Hocking County Ohio

Benton Township

Benton Township is one of the eleven townships of Hocking County, Ohio. The 2000 census found 814 people in the township. Situated in the heart of the Hocking Hills region, Benton Township includes much of Hocking Hills State Park, including the popular Old Man's Cave and Ash Cave.  

Hocking Hills State Park is a non-contiguous state park located in the Hocking Hills region of the state of Ohio, in Hocking County, and embedded within the Hocking State Forest. Within the park are several spectacular features based around rock formations, including Old Man's Cave, a narrow, deep gorge featuring waterfalls; Rockhouse, a cliffed area with a rock shelter; Cantwell Cliffs, a broad gorge at the head of a hollow with a unique stone stairway; and Ash Cave and Cedar Falls, large rock shelters with waterfalls. Camping is available there, as is a guest lodge.

Churches in Benton township include:Pine Grove Church, Saint Johns Chapel, Wesley Chapel.

Cemeteries:Wesley Chapel Cemetery, Berry Cemetery, Justice Cemetery, Pine Grove Cemetery, South Bloomingville Cemetery, Saint John the Baptist Cemetery, Liberty Hill Cemetery.

Parks in Benton township include:Conkles Hollow State Nature Preserve, Old Mans Cave Recreation Area.

South Bloomingville is an unincorporated community in western Benton Township, Hocking County, Ohio. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the zip code of 43152. It is located at the intersection of State Routes 56 and 664, slightly west of Hocking Hills State Park.

The first settler, Christian Eby, settled where South Bloomingville is located on Queer Creek. Other early settlers were George Starkey and Moses Dolson. The first election was at Eby’s. The first mill, erected by Eby, was on Queer Creek. The home of Herschel Badford (1-2 miles east of South Bloomingville) served as the first post office. This home was called "Rockhouse".

John Chilcote owned the land and laid out the town of Bloomingville.  Samuel and Christian Eby were pioneer merchants. In 1883 the town had two general stores, one run by John Goddard and one run by John Quellin, who also owned a drugstore. The town had two hotels, The Ohio House, which J. W. Iles ran, and the American, run by William Evarts. Henry O. Haynes owned a flouring and saw mill, and John A. Smith, a blacksmith shop. Mrs. Redfern ran the only millinery shop. There were two doctors, Dr. Green and Dr. Redfern.

 

    Benton Township Civil War Veterans

    Benton Township Biographies

    Benton Township History

    1830 Census

    1840 Census

    1850 Census

    1860 Census

    1870 Census

    1880 Census

    1890 ?Census

    1900 Census

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