| Page 216 This township was
organized June 24, 1819, and contains 28¼
sections, twelve of which are in original township 4, of
range 4, and sixteen and one quarter in township 5, of range
5. It is bounded on the north by the Belmont county
line, on the east by Switzerland township, on the south by
Adams and Centre, and on the west by Malaga. It lies
on the high ridge dividing the waters of Captina creek, on
the north, and those of Sunfish creek on the south.
The land on the summit of the broad ridge is smooth and
comparatively level, and is in a high state of cultivation,
while the southern slope is roughened by the tributaries to
Sunfish creek, which, in places, have scoured for themselves
deep and rocky channels. One of the branches of the
Piney fork of Sunfish creek has its source at Beallsville,
and the other in the northwest part of the township.
There are several perpendicular falls on this stream, of
from ten to twelve feet, bounded by overjutting rocks, in
some places fifty feet high, which, with the towering pines,
renders the scenery very wild and picturesque.
Atkinson run drains the eastern portion of the township, and
Death's fork, both branches of the Sunfish, the western.
Prof. Andrews, in the Geology of Ohio, says:
"In the geology of this township little of economic
importance and value could be found. The Chief scams
of coal of Belmont county are far beneath the surface.
In Wayne township, Belmont county, which lies directly north
of Sunsbury, the Upper Barnesville, or Cumberland seam, is
near the bed of Captina creek. If the Evans coal, on
Sunfish, north of Woodsfield, is the same seam, it is
evident that it must be far below the general surface in
Sunsbury. * * * * Near
Beallesville is a thin seam of coal, perhaps 120 feet below
the level of the village, which is sometimes stripped for
local use."
The first settlers in this township were Abner
Barrett, John Linn, Citizen Beall, George Stewart, Robert
Wilson, John Nelson, George Decker, John Palmer, Elias
Pitman, Samuel Melott, Henry Smith, Samuel Starr, Noah
Stewart, Jesse Morris, and the Tremblys.
The first settlement was made about three-quarters of a mile
south of Beallsville, about 1812, probably two or three
years earlier, and the first cabin was built about that time
by John Linn and Abner Barrett. The name
of the first child born in the township was Joshua
Barrett, son of Abner and Anna Barrett. No
information is at hand of who were the parties to the first
marriage.
The first election was held on John Linns farm,
about one mile west of where Beallsville now stands, in 1819
or 1820, at which, it is said, eleven votes were cast, ten
of whom were John Linn, Caleb Linn, John Nelson, Robert
Wilson, Benjamin Truex, Jacob Truex, Abner Barrett, John
Wink, Citizen Beall and George Stewart. The
first township officers were: John Linn,
township clerk; Abner Barrett, justice of the peace;
David Palmer, constable; John Linn treasurer;
Casper Hendershot, George Stewart and John Smith
trustees.
It is said that Wm. Green built a water grist
mill on the Piney fork, in 1816, but of this the writer has
no definite information. Henry Balding built a
horse power grist mill in 1820. The horses were
hitched to a sweep and traveled in a circle, giving motion
to the mill gearing overhead. The mill was of round
logs, with a story of ten or twelve feet, and clapboard
roof, held in place by weight poles. It is said that
Joseph Dillie built, in 1819, a water
saw-mill, that was of little service, but where located is
indefinitely fixed. John Truex, in 1820, built
a saw-mill on the Piney fork.
The first school was taught in 1815, about one mile
south of where Beallsville now stands, by a Mr. Rodgers;
the scholars numbered about eight. The house was one
of those primitive buildings so frequently described.
The school houses now in the township number seven, all
good, substantial and comfortable frame structures, except
the building in Beallsville, which is of brick, two stories
high.
The first postoffice was at Beallsville, and the only
postoffice in the township is at Ozark. The offices
are of the same names as the villages.
The first sermon was preached in 1813, about a
half-mile south of the present site of Beallsville, where
the first society was organized by the Baptists, about the
same time. The first ministers were Revs. Philip
Skinner and Elias Conger. Amongst
the first members were Richard Truex, Polly Truex, John
Wink, Ivy Wink, Sally Linn, Rachel Linn and Wm.
