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DESCRIPTION.

Symmes is one of the later and smaller townships. It was created between 1820 and 1826, solely from the eastern part of Sycamore, to which were added two tiers of sections on the west which had formerly belonged to Springfield township. It is bounded on the south by Columbia township, on the west by Sycamore, on the north by Warren county, and on the east by the Little Miami, which follows a tortuous course of nearly twelve miles along the eastern front of Symmes. When about midway of its course here, it deeply indents the township, reducing its width from the extreme breadth of a little more than four miles on a line a short distance north of West Loveland, to a trifle over a mile in the latitude of Remington, about two and one-half miles from the south line of the township. Below this point the width of the township is no where greater than three and a quarter miles on the section line next north of Camp Dennison. The length of the township on the western border and for more than a mile eastward is the same as that of Springfield and Sycamore townships - seven miles, dwindling down to nothing in the bends north and south of the great bend of the Miami.

The lands of the township lie altogether in the entire range one, township five, the whole of which is in Symmes, and the southernmost tier of sections in the entire range two, township five. They comprise thirteen full and twelve fractional sections - he latter lying altogether along the Little Miami. The total number of acres is twelve thousand five hundred and thirty-eight. The boundary lines were run in this part of the Purchase with tolerable regularity, though some slightly broken ones appear in the north half of the township, and some singularly wide sections in the south part. Sections numbered thirteen, nineteen, twenty-five and thirty-one, lying in both ranges, are duplicated in this township.

The little Miami railroad crosses about a mile and a half of the territory of Symmes it, its southeastern part, on a line through Camp Dennison, averaging a half-mile's distance from the river. The Marietta & Cincinnati railroad enters at Allendale, near the opposite or southwest corner of the township, strikes the vicinity of the river at Remington and Montgomery stations, and thence follows the Little Miami closely, where it crosses into Clermont and shortly into Warren counties. The Cincinnati & Wooster turnpike passes through the township on the general line of the Little Miami railroad, crossing the river like that just below Miamiville. The old State road, from Columbia via Montgomery toward Chillicothe, also intersects the township, as do numerous other turn- pikes and common roads. Symmes township lies almost wholly in the valley of the Little Miami, and partakes of its general character. At some distance back from the river, however, especially in the northwestern part, the hill country infringes upon the territory of the township, and variegates its topography, and to some extent its capacity of production. It is abundantly watered by several small streams, which mostly take their rise in Warren county and Springfield township, and flow into the Little Miami. Across this river are several fine bridges crossing from Symmes township - as a large iron one at Loveland, and a long bridge above Miamiville. One of the finest bridges in southern Ohio is that between Branch Hill and Symmes' Station-places respectively in Clermont and Hamilton counties, and on the little Miami and Marietta & Cincinnati railroads. It is a suspension bridge three hundred and fifteen feet long, built at the joint expense of the two counties connected by it, and costing seventy thousand dollars. It was formally dedicated and opened to travel at a great celebration at this point on the Fourth of July, 1872, when appropriate addresses were

The following named gentlemen have served as justices in Symmes township at the period named: 1829, Thomas RICH, Ezekiel POLLOCK, William BELL; 1865, George W. BROWN, I. M. MIGLEY, George APGAR; 1866, BROWN and APGAR; 1867-72, BROWN, W. BEARD; 1873-77, BROWN, A. J. KIZER; 1878-79, KIZER, A. N. RICH; 1880, KIZER, BROWN.
 

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

In 1796, the advance guard of a German colony arrived from Norristown, Pennsylvania, all members of a Pietist church, which was offensive to the authorities in their native land, and from their connection with it they were compelled to leave the country. Then, and within three years, the following named came: Christian WALDSCHMIDT (commonly WALDSMITH), Ludwig FREIBERGER, George HARNER, Johannes KUGLER, Andreas FREIS, Wilhelm LAUDEN, Joseph BOHNE, Jacob LEFEBER, Hans LECKIE, Christian OGG, Friederick BECKENBACH, Kasper SPAETH, Samuel RUETHI, Hans RODECKER, Valentine WEIGANS, Hans MADDERN, Daniel PRISCH, Samuel BACHENHEIM (BUCKINGHAN)), Andreas ORTH, Johannes MONTAG. They stopped for a time at Columbia, exploring the back country, and presently decided upon locating at the tract since known as "Big Bottom." WALDSCHMIDT and HARNER were the moneyed men of the party, and they made purchases from Judge SYMMES of a sufficient quantity for the entire colony, getting most of it for about one dollar per acre. The following account of the journey and settlement is given by Mr. Thomas FITZWATER, a descendant of William FITZWATER, who settled in. Clermont county. Mr. FITZWATER was a little boy at the time. The narrative is given in the History of Clermont county, recently published:

