Jackson township
first appeared as a subdivision of Montgomery
county June 6, 1814. In 1820 the present
boundaries of Jackson township were established.
It is of the greatest advantage in understanding
the location of the lands in the township that
the original surveyed or congressional township
is the same as the political township. Jackson
township is township 4, range 4 east. It
has, therefore, thirty-six square miles of
territory. Big Twin and Little Twin creeks
flow through its territory. Tom’s Run
passes through the western part and empties into
the Big Twin. The land consists of a large
area of bottom lands and hilly and level
uplands.
The township began to be settled soon after the
adjacent territory of German and Jefferson
townships began to be occupied. With the
opening of the land to
regular settlement in 1801, the intrepid
pioneers made their appearance. Many of
the present residents of the township are the
descendants of the original settlers. An
account of the original entries or purchases of
land will be, therefore, of special interest.
Many persons have guessed and speculated as to
the locations and time of arrival of the first
settlers. The following table indicating
the purchasers and time of purchase of Jackson
township lands taken from the records of the
state auditor is the decisive authority in these
matters:
| Section I - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
Christopher Mason |
May 29,
1805 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
John Miller |
Oct. 30,
1810 |
| |
S. E. 1/4 |
Abraham Hoover |
Mar. 25,
1805 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
Abraham Hoover |
Oct. 3,
1814 |
[Page 888]
| Section 2 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
Henry Miller |
Oct. 30,
1810 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
John Salar |
Mar. 15,
1816 |
| |
S. E. 1/4 |
Lower & Shower |
Nov. 9,
1811 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
Peter Hiestand |
Jan. 7,
1817 |
| Section 3 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
Isaac Bennet |
Oct. 6,
1817 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
Sam. I. Kirmaman |
Nov. 11,
1815 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
Sam. I. Kirmaman |
Dec. 16,
1814 |
| Section 4 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
Isaac Bennet |
Oct. 6,
1817 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
G. Platter, ass. D.
Lindlay |
Sept. 18,
1817 |
| |
S. E. 1/4 |
Andrew Leslie |
Mar. 8,
1817 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
Wm. C. Schenck |
Dec. 2,
1816 |
| Section 5 - |
|
|
|
| |
|
Jacob Humbert |
Dec. 15,
1808 |
| Section 6 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
John Beard |
Aug. 31,
1818 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
Thom. Smith |
Apr. 6,
1805 |
| |
S. E. 1/4 |
John Grewell |
Dec. 18,
1811 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
John Murphy |
Sep. 24,
1804 |
| Section 7 - |
|
|
|
| |
|
Robert Harding |
Aug. 21,
1804 |
| Section 8 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
Zachariah Kurts |
July 1,
1817 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
James Bunnel |
Nov. 7,
1805 |
| |
S. E. 1/4 |
Henry Butt |
Mar. 18,
1814 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
Nicholas Bock |
Oct. 26,
1814 |
| Section 9 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
John Wirick |
Oct. 28,
1810 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
Peter Andrews |
John. 22,
1814 |
| |
S. E. 1/4 |
Martin Mikesell |
Jan. 17,
1817 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
Dan. Lasley |
Jan. 13,
1814 |
| Section 10 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
Lewis Fouts |
Oct. 25,
1811 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
Jacob Wirick |
Jan. 11,
1808 |
| |
S. E. 1/4 |
John Ruby |
Nov. 19,
1811 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
Jacob Swinehart |
Jan. 4,
1806 |
| Section 11 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
Jos. Grip |
Apr. 30,
1814 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
Sam. Rodchaffer |
Oct. 21,
1818 |
| |
S. E. 1/4 |
Philip Sieber |
June 13,
1810 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
John Pence |
Oct. 19,
1810 |
| Section 12 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
Henry Helpman |
Nov. 6,
1805 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
Jac. and Hen. Klinger |
Aug. 1,
1816 |
[Page 889]
| |
S. E. 1/4 |
Henry Hiestand |
Oct. 20,
1806 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
Christian Meisner |
July 15,
1813 |
| Section 13 - |
|
|
|
| |
|
C. Fogalgasong |
Jan. 5,
1814 |
| Section 14 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
Jac. Wyrick |
May 2,
1810 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
Lewis Fouts |
June 14,
1810 |
| |
S. E. 1/4 |
Jacob Ruby |
Jan. 13,
1803 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
Philip Sleifer |
