DESCRIPTION.

     This township had its origin in the manifest need of a new municipality for the convenience of the increasing population in the northwestern part of the county, which in 1853 caused the erection by the county commissioners of Harrison from Crosby and Whitewater townships.  It is the northernmost township of the county.  Its boundary lines are wholly artificial, and begin on the dry fork of Whitewater, at the southeast quarter of section thirty-three, in range one, township three; thence westward three miles to the county and State line; thence north six miles to the Butler county line; thence east three miles to the northeast corner of section four; thence south to the place of beginning.  Dearborn county, Indiana, lies next to the westward; Butler county on the north; four miles of Crosby and two miles of White water townships on the east; and Whitewater township on the south.
     Harrison lies altogether upon Congress land, in the west half of the third township, range one.  It thus contains eighteen sections of land, which cover a little more territory than so many exactly full sections, by reason of some divergence of meridian lines in the easternmost tier, making some of them a little broader than should be.  The central and western tiers are beautifully regular squares, appropriately exact.  the acres of the township number eleven thousand one hundred and forty-seven.
     Harrison township lies chiefly in the valleys of the Whitewater and Dry fork of the Whitewater, giving its surface a generally flat and fertile character.  The former stream enters from Indiana upon section nineteen, half a mile south of Harrison village, and flows in a tortuous course of about three miles through four western and southern sections of the township to its point of exit nearly half way across the southern township line.  They Dry fork skirts the southern half of the eastern line, with several ins and outs, and an exceedingly winding course, leaving the township finally almost exactly at the southeast corner.  Lee's creek, with two other tributaries flowing into the dry fork in Crosby township, partly or wholly intersect the northeastern part of Harrison; and some of the headwaters of Whitewater river, flowing to the west of

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Harrison village, have their source in the northwestern part of the township.  The southern half of the township is mostly low, belonging to the bottom-land of the streams; the northern half is more elevated, and broken into ridges by the wear of water-courses, and very likely other agencies, through the milleniums of geology.
     The Whitewater Valley railroad, keeping pretty close to the river whence it takes its name, enters, like that, the township below Harrison village, and runs for about four miles to a point half a mile east of the river and a little more than a mile from the southeast corner of the township, where it departs into Whitewater township.  The Whitewater canal formerly had its course in part through this township, nearly on the same line as the railroad, and also terminating, so far as Hamilton county is concerned, near Harrison village.  Its history is recorded in a chapter of part I of this book.  The Harrison turnpike also comes in from the direction of Miamitown, near the southeast corner of section twenty-eight, and runs thence in a nearly straight and due northwest course across the township to the village of Harrison.

ANCIENT REMAINS.

     The limited tract of Harrison township does not abound in ancient remains, but still possesses some of interest, as the mounds on Bonnell's hill, in the eastern part of the township, which are understood to be among the burial-places of the long-gone race in the valleys of the Whitewater and the Great Miami.

EARLY RELIGION.

     About 1803 a regular Baptist church, attached to the Miami Baptist association, was organized in what is now the northern part of Harrison township, and took the name of Dry Fork of Whitewater church, a singular name for a church of immersionists, truly.  In 1836 this society went off with the anti-mission Baptist churches and is said to have lost its identity altogether in 1853.  At this time the majority of the association, in membership and vastly so in number of churches, including this one, joined the anti-mission standard.

