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History of Jefferson Township Schools By W. H. Elder The Northwestern Territory, comprising the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin was organized in 1787 by the Continental Congress. One of the provisions of the famous Ordinance of 1787 providing for the organization of this territory declared that “Religion, morality and education being necessary for good government, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged. The early settlers of this township were true to the principles of this ordinance and the progress of our schools during the past hundred years is an achievement of which every citizen may justly be proud. Unfortunately very few records of our schools are to be found. Therefore, we have been compelled to depend upon the memory of a few of our older citizens to whom we are indebted for much of our information regarding the earlier schools of the township. Prior to 1820 a few private schools were maintained by contributions of the residents and although certain lands were set aside for the establishment and maintenance of schools, they yielded little revenue. After that date different means for securing money were devised and public schools were established. The Walhonding river forming a barrier to travel, naturally divided the township and in time three districts were formed south of the river and three north. Those on the south were Jefferson, Flint Hill and Mohawk. On the north were Warsaw, Tarkiln and Darling Run. Jefferson probably took its name from its location near the church of the same name. The boundaries were changed but little until the establishment of the Nellie district. The first school of the Jefferson district was held in a log cabin which stood on the Whitaker farm now owned by W.H. Elder. A second building was erected on the farm of John Taylor now owned by Alva Cullison. A third and a fourth one, built in 1887, on the farm of James Lowary now owned by C. W. Given. It is impossible to secure a complete list of teachers in any of the schools but we hope to mention a few in each. Among the teachers in this school were: James Magaw, grandfather of the Lawson boys of Warsaw; later his daughter, Hannah Magaw; J. J. Dean; W. S. Elder, who afterward became a lawyer in Deadwood, South Dakota; Victoria Sturgeon Rank; H.R. McCurdy, who became a prominent physician of the county, and later his brother, L. C. McCurdy, also a physician; Lewis Meredith; W. D. Kisner; L.M. Grove; Emma Criss Webb; Mary Wheatccraft Bower; Mary McCurdy; Bina Shaw McFarland; W. H. Elder; Clifford Elder; Mina Tredway Clark; Pearl Rodehaver Honabarger; Anna Riley and Fred E. Elder. Stanley Johnston, now a minister in the Church of Christ, and William E. Grove, a minister in the M.P. church, were pupils in this school. The first school building in the Flint Hill district stood on the farm of Isaac Barrett, now owned by J. A. Funk. A second and a third on the land of Lewis Whitaker, now owned by F. C. McCullough. This district was abandoned when the Nellie district was organized and its territory given to Nellie, Mohawk and Jefferson districts. Among the teachers were Henry Wheeler, Rachel Wheeler, Lulu Taylor, Maude Ayres, Mr. Dearness, Grant Wheeler. H. H. Dean, Hart Dean, W. B. McClure, Louisa Campbell Metham, Miss Stant, Joe McClure, Mary McCurdy. W. H. Elder, Myrtle Leas. The following persons who afterward attained prominence were pupils in the Flint Hill school; J. W. Moore, moved to Kansas and became a county treasurer and a state representative; Sara Moore married Dr. Nathan Sites. They went to China as missionaries in 1861. Their work was much appreciated by the Chinese and their son, Dr. C. M. Sites, is today carrying on the work which his parents started. C. M. Sites attended school one year at Flint Hill while visiting relatives in the district. Dr. P. M. Moore for many years a prominent physician of Warsaw. Dr. Moore was always a leader in everything which had for its object a bigger and better Warsaw. It can be truly said that he did more for the town than any other person. Andrew Creighton, a prominent attorney, of Columbus, and James Creighton, a Presbyterian minister in Texas. The first schoolhouse in the Mohawk district was a log structure which stood on the farm of William Given, now owned by J. A. Funk. The second, a two-story, two-room frame building and the one now standing, a one-story, two-room building, both on the land of William Given, now owned by C. P. Foster. For several years all the