HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY

CHAPTER XXXIX.

RUSH CREEK TOWNSHIP.

Rush Creek lies in the southeastern part, and is the most eastern portion of Fairfield county. It is bounded on the north by Richland township of Fairfield, and Reading township of Perry county; on the south by Marion township of Hocking county; on the east by Jackson township of Perry county; and on the west by Pleasant and Berne townships. It is six miles square, and contains thirty-six square miles or 23,040 acres of land. It became a township in 1804, and was surveyed by Elnathan Schofield, an early citizen of Lancaster, who also surveyed this part of the county. It was originally two miles longer than it now is, latitudinal, but in 1840 it was made two miles shorter north and south, than it now is, by the creation of what was known as Auburn township, whose existence was of short duration, for in 1851, Hocking county encroaching upon the borders of Fairfield, Auburn was divided equally between Rush Creek township of Fairfield and Marion township of Hocking, which made Rush Creek a complete township for the first time. It is probable that it was originally formed from Pleasant, Berne and Richland townships. The surface for the first part is undulating, the most rugged portion being found in the northeastern part. The valleys along Rush Creek and Raccoon Creek are broad, considering the size of the streams, and all the land is quite fertile, and all arable but a small portion. The valleys, environed by the hills, and the monotony of the hill land, broken by the valleys, presents a beautiful landscape. Dotted throughout by farm dwellings and barns, school houses and churches, the scene is truly home-like and comforting, and the traveler is constrained that the bard of civilization and culture has not neglected its influence here. The principal streams are Big Rush Creek, Little Rush Creek and Raccoon Creek. Big Rush Creek comes in from the northeast, and flows southwest, joining Little Rush Creek a little east of the center of the township. Little Rush Creek flows from a short distance west of the central northern part. through the township, passing out two miles farther east than where it enters at the north; it almost equally divides the township into two parts. Raccoon Creek has two branches, one flowing from the northwest, flowing directly south to about one mile west and a little south of the central part of the township, where it is joined by the branch from the central west and Berne township, from whence they flow in a southeastern direction and empty into Rush Creek two miles south of the centre of the township. From the northeast, three small streams flow south into Big Rush Creek. From the northwest flows a small stream in a direction south- 249

west, and is joined by another flowing directly south, near the western border of the township, and passes out into Berne township. There is a small stream in the southeast corner, and one in the southwest corner of the township. The people are of a mixture of blood, and came from Pennsylvania, Virginia, a few from Ireland and Scotland, and some from Maryland. The first settlements in this part of the county were in the north- west, and along Rush Creek, none of which were before 1798. From the first settlement until 1804, when this township was made, there came forty-three voters, besides women and children. The following is a list of the voters in 1804. (The election was held in Samuel Hammel's house, who lived on Rush Creek): Voters---Edward Murphy, John Hiles, John Murphy, Abram Beery, James S. Callam, John Ashbaugh, Henry Sellers, James Wilson, Jacob Beery, Joseph Miller, Philip Comer, Edward Young, Samuel Nelson, James Shaw, John Patton, Maxwell Galaher, Peter McHie, Joseph Shafer, Theobald Myers, Benjamin Cox, Jesse Roles, Andrew Ashbaugh, Samuel Brown, James Larimer, Samuel Mills, Robert Larimer, William McGinnis, Isaiah Driller, John Koyman, Joseph Love, Andrew Hite, Robert Nelson, Jacob Fox, Frederick Ashbaugh, Lewis Sites, William Trimble, John Wills, David Martin, Jacob Kafman, Hugh Wills, Henry Steman, William Martin, Ebenezer Larrimer. The judges of the election were David Martin, Lewis Sites, and John Wills; clerks---William Trimble and Hugh Wills. At this election Emanuel Carpenter, Henry Abrams, and Isaac Larrimer were voted for for county commissioners, each receiving forty votes cast in this township, and the, opposing candidates only three votes each. At the last election, held in October, 1882, there was three hundred and twenty-two votes polled. A full vote would poll four hundred and twenty-eight. It seems that John Ashbaugh was the first settler. He came from Redstone, Pennsylvania, down the Ohio River to the mouth of the Hock-hocking on a flat-boat, and came up the latter in a canoe to Rush Creek, and settled---having brought his family with him---on Raccoon Creek, about 1798 or 1799. To him was born the first child in what is now Rush Creek township---his son David, born January 1st, 1800. Edward Young came from Pennsylvania by the same means of travel, probably in 1801. He was married to Rachel Miller in 1802, and this was the first wedding in this vicinity. Some early settlers came horse-back, bringing their families in this way. Some poled their flat-boats up the Hock-hocking. Among the it settlers one of the Larrimers was the first Justice of the Peace. In 1804 Charles McClung was elected to that office. William McClung was a prominent citizen, and was elected at one time to the State Legislature. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. The first schools were kept up by subscriptions and taught in kitchens. One was kept in George Beery's kitchen, and taught by Christopher Welty. Another soon alter was taught by Joseph Osborn, in Joseph 250

