River Was Livelihood For Men From Perry
I.T. October 29, 1967
Submitted by Lorna Marks
A large portion of Perry Township fronting on the Ohio River warranted the early settlement of the township, with the first settler coming into the area in 1799.
In 1850, the land was much engaged in farming, with many of the men earning their livelihoods as “river men” or “boatmen.”
In the main settlements of Deering, Sheridan, and the village of South Point, which was partially located in Perry Township, there were several “coopers” or barrel-makers, blacksmiths, boat builders, miners, plasterers, stone masons, a shoemaker, a physician, a saw-miller, a tailor, and a potter.
William DAVIDSON was presumably the first settler, followed by Philip SALLIDAY, who built the first cabin. Jonathan MALOAN, Daniel, and Samuel BRUBAKER, who built the first grist mill in 1813, which a horse, Samuel KOUNS, and John JOHNSTON powered.
The 850 residents in 1850 lived on 15,675 acres in the township, valued at $124,278. One hundred fifty-five families lived in 151 homes, with 526 settlers born in Ohio. Many of the remaining numbers were born in Virginia, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania, which led to easy access to the Perry Township area from the Ohio River.
There were 359 white males residing in the township, 458 white females, three colored males, and four colored females. Of the total, 126 persons had attended school within the year, and 132 over 20 years could not read or write.
In 1824, Elizabeth SACKETT taught the first school in the township, with forty pupils attending. Today the township has four modern elementary schools, a junior high school, and a high school.
The first marriage in the township was performed in 1814 between Samuel KOUNS, Sr., and Catharine BRUBAKER.
Several years later, in 1861, 274 of Lawrence County’s 3,357 soldiers serving in the Union Army were men from Perry Township.
“The Historical Hardesty Atlas,” published in 1882 by H. H. Hardesty and Co. of Chicago and Toledo, clearly denotes that the major streams flowing through the township are Big Eis Creek, Little Eis Creek, Lick Creek, and Salliday Creek.
When people note the “Eis Creek” rather than the “Ice Creek,” as the name is spelled today, many eyebrows are raised in wonder. Many historians believe the name “Eis Creek” could have been derived from an early settler – perhaps of German origin – named “Eiscreek.”
The Briggs-Lawrence County Public Library in Ironton has one of the few copies of Hardesty’s Hand Atlas in its reference room. Also available are noted on early settlers, many historical volumes, and microfilms of the 1850-80 censuses.
Names predominant on the microfilmed pages of the old ledger in 1850 were MELVIN, BLANKENSHIP, MARKINS, BRUBAKER, JOHNSTON and JOHNSON, CHATFIELD, WEBB, BRUCE, and COLLIER.
Among unusual names and spellings on the old records were CASSEL, KOUNSE, STANLY, HEWIT, LATIMORE, ABBOT, HIBERLEN, BARRET, HACKAWITH, and HUGHS.
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