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Source:
History of Lower Scioto Valley
Chicago: Inter-State
Publishing Co.
1884
CHAPTER XIX.
MADISON, JEFFERSON AND VALLEY TOWNSHIPS
.... Pg. 389
MADISON TOWNSHIP
The township of Madison occupies the
northeastern corner of Scioto County, but does not extend as far
east as Bloom (immediately south of it) by six miles. It
contains the whole of regular township 4, range 20, together with
two tiers of sections on the east belonging to township 5, range 19,
and three sections on the west of township 3, range 21. This
gives the township about fifty square miles area.
In 1810, back of which date the records are lost,
Madison was one of the ten townships which formed Scioto County.
It then comprised the same territory as now except the three
sections on the west belonging to range 21, as also parts of
Harrison and Bloom townships.
The following, taken from the county records, will
explain the additions of the three sections on the west and the
fraction on the southeast.
"PORTSMOUTH, March 2, 1840.
"This day, on application of George Shunkwiler,
Henry Thomas and Samuel Piles, residents of Jefferson
Township, to be attached to Madison Township, and the commissioenrs
being satisfied that it would be doing no injustice to Jefferson
Township, but that it would be of great convenience to the
applicants, it is therefore Ordered, That sections Nos. 13
and 24, in range 21, in township No. 3, be, and the same is, hereby
attached to the township of Madison.
"The petition of Robert Allen and others asking
the commissioners to attach section 12 in Jefferson Township to
Madison Township was this day taken up and the commissioners being
satisfied that the proper action had been had in the premises do
attach said section No. 12 to Madison Township." June 8, 1848.
June 3, 1862.
"Daniel Dodge having presented a petition in due
form of law, that the southwest quarter and part of the northwest
quarter of the southwes quarter of section 35, township 4, range 20,
be struck off of Harrison Township and and attached to Madison, and
there appearing no objection to said change, it is hereby Ordered,
That said tract of land be, and the same shall hereafter be,
a part of Madison Township according to the prayer of said
petitioners."
As the township now stands the exact area is 31,952
acres, a little less than 49.9 square miles. The value of its
lands at the present time is estimated at $268,400; of its personal
property, $116,078; total, $384,478.
The population of the township since 1840 has been as
follows: In 1840, 830; in 1850, 1,367; in 1860, 1,583; in
1870, 1,578; in 1880, 1,852.
The township has twelve schools, five church
societies and four church buildings.
TOPOGRAPHY.
With the exception of the valleys of the two
main streams passing through the town
[Page 390]
ship, the surface is exceedingly rough and hilly. On the tops
of some of the hills there are some table-lands which are cultivated
profitably; the side of the hills are generally too steep for
cultivation. The only streams of size in the township are the
Little Scioto River, which flows directly south through the eastern
end of the township, and its principal tributary, Rocky Fork, which
enters the northwestern corner of the township and, flowing
southeast, empties into the Little Scioto just south of the southern
township line.
The wooded hills are heavily timbered, which is being
cut up into lumber by sawmills.
SETTLEMENT.
As the mouth of the Little Scioto was the
site of the first permanent settlement in the county, it was
perfectly natural that the valley should be explored up as far as
Madison Township at a very early day. Two brothers, Thomas
M. and William Bennett, now living, were born in this
township in 1800 and 1802 respectively. Settlements were made
here as early as 1797. Between this date and 1820 the
following are some of the settlers who made their homes in this
township: Robert, Caleb, John and Charles
Bennett, Edward Dawson, Absalom Pyle,
Jacob Rickey, Nathaniel Squires,
Andrew Snyder, Daniel Dodge, Jas. Rockwell, Joseph Rockwell,
Benjamin Rockwell, Ephraim Rowell, Jonathan Rockwell, Ezra Rockwell,
James Field, Aaron Miller, Jacob Myers, Jeremiah Brittainham,
Michael Milliron, Moses Mault, George Dever, Wm. Dever, Wm. Stockham,
John Fullerton, Samuel Low, John Rickey, Daniel Massberger, Wm.
Plum, Edward Milam, John Slavens George Adams, Peter Lagore, Thomas
Philips, John, Hiram and Thomas McDowell, William and
Henry Crull, John Higgins, James Brian, Wm. Kitchen, Jesse and John
Martin, Moses, Barnebus, Solomon, Aaron and Jesse Monroe,
Joseph Couthorn and Judiah Mead.
