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AT the time of the organization of Union County, the
territory now comprising Allen Township was embraced
in Union Township. In 1822, when Liberty
Township was formed, this territory was then mostly
embraced there in, and thus remained until June 5,
1827, when, at a meeting of the Commissioners of
Union County, it was agreed "that a new township be
set off to be called Allen Township, to be bounded
as follows, to with: Beginning at the southeast
corner of Liberty Township, thence running with the
east line of said township north six miles; thence
running west to the west line of said Liberty
Township; thence south to the line between Champaign
and Union Counties; thence east with the said
Liberty Township line three miels to the corner;
thence south with the said line of Liberty Township
to the northwest corner of Union Township; thence
east with the north line of Union Township to the
beginning." Levi Phelps, Clerk of the
Board of County Commissioners.
ALLEN COUNTY SURVEYS.
The
earliest surveys in the territory embrace in this
township were made in October, 1797. The
surveys are as follows:
Surveyed for Henry Whitning 740 acres,
Survey No. 102, June 6, 1813; Walter Dun, D.
S. Surveyed, December 3, 1823, for Charles
Simms, 1,200 acres, Survey No. 158; James
Galloway, D. S. Surveyed, June 8, 1806,
for James Denny, assignee, 300 acres, Survey
No. 1,502; James Galloway, D. S.
Surveyed, Sept. 28, 1799, for John Hefferlin,
100 acres, Survey No. 2,598; Lucas
Sullivant, D. S. Surveyed, November
4, 1797, for Richard Stephenson's
heirs-at-law to Hugh Stephenson deceased,
1,000 acres, Survey No. 2669; Lucas Sullivant,
D. S. Surveyed, November 1, 1797, for Peter
Manifold, assignee, 1,000 acres, Survey No.
2,800; Lucas Sullivant, D. S.
Surveyed, Oct. 30, 1797, for Samuel Wallace,
1,000 acres, Survey No. 2,875; Lucas Sullivant,
D. S. Surveyed. Oct. 23, 1797, for Lucas
Sullivant, assignee, 1,300 acres, Survey No.
2,979; Lucas Sullivant. D. S. Surveyed,
Nov. 26, 1797, for John Mumford Gregory, 800
acres, Survey No. 2,980; Lucas Sullivant, D.
S. Surveyed, Nov. 26, 1797, for Andrew
Torborn, 1,000 acres, Survey No. 2,981; Lucas
Sullivant, D. S. Surveyed, Nov. 26, 1797,
for Andrew Torborn, 1,000 acres, Survey No.
2,983; Lucas Sullivant, D. S. Surveyed.
Dec. 20, 1797, for William Carter, 1,000
acres, Survey No. 3,161; Lucas Sullivant, D.
S. Surveyed, Dec. 20, 1797, for Henry
Baumgaitner, 200 acres, Survey No. 3,156;
Lucas Sullivant, D. S. Surveyed, Apr. 10,
1799, for Richard Stephenson, 800 acres,
Survey No. 3,163; Lucas Sullivant, D. S.
Surveyed, Sept. 28, 1799, for Obadiah R. Harrison,
200 acres, Survey No. 3,241; Lucas Sullivant,D.
S. Surveyed, Sept. 17, 1790, for Lucas
Sullivant, 1,000 acres, Survey No. 3,681;
Lucas Sullivant, D. S. Surveyed,
Sept. 11, 1799, for George McCrider, 100
acres, Survey No. 3,697; Lucas Sullivant, D.
S. Surveyed, Sep. 17, 1799, for James
Wilson, 100 acres, Survey No. 3, 741;
Lucas Sullivant, D. S. Surveyed
Sept. 17, 1799, for James Wilson, 200 acres,
Survey No. 3,742; Lucas Sullivant, D. S.
Surveyed Sept. 30, 1799, for Lucas Sullivant,
assignee, 200 acres, Survey No. 3,748; Lucas
Sullivant, D. S. Surveyed, Sept. 30, 1799,
for James Coleman, assignee, Joseph Flipps,
Roland Estes, Lucas Sullivant, assignee, and
David White, assignee, 600 acres, Survey No.
3,749; Lucas Sullivant, D. S. Surveyed
Sept. 28, 1799, for George Custard, 100
acres, Survey No. 3,752; Lucas Sullivant, D.
S. Surveyed, Dec. 12, 1805, for the
representatives of Lewelling Jones, 1,100
acres, Survey No. 4,814; James Galloway, Jr.
D. S. Surveyed, No. 5, 1807, for Peter
Manifold, 481 acres, Survey No. 4,610; James
Galloway, Jr. D. S. Surveyed Dec.
15, 1809, for John Hays, 200 acres, Survey
No. 4,880; James Galloway, Jr., D. S.
Surveyed May 1, 1806, for Thomas Sears, 500
acres, Survey No. 4,933; Duncan McArthur, D.
S. Surveyed July 22, 1809, for Zadoc Bailey
and James Cropper, 120 acres, Survey No.
6,295; James Galloway, Jr., D. S.
Surveyed Mar. 5, 1811, for Rice Haggard and Nancy,
his wife, 866-2/3
acres, Survey No. 7,022; James Galloway, Jr.,
D. S. Surveyed, Oct. 26, 1813, for Anthony
Walke and Abridgeton Jones, 3,337 acres,
Survey No. 7,822; Walter Dun, D. S. Surveyed,
Nov. 1, 1815, for Walter Dun and Nathan
Haines, assignees, 500 acres, Survey No. 8,565;
Walter Dun, D. S. Surveyed, Feb. 5,
1819, for Walter Dun, assignee, 200 acres,
Survey No. 9,796; Walter Dun, D. S.
