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History of Flushing Township
Flushing township was erected from parts of Kirkwood and Union, and organized March 14, 1817. It is situated in the northwest corner of the country, and bounded as follows: on the north by Harrison county, on the west by Guernsey, on the south by Kirkwood and Union townships, and on the east by Wheeling township.
It is three miles wide and ten miles long, and contains thirty sections, eighteen of which were taken from Kirkwood township, range 6, township ten and twelve from Union township, range 5, township nine. It received its name from Flushing, the principal village in the new township.
The Topography
Of the township is somewhat varied, and depends upon its geological structure – the soil being composed of the limestone and shales of the "upper productive" coal measures. The soil being of soluble nature, and the locality elevated, the streams cut for themselves deep beds with lateral ravines, making the surface of the country somewhat broken and hilly. An anticlinical axis or dividing ridge runs through the eastern portion of the township forming the dividing line between the waters of Wheeling creek running eastward and those of the Big Stillwater running westward into the Tuscarwas. Notwithstanding the unevenness of the surface the soil is of excellent quality, being strongly impregnated with lime, and bears good crops of wheat, corn and grass. The land is especially adapted to sheep raising and wool growing is the principal business of the farmers, the merino sheep being the breed best adapted to the locality. Coal is abundant and forms an excellent fuel, nut the consumption is confined to home use as there is as yet no outlet to market by rail. The "Cleveland, Tuscarwas Valley and Wheeling Railroad" traverse the township from northwest to southeast, but is not yet completed.
It is impossible at this date to state with certainty who was the first settler in Flushing township, the reader is referred to the biographies of early settlers for information.
Township Officers
The first election was held in the village of Flushing on the first Monday of April, 1817,when the following board of township officers were elected, viz:
Justices of the Peace – Henry Long, James Crozier and James Judkins.
Trustees – Isaac Branson, James Wright, Enos West.
Clerk – Edward Bethel.
Treasurer – Samuel Holloway.
Fence Viewers – Abraham Brokaw, John Lewis.
Constables – Josiah Wickersham, Levi Harseman.
House Appraisers – Josiah Wickershaw, Samuel Pickering.
Overseers of the Poor – William Kirk, John Howell.
Road Supervisors – Jonas Pickering, Joseph Wright, Thomas Morrow, Henry Stotler, Jonathan M. Ellis.
About 1832 the township trustees moved the polls from Flushing to Rock Hill, and in April, 1877, the township was divided into two precincts the polling places being established at Flushing and Belmont Ridge.
Township Officers for 1878-9
Justices of the Peace – John Moore, Jr., W.G. Cash, Levi Starkey.
Treasurer – Elihu Hollingsworth.
Assessor – W.J. Vance.
Board of Education – Joshua Kirk, chairman, Levi Starkey, clerk, Albert Conrow, Wm. McDonough, John Moore, Jr., M.C. Dunn, Robert Todd, Henry Savage, John Nabb, M. Greenfield.
Trustees – Samuel Fisher, Hirman Howell, J.L. Chandler.
Township Clerk – Levi Starkey.
Constables – John Henry, James E. Gardner.
Supervisors of Roads – Elisha Ellis, William Kirk, James Randolph, T.C. Mills.
Summary
There are at present in the township, seven churches (a separate account of which will be found elsewhere); twelve schools, two stream flouring mills and one woolen factory.
Population
The population of Flushing township in 1830, was 1,671, or 825 males and 846 females, (including the village of Flushing.) The population according to the census of 1870, is as follows:
| Township | (White) | 1,352 | Colored, | 132; | total | 1,484 |
| Village | " | 195 | " | 11 | " | 206 |
| Total | 1,690 |
Reminiscences Of Early Settlers
A man by the name of Elisha Ellis, familiarly known as "Big Elisha," in contradistinction to another gentleman of the same name, of less stature, says that he came to the township in 1804; crossed the Ohio at Wheeling, struck into the woods, followed a trail westward, and settled on section 33, R. 5, T.9. At that time there were no houses in the vicinity of Flushing, and the town site was a thicket of underbrush and grape vines. A man named John Winters kept a small store at St. Clairsville to exchange for powder, lead, and salt. Ginseng sold for 10 cents per pound, snake root for 25 cents, powder $1.50, and lead 50 cents per pound. Salt was an article greatly sought after, and commanded a high price. It was brought from Alexandria, Virginia, on horseback, two and a half bushels to a horse – one man managing three horses – and when transported to Ohio, sold for $8 per bushel. Later, when wheat was raised, the farmers traded one bushel for a pound of coffee. Eggs sold for three or four cents per dozen.
Hanna Ellis – wife of Elisha (the lesser) – says that when her father, Levi Hollingsworth, came to Flushing, in 1804 he occupied a shanty 12 x 14, with puncheon floor, door, ceiling, table and cradle, with greased paper as a substitute for window lights. Beds were made by setting a post at a proper distance from the wall, placing poles from that to the wall, and stretching deer skins thereon.