C. WALDSMITH, our own family, and four other families started for this State on or near the first of May, 1796. I have but little recollection of the journey to Juniata; but I recollect that place. The next place I recollect seeing was Bedford Springs; then nothing more until we came to Redstone. Here we were detained near three weeks waiting for our flatboats. At Pittsburgh we met General WAYNE's regular army. I have a distinct recollection of seeing the soldiers firing the cannon; then the drum would beat and the fife would play a short time. The army was then going to Erie. General WAYNE died the next October. A day or two after leaving Pittsburgh, Christopher WALDSMITH was walking on a sand bar, when he picked up a fife which looked very ancient. The brass on the ends was black and somewhat corroded, and it was full of sand. It was supposed it had been in the river since BRADDOCK's defeat - nearly forty-one years. I saw the fife hundreds of times in after years. They lent it to an old revolutionary fifer, and never recovered it again.

The Ohio River was low, and the three flatboats had great difficulty in getting along. They only travelled in the daytime, always tieing up to the shore at night. At the mouth of Bracken river two families left and went into Kentucky. After being on the river seven weeks, we landed at Columbia. The Miami was pouring out muddy water and driftwood. This was the first sight I got of that river.

Not far above the mouth of the Miami the boat which contained WALDSMITH's family ran aground. The four men and a boy tried to get it afloat that afternoon and into the night, but did not succeed. The next morning another boat came along, when they hailed the inmates for assistance. This boat landed close to ours, and I recollect seeing three or four go to the boat which was aground; in two or three hours the boat was afloat. About twenty years ago old Father DURHAM told me the same story, and further said that WALDSMITH was so pleased to get his boat afloat that he told them he would give them ten gallons of whiskey for their services. They bought a keg which held three gallons, and he filled that.

It was about the middle of July when we landed at Columbia. In fifteen or eighteen days, after the Miami got low, we arrived at our journey's end. WALDSMITH went vigorously to work building a mill. Some time in the summer of 1797 I saw the frame of his gristmill put up. That same fall he started one run of stones, and also two copper stills for making whiskey. This year (1797) Matthias KUGLER came to the territory. I have heard him laughingly tell about his losing his hat in the river, and shoes he had none on when he started. He was landed at Columbia in a skiff; when he arrived within reach of shore he jumped as far as he could, but lighted in the soft, black mud, where it was so deep he got mired. After some floundering about, he got to solid ground. He then had ten miles to travel, without shoes or hat, and his legs well plastered with mud. He arrived at his stepfather's the same night. Soon after he commenced working for WALDSMITH, and in September, 1798, he married his daughter.

The RIGGS came from the State of Delaware, starting with three thousand dollars in gold, a negro man worth eight hundred dollars, a wagon, and four good horses. They came to the Redstone country, and stayed there some time. He had a son and daughter living there. It is probable they stayed over winter, as early in the spring of 1790 they stopped at Limestone. Here his negro man gave them the slip, and they never again saw him. Old William RIGGS sold the chance of him for one hundred dollars.

Landing at Columbia, they put the wagon together out on shore, and tied the horses to the tongue, two boys sleeping in the wagon. Next morning every horse was gone, and they never saw them again. They could not ascertain whether Indians or white people took them. The next I knew of them they were at COVALT's station, in 1791, raising a crop of corn. The fall after, Timothy COVALT and Major RIGGS took a basket, intending to bring in a basket of pawpaws; crossed the Miami somehow, arrived at the foot of the gravelly hills east of John KUGLER's distillery, and were there fired on by three Indians, from the brow of the hill, fifteen or eighteen yards distant. The Indians raised the yell. COVALT, being a few yards in the rear, seeing RIGGS fall, wheeled and ran. The Indians followed him to the water's edge. He ran through the Miami, and when over met men from the station coming to their assistance. The Indians got RIGGS' scalp, but they were too much hurried to take any part of his clothing. Shortly after, the news of ST. CLAIR's defeat reached the station. His mother was so near fretted out of her senses that they packed up and went somewhere into Kentucky. How long they stayed there I don't know - probably over the next winter. When they came back, finding the stations much stronger, and things better prepared for defence, they ventured to one of the frontier stations, - I think to JARRETT's (GERRARD's) station. This station was near where TURPIN's house now stands.