Surveyed June 17, 1823, for John Evans and
William Withers, 140 acres, Surveys Nos. 12,242
and 12,262; Duncan McArthur, D. S.
Surveyed, Jan. 11, 1825, for Walter Dun and
George Clark, assignees, 82 acres, Surveys
No. 12,081 and 12,744; Walter Dun D. S.
Surveyed for John Guthrie, 320 acres, Survey
No. 4,606 - a part of said land is in Logan County.
Surveyed for James Galloway, 360 acres,
Survey No. 5,746. Surveyed for Walter Dun,
___ acres, Survey No. 7,772 (mostly in Logan
County). Surveyed for N. Bailey, 120
acres, Survey No. 6,295. Surveyed for Mazy
Vance, 1,000 acres, Survey No. 12,308.
Surveyed for H. Massie, 40 acres,
Survey No. 14,602. Surveyed for James
Galloway, 260 acres, Survey No. 15,309.
EARLY SETTLERS.
This
township was the fifth in date of organization in
Union County, and although from its geographical
position it was not settled as early by several
years as the southern townships of the county, yet
settlers entered this territory quite early, and
after the first settler located within its
boundaries he was followed by others in rapid
succession; and within the period of fifteen years
from the time of the location of the first settler
the township of Allen was quite thickly populated.
The township is located in the southwestern part of
the county. It is bounded north by Liberty and
Paris Townships, on the east by Paris, on the south
by Union Township and Champaign County, and on the
west by Logan County. Just who was the first
settler within the precincts of this territory it is
difficult now to ascertain, as there were
several who located here at nearly the same time.
We have, however, concluded to commence our pioneer
list with the name of
Henry Vangordon, who, if not the first
settler was one of the first. He was a native
of Pennsylvania, married Catharine Carter,
emigrated to Ohio at an early day, came to Allen
Township and settled on Buck Run, on land now owned
by Jacob Leonard, it is believed, about 1820.
Subsequently he removed to Illinois, where he died.
His children were as follows: Henry,
married Eliza Spain, became a minister in the
United Brethren Church, and moved to the West;
Samuel and Mary (twins), the former is
deceased, the latter married Philander Spain,
and now resides in Illinois; Elizabeth and
Charles, died in early childhood; George,
removed to the West, and Wesley was killed by
a falling tree when a child. Mr. Henry
Vangordon was one of the thirteen voters at the
first election after the township was constituted;
also one of the first Trustees, and its fourth
Treasurer.
Daniel
Allen, a native of Pennsylvania, married
Rachel Burwell, and about 1813 emigrated to
Ohio, and settled in Madison County; about 1820-21,
about 1813 emigrated to Ohio, and settled in Madison
County; about 1820-21, came to Allen Township, where
he settled and remained until his death, being
killed by falling from a load of oats and breaking
his neck, in 1832. The township was named in
honor of him. As a man and citizen, he was
highly esteemed and respected; was one of the first
thirteen voters, and one of the three first
Trustees; was an earnest and devoted Christian and a
class leader in the church. His children were
as follows: Mary, married David Reed,
and subsequently removed to Iowa, where she died;
Jonathan, married Roanna Talbot, and also
died in Iowa; Betsey Ann, married Uram
Carpenter, and now resides in Logan County,
Ohio; Samuel, Isaac and Wilson, all
removed to Iowa, where they married and settled.
Isaac Allen, a brother of
the above Daniel Allen, early removed to the
State of New York and married Theresa Andrews.
In the fall of 1811, they emigrated to Ohio and
settled in Pike Township, Madison County. In
1829, he removed to this county and settled in Allen
Township, where he resided till his death, in 1863.
His wife died in 1860. Of their children -
Romanta, married Anna Mather, and removed
to Iowa, where he died; Lury, married
Alvin Wilcox, and subsequently removed to
Indiana, where she died; Phebe, married
William Mather and now resides in Iowa; Mira,
married Christopher Wilbur, is now a widow
and lives on the home place; Nathan B.,
married Margaret Mather, and now resides in
Iowa; Emily, married Warren Lathrop,
is deceased; Harriet, married Michael
Mullen and removed to Iowa, where she died; and
Caroline, who died in infancy.
Jonathan Burwell, a native
of Pennsylvania, settled in Allen Township about the
same time with Daniel Allen. He married
a Miss Vangorden, and had the following
children: Ephraim, Rachel, Eleanor, John, Sarah,
Phebe, Catherine, Elizabeth, and Anna.
Mr. Burwell died in summer of 1829. He
was one of the first thirteen voters.
Southard Mather, a native
of Maryland, came with his father's family to
Milford Center, Union County, Ohio; there he married
Perlina Rice, and settled in Allen Township
about 1822-23. Subsequently he removed to
Iowa, where he died. He was also one of the
first thirteen voters, and the first Clerk of Allen
Township.
Moses Redford, it is
believed, was a native of Virginia; emigrated to
Ohio and first located at Milford Center, where he
followed shoe-making. Finally, he married
Betsey Southard, settled on Buck Run, and was
one of the thirteen who voted at the first election
in 1827. Subsequently he removed into
Champaign County.
William
Epps, a native of Virginia, settled in
Champaign County, Ohio, about 1806-9, locating north
of North Lewisburg, near the line of Union County.
About 1825, he settled on the Shepherd Clark
farm in Allen Township, where he remained till his
death. Mr. Eppps was one of the
thirteen voters at the first election. Of his
children were Richard, John, William, Joshua,
Thomas, Hamilton and Sarah.
