The Frampton Ferry and Post Office was the same property owned by Edward Miller, which was sold to the Frampton Family. It’s essential to notice the influence of the Frampton family. One was the prevalence of Martin’s first and middle name among early Chesapeake, Ohio, families. Where did that naming pattern come from?

The name originates with John and Anna Barbara Martin Frampton, who named one of their sons Martin Frampton. It was customary for early English and German families to name their children after the mother’s maiden name. The family continued to name many of their children Martin. The daughters, such as Rachel Frampton, married William Gillen, who then named one of their sons Martin Gillen.

When Anna Barbara Martin Frampton moved to Lawrence County, Ohio, after her husband’s death around 1817, she left an indelible mark on our region’s history.

Frampton Family In Pennsylvania

John Frampton was a Revolutionary War Veteran born on 14 January 1744 in Trenton, NJ. In 1780, he married Anna Barbara Martin, born on 19 March 1749 in Germany. John and Anna’s children were born and raised in Lewistown, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania.

 John and Anna B. Martin Frampton’s known children:

1. 1. Ephraim Frampton was born on 1 March 1784 in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, and died in 1810 in Beaver, Pennsylvania – no known marriage or children.
   2. Elijah Frampton was born on 20 April 1786 in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, and married Rebecca Clark on 28 October 1822 in Lawrence County, Ohio. Elijah died on 23 January 1877 in Avon, Fulton, Illinois, at 90 years old.
   3. Martin Frampton was born on 13 June 1788 in Lewistown, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, and married Sarah Mann in 1818 in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. His family will be one of the primary persons in this chapter.
   4. Isaac Frampton was born on 20 November 1790 in Lewistown, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. He married Jane Mann on 16 November 1826 in Lawrence County, Ohio. 
   5. Edward Hunt Frampton was born about 1794 in Pennsylvania and died young.
   6. Sarah Frampton was born in 1796 in Pennsylvania and married William H. Lane on 17 December 1819 in Lawrence County, Ohio. After William Lane’s death, she married John Bryan on 13 December 1827. In 1857, at the time of her death, she owned S. Bryan & Co. in Burlington, Ohio.
   7. William Frampton was born on 29 September 1798 in Lewiston, Pennsylvania, and had no known marriages or children. We know William lived in Lawrence County on 16 January 1826 when Martin and Isaac Frampton sold the property in Section 29 Township 1 Range 16 to William Frampton for $1,000. This property was about 1/3 mile north on Symmes Creek, which included one-fourth of the grist mill and water rights to run one pair of stones necessary for a sawmill. [Deed Vol. 4 pages 339-341] However, within a year of William owning this grist mill and sawmill, a quit claim deed was filed to settle William Frampton’s estate. Elijah and the other siblings sell their interest in the property to Isaac Frampton and Martin Frampton for $400 on 6 November 1826: Deed Book 5, page 22. There is a headstone in Burlington Greenlawn Cemetery for William Frampton, who died in Sep 1826 at 28 years of age.

I highly recommend exploring Diane Gould Hall’s website, Michigan Family Trails, for a more comprehensive understanding of John and Anna B. Martin Frampton and their family. Her extensive collection of photos and meticulous research on this particular Frampton Family is a treasure trove for those eager to delve deeper into their history, offering a wealth of information and insights.

Elijah Frampton Travels the Ohio River

The children of John Frampton, who survived past childhood, grew into young, ambitious, and intelligent adults. Growing up in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, the Frampton’s sincerely appreciated the waterways, particularly the Juniata River. This river was a thoroughfare for early frontiersmen who established distant trading posts. Significantly, in 1771, the Pennsylvania Assembly declared the Juniata River a public stream and highway for navigational purposes. This declaration transformed the river valley into a primary route, connecting the settled areas of the east with the fertile valleys of the west and shaping the region’s development. There is no doubt that Elijah Frampton learned the occupation of boating at an early age.

After their father died on 6 April 1808 in Pennsylvania, it was customary for the sons to take care of the family affairs. The second son, Elijah Frampton, age 22, quickly became more skilled in boating and soon traveled down the Ohio River, perhaps taking his younger brother, Isaac, age 18. Upon their arrival in Southern Ohio, they learned Lawrence County was in its infancy; the Frampton Brothers saw excellent prospects for boating, taverns, ferry landings, grist mills, sawmills, and more.

