The pioneer history of Meigs County

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THE

Pioneer History of Meigs County

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h

BY

STILLMAN CARTER LARKIN

I

ONE VOLUME
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS

Columbus, Ohio:

The Berb) Primiiic Compuy.

1908

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THE NEW YORK
PUBLIC UBRARY

294805A

astor; l»nox xnm

TILDEN FOUNDATIONS
R 1927 L

Copyrighted by

GEORGE B. LARKIN,

1908.

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PUBLIC LU.URY I

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STILLMAN C. LARKIN

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Introduction

In 1876 a revival of interest in local history was manifest
throughout the United States. The Centennial of the Na-
tion — the Exposition at Philadelphia, exhibiting trophies of
the Revolutionary period, while much attention was bestowed
upon Colonial relics, and regard for Colonial ancestry. The
older class of people had been retired from public observation,
especially in the Western States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and
Michigan. The first settlers — the earlier emigrants — ^had
braved the Indians, the wild beasts, the privations of a new
country, had toiled to open up the primeval forests for culti-
vation, and broken in health, dispirited often by adversity,
they had grown old before their "three-score-years and ten,'*
and the generation following them had been unwittingly push-
ing them aside. They were in the way of modern progress, and
they had retreated to the back rooms of their children's man-
sions. But in 1876 it was seen that the country could not
celebrate her Centenary without bringing into honorable rec-
ognition the fathers and mothers, the soldiers and statesmen,
whose achievements had wrought such evident prosperity for
the country— such high rank among the Nations. So it came
about that old records, old furniture, old tales of early days,
old people tottering on their canes, were subjects of especial
attention.

The Revolutionary soldier, old and gray, was escorted to a
seat on the platform where jubilant oratory proclaimed his
deeds of heroism. It was at this time that Stillman C. Larkin,
Aaron Stivers, H, B. Smith and a few others, awakened to
the fact that Meigs county had a past worthy of record, and
in looking around discovered that the founders, the early
emigrants, were gone ! Not a representative left of the days
of St. Clair, of men who came into this part of the county be-

3

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4 Pioneer History of Meigs County

fore Ohio was admitted into the Union. They became im-
pressed with a sense of duty toward those forefathers, and to
retrieve as far as possible the neglect of previous years, they
organized the Meigs County Pioneer Association — H. B.
Smith, President; Aaron Stivers, Secretary; later Stillman C.
Larkin, President. Mr. Larkin as a son of a pioneer, Abel
Larkin, who had been active in the organization and develop-
ment of the civil and moral interests of the new country,
began collecting and placing in manuscript, everything
available of the acts and actors of all legislative affairs in the
new country. First, the sparsely settled lands were incor-
porated in Washington county, and Marietta people were
wise enough to keep a running account with Time, but Gallia
county was taken out from Washington, and until 1819 all
civil records were kept in Gallipolis, when Meigs county was
taken out from Gallia county.

Mr. Larkin began at the beginning, and wrote the Declara-
tion of Independence, declared in 1776, which made the Cen-
tennial of 1876 possible — he wrote out the Ordinance of 1787,
that proclaimed freedom of the whole Northwest Territory of
the Ohio river, from involuntary servitude of man for man.
The first emigrants to Ohio — ^Washington, Gallia and Meigs,
opened up the wilderness for cultivation, or the present gen-
eration would not have broad acres in meadows, or hillsides in
wheat, or blooming fruit-laden orchards. These first settlers
built their cabins and schoolhouses, had teachers for their
children; they organized townships, elected township officers
and kept records of local affairs.

For these men and these records Mr. Larkin had respect.
It was no easy matter to collect and place in order the history
of the first ten years of the settlements included later in the
boundaries of Meigs county; for from 1798 to 1808, is an
almost forgotten page, but the men who wrought for the
good of coming generations — wrought wisely, intelligently,
with broad views, and persistent effort to establish homes,

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 6

roads, schools and churches, to assist in framing wholesome
laws, and enforcing them for the protection and well-being of
a growing community, men like George W. Putnam, Fuller
Elliott, Levi Stedman, Brewster Higley, Peter Grow, Hamilton
Kerr, John Miles, William Parker, Abel Larkin and others,
whose deeds and names belong to the annals of those years
from 1792 to 1808. That makes true pioneer history. From
1808 to 1818 the influx of emigrants increased rapidly. People
seeking lands to found homes for their families, mechanics of
all kinds, carpenters, blacksmiths, tanners and shoemakers,
served for public utility and improvement.

