County Data Charts

The Ohio Ghost Town Gazetteer, and Traveler’s Guide; A Twenty-First Century History of Ohio’s Ghost Towns

Adams County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Buck Run (Buck Creek) – Scott Township
Post Office: 1872 – 1904
Location: 38.985678, -83.579925
on SR 247 at the intersection of Calvary Rd along Buck Run
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: The post office was established as Buck Creek and changed to Buck Run a month later. It was originally at Campbell’s Mills and operated out of private residences in later years. The town had a school (Scott Township No. 6) on the west side of SR 247 just north of the GPS coordinates on land donated by the Roberts family. Robert K. Campbell (1818 – 1905) was the first known postmaster. He moved to Warren County, Iowa where he was buried with relatives in IOOF Cemetery on US 69 (South Jefferson Way) in Indianola. Daniel H. Harsha (1837 – 1914) either purchased Campbell’s Mills when Robert moved or built another one himself about 1/2 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 247 and Buck Run Rd. Daniel was buried with relatives in Unity Cemetery on Unity Rd at the intersection of Wheat Ridge Rd. Robert P. Finley (1831 – 1902) was the next known postmaster and was buried with relatives in Cherry Fork Cemetery on SR 136. The remaining known postmasters were John W. Taylor, S. L. Wikoff, and Irene (Chaney) Roberts (1866 – 1915) who was buried with relatives and other residents in Mount Calvary Cemetery 2 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates on the east side of Calvary Rd. 

Burkitts – Brush Creek Township
Post Office: 1835 – 1840
Location: 38.786254, -83.424999
on the southern end of Cummings Rd (T-148)
Remnants: log church and Burkitt Cemetery at the end of the road on private property with no visiting permitted
Description: The town was founded by English immigrant Thomas Burkitt (1763 – 1836). He married Polly (Wheeler) Burkitt (1766 – 1820) from Maryland. They had at least 11 children with several born before the family moved to Ohio. Thomas remarried with Hannah (Evans) Burkitt (1777 – 1835) after Polly passed away but didn’t have any children with her. Hannah was laid to rest with relatives in Soldiers Run (Carson / Osman) Cemetery about 20 miles south of the GPS coordinates on private property on the west side of SR 125. Thomas and Polly were laid to rest in Burkitt cemetery. Burkitts Church (Old Log Meeting House) was restored at some point. It was in beautiful condition when we visited in 2013 and had a picnic area. The land is under new ownership and public visiting has since been discontinued.  

Elizabeth (Elizabeth Town) (Elisabethtown) – Wayne Township
Location: 38.899051, -83.596537
on the southeast side of SR 137 between Paint Rd and Potts Rd 
Remnants: none known
Description: Elizabeth’s first historically recorded appearance was being listed as a small town in the 1829 The Ohio Gazetteer, Or, Topographical Dictionary. Its plat contained 96 lots on 7 streets, including SR 137 (formerly North Liberty and Tranquility Pike). In 1880, Elizabeth was on the northwest portion of a 138-acre lot owned by James Van Deren McNeil (1833 – 1913) and Sarah (Coryell) McNeil (1836 – 1900) and had reverted back to farmland by then. Elizabeth basically lost the competition of attracting residents and businesses to North Liberty, now called Cherry Fork, which was platted in 1848 and is currently an unincorporated community. James and Sarah had 7 children and were laid to rest with relatives in Cherry Fork Cemetery about 2 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates on SR 136.

Evergreen – Meigs Township
Location: 38.919532, -83.402525
on Steam Furnace Rd between Davis Rd (Township Hwy T-129A) and Mineral Springs Rd 
Remnants: Evergreen Baptist Church and Cemetery at the GPS coordinates
Description: Evergreen’s main industries were farming and livestock raising. The church was remodeled in 1990 and its congregation is still active.

Fristoes – Meigs and Oliver Township
Location: 38.896093, -83.452997
on SR 42 along Ohio Brush Creek between Lawshe Rd and Murphin Ridge Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: It was founded by Richard Fristoe (1805 – 1885) from Virginia and Anna (Sample) Fristoe (1805 – 1897) who were farmers and livestock dealers. Richard’s parents moved from Virginia to Mason County, Kentucky around 1807. He was a tobacco dealer before becoming a farmer and met Anna while making a run from Marysville to Chillicothe. Richard relocated to Adams County in 1832, purchased the farm where Anna’s family previously ran a tavern, and started farming in 1833. Richard and Anna had 5 children and were buried with relatives buried in Locust Grove Cemetery 7 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 42 and Cemetery Rd.

Grimes – Monroe Township
Post Office: 1886 – 1907
Location: 38.678602, -83.451972
on US 52 along the Ohio River on the west side of Ohio Brush Creek 
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by Greer B. Grimes (1803 – 1888) and Sophia (Smith) Grimes (1805 –  1893). Their 400-acre farm at the GPS coordinates was purchased from Greer’s uncle Noble Grimes’s (d. 1805) estate. Greer was also a successful banker. Ellen Grimes was the first know postmaster. There were several members of the family by that name living during the time period in question. Anna (Evans) Plummer (1852 – 1923) from Kentucky was the next known postmaster. She was buried with relatives in Manchester IOOF (Odd Fellows) Cemetery 9 miles west of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of E 8th St and Cemetery St in Manchester. Anna Nace was the postmaster in 1894 and Cordelia Davis (1864 – 1941) was the last known postmaster. She was also laid to rest in Manchester IOOF Cemetery. Greer and Sophia Grimes had at least 9 children and were buried in West Union Cemetery 11 1/2 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates on SR 125 (Sunrise Ave) in West Union.

Irvington – Scott Township
Post Office: 1887 – 1898
Location: 38.941062, -83.550861
on the south of SR 770 along the railroad tracks between Tranquility Pike and McCreight Rd
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Irvington was a farming and railroad town on the Cincinnati, Portsmouth, & Virginia Railroad. It had a school on the east side of SR 770 just north of the GPS coordinates. Robert M. Foster (1830 – 1895) was the first postmaster and was buried with relatives in Mount Leigh Cemetery 2 1/2 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates on SR 247 at the intersection of Mt Leigh Rd. William N. Shelby 1842 – 1905) was the last postmaster and was buried in Tranquility Cemetery 2 1/4 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates on the south side of Old State Rte 32 (Co Rd 100).

Killinstown – Tiffin Township
Location: 38.797355, -83.492266
on SR 125 on the west side of the intersection of Poplar Ridge Rd
Remnants: Seaman (Killinstown) Cemetery at the GPS coordinates, historical marker near the cemetery
Description: It was a stagecoach stop town platted in 1802 by Revolutionary War veteran John Killin (1758 – 1844) from Maryland who ran a tavern and inn. The area had previously been known as Adamsburg. John and Rachel (Harper) Killin from Virgina were married by Justice of the Peace Noble Grimes in 1797 and had several children. The town also had a general store and was at least mentioned as potentially becoming the county seat. John was buried in Pumpkin Ridge Cemetery (West Union Village Cemetery) 3 1/2 miles east of the GPS coordinates on S Cherry St (Pumpkin Ridge Rd). Rachel’s burial location is unknown. The Seaman family still owns the land where the cemetery is, continuing its historical tradition of farming in the area.

Kopp – Franklin Township
Post Office: 1902 – 1907
Location: unknown
Description: The proprietors were James D. Kopp (1852 – 1928) from Kentucky and Elizabeth (Thompson) Kopp (1854 – 1926). They had a few children and were buried with relatives in Locust Grove Cemetery on SR 42. James was the town’s only known postmaster. 

McCarty – Tiffin and Monroe Township
Location: 38.754837, -83.500470
on Poplar Ridge Rd at the 4-way intersection of McCarty Rd and Edith Osman Rd
Remnants: Ralston Cemetery 1 3/4 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates on the west side of Malone Rd (Co Rd 57)
Description: The town was named after the McCarty family in the area. Some of its members were buried in Raltson Cemetery, dating back to Van Rutherford McCarty Jr. (1846 – 1941) and Martha (Morrison) McCarty (1855 – 1899). They got married in 1871 and had at least 7 children. More members of the family were interred in Satterfields Chapel (McCarty) Cemetery 4 1/4 miles north of the GPS coordinates on the south side of SR 125 behind Satterfield Chapel. Van Rutherford McCarty Sr. (1819 – 1896) from West Union and Nancy (Satterfield) McCarty (1821 – 1905) from Pike County donated the land for the church and cemetery and were laid to rest there. The grave markers for them have since disappeared. 

McCullough – Scott Township
Post Office: 1883 – 1905
Location: 38.930120, -83.515398
on the railroad tracks south of Nichols Ridge Rd (Co Rd 10) along Ohio Brush Creek 
Remnants: none known
Description: The original proprietors were War of 1812 veteran Alexander McCullough (1780 – 1858) and Nancy (McCroskey) McCullough (1780 – 1856) from Rockbridge County, Virginia. They had 5 children and the next couple of generations continued with farming and livestock raising in the area. The town land stretched north from the Cincinnati, Portsmouth, & Virginia Railroad between Ohio Brush Creek and Georges Creek. Margaret A. McCullough (1851 – 1936) was the postmaster. The McCullough family was laid to rest in Tranquility Cemetery on the south side of Old State Rte 32 (Co Rd 100). 

Moore – Tiffin Township (formerly Jefferson Township)
Post Office: 1881 – 1894
Location: 38.798484, -83.428248
on SR 348 at the intersection of Compton Hill Rd along Ohio Brush Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was named after Revolutionary War veteran and Methodist minister Reverend Joseph Moore (1754 – 1824) and Rebecca (Foster) Moore (1755 – 1838). They were both born in New Jersey, got married in Bucks County, Pennsylvania in 1773, and moved to Adams County in 1797. The known postmasters were A. B. Holmes, Frank G. Bayless (1863 – 1920) buried in West Union Cemetery, and H. E. Walden. A school (Tiffin Township No. 7) was on the south side of Comton Hill Rd 1 1/2 miles west of the GPS coordinates. Joseph and Rebecca had 11 children and were laid to rest with relatives in Manchester IOOF (Odd Fellows) Cemetery at the intersection of E 8th St and Cemetery St in Manchester.

Mount Leigh – Scott Township
Post Office: 1854 – 1860
Location: 38.955523, -83.573587
on SR 247 at the intersection of Mt Leigh Rd
Remnants: Mount Leigh Cemetery at the GPS coordinates
Description: It was a farming and religious town founded by Presbyterians at a busy crossroads in the mid-1800s. Mount Leigh had a general store and there was a school (Scott Township No. 8) a mile southwest of the GPS coordinates on the west side of Greenlee Rd (Township Hwy T-189). William L. Blair (1803 – 1870) from Tennessee was the only known postmaster. He married Catherine (Steen) Blair (1810 – 1880) from Kentucky and had at least one child. William and Catherine were buried with many relatives in the cemetery.

Mount Zion – Scott Township
Location: 38.946416, -83.590992
on Tri – County Rd at the intersection of Mt Zion Rd (Township Hwy T-49B)
Remnants: Mount Zion Cemetery on the southeast side of Mt Zion Rd just southwest of the GPS coordinates
Description: It was another farming and religious town and had a Methodist Church at the cemetery. The congregation formed in 1866 and built its wood frame structure in 1868. A school (Scott Township No. 8) was a mile north of the GPS coordinates on the west side of Greenlee Rd and was shared with nearby Mount Leigh. Seaman was platted in 1888 just a mile southeast of Mount Zion and rapidly grew on the Ohio & Northwestern Railroad (later the Cincinnati, Portsmouth, & Virginia Railroad). Mount Zion’s church building was subsequently moved to Seaman and has since been lost to time.  

Osman – Tiffin Township
Post Office:  1854 – 1902
Location: 38.786097, -83.434263
on SR 348 between SR 125 and Compton Hill Rd 
Remnants: Soldiers Run (Carson / Osman) Cemetery on private property on the west side of SR 125 about 1 1/2 miles west of the GPS coordinates
Description: The town was founded by Simon Osman (1808 – 1876) and Mary Ann (Parks) Osman. They got married in 1832 and had a few children. Simon was tragically stabbed to death by members of the Easter family on the former wooden “Bloody Bridge” (Forge Dam Bridge) crossing Ohio Brush Creek on SR 125. As the story goes, the Osman and Easter families were already feuding for many years. Local residents were having a picnic and celebration for the completion and opening of the newly constructed bridge in 1876. Simon had likely indulged in a bit too much alcohol and began crossing the bridge before the dedication ceremony began. James Easter and his sons took offense to that and started brawling with Simon. James stabbed Simon several times and one of Simon’s sons stabbed James Easter in return. Simon died from his wounds and the Easter family reportedly crossed the Ohio River to hide out in Kentucky. The town had a school on the northeast side of SR 125 about 1/4 of a mile northwest of the GPS coordinates and a church on Satterfield Rd southeast of the cemetery. The post office moved around to the residences of the postmaster. The known holders of the office were David S. Black, William W. Ellison, W. W. Smith, C. W. Foster, Daniel Sutterfield, John W. Jones, and Cary A. McGovney.

Stephens – Sprigg Township
Post Office: 1884 – 1907
Location: 38.671925, -83.688915
on Old State Rd (Township Hwy T-2A) at the intersection of Ridgeland Ln
Description: It was a small farming and postal town. Francis M. Grimes (1844 – 1929) was the first postmaster. He was buried with relatives in Charter Oak Cemetery about 6 3/4 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates on US 52 in Aberdeen, Brown County. The other known postmasters were James S. King and House B. Mitchell (1864 – 1950). House was buried with relatives in Manchester IOOF (Odd Fellows) Cemetery at the intersection of E 8th St and Cemetery St in Manchester.

Waggoners Ripple – Green Township
Post Office: 1845 – 1906
Location: 38.712580, -83.442722
on Aberdeen Hollow Rd at the intersection of Waggoner Riffle Rd along Ohio Brush Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: The town had a Methodist church and a grist mill near the GPS coordinates. Its known postmasters were Jesse Wikoff, John Beach, Luther Collier, David Pennywitt, William W. Ellison, William Turtwangler, and Franklin Ellison. Many residents, including Jesse Wikoff (1811 – 1855), were buried in Foster (Young) Cemetery 2 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates on the west side of Waggoner Riffle Rd near Ohio Brush Creek.

Washington – Monroe Township
Location: 38.678602, -83.451972
on US 52 along the Ohio River on the west side of Ohio Brush Creek 
Remnants: none known 
Description: Washington was platted with 84 lots in 1798 by Noble Grimes (d. 1805) who was a justice of the peace and owned 1,000 acres of land. The town had a large log courthouse with a jail and was intended to be the future county seat. However, West Union won that contest in 1803. Washington didn’t last much longer. Noble was buried on the farm’s “river hill”.

Allen County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Alnora – Monroe Township
Location: 40.897915, -84.099692
on SR 12 (Redridge Rd) between Rd 13 (Township Hwy 13) and Ramsey Rd
Remnants: Truro Cemetery 1 mile northeast of the GPS coordinates on SR 12 on the Monroe and Pleasant Township, Putnam County border
Description: It was a farming and railroad town with a train station on the Northern Ohio Railway in the late 1800s to early 1900s. The tracks are long gone, but the railroad path just south of the GPS coordinates can still faintly be seen on satellite maps running parallel to SR 12. A school (Monroe Township No. 3) was 1 1/2 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates in the southwest corner of the intersection of Morris Rd and Ramsey Rd on a 95-acre farm owned by George Morris (1833 – 1927). George was married twice, had at least 6 children, and was buried with relatives and other residents in Truro Cemetery.

Armstrong – Amanda Township 
Post Office: 1872 – 1884
Location: 40.707494, -84.279976
on SR 117 (Spencerville Rd) at the intersection of Armstrong Rd along the Auglaize River
Remnants: Agape Fellowship Ministries and Christie Chapel Cemetery on Armstrong Rd on the north side of the GPS coordinates, Amanda Baptist Church and Cemetery on S Conant Rd just north of the GPS coordinates
Description: Armstrong sprang up around 1842 when a grist mill was built by Tone & Co. It had a general store, saw mill, and still had the grist mill when the 1880 county atlas was published. A livestock yard with scales was on the west side of S Conant Rd on a 273-acre farm owned by the Stewart family. Amanda Church has always been Baptist and a Methodist congregation was formerly housed in Agape Fellowship Ministries present Pentecostal Church. There were 2 local schools. Amanda Township No. 1 was southwest of the GPS coordinates on a stretch of road that has since disappeared between S Defiance Trail and SR 198. Amanda Township No. 4 was about 1 3/4 miles west of the GPS coordinates on the south side of SR 117. The post office moved to the newly founded town of Conant when it won the bid for a train station on the Chicago & Atlantic Railroad. Armstrong was subsequently left in the dust and fell into obscurity prior to 1900. The known postmasters were Lawnyer B. Adams (1813 – 1893) from Kentucky and Civil War veteran John F. Tone (1822 – 1882), both laid to rest with relatives and other residents in Amanda Baptist Cemetery.

Blue Lick – Bath Township 
Post Office: 1854 – 1875
Location: 40.789007, -84.051317
on E Bluelick Rd at the intersection of Slabtown Rd 
Remnants: Blue Lick Cemetery on the south side of E Bluelick Rd just west of the GPS coordinates
Description: Bluelick was named after the naturally salt infused springs in the area. It had a school (Bath Township No. 16) in the northwest corner of the intersection. The Lake Erie & Western Railroad rolled through the township just 1/3 of a mile to the south and east of town, but Blue Lick didn’t get a train station. The known postmasters were William Pier, Josiah Stahl, and Elias Everett (1817 – 1885) who was buried with relatives in Rockport Presbyterian Cemetery 8 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates on Rockport Rd in Monroe Township. 

Donnels (Donnells) – Auglaize Township 
Post Office: 1837 – 1855 and 1857 – 1860
Location: 40.666428, -83.950887
on SR 117 (Bellfontaine Rd) between Bowdle Rd and Madden Rd
Remnants: former one-room schoolhouse about 3/4 of a mile southeast of the GPS coordinates in the northwest corner of the intersection of SR 117 and Madden Rd, Ward (Brethren) Cemetery 1 1/2 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates on the south side of Madden Rd
Description: The town was founded by William Donnel (1780 – ?) from Pennsylvania and his wife Martha Donnel (1791 – 1872). Its post office was originally called Donnell’s and William was the first postmaster. The other know postmasters were Simon Huffer (1824 – 1905) who was buried with relatives in Greenlawn Cemetery on Dutch Hollow Rd in Elida and William N. McGinnis (1818 – 1879) who moved to Jasper County, Indiana and was buried there with relatives in Sandridge (Hurley) Cemetery on W 250 N. The office was discontinued in 1855 and the only known postmaster when it was reinstated as Donnel’s was again William Donnel. According to census records, William and Martha had at least 3 children. They were buried in Ward (Brethren) Cemetery 1 1/5 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates on the south side of Madden Rd. James Ward Jr. (1784 – 1867) from Washington County, Maryland owned a blacksmith shop on the west side of the GPS coordinates and was also buried with relatives in Ward Cemetery. The former one-room schoolhouse (Auglaize Township No. 6) probably postdates the closure of the post office. Its roof is in disrepair and there’s a small makeshift shed attached to it, but the brick structure appears to be in solid and stable condition.

Hartford – Amanda Township
Post Office: 1839 – 1851
Location: 40.736143, -84.314664
on SR 81 (N Defiance Trail / Allentown Rd) at the intersection of S Defiance Trail 
Remnants: town and cemetery historical marker on the east side of S Defiance Trail just south of the GPS coordinates, Old Hartford Cemetery on the west bank of the Auglaize river just east of the historical marker, Hartford Christian Church and Cemetery on the east side of SR 81 just north of the GPS coordinates, Johnny Appleseed historical marker on the east side of S Defiance Trail at the railroad tracks about 1 3/4 miles south of the GPS coordinates
Description: Hartford was platted with 44 lots in 1835 by John Harter (born c. 1810 – 1850) and Amos Evans. Another 150 lots were added to the plat the following year in anticipation of the most likely route which the building of the Miami & Erie Canal would take. The post office was called Gallatin because there was already a post office by the name of Hartford in Trumbull County. Its known postmasters were C. C. Marshall and Charles Emerson. Hartford had 2 stores, 2 taverns, and a log schoolhouse which was also occasionally used for Methodist church meetings. There were 59 residents listed in the 1840 census. The proprietors and residents were anxiously expecting the arrival of the canal. Their hopes were crushed when it ended up being dug 2 miles to the west. Most of the residents moved to nearby Spencerville when it was platted as the Miami & Erie Canal opened there in 1844. In 1856 all of Hartford’s lots were owned by William Moorman (1828 – 1885). He sold them to Johnzey Keith (1817 – 1888) in 1865. They were both buried with relatives in Hartford Cemetery. Although the old town was gone, its memory lived on with Hartford Christian Church which still has an active Baptist congregation. A historical marker south of town concerning John Chapman (1774 – 1845) from Leominster, Massachusetts and more popularly known as “Johnny Appleseed”, tells the story of him planting an apple orchard on land leased from John Harter’s parents, War of 1812 veteran Jacob Harter (1788 – 1872) and Rebecca (Copus) Harter (1788 – 1861). The Harter family arrived in the area in 1825. Jacob’s gravestone is intact with some other relatives and residents in Old Hartford Cemetery.

Middle Spring – Amanda Township 
Post Office: 1861 – 1865
Location: 40.706518, -84.251715
on Mills Rd between SR 117 (Spencerville Rd) and Ft Amanda Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: The proprietors were Archelaus Martin (1805 – 1884) from Bourbon County, Kentucky and Catherine (Russell) Martin (1813 – 1864). They got married in 1833, had at least one child, and owned a 90-acre farm at the GPS coordinates. Archelaus was the town’s postmaster. They were buried with relatives in Amanda Baptist Cemetery 2 miles west of the GPS coordinates on S Conant Rd.  

Sugar Creek Settlement – Bath Township and City of Lima
Location: 40.788361, -84.102180
on E Bluelick Rd along Sugar Creek between SR 65 (N West St) and Berryhill Rd
Remnants: historical marker at the GPS coordinates, Berryhill Cemetery about 1/2 of a mile north of the GPS coordinates in the woods on the north side of Sugar Creek just south of Springbrook Golf Course, Sugar Creek Church and Cemetery on the north side of E Bluelick Rd just east of the GPS coordinates
Description: It was founded in 1824 by Christopher Stark Wood (1772 – 1855) from Washington County, Pennsylvania and Mary Ann (Turner) Wood (1779 – 1844) from Maryland. They got married in 1797 and had several children. Christopher fought in many battles in the Northwest Indian War of 1785 – 1795, served as a scout captain in the War of 1812, and received much of his training as a frontiersman from Simon Kenton (1755 – 1836) who will be mentioned in more detail later in this work. Sugar Creek Settlement was the first village in Allen County and Bath township grew out of the it. Christopher also served as a justice of the peace, the first clerk of Bath Township, and was appointed to judicial position. On top of all of that, he was assigned the task of laying out the future county seat and platted Lima on 160 acres in 1831. Mary Ann was laid to rest with relatives and other early pioneers in Berryhill Cemetery. Christopher died in a railroad accident and was buried with relatives in Mount Hope Athens Cemetery on SR 14 in Henry Township, Fulton County, Indiana. Sugar Creek Church of the Brethren (German Baptist) was organized in 1833. The present church structure was built in 1853. It has undergone many renovations and been added on to during its existence.

Tawa Town – Amanda Township, Allen County and Logan Township, Auglaize County
Location: 40.685844, -84.262293
on Deep Cut Rd along the Auglaize River between SR 198 and Mills Rd
Remnants: two historical markers at the GPS coordinates
Description: It was a Native American town along the easiest canoe route from Lake Erie to the Ohio River. Several Tawa Towns were spread out on the canoe route, mostly consisting of Shawnee, Ottawa, and Wyandot residents. War of 1812 Fort Amanda was just on the other side of the Auglaize River in Logan Township, Auglaize County (formerly in Allen County) less than 1/2 of a mile west of the GPS coordinates at Fort Amanda Park and Cemetery on SR 198. A treaty signed after the close of the war resulted in the Native Americans abandoning Tawa Town in 1817. War of 1812 veteran Dye Sunderland (1794 – 1856) from Fayette County, Pennsylvania and Mercy (Berryman) Sunderland (1798 – 1859) from Montgomery County got married in 1815 and had several children. They purchased an 86-acre farm at the site of Tawa Town in 1820. Dye and one of his brothers-in-law, Samuel Washburn, platted a town called Amanda at the site in 1831. It failed to attract residents and the idea was quickly forgotten. Dye and Mercy were buried with relatives and other early pioneers in Fort Amanda Cemetery.

Ashland County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Albany – Jackson Township (formerly in Wayne County)
Location: 40.974005, -82.215116
on SR 89 at the intersection of Co Rd 620
Remnants: none known
Description: Albany was platted in 1832 by Jacob M. Kiplinger (1767 – 1845) from Berks County, Pennsylvania. He married Maria (Bopp) Kiplinger (1774 – 1856) in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania in the mid-1790s, had a few children, and subsequently moved to Ohio. Jacob was a deacon in the German Reformed Church. Albany was mentioned as still being a town in the 1863 county history book, but it fell into obscurity shortly after that. Jacob and Maria were buried with many relatives and other residents of Albany in Albion Cemetery 2 miles east of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Co Rd 620 and Jackson Twp Rd. Maria’s gravestone is inscribed with Barbara, likely as what she preferred to be called. Albion is an unincorporated community. It was platted in 1830 and was originally called Perrysburgh. As seen in other places around the state, it may have been platted in competition with Albany, which was already a thriving community prior to its platting, and won the contest for commercial success in the area.

Bunn’s Settlement – Mohican Township (formerly in Wayne County)
Location: 40.791765, -82.156485
on County Rd 1975 at the intersection of Co Rd 175 along Glenn Run
Remnants: none known
Description: It was founded in 1809 by War of 1812 Benjamin Bunn (1781 – 1855) from Washington County, Maryland and Margaret (Hyatt) Bunn (1782 – 1843) from Brooke County, West Virginia (formerly in Virginia). They got married in 1804, moved to Ashland County in 1809, and had 10 children. Although the family always had peaceful relationships with local Native Americans, they built a log fort blockhouse with their neighbors in 1812 for protection from as political tensions egged on by the British government were heating up at the time. Benjamin was a blacksmith by trade, a farmer, millwright, and Methodist minister. He enlisted to serve in the war and was appointed captain of the Bunn’s Settlement fort. The Bunn family moved west in 1838 along with 8 other families from the area. Benjamin and Margaret were laid to rest with relatives in Lone Tree Cemetery on the east side of County Rd 2100 E in Christy Township, Lawrence County, Illinois. 

Elizabethtown – Perry Township (formerly in Wayne County)
Location: 40.858015, -82.144553
on US 250 between Rowsburg and Muddy Fork
Remnants: none known
Description: Elizabethtown was intended to be the first platted village in the township. John Raver put up undeveloped lots for sale in 1815 – 1816. None of the lots sold and he quickly gave up on the idea. However, John had success in building the first grist and saw mill in the county in 1817 – 1818 about 1/4 of a mile north of Rowsburg near present-day Co Rd 175. It was an important addition for local pioneers by greatly reducing travel for corn meal which they could purchase from John or pay a nominal fee to have their own corn ground. A sad and strange story about John’s son Daniel, entitled “Killed of Fright”, is in the 1863 county history book. Daniel was 8 years old at the time and was playing with other kids when a mouse ran up his leg and into his pants. He reportedly went into convulsions from the scare and died a few hours later. We were unable to locate extensive genealogy records on the family and their burial locations are unknown. 

Jeromestown – Mohican Township
Location: 40.792809, -82.203556
on the east side of Ashland County Rd 2175 along Jerome Fork between Ashland County Rd and US 30
Remnants: none known
This Native American settlement was founded by members of the Lenape (Delaware) nation and was named after an early pioneer fur trader of French descent named John (Jean) Jerome. It was abandoned when the War of 1812 began. The chief of the village was Old Captain Pipe, known by his Native American names of Hopocan and Konieschquanoheel. He became chief of the Lenape Wolf Clan in 1773 – 1774, replacing his aging uncle Custaloga (Packanke). Old Captain Pipe was involved in many aspects of the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War. As with the other Native American chiefs later mentioned in this work, he had a tough life being torn between French, British, and Colonial American interests. The chiefs were continually badgered to support one side or another, given nothing but hollow promises, and threatened with extermination if they didn’t accept conditional terms which always left them at some sort of a disadvantage. Over the course of it all, they witnesses their people gradually being driven out of their homelands while their population increasingly dwindled as a result. In the county history books written in the mid-1800s to early 1900s, it appears the story of Jeromestown was mixed and confused with the story of Mohican Johnstown which was likely founded around 1762 about 11 miles to the west near Mifflin in Mifflin Township. Most modern historians agree they were 2 different towns. 

Perote – Orange Township
Post Office: 1851 – 1865
Location: 40.970160, -82.310738
on SR 511 at the intersection of Co Rd 620
Remnants: none known
Description: The proprietors were Abraham C. Fast (1816 – 1862) from Pennsylvania and Catharine (Fluke) Fast (1819 – 1902). They got married in 1840, had 8 children with 3 dying in infancy, and owned 448 acres of farmland with a saw mill on the west side of SR 511 about 1/3 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates. Abraham was the first postmaster and held the position until he passed away. The office was in the northeast corner of the intersection. A school was 1 1/4 miles south of the GPS coordinates in the southwest corner of the intersection of SR 511 and Township Rd 754. Abraham and Catharine were buried with relatives 5 miles southeast of town in Nankin Cemetery on SR 302.

South Loudonville – Hanover Township
Location: 40.625830, -82.238728
on SR 3 at the intersection of Wally Rd along the Black Fork Mohican River Remnants: none known
Description: South Loudonville was on the Toledo, Walhonding Valley, & Ohio Railroad (later the Pennsylvania Railroad) in the late 1800s to early 1900s. It was listed on the Ohio map in the 1901 George Cram atlas and has since been absorbed by Loudonville’s growth. The town of West Loudonville from this time period also had the same fate.

Tunker Settlement – City of Ashland and Montgomery Township (formerly in Richland County)
Location: 40.863446, -82.288048
on US 250 (E Main St) at the intersection of US 42 along Jamison Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded in the early 1800s by German Baptist immigrants called Tunkers (United Brethren). Again, we cross the path of John Chapman (1744 – 1845) or “Johnny Appleseed” as he was affectionately called. A resident of the area, Elias Slocum (1782 – 1862) from New York, had an apple orchard planted with seeds acquired from one of John’s many nurseries. They knew each other well and Elias gave him a pair of shoes when he saw how worn out the pair John was wearing on one cold November day. Elias encountered John in Mansfield a few days later and he was barefoot walking through the streets which were covered in snow at the time. Elias asked about the shoes. John told him Elias gave them to a family heading west that obviously needed them much more than he did. John rarely wore shoes anyway and used much of his profits from the apple trade for charitable purposes. He also didn’t sleep indoors often, and when so, slept of the floor. One morning after staying at Elias’s house, Elias found a $5 bank note left in the room where John slept. When invited to eat dinner with a family, John always waited to be served last to make sure the children had enough. The apple orchards he planted eventually stretched across an estimated 100 thousand square miles from Pennsylvania to Illinois. There was a time in the 1800s when apples in Ohio were so abundant that they were valueless as a commodity. Those who had too many offered those who didn’t have any to take as much as they needed or wanted, no questions asked.

Williamsburg – Vermillion Township (formerly in Richland County)
Location: 40.772948, -82.299483
on County Rd 30A between SR 511 and Hayesville
Remnants: none known
Description: Robert Williams (1808 – 1859) from Pennsylvania platted the town in 1829 as the first village in the township but nothing ever happened with it after that. Hayesville was platted the following year, continues to maintain its existence, and Williamburg is a mere memory in the ghost town subcategory of “paper towns”. Robert was buried with relatives in Mifflin Cemetery about 3 1/2 miles west of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Georgia St and Dakota St in Mifflin.

Ashtabula County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Anderson – Pierpont Township
Location: 41.726667, -80.582565
on Anderson Rd (Township Hwy 301) between Stanhope – Kelloggsville Rd (Co Hwy 33) and SR 7 (Conneaut Youngstown Rd)
Remnants: none known
Description: The proprietors were Civil War veteran George S. Anderson (1823 – 1889) and Mary Ann (Lintz) Anderson (1833 – 1909. They were both born in Pennsylvania, owned a 130-acre farm with 2 lots on the north side of the GPS coordinates, and had 3 children. George served in the 105th Ohio Volunteer Infantry and received a disability related discharge before becoming a farmer. The road was named after the family. George and Mary were laid to rest with relatives 3 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates in Evergreen Cemetery on Cemetery Rd in Pierpont. Their son George (1858 – 1924) was a prominent physician in the county. Another son, Frank (1858 – 1902) purchased a farm on the south side of the GPS coordinates, and their daughter Catherine (Anderson) Pottenger (1868 – 1948) continued farming on the old homestead.

Barnes Corners – Trumbull Township
Location: 41.678110, -80.910368    
on Windsor – Mechanicsville Rd (Co Hwy 9) at the intersection of Riverdale Rd (Township Hwy 69)
Remnants: Riverdale (Barnes) (Cogswell) Cemetery in the woods on the south side of Riverdale Rd just west of the GPS coordinates
Description: It was named after the local Barnes (Barns) family and had a Catholic church in the northwest corner of the intersection. There was also a saw mill and a school on the south side of Riverdale Rd across the border in Morgan Township in the mid-1800s. The church and mill were gone prior to publication of the 1874 county atlas. Some members of the Barnes and Cogswell families, which were related by marriage, are interred in the cemetery. Neither of the families had any members left living in the area when the 1905 county atlas was published. Unfortunately, the cemetery isn’t in great shape these days due to slowly being overtaken by nature. Burials date back to at least the 1830s.

Damon – Windsor Township, Ashtabula County and Huntsburg Township, Geauga County
Post Office: 1896 – 1899
Location: 41.564254, -81.001853
on SR 86 (Plank Rd) at the intersection of Chardon – Windsor Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: This short lived farming and postal town had a school on the north side of SR 86 west of the GPS coordinates on land owned by the Larson family. C. F. Alexander was the postmaster.

Fargo – Ashtabula Township
Location: 41.865919, -80.772517
on State St at the intersection of E 44th St
Remnants: Edgewood Cemetery on the west side of State St just north of the GPS coordinates
Description: The town was founded by Jason Fargo (1790 – 1861) from Massachusetts and Clarissa (Harmon) Fargo (1801 – 1880). They got married in 1817, had several children, and owned a 156-acre farm. Jason was also the first township trustee. In the late 1800s, there was an express post office for Fargo on the New York, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad (Nickel Plate Road) along the tracks just south of the GPS coordinates. Express offices didn’t have an appointed postmaster. Mail was normally hung in a bag on a pole and grabbed by a train attendant with a hook as they rolled by without stopping. Jason and Clarissa were buried in Edgewood Cemetery with some of their children, including Dan and Lucius who owned a very prosperous 570-acre farm.

Iona – Windsor Township
Post Office: 1898 – 1903
Location: 41.508649, -80.972898  
on S Windsor Rd at the 4-way intersection of S Wiswell Rd and Girdle Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Iona was a farming and postal town with a little village clustered around the GPS coordinates. It had a school (Windsor Township No. 1) in the northeast corner of the intersection on land donated by Samuel N. Sweet (1810 – 1891) and Olive (Ellis) Sweet (1813 – 1879) from New York. They moved to Trumbull County and were buried there with relatives in Fariview (Center) Cemetery on SR 534 (Phelps Creek Rd) in Mesopotamia. A Wesleyan Methodist church was in the southeast corner of the intersection on land donated by Benjamin W. Norris (1793 – 1876) from Connecticut. He was laid to rest with relatives in Windsor Township (Windsor Corners) Cemetery 4 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates on the west side of Noble Rd in Windsor. George G. Bacon (1860 – 1942) was the postmaster. He married Addie (Lampson) Bacon (1865 – 1939) from Meigs County and had 3 children. George and Addie later moved to Portage county and were buried there in Riverside Cemetery at the intersection of Allyn Rd and Winchell Rd in Hiram Township. 

Osbornville (Phoenix) – Pierpont Township
Post Office: 1856 – 1860 and 1862 – 1903
Location: 41.790083, -80.623702 
on Stanhope – Kelloggsville Rd at the intersection of Beckwith Rd along West Branch Ashtabuala River
Remnants: Graham Road Bridge about a mile southeast of the intersection on Graham Rd
Description: The town was in the northwest corner of the township in the section on the southeast side of the GPS coordinates. Its original proprietor was an M. Osborn who built a grist mill, saw mill, general store, and ran the post office. The name changed to Pheonix and had a post office by that name from 1862 – 1903. A shingle mill at the site was owned by Patrick & Hollister. Alfred Hollister (1821 – 1902) was the postmaster for over 40 years. He was succeeded by Charles H. Burkhart and Calvin H. Barber was the last postmaster. As quickly as Osbornville hit the maps, Pheonix disappeared just as fast after the post office closed and didn’t make it into the 1905 county atlas. Graham Road Bridge was constructed with wood salvaged from a former covered bridge that crossed West Branch Ashtabula River and was badly damaged in the Great Flood of 1913. The bridge was moved to its current spot for preservation in 1972.

Padens Mills – Monroe Township
Location: 41.884292, -80.618799
on State Rd at the intersection of Hatches Corners Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: The Paden family were Quakers who also owned 400 acres of land with a saw mill along Paden Creek in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Jacob Paden was the patriarch and arrived in Monroe Township in 1805 or 1806. He constructed the first saw mill and grist mill in the township next to Bear Creek Waterfall in 1807. The grist mill was enlarged and improved in 1810 – 1811. The first distillery in the township was built by Jacob in partnership with William B. Frazier close to the mills. Jacob also owned the first general store in the township at the mill site. It was a small store, but certainly much better than nothing in those times. State Road Bridge just to the north of the GPS coordinates was constructed in 1983.

Sherman – Geneva and Saybrook Township
Location: 41.817462, -80.904346   
on US 20 approximately halfway between Geneva and Saybrook
Remnants: none known
Description: Sherman’s status as a town didn’t last long. Its only known cartographic appearance was on the Ohio map in the 1901 George Cram atlas along the New York, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad (Nickel Plate Road).

Steeles Corners – Cherry Valley Township
Location: 41.606931, -80.648752   
on US 6 at the intersection of Hayes Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Its original proprietors were Jesse Steele (1788 – 1853) and Theodocia (Woodruff) Steele (1787 – 1870s). They moved to Ohio from Connecticut, arrived in Ashtabula County in 1816, and had a few children. The family moved to Cherry Valley Township in 1827. There was a general store and a blacksmith shop in the northwest corner of the intersection in the mid-1800s. Alpheus W. Steele (1818 – 1907), a son of Jesse and Theodocia, owned a watch and jewelry repair shop at the same corner in the late 1800s. Steeles Corners faded out of existence prior to 1900 while being squeezed between the more popular towns of Cherry Valley and West Andover which are less than 3 miles apart. Alpheus was buried with relatives in Oakdale Cemetery 13 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 167 (E Beech St) and N Market St in Jefferson. Jesse was buried with relatives in Cherry Valley Cemetery on the north side of US 6 about 1/2 of a mile west of the GPS coordinates. It’s unknown where Theodocia was buried. 

Watsons Corners – Colebrook Township
Location: 41.557506, -80.790356   
on Fee Rd at the intersection of W Windsor Rd
Remnants: North Colebrook Cemetery on Fee Rd just south of the GPS coordinates
Description: The town was founded by Joseph Mitchell Watson (1822 – 1876) and Mary Jane (Courson) Watson (1821 – 1892). They had 8 children, moved to Ohio from Pennsylvania around 1870, and owned an 80-acre farm in the southwest lot of the intersection. A school was on their farm on the south side of W Windsor Rd west of the GPS coordinates and was pinpointed in the 1874 county atlas. Although it predates the family’s arrival in Ohio, North Colebrook Cemetery was also established on what was the Watson farm. Back then, it just comprised of the section on the east side of Fee Rd. Joseph and Mary Jane were buried with relatives and other early pioneers from the area in the cemetery, including the Beckwith family who previously owned the land and members of the Fee family who the road was named after.

Athens County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Alexander (Southtown) – Alexander Township
Post Office: 1825 – 1850
Location: unknown
Description: This first settlement in the township was about 6 miles south of Athens and had the nickname “Southtown”, which was originally designated to the entire township. Unfortunately, the early township records were lost in a fire around 1827 and there isn’t much info on the place. The known postmasters were Benjamin M. Parks, E. N. Nichols, and William Patterson. The Patterson family owned land along Biddle Creek on Fisher Rd (Co Rd 17), Ladd Ridge Rd (Co Rd 76), and Williams Rd (Township Hwy 55) listed in the 1875 county atlas. However, without earlier maps, we are unable to pinpoint the exact location. William Patterson (1803 – 1872) married Elizabeth (Cooper) Patterson (1810 – 1892), had a few children, and was buried with relatives in Alexander Union Cemetery at the intersection of Hebbardsville Rd (Co Rd 19) and Red Ln.

Brettland (Bretland) (Lick Run) (Laurel Hill) – York Township
Post Office: 1871 – 1891 and 1875 – 1882
Location: 39.455376, -82.268905
on SR 278 along the Hocking River between Nelsonville and the Hocking County border
Remnants: none known
Description: This coal mining town had a school, company store, and a train station on the Columbus & Hocking Valley Railroad. Brettland’s plat, along with the school, was on the north side of SR 278 on the west side of the GPS coordinates. A couple of the coal company built houses were recently demolished, but they can be seen on a 2007 Google Maps street view just west of the GPS coordinates. The Lick Run Coal Works and company store were just east of SR 278 about 1 1/3 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates. A railroad switch ran southwest from the Columbus & Hocking Valley Railroad, headed south briefly crossing in and back out of Starr Township, Hocking County, and went down to the coal works. The post office was called Bretland from 1875 – 1882 and went by Lick Run the rest of the time. Its known postmasters were Michael Riser, Frank W. Peet, and C. D. Woodward. The coordinates are pinpointed at what was Warren St on the north side of SR 278. Although it was considered to be a separate town, we’re also covering Laurel Hill and its coal works in this one listing. Laurel Hill was on the east side of the GPS coordinates and appears to have shared the train station on the Columbus & Hocking Valley Railroad which was on the northern end of Warren St. As it tended to ramble on a bit, all of this geographical info is more easily visually sorted out by looking it up on page 17 of the 1875 county atlas. The area now goes by the name of East Clayton.

Detroit (Canaanville) – Canaan Township
Location: 39.319326, -81.988798
on Canaanville Rd at the intersection of Mine Rd
Remnants: old houses and business buildings in the area
Description: Detroit was platted in 1855 and was between Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad and the Baltimore Short Line Railroad. Back then, the center of Canaanville was about 3/4 of a mile northwest of the GPS coordinates on McAfee Rd at Canaanville United Methodist Church and Cemetery. It was established in 1834 and had enjoyed decent growth for a small town. Detroit, on the other hand, wasn’t growing very well. Although it had a Methodist Church, a school, and the Hocking Valley Oil Company owned some land in the area, it just wasn’t attracting residents as planned. Detroit wasn’t pinpointed on the Ohio map in the 1901 George Cram atlas, indicating it had already fallen into obscurity by then. As US 50 / SR 32 was improved and widened in the 1900s, Cannanville shifted southeast and is presently centered where Detroit’s plat was. Canaanville is now also rather oddly split by US 50 / SR 32 and its concrete safety barriers, seemingly showing the importance of the highway to the state in comparison to the importance of the town. Some of the buildings near the GPS coordinates date back to the days of Detroit and its nearly forgotten history. 

Englishtown –  York Township
Post Office: 1821 – 1823
Location: 39.456951, -82.225953
on Poplar St in the east side of Nelsonville
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by George Courtauld (1767 – 1823) who was a wealthy silk and textile manufacturer from England. He purchased the land in 1818 and persuaded some of his friends to move there. George’s intention may have had some sort of a Utopian influence, as the residents were reportedly supposed to own all the property in common. The cabins were arranged in a semicircle and George operated a store and post office in Englishtown until his untimely death. If it wasn’t for that, he would have had more of a chance to grow the town and increase its chances of survival. Most of the residents moved back to England after George passed away and the post office moved to nearby Nelsonville. George was laid to rest in Allegheny Cemetery on Butler St in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Floodwood Station (Old Floodwood) (Rock Oak) – York Township
Post Office: 1856 – 1871 and 1871 – 1913
Location: 39.414495, -82.198216
on Monk Rd (Township Hwy 271) between SR 691 and the Hocking River along the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway
Remnants: remains of the dam in the Hocking River, former railroad trestle piers, building foundations, loose building bricks in the area
Description: Floodwood Station started out as a farming and mill community in the early 1800s. One of the earliest settlers, the Mourn family, built a saw mill and a general store in the 1820s. The population boomed when coal was discovered in the area in the mid-1800s. Burton B. Sheffield, who moved to the town in 1836 from Rhode Island with his parents, ran the Floodwood Coal Co. and had several mines on 700 acres of land next to the banks of Floodwood Creek. A coal works was built on the west side of SR 691 across from the intersection of Monk Rd. The town also had a school and a store on the east side of SR 691 across from the coal works, about 50 houses, and a train station with another store next to the Columbus & Hocking Valley Railroad along the Hocking River. The post office was called Rock Oak from 1856 – 1871. Its known postmasters were Samuel D. Workman and Joseph Miller. The known postmasters over the Floodwood office from 1871 – 1913 were Nathan B. Sheffield, William H. Wallace, William S. Larimer, J. S. Martin, Robert C. Cox, and William Tague. New Floodwood sprang up on the east side of the Hocking River. It had over 600 houses in 1883. Floodwood Station was abandoned after the coal works closed and mining production stopped in the early 1900s. Part of the town’s broken dam can be seen when the river is low. Some loose bricks, house and building foundations, and a set railroad trestle piers can also be found along the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway (the former railroad path) from Floodwood Station. New Floodwood is still in existence today on US 33, but it’s not nearly as large as it once was.
Thanks to group member Brett Taylor, manager of Ohio Hiking Trails and Historical Sites, for providing the listing lead, pic, and much of the info on Floodwood!

Goose Run – Trimble Township
Location: 39.493400, -82.152008
on Goose Run Rd between SR 78 and Taylor Ridge Rd
Remnants: Bethel Ridge Cemetery on the south side of Goose Run Rd about 1/4 of a mile southeast of the GPS coordinates, old houses in the area
Description: It had a Methodist Church north of the cemetery and a school on Goose Run Rd about 1 1/2 miles south of the GPS coordinates. Many of the residents worked in the mining industry for the Snow Fork & Cleveland Coal Company and were buried in Bethel Ridge Cemetery.

Harmony – Canaan Township
Location: 39.326403, -82.005401
on S Canaan Rd at the intersection of Harmony Rd along the Hocking River
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded in 1836 by business tycoon Samuel B. Pruden (1798 – 1863) from Norristown, New Jersey who arrived in the county with his father’s family in 1815. Samuel built an oil mill, grist mill and saw mill, and a salt works. The salt works and a general store were on the south side of Harmony Rd about 1/3 of a mile northeast of the intersection and were pinpointed in the 1875 county atlas. A couple of schools were on the south side of town on a road that has long since disappeared. Samuel also served a term as an associate judge, a state representative from 1854 – 1855, and was a trustee of Ohio University for several years. He married Mary (Cranston) Pruden (1800 – 1861), had a few children, and was buried with relatives in Pruden Cemetery 2 1/2 miles west of the GPS coordinates on private property in the southeast corner of the intersection of Harmony Rd and Terrell Rd.

Hixon (Hixson) – Ames Township
Post Office: 1880 – 1901
Location: 39.415479, -82.051864
on Lafollette Rd (Township Hwy 334) at the intersection of Carl Rd
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: The proprietor Peter Hixson (born c. 1821 – 1902) moved to Ames Township from Pennsylvania at an early age with his parents, Amos Hixson (1798 – 1863) and Mary (O’Neal) Hisxon (1795 – 1875). Peter married Margaret (Carter) Hixson (1823 – 1859) in 1842 and had at least 7 children. After Margaret passed away, he married Caroline (Courtney) Hixson (1821 – 1899) in 1860. Peter accumulated over 1,000 acres of fine grazing land and had much success in raising large numbers of livestock. A church was about 1/2 of a mile east of the GPS coordinates on the north side of the intersection of Lafollette Rd and Stella Rd. The town had a couple of local schools. Its known postmasters were G. M. McDougal and David O’Neal. Peter was buried with relatives 4 1/2 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates in Hooper Ridge Cemetery on Hooper Ridge Rd (Co Rd 36). Some of the other Hixson family members can be found in McDougal Cemetery 1 1/3 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates on the west side of McDougal Rd.

Hocking – Waterloo Township
Post Office: 1870 – 1877
Location: 39.367553, -82.265221
on SR 56 at the intersection of  Hocking St along Hewett Fork
Remnants: old houses in the area
Description: Hocking had a school and a train station on the Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad. Elam Frost (1831 – 1899) was the only known postmaster. He married Samantha (Everton) Frost (1831 – 1895) in Adams County, Illinois in 1854. They had 6 children and made a very abnormal move at the time back east to Ohio. After living in Hocking, the family relocated about as far west as possible along the old famed Oregon Trail route. Elam and Samantha were laid to rest with relatives in Independent Order of Oddfellows (Star #23 Rebekah Community) Cemetery on the west side of US 197 (The Dalles – California Hwy) in Wasco County, Oregon. Despite losing the train station, its post office, the school, and status of a town, the Hocking area was never abandoned and mostly consists of relatively newer residences with a few from the late 1800s remaining.

Ingham (Ingham Station) – Waterloo Township, Athens County and Brown Township, Vinton County
Post Office: 1903 – 1904
Location: 39.311475, -82.300541
on the former railroad path between Rockcamp Rd and Hope – Moonville Rd
Remnants: electric poles lining the former railroad path, mine shaft entrances, and mining tools on hiking trails off the former railroad path
Description: The town was between Moonville and Kings Station on the Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad (later bought by the B&O). It’s about a 1 1/3 miles hike on the former railroad path from both Moonville Tunnel and Kings Hollow Tunnel with comparable difficulty in making the creek crossings where the train trestles have since been removed. Ingham was founded in 1856 by brothers W. J. and J. M. Ingham. It had a school, general store, train station, coal tipple, and several residences scattered about the area along with a few buildings and structures for the mining industry. The mail went through Kings Station post office from 1865 until it was discontinued in 1894. Ingham had its own office from 1903 – 1904 with William M. Jaynes serving as the postmaster. The town was abandoned around 1914 shortly after the mines closed. Trains continued to roll through the area until the railroad line, owned by CSX at the time, was officially abandoned in 1987 and the tracks were disassembled the following year. There are some foundations, mine shaft entrances, and other remnants along the hiking trails off of the railroad path.

Kings Station, OH (King’s Hollow) – Waterloo Township
Post Office: 1865 – 1894
Location: 39.319832, -82.284417
on King Hollow Trail where it meets Rockcamp Rd and the former railroad path at a Y intersection
Remnants: King’s Hollow Tunnel just northeast of the interesection along the former railroad path
Description: Kings Station was another coal mining town with a train station on the Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad (later bought by the B&O). It was northeast of Moonville and Ingham (Ingham Station), which were on the same railroad line, and had the same fate in becoming a ghost town. The hollow was named after the King family in the area. Although the previous generation of the family started the coal enterprise, Silas D. King (1840 – 1909) was the head proprietor for most of its existence. He married Sarah (Lyons) King (1851 – 1933) and had at least 2 children. The town was on the southwest side of its wood railroad tunnel which was built in 1855 – 1856 and is a rare sight to see in Ohio. It had a general store, row of wooden houses, a school, coal tipple, and a blacksmith shop. Irwin R. King was the first postmaster. He was succeeded by Samuel H. King (1838 – 1914) who was buried with relatives 5 miles east of the GPS coordinates in New Marshfield Cemetery on Co Rd 6. Elmer G. Biddison (1863 – 1938) was the last postmaster and was buried in Athens (West Union Street Cemetery) in Athens. Silas and Sarah were laid to rest in Elk (McArthur) Cemetery on SR 93 (N Market St) in McArthur.

Linscott – Ames Township, Athens County and Homer Township, Morgan County
Post Office: 1878 – 1903
Location: 39.460913, -82.043498
on Hooper Ridge Rd (Co Rd 86) at the intersection of Boudinot Ln
Remnants: Concord Church and Cemetery a mile south of the GPS Coordinates on Kasler Creek
Description: This small farming and postal town was founded by the Linscott family from Maine which owned land in both Ames and Homer Township. Albert W. Wolfe (1848 – 1926) was the only known postmaster. He moved to Franklin County and was buried with relatives in Green Lawn Cemetery on Greenlawn Ave in Columbus. The present Concord Church brick structure was completed in 1895. Some members of the Linscott family were buried in Concord Cemetery and Hooper Ridge Cemetery on Hooper Ridge Rd in Ames Township.

Lyda (Lydia) – Troy Township, Athens County and Olive Township, Meigs County
Post Office: 1889 – 1904
Location: 39.181197, -81.781871
on Lydia Rd (Township Hwy 163A) at the intersetion of Township Rd Hwp 420
Remnants: Lyndon Cemetery 1/2 of a mile northeast of the GPS coordinates on the east side of Lyndon Rd (Township Hwy 419, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Lyda was a small farming town without a village. The significance of the spelling difference between the town name and road name is unknown. The known postmasters were William E. Brindley, Thomas J. Miller, Frederick C. Swearinger, and again William E. Brindley.

Marshallville – Trimble Township, Athens County and Monroe Township, Perry County
Location: 39.554487, -82.140627
on Johnson Run Rd between Indian Run Rd (Co Rd 20) and Township Hwy 310 (Town Hwy 435) along Johnson Run
Remnants: Beech Grove Church and Cemetery (Conn Church and Cemetery) 2 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates on Township Hwy 281 (Town Hwy 435), Walnut Grove (Maxwell) Cemetery about a mile southeast of the GPS coordinates on the south side of Walnut Grove Rd
Description: There aren’t many ghost towns in the state as remote as Marshallville. Its proprietor was an E. Marshall who owned a 103-acre farm on the southeast side of the GPS coordinates and another 120 acres in Monroe Township, Perry County. The town had a general store, harness shop, a saw mill owned by Straight & Conn, and a small cluster of houses. The village was on the south side of Johnson Run. Its buildings were pinpointed on page 9 of the 1875 county atlas. A school was south of the GPS coordinates on the Roberts farm near what’s now the northern end of Sunday Creek Rd. Beech Grove (Conn) Church has had some restoration and appears to be in excellent preserved condition for its age. There was a Methodist church at Walnut Grove (Maxwell) Cemetery. Walnut Grove Rd probably isn’t passable to the cemetery these days. More info on how to get there is available on its Find A Grave page. Many residents of Marshallville were buried in both cemeteries.

Mud Sock (Mudsock) (Deans) – Ames Township
Post Office: 1821 – 1837
Location: 39.396667, -81.963194
on SR 550 along McDougall Branch between Brawley Rd and Jago Valley Rd (Township Hwy 478
Remnants: Mud Sock (Amesville) Cemetery at the GPS Coordinates
Description: Named after its tendency to have muddy roads due to the low-lying terrain, Mud Sock was founded by Revolutionary War veteran Captain Silas Dean (1767- 1810), settled by members of the Ohio Land Company, and served as a stagecoach stop. The town had a log schoolhouse built in 1804 near the entrance of the cemetery. A nephew of Silas, War of 1812 veteran Colonel Nathan Dean Jr. (1788 – 1837) from Bristol County, Massachusetts acquired some of the land after Silas died. He married Fannie (Lane) Dean (1796 – 1873) in 1815 and had 9 children. Nathan was a brickmaker, Freemason, businessman, and ran the general store and post office. Mudsock was abandoned as Amesville sprang up and was subsequently platted in 1839, as that location was deemed more desirable for growing a town. Nathan was laid to rest with relatives and other residents in Mud Sock Cemetery.

Mount Auburn – Dover Township
Location: 39.456011, -82.093853
on Bell Rd north of the intersection of Monserat Rd (Township Hwy 332)
Remnants: none known
Description: Mount Auburn was founded in 1861 by Reverend Jonathan Perkins Weethee (1812 – 1899) and was the site of Weethee College. The location was pinpointed on page 25 on the 1875 county atlas on the border of sections 12 and 18. Among his many accomplishments, Jonathan attended Ohio University from 1827 – 1832, became a Presbyterian minister and a teacher, and published a few books. He was married twice and was buried with relatives 4 1/2 miles south of the GPS coordinates in Nye Cemetery at the intersection of SR 13 in and Monroe St in Chauncey.

New Bern (Utley) – Bern Township
Post Office: 1886 – 1909
Location: 39.368458, -81.909943
on Felton Rd (Co Rd 84) at the intersection of Brawley Rd
Remnants: Wilson Chapel and Sand Rock Cemetery on Felton Rd 1/4 of a mile north of the GPS coordinates
Description: New Bern was a small farming town. It has a school on the west side of Felton Rd 3/4 of a mile north of the GPS coordinates on a 50-acre farm owned by the Matthews family. Its post office was called Utley. The known postmasters were Charles O. Pond, J. T. Johnston, Blanch Marquis, Michael Ryan, Delia M. Ryan, and G. H. Clark. Residents were buried in Sand Rock Cemetery.

Sparta
Location: unknown
Description: It was listed in The Ohio Gazetteer, Or, Topographical Dictionary and The Ohio Gazetteer and Traveler’s Guide from 1829 – 1841 as a small village in the county with no location info.

Auglaize County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Amsterdam – German Township (formerly in Mercer County)
Location: 40.422303, -84.378132   
on Amsterdam Rd at the intersection SR 66 (S Washington St)
Remnants: none known
Description: Amsterdam was platted by German immigrants with 65 lots in 1837 along the Miami & Erie Canal. It had around 20 houses, several stores, a grist mill, and a distillery. The town was abandoned after a cholera epidemic in 1849. Over 100 residents perished from the disease. Although often paraphrased from the county history books and other resources, we rarely include quoted texts in the town listings, but deemed it historically necessary in this case. David Armstrong of Saint Marys (1833 – 1924) was around 16 years old when he witnessed the town’s extinction and later stated in the last remaining year or so of his life as follows concerning Amsterdam. “The settlement continued until visited by the cholera scourge in 1849, when the entire population of the village was exterminated. No man, woman or child escaped the ravages of the awful disease. There was no human being left to carry on. Their habitations decayed, returned to dust, and Amsterdam became a rapidly vanishing memory.  Its former location is now no more than countryside and its fields of waving grain voice no echo of the time when busy housewives there plied a daily care, when prattling children were engaged in the amusements of their age, and where crude forefathers of the hamlet regarded it as a metropolis in embryo. Amsterdam is a ghost town of a past whereof no chronicles were written.” The residents were interred in a mass grave across from Saint Paul’s Church in New Bremen on N Herman St. A public park was built over the graveyard in 1948 and the remaining headstones were laid flat and buried. Amsterdam’s former plat was annexed into New Bremen in 1876.

Bay – Moulton and Washington Township
Location: 40.554254, -84.277848  
on Bay Rd at the former railroad crossing between Plant Pike and Washington Pike Rd (Co Hwy 130)
Remnants: Zion (Lutheran) Cemetery on private property just northeast of the GPS coordinates on the south side of Plant Pike
Description: The proprietors were Revered William E. Bay (1832 – 1909) from Ohio and Elizabeth (Motter) Bay (1834 – 1905) from Pennsylvania. They got married in 1851, had 9 children including 3 who passed away before their parents, and owned a 65-acre farm on the northwest side of the GPS coordinates in the late 1800s to early 1900s. William became an ordained minister in 1861 and did missionary work for the United Brethren Church while traveling to Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ontario, Canada at various times throughout his career. William and Elizabeth were laid to rest with relatives about 3 miles east of the GPS coordinates in Greenlawn Cemetery on the SR 67 (Plant Pike) in Wapakoneta. The Toledo & Ohio Central Railroad rolled through the area in the early 1900s, but it arrived too late to make an impact on Bay which was never platted and couldn’t compete with the nearby towns of Moulton or Wapakoneta. Bay was mostly a memory by then, and its GPS coordinates could have just as aptly been pinpointed to the north at the intersection of Plant Pike and Bay Rd which would coincide more with its heyday.

Bingville – Union Township
Location: 40.629652, -84.003523
on Buckland Holden Rd between Graham Rd and Santa Fe Line Rd (Co Hwy 251)
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Bingville was on the Ohio Electric Railway in the early 1900s. It had a store near the GPS coordinates, which has since been demolished, and a school in the southeast corner of the intersection of Buckland Holden Rd and Graham Rd where Voice Of Victory Chruch presently stands. The railway passed through a 127-acre farm, the largest in the area at the time, owned by Dennis Horn (1848 – 1933) and Lunetta (Dudgeon) Horn (1849 – 1939) on the southeast side of the GPS coordinates. Dennis and Lunetta had several children and were buried with many relatives in Fairmount Cemetery 3 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates on the north side of Fairmount Rd (Co Hwy 180). The train tracks have also been removed, but the former path can be on satellite maps heading northwest from Waynesfield.
Thanks to Photos & Memories Of Waynesfield-Ohio for providing the location info on Bingville!

Deep Cut – Salem Township (formerly in Mercer County) and Spencer Township, Allen County
Post Office: 1840 – 1882
Location: 40.682015, -84.364163
on Deep Cut Rd at the intersection of SR 66
Remnants: Deep Cut Historical Park on the northwest side of the GPS coordinates, Mount Union Church and Deep Cut Cemetery about 3/4 of a mile southwest of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Deep Cut Rd and Briggs Rd
Description: It was named after a stretch of the Miami & Erie Canal which was dug up to 52 feet deep instead of the usual 5 feet, done so to keep from having to construct locks to get the water over the natural ridge in the area. The deep cut is preserved in the park. It was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1964 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. In the mid-1800s, the town had shipping warehouse and a combined general store and post office in the northwest corner of the intersection. A grocery store was just west of the GPS coordinates in the southwest corner of the intersection of Deep Cut Rd and Delphos – St Marys Rd (Co Rd 66A). There was a school (Salem Township No. 6) in the southeast corner of the intersection of Deep Cut Rd and Briggs Rd. In the later 1800s, a new school and a tile yard were in the northwest corner of the intersection of Deep Cut Rd and Deep Cut Spencerville Rd (Township Hwy 55) on a 92-acre farm owned by German immigrant and Civil War veteran William F. Henne (1842 – 1928) and his wife Susanna Henne (1852 – 1931). They were buried with relatives in Spencerville Cemetery 1 1/2 miles north of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 66 and Kolter Rd. Mount Union Church and Deep Cut Cemetery sprang up on a 119-acre farm owned by the Ritzhaupt family. The known postmasters over the years were E. N. Martin, Michael Howbert, S. Hyatt, Charles C. Marshall, Nathan H. Webb, E. P. Howell, Andrew J. Pickerell, Calvin E. Riley, and John A. Murlin.

Layton – Union Township
Post Office: 1895 – 1904
Location: unknown
Description: This short lived postal and farming town was listed on the Ohio map in the 1901 George Cram atlas, but we have as of yet been unable to pinpoint its location. John C. Harrod (1863 – 1937) was the first postmaster. He married Addie (Greer) Murray (1867 – 1934) in 1887, had a few children, and owned a couple of lots in Union Township during the time period in question. John and Addie were laid to rest in Fairmount Cemetery on the north side of Fairmount Rd (Co Hwy 180) between Boundary Rd and Wrestle Creek Rd. Isaac J. Murray  (1850 – 1913) from Fayette County, Pennsylvania was the last postmaster and was buried with relatives in Sugar Ridge Cemetery on the north side of SR 613 in Leipsic, Putnam County.

Mohrmansville – German Township
Location: 40.443328, -84.375089   
on Lock 2 North Rd (Township Hwy 55A) near the intersection of Klee Ave
Description: The town was founded in 1838 by German immigrant Bernard H. Mohrman (1798 – 1870). He was buried with relatives in German (Lock Two) Cemetery a mile north of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Lock 2 Rd (County Hwy 70) and New Bremen New Knoxville Rd. The area was annexed into New Bremen in 1876.

Ober Bremen – German Township
Location: 40.432178, -84.379501   
on S Washington St on the east side of New Bremen
Remnants: none known
Description: Ober Bremen was founded by German immigrants Gerhard Ellerman (1811 – 1888) and Anna (Uphaus) Ellerman (1814 – 1891). It was platted in 1853 and was annexed into New Bremen in 1876. Gerhard and Anna were buried with relatives in German (Lock Two) Cemetery at the intersection of Lock 2 Rd (County Hwy 70) and New Bremen New Knoxville Rd.

Petersburg – Pusheta Township (formerly in Allen County)
Location: 40.497000, -84.162952   
on Santa Fe – New Knoxville Rd between Cemetery Rd and Rupert Rd
Remnants: Petersburg Cemetery on the north side of the GPS coordinates, historical markers on the roadside and in the cemetery
Description: Petersburg was the site of the first Roman Catholic congregation in the township which was established as Saints Peter and Paul in 1835. German immigrants John Ruppert (1795 – 1880) and Anna (Roth) Ruppert (1795 – 1882), who arrived in the area in 1833, deeded land for a church in 1836 along with 40 acres to the congregation. Its first structure was a log cabin completed later that year. The town was platted on the 40 acres in 1852 but none of the lots sold. As membership in the congregation was declining, the log church was replaced with a brick structure at a different location in 1869 in the hope of creating new growth. The original log church was destroyed by a fire in 1884. A nice monument was placed next to Petersburg Cemetery at the spot of the altar in 1892. The congregation disbanded in 1897 and its brick church was subsequently dismantled. The county’s Petersburg Parishes was formed in 2009 in honor of the local history. John and Anna Ruppert were buried with relatives 2 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates in Saint Johns (Fryburg) Cemetery on the east side of Wapak – Freyburg Rd. George Ruppert (1845 – 1918) and German immigrant Anna (Kaufmann) Rupert (1855 – 1934) got married in 1871, acquired the 40-acre church and cemetery site, and expanding their surrounding farm to 150 acres. They had a few children and were also laid to rest in Saint Johns (Fryburg) Cemetery.

Pusheta Town – Moulton Township
Location: 40.566560, -84.229242   
on the north side of Fox Ranch Rd at the confluence of Pusheta Creek and the Auglaize River
Remnants: Pusheta Cemetery about 1/3 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates between SR 67 and US 33
Description: It was a Native American town led by Big Captain Johnny, as he was affectionately called. Big Captain Johnny was described as being somewhere around 7 feet tall and served as a scout and spy for the U.S. Army under General Harrison during the War of 1812. He reportedly died in 1819 and was buried in a native cemetery on the west side of Pusheta Creek near the confluence of the Auglaize River. Pusheta Cemetery probably isn’t the same place and has interments of pioneers who lived in the area after Big Captain Johnny’s tribe moved on. 

Rinehart (Rineharts) – Union Township
Post Office: 1856 – 1872
Location: 40.600503, -84.032290   
on SR 67 at the intersection of Wrestle Creek Rd
Remnants: Rinehart House in the northeast corner of the intersection, Mount Lookout (Rinehart) Cemetery on the south side of SR 67 about 1/3 of a mile east of the intersection, former one- room schoolhouse a mile east of the GPS coordinates
Description: The town was founded by Hugh T. Rinehart (1813 – 1891) and Juliana (Godfrey) Rinehart (1812 – 1881) who moved to Ohio from Virginia and were pioneers of the township. Hugh was a farmer, blacksmith, and the town’s postmaster. Their house was built in 1861 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The town also had a couple of local schools and a church. Union Township School No. 6 (formerly No. 9) is a mile east of the GPS coordinates on the south side of SR 67 across from the intersection of Graham Rd. As with the Rinehart House, it’s presently a private residence. Union Township School No. 5 (formerly No. 8) and a Lutheran church were on the south side of SR 67 a mile west of the GPS coordinates and have since been lost to time. Hugh and Juliana were buried with some of their children in Mount Lookout (Rinehart) Cemetery.

Vogelsangtown – German Township
Location: 40.432292, -84.385177   
on S Herman St on the southwest side of New Bremen
Remnants: none known
Description: It was founded in 1856 by German immigrants Friedrich Voglesang (1831 – 1897) and Sophia (Kuenning) Voglesang (1836 – 1909) who had 13 children. Freidrich was a farmer, flour mill owner, and businessman. The town was annexed into New Bremen in 1876 along with the 3 others already mentioned, Lock Two which is still a currently populated place, and Bremen’s original 1833 plat at the center of it all. Freidrich was granted a seat on the village council for his effort in contributing to the area’s growth. The Voglesangs were buried with relatives in German (Lock Two) Cemetery at the intersection of Lock 2 Rd (County Hwy 70) and New Bremen New Knoxville Rd.

Belmont County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Acer – Pease Township
Location: 40.070679, -80.758540
on US 40 (National Road) at the intersection of Patterson Rd along Frazier Run
Remnants: none known
Description: Acer was laid out with 72 lots, 2 outlots, and a small park between Patterson Rd and Bench St. A picture of the plat was listed on page 13 of the 1888 county atlas. The town was never abandoned but eventually got annexed into Bridgeport, likely prior to 1900 as Acer wasn’t listed on the Ohio map in the 1901 George Cram atlas.

Becketts Station – Smith Township
Location: 39.948595, -80.921492
on Watt Rd (Township Hwy 120) south off of SR 147 (Centerville Jacobsburg Rd) along Rocky Fork
Remnants: none known
Description: John T. Beckett (1821 – 1894) was the proprietor of a train station on the Bellaire, Zanesville, & Cincinnati Railroad. The town also had a school (Smith Township No. 12) near the GPS coordinates. John was buried with relatives in Scatterday Cemetery about 3 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 147 and Coulter Rd (Township Hwy 245).

Brownfield – Wayne Township
Post Office: 1826 – 1840
Location: unknown
Description: It was listed in The Ohio Gazetteer, Or, Topographical Dictionary and The Ohio Gazetteer and Traveler’s Guide from 1829 – 1841 and was named after a branch of the Brownfield family in the county. John Mechem (1798 – 1858) was the first know postmaster. He married Abigail (Moore) Meechem (1803 – 1890) in 1821 and had 7 children. They were farmers and lived in Belmont and Monroe Counties in Ohio and also in Illinois and Iowa. John was buried with relatives in Beallsville Old Methodist Cemetery on the north side of SR 145 (Ohio Ave) in Beallsville, Monroe County. Abigail was laid to rest with relatives in Violet Hill (Saint Patricks) Cemetery on 8th St in Perry in Dallas County, Iowa.

Chamberlain
Location: unknown
Description: Chamberlain had a stagecoach stop and tavern on US 40 (National Road) near Saint Clairsville in the early to mid-1800s. The National Road was completed through Belmont County in 1825. Back in its heyday, it was 80 feet wide and could accommodate up to 6 lanes of horse carriage traffic. Caravans of hauling wagons run by 6 – 12 horses and loaded with several tons of cargo lined the road from sunrise to sunset, along with droves of livestock and the much faster stagecoaches. Wagon stands were usually about a mile apart. They were shelters or barns attached to taverns for wagons to park for the night and had a service window to the tavern for easy access to refreshments. Larger taverns with more guest rooms and amenities averaged 12 miles apart along the National Road.

Clevengers – Flushing Township
Location: 40.169139, -81.155223
on the former railroad path on the southwest side of SR 331 along Boggs Fork
Remnants: none known
Description: The proprietors Thomas Clevenger (1840 – 1914) and Isabella (Morrison) Clevenger (1845 – 1920) donated land for the track bed and a train station on the Cleveland, Lorain, & Wheeling Railroad (later the B&O). They got married in 1867, had 3 children, and owned a 178-acre farm. Thomas and Isabella were successful farmers and livestock raisers. They were buried with relatives in Rock Hill Baptist Church Cemetery about 4 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates on the south side of Belmont Ridge Rd. The former railroad path can still be seen on satellite maps.

Dorsey – Washington Township
Post Office: 1887 – 1919
Location: 39.918116, -80.916432
on Rocky Fork Rd off of Ramsey Ridge Rd along Rocky Fork
Remnants: none known
Description: It was originally along the Bellaire, Zanesville, & Cincinnati Railroad (later became the Ohio River & Western Railroad). A passenger shelter was built in 1916. George W. Dorsey was the first postmaster. The last known postmaster was D. Penrose.

Dunfee – Mead Township
Location: 39.968564, -80.828043
on Ray Ramsey Rd (Township Hwy 713) between Wegee Rd and Hawthorne Hill Rd
Remnants: Vallonia Area Cemetery on the west side of Lockwood Run Rd about 1/4 of a mile north of the GPS coordinates
Description: The town was founded by James Dunfee (1820 – 1896) and Catherine (Meeks) Dunfee (1823 – 1891). They got married in 1847, had 10 children, and donated land for the track bed of the Bellaire, Zanesville, & Cincinnati Railroad. A passenger shelter was constructed on the later Ohio River & Western Railroad in 1916. James was elected township trustee in in 1878 and was from a prominent family, a grandson of county pioneers Oliver Dunfield Dunfee (1765 – 1835) and Rosanna Dunfee (1771 – 1823). Everyone mentioned in this listing was laid to rest in Dunfee (Lashley / Wegee Area) Cemetery about 3 1/2 miles east of the GPS coordinates on the west side of Lashley Hill Rd (Township Hwy 716).

Egypt, OH (Egypt Mills) – Kirkwood Township
Location: 40.085233, -81.128718
on Salem Ridge Rd heading east off of Co Rd 108
Remnants: Salem Cemetery on the on the north side of Salem Ridge Rd about 1 1/2 miles east of the GPS coordinates, Old Egypt (Circle) Cemetery on Salem Ridge Rd about 3/4 of a mile east of the GPS coordinates, decaying abandoned houses and farm buildings in the area, wooden train bridge on the former railroad path
Description: It had a few residents as early as the first decade of the 1800s but didn’t become a town until the mid-1800s. Egypt had a school, general store, a train station on the B&O Railroad, and a post office called Egypt Mills from 1852 – 1857. Another post office named Egypt was in operation from 1883 – 1905. The most popular locations these days are the 2 cemeteries, Salem and Old Egypt (Circle) Cemetery on Salem Ridge Rd, but there are also several decaying barns and houses in the area, a wood bridge, and remnants along the old railroad path. Egypt Valley Wildlife Area is well known for its ghost stories. Louiza Catharine Fox (1856 – 1869) was engaged to be married with the much older Thomas D. Carr (1846 – 1870), who was a Civil War veteran. They met through Alex Hunter, the owner of a local coal company who they both worked for. Thomas worked in the coal mines and Louiza was a servant in Alex’s house. The engagement between Thomas and Louiza was originally approved by her parents, but they changed their minds when they heard rumors around town about Thomas’s violent side. The marriage was called off and the rumors unfortunately turned out to be true. Thomas waited in the dark one night next to a road that Louiza used to walk home. She was with her little brother at the time, who Thomas told to go home so he could talk to Louiza. Instead of talking, Thomas kissed Louiza one last time and proceeded to slit her throat with a razor blade. Her little brother saw it happen from a distance and ran home to tell their parents. Thomas got arrested and was the first person hanged in Belmont County in 1870. Louiza is said to still haunt Salem Cemetery and can reportedly be seen or heard crying by her grave. Unlike most ghost stories around the state, the details concerning Louiza’s life story are real and historically accurate. Another location that visitors of the ghost town are drawn to is a memorial for the site of Louiza’s murder. It has since been moved from the original location. The memorial is on the north side of Starkey Rd (Township Hwy 546). As with all of the sites to explore, getting there is quite an experience. The roads are low on maintenance priority with no residents living in the area anymore. About a mile down the road from Salem Cemetery is the Old Egypt (Circle) Cemetery which is said to be haunted by the ghost of a truck driver who died in a crash around there. He lost an arm that was never found and the sounds of fingernails tapping on gravestones can supposedly be heard in the cemetery at night. The Old Egypt Cemetery is also reportedly haunted by “devil” dogs that guard it and can be heard howling in the woods nearby at night.