William W. Haines was born
at Chillicothe in 1801, and in December of the same
year, with his father's family, removed to Logan
County, where he resided till about 1818-20, when he
came into Union County, and settled in this
township, remaining a resident till his death in
1850. He was one of the thirteen to vote at
the first election of the township. He married
Atlantic Grubbs, by whom he had the following
children: Oliver P., who married Eve
McCumber, and is now a resident of DeWitt
County, Ill.; Dorcus Ann married J. W.
Smith, and resides in Illinois; Solomon,
died a young single man; Levi, never married
and died at thirty years of age; Amos,
married Hannah Snuffin, she died and he is
now a widower; and William O.., married
Hester Gibson and now resides in Illinois.
Jesse Haines, a brother of
the above William W. Haines, married
Delilah Bayless, and subsequently settled in
Logan County, where he resided till his death.
William Asher was a native
of Culpeper County, Va., where he married Betsey
Sharp. In 1800, he emigrated with his
family to Ohio and settled in Ross County; thence
about 1803-4, removed into Logan County; thence
removed to Champaign County, and finally, about
1823, located in Union County, Allen Township, on
the same place where his son now resides, and
remained in the same neighborhood till his death, in
1847. He and his son John constituted
two of the thirteen voters at the first election.
His children were as follows: Polly
married William Austin; he died, and she
married Joseph Stokes she died in Logan
County; Sallie, married Bunyan Parker,
and died in Champaign County, Ohio; John,
married Deborah Ray in 1826, and resides on
the old home place, were he and his companion have
now resided fifty-six years; Malinda, married
John P. Reed, a native of Maryland, who, with
his father, Samuel Reed, settled in Union
Township, this county, in 1802; John P. Reed
and wife settled on Buck Run, on land now owned by
Thomas Stillings, about 1825. About
1848, they removed to Iowa, where Mr. Reed
died; subsequently she married Israel Reed;
he is deceased, and she is now a widow residing in
Colorado. Jeremiah married Rachel
Austin and settled at West Liberty, Logan
County, where he was a merchant many years and where
he died. David married Jane McClung,
a daughter of Isaac McClung, who came from
Pennsylvania and settled in this township about
1835-38. David and wife settled on the
Darby on the Snuffin farm, but subsequently
removed to Auglaize County, where his wife died; he
again returned to this township, and about 1868
married Maria McClung, and is now residing on
the old McClung farm. Harriet
married Alvin Gano, and is now residing in
Iowa. William died in childhood.
William Milligan, a native
of Pennsylvania, with his family emigrated to this
county, and settled on the Darby, on the Henry
Clark farm, about 1824-25, where he resided
several years. He was a tanner by trade, and
finally settled in North Lewisburg, where he built a
tannery and carried on the tanning business through
life. He died at North Lewisburg. His
children were Samuel, William, Rupe, Jesse,
Morgan, Amos and Eliza. Mr. Milligan
was one of the thirteen mentioned so often; the
first election of the township, and several
succeeding ones, were held at his house.
Samuel Milligan, a brother
of the above, married a Miss Van Wye after
settling in this township. He located on the
same tract of land with his brother William,
where he resided till his death. He and his
wife had no issue. Mr. Milligan was a
man of excellent character and much esteemed by all
who knew him.
Nimrod Garwood was another
one of the thirteen voters at first election, but we
did not learn of his nativity or the exact year of
his settling here; it is certain, however, that he
was an early settler, and a leading man in the
organization of the township. He is one of its
first Trustees, its first Treasurer, and Township
Clerk from 1828 to 1831 inclusive.
Joseph Russell was the
remaining one of the thirteen first voters of Allen
Township, of whom we gather no information
information.
John Paver,
a native of Maryland, married Elizabeth Wagoner,
a native of Virginia, and emigrated to Fairfield
County, Ohio, in 1802. In 1829, he removed
with his family to Union County, settled in this
township on the place where his son John now
lives, and here resided till his death, in 1851,
aged seventy-seven years. His wife died in
1848. Mr. Paver began in the woods and
endured the full hardships of pioneer life. He
was the father of nine children - James
married a Miss Meredith, of Hardin County,
Ohio, and resided in that county till his death;
Thomas married a Miss Davis, of
Tennessee, where he first settled, and the last
known of him he was living in Louisiana;
Elizabeth married Abraham Leonard, of
Pickaway County, Ohio, and is now deceased; Sarah
married William Davis, and is deceased;
Anna and Mary died young; Cynthia
married Alexander Davis, is deceased; and
John married Maria Poling, and resides on
the old home place.
Abraham
Leonard, a
native of Virginia, emigrated to Ohio and settled in
Pickaway County, where he married Elizabeth Paver,
and in 1827 removed to Union County, settling on
land now owned by John Paver Survey No.
2,983. On this place he resided till his
death, May 5, 1853. His wife survived him and
died Jan. 14, 1860. Their children were
Mary Ann, who died while young; Susanna,
married Abraham Spain and resides near North
Lewisburg; Rachel, married Willis Epps,
he died and she married James Groe; Dorety
died young; James, married a Miss Huff,
and now resides in Champaign County; Jacob,
married Jane McGill; Martin, married
Lina Wagoner, and both are deceased.
Hollis Amy settled here in
1829 and married Prudence Williams. Mr. Amy
died at North Lewisburg about 1876. They had
two children - Elisha and Nancy; the
latter married a Mr. Burnham and resides in
Champaign County.
Amos A. Williams married
Eleanor Stewart, and settled here about
1827-28. He suffered the loss of one foot from
being run over by the cars; it was amputated, but he
lived only a few weeks after the surgical operation
was performed, and died Oct. 23, 1855. His
wife died Jan. 14, 1860. Their children were
as follows: Elisha, died in childhood;
Mary, also died young; Erastus, died in
infancy, July 29, 1833, and was the first body
buried in Buck Run Cemetery; Hannah, died at
fifteen years of age; James, married
Americus Stewart; Malinda, died in infancy;
William, died in the army in the war of the
rebellion; and Stephen, the youngest.
