Washington County

A petition was laid before the commissioners at their June session, 1815, signed by Nathaniel Mitchell, John Mitchell, Elisha Rose, John Sharp and others, "praying that a new township may be laid out and set off from the township of Newport." It was resolved by the board "That the whole of the original surveyed township number three, range seven, together with sections 17, 18, 22, 23, 24. 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 35 and 36 in the second township, range seven, be and hereby is established into an incorporated town, to be called and denominated Lawrence, and the inhabitants within said district are entitled to all the immunities and privileges of incorporated towns within the State. The elections in said town will meet at the house of John Mitchell on the second Saturday of July, at 10 o'clock A. M., for the purpose of electing township officers." The Court of Ouarter Sessions directed that an election for two justices of the peace should be held at the same time and place. The election which was held agreeably to this order resulted in the choice of the following officers: Trustees, William Hoff. John Newton and Elisha Rose; clerk, John Sharp; constables, James Hoff and Elijah Wilson; fence viewers, Jonathan Dye and James Mitchell; treasurer, John Dye; supervisors, George Nixon and Nathaniel Mitchell; justices of the peace, Samuel Dye and John Mitchell. The township officers were sworn in by Samuel Dye, Justice of the Peace.

On the first of April, 1816, the electors met at the house of Nathaniel Mitchell to elect township officers. John Dye was chosen chairman, and Elisha Rose and John Newton, judges of the election. John Sharp was clerk. At this second election 18 votes were cast. The following is the list of voters: John Sharp, William Hoff, James Hoff, David McKibben, Isaac Wilson. Nathan Davis, Nathaniel Mitchell, Jonathan Dye, John Newton, Elisha Rose, John Dye, Samuel Dye, Henry Chamberlain, John Mitchell, Isaac Hill, Ezekiel Dye, James Mitchell, and Alderman Johnson.

Nearly half of this list of voters resided in that part of the township which has since been set back to Newport. James Hoff was elected first "lister of taxable property," and John Mitchell, appraiser of houses. The first grand jurors from the township were Nathaniel Amlin and Nathaniel Mitchell. John Dye was the first petit juror.

The election of 1820 and subsequent elections for many years were held in a school house on John Dye's farm near the mouth of Cow Run. In 1827 section 32 of township two was reannexed to Newport, and at the June session, 1840, Lawrence was reduced to its present limits.

The first school was opened in 1810 near the mouth of Cow Run. In 1838 when the public school system went into effect, Lawrence was divided into eight districts and a log school house built in each. The first church was a log school house covered with clapboards located on the Little Muskingum and used bv all denominatons. The Presbyterian form of government was instituted in the "forties" and in 1846 the church was reorganized as a Congregational Church and a new building was built in 1846. The present church was dedicated in 1867. The Lawrence Baptist Church was in existence 1840-44. Other churches were organized as follows: German Methodist, 1845; two German Lutheran, one at the mouth of Cow Run in 1853 and the other on the ridge in 1863; United Brethren at Mount Zion, about i860 and Union Chapel at the head of Eight Mile Run; Pine Ridge Methodist, head of Bear Run, in 1866; Disciples (or "Campbellites") Mount Pisgah Church, at head of Cow Run; a Scotch Presbyterian Church in 1847; Methodist Episcopal Cross Chapel, 1872. The first Children's Home in Ohio was established by Miss Catherine A. Fay in Lawrence township, at the mouth of Morse Run, in April, 1858. The first post office was named "Lawrence township" and was on the farm of John W. Dye, in the central portion of the township. The first post office at Crow Run was opened in 1869 with William P. Guitteau, postmaster. Several literary societies were established early in Lawrence township, known as "Little Muskingum Lyceum;" (1842), "Singed Cat Society" (1845), "Tarnal Critters" (1848). As the two latter names suggest, these organizations were very democratic and started for philanthropic purposes.

The famous Cow Run oil development began in the "sixties." The first drilling machine was brought into Lawrence township in 1864 by George McParland. Five years later 500 wells were being operated though the daily output was not as great a number of barrels.

Joshua L. Guyton, now living in the vicinity of Marietta, says that in the winter of 1845-46 he was a cabinetmaker with his father, Abraham Guyton, on Cow Run in Lawrence township. Within about 35 feet of their shop was a "burning spring," as it was called. Through a wooden pipe they conducted the natural gas to the shop and used it for illuminating purposes. For a burner they used the spout of a coffee-pot. Since that time an oil-
well sunk near the spring has proved a good producer but the surface flow of gas has ceased. Joshua L. Guyton is the father of Bion L. Guyton, a well-known attorney in this county.

 Source: History of Marietta and Washington County, by Martin R. Andrews, MA, 1902, Transcribed by C. Anthony