Jan. 12,
1809 |
| Section 15 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
Matthias Young |
Dec. 11,
1817 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
Jac. Barker |
Dec. 29,
1815 |
| |
S. E. 1/4 |
Henry Abfel |
Dec. 28,
1813 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
Matthias Young |
Dec. 11,
1817 |
| Section 17 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
John Galloway |
July 13,
1805 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
Jacob Swinehart |
Nov. 21,
1812 |
| |
S. E. 1/4 |
Adam Butt |
Nov. 21,
1812 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
Thomas Smith |
Apr. 16,
1805 |
| Section 18 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
Jacob Swinehert |
Dec. 12,
1809 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
James Sharp |
Dec. 12,
1809 |
| |
S. E. 1/4 |
Henry Snider |
Nov. 6,
1805 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
Ed. Harding |
Feb. 22,
1812 |
| Section 19 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
Henry Snider |
Nov. 6,
1805 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
Jac. Grewell |
Apr. 9,
1805 |
| |
S. E. 1/4 |
Allan Stever |
Oct. 14,
1812 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
Jac. Coleman |
Apr. 25,
1805 |
| Section 20 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
John Vantilburg |
Sep. 21,
1813 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
John S. Mau |
June 11,
1808 |
| |
S. E. 1/4 |
Dan. Snider |
Nov. 6,
1805 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
Nicholas Bock |
June 16,
1814 |
| Section 21 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
John Mingle |
Feb. 3,
1817 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
Fred Baker |
Dec. 20,
1815 |
| |
S. E. 1/4 |
Jacob Henning |
Nov. 24,
1815 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
Christian Seiberling |
Dec. 21,
1815 |
| Section 22 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
Jac. and Phil. Rhodes |
Nov. 12,
1814 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
John Keynhart |
Nov. 28,
1815 |
| |
S. E. 1/4 |
Jacob Brown |
Apr. 26,
1815 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
John Mingle |
Dec. 29,
1815 |
| Section 23 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
Woodbery Saylor |
Nov. 25,
1811 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
Andrew Hoover |
Nov. 30,
1804 |
[Page 890]
| |
S. E. 1/4 |
Christian Cook |
June 21,
1806 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
George Leslie |
Sept. 24,
1804 |
| Section 24 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
Jac. Kercher |
Aug. 7,
1805 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
Chris. Fogalgasong |
June 11,
1805 |
| |
S. E. 1/4 |
Jac. Kercher |
Aug. 7,
1805 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
Jac. KErcher |
Aug. 7,
1805 |
| Section 25 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
Henry Rappe |
Nov. 15,
1806 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
John Stumf |
Nov. 20,
1806 |
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
Peter Mikesell |
Dec. 16,
1806 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
Matthias Swartsel |
Dec. 27,
1805 |
| Section 26 - |
|
|
|
| |
|
Amos Higgins |
Aug. 10,
1804 |
| Section 27 - |
|
|
|
| |
|
John Miller |
Oct. 29,
1803 |
| Section 28 - |
|
|
|
| |
|
Abraham Swartsel |
Aug. 15,
1804 |
| Secton 29 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
Devault Leatherman |
Dec. 13,
1804 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
Martin Shuey |
Aug. 14,
1810 |
| |
S. E. 1/4 |
Henry Yount |
Dec. 11,
1804 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
George Roudebush |
July 1,
1805 |
| Section 30 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
Henry Shideler |
Aug. 4,
1810 |
| |
N. W. 1.4 |
Philip Guntle (?) |
Apr. 26,
1805 |
| |
S. E. 1/4 |
Adam Swinehart |
Dec. 12,
1809 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
Abraham Hane |
Sept. 30,
1806 |
| Section 31 - |
|
|
|
| |
N. E. 1/4 |
Jacob Sinks |
Sept. 24,
1804 |
| |
N. W. 1/4 |
Isaac Bear |
Oct. 5,
1804 |
| |
S. E. 1/4 |
David Fetter |
Nov. 10,
1806 |
| |
S. W. 1/4 |
Peter Swinehert |
Apr. 11,
1810 |
| Section 32 - |
|
|
|
| |
|
John Kinsey |
Nov. 19,
1803 |
| Section 33 - |
|
|
|
| |
|
Philip Stoner |
Aug. 26,
1803 |
| Section 34 - |
|
|
|
| |
|
Henry Yount |
Aug. 22,
1804 |
| Section 35 - |
|
|
|
| |
|
Daniel Robbins |
May 28,
1802 |
Among the early
settlers, special mention is generally made of
John Kinsey and Abraham
Swartsel. The last named entered
section 28, in which Farmersville was afterward
located. He had a family consisting of his
wife and four
[Page 891]
children. He built a cabin of round logs with
three sides, the front being open. The
fire was built in front, and the only heat in
the cabin was from this fire, which was kept
over night in a large iron kettle. Other
cabins were constructed in a similar way.
