WAYNE TOWNSHIP
By Judge John W. Keys
pg. 555
Wayne Township was one of the four original townships into
which Warren county was divided by the Associate Judges, May
10, 1803. The original boundaries of the township were
as follows: Beginning at the northeast corner of
Section 33 in the third township; thence east to the
northeast corner of the county; thence south to a point
drawn due east from the north boundary of the third military
range; thence due west to the southwest corner of Section
25, in the fourth range; thence due north to the place of
beginning. When we take into consideration that the
east line of the county was as far east as where the town of
Wilmington now is, we see that the township covered a large
tract of territory, the west line being two miles farther
west than now and the south line being two miles farther
south than now. On the 26th day of June, 1806, Eaton
Township was formed, cutting off all of Wayne Township east
of Caesar’s Creek. Turtle Creek Township was formed
Aug. 5, 1804, and cut off of Wayne about two miles on the
south.
On the 11th day of September, 1815, Clear Creek
Township was formed of the territory of Wayne and Franklin
Townships, cutting off of Wayne a strip two miles wide on
the west side. On the 10th day of October, 1850,
Massie Township was formed out of Wayne and Washington
Townships, and, on the 11th day of June, 1851, some change
was made, by which a part of Massie was restored to Wayne
Township, since which time there has been no further change.
The incidents attending the settlement of a new country
are of particular interest to the parties, and, in after
years. there is no more pleasant enjoyment than for old
settlers to get together and relate the scenes through which
they have passed, and the part they bore in opening up and
developing the country. The children remember the
oft-told tale. and they, too, relate the incidents through
which their parents passed; after them comes another
generation, the country is opened and settled, they find all
things prepared for them and no record kept of the past, and
they feel but little interest in matters that transpired so
long ago.
As Samuel Highway, with those who were
associated with him and who accompanied him, appear to have
been the first settlers. I think it not improper to
here give the contract of purchase by Highway and his
partners, of John Cleves Symmes, and their
partnership contract:
ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT
BETWEEN JOHN CLEVES SYMMES AND JOHN SMITH, SAMUEL HIGHWAY
AND EVAN BANES.
Articles of Agreement made this third day of February in the
year 1796, between John Cleves Symmes, of North bend
in the county of Hamilton in the Terrytory of the United
States North West of the River Ohio, of the first part of
John Smith, Samuel Highway & Evan Banes of
the same County of the second part, are as followeth; (viz.)
The said John Smith, Samuel Highway & Evan Banes,
jointly and severally, for themselves, their heirs Executors
and Administrators agreeth and hereby covenanteth with the
said John Cleves Symmes to purchase of the said
John C. Symmes several certain unappropriated sections
lying in the northern tier of sections in the fourth Range
of Townships, and in the four Southern tiers of sections in
the fifth Range of Townships in the Miami purchase, and
County aforesaid, ranging the said tiers of sections from
Eat to West, every tier of which shall bound easterly on the
little Miami River including all the fractions, and
extending Westerly into the purchase in the following
manner, The most Southward tier shall extend from the Little
Miami River not less than three whole sections abreast,
Westerly, and not further west than the Eastern boundary
line of the second
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Township in Fourth and fifth ranges, which Western extent
shall be resolved on with three weeks from the date hereof,
by said John Smith, Saml Highway and Evan Banes
notifying the said John Cleves Symmes of such their
determination, Thence running North from a Western point so
to be by the said purchasers resolved in, & ascertained,
across the said Several tiers of sections, not further North
than the uper side of the fourth tier of section in the
fifth entire Range of Townships but falling as much short of
that line as the said purchasers may think proper, they
giving due notice thereof to the said John Cleves Symmes
within three weeks as aforesaid, they retaining however
twenty sections at least not exceeding fifty sections
inclusive of all fractions. And the said John Smith,
Saml Highway & Evan Banes, covenanteth and agreeth to
pay for all such lands as they retain nine shillings and
four pence half penny currency of seven shillings and six
pence to the dollar - equal to one dollar and twenty five
cents per acre for each & every acre of the land hereby
contracted for reserved sections always excepted with which
purchase money
MORE TO COME
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AGREEMENT BETWEEN SMITH,
HIGHWAY AND BANES.