According to an autobiography written by Elijah Frampton’s son, John M. Frampton, Elijah Frampton was born on 20 April 1786. He was one of the first members of his family to arrive in Lawrence County, Ohio. Elijah was Isaac and Martin’s older brother, who had many occupations, including civil engineer, surveyor, and boating on the Ohio River. The Frampton Family Book, written by John Spratt Wrightnour, tells the story of the earthquakes that occurred in 1811-1812. Elijah and the men on the boat became so frightened that they fell to their knees and prayed. History tells us that boatmen reported that the 7 February 1812 earthquake was so intense that the Mississippi ran backward for several hours.

Elijah continued running his boats up and down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers for seven years. Then, in 1819, on a trip back home to visit his family in Burlington, Ohio, Elijah attended a Methodist meeting and was converted. He gave up boating for a while and, on 26 February 1824, was appointed one of the associated judges for Lawrence County, Ohio, for seven years. After finding no fulfillment in serving in government affairs, he finally accepted his calling and became a Methodist Episcopal circuit rider and preacher. Elijah Frampton isn’t listed as head of household in the 1820 census of Lawrence County, Ohio, because he didn’t marry Rebecca Clark, daughter of Carpas [sometimes spelled Capus or Casper] Clark and Phoebe Green, until 28 October 1822. [Lawrence County, Ohio, Marriage Book 1-2-3, page 48]. Instead, he was listed in the 1820 census with his brother Martin Frampton as the head of the household.

Rebecca Clark Frampton died soon after they married, and Elijah married his second wife, Lucinda Trowbridge, on 8 May 1828. [Lawrence County, Ohio, Marriage Book 1-2-3, page 103].

According to the 1840 census, Elijah still lived in Lawrence County, Ohio, with six persons in his household. Ten years later, in the 1850 census, Elijah had moved his family to Quincy, Illinois. By the 4 June 1860 census, his residence was in Greenbush, Warren, Illinois, and on the 1 Jun 1870 census, he had moved to Union, Fulton, Illinois, for the final time. Rev. Elijah Frampton died on 23 Jan 1877 in Avon, Fulton, Illinois, USA, at age 90, and was buried in Avon Cemetery, Avon, Fulton, Illinois.

The Illinois Constitution of 1848 banned slavery, with section 16 of its Declaration of Rights specifying, “There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in the State, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.” It couldn’t have been a coincidence that Rev. Elijah Frampton moved to Illinois soon afterward.

Isaac Frampton Buys His First Property

One of Elijah Frampton’s brothers, Isaac, recorded one of the first land transactions in Lawrence County, Ohio, documented in Deed Book 1, page 79, from Dr. E. W. Tupper on 28 November 1817.

Isaac was born on 20 November 1790 in Lewistown, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. By 16 November 1826, when Isaac married Jane Mann, [Marriage Book 1-2-3, page 87.] he was already a successful land prospector, owning much property in Fayette and Union Township in this southern Ohio county.

The Frampton’s had found the ideal location, with Virginia and Kentucky just south of Lawrence County, Ohio. It was perfect for aiding enslaved people in their escape; all that separated them was the Ohio River. In 1849, Isaac Frampton helped relocate 37 formerly enslaved people from Virginia to Burlington, Ohio.

Martin Frampton Moves to Burlington

Another brother, Martin Frampton, was born on June 13, 1788, in Lewistown, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, and married Sarah Mann in 1818 in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Martin and his wife moved to Lawrence County, Ohio, shortly after his marriage. He was only two years younger than his brother Isaac. The brothers were extremely close in age; they even married sisters from the Mann family. This Chapter mainly focuses on Martin and his children’s role in establishing Chesapeake.