Flat Rock – Somerset Township
Location: 39.935217, -81.133190
on Flat Rock Rd at the intersection of Carter Rd
Remnants: Captina African Methodist Episcopal Cemetery on the west side of Oakes Pl about 1 mile northwest of the GPS coordinates, historical marker at the cemetery
Description: It was a farming town and had a couple of segregated schools on the south side of Flat Rock Rd near the GPS coordinates. There was also a church at the cemetery. It closed in 1962 and collapsed during a windstorm in 1978. Alexander L. Harper (1804 – 1889) from Virginia was an abolitionist and a Freemason who helped slaves escape on the Underground Railroad. He donated the land for the church and cemetery and was buried there with relatives and other residents. A farm called Flatrock just south of the GPS coordinates presently carries on the area’s historical name and the tradition of farming and livestock raising.

Gambletown (Gamble Town) – Colerain Township
Location: 40.134197, -80.797956
on the east side of Negus Rd (Township Hwy 456) south of Vickers Hill Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: It was platted 1803, suffered a major cholera epidemic in 1833, and didn’t last much longer after that. In the 1880 History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio it was stated that some of the foundation stones from the town still existed.

Kelsey – Smith Township
Post Office: 1882 – 1930
Location: 39.963448, -80.919009
on SR 147 (Centerville Jacobsburg Rd) between Shepherd Hill Rd (Township Hwy 237) and Watt Rd (Township Hwy 120)
Remnants: former one-room schoolhouse on the east side of SR 147 about 3/4 of a mile west of the GPS coordinates, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: The proprietors were William J. Kelsey (1834 – 1915) and Elizabeth (Ramage) Kelsey ( 1850 – 1914). They had 3 children, a 170-acre farm on the north side of the GPS coordinates, and donated land for a train station on the Bellaire, Zanesville, & Cincinnati Railroad. The station was constructed in 1880 and also served as a general store. It was lost to a fire in 2004. Robert J. Welch (1853 – 1926) was the first postmaster and was buried with relatives in Key Cemetery 3 miles east of town at the intersection of SR 147 and SR 655. A. R. Kelsey was the last known postmaster. William and Elizabeth were buried with relatives 2 1/2 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates in Centerville Cemetery on the north side of SR 147. The town’s former school is presently unused and in rapid decay.

Lucile – Pultney Township
Post Office: 1893 – 1901
Location: unknown
Description: It was listed on the Ohio map in the 1901 George Cram atlas. A. R. Johnson was the only known postmaster.

Media – Warren Township
Location: unknown
Description: Media was on the B&O Railroad between Baileys Mills and Barnesville and was listed on the Ohio map in the 1901 George Cram atlas.

Moore (Mooreville) – Washington Township
Location: 39.910988, -81.003315
on SR 148 (W Captina Hwy) at the intersection of Williamson Rd (Township Hwy 74)
Remnants: Belmont Ridge Christian Church and Cemetery 1 1/2 miles south of the GPS coordinates on the south side of SR 145, former one-room schoolhouse on the south side of SR 145 just east of the church
Description: It was founded by the Moore family in the township. Several of its members were laid to rest in Belmont Ridge Christian Church Cemetery. The former one-room schoolhouse is currently used for storage on a farm and was on land donated by the Caldwell family. Some of its members were also buried in the cemetery.

New Laferty (New Lafferty) – Union Township
Location: 40.102371, -81.033917
on Mt Hope Rd (County Rd 72) at the intersection of New Lafferty Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: It’s unknown exactly when New Lafferty existed, but there is still some semblance of a town on the south side of the GPS coordinates.

Patton Run – Pease Township
Location: 40.137027, -80.712518
on Picoma Rd at the railroad crossing between Pattons Run Rd and Old State Hwy 7 along Patton Run
Remnants: none known
Description: It was on the Bellaire, Zanesville, & Cincinnati Railroad in the late 1800s to early 1900s.

Pigeon Point – Warren Township
Location: 39.983614, -81.142582
on Sandy Ridge Rd at the intersection of Pigeon Point Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: none found

Rosemary – Flushing Township
Location: 40.145400, -81.076736
on SR 331 (Flushing Holloway Rd) at the intersection of Rosemary Camp Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Mine No. 1 of the Rosemary Coal Company was along the B&O Railroad about a mile west side of Flushing in the mid-1910s to mid-1920s. A residential area for the workers popped up around the GPS coordinates.

Samos – Flushing Township
Post Office: 1834 – 1840
Location: unknown
Description: Reverend Salmon Cowles (1784 – 1869) from Litchfield County, Connecticut founded Samos and was the town’s postmaster. He also established the Stillwater Presbyterian Church in 1832. Salmon later moved out of the state and was buried with relatives in West Point Cemetery on 7th St in West Point in Lee County, Iowa.

Upland – Pease Township
Post Office: 1899 – 1903
Location: 40.092958, -80.756783
on US 250 (Sunset Heights) at the intersection of Upland Ave
Remnants: Weeks Cemetery just west of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Old Cadiz Rd and Starlight Dr
Description: Upland was the name of the residential area surrounding Weeks Cemetery in the late 1800s to early 1900s. 

Wallace – Pultney Township
Post Office: 1832 – 1841
Location: unknown
Description: Scottish immigrant Richard Wallace (1792 – 1874) was the only known postmaster. He married Elizabeth (Reed) Wallace (1807 – 1881) and was buried with relatives in Rock Hill Cemetery on the west side of Patterson Hill Rd (Township Hwy 311) between Bellaire – High Ridge Rd and SR 149 (Bellaire Neffs Rd).

Wheatland Mills – Washington Township
Post Office: 1859 – 1863
Location: unknown
Description: Revolutionary War veteran Amos Glover (1762 – 1850) from Sussex County, Delaware was the postmaster. He moved out of the state and was buried with relatives in Croton Cemetery on the south side of 255th St (Co Rd J62) in Lee County, Iowa.

Wheeling Valley – Wheeling Township
Location: 40.145546, -80.902003
on Sloan Run Rd at the intersection of Wheeling Valley Rd along Cox Run
Remnants: Wheeling Valley Cemetery on the west side of the intersection
Description: The town had a small grist mill owned by John Farrell (1826 – 1911) from Virginia and Cynthia (Burris) Farrell (1825 – 1911). There was also a school on the south side of Sloan Run Rd south of the GPS Coordinates and a Presbyterian church at the cemetery. The church congregation formed in 1838 and built a frame structure the following year. It was pinpointed in the 1888 county atlas along with the school, but both have since been lost to time. John and Cynthia had several children and were buried with relatives and other residents in the cemetery.

Zebra – Goshen Township
Post Office: 1900 – 1903
Location: unknown
Description: Nathan Craig was the postmaster.

Brown County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Bloom Rose (Bloomrose) (Prall) – Sterling Township
Post Office: 1854 – 1869
Location: 39.103999, -83.998125
on Bloomrose Rd at the intersection of Blue Sky Park Rd along Fivemile Creek
Remnants: Bloomrose Church and Cemetery on the east side Bloomrose Rd south of the GPS coordinates
Description: The town had a school (Sterling Township No. 3) on the south side of Blue Sky Park Rd and a shoe shop on the west side of Bloomrose Rd south of the GPS coordinates. Its United Brethren congregation formed in 1845. The land for Bloomrose Church and cemetery was acquired by the congregation from Joseph Brown (1812 – 1886) who moved to Ohio from Maine and Zelinda Brown (1820 – 1847). Their son Joseph Bennett Brown was the first interment. Joseph was also the town’s postmaster and married Ruth Brown (1821 – 1886) after Zelinda passed away. The current brick church structure was built in 1883. In the late 1800s to early 1900s the town was called Prall and was named after the most prominent family in the area at the time. Several of their family members were also buried in the cemetery, dating back to Thomas Prall (1813 – 1874) from New Jersey and Catharine (Lefler) Prall from Ohio (1817 – 1895). The area lacked industry though and couldn’t compete with several other villages in the township which were more prosperous. Bloomrose  Church is still in operation.

Clover Valley – Pike Township
Post Office: 1858 – 1861
Location: 38.989562 -83.979175
on Oakland – Locust Ridge Rd (Co Hwy 20B) at the intersection of Gargonia Rd (Township Hwy 145) along Polecat Run
Remnants: none known
Description: It had a steam-powered saw mill in the northwest corner of the intersection and a school (Pike Township No. 2) a mile east of the GPS coordinates in the northwest corner of the intersection of Oakland – Locust Ridge Rd & New Harmony Shiloh Rd. James Redmon (1802 – 1873) was the postmaster. He was buried with relatives & other residents in Warner Cemetery 2 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates on the north side of SR 774 in Clark Township.

De La Palma (Delapalma) – Sterling Township
Post Office: 1850 – 1882 and 1898 – 1903
Location: 39.070747, -84.011858
on Dela Palma Rd at the intersection of Bardwell West Rd
Remnants: one-room schoolhouse at the intersection, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: De La Palma was founded by Absalom Day (1773 – 1839) Elizabeth (Earhart) Day (1776 – 1843). They were one of the original 10 families in Williamsburg, Clermont County and received a land plat for settling there when it was a newly formed town. Their daughter Mary, born June 28, 1797, was the first child born in Williamsburg. A few years later, sometime around 1800, the Day family moved to a farm next to Dela Palma Rd. Absalom and Elizabeth had with 12 children. Most of them married into families from nearby towns and moved away. The road into what would become the tiny town of De La Palma provided a good traveling route between Clermont County and that section of rural Brown County. In the mid-1800s, William Weeks (1810 – 1875) and Sophia Weeks (1814 – 1885) bought the Day farm and opened up a post office and general store. It ran from 1850 – 1882 and helped get De La Palma mentioned in the 1883 History of Brown County, Ohio as a postal town. The name later went by Delapalma with a post office of the same spelling from 1898 – 1903. There was also a cooper shop near the post office and a one-room schoolhouse (Sterling Township No. 2) which operated for a few decades and still stands at the corner of Dela Palma Rd and Bardwell West Rd. Absalom and Elizabeth were buried in Price Cemetery near the bank of Four Mile Creek in Clermont County. It’s on private property between Zimmer Rd and Ireton Rd. Abasolom’s father, Revolutionary War veteran Jeremiah Day (1752 – 1820), was also buried there. His mother’s grave, Sarah (Dod) Day’s, hasn’t been located yet.

Gerta (Gurta) (Slickaway) – Huntington Township
Post Office: 1863 – 1894
Location: 38.683342, -83.746846
on SR 763 between Stringtown Rd and E Fork Rd along Slickaway Run
Remnants: Martin Hill Cemetery on the north side of Martin Hill Rd between SR 763 and Scottfield Rd
Description: Gerta was the name of the post office at Slickaway, which is still a populated place. It had a mill, a school (Huntington Township No. 5) on the east side of SR 763 and a Christian church in the northwest corner of the intersection of SR 763 and Stringtown Rd. Martin Hill Cemetery was established on land owned by War of 1812 veteran Captain Elijah Martin (1768 – 1842) from Maryland and Rebecca (Boggs) Martin (1770 – 1848) from West Virginia. They had several children and were the largest family in the area. The local mill called Sharondale was built by famed frontiersman Daniel Boone in the early 1800s. It was on the north side of SR 41 next to Big Threemile Creek and was sold a few times until it caught fire in 1882. The mill didn’t get rebuilt.

Gillets (Gillette) – Lewis and Clark Township
Location: 38.887626, -83.946690
on SR 125 at the intersection of Gillette Station Rd (T-402)
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Gillets had a train station on the Cincinnati, Georgetown, & Portsmouth Railroad and was founded by John Gillette (1836 – 1908) from Franklin Parish, Louisiana and Tirzah (Richards) Gillette (1842 – 1928). They met and married in Brown County in 1858 and had at least 7 children. The old Gillette farm still exists in the northeast lot of the intersection of Gillette Station Rd and Barnes Rd. There are a few variations to the family surname, including Gilet, Gillet, and Gillett. John and Tirzah were buried with relatives in Confidence (Georgetown) Cemetery on Mt Orab Pike on the north side of Georgetown. The railroad ran from 1877 – 1936. Its tracks started in Columbia – Tusculum in Hamilton County but only made it as far as Russellville in Brown County due to funding problems. Most of the tracks are long gone but there are some remnants left of the railroad in Hamilton, Clermont, and Brown County.

Gordonville – Perry Township
Post Office: dates not listed
Location: unknown
Description: It was listed in the 1843 A Table Of Post-Offices In Ohio, Arranged By Counties, Townships, And Towns as being 25 miles from Georgetown. William B. Williams (1812 – 1887) moved to Ohio from Bucks County, Pennsylvania and was the postmaster. He was buried with relatives in Williamburg Cemetery on Gay St in Clermont County.

Henderson – Jackson Township
Location: 38.924278, -83.699034
on Greathouse Rd between Tamme Rd and Francis Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Jonathan Henderson (1767 – 1865) and Ellen Henderson moved to Ohio from Pennsylvania in 1820 along with some of their grown children and their families. Descendants of the family continued to live on the original farm for a few generations. Burials took place in Pleasant Hill Cemetery on the north side of Kendall Rd between Tamme Rd and Juillerat Rd. The town fell into obscurity before the late 1800s and didn’t make it into the 1876 county atlas.

Hillman – Pleasant Township
Location: 38.835605, -83.862562
on Hillman Ridge Rd along Evans Run south of Myers Rd
Remnants: Hillman Ridge Cemetery at the GPS Coordinates
Description: It was named after the Hill family in the area. They owned land south of the cemetery on the west side of Hillman Ridge Rd along Evans Run. The cemetery predates the town and its first know interment was English immigrant Issac Waters (1761 – 1814). Hillman had a school (Pleasant Township No. 6) across the road from the cemetery and a Christian church called Olive Chapel on Old State Rte 68. Evans Run Rd went from Old State Rte 68 across the creek and headed west over to Hillman Ridge Rd south of the GPS coordinates in the mid to late 1800s.

Lewis – Lewis Township
Post Office: 1819 – 1862
Location: unknown
Description: The town was listed in the 1843 A Table Of Post-Offices In Ohio, Arranged By Counties, Townships, And Towns as 8 miles away from Georgetown with no village.

Liberty – Byrd Township
Location: 38.817028, -83.735336
on SR 353 along Eagle Creek between SR 125 and W Fork Rd
Remnants: Liberty Chapel and Cemetery at the GPS coordinates
Description: This small farming town’s existence was solely due to its church congregation which formed in 1810. A creek stone chapel was constructed in 1817 and was replaced with the current wood frame structure in 1874 at a cost of $1200. Although the church and cemetery are still in use, the town never grew much and didn’t have any other industries besides farming. It fell off of the maps before the late 1800s.

Monroe – Pleasant Township
Location: 38.810526, -83.890714
on Old State Rte 68 along Sheep Run
Remnants: none known
Description: Amos Mitchell platted the town with 46 lots in the late 1810s before Georgetown was laid out, naming it after the 5th U.S. President James Monroe. None of the lots sold and Amos had the only cabin in the failed town. The plat was between Old US Rte 68 and an abandoned section of Frost Rd that formerly headed north up Sheep Run.

Murrays Corners – Perry Township
Location: 39.191204, -83.897202
on US 50 at the 4-way intersection of SR 251 and Murray Corner Rd
Remnants: Thumann Log House in the northwest corner of the intersection
Description: The Thumann Log House was originally a log cabin structure built as a tavern in 1811. It was remodeled with wood frame in the 1840s and turned into an important stagecoach stop between Chillicothe and Cincinnati. The Murray family purchased the property in 1851 and operated the tavern and hotel into the 1900s. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

North Feesburg – Clark Township
Location: 38.907038, -83.969566
on SR 125 at the intersection of N Feesburg Rd (Township Hwy 401)
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: North Feesburg was on the Cincinnati, Georgetown, & Portsmouth Railroad between Hammersville and Gillets. It served as a stopping point for local residents to utilize the speedy train services. As with all of the other small towns along the former railroad that aren’t around these days, its birth and death coincided with the arrival and removal of the tracks.

O’Conners
Post Office: 1833 – 1836
Location: unknown
Description: It was founded by a branch of the O’Conner family in the county and was listed in The Ohio Gazetteer and Traveler’s Guide from 1837 – 1841. John H. O’Conner was the postmaster. The family dropped the O’ from their surname and changed it Connor and Conner in certain branches in the mid to late 1800s.

Salem (Salem Station) (Eastwood) – Sterling Township
Post Office: 1876 – 1935
Location: 39.048848, -83.984619
on Eastwood Rd at the railroad crossing between SR 32 and Tri County Hwy
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Salem was the name of the train station on the Cincinnati & Eastern Railroad (Cincinnati, Portsmouth, & Virginia) at present-day Eastwood. The town had a Methodist Episcopal Church which is currently a private residence on Salem Church Rd south of the GPS coordinates. George W. Smith (1817 – 1898) was the first postmaster at Eastwood. He was buried with relatives in Bloomrose Cemetery on Bloomrose Rd. Morgan’s Raiders also passed through Salem in July of 1863 during the Civil War. Norfolk Southern owns the railroad now.

Skiffsville – Lewis Township
Post Office: 1894 – 1905
Location: 38.823875 -84.025099
on Skiffsville Rd at the intersection of Bramel Rd (Township Hwy 297) along Middle Branch Bullskin Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: Skiffsville was a small farming and postal town with a saw mill near the GPS coordinates owned by the Metzger family. There was also a school (Lewis Township No. 2) on a long gone stretch of road just northwest of the GPS coordinates. Thomas J. Metzger (1848 – 1917) was the postmaster. He was buried with relatives in Shinkle Ridge Cemetery about 4 miles southeast of town on the south side of Shinkle Ridge Rd.

Straight Creek (Strait Creek) – Union and Pleasant Township
Post Office: 1832 – 1843, 1846 – 1851, and 1861 – 1862
Location: 38.799039, -83.883657
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
on Old State Rte 68 at the intersection of Straight Creek Rd
Description: Straight Creek had a general store and a grist mill on the south side of Old State Rte 68 west of the GPS coordinates and a school (Union Township No. 11) on the west side of Old State Rte 68 south of the GPS coordinates. Some of the buildings in the area date back to the town’s postal days. The last postmaster was Josiah Drake (1811 – 1862). He was buried with relatives and early residents of Straight Creek in Norman Cemetery on the east side of Free Soil Rd between Loudon Rd and Cahall Schoolhouse Rd.

Sunshine – Pleasant Township
Post Office: 1890 – 1908
Location: 38.907004, -83.925196
on Sunshine Rd at the intersection of Barnes Rd along White Oak Creek and Walnut Creek
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: This small farming and postal town had a stop on the Cincinnati, Georgetown, & Portsmouth Railroad called Sunshine Station between Gillets and Traceys in the early 1900s. There was also a school (Pleasant Township No. 9) on the east side of Mt Orab Pike north of its intersection with Miller – Ring Rd and a steam-powered saw mill on the east side of US 68 north of Sunshine Rd. 

Todds Run – Sterling Township
Post Office: 1857 – 1860
Location: 39.041799, -84.004793
on Todds Run New Harmony Rd at the intersection of Nixon Rd along Todds Run
Description: The town’s postmaster Curtis Wilson from Vermont and Archibald McLain (1809 – 1886) constructed a water-powered saw mill on Todds Run, but it wasn’t in operation very long. The dam was destroyed almost every time the creek flooded and they simply grew tired of rebuilding it. Todds Run also had a blacksmith shop and a Baptist church that was built in 1882. Archibald was buried with relatives in Williamsburg Cemetery on Gay St in Williamsburg, Clermont County. Curtis Wilson’s grave hasn’t been located yet.

Tracys (Traceys) – Pleasant and Lewis Township
Location: 38.873170, -83.921468
on SR 125 along White Oak Creek
Remnants: old farm and mill buildings in the area
Description: Tracys was another stopping point on the Cincinnati, Georgetown, & Portsmouth Railroad between Sunshine Station and Georgetown. Its proprietors were Francis Tracy (1830 – 1923) and Julia (Dunn) Tracy (1836 – 1917) who lived in Sunshine. There were a few mills next to the creek along what was called the Cascade Falls running through the border of Pleasant and Lewis Township near SR 125. Some of the mill buildings on private property appear to still be intact on satellite maps, although in poor shape due to time and Ohio’s seasonal weather changes. Francis and Julia were buried with relatives in Confidence (Georgetown Cemetery) on Mt Orab Pike on the north side of Georgetown.

Whiteoak Springs – Scott Township
Location: 38.945852, -83.923667
on Smoky Row Rd at the intersection of Vinegar Hill Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: It was named after the natural springs in the area fed by White Oak Creek.

Butler County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Athlone – Fairfield Township
Location: 39.357779, -84.519212 
on N Gilmore Rd at the railroad crossing where it meets Bobmeyer Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Athlone had flag stop and an express post office on the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad in the late 1800s to early 1900s. It was also along the Miami & Erie Canal. The town can be spotted on the county outline map and the lower Fairfield Township map in the 1885 county atlas, and on the outline map in the 1914 county atlas between Ixworth and Flockton. The canal was still in use by the time Athlone popped up, but it was relatively obsolete by then. 

Belt Junction – City of Hamilton (formerly in St. Clair Township)
Location: 39.407018, -84.580485
on SR 129 (Millvale Ave) at the intersection of S Edgewood Ave
Remnants: old buildings in the area
Description: The Belt Line Railroad was built by the Hamilton Belt Railway Company and was completed in 1898. It was a 3 mile loop through Hamilton which served the Champion Coated Paper Company and many other businesses and industries along the route. The Belt Line had connections with the Cincinnati, Hamilton, & Dayton Railroad, the Erie Railroad, and the Cincinnati, Hamilton, & Indianapolis Railroad, making transporting finished products to other towns around the state and country much easier. In the late 1900s, semi-trailer trucks overtook railroads as the main form of transporting goods. The Belt Line continued to be used for transporting raw materials for production. It was officially abandoned in 2012. CSX was the last owner of the line’s right-of-way and subsequently began removing the tracks.

Boggerville – Reily Township
Location: 39.457162, -84.712702  
on Woods Station Rd at the intersection of N Pierson Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Boggerville was on the north side of the Cincinnati & Indianapolis Junction Railroad (later the Cincinnati, Hamilton, & Indianapolis Railroad). It was just north of Woods Station, which it predated as a town, and kept its own name through the late 1800s. A school (Reily Township No. 1) was on the north side of Stillwell – Beckett Rd about 3/4 of a mile northwest of the GPS coordinates. Edward Orton (1829 – 1899), a state geologist and the first president of Ohio State University, was the last to note Boggerville’s existence on a map in the 1878 Report of the Geological Survey of Ohio, Volume 3.

Brownstown (Ball’s Ferry) – Madison Township
Location: 39.478714, -84.441480 
on Radabaugh Rd along the Great Miami River between SR 73 (E State St) and Sycamore Rd
Remnants: Elk Creek Baptist Church Pioneer Cemetery at the intersection of SR 73 (W State St) and Hamilton Trenton Rd (Hamilton Ave)
Description: The original settlement at this location was called Brownstown in the very early 1800s. It didn’t last long though, and the founders either died or moved away. Shortly after that, it changed to Ball’s Ferry and was named after Revolutionary War veteran Davis Ball (1758 – 1819) and Mary (Hatfield) Ball (1763 – 1835) who came to Ohio from Essex County, New Jersey. They had a large farm, a few children, and Davis operated a ferry. He tragically died with a group who insisted on crossing in dangerously high waters and the ferry overturned. The deaths included 6 of the 7 passengers plus 2 horses and a dog. Davis and Mary’s son Aaron (1791 – 1863) operated the ferry until 1861. Peter G. Schertz (1826 – 1892) from Alsace, France was the last ferry captain. He moved out of the state and was laid to rest with relatives in Imhoff Cemetery on the west side of N 350 East Rd in Danvers Township, McLean County, Illinois. The Ball family was buried with other residents in Baptist (Elk Creek Baptist Church Pioneer) Cemetery 1 mile northwest of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 73 and Hamilton Trenton Rd.

Busenbark Station – St. Clair Township
Location: 39.466081, -84.485778 
on Hamilton Trenton Rd (Trenton Ave) at the intersection of Busenbark Rd
Remnants: historical marker on the west side of Busenbark Rd just south of the GPS coordinates
Description: It was founded by Robert Busenbark (1793 – 1872) and Margaret (Stout) Busenbark (1788 – 1879) who moved to Ohio from New Jersey. They had a large farm, a couple of children, and donated land for a school in 1833. Along with one of their sons, David (1819 – 1908), the Busenbarks donated land for a train station on the Cincinnati, Hamilton, & Dayton Railroad in the 1850s. The town also had a grain elevator, warehouse, and a water pump station which supplied electricity for the railroad when it was converted from steam trains. A local farm owned by Richter family, later the birthplace of Charles Richter who invented the earthquake scale, was the site of a bare-knuckle boxing Heavyweight Championship Of America match between the title holder Mike McCoole (1837 – 1886) and contender Aaron Jones on August 31, 1867. Thousands of fans rode in on trains to catch the outdoor match, with updates streaming across the country in near real-time by telegraph. The 34-round match lasted 26 minutes with Mike McCoole retaining his championship. Aaron Jones had a couple of broken ribs, a concussion, and internal bleeding, eventually resulting in his death a few weeks later in Cincinnati. Robert and Margaret Busenbark were buried with relatives in Baptist (Elk Creek Baptist Church Pioneer) Cemetery at the intersection of SR 73 (W State St) and Hamilton Trenton Rd (Hamilton Ave).  

Clawson – Liberty Township
Post Office: 1881 – 1900
Location: 39.403622, -84.451903
on SR 747 (Princeton Glendale Rd) at the intersection of Millikin Rd
Remnants: Spring Hill (Clawson) Cemetery on the west side of SR 747 just south of the GPS coordinates
Description: The town was founded by James S. Clawson (1796 – 1895) and Rebecca (Vail) Clawson (1798 – 1870). They were both born in Pennsylvania and moved to Butler County with their families at early ages where they got married in 1816. The Clawsons had 8 children and the family steadily accumulated nearly 900 acres of land in the area by publication of the 1875 counnty atlas. A church was at Spring Hill Cemetery in the mid to late 1800s. The first known postmaster was Dr. Otto W. Mayer (1860 – 1912) from Indiana. He was buried with relatives in Greenwood Cemetery 5 miles west of the GPS coordinates on Greenwood Ave in the Hamilton. Harry Murphy was the last known postmaster. James and Rebecca were buried with relatives and other residents in the Spring Hill Cemetery. 

Hanover (Hanover Station) – Hanover Township
Location: 39.428496, -84.646374   
on Mormon Rd at the railroad crossing between SR 130 (Old Oxford Rd) and Stahlheber Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: It started out with a flag stop on the Cincinnati & Indianapolis Junction Railroad. The town later had a train station after the the tracks were reorganized as the Cincinnati, Hamilton, & Indianapolis Railroad. A school was on the east side of Morman Rd just south of the GPS coordinates on a 177-acre farm owned by Irish immigrants Peter Welsh (1843 – 1898) and Nora (Egan) Welsh (1847 – 1912). They got married in 1871 and had at least 4 children. Peter died at Heib’s Saloon in Hamilton and was buried with relatives in Greenwood Cemetery on Greenwood Ave. Nora was laid to rest with relatives in Saint Mary Cemetery on Pleasant Ave in Hamilton.

Ixworth – City of Hamilton (formerly in Fairfield Township)
Location: 39.366644, -84.543961 
on Bobmeyer Rd at the railroad crossing between SR 4 (Dixie Hwy) and Tuley Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Ixworth was just west of Athlone along the Miami & Erie Canal. It had an express post office and a train station of the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad in the late 1800s to early 1900s. Unfortunately, 9 members of one family were killed by a northbound train when crossing the tracks in an automobile on July 26, 1936. It was the worst railroad crossing disaster in Butler County history and will hopefully never be exceeded.

Jones (Jones Station) (Stockton) – City of Fairfield (formerly in Fairfield Township)
Post Office: 1856 – 1922
Location: 39.321944, -84.494288   
on Seward Rd at the railroad crossing near the intersection of Stockton Rd
Remnants: Stockton (Walker Family) Cemetery 1/3 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Seward Rd and Stockton Station Dr south of SR 4
Description: The town was founded by John D. Jones, a dry goods merchant from Cincinnati, who donated land for a train station on the Cincinnati, Hamilton, & Dayton Railroad in the early 1850s. Thomas Kirk (1818 – 1868) was the first station agent and built a general store. The town also had a school, saloon, Methodist Episcopal church, a livestock pen at the train station, and a passing siding for loading animals onto trains. The post office name changed from Jones Station to Jones in 1882 and was called Stockton from 1883 – 1922. Its known postmaster over the years were Thomas Kirk, Oliver Truedley, Charles Waterhouse (1825 – 1903), and Susan Waterhouse (1850 – 1930). Susan held the office for 18 years after her father Charles passed away. With the exception of Oliver Truedley, the other postmasters were laid to rest with relatives in Greenwood Cemetery on Greenwood Ave in Hamilton. The area has since been absorbed by the City of Fairfield, but it still goes by Stockton as a populated place for census purposes.

McDonald (Donald) (Donald Switch) (Donald Station) – Oxford Township
Location: 39.530114, -84.778064 
on Ringwood Rd at the railroad crossing between US 27 (College Corner Pike) and Taylor Rd
Remnants: a couple of old houses next to the railroad tracks
Description: It original proprietor was S. L. McDonald (born c. 1802) from Pennsylvania who owned a 100-acre farm on the northwest side of the GPS coordinates listed on the 1855 county map. As far as could be ascertained from the 1860 census, which is the only known record on Mr. McDonald, he was a widower and had a couple of children named Robert and Margaret. The town had a flag stop on the Cincinnati & Indianapolis Junction Railroad (later the Cincinnati, Hamilton, & Indianapolis Railroad). A regular train station built prior to 1900. There was also an express post office and a massive 60-train car length passing siding for loading and unloading cargo in the early 1900s.

Ogleton (Ogleton Station) – Reily Township
Post Office: 1863 – 1864
Location: 39.471007, -84.737928  
on Stillwell Beckett Rd at the railroad crossing between Harley Rd and Stephenson Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: It was founded by Alexander Ogle (1808 – 1887) and Lucinda (Able) Ogle (1810 – 1865) who owned a 168-acre farm on the southeast side of the GPS coordinates and had 6 children by the 1850 census. The Ogles donated land for the track bed of the Cincinnati & Indianapolis Junction Railroad (later the Cincinnati, Hamilton, & Indianapolis Railroad).  Confirmed by census records and obituaries, Alexander married Margaret (Dillman) Solger (1850 – 1931) in 1866 and had at least 3 more children, daughters Flora, Bertha, and Alma. A freight station was build prior to publication of the 1875 county atlas. Most of the residents used the same school as Boggerville (Reily Township No. 1) which was 1 mile southeast of the GPS coordinates on the north side of Stillwell Beckett Rd. The Ogles were buried in Oxford Cemetery about 4 miles north of the GPS coordinates on the west side of US 27 (Oxford Millville Rd) in Oxford Township. Margaret remarried twice after Alexander passed away and was also laid to rest in Oxford Cemetery.

Sheleys (Sheleys Station) – Fairfield Township
Location: 39.424327, -84.516364 
on Canal Rd between Easteridge Dr and Headgates Rd along the Great Miami River Recreational Trail
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by Daniel Sheley (1835 – 1927) and Gertrude (Miller) Sheley (1840 – 1916). They owned a farm at the GPS coordinates and had several children. Daniel was a Freemason, held every township office at one time or another, and was the county commissioner from 1892 – 1898. Sheleys main industry was ice production for Hamilton and Cincinnati. Its train station was originally on the Louisville, Cincinnati, & Dayton Railroad (later the Cincinnati, Hamilton, & Dayton Railroad). The town was also along the Miami & Erie Canal. Daniel and Gertrude were buried with many relatives in Greenlawn Cemetery 2 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates on Greenwood Ave in Hamilton. The family surname was spelled Sheeley in some branches and on certain historical records.

Stillwell (Stillwell’s Corners) – Hanover Township
Post Office: 1831 – 1859
Location: 39.453050, -84.688592   
on US 27 (Millville Oxford Rd) at the intersection of Stillwell Beckett Rd
Remnants: historical marker and war veterans memorial at Stillwell (Hancock Family) Cemetery 1/3 of a mile north of the GPS coordinates on the grounds of Indian Ridge Golf Club
Description: Its business busy proprietors were Jacob G. Stillwell and Elizabeth Mary (McCullough) Stillwell who owned a 151-acre farm at the GPS coordinates. They got married in 1828 and had a few children. Jacob and Elizabeth built a distillery in 1830, a steam-powered grist and saw mill in 1835 – 1836, a general store, and a tavern. Jacob was the postmaster for most of the office’s existence. Wilis R. DeWitt briefly held the position in the mid-1840s. Dr. Silas Roll (1810 – 1871) from New Jersey was the last known postmaster in the late 1850s. A church was on the east side of DeCamp Rd about 1 1/3 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates on the 176-acre Roll farm. The town was just barely passed up by the Cincinnati & Indianapolis Junction Railroad. Its tracks were laid 1/2 of a mile to the south and the present town of McGonigle grew around them. Stillwell’s post office moved there, as did the the area’s businesses, and Stillwell was left in the dust. Silas Roll was buried with relatives in Oxford Cemetery 3 3/4 miles north of the GPS coordinates on the west side of US 27 in Oxford Township. Stillwell Cemetery was established in 1811, a couple decades before the town sprang up. Many township pioneers were buried there in currently unmarked graves and remaining stones have been laid flat. Its well-maintained and has a nice wood fence surrounding a war veterans memorial.

Woods (Woods Station) – Reily Township
Post Office: 1863 – 1908
Location: 39.456585, -84.717364 
on Garver Elliot Rd at the intersection of S Law Rd
Remnants: old houses in the area
Description: The town had a train station on the Cincinnati, Hamilton, & Indianapolis Railroad and was named after the president of the railroad, War of 1812 veteran and U.S. Congressman John Woods (1794 – 1855). The station had a nice livestock pen for animals waiting on trains to arrive. Its post office name changed from Woods Station to Wood in 1882. The known postmasters were Hiram Pierson, Charles Urmston, Hiram E. Simpson, and Mary O. Woodruff. Residents attended the same school as Boggerville and Ogleton (Reily Township No. 1) which was 1/2 of a mile northwest of the GPS coordinates back when S Law Rd and N Law Rd connected and crossed the railroad tracks. A chapel was pinpointed on the Reily Township map in the 1914 county atlas on the south side of Garver Elliot Rd just east of the GPS coordinates. John Woods was buried with relatives in Greenwood Cemetery on Greenwood Ave in the Hamilton.

Carroll County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Atwood (Oak Dale) – Monroe Township
Location: 40.547074, -81.238237
on SR 542 (Lodge Rd) at the intersection of Fargo Rd
Remnants: historical marker at the GPS coordinates, Big Spring (Deep Springs) Cemetery on the west side of SR 542 (Magnolia Rd SW) 5 1/2 miles north of the GPS coordinates, Zion Cemetery on the north side of Falls Rd 2 3/4 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates
Description: The town was originally called Oak Dale as early as the 1820s, but the name later changed to Atwood. It was never platted or incorporated. During its heyday there was a store, two churches, a blacksmith shop, school, and a town hall. The post office ran from 1888 – 1915 and Atwood had a train station on the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad (Cleveland, Canton, & Southern Railroad). The town was abandoned shortly before the completion of a dam in 1936 that was built for flood control purposes. It also created the reservoir of Atwood Lake. There is a village dedication plaque at the corner of SR 542 and Fargo Rd. Residents of Atwood were buried at Big Spring (Deep Springs) Cemetery on SR 542 on the north side of the lake and Zion Cemetery on Falls Rd south of SR 542. They are 2 very old cemeteries and unfortunately both churches are gone. The location of the Big Spring Church is now underwater next to the cemetery on the edge of the lake and Zion Church was lost in a grass fire in 1930.

Cabello – Augusta Township
Post Office: 1851 – 1868
Location: unknown
Description: William Rutledge (1829 – 1902) was the postmaster. He married Harriet (Deford) Rutledge in 1860 and had at least 3 children. They owned a 132-acre farm on the north side of Aurora Rd NE between the town of Augusta and Reef Rd NE which was listed in the 1874 county atlas. We didn’t pinpoint the GPS coordinates for Cabello there though because it seems unlikely another post office would have been that close to Augusta, which also had one during the time period in question. We also couldn’t confirm William lived on that farm in the 1850s and 1860s. William and Harriet were buried with relatives in Augusta Christian Church Cemetery on Andora Rd NE.

Davis
Post Office: 1855 – 1861
Location: unknown
Description: It was named after a branch of the Davis family in the county. Someone by the name of R. May was the first postmaster. Nathan S. McGrew was the last known postmaster.

Figleys Mills
Post Office: 1856 – 1857
Location: unknown
Description: The proprietors were Andrew D. Figley (1825 – 1897) from Washington County, Pennsylvania and Eliza (Westfall) Figley (1829 – 1878) from Columbiana County, with Andrew being the town’s postmaster. They got married in Carroll County in 1848, had several children, and owned at least one mill. Andrew and Eliza later moved out of the state and were laid to rest in Fairview Cemetery at the intersection of 64th Rd and Q Rd in Nemaha County, Kansas.

Fullers – Orange Township
Location: 40.472390, -81.217872 
on SR 212 at the railroad crossing between Deer Rd and Crowder Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was about halfway between Sherrodsville and Leesville on the Cleveland, Canton, & Southern Railway and was listed on the Ohio map in the 1901 George Cram atlas. Coal mines operated by the Fuller Coal Company were its main industry.

Gortin (Gorton) – East Township
Post Office: 1832 – 1842
Location: unknown
Description: The proprietors were David Robinson (1764 – 1850) and Catharine Robinson (1774 – 1840) with David being the town’s postmaster. They were buried with relatives in Glade Run (Lower Glade Run) Cemetery in the northeast corner of the intersection of Aurora Rd NE and Bane Rd NE.

Hickory – Perry Township
Post Office: 1836 – 1857
Location: unknown
Description: The proprietors were Jabob Gladden (born c. 1794) and Charity Gladden (born c. 1790). They moved to Ohio from Maryland and had at least one child.

North Union – Union Township
Post Office: 1827 – 1839
Location: unknown
Description: As with most of the county’s ghost towns, there’s no record of North Union ever getting platted or incorporated, but it had the post office and a school. Augustus Rigby was the first postmaster. He was succeeded by William Crow. Judge John H. Tripp (1820 – 1909) was school teacher from 1841 – 1842. He was buried with relatives in Grandview Cemetery on 2nd St SE in Carrollton.

Rose – Rose Township
Post Office: 1840 – 1864
Location: unknown
Description: William King was the first postmaster. He was succeeded by Eleazar (or Eliezer) Herron. 

Shobers Mills – Loudon Township
Post Office: 1828 – 1859
Location: 40.444421, -80.949043 
on Cavalry Rd at the intersection of Queens Rd along Elk Lick
Remnants: none known
Description: It was founded by John Shober (1786 – 1858) who moved to Ohio from Virginia and was the town’s first postmaster. He had 3 children with his first wife Lydia (Smith) Shober (1790 – 1829). They got married in Maryland in 1808. Lydia never made the trip to Ohio and passed away in Virginia. John remarried the following year to Elizabeth Shober (1792 – 1860) and had a couple more children. His oldest son, John H. Shober (1919 – 1893), was the town’s last postmaster. He later moved out of the state and was buried with in Highland (Eddyville) Cemetery the east side of SR 146 (N Main St) in New Sharon in Mahaska County, Iowa. John and Elizabeth were laid to rest with relatives in Mizer (Coleman / Smith / Watsons Ridge) Cemetery on the east side of Apex – Amsterdam Rd in Springfield Township, Jefferson County.

Whitacres – Augusta Township
Location: 40.702811, -81.078629 
on Arbor Rd at the intersection of Malibu Rd along Muddy Fork
Remnants: Mount Zion United Methodist Church and Cemetery about 1 3/4 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Aurora Rd NE and Bellflower Rd
Description: The town was founded in the early 1850s by Edward Whitacre (1809 – 1897) and Rachel (Taylor) Whitacre (1810 – 1854). It had a train station on the Lake Erie, Alliance, & Wheeling Railroad. There was also a school in the northwest corner of the intersection of Malibu Rd NE and Brush Rd NE on land donated by James Morledge (1810 – 1878) and Elizabeth (Jackson) Morledge (1807 – 1895). They were both born in England, got married in 1832, and were laid to rest in Mount Zion Cemetery. The local Methodist congregation formed in 1827. Their original log church was replaced by the present brick structure around 1840. Edward never remarried after Rachel passed away and raised 8 of their 11 children by himself. They were buried with relatives in Plaines Cemetery at the intersection of Walker Rd and Ellsworth Ave in Minerva.

Woodbury – Lee Township
Location: unknown
Description: Woodbury was listed as a small town in The Ohio Gazetteer and Traveler’s Guide from 1837 – 1841.

Champaign County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Baker – Jackson Township
Post Office: 1830 – 1862 and 1882 – 1882
Location: 40.072465, -83.960987  
on St Paris – New Carlisle Rd along Blacksnake Creek between SR 55 and Troy Urbana Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: This farming town just had the post office and a small cluster of houses. Daniel Baker was the first postmaster. He was succeeded by John Baker (1806 – 1896) from Rockbridge County, Virginia. Harvey Talbot (1799 – 1879), or Hervey as his tombstone reads, from Mason County, Kentucky held the office until it was discontinued in 1862. The office was reestablished in 1882 but didn’t last long. Most of the town’s residents, including John Baker and Harvey Talbot, were laid to rest in Hills Cemetery 2 1/2 miles east of the GPS coordinates on the west side of Creek Rd. The Talbot surname is also spelled Talbott in some records. Although the buildings from Baker’s heyday are likely all gone now, there is still some semblance of its original housing cluster when looking at the area on satellite maps.

Brush Lake – Rush Township
Location: 40.168228, -83.577191 
on Brush Lake Rd at the former railroad track crossing between McCarty Rd and Urbana Woodstock Pike
Remnants: none known
Description: The earliest known settlement was by William Pickerell who built a grist mill on the stream leading out of the lake in 1803. James Glendening (1795 – 1876) and Mary (Van Horn) Glendening (1793 – 1858) moved to Ohio from Virginia in 1829. Shortly after that, they purchased 155 acres surrounding Brush Lake. James and Mary had 12 children in total. 8 of them survived to adulthood. Brush Lake was a fine farming town but didn’t have much else other than a local township school and a picnic ground south of the lake across the former railroad tracks. It was on the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad (Panhandle Route), but was likely just a flag stop. James and Mary were buried with relatives in Black Cemetery on the north side of Dunn Burton Rd.  

Clover Run – Goshen and Union Township
Location: 40.034366, -83.601463
on SR 56 at the intersection of Brigner Rd
Remnants: Hopewell Cemetery on private property on the north side of Brigner Rd just southwest of the GPS coordinates
Description: Its only notoriety was from a brutal brawl between Solomon Weaver and Philip Groves, due to a sort of Romeo and Juliet type of relationship between their children. Solomon’s oldest daughter Anna was 18 at the time and was courted by one of Philip’s sons, James Groves. The fathers didn’t care for each other at all simply because of where they lived, the Groves family on Clover Run and the Weaver family on the Darby Plains, an ongoing feud between residents of both areas for several years. Solomon and Philip had an encounter at William Kelly’s tavern in Mechanicsburg where an election was being held on November 8, 1837. After getting into a heated argument, William Kelly, who was also the constable, suggested Solomon and Philip duke it out to end the dispute once and for all. A large crowd gathered around the battle circle in the public square. The fight lasted about an hour with both men sustaining substantial wounds. The onlooking crowd feared Solomon and Philip dead as they laid lifeless on the ground, neither able to move a muscle. Solomon and Philip were treated by doctors and eventually recovered. They later made amends and gave consent to the courtship between their children. Anna reportedly sent a note to James stating he would be welcome if he still wished to visit her. However, it’s unknown if Anna and James continued their relationship. 

Coffin Station (Coffins) – Mad River Township
Location: 40.040058, -83.902988 
on Thackery Rd at the railroad crossing between the intersections of Coffin Station Rd along Chapman Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: Eliza J. Coffin donated land for a train station on the Ohio Southern Railroad.

Concord Mills – Concord, Mad River, Salem, and Urbana Township
Location: 40.130027, -83.809881 
on Millerstown Rd at the intersection of River Rd along Mad River
Remnants: Kenton Memorial Cemetery on the north side of Millerstown Road west of River Rd 
Description: The town was originally settled in the first decade of the 1800s and had several grist and saw mills on Mad River and Muddy Creek over the decades. They were mostly built by the Arrowsmith and Kenton families. In the mid to late 1800s, a school was about 1 1/2 miles south of the GPS coordinates on River Rd between Concord Mills and another ghost town called Rohrertown. Mason Arrowsmith (1806 – 1880) provided a lengthy description of the area’s early days for the 1872 History of Champaign and Logan Counties. His maternal grandfather, Revolutionary War veteran William Kenton (1737 – 1822) from Prince William County, Virginia also lived in Concord Mills and was a brother of famed frontiersman and war veteran General Simon Kenton (1755 – 1836). Simon saved the settlers of Concord Mills from complete annihilation by local natives, led by Shawnee Chief Tecumseh, when Mason was just 6 weeks old. Simon’s appearance and warning to the natives deterred them from attacking. Mason and Simon were buried with many relatives in Kenton Memorial Cemetery.

Crimville – Goshen and Rush Township
Location: 40.131476, -83.583439 
on US 36 at the intersection of Parkview Rd
Remnants: Treacle Cemetery on the east side of  Parkview Rd south of the intersection
Description: Crimville was named after John F. Crim (1858 – 1945) who operated a store in the northwest corner of Goshen Township. A Methodist Episcopal Church stood at Treacle Cemetery and a mill across the street along Treacle Creek was owned by the Woodward family. It was discontinued in the late 1870s, sold in 1883, and was moved and converted to a barn. The church, cemetery, and mill all predated the town. Crimville only had a few residences but made it onto some maps in the early 1900s. John was buried with relatives in Spring Grove Cemetery on N Heck Hill Rd (Co Hwy 26) in Johnson Township.

Dallas – Urbana Township
Location: 40.047545, -83.779188 
on US 68 at the intersection of Dallas Rd
Remnants: none known 
Description: It was founded by James Dallas (1778 – 1871) from Ireland and Isabella (Sproat) Dallas (1788 – 1843) who had 9 children and a nice farm. They moved to the county around 1810. James was a judge and county commissioner. The town had a school and harness shop. The Atlantic & Great Western Railroad went through Dallas but it didn’t have a train station. James and Isabella were buried with relatives in Oak Dale Cemetery on Patrick Ave in Urbana. 

Funk – Salem Township
Location: 40.170042, -83.744272
on US 68 at the intersection of Kingscreek Rd
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: The town was founded by Daniel Funk (1786 – 1879) and Frances (Kenaga) Funk (1784 – 1867) who moved to Ohio from Pennsylvania in 1837 and had 3 children. The section of US 68 where the town stood used to be the southern portion of Funk Rd. It was a good farming town but didn’t have any other big industries and fell off the maps before 1900 as it couldn’t keep up with Kingscreek. Daniel and Frances were buried with relatives in Oak Dale Cemetery on Patrick Ave in Urbana.

Fyffe
Post Office: 1858 – 1859
Location: unknown
Description: It was named after the Fyffe family in the county.

Gourdville – Concord Township
Location: 40.146735, -83.842770
on Church Rd at its curve about 3/4 of a mile south of Concord Church and Cemetery
Remnants: none known
Description: It was stated in the 1917 History of Champaign County, Ohio that the name of the pioneer who founded the town had been lost to time. Gourdville never had more than 3 houses and wasn’t incorporated. Its last known residents were James Blue and Tubal Woodard (1806 – 1881) and Margaret (Salkeld) Woodard (1813 – 1896). The Woodards were buried in Concord Cemetery at the intersection of SR 560 and Church Rd, but its existence isn’t attributed to Gourdville.

Hagenbaugh (Long) – Salem Township
Post Office: 1896 – 1902
Location: 40.144917, -83.700555
on Jackson Hill Rd at the former railroad track crossing west of Stone Quarry Rd
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area, former school on SR 296
Description: This farming and railroad village was founded by Henry Hagenbuch (1811 – 1881) from Pennsylvania and Martha (Long) Hagenbuch (1827 – 1887) from Champaign County. Their surname is of Dutch origin and was Americanized at some point in the late 1800s. The town had a train station on the Columbus, Piqua, & Indiana Railroad, some fish stock ponds, a stone quarry, and a school (Salem Twp Sub District #1). The school is currently a private residence on SR 296 just east of the former railroad track bed. Henry and Martha had a few children and were buried with relatives in Oak Dale Cemetery on Patrick Ave in Urbana. 

Hare – Urbana Township
Location: unknown
Description: none found

Harrison
Location: unknown
Description: It was listed in volume 1 of the 1917 county history book on page 1118 as a former town.

Heathtown – Concord Township
Post Office: 1852 – 1855
Location: 40.198948, -83.866737
on SR 29 at the intersection of Calland Rd south of Muddy Creek
Remnants: Johnson Cemetery on private property in the southeast corner of the intersection of SR 29 and SR 560
Description: John A. Heath (1821 – 1887) was born in Hunterdon County, New Jersey abd moved to Ohio around 1838. He founded Heathtown, ran a shoe shop, grocery store, and opened a post office at the store called Muddy Creek. It also had a blacksmith shop and a school. The one-room schoolhouse was on the north side of SR 29 across from Johnson Cemetery and appears to have been converted into a private residence, but we haven’t made any further attempt to confirm that as of yet. A political movement by a group of local successful farmers called the Know-Nothing Party was established in Heathtown and had its headquarters there. Heathtown was last listed on the 1894 Champaign County map and faded into oblivion shortly after that. Many residents were laid to rest in Johnson Cemetery, which is presently well-maintained. John moved out of Ohio in 1854 and was laid to rest with relatives in Mount Hope Cemetery on the north side of 265 St in Ida County, Iowa.

Heers – Salem Township
Location: unknown
Description: none found

Jennings Park – City of Urbana  (formerly in Salem Township)
Location: 40.126667, -83.753056
on US 68 on the south side of Urbana Airport
Remnants: the location is still a privately owned farm
Description: Jennings Park appears to be more of a cultural locale than a town, but was considered to be a populated place for describing where residents lived and giving travel directions. Edward Jennings (1811 – 1906) from West Virginia and Anna (Bentley) Jennings (1823 – 1890) from Highland County had 6 children. One of their sons, Absolom C. Jennings (1847 – 1883) owned the Nutwood Place farm along the Sandusky, Cincinnati, & Dayton Railroad. The farm dates back to 1815 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Edward and Absalom were avid horse breeders and had a training and race track on the north side of the farmhouse. The portion of the farm where the track was is now on the airport grounds. 

Long (Hagenbaugh) – Salem Township
Location: 40.144917, -83.700555
on Jackson Hill Rd at the former railroad track crossing west of Stone Quarry Rd
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area, former school on SR 296
Description: Prior to the arrival of the railroad in the area and the marriage of Henry and Martha (Long) Hagenbuch, the town was called Long. Martha’s parents James Long (1794 – 1862) from Pennsylvania and Susannah (Cheney) Long (1803 – 1887) from West Virginia owned the local stone quarry. Her brother, William Cheney Long (1834 – 1896), was a farmer and township trustee. He donated land for the former school on SR 296.  The Longs were buried in Kingscreek Cemetery at the intersection of Kingscreek Rd and Clark Rd.

Lookout – Johnson Township
Post Office: 1887 – 1901
Location: 40.194323, -84.011525
on Elm Tree Rd N between Anderson Rd and Walborn Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: It was a small farming and postal town founded by David Mahan (1851 – 1904) and Laura (Smoot) Mahan (1855 – 1915). David was the postmaster and received $15 a year for his service. His father Jason ran a saw mill on the family property that was marked on the Johnson Township page in the 1874 county atlas. Lookout also has a one-room schoolhouse on the east side of Elm Tree Rd south of the post office. The Mahans were buried in Rosedale Cemetery on the west side of SR 235 in Adams Township, Champaign County.

Magrew (Westville) – Mad River Township
Post Office: 1905 – 1915
Location: 40.101226, -83.819321
on Bair Rd along Anderson Creek at the former railroad track crossing between US 36 and Old Troy Pike
Remnants: none known
Description: Magrew was the name of the train station on the southeast outskirts of Westville. Lemuel Magrew (1829 – 1900) and Zalinda (Miller) Magrew (1828 – 1898) had 6 children, a 195-acre farm, and donated land for the station on the Pennsylvania Railroad. Lemuel’s grandparents Archibald Magrew and Ruth (Miller) Magrew moved to Ohio from Pennsylvania and platted Westville in 1815, naming it after the areas first settler, Basil West. Lemuel and Zalinda were buried with relatives in Oak Dale Cemetery on Patrick Ave in Urbana.

Nettleton – Mad River Township
Post Office: 1888 – 1892
Location: 40.119111, -83.874594
on US 36 at the intersection of Zimmerman Rd along Nettle Creek
Remnants: Myrtle Tree Baptist Church and Cemetery on US 36 west of the intersection
Description: Nettleton had a blacksmith shop and a couple of mills next to Nettle Creek owned by the Wiant (Wyant) family. The Myrtle Tree congregation was formed in 1830. Its present church was constructed in 1881. Many members of the Wiant family were buried in the cemetery along with other early pioneers and later residents.

New York
Location: unknown
Description: It was listed in volume 1 of the 1917 county history book on page 1118 as a former town.

Old Pimtown – Salem Township
Location: 40.239989, -83.759892
on Pimtown Rd along Mad River between US 68 and Sidney Rd
Remnants: old business buildings on Pimtown Rd
Description: Old Pimtown was a small farming town with a grist mill next to Mad River. Samuel Taylor owned most of the land in the area. He was married 3 times and had 7 children. The Big Four Railroad (Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis) went through town but it didn’t have a train station there. Railroad tracks still run through that part of Champaign County and have since been rerouted to the west side of Mad River. The river was dredged in 1910 – 1912 to reduce flooding and caused the farmland values along it to skyrocket. As a consequence, farm wells went dry and had to be dug deeper. Mad River had to be dredged again after the Great Flood of 1913. The process was completed in 1916. 

Proctor – Jackson Township
Location: 40.051539, -83.971710
on St Paris – New Carlisle Rd between SR 55 and Cowpath Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: This farming town is a bit of a mystery and there wasn’t any references to it in the old history books. According to the maps, D.W. Proctor was the proprietor and owned a few sections of land in the area. 

Rohrertown – Mad River and Urbana Township
Location: 40.109560, -83.801277
on River Rd along Mad River between US 36 and Stickley Rd (Township Hwy 50)
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by Daniel Rohrer (1810 – 1847) from Pennsylvania and Sarah (Loudenback) Rohrer Snyder (1814 – 1874) born in Champaign County. Daniel walked from his home state to Champaign while seeking land to invest in. He walked back to Pennsylvania to gather some personal belongings and returned again on foot to Champaign in the early 1830s. The walking was all done in an effort to save money. Daniel built a grist mill and distillery next to Mad River. While nearly monetarily exhausted, Daniel secured a $2,000 loan to complete the mill. He married Sarah in 1834. They had 4 children with one dying in infancy. The mill and distillery were very lucrative enterprises. The loan was paid back within 15 years and the family amassed a fortune of around $45,000. The town also had a general store and a school on land donated by the Rohrers. It was at the bend in River Rd heading north to Stickley Rd. Sarah remarried after Daniel passed away but they were buried together with relatives in Nettle Creek Cemetery at the intersection of SR 560 and Nettlecreek Rd. 

Saratoga (Saratoga Mills) – Salem Township
Location: 40.156576, -83.767857
on SR 296 at the railroad track crossing along the Simon Kenton Trail north of Kings Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: The original town proprietors were Alexander Vance (1811 – 1889) and Mary (Ward) Vance (1818 – 1906). Alexander was a son of Joseph Vance, the 13th Governor Of Ohio and was born on his parents land known as the Governor Vance Farm. He inherited a grist mill on the farm along Kings Creek just south of the GPS coordinates and later added a saw mill. The family donated land for tracks on the Sandusky, Dayton, & Cincinnati Railroad (later the Big Four Railroad) and the town had a school on the south side of SR 296 east of the railroad. Alexander and Mary had 12 children, sold the farm in 1859, and moved to Urbana. The mills were destroyed in a fire in 1879. Alexander and Mary were buried with relatives in Oak Dale Cemetery on Patrick Ave in Urbana. 

Scottsburg – Concord Township
Location: 40.156526, -83.861624
on Millertown-Eris Rd at the intersection of Lantz Rd north of Hog Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: Orsamus Scott made a plat recording in Section 20 and a few houses were built on the lots, but the town never grew any and quickly faded away.

Sodom – Rush Township
Location: 40.135046, -83.569242
on US 36 between Bullard – Rutan Rd and SR 559
Remnants: Sodom – Clark Cemetery at the GPS coordinates, former one-room schoolhouse on the north side of US 36 east of the cemetery
Description: Sodom was a small farming town and had a grange hall. The former school has been restored and is now a private residence. Sodom – Clark Cemetery started out on a farm owned by James Clark (1775 – 1862) and Martha (Davis) Clark (1782) – 1868). Many of the headstones have been lost to time.

Steinberger – Mad River Township
Post Office: 1886 – 1887
Location: 40.069162, -83.807802
on SR 55 along Mad River between Bair Rd and W Hickory Grove Rd
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: The town was founded by David Steinberger (1800 – 1883) and Elizabeth (Pence) Steinberger (1804 – 1834). They were married in 1821, moved to Ohio from Virginia, and had 7 children. David built a grist mill, saw mill, and a whiskey distillery on their farm next to Mad River. After Elizabeth passed away, he married Lucy (Gaines) Steinberger (1813 – 1900) and had 8 more children. A shoe shop was on the northeast side of the intersection of SR 55 and Bair Rd and a school at the intersection of SR 55 and SR 560 was also used for elections. David, Elizabeth, abd Lucy were buried with relatives in Nettle Creek Cemetery on SR 560 at Nettlecreek Rd. The Steinberger surname is of German origin with alternative spellings of Steinbarger and Steenbarger.

Stutzmanns – Salem Township
Location: 40.209912, -83.746777
on W Kanagy Road off of US 68
Remnants: still a populated area
Description: This small hamlet was platted on land owned by the Stuzman family which was related by marriage to the Kanagy family. Their alternative surname spellings are Kanaga and Kenaga. Residents were buried in Oak Grove Cemetery east of town on N Ludlow Rd between E Kanagy Rd and Sibley Rd.  

Winchester
Location: unknown
Description: It was listed in volume 1 of the 1917 county history book on page 1118 as a former town.

Clark County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Allentown – Green Township
Location: 39.831938, -83.857700
on W Jackson Rd between US 68 (Springfield Xenia Rd) and Tanyard Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by Aaron Allen Sr. (1790 – 1846) from Union County, New Jersey and Phoebe (Hirst) Allen (1795 – 1854). They got married in 1815, had 5 children, and settled in Green Township in 1832. Aaron was a machinist, and prior to the family’s arrival in Clark County, he worked as a foreman in Pittsburgh helping build the first steamboat that sailed down the Ohio River to Cincinnati. Aaron made that historic journey with the boat as its engineer. In the mid-1830s, Aaron constructed the a steam-powered saw mill at Allentown, the first one in Ohio north of Cincinnati. The mill was destroyed by a fire in 1852. Allentown had about 15 residences at the GPS coordinates and a school on the north side of W Jackson Rd where it turns south toward Tanyard Rd. The town was mentioned in the 1908 20th Century History of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio but was deemed to be in “considerable decay” at that time. Aaron and Phoebe Allen were buried with relatives 2 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates in Ebenezer Cemetery on the west side of US 68.

Brooks (Brooks Station) – Harmony Township
Location: 39.900234, -83.676514
on Newlove Rd at the railroad crossing between London Plattsburg Rd and Fletcher Chapel Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: The proprietors were Andrew Nathan Brooks (1835 – 1904) and Mary Ann (Foreman) Brooks (1837 – 1886). They married in 1855, had 7 children, and owned a 140-acre farm on in the southeast lot of the GPS coordinates where they made a good living in the cattle and grain industries. A grain elevator in the northwest corner of the Brooks fed cars on the Springfield & Columbus Railroad, later bought by the Big Four Railroad (Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad). There was also a town hall on the west side of Newlove Rd across from the elevator. Andrew and Mary Ann were buried with many relatives in Ferncliff Cemetery and Arboretum about 10 1/2 miles west of town on McCreight Ave in Springfield. 

Brottensburgh (Snyder’s Station) (Enon Station) – Mad River Township
Post Office: 1837 – 1838
Location: 39.890362, -83.935652
on Enon Rd between I-70 and SR 4 along Mad River
Remnants: none known
Description: Brothers James Leffel (1799 – 1887) and John Leffel built a grist mill in 1818 next to Mad River. The town of Brottensburgh formed nearby, about 3/4 of a mile from present-day Enon. It was mostly comprised of the mill workers and others in various jobs related to the industry, and the majority of the houses were log cabins. Brottensburgh had a dry goods store, a grocery store, and the first post office in the township. Enon was platted in 1838 and the postmaster of Brottensburgh, John R. Miller (1793 – 1855) moved his store and post office there the same year. He was buried with relatives and other early local residents in Knob Prairie Cemetery about a mile southeast of the GPS coordinates north of the eastern end of Speedway Dr. The mill at Brottensburgh was sold several times and was improved with a large brick distillery. However, Brottensburgh couldn’t compete with the rapid growth of Enon and gradually faded out of existence in the mid-1800s. The mill site was purchased by Henry Snyder Sr. (1783 – 1869) from Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, who turned the town into Snyder’s Station with a train station on the Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad. His sons, John Snyder (1810 – 1896) and David Line Snyder (1816 – 1898) subsequently ran the mill site under the name of Enon Mills. The town was listed as Enon Station in the 1870 county atlas and was on the Atlantic & Great Western Railroad. In the 1894 county atlas, it was on the Big Four Railroad and the New York, Pennsylvania, & Ohio Railroad. The train stations were still called Snyder, with one one each of the railroads. The Leffel brothers and Snyder family were buried with relatives in Ferncliff Cemetery and Arboretum on McCreight Ave in Springfield. 

Chribbs Station
Location: unknown
Description: Chribbs Station was the first settlement in the county and was founded along the Mad River in 1796. Prior to the railroad era, the term “station”, when connected to a town name, usually implied the location was fortified in some way.

Funderburg – Bethel Township
Location: 39.931248, -83.997315
on Milton Carlisle Rd at the intersection of Funderburg Rd
Remnants: Funderburg Cemetery on the north side of Milton Carlisle Rd about 1/4 of a mile northwest of the GPS coordinates
Description: It was a farming and livestock raising town founded by Daniel Funderburg (1811 – 1882) and Diana (Keplinger) Funderburg (1812 – 1862). They married in 1835 and had a few children. After Diana passed away, Daniel married one of her sisters, Salome (Keplinger) Funderburg (1816 – 1874). That may seem a bit strange these day, but it wasn’t an uncommon occurrence back then and we have run across the same situation in a few other places. Daniel remarried again after Salome passed away, with Rebecca (Renner) Funderburg (1825 – 1894). The cemetery was established in the early 1800s by the Heck family. It’s well-maintained with a nice split log fence. Everyone mentioned in this listing was buried there except for Rebecca, who was laid to rest in Medway Cemetery about 5 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates on the south side of Lower Valley Pike.

Hennessee (Hennessy) (Hennessey) – Mad River Township
Location: 39.831109, -83.877049
on W Jackson Rd at the former railroad crossing between US 68 (Springfield Xenia Pike) and S Tecumseh Rd
Remnants: former railroad path currently part of the Little Miami Scenic Trail
Description: The town was founded shortly after the Little Miami Railroad was built through the area in the mid-1840s. It wasn’t much more than a small cluster of houses, but also had a train station. The tracks were later bought by the Pennsylvania Railroad and the former path is currently a paved recreation trail. Hennnessee fell into obscurity in the early 1900s.

Melrose – Springfield Township and City of Springfield
Location: 39.908006, -83.843907
on Rebert Pike at the intersection of Rhomenus St along Mill Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: Melrose had a grist mill and a saw mill next to Mill Creek and a one-room schoolhouse south of the intersection of Rebert Pike and W Possom Rd. The mills were owned by Andrew Rebert (1818 – 1886) from Pennsylvania and Elizabeth (Landis) Rebert (1827 – 1900) for about 20 years and the road was named after their family. The area is presently called Sunnyland. Andrew and Elizabeth Rebert had several children and were buried with relatives in Ferncliff Cemetery on McCreight Ave in Springfield.

New Boston (Piqua) – Bethel Township
Post Office: 1818 – 1824
Location: 39.907609, -83.908910
on S Tecumseh Rd at the SR 4 underpass along Mad River
Remnants: Daniel Hertzler House Museum in George Rogers Clark Park just north of the GPS coordinates, historical markers in the grounds around the Hertzler house, New Boston (Tecumseh) Cemetery in a small patch of woods between SR 4 and Old Lower Valley pike just east of the GPS coordinates
Description: New Boston was founded in 1809 by Henry Bailey at the former site of Piqua (Peckuwe), a Native American Shawnee village founded in 1754. Piqua also grew to include settlers from the Wyandot, Delaware, and Mingo tribes and was the birthplace of Shawnee Chief Tecumseh (1768 – 1813). It was fortified with Revolutionary War British troops and was destroyed in 1780 by General George Rogers Clark (1752 – 1818) and his American soldiers. New Boston was the only rival Springfield had in those early days. When Springfield barely won the county seat in 1818 by 2 votes, growth in New Boston began to decline. It was officially annexed into Springfield in 1866 when the town was abandoned by court order. That was normally a result of a petition by the landowners who had no hopes of turning a plat into a village and didn’t want to keep paying town taxes on the farmland. An annual fair in George Rogers Clark Park near the site of the Battle of Piqua is hosted by The George Rogers Clark Heritage Association. The reportedly haunted home of Daniel Hertzler (1800 – 1867) and Catharine (Hershey) Hertzler (1809 – 1872) from Pennsylvania is now a restored museum at 930 S Tecumseh Rd. They got married in 1827, moved to Clark County in the early 1830s, and owned the farm at the former site of Piqua and New Boston in the mid-1800s. Daniel was found dead in the house due to a gunshot wound. A couple of suspects were arrested for the crime, but they subsequently escaped and justice was never served. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Daniel and Catharine had 10 children and were buried with relatives in Ferncliff Cemetery on McCreight Ave in Springfield. There are several historical markers around the Hertzler House, including one for the Battle of Piqua and a large stone with a memorial plaque for the Shawnee Tribe and their village.

Owl Town – German Township
Location: 40.007014, -83.821546
on Tremont City Rd at the intersection of River Rd along the Mad River at the confluence of Champan Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: Owl town formed around a distillery with an attached grist and a saw mill built next to the west side of the Mad River in 1839 by Kniesley and Kiblinger. It was the largest distillery in the county at the time. Many homes in the area were built with the saw mill lumber and there was about a dozen houses in town. According to local lore, the town was named after owls who were the suspects involved in numerous chicken disappearances in town. As it turned out, boys working at the distillery and mill were the culprits, snatching the chickens and cooking them in the distillery furnace. The distillery and mill was purchased around 1859 by Daniel Blose (1818 – 1871), one of his sons John H. Blose (1838 – 1919), and a brother-in-law of Daniel, Jacob Seitz (1815 – 1892). The distillery closed in 1865 and the mills didn’t last much longer. Daniel and John Blose were buried with relatives about 7 miles north of town in Nettle Creek Cemetery on the west side of SR 560 in Mad River Township, Champaign County. Jacob Sietz was buried with relatives in Ferncliff Cemetery on McCreight Ave in Springfield. A couple of covered bridges crossing the Mad River were later the locations of some unfortunate events. They were constructed in 1865 – 1867, replacing 2 old open wood bridges, one for traffic heading east and the other heading west. Jesse Mead drowned there in 1888 and a car plunged into Mad River, killing one of the occupants, after the covered bridges were removed in 1904 while they were being replaced by a new iron bridge. 

Oxtoby (Oxtoby Station) – Harmony Township
Post Office: 1875 – 1877
Location: 39.901688, -83.695354
on Fletcher Rd at the railroad crossing between London Plattsburg Rd and Fletcher Chapel Rd
Remnants: Fletcher Chapel and Cemetery 1/2 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Fletcher Pike and Fletcher Chapel Rd
Description: The town was founded by Henry Oxtoby Sr. (1770 – 1838) and Elizabeth (Cook) Oxtoby (1769 – 1836) with farming and livestock raising as the main industries. Henry and Elizabeth had 4 children, immigrated to the U.S. from England in 1803, and moved from New York to Clark County in 1814. A Methodist congregation formed in the area that year and a small brick chapel was constructed around 1822. It was replaced by a larger brick structure in 1848. Oxtoby originally had an early log schoolhouse. A newer one was built on land donated by Henry Oxtoby Jr. (1801 – 1887), who expanded the family’s original 160-acre homestead to around 300 acres by 1870. He married Harriet (Newlove) Oxtoby (1799 – 1846) in 1825 and had a few children. After Harriet passed away, Henry married one of her sisters, Ann (Newlove) Oxtoby (1804 – 1874). Henry also served as the sexton of Fletcher Chapel for a few decades and donated land for a train station and the track path of the Springfield & Columbus Railroad, later bought by the Big Four (Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad). The town faded into oblivion in the early 1900s. The Oxtoby family was laid to rest in Fletcher Cemetery.

Riceville – City of Springfield (formerly in Springfield Township)
Location: 39.906260, -83.803971
on Fremont Ave at the intersection of Clay St
Remnants: none known
Description: It was platted with 95 lots on 25 acres in 1871 by Henry C. Rice (1831 – 1895). He married Sarah (Dean) Rice (1830 – 1901) in 1855 and had 3 children. The lots didn’t sell well and the town was eventually annexed into Springfield. Henry and Sarah Rice were buried with relatives in Ferncliff Cemetery on McCreight Ave in Springfield.

Royal (Royal Siding) – Madison Township
Location: unknown
Description: It was on the Ohio Southern Railroad in the northwest portion of Madison Township in the late 1800s to early 1900s.

Spunky Puddle – Moorefield Township
Location: 40.012093, -83.791908
on SR 72 (Urbana Rd) at the intersection of Willow Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Strangely enough, there’s currently no info online about Spunky Puddle and it doesn’t pop up on any of the historic maps or in the county’s history books. The town certainly had an interesting name, but everything else about it is a mystery. 

Stafford – Pike Township
Location: 39.973463, -84.033816
on Stafford Rd at the intersection of Addison – New Carlisle Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: The original proprietors were Irish immigrants George Stafford Sr. (1769 – 1840) and Catharine (Fair) Stafford (1780 – 1871). They married in the U.S., moved to Virginia around 1790, and relocated to Clark County in 1811. George and Catharine had 11 children. A few of them carried on the tradition of farming in the area and expanded the family’s homestead. The town had a school on the south side of Stafford Rd southeast of the GPS coordinates that was pinpointed in the 1870 county atlas near the middle of the farm owned by George Stafford Jr. (1804 – 1880). A newer school was built on the same farm in its southeast corner and was pinpointed on the 1894 county atlas. At that time, the land was owned by Robert F. Stafford (1841 – 1925) and Jeannette (Johnston) Stafford (1852 – 1942). George and Catharine were buried with relatives and other local pioneers in Blacks Cemetery about 3 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates on the west side of SR 235 (N Dayton – Lakeview Rd). George Jr. and Robert were buried with relatives in New Carlisle Cemetery 4 miles south of town at the intersection of SR 235 and Musselman Rd.  

Willis – Madison Township
Location: 39.807410, -83.669966
on Old Columbus – Cincinnati Rd (Old Rte 42 Rd) on the south side of US 44 along the Ohio To Erie Trail
Remnants: none known
Description: During the stagecoach era, William Willis operated a widely known hotel which was an important stopping point in the times before railroads. Located on a well-traveled road between Columbus and Cincinnati, a couple of its prominent guests included politicians Thomas Corwin and Henry Clay in 1830 – 1840. The hotel was a one-story log house with 3 rooms. The Ohio To Erie Trail is a paved recreational path stretching across the state from the southwest corner to the northeast, running along the former Columbus & Xenia Railroad bed through Willis. 

Windsor – Harmony Township
Location: 39.941499, -83.662274
on Old Columbus Rd at the intersection of Vernon – Asbury Rd (Co Hwy 358)
Remnants: none known
Description: Windsor was platted with 105 lots in 1816 by Revolutionary War veteran Simeon Bardwell (1747 – 1837) from Massachusetts. Caleb Barrett opened a store in Windsor before 1825, but he later moved to Vienna when the National Road (US 40) was built through there. There was a blacksmith shop on the farm of William D. Baird (1803 – 1886) on the south side of Old Columbus Rd west of the GPS coordinates. A school (Harmony Township No. 6) was on the north side of Old Columbus Rd on land owned by John Jones (1814 – 1901) and Mary (Botkin) Jones (1815 – 1893) who owned the farm on the east side of the GPS coordinates. Simeon Bardwell was buried 3 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates in South Vienna Cemetery on the north side of US 40. The Baird and Jones families were laid to rest in Asbury Chapel Cemetery 2 miles north of town at the intersection of Venron – Asbury Rd and Jones Rd. It was stated in the 1908 county history book that an Englishman once stopped by and asked John Jones where Windsor was, to which John replied, “Look around and you will find it”.

Clermont County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Allisonia – Stonelick Township
Location: 39.122752, -84.206434 
on the south side of US 50 between Stonelick Creek and East Fork Little Miami River
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by Revolutionary War veteran and first US Surgeon General, Dr. Richard Allison from New York (1757 – 1816) and Rebecca (Strong) West (1777 – 1828) from Connecticut. Richard was the first doctor in Cincinnati in 1789 and Rebecca was widely known as Cincinnati’s most intellectual and beautiful woman. They were the first settlers in Owensville (Boston) which was platted on their land grant. Richard and Rebecca also owned land and a cabin at the confluence of Stonelick Creek and East Fork Little Miami River along with a grist mill and saw mill. Samuel Perin (1785 – 1865), who founded Perintown, arrived in 1805 and had Richard attend to a limb wound he received while traveling. In payment, Samuel updated the grist and saw mill and worked for the Allisons for a few years. The town was platted in 1815. Unfortunately Richard passed away the following year and it didn’t grow much before getting abandoned. Rebecca remarried after Richard’s death. They were buried in Wesleyan Cemetery on Colerain Ave in Cincinnati.

Beechwood (Beechwood Station) (Elston) (Elstens Station) – Union and Miami Township
Location: 39.156464, -84.273584 
on Round Bottom Rd at the intersection of Beechwood Rd along the railroad tracks
Remnants: Round Bottom Rd cemetery on the north side of the road about 1 1/2 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates
Description: The town had a train station on the Cincinnati & Eastern Railroad (later the Norfolk & Western Railway) and a one-room schoolhouse (Union Township No. 5) on the east side of Beechwood Rd. The original proprietors were Wilson J. Elstun (1845 – 1924) and Alice J. Elstun (1847 – 1936) who owned a 240-acre farm on the north side of the GPS coordinates. Their family surname is also spelled Elston and Elsten in some branches. They were buried with relatives in Greenlawn Cemetery on US 50 in Milford. The later train station called Beechwood was just east of the GPS coordinates between land owned by the Ragland and Davis families. Some of the other local residents were buried in Round Bottom Rd Cemetery.

Charleston – Goshen Township
Location: 39.215924, -84.134201 
on Woodville Pike at the intersection of Manilla Rd
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: It was named in the mid-1840s by Charles Thacker (1809 – 1875) and Margaret Jane (Brunson) Thacker (1811 – 1863) who owned a general store purchased from William Vaughn. The town grew up around an abundance of natural springs and had a school and a Methodist Episcopal church with about 50 members. George W. Boutell purchased the general store in 1848 and also ran a private post office out of it. The main industries were farming and barrel making (cooper shops). Charleston fell off the maps in the early 1900s. Charles and Margaret were buried with relatives in Goshen Cemetery on Spring St in Goshen.

