Madison C0unty is bounded on the north by Union, on the east by Franklin and Pickaway, on the south by Fayette, and on the west by Greene, Clark and Champaign Counties. It is divided into fourteen townships, six of which were erected April 30, 1810, viz., Darby, Jefferson, Deer Creek, Union, Pleasant and Stokes. They embraced all of Madison, as well as a portion of what is now in Union and Clark Counties. In the course of time, other townships became a necessity, and were erected in the following order: Range, December 7, 1812; Pike, September 5, 1814; Monroe, March 16, 1819; Phelps, which title was subsequently changed to Canaan, June 7, 1819; Fairfield, June 2, 1835; Somerford, March 4, 1839; Paint, June 7, 1853, and Oak Run, March 5, 1856. The county contains an area of 470 square miles, and is divided into four principal water-sheds by Big Darby, Little Darby, Deer Creek and Paint Creek. The head-waters of Big Darby are located in the northeast part of Champaign County and southeast portion of Logan. Taking a southeast direction across Union County, it enters Madison at Plain City; passing thence through Darby and Canaan Townships, it forms the boundary line between Madison and Franklin Counties along the greater portion of Canaan and Jefferson Townships; leaving the latter at its southeast corner, it passes on through Franklin and Pickaway Counties and empties into the Scioto River near Circleville. Little Darby rises in the northeastern part of Champaign County and southwestern part of Union; flowing thence in a southeasterly direction through Pike, Monroe and Jefferson Townships, leaving the latter subdivision near its southeast corner, and forming a junction with Big Darby at Georgesville, in Franklin County. The fountainhead of Deer Creek is, we might say, in Somerford Township, although it extends across the line into Clark County. Taking a southeastern course, it drains the townships of Somerford, Deer Creek, Union, Oak Run, Fairfield and Pleasant; thence passing through the counties of Fayette and Pickaway, empties into the Scioto in the northern part of Ross. Paint Creek, which drains the southwestern portion of Madison County, takes its rise in the southeast part of Clark. Meandering in its southern course through Paint and Stokes Townships, it flows on through Fayette, Highhind and Ross Counties, discharging its waters into the Scioto below Chillicothe. Big Darby was called after a Wyandot chief named Darby who dwelt upon its banks, and the smaller stream of that name derives its title from the same source. Deer Creek traces the origin of its name back to the time when the Indians camped upon its banks and the white race had not yet disturbed their freedom or encroached upon their domain. Upon the banks of Deer Creek grew a moss which was a favorite food of the deer, and here they came in herds to feed upon this succulent growth of provident nature, only to meet death from the arrow or unerring rifle of the red man. After the coming of the whites, the deer still frequented this stream, and the Indian name was retained. Paint Creek was named by Nathaniel Massie on account of a certain clay which the Indians found along its banks or in its bed, and used in painting or bedaubing their bodies. Beginning in the northern portion of the county, the main streams are fed by many tributaries throughout their entire course, principal among which are Spring Fork, Barron Run, Sweeney's Run, Mammoth Run, Three-Mile Run, George's Creek, Oak Run, Glade Run, Crooked Run, Coniac Run, Price's Run, Walnut Run, Opossum Run, Sugar Run, Bradford's Fork, Thompson's Fork, Mud Run, Willow Spring Branch, East, West and North Forks of Paint Creek, and Duff's Fork. In the southwestern corner of the county. South Branch of Massie's Creek, a tributary of the Little Miami, assists the drainage in that direction, but as nearly all these tributaries are local we refer the reader to the histories of the different townships, where a fuller description of them will be found.
