MIFFLIN TOWNSHIP

IN ADVENT TO INDEPENDENCE.

     When Ross County was organized in 1798, two townships were formed which represented all of what is now Pike County west of the river, and to what afterward became the Scioto County line.  These two townships of Ross County were Paxton and Pee Pee.  From Paxton Township Mifflin Township was formed Oct. 26, 1806.  All south and west of Pee Pee Township composed Mifflin, out of which Sunfish, Perry and Benton.  Mifflin Township then dates from 1806, and next to Pee Pee is the oldest township organization in the county.

BOUNDS, VALUATION AND POPULATION.

     At this time Mifflin has been shorn of much of her territory, but she is still the second in size in the county, Jackson Township alone having a larger area.  The number of acres in the township upon the assessment roll is 27,987, or an area of little over forty-three and one-half square miles.  The township is bounded, commencing with Perry Township on the north and then east etc., by Perry, Benton and Sunfish townships, Adams County and Highland County and lies in the southwest part of the county, its western and a portion of its southern line being the county lines of Highland and Adams.  The assessed valuation of the township in 1882 was:  For real estate $131,481; personal property $71,091; village property, $5,993; total, $208,565.
     The population of Mifflin was, in 1840, 645; in 1850, 546; in 1860, 821; in 1870, 1,108; in 1880, 1,230.  Benton Township being taken from a part of Mifflin in 1842 accounts for the loss during that decade.

SOIL, TIMBER AND TOPOGRAPHY.

     Mifflin Township is not rich in its agricultural resources, although there is some good land and rich soil in the township.  The soil is varied and on the hills extremely thin or light, while along the valleys of the several creeks are to be found some excellent corn, wheat and grass lands.  There is a good deal of excellent timber in the township.  It is rolling along the valleys and hilly back of them, and it is in many parts both rugged and broken.
     The township is a healthy one, for its surface has a drainage unsurpassed.  Its principal creeks are Sunfish, Kincaid, Drybones and Grear Fork, the first mentioned being the main stream in the township, and the others its branches.  Brush Creek of Scioto County has a branch that takes its rise in the township.  On the banks of these streams and through the narrow valleys in which they run through the narrow valleys in which they run are found some fine farms well cultivated, and of a quality of soil that gives rich returns to the husbandman, but the uplands are now being added to them producing qualities by using phosphate and other soil-renewing articles.  Still there is a future for Mifflin, if her people, who are mostly agricultural, will, while raising cereals and vegetables upon the rich valley lands, look after the production of stock, fruits and grapes upon their uplands and side hills.  This will make barren places of value, and a varied industry is needed to bring forth wealth from a varied soil.

BYINGTON

is a very pretty little place situated on the bank and in the Valley of Sunfish Creek, near the center of the township, and has probably a population of fifty souls.  It has two general stores that do a good business with the surrounding country, kept by Humphreys &Pennisten and Emanuel Holton, and one blacksmith shop, owned by S. H. Phillips, all on Front street.  A tannery is carried on by the Manger Brothers, which was established in 1848 by Enoch Reed, on Poplar street.  There is a postoffice, and G. W. Pennisten is Postmaster.  This postoffice was the first one established in the township, and its first Postmaster was Isaac Holton.

LATHAM

is a small but rather an enterprising little hamlet, located in the east central portion of the township, and has a population of about seventy-five.  Its business interests are conducted by G. W. Legg, who keeps a general store on the corner of Chillicothe and Cincinnati streets, and is the present Postmaster; Christian Manger, a general store on Chillicothe street; Wesley Legg, a drug and general store on the corner of Valley and Chillicothe streets; Joseph Hazelbaker runs a general store and also hotel on the corner of Valley and Pemberton streets; C. H. Day is the proprietor of the only blacksmith shop in the place, on Cincinnati street.  The only saloon is on Valley street.  The Latham post-office was first established in 1854, and F. G. Parker was appointed Postmaster.  The first letter was mailed by J. G. Genther.

SOME OF THE OLD PIONEERS.

     Milton Township, or the north and central portion of it, was settled about the year 1800, and in giving the names of its oldest and first pioneers some may have settled in what is now Benton, Perry, Sunfish, etc., which were once all a part of Mifflin Township. s The exact location of each could not well be ascertained.  The following named persons, however, were early settlers of Mifflin Township: John McCord, John Barton, Asher Leyton, Reuben Bristol, William Davis, John Kincaid, Peter O'Brian, William Pillars, Abraham Beekman, William Parker, William Beekman, John Beekman, Gabriel Beekman, Neil Daugherty, John Grove, Joshua Johnson, Alexander Cross, Thomas Gardner, Robert Montgomery, John Campbell, Joshua Davis, Burgess Elliott, Isaac Pennisten and Jacob Foster.  These cold pioneers were followed by their sons and others, who, reared in the wilderness, became the native pioneers of the township.
     Peter Lytle, the oldest person known in the township, is 105 years old, and lives at Latham, where he tends his own garden and chops all his wood.  Benjamin Johnson, seventy-six years of age, and James West, sixty-five years of age, were both born and reared in the township.  William G. Beekman who is also well along in years, was born and reared in the township, and never voted out of it, and still lives in the same house where he was born.  Samuel Scanden still lives in the same house where born, and never voted out of the township,  and is past his sixtieth year.  John Holton lives on the farm where he was born, and is over sixty years of age.  Robert Leeper, Abraham Gall, Taylor Barton, Stephen Beekman, George Fulk, John McCoy, Crawford Humphreys, John Nace, Peter Cartwright, J. C. Washburn, William McCoy, Joseph Decker, Aaron Beekman, Mason Perdue, Thomas G. Parker, Jacob Butler, are natives of the township.
     On the farm of William McCoy is a spring of pure, soft water, connected with an underground stream or river.  It was near this spring that the first settler pitched his tent, and then erected his cabin.  That it is fed by an under-ground river is a known fact, but so long as the spring holds its great body of water the river or stream from which it flows is not needed.  The spring is about one mile from the hamlet of Latham, and is known by every settler for miles around.
     There is in this township the Waverly sandstone, but that is the only product that may be said to lie beneath the surface of any value.  No minerals of any kind are known to exist within the township.
     The first grist-mill on Sunfish Creek was built on the north side of the creek, opposite Byington, by a Mr. Marcus, in 1820.  In 1823 Thomas Holton bought the mill and ran it until his death.  Shortly after he purchased he removed the mill to the other side of the creek, where it has remained and been rebuilt several times.  After Mr. Holton died his heirs continued to run the ill until 1869 when it was sold to Daniel Murphy.  Within twelve months he sold it to George Dixon.  The latter person took down the old and built a new mill on the site and after running it for two years sold it to John Smith, who is the present proprietor.

