Marietta & Cincinnati railroad, Hockingport has been deprived of its principal source of business. A much more interesting and thriving village is Coolville, on the west bank of the Hockhocking five miles from its mouth, the settlement of which was begun in 1814 by Simeon W. Cooley and his son Heman, who built a mill there. The town was laid out in 1818, incorporated in 1855, and its present population is about three hundred. Surrounded with a good agricultural region. and an industrious population, Coolville is likely to continue one of the most pleasant villages in the county. It has three churches, two district schools, a prosperous seminary, a town hall, masonic hall, etc. Personal and Biographical. Among the earliest settlers in Troy were Benajah Hoyt, Xerxes Paulk, Joseph Guthrie, Daniel Stewart, the Barrows family, William Pilcher, Asahel Cooley, John Torrence, Oliver Rice, Cummins Porter, Stephen Buckingham, Abram Richardson, Truman Hickox, and the Frost family. Some of these are noticed in connection with Rome and Carthage. Benajah Hoyt was probably the first white settler in Troy. He came from Nova Scotia to the mouth of the Hockhocking with his family in 1797. E. H. Williams, a grandson of his, owns and resides on the lot in Hockingport on which Hoyt first built a cabin. One of Mr. Hoyt's daughters, Sarah, married Captain Charles Devol, of Washington county. They had two sons and two daughters. Frank Devol, the oldest son, is a wealthy farmer in one of the western states. The youngest son, Prescott H. Devol, is noticed elsewhere. The eldest daughter of Mrs. Devol married Benjamin Dana of Washington county (both now deceased); and the youngest, Henrietta, is the wife of Mr. Samuel S. Knowles, late member of the state senate, and a well known lawyer of Marietta. Mrs. Devol is still living in Mr. Knowles' family. Among the early settlers at Coolville were the Cooleys, Jacob S. Miller and Alfred Hobby. Mr. John Frame settled here in 1833, and in 1840 commenced merchandizing and dealing in wool, grain, and country produce. Though over sixty years age he still engages actively in business, having associated his sons with him. Dr. John Pratt, a native of Schuyler county, New York, settled in Coolville in 1835. He is now sixty-eight years of age, hale and healthy, and has practiced his profession in this community for a third of a century. of CHAPTER XIX. Waterloo Township. ATERLOO was originally a part of Athens WAT township, and was not separately organized till April, 1826. Joseph Hewitt and William Lowry were principally instrumental in securing the township organization. The name of Waterloo was suggested by General John Brown, of Athens. The first election for township officers was held April 3, 1826, at the house of Joseph Hewitt. Joseph Bullard, Abram Fee, and Silas Bingham were judges of the election, and Andrew Glass and Pardon C. Hewitt clerks. The following persons voted, viz: William Lowry, James Lowry, Joseph Hewitt, P. C. Hewitt, Ezekiel Robinett, Lemuel Robinett, Nathan Robinett, Wm. Young, Wm. Young, Jun., Silas Bingham, Andrew Glass, Joseph C. Martin, Horace Martin, Abram Fee, Joseph Bullard, John Bullard, Samuel Lowry, Jun., Abram Gabriel, Elias Gabriel, and Elias Young. The election results were as follows: William Lowry and Joseph Hewitt were elected justices of the peace; Alexander Young, Elias Gabriel, and Silas Bingham trustees; Andrew Glass clerk; Horace Martin treasurer; William Young and Ezekiel Robinett overseers of the poor; Joseph Lowry and Samuel Lowry fence-viewers; William Young, Nathan Robinett, and John Bullard supervisors; William Lowry and Joseph Hewitt constables. At this time William Lowry and Joseph Hewitt were the only two "whigs" in the township, yet they were both elected magistrates, showing that party feeling did not enter greatly into the election. |