Page six Delaware

History of Delaware County - Delaware Township
(Excerpts from pages 33 through 52)

All of Delaware Township lies in township twenty-one and range 11 east. It is five miles north and south, and six miles east and west, containing thirty sections, numbered from one to thirty inclusive. It is bounded on the north by Niles township, east by Randolph county, and the southern boundary is the north line of Liberty, and its west line the east line of Hamilton township.

Section No. 1 in Delaware township was entered between August 13, 1832, and November 23, 1835, by Abraham Custer, Reuben Strong, Lewis Stoner, John W. Strong, Jacob Pendroy and Ezra Bantz. The entire section is now within the incorporate limits of the town of Albany, although much of the land is owned by individuals, and land and manufacturing companies, yet it is all laid out in blocks of ten to the mile, making one hundred square blocks in the section, and while there are many buildings on the northwest quarter of the section, yet the greater portion of the section is unimproved as a town or village. The L. E. & W. railroad crosses the northwest corner of the section, and has its station, or depot building, about half way between where the road enters and leaves the section.

The first entry in section 2 was made by David Jones on November 30, 1831, and on March 26, 1836, (in less than five and one-half years) the last of the public land in the section was taken up by Absalem Boots. The other purchasers of these lands during the period intervening were John Dinsmore, William Venard, Reuben Strong, John Quinn, Stephen Venard. Morrison Quinn, Emson H. Venard and Henry S. and Joseph Eton. The section is also almost covered by the corporation of the town of Albany, the exception being that portion of the section lying south af the Mississinewa river, which passes in a westerly course through the section, cutting off about one fifth of the section on the south This portion of the section so cut off, and not being platted, is now owned by A. Strong, J. Bantz, Jr., and J. L. Bartlett, et. al. The northeast quarter of this section is the original site of the town of Albany.

In section 3 Francis Venard entered forty acres in 1833, October 7, after which time there were no more entries recorded until 1836, in which year the balance of the section was taken up except one forty and a fractional eighty acre tract, which was entered the following year, 1837. The names of the purchasers in this section after Mr. Venard were Ralph Stafford, Susanna Thomas, Joshua Bantz, Robert Malcom, George Mills, Martin Depoy, David Bright and Henry Judy. Section 3 is now owned by J. R. Stafford, James Stafford, H. Pact, E. Rautledge, R. E. Current, G. H. Current, J. Bantz, Jr., M. L. DePoy, M. F. Davis, J. Pace and J. A. Strong. The Mississinewa river crosses the southeast corner of the section and the Albany and Mississinewa free gravel pike crosses the section.

The public lands in section 4 were entered in the years of 1833, '34, '35 and '36 by William Black, McCoy Malcom, Morrison Quinn, Joseph Godlove, William Martin and Samuel P. Anthony. This section is now owned by William Black (youngest son of the original owner) J. A. Strong, R. Rautledge, M. Richey, and John N. Wingate. The Albany and Mississinewa pike is on the south and a portion of the east line of the Peterson and Black pike on and near the west line. School No. 2 is located on the south side of the section at the half section line.

Three eighty acre tracts were entered in section 5 as early as 1831, three in 1833, one in 1834, and the remaining eighty acres in 1836. The parties securing these lands were Archibald Dowden, Isaac Martin, Thomas Wilson, John Thomas Wilson, William Thomas, David Sutton, and Adam Wilson. The greater part of section 5 is high, rolling land, with a gravel soil. The present owners are G. W. Younce, J. F. Black, W R. Bryan, George A. Stafford, H. J. Williams, and H. N. and S. Williams. The Mississinewa river enters the section from the west about one hundred and twenty rods north of the southwest corner, running in an easterly direction to within forty rods of the center, where it turns north and leaves the section at the half section line on the north side. The Albany and Mississinewa pike runs along the south line, the Peterson. and Black pike on and near the east line, a public road north and south through the center, and another along the north half of the west line.

Six is the northwest section of the township, and was entered in 1831,'34 and '36 by Israel Martin, Thomas Williams, William H. Green, Benoni Wilson, Adam Wilson, William Thomas, Ezekiel Thomas, and John Baldridge. William H Green entered the north half of the northwest quarter of section 6 (this being the northwest corner of the township) on August 4, 1836. Green was the father of the late Jackson Green, of Hamilton township, and grandfather of Dr. George R. Green, of Muncie. The present owners of section 6 are L. W. Davis, J. Harshman, J. I. Gray, T. W. Goodrick, James E. Stafford, and William H. Stafford. This section is about surrounded by public roads, with the Muncie and Granville pike passing through it from north to south end of center. The Mississinewa crosses the southeast corner of the section in a northerly direction. School No. 3 was first located on the south line of section 6, but is now in section 7, some 40 rods south of the section line.

