THE ambitious disposition of Auburn Township's early
settlers was manifested in the selection of its
name. It was chosen, says trustworthy
authority, for the sole reason that its initial
letter was the first of the alphabet, and in
consequence it leads in alphabetical order the long
array of Tuscarawas County's civil subdivisions.
The township dates its birth on the 6th day of June,
1838. On that day, the Commissioners erected
it from portions of Bucks, Sugar Creek, Jefferson
and Dover Townships. Its boundaries, as then
established, are exactly the same as at present, as
follows: Beginning at the northwest corner of
Section 13, Township 8, Range 4; thence south four
miles to the southwest corner of Section 3, Township
7, Range 4; thence east on the section line three
miles to the southeast corner of Section 1, Township
7, Range 4; thence south eighty perches to the
southwest corner of Lot 37, Range 3; thence east
one-half mile to the southeast corner of said lot;
thence north 100 perches to the northeast corner of
the same lot; thence east two miles thence north
four miles to the northeast corner of the northwest
quarter of Section 13, Township 8, Range 3; thence
west five and one-half miles to the place of
beginning. Though slightly irregular in
outline, it may be said to be five and one-half
miles in length, east and west, and four in width,
north and south. It lies in Townships 7 and 8,
of Ranges 3 and 4, on the western edge of the
county. All its territory is Congress land,
except 16/100 acre military lots in the southeast
portion.
Sugar Creek courses northward through the township, but
is here a diminutive stream. The western part
of Auburn is drained by one of its branches, dubbed
Hog's Creek, in consequence, it is said, of the
unenviable reputation some of its settlers bore in
appropriating their neighbors' pork. The
eastern portion of the township is the source of
Stone Creek, which flows eastward into York.
The soil of the land is the excellent clay quality.
The hillsides and ridges are not so abrupt as
elsewhere in the county, and are generally
susceptible of cultivation. Large crops of the
cereals are produced, and fruit is grown in
abundance. Horses and cattle of improved stock
are found, but less attention is given to sheep and
hogs. One of the chief exports is Swiss
cheese. There are eight cheese factories in
the township, some of which are conducted on the
co-operative plan, and it is estimated that fifty
tons are annually produced. It is shipped
mainly to Pittsburgh, New York and Cincinnati.
[Pg. 504]
The mineral resources of Auburn are unexcelled in the
county. In the ridge about two and a half
miles northeast from Ragersville, is found a
ten-foot vein of blackband iron ore, from which
immense quantities have been shipped to Massillon
and Dover. The ore is conveyed by a
train road a distance of two and a half miles to
Blackband Station, on the C. & M. Railroad.
Large quantities of mountain ore exist, and
four-foot veins of coal are abundant, but are not
worked except for home consumption.
About a mile south of Ragersville, on the northeast
quarter of Section 2, and on a hillside facing Sugar
Creek Valley, is a fortification, doubtless erected
by Mound Builders. Three of two feet in
diameter covered the inclosure and embankment sixty
years ago. The fort is circular, and encloses
probably two acres. when first observed, the
embankment was five or six feet in height, with a
ditch on the inside. There were two entrances,
or passages. Since it has been brought under
the devastating effects of the plow, this relic of
antiquity has been greatly reduced in height.
The exact date of Auburn's first settlement is not
known. John Mizer was the first
pioneer, and he came before 1809, probably as early
as 1806. Originally from Pennsylvania, he has
settled near Salem, Harrison County, and thence came
to Tuscarawas, and entered and removed to the
northwest quarter of Section 12, in the northwest
portion of the township. He was a famous
hunter, and spent most of his time in the forests.
Dwelling here for a while he removed with his family
to the northwest quarter of Section 1, a mile south
of Ragersville. Many were his exploits with
wild animals in the solitudes of the wilderness,
where he often remained over night. Once when
sleeping amid the branches of a fallen tree, he was
awakened by the sniffing of a large animal near him.