Alvin Wilcox, a native of
the State of New York, emigrated to Madison County,
Ohio, at an early date, and in the spring of 1829
settled in Allen Township. He married Lucy
Allen, resided here several years, thence
removed to Illinois, thence to Iowa, and
subsequently to the State of Missouri. They
had the following children: Elizabeth, Theresa,
Cynthia, Isaac, Mira and Joel, who were
born in this county; and Mary, Anna, Jeane
and Eleanor, born in Illinois.
Luther Wood, a native of
Connecticut, born March 31, 1799, emigrated with his
father's family to the State of New York, where his
father died. In 1820, he removed to Ohio and
settled in Union Township, where, in 1823, he
married Rosanna Cochran, a native of
Pennsylvania. In 1829, he located in Allen
Township, where he resided till a short time before
his death, when he removed into Jerome Township and
resided one year; thence removed to Piqua, Ohio,
where, six weeks after, he died, in August, 1867.
His widow still survives, aged eighty years, and
resides with her children. Unto them were born
the following children: Kingsley, who married
Hannah Coe; she died and he married Mary
Smith; again death took from him his companion,
and he married Elizabeth Spencer, who is also
deceased, and he is now a widower and lives at
Piqua. William C. married Maria
McWilliams. Lucinda married
William McWilliams and resides in Piqua.
Algelana married Alfred Mitchell; he
died, and she married James D. Robinson.
James married Josephine Reed; she
died, and he married Anna Myers; and Mary
Ann married Nathanial Ryan; he is dead
and she is now a widow.
Matlock Stokes, a native
of Virginia, emigrated to Ohio and settled in Logan
County at an early day, where he married Rebecca
Snuffin, and about 1828-30, settled in the west
part of this county, in Allen Township. Here
he resided only a few years, and removed to West
Liberty, Ohio, where he and his wife both died.
Of their children, Matilda died young, and
Wesley resides in Logan County.
William Snuffin, a native
of New Jersey, emigrated to Ohio when young, married
a Miss Connor, and about 1830 settled in this
township, on the place where Chester Clark
now lives, and here resided several years, but
finally moved to the West.
William Inskeep, Jr., a
son of John Inskeep, one of the early
settlers of Logan County, Ohio, married Mary
Stokes, of Logan County; settled in this
township, on the tract of land where Hiram
Inskeep now lives, and there resided till his
death, in September, 1845. His widow still
survives and resides with her children. Mr.
Inskeep was one of the most highly esteemed
citizens of Allen Township, and was honored with
many of the township offices. In 1838, he was
elected Treasurer of the township, which office he
held, continuously, by re-election, to the time of
his death. He was the father of the following
children - Louisa, who died young; Hiram,
whose biographical sketch appears in this volume;
Matilda Ann, married John
Harrison, is now deceased; Olive, married
William Crary, whose sketch is also in this
work; William Elbert; and Victoria, who
married Walter Bales.
Elisha Cowgill, it is
believed, was born in Eastern Ohio. With his
father, John Cowgill, and family, he settled
in Logan County in 1807, and there grew to manhood
and married Polly Bishop. He settled in
the northwest part of Allen Township, Union County,
about 1827-28, on land now owned by his son, John
B. Cowgill. Here Mr. Cowgill opened
out in the woods, making the first improvement ever
made upon this place, and here he remained through
all his active life. In advanced life he sold
his farm to his sons, and made his home with his
son, John B., till his death, in
March, 1882. His children were, Matilda,
Mary, Nancy, Betsey, Melissa, Jemima, John B., Aaron
and Jonathan G.
Edward Tyler, a native of
Virginia, emigrated to Ohio and settled on Big
Darby, on land now owned by the widow Abraham,
in 1827-28, where he resided till his death.
His children were, Samuel, Alexander, Elias,
Hiram and Isaac. The latter became
a practicing physician, but is now deceased.
Cornelius Meshon, a native
of Kentucky, settled on the McClung place, on
the west bank of Darby, about 1828-29, but after a
few years' residence moved away.
John Milligan, a half
brother of William Milligan, previously
mentioned, settled on the Clark land, on the
east side of Darby, about 1828-29. He
married Rebecca Dawson, and resided here many
years, but finally removed to Van Wert County, Ohio,
where they died. Their children were John,
Washington, Charles, and three or four
daughters, whose names are unknown.
John Dawson, a native of
Pennsylvania, settled on land just north of
Isaac Brodrick's, where Henry Cline
now lives, about 1830-31. He died at the home
of his son-in-law, Henry Poling, at Allen
Center, about 1877.
Joseph Dunlap settled here
about 1830-32. Subsequently he removed to
Putnam County, Ohio, where he died.
Daniel Spain, a native of
Virginia, born Oct. 14, 1786, emigrated to Ohio and
settled in Champaign County, three miles west of
North Lewisburg. He married Agnes Crowder,
and in the spring of 1832 removed to his county and
located on a tract of land where his son, Sanford
W., now lives. Here he commenced in the
green woods, "not a stick amiss." About one
year after, in 1833, he died, and the work of making
a home and a farm devolved upon the mother of her
children, who were quite young, the eldest son,
John P., being about their family, and took from
them this oldest son. Their other children
were Millie, who married Paschal Spain,
and is deceased; Sanford W., married
Matilda Wallace. She died and he married
Sarah Ann Shirk, and now resides on the old
home farm. Dollie never married, and
died young; Daniel W., married Sarah
Sheneman and resides east of Sanford W.,
on a part of the home farm; Clements, married
Mary Jane Tobey, is now deceased; and Levi
E., married Lovina Poling, and resides on
the north part of the home place. It will be
observed in the history of this family that after
the death of the father, Daniel Spain, three
years had scarcely elapsed when the eldest son died,
and the care of the family, the work of making home
and paying for their land devolved mainly upon the
mother and the nest eldest son, Sanford, who
was then eighteen years of age. They were in
the midst of the wilderness, and the prospect before
them was gloomy in the extreme. But with true
pioneer courage, with willing hands and hearts, they
labored on; obstacles gave way before them, and
to-day they have a good improved farm, with good
buildings and the comforts of life. Mrs.