Section 7 in Delaware township can lay claim to the first white settler in the township. John Boyles was here in 1822 but did not purchase public land until July 26, 1832. Besides John Boyles the persons entering land in section 7 were Lloyd Wilcoxon, John Batreall, Jr., Archibald Dowden, William Boyles, Squire Boyles, Charles Francis Willard and Jefferson Walburn. This section is now owned by Andrew Black heirs, James E. Stafford, John H. Stafford, David Justice, J. N. Lewellen, Moses Clark, D. E. Braminer and Elisha R. Wingate.

The Mississinewa river enters the section near the middle of the east line, and running slightly west of north passes into section 6. On this stretch of river is where John Boyles built his mill, and is also where Black's mill is situated. Section 7 is well provided with roads, many of them angling and crooked, but of so long standing that they have become a fixture, yet the section has three miles of straight road, on section lines. School No. 3 is on the northwest quarter on the Muncie and Granville pike.

The land in section 8 was entered as early as 1832, and as late as 1836, by William Moody, Wilson Lennon, William Thomas, Andrew Wilson, Robins Wilson, George Richeson and John Funderburg. The present land owners in section 8 are R. F. Brammer, J. F. Barrett, Andrew Black heirs, D. A. Black, E. J. Smith, O. and T. Saunders and John H. Stafford. The section has the Albany and Mississinewa pike on the north line, and a public road on the east. The Mississinewa river runs in a north of west course, almost entirely across the south half of the section.

Section 9 was entered in 1833-34 and '36 by Stephen Berry, Jr., Moses Canan White, David Sutton, Reuben Eppert and Silas Sparr, the junior after the name of Stephen Berry caused some family troubles and litigations. As many thought it to be a clerical error, and that the intention was to enter the land in the name of Stephen Berry, Sr., the father of the younger man, who was a boy at the time the entry was made. Be this as it may Stephen Berry, Jr., held his title. The section is now owned by J. and W. Krohn, J. Holloway, E. C. Holloway, A. Black heirs, D. A. Black, R. E. Allen, John W. Goings, E. J. Smith, W. R. Alien, M. Cline and M. Pershing. The section has about four miles of road, that on the north line being the Albany and Mississinewa pike. The Mississinewa river crosses the southeast corner in a southwest direction.

Section 10 was entered in 1832, '33 and '36, by Joshua Bantz, John Quinn, David Bright, John Bantz, Martin, Henry Bright, John Sparr and John H. Taylor. Section 10 is now owned by John Bantz, Jr., J. N. Wingate, M. L. Depoy, E. J. Sparks, C. M. McNelly, E. Black, H. M. Marquell, J. McNelly, Samuel Marquell and John W. Goings. The section is well supplied with public roads, the greater portion of which are free gravel pikes. The Mississinewa river crosses the northwest corner of the section in a southwest course, and the Lake Erie & Western railroad crosses the southeast corner, running parallel with the river.

Solomon Boots, one of the first settlers, entered the east half of the northeast quarter of section 11, on the 12th day of November, 1831. This eighty-acre tract crosses the Mississinewa river at the northeast corner and joins the present town of Albany. It is now owned by A. T. Dehaven. The other tracts were entered in 1832, '34, '35 and '36, by John Quinn, Joseph O'Neal, Alfred Lee, Adam Keaver, William Custer, Jonathan Bergdoll and Joseph H. Hulse. The section is now owned by J. T. Dehaven, J. Khron, Brown and Bergdoll, J. N. Wingate, and John and William Krohn. Section 11 has pike on west and a portion of the north line, public road on the east and crossing northeast quarter. School No. 20 is located in the north part.

One-half of section 12 was entered in 1832, and the other half in 1833. John W. Strong and James Dean entered 160 acres each in 1832. Mr. Strong entered another 80 acre tract in 1833, and his brother, Reuben Strong, and Lewis and Fredrick Stoner each entered an eighty. The present owners of section 12 are E. and E Strong, C. A. Mason, G. R. Strong, A. Strong, Eliza Strong, A. T. Dehaven, S. M. Strong and J. R. Holloway. This section joins the town of Albany on the north and Randolph county on the east. It has a public road on the west, three-fourths of the east, and east and west through the north half. The Mississinewa river crosses the north half of the section in a westerly course.

