ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWNSHIP

     CENTRE TOWNSHIP was organized by the county commissioners July 6, 1819.  The first election was held on the 24th of July, 1819, at which twenty-six votes were cast.  Philander Andrews, Adin Waterman and John Laughery were judges of the election, and Phineas Coburn and Enoch S. McIntosh, clerks.  Lot Gard received twenty-five votes and was declared elected the first justice of the peace of the township.  Later contests show that this election was held to be void.
     The voters at this first election were George Nott, Forest Belknap, James McMeans, Cyrus Andrews, Job West, John Tope, David Stevens, Peter I., Lupardis, Enoch S. McIntosh, Jason Andrews, John Coay, Lot Gard, Nicholas Hoit, Patrick Sherlock, George Bently, Daniel Scott, Wm. L. Ireland, John Laughery, Philander Andrews, John Perry, Phineas Coburn, Adin Waterman, Samuel McMara, David Fulton, Samuel Saylor and Elish Griswold.
     In April, 1821, Enoch S. McIntosh

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was elected justice.  In October, 1822, an election was held for two justices and forty votes were cast.  The candidates and number of votes received by each were as follows:  James Anderson, 29; Lot Gard, 25; Joseph C. Linn, 15; Phineas Coburn, 3; John P. Anderson, 1; and David Scott, 1.  This election was contested and declared invalid, one of the judges being a foreigner.  On the 3d of November, 1822, another election was held.  Lot Gard received 14 votes; Joseph C. Linn, 17; Nathan Newton, 4, and William Olephant, 18.  This election was also contested, and during the ensuing proceedings the following report was made to clerk of the court of common pleas.  IT is given verbatim as a specimen of the manner in which legal business was done by the pioneers:
     "We the order signers beingen cold apond and sworn akorden to law to exemen the contested Lection of Joseph C. Lin and Willem Olephan of Senter Townshep the Advertisen onlegal and the lection bein closd befor fore aclok & these pints bein proving to our Satersfacon.

"HENRY TAYLOR, Contestor
"ZEPHANIAH TYSON,
"HENRY NICHELS,
"ROBT. WELCH, 2d J. P."

     After this failure, another election was held, and all the voters of the township, or nearly all, were present, Joseph C. Linn was elected, receiving thirty votes out of a total of fifty votes polled.  This appears to have ended the strife over offices.
     Among the names of voters found on the poll books prior to 1824 are the following, in addition to those already given:  John Brown, Hiram J. L. Brown, Peter Keith, Joseph Keith, Thomas Taylor, Alvah Hoit, Abraham Penny, Daniel Penny, Jonathan Penny, William Burrows, William Bailey, William Laughery, Ambrose Elliott, Richard Kay, Edward Petty, Abijah C. Sherley, Joseph Sherley, Jason Payne, Abraham Smith, John P. Anderson, Isaac Ross, Richard Ross, Israel Ross, Samuel Clogston, Isaac Jordan, Daniel Chidester, John Carter, Lewis Carter, Nathaniel Chapman, Joseph McKinley, John Phillis, James Conn, Alex. Conn and John Kepple.
     Abraham Smith, also known as "Wolf" Smith, or "Essense" Smith, was a noted character well known throughout a wide section of country.  In early times he was a trapper and hunter; but after wolves and bears became scarce he turned his attention to gathering and distilling herbs, making various kinds of essences and perfumes, which he peddled from house to house.
     Prior to the year 1818 the territory known as Centre Township as a wilderness, very few settlers having as yet ventured to penetrate the dense forests.  During this and the few subsequent years there was quite an influx of settlers, some from the earlier settlements of Ohio, a few from the Eastern States but mostly from the Middle States, and a few from foreign countries.  Like the pioneers generally throughout Ohio, they were hardy and industrious, and though poor they soon became well-to-do citizens and soon secured for themselves and their families comfortable homes. 
     Among the earliest settlers during the period of which we write, who had commenced "openings" or "clearings" as they were called, were Nicholas Hoit, his son-in-law, George Nott, John Shepard, Joseph McKinley, Joseph C.