Articles
SAMUEL HIGHWAY'S JOURNEY
TO WAYNESVILLE
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JAMES BOWYER
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RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES AND
CHURCHES.
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SCHOOLS.
PHYSICIANS.
The
first physician to locate in the township was Dr. Evan
Banes, who was associated with Highway in the land
purchase. He came from Virginia, settled here in 1799.
He was kindly spoken of by old settlers and regarded as a
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good physician. After remaining a few years, he
removed to Clark County. In 1804, Dr. Kemper,
from Cincinnati; in 1807, Dr. Joseph Canby; in 1814,
Dr. Martin D. Lathrope. Sylvanus Cornell
informed me some years ago that he brought Dr. Lathrope
with his movable effects, including a horse, from New York,
down the river on a raft; that he was engaged at that time
in rafting lumber to Cincinnati. Dr.
Lathrope died in Waynesville in 1823. Dr. John
E. Greer came here about 1823 and practiced until about
1837, when he moved to Indiana. Horace Lathrope,
a nephew of the Doctor above mentioned, practiced a few
years with his uncle and after his death.
TAVERNS.
James Corey, about the year 1800, put up a log
building in Waynesville, on Wabash square, on Main street,
and opened a house of public entertainment there (long since
known as the Hammel House stand), and was
probably the first to keep a house of public entertainment
in the township. Previous to 1806, the premises were
sold to James Jennings, from New Jersey, who
continued the business and erected a frame building.
As no absolute title could be given for lots until after
David Faulkner got a patent for the land in 1807,
in June of that year, Faulkner deeded to Jennings
in that square, Lots No. 7, 8, 4
and north half of 6, for $350. I am unable to state
how long Jennings continued in the business, but he
was succeeded by Samuel Beck. Robert
Way and Rich ard Cunningham. In
1817, Jennings deeded the stand. including Lots No.
4, 7, 8 and parts of 3 and 6, to John Warrell,
for $600. In 1822, Warrell improved the stand
by building thereon a large brick building, and sold out and
moved away in 1831. Between that date and 1841, a
tavern was kept there by Keene, Barnhart &
Durand, and N. McLean became the owner, and, at
the date above mentioned, sold to Enoch Hammel,
from New Jersey, who continued there until about 1863.
In 1804, a public house was kept by a Mr. Goodwin,
and the first election in the township was held at his
house. In 1810, Samuel Test sold to David
Hammett Lots 5 and 6. in Miami square, for $50.
Mr. Hammett built a large two-story house
thereon, plastered outside, with a walk around front to the
second story. It was peculiar in its structure, facing
three sides to the streets. A tavern was kept there by
Hammett and Richard Cunningham until 1819,
when it was kept by Levi Johnson, and after
him by Brady. No hotel was kept there after
1824. The building will be remembered by the older
citizens as the “Old Penitentiary.”
A house of entertainment was opened at a very early day
on Third street - probably 1805, by David Holloway,
and another at the upper end of Main street in a large
two-story log house as early as 1808. by Samuel
Martin, who continued until after the war. The tavern
house at the crossing of Main and North streets,
Waynesville, was built in 1826. by Joshua Ward.
Israel Woodruff was the first to keep a tavern
there. who only remained one year. Then by Josuha
Ward; 1828 and 1830, by Brice Curran;
1835, by S. M. Linton. I will not pursue its
occupants: it is now (1881) the property of Samuel
Cornell & Son.
A tavern was opened previous to 1820 on the Lebanon
road, at the crossing of the Middetown road, in a log
building, by Adam Morris. It was for
wagoners and travelers a favorite stopping-place; after the
building of the turnpike road it was rendered valueless as a
tavern. Taverns were opened at an early day at Mount
Holly and Raysville, but by whom or when I am not advised.