THE MORGAN RAID

     The great event in the brief history of this, the youngest township of Hamilton county, was the John Morgan raid, which occurred ten years after the creation of the township, or in July, 1863.  The invading force crossed it on the main roads, but entered it on but one - that through Harrison village.  The advent of Morgan and his horde at that place was a thorough surprise.  It was known by the people that he was somewhere to the westward in Indiana; but his direction of march was unknown, and there was no special reason to expect him at Harrison.  Morgan's forces were, indeed, considerably scattered in southeastern Indiana, on the twelfth of July, and it was exceedingly difficult to divine the leader's intentions; but on that day and the forepart of the next they moved rapidly by converging roads upon Harrison, at which one point they struck Ohio.  About one o'clock in the afternoon of the thirteenth the advance of the rebel command was seen streaming down the hillsides on the west side of the valley, and the alarm was at once given in the streets of Harrison.  Citizens hastened at once to secrete valuables and run off their horses; but in a very few moments the enemy was swarming all over the town.  The raiders generally behaved pretty well, however, offering few insults to the people, and maltreating no women or other person.  They secured what horses they could, and thronged the stores taking whatever they fancied.  the eccentric character of the stealing, as described by Colonel Duke in our chapter on the Morgan raid through Ohio, was manifest here.  One gentleman who kept a drug and notion store was despoiled of nothing but soap and perfumery.  He had a large stock of albums, which were popular then, and expected to see them go rapidly; but not one-was taken.  Similar incidents are related of other shops in the village; and from one and another a large amount of goods in the aggregate was taken.  But there was no robbery from house to house, or from the person; and after a very few hours stay, having refreshed themselves and their horses, and gained all desired information, the head of the column began to file out of the village in the direction of Cincinnati, on the Harrison turnpike.  Reaching the junction of the New Haven road a third of a mile out, part of the force took to that thoroughfare, and proceeded eastward through Crosby township, crossing the Great Miami  at New Baltimore.  The remainder kept down the Harrison pike, through Whitewater township, crossing the river at Miamitown.  Their passage on both roads was attended by no special incident, and was of course entirely unopposed.  That same night found the invading force abreast of Cincinnati, and the next day out of the county, after a tremendous midsummer march of thirty hours.  But the thrilling story has been related elsewhere, and need not be further dwelt upon here.

THE OLD SOLDIERS

     For the following list of veteran volunteers from Harrison township, in the late war, credit is due to the handsome double number of the Harrison News, published Christmas day, 1879:

     Bruce Keen, Jackson Williams, and Alexander Wiles, of company C, Fifth Ohio cavalry, all reenlisted Feb. 15, 1864, and mustered in March 16, 1864.
     Christopher Doerman, same company and regiment, reenlisted March 31, 1864, mustered in April 25, 1864.
     Arthur Hill, same command, reenlisted March 29, 1864, mustered in April 25th, same year.
     Will R. Hartpence, company C, Fifty-first Indiana infantry, reenlisted January 1, 1864, mustered in February 12, 1864.
     William T. Campbell, George W. Pierce, Francis M. SHOOK, Joseph Davis, William Gold, William Orr, and David H. Lawrence, Fifty-second Indiana infantry, enlisted and mustered in February 27, 1864.
     Frank Crets and Isaac Jackson, Seventeenth Indiana battery, reenlisted and mustered in January 1, 1864.
     Patrick Haggerty.

NOTES ON SETTLEMENT.

     JOHN ASHBY was born in the territory of Indiana, in 1810, June 2nd.  Fourteen years after that date he went to Cincinnati, Ohio.  When he came to Ohio he learned the tanner's and currier's trade, but abandoned it afterward, and, coming to Harrison, entered into partnership with his brother, Hamilton for the purpose of trading in dry goods.  In 1843 he was appointed postmaster of

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Harrison, which position he kept for seven years.  In 1851 he was engaged by William & Samuel Ferris to superintend their store, where he remained four years.  One term he served as mayor of Harrison, and at several different times he has been elected to the office of justice of the peace, which office he is holding at the present time.  He has always been a Democrat in politics.  His first wife was, Elizabeth Tooker was born in 1818, married in 1836, and died in 1854.  She had five children: Martin V. B., Olin H. P., George M. D. (married to Clara Zeumer), Alice, and Ida.  His second wife was Phoebe C. Zeumer, who died in August of 1879, at the age of fifty-eight.