WALDSMITH, about 1840, founded the village of Germany, a small plat south of the present Camp Dennison, and near the southeast corner of the township, on the turnpike road running north and south through the township. It was a short-lived hamlet, and little sign of it now remains, except the old stone dwelling of WALDSMITH on the turnpike, bearing the date 1808, and being the oldest stone dwelling in the county, except one - the old residence of Colonel SEDAM, near GAFF, FLEISCHMANN & Company's distillery, at Sedamsville. He also built the first paper-mill in the country west of Redstone. In the early spring. of 1810 the mill there was burned, and the river frozen up. The Spy and Gazette, at Cincinnati, was obliged to suspend publication for want of paper, and CARPENTER, the publisher, was also caught with a contract on his hands for printing the Territorial laws. In this emergency WALDSMITH, who had been an expert paper maker in Europe, was urged to try his hand here, and, in a rude way at first, he made enough soon to start the Cincinnati presses again. The Spy started again, after a suspension of a month and a half; and WALDSMITH 's success encouraged him to enlarge and

Christian WALDSMITH is now preparing in his paper-mill another vat, and will employ some experienced hands, who understand how to work at the vat, in the paper-making business. Such will find encouragement at his mill on the Little Miami. Store-keepers and printers may be supplied with all kinds of paper at the store of BAUM & PERRY Cincinnati, or at the mill.

WALDSMITH's paper-mill stood on the island in the Little Miami, near the southwest corner of Symmes township, opposite the saw-mill, which was upon the mainland near his house. This sturdy old German pioneer and his son died in March, 1814, of the "cold plague."

Another note of operations in this region in the early day is found in the Cincinnati Almanac of 1811, which says that October 10th of the previous year a company had been formed at Round Bottom, thirteen miles from Cincinnati, with one thousand shares of stock of fifty dollars each. The directors of the company were Andrew MEGRUE, Thomas SLOO, Jacob BROADWELL Michael DEBOLT, James C. MORRIS, William LYTLE, John SMITH, William BARDLEY, Enoch BUCKINGHAM, Thomas R. ROSS, Thomas HECKEWELDER. Mr. BROADWELL was president, and Mr. SLOO cashier of the company.

About the same time the BOCKENHEIMS, or BUCKINGHAMS, had a small saw-mill on the bank of the Little Miami, opposite Miamiville.

Elsewhere, further north on the Little Miami, the Cincinnati Paper Fabric company has its buildings.

Jabez REYNOLDS, oldest child of William and Elizabeth REYNOLDS, was born in Washington county, Rhode Island, January 31, 1803, emigrated to Pennsylvania in the year 1829, and remained there until the year 1832, when he came to Cincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, and has been a resident of the county since that time. He was married to Miss Mercy OATLEY, daughter of John and Susan OATLEY, of South Kingston, Washington county, Rhode Island, March 22, 1825. The fruit of this union was ten children: William B., born May 17, 1826; Elizabeth, born February 16, 1828; Lydia, born June 26, 1830; William, born December 20, 1832; Charles O., born April 25, 1835; Jabez, born December 4, 1836; Caroline E., born January 26, 1838; Mercy, born November 3, 1840; Jabez, born April 25, 1843; Thomas H., born September 13, 1845. Of these, but five are still living - Lydia, William, Mercy, Jabez, and Thomas H. all married. Lydia married William PHIPPS, and is a resident of Norwood, Hamilton county, Ohio. William married Bell ASHCRAFT, and is a resident of Bond Hill, Hamilton county, Ohio. Mercy married Hiram D. RODGERS, and is a resident of Linwood, Hamilton county, Ohio. Jabez married Miss Estella SANDERS and is a resident of New York. Thomas H. married twice - first to E. P. PULLEN; the second time he married Adelia B. CONKLIN, and is a resident of Bond Hill, Hamilton county, Ohio. Mr. REYNOLDS is a member of the Quaker church.

