The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1867-02-28
Historical Sketches of
Highland County.
BY THE EDITOR


Fairfield Tp., furnished By l. NJ Thorn
6urg-Lees5urg Commenced in lsO5-Lez-
i''gton IN 1864 Genuine Love Story
FIRST Wheat SCUM in Hig6Eand-F First
Settlement Made on Rocky Fork, in 1899
The Irish Settlement, -Four Miles South Of
Ne'o Market-Join Porter and his MI
on 'SSmoky Rotg."
According to promise, our friend, Mr..
Isaac N. Thornburg, has furnished us the
following new and interesting facts and in
cidents, connected with the first settlement
Of Fairfield TIP.
The first settlement Of Fairfield Town
ship may be divided properly into two set
Elements, that Of Leesburg, and that Of
Lexington. About the year 1905, Daniel
Beals, James Hayworth, John Walters and
Curtis Beals, and their families, camped
on the present site of Leesburg, and lived
there for some time as one family. They
were the first persons that lived within the
limits of the present town.
William Lubton built the first saw-mill
in the Tp., on Lees Creek, close above the
] IL
Meeting House was built by the Society of
Friends, about } mile south Of town, where
Fairfield Meeting House now stands. The
first burials there were Isaac Cox the End
and William Lupton.
The first Store in the Tp. was kept by
Joseph Wright. The first Tavern was
opened by Charles Clifton, just west of
town. The first Store in Leesburg was
kept by Joel Wright, in 1917. He opened
out store with a capital of $4OO. His
goods were brought across the mountains
on pack-horses.
Havilah Beardsley was the first Physi-
clan of the town.
In 1907 Benjamin Carr moved from
Westfeld, South Carolina, and settled near
Fairfield Meeting House. Some time af-
ter, Isaac Pavey settled on the creek above
town. He was the first Methodist Preach
er in the Tp. and preached to a small con-
gregation for some years at his own house.
There is an anecdote still related, that
occurred at Fairfield Meeting House. It
was perhaps in the winter of 1908. The
snow was some inches deep. An old
man who lived near walked to church.
but was so fatigued that he fell asleep and
dreamed that he was out with his little
dog and scared up a rabbit, which took
shelter under the side of log where he
could see it, but "Penny," the dog, had
lost sight fit. The old man commenced
striking on the floor with his cane, and
called out, "here, Penn here, Penn see
itW which awoke him, to find the whole
congregation in a roar of laughter.
The second settlement in the Tp. was
commenced in 1904 or 'O5 by Jacob Jack
son, John Boeter Beals, Evan Evans,
Stephen Hockett, Richard Bernard, Ed
ward and John Thornburg, and David
Terrell. John B. Beals built tho first
grist-mill in the Tp. on Lees Creek, just
east of where Lexington now stands. lie
also attached horse mill to it, so that
when there was not sufficient water his
customers could grind by horse power.
Jacob Jackson emigrated from Tennessee
in 1905, and settled on the creek west OF
p town, at the "big spring" He was a rela
tive Of Gen. jackson. He was a member
p of the Society of Friends, and the first
preacher in the TIP. He donated 8 acre oi
ground to the Society, on which in 1915
they built Lees Creek Meeting House, the
second in the TIP. The first burial there
was his brother, John Jackson.
Richard Bernard was a descendant oi
Pocahontas. He owned 400 acres ofIand
known as the Bernard Survey. He set
tied on his land and built a house miles
f west of town, and opened the second Tav
ern in the TIP.
David Terrell was for some time the only
person in the settlement that knew any
thing about medicine, and was generally
, sent for in sickness. He would generally
turn the disease to ague, and then tn
; patient would wear it out, If blessed will
a strong constitution.
In 1916, John Conner, (son.in-law o
= = John B. Beals,) laid Off the town of New
: Lexington, Samuel Brown was the frs
: resident OF the place. In 1917 Come
built the first frame house, and opened til,
: first Tavern in the town. He also built
q saw-mill on the creek, adjoining town.
/ Charles Conway was the first Physician
= David Terrell, Jr. opened the first store
' and was the first Justice of the Peace il
the town, his father being one of the frs
in the Tp.
e Stephen Hocllett and Edward Thorn
o burg emigrated from Guilford CO., Soutl
;. Carolina, in 1905, and settled on the head
/ waters of Lees Creek, and in 1906 Johi
q Thornburg settled on the creek below an,
} Joined them. Soon after, Joseph Thorn
I burg settled on the same survey, and mar
. > ried Lydia, daughter of Jacob Jackson
The settlement had increased until by col
> Letting all within or 8 miles around, the
were enabled to build their cabins an
q roll their logs with comparative ease. Fo
5. the benefit ofsome in this day, will Civ
v the bill of fare at one Of these gathering
e, It will not occupy much space. It was
l. boiled greens and a little salt. The bill
ID short, but that was all.
y I will conclude my sketch with a sho
IS oourtshlp, that took place in this settl