The Frampton children saw the potential in moving to this area, and after securing their property, they persuaded their mother to relocate to Burlington, Ohio. By 1819, the entire Frampton Family had all settled in Burlington, Ohio, where Martin and Isaac Frampton soon applied for a tavern and ferry license in Burlington, Ohio. [see below figure]

Lawrence County, Ohio, Court Journal 1 & 2, page 65. December 3, 1819

1819 Isaac and Martin Frampton’s Business

The Frampton’s were intelligent and enterprising young men. After obtaining their license to run a tavern and vend merchandise in Burlington, Ohio, Martin and Isaac Frampton went into business together, calling their firm “M. & I. Frampton.”  Within a few days, a lawsuit was filed against Robert Lowery for a debt of $14.84 plus damages of $100. [See the following photo].

However, by 1834, the Frampton’s had included Stephen Wilson, [who in 1809 was an early appraiser for Gallia County, Ohio]  in their business and changed their name to Wilson & Frampton.

Lawrence County, Ohio, Journal 1 & 2, page 71, on 10 Dec. 1819

1820 Census and Martin Frampton’s Family

You may wonder why I am examining Martin Frampton’s children in close detail below. As we dive deeper into the History of Chesapeake, you will find evidence that Chesapeake’s history didn’t end with Martin but continued down through his descendants, who helped settle the village of Chesapeake, Ohio. Like most families, the Frampton brothers named their children the same first names. Deciphering these children is crucial to determining which child I am talking about. As those children married, additional surnames, such as the Gillen’s and Kimble’s, married into the Frampton family, who helped settle this area. We will dive into those families later in this book.

The above census is a partial page [only showing Martin Frampton] from the 1820 Lawrence County, Ohio, census. The date of 20 Jan 1821 was probably when the census taker submitted it to the state or county board. This “Division” was the new county seat called the Town of Burlington, where the census taker was responsible for working.

Who Lived in Martin Frampton’s Household in 1820?

In the 1820 census, Martin Frampton was the head of the household, with sixteen people, including Isaac, other siblings, and their mother. Indeed, persons other than the Frampton’s lived in Martin’s household in 1820. Unfortunately, we will never know who they are without the individuals’ names. Did the Frampton’s bring along other families from Pennsylvania who later settled in Union Township? Maybe.

The persons living in Martin Frampton’s household were: [This is my calculations from the 1820 census matching birthdates to the Frampton’s family members]

• One male under ten years old [born between 1810-1820] unknown male [Nathaniel’s child?]
• Seven males aged 16-26 [born between 1794-1804], perhaps Nathaniel Frampton b. 1800?, Martin’s brother William Frampton b. 1798, and five unknown males. [Nathaniel’s children?]
• Two males between the ages of 26-45 [born between 1775-1794
  • Elijah Frampton (1) was born on 20 April 1786 in Lewistown, Pa.
  • Martin Frampton (1) was born on 13 June 1788 in Lewistown, Pa.
• One female under ten years old [born between 1810-1820]
  • Daughter Sarah Jane Frampton was born about 1819
  • Daughter Barbara Ann Frampton was born and died about 1820. [This female could also have been Nathaniel’s daughter that he took from the Covent in Pennsylvania]
• Four females aged 16-26 [born between 1794-1804] – Martin’s wife, Sarah Mann Frampton b. 1799, Martin’s sister Sarah Frampton b. 1796, Laura Farnsworth Frampton, and one unknown female.
• One female aged 45 years and up [born before 1775] Martin’s mother, Anna Barbara Martin Frampton

1825 Ohio Real Estate Tax Began

Ohio’s real property tax is the State’s oldest tax, based on value since 1825, and overseen by the county auditor. The State was confronted with a complex web of land ownership issues in disarray, with individuals flocking to the Chillicothe Land Office to apply for property or land patents.

This led to many problems, with some landowners amassing vast tracts of land and evading taxes, while others resorted to dubious agreements with friends or family members to pay the taxes. The original landowners would then issue a note declaring their friends or family as the new owners, a practice prone to theft, misplacement, burning, or forgery.

Under the name of the State of Ohio, Lawrence County, Ohio’s Auditor Kerr began taking land away from anyone in Lawrence County who owed back taxes, running advertisements in newspapers for six weeks. The judgment would be for the county if the taxes weren’t paid at the end of those six weeks, including contests from the land owners or their heirs. The county would legally obtain the property and resell the land to recover the back taxes, interest, and penalties accrued.

