This section is taken from the book "Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Muskingum County, Ohio" by Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1892, Columbus, Ohio. It is a wonderful source for Muskingum history. I have found some errors and contradictions but that is to be expected especially since the author seemed to have gotten much of his information from the residents of the county as well as documented records.

    The first actual settler here of whom we have any definite knowledge, while a great hunter, belonged more to the pioneer class. His name was Isaac Prior, the ancestor of Alexander Prior, now residing in Licking township, and whose biography in this volume presents a more extended sketch of this first settler of Washington township. Through data obtained in the Prior family, we learn that Isaac Prior was a native of Pennsylvania, and that he settled with his family in 1799 on land since owned by A. C. Howard. Tradition tells us that he provided the meat for his family largely by his skill as a hunter, and that he sold deer and wild turkeys to the very first settlers of Zanesville. This humble log cabin and small clearing was the first in the township, and the fertile soil of the township first yielded to his cultivation a crop of corn.

    Isaac Prior was not a reckless Indian hunter, but was a church member, and took with him to the wilds of Muskingum, a letter of dismissal from his church as a member in honorable standing. After he had somewhat established himself, he built a hewed-log house, and his hospitable roof so frequently sheltered the wayfaring hunter and land seeker and other adventurers, that it came to be looked upon as a tavern which was the first in the township. It seemed to have been the custom for many of the first pioneers to keep open house, their latch string was always out, and no man who sought shelter with them was ever turned from their door. Likewise, Job Dickson, wbo came soon after Isaac Prior, entertained travelers at Three-mile spring, as soon as be had built his cabin and cleared three acres of land. The settlers now began to come in more rapidly and were mostly from Pennsylvania and Virginia, with a few from Delaware, from which last named state Moses Boggs came in 1805, and made his settlement in the eastern part of the township on land purchased of Noah Zane. He possessed some business ability, for he was county commissioner from 1840 to 1843. Jacob Livingood came in 1805, from Pennsylvania, accompanied by Elija Hart from the same state.

    Joseph Evans and George Crane, Joseph Veron with his wife and regular pioneer family of twelve children, came in 1805. In 1806 Gen. Robert McConnell, of Pennsylvania, settled on land afterward owned by William Fox. He was afterward the founder of McConnelsville. In 1806 Joseph Slack also came in and settled on land afterward owned by James Galloway. He built a log house roofed with shingles, which was the first to boast such a luxury. About this time came John Walters. In 1808 Jacob Gaumer a revolutionary soldier from Reading, Penn., settled in this township. His son-in-law, Jacob Sturtz, the ancestor of the Sturtz family in this county, from Somerset county, Penn., settled the same year on the farm now owned by Mr. Lovett. Jacob Sturtz was a soldier in the war of 1812, and served in Capt. Robert McConnell's company of riflemen. He was in several fights with the Indians. In 1810 Job Dickson sold out his tavern to John Speers who had recently come to the township. George Swasek came from Virginia in 1811. John Robertson settled in the township in 1812. By 1816 Samuel Cassel, John Price, George Jay, William Keatley, Albert Cole, Isaac Beatty, Spencer Lehue and William McConnell had arrived. In 1820 John Wall came from Pennsylvania, and the Suttons and Batemans came shortly before. Then came L. McLain and John McCashland. In 1822 a Virginian, Jonah Hague, came with a pioneer family of fifteen children. A man by the name of Bates bad a tavern on Mill run in 1804. The first marriage was solemnized between John Mercer and Elizabeth Vernon, in 1807. The first death was Eliza Hart, who died in 1807. There were no more deaths for ten years, when Jane Slack died in 1817. The first birth was Rebecca Vernon, daughter of Joseph Vernon.