Clifton (southern quarter of New Richmond) – Ohio Township
Location: 38.944344, -84.275848   
on Old US 52 between Augusta St and Little Indian Creek
Remnants: Greenmound Cemetery on Greenmound Rd
Description: Clifton was a separate town that eventually got annexed into New Richmond as a plat addition. It appeared on maps in the 1891 and 1902 county atlases.

East Liberty (Gernon) (Baldwin) (Baldwin Station) – Batavia and Union Township
Post Office: 1876 – 1908
Location: 39.120855, -84.211888 
on Baldwin Rd at the intersection of Binning Rd along East Fork Little Miami River
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Its first proprietor, John Bills, constructed a small grist mill next to East Fork Little Miami River around 1825. The mill was sold to John Baker and Mathias Kugler (1822 – 1919) purchased it from John. Mathias named the town East Liberty and built a larger grist mill along with a saw mill on the site. He also operated a general store, distillery, and a cooper (barrel) factory. Those all closed before the town name changed to Baldwin in the mid-1870s. David Baldwin donated land for a train station when the Cincinnati & Eastern Railroad (later the Norfolk & Western Railway) arrived in the area. A new general store opened up and was owned by Reece Sapp (1848 – 1923), who was also the first postmaster. David platted the town with 21 lots on 5 streets in 1877. Despite the successes the area had in the mid to late 1800s, it never grew beyond the original plat and fell off of maps in the early 1900s. Joseph M. Stevenson was the last postmaster. Mathias Kugler was buried with relatives in Evergreen Cemetery about 13 miles northwest of town on SR 126 in Miami Township. Reece Sapp was buried with relatives in Greenlawn Cemetery 6 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates on US 50 in Milford. The Gernon family was also influential in the area and the town took on their name at some point. A house in the southwest corner of the intersection was built by the Gernon family in 1890 and was damaged in a fire in the late 2010s. Many residents were reportedly buried in a cemetery about 1/4 of a mile from Binning Rd on the east side of Olive Branch – Stonelick Rd, but its location has since been lost to time.

East Mount Carmel (Summerside) – Union Township
Location: 39.104914, -84.288808 
on Old St Rt 74 at the intersection of Summerside Rd
Remnants: Summerside United Methodist Church at the intersection
Description: It was named by results of a contest and was listed in the 1870 Clermont County Atlas. As far as stores, shops, and public buildings go, if there wasn’t something in East Mount Carmel, it was surely somewhere in Mount Carmel. The area was never abandoned, but lost its name and status of a town. However, it now goes by Summerside which is a populated place for census purposes. The old part of the church at the intersection was built in 1852 on land owned by Samuel Lane Jr. (1802 – 1868) and Elizabeth (Dial) Lane (1805 – 1865). They were buried with relatives in Olive Branch Cemetery on Olive Branch – Stonelick Rd.

Elk Lick – Tate Township
Location: 39.007109, -84.138441 
on Elklick Rd in East Fork State Park
Remnants: Old Bethel Methodist Church and Cemetery at the GPS coordinates, Bantam school on Williamsburg – Bantam Rd southeast of the GPS Coordinates
Description: Elk Lick was founded in 1802 by Reverend John Collins (1769 – 1845) and Sarah (Blackman) Collins (1776 – 1863). It was named after the abundance of natural salt licks in the area. John built a log cabin church in 1805 called Collin’s Chapel. A wood frame structure was built on the same spot in 1818 and was named Bethel Methodist Church. It was rebuilt in 1867 and still stands today. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. John and Sarah’s son Richard (1796 – 1855) was a War of 1812 veteran and a wealthy lawyer. He had a 37-room mansion constructed at Elk Lick in the early 1850s. It was considered to be the most prominent house in the county for several decades. Dr. Thomas Pinkham (1802 – 1884) also had a mansion built nearby. Along with John Collins, Dr. Pinkham attempted to get the county seat moved to Elk Lick as it was quickly becoming an affluent community. However, that never happened and Elk Lick was never incorporated. John and Sarah Collins were buried in the Old Bethel Methodist Cemetery close to the church. Elk Lick had its own school, but it burned down in an arson fire in 1931. Some of the residents attended the Bantam one-room schoolhouse which still stands on Williamsburg – Bantam Rd. Much of the town’s land was later impounded by William H. Harsha (East Fork) Lake which was created by a dam on the East Fork of the Little Miami River. Construction of the flood control project began in 1970 and was completed in 1978. Richard’s mansion was demolished by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1972 and was located where the lake’s recreational beach currently is. The McGrath family was the last to reside there. Several old dilapidated structures around the area were also razed prior to the lake’s completion. One house was saved from demolition by the Miami Purchase Association for Historic Preservation. It was the home of Ohio politician and U.S. Senator Thomas Morris (1776 – 1844). The back 2-room portion of the house was built in 1818 and the larger front was added in 1840. It presently sits on the grounds of the Heritage Village Museum in Sharon Woods Park off of US 42 (Lebanon Rd) in Sharonville, Hamilton County. 

Fair Oak  (Fair Oak Station) – Monroe Township
Location: 38.993916, -84.174827 
on Lindale – Mt Holly Rd at the intersection of Fair Oak Rd and Berry Rd
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: The town had a train station on the Cincinnati, Georgetown, & Portsmouth Railroad that was on the west side of Lindale – Mt Holly Rd a little north of the GPS coordinates and had a school (Monroe Township No. 8) in the northwest corner of the intersection of Lindale – Mt Holly Rd and Back Run Rd. The train tracks were sold for scrap in the late 1930s after the railroad went out of business.

Funston
Post Office: 1901 – 1904
Location: unknown
It was listed in the 1903 A B C Pathfinder Shipping and Mailing Guide with Williamsburg having the closest train station. Arch C. Snell (1869 – 1914) was the postmaster. He was buried with relatives in Stonelick IOOF (Odd Fellows) Cemetery on US 50 west of Owensville.

Home – Pierce Township
Location: 39.024855, -84.316827 
on Old US Rt 52 at the intersection of 9 Mile Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: It was a small farming town with a blacksmith shop.

Hulicks – Batavia Township
Location: 39.084526, -84.148379  
on Bauer Rd at the intersection of Elmwood Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: The original proprietors were James Hulick Sr. (1787 – 1875) from New Jersey and Rebecca (Weaver) Hulick (1799 – 1875) from Virginia. They were married in Ohio in 1816, had 6 children, and a nice farm. James and Rebecca were buried with relatives in Union Cemetery on Cemetery Ln in Batavia. From the GPS coordinates, the town’s land stretched west toward SR 132 and northeast up Bauer Rd.

Lucy Run – Batavia Township
Location: 39.043285, -84.192177
on Lucy Run Cemetery Rd off of SR 132
Remnants: Lucy Run Cemetery at the GPS coordinates, former one-room schoolhouse and historical marker on the north side of the GPS coordinates
Description: Lucy Run was first settled by Charles Robinson (1763 – 1846) and Asseneth (Martin) Robinson (1768 – 1835). Although the Robinson family is known to have lived in Maryland during colonial times, most genealogists state Charles was born in Virginia and the Robinsons lived in Kentucky prior to moving to Batavia Township. They arrived in the area of our subject in 1806. Charles was a farmer and Asseneth was known to have medical capabilities which were tough to find in those days. A Methodist congregation was organized at the Robinson cabin in 1808. Along with the help of neighbors, Charles built a log chapel around 1815 or 1816 that was called Robinson’s Church. The congregation later moved to Amelia and became the Methodist church there. Lucy Run also had a one-room schoolhouse that sits next to Lucy Run Cemetery and is currently a private residence. It has a county bicentennial marker including info on the county’s one-room schools. The area was reportedly named after Lucy Robinson, who by all accounts was either a daughter or niece of Charles and Asseneth. Her legend goes as follows. Lucy was engaged to be married in 1806 or 1807 with a local man who met another woman which he became romantically interested in. He showed up at the Robinson cabin one day and told Lucy the bad news that he couldn’t marry her because he was in love with someone else. After he left, the distraught Lucy mounted a horse and rode after him in an attempt to change his mind, or maybe kick his ass. No one is certain about that. A bad storm was rolling through the area and Lucy fell off her horse into the swollen creek near the Robinson cabin and drowned. The creek was subsequently named Lucy Run and the stream and adjacent road still bear the name to this day. Lucy can supposedly be seen at night running in a white gown from the creek to the cemetery, or from the cemetery and across the creek to where the Robinson cabin was, looking for her estranged lover. It’s one of the most widely told ghost stories in Clermont County. Lucy is said to have been buried in an unmarked grave in the Robinson family plot in Lucy Run Cemetery on Lucy Run Cemetery Rd. The town never grew to be more than a hamlet and is currently considered to be part of Amelia. Many historians doubt the authenticity of Lucy’s tale though. Numerous attempts, including one by our group, have failed to turn up any genealogical evidence supporting the legend and it’s unknown if she ever even existed. However, several women with the same name, Lucy or Lucinda Robinson, are confirmed to have been born in and lived in the county after the first decade of the 1800s. What may be even more bizarre, and adds to the mystery, is there’s a well-known true story about Mary (Robinson) Weaver (1789 – 1861) in the county history books. Mary was definitely a daughter of Charles and Asseneth. She got stuck out in the woods at night during a snow storm in the fall of 1807 while on a 12 mile journey to the Mitchell cabin in Miami Township. She could hear wolves howling and getting closer as the night went on. Her horse knew the dangers of the howls as well and wouldn’t let Mary get near him. She paced around the horse all night, far enough away to not get kicked, but close enough to keep the wolves from attempting an attack. Mary made it to the Mitchell cabin in the morning and took several days to recover after getting sick. As interesting as that story is, it by no means compares to Lucy’s legend which didn’t make it into printed recorded history.

Maywood (Maywood Station) – Batavia Township
Location: 39.065624, -84.110180 
on Curliss Ln at the railroad track crossing between Batavia – Williamsburg Pike (Old St Rt 32) and SR 32
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Maywood was platted with 16 lots in 1877 by James Davidson (1837 – 1928) and Martha (Summers) Davidson (1837 – 1902). It had a train station on the Cincinnati Portsmouth, & Virginia Railroad (later the Norfolk & Western Railway), a school, and a few small businesses including a general store and blacksmith shop in the late 1800s to early 1900s. James and Martha were buried with relatives in Williamsburg Cemetery at the intersection of N 8th St and Gay St in Williamsburg.

Mount Moriah – Union Township
Location: 39.067755, -84.291766 
on Mount Moriah Dr between SR 125 and Commercial Blvd
Remnants: Mount Moriah Methodist Church and Cemetery at the GPS coordinates
Description: Squeezed between Tobasco and Withamsville, Mount Moriah never had much of a chance at staying a town on its own, but it did have a stop on the Black Line of interurban traction cars that ran along the current road in the early 1900s. Mount Moriah Church was built in 1842, expanded in 1869, an was remodeled in 1879. The cemetery sits on the former Witham Farm, purchased in 1800 by Reverend Maurice Witham (1749 – 1807) and Hannah (Bragdon) Witham (1750 – 1818), the founders of Withamsville. They were buried with relatives in the cemetery.

Nice (Schneider’s Corner) (Schneiders Crossroads) – Monroe Township
Post Office: 1896 – 1905
Location: 38.955707, -84.201361
on Laurel – Lindale Rd at the intersection of Bethel – New Richmond Rd
Remnants: Shaw Cemetery on the east side of Jet Hill Rd about 1/2 of a mile north of Bethel – New Richmond Rd
Description: This small postal and farming town was originally called Schneider’s Corner or Schneider’s Crossroads. It had a school (Monroe Township No. 3) on the south side of Bethel – New Richmond Rd west of the GPS coordinates and a general store on the east side of Laurel – Lindale Rd north of the GPS coordinates. The general store was on land owned by German immigrant Joseph Schneider (1834 – 1894) and Katherine (Braun) Schneider (1846 – 1922). Katherine was the first known postmaster. A picture of her residence and family appeared on page 104 of the 1902 county atlas. Joseph and Katherine were buried with relatives 5 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates in Saint Peters Cemetery on the west side of Fagins Run Loop Rd in Ohio Township. Their surname was sometimes spelled as Snider or Snyder. John C. Shaw (1848 – 1924) was the last postmaster. He married Sallie (Goble) Shaw (1853 – 1937) in 1875. They were buried with relatives in Greenmound Cemetery 4 miles southwest of town on Greenmound Rd off of US 52 in New Richmond. John’s great-grandfather, James Shaw, was a Revolutionary War veteran who served with General Neville. His grandparents, John Shaw Sr. (1779 – 1847) from York County, Pennsylvania and Nancy (Morin) Shaw (1785 – 1867) from Culpeper County, Virginia, were early settlers in the area. They got married in 1804, owned a large farm, had a few children, and were buried with relatives in Shaw Cemetery.
Thanks to Debra Geesner from the Clermont County Genealogical Society for providing some of the info on Nice! Joseph and Katherine Schneider are a set of her husband’s maternal great-grandparents.

Nineveh (Ninevah) (Pleasant Valley) – Pierce Township
Location: 39.040044, -84.296406 
on 9 Mile Rd between Bradbury Rd and Locust Corner Rd along Ninemile Creek
Remnants: historical marker at the GPS coordinates, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: The town was founded in the late 1830s by George Floro. It had several general stores over the decades, 2 blacksmiths, a doctor, wagon shop, cooperage,  school, church, and a train station on the Cincinnati & Eastern Railroad. The railroad went out of business in 1889 and the tracks were removed before 1900.

Pleasant Grove – Washington Township
Post Office: 1849 – 1860
Location: 38.854078, -84.149397 
on SR 756 at the intersection of Fruit Ridge Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: This small farming and orchard town was listed on the 1857 Clermont County map. John Powell was the first postmaster.

Simpkinsville (Ashdale) – Stonelick Township
Location: 39.172397, -84.152062 
on SR 131 at the intersection of Baas Rd
Remnants: Simpkins Family Cemetery on private property behind 2100 State Rt 131 (ask permission before visiting)
Description: The proprietors were David Simpkins (1809 – 1889) and Lucinda (Robinson) Simpkins (1812 – 1879). David built a cooper shop in the late 1820s and the town had a couple of blacksmith shops and local schools in the mid to late 1800s. It currently goes by the name Ashdale. David and Lucinda were buried with relatives in Plainview Cemetery on the south side of SR 131 east of the GPS coordinates. Some of their children and other relatives were buried in Simpkins Family Cemetery.

South Milford Station – Union Township and City of Milford (formerly in Miami Township)
Location: 39.154827, -84.288557 
on Round Bottom Rd at the intersection of South Milford Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: It had a train station on the Norfolk & Western Railway and around a half dozen houses.

Spann (Ten Mile) – Pierce Township
Post Office: 1880 – 1883 and 1892 – 1905
Location: 39.009012, -84.259778 
on SR 749 (10 Mile Rd) at the intersection of Cole Rd along Tenmile Creek
Remnants: former general store in the lot on the northwest side of the GPS coordinates, historical marker north of the GPS coordinates on the east side of Cole Rd, former school at the intersection of Cole Rd and Merwin 10 mile Rd, Ten Mile (Old Pierce Township) Cemetery on Bristol Rd, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Spann was a small town along Ten Mile Creek and was a road transportation hub for early Clermont County residents and travelers who were passing through. The area was originally called Ten Mile and had a public water well. In 1802 the Ten Mile Baptist Church was formed with a small stone church that was built next to Ten Mile Cemetery (Old Pierce Township Cemetery) at the end of Bristol Rd off of SR 749 (10 Mile Rd). An additional church congregation was formed in 1819 about 4 miles to the east. It was dedicated as the Second Ten Mile Baptist Church. The church congregation grew so large though that the town of Lindale was formed just to the south of it. They built a large brick church in Lindale in 1853 which still stands on SR 132 near the intersection of 10 Mile Rd. Later in 1876 the church changed its name to Lindale Baptist Church. Samuel H. Peoples opened a post office in Spann in 1880. Its name changed to Ten Mile in 1882 and was discontinued in 1883, but a new office called Spann opened in 1892 and ran to 1905. The general store at the intersection of 10 Mile Rd and Cole Rd, around the corner from a Clermont County Bicentennial Marker for the town was built in 1860. Marion Butler (1847 – 1918) grew up in Ten Mile and operated the store for several years. He was buried in Mt. Pisgah Cemetery about a mile south of Lindale on SR 132. Pierce Township School #4 (the Corner School) is also a very cool sight to see. It’s about a half mile north of the general store at the intersection of Cole Rd and Merwin – Ten Mile Rd. Many early settlers of the area are buried in the Ten Mile Cemetery on Bristol Rd and in Lindale Cemetery next to the church on SR 132.

Summit Station – Batavia Township
Location: 39.076502, -84.140990 
on Herold Rd at the intersection of Hospital Dr
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: The town had a train station on the Cincinnati, Portsmouth, & Virginia Railroad (Norfolk & Western Railway) and a few houses, but never grew to a size of much importance. The tracks in that area were removed and rerouted to the south.

Swings (Swings Station) (Swings Corner) – Tate Township
Location: 38.967524, -84.116260   
on Swings Corner Point Isabel Rd at the intersection of Crane Schoolhouse Rd
Remnants: Swing Family Cemetery on the north side of SR 125 west of Bethel (above painted retaining wall), old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: The town was founded by the massive Swing family in the township. It had a church, school, and a train station on the Cincinnati, Georgetown, & Portsmouth Railroad. Most of the family was buried in Swing Cemetery and some in the Old Settlers Burying Ground on SR 133 in Bethel.

Walkers Mills – Tate township
Location: 38.946756, -84.055720 
on Patterson Rd between Airport Rd and Sodom Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: It was founded by William T. Walker and had a train station on the Cincinnati, Georgetown, & Portsmouth Railroad.

Wood And Mannings Station – Washington Township
Location: 38.857124, -84.173895   
on Turkey Foot Rd between SR 756 and Haul Rd along Little Indian Creek
Remnants: Wood Cemetery at the GPS coordinates
Description: It was the first town in the southern half of Clermont County and was founded by John and David Wood and Elisha, Isaac, Nathan, and Richard Manning in 1795. They immediately built a stockade and a double log cabin for their families to live in and the town to grew around it. Daniel Boone, Simon Kenton, and Cornelius Washburn occasionally visited the cabin to rest and associate during their lengthy travels. Despite the importance of the settlement to the county and township, it didn’t last into the mid-1800s as the families scattered around and made their marks in other areas and towns. The cemetery is one of the oldest in the county and a very impressive site to explore. It’s located on a closed off section of Turkey Foot Rd. Appointments for visiting can be obtained by calling Washington Township at 513-553-2027. More of the area’s early settlers were laid to rest in Woods Hill Cemetery on Woods Hill Cemetery Rd off of Reed Rd in Franklin Township.

Clinton County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Cedarville – Richland Township
Location: unknown
Description: This small farming town had a Baptist church and was listed in The Ohio Gazetteer, Or, Topographical Dictionary and The Ohio Gazetteer and Traveler’s Guide from 1829 – 1841.

Macedonia – Washington Township
Post Office: 1871 – 1872
Location: 39.328999, -83.859235 
on Macedonia Rd at the intersection of Hunter Rd (Township Hwy 185)
Remnants: none known
Description: Madedonia’s heyday was in the 1870s. It had shoe shop on the west side of Hunter Rd north of East Todd Fork on land owned by Mahlon Thompson (1828 – 1899). He was buried with relatives in Moore – Johns Cemetery about 4 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates on private property on a now abandoned section of Kuebler Rd. A school (Washington Township No. 7) was on the south side of Macedonia Rd 1/2 of a mile east of the intersection on land donated by Ephraim Batson (1826 – 1908) and Louisa (Wright) Batson (1829 – 1878). They got married in 1853, had 6 children, and were laid to rest with relatives in Second Creek Cemetery about 6 1/2 miles west of the GPS coordinates on the south side of 2nd Creek Rd in Marion Township. The town also had a blacksmith shop and a Christian church. Its original log building was replaced with a frame church in 1867 at a cost of $1200. Google Maps currently has the location of the church pinpointed, but it doesn’t appear to be the same structure. Macedonia faded out of existence prior to 1900. 

Morgantown – Green Township (formerly in Highland County)
Location: 39.345310, -83.711797 
on SR 73 between SR 729 and Levo Rd
Remnants: Swingley Farm (Morgantown) Cemetery on the northeast side of SR 73 behind the house between SR 729 and Levo Rd
Description: Morgan Van Meter (Matre) (1765 – 1813) and Mary (Pierce) Van Meter were the first settlers in Clinton County and had 10 children. They built a small tavern and inn close to East Fork around 1800, the first one to open between Chillicothe and Cincinnati. Morgan was a surveyor and convinced local officials to run a newly proposed road (present day SR 73) through his land. The family then constructed a larger tavern and hotel along the road. Morgan passed away in 1813 and is reportedly buried under SR 73 near where the tavern was. The town was later platted in 1816 by Isaac Pearson Jr. and Mary Van Meter, but only had a few houses. Residents were buried in Swingley Farm (Morgantown) Cemetery.

Ogles – Liberty Township
Location: 39.540688, -83.831821
on Gano Rd between Hiney Rd and Bailey Rd
Remnants: New Burlington – Oglesbee Cemetery on private property 3 miles west of the GPS coordinates on the east side of McKay Rd about 1/2 of a mile south of New Burlington Rd
Description: It was along the Dayton, Toledo, & Ironton Railroad on land owned by Reese Oglesbee (1820 – 1875) and Ann (Shambaugh) Oglesbee (1835 – 1916). They had a couple of children, a 100-acre farm, and were buried with many relatives in New Burlington – Oglesbee Cemetery. The land the cemetery is on was owned by Reese’s parents, John Oglesbee (1786 – 1840) and Sarah (Stump) Oglesbee (1791 – 1873), who were pioneers in the county and had 8 children.

Quinn’s Mills – Wayne Township
Post Office: 1849 – 1852
Location: 39.440084, -83.615746   
on Hornbeam Rd at the intersection of SR 729
Remnants: Evans Cemetery on the north side of S Snowhill Rd about 1 1/4 miles east of the GPS coordinates
Description: The town was founded by David Quinn (1804 – 1867) from Virginia and Mary (Woodmansee) Quinn (1811 – 1860) from New Jersey. David was a farmer, stock dealer, built a saw mill, and served in the state legislature from 1857 – 1858. The family owned over 1200 acres of land southeast of the GPS coordinates along Hornbeam Rd. Mary’s parents, Isaac Woodsmansee (1785 – 1871) and Abigail Woodsmansee (1791 – 1867), got married in 1806 and owned a general store at Quinn’s Mills. It also had a school (Wayne Township No. 2) and a grange hall in the northeast corner of the intersection. David and Mary were buried with relatives in Sugar Grove Cemetery on W Truesdell St in Wilmington. Most of the town’s residents were laid to rest in Evans Cemetery. It was established on a large farm owned by Judge Stephen Evans (1803 – 1879) from Highland County and Mary (Wilson) Evans (1803 – 1876). They got married on Stephen’s 25th birthday in 1828, purchased the farm in 1835, and had 12 children. Their large and lavish brick residence, which still stands on the west side of the cemetery, was completed in 1845. Stephen and Mary were also laid to rest in the cemetery.

Columbiana County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Azelda – Elkrun Township
Post Office: 1889 – 1903
Location: 40.751397, -80.638774
on SR 7 at the intersection of Dutchtown School Rd along Turkeyfoot Run
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by Richard B. Tullis (1832 – 1915) and Elizabeth (Lyder) Tullis (1839 – 1914). They owned a 32-acre farm at the GPS coordinates, had a couple of children, and Richard was the postmaster. There was a school west of the GPS coordinates on Greenwood Rd, which used to take a slightly different course as seen in the 1902 county atlas. Richard and Elizabeth were buried with relatives in Clarkson Cemetery about 2 miles east of town on the west side of Sprucevale Rd at the intersection of Echo Dell Rd (Township Hwy 929) in Clarkson in Middleton Township.

Bell – Fairfield and Elkrun Township
Location: 40.813588, -80.664534
on SR 517 at the intersection of Low Rd (Township Hwy 907) along Little Bull Creek
Remnants: Hiram Bell Farmstead on the north side of SR 517 about 3/4 of a mile west of the GPS coordinates, Elkrun (Elkrun Friends) Cemetery in the woods on the east side of Low Rd about 1/4 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates
Description: The original proprietors were pioneers Smith Bell (1781 – 1827) from Sussex County, Delaware and Martha (Buzby) Bell (1788 – 1872) from Burlington County, New Jersey. They moved to Columbiana County in 1805, had 12 children, and the family was influential to the area’s success throughout the 1800s. One of Smith and Martha’s sons, Hiram Bell (1816 – 1885), married Martha (Freed) Bell (1832 – 1883) in 1849. They constructed the farmhouse on SR 517 along the Fairfield and Elkrun Township border in 1850, owned a steam-powered sawmill across the road in the 1860s and 1870s, and had 9 children. Hiram was also elected to serve a 3 year term as county commissioner starting in 1877. Smith and Martha were buried with relatives and other early residents in Elkrun Friends Cemetery which formerly had a rudimentary log meeting house. A picture of the meeting house is listed on the cemetery’s Find A Grave page and appears to be from the late 1800s to early 1900s. Hiram and Martha (Freed) Bell were laid to rest 3 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates in Kimble Cemetery on the north side of SR 154. Their farmstead was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. An engraving of the farmstead in its heyday was listed in the 1870 county atlas. 

Bellefont (Bellefonte) – Middleton Township
Post Office: 1832 – 1833
Location: 40.754848, -80.563229
on SR 170 (Jackson St) at the intersection of Pancake – Clarkson Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: It was platted in 1816 by German immigrant Nicholas Young (1780 – 1855) and Barbara (Beard) Young (1786 – 1877), naming it after Bellefonte, Pennsylvania where they previously resided. Nicholas was a tailor and attempted to get other merchants to move the area, but most didn’t think it was a good location for a village. At its peak, Bellefont only had a half dozen houses. The plat was vacated long before publication of the 1879 county history book.  Nicholas and Barbara had a few children in Columbiana County, later moved, and were buried with relatives in Pine Grove Cemetery on the west side of Rowlesville Rd (County Rd 117) just north of Keesee Rd (Township Hwy 709) in Morgan Township, Vinton County. George W. Pancake (1810 – 1876) and Catherine (Shepler) Pancake (1808 – 1877) purchased the Young farm and operated a well-known tavern there in the mid-1800s. They were buried with relatives in Mt. Zion Cemetery on the south side of Pancake – Clarkson Rd about 1/2 of a mile west of the GPS coordinates. The cemetery wasn’t listed as remnant for the town as it appears to have been established after Bellefont’s existence. Descendants of George and Catherine continue to operate businesses at the intersection, including Pancake Lawn Care, Landscaping, & Nursery and Pancake Auto Body Collision Repair.

Boyds (Boyd’s) – Liverpool Township
Post Office: 1837 – 1848
Location: 40.639719, -80.614572
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by Irish immigrant James Boyd (born c. 1800) who was also the postmaster. James married Jeanette “Jane” (McLean) Boyd (d. 1856) and had a few children. Jane was buried with relatives in Calcutta United Presbyterian Cemetery about 4 1/2 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates on the west side of St Clair Ave (Co Hwy 428). 

Dale Furnace (Rebecca Furnace) – Center Township
Location: 40.779439, -80.789182
on the south side of Furnace Rd near the intersection of St Jacobs Logtown Rd next to Little Beaver Creek
Remnants: base of a former iron furnace at the GPS coordinates, stone house on the north side of Furnace Rd just northwest of the GPS coordinates
Description: Gideon Hughes constructed an iron furnace at the site in 1807, one of the oldest in the state, and named it after his wife Rebecca. Gideon operated the furnace from 1808 – 1830 and also constructed a roller mill with an added nail machine nearby. The furnace is presently the location of the Boy Scouts Of America’s Camp McKinley. U.S. President William McKinley’s family purchased the property in the 1830s, including a stone house built by Gideon Hughes in 1808, and continued to operate the furnace. The site was sold to the Boy Scouts Of America in 1934 and the stone house is now the residence of the camp’s ranger. 

East Salineville – Washington Township
Location: 40.622423, -80.814283
on Haiti Rd between SR 164 and the railroad crossing along North Fork Yellow Creek
Remnants: former plat roads with some newer residences
Description: It was on the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad in the late 1800s to early 1900s and was last spotted on the Washington Township map in the 1905 county atlas. It’s unknown if any of the local residences date back to the days prior to East Salineville losing its status of being a town.

Grissells (Grissell’s) (Grisells)
Post Office: 1815 – 1829
Location: unknown
Description: The town was founded by Revolutionary War veteran Thomas Grisell (1763 – 1827) from New Castle County, Delaware and Martha (Dingee) Grisell – Hilles (1764 – 1843). They had a few children and Thomas was the town’s first postmaster. One of their sons, Joseph Grisell (1786 – 1867), took over the postmaster position after his father passed away. Thomas was buried in Woodsdale Cemetery at the intersection of Woodsdale Rd and Teegarden Rd (Co Hwy 411) north of Guilford Lake in Hanover Township. Martha remarried after Thomas passed away and moved with her second husband to Indiana where her children established their lives as well. Martha was buried with relatives in West Grove Cemetery on the north side of W 650 in in Penn Township, Jay County, Indiana. Joseph was laid to rest with most of Thomas and Martha’s descendants in Hillside Cemetery at the intersection of E Largo St (W 400 N) and N Grissell Rd in Pennville, Indiana.

Hastingsville – Franklin Township
Post Office: 1842 – 1854
Location: 40.662686, -80.909432
on Lewis Rd (Township Hwy 847) at the intersection of 5 Forks Rd (Township Hwy 749)
Remnants: none known
Description: Hastingsville had the first post office established in Franklin Township. John Sanders was the first postmaster. He was succeeded by James B. Hull (1820 – 1898). James married Eliza (Johnston) Hull (1820 – 1869) and had 12 children. The post office moved to Summitville when the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad was completed through there. James was buried with relatives 3 miles west of the GPS coordinates in Glade Run Cemetery on the north side of Aurora Rd NE in East Township, Carroll County.

Haysville – Washington Township
Location: 40.615686, -80.806769
on Salineville Rd at the intersection of Temme Rd along North Fork Yellow Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by John Hayes who was an early coal miner in Salineville. It was at the junction of the John Hayes & Co. Railroad and the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad. 100 tons of coal were regularly extracted daily from John’s mines until the late 1870s when production slowed down. Haysville was last spotted with a plat map on page 34 of the 1902 county atlas.

Little Beaver (Little Beaver Bridge) (Beaver’s Mills) (Moore’s Mills) – Liverpool Township
Post Office: 1815 – 1863
Location: 40.650150, -80.521815
on Calcutta – Smith Ferry Rd along Little Beaver Creek
Remnants: historical marker at the GPS coordinates, former covered bridge abutment on the west side of the creek near the historical marker
Description: John Beaver built a grist mill next to Little Beaver Creek in the first few years of the 1800s. He subsequently built a saw mill on the opposite side of the waterway and took Thomas Moore into proprietorship with him. They petitioned the county court in 1803 to construct a bridge crossing the creek. The request was granted and it became the site of the earliest known covered bridge in the state. John Beaver, John Coulter, and Jacob Bowman built the first paper mill in the state near the grist and saw mills. It was named The Ohio Paper Mill, opened for business in 1807, and closed in the early 1830s. The post office was called Little Beaver Bridge with Thomas Moore as the first postmaster. Thomas also operated a general store, tavern, and a blacksmith shop. He was succeeded in the postmaster position by Matthew Laughlin (1799 – 1876) who ran the office until it was discontinued. Matthew was buried with relatives and other residents of Little Beaver in Riverview Cemetery about 5 miles west of the GPS coordinates on the east side of St Clair Ave in East Liverpool. It’s unknown where John Beaver and Thomas Moore were laid to rest, but many of their descendants were also interred in the cemetery. 

Lockbridge – Center Township
Location: 40.777272, -80.810259
on SR 172 (New Garden Ave) at the intersection of Furnace Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Lockbridge was platted along the failed Sandy & Beaver Canal, which led to the rapid extinction of the town. Construction of the canal began in 1828 and was completed in 1848. However, it usually didn’t have sufficient water levels for cargo boat travel due to a lack of necessary aqueducts and culverts. The canal’s use limped along until 1852 when the Cold Run Reservoir Dam in Lisbon broke, destroying a large section of the canal, and construction of the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad was completed through the area that same year. Lockbridge was first spotted on the 1841 county map, but disappeared before publication of the 1860 county map. 

Lucerne – Center Township
Post Office: 1893 – 1901
Location: unknown
Description: It was named after Lake Lucerne in Switzerland. Elizabeth (Morrow) Moncrief (1854 – 1938) was the postmaster. She was buried with relatives in Spring Hill Cemetery on the east side of Co Hwy 418 in Wellsville in Yellow Creek Township.

Martinsburg – Saint Clair Township
Location: 40.708519, -80.576598
on the east side of Sprucevale Rd in the woods north of Little Beaver Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: The story of Martinsburg is shrouded in mystery. Its only cartographic appearance was on the 1841 county map with a plat just east of Sprucevale. There’s no mention of the place in the county history books, or in The Ohio Gazetteer and Traveler’s Guide from the time period in question.

McGarry – Knox Township
Location: 40.882836 -81.069817
on the railroad tracks south of Hartley Rd (Township Hwy 800) between Abbey Ln and an unnamed gravel road
Remnants: none known
Description: It had a train station on the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad in the late 1800s to early 1900s and was named after a branch of the McGarry family in the county.

McKaigs Mills – Wayne Township
Post Office: 1832 – 1856
Location: 40.716464, -80.833455
on Trinity Church Rd at the intersection of Lisbon – Millport Rd (Township Hwy 764) along Little Beaver Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by Patrick McKaig (1762 – 1831) and Rachel (Starr) McCaig (1781 – 1846) from Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. They got married in 1800 and had a few children. Patrick built a mill in the first decade of the 1800s, served as township trustee and justice of the peace, and was an ordained Presbyterian minister. Rachel was the town’s first postmaster. She was succeeded by Martin Armstrong (1790 – 1875). McKaigs Mill Covered bridge, crossing Little Beaver Creek just east of the GPS coordinates, was constructed in the 1870s and was lost to a fire in 1988. It was replaced with a modern steel and concrete bridge which still bears the former town’s name. Patrick was buried in Jordanville Cemetery about 7 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates in the woods south of the eastern end of Grant St in Lisbon. Rachel moved after Patrick passed away and was laid to rest in Gravel Hill (Pioneer) Cemetery on the east side of Page St in Middleport, Meigs County. Martin Armstrong was interred in Bethesda Cemetery 4 1/2 miles west of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Bethesda Rd and Willard Rd in Franklin Township.

Middle Beaver – Elkrun Township
Location: 40.730386, -80.636470
on SR 7 at the intersection of Leslie Rd (Township Hwy 1034) along Little Beaver Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: Edward Crawford platted Middle Beaver in anticipation of the Sandy & Beaver Canal’s arrival in the township. He opened a general store and sold some lots that were improved with houses. Unfortunately, the town lost a business competition to Williamsport, platted a half mile south in Madison Township. After that, the failure of the canal was the last straw for Middle Beaver and its plat reverted back to farmland. 

New Liberty (Liberty) – Middleton Township
Location: 40.745091, -80.612965
on Sprucevale Rd between Pancake – Clarkson Rd and Echo Dell Rd (Township Hwy 929)
Remnants: none known
Description: It was platted in 1817 on the east side of the GPS coordinates by War of 1812 veteran Levi Guy (1790 – 1877) from Virginia, despite Clarkson already having been platted the previous year in the northeast corner of the adjoining farm to the west. Levi only convinced a person or two to build a house in his town and gave up the idea as Clarkson quickly stamped down the competition. However, the township rewarded Levi’s effort in improving the area with a road supervisor position in 1846. He was buried with relatives, including his wife Katharine (or Catherine) (Davis) Guy (1801 – 1888) and a son, in Clarkson Cemetery.

Newhouse – Elkrun Township
Location: unknown
Description: It was northeast of Elkton between SR 154 and Pine Hollow Rd and was named after a branch of the Newhouse family in the county.

Peace Valley – Unity Township
Location: 40.829445, -80.599325
on Peace Valley Rd (Township Hwy 934) at the intersection of SR 558
Remnants: Peace Valley Orchards and Peace Valley Bakery on the west side of Adams Rd (Township Hwy 939) 1 1/2 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates
Description: It’s unclear exactly when Peace Valley was a town and when it lost its status as one, but the name is relatively easy to figure out. It was a rural community between the much more bustling locales of New Waterford, East Palestine, Rogers, Mill Rock, and Negley. In the 1870s there was a grist mill, saw mill, and a salt works owned by the Mendenhall family on the east side of Peace Valley Rd a half mile south of the GPS coordinates. Peace Valley Orchards has been owned by the Simmons family since 1948. They grow a nice selection of produce and have one of the best bakeries in the county.
Peace Valley Orchards Info – http://www.pvoinc.com/

Robbins (Robbins Station) – Center Township
Location: 40.792549, -80.812986
on St Jacobs Logtown Rd at the intersection of Kelch Rd (Township Hwy 2100) along Little Beaver Creek
Remnants: former railroad path now a recreational trail
Description: The proprietor A. S. Robbins owned about 290 acres of land with a train stop on the Niles & New Lisbon Railroad in the 1870s – 1880s. A coal mine in the area was also named after him. The former railroad bed is presently a 12 1/2-mile paved recreational trail called the Little Beaver Creek Greenway.
Trail Info – https://www.traillink.com/trail/little-beaver-creek-greenway-trail/

Saratoga – Elkrun Township
Location: 40.765615, -80.742021
on Brookfield Ave (Ganders Flat Rd) east off of US 30 (Lincoln Hwy) along Little Beaver Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: Saratoga was on the Pittsburgh, Lisbon, & Western Railroad in the late 1800s to early 1900s.

Sprucevale – Saint Clair Township
Post Office: 1871 – 1900
Location: 40.706883, -80.580938
on Sprucevale Rd about 3 miles north of Calcutta along Little Beaver Creek
Remnants: Hambleton Mill at the GPS Coordinates, Esther Hale bridge just south of the mill, Gretchen’s Lock about a half mile west of the GPS coordinates
Description: In 1835 the Hambleton brothers platted the town of Sprucevale around a small grist mill that they recently purchased. James Hambleton (1788 – 1869) operated the mill and served on the canal board. Charles Hambleton (1790 – 1864) ran the general store and post office. Benjamin Hambleton (1786 – 1869) had a saw mill, oil mill, and another general store. Issac Hambleton (1802 – 1895) managed a wool factory. The Sandy & Beaver Canal was built through town but was badly damaged when the local reservoir broke in 1852. It lost funding and maintenance as railroads in nearby towns had taken over the shipping industry. With no railroad and a dilapidated canal, Sprucevale’s days were numbered. The town had over a dozen homes and 20 families at one time, but there were only a few left by the end of 1870. However, there was still a need for a post office to serve the surrounding area. An office opened in 1871 with William Huddleston (1825 – 1908) from Beaver County, Pennsylvania as the postmaster. He married Hannah (Smith) Huddleston (1825 – 1899) of Sprucevale in 1850 and they owned a farm across the road from the mill on the north side of Little Beaver Creek. Hannah was buried with her maiden family in Clarkson Cemetery 3 miles north of town on the west side of Sprucevale Rd in Middleton Township. William later moved out of the state and was buried with descendants in Viola Cemetery on the west side of US 67 in Mercer County, Illinois. Although Sprucevale is a ghost town, it’s still considered to be a populated place for census purposes. Canal lock #41, also known as Gretchen’s Lock, sits along the banks of Little Beaver Creek approximately a half mile west of Sprucevale Rd and is supposedly haunted by a girl named Gretchen Gill who died of malaria in Sprucevale. Her father, E. H. Gill, was an engineer of the Sandy & Beaver Canal. Gretchen’s death reportedly happened on August 12, 1838. The bridge over Little Beaver Creek on Spurcevale Rd is said to be haunted by Esther Hale, a bride to be whose groom took off the day before the wedding. As the story goes, Esther was found dead in her home a few months later still wearing her wedding dress and she can occasionally be seen at the bridge dressed in her wedding attire. The bridge has been replaced several times since the origin of the story, also from the late 1830s. Many details concerning both of the legends are continually in dispute. Echo Dell Rd in Beaver Creek State Park is also the site of Gaston’s Mill which has been restored and opened to the public along with a few other old buildings. The Hambleton Mill was in extreme disrepair and was restored in the 1970s. It’s is an impressive sight to see on Sprucevale Rd just north of Beaver Creek. Ohio Historical Marker #10 – 15 is about 1/2 of a mile north of the mill. It marks the spot where gangster Charles Arthur “Pretty Boy” Floyd met his demise in 1934 when he encountered a large group of federal agents and local police just 3 months after being declared “public enemy #1” by J. Edgar Hoover.

State Line – Unity Township
Location: 40.835359, -80.519736
on SR 165 (E Taggart St) at the Ohio and Pennsylvania border
Remnants: none known
Description: State Line was on the Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne, & Chicago Railroad (Panhandle Route) and had a coal mine opened by the State Line Coal Company in 1874, employing over 200 local residents. Civil War veteran Colonel Hugh Laughlin (1844 – 1919) rose from the rank of coal mine clerk in 1880 to superintendent of the State Line mine in 1900. He was buried with relatives and other residents in Glenview Cemetery 1 1/2 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates on the west side of SR 170 (S Market St). The town also had a brick plant and a sewer pipe company on the south side of the railroad tracks listed in the 1902 county atlas. The area has since reverted back to being part of East Palestine. A couple of local businesses, including a tavern on the north side of the GPS coordinates and a warehouse on the north side of the railroad tracks on E Martin St, presently carry on the ghost town’s name.

Temple Hill – Franklin Township
Location: 40.701752, -80.916255
on Fink Rd at the intersection of Emerick Rd (Township Hwy 750)
Remnants: none known
Description: Patrick O’Hear platted Temple Hill in 1833 but none of the lots ever sold. His surname was listed as O’Here on the 1841 county map.

Wards – Elkrun Township
Location: 40.792758, -80.675096
on the south side of SR 154 east of Lusk – Lock Rd (Township Hwy 906)
Remnants: none known
Description: The proprietors were Ira F. Ward (1853 – 1927) and Ethlinda (Rupert) Ward (1858 – 1944). They owned a 130-acre farm just south of the GPS coordinates and donated land for the track bed of the Pittsburgh, Lisbon, & Western Railroad. Its only known pinpointed map appearance was on the Ohio map in the 1901 George Cram atlas.

Waterford – Middleton Township
Location: 40.782221, -80.625724
on SR 7 at the intersection of Pine Hollow Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Waterford was platted in 1806 by William Heald (1766 – 1867) from Loudon County, Virginia and Isaac Siddle. Isaac’s surname was also spelled Siddall on some census records. 14 lots were laid out, but no improvements were made and the town faded into obscurity. As with Temple Hill, it falls into the ghost town subcategory of “paper towns”. William moved out of the state was laid to rest with relatives in Hickory Grove Cemetery on the east side of Delta Ave in Cedar County, Iowa. He was a Quaker and apparently made the journey to Iowa with some other Quaker families from the Waterford area, including Armstrongs and Beesons, revealed by a few clicks on the list of interments on the Hickory Grove Cemetery page on Find A Grave. There’s also a Quaker meeting house and school across Delta Ave from the cemetery.

West Beaver – Wayne and Madison Township
Post Office: 1849 – 1903
Location: 40.699125, -80.754165
on SR 518 between Steubenville Pike Rd and McCormick Run Rd
Remnants: West Beaver United Presbyterian Church and Cemetery a half mile east of the GPS coordinates on the south side of the intersection of SR 518 and McCormick Run Rd
Description: The town had a grist mill next to Little Beaver Creek on the former road on the south side of the GPS coordinates. There used to be a bridge crossing the creek and the previously mentioned road met up with the first section of road heading east off of Steubenville Pike Rd south of the creek. The West Beaver Presbyterian congregation former around 1806. William Reed and Henry Benner donated 2 acres of land for a log church and the cemetery in 1821. Construction began on the current wood frame structure in 1851. West Beaver had a few postmasters over the decades, but for the vast majority of the office’s existence the position was held by John Robinson (1810 – 1892) who moved to the area from York County, Pennsylvania. He was buried with relatives in New Lebanon Cemetery about 4 miles west of the GPS coordinates on the north side of SR 518.

Coshocton County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Bartlett
Location: unknown
Description: Bartlett was northwest of West Lafayette on the Cleveland, Canton, & Southern Railroad in the late 1800s to early 1900s. It was last spotted on an 1898 railroad map.

Birmingham – Lafayette Township
Location: 40.290409, -81.716803
on Township Hwy 507 between Township Rd 169 and US 36
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was platted along the Ohio & Erie Canal in 1830 by Joseph C. Higbee (1796 – 1871). Joseph’s residence and a warehouse he built in the hope of using it to store canal boat products was all Birmingham ever had. It couldn’t compete with Evansburg which was platted to the east on the canal in Oxford Township just a few months after Birmingham and had much better growth. Joseph was buried with relatives in Bowman Cemetery about 3 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates south of an unnamed road heading east off of Township Rd 167. 

Bluff – Newcastle Township
Post Office: 1892 – 1907
Location: 40.353326, -82.117270
on the south side of SR 715 along the Mohican River
Remnants: none known
Description: It was founded by German immigrant John P. Fry (1823 – 1907) and was on the Toledo, Walhonding Valley, & Ohio Railroad. John recieved $7 per month for working on construction of the Ohio & Erie Canal, served as justice of the peace for forty years, and became a prominent farmer owning 600 acres in Newcastle Township and another 380 acres in Knox County. He was also the postmaster of the Bluff office. John was married twice and had 20 children. He was buried with relatives and other residents of Bluff 2 miles north of the GPS coordinates in Honey Run (Heffelfinger) Cemetery on the west side of Township Rd 359.

Canal Spur – Bedford Township
Location: unknown
Description: It was on the Cleveland, Akron, & Columbus Railroad in the northeastern portion of Bedford Township between Warsaw Junction and Tunnel Hill in the late 1800s to early 1900s.

Clowville –  Tuscarawas Township
Location: 40.246141, -81.863665
on S 6th St at the intersection of Clow Ln
Remnants: McWane Ductile plant (formerly Clow Pipe Works) on the east side of the GPS coordinates
Description: The town was on the Panhandle Route (Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad) and was named after the the firm of James B. Clow & Sons, a pipe manufacturer that made products such as lamp posts, radiant pipe heaters, fountains, and fire hydrants. Civil War veteran Captain James Clow (1832 – 1908) from Beaver County, Pennsylvania founded the company and had been in business in Coshocton since 1878 with the Clow Water Systems Company. Construction of a new plant called the Clow Pipe Works began in 1909. The Clow Corporation was sold in 1985 and currently goes by the name of McWane Ductile. James Clow was buried with relatives in Rosehill Cemetery And Mausoleum on N Ravenswood Ave in Chicago, Illinois. 

Cox’s Crossroads – Newcastle Township
Post Office: 1823 – 1833
Location: 40.333603, -82.149807
on Township Rd 113 at the intersection of an unnamed road
Remnants: none known
Description: The proprietors were brothers Martin Cox and David Cox who were early settlers in the township. Martin was the postmaster and later moved to Sandusky County. David moved to Knox County. 

Delaneysville – Franklin Township
Location: 40.183760, -81.891852
on Marquand Ave at the intersection of Main St
Remnants: none known
Description: A Mr. Delaney platted a town called Delaneysville around 1840 at the location that would later become Conesville. It appears that none of the lots in Delaneysville ever sold and it fell into the realm of “paper towns”, merely an idea which never worked out.

Lichtenau – Tuscarawas Township
Location: 40.243223, -81.871344
on S 2nd St at the intersection of Brewer Ln along the Muskingum River
Remnants: none known
Description: It was a Monrovian missionary town of Christian Native Americans founded in 1776. The town was destroyed during the “Coshocton Campaign” of 1780 and was subsequently rebuilt. The mission was originally directed by Reverend David Zeisberger (1721 – 1808) from the Czech Republic. He was buried in Goshen (Zeisberger Memorial) Cemetery on Goshen Valley Rd SE (Township Hwy 322) in Goshen Township, Tuscarawas County. 

Lima
Location: unknown
Description: Lima was mentioned in the 1876 Historical Collections Of Coshocton County as an early town that didn’t last very long.

McGuire – Lafayette Township
Location: 40.294435, -81.799989
on US 36 at the intersection of Co Rd 115 and Co Rd 170 along the Tuscarawas River
Remnants: none known
Description: Francis McGuire (1777 – 1853) and Mary (Miller) McGuire (1778 – 1820) moved to Ohio from Virginia and arrived in Lafayette Township in the first decade of the 1800s. They purchased 1,100 acres of land and were farmers and livestock raisers. Francis married one of Mary’s sisters after she passed away. Francis and Mary were buried with relatives in Miller – McGuire Cemetery on the Schumaker Farm on Co Rd 16 west of West Lafayette. Established in 1806, it’s the oldest operating farm in the county. The current owners, Jim and Wendy Schumaker and their son Chad, continue the family tradition of farming with sweet corn, soybeans, pumpkins, hay, and cattle raising. Jim is a direct descendant of Francis McGuire.
Schumaker Farms Info – https://www.schumakerfarms.com/

Mill Creek – Mill Creek Township
Post Office: 1827 – 1845
Location: 40.400859, -81.870305
on SR 83 along Turkey Creek between Township Rd 21 and Township Hwy 1241
Remnants: none known
Description: It was an early farming and postal town. William Baldwin (1793 – 1867) from New London County, Connecticut was the first postmaster. He was buried with relatives in Keene Presbyterian Cemetery 4 miles south of the GPS coordinates on the west side of County Rd 1 in Keene Township. Jesse Lawrence (1787 – 1851) from Cheshire County, New Hampshire was the last postmaster. He was also buried in Keene Presbyterian Cemetery. The Baldwin and Lawrence families were related by marriage.

Millsville – Oxford Township
Location: unknown
Description: Millsville was platted in 1815 by John Mills on the south side of the “great bend” in the Tuscarawas River. The location would have been somewhere near the intersection of SR 751 and Co Rd 151. The town had 2 streets, a public square, and several cabins, but didn’t get a population boom and disappeared well before the mid-1800s.

Mount Airy – Newcastle Township
Location: 40.311855, -82.185984
on Co Rd 92 between Dennis Church Rd (Co Rd 18) and Co Rd 367
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was platted by Elijah Dillon in 1816. It had a blacksmith shop, shoe shop, about 20 residences, and a school. Mount Airy was mostly abandoned by 1860 and somehow managed to limp its way onto the Newcastle Township map in the 1910 county atlas, although it may have simply been for an honorable mention of sorts to a nearly forgotten relic of the past. There appears to possibly be a cemetery on the south side of Co Rd 92 east of the GPS coordinates and just barely across the border in Perry township that was pinpointed in the 1872 county atlas. It isn’t cited on Google Maps though and can’t be confirmed by looking at the satellite view.

Munsville (Munnsville) – White Eyes Township
Post Office: 1844 – 1874
Location: 40.331715, -81.781057
on Co Rd 10 between Township Rd 178 and Co Rd 425
Remnants: none known
Description: The original proprietors were James W. McMunn (1809 – 1891) from New York and Mary (Johnson) McMunn (1825 – 1902) from Jefferson County. They had 9 children and James was the town’s first postmaster. James and Mary were laid to rest with relatives in Oak Ridge Cemetery about 8 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates on N 6th St in Coshocton. John Carnahan (1803 – 1869) from Pennsylvania was the second postmaster. He arrived in the township in 1826 when there was only 8 known residents. John was buried in Hill Cemetery on the east side of Co Rd 10 a mile south of the GPS coordinates. A son of John’s, William Carnahan (1829 – 1900), was the next postmaster and was also interred in Oak Ridge Cemetery. The fourth postmaster was John Jack, but due to their death dates it’s unknown if John Jack Sr. or Jr. held the position. Claudius Hamilton (1845 – 1906) was the last postmaster. He was buried in South Lawn Cemetery 9 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates on Plum St in Coshocton.

Oliopolis (Rural Vale)
Post Office: 1854 – 1863
Location: 40.312305, -82.015086
on SR 60 at the intersection of Township Rd 83 along Simmons Run
Remnants: Jefferson Presbyterian Cemetery on the east side of SR 60 about 1/2 of a mile north of the GPS coordinates
Description: Olipolis was originally called Rural Vale. It had a church at Jefferson Presbyterian Cemetery and a school on the east side of SR 60 about halfway between the cemetery and GPS coordinates. John G. Elder (1822 – 1905) was the first postmaster. The office’s name changed to Oliopolis in 1860. John was buried with relatives and other residents in Valley View Cemetery a mile north of the GPS coordinates on the east side of SR 60. His father John Elder (1782 – 1852) and step-mother Esther (McConnell) Elder (1799 – 1873) donated the land for the church and Jefferson Presbyterian Cemetery where they were buried.

Pleasantville – Jackson Township
Location: 40.233404, -81.963745
on the east side of Co Rd 297 east of Moscow Brook
Remnants: none known
Description: It was platted by Elijah Graves in the early 1800s and quickly faded out of existence.

Providence
Location: unknown
Description: Providence was also mentioned in the 1876 Historical Collections Of Coshocton County as an early town that didn’t last very long.

Stringtown – Linton Township
Location: 40.187571, -81.704014
on SR 541 between Township Hwy 118 and Township Rd 119
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: There’s no mention of Stringtown in the county history books, but the term always implies there was a wool mill in the area that employed most of the residents.

Summerset Valley – Lafayette Township
Location: 40.262460, -81.778349
on Co Rd 124 at the intersection of Township Rd 165
Remnants: none known
Description: It was founded in 1832 and was named after Somerset County in England where most of the settlers were born. The group included Isaac Maynard (1787 – 1846) buried in Baptist Cemetery on Johnson St in West Lafayette, Abram and Lewis Daniels, George Cox, George Whooky, James Board, James Jennings, John Cole, and James George. It was stated in the 1881 county history book that they weren’t “practical backwoodsmen”, loosely meaning they didn’t possess the necessary skills to build a town out of their natural surroundings. That normally required at the very least good hunting abilities, the determination to clear the land of trees and vegetation for residences and farming, and the construction of a saw mill. Whatever the exact case was, the settlers didn’t stick around and opted to move their lives elsewhere.

Willowbrook (Willow Brook) – Virginia Township
Post Office: 1875 – 1904
Location: 40.218898, -81.939124
on Co Rd 6 along Mill Fork between Co Rd 298 and Township Hwy 282
Remnants: Mill Fork (Milfork) Baptist Church and Cemetery on the north side of Co Rd 6 about 1 1/4 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates, Christian Chapel Cemetery on the north side of Co Rd 6 a mile northeast of the GPS coordinates, foundation and rubble from the Christian Chapel structure just inside the cemetery entrance
Description: Willowbrook had a general store, a couple of church congregations, and a school. The Mill Fork Baptist congregation formed in 1840 and the present wood frame structure was completed in 1870. Although a sign out front mentions Sunday service at 10 a.m., the building doesn’t appear to be in operation anymore. Another church was at Christian Chapel Cemetery. It appears to have collapsed several decades ago and is now in a flattened pile of ruins. The first school was pinpointed in the 1872 county atlas and was on the north side of what Google Maps has listed as Township Hwy 291 which is now defunct. A later school was pinpointed on the south side of the GPS coordinates in the 1910 county atlas. H. H. Mills was the first postmaster. He was succeeded by Civil War veteran Reverend John W. Wright (1842 – 1912) who was buried with relatives in Christian Chapel Cemetery. Bert C. Senter (1869 – 1919) was the next postmaster and was laid to rest in South Lawn Cemetery on Plum St in Coshocton. John E. Wright (1870 – 1954) was the last postmaster and was also interred in Christian Chapel Cemetery. Just up the road on Co Rd 6 across the border in Jackson Township, the Mill Creek Central Railroad is a nostalgic model railroad constructed by Dick McCloy with help from friends and volunteers.
Mill Creek Central Railroad Info – https://www.millcreekcentral.com/

Zeno – Bedford Township
Location: unknown
Description: Abraham Cheney platted Zeno in 1833. As with Lima and Providence, Zeno had a few cabins but the town was vacated after just a few years of existence.

Crawford County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Biddle (Biddle Mills) – Sandusky Township
Post Office: 1880 – 1904
Location: 40.840389, -82.818306
on Biddle Rd (Township Hwy 44) at the intersection of Loss Creek Rd (Township Hwy 178)
Remnants: Loss Creek (Evangelical Lutheran) Church at the GPS coordinates, Biddle Cemetery 1 1/2 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates on south side of Remlinger Rd (Co Hwy 49) along Loss Creek and the Sandusky River
Description: The town was founded by Reverend Alex Biddle (1809 – 1898) who owned a 160-acre farm in the northwest corner of the intersection of Biddle Rd and Remlinger Rd. In the mid-1800s, there was a grist mill along the Sandusky River just southwest of Biddle Cemetery on land owned by the Robinson family and a saw mill next to Loss Creek just northwest of the Lutheran Evangelical church on land owned by the Kaler family. A school (Sandusky Township No. 5) was on the south side of Biddle Rd across from the Biddle farm. Alex preached at a United Brethren church at Biddle Cemetery which has since been lost to time. He was buried there with 3 former wives and some of his children, including John B. Biddle (1838 – 1862) who died in battle in the Civil War. The present brick structure of Loss Creek Church was built in 1905 at the same spot as the one pinpointed on earlier maps. Biddle’s postmasters over the years were J. Parr, Thomas S. Dewalt, Isaac Kietler, S. S. Elberson, and Guy E. V. Fry.

Camp Run – Sandusky Township
Post Office: 1852 – 1873
Location: 40.843378, -82.846953
on SR 96 along the Sandusky River between SR 602 and Beck Rd (Co Hwy 20)
Remnants: none known
Description: The proprietors were War of 1812 veteran Mathew Torrence (1788 – 1873) from Allegheney County, Pennsylvania and Juda (Hess) Torrence (1804 – 1877) from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. They had 12 children and owned a 160-acre farm on the north side of the GPS coordinates with Mathew being the town’s postmaster. It’s unknown if any of the buildings currently standing there date back to that time period. Mathew and Juda were buried with relatives in Sandusky Cemetery 2 1/2 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates on the east side of Biddle Rd (Township Hwy 44).

Crawford – Holmes Township
Location: 40.877504, -83.027227
on the north side of Temple Rd (Township Hwy 30) along Broken Sword Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: Joseph Newell (1789 – ?) from Pennsylvania arrived in Holmes Township around 1826 and subsequently platted Crawford on his farm in section 9 in the hope that it would eventually become the county seat. He also laid out half an acre for a cemetery and fenced it in. It appears that none of the lots ever sold, but residents in the western portion of the township were in favor of the idea of Crawford becoming the county seat. Bucyrus was granted the honor with more residents in the southern part of the township backing it up. Crawford ended up being a “paper town”. Joseph served as the first township clerk and a school teacher. It’s unknown when he died and where he was buried, but Joseph was recorded in the 1850 census as living in Dallas Township.

Fauser – Chatfield Township
Location: 40.921235, -82.940222   
on Carey Rd at the railroad crossing  between SR 4 and Schwemly Rd
Remnants: Lust (Pietest) Cemetery a half mile west of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 4 and Carey Rd
Description: It was founded by German immigrant John G. Fauser (1811 – 1892) and Magdaline (Crum) Fauser (1813 – 1893). They originally settled in Columbiana County before moving to Crawford County in 1839 and purchased a 160-acre farm on the north side of Carey Rd just east of the GPS coordinates. John and Magdaline had 9 children and lived in a one-room log cabin which was greatly improved as the family’s farming success continued. John was also a baker by trade. The Sandusky, Columbus, & Hocking Railroad (later bought by the Pennsylvania Railroad) rolled through the area in Fauser’s later years. A former wood frame church at Pietest Cemetery was replaced in 1897 by a much larger impressive brick structure with a beautiful wooden steeple topped with a pineapple carved in great detail. It was demolished in the mid-2010s as the congregation again needed a more modern building with additional space. The new church is also on SR 4 (Chatfield Center Rd) on the south side of the town of Chatfield 2 miles north of the original site. Most of Fauser’s residents were buried in Lust (Pietest) Cemetery.

Glenville – Bucyrus Township
Location: 40.813594, -83.050774   
on Glenville Rd at the railroad crossing at the intersection of Heinle Rd 
Remnants: none known
Description: This farming town had a train station on the Pennsylvania Railroad and a relatively densely populated area consisting of small lots on the north side of the train tracks in the late 1800s to early 1900s. A school was a half mile south of the GPS coordinates in the northeast corner of the intersection of Glenville Rd and Bucyrus – Nevada Rd on land owned by the Heinlen (Heinle) family which was the most prominent in town. German immigrants Mathias Heinlen (1816 – 1897) and Mary Elizabeth (Bickle) Heinlen (1830 – 1908) were the patriarch and matriarch of the family in Bucyrus Township. Benjamin A. Sinn (1831 – 1913) operated a saw mill in Glenville for 8 years. Mathias and Mary were laid to rest with relatives in Nevada Cemetery about 6 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates on the east side of SR 231 in Eden Township, Wyandot County. Benjamin Sinn was buried with relatives and currently over 100 descendants of Mathias and Mary in Oakwood Cemetery at the intersection of W Southern Ave and Kaler Ave in Bucyrus.

Jacksonville – Jefferson Township (formerly in Jackson Township)
Location: 40.770593, -82.848522
on the north side of Windfall Rd between SR 602 and Beck Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: It was platted in 1836 in section 15 of Jackson Township. None of its lots sold and Jacksonville fell into the ghost town subcategory of “paper towns”. Jefferson Township was later formed out of Jackson in 1873.    

North Liberty (Hog Town) – Chatfield Township
Location: 40.941041, -82.947225   
on SR 4 between SR 103 and Orr Rd
Remnants: Old Chatfield Lutheran Cemetery in a field on the west side of SR 4 just south of the GPS coordinates
Description: North Liberty was the first village in the township. It was platted with 41 lots in 1834 by John Henry. The only business the town ever had was a small ashery. Despite that fact, the population rose to around 35 residents with a church at Old Chatfield Lutheran Cemetery and a school across the road. John wasn’t a well-liked guy, a notorious pig poacher who received an nickname of “Hog Henry”. He never disputed the title and sometimes referred to himself by that name. John’s love of bacon finally got the best of him as he was shot in a thigh after getting caught in the act by two local hunters. They did rush to John’s aid after the incident though. He eventually recovered a few months later, but reportedly didn’t stop poaching hogs. As a result, the residents started calling North Liberty “Hog Town”. The population subsequently dwindled and the town faded out of existence long before publication of the 1881 county history book. Where John Henry came from and where he was died is a mystery. He moved west after the failure of North Liberty.

Whetstone – Whetstone Township
Post Office: 1833 – 1838
Location: 40.773759, -82.913281
on SR 19 between SR 100 and Parcher Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: The proprietors were William Fitzsimmons (1793 – 1847) from Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania and Ann (Holman) Fitzsimmons (1807 – 1890) from Franklin County, Pennsylvania. They moved to Crawford County in 1831, had at least 7 children, and owned an 80-acre farm with a tavern on the south side of the GPS coordinates. The tavern was an important stopping point for pioneers heading further west. William and Ann were laid to rest in Oakwood Cemetery 4 1/2 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of W Southern Ave an Kaler Ave in Bucyrus.

Cuyahoga County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Alger Settlement – City of Cleveland (formerly in Rockport Township)
Location: 41.450146, -81.816779
on SR 10 (Lorain Ave) at the intersection of SR 237 (Rocky River Dr)
Remnants: 2 churches on the east side SR 237 south of the intersection, Alger Cemetery on Bradgate Ave east of SR 237 south of the intersection
Description: Nathan Alger (1765 – 1813) and Priscilla (Peet) Alger Woodworth made the journey to Ohio from Litchfield County, Connecticut and arrived in Rockport Township on June 7, 1812. They were the first settlers in the area and had 7 children. Priscilla remarried after Nathan passed away. He is believed to the the first person of European ancestry who died in the township. The cemetery was officially established in 1828. Alger Settlement had a steam-powered saw mill in the 1850s and a general store, toll house, and 2 churches in the 1870s. The town was mentioned in the 1879 History of Cuyahoga County, Ohio but fell into obscurity by the 1900s.

Brighton (Brighton Village) – City of Cleveland (formerly in Brooklyn Township)
Post Office: 1836 – 1867
Location: 41.440787, -81.705506
on US 42 (Pearl Rd) at the intersection of Memphis Ave
Remnants: Brookmere Cemetery on Broadview Rd west off of US 42
Description: The area around Brighton was settled in the 1810s. Warren Young (1787 – 1832) platted the town and it had some later additions. Samuel Barstow incorporated Brighton in 1837. He was the town’s first postmaster and ran an education academy that didn’t last long. Brighton’s first store opened in 1840. The village failed to attract a railroad and had its ups and downs with growth. By the 1870s the population was about 800. It had a wagon factory, hotel, 3 churches, a school, tannery, ad several other small businesses. Brighton Cemetery was purchased by the City of Cleveland in 1906 and merged with Brooklyn Township and South Brooklyn Cemeteries to form Brookmere Cemetery. Many early residents, including Warren Young and members of the Barstow and Brainard families, were buried there.  

Coe Ridge – City of North Olmsted (formerly in Dover Township)
Post Office: 1844 – 1900
Location: 41.426615, -81.894726
on SR 10 (Lorain Ave) at the intersection of SR 252 (Columbia Rd)
Remnants: Coe Ridge Cemetery on SR 10 at the intersection of Walter Rd
Description: Asher Coe (1789 – 1867) and Abigail (Wilcox) Coe (1790 – 1876) were married in Connecticut in 1814, had a few children, and moved to Ohio in 1823. They bought a farm and founded Coe Ridge in 1824. A school was on the north side of SR 10 just west of the GPS coordinates. The post office was on the Coe farm in the northeast corner of the intersection with Asher serving as the first postmaster until 1864. The other known postmasters were Harlow Robinson, Andrew C. Coe, Herbert S. Nelson, and Harriet O. Carpenter. Coe Ridge also had a hotel, grocery store, church, and many residences and small businesses lined along SR 10 and SR 252. In the late 1800s, SR 10 was the Dover & Rockport Plank Road. The grocery store was pinpointed in the 1874 county on the south side of SR 10 just east of the cemetery. It was owned by Horace D. Landphair (1824 – 1904) from Madison County, New York and Julia Ann (French) Landphair (1833 – 1909) from Orange County, Vermont. They had a few children and later moved to Lake County where they were buried with relatives in Evergreen Cemetery on Main St in Painesville. Asher and Abigail were laid to rest with relatives and other early pioneers from the area in Coe Ridge Cemetery which was officially established in 1845. Some other residents were laid to rest 2 miles south of the GPS coordinates in Butternut Ridge Cemetery on the north side of Butternut Ridge Rd.

Cowans – City of Solon and Village of Bedford Heights (formerly in Solon and Bedford Township)
Location: 41.379263, -81.488923
on Richmond Rd at the intersection of Hawthorn Pkwy along Tinkers Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by Scottish immigrants George Cowan (1825 – 1907) and Mary (Forbes) Cowan (1828 – 1911). They had 9 children and a 200-acre farm along the Cleveland, Canton, & Southern Railroad. George was also a trustee of the First Baptist Church in Bedford. The Cowans were buried with relatives in Bedford Cemetery 2 1/2 miles west of town on SR 14 (Broadway Ave).

Frostville – City of North Olmsted (formerly in Olmsted Township)
Post Office: 1829 – 1843
Location: 41.412539, -81.894409
on Columbia Rd at the intersection of Kennedy Ridge Rd
Remnants: museum with several restored 1800s buildings from the area and a historical marker on Cedar Point Rd at the intersection of Lewis Rd
Description: It was a farming and mill town founded by the Frost family in the township. The museum is run by the Olmsted Historical Society. It hosts several events every year, has a farmers market, and the church on the property is available for wedding reservations. Some members of the Frost family were buried in Butternut Ridge Cemetery a mile west of the GPS coordinates on the north side of Butternut Ridge Rd.
Museum Info –  olmstedhistoricalsociety.org/

Griffithsburg – Village of Bentleyville (formerly in Chagrin Falls Township)
Location: 41.410562, -81.411887
Post Office: 1837 – 1840
on Solon Rd at Bentleyville Community Park along the Chagrin River
Remnants: sandstone mill foundation next to the Chagrin River between Quarry Rock Picnic Area and Solon Rd
Description: General James Griffith built a saw mill in the early 1830s and had high hopes of starting a flourishing town. About 20 residences popped up along the river and the town had a blacksmith shop, school, general store, and a few other small businesses. It couldn’t keep up with Chagrin Falls, Solon, and Bentleyville though and faded out of existence in the mid-1800s. 

Horse Shoe Glens (Horseshoe Glens)
Location: unknown
Description: It was a summer resort with a clubhouse on the Cleveland & Chagrin Falls Electric Railway, an interurban car line that ran from 1897 – 1925.

Horst – City of Cleveland (formerly in Newburgh Township)
Post Office: 1896 – 1900
Location: unknown
Description: It was named after a branch of the Horst family in the county. The post office name changed to Miles and remained in operation until 1903. Charles C. Heyner (1873 – 1859) was the only known postmaster. He was buried with relatives in Lake View Cemetery on US 20 (Euclid Ave) in Cleveland.

Lake Hamlet – City of Cleveland (formerly in East Cleveland Township)
Location: unknown
Description: This short lived village was established in 1895.

Little Egypt – Village of Walton Hills (formerly in defunct Bedford Township)
Location: 41.374042, -81.579774
on Durham Rd at the intersection of Tinkers Creek Rd
Remnants: Gleeson (Gleason) Cemetery on private property on top of the hill on the east side of Dunham Rd south of Gorge Pkwy across for the former Astorhorst Golf Course, Tinkers Creek Cemetery 1 1/4 miles west of the GPS coordinates north of Tinkers Creek Rd, Tinkers Creek Road Tavern (formerly Charlie’s Tavern) on the south side of Tinkers Creek Rd just west of the GPS coordinates, former lockmaster’s house now a visitor’s center in the Bedford Reservation, Edmund and Charlotte Gleason House about 1 1/2 miles west of the GPS coordinates in the northwest corner of the intersection of Tinkers Creek Rd and Canal Rd
Description: Little Egypt was named after an odd mound structure on the Gleeson homestead that was once described as being pyramid shaped. The area was purchased by the Connecticut Land Company in 1795. A second land survey was conducted in 1797 during which Captain Joseph Tinker, the lead boatman, drowned with a few other men in what was later named Tinkers Creek. Crude roads were quickly built for travelers and settlers, but no one wanted to move there yet as there was nothing to move to except the land itself. The first settler was Elijah Nobles who made the trip from Connecticut in 1813. He didn’t own any of the land but was given rights to live there by the Hudson family that established Hudson, OH as long as he promised to make improvements. A cabin was built for him at the present day site of Tinkers Creek Road Tavern by his closest neighbors that lived 3 miles away. Elijah didn’t like living so reclusive though and moved in 1814 to what would later become the Village of Bedford. Later that same year, the Comstock family arrived from Connecticut and settled their parcel of land. The Comstock genealogy hasn’t been completely unraveled, as records from the time period are scarce, but Stephen Comstock was the patriarch. He probably married Marie Comstock in Connecticut where their first son Charles was born. Shortly after making it to Ohio, Sarah Comstock was born, the first child of settlers in Bedford Township. Stephen later had a few more children (not sure with who) and at least one other wife after Marie died in 1829. The family was successful in farming, hunting, and fishing, achieving the status of the first permanent settlers of the township. In 1815 more settlers were making their way from the New England states and a combination saw and grist mill was built on Tinkers Creek that year. The Gleeson family arrived from New York in 1818. Moses Gleeson 1782 – 1868 and his wife Polly (Richardson) Gleeson (1789 – 1870) raised 10 children, all born in Ohio, and became the second prominent family and richest landowners in Little Egypt. They purchased the mill which already had its lumber section converted into more room for grinding grain. Production and sales went very well, so Moses and Polly used the profits to begin their next venture. They set their sights on building a relatively lavish tavern and inn on the Cleveland – Pittsburgh Stagecoach Rd. The “World’s End Tavern” was constructed on the East side of Dunham Rd, back then called Egypt Rd South of Tinkers Creek. The tavern was two houses built together, one side for the family and the other side for lodgers, aptly named as it was situated on a steep hilltop overlooking Tinkers Creek. Another house was built by the Gleesons for the lockmaster of the Ohio & Erie Canal section that ran through town and opened in 1827. Behind the tavern, they established Gleeson Cemetery on the site of the pyramid shaped mound. Rebecca Gleeson, one of their children that died in infancy, was the first burial there in 1833. Moses and Polly then built a nice 2 story brick house on the south side of Tinkers Creek in 1840, a steam-powered saw mill in what’s now the Hermit’s Hollow Picnic Area in the Bedford Reservation of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. They also constructed a distillery on the modern day grounds of Astorhurst Golf Course.  At that time, the Gleesons owned all of the land immediately east and west of Dunham and Egypt Roads. So as not to overlook some of the history outside of the Gleeson family during the mid to late 1800s, the town also had a one-room schoolhouse next to Tinkers Creek, a general store, blacksmith shop, and a tavern called Ma Parker’s Tavern. It was owned by Mary Ann and Cardeo Parker who were from another large family in town. A house was purchased in 1880 to make a new school and a sandstone quarry was built in the late 1880s. Little Egypt was never incorporated and didn’t have a post office, but it could have proudly boasted of its growth in such a small area. The Gleeson family surname changed to Gleason in some of its branches in the mid to late 1800s. Clara (Gleason) Carey (1851 – 1938), who was a granddaughter of Moses and Polly, inherited the estate and businesses. She moved into the World’s End Tavern with her husband Dominick Carey, a famous bridge and tunnel builder. Dominick built the Maple Wood Stock Farm for race horse training near the site of the old distillery. He tragically died in flood waters around the Main Street Bridge (one of his projects) that connected Ohio to Wheeling, WV in 1892. The 1900s brought many changes and people to Little Egypt. A new tavern opened in 1902 at the old blacksmith shop. Construction of The New York Central Railroad began in 1904. Workers and engineers were brought in to build two trestles around town. Trains rolled through from 1911 to the early 1960s. Dunham and Egypt Roads were merged in 1907. Clara Gleason sold off the family land to Philip and Mary Astor in 1918. A new tavern opened in 1926 in the old blacksmith shop cabin and was owned by Charles Benada. They operated a day care center and restaurant in the old Gleeson house next to Tinkers Creek. A horse riding academy that opened in 1935, a beer garden, and a new general store in the 1940s kept the local economy going. In that era, cottages lined the streets and creek in town, creating a sort of touristy look. However, the much faster and more modern growing town of Walton Hills ended up overtaking the area and spelled the end for Little Egypt in 1951. There are still several remnants of Little Egypt left around the Bedford Reservation though. Charlie’s Tavern is still open and is now Tinkers Creek Road Tavern and the old lockmaster’s house is a visitor’s center for the reservation. The Edmund and Charlotte (Comstock) Gleason House (Clara’s parents), built in 1851, is at 7243 Canal Rd in Valley View, OH. It was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 and currently houses the Canal Corners Farm and Market.
A few of the gravestones are still intact in Gleeson Homestead Cemetery  on top of the hill East of Dunham Rd across from the Astorhurst Golf Course. One of them is the gravestone of a grandson of Moses and Polly, Edmond Gleeson, who died on October 26, 1851 at 13 years and 11 months old.  Most of the bodies were moved to Bedford Cemetery on Broadway Ave in Bedford, approximately 8 miles East of Little Egypt. The Comstocks and other early settlers were buried in Tinkers Creek Cemetery 1 1/4 miles west of the GPS coordinates north of Tinkers Creek Rd through the patch of woods behind Valley View Village Church. The Walton Hills Historical Resource Center also conducts tours of Little Egypt, usually in March and May every year, meeting in the Hemlock Creek Pavilion parking lot in the Bedford Reservation. The one in March was for a hike to the Gleeson Cemetery and mound and the one in May a ride around tour for anyone that doesn’t want to do the hike. There are also numerous reports of hauntings in the area. Whether going out on your own or taking a guided tour, Little Egypt is an amazing ghost town to visit within a modern day community.
Tour Info – http://waltonhillsohio.gov/en-US/Ride-Around-Tour-Of-Little-Egypt05212015.aspx
Thanks to group member Richard Drurey, manager of Consigned To The Forgotten and Photos By RWD, for providing the listing lead, pic, and some of the info on Little Egypt!

