The Union County journal. [volume] (Marysville, Ohio) 1875-1951, 1945-09-27
MILFORD OLDEST
TOWN IN COUNTY
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Continued from last page)
George Reed in the county OF
Delaware (Union county was not
established until 1920 and was
formed from portions of other
eounties) on the south side of
Big Darby near George Reeds mill,
originally entered in the name of
Levin Jones, sold to Alexander
Carr and patented in the names of
George Reed and Robert Grant, un-
der a decree of a Court of Chanc-
cry had in Franklin county. The
town was composed of as lots. !.
Milford Center-On March 3,
1853, a meeting of the citizens of
Milford was held at the school
house, with F. Garwood, chairman,
and E. L. Reynolds, secretary, for
the purpose of considering the
propiety of petitioning the County
Commissioners to corpor t e
them as a body polite, with the
authority and powers given by the
State of Ohio, to Incorporated vii.
lagos. A petition was made, and
duly signed by F. Garwood, E. l..
Reynolds, and As other citizens,
with z. L. Reynolds as agent to act
in the premises for and in behalf
of the citizens. The petition was
granteds and two transcripts is
sued, one sent to the Secretary of
State and the other to E. l.. Rey-
nolds, the agent of the citizens of
Milford Center.
Let Corporation Lapse
1T appears that after the town
was Incorporated in 1853, from
neglect of the citizens to elect of.
ficials and continue their powers
as a corporate body, they ceased
to exist as such and on August A,
1866, were again Incorporated, up.
on petition of j. j. Marsh, F. Gar
wood, and 39 other citizens, by the
County Commissioners James Full
lington, Joseph K. Ritchey and
John Cheney.
1T is understood that before
George Reed laid out the town of
Milford, there was only his mill and
one log house-the residence of
Joseph Mathers-on the site. The
first store was opened by George
Brown. The first hotel was kept
by Nathaniel KaZer; and it is said
that in one room was held the
first court of Union county. The
first blacksmith was Joseph Ken
nedy, and the first postmaster,
David Burnham. Robert BranSon
had the first Saddler shop, Daniel
Bowen was the first physician. This
town grew rapidly, and for several
years was the principal trading
point in the county. But after the
county seat was located at MaryS-
vile, that town eventually surpass-
ed Milford Center in size.
Milford In 1887
I'm 1897 we find published in
the Ohio Gazette, at Columbus, the
following account of Milford: A
post town of Union County, Situat-
ed near the center of Union town.
ship, on the south bank of Big Dar-
by Creek, five miles southwest of
MarySville, 80 miles northwest of
Columbus, % miles southeast of
Bellefontaine, nine northeast from
Mechanicsburg, 18 northeast from
Urbana, on mail route No. 1916,
carried on horseback once a week
from Columbus through this place
to Bellefontaine and back. The
name of the post office is Milford
Center. The town contains 30
dwelling houses, three stores, one
tavern, one grist MILL one saw mill,
one physician, two meeting houses
one for the Presbyterians and
one for the MethodistS-and sew
eral mechanics shops.
'"The town now (1882) contains
a population of about 500 inhabit-
ants, and has three general stores,
four groceries, two drug stores, one
hardware store, two milliner
stores, two dressmakers, one grist
mile, one saw mill, one carriage
factory, two blacksmiths, two liv-
cry stables, one grain warehouse,
two shoe shops, three physicians,
two hotels, one matchmaker and
ieweler, two barber shops, four
churches - Methodist, Presbyter-
ian, Baptist and Christian-and one
schoolhouse, containing four
rooms"
Still Progressive Community
Just as the mode of living be-
tween 1887 and 1882 changed con-
siderably and became much more
comfortable, so today has the con-
ditions advanced, and Milford Cen
ter has progressed too.
Today, Milford Center is pros.
porous, thriving community, com
posed now, as it was when first es'
tablished, of energetic and enter.
prising" citizens. 1t is splendid
trading center for the southwest
ern portion of Union county, as
well as much of Champaign anc
Madison counties, and its stores are