Jonathan T. MARTIN, sixth child and fourth son of Robert and Jane MARTIN, was born in Chenango county, New York, January 4, 1818. The subject of our sketch emigrated to Ohio, Hamilton county, with his father when he was but a year old, and has been a resident of the county ever since. Mr. MARTIN was married to Miss Elizabeth LUCKY, daughter of Henry and Sarah LUCKY, who was born in New York, October 9, 1814. They were married in February, 1841, and to them have been born seven children William, Henry, Robert T., John, Sarah A., George, Jane. Of these, four are living William, Henry, Robert T., and John. Although Mr. MARTIN is not a member of a church, he is a strong advocate of law and order. The subject of our sketch is one of Hamilton county's enterprising farmers, and one of its worthy and respected citizens.

John E. RUDE, son of Zala RUDE, was born in Symmes township, Hamilton county, August 29, 1820, and has since been a resident of Hamilton county. He was married to Miss Christiana APGAR, daughter of Daniel P. APGAR, November 23, 1857. To them have been born nine children - Isabel, Frank P., Catharine, John E., Lizzie. Anna, Peter S., Hannah and Robert. All living and still at home. Mr. RUDE is a member in the Christian church.

Oliver P. BUCKINGHAM, son of William BUCKINGHAM, was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, August 30, 1830, and has been a resident of the county all his life. He was married to Miss Eliza J. WELLER, daughter of John W. WELLER, November 24, 1852. They have four children Lola, Frorence, Montford and Lee - all living at home. Mr. BUCKINGHAM lost his wife July 14, 1880, at the age of forty-nine years.

William B. CUNNINGHAM, son of John CUNNINGHAM, was born in Symmes township, Hamilton county, November 28, 1829, and has been a resident of this county all his life with the exception of about two years. He was married twice--first to Miss Selina PANCOST, daughter of Enoch PANCOST, February 28, 1855. She died February 22, 1866. He was married the second time to Miss Mary R MONTFORD, daughter of William P. MONTFORD, June 25, 1867. To them have been born seven children Mary B., Edwin M., Charles W., James C., Francis L., Joseph F. and Florence all living and at home. Mrs. CUNNINGHAM is a member of the Catholic church. Our subject is now serving his seventh year as trustee of Symmes township and is in every way a worthy and excellent citizen.

Rachel PRICE, seventh child of Frederick BUCKINGPAUGH, was born in Symmes township, Hamilton county, February 28, 1808, and has been a resident of the county all her life. She was married to Nimrod PRICE January 19, 1823. To them have been born ten children - Martha J., Marcus S., Marious B., Amanda M., Malen F., John N., Milton D., Ennis J., Albert P. and William P. Of them nine are living, Albert being dead. Mrs. PRICE is a member in the Universalist church. She has reached the ripe old age of seventy-four years.

Levi BUCKINGHAM, a native of Delaware, emigrated to Ohio in the year I788, and took up a section of land in Symmes township. He then returned to Pennsylvania, and in 1794 returned to his land with his brother, Enoch BUCKINGHAM. The first thing they did was to build a log cabin to shelter the family. The Indians were very troublesome at that time, and a man was fined who went to church without a gun. Levi Buckingham was the father of six children - William L., Lizzie, Isaac, Jane, Maria and Lydia H. Of these but two are still living - William and Maria.

William S. BUCKINGHAM was born in Symmes township, Hamilton county, August 26, 1811, and has been a resident of the county all his life. He was married twice first to Miss Elizabeth HARRIS, in 1834; she died the same year. He was married the second time to Miss Nancy SANDERS, daughter of Meeryarter SANDERS, of Tennessee, September 22, 1835. To them has been born one child Jane - who married John QUAIL, and is a resident of Symmes township. Mr. and Mrs. BUCKINGHAM are both members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and are among its liberal supporters.

Maria BUCKINGHAM, daughter of Levi BUCKINGHAM, was born in Symmes township, Hamilton county, August 6, 1818, and has always been a resident of this county. She now lives on part of the section of land on which her father settled in 1794. She superintends her own farm.