Spain, the mother, died about 1840.
Abraham Holycross, it is
believed, was a native of Champaign County, Ohio,
and a son of Howell Holycross, a native of
Virginia. He married Hester Dunlap,
and settled on the east bank of the Darby, in Allen
Township, about 1833, and remained a resident of
this township till his death. The following
were his children: Pearson, Beamer, Robert,
Lucinda, Tabitha, Nancy and Martha. Mr.
Holycross was a good, kind neighbor and a
respected citizen.
Isaac Brodrick was born in
New Jersey Oct. 1, 1802, and at six months of age
was brought by his parents to the vicinity of
Wheeling, W. Va. In 1813, they removed to
Warren County, Ohio, where Isaac grew to
manhood and married Hannah Wood, a native of
the Red Stone country, in Pennsylvania. In the
winter of 1833, he settled in Union County, on the
place where he now lives, having made a residence
here of half a century. When he located here,
he knew but two settlers between his place and
Newton, one of whom was James Wilbur, and one
located further south. Mr. Brodrick
took possession of his land in the woods, and has
cleared up and brought into cultivation 100 acres;
has good buildings and improvements. His wife
died Apr. 3, 1876. They raised four children -
Mary Ann, who married Richard Wells, she
died in April, 1878; Isaac, married Sarah
Huff, and resides on the home farm, and has
served as Justice of the Peace nine years; James
moved away, and when the war of the rebellion
occurred, was in New Orleans, serving as an engineer
on a steamboat, since which nothing has been known
of him; and Hannah Jane, who married
Charles Van Wye; she died in the spring of 1878.
Mr. Brodrick is now past fourscore years, and
has borne the brunt of pioneer life.
Daniel
Coe, a native of Pennsylvania, married
Mary Gladden, and in the spring of 1833
emigrated to Ohio; settled in this township on the
place where his son, Philip, now lives, and
here resided till his death. Their children
were Philip, who married Elizabeth
Woodworth; she died, and he married Louisa S.
Smith; he resides on the old home place, where
he has lived since eleven years of age, a period of
forty-nine yeas, and where he has a beautiful home;
Joseph married Mary Clark, and now
resides in Springfield, Mass.; Moses, married
Martha Boal, both are deceased; Hannah
married K. L. Wood, is deceased; Sarah
married John W. Robinson; Elizabeth married
Dr. Swain of Milford Center; he died, and she
married L. H. Smith; she now resides with her
mother, at Marysville; Mary married R. R.
Henderson, and now resides at Minneapolis,
Minn.; Jane died unmarried; William
died in infancy; Olive G. married S.
Simmons Johnson, is now deceased; Martha
married Leonidas Piper, is now deceased, and
Isabel died in childhood. Mr. Coe
was a man of character and esteemed for his many
good qualities; was a worthy member of the
Presbyterian Church, and a Ruling Elder in the same
for many years.
James
Wilbur was born in the State of New York;
emigrated to Ohio and settled in Union County about
1830. He married Sarah Cameron.
He first settled on the Williams farm, then
took a lease of land; but about 1836-37 bought a
tract of land where he still lives, and has made a
continued residence of forty-five or forty six
years. He is the father of the following
children: Sarah Ann, who married George
Carpenter; Owen, married Sarah Jane Marsh;
Edwin, married Orange Eaton; Olive,
married Randolph Marsh, is deceased;
William married Mary Welch, and resides
in Kansas in Kansas; Addie, married
Deville Wood; Zachariah married Addie Allen,
and resides on the home place with his aged father,
who is aged and feeble, being new eighty-three years
of age; and Joseph and Almedia, both
deceased. Mr. Wilbur is one of the
oldest surviving pioneers of Allen Township.
James
Stillings was born in Maryland, May 8,
1785. He married Mary Barnes, a native
of Maryland, and in the spring of 1829 emigrated to
Clark County, Ohio. About 1834-35, removed to
this county and located on the tract of land where
Jacob Leonard now lives, where he resided
till his death in the fall of 1865. His wife
survived him, but has since died. The fruits
of their union were as follows: Alexander,
who married and settled at Findlay, Ohio; Thomas
married Sophia Dines; Catharine married
Edward Nugent and resides in Kansas; James
is deceased; William married in Iowa, and now
resides in Kansas, having a second wife; Edward
married Mary Smith, of Kenton, Ohio, where he
practiced law several years; is now a resident and
practitioner at Lawrence, Kan.; Timothy
married Elizabeth Kelly and removed to
Kansas, where he died; John married Miss
Cantwell, she died, and he married a second
time; is now one of the most prominent lawyers of
Kenton, Ohio, where he has practiced more than
twenty years; Mary married Joseph Brown
and removed to Iowa, where she died in 1882; and
George married Jane Walke, and now
resides in Champaign County, Ill.
Samuel Marsh was born in
West Virginia May 30, 1809. He married Mary
Ryan, and about 1835 emigrated to Ohio and
settled in Union County, on the place where he still
lives. He purchased this farm of Alvin
Wilcox - it then had on it a rough long cabin
and about twenty-five acres, partly cleared.
