Chesapeake Becomes a Village

Many powerful and brilliant men saw the potential of the land lying adjacent to the Ohio River and Symmes Creek. However, it was not until 1907 that it finally became a reality. Even though Andrew P. Kouns, James Frampton, C. P. Huntington, and Edward Miller never lived to see the village of Chesapeake, they each had an essential part in its development.

Retrieved from Facebook: A view of Chesapeake from the top of the First Huntington National Bank in 1915. Posted by David Isaacs.

In the Lawrence County, Ohio, Recorder’s Office, Plat Book 2, pages 174 – 178, a petition was filed on 26 December 1907 to incorporate the “Village of Chesapeake.” Names of thirty-seven Electors were listed as follows:

This petition asked that an election be held on 11 January 1908 in the Lower School House for Sections 28, 29, 32, and 33 to be included, with Isaac Jones and M. H. Gillen assigned as their agents. When the election was held, 102 votes were cast, resulting in 69 in favor and 33 against. This official document was signed by B. W. Russell, W. M. Riley, and Averill Pratt as trustees and confirmed by G. W. Thacker, the clerk.

It was then ordered and declared that the “Village of Chesapeake” would become incorporated and was certified in the Journal entry recorded on 29 February 1908.

Petition for the incorporation of the village of Chesapeake to the trustees of Union Township State of Ohio

[typed as written]

The undersigned being 37 Electors, a majority of whom are freeholders and all of whom reside within the following described Territory situated within the county of Lawrence state of Ohio.

• To wit being parts of Section 28, 29, 32, and 33 Township one range 16.
• Beginning at low water in the Ohio River in the middle North and South line of section 32,
• Hence north to the corner of lands of O. L. Kelly and America Booth.
• Hence westerly to the corner of lands of O. R. Riddle, hence northerly to the corner of lands of said America Booth, hence easterly to the corner of lands of Alex Biggerstaff and Kouns Chapel.
• Hence northerly to the north side of Turnpike # 1,
• Hence easterly to the southwest corner of lot #1 of B. W. Foster’s subdivision,
• Hence north to a point in line with E. E.  Wilkes south line,
• Hence Westerly to the corner of lands of said E. E. Wilkes and R. Riddle,
• Hence North with West line of D. Pemberton, Frank L. Chinn, and a 1 50/100-acre tract of Minnie L. Mitchell to the line between Sections 29 and 32, then East on section line to the corner of lots 17, 18, and 19 of said Foster’s subdivision.
• Thence with the line of said lots 17 and 19 to the old Mill Lot line.
• Thence, North with said Mill Lot,
• Thence, Southeasterly with said Mill Lot to the line between Sections 28 and 29, thence North on said line to the corner of lands of Charles Adams and John A. Whitehead.
• Hence with the line of said John A. Whitehead to the corner of lands of Joseph Adams in Lot 22 of the North Huntington Land Companies subdivision.
• Thence with said Joseph Adams line to the corner of Emily J. Murdick’s land.
• Thence with the line of said Emily J. Murdick, W. A. Smith, and Etta Lemly to a corner in Arthur M. Schafer’s line.
• Thence with said Schafer’s line to J. A.  Brammer’s line.
• Thence northernly with said J. A. Brammer’s line to the corner of out lots #1 and 12.
• Thence Northeasterly with the line between out lots numbers 11 and 12 and 1, 2, and 3 to the corner of out lots #3, 4, 10, and 11.
• Thence southerly with the line of out lots 3 and 4 to Turnpike #1.
• Thence northeasterly with said Turnpike to the corner of out lot #5 and land of William M. Henson a part of out lot #6. Thence with said Henson’s line to the corner of out lots #4- 6- 8, and 9.
• Thence Westerly with the line of lots 4 and 9 to a 50/100-acre tract of C. M. Robertsons.
• Thence Southerly, Westerly, and Northernly with the lines of said track to the line of said lots 4 and 9.
• Thence Westerly to the corner of out lots 9 and 10. Thence Northwesterly with the line of said lots to the corner of out lots #9- 10- 15, and 16. Thence Northernly with the line of said lots 15 and 16 to the corner of said lots at the road.
• Thence Easterly with said road line and line of out lots #15 14-13, 8, and 7 to the line between Sections 27 and 28 thence South with said Sections line to low watermark in the Ohio River.
• Thence down to said River to the beginning.
• And accurate map of which territory is attached hereto respectfully represents that the number of inhabitants residing within said territory is 500 and respectfully petition your honorable body that said territory may be organized into a village in the manner provided by law and that the name of said village may be the “Village of Chesapeake” and hereby designate Isaac Jones and M. H, Gillen their Agents to act for them in all matters related to the hearing upon this petition and in other matters relating to the incorporation of said territory into a village.
• And further, petition your honorable body that an election may be ordered to obtain the sense of the Electors and said Territory upon the question of its incorporation into a Village as prayed for in this Petition.

Signed by the previous persons named as electors.
Pled this 26 day of December 1907 in my office.
Signed by G. W. Thacker, Clerk.
Received January 13-1-06 PM 19
Recorded January 14, 1908.
E. W. Lambert, Recorder.

As soon as Chesapeake was incorporated as a village, the trustees appointed Tom C. Smith as its Mayor. Smith married Eva Inez Gillen, the daughter of Isaac F. Gillen and Amy Kimball. Tom was born in September 1849 and was listed as a dry goods salesman in the 1900 census. Tom and Eva were married in Lawrence County, Ohio, on 9 November 1880, and they never had any children. Both are buried in Union Hill Cemetery in Chesapeake, Ohio.

Chesapeake’s first census was held in 1910, and at that time, just 132 households lived in this infant village. However, this number quickly changed as the Chesapeake’s boundaries grew with subdivisions and additions, bringing us to the next chapter.

Incorporation of Chesapeake, Ohio, Village. Plate Book 2, page 171.

Journal Entry in Lawrence County, Ohio, proclaiming the majority of voters agreed to incorporate Chesapeake, Ohio, as a village. Plat Book 2, page 177.

Journal Entry in Lawrence County, Ohio, proclaiming the majority of voters agreed to incorporate Chesapeake, Ohio, as a village. Plat Book 2, page 178.