Martin & Zelda Capehart Genealogy Website

Tuscarawas County, Ohio

Thousands of years ago the first residents of what is now Tuscarawas County, Ohio were mound builders. Their mounds can be found near Bolivar and throughout Tuscarawas County.

Modern Ohio history began just before the Revolutionary War. Thousands of miles away in Europe devout and determined Europeans were looking for a better life. They refused to compromise, turned their backs on comfort and security and searched for freedom in a new land. Nowhere in Europe was this more evident than in Switzerland where the Amish movement was taking place. In 1693, Jakob Ammann, a young Swiss Brethren bishop, amid strong persecution by other faiths, began applying pressure for strict conformity. He advocated full beards for men, plain dress and shunning as punishment for any brethren members who breached the rules, married outside the faith or joined another church. His crusade split the Brethren with some of them following him to America. By 1727, communities had started in Pennsylvania and eventually some ventured west to Ohio and Indiana.

For years, European-American colonists on the East coast knew very little about the territory west of the Appalachian Mountains except reports from a few fur traders and explorers. In 1750 Christopher Gist of the Ohio Land Company explored the Tuscarawas Valley and reported natural riches and friendly Native American Indians.

In 1772 a Moravian minister, David Zeisberger, settled the village of Schoenbrunn (Beautiful Spring) and attracted a large group of Native Americans to Christianity. Here was built the first school and church west of the Ohio River. Later the Christian Delaware Native Americans departed to build another community called Gnadenhutten (Tents of Grace).

During the American Revolution both villages were destroyed. The Native Americans of Schoenbrunn, fearing for their safety, abandoned their settlement in 1777, moving south to Lichtenau Mission in what is now Coshocton County. The Delaware's at Gnadenhutten and Salem were less fortunate and in 1782 were attacked and murdered.

John Knisely who first visited the Ohio area while deer hunting with his son, founded New Philadelphia in 1804. He admired the area so much that upon his return home sold his possessions and made preparations to move his wife and ten children. He persuaded 33 others to join him and they and his family started west in the spring of 1804. At Gnadenhutten, Knisley purchased 3,554 acres of land. That acreage included most of the present-day New Philadelphia and its carefully planned layout was adapted from that of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

A young bachelor, Christian Deardorff, arrived in Ohio Territory with his brother-in-law, Jesse Slingluff, a Baltimore merchant, in 1806. They purchased 2,175 acres and began planning a town that became Dover. The plat included a designated spot for a courthouse at the center; however that honor was won by New Philadelphia. In the spring of 1817, Joseph Bimerler, a young, resourceful and intelligent man, along with approximately 200 German peasants seeking religious freedom, arrived in America. With the assistance of friendly Quakers in Philadelphia he was able to purchase 5,500 acres of land on credit in Tuscarawas County. He led the German peasants to a settlement named Zoar. At first the peasants tried to live independently but when this was unsuccessful they established a commune. Each resident renounced private ownership and became equal owners in everything within their community. When the Ohio Canal passed through Zoar the women of the community helped dig and haul the dirt away and used the money earned to buy more land. The community became wealthy, owning 9,000 acres of rich land, a tannery, iron mill, saw mill, flour mill, large hotel, cabinet shop, blacksmith shop, cider mill, bakery and a variety of livestock. They had money in the bank and were all equally prosperous. However, toward the end of the century, the youth grew tired of the lifestyle, wanted to be free to do as they pleased, earn their own money, buy clothes of their own and be able to purchase their own land and property. Because of this unrest, the community was dissolved and property divided in 1898.

In 1825, construction of the Ohio and Erie Canal brought people and progress to Tuscarawas Valley. The net result was that communities along the canal, like Dover and New Philadelphia, prospered on the trade of livestock and agricultural produce. The canal which prospered until the arrival of the railroads in the mid 1800's, gradually faded and eventually was abandoned. The flood of 1913 completely destroyed it.

Today in Tuscarawas County the cities of Dover and New Philadelphia and the communities of Dennison, Uhrichsville, Strasburg and Newcomerstown flourish with business and industry. Communities like Goshen, Stone Creek Midvale, Port Washington and Mineral City have picturesque, small town environments. Towns like Boliver, built near the site of Fort Laurens (a fort of Revolutionary War period) and the old Indian village, still thrive. The mission settlement of Gnadenhutten is gone but the village of Gnadenhutten which was plotted in 1824, still remains with elements of the mission preserved in a museum. Many of the original buildings of Zoar have been restored and visitors are welcome. The log buildings of Schoenbrunn are partially restored and have been preserved as a state park and memorial.

The area was easily accessible first by road, then river, canal and then by the railroad and many roads that crisscross the area are remnants of older roads that led to the western frontier.

Tuscarawas County was formed from Muskingum County on Feb.15, 1898. Washington Township is one of 22 townships in Tuscarawas County.

Sources: http://web.tusco.net/tuscgen/TuscHistoryFinney.htm, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuscarawas_County,_Ohio,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Township,_Tuscarawas_County,_Ohio

West Union Cemetery, Gilmore, Ohio

Gilmore is an unincorporated community in Washington Township, Tuscarawas County, OH. It is south of the village of Gnadenhutten and sits on the Tuscarawas County Road 10 (Gilmore Road) and is intersected by Tuscarawas County Road 14 (River Hill and Fallen Timber Roads) at Gilmore's square. It was once a thriving town but it now has less than 100 residents. West Union Church, the only church in town, and West Union Cemetery sit to the southeast of town by Sawmill Road (1/2 mile south of Gilmore). Map http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=1995398&CScn=West+Union&CScntry=4&CSst=37&CScnty=2118&

Gilmore was the birthplace of Cy Young, the legendary baseball Hall of Fame pitcher for whom the Cy Young Award was named.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilmore,_Ohio