Clinton County, Ohio

Ohio Counties

Historical Collections of Ohio

By Henry Howe

Vol. I

©1888

CLINTON COUNTY

Page 423

CLINTON COUNTY was organized in 1810, and named after George Clinton, Vice-President of the United States, who was of Irish ancestry, born in Ulster county, New York, in 1739, and died in Washington D.C., in 1812. He projected the canal system of New York in 1791, his ideas being carried to their legitimate ends by his nephew, Governor DeWitt Clinton.

George Clinton, in 1758, returned from a privateering cruise, and as a lieutenant took part in the expedition against Fort Frontenac. After disbandment of the colonial forces he studied law and entered into polities, being elected to the New York Assembly in 1768. He was elected a delegate to the second Continental Congress in 1775. He was prevented from signing the Declaration of Independence with the New York delegation by an imperative call from Washington to take post in the Highlands as a militia general. In 1777 he was made a brigadier-general in the Continental army and in October of that same year made a brilliant but unsuccessful defence with Montgomery of the Highland forts against the British. He was chosen first governor of the State of New York, April, 1777, and was successively elected until 1795. He thwarted an expedition led in 1780 by Sir John Johnson, Brant and Cornplanter against the settlers of the Mohawk valley, saving them from massacre. At the time of Shay’s rebellion he marched in person at the head of the militia against the insurgents, and greatly aided in quelling that outbreak. In 1788 he presided at the State convention to ratify the Federal Constitution, the adoption of which he opposed on the grounds that it delegated too much power to the Federal congress and executive. At the first presidential election he received three electoral votes for the vice-presidency. In 1792 when Washington was re-elected, he received fifty votes for the same, and at the sixth presidential election, 1809-13, he received six ballots from New York for the presidency. In 1800 he was chosen to the legislature, and in 1801 was again governor. In 1804 he was elected Vice-President of the United States, which office he filled until his death.

He took great interest in education and in his message at the opening session of the legislature in 1795 he initiated the movement for the organization of the common school system.

In his private life he was affectionate and winning, though dignified. He was bold and courageous as a military man, and in public life he wielded vast influence owing to his sound judgment, marvellous energy, and great moral force of character.

The surface of this county is generally level, on the vast undulating; it has some prairie land. The soil is fertile, and is well adapted to corn and grass. Its area is 400 square miles. In 1885 the acres cultivated were 115,154; in pasture, 52,313; woodland, 34,954; lying waste, 2,351; produced in wheat, 160,389 bushels; corn, 2,419,796. School census 1886, 7,717; teachers, 189. It has 97 miles of railroad.

Townships And Census	1840	1880	Townships And Census	1840	1880
Adams,		921	Richland,	1,385	2,338
Chester,	1,784	1,443	Union,	3,284	5,051
Clark,	1,297	2,006	Vernon,	1,434	1,552
Greene,	1,842	2,758	Washington,	1,170	1,294
Jefferson,	474	1,448	Wayne,	1,366	1,448
Liberty,	1,050	1,382	Wilson,		1,159
Marion,	643	1,956

The population in 1820 was 8,085; in 1840, 15,729; in 1860, 20,638; in 1880, 23,293, of whom 21,061 were Ohio—born.

This county was settled about the year 1803, principally by emigrants from Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. The first settlement, however, was

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made in 1797 by William SMALLY. Most of the first emigrants were backwoods-men, and well fitted to endure the privations incident upon settling a new country. They lived principally upon game, and gave little attention to agricultural pursuits. As the country grew older game became scarce, emigrants flocked from

Drawn by Henry Howe in 1846.

CENTRAL VIEW IN WILMINTON.

different parts of the Union, and the primitive manner of living gave place to that more conformable to the customs of older States.

The following are the names of some of the most noted of the early settlers: Thomas HINKSON, Aaron BURR, and Jesse HUGHES, the first associate judges; Nathan LINTON, the first land surveyor; Abraham ELLIS and Thomas HARDIN, who had

SLACK & BERRY, PHOTO, WILMINGTON, 1886.

CENTRAL VEW IN WILMINGTON.

been soldiers of the Revolution; Joseph DOAN, James MILLS, and Henry BABB, who served as commissioners; Morgan MENDICAN, who erected the first mill in the county, on Todd’s fork; and Capt. James SPENCER, who was distinguished in various conflicts with the Indians.

The first house for divine worship was erected by Friends, at Centre, in 1806

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The first court was held in a barn belonging to Judge HUGHES, and for a number of years subsequent in a small house belonging to John M’GREGOR.