He had a team, two cows, and $150 in money. He
went in debt for the land, and then commenced in
earnest the battle for a home and a competency.
He subsequently added more land to his first
purchase, till he became owner of various tracts,
amounting in all to 716 acres, all of which he paid
for by his own sill and labor, and that of his
family. He has given the greater portion of
these lands to his children, thus giving them a good
start in life. He has reserved for himself
ninety-four and one-half acres at the home place,
with good buildings, and improvements, constituting
a pleasant farm home. Such has been the life
and character of this worthy settler of Allen
Township. Mr. Marsh is an active member
of the Methodist Church to which he has given, at
home and abroad, liberally of his means; has been a
liberal supporter of public schools, and to all
general public improvements.
Enoch Morse, a native of
the State of New York, settled on the Darby on land
now owned by Leister Clark, about 1835, where
he lived till his death. He was a blacksmith
by trade, a good neighbor and esteemed citizen.
His children were as follows: Enoch,
Chauncy, Charles, Christopher, Harriet, Mary,
Delilah and Julia.
William Moore, a native of
Virginia, settled on the east bank of the Darby, and
land now owned by Pearson Holycross, about
1840, and remained a president of this township till
his death.
The above list
embraces most of the early settlers. There
are, however, a few about whom we have learned but
few particulars. Of these, the following names
are of persons known to have been early settlers, to
wit: Vandever Reed, Joseph Coberly, George
Miller, John Gabriel, Dixon Mitchell, Samuel
Ballinger, Alfred Hale, William Smith, Thomas Dodds,
James Cochren, William Hoff, William Rowland,
Benjamin Vickers, Thomas Dun, Elijah Kinney, Elijah
Burroughs, L. Hibbard and John G. Hibbert.
We now desire to give the history of one more
family of this township, not because they were early
settlers, but from their remarkable age, and the
almost unprecedented length of time that this aged
and venerable couple have traveled the journey of
life together. Seventy-one years have they
shared its joys and its pleasures, or buoyed up each
the other under its burden of toil and labors, its
afflictions and sorrows! Over "threescore
years and ten." the allotted period to mortals
given, have they walked hand in hand in the
conflicts of life! And still the messenger of
death spares them, and still they are permitted to
live among and enjoy the society of their aged but
respected children. This family is as follows:
James Cavender was born in
Hillsboro County, N. H., Mary 15, 1786, where he
marred Rachel Butler, who was born July 4,
1789; they were married Nov. 27, 1811. In 1846
they emigrated to Ohio and located on William
Bales' farm, where they have resided to the
present time. He has been a farmer by
occupation through all his active life. Their
children were as follows: Annis,
married Joseph Simons, a native of New
Hampshire, where they resided most of their lives,
and died in their native State; Abraham Holmes,
married Elvira Hopkins, of New Hampshire, and
subsequently, in 1843, moved to Ohio and settled in
Logan County; thence, about 1850, they removed to
St. Paul, Minn., where they new reside; Jonathan
Buttler never married, and died in Kentucky,
aged forty-two years; Sarah married
William Bales; Charles never married, but
died at twenty-five years of age in his native
State. Mary married Paul Whittimore,
and lived and died in their native State; E.
Burnham married Harriet Laws, and reside
in New Hampshire; Rachel married Williard
Powers, she died in her native State; and
David, the youngest, married Jane Carley,
and now resides in Illinois.
ALLEN COUNTY SURVEYS.
The
earliest surveys in the territory embrace in this
township were made in October, 1797. The
surveys are as follows:
Surveyed for Henry Whitning 740 acres,
Survey No. 102, June 6, 1813; Walter Dun, D.
S. Surveyed, December 3, 1823, for Charles
Simms, 1,200 acres, Survey No. 158; James
Galloway, D. S. Surveyed, June 8, 1806,
for James Denny, assignee, 300 acres, Survey
No. 1,502; James Galloway, D. S.
Surveyed, Sept. 28, 1799, for John Hefferlin,
100 acres, Survey No. 2,598; Lucas
Sullivant, D. S. Surveyed, November
4, 1797, for Richard Stephenson's
heirs-at-law to Hugh Stephenson deceased,
1,000 acres, Survey No. 2669; Lucas Sullivant,
D. S. Surveyed, November 1, 1797, for Peter
Manifold, assignee, 1,000 acres, Survey No.
2,800; Lucas Sullivant, D. S.
Surveyed, Oct. 30, 1797, for Samuel Wallace,
1,000 acres, Survey No. 2,875; Lucas Sullivant,
D. S. Surveyed. Oct. 23, 1797, for Lucas
Sullivant, assignee, 1,300 acres, Survey No.
2,979; Lucas Sullivant. D. S. Surveyed,
Nov. 26, 1797, for John Mumford Gregory, 800
acres, Survey No. 2,980; Lucas Sullivant, D.
S. Surveyed, Nov. 26, 1797, for Andrew
Torborn, 1,000 acres, Survey No. 2,981; Lucas
Sullivant, D. S. Surveyed, Nov. 26, 1797,
for Andrew Torborn, 1,000 acres, Survey No.
2,983; Lucas Sullivant, D. S. Surveyed.
Dec. 20, 1797, for William Carter, 1,000
acres, Survey No. 3,161; Lucas Sullivant, D.
S. Surveyed, Dec. 20, 1797, for Henry
Baumgaitner, 200 acres, Survey No. 3,156;
Lucas Sullivant, D. S. Surveyed, Apr. 10,
1799, for Richard Stephenson, 800 acres,
Survey No. 3,163; Lucas Sullivant, D. S.
