Harmony House: 4732 East National Road

Jonathan and Andrea Batteas

The Grave Hunters Society

Paranormal Historical Research

24 October 2020

4732 East National Road, Harmony Ohio

This residential background study provides an accurate representation of the history of the land and prior residents of the home. This research does nothing to prove the paranormal but merely gives a window into the past.

The Village of Harmony:

The land of Harmony Village was laid out in 1802 by Laybourne Newlove. The town was ethnically diverse, with the first market in the village built by an Irishman named Henry Martian. By 1835 there was a hotel, two tanneries, a blacksmith, two doctors, and several other small establishments. Harmony Village had two schools, one for white children and another for the African-American children who lived there. The same teacher taught both schools.

In June of 1852, Cholera scourged the village of Harmony, killing three members of the community. The three who succumbed to the sickness were Baltzer and Charlotte Shoenberger, and Henry Cushman.

Walkers Addition (Where the home of 4732 sits).

In 1851, John Walker platted ten lots on the north side of the National Road, nearly opposite of the original plat. It is still known today as Walker’s Addition.

Property Logistics:

According to the Clark County Records Department, parcel number: 1300800035100033

The house sits on 0.45 acres and is 19,592 square feet. Erected in 1864, it is two stories with five bedrooms. It has a finished basement that once acted as a cellar. There is a two-story Summer Kitchen behind the house and a garage that sits adjacent. An improvement permit for the garage records 1913 as the completion date. The structure sits facing East National Road. Across the street is where the Methodist Epicalpalian Church used to be located on Plattsburg Road. Further down the Plattsburg Road turns into Fletcher Pike, this is the location of Fletcher Chapel Cemetery. Fletcher Chapel Cemetery is the final resting place for most of the original members of Harmony Village, including many of the original residents of 4734 East National Road.

(photo credit to the Clark County Records Department)

History of Home Residents:

1864: The house was built in 1864 by John and Elizabeth Pearson. Unfortunately, there is not much to be found about the Pearson family. There is a Civil War draft record showing that he did reside in Clark County at the time and was born in England.

1880: According to Federal Census Records, the house was owned by Henry Oxtoby. He is listed with his wife, Ann, and their son Robert. His and his sons' occupations were listed as a Farmer. Ann’s occupation was a housewife. Two non-family members are listed on the census: a male Farm Hand and a female housekeeper. Both were non-related and caucasian. A History of the One Hundred and Thirty-One Years of Harmony Methodist Church 1828-1959 states that the Oxtobys were successful sheep farmers.

1887: The Death of Henry Oxtoby. According to the Springfield Daily Republic, it states in his obituary that Henry died in this house on February 22, 1887. The ownership of the house had switched hands to his son because the obituary mentions that he “passed quietly to rest,...at the residence of his son, Robert Oxtoby near Fletcher’s chapel in Harmony township.”

1880: Near Fatal Death: According to an article in the Cincinnati Enquirer, on July 30 1880, the 6-year-old son of the farmhand, Andrew Snodgrass, slid under a heavy farm wagon that Mr. Snodgrass was driving. The back wheel rolled over the young child. A doctor called to the residents determined that the child's injuries were fatal and that he would not be long before passing.

1890: Henry and Flora Oxtoby are still listed as residents and owners. Their son, Robert, is listed as well as several farmhands and servants. All the hired help listed are listed as caucasian.

1900: The Oxtobys and their son are still listed as residing at their home along with several hair farmhands and house help. All hired help is listed as caucasian.

1910: The Oxtobys and their son are still listed as residing at their home along with several hair farmhands and house help. All hired help is listed as caucasian.

1920: The Oxtobys and their son are still listed as residing at their home along with several hair farmhands and house help. All hired help is listed as caucasian.

1930: The Oxtobys and their son are still listed as residing at their home along with several hair farmhands and house help. All hired help is listed as caucasian, except David Bran from Kentucky.

1940: Census records not found.

1945: The house is willed to Janet and Harvey Barritt, and Dorothy and J.B. Madox.

*Harvey Barritt was the owner of Orlando Poinsettia Dairy Products, now known as Borden Dairy. Janet and Harvey resided in Tampa, Florida, and they were considered socialites in the Tampa community.

1945: The Barritt’s and Maddox’s sold the house to Mark and Dessa Cottrill.

1973: The house was sold to Robert and Norma Cecil

1989: The house was sold to a Shari L. Knight

2017: The house was sold to the Clancy Family

Who Died in My House Records:

Inquiry into recent deaths in the home yielded no results. These records only trace back to the 1920s. Thus not showing that Henry Oxtoby passed away in the home in 1887.

Conclusion: At one time, Harmony Village was a bustling town until the 1950s. It was a very diverse community, and most were quite involved in the Harmony Methodist Church. Many of the citizens were abolitionists and were quite progressive in their community. The Harmony House Antique Shop now sits where the building served as a church and school to African-American members of the village.

4732 East National Road, Harmony Ohio

Modern-Day Parcel

Distance to Fletcher Cemetery

1907 Parcel

1894 Parcel

1874 Parcel

Works Cited:

Collections from the Canvas Quarters-Political-A Shocking and Fatal Accident 31 Jul 1880, Page 5 - The Cincinnati Enquirer at Newspapers.com. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2020, from https://www.newspapers.com/image/31353638/?terms=Henry+Oxtoby

To The Bosom of His God. Death of Henry Oxtoby, a Pioneer Citizen of Clark County-His Life. 23 Feb 1887, Page 4 - Springfield Daily Republic at Newspapers.com. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2020, from https://www.newspapers.com/image/83336468/?terms=oxtoby

Fischer, W., Jr. (2017, July 15). Outdoor Bake Oven Historical Marker. Retrieved October 22, 2020, from https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=105516

Harmony [Harmony From Clark County 1894, Ohio Published by Rerick Brothers in 1894]. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2020, from http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/58339/Harmony/Clark+County+1894/Ohio/

Madams, F. M. (2020, October 08). HARMONY TOWNSHIP - 635 HARMONY TOWNSHIP. BY F. M. MADAMS. Retrieved October 22, 2020, from http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache%3ARIi-owi5174J%3Awww.heritagepursuit.com%2FClark%2FClarkHarmonytp.htm

The History of Clark County, Ohio : Containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., general and local statistics,. (2005). Retrieved October 22, 2020, from https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/25834/

Kame, J. (2011). Henry Oxtoby (Unknown-1887) - Find A Grave... Retrieved October 23, 2020, from https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/68905699/henry-oxtoby

Edwards, S. (2009). John N. Oxtoby (1836-1903) - Find A Grave... Retrieved October 23, 2020, from https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/42733625/john-n.-oxtoby

Wilson, C. (2005). Robert Oxtoby (1829-1892) - Find A Grave Memorial. Retrieved October 23, 2020, from https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11075148/robert-oxtoby

Everts' Combination Atlas Map of Clark County 1874 [PDF]. (2020). Columbus, OH: Ohio History Connection.

https://www.ohiohistory.org/OHC/media/OHC-Media/Documents/SHPO/Atlas/Everts-_Combination_Atlas_Map_of_Clark_County_1874.pdf

South Charleston, OH [Map]. (1907). In (1943 ed., National Topographic Map). United States Geological Survey.

The History of Clark County, Ohio: Containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., general and local statistics, portraits of early settlers and prominent men, history of the Northwest Territory, history of Ohio, map of Clark County, Constitution of the United States, miscellaneous matters, etc., etc. (1881). Chicago: W.H. Beers &.