Windsor Township

As neither of the latter two is a complete township, according to the old government standard public land transcript townships, due to the irregulars of the Ohio River, both the eastern and southern boundaries of Windsor approach within about four miles of the Ohio River. Thus, while it is an inland Township, in the sense that it does not border on a navigable stream, it is within easy reach of such a stream.

However, during the day of the early settlement, such was not the case. For while it was situated in the same place, of course, those four miles to the river must have appeared around as long to the pioneers as 40 miles of our fine modern road, due to the farmers of today.

The government surveyors, however, found no lakes or rivers to limit their progress here. So, they laid off Windsor township according to the established rules for guidance. In other words, it became a regulation Township, six miles square and containing 36 sections, each one-mile square. These sections are numbered back and forth from right to left and left to right, beginning at the upper right-hand corner of the township.

Is Well Watered

Although it has no navigable stream within its borders, Windsor township is well-watered and well-drained by the Symmes and Indian and Guyandotte creeks, the former in its western portion and the latter and its eastern. While there are a number of smaller streams tributary to these. The surface of the ground is generally hilly, and when the first settlers came, it was covered with the luxuriant growth of the virgin forest.

Windsor township has always been and remains essentially a rural region, although a number of hamlets and villages grew up in churches, schools, post offices, etc. which the early settlers established.

Of these, Scottown and Millville, are the principal ones that have remained down in recent times. The old Town House near the middle of the township, the Methodist campgrounds on Symmes Creek, and Pomaria Baptist Church have also become historic spots in Windsor.

In choosing a few from the many pioneers who helped settle and develop such a region as Windsor Township, one is always confronted with difficulty. Almost everyone who participated in such a development, did something to make him or her worthy of grateful memory.

In making our choice, we try to choose those who came at the earliest period of the region’s history, or whose histories extend well back into early American times, and those who were members of families whose descendants continued to play a part in the life of the same or nearby regions, or sections of the country

As to Windsor Township, the Earles family and some of its members appear to fulfill these requirements remarkably well.

At any rate, it appears clear that both Mr. and Mrs. Earles were born about 1770 in Lee County, Virginia, and thus were small children at the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. By the end of that conflict, however, they were approaching manhood and womanhood and were married about 1806.

Six years later, however, the country was at war again with Great Britain and following that war occurred, the first great wave of immigration from Virginia into Southern Ohio. On this wave, came the Earles family, first to Jackson County, and then back southward into Lawrence County, Ohio.

Bennett Was Older

Bennett Earles, the elder of the two sons of Charles Earles, i.e., the elder of the two young members of the Earles family who did so much toward establishing civilization in what was then practically a wilderness, was born in Lee County, Virginia November 5, 1804, and migrated to Ohio, with his father about 1815. The elder Earles is said to have cleared, one of the first farms ever cleared by a white man on Symmes Creek. No doubt it was the first farm, so cleared within miles of the part of the land he had chosen for his home.

Although those early settlers of Lawrence County were seldom troubled by the Indians, as the latter had relinquished their claim to southern Ohio, in 1795, wild animals were almost as dangerous. Wolves were especially troublesome, and as Mr. Earles tried to raise some sheep, there developed a regular war between him and the wolves. At one time it was said that one of his whole flocks fell prey to those ravenous creatures, while at another time all but four of a flock were killed. This continued unabated until more settlers came to the facility and joined in the fight.

Bennett Earles, as a boy, appears to have determined to become a great hunter. Perhaps his natural supporting instincts were straightened by the more practical desire to help protect himself and his family against such marauding animals as the wolves and to secure others for food.

Began Hunting Career

At any rate, while still young, he began his career, so to speak, by killing one of the bothersome wolves, after which he appears to have waged a relentless war against wolves and other beasts of the field and forest. Next to the wolves in number, if not in destructiveness, were the so-called catamounts, it appears.