Lying motionless till the animal had receded some
distance and was standing on an adjoining log, he
leveled his rifle and shot. A loud cry
followed and a tumble. In the morning, a large
bear, weighing 700 pounds, was found, shot through
the heart. Two other bears were killed by
Mr. Mizer that day. On another occasion,
he espied two cubs and shot one. He seized the
other, with intent to carry it home alive, but its
piteous cry attracted the mother which rushed to the
rescue with such hot haste that the hunter had
little time to reload his weapon. Dropping and
squalling cub, he poured some powder in the barrel
of his gun and two naked bullets on top.
Turning the gun just as the bear was about to reach
him, he shot and killed her. Mr. Mizer
remained in Auburn Township till game was getting
scarce, and his favorite occupation became no longer
possible. He then removed to the bills of
Coshocton County, where game was yet abundant, and
where he died in 1860, aged seventy-seven years.
His sons, Jacob and George, now reside
in Bucks township.
George, Jacob and Frederick were the
brothers of John Mizer. Frederick
settled in Holmes County and George and
Jacob in Section 1, Auburn Townships. They
too followed the chase. Jacob was once
hunting on White-Eyes Creek, and his dogs pursued
some game beneath a shelving rock. The daring
hunter crawled in, and saw before him a pair of
gleaming eyes. Calling to his brother John
for a gun, which was handed him, he aimed and
fired. The shot was successful, for a large
panther was killed. Jacob Mizer, later
in life, removed to Owen County, Ind.
He and John Mizer were members of the German
Reformed Church. George Mizer was a
Dunkard, and a life-long resident of the farm on
which he first settled in Auburn Township.
George Domer came with his father from
Pennsylvania to what is now Sugar Creek Township
before 1809. He entered and settled on the
northwest quarter of Section 13, the northwest
corner of Auburn, where he lived till his death.
In religious belief he was a Dunkard. Lewis
Lawbaugh, in 1810,
[Pg. 505]
came from Harrison County and entered and settled
upon the south half of Section 12. He was
formerly from Pennsylvania. The Indians often
visited his lonely cabin and called for something to
eat. Mrs. Lawbaugh usually complied
with their requirements, and they would seat
themselves around a stump before the cabin door, and
with a crock of milk and loaf of bread among them,
partake of her hospitality. In return, they
often left at her door a saddle of venison.
Mr. Lawbaugh was what is denominated a
Pennsylvania German and was a member of the German
Reformed Church. He died in 1823, aged
fifty-three years. His son Lewis, a
venerable citizen of seventy-five years, now resides
at Shanesville.
Until the close of the war of 1812, the wilderness
received its settlers very slowly, but about 1816 a
strong tide of emigration set in, which continued
until all the land was occupied. Land was not
placed upon the tax duplicate until five years after
it had been entered. In 1820, the following
settlers of Auburn, besides the above, were paying
taxes: Jacob Gonter, Daniel Keyser,
Christian Lavagood, Andrew Myers, George Murray,
Henry Miller, Christian Pershing, Israel Penrod,
Michael Rinehart, Adam Rinehart, Christian Royer,
David Seltenright, Christian Seltenright, John M.
Stonehocker and Philip Winkelpleck.
Jacob Gonter entered and occupied till his death,
the southwest quarter of Section 2, on the south
line of the township. He was a Lutheran and
hailed from Pennsylvania. Daniel Keyser
came, a widower, from Sandy Creek, and married
Polly Domer as his second spouse. He was
originally a Pennsylvanian. He entered the
southwest quarter of Section 13, where he lived till
his death. Christian Lavagood, also
from the Keystone State, entered and occupied for
the remainder of his life the northwest quarter of
Section 11. He was a Lutheran. Andrew
Myers, a Lutheran from Jefferson County,
purchased the northeast quarter of Section 13,
entered by John Lowmiller. George Murray,
a member of the same faith, entered and settled on
the southeast quarter of Section 13. Henry
Miller whose sister married John Mizer,
and who married a sister of the Mizers,
entered the southwest quarter of Section 1. He
was a Lutheran, came from Pennsylvania and afterward
removed with a large family to Williams County.