Elisha Ellis relates that his father, accompanied by his mother, had gone away, taking the gun with him, when the children, going out to swing, looked up to the bent oak from which the swing was suspended, and saw a large animal resembling a dog looking down at them. They ran into the house and barred the door, when the panther sprang to the ground, ran the dogs under the house, and then killed a deer in sight. When the parents returned in the dusk of the evening and called the cow, the panther answered. It was shot the next day.
A circumstance illustrative of the manner in which the early pioneers were obliged to manage to secure a living, is given by David Conrow, who, when a boy got up at midnight, shelled a grist of corn, placed it on the back of a faithful old ox, carried it to the mill, hitched the oxen into the mill and ground the grist by moonlight, and returned home in time for his mother to bake cakes for breakfast.
Methodist Churches of Flushing
The records of the Methodist society in Flushing being destroyed by fire when Mark Kirk's house was burnt, the following history was obtained from that gentleman, who was steward at the time. The first sermon was preached by Michael Ellis at the house of Jesse Brandenburg in Flushing in 1818. The first class of any which any record was kept consisted of Jacob Miller, (leader) Jesse Brandenburg and Matilda his wife, Jeremiah Harris, Michael Lewis, Enos West, mary Brock, Denton Watkins and Robert Kimber, the two last named being local preachers. The first church was a log structure and built abou t1821, on the ground now occupied by them. The log house was removed in 1836 and a brick defice 45x56 erected by Theodore Bailey and James Young. This building was bunrt May 4, 1851, and rebuilt the same year and dedicated about one year after by Edward Smith, P. E. Smith was strongly opposed to slavery and his radical sermons on the subject caused a schism in the church Which ended in his resigning his charge as presiding elder of the district.
About the year 1842, Israel Archibald, in charge of the circuit, held a series of revival meetings at the Flushing church, which continued about three weeks, and over one hundred persons joined the church, amongst them many of the principal citizens of the neighborhood. Heretofore the Friends society had been the most numerous, but this revival and the accessions to the church consequent upon it made the Methodist the leading Society-a position since maintained. The society still occupies the brick church, and has a membership of one hundred and twenty with Joshua Kirk, Jr., Jacob Cunningham, M. B. Kirk and Julia Brandenburg as class leaders, and Rev. D. C. Knowles as pastor.
Methodist Church of Belmont Ridge
In the month of April, 1809, James Finley preached at the house of Samuel Burroughs, in the edge of Harrison county, Ohio. George Winrod moved to Flushing township in 1811, and settled on the northeast quarter of section 14, R. 6, T. 10, and from that time he had regular preaching at his house until 1835, when a church was built at Belmont Ridge, and the preaching moved to that place. Revs. John Graham, John McMahon, Samuel Hamilton, Samuel Young, William Lamden, William Tipton, Thomas Taylor, Edward Taylor, James Taylor, —— Ruckle, James Moore, John Minor, Samuel R. Brockunier, William Knox and Pardon Cook, having preached on the circuit in the interval.
Belmont Ridge is at this time (1879) a station on the Rev. D. C. Knowles' circuit.
Stillwater Presbyterian Church
The first sermon was preached by the Rev. Salmon Cowles, August 4, 1832, who organized a society of nineteen members, viz: John Price, Sr., his wife Ebizabeth; John Todd, Sr., and his wife Ann; John Price, Jr., and his wife Rebecca; Thomas Morrow, and his wife Jennie; William Smith, and his wife Mary; Salmon Cowles, and his wife Polly; George Todd, and his wife Jane; Joseph Moore, and his wife Nancy; Otho Sheets, and his wife Susan, and daughter, Harriet. Trustees-John Todd and John Price, Jr. Elders—John Todd, Thomas Morrow and James Moore. This church has passed through many vicissitudes of fortune, rising at one time to a membership of one hundred and six, but during the agitation of the slavery question a serious schism occurred, those opposed to slavery seceding and building a house of worship for themselves, leaving but a few in possesion of the church property. After the settlement of the slavery question, there being no further cause for separation, the factions united, abandoned the old church building and now worship together in the new church under the ministrations of the Rev. Fitzgerald. The membership at this time (1879) numbers about forty.