The early desire of Bennett Earles to become a hunter was certainly realized, according to the record of his prowess as handed down by local historians. It is said that he killed as many as 200 deer, and many wild turkeys, in addition to the numerous wolves, catamounts, and other smaller animals he must have slain. From this record, we may gain some impression of the wild condition of southern Ohio, and the variety and abundance of wildlife existing there during the early years of the 19th century.

In one instance, after Mr. Earles had brought down a deer, it was discovered that its body contained five bullets, which surely indicates that it was a tough old animal, or that there was some poor marksman, even among the pioneers. But it appears that wolves were most troublesome, and young Earles began his private career as a pioneer settler, so to speak.

We have noted that the Earles family came to Ohio about 1815, but it was not until ten years later that Earles began his private career as a pioneer settler so to speak.

Married Nancy Booth

On September 7, 1896, he married Nancy Booth of Union Township, and that same year this young couple settled on a farm of their own in Windsor Township. The region roundabout was still mostly covered with virgin forest and Mr. Earles set about clearing his land of timber.

Mrs. Earles, like her husband, was a native of Virginia, having been born in the “Old Dominion”, in Patrick County on November 21, 1808. Thus, she was about four years younger than her husband.

Bennett Earles and his wife became the parents of 10 children named: Louisa J., Mary E., Daniel J., Richard R., Nancy M., Martin S., Elliott N., William J. P., Lucretia E., and Evelyn F.

Elliot Earles saw particularly hard service. A mere recital of the major battles in which he took part, reads almost like an outline of the history of the war in Tennessee and northern Georgia.

He participated in the hard-fought Battle of Stone River or Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and then continued with the army on its advance to Nashville and participated in the celebrated Battle of Chickamauga. Then during Sherman’s campaign against Atlanta, Georgia, he was present at such important engagements as Selma, Gravely Springs, Montgomery, Athens, Kennesaw Mountain, etc.

At the latter engagement, which was so fiercely fought, Elliott Earles was numbered among the wounded. Both he and his brother William, were members of Company G, 4th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, while their other brother Martin Earles, was a member of Company D. 173rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

Taken Prisoner

William Earles saw perhaps equally hard service as either of his brothers and was less fortunate in the exigencies of war. At the terrible Battle of Chickamauga, he had the misfortune to fall into the hands of the enemy, and the greater misfortune to be carried as a Prisoner of War to Camp Sumter, better known throughout the north as Anderson prison, since it was located near the village of Andersonville, Georgia.

We have already referred sufficiently, perhaps, to that notorious place, in some previous articles. Suffice it to say here that the tales of suffering from hunger, exposure, fifth, disease, and cruelty, undergone by the captives in that place can hardly be exaggerated, according to almost innumerable and unimpeachable witnesses.

No wonder thousands of brave soldiers who had escaped the enemy’s bullets on the battlefield sank victim to such prison conditions. Among those whose earthly career was ended in that horrible place was William Earles of Windsor Township, Lawrence County, Ohio.

He passed away after 11 months of confinement on June 20, 1864. Like so many of his comrades, he had weathered the storms of war for many long, weary months, but sank under its hardships, when the port of victory was in sight.

Martin Earles, although he was more fortunate than his brother, William, did not survive long, but passed away from a disease contracted during his career as a soldier for his country.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Bennett Earles were long and devoted members of the Missionary Baptist Church and were leaders in the community life of the Willow Wood neighborhood of Windsor Township for many years.

Township Clerk

Mr. Earles served a time as Clerk of Windsor Township. After that vicinity became sufficiently populated, a Post Office was established at Willow Wood, although the place never grew into more than a rural hamlet.

Mrs. Earles, like her husband, was of genuine pioneer stock. Both her father and mother, Daniel Booth and Mary Alexander Booth, were born in 1788. The latter passed away in 1854, in the former in 1855.

But while Bennett Earles and his wife were establishing their home in the wilderness, his brother and wife were doing likewise on a neighborhood farm in Windsor Township.