Christian Pershing, a Pennsylvania German
like most of his neighbors, and a Lutheran, became
the owner of the northeast quarter of section 11,
entered by Daniel Ermal. He remained
here through life. Israel Penrod, a
"Seventh-Day Baptist," purchased the northeast
quarter of Section 21, which was entered by
Michael Mower. Mr. Penrod was the first
blacksmith in the township and died here.
Michael Rinehart came from Pennsylvania in 1809,
entered the southeast quarter of Section 11, was in
the war of 1812, was a member of the Lutheran Church
and died in 1858, aged sixty-nine years.
Adam Rinehart, his brother, owned the southeast
quarter of Section 20, and afterward sold and moved
West. Christian Royer of Somerset
County, Penn., emigrated about 1813, and entered the
northwest quarter of Section 2, where he lived
through life. He was a Dunkard. David
Seltenright came with his family about 1816,
from Eastern Pennsylvania. He entered the
northwest quarter of Section 18, and remained in the
township until death. His wife was a sister to
Lewis Lawbaugh, and he was a member of the
German Reformed Church. Christian
Seltenright entered and occupied for a while the
southwest quarter of Section 23. John M.
Stonehocker came from Pennsylvania soon after
the war of 1812, and purchased the old Mizer farm,
the northwest quarter of Section 12. He was
then well advanced in life, and died soon after.
His descendants are citizens of Coshocton County.
Philip Winkelpleck entered the northwest
quarter of Section 21. He came form the
eastern part of the State, afterward sold the farm
he entered and removed to Holmes County, where he
died.
[Pg. 506]
Jacob Peterman came to the township about 1814.
He entered the southwest quarter of Section 21, but
a few years later disposed of it and settled in
Holmes County, near Rowville. A Mr. Dickey
was an occupant of the township in 1810, but he
owned no land. John Garver came in 1818
from Fayette County, Penn. Like most of the
other pioneers, he began life in the wilds of the
West with little or no means, and by economy and
industry acquired extended possessions. He
died in 1874. George Garver, his
brother, came about 1820. Christopher Neff
emigrated in 1820 from Somerset County, Penn., to a
farm near Ragersville, but survived his removal to
the West only three years. His son, Jonas
Neff, still resides on the old place.
Mr. Neff brought with him from Pennsylvania a
dog which became a fast friend of a pack of wolves,
and often roved the forests with them at nights,
remaining from home sometimes for several weeks.
The first mill in the township was built by Lewis
Lawbaugh operated it until his death, and his
sons then kept it in operation until about 1835.
Lewis Lawbaugh of Shanesville says that probably
the first schoolhouse in the township was built
about 1820, in the woods, on the present Jonas
Neff farm, a short distance south of
Ragersville. Many of the early teachers were
travelers from the East, and often proved worthless
for educational purposes. Not uncommonly they
were intemperate men, who on their well-asserted
claims of attainments would secure a subscription
school, which continued only until their incapacity
or their fondness for drink exhibited itself.
Jonas Neff farm, a short distance south of
Ragersville. Many of the early teachers were
travelers from the East, and often proved worthless
for educational purposes. Not uncommonly they
were intemperate men, who on their well-asserted
claims of attainments would secure a subscription
school, which continued only until their incapacity
or their fondness for a drink exhibited
itself. Jonas Neff remembers
a German and English school, taught by Mr.
Mefendish, of Shawneeville, as early as 1822, on
the present Andrews farm, about a mile
southwest from Ragersville. Among the
pupils were the Mizers and Edwards.
Mrs. Elizabeth Mizer, the wife of John Mizer,
Sr., also attended. She had received no
education in the East and had a strong desire to
learn to read. Schools, however, were taught
here before that of Mr. Mefendish.
