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Nance – Located on the south branch of Harvey’s Branch was Nance or Fox Hollow, formerly called both and sometimes Nance’s Hollow. Mr. Nance lived on it, and it is said there were a number of fox dens there.
Mr. Nance knew where they were, and when the young ones were large enough to begin to come out to sun themselves, Mr. Nance and his boys would go to these dens and bait fish hooks with fresh meat or of some kind (generally chicken or some bird meat) and having secured the hook to a strong linen cord would drop the hook with the bait into the hole. The young foxes smelling the most came and picked it up. Nance would jerk the line and generally pull the fox out with it and continue so until he got all the young foxes.
Nancy Branch Indian Guyan Creek
*Nancy Creek – Windsor Tp.
Nafe Branch – A south branch of McKinney Creek was called “Nafe Branch.” About 1820 Wm. Neff, a young man who was subject to fits, went off from home and, when found, was lying on his face on the edge of this branch dead. No person lived in this branch, and as the families were called “Nafe” it was called “Nafe” instead of Neff Branch.
Narrows – Located above Ice Creek.
Neals Fork – on Leatherwood. Thomas Neal lived on the north fork of the south Branch of Leatherwood so it was called Neal’s Fork of Leatherwood.
Ned’s Branch – also known as Red River and Blodget’s Run. See Red River.
*Ned Fork – Lawrence Tp. – Ned’s Fork of Ice Creek was named for Ned Bailey, who lived there.
*Negro Creek – Decatur Tp.
Newcastle – Located on Hamilton and Upper Township lines. The 1880 Census shows the population of New Castle is 250 people.
New Richland – Elizabeth Tp. ..1885 Ed Kelley lived in New Richland.
Newton – Upper Tp.
N—-r Hollow – Ironton Register, January 2, 1902 -Cousins Shoot Each Other, was the heading. The location was N—-r Hollow which was near the tunnel about 3 miles back of Ironton. As a result of the affair, Frank Murnahan or Wilson is dead, and his cousin, Fred Wilson, is fatally injured. IR Jan. 16, 1902 – Dec. 31 – Frank Murnahan, killed at “N–r Hollow” by Frank Wilson.
Nixon Hill – Upper Tp.
Nobles Branch – This was settled by G. W. Noble and called Nobles Branch.
*Norman’s Run – Hamilton Tp. – Named for an old German named Norman who first settled there. Ironton Register, April 14, 1892 – Mr. Norman lived at the mouth of the branch at Hanging Rock. The lower branch was named Norman’s Run after Mr. Norman, who lived at the mouth of the branch on the lower side of the branch.
Norris Branch
North Fork – Also known as Little Guyan and Dog Fork. See Dog Fork.
North Kenova – Ken stood for Kentucky, the O for Ohio, and Va for Virginia. IR Dec. 24, 1903 – Samuel Ferguson of North Kenova was in the city Friday. Mr. Ferguson has charge of the North Kenova Land Co.’s property. It consists of 250 acres of pasture and farmland and a number of vacant town lots. PO est. 13 Jan 1892 with Robert S. Stewart PM – name North Kenova is scratched through with name of the office changed to South Point effective 1 July 1960.
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Oak Ridge – Aid Tp.
Oak Ridge Furnace – Aid Tp. – Lawrence County, Ohio, was built in 1856 by PROF. W. W. MATHER, GEN. O. M. MITCHELL It was a Charcoal Furnace. Ironton Register, February 19, 1857 – Oak Ridge Furnace – which will probably commence its first blast in May next, is the 14th furnace built in Lawrence county.
Ohio Furnace – Green Township in Scioto county just past the Lawrence County line.
Okey – PO est. 9 Oct. 1890 with Asa S. Rucker PM. Discontinued effective 30 Apr 1932 mail to Polkadotte.
Old Maid’s Branch – Branch above Slate Run. Named for a single woman, or old maid, who was the first person living thereon.
Old Maidsville – “Old Maidsville,” is the name of the village laid off recently by B. F. Cory, back of the tunnel. It is quite a town already and will, no doubt, soon stir up the question of annexation in the city. Ironton Journal, March 22, 1871. Later known as Coryville.
*Olive Creek – Decatur and Washington Townships.
Olive Furnace – Washington Tp. – Lawrence County, Ohio, was built in 1846 by John Campbell, John Peters, and others—daily Ton: 16 Stack: 37 Feet Blast: Hot Charcoal. In 1845 John Peters, Sr. joined John Campbell, Madison Cole, William Clements, and J. L. Thompson in erecting Olive Furnace. Mr. Peters became superintendent. John Peters was active manager of Olive Furnace for about six years. . . . John Peters was also one of the original owners of the Olive Foundry and Machine Shops, now operated by Lambert Brothers. By 1899, the McGugin Co. had possession of Olive Furnace.
Ora Richey Road – Upper Tp. – Just outside of Ironton on Rt. 141.
Ort – PO was est 24 Mar 1888 Thomas Riley PM – discontinued 7 Dec 1905 with mail sent to Steece. Reestablished but discontinued again on 31 Mar 1914 with mail sent to Steece.
Oriole – PO est. 20 Apr 1899 with Bert H. Runyon PM. Oriole was discontinued on 3 Feb. 1902 with mail going to Proctorville.
*Osburn’s Run – Hamilton Tp. – Named for Mr. Osborn, who settled where the old rolling mill was.
Ox Road – Upper Tp. – Now known as Campbell Drive.
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*Paddle Creek – Aid Tp.
Paddle Fork
Paddy Bar – Bar below Paddy Creek was named by the boatmen of that era.
