Richland Co., Ohio

 
 

Historical Information

 
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Something About King's Corners

source:  Semi-Weekly News (Mansfield):  26 July 1898, Vol. 14, No. 62

 
 
 

Submitted by Amy

 

King's Corners is two miles southwest of Lexington on the Johnsville road, and the place takes its' name from the fact that 'Squire Jacob King was a prominent and honored resident of that locality for many years.  'Squire King was the father of J.J. King, of this city [Mansfield], who has been identified with the business interests of Mansfield for the past 37 years and is the owner of the King building on the northeast corner of Park Avenue and Walnut Street.  Rufus King, a son of J.J. King, is now serving his country as a soldier in Cuba, being a member of Capt. Marquis' Company M, Eighth Ohio Regiment.

'Squire King settled there at an early day and built a saw mill on the branch of the Clear Fork of the Mohican that runs a short distance south of the Corners.  A cabin home was also put up which in time was succeeded by a large frame dwelling that was occupied by Mr. King as a residence until his death.

J.J. King lived on the farm with his parents until he was 19 years old, then went to clerk in the store of his brother-in-law, Mr. Cover, at Johnsville, where he remained two years, and then (in 1861) came to Mansfield, and this city has ever since been his home.  Mr. King has his grandfather's clock, which was made to order in 1810, and keeps time correctly today.  In addition to keeping the hours of the day it gives the day of the week and of the month, and the phases of the moon.  The clock is highly prized by Mr. King as a family heirloom.  Nearly everything was made to order 90 years ago, but now we are in the "hand-me-down" ready-made period.

Troy Township was not settled by an army of invasion.  People in the east heard of this western land of promise and came here and endured the inconveniences of a life in the wilderness and thus became pioneers -- men who foreran the column of civilization.

The Indians never occupied Troy Township as a habitat.  To them the hunt and the chase were not only alluring, but hunting was followed as much, perhaps, as a matter of business as of pleasure, and some parts of Troy Township were favorite hunting grounds for the savages.  Guy Needham has a fine collection of Indian relics picked up on his father's farm.

Troy came into the familyhood of townships unheralded by the tocsin of war.  Peace has its achievements, as war has its victories.  The conquests of war may be more brilliant, but those of peace are more enduring.  While war sharpens the wits and broadens the minds of nations, peace fosters the industries, cultivates the land, and makes even the desert places to bloom and blossom like unto the gardens of the gods.  War makes us cosmopolitan, peace makes us domestic and happy.

The present war has already made the people of the United States students of history, geography and international law.  Peace, although slower paced, will in time bring its aftermath of good results.

To the west of King's Corners is the "jog" for Troy Township has not only a "panhandle" at its northwest corner, but a "jog" at the southwest.  When the new county of Morrow was formed in 1846, and a new west line was made for mangled Richland, it was not run straight through, but was jogged so as to leave sections 28 and 33 in the old county, because thereon lived 'Squire King and Messrs. Winters, Grub and others, good citizens with whom we did not want to part company.

Michael Winters married Catherine King, a sister of 'Squire King.  She is now a widow and lives with her son, William Winters, southeast corner of Park Avenue and Adams Street.  Mrs. Winters is well advanced in years, but her memory is unimpaired, and her mind is stored with interesting reminiscences of other years.  She recalls the old-time stage days, when Watson's and Bell's taverns were way stations on the stage route between Lexington and Mansfield, and farmers had to haul their grain to the lake to find a market.  How thankful this generation should be that even a few of those dear old mothers are yet left to tell us the tales of other days, and to bless and make happy the homes of their children and their children's children with their presence and their love!

John W. Needham settled on section 22, where he has ever since resided -- covering a period of 58 years.  He married a Miss Shauck, who after sharing with her husband the blessings of a happy home for over 50 years, was called away to enter into the rest that awaits the children of God.  Mr. Needham is blessed in health and estate and enjoys farm life and loves the home he cleared from the wilderness.  Jerry Needham, the son, lives in a large, commodious house on the same farm.  Jerry is the president of the Richland Agricultural Society and is so well and favorably known that he needs no words of introduction or commendation to the readers of the News.  Mr. and Mrs. Needham have two sons -- Earl and Guy -- the former is in college and the latter at home with his parents.  Mrs. Needham was educated at Otterbein University, is a lady of taste and refinement, well fitted to preside over their well appointed and beautiful home.

James Summers, in his day, built a large brick residence upon his farm at the corners.  Mr. Summers was an educated man and was county recorder.  James Carrothers, of this city, well remembers Mr. Summers, and says he wrote a round, plain hand, one of the best upon our county records.  The Summer's property has now been owned by the Maxwell's for two generations.  D.C. Maxwell is the present owner and occupant.  Mr. Maxwell was formerly in the drug business in Mansfield, succeeded by Dr. Mecklem.  Mr. Maxwell and has two brothers in Lexington, one a merchant, the other a physician.

From the corners roads lead to Lexington, Bellville, Johnsville, Iberia and Galion.  The country is beautiful in the quiet, pastoral charms of its landscape and the people of that locality are intelligent and prosperous.  A rich, beautiful valley extends down the stream to Bellville along which the fertile farms of Eckerts, Hiskey, Walters, Hanawalts, Goss, Lantz, Olin, Shafer, Steel, Stuff, Aungst, Gatton and Lockhart are noted.  The sites of the Frary Woolen factory and the Hannawalt's grist mills are in that valley.

Eckert, Poland, Mix, Cook, Barnett, Ink, et al., own farms near the corners, as also does John Fox, of South Diamond Street, and the wife of Prof. Shauck, who was a Miss Maxwell.

The school at the corners has long been noted as a literary center.  The summer term just closed was taught by Miss Ida Sell, of Bellville.

-- A.J. Baughman


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