Secrest, local historian, we have gathered some early history of Pleasant City. The earliest settlers in the community were the James Albin family who lived just north of town, and the Jackson family who lived just south. Others soon arrived, amongst whom were the Robins, Fishels, Clarks, Fryes, Cales, Trenners, Secrests, Spaids and Dysons. The most of these came from Virginia and were related. The first school was held in a cabin near the Hopewell cemetery about one mile north of town. A log school building was later erected at the forks of the road, and in this pioneer institution of learning the children of two or three generations were taught. There were many of them, too, for nearly every family was composed of from ten to fifteen members. Point Pleasant (the original name of Pleasant City) was laid out by Joseph Dyson on August 29, 1836. Lots four rods wide by ten rods deep were surveyed along Main street, which was only a country road straightened and widened. For many years the lots were very cheap, as there was but little in the town to attract citizens to it.
‘Squire Dyson named his town Point Pleasant, presumably because a hill, then owned by him, abruptly protruded its shoulder into the valley, and because he thought it a pleasant community in which to live. Dyson kept the first store in Point Pleasant. Three industries of the town in early days were a tannery, a mill and a woolen factory. The mill was first run by water power, later by both water and steam. Farmers came from many miles away, bringing their wool to be spun into yarn or woven into cloth and blankets. One of the town’s most enterprising citizens of early days was Harrison Secrest. He owned and operated the woolen factory, burnt brick and built the first brick house in Point Pleasant, conducted a store, built the first frame schoolhouse in the town—did more, perhaps, for the material advancement of appoint Pleasant then any other man. The citizens of the community, who clung to the Methodist Episcopal faith, organized the first church in Point Pleasant. There were many Lutherans in the community, but all held membership in the church at Hartford or Mt. Nearly all the settlers of the Point Pleasant community came from the Shenandoah valley in Virginia. Before the Civil War opened, some of the settlers would visit their relatives in the old-home state nearly every year. When the war came, the ties of relationship were strong and the settlers were reluctant to fight their Virginia cousins. On the other hand they were patriotic citizens and desired the preservation of the Union. They were willing to fight, if necessary, but they hesitated to volunteer. By the end of the first year of the war only eleven Valley township men had enlisted, which was by far he smallest number in proportion to population of any township in the county. The average number too the township was forty-one. H. Larrick, who did enter the service, fought against one of his cousins in Winchester. A Point Pleasant business directory of 1870 lists the following: Harrison Secrest, proprietor of hotel and woolen factory; J. M. Secrest, woolen factory; J. W. Cochran, blacksmith; J. A. Kackley, blacksmith; John Deeren, drygoods; J. B. Clark and S. F. Secrest, drygoods; N. G. and J. Wallar, drygoods; J. Spaid, tanner; William teeter, physician and surgeon. There being a Point Pleasant postoffice in Clermont county, the office here was named Dyson. The village thus had two names until 1887, when both gave way to a new one—Pleasant City. It was incorporated in 1896. Fairview, an addition on the west side in which many people live, has never become a part of the corporation. In 1850 the population of Point Pleasant was 106; in 1860, 114; in 1870, 138. The population of Pleasant City was 1006 in 1900; 788 in 1910; 781 in 1920; 627 in 1930; 563 in 1940.
