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STREAMS, SURFACE, SOIL, ETC.

PIONEERS.

     The following are the names of some of the first settlers who located in this township, and of whom we make brief mention.  Here, as elsewhere, we find many who first planted their cabins in the forests of Buck township were mere "squatters," who soon moved away and gave place to the permanent settlers.  If report be true, the first white family to settle in the precincts of this township was

Alfred Hale and wife Mary who settled at Fort McArthur in 1817.  He had three sons and one daughter.  One son - Jonas - was born in the block-house, in 1819, and was, doubtless, the first white child born in the county.  The mother soon after died, and the family moved away.  It is probable that the mission of Mr. Hale, in his early settlement here, was that of a hunter, and that he anticipated but a temporary residence when settling here.  It is said that the location of this fort was a desolate and dreary place, and, it is believed, was very sickly, from

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the missmas of the locality and close prosimity to the Scioto Marsh on the west, as during the war of 1812 many soldiers died there.  It is said that the graves of sixteen soldiers are still plainly visible on land now owned by Mr. Shingle on the opposite side of the river from where the old fort was located.  Here rest the remains of these gallant soldiers whose lives were sacrificed to defend the homes of Ohio pioneers.  Their graves are unmarked and their names, probably, forever lost to posterity.  From this period of the settlement of the Hale family in the old fort is an interim of several years, during which we have no knowledge of any white settler within the township, and the red man had full sway.

     About 1828, William McCloud, a native of Ireland, who had emigrated to the United States prior to the war of 1812, and finally settled at Bellefontaine, Ohio, came to Hardin County and located with his family at Fort McArthur, in the northwest corner of what is now Buck Township. 

     In 1828, Joel Thomas located on land now owned by Mr. Stevenson, erecting a cabin and remaining here eight or ten years; then moved away, having never owned any land in this county.

     William Paxton, believed to be a native of Virginia, emigrated with his parents to Logan County, Ohio, where they settled on land now owned by Mrs. Zimmerman, but never purchased any land here, and after a few years moved into Hale Township, where he purchased land and resided many years; thence removed to Michigan, where he died.

     Isaac Draper, believed to be a native of Pennsylvania, emigrated to

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Ohio with his family, and settled on land now owned by Capt. Gibson, about 1832-33, but subsequently removed into Pleasant Township and died near Kenton.  Robert, his eldest son, is still a resident of this county, and is the only surviving son.  The youngest daughter married Mr. Richards and resides on the old home place.  Mr. Draper was a citizen of great moral worth and undoubted integrity, and filled many offices of his township with fidelity.

     Conrad Collins settled here about 1830, upon the land which he purchased, and upon which he resided about nine years, and, in 1840, sold out to Harvey Buckmister and moved to Northern Indiana, where he died.

     William H. Cole, a native of the State of New York, settled on land now owned by Samuel Mentzer about 1833.  Here he erected an ashery, and carried on that business several years, giving but little attention to farming, and finally sold out and moved away.

     George M. Bales, a native of Virginia, removed to Ohio and settled in Logan County; about 1836-37 removed to this county and settled on land which he leased of Mr. Harvey Buckmister, where he resided till his death.  Several of his children are still residents of the county.

     James Beaver, believed to be a native of Virginia, settled in Hale Township about 1830, and, about 1845, became a resident of Buck Township, where he died in the summer of 1881.  Mr. Beaver was a man of remarkable industry and withal quite a trader, possessing a shrewdness and business tact by which he accumulated a good competency, and when he died was the owner of 200 acres of well-improved land.

     James Scott settled here about 1845 and remained a resident of the township till his death.  He was a carpenter by trade, and a man highly esteemed and respected by all who knew him.  Some of his children now reside in Kenton and some have settled in the West, all of whom are prosperous and esteemed citizens.

     Leonard Richards was born in Pike County, Ohio, and principally raised in Ross County, where he married Mary Miller and, about 1845 removed to this county and settled in this township, residing here several years; thence moved into Taylor Creek Township, and about eight or ten years ago removed to Kenton, where he now resides.  He is an active worker, and a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church.  He had four brothers and five sisters.  Two brothers are residents of this county, one died while young and one - Jeptha - enlisted in the army in the war of the rebellion, and was wounded in the battle of Resaca, from the effects of which he died in two or three days.