As I mentioned, Elijah Frampton was appointed one of the Associated Judges for Lawrence County from 26 February 1824 to 1830. Martin Frampton was elected Union Township’s County Commissioner on 11 October 1831. The Frampton brothers, Martin, Isaac, and Elijah Frampton, were not mere bystanders in Lawrence County’s land ownership issues. They were astute strategists, seizing opportunities and leveraging the County Auditor’s actions to their advantage.

1830 Frampton’s Settle in Union Township and Continued to Purchase Property

The early deed and court records revealed that the Frampton’s were successful businessmen and astute land prospectors. Add the fact that they were also civil engineers, surveyors, and boaters on the Ohio River. They understood the value of land and made strategic purchases, a testament to their entrepreneurial spirit and foresight.

As Burlington flourished, it became congested with vendors, ferries, and taverns. With their keen foresight, the Frampton’s recognized the need for expansion. They seized the opportunity to venture into the neighboring township of Union, a move that significantly contributed to the growth and development of Union Township, a pivotal part of our local history. The brothers were becoming quite notorious for land prospectors.

According to the 1830 census of Lawrence County, Ohio, Martin Frampton moved to Union Township with eight people living in his household. His brother Isaac, who had just married a few years earlier, was also on the 1830 census but lived in another house. Isaac was 30-39 and had three small sons under 19. His wife, Jane Mann Frampton, was 20-49 (two females under this age), and one daughter was 10-14 years old. There were a total of six persons living in Isaac’s household in 1830.

As influential county officials, the Frampton brothers capitalized on opportunities to acquire prime real estate through tax sales, paving the way for establishing essential businesses like ferries, gristmills, and sawmills. Their legacy lives on in the landscape they helped shape, a testament to their foresight, ambition, and lasting impact on the local economy and community.

The Map Below Shows the Highlighted Section Where the Frampton’s Owned Property in Union Township

Isaac Frampton Moves to Virginia

Between 1840 and 1850, the lives of brothers Martin and Isaac Frampton took separate paths. While Martin remained in Union Township, Isaac moved back to Fayette Township with his large household.

A noticeable rift developed between the siblings during this time, leading to the dissolution of their business partnership. Isaac relocated to Virginia around 1849, which further deepened this divide, as the state’s legal stance on slavery contrasted starkly with Ohio’s. I discovered that Isaac owned about ten enslaved African Americans who worked on his farm in Wayne and Cabell County, WV.

Upon his passing in 1859, he bequeathed these individuals to his sons, Ephraim and David W. Frampton, perpetuating the unsettling legacy of slavery within the family. Further research revealed no record of what happened to those enslaved people. In Isaac Frampton’s will, Ephraim Frampton was given land in Missouri in 1860. Perhaps he moved there and granted them their freedom; at least, that is what I hope.

1850 Census Martin Frampton’s Household

In the 1850 Union Township, Lawrence County, Ohio, Census, dwelling house # 21, and family # 21, the following persons lived in Martin Frampton’s household.

