HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
ROSS TOWNSHIP

   Ross Township embraced at one time a considerable portion of the land in the northeastern part of Greene County, but subsequently a large portion of it was taken in the formation of Cedarville Township, which was made from these northern townships, and organized in 1850. This township received its name from an early settler, who died long years ago, leaving no descendants. The only knowledge we have of his having ever lived in the limits of the place, is from the traditions that have been handed down from the earlier days, that he really was here substantiated by the fact that the township bears the name. This one, however, seems to be the only person of that name who ever settled here.

The present limits of the township, are as follows:

   It is bounded on the north by Madison Township, the southeastern township of Clarke County; on the east by Stores Township in Madison County, and Jefferson Township in Fayette County; Silver Creek Township, of Greene County, bounds it on the south, while New Jasper and Cedarville Townships bound it on the west.

   The topography of the township is remarkable for nothing save its monotonous flatness, as the surface of the country for miles around is not diversified by a single eminence which can be dignified by the name of hill, or even hillock. In general outline, Ross is not so extremely irregular as many other townships formed from the same old military surveys, but the line defining its circumference is sufficiently winding in its appearance as not to weary the eye by the monotony of its straightness. This soil is an alluvial deposit of great depth, formed by the drift of centuries, and what is somewhat remarkable, considering its contiguity to the lime-stone regions of Cedervalle Township, there is no limestone to be found here; a more lasting or productive soil than this, however, is not within the boundaries of Greene County. The average yield of wheat for this year (1880) is estimated at twenty bushels per acre in this township, while it is claimed by the leading agriculturists here, that better corn and more of it, according to the acreage planted, is raised in Ross than any other township in this part of the county. It cannot, however, be boasted by the farmers of these lands that this state of affairs was brought about by their liberality in regard to the amount and excellent qualities of manueres usually used for such purposes, for such is by no means the case; as there are many farmers there today who raise very good crops, and yet burn their straw as soon as threshed, and thus, by their mismanagement, deprive their soil of on of its best fertilizers. It is proper to mention, however, that the number of farmers who resort to these means to rid their farms of a superfluous amount of straw is growing less, and probably the persons who burned their straw in this township this fall might be numbered on the fingers on one hand. It shows, nevertheless, that much still remains to be learned before the science of farming will have reached a very great degree of excellence in this locality.

   This township is watered by three magnificent streams, to which no matter of any historical importance is attached. The north branch of Massie’s Creek flows through the northwestern part of the township, in a semi-circular direction, before it enters Cedarville Township. The south fork of the same stream also flows in a somewhat devious course through a portion of Ross Township, as does also Ceasar’s Creek, which has its source here near the center of the township, from which it flows in a southwesterly direction till it passes into the neighboring township.

   Ross contains within its limits nearly 21,500 acres of land, the cleared portions of which are extremely fertile, and, save the parts occupied by the growing timber and the beds of the small streams, to which reference has already been made, is all tillable; and in the production of fruit, it ranks among the first in the county, not only as to the excellence of its quality, but also as to the numberless varieties and quantities.

   In 1870, the population of the township was 1,076 souls. The census just taken gives it a population 1,335, showing an increase in ten years of 259, which, considering the want of variety in manufactures and other industrial pursuits, may be regarded as a gain by no means inconsiderable. Owing to the fact that the first settlers in the county located in Xenia Township; and the neighborhood round about it, the first manufactories were course established in these places; and owing to their nearness to the pioneers of this township, were patronized by them for many years before any steps were taken to operate mills of any description by the settlers in Ross; and even after they were established, they only secured the patronage of a limited number of persons in their midst, the majority of the people preferring to adhere to the old places, notwithstanding such a course could but prove derogatory to the business interest of the township; and at last the attempt to establish mills of different kinds here had to be abandoned, and with the single exception of the tile factory, to which we shall refer hereafter, not a manufacturing establishment of any sort is to be found in the limits of the township.

   Public highways thread the township in every direction, forming an intricate interlacing, resembling an irregularly constructed spider’s web, and during the summer months these roads are good, but woe to the teamster who is so unfortunate as to find himself in the sea of mud which prevails here during a “thaw out” in the winter or spring months. The appearance of the country at such times can be compared to nothing better than the slough of Despond, so graphically described by John Bunyan; and to guard against the equilibrium of a man’s better nature being suddenly overthrown, it would be a good plan not to venture into those unknown seas during the season when the thawing out process is at its height, which is generally in February and March. The Federal pike is the only one in the township. This was the first regularly laid out road through this part of the country, and was not made a pike till about the year 1870, when it was completed through here, after the expenditure of an incalculable amount of physical labor, as well as of a great sum of money. Some parts were built at a cost of about $1,500 per mile, while other portions cost as much as $2,000 per mile. It is a good a pike as any in the county, and indeed, is not excelled by many in the state. Several other roads have been piked for short distances, where at time they became impassable, and again others are being “talked up”. The citizens of the township try to content themselves, and forget, the past, which has been so fruitless in this respect, by the buoyant hope that a better state of affairs is to prevail in the near future.

