SURVEYED in 1807, by
Jonathan Cox. On the 11th of
April, 1812, the Commissioners of Wayne County,
namely: James Morgan, John Carr,
and Jacob Foulkes, divided the
county into four townships - the western part,
including what are now Jackson, Perry, Mohican, and
Lake, and part of Washington, in Holmes County; and
the west half of what are now Clinton, Plain,
Chester, and Congress, in Wayne County, and
organized this territory as one township, under the
name of MOHICAN. Thus is Mohican the "mother
of" townships; and once embraced an area
fully equal in extent to one-half of that which now
constitutes Ashland County.
There are few townships in the county the early
settlement of which contains material of more
historical value than Mohican. It was among
the first settled and the first organized of any of
the townships which now compose Ashland County.
Portions of it possessed historic interest near a
century before an attempt at settlement by whites
was made, as will be seen by recurring to preceding
pages of this work.
The
following is furnished by Mr. Larwill, of Wooster,
one of the earliest of the pioneers of Wayne County:
-
Names of
Heads of Families in Kilbuck Township, being the
Territory which now forms Wayne and part of Holmes
County, and the Townships of Mohican, Lake, Perry,
and Jackson, in Ashland County, as returned by the
Census taker in the year 1810.
Christian Smith
John Smith
Robert
Meeks
Josiah Crawford
Benjamin Miller*
Samuel Martin
Joseph Hughes
Jesse W.
Cornelius
David Kimpton†
Smith, David
Ebenezer Warner
Isariah
Smith
Benjamin Bunn
Alexander Finley
Thomas Eagle
Amos Norris
James S.
Priest
William Metcalf
John L. Dawson
Richard Healy
William Laylin
Jonathan
Grant
James Beam |
John
Newell
Bateese Jerome‡
Jacob
Amman
Westel Ridgley
Stephen Morgan
William Nixon
Coonrod Bowers
William
J. Kelley
Hugh Moore
Valentine Smith,
Sr.
Valentine Smith, Jr.
John Smith
Daniel Doty
Philip Smith
Andrew
Alexander
Samuel Henderson
Jacob
Foulks
Andrew Luckey
Vatchel Metcalf
Jesse Richards
Michael Switzer§
Philip Griffith
John Driskel. ** |
* Joseph H.
Larwill was enumerated in Benjamin Miller's
family.
†
William Larwill was enumerated in David
Kimpton's family
‡
Baptiste Jerome - from
whom Jeromeville was named.
§
The man killed in Stibbs's Mill by
the explosion of gunpowder, as related in Howe's
History.
** The chief of
the land pirates, whose crimes in the Township of
Green and neighborhood are elsewhere noticed.
He resided upon the Blackleyville Prairie at the
time this census was taken.
-----------------------------------
The total population of all ages and sexes was three
hundred and thirty-two. Wooster was made the
seat of justice in 1811. Previously the whole
county, as before explained, was called Kilbuck
Township. Population of
Mohican Township in 1820.................... 632
Population of Mohican Township in 1830....................1316
Population of Mohican Township in 1840....................2046
Population of Mohican Township in 1850....................1774
Population of
Mohican Township in 1860....................1712
James David *
George Clark *
Joseph
McCombs
James Bryan *
Benjamin Bunn *
Daniel Keller *
Francis Winbigler *
Richard Winbigler *
John Keller *
Kendall Beard
Josiah Beard
Silas Allen
*
John Winbigler *
Robert F. Capler *
John Shinnebarger *
Asa H. Beard
Benjamin Tyler
James Collier *
Luke
Ingmand
Thomas Selby
John Smith
Major Tyler
Thomas Smurr
Francis
Carothers
Cyrus Beard
Edward Metcalf *
Thomas Kearns *
George Geer
Hyatt Bunn
*
James Huff
Harvey Smurr *
John
Barger
Jacob Lybarger *
John Kearns *
Thomas B. McClure *
William Pollock
Robert W. Smith
William Eagle * |
John M. Musgrove *
William Kearns
John
Musgrove *
Thomas Wisner
Solomon
Trippier
Luther Freeman.
Isaiah
Anderson *
Carpenter David *
John
Glenn, Jr.
Samuel Heller *
William
Wible
George Ensminger
Frederick Kiser
*
Jacob Stoler *
John Buzzard
John
Glenn *
John Otto *
Edmund Ingmand
Matthias Otto *
Thomas Metcalf
Simeon
Beall *
Samuel Beall
Benjamin Finley *
Calvin Beard *
William Newbrough
William Glenn *
Alex. Mitchell *
Archibald S. Kennedy *
John Naylor
Aquilla Naylor
William McCummins *
John Bevan *
John Friot *
Jonathan
Potts.