      WARREN TIBBS, born in Prince William county, Virginia, in 1791, emigrated from North Carolina to Ohio in 1807, when he located his home in Harrison.  During his early life he was a farmer, but afterward followed the hotel business at the place now owned by Dr. Thomas.  At one time, while a river trader between New Orleans and Harrison, he was obliged to sell his boat and walk back with no protection excepting his rifle.  He was twice chosen to represent Dearborn county, Indiana, in the State legislature.  At different times he held the offices of postmaster, justice of the peace, and township trustee.  In the Indian war he had a part under General Harrison.  In politics he has always been a Democrat.
     He married Elizabeth, a native of Kentucky, in 1815, who was born in 1794.  Her death occurred at Williamsport, Indiana, in 1875.  Her husband died at t he same place in 1872.  They had ten children: Alvin G., whose wife was Maria Snyder of Harrison; Francis M., married to Tillie McNelba, and living in Louisiana; Moses, married and living in Nevada; Loria A. married to James Cloud, and now in Indiana; Louisa, the wife of Simon Smythe and afterward of James Torrence, now a resident of Indiana; Loretta, living in the same State; Lydia, the wife of Doctor Miller, of Indiana; Martha A., married to Isaac Roseberry, and one child that died in infancy before it had been named.

     ALVIN G. TIBBS was born in Indiana, in the year 1816.  For three years he attended school at Oxford, Ohio, afterward dividing his time between farming and teaching school.  In Indiana he held the office of justice of peace, and was twice elected to the legislature of that State from Dearborn county.  He married Maria Snyder of Pennsylvania in 1838.  He was a member of the Christian church; in politics was always a Democrat.  He died in 1856, his wife surviving him.  They have had seven children - Theodore, who died while an infant; Fannie, now living in Indiana; Warren, married to Ellma Laymen and residing in the same State; George B., of Indiana, also married to Maria Gunkle; John H., whose wife is Sarah A. Keen now of Hamilton county; Arthur G., now of Lawrenceburgh, Indiana; and James W., married to Emma Hillman of the same State.
     John F., son of Alvin G. Tibbs, was born in Harrison, in 1845, where he gained a common school education to which he added three years at Oyler's college.  In 1859 he learned the miller's trade which he followed for a time but finally gave it up and engaged as clerk with W. W. Davidson & Co.  In 1870 he began the business of "Men's Furnishing Goods" which he still follows under the firm name of Tibbs Brothers, the only store of the kind in Harrison.  He is a member of the Christian church; served one term on the board of education of Harrison.  He married Sarah A. Keen, a native of Indiana, in 1868.  They have four children, John, Bertha, James and Arthur.

     WILLIAM F. CONVERSE was born in Randolph, Orange county, Vermont, June 10, 1812.  Attending the Orange County academy, he took the regular course of study.  When sixteen years old he went to Rochester to live, where he served an apprenticeship to the gunsmith's trade.  In 1836 he came to Hamilton county, and at first settled in Cincinnati.  There he entered the employ of Abel Cox in the manufacture of guns, on Elm street.  After remaining there three years he came to Harrison and opened an establishment for the manufacture of guns.  After a short time, owing to ill health, he sold his interest to Henry Minor.  He left his trade and followed school teaching for three years; he then engaged as bookkeeper and cashier for William Hasson, of Harrison.  In 1849 he invented the simultaneous screw cutting machine that came into general use in a short time.  In 1861 invented the elastic wire bed bottom, an article generally used throughout the United States.  In 1846 he was elected representative from Hamilton county on the Democratic ticket, and afterward reelected.  In 1853 he was elected to the State senate, and two years later re-elected.  In 1863 he was elected on the Union ticket county commissioner.  At one time he also held the office of trustee of Harrison township, and was elected the first mayor of Harrison.  He is a member of the Christian church; in politics an independent, always voting for whom he may think the best man.  He married Margaret J. Snyder, of Hamilton county, Ohio, in 1847.  They have eight children: Augusta and Francis, of Hamilton county; Oliver, married to Cora Ball and now in Stark county; William, married to Rebecca West and residing also in Stark county; Frederick, living in Harrison; Annie, living in Harrison county; and Edith and Bertha, both of Harrison.  He served as president of the school board of Harrison for many years, was always interested in educational matters, and was the first to organize the present school system in Harrison, writing and putting up the first notice to call a meeting over thirty years ago.  He was the prime mover, too, in the organization of a cemetery board, and has been president of the Glenhaven cemetery for the past twenty-five years.