Leib's kitchen. The first school houses were five-cornered log cabin buildings, one corner being used for a fire-place. For windows, a log would be left open and greased paper used for lights. The seats were small trees six or eight inches in diameter split in the middle, making two pieces; into these were driven pins the length to make the seats the right height. For writing desks they drove pins into the walls and puncheons upon them. The supply of wood for fuel was kept up by the scholars, cutting it during recess and noon. The first school houses were probably built in the northwestern part of the township and along the Rush Creek. The first teachers who taught in these houses were George Bright, Thomas Paydon, Peter McMullen, Mr. Brison, and others. McMullen seems to have been the most noted. A teacher then was a man of muscular power, rather than one of mental culture. Some possessed both, but no one could lack the former. A course of education was, to learn to "read, write, and cipher to the single rule of three." If they ever reached "Tare and tret" in mathematics, they were considered adepts. Of course the public school system was adopted as soon as possible when the county did the same. The school houses now are mostly of brick and eleven in number. In Bremen, two rooms are taught, there- by giving a grade to education, which was established in 1872. The Presbyterians were the first to hold religious services in the settlements, in private houses and barns. They built the first church in 1807 in the north-western part of the township; it was a hewed log. They now have two houses of worship in the township, one in Bremen and one in section 25, known as Bethel church. The latter was built in 1828 and at that time the society was organized in that vicinity. Rev. John Wright of Lancaster was the first minister in the township, and Francis Cartlett, at Bethel. The Methodist Episcopal class held meetings in houses and barns as early as 1802, and built Wesley chapel north of Bremen about 1806 or 1808. They now have a church in Bremen, built in 1854 and dedicated in June, with C. C. Lybrand as pastor. Zebulon Holiday, E. S. Gardner and E. W. Evans were the building committee. In 1854 there were about thirty members; now there are about fifty. The German Baptist church is situated in section 28 and was first organized about 1805. They held meetings in dwellings until 1856, when they built a church on the east side of John Meracle's farm. The first members were Abram Beery, John Beery, Casper Hoffert, George Hendricks, George Bright and Jacob Hunsaker. The first minister was Isaac Beery, who preached four times a year. They now have preaching every other Sunday. In all these churches, they have one hundred and thirty-two members. The Sacred Heart Roman Catholic church, in section 34, was built in 1835. The church organization was effected about 1852 by Father Laughy. The first priest who lived here was Father Broomer. In 1875 the present incumbent, Father Myrose, took charge. Some of its first members were Blasius Schmeltzer, John Schmeltzer, Jordan Schmeltzer, Absalom Schmeltzer, Anthony Schmeltzer and others. There are now about eighty communicants. The church was built with 251

all the other buildings by Blasius Schmeltzer, who donated them and eighty acres of land to the church. The Mt. Zwingle Reform church is in section 29. It was built in 1839 and stood until 1876, when it was supplanted by a neat frame house that is still standing. The first preacher was Rev. Wise. This class worshiped about sixty years ago in Berne township. The Olive Branch U. B. church is in section 39 and was built in 1851. The class was first organized about 1859 with a preacher, Rev. Cease, assisted by Rev. Brock, in charge with twenty members. Now there are only about twelve or fourteen. There have been as many as eighty members. The Mt. Zion. Brethren in Christ, church was built in 1858 in section 18. The class was organized about 1815, by some ministers from Pennsylvania, and Joseph and Abram Beery of Virginia. Previous to 1858 they worshiped in dwelling houses and barns. Although the house was built, they had no deed for the land upon which it stood until 1863, when Daniel Huddle made a deed for one-half acre for church and cemetery purposes. During the time they had no deed, the society became of two denominations, the other being the Evangelical Association and as they both worshiped here, he made the deed to them conjointly. The Union United Brethren church was built in 1826 in section 10. At the time it was built there were only two members, Benjamin Fry and Amos Parker. The first minister was probably a man by the name of Leaman. There are now about twenty members, and the old church house is still used. The Pleasant Hill Mennonite church was built in section 26 about 1835, across the road from where it now stands. It was without a deed for a lot until 1862, when they obtained a deed for one-half acre of land for church and cemetery purposes. The first organization was before 1817 and met in dwellings and barns until they built the present church. Peter Steman was the first elder. Joseph Good, Henry Funk, Henry Breneman, Nicholas Steman and others were the first members. Henry Steman and John Good were the first ministers. The Jerusalem Reformed German church was built in 1835 on the line between sections 13 and 14, under the supervision of Rev. T. H. Winters. The first class was organized in 1825, and met in Mrs. Mary Moyer's house and a school house until they built. The first house was supplanted by the present one in 1868 by the members, with no pastor. The first minister was Rev. George Weise, succeeded by T. H. Winters, Henry Williams, Jesse Steine, D. H. Phillips and others. The present pastor is J. R. Skinner. The first class was of eleven members, viz: John and Catherine Ashbaugh, Mary Moyer, George and Anna Keller, Catherine Musser, Mary E. Ashbaugh and Jacob Moyer. Of this class only Jacob Moyer is now living. In 1810 Samuel Hammel built the first water grist-mill on Rush Creek. Soon after that date, Joseph Leib built a saw and grist mill also on Rush Creek and nearer Bremen. It was lately owned by a 252

Mr. Shaw. Casper Hoffert built a grist mill in an early day on Raccoon Creek, west of Bremen, which has entirely disappeared. There is now a fine flour mill in Bremen owned by a Mr. Hall. There is a sawmill about two and a half miles south of Bremen on Rush Creek. Bremen is the village of Rush Creek township, and has a population of about two hundred souls. It was platted by George Beery in 1834 upon the southeast corner of section 16, or the school lands, and is in the centre of the township. Since that time it has had two or three additions; John Beery laid out ten acres in 1872 just south of the original plat. There is a post- office, two stores of general merchandise, one hardware store, one drug-store, one saloon, one flour mill, a blacksmith shop and two hotels. There is in the south edge of the township a very small place called Geneva, where there is one store and a blacksmith shop. Through the township, pass two rail roads. The Columbus and Muskingum Valley division of the Pittsburg, Cincinnati and St. Louis Railway enters it about two miles south from the northeast corner, passes through Bremen from where it has almost a direct western route through the western part of the township. This road was built in 1855 and extends to Cincinnati, Ohio. The Ohio Central comes in over the Cincinnati & Muskingum Valley road to Bremen, from where it extends almost directly north up Little Rush Creek. It extends north to Toledo, Ohio, and was built in 1879. 253