The first church in the
township was erected before 1820, by the German
Reformed and Lutheran congregations, jointly.
It was a log church, and stood on the hill west of
the present Pleasant alley Union Church, in the
northwest portion of the township. Rev.
Abraham Snyder was the first Lutheran minister,
and Daniel Keyser and Andrew Myers
were leading members. The church was allowed
to decay a few years after Ragersville was founded,
and the memberships were transferred to
congregations of that village.
In the township are now two religious societies without
Ragersville. Stone Creek German Lutheran
Church is a log weather-boarded building, located on
the northeast quarter of Section 24. The
congregation is not large. Pleasant village
Union Church was built about 1875, on the northeast
quarter of Section 18, a small society of the United
Brethren persuasion worship here.
Not far distant from the center of Auburn, on the edge
of Sugar Creek Valley, lies the village of
Ragersville. It has attained an age of over
half a century, and its population in 1880 was 212,
an increase of fifty-two during the previous decade.
Its buildings include a great variety of
architectural types, and the nationality of its
citizens, to use the expression of one of them, is
about three-thirds German. An Irishman
or a Yankee cannot be found. A majority of the
adult denizens of the village are natives of Germany
or Switzerland, while most if not all the rest are
of that ancestry. In ordinary parlance German
is the prevailing tongue. An enumeration of
its business would reveal four general stores, three
saloons, three shoe shops, two blacksmith shops, one
harness shop, two wagon shops, one cooper shop, one
tailoring establishment.
[Pg. 507]
one cabinet-shop, one hotel and one large flour
mill. The school building is a two-story
frame, containing two apartments. One
physician, Dr. H. J. Peter, attends to the
physical ailments of the people, while three
structures have been reared to provide for their
spiritual welfare.
Ragersville was founded by Conrad Rager in 1830.
The original plat embraced twenty-two lots, all
facing on Main street, which extended North
seventy-two degrees west. In 1848, Conoway,
Snyder & Allender laid out an addition of twenty
lots, located on the east side of the Coshocton
road, and on the south side of Main street, east of
the Coshocton road. Daniel Zimmerman,
in 1849, made an addition of ten lots, on the north
side of Main street and east of the school lot.
In 1851, Levi Sargent made an addition of
thirty-four lots and several outlots south of Main
street and west of the Coshocton road, together with
seventeen outlots north of the village; but in 1866,
the greater part of this addition was vacated.
Peter Haas, in 1872, made an addition of four
lots on the south side of Main street, and three
outlots. In 1877, Daniel Zimmerman made
an addition of four lots, 11-14, directly east of
his first addition. In 1880, he made a third
addition, including three lots, 15-17 east of his
second addition.
Conrad Rager, the proprietor, came to this
township from Pennsylvania in 1828. He
purchased forty acres and erected a cabin, soon
after building an addition to the dwelling and
stocking it with goods, thus becoming the first
merchant in the township. He afterward removed
to Lockport, and died in the northern part of the
State while absent on business. Jacob Neff
bought from him the first lot in Ragersville, built
a cabin and became the first shoemaker. A
little later Willis Butler erected the first
tavern. The following were the first to engage
here in their respective vocations: Henry
Conoway, Physician; B. Dingledine,
tailor; S. Dingledine, saddler; Guy Young,
cooper; Adam Haas, wagon-maker
and liquor dealer; Snider Brothers,
tinners; Christ Schneider, organ
maker; Andrew McFarlan, artist; Hugh
Hughes, singing teacher; Charles
Espich, brick-maker, butcher
and gunsmith. Mathias Rager
was the first child born in the place, and the first
marriage was that of a Miss Butler to John
Pollins. John Miller and John Garver
were the proprietors of a tread-wheel carding
machine. A water mill was built on the branch
of Sugar Creek, a short distance below Ragersville,
by Michael Swagler as early as 1826.
