathan and Hathaway had the first stores.
the green-house lot was bought by W. Dolmanin 1830
for $15. John Agnew had a horse-mill for
grinding corn and fulling cloth. Wilson Cosgrove
had a chair factory run by dog power. He removed the
factory to the stream running through town - hence the name
"Dog run." |