   A projected railroad, the Cincinnati and Columbus, has been graded through here, crossing the central part of the township, from north to south. This, when completed, will be of the greatest advantage to farmers, who now have to haul all grain, and others superfluous farm products, in some instances, many miles to a shipping point.

GRAPE GROVE

   The only place in the township dignified with the name of village, is the point at which the contemplated depot will be built, and is situated about equi-distant from three shipping places, namely, Jamestown in this, and Solon and Salem in Clarke County, the three places being respectively about five miles distant. In about the year 1830, Andrew Fogg and William Lewis purchased the ground and planted a vineyard of some eight acres, expecting to make the cultivation of the vine a specialty, desiring, of course, to be remunerated peculiarly for their trouble and expense. One or two small houses were erected near the spot, and the place soon became known as Grape Grove, which name it continues to bear, although the vineyard has long since passed away, and would have been forgotten years ago had not a post-office been established here with the old name, which it continues to perpetuate, and probably will retain centuries in the future. No lots were regularly laid off, but several parties bough little patches of ground here, and erected up them a few small houses, which to-day constitute all there is of the village. John Burtch purchased a lot, and erected a small storeroom thereon, some eighty years ago, since which time he has kept a stock of general merchandise, which is exchanged to his patrons for cash or farm products, as they please, and, for a country store, this may be considered as on of the prosperous kind, as indicated by the fact that Mr. Burtch purposes erecting a new building, on a more commodious and extensive plan, to meet the demands of his increasing trade. This store, however, is remarkable for nothing, save that it is the only establishment of the kind in the limits of the township. The only other building of a business character is a blacksmith shop, which has stood upon the spot many years. The present proprietor, a Mr. Snapp, is, however, a new citizen of the place, having only become possessor of the shop a few weeks since. This being the only smithy within a radius of several miles, usually is well patronized, and does a fair business for such an isolated place. Besides the two industries, to which reference has already been made, the place boasts a carpenter, in the person of Mr. Kidwell, who is also the present clerk of the township. A small frame office, now in a fair way for completion, is destined to be used as a “doctor’s shop,” and the population of the place will, in a few weeks, be increased by the advent of a dispenser of pills, who proposes to battle with ills to which weak humanity is at all times subject, and who will be remembered in years yet unborn as the first disciple of the Esculapian art who established himself permanently in Ross Township.

   A Post Office was established here some thirty years ago, and Andrew Fogg was the first postmaster in the township. He filled the position in a manner satisfactory to the government for a number of years, and was succeeded by Maria Ritenour, who, after serving faithfully in this capacity a good many years, resigned the cares of the United States postal matters in this locality to the present incumbent, Mr. John Burtch, who unites the labors in this capacity with those of the mercantile business, both of which he manages to the satisfaction of all concerned. The mail is brought from Jamestown semi-weekly, by a carrier, the sight of whom reminds the observer that the “good old days” (as some are wont to term them), before railroads had been established in almost every township in the state, when the modes of conveyance were slow and difficult, and the manner of communication by no means rapid, have not entirely passed from among us.

Churches

The first denomination of any kind in this township was the Protestant Methodist, who had preaching at different houses in the neighborhood prior to 1820. These meetings were frequently held in the little log cabin of Berah Orcutt, which contained only one room, and here the settlers would gather on preaching days, bare-footed and in their shirt-sleeves. Robert Dobbins was one of the first ministers, who, preached here, and while he expounded the scriptures, Mrs. Orcutt, in the same room, watched the boiling of the old iron kettle which hung in the fire-place, and the baking of the corn-pone with which the congregation were to be refreshed when the service were concluded. Rev. Z. Brown was also an inherent preacher, who frequently stopped at Orcutt’s and held meetings. The congregation built themselves a frame church, about 1830, called the Bethel Church, and meetings were held here many years; but the members finally became scattered the old church was sold, and is now used for a barn.

The Wesleyan Methodists built the second church in the township, on Daniel Little’s farm, about 1850, and had services here till during the war, when the church ceased to exist as a separate congregation. The house passed into the hands of the Disciples, who held services in it till they built their present church edifice, in Grape Grove, in 1870. It is a neat frame building, and worth, together with the lot, about $1,200. At the present time they have no regular pastor, but expect to secure the services of one soon. They have a membership of Eighty; and a Sunday School, of which Asa Little is superintendent, with an average attendance of about fifty.

At the present time the Methodists have a church in the southern part of the township. The house has been built some years, and is worth about $1,200. They have a good congregation for a country church, and during the summer months sustain a good Sunday School.

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