Richland Co., Ohio

 
 

Historical Information

 
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Early Worthington Twp. People

Bellville Messenger:  12 February 1903, Vol. 11, No. 6

 
 
 

Submitted by Amy

 

Samuel Lewis was the first permanent white settler in Worthington Township.  He located on the northwest quarter of section one in 1809.  In 1812 he erected a blockhouse on his farm for the protection of the settlers.

Henry Nail, William Slater, Peter Zimmerman and James Wilson came in 1814.   Simmons, Herring, Broad, Darling, Pearce, Davis and some others came a few years later.

Capt. James Cunningham was one of the early settlers of the county, but did not locate in Worthington until about 1820.  He harvested the first crop of wheat in the county.  Captain Cunningham was of Irish parentage, and was reared and educated in Baltimore.  He came west -- to this "new purchase" -- to teach school, but later became a farmer.  He was a soldier in the War of 1812, as his father had been in the Revolutionary War.  He died in 1870, aged nearly 90 years.

Martin Spohn was born in Pennsylvania in 1804.  Came to Ohio in 1832 and located in Tuscarawas County, and later came to Worthington Township, this county.  The Spohns were the founders of the town of Butler.  They were Dunkards and industrious, exemplary people.  Mrs. Sarah Bevington, of West Fourth Street, Mansfield, is the daughter of Martin Spohn.  She has two sons:  one is the manager of the Aultman-Taylor office at Chicago and the other is an officer in the United States Navy.

David Taylor was born in Pennsylvania in 1813.  Came to Ohio with his parents in 1821, and located in Worthington.  He was county commissioner six years.

Jonathan Plank was born in Pennsylvania in 1816.  Came to Richland County in 1856.  He was a miller and his son, E.A. Plank, succeeded him.

Joseph Snavely came to Ohio from Pennsylvania in 1839.  He was a farmer, a respected citizen and the father of eleven children.

Thomas Simmons came from Maryland to Ohio in 1813 and settled in Worthington.  He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and two of his sons served in the Mexican War.

Edward Sheehy came from County Cork in Ireland in 1809.  He resided for many years in Monroe Township, but later moved to Worthington, where he died.  One of his sons, John Sheehy, resides on South Adams Street, Mansfield.

Hiram H. Sharp came from Pennsylvania and settled in Newville in 1842, and learned the carpenter trade with Isaac Pulver.

Lewis Rummel was born in Maryland in 1804.  He came to Ohio in the twenties.  Was a miller by trade.  He united with the Disciple church in 1840, and was one of the leading members of that denomination until his death.  He was the father of Silas Rummel, of Lucas.

David Secrist was born in Pennsylvania in 1815.  He was a shoemaker, and by industry accumulated considerable wealth, and owned some valuable farms.

Samuel Easterly and Peter Lehman resided near the Easterly church.  They were farmers and highly respected citizens.

William Norris was one of the largest landowners in this township at the time of his death.

James W. Pearce's father, Lewis Pearce, was one of the earliest settlers in the township.

Daniel Mowry was born in Pennsylvania in 1823, and came with his parents to Richland County, Ohio, in 1828.  He lived near Newville and is now deceased.  He was the father of Mrs. John W. Baughman, of Jefferson Township.

Dr. Robert McLaughlin was a leading physician of Butler for many years and was the father of Dr. J.M. McLaughlin, of this city.

The McCurdys are of Irish descent and have been prominent citizens of this township since 1834.

The McClellands came from Pennsylvania to Ohio in 1824.  They were prominent people in the township and one of the descendants, C.L. McClelan [sic.] is county-clerk elect.

John Hughes was a prominent citizen and a tailor at Newville for many years.

Daniel Spayde is a successful farmer and was a soldier in the civil war.

The late Dr. J.P. Henderson was one of the pioneer doctors of Richland County, and was a member of the constitutional convention which framed the present constitution of Ohio.

R.W. Hazlett, a prominent citizen of the township, has been successfully engaged in various pursuits, but is now leading a retired life.

Alexander Greer came to Ohio in 1820 and is the father of Henry Greer, of Butler.

The Darlings came to this county at an early day, and their descendants own some of the most valuable land in the township.

James Carlisle, a soldier of the war of 1812, settled near Newville in 1832.

Thomas B. Andrews was a justice of the peace of Worthington for many years, and served two terms as county commissioner.  His widow, whose maiden name was Marilla Pollard, is still living.

The Calhoons were prominent in the township, and Noble Calhoon was a justice of the peace for several years.

Robert Alexander located in Worthington Township in 1826.

John Hayes, Sr., was a farmer in this township, and a number of his descendants are citizens of the county.

Abner Davis was a farmer who lived about two miles southeast of Newville.  He was once robbed of eleven hundred dollars in gold.  The money was recovered in a peculiar way.  The robbers, three in number, were from Mt. Vernon.  The night was severely cold, the mercury standing below zero.  To of the number froze to death within a few miles of Mr. Davis' house.  The third was so badly frozen that he was easily captured, and upon his trial was sentenced to the penitentiary.

John Ramsey was a farmer and school teacher.  He was a justice of the peace and a county commissioner.

A.C. Kile was an auctioneer, a justice of the peace and served two terms in the legislature.

James A. Price, proprietor of the Butler Enterprise, and publisher of the Bellville Messenger, was a Worthington boy.

George Hammon came from Virginia and located in Worthington.  His son, Thomas, now deceased, became one of the largest land owners in the township.

The Carpenter family located in Newville, and Daniel Carpenter was one of the first merchants and manufacturers there.  Daniel Carpenter was the father of William B. Carpenter of this city, and of the late George F. Carpenter.

Dr. Hubbs, an Olivesburg boy, learned the printer's trade and followed typesetting for several years, and in company with his father-in-law, the late Joshua Ruth, published the Loudonville Advocate.  Later, Dr. Hubbs read medicine, and has been a successful practitioner at Butler for about twenty years.  The doctor always has a cordial greeting for his friends and deserves to have good things said of him.

John W. Wilson went to California in 1852, driving all the distance from Butler to the Pacific Coast, except between Cincinnati and St. Louis, which was made by boat.  He served his country as a soldier in the war of the rebellion.  Mr. Wilson, like Henry Greer, was quite a dude in his younger days, and today has the appearance of a well-to-do business man.  He has a fine home adjoining the town.

William A. Traxler, a school teacher back in the '50's, was a civil war soldier, has a comfortable home and has retired from business.

L.W. Severns was a Butler boy, whose father was a leading merchant there for many years.  Curt was in the cavalry service all through the civil war.

The Mix family was long identified with the history of Worthington township, and several of their number have been engaged in mercantile pursuits.



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