Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/670

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��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

��which receive attention in another chapter. The soil was favorable for the erection of these works, being rolling and sandy in places, while streams and springs of water are abundant in ever}^ direction. The Black Fork enters the township from its western borders, flowing in a southeastern course until it I'eaches Loudon- \alle in Hanover Township. Messrs. Coulter, Oliver, Rice and others, in an early day, con- structed flat-boats, freighted them with pork, flour and whisky, and ran them to New Orleans. These boats would average about 15 feet in width, 50 feet in length, and would carry 40 or 50 tons. Clear Creek runs about a mile through the southwest corner ; and Honey Creek orig- inates in the Quaker Springs, near the south- east line of Vermillion Township, and pursues a southwardly course through Green, termina- ting in the Black Fork.

Where the village of Greentown stood, there is now, and has been for many years, a culti- vated farm, and there is nothing special to mark this historic spot. A monument should be erected here while there are yet those liA^ing who can point out the location. It is about two and a half miles up the Black Fork from the town of Perrysville. John Shambaugh has for many years owned the farm upon which the village was located, but has recently sold it.

There were the usual number of distilleries in the township in an early day, before trans- portation of any kind gave an outlet to pro- duce. Corn was about the only marketable thing the farmer could raise. This would bring the money at the distilleries. These gradually went out of existence, as canals, and finally railroads, made their appearance, and public opinion strengthened against them.

Several mills have been erected, from time to time, in the township. The settlers first went to Mount Vernon for their grinding, and later, to the mill at Newville. The "Darling" mill, on Clear Fork, was erected probably as early as 1818 or 1820. The '-Stringer" mill

��was erected in 1842, on the Black Fork, one mile below Perrysville — now owned by William Endslow. One of the early mills was erected by Isaac Meaner in the northeast corner of the township ; it is now operated by a Mr. Wolf One of the early mills was also located on Hone}^ Creek, three miles northeast of Perrys- ville ; it was erected by Jesse Vanzile — now owned by A. J. Royer. The mill now owned by William Ward, two and a half miles west of Perrysville, is located on a large spring. The first mill in this place was erected by Will- iam Clemmens. This was subsequently taken down and the present one erected by Nicholas Swearengen.

Church matters have not been neglected, there being five churches in the town and township. Rev. John Heckewelder was probably the first preacher within its limits, visiting, as has been mentioned, the Greentown Indians as a mis- sionary at a very early day. James Copus, who was killed by these Indians, was also one of the earliest preachers. Outside of the town are two churches — one foi'merl}' a Methodist, located in the northeast corner, organized and the house erected about 1837. The society be- coming feeble, the church was purchased by Christians of different denominations, and has since been used for general church purposes. The other is the Greentown Baptist Church — first a brick, erected in 1837, two and a half miles northeast of Perrysville ; this was pulled down in 1870, and a frame erected at a cost .of $1,700.

Perrysville contains three churches at pres- ent. The Presbyterian was one of the earliest in the township, the organization dating back to 1818. No building was, however, erected until 1833. In 1865, a new frame was erected costing about $2,500.

The Baptist Church seceded from the old Greentown Baptist Church, organized and erected a frame church building in 1865, at a cost of $2,300. The Methodists tor manv vears

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