Marcy – Village of Cuyahoga Heights (formerly in Newburgh Township)
Location: 41.430629, -81.662370
in the Miami & Erie Canal Reservation park off of E 49th St
Remnants: Marcy Trestle (Short Line Bridge) crossing the Cuyahoga River
Description: This small town was along the Lake Erie & Pittsburgh Railroad and had a freight yard. Marcy Trestle was constructed in 1907 by the King Bridge Company of Cleveland. It’s still in use by CSX and dozens of trains roll across it on a daily basis. There’s a few good spots around the canal park for viewing and photographing the trains. 

Mill Creek (Newburgh Village) – City of Cleveland (formerly in Newburgh Township)
Post Office: 1812 – 1818
Location: 41.431022, -81.587240
Remnants: none known
Description: Although Mill Creek is still a populated area and pops up on Google Maps, it’s not considered to be a present town. It had several mills dating back to 1799. The first grist mill was built in the county and in the Western Reserve was at the creek falls. It was constructed by Major Ezra Wyatt (1772 – 1851) from Newburgh, New York and William Wheeler Williams (1760 – 1831) from Hartford County, Connecticut. Iron for the mill was supplied by the Connecticut Land Company and the grinding stones were acquired from a quarry on Mill Creek. A saw mill was added to the site in 1800. Newburgh Village popped up around the mills but was annexed into Cleveland’s 18th Ward before the 1874 county atlas was printed. Ezra was buried with relatives in Brecksville Cemetery on Highland Dr and William was buried with relatives in Harvard Grove Cemetery on Lansing Ave. There’s also a small park at the falls on Webb Terrace.

Noble Beach – City of Euclid (formerly in Euclid Township)
Location: 41.613086, -81.526787
on Noble Beach Dr at the intersection of 224th St
Remnants: none known
Description: none found 

North Warrensville – (formerly in Warrensville Township)
Location: unknown
Description: none found

Pardee – City of Cleveland (formerly in Newburgh Township)
Post Office: 1892 – 1895
Location: unknown
Description: John F. Pardee (1854 – 1931) was the only known postmaster. He was buried with relatives in Strongsville Cemetery on the east side of US 42 (Pearl Rd) in Strongsville.

Phinneys Corners (North Dover) – City of Westlake (formerly in Dover Township)
Post Office: 1828 – 1914
Location: 41.465934, -81.930454
on SR 254 (Detroit Rd) at the intersection of Cahoon Rd along Cahoon Creek
Remnants: Saint Paul Lutheran Cemetery on the north side of SR 254
Description: The town was founded by Sylvanus Phinney (1778 – 1852) and Lucy (Kingsley) Phinney (1782 – 1843) who moved to Ohio from Becket, Massachusetts in the early 1810s. Their son Calvin (1809 – 1870) took over proprietorship of Phinneys Corners and ran the post office, general store, and a tannery on his property on the south side of the intersection at the GPS coordinates. The post office was called North Dover. Sylvanus was married twice and had 10 children. In the 1870s, Calvin’s son Alberto Phinney was operating the general store and post office. East of the main intersection and on the north side of SR 254, Charles Brenner (1830 – 1893) had a hotel and grocery store at his residence. It was at the same spot as the present day Dover Gardens Tavern at 27402 Detroit Rd. The tavern building was constructed in 1890 and Charles’s son George inherited the land. It closed in 2014 after the driver of a stolen pick-up truck crashed into the building and injured 12 people inside. The tavern has since been reopened. Saint Paul Lutheran Church congregation formed in 1858 and established a school and the cemetery in the 1860s. Its former wood frame church was constructed in 1877 and was replaced in 1973. The Phinney family and Charles Brenner were buried with relatives in Evergreen Westlake Cemetery on SR 113 (Center Ridge Rd) south of town.     

Spragueville
Location: unknown
Description: It was near Strongsville and was named after the Sprague family in the county.

Town House Corners – Olmsted Township
Location: unknown
on SR 252 (Columbia Rd) between John Rd and Butternut Ridge Rd
Description: Town House Corners had a Union Church built around 1835 and a few residences and small businesses. The church was also used as a local meeting hall. 

Willeyville – City of Cleveland (formerly in Brooklyn Township)
Location: 41.480797, -81.697502
on Willey Ave between Columbus Rd and Scranton Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: It was platted in 1837 and named after John Willey (1797 – 1841), Cleveland’s first mayor from 1836 – 1837. The town was instrumental in connecting roads in the area to make travel in and out of Cleveland’s south side much easier. Willeyville didn’t last very long though and didn’t make it onto the 1858 county map. John Willey was buried with relatives in Erie Street Cemetery on E 9th St in Cleveland.

Darke County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Bruss – Butler Township
Post Office: 1883 – 1885
Location: 39.990000, -84.631764   
on US 127 at the intersection of Arcanum Hollansburg Rd
Remnants: former Reformed church about 3/4 of a mile east of the GPS coordinates in the northwest corner of the intersection of Arcanum Hollansburg Rd and SR 503, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: The town was founded by Civil War veteran Azariah Bruss (1843 – 1923) and Mary (Hittle) Bruss (1848 – 1916). They settled in section 11 of Butler Township in 1872 and had 11 children. There were 2 local schools, Butler Township No. 1 across SR 503 from the former church and Butler Township No. 2 about 1 1/4 miles west of the GPS coordinates on the north side of Arcanum Hollansburg Rd across from the intersection of Emrick Rd. Jacob Bentley (1851 – 1924) was the only known postmaster and was buried with relatives in Castine (New Castine) Cemetery 4 1/2 miles south of the GPS coordinates on the south side of SR 722. Bruss outlived its post office by a couple of decades. The Indiana, Bloomfield, & Western Railroad was built through the south side of town in the mid-1880s, making its post office obsolete and the mail started going by rail through Arcanum. The tracks were later acquired by the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad (Big Four). Azariah and Mary were buried with relatives in Oak Grove Cemetery 3 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates on the east side of SR 121.

Chenoweths – Washington and Liberty Township
Post Office: 1824 – 1839
Location: 40.092300, -84.790865   
on the north side of Greenville – Nashville Rd along North Fork Kraut Creek between Stocksdale Rd (Co Hwy 279) and Hillgrove – Southern Rd (Township Hwy T-52)
Remnants: Chenoweth (Carnahan) Cemetery in an overgrown area on private property near the western bank of North Fork Kraut Creek just south of SR 502
Descrpiton: It was founded by War of 1812 veteran John Chenoweth (1797 – 1851) from Pike County (formerly in Ross County) and Mary (Barger) Chenoweth (1799 – 1876) from Virginia. They moved to section 32 of Washington Township in 1819 and had a big family. John was a farmer, brick maker, and the town’s postmaster. The cemetery is in dilapidated condition and likely hasn’t received maintenance since the late 1800s. John and Mary were buried there with relatives and an unknown number of other local residents. Chenoweth Trails is a 500-acre facility covering much of the former town’s land and was established by Matt Light and The Light Foundation in 2009. A couple of yurts are available for overnight stays and the pavilion with a banquet area can be rented for occasions such as weddings, family reunions, and corporate events. Qualifying non-profit organizations can get access free of charge.
Chenoweth Trails Info – https://www.mattlight72.com/chenoweth-trails/amenities

Delvin – Wabash Township
Post Office: 1889 – 1903
Location: 40.324971, -84.534199  
on N Star Fort Laramie Rd at the intersection of Mangen Rd (Co Hwy 54)
Remnants: St. Louis Cemetery at the intersection, Tea Cup (Teacup / Weaver) Cemetery on the north side of N Star Fort Laramie Rd just west of the GPS coordinates, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: This small farming and crossroads town had a church at St. Louis Cemetery. Its congregation formed in 1892 and the first church structure was completed the following year. The congregation chose to move to North Star in the early 1910s and built a new church there in 1914. It still stands on the north side of N Star Fort Laramie Rd 2 miles west of the GPS coordinates and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Susan (Groff) Henry (1848 – 1918) was the only known postmaster of Delvin. She married Francis J. Henry (1844 – 1888) in 1866 and was buried with relatives in St. Louis Cemetery. Residents were also buried in Tea Cup (Weaver) Cemetery. Although the cemetery predated their arrival in the area, with interments dating back to at least the 1850s, Samuel Weaver (1833 – 1887) and Susannah (Grissom) Weaver (1839 – 1900) owned the land in the late 1800s and were laid to rest there with relatives.

Hetzlerville (Hetslerville) – Jackson Township
Post Office: 1869 – 1881
Location: 40.205759 -84.722309   
on private property on both sides of the railroad tracks along South Fork Stillwater River east of Young Rd between Union City – Elroy Rd (Township Hwy 93) and Beamsville – Union City Rd (Co Hwy C-35)
Remnants: none known
It was on the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, & Indianapolis Railroad (Bee Line) in section 25 of Jackson Township and was named after the Hetzler family in the county. The town had a general store and a steam-powered saw mill. Back then, a long since disappeared road curved south from the middle of section 24 at the township border, crossed Union City – Elroy Rd heading south into Hetzlerville, and ended just southwest of the GPS coordinates at Young Rd on the border of section 25 and 26. Isaac N. Hollinger was the first known postmaster and Thomas Wright was the last known postmaster. The town was listed as Hetzlerville in the 1875 and 1888 county atlases, Hetslerville in postal records, and the family surname was spelled both ways in certain branches. 

Hunters (Huntertown) – Greenville Township
Location: 40.165142, -84.637151 
on SR 118 at the intersection of Hunter Rd (Township Hwy T-119)
Remnants: Earhart (Newcomer / Snell) Cemetery 1/2 of a mile south of the intersection on the west side of SR 118
Description: The original proprietors were William Fulton Hunter Sr. (1801 – 1840) from Warren County and Elizabeth (Earhart) Hunter (1804 – 1853) from Virginia. They got married in Darke County in 1825, owned a 160-acre farm in the southeast lot of the intersection, and had 7 children. Goods were shipped in and out of the area on the predecessors of the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad just north of the intersection. A Union church was at Newcomer Cemetery and there were a couple of local schools. The last school (Greenville Township No. 2) was on the south side of Hunter Rd about 1/2 of a mile west of the GPS coordinates. Newcomer cemetery was established on a farm owned by Elizabeth’s parents, George Washington Earhart (1774 – 1851) from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and Mary (Smith) Earhart (1778 – 1858) from Rockingham County, Virginia. Everyone mentioned in this listing was buried in Earhart Cemetery along with other pioneering families from the area.

London (New London) – Liberty Township (formerly  German Township)
Location: 40.046513, -84.724715
on the east side of Clark Station Rd (Township Hwy T-63) along West Branch Greenville Creek between US 36 and Byrket Rd (Township Hwy 120)
Remnants: West Branch Cemetery 2 miles east of the GPS coordinates on the east side of New Madison – Coletown Rd just across the border in Neave Township
Description: Nathaniel Ross (1782 – 1868) from Hampshire, West Virginia (formerly in Virginia) and Charlotte (Reed) Ross (1790 – 1848) were early pioneers in the county. They arrived in the township in 1819 and had a few children. Nathaniel made the first attempt at creating a village in the township and platted London in the early 1830s, prior to the platting of Palestine in 1833. The town was in the northwest quarter of section 24. London attracted a saw mill, grist mill, grocery store, and a general store. Despite the promising start, it couldn’t keep up with Palestine’s rapid growth and faded into oblivion prior to the 1850s. Nathaniel and Charlotte were laid to rest with some of their relatives in West Branch Cemetery. 

Matchett (Matchett’s Corner) – Butler Township
Post Office: 1855 – 1862
Location: 40.001178, -84.633117   
on US 127 at the intersection of SR 503
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by Eric Matchett (1791 – 1867) from New York. He had a few children with his first wife Joananh (Hendrickson) Matchett (1798 – 1839) from New Jersey. They made the journey to Ohio around 1820, originally living in Butler County before moving to Darke County in 1831. Eric married Rebecca (Law) Matchett (1795 – 1862) in 1842. A hotel was in the northwest corner of the intersection, the post office was across the road on the north side of SR 503, and a Union church was on the south side of Hollansburg – Sampson Rd just northwest of the GPS coordinates. Eric was the first postmaster. The other known postmasters were Absalom Vogt and Solomon Hefner. The Matchetts were buried with relatives in Greenville Union Cemetery 8 1/2 miles north of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 571 (Union St) and SR 49 (Fort Recovery Rd) in Greenville.

Mina (Mina Town) (North Greenville) – Greenville Township
Location: 40.105770, -84.639399   
on N Main St at the intersection of Wayne St along Greenville Creek
Remnants: Water Street Cemetery 1/2 of a mile southeast of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of E Water St and Ash St in Greenville
Description: Platted in 1818, Mina was founded by War of 1812 veteran Azor Scribner (1778 – 1822) from New York and Nancy (Russell) Scribner (1785 – 1849). Azor arrived in Darke County in 1806, built a trading post, and was the first permanent settler of the county. He left his family behind in Middletown until constructing a decent cabin in Darke County and deeming the location safe enough to bring everyone else along in 1808. Azor also built a tavern which was the site of the first court session in the county. Certain details of the event have been disputed, but it’s likely Azor shot and killed Shawnee Chief Tecumseh, who he personally knew and previously traded with, during the Battle Of Fallen Timbers (Battle Of Thames) on October 5, 1813. As the story goes, Azor only told Nancy about that in confidence and in fear of reprisal from from Native Americans still living in the area around Mina. Nancy apparently told her one of her granddaughters the legend. The story and the rifle in question were passed down through the family for several generations. The last known possessor of the rifle was Dr. Charles Fremont McKhann, a 2nd great-grandchild of Azor and Nancy. Colonel Johnson, who Azor was with at the time of Tecumseh’s death, was credited publicly with the act. However, Colonel Johnson never stated he killed Tecumseh and may have taken Azor’s secret to his grave. Azor was buried with relatives in Water Street Cemetery. He had 8 daughters with Nancy. She remarried in 1825 and her husband reportedly abandoned her shortly after that. His last known whereabouts were in a Canadian jail, charged with treason for participating in McKenzie’s Rebellion.  

Mount Pleasant – Washington, Greenville, and Liberty Township
Location: 40.094658, -84.707138 
on New Madison – Coletown Rd at the intersection of Greenville – Nashville Rd (Co Hwy 27) along West Branch Greenville Creek
Remnants: Heller (Hiller) Cemetery on the west side of New Madison – Coletown Rd about 1/3 of a mile north of the intersection, Dininger Cemetery on the west side of New Madison – Coletown Rd about 1/4 of a mile south of the intersection
Description: Mount Pleasant was a religious town which formed around 2 churches. A Methodist Church was at Heller Cemetery and a Lutheran Church was at Dininger Cemetery. The Lutheran church replaced its old structure with a newer one in the southeast corner of the intersection by publication of the 1875 county atlas. A school across from Heller Cemetery in the mid-1800s was replaced with Washington Township No. 1 about a mile northwest of the GPS coordinates on the north side of SR 502.

Saint John – Greenville Township
Location: 40.131789, -84.599186   
on SR 121 (Marker Rd) at the intersection of Jaysville – St Johns Rd
Remnants: St. John Lutheran Church and Cemetery on SR 121 just northeast of the intersection
Description: German immigrants purchased the land in the surrounding area which was passed up by earlier settlers who thought it wasn’t any good. With hard work and persistence, the Germans turned it into nicely cultivated farms. Tobacco was their main crop. They formed a Lutheran congregation in 1851 and built a log church the following year. As with any successful town in Ohio that started out with a log church, a bigger church was needed to accommodate the growing congregation. The present brick structure was completed in 1876. Saint John had some of the most beautiful houses, tobacco sheds, and farmland in the county in the late 1800s to early 1900s. It was eventually absorbed by Greenville and lost its status as a separate town.

Sampson – Neave, Van Buren, Butler, and Twin Township
Post Office: 1850 – 1858
Location: 40.004669, -84.598124   
on Hollansburg – Sampson Rd at the intersection of Jaysville – St Johns Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Sampson was platted in 1846 and had a general store, tavern, steam-powered saw mill, school, and a church. John Sears was the first known postmaster and John Lens was the last known postmaster. The nearby town of Delisle, platted in 1853, received a train station on the Dayton & Union Railroad. Unfortunately, Sampson didn’t have any chance in the economic battle and fell off of maps prior to 1900. Changes and improvements in transportation have always been, by far, the leading cause of town extinction in Ohio, and Sampson was no exception to that.

Seven Mile Prairie – Mississinawa Township
Post Office: 1841 – 1863
Location: 40.330472, -84.737306
on SR 49 at the intersection of Peters Rd along the Mississinewa River
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by James McFeely (1807 – 1872) and Rebecca (Hill) McFeely (1816 – 1904). James was born in Ohio and Rebecca was from New Jersey. They owned a 160-acre farm in the northwest lot of the intersection and had a few children. Seven Mile Prairie didn’t have a village, or anything to speak of besides the post office. That in itself was extremely important to local residents though as it was their only way to make contact with rest of the world aside from traveling, which was only done by those who had the need or means to do so. Checking the area out on the 1857 county map bring that into much better perspective. James was the postmaster for most of the office’s existence, aside form a short stint by John R. Snyder. James and Rebecca were laid to rest with relatives 17 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates in Union City Cemetery at the intersection of Winchester St and N Jackson Pike in Randolph County, Indiana. 

Strakers (Straker’s Station) – Patterson Township
Location: 40.314454, -84.495352   
on Yorkshire – Osgood Rd at the intersection of Houschlit Rd (Co Hwy 130)
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: The proprietor was Civil War veteran Henry Straker (1827 – 1901) who moved to Ohio from Germany with his widowed mother and brothers in 1834. He married Nancy (Swallow) Straker (1836 – 1871) in 1852. They had 10 children and Nancy passed away just two weeks after their last children, a set of twins, were born. Henry remarried twice after that. He accumulated over 550 acres of land and owned a tile factory and a steam-powered saw mill in the southwest corner of the intersection. Products were shipped out on the Toledo, Cincinnati, & St. Louis Railroad (later the Dayton, Ft. Wayne, & Chicago Railroad). A school (Patterson Township No. 3) was about 1/2 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates in the northwest corner of the intersection of Yorkshire – Osgood Rd and Foote Rd. Henry was buried with relatives in Greenlawn Cemetery about 7 miles south of the GPS coordinates on the south side of SR 47 (N Greenlawn Ave) in Versailles.

Wiley (Wiley Station) – Harrison Township
Post Office: 1864 – 1904
Location: 39.935119, -84.759922   
on Braffettsville – North Rd at the intersection of Wiley Rd
Remnants: Providence Cemetery on the south side of Wiley Rd just east of the GPS coordinates, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: It was on the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad (Panhandle Route) and was founded by Caleb Wiley (1799 – 1888) from Rockbridge County, Virginia and Elizabeth (Sprowl) Wiley (1817 – 1909) from Preble County. They got married in 1838, had 7 children, owned a saw mill, and donated land for the train station. The town also had a Protestant church at Providence Cemetery and a school (Harrison Township No. 2) on the east side of Braffettsville – North Rd about 1/3 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates. Its known postmasters were Hiram C. Brawley, M. J. Wiley, G. W. Wiley, L. W. Hinmon, William Smith, and Emanuel Timmons. The train tracks are long gone, but the railroad path can still be seen on satellite maps just west of the GPS coordinates. Caleb and Elizabeth were buried with relatives and other residents in Providence Cemetery. Caleb’s parents, Revolutionary War veteran Joseph Wiley (1766 – 1822) and Mary (McCampbell) Wiley (1770 – 1855), previously settled in the area and were also laid to rest in the cemetery.

Defiance County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Arrowsmiths – Farmer Township (formerly in Williams County)
Post Office: 1843 – 1866
Location: 41.350111, – 84.671121
on SR 2 at the 4-way intersection of Ensign Rd (Co Hwy 62) and Breininger Rd (Township Hwy 119) along Lost Creek
Remnants: Lost Creek Cemetery on the east side of SR 2 at the 4-way intersection of Dalrymple Rd and Blosser Rd (Township Hwy 72) about 1/3 of a mile north of the GPS coordinates, former one-room schoolhouse across the road from the cemetery in the northwest corner of the intersection
Description: The town was founded by Miller Arrowsmith (1808 – 1893) and Celinda (Caraway) Arrowsmith (1813 – 1849) from Champaign County. They got married in 1832, bought a farm at the GPS coordinates in 1833, and had a couple of children. The farm consisted of 275 acres. Miller built a grist mill, operated the post office, and served in the positions of county auditor and county surveyor. Instead of pursuing other public or political offices, which he likely could have had an easier life with, Miller opted to engage in his favorite activity of farming for the remainder of his working years. The former school (Farmer Township No. 9) was on a 100-acre farm owned by the Hilbert family. It was also known as the Lost Creek School and has since been converted to a private residence. The Arrowsmiths were buried in Lost Creek Cemetery. A Lutheran church at the cemetery has since been lost to time.

Ashwood (Ashwood Station) – Defiance and Delaware Township
Post Office: 1879 – 1880
Location: 41.255882, -84.457169
on Ashwood Rd at the railroad tracks between Defiance Paulding County Line Rd and US 24
Remnants: none known
Descripton: It was a farming town with a train station on the Wabash Railroad. The proprietors were Frederick J. Harmening (1840 – 1883) from the defunct kingdom of Prussia, Germany and Amelia (Hecht) Harmening (1853 – 1937) from Pennsylvania. They got married in 1873 after Frederick’s first wife passed away. She was a sister of Amelia, Anna (Hecht) Harmening (1844 – 1871) from Germany. Frederick was a successful farmer an entrepreneur. He owned all of section 36 in Delaware Township on the west side of the GPS coordinates, a 153-acre farm on the east side of the GPS coordinates in Defiance township where the train station was, and platted the north half of Mark Center when the B&O Railroad was constructed through that part of Mark Township in 1875. A school (Defiance Township No. 1) was 1 3/4 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates on the west side of Krouse Rd (Co Hwy 146) on a 120-acre farm owned by the Sherry family. Frederick had at least 6 children and was laid to rest with Anna, Amelia, and some other relatives about 5 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates in Riverside (Auglaize) Cemetery on SR 111 (S Clinton St) in the City of Defiance. 

Cicero (Cicero Corners) – Milford and Hicksville Township
Post Office: 1852 – 1901
Location: 41.339428, -84.709210   
on Cicero Rd (Co Hwy 115) at the intersection of Huber Rd (Township Hwy 61) along North Fork Gordon Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: Cicero had a grist mill, a steam-powered saw mill, and a Methodist Episcopal church in town along Cicero Rd just north of the intersection. A school (Milford Township No. 4) was 1 mile north of the GPS coordinates in the northeast corner of the intersection of Cicero Rd and Arrowsmith Rd. The known postmasters were David M. Grier, E. M. Hattery, John F. Haller, Rosa Miller, William Battershell, and P. L. Battershell. Cicero’s last known cartographic appearance was in the 1931 county atlas. Many residents were buried in Six Corners Cemetery 1 1/2 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates on the south side of SR 2 between Cicero Rd and Lake Rd (Township Hwy 113). 

Clarksville – Milford Township (formerly in Williams County)
Location: 41.422196, -84.770018 
on Williams Defiance County Line Rd (Def Williams Co Line Rd) at the intersection of Hicksville Edgerton Rd (Township Hwy 109) along the St Joseph River
Remnants: none known
Description: Clarksville was platted with 36 lots in 1836 by Elisha Clark who was the first justice of the peace in the township. A layout of the plat was listed on the Milford Township map in the 1866 county atlas and page 55 of the 1890 county atlas. During its heyday in the mid-1800s there were 2 stores, 2 taverns, 2 doctors, a grist mill, a small Lutheran church, and about 20 houses. The first school was constructed on lot 10 in 1840. It was replaced by a newer building (Milford Township No. 2) about 3/4 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates in the northwest corner of the intersection of Hicksville Edgerton Rd and Kramer Rd on a 39-acre farm owned by the Green family. Clarksville made it into the 1931 county atlas, but the plat had mostly reverted back to farmland by then.

Domerville (Domersville) – Adams Township
Post Office: 1892 – 1899
Location: 41.384162, -84.324039  
on Domersville Rd at the intersection of Coressel Rd
Remnants: Domersville (Chase) Cemetery on the west side of Domersville Rd just south of the GPS coordinates, former one-room schoolhouse next to the cemetery, old houses and farm buildings in the area 
Description: It was founded by Joshua Domer (1842 – 1915) from Pickaway County and Mary (Sullivan) Domer (1848 – 1918). Joshua was the first known postmaster and Henry J. Cupp (1866 – 1945) from Marion County was the last known postmaster. Henry was buried with relatives and other residents 2 1/2 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates in Saint Michaels Catholic Cemetery on the west side of Moser Rd (Co Hwy 181). A blacksmith shop owned by Charles M. Seibert (1857 – 1910) and Mary (Weaver) Seibert (1859 – 1923) was in the southwest corner of the intersection. They got married in 1882, had 11 children, and were also buried in Saint Michaels Catholic Cemetery. The former school (Adams Township No. 4) and Domversville Cemetery predate the existence of the town. The cemetery was established on a farm owned by county pioneers Charles G. Chase (1815 – 1862) from Nantucket County, Massachusetts and Charlotte (Felton) Chase (1822 – 1860). Charles worked on whaling ships for about 12 years before marrying Charlotte in 1841 and subsequently moving to their farm. They were buried with relatives in the cemetery. Joshua and Mary Domer had a few children and were laid to rest with with relatives in Poplar Ridge Cemetery 3 1/3 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates on the east side of Adams Ridge Rd.

Glenburg – Washington and Tiffin Township, Defiance County and Springfield Township, Williams County
Post Office: 1893 – 1905
Location: 41.427192, -84.458981  
on Williams Defiance County Line Rd (Def Williams Co Line Rd) at the intersection of Glenburg Rd
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Glenburg was a small farming and postal town. The proprietor and postmaster was Urias L. Chruchman (1851 – 1922) who owned a 79-acre farm on the west side of Glenburg Rd just south of the GPS coordinates. A school (Tiffin Township No. 3) was 2 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates in the southeast corner of the intersection of Scott Rd and Trinity Rd (Co Hwy 147) on a 159-acre farm owned by the Russell family. Urias was buried with relatives in Fountain Grove Cemetery 7 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of US 127 (SR 15 / SR 2) and Williams County C (E Fountain Grove Dr) in Bryan, Williams County.

McCauleys – Tiffin Township
Post Office: 1860 – 1864
Location: 41.369719, -84.419019   
on Evansport Rd at the intersection of Kammeyer Rd along the Tiffin River
Remnants: McCauley Cemetery on the west side of the intersection
Description: The proprietors were Philip McCauley (1823 – 1892) from Cumberland County, Pennsylvania and Mary (Wissler) McCauley (1819 – 1899) from Pickaway County. They got married in 1846, owned a 160-acre farm, and had 6 children. Phillip was a school director, justice of the peace, and township trustee. Nelson Slater (1818 – 1887) was the only known postmaster. He moved out of the state and was buried with relatives in Greenwood Cemetery on SR 9 in Lagrange County, Indiana. A school was at the site of McCauley Cemetery in the mid-1800s. The first known interment was Philip’s paternal grandmother, Mary McCauley (1769 – 1855) from Pennsylvania. Philip and Mary were also buried in the cemetery with many relatives and other residents. The Columbus, Lima, & Milwaukee Railroad rolled through the area in the late 1800s. McCauley fell into obscurity long before its arrival though, and the railroad didn’t bring the town back to life.

Midway – Richland Township
Location: 41.275014, -84.266021 
on Harris Rd (Township Hwy 188) at the railroad crossing between SR 281 and Standley Rd (Co Hwy 38)
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Midway was on the B&O Railroad in the late 1800s to early 1900s. There’s no record of the town having a train station, but it did have an express post office. A school was 1/2 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates in the northwest corner of the intersection of Harris Rd and Standley Rd on a 78-acre farm owned by George C. Wirth (1853 – 1931) from Henry County and Elizabeth (Dietsch) Wirth (1858 – 1939). George passed away just a few months shy of their 50th wedding anniversary, having lived all those years with Elizabeth in Richland Township. They were buried with relatives in Saint Stephen’s Lutheran Cemetery 3 1/3 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates on the west side of New Bavaria Rd in Highland Township.

Milo – Milford Township
Post Office: 1851 – 1884
Location: 41.382707, -84.729055  
on SR 249 at the intersection of Lake Rd (Township Hwy 113) along Crooked Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: It was a farming town with a post office that moved around to the houses of its postmaster, serving a wide range of residents near the center of the township. The known postmasters were James Marshall, Jacob Serrill, John Serrill, E. H. Chapman, George W. Chapman, and A. Pearson. Milo had a few local schools. Milford Township No. 6 was 3 miles west of the GPS coordinates in the southwest corner of the intersection of SR 249 and Casebeer Miller Rd. Milford Township No. 7 was 1 mile west of the GPS coordinates in the southwest corner of the intersection of SR 249 and SR 49. Milford Township No. 8 was a mile east of the GPS coordinates in the northwest corner of the intersection of SR 249 and Cicero Rd (Co Hwy 115).

Nebo – Mark Township
Post Office: 1890 – 1904
Location: 41.267009, -84.669182   
on Jericho Rd (Co Hwy 33) at the intersection of Breininger Rd (Township Hwy 119) along Gordon Creek
Remnants: former one-room schoolhouse in the lot in the northwest corner of the intersection, Spindler Cemetery on the west side of Breininger Rd 1/3 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates
Description: Nebo was founded by Civil War veteran George Spealman (1834 – 1915) and Blanche (Kirk) Spealman (1840 – 1932). They got married in 1857 and moved to LaSalle County, Illinois the following year. George and Blanche had 3 children there before they returned to Ohio in the mid-1860s and had 2 more children. They owned a steam-powered saw mill which was physically moved from Stark County to Henry County. From there, the mill was relocated about a mile north of Mark Center, and again in to the village of Mark Center. Lastly, the mill was moved to the northeast corner of Nebo’s intersection. George and Blanche also owned a cider mill next to the saw mill and George was the town’s postmaster. The school (Mark Township No. 9) was on a 78-acre farm owned by the Spindler family. It was also know as the Spindler School and has since been converted to a private residence. The cemetery was established on a 160-acre farm owned by John Spinder (1807 – 1906) and Elizabeth Spindler (1810 – 1864) from Pennsylvania. Everyone mentioned in this listing was buried in Spindler Cemetery.

Snooksville (Westburg) (Westburgh) – Delaware Township (formerly in Williams County)
Post Office: 1836 – 1847 and 1851 – 1861
Location: 41.267254, -84.553590
on US 127 at the intersection of Jericho Rd (Co Hwy 33)
Remnants: Blair Cemetery in the woods on private property south of Blair Rd about 1/3 of a mile west of the GPS coordinates
Description: The first known postmaster when it was in Williams County was an M. Evans. Sometime between 1843 and 1846, the “h” was added to the end of the town name. Peter Snook (born c. 1818) was the last known postmaster of the Westburgh office. He was also the first postmaster of the Snooksville office and changed the town name to Snooksville. Peter married Caroline (Whetstone) Snook in 1849. The Snook family disappeared from county records after the 1850 census with their later whereabouts unknown. Peter was succeeded as postmaster by Gilbert Coffin (1808 – 1875) who was laid to rest with relatives in Colby Cemetery on private property 3 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates on the north side of Defiance Paulding County Line Rd (T-8) in Mark Township. Jacob Kintner was the last known postmaster and was buried with relatives 1 3/4 miles north of the GPS coordinates in Sherwood Cemetery on the east side of US 127 (N Harrison St). Its unknown if Jacob Kintner Sr. (1798 – 1869) or Jacob Kintner Jr. (1835 – 1905) was the postmaster. A school (Delaware Township No. 10), also known as the Coffin School, was in the northwest corner of the intersection. Orlando Coffin (1848 – 1907) owned a saw mill on the west side of SR 127 just south of the GPS coordinates and was also buried with relatives in Colby Cemetery. The Blairs were another large and prominent family in the area. Blair Cemetery has 29 known interments of local residents, mostly from the time period when Snooksville existed.

Whites Mills (White City) – Defiance and Delaware Township
Post Office: 1875 – 1876
Location: 41.275371, -84.457498   
on County Rd 424 at the intersection of Ashwood Rd along the Maumee River
Remnants: Shoemaker (Tuttle) Cemetery 1/2 of a mile west of the GPS coordinates on the north side of County Rd 424, Hill Cemetery about 1 mile northwest of the GPS coordinates on private property between Tittle Rd (Township Hwy 200) and the river, old houses and farm buildings in the area 
Description: This mill and merchant town was on the B&O Railroad in the late 1800s to early 1900s. It had train station, hotel, and 2 saw mills. A school (Delaware Township No. 4) was 1 mile west of the GPS coordinates in the southwest corner of the intersection of County Rd 424 and Whetstone Rd on a 79-acre farm owned by the Jacobs family. Another school (Defiance Township No. 4) was 1 1/2 miles east of the GPS coordinates in the northeast corner of the intersection of County Rd 24 and May Rd on a 70-acre farm owned by German immigrants Deitrich Bohlke (1818 – 1899) and Elizabeth (Gonzales) Bohlke (1821 – 1890). They got married in 1845, had a few children, and were buried in Shoemaker Cemetery.

Wilseyville – Farmer Township
Post Office: 1865 – 1883
Location: 41.351017, -84.678701   
on Ensign Rd (Co Hwy 62) between SR 2 and Rosedale Rd (Township Hwy 117) along Lost Creek
Remnants: Lost Creek Cemetery on the east side of SR 2 at the 4-way intersection of Dalrymple Rd and Blosser Rd (Township Hwy 72) about 3/4 of a mile northeast of the GPS coordinates, former one-room schoolhouse across the road from the cemetery in the northwest corner of the intersection
Description: John Derrick Wilsey (1828 – 1920) and Calphurnia (Otis) Wilsey (1835 – 1914) got married in Pennsylvania in 1853 and later moved to Defiance County. They built a boat oar factory on the eastern edge of the Arrowsmith’s farm in the mid-1860s. A post office called Wilseyville was opened to replace Arrowsmiths. The known postmasters were Gideon D. Ensign (1827 – 1887) from Berkshire County, Massachusetts and Civil War veteran William M. Haller (1832 – 1893) from Champaign County. The oar factory was just north of the GPS coordinates next to Lost Creek. Workers lived in boarding house next to Ensign Rd on the Arrowsmith farm. As mentioned in the listing for Arrowsmiths, a Lutheran church was at Lost Creek Cemetery and the former school (Farmer Township No. 9) which was also called the Lost Creek School is now a private residence. John and Calphurnia had a few children and were buried with relatives in Woodlawn Cemetery on Tr 0173 in Bloomville, Seneca County. Wilseyville and Arrowsmiths faded out of existence prior to 1900. Gideon Ensign and William Haller were laid to rest with relatives and other residents in Lost Creek Cemetery.

Delaware County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Coles Mills – Troy Township
Post Office: 1841 – 1856
Location: 40.397626, -83.041113
on the west side of Horseshoe Rd (County Rd 220) along Delaware Lake
Remnants: Marlboro (Marlborough) Primitive Baptist Church and Cemetery 2 miles south of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Horseshoe Rd and Leonardsburg Rd (County Rd 221)
Description: The town was founded by Joseph Cole (1775 – 1849) from New York and Mary (Curren) Cole (1778 – 1865) from Ireland. They made the journey to Ohio from Virginia in 1808, were early pioneers in the county, and had a few children. The first Baptist congregation in the county formed in the area in 1810. Joseph became a deacon, holding meetings in the Cole family cabin until 1819 when a log church was constructed with timber from the Cole property. Joseph built the first saw mill in the township in 1820, followed by a grist mill in 1823. They were on the Olentangy River, called Whetstone Creek at the time, just west of the GPS coordinates. The log church was dismantled in 1836 and moved to the Cole farm where it was used as a barn. A new frame church was constructed on the Cole farm near the GPS coordinates and was used until 1873 when a large brick church was built at a cost of $3,300. It was destroyed by a tornado in 1916 and was replaced later that same year by the present frame structure. The location of Marlborough Cemetery was also originally at the old church site. Both the cemetery and church were relocated in 1950 by the U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers during construction of the Delaware Dam. It’s uncertain if the exact locations of the saw mill, grist mill, former church, and cemetery were submerged by the creation of Delaware Lake in 1951. Some of the land in that area flooded and some was spared from the potential watery demise. Joseph and Mary Cole were buried with many relatives in Marlborough Cemetery, including one of their sons, Hugh Cole (1807 – 1887). Hugh once saved his father from downing at the mill dam site while repairs were being made. Joseph dislocated his right arm after falling off the dam and luckily caught the submerged branches of a sycamore tree through the swiftly moving waters. Hugh rushed in with a dugout canoe to grab Joseph who later stated he wouldn’t have been able to hang on much longer. In 1832, Hugh saved another man named Thomas Willey who capsized over the dam in a dugout along with Nathaniel Cozard. Hugh entered the water on horseback and caught Thomas by his hair as he was going under, likely for the last time. Nathaniel was found dead about a mile downstream.

Cones Mills (Eagletown) (Pickrell’s Mills) – Thompson Township
Post Office: 1878 – 1883
Location: 40.362801, -83.185840
on SR 257 at the intersection of Donovan Rd along the Scioto River
Remnants: none known
Description: The original proprietors were John W. Cone (1809 – 1891) born in Delaware County and Mary (Williams) Cone (1814 – 1885) from Wales. They were married in 1831 and had 13 children. John built a wool factory next to the Scioto River around 1844 and engaged in farming and livestock raising. The town also had a saw mill, tannery, and there was a school on the east side of SR 257 south of the GPS coordinates on land owned by the Swartz family. The wool factory was converted to steam-power in 1868 and caught fire from engine sparks, destroying the business in 1874. H. P. Pickrell built a large grist mill on the site in 1877, constructed a general store nearby, and was the postmaster. However, his hard-fought efforts weren’t enough to save the fading town, which ended up fading into obscurity prior to 1900. John and Mary Cone were buried with relatives in Radnor Cemetery about 3 1/2 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 203 and Randor Rd.

Cutlers Corners – Concord Township
Location: 40.217011, -83.148847
on SR 745 (Dublin Rd) at the intersection of Moore Rd along the Scioto River
Remnants: Cutler Cemetery on private property on between SR 745 and the Scioto River just southeast of the GPS coordinates
Description: War of 1812 veteran John Cutler (1780 – 1871) from Prussia, Germany married Matilda (McGown) Cutler (1809 – 1864) from Franklin County in 1825. They settled in Concord Township in 1830 and owned an 880-acre farm. John built a saw mill and grist mill next to the Scioto River and was the first treasurer of the township. There was a school on the east side of SR 745 north of the GPS coordinates. John had 10 children and divided up the family farm to them over the passing decades as was needed. He was buried with relatives in Cutler Cemetery.   

Edinburgh (Fairview Corners) – Scioto Township
Location: 40.273858, -83.214816
on US 36 (Marysville Rd) at the intersection of Ostrander Rd (County Rd 163) along Blues Creek at the mouth of Ronolds Run
Remnants: Fairview (Edinburgh) Cemetery on the east side of Ostrander Rd north of the GPS coordinates, abandoned farm in the northeast corner of the intersection
Description: It was the oldest village in the township and was settled in the mid-1810s. The first families comprised of William Cratty (1763 – 1817) and Sarah (Dodds) Cratty (1765 – 1846), Andrew Dodds (1763 – 1823) and Mary (Cochran) Dodds (1772 – 1815), and John Lawrence (1771 – 1815) and Jane (Cochran) Lawrence (1777 – 1818). The town was platted with 27 lots in the southeast corner of the intersection and was called Fairview because of the beauty of the location. The name changed to Edinburgh before publication of the 1849 county map. Residents expected the town to attract a railroad in the mid-1800s, but it ended up running through Ostrander which was platted a mile to the south in 1852. Edinburgh had a school and a church on the south side of the cemetery. Failure to get a train station stopped its growth, but the area was never completely abandoned. The name changed to Fairview Corners sometime in the 1900s and is still a populated place which pops up on Google Maps. Everyone mentioned in this listing was buried with relatives in Fairview Cemetery.

Genoa Cross Roads (Franklin Corners) – Genoa Township
Post Office: 1848 – 1865
Location: 40.179360, -82.902952
on Big Walnut Rd at the intersection of S Old 3C Rd
Remnants: former town hall east of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Big Walnut Rd and Tussic St Rd
Description: It was originally called Franklin Corners and was named after Vernon Franklin (1800 – 1863) from New Hampshire. He was the postmaster for the first 15 years and was succeeded by Dr. Lewis Badger (1801 – 1872) who moved to Illinois and didn’t name anyone to take over the office. Vernon was buried with relatives in Burnside Cemetery about 1 1/2 miles north of town at the intersection of S Old 3C Rd and Lewis Center Rd.

Little Mill Creek – Scioto Township
Post Office: 1837 – 1855
Location: unknown
Description: This small farming and postal town was along Little Mill Creek in southwestern Scioto Township. It didn’t have a village and the post office served residents of Edinburgh and Ostrander. Henry Rigour was the first known postmaster. Joseph Maugans (1797 – 1873) was the next known postmaster. He was buried with relatives in Mill Creek Cemetery on the west side of Ostrander Rd (County Rd 153) south of Ostrander. Ezekiel Rogers (1833 – 1892) was the last known postmaster. He was buried with relatives in Fairview Cemetery on the east side of Ostrander Rd north of US 36.

Peerless (Peerless Station) – Porter Township, Delaware County and Bennington Township, Morrow County
Post Office: 1881 – 1910
Location: 40.350507, -82.765348
on Peerless Rd (Mt Vernon Olive Green Rd) along Long Run at the former railroad crossing between SR 656 and Moody Rd
Remnants: old houses and farms in the area
Description: Peerless had a train station on the Toledo & Ohio Central Railroad. A school was on the west side of Moody Rd about 1 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates. John W. Morehouse (1842 – 1913) was the first known postmaster and was buried with relatives in Ashley Union Cemetery about 14 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates on the east side of Ashley Rd in Oxford Township. John E. Wells (1852 – 1926) was the next known postmaster and was laid to rest with relatives 4 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates in Bloomfield Cemetery on the east side of Rich Hill Bloomfield Rd (Township Hwy 199) in S Bloomfield Township. Thomas Cubbage Jr. (1854 – 1928) from Kent County, Delaware was the last known postmaster. He later moved and was laid to rest in Maple Grove Cemetery on Maple Dr in Alexandria, Licking County. The train station was purchased by a local farmer in 1941 and was converted to a corn crib.

Pluggys Town – City of Delaware (formerly in Delaware Township)
Location: 40.305463, -83.062305
on walking trails in Mingo Park off of E Lincoln Ave
Remnants: historical marker in the park near the GPS coordinates
Description: It was a Native American Mingo town founded in the early 1770s by Mohawk born Chief Plukkemehnotee (Pluggy) and had a few hundred residents. Chief Pluggy was killed near McClelland’s Station, Kentucky after a battle in 1776.

Ralph (Snipetown) – Harlem Township
Post Office: 1893 – 1900
Location: 40.131536, -82.780685
on Fancher Rd (County Rd 20) at the intersection of Green Cook Rd (Township Hwy 29) along Rocky Fork
Remnants: Hanover (Snipetown) Cemetery on the south side of Fancher Rd just east of the GPS coordinates
Description: Burials in the cemetery predate the arrival of the Hanover family, which moved to the area from West Virginia around 1830. It’s unclear exactly when and why the place went by the name Snipetown. The post office was called Ralph, which is also another mystery of sorts. Perry G. Baughman (1873 – 1939) was the only known postmaster. He was buried with relatives 2 1/2 miles west of the GPS coordinates in Fancher Cemetery on the north side of Fancher Rd. Hanover Cemetery was vandalized in the late 1900s with some of the stones broken and taken. However, a few of them were found in a barn in Licking County and were subsequently returned. An interesting fact of unknown relevance is Perry Baughman was born in and passed away in Licking County.

Union – Liberty Township
Post Office: dates not listed
Location: 40.194057, -83.052759
on SR 315 (Olentangy River Rd) at the intersection of Home Rd (County Rd 124) along the Olentangy River
Remnants: Liberty Presbyterian Church and Cemetery at the GPS coordinates, former school on the north side of the church
Description: Joseph M. Cellar (1830 – 1902) opened a store next to Liberty Presbyterian Church around 1848 and a post office called Union was established there. They both only lasted a few years though. Joseph was buried with relatives in Liberty Cemetery.

Erie County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Abbott’s Bridge (Abbott Crossing) (Wards Landing) (Page’s Corners) (Fries Landing) – Milan Township (formerly Avery Township, Huron County)
Location: 41.336542, -82.586816  
on Mason Rd E between SR 13 (Mudbrook Rd) and the Huron River
Remnants: Abbott – Page House on the north side of Mason Rd E just east of the GPS coordinates, Milan Friends Church in the southwest corner of the intersection, Sweet Cemetery about 3/4 of a mile west of the GPS coordinates on the south side of Mason Rd E
Description: The original proprietors were David Abbott (1766 – 1822) and Mary (Brown) Abbott (1770 – 1849) from Worcester County, Massachusetts. They had at least 4 children and purchased 1,800 acres of farmland which stretched on both sides of the Huron River. The Abbotts built the first wood frame barn and house in the township in 1810. David served in several public offices in the township and county and also served in the state legislature. He began construction of the Abbott – Page house in 1820. It was completed in 1824 by a son of David and Mary, Benjamin W. Abbott (1787 – 1854). The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Jared Ward (1767 – 1857) from Hampden County, Massachussetts was the next town proprietor. He purchased some land from the Abbotts just north of the GPS coordinates in 1809 and was a successful farmer. Jared was buried with relatives and other residents in Sweet Cemetery. Homer P. Page (1826 – 1897) from Franklin County, Vermont and Marion (Edison) Page (1831 – 1900) from Elgin County, Ontario, Canada purchased the Abbott house in 1861. Marion was an older sister of inventor Thomas Edison (1847 – 1931) who frequently visited the house. The former school was pinpointed on the 1863 county map and currently appears to be in excellent preserved condition. Valentine Fries (1826 – 1900) was the last proprietor and owned a ship building yard in the 1870s and 1880s along the Huron River just east of the GPS coordinates. It was pinpointed in the 1874 county atlas along with a school at the present location of Milan Friends Church. The current church structure was the last public building constructed in the town. In the late 1800s to early 1900s, the New York, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad (Nickel Plate Rd) and the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad crossed paths on the east side of the Huron River a mile southeast of the GPS coordinates. David and Mary Abbott’s burial locations are unknown, but everyone else mentioned in this listing aside from Jared Ward was laid to rest with relatives in Milan Cemetery 4 miles south of the GPS coordinates on S Edison Dr in Milan. 

Ashmont (Goodsell) – Vermilion Township
Post Office: 1883 – 1901
Location: 41.376173, -82.439805
on Joppa Rd at the intersection of Ashmont Rd
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Ashmont was on the New York, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad (Nickel Plate Rd) in the late 1800s to early 1900s. The original proprietors were Benjamin N. Goodsell (1837 – 1908) and Catherine (Elson) Goodsell (1838 – 1920). They got married in 1856 and had at least 5 children. A church and a school were about 3/4 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates in the northwest corner of the intersection of Joppa Rd and Darrow Rd (Co Hwy 14). The post office name changed from Goodsell to Ashmont in 1886. Its known postmaster were Civil War Veteran Giles L. Jump (1845 – 1913) and F. C. Barnes. George M. Jenkins (1878 – 1941) ran a general store in Ashmont for 5 years. He was buried with relatives in Riverside Cemetery 6 1/2 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates on the north side of Hill Rd in Berlin Heights. Benjamin and Catherine were buried with relatives in Berlin Heights Baptist Cemetery 5 3/4 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates on the north side of E Main St in Berlin Heights.

Cooke’s Corners (Cooks Corner) (Four Corners) (North Monroeville) – Oxford Township, Erie County and Ridgefield Township, Huron County
Post Office: 1840 – 1857 and 1821 – 1879
Location: 41.287671, -82.725903 
on SR 113 at the 4-way intersection of Patten Tract Rd (County Hwy 42) and Limberd Rd (Township Hwy 218) on the Erie and Huron County border
Remnants: North Monroeville (Cooke) Cemetery on the west side of SR 99 south of the GPS coordinates
Description: This current town has a few former names that need sorted out, as Cooks Corners is on the state’s historical populated places list. North Monroeville was originally called Cooke’s Corners and was named after Revolutionary War veteran Captain Asaph Cooke (1748 – 1826) and Thankful (Parker) Cooke (1745 – 1819) from New Haven County, Connecticut who were early pioneers in the area. On the south side of town in Huron County, a post office called Four Corners ran from 1821 – 1879. The first known postmaster was Israel Cook (1804 – 1854) who was buried with relatives, including Asaph and Thankful, in North Monroeville Cemetery 1/3 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates on the west side of SR 99. Civil War veteran Edward W. Cooke (1825 – 1890) was the next known postmaster and was laid to rest with relatives in McPherson Cemetery at the intersection of US 20 and SR 101 (E Maple St) in Clyde, Sandsuky County. Percival B. Salisbury (1818 – 1879) from Jefferson County, New York was the next know postmaster and was buried with relatives in Riverside Cemetery 4 1/4 miles south of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of US 20 and Norwalk St in Monroeville. H. G. Read was the last known postmaster. On the north side of town in Erie County, a post office called Cooke’s Corners ran from 1840 – 1857. It’s known postmasters were L. Vandercrock and War of 1812 veteran Elihu Parker (1794 – 1887) from Genesee County, New York. Elihu was buried with relatives 5 1/2 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates in Sandhill Cemetery at the intersection of W Mason Rd and Skadden Rd. The town was listed as Four Corners on the 1863 Erie County map. It was listed as Four Corners P.O. in the 1873 Huron County atlas and as Cooks Corners in the 1874 Erie county atlas. The name of North Monroeville was cartographically used by publication of the 1888 Bridgman’s Atlas of the State of Ohio.

Enterprise – Oxford Township
Location: 41.292627, -82.664687  
on SR 113 at the intersection of Huber Rd along the Huron River
Remnants: none known
Description: Enterprise was a small farming town in the mid-1800s to early 1900s. It was platted with 48 lots and a public square on 5 streets including present-day SR 113. A school was on the north side of SR 113 just west of the GPS coordinates and was pinpointed in the 1874 county atlas. Although Enterprise lost its status of being a town, the area appears to never have been completely abandoned. A row of residences currently sits in the same spot as the ones dating back to the 1863 county map. A layout of the plat can be found on page 37 of the 1896 county atlas.

Furnace (Furnace Corners) – Vermilion Township (formerly in Huron County)
Post Office: 1833 – 1857
Location: 41.387465, -82.368302
on Darrow Rd (Co Hwy 14) between Thompson Rd (Township Hwy 73) and SR 60 (State Rd)
Remnants: none known
Description: This small iron furnace and farming town was temporarily the home of the oldest church congregation in the township which moved there in 1835. The known postmasters were James R. Ford, John Summers, and Lewis Wells. There was still a relatively dense cluster of buildings surrounding the intersection of Darrow Rd and Thompson Rd, and another one at the GPS coordinates on Darrow Rd at what was once the intersection of a road that diagonally stretched southeast to SR 60. Those building clusters were pinpointed on the 1863 county map. A school was about 1/4 of a mile east of the GPS coordinates in the southeast corner of the intersection of SR 60 and Darrow Rd.

Groton – Groton Township (formerly in Huron County)
Post Office: 1837 – 1859
Location: 41.337414, -82.830176   
on SR 269 between Portland Rd (Co Rd 175) and Strecker Rd
Remnants: Deyo Cemetery 1/2 of a mile north of the GPS coordinates on the north side of Portland Rd just west of SR 269
Description: The post office and a blacksmith shop across the road were on a 388-acre farm owned by Dr. John P. Deyo (1804 – 1898) from Ulster County, New York and Sarah (Forster) Deyo (1819 – 1887) from Erie County, New York. They got married in 1836, had 7 children, and John was the town’s postmaster. His parents, William Deyo (1772 – 1838) and Elizabeth (Ketcham) Deyo (1780 – 1866), settled in the area in 1831 and purchased 1,200 acres of land. After the death of his father, John gave up his medical practice to pursue farming. John and Sarah were buried with many relatives, including their parents, and other residents in Deyo Cemetery.

Harper’s Corners (Berlin Station) (Ceylon) – Berlin Township (formerly in Huron County)
Post Office: 1858 – 1904
Location: 41.371665, -82.493625
on SR 61 (Ceylon Rd) at the intersection of South Depot St
Remnants: Peaks Cemetery about 1 mile southeast of the GPS coordinates on the north side of Darrow Rd (Co Hwy 14), old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Harper’s Corners is also on the state’s historical populated places list. It was the original name of Ceylon and was founded by Joseph Harper (1762 – died c. 1820) who moved to Ohio from Vermont. He had a few children with Esther (Dean) Adams (1767 – 1842). She remarried after Joseph passed away and her gravestone is still intact in Peaks Cemetery. The post office was established as Berlin station and changed to Ceylon in 1871. Its known postmasters were Samuel Weatherlow, Charles Church, George H. Walker, G. R. McConnelly, T. L. Curtis, Henry S. Miller, A. Willsley, F. W. Boehm, Thomas L. Hibblethwaite, and Frederick A. Ketchum. In the mid to late 1800s, Ceylon had a train station on the Sandusky, Dayton, & Cincinnati Railroad (later the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway), a hotel, 2 stores, 2 saloons, and a saw mill.

Jay – Milan and Union Township (formerly in Huron County)
Post Office: 1839 – 1842
Location: 41.358439, -82.601237
on Huron Avery Rd (Co Hwy 123) at the intersection of E Scheid Rd (Scheid Rd)
Remnants: Scotts (Scott Union) Cemetery on the east side of Huron Avery Rd 1/3 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates
Description: Jay was a small farming and postal town. Edward S. Stow (1812 – 1871) from New York was the first known postmaster. Lyman Scott (born c. 1799) from Vermont was the last known postmaster. Edward was buried with relatives in Scotts Cemetery. Some members of the Scott family were also laid to rest there, but Lyman’s burial location is unknown.

Muscash – Margaretta Township (formerly in Huron County)
Location: 41.435450, -82.832799
on US 6 at the intersection of Wahl Rd
Remnants: former one-room schoolhouse just west of the GPS coordinates between US 6 & Wahl Rd
Description: Muscash was the site of the first religious congregation in the township and was founded by a group of Methodists. It was also a trading post for Native Americans who usually wanted cash instead of goods, hence the town name. A school was on the north side of Wahl Rd just west of the GPS coordinates in the mid-1800s. It was replaced by a newer building across the road (Margaretta Township No. 6) prior to publication of the 1874 county atlas. The school has since been converted to a private residence. Although it wasn’t pinpointed on maps, Muscash maintained its existence through the late 1800s. The most prominent families were the Barnes, Neill, and Prentice families. 

New Salem (Petquotting) – Milan Township
Location: 41.337508, -82.567500
on the west side of River Rd just north of Mason Rd E along the Huron River Remnants: none known
Description: It was a Monrovian Missionaries town from 1787 – 1893 and was founded by Reverend David Zeisberger (1721 – 1808) from the Czech Republic who previously founded Lichtenau in Coshocton County. The main intention was religiously converting Native Americans to Christianity. After the Native Americans abandoned New Salem, they restarted it at the future site of the town of Milan but didn’t stay long. David was buried in Goshen (Zeisberger Memorial) Cemetery on Goshen Valley Rd SE (Township Hwy 322) in Goshen Township, Tuscarawas County. 

Point Hope – Berlin Township
Location: unknown
Description: In 1860 a “Free Love” Utopian communistic village formed with 20 members who made the trip to Ohio from New England. They recruited a whopping one resident of the area and the village lasted a little less than a year. It was in or near Berlin Heights.

Prairieville – Perkins Township
Post Office: 1858 – 1861
Location: unknown
Description: The proprietors were Addison Mixter (1829 – 1890) from Massachusetts and Jane (Wolverton) Mixter (1828 – 1906) from New Jersey. They got married in Ohio and subsequently moved to Iowa, but returned to Erie County after the death of their first child. Addison and Jane built a general store in Perkins Township and Addison was the town’s postmaster. After the post office was discontinued, they moved to an 80-acre farm in Milan Township on the east side of the Huron River along River Rd (Township Hwy 126) and Addison served as the township’s real estate assessor.  He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head after suffering from debilitating headaches for several years due to getting kicked by a horse. Addison and Jane had at least 8 children and were buried with relatives in Scotts (Scott Union) Cemetery on Huron – Avery Rd in Milan Township.

Prout (Prouts Station) – Oxford Township
Post Office: 1869 – 1905
Location: 41.351407, -82.700264   
on W Mason Rd at the former railroad crossing between Campbell St (Township Hwy 110) and Ransom Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by Andrew W. Prout (1811 – 1881) from Orleans County, New York and Mary Emmeline (Carpenter) Prout (1818 – 1903). They got married in 1833 and purchased a farm on the northwest side of the GPS coordinates the following year. They didn’t move to the farm until 1837 though, and expanded it to 152 acres by publication of the 1863 county map. Andrew was shoe maker, farmer, and sold clocks. He was also a member of the Erie County Agricultural Society and the Firelands Historical Society. The track bed of the Sandusky, Mansfield & Newark Railroad (later the B&O Railroad) ran north along the eastern edge of the Prout farm and had a train station near the GPS coordinates. Although the railroad tracks are long gone, portions of the former path can still be seen on satellite maps. A one-room schoolhouse was on the south side of W Mason Rd just east of the GPS coordinates in the late 1800s to early 1900s. There was also a church on the south side of W Mason Rd about 3/4 of a mile east of the GPS coordinates. The post office name changed from Prout’s Station to Prout in 1882. Its first postmaster was the youngest son of Andrew and Mary, Albert H. Prout (1852 – 1918). Mary was next known postmaster. Katherine (Meredith) Prout (1863 – 1942), wife of Simeon C. Prout (1848 – 1929), was the last known postmaster. The Prouts were laid to rest in Sandhill Cemetery 3 1/4 miles west of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of W Mason Rd and Skadden Rd. 

Ransoms – Margaretta Township, Erie County and Townsend Township, Sandusky County
Location: 41.386631, -82.845677   
on Vickery Rd and Co Rd 247 at the intersection of Carson Pass (NW Rd) along Little Pickerel Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: The proprietors were Charles H. Ransom (1821 – 1901) from New London County, Connecticut and Susan (Slaughter) Ransom (1826 – 1917) from New York. They had 6 children and accumulated 764 acres of land in the area engaging in farming and stock dealing. A steam-powered saw mill and a grist mill were along Vickery Rd just west of the GPS coordinates in the mid to late 1800s. The Sandusky, Dayton, & Cincinnati, Railroad (later the Lake Erie & Western Railroad) rolled through the southeast corner of the Ransom farm in Margaretta Township. Charles and Susan were buried with relatives in Oakland (Sandusky) Cemetery on US 250 (Milan Rd) in Perkins Township.

Shattucks Grove (Shaddock’s Grove) (Shaddock’s Lake Park) (Crystal Beach Park) – City of Vermilion (formerly in Vermilion Township)
Location: 41.425020, -82.347890  
on the north side of US 6 (Liberty Ave) between Nantucket Pl and Salem Dr
Remnants: none known
Description: It was a summer vacation resort village next to Lake Erie owned by George M. Shaddock (or Shattuck). The venue hosted traveling circuses, dances, picnics, and other family oriented events in the late 1800s to early 1900s. George H. Blanchat (1875 – 1938) from Wayne County and Josephine (Lesher) Blanchat (1879 – 1952) got married in 1901 and opened Crystal Beach Amusement Park at the location in 1907. Their family continued to operate the park until it closed in 1962. The amusement park never charged for admission or parking. Visitors only paid for the rides, games, and refreshments they wanted. They were also allowed to bring in their own food and beverages. Among the many attractions were a roller coaster, skating pavilion, and a ballroom that could accommodate up to 2,000 dancers. Some famous musicians and singers occasionally entertained the guests. George and Josephine were buried with relatives in Calvary Cemetery on N Ridge Rd in the City of Lorain in Lorain County. Linwood Park was another summer resort community just to the west of Shattucks Grove. They can both be spotted on page 7 of the 1896 county atlas.

Spragues Corners – Florence Township (formerly in Huron County)
Location: 41.305785, -82.413337  
on Florence Wakeman Rd at the intersection of Harmon Rd (Township Hwy 19)
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by Ezra Sprague (1785 – 1856) from Berkshire County, Massachusetts and Harriet (Griswold) Sprague (1782 – 1852) from Connecticut. They got married in Ohio in 1807, were the first settlers in the township in 1809, and had 7 children. Ezra was the first justice of the peace and a common pleas court judge. The family owned about 600 acres of land in the area by publication of the 1863 county map. A school was about 1/4 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates on the west side of Florence Wakeman Rd and was pinpointed in the 1874 and 1896 county atlases. Florence (formerly Florence Corners) a little over a mile to the north became the commercial center of the area in the mid-1800s and Spragues Corners fell into obscurity by 1900. As seen in other places around the state though, the residents of Spragues Corners may have been perfectly content with that, enjoying more elbow room and much less crossroads traffic. Ezra and Harriet were buried with relatives 1 3/4 miles west of the GPS coordinates in Cable Cemetery on the east side of Cable Rd (Township Hwy 59) just south of Harmon Rd.

Yankee Settlement – Perkins Township (formerly in Huron County)
Location: 41.384981, -82.667298   
on Taylor Rd at the intersection of Columbus Ave along Plum Brook
Remnants: Perkins Cemetery 1 1/2 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates on Beatty Ln off of US 250 (Milan Rd)
Description: Irish immigrants Reverend John Beatty (1774 – 1845) and Mary (Cooke) Beatty (1776 – 1852) purchased most of Perkins Township from the Firelands Company and moved their family there with a group of settlers shortly after the War of 1812 ended. Some of the other settlers were Joseph Taylor, Jesse Taylor, Julius House, Holly Akins, Roswell Hubbard, Harvey Covell, Eleazer Bell, Plinney Johnson, Richard Christopher, and William Beebe. A couple of decades later, John Beatty beacame the mayor of Sandusky from 1834 – 1836. In the late 1800s to early 1900s there was a church on the north side of the intersection and a school on the south side of the intersection. Many of the pioneers and their descendants were buried in Perkins Cemetery. John and Mary were laid to rest with relatives in Oakland (Sandusky) Cemetery 4 miles north of the GPS coordinates on US 250.

Fairfield County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Buckeye Park – Greenfield Township
Location: 39.772180, -82.686534
on Old Columbus Rd NW at the intersection of Coonpath Rd NW
Remnants: none known
Description: Prior to the establishment of the park, Methodist camp meetings were held on the farm of John W. Mason (1836 – 1903) and Elizabeth (Flick) Mason (1840 – 1887) in the mid-1870s. A church was subsequently built there in the northeast lot of the intersection. John & Elizabeth were laid to rest with relatives in Violet (Violet Township) Cemetery 9 3/4 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates on the north side of SR 256 (E Columbus St) in Pickerington. A school (Greenfield Township No. 4) was on the south side of Coonpath Rd NW 1/2 of a mile west of the GPS coordinates. Buckeye Park was developed in the 1890s by the managers of the Columbus, Hocking Valley, & Toledo Railroad and was also along the Hocking Canal. The canal endured a series of devastating floods in the late 1800s and had already been rendered obsolete by railroads. It officially closed in 1890. The park was just south of Coonpath Rd NW and was designed as a destination to increase train use on the weekends. It had a small lake for boating and swimming, a giant slide still commonly seen at amusement parks these days, a playground, and some recreational buildings. A train station was built to accommodate the visitors and was very much appreciated by local residents who previously had to wait at a shelterless flag stop. After a failed first attempt in 1895 on the Cleveland Canton, & Southern Railroad in Stark County, A. L. Streeter from Illinois organized the first steam train collision for entertainment at Buckeye Park on Memorial Day May 30, 1896. An estimated 20,000 – 25,000 onlookers from all across the country witnessed the collision. It was the beginning of nearly 40 years of similar instances, with A. L. Streeter and other copycat promoters doing the same up through the 1930s. Buckeye Park’s name changed to Maplewood Park after Buckeye Lake, originally the Licking Summit Reservoir, was created and had a park there. A baseball team called the Maplewoods formed in 1906. The park was upgraded with a dance pavilion and bowling alley. In the mid-1910s the Bismark Club of Columbus purchased the park. They constructe an arched gateway, improved the roads, installed paved walking paths, and cleared up overgrowing brush. The name changed again to Columbia Park during World War I. It continuted as Columbia Park until 1943 when the Lancaster Moose Lodge bought the grounds and renamed it Moose Park. They modernized it to mid-1900s standards, upgraded existed amusements, and added more. The park was sold in 1955 to the Woltz and Stephens families from Columbus who did some remodeling and reopened it under the name of Maple Park as a recreational center. Kelly R. Hannan bought the park in 1959, changing the name to Hannan Recreation Center. During that time, the park was mostly used by local organizations for meetings and events. A tornado swept through the area on April 12, 1965 and destroyed much of the park. Hannan sold the park and it yet again changed names to Long Lake Park in the early 1970s. By then, most of the old large amusements were gone and it was more of a retreat focused on activities and camping. It turned into Camp Coonpath when Al Moore purchased the property in 1988. The 110-year history ended in 2001 when the state acquired the property for construction of the present US 33 bypass.      

Claypool (Yankeetown) – Greenfield Township
Location: 39.759052, -82.669743
on Columbus – Lancaster Rd NW at the intersection of Claypool St NW
Remnants: Greenfield Township Cemetery on the east side of Columbus – Lancaster Rd NW just south of the GPS coordinates
Description: The town was along the Hocking Canal and was founded by Jacob Claypool Sr. (1775 – 1843) from Bedford County, Virginia and Margaret (Baker) Claypool (1779 – 1828) from Rockingham County, Virginia. They purchased a large farm at the GPS coordinates in 1805 at a site that had previously been dubbed as Yankeetown as early as 1799. Jacob cleared the land, planted some crops, and built a log cabin there before moving his family to the homestead in 1808. He learned how to survey land and served as a representative in the state legislature in 1816, 1818, and 1822, and a senator from 1823 – 1824. Jacob had at least 6 children with Margaret and married Ann (Renick) Claypool (1789 – 1834) after she passed away. The Claypools donated land for a church and school around 1830 which later turned into Greenfield Academy. The cemetery was also established on the their farm. Issac Claypool (1821 – 1902) attended the Greenfield Academy and inherited the family farm. He donated a bit of land in its southwest corner for the track bed of the Columbus & Hocking Valley Railroad (later the Columbus, Hocking Valley, & Toledo Railroad). Issac expanded the farm to 571 acres by publication of the 1889 county map and lived his entire life on the family homestead. With much success in farming and livestock raising, Issac accumulated a total of 1,200 acres in Green Township. He was married 3 times and had at least 9 children. Everyone mentioned in this listing was laid to rest in Greenfield Township Cemetery. 

Harrisport – Greenfield Township
Location: unknown
Description: Harrisport contained 12 – 15 residences and was listed in The Ohio Gazetteer and Traveler’s Guide from 1837 – 1841. Its last literary mention was in the 1843 A History and New Gazetteer: Or Geographical Dictionary, of North America and the West Indies. The town faded out of existence and didn’t make it onto the 1848 county map.

Millers – Clearcreek Township
Location: 39.587453, -82.785347
on Heigle Rd SW at the intersection of 16th Rd SW east of the confluence of Wolf Creek and Salt Creek
Remnants: Wolf Cemetery 1 1/4 miles west of the GPS coordinates in a field on private property on the north side of Heigle Rd SW, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: This small farming town was listed on the Ohio map in the 1901 George Cram atlas and was on the Lancaster & Hamden Railroad. Prior to the railroad’s arrival, the Wolf (Wolfe) and Hoffman (Huffman) families were the largest in the area. Wolf Cemetery was established on a large farm owned by War of 1812 veteran Peter Wolfe (1787 – 1853) from Pennsylvania and has interments dating up to the first decade of the 1900s. Some residents attended Fairview United Methodist Church and a one-room schoolhouse (Clearcreek Township No. 5), both of which still stand a mile north of the GPS coordinates in the northwest corner of the intersection of 16th Rd SW and Oakland – Soutsville Rd SW.

Monticello – Walnut Township
Post Office: 1827 – 1833
Location: 39.899844, -82.562552
on SR 37 (Lancaster – Newark Rd NE) at the intersection of SR 204 (Blacklick – Eastern Rd NE)
Remnants: none known
Description: The short lived town of Monticello was listed in The Ohio Gazetteer, Or, Topographical Dictionary from 1829 – 1833. It formed around 1825 and was a busy village for a few years, but it lost the competition for businesses and residents to nearby Millersport which was also platted in 1825 along the Ohio & Erie Canal. Bennett Lewis was the first known postmaster. He was succeeded by Wilson J. Lewis (1804 – 1890) from Pennsylvania who held the office until it was discontinued. Wilson married Mary Ann (Dailey) Lewis (1814 – 1868) in Fairfield County in 1830. They moved out of Fairfield County with relatives in Greenlawn Cemetery at the intersection of E County Rd 36 (Cr36) and Cr13 in Tiffin, Seneca County.

Roby Addition – Liberty and Walnut Township
Location: 39.922686, -82.582278
on Blacklick Rd NW at the intersection of Cherry Ln on the Liberty and Walnut Township border
Remnants: Fletcher Chapel and Cemetery on the north side of Blacklick Rd NW 1/2 of a mile west of the intersection
Description: Benjamin Roby (1801 – 1886) moved to Ohio from Virginia and platted the Roby Addition on a 60-acre farm in the northwest corner of the intersection. It’s unknown exactly when the plat was made, but in any case, it failed to attract residents and the idea was eventually abandoned. Benjamin married Ursula (Morton) Roby (1803 – 1840) in Fairfield County in 1829. After Ursula passed away, he married Sarah (Siebert) Roby (1819 – 1905) from Pennsylvania in 1846. A school (Walnut Township. No 4) was in the northeast corner of the intersection on a 253-acre farm owned by James H. Jeffries (1811 – 1887) and Mary (Benadum) Jeffries (1815 – 1898) from Farquier County, Virginia. The congregation of Fletcher Chapel United Methodist Church was organized around 1815. They met in private residences until a log church was built in the mid-1820s. It was replaced with a wood frame structure in 1846 and much later the present brick building. Everyone mentioned in this listing was laid to rest with relatives in Fletcher Chapel Cemetery.

Sandstone – City of Lancaster
Location: 39.714527, -82.543528
on Quarry Rd SE at the railroad crossing between US 22 and Commerce St
Remnants: none known
Description: Sandstone was named after a quarry in the area and was on the Cleveland & Mahoning Valley Railroad. It was listed on the Ohio map in the 1901 George Cram atlas.

Steele (Steeles) – Clearcreek Township
Location: 39.572225, -82.783688
on 16 Rd SW along Salt Creek between Heigle Rd SW and Thomas Hill Rd SW
Remnants: none known
Description: Steele was listed on the Ohio map in the 1901 George Cram atlas and was on the Lancaster & Hamden Railroad in the late 1800s to early 1900s. It has a school (Clearcreek Township No. 8) on the west side of Salt Creek just west of the GPS coordinates on land owned by the Thomas family.

Sniders (Snyders) – Liberty Township
Location: 39.887768, -82.641918
on Snyder Church Rd NW at the intersection of Stemen Rd
Remnants: New Zion United Methodist Church at the intersection, Union Evangelical (New Zion / Snider) Cemetery on both sides of Snyder Church Rd NW about 1/3 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates, former one-room schoolhouse 1 1/2 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates on Bickel Church Rd NW
Description: The town was founded by Swiss immigrant Jacob Snider (1815 – 1894) and Phebe (Brumbach) Snider (1820 – 1886). Phebe’s paternal grandfather, Johann Brumbach, was a German immigrant and Revolutionary War veteran. He passed away in Virginia. The Snider family owned most of the land surrounding the GPS coordinates in the mid to late 1800s, with Jacob and Phebe’s farms totaling over 700 acres at one point. They were buried with many relatives and descendants in Union Evangelical Cemetery. The former one-room schoolhouse (Liberty Township No. 8) next to St. Michael’s United Church of Christ appears to be in excellent preserved condition. The church was formerly across the road with a wood frame structure at the cemetery and was later replaced with the present brick church. New Zion United Methodist Church was originally in the opposite corner of the intersection. Its impressive wood frame building was constructed in 1897. There were also several other churches and one-room schoolhouses on the outskirts of town throughout the mid to late 1800s.

Tarhe Town – City of Lancaster
Location: 39.707898, -82.599538
on S Water St between Locust St and the Hocking River
Remnants: none known
Description: This Wyandotte Native American village was named after Chief Tarhe (1742 – 1818) who lived there at various times. He earned the title in 1788, was one of 13 Native American chiefs who fought at the Battle Of Fallen Timbers in 1794, and was the only one who survived. He was also one of the signers of the Treaty Of Greenville in 1795. Chief Tarhe’s nickname was “The Crane”, for his slender build and being 6 feet 4 inches tall. He was buried in Upper Sandusky in Wyandot County. A monument was dedicated to him there in 1915 at the site of Cranetown on T-37 (Co Hwy 37) north of SR 67 (Tarhe Trail).

Walnut (Hitedale) (Bush’s Corners) (Bush City) (Hadley Junction) (Thurston) – Walnut Township
Post Office: 1826 – 1832, 1858 – 1867, and 1881 – present
Location: 39.840275 -82.549460
on SR 256 (Baltimore – Somerset Rd NE) at the intersection of Old Millersport Rd NE along Walnut Creek
Remnants: Thurston Primitive (Old School) Baptist Church Cemetery at the GPS coordinates
Description: There aren’t many current towns listed in this work, but this is another one with several previous names that need sorted out. Prior to the platting of Thurston in 1881, the area was called Bush City, formerly Bush’s Corners. Hadley Junction is also mixed in there. In the mid-1800s it was Hitedale, named after the Hite family in the area. Long before any of those, the town was called Walnut. Job McNamee (1762 – 1839) from Washington County, Maryland settled in the area in the first decade of the 1800s. After his first 2 wives passed away, he married Susan (Springer) McNamee in 1811. They had 5 children and donated a couple lots of land for churches around 1816, one for a Baptist congregation and another for Methodists. Daniel Coffman was the only known postmaster of the Walnut office which was in existence form 1826 – 1832. Samuel G. Bush (1820 – 1878), who lived in the area all his life and whose family was the namesake of Bush City and Bush’s Corners, was the postmaster during the 1858 – 1867 run. He married Matilda (McNamee) Bush (1823 – 1909), settled on her parents homestead, and had one daughter. School and church services were held in rudimentary log cabins and residences until the 1870s and the arrival of the Lake Erie & Atlantic Railroad (later the Ohio Central Railroad and the Toledo & Ohio Central Railroad). The railroad managers temporarily changed the southeast part of the town’s name to Hadley Junction in 1880 while the northwest side remained Bush City. The town was platted in 1881 and was subsequently named in honor of Reverend Thurston, an early Methodist Minister, with the new post office also going by that name. Everyone mentioned in this listing aside from Reverend Thurston was buried in the cemetery. Although Thurston isn’t a prominent or well-known town throughout the state, it has a rich history and was recorded with 604 residents in the 2010 census. 