John Finley
Charles Beard *
William Lash
Samuel E. Warner * |
A memorandum, furnished
by Judge Ingmand, says that of the
seventy-six voters whose names appear in that of the
seventy-six voters whose names appear in the above
list, only ten are now residents of the township;
forty-three are known to be dead; thirteen are known
to be living elsewhere; ten are either deceased or
residing in other States, or other counties in Ohio.
Those marked with an asterisk (*) are know to be
dead.
An Estate of Johnny Appleseed.
Alexander Finley, in his lifetime, sold to
Jonathan Chapman what is estimated
to be three acres, in the southeast corner of the
southwest quarter of section 26 - being in the
quarter originally entered by said Finley,
and which is now owned by A. J. Young,
and forms part of the little town of Lake Fork.
This land was deeded to Chapman by
Finley, but the deed was lost,
though recorded, and the tract never transferred on
the auditor's books. The taxes have regularly
been paid, by Finley's heirs, when
in their possession, and by the present owner,
Mr. Young, since the farm came into
his ownership. Recently, other parties, after
fruitless efforts to buy of the heirs of
Finley, have taken possession of the
disputed tract, and assumed ownership by virtue of
such possession. Chapman had
made slight improvement, and started a small
nursery.
CHURCHES IN
MOHICAN TOWNSHIP.
LAKE FORK CHAPEL.
The
Methodist Episcopal denomination have a church of
this name, situated on the east side of Jerome Fork,
within a few rods of the county line, and half a
mile east of Lake Fork Post-office. The
building, which is a frame, was erected in 1858, and
is 28 by 34 feet. The congregation had
previously worshiped in the school-house, near Lake
Fork. Rev. Mr. Starr and
Rev. Mr. Wilcox supply the pulpit
for the current year. Mark Wilson
is steward and class-leader. There are twenty
members.
UNITED BRETHREN.
This denomination have a church organization and
building, three-fourths of a mile north of Lake
Fork. There are twenty members. Rev.
Mr. Price has charge of the congregation.
S. A. Taylor is steward of the
church. The building was erected in 1857 and
is 30 by 38 feet. It is known as the Fairview
Chapel.
The same
denomination also have a church on the east line of
the township, known as the "Oak Grove
Meeting-House," under the charge of the clergyman
above named. The building is 26 by 30, and was
erected in 1858. There are fifty members
belonging to the church. Solomon Kahl
is the steward.
EXTRACTS
FROM THE OFFICIAL RECORDS OF
MOHICAN TOWNSHIP.
ELECTION
OF APRIL, 1858.
Clerk, Charles K. Bollman -Trustees,
John Metcalf, Joseph Heichel, and Zebulon Metcalf -
Treasurer, Samuel Rouch.
ELECTION OF
APRIL, 1849
Clerk, T. J. Hargrave - Trustees,
J. D. Karns, Tomas Metcalf, and Elias Bates -
Treasurer, E. J. Vanimmon.
ELECTION OF
APRIL, 1860.
Clerk, T. J. Hargrave - Trustees,
J. D. Karns, Thomas Metcalf, and Elias Bates -
Treasurer, E. J. Vanimmon.
ELECTION OF
APRIL, 1861
Clerk, J. J. Winbigler - Trustees,
Thomas Metcalf, Joseph Austin and George Bender -
Treasurer, John Garst
ELECTION OF
APRIL, 1862.
Clerk,
J. A. Strayer - Trustees, George Bender,
David Ely, and John Garn - Treasurer, John
Garst - Assessor, Joseph Heichel -
Constables, J. S. Wetherbee and John Heichel.
JUSTICES
OF THE PEACE FOR
MOHICAN TOWNSHIP
(INSERT
NAMES AND DATES)
JEROMEVILLE.
The town was laid out on the 14th of February, 1815,
by Christian Deardoff and William Vaughn.
Population in 1830 .................123
Population in 1860 ................. 332
Borough Officers for 1862
Mayor: S. H. Hand - Recorder:
John Wilson - Council: B. Hildebrand, John
Hoffman, G. W. Britton, John Webster, and Henry
Bower - Treasurer: E. J. Van Immon.
The town contains 4 churches, 1 physician, 1 hotel,
1 grist mill running three pairs of burrs, 1 saw and
lath mill running two saws, (which mills are chiefly
propelled by water,) 1 tannery, 1 dry goods store, 1
tailor ship, 3 boot and shoe shops, 2 blacksmith
shops, 1 tin shop, 2 groceries, 1 cabinet shop.
CHURCHES
IN JEROMEVILLE.