Of the early settlers still living, are: Thos. M.
and Wm. Bennett, Ransom Brown, Isaac, Joseph and
Ephraim Rickey, Joseph H. Stockham, L. D. McKinney and
Jackson Dever.
The two valleys were the first to be settled, and from
them the settlement was pushed back over the hills. The hill farming
is, however, quite poor, and the inhabitants generally own but small
tracts, and live with limited means.
CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS.
The Baptist Church,
situated on the pike on section 8, was the first church organized in
the township. It was founded in 1825 by Thaddeus
Bennett. The early members were: Wm. Crawford
and wife, Jacob Rickey and wife, James
Rockwell and wife, and Thaddeus Bennett and wife.
Until 1836 meetings were held in private houses and school-houses.
By 1836 the membership had reached about forty, and in that year,
during the pastorate of Jacob Rickey, they built a log
church which served them till 1868, when it was torn down and a
frame building built in its place. In 1878 this church burned
down. The society at that date had grown to 140 members.
A dissension arose, and this helped to destroy the organization. An
attempt to rally has been only partially successful. About
twenty-five members still remain faithful and a new church building
stands about half completed. The Trustees are: Ephraim
Rickey, Daniel Dodge and Vincent Kent;
pastor, Rev. John B. Tracy.
United Brethren.—This
church, situated on section 23, was organized and the building
erected in 1867. The first members were: Frederic Winter,
F. M. Swaim, D. S. Wilson, James J. Martin and wife,
Elizabeth McDowell and a Mr. Partridge; first pastor,
Rev. V. Zimmerman. The membership at the present time is
about thirty-seven present Trustees, Joseph Kronk, F. M. Dever,
Oliver Powell,
[Page 391]
P. M. Rambo and Frederic Winter; pastor, G. W.
Tuttle. The church has a regular Sabbath-school, A. D.
Allen, Superintendent.
Union Church.—A union
church, situated on section 27, was erected by the United Brethren
and Free-Will Baptists in 1874. When not used by either of
these, other denominations are allowed to use it. The United
Brethren society was organized by Rev. Jesse McCan,
the members composing it coming principally from a defunct society
over in Harrison Township, and some who had attended the church on
section 23. The initial members were: J. H. Stockham
and wife, Simeon Wood, Elizabeth Sampson
and daughter, Daniel Armiller, wife and daughter,
George Armiller and wife, Miss Sarah Armiller,
Elizabeth Deemer, Catherine Zaler, Catherine
Sweet, J. D. Stockham and wife and Mrs.
Colgrove. The present pastor is Rev. George
Tuttle. The church has a regular Sabbath-school,
Harrison Allen, Superintendent.
The Free-Will Baptist Society
was organized about the same time by Sam’l Irwin and wife,
Mrs. Caroline Irwin, Wm. Pool and wife, Chas. Frowine and
wife, Charles and Robert Frowine, Horace White and wife,
G. Crabtree and wife, Lewis Vangorder and others.
The membership now reaches about sixty. The society is served
only by transient preachers.
The Hamilton Free-Will Baptist
Church, situated near the northeast corner of the
township, was built in 1881, the society having been organized the
same year with thirty members. Tire first pastor was Isaac
Fullerton; first Trustees, Hugh Fulton,
Milford Smith and Joseph E. Toland. The present
pastor is Jacob Shunkwiler. The Sabbath-school
Superintendent is Edward Wooten.
There are twelve schools in the township, which,
according to the enumeration at 1883, were as follows: Sub-district
No. 1; pupils, forty. Sub-district No. 2; pupils, forty-two.
Sub-district No. 3; pupils, thirty-six. Sub-district No. J;
pupils, fifty-six. Sub-district No. 5; pupils, fifty-seven.
Sub-district No. 6; pupils, seventy-four. Sub-district No. 7;
pupils, forty-three. Sub-district No. 8; pupils, fifty-five.
Sub-district No. 9; pupils, fifty-six. Sub-district No. 10;
pupils, twenty-six. Sub-district No. 11; pupils, seventy-one.
Sub-district No. 12; pupils, sixty-four.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS, 1883.