    In 1810 William McConnell built a sawmill, the first in the township. Some time after this a mill run by ox power was built by William Beatty. In 1811 John Bates mined the first coal in Muskingum county, on Mud run, this township, which he sold in Zanesville. Jacob Slack opened the first road, assisted by his brother George. It is what is now known as the Adamsville road, and was from his house to Wheeling road. In 1813 the Adamsville road was surveyed, which was the first county road. The first man to drive a team over this road was Jacob Slack. In 1819 George Jury built the first distillery and Albert Cole the first tannery. In 1814 a coal bank was opened by John Speers for his own use.

    The first school teacher in the township was Ellen Spinner, in an old-time schoolhouse built in 1816. Samuel Cassel was the second teacher. John Price had the first blacksmith shop in 1820, and this same year Henry Conrad opened a store. In December, 1822, Samuel Barstow made the first claim against the township for $12.18, for burying John McCasky. In 1830 the village of Jackson, on the National pike, four miles east of Zanesville, was surveyed into lots. The record was made October 20, same year. The land was formally owned by Spencer Lehue. This village has attained no considerable growth, and is simply it quiet residence hamlet with no business enterprises worthy of notice.

    From the County Commissioners Journal of Wednesday June 5, 1822, we extract the following: "The commissioners met agreeable to adjournment, present, all three, as heretofore. A petition having been presented from a number of inhabitants of Zanesville township, north of the military line, thence running west with said military line to the southwest corner of Buford's farm, on the Wheeling, road, thence north with the west boundary line of the Buford farm, until it strikes Joseph Shut's land, thence west and north with the west boundary of said Shut's land, to land belonging to John Lehue's estate, thence west and north with the west boundary of Lehue's land, on the line be tween Lehue's land and Jeffrey Price, with said line northerly to Mill run, thence down Mill run to the Muskingum river, thence up the river till it strikes the east and west line, through the centre of township 2, in range 7, thence east with said line between Jackson and Copeland's land, and on with said line until it strikes the range line between ranges six and seven, at the northeast corner of the fourth quarter of the Second township in the seventh range, thence south with the range line, between ranges six and seven, to the place of beginning, which shall constitute a new township, to be called Washington township; also, ordered that the auditor advertise for an election, to be held at the house of Mathias Colspier, on the 22 day of June inst., to elect a sufficient number of township officers in and for said township of Washington. On June 27, 1822, the first election was held for township officers. John Howell and William Evans were clerks. The officers elected were, for treasurer, William Culbertson; trustees, James Huff, Robert McConnell and Moses Boggs; overseers of the poor wore Robert Boggs and Robert Culbertson; for clerk, Samuel Orr Jr.; road supervisors, Nicholas Closser, Anthony Woodruff and John Harris; fence viewers, Mathias Colspier and Nicholas Closser; justices of the peace, George W. Jackson and Moses Boggs; constables, Anthony H. Woodruff, Leonard Lull and George Slack. The first infirmary director elected was Robert Slack, in 1875.

    As early as the year 1800 there was a Muskingum and Hockhocking circuit, which, in 1802, was changed to the Little Kanawha and Muskingum. Jesse Stoneman rode this circuit, but it was Robert Manly who organized the first Methodist church in the valley. Just how far up it is impossible to say. James Quina traveled this circuit in 1804-5. While the records of the early Methodist itinerants are very incomplete, we find that some stanch seekers after truth met in private homes in our township, and listened to the word of God. The first class was organized about 1808, holding their meetings, among other places, at the homes of John Vernon, Joseph Bowers, John Bowers and Isaac Beatty. Feeling the need of a permanent place of worship, these zealous Methodists, in 1823, erected a hewed-log building, which was dedicated in the fall of that year. It was built by the pioneers themselves, without outside assistance. It was situated on a farm owned by John Bowers Sr. In 1846 a frame structure, costing over $1,000, was erected in Perry township, on George Borders' farm. Among the early preachers were Presiding elder Jacob Young, William Knox, John Waterman, Thomas Carr, John Tires, Samuel Glaze, T. A. Morris, Charles Elliott, James Giluth, Samuel Brockmier, Jacob Hooper, Archibald McElroy, Leroy Swainestedt, M. M. Henkle, B. Westlake, J. P. Durbin, David Young, William Cunningham, Thomas Beecher, E. H. Taylor, Ezra Brown, Z. H. Coston, Michael Ellis, C. Springer, J. Calihan, Joseph Carper and W. B. Crislee. During the summer of 1833 the first Sunday-school was organized by Joseph Church. Rev. D. P. Mitchell and J. W. Spry revived the old Sunday school in 1851, the old one having existed but three months.