In 1878, Prof. Edward Orton, Assistant State Geologist, made a geological survey of Madison County, and in that article gives the following description of its topography. He says: "Its surface is comparatively level. Its lowest land is found in the southeastern corner, near Mount Sterling, in the valley of Deer Creek. Its highest land lies to the west and northwest of London, and is about 1,100 feet above the level of the sea. The range of the county does not probably exceed 300 feet. The altitude of a few of the principal points in the county are subjoined: London, 1,010 feet above tide water; West Jefferson, 880 feet; Mount Sterling, 865 feet; Midway, 950 feet; county infirmary, 1,100 feet; county line on Xenia pike, west of London, 1,100 feet, and Ohlinger's Hill, west of Somerford, 1,100 feet above tide-water. Of these altitudes, all but the first were obtained by the barometer, and must be taken as approximations only. They suffice to show, however, the very great degree of uniformity that prevails in the surface of the county. A very large part of its area lies at altitudes varying between 950 feet and 1,050 above the sea. Notwithstanding this uniformity of level, there is but very little swamp land in Madison County. The slopes, though very gradual, are so distributed that the water always knows which way to go. Between those sources of Little Darby Creek that lies within the county, and the point where the creek crosses the county line, there is a fall of scarcely less than 200 feet. The distance is about fifteen miles, and the average descent is between thirteen and fourteen feet to the mile. Deer Creek descends, from its head-springs near Somerford, 300 feet, in its diagonal course of twenty miles across the country738212;an average fall of fifteen feet to the mile. The surface of the county, however, has been greatly relieved by drains and ditches, and is susceptible of almost indefinite improvement by such agencies. None of the streams have deep valleys, but the surface lies in gentle undulations between the channels of contiguous water-courses. In the northeastern comer of the county, the low summit that divides the waters of Little Darby from that of Big Darby, extends in the broad and productive tract known as the Darby Plains, one of the most famous grazing districts of the State."
It is a well authenticate 1 fact that a great portion of Madison County was. originally, covered with water most of the year. The first settlers called these lands "barrens," and looked upon them as utterly unfit for farming purposes. The pioneers located upon the streams, where the lands were elevated and dry, and the best of timber grew in abundance. Land speculators cared little for the prairie lands; therefore all the first warrants were laid upon the territory adjacent to the streams. The prairies consisted of level stretches of country covered with sedge-grass, and dotted here and there with patches of scrubby burr-oak growing upon the highest points of land. The sedge-grass grew to an enormous height, sometimes sufficient to hide man and horse when traveling through it; but it proved a blessing to the first settlers, being very nutritious food for stock, which had extensive ranges where now stands some of the finest producing farms in Madison County. The pioneers would cut this grass in June and July, and upon it the stock were fed throughout the winter months. Nearly every autumn prairie fires swept over the country, destroying everything in their path, endangering the lives and property of the pioneers, as well as the existence of the denizens of the forest that fled before the devouring elements to places of safety; but with the gradual settlement of the country these fires grew less frequent, until at last they became a thing of the past. We have been told that the timber on the east bank of the streams was always the largest, as these fires generally ran from west to east, and being checked by the intervening waterways, the trees on the east bank were generally spared the withering destruction that befell those upon the opposite side of the stream. The growth of the burr-oak on the prairies was impeded by these periodical fires, and the greater amount of the present timber of Madison County has grown up since the first settlement of the country. There was then little or no spice-brush growing on the flat prairie lands, as the seed scattered by the wind and carried by the birds was destroyed by the fires ere it took root in the soil. Dr. Converse says: "It was majestically grand to see these prairies on fire, fifty years ago! The blaze of the burning grass seemed to reach the very clouds; or, when driven by a fierce wind, would leap forty or fifty feet in advance of the base of the fire. Then add to all this a line of the devouring element three miles in length, mounting upward and leaping madly forward with lapping tongue, as if it were trying to devour the very earth, and you have a faint idea of some of the scenes that were witnessed by the early settlers of this country. In order to save the dwellings, fences, hay stacks and other property from these devastating raids, it was necessary to resort to what was called 'back-firing,' which was done by selecting a still day, or evening, and burning a strip of grass twenty or thirty feet wide around the entire premises."
