RESEARCH RELATED TO...
WHERE WAS HAPPY VALLEY LOCATED?
By combining their personal memories of Darrtown and drawing from the information reported in the cited newspaper articles, the analysis team members concluded that Happy Valley is defined by the flat area of land that extends south, from Darrtown, along Ohio St. Rt. 177 (which crosses the Four Mile Creek) to the area of Nichols Road at the north edge of Hanover Township. The following topographical map depicts the described area.
It seems accurate to conclude that the Four Mile Creek valley - south of Darrtown - contains a two-mile long section that once was home to a community known as "HAPPY VALLEY"!
In January 2021, the Darrtown webmaster discovered an internet collection of old Hamilton, Ohio newspapers in which there appeared numerous items about a Butler County community named "Happy Valley."
Unexpectedly, the names of individuals and families associated with Happy Valley were also names long associated with Darrtown.
To determine where Happy Valley was located, the webmaster collected copies of 31 Happy Valley newspaper items and placed them in chronological order for analysis. Most articles range from the late 1920s to the early 1930s. One item is dated 1908.
Next, the webmaster gleaned Darrtown-linked family names from the Happy Valley news articles and ranked the names according to the frequency with which they appeared in the articles.
Then, the Darrtown webmaster, who grew up near Darrtown some sixty years ago, enlisted the help of several people of a similar age, who possess a knowledge of Darrtown history. That "old-timers" group helped analyze and interpret the data.
WHO WERE THE HAPPY VALLEY RESIDENTS?
The following chart displays the frequency with which people were mentioned in the selected Happy Valley newspaper items. The top two-dozen names appear below.
WHERE DID THOSE HAPPY VALLEY RESIDENTS LIVE?
This is where the memories of the old-timers were of great assistance.
The personal recollections of the team members placed most of the top 24 people (listed above) in the locations that are marked on the following map. Many of the 24 people were related, thus explaining how two dozen names are connected to only four locations.
Proof of Happy Valley Residency
The numerals on the map at the right correlate to the "Locations" listed below.
LOCATION #1: Ed Thome married Dora McVicker. In 1832, Dora's great-grandfather Duncan McVicker and family members used stone from the nearby Four Mile Creek to build the stone house that stands (2021) on the east side of Darrtown Pike, just north of Nichols Road. Presumably, Ed and Dora Thome acquired this farm throught her inheritance.
LOCATION #2: Darrtown native, Ron Wiley, confirmed that his grandfather, William "Bill" Wiley and his grandmother, Pauline (Keppler) Wiley built the two houses that stand about 500 yards northwest of the McVicker farm. Additionally, a news item from the October 10, 1926 Hamilton Evening Journal includes this statement in Darrtown news: "Mr. and Mrs. William Wiley are erecting a modern bungalow on a lot recently purchased from Ed Thome. The lot is a part of the late Richard McVicker farm, two miles south of the village."
#1
#2
LOCATION #3: Cathy (Myers) Leffler, a native of the Darrtown area, confirmed in February 2021 that her grandparents, Sam Myers and Grace (Nixon) Myers lived on and worked this Nichols Road farm, which they acquired from Grace's parents, Charles and xxx Nixon.
LOCATION #4: A 1914 Milford Township map shows that this farm (located at 3700 Hamilton-Richmond Road) belonged to John W. and George H. Nichol. Genealogy records at the Darrtown Family Tree show that George H. Nichol and his wife, Elizabeth (Snyder) Nichol, had four children, one of whom was Elizabeth L. NIchol. Elizabeth Nichol married Ernest "Ernie" Glardon and they lived at this property, in the early 1940s.
#3
#4
SOME UNKNOWNS ABOUT LOCATION #4:
1. At this time (February 2021), it is unknown whether Ernie and Elizabeth owned this property - or if they lived there, as tenants of Elizabeth's father, George H. Nichol.
2. Frank Glardon, aka B. F. Glardon, was the father of Ernest Glardon. Frank Glardon is currently linked to this property, because his name frequently appeared in Happy Valley news items - with references to social events that he and his wife hosted. Presumably, those events occurred at this location. More research is needed.
3. The 1914 Milford Township map also shows this property bearing the name "Peter Bender." At this time (February 2021), it is unknown when Mr. Bender acquired the land. Perhaps, Peter Bender bought the land from Ernest and Elizabeth (Nichol) Glardon or - perhaps Ernie and Elizabeth never owned the land. Perhaps, George Nichol held the title to the land and he sold the farm to Peter Bender. More research is needed.
PRESENTATION OF THE DATA
ANALYSIS OF THE DATA
INTERPRETATION OF THE DATA
You probably won't see any roadside signs commemorating the once-upon-a-time community, but, ...if the sunlight is just right, you might see an indication that, just like Al Lindley often said, "Ah, it's a beautiful day in Happy Valley."
Rt. 177, looking south from Darrtown.
Rt. 177, looking north from NIchols Road.
BACKGROUND
If you have thoughts to share about Happy Valley, please contact the webmaster.
Return to the Happy Valley page.
Return to the The Unknowns page.
To see copies of the news items that were used in researching the location of Happy Valley, visit: Newspaper items
