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ROSEVILLE.
This is the only village in
Clay township. It joins Morgan county on the south, and Perry
county on the west. It was laid out by Ezekiel Rose, in
1812, under the name of New Milford. Two years later, Mr.
Rose built the first cabin; and near the same time,
Jeremiah Spurgeon
built his cabin. The name of the village was changed in June,
1830, when a postoffice was appointed there—there being another
Roseville in
Ohio, this change was deemed imperative by the Postmaster General.
John Allen was the first Postmaster. It is
claimed, by some, that the postoffice is of older date, but no
record can be found concerning this. John Allen’s
brother, Robert, had charge of the postoffice until Jackson
was elected President of the United States, the second time, in
1832. His successors have been, Edward Rose,
John Forgraves, Orange W. Pace, R. B. Allen. C. L.
Williams and L. S. Kildow. For many years following
the inauguration of the postoffice, the mail was
weekly, and carried to and fro on horseback. In those days,
the rate of postage, was twenty-five cents for each letter, payable
in silver, by
the person receiving the letter.
In 1837, James Littleton laid out an addition to
the village.
The first tavern was kept by John Laughlin, in
an humble log cabin.
The first store-keeper was Robert Allen, whose
place of business was a small frame building. Allen &
Copeland subsequently erected a large brick building, and
thereby greatly increased business.
The first blacksmith was Zedekiah Wilson who is
spoken of as an excellent workman and good citizen.
The first son of Crispin was one, Forgran,
who "kept his lapstone bright, and always waxed his thread.
The first school was taught by Elisha Kennedy,
in a conventional log building, with puncheon floor and slab seats
and desks; it has long since disappeared. Of those who
attended this school, it is likely that David Porter is the
only one living. Mr. Porter is now about three quarters
of a century old, and thinks he has out-lived his school mates.
The second school house was like unto the first,
although built as late as 1840. This structure, in time, gave
way for the present frame building, with its improved furnishing.
The school now taught, is graded and ably conducted. The term
lasts eight months. The pupils number one hundred and
twenty-five.
The village of Roseville was incorporated A. D. 1840.
The population, at this time, was about three hundred and under the
new regime, a Mayor and Council must preside over her destinies.
Accordingly, Dr. James Little was elected Mayor. The
date of this election is supposed to have been shortly after the
incorporation; but no record of the election has been found, and no
tradition informs us who the members of the Council were.
SATAN IN THEIR MIDST.
About 1818, "Black Tom"
made his appearance, and was the subject of remark by the villagers
generally, and the children in particular, many of whom had not so
much as heard of black people, generally concluding that such a
color was the peculiarity of his satanic majesty, and hence "Black
Tom" was thought to be a near relative of Satan, and looked upon
with dubious eyes, and given a wide berth by the little folks, whose
ears were filled with strange legends as to his origin and habits,
by "children of larger growth." To the credit of Tom, be
it said, he
was of quiet disposition, industrious, fond of story telling,
although his stories were not new. And it is altogether likely
that, had he been suspected of having a soul, some missionary would
have made overtures to him with efforts to lead him to the light,
which would not have been difficult, for he was credulous in the
extreme. And yet Tom did not believe in the existence of a
devil, whose home was amidst flames. He “know'd dar was no sich
pusson; nobody kin lie in de brimstone smoke - he'd choke to def,
sure!" But he believed there were many devils in this country,
and that this must be his home.
ANOTHER SENSATION.
In 1821, Miss
Maria Brumager, a very worthy young lady, of gentle manners, and
noted for good taste, and the habit of carefully considering the
proprieties of her sex, whose opinion was highly regarded by every
one who knew her well enough to know what her opinion was,
particularly on matters of costume, and was "the flower of the
family" at home, and the charm of the circle of which she moved, and
whose familiarity with those whose opinions made the sentiment of
the village, was such that it was fair to conclude, whatever their
opinions might be, she would be the last one to outrage them; and
familiar, too, with the time-honored custom of those simple-hearted
people, who, by their own handicraft, prepared their own garments,
from the shearing of the sheep and hackleing of the flax, to
the fruit of the loom, to which they added new beauties by the
ingenuity of their devices, often displaying artistic talent of a
high order, for the age in which they lived, and inspiring
admiration in the mind of every male beholder, as well as envy in
their own sex, and notwithstanding, were con-
[Page 474]
tent to wear what they themselves had made, and thought it good
enough; and notwithstanding their skill in arranging colors in
pieces and stripes almost approached the painter's art, they were
not prepared for the daze that o'er powered them when Miss
Brumager walked into church wearing a straw bonnet and calico
dress! This was an event in Roseville never to be
forgotten! And, strange to relate, many, deemed well clad
hitherto, now thought they had "nothing to wear!"
THE FORMATION OF CLAY TOWNSHIP.
Thursday, Dec. 9, A. D. 1841
Pursuant to adjournment,
the Commissioners met. Present - John Goshen, Robert Boggs,
and Littleton Moore.
New Township -
A petition was presented by William Wann signed by a
majority of the householders residing within the boundaries of the
proposed new townships, at the last June session of this board, and
laid over to the present session, which was this day taken up, and
the Commissioners intended application had been given by
advertisements, as required by law, proceeded to take the matter
into consideration. The petitioners set forth that they labor
under many difficulties and disadvantages in consequence of the
distance, and other difficulties they have to labor under, in going
to and from elections, etc., and also praying that a new township
may be set off of part of Brush Creek township, and the
Commissioners, believing the prayer of the petitioners necessary for
the convenience of the inhabitants and township officers, do hereby
order a new township to be set off, according to the following
boundaries, to wit: "Sections number one, two, three, ten,
eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen, in township
fourteen, range fourteen, being part of Brush Creek township, in
Muskingum county," which said new township is called Clay township.