In the Swartsel cabin, nine children,
“all of them healthy and robust as the trees
about them,” were born.
Rude schoolhouses were built in some parts of the
township at an early day. The first school
taught was in a little log schoolhouse which
stood where Slifer’s church now is. It was
taught for twelve weeks. The farmers
subscribed for twenty-three scholars at two
dollars each, payable in money and produce.
In 1810, the Lutheran minister. Rev.
Mr. Mau taught a school for a year in a log
schoolhouse where the Staver church was
afterward built. In 1813, a log schoolhouse was
built in the Swartsel neighborhood.
It was a German school, and was taught by a
traveling German teacher. In 1818, a
schoolhouse was built on Tom’s Run, one and
one-half miles from where Farmersville now
stands, in which school was taught by an
Englishman named Graham.
Subscription schools continued to be maintained
in the township a number of years after the
school law of 1825, which required the
districting of each township, was passed.
The officers of Jackson township are the following:
Trustees, W. O. Izor, Nathan Peters, David
Harp; and Clerk, J. A. Myers.
FARMERSVILLE
Farmersville was
platted by Oliver Dalrymple in 1832 and
received its name because it was expected that
farmers would be the purchasers of lots.
Mr. Dalrymple had previously for years
conducted a store at this place, and, in
addition, a sort of tavern. In 1849, the
town was incorporated by act of the legislature.
The first officers were the following:
Mayor, Jonathan Burz; Recorder, J.
Zehring; Members of the Council, M.
Coolman, James Archer, O. Wysong, S. Harry
and J. H. Butt. The town continued
to grow, mainly by farmers from the surrounding
country moving within its limits.
The business houses and various industries of
Farmersville are the following:
a creamery, a sawmill, a grain elevator, four
groceries, one shoe and clothing store, one
hardware and implement store, one drug store,
one carriage factory,
one hotel, and a variety of others.
The Citizens’ Bank has a capital of fifty thousand
dollars. Joseph Ulrich is
president of the bank and G. C. Smith,
cashier.
The Farmers’ Insurance company of Jackson township,
incorporated in 1888, is a valuable institution
for the township. P. P. Stockslager
is president and John S. Harter,
secretary.
The officers for the town of Farmersville are the
following: Mayor, C. L. Boomershine ;
Clerk, John Kurtz; Treasurer, E. M. Heisey;
Marshal, Ora Cook; Members of Council, L.
K. Basore, J. J. Swartsel, A. F. Gilbert, G. C.
Smith, E. F. Stump, Ora E. Stover. E. M. Heisey
is postmaster. The population is placed at
five hundred.
There are four churches in the town of Farmersville.
THE UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH was organized in 1831, and
held meetings in the houses of Jacob
Crider and John Reel until
1841, when the society bought
[Page 892]
a half acre of Oliver Dalrymple
for thirty-six dollars, and built a church
costing seven hundred dollars. The first
pastor was George Bonebrake.
The present
church was built in 1908. The present
pastor is Rev. J. H. Mayne. The
present membership is one hundred and two.
THE GERMAN REFORMED CHURCH was organized March 15,
1844, with twenty-eight charter members.
The corner stone of the first church building
was laid May 7, 1848. At this time, a
German address was delivered by Rev.
David Winters and an English address
by Rev. Jesse Steiner. The church
was dedicated June 22, 1851, the German address
being given by Rev. Henry Kroh and the
English address by Rev. Henry Willard.
The second church building was erected in 1870,
and dedicated January 31, 1871. Pastors
have served this congregation in the following
order: George Long, William K. Zeiber, I. H.
Reiter, H. L. Comfort, Levi Rike, M. F. Frank,
A. E. Baichley, B. F. Davis, C. E. Ewing, F. E.
Lauffer, H. S. Richards. The present
membership is two hundred and eleven.
THE ST. ANDREW'S LUTHERAN CHURCH was founded by Rev.
