DEERFIELD Township is older
than Morgan County; for, prior to the erection of the
county, the township was one of the largest of the civil
divisions of Washington County. William Massey,
the first justice of the peace of whom we have any
account, was probably elected to this office while the
township was still a part of Washington County.
The earliest record now discoverable of an election in
the township shows that on the 5th of February, 1820, an
election was held at the house of John Breeze for
the purpose of choosing a justice of the peace in place
of William Massey, resigned.
At this election John Shutt, William
McKitrick and Josiah Wright acted as
judges; and Samuel Aiken and Jeremiah
Weston, clerks. (McKitrick and Weston
belonged in that part of the township which subsequently
became a part of the township of Union.) At this
election forty votes were cast by the following voters:
John Tanner, Shubal Russell, John Hull, James
Beldeau, Reuben Porter, James Reed, Aaron Hainsworth,
Isaac Whitaker, Andrew Grubb, Jonathan Norton, Silas
Saylor, Philip Saylor, John Risen, William Oliver,
Launcelot Oliver, George Pidcock, Josiah Joslin, Solomon
Walker, James Murphy, Riley Joslin, John Morris, Martin
Mitchell, William, Nixon, Samuel Buckley, Joshua Breeze,
John Sniff, William Joslin, Robert Aiken, Patten Pherson,
Hugh Riley, Joseph Pettit, Josiah Wright, Jeremiah
Weston, Andrew Scott, John Shutt, Samuel Allard and
John Price.
Doubtless the above list includes the names of
nearly all male citizens of the township at the time the
election was held. Of the number of votes, John
Price received 30; William McKitrick,
4; Elijah Ball, 3, and John
Morris and Samuel Saylor 1 each.
In the following year Samuel Stanbery was
elected justice; and at this election the following
persons voted, in addition to those on the above list:
Joseph Edwards, Thomas Campbell,
Enoch Winched, Samuel Stanbery,
Levi Lightle, Samuel Walker,
Jonathan Edgington, Thomas Parks
and Hugh Nixon.
At the spring election, 1823, were thePage 453 -
following additional voters: Robert Stanbery,
Alexander Brown, Andrew Grubb, John
Hainsworth, Reason Ball, Forster
Edwards, Joab Jones, Jonathan
Adams, William Atkins, Morgan
O’Leary, Jonathan Adams, Joseph
Allard, Vatchel Ogg, John
Lightle, John Briggs, John G.
Wright, John Hollingshead, John
Hopkins, Joshua Dicas, James Nelson,
and Thomas Pettit.
In May of the same year another election was held, the
preceding one having been declared invalid for the
reason that John Price, a candidate for
the office of justice, acted as a judge of election.
Additional voters: John Campsey, Jacob
Tedrow, Elijah Atkins and James
Crawford.
The pioneer history of this township contains nothing
extraordinary or remarkably interesting. There
were the usual hardships and privations, but the
settlers were of a sturdy, determined character and
faithfully performed their duties against all
disadvantages.
“Perhaps,” remarks Judge Gaylord in
his reminiscences, “ there is no township in the county
that has had less changes in its original proprietors
than Deerfield. Where the pioneers originally
established themselves, there most of them sojourned
until removed by death. This is in part accounted
for by the fact that the soil is not quite so inviting
to the enterprising agriculturists as that of other
townships; yet it is durable and in some parts quite
productive. This township in the course of the
last fifty years has brought forth quite a, number of
gifted men, who, in the professions, in the various
business enterprises in the county, have become
prominent. In law, gospel and physic her sons are
somewhat prominent, and some of them hold high positions
in their professions in their several localities.
She has sent forth a troop of active business men
scattered here and there throughout the land.
Deerfield may well be proud of the position she holds;
and if her soil is not as productive as other parts of
the county, she has not been derelict in the production
of men, who, in the active turmoils and labors of life,
have shown themselves well able to play their parts to
admiration:”
Silas
Saylor is one of the
pioneers of Deerfield, one of the few whom Father Time
has seen fit to leave as a relic of a generation that
has gone. In the picture gallery of his memory he
is still able to discern a faded representation of
Deerfield as it was sixty-eight years ago. In
October of 1818 he came into the township with his
parents, his sister and a brother-in-law, Benjamin
Weimer. At this time, he says, Deerfield was
almost a wilderness; a few hardy settlers had made
“little holes in the forest” in which to construct their
cabins. A man by the name of James Reed
had a little distillery, which kept the pioneers
supplied with what was then considered a necessity for
those who were exposed to the vicissitudes of the
weather, and an indispensable article to those engaged
in the performance of severe labor. Reed
also had a handmill, which was patronized by the
settlers in the immediate vicinity. John
Price was the blacksmith; he sharpened the
plowshares, welded the logchains and shod the horses of
those wealthy settlers who could boast of the possession
of these valuable animals.