*Paddy Creek – Rome Tp. – Named for Dr. John “Paddy” Brown, who built a pawpaw cabin at its mouth sometime between 1800 and 1808. Dr. Brown lived on lot 738. Dr. Moore, on Ice Creek and Dr. Brown, on Paddy, were the first doctors in Lawrence county. Dr. Brown was the first doctor in the county. Paddy Creek is a short distance from the headwaters of Five Mile across to Big Paddy. This creek flows into the river near Proctorville, passing LaBelle in its course.
Paddy Landing – A boat landing below Paddy Creek.
Paddy Run – The boatmen named this stream which was a part of Paddy Creek.
*Painter Creek – Decatur Tp.
Palestine – Symmes Tp.
Panther Creek Road – Ironton Register, December 16, 1875 – The commissioners refused to order the establishment of Buckeye and Panther Creek road.
Panther Run – Near the mouth of a small stream below Lick Creek (later owned by Mrs. Israel) was where a panther caught Mother Hatcher when she was a small child, and this was named “Panthers Run.”
Paradise Park
Patriot
*Payne Hollow – Mason Tp. – Located at Wilgus on Venisonham Road.
Peach Orchard
*Peckerwood Hollow – Symmes Tp.
*Pedro – Elizabeth Tp. – Pedro Post Office.
Penrod Hollow
*Periscope Ridge – Decatur Tp.
*Perkins Branch – Windsor Tp.
Perry’s – The first branch from the North of Aaron’s Creek was called Perry’s for Perry Peyton, who owned at the mouth of it.
Perry Township – Perry Township was named for Naval Commander O. H. Perry by some of the men from this county who were in the War of 1812. First settled around 1799.
Petersburg – Upper Tp. – Now a part of Coal Grove. John Peters laid out the town of Petersburg, four miles above Ironton, and built Monitor Furnace at that place, the town being named for him. Ironton Register, June 26, 1890 – The Common Pleas Court has changed the name of Petersburg to Coal Grove.
Peter Cave Hollow
Peters Run – Decatur Tp.
Peterstown – Between Chesapeake and Bradrick.
Petre Cave Branch – Wm. Reeves squatted and made salt-peter on a branch of Indian Guyan, and thus it was named Reeves Creek. On a branch of it, he leached the petre in a rockhouse, and gave the branch the name Petre Cave Branch.
Phillips Knob
Pigeon – Formerly known as Pigeon Roost Creek.
Pigeon Roost Creek – A branch above John’s Creek and on the east side is Pigeon, formerly called Pigeon Roost Creek, there being a large pigeon roosted on it for a long time.
Pilot Knob Lookout Tower
*Pine Creek – Elizabeth, Decatur and Rome Townships. Pine Creek was named for Capt. John Pine had his camp at the forks of the creek on the edge of Lawrence County.
*Pine Grove – Elizabeth Tp.
Pine Grove Furnace – Lawrence County, Ohio. Built: 1828 Closed: May 10, 1895 Torn Down: April, 1899.
Pioneer Furnace – Lawrence County, Ohio Built: Feb. 6, 1857 By: W. Colvin, U. Tracy & Others.
Plain View Farm – Owned by Henry Kouns in 1912.
*Platform – Rome Tp. – We have received a short letter from Mr. Fulks, protesting against the origin of the name of Platform given in these columns to the post office back in Millersport. We don’t see any necessity for this. It is no stigma or joke on the place that there was a platform there for dancing, even if the post office was named after it, which Mr. Fulks denies. There is no chance for any harrowed consciences. The article was not intended to be unfriendly in fact or spirit. The platform is a good name, and as Mr. Fulks says, “there are other vices we shun more than dancing,” though we wouldn’t class it as a vice unless abused. I.R. July 5, 1883.
Pleasant Ridge
Pointer Creek
*Polecat Branch – A branch of Ice Creek, was so named from a den of polecats on it. Jno. Broom, a German, was murdered on this creek, his body was put in a coal pit and burned, and the bones were afterward raked out of this pit from the ashes for proof of his death. The cause was prosecuted by E. T. Chestnutwood of Burlington. He was murdered for his money, but they got only 25 cents. He had left his money, $400.00, with a friend. This stream came in at Ballards Mills.
*Polkadotte – Windsor Tp.
Pomaria – in 1887, Pomaria School was located on Bear Creek, which is back in Chesapeake, Ohio.
Pond Hollow
*Poplar Branch – Elizabeth Tp.
Poplar Flats
Poplar Fork – The first large fork of Buffalo Creek on the east side was named Poplar Fork. There were many large poplar trees on it.
Pops Lake
Porter Gap Road – called Porter Gap as early as 1875.
*Possum Hollow – Perry Tp. – At the mouth of a branch of Paddy Creek lived a lady who was frequently visited by a young man. He would say he “was going possum hunting” and would always go there; he was ashamed to say he was going there. So the boys called him the “possum hunter” and the branch Possum Hollow.
Prickley Ash – Prickley Ash, a stream of Pine Creek, was named from the Prickley Ash Grove at the head of it.
*Proctorville – Union Tp. – Proctorville is located twenty-two miles above Ironton and is on the Ohio river, almost opposite the old town of Guyandotte. The village was named for Jacob Proctor. In the newspaper article, Ironton Register, May 5, 1892 – T. A. Walton wrote about the “Mound Builders,” the Indians that were in this area.
He wrote, “Where Proctorville now stands was one day part of a well-paved city, but I think the greater part of it is now in the Ohio River. Only a few mounds there, one of which was near the C. Wilgus mansion and contained a skeleton of a very large person, all double teeth and sound, in a jaw bone that would go over the jaw with the flesh on, of a large man; the common burying ground was well filled with skeletons at a depth of about 6 feet. Part of the pavement was of boulder stone and part of well-preserved brick….
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