Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/604

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��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY,

��Atwood kept the first store, in 1838. The two stores there at present carry a general stock, and are kept by Christopher Au and Eli Ringer. In 1850, a large brick building was erected for high-school purposes, and was kept up until 1874, receiving students from a dis- tance. It is now occupied by the Masonic Fraternity. A new brick schoolhouse on the east side of the town is now used to educate the future sovereigns. There is an undertaking establishment kept by Cline & Wolf, and a blacksmith and wagon shop. The township does not lack railroad facilities, all those (four) centering in Mansfield passing through it. Like all other parts of Ohio, it has increased greatly in wealth and population. In 1850, the popu-

��lation was 2,100. From some cause it decreased, and, in 18G0, was only 1,756, but between 1860 and 1870, it recovered again, showing at the latter date a population of 2,046, of which eight3'-four were foreign and twenty-six colored. The census of 1880 will ver}- soon determine whether any progress has been made in this direction during the last decade.

Good substantial houses, brick and frame, and well-cleared farms have taken the place of the cabins and the woods ; and the earl}' set- tlers, like their cabins, are rapidly sinking into mother earth, and will soon have passed awa}^ as their former acquaintances, the wolf, bear, deer and Indian, have long since done.

��CHAPTER LIX.

TROV TOWNSHIP.

Okiginal Bou.NDARiKs — Eakly Entries — Eauly Settlkrs — Indians — Political Records — Lexington — Churches — Schuols — Lexington Seminary — Ce.metery — Division of the Township — Village of Steam Corners.

��PREVIOUS to 1814, this territory was in- cluded in Jefferson Township, but, Sep- tember 5, wa,s erected into a separate township, and named Troy. Its area at this time was six miles wide (north and south) b}- eighteen in length (east and west). It then also included all of Washington and North Bloomfield Town- ships. In March, 1816, it was divided, Wash- ington l^eing erected, leaving the dimensions six by twelve miles in extent. March 4, 1823, the township was further reduced by striking ofli* North Bloomfield on the west, leaving Troy six miles square. In 1848, Morrow was created, taking thirteen sections from the southwestern portion of this towniship, leaving it irregular in form, the northwest corner Iseing known by the citizens as "Pan Handle.''

The first whites who remained permanently came to Troy in the winter of 1811-12. Will-

��iam Gass entered the first piece of land in Tro}' in the fall of 1811, being the west half of Sec- tion 12. He also entered the southwest quarter of Section 11 in the name of Francis Mitchell. The Government lands then sold at $2 per ac^re. Mr. Watson went to the land oflrtce at Canton and paid $160, which secured the land for a term of five years. During the following winter, Amariah Watson, of Knox County, entered the north half of Section 24. with several other pieces in that vicinity.

In the spring of 1812, Amariah Watson and Elisha Robins brought their families to their new home and occupied their rude log cabins. Soon thereafter, William Gass, with his two eldest sons and a hired man, arrived on the scene, driving a three-horse team and bringing tools, provisions and other necessaries. In a week, a humble cabin was erected and ready for

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