The earliest entry in section 13 was made on the 1st day of September, 1832, and the last of the public lands were entered March 18, 1837. The purchasers of land in section 13 were Nehemiah Burden, Abner Woolverton, Adam Keever, James Campbell, Levi Boots and James Dean. Section 13 is now owned by W. J. Burden, A. T. Dehaven, J. and J. Hartzell, S. Campbell, C Bartlett, N. A. Devoss, J. Friddle and C. E. Marquell. Mud creek drains the section by crossing the southwest corner in a northwesterly course, and again crossing the northwest corner in a northeastern course. Section 13 has a gravel pike on the south line, and public roads on both the east and west line.

Section 14 was entered in the years of 1832 to 1836 by Adam Keever, Joseph Templer, Eli Thornburg, and Stephen Kennedy. The first of these entries was made by Adam Keever, being the east half of the northeast quarter (80 acres), and now owned by A. T. Dehaven. This entry was made on September 1, 1832. The section is now owned by A. T. Dehaven, John and William Krohn, E. J. Selvey, C. E. Stafford, A. Carter, S. J. Shroyer and L Marquell. Section 14 has a free gravel road on both the south and west lines, also a public road on the east side.

The first public land entered in section 15 was on the 5th day of August, 1834. On that day John Puckett entered the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter (40 acres), being the north half of an eighty acre tract now owned by L. MarqueIl, and on the same day Joseph H. Hulse entered the west half of the same quarter, a tract now owned by E. Bartlett. The remainder of the section was entered by John Bantz, Solomon Rohrbaugh, Samuel P. Anthony, John H. Taylor, Martin Forbes, John Kennedy, Andrew S. Kennedy and Granville F. Hastings. The present owners are D. Michael, J. and W. Krohn, John W. Goings, H. Boots, J. Boots, J. F. Dowden, E. Bartlett and L. Marquell. This section has gravel pikes along the east line, and north and south through the center, with a public road along the south line. The L. E. & W. railroad angles through the central part of the section.

Section 16, as in all townships of the county, was set aside for the benefit of public schools, and was sold by the commissioners as follows: November 10, 1833, to Joseph Godlove, 251½ acres at $2.50 and $3.00 per acre. Same date to George F. Hastings, 265½ acres at $1.25, $2.00 and $3.00 per acre. November 20, 1833, to Robert Malcom, 38½ acres at $1.24 per acre. December 3,1833, to David Jones, 40 acres at $1.25 per acre. October 17, 1834, to Samuel Calaway, 38½ acres at $2.00 per acre, making 634 acres in the section, aggregating $1,739.l0. The present owners of section 16 are John W. Goings, L. Godlove, J. L. Allegree, A. L. Godlove, Joseph Godlove, I. G. Boots, F. Shroyer's estate and H. Zehner. The horseshoe bend of the Mississinewa river is in this section, entering the section one hundred rods west of the northeast corner, runs south, then east, then south and southwest until within eighty rods of the south center, where it turns north, then west, then north of west, and leaves the section at the half section line on the west side, running a distance of one and three quarter miles in the section, and leaving it three-fourths of a mile from where it enters. School No. 5 is located in the southeast corner of this section, Zehner's mill in the sonth center, and the Godlove cemetery in the north center.

All of section 17, except eighty acres, was entered in 1836. Of the eighty acres entered prior to that time forty acres were entered on November 21, 1833, by Edward Marshall, and forty acres on June 10, 1834, by Joseph Baird. The parties entering in 1836 were Abraham Godlove, Daniel Cochran, Philip Cochran, Thomas Martin and Ebenezer Halstead. The present owners are Joseph Godlove, Andrew Black's heirs, M. M. Friddle, H. Zehner, A. Cline, S. Shroyer, W. Dewitt, John H. Stafford, S. A. Holloway, O. J. Saunders, Charles Marsh and William Hitchings. Section 17 has about two miles of public road, but these have so many angles and elbows that we find them very difficult to describe. The Mississinewa river crosses the northwest corner of the section in a northwesterly course.

