HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY

CHAPTER XXIX.

MONDAY CREEK TOWNSHIP.

Monday Creek township consists of twenty-four sections, and was originally a part of Fairfield county. It was organized in 1823, and named after the creeks (Big and Little Monday) that flow through it. It is drained principally by what is known as Big and Little Monday Creeks, though a portion is drained into Rush Creek, and other tributaries of the Hocking River. The township, as a whole, may be denominated hilly, though there is well laying land along the principal streams, and on some of the high ridges between. A considerable portion of the township is highly productive, and in a good state of cultivation. It was heavily timbered when the first settlers came, and parts of it are yet well timbered. Monday Creek township, geologically considered, belongs to the Coal Measures, and a very considerable portion of it is underlaid with a good marketable article of bituminous coal. It is also very rich in iron ore, the principal seam being known as the Baird seam. The land- owners of Monday Creek, for quite a number of years, occasionally mined and hauled ore to the Logan (Hocking county) Furnace, and Frank Baird, who, for a time, had charge of said furnace, became acquainted with the ore of the township, and along about 1872, in connection with others interested, effected the purchase of several hundred acres of mineral lands in the eastern part of the township, and proceeded to erect a furnace, which was completed and went into operation in 1874. The lands purchased contained not only iron ore, but coal, limestone, and everything necessary for the manufacture of a good article of iron. Here, in 1874, and in succeeding years, a good article of pig iron was made, cheaper than anywhere else in the world. Ore is extensively mined in various parts of the township, and sold at Baird's, Gore, Winona, and Logan furnaces, the latter six or eight miles distant. The furnaces at Gore and Winona are only a few rods over the line in Hocking county, and are almost as accessible for an ore market as Baird's furnace. The iron business and ore trade furnish a remunerative employment for men and teams, at almost all seasons of the year, and bring in handsome sums to the land-owners for royalty, and all without seriously interfering with farming operations. Thus employment is obtained, money is easy. and times are usually the reverse of dull. The first settlers of Monday Creek were principally from Virginia. Timothy Terrell came with his family to the township in 1815, and appears to have been the first permanent settler. Robert Nixon and Charles Manning soon followed. Nixon and Terrell were brothers-in- law. Terrell discovered a trail of strange cattle in the wild pea vines, and, following it up, came to the cabin of Charles Manning, only two 215

miles away. This was the first intimation of the presence of the Manning family. Joseph Johnson, Reuben Miller, James Ross, and Samuel Steele were also very early settlers. Steele was the first Justice of the Peace in the township. Monday Creek township, when the white settlers first came, was as wild a part of the county as any other, if it did not excel, in this particular. Not only deer, but panthers, bears and wolves were very numerous. Rattlesnakes, copperheads and other venomous serpents abounded, and were killed by the hundreds. Men yet remain in Monday Creek, less than seventy years old, who have heard the dismal howl of wolves at dusk of evening, in close proximity to the cabins of the lonely sellers. No person seems to be able to satisfactorily characterize the depressing effect on all produced by the howling of the wolf. Bears would come into gardens, yards and pig pens, and thought nothing of carrying off a good sized fat hog. The wild beasts were, indeed, a terror. Some persons affect to doubt whether a panther was ever killed in Perry county ; there is no room for doubt. The early settlers of Monday Creek killed many a panther, and there are men yet living who have seen dead panthers brought home by their fathers, which they had killed not far away. Robert Nixon, one of the early settlers referred to, was once out hunting deer, and had no dog with him. He came upon a large bear, and believing that he could kill the animal, took good aim and fired. The bear was wounded, but instead of falling took after the hunter, and exhibited an unusual fleetness ; so much so, that Nixon had to run for his life, and yet Bruin was fast closing the distance between them. Realizing fully the condition of affairs, Mr. Nixon as he ran, uttered loud and repeated outcries for help. Timothy Terrell and sons were rolling logs not far away, and, at the time, had a large log about half way up a skid. Mr. Terrell shouted to the boys to let the log go, and all hurried in the direction from whence the alarmed outcries proceeded. They soon came upon the frightened and fleeing hunter and pursuing bear. The oposition was too formidable, and Bruin beat a retreat. Terrell himself had a similar adventure of his own. He was also hunting deer, and this time had no dogs along. Probably bears were becoming scarce, and were seldom encountered. However, he came upon a bear, and an unusually large one. He thought he could kill him and fired. Bruin, who was wounded and terribly enraged, immediately took after the lone hunter. Terrell said that he soon discovered that the bear was a good runner, and he proceeded without useless delay, to put himself in "light running order." He hastily threw away his gun, pouch, and every weight but a knife. The bear was persistent, and the race was a long and doubtful one. Going up hill the hunter would gain on the bear ; but on descending ground the bear made long strides and gained on the hunter. Terrell says Bruin would blow and snort every jump, as he struck the ground behind him, evidently getting short of breath as well as himself. Bruin at length gave up the chase, and retired in the direction of his lonely haunts. Terrell afterward gathered up his gun and other accouterments, but no doubt he took a dog or two with him, and other assistance. The young Terrells, the oldest a boy of fifteen or sixteen, were left 216