Trustees, Jas Irwin, Jno. Kirkpatrick
and Wm. Kircliner; Clerk, R. IL. Dodd; Treasurer, N. M.
Kent; Justices of the Peace, Frederic Winter,
I. J. Dewey and John Fullerton; Constables, J. L.
Samson, Walter Atkins and W. C. Reed.
WALLACE MILL.
This mill is now owned by Sam’l Wallace,
who became the purchaser in 1870. It was erected in 1810 by
John White, who ran it for a number of years. He
finally sold the mill to Isaac Wheeler, who in turn,
sold it to Wm. Wheeler, when a few years later it
became the property of the first-named gentleman. This is the
only grist-mill in the township, and is located on Rocky Fork of the
Little Scioto River, in the southeast corner of the township and
near its southern line. It has two sets of burrs with a capacity of
150 bushels of grain per day. Its custom is good, having a
large territory for its supply. The builders name was Smith.
BIOGRAPHICAL:
RANSOM BROWN
GEORGE DEVER
JOHN JENKINS
JAMES JACKSON MARTIN
L. D. McKINNEY
DANIEL POOL
J. B. RICKEY
JOSEPH H. STOCKHAM
J. D. STOCKHAM
HENRY C. WELLS
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP.
Pg. 395
Jefferson Township was undoubtedly one of the
original townships, or was a township before 1810. Four of the
original townships named and known in 1810 are not now on the
map—Seal, Upper, Lick and Franklin. The loss of the county
commissioners’ records from 1803 to 1811 inclusive prevents the
dates being given of the organization of the township, but if it is
one of the original divisions it was organized May, 1803, and at all
events before the year 1810. Seal Township, which lay on both
sides of the Scioto River, was taken from the map, and that portion
lying east of the Scioto was added to Jefferson. The township
then extended further south, and also took in all of the present
township of Valley, which was cat off from Jefferson in 1860.
METES, BOUNDS AND AREA.
The township of Jefferson as now defined is
bounded on the north by Pike County, east by Madison and Harrison
townships, on the south by Clay, and on the west by Valley
townships. There are but three smaller townships in the county
than Jefferson, and they are Porter, Washington and Rush, Valley,
which was taken from it, having nearly 1,100 acres more land
assessed than Jefferson. The latter’s area is 14,383 acres, of
somewhat hilly surface. The assessed valuation of Jefferson
Township is the least of any township in the county. It has an
uneven surface, and, not having any large quantity of mineral
deposits, it is better adapted to stock-raising than to
cereal-growing. There is little to give value beyond the
productions from year to year, which do not accumulate rapidly, and
its land valuation is not rated at a high figure for assessment
purposes. In 1882 it was assessed upon its lands at $81,330;
upon chattel property, $27,189; total, $108,519.
POPULATION
Jefferson Township, while next to the
smallest in population, Rush only having a less number of
inhabitants, has increased in the past decade more than any township
in
the county except Union. The population of the township
varied, as in 1870 Valley had been taken from it, but it has shown a
steady increase, and at a greater per cent, taking the last four
decades, than any township.
The population in 1840 was 578; 1850, 840; 1860, 1,226;
1870, 559; 1880, 919. There have been several small changes in
the boundary line of the township since its organization, but they
were not of much consequence, being made to accommodate the
interests of individuals. For instance, the first change made,
Dec. 5, 1826, was as follows: “The east half of the southeast
quarter of section 25, of township 3, of range 21, the land and
residence of Jacob Myers, in Jefferson Township, be
taken from said township and attached to Madison.” Mr.
Myers petitioned for this change on account of convenience,
and got it. There were one or two others of a similar nature,
one taking three miles by one, for about the same reason—local
convenience—and attached to Madison Township, but the area as given
previously is correct at this time, being its present boundary.
Jefferson Township is no exception to the general rule
as regards its township records. Like nearly all others, a
good portion of them are lost, and what are found are of mixed
dates, here and there a year, but scarcely a decade complete in any
place. This prevents a full list of township officers being
given, and much local history which should be found recorded. The
township has but one voting precinct, which is held at Blue Run,
so-called. It may be considered an agricultural town
[Page 396]
ship so tar as the land is susceptible of cultivation. There
is yet a large amount of timber in the township, and railroad ties
and tan-bark form no inconsiderable portion of
the yearly productive wealth.