• Martin Frampton, white, was born on 13 June 1788 in PA Farmer
• Sarah Mann Frampton, age 51, his wife
• Martin Frampton, age 22, son
• Gardner Frampton, age 20, son
• Jane Frampton, age 18, daughter
• Caroline Frampton, age 13, daughter. She married Seliman Johnson, son of Samuel Camp Johnson and Phoebe B. Camp, on 28 February 1860 in Lawrence County, Ohio. [Marriage Book 6, page 161]. This family lived in Ironton in 1870 but eventually moved to Champaign, Illinois.
• Isaac Gillen Frampton, age 12, the son, was born about 1838 and died on 2 July 1882, age 44, buried in Burlington Cemetery. He married Elizabeth Newman, born in October 1848 in Ohio, and died on 12 December 1934 in Huntington, WV. She was the daughter of John Newman, born on 5 April 1868, in Lawrence County, Ohio. They had four children:
  • • William Edgar Frampton was born on 18 October 1868 in Lawrence County, Ohio, and died on 21 April 1924 in Huntington. He married Georgia E. Lemly on 5 February 1891 in Lawrence County, Ohio. Georgia was born in November 1874 in WV. They had three children: Charles, born November 1893 in Ohio; Oscar, born April 1897 in Ohio; and Lewis.
    • Charles H. Frampton was born on 18 September/November 1872 in Lawrence County, Ohio, and died before 2 September 1897.
    • Freddie Frampton was born on 18 September 1872 in Union Township.
    • Lewis Kouns Frampton was born on 19 November 1874 in Lawrence County, Ohio. He died on 28 April 1934 in Chesapeake, Ohio, at age 59, and was buried on 1 May 1934 in Rome Cemetery. He married Mary M. Rodgers on 13 December 1918 in Washington, Ohio. Mary was born in 1885 and died before 1930. They had two children: Elsie, born about 1919, and Paul, born about 1921, died on 20 January 1965 in Huntington, WV. The WWI draft register gives his date of birth as December 1874. In the 1930 census, he lived in Union Township, and in 1934, he moved to 249 2nd Ave in Huntington, WV.
      • NOTE: Isaac F. Gillen became the Guardian of Lewis K. Frampton on 6 June 1893.
• Alice Frampton,  age 10, daughter
• Joseph K. Davidson, age 28, son-in-law
• Eliza Frampton Davidson, age 26, daughter

In the 1850 industrial schedule, Martin claimed he was earning a living as a lumberman and employed eight employees. But about five years later, around 1854-55, Martin Frampton’s health started to decline, and his eyesight soon failed him.

By the time he reached age 67, he was nearly blind, and Martin fell into deep depression. Here was a man who owned hundreds of acres of property, was a successful businessman, and built one of the most luxurious homes in Lawrence County, Ohio.

On 16 Dec. 1856, he went out to his outbuilding and ended his life by hanging himself. His brother Isaac Frampton, who was his business partner, brother, and only two years younger than Martin, died three years later. Between the two brothers, they had a total of nineteen children.

Could Martin Frampton’s eye disease have been heredity? His son James R. Frampton was totally blind in the 1880 special census and enrolled in Columbus, Ohio, School of the Blind. Being at the Blind School no doubt helped him manage his blindness, as, in the 1860 census, he was employed at the broom factory. By the 1870 census, James R. Frampton lived with his brother Isaac in Bartramsville as a Retail Dry Goods Merchant. Also, Martin and Isaac Frampton’s uncle Nathaniel Frampton was blind at his death.

SOURCE: Ancestry.com. U.S., 1880 Federal Census Schedules of Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Classes [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

1857 The Settlement of Martin Frampton’s Large Estate Begins

After Martin Frampton’s death, the Courts appointed an Administrator from the Lawrence County, Ohio, Probate Court on 6 January 1857. Clicking the link below will take you to the actual document.

Journals 1852-1864 vol 1-2, page 67

(not typed verbatim)

Samuel C. Johnson, Jr., [Martin’s son-in-law] and William G. Frampton, [Martin’s son]  appeared before the Court, presenting their case for Martin Frampton’s estate administration. They stated that Martin Frampton passed away on 12 December 1856 and provided proof to the Court’s satisfaction.

Martin Frampton’s widow, Sarah Frampton, and two sons, Martin M. Frampton and James W. Frampton, respectfully declined to administer his estate. In light of this, the Court recommended that her son-in-law, Samuel C. Johnson, Jr., and another son, William G. Frampton, take this responsibility. A written declaration signed by them supported this recommendation.

After careful consideration, the Court appointed Samuel C. Johnson, Jr., and William G. Frampton Administrators and ordered them to enter a bond for $50,000 with Charles W. Simmons, Enos Child, and Davis Dillen [sic] as surety, conditioned as the land securities. Samuel C. Johnson, Jr., and William G. Frampton appeared before the Court, accepted the appointment, and entered the bond accordingly.

As soon as the Court accepted and approved that action, the legitimacy of the appointment was solidified. The Court then ordered that Asa Kimble (Jr.), Samuel Whitehead, and Joseph Wheeler, being first duly sworn upon actual view, appraise the real and personal estate and property of Martin Frampton.