Horace BUCKINGHAM son of Enoch BUCKINGHAM, who settled in Hamilton county in 1794, was born in Hamilton county, September 22, 1806, and lived in Hamilton county until about the year 1832, when he moved to Clermont county, and was a resident there to the time of his death. He was the father of eight children: Agnes, Charles, Albert, Louisa, Oregan, Lewis, Walter, and Victor; of these six are still living. Albert, the third child, was born in Clermont county, Ohio, June 16, 1839, and remained in Clermont until October, 1877. He was married twice, first to Miss Virginia DOYLE, December 6, 1860, who died March 29, 1871. The fruit of this union was three children: Effie, Alvin, and Horace; all living, and still at home.

Henry NENFARTH, Jr., son of Henry and Katie NENFARTH, was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, in 1837. He emigrated to America, and settled in Hamilton county, in 1845, since which time he has been a resident of the county. He was married to Miss Elizabeth MILLER, daughter of George MILLER, January 2, 1869. They have six children: William, Katie, Henry J., Anna D., George E. and Cary; all living, and at home.

Henry NENFARTH, sr., son of Jacob and Catharine NENFARTH, was born in the Grand Dutchy of Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, May 8, 1817; emigrated to America with his father, and settled in Hamilton county, May 27, 1839, and has been a resident of the county since that time. He was married to Magdaline SUR, daughter of John SUR, July 23, 1850. The children are Kate, Clara, Malinda, Amanda, Sophia, Julia, Ellen, and Magdaline. Kate, Clara, Sophia and Ellen are still living. Kate is married to William BIRCHFIELD, and is a resident of Lockland, Hamilton county; Clara is married to Morris LINKE; the other two are still single and living at home. Mr. and Mrs. NENFARTH are both members of church, Mr. NENFARTH of the Evangelical, and Mrs. NENFARTH of the Catholic Church. Mr. NENFARTH is a redistiller by trade; had worked at that trade for about sixteen years, up to the time he moved on his farm, in March, 1873, since that time he has been farming in Symmes township. His father set out the first vineyard in the garden of Eden, now Eden Park, in the year 1844.

Charles J. LINK, son of John H. LINK, was born in Saxton, Germany, February 8, 1807; he emigrated to America and settled in Hamilton county in the fall of 1856, and has remained a resident of the county. He was married to Miss Hannah CROUSE, daughter of Charles H. CROUSE, in May, 1834. To them have been born fourteen children: Richard, Caroline, Hannah, Minnie, Henry, Augustus, Mary, Augusta, Ida, Robert, Morris, Gustavus, Clara and Charlotte; of these eight are still living. Mr. and Mrs. LINK are both members of the Lutheran church. Up to the time of his emigration Mr. LINK worked at the wagon makers' trade; since he has been in America he has been farming.

Jacob KLICK, oldest child of Peter and Louisa KLICK, was born in Bavaria, Germany, December 30, 1809, and emigrated to America January 1, 1832. He settled in Butler county, and remained until the year 1857, when he moved to Hamilton county, and has been a resident of the county ever since. The subject of our sketch has been married three times - first to Louisa FISHER, of Butler county, in the fall of 1832; the second wife, married in 1838, was Miss Martha FETHERLY, of Indiana; the third wife was Margaret HINKLE, a resident of Butler county, married in the fall of 1848. Mr. KLICK is the father of eleven children, five by his first and six by his last wife, Louisa: James, Amelia, Catharine, Mary A., Ella, Jacob, Laura, William H., George and Ida, all living but James, Amelia and Ella. Mrs. KLICK is an earnest member in the Presbyterian church.

Philip WELLER, oldest child of John W. and Elizabeth WELLER, was born in Symmes township, Hamilton county, June 8, 1817, and has resided here ever since. He was married to Miss Belinde VORHEES, daughter of Albert VORHEES, April 1, 1840. To them have been born eleven children: Melissa, Robert E., John W., Anna E., Jane, Edwin, Mary, Perry, Frank, Cass and Florence, all living but Melissa, Anna E. and Frank. Mrs. WELLER died August 18, 1862. Mr. WELLER is one of the model farmers of Hamilton county. He has served one term as treasurer of Symmes township.

George MILLER, child of Adam and Dora MILLER, was born in Hussian, Germany, July 18, 1811, and emigrated to America, settling in Hamilton county, Ohio, in the year 1854, and has been a resident of the county ever since. He was married to Miss Mary KREBS, daughter of Peter KREBS, in May, 1839. To them have been born eight children: Henry, John, Cary, Lizzie, William, Lena, Barney and George. But three of these are living: Lizzie, William and George. Mr. and Mrs. MILLER are both members of the Evangelical Lutheran church.

