The First Settlements - Organization of the Township - Township Officers - Schools - The Towns: Farmington, Colerain, Pleasant Grove ,Maynard and Barton - The Settlement of Friends - The Mining Industry - Pikes - Churches.

THE FIRST SETTLEMENTS.

     There are evidence of many settlements having made in what is now Colerain township as early as 1788.  There is a record of a house built near Farmington as early as 1785, two years in advance of the government survey.
     Captain Williams, the celebrated Indian Hunter and one of the defenders of Fort Henry at Wheeling, was killed by the Indians on what was afterward known as the Majors farm in 1780.  Captain Williams was overtaken while out upon a survey or scout.  The first farm was bought from the government by Wells and Saterthwaite in 1788.  This farm was subsequently owned by Abner Barton and is the site upon which the present town of Barton is built.
     Nine years before the township was admitted, a tannery was established by Hugh Parks in section 18, and continued for half a century.  As early as 1803-04, the first flour mill was built by John Harris in section 24 and was used as a mill for 40 years.  The mill was a landmark for half a century.
     Another old mill that is said to be upwards of a century old is still standing upon the farm of J. H. Hanes, southeast of Colerain village.  Mr. Hanes says the mill was built entirely of logs by Burton Stanton and was operated by him for many years.  When the present mill was built the old log mill was transformed into a stable and barn, and Mr. Hanes says the old walnut and oak logs are perfectly sound today.
     The town afterwards known as Gambletown was laid out in section 8 several years before the organization of the county, but, unhappily, an epidemic of cholera in 1833 practically depopulated the town and it ceased to exist.

ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWNSHIP.

     Colerain township was organized in 1808 and was named by Scotch-Irish citizens after a pretty little village in the north of Ireland, which the writer has visited, called Colerain, from the neighborhood of which the majority of these first settlers emigrated.
     The township contains 15,361 acres of fertile land, which is underlaid by a valuable vein of coal, that has proven a fertile source of income to the extensive mining companies now in operation at Barton, Maynard and Crescent, affording employment to hundreds of miners in these prosperous mining towns.
     The population of Colerain township at the 10th census was 2,987, a gain of 736 in the last decade.  There is likewise a gain of $60,000 worth of personal property on the tax duplicate while the tax levy is reduced from 1.86 to 1.78.

TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.

     The township officers are:  Justices of the peace, - William McGraw, R. M. Simpson and T. C. Mercer; trustees, - L. D. Mitchell, William Kinsey and George Frasier; township clerk, - John Middlemass; township treasurer, - William Bradford.

THE SCHOOLS.

     There are 10 sub-school districts in the township, with T. C. Mercer of Pleasant Grove as president, and the sub-directors are:  R. M. Simpson, Charles Dungan, George Ashton, Oliver Watkins, Alexander Riddle, Charles Seabright, James Mowry, E. N. Boggs and Alfred Mead.
     Among the men most prominent in educational matters in the past were Dr. C. H. Cope, Jesse Barton, Thomas Pyle, Thomas White and Israel French.
     The first school was built on the farm of Arch. Major in 1799, and the scholars were obliged to travel long distances over dangerous paths, exposed to savages and wild beasts, in order to reach the school house.
     The 10 sub-districts in operation today are surpassed by none in the county.

THE TOWNS, - FARMINGTON, COLERAIN, PLEASANT GROVE , MAYNARD AND BARTON.

     FARMINGTON was established about the time the National Road was in contemplation and its founder hoped to direct the road through that village.  Wherefore in 1818 the town was laid out by Daniel McPeak and many lots were sold at high prices for that period.  But when the great thoroughfare was established and the route determined upon was three miles south of the village, the effort was abandoned.  Some of the early occupants of the town were the Bundys, Mortons, Mitchells, Berrys and Dunlaps.
     COLERAIN - Concord or Colerain village is accredited with being the second permanent settlement in Belmont County.

THE SETTLEMENT OF FRIENDS.