Two eighty acre tracts in section 18 were entered in 1831, two forty-acres in 1833, and all the remainder in 1836. The purchasers of this land were Elizabeth Friend, William Custer, Henry Huddleston, Isaac Martin. A. Custer, William Pence and Philip Cochran. The section is now owned by S. A. Holloway, D. E. Bramer, J. W. Hamilton, A. M. Peterson, William Hitchings, M. H. Dick and J. Shafer. Section 18 has a public road along the south and half of the east line. The Muncie and Granville pike crosses the section; also a public road on the west (which is the township line 3, and the west half of the north line. Thus 18 is well supplied with highways.

We now come to Section 19. The first entry of land recorded in Delaware township was the east half of the southwest quarter of this section (80 acres). This entry was made by Henry Harmon on October 19th, 1830. The north half of this tract is now owned by Adam Sheller, and the south half by Daniel Pittenger. The remainder of the section was entered in 1834, '36 and '37. Thus it will be seen that three years intervened between the time Mr. Harmon made his purchase until he had any neighbors, so far as government land purchase was concerned, for the next purchase after his was that of Daniel Pittenger on October 20tb, 1833, just three years and one day later. Besides Mr. Harmon and Mr. Pittenger the purchasers of land in section 19 were Elijah Reeves, James Russell, Stephen R. Martin, Thomas Albin, John Pepper and William Stansberry.

The present owners of the land in section 19 are E. W. Hitchings, William W. Green, Adam Sheller, H. Allison, N. Sheller, E. J. Pittenger, J. Cullen and Daniel Pittenger. This is perhaps as hilly a section of land as there is in the township. This section has more than five miles of public roads bordering or passing through it, and school No. 4 is located in the northeast corner. The west line of this section is the township line, dividing Delaware and Hamilton townships.

On November 17th, 1832, Benjamin Drummond and Uriel Fox each entered forty acres of land, composing the south half of the southeast quarter of section 20. The forty entered on that date by Mr. Drummond, corners up to the present station or village of DeSoto, and the M. E. church is located on the northeast corner of the tract. After these two entries there were no other purchasers of public land in the section until 1836, in which year the remaining government land was all taken up by John Godlove, Benjamin Drummond, Ebenezer Halstead, Aquilla Hensley, George McCullough, Robins R. Williams and John Pepper. The owners of section 20 at the present are W. Dewitt, W. Polhemus, John Marks, Adam Madill, A. Sheller, William Hitchings, T. and M. Wilcoxon, A. M. Peterson and J. H. Sheller. Campbell's Creek crosses the southeast corner, and the section has a gravel pike east and west through the south half, a public road on the west line, and another angling through the northwest part.

In section 21 an eighty and a forty acre tract was entered in 1834, and the remaining unpurchased part of the section was all taken up in 1836 The first purchasers of land in this section were Jonathan Rardon, Jacob Sellers, Glass Ross, Sam'l Thomas, Christopher Humphreys and John Pittenger. The owners of realty in section 21 at present are R. E. Taylor, E. Pittenger, T. and F. Myers, J. H. Pittenger, J. Pittenger, F. Shroyer's estate, T. E. Myers and Adam Madill. The section has two and one-half miles of public road. The Lake Erie and Western railroad crosses the southeast, and Campbell's creek the northwest corner.

On March 12th, 1835, Daniel Perrine entered the north half of the northeast quarter of section 22, (80 acres). Seventy acres of this tract is now owned by A. Canter, and ten acres by J. Boots. All the remaining land in this section was taken up during the year 1836, by Stephen Kennedy and Michael Beeghley. The present land owners in section 22, aside from those above mentioned, are J. H. Canter, E. S. Dowell, L. M. Dowell, D. Young, G. H. Byrd, W. A. Schofield, John Madill and R. Friar. Section 22 has a public road along the north and half the south line, with a gravel pike north and south through the center. The Lake Erie and Western railroad crosses the northwest corner of this section.

One hundred and sixty acres of section 23 was entered in 1835 by Solomon Rohrbough and John Boots, four hundred and forty acres in 1836 by Solomon Rohrbough, Benjamin Manor, Martin Boots and Elias Beeghley, leaving one forty acre tract, which was entered November 21, 1837, by Thomas Berry. The present owners of this section are M. S. Whitehair, A. Boots, A. M. Pittenger, A. Evans, L. M. Dowell, C.E. Dill, C. Bergdoll, J. C. Friddle, W. Progue, James Dill and W. Hitchcock. The section has two miles of public road north and south, also one mile of pike on the north line. White Chapel M. E. church and school No. 6 are located on this section.

