MARION TOWNSHIP

ITS SIZE AND LOCATION.

     This township lies in the southeast corner of the county, and is four miles east and west and five and one-half miles north and south, with an assessed acreage of 13,922 acres.  It is  bounded on the north by Beaver Township, on the east by Jackson County, on the south by Scioto County and on the west by Union Township.  It is the smallest township in the county, but is not by any means the least valuable.  Its land valuation in 1882 was $127,569; chattel property, $105,377; village property, California, $7,977; total valuation, 240,923.

TOPOGRAPHY.

     Marion Township, after leaving the valley of Beaver Creek is hilly,  The wide expanse  of that valley gives the northern part a rolling country with a productive soil.  The southern part is hilly, but the soil is apparently better than in the hills further south.  There is also some excellent land on McDowell's Run.

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which flows in a half-moon circle through the center of the township.  A branch of Rocky Fork of the Little Scioto River waters its southern boundary and almost touches its little capital city, California.  There is also a good supply of timber on the hills and along the streams.
     It was settled in 1808, and along McDowell's Run and Beaver Creek were found the first pioneers.  These old settlers who opened the land to cultivation were David Samson, James Samson, David Samson, Jr., John Beech, Lyttleton Bradford, John Yeager, Peter Wykoff, Elijah Piles, Jacob Keller and John and James McDowell.
     The first school-house was erected in 1827 and located about one mile east of California.  Winston Jones was the teacher.
     The first mill was erected on McConnell Creek by James Samson, in  1826.  It was rather a small affair.
     The township was organized Dec. 4, 1848, and was taken from Beaver Township.  It was next to the last township organized in the county.  The Ohio Southern Railroad passes through the northern part of the township entering near the northwest corner, and, running in a southeasterly course, leaves the township on the east, about one and one-fourth miles south of its northern line.  The station of Beaver is within the township.

CALIFORNIA

     California is a bright and prosperous business hamlet situated in the southwest corner of the township, something over a mile from its south line.  It dates back to antebellum days, but was resurveyed in 1881, and  is one of the most enterprising hamlets in the county.  It does quite a large business in merchandise and in manufactures for so small a place.
     Its woolen-mill or card machine was first erected by Wm. Gordon in 1860 and was run by horse-power.  In 1862 an engine was put in and a spinning machine by James McGinniss, who had purchased the plant.  Other improvements were added, a set of new cards were put in, the size of the building increased to 32x50 feet, and a few years later, or in 1869, twenty feet more with a new boiler shed fourteen feet long were added.  Two power looms were added at that time and a fulling machine, cloth press and shearing machine, which made it a full-fledged woolen-mill.  The mill is still under the proprietorship of Mr. Ginniss, and there are manufactured jeans, flannels, yarns, blankets, etc.  It is doing a good and profitable business.
     The flouring mill is another valuable manufacturing institution which adds much to the business interests of California.  It was first erected in 1853, by Nelson Austin and Israel Dewey.  It has changed hands a number of times the last thirty years, but has finally come into the possession of John B. Brown who is making a successful business of it, and securing much trade to the town.
     A blacksmith and wagon shop was erected in 1870 by Samson & Brown and then it went into the hands of Henry Ellshoff, who has been succeeded by his son, and the latter is doing a good business.
     A carriage shop was carried on by Jacob Stupp and Lewis Ellhoffuntil the death of Henry Ellhoff, father of Lewis, in 1882.  The blacksmith shop, wagon and carriage manufactory are now together and conducted by Lewis Ellhoff as sole proprietor.
     Another blacksmith shop was started in 1870 by Timothy Wilson and Joseph Smith, since which it has changed hands and the business is successfully carried on by J. B. Brown the present proprietor.
     Wesley Cooper runs another blacksmith shop on High street, and F. D. Wilson one on Mill street.  This closes the manufacturing interests.  Its business is summed up as follows:  O. E. Emory, general store; S.

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B. Masters, general store; Mrs. Nancy Aumiller, millinery; Dr. J. S. Samson, drug store; J. R. White, saddles and harness; S. Brown & Son, dry-goods and groceries; Milliard & Ramsey, boots and shoes; Cornelius Moore boots and shoes; E. V. Samson, Postmaster and Notary Public, office corner of Mill and Main streets; John Durant, hotel on Main street; Dr. L. D. Allard, resident physician.
     The population of the township dates from the census of 1850.  In that year the population was 900; in 1860, 793; in 1870, 813; and in 1880, 908.

MARION TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.

Dec. 4, 1848

     "In compliance with a petition from sundry citizens of the county the following new township was formed as follows:
     "Beginning at the northeast corner of Union Township and running east to the Jackson County line; thence south to the southeast corner of Beaver Township; thence west to the southeast corner of Union Township; thence north with said township line to the place of beginning."
     An election was ordered to take place Dec. 18, 1848, at the house of H. S. Westfall, for the election of township officers.

