The Union County journal. [volume] (Marysville, Ohio) 1875-1951, 1946-12-23


age within Union county, and a
highly important trading center
for the northern part of the
county, was established more than
100 years ago, and today is a flour
ishing community of 1923 people.
The town was plotted in Aug
ust, 1882 by Philip Plummer, pro-
prietor. In 1840 it had a populat-
ion of SO; in 1870 it had increased
to 436; in 1880 it had reached 1917
"a wonderful increase.
Plummer had come into the
possession of the William Pelham
survey of 1900 acres, and during
the summer of 1882 first came
from Mt. Vernon, with his brother,
Thomas Plummer, Elisha Merriot,
and DR.. John P. Brookins, a phys
ician in search of a good place in
which to establish a practice. The
party all returned to Mt. Vernon
and soon after Philip and DR..
Brookins returned to Redwood.
The original plat contains full
description of the location, state
that it is situated in tract of land
known as "Richwoods," about
four miles west of the Scioto river,
at the headquarters of Ottaway
run on broad and beautiful knob
of table-land unsurpassed in fert-
ility.
The distances from towns and
villages are minutely given and
kinds of trees and herbage are
listed. The soil is described as ''the
richest loan, mixed with a small
proportion of sand; the sub-strat-
um is limestone and gravel, mixed
with clay.
The original plating covered
an area of almost As acres. The
principal street north and south
was Franklin. 100 feet wide, with
Fulton and Clinton streets, paral-
lei with it. The three streets east
and west were Blagrove, Ottaway
and Bomford.
In 1882 but three families set
tied in the new forest-covered
village, Philip Plummer, John P
Brookins and Absalom Carney
Philip Plummer was born in Mary
land and emigrated to Mt. Vernon
Sometime after he came to Rich
wood he became a Methodist min
ister, preaching there and else
where. Later in life he returned tc
Mt. Vernon and died there.
William Philips was one of the
early settlers at Redwood and he
speaks of Mr.. Plummer as follows
"He was a man of taste and re.
inement and loved good society
so while the better class of people
appreciated him there were those
who disliked him. He was kino
and obliging and ready to do any
thing in his power for the new
comers. He was an excellent talk
er. He was a through temperance
man and, selling lots, he would
sell to none who would sell
whisky, believing that it would
injure the property of the town
and community. In this most OF
the early settlers encouraged him
lhouSe-raiSingS, ETC., were done on
temperance principles. An order
ly community grew up and its
good example and correct princep-
les are felt today in the society of
the village"
AbSolom Carney was the first
blacksmith and built his shop on
E. Bomford ST. He only remained
a few years and moved to Miss
ouri, where it is related that he
and his family, except one daugh-
ter, were killed by the Indians.
In September, 1888, William
Phillips and wife, Isabella (Woods)
emigrated from Shippensburg, Pa,
and settled at the southeast corn
er of Franklin and Blagrove SITS.
He had a family of eight children,
including a son Alfred C, who
was killed at the battle of Atlanta
in 1868. The senior Phillips died
Jan. Is, 1880 at Marysville. BY
trade he was a potter and followed
that for many years, at least of
century, in Redwood.
From dairy he kept, the fol-
lowing prices were prevalent in
Redwood from 1884 to 1888:
Making vest, so cents; one gun,
S12; 8s4 yards muslin, $126; one
wagon, $45.; 112 gallons honey,
rs cents; one calf skin, $3.50;
1880 brick, $18.06; one pound cof-
fee, 18 cents; one-fourth pound
tea, % cents; four pounds butter,
25 cents; two jugs, 25 cents; four
bushels potatoes, ST.; two turkeys,
81: one dayS labor. so cents. nalm