Wyandotte – Clearcreek Township
Location: 39.628101, -82.800823
on Justus Rd SW between US 22 (Cincinnati – Zanesville Rd SW and Wyandotte Rd SW
Remnants: none known
Description: Wyandotte was originally on the Cincinnati & Zanesville Railroad (later the Cleveland & Mahoning Valley Railroad). It had 2 local schools. One of them (Clearcreek Township No. 2) was a mile east of the GPS coordinates on the east side of 16th Rd SW on land owned by Amos Crites (1813 – 1904) and Priscilla (Aldenderfer) Crites (1817 – 1894). Amos and Priscilla were buried with relatives in Dutch Hollow Cemetery 2 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates on US 22 (Cincinnati – Zanesville Rd SW). They were a great uncle and great aunt to Henry Monroe Crites (1869 – 1957) who owned the Gregg – Crites Octagon House, a former school, near Circleville in Pickaway County. The other school (Clearcreek Township No. 3) was 1 1/2 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates on the east side of Fosnaugh School Rd SW next to Salt Creek on a 79-acre farm owned by the Fosnaugh family. Their surname was also spelled Fosnaught and Fosnought in some branches and on certain historical records. The railroad tracks have since been removed, but its path can still be seen on satellite maps.

Fayette County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Convenience – Wayne Township
Post Office: 1840 – 1902
Location: 39.500137, -83.360149
on US 35 at the intersection of Camp Grove Rd
Remnants: former one-room schoolhouse in the northwest corner of the intersection
Description: Convenience was on the Toledo, Delphos, & Burlington Railroad (later the Cincinnati, Hamilton, & Dayton Railroad). Its original proprietors were Noah Hukill (1805 – 1887) from Ohio County, West Virginia (formerly in Virginia) and Susan (Smith) Hukill (1801 – 1877) from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They got married in Fayette County in 1831, had 5 children, and ran a stagecoach stop tavern and inn prior to the arrival of the railroad in the area. The school land was donated by War of 1812 veteran James Bryant (1787 – 1848) from Virginia and Catharine (Eyeman) Bryant (1792 – 1869) around 1844. German Baptist church services were held in the school until a wood frame church was constructed in the southwest corner of the intersection in 1853 – 1854. The church has since been lost to time, but the town’s last one-room schoolhouse in the northwest corner of the intersection appears to be in decent preserved condition for its age. A son of Noah and Susan, William R. Hukill (1834 – 1904) and his wife Mary (Kelso) Hukill 1836 – 1909), took on proprietorship of the town in the mid to late 1800s. They got married in 1858 and had 3 children. War of 1812 veteran and county pioneer John H. DeWitt (1785 – 1855) from Clark County, Kentucky was the first postmaster. William was appointed to the postmaster position after John passed away. He also served as justice of the peace and the train station attendant. The post office was discontinued from the late 1860s to mid-1880s, and William again held the postmaster position until the office was discontinued. The train tracks ran through the northern side of town and its former bed is now part of the Paint Creek Recreational Trail, a 35-mile paved path running from Washington Court House to Chillicothe in Ross County. The Hukills were buried in Washington Cemetery about 5 1/2 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates on US 22 in Washington Court House. James Bryant was laid to rest in Bryant – Eyeman Cemetery on private property 2 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates on the east side of Boyd Rd SE (Co Hwy 149) along Mills Branch. Catharine Bryant moved out of state with some of their children and was buried with relatives in Rice Cemetery on the western end of 40th St in Morning Sun, Iowa. Descendants of the family still live on the old homestead farm there. John Dewitt was buried with relatives in DeWitt Cemetery about 1 1/4 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates on private property on the north side of the Paint Creek Recreational Trail.

Ghormley (Ghormley’s Station) – Wayne and Perry Township
Location: 39.409472, -83.378715   
on Ghormley Rd along Paint Creek between SR 41 (Highland Ave) and SR 753
Remnants: abandoned and old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Thomas Ghormley (1766 – 1840) and Judith (Bonner) Ghormley (1770 – 1839) were both born in Pennsylvania and had 10 children. They moved to Ohio in 1813 and settled on a 500-acre farm at the GPS coordinates the following year. Thomas and Judith passed away on the farm and one of their sons, William L. Ghormley (1808 – 1886), acquired 113 acres of the family homestead. He married Hannah (Beatty) Ghormley (1808 – 1898) in 1837 and had 5 children. The town had a flag stop on the Ohio Southern Railroad and a school (Wayne Township No. 1) on the south side of Ghormley Rd about 1/2 of a mile east of the GPS coordinates. The next couple generations of the Ghormley family continued proprietorship of the old farm and town. A train station was pinpointed at the GPS coordinates in the 1913 county atlas on what was then the Detroit, Toledo, & Ironton Railroad. The former railroad tracks are long gone, but the path can still be seen on satellite maps. William and Hannah were laid to rest with relatives in Greenfield Cemetery 5 miles south of the GPS coordinates on SR 753 (N Washington St) in Greenfield, Highland County. Thomas and Judith were buried with relatives in Old Burying Ground about 1 mile southeast of Greenfield Cemetery at the intersection of SR 138 and S McArthur Way in Greenfield.

Kingfred (Kingford Siding) – Union Township
Location: 39.544713, -83.346130   
on Camp Grove Rd SE at the former railroad track crossing just south of US 22
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was originally called Kingfred and was on the Cincinnati & Muskingum Valley Railroad in the late 1800s to early 1900s. It changed to Kingford Siding when a passenger siding was built for loading and unloading between the tracks of the Penn Lines, an interurban electric rail car route which operated on the former track bed of the Cincinnati & Muskingum Valley Railroad. The main function of interurban cars was transporting workers from rural and suburban areas into cities during the times before automobiles were affordable for the average consumer. A school (Union Township No. 16) was on the south side of US 22 about a mile west of the GPS coordinates.

Olympia – Union Township
Location: 39.541274, -83.377513
on Bogus Rd SE at the former railroad crossing just south of US 22
Remnants: none known
Description: Olympia was also on the Penn Lines interurban route in the early 1900s. A school (Union Township No. 16) was on the south side of US 22 about halfway between Olympia and Kingfred (Kingford Siding).

Pearsons (Pearson Station) – Jasper Township, Fayette County and Jefferson Township, Greene County
Post Office: 1877 – 1903
Location: 39.593950, -83.660200 
on Marchant – Luttrell Rd between Pearson – Octa Rd and Hargrave Rd along Grassy Branch
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by the Pearson family in the area and had a train station on the Dayton, Toledo, & Ironton Railroad. Chaney E. Pearson (1838 – 1927) was the first known postmaster. He married Mary (Plymire) Pearson (1845 – 1917) in 1861 and had a few children. The other known postmasters were James L. Rowe, C. P. Luttrell, Henry G. Kiger, and Allen B. Pearson (1876 – 1914) held the position until the office was discontinued. Allen married Sudia (Carter) Pearson (1880 – 1937) in 1897. in Pearson’s population was 38 residents 1910. It was listed in the 1913 county atlas and fell into obscurity by the mid-1900s. Chaney and Mary were buried with relatives in Old Silvercreek (Jamestown) Cemetery about 6 3/4 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates on SR 72 in Jamestown in Silvercreek Township, Greene County. Allen and Sudia were laid to rest with an infant son who passed away in 1911 in Sabina Cemetery 9 miles south of the GPS coordinates on Polk Ave in Sabina, Clinton County. The Pearson and Luttrell families were related by marriage. Luttrell is still a currently populated place 1 mile southeast of the GPS coordinates in Jasper Township.

Franklin County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Alum Creek – City of Columbus (formerly in Montgomery and Marion Township)
Post Office: 1894 – 1915
Location: 39.979742, -82.957653
on Leonard Ave at the railroad junction heading south along Alum Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: Alum Creek had a train station on the Columbus, Sandusky, & Hocking Railroad, later bought by the Big Four (Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad). The creek itself was the site of many early settlements and mills in the county and around Columbus. It was named after the metallic substance that was found in slate slabs on the creek banks. The town’s post office was called Leonard.

Avenue – Franklin Township
Post Office: 1874 – 1905
Location: 39.941805, -83.111996
on Georgesville Rd at the intersection of Sullivan Ave
Remnants: none known
Description: In the 1880s the post office was on land owned by Newell Mix (1835 – 1889) and Emaline (Deforest) Mix (1838 – 1886). Newell was a justice of the peace in Franklin Township. The town also had a train station on the Cincinnati, Sandusky, & Cleveland Railroad, later bought by the Big Four. Newell and Emaline had a few children and were buried with relatives in Green Lawn Cemetery on Greenlawn Ave.

Baker Hill – City of Columbus (formerly in Hamilton and Marion Township)
Location: 39.906343, -82.969126
on the northeast side of the intersection of Groveport Rd and Wilson Ave
Remnants: none known
Description: The gravel and sand filled hill rises well above the surrounding landscape and was formed by the Scioto River before dams controlled its size. It was named after the Baker family who owned much of the hill in the mid to late 1800s. The town also had a school on land owned by Henry Obetz (1825 – 1900) from Pennsylvania and Sarah (Hensel) Obetz (1820 – 1901). They were buried with relatives in Green Lawn Cemetery.

Big Run – Franklin Township
Location: 39.915203, -83.067130
on Alkire Rd at the intersection of Big Run Ave
Remnants: none known
Description: It was named after the waterway that runs through the area, a tributary of the Scioto River.

Big Walnut – Truro and Mifflin Township
Location: 39.976174, -82.873971
on E Broad St (SR 16) at the intersection of Hamilton Ave (SR 317) on the west side of Big Walnut Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: It was named after the creek and was listed as a town along the Big Four Railroad (Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad).

Borrors Corners – Jackson Township
Post Office: 1894 – 1900
Location: 39.825405, -83.032575
on SR 665 (London – Groveport Rd) at the intersection of SR 104 (Jackson Pike) along Plum Run
Remnants: historical marker on the southeast side of the intersection, Scioto Cemetery on the south side of Hiner Rd off of SR 104, many old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Magdalene (Strader) Borror (1767 – 1838) from Virginia was the widow of Revolutionary War veteran Jacob Borror Jr. (1763 – 1804). She moved to Ohio with her 7 children and settled on 400 acres of land surrounding the GPS coordinates given to her by her parents in 1809 – 1811. The family became successful in farming and merchandising and was very influential in Jackson Township for over 100 years. Borrors Corners had a grocery store in the northwest corner of the intersection and a blacksmith shop in the northeast corner of the intersection. The first school was on the east side of SR 104 in the mid-1800s. It was replaced with a newer school across the road prior to publication of the 1872 county atlas. There was a Union church near Scioto Cemetery on the west side of SR 104 just south of Hiner Rd. That church was gone by publication of the 1872 county atlas which pinpointed Scioto Christian Church about halfway between Hiner Rd and the new school. Magdalene was laid to rest with many relatives in Scioto Cemetery. The cemetery wasn’t officially established until 1886, but its burials go back much further. For a small cemetery, it features an astonishing amount of large and ornate gravestones and memorials for the Borrors. It goes to show how prominent they were and the impact they made on the area. More of the family’s ancestors and descendants can be found in Concord Cemetery on Hoover Rd south of SR 665, Grove City Cemetery, and Green Lawn Cemetery in Columbus.

Bright – Madison Township
Location: 39.865341, -82.922123
on Groveport Rd at the intersection of Bixby Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: This small village had a school on the south side of Groveport Rd southeast of the intersection. Much of the land around the GPS coordinates was owned by the Kile family.

Burts
Location: unknown
Description: It was named after the Burt family in the county.

Caldwell
Location: unknown
Description: It was named after a branch of the Caldwell family in the county.

Clover Settlement – Prairie and Brown Township
Location: 39.962555, -83.168382
on Alton Darby Creek Rd between I – 70 and US 40
Remnants: Clover Cemetery at the GPS coordinates
Description: Henry and Catherine Clover moved to Ohio from Virginia with their 12 children and originally lived in Ross County. They relocated to Prairie Township in 1813 and Clover Settlement formed around their property with more families moving to the area in the early 1800s. Across from the cemetery on the east side of Alton Darby Creek Rd, the town had a school, Methodist church, and a general store and train station on the north side of the railroad tracks. Clover Settlement faded away in the later 1800s as Alton to the south was expanding and had more modern accommodations. Alton’s train station on the south side of the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks replaced Clover’s station and can be found in the 1872 county atlas. Most of the Clover family was buried in Clover Cemetery and some relatives and descendants were buried in Alton Cemetery between the railroad tracks and US 40.

Deems – Franklin Township
Location: 39.970104, -83.115745
on Fisher Rd between I – 270 and Philip Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by Thomas Deems (1807 – 1880) from Pennsylvania and Mary (Sims) Deems (1807 – 1880) from Muskingum County. They married in 1828, had 6 children, and moved to Franklin County in 1841. Thomas was a farmer and blacksmith. The Deems were buried with relatives in Green Lawn Cemetery.

Doneys – Truro Township
Location: 39.956283, -82.904633
on US 40 at the former railroad crossing between James Rd and Beechwood Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Abraham Doney (1829 – 1900) from Harrison County and Emily Brock (1837 – 1899) from Fairfield County moved to Truro Township in 1865 and had 6 children. They were farmers and livestock dealers and amassed 600 acres of land between US 40 and E Broad St (SR 16). The town had a train station on the Columbus, Sandusky, & Hocking Railroad. Abraham and Emily were buried with relatives in Green Lawn Cemetery.  

Eastwood – City of Columbus (formerly in Montgomery Township)
Location: 39.967843, -82.957473
on Eastwood Ave at the intersection of Woodland Ave
Remnants: Eastwood Ave
Description: The town was first spotted on the 1856 county map and never had much of a chance at keeping its own identity. It had a school and Congregational church, but was too close to downtown Columbus and was annexed by the 1870s. Eastwood Avenue itself is a remnant of the former town. Its narrow construction is reminiscent of average roads in the mid-1800s.

Flint Station – Sharon Township
Post Office: 1868 – 1912
Location: 40.127303, -83.005196
on Park Rd at the railroad crossing between Flint Rd and Sancus Blvd
Remnants: The Market at Flint Station at the GPS coordinates, Flint Cemetery on Flint Rd
Description: Although the town of Flint is still a populated area, Flint Station is considered to be a ghost town and is on the state’s historical populated places list. The town had stations on the Big Four Railroad (Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad) and the Sandusky & Columbus Short Line Railroad. Many early residents were buried in Flint Cemetery on the west side of Flint Rd. The Market at Flint Station is a lounge and the building that houses it was constructed in 1890.

Hibernia – Truro Township
Post Office: 1849 – 1857
Location: 39.954753, -82.851364
on US 40 at the intersection of Noe Bixby Rd along Big Walnut Creek
Remnants: Carlisle Cemetery at Hibernia Apartments on Hibernia Dr south of US 40 off of Noe Bixby Rd
Description: Irish immigrant Thomas Armstrong (1769 – 1856) sold some lots which founded Hibernia in the 1840s. The town was never platted or incorporated but had a school, hotel, grocery store, wagon shop, and blacksmith shop. Thomas was buried with relatives in Carlisle Cemetery. It predates the town by a few decades.  

Highway – Norwich Township
Location: unknown
Description: Highway was on the Toledo & Ohio Central Railroad between Columbus and Hilliard’s northern side.

Hocking Junction
Location: unknown
Description: none found

Lafayetteville – Plain Township
Location: 40.080156, -82.789975
on E Dublin Granville Rd at the intersection of Kitzmiller Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: There were two attempts to lay out a town called Lafayetteville in Franklin County. The first was made in 1826 by Lorin Hills and Lester Humphrey. The platted lots either never sold or didn’t sell enough to make any difference in the area.

Lafayetteville – Prairie Township
Location: 39.942576, -83.143756
the exact location of the plat is unknown
Remnants: Postle Cemetery at the GPS Coordinates west of Norton Rd and north of Gabriels Landing Dr
Description: In 1832 War of 1812 veteran Job Postle (1781 – 1858) and Elizabeth (Webb) Postle (1780 – 1850) platted another town called Lafayetteville with the same results as the first. Job and Elizabeth were buried with relatives in Postle Cemetery.

Lisle – City of Columbus (formerly in Clinton Township)
Location: 40.004814, -83.034240
on Kenny Rd between W Lane Ave and Kinnear Rd and stretching east to the Olentangy River
Remnants: none known
Description: Part of The Ohio State University campus is the site of a ghost town. John Lisle and Rachel (Irwin) Lisle moved to Ohio from Kentucky in 1798 and settled in Clinton Township a couple of years later. They had 8 children in total and a large farm. The town also had a school on the east side of Kenny Rd north of the GPS coordinates. John and Rachel were buried with relatives in Union Cemetery on Olentangy River Rd.

Marble Cliff Mills – City of Columbus (formerly in Perry Township)
Post Office: 1874 – 1915
Location: 39.984891, -83.065140
on US 33 at the intersection of Cardigan Ave along the Scioto River
Remnants: none known
Description: Thomas Backus (1785 – 1825) and Tempera (Lord) Backus (1786 – 1864) made the journey to Ohio from Connecticut and mills next to the Scioto River in 1812 – 1813. They had 5 children and later moved to Marion County where Thomas served as a prosecuting attorney. The mills were sold a few times and were called Marble Cliff by the 1850s. The town also had stone and slate quarries, a general store, boot and shoe shop, Methodist Church, and a train station on the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, & St. Louis Railroad. Although the mills themselves are long gone, Marble Cliff became a town in 1890 and was incorporated in 1901. Thomas and Tempera were buried with many relatives in Woodlawn Cemetery on Central Ave in Toledo, Lucas County.

Marburn – Clinton Township
Location: 40.043621, -83.038212
on Ruby Rd at the intersection of Overlook Dr
Remnants: former school north of the GPS coordinates on the west side of Ruby Rd
Description: It’s unclear when Marburn was considered to be a town and when it fell off of maps, but it was likely sometime in the mid to late 1900s as there’s no mention of the place in the old history books. Marburn School opened in 1960 and closed in 1977. A subdivision named Marburn sits south of the school.

Millers – Pleasant Township
Location: 39.824834, -83.141150
on US 62 at the I – 71 Underpass
Remnants: none known
Description: This small farming town was along the B&O Railroad and was founded by Charles C. Miller (1854 – 1939) who owned 185 acres of land in the vicinity. He was buried with relatives in Grove City Cemetery.

Mosel
Location: unknown
Description: It was founded by a branch of the Mosel family in the county. 

Mount Pleasant – City of Columbus (formerly in Montgomery Township)
Location: 39.983827, -83.003535
on Mt Pleasant Ave at the intersection of E 3rd Ave
Remnants: none known
Description: Francis Clymer (1798 – 1878) from Maryland and Susannah (Harris) Clymer from Ohio platted Mount Pleasant on their farm in 1835, but the town never grew any and was quickly abandoned. The area was subsequently annexed into Columbus. Francis and Susannah had 6 children and moved to Hancock County, becoming some of the earliest pioneering settlers there. Francis and Susannah were buried with relatives in Clymer Cemetery next to Pleasant View Church on Co Rd 37 in Union Township, Hancock County.

Oregon – Madison Township
Post Office: 1829 – 1834
Location: 39.822586, -82.832657
on Lithopolis Rd at the intersection of Oregon Rd
Remnants: Middletown Cemetery on private property east of Gender Rd
Description: Oregon was originally called Middletown. It was platted by Issac Decker in 1817 but never grew much. The town name changed between 1830 and 1831. Issac and his wife, name unknown as of yet, operated a tavern at their cabin for 30 years and worked together in the shoemaker trade. The shoe services were offered in exchange for getting some of their farmland cleared for crops and livestock. They were buried with relatives in Decker Cemetery. It was stated in the 1880 History of Franklin and Pickaway Counties, Ohio that Oregon was “now almost vanished” and it didn’t make it onto the 1883 Franklin County map. 

Portersburg (Pin Hook) –  City of Columbus (formerly in Blendon Township)
Location: 40.085628, -82.895440
on Sunbury Rd at the intersection of Valley Quail Blvd S along Big Walnut Creek
Remnants: none known
Descripton: W. H. Porter and Eve Porter (1774 – 1840) arrived in the area in the early 1800s and the town was named after their family. Joseph Dickey (1796 – 1845) and Lovina (Taggart) Dickey (1801 – 1854) moved to the town from Washington County, New York in 1838. Joseph was a blacksmith and his shop turned into a meeting places for local discussions on politics and religion, as well as less pressing matters. Portersburg also had a school and saw mill. The town name later changed Pin Hook  and can be found by that name in the 1872 county atlas, but it wasn’t listed on the 1883 map. Many members of the Porter and Dickey families were buried in Blendon Central Cemetery on the north side of Dempsey Rd.

Renner – Norwich Township
Location: 39.982876, -83.165112
on Renner Rd at the intersection of Spindler Rd
Remnants: Saint James Lutheran Church and Cemetery at the intersection of Renner Rd and Hilliard Rome Rd
Description: The town was founded by German immigrants Johann Renner (1802 – 1882) and Anna Renner (1804 – 1878) who had a 230-acre farm and several children. Saint James Lutheran Church congregation began in 1847. Foundation stones from the original log building are on the northwest corner of the cemetery. The current structure was built in 1872. There was also a school next to the church. Johann and Anna were buried with relatives and other German pioneers from the area in the cemetery. The older headstones were inscribed in German. That was the dominant language for the church until the 1890s when many of the early settlers grandchildren only spoke English.

Ridpath – Jackson Township
Post Office: 1892 – 1901
Location: 39.826735, -83.089813
on Zuber Rd at the intersection of Ridpath Rd
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Farming was Ridpath’s main industry. It had a school, wagon shop, and a tile works in the 1870s. The town was never platted or incorporated. 

Scioto – Norwich Township
Location: 39.994794, -83.085962
Remnants: none known
on Traube Rd at the intersection of McKinley Ave
Description: Scioto Station was on the Big Four Railroad. A modern housing complex bearing the same name is on the east side of McKinley Ave south of the GPS coordinates.

Sharp – Hamilton Township
Location: 39.854529, -82.953468
on Reese Rd at the intersection of Bixby Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: none found

Shattucksburg – City of Columbus (formerly in Perry Township)
Location: 40.053078, -83.049639
on Kenny Rd at the intersection of Henderson Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Simon Shattuck (1793 – 1875) from Massachusetts operated a general store in the southwest corner of the intersection and sold some lots on his farm for improvement around 1850. About half a dozen families moved to the area and took up residence there. The town was listed on the 1856 county map but didn’t make it into the 1872 county atlas.

Slate Run
Post Office: 1838 – 1844
Location: unknown
Description: The post office was along Slate Run on the west side of Columbus. 

Smileys Corners – Norwich Township
Post Office: 1852 – 1855
Location: 40.016630, -83.099242
on Dublin Rd along Millikim Creek at the bend between the railroad tracks and Smiley Rd
Remnants: Wesley Chapel and Cemetery north of the GPS coordinates
Description: The town was founded by David Smiley (1786 – 1861) and Elizabeth (Latimer) Smiley (1791 – 1849). David was a justice of the peace and a farmer. The Smileys ran a general store, hotel, the post office, and had a few children. There was also a school just west of the GPS coordinates. David and Elizabeth were buried with relatives in Wesley Chapel Cemetery. Their son David married Sarah Deems, a daughter of Thomas and Mary Deems. The present structure of Wesley Chapel was built in 1891.

Sullivants – Franklin Township
Location: 39.942476, -83.098340
on Sullivant Ave at the intersection of Ruffing Ln
Remnants: none known
Description: Michael Sullivant (1807 – 1879) was a son of the founders of Columbus (Franklinton) Lucas Sullivant (1765 – 1823) and Sarah (Starling) Sullivant (1781 – 1814). In the mid-1800s Michael platted much of what would later become the west side of Columbus. He was buried with relatives in Green Lawn Cemetery.

Waldeck – City of Columbus (formerly in Clinton Township)
Location: 40.007111, -83.005183
on E Norwich Ave at the intersection of Waldeck Ave
Remnants: none known
Description: Waldeck only appeared on the 1856 county map and the origin of its name is unknown.

Wheatland – City of Collumbus (formerly in Franklin Township)
Post Office: 1858 – 1860
Location: 39.955545, -83.061823
on US 40 at the intersection of Wheatland Ave
Description: Prior to the arrival of the Central Ohio Lunatic (Insane) Asylum, wheat was grown in a great abundance on the west side of Columbus. Since the hospital facility was demolished in the 1990s, the Wheatland Farm organization at 116 N Wheatland Ave has been working on turning a portion of the former asylum back into viable crop land.   

Whittington
Location: unknown
Description: none found

Wildwood Springs – City of Columbus (formerly in Mifflin Township)
Location: 40.079364, -82.916543
on Harvestwood Ln off of Strawberry Farm Blvd along Alum Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was named after a natural water spring near Alum Creek. It was on land owned by Daniel Turney (1772 – 1856) and Susannah (Ridenour) Turney (1783 – 1857). They were buried with relatives in Riverside Cemetery south of town on the east side of Sunbury Rd.

Wonderland – City of Columbus (formerly in Jefferson Township and Mifflin Township)
Post Office: 1955 – 1974
Location: 40.002938, -82.870663
on Thruway Dr at the intersection of Jansen Ave on the east side of Big Walnut Creek
Remnants: Wonderland Community Church and former roads
Description: Wonderland was founded in the 1920s as a summer resort community. It was much like what was seen in Dirty Dancing with the exception of having a lake. Some of the houses were winterized and lived in year round. The property was sold to Port Columbus International Airport in the 1980s and the remaining residents were forced out. Wonderland Community Church was built in 1941 and was saved by its congregation. 

Zuber – Jackson Township
Post Office: 1894 – 1900
Location: 39.825413, -83.032583
on SR 665 (London Groveport Rd) at the intersection of SR 104 (Jackson Pike) along Plum Run
Remnants: none known
Description: Zuber was the name of the post office at Borrors Corners as its original town name was fading away.

Fulton County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Ackley Corners – Gorham Township (formerly Mill Creek Township, Williams County)
Location: 41.680850, -84.360283
on US 127 (Meridian Rd) at the intersection of Township Rd S along Spring Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by Calvin Ackley (1815 – 1906) from New York and Gertrude (Walker) Ackley (1817 – 1854) from New Jersey. They got married in Fairfield County in 1837 and moved to Fulton County in 1840.  Calvin and Gertrude had 5 children and accumulated a farm of approximately 250 acres at the intersection. Calvin was a farmer, justice of the peace, school board member, and a land agent for the Greenland Company which held deeds for several thousand acres in the area. The family also owned a steam-powered saw mill on the north side of Township Rd S just east of the GPS coordinates. The first school was on the Ackley Farm on north side of Township Rd S just west of the GPS coordinates. A newer school (Gorham Township No. 4) was built across road by publication of the 1875 county atlas and was also on the Ackley Farm. Calvin remarried after Gertrude passed away. They were buried with relatives in Pleasant View Union Cemetery 2 1/2 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates on Maple St in Fayette.

Allston (Alston) – Franklin Township
Post Office: 1854 – 1859
Location: 41.601443, -84.300485
on Co Rd J between Co Rd 23 and Co Rd 22
Remnants: none known
Description: The proprietor, Orren G. Greely (1820 – 1909), was the town’s only postmaster. A school was on the south side of the road at the GPS coordinates on a farm owned by the Bowser family during the time the post office was in existence. Orren was mentioned as an early settler in the township in the old county history books with no other info. His first wife was Letticia (Prettyman) Greely (1822 – 1861) inherited her family’s homestead on the north side of the GPS coordinates. The owner was listed as T. W. Prettyman on the 1858 county map. Orren and Letticia had one son together, Lewis Allston Greeley (1849 – 1935). Orren married Matilda Greely (1829 – 1921) after Letticia passed away. They also had a son together, Theodore Parker Greeley (1864 – 1925). Most of the names in the family have alternative spellings in historical records. Orren is also listed as Orrin and Orin. Letticia can be found with Leticia and Laticia. Lewis was listed in the 1870 census as Allston. It’s unknown when the extra “e” was added to the surname, as may be the case in other branches of the family around the state. Lewis was buried with relatives in Wauseon Union Cemetery about 11 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 2 and County Rd 15-1 in Wauseon in Clinton Township. Theodore was buried with relatives in West Franklin Cemetery 6 1/2 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Co Rd L and Township Rd 27-2. Orren, Letticia, and Matilda were laid to rest in Johnson (Sand Hill) Cemetery 3 1/3 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates on the south side of US Hwy 20A in German Township. 

Ambrose – Franklin Township
Post Office – 1890 – 1901
Location: 41.623307, -84.277206
on Co Rd L at the intersection of County Rd 21-2
Remnants: former school 1/2 of a mile west of the GPS coordinates in the southwest lot of the intersection of Co Rd L and Co Rd 22, former Baptist church about 1 1/4 miles east of the GPS coordinates on the north side of Co Rd L just west of Township Rd 20-1
Description: Ambrose was spread out along a couple mile stretch of Co Rd L. The former school (Franklin Township No. 2) is now a private residence and former Baptist church also appears to be part of a private residence these days. Another school (Franklin Township No. 1) was on the east side of the church and has since been lost to time. A saw mill and a cheese factory were 1/2 of a mile east of the GPS coordinates in the northwest corner of the intersection of Co Rd L and Co Rd 21 on a 50-acre farm owned by Albert Doriat (1850 – 1942) and Mary Jane (Barnes) Doriat (1858 – 1919) who got married in 1875. All of the mentioned buildings can be found pinpointed on page 21 of the 1888 county atlas. The known postmasters were E. E. Buxton, John R. Brown (1858 – 1906), and Civil War veteran Leander Buxton (1842 – 1928). Mary Doriat and John Brown were buried in Smith Cemetery 4 1/2 miles southest of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Co Rd 19 and Township Rd Hj. Albert Doriat was laid to rest in Masonic Home Cemetery on Acacia Ln in Springfield, Clark County. Leander Buxton was buried with relatives in Wauseon Union Cemetery about 12 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 2 and County Rd 15-1 in Wauseon in Clinton Township.

Batdorf – York Township (formerly in Lucas County)
Post Office: 1888 – 1901
Location: 41.544269, -84.076290  
on County Rd E at the intersection of Co Rd 11
Remnants: Zion United Methodist Church and Cemetery 1/2 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates on the west side of Co Rd 11
Description: John Batdorf (1818 – 1895) from Pennsylvania and Elizabeth (Morgan) Batdorf (1819 – 1896) from Virginia lived in Wayne County for a few years before moving to Fulton County in 1842. They had a large family and donated land for a school in the mid-1800s on their 160-acre farm on the east side of the GPS coordinates. It was replaced by a couple of local schools prior to publication of the 1888 county atlas, York Township No. 6 a mile south of the GPS coordinates and York Township No. 7 a mile north of the GPS coordinates. The Zion congregation formed as the Batdorf Class in 1867. Their early meetings were held in the school until the present church structure was completed in 1869. The church has added extra rooms and been remodeled a few times over the decades to maintain its growing congregation. John and Elizabeth were buried with many relatives and other residents in Zion Cemetery. An alternative spelling of the surname is Batdorff. The known postmasters were E. E. Batdorf, Emanuel D. Batdorf (1839 – 1894), and Russell B. Batdorf (1867 – 1934). 

Beta – York Township (formerly in Henry County)
Post Office: 1857 – 1901
Location: 41.501209, -84.008765 
on SR 109 at the intersection of Township Rd B along Dry Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: Beta was a farming town with a post office that moved around a lot. The know postmasters were Samuel G. Aumead, Moses Wright, Alfred Black, John Heitterheimer, Stephen P. Hilborn, Alfred B. Gunn, and John Elton. Alfred Gunn (1820 – 1881) and Emiline (Shaw) Gunn (1817 – 1864) were both born in Massachusetts and moved to Ohio with their parents. They had a few children and owned a 320-acre farm on the south side of the GPS coordinates. Alfred served as the county commissioner, assessor, and justice of the peace. He remarried after Emaline passed away and had a few more children with Jane (Kempton) Gunn (1835 – 1909). The Gunns were buried with relatives in Raker Cemetery 3 1/4 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of County Rd 6-1 and Township Rd D in Swan Creek Township.

Blanc – Franklin Township (formerly in Lucas County)
Post Office: 1847 – 1865
Location: 41.622494, -84.342773
on County Rd L at the intersection of Co Rd 25
Remnants: none known
Description: Dr. Amos Kendall (1820 – 1884) was the first postmaster when the office was in Lucas County before Fulton County was formed in 1850. He was buried with relatives in Pleasant View Union Cemetery 4 1/2 miles north of the GPS coordinates on Maple St in the town of Fayette. Jabez Jones was the first postmaster when the area became part of Fulton County. He was succeeded by Reuben B. Mason (1826 – 1912) from New Jersey who was the postmaster for last 11 years until the office was discontinued. Reuben was laid to rest in Frontier Cemetery on the west side of Clark Rd in Woodbridge Township, Hillsdale County, Michigan.

Chesterfield – Chesterfield Township (formerly in Lucas County)
Post Office: 1837 – 1869
Location: 41.668489, -84.171805    
on US 20 at the intersection of Co Rd 16
Remnants: Butler Cemetery on the west side of Co Rd 16 about 1/4 of a mile south of the intersection
Description: It was founded in the mid-1830s by Alfred C. Hough (1809 – 1888) from Onondaga County, New York. Alfred held the offices of school examiner and county auditor. He married Mary (Taylor) Hough (1810 – 1905), had a few children, and was buried with relatives in Wauseon Union Cemetery 10 miles south of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 2 and County Rd 15-1 in Wauseon in Clinton Township. Alanson Briggs (1797 – 1877) was the first postmaster back when the office was in Lucas County prior to 1850. He was buried with relatives in Lyons Cemetery 7 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates on the south side of SR 120 (W Morenci St) in Royalton Township. Alfred C. Hough was the next known postmaster. James M. Hough (1819 – 1904) was the last postmaster and was buried with relatives in Rose (Hawley) Cemetery 2 miles north of the GPS coordinates on the west side of Co Rd 16 just north of Township Rd T. Harlow Butler (1798 – 1881) from New York and Mary (Hickox) Butler (1803 – 1869) deeded their family farm cemetery to the township in 1866 and were buried there with relatives and other residents from the town. Harlow served as the school examiner prior to Alfred.

Cottrells Corners (Gorham) (Handy) – Gorham Township (formerly Mill Creek Township, Williams County)
Post Office: 1837 – 1873 and 1856 – 1874
Location: 41.674362, -84.288370
on US 20 at the intersection of Township Rd 22 along Spring Brook
Remnants: none known
Description: Cottrells Corners was founded by Gorham Cottrell Sr. (1780 – 1853) and Althea (Whitmarsh) Cottrell (1788 – 1867). They got married in 1810, moved to Ohio from Hamshire County, Massachusetts, and had 8 children. Gorham and Althea were early settlers in the township, which was named after the family patriarch, and ran a successful farm. They also donated land for a school in the southwest corner of the intersection. It was replaced by a newer school (Gorham Township No. 7) on the north side of US 20 just east of the GPS coordinates prior to publication of the 1875 county atlas. A church was also on land owned by the Cottrell family 1 mile east of the GPS coordinates in the northwest corner of the intersection of US 20 and and Co Rd 23. It was last spotted on the 1858 county map. Gorham and Althea were buried with relatives in Pleasant View Union Cemetery 2 1/2 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates on Maple St in the town of Fayette. For some unknown reason, the town had two post offices in the vicinity with different names running at the same time. This has been confirmed through several resources and is the smallest town we’ve ever seen with this case. One of the offices was called Gorham and ran from 1837 – 1873. Its known postmasters were Erastus Cottrell who was a son of Gorham and Althea, Amos Boyd, Joseph O. Allen, E. B. Wightman, and Charles L. Allen. The other office was called Handy and ran from 1856 – 1874. Jared Parker (1819 – 1903) was its first postmaster and Joseph Cottrell (1815 – 1890), another son of Gorham and Althea, held the position for the last 11 years before it was discontinued. They were also buried laid to rest in Pleasant View Union Cemetery. Both of the post offices were made obsolete by the arrival of the Chicago & Canada Southern Railway in the nearby town of Fayette.

Emery (Chatfields Corners) – Dover Township (formerly in Lucas County)
Post Office: 1846 – 1903
Location: 41.630490, -84.189954   
on Co Rd L at the intersection of Township Rd 17
Remnants: former one-room schoolhouse on the north side of Co Rd L about 1/4 of a mile east of the GPS coordinates
Description: The original proprietors were Lucius Chatfield (1807 – 1884) from New Haven County, Connecticut and Malinda (Rose) Chatfield (1807 – 1896) from Geauga County. They met in Ohio, got married in 1828, and had a few children. Lucius was buried with relatives in Ottokee Cemetery 4 3/4 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates on the south side of Co Rd J between SR 108 and Township Rd 14. Malinda moved out of the state with their son Joel after Lucius passed away and was buried with relatives in  Ford City Cemetery on State Hwy V in Gentry County, Missouri. Eben French, affectionately called “Old Man French”, also lived in the area and made the first oven for brick, tile, and pottery in Fulton County in the mid-1840s. The former school (Dover Township No. 2) appears to be in decent condition for its age and is used by a private residence. The post office was called Emery. Its known postmasters were Amos Gay, Lucius N. Chatfield, William Waid, Hiram Clark, Charles H. Waid, and Lemuel F. Waid. 

Fluhart Corners (Essex) – York and Clinton Township (formerly in Lucas County) Post Office: 1844 – 1855
Location: 41.573416, -84.114934 
on US Hwy 20A (Airport Hwy) at the intersection of Co Rd 13
Remnants: Fluhart (McClarren) Cemetery on the east side of Co Rd 13 about 1/3 of a mile north of the intersection
Description: The town was founded by Henry Fluhart (1801 – 1869) from Crawford County Pennsylvania and Nancy (Jewell) Fluhart (1810 – 1895) from Fayette County, Pennsylvania. They got married in 1827, owned an 80-acre farm on the east side of the intersection in York Township, and has at least 12 children. Although it wasn’t exactly a booming area with variety of industries, Fluhart Corners was considered among a handful of other locations to potentially be the county seat when Fulton was formed in 1850. The post office was called Essex. Its known postmasters were Smith Geer, Henry Fluhart, and Robert A. Howard. Smith Geer and a couple of the Fluhart family members were laid to rest in the cemetery with other residents. The Fluharts headed west shortly after the post office was discontinued. Henry was buried in Forest – Llewellyn Cemetery on N Centennial St in Kirkersville in Adair County, Missouri. Nancy was laid to rest with relatives in Olivet Memorial Park (Mount Olivet Cemetery) on Hillside Blvd in Colma in San Mateo County, California.

Haller – York Township
Location: 41.561440, -84.056891 
on Co Rd 10 at the railroad crossing between US Hwy 20A and Co Rd F
Remnants: Swan Creek Church of the Brethren 1/4 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates on Township Rd 10 at the intersection of Co Rd F, Berkebile Cemetery on the west side of Co Rd 10 about 1/2 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates
Description: Haller was on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway and the Toledo & Indianapolis Electric Railway in the late 1800s to early 1900s. It had a saw mill and tile works pinpointed on the west side of the GPS coordinates in 1888 county atlas. The town proprietor, F. H. Haller, owned a 50 acre lot on the northeast side of the GPS coordinates listed in the 1903 county atlas and acquired an interurban stop for the local residents on the electric railway. Swan Creek Church of the Brethren and Berkebile Cemetery predate the town’s existence.

Lavona – York Township
Post Office: 1850 – 1864
Location: unknown
Description: none found

Lena – Clinton Township
Post Office: 1852 – 1866 and 1875 – 1876
Location: 41.514925, -84.172955 
on Township Rd 16 at the intersection of Co Rd C
Remnants: Lena Cemetery on the east side of Township Rd 16 north of the intersection
Description: This small farming town had a school and steam-powered grist mill.

Leslie – Amboy Township
Post Office: 1892 – 1898
Location: 41.685927, -83.951816   
on County Rd 4-3 at the intersection of County Rd S along Tenmile Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: none found

Mill Creek – Gorham Township
Post Office: 1849 – 1863
Location: unknown, was in the southwest section of the township
Description: none found

Parchers Corners – Pike Township
Post Office: 1844 – 1857
Location: 41.603079, -84.023144   
on County Rd 8-1 at the intersection of Co Rd J
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by Lyman Parcher who ran the first post office in the township. It also had a school.

Pelton – Swan Creek Township
Post Office: 1899 – 1901
Location: 41.509838, -83.941388 
on Township Rd 4 along Blue Creek between County Rd B and Township Rd C
Remnants: none known
Description: Pelton had a school and a general store that was built by the town founder Henry Remer Pelton (1858 – 1937).

Plattston – York Township
Post Office: 1887 – 1901
Location: 41.530024 -84.032729 
on County Rd D at the railroad crossing between SR 109 and Township Rd 9
Remnants: none known
Description: It had a general store, blacksmith shop, and a school in the late 1800s to early 1900s.

Ritters (Ritters Station) – Gorham Township
Post Office: 1874 – 1912
Location: 41.702828, -84.269947 
on Township Rd 21 (Ritter – Lauber Rd) along Iron Creek between Township Rd T and the Michigan border
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by Jacob Ritter (1824 – 1904) from Pennsylvania and Carloline (Hicker) Ritter (1827 – 1907) from New York. They had a few children and donated land for a train station on the Canada Southern Railway. Jacob was a carpenter, railroad tie inspector, train ticket agent, the town postmaster, and built a grocery store. Jacob and Caroline were buried with relatives in Oak Grove Cemetery on the west side of North St (SR 156) in Morenci, MI.

Siney – Fulton, Amboy, Pike, and  Royalton Township
Post Office: 1884 – 1901
Location: 41.656488, -83.996638 
on County Rd N at the intersection of Co Rd 7
Remnants: none known
Description: Siney had a general store and post office run by Chapman Smith, a steam-powered saw mill nearby in Pike Township, and a Methodist Church on the Roayalton and Amboy Township border.

Townline – Amboy and Royalton Township
Location: 41.709773, -83.998556 
on Co Rd 7 at the intersection of SR 120 along Little Bear Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: It’s original log Methodist church was on the Royalton side and a frame structure was built in 1867 on the Amboy side. A cheese factory owned by James Santee (1834 – 1904) and Calista Santee (1837 – 1905) was the biggest business in town. They were buried with relatives in Lyons Cemetery on SR 120 (W Morenci St) in Lyons.

Thelma – Gorham Township
Post Office: 1897 – 1901
Location: 41.641935, -84.248514 
on Township Rd MN at the southern jog of Co Rd 20
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: The post office didn’t last long but it was a busy farming village in the late 1800s with a steam-powered saw mill and a school.

Treadway (Tredway) – Amboy Township, Fulton County and Richfield Township, Lucas County
Location: 41.712161, -83.880181
on Fulton – Lucas Rd at the 4-way intersection of Sylvania – Metamora Rd and Co Rd U along Tenmile Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by the Reuben Tredway (1803 – 1886) from Jefferson County, New York and Nancy (Smith) Tredway (1800 – 1885) from Rutland County, Vermont. They got married in 1825 in New York, had 9 children, and owned a 90-acre farm in the southwest lot of the intersection. Garret Vrooman (1818 – 1899) and Salley (Tredway) Vrooman (1826 – 1897) owned a cooper shop on a 97-acre farm on the east side of the Tredway homestead. There was a school in the northwest corner of the intersection on the Fulton County side in the late 1800s and another one a mile east of the GPS coordinates in the northwest corner of the intersection of Sylvania – Metamora Rd and Lathrop Rd. Most of the Tredway family was laid to rest in Amboy Township Cemetery 3 1/2 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 64 and County Rd S in Fulton County.

West Barre – York and Clinton Township
Post Office: 1851 – 1872
Location: 41.515360, -84.114861   
on Township Rd C at the 5 way intersection with Co Rd 13
Remnants: West Barre Cemetery on private property in the northeast lot of the intersection
Description: It was named after a tombstone company that was based in Barre, Vermont and had a distributing facility in the area. The town also had two churches, a general store, steam-powered saw mill, blacksmith shop, grange hall, ashery, and a school.

Gallia County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Angola – Clay Township
Post Office: 1890 – 1914
Location: 38.693873, -82.191225
on SR 7 (Ohio River Scenic Byway) at the 4-way intersection of Teens Run Rd and Old Dam 26 Rd (Township Hwy 650) along the Ohio River
Remnants: McLellon Cemetery on the north side of Teens Run Rd 1/4 of a mile west of the GPS coordinates, Clay Chapel Cemetery 1/2 of a mile north of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 7 and Clay Chapel Rd (County Rd 96)
Description: Angola, along with the vast majority of Gallia County’s ghost towns, was a farming, livestock raising, and postal town. George H. Bashore (1863 – 1893) was the first postmaster. He was succeeded by one of his brothers, Jacob A. Bashore (1849 – 1912). They were both Freemasons and were buried with relatives and other residents in Clay Chapel Cemetery. The cemetery was officially established in 1853. McLellon Cemetery dates back to at least the 1820s. It was named after James McLellon (d. 1865) and Esther (Stone) McLellon (1810 – 1838) from Pennsylvania.

Boggs – Walnut Township
Post Office: 1880 – 1905
Location: 38.745775, -82.367555
on SR 775 at the intersection of Hannan Trace Rd along Sand Fork
Remnants: Bethesda Church a mile south of the GPS coordinates at the other intersection of SR 775 and Hannan Trace Rd, Bethesda Cemetery on the east side of SR 775 just north of the church, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Boggs was a farming and livestock town. James Ansley Boggs (1843 – 1889) was the first postmaster. He served in the National Guard during the Civil War and was also a township treasurer. James married Matilda (Waugh) Boggs (1848 – 1937) in 1877 and had 5 children. His parents, James Boggs (1788 – 1869) and Mary (Williams) Boggs (1806 – 1888) were early pioneers in the county. Civil War veteran Stephen E. Niday (1841 – 1919) was the second postmaster. He married a sister of James, Elizabeth (Boggs) Niday (1847 – 1902). They had at least 9 children. The town had a couple more postmasters before it closed. Everyone mentioned in this listing was buried in Bethesda Cemetery. It was established in 1832 on land owned by the Williams family.

Bull Skin – Harrison Township
Post Office: 1836 – 1842
Location: unknown
Description: It was along Bullskin Creek with Cornelius Holley (b. 1794) from Virginia as the postmaster. The family surname is also spelled Hawley or Halley in some branches.

Chapmans Mills – Guyan Township
Post Office: 1872 – 1895
Location: 38.604202, -82.313324
on SR 218 at the intersection of Williams Creek Rd (County Rd 190) at the confluence of Indian Guyan Creek and Williams Creek
Remnants: Chapman Cemetery on private property on the north side of Williams Creek Rd about 3/4 of a mile west of the GPS coordinates, Good Hope United Baptist Church and Cemetery about 1/2 of a mile north of the GPS coordinates on Good Hope Rd
Description: The town was founded by county pioneers Archibald Chapman (1787 – 1870) from Montgomery County, Virginia and Elizabeth (Mills) Chapman (1787 – 1857) from Essex County, Massachusetts. They had a few children and the post office was established by the family’s second generation. Isaac Chapman (1812 – 1878) was the first postmaster. He was buried with relatives, including his parents, in Chapman Cemetery. Elijah F. Williams (1848 – 1917) was the last postmaster. He married Ellen Chapman (1854 – 1908) and was buried in Good Hope Cemetery. The church was established in 1895.

Charity – Morgan, Cheshire, Addison, and Springfield Township
Post Office: 1889 – 1904
Location: 38.940033, -82.223388
on White Oak Rd (County Rd 19) at the intersection of Nibert Rd (Township Hwy 325) along Little White Oak Creek
Remnants: Campaign Cemetery 1 1/2 miles south of the GPS coordinates on the north side of White Oak Rd, Wilt Cemtery on the north side of White Oak Rd west of Thaxton Rd, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: William Malaby (1831 – 1907) was the first proprietor and postmaster. He owned an 85-acre farm on Nibert Rd in Morgan Township at the Cheshire Township border and an 80-acre farm on White Oak Rd in Springfield Township at the Morgan Township border. William was married twice, had about a dozen children, and was buried with relatives in Campaign Cemetery in Addison Township. Civil War veteran David Wilt (1830 – 1906) was the next postmaster. He was buried with relatives in Wilt Cemetery in Morgan Township. Isaiah Thomas (1860 – 1957) was the last postmaster. He was laid to rest with relatives 4 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates in Poplar Ridge Cemetery on the southeast side of Poplar Church Rd in Cheshire Township. 

Chestnut Grove – Huntington Township
Post Office: 1870 – 1905
Location: 38.994372, -82.392184
on Keystone Rd (County Rd 143) at the intersection of Jones Rd
Remnants: Wilcox Cemetery at the end of Wilcox Cemetery Rd east off of Jones Rd about 1/2 of a mile north of the GPS coordinates
Description: The proprietors were Stephen Wilcox Jr. (1817 – 1885) from New York and Rebecca (Butler) Wilcox (1821 – 1898). They married on the 4th of July in 1840 and had at least 6 children. Stephen was the first postmaster and Rebecca took on the position after he passed away. William S. Welker (1851 – 1930) was the last postmaster. Everyone mentioned in this listing was buried with relatives in Mount Tabor Cemetery 4 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates on the south side of Mt Tabor Rd (County Rd 89).

Clemma – Ohio Township
Post Office: 1890 – 1907
Location: 38.630297, -82.199821
on Swan Creek Rd (County Rd 152) at the intersection of Horse Creek Rd (Township Hwy 862) along Swan Creek
Remnants: Liberty Chapel on the west side of Swan Creek Rd about 1/2 of a mile north of the GPS coordinates, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Joab A. King was the first postmaster. He was succeeded by James F. Rose. The original Liberty Chapel was constructed in 1887 but was destroyed by a fire before its dedication ceremony. The congregation purchased a former one-room schoolhouse at the site of the present church and worshiped in that until the current structure was completed in 1913.

Creuzet – Guyan Township
Post Office: 1887 – 1905
Location: unknown
Description: It was in the western half of the township. Jacob Lindewood (1854 – 1929) was the first postmaster. He married Charinda (Swain) Lindewood (1856 – 1925) and moved to out of the state. Jacob and Charinda were buried with relatives in IOOF Cemetery on E Cole St in Du Quion in Perry County, Illinois. John Linderwood (1851 – 1914) was the second postmaster. He also moved to Illinois and was buried with relatives in IOOF Moweaqua Township Cemetery on Putnam Rd in Shelby County. Oscar Russell was the last postmaster.

Domino – Addison Township
Post Office: 1889 – 1901
Location: 38.917416, -82.202820
on Possum Trot Rd at the intersection of Blazer Rd (Township Hwy 311)
Remnants: Rife Cemetery 1 1/2 miles south of the GPS coordinates on Rife Cemetery Rd on the east side of Addison Pike
Description: The proprietors were Nathan Rife (1826 – 1911) and Elizabeth (Darst) Rife (1828 – 1901). They got married in 1849, had at least 8 children, and were laid to rest in Rife Cemetery.

Edna – Huntington Township
Post Office: 1884 – 1903
Location: 38.972515, -82.408472
on Coal Valley Rd (Co Rd 141) between Scott School Rd (County Rd 139) and Sherman Rd at the confluence of Keeton Run and Raccoon Creek
Remnants: Brush Cemetery about 4 miles south of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Mt Tabor Rd (County Rd 89) and Scott School Rd
Description: The town had a couple of local schools. Huntington Township School No. 8 was on the south side of Keeton Run on a long gone road and Huntington Township School No. 9 was on Sherman Rd north of Brush Cemetery. There was also a church at the cemetery. George W. Bodekin was the first postmaster. He was succeeded by George C. Hartsook (1842 – 1917). George married Sarah (Deckard) Hartsook (1840 – 1915) in 1861 and had a few children. They were buried with relatives in Brush Cemetery. The post office moved to the intersection at Brush Cemetery in 1901. Julius N. Deckard (1834 – 1917), a cousin of Sarah, was the last postmaster. He married Eliza (Price) Deckard (1840 – 1905), had at least 6 children, and was also buried in Brush Cemetery.  

Esop – Raccoon Township
Post Office: 1884 – 1905
Location: 38.929443, -82.412421
on Mt Carmel Rd at the 4-way intersection of Mt Tabor Rd and Corn Rd (Township Hwy 589)
Remnants: Ebenezer Church and Cemetery on Mt Carmel Rd just northwest of the intersection
Description: Evan L. Evans was the first postmaster. He was succeeded by Amos Deckard (1873 – 1962). Amos married Mary Jane (Sharp) Deckard (1876 – 1966) later moved to Franklin County and was buried there with relatives in Union Cemetery at the intersection of Olentangy River Rd and W Dodridge St.

Halley – Ohio Township
Post Office: 1892 – 1907
Location: 38.653036, -82.229441
on Bladen Rd (County Rd 170) at the intersection of Layne Rd (Township Hwy 860)
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Thomas J. Halley (1854 – 1912) was the first postmaster. He married Lenora (Burnett) Halley (1853 – 1934) and was buried with relatives 3 1/2 miles west of the GPS coordinates in Mercerville (Old Mercerville) Cemetery on Mercerville Cemetery Rd. Hilas Russell Johnson (1842 – 1918) was the last postmaster. He married Caroline (Clark) Johnson (1842 – 1915), had at least 7 children, and was buried with relatives 3 1/2 miles north of the GPS coordinates in Providence Cemetery on the north side of Teens Run Rd in Clay Township.

Hilton – Harrison Township
Post Office: 1891 – 1912
Location: 38.731169, -82.285316
on Little Bullskin Rd at the intersection of Clay Lick Rd (Township Hwy 702)
Remnants: Macedonia Church and Cemetery on Clay Lick Rd about 1/4 of a mile west of the GPS coordinates, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Hugh George Hardway (1869 – 1922) was the first postmaster. He married Mary (Shuler) Hardway in 1900. Hugh and Mary moved around the country a few times, had 5 children, and were buried with relatives in Des Moines Cemetery on 2nd St in Des Moines in Union County, New Mexico. John A. Calhoun (1867 – 1909) was the next postmaster. He was buried with relatives about 8 miles north of the GPS coordinates in Centenary Cemetery on Centenary Church Rd in Green Township. Owen Boster (1882 – 1969) was the last postmaster and was buried with relatives in Macedonia Cemetery.

Hollis – Harrison Township
Post Office: 1903 – 1912
Location: 38.720475, -82.324796
on Lincoln Pike (County Rd 20) at the intersection of Carter Rd (County Rd 20) along Claylick Run
Remnants: none known
Description: Civil War veteran Ansel Evan Kerns (1844 – 1913) was the proprietor and postmaster. He married Lurana (Thierry) Kerns (1850 – 1883) and had a few children. They were laid to rest with relatives in Dickey Chapel Cemetery 2 1/2 miles south of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Hannan Trace Rd and Elliott Rd (Township Rd 726).

Lincoln – Harrison Township
Post Office: 1862 – 1905
Location: 38.711010, -82.340321
on Lincoln Pike (County Rd 20) at the intersection of Hannan Trace Rd
Remnants: Lincoln Pike Chapel Cemetery about 1/3 of a mile north of the GPS coordinates on the north side of Boggs Rd (County Rd 122), old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Lincoln was a farming town with a village surrounding the area at the GPS coordinates. Charles Stewart was the first postmaster. There were a few other postmasters over the decades, including Joseph B. Walter (1859 – 1952) who was the last. Despite having lost its post office, Lincoln made it onto the 1910 county map before fading into obscurity in the mid-1900s. Joseph was buried with relatives in Lincoln Pike Chapel Cemetery.

Mattie – Guyan Township
Post Office: 1892 – 1905
Location: 38.666644, -82.334670
on a long gone stretch of road east of New Sheets Cemetery which ran from north to south between current-day SR 790 and Johns Creek Rd
Remnants: New Sheets Cemetery (Sheets Cemetery #1) on New Sheets Cemetery Rd at the GPS coordinates
Description: Andrew Jackson Johnson (1835 – 1922) was the postmaster. He married Diana (Rankin) Johnson (1839 – 1874) and had at least 2 children. One of their daughters, Nancy (Johnson) Sheets, married Gory Jasper Sheets (1863 – 1939) and had 14 children. 6 of their sons served in World War I. Lewis M. Sheets (1847 – 1912) suceeded Andrew as postmaster. Lewis was a school teacher for 40 years and served as township recorder and assessor. He married Nancy (Drummond) Sheets (1850 – 1922) in 1863, had 9 children, and was buried with many relatives in New Sheets Cemetery. Andrew and Diana were buried with relatives in Mercerville (Old Mercerville Cemetery) about 5 miles east of New Sheets Cemetery.

McCormick – Green Township
Post Office: 1897 – 1912
Location: 38.834754, -82.283565
on Vanco Rd (County Rd 14) at the intersection of Centenary Rd (County Rd 10)
Remnants: none known
Description: The town had a church in the southeast corner of the intersection of SR 588 and Centenary Rd and was named after the McCormick family which owned around 1,000 acres of the land in the area in the mid to late 1800s. Melzar N. Magnet (1846 – 1935) was the first postmaster. He moved to Scioto County and was buried in Greenlawn Cemetery on Offnere St in Portsmouth. Carrie Belle (Mills) McCormick (1877 – 1975) was the next postmaster. She married Cyrus McCormick (1875 – 1955), had a few children, and moved to Delaware County where she was buried with relatives in Sunbury Memorial Park on West Cherry St. Mary A. Riggs was the last postmaster.

Moody – Harrison Township
Post Office: 1881 – 1907
Location: 38.706278, -82.303804
on Little Bullskin Rd between Carter Rd (County Rd 120) and Woodie Rd
Remnants: Mt Carmel Cemetery on private property on the north side of Little Bullskin Rd at the GPS coordinates
Description: Civil War veteran John Warren Irion (1843 – 1923) was the first postmaster. He was married twice, had several children, and was buried with relatives and other residents of Moody in Mt Carmel Cemetery. Cornelius C. Neal (1853 – 1935) was the second postmaster and was buried in Mt Carmel Cemetery. Erastus E. Clark (1872 – 1957) was the next postmaster. He was buried in Macedonia Cemetery about 2 1/2 miles north of the GPS coordinates on the north side of Clay Lick Rd (Township Hwy 702). Civil War veteran Phillip A. DeWitt (1844 – 1929) was the last postmaster and was also laid to rest in Mt Carmel Cemetery.

Obal – Huntington Township
Post Office: 1890 – 1905
Location: 38.962453, -82.374567
on Mt Tabor Rd (County Rd 89) at the intersection of Coal Valley Rd (Co Rd 141)
Remnants: Little Pearl Church and Mt Tabor Cemetery on the south side of Mt Tabor Rd about 3/4 of a mile southwest of the GPS coordinats, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Obal had a school (Huntington Township No. 5) in the northwest corner of the intersection. The church at the cemetery was originally called Tabor and is presently called Little Pearl Church Of Old Regular Baptists. William Lewis (1835 – 1926) was the first postmaster. He was buried with relatives in Brush Cemetery about 2 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Mt Tabor Rd and Scott School Rd (County Rd 139). The last postmaster was Civil War veteran William A. Louks (1841 – 1908). He married Eunice (Jacobs) Louks (1846 – 1926), had several children, and was buried with relatives and other residents in Mt. Tabor Cemetery. William was unfortunately killed by a skull fracture from a heavy branch that fell while he was chopping down trees on his farm along Raccoon Creek.  

Prospect Hill – Springfield Township
Location: 38.898852, -82.244401
on White Rd at the intersection of Prospect Church Rd (County Rd 31)
Remnants: Prospect Church and Cemetery on Prospect Church Rd about 1/4 of a mile northwest of the GPS coordinates
Description: Prospect Hill was named after the local hill’s summit which is over 900 feet. The cemetery behind the church dates back to the late 1800s.

Providence (Smiths) – Clay and Harrison Township
Post Office: 1904 – 1907
Location: 38.683251, -82.269973
on SR 218 at the intersection of Teens Run Rd at the confluence of Bullskin Creek and Rodlick Creek
Remnants: Providence Church and Cemetery on the north side of Teens Run Rd a mile east of the GPS coordinates, Smith Cemetery on the east side of SR 218 about 1/2 of a mile north of the GPS coordinates
Description: Providence grew around its Baptist church congregation which formed in the early 1820s. The area was originally called Smiths, named after a local family. The first church structure was built on land donated by William Smith (1786 – 1849) and Margaret (Wough) Smith (1794 – 1860) from Virginia. It was a log building near the GPS coordinates and was destroyed by a fire in 1826. A new wood frame church at the present site was completed in 1852 on land donated by the Clark family. It suffered the same fate as the first church in 1887. Construction of the current church structure began the following year and it was dedicated in October of 1890. William Curtis Clark (1874 – 1939) was the town’s postmaster. The office was in section 7 of Harrison Township on the east side of SR 218. William married Sarah (Carter) Clark (1876 – 1957) and had a couple of children. They were buried with relatives and other residents in Providence Cemetery. William and Margaret Smith were buried with relatives and other early residents in Smith Cemetery.

Rosebud
Location: unknown
Description: The only reference to Rosebud that could be found was an obscure listing in the 1920 book The Ohio River: Charts, Drawings, And Description Of Features Affecting Navigation at a distance of 282.1 miles below Pittsburgh.

Ruby – Harrison Township
Post Office: 1899 – 1905
Location: 38.678919, -82.333568
on Martt Rd between SR 790 and Elliott Rd (Township Rd 726)
Remnants: Martt Cemetery on private property the west side of Martt Rd about 1/3 mile south of the GPS coordinates on the Harrison and Guyan Township border, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Rufus W. Houck (1875 – 1903) was the first postmaster. He was buried with relatives in Dickey Chapel Cemetery about 2 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Elliott Rd and Hannan Trace Rd. The Martt and Houck families were related by marriage.

Siloam – Perry Township
Post Office: 1912 – 1928
Location: 38.805705, -82.372677
on SR 141 at the intersection of Maple Grove Rd along Raccoon Creek
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: The post office moved north to Cora in 1922.

Tynrhos (Tyn Rhos) – Perry and Raccoon Township
Location: 38.853878, -82.412844
on Tyn Rhos Rd (Co Rd 46) between Cherry Ridge Rd and Centerpoint Rd
Remnants: Tyn Rhos Church and Cemetery at the GPS coordinates
Description: The town was founded by David Thomas and Jessie Dinah (Gray) Thomas who moved to the U.S. from Wales and settled in Gallia County in 1837. It was named after the farm David was born on in Wales, which is still in existence, and translates to “house on the moor”. David and Jessie donated land for the church and cemetery. The original log structure was completed in 1841 and was the first Welsh church in the state. It was replaced by the current wood frame building in 1850. The present church was restored in 1970 and has a historical marker with more info. A replica of the original log church is also at the site. The ghost town sits along the Welsh Scenic Byway, a 64-mile route through Gallia and Jackson County which highlights the heritage of the Welsh culture in southeast Ohio.

Wigner – Green Township
Post Office: 1885 – 1906
Location: 38.784903, -82.333234
on Northup Rd (County Rd 22) along Raccoon Creek between SR 775 and Ingleside Camp Rd (Township Hwy 398)
Remnants: none known
Description: James A. Smeltzer (1868 – 1945) was the proprietor and postmaster. He married Esta (Rader) Smeltzer (1875 – 1922) and was buried with many relatives in Mound Hill Cemetery on SR 141 in Gallipolis.

Geauga County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Allens Corners (Allyn’s Corners) – Troy Township, Geauga County and Hiram Township, Portage County
Location: 41.345379, -81.143172
on Allyn Rd at the intersection of SR 700 (Welshfield Limaville Rd S)
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: The town was founded by brothers Ozias Allyn (1814 – 1883) and Watson Allyn (1824 – 1903). Their parents, Pelatiah Allyn (1785 – 1856) and Amelia (Taylor) Allyn (1785 – 1867), got married in 1808 and moved to Ohio from Connecticut in the early 1820s. Watson was the first member of the family who was born in Portage County. Ozias and Watson donated land for the proposed Clinton Airline Railroad which was graded and had a track bed made for it but the tracks were never laid. However, the C&W Electric Railroad later rolled through the area in the late 1800s to early 1900s. A school (Hiram Township No. 5) was about 1/2 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates on the west side of SR 700. Ozias served as the commissioner of Portage County from 1865 – 1868. The family surname is spelled as Allen in some branches. Watson and Ozias were buried with many relatives in Fairview Cemetery 3 miles south of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 82 (Twinsburg Warren Rd) and Ryder Rd.

Baldwins Corners – Montville Township
Location: 41.607359, -81.072616
on Clay St (Co Rd 37) at the intersection of US 6
Remnants: none known
Description: The original proprietors were Noyes Baldwin (1801 – 1850) and Deborah (Spencer) Baldwin (1803 – 1897) who moved to Ohio from Connecticut and arrived in Montville Township in 1832. They had 4 children and one of their sons, Civil War veteran Captain Roland H. Baldwin (1827 – 1892), inherited the family’s homestead. He married Fannie (Hulbert) Baldwin (1829 – 1915). They also had 4 children and donated land for a school (Montville Township No. 4) on the east side of Clay St north of the GPS coordinates. A grange hall at the main intersection was on land owned by the Whitney family. The Baldwin family was laid to rest in Montville (Montville Center) Cemetery 1 1/2 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates on the west side of SR 528 (Madison Rd).

Beardsley – Huntsburg Township
Location: 41.548616, -81.071450
on Clay St (Co Rd 37) at the intersection of Huntley Rd (Township Hwy 115)
Remnants: none known
Description: It was founded by Enoch Beardsley (1801 – 1869) from Connecticut and Elizabeth (Smith) Beardsley (1805 – 1876) from New York. They had 5 children and Enoch served as justice of the peace in Huntsburg Township. A school was on the east side of Clay St just south of Chardon – Windsor Rd (Co Rd 13) on land donated by Ervin Beardsley (1827 – 1883) and Mary Jane (Carothers) Beardsley (1830 – 1908). There might be a cemetery in the woods on the north side of Huntley Rd next to a tower just west of Clay St. The cemetery was pinpointed on the 1857 county map and in the 1874 and 1900 county atlases. Everyone mentioned in this listing was buried in Huntsburg Township (Huntsburg Center) Cemetery about 2 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates on the south side of SR 322 (Mayfield Rd).

Beudale – Newbury Township
Location: 41.490108, -81.274913
on Fairmount Rd (Co Rd 16) at the intersection of Rockhaven Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: none found

Calm – Thompson Township
Post Office: 1890 – 1903
Location: 41.690419, -81.016406
on Thompson Rd (Co Rd 7) at the intersection of Sidley Rd
Remnants: former school in the southwest corner of the intersection
Description: The proprietors were Orrin L. Keener (1856 – 1892) and Eva (Wilson) Keener (1858 – 1939). Orrin was the first postmaster and Eva took on the position after he passed away. They got married in 1880, had a few children, and were buried with many relatives in Maple Grove Cemetery about 3 miles west of the GPS coordinates on the south side of Thompson Rd. The town’s former school is now a private residence. There was also a church on the west side of the school, but it has since been lost to time. The land was previously owned by Orrin’s parents and his mother’s family, the Baurs, prior to that.

Center Road – Claridon Township
Location: 41.561018, -81.144005
on Claridon Troy Rd at the intersection of the Maple Highlands Trail
Remnants: former railroad path
Description: Center Road was on the Pittsburgh & Western Railroad (later bought by the B&O) and had a flag stop (no station but trains would stop when signaled) on land owned by the Dimock family. The current Maple Highlands Trail is a 21-mile paved recreational path along the former railroad bed.

Chardon Centre (Chardon Center) – Chardon Township
Location: 41.604022, -81.242796
on Auburn Rd (Co Rd 4) at the intersection of Mentor Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: It was mostly a residential village and had a school (Chardon Township No. 4) on the west side of Mentor Rd northwest of the GPS coordinates on land donated by the Chase family.

Damon – Huntsburg Township, Geauga County and Windsor Township, Ashtabula County
Post Office: 1896 – 1899
Location: 41.564254, -81.001853
on SR 86 (Plank Rd) at the intersection of Chardon – Windsor Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: This short lived farming and postal town had a school on the north side of SR 86 west of the GPS coordinates on land owned by the Larson family. C. F. Alexander was the postmaster.

East Munson (Woodard’s Corners) (Walters Corners) (Garlo) – Munson Township
Post Office: 1892 – 1899
Location: 41.532673, -81.193425
on SR 322 (Mayfield Rd) at the intersection of SR 44
Remnants: none known
Description: It’s unclear when the town was referred to as East Munson, but its first known name in the mid-1880s was Woodard’s Corners with Davis Woodard (1812 – 1873) from Vermont and Eliza (Stone) Woodard (1813 – 1889) as the proprietors. They got married in 1836, had 5 children, and were buried with relatives in Chardon Municipal Cemetery about 3 1/3 miles north of the GPS coordinates on the south side of Park Ave in Chardon. The town had a school (Munson Township No. 7) in the northwest lot of the main intersection which first appered in the 1874 county atlas. After that, it started going by the name of Walters Corners with several members of the Walters family owning land around the intersection. The largest lot was a 90-acre farm owned by Irwin Walters (1839 – 1938) and Hannah (McFarland) Walters (1841 – 1897) on the south side of the intersection. They were also laid to rest with relatives in Chardon Municipal Cemetery. The post office and town name was Garlo in the 1890s to early 1900s. Reuben A. Dayton (1856 – 1943) was the last known postmaster. He was buried with relatives in Maple Hill Cemetery 4 1/2 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Butternut Rd and Auburn Rd (Co Rd 4).

Fedo – Chardon and Kirtland Township
Post Office: 1897 – 1902
Location: 41.596090, -81.294398
on Kirtland Chardon Rd at the intersection of Wisner Rd along the Chagrin River
Remnants: none known
Description: Dwight L. Randall (1834 – 1907) was the proprietor and postmaster. He was buried in Chardon Municipal Cemetery 5 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates on the south side of Park Ave in Chardon.

Geauga Lake (Picnic Lake) (Giles Pond) (Pond Station) – Bainbridge Township
Post Office: 1857 – 1870 and later dates not listed
Location: 41.353941, -81.373337
on Depot Rd at the intersection of Geauga Lake Rd (Township Hwy 183)
Remnants: abandoned amusement park grounds, historical marker on the south side of the lake on the east side of SR 43 (N Aurora Rd) just south of the intersection of Moneta Ave
Description: Joel Giles settled in the area with his family in 1818 and a couple of his sons continued to live in the vicinity after he passed away. The arrival of the Great Western & Atlantic Railroad in 1856 (later bought by the Erie Railroad) led to the opening of a post office called Pond the following year, named after a small lake adjoining the Giles homestead. The pond and surrounding land was used as a picnic grounds by local residents for several decades prior to it officially opening for picnics and swimming in 1872 and was known as Giles Pond. Geauga Lake Park was established in 1887. It steadily grew with more amusement attractions over the next few decades and throughout the 1900s. The park was acquired by Six Flags in 2000 and the name changed to Six Flags Ohio. Cedar Fair (owners of Cedar Point) bought the amusement park and changed the name back to Geauga Lake in 2004. It only remained in operation for a few more years and closed in 2007.

Joint (Dow’s Corners) – Claridon and Huntsburg Township
Post Office: 1897 – 1904
Location: 41.562519, -81.100479
on Chardon – Windsor Rd (Co Rd 13) at the intersection of Kile Rd (Township Hwy 44)
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by brothers Burton Dow (1798 – 1889) and Thomas J. Dow (1812 – 1888) from Windham County, Connecticut. It was originally called Dow’s Corners. Thomas owned a steam-powered saw mill in the southwest lot of the intersection and there was a cheese factory in the southeast lot of the intersection on a farm owned by Ezekiel Buell (1805 – 1887) from Hartford County, Connecticut and Harriet (Dudley) Buell (1818 – 1897). A school (Claridon Township No. 3) was on the west side of Kile Rd north of the GPS coordinates on Burton’s farm. The post office was called Joint and the town also took on its name in the late 1800s to early 1900s. John M. Brown (b. 1857) was the postmaster. The Dow brothers and Buell family were laid to rest in East Claridon Cemetery 3 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates on the east side of SR 608 (Old State Rd).

Julia – Auburn Township, Geauga County and Mantua Township, Portage County
Post Office: 1893 – 1904
Location: 41.347502, -81.223844
on SR 44 (Ravenna Rd) at the intersection of Harner Rd along Black Brook
Remnants: none known
Description: The proprietors were Adelbert D. May (1848 – 1907) and Lillian (Bidlake) May (1848 – 1930). Adelbert was the postmaster and the town had a steam-powered saw mill just southeast of the GPS coordinates next to Black Brook. The mill was built by Adelbert’s grandparents, Hezekiah May (1782 – 1854) and Artemesia (White) May (1789 – 1847) from Windham County, Connecticut. They got married in 1812 and had 4 children. Adelbert’s father, Delos W. May (1822 – 1901) was born in New York and successfully operated the mill for several decades. Adelbert’s mother, Miranda (Mitchell) May (1823 – 1853) from Connecticut, had 2 children with Delos. He married Anna (King) May (1833 – 1902) from New York shortly after Miranda passed away and had 2 more children. The family farm started out with 100 acres and expanded to 166 acres by publication of the 1874 county atlas. There were 2 local schools. One of them (Auburn Township No. 3) was 1 mile north of the intersection on the north side of Bartholomew Rd. The other one (Mantua Township No. 2) was about 1 mile south of the intersection on the east side of SR 44. Hezekiah and Artemesia were buried with relatives in Eastlawn Cemetery 3 1/3 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates on the east side of Mantua Center Rd. Adelbert and Lillian were buried with relatives, including their parents, 3 1/3 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates in Westlawn Cemetery on the north side of SR 82 (Twinsburg Warren Rd).

Kelloggs Corners (West Claridon) – Claridon Township
Location: 41.532068, -81.163385
on SR 322 (Mayfield Rd) at the intersection of Taylor Wells Rd
Remnants: West Claridon Cemetery on the east side of Aquilla Rd (Co Rd 5) south of SR 322
Description: It was founded by county pioneers Asahel Kellogg (1783 – 1843) and Amanda (Spencer) Porter (1785 – 1857) and Asahel’s brother Cotton Kellogg (1785 – 1865) and Betsey (Moses) Kellogg (1790 – 1854). They were all born in Hartford County, Connecticut and moved to Ohio in 1815 after the brothers purchased a large farm and built a saw mill the previous year. Asahel and Cotton also brought along their widowed mother, Lucy (Cotton) Kellogg (1747 – 1847). Both of the brothers had a few children and Amanda remarried after Asahel passed away. Asahel was a deacon in the local Congregational church and Cotton served as the first postmaster of the Claridon office. Church services and school were occasionally held at Cotton and Betsey’s house in the early days. The first school was constructed at the intersection on the Kellogg farm in 1821. In the mid-1800s a steam-powered cheese box factory, which first appeared on the 1857 county map, was built on the Kellogg farm on the west side of Taylor Wells Rd south of the GPS coordinates. The town likely had several school structures over the passing decades of the mid to late 1800s at the same spot of the intersection listed on the 1857 county map and the 1874 and 1900 county atlases. The last structure was Claridon Township No. 2. Cotton and Betsey’s son, Cyrus A. Kellogg (1821 – 1900), inherited the family homestead and owned a general store in the southwest corner of the intersection. One of his heifers weighed in at a whopping 1,640 pounds and produced 1,098 pounds of dressed quarters. There was also a saw mill owned by the Wilmot family on the east side of Taylor Wells Rd north of the GPS coordinates listed in the 1874 county atlas. The town’s last proprietors were Charles Kellogg (1854 – 1946), a son of Cyrus, and Alice (Wilmot) Kellogg (1855 – 1923). They got married in 1876, had 3 children, and owned the Kellogg Stock Farm Company, continuing the family tradition of farming and livestock raising on the old homestead. Everyone mentioned in this listing was buried in Claridon Center Cemetery a mile east of the GPS coordinates on the north side of SR 322.

