From History of Madison County, Ohio, Chester E. Bryan, Supervising Editor, B.F. Bowen & Co., Indianapolis (1915)
The honor of being the first white settler within the present limits of Jefferson township must be accorded to Michael Johnson, wife and eight children. Johnson emigrated front Virginia to this section of the Northwest territory in 1796-97. About the same time, William Lapin located in this township, and subsequently married Margaret, daughter of Michael Johnson, which family had settled about four miles northwest of the site of West Jefferson. Another pioneer of this township was Silas Springer, who first located near Plain City, but afterwards removed to this township. The next to locate here was Reason Francis, also a native of the Old Dominion. Mr. Francis emigrated to the neighborhood in 1800 and settled between the Darbys. He was quite a hunter and loved the chase; possessed many peculiar characteristics, and was a shrewd, sharp business man. Another early settler was Tobias Bright, who, it is claimed, killed an Indian in 1810, at the old camping-ground on Spring Fork, near its junction with Little Darby creek. He was tried and acquitted. One of the Lapins also shot an Indian near the same place a few years later, but these events were common in pioneer days. The Indians were, as a rule, inveterately detested, especially by those who had lost friends or relatives during the Indian wars.
About the beginning of the nineteenth century, Nehemiah Gates came into the township, and remained until after the War of 1812. He then returned to his native state of Virginia, married a Miss Johnson, and again came to Madison county. He was married four times, his last wife being a sister to his first. Mr. Gates was a native of the state of New York, and, after his first settlement on Little Darby, he assisted in erecting a mill on that stream. He was an industrious, hardworking man, and was much respected by the pioneers. His name is found among the first juries of Madison county.
Philip Sidener came from Bourbon county, Kentucky, in 1802, and settled on the Scioto river, four miles below Franklinton. He built and operated a distillery at this place, but was very much annoyed by the Indians, who were continually begging whiskey of him, and if he would not comply with their wish they would either buy or steal it. After a brief residence in this place, unusual sickness induced him to sell his farm and "strike out" for the Darbys. He built his cabin on the east bank of the Little Darby, about sixty rods south of the National road, and was a close neighbor to Reason Francis and Tobias Bright. A short time after Philip Sidener settled here, Tobias Bright and another neighbor called one evening at the camp of two Indians on Spring fork. After spending the early part of the evening, they started home, and, when a few paces away, Bright turned and shot one of the Indians dead. This cold-blooded act caused great indignation annong the Indians and spread general consternation over the settlement. A general uprising was expected and such was the feeling of unrest that it led to Mr. Sidener's removal to Kentucky.
The settlers who remained built a stockade about fifteen feet high, inclosing about an acre of land, including Sidener's cabin. This was in 1811 and some of the posts could be seen as late as 1890. The excitement soon subsided, and Mr. Sidener returned to the place of his former settlement, where he built another cabin.
Such was the life of the earlier settlers and it is interesting to note a few other incidents and facts that relate to these early settlers. There were no roads at this time save an Indian trail from the Muskingum and Scioto to Mad rivers, passing just north of the present National road. There were no schools and religious services were held only at intervals, this generally occurring at the home of some pioneer. There were no blacksmiths and wagonmakers, but every man was his own mechanic. There were no stores nearer than Franklinton. Quite a number of the early settlers engaged in making whiskey, as this was the only thing they could transport to Chillicothe and profitably excliange for other goods. It is interesting to note that the greatest bulk they took in exchange was salt, which was an actual necessity. The clothing was of buckskin, flax or linsey-woolsey; the wants of the people were few; game was plentiful, and there was not much to stimulate the people to exertion, as there was little market for any surplus they might produce.
Bone and muscle were at a premium, as is the case in all countries where mental culture is neglected. And, although the pioneers of this section were educated through the rough education of experience, still they lacked the opportunities of school education. The standard of the pioneer in those times was the physical power of a man. This led to many personal encounters for supremacy of this title. The title of "best man" in a community was contested just as bitterly by our pioneers as the title "belts" of today. Musters were held at Philip Sidener's house four or five times a year, and it is related by these sturdy forefathers that it was no uncommon thing to see twenty or thirty men, with their coats off, either fighting or ready to see fair play between the combatants.
There was a strong feeling of antagonism existing between the Darbyites, as they were then called from the location, and those living on Deer creek. They scarcely ever met without having a rough-and-tumble time to prove their superiority. John, nicknamed "Chunky," was the acknowledged leader among the Darbyites. He was very peaceful except in times of combat. A Mr. Graham was the "bully" among the Deer Creekers. But these men never met in personal encounter.