Philip
Saylor, a revolutionary soldier, was from
Mifflin in County, Pa., of
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which place Silas, his son, was a native.
On his settlement in Deerfield, Silas became a
professional hunter, and for a time kept the new-comers
supplied with venison and any other kinds of game they
might desire. Mr. Whitaker was a
fellow-hunter, and from their hunting expeditions they
derived quite an income. Mr. Saylor
says that for buck carcasses they received $1.25; for
does the price was much less. The hides they
tanned and disposed of to the settlers, by whom they
were used in the making of moccasins and other articles
of clothing. Deer were very numerous, and Mr.
Saylor states that with one gun he killed 618.
Corn-bread and venison were the principal articles of
diet. Although their surroundings were dismal,
still they were in a degree contented and happy.
Just in the bloom of young manhood, they were full of
hope, and looked forward to the time when their pioneer
days would be over, and surrounded by their families
they could pass the remainder of their days in “peace
and plenty.” The wife of Mr. Saylor,
nee Miss Ann Pettit, was
born in New Jersey and came to Ohio with her parents in
an early day. They first settled in Muskingum
County, and from thence removed to Malta Township,
Morgan County, in 1820.
Samuel
Stanbery, one of the
early settlers in Deerfield Township, was born at
Morristown, N. J., in 1777. He was married in 1800
to Phoebe Wyckoff, who died in 1809.
He was again married to Sarah Homans,
and shortly thereafter removed with his family to
Fayette County, Pa. In 1819 he moved to Ohio,
spent the first winter in Zanesville, and the next
spring moved to the farm now owned by John F.
Woodward, east of Triadelphia, where he lived until
his death, in December, 1825, leaving a widow and eleven
children— Robert, Jacob M., Sarah H., Phoebe, Mary,
John, Joel, Ira, Ezra, Harriet and Elizabeth.
In the few years that he lived in Deerfield he made many
friends. He was largely instrumental in the
organization of the Deerfield Presbyterian Church and
was one of its first elders.
Joab Jones was
one of the pioneers of 1816. When a young man he
came to the “Ohio Country” and settled in Athens County;
from thence he went to Marietta, where he remained a
short time, when he emigrated to Morgan County,
Deerfield Township.
Isaac
Whitaker was one of
the early pioneers of Deerfield Township. He
was born in Maryland in 1789, and in 1803 came to
Zanesville, Ohio. He served his country as a
soldier in the war of 1812, and in 1816 came to Morgan
County with his family of wife and one child and settled
in Deerfield Township. His wife, whose maiden name
was Hannah Rees, was a native of Loudon
County, Virginia, where she was born in 1795.
They reared a family of eleven children, ten of whom are
living. Mr. Whitaker identified
himself prominently with the early history of Deerfield
Township. He died in 1869, aged eighty; his wife
in 1885, at the extreme age of ninety years.
Samuel
Moody was a man who
left his imprint indelibly stamped upon the annals of
the township. He was born in 1783 in Maine, from
which State he came with his family in 1818, and settled
on the northeast quarter of Section 6. With him
came his family of wife and five children—Alsadania,
Noah, Priscilla, Stillman and
Nathan. He was the pioneer on the section on
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which he settled, his neighbors being Josiah Wright,
Jonathan Adams and Isaac Whitaker. Like most
of the pioneers, Mr. Moody was in an
impecunious condition on his arrival in the county.
It is a family tradition that, after leaving Zanesville,
he had only one coin left, a Spanish milled dollar.
Although many times severely pressed for money, he could
never be induced to part with it, and it is still
preserved by some member of the family as an heirloom.
Mr. Moody was a very valuable acquisition
to Deerfield’s population. He was a shoemaker by
trade, and for some years went from house to house, as
was the custom in those days, making and repairing the
shoes of the settlers’ families. He also
ministered to their spiritual wants. He was a
Baptist in his religious belief, and for many years he
preached through Morgan and adjoining counties,
frequently extending his travels into Virginia.
His wife was an excellent lady. She was born in
1787 and became the mother of eight children, three of
whom were born in the county—Smith G., Lydia A.
and John F. She died in 1866, her husband
in 1873, aged ninety years. Smith G. Moody
is a native of the township; for many years he was a
merchant of Triadelphia, and for a quarter of a century
was postmaster. He married Miss Olive P. Wise
in 1848. She was born near Deavertown.
William Massey
was a Friend. He came from Chester County, Pa., in
1816, and entered three quarter-sections of land, part
of which is now in Malta Township. In 1819 he
married Miss Sarah Gay, and reared a
family of six children—Levi, Mary, Asa, John,
Caroline and Sally. John was born in
Malta in 1825 and has been a resident of the county ever
since. He was a soldier during the war of the
rebellion and left his family to care for themselves.
