HARON TOWNSHIP was erected by the county commissioners May 1, 1851, so as to include and be composed of the following territory, to-wit:

"Commencing at the southeast corner of the west half of section 32, in township number 6 of range number 9; thence north through the center of sections 32, 29, 20, 17, 8 and 5 to the northeast corner of the west half of section 5, in said township number 6 and range 9; thence west along township lines to the northwest corner of section 3, township number 6 and range 10; thence south along section lines to the southwest corner of section 34 in said township and range; thence east along the township lines to the place of beginning, containing 27 sections."

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Samuel Sailor was a pioneer and a well-known character. He first located south of Sharon, prior to 1815, and built a camp, making his living by hunting. He used to say that he was here seven weeks without seeing a human being. He came from Washington County, Pa. After he had made a small improvement

he brought his wife here, and they lived alone in the woods, remote from any neighbors. Mr. Archibald, who came in 1815, entered the land on which Sailor had squatted. The two were unable to agree as to the amount which Sailor was entitled for his improvement, and went to law to settle the matter. to settle the matter. The trial was held in Cambridge, this territory then belonging in Guernsey County, and the disputants and witnesses walked there, nearly thirty miles, each carrying his rifle. Sailor removed to what is now the western part of Sharon Township, where he died in 1871, aged about eighty-eight years. He was a large man, physically; tall and strong, with no superfluous flesh. He was a veritable backwoodsman, rough and uncouth in appearance, but honest, kind-hearted and obliging. The following incident, related by Mr. William Long, who had the story from the old man's lips, will serve to illustrate his bravery and neighborly kindness:

After Sailor settled in the western part of the township his nearest neighbor on the south was a Mr.

Brown, who lived with his family at the forks of Olive Green Creek, about five miles distant. One day Sailor saw two suspicious characters near his own home. On interrogating them, he received unsatisfactory replies, and the men departed in the direction of Brown's cabin. Knowing that Brown was away from home, he took his gun and followed them, satisfied that they meant mischief. Arrived at his neighbor's, he pushed open the door and discovered the two tramps seated at the table partaking of a meal which they had compelled Mrs. Brown to supply, while she was waiting upon them, nearly frightened to death. A glance revealed the situation, and as one of the men arose from the table, and

assumed · a hostile attitude, Sailor knocked him down and quickly threw him out of the door. The other was treated in the same manner. Sailor then barred the door and remained during the night at his neighbor's cabin, guarding it against the possible return of the vagrants. But the latter were evidently satisfied, and did not care to run the risk of another encounter with Sailor's powerful fists.

On one occasion Sailor had a raising, and of course had to have whisky. He was quite fond of that beverage himself. His friend, Samuel Long, knowing this, made him promise that he would not open the keg until the day of the raising. Sailor went to Archer's distillery, in the vicinity of East Union, and brought back a keg of whisky on his shoulders. He reached Mr. Long's cabin

in the night, and asked for something with which to open the keg. Mr. Long reminded him of his promise, but Sailor persisted, and opened the keg. He still had about eight miles farther to walk, but took up his burden and started for home. He did not arrive until two o'clock in the afternoon. By that time the building was up; but the whisky was none the less welcome on account of the delay in its arrival.

Sailor was one of the best hunters that the country afforded. He killed many bears, deer and wolves, and took delight in the pursuit of them. He said that he once shot three deer, without moving from his tracks, as fast as he could load and fire. The deer, instead of fleeing when the first one was shot, came towards him. His explanation of the matter was that the echo of the report of his rifle, flung back by a hill opposite, sounded like the report of another gun, and drove the animals toward him

Among the earliest settlers were the Archibalds, Wileys, Boones, Longs and Smoots, who located near where Sharon now is. The present western part of the township was little settled early, and for years improvements progressed very slowly in that part of the township.

William Wiley died in 1816 and his remains were the first that were buried in the old graveyard at Sharon.

His sons, James, William, and Thomas, all lived here. John,

*The second buried there was an infant child of William Scoggan, and the third, the wife of Matthew Grimes.

another son, lived near Caldwell and had an early horse-mill. He was something of a hunter and once killed a large bear near where Alexander Boggs now lives. Betsey, wife of "Billy" Boone, and Annie, wife of Joshua Clark, belonged to the same family. All were worthy people and reared large families.

Thomas Wiley, of another family, came from Belmont County and settled south of Sharon. He was origHe was orig inally from Pennsylvania. His descendants are still here. His sons were John, Samuel and Thomas; and his daughters, Jane, Margaret Mary and Agnes.

James Archibald was born in Ireland, married in Pennsylvania, and came from Belmont County, settling south of Sharon in 1815, and his was probably the first family that made a permanent location in the township. The sons were John, David, William, James and Elza. William, born in 1800, is still living, and a resident of the township, and is among the few that remain of the original settlers of the county. John Archibald was a prominent man in early years, serving as justice over twenty years. He was also a county commissioner several terms. His first commission as justice was issued while this part of the county belonged to Guernsey County.

Elza Archibald was born in 1806 and has followed farming. He was a teacher in early life. He was married in 1828 to Mary Boyd, and in 1852 to Phebe Rutan, who is still living. Elza and his brother William are the only survivors of

the family, which consisted of five sons and one daughter.

The Archibald family left Belmont County, one mile west of St. Clairsville, on the 26th of March, 1815, and reached their new home on the 5th of April. They started with a wagon, and a part of the way had to cut their own road. They left all but the two front wheels of the wagon on the way, and marked the trees along the route so they would know the way back.