1860 Martin’s Children Takes Over the Frampton Farm

While Martin’s estate was being settled, his oldest daughter and son-in-law moved into the home to help Martin’s widow, Sarah Mann Frampton. In the 1860 Union Township, Lawrence County, Ohio, Census, Dwelling House #630, and Family #623, the following persons lived in the late Martin Frampton’s home, along with their relationship to Martin.

• Samuel C. Johnson, white, age 40, b. PA, son-in-law of Martin
• Rachel Frampton Johnson, age 33, daughter of Martin
• Frank Johnson, age 10, grandson of Martin
• Fred Johnson, age 10, grandson of Martin
• Jesse Johnson, age 8, grandson of Martin
• Emma Johnson, age 5, granddaughter of Martin
• Sarah Johnson, age 2, granddaughter of Martin
• Sarah Frampton, age 61, widow of Martin
• Alice Frampton, age 20, daughter of Martin
• James R. Frampton, age 26, son of Martin, was blind but able to work as a broom maker. He eventually takes over the Frampton Farm and becomes a pivotal success in establishing Rockwood.

Between 1860 and 1870, the United States underwent many changes that undoubtedly affected the Frampton family. Many men from Union Township went off to fight in the Civil War, and the railroads were opening up the western lands. Several Frampton families moved to Illinois.

1866 Martin Frampton’s Estate is Settled

As their mother’s health declined, the heirs of Martin sold the “Frampton Home Farm” in a Quit Claim deed on 21 November 1866. (Deed Book 24, pages 427-428).

This property was located in Sections 33 and 28, Township 1, Range 16. Martin’s estate Administrator, William G. Frampton, sold over 450 acres to Martin’s blind son, James R. Frampton, for $3,000.

Described as “Embracing all of that part of Fraction Section 33, lying East of Symmes Creek and that part of Fractional Section 28, lying South and East of Symmes Creek, described as written:

“It commences at the SE corner of the section, then runs north along the section line to where a private road runs from the “Suiter Place” to the Ford on Symmes Creek. Crosses said section line. [Close to Bradrick]

“Then, along said the road to Symmes Creek. Then westwardly down Symmes Creek to the “Hill Land.” [now North Huntington Heights]

“Then, down the road to the lands of Samuel Whitehead. Then southwardly along the line of said Samuel Whitehead and Jos. Adam’s land to where they intersect fraction Section 33.

“Then east to the Ohio River and place of beginning. The whole is supposed to contain 450 acres. To have and to hold the premises aforesaid, with the appurtenances unto the said William G. Frampton and his heirs and assigns forever.

“The witness on 21 Nov. 1866, executed in the presence of A.P. Kouns, Jr, and J. Combs.

Signed by

• Samuel C. Johnson, Jr. and wife Rachel Z. Frampton Johnson
• Seliman Johnson and wife Caroline G. Frampton Johnson
• Isaac G. Frampton
• Alice L. Frampton Kimball

Recorded and received at the Lawrence County, Ohio Recorder’s Office 23 Nov. 1866.”

Source: Lawrence County, Ohio, Recorder’s Office, Plat Book 1, pages 212-214

1867 Symmes Run Post Office Was Renamed Frampton’s Post Office

James R. Frampton was an astounding man. In the 1860 and 1870 censuses, he was blind, but his handicap didn’t stop his incredible business capabilities. In the 1860 census, he lived with his mother, sister, and brother-in-law in the Frampton Home and worked as a broom maker.

By the 1870 census, he lived in Bartramville, Union Township, with his brother William Gardner Frampton as a Retail Dry Goods Merchant. He married Rachel Lemley on 7 June 1877 in Lawrence County, Ohio, and became father to several children, but for ten years, he managed, along with help from his brother, William G. Frampton.

After James R. Frampton became the owner of the Frampton property, he made some significant changes, including becoming the Postmaster. On 2 March 1867, Symmes Run Post Office was renamed Frampton Post Office. In those days, mail was delivered by boats running up and down the Ohio River, and his home proved to be the perfect location for a mail drop-off point.

On 18 October 1869, just a couple of years after obtaining the Frampton property, Martin Frampton’s widow and James R.’s mother died at home.

