Next south of Blissville and bordering on Washington, Franklin and Perry counties, is also a desirable agricultural region, with surface somewhat more broken than the others, but with equally good land, with a large growth of timber of the kind to prove it. Being remote from trails and towns, this township was slow in settling up.
   Among the first settlers were A. McGinnis, John Turman, James Bellows, Willis Hardwick, the Smiths, the Scroggins, Irvins, Morgans, Goddards, etc. This region was so wild that the game was a menace to the pioneers, instead of a help as in some other parts. When corn or other things were planted, they were subject to be attacked by crows, blackbirds, and squirrels, and when further advanced wild geese and turkeys tried to finish up the job. Deer and wolves and even panthers were a little to common for the comfort and ease of women and children.
   The first comers had even harder times than others securing bread stuffs, and material. These people had to depend upon their own resources for the necessaries of life. Buckskin breeches and shirts were as common as over-alls are now, and the women wore the same linsey dress year round.
   Originally this was part of Elk Prairie, but when township organization came it became Bald Hill township. John B. Ward was its first supervisor. It used to be another Democratic stronghold, but of late years it has generally been Repuplican by a small majority, and is taking on all the modern improvements of the day. Since the building of the Mount Vernon & Chester Railroad, two good towns have come into existence Waltonville, which is now a bright business town of several hundred inhabitants, with up to date business (right on the Blissville line) and Scheller, another bright little town, a mile or so from the resort known as Scheller Lake. Both of these towns are doing big business in all lines, including the buying and shipping of stock, Sheller has a large Catholic church (Polanders), besides others, and Waltonville has a Universalist, a Methodist and a Baptist church and the township has a full quota of school-houses.

Submitted By: Cindy Ford
 

Back to Township Index

Home

Copyright © 2001-2008 by Cindy Ford. All Rights Reserved.