There are four: Old School Presbyterian, Methodist
Episcopal, Lutheran, and Disciple.
PRESBYTERIAN
METHODIST
EPISCOPAL
LUTHERAN.
DISCIPLE.
MOHICANVILLE.
CHURCHES
IN MOHICANVILLE.
METHODIST
EPISCOPAL.
GERMAN REFORMED.
REMINISCENCES OF THE PIONEERS OF MOHICAN
TOWNSHIP.
GEORGE W. BASFORD
emigrated from Maryland to Mohican Township, in
October, 1824, and established himself in a clothing
establishment in the town of Jeromeville. At
this date his family consisted of his wife and an
infant daughter.
JOHN COOPER
immigrated to Clearcreek Township in the fall of
1822, and purchased of John Haney forty
acres of land, lying west of the farm now owned by
John Bryte. In 1828, he sold
this place and removed to section 28, Mohican
Township.
NATHAN DALLY
emigrated from Washington County, Pennsylvania, and
removed temporarily to a cabin which stood upon the
farm now owned by George Botdorf,
on the 17th day of February, 1817. His family
then consisted of his wife and ten children.
He had, the previous year, purchased of John
Lawrence (who resided about two miles
southwest of Wooster) the southeast quarter of
section 32, (being the land upon a part of which is
now the town of Mohicanville.) In the spring
of the year of his arrival with his family, he
entered the southwest quarter of section 32, Mohican
Township. Upon neither of the quarter sections
described was there any improvement. His
nearest neighbor on the north was William
Metcalf, one mile distant; on the east,
Alexander Finley, distant three
miles; on the south, Jabez Smith,
distant one-fourth mile; and on the west,
Isaac Downey, about six miles distant.
The quarter purchased of Lawrence subsequently
reverted to him, and after several transfers,
Simeon Bell and Henry
Sherradden became its owners, and the
original proprietors of the town of Mohicanville.
Mr. Dally, during the first spring
of his residence in the township, erected a house on
the margin of the "Fall's Spring," nearly opposite
the present residence of his son, Vincent
Dally. This cabin House was standing
until within about twelve years since.
THOMAS EAGLE
arrived in the township of Mohican
WILLIAM EWING
Mills, Markets, etc.
The Indian "Buckwheat."
ALEXANDER FINLEY
JOSHUA R. GLENN
THOMAS GREEN
RICHARD HARGRAVE
Extracts of a Letter from J. J. Hootman, Esq.
LUKE
INGMAND
EDMUND
INGMAND
The Indian Village, Burying-Ground, and Council
House of Jerome Township.
Antiquities of Mohican
The Weather in 1816-17.
Memoranda of Remarkable Events.
Schools, School-houses, etc.
Log Cabins.
Description of a Fort, or Block-house
WILLIAM NEWBROUGH
and wife, in March, 1819, removed to the northeast
quarter of section 28, Mohican Township, having
purchased his land of Martin Longstrath. Upon
this farm he yet resides.
THOMAS
NEWMAN
RICHARD RHAMEY, SEN,
immigrated to Jeromeville from Pennsylvania in 1813, his family then
consisting of his wife and three children.
Richard Rhamey, Jr., who was born in the old
block-house in Jeromeville, in September, 1815, is
the only surviving member of the family now residing
in Ashland County.
.
JOHN SHINABARGER
Cedar Trees, and remains of Buffalo and Elk, six
feet underground.
MAJOR TYLER
immigrated
to
Mohican
Township
in February, 1814, having previously resided in
Buffalo,
New York,
from which town he took his departure a few weeks
after its having been burned by the British.
He entered the
south half of the northwest quarter of section 26.
RICHARD WINBIGLER
immigrated to
Mohican
Township from Maryland, in the fall of 1818.
The members of his family at this time
consisted of his wife and four children, namely,
Mary Ann, Henry, Elizabeth, and
William. The only
survivor of these, at this time, is
Henry
Winbigler, Esq., who resides upon the land
originally entered by his father, which land is the
west half of the northeast quarter of section 9,
Mohican Township.
NICHOLAS WIREMAN immigrated
to the place now known as Mohicanville, but then as
Bell's Mills, on the 15th of January, 1833, and
rented of Harvey Bell his Carding
and fulling establishment, which occupied the site
of the present woolen manufactory of
Samuel Huff.
When
Mr. Wireman became a resident of the place, in 1833, the following
named persons embraced all the heads of families who
were then inhabitants, viz:
Simeon, Harvey, and Samuel
Bell,
Henry Sherradden, and
John Shaffer.
Of those named,
Mr. Wireman is now the only surviving resident, the others being
deceased or having removed from the village.
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