TUSCARAWAS TOWNSHIP.
The first "settlement" made in the county was in this township. Charles Williams,* a native of Maryland, residing for a time in Western Virginia, and yet later on the Lower Muskingum, came up the river in a canoe, and located on the site of Coshocton, early in the year 1801; having spent part of the preceding year in what is now Bethlehem township, but without definite purpose as to place of settlement. George Carpenter, a brother-in-law of Williams, and William and Samuel Morrison, came soon afterward, but, after stopping to help Williams raise a crop of corn, passed on up the Killbuck, becoming the earliest settlers in what is now Holmes county. Another brother-in- law of Williams, John Hibits, came a little later, and subsequently located in the Upper Walhonding valley. Several of the early residents were "croppers," and after a time picked up a piece of land and settled in some other township.
Nicholas Miller, from Virginia, came in about 1803-spent his long life in farming, dying at a good old age. John D. Moore (father of Commissioner Moore), also from Virginia, came a little later-was an easy-going, quiet farmer, dying many years since in the township. Peter Moore was a regular trapper and fisher. John Noble had a little farm near the ford, three miles below Coshocton; for a time kept a ferry there in later years. J. Fulton was from Maryland-lived on the place best known as the Ricketts farm, about a mile southeast of Coshocton. He had a mill (run by the water of a big spring), making more corn-meal and whisky than anything else, said to have been the first mill set up in Coshocton county. Among others recognized as very early settlers were J. Workman, from Virginia (the father of General Jesse Workman), a farmer; Joseph Neff: from same State, a tailor; Asa Hart,. from New Jersey, a blacksmith; Andrew Lybarger (grandfather of Representative E. L. Lybarger), from Pennsylvania, a tanner; Wm.Whitten, a general business man, the first justice of the peace; Dr. Samuel Lee;* Thomas L. Rue ;* Adam Johnson (a son-in-law of Charles Williams and the father of Matthew, Charles, and Wm.A. Johnson), the first county clerk and auditor; Wilson McGowan, from Mount Holly, New Jersey, a gentleman of the continental style, wearing a "queue," and flourishing a gold-headed cane; Alex. MicGowan, a younger brother of the above, who set up as a physician of the Tompsonian school, but was chiefly occupied in public office, having been many years auditor, etc.; Cornelius Van Kirk (a very stalwart man), the first tax-collector and sheriff ; James Cantwell, a farmer; Geo. McCullough, an Indian scout and hunter; James Winders and Geo. Arnold, corn-raisers, and, as' reputed, general " whisky punishers."
These were an settled in the township before the county was organized, in 1811-many of them years before.

* 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