Section 24 was settled and the government land purchased in the years 1835, '36 and'37. Many of the first owners of this section were well known, and are still remembered by our citizens. They were James Campbell, James Dean, Joseph Orr, George Iman, Solomon Rohrbough, James Pendroy and William Woods. The titles to the lands of this section have changed hands until none of the original names are now represented in the present owners, who are L. Booker, S. G. Selvey, J. Hiatt, M. S. Whitehair, G. S. Whitehair, H. C. Whitehair, B. Selvey. John Bartlett and A. Evans. Section 24 has two miles of road north and south, and one mile of pike east and west on the north line.

Section 25 is the southeast corner of the township. The section has public roads both north and south through the center, also on the west line. This section was entered in the years of 1835, '36 and '37, by William Bartlett, Solomon Rohrbough and Samuel and Edwin Johnson. The name of Bartlett, (a very common one), is the original name found among the landlords of this section. At present we find the title of the lands in the names of J. L. Bartlett, John Bartlett, Jos. A. Lewellen, C. and M. Sloniker, J. Meeks, A. Meeks, E. Bartlett, L. H. Cowgill and S. R. Strong.

In section 26 the public land was purchased in the years of 1834, '35 and '36, by Solomon Rohrbough, Warren Mann, Joseph Humpreys, William Jameson, Thomas Jones and James Johnson. The section is owned at this time by M. and A. Evans, James Dill, W. J. Brewington, M. Bartlett, S. Rohrbaugh, S. R. Strong, F and A. Pittenger, A. Shroyer, J. A. Shroyer, T. W. Bartlett and M. A Orr. Twenty-six has three miles of public road. School No. 7 is located on the east half of this section.

Section 27, another one of the south tier of sections, is well drained by the head waters of Campbell's creek, which passes diagonally across the section from southeast to northwest. It has good roads crossing each other at right angles in the center of the section, and another along the west half of the north line. This section was all purchased of the government from September 21, 1835, to October 15, 1836, by James Jones, Jabesh Jones, David Lewellen, James Orr, Justice Kitterman, Ila Lake and Adam Boots. Twenty-seven is now owned by L. M. Dowell, George Swander, L. Dean, J. and C. Orr, P. Payton, John Madill and A. H. Anderson.

William E. Pendroy entered 40 acres of land in section 28 as early as October 27, 1832 (this forty is now owned with other lands by A. and L. Devoe), after which time there were no other entries recorded for the section until 1836, in which year the remainder of the section was all entered by Thomas Humphreys, Jesse McCray, Nicholas Pittenger, Daniel Richardson, Ila Lake, Uriah Lenon and John Moody. The land owners in section 28 are C. W. Confer, E. B. Pittenger, J. and F. Myers, M. E. Ogle, J. Young, J. and C. Young, I. Pittenger, B. and E. Evans, E. Evans, A. H. Anderson, A. and L. Devoe and Adam Madill. This (28) is the only section in the township with two district schools. No. 8 is located in the east center of the section and No. 11 in the northwest corner, in the village of DeSoto. The L. E. & W. R. crosses the northwest corner of the section, where now is the village or railroad station of DeSoto.

The first entry of land in section 29 was made in 1833, and the last in 1837. The parties securing these lands were Jacob C. Harmon, Thomas Harmon, Josiah Wade, Henry Pittenger, Wilson Lennon, Uriah Lennon, Jacob Furrow and Thomas H. Weirman. The section is now owned by B. Marks, A. Sheller, Isaac Worley, N. Lennon, N. Tomlinson and L. Cheesman, G. M. Wilson, J. Sheller, J. W. Myers, and P. C. Lillie. The section has three miles of public road and the railroad crossing the southeast corner.

Thomas Crawford entered a tract in the northwest quarter of section 30 as early as 1832. but for the following three years there were no other entries recorded, and not until 1837 was all the public land taken up in this, the southwest section of the township. After Mr. Crawford's purchase the remaining public domain of this section was pnrchased by Thomas F. Wilson, Daniel Pittenger, James Sparr, William Dragoo, John B. Goff and Benjamin Dragoo. The section is now owned by N. Hurtt, Daniel Pittenger, Z. Shreve, Isaac Worley, W. W. Shrewe, G. Paxton and William Reed.

(End of Delaware Township-Click NEXT for Niles Township)