The tavern at Mount Holly, in 1836, was kept by Peter
Dehaven. The editor of a paper published in
Cincinnati in 1810, called the Freeman’s Journal,
made a tour through the State. and, in August of that year,
on his return, says: “Crossing the Little Miami River, I
arrived in Waynesville.
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The town was laid out on a high and healthy tract. * *
There are about fifty families, three or four stores and
about as many taverns." It is unfortunate that he did
give the names of the owners of the stores and taverns.
DISTILLERIES.
EARLY INDUSTRIES.
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S. B. Greely
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BRIDGES.
STORES
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John Satterthwaite; in 1813, by Satterthwaite &
Linton; in 1819, David Brown and others. At
that date, no knives and forks or cups and saucers (except
of potter's ware) could be bought in the town.
PRICES OF LAND.
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MARRIAGES.
I
will now give some of the early marriages of the township.
Many, no doubt, will be omitted that might with propriety be
inserted. Previous to 1803, license had to be obtained
from Cincinnati and among Friends, previous to 1803, by the
authority of their monthly meeting in Pennsylvania. It
was not unusual, however, if a couple desired to marry, to
advertise it, and then appoint a public meeting and unite in
marriage by a public declaration -after the manner of the
Friends. I have been informed that William Mills,
who came here from Carolina in1799, was married in that way.
By furnishing proof of publication to a Justice or minister,
parties could be married without license:
1803 - Benjamin Jones and Hannah
Julien
1804 - Matthew Compton and Rachel
Campbell; Ennnis Baldwin and Sarah Hunt.
1805 - William Pope and
Grace Lupton; William Edwards and Jemima
Bridges; Thomas Perkins and Sarah O'Neall;
Henry Millhouse and Jane Strawn; John Cook
and Dinah Spray; David Linton and Letitial
Silvers.
1806 - Samuel Jay and Bethsheba Pugh; Joseph
Cloud and Jane McCoy; Job Carr and Ruth Mason;
Jacob Paxton and Sidney Richards; Isaac Waldrup
and Kitty Campbell; Joseph Chenoweth and Nancy
James; Burwell Goode and Elizabeth Smith; Nathan
Linton and Elizabeth Smith; Jonathan Mote and
Susanna Hollingsworth; Eli Jenkins and Ruth
Mendenhall.
1807 - John Compton and Ann Pearick;
Jonathan Sanders and Lydia Lupton; Thomas Sanders
and Elizabeth Pope; John Sears and Penelope
Johnson; Isaac Mills and Catharine Richards; John Jay
and Mary Steddom; James
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Cook and Elenor Matlock; Thomas Clark and
Rachel Martindall; Alexander Stewart and Rebecca
Clark.
1808 - Thomas Swift and Verlinda Pugh;
Job Pugh and Nancy Swift; Robert Sale and
Magdalene Smith; David Brown and Mary ____; Noah
Haines and Ann Silvers; William Gray and Mary
Cleaver; John Jeffreys and Esther Prewett.
1809 - Allen Clutch and Rachel Austin;
John Satterthwaite and Elizabeth Linton; Samuel Tamset
and Sarah Clark;
1810 - Israel Wright and
Leah Ferree; Frederick Stanton and Hannah Suffrins;
James Edwards and Martha Manning; Cornelius Morford
and Margaret Ray; Jonathan Clark and Ruth
Elmore; Samuel Highway and Mary Jennings.
1811 - Robert Cummings and
Polly O'Harro.
1812 - Samuel Brown and
Rebecca Evans; Abraham Cook and Ruth Hawkins; Stephen Cook
and Elizabeth Evans.
1813 - David Evans and
Rachel Burnet Micaja Johnson and Rebecca O'Neall;
Thomas Evans and Hannah Pedrick; John Shaw and
Elizabeth Wright; Daniel Wharton and Margaret
Cunningham.
1814 - George Phillips and Ann McCoy;
Joshua Carman and Jane James; Obediah Smith and
Margaret Holloway; William Chenoweth and Catharine
Chenoweth; David Morgan and Rebecca Brown; George
Hatton and Margaret Foulk.