     James Cope, himself a descendant of the old pioneer Friends, contributed an interesting article to the Belmont Chronicle concerning the little village of Colerain from which with his consent we cull. -  Its founders were Friends who emigrated largely from North Carolina and Virginia to escape the baneful influences of slavery.  A few persons had preceded them and located in the vicinity, but as the Friends took the bulk of the land at one sweep, they were esteemed as practically the first settlers.
     Some of these persons who came to hew out a home in the wilderness had been slaveholders in the South but, becoming convinced of the sinfulness of dealing in human chattels, had manumitted their slaves, and removed to the Northwest Territory, where human slavery by the Ordinance of 1787 was prohibited.
     With the thrift, industry and economy that characterized the people of the new settlement, they prospered.
     While worshiping God in their unostentatious quiet way, they lived in peace with their neighbors, and steadily accumulated their earthly possessions.
     The Colerain of a century ago would bear little comparison to the attractive little village that today has become a favorite summer resort for weary townspeople.
     This organization of Friends wielded a mighty force in the development of Belmont County.  Among the early settlers, many of whose descendents are still living in the thrifty homes and well tilled farms of the vicinity, were the Speers, Copes, Baileys, Hirsts and Berrys.  These families came from Loudoun and Frederick counties, Virginia.  The Pickerings came from Virginia; the Howards and Steels from North Carolina; the Millhouses, Vickars, Malins and Whartons came from Pennsylvania after the settlement was effected.
     The first meeting for worship was held not far from the Benjamin Cope now resides.
     There in one of God's first temples, seated on trunks of fallen trees, these sincere, earnest people waited in silence for the baptism of the Spirit.  Soon however a log meeting house was built.  It stood about one-quarter of a mile south from where the present brick structure now stands.  Jonathan Taylor was the first minister of the Society.  He was the grandfather of the late Congressman, J. T. Updegraff.
     Horton Howard, another well known minister and publisher, lived on what is now the Starbuck farm.  He was said to be the orator of Ohio's Yearly Meeting.
     George Smith was also a minister that preached in a log meeting house.  He was six feet and eight inches in height, and would cause the boys to forget the solemnity of the occasion when he would strike his head against the joists of the low ceiling.  A custom of the Society then as now was to hold a meeting twice each week, and although there were but two timepieces in the entire community they seldom missed the hour of meeting.
     Josiah Fox removed to the settlement in 1814 and owned what is now the Clark farm.  He was an able constructor during Washington's administration and was the builder of "Old Ironsides."  Mr. Fox lost his right of membership in the Society of Friends for building war ships.  The families of Messrs. Given, French and Wright came still later.
     These people were endowed with ore than ordinary physical strength, endurance and courage.  But withal there was the complete dependence on divine power, and the great desire of all was to help one another and there was probably never a community in which the true Christian life was more truly exemplified.
     But not all the early settlers in Colerain were Friends.  A large number of Scotch-Irish were among the first immigrants and the industry and thrift of these intelligent people contributed much to the development of the township.  Of these families we might mention the Bartons, Majors, Wells and Wrights.
     Among those who came at an early day was John S. Williams, who in late years was known as the editor of the American Pioneer, published at Cincinnati, Ohio.  HE wrote an account of the early days at Concord.  With his mother, sister and brothers he came to Belmont County in 1800 and he notes that they stopped at John Leaf's when they reached the settlement.
     At that time there was a steady tide of immigration and the new arrivals lodged with those that had erected cabins.  Even the best cabins were none too good and to many of the people of the settlement the life was a great change from that to which they had been accustomed.  To pass from affluence, to live in the wilderness surrounded by wild beasts and but slight comforts at the command of the wealthiest, was a great trial.  But they settled down to make the best of the situation.
     PLEASANT GROVE - Ten years later the pretty little town of Pleasant Grove was established by John Anderson, who built upon the site of an old-fashioned tavern.  Previous to this, however, an old hunter named Peter Babb effected a settlement about 1800 not far southwest of Pleasant Grove, where he distinguished himself as a slayer of wolves, bears and other wild animals.
     There is a well-sustained lodge of Knights of Pythias, known as Grove Lodge No. 485, established at Pleasant Grove with a membership of 62.  J. G. Miller is keeper of records.  The value of the lodge property and moneys on hand amount to $770.69.
     MAYNARD. - There are but two voting precincts in the township[ viz:  Maynard and Farmington, and the vote cast at the last election in 1900 for Secretary of State was 431 in Farmington and 227 in Maynard precinct.

THE MINING INDUSTRY.

