First Settlers and Settlements
From 20th Century History of Springfield and Clark County, Ohio by Hon. William A. Rockel
Chicago: Biographical Publishing Co., 1908
After the raid of General Clark, with the results of the battle of Piqua, followed by the victories of "Mad" Anthony Wayne, resulting in the treaty of Greenville, settlers began to flock into this part of the State of Ohio.
The first white child that was born in our state was christened Mary Heckawelder, the daughter of a Monrovian missionary, and was born April 16, 1781, in the Monrovian towns on the Muskingum River.
The first white child born in Clark County so far as is definitely known was Jesse Chapman, who first saw the light in the year 1800 near the town of Tremont City. It is possible that children were born about the same time, to some of the six families that came with Simon Kenton in 1790, but of this we have no record. It is possible that there were white people of the squatter variety inhabiting the Indian village of Piqua or at a trading post, which tradition says was at one time located near the entrance of Buck Creek into Mad River, prior to any of the dates or settlements that may be given, but so far as we know, a man by the name of John Paul was the first actual settler in Clark County. It is known that in 1790 he was living at the forks of Honey Creek a short distance above the present village of New Carlisle. How long prior to that time he had lived there is not known. Some writers seem to think that there is some doubt about his settlement, but Mr. Young who wrote the history of Bethel Township in Beer's History of Clark County gives it as an undoubted fact. (See subsequent sketch.)
In 1795 David Lowry and Jonathan Donnel came into this county and settled in Bethel Township, Mr. Lowry near the mouth of Donnel Creek, named after his friend Donnels and Mr. Donnel somewhat further east. A tombstone in the possession of the historical society fixes Lowry's death in this county. Mr. J. E. Lowry, present county commissioner, can trace his ancestry to this pioneer. Both Lowry and Donnels were Pennsylvanians. Donnels was a surveyor. Both of these pioneers married after they came into this county. Mr. Donnels, in a fit of temporary insanity, committed suicide close to where the Moores Limestone Quarry is now.
The next record of any settlement we have in this county was in 1796 when two persons by the name of Kreb and Brown made a settlement a little beyond where the Big Four Railroad crosses Mad River south of Springfield, the second time, and it is not far from what is now known as Limestone City. This settlement is known in history as Kreb's Station. No mark exists at this time of its locality. Tradition has it that a noted character, "Johnny Appleseed" visited this locality and planted some of his trees.
The next person to make a settlement within this county, so far as we know, was James Galloway. He came from Pennsylvania to Kentucky, and from Kentucky to what is now Mad River Township, not later than 1798. Mr. Galloway was a blacksmith and settled on a track of 400 acres of land one mile and a quarter directly south of Enon.
After Galloway came John Humphreys and Simon Kenton, in 1799. With these two came James Demint, the founder of Springfield, Philip Jarbo, William Ward, John Richards, William Moore and one other whose name is unknown. They first settled near the Mad River bridge on the National Road west of Springfield. Here it is said fourteen cabins were raised and a place for retreat made in case of Indian hostility. It seems that this place was not occupied very long. Jarbo and Ward, and Kenton shortly thereafter moved up along what is now known as the Urbana Pike, Kenton and Jarbo settling near the Hunt and Cassilly farms. Humphrey and Demint came up Buck Creek and founded Springfield. In 1800 John Judy, a native of Switzerland, settled in Harmony Township. He came to Kentucky and afterward, in 1794, to Greene County, and in his next move settled about two miles east of the present site of Plattsburg. In 1802 Joseph Coffey emigrated from Pennsylvania. He came in a true pioneer style with an ox and a cart. He brought with him such articles as were necessary to pioneer life, together with his wife and two sons. His first stopping place was a short distance above Cincinnati, but on May 1st, he came to his final location on the forks of Buck Creek about a mile south of Catawba.
Next in point of time, so far as we know, came the Inlows, Henry stopping at Donnelsville and Abraham settling on section six about two miles and a half northwest of Pitchin. He was a Marylander. Samuel and Andrew Black came to Pike Township in 1806, settling on section 25 a mile north of the south line of that township.
In 1807 George Buffenbarger came and located on the head waters of the Little Miami in Madison Township.
Just when a settlement was made by the Stormses around and above Tremont City and German township it is not definitely known, but William Chapman and William Ross came near Tremont City in 1798.
From the time these different settlements in the different parts of the county were made other settlements rapidly followed, and it was not many years until the county was dotted all over with settlements made by the hardy pioneer.