As mentioned earlier in this book, under the “Kounston Chapter,” on 17 March 1870, the railroad giant C. P. Huntington bought over 400 acres from Asa Kimball in Lawrence County, Ohio. This property was directly across from Huntington, WV., which was in its formative stages of becoming a city in 1871. With the promise of a railroad bridge crossing the Ohio River and running upwards along Symmes Creek, Martin’s sons, William G. and James R. Frampton, begin to look ahead.

In the Ironton Journal newspaper dated 24 January 1872, under the heading “Latest River News,” The Frampton Brothers, with commendable foresight, placed a steam ferry boat at the mouth of Symmes. Persons going by vehicle or on horseback from this or the other end of the county can now travel the Ohio side and find a convenient crossing to Huntington, [WV].” You can see the location of this ferry found in ‘The Hardesty’s Atlas’ 1887 photos below.

Another big change happened on 26 August 1872, when Wm. G. Frampton sold 1/5 acre in Section 33 to his brother, James R. Frampton, for $100. James R. had another opportunity, and in 1873, he began to advertise his new and elegant steam ferry boat, “New Castle,” especially to ply between the new town of Huntington, WV, and Symmes Creek.

James R. Frampton’s nephew, David W. Frampton (1), had become the heir of Isaac Frampton’s property in Huntington, WV, making them perfect proprietors. David could manage the Eight Street Ferry in Huntington, WV. [now the present Harris-Riverpark Boat Ramp], and James R. Frampton managed the ferry from the Ohio side. Again, we see Frampton’s unique intelligence in becoming one of the area’s most influential and wealthy businessmen.

Unfortunately David W. Frampton (1), died shortly afterwards on 3 May 1861.

As James R. Frampton’s ferry business flourished, problems started to arise. On 22 May 1873, the temporary editor of the Huntington Advertiser made some bold hints about the steam ferry:

“Its owners refused to be assessed in West Virginia or for some other reason—we did not know what. The Frampton Ferry is owned, assessed, and taxed in Lawrence County, Ohio, and we fully uphold and defend the Frampton Brothers in how they accommodate our citizens. We think the Ferry is well managed and gives general satisfaction. “

James had another idea he was working on, business-wise, and his timing couldn’t have been more perfect. The Cook Panic hit Europe and the United States, devastating the economy and destroying C. P. Huntington’s plans to build a railroad bridge crossing the Ohio River to Huntington. Frampton’s Ferry was essential in the development of Huntington, WV.

In the late spring and early summer, various groups of businessmen looked over the Frampton property, hoping to develop a new town. The area newspapers had printed several articles about those prospectors. The Huntington Advertiser published an article that the Frampton Farm had been sold. [On the same day the article above was printed, 22 May 1873.]

1873 Sale of the Frampton Farm

Huntington Advertiser 22 May 1873

The following newspaper story tells of a party of gentlemen from Lawrence County, Ohio, including A. J. Enslow and J. M. Noble, of this place, who had purchased the tract of land opposite Huntington, known as the Frampton Farm.

The tract contains excellent building stone, and a vein of coal is supposed to underline it. The parties propose dividing a large portion of it into lots and offering them for sale.  The tract commences at the mouth of Symmes Creek and follows the river for a mile above, then in a northerly direction, nearly a mile, to the creek again. (Advertiser Herald, Sale of Frampton Farm, 1873)

Huntington Advertiser, 5 June 1873

The article above contains several inaccuracies that deserve further clarification. Firstly, it is important to note that the men came from Cabell County, West Virginia, drawn by the promise of acquiring land on the Ohio side to link up with the property C. P. Huntington envisioned as a bridge spanning the Ohio River.

They did not finalize the purchase of the Frampton Farm in May 1873, a fact that only came to light through a plat map and document in the Lawrence County, Ohio’s Recorders Office. As the tumultuous events of the Fall of 1873 unfolded, the railroad faced a devastating loss of funding due to a global banking crisis. Undeterred by these setbacks, the men persevered, taking nearly a year to rebound from the financial blow. In a bold move, Enslow, Noble, Frampton, and Cory banded together to establish ‘The Rockwood Mining Company,’ infused with an unwavering determination to bring their vision of a thriving town to life.