During his absence Mrs. Massey not only cared for
the family, but took charge of the farm. She did
much of the farm labor herself in addition to her
household cares. She is a type of the noble,
patriotic women to whom the people are indebted.
James
Crawford was an
early settler on Wolf Creek. He was a native of
Pennsylvania, and at an early day located in Muskingum
County, from whence he came to Morgan County about 1820.
He was a blacksmith by occupation, and brought with him
a stock of cowbells, expecting they would find a ready
sale among the pioneers; but owing to the scarcity of
money he found no sale for them. He reared a
family of ten children. Mary married
John Massey in 1849. He died in 1858.
Hugh
Nixon was an
Irishman, and came from Ohio County, W. Va., about
twenty miles below Wheeling. With him came his
family, consisting of his wife and four children—Frances,
Ann J., Joseph W. and John W. He was
prominent among the pioneers and was the first settler
on the northeast quarter of Section 28. He was one
of the early justices of the peace of the township, and
for nine years he occupied the position continuously.
He was a devout member of the Methodist Church, and was
every where highly esteemed. Of his children three
are living in the county— Mrs. William
Hopkins, Eliza A., and Joseph W., who
lives on a part
of the old estate.
About 1816
Joseph
Anderson, then a young man, settled on the
farm now owned by his son, Joseph, Jr.
Several years after, his father, Augustine, from
Page 456 -
Sussex County, New Jersey, came to the township.
He was an officer in the war of the revolution, and died
in the township when in his eighty-eighth year.
Jacob Tedrow came
from Washington County, Pa. He located a tract of
land in Muskingum County, Ohio, in 1807, where he
remained until 1817, when he came to what is now
Deerfield Township, where he entered a quarter-section.
He did not identify himself with the development of the
township except as a farmer. He went to Athens
County in 1837, and died in Hocking County about 1870.
Michael, his son, was born in Washington County,
Pa., in 1809, and has been a resident of the township
for fifty-two years. He married Sarah
Prine. She was born in Mercer County, Pa., in
1811. In 1812 her parents came to Muskingum
County, Ohio, where she was reared and married. Of
the family of Jacob Tedrow, Michael is the
only one now living in the county. He is one of
the pioneers in the section of the township in which he
resides.
Triadelphia, the only
village in the township, is situated a little north of
the center. It was laid out in 1838 by A.
Roberts. The plat consisted of twenty-six
lots, Main street and Juniper and High streets crossing
it at right angles. At present there are some ten
or twelve dwellings, one school-house, two churches, one
dry-goods store and a blacksmith shop.
The
Walpoles are lineal
descendants of Sir Robert Walpole, of England.
Martin Walpole came from County Cavan,
Ireland, about 1809, and for a time lived in New York,
and came thence to Morgan County. At the time of
his settlement there were only two families in the
township. For a year he lived alone, at the end of
which time he was joined by his wife and family.
The story of his pioneer experiences sounds more like
fiction than fact. His cabin was ten by twelve
feet; for a chimney he had a large stump in the center;
a suspended quilt formed the door, and often at night
the wolves would pull the quilt aside and look in, and
but for the fire would have entered. He was a man
of powerful physique, and on one occasion he killed a
bear with no other weapon than a handspike; at another
time he found a panther among his sheep, and killed it
in the same manner. He had three sons and three
daughters. Mathew Walpole, a son,
and one of the prominent citizens of the township of
Malta, was born in Morgan County Oct. 24, 1824.
Martin Walpole died May 24, 1847; his wife,
Margaret, died Sept/ 30, 1855. The farm he
first entered is still in possession of the family, also
the prayer book, which in pioneer days afforded him much
consolation.
In 1836 the first
anti-slavery society in Morgan County, and perhaps the
first in Southeastern Ohio, was formed in Deerfield
Township. The anti-slavery movement was at this
time in its infancy, and it required no small amount of
moral courage to espouse the cause of the black man.
Many of the members of this organization lived to see
the principles they advocated triumph. The following are
the articles of association and names of the members:
“ Preamble. — Believing slavery to be a sin against
God, a violation of human rights, and an obstruction to
the cause of Christianity, by making it the patron of
sin and exciting the derision of opposers, believing
that it consigns
Page 457 -
the slave to degradation, suffering and despair,
surrounds the masters with perils, and exposes all who
uphold the system to the judgment of God, and believing
that we owe it to the oppressed, to our fellow-citizens
who hold slaves, to our country, to human interests
universally, to posterity and to God, earnestly
to seek the abolition of slavery by using such means,
and such only as are sanctioned by the laws of the land
and by the dictates of humanity and justice: we do
hereby agree to form ourselves into a society to aid in
the accomplishment of this object and to be governed by
the following constitution:
“ARTICLE 1. This
society shall be called the Deerfield Township
Anti-Slavery Society.