TOWNSHIP OFFICERS, 1843

     Trustees, William Gordon, David Rhea and Walter Austin; Treasurer, Michael Gall; Clerk, Stephen Slaughter; Constables, John Clemmons and Andrew I. McNeal; Assessor, Nathan Burgess; Justices of the Peace, Michael Gall and Edward Dixon.

1883.

     Trustees, S. W. Butcher, C. M. Gordon and W. R. Graham; Clerk, Henry W. Westfall; Assessor, George W. Nutt; Treasurer, Phillip Hammerstein; Constables, James Magaw and Frank Wilson; Justices of the Peace, J. T. Slaughter and O. E. Emory.

TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS.

     There are six school districts in Marion Township.  The numbers of districts and names of houses are as follows: Sub-district No. 1, Nutt's School-house - Teacher, T. J. McLaughlin; pupils, thirty-eight.  Sub-district No. 2, Westfall School-house - Teacher, G. W. Vance; pupils, sixty-three.  Sub-district No. 3, Salem School-house - Pupils, forty-one.  Sub-district No. 4, Mosser School-house - Pupils, thirty-two.  Sub-district No. 5, Gordon's School-house - Pupils, forty-seven.  Sub-district No. 6, California School-house - Pupils, ninety-two.

CHURCHES.

     The Free-Will Baptist Church, of California, was organized Feb. 3, 1878, by Revs. Alva Crabtree and T. E. Peden.  Thirty-eight members joined the church, and George W. Fellows was Deacon.  In 1878, or the year of their organization, they built a frame church on the corner of High and Water streets.  The Trustees were S. B. Masters, J. R. Samson and T. D. Wilson.  The church has now a membership of fifty, under the care of the Rev. Frank May, who holds service once a month.  The church officers are: Trustees, O. E. Emory, Levi Brown and E. K. Crabtree.  The church property is valued at $1,000.

     Methodist Episcopal Church. - This church was among the early organizations of the township, and dates from 1835.  Eighteen members joined, and they met either at the residence of some of the members or at the school-house, for service, until 1847, when they built a log church, about one mile east of California, and called the Rev. Andrew Carroll as their regular supply.  The Trustees were John Kirkpatrick, William Gordon and William Bass.  At that time there was a membership of twenty-five.  The old log church was used fifteen years, when the society erected a commodious frame church in

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its place, 32 x 46 feet in size, costing, fully completed, $1,500.  The Trustees elected were John Kirkpatrick, V. B. Johnson and J. Frederic Ehrman.  The church is under the pastoral care of Rev. Samuel Crosby, with sixty members.  Preaching is had every three weeks.

     United Brethren. - This church is now located at California, and was first organized as early as 1825 by the Rev. Daniel Bonebrake.  Their services were held in the cabins of some of the members for many years.  In 1839 they erected a church, and the Rev. Isaac Krutzsinger was their minister.  The church had then eighty members, and the Trustees were: James Graham, James Samson and Jonathan Dodge.  In 1850 they removed their church, which was about one mile south, to California.  They have no regular pastor at this time, but service is held occasionally.  The present Trustees are Jacob Dewey, William Samson and John B. Samson.

     The Pleasant Hall Brill Church, Methodist Protestant, was organized in 1848 by Rev. Rannel Gee.  Meetings were generally held at the Mosser School-house until 1858, when a frame church was erected at a cost of $600.  Nicholas Funk, Henry and Josiah Brill and David Mosser were Trustees.  The Rev. Moses Scott was their pastor, with a membership of thirty-five.  In 1878 they re-modeled their church building and otherwise improved it.  Rev. James Tyree succeeded Mr. Scott in 1878, and the number of members was forty.  The present able pastor is the Rev. William Hollingshed.

     The Salem Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1845 by Rev. Andrew Carroll, with the following members: Samuel James and wife, Andrew James and wife, David James and wife, Huston Westfall and wife, John Kinney and wife, John Taylor and wife.  They held their meetings in the Salem School-house for several years.  They built a log church in 1853,  which stood until 1873, when the roof was burned off, and they built the present church building.  The Trustees were David James, Hiram McLaughlin and Andrew James.  It was dedicated by Rev. John T. Miller.  The membership was about thirty at that time.  The present pastor is Rev. Samuel Crosby; Trustees, Andrew Carroll James, Charles Kirkpatrick and Hiram McLaughlin.  The membership is now about twenty-five.  Regular service is held every three weeks, and class-meeting and Sabbath-school every Sunday.  The church property is valued at $1,200.

BIOGRAPHICAL