Knox Township was created May 30, 1803 and its county lines strike the line of Columbiana County. This township once included Saline, Brush Creek, Ross and one part of Springfield. It now has four sections and seven fractional sections. It is known for its scene of Indian struggles, coal, very rugged terrain, limestone soil, fire clays, formerly rich in timber such as, oak, that was very plentiful. Pioneer surnames include: Pittinger, White, McCoy, McLean/McClain, Edminston, Swickard, Shelly, Bray, Myers, Grimm/Grim, Watt, Draper, Stickler, and McClellan.
Knox Township is situated in the northern part of Jefferson County, Ohio, and is bounded on the north by Saline Township, on the east by the Ohio River, on the south by Island Creek Township, and on the west by Ross Township. It is composed of twenty-four Sections, of Township 13, of Range 2, and several Fractional Sections of Township 4, Range 1.
This township is drained on the north by Hollow Rock and Carter’s Run, on the east of Jeremy’s and Croxton’s runs, on the south by Island Creek, and on the west by Town Fork of Yellow Creek.
The surface is generally hilly and broken; the eastern portion being quite so. The central portion is susceptible of cultivation and good soil uplands taking the limestone of the "upper productive" coal measures.
It is well watered, both limestone and freestone springs abounding. The prevailing variety of timber is white oak, but sugar maple, beech, walnut, locust, and elm are also common.
It can’t be ascertained who the first settler of Knox Twp. was but we know that James Alexander came in 1796. Isaac White came in 1798 and James McCoy in 1799, but others doubtless proceeded them. Baltzer Culp settled in New Somerset in 1800, Michael Myers, Sr., settled on the West Bank of the Ohio and established a ferry opposite Gambles Run and built a large stone house on the West Bank of the Ohio, where he kept a hotel for at least forty years.
Daily Herald, Jan 18. 1815 – LOTS FOR SALE IN THE TOWN OF KNOXVILLE. The subscriber having laid off a new town on the State road leading from Steubenville to New Lisbon, 4 miles from the Ohio River… On Thursday, the 7th of March next… Is equaled by few towns, and excelled by none… surrounded by one of the best settlements in Jefferson county, convenient to a number of saw, grist & merchant mills, also to a number of salt works… plenty of springs… Presbyterian & a Methodist meetinghouse are within two miles of the town. Roads from Steubenville, White’s Ferry, Gamble’s ferry, Chapman’s ferry, the mouth of yellow creek, New Lisbon, Springfield, New Salem, and Cadiz, all center in the town and it’s vicinity. Henry Boyle - Knoxville, Jan. 18, 1815
Another ad ran Feb 2, 1815 by Hugh Hales including Jackman’s saw mill and Porter’s gristmill already established in Knox Twp.
- The first elections for the first two Justices of the Peace were held at the house of Henry Pittenger.
- An act to establish and regulate township meetings, passed Jan. 18, 1802.
- On Monday, April 3, 1802 the first electors met at Mr. Pittenger’s house and proceeded to make the following choices for township officers –
- Esquire - James Pritchard
- Clerk – John Sloane
- Overseers of the Poor – Thomas Robertson, Jacob Nessley
- Trustees or Managers – William Campbell, Issac White, Jonathan West
- Fence-viewers – Peter Pugh, Henry Cooper, Alex Campbell
- Appraisers of Houses – John Johnston, J.P. McMillen
- Lister of Taxable Property – Issac West
- Supervisors of Roads – John Robertson, Calvin Moorehead, Richard Jackman
- Constable – Joseph Reed
- A year later on Monday, April 4, 1803 the number of voters was sixty-four, and the following persons were elected to fill the respective offices in the township:
- Township clerk – John Sloane
- Trustees – William Stoakes, Thomas Bay, Henry Pittenger
- Overseers of the Poor – Lodowick Hardenbell, William Sloane
- Appraisers of Houses – Robert Partridge, Thomas Robertson
- Lister of Taxable Property – Issac West
- Supervisors of Roads – Michael Myers, John Johnston, Peter Pugh, James Latimer
- Constable – David Williamson
- Justices – J.E. Wilson, James Ball
- Township Clerk – Frederick Kenagi
- Trustees – Henry Yeagley, James Watt, Samuel Minor
- Treasurer – Samuel Arnold
- Assessor – James Owsterhouse
- Board of Elections – John Wims, G.W. McGafick, John Walker, Jefferson Campbell, C. Bower, John Stevenson, Thomas Cable, David McGhie.
- Constable – James Atkinson
{Taken from Knoxville Area History, 1802 – 1976, published in 1976}
Knox Township’s first land sales were held in New York City in 1787 and again in 1789. (Knox Twp. Notes by Dr. Schilling’s)
Knoxville is situated near the center of Knox Twp., in Jefferson County. It was laid out by Henry Boyle Jan. 15, 1816 and contained at that time, one post office, William Riddle, Postmaster; two churches, United Presbyterian and Methodist Episcopal; one dry good store, Richard Chambers, proprietor; one drug store, Thomas Hamilton, proprietor; two physicians, Park Rex. M.D. and W. Bailey, M.D.; one printing office, Banner of Zion, Stokes Bros. proprietors; two cabinet shops, C. Bower and J.H. Paisley, proprietors; one blacksmith shop, William Pipes, proprietor; one shoe shop, L.J. Goodlin, proprietor.
Knoxville, although one of the oldest towns in this part of the county is not one of the largest; its situation – removed from any large stream and without railroad – has not been favorable to its growth. The population is about 150 inhabitants. (1976) The main street of Knoxville is sixty feet wide, the others fifty feet. The lots are 60 x 120 feet.
Where June Warren now lives, there was a Methodist Church and a cemetery. Where Dale Anderson lives, just below his house, there was a college.
Many different people owned the Knoxville Store. Mr. Riddle had the store and post office. Some people by the name of Cooper owned it next. Fred Mills bought it from Coopers. Sam and John Crawford sold it to George Grimm. Then Francis Warren and finally, Wayne Winland who turned it into a house all owned it.
There was a tannery on the farm that Joseph Sapp owns. Where the Knoxville store was or the house Mrs. Reed lives in was at one time a tavern.
In 1861, there was a carpenter shop in Knoxville that made furniture. Mr. James Ekey of Stratton had 6 chairs made from there. Mary Robison now owns them. Mary displayed a chair at the Stratton Bicentennial, July 4, 1976.
STOKE’S GROVE
A favorite gathering place for picnics and corn roasts was at the Stoke’s Grove on the farm of J.C. ‘Deacon’ Stokes on the Knoxville Pike. His huge barn and stately white oak trees made a picturesque setting that complimented the broad lawn and snow white homestead of this hospitable couple. This grove of oak trees with its closely cropped greensward provided an ideal setting for summer outings or acorn roasts in autumn. Mr. & Mrs. Stokes were known throughout the district for their sincerity and friendliness to anyone who might halt at their home. Stoke’s Grove was located across from Pytash’s on State Route 213. STOKES CEMETERY - The WPA map lists William Stokes Sr., William Stokes Jr., and John Stokes as serving in the War of 1812.
