Anthony Wayne Wright

As printed in 1881

ANTHONY WAYNE WRIGHT.

Anthony Wayne Wright, farmer and stock raiser, was born in March, 1812. He is the son of John Wright, whose biography, or family history appears in the sketch of Concord Township. Our subject married Sarah Wright (no relationship existing) in 1833, by whom he had three children, one son and two daughters: Margaret, Samantha Jane, and Jasper W. Mrs. Wright died October 19,1840.

In 1843, Mr. Wright married Margaret Caylor, by whom he had one son, John A., who lives on a farm near Jeffersonville, in. this county. Jasper W. owns and lives on the portion of his father's home farm lying on the east side of Sugay- Creek, in Union Township. The two daughters are living at home with their parents. Samantha Jane has been married twice; both husbands are dead. She has an interesting son, ten years of age, James L. Cannon, living with her and his grandparents.

Mr. Wright is the owner of a most excellent farm on Sugar Creek, where he resides, and is quite active and enterprising for a man of his years. His wife is his senior by several years, and shows signs of advancing age.

As will be seen by reference to the chapter in which are mentioned the original boundaries of the various townships, Green formerly embraced all of Concord, and a part of Jasper and Perry townships.

In compiling a historical sketch of this township, the writer has confined himself strictly to its present limits. It is bounded on the north and east by Concord and Perry townships, on the south by Highland, and on the west by Chnton County, thus forming the southeast corner of Fayette. Rattlesnake Creek enters survey 5348, flows southeastwardly to survey 3986, thence south to the county line, constituting a part of the eastern border. Lee's Creek has its source in Concord Township, thence flows southeast, entering Green in survey 5349; thence south, crossing the entire township, and entering Highland County. These are the only important streams flowing through the limits of Green.

The soil in general is a black loam, which has been drained quite extensively, and is highly productive of corn and wheat.

The unrelenting hand of death has been laid on many of the pioneers of Green Township. Indeed, of the first settlers none remain; and with them has passed away much valuable information, without which the compilation of this work is certainly a difficult task. The following has been gleaned from the most authentic sources now accessible.

Aside from the stragglers, hunters, and trappers, who visited this locality in.the early days of this century, Jesse Rowe, it is generally conceded, was the first white inhabitant within the present limits of Green Township.

He immigrated from Virginia to Ross County, Ohio, in 1803, with his family of nine children: John, Jesse, jr., William, James, Elizabeth, Mary, Jane, Susan, and Sarah.

In 1807, the family removed to Fayette County, and located on Little Wabash, the old homestead. Shortly after the county organization (1810) he was elected justice of the peace, and served four terms; also served as trustee, and in other township offices.

He was a class-leader and exhorter in the Methodist Episcopal Church to the close of his life, the first class-meeting in the locality having been held in his cabin. In his will he left a liberal legacy to the church, the interest to be paid annually, and was truly called the father of Methodism in Fayette County.

He died in 1845, at a ripe old-age, respected and regretted by all AVho knew him. During the Revolutionary War he served as a private.

John Rowe, the oldest son, settled on land given him by his father, near the old home, and was the father of eleven children, several of whom are still living. He was an active participant in the war of 1812, and held several important offices. His death took place in 1863.

Jesse Rowe, jr., settled in Green, but removed to Concord Township at the expiration of five years. He was trustee; and after the surrender of Hull, volunteered to defend his country, under General Batteal Harrison.

William Rowe removed to Ross County.

James Rowe removed to the South at an early day. By profession he was a preacher. He located at Huntsville, Alabama, mar=- ried, and attended a select school till the death of his wife. At the division of the church on the slavery question, he side with the South, preaching up to the outbreaking of the rebellion, when he came North, where he remained till the close of the war, then went to Georgia, where he died.

The other children of Jesse Rowe, sr., filled honorable stations in life, and their descendants are living in the neighborhood.

Anotherpioneer deserving prominent mention was Thomas Moon, sr., who came to Ohio from Virginia, in 1810, with his family,- consisting of John, Jacob, Christine, Jane, David, William, James, Margaret, and Thomas, jr., and settled on Rattlesnake Creek. He was a Quaker in religion, conscientiously opposed to the war, which accounts for his not being a soldier in the Revolutionary and Indian wars. He purchased a tract of land in this township, called the dividing ridge, on which he erected the first flour and saw-mill and distillery in the township, and, so far as is known, the first in the county. The place soon became a favorite resort for customers. His flour gave good satisfaction, and therefore was patronized extensively. The mill still stands, and until recently was run by Thomas Moon, jr.

Mr. Moon's land purchases amounted to eleven hundred acres, five hundred of which were in Highland County. His Fayette County land was in woods. The cabin was built with a luncheon floor, clapboard roof, fire-place made of split timber, and a stick chimney. In one week he cleared four acres, and in the fall following cleared six additional acres, which he sowed in wheat. Wolves and game abounded. The squirrels came in droves, and were so numerous that he was compelled to feed them outside of the fences, to prevent his crops from being devoured. He departed this life in 1828, aged seventy-one years, having in his lifetime held the office of trustee, and many other offices of public trust.

John D. Moon was a good school teacher, and served under General Andrew Jackson, at New Orleans.

Jacob Moon settled on Rattlesnake; was a farmer by occupation, and went out during the general call in 1812.

Captain Thomas Moon lived on the old homestead, running the mills, and farming. He served five years as captain of the militia, and died at the age of seventy-five years.

The other members of the family perpetuated the good name of the parents.

David Davis was born in Pennsylvania, in 1785, and in 1817 immigrated to Ohio, settling near Centerfield, Highland County, where he raised one crop of corn, then moving to Green, locating on the farm of John Garrett, in a cabin afterward used for school purposes. He rented one year here, and then bought fifty acres of land from Mr. Garrett, on which he shortly afterward erected a log cabin.

