RAILROADS
The Little Miami Railroad Company
was organized under charter of March 11,1836, to construct and maintain a railway from
Springfield to Cincinnati, by way of Xenia. Work was begun in 1837, and the road was open
for traffic from Cincinnati to Milford, in December, 1842; to Xenia, in August, 1845 ; and
to Springfield, in August, 1846 a length of eighty-four miles. Originally, the track was
laid with strap iron, but was re-laid with T-rail in 1848. November 30, 1853, a
partnership contract was made with the Columbus and Xenia Railroad Company, by which the
roads of the two companies were united, and worked as one line. January 1, 1865, the
companies jointly leased the Dayton and Western Railroad, and purchased, February 4, 1865,
at judicial sale, the Dayton; Xenia and Belpre Railroad, from Xenia to Dayton, sixteen
miles. November 30, 1868, this partnership was dissolved, and an intercontract made, by
which the Columbus and Xenia was leased to the Little Miami for ninety-nine years,
renewable. December 1, 1869, this company leased its road, property, and leased lines, for
the terms of ninety-nine years, renewable forever, to the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and St.
Louis Railway Company, by whom it is now operated, constituting the Little Miami Division
of that company's line.
The Columbus and Xenia Railway Company was chartered March 12, 1844, and was opened for
business February, 1850; formed a union contract with the Little Miami Railway; November
30, 1853; finally became merged in the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and St. Louis, which later
became part of th Pennsylvania system known affectionately as "The Pennsy".
When this county was first settled, and for many years after, the only thoroughfares known
to the, pioneer were the meandering trails through the woods, whose course was marked by
blazes upon the trees. These were succeeded by cutting out the trees, and clearing out a
passage wide enough for a wagon, spanning the swamps with corduroy bridges. As the
population incresased, regular roads were laid out and worked. The next step in
progression was the pike, succeeded by the railroad, the acme of rapid and easy
transportation. Then, the shipments were made to Cincinnati, and other points, by the ox
team, requiring many days; now, produce is sent in a few hours. Then, the postmaster, on
his pony, carried the mail in his hat; now, we have all the facilities of
intercommunication, which enables us to speak to friends thousands of miles away in a few
seconds.
VILLAGES OF GREENE COUNTY
The villages of Greene County were centers of habitation many years before they were organized or their limits defined, in the following, the early settlers, or founders, are named where known, and the most accurately known dates are indicated.
OLD CHILLICOTHE, OLD TOWN, taken from Shawnees prior to 1795.
BELLBROOK, founded by George and Amos Wilson and Jacob Mills, about 1796.
ALPHA, started by Owen Davis, 1798. Place of first county court.
CEDARVILLE, formerly MILFORD, settled by John and Thomas Townsley, 1801. Laid out by Jesse and William Newport, 1816.
FAIRBORN (city) formerly FAIRFIELD. Settlers at Reeds Hill, 1799. Laid out in 1816; and OSBORN named for E. F. Osborn. Surveyed by Washington Galloway, 1857.
JAMESTOWN, named for Jamestown, Virginia. Laid out by Thomas Browder and Martin Mendenhall, 1816.
YELLOW SPRINGS, founded by Lewis Davis about 1804. Organized 1833.
CLIFTON, named for famous river cliffs. Platted by Timothy Bales and Bennett Lewis, 1833.
PAINTERSVILLE, named for Jesse Painter. Laid out 1837.
TREBEIN, formerly PINCKNEYVILLE, named for F. C. Trebein.
BYRON, formerly TYLERSVILLE, founded by William Senseman. Laid out by Moses Collier, 1841.
SPRING VALLEY, formerly TRANSYLVANIA, founded by Edward and Amos Walton, 1842.
GOES, named for founder, William Goe. Laid out 1846.
NEW JASPER, started by the Slagle family. Recorded 1853.
BOWERSVILLE, recorded 1858.
WILBERFORCE, recorded 1856. Named for eminent English philanthropist, William Wilberforce.
ROXANNA, originally CLAYSVILLE, founded by John Speer and A. Alexander.
ZIMMERMAN, first called PUSH ON, named for Jacob Zimmerman.
Source Greene County Historical Society
Bulletin Number 4, May 1957
THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OF GREENE COUNTY
Nearly all accounts agree that the first settlement by white men in what is now Greene County was in the very southwest corner. It was in the locality of the crossroads hamlet of Ferry, formerly called Clio. At one time the place boasted a post office, a blacksmith shop, a sawmill, and a power cider press, but now only the Ferry Church of Christ and a few residences.
In April 1796, John Wilson or some of his sons — Daniel, George, Amos, and John, Jr. — with Jacob Mills, built a log shelter twelve b twelve feet square, without floor or chimney. Here they lived while they cleared some patches and planted corn, beans, and potatoes. The place was located east of Ferry on land now owned by Herbert Meredith, east of the Haines Road, south of the Middle Run Road and south of Middle Run Creek, and about one-half mile north of the Warren County line.
After a journey to Cincinnati or Kentucky to tend crops they had there, or to buy their land, they returned to this locality, using the military road cut through the forest by part of General Wayne’s Army. They then erected four log cabins in the Ferry vicinity, one west for Daniel, one north for Amos, one east for George, and one south for Mr. Mills whose place was in what was later called Warren County.
By March of 1797, these men had moved their families to their homesteads and had plunged into the arduous task of subduing the forest, planting crops, and improving their property. This year other people began to settle near them, the Vances, the Lammes, and others, near Bellbrook — the start of a steady stream of settlers.
The Wilsons built a two-story hewed log house for their father about 1800 It had puncheon floors and a huge stone fireplace that included all the west end of the house. It was torn down about 1900 to make room for the house that Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Roland live in now.
This John Wilson was a delegate to the convention in 1802 which framed the first constitution of the State of Ohio. He attended as a delegate from Hamilton County, as Greene County had not yet been organized.
—Harold Berryhill
GREENE COUNTY SEAT — LOCATED AND NAMED
Apsbv, and William McClelland, who located the permanent seat of Greene County at the forks of Shawnee Creek, three miles from the point where this creek empties into the Little Miami River.
John Paul, a resident and mill operator of Trebein Station, learned of this location and hurried to Cincinnati and purchased the land covering the site, at the intersection of the Bullskin Trail with another trail, Branch of Scioto Trail from Franklinton (now Columbus) west and south to Cincinnati. A commission, consisting of Joseph C. Vance, David Huston, and Joseph Wilson, appointed by the first County Court, authorized Joseph C. Vance to purchase the land for the County seat. Vance purchased the land and then invited a group, including Benjamin Whiteman, 0wen Davis, and Laticia Davis to meet with him and John Paul and William A. Beattv and others to choose a suitable name.
Those invited and others met at the intersection (now Main and Detroit Streets) and many names were proposed — Washington, Wayne, Greenville, and others. While these names were being discussed, a scholarly-looking gentleman stepped forward and said: “Gentlemen, allow me to suggest a name for your county town. in view of the kind and hospitable manner in which I have been treated whilst a stranger to most of you, allow me to suggest the name of ‘Xenia’, taken from the Greek, and signifying hospitality. After several ballots and at last a tie between Xenia and another name, Mrs. Laticia Davis was allowed to cast the deciding vote, which vote x as in favor of XENIA.
The stranger was the Rev. Robert Armstrong, who one year later became the pastor of the Massie’s Creek and Sugarcreek associate congregations of Greene County. Reverend Armstrong spent the remainder of his life in the county.
He died on October 14, 1821, and is buried in the Massie’s Creek Cemetery in Cedarville township.
(Source: Greene County Historical Society Bulletin Nr. 4, dated 1957)