In 1799, the Elijah and Rachel Chenoweth family left Pike County, Ohio. They traveled with their two children. The family settled in what is now the Pleasant Township area of Franklin County. Elijah was 37 years old when he moved his young family to Central Ohio.
Chenoweth’s land was originally part of the Virginia Military Grant. This grant was made to Nicholas Massenburgh in 1796 for his service in the American Revolution. Lucas Sullivant, the man who settled and created the town of Franklinton, then purchased the land. Chenoweth and his brother, Thomas, purchased 200 acres from Sullivant in 1799 at Franklinton.
Chenoweth’s log home in Pee Pee Township, Pike County, Ohio. A Chenoweth family member founded Harrisburgh.
Drawing provided by Pike County Historian Jim Henry
After living several years in their cabin, Elijah built a larger log cabin about a half mile north of the village. The house was located in a low area and was built about 1806. It eventually evolved into a 14-room home. Elijah and Rachel’s children included Thomas and John, both born in Pike County; Joseph, Rachel, Cassandra, Elizabeth and Elijah, all born in Central Ohio.
When the Chenoweth family arrived in the area, the settlement was known as Darby Cross Roads. It would be years before Harrisburgh came into existence. A small school existed in the area by 1811. Around 1817, they built a new log school in the southwest corner of the village. It’s believed a frame school was built sometime after the village was created.
Some people in the area referred to the settlement as Mudsock. Harrisburg was indeed a “Mudsock” settlement. It was common for “locals” to sneak out and get muddy socks heading to taverns in the village. This information comes from a Facebook post by Mike Hummel. He added Harrisburg was a lively stagecoach stop circa 1860-1910. Such places often earned that nickname, but Mudsock was never actually Harrisburg’s name.
Grist and roller mills played an important role in all early family life throughout Franklin County. The Harrisburg Roller Mill was another early operation. It produced quality flour for residents. This was sold under the brand name of Glad Tidings Flour. The business, owned by S. D. Geddes, operated sometime after 1893.
A story written by Steve Stephens, published in the Columbus Dispatch’s Neighbor News Dec. 18, 1985, disputed that Mudsock was ever part of Harrisburg. He writes that Mudsock was a ‘dot on the Rand McNally Road Atlas’ at one time. It was located at the corner of Roberts and Alton-Darby Creek Roads. He went on to write that he had heard a farmer was walking through a muddy field. The farmer lost his boots and was left to walk home in his socks.
Elijah and Rachel Chenoweth’s son, Joseph, pictured left, wanted to set up a village. He hired Frederick Cole to create a survey in 1836. That was the year a plat for the settlement of Harrisburgh was approved. There was already a settlement when the survey was completed. Approximately 30 families lived in the area in 1833. The Big Darby Post Office opened in 1834. A year later, the name changed to the Harrisburgh Post Office when the village was platted. The Village of Harrisburgh was incorporated in 1851. This was one year before Grove City ever became a dot on a Franklin County map. The settlement also seemed to attract physicians. Dr. Lemuel Boyd arrived in 1824 followed by Dr. Thomas Thompson from Philadelphia in 1837, a year after Harrisburgh was established. Over the next few years, three additional physicians opened medical practices.
Joseph married Margaret Heath of Pickaway County. They had nine children, including Rachel, Jane, Elijah, Joseph, Sarah, William, Elizabeth, Isabella, and Jerry. Joseph had become a wealthy businessman. He often traveled in by wagon to Baltimore, Ohio. There, he purchased goods that were in high demand in Franklin, Pickaway and Ross Counties. He also operated a trade route between Chillicothe and Franklinton. Joseph also bought and sold large numbers of livestock, according to the History of Franklin and Pickaway Counties. His land holdings at one point totaled 1,600 acres. According to Percy L. Rider, a principal at Jackson Township High School (date unknown), Joseph was elected a state representative in 1841. He served two terms. Rider said Joseph at times helped drive cattle from Harrisburg to the meat markets in Baltimore, MD.
In those early years, there were few good roads in the area. Merchandise often traveled by ox cart. By 1849 a wood plank road, often referred to as a corduroy road, was under construction between Columbus and Harrisburg. This greatly improved the standing of local businesses in Harrisburg. It also improved traffic for the north and south bound stage coaches. The new road was a toll road that went through the Village of Harrisburg.
The village incorporated in 1851 and Dr. J. Helmick was elected mayor. The village had its share of saloons, churches and even two hotels. One hotel was the Swysgood House and another, known as White Hall, later became the United States Hotel. Both catered to stagecoach passengers. Samuel Swysgood, right, was born in 1826. Besides being the hotel-saloon operator, he was the village marshal in 1854. Harrisburg once had its own band of 10 musicians under the direction of C. V. Sheeders.
Fifty-seven years after Joseph Chenoweth had the village surveyed, the name changed from Harrisburgh to Harrisburg. The “h” was dropped in 1893 and that established the Village of Harrisburg. Harrisburg remains today as an incorporated village located in Pleasant Township that is in both Franklin and Pickaway Counties.
From swfchs.org