The same writer, in speaking of the physical appearance of the county during the pioneer times, says: "This whole country was a sea of wild grass, and flowering herbs. Upon the lower portions of the prairies grew a kind of grass that came up in single stalks, very thick on the ground, with a large round straw, very tough, long, broad blades, and on top a head somewhat resembling barley. This species grew from six to eight feet in height, but was of no value for grazing purposes, except when it first came up in the spring. There were two other varieties that grew upon the more elevated portions of the prairie, the 'limber-will' and 'sedge-grass.' The former of these came up in single stalks, very thick on the ground, with long, drooping blades and slightly sickle edged. The latter variety grew in bunches, or tufts, very compact, with fine blades, and center stalks very tall, smooth and round, like rye. These latter varieties were very nutritious, not only in a green state, but equally so when cut and made into hay. There were some other varieties, but not of sufficient importance to attract attention. It would be almost impossible to give a full and accurate description of the flowering portion of its vegetation, but I will allude to a few, among which was the 'prairie dock,' with large, brittle roots, long, broad leaves, and every alternate year, large center stalks. It grew to a height of six or eight feet, and very branching near the top, upon each of which was a beautiful yellow blossom. When the stalks were cut near the ground, or the leaves punctured, a thick, gummy exudation took place, which soon became semisolid, and was gathered by the young people for 'chewing-gum,' it being far superior to the manufactured article of the present day. The wild "sunflower" was a kind of weed that grew with a large, strong stalk, very high, with numerous branches, having a yellow blossom on each about three inches in diameter, and drooping like the cultivated species. All of the ponds were surrounded with the wild 'blue-flag,' and, on the top of each center stalk, was a large blue blossom, very pretty in appearance, but its fragrance was of an offensive and sickening character. There were many other varieties that grew upon the prairies besides those that were found skirting, and in the oak-openings, such as the daisies, butter-cups, wild pink, coxcomb, lilies and many others equally beautiful. It was, indeed, a grand sight to a nature-loving mind, to look over these extensive prairie fields and behold them mantled with so luxuriant a growth of vegetation, and decorated so lavishly with an almost endless variety of flowers, variegated with all the colors of the rainbow, and so blended in beauty that the inmost soul would almost involuntarily praise God for the grandeur of His omnipotent wisdom and power; but to that class of persons who cannot appreciate any loveliness or beauty in the works of nature, it might appear as a God-forsaken wilderness, and not intended as a home for civilized humanity."
The only portion of Madison County that was entirely covered with timber, is Somerford Township, no prairie land lying within that subdivision. Along the streams the timber is principally white and black oak, hickory, beech, ash, maple and elm, interspersed with basswood, sycamore, white elm and walnut. The lands contiguous to the streams are generally rolling or hilly, and in many places broken, with here and there rich bottoms, which are much prized by the agriculturist. There is very little diversity in the topographical appearance of the county, the prairies and timbered lands being about the same in every portion thereof, and for a more minute description of the several localities, we refer the reader to the township histories, in each of which will be found a topographical outline of the same.
As the county began to be settled more thickly, it became evident that if the pioneers intended to remain they would be compelled to drain the prairies and wet lands, which they soon recognized as a necessity, and ditches began to appear in different portions of this county. In the course of time the Legislature passed drainage laws, which, together with private enterprise, soon changed the face of the country by gradually draining these wet lands, until to-day they are among the most valuable in the county, yet the work goes steadily forward, fostered and encouraged by the State. This one enactment, with its subsequent amendments, has done more toward the development of the agricultural wealth of Madison County than all other laws combined. During the first years of pioneer life there was a vast amount of malarial sickness, which retarded the general progress of the settlement, but the prospective advantages of the country, with its rich soil, fine stock ranges and abundance of all classes of game, sustained the spirit of the wavering settlers and re-animated them with a firm resolution to make this their future home. So they remained and erected their cabins beside the beautiful streams that traversed the surface of the county; here their children were born, lived and died, blessing the foresight and enterprise of these sturdy pioneers who did so much for the coming generations.