William Earles was born in Lee County, Virginia May 10, 1809. Thus, he was a few years younger than his brother Bennett. When his parents, Charles and Mary Martin Earles migrated from Lee County, Virginia to southern Ohio, they settled first near Oak Hill, in Jackson County, but remained there only about one year before coming on down into what is now Windsor Township, Lawrence County.

While yet a mere boy, William Earles became the victim of one of those accidents that are all too common on the frontier. It appears that he was helping, or at least, accompanying some men at their work of clearing the forest, and in some way was struck by one of the giant trees as it crashed to the ground.

Recovered from Injury

The tree, or portion of it, which fell in his direction was some 50 feet tall and struck him with such force that it crushed his skull and broke one of his legs. But in spite of the seriousness of the injury, he fully recovered.

When William Earles was a boy, his parents made practically, all the clothes for the family, raised their own food, and made about all the conveniences their home afforded. It is said that they even raised the cotton from which they spun the cloth, from which in turn, they made the family clothing.

The principal food was corn and pork. William, like others in his family, had little chance for an education, as there were no schools except the Pioneer subscription schools, and money was too scarce to provide such schools, longer than a few months each year, and even these schools could usually boast only the poorest kind of instructors. These facts do not, of course, indicate that the Earles family was either ignorant or poverty-stricken. They simply represent the general conditions of culture and wealth on the frontier, both in Virginia and Ohio.

The fact that such families, produced civic leaders, military heroes, and capable citizens is proof enough surely, that they had education and culture of their own, although they were largely deprived of formal schooling.

After the Earles family settled in Windsor Township, its principal work, for a time, was clearing the land and preparing it for agriculture. Log rolling’s was the order of the day, so to speak, and William Earles worked with his father and others in the clearings until 11 o’clock when they would go home and pound corn for their dinner.

Variation in Diet

After about two years spent at each toil, these early settlers had enough land cleared to raise a crop of wheat. Thereafter things were a little easier for them and their diet became a little more varied.

An old-fashioned grist mill having been established in the neighborhood, they now begin to have flour, as well as meal, but the mill was prepared only to grind the wheat in about the roughest fashion imaginable and had no arrangements whatsoever for bolting or shifting the flour.

So, Mr. Earles did his own bolting, furnishing his own bolting cloths. So, when he wanted more flour, instead of going to a store and buying it, he had to raise his own wheat, take it to the mill, wait for it to be ground, do his own bolting of the product, and then finally return home with the flour. It is said to require a whole day to bolt 10 bushels of flour by this crude method of shifting.

William Earles married Arta M. Brammer, on July 22, 1832, and they became the parents of 12 children named: Sarah J., Bennett F., John W., Charles L., Mary A., Eliza V., Lucinda A., James W., Carolina F., Amanda F., Flora E., and Ella V. Earles.

The parents of Mrs. William Earles were James Brammer, who was born in 1790 and passed away in 1847, and his wife Sarah Seamonds Brammer who passed away in 1866.

That William Earles became a trusted civic leader of Windsor township is shown by the record of his public service. He served as township trustee from 1853 to 1857, becoming township treasurer in the latter year, and holding that office for a decade.

Served Twenty Years

Then he was again chosen township trustee, and after serving three more years in that office, he was again chosen treasurer of the township and again served in that capacity for three years. While these positions may appear to some people as of little importance, those familiar with township government know that the duties of these officers, bring the government closer to the people than almost any others, and the fact that a man is honored by his neighbors by being elected to such position continuously for twenty years is certainly a real testimonial to his standing in his home community.

Two of the sons of William Earles, viz. John and Charles were members of the Company G. 53rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

John and Charles Earles, like their cousins, Elliott, William, and Martin Earles saw much hard service as Union soldiers during the Civil War. They are said to have participated in about 50 engagements during that conflict.

John Earles was promoted from a Private to a Second Lieutenant, and then to the rank of Captain. Evidence of the dangers he underwent and the narrow escapes he had from death or serious injury may be mentioned in one incident. In the course of his fighting, he got in the line of a Minnie ball, which fortunately struck the buckle of his belt, which deflected it and thus probably saved his life.