OLD SETTLERS
The settlement at Jefferson Township
was at a pretty early day, but at that time Valley Township was then
Jefferson, and the earliest settlers were located in the valley of
the Scioto River. The present Jefferson Township was settled
about 1808, through up to 1815 very few pioneers had found permanent
homes within its limits. Among those who came in the early
days of its history were Jesse Rice, Daniel McLaughlin, Daniel
Conklin, Jared Spriggs, Thomas Carlisle, Abner Field, William
Mitchell, Aaron Gee, Richard Grimshaw, Joshua Tritt, Rodney
Marshall, Samuel Farmer, Jacob Crouse and J. H. Munn.
There were a few others whose names were not remembered, but
were members of the pioneer band.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS, 1851
The township officers in 1851 were:
Trustees, James o. Johnson, Hugh Rose and Adamyah
Crane; Treasurer, James D. Thomas; Clerk,
Leonard Groninger; Justices of the Peace, Mark Snyder and
Isaac N. Johnson; Constables, Thomas Carlisle, John-Stewart
and O. B. Murphy. The present officers, 1883, are:
Trustees, Ira H. Munn, Jacob H. Carley and John H. Tritt;
Treasurer,, David Crull; Clerk, John H. Shuman;
Justices of the Peace, Robert Chapman and Jared
Spriggs; Constables, Thomas Hager and Adam
Swavel.
CHURCHES.
The Blue Run Methodist Church
was organized and the church building erected in 1859. Rev.
Harris Willis was its first pastor; Trustees, James Varner,
Milton Deselm and John Morgan. The original members were:
Samuel Miller and wife, Jared Spriggs
and wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Varner, James
Varner and wife, John Morgan and wife, Mrs.
Haney Marshall, Abner Field and wife. The
present pastor is the Rev. George W. Ray; Trustees,
Abner Field, William Coburn, Joshua
Tritt and Richard Grimshaw. Church
services are held once a month and Sunday-school every Sabbath. Louis
Hancock is Superintendent and Benjamin Grimshaw,
Secretary. The average attendance is about ninety.
The Fallen Timber Christian Church,
organized in the year 1865, at the close of the late civil war, has
steadily prospered and its influence has become wide-spread for good
wherever that influence has extended. Rev. Asa Eblin
was the first pastor of the church, and the Trustees elected at the
time were William H. Ward, Daniel Colliding, Sr., and
Harvey Eblin. The original members of the church were:
Mrs. Asa Eblin, David Kemper and wife, Henderson Eblin
and wife, Rachel Kent, Nathaniel Kent and wife and Phoebe
Conklin. The church has grown strong in number. The
present pastor, 1883, is Rev. William Jenkins, the Trustees
are those first elected and still holding their offices.
Services are held once a month, and Sunday-school every Sunday.
The attendance is about 100. Superintendent, James
McWilliams; Secretary, Edward Gillen.
The Flat Wood Methodist Episcopal
Church was organized in 1876 with a few earnest members
who wished to form a church in their own immediate neighborhood.
Rev. Perry Orr was called to the pastorate and Jared
Spriggs, Hamilton Meyers and Nicholas Funk were elected
Trustees. The original members were Abigail Crull, David
Crull and wife, William Porter and wife, Henry Bricker
and wife, Rachel Ralphsnider and Catharine Farmer.
It has gradually grown and prospered, and it is now, 1883, under the
pastoral care of Rev. William Hollinshed, and the
[Page 397]
Trustees are Jared Spriggs, Nicholas Funk and David Crull.
Its present membership numbers sixty. Service is held once a
month and a Sabbath-school every Sunday.
SCHOOLS.
There are five school districts in the township, named and as follows:
Sub district, No. 1, Munn’s School-house; Sub-district No. 2, Flat
"Wood’s School-house; Sub-district No. 3, Backwoods School-house;
Sub-district No. 4, Blue Run School-house; Sub-district No. 5,
Fallen Timber Schoolhouse.
VALLEY TOWNSHIP.
NEXT TO THE YOUNGEST.
While the territory of Valley Township was as
early settled permanently as any in the county, Valley Township did
not come into existence until 1860, and then too late for the United
States census of that year. It was first a portion of Seal
Township. A few years after, or in 1814, Seal Township elected
its last Assessor, and in 1815 that on the west side of the river
was given to Union Township and the east side to Jefferson.
