The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-02-15

For the stark County DEMOCRAT
HISTORY or THE EARLY SETTLE
MENT OF SANDY TOWNSHIP
STARR COUNTY.

MENT Uf DdNDI ~ 'A'''' ,
STARR COUNTY.
The first settlement in what is now
Sandy township, was made by Isaac van
Meter in the spring of 1905, He came
from Brooke county, Virginia, with a
wife and child, accompanied by his faith
er.in-law, James Downing, Sr., who had
previously entered the land upon which
they intended making an opening Their
outfit, consisting of several cooking uten-
sils, a Jew tools, little bedding and some
provision, was carried on pack-saddles.-
On reaching the land-the n. e, Or of
sec %. still known as the Downing tract,
they made temporary shelter for Mrs
Van Meter then, clearing away a small
piece of ground, with the help of several
friendly Indians, soon had cabin raised
and covered. Their furniture was such
as could be made in the woods with an
axe and auger. They constructed sort
of plough with wooden mould-board,
made homemade gears" ont of bass
wood and hickory bark. After fashion
of that day they broke up several acres
of ground, and planted it in corn and gar
den vegetables, after which Downing re-
turned to his family in Virginia, AT
that time there was no white inhabitant
nearer than Gideon Jennings, who lived
four miles south nor was there neigh
Dor within ten miles, There we've a few
scattered families above the forks of the
Nimishillen, but the distance was over
fifteen miles, too far for social intercourse.
The winter of 1866 was passed with
out the family seeing the face of another
white person. They bad frequent calls
from Indians, then roaming over the
country, but their visitations we're some
thing like the tramp of the present day,
not calculated to excite pleasant emo
tions.
In the spring of 1906 Downing return
ed with his family, consisting OF wife,
three sons, James, Hugh and Adam, and
daughter, Sarah, afterward married to
Robert Thompson During that summer,
and until the following spring, the two
families lived together. In June Mrs.
Van Meter was confined the birth was
boy, and he was named John the first
born in the township, and probably in
the comfy. This first born of Molly Stark
attained manhood, and must have been
a man of considerable muscular ability;
as it is written of him by one who knew
him well, that che never met man who
could lay him on his back, or outrun him
in foot race"
In the spring of 1907 Van Meter moved
on to the ar. section upon which Way
nesburgh is located. In the fall of 1903
his son James, then about four years old
while in the act of climbing over fence,
fell, pulling the top rail upon him, and
broke his thigh. There was no physi'
clan nearer than Steuoenville, distance
of 40 miles. A neighbor named James
Reayes, assisted by several others, ad-
iusted the leg to a natural position, while
an Indian medicine man prepared
splint of white elm bark, freshly pealed,
which he bandaged on the limb with
strips of like material, leaving a space
Immediately over the fracture for the ap-
plication of stewed herbs, which an old
squaw would apply every few days, at
the same time, assisting the cure by
powwow. The boy recovered in due
time with fair limb, and is now living
in the western part of this State. The
father moved to Richland county in 1915.
There were undoubtedly persons who
settled in the township in the year 1907, |
but in our researches thus far we have
failed to ascertain who they were. AS
this history is a mere epitome, published |
for the purpose of eliCiting further lnfor'
nation, we trust some one will be able |
to supply the Liatus. The same with |
1911. We have not been able to learn |
what persons came into the township in |
that year.
In 1908, VIM Thompson, from West
moreland county, Pa, settled on the n. e,
or. of sec. 80. The first improvement
was made on the opposite side Of the
creek from where the brick house is To- |
Gated Their children were Margery,
married to John Forsythe; Jane, married |
to John Reed; Polly, married to David |
Griffith; James followed the ocean as
sailor and was lost at sea; John died in
the war of 1912, and Robert married Sar-
ah Downing, whose heirs now own the
homestead. When father Thompson was
about making his will, as he had accu
mulated considerable property, he told
Robert his only surviving son, that he
intended leaving him all his property,
Robert replied, that if he did not leave a
fair share to his sisters, he would never
touch any portion of it. Thereupon his
father made an equitable and satisfactory
distribution amongalI his children. Such
an act of disinterestedness is worthy of
note.
James Hewitt ahd wife, his brother
John Hewitt, bachelor, and his neph.
ew. John Creighton, Jr., from Allegheny
county, Pa, came in the same year with
Thompson, and settled on the n. g. or. of
sec. %. Their first child, named James,
born Jan. 30 1909. is still living in the
township. William Knots also came
that year, bringing his family, his half
brother, John Van Emmon, and their
mother, Mrs. Van Emmon. The only
emigrant known to have settled In the
township in 1909 was Morgan Van Me-
ter. brother of Isaac.
The township of Sandy was organized
March 9th. 1909. Its jurisdiction exten.
ded over this 18th and 18th townships in
the 9th range, and the 18th township in
the 18th range-Brown, Rose and Har-
rison in Carroll county.
The first election was held the first
Monday in April, 1910, at the house of
Isaac Van Meter. James Hewitt was
elected Justice of the Peace, and Morgan
Van Meter constable.
The township proper had originally
less area than the law required, being
only five miles from north to south. In
the formation of Carroll county two rows
ofsections were taken from the east side,
leaving the township only about twenty
square miles instead of thirty six.
For many years the place of election
II Ia II s,.I