He married Hannah Gelvin in Pennsylvania, by whom he had eight children, whose names, in the order of their birth, were as follows: Mary, Branson, Nancy, William, David, Catharine, Hannah, and Melissa. At his death, which occurred in 1855, he owned one hundred and six acres of land, where his son Branson now resides. His wife survived him till 1856.

The following personal sketches are taken from the County Atlas:

The aged grandsire loved to tell of early privation, hunting, adventure, and perilous and distant journey for necessary food and raiment, and Fayette history is full of incidents of daring and endurance. '

Edward Smith, sr., entered lands on the banks of Paint Creek, known as the East Fork, in the year 1810. He found his entry covered with trees. A wigwam served for a couch by night and shelter from storm and best. He began the accustomed work of the border, to make an opening and clear up lands for a starting crop. The news of war declared, caused him to lay aside the ax, and with his rifle go forth to protect the frontier and repel the invader. Peace came, and again his ax rang amid the sea-like solitude, and trees came toppling down. One night, returning from the county seat, he found the creek well up, but rode in fearlessly, and was thrown from his horse and drowned.

A story told of Alexander Cupper, and dating back to 1783, is to the effect that he and the well-known Daniel Boone, of Kentucky, were taken prisoners at the Three Islands by the Indians. When within seven miles of Oldtown, Boone contrived to escape, but Cupper was all the more closely guarded, taken to the town, tried by Indian council, and condemned to the state. Confined in a secure structure and guarded by two powerful savages, no opportunity was afforded to secure his freedom. The night before the intended burning having arrived, he was ordered to run the gauntlet down the rows of savages. Cupper sped down the line a short distance, broke through, left his pursuers far behind, and, burying himself in the deep forest of the present Concord Township, took refuge on the banks of the Little Wabash, whence he safely made his way to Three Islands on the Ohio.

George Kneedler came to the township in 1810, and settled in the dense forests, near the waters of Rattlesnake. His father was a soldier under General Washington, in the revolutionary war, and he, true to the precedent set by his noble sire, was an active participant in the war of 1812. He was twice married; had twelve children by his first wife, and. one son by his second.

William Johnson left Virginia, the place of his nativity, in 1810, and removed to Ross County, in company with Judge McCracken. He settled in Hellard's Bottom, on Paint Creek, where he remained until 1816, at which time his family was composed of five children: Anna, Thomas, George, Sarah, and William Henry. He purchased one hundred acres (now known as the Levi Bryant farm) of Jesse Rowe, on which he located, and began improving at once. By careful industry he had accumulated about five hundred acres at the time of his death, which occurred in 1833.

The nearest neighbors of the Johnsons were John Rowe, John Draper, and another John Draper who lived on Rattlesnake. As an illustration of the scarcity of neighbors, we state, upon the authority of Thomas G. Johnson, that children were in the habit of going five miles to play with each other.

The southwest corner of Green Township was settled by Virginians and Ilorth Carolinians, members of the denomination known as the Society of Friends. The first were James Smith, who located in the extreme corner on a portion of survey number 1082, and Enos Haines, a portion of whose lands adjoined the Clinton County line.

Z. Morris, in about 1820, came to this state to look at the country, and select a tract of suitable land. He was born in Grayson County, Virginia, about fourteen miles from the North Carolina border. His lands were hilly and barren, and upon satisfying himself as to the productiveness of the new state, he determined to leave his native state to return no more; a step which, to use his own words, " he has never regretted." He was accompanied by his brother, Isaac, and located on a one hundred acre tract, surveyed for Abram Hight, but which he purchased of Daniel Buress. The settlement Avas made in 1823, and he has resided there ever since, having added land to the original purchase, from time to time, and now owns three hundred and twenty-eight acres, all in a high state of cultivation.

The neighborhood was settled up by William Bankson, Joshua Haines, Philip Barger, one of the first settlers; Enos Reeder, Edmund and James McVey, all Quakers, and good citizens. They and their descendants still reside on the old homesteads.

It was a matter of profound regret that the opportunities for educating the youth of " ye olden time " were very meager. The pioneer and every member of this household, were obliged to earn

768 History of fayette cotJNTY.

a living " by the sweat of their brown." Money was scarce, it being difficult at times to pay taxes; hence our forefathers were sorely troubled as to what course should be taken, 23roperly, to educate their children. Some of the ladies began teaching in their own cabins, and had scholars who walked four or five miles to attend. Steps were also taken to orgrnr'zo subscription schools. Twentyfive scholars were sufficient to constitute a school; the subscription price being $1.50 each. If the subscribers were unable to pay the tuition of their children, their wealthier and more fortunate neighbors supplied the deficiency. The first school house, a primitive structure, was composed of round logs for walls, a clapboard roof fastened on by poles, a luncheon floor, a mud chimney, seats of poles split into two equal parts, and windows made by creasing paper, and fastening it over the cracks where the scholars found liffht the most convenient. It was built on the Little Wabash, in 1819, where the heirs of Squire Cay reside at present. This pioneer cabin was attended by scholars who resided in the subscription district, which was six miles square, and in the winter of 1819, was in charge of Ebenezer Christy, a great teacher — when he was sober. One Bradshaw, was an early teacher. The school houses of the township, at present, are good substantial brick or frame buildings, with good furniture and all needful apparatus, and are well supported.

In the preceding chapters of this work, the reader has ascertained the manner in which the pioneer conducted his private and public affairs, and under what circumstances religion was first introduced. A repetition is unnecessary, and we simply state that the first preacher as given us was Robert Dobbins, and the date 1815, and proceed to the histories of the various religious organizations:

As printed in History of Fayette County : together with historic notes on the Northwest, and the State of Ohio, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and all oth (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.