Nicholas NEIGHBOR
Oxford Township,
in which Newcomerstown is located, was one of the four
original townships in Tuscarawas County when it was first
organized in 1808. Prior to its organization as a county,
there were a number of residents in and around what is
now Newcomerstown, which included John MULVANE, who later
bought 100 acres of land south of the present river
bridge on River Street; James CAMPBELL who operated a
trading post in the vicinity; George BIBLE who was listed
as an early resident and hunter; and John DOUGLAS who was
chosen the first justice of the peace in 1808. In 1818 Nicholas NEIGHBOR arrived from Morris County, New Jersey and purchased 1900 acres of land in the northwest corner of the township. In 1814 he led sixty weary pioneers, nearly all of whom were either his relatives or close friends to the Tuscarawas Valley. They spent nearly six weeks in a tiresome journey across the mountains, and through the forests. When they arrived they were happy to find abandoned Indian cabins in which they made their homes until they could build cabins of their own. NEIGHBOR built the first log cabin for his own use. George BIBLE who then was already an "oldtimer" in the area as a friendly and neighborly gesture, placed a freshly killed deer in front of the new cabin door which was accepted with some trepidation, but enjoyed as their first venison. They accepted the name of the site "Newcomer's Town" already in use because it was significant to their situation. NEIGHBOR was named as an Associate Justice of the Common Pleas Court of Tuscarawas County and in order to perform the duties of the office he resided in New Philadelphia for a number of years. In the fall of 1825 he was one of three judges presiding as the "Post-boy Murder Trial." John FUNSTON was convicted for killing a post boy near what is now known as Post Boy in Oxford Township. He was the first person executed for first degree murder in the county's history. Because of the many "NEIGHBORS" residing in the town, the early name of Newcomerstown was Neighbortown. When Judge NEIGHBOR returned to the site and laid out the village in 1827 he gave it its present name. When the original plat was made containing 31 lots, there was only one building on the site, and that was the log cabin in which NEIGHBOR resided. Shortly thereafter he erected the first store building which he operated with one Jacob OVERHOLT. By 1830, there were four buildings in the village. Ten years later the town contained 270 people most of whom were living in log cabins with small glass windows and rough hewn board floors. The first school was built near the center of town and Jacob MILLER was the first teacher. Judge NEIGHBOR was the first postmaster. Newcomerstown existed as a hamlet without a corporate charter until 1868. John WILSON was the village's first Mayor. Since that time, Newcomerstown has had a steady and consistent growth and is considered one of the most progressive communities in Tuscarawas County. Its citizens owe a debt of gratitude to the pioneering and foresight of its founder. It has perpetuated his memory by naming one of its streets "Neighbor Street." ~from These Are My Jewels, by John H. Lamneck, 1966. pp 22-23 |