CHURCHES.

     The Bethlehem Regular Baptist Church of Latham, was organized at Maple Grove School-house, by Revs. Charles Trichler and A. J. Warren, in 1881, with twenty members.  They hold their meetings in the Latham School-house, but are building a church on Valley street, Latham.  The building committee is: George W. Legg, A. P. Davidson, Ezekiel East, T. S. Haskins, H. H. Valentine, Jacob Butler and Peter Mead.  The present pastor is Rev. A. J. Warren; service is held once a month and Sabbath-school every Sunday.  The church has a membership of fifty-six.  The school has an average attendance of forty-five scholars.

     The Latham Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1875 by Rev. Arthur Humphreys, with forty-two members.  Rev. Wm. A. Cartwright built the church and donated it to the organization in November, 1875.  It was dedicated by Elder S. M. Bright, of Portsmouth.  The Trustees were: S. P. Austin, Jacob Anderson, Henry Wilt, Peter Leedom and Arthur Humphreys.  The church is located on Bristol street.  The present pastor of Rev. E. A. Bridwell, and the Trustees are: A. P. Austin, J. W. O'Dell, Wm. McCoy, Jonathan Gillespie and Sylvester Umble.  The membership is thirty-five.  Service is held every two weeks, and the Sabbath-school meets every Sunday.

     Perseverance Methodist Episcopal Church, Byington, was organized in 1843, with a membership of thirty-five.  In 1844 they were given a lot by the Holton heirs, and the members and neighbors proceeded to build a log church.  On New Year's day 1845, they raised the church, which they finished and dedicated the latter part of the same year.  The Trustees are: Valentine Zimmermann, Thomas McCoy and Samuel Mustard  The present pastor is Rev. E. A. Bridwell.  The church has the same number of members as when organized.  Service is regularly held every two weeks.

     The Byington Christian Union Church was organized in 1866, by Rev. Zachariah Hickman, with eighteen members, in 1875, and in 1877 they built their church.  The Trustees are: Wm. Ashbaugh, Albert Beekman, Abel Hill, Joseph Beekman and James Henry Ashbaugh.  The present pastor is Rev. Zachariah Hickman again, he having been placed upon that Circuit this year.  The Trustees are: Francis Ashbaugh, Wm. Ashbaugh, Albert Beekman, James Henry Ashbaugh and Joseph Gamble.  Services are held every two weeks, and the church membership numbers thirty.

     The Cavalry Protestant Methodist Church was organized by the Rev. Zachariah Hickman with eighteen members, in 1875, and in 1877 they built their church.  The Trustees are: Wm. Ashbaugh, Albert Beekman, Abel Hill, Joseph Beekman and James Henry Ashbaugh.  The present pastor is Rev. Zachariah Hickman again, he having been placed upon the Circuit this year.  The Trustees are: Francis Ashbaugh, Wm. Ashbaugh, Albert Beekman, James Henry Ashbaugh and Joseph Gamble.  Services are held every two weeks, and the church membership numbers thirty.

SCHOOLS.

     There are ten school districts in the township, as follows: 
No. 1, Nace School - scholars, forty-seven;
No. 2, Bell Hollow - scholars, forty;
No. 3, Byington - scholars, twenty-two;
No. 4, Laperelle - scholars, sixty-three;
No. 5, Latham - scholars, seventy-nine;
No. 6, Grassyfork - scholars, sixty-nine;
No 7, Hachelshin - scholars, thirty;
No. 8, Beekman - scholars, seventy-six;
No. 9, Benner - scholars, fifty-four. 
The first school in the township was taught in the winter of 1804-'5, but the name of the teachers is not remembered.  One of the earliest teachers was Mr. James Jones.

OFFICIAL.

     The township being organized by Ross County in1806, below is given the first township officers:  Trustees, Wm. Pillers, Thomas Gardner and John Kincaid; Overseers of the Poor, Abraham McCoy and Robert Montgomery; House Appraisers, Burgess Elliott and John Grove; Constable, Joshua Davis, Sr.; Fence Viewers, George Moore and Isaac Pennisten; Wm. Parker, Clerk and Treasurer; Justice of the Peace, Wm. Davis.
     The present officers (1883) are: Trustees: Jacob Butler, Samuel Scanden and Charles C. Beekman; Treasurer, George W. Peniston; Clerk, Oscar O. Hazelbaker; Assessor, Jasper Landen; Constables, S. P. Ladd and Willard Moler; Justices of the Peace, Ezekiel East and James Cross.

BIOGRAPHICAL