     GEORGE ARNOLD was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1784, but emigrated from New Jersey to Ohio, and settled in Elizabethtown, Whitewater township.  In 1828 he moved into Indiana, where he remained thirty years.  While there, he was representative from Dearborn county two successive terms.  He was also elected county commissioner for the same county.  Later in his life he returned to Ohio where he remained till his death, which occurred in 1866, at Lawrenceburgh, Indiana.  He was killed by a fall from his carriage.  He married

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Mary Eads, of Kentucky, who died in 1856.  She had eight children.  He then married a lady of Harrison, who had one child.  For many years he was an elder in the Presbyterian church.  He always took deep interest in all public improvements, and contributed liberally for the support of the church.  He was also a leader among the Free Masons, having joined the order at an early day.  The children are: James, married to Mary Kishler, and living in Hamilton county; Samuel, married to Elizabeth Hand, and now in the State of Illinois; Mary J., the wife of James L. Andrew, and no in Indiana; George W., married to Hannah B. Herrin, and in Hamilton county; Clinton C. married, and livling in Kansas; Richard C., married to Laura Walker of Indiana; William M. married to Louisa Hughs and now in the same State as the preceding; Eveline the wife of Mr. Brunson, and now of the same State; and Martha J. now living with the second Mrs. Arnold in Pennsylvania.
     George W. Arnold was born in Elizabethtown, Ohio,  in 1823 where he began the business of farming and stock raising, in which he is now engaged.  When seven years of age, he went with his father to Indiana, where he remained till 1855.  As a Democrat, he held the office of township trustee several years.  In 1855 he returned to Ohio, and settled on the farm, where he now lives.  Since coming to this State, he has held the offices of trustee and school director.  In 1844 he was married to Hannah B. Herrin, of Ohio.  They have eight children: Joanna, Emma, John H., Mary, George W., married to Helen, and living in Hamilton county; Charles A., married to Kittie Caloway, and also now in Hamilton county; Purley and Katie.

     ANDREW M. WAKEFIELD

     W. F. WAKEFIELD

     ROBERT CARY ws born in Lynn, New Hampshire, Jan. 24, 1787, and moved with his father to the Northwest Territory in 1802, and settled in Cincinnati, but eventually moved to College Hill.  A soldier in the war of 1812, he was with General Hull at the surrender of Detroit.  His death took place Nov. 13, 1866.  He was a quiet, upright man, respected by all who knew him.  In 1813, he was married to Eliza Jessup, of Hamilton county, Ohio, who died July 30, 1835.  They had nine children: Rowena, married to Isaac B. Carrihan; Susan, married to Alexander Swift; Rhoda, Alice, Asa, whose wife was Leah A. Woodruff, of Hamilton county; Phoebe; Warren, whose wives were Martha A. Tremper and Emma Tremper of Hamilton county; Lucy; and Elmira, married to Alexander Swift.
     Warren Cary was born in Hamilton county, Oct. 16, 1826, where he received a common school education and also took a course of study at College Hill.  He is a farmer, in which business he has been engaged nearly all his life.  In politics he is a Republican; in religious belief a Universalist.  His three children are Robert, Alexander S., and Clarence W.
     Robert Cary was born in Hamilton county, in 1850, where he received a common school education and also a two years;' course at College Hill.  He married Eliza Wilson of the same county, in 1874.  They have two children, Elmira and Martha.  He is a farmer in business, in politics a Republican.

     MATTHEW BROWN

     GEORGE G. OYLER

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     FREDERICK BIDDINGER

     ASA R. MITTLER,

     JOHN JONES, born in Baltimore county, Maryland, first settled in Harrison township in 1809.  He was both a farmer and miller.  In religious faith he was a Baptist, but never united with a church.  His wife was Sarah Harriman.  Their children are Betsy, Sarah, Rachel, Temperance, Ruth, Nancy, Rebecca, Stephen and Ellen.