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Linn (afterwards associate judge), Patrick Sherlock, John Duffy, William Bailey, Rev. Adrial Mussey, generally called "Muzzy," Isaac Ross, Edward Petty, and Lot Gard, all of whom settled along the line of the Zanesville and Marietta "state road," and who were all the settlers on the ridge, as it was then called, prior to 1820.  Along Union Run there were at this time Samuel George, William L. Ireland, and Daniel Lowry (colored), each with small beginnings, and each supporting themselves and families by "day's work" and by the chase.  Along Meigs Creek and the river were Richard Kay, an Englishman, Phineas Coburn one of the 47 pioneers who landed at Marietta Apr. 7, 1788, Hiram Brown, Philander Andrews and ____ Alden.  On Olive Green, main stream, were Abel Waterman, Henry Shepard, Enoch S. McIntosh, Henry Shepard, Enoch S. McIntosh and the Olephants, Jordans, Hugheses, Keiths, Chapmans.  Along the next branch of Olive Green were found Jonathan Penny, Robert Conn, the Deans and Wests, and between the two streams the Kepples, Phillises, Jason Payne and Christopher Pangle.  These persons and their families, some of whom had grown up sons and daughters, were among the principle pioneers of Centre Township prior to 1820, all of the persons named above being now deceased except Mr. McIntosh, who, full of years and a life of active usefulness, now resides in Beverly.
     Few of these persons were what was called at the time "squatters" on the government lands.  All, with two or three exceptions, before commencing the work of redeeming the forests, had by hard economy secured enough to enable them to purchase eighty acres of government land, the government price of which was two dollars per acre.  Probably not one of the entire number named was enabled at the beginning to purchase a quarter section, or 160 acres.  Having secured their government patent, with resolute wills and determined purpose, and with scarcely any personal means, except the trusty rifle, and perhaps a cow and a horse, those hardy men, and their no less hardy and industrious wives, entered and commenced felling the forests.  Few of those who now occupy the lands which were once owned by these pioneers, can realize the self denials, the hardships, the trials, the anxieties and annoyances of those who reduced those wilds from the home of wild beasts and made them the abodes of civilized man.
     The hardships and struggles of these pioneer settlers may be appreciated to some extent when the character of the forests that had to be subdued is remembered.  The timber consisted of most varieties of the oak and hickory, the beach, ash, gums, white and yellow poplar, maple, dog-wood, and along the steams the white walnut or butternut, sugar, sycamore and a great variety of other but smaller and less important timber.  The under-brush was very dense, and in places whole acres of it were woven together by the vine of the wild grape to such an extent that it was almost impossible to penetrate these forests except by crawling on one's hands and knees.  To grub out and burn this under-brush, to deaden the trees by girdling, and split out the necessary rails to enclose the fields and build the fences, was a work of no small magnitude, and required nerve and resolute purpose to undertake it.  It was no unusual sight during the

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latter part of the winter and spring, when the leaves were dried out sufficiently to burn readily, for the good man, after having made his two hundred rails during the day and when night-fall came on, to be seen grubbing out the under-brush, his better-half near by with knitting in hand and the small boy engaged in collecting the dry leaves into piles or bunches and firing them to furnish the light by which the husband and father was enabled to do his work.
     Such was pioneer experience when the forests of Centre Township were opened up to light, life and civilization.  And what was true of this township in these particulars was substantially true of nearly every portion of Morgan County, and, in fact, throughout Southeastern Ohio generally.
     At this time, prior to 1820 (after which public lands began to be taken up more rapidly), these forests were the abode of almost every variety of wild beasts native to this section of country - bears, wolves, panthers, wild-cats, deer, foxes and numerous smaller animals.  These animals were a constant source of annoyance to the settlers in the destruction of pigs and calves, and it was quite a number of years before sheep could at all be raised because of their destruction by wolves, and the lambs by foxes.
     We have said these pioneers were generous and hospitable people.  Whatever one had it was at all times shared with the less favored neighbor.  It a pig or beef was slaughtered by any one, the three or four or half-dozen neighbors were all provided with a "piece," which act of neighborly generosity was, whenever opportunity occurred, again remembered by each one in turn when a deer was killed.  The gun was the companion whenever "out from home," a portion of the venison was served to all in the neighborhood, and it was thus that all were supplied with fresh meat a good portion of the entire year.
     At this time and for several years subsequent, there was not a flouring mill in Centre Township.  The first mill of the kind was erected and put in operation by a man named Amos Brady, on Olive Green, about two miles above the junction of that stream with the Muskingum River.  In consequence of the absence of mills, the first settlers were compelled to travel many miles to have their grain converted into flour and meal.  From the necessity of the case the hand-mill was brought into use, and from this a coarse meal was obtained that served when nothing better could be had; but for grinding smaller cereals, rye and wheat, this kind of mill was of no value.
     The social or society life of these pioneers was monotonous.  Each was too far separated from the other for it to be otherwise.  Sensational occurrences were rare - in fact, we may say unknown.  The social intercourse, such as it was, was free and unrestrained, wholly unconventional.  Every one was ready, at all times, to lend a helping hand in case of sickness or in other matters in which assistance was required.  They would go three and four miles, getting up by break of day to do their own necessary family work, to attend raisings and log-rollings when work of that kind was beyond the strength or ability of the family to accomplish.  This was done cheerfully, not grudgingly, and as though it was a pleasure to render such necessary assist-