This last remained the territory of Jefferson until June 4, 1860,
when a petition was presented to the County Commissioners for a
separate township, to be taken from the west half of Jefferson and
to be called “ Valley.” The question had been agitated early in the
spring in Jefferson, and two township election tickets presented to
the voters—those in favor of and those opposed to dividing the
township. The ticket for division was carried, and in May the
petition for division was presented to the County Commissioners, as
also a remonstrance and the following action was taken June 4, 1860:
ORGANIZATION.
"A petition was presented by A. F. Millar
and others together with a plat, praying the commissioners to
divide the territory of Jefferson Township and create and make a new
township and lay off and designate the same from the said territory
of Jefferson Township, in Scioto County. And your petitioners
propose and ask that said new township shall be laid off and
designated with the following boundaries, to-wit : Beginning at the
Scioto River, where the county line between Scioto and Pike counties
strikes said river; thence east on said county line between said two
counties to the section line between sections 3 and 4, in township 3
in said Scioto County; thence south on said line between sections 3
and 4, and between sections 15 and 16 to the southeast corner of
said section 16; thence west on the south line of said section 16,
to the splitting corner on the south line of said section 16; thence
south on the north and south splitting line of sections 21, 28 and
33, in said township 3, and of sections 4 and 9, in said township 2,
to the south line of said section 9; thence west ith the south line
of said section 9, section 8 and section 7 to the Scioto River;
thence north running with the meanders of the Scioto River to the
place of beginning, and your petitioners further suggest and ask
that said new township may be called Valley. And your
petitioners further represent that the said new township proposed to
be laid off as aforesaid will contain an area of not less than
twenty-two square miles, and that the said township of Jefferson,
after laying off said new township as aforesaid, will also contain
an area of not less than twenty-two square miles. There was
also a remonstrance presented by Jared Spriggs and
others against the establishment of said new township as proposed in
the foregoing petition, for reasons therein expressed.
Thereupon the commissioners took the matter under advisement ; read
the petition remonstrance, and all the papers presented for and
against the granting of the prayer of the aforesaid petitioners; and
after hearing all the allegations of the parties, and it appearing
therefrom that it is necessary and expedient
[Page 398]
to lay off the said new township, and that the said petition has
been signed by a majority of the trustees of said township of
Jefferson, and by a majority of the householders residing within the
boundaries of said proposed new township, and also by a majority of
the householders residing in Jefferson Township as aforesaid, and it
further appearing that notice of the intended application for the
laying off of said new township has been given by advertisement at
three public places within the bounds of said proposed new township
for more than thirty days prior to the commencement of the present
session, and it also appearing that there is contained within the
bounds of said proposed new township more than twenty-two square
miles, and that there is also contained within the bounds of said
Jefferson Township outside the limits and bounds of said proposed
new township more than twenty-two square miles. It is now
Ordered, That a new township be and the same is hereby laid off
and designated from the territory of said Jefferson Township as
prayed for in said application. And it is further Ordered,
That said new township be known by the name of and called “ Valley.”
And it is further Ordered, That the boundaries of said new
township be recorded in the book kept for that purpose. And it
is also further Ordered, That an election be held at the
tavern of John McCown, in the town of Lucasville, in said
township, on Saturday, June 16, 1860, for the election of township
officers for the said township of Valley.” June 4, 1860.
AREA, BOUNDARY AND VALUATION.
The area of the township as now given is
15,477 acres of land, and the boundary is, on the north by Pike
County, on the east by Jefferson Township, on the south by Clay
Township and on the west by the Scioto River, which separates it
from Rush and Morgan townships. It is irregular in form, its
southern part, by a bend in the river, being within a half a mile of
the southern border, less than a mile wide. It gradually
widens until its northern line is about four and a half miles wide,
while north and south it is about eight miles long. Valley
Township, according to size and population, is the wealthiest of the
fifteen townships of the county. Clay Township has an assessed
valuation of about $101,000 more than Valley, but it has 440 acres
more land and a population nearly 200 greater. Clay has an
assessed valuation of $611.20 to each inhabitant, and Valley
$640.22, or $29.00 more to each person in the township. The
assessed valuation in 1882 was: Real estate, $405,580; personal
property, $193,268; total, $598,848. The population of Valley
Township commences with the census of 1870. In that year it
was 724; in 1880, 921, — a gain during the last decade of
twenty-seven per cent, much more than the average gain of either the
county or State.