There are some of the ancient works so common throughout the West on Todd’s fork, near Springfield meeting-house. The “Deserted Camp,” situated about three miles northeast of Wilmington, is a point of notoriety with the surveyors of land. It was so called from the circumstance that a body of Kentuckians, on their way to attack the Indian towns on the Little Miami, encamping over night lost one of their number, who deserted to the enemy, and giving warning of their approach, frustrated the object of the expedition.

Wilmington the county-seat, is in the township of Union, on Todd’s fork, seventy-two miles southwest from Columbus. It is regularly laid out on undulating ground, and contains five houses for divine worship, one newspaper printing-office, one high-school, nineteen mercantile stores, and a population estimated at 1,500. The engraving represents of the principle streets of the village, as it appears from the store of Joseph HALE; the building with the spire is the court-house, a structure of considerable elegance. –Old Edition.

County officers 1888: Auditor, Asa JENKINS; Clerk of Court, Court, Frank D. DAKIN; Coroner, John C. OUTCART; Prosecuting Attorney, William W. SAVAGE; Probate Judge, Ambrose N. WILLIAMS; Recorder, Egbert B. HOWLAND, Sheriff, Samuel A. HOLLIDAY; Surveyor, James A. BROWN; Treasurer, L. W. CRANE; Commissioners, Daniel M. COLLETT, Jonas WATKINS, Edward CLINE.

WILMINGTON, about fifty miles northeast of Cincinnati, on the C. & M. V. and C & C. Midland railroads. Newspapers: Clinton Republican, Republican, C. N. Browning & Co., editors and publishers; Journal, Republican, W. G. & C. R. Fishers, editors, and publishers; Clinton County Democrat, Democratic, J. S. HUMMELL, editor and publisher. Banks: Clinton County National, F. M. MOORE, president, Madison BETTS, cashier; First National, C. M. BOSWORTH, president, C. C. NICHOLS, cashier. Churches: 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Colored Methodist Episcopal, 1 Presbyterian, 2 Friends, 2 Free-Will Baptist (1 Colored), 1 Christian, and 1 Catholic.

Industries and Employees.—Fulton & Peters, flour and grain shippers, 16 hands; The Champion Bridge Company, iron bridges, repair-work, etc., 25; Fisher & Hughes, general wood-work; Hawkins & Spray, lumber; William Schofield, woolen yarns; Shepard & Ludlum, builders’ woodwork; Williams, Cusick & Co., flour, etc. State Report 1886. Also, Clinton Furnace Company and Auger-Bit Works. Population in 1880, 2,745. School census in 1886, 740; Edward MERICK, superintendent.

Wilmington College was founded in 1870. It is under the management of the Society of Friends, James. B. UNTHANK, president.

Wilmington was laid out in 1810, principally settled by emigrants from North Carolina, and named from Wilmington in that State. The first log-house was built by William HOBSIN, and Warren SABIN’S was the first tavern. The first church, a small brick edifice, was erected by the Baptist. In 1812 the first court was held. The earliest settlers were Warren SABIN, Samuel T. LONDEN, William HOBSIN, Larkin REYNOLDS, John SWANE, James MONTGOMERY, John McGREGOR, Sr., and Isaiah MORRIS. This last named gentleman, a native of Pennsylvania descended the Ohio river with his uncle in a flat-bottomed boat in the Spring of 1803, and landed first at Columbia, where his uncle opened a store from a small stock of goods he had brought. After remaining at that place about three months he removed his goods to Lebanon, and not long after died, leaving his nephew, then a lad of seventeen years of age, without any means of support. He however made friends, and eventually moved to Wilmington, where, on the 8th of July, 1811, he opened the first store in the town in company with William FERGUSON. He was obliged in moving from Lebanon to make his way through the forest, cutting a wagon-road part of the distance; the town having been laid out in the woods, it was with great difficulty that he could get through to the little one-story frame

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house, erected in the midst of trees, logs, and brush, on which he then settled and has since resided. Mr. MORRIS was the first postmaster in the town, the first representative to the Legislature, and has since held various public offices. –Old Edition.

Mr. William SPENCER, who supplied this historical items relating to the original edition, also included the following sketches of two of these noted characters among the first settlers:

WILLIAM SMALLY was born in Western Pennsylvania, in 1764. At the age of six years he was stolen by the Indians, carried into the interior of Ohio, and remained with them until twenty years of age. While with them he witnessed the burning of several white prisoners. On one occasion he saw an infant snatched from its mother’s arms and thrown into the flames.