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ance.  After the work of the day was over, the pioneer and his wife, taking with them the babe, would go three or four miles to watch by the bedside of one who had been stricken down by sickness, and manifest all the devotion they would if it was a matter of immediate interest and concern, and before leaving would see that all necessary provision and comfort for the afflicted ones was provided.  They were men of honest purpose, straightforward in their dealings possessed of steady and regular habits, and according to the times constituted a moral class of people.  If one in any way or for any cause become indebted to another their "word was as good as their bond," and it was deemed an insult to question a man's integrity.  Quarrels, broils, such as frequently characterize older communities, were almost wholly unknown.  It was many years after the first settlement before any crime of a serious character was committed.  The most serious offense that ever occurred in the township was the murder of Thomas Murray, by a man named - Johnson, in 1823; but neither of the parties were citizens of the township.  Murray was a citizen of Bristol Township, and regarded as a quiet and estimable man.  Johnson was a stranger.  These men had been employed by Adams & Shugert, of McConnellsville, to assist in driving a drove of hogs which had been purchased in Meiggs Creek and vicinity, to what was then known as the "flats of Grave Creek."  An alteration occurred between them on the public highway near the house of Nicholas Hoit, in which altercation Johnson stabbed Murray in the chest with a dirk knife killing him almost instantly.  Johnson immediately escaped but was arrested the following day in Washington County.  He was taken to McConnellsville for commitment to jail, and passed the house of Mr. Hoit, in which were the remains of Murray, and where the people of the entire neighborhood and surrounding country had assembled to attend the funeral.  Johnson was taken by the officers who had him in charge into the house to see the corpse of the murdered man.  It was a popular notion among many at that time should a person who stabbed another to death place his hand over the wound blood would spurt or follow the hand on its removal.  Johnson, though urged to place his hand over the wound, declined to do so.  He was tried for the crime in the Morgan County court, convicted of murder in the second degree, received a life sentence to the penitentiary, but after a few years was pardoned out by the governor.
     "Schools and the means of instruction" among the pioneers of Centre Township were wholly unknown.  The population was too sparse and scattered, however much the establishment of schools might have been desired, to permit them support or receive their advantages.  The first school in the northern part of the township, during the winter of 1826-27 was kept by Miss Louisa Carter, now the widow of Jason R. Wateman, and a resident at this time of Delaware, Ohio.  The next school was presided over the following winter by Miss Mercy Bliss, now the widow of the late John Stevens, of Zanesville, Ohio, who during the years 1823, '24, '25 was a partner of Henry Shepard, in the mercantile business in Ludlow.  These schools were kept in a small log house, originally a dwelling, built and occupied by one Wilson, a