OLD SETTLERS.
The first settler of Valley Township
was Hezekiah Merritt, who planted the first corn in the
township, and one of the three corn crops which were raised in the
summer of 1796. Mr. Merritt, several years after,
removed to Ross County, but he was the first Justice of the Peace in
that section of the county in 1804-'6. Jacob Groninger
came in 1798; then Henry Spangler, Wm. Marsh, Jas. O. Johnson,
Isaac N. Johnson, A. F. Millar, Mark Snyder and Caleb B.
Crull followed soon after. The oldest settlers now living
in the township are L. Groninger, W. A. Marsh, Jas. D. Thomas,
Jno. L. Jones, G. O. James and Joseph Brandt, Sr.
The first mentioned, Mr. Groninger, is the oldest native
born.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
At the first election held in Valley
Township, June 16, 1860, after being cut off from Jefferson, the
following officers were elected:
[Page 399]
Trustees, M. Snyder, Clark Galligher and W. K.
Jones; Clerk, L. Groninger; Treasurer, W. A. Marsh;
Constables, A. C. Turner and John Stuart; Justices of
the Peace, A. F. Millar and Jno. Wallace were elected
July 24, 1860. The Board of Education elected for Valley
Township was composed of Leonard Groninger, A. F.
Millar, Mark Snyder and James D. Thomas. The first
meeting of the board was held at Lucasville, June 23, 1860, and
organized by selecting Leonard Groninger President of
the Board.
The election April, 1883, resulted as follows:
Trustees, Isaac N. Johnson, Theo. Appel and John L. James;
Treasurer, Frank Winters; Clerk, Joseph Brandt, Jr;
Assessor, John M. Johnson; Constables, John Steward
and John W. McAuley.
Valley Township is all its name implies, for it lies
wholly within the valley of the Scioto, on the east side of the
river, and extends back to the hills with only an average width of
perhaps two and a half miles, or a little over. It is of
course the best agricultural township in the county. Millar’s
Run in the center and Marsh’s Run in the south part are the
only streams which cross it.
CHURCHES
The M. E. Church,
of Lucasville, was organized in the fall of 1819 by the Rev.
Sheldon Parker, preacher in charge, assisted by the Rev. L.
A. Atkinson, junior preacher. It was then a part of what
was known as the Piketon Circuit, Portsmouth District, Ohio.
Rev. John Steward was Presiding Elder, and Father Dunnaway,
as he was then known, was Class-Leader. The society was small, but
has grown with the growth of the village. The church building
was erected in 1819, and is still occupied. The lot was the gift of
Dr. D. A. Belknap, and Mrs. Belknap started the
subscription paper for the church building, and secured most of the
contribution. The
Trustees were Wm. Marsh, Jas. O. Johnson, and Wm.
Millar. The first Sabbath-school in Lucasville was organized in
1850. Mrs. Mary Moulton secured the money
for the library, and was Superintendent the first year. The
present pastor is Rev. Wm. Abernathy. The Trustees of
the church are Jas. D. Thomas, Absalom Marsh, Jno. B. Warwick,
L. D. Fiddler and Josiah Morgan. The Sunday-school has
an attendance of about seventy-five. The church members now
number forty.
SCHOOLS.
There were four school districts made
the first year after Valley Township was cut off from Jefferson, and
Sept. 1, 1878, another district was added. The number, name
and present teacher of each district is as follows:
Sub-district No. 1, Johnson School; teacher, Miss Ella Jones.
Sub-district No. 2, Lucasville School; teachers, Mr. Lee Sykes
and Miss Cummings. Sub-district No. 3, Sheeppen School;
teacher, John Cockrell. Sub-district No. 4; teacher,
Miss Mary Darlington. Sub-district No. 5,
Egbert School; teacher, Miss Mattie Williamson.
The following were the number of school children in
each of the sub-districts in 1861: No. 1, fifty-four; No. 2,
103; No. 3, seventy-two; No. 4, forty-two; total in the township,
271.