1815 - Benjamin Ninde and
Jane Whitacre; Abner Hibbs and Esther Lynch; John W. Smith
and Sarah Evans; Martin Robinson and Abigail Swift.
1816 - William O'Neall and Martha Smith;
George Moss and Fannie ____; Benjamin Barnhart
and Elizabeth Holloway; Aaron Chandler and Hannah
Ward; Jesse O. Jones and Mary Ward; Sylvanus Cornell
and Sarah Florer; Josiah Rogers and Abigail
Cleaver; Martin D. Lathtrope and Rebecca Wright; Joel
Wright and Ann Bateman.
1817 - Samuel Rogers and
Pamelia Heaton; Clement Messick and Sarah Suffrins;
Abraham Gause and Jane Mullen; Stephen Covert and
Elizabeth Wicker; Gamaliel Davis and Ann Smith;
Edward Hatton and Rachel Lukens; Abraham
Hollingsworth and Sarah Pigeon; Henry Millhouse
and Sarah Horner.
1818 - Seth Cook and
Ruth Cook; Samuel Brown and Ruth Gause; Benjamin
Butterworth and Ruth Welch; Josiah Davis and
Anice Little; Ellis Pugh and Sarah Mills; Stephen
Pardee and Patty Welch; Uriah Farquer and
Sarah Jennings; Joseph Mannington and Lydia Lynch.
1819 - Robert Huston and Sarah Shaw;
Ishmael Pugh and Tabitha Cunningham; Thomas Bunting
and Catharine Holloway; David Wilson and Eliza
Kay; David Montgomery and Anna Barton; Levi Cook
and Ann Hasket; Peter Cleaver and Sarah Crews.
1820 - Nathan David and Lydia
Cleaver;George Mather and Mary Ricket; James R.
Johnson and Rhoda O'neall; Samuel Stephenson, Jr.,
and Hepsiba Evans; Joshua Jones and Harriet
Pugh; John Woods and Sarah A. Lynch; Caleb
Sattterthwaite and Rebecca Ward; Jacob Chenoweth
and Charlotte Cabe.
1821 - Samuel Barton and
Nancy Holloway; Samuel Cornell and Susanna Crane;
William Graham and Ary Clymer; Jesse Flora and
Nancy Wilson; Jonathan Hillman and Dorothy Moore;
Curtis Mills and Sarah Stratton; Evan Ward and
Catharine Jeffers; Benjamin Brown and Sarah Chapman;
George Evans and Sarah Hasket; John Buret and
Elizabeth Hawkins; Joseph Lukins and Hannah Brown.
1822 - John Lashley and
Grace Borton; Horace Lathrope and Jane Worrell;
Cornelius Ratcliff and Mary Kinley; Jacob Doan
and Hannah Stubbs; Benja-
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win L. Satterthwaite and Ruth Evans; Richard Pedrick and
Mary Evans; William Edwards and Elizabeth Newman; Benjamin
Lukins and Mary Satterthwaite; Ellis Ward and Mary E.
Newman.
1823 - Thomas Kersey and
Letitia Craig; James Smith and Mary C. Brown; William
Cox and Rachel Tamset; Jeffrey Truman and
Dorothy Isham; Edward L. Kenrick and Patience Barton;
Levi Pugh and Sarah Naylor.
1824 - John King and Rachel Billingsley;
Henry J. Goode and Margaret McKay; Peter
Dutterow and Charlotte Roberts; William Brown and
Lucinda Blackford; Conrad Smith and Sarah Ridge;
Ezekiel Cleaver and Elizabeth Carr; Ezekiel L.
Cleaver and Mary Taylor; Moses Kelly and
Abigail Satterthwaite.
1825 - Moormon Butterworth
and Fanny Smith; Isaac Engle and Mary E.
