NEW CASTLE TOWNSHIP.
Robert Giffin was among the earliest settlers in New Castle township. He was, for a number of years, the largest landholder in it; but, after a time, sold out his interest there and became more largely identified with Knox county. Edith Hull, a very early tax-payer in the township, was Giffin's sister. They are reported as being from the State of Delaware. .
Thomas Butler and Joseph Severns are reported as having come into the township about 1806. They were both from Virginia-the south branch of the Potomac. They were connected with Robert Darling, and he and they removed to Ohio about the same time. Mr. Severns died in 1857, being about eighty years of age. A son, of same name, died near New Castle, in 1850. A grandson is now living near Coshocton. Samuel Severns, the oldest son of Joseph, yet living on the old farm on Severn's Ridge, inl New Castle township, is, at this time, about eighty-four years old. Another son, William, has reached the good old age of seventy-five years. A son of Mr. Butler, James, is now living just over the line in Jefferson township, at the advanced age of eighty-three years; and another son, Felix, about sixty-seven years old, resides on the old home place. Few, if any, people have given character to the upper Walhonding valley beyond the Butlers. Both Joseph Severns and Thomas Butler were out in the war of 1812.
Martin and David Cox were early settlers, keeping the post-office, for the township, for many years, at Cox's Cross roads. John Eli owned the farm on which New Castle now stands, though the town was laid out by John Clark under the name of West Liberty. The Meredith family was one of the earliest and best known in this township. They were from Virginia. Squire Humphrey lived, at an early day, on the tract now owned by Loyd Nichols. M. Duncan made his mark, in early times, by building a large stone house, as also did the two Johns - David and Thomas- who were among the earliest, coming- from New Jersey. John G. Pigman was a prominent settler in New Castle; but is reported more fully in Perry, within whose geo- graphical limits, as ultimately fixed, he lived. John Wolf was another early settler.
The mother of Thomas Dwyer, of Coshocton, came into New Castle with her son-in-law (she then being a widow), Benjamin Farquhar, in 1808. They were from Maryland. Of Eli Nichols, long a prominent citizen of this township, mention is elsewhere made.
This township is the home of one of the professors of the occult sciences, Wm. Gorham, who claims to be able to discover hidden things, whether of the past or the future, and has sometimes created a sensation in the classic Owl Creek valley.
One of the noticeable people of New Castle township, some years ago, was one Walter Turner, an Englishman, who figured at a saw-mill in an effort to make the same water do duty several times-pumping it up again into the race after it had run over the wheel.
New Castle was one of the four townships organized before the county was organized (Tuscarawas, Washington, and Franklin being the others); and it is understood to have been named after New Castle in Delaware.
 

* See" Biographical Sketches."

Historical Collections of Coshocton County Ohio 1764-1876 

William E Hunt, 1876

CHAPTER IV  NOT'ICES OF SOME OF THE EARLIEST SETTLER8, AND OTHER MATTERS OF INTEREST PERTAINING TO EACH TOWNSHIP.

Transcribed by: Sandy Payne 

© copyright 2004 Sandy Payne