The enumeration for.. 1878, when the fifth district
-was made, was as follows: No. 1, thirty-three; No. 2, 120; No. 3,
fifty-seven; No. 4, forty; No. 5, fifty-three; total in township,
303.
The enumeration for 1S82 : No. 1, fifty-eight; No. 2,
136; No. 3, fifty-one; No. 4, fifty-eight; No. 5, fifty-two; total
in township, 355.
Total value of school property in Valley Township is
$4,750.
[Page 400]
LUCASVILLE.
Lucasville is the only village in Valley
Township, and is pleasantly situated upon a rising eminence, sloping
to the west, on the bank of the stream that forms the island in the
Scioto River, opposite the place. The main channel of the
river is fully a half mile distant. The distance from
Portsmouth and the Ohio River is ten miles, nearly due north, and
the Scioto Valley Railroad passes within its limits. It is
laid off at right angles, the streets running north and south, and
east and west. Those running the latter way are named North,
Scioto, Jackson and South streets, and those running north and
south, East, Main and West streets. The village of Lucasville
was laid out by Captain John Lucas in June, 1819, and the
record of the survey received and recorded Aug. 7, 1819.
Captain Lucas built the first tavern in the village, and
kept it until his death in 1825. His house for a long
time was headquarters for the Democratic leaders of Southern Ohio.
BUSINESS INTERESTS.
Mrs. Mary Warwick, general store;
C. J. Moulton, general store; Hover & Thomas,
grocery store; Haley & McCoy, grocery store; A.
Crane, notions and fruit; M. Crane, saloon; Henry T.
Martin, blacksmith; Frank Winters, blacksmith; R. J.
Smith, wagon maker; B. M. Yeager, grocery; Levi
Swartswood, blacksmith; John Morgan, wagon maker;
C. B. Anderson, carpenter; Vogle & Banks,
proprietors of the Valley Flouring-Mill; Postmaster, C. J. Mandon;
physicians, Dr. Jno. B. Warwick and Dr. H. C.
Beard. The population of Lucasville is about 360.
LUCASVILLE LODGE NO. 465.
was organized Oct. 16, 1872, with the following charter members:
Leonard Groninger, A. L. Groninger, Isaac Fullerton,
W. M. Thomas, Charles E. Wolf, J. N. Johnson, J. W.Wakefield, Jacob
Fisher, John B.Warwick, M. J. Noel, Nathan Janes.
First officers: Thos. J. Pursell, W. M.; A.
L. Groninger, S. W. ; J. W. Wakefield, J. W.; W. M.
Thompson, Secretary, and John B. Warwick, Treasurer.
The first lodge room occupied was over the store of W. J.
Thompson, which was neatly fitted up. The order has
flourished since its inception, and the lodge is now erecting a fine
hall at a cost of $2,700, contracted to be completed Oct. 15, 1883.
The building is 30 x 60, frame, two stories high, the ceilings
thirteen feet high. The upper room will be handsomely finished
and furnished for the use of the lodge, and the lower room will be
used by the town authorities as their Town Hall. The lodge has
now a membership of fifty-five, with the following as the officers
for the year 1883: W. M., T. M. Slavens; Secretary, C. E.
Wolf; S. W., Chas. Peters; S. D., Chas. Ellison;
J. W., R. J. Smith; J. D., J. M. Piles; Treasurer,
J. B. Warwick; Tyler, W. J. Thomas. Meeting on the
Tuesday on or before the full moon of each month.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
REV. WILLIAM ABERNATHY.
HENRY C. BEARD
DAVID BENNETT
VOLENTINE BERNTHOLD
JOSEPH BRANDT
JOSEPH H. BRANDT, JR.
SMILEY A. CALDWELL
CALEB B. CRULL
JOHN LOUIS DERNBACH
JOHN J. GRONINGER
COLONEL LEONARD GRONINGER
ISAAC NEWTON JOHNSON
ISAAC JOHNSON
JAMES O. JOHNSON
JESSE JOHNSON
JOHN H. MARSH
WILLIAM A. MARSH
JAMES M. McAULEY
GEORGE F. MILLAR
CHANDLER J. MOULTON
JAMES DAVIS THOMAS
JOHN B. THOMAS
WILLIAM J. THOMAS
WILLIAM M. THOMAS
GEORGE VOGEL
JOHN B. WARWICK
GEORGE H. WATKINS
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