Philip SAUERBACK, son of Philip and Anna SAUERBACK, was born in Germany December 12, 1827. He emigrated to America, Hamilton county, Ohio, in the year 1856, and has been a resident of the county ever since. He was married twice - first to Elizabeth BRIGNET, and the second time to Mrs. Anna LELL, widow of George

Jonathan T. MARTIN, the sixth child and fourth son of Robert and Jane MARTIN was born in New York, January 4, 1818. When but a year old he was brought to this county by his parents, and has been a resident here ever since that time. Mr. MARTIN was married to Miss Elizabeth LUCKY, daughter of Henry and Sarah LUCKY, the first of February, 1841. His wife was born in the State of New York, October 9, 1814. Their family consists of seven children: William, Henry, Robert T., John, Sarah A., George and Jane. Of these, the first four mentioned are living.

Robert WALKER, the son of John and Hannah WALKER, was born in this county, March 13, 1816, and has since been a resident of the same with the exception of about twenty years. March 19, 1844, he was married to Miss Elizabeth ANDERSON, who was born in Warren county, Ohio, February 11, 1824. To them have been born nine children: William N., Mary E., Elizabeth, Charles M., Sharlon M., Orville, Ida B., Emerson, and Sarah F., four of whom are dead. Mr. and Mrs. WALKER are both earnest members of the United Brethren church, and are among its most able supporters.

Anna ENYART, daughter of Robert McCANE, was married to David ENYART, November 8, 1818. Their children are Elmer, Alsina, Verlinda, Stella A., Christopher C., and one that died in early infancy before being named. All are now dead. Her husband has been dead since 1826. Mrs. ENYART is still living on the old place, and has reached the ripe age of seventy-eight years.

Nicholas REMBIS, oldest child of Louis REMBIS, was born in Germany, March 9, 1835, and emigrated to America, settling in Hamilton county, January 6, 1861. He was married to Miss Katie HORNER daughter of Frederick J. HORNER January 8, 1861. To them have been born four children: Katie, Lydia, Lizzie, and Lewis - all living and at home.

George W. BROWN son of David and Emaline BROWN, was born in Symmes township, Hamilton county, on the farm where he now lives, November 14, 1826, and has remained a resident of the county ever since. He was married to Miss Martha KYNON, daughter of Andy KYNON, July 4, 1856. He began life a poor boy, but has now one of the finest farms in the township; has held various offices of responsibility and trust.

Joseph JONES emigrated from Pennsylvania to Hamilton county in the year 1791, and was still a resident of this county at the time of his death, January 22, 1815, He was married to Miss Mary COVALT, daughter of Captain Abijah COVALT , in September of 1792. They had twelve children: Evan W., Isaiah, Jonathan, Sarah, Joseph, Nancy, Joel, Mary, Reason, Elizabeth H., Ephraim C., and Sidney. Of these only three are now living - Mary, Reason, and Elizabeth H. Mary married David VHORIS, and is a resident of Iowa. Elizabeth married William C. WYCOFF and lives on the old home, and has her brother living with her. Their children are Ada, Laurinsky, Verner E., and Clarence C. Only Ada is living. Mrs. Mary JONES died December 8, 1851, at the advanced age of seventy-nine years. Mr. and Mrs. WYCOFF and Mr. JONES are all members of the Baptist church.

Josiah HARPER, son of John and Mary HARPER, was born in this township, March 11, 1821, and has since remained a resident of the county. He was married to Miss Elizabeth ROOSY, daughter of Jacob ROOSY, in June 1843. She died in 1879, aged fifty-five years. He has served ten years as township trustee, the last being the year 1876. He is a member of the United Brethren church and is considered one of its best supporters. During the last few years he has been employed in farming, but previous to that time worked at the blacksmith's trade.
 

CAMP DENNISON.

The history of this very interesting locality, as a rendezvous and camp of equipment for many thousands of troops during the war of the Rebellion, has been given with sufficient fullness in our chapter on the military history of Hamilton county. After the war had closed it was thought worth while to found a permanent village here, and in 1866 Camp Dennison was regularly surveyed and platted by Mr. E. CAMPBELL. The Camp Dennison Building association was also incorporated April 25, 1872. A flourishing village has grown up here. It is situated below Miamiville, in the northwest part of section nineteen, on the Cincinnati & Wooster turnpike and the Little Miami railroad and river. This village had two hundred and ninety-two inhabitants by the census of 1880.
 