Surveyed, Sept. 28, 1799, for Obadiah R. Harrison,
200 acres, Survey No. 3,241; Lucas Sullivant,D.
S. Surveyed, Sept. 17, 1790, for Lucas
Sullivant, 1,000 acres, Survey No. 3,681;
Lucas Sullivant, D. S. Surveyed,
Sept. 11, 1799, for George McCrider, 100
acres, Survey No. 3,697; Lucas Sullivant, D.
S. Surveyed, Sep. 17, 1799, for James
Wilson, 100 acres, Survey No. 3, 741;
Lucas Sullivant, D. S. Surveyed
Sept. 17, 1799, for James Wilson, 200 acres,
Survey No. 3,742; Lucas Sullivant, D. S.
Surveyed Sept. 30, 1799, for Lucas Sullivant,
assignee, 200 acres, Survey No. 3,748; Lucas
Sullivant, D. S. Surveyed, Sept. 30, 1799,
for James Coleman, assignee, Joseph Flipps,
Roland Estes, Lucas Sullivant, assignee, and
David White, assignee, 600 acres, Survey No.
3,749; Lucas Sullivant, D. S. Surveyed
Sept. 28, 1799, for George Custard, 100
acres, Survey No. 3,752; Lucas Sullivant, D.
S. Surveyed, Dec. 12, 1805, for the
representatives of Lewelling Jones, 1,100
acres, Survey No. 4,814; James Galloway, Jr.
D. S. Surveyed, No. 5, 1807, for Peter
Manifold, 481 acres, Survey No. 4,610; James
Galloway, Jr. D. S. Surveyed Dec.
15, 1809, for John Hays, 200 acres, Survey
No. 4,880; James Galloway, Jr., D. S.
Surveyed May 1, 1806, for Thomas Sears, 500
acres, Survey No. 4,933; Duncan McArthur, D.
S. Surveyed July 22, 1809, for Zadoc Bailey
and James Cropper, 120 acres, Survey No.
6,295; James Galloway, Jr., D. S.
Surveyed Mar. 5, 1811, for Rice Haggard and Nancy,
his wife, 866-2/3
acres, Survey No. 7,022; James Galloway, Jr.,
D. S. Surveyed, Oct. 26, 1813, for Anthony
Walke and Abridgeton Jones, 3,337 acres,
Survey No. 7,822; Walter Dun, D. S. Surveyed,
Nov. 1, 1815, for Walter Dun and Nathan
Haines, assignees, 500 acres, Survey No. 8,565;
Walter Dun, D. S. Surveyed, Feb. 5,
1819, for Walter Dun, assignee, 200 acres,
Survey No. 9,796; Walter Dun, D. S.
Surveyed June 17, 1823, for John Evans and
William Withers, 140 acres, Surveys Nos. 12,242
and 12,262; Duncan McArthur, D. S.
Surveyed, Jan. 11, 1825, for Walter Dun and
George Clark, assignees, 82 acres, Surveys
No. 12,081 and 12,744; Walter Dun D. S.
Surveyed for John Guthrie, 320 acres, Survey
No. 4,606 - a part of said land is in Logan County.
Surveyed for James Galloway, 360 acres,
Survey No. 5,746. Surveyed for Walter Dun,
___ acres, Survey No. 7,772 (mostly in Logan
County). Surveyed for N. Bailey, 120
acres, Survey No. 6,295. Surveyed for Mazy
Vance, 1,000 acres, Survey No. 12,308.
Surveyed for H. Massie, 40 acres,
Survey No. 14,602. Surveyed for James
Galloway, 260 acres, Survey No. 15,309.
SURFACE, STREAMS,
SOIL, ETC.
MILLS.
SCHOOLS.
CHURCHES
CEMETERIES.
The
Buck Run Cemetery, near the church, was probably one
of the earliest burying places in the township.
The first persons buried here were Daniel Allen,
who died Aug. 2, 1832, and Erastus Williams,
who died July 29, 1833. These grounds contain
many of the first settlers. On the Lewisburg &
Marysville pike is another cemetery, situated on the
south side of said pike, a short distance west of
Squire Isaac Brodrick's residence. These
are the principal burying grounds of this township,
although there are two or three other places where
one or more persons have been deposited in former
days.
POTTERSBURG.
Feb. 18,
1869, Andrew S. Mowry surveyed and laid out a
town on Survey No. 315, for David A. Williams
and George F. Bennett, to be known as
Pottersburg, consisting of twenty-four lots, one
main street sixty-six feet wide, and four cross
streets, viz.: Front, William, Bennett
and Carter, each sixty-six feet wide; the lots all
situated on Main street commencing with No. 1, and
numbering to 24, with all the odd numbers 1, 3, 5,
etc., upon one side of the street, and all the even
numbers, 2, 4, 6, etc., on the opposite side, with
alleys in the rear of said lots, each twenty feet
wide. The plat and grant of lands dedicated to
streets and alleys for public use were duly
acknowledged and signed by said Williams and
Bennett, and their wives, Apr. 14, 1869, before
W. M. Winget, a Justice of the Peace, and the
same recorded May 1, 1869, by James Smith,
Recorder of Union County, Ohio.
Oct. 22, 1872, Thomas Cowgill surveyed and laid
out fourteen lots with one street, known as Railroad
street, to be an addition to the town of
Pottersburg; said addition being situated on the
north side of the Atlantic & Great Western Railway,
adjoining the town on the north, and made by W.
Armstrong. Said street is sixty feet wide.
Lot No. 1 is located at the east side of said
addition, and numbering westward 2, 3, etc., to No.
