Is situated in the northern part of Jefferson county, Ohio, and is bounded on the north by Saline township, on the east by the Ohio river, on the south by Island Creek township, and on the the west by Ross township in said county.   It is composed of twenty-four sections, of township 13, of range 2, and several fractional sections of township 4, range 1.

TOPOGRAPHY

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     Water - Like the rest of Eastern Ohio it is well watered, both limestone and freestone springs abounding.
     Timber - The prevailing variety of timber is white oak, but sugar maple, beech, walnut, locust, and elm are also common.

EARLY SETTLEMENT

     It cannot be definitely ascertained who was the first settler of Knox township. James Alexander came in 1796.  Isaac White came in 1798, and James McCoy in 1799, but others doubtless preceded them.  Baltzer Culp settled at New Sumerset in 1800.  Michael Myers, Sr., settled on the west bank of the Ohio, below the mouth of Croxton's run in 1800, and John Johnson settled on Jeremy's run in 1801.  Michael Myers established a ferry opposite Gambles run and built a large stone house on the west bank of the Ohio, where he kept hotel for at least forty years.

ELECTIONS.

KNOXVILLE

McCOY'S STATION

NEWBURG - SLOAN'S STATION.

NEW SOMERSET

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Episcopal and Christian; two blacksmith shops, John Lawrence and George Yealey, proprietors; two shoe shops, John Vandyke and Thomas McLain, proprietors; two carpenter shops John McLain and Larison McLain, proprietors.

ELLIOTTSVILLE

N. E. CHURCH, SLOAN'S STATION, OHIO

MEMORIAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH - SLOAN'S STATION.

KNOXVILLE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

SUGAR GROVE CHURCH.

NEW SOMERSET METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

CHRISTIAN CHURCH AT NEW SOMERSET

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     On December 4, 1873, there was a church organized at Hammondsville, of thirty members who formerly belonged to the New Somerset church, with Wm. McConnell and J. R. Maple, elders, and Isaac Iddy and D. Z. Maple, deacons.  The present membership is forty and the pastor is J. W. Kemp.  They have no house of worship.

METHODIST PROTESTANT CHURCH OF NEWBURG.

UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NEWBURG.

PROTESTANT METHODIST CHURCH AT McCOYS.

KNOXVILLE U. P. CHURCH.

SCHOOLS.

_______________

MANUFACTURERS.

THE RAIN HOW FIRE BRICK WORKS.

ENTERPRISE FIRE BRICK WORKS.

CARLLY'S SEWER PIPE AND TERRA COTTA WORKS.

EXCELSIOR SEWER PIPE AND TERRA COTTA WORKS.

FOREST CITY FIRE-BRICK WORKS.

"ADAMANTINE" TERRA COTTA WORKS.

"CALUMET" SEWER PIPE, FIRE-BRICK AND TERRA COTTA WORKS.

MILLS.

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TUNNEL GRIST MILLS

     These mills are situated on Yellow creek near the line of Ross township, and are owned by Mrs. M. House

J. C. KELLY, MERCHANT, SLOAN'S STATION

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BIOGRAPHIES OF KNOX TOWNSHIP,
JEFFERSON COUNTY

     JOHN FRANCY was born in county Antrim, Ireland, Apr. 11, 1830, where he received a limited education and gew to manhood.  Came to America, landed at New York, May 12, 1850; from there came direct to New Cumberland, where he commenced work on a fire-brick yard owned by Stewart and Muney, where he worked for six months, then came to Freeman's Landing, W. Va., where he engaged with G. S. Porter, worked for him until 1858, then went back to New Cumberland, where he engaged in the coal mines about one year.  Then he took charge of Myers' brick works, which he operated two years.  This is the first fire brick works in Jefferson county.  He then went back to Cumberland and superintended the works of J. H. Atkinson two years, then leased the Stewart works, where he first worked and operated them six years, producing annually about 900,000 bricks, using 1,500 tons of clay. in 1869, he purchased of J. R. M. Stewart one-half interest in a saw mill property, and in connection with Alexander Stewart, started fire brick works that were the most extensive in Jefferson county.  They manufactured about 1,000,000 brick annually, using 2,000 tons of clay.  After operating these works about a year they sold them to John Porter & Co., who still continue the business.  He then took charge of the fire brick department of Garlik & Sizer, at Ellicottsville, where he worked one year.  In 1873, he purchased the present site and established the Foust City fire brick works, which he is now operating.  They manufacture about 1,000,000 brick annually, using 1500 tons of clay.  They employ about twenty men.
     Mr. Francy married, Mar. 26, 1850, and the next day took passage for New York.  Has reared a family of seven children, five sons and two daughters—all living.  Postoffice Sloan's Station, Ohio.

     P. CONNOR & BRO.

     J. L. BLACKBURN was born May 5, 1846, in Jefferson county, where he has always lived.  He was educated at the common schools.  His father was also a native of Jefferson county.  J. L. was married in the spring of 1871.  He is a miller by trade and is now operating the Riverside flouring mills at Sloan’s Station, in the business of which he is a partner.

     J. L. ELLIOTT

     JACOB NESSLEY

     JOHN NESSLEY

     JUDITH NESSLEY

     J. W. COLLINS, M. D.

     GEORGE CARLYLE

     H. C. WILKINSON was born in Jefferson county in 1844, where he has always lived.  He received but a common school education.  Was married Nov. 26, 1878, to Miss Belle Haythorne.  He located at McCoy's Station in March, 1876, where he is manufacturing wagons, buggies, and everything in his line.

