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Join us in celebrating Symmes Township’s history by making
this project a reality for future generations to enjoy.
The Symmes Township Historical Society and the Symmes Township Board of Trustees
have joined together to guarantee that this historic 1830’s two-story (20’ x
24’) log house is restored for future generations to enjoy. The log house will
be reconstructed on a portion of the Township’s historic Meade House property
along Lebanon Road. The Society has entered into a long-term lease with Symmes
Township. Visitors will soon be able to experience American pioneer life.
Bringing this history to life through restoration requires the support of many
individuals and groups. The Society has received a $100,000 grant from the Ohio
Cultural Commission; but an additional $186,000 is needed before we can begin to
rebuild this log house.
The Society needs your help – Everyone’s contribution, no matter how large or
small, is important.
Please participate in the restoration of the Ross Family Log House. Your
contribution should be made payable to STHS – Log House Project and mailed to
STHS, P.O. Box 498917,Cincinnatii, OH 45249. Please contact the Society if you
have any questions or need additional information.
The Symmes Township Historical Society is a 501 (3)(c) organization. Dues,
grants and contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
“In-Kind Contributions” are also acceptable. Please contact the Society if you
are interested in making this type of donation.
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Historical Record of the Log Home Owners
in
Symmes Township
Rich Road 1794-1843
Submitted by Nick Kurzynski
This is an updated version of what had appears in the March
2005 newsletter.
According to Henry A. Ford who wrote the History of Hamilton
County in 1881, Symmes Township was created between 1820 and 1826 from the
eastern part of Sycamore Township. There was added two tiers of sections on the
west which had formally belonged to Springfield Township.
The log home area belonged to the Congress Lands, 2 nd
Miami Purchase, Section 13 (northern area), 4th
Township, that had been purchased by John Cleves
Symmes. Part of the Symmes purchase was paid with soldiers' military land
warrants from the Revolutionary War. George Washington signed the original deed
from the United States to John C. Symmes September 13, 1794 in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania.
The next person to buy the log home area was James Findlay.
Findlay signed his deed on June 4, 1811. He had bought it from John Cleves
Symmes. Symmes had financial difficulties and this is probably why the deed was
signed after Findlay had sold it to Enoch Buckingham in 1805. Enoch and Levi
Buckingham were early settlers of Symmes Township (1794). They had land in the
Miamiville area as well as the Rich Road area.
In 1808 Enoch Buckingham sold 150 aces to his brother, Levi
Buckingham. Levi Buckingham then swapped property that Curtis Sears’ wife, Nancy
Huey, had owned in Montgomery County, Ohio in 1823 for the log home property.
Nancy Huey received the Montgomery County property after she was married from
her father in 1821. Then Curtis and Nancy Sears sold the property to John Ross
in 1836. It was interesting to note that there was a judgment listed on the
Sears deed of 1836, which turned out to be a land swap where a court was needed
to enact the transaction. John Ross then sold the property to Joseph Kibby in
1843.
We think it was between 1836 and 1843 that the log home was
built since the fireplace was built inside the building and not on the outside
of the building. The bricks for the upper portion of the chimney appear to be
hand made - possibly at the site.
The Buckinghams probably cut trees on the Little Miami River
hillside and adjoining areas to float down the Little Miami for Christian
Waldschmidt’s saw mill. Wood was needed for flour and whisky barrels, farm
implements, buildings and fuel for the paper mill and whisky sill at
Waldschmidt’s. In the 1840’s there were 26 sawmills along the Little Miami and
the flour mills produced 100,000 pounds of flour per year. The land was also
ideal for livestock due to the many streams (runs) that went through the
property to the Little Miami. The land along the Little Miami plateaus was known
as a granary and it was used to produce wheat for flour, corn for meal and
whiskey production along with oats and rye. We know flat boats were used to
transport goods down the Little Miami since during the wet season it would be
almost impossible to navigate the roads to the Waldschmidt Mills.
Sources used in this article are from The History of Hamilton
County, Henry A. Ford, 1881, Cincinnati Historical Society, History of
Southwestern Ohio, William E. Smith, 1964, History of Camp Dennison, Mary Rahn
Sloan.
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