township schools have been centralized at Warsaw and Nellie and the coming school year marks the consolidation of Mohawk with Nellie. Among teachers at Mohawk were James Moore, D. E. Dean, S. E. Bell, Joe McClure, J. C. Wright, Earl Cullison who served two terms as sheriff of Coshocton county; H. B. Pigman, who became county superintendent of schools; John Hawthorne, Charles Funk, Fred Sharples and Blake Boyd. John Q. Thompson, at one time a Mohawk pupil, moved to Iowa and became an attorney at law. He was appointed assistant attorney general by President McKinley. On the north side of the river were originally three districts; Warsaw, Tarkiln and Darling’s Run. The history of the Warsaw schools is the part of another writer. The first building in the Tarkiln district was a log structure on the land of Christian Kaser. It was burned about 1858. School was held for a short time in a log cabin near the present residence of Samuel Gamertsfelder. Two frame buildings stood on the same location on the farm of John C. Kaser. One was used by Charles Myers as a residence for several years, now torn down, but the last still standing. Among the teachers were William Guthrie, Isaac Lower; James Severns, who was afterward county treasurer for two terms; Solomon Gamertsfelder, who became a minister in the Evangelical church, college professor at Napierville, Illinois, and editor of the Evangelical Messenger; Joseph Severns, Isabelle Simpson Fry, Daniel Speck, Sarah Wheatcraft, Iva Tredway Barrett, Bina Shaw McFarland. Charles McDonald, Joseph Johnston, Byron Meredith, Iva Taylor Davis, Clinton Laughlin, C. M. Haas, now a Presbyterian minister in Orinoco, Minnesota. Newton Speckman, who served two terms as county auditor was a pupil in this school. The first school building at Darling’s Run is now occupied by Orlan Hart as a residence. In it years ago a little boy named Willie Stone attended school. This boy later became Governor William Stove, of Iowa. Darling’s Run is the only district of the township to furnish a governor of any state. The second building, still standing, was built about 1870. Milan Still, an attorney, and Lester Still, an attorney, and judge in the state of Washington, were both pupils in this school. Molly Martin, whose mother was a Pancake, taught in the old building in 1863. Other teachers were: Molly Darling, Sophia Darling, Belle Moore Darling, Hilpha Younker, Esther Straus, John Cox, Joseph McCoy, Nannie Marshall, George Marshall, Clarence Criss, George Mohler, Dr. Snyder, Henry Burrell, James Severns, Annie Wheeler, Mary Burk, W. D. Kisner, Libbie McCaskey, W. E. Foster, E. E. Clark, Mary Haas, W. B. McClure, Mary McCurdy, Marion Nonamaker, Minnie Payne, S. Morrisson, Milan Still, Mary Hamer, Newton Bender, Noah Linebaugh, Frank Tompkins, S. C. Kisner, Hallie Shaffer, J. B. Speaks, Dora Clark, Thresa Weber, Pearl Fry, Mary Sowers, W. M. Hagans, Mary Walker and Harold Speaks. The Nellie school district was organized about 1902 from parts of Flint Hill, Mohawk and Darling’s Run. The present two-story brick building was erected at that time and an addition was made some years later. Teachers in the high school have been: Professors Horton, L. C. Shaw, E. A. Robinson, John Proper and Charles Bell. Grade teachers: Alice Kanavel, Clyde Endsley, Mrs. Edna Endsley, Lucy Lonsinger and Floyd Singer. Darling’s Run pupils have been brought to Nellie for the past five years and for the coming year Mohawk is to be added. The citizens of this progressive little hamlet have always been deeply interested in their school and the coming years will perhaps witness greater progress than the past. Flat Rock school house was built in 1874 the district having been formed from Warsaw, Tarkiln and Darling’s Run. Among the teachers were: James Severns, Fletcher Hastings, Newton Speckman, W. D. Kisner, Ida Wilson Church, John Gardner, Newton bender, Anna Haas Kuhn, Samuel Kisner, Margaret Gamble Sands, Samuel Snellenbarger, E. H. Clark. The rural schools of Jefferson Township have become a thing of the past as they are all centralized at Warsaw and Nellie. However, they did not live in vain, as many of our most prominent citizens received their education under the guidance of some of the faithful instructors who have been mentioned. We trust that this little sketch may be the means of arousing pleasant memories of bygone days, and may in a measure help to stimulate an interest in present-day education. Transcribed by Gloria Contributed by Sheila Helser

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