Little Ireland – Parkman Township
Location: 41.370569, -81.034972
on Farmington Rd at the intersection of Owen Rd (Township Hwy 219)
Remnants: none known
Description: Little Ireland was named after its pioneer residents of Irish descent in the early 1800s. Thomas Moore (1782 – 1837) and Mary (Donaldson) Moore (d. 1868) settled there in 1810. Mary’s brother James Donaldson (1787 – 1863) and Anna (Cummings) Donaldson (1791 – 1873) followed shortly after and another brother, Samuel Donaldson (1793 – 1848), arrived in 1815. Nathaniel Moore (1789 – 1861) also settled in Little Ireland that same year and married Anna (Evans) Moore in 1816. All of the men were War of 1812 veterans. The town had a school on the north side of the intersection of Farmington Rd and Hobart Rd which was listed on the 1857 county map on land owned by the Moore family. It was replaced by a newer school (Parkman Township No. 6) on the east side of Hobart Rd south of Farmington Rd also on the Moore’s land. Everyone mentioned in this listing was laid to rest in Old Cemetery on the east side of Nelson Rd (Co Rd 2) about 1 3/4 miles west of the GPS coordinates. Little Ireland was mentioned in 1880 county history book as successive generations of Moore, Donaldson, and other formerly Irish families in the county carried on its name.

Munson Center (Mansfields Crossing) – Munson Township
Location: 41.536838, -81.243436
on Auburn Rd (Co Rd 4) at the intersection of Sherman Rd along the Chagrin River
Remnants: none known
Description: Munson Center was the original name of Mansfields Crossing. The town had a train station on the Cleveland & Eastern Electric Railroad in the late 1800s to early 1900s. It was an interurban line laid on the failed path of the proposed Painesville and Hudson Railroad of the 1850s. The station was on a 73-acre farm owned by Vivalda Mansfield (1845 – 1900) and Lucinda (Pelton) Mansfield (1842 – 1932) in the northeast lot of the intersection. Interurban lines in rural areas provided quick and reliable transportation for small farming communities whose residents previously had to travel by horse, foot, or making a journey to less accessible steam railroads. A school (Munson Township No. 3) was on the east side of Auburn Rd about 1/2 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates. Vivalda and Lucinda were buried with relatives in Maple Hill Cemetery 2 1/2 miles south of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Auburn Rd and Butternut Rd.

Plank Road Corners – Montville Township
Post Office: dates not listed
Location: 41.593507, -81.051341
on SR 528 (Madison Rd) at the intersection of SR 86 (Plank Rd)
Remnants: none known
Description: Bushnell Austin (1805 – 1869) and Charlotte Austin (d. 1857) moved from Connecticut to Ohio and purchased a farm at the intersection in 1835. They constructed a stagecoach stop tavern around 1836 and a hotel after the completion of a plank road from Painesville to Warren in 1848. Bushnell had a couple of children and married Sally (Woodman) Dunham (1826 – 1907) after Charlotte passed away. George A. Wells (1821 – 1906) from Hartford County, Connecticut and Sarah (Underwood) Wells (1827 – 1905) got married in 1848 and owned a general store in the southeast lot of the intersection. George was the town’s postmaster. The family later moved out of the state and founded Wellsburg, Iowa. George and Sarah were buried with relatives in Rose Hill Cemetery on at the intersection of SR 14 and M Ave in Grundy Center in Grundy County, Iowa. Bushnell Austin was buried with relatives in Montville Center Cemetery about 1 1/4 miles north of the GPS coordinates. Plank Road Corners still had a school (Montville Township No. 3) on the west side of SR 528 south of the GPS coordinates in the late 1800s to early 1900s, but the the town had already fallen into obscurity.

Roots Corners (Andrews Grove) – Bainbridge Township
Location: 41.369471 -81.339043
on SR 306 (Chillicothe Rd) at the intersection of Taylor May Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: The original proprietors were Robert Root (1799 – 1869) and Rhoda (Henry) Root (1798 – 1879) from Massachusetts. They got married in 1822, had 4 children, and donated land for a school on the west side of the intersection which first appeared on the 1857 county map. It was later replaced by a newer school (Bainbridge Township No. 2) at the same location. Robert and Rhoda’s oldest son, Delos Root (1830 – 1911) inherited the family farm. Enoch Andrews (1784 – 1872) from New Haven County, Connecticut owned a cheese factory in the southeast lot of the intersection. There was also a steam-powered saw mill for making boxes for the cheese factory on the Root farm. The cheese factory was sold to the Hull family after Enoch passed away. Everyone mentioned in this listing was buried in Restland Cemetery about a mile north of the GPS coordinates on the east side of SR 306.

Sissons Corners (Eging Corners) – Hambden Township
Location: 41.576203, -81.131641
on SR 608 (Old State Rd) at the 4-way intersection of Claridon Troy Rd and Sisson Rd
Remnants: Sisson Cemetery on the south side of Claridon Troy Rd west of the GPS coordinates, historical marker in the cemetery
Description: The town was founded in 1822 by several members of the Sisson family from Hampden County, Massachusetts with Augustus Sisson (1766 – 1850) and Margaret (Stebbins) Sisson (1769 – 1834) as the patriarch and matriarch in Ohio. Augustus remarried after Margaret passed away and was buried with relatives in Willoughby Village Cemetery on Sharpe Ave in Willoughby, Lake County. There are no gravestones left in Sisson Cemetery, but the historical marker has the known interments listed on it. A school was built on the north side of Claridon Troy Rd west of the cemetery on land owned by the Dimmick family which was pinpointed in the 1874 county atlas. It was replaced by a newer school (Hambden Township No. 2) on the north side of the intersection of Claridon Troy Rd and Chardon Windsor Rd in the late 1800s. By that time, the family of George Eging (1860 – 1939) and Franciska Eging (1867 – 1947) from Lake County was more prominent in the area and the town took on their name. George and Franciska were laid to rest with relatives in Hambden Township Cemetery 2 miles north of the GPS coordinates on the east side of SR 608.

Slab City (Gilmore Mills) – Burton Township
Location: 41.497755, -81.163840
on Butternut Rd at the intersection of Osmond Rd
Remnants: Pleasant Hill Cemetery on the south side of Butternut Rd about 3/4 of a mile west of the GPS coordinates
Description: Slab City was named after its abundance stacked sawed wood. James Gilmore (1788 – 1853) and Celia (Thompson) Gilmore (d. 1884) from Massachusetts got married in Vermont in 1817 and starting heading west. James built a saw mill and grist mill next to the creek on the west side of the GPS coordinates in the early 1820s. The grist mill was replaced by a new one in 1847. A son and daughter-in-law of James and Celia, James T. Gilmore (1820 – 1896) and Lucy (Crane) Gilmore (1830 – 1895) from New York, inherited the family homestead. The mills were sold to the Alderman family in the late 1800s. There was also a cheese factory on the north side of Butternut Rd west of the intersection, a school (Burton Township No. 5) in the northeast lot of the intersection of Butternut Rd and Aquilla Rd (Co Rd 5), and a Methodist church on the south side of Butternut Rd across from the school. James and Celia had 8 children and were buried with relatives in Welton Cemetery about 3 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates on the north side of Goodwin St in Burton. James T. and Lucy moved to Lake County and were laid to rest in Evergreen Cemetery on Main St in Painesville. Some other residents of Slab City were laid to rest in Pleasant Hill Cemetery.

Smithville – Parkman Township
Location: 41.354757, -81.058091
on Nelson Parkman Rd (Co Rd 2) at the intersection of Rutland Rd (Prentiss Rd)
Remnants: none known
Description: Seth Smith (1771 – 1855) and Mary (Marsh) Smith (1771 – 1835) made the journey to Ohio from Madison County, New York and settled in Parkman Township in 1819. Out of their 7 sons, 4 of them also moved to the area. It was a typical small farming and livestock town with a blacksmith shop and wagon shop pinpointed in the 1874 county atlas on the west side of Rutland Rd on land owned by Olive A. Upham (1841 – 1899). A school (Parkman Township No. 7) was on the south side of Soltis Rd about 1/2 of a mile northwest of the intersection. A few generations of the Smith family kept the town going over the passing of the 1800s and it faded out of existence sometime around 1900. Seth and Mary Smith were buried with dozens of relatives 2 miles north of the GPS coordinates in Overlook Cemetery on the east side of SR 168 (Tavern Rd). Olive Upham was laid to rest in Park (Garrettsville Park) Cemetery at the intersection of Center St (Co Hwy 293) and Brosius Rd in Nelson Township, Portage County.

Spencer Corners – Claridon Township
Location: 41.540333, -81.179841
on Aquilla Rd (Co Rd 5) at the intersection of Spencer St
Remnants: former Spencer farmhouse on the west side of Aquilla Rd just north of the intersection, former one-room schoolhouse in the southeast lot of the intersection, West Claridon Cemetery on the east side of Aquilla Rd (Co Rd 5) south of SR 322, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Around the corner from Kelloggs Corners, Spencer Corners was founded by Colonel Erastus Spencer (1805 – 1884) and Julia (Kellogg) Spencer (1810 – 1891) who both moved to Ohio from Litchfield County, Connecticut with their parents at young ages. Erastus served in the state militia and achieved the rank of colonel in 1833. He married Julia the following year and had 6 children. Erastus served as county sheriff from 1840 – 1844. Tragically, 3 of the Spencer children died of sickness at young ages within 10 days of each other in July of 1849. The Spencers donated the land for the school (Claridon Township No. 1), which is currently a private residence, and also owned a cheese factory and a chair factory on their farm. They were all pinpointed in the 1874 county atlas. An engraving of the Spencer’s house and farm was also included in the atlas. Erastus and Julia were buried with relatives and local residents in West Claridon Cemetery.

Summit (Summit Siding) – Middlefield Township
Location: 41.448141, -81.051272
on SR 528 (Madison Rd) at the former railroad crossing between SR 87 (Kinsman Rd) and Adams Rd
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Summit had a siding for loading and unloading on the P&W Railroad in the late 1800s to early 1900s.

Greene County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Bryson – Xenia Township
Location: 39.716644, -83.934934
on Old Springfield Pike between Kinsey Rd and US 68 along the Little Miami Scenic Trail
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by James Bryson (1815 – 1911) from Pennsylvania and Nancy (Bradfute) Bryson (1828 – 1908) who owned a couple of large farms, were horse breeders, and donated land for the track path and a train station on the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad (Panhandle Route). They were buried with relatives in Woodland Cemetery on Dayton Ave in Xenia.

Caesars Creek (Cherry Grove) – New Jasper Township
Location: 39.679549, -83.78263
on Cherry Grove Rd between Old US 35 and Junkin Rd
Remnants: Caesar Creek (Cherry Grove) Cemetery at the GPS coordinates, former one-room schoolhouse in the northwest corner of the intersection of Cherry Grove Rd and Junkin Rd about 3/4 of a mile east of the GPS coordinates, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: This small farming and pioneer town was founded in the early 1800s. Known burials in the cemetery date back as early as 1810. On the 1855 county map, there was a Presbyterian church pinpointed across the road from the cemetery. The Cherry family is listed with 2 farms just south of the cemetery and the Junkin family had a saw mill along North Branch Caesar Creek. Irish immigrant and Revolutionary War veteran Lancelot Junkin (1753 – 1833) and Martha (Galloway) Junkin (1752 – 1830) were the patriarch and matriarch of the family in Ohio and were buried with relatives in the cemetery. The former one-room schoolhouse has been converted to a private residence and was on land donated by William Junkin (1818 – 1898) and Elizabeth (Walker) Junkin (1833 – 1921). They got married in 1858 and their former large 2-story residence still stands on Cherry Grove Rd just west of the school. William and Elizabeth were buried with relatives 3 3/4 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates in Old Silver Creek Cemetery on the east side of SR 72 in Jamestown. Another large 2-story wood frame house in the northwest lot of the intersection of Old US 35 and Cherry Grove Rd was originally owned by the Cherry family. Both of the houses were also pinpointed on the 1855 county map.

Caesarsville – Caesarscreek Township
Location: 39.618907, -83.891154
on US 68 at the intersection of Ireland Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Founded in 1800 by War of 1812 veteran Thomas Carneal (1786 – 1860), Caesarsville was intended to be the future seat of Greene County. The town had a courthouse with a tavern along with some other public buildings and a public water well. The courthouse was used as the first voting place in the county. Xenia was granted the county seat in 1803 and the hopes of Ceasarville becoming a large town quickly faded away. At its peak, it had about 12 cabins and 30 residents. Thomas Carneal went on to be one of the original land proprietors of Cincinnati and one of the founders of Covington, Kentucky. He was buried with relatives in Spring Grove Cemetery on Spring Grove Ave in Cincinnati.

Harper – Silvercreek Township
Location: 39.660797, -83.764031
on Quarry Rd along Caesars Creek at the former railroad crossing between Old US 35 and Cottonville Rd
Remnants: former school at the intersection of Old US 35 and Quarry Rd
Description: The proprietors were Robert Harper (1810 – 1881) and Sarah Harper (1824 – 1882) who moved to Ohio from Virginia and owned an 85-acre farm on the west side of Jamestown. Harper was a flag stop on the Cincinnati, Hamilton, & Dayton Railroad in the late 1800s. The school was on land owned by the Meyers family. Robert and Sarah were buried with relatives in Woodland Cemetery on Dayton Ave in Xenia.

Huffersville (Kneisly Station) (Kniesleys) –  Bath Township
Post Office: 1830 – 1831
Location: 39.818266, -84.074267
on SR 4 at the intersection of Bath Rd along Mad River
Remnants: Bath Presbyterian Church and Cemetery on the east side of Bath Rd north of the GPS coordinates
Description: Abraham Huffer moved to Bath Township from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in the first decade of the 1800s and was the town’s postmaster. Simon S. Huffer (1813 – 1894) inherited part of the original homestead, as did Daniel S. Huffer (1819 – 1886) and Rosanna (Dice) Huffer (1834 – 1912). The town grew to have around 20 residences lining Mad River and Bath Rd. It was a farming town with a grist mill, saw mill, and a paper mill.  Bath Presbyterian Church and Cemetery was on land owned by James Chambers (1735 – 1819). He was buried with relatives in the cemetery. The first school, from the early to mid-1800s, was across the road from the cemetery and the second one, from the later 1800s, is now a private residence across from Kitridge Rd on the east side of Bath Rd. The area was also known as Kneislys Station. Daniel Kniesly (1823 – 1911) had a mill with a warehouse and train station across the river along the Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad in the early 1850s. The location was in the vicinity of the intersection of Bayou Rd and Symmes Rd in Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. In the early 1900s the town was called Kneisleys. Find A Grave has 3 interments listed in Huffersville Cemetery on private property in the northwest lot of the intersection at the GPS coordinates, but there doesn’t appear to actually be anything left of it. Simon Huffer was buried with relatives in Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum on Woodland Ave in Dayton, Montgomery County. Daniel Huffer was buried with relatives in Bellefontaine City Cemetery on E Brown Ave in Bellefontaine, Logan County.

Jayfield
Location: unknown
Description: It was on the Dayton & Wellston line of the B&O Railroad in the early 1900s.

Mechanicsville – Silvercreek Township
Location: 39.626090, -83.731009
on SR 72 at the 4-way intersection of Jasper Rd and Plymouth Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Jonah Thomas (1807 – 1872) and Elizabeth Thomas (1817 – 1910) were the earliest known proprietors and ran a general store on the south side of Jasper Rd between SR 72 and Jamestown Gunnersville Rd. William Blain Jr. (1808 – 1857) and Lucinda Blain (1818 – 1856) owned a blacksmith shop and wagon shop over on the other side of SR 72 on the south side of Plymouth Rd. The town also had a school on the east side of Jamestown Gunnersville Rd about halfway between Jasper Rd and Carpenter Rd. Everyone mentioned in this listing was buried with relatives in Old Silvercreek Cemetery on S Sycamore St in Jamestown. Mechanicsville didn’t make it into the 1874 county atlas.

Mercers Station – Bath Township
Location: unknown
Description: The town was founded in 1796 by brothers Jonathan, Robert, and Edward Mercer (1769 – 1837) who moved to Ohio from Frederick County, Virginia and were the first settlers in the Greene County. The location of Mercers Station was in the vicinity of present-day Upper Valley Rd along the left bank of Mad River, approximately 1 1/2 miles southeast of the former location of Osborn. Edward was buried with relatives in Mercer Cemetery on the west side of SR 380 W Spring Valley Paintersville Rd and Peterson Rd in Spring Valley Township.

Old Chillicothe – Xenia Township
Location: 39.728693, -83.936845
on US 68 in Oldtown between the Little Miami River and Oldtown Creek
Remnants: a few historical markers for Old Chillicothe on the left side of the road at the GPS coordinates
Descpriton: Old Chillicothe was settled in 1774 along the Little Miami River and grew to be one of the Shawnee’s most important towns in the state. Chief Blackfish (1729 – 1779) was the leader of Old Chillicothe and Chief Tecumseh (1768 – 1813) was also raised there. It was abandoned in 1780 as George Rogers Clark (1752 – 1818) was heading up the Little Miami River toward the town with the Kentucky Militia while seeking retaliation for recent skirmishes south of the Ohio River.

Osborn – Bath Township
Post Office: 1855 – 1950
Location: 39.842184, -84.034997
on SR 235 at the intersection of Medway Rd (Osborn Rd) inside the gates of Wright – Patterson Air Force Base
Remnants: Cox Cemetery on the south side of Loop Rd east of the GPS coordinates
Description: Osborn was platted in 1851 by John Cox (1800 – 1882) and Samuel Stafford (1809 – 1897) about 1 1/2 miles northwest of Fairfield and was on the Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad. It was named after E. F. Osborn, the first railroad attendant, and flourished for 63 years partly due to taking on a railroad agreement which nearby Fairfield passed up. Osborn also had a grist mill, saw mill, and a distillery in its early years. The Great Flood of 1913 hit Dayton and the surrounding towns extremely hard. The Miami Conservancy District was formed to implement a flood project including several dams. Despite the fact that the area rarely flooded, Osborn was considered to be too close to the flood plain and the land was bought out by the Miami Conservancy District. The residents didn’t want to lose their town, so they moved it in a domino effect, people, buildings, and everything else closer to Fairfield. The Osborn Removal Company was formed and did much of the moving in the early 1920s. Just a few decades later in 1950, Osborn lost its name as it merged with Fairfield to create Fairborn. Some of the original buildings that were moved from Osborn can still be found in Fairborn today. John Cox was buried with relatives and early Osborn residents in Cox Cemetery and Samuel Stafford was buried with relatives in New Carlisle Cemetery at the intersection of SR 235 and Musselman Rd in Bethel Township, Clark County.

Pierces
Location: unknown
Description: none found

Silver Creek – Silvercreek Township
Location: unknown
Description: It was east of Jamestown.

Simms (Symmes) – Bath Township
Location: 39.808614, -84.074726
on Symmes Rd at the intersection of Prairie Rd in Wright – Patterson Air Force Base
Remnants: none known
Description: Simms had 2 train stations, one for passengers and another for freight, on the Bee Line of the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, & Indianapolis Railway. The town was on land owned by Samuel Stafford (1809 – 1897) who helped plat Osborn.

Shoup’s Station – City Of Beavercreek (formerly in Beavercreek Township)
Location: 39.723256, -84.058099
on Old Mill Ln off of N Fairfield Rd
Remnants: Daytona Mills on the east side of the GPS coordinates
Description: Solomon Shoup (1788-1812) was born into a family of millers from Maryland. He constructed Daytona Mills in 1805 along Little Beaver Creek 2 miles west of Alpha on a disbanded section of Old Mill Ln off of N Fairfield Road. It started out as a flour mill and is now a popular hardware store. The rebuilt mill was originally on the south side of the creek and was moved to the north side in 1921. Shoup’s Station had a train station on the Dayton & Xenia Railroad with a general store and around 15 residents. Solomon was buried with many relatives in Mt. Zion Shoup Cemetery at the intersection of N Fairfield Rd Indian Ripple Rd.

Transylvania – Spring Valley Township
Post Office: 1829 – 1843
Location: 39.606026, -84.014931
on Cook Rd between SR 725 and Centerville Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: This early Ohio town started up as a small hamlet in 1803, the same year Ohio became a state. It’s considered to be the original location of current day Spring Valley. The first settler in the area was Jeffery Truman (1794 – 1851) who built and operated a local tavern and was the town’s first postmaster. He married Jane (Elam) Truman (1810 – 1894). Farming and making supplies for wagons passing along what was then the Xenia – Cincinnati Pike were the main sources of income for the other residents. Spring valley, which was laid out in 1845 by the Walton family along the east side of the Little Miami river, was larger and growing much faster with mills and a copper shop. The remaining residents that were in Transyvlania moved across the river before 1850. Later in 1850, Samuel T. Owens surveyed Transylvania for 3 heirs of local families. They built 10 lots on the southwest bend of the Little Miami river but failed to attract new residents and Transylvania became a mere memory. Jeffery and Jane Truman were buried with relatives in Elam Cemetery on private property down a long lane on the east side of Elam Rd about 3/4 of a mile north of Spring Valley Paintersville Rd.

Valley Mills
Location: unknown
Description: It was listed on the 1898 railroad map and on the Ohio map in the 1901 George Cram atlas between Spring Valley and Xenia on the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad.

Winchester (Babtown) – Caesarscreek Township
Location: 39.566696, -83.902757
on Old Winchester Trail between New Burlington Rd and Lewis Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: It was stated in volume 1 of the 1918 History of Greene County, Ohio when speaking of Winchester that “there is no town in the county with a more artistic and finely-planned set of streets”. The town was platted with 72 lots and 16 outlots in 1816 by Thomas Babb Jr. (1766 – 1858) and Margaret (Wilson) Babb (1767 – 1840) who moved to Ohio from Winchester in Frederick County, Virginia. Despite the pretty plat on paper, they didn’t end up making a serious attempt to sell the lots or grow the town in any way. Thomas and Margaret were buried with relatives in Babb Cemetery on private property on the west side of Old Winchester Trail north of Mill Rd.

Guernsey County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Bond – Londonderry Township
Post Office: 1884 – 1902
Location: 40.118734, -81.256724 
on Skull Fork Rd (County Hwy 58) at the intersection of Bond Ln
Remnants: Bond Cemetery on the northwest side of Bond Ln just northeast of the intersection, McCoy Cemetery on McCoy Rd about 2 1/4 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates
Description: The town was founded by a branch of the massive Bond family in the area who were mostly farmers and livestock dealers. It had a school in the northeast corner of the intersection of Skull Fork Rd and Tobacco Rd in the late 1800s to early 1900s. Joshua Bond (1788 – 1872) and Abigail (Murray) Bond (1790 – 1867) moved to Ohio from Maryland and had several children. They were buried with many relatives in McCoy Cemetery. Joshua’s brothers Charles Bond (1794 – 1875) and Larkin Bond (1791 – 1870) also settled in the area and had big families. They were buried with relatives in Bond Cemetery. Isaac E. Hall (1858 – 1912) was the first known postmaster and was also laid to rest in McCoy Cemetery. He was succeeded as postmaster by T. Cunningham.

Bridgewater – Oxford Township
Location: 40.053311, -81.325483 
on Bridgewater Rd at the intersection of SR 513
Remnants: none known
Description: Bridgewater is a former town on the eastern edge of present-day Middlebourne. Benjamin Masters, an early settler in the area, built a horse-powered mill around 1805 followed by a water-powered mill in 1810. He platted Middletown (Middleton) along the recently laid and economically promising National Road (later US 40) in 1827. It was named so for being halfway between Wheeling and Zanesville. There was already a post office in Ohio with the name of Middletown in Butler County, so the one in Guernsey went with Middlebourne and opened in 1829. Less than a mile to the east on the National Road, William Orr (1806 – 1860) and Elizabeth (Byers) Orr (1810 – 1889) who had several children and a nice farm, platted Bridgewater in 1834. The Orrs moved to Illinois in the mid-1800s, but Bridgewater maintained its existence. It had a toll house on the National Road that was pinpointed in the 1870 county atlas. A school was pinpointed in the northeast corner of the intersection of Bridgewater Rd and SR 513 in the 1902 county atlas. Middletown had been competing with Bridgewater for businesses and residents throughout the 1800s and into the 1900s. Its plat was also pinpointed along with Bridgewater’s on the county maps and atlases from 1855, 1870, and 1902. Page 53 of the 1870 atlas shows the Middletown’s plat in great detail. It had a school on a 26-acre lot owned by the Scott family, a post office, Methodist church, and over 50 pinpointed buildings. Some of those were merchant shops and businesses mentioned in the old county history books. Lot No. 10 on the east side of Hoover Rd in the northwest corner of town was 3 acres dedicated for a cemetery, but it doesn’t look like anything ever came of that. The Middlebourne post office closed in 1907. Either by misprint or actually an alternative spelling, the town was listed as Middleton in the 1911 History of Guernsey County Ohio. By then, it had 2 general stores, a hotel, and won the town contest with Bridgewater whose only memory lives on in the name of the road. Middletown’s name stuck until it was first listed as Middlebourne on the Oxford Township map in the 1914 county atlas. Some of Bridgewater’s and Middlebourne’s early residents were buried in Pisgah Church of Christ Cemetery 2 miles east of the GPS coordinates on the east side of Pisgah Rd. Find A Grave also lists another 3 small old cemeteries around the Middlebourne area. It’s unknown, as of yet, whether any of the cemeteries or local buildings can be tied directly to Bridgewater as remnants.

Cable – Center Township
Post Office: 1850 – 1853
Location: unknown
Description: It was founded by a branch of the Cable family in the county and was listed in the 1853 W. W. Reilly & Co.’s Ohio State Business Directory. Charles Swan (born c. 1821) from Virginia was the only known postmaster.

Clio – Jefferson Township
Post Office: 1882 – 1905
Location: 40.081182, -81.504563 
on R-25 in Salt Fork State Park
Remnants: Pleasant Hill Cemetery on Candy Rd
Description: The town had a school, grocery store, doctor, and a grist and saw mill built by the Armstrong family. John Armstrong and Susannah (Henderson) Armstrong (1788 – 1870) moved to Ohio from Pennsylvania in 1813 and became pioneers of the county. Their children and grandchildren continued with farming and milling in the area. Much of Clio’s land was submerged by Salt Fork Lake. What remained dry on the east side is now woods and a campsite. The Armstrongs were buried with relatives in Pleasant Hill Cemetery on the west side of the lake. Alexander Pattison (1843 – 1915) was the first postmaster and was also laid to rest in Pleasant Hill Cemetery. J. M. Armstrong was the last postmaster.

Divide – Washington Township
Post Office: 1890 – 1904
Location: 40.182918, -81.358242
on Titus Rd (County Rd 878) at the intersection of Lodge Rd
Remnants: Chestnut Hill United Brethren Church and Cemetery on the north side of the GPS coordinates
Description: It was a small farming and postal town. The church was constructed during the Civil War. John Dugan was the first postmaster. He was succeeded by John T. Daugherty (1852 – 1932) who was buried with relatives in Pleasant Hill Cemetery on Candy Rd. Elijah L. Bair (1853 – 1934) was the last postmaster and was also laid to rest in Pleasant Hill Cemetery. The most prominent gravestone in Chestnut Hill Cemetery is that of Reverend Timothy Taylor Titus (1829 – 1910) from Harrison County and Nancy Jane (Cope) Titus (1828 – 1912). It’s a neat drive to the location along the county’s sparsely populated back roads.

Eldon (Spencer Station) – Millwood Township
Post Office: 1857 – 1920
Location: 39.963539, -81.272000 
on Eldon Rd at the former railroad track crossing south of SR 265 (Leatherwood Rd)
Remnants: Eldon Cemetery on the southeast side of Barker Rd about 1/2 of a mile northeast of the intersection, Richland Cemetery and historical marker on Shannon Run Rd about a 1/2 of a mile north of the intersection
Description: Eldon was a variant name of Spencer Station which is still considered a populated area for census purposes. It had a train station on the B&O Railroad, a school, general store, row of houses, the Eldon Coal Company, a coal tipple, and a Quaker church. Residents were buried in Eldon and Richland Cemeteries.

Fish Basket – Cambridge Township
Location unknown
Description: This fishing town 4 miles north of Cambridge along Wills Creek was run by a Native American chief named Doughty who lived in the area with his family in the late 1700s to early 1800s. Wills Creek was great for basket fishing and produced enough to support a decent sized village.

Frankfort (Frankford)(Smithtown) – Wills Township (formerly in Muskingum County)
Location: 40.022171, -81.366865 
on Frankfort Rd at the intersection of Putney Ridge Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: The first town in the county, it was platted in 1805 by Joseph Smith 23 days before Old Washington and was a stopping point for tired travelers. Frankfort had a tavern, public square, a proposed courthouse and jail lot, and around a dozen cabins in its heyday. Joseph sold his lot and moved with his family in 1814. The town was considered vacated and was stricken from future recordings by court order in 1846. A man named Cummings, who ventured through the area on foot in 1870, noted Frankfort’s continued existence in a diary and stated 8 – 10 cabins remained.

Miller – Liberty Township
Location: 40.100473, -81.562403 
on Leeper Rd at the intersection of Salt Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: The proprietor Robert Miller (1822 – 1877) was born in Canada and moved to Ohio with his parents who were of Irish descent. Robert was a farmer and built a saw mill along the Salt Fork of Wills Creek. The town also had a wagon shop, school, and salt works. Robert was buried with relatives in Old Kimbolton Cemetery in Kimbolton at the intersection of SR 541 and Cemetery St.

New Liberty – Liberty Township
Location: 39.946185 -81.554254   
on SR 821 (Marietta Rd)
Remnants: none known
Description: It was platted in 1815 by Richard Dickinson and appeared in The Ohio Gazetteer and Traveler’s Guide from 1837 – 1841.

Prohibition – Monroe Township
Post Office: 1884 – 1902
Location: unknown
Description: The town can be found in the 1888 Bridgman’s Atlas of the State of Ohio and on the Ohio map in the 1901 George Cram atlas. John Snyder was the first postmaster. Myra M. Snyder (born c. 1863) was the last postmaster.

Scotts – Center Township
Location: 40.014711, -81.533241 
on the former railroad path between US 40 and Reservoir Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: It was founded by Elza Scott (1819 – 1880) and Mary (Moore) Scott (1825 – 1895) who owned a coal company and a salt works along the B&O Railroad. They were buried with relatives in Cambridge City Cemetery on S 11th St in Cambridge.

Skullfork – Londonderry Township
Post Office: 1887 – 1905
Location: 40.140087, -81.265396   
on Skull Fork Rd at the intersection of Glasgow Rd along Skull Fork
Remnants: Yankee Point Cemetery on private property about a 1/3 mile southwest of the GPS coordinates south of Beaver Rd
Description: Skullfork was just north of Bond and had a school. Issac N. Hunt Sr. (1823 – 1889) was the first postmaster. John W. Morton (1870 – 1946) was the second postmaster. He moved to Harrison County and was buried with relatives in Greenmont Cemetery on SR 800 (Cemetery Hill Rd) in Freeport.  John’s sister Etta L. (Morton) Rankin (1878 – 1944) was the last postmaster and was laid to rest with relatives in Scotch Covenanter Cemetery 3 1/2 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates on the west side of East St in Londonderry.

Sugartree (Sugar Tree Fork) – Jefferson Township
Post Office: 1867 – 1901
Location: 40.128094, -81.510053 
on R-4 in Salt Fork State Park
Remnants: McCleary Cemetery between R-4 and the lake, Kennedy (Salt Fork) Stone House north off of R-4 east of the GPS coordinates
Description: The McCleary family built a grist mill and saw mill along Sugar Tree Fork. The town also had a general store and a school. Benjamin Kennedy (1814 – 1882) and Margaret (Orr) Kennedy (1818 – 1876) were the original owners of the Salt Fork Stone House which was completed around 1840. They were buried with relatives in Irish Ridge Cemetery at the intersection of Clary Rd and Broadhead Rd in Monroe Township. Some of the former town land is under Salt Fork Lake. Andrew McCleary (1834 – 1901) appears to have been the postmaster for the office’s entire existence. He was buried with relatives in McCleary Cemetery.
Kennedy Stone House Info – ksh.org

Toledoville – Wheeling Township
Location: 40.162293, -81.646512 
on the east side of SR 658 (Hopewell Rd) west of  SR 541 (Plainfield Rd)
Remnants: none known
Description: It was a small mining boom town on the Pennsylvania Railroad and was named after the Toledo Coal Company that was along the tracks.

Hamilton County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Brachman – Anderson Township
Location: 39.086295, -84.378547
on SR 125 at the intersection of Brachman Ave
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by German immigrant and Cincinnati wine merchant Henry Brachmann (1805 – 1882). He served in the state senate from 1862 – 1864 and organized the Cincinnati, Georgetown, & Portsmouth Railroad which ran from 1877 – 1936. The track line started in Columbia (East End), passed through the southern end of Brachman Ave, and ended in Russellville in Brown County. It never reached the intended destination of Portsmouth due to financial struggles. Henry and his wife Rosalia Brachmann (1803 – 1871) from Indiana owned a 99-acre farm at the GPS coordinates and had a few children. They were buried with relatives in Spring Grove Cemetery on Spring Grove Ave in Cincinnati. 

Broadwell – Anderson Township
Location: 39.137092, -84.317683
on Broadwell Rd at the railroad crossing between Round Bottom Rd and Mt Carmel Rd
Remnants: Martin Family (Broadwell) Cemetery on the north side of Broadwell Rd about 1/4 of a mile northwest of the GPS coordinates inside the gated grounds of the Bway Corporation, Cyrus Broadwell House in the woods in the southeast corner of the intersection of Broadwell Rd and Mt Carmel Rd
Description: The original proprietors were Revolutionary War veteran Jacob Broadwell (1766 – 1836) and Jane (Williams) Broadwell (1769 – 1842). They moved to Ohio around 1799, had at least 5 children, and purchased a 200-acre farm on the east side of the GPS coordinates. Other members of the family also owned another 200-acre farm across from it on the north side of Broadwell Rd. One of Jacob and Jane’s sons, Cyrus Broadwell (1801 – 1879) from Anderson Township and his wife Virginia Broadwell (1808 – 1891) from Virginia, inherited the estate. They moved to the area shortly after 1840 when Cyrus retired from a successful boat business he ran with his brother Jacob in Cincinnati. The 11 room Greek Revival house on the property was built sometime between 1820 and 1850 and features 23 columns 12 feet tall that were carved from a single pine tree. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and was owned by the Broadwell family until 1907. The town had a school on the north side of Broadwell Rd next to Martin Family Cemetery. It also had a stop on the Cincinnati & Eastern Railroad (later the Norfolk & Western Railway) in the late 1800s to early 1900s. Although there are no markers for them, Jacob and Jane Broadwell are believed to be buried in Martin Family Cemetery. The oldest members of the Martin family believed to have been interred there are Joseph Martin Sr. (1764 – 1845) and Rebecca (Gerard) Martin from Pennsylvania, also currently without markers. Cyrus and Virginia Broadwell were laid to rest in Greenlawn Cemetery about 5 1/2 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates on US 50 in Milford, Clermont County. Permission is needed from the Bway Corporation to visit Martin Family Cemetery and the Broadwell House is privately owned without access to the public. The town faded into obscurity in the early 1900s as gravel and sand mining overtook the former farmland.

Bucktown (Buxton) – City of Cincinnati
Location: 39.1050598, -84.5049427
on Eggleston Ave at the I-71 underpass
Remnants: none known
Description: Many former small towns, including Bucktown, Carrsville, Fulton, Pendleton, Rolling Ridge, Texas, Vernonville, and several others were annexed into Cincinnati as it grew throughout the 1800 and early 1900s. The same process was encountered while we researched other counties such as Franklin with Columbus and Cuyahoga with Cleveland. Absorbing smaller towns was simply necessary to create the major cities that turned Ohio into the state as we know it today. An interesting article on the subject was published by Cincinnati Magazine in 2017.
Magazine Article – https://www.cincinnatimagazine.com/citywiseblog/bucktown-vanceville-cincinnatis-lost-19th-century-neighborhoods/

Cedar Grove – City of Cincinnati (formerly in Green Township)
Location: 39.119155, -84.580822
on Gilsey Ave at the intersection of Gellenbeck St
Remnants: none known
Description: Cedar Grove was the location of Mount St. Vincent Academy (St. Vincent de Paul), a boarding school for girls. A beautiful engraving of the grounds and buildings is next to page 300 of the 1881 county history book. The four-story main building was constructed in 1858. There was also a convent with an attached chapel. The chapel was built in 1875 and the convent was formerly a lavish mansion on a 33-acre farm called The Cedars. Back then, convents were usually self-sustained farms and Cedar Grove was no exception to that. It had a poultry yard, fruit orchard, pasture, bakery, and everything else it needed to feed the residents and generate some income.

Centretown (Tucker’s Station) – Village of Woodlawn (formerly in Springfield Township)
Location: 39.248873, -84.466329
on Grandview Ave between Wayne Ave and the railroad tracks
Remnants: none known
Description: It was on the Cincinnati & Hamilton Railroad and was first spotted on the 1856 county map on a 253-acre farm owned by Manning R. Tucker (1801 – 1881) and Rebecca (Pearles) Tucker (1800 – 1870). Prior to that, the area was known as Tucker’s Station. However, station in this context doesn’t refer to railroads. In the days long before trains were invented, stations were fortified settlements specifically designed for protection from Native Americans. Residents would scurry into the fort at the first sign of trouble. In many unfortunate cases around the state, as mentioned in some of the 1800s and early 1900s county history books, residents didn’t always make their way inside the fort in time. Those that did had to successfully defend it or likely meet an an unnatural early demise. The plan for Tucker’s Station was organized by Manning’s parents, Henry Tucker (1760 – 1844) and Mary (McDaniels) Tucker (1760 – 1848) from New Jersey, and a few other families at Columbia in 1792 who wished to settle in and around what would later become section 4 of Springfield Township. Centretown appears to be a “paper town” though, platted but never came to fruition, and didn’t make it into the 1869 county atlas. It was within the present-day boundary of Woodlawn which was platted in 1876. Manning and Rebecca were laid to rest with relatives in Greenwood Cemetery on Greenwood Ave in Hamilton, Butler County.

Cilley – Whitewater Township
Location: 39.183118, -84.777555
on Kilby Rd along the railroad tracks at the 4-way intersection of Cilly Rd and Suspension Bridge Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: It’s unclear exactly when Cilley was a town as it isn’t pinpointed as such on any of the historic maps we have access to. The proprietors were members of the Cilley family, dating back to War of 1812 veteran Colonel Benjamin Cilley (1789 – 1851) from Rockingham County, New Hampshire and Martha (McCormick) Cilley (1806 – 1873). The Whitewater Canal was constructed through the area in 1836 – 1847, followed by the Whitewater Valley Railroad (later the Big Four). Benjamin and Martha had at least 5 children and were buried with relatives in Berea Cemetery 2 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates where Brotherhood Ave meets Adams St in Hooven.

Clough (Cluff) (Clough Valley) – Anderson Township
Location: 39.095987, -84.367870
on Clough Pike at the 4-way intersection of Corbly St & Hunley Rd
Remnants: Clark Stone House on the east side of Clough Pike just north of the intersection, Miller – Leuser Log House on the east side of Clough Pike 1/2 of a mile north of the GPS coordinates, former school south of the intersection on the east side of Clough Pike at the intersection of Goldengate Dr, Clough Baptist Church Cemetery on the west side of Bridges Rd about 1/3 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates
Description: This old hamlet had a post office called Cluff from 1882 – 1905. It was settled in the late 1790s and was named after Revolutionary War veteran and surveyor Richard Clough Anderson (1750 – 1826). It doesn’t pop up on maps anymore and is considered to be in Newtown, although it’s probably closer to Mt. Washington. The Miller – Leuser Log House was constructed on land formerly owned by Revolutionary War Captain Matthew Jouitt, who was granted 600 acres of land for his service. One of his sons contacted Nathaniel Massie to sell the property after Matthew passed away in 1793. Ichabod Miller (1774 – 1839) and Sarah (Mercer) Miller (1767 – 1832) bought 400 acres of the land along Clough Creek in 1796. Their cabin at the intersection of Bartles Road and Clough Pike was built sometime around that year. It was occupied for over 170 years and changed ownership several times. Joseph and Matilda Leuser bought the property in 1907. Their newlywed son Lawrence Leuser (1889 – 1964) and his bride Emma (Kuntz) Leuser (1889 – 1969) moved into the house in 1910 and spent over 50 years together there. The Anderson Township Historical Society purchased it in 1971 and conducted the restoration. The outside lot has a historical marker with more info, an old barn, restored wagon, a GEM water well pump, and the original water well has been reconstructed too. Tours of the cabin are available on the first and third Sundays in June to October from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. and can be requested to be open for private tours and school trips. Its furnished with antiques and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1974. As Anderson Township celebrated its 225th anniversary, the old buildings around Clough enjoyed some extra attention with events like walking tours and additional indoor activities. The town’s last school was built in 1874 at the intersection of Clough Pike and Goldengate Dr. It’s currently Clough Crossings Restaurant and features some historical exhibits and memorabilia from the area. Over at the corner of Clough Pike and Hunley Rd, The Clark Stone House was constructed a few years after the Miller – Leuser Log House by Revolutionary War veteran and successful entrepreneur James Clark (1765 – 1852) and Savannah Clark (1765 – 1837). They moved to Ohio from Virginia and had 10 children. James was a justice of the peace and served in the state legislature. One of their sons, Orson, lived in the house until 1854 when he sold it Adam Leuser (1819 – 1905) and Juliana (Fink) Leuser (1825 – 1892), a couple of hopeful immigrants from Germany. Joseph Leuser, who bought the log cabin down the road, was one of their sons. Genevieve (Leuser) Messmer (1894 – 1978) and Joseph Messmer (1891 – 1984) inherited the stone house in 1923. Joseph was a florist and built a greenhouse next it. Three of the Messmer daughters sold the house to Anderson Township in 1995. A historical marker was placed in the front yard in September of 2018. As with the log cabin, it also has an old barn on the property and several other old objects of local and historical interest. The Greenfield Plant Farm next to the stone house at 6840 Clough Pike continues on with the land’s agricultural tradition and promotes its heritage. Many of the town’s residents and pioneers were buried in Clough Baptist Church Cemetery on Bridges Rd, right around the corner from Clough Pike. The gravestone of James and Savannah Clark is in the left side in the corner on top of the hill. More info on the town, church congregation, and former church building is displayed at the entrance. Ichabod and Sarah Miller were buried with relatives in Columbia Baptist Church Cemetery on Wilmer Avenue in Columbia -Tusculum. Most of the Leuser family was buried in Guardian Angels Cemetery on Salem Rd in Mt. Washington.

Columbia Park – Miami Township
Post Office: 1927 – 1957
Location: 39.120835, -84.804498
on the south side of Shawnee Park Lookout Rd on an abandoned stretch of road heading north off of Brower Rd
Remnants: former houses from the town moved to Brower Rd, foundations in the area where the town was, set of steps that led to a clubhouse
Columbia Park was a company town established in 1925 by Columbia Power Gas & Electric which owned the Miami Fort Power Plant. In the mid-1920s, access to the facility was much more difficult. Brower Rd hadn’t been constructed yet and a narrow dirt road led to the plant. As a result, Columbia Park was built for the workers. They paid low rent for nice accommodations, including the use of a large three-story clubhouse near the southern end of what was Columbia Rd, and had a short walk their jobs. The clubhouse had rooms available for rent, a bowling alley, lounge, laundry, and a billiard room. Columbia Park also had a school and a community hall. In the mid-1950s, the projected cost of maintaining and renovating the rented houses was considered by the power company to be too expensive. They sent letters to the workers who lived in Columbia Park in 1856, basically telling them they had to find somewhere else to live and they were given ample time to do so. A few of the workers purchased their houses and moved them to Brower Rd. The rest of them were dismantled by the power company. The power plant is still in operation on the south side of Brower Rd and is currently owned by Duke Energy.

Dunlap’s Station (Fort Colerain) – Colerain Township
Location: 39.293190, -84.657642
on the west side of E Miami River Rd along the Great Miami River
Remnants: Heritage Park at the GPS coordinates, Hedges (Dunlap Station) Cemetery just northeast of the GPS coordinates at the end of an access road, stone historical marker near the park entrance
Description: John Dunlap from Colerain, Ireland established this fortified town in 1790. It was the first settlement in Hamilton County’s interior away from the Ohio River. The village consisted of 106 acres and the fort itself was 1-acre of enclosed land with 10 cabins housing around 30 residents, a rudimentary grist mill (hand-powered corn cracker), and 3 blockhouses. Some of the surnames of the residents were Birkit, Crum, Gibson, Hahn, and Larrison. Dunlap’s Station was about 17 miles from Cincinnati, which also made it vulnerable. A detachment of 13 American soldiers, including their commander Lieutenant Kingsbury, was sent to defend the settlement in 1791 during the Northwest Indian War. A surveying party of 4 men was attacked in the area on January 8th of that year, two days before an attempted Native American siege took place on Dunlap Station from January 10th – 11th. The attacking group were members of the confederated tribes of Shawnees, Miami (Myaami) , Lenapes (Delawares), Wyandots (Hurons), and Niswi-mishkodewin (Potawatomis). Their siege was unsuccessful and they left before a rescue party of 100 men from Columbia and Cincinnati arrived. Only a handful of American lives were lost during the conflict, including those from the surveying party who perished. One of them was reportedly buried at the spot where his body was found and the others in Hedges (Dunlap Station) Cemetery, although no markers for them exist. The fort was abandoned shortly after the attempted siege, mainly because the settlers didn’t have proper land claim titles and also in fear of possible attacks in the future. The confirmed burials at the cemetery are residents who later resettled the area.  

Elizabeth
Location: unknown
Description: It was platted by Daniel Reeder in 1847. Most of the Reeder family settled in Sycamore Township which was previously part of Columbia Township. It was stated in the 1881 county history book that its writers couldn’t locate where the town was.

Elliston (Crestvue) – City of Springdale (formerly in Springfield Township)
Post Office: 1889 – 1901
Location: 39.301386, -84.465570
on Princeton Pike between Crescentville Rd and I-275
Remnants: none known
Description: William F. Muchmore (1834 – 1874) platted Elliston in 1868 and named it after a Mr. Ellis who lived in the neighborhood. The town had a train station on the Cincinnati, Hamilton, & Dayton Railroad. Its plat just had 7 lots on the west side of the GPS coordinates lined Princeton Pike between Cresentville Rd and the railroad tracks. The town was renamed Crestvue after William passed away. He was buried with relatives in Laurel (Laurel IOOF) Cemetery on Roe St in Madisonville. The post office was also called Crestvue. Henry Duskey (1832 – 1896) was the first postmaster. He was succeeded by Edward C. Vettel (1868 – 1944). They were both laid to rest in Brookside (West Chester) Cemetery 4 1/2 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates in West Chester Township, Butler County.

Ervina (Irvina) – Delhi, Green, and Miami Township
Location: 39.124270, -84.689575
on Cleves Warsaw Pike at the intersection of Old Hillside Ave along Muddy Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: Ervina is quite a mystery. Its only cartographic appearance was on the 1856 county map. There are no mentions of the place in the county history books, or in any of our other research resources for that matter. The 1847 county map pinpointed a small cluster of houses around the intersection. There was also a school on the north side of Cleves Warsaw Pike just northwest of the GPS coordinates during the time period in question.

Five Mile, OH (Sweet Wine) (Sweetwine) – Anderson Township
Location: 39.053781, -84.374038
on Five Mile Rd between Markley Rd & US 52 along Fivemile Creek
Remnants: Five Mile Chapel & Cemetery on the south side of the GPS Coordinates
Description: Jacob Markely (1803 – 1879) and Emaline (Martin) Markley (1805 – 1870) donated land for Five Mile Chapel and Cemetery at 6977 Five Mile Road in Anderson Township. Jacob’s parents, John Markley (1769 – 1841) and Mary (Springer) Markley (1756 – 1837), spent time in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia before moving to Ohio. John constructed a saw mill next to Five Mile Creek and used the lumber it produced to build cabinets and flatboats. The boats were used to ship good from the area to towns on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers as far a New Orleans. Jacob and Emaline had 11 children and joined the family business. There was also a grist mill on the Markley farm and a school just east of the church. A post office and store owned by Jacob and Emaline is pinpointed on the Anderson Township map in the 1869 county atlas on the south side of the intersection of Five Mile Rd and Kellogg Rd. The office was called Sweet Wine and was in operation from 1858 – 1904. It was named after the flourishing grape and wine industry along the Ohio River in the mid to late 1800s, with the steep hills heading away from the river valley being perfect for terracing and grape production. The office moved around to the homes of its postmasters after the Markley store closed. They were John B. Crance, John M. Vogel, Simon Troy, and Bertha Bridges. The United Brethren congregation along Five Mile Creek built the church and officially established the cemetery in 1844. They used stones from the creek for the church construction with a limestone foundation and slate slab roof. Five Mile Chapel has undergone some remodeling. Its front doors originally faced John and Mary Markley’s graves. That changed when the bell tower was added in 1896 and the entrance moved to its base. Regular services ended in 1963 and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The church and cemetery fell into disrepair for a while. Floods from the creek also damaged the building some over the years. It was adopted by the Five Mile Chapel Society who raised funds for repairs, maintenance, and upkeep. A creek wall was also constructed to prevent future flood damage. The cemetery is enclosed with a nice split log fence and has a historical marker for the Markley family. Events held at the church include an annual ice cream social and a Christmas gathering with carols and decoration making. The church also hosts around a dozen weddings every year and can seat 60 guests.

Fort Gass – Whitewater Township
Location: 39.2175560, -84.7857833
on the west side of Kilby Rd along the Whitewater River
Remnants: none known
Description: It’s unknown who built the fort and when it was in existence. However, the location was reportedly pinponted from early maps of the area and has been confirmed by the U.S. Geographical Survey. There are presently 34 known interments of the surname Gass in Hamilton County’s cemeteries listed on Find A Grave.

Foster Hill – Village of Lincoln Heights (formerly in Springfield Township)
Location: 39.245070, -84.464263
on Wayne Ave at the intersection of Chester Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Foster Hill was just south of Centreville along the Cincinnati, Hamilton, & Dayton Railroad. It was established in the mid-1800s by Lieutenant Luke Foster (born c. 1769 – 1857) from New York who was a pioneer settler at Columbia. He was patriotically famous, at least in Hamilton County, for sending 100 bushels of corn to Fort Washington in what is now downtown Cincinnati during a struggling time of feeding its residents in 1789. The town had an academy and later a regular school on the south side of the GPS coordinates. A Baptist church was on the east side of Wayne Ave south of the school. Luke was tragically killed by a gravel train that was passing through his farm. His burial location is unknown.

Glenmore – Green Township
Location: 39.147666, -84.612948
on Glenmore Ave between Darwin Ave and Hildreth Ave
Remnants: none known
Description: It was on the Cincinnati & Westwood Railroad which was in existence from 1874 – 1924. Glenmore had a train station near the GPS coordinates and was last spotted on the Green Township map in the 1914 county atlas. The train tracks were removed prior to the 1950s.

Griffin’s Station – Springfield Township
Location: 39.204492, -84.474885
on SR 4 (Vine St) along Mill Creek between Hartwell and Carthage
Remnants: none known
Description: Griffin’s Station was founded by Revolutionary War veteran Lieutenant Daniel Griffin (died c. 1794) who purchased what would become section 7 of Springfield Township in  July of 1792. According to most historians, the settlement was likely established in fall of 1793. Some of the other initial residents were Daniel’s brother Robert, Jacob and Daniel Vorhis (Vorhees), James McCashen, Daniel Seward, Robert Caldwell and 2 of his sons, Samuel and James. Cabins were constructed on both sides of Mill Creek. James Caldwell bought 348 acres of the southern portion of section 7 from Daniel Griffin. The Caldwell family subsequently built a grist mill, saw mill, and a distillery. They were destroyed in a flood in 1806. The exact location of Griffin’s Station (Caldwell) Cemetery, which was southwest of the GPS coordinates, has since been lost to time. It was stated in the 1881 county history book that the cemetery had been plowed over and the gravestones were all gone. The last marker left was Richard Dill’s who built the first brick house in Cincinnati. 

Miamme
Location: unknown
Description: It was a Native American village in the mid-1700s near the mouth of the Little Miami River prior to the settlement of Columbia.

Montauk (Armstrong Mill) (Milford Station) – City of Milford (formerly in Columbia Township)
Post Office: 1860 – 1861
Location: 39.170467, -84.299590
on US 50 (Wooster Pike) at the intersection of Ferry St
Remnants: former Baptist Church southeast of the GPS coordinates on the east side of Longworth St, old houses and business buildings in the area
Description: Nathaniel Armstrong (1749 – 1840) and Hannah (Norris) Armstrong (1743 – 1827) got married in 1769 in Maryland, had 11 children, and moved to Ohio in 1800 after living in Virginia for a couple of decades. Nathaniel built a grist mill which produced well-known flour and corn meal. Originally called Armstrong Mill, the town was platted in 1840 as Monatuk, to match the brand name of the flour, in anticipation of the arrival of the Little Miami Railroad. By the late 1860s, Montauk had a train station, the Baptist Church, a school, saw mill, saloon, blacksmith, and a small seminary. Descendants of Nathaniel and Hannah kept the mill in operation. The heyday of the 1880s increased the number of saloons to 3. Its sawmill turned into a busy lumber yard and planing mill. There was also a coal and lime yard and the old blacksmith shop was replaced with an updated wagon shop. Montauk didn’t grow nearly as fast as its rival on the other side of the Little Miami River though. It was annexed into Milford prior to 1900. By then, the Little Miami Railroad was purchased by the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad and what used to be Montauk went by the name of Milford Station. The former railroad track bed is now the Little Miami Scenic Trail, a 78-mile paved recreational path extending from Anderson Township to Springfield in Clark County. Nathaniel and Hannah Armstrong were laid to rest with relatives in Armstrong Chapel Cemetery 3 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Indian Hill Rd and Drake Rd. They donated the land for the church in 1830. Its brick structure was built in 1831 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. A much larger church at the opposite corner of the intersection, sparing the historic building, was completed in 2010. Other descendants of the massive Armstrong family, including many who lived in Montauk, can be found interred in Flag Spring Cemetery on Roundbottom Rd in Newtown and Greenlawn Cemetery on US 50 in Milford, both in Clermont County. 

Moscow – Delhi Township
Location: unknown
Description: Moscow was home to a glass works owned by Pugh & Teater prior to 1826, the first recorded industry of its kind in Hamilton County. The town was long gone before publication of the 1881 county history book. 

Mount Weller – Sycamore Township
Location: unknown
Description: The proprietors were from a branch of the Weller family which was also considered to be the founding family of Montgomery. Mount Weller was listed in The Ohio Gazetteer and Traveler’s Guide from 1837 – 1841 as a platted town, but it didn’t make it onto the 1847 county map. We couldn’t confirm the location as being on present-day Weller Rd.   

Pleasant Valley – Anderson Township
Post Office: 1878 – 1884
Location: unknown
Description: Olive L. Heltman (1861 – 1932) was the postmaster when the office was discontinued. She moved to Cincinnati and later relocated to Montgomery County. Heltman was her married surname. Olive was buried with relatives in Mount Zion Shoup Cemetery at the intersection of Indian Ripple Rd and Fairfield Rd in Beavercreek, Greene County.

Pleasant Valley Station – Springfield Township
Location: 39.248020 -84.470732
on SR 4 (Springfield Pike) at the intersection of Grove Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: This fortified town was established in the spring of 1794 by the same builders of Tucker’s Station as extra protection and for a sort of layover point for settlers heading further west. Lieutenant Luke Foster (born c. 1769 – 1857) lived in Pleasant Valley Station before purchasing his farm where the town of Foster Hill later sprang up. Neither of the stations ever had any conflicts with local Native Americans.

Salem – Anderson Township
Post Office: 1830 – 1846
Location: 39.075419 -84.391975
Remnants: Salem United Methodist Church and Cemetery in the southeast corner of the intersection, historical marker in front of the church, former one-room schoolhouse on the east side of the church
Description: The town was founded by Revolutionary War veteran Reverend Francis McCormick (1764 – 1836) from Virginia and Rebecca (Easton) McCormick (1767 – 1840). They moved to the area after Francis organized the first Methodist church in Ohio and in the Northwest Territory at Milford, Clermont County in 1805. Services in Salem were originally held in the McCormick home until a log church was built in 1810 on land donated by the McCormick family. It was also the town’s school and was replaced by a brick structure in 1828. The present wood frame church was constructed in 1863. It’s still in operation under the name of Salem Community Church. The former one-room schoolhouse (Anderson Township No. 5) next to the church was partially built with bricks from the 1828 church and is currently a preschool. The town’s post office was called Mears Farm. Thomas Mears (1787 – 1858) from England married Mary (McCormick) Mears (1796 – 1858), a daughter of Francis and Rebecca. They inherited most of the McCormick estate and one of their sons, Isaac Mears, was the first postmaster. The succeeding postmasters were Southwell Royes, Edwin A. Atlee, and John F. Stall. Francis and Rebecca, along with Thomas and Mary, were laid to rest with relatives and other pioneers from the area in Salem (Salem Methodist Episcopal) Cemetery. The town was never abandoned but lost its status of being one as it was absorbed by Mt. Washington.

Shaker Village (White Water Village) (Whitewater) – Crosby Township
Location: 39.302256, -84.749772
on Oxford Rd along Dry Fork Creek between Race Land Rd and New Haven
Remnants: upper village buildings on the west side of Oxford Rd at the GPS coordinates, lower village office with a historical marker and other buildings on both sides of Oxford Rd a mile south of the GPS coordinates, Shaker (Shaker Town) Cemetery and stone historical marker on the west side of Oxford Rd about 1/4 of a mile south of the Lower Village buildings
Description: It was established in 1823 by a group of 18 members of the United Society Of Believers (also known as Shakers) who moved to Crosby Township from New Lebanon, Montgomery County. The village increased with 40 more members in 1824. Brick and wood frame houses were quickly raised to accommodate them and more land was purchased as needed. A group of 70 Second Adventists from Cincinnati doubled the size of the Shaker society in 1846. It split into an upper and lower village by publication of the 1847 county map. The upper village just south of the township border has several buildings constructed from 1826 – 1849 which remain intact. The most prominent among them are the brick meeting house and large dwelling. The smaller buildings comprise of a wood house, milk house, Brethren’s Shop, ice house, chicken house, turkey coop, smoke house, and a stable with an attached wagon shed. A church and a saw mill in the upper village have since been lost to time. A wood frame office was built in the lower village in 1855 and is intact along with a couple of other buildings, including the carpenter shop built in 1853 on the north side of the office and a large broom shop build across the road in 1876. The lower village was also the location of a sorghum mill, blacksmith shop and a school which have all disappeared from the landscape. Although the membership numbers rose and fell several times during the remainder of the 1800s, the Shaker’s land holdings kept growing and reached a peak of 1,300 acres in the mid-1890s with about 60 members. From then on, the membership dwindled and the town was eventually disbanded. The land was sold off by the society leaders in Canterbury, New Hampshire and the last residents left Hamilton County’s Shaker Village in 1916. The buildings they left behind are impressive looking, to say the least, and almost seem to pop out of nowhere from the mostly rural landscape along that stretch of Oxford Rd. Burials in the cemetery just south of the lower village buildings date from 1827 – 1916. The Shaker Trace Trail is an 8-mile paved recreational path which loops around the lower village site. Parking is available in the Miami Whitewater Forest lot on Harbor Ridge Dr off of Mt Hope Rd on the south side of New Haven about 4 miles south of the GPS coordinates. The Friends of White Water Shaker Village, Inc. currently coordinates preservation efforts and events at the site.
Village Info – https://www.whitewatervillage.org/

Simonsons – Harrison Township (formerly in Crosby Township)
Location: 39.235228, -84.783221
on Kilby Rd at the intersection of Campbell Rd
Remnants: Roudebush Farm on the west side of Kilby Rd just north of the GPS coordinates, former one-room schoolhouse in the northwest corner of the intersection
Description: The town was founded by the Simonson family in the county who owned most of the land surrounding the GPS coordinates in the 1800s. Its former school in the northwest corner of the intersection is currently a private residence. We haven’t been able to find its construction date, but there was already a school at the location when the 1847 county map was published. Hamman H. Roudebush (1830 – 1914) from Pennsylvania and Emaline (Simonson) Roudebush (1841 – 1914) purchased a 68-acre farm from Emaline’s family in the late 1850s and built a small frame house. With the success of the farm, the house was extensively expanded with a brick structure and renovated in 1870 – 1875. The farm, including 9 acres containing the house, barn, and school, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The Simonson family donated land for a train station on the Whitewater Valley Railroad (later the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad) just west of the GPS coordinates on the south side of Campbell Rd. The Simonson and Roudebush families were laid to rest with many relatives in Glen Haven Cemetery about 3 miles northwest of town on New Biddinger Rd in the City of Harrison.

Snyder – Colerain Township
Post Office: 1891 – 1904
Location: 39.226734, -84.642792
on Springdale Rd at the intersection of Thompson Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Its proprietor, John Brunswick Hess (1849 – 1903), was born at sea on a ship called”Brunswick” while his parents were immigrating to the U.S. from Germany. John owned a tavern in the northeast corner of the intersection and was the town’s postmaster. His first wife, Christina (VonStein) Hess (1871 – 1895), passed away about a week after the birth of their only child. John remarried to one of her sisters, Amelia (VonStein) Hess (1868 – 1925), and had 2 more children. They were all buried with relatives in Spring Grove Cemetery on Spring Grove Ave in Cincinnati.

Hancock County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Alba – Liberty Township
Post Office: 1857 – 1864
Location: 41.058723, -83.708044
on US 224 at the intersection of Co Rd 139
Remnants: none known
Description: The proprietors were Samuel Renninger (1816 – 1892) from Cumberland County, Pennsylvania and Elizabeth Renninger (1822 – 1873) with Samuel being the postmaster. They moved to Findlay in 1863 and operated a hotel called the American House. Samuel chose John M. Moorhead (1836 – 1909) to take over the postmaster position, but John signed up with the Ohio Volunteer Infantry and joined the Civil War effort in 1864. The town had a school in the southwest corner of the intersection and a blacksmith shop on the south side of US 224 west of the GPS coordinates owned by the Metzler family. Samuel and Elizabeth had 2 children and were buried with relatives in Maple Grove Cemetery on SR 12 (W Main Cross St) in Findlay. John Moorhead survived the war and was also laid to rest with relatives in Maple Grove Cemetery.

Ashery – Amanda Township
Post Office: 1842 – 1858
Location: 40.985012, -83.527661
on Co Rd 173 along Stahl Ditch between Trail 190 (Township Rd 190) and Co Rd 193
Remnants: Van Horn Cemetery on Trail 190 at the intersection of Co Rd 169 a mile southwest of the GPS coordinates
Description: It was founded by Joseph Twining (1800 – 1859) and Mary (Livezy) Twining (1800 – 1877) who moved to Ohio from Pennsylvania and had a couple of children. Their son Joseph Twining Jr. (1834 – 1863) died from wounds received during battle in the Civil War. Joseph Sr. was the postmaster and a justice of the peace in Amanda Township. The Sandusky, Dayton, & Cincinnati Railroad rolled through the area not far northeast of town, but Ashery didn’t get a train station or an increase in residents from its existence. The tracks have since been removed and the former path can be seen on satellite maps. Joseph, Mary, and Joseph Jr. were buried with relatives in Van Horn Cemetery. There was a church at the cemetery and a blacksmith shop and school were on land owned by the Renshler family between the cemetery and Blanchard River. Almon Cone (1826 – 1903) from Oneida County, New York and Margaret (Long) Cone (1827 – 1892) owned a saw mill on the east side of Trail 190 south of the cemetery and were also buried there with relatives.

Beagle – Jackson Township
Post Office: 1894 – 1904
Location: 40.935636, -83.642473
on Co Rd 26 at the railroad crossing between US 68 and Township Rd 179
Remnants: Eagle Creek Church 1 mile east of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Co Rd 26 and Township Rd 179
Description: Beagle was a small farming town with a train station on the Toledo & Ohio Central Railroad. George T. Beagle (1849 – 1910) was the station attendant and postmaster. He also owned the Gay Hotel in Arlington. George was married twice, had several children, and was buried with relatives in Frontiers Repose (Houcktown) Cemetery on the east side of Co Rd 8 between Co Rd 26 and Jackson Township 37. Eagle Creek Church was constructed in the late 1860s and served the residents of Beagle. 

Big Lick – Biglick Township
Post Office: 1851 – 1865
Location: 41.034334, -83.460588
on Co Rd 7 between Trail 258 (Township Hwy 258) and Co Rd 264
Remnants: none known
Description: It was founded by Andrew Jackson Moore (1827 – 1897) from Beaver County, Pennsylvania and Nancy (Moore) Moore (1833 – 1915) from Ashland County, Ohio. After digging deeper into the genealogical records, their same last names appear to just be a coincidence. Andrew was the postmaster, a justice of the peace for 3 years, township school director, and held a few other public positions. The town itself didn’t have any notable businesses or buildings. Andrew and Nancy had 6 children and were buried with relatives in Union Cemetery north of the GPS coordinates on US 224 at the intersection of Trail 276 (Township Hwy 276).

Blanchard Bridge – Amanda Township
Post Office: 1840 – 1862
Location: 40.939552, -83.544073
on Co Rd 26 at the intersection of Trail 190 (Township Rd 190) along Blanchard River
Remnants: Siddall Cemetery on the west side of Trail 190 about a mile south of the GPS coordinates
Description: The proprietor Aquilla Gilbert (1803 – 1892) from York County, Pennsylvania was a justice of the peace, school teacher, served 2 terms as county commissioner, and was the postmaster. Aquilla was married 3 times and had 6 children and 4 stepchildren. He was buried with relatives in Van Horn Cemetery on Trail 190 at the intersection of Co Rd 169 north of town. Many residents were also buried in Siddall Cemetery which was established on land owned by the Siddall (Suddall) family. A grist mill owned by the Misamore family, where Trail 166 (Township Hwy 166) crossed Blanchard River north of the GPS coordinates, provided grain for residents of Ashery and Blanchard Bridge.

Cannonsburg (Cannonsburgh) – Union Township
Post Office: 1840 – 1902
Location: 40.914730, -83.784997
on Co Rd 12 at the intersection of Township Rd 34 along Ottawa Creek
Remnants: Cannonsburg Cemetery on the north side of Co Rd 24 west of Co Rd 12
Description: It was platted with 36 lots in 1839 by Benjamin Marshall (1791 – 1862), William McConnell (1799 – 1861), Franklin Ballard, and James C. Marshall. In its heyday the town had a general store, 2 grocery stores, 2 blacksmith shops, a hardware store, 2 churches, a hotel, wagon shop, doctor, and about 75 residents. The post office was called Cannonsburgh until 1894. Unfortunately, the town didn’t have a railroad or navigable waterway to attract a larger population and fell off of maps in the early 1900s. The known postmasters were Thompson C. Bartle, Horace P. Eaton, John Harmon, J. B. Firestone, Eli P. Leslie, H. Lee, James A. Combs, Jacob D. Buss, and George W. Mull. Many residents were buried in Cannonsburg Cemetery.

Capernaum – Amanda Township
Location: 40.991008, -83.462507
on Trail 175 (Township Rd 175) between SR 568 and SR 330
Remnants: abandoned house and barn in the southeast lot of the GPS coordinates
Description: Abraham Huff arrived in Amanda Township in 1825. He platted Capernaum in 1831 with 16 lots and named after the biblical city. None of the lots ever sold and the town was removed from county recording in 1862. However, the improved farms surrounding the plat remained. As with many former town sites in rural areas, most of the current residences on Trail 175 are in the exact same spots as they were when Capernaum existed and can be pinpointed on the old county maps. The mentioned abandoned house and barn near the GPS coordinates was owned by the Mull (Moll) family. Another outbuilding or two along the road might also date back to the Capernaum days.

Cass – Cass Township
Post Office: 1837 – 1867
Location: 41.149663, -83.568760
on SR 613 at the intersection of Co Rd 18
Remnants: Ark (Vickers) Cemetery 3 1/2 miles east of the GPS coordinates on the west side Township Rd 243 just south of SR 613
Description: It was founded by Daniel Fairchild (1790 – 1849) who was the first postmaster in the township. He also served as a school teacher, justice of the peace, and county commissioner for one term. Daniel was married and had a few children. James Vickers (1794 – 1867) and Sarah Vickers (1796 – 1881) built a saw mill in the late 1830s in the northeast lot of the intersection. They purchased the Fairchild farm and James took over the postmaster position until he passed away. There was also a Methodist Church on the Vickers farm in the northwest corner of the intersection. The original wood frame structure was constructed in 1844. It was replaced with a brick church in 1871. The town’s last school was on the north side of SR 618 east of the GPS coordinates. James, Sarah, and Daniel Fairchild were buried with relatives in Vickers Cemetery along with other early pioneers and residents.

Clements (Clement) (Swank) – Eagle and Jackson Township
Post Office: 1845 – 1866 and 1882 – 1884
Location: 40.957598, -83.650563
on US 68 at the intersection of Trail 40 (Township Hwy 40)
Remnants: Pleasant Grove United Brethren Church at the intersection of Co Rd 40 and Co Rd 75 next to Eagle Creek, Ellis Cemetery on the north side of Trail 40 east of the GPS coordinates, Bishop Cemetery on the west side of Trail 74 about 1 1/2 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates
Description: The original proprietors were Amos Crum (1803 – 1854) and Rebecca (Strouse) Crum Riggle (1810 – 1862) who arrived in the area in 1833 and had a few children. Amos was the first postmaster. Rebecca took on the position after he passed away and later remarried. The office moved back and forth between Eagle and Jackson township a few times over the years. John Swank (1816 – 1886) was the last postmaster of the Clement office and opened another one at his store called Swank. It ran from 1882 – 1884. He also owned a steam-powered saw mill in the northeast corner of the intersection and a blacksmith shop across the road in the southeast lot. Most of the residents attended Pleasant Grove United Brethren Church which first appeared in the 1875 atlas. The last school the town had was on the north side of Trail 40 just east of the GPS coordinates on land owned by Asa Ellis (1819 – 1904) and Maria Ellis (1823 – 1903). Amos, Rebecca, and John Swank were buried with relatives in Bishop Cemetery. Asa and Maria were buried with relatives in Ellis Cemetery.

Cordelia (Cordelta) – Orange Township
Post Office: 1883 – 1895
Location: 40.899428, -83.785711
on Co Rd 12 along Ottawa Creek at the former railroad crossing between SR 103 and Co Rd 24
Remnants: none known
Description: William McKinley (1824 – 1896), William Marshall (1815 – 1895), John Crates (1829 – 1887), and John Julerat platted Cordelia with 33 lots in 1883 on the Cleveland, Delphos, & St. Louis Railroad, later bought by the Northern Ohio Railway. The post office and a general store were in the train station. It was listed as Cordelta on some railroad maps. William McKinley was the postmaster and station attendant. He was also a justice of the peace for 18 years and served in the state legislature from 1874 – 1875. The McKinley and Marshall families were related by multiple marriages. Despite its position on a railroad, Cordelia never grew much. It still pops up on Google Maps at a residential area with no town or village. William McKinley was buried with relatives in Hasson Cemetery a little over 4 miles south of town on the east side of Township Rd 59 south of Riley Creek. William Marshall and John Crates were buried with relatives in Cannonsburg Cemetery on Co Rd 24 just west of Co Rd 12.  

Crow – Marion Township
Post Office: 1838 – 1841
Location: 41.036508, -83.592823
on SR 568 (Carey Rd) at the intersection of Co Rd 236 along Blanchard River
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by Daniel Opp who built a tavern near the GPS coordinates in the mid-1830s. Daniel was the postmaster and the office was discontinued when he passed away.

El Rose – Orange Township
Location: unknown
Description: El Rose had a train station between Cordelia and Langan on the Northern Ohio Railway. The stations at El Rose and Cordelia were still in operation in 1910 and were mentioned in the county history book published that year. It was also mentioned that neither of them received much business at the time.

Elm Grove (Lye Creek) – Marion Township 
Post Office: 1850 – 1867
Location: 41.000130, -83.588163
on SR 37 at the intersection of Trail 234 along Lye Creek
Remnants: Elm Grove Cemetery at the GPS coordinates
Description: Charles Hallowell (1811 – 1875) from Chester County, Pennsylvania was the town’s first postmaster. The name of the office changed to Lye Creek in 1865. Henry Snyder (1837 – 1935) was a farmer, school teacher, and the last postmaster. Elm Grove had a United Brethren Church north of the GPS coordinates in the northeast corner of the intersection of Trail 234 and Co Rd 205. The current church across the road in the northwest corner was built after the town’s existence ended. Charles and Henry were buried with relatives in Elm Grove Cemetery. 

Ewings Corners (Ewing) – Jackson Township
Post Office: 1863 – 1872
Location: 40.957044, -83.574760
on SR 37 at the intersection of Trail 166 (Township Hwy 166)
Remnants: Salem Church and Cemetery just north of the intersection on SR 37
Description: The town was founded by Jesse Ewing (1807 – 1872 and Hannah (Homrighous) Ewing (1812 – 1906). They moved to Hancock County from Fairfield County. Jesse established the post office and held the postmaster position until he passed away. The church served a United Brethren Congregation and appears to have been closed for several decades now. John and Hannah were buried with relatives in the cemetery.

Frankford – Cass Township
Location: 41.148162, -83.578765
Remnants: none known
Description: War of 1812 veteran John Franks Sr. (1786 – 1890) from Fayette County, Pennsylvania platted Frankford with 72 lots in 1833. None of the lots sold and the the idea was quickly forgotten. John escaped a British prison camp with some of his fellow soldiers during the war. He owned 2,600 acres of land and lived to the ripe old age of 104. John was married twice and had 13 children. He was buried with relatives in Bechtel Cemetery 3 miles west of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 613 and Township Rd 239 in Allen Township. 

Freedom – Biglick Township
Location: 41.023153, -83.520447
on Township Rd 251 between Marion Township Rd 207 and Co Rd 7
Remnants: none known
Description: It was platted in 1836 with 48 lots by Uriah E. Drake (1809 – 1863) from Fairfield County. None of the lots sold and Uriah later moved out of Ohio. Despite his age at the time, Uriah enlisted to serve in the Illinois 113th Infantry Regiment during the Civil War along with his son John Richard Drake (b. 1840). The circumstances surrounding the matter are unknown, but Uriah died just 2 days after mustering out for potential battle. He was buried with relatives, including his wife Margaret (Jaqua) Drake (1810 – 1880) in Sanders Cemetery on the north side of W 205 Ave between US 41 (Wicker Ave) and Austin St in Lake County, Indiana. 

Hassan (Hasson) – Orange and Van Buren Township
Post Office: 1858 – 1901
Location: 40.852228, -83.766400
on Township Rd 59 along Riley Creek between Trail 27 (Orange Township Rd 27) and Trail 28 (Township Rd 28)
Remnants: Hasson (Riley Creek) Cemetery at the GPS coordinates
Description: The town was founded by John Hasson (1788 – 1877) from Mifflin County, Pennsylvania and Elizabeth (Roberts) Hasson (1790 – 1879) from Connecticut. They settled in the area in 1836, had 7 children, and a 160-acre farm on the west side of Township Rd 59 across from the cemetery. Jackson Curry (1816 – 1875) and Rachel (Spriggs) Curry (1819 – 1895) owned a farm on the east side of Township Rd 59, which included most of the cemetery land except for a small portion owned by the Hasson family, and had a brick yard at the southeast corner of the cemetery. A steam-powered saw mill operated by the Williams family was in the southwest lot of the intersection of Township Rd 59 and Township Rd 28. James Morrison (1823 – 1900) was the first postmaster and many others succeeded him, including a couple members of the Hassan family. The town also had several local churches and schools on its outskirts. Everyone mentioned in this listing was buried in Hasson Cemetery.