The mill was afterward destroyed by fire, and the
water-right sold to Lewis Lawbaugh, who had
previously built the first blacksmith shop in
Ragersville. Lawbaugh rebuilt the mill
and built a shop close to it. He afterward
sold the mill to Christian Zeiser, who added
an engine with which to run the mill when the water
was low. Swegler also built just below
town, in 1826, a distillery in which the first
Sabbath school was afterward held. The large
steam flouring mill now owned by G. W.. Goudy &
Son, was built in 1851, by Sargent, Neff,
Snyder & Cames, at a cost of over $14,000.
Though it failed to remunerate its first owners, the
mill has proved a great advantage to the village and
the surrounding country. It now contains three
buhrs and a roller. Until quite recently,
besides doing a general custom business, it has
exported considerable flour.
A post office was established about 1840; John
Mossholder was the first Postmaster. Among
the early teachers were Philip Rinehart, D.
Newmeyer and Squire Dally. Ragersville
now has its fourth school building.
The first religious edifice in the village was built in
1837, by the Lutheran and German Reformed Societies.
The Lutheran congregation was organized in the
spring of 1836, by Rev. J. B. Reck, and the
same year Jacob Gonter and William Benell
were elected Elders, and Jonas Neff
and Samuel Allbaugh, Deacons. In 1845,
Rev. J. G. Harris succeeded Rev. Reck,
and the subse-
[Pg. 508]
quent pastors have been J. J. Miller, W. C.
Hauer, George Leiter, U. J. Knisely, Samuel
McReynolds, W. B. Bechtal, . R. Smith and L.
S. Jones. The congregation once numbered
almost one hundred, but it is now small. Since
1878, only occasional services have been held.
The German Reformed congregation has now a large
membership. It erected on the site of the old
church, in 1866, a much larger building, which it
now occupies. Rev. Noll is the present
pastor.
A Methodist Episcopal class was organized at
Ragersville about 1840, and in 1844 a brick church
edifice was erected on Lot 19, in the western part
of the village. John Walter and
Joseph Zimmerman were early members. In a
short time a flourishing society of seventy-five or
more members existed, but it then began to decline.
Deaths and removals lessened the membership, and
there was no material from which to recruit the
class. The incoming settlers were all of
German nationality, whose religious preferences were
for their own churches. The Methodist class in
consequence became extinct. Mrs. Kunz
is now the only surviving member in the village.
The old Methodist Church has been occupied for a few
years by a Dunkard Society, which previously had met
for many years in private houses and barns. It
is an old society, and among its early members were
Gabriel Neff, who was minister for a time,
John Penrod, George Garver, John Mizer,
Joseph Cherryholmes, George Harshman and
Joseph Ellenbarger. Rev. Jacob Summers was
an early minister, and Rev. William Johnson
is now in charge. The membership is about
sixty.
A Christian or Disciple Church was, about 1850, built
by a small congregation, of which John Shank
and Samuel Walker were members. The
society did not attain any considerable size, and in
a few years dissolved. The Lutherans now hold
occasional services in the building.
A complete official list of the township magistrates of
Auburn has not been preserved. The following
are all that are found on the record of oaths
administered: George Davis, 1831;
Henry D. Lehmer, 1849, resigned 1851; John W.
Gonter, 1849; John Travis, 1851; John
W. Gonter, 1852; John Travis, 1854;
Sebastian Dingledine, 1854; Frederick Neff,
1855; Sebastian Dingledine, 1857; John
Shank, 1858; Peter Kunz, 1860;
Sebastian Dingledine, 1861; Otto Boysen,
1863; Levi Travis, 1864; William Wager,
1866; Levi Travis, 1867; James W.
Stout, 1869; Levi Travis, 1870;
Sebastian Dingledine, 1871; George W. Goudy,
1872; H. J. Peters, 1875; Levi Travis,
1878; Samuel Zimmerman, 1878; H. J.
Peters, 1881; Levi Travis, 1881; John
B. Jones, 1882. |