Haines; John Brown and Rebecca Barton; Noah Jones
and Sarah Copner; Joshua Jones and Catharine
Lawrence; James Spray and Biddy Fox; William White
and Agnes Wilson; Mason Borden and Louisa Small;
John McGahee and Polly Smith; Benjamin Barnhart
and Polly Holloway; Benjamin Clifton and Mary
Williams.
1826 - William Butterworth
and Elizabeth Linton; Seth Furnas and Dinah
Kindley; Henry Small and Kesiah Ware; Thomas Bispham
and Eliza Jennings; Vachel Tharp and Jane
Hunt; James Clutch and Deborah Ray; Charles Bradshaw
and Phebe Morris; Ustacy and Mary Ann Filer;
Shepherd Flora and Mary Crossley; Philip Mintle
and Mary Smith; Dayton Holloway and Cynthia A.
Conner.
1827 - Joseph Oats and
Elizabeth Gray; Henry Clark and Ann Antram; Samuel
Silvers and Tamson Haines; John McGinnis and
Mary Ann Crispin; Richard Hopkins and Hannah Wharton.
1828 - Jason Evans and Amyra
Haines; Samuel Kelly and Achsa Stubbs; Joel
Satterthwaite and Phebe Watson; Thomas Phillips
and Catharine Davis; Samuel Gordon and Martha
Montgomery; Nathan Everhart and Aseneth Howe; Ellis
Pugh and Mary Edwards; Abijah O'Neall and
Eleanor Hall.
SOME
EARLY SETTLERS.
The account of the trip through from Philadelphia by
Messrs. Bailly and Highway to Waynesville, and of the
parties that accompanied them from Columbia, is silent as to
the names of the persons. Enough, however, is known
that the young Englishmen whom Mr. Highway hired in
Philadelphia for two years for 50 pounds currency, were
John and Samuel Tamset and the two women
mentioned in the narrative were their wives. They
afterward settled a short distance west of Waynesville on
tracts of land each of eighty acres (now owned by S. S.
Haines). Each of them raised large families of
children. John died about 1824, and Samuel,
in 1830, sold out, and, with his family,
moved to the St Joseph country. The wives they brought
with them from England both died. and they afterward married
sisters by the name of Clark. Their only
descendants remaining are John Tamset, near
Raysville, and Sarah Pugh, at Bell Brook, children of
John.
Culbert Watson came to the town from Columbia
with Highway, and drove one of the wagons. He
shortly after came to the township and settled on section
33, Town 4, Range 5.
Rev. James Smith, who was in
Waynesville in October 1797 mentions in his journal the fact
that there were then about fourteen families settled here.
I have made every effort that has suggested itself to my
mind to get their names or a part of them, but without
success.
I supposed when I first read the mention of Highway
by the Rev. Smith,
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that Highway had emigrated to this country but a
short time before making a settlement here. I have
since seen a record of an oath of his, made for the purpose
of becoming naturalized. in 1804, in which he stated he had
been a citizen of the State of Ohio and of the Northwest
Territory for twelve years; that would have brought him into
the territory in 1792.
I will give the names of such as I have of settlers
after those I have mentioned, viz, Abijah O’Neall and
family, James Corey, Josiah Sutton,
Charles Monroe, Ezekiel Bell, Mr.
Isham, John Quigley, William
Mills.
In 1799, Martin Hester lived on a part of
Section 10, Town 4, Range 4. Obidiah Walker
lived on the same section; a man by the name of J. Sutton
lived on said section at a later date. Abraham
Studybaker and ___ Miller lived on Survey No.
2,464.
In 1800, Samuel Martin, who lived at the upper
end of Waynesville, built a large two-story log dwelling,
and sunk a tanyard on the flat on the opposite side of the
road as it is now; also under the hill a brewery and
distillery; his water supply came from Satterthwaite's
spring. He also kept a hotel.