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blacksmith, two or three years previous to this date, and situated immediately between the Catholic Chapel and the public highway in Hackney.  Soon after these schools began to be supported and maintained for at least three months of the year in other portions of the township.
     The first young man in the township to receive the advantage of a liberal education was Benjamin F. Gard, a step-son of Lot Gard, heretofore mentioned.  His real name was Posten.  He possessed an unusually bright intellect.  Through the influence of an influential friend, he received appointment in 1820 to a cadetship in West Point, where he passed through the prescribed course of study, but owing to a misunderstanding with some one of the faculty he left the institution a short time before his time for graduation and returned to the home of his parents in Centre Township.  He subsequently studied law in Marietta, but having little taste for the practice he pursued a course of medical study, and entered upon the duties of that profession in Goveport, Franklin County, where he died many years since.  He was at one time physician to the Ohio Penitentiary.
     The opportunities these pioneers had for religious instruction was as limited as was the intellectual training for their children.  Sermons were rare.  The stated preaching of the gospel was for many years unknown.  Few of the pioneers were members of any church, and yet all held in high reverence the Christian minister.  Rev. Hussey, whom we have named above, was of the order called at that time "New Lights," and though known as a zealous worker who went about trying to do good was not regarded as remarkably successful worker in the Lord's vineyard.  He traveled from neighborhood to neighborhood, and wherever he could secure an audience, even if of no more than half a dozen persons, he would hold forth in his peculiar manner more to the amusement than the profit of his hearers.  Had he lived at the present day he would have made a fit and appropriate leader of what is known as the "Salvation Army."
     The Rev. Archibald McElroy, of the Pittsburgh M. E. Conference, was the first regularly ordained minister of the gospel sent to impart religious instruction to the early pioneers of this section of the country.  As his circuit was some 800 miles in extent, it was only about once in two or three months that he was enabled to get around to the people under his charge.  He was a man of good native ability, earnest in the work to which he had been called, and constituted an excellent type of the pioneer preacher.
     Mr. Linn's house being on the Zanesville and Marietta road soon became the stopping place over night of nearly all the preachers who had occasion to travel over this public highway.  Among those most regular and frequent who were at this time accustomed to travel to-and-fro between Zanesville and Marietta, were the brothers George and William Sedwick and Rev. Jeremiah Dale, Baptists, and Rev. James Parmelee, Presbyterian, all of Zanesville; and Rev. Samuel P. Robins, Congregationalist, of Marietta.  These ministers were accustomed to notify Mr. Linn a few days in advance when they would be at his house, and that if agreeable and "the Lord willing," or "Providence permitting," as they would word their

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letters, they would preach at his house "at early candle-lighting" on the evening of a certain day.  The notice would accordingly be circulated throughout the neighborhood, and about sundown of the day appointed the people within a circuit of three miles, sometimes coming even from a greater distance, the men on foot and the women, usually with a child or two in lap, on horseback, would begin to assemble, and coming from all directions, some through the wood and others following the "cow-paths," as they were called.  Their approach not infrequently would be signaled by the report of the firing of guns, as rarely did a man leave his home in those times, no matter what might be the occasion, without taking with him his rifle; and upon arriving at the place of meeting about the first salutation would be, "What did you kill?"  Before the religious services of the evening commenced the guns would be stacked in the chimney corner, or some other convenient place, and during their continuance the most earliest attention would be paid the words of the preacher.
     The and most traveled road of the township was that known as the Marietta and Zanesville road, along which a large number of the early settlers located.  There was a great lack of hotel or tavern accommodations on this route, and the settlers were frequently called upon to entertain belated travelers.  David Stevens kept a well known house of entertainment in the southern part of Bristol Township, and Daniel Seely, south of the Ludlow line.  Between these houses the only places where travelers were sure of accommodation were the houses of Lot Gard and Joseph C. Linn.  Meals were a "fip," or 6¼ cents each, and the charge for a man and horse over night - supper, lodging and breakfast - only 25 cents.
     The first mail upon this route was carried by a postman on horseback, whose trips between Zanesville and Marietta required two days each.  He was also a "common carrier" and errand boy for the settlers, carrying small packages and making such purchases in "town" as the inhabitants of the country might require.  His approach was heralded by a shrill blast upon a tin horn.  So rapid was the increase of travel upon this road that the postman on horseback soon yielded his place to a two-horse hack for carrying mal and passengers, this again being succeeded in a very short time by the four-horse coach.  Afterward an additional line of four-horse coaches was placed upon the route.  These lines continued until about 1835, when the mail line from Marietta to Zanesville was transferred to a new road by way of McConnelsville.  Thenceforth the old road lost its character as a thoroughfare, and travel was diverted to the new stage-route.
     James Conn was born in County Tyrone, Ireland.  At the age of nineteen he emigrated to this country, settling in Baltimore, Md., where he resided for six years.  He married Miss Eleanor Varner in 1811 and reared a family of ten children, six of whom are living.  Joseph V., one of the substantial citizens of Penn Township; Mary, Margaret (White); R. H., a prosperous farmer of Centre Township; James and Eleanor (Hastings).  R. H. was born in Manchester Township in 1828 and married Miss Catharine Hastings.
     George S. Corp was born near Dexter City, Noble County, Ohio, in 1821. 

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In 1856 he removed to where he now resides.  He is one of the most prominent fruit-growers in this section of the state, and was the first to introduce budded varieties.  He has also identified himself prominently with the sheep industry.  For six years he was one of the county commissioners, and during the war of Provost Marshal of the county and did efficient service.

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