     BENJAMIN SIMONSON

     GEORGE HOPPING

     ROBERT MARVIN

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     JEROME MARVIN

     WILLIAM DAIR

     LEWIS M. DAIR

     JAMES DAIR

     ISAAC L. FROST was born in Harrison township, at Lee's creek, and worked on his father's farm till he was of age, when he began mercantile busienss in Venice, Butler county.  In 1854 he bought Mr. A. M. Wakefield's stock of goods in New Haven, and continued business there until 1863, when he died.  He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and was a Democrat in politics.  He was married to Miss Nancy Huchinson who still survives him.  They had nine children - Elsie A., now married to Aaron Shaw; Amos H., whose wife is Sarah J. Hank; Sarepta, the wife of William Pharas; Harriet E.; John S.; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Jasper N. Shaw; Nancy J.; Isaac S.; and Theodocia.
     AMOS HUTCHINSON FROST was born Dec. 18, 1840, three miels northeast of Harrison, on Lee's creek, in Harrison township.  Nov. 12, 1867, he married Sarah Jane Hawk, daughter of William Hawk, of Crosby, who bore him three children, one son living.  Early in the life the family moved to Venice, in Butler county, and resided for twelve years; from there they came to New Haven in the year 1854, and finally Amos left in 1871, and settled in Harrison village, since which time he has been engaged in the drug business.  In all matters of public concern he has been favorably known.  He is secretary of Harrison Loan  and Business association, is a member of the school board, and treasurer and trustee of the First Presbyterian church, of which he is a member.

     DR. MILTON L. THOMAS

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     CHARLES G. THOMAS

     JOSEPH C. MEYER

     REV. CHARLES WEST

     DR. AUGUSTUS E. WEST

     REV. GERBERD EGGER

     HARRISON VILLAGE.

     This was the first town to be laid out in Hamilton county west of the Great Miami, except the early extinct Crosby, on the banks of that stream.  Its recorded plat is dated Dec. 8, 1813, and it was laid out that year by Jonas Crane, at thesouthwest corner of section eighteen and the northwest of section nineteen, just half way across the present township of Harrison, on its extreme west line.  A small part of it extends into Indiana.  The village is described in the State Gazetteer of Ohio, in 1821, as on the Whitewater river, twenty-four miles northwest of Cincinnati, laid off on the State line, with the village on each side.   The post office, we believe, has always been kept on the Ohio side, but the railway station is a little way beyond the line, in Hoosierdom.
     Twenty years later, in the State Gazetteer of 1841, Harrison is noted as containing about three hundred inhabitants, with three churches, four sores, two taverns, two groceries, two physicians, three clergymen, one apothecary's shop, sixteen mechanics' shops, one flouring mill, one carding machine, and one hundred dwellings.  One-third of the inhabitants then resided on the Indiana

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side.  "The line of the Whitewater canal passes through the town, and is now in progress."
     The village has had a quite satisfactory growth, considering that it has no special advantates of position.  In 1830 it had but one hundred and seventy-three inhabitants. In 1850, under the stimulus of the White water canal and the general growth of the country, its population had advanced to nine hundred and forty; in 1860, to one thousand three hundred and forty-three; and in 1870, to one thousand four hundred and seventeen, of course all in Hamilton county.  Last year (1880) the census found one thousand five hundred and fifty inhabitants within its limits, on the Ohio side.
     Mr. William F. Converse was the first mayor of the village.  Among other mayors have been Benjamin Bookwalter 1866-8; and A. E. West, 1873-4.
     In the years 1856-7 a large brick edifice was put up near Harrison for the purposes of a private academy, called the institute.  The expense of its erection and equipment was borne mainly by Mr. George Oyler, whose son, G. W. Oyler, then a recent graduate of the Farmers' college, at College Hill, wsa its first principal, and has since become a well-known teacher in the county.
     The St. John's Catholic church, ministered to by the Rev. Father C. Eggers, is located here.
     In 1872 the Jackson Building and Loan association, for operations at Harrison, was organized, its certificate of incorporation being filed with the secretary of State, June 4th of that year.
     The pottery operated here was started so long ago as 1829.

THE CENSUS

     The census in 1870 gave Harrison township two thousand one hundred and seventy-five people; in 1880, two thousand two hundred and seventy-seven.

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