In 1801, Samuel Kelly, David
Faulkner, David Painter, James
Mills, Joshua Carman, William
James. In the fall of that year Ezekiel
Cleaver came here from Virginia, leaving his family at
Brownsville, and put up a house at the crossing of Third and
Miami street, on the east corner of said crossing in
Waynesville, and, in the spring of 1802, moved here with his
family. With him came John Mullen,
Rowland Richards, David Holloway
and others. The same year, Samuel Linton,
of Pennsylvania, moved here with three sons and two
daughters. He afterward settled on Todd’s Fork.
Henry Seaman and Jonathan Newman
came here that year with their families. Newman
came first from South Carolina and settled in
Tennessee, and after that removed here.
In 1803, I find Jemima Wright and her
family - Jane, Joshua, Jemima, Joab
and Joel were here with others whose names 1 have
been unable to obtain.
In 1804, among others, Edward Kinley, Robert Furnas,
Amos Cook, William Lupton, Samuel Spray, Solomon Lupton,
Jordan Whitsen, Amos Hawkins, David Pugh. Matthew Compton,
John Jay, Samuel Pearson, Benjamin Evans, Charles Bridges,
Asher Brown, John Embree, Thomas Perkins, Isaac Perkins,
John Beals, Joseph Wilson and John Furnas
and the families of all that had families, and Noah
Haines and John Haines and Isaac
Ward.
In 1805, Azariah Pugh, Ellis Pugh, George C. Ward,
Isaac Cook, Nathaniel Edwards and their families,
Seth Silver and daughter, Samuel Test, John Sanders.
Joseph Cloud, David Jones, Jonathan Wright and the
families of such as had them.
In 1806, Gaines and Philip Goode,
Benjamin Hopkins, Jonathan Wright,
Isaac Cook, David Suffrins,
Hezekiah Sanders, Jonah Wright,
Joel Wright, Israel Wright,
George Phillips, John Wright,
Samuel Gause and their families.
In 1807, David Faulkner, Isaac Haskit, Edward
Thomas, Jonathan Crispin, Nathan and Richard Goodwin.
Also previous to 1810, Joseph Chenoweth,
Burwell Goode, Thomas Clark, Alexander Stewart, Robert Sale,
Allen Clutch, Cornelius Morford and John Craft
were here. I might here mention that previous to 1820,
John Satterthwaite, Obediah Smith,
David Morgan, George Isham,
Benjamin Jones, James Boyd,
Jesse Palmer, Samuel Boyd,
Joshua Merryman, Thomas Hall,
Elias Hollingsworth, Aquilla West,
Philip Pedrick, Luther Ball,
Eli Cook, Abram Elliott, Francis
Cunningham, William Hendley, Thomas
Holloway, Henry Clark, Enoch
Gardner, Jesse Johnson, Wright
Cook, Moses Martindale, Joseph
Rogers, Sr., Joseph Rogers,
Samuel Rogers, William Bunting,
Thomas and John Bunting, Isaac
Keys, James Holland, Thomas
Bispham, Ezra Adams, William
Barton, Elias
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Cabe, Daniel Antram, John Clements, Benjamin Barnhart,
Joshua Jones, John Worrell, Thomas Swift, Isaac Brazetton,
John Everhart, John Archer, John Pool, Jack Brown, Jacob
Mintle, Israel Williams, Jacob Clark, ____ Ray, Samuel
Cornell, Thomas Ricket, William Moore, James Smith. Joseph
Mannington, William Wilkerson, Robert Cummins, Isaac Johns,
Samuel Welch, Abraham Bowman, William Martindale, Elias Cabe
and many others that do not now occur to me were
residents.
William James came here in 1801, and settled on
Section 3 Town 3, Range 5; he was elected as one of eight
members of the Legislature from Hamilton County in the first
general election under the constitution of 1802, and was a
member at the time of the formation of Warren County, and
was elected one of the first Associate Judges of the
county, and assisted in dividing the county into townships.
In 1804, he rode horseback to Columbia to attend a Baptist
association, of which order he was an active member, and was
injured in the ride and died at Columbia and was buried
there.
Intemperance and other follies gave trouble to the
Friends; occasionally some of their members would be
addicted to them, but it can be said of them as a class that
they always bore testimony against those follies, and always
exercised at fraternal watchfulness and care over their
members.
