Excerpts from:

Ohio Historical Society

And

The Ohio Channel

The first permanent settlement in the Marysville area, was founded in 1817 by Revolutionary War veteran Abraham Amrine (1761-1849) and his sons. The Amrines emigrated from Switzerland to Pennsylvania in the early 1700s and, after living in Belmont County, Ohio for 16 years, Abraham purchased 1000 acres here along Mill Creek circa 1817, paying $2 an acre. When Paris Township was organized in 1821, the township officers were elected in Amrine's home on Newton Pike (now Raymond Road). All seven of his sons, John, Andrew, Moses, Frederick, Jeremiah, Abraham, Jr., and Henry, settled here. Andrew was a Justice of the Peace and leader in the church. Near this site, Henry built a sawmill in 1822 and a gristmill in 1825, which were operated by the family for more than 50 years.

The Amrine Cemetery holds the remains of the Amrine family, as well as other pioneer families, including the Reed, Staley, Westlake, Wolford, and Wood families. Veterans of the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War are also buried here. The Amrine Methodist Church, founded by the family, once stood adjacent to the cemetery and also served as a school. When closed, it was sold and moved to a nearby farm. The local militia held musters at Amrine's mill in the mid-1800s. A covered bridge, circa 1885, built by Reuben L. Partridge (1823-1900) of Marysville once crossed the creek on Amrine Mill Road. It was destroyed by an accident in 1938, but the abutments remain.

Excerpts from:

Union County , Ohio

1883 History

EARLY SETTLERS.

The most important early settlement in what is now Paris Township was made in 1817, by Abraham Amrine and his sons, in what is still known as the Amrine settlement, about two miles northwest of Marysville. So far as known, it was the first settlement made; assuredly the first permanent settlement. A few squatters may have preceded the Amrines, in the occupancy of the soil of this township, but if so, all traces of them are lost. The Amrine family still has in its possession a considerable quantity of the survey upon which the original settler of this name settled sixty-six years ago.

Abraham Amrine was born in Pennsylvania in the year 1761. His ancestors had emigrated to America from Switzerland about the beginning of the eighteenth century. In 1785, Mr. Amrine married Mary Wolford, and in 1801 removed from Pennsylvania. to near St. Clairsville, Belmont Co., Ohio. In 1817, he purchased from Samuel Davis, of Franklin County, the John Overton survey, of 750 2/3 acres, No. 4,066, which, however, contained nearly 1,000 acres, paying for if. $2 an acre. This was at that time a high price for wild land, but the survey was located on a bend of Mill Creek, and the rich bottom lands it contained enhanced its value above that of land less favorably situated. The same year he removed to it from Belmont County, with his Six sons - John, Andrew, Moses, Frederick, Jeremiah and Abraham, Jr.- four of whom were married, and brought their families with them. Mr. Amrine's family consisted of seven sons and one daughter, the eldest of, the family. The other son-Henry- -subsequently removed to Paris Township; the daughter married Joseph Worley, and lived near Wheeling, W. Va.

Mr. Amrine built his log cabin on the hill west of the Newton pike, where the bend is made in the road. To each of his boys he gave 100 acres of land, and the work of clearing the farms was at once commenced in earnest. They had few-if any-neighbors at first, but formed quite a colony among themselves. They-were a rugged, hardy people, fully fitted to cope with the difficulties and endure the hardships of their wilderness homes. They were religious, frugal and industrious, and soon had fruitful farms, while on all sides, for miles, was yet one deep, dense forest. Abraham Amrine, Sr., died November 14, 1849, at the ripe old age of eighty-eight years. His wife, Mary, had preceded him to the grave many years. She died in September, 1823, only six years after their removal here, at the age of sixty-three years.

The Amrines were among the best, as they were the first, citizens of Paris Township. They nearly all lived to a good age, and have left an impress upon the community for good, which cannot be effaced for a long time to come, They were earnest and consistent members of the Methodist Church, and the founders of religious life in this locality. In politics, they were strongly Whig; the descendants, it is said, without exception, are now Republican.

THE BLOCK-HOUSE.

On the Powers place, in Survey 5,736, a block-house was erected in 1812, by the settlers in the southern part of what is now Union and those in Madison County, as a defense against threatened Indian attacks from the north. it a stood east of Edward Powers' residence, near the west bank of Mill Creek, in the path of an Indian trail, which passed north and south. The blockhouse was made of hewn logo, and its dimensions were probably fifteen by twenty four feet. It was two stories in height, and on all sides were small portholes, about four inches square. For about two weeks after this means of defense was hastily constructed, it was strongly garrisoned by the settlers from below, as it was believed the expected Indian descent would be made by way of this trail, which was their usual route in traveling south. At last the rumor gained currency that the savages were about to invade the settlements below from another direction, and the occupants of the fort precipitately left it and returned to their defenseless families. No hostile Indians, however, ever appeared in this vicinity. The block-house was afterward occupied as a dwelling.

Note: The Block House resided on Abraham Amrine Acres.

CHURCHES.

"One of the greatest sources of anxiety to the older Amrines was how to bring up their children surrounded by proper religious influences. It was finally resolved to organize a church here in the woods, and in 1821 the Amrine Church was organized. They had been members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Belmont County, and for several years they were about the only members of the church here. Andrew was the first leader and steward, and was a leader almost continually to the time of his death. John and Jeremiah were also leaders for many years. This point was at first a part of the London Circuit, and its pastors were Rev. George W. Maley and Rev. Aaron Wood. Afterward came Richard Brandriff, Rev. Shaw and many other circuit riders of pioneer days, when, a circuit was two or three hundred miles around, and the preachers traveled on horseback with the old saddlebags behind them, and when, in their lonely travels, they were often soaked by the drenching rain, pelted by the rattling hail, or blinded and frozen by the driving snow when the hungry wolf often gave him chase, and the growling bear was heard by the way. Often, very often, when the preacher was expected, has the good woman of the house sat up till late in the night, to have ready for him a warm supper after the weary day's journey. "

As new settlers located in the neighborhood the membership became stronger, for nearly every one in that day near this settlement united with the class. Among the earliest members, besides the Amrines, were the Westlakes, John Donly, who was class leader for awhile, George Houser, also class leader, John Houser and Jonathan Brooks. The services were held at the cabin of Andrew Amrine, until a round-log cabin was erected a few rods south of where the church now stands. This old log building was also used as a schoolhouse. The earliest teachers were Mr. Williams, George Snodgrass and Peyton Smith. It was destroyed by fire, and a hewed log church was erected on what is now a part of the Amrine Cemetery. The present Amrine Church, one and one-half miles northwest of Marysville, was built in 1853, and dedicated on Sunday, August 28, 1853, by Rev. S. M. Merrill. The membership is not as strong now as it was years ago. The charge is attached to the Newton Circuit. Rev. Littell is the present pastor. A Sabbath school was organized about 1828, by Rev. Shaw. It is still maintained.