At that date, about half of the township was prairie, or barrens, thought to be of little value, and, in consequence, the settlements were all made along the streams. The first ground plowed in Jefferson township, according to the early settlers, was that lying between the National road and the railroad, just east of Little Darby. This land was placed under cultivation by Mr. Sidener.
The Indians were peaceable, lazy and mostly honest, rarely stealing anything from the whites. The Squaws would raise a little corn but the men would spend the time in hunting and fishing. The younger ones used bows and arrows to kill game, as they had not become familiar with fire arms. There was but little money in circulation, and what the pioneers had was gold and silver, paper money not coming into use this far west until a later date. Small change was scarce, and to remedy this a silver dollar was cut into pieces, which passed for their proportionate value. Sometimes a shrewd operator would cut a dollar into nine pieces, instead of eight, and still pass them for the fractional parts, "nine-pence," or one-eighth of a dollar.
William Johnson, according to tradition, settled in Jefferson township about the year 1803. "Uncle Billy," as he was familiarly known, was a native of Virginia, but was married in Pennsylvania. He came to the Little Darby with his wife and family, settling about one and a half miles southeast of the present town of West Jefferson. He was through life a farmer, and remained in Madison county until 1842, when he moved to Franklin county and died the following year. He was a man of small stature, but possessed a strong constitution.
Rev. Lewis Foster, who settled in Jefferson township in 1806, brought his wife and seven children with him and located on land given him by his father, Reverend Foster. The latter had embraced the faith of the Methodist church, and commenced preaching while in Pennsylvania. Soon after coming to Ohio, he was able to organize a society at his residence. He remained in this township until 1835 and then removed to Illinois. Today Foster Chapel stands as a monument to his Christian walk and zealous work in its behalf.
Prior to the War of 1812, Nathaniel, Henry and Robert Frakes took up their settle ment on Little Darby, in this township. They entered the Indian War, in which Nathaniel and Robert were killed, a short time after their settlement in this county. Henry died a short time after the war. Michael Dickey and a second Robert Frakes also settled at an early date. The latter was a native of England and was much heralded by the settlers in this locality, as he was a cooper by trade, and probably the first one to meet the wants of the few settlers then in Jefferson township. He also carried on farming on a small scale, as his cooper business did not furnish him steady employment. He died in 1830.
Moses Nickens was the first colored settler in this township. He came to Madison county in the year 1810, having served under General Washington in the Continental army. He remained a resident quite a number of years.
Isaac Ruperts came from Virginia about the year 1810 and settled near what was then known as the Gates mill. During the period of the War of 1812, dates the settlement of David Harriman and family. He and his wife soon afterward died and the children moved from this county. Jacob Sidener, a son of John T. Sidener, emigrated to this township after the War of 1812. Moses Pippet was also an early settler. Samuel Jones came about the year 1818 with his wife and nine children. The Ayle family were early settlers, among whom was John Ayle, a native of Martinsville, Virginia, and who reached Jefferson township about 1828. He ever after remained in Jefferson township until his death, August 17, 1861. James Burnham was among the early settlers in this township, but the date of his settlement cannot be ascertained. He was born in Windham county, Connecticut, December 12, 1791, and came to Ohio in 1817, with a large train of emigrants, over fifty of whom were Burnhams, and who settled in this and other counties in the state. Mr. Burnham kept a hotel on a stretch of the Columbus and Urbana stage route for a number of years. Mr. Burnham was appointed general of a brigade of cavalry which was organized for protection against the Indians. For many years the parades of this company were marked days in the calendar. In early days Mr. Burnham was elected county commissioner, and was re-elected to this responsible post for a period of fifteen or eighteen years. He also served as justice of the peace for a term of over thirty years. In all of these positions, and wherever known, his name was a synonym for integrity, good judgment and fidelity to every trust. Mr. Burnham died on January 6, 1857. This good old pioneer left a name which can hardly be equalled by any settler of the present day.
The family of Thomas Timmons marks a great place in the early settlements. Mr. Timmons was a native of Pennsylvania and came to this county with the Foster family. He was an industrious pioneer and a man of rugged constitution. He was much interested in the establishment of Alder chapel, and liberally assisted to that end. He was well estimated in the minds of his friends.