Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/414

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��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

��which hundreds of wagons, loaded with grain from the older counties south, passed ever}' week.

The first post office in the township was lo- cated here ; and the first orchard planted in the township was by Messrs. Trucks and Aj'ers, the}' having procured the young trees from the famous Johnu}' Appleseed. The village grew rapidly, and at one time it aspired to the position of county seat, with fair prospects of getting it. So great was the hotel business that a sec- ond building was erected for that purpose. C. R. Hooker, now of Mansfield, was one of the early proprietors of this hotel. In addition to the hotels, four stores were in operation at one time, other business being equally active. Trucksville appeared on the high road to pros- perit}'. The first of these stores was started by Francis Grraham, who enjoyed daily oppor- tunities of sending to the lake for his goods, and forwarding his produce to that market.

It was a sad, solemn da}' for Trucksville when the iron horse came down through the woods, on the Sandusky, Mansfield & Newark Railroad. The whistle of the locomotive was the death-knell of the village, as it was of other villages. It began to decline from that day. The great wagon trains of produce soon disappeared entirely — the cars carried the grain so much cheaper and quicker. For many years the town has been comparatively dead. There may be 100 people there to-day, living in di- lapidated houses, many of them unpainted, and the general appearance is one of decay. One or two small stores constitute about the only business of importance. Even the mill erected by George Weaver, after the Trucks mill dis- appeared, has ceased its labors.

The next attempt to build a city in the town- ship was on the northwest quarter of Section 8. Here Alfred Foulks laid out a town which he called Rome. It is situated on " Beall's Trail." It was platted on both sides of the road and be- came the largest of the three villages. Its growth was, at first, more healthy than that of

��Trucksville, depending on the surrounding country, and was less liable to be injured by a passing railroad. It was laid out May 9, 1832.

George Foulks came here in an early day, and having a large family, entered several quar- ter-sections of land in the vicinity — one-quarter for each of his children. He, and his son-in- law, Jessie Davidson, erected the first houses, the former bringing on a stock of goods and starting the first store, and the latter starting the first hotel. At one time, the place con- tained three stores, carrying a general stock, and a proportionate amount of other business was transacted. The place, at present, straggles along on either side of the road for a quarter of a mile, and has a dilapidated, sleepy look. The wonder is, what all its people — ^two or three hundred in number — do for a living. Jacob Rarick keeps the only store in the place. The first schoolhouse was erected about 1840 ; Geo. W. Cline being the first teacher. The present large frame building was erected about 1855.

Shenandoah was laid out on " BealFs Trail," in the southeast part of the township, by Will- iam and George Altorfer, on the southeast quarter of Section 34, in June, 1844. The Altorfers purchased the land of Robert Cum- mings, who entered it. The first building erected was of hewed logs, and is yet standing, forming a part of the hotel now kept by Stand- ard Cline. Jacob Bushey erected the second house, and John Valeiitine the third. These men were shoemakers. John Ninan started a blacksmith-shop and William Hisey, a pottery. John Sanker erected a wagon-shop, and still continues the business. Edward Hall came from Rome, and started the first store and post office. The store has changed hands several times, and is now conducted by I. P. Morris. The Altorfers were from the Shenandoah Val- ley, Va., hence the name of the village. At present, there are seventeen dwelling-houses in the place ; a rake and handle factory, wagon- shop, store and two churches.

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