First Courthouse in Pike County

In the early days court was held by a Presiding Judge and three Associate Judges. The first court in Pike County was held in a stone house one half mile from the present site of Piketon, near what is now known as the "Scioto Trail".

This house was built by Arthur Chenoweth, on his farm, assisted by his son, Absolom. The house was built of rough stone collected by many a weary day's work by father and son. When finished it was a large rough building, containing two very large front rooms on the first floor connected by a hall and stairway which led to a similar hall and two large rooms above. Each room contained a large stone fireplace with cupboards built in on each side. You entered the front of the house from the south side by ascending three large stone steps and one broad flat stone.

Later, as the family increased in size, a frame part was added on the north side containing a dining room and kitchen. A small covered entrance on the west side led into the kitchen which was built much lower than the front of the house.

On the east side of the house, a porch led into the dining room and also into a back door of one of the front rooms. Here Judge Chenoweth and his Associate Judges held court until the courthouse was built in Piketon in 1817.

This remained the home of Judge Chenoweth until his death in 1821. Then his son Absolom and his wife occupied the house until a crack in the stonework made the house unsafe. The old stone house stood until 1880, then the farm passed into other hands. The house was razed and today there is only an old burial ground with a few markers.

from: Old settlers' reminiscences as published in Pike County News.

Note: The Chenoweths tended to have large families. The judge, Arthur, was born in Maryland and moved to Kentucky; from there to Pike County, Ohio. He was the father of fifteen children. The oldest son, Absolom, was born in Kentucky and went to Ohio as a child of nine years. He was the father of ten children. His oldest child, Abigail, married Isaac Austill on 1 May 1836. Isaac and Abigail Austill lived on the old Chenoweth property.