In 1812, Ezekiel Cleaver rode horseback
from here to Baltimore to attend a Yearly Meeting of the
Friends; his daughter Abigail, then about sixteen
years of age, made the trip with him.
MILLS.
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OFFICERS.
There are no records that can be found of township officers
previous to 1816. Early Justices of the Peace, so far
as I can learn them, were as follow: John Buckels
in 1803; I think he was a Justice under the Territorial
organization; he settled and lived on Section 26, Town 3,
Range 5; David Pugh, 1805; Jonathan
Newman, 1807; John Satterthwaite, most of
the time from
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Wm. Butterworth
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1813 to 1833; Martin Robinson, 1816;
Benjamin Barnhart, 1818; George C. Ward,
1825; Ellis Stokes, 1830; Samuel
Rogers, 1835; also John Walcott, 1814;
Gaines Goode, 1819; Burwell Goode.
from about 1818 to 1830, and John W. Smith, 1824.
Constables. Thomas Biggs, 1813;
Reason Reagan, 1814; Richard Dunningham 1815;
Joshua Carman 1816; Samuel Rogers, most of the
time from 1820 to 1835, and Jesse Ware, 1824.
From the time of the first settlement until 1804, the
post office was at Cincinnati. Residents relied more
for their letters and news on emigrants than they did on the
mail. Samuel Highway was the first
Postmaster; he was appointed Apr. 1, 1804, and held the
office until Jan. 1, 1814, when David Pugh was
appointed; he held until Jan. 1, 1817, when Noah
Haines was appointed; he held the office until the time
of his death, which occurred, I think, in 1833, John M.
Hadden was then appointed, and held the office for many
years. The mail was carried on horseback. I have
not the route for those early years, but in 1817,
Waynesville was on the route from Cincinnati to Detroit.
It was carried in that manner until 1827, when the first
line of stages was put on from Cincinnati to Springfield by
John Satterthwaite, of Waynesville, and
William Worden, of Springfield. When the
weather was pleasant and the roads were good, the regular
stage was used; when not, a long square wagon, which“
received the name of “Black Hawk" was used. Many
amusing incidents were related by travelers about having to
get out and pry the vehicle out of mud-holes with rails, and
the drivers instructing them to hold on to their rails, as
there were other mud-holes ahead. Many of the
travelers declared they did not mind walking, but were
opposed to carrying a rail.
In 1838, the first turnpike road was made through the
township - the Cincinnati, Lebanon & Springfield.
Although the citizens of the township have always taken
a lively interest in politics, they have never been
politicians as generally understood by that term.
Allen Wright was first elected Auditor, while a
citizen of this township, in 1824, and held the office until
1843; Burwell Goode was elected Commissioner
in 1824, and held the office until 1836; Noah
Haines, from 1831 to 1833; David Evans,
from 1841 to 1844.
Allen Wright was County Surveyor from 1803 to
1823. I will nlot name the county officers further as
the county history gives them.
The following persons, raised in the township, have
been members of the Legislature, viz., Hon. George
J. Smith, from this county; John Q. Smith, a
member of both branches, from Clinton County, and also a
member of Congress; Thomas J. Keys, of Stockton City,
Cal., both branches; Hon. Seth S. Haines is the only
one residing in the township that ever was elected a member
of that body.
TOWNS.
The following towns have been laid out in Wayne Township
as it was and is: Waynesville, by Highway, Smith
& Banes, February, 1706; acknowledged and recorded,
1802; Oakland, by James Murray, December,
1806; contained seventy-two lots; Freeport, by Ignatius
Brown_ and Nebo Grant, November, 1816;
contained twenty-seven lots; Crosswicks, by James
Jennings, July, 1821; contained twelve lots; Harveysburg,
by William Harvey, January, 1820; contained
forty-seven lots; Mount Holly, by Jacob Pearson,
July, 1833; contained twenty-five lots; Raysville, by M.