     Thomas Dodds settled on land now owned by David Stanford, about 1845-46, and opened out right in the woods, and resided here till his death.  Some of his children now reside in McDonald Township.  He was a kind neighbor and a good citizen, and served his township in many of its most important offices.

     John Dodds, a brother of the above, settled here at about the same date, remaining a resident here till his death.  Several of his children are settled in the county and one son is a resident of this township.

     Henry G. Johnson, a native of Ohio, settled here about 1849, and his brother Hosea one or two years later.  They have ever since remained residents here, and both have raised large and interesting families and are esteemed and respected citizens.

     Samuel Mentzer was one of the earlier merchants of Kenton; was also in the hotel business for some time, but subsequently exchanged his prop-

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erty in Kenton for the farm of Wolf Creek upon which William H. Cole settled in 1833.  Mr. Mentzer was closely identified with the business interests of Kenton and its vicinity for many years.
     The above embraces, we think, most of the earliest settlers of Buck Township, but the business interests of the township, its growth and prosperity for many yeas past would be but partially represented here without the mention of John Espy, who departed this life at his palatial residence in this township Nov. 28, 1878, aged sixty-eight years.  He was an early settler in Taylor Creek Township, and subsequently one of the leading active business men of Kenton, where he was engaged for many years in the milling business, and received the title of the "pioneer miller of Hardin County."  But we here only propose to allude to the history of this active business man's life, who accumulated so large an estate and owned the largest farm and residence of this township, where he spent the last years of his useful and successful life, as his career and character are fully brought out in the history of Kenton and in the biographical sketch of the Espy family in another part of this work.  His son, Thomas Espy, who removed from the old home place to Kenton in the spring of 1883, and upon whom the mantle of his honored father appears to have fallen, is one of the active spirits of the business circles of Kenton, and does honor to the noble sire who has departed.

CHURCHES.

SCHOOLS.

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in the township, 9; number of schoolrooms in township, 9; total value of school property, $7,000; number of teachers to supply schools, 9; average wages per month, males, $35; females, $20; number of weeks the schools were in session, 30.
     Present Board of Education - Subdistrict No. 1, E. Bloom; No. 2, M. D. L. Mentzer; No. 3, J. L. Clark; No. 4, D. W. Benton; No. 5, J. O. Dodds; No. 6, T. P. Evans; No. 7, E. H. Allen; No. 8, Joseph Ichler, President; No. 9, D. O. Hatcher.

CEMETERIES.

     Prior to the spring of 1879, this township had no cemetery or regularly established burial-place, and the dead were principally interred at Kenton and in Taylor Creek Township.  But, in March, 1879, there was formed an association of ten persons, as follows:  P. F. Latimer, J. P. Richards, John Bales, Lewis Dunson, Z. O. Hatcher, E. S. Buttler, M. D. L. Mentzer, John C. Johnson, Jacob Everhart and William Mentzer, who were organized under the laws regulating such associations, and purchased of Samuel Mentzer one acre and a half of ground, which was properly fenced and laid out into lots, walks and driveways, and the whole well ditched, tiled and drained.  The lots were rapidly sold, and in the spring of 1882 it was found necessary to enlarge the grounds, and the association purchased of the said Samuel Mentzer three and one-half acres more, adjoining the first purchase; so that the cemetery now contains five acres, and is now one of the prettiest of rural cemeteries.  The officers of the association consist of a President, Secretary, Treasurer, and five persons who constitute a Board of Trustees.  The first officers of the association were:  John P. Richards, President; Lewis Dunson, Secretary; John C. Johnson, Treasurer, and P. F. Latimer, M. D. l. Mentzer, E. L. Buttler, Z. O. Hatcher and Jacob Everhart, Trustees- all of whom have served ever since by re-election each year, with one exception, viz., Jacob Everhart, who refused to serve any longer, and the vacancy was filled by electing Joseph Ichler.

ELECTIONS AND OFFICIALS.

     Trustees -

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PETER BORDERS

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     Clerks -

     Treasurers -

     Assessors -

     Constables -

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ham Baker; 1873, Robert Phillips and Abraham Baker; 1874, Robert Phillips and William Mentzer; 1875, Daniel Hoover and William Shark; 1876, L. Converse and S. F. Kennedy; 1877, L. E. Kettle and Harvey Peaver; 1878, Alexander Wiley and Joseph McGann; 1879, C. N. Kidney and Charles Little; 1880, David Detrich and Harvey Peaver; 1881-82, David Detrich and F. Hencel.