Huber – Marion Township
Post Office: 1881 – 1901
Location: unknown
Description: Huber was on the Big Four Railroad (Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis) between Findlay and Vanlue. It was named after the Huber family in the township and was listed on the Ohio map in the 1901 George Cram atlas.

Jamestown – Amanda Township
Location: 40.911898, -83.537383
on Trail 191 (Township Rd 191) at the intersection of Co Rd 160 along Potato Run
Remnants: none known
Description: It was platted with 24 lots in 1835 by Henry Sockrider (1816 – 1908) and George James. The town appears to have suffered the same fate as Frankford and Freedom. Henry Sockrider was buried with relatives in Krout Cemetery just west of the GPS coordinates on SR 37 between North St and SR 103 in Jackson Township.

Lafayette (La Fayette) – Portage Township
Location: 41.131415, -83.695121
on SR 613 between Co Rd 139 and Co Rd 140
Remnants: none known
Description: The 1830s was apparently a tough decade for laying out towns in the county. Lafayette was platted by Jacob Andre Jr. (1817 – 1895) from Luzerne County, Pennsylvania with 72 lots in 1837. It was vacated by order of court in 1839, likely due to failure to pay the land debt. Jacob went on to lead a successful life in and was buried with relatives in West Jefferson Cemetery on SR 15 between Williams County Rd K and US Hwy 20A (SR 107) in Williams County.  

Langan – Orange Township
Location: unknown
Description: Langan had a short lived train station west of El Rose on the Northern Ohio Railway. 

Lewisville (Louisville) – Blanchard Township
Location: 41.051381, -83.789476
on US 224 at the intersection of SR 235
Remnants: none known
Description: Lewisville was platted with 40 lots in 1851 by William Powell (1813 – 1894) from Fairfield County, David Millham (b. 1795) from England, and Michael Shearer. Just a few of the lots sold. The town had 3 residences, a school on the west side of SR 235 north of the intersection, a blacksmith shop in the southeast lot of the intersection, and a general store owned by John Boylan (1805 – 1883) and Margaret (Cayton) Boylan (1807 – 1892) from Pennsylvania. The plat was vacated in 1880 and the land returned to its previous agricultural uses. The Boylan family later moved to Iowa. William Powell was buried with relatives in Benton Ridge Cemetery 4 miles south of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 12 and Jackson St.  

Marion – Marion Township
Location: unknown
Description: It was on the Lake Erie & Western Railroad between Findlay and Arcadia.

Martinstown (Martins Town) – Eagle, Jackson, and Madison Township
Post Office: 1837 – 1846
Location: 40.906617, -83.650857
on US 68 (N Main St) at the intersection of Co Rd 24 (Fellowship Dr)
Remnants: none known
Description: It was platted in 1836 by Martin Hollabaugh who opened up a general store in the vicinity and passed away the following year. The post office stayed in business for about a decade though and the town barely made it onto the 1863 county map. It faded into oblivion shortly after that.

Marvins Mill – Marion Township
Post Office: 1841 – 1849
Location: 41.036508, -83.592823
on SR 568 (Carey Rd) at the intersection of Co Rd 236 along Blanchard River (same location as Crow)
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by William Marvin (1798 – 1880) and Mabel (Roberts) Marvin (1799 – 1852). They were married in Pennsylvania in 1818, moved to Ohio in 1823, and had a several children. After living in Wayne county for 11 years, the Marvin family moved to Hancock county in 1834. During their first winter in Hancock, they resided with the family of William’s brother Mathias, 17 people in a 20 square feet cabin. The following year, William’s family built their own cabin, a water-powered grist and saw mill on the north side of Blanchard River, and the first school in the township in 1836. There was also a Methodist church in the northeast lot of the GPS coordinates. The Marvin family sold their mill to William Gillespie, who later moved to Kansas, and moved their own operation a half mile east along Blanchard River. They built another grist mill, saw mill, a distillery, and William operated a tavern and inn at his residence. He married Deborah (Gorrell) Marvin (1813 – 1880) after Mabel passed away and had several more children, totaling 16 in all. Between his children, grandchildren, and 2 generations of great-grandchildren, it was stated that William had no less than 350 descendants at the time of his death. He was buried with many relatives in Maple Grove Cemetery on SR 12 (W Main Cross St) in Findlay.  

Moffitt – Blanchard Township
Post Office: 1895 – 1917
Location: 41.022296, -83.846945
on Co Rd 53 between Co Rd 86 and Township Rd 20 along Moffitt Ditch
Remnants: none known
Description: It was named after the Moffitt family who owned a substantial amount of land in the western portion of the township and had a stop on the American Midland Railroad. Demetrius Moffitt (1843 – 1903) and one of his cousins Curtis Moffitt (1849 – 1916) owned the land in the vicinity of the train stop during the time the post office was in operation. However, the town’s existence was more due to their parents, aunts, and uncles earlier initiative. Thomas (1801 – 1885), William (1819 – 1884), and John Moffitt (1819 – 1896) settled in the area along with their widowed mother Sarah Moffitt (1783 – 1865) in the earlier 1800s. Thomas sold his land to William and John and moved to Iowa. Most of the family was buried in Dukes Cemetery a few miles north of town on the south side of US 224 between Township Rd 120 and Township Rd 123. Demetrius was buried with relatives in Benton Ridge Cemetery at the intersection of SR 12 and Jackson St.

North Ridgeville (North Ridge) (Pickens Corners) (Pickensville) – Pleasant Township
Post Office: 1861 – 1869
Location: 41.134285, -83.861298
on Co Rd 203 at the intersection of Co Rd 117 along West Creek (formerly called Beaver Creek)
Remnants: none known
Description: It was platted by Thomas Pickens (1792 – 1848) with 24 lots in 1850. He owned a steam-powered saw mill next to West Creek on the north side of SR 203. Ones of his sons, Benjamin Pickens (1833 – 1911), was the first postmaster and temporarily left town to serve in the Civil War. Lemuel Mow took over the position for the remainder of its existence. The office was called North Ridge because there was already a North Ridgeville post office in Lorain County. Thomas and Benjamin were buried with relatives in McComb Union Cemetery about 6 miles southeast of town on SR 613 (W Main St) on the west side of McComb. Unfortunately, the genealogical records we found on who the wife of Thomas was appear to be incorrect.

Olney – Pleasant Township
Location: 41.131591, -83.821166
on Co Rd 203 between Township Rd 119 and Township Rd 123 where Deweyville presently sits
Remnants: none known
Description: So, it appears we have yet a couple more towns from the 1830s to go though that didn’t make. Olney was platted with 40 lots in 1837 by Isaac Fairchild (1785 – 1878) and Amy (Sprague) Fairchild. They moved to Ohio from New Jersey, had a few children, and one of their daughters married into the Pickens family. None of the lots in Olney sold. Ironically, Deweyville was also platted on the same spot with 40 lots in 1880. Despite the failures of many 1830s towns in the county, they in no way reflects anything about what the founders did with the rest of their lives. After all, platting a town and convincing residents to move there is one of the toughest things anyone could every attempt to do. Isaac and Amy were buried with relatives in McComb Cemetery on SR 613 (W Main St) on the west side of McComb. 

Reed’s Corners – Orange Township
Location: 40.834005, -83.785531
on Co Rd 304 at the intersection of Co Rd 12
Remnants: former one-room schoolhouse on the west side of Co Rd 12 north of the GPS coordinates
Description: The town was founded by James Reed (1810 – 1860) and Susan Reed (1820 – 1857). They arrived from eastern Ohio in 1837 and built the first frame house in the township. James served as justice of the peace for 4 terms. The town had a German Reformed Church on the south side of Co Rd 304 west of the GPS coordinates. Its first school was in the southwest corner of the intersection. The last school, which still stands the test of time, first appeared in the 1875 county atlas on land owned by the Binkley family. Reed’s Corners was mentioned in the 1886 county history book, but its day were numbered and the town didn’t make it into the 1900s. James and Susan were buried with relatives in Pleasant Hill Cemetery on Allen Twp 109 between Co Rd 139 and Co Rd 140 in Portage Township.

Waterloo – Madison Township
Location: 40.884828, -83.651095
on US 68 at the intersection of Waterloo Dr
Remnants: none known
Description: John Diller (d. 1852) and Catherine Diller were both born in Pennsylvania and made the journey to Ohio from New York in 1828. They opened up the first tavern and hotel in the township which comprised of 2 log cabins. It was on the east of the GPS coordinates and was called The Cross Keys. Catherine died about 5 years later and John eventually moved out of the county.

Weidlers – Marion Township
Location: 41.073979, -83.591365
on the railroad tracks between Co Rd 236 and Township Rd 212
Remnants: none known
Description: It had a train station on the Lake Erie & Western Railroad, owned by the New York Central Railroad at the time, and was on land owned by Barbara Weidler. The tracks are reportedly haunted by the ghost of a train conductor, James Welsh, who was beheaded after falling off a moving train in the late 1800s.

West Union – Madison Township, Hancock County and Washington and Blanchard Township, Hardin County
Location: 40.819480, -83.651423
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was platted with 48 lots in 1834 – 1835 by Andrew Sheller. None of the lots were sold or improved. 

Willow Creek – Eagle Township
Location: 40.983136, -83.730922
on Co Rd 313 between Trail 48 and the 4-way intersection of SR 698 and Eagle Twp 10 along Tiderishi Creek
Remnants: Powell Cemetery on SR 689 at the intersection of Trail 48
Description: Willow Creek had a flag stop (trains would stop if signaled) on the Lake Erie & Western Railroad. Jacob Powell (1807 – 1893) from Mifflin County, Pennsylvania and Mary (Hart) Powell had a few children, a large farm, and owned a saw mill next to Tiderishi Creek built by Jacob in 1835. It was originally water-powered, was later converted to steam, and sat next to the train stop. They also donated land for a log school in 1838. It was replaced with a frame structure in the mid-1800s, and a brick school in the northwest corner of the intersection of Trail 48 and Trail 60 that was listed on the 1875 county atlas. The town also had a church on the north side of Trail 48 across from the cemetery. Jacob served 6 terms as a justice of the peace. There are presently 100 Powell ancestors with documented interments in the cemetery, including Jacob and Mary, and it continues to accept new burials. The most recent Powell descendant, Reverend Dick Allen Powell, was laid to rest there in 2016.

Wineland – Cass Township
Post Office: 1883 – 1900
Location: 41.109188, -83.592997
on Co Rd 216 at the intersection of Co Rd 236
Remnants: none known
Description: It was along the New York, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad and was named after members of the Wineland family who owned land along the tracks. Cyrus Stacy (1853 – 1920) from Mahoning County was the town’s postmaster. He was buried with relatives in Arcadia Cemetery about 4 1/2 miles east of Wineland on SR 12 (Fremont St) in Arcadia in Washington Township.

Hardin County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Blocktown – Washington Township
Post Office: dates not listed
Location: 40.746944, -83.690603 
on Locker Rd (Co Rd 60) at the intersection of Co Rd 115
Remnants: St. John’s Lutheran Church at the GPS coordinates, old and abandoned houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: The town was founded in 1877 by German immigrants Charles Block (1841 – 1899) and Elizabeth Block (1843 – 1911). They owned a general store and a blacksmith shop in the northwest corner of the intersection, and a saw mill and cider mill in the northeast lot of the intersection. Charles was also the town’s postmaster and the family’s enterprises employed many local residents. The 58-acre lot with the mills was sold to German immigrant William Beach (1844 – 1916) and Anna (Barcet) Beach prior to publication of the 1879 county atlas. There were 2 local one-room schoolhouses, Washington Township No. 4 on the east side of Township Rd 105 just north of Locker Rd and Washington Township No. 3 in the northeast corner of the intersection of Locker Rd and Kaylor Rd (Township Rd 125). St. John’s Lutheran Church was organized in the early 1850s. Their first church was a wood frame structure in the southeast corner of Locker Rd and Township Rd 105, built in 1873 at a cost of $1,600. It was later replaced by the present brick structure when the congregation needed a larger building. There isn’t a ton of abandoned farmhouses in the area, but those that remain aren’t worth fixing up, or spending any money to get rid of them for that matter. They will soon be lost to time and nature anyway, and it’s neat they are tied to the ghost town. The other old houses in the area which are still in use are well-maintained. William and Anna Beach were laid to rest with relatives and other resident of Blocktown in Dola Cemetery 3 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates on the north side of SR 81. The Block family moved out of the state and Blocktown faded into obscurity in the early 1900s. Charles and Elizabeth had 5 children and were buried with relatives in Oak Ridge Cemetery on College Ave in Kennett in Dunklin County, Missouri.

Geneva – Blanchard Township
Location: 40.782956, -83.641832 
on US 68 at the intersection of SR 81 (Geneva St)
Remnants: none known
Description: Geneva never made it past the proposal stage. When the Pennsylvania Railroad was being built through the township, the future village site was moved north to the tracks instead of leaving it at the area’s main crossroads which were basically heading for economic obsoletion. It was a good move and the timing of it all couldn’t have been better. As seen in other places around the state, Geneva likely would have failed. Dunkirk was platted at the tracks in 1852 by Hugh Miller (1807 – 1890) from Virginia and named by him after Dunkirk, New York. Hugh was buried with relatives in Dunkirk Cemetery 1/2 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates on the west side of US 68.

Grange – Lynn Township
Location: 40.629353, -83.682678   
on Lynn Valley Pike (Co Rd 115) at the intersection of Co Rd 150
Remnants: former one-room schoolhouse in the southwest corner of the intersection, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: It had a grange hall on the north side of the GPS coordinates, Lynn Valley Grange No. 581, and the one-room schoolhouse (Lynn Township No. 1). The grange hall was built on land owned by Civil War veteran Henry G. Wolgamot (1847 – 1922) from Holmes County and Mary (Siegel) Wolgamot (1856 – 1891). Henry had at least 7 children with Mary and remarried after she passed away. They were buried with relatives in Grove Cemetery about 7 miles east of town on the north side of SR 309 in Kenton. Some other residents were buried in Norman Cemetery 3 miles south of the GPS coordinates on the west side of Co Rd 115.

Marshs (Marshes) – Dudley Township
Location: 40.558945, -83.441590   
on Co Rd 245 at the railroad crossing between Co Rd 202 and Township Rd 230
Remnants: none known
Description: It was on the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad (Big Four Railroad) and was listed on the Ohio map in the 1901 George Cram atlas. There was a school (Dudley Township No. 10) about a mile northeast of the GPS coordinates on the north side of Co Rd 202.

McDonald – McDonald Township
Post Office: 1852 – 1873
Location: unknown
Description: The town was named after the McDonald family in the county descended from William McDonald who the township was named after. Residents were buried in McDonald Fairview (Harvey) Cemetery on SR 67 at the intersection of Dodds Rd (Township Rd 65). The postmasters were J. N. Abston, James Harvey, and Enoch Harvey.

McGoldricks Town – Cessna Township
Location: unknown
Description: Its proprietors Thomas McGoldrick (1793 – 1850) and Jane (Leedom) McGoldrick (1803 – 1872) moved to Hardin County from Pennsylvania in 1832 and had 13 children. Thomas platted the town in section 25 of Cessna Township in 1833. It never grew any and they moved out of the state after a few years. Thomas and Jane were buried with most of their immediate family in Glenwood (IOOF) Cemetery on State Hwy 202 in Schuyler County, Missouri. 

Peru – Cessna and Pleasant Township
Location: 40.717474, -83.653223   
on Co Rd 135 at the intersection of Hensel Rd (Township Rd 80)
Remnants: Cessna Cemetery on the north side of Hensel Rd 1/3 of a mile west of the GPS coordinates
Description: Peru was platted with 90 lots and a public square in 1836 by Charles Cessna (1784 – 1864) who was born in Pennsylvania and arrived in the township later named after him with some family members around 1830. The town had a store and a few houses, but it couldn’t compete with Huntersville or Kenton at the time. A couple of lots were purchased by the governor of Rhode Island. He didn’t moved to Ohio though or make any improvements on the land. Another 2 lots were purchased by a man from New York who checked out the land, left because of the harsh wilderness it was back then, and never returned. Charles was buried with relatives in Cessna Cemetery.

Saint Michaels – Goshen Township
Location: 40.643108, -83.472328   
on SR 309 at the intersection of Co Rd 265
Remnants: none known
Description: It was platted in 1836 with 125 lots.

West Union –  Blanchard and Washington Township, Hardin County and Madison Township, Hancock County
Location: 40.819480, -83.651423
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was platted with 48 lots in 1834 – 1835 by Andrew Sheller. None of the lots were sold or improved.

Harrison County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Brownsville – Franklin Township
Location: 40.318318, -81.214460
on Moravian Trail Rd (County Hwy 2) at the intersection of Barber Hill Rd (County Hwy 56)
Remnants: Brownsville Christian Church at the GPS coordinates
Description: The town was platted in 1815 by Revolutionary War veteran Absolam Kent (1752 – 1839) and Tabitha (Hunter) Kent (1752 – 1839), naming it after Brownsville in Fayette County, Pennsylvania where their family previously lived. Brownsville in Harrison County was mostly a farming and livestock raising town. It had a school where the church now stands. The church was moved from Tappan in 1941 after the construction of Tappan Lake began and continues to operate. Absolam and Tabitha were buried with relatives and other early pioneers in Spiker Cemetery on the east side of Wallace Rd in Stock Township.

Clendening (Clendening Cross Roads) – Nottingham Township
Post Office: 1889 – 1902
Location: 40.252531, -81.214047
on Adams Rd (Township Hwy 303) at the intersection of Simpson Rd (Township Hwy 311)
Remnants: none known
Description: The original proprietors were Irish immigrant William Clendening (1789 – 1867) and Elizabeth (Birney) Clendening (1813 – 1885). They married in 1833 in Jefferson County, had 6 children, and moved to a 240-acre farm in Harrison County in 1844. One of their sons, Israel B. Clendening (1837 – 1915) and his wife Sarah (Wagers) Clendening (1836 – 1909), inherited the land and had 8 children. They moved to Freeport in 1895, leaving the old farm to their son Denver Clendening (1875 – 1939), who took the town in to the 1900s and carried on the family tradition of farming and livestock raising. However, Clendening never grew beyond the cluster of houses surrounding the GPS coordinates. It’s currently the location of Fort Steuben Scout Reservation, a summer camp for Boy Scouts.

Conway – Archer and Green Township
Location: 40.307403, -80.973698
on Bakers Ridge Rd (Co Hwy 51) at the railroad track crossing at the intersection of Mattern Rd
Remnants: Mattern Cemetery on the south of Mattern Rd in the woods on the south side of the railroad tracks about 100 feet wast of Bakers Ridge Rd
Description: It was a coal mining town on the Cadiz Branch of the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad in the late 1800s to early 1900s with a school in the northwest lot of the intersection. M. Conway owned the land where the school was and another lot on the south side of the railroad tracks. Mattern Cemetery predates Conway being a town and was established in 1822. Some members of the Hall, Mattern, McCabe, Ross, and Tipton families have recorded burials there.

Enfield – Cadiz and Stock Township
Post Office: 1884 – 1907
Location: 40.294090, -81.062575
on US 250 (Cadiz – Dennison Rd) between Barger Rd (County Hwy 49) and Chapel Hill Rd (Township Hwy 315) along Standingstone Fork
Remnants: Hines (Monrovian Ridge) Cemetery south of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Deersville Ridge Rd and Arnold Rd (Township Hwy 320), old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description:  Enfield was a small farming and postal town with a saw mill and a population of 50 in 1900. H. H. Finical was the first known postmaster. The last known postmaster was August Specht (1841 – 1905). The Specht surname is of German origin and appears to have been modernized to Speck. August was buried with relatives 5 miles southeast of town in Cadiz Union Cemetery on Charleston St in Cadiz. Some of Enfield’s other residents were laid to rest in Hines Cemetery. Most of the current buildings in the vicinity date back to the ghost town’s heyday.

Fisher
Location: unknown
Description: It was founded by a branch of the Fisher family in the county.

Ginther – Green and Short Creek Township
Post Office: 1903 – 1908
Location: 40.239370, -80.903505
on Lamborn Rd (Township Hwy 72) between Springdale Hill Rd and Unionvale Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Ginther had mines owned by The Pittsburgh Block Coal Company in the early 1900s. The area later became Kenwood, which had a post office from 1910 – 1919 and is still a populated place.

Halls (Folk) (Folks Station) – German Township
Post Office: 1882 – 1910
Location: 40.331603, -80.944233
on SR 151 (Jewett Hopedale Rd) between Cadiz – Amsterdam Rd (Co Hwy 51) and Nemeth Rd (Township Hwy 552)
Remnants: none known
Description: The town had a few coal mines and a stone quarry on land owned by the Hall family. Its train station at the junction of the Cadiz Branch of the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad and the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad was named after a branch of the Folks family in the county. W. C. Gallaher was the first postmaster. Augusta B. Snyder was the last known postmaster. Many residents were buried in Bethel Cemetery a mile north of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 151 and Bakers Ridge Rd (Co Hwy 51).

Hattonia – Nottingham Township
Post Office: 1882 – 1903
Location: 40.286307, -81.126299
on Ourant Rd between Deersville Ridge Rd and Harris Rd (Township Hwy 327)
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: This small farming town had a combined church and school on the west side of Ourant Rd near the GPS coordinates. The road was named after the family of Washington Ourant  (1808 – 1884) from Columbiana County and Mary (Martin) Ourant (1808 – 1866). They had 8 children and Washington was a hat maker and farmer. He remarried after Mary passed away. Washington and Mary were buried with relatives in Hines (Monrovian Ridge) Cemetery about 4 1/2 miles east of town at the intersection of Deersville Ridge Rd and Arnold Rd (Township Hwy 320). Lindley Lewis Barrett (1850 – 1901) was the first postmaster. He was buried with relatives 4 miles southeast of town in Lees Run Cemetery on the east side of Lees Run Rd. Emerson P. Hines was the last postmaster. 

Hellers Cross Roads – Monroe Township
Post Office: 1853 – 1857
Location: 40.407515, -81.201710
on Gundy Ridge Rd (County Hwy 44) at the intersection of Plum Run Rd along Plum Run
Remnants: Heller Cemetery on private property on the west side of Gundy Ridge Rd about 1/4 of a mile north of the GPS coordinates
Description: The proprietors were pioneers Henry Bowen Heller (1817 – 1881) from Greene County, Pennsylvania and Mary Anne (Weyandt) Heller (1816 – 1874) from Maryland. Henry was just a few months old when his parents made their journey to Ohio. He was a stone mason, an artillery captain in the state militia, and became a farmer later in life. Henry was also a land appraiser, township trustee, and the town’s postmaster. Hellers Cross Roads had a school, which was its only public building, about a mile northeast of the GPS coordinates on land donated by the Heller family. It was in the lot in the northeast corner of the intersection of Plum Run Rd and Hickory Rd (Township Hwy 216). Henry and Mary Anne had 7 children and were buried with relatives in Heller Cemetery, established on their original 67-acre farm. An engraving of their farm and residence, called Oakland Cottage, was included in the 1875 county atlas.

Laceyville – Stock Township, Harrison County
Post Office: 1850 – 1907
Location: 40.322099, -81.131677
on US 250 (Cadiz – Dennison Rd) at the intersection of Lower Clearfork Rd (County Hwy 22) along Tappan Lake
Remnants: historical marker about 1/3 mile southeast of the GPS coordinates in a gravel lot on the north side of Tappan Lake
Description: Laceyville was founded by War of 1812 veteran Major John Stinson Lacey (1793 – 1873) from Sussex County, Delaware and Anna (Hoyt) Lacey (1802 – 1885) from New York. They married in Ohio in 1820 and had 9 children. John served as sheriff and treasurer of Harrison County. After living in Cadiz for a couple of decades, John and Anna moved to Stock Township and built a new house in 1842. They operated a hotel and tavern which became an important stagecoach stop. The town grew around the the hotel and had a general store, school, blacksmith shop, and a shoe shop, along with a few other small businesses over the years. It also had a baseball team that competed with other teams around the region. The first postmaster was one of John and Anna’s sons, Civil War veteran Captain Robert Stinson Lacey (1832 – 1915). He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Another one of John and Anna’s sons, Civil War veteran Major Henry Brush Lacey (1828 – 1902), operated the hotel for several years after his father retired. Aside from some nice farms remaining in the area and the old hotel, Laceyville had nearly disappeared by the time construction of Tappan Lake began in 1935. Much of its land was submerged by the waters in 1938. The hotel was demolished in the early 1940s. John and Anna were buried with relatives, including Henry, in Pleasant Valley Cemetery about 1 1/2 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates on the east side of US 250.

Limestone – Green Township
Location: unknown
Description: It was between Conway and Halls (Folks Station) on the Cadiz Branch of the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad.

Moraville – Cadiz Township
Post Office: 1896 – 1903
Location: 40.285299, -81.084301
on Deersville Ridge Rd at the intersection of Chapel Hill Rd (Township Hwy 315)
Remnants: Asbury Chapel in the northeast lot of the intersection
Description: The proprietors were members of the Keesey family who donated land for Asbury Chapel which was built in the mid-1870s. James Keesey (1821 – 1884) and Margaret (Layport) Keesey (1826 – 1894) were the patriarch and matriarch. They married in 1846 and had 12 children. One of their sons, John Keesey (1852 – 1931), was the postmaster. The town also had a school on the west side of Kanoski Rd. The Keesey family was buried in Hines Cemetery a mile east of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Deersville Ridge Rd and Arnold Rd (Township Hwy 320). 

Newtown – Short Creek Township
Location: 40.203425, -80.908034
on US 250 (Cadiz – Harrisville Rd) at the intersection of Georgetown – Adena Rd (County Hwy 41) along South Fork Short Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: Newtown lost a mid-1800s battle for the area’s dominance to Georgetown. It was last spotted in the 1875 county atlas and didn’t make it into the 1900s.

Nottingham – Moorefield Township
Post Office: 1851 – 1862
Location: 40.207710, -81.119050
on US 22 (Cadiz – Piedmont Rd) at the intersection of Nottingham – Holloway Rd
Remnants: Nottingham Presbyterian Church in the southeast lot of the intersection, Nottingham Cemetery on the west side of Nottingham – Holloway Rd south of the GPS coordinates
Description: It was another small farming and postal town. The first known postmaster was Joel Martin Johnson (1822 – 1881). He was buried with relatives in Minksville Cemetery 6 miles north of the GPS coordinates in Minksville Cemetery on the east side of Minksville Rd in Nottinham Township. James K. Ourant (1833 – 1905) was the last postmaster. James was laid to rest with his wife about 10 miles northeast of town in Cadiz Union Cemetery on Charleston St in Cadiz. Construction of Nottingham Presbyterian Church was completed in 1861 and was honored with an engraving on page 74 of the 1875 county atlas. It’s in amazing shape for a wood frame structure of that age.

Pennsville (Center Unity) – German Township
Location: 40.363873, -80.949137
on Cadiz – Amsterdam Rd (Co Hwy 51) at the intersection of Braddock Rd (Township Hwy 173)
Remnants: Center Unity Presbyterian Church and Cemetery on Cadiz – Amsterdam Rd 1/4 of a mile north of the GPS coordinates, Center Unity School on the south side of the church across Center Unity Rd
Description: The town was platted by Joseph H. Penn (1813 – 1881) from England and Jane (Hamilton) Penn (1813 – 1878) from Pennsylvania. They got married in 1834 and had 10 children. It’s unknown if the lots in Pennsville ever sold, or if any attempt was ever made to actually sell them, despite having a good location along the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad. There’s no record of the place in the county history books. Pennsville didn’t make it onto any maps we have access to either. In any case, some semblance of a town did pop up 1/4 of a mile north of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Cadiz – Amsterdam Rd and Cadiz Junction Rd where it meets Center Unity Rd at the farm of William Tipton (1810 – 1892) from Pennsylvania and Jane (McKiterick) Tipton (1816 – 1893). They got married in 1839 and had 10 children. William and Jane donated land for Center Unity Presbyterian Church built in 1868, its accompanying cemetery across the road, and a school (German Township No. 5) on the south side of the church. The church and school still stand at the intersection. Everyone mentioned in this listing was buried in the cemetery.  

Pleasant Valley (Smithdale) – Stock Township
Post Office: 1894 – 1910
Location: 40.330700, -81.150926
on US 250 (Cadiz – Dennison Rd) between SR 646 (Tappan – Scio Rd) and Buxton Rd (Township Hwy 210) along Tappan Lake
Remnants: Pleasant Valley Church and Cemetery at the GPS coordinates, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Pleasant Valley Methodist Episcopal Church was constructed on land owned by Major John Stinson Lacey (1793 – 1873) from Sussex County, Delaware and Anna (Hoyt) Lacey (1802 – 1885) from New York who founded Laceyville. A farming town formed around the church and the first burial in the cemetery was Daniel Smith (1774 – 1856) from Maryland. He married Elizabeth (Perrigo) Smith (1781 – 1866) in 1801. They had 10 children and moved to Stock Township in 1821. The town was called Pleasant Valley until the later 1800s when the Smith family became the most prominent in the vicinity. A post office was established at the intersection of US 250 and Buxton Rd (Township Hwy 210) and turned into the center of town. John H. Henderson (1872 – 1946) ran a general store in Smithdale and was the last postmaster from 1905 until it closed. He married Anna (Buxton) Henderson (1878 – 1968) and later moved to Tuscarawas County. They had 3 children and were buried with relatives in Evergreen Burial Park on Delaware Dr SE in New Philadelphia. The Buxtons are also related to the Smiths by marriage and continue to operate a farm at the old Smithdale intersection.

Stacy – Archer Township
Post Office: 1898 – 1903
Location: 40.327530, -81.054514
on Lower Clearfork Rd (County Hwy 22) at the intersection of Barger Rd (County Hwy 49) along Clear Fork
Remnants: none known
Description: It was a farming and coal mining town. Laura Emma (Sult) Adams from Indiana was the postmaster. She married Samuel Ellsworth Adams (1862 – 1934) and they later moved out of the state. The Adams family owned much of the land on the north side of Clearfork Rd and opened up some coal mines in the area. Laura and Samuel were buried with relatives in Great Bend Cemetery on Broadway Ave in Great Bend in Barton County, Kansas.

Tappan – Franklin Township, Harrison County
Post Office: 1840 – 1939
Location: 40.356972, -81.209802
on US 250 (Cadiz – Dennison Rd) at the intersection of Mill Hill Rd (Township Hwy 215)
Remnants: historical marker about 1/4 of a mile southeast of the GPS coordinates on the southern side of the Tappan Lake Public Launch Ramp, Brownsville (Tappan) Church about 6 miles south of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of County Hwy 2 (Monrovian Trail Rd) and Barber Hill Rd (County Hwy 56), Tappan Cemetery in the woods on the east side of Mill Hill Rd about 500 feet from the intersection
Description: Tappan was platted on March 4, 1837 by War of 1812 veteran John Marshall (1787 – 1877) who was a business man and immigrant from Ireland. He never actually lived in Tappan though. John was buried with relatives in Castor Cemetery on the north side of SR 103 in Delaware Township, Hancock County. The town was originally called Franklin, named after the township, but it had to be changed when the post office was established because there was already another Franklin post office in Ohio. It was renamed after Benjamin Tappan (1773 – 1857) from Massachusetts who was a Harrison County judge from 1816 – 1823 and later a U.S. senator from 1839 – 1845. He was laid to rest with relatives in Union Cemetery at the intersection of SR 43 (Sunset Blvd) and Century Rd in Steubenville, Jefferson County. Tappan only had 4 families in 1840, but quickly grew to its peak population of 171 in 1860. It was simply considered to be a post office town by the state, but in 1875 Tappan also had a steam-powered grist and saw mill, hotel, a school, blacksmith, shoe shop, tannery, a doctor, 2 general stores, and 2 churches, as well as around 50 houses for the residents. In 1933 leaders of the Muskingum River Concervancy Project decided that a dam should be built on Little Stillwater Creek that ran through town. Construction began in 1935 and was completed in 1938. The residents of Tappan were paid meager amounts of money to move and many didn’t have enough time, funds, or resources to relocate all of their belongings before the town met its watery demise. Another nearby town called Laceyville was also submerged. One of Tappan’s churches was saved from destruction and was moved to the south side of the lake in 1941. Today, Lake Tappan is a nice place to visit for a day trip or while on vacation, but it’s sad that the town was considered to be expendable while larger towns that had railroads on the north and south sides of the lake were spared. Tappan wasn’t expendable to the residents who lived there. It was where their homes and lives were. Tappan Cemetery was said to have been moved just north of the lake off of Mill Hill Rd (Local Hwy 215), but Find A Grave only has one know interment listed there. We suspect scores of residents are still buried in the old Tappan Cemetery beneath the waters of Lake Tappan, as the town existed for over a hundred years. Its plat started just past the water’s edge at the GPS coordinates with the entire site, comprising of approximately 50 to 60 acres, ending up getting submerged. People who have scuba dived in the lake say it’s an extremely eerie experience and you can’t go very far without almost running into a house, mailbox, tractor, barn, and other buildings. The Muskingum River Conservancy District still owns the lake and surrounding land and written permission is required by them for scuba diving. There’s a historical marker for the town next US 250 in the Tappan Lake Public Launch Ramp parking lot just south of the intersection of Mill Hill Rd and another one for Laceyville on US 250 near the southeast side of the lake. The claim on Tappan’s historical marker which states most of the buildings were moved or demolished prior to the flooding doesn’t appear to be accurate, and we received confirmation by info passed down from former residents and their families who still live in the area declaring that wasn’t the case. There are also a few old homestead foundations and small remnants from Tappan and Laceyville in the woods around the lake. Those sites were never submerged and were abandoned under more normal circumstances.
Thanks to Lori Kline for providing the lead on Tappan! Her stepfather was born there in his boyhood home in January of 1928 during a bad snow storm. His family had to wait until the weather and roads cleared up 2 weeks later to get to the nearest hospital.

Titus Store (Cassville) – Cadiz Township
Post Office: 1830 – 1845
Location: 40.232755, -81.105474
on Cassville Rd (Township Rd 268) between Old Piedmont Rd (County Hwy 16) and the Cadiz Township border with Nottingham Township
Remnants: Titus Cemetery on the southwest side of Cassville Rd near the GPS coordinates
Description: Titus Store preceded Cassville as a town, which had a post office from 1848 – 1905. The proprietors were Timothy Titus (1788 – 1869) from New Jersey and Mary (Guthrie) Titus (1792 – 1849) from Washington County, Pennsylvania. They got married in 1812, had 8 children, and owned a general store close to the GPS coordinates with Timothy as postmaster. Timothy and Mary were buried with relatives in Titus Cemetery.

Vienna – Moorfield Township
Location: unknown
Description: It was listed in the 1837 The Ohio Gazetteer and Traveler’s Guide as a town in Moorfield Township.

Warfel – Short Creek Township
Post Office: 1889 – 1902
Location: 40.245639, -80.970088
on US 250 (Cadiz – Harrisville Rd) at the intersection of Short Creek Rd along Liming Creek and Sally Buffalo Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: The original proprietors were Mexican – American War veteran General Charles Warfel (1807 – 1871) and Mary (Boyd) Warfel (1811 – 1879). They were both born in Pennsylvania, married in Ohio in 1833, and had at least one son. Charles and Mary were buried with relatives in Cadiz Union Cemetery 2 miles north of town on Charleston St in Cadiz. The town had a grocery store in the southeast corner of the intersection in the late 1800s. Joshua B. Dickerson (1822 – 1902) was the postmaster. The office was discontinued when Joshua Passed away. He was buried with relatives in about 2 miles southwest of the GPS Coordinates in Dickerson Church Cemetery on the south side of Dickerson Church Rd.

Henry County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Beaver Creek – Richfield Township
Post Office: 1840 – 1847
Location: unknown
Description: It was in the eastern half of the township and didn’t have a village. John Sowers was the proprietor and postmaster.

Cloverleaf – Liberty Township
Location: 41.471600, -84.076466   
on Co Rd V at the intersection of Township Rd 11
Remnants: former one-room schoolhouse a mile east of the GPS coordinates in the southeast corner of the intersection of Co Rd V and Co Rd 10, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: This small farming town was listed on the page 35 of the 1910 atlas published by the State Highway Department. The former one-room schoolhouse appears to be in good shape for its age with fitted cut boards covering the window openings, a rib steel covered roof, and a tall lightning rod rising well above the roof line over the door. There isn’t any missing bricks and the yard is also well-kept.

Damascus – Liberty Township (formerly in Damascus Township, Wood County)
Post Office: 1819 – 1868
Location: 41.411639, -84.009347  
on SR 109 at the 4-way intersection of Old US 24 and SR 424 (East Riverview Ave) between the Maumee River and North Turkeyfoot Creek
Remnants: Damascus Cemetery on the east side of Co Rd 8 about a mile northwest of the GPS coordinates, historical marker in the southwest corner of the intersection
Description: Damascus was platted at the site of a former Native American village from the mid-1700s called Prairie Du Masque (Prairie Des Mascoutins). It was temporarily the original county seat before that honor was moved to the booming town of Napoleon in 1835 just 3 years after it was platted. Charles Gunn was the first known postmaster of Damascus. He was succeeded by David Bucklin, Norman Mead, E. S. Dodd, John Burlin, J. R. Thompson, Benjamin A. High, D. C. Smith, and A. J. Wheeler. Damascus still had a saw mill on the south side of the main intersection and a school on the west side of Co Rd 8 just south of the cemetery listed in the 1875 county atlas. Damascus was listed in the 1910 State Highway atlas and faded into oblivion before the mid-1900s. 

Durand – Liberty Township
Post Office: 1851 – 1866
Location: unknown
Description: George Stebbins (born c. 1822) from Connecticut was the first known postmaster. David F. Welsted (1816 – 1886) from New Jersey was the last postmaster. He served as county commissioner in the early 1850s and was buried with relatives in Glenwood Cemetery on Glenwood Ave in Napoleon.

Girtys Point – Harrison Township
Location: 41.326751, -84.154081 
on County Rd Z at the intersection of County Rd 15
Remnants: Cole Cemetery on south side of the road just east of the intersection
Description: The town was named after Simon Girty (1741 – 1818) who was captured by Seneca natives with his family in Pennsylvania and adopted by the tribe, living with them until 1764. He joined the British and Native American resistance against American settlers and troops. After getting involved in numerous notorious incidents with Ohio’s pioneers, Simon hid out on Girty’s Island on the Maumee River across from Cole Cemetery where he and his brother George had trading posts in the 1780s and 1790s. The island later turned into a Victorian Era amusement park.

Goosetown (Goose Town) – Napoleon Township
Location: unknown
Description: Goosetown was along the Maumee River and was initially chosen by the proprietors of Napoleon to be the site of that town. However, the land was on low ground and frequently flooded badly. The idea of platting there was scrapped in favor of Napoleon’s present location further upstream where the Maumee River wasn’t nearly as much of a threat. The name Goosetown was later given to the beautiful but too often submerged area which lost the opportunity to have Napoleon’s plat.

Madeira – Marion Township, Henry County and Liberty Township, Putnam County
Location: 41.166769, -84.054575   
on Henry County Rd A at the intersection of Township Rd 10 on the Henry and Putnam County border
Remnants: none known
Description: Madeira’s only claim to fame was being mentioned as a small place in the 1847 first edition of Henry Howe’s Historical Collections Of Ohio.

Odessa – Damascus Township
Post Office: 1856 – 1867
Location: 41.412939, -83.973952  
on SR 110 along the Maumee River and South Turkeyfoot Creek between Co Rd 6B and Co Rd 5A
Remnants: Creager (Kruger) Cemetery about 2 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates on the south side of SR 110 between SR 109 and Co Rd 7, Olive Branch Cemetery 2 1/2 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates on the west side of County Rd 5A between County Rd P and Township Rd O4
Description: Odessa was founded by Scottish immigrant Thomas Reid (1813 – 1878) and Elmira (Crockett) Reid (1824 – 1897) from Knox County, Maine. Thomas had 3 children with his first wife Marion (Bone) Reid. She passed away in 1841. Thomas moved to the U.S. with his children, mother, and 2 sisters in 1843. He married Elmira (or Almira) in 1854 and had 9 more children. They owned a grist mill on the east side of South Turkeyfoot Creek near the GPS coordinates. There was also a saw mill just south of the grist mill on the east side of Co Rd 5A and the town had a general store. John S. McKee (1805 – 1880) was the only known postmaster. The Maumee River and the Miami & Erie Canal were used to transport goods in and out of the area. Odessa was hit hard by a cholera epidemic in the mid-1800s, but it was still the largest village in the township before McClure was platted in 1880 and boomed with a train station on the Toledo, Delphos, & Burlington Railroad (later the Toledo, St. Louis, & Western Railroad). Thomas was buried with relatives in Creager Cemetery just across the border in Harrison Township and Elmira was laid to rest with relatives in Olive Branch Cemetery. John McKee was also buried in Olive Branch Cemetery.

Ridgeland – Marion Township
Post Office: 1850 – 1896
Location: 41.193889, -84.067772   
on Co Rd Y at the intersection of Co Rd 10A
Remnants: Marion Township Cemetery on the north side of Co Rd Y just east of the intersection, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Ridgeland was founded in 1841 by Samuel Hashbarger (1815 – 1859) and Anna (Rader) Hashbarger (1815 – 1889). They had a few children and Anna remarried after Samuel passed away. In 1863 George W. Edwards (1834 – 1919) and John Rayle (1831 – 1915) platted the town with 72 lots and 2 outlots. They attempted to change its name to Edwardsville. The U.S. Postal Service denied the request though as there was already an Edwardsville with a post office in Warren County. Ridgeland’s known postmasters over the years were Samuel Warwick, John Hamler, Casper Sirolff, Enoch J. Stevenson, William P. Young, and Peter Punches. Civil War veteran William P. Young (1825 – 1899) owned a 79-acre farm across the road from Marion Township Cemetery and operated a saw mill, tile factory, and stave factory which produced wood strips for barrel sides. One of the closest local one-room schoolhouses still stands about 1 1/2 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates on the west side of Township Rd 10. It’s presently in dilapidated condition but is a neat site to see and is very photogenic. The Hashbargers, George Edwards, John Rayle, William Young, and some of the other postmasters were buried with relatives in the cemetery.

Turkey Foot (Turkeyfoot) – Freedom Township
Post Office: 1840 – 1849
Location: unknown
Description: Samuel Knapp was the proprietor and postmaster.

Highland County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Amsterdam (New Amsterdam) – Paint Township, Highland County and Paint and Paxton Township, Ross County
Location: 39.232373, -83.289902
on Falls Rd along Paint Creek between Rapid Forge Rd and Cove Run Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Revolutionary War veteran General Nathaniel Massie (1763 – 1813) and Dutch immigrant brothers Jacob and Enoch Smith built a dam together at the falls of Paint Creek in the late 1790s. Nathaniel built a grist mill, distillery, and a small furnace on the north side of the creek and a saw mill on the south side of the creek, while the Smith brothers built a large saw mill on the north side of the creek. The mills went into operation in 1798 and they platted Amsterdam in 1800. Nathaniel didn’t want to compete with the Smith brothers in the lumber industry, so he abandoned his saw mill after building his house and supplying lumber for a few neighbors. Fine farmland along the creek attracted new residents and the town quickly grew with many cabins and a few shops. However, the location was deemed unhealthy and supposedly malaria nightmare. Although those sentiments were mostly boasted by people with interests in other potential town sites. Nathaniel looked for a more favorable site anyway, founded Bainbridge in 1805, and Amsterdam was subsequently abandoned. A historical marker for Nathaniel Massie’s home in Paxton Township is on the south side of US 50 just west of Bainbridge.

Clear Creek (Clear Creek Settlement) (Evans Settlement) – Liberty Township
Location: 39.236829, -83.608765 
on US 62 at the intersection Diamon Dr along Clear Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: The Evans family arrived in the area in 1799 and settled along Clear Creek with Revolutionary War veteran Hugh Evans (1730 – 1808) and Lavinia (Simpson) Evans (1733 – 1811) from Washington County, Maryland being the patriarch and matriarch. Hugh’s first wife Sarah (Hardin) Evans passed away sometime after the birth of their only child. He married Lavinia in 1763 and had 6 more children. The family lived in Pennsylvania before moving to Bourbon County, Kentucky where more pioneers would come from to join in the opportunity of developing a safe and prosperous environment for their families to succeed at Clear Creek. The residents initially raised crops including corn and watermelons, helping feed their families and local Native Americans which mostly consisted of Shawnees and Wyandots. German immigrant John Belzer operated a blacksmith shop and Joseph Knox from Virginia was the first wheelwright in the county, producing much needed spinning wheels for making thread for clothes. The town also had a Methodist church and a school 1/2 of a mile north of the GPS coordinates in the southeast corner of the intersection of US 68 and Selph Rd. Clear Creek fell into obscurity in the late 1800s and has since been absorbed by Hillsboro’s growth. Hugh and Lavinia were laid to rest with relatives in a cemetery, which was lost to time and nature long ago, on their homestead farm that was passed down through the family for several generations.

Gall – Brushcreek Township
Post Office: 1895 – 1905
Location: 39.092097, -83.461115  
on Sinking Spring Rd at the intersection of N Elmwood Rd along Middle Fork Ohio Brush Creek
Remnants: Countryman Cemetery on the north side of Sinking Spring Rd just northwest of the GPS coordinates
Description: The proprietor James N. Gall (1864 – 1942) was a teacher, farmer, and ran a general store and post office on the farm where he was born in the northeast lot of the intersection. A school was north of the intersection on a former stretch of Armstrong Ln which crossed the creek heading south to Gall back in the day. James M. Patton (1849 – 1913), a brother-in-law of James N. Gall, took on the postmaster position until the office was discontinued. James Patton was buried with relatives in Pleasant Hill Cemetery about 5 miles west of the GPS coordinates in Sinking Spring. By 1905, the Rural Free Delivery (RFD) system for mail was being implemented across the state and getting faster with the use of automobiles. James N. Gall was buried with relatives in Marshall Cemetery about 5 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 124 and Herbert Rd. He was from the 5th generation of his family to reside on the homestead farm, dating back to German immigrant and Revolutionary War veteran George Gall (1766 – 1851) and Susannah (Nicholas) Gall (1764 – 1799) from Augusta County, Virginia. They were laid to rest in Old Dutch Cemetery 3 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates on the east side of Stanley Rd. The Countryman family, whose cemetery is listed as a remnant, also owned a few farms in the area.

Honolulu – Salem Township
Post Office: 1893 – 1898
Location: 39.167919, -83.836937   
on SR 134 at the intersection of Murtland Rd along Little North Fork White Oak Creek
Remnants: former one-room schoolhouse on the east side of SR 124 just north of the GPS coordinates
Description: This small farming and postal town was founded by Civil War veteran Elijah Lafferty (1841 – 1914) and Mary Jane (Thomas) Lafferty (1844 – 1928). They had a few children and Elijah was the postmaster. The former one-room schoolhouse is currently a private residence. Elijah and Mary Jane were laid to rest with relatives 3 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates in Barker (Pricetown / Salem Township) Cemetery at the intersection of SR 131 and Certier Rd.

Littleton – Salem Township
Post Office: 1883 – 1903
Location: 39.167291, -83.788882   
on Dawson Rd (Co Hwy 58) at the intersection of N Ford Rd along North Fork White Oak Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: Littleton was another small farming and postal town with a school (Salem Township No. 5). It had a lot of postmasters over the years, including Henry Clay Dawson, P. J. Shenkle, F. J. Stanforth, John H. Barr, J. W. Thornburg, and Calvin Stroup. Henry Clay Dawson (1834 – 1911) from Fayette County, Pennsylvania served two terms as a representative in the state legislature. He married Mary (McCloskey) Dawson (1846 – 1925), also from Pennsylvania, and had a few children. They were buried with relatives in Hillsboro Cemetery on the north side of SR 138 (Greenfield Pike) in Hillsboro. Dawson Rd was named after their family.

Sharpsville – Union Township
Post Office: 1852 – 1855
Location: 39.255626, -83.75054  
on Sharpsville Rd along Turtle Creek between Quarry Rd and Bald Knob Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by James Sharp (1799 – 1872) and Margaret (Cloud) Sharp (1801 – 1869) who were both born in Pennsylvania. They got married in Highland County in 1826, had a few children, and accumulated a 400-acre farm with funds raised from a saw mill and grist mill constructed by James next to Turtle Creek. John B. Hayes was the first postmaster and was succeeded by William Hill. The town also had a Methodist Church and a school. It lasted much longer than the post office and was listed on the Union Township maps in all of the county’s historic atlases. Daniel Sharp (1837 – 1907) owned a quarry on the old family farm and was buried with relatives in Masonic Cemetery 2 1/2 miles west of the GPS coordinates on SR 134 in Lynchburg. The quarry operations eventually grew to proportions which Daniel likely never could have imagined and can easily be seen on satellite maps. James and Margaret were laid to rest with relatives in Mount Olive Cemetery 5 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates on the west side of Mad River Rd (Co Rd 7).

Sicily – Clay Township
Post Office: 1848 – 1895
Location: 39.028558, -83.863410   
on Sicily Rd (Co Hwy 43) at the intersection of Ellis Rd
Remnants: Huggins (Huggens / Peddicord) Cemetery on private property in the woods on the east side of Sicily Rd about 1/2 of a mile northwest of the GPS coordinates
Description: Sicily was founded in the early 1830s by the Huggins family and was platted in 1848 by John N. Huggins (1810 – 1860) from Mecklenburg County, North Carolina and Isabella (Hindman) Huggins (1813 – 1899). John’s parents, Robert Huggins (1768 – 1839 and Sarah (Irwin) Huggins (1781 – 1875) also settled in the area along with some of his siblings. They left North Carolina in 1813 because of their hatred of slavery and spent 13 years near Ripley in Brown County before moving to Highland County in 1826. The family assisted slaves who were traveling further north on the Underground Railroad in both counties. John and Isabella got married in 1833, had a few children, and owned a large farm. Some of Sicily’s lots sold to other families. The town had a school (Clay Township No. 8), a steam-powered saw mill, grist mill, carding mill, doctor, and a church congregation. The known postmasters were Harvey S. Scarborough, John N. Huggins, Milton Cox, Lawson Huggins, William Matthews, John Shockey (also the doctor), M. W. Channel, and Rufus Shockey. Sicily lost all of its businesses as the owners moved or passed away. The town limped its way into the 1916 county atlas and faded out of existence prior to the mid-1900s. Everyone in the Huggins family mentioned in this listing was buried with relatives and other residents in Huggins Cemetery. The Shockey surname was also spelled as Shockley in certain branches and on some historical records.

Hocking County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Blackburn – Perry Township
Location: 39.542447, -82.638008
on Jack Run Rd (Co Rd 138) at the former intersection of Carroll Rd (Township Hwy 149)
Remnants: Morgan Chapel and Cemetery 1 mile north of the GPS coordinates on Jack Run Rd
Description: It was named after the Blackburn family in the county. The town had a school north of the GPS coordinates on the east side of Jack Run Rd at the intersection of Clapper Hollow Rd. Residents were buried in Morgan Chapel Cemetery.

Brashears – Ward Township
Post Office: 1886 – 1893
Location: unknown
Description: This small town was on the Monday Creek Branch of the Hocking Valley Railway in eastern Ward Township and had mines operated by the Consolidated Coal and Mining Company. Several men perished over the years from falling shelves and stones while working in the shafts. M. E. Schaffer was the postmaster.

Brush (Brush Fork Junction) – Ward Township
Location: 39.496997, -82.167021
on SR 78 at the intersection of Jobs New Pittsburg Rd along Brush Fork and Snow Fork
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was on the Brush Fork Branch of the Hocking Valley Railway. It had a general store on the west side of SR 78 south of the GPS coordinates owned by the Trimmer family and a school on the east side of SR 78 south of the store. 

Cedar Falls – Benton Township
Location: 39.419620, -82.523167
on SR 374 at the intersection of Ilesboro Rd
Remnants: a park at the falls on the west side of SR 374 south of the GPS coordinates, 2 old stone bridges on SR 374 south of the GPS coordinates
Description: Cedar Falls was the site of a saw mill in the late 1800s and had a school. Its impressive waterfall now sits in Hocking Hills State Park along Ohio’s 1300 mile long Buckeye Trail. For anyone who enjoys less rustic accommodations than what camping offers, the Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls north of the GPS coordinates on SR 374 is another option.
Inn And Spa Info – https://innatcedarfalls.com/

Consol – Ward Township
Post Office: 1893 – 1898
Location: 39.507418, -82.189652
on Jobs – New Pittsburg Rd at the former intersection of Monday Jobs Rd along Brush Fork
Remnants: none known
Description: Consol was a small postal town between Jobs and New Pittsburg. It was the site of New Pittsburg Mine No. 3 and had a train station on the Brush Fork Branch of the Hocking Valley Railway. W. H. H. Wolfe was the only known postmaster.

Dewey Junction
Location: unknown
Description: This small town had a train station on the Hocking Valley Railway and mines operated by the Davis Coal Company.

Happy Hollow – Salt Creek Township
Location: 39.457315, -82.689865
on Happy Hollow Rd between SR 56 and Thompson Ridge Rd (Co Hwy 36)
Remnants: none known
Description: This former mining town is reportedly haunted by the ghost of a middle-aged man who appears to be in wet clothing and had been spotted along the road, on porches, and inside some local homes.

Hopperville – Green Township
Location: 39.480121, -82.295706
on Company Rd (T-336) north of US 33
Remnants: none known
Description: It was the site of a coal hopper owned by Peter Hayden (1806 – 1888) from New York, who founded Haydenville. The town was on a railroad switch off of the Hocking Valley Railway running along Company Rd. It also had a steam-powered saw mill and a small quarry west of the GPS coordinates and a coal works northwest of the GPS coordinates. Peter was buried with relatives in Green Lawn Cemetery on Greenlawn Ave in Columbus.

Jobs – Ward Township
Location: 39.501211, -82.179802
on Jobs – New Pisttsburg Rd at the intersection of Hoodlet Rd along Brush Fork
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was named after William Job (1843 – 1931) who was one of the most prominent coal company operators in the Hocking Valley. It had several mines, a row of houses, a school, and a post office from 1890 – 1924. The train station was on the Brush Fork Branch of the Hocking Valley Railway. On May 13, 1892 the residents of Jobs broke the world record for mining coal in a single day with 4,888 tons loaded into 243 cars. The mines were owned by the Morris Coal Company at the time. They were last operated by the Sunday Creek Coal Co. who recently sold the land to the state. It’s now managed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. They’re going to turn it into a wildlife area. Jobs Church and last standing house on Jobs – New Pittburg Rd were demolished in 2013. Any remaining open mine entrances will also be covered up. Jobs and the nearby former mining town of New Pittsburg, just to the northwest on Jobs – New Pittsburg Rd, are both still listed as populated places in the state despite having zero residents and no buildings.
Thanks to group member Brett Taylor, manager of Ohio Hiking Trails and Historical Sites, for providing the listing lead and most of the info on Jobs! Thanks also to Tom Young from Zanesville for updating us on the town’s status in October of 2013!

Joe – Marion Township
Post Office: 1887 – 1903
Location: 39.647527, -82.407708
on Bremen Rd at the intersection of Schmeltzer Rd (Township Hwy 91) along Rush Creek
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Philip Heyd operated a grist mill in the lot south of the GPS coordinates. William Sholl (b. 1842) was the postmaster.

Kachelmacher (Greendale) – Green and Ward Township
Post Office: 1879 – 1939
Location: 39.536750, -82.277815
on SR 595 at the intersection of Dawley Rd along Monday Creek
Remnants: Dawley – Downhour Cemetery east of the GPS coordinates on Shields Rd south of the intersection of Jacobs Rd, former brick plant remains along SR 595, former school next to SR 595, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: In the area’s early days, there was a saw mill on the south side of Dawley Rd on the east side Monday Creek on land owned by the Wolf family and a school on the south side of Jacobs Rd east of the cemetery. Dawley – Downhour Cemetery was established on land owned by Nathan Dawley (1793 – 1873) and Anna (Wilcox) Dawley (1802 – 1883). They moved to Ohio from Rhode Island, were pioneers in the county, and had 11 children. Although the cemetery isn’t extremely far from SR 595, the location is still rather remote, but it is well-maintained. Oil, coal, and iron tycoon, Nils Kachelmacher (1860 – 1917) from Norway, directed the construction of the Greendale Brick Plant along SR 595. It ran from 1907 to the mid-1930s. At a cost of $1 million, it was said to be the largest in the world. The plant supplied much of the country’s bricks until The Great Depression hit the economy and led to the company’s demise. There was also a company general store and a school constructed for the workers and their children. The school still stands next to SR 595 near what’s left of the formerly massive brick plant compound. Nils was never married and was laid to rest in Kachelmacher Mausoleum in Kachelmacher Park south of US 33 on Falls St in Logan. There’s a historical marker in the park with more info about him and the brick plant. Greendale is still a populated place, but there’s far less residents in the area these days. The post office on the railroad was called Kachelmacher from 1906 – 1910.

Lost Run – Ward Township
Location: 39.554322, -82.231860
on Brady Rd (Buckeye Trail) along Lost Run between James Rd and SR 216
Remnants: none known
Description: According to Henry Howe’s Historical Collections Of Ohio, the creek was named after the story of a pioneer hunter who got lost and froze to death there in the early 1800s. His skeleton was found years later with a rifle laying next to it. 

Max – Marion Township
Post Office: 1899 – 1903
Location: 39.634055, -82.389596
on Harvey Chapel Rd at the intersection of Dewey Rd
Remnants: South Harvey Chapel and Cemetery on the west side of Harvey Chapel Rd about 1/2 of a mile north of the GPS coordinates, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: This small farming and postal town had a blacksmith shop on the north side of Maxville Rd near the intersection of Saunders Rd and a school west of South Harvey Chapel on a now abandoned stretch of road on land owned by the Larimer family. Samuel Focht (1854 – 1916) was the postmaster. He was buried with relatives in the cemetery. The church and cemetery were constructed on land owned by Benjamin Poling (1815 – 1895) and Elizabeth (Short) Poling (1817 – 1908). Benjamin’s parents, War of 1812 veteran Samuel Poling (1793 – 1866) from Maryland and Elizabeth (Stemem) Poling (1795 – 1882) from Virginia, moved to Ohio in 1829 and had 12 children. They donated the majority of funds for construction of the original log Harvey Chapel on the east side of Rush Creek. It was replaced with a wood frame structure in 1856, and later the present church. Thanks go to Beverley Poling for providing some of the info on Max! Her late husband’s great-grandfather was Peter Poling (1813 – 1907), who owned the land across the road from the church. 

Nancy – Salt Creek Township
Post Office: 1892 – 1909
Location: 39.390211, -82.659126
on Blue Creek Rd at the intersection of Vandergriff Rd (Township Hwy 185)
Remnants: Schooley Cemetery at the GPS coordinates, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Nancy had a school on the east side of Blue Creek Rd north of the GPS coordinates and a church on the northwest side of Blue Creek Rd south of the GPS coordinates. William Parks (1849 – 1938) was the postmaster. He married Sarah (Swackhammer) Parks and later moved to Circleville in Pickaway County where they were buried in Forest Cemetery on N Court St (Co Rd 511). They both have relatives buried in Schooley Cemetery.

Needmore – Marion Township
Post Office: 1892 – 1902
Location: 39.622766, -82.394158
on Bear Run Rd at the intersection of Harvey Chapel Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: W. F. Rittgers (1857 – 1930) was a Freemason and the town’s postmaster. He was buried with relatives about 7 miles south of the GPS coordinates in Oak Grove Cemetery on Jennison Ave in Logan.

New Pittsburg (New Pittsburgh) – Ward Township
Location: 39.514617, -82.195388
on Jobs – New Pittsburg Rd at the intersection of Dawley – New Pittsburg Rd along Brush Fork
Remnants: none known
Description: As with Jobs, New Pittsburg was a company owned coal mining town and also had a train station on the Brush Fork branch of the Hocking Valley Railway. The town’s miners set a new world record for coal production with 3,333 tons in 168 cars while working an 11-hour day in April of 1892. The record was broken just a month later by the miners of Jobs who did theirs in less than 8 hours.

Pattonsville – Green Township
Post Office: 1847 – 1857
Location: unknown
Description: It was in section 13 of Green Township and was founded by Robert Patton (1779 – 1865) and Mary (Halterman) Patton (1789 – 1828). They built a saw mill in 1825 that was probably the first in the township. Robert remarried after Mary passed away and added a grist mill to the site around 1832. The mill dam was washed away in a flood in 1860 and was never rebuilt. Robert was buried with relatives in Oak Grove Cemetery on Jennison Ave in Logan. Members of the same family also founded Pattonsville in Jackson county, which is still a populated place.

Pine Grove – Good Hope Township
Location: 39.597339, -82.553510
on Clear Creek Rd (Co Rd 116) along Clear Creek between US 33 and Starner Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Pine Grove had a grist mill and saw mill next to Clear Creek owned by John Arney (1805 – 1876) from Fairfield County and Johanna (Klinker) Arney (1805 – 1867) from Germany. They had several children, over 300 acres of farmland on 3 lots, and donated land for the Hocking Valley Railway tracks on the east side of the Hocking River. John and Johanna were buried with relatives in Elmwood Cemetery 9 miles north of town on S Mt Pleasant Ave in Lancaster, Fairfield County.

Point Pleasant – Washington and Benton Township
Post Office: dates not listed
Location: 39.437196, -82.509097
on Kalklosch Rd (Township Hwy 271) at the intersection of Cotterman Rd (Township Hwy 246)
Remnants: none known
Description: Mary (Strawn) Hone (1823 – 1918) from Perry County was the town’s founder and proprietor. She platted Point Pleasant in the southwest corner of her 180 farm after her husband, Civil War veteran James Hone (1822 – 1864) from Morgan County, passed away. It had a post office and a blacksmith shop, but only attracted a few families over the years and eventually reverted back to farmland. Mary and James had several children and were buried with relatives about 4 miles south of the GPS coordinates in Fairview Church Cemetery on the south side of Fairview Ridge Rd (Co Rd 287).

Pursell (Purcell) – Benton Township
Post Office: 1892 – 1905
Location: 39.440466, -82.599782
on Big Pine Rd (Co Rd 11) at the intersection of Webster Rd along Pine Run
Remnants: none known
Description: Pursell had a saw mill next to Pine Creek and a school on the west side of Webster Rd. They were both on land owned by the Dresback family. Most of the Dresbacks, and the town’s last postmaster Francis Lindsey (1866 – 1950), were buried in Pine Grove Cemetery 2 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Big Pine Rd and SR 374. 

Reeds – Salt Creek Township
Location: 39.413278, -82.643194
on SR 56 at the intersection of Narrows Rd along Salt Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: It was founded by a branch of the Reed family in the county.

Rockhouse (Rock House) – Laurel and Perry Township
Post Office: 1844 – 1907
Location: 39.494385, -82.614464
on SR 374 at the intersection of Thompson Ridge Rd (Co Rd 36)
Remnants: Rock House Park on the north side of SR 374
Description: The town was named after the cave that now sits in Hocking Hills State Park. As with many caves in Ohio, it was originally inhabited by Native Americans and was later occupied by thieves and bandits who were hiding from justice during the early years of Ohio’s statehood. They disappeared as the area became more settled and the cave acquired more honest visitors. A saw mill and grist mill next to Laurel Run along SR 374 were owned by William Loomis (1841 – 1918) and Nancy Loomis (1840 – 1915). They moved to Columbus where they were buried with relatives in Green Lawn Cemetery on Greenlawn Ave. Businessman and Civil War veteran Lieutenant Colonel Ferdinand Frederick Rempel (1824 – 1901) from Prussia, Germany constructed a lavish 16-room hotel with a ballroom, post office, and livery stable at Rock House in 1878. He added some cabins and turned it into a popular summertime resort. The hotel fell into disrepair and was sold to the state by Colonel Rempel’s heirs in 1925. Ferdinand Rempel was buried with relatives in Oak Grove Cemetery on Jennison Ave in Logan.

Smock – Washington Township
Post Office: 1891 – 1904
Location: 39.408602, -82.494682
on Hoskins Rd between Fairview Ridge Rd (Co Rd 287) and Ilesboro Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: It was named after the family of Nancy (Kimple) Smock (1816 – 1905) from New Jersey. She moved to Ohio from with her husband Philip Smock (d. 1863) and was a pioneer in the county. Nancy also owned the land where the post office was. The town had a school on the east side of Hoskins Rd just north of the GPS coordinates on land owned by the Call family. Nancy was buried with relatives in Oak Grove Cemetery on Jennison Ave in Logan. Sanyek Reichley (1830 – 1907) was the first postmaster and was buried with relatives in Fairview Church Cemetery a mile southeast of the GPS coordinates on the south side of Fairview Ridge Rd. Mattie P. Engle (1860 – 1910) was the last postmaster.

South Carbon Hill – Ward Township
Location: 39.493225, -82.249731
on SR 278 between Coe Hollow Fruitdale Rd (Township Hwy 345) and Loop Rd (Township Hwy 387B)
Remnants: none known
Description: South Carbon Hill had a plat with a single row of lots lining the west side of SR 278 between Coe Hollow Fruitdale Rd and Monkey Hollow Rd. There was a school on land owned by Civil War veteran David Randolph (1825 – 1891) on the west side of SR 278 south of the GPS coordinates. It appears that the lots didn’t sell well and the idea of creating a bustling community was subsequently abandoned. The plat can be spotted in the 1876 county atlas. David is incorrectly listed as B. O. Randolph on the Ward Township map, but is correctly listed on page #31 with the plats of South Carbon Hill, Murray City, and Carbon Hill. He was buried with relatives in Carbon Hill Cemetery on the north side of Carbon Hill Buchtel Rd about a mile northeast of the GPS coordinates.

Summit (Summit Siding) – Starr Township
Location: unknown
Description: It was along SR 328 and the Hocking Valley Railway about halfway between Starr and Union Furnace with a passing siding for loading and unloading. The town was listed on the Ohio map in the 1901 George Cram atlas and several obscure railroad guides from the late 1800s to early 1900s.  

Winona (Winona Furnace)
Post Office: 1877 – 1900
Location: 39.592140, -82.338847
on SR 93 at the intersection of SR 668 along Little Monday Creek
Remnants: Webb Chapel Cemetery northwest of the GPS coordinates at the end of St Clair Rd off of SR 312
Description: Winona Furnace was constructed by the Winona Iron Company and started blasting iron ore in 1878. It was sold to the Columbus and Hocking Iron and Coal Company in 1883. The town had a train station on the Straitsville Branch of the Hocking Valley Railway, a school, company general store, and 22 houses for the workers and their families. That small number provided shelter for around 150 residents while the furnace was in operation. Some of them were buried in Webb Chapel Cemetery.

Holmes County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Baddow Pass (Baddaw Pass) (Summit) – Richland Township
Post Office: 1892 – 1894
Location: 40.494508, -82.147932   
on Township Highway 14 along the Holmes County Trail between Baddow Pass Rd (County Highway 75) and Township Highway 32
Remnants: none known
It was on the Cleveland, Akron, & Columbus Railroad but didn’t have a train station, and was named after the cut in the terrain for accommodating the track bed. The closest school was a mile southwest of the GPS coordinates in the southwest corner of the intersection of Township Rd 12 and Township Rd 4 on land donated by Jonathan and Mary (Shocknesse) House. The former track bed is currently part of the Holmes County Trail, a 22-mile paved recreational path.
Holmes County Trail Info – https://www.ohiobikeways.net/holmes.htm

Charlesburg – Washington Township
Location: 40.646194, -82.114741   
on Township Highway 472 near the intersection of Township Highway 474
Remnants: Lakeville (Shoup) Cemetery on the south side of Township Rd 472 about 1/2 of a mile west of the GPS coordinates
Description: It was a small farming town with no other major industries.

DeWitt Ridge (Dewitts Ridge) – Richland Township
Post Office: 1861 – 1868
Location: 40.521537, -82.145880   
on SR 520 at the 3 way intersection with County Highway 75 and Township Highway 16
Remnants: Dewitts Ridge Cemetery near the GPS coordinates
Description: James H. DeWitt (1829 – 1891) and Elizabeth J. DeWitt (1838 – 1911) owned a grocery store with post office in the northeast corner of the intersection and James was the town’s postmaster. There was also a school on the south side of SR 520 about a mile east of the GPS coordinates on land donated by William Jones (1800 – 1878) from Virginia and Rebecca (Skeeles) Jones (1806 – 1883) from Maryland. The DeWitt and Jones families were buried in Christian Church Cemetery 3 miles east of the GPS coordinates at the corner of Main St and Depot St (SR 520) in Glenmont. After the post office closed, Richard M. Johnson (1832 – 1920) and Margaret (Phillips) Johnson (1842 – 1908) owned a blacksmith shop on the south side of the GPS coordinates. They were laid to rest in Sunnyside Cemetery about 3 3/4 miles east of town on the north side of SR 520. There is a DeWitts Ridge Cemetery listed on Find A Grave with no directions. Its only known interment is Susan (DeWitt) Morrison (1837 – ?).

Grade – Mechanic Township
Post Office: 1890 – 1901
Location: 40.507564, -81.888473   
on County Highway 58 at the intersection of County Highway 580
Remnants: none known
Description: Grade didn’t have any big businesses, but the post office and a few small shops were enough to put it on maps back in the day. John L. Fleming (1836 – 1896) and Sarah (Leavengood) Fleming (1839 – 1914) owned a shoe shop in the northeast corner of the intersection and John was the town’s postmaster. In the 1800s, shoe shops were often operated by husband and wife teams with the work they did being paid for either in cash or fair trade bartering, including the completing of chores. After John passed away, their son Curtis B. Fleming (1869 – 1943) took on the postmaster position. He later moved to Coshocton County and was buried there with relatives in South Lawn Cemetery on Plum St in Coshocton. John and Sarah were laid to rest in Elliott Cemetery about 3 miles south of the GPS coordinates on the west side of Township Rd 112. The family surname was also spelled Flemming in some records.

Huston – Prairie Township
Location: 40.607838, -81.917642   
on Township Rd 346 at the former railroad crossing between SR 83 and Township Rd 559
Remnants: none known
Description: It was named after a branch of the Huston family in the county and was on the B&O Railroad and the Cleveland, Akron, & Columbus Railroad. 

Johnville – Washington Township
Location: unknown
Description: none found

Jones Corners – Richland Township
Post Office: 1861 – 1890
Location: 40.476635, -82.128970   
on County Rd 25 at the intersection of Township Highway 13 and County Highway 75
Remnants: former Jones farmhouse in the northeast corner of the intersection, Union Grove Church and Cemetery about 3/4 of a mile east of the GPS coordinates on Township Highway 2 off of County Highway 25, other old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: It was founded by William Jones (1787 – 1848) from Massachusetts and Rebecca Jones (1786 – 1868) from Pennsylvania. They had several children, accumulated a 640-acre farm, and donated land for a school in the southwest corner of the intersection of County Rd 25 and Township Hwy 26. According to the county auditor’s website, the brick farmhouse they owned was constructed in 1820 and is currently listed as being if fair condition. William White (1815 – 1888) from Berkshire County, Massachusetts may have somehow been related to the family. He was the town’s postmaster for the vast majority of the office’s existence and either inherited or purchased the Jones estate. Everyone mentioned in this listing was buried in Union Grove Cemetery.

Lafayette – Prairie Township
Location: 40.629931, -81.923950   
on Main St at the intersection of SR 83 on the west side of Holmesville
Description: Lafayette is a ghost town due to a post office name change and expansion. It was platted in 1836, but there was already a post office with the same name in Ohio, so it went with Holmesville in 1837. Lafayette ended up being overtaken by the growing eastern side of town and was annexed into Holmesville in 1848. It continued to be the main business district until around 1870.

Mount Union (Union Village) (Zachstown) – Mechanic Township
Location: 40.453342, -81.901344   
on SR 83 at the 3-way intersection of County Hwy 150 and Co Rd 19 at the confluence of Doughty Creek and Bucks Run
Remnants: none known
Description: Originally called Zachstown, its first cartographic appearance was listed as Union Village in the 1875 county atlas on a 154-acre farm owned by Robert Long (1809 – 1888) and Frances R. Long (1823 – 1899) from Pennsylvania. The village had a small plat on the east side of the GPS coordinates and a school in the northwest lot of the intersection on the west side of Bucks Run. Its name changed again by 1906 and was listed as Mt. Union in the 1907 county atlas. Robert and Francis were buried with relatives in Oak Hill (Millersburg Oak Hill) Cemetery 3 1/2 miles east of the GPS coordinates on the south side of Co Hwy 59.

New Wheeling – Knox Township
Location: 40.584611, -82.191286   
on County Highway 23 along the Mohican River at the intersection of Township Highway 211
Remnants: none known
Description: none found

Portersfield – Monroe Township
Location: unknown
Description: The town was listed in The Ohio Gazetteer and Traveler’s Guide from 1837 – 1841. It’s unknown if any of the lots ever sold and Portersfield didn’t make it onto the 1861 county map.

Wardsville (Wards) – Clark Township (formerly German Township)
Post Office: 1828 – 1836
Location: unknown
Description: As we have seen in other places around the state, the process of natural selection also applies to towns. Jesse Ward platted Wardsville in the early to mid-1820s near the southern border of Clark Township. He was also the town’s postmaster. New Bedford was quickly platted afterwards in 1825 just across the border in Crawford Township, Coshocton County as Wardsville’s rival. It won the contest for population growth and local businesses, leaving Wardsville in the dust.

Wilmington
Location: unknown
Description: Wilmington was platted with 61 lots in 1815 on the west side of Killbuck Creek as the first village in the county. The spot had been chosen in anticipation of a proposed canal route through the area, but that ended up going toward Holmesville. The idea of Wilmington, which hadn’t made much progress anyway, was abandoned.

Huron County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Blue Fly – Townsend and Norwalk Township
Location: 41.233584, -82.540910   
on SR 18 at the 4-way intersection of SR 601 and N Greenwich Milan Town Line Rd
Remnants: former tavern in the southeast corner of the intersection
Description: William Thompson (born c. 1817) from New York built a tavern in the southeast corner of the intersection in the late 1850s and painted it blue. Local residents called it the Blue Fly and the town took on the same name. A school was 1 mile southeast of the intersection on the north side of SR 18 on a 123-acre farm owned by the Bowen family. The tavern was in operation for 5 or 6 years before William sold it to Theodore Williams Sr. (1820 – 1907) who turned it into a private residence. Theodore was buried with relatives 3 miles west of the GPS coordinates in Woodlawn Cemetery on Woodlawn Ave in Norwalk. His father, James Williams (1787 – 1869) from Essex County, New Jersey, was the first mayor of Norwalk and was also laid to rest in Woodlawn Cemetery. The conclusion of the current house in the southeast corner of the intersection being the former tavern was reached with its construction year listed on the county auditor’s website as 1860. The 1879 History of the Fire Lands, Comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio stated the house was 22 or 23 years old at the time of its publication. Although the recorded dates don’t exactly match up, it would still have to be the same place.

Bronson – Bronson Township
Post Office: 1830 – 1867
Location: 41.176447, -82.589378   
on Old State Rd N at the intersection of Dublin Rd (Township Hwy 17)
Remnants: none known
Description: It was the first village in the township and had a school in the southwest corner of the intersection. A Congregational church was about a mile north of the intersection on the west side of Old State Rd N on a 101-acre farm owned by the Cole family. The known postmasters over the years were John Lyon, Christian Conger, Ezekiel Morse, John A. Nicolls, J. Sanford, Isaac Sanford, and Amos Deming.

Carson – Ripley Township
Post Office: 1856 – 1883
Location: 41.002772, -82.558842 
on Edwards Rd at the railroad crossing between Plymouth East Rd E (Township Hwy 107) and Base Line Rd W
Remnants: none known
Description: Carson was on the Cleveland, Columbus & Cincinnati Railroad (later the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, & Indianapolis Railroad). It had a steam-powered grist mill and saw mill in the northeast corner of the GPS coordinates owned by Crawford & Rodgers. A general store, grocery store, school, and a blacksmith shop lined the west side of Edwards Rd between the railroad tracks and Base Line Rd W. There were also several residences on both sides of the road. The known postmasters were David Crawford, John Eminson, John Weiden, and Charles Hopkins.

