History of No Name
As I am growing old, I will give a brief sketch of the early settlers of No Name Creek for the columns of your paper from 1830 to 1835. Their names are as follows: James Russel, Joshua Blauten, John Leeth, James Leeth, Jacob Durham, Thomas Bivens, Enos Lindsey, Archibel Brown, German Brown, Archie A. Brown, Thomas Waldron, Frederick Stokes, Peter Wells, William Mitten, William Howe, Thomas Shopshire, Ludwell Brown.
Thomas Waldron moved from Piketon and soon opened his doors to the circuit riders of the Methodist church. Reed and Hurd were the first two preachers that ever preached on the creek, and they soon organized a large society. James Jones, the father of Editors John A. and William D., taught the first school on the creek in 1835. Lawyers and doctors were not plentiful in those days. Dr. Blackstone was the only physician in Waverly, while Piketon hosted two, Drs. Spurk and Phelps. The only lawyer in the county was N. K. Clough, of Piketon. Hallam Hempstead was clerk of courts. A doctor was not needed for a period of ten years after the first settlement, to the best of my recollection. The people were remarkably healthy; they lived on healthy food, such as cornbread, venison, cabbage, etc. Their manners were very plain and common. I have frequently seen gentlemen wearing buckskin pantaloons and coonskin caps. Ladies manufactured their own clothing by carding, spinning and weaving and did not emyloy the services of dressmakers, but did their own tailoring. People enjoyed great friendship for one another those days. Of all the persons I have named, there is not one living today.
Thomas Durham
Waverly News 1897
Copyright © 2003
Pike Co. Genealogy Society a Chapter of O.G.S.
P. O. Box 224, Waverly, Ohio 45690