The George Family

In 1785, Thomas Hutchens drove the first pin on the banks of the Ohio River in what was first named Fawcettville, Ohio—now East Liverpool—for the surveying of the Seven Ranges. The Battle of Fallen Timbers soon followed, finally settling the Indian question in the Ohio Territory in 1794. As the territory opened up for white settlement, people flocked in droves over the mountains on foot, horseback, and down the Ohio River by flatboat and raft, all toting their worldly possessions and vying for a piece of land in the newly opened country.

Some of the first settlers who came after the Revolutionary War claimed their land by Bounty Land Warrant or Land Grant from the war. Many were granted as much as 600 to 4,000 acres, depending on rank and years of service. Some of them came with money they received from selling everything they owned to make the journey. They sought land to build homes and invest in their future, looking for a better life. Others came seeking fame or fortune.

The settlers who came to the Yellow Creek Valley were no different. The forest teemed with wildlife, and these hills and valleys were perfect for raising and grazing sheep. Mutton and sheepskin were the driving commodities here, shipped via the river or packed over the mountains, where salt was then packed back. When salt was discovered in the valley, it was first panned by hand and boiled down, and later salt wells were dug. Salt boiling was crucial because it was the primary means of preserving food. It had to be hauled over the mountains by horseback and then shipped down the river.

Many names come up as the first settlers of Yellow Creek, but none made more of an impact than the George Family. Originally from Ireland, Robert George fought in the Revolutionary War and, by Land Grant for his service, made his way to Yellow Creek, eventually acquiring 800 acres. The property was handed down from generation to generation, with the George name spreading far and wide. Each generation found a George son named Robert, like the first Robert to settle in what was to become Mooretown, Ohio. Sons were also named Thomas, John, and James, but there was always a Robert.

When the first Robert settled on the land, he built what locals called the Sandstone Mansion. For the people of the valley, there was nothing as big and grand. The house stood up on the bank, and the town seemed to grow up around it. The family built the first store, which also housed the post office. They were instrumental in starting the first grist mill, which was central to keeping the area fed and providing ground feed. The elder Robert was active in politics and was one of the founding fathers of what became the Yellow Creek Presbyterian Church. He was also involved in one of the first school boards for the Mooretown One Room Schoolhouse.

The Georges were well known for their horses and raised some of the finest breeding stock on this side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. They brought several different breeds of sheep until they found what best suited this valley and became well known as breeders and dealers in the sheep trade. The raising of sheep and dealing in sheepskins and wool brought another aspect to the valley. The George Family, along with several others in the area, were avid abolitionists. The Georges were, along with four other homes in the local area that we know of, active participants in the Underground Railroad. There is a legend that two of John Brown’s sons came to the Yellow Creek Valley, to the George Farm, as well as to others, on not only sheep business but also as promoters of the anti-slavery cause.

The photo shows the old stone house as it was before it burned down in 1995. The photo of George's Lake was taken from the Mooretown Civil War Monument. The lake was constructed when the last Thomas George, who lived in the stone house, came home from World War II and, working with Glenn Cable, built the dam. George’s Lake became a local gathering place for swimming in the pool and grabbing a snack from the lunch stand. As kids, we would then go across to the monument, climb up the fifty-eight steps, and play, ending up on the old iron bridge.

In 1970, Thomas George deeded one acre of ground to the Ross Township Trustees for the care of the monument. The problem was that the one-third acre where the monument stood was not in the deed—the acre surrounded it. No one knows why it was deeded this way, but in 1995, before he died, the last surviving George son to live on the property, Robert, deeded the one-third acre to the trustees as well.

The George farm is no longer in the George Family. The house is gone, and the town of Mooretown is just a memory. The monument stands as a tribute to the Georges, Crabbs, McLains, Shanes, and so many others who not only settled this valley but also fought and died for it.