     JAMES R. M. STEWART was born Mar. 20, 1809, in London, England, and came with his father to Jefferson county when ten years of age, where he has always lived, lie was educated

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at Steubenville and Cincinnati and intended following the profession of medicine, but his health failing him he had to quit school and give up his favorite profession.  He went to Florida and recovered his health and then went into the river trade, in which he continued for about twenty years.  He engaged extensively in the lumber business and built a large saw mill which he operated lor a number of years, but sold the mill property to Francy & Stewart and they turned it into a fire brick and terra cotta works.  He has been called upon to serve the people as justice of the peace for seven terms, but at the present has retired to private life.  His father, Alexander Stewart, owned the first wagon, also the first iron plow that was ever brought into Knox township.

     C. BOWER

     PARKS REX, M. D., was born in Jefferson county, Sept. 6, 1851, where he grew to manhood and received his education.  In 1875 he commenced the study of medicine with John McCarrel, M. D., of Wellsville, Ohio, where he remained three years, but during this time he attended lectures at the Cleveland Medical College, graduating in the spring of 1878.  Commenced practicing at Knoxville soon after leaving college.

     R. H. HALSTED

     WILLIAM MYERS the son of Michael Myers, the Indian fighter, was born in Jefferson county in 1811, on the farm where he now resides, and where he has always lived.  In those days it was not considered necessary for a young man to be educated, and our subject received but a limited education, but a most thorough education in the line ot hard work.  Was reared on the farm, but at the age of 21 years he took charge of the mill that had been built by his father at a very early day; in fact it was the first mill built in this portion of Jefferson county, and is still known as Myers’ mill.  He continued in the mill for about fifteen years, when he went into the “river trade,” which he has followed for the last twenty-five years.  Was married in 1839, but lost his wife in 1841; was married again in 1845.  By his first wife he reared two children, both of whom are still living; has been connected with the U. P. Church for the last fifteen years.

     THOMAS L. McLEAN

     JOHN EDMISTON

     J. W. EDMISTON

     MRS. M. HOUSE

     ROBERT McCLELLAND

     COL. JOHN McCLELLAND

     WILLIAM McCLELLAND, was born in Jefferson, and on the farm where he now lives, in 1814, and where he has spent his life so far.  Is a carpenter by trade but at present he devotes his time to farming.  Married in 1841, and has reared a family of seven children all of whom are living.

     REUBEN ALBAUGH was born in Jefferson county, in 1810.  When about ten year of age, he went to Harrison county with his father, where he remained till twenty-two years of age.  Learned the trade of plowmaker, also wagon maker.  After he completed his trade be worked on journey work for several years.  In February, 1834, he located his shop and commenced business at Bowling Green, where he is now operating.  Married the same year, Dec. 24, 1834, to Miss Sarah Rider and reared a family often children.  His wife died in 1852, September 10th, and Mr. Albaugh was married again Apr. 24, 1860; has reared a family of four children, three of whom are living, by his last marriage.  He for the first two years manufactured plows, but the third year he commenced wagon work and all kinds of farming implements.  He says he made an average of one hundred and twenty plows yearly for a number of years, and all were sold to the fanners in the surrounding country.  He kept three men at work constantly, but at present be is not

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doing anything in the plow business since the war, but is doing quite a business in wagon and earrings work.

     JAMES ALEXANDER was born in Brooke county, W. Va., Oct. 19, 1776, where he remained till after his marriage in 1796, when he came to what is now Knox township, where he remained until his death in 1865.  He was married to Miss I. Brown, by whom he had ten children, of whom only three are living.  His wife dying, he was married again in 1823 to Miss Rachel Spiller, by whom he reared a family of nine children, of whom only three are living.  He served in the war of 1812 as captain of a volunteer rifle company in Col. Andrew’s regiment.  When he came to Jefferson county first he leased some land for five years.  At the expiration of the time he bought the farm where his son, S. Z. Alexander, now lives, and where Mr. A. spent his life.  Farming was his occupation through life.  Served as justice of the peace for twenty-one years, also as township clerk.  Was connected with the Presbyterian Church, and was a ruling elder for over forty years.

     S. Z. ALEXANDER, son of James Alexander, was born on the farm where he now lives Apr. 13, 1833; was married in 1859, and is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

     JOHN CULP

     W. F. MYERS was born in Jefferson county, Apr. 22, 1847, on the farm where he now lives.  He is a great grandson of “Anver Mike” Myers; was married Feb. 11, 1869; received just a common school education; has followed farming for the last ten years, and in the winter runs on the river as a trader.

     GEORGE CULP

     J. N. COOK

     M. B. EDWARDS was born in Pennsylvania and came to Jefferson county in 1866, and engaged in the business of general blacksmithing.  At that time his shop was the only one at Sloan’s Station.  He was married in 1861, and has reared a family of seven children.

     JAMES McCONNELL

     J. G. CULP, proprietor of the Rainbow Fire Brick Works, which were built in 1859 by Michael Myers.  Mr. Culp has the works leased for five years, and has operated then since May 1, 1879.  The works are of a capacity of 500,000 brick.  He is also furnishing about 2,500 tons of clay, mostly to Carlyle, Donehue & Co.; employs eleven men, and will add during the summer a full line of terra cotta machinery.

     JOHN BRAY was born in New York in 1797, and came to Jefferson county in 1822, where he remained until his death in 1872.  During the time he was a resident of the county he served the people as a justice of the peace; was a zealous worker in the church from 1837 to the time of his death.  He reared a family of nine children, six of whom are still living.

     W. F. BRAY

END OF KNOX TOWNSHIP.

NEXT - ISLAND CREEK TOWNSHIP