ALLANDALE.

Three miles west of Camp Dennison, almost in the extreme southwest corner of the township, on the Marietta & Cincinnati railroad, is the station and hamlet of Allandale. We do not learn that it has ever been platted.
 

GLENWOOD

is another station on the Marietta & Cincinnati, about at the centre of section thirty-two, a mile and a quarter northeast of Allandale. It likewise has no regular survey and plat.
 

REMINGTON

is a small village at the terminus of the roads from Montgomery to the railroad and river, a mile east of north from Glenwood, and with
 

MONTGOMERY STATION

in its immediate vicinity.
 

SYMMES STATION.

This was formerly called Polktown, and is much the oldest village in the township. It was laid off May 6, 1817, by James POLLOCK, who was the first settler in this region, having bought his land here, several hundred acres, of Judge Symmes in 1795. The first regular gristmill established on the Little Miami - Elliott's, or "the company's" mill - was situated here, not far from the site of the present mill. The village, in the early days, as a point of rendezvous for travellers, adventurers, and
~page 401~
the settlers from far and near, was a place of much greater relative importance than now. The trail of the Indians, through the wilderness. between Columbia and Chillicothe, crossed near it at the Three Islands. Now the splendid iron bridge before mentioned spans the Little Miami between this place and Branch Hill. A pond of considerable size along the river in this vicinity was formerly called the SYMMES' fishing ground. On the other side of the stream, a short distance above Branch Hill, are the Cincinnati camp-meeting grounds of the Methodist Episcopal church. They occupy a beautiful woodland tract, near the Little Miami railroad, on an eminence overlooking the river and valley, with an easy ascent and otherwise well adapted to its present purposes. The grounds are owned by a Methodist association in the city, and are highly improved. The railroad gives them a special station in camp-meeting times.

Branch Hill is considerably used as a place of suburban residence, and it was here, near his home, that the very able editor of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Mr. G. M. D. BLOSS, met his death by a railway train striking him, on the twenty-seventh of May, 1876.

Symmes station is on the Marietta & Cincinnati railroad, about midway between, or two and a half miles from Loveland and Remington. It has a good public school and a Methodist Episcopal church.
 

WEST LOVELAND

is virtually an addition to the village of Loveland, the latter on the Clermont, the former on the Hamilton county side. Most of the population, and all of the, public institutions, are on the Clermont side. The Hamilton side covers but fifty-eight acres, and had a population in 1880 of one hundred and ninety-seven.
 

SYCAMORE CHURCH

is an old locality still marked on the county maps, on the Montgomery road, about four miles northeast of that village, and two and one-half miles northwest of Symmes station, in this township. A Presbyterian church was organized here very early, sometime before October, 1801, when the Rev. James KEMPER was giving one-third of his preaching services to it. A year from that time he was appointed by the presbytery to give his whole time to this and the Duck creek (now Pleasant Ridge) churches for one year. This appointment was renewed in October, 1803, when the name Sycamore was changed to Hopewell. He was invited to the pastorate of the two churches at the expiration of this year, and was installed in the Hopewell church April 4, 1805, the Rev. David RICE, his old Kentucky tutor in theology, preaching the installation sermon. In April, 1807, Mr. KEMPER applied for a dissolution of the pastoral relation, against the remonstrance of his people, who declared their financial ability and desire to retain him. He was, however, released from the pastorate in October, and served as stated supply for six months, after which he went into Kentucky and labored there for a season. He was succeeded at Sycamore (or Hopewell), by the Rev. Daniel HAYDEN, who was ordained and installed at the Duck Creek church, November 17, 1810. He served the Hopewell church until April 8, 1819, and the other society from that time till his death, August 27, 1835. Some further notice of him has been given in the history of Columbia township.

Governor Jeremiah MORROW, whose home was a few miles north of Sycamore church, was buried in the old cemetery here.
 

POPULATION.

Symmes township has grown in population rather slowly. It had one thousand, one hundred and fifty-eight inhabitants in 1830; but two hundred and nineteen more, or one thousand three hundred and seventy-seven in 1870; and four hundred and fifty-eight more, or one thousand six hundred and twenty six, the tenth census, or that of 1880.