Green. The second church organized was the
Methodist Episcopal Church; the building was the first frame
church built in the township. Our informant has failed
to give its location, but says the society organized with
six members. The third church to organize was the
Presbyterian, with twenty members. Their building was
a low, plain, brick house, about 20x30 feet in size.
There are now eight churches in the township. In
Beallsville the M. E. Church is a plain, brick structure,
25x42 feet, 14 foot ceiling; membership about 125.
Pleasant Grove M. e. Church, south of Beallsville, is a
plain, frame building, in size 28x35 feet; membership 60.
Asbury Chapel, M. E., is a plain, frame building, 28x35
feet; membership 40. Present pastor of these churches,
Rev. W. Bedall. The Baptist Church,, in the
east part of the township, is a plain, frame building, in
size 30x40 feet; membership 57; Rev. R. H. Lyons,
pastor. The Baptist Church, one mile south of
Bealsville, is a plain structure, in size 28x45 feet, with
12 foot ceiling; membership 35; Rev. R. H. Lyons
pastor. The Christian Church, in Beallsville, is a
plain, frame building, 35x40 feet, with 14 foot ceiling;
membership, 85; Rev. A. Linkliter and Rev. H. W.
Willison, ministers. In the northeast part of the
township there is a small church of the Christian
denomination, in which the Rev. John Secrist preached
the first sermon at an early date; no minister at present.
The Presbyterian Church, in Beallsville, is a frame
building, in size 44x62 feet; membership 100; Rev. George
McDonald, pastor.
The first Sabbath school was organized in 1832, by
Ebenezer Coe, with about forty scholars. There are
now eight in the township - three Methodist Episcopal, one
Presbyterian, two Baptist, one Christian and one Union.
Robert Clary is superintendent of the Beallsville M.
E. Sabbath school; Pleasant Grove, Leander Wiley
superintendent; Asbury Chapel, John Hobbs,
superintendent; East Middle Sunsbury Union School,
Christian Blattler superintendent; East Sunsbury School,
Mr. McDougal, superintendent; Christian Church,
Beallsville, Ellsworth Thornberry,; Presbyterian,
Beallsville, Rev. George McDonald, superintendent.
In 1824, Citizen Beall laid out the town of
Beallsville, to which Smith and Hess made an
addition, in 1833. Since then what are called Linns
addition, Beall's addition, Hudson's
addition, Daniels' addition and Miller's
addition, have been made. It was incorporated in 1850,
and its officerss for 1881 were: James R. Arnold,
mayor; John W. Black, J. W. Reed, J. E. Dixon, E. W.
Truex, G. W. Carpenter, and Mordecai Carpenter,
councilman; W. F. Thornberry, recorder; John M.
Martin, treasurer, and G. W. Miller, marshal.
The town is located in sections 6 and 12, in township 5, of
range 5, about three-quarters of a mile south of the north
boundary line of the township.
Where the Ozark postoffice is located there is a small
village, though never platted as a town. Within
it is a Methodist Episcopal Church, and not far from the
village is a Roman Catholic Church.
The population of Beallsville, in 1880, was 391; Ozark,
57. Population of the township, including villages,
1,660. The school statistics for the year ending Aug.
31, 1881, are, for the township, as follows: Total
amount of school moneys received within the year, $2,346.25;
paid teachers, $1,446.00; paid for fuel, etc., $190.92;
balance on hand, Sept. 1, 1881, $709.33; No. of school
sub-districts, 6; No. of school houses, 6; No. of rooms, 7;
No. of teachers, 7; value of school property, $3,500;
average wages of teachers, per month, gentlemen, $30.00,
ladies $22.00; total number of pupils enrolled within the
year, 318. School statistics of Beallsville, for the
same period; Amount of school moneys received, $1,420.19;
paid teachers, primary, $296.00; high, $450.00; paid for
fuel, etc., $94.61; balance on hand Sept. 1, 1881, $579.68;
No. of school houses, 1; No. of rooms 3; value of
school property $2,500; No. of teachers, ladies, primary, 2,
gentlemen, high, 1; average wages of teachers, per month,
ladies, $19.00, gentlemen, $56.00; total number of pupils
enrolled, 151.
The present justices of the peace for the township are:
John Jeffers, J. J. Roberts and T. J. Griffith.
Beallsville and Ozark are on the Bellaire, Zanesville and
Cincinnati Railroad.
 |
