Jefferson Twp.
Township 19 / Range 18
Source: ATLAS MAP OF RICHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. Compiled, Drawn & Published from Personal Graminations & Surveys by A.T. Andreas. Chicago, Ill., 1873, p. 76.
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JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP, During the war of 1812 the southern line of the county was a line dividing the settlements from the frontier, so called. South, men were required to go into the army; north, in Richland County and Jefferson Township, they were required to stay at home to defend the frontier settlements. Bellville is a beautiful village in this township, and was early known and settled. Judge James McCluer, a Virginian, came here in 1808. He built a house, and sold it about 1813 to Robert Bell. This house and two cabins were in the back of what is now the garden lot of D. Zent, and at the north end of Huron Street. A block house was built in 1812, not far from the north end of Huron Street, about one rod south of the railroad, near where the dam is now built. Joseph Carter brought the first stock of goods here, and sold out to Hildreth & Palmer. The Ogle House was the first tavern, and stood on No. 1, which belongs to the Garn House, and on the corner east of the stable now there. Jonathan Oldfield and Betsy McCluer, were married in 1813, at Belleville, by Esquire G. Coffenbury, and this was the first marriage in the county. In 1824, Isaac Hoy was appointed post master. Under his successor, Dr. Beach, the spelling of Bellville became changed to Belleville, using the French adjective belle, instead of the proper name of its founder, Bell. In 1872 the department by an order fixed it as Bellville, as it originally was. The first child born was Mary McCluer. The first death was Stephen Dodge, in 1811, and he was buried in Bellville Cemetery. A private school was taught by Wm. Spear, in 1815-16. Afterwards Timothy Evarts taught in 1818, in the first school house, on the southwest corner of section 15. About 1815, Rev. James Smith, a Methodist, preached here, and Rev. Messrs. Gowell, Ashley and Marvin, of the Disciples, soon after. The famous Johnny Appleseed, or Jonathan Chapman, is remembered by older settlers hereabouts, and some of the apple trees from his forest nurseries are now in the orchards about there. James McCluer was the first Justice of the Peace in the township, and contemporaneous with the oldest in the county in 1813. The population of the township in 1870 was 2,253.
** see also: List of some Jefferson Twp. Residents
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