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Deer Creek Township Pioneers

From History of Madison County, W. H. Beers & Co, Chicago, 1883

The following were the early settlers of this township, who located here between 1800 and 1830, and were more prominently known and more active in pioneer work and the organizing of society. Mr. Adair was probably the first to locate in this township. He came to Deer Creek and camped over night on its banks, and then selected his location; this was about 1802. John Adair settled on Deer Creek, on land now owned by James Wilson, in 1806. About the same year came William Blair and John Blair and settled on Glade Run, on the Plimell place. They were leading, active men of that day. John Blair was the first Clerk of the Township after its organization, and held other offices; and it is believed if he had lived he would have represented this district in the Legislature. He died quite young. They were of Irish descent. William was a son of John Bliar, and was a preacher in the New-Light Church. The same year (1806), John Blair settled on the Beals place. John McCaul and Charles Ewing settled on the Stutson land. The latter came from Kentucky, and was of Irish descent. He was a very honest, upright man, and an excellent citizen. John Ewing settled at the same date; was a Trustee and Treasurer of the township several years, and filled other offices of the township. John and Adam Coon settled on Deer Creek just below John Adair. William Blaine settled on Deer Creek just below John Adair, and near where the town of Lawrenceville was subsequently laid out. He was a man of considerable means for that day, andoften loaned his neighbors small sums of money; was a man of influence and usefulness, and served for a time as Associate Judge. He removed West about the year 1842. The above are all believed to have settled in this township prior to 1806, and hence were the true pioneers of Deer Creek Township.

From 1806 to 1810 came in the following settlers: John McDonald came from Tennessee and with his family settled at the Upper Glade on the Stutson land in 1808, andhis father, John McDonald, who died in 1811, was the first person who was buried in the McDonald, or Upper Glade Burying-Ground. Mr. McDonald's son John still survives; was five years old when brought to this county, and here has spent his life, a period of seventy-four years, nearly three-quarters of a century. This family have been identified with the growth and progress of the township from its first organization, and have been among her most worthy and upright citizens; ever prompt and active in the organization of schools and churches, and in the general moral and Christian progress of their communtiy. Mr. McDonald has spent a life of industry, and as a result of his untiring labors and economy, ahs become one of the wealthiest farmers of the township, and now owns 3,000 acres of land.

Thomas, John and Eli Gwynne located on Deer Creek; the former in 1816 and laid out the town of Lawrenceville, became very wealthy and died leaving a large estate. They were very active business men, and for some years carried on quite a mercantile trade in Urbana and Columbus. A large family of the Ross name located here on Deer Creek – Angus, John, Daniel and Alexander Ross; the former kept tavern at Lawrenceville. James Brown also located here on the opposite side of the creek from Mr. Ross. Curtis Ballard and David Foster were two settlers of this period of time. Charles Atchison was one of the prominent settlers of this time; was Township Treasurer in 1812, probably the first to hold that office in the township. James Wright and Daniel Wright were two settlers on the Glade in 1808. The latter lived a long and useful life. He served in many of the offices of the township; was a Trustee for many years. Samuel Duncan and William Noteman settled on the west side of Deer Creek, nearly opposite William Blaine, who was on the east side. Noteman was born on the ocean, and was principally raised in Madison County, and was married September 28, 1817, and finally he settled on the place now owned by John Lohr. He died January 14, 1827. Aaron Delano, William Lawrence, Gilman Lincoln, and a Mr. Fudgy, all located in this neighborhood about this period of time. Benjamin Garrett with his family located on Coniac Run in 1808, where he built a block-house to protect them from the Indians. Soon after, he located on the Garrett farm where he died. He was a native of Virginia; emigrated to Kentucky in 1805, came to Chillicothe in 1807, and from there to Madison County. About 1812 came Jarvis Pike, Doris Pike, and Benjamin Pike, and settled on the Glade north of the National road. Jacob Sidener, a native of Kentucky, with his father, Philip Sidener, a native of Virginia, came to Jefferson Township, where he died. About 1811, Jacob, with his sister, settled on the old Ewing farm now owned by George G. Mcdonald. In 1818, they settled on the place where W. Clark sidener now lives (for further particulars of his life and family, see sketch of William Clark Sidener). About 1815, John Plimell settled on the Glade. Isaac Jones and Zachariah Jones from Tennessee, James Chriswell, John Wiseman, Jesse Abbey and Henry Cay were all settlers at Lawrenceville the same year. samuel Bowdry located where La Fayette now is in 1815. John Davidson settled on Deer Creek in the year 1817.

Others of the early settlers who located in this township prior to 1820, we mention Asa Wright, Ira Wright, John Garby, James Logan, John McNutt, John Clernoe, Joshua Littler, Nite Adair, James Stout and Franklin Clark; the latter, settling in the neighborhood of Lawrenceville, was a man of considerable prominence, and held several local offices; was a Jsutice of the Peace several years. He died October 1, 1844, aged sixty-six years. William McCoy was a pioneer who deserves more than passing notice. He came here at least as early as 1813, and we find him elected to office in 1819. In 1824, he was elected a Justice of the Peace, which office he filled a number of years. He was a man of great integrity of character, and a very worthy and useful citizen of the community. Another early settler whose life was fully identified with the growth and progress of this township was William Minter, who was born in Virginia; was married in Kentucky, and in the spring of 1829 came to this county and located about one mile north of La Fayette. He laid out the town of La Fayette; was a man of public enterprise, and with his means and influence did much for the advancement of this community, and was a much esteemed and valued citizen; and several of his children, who still survive and reside in La Fayette, are valued and respected citizens.

There are many names of valued citizens who settled here at a later day – from 1830 down – whose lives and labors have been spent in this township, and whose memory will long be cherished by those who knew htem but to love and respect them; but, as our effort is more especially to save memory, from oblivion, the first settlers and their noble works and sacrifices, space forbids our further extension of the list, of those worthy old patriarchs and pioneers. But, if the reader will carefully peruse the records given hereafter, in this work, of the township officers, from 1812 to 1882, and also in another place, the names of the householders of each shool district in 1826-1827, he will there be made azquainted with the greater number of all the settlers.