Also ordered by the Commissioners, that an election be held at the
house of Adam Rider, Sr., in said township. [See
Commissioners' Journal, of this date - not paged.]
The record of the first, and many subsequent elections,
seem to have been lost. At an early election in Brush Creek
township, Dr. James Little was elected Justice of the Peace,
and John Boyd, Jacob Dietrich, and _____ _____, were electeed
Township Trustees; William Dunn, Constable. Dr. Dunn
held this office for seven consecutive years. If not the
first, this was near about the time of the first election. It
is said that the entire population living in that part of Brush
Creek known as Clay township, did not exceed one hundred,.
CHURCHES.
The churches in Uniontown
in 1848, according to tradition, were as follows:
One Evangelical Lutheran Church, having about
seventy-five members, ministered to by Rev. James Manning.
The Methodist Episcopal Church, having about one
hundred members, was ministered to by Rev. James Jamison and
Rev. James Gurley.
The Old School Baptist Church, having
about twenty members, was ministered to by Elder Thomas Harper.
The New School Baptist Church, having
about sixty members, was ministered to by Rev. Wm. Sigefried.
Uniontown
Presbyterian Church - In September, 1848, an application having
thirty signers, was presented to the Zanesville Presbytery, asking
the organization of the Uniontown Presbyterian Church, which was
granted, and the society organized November 18th, of that year, and
Samuel Milhouse was ordained Ruling Elder, and John
Read and John Smocks ordained deacons; H. C. MacBride,
pastor.
The Methodist Protestant
Church had about thirty members to by Rev. John Wilson.
The Bible Christian Church had about
seventy-five members, ministered to by Rev. C. Hand.
SONS OF TEMPERANCE.
A lodge of this
denomination of temperance workers was organized in Roseville in
1848, and flourished to such a degree that the sale of intoxicating
liquor was generally considered such a disreputable business that no
citizen would engage in it. They were determined, also, that
no one should keep liquor on sale, as will appear from the following
circumstance: In the fall of 1848, one Jack Myer,
brought three barrels of whiskey into the village and opened a shop.
He named his barrels "Good, Better and Best." The Sons of
Temperance took notice of his preparation for business and where he
located his merchandise, and in a calm still night, ere the
moon came forth, they found their way into the cellar under the
saloon, and with augers, elongated for the purpose by the
blacksmiths, they tapped each barrel from below and let their
contents flow freely. Early the next morning some one applied
to the would-be liquor seller for a jug full. He tried a
barrel marked "Good," but it was no good; he tried a barrel marked
"Better," with no better success, and finally he tried a barrel
marked "Best," and then he thought some one had the best of him.
And he wisely concluded to abandon this place, and their was no
attempt of the kind made there for the ensuing six years. This
long cessation of hostilities was the cause of the organization
subsiding.
ODD FELLOWSHIP.
Jonathan Lodge, No.
356, I. O. O. F. - This Lodge was instituted August
8th, 1865. The first officers were: N. G., E. B.
Bailey; V. G., C. F. Watson; Secretary, ,J. J.
Walpole; Treasurer, Andrew Dugan. The membership
numbers about seventy-five, and is in a flourishing condition.
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CLAY TOWNSHIP GEOLOGICALLY.
This is a very
limited area, in the southwest corner of the county. J. S.
Newberry, Chief Geologist for the State, in his report for 1869,
remarks as follows: "Near Roseville, an old coal working was
found to be eighty feet above the Putnam Hill lime stone. This
is the proper place for the Nelsonville, or Upper Lexington coal.
No opportunity presented itself for measurement."
Dr. Hildreth, in the old geological report,
found calcario-silicious rock on the high hills in section
fourteen. It was found difficult to determine the exact
stratigraphical position of the Flint Ridge buhr, as it lies on the
ton of the ridge, more like a blanket than like a rigid stratum.
It conforms more or less to the undulating surface of the general
top of the ridge, and is at some points higher than others.
The buhr is porous and often cracked, and water passing through may
have carried the soft shale below, and thus lowered the stratum
along its border.
E. B. Andrews, Assistant Geologist, in the
report for 1873, says: "Putnam Hill limestone is found here,
and the Upper New Lexington seam of coal is about eighty feet above
it. The lower seam had not been found, but it may be there in
local developments. It is nowhere a very certain seam.
When there is sufficient demand to warrant careful searches, I have
little doubt but that valuable iron ore will be found in this
vicinity. In other townships, good ores are found in similar
portions of the coal-measures series. The most useful material
as yet taken from the earth in Clay township is potter's clay, from
which large quantities of excellent pottery is made."
THE POTTER'S PARADISE.
This village is
headquarters for the potter, being situated in a region abounding in
potter's clay of the best variety, on which account the township, it
is said, was called Clay.
"Stoneware" is the staple here. A car load of
some class of stoneware is shipped from here every working day in
the year.
COAL.
Coal is abundant and large
quantities is shipped.
GRAIN AND WOOL.
Grain, stock and wool are
exported in large quantities.
RAILROAD.
The P., C. & St. L. Railway
agent sells about a hundred dollars worth of tickets every week.
The Adams Express Company have an office here and do a
very satisfactory business. |