Stillwater Baptist Church, Rockhill
This church was constituted at the old brick meeting house on the national road, two and a half miles west of Morristown, November 23, 1816, the following minister's officiating-Elders, John Pritchard, Nathaniel Skinner and Elijah Stone. Of its history for the first few years, but little is known, as the records are not in possession of the church. About the year 1830, a schism occurred in this church, caused by the preaching of Alexander Campbell. The church building, in consideration of a certain sum of money: was relinquished to the followers of the new faith, who called themselves Christians or Disciples. The remaining adherents of the old Baptist faith, lived mainly in two neighborhoods, one near Rock Hill, the other near Burr's Mills, in Goshen township. The remaining portion of the old church organized two new churches for the convenience of their localities—one in Goshen township called Ebenezer, and one in Flushing township, retaining the old name of Stillwater, which is the subject of this article and which erected a building at Rock Hill. It was a frame house, and was dedicated to the worship of God, November 22 1835, the Rev. R. H. Sedgwick being called of God, to the pastorate, whi labored successfully with the church for five years, adding large numbers to its little band of disciples. The church has had twelve pastors, viz: R. H. Sedgwick, Wm. Storrs, S. C. Bush, Thomas Jones, P. McCollum, W. J. Dunn, M. Squibbs, T. M. Erwin, G. C. Sedgwick, M. Barnes, S. Siegfried, G. G. Boyd, present pastor.
The last five were ordained by this church, and the following ministers were licensed by it: Thomas Jones and G. T. Jones. Since its location at Rock Hill, it has been destitute of pastoral labors, in all, about four years, and has received into its fellowship about five hundred persons by baptism. Since its organization, the church has dismissed members to form Corinth, Enon and Moorefield churches, and in part Morristown church, while many have gone to join the church triumphant, and others are scattered throughout the west and among the churches of this state.
About the year 1850, the church built a new, large frame house, in which they still worship, having a membership of about one hundred and fifty, and large congregations.
So far as is known, all of the former pastors of this old church are still living, some actively engaged in their chosen work, while others, on account of the weight of years, are patiently waiting to be called across the river.
Being located in a rich farming community, its membership is made up of substantial farmers and their families, and exerts a commanding influence in all the regions round about, and will, without doubt, in the future as in the past, let the light of Divine truth shine out over the hills and valleys of that entire region.
HISTORY OF FLUSHING VILLAGE
The village of Flushing was laid out by Jesse Foulke, November 9, 1813, and named by him. It is situated on the northwest quarter of section 20, range 5, town 9, in what was then the civil township of Union, in Belmont county, Ohio. The first house erected on the present site of the town was built by Reese Branson, a silversmith from St. Clairsville, in the year 1809, but as the services of a silversmith were not needed by the early settlers, he sold out to a man named Douglass and returned to St. Clairsville, The house built by Branson is still standing, and is occupied by Elihu Hollingsworth as part of his dwelling. Jesse Foulke lived where Isaac Holloway's house now stands. He taught the first schoool, and kept the first store. The first practicing physician was Dr. Jesse Bailey. The first sermon was preached by Michael Ellis (Methodist) at the house of Jesse Brandenburg in 1818. The first church was built by the Methodists in 1821.
The town was incorporated February 23, 1849, and had a population at that time of 312.
The records of the first election are lost, consequently the first board of officers cannot be given. The population, according to the census of 1870, was—whites, 195; colored, 11: total, 206.
There are at present (1879) in the town of Flushing 3 dry goods stores, kept by Stephen Hobson, Asa G. Holloway, and J. P. Judkins; 1 hardware store, Joseph Williams, 2 drug stores; 3 hotels, kept by William H. Holloway, Jacob W. Brown and A. Swanson; 2 churches, Methodist and Christian; 1 school house; 2 blacksmith shops, K. K. Kirk and Joseph Farmer: 2 wagon shops, I. J. Walker and J. Krim ; 1 tinshop, Henry Hanna; 1 butcher shop, J. A. Vance; 1 tailor shop. S. W. Sipe; 1 saddler shop, E. W. Purviance: 1 post office. E. W. Purviance, postmaster; and 2 milliner shops, Alcinda Krim and Mrs. J. A. Vance.
Flushing is one of those staid, old-fashioned, inland towns that sees wisdom in the fable of the fox and tortoise. What she may do when the iron horse goes neighing through her tunnel in her southern borders remains to be seen.
Granite Mills
In the year 1877, John F. Stratton, of Winona, Ohio, put in execution a plan he had cherished for some time, of supplying a want long felt by the people of Flushing and vicinity, by joining in partnership with Chas. Stratton, his brother, and Joseph H. Branson, to erect a flour mill near said village.
The building was erected during the summer of 1878. The material used, a micacious sand stone taken out of the approach to the railroad tunnel just south of the town of Flushing. Size, 30x40 feet. Height, 37 feet to the eves. Engine house, 25x30 feet. Engine, 60 horse power, with Compton's automatic cut-off governer. Working speed, 150 revolutions per minute. Capacity, two run of wheat buhrs and one chopper, the former grinding 15 bushels per hour and the latter from 50 to 60. Mr. Stratton's inventive genius furnished this mill with a corn sheller and tolling machine, which work. admirably, and had not death interposed it is confidently believed he would have made this mill the most perfect in the state. His surviving partners are striving their best to realize the ideal of the deceased. The enterprise is a very laudable one, in which the citizens are deeply interested, and it is hoped they may prove eminently successful.
Source: History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio by J.A. Caldwell, 1880