Athens County

A Wolf Hunt

By Edward Ames During the greater part of his adult life, Bishop Ames has resided in Indiana, though his official duties have required protracted absences from home, and long journeys to the most distant parts of the country. A few years since he removed to Baltimore, Maryland, which is his present place of residence. Of late years he has frequently visited Athens, where he has relatives living, and where he finds great enjoyment in meeting the friends of his youth, and in recalling early memories. He is very fond of familiar converse, and, in his “hours of ease,” talks in … Read more

Athens County, Ohio Topography and Minerals

The county contains about four hundred and eighty-four square miles of land, some portions of which are admirably adapted for grazing and agricultural purposes, while others are rich in minerals. It is well watered by the Hockhocking river and its tributaries, Sunday creek, Monday creek, Margaret’s creek, Federal creek, Shade river, etc. The Hockhocking, entering at the northwestern corner of York township, traverses the county diagonally for a distance of about fifty miles, flowing into the Ohio river in Troy township. The average width of the stream throughout the county is about fifty yards. The region drained by its numerous … Read more

History of Athens County, Ohio – During the War of the Rebellion

During the terrible four years, from 1861 to 1865, in which the government waged a tremendous war to preserve its own existence, and the union of the states, Athens county was not behind any portion of the loyal north, in the promptness and zeal of her responses to every call. According to the United States census report of 1860, the number of male inhabitants of the county in that year, between the ages of fifteen and fifty, both inclusive, was five thousand and eighty-nine. The county furnished to the government during the war, in all, two thousand six hundred and … Read more

History of Athens County, Ohio Post Offices

Prior to the year 1794, there was no mail route to the northwestern territory, nor any post office north of the Ohio river west of Pittsburg. The only communication the Ohio Company’s settlers had with the east was by private hands, and the receipt of letters or papers was a rare and interesting occurrence. In the year 1794, a route was established from Pittsburg, via Washington, Pennsylvania, West Liberty, Virginia, and Wheeling, to Limestone (now Maysville, Kentucky), and Fort Washington (Cincinnati). From Pittsburg to Wheeling the mail was carried by land, and from Wheeling down the Ohio river in small … Read more

Creation of Athens County, Ohio

An act of the legislature, passed February 13th, 1804, entitled “an act establishing boards of commissioners,” provided that the election for commissioners should be held on the first Monday of the next April. The first election in Athens county resulted in the choice of Silas Dean, William Howlett and John Corey, commissioners. We quote from the record of the first board of commissioners: “County of Athens, State of Ohio, April 16th, 1805. Agreeably to an act entitled ‘an act establishing boards of commissioners,’ passed February the 13th, 1804, We, Silas Dean, Wm. Howlett and John Corey, being elected commissioners for … Read more

History of Athens County, Ohio Agricultural Society

The earliest legislation in Ohio relative to the organization of agricultural societies, and designed to encourage that branch of industry, was an act passed February 25, 1832, entitled “an act to authorize and encourage the establishment of agricultural societies in the several counties of this state, and for other purposes therein set forth.” The farmers of Athens county had, however, already perceived their interests in this regard, and a society had been formed and a fair held some years before the passage of this act. The society was organized May 19, 1828. The preamble to the constitution recites that, “We, … Read more