Came From South

In connection with the army service of these people, it is interesting to note that although of Southern descent, they fought on the northern side when the quarrel between the northern and southern sections of the country finally came to a matter of warfare.

Their grandparents and parents, as we have seen, were natives of Virginia. And if you’re familiar with a map of that state, you may recall that they came from that portion of it is where you might expect to find the strongest Southern sympathy.

If you’re not familiar with that region and will consult a map of it, you will find that Lee County is the very most Southwestern County in the state of Virginia. Yet such pioneers preferred to leave their homes where slave labor was abundant and come to free soil to clear a wilderness and raise their families to become loyal nationalists rather than devoted to sectionalism.

At any rate, so it worked out, and we find the grandsons and sons of these pioneers, returning South with guns in their hands to preserve the unity of the nation against the attack of the descendants of those who have been the friends and neighbors of their own parents and grandparents. It is an old and interesting, although tragic picture.

Both William Earles and his wife, as well as several of their children, became members of the Symmes Baptist Church, and after the establishment of the Post Office at Willow Wood, that place became their home address.

The careers at William and Bennett Earles were typical of those of [and] many others who migrated from Virginia to southern Ohio during the early years of the 19th century and whose descendants dwell today at various places in the Ohio Valley and in more distant communities.

A Restless People

We hear much these days about the restlessness and discontent of the present age and generation. And our forefathers, who sometimes lived for 50 years or more on the same farm or town lot, are held up as examples of contentment and satisfaction. And, of course, there are many gadabouts and restless folks today just as there were many stay-at-home and contented folks then.

But if we come to the conclusion that all of our ancestors belong to the latter class, we are as much mistaken as if we conclude all of our people today are to the former.

We know this is so, when we consider the matter for a moment, for, had the pioneers not been restless, dissatisfied people to a large extent, they would not have been pioneers and America would yet be an unsettled wilderness, so far as they and their descendants are concerned.

Then too, movements of populations, like about all other human activities, apparently, go in cycles. Some of our grandparents did live for many years in one location, but their parents or grandparents probably moved a dozen times before finding a location in which their descendants could dwell indefinitely in peace and contentment.

Many of the families of southern Ohio have histories well illustrative of this fact. For instance, the Cade family settled in Windsor Township, Lawrence County, Ohio, and made many moves before becoming settling there. Samuel Cade who appears to have been practically the founder of the Windsor township branch of the family was the son of William and Eunice Kelley Cade of Virginia, and that part of the “Old Dominion” now known as West Virginia.

William Cade was born in what was then Randolph County, Virginia, on August 20, 1789, while, his wife, Eunice Kelly Cade was born in the same county, on September 27, 1792. They were married on September 25, 1817. Thus, their early lives were lived during the early days of the nation’s history, as they were born almost at the close of the Revolutionary War and were married shortly after the close of the War of 1812.

Their son, Samuel Cade was born July 2, 1826. He was also a native of what is now Randolph County, West Virginia, but when he was about seven years old, his father decided to migrate to Ohio.  Of course, Ohio was already becoming rather thickly settled compared to its conditions a few decades earlier, but there were yet plenty of cheap lands available and plenty of opportunities for the true old-fashioned pioneer to found [find] a home unmolested by crowds.

William Cade chose such a spot, apparently in Bethel Township, near the town of Woodsfield, in Monroe County, Ohio. That was in the year 1833, and we may gain a rather accurate idea, perhaps, of the frontier condition of the region by reading Henry Howe’s description of it at the time of his visit over a decade later,

Mr. Howe says that even at that time Woodfield “was much out of the world,” and after approaching it as if he could be a boat, [sic], he had to walk about 16 miles to reach the village which only had about 450 inhabitants.

Primitive Country

This being descriptive of the county seat, we may well imagine that conditions in the surrounding country will be quite primitive. Of course, they were no worse than many other places in the hill counties along both sides of the Ohio River. After about one year spent in this vicinity, Mr. Cade moved back to Virginia, settling in Wood County.