Mills & Bro. and others, November, 1855; contained
twenty-two lots; it had a name long before it was platted;
Corwin, about 1844, by John Johnson and
Joel W. Johnson.
Page 586 -
CONCLUDING
NOTES.
Highway & Co. failed to realize out of their purchase
what they expected, and were involved in a number of law
suits, which continued for a number of years, in reference
to the titles of land sold by them, and, as I shall probably
not refer to them again, I will observe that Mr.
Highway was born in Shropshire, England, and emigrated
to the United State in 1791, with an ample fortune of goods
and money. He was about six feet, six inches in height
and weighed 300 pounds. He removed from here to
Cincinnati in the latter part of 1813, and there died in
1817.
The first newspaper was the Miami Visitor, in
1850, by Jesse W. Elliott.
Mrs. Sarah Keys, now in her ninety-fourth year,
and Joseph Rogers, now in his ninety-third, and
Charlotte Dutterow, about the same age, and
Rebecca Stewart, I believe are the oldest persons in the
township.
The citizens have generally sympathized with the
oppressed, and were generally anti-slavery. In the
winter of 1837-38, two negroes ran away from near Lexington,
Ky. They traveled together to Lebanon, and there
separated: one took the road to Dayton and the other
came this way. They were pursued, by two men traveling
by stage who, about midnight, discovered one of the slaves,
an old man named Hazard, near Genntown, arrested him
and brought him to this place. In the early morning,
the citizens discovered the negro tied by a rope above the
elbows. When the natural inquiry was made as to the
cause, they were informed he was a runaway “ nigger."
The citizens demanded that he be untied, which was done.
The negro was very penitent, we sorry he had run away, was
coaxed away, had a good master, etc. The agents were
informed that they could not take Hazard unless they
could produce necessary authority to do so. It was
finally agreed to leave the negro in charge of some persons
(Reeve Holland was one), and one of the
citizens waste go with one of the agents to Lebanon and take
counsel of Judge Smith as to their
authority. On the return of the party in the evening,
the citizens were advised that the agents had no authority.
Hazard was then given his choice the - citizens
informed him if he wanted to go back he could do so; if not,
he should not be taken by force. Hazard
brightened up and said he preferred to resume his journey.
His little property was demanded and given to him, and a
citizen a few days after, informed me he saw Hazard
nine miles on the road north, and some time after both got
through to Canada.
In 1840 or 1841, some Virginians were moving through to
Missouri with their slaves. It was claimed by
slave-owners that they had a right to cross the State with
their slaves for the purpose of business, or removal, when
their destination was another Slave State. This was
denied by the anti-slavery people of Ohio. A warrant
was sworn out before Jonathan Clark, a Justice
of the Peace here, by Dr. Brooks, and the
slave-owners were arrested between this place and Franklin,
and brought back and tried here. Judge George J.
Smith and Robert G. Corwin were counsel for the
prosecution, and Charles Anderson of Dayton,
for the defendants. After hearing the case, Squire
Clark discharged the defendants. Some persons
about Springboro and vicinity spirited away the slaves, or a
part of them; they were afterward indicted by the grand jury
and tried, I believe, before Judge Hinkson in
the Warren County Court of Common Pleas, convicted and
sentenced to fine and imprisonment in the dungeon. The
Supreme Court was in session at Cincinnati, a writ of error
obtained therefrom, and the defendants were released from
imprisonment. The case finally came before the Supreme
Court of the State, when the question was settled
definitely, as claimed by the anti-slavery party.
In conclusion, I have to say that the names of many
persons no doubt Page
587 -
have been omitted that should have appeared. Their
descendants will excuse the omission. When it is
remembered that our early settlers are gone and no record of
them could be found, it will readily occur to the reader
that it is not to be wondered at that some names are
omitted. I only claim that I have used the best
evidence I could obtain. On many points no doubt many
will differ with me. They must remember that they rely
on their memory, while I have relied not only on memory but
on evidence in all cases where the same was obtainable.
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