at home one Sunday while their parents went to church, some miles away. Two large dogs were left with the youngsters. During the absence of the father and mother, a large bear with two half grown cubs came into the meadow near the house. The eldest boy seized the ax, the next older a hatchet, and a little girl armed herself with a hammer. One of the cubs was killed while crossing the meadow fence into the woods, and the big dogs chased the other two away. The boys had seen their father dress bears, and they thought they would try their hand. They succeeded nicely in dressing it, and had a large piece of it in the dinner-pot cooking, when their father and mother returned, not a little astonished to learn what had been going on in their absence. John Mackin and his sons were at work in a clearing, when they saw a huge roll of snakes, of several different kinds, including rattlesnakes, blacksnakes and others, all lapped and twisted together, rolling around over the ground. The senior Mackin took a shovel, filled it with red hot coals from a heap, and threw them into the bunch of snakes. They "broke ranks" without receiving orders, and ran in every direction. The Mackins only suceeded in killing two or three of them. To see bunches of snakes of different species, coiled up in this way, was not an uncommon occurrence when the country was new ; but "the seed of the woman has bruised the serpent's head," until it is a rare thing now to see a poisonous snake of any kind, even among the hills of Monday Creek. The township has as yet no railroad, but one is frequently talked of, in railroad and mineral circles, to be called the Monday Creek Valley railroad. Though without a railroad, the township is so environed by roads, and stations, that it is not so very remote from market, or disconnected with the outside world. New Straitsville, Gore, Winona and Webb's Summit on the Straitsville branch of the Hocking Valley ; McCuneville and Dicksonton on the Newark, Somerset and Straitsville ; Junction City and Bremen on the C. and M. V. are not far distant, and all more or less accommodate some parts of the township. Charles Manning, one of the early settlers, was a Lutheran, and there was preaching of that denomination, at his house, at a very early day. There was also Presbyterian preaching in the Ross neighborhood, and Methodists held services at various private houses, years before any religious societies were organized or churches built. The Methodists organized at Mount Carmel, two and a half miles east of Maxville, about 1840, and erected a frame church. Stated preaching has been maintained. The Methodists organized at Maxville about 1845, built a church, which was used for several years, and then disposed of it to be used for school purposes. The society bought a new lot, in another part of the village, and erected a new frame church in 1852. Regular preaching and other church services have been sustained throughout the whole time, and the society is in a prosperous condition, Sabbath school is kept up through a portion of the year. Ebenezer church was built by the Baptists one mile west of Maxville, about 1832. The edifice was originally a log one. At a later date, a new and better edifice was erected, which is still in use. Regular 217

preaching has been maintained, and there is a Sabbath school connected with the church. The St. John's (Lutheran) congregation was organized by a colony of Germans, direct from the "Fatherland," at an early day and a house of worship erected, which was used for several years. Subsequently a larger and better edifice took the place of the old one, and is still in use. The congregation is strong and influential. It supports regular preaching and sustains a Sabbath school connected with the church, Rev. Wiseman is the present pastor. Harmony (United Brethren) church situated in the western part of the township, was organized and a church built about thirty years ago, since which time it has been a regular appointment of the denomination, and has maintained stated services. A Sabbath school is connected with the church. Rev. Cumings is the present pastor. The Mennonite church was organized at an early day, and for many years worshipped in a log building, which was also used as a school house. About thirty years since a new and more commodious house was erected. Regular services are maintained. There is a Sabbath school in connection with the congregation. The oldest buring ground in the township is what is known as the Nixon family grave-yard, and was used at a very early day. George Nixon, a child nine years old, was the first interment therein, and the first in the township. The early schools were primitive enough. The first school of which there is any account, was taught in the neighborhood of where Mt. Carmel now is, in an old abandoned log cabin. The township is now organized into six school districts, and has fairly good school houses and teachers. The schools at Maxville and Baird's Furnace are the only village schools. The following named persons lived in the township at the time or goon after it was organized : Robert Nixon, James Ross, Timothy Terrell, Charles Manning, Lemuel Steele, James Johnston, Reuben Miller, Thomas Ross, William Johnston, Joseph Everly, Joseph Johnston, Reuben Jackson, Joseph Parsons, James Chester, Ewen Miller, John Abrams. Maxville was laid out in 1850, by Wm. McCormick, on what is called Little Monday Creek. The manufacture of plasterer's lime, was, for a long while, a very considerable industry carried on there, and the Maxville Limestone is known far and near. The town has a post office, church, school house, hotel, two stores, one physician, two blacksmith shops, two shoe shops, one saddler shop, and a number of private residences. Maxville is omitted in the census bulletin, but it has a population of two or three hundred. There is quite a little village at Baird's Furnace, though there is no laid out town. There is a large company store, a physician, several shops, and a population of about one hundred, consisting mainly of those employed about the furnace. The number of inhabitants in Monday Creek township, in June, 1880, was one thousand six hundred and thirty-six. 218