    Methodism was well established in Washington township, when a class was formed in a schoolhouse on John Orr's farm in 1842. It consisted of John Wall, Amanda Wall, James Walwork, Margaret Walwork, Lucretia Brown, Patsy Shiflet, Lloyd Bishop, Mrs. Bishop, James Smith, Margaret Smith and Nellie Hart. The class-leader was Stephen Schafer. After three months the class moved to William Brown's tobacco barn. Some time afterward, the new meeting house being finished in 1843, the meetings were held there. The class leaders have been Stephen Schafer, James Smith, John Wall, James B. Smith, James McJurkin, Jonathan Collins, Turner Wolf and John Gray. A Sunday-school was early organized, which was well attended.

    The Baptist church was formed from the Baptist church in Salem township. Many of the Washington township members, finding it inconvenient to attend church in Salem township in 1842, petitioned the Baptist church in Salem township for permission to organize a church in this township. The petition granted, and a now association formed, the next year built and dedicated a church, under the pastorage of Rev. William Sedgwick. They soon organized a Sunday-school, which proved a great aid to the church. As the signers to the petition to the Salem church may be considered the founders of a new church, we give their names as follows: William H. Barstow, A. H. Woodruff Sr., Robert Combs, Amy Presgrave, James Miller, A. H. Woodruff Jr., Elga Combs, Mary Leach, Mary Cobb, Harriet Bateman, Elizabeth Mears, Sarah Callihan, Willis Barstow, William Leach, Penrod Bateman, Elizabeth Bateman, John Bateman, Semote Menifee, Jacob Slack, Hosea Woodruff, Margaret Ferrell, Ami P. Hunter, Peter Mears, Samuel Barstow Jr., Martha Woodruff, George Barstow, Mary Bailant, Mary A. Michael, Mary Barstow, Elizabeth Zett, Ann Hickman, Mary J. Dunmead, William Mears, Mary Martin, Brittania Presgrave, George Presgrave.

    Prior to 1848 a company of Methodists used to meet in the Woodruff schoolhouse. In 1848 they built a church on the farm of Thompson Hague, a short distance north of Coaldale. The first two class leaders were Isaac Franks and William Catlin. Among the prominent members of this church at its organization, we find the names of Job Morgan, Jacob Walters, William McCashland, Albert Jones, Joel Jones, Robert Jones, Jonathan Malox and Joseph H. Bowers. Among the early pastors were Revs. Wyrick, D. P. Mitchell, Robert Boyd, I. N. Macabee and Henry Snyder. Twenty years ago this church had a very flourishing Sunday-school, which was well conducted.

    In the early sixties the Lutherans organized a Sunday-school in a log cabin on the land owned by David Shick, which flourished. Among its superintendents were Samuel Shick, James McGee, David Shick, A. Martin, Mrs. Maggie Shick, Miss Kate Boggs and John Mitzlett. This was called the St. John's Union Sunday-school. In 1863, springing from this Sunday-school, came the St. John's Lutheran church, worshiping in the same log cabin. A frame church was built in 1876, Samuel Shick subscribing $400. Among the prominent members in an early day were Samuel Shick, John Hetzel, Allan Dunn, James McGee and Elizabeth Hetzel. Among their pastors have been Revs. George Sinsibaugb, William M. Gilbraith, Logan Gilbraith, John Bocker and George Shrieves. Land on which the original log church stood was donated by David Shick in 1863 for thirteen years, the transaction being made legal by the receipt on his part of $1.