MILTON TOWNSHIP - Here is an article of long-gone village that once existed between Rittman and Sterling. It was called Lancetown. The photo is a Google Maps Streetview image of where it was located. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lancetown In 1814 Christopher Lance of Jefferson Co., Ohio, bought NW Qr. Sec. 11 but only sons John, James, William and Henry came to Milton Township. James bought NW Or. Sec. 10, William NE Qr. Sec. 10, and Henry SE Or. Sees 4. These holdings, comprise the area around the fork between CR 504 and Rittman Ave. midway between Sterling and Rittman today. Bakers Map of Wayne County of 1856 shows this fork to be called Lancetown. The three above named Lances came here in 1818, each married to a Miss Johnson, presumably sisters, in Jefferson Co, At the same time came George Halliwell, whose family inter-married with the Lances and who bought land west of their holdings. George built a blacksmith shop in the fork. He later donated land for a German Baptist Church next to his shop. Elder Freeman of Seville preached there in 1826. It lasted only a few years due to the inability to obtain a minister, but it was the first church in the township. James Lance donated land for a school located on the north-east corner of Rittman Ave. and Schorle Road. Adam Peckinpaugh, who was in Green Township before 1820 and came to Lancetown about 1825, was the first teacher. One of his descendants was baseball great Roger Peckinpaugh who managed the Cleveland Indians for a time. Nelson Welch set up a general store in Lancetown, and later Peter Rich built a brewery. There was also a cheese factory there. When the railroad came in 1864 and built its depot on the other side of the tracks, Lancetown was doomed to fade into oblivion. - Condensed from Arise Wild Land - Lindsay Williams by Richard Smith.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Sep 2014 17:56:34 +0000
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