     Maynard, or New Pittsburg as it is familiarly now called, has become one of the foremost mining towns in Belmont County.  The population in 1900 was upwards of 400, largely miners employed by the Lorain Coal  & Dock Company.
     In the immediate vicinity, the Troll and Purseglove mines are preparing to open, and it is thought the operation of these mines will add from 800 to 1,000 additional population to the town.
     The coal shipped from the mines at present in operation amounts to between 30 and 40 car-loads per day.   The M. P. Church is the only house of worship in the village.  Its pastor is Rev. Mr. Murphy and the congregation is largely composed of farmers.  As elsewhere stated, Catholic services are held by the pastor of Bridgeport.
     The school was conducted by B. H. Murphy last year with one assistant teacher, but a new room is required to accommodate the increased number of scholars.  Charles Ewing, Edwin Holtz and James B. Mowry constitute the board of school directors.
     The town supports two secret  organizations, viz:  Knights of Pythias and Order of United American Mechanics, and a large hall has recently been constructed for their accommodation.  The Knights of Pythias have a membership of 70.  The officers for 1902 are: C. Clyde Higgins; V. C. Herbert Donnelly; prelate, Willis Ishmael; M. N., William Easton; M. of A., Berth Applegarth; I. G., Charles Ewing; O. G., Worth Bruce.  The American Mechanics have a membership of 80.  The presiding officers are:  Counsellor, Lon Beck; vice counsellor, William Morton; senior X, Jonathan Knight; Junior X, William Harie; recording secretary, J. O. Graham; financial secretary, D. Morton.
     BARTON is a village of a few hundred inhabitants on the Cleveland, Lorain & Wheeling Railway, near the junction of the St. Clairsville branch.  It sustains a school, two churches and post office.  One of the churches is a branch of the Methodist Protestant with Rev. B. L. Murphy as pastor.  The other as elsewhere stated is a Catholic Church, conducted by Rev. Mr. Weigand of Bridgeport.  The school, which is largely attended, is conducted by Wilson Dungan assisted by Olive Mitchell.  The population is largely mining and the new mines now being opened at Barton by the Osborn people will employ 800 men when they are in full operation.  The tipple will be located up the Run about half a mile from the station and special tracks will have to be run to it.  This will increase the population of Barton very greatly.  The Maple Hill mines have already given contracts for 35 new houses for the use of the men and many more will be built in the near future.

PIKES.

     There are three pikes maintained in Colerain township, viz: the Bridgeport & Colerain Pike, Martin's Ferry & Colerain Pike and the National Road.  The two pikes first named extend from the river front to the center of the township and the latter to the southern part of the township.  The township pikes are maintained by tolls.

CHURCHES.

     The Methodist Episcopal Church. - Two years after the erection of Farmington, a Methodist Episcopal Church was established and among its zealous ministers we might number Revs. Scott, Jones and Lovman.
     Seceder's and Covenanters' Churches -  This church organization was preceded by a small congregation of Seceders whose meetings were held on the farm of Rev. Hugh Parks.  But is disbanded in 1835.  In 1842 a church of covenanters was organized on Sloan's Run, which existed less than a quarter of a century.
     The Methodist Protestant Church. - Ten years after the establishment of the Covenanters' church, the Methodist Protestants organized a church at Pleasant Grove, that was for years presided over by Rev. Slater Brown.  It is now under the pastorate of Rev. B. L. Murphy, who also ministers to the churches at Barton and Maynard.  The stewards at Pleasant Grove are B. S. Boyd and Katherine Simpson.
     The Presbyterian Church of Farmington was organized in 1872 through the efforts of Rev. Robert Alexander of St. Clairsville.  There was a membership of but 14 at the organization with Rev. James Day as pastor.
     The elders were John Theaker and James Wiley.  The membership was subsequently increased to upwards of 150.  At present the congregation is without a pastor.  The present bench of elders are David Cowen, G. A. P. Theaker and Washington Kennedy.
     There are two Catholic churches in the township, one located at Barton, and the other at Maynard.
     Church of "Our Lady Queen of Angels," Barton. - This congregation was first organized in the year 1893 by Father Weigand of Bridgeport with about four families of a membership.  From that time on until the fall of 1901 services were regularly held once a month in the private houses of one of these families.  On account of the constant growth of the little flock, it was then decided that larger and better quarters must be provided for devine service, and accordingly in September of 1901 a neat frame church was begun which was dedicated by Rt. Rev. Henry Moeller, Bishop of Columbus, Ohio, on the 15th of June, 1902.  The congregation of Barton numbers now about 250 souls, about 150 of whom are men enjoying the right of franchise.  In order that these people might have services every Sunday, an assistant, price has been placed at St. Anthony's Church in Bridgeport since August, 1901, Rev. Father R. A. McEachen, who in July, 1902, was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Wittmann.
     St. Stanislaus' Church, Maynard. - This congregation was organized about the same time as that of
Bridgeport by Father Touhy of Martin's Ferry, but its progress was not quite as rapid.  Until September, 1901, it had services only once or twice a month in a hall rented for this purpose, though as early as September, 1898, a parochial school with an attendance of about 60 children had been organized there by the pastor of Bridgeport.  Two Sisters of Charity go from Bridgeport daily to Maynard to teach the pupils of this school.  The same hall that served for divine worship was also used during the week days for school purposes.  But now a handsome frame building is under way of construction, with a large auditorium for church purposes and two spacious school rooms.  The new building will be ready for occupancy by the spring of 1903.  Services are held here every Sunday, and the parish is now in a very promising condition.  It numbers about 350 members with about 200 voters.  A new congregation is also about to be organized in Flushing with a membership of about 150 souls under the title of "St. Mary's Help of Christians."