Madison County History and Genealogy

History and Genealogy



History of Madison County


Danville


From History of Madison County, Ohio, Chester E. Bryan, Supervising Editor, B.F. Bowen & Co., Indianapolis (1915)

The land where Danville now stands was formerly owned by Daniel and Joseph Counts, the latter owning the northeast corner between the cross-roads, and the former owning the northwest corner, and all south of the federal road. About 1827-28, a stock dealer, Daniel Brown, who, had been buying stock and driving to the Eastern markets, proposed to open a store at the cross-roads. Daniel Counts gave him a piece of land to erect a house upon, and assisted in putting up the building, a hewed-log house. When the building was completed, Brown put in a small stock of goods and continued in trade there about three years. He was succeeded by Joseph Counts, a brother of Peter Counts, who continued in trade two or three years, at the end of which time he removed to Ross county. Finally, Daniel Counts gave several lots to individuals for the purpose of erecting houses, and the result was the beginning of a town. From the fact that both the proprietors of the town, Brown and Counts, were named Daniel, the new town received the cognomen of Danville. About 1836-37 a building was erected by the McClimans Brothers for a hotel, which was kept by Andrew Willoughby, who was succeeded by John Justis. Danville enjoyed a similar trade and prosperity to that of Midway, from the stock dealers, and the trade and traffic of those early days. The first blacksmith in the town was James Counts, a brother of Peter Counts. The first shoemaker was William Mitchell, a one-legged man, a Frenchman by birth, who served during the War of 1812 with Perry on the lakes, was taken prisoner and subsequently was released and settled in Danville. The town was duly laid out and the plat recorded at London on October 18, 1848, by Daniel Counts. This town has had no natural advantage to further its growth and has not been accommodated with a railroad, hence its growth has not been rapid. The present business interests of the town consist of a general store, owned by J. M. Pampsey, and a blacksmith shop, operated by David Weaver.

Chenoweth is the third town in Range township. It was never platted and consists of only a cluster of houses. The business interests of the town are a grocery store, owned by Truitt & Truitt, and a blacksmith shop owned by Frank Fast.

Back to Range Township index






Links

Ohio History & Genealogy





Other Counties