James Archibald had one of the first orchards in this region, and people came from distant points to procure the fruit, which was then a great luxury. Mr. Archibald and John McKee procured the trees at Belpre, on the Ohio River. They went with an ox-team and were two days going and returning. They brought back three hundred trees.

William Boone was a pioneer on the present farm of Samuel Eakin.. He sold out to Alexander Greenlee, and moved away. Greenlee came from Belmont County and remained until 1848, when he sold out to Eakin. Greenlee married a Miss Marquis.

Alfred Smoot, Esq., is one of the old residents, and his recollections of pioneer events have added much to the interest of this chapter. Mr, Smoot was born in Fauquier County, Va., December 25, 1809. In 1817 he came to Ohio with the family, hist father, Lewis Smoot, settling near the present town of Sharon. His father cleared and improved the farm on which he died in 1850. Alfred worked at McConnelsville,

when a young man, and in 1836 returned to Sharon Township, settling on a farm, from which he removed to his present residence in Sharon in 1870. He has had three wives and is the father of nine children, six of whom are living. He has held the offices of justice of the peace and notary public.

Until the formation of Morgan County the southern half of the present township of Sharon belonged to Washington County, and the northern half to Guernsey. Buffalo Township, Guernsey County, originally included the northern portion of Sharon Township. Manchester and Olive Townships, erected in 1819, included the present territory of this township until Noble County was made. When Morgan County was erected a hope was entertained of getting the county seat located on what was afterward the Edward Parrish farm. The land was then owned by Isaac Hill. Land was cleared and logs were cut on the present Joseph Parrish farm with which to build a temporary court house. Four different parties made land entries, taking up an entire section, on which it was proposed to locate the seat of justice of the county. Subsequent events verified the axiom of Burns:

"The best laid plaus of mice and men
Gang aft agley."

Kyle, Thomas Wiley and Peter Ackley.

Along the waters of Olive Green was a favorite hunting-ground for the pioneers. Hunters frequently came here from Zanesville and other distant points.

The pioneers were strong, hearty, good-natured, honest people, who made the best of everything; and, "preserving an even temper in the midst of hardships," as Horace expressed it. they enjoyed themselves well, even though the wilderness was their home. "Frolics" of every sort

-log rollings, huskings, raisings, etc., were largely attended, and everybody worked with a will and with cheerfulness. There were no drones, and none that were unwilling to assist a neighbor who needed help. After they had completed the task undertaken, the young men would engage in wrestling and jumping matches, try to play practical jokes on one another, and in other ways seek to make things agreeable and pleasant. Whisky drinking was practiced by almost everybody, but there was seldom any drunkenness or exhibitions of evil temper.

James Kyle settled in 1817, coming from Belmont County. He died here at an advanced age. His children were Eliza (Bell), Jane (Morrison), Rebecca (Smith) and Lucinda (Kusan). Eliza was an early schoolteacher.

Among the early settlers of the township were several families that were Germans or of German descent. Among these were Jacob Hawk, Samuel Anthony and other

Anthonys —Jacob, Harmon, George, Conrad, John and Boston Harmon -Jacob and Boston still living; Peter Pickenpaugh and his sons, Peter, John, Jacob, Adam and George, the latter still living here; the Swanks and some others. The Germans were all industrious, honest citizens and were generally successful farmers.

The Pennsylvania Germans were among the first settlers in the western part of the township Among them were John Shuster, the Anthonys, and Klingensmiths. Of the last named family, all died, except the mother, a few years after they

came.

From 1817 to 1820 the settlement progressed quite rapidly, several new families coming each year. A second period of settlement began after Congress passed a law allowing an entry of forty-acre tracts. It is believed that the last forty-acre tract in this township was entered by James Kane, where William Shepard now lives.

Thomas Boyd, of Irish descent, came from Belmont County, settling about 1818 on the farm now occupied by his son Robert, and was a prominent early settler. Arthur Boyd, born in 1852, now resides on the homestead farm of his farm of his father.

An old resident states that there were no roads in the vicinity of Sharon in 1817. The nearest approach to a road was a path which led through the woods from Thomas Wiley's to Samuel Long's. The first road through the township was the

so-called Center road, from McConnelsville to Woodsfield.

Elisha Spencer settled south of Sharon, on land now owned by Mrs. Kelly. His brother Israel lived in Olive Township. Both sold out and removed.

Robert Lowe, who married Rebecca Boyd, is still living where he settled quite early. His parents located at Olive, among the first settlers on Duck Creek.

William Bell first settled and made a small improvement near Caldwell, afterwards removing to this township. He was an Irishman His sons, William, David, and John, also lived here.

James Scott, from Belmont County, settled prior to 1825 on land now owned by William Long and John Keyser. He had several sons, none of whom now remain in the township. Peter Walters, the Harmons, and Lewis Shirley were early settlers. The last operated a horse mill in early years, which he sold to Richard Lyons. James Bigley located early where his son Joseph lives. Michael. Morrison, from Belmont County, was an early settler where his son Michael lives.

Among the earliest settlers in the western part of the township were the Brownriggs, Walters and Pickenpaughs, who came soon after 1817. John Brownrigg, whose son John is still living, was an Englishman who came to the township with his family early.

There were no early grist-mills in the township except horse-mills. Of these Lewis Shirley, in the south