Fiddlers Green – New London Township, Huron County and Ruggles Township, Ashland County
Location: 41.065616, -82.396692   
on SR 60 at the intersection of Town Line Rd 187 on the Ashland County border
Remnants: none known
Description: Fiddlers Green was a small farming and merchant town. Its businesses were physically moved 1 1/2 miles north to the town of New London when the Cleveland, Columbus, & Cincinnati Railroad was built through there in 1852. A few residents stayed behind in Fiddlers’s Green, but it never recovered from missing out on the state’s railroad boom.

Ives – Richmond Township
Post Office: 1840 – 1846
Location: unknown
Description: W. H. Pond was the only known postmaster. He served as justice of the peace from 1840 – 1843 and fought for squatters rights as the township benefited from their production. W. H. Pond lost a heated battle in the 1843 election to Amos Roop. The vote was tied twice and Amos won the third ballot casting. There was an investigation and a lawsuit was filed, but the court system upheld the third ballot’s results.

Lyme Station – Lyme Township
Location: 41.255630, -82.764020   
on Sand Hill Rd at the railroad crossing between US 20 and Opperman Rd
Remnants: Trinity Episcopal Church and Cemetery 1 mile northwest of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of US 20 and Young Rd
Description: Richard L. McCurdy (1802 – 1869) from Lyme, Connecticut and Julia Ann (Woodward) McCurdy (1806 – 1889) from New York got married in 1826, owned a large farm, and donated the land for the church and cemetery. They were both born into prominent New England families. Julia was mentioned in the preface of the 1879 History of the Fire Lands, Comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio as being frequently consulted by the author. The church congregation formed in 1837. Its first wood frame structure was built in 1846 at a cost of $1,200. Unfortunately, that one was lost to a fire just 2 months later in February of 1847. It was replaced with another wood frame church that same year at a cost of $1,600. Richard and Julia were laid to rest with other residents in the cemetery. A mid-1800s one-room schoolhouse was in the same spot as the town’s later schools, also on land donated by the McCurdy family. A train station was on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway. Its former track bed running through the area is now the North Coast Inland Trail, which will soon be a 105-mile paved recreational path. So far, 71 miles of it have been completed. In the later 1800s, the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad also rolled through town. Its tracks are still intact and in use. The last school was built in 1937 and is still standing about 1/2 of a mile northwest of the GPS coordinates on the south side of US 20.
Trail Info – https://www.ohiobikeways.net/ncit.htm

Miner – Clarksfield Township
Location: 41.180349, -82.360353
on SR 18 between Chenango Rd (Township Hwy 183) and Butler Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by Daniel Miner Jr. (1804 – 1878) from Courtland County, New York and Lydia (Bennett) Miner (1802 – 1878) from Seneca County. They got married in 1823, owned a farm at the GPS coordinates, had one daughter, and ran a tavern for several years in the mid-1800s. Although it wasn’t stated in the old county history books, the tavern surely would have been a popular stopping point for travelers between Medina and Norwalk. A blacksmith shop was about 1/3 of a mile southeast of the GPS coordinates on a farm owned by Joseph Nickerson (1793 – 1881) from Franklin County, New York and Nancy (Grist) Nickerson (1792 – 1866) from Connecticut. They got married in Connecticut in 1812, moved to Ohio around 1826, and were buried with relatives in Clarksfield Methodist Cemetery about 3 1/3 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates on the south side of Zenobia Rd. A saw mill was about 1/2 of a mile northwest of the GPS coordinates on a 100-acre farm owned by Jesse H. Mead (1800 – 1883) and Laura (Dutton) Mead (1813 – 1873). They moved to Ohio from Massachusetts and were also interred in Clarksfield Methodist Cemetery. Daniel and Lydia moved to Hartland township and later to Norwalk where they were laid to rest with relatives in Woodlawn Cemetery on Woodlawn Ave. 

North Norwich – Norwich Township
Post Office: 1828 – 1856
Location: 41.124627, -82.773719  
on N Greenfield Rd (Co Hwy 7) at the intersection of Old Military Rd (Boughton Rd)
Remnants: Boughton (North Norwich) Cemetery 1 mile northwest of the GPS coordinates just north of Old Military Rd, Gilson house on the south side of the intersection
Descripton: This farming and postal town was founded by Naum Gilson (1793 – 1864) from Saratoga County, New York and Sarah “Sally” (Ormes) Gilson (1792 – 1876) from Massachusetts who were pioneers of the county and the first permanent settlers in Norwich Township. Naum arrived in 1817 and began construction of a log cabin. He went back to New York in 1818 and married Sarah in 1819 before returning to Ohio. They had a few children and Naum was the first postmaster for around 15 years. The other known postmasters were Abraham Groff (surname formerly De Groff), G. H. Woodruff, and W. H. Vanhorn. Naum and Sarah’s last farmhouse was constructed in 1851 and is still standing on the south side of the GPS coordinates. They were buried with relatives and other early settlers in Boughton Cemetery. North Norwich also had a church at the cemetery and a school on the north side of Old Military Rd just southeast of the cemetery. They were both on a farm owned by the Boughton family.

Ramey – Greenwich Township, Huron County and Ruggles Township, Ashland County
Post Office: 1892 – 1893
Location: 41.050622, -82.439032  
on US 250 at the intersection of Greenwich East Town Line Rd S
Remnants: none known
Description: Ramey had a train station on the B&O Railroad and can be found in the 1891 county atlas, the 1897 Ashland County map, and on the Ohio map in the 1901 George Cram atlas. Jane Ramey (1825 – 1907) was the town founder and proprietor. She was a widow and owned adjoining lots totaling 73 acres in Huron and Ashland County on the east side of the GPS coordinates. In the 1900 census, Irish immigrant Patrick Donegon was listed as a servant in Jane’s household. He was 63 years old at the time. Jane and Patrick’s burial locations are unknown.

Relief – Norwich Township
Location: 41.072912, -82.799453   
on Daniels Rd (Township Hwy 70) at the railroad crossing between Egypt Rd (Township Hwy 102) and Town Line Rd 12
Remnants: none known
Description: It was on the B&O Railroad in the late 1800s to early 1900s but didn’t have a train station. The biggest families in the area were the Vogels and Willoughbys. A school was 1 1/2 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates in the northwest corner of the intersection of Wurtz Rd (Township Hwy 69) and Egypt Rd on a 78-acre farm owned by Morgan W. Clark (1850 – 1941) and Caroline (Ritz) Clark (1854 – 1936). They got married in 1875, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary together, and were laid to rest with relatives in Attica (Attica Venice Township Joint) Cemetery about 5 miles southeast of the GPS Coordinates on the north side of Lemmon St in Venice Township, Seneca County.

Sherman – Sherman Township
Post Office: 1825 – 1865
Location: 41.179829, -82.806851   
on Heyman Rd (Township Hwy 29) at the intersection of Pontiac Section Line Rd
Remnants: Jones (Heyman Road / Sherman Township) Cemetery on the east side of Heyman Rd 1/2 of a mile north of the GPS coordinates
Description: The town was founded by Daniel Sherman (1790 – 1864) from Norwalk, Connecticut who was one of the first settlers in the township in 1812 and an uncle of General William T. Sherman (1820 – 1891) of Civil War fame. Daniel married Abbie (Guthrie) Sherman (1798 – 1820) in 1813. They owned the farm where the cemetery is and Abbie was buried there. Daniel turned down an appointment to be the postmaster which then given to his neighbor across the road, Rufus S. Paine (1788 – 1858) from Vermont. It was the first post office in the township. A general store was on the Paine farm in the northwest corner of the intersection. The family surname was spelled as Payne in some historical records. Rufus was also laid to rest with relatives in Jones Cemetery. The post office moved to Weavers Corners 3 miles northwest of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 547 and SR 4 but kept the name Sherman. The other known postmasters were Coles A. Bloomer, Henry Weaver, Abram S. Dayton, and James Shay. Daniel was buried with his second wife, Laura (Hubbell) Sherman (1791 – 1873), in Riverside Cemetery about 9 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of US 20 and Norwalk St just south of Monroeville in Ridgefield Township.

Jackson County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Abmac
Location: unknown
Description: It was on the Portsmouth Subdivision of the B&O Railroad between Hamden and Portsmouth in the early 1900s.

Bud – Jefferson Township
Post Office: 1888 – 1901
Location: unknown
Description: Bud was listed on the Ohio map in the 1901 George Cram atlas. It was in the northwest portion of Jefferson Township with William H. Brown serving as the postmaster.

Cambridge – Jefferson Township
Location: unknown
Description: none found

Coor – Liberty Township
Location: unknown
Description: It was on the Ohio Southern Railroad west of Simpsons.

Crabtrees Mills – Scioto Township
Location: 38.964425, -82.777714
on Johnson Rd (Township Hwy 291) along the Little Scioto River between Spangenburg Rd and Crabtree Rd
Remnants: Providence Cemetery on Johnson Rd about 1/3 of a mile southwest of the GPS coordinates, Johnson Road (Crabtree) Covered Bridge about 1/3 of a mile southwest of the cemetery, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: The massive Crabtree family was one of the most well-known and prominent families in the county in the 1800s. A grist mill and saw mill constructed in 1823 next to the Little Scioto River by Colonel W. David Walton (1789 – 1850) from New Jersey was the first mill in the township. David sold the mill to Daniel White in 1829 and his family later became the first settlers of Cedar County, Iowa. Daniel sold the mill to William Crabtree (1804 – 1882) in 1834. The last owner was one of William’s sons, Enoch Crabtree (1824 – 1898). The mill was dismantled shortly after Enoch passed away. The Crabtrees were buried in Providence Cemetery which was officially established in 1867 and also had a church that was listed in the 1875 county atlas. Johnson Road Covered Bridge, also called Crabtree Covered Bridge, was built in 1869 – 1870 by Robert W. Smith who patented the Smith Truss that was used for its construction. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 and was restored in 2000.

Diamond Town – City of Jackson (formerly in Lick Township)
Location: 39.058435, -82.652295
on Main St at the intersection of Main Pl along Salt Lick Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: Construction of an iron furnace just south of Salt Lick Creek near the GPS coordinates began in 1854 and was completed in 1855 with production starting in January of the following year. It was originally called Salt Lick Furnace and ended as Diamond Furnace. The town had a general store, a warehouse, and was along the Hillsborough & Cincinnati Railroad (Hillsboro & Cincinnati). In 1861 at the outbreak of the Civil War, the site became a mustering and training grounds called Camp Diamond for the 53rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Diamond furnace was the first in the country to use stone coal for fuel, but was unsuccessful in producing quality iron from the idea. It closed in 1867 and the town’s land was eventually annexed by Jackson. 

Eastburn – Liberty Township
Post Office: 1900 – 1904
Location: 39.104053, -82.755371
on Limerick Rd (Co Rd 25) along Pigeon Creek at the 4-way intersection of Big Rock Rd and McCune Cemetery Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Eastburn was a small farming town with a school on the east side of Limerick Rd north of the GPS coordinates. James L. Vance (1845 – 1933) and Sarah (Hooten) Vance (1851 – 1933) owned a general store. Sarah was the town’s postmaster. They were buried with relatives 2 miles north of the intersection in Limerick Cemetery on the east side of Savageville Rd (Co Rd 26).

Eckny – Hamilton Township
Post Office: 1893 – 1902
Location: It was in the northeast portion of Hamilton Township with Joseph W. Davis serving as the postmaster.

Erie – City of Jackson (formerly in Lick Township)
Location: 39.049122, -82.618870
on Old US Hwy 35 between Triumph St and a dead end near US 35
Remnants: none known
Description: Erie was listed in the 1875 county atlas and had a plat around the GPS coordinates. The town had a small iron furnace owned by John H. Stephenson (1813 – 1877) from Virginia and Sarah (Shearer) Stephenson (1819 – 1905). They got married in 1840, had a few children, and were buried with relatives in Fairmount Cemetery about a mile north of the GPS coordinates on Fairmont St in Jackson.

Gee Town – Bloomfield Township
Location: 39.018956, -82.525833
on SR 327 at the intersection of Union Cemetery Rd along Dickason Run
Remnants: Gee Town (Union Cemetery) at the end of Union Cemetery Rd
Description: Gee Town was named after the Gee family that lived in the area in the mid to late 1800s. Most of the residents mined coal or worked at Keystone Furnace. We don’t have a lot of info on the place, other than it was instrumental in working with Keystone Furnace, but it can be found on Google Maps in a field that looks like it once harbored a town. Gee Town had a train station on the Cincinnati, Hamilton, & Dayton Railroad, transporting iron and coal from the Bloomfield and Ridgeland Mines. Gee Town Union Methodist Church was formed in 1842. Jacob Gee (1868 – 1946) and Daisy (Barlow) Gee (1882 – 1964) were the town’s longest residents. They were buried in the Gee Town (Union) Cemetery on Union Cemetery Rd off of SR 327 with their children. Jacob’s parents, Stephen (1845 – 1909) and Rosinda (Sheilds) Gee (1844 – 1926), along with his paternal grandfather Martin R. Gee (1820 – 1878) are buried in Keystone Cemetery off of Bain Perkins Rd east of town. 

Green Meadow – Washington Township
Post Office: 1852 – 1856
Location: unknown
Description: County pioneer Thomas W. Leach (1797 – 1874) from Farquier County, Virginia was the postmaster. He married Nancy (Rose) Leach (1799 – 1878) in 1819 and had a few children. They were buried with relatives in Sigler Cemetery on the north side of Sigler Rd in Jefferson Township, Ross County.

Hewit (Hewitt) – Jefferson Township
Post Office: 1897 – 1902
Location: 38.903558, -82.637171
on SR 279 at the intersection of 4 Mile Rd (Co Rd 11) along Hewitt Run
Remnants: none known
Description: It was a small farming and postal town with coal and lead mines in the area. There was also a church with a separate Sunday school building across the road on SR 279 just west of Paul Crabtree Rd (Township Hwy 42) on land owned by Thomas T. Jones (1805 – 1883) and Mary (Edwards) Jones (1806 – 1871). They were born in Wales, married in 1826, and moved to the U.S. in 1838. John Morris (1857 – 1931) was the first postmaster. He was succeeded by Stephen Crabtree. Everyone mentioned so far in this listing was buried with relatives in Horeb Cemetery about 1 1/2 miles east of the GPS coordinates on the south side of SR 279. However, the origin of the town name, and that of the stream which runs through it, is a much more interesting story. They were named after the man who has since been dubbed “The Scioto Hermit”, War of 1812 veteran William Hewitt (1764 – 1834) who moved to the area from Virginia and resided near the GPS coordinates for about 10 years. William remained another 23 years in Jackson County, living in caves and rudimentary cabins. He relocated into his last residence close to the Pike and Ross County border near Alma in 1820, a cave in the Scioto Valley where he spent the last 14 years of his life. There are 3 separate accounts of why William ended up living the life of a hermit, each said to have been shared in confidence by Hewitt himself to 3 different people he associated with over the years. One account, recorded in the 1900 Jackson county history book, is William’s father passed away just before he moved to Ohio and his family fiercely fought over the estate. Either being left out of the dividing, disgusted by it, or a little bit of both, William basically decided to become a hermit and not be influenced at all by worldy possessions. Another account, recorded in the 1871 Ross county history book, is he was married, left to go on a hunting hike, and didn’t expect to return for several days. William went back home that same night, encountered another man with his wife on the couch in their house, and left Virginia heartbroken. The third account, also recorded in the 1900 Jackson county history book, is pretty much the same as the second with the additional unconfirmed fact of William killing the encountered suitor. Whatever the true case was, William was famous even during his lifetime for his hermitage, especially during his last 14 years in the Scioto Valley cave. He passed away from pneumonia in Waverly while on a trading trip and was buried there. It was by no means the end of William’s strange tale though. Dr. William Blackstone (1796 – 1879), who attended to the hermit’s illness preceding his death, later exhumed Hewitt’s bones to mount a portion of the skeleton. That would, of course, be crazy and illegal these days, but it was a common scientific practice for physicians in the 1800s, usually with corpses that had no family to object to it. The doctor buried the leftover bones on his lot. They were discovered by a cellar digger in 1852, Edward Vester (1822 – 1902), who reinterred them in another part of the lot. Edward forgot about the discovery and accidentally dug them up again in 1883. The story of the bones hit the print news. A few days later Dr. Thomas Blackstone (1847 – 1912) of Circleville in Pickaway County, a nephew of William Blackstone, sent a letter stating that he had in his possession what he believed to be William Hewitt’s mounted skeleton, acquired from his departed uncle’s estate. The dug up bones were sent to Thomas and ended up being a perfect match, finally reuniting the skeleton after 50 years. What happened to the majority of it since then is a mystery, but the skull had been passed around Circleville as a gift over the following 66 years. The Ross County Historical Society received the skull by donation in 1949 and has preserved it ever since. Ironically, a monument to William Hewitt has almost endured as much chaos as the skeleton. It was erected in 1842 on top of his cave along what was back then the newly laid Columbus & Scioto Turnpike. The monument was moved to the state highway garage in Chillicothe in 1952. The road, present day US 23 / SR 104, was subsequently widened to 4 traffic lanes and unfortunately destroyed what was left of the cave. From there, the monument went to the entrance of the Scioto Trail State Park at the intersection of US 23 and SR 372 (Stoney Creek Rd). It now sits at what will hopefully be its final resting place near a replica log church in the Scioto Trail State Park campground at Caldwell Lake. William Hewitt’s ghost has reportedly been spotted wandering around George Hollow Rd and along the trails in the state park, enjoying the solitude he so desperately sought.

Jimes – Madison Township
Post Office: 1861 – 1903
Location: 38.876237, -82.495058
on SR 279 between Jimes Emory Rd (Co Rd 49) and Flat Woods Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: This small farming and postal town had a general store on the north side of the GPS coordinates. It had several owners and postmasters over the decades.

Latrobe (Latrobe Furnace) – Milton Township
Location: 39.070293, -82.513973
on Camine Rd between SR 124 and an unnamed road
Remnants: none known
Description: Latrobe Furnace was built in 1854 and was owned by Bundy, Austin, & Company (later Bundy & Cobb). Hezekiah Sanford Bundy (1817 – 1895) from Marietta was the principal owner. He also served in the U.S. House Of Representatives and the state senate. The furnace was named after a French immigrant who supervised its construction. Harvey Wells (1846 – 1896), who founded Wellston, managed the town’s general store for a few years. It also had school and some houses for workers. Furnace production stopped in 1885. Hezekiah Bundy and Harvey Wells were buried with relatives in Ridgewood Cemetery about 5 1/2 miles north of the GPS coordinates on Massachusetts Ave in Wellston.

Leach – Jackson Township
Post Office: 1883 – 1903
Location: 39.133513, -82.712965
on US 35 at the intersection of Erwin Hollow Rd
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: The original proprietors were Thompson Leach (1802 – 1896) from Farquier County, Virginia and Mary (Squires) Leach (1806 – 1892), who Thompson married in 1833 after the death of his first wife. They had 8 children and owned a saw mill and blacksmith shop on their farm in Jackson Township. The town also had 2 local schools, one on its west side and the other on the east side. Thompson was the first postmaster. George H. Green took on the office after Thompson died and the last postmaster was Charles H. Cosby (1843 – 1921). Charles was buried with relatives in Cosby (Crosby) Cemetery about a mile east of the GPS coordinates on the north side of Sour Run Rd. Thompson was buried with relatives in Evergreen Cemetery about 4 miles east of the GPS coordinates on the east side of Sour Run Rd.

Lewisville – Scioto Township
Location: unknown
Description: none found

Levi – Scioto Township
Location: 39.009170, -82.690102
on 5 Points Rd at the intersection of  Buckeye Church Rd
Remnants: Buckeye Cemetery on the north side of Buckeye Church Rd east of the GPS coordinates
Description: The town had a blacksmith shop in the southeast corner of the intersection and a school on the east side of Buckeye Cemetery where the present church stands. John Kennedy (1815 – 1855) from Pennsylvania was the first postmaster. He was buried with relatives in Buckeye Cemetery. John was succeeded as postmaster by Ezekiel Inman (1824 – 1906) who moved his family about as far west as one could go and was buried with relatives in Little Lake Cemetery on Lakeland Rd in Santa Fe Springs in Los Angeles County, California. The last postmaster was Louis Gillilan.

Limestone (Limestone Furnace) – Bloomfield Township
Location: 38.954810, -82.528721
on C H and D Rd (Co Rd 2) at the intersection of Township Hwy 135 along Symmes Creek
Remnants: Limestone Furnace in the woods just west of the GPS coordinates on the north side of Township Hwy 135
Description: The town had a small iron furnace, several mines, and a school along the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad.

Lincoln Furnace – Milton Township
Post Office: 1858 – 1864
Location: 39.127843, -82.453185
on Charles Bierhup Rd at the intersection of Kriebel Rd along Mulga Run
Remnants: Lincoln Furnace in the southwest lot of the intersection, Lincoln Cemetery about 1/2 of a mile northwest of the GPS coordinates on the west side of Lincoln Cemetery Rd north of SR 32
Description: It was originally called Iron Valley Furnace and was constructed in 1853 – 1855. The town had a mining office, company store, a couple dozen houses for workers, and was on a train track branch off of the Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad. Coal, iron, and limestone mines were abundant around the area. The furnace was leased to William McGhee (1815 – 1871), who was one of the builders of Latrobe Furnace, and William Ratcliff in 1861. McGee bought out Ratcliff’s share and changed the name to Lincoln Furnace in 1863. During the Civil War, the furnace’s iron was used to make cannons for the Union Army by Charles Kapp and Company in Pittsburgh. After William McGhee passed away, one of his sons, James McGhee, continued to operate the furnace until 1884. Lincoln Cemetery was established on land owned by Adam W. Long (1831 – 1910) who was the town’s last postmaster. He was buried in Farimount Cemetery in Jackson. Lincoln cemetery is well-maintained and is an interesting site to explore along with the furnace.

Maple Grove – Coal Township
Location: 39.104671, -82.573541
on SR 778 at the intersection of Ed Davis Rd (Co Rd 86)
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: It was a farming town along the Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad.

McKitterick – Madison Township
Location: 38.909195, -82.541269
on C H and D (Co Rd 2) Rd at the 4-way intersection of Swan Airport Rd and Cackley Rd
Remnants: McKitterick Cemetery in the woods on private property about 1/10 of a mile south of Swan Airport Rd west of C H and D Rd
Description: The town was named after a branch of the McKitterick family. It’s unknown how many residents were buried in the cemetery and what its current condition is. 

Morgantown – Coal Township
Location: 39.116121, -82.601970
on SR 93 along Pigeon Creek between Coalton and Altoona
Remnants: none known
Description: none found

Mountain Ridge (Tope) – Scioto Township
Post Office: 1840 – 1843
Location: 39.029199, -82.755856
on Beaver Pike (Co Rd 76) at the intersection of Tope Rd (295 – 1)
Remnants: Mountain Ridge (Tope) Cemetery 1/2 of a mile west of the GPS coordinates north of Beaver Pike
Description: The original proprietors John Tope (1797 – 1871) and Mary (Campbell) Tope (1801 – 1877) were born in Pennsylvania, married in 1830, and had a few children. They were buried with relatives and other early pioneers in the cemetery. John J. Halterman (1816 – 1866) from Shenandoah County, Virginia was the first postmaster. He later moved and was buried with relatives in Locust Grove Cemetery on SR 41 at the intersection of Cemetery Rd in Peebles, Adams County. Joel S. Merrill was the last postmaster.

Simpsons (Simpson) – Liberty Township
Post Office: 1879 – 1880
Location: 39.056129, -82.711303
on Harrison Rd (Township Hwy 236) along Buckeye Creek between Beaver Pike (Co Rd 76) and Jisco West Rd (Co Rd 82)
Remnants: none known
Description: It was founded by an R. J. Simpson who owned a grist mill on the south side of Buckeye Creek and a 42-acre farm east of the GPS coordinates on a long gone road. Jacob B. Harrison was the first postmaster. He was succeeded by Robert Hanson. The town was along the Ohio Southern Railroad (later bought by the Hocking Valley Railway) in the late 1800s and outlasted the post office by a few decades, making it into the early 1900s before falling into obscurity.

Jefferson County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Copes Mills – Brush Creek Township
Post Office: 1833 – 1860
Location: 40.573459, -80.757655
on Monroeville Irondale Rd (Co Hwy 55) at the intersection of Township Hwy 300
Remnants: Chestnut Grove Church and Cemetery in the southeast lot of the intersection
Description: The town was founded by Scottish immigrant Martin Adams (1778 – 1864) who was the first permanent settler in Brush Creek Township. He served as justice of the peace, owned a distillery and a horse-powered grist mill, and donated the land for Chestnut Grove Methodist Church and Cemetery. Its original church was a stone structure with construction beginning in 1838. Unfortunately, the mason passed away when the walls were only half done. The walls and roof were finished the following year, but construction wasn’t finally completed until 1847. The stone church was used until 1898 when it was replaced with the present wood frame building. The town’s first school was a log structure built in 1814. It was replaced by a frame building on the Clark farm in the mid-1800s west of the GPS coordinates in the southwest corner of the intersection of Monroeville Irondale Rd and Township Hwy 62. The frame school was later replaced by a brick structure (Brush Creek Township No. 2). Martin Adams sold a portion of his farm to Eli Cope (1812 – 1880). Eli’s brother Henry Cope (1797 – 1875) was the first postmaster. Another brother, Caleb Cope (1806 – 1869), was the second postmaster. Martin served as the town’s last postmaster. He was a lifelong bachelor and was buried with residents, including Eli and some of his relatives, in Chestnut Grove Cemetery. The church at Chestnut Grove is still standing but appears to have been abandoned for several decades. Henry was buried with relatives in Spring Hill Cemetery on Co Hwy 418 (10th St Exn) in Wellsville in Columbiana County. Caleb moved to Columbiana County and was buried there with relatives in Grove Hill Cemetery on Cemetery Rd in Hanoverton. 

Daysville – Wayne Township
Location: 40.334321, -80.838656
on County Rd 22A between Beacon Ridge Rd and Unionport Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: The proprietors were Cyrus Day (1795 – 1860) and Mary (Long) Day (1796 – 1886) who owned a large farm on the north side of the GPS coordinates. They were both born in Pennsylvania, got married in Jefferson County in 1816, and had 12 children. Daysville had a school on County Rd 22A west of the GPS coordinates. It lost the town competition to Bloomingdale (formerly Bloomfield) prior to publication of the 1856 county map and fizzled out around that time. Cyrus and Mary were buried with relatives and other residents of Daysville in Bloomingdale Cemetery 1 1/2 miles east of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of High St and Fernwood Bloomingdale Rd. 

Dogtown – Cross Creek Township
Location: 40.325624, -80.743136
on the north side of Fernwood Bloomingdale Rd at the intersection of Dawson Rd
Remnants: Saint James Episcopal Cemetery on the north side of Fernwood Bloomingdale Rd 1 mile southwest of the GPS coordinates
Description: Dogtown wasn’t mentioned in any of the county history books, but it had a blacksmith shop and wagon shop listed near the GPS coordinates on the 1856 county map and a church at Saint James Cemetery. Some residents, including members of the Armstrong and Underwood families who lived in town, were laid to rest in Saint James Cemetery.

Elliottsville – Knox Township
Post Office: 1833 – 1874
Location: 40.486396, -80.608231
on Co Hwy 7f along the Ohio River between John F. Kennedy Hwy (Co Hwy 47) and SR 152 (Stewart St)
Remnants: none known
Description: It was on the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad and had a general store, tavern, and a blacksmith shop. James W. Elliott was the first postmaster. He was succeeded by John C. Elliott who was the last postmaster. Although Elliottsville was listed on an 1898 railroad map, the town didn’t last much longer than that.

Fells – Cross Creek and Wells Township
Post Office: 1902 – 1907
Location: 40.291180, -80.718135
on the north side of New Alexandria Rd along Slabcamp Creek and the railroad tracks just west of Polecat Hollow
Remnants: house and barn foundations, water wells, decaying bridge crossing the creek
Description: The proprietors were Albert N. Fell (1852 – 1940) and Melissa (McDevitt) Fell (1853 – 1949). They got married in 1882, had 3 children, and Albert was the town’s postmaster. Albert and Melissa were buried with relatives in New Alexandria Cemetery a few miles east of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 151 (New Alexandria Rd) and Chappel Hill Rd.
Thanks to Bob Wade for providing the remnants info on Fells! He also stated that a lady around 70 years old went to take her grandchildren back there to show them where she grew up, but got stuck in her vehicle on what used to be the road leading into town and is now just a trail going into the woods. A local assisted in driving the vehicle back to the main road. The info indicates the area, which is now all woods, was still populated into the mid-1900s.

Florencedale – Smithfield Township
Post Office: 1904 – 1912
Location: unknown
Description: Florencedale was on the Lake Erie, Alliance, & Wheeling Railroad northwest of Piney Fork. It had a coal mine called Florence operated by the Witch Hazel Coal Company. Daniel Rensi (1873 – 1953) was the postmaster. He was buried with relatives in Mount Calvary Cemetery on Mt Calvary Ln in Steubenville.

Hayti (McIntyre Settlement) – Wayne Township
Location: 40.305583, -80.780871
on McIntyre Rd between Township Hwy 177 and Smithfield Station – Weems Rd (Co Rd 25)
Remnants: McIntyre African Methodist Episcopal Cemetery and Shaffer Chapel AME Church at the GPS coordinates
Description: Hayti was founded by a group of slaves freed by Nathaniel Benford from Charles City County, Virginia in 1829. It was also known as the McIntyre Settlement for being along McIntyre Creek. The town comprised of a 260-acre farm paid for by Nathaniel and purchased by Robert Ladd from Thomas Mansfield. It had a Methodist church established in 1845, a Baptist church established in 1870, and a school. The farm was divided up between the descendants of the freed slaves as they reached adulthood, with each receiving anywhere from 5 to 15 acres.

Kelleys (Kellys) – Springfield Township
Location: unknown
Description: Kelleys was on the Lake Erie, Alliance, & Wheeling Railroad and had coal mines owned by the Kelley family. It was northwest of Bergholz in Springfield Township along SR 524.

Mooretown (Pravo) – Ross Township
Post Office: 1823 – 1892 and 1892 – 1907
Location: 40.519079, -80.832755
on Bergholz New Somerset Rd (Co Hwy 53) at the intersection of State Park Mooretown Rd at the confluence of Ralson Run and Yellow Creek
Remnants: Mooretown Methodist Episcopal Cemetery on the south side of Bergholz New Somerset Rd about 1/2 of a mile west of the GPS coordinates, Yellow Creek Cemetery on the south side of Bergholz New Somerset Rd about 3/4 of a mile west of the GPS coordinates, historical marker at Yellow Creek Cemetery, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Mooreown had a saw mill, grist mill, general store, blacksmith shop, a Methodist church at Mooretown Cemetery, and a Presbyterian church at Yellow Creek Cemetery. The original proprietors were War of 1812 veteran Mordecai Moore (1782 – 1851) and Mary (Laughlin) Moore (1781 – 1828) from Fayette County, Pennsylvania. They moved to Ross Township in 1815 and had 7 children. Moredecai greatly improved salt manufacturing on Yellow Creek and founded Moore’s Salt Works. He served a term in the state legislature and several terms as county commissioner. Thomas George (1780 – 1868) from Pennsylvania was the first postmaster. He married Jane (Hunter) George in 1800. They were the first permanent settlers in Ross Township, had 10 children, and planted the first apple orchard in the township. Thomas also served in the state legislature, was an associate judge, and an avid abolitionist. The George family hid many escaped slaves along their way to hopeful freedom in their house on the Underground Railroad. John E. George (1865 – 1948), a great-grandson of Thomas and Jane, was the last postmaster of the office that was called Moore’s Salt Works. The office’s and town name changed to Pravo in 1892. Edward W. Goodlin (1870 – 1920) was the last known postmaster of the Pravo office. He later moved to Cuyahoga County and was buried with relatives in Brooklyn Heights Cemetery on Broadview Rd in Cleveland. Everyone else mentioned in this listing was laid to rest in Yellow Creek Cemetery.

Onslow – Cross Creek Township
Location: unknown
Description: Onslow was on the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad (Panhandle Route) about halfway between Fernwood and Gould in the late 1800s.

Rhodesdale – Wells Township
Post Office: 1905 – 1929
Location: unknown
Description: It was along Plum Run in Wells Township.

Knox County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Clinton – Morris and Clinton Township
Post Office: 1810 – 1819
Location: 40.412894, -82.499002
on SR 13 (Cassell Rd) along the Kokosing River between Green Valley Rd and Crestview Dr
Remnants: none known
Description: It was founded in 1804 by Samuel Hoy Smith (1776 – 1862) from New York and had hopes of eventually becoming the county seat. The town was platted along what was then called Owl Creek, now the Kokosing River. Samuel opened a general store in 1807, a hotel, tavern, tannery, was the first postmaster, the first surveyor of Knox County and was a Freemason. Clinton was growing well with businesses and residences, better than Mount Vernon in every imaginable way. As the story goes, a panel of 3 commissioners were appointed in 1808 to decide what town should be named the seat. Clinton and Mount Vernon were the 2 towns at the top of the short list. The residents of both towns knew the commissioners were on their way to visit. When the panel arrived in  Mount Vernon, its were busily engaged in working and showing off their town in a respectful manner. As the commissioners left to check out Clinton, some of the residents of Mount Vernon quickly took to the side trails and made it to Clinton before the commissioners. They were intentionally rude, rowdy, and disrespectful while the panel was in Clinton, and the seat was subsequently awarded to Mount Vernon. However, it wasn’t until after the close of the War of 1812 that Mount Vernon surpassed Clinton in being a better town. Despite the loss of the seat, Clinton continued to thrive for a few years. The town was home to the first post office established in the county, the first church, and the first printing press which ran a newspaper and printed the first books. Clinton also had a chair factory, several stores, hotels, tanneries, and a mill. The loss of seat was a continual problem though and Clinton kept declining in stature until its legal existence was terminated in 1818. There were around 30 residences remaining at the time. Samuel later moved to Texas and was buried there with relatives in Farrsville Cemetery on the west side of FM 1415 north of TX-63 in Newton County.

Cornish – Monroe Township
Location: 40.422829, -82.382021
on Cornish Rd along Schenck Creek  between Vincent Rd and Monroe Mills Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Bishop Philander Chase (1775 – 1852) was born in Cornish City, New Hampshire, a town founded by his father. After living in a few other states, Philander purchased 8,000 acres of land in Knox County. He founded Kenyon College on the land in 1824. On the undeveloped 4,000-acre half, Philander laid out Cornish in 1829 and named it after his hometown. It appears to have only been a town on paper though and none of the lots were ever sold. Philander moved to Michigan for a few years and then went on to Illinois where he founded Jubillee College in 1838. He was buried with relatives in Jubillee Cemetery on W Jubillee College Rd in Peoria County, Illinois.  

Darlings (Owl Creek) – Butler Township
Post Office: 1816 – 1845
Location: 40.372892, -82.224731
on Staats Rd (Township Hwy 200) at the intersection of Busenberg Rd along the Kokosing River
Remnants: none known
Description: The proprietors were Abraham Darling (1780 – 1871) from Bedford County, Virginia and Rhoda (Shrimplin) Darling (1787 – 1865) from Maryland. Abraham moved to Ohio in 1806 with his father, Revolutionary War veteran William Darling (b. 1756) in Virginia. Abraham and Rhoda were married in 1824, owned a farm on the northeast side of the GPS coordinates between Staats Rd and the river, and had 14 children. Abraham was the postmaster. The town was never platted and didn’t have any population booms. Abraham and Harriet moved to Fulton County, Illinois where they were buried in Hart (Beatty / Clay) Cemetery on the north side of US 24 west of Cardinal Ln.  

Fleaville (Fleaville City) – Pleasant Township and City of Mount Vernon
Location: 40.388141, -82.463894
on SR 229 (Gambier Rd) at the intersection of S Edgewood Rd along Center Run
Remnants: none known
Description: Its main industry was a brewery in the southwest corner of the intersection where a Baptist church presently stands. The brewery was established in 1835 by Jacob Kurtz. It was last spotted in the 1871 county atlas with John Bechtol (1817 – 1880) from France and Margaret (Artner) Bechtol (1832 – 1908) as the owners. Fleaville made it into the 1896 county atlas, but fell off of maps shortly after that. John was buried with relatives in Calvary Cemetery on Mansfield Ave in Mount Vernon.

Front Royal – Jackson Township
Location: 40.298719, -82.261775
on Front Royal Rd (County Rd 61) at the intersection of Kerr Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Front Royal was platted in 1831 as the first village in Jackson Township and had a general store, blacksmith shop, and a school. It was abandoned by the residents in the mid-1800s after discovering that the title to the land that the lots were on wasn’t good. The area subsequently reverted back to farmland.

Genoa Station – Jefferson Township
Location: unknown
Description: The only reference to the town was found in the 1877 Geology Of Knox County.

Hains (Haines) (Ten Mile Settlement) – City of Mount Vernon (formerly in Clinton Township)
Location: 40.364847, -82.479759
on SR 13 (Neward Rd) at the intersection of Glen Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: This farming and mill town was founded by settlers from Ten Mile in Washington County, Pennsylvania. The first grist mill in the county was constructed in the settlement by Ebenezer and Abner Brown in 1804 with the help of the neighborhood. Henry Hains also arrived around that time with his family. He served as the first county treasurer from 1808 – 1815 and the town took on the Hains name. Although the area was never abandoned, the town itself didn’t last long. Henry reportedly battled with temporary insanity several times during his life and was found dead in 1817 by a self-inflicted hanging. There are accounts of some of his strange behavior in the county history books, including the day of his demise. Sadly, if living in modern times, he likely would have been diagnosed with schizophrenia. 

Harrison
Location: unknown
Description: Harrison was platted 1816 by Jacob Lepley (1777 – 1861) from Somerset County, Pennsylvania and Susan (Critchfield) Lepley (1784 – 1869). They were married in 1800 and had a few children. Jacob served as a justice of the peace in Union Township in 1809 and a judge in Jackson Township in 1815. There’s no record of any of the lots in Harrison having been sold. Jacob and Susan moved to Holmes County and later Coshocton County where they were buried with relatives in Monroe Cemetery on the south side of Township Rd 130 between Co Rd 132 and Township Hwy 324 in Monroe Township.

Hollisters (Zuck) – Butler Township
Location: 40.383321, -82.248024
on Zuck Rd (Township Hwy 201) along the Kokosing River between SR 715 and Staats Rd (Township Hwy 200)
Remnants: Hollister Cemetery at the GPS coordinates
Description: Hollisters distantly preceded Zuck as a town, which had a post office at the same location from 1880 – 1903. Abel Hollister Jr. (1771 – 1847) from Litchfield County, Connecticut and Aranah (Terrill) Hollister moved to the area in the early 1800s and had several children. Abel was buried with relatives and other residents in the cemetery. His father was a Revolutionary War veteran. The cemetery has what was once a very nice stone wall with a small iron gate, but time and nature are now taking their toll. The last known interment was in 1861. Zuck is still listed as a populated place but the old town is gone. It was named after Stephen Zuck, one of the owners of a grist mill and saw mill complex called Green Valley Mills on the north side of Owl Creek, now the Kokosing River. The town also had a general store and the population in 1900 was around 40 residents. The post office closed due to lack of use though and the Great Flood of 1913 wiped out the remaining businesses and residences.    

Houcks – Hilliar Township
Location: 40.293408, -82.724348
on US 36 (Columbus Rd) at the intersection of Dill Rd (Township Hwy 102)
Remnants: Houck Cemetery at the GPS coordinates
Description: It was the first settlement in Hilliar Township and was founded by James Houck (1783 – 1883) and Sarah (Shadley) Houck (1784 – 1863), Jacob Houck (1787 – 1850) and Rhoda (Jennings) Houck (b. 1786), along with the family of Joseph Jennings. Jacob and James were brothers. Their father, Revolutionary War veteran William Houck (1753 – 1836) from Maryland, built the first blacksmith shop in the township on Jacob’s farm. The building was used for the town’s school after he retired. Jacob ran a tavern in the settlement, served as township recorder, justice of the peace, and platted Centerburg in 1817.  James was a township trustee, treasurer, and donated land for the cemetery and a new log school in 1823. William and Jacob were buried with relatives in Houck Cemetery. James and Sarah were buried with relatives in Homer Cemetery in Licking County about 12 miles southeast of town on the north side of Homer Rd NW. 

Magnetic Springs – Morris Township
Location: unknown
Description: It was 2 miles north of Mount Vernon. The town name always refers to a natural spring in the area with large amounts of mineral content.

Maple Grove – Berlin Township
Post Office: 1849 – 1860
Location: 40.527098, -82.524976
on Roberts Rd (Township Hwy 379) between Yankee St and Quaker Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: The proprietors were county pioneers Richard Roberts (1789 – 1877) from Frederick County, Maryland and Sarah (Garrison) Roberts from New York (1796 – 1872). They had 10 children, 9 daughters and a son. Richard was the postmaster and enjoyed talking about the state’s early days, especially in evenings around the fireplace in the family’s old cabin during winter. Richard and Sarah were buried with relatives in Quaker (Friends) Cemetery about 2 1/2 miles southwest of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Zolman Rd (County Rd 69) and Friends Ln in Middlebury Township. 

New Lexington
Location: unknown
Description: It was platted by Robert Griffin in 1816.

Pleasant Valley (Pleasant Grove) – Brown Township
Location: 40.490080, -82.352806
on SR 3 (Wooster Rd) along Little Jelloway Creek at the 4-way intersection of Nunda Rd and Apple Valley Rd
Remnants:  none known
Description: Pleasant Valley has a saw mill next to Little Jelloway Creek in the 1860s – 1870s on land owned by John A. Feaster. A school (Brown Township No. 8) was north of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 3 and Sapps Run Rd.

Rossville (Rosstown) – Union Township
Post Office: 1878 – 1882
Location: 40.441793, -82.260778
on US 62 at the intersection of Flat Run Rd (County Rd 40)
Remnants: Workman Cemetery south of the intersection on the west side of US 62
Description: The town was platted just south of Danville in 1871 by Jacob Ross (1825 – 1906) and Nancy (Workman) Ross (1826 – 1901), around the time when the railroad arrived in the area. It rapidly grew and attracted all of the imaginable businesses of the era with well over 200 citizens. The plat of Buckeye City was squeezed between Danville and Rossville by J. C. Tilton in 1880. This statement appeared in the 1881 county history book. “The three villages will, no doubt, in course of time be consolidated.” The prediction turned into fact in 1923 when Rossville and Buckeye City were annexed by Danville. However, as fate would have it, Rossville fell off of the maps but Buckeye City still retains its identity as a named neighborhood of Danville. Workman Cemetery was established on land formerly owned by Nancy Ross’s parents. Jacob and Nancy had 6 children and were buried with relatives in the cemetery. 

Wolfes (Wolf) – Harrison Township
Post Office: 1844 – 1863
Location: 40.339954, -82.358157
on Hopewell Rd at the intersection of Grove Church Rd (County Rd 31)
Remnants: Union Grove Cemetery on the east side of Grove Church Rd just north of the GPS coordinates, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: The Wolfe family is of German descent and arrived in the county in the early 1800s. George Wolf was the first postmaster and held the office until the late 1850s. Simon Bonnet was his only known successor. The office was listed as Wolf in postal records. Union Grove Cemetery was established around 1823 and the original Disciple log church was built in 1832 on land owned by Nathaniel Ross (1794 – 1882) and Sarah (Hair) Ross (1794 – 1868). They got married in 1817, moved to Ohio from Greene County, Pennsylvania, and had 8 children. A wood frame church replaced the log structure in 1841 and there was a school on the south side of Hopewell Rd east of the GPS coordinates. After surviving the “Burlington Storm” in May of 1825, a destructive tornado that caused much damage to the Ross farm and countless others in the state, another tornado swept through the area on September 2, 1845. One of the Ross daughters, Rachel Ann (1822 – 1845), was instantly killed by a falling log. Some of the houses and farm buildings near the GPS coordinates date back to the town’s postal days. Nathaniel and Sarah Ross, along with Rachel Ann and other relatives, were buried in Union Grove Cemetery. There are over 80 known Wolfe family members buried in the cemetery and many more scattered throughout the county.

Lake County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Arcole (Harper’s Landing) (Ellesnburg) (Madison Dock) (Mascot) – Madison Township
Post Office: 1837 – 1851, 1839 – 1841, and 1898 – 1899
Location: 41.821723, -81.015847 
on Dock Rd between US 20 and Lake Erie along Arcola Creek
Remnants: Dock Road Cemetery on the east side of the GPS coordinates, Arcola House 1 1/2 miles south of the GPS coordinates in the northwest corner of the intersection of US 20 and Dock Rd
Description: The area was originally called Harper’s Landing, named after Revolutionary War veteran Colonel Alexander Harper (1744 – 1798) from Middlesex County, Connecticut and Elizabeth (Bartholomew) Harper (1749 – 1833) from Hunterdon County, New Jersey. They were a couple of the earliest pioneers in the Western Reserve and founded the nearby town of Hapersfield in Ashtabula County. The Arcola House was built around 1806 and served as an inn for tired travelers. It’s the only structure left that has witnessed the the areas remarkable changes since the early 1800s. On top of ship building and fishing, Arcole had 2 iron furnaces called The Arcole Steam Hot And Cold-Blast Charcoal Furnaces. The first one was built in the mid-1820s by Root & Wheeler of the Erie Furnace Company and the second was built by Wilkeson & Co. in 1832. The Arcole Iron Works produced stoves, kettles, and several other heavy castings in the foundry. It was once the largest employer in the state. The furnaces and foundry were along Arcola Creek south of the GPS coordinates with a post office from 1837 – 1851. Charles F. Swan was its first postmaster and was succeeded by John W. McGinnis. Ellensburg was platted near the northern end of Dock Rd at Lake Erie as the docking point for incoming supplies and shipping out finished products. It had a post office from 1839 – 1841 and was also known as Madison Dock. On the 1857 county map, a school was pinpointed on the east side of Dock Rd in section 14 and another one was in section 3 on the north side of US 20 just west of the Arcola House. There was also a grist mill on the east side of Dock Rd along Arcola Creek just north of US 20. The grist mill and school near the Arcola house (Madison Township No. 3) were still in operation by publication of the 1898 county atlas. A newer school (Madison Township No. 2) in the northeast corner of the intersection of Dock Rd and Cunningham Rd replaced the former one to the north in section 14. The last name taken on by the area in the 1800s was Mascot, pinpointed in the 1901 George Cram atlas, with a post office from 1898 – 1899. Charlie W. Barrett (1859 – 1923) was its only known postmaster. He was laid to rest with relatives in Mount Pleasant Cemetery on SR 84 (South Ridge Rd E) in Geneva, Ashtabula County. Dock Road Cemetery isn’t very large, but it contains interments of many early residents.

Clarks – Concord Township
Location: 41.650046, -81.241490   
on SR 44 between Girdled Rd and Capital Pkwy
Remnants: none known
Description: Clarks sat along the Pittsburgh & Western Railroad (later bought by the B&O). It had a school (Condord Township No. 7) southwest of the GPS coordinates on the north side of Girdled Rd just west of Auburn Rd on land donated by the Woodruff family.

Hampshire – Concord Township
Post Office: 1842 – 1843
Location: unknown
Description: It was listed in the 1843 A Table Of Post-Offices In Ohio, Arranged By Counties, Townships, And Towns as being 3 miles from Painesville.

Heisley (Heisley Station) – City of Mentor (formerly in Mentor Township)
Location: 41.697267, -81.307327   
on Heisley Rd at the railroad crossing between Hamilton Dr and Tyler Blvd
Remnants: none known
Description: Heisley had a train station on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway. These days, a business zone on the southeast side of the GPS coordinates called Heisley Road Commerce Park and a residential subdivision to its northeast still use the former town’s name.

Hobarts Corners – City of Kirtland (formerly in Kirtland Township)
Location: 41.583910, -81.369054 
on US 6 at the intersection of Hobart Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: It was founded by Joshua Hobart (1809 – 1892) and Lucy (Heath) Hobart (1814 – 1893). They moved to Ohio from New Hampshire and had at least one child. The town had a school on the south side of US 6 just west of Hobart Rd. Joshua and Lucy were buried with relatives in Waite Hill Village Cemetery on Waite Hill Rd 3 miles north of the intersection.

Hopkins (Hopkins Point) – City of Mentor (formerly in Mentor Township)
Location: 41.720486, -81.342134   
on SR 283 (Lakeshore Blvd) at the intersection of Hopkins Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by Daniel Hopkins (1790 – 1867) from Vermont and Anna (Churchill) Hopkins (1804 – 1898) from New Hampshire. They got married in Ohio in 1820, had 11 children, and owned a 500-acre farm. The New York, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad rolled through the area in the late 1800s to early 1900s. Daniel and Anna were buried with relatives in Mentor Municipal Cemetery at 7881 Hopkins Rd south of the intersection.

Judds Corners – Concord Township
Location: 41.661620, -81.196514   
on SR 608 (Concord Hambden Rd) at the intersection of Girdled Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Its proprietors were Samuel Judd (1792 – 1875) and Marcia (Welton) Judd (1795 – 1872) who moved to Ohio from Connecticut and had a few children. Samuel was the postmaster of the Concord office in 1852. They were buried with relatives in Welton Cemetery on Goodwin Rd in Burton, Geauga County. Justin N. Day (1812 – 1876) and Abigail (Briggs) Day (1816 – 1892) moved to Ohio from New York and owned a cabinet shop on the south side of Girdled Rd northeast of the GPS coordinates. They were laid to rest with relatives in Evergreen Cemetery on Main St in Painesville.

Kniffins Corners (Breakman) – Leroy Township
Post Office: 1890 – 1901
Location: 41.659667, -81.129540  
on SR 86 (Painesville Warren Rd) at the intersection of Kniffen Rd
Remnants: Brakeman (Peters) Cemetery on the north side of SR 86 between Kniffen Rd and Brakeman Rd, South Leroy Meeting House in the southwest corner of the intersection of SR 86 and Brakeman Rd, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Kniffins Corners and Proctor Corners are ghost towns within the current populated place of Breakman which is listed on Google Maps. We will try to get it all sorted out here as chronologically and cartographically as possible. South Leroy Meeting House, a Methodist church, was constructed from 1822 – 1832 by Henry Brakeman (1785 – 1869) from New York and his sons at what would become Breakman Corners at the intersection of SR 86 and Brakeman Rd. There were a couple of local blacksmiths in the mid-1800s. A grist mill and saw mill with a lumber yard was along Bates Creek at what would later become Proctor Corners at the intersection of SR 86 and Leroy Thompson Rd (County Hwy 203). They were owned by Otis A. Warner Sr. (1800 – 1885) and employed many residents. Hill House (Hillhouse) post office was originally at Kniffins Corners and moved to Leroy Center. In the mid-1800s to early 1900s, there were 2 local schools along SR 86, Leroy Township No. 1 at Breakman Corners and Leroy Township No. 7 at Proctor Corners. Sometime prior to publication of the 1898 county atlas, the Kniffin family moved to the area with brother and sister George W. Kniffin (born c. 1855) and Allie B. Kniffin (born c. 1860) owning around a combined 200 acres of land on the north side of SR 86 at the GPS coordinates. During that time period, Breakman Corners was was still centered around the intersection of SR 86 and Brakeman Rd. It had a post office from 1890 – 1901. Most of the Warner farm was bought by Edward Proctor (1841 – 1916), turning that area into Proctor Corners before 1900. Breakman ended up absorbing both Kiffins and Proctor while its center shifted further east in the mid-1900s. South Leroy Meeting House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. A restoration consisting of new siding and a fresh coat of paint began in 2015 and has since been completed. Henry Brakeman and Otis Warner Sr. were buried with relatives in Brakeman (Peters) Cemetery. Edward Proctor was laid to rest with relatives in Maple Grove Cemetery about 4 3/4 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates on the south side of Leroy Thompson Rd in Thompson Township, Geauga County. The burial locations of George and Allie Kniffin are unknown. Their family surname was spelled as Kniffen in some branches and in certain historical records.

Marsh Settlement – City of Mentor (formerly Mentor Township)
Location: 41.725800, -81.338800   
on Harbor Dr in the Mentor Marina
Remnants: historical marker at the GPS coordinates
Description: It was platted in 1797 by Charles Parker of the Connecticut Land Company as the first settlement in Lake County. Mentor grew out of the settlement.

New Market (Skinner’s Landing) – Painesville Township
Location: 41.740973, -81.260103
on Skinner Ave at the intersection of N St Clair St along the Grand River
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was platted in 1803 by Revolutionary War veteran Captain Abraham Skinner (1755 – 1826) from Connecticut, who also founded and platted Fairport. In 1788 he married Mary (Ayers) Skinner (d. 1812) and had 5 children. They moved to New Market with Abraham in 1805 after he returned to Connecticut to get them. The town had 3 warehouses, a general store, 2 taverns, and a distillery, but was abandoned as other towns in the area were growing much more rapidly. Abraham and Mary were buried with relatives in Evergreen Cemetery on Main St in Painesville.

Pease Mill – Concord Township
Location: 41.668845, -81.183901   
on Girdled Rd at the intersection of Cascade Rd along Big Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: It was founded in 1852 by David Pease (1815 – 1890) from Massachusetts and Lucy (Dean) Pease (1817 – 1857). David built a mill on Big Creek for turning wood to make furniture and small wares, selling items at fairs and expos in local towns and big cities to increase its profit. He also planted a maple and walnut grove in Pease Hollow to replenish the trees he used. The mill collapsed due to heavy snows in 1963. David remarried after his first wife passed away and was buried with relatives in Evergreen Cemetery on Main St in Painesville.

Rush Road – City of Willowick (formerly in Willoughby Township)
Location: 41.621437, -81.457893   
on E 305th St (formerly Rush Rd) at the railroad crossing between US 20 (Euclid Ave) and N Marginal Dr
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway and was named after the family of Richard Rush (1847 – 1919) and Ella (Gould) Rush (1857 – 1949) who owned land on Rush Rd and had a few children. They were buried with relatives in S.O.M. Road Cemetery in Willoughby Hills.

Wheeler (Trumbulls Mills) – Madison Township
Post Office: 1834 – 1838 and 1889 – 1900
Location: 41.735035, -81.045272
on  SR 528 (S Madison Rd) at the intersection of Griswold Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Wheeler was originally called Trumbulls Mills and had a grist mill and saw mill on the south side of the Grand River owned by the Trumbull family in the early to mid-1800s. The mill site was in what is currently Hidden Valley Park on Klassen Rd. The post office called Trumbulls Mills operated from 1834 – 1838 with John Ransom serving as postmaster. A school was on the north side of River Rd between SR 528 and Bailey Rd. There was also a cheese factory at the mill site which was pinpointed in the 1874 county atlas. The mills were sold several times over the passing decades of the 1800s and the school from the mid-1800s was replaced with a newer one (Madison Township No. 6) at the same location. Edward P. Wheeler was the first postmaster of the Wheeler office. He was succeeded by Harriet (Marsh) Sparks (1846 – 1919). Harriet was buried with relatives in Fairview Memorial Park 2 miles north of the GPS coordinates on the east side of SR 528.

Worden – City of Wickliffe (formerly in Willoughby Township)
Location: 41.621324, -81.475000   
on Worden Rd at the intersection of Elgin Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was founded by Noah Worden (1778 – 1864) from Connecticut who moved to Ohio in 1809. He had 7 children and remarried after his first wife passed away. It was a farming town and had a school in the mid-1800s. Noah was buried with relatives in Willoughby Village Cemetery on Sharpe Ave.

Lawrence County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Cherryville – Aid Township
Post Office: 1890 – 1917
Location: 38.610883, -82.530982
on Sharp’s Creek Rd (Co Rd 19) between Martin Rd and Symmes Creek Rd along Sharps Creek
Remnants: former school on the north side of Sharp’s Creek Rd about a mile east of the GPS coordinates, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Cherryville was a small farming town with a school. Residents were also employed in the local mining industry. John C. Martin (1851 – 1924) was the postmaster. He was buried with relatives about 8 miles southwest of town in Sugar Creek Cemetery on the north side of SR 141. Some other residents of Cherryville were buried in Aid Cemetery 3 miles east of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 141 and Sharp’s Creek Rd.

Dean – Elizabeth Township
Location: 38.668266, -82.647441
on SR 373 (Texas Hollow Rd) between SR 93 and Dean Forest Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: The town was named after Lovead Dean (1820 – 1894) from Taunton, Massachusetts. It had a train station on the Iron Railroad (later bought by the Dayton & Ironton Railroad) and was home to coal mines owned by the Belfont Iron Works. Lovead was its vice president and the company operated a furnace in Ironton. The town also had a couple of stores and a school. Lovead Dean  was buried with relatives in Woodland Cemetery on Carlton Davidson Ln in Ironton. 

Ensee – Windsor Township
Post Office: 1890 – 1903
Location: 38.507318, -82.426885
on Greasy Ridge Rd (Co Rd 2) at the intersection of McKinney Creek – Slate Run Rd
Remnants: Cox Family Cemetery on the east side of Greasy Ridge Rd just south of the GPS coordinates, Pomaria Church and Cemetery on McKinney Creek – Slate Run Rd just northwest of the GPS coordinates
Description: Ensee was named after a type of apples modified from Rome Beauty seeds and were originally grown around 1880 by Nelson Cox (1828 – 1902) who moved to Lawrence County from Cable County, West Virginia. The word Ensee is derived from the pronunciation of his name’s initials. Nelson married Lydia (Gardner) Cox (1830 – 1918) and had at least 6 children. They purchased the orchard farm in 1854 from Lydia’s brother Roswell Gardner (1828 – 1912). Roswell contracted the “Western Fever”, which wasn’t a deadly illness, but simply the desire to move west seeking fortune and new opportunities as so many did during that era. He lived in Illinois for a while and later moved back east. Local residents laughed at the thought of Nelson and Lydia ever attaining success in the fruit industry. However, they expanded the orchard to 60 acres in 1860, mostly growing apples and a few other fruits. The harvests were abundant, and suddenly it seemed, the skeptical residents weren’t laughing about it anymore. Nelson and Lydia built a new house in 1870 and donated land and funds for the construction of Pomaria Church in 1871. There was also a school on the west side of Greasy Ridge Rd north of intersection of Slate Run Rd. One of the Cox’s sons, Elton G. Cox (1863 – 1921), was the town’s first postmaster and continued the family’s orchard business with his company called E. G. Cox Fine Fruits. Nelson and Lydia were buried with relatives in Cox Cemetery. Elton was buried with relatives in Rome – Proctorville Cemetery 7 1/2 miles southeast of the GPS coordinates on the northwest side of County Rd 411 in Rome.

Gold Camp (Goldcamp Station) – Elizabeth Township
Location: 38.646102, -82.739480
on SR 650 along Pine Creek between SR 522 (Superior – Lawrence Furnace Rd) and Little Pine Creek Rd (Co Rd 27)
Remnants: portions of the former railroad track bed, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: Gold Camp had a train station on the Detroit, Toledo, & Ironton Railroad. The land for the station was donated by Ferdinand H. Goldcamp (1837 – 1916) and Mary (Monnig) Goldcamp (1839 – 1916). They had 10 children and a nice farm of 143 acres. The 2nd generation established a hardware store chain called Goldcamp Brothers & Company and purchased a mill in 1887, renaming it the Goldcamp Milling Company. Both of those enterprises were based in Ironton. Henry I. Goldcamp (1873 – 1956) continued farming on the old family homestead. He married Margaret (Gallagher) Goldcamp (1879 – 1974) in 1898 and had 9 children. Ferdinand and Mary were laid to rest with over 60 relatives in Calvary Cemetery on the east side of Carlton Davidson Ln in Ironton.

Grant Town – Union Township
Location: 38.442088, -82.405923
on Old State Rte 7 at the intersection of Pvt Dr 1188 along the Ohio River
Remnants: none known
Description: It was an early pioneer settlement in section 26 of Union Township that couldn’t keep up with its nearby rival Quaker Bottom in section 25, which enjoyed continued success and eventually turned into Proctorville. 

Ida – Windsor Township
Post Office: 1892 – 1908
Location: 38.566796, -82.426923
on Greasy Ridge Rd (Co Rd 2) between Capper Ridge Rd (Township Rd 228) and Venisonham – Greasy Ridge Rd (Township Rd 141)
Remnants: Perkins Ridge Baptist Church and Cemetery at the GPS coordinates, Perkins (Holderby) Cemetery on private property on the west side of Greasy Ridge Rd about 1/2 of a mile north of the GPS coordinates
Description: Ida had a school (Windsor Township No. 8) on the east side of Greasy Ridge Rd north of the GPS coordinates on land owned by Abner Holderby (1809 – 1895) from Cabell County, West Virginia and Elizabeth (Thompson) Holderby (1827 – 1915). Lauren Alonzo Gossett (1869 – 1947) was the only known postmaster. He married Carrie (Gillett) Gossett (1873 – 1956) in 1891 and had a few children. The ridge was named after the Perkins family who moved to Ohio from North Carolina in the early 1800s. Some members of the Perkins, Holderby, and Gossett families were laid to rest in Perkins Cemetery. Most of the town’s residents were buried in Perkins Ridge Cemetery.

Iron Rock – Hamilton Township
Location: 38.560103, -82.738265
on US 52 along the Ohio River between Rock Hollow Rd (Co Rd 128) and Happy Hollow
Remnants: none known
Description: Iron Rock was on the Scioto Valley Railway just west of Hanging Rock and was listed in the 1887 county atlas.

Israel – Perry Township
Post Office: late 1840s – 1860
Location: 38.503321, -82.583529
on SR 243 at the intersection of Deering Bald Knob Rd
Description: It was mentioned as a postal town in volume 1 of A Standard History of the Hanging Rock Iron Region of Ohio. Israel was also listed on page 53 in the 1868 Atlas of the State of Ohio in the northwest quarter of section 5 and stretching west into the northeast quarter of section 6. The location later turned into the town of Deering (Dearing) which had a post office from 1884 – 1907 and is still a populated place.

Jep
Post Office: 1900 – 1917
Location: unknown
Description: Edward Brohard (1869 – 1930) from West Virginia was the first postmaster. He was buried with relatives in Calvary Cemetery on Carlton Davidson Ln in Ironton.

Johns Creek – Aid Township
Post Office: 1887 – 1903
Location: 38.671416, -82.568770
on Etna – Waterloo Rd (Co Rd 4) along Johns Creek at the intersection of Johns Creek Rd (Township Hwy 94)
Remnants: old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description:  It had a church and  a school (Aid Township No. 4) on land donated by War of 1812 veteran Walter Neal Jr. (1786 – 1873) and Deborah (Arnot) Neal (1783 – 1843). They were from Bedford County, Virginia and moved to Harrison Township, Gallia County. Walter and Deborah also owned several hundreds of acres of land in Aid Township and passed most of it down to their children. Hugh McIntyre (1832 – 1920) was the town’s postmaster. He married a granddaughter of Walter and Deborah, Mary Jane (Neal) McIntyre (1840 – 1907), in 1862 and had 7 children. They were buried with relatives in Woodland Cemetery on Carlton Davidson Ln in Ironton. Walter and Deborah were buried with relatives in Landthorn Cemetery on private property in the woods east of Clay Lick Rd (Township Hwy 702) in Harrison Township, Gallia County.

Kennedys Cross Roads – Rome Township
Post Office: 1857 – 1863
Location: unknown
Description: It was founded by a branch of the Kennedy family in the county.

Kerrsville – Union Township
Location: 38.468822, -82.442620
on SR 243 along Symmes Creek between McKinney Creek Rd and Eaton Rd
Remnants: Kerr Cemetery on private property on the south side of SR 243 at the GPS coordinates about halfway between the road and Symmes Creek
Description: Kerrsville was listed in The Ohio Gazetteer, Or, Topographical Dictionary and The Ohio Gazetteer and Traveler’s Guide from 1829 – 1841 and contained around 10 – 12 houses. Although they didn’t found the town and it fell off of maps in the mid-1800s, William M. Kerr (1810 – 1891) from Pennsylvania and Caroline Kerr (1827 – 1885) were lifelong residents and its most prominent citizens. They owned a large farm, had several children, and were buried with some relatives and other townspeople in the cemetery. 

Long Hollow – Decatur and Elizabeth Township
Location: 38.673263, -82.635952
on SR 373 (Dean Forest Rd) at the intersection of Texas Hollow Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Long Hollow was along the Detroit, Toledo, & Ironton Railroad. The original proprietors were Hiram Campbell (1810 – 1896) from Kentucky and Sarah (Woodrow) Campbell (1815 – 1892) from Highland County. They had 4 children, owned half of Decatur Township, and held extensive interests in the county’s iron furnace, mining, and railroad industries. Hiram served in the state legislature and was a cousin of John Campbell (1808 – 1891) who founded Ironton in 1849. Long Hollow had around 20 residences, freight scales on the north side of Texas Hollow Rd, and a school on the west side of SR 373 north of the GPS coordinates. Hiram and Sarah were buried with relatives in Woodland Cemetery on Carlton Davidson Ln in Ironton. They lived in a 24 room mansion that was built in Ironton in 1850. It still stands at 321 N 5th St.

Manker (Mancker) – Lawrence Township
Post Office: 1897 – 1917
Location: 38.589227, -82.512792
on SR 141 at the intersection of De Loss Creek Rd (Co Rd 116)
Remnants: none known
Description:
William S. Mays (1868 – 1917) was the postmaster. The office name changed from Mancker to Manker in 1898 and was discontinued when William passed away. He was buried with relatives 7 miles southeast of town in Mays Cemetery in the woods on the east side of Neds Fork Rd (Co Rd 53).

Montreal – Fayette Township
Post Office: 1894 – 1907
Location: 38.437273, -82.541172
on Solida Rd at the intersection of Pvt Drive 2396 along Solida Creek
Remnants: former general store on the east side of Solida Rd at the GPS coordinates, old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: The former general store is now a private residence. It was constructed in 1880 and was owned by Willard F. Moore (1858 – 1933) and Mary Ann (Faverty) Moore (1868 – 1960). They got married in 1887 and their store made it into the county atlas later that year. Louis A. McKee (1857 – 1944) was the postmaster. He was buried with relatives a mile south of the GPS Coordinates in McKee Cemetery #2 in the woods on the east side of Pvt Rd 1543. Willard and Mary Ann were buried with relatives in Woodland Cemetery on Carlton Davidson Ln in Ironton.

Moulton – Decatur Township
Location: 38.717599, -82.632061
on SR 93 at the intersection of Waterloo – Mt Vernon Rd along Pine Creek
Remnants: none known
Description: The proprietors were John Henry Moulton (1843 – 1910) and Maria (Campbell) Moulton (1845 – 1921). John was an ironmaster and established the Sheridan Coal Works in 1867. Maria was a daughter of the pioneer industrial moguls Hiram and Sarah Campbell. They married in 1869 and had 6 children. John also worked with his father-in-law and Maria’s brothers in iron manufacturing. The town was on the Detroit, Toledo, & Ironton Railroad. John and Maria were buried with relatives in Woodland Cemetery on Carlton Davidson Ln in Ironton.

Sedgewick (Sedgwick) – Upper Township
Location: 38.551147, -82.702258
on McPherson Ave at the intersection of Thomas St in Ironton
Remnants: Sedgwick United Methodist Church on the north side of Reynolds St southwest of the GPS coordinates
Description: It was listed in the 1887 county atlas as a separate town and was eventually annexed into Ironton. The church was constructed in 1907.

Strobel – Upper Township
Post Office: 1903 – 1912
Location: 38.548702, -82.616186
on SR 141 along Sugar Creek at the intersection of Branch Sugar Creek Rd
Remnants: none known
Description: Strobel was a small postal town just east of Hecla. Charles P. Stanley (1858 – 1955) was the postmaster. He was buried with relatives in Sugar Creek Cemetery west of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of SR 141 and County Rd 44 S.

Vesuvius (Vesuvius Furnace) – Elizabeth Township
Post Office: 1883 – 1902
Location: 38.605014, -82.630379
on Ellisonville – Paddle Creek Rd (Co Rd 29) at the intersection of Sugar Creek Ridge – Vesuvius Rd N along Storms Creek on the south side of Lake Vesuvius
Remnants: Vesuvius Furnace and historical marker on the northeast side of the GPS coordinates, Vesuvius Cemetery in the woods on the north side of Ellisonville – Paddle Creek Rd between the Main Loop Trail and the furnace
Description: Named after the Italian volcano, the first furnace at Vesuvius was built in 1833 by Samuel Gould, John Hurd, and Joseph Smith. It was cold blast, meaning the air wasn’t heated before entering. The owners decided to try building a hot blast furnace, which was a relatively new concept at the time. Construction on the second furnace began in 1836 and it successfully became the first hot blast furnace in the country, employing a couple hundred residents in various industries related to the iron production. The town was on the Iron Railroad and had the usual amenities of a furnace community including a company store, school, grocery store, and a blacksmith shop. The furnace changed ownership several times over the passing decades. One of the owners, Joseph Work Dempsey (1818 – 1852), was tragically killed in an accident at the furnace when the scaffolding he was on collapsed. The furnace continued to operate until taking its last breath in 1905 and closing the following year. Lake Vesuvius was constructed in the early 1930s to create a local recreational destination. The accompanying park offers many outdoor activities and is an ideal place for a picnic. Vesuvius Furnace was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990 and has had the benefit of some preservation efforts. Its original large retaining wall is a sight not found at the other furnace sites around the state. Joseph Dempsey was buried with relatives in Woodland Cemetery on Carlton Davidson Ln in Ironton. About 100 of the town’s residents were buried in Vesuvius Cemetery.  

Whitehouse – Windsor Township
Location: unknown
Description: It was in section 17 of Windsor Township.

Windsor Cross Roads (Windsor X Roads)
Post Office: 1840 – 1850
Location: unknown
Description: William G. Robinson (1830 – 1869) was the postmaster. He was buried with relatives in Rome – Proctorville Cemetery on the northwest side of County Rd 411 in Rome.

Licking County, Ohio Ghost Towns

Albion
Location: unknown
Description: It was listed in The Ohio Gazetteer and Traveler’s Guide from 1837 – 1841 as a village in the county.

Belfast
Location: unknown
Description: Belfast was listed in the 1876 Centennial History of Licking County, Ohio as a “virtually extinct village”.

Blanchard (Blanchard Settlement) – Granville Township
Location: 40.109554, -82.518590
on SR 661 (North St) at the intersection of Cambria Mill Rd
Remnants: former one-room schoolhouse on the east side of SR 661 about 1/2 of a mile south of the GPS coordinates, old farm buildings in the area
Description: The town was founded by Joseph Blanchard (1770 – 1859) and Nancy (Waite) Blanchard (1772 – 1851). They were born in Massachusetts, had several children, and moved to Ohio from Maine in 1818. Joseph and his 4 sons owned a wagon shop and built other wooden necessities such as spinning wheels and chairs. Blanchard had a school (Granville Township No. 8) on the west side of SR 661 on land owned by the Gates family prior to its last school built on the east side of SR 661 which is now a private residence. Joseph and Nancy were buried with relatives in Old Colony Burying Ground on S Main St in Granville. The cemetery is an impressive site to explore with many early county pioneers and war veterans laid to rest there.

Bowling Green – Madison Township
Location: unknown
Description: It was along the Licking River approximately 5 miles east of Newark and had a church.

Canonsburgh – Newton Township
Location: unknown
Description: Canonsburgh was about 3 miles north of Newark on the south bank of Dry Creek (formerly part of Brushy Fork). 

Central City – City of Heath (formerly in Licking Township)
Location: 40.034677, -82.470716
on the railroad junction east of Keller Dr and south of Faye Dr NE
Remnants: none known
Description: Central City was at the junction of the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad and the Toledo & Ohio Central Railroad in the late 1800s to early 1900s.

Cook Settlement (Appleton) – Bennington Township
Location: 40.209282, -82.616680
on Appleton Rd at the 4-way intersection of Van Fossen Rd (Township Hwy 4) and Cooper Rd NW (Township Hwy 60)
Remnants: none known
Description: Cook Settlement was established around 1815 and preceded Appleton as a village. It was founded by War of 1812 veteran Captain Isaac Cook (1780 – 1856) and Titus Knox (1784 – 1866). The village served as a stopping point in the southern portion of the township for traveling settlers. Some stayed and some moved on. Titus Knox and Carey Mead platted Appleton next to the site of Cook Settlement in 1832. They named it after Appleton Downer who was a successful lawyer from Zanesville and owned much of the land in the township during its early years. Appleton didn’t get any population booms and was never a large town, but continues to maintain its existence. It also has a few stories of the past to tell, which are quietly held in the walls of some of the old buildings around town as well as in the county history books. Isaac Cook was buried in Chestnut Grove Cemetery on Grove Dr in Ashtabula, Ashtabula County. Titus Knox was laid to rest in Sunbury Memorial Park on West Cherry St in Sunbury, Delaware County. 

Cox
Post Office: 1859 – 1861
Location: unknown
Description: none found

Denmans Cross Roads (Cooksey) (Reform) – Perry Township
Post Office: 1880 – 1889
Location: 40.137859, -82.250263
on Reform Rd NE (Co Hwy 232) at the intersection of Mary Ann Furnace Rd (Township Hwy 243) along Brushy Fork
Remnants: Smith Chapel and Cemetery a mile south of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of Reform Rd NE and Montgomery Rd NE (Township Hwy 243A), old houses and farm buildings in the area
Description: The original proprietors were Zenas Denman (1791 – 1871) from Sussex County, New Jersey and Jane (Smith) Denman (1799 – 1874) from Frederick County, Virginia. They were married in 1816, had a nice farm, and several children. Although the family was living at the crossroads for several decades, the town wasn’t listed on a map by its name until the 1875 county atlas. It was mentioned in the 1881 county history book and had a general store, blacksmith shop, and a shoe shop at the time. The store opened in 1857 and was owned by Lucius Hoyt (1835 – 1910) and Isabella (Denman) Hoyt (1841 – 1896), a daughter of Zenas and Jane. In the 1880s, the town also went by the name Cooksey, matching the post office in the store with Lucius being the postmaster. After the post office closed, the town started going by the name of Reform around 1900. Zenas and Jane were buried with relatives in Hanover Cemetery 5 miles south of town on the north side of Rock Haven Rd NE. Lucius and Isabella were buried with relatives and other early residents in Smith Chapel Cemetery. The church is still in operation and Reform is a currently populated place which pops up on Google Maps. 

Etniers (National Road Station) (Atherton) – Licking Township
Location: 39.960337, -82.437697
Post Office: 1884 – 1925
on US 40 (National Rd SE) at the intersection of Lancer Rd SE
Remnants: former train station on the north side of the GPS coordinates
Description: Founded by the Etnier family in the county, the town had a post station on a pony express line running along the National Road in 1836 – 1837. Mail was run by 2 carriers through this portion of Ohio, one from Zanesville to Etniers and the other from Etniers to Columbus with fresh hoses spread out every 5 miles. Sometime between publication of the 1854 county map and 1866 county atlas, Simeon Etnier (1814 – 1881) from Pennsylvania, enlarged the family farm from its previous 60 acres to 260 acres on the southeast side of the GPS coordinates. The Hocking Valley Railway (later the Newark, Somerset, & Straitsville Railroad and eventually the B&O) rolled through the area for many decades. The former train station was called National Road and is now a private residence with the T. J. Evans Recreational Trail starting there and heading north on the previous railroad bed. After Simeon’s death, the town started going by the name of Atherton and had a regular post office. The first postmaster was James Oliver Davis (1841 – 1902). He was succeeded by a son, John Franklin Davis (1869 – 1939). They were buried with relatives in Fairmount Cemetery about 3 miles east of the GPS coordinates at the intersection of US 40 and Fairmount Rd. Atherton still a populated place and is listed on Google Maps. Simeon was buried with relatives in Jacksontown Cemetery 2 miles northeast of the GPS coordinates on the east side of SR 13 (Jacksontown Rd). 

Exeter
Location: unknown