Early Township Histories - Part 3

(The following was compiled by the (Columbus) Historical Publishing Company, and is reprinted from “Reflections II”, a collection of local stories available at the Grove City Welcome Center and Museum. Any opinions made in the article are from the author.)Jackson TownshipThe township is situated in the extreme southern part of the county, adjoining Pickaway County and is bounded on the north by Franklin Township, East by Hamilton, West by Pleasant and Prairie, and South by Scioto Township. Jackson was set off and organized under its present name and boundaries by 1815. It had originally been part of Franklin Township. The first settler was Hugh Grant, a native of Maryland, who moved to Pittsburgh, and then married Catherine Barr. In 1804 he came with his family numbering five, to Ohio, locating first in Ross County. While there, he purchased some four hundred and fifty acres of land in Jackson Township, and in the spring of 1805 removed there. Not knowing the exact location of his purchase, he squatted on land near the river, where he was killed not long afterwards, and his widow eventually located the land her husband purchased, where she remained until her death on August 17th, 1836. Mr. Grant was a noted hunter, and is reputed to have killed eighty-two deer during one fall. The township suffered much from the want of direct and good roads to market, but the construction of the Harrisburg, the Franklin and the Cottage Mill Turnpikes, all passing through Jackson, removed that inconvenience. Among the early settlers of Jackson, were Jonas Orders, John Curry, Samuel Breckenridge, Percival Adams, William C. Duff, James Seeds, John Hoover, William Brown, Jacob Borer, Henry Baumgartner, John C. Neff, Hawes Bawbee, and Valentine F. Shover.The first White child born in Jackson was Nancy, daughter of William C. And Catherine Duff. The first brick house here was built by William Brown in 1814. There was no village or post-office until, Grove City was laid out in the summer of 1852 by W. F. Breck. When a post-office was established there, Mr. Breck was the first postmaster holding the office up to 1857, when he was succeeded by Ralph Higgy. The first sawmill was built, on Turkey Run over 60 years ago, by Robert Seeds. Three years later, it was carried away by floods, and Mr. Seeds afterward built a mill on Grant's Run. About 1850, the first steam sawmill was built here, stone for grinding purpose being added later. A drain tile factory, wagon factory, blacksmith shops and general stores complete the business interest here. Grove City is pleasantly situated on the Harrisburg Pike, and is about 7 miles from Columbus. The first church in Jackson, was Scioto Chapel, erected by the Christian Faith denomination, which was organized in 1812. The Methodist built Jackson Chapel in 1859. The Methodist Episcopal Church was built at Grove City in 1859. Concord Chapel was also built in 1859. The German Lutheran Church was formed about 1861. Zion Chapel, composed of members from Scioto Chapel, was built in 1869. The first school in Jackson was held in 1815. The first physician here, was Dr. Joseph Mullen, who arrived about 1852, and his death occurred in 1878. The township is now well supplied with schoolhouses.(The continuation of this story in the next blog entry.)