“ARTICLE 2. The object of this society shall be the
entire abolition of slavery throughout the United States
and the elevation of our colored brethren to their
proper rank as men. While admitting that the
several States have, by our federal constitution, the
exclusive right to legislate for the abolition of
slavery in their respective limits, it maintains that it
is our imperative duty to collect and diffuse facts and
information upon the subject, and by all lawful means to
convince our fellow-citizens throughout the Union that
it is a heinous sin against God, at war with the
principles of human liberty, ruinous to our national
morals and prosperity, and that the duty, safety and
interests of all concerned, require its utter and
immediate abolition.”
Articles 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 provide for the
government and regulation of the society.
Following are the members: William Slmtt, Joseph
Woodward, George Martin, J. K. Jones, William Woodward,
Jacob W. Stanbery, Robert Lavery, Richard Massey, James
Evans, James Cope, E. A. Merriam, Owen Gifford, William
Brady, Isaac Williams, John Metcalf, William Oliver,
Kersey Smith, Nathan Cope, James Harrison, Ralph Porter,
Osburn Plumly, Geo. Williams, Milton Griffith, William
Wells, Ed. T. Moore, Eliza Stanbery, Pliebe Woodward,
Ruby B. Porter, Achsah Guthrie, Abigail Woodward, Rachel
Martin, Elizabeth Metcalf, Martha Cheney, Susan Evans,
Ann Cope, Lydia Porter, Sarah Cheney, Ruth A. Evans,
Betsey Metcalf, Anna Porter, Lydia Wells, Susannah
Metcalf, Abigail Cope, Hannah Metcalf, Anna Williams,
Hannah Wilson, Ruth Smith.
CHURCHES.
Deerfield
Presbyterian Church .—This church is one of
the oldest religious societies in the county. It
was organized in 1819 by Rev. Thomas Moore.
The first members were Samuel Stanbery, Jacob Price
and wife, T. Campbell and wife, J. Wright
and wife, and S. Price, and three others whose
names are not now remembered, making eleven in all.
Oct. 6, 1821, Samuel Stanbery, Thomas
Campbell and Josiah Wright were ordained
elders. The present membership is seventy-two;
number of Sabbath-school scholars, thirty-five.
The pastors have been as follows: Revs. Thomas
P. Moore, John Hunt, Plumstead,—
Aiken and Ferguson. Since 1858 the
preaching has been by supplies, of whom twelve have
labored at various times, from one to two years each.
The first pastor, Rev. Thomas
Moore, was a tall, spare man, grave and dignified.
His dress was of the ancient
Page 458 - 459
kind. He wore knee-breeches and knee-buckles, and
his sermons, like his dress, reminded one of the olden
times. The organization of the society was due to
the efforts of Samuel Stanbery, a man
whose genial disposition and upright life won the
respect of the entire community. The little
pioneer church grew thrifty and strong, and in 1822 a
log church 24x28 feet was built near the site of the
present one, and Rev. John Hunt was secured as
pastor. He left the field in 1831. In 1839
the old log church was removed and a frame building took
the place, which after a time was thought to be unsafe,
and in 1859 a new one took its place. This church
was burned in 1877, and the present edifice built the
same year. Four of the members of the congregation
were soldiers in the war of the
rebellion and lost their lives in the defense of their
country—James Bailey, Asa Massey,
Joel Walker and James Robb.
The Locust
Grove M. E. Church. — The Locust Grove
Methodist Episcopal Church is located in the south part
of Deerfield Township. Services were first held at
the house of Hugh Nixon. About 1826
a hewed log church was erected, the cost of construction
being fifty bushels of wheat. It was formally
dedicated by Bishop Norris. In
1844 a frame church took its place. This church
was burned in 1868, and the present church structure was
built in 1869. Among the early preachers were men
prominent in the annals of Methodism. Notably
among the number were Messrs. Trimble, Gavitt,
Hamilton and Stewart.
Among the pioneer class-leaders were Hugh Nixon,
Alex. McKittrick and Andrew Vest.
The present leaders are D. H. Deaver and Miles
Underwood. The present membership is about
seventy.
The church has a flourishing Sunday-school - E. J.
Nixon, superintendent.
Christian
Church - The Christian Church of Deerfield
was organized Oct. 9, 1884 by Dr. O. W. Thompson.
The names of the first officers were: S. G.
Moody and William Banks, elders; George
Banks and Thomas Holcomb, deacons; T. J.
Masterson, clerk; Henry Massey, George W.
Pickrell and George S. Gregg, trustees, and
seventy-eight members. The present church was
built in October, 1884, is 34x42 feet, costing $1,500.
The first pastor was Rev. A. R. Pickens.
The present membership of the church is thirty-eight;
number of Sabbath school scholars, fifty.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
FORSTER EDWARDS
Page 459 - 460
WILLIAM MASSEY
Page 460 - 461
JOSEPH W. NIXON
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