14, with three alleys from Railroad street to the
rear of said lots, each sixteen and one-half feet
wide; and also an alley in rear of lots of same
width; the same being duly appropriated and signed
and executed by W. Armstrong and wife, before
Gilbert H. Stewart, a Notary Public.
Recorded Dec. 17, 1872, Hiram Raney,
Recorder, Union County, Ohio.
In the summer of 1868, prior to the laying out of the
town, Jonas Cline, a carpenter by trade,
erected a saw mill. He also built the first
house, which was for Abel Lary; also, in
1869, he erected a house for himself. Then he
erected a store room, 12x18 feet, and filled with
the groceries, which was the first in the town.
Mr. B. Andrews was the first blacksmith.
In 1869, Capt. Cline petitioned for a
post office. He received his commission as
Post master the same year, and has continued to hold
the office to his date (1882). In the spring
of 1864, the Atlantic & Great Western Railway (now
the New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio Railroad), was
completed, and the first train of cars run over the
road. Capt. Jones Cline was appointed
ticket agent. In 1872, the railway company
built a good depot, and a telegraph office was
established here. About this time, Capt.
Cline erected a large, two story storehouse, and
put in a complete and general stock of goods.
Where this town now stands was a dense forest, and
before a building could be erected the ground had to
be cleared of timber and stumps. Now the town
contains about 100 souls, with one good general
store, by Capt. Jonas Cline; one blacksmith,
Harry Andrews; one saw mill, erected by
Williams & Bennett, now owned by Smith,
Giddings & Co., of Green Springs, Seneca Co.,
Ohio, and in charge of D. T. Burr; one tile
factory, owned and operated by the Crary Bros.,
who are doing a large business; one church
(Methodist Episcopal); one two-story frame
schoolhouse, erected in 1881-82, with two rooms, in
which are employed two teachers; the house cost
about $1,400 all furnished complete.
ALLEN CENTRE.
At the
location of Allen Center, the first business to be
carried on was an ashery, which was erected and run
a few years, by Mr. Joel Everett. Soon
after Joshua Eaton purchased five acres of
land, and about 1848-49 laid out a few lots with the
object of starting a town. A post office was
established in February, 1851, with Reuben Foote
commissioned as Postmaster. Ransal
Smith carried on the cabinet-making
business, and Stephen Donahue, blacksmithing.
Mr. Barnet Bennett erected. a large two story
frame house in 1861-62, and in one of hte rooms
placed a small stock fo goods, constituting the
first general store. He continued business
till 1864-65, when he sold out to Jacob Painter,
who carried on an extensive trade till the fall of
1875, when he closed out his stock with a series of
public sales, and removed to Mississippi.
Since then one or two others have put in a few
goods, but continued in trade but for brief periods
of time. About the commencement of the war of
the rebellion, the post office was discontinued
At present the village contains a few houses but o
business except farming.
TOWNSHIP
OFFICIALS.
This is one
of the few townships which has the official records
preserved from its organization. The first
election, by order of the County Commissioners, was
held on Oct. 9, 1827, at the house of Willialm
Milligan, at which election were polled thirteen
votes as follows: Jonathan Burwell,
Joseph Russell, Henry Vangordon, Moses Redford,
William Epps, Samuel Milligan, Nimrod Garwood,
Daniel Allen, William Milligan, William Asher,
William W. Haines, John Asher and Southard
Mather. Reuben P. Mann received eleven
votes for Representative. John Reed,
nine, and Levi Phelps, four, for County
Auditor; Cyprian Lee, three, and Stephen
McLain, ten, for County Treasurer; Elia
Robinson, thirteen, for Assessor. At this
election, Nimrod Garwood, Henry Vangordon and
Daniel Allen acted as Judges, and Southard
Mather and John Asher, Clerks.
Another election was held for Justice of the Peace
and Constable, on the 3d day of November, 1827, with
the following result: William Milligan
received six votes, and Henry Vangordon four
for Justice of the Peace; David Furrow, five,
and John Asher, five, for Constables.
In 1876 for township polled 314 votes.
Township officers as follows:
Trustees - 1827, Nimrod Garwood, Henry Vangordon
and Daniel Allen; 1828, Samuel Milligan, John Asher
and Levi Gunn; 1829
MORE TO COME.....PG. 468
Clerks -
Treasurers -
Overseers of the Poor -
Fence Viewers -
Assessor - 1846, Dixon Mitchell; 1848,
Thomas Stillings; 1849-55, Amos A. Williams; 1856,
William
R. Webb; 1857, William Inskeep; 1858
Josiah Knight;
1859-60, Moses Coe; 1861, Dixon
Mitchell; 1862-64, Moses Coe; 1865,
W. H. Crary; 1866-71, W. R. Webb;
1872-80, Nathan Howard; 1881-82; Eli
Norviel.
Constables -
Justices of the Peace - 1828, William Milligan;
1829, William Snuffin; 1830, John W. Williams;
1836, William W. Haines; 1837 - 40, A. A. Williams;
1839-42-45, E. W. Crary; 1843, Reuben R. Hale;
1845,
A. A. Williams; 1846, William Inskeep;
1848, Dixon Mitchell; 1849, James Kennedy;
1851, Frank Pearl; 1852, John C.
Johnson; 1854, Mr. Grubbs; 1855, B. H.
B. Griswold; 1857, Reuben Foote; 1858, John Paver;
1860-63-66, Isaac Brodrerick; 1861,
James Kennedy; 1864, W. R. Webb; 1867, B. H. B. Griswold;
1869-72, James Williams; 1870, William
L. Robinson; 1873-76-79-82, Adam Wolford;
1875-78, W. P. Jennings; 1881, L. M. Crary.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
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