William Cade remains in Wood County, which became a part of the new state of West Virginia in 1863, and passed away there in 1874.

Samuel Cade appears to have inherited something of the pioneer spirit of his parents. Moreover, he married into a family of the same type, his wife, being the daughter of parents, whose lives also extended back almost to the Revolutionary War days. Samuel Cade married Evelin Rowe, of Noble County, Ohio March 16, 1848.

Mrs. Cade was born on March 23, 1828, and she was about two years younger than her husband. Her father, David S. Rowe was born on November 15, 1794, while her mother, Mary (Miller) Rowe was born in October 1801.

Although Samuel Cade was not among the first settlers of Lawrence County, Ohio, he did settle in Windsor township in that county, while conditions there were rather primitive. He became a leading citizen of that township during the period immediately following the Civil War and from 1875 to 1878, he served as a Justice of the Peace of Windsor township, a position which was then somewhat more important perhaps than it is today.

In those days, apparently, country folk were content to settle their few legal disputes in a Justice’s Court, probably because of the difficulty of reaching a more distant one and because their intense democracy caused them to put more trust in their local officers than in others.

Was Civic Leader

Samuel Cade was not only a leader in the civic life of Windsor Township but also a member of the Missionary Baptist Church in section nine of that township, while Mrs. Cade was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Scott Town. The latter place also being their Post Office address.

But perhaps the most outstanding accomplishment and Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Cade was the raising of a family of children, several of whom attained more than average prominence as professional people. Their names are William S., Bethemus M., Ceola V., and Cassius M. Cade. These children showed something of the pioneer spirit of their forefathers, for although they had better educational advantages, they went forth to use them in distant lands, so to speak.

William S. Cade, after securing the rudiments of classical and professional education, attended the Law School of Michigan University at Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he graduated in law. He migrated to Anthony, Kansas, where he took up legal practice.

Bethmus M. Cade followed a course similar to his brother, graduated from Ann Arbor, and open a law office in Pomeroy, Ohio. Failing health, however soon caused him to relinquish his practice and return home. He passed away, on April 2, 1882.

Ceola V. Cade migrated to Harper, Kansas.

Cassius M. Cade had perhaps the most interesting career of all the family. He attended the National Normal University in Lebanon, Ohio, where he graduated and entered the teaching profession. He attained a high degree of success if the record of positions hailed is any criterion. He migrated West and became Superintendent of public instruction in the then territory of Utah.

Four Generations.

Thus we see how Samuel Cade, the son of a pioneer who migrated from Virginia to Ohio, back to Virginia and passed his declining days in West Virginia, raised a fine family in the hills of Lawrence County, Ohio, and became himself a leading citizen, officer holder and church member of Windsor Township, how his children went forth as members of honored professions in distant states, and thus became what may be described as the fourth generation, at least of American pioneers. We say, the fourth generation, because, the first generation was represented by the parents of William Cade, Sr., the second by William himself, the third by Samuel, and the fourth by his children.

Of course, the same may be said for the Earles family. The first-generation American pioneers in that family may be represented by Charles and Mary Martin Earles, the second generation by William and Bennett Earles, the third generation by the children of William and Bennett Earls, and the fourth generation by the grandchildren of William and Bennett Earles.

Of course, there were frequently several lines of descent from the first generation of such pioneer families, but the members of those we have been considering today may be regarded quite typical of many who early settled in southern Ohio.

The descendants of the Earles family have become so numerous that it would far exceed the limits of this sketch to attempt to trace their histories farther than we have done.

However, we may say that in the case of practically every one of the Pioneer families of this region that we have studied, we have found their descendants going out in life to make careers of their own in so many and varied occupations, many of which are new or utilize new methods, so that they are almost as many pioneers of today, as their forefathers were generations ago.

The Herald Advertiser 4 September 1938. Note from Martha: This article was typed verbatim, except in several places where I marked through a word and inserted the correct word in brackets [ ].