Rockwood, Ohio, Established

Finally, on 7 Oct. 1874, Dr. Benjamin Cory, President of ‘The Rockwood Mining Company,’ purchased the Frampton Farm, had it surveyed into lots by Thomas Gore, and renamed that area Rockwood.

The streets were named after these men: Enslow Street after A. J. Enslow, Noble Street after J. M. Noble, Ben Alley (now Ben Street) was named after Dr. Benjamin Cory, and Frampton Street after the Frampton Farm. They also named another street, Gore Street, after Thomas Gore, the Civil Engineer who surveyed the plat map in May and June 1873.

On 9 Jan. 1874, the map was recorded in the Ironton, Ohio, Courthouse. The plat maps description states that Rockwood Mining Company owns parts of fractional Sections 28 and 31 in Township 1, Range 16, formerly Frampton Farm, now to be known as the “Town of Rockwood.” Signed by President Benjamin F. Cory at the Probate Court in Ironton, Ohio, on 3 Oct. 1874. Law. Co., Ohio, Recorder’s Office, Plat Map 1, pages 212-213.

Shortly afterward, Frampton’s Post Office assumed the name Rockwood Post Office. Everything changed from Frampton to Rockwood, and the new town began to flourish

At 44 years old, James R. Frampton married Rachel M. Lemley, age 22. She was the daughter of Samuel Lemley and Rachel Dillon. They had eight children:

1. Eustice Frampton
2. Gard[ner] Frampton
3. Rachel Z. Frampton (3) was born in April 1878 in Ohio.
4. Freddie C. Frampton was born in November 1879 in Ohio.
5. Alice Gertrude Frampton was born on 13 Oct. 1881 in Rockwood, Ohio. She died on 6 Jan. 1958 in Huntington, WV. She married Edward Wayne Hibner, who died in Roane County, WV, on 17 Jul., 1936. Both are buried in Woodmere Memorial Park in Huntington, WV.
6. Sarah Ethel Frampton was born in April 1885 in Ohio. She married Everett T. Anderson.
7. James Otis Frampton was born in April 1894 in Ohio.
8. Frank Wolful Frampton was born in Jan. 1898 in Ohio.

James R. Frampton continued doing what he loved, selling lots on his beloved farm to individuals and families at affordable prices, proving again that he was an excellent businessman despite his disability of being blind.

James died in Rockwood, Ohio, in 1905, and shortly afterward, the name changed to Chesapeake, Ohio. Huntington’s City Directory states that his wife, Rachel Lemley Frampton, moved to 1308 5th Avenue, Huntington, WV, in 1917.

Rockwood, Ohio, Begins to Expand

After James R. Frampton helped organize the Rockwood Mining Company, he sold many lots to individual families at affordable prices. Chesapeake would have never become the village it is today if not for the foresight of James R. Frampton. In an 1874 newspaper story published in the Huntington Advertiser, they proclaimed the need for more public-spirited men such as J. R. Frampton, who was improving Rockwood’s appearance.

As Rockwood grew, more land prospectors formed different companies to buy as much property around Chesapeake as possible for future profits. This expansion reached out to other areas east and north of Rockwood. The ones I found were from several different companies, including the Rockwood Mining Company:

• Central Land Company of WV
• North Huntington Land Company, C.N. Davis, Trustee?
• Egerton Land Company, James T. Egerton, President
• Rockwood Mining Company, Benjamin F. Cory, President

The Above Newspaper Advertisement for Frampton’s Ferry 1873

Ironton Journal, Jan. 24, 1872 – Latest River News

The Frampton Bros., with commendable foresight, have placed a steam ferry boat at the mouth of Symmes. Persons going by vehicle or on horseback from this or the other end of the county can now travel the Ohio side and find a convenient crossing to Huntington.

On 27 May 1875, the Ironton Journal newspaper published the above article about the poor service of the post office’s distribution. The date tells us that the Frampton Post Office existed in 1875. In another dated photo from the 1882 Hardesty Atlas, you can still see that James R. Frampton still lives in the old Frampton home.