Andrew Henkel in 1825. He was the
pastor for the first thirty-five years.
Pastors serving since his time were: J.
Steirwalt, Amos Poorman, H. H. Hurdlimk, L.
Fudge, who is the present pastor. The
first church was erected in 1825 and the present
church in 1872. The membership is one
hundred and fifty.
THE MESSIAH LUTHERAN CHURCH was organized August 20,
1879, with a membership of fifteen. The
present membership is forty. G. M. Grau
was the
first pastor. N. H. Royer, who
recently resigned, was the pastor from 1904 to
1909.
NEW
LEBANON
New
Lebanon was platted in 1843. It lies
partly in Jackson township and partly in Perry
township. The town was incorporated in
1878, and N. S. Price
was elected mayor. At one time,
considerable business was done in this town.
But since the withdrawal of the stage lines and
the establishment of quick connections with
larger places the town has been at a standstill.
The population is one hundred and ninety-two.
The mayor is Orion Brumbaugh, who
is also the
postmaster.
JOHNSVILLE.
This
town lies likewise in two townships. The
part of the town in Jackson township was platted
in 1850. Johnsville, at one time in a
flourishing condition, has suffered from the
same causes that have affected a large number of
small towns near large places.
THE UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH in Johnsville was founded in
1841, and the first church building was erected
in 1842, the second in 1860, and the present
beautiful and commodious building in 1908.
The membership is one hundred and twenty-five.
Rev. J. H. Mayne is pastor.
THE GERMAN REFORMED CHURCH was organized about 1850,
and in 1852 built its first church. This
building was replaced in 1879 by a commodious
brick structure erected at a cost of four
thousand dollars. The membership numbers one
hundred and two.
[Page 893]
The rural churches in Jackson township have filled an
important place. The Staver Lutheran
church, near the center of the western part of
the township, is an old landmark. Twin
Chapel, of the United Brethren church, in the
southeast part of the township, has filled a
large place in the community in which it is
situated. The church was organized about
1845. It erected its first church building
1854 and its present church building in 1905.
The membership is 107. There is a German
Lutheran church on the Eaton pike west of
Johnsville.
THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH (SLIFER'S), near
Farmersville, is a large and growing church.
The excellent church property here has always
been owned, controlled and occupied conjointly
by the Lutherans and the Reformed. At this
place, as in nearly all German communities in
the state, in early times, there was first a
schoolhouse, and in these early schoolhouses
divine services were held on widely separated
Sundays, by the pioneer missionary preachers,
who
visited and labored throughout these regions.
The first burial that took place, of which we have any
knowledge, was that of Mrs. Margaret
Seiler, which took place on May 25, 1810,
or just a century ago. From that time on,
we are informed, divine services were conducted
in the school building, until the first “House
of Worship” had been erected, in 1819.
This first church edifice was a two-story log
structure, with high pulpit, and galleries on
three sides, as was universally the case in the
old-time and old-style churches.
In 1852, this sacred edifice was supplanted by a
moderate sized brick church, surmounted by a
steeple, and supplied with a bell. This
edifice stood until the
year 1896, when it was replaced by the present
very large, substantial and beautiful structure,
which was erected at a cost of twelve thousand
dollars. It was in the times when all
things were cheap. It could not be
replaced now for twenty thousand dollars.
Neither congregation has ever been very large in
numbers. The communicant roll of the
Lutheran congregation now contains about one
hundred and thirty-five names.
The missionary preachers, Simon and Mau,
are thought to have done pioneer work here, as
they did in other places in Montgomery and other
counties. The Rev. John Caspar Dill,
pastor at Germantown, 1815-1824, is still spoken
of as having been the first regular pastor of
the Lutherans during the years above given.
The sainted Rev. Andrew Henkel, successor
of the Rev. J. C. Dill, held services
here for the long period of forty-five
years—1825-70—with the exception of a brief
period in the forties when the Rev. Jacob
Gruber, pastor at Lewisburg, served the
church and later for a brief time in the
sixties, when Rev. Julius T. Stirewalt,
the son-in-law of Rev. Henkel,
served the people here.
The Rev. Amos Poorman was pastor
from 1871 to 1888.
From 1890, until the present time, the Rev. V. B.
Christy has been the pastor of the Lutheran
flock, in the Slifer church, serving this
congregation and the Salem congregation of
Ellerton as his parish. The parsonage for the
charge is at Ellerton.
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