In 1819 Meigs county was set off from Gallia county, and
assumed importance. A court house and jail were built in
Chester, the county seat. Courts of Common Pleas were held
judges were appointed, county officers were elected — auditor,
treasurer, recorder, sheriff and clerk of the courts. Township
officers were chosen — esquires and constables, clerk, treas-
urer, assessor, trustees, school directors and supervisors. The
discomforts of pioneer life had ceased. The people enjoyed
comfortable homes, with growing families. From 1820 to
1830, there was an inflow of newcomers, representing all pur-
suits, civil and educational, lawyers, doctors, preachers and
teachers. Farms changed owners, and new customs were
introduced. The fertile Letart bottoms sent flatboats laden
with produce annually on trips to the South, New Orleans
being the final mart. The traders returning by keelboat or
steamboat brought sugar and molasses, rice and coffee for the
merchants and communities.

Nial Nye, Sr., & Sons were established at the mouth of
Kerr's run, before the county of Meigs was organized, and
kept a store of general merchandise, ran a sawmill, and had a
boat landing, "a port of entry" for goods consigned to Levi
Stedman and others at Chester and the interior of the county.
A postoffice was located here and the place was called Nyes-
ville. From 1820 to 1830, while a growing prosperity was

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6 Pioneer History of Meigs County

/

seen throughout the county, no capitalist with means and

energy had arrived to develop the natural resources of Meigs
county. From 1830 to 1840 marked the beginning of com-
mercial prosperity. Mr. V. B. Horton, with a wide personal
influence, brought capital to operate on the development of
the coal in the hills of Salisbury. He started the transporta-
tion of coal by means of a steamboat, the Condor, towing
immense fleets laden with coal down the Ohio river, and
farther down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico, from
whence ships conveyed it to Boston, and grates in Boston
parlors glowed with Pomeroy coal. This enterprise opened
up boat building — ship builders from Maine and Nova Scotia
came to work and direct the labor in the Horton boat yard.
It gave employment to river men to manage the tow-boat
Condor, and the barges. English and Welch men of ex-
perience and judgment took charge of the mines, and miners
from England, Wales and Germany went into the coal tunnels
of Meigs county and with pick and hand-car brought to light
the wealth of the hills. A rolling mill was set in operation,
a foundry, machine shop, and Haven & Stackpole erected a
three-story steam flouring mill. Pomeroy was laid out, lots
sold, the town incorporated, and elegant residences were
placed on the spurs of the hills at Naylor's run and Sugar run,
while under the cliffs the Brothers Howe, Dr. Estes and the
lawyer, U. G. Howe, Charles Pomeroy and Horace Horton
built no less fine homes. Mr. Samuel Grant's sawmill had
full orders, furnishing lumber as fast as possible. In this
decade of stirring material prosperity, the little postoffice
town of Graham's Station received an impetus. Mr. Lucius
Cross came from Marietta in 1822 to lands of his own, and
started a tannery, built flat boats to send hay to the South,
opened a store of general merchandise, erected a mill on
Bowman's run for making flour, and sawing lumber, giving
employment to hundreds of men in these different enterprises.
The name of Graham Station was changed to Racine. The

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 7

town of Sheffield sprang into existence in these times, broad
acres just above the mouth of Leading creek were laid out in
lots, the town incorporated and a cotton mill built by Mr.
Philip Jones, a novel project for a non-cotton producing ter-
ritory. The Grant brothers put into the business of steam
a flouring mill that prospered for more than forty years. The
one great event in Meigs county was the removal of the
county seat from Chester and establishing the seat of justice
in Pomeroy.

The aim and intent of Mr. Larkin's book is to preserve a
record of pioneer times, that later generations may have
proper respect and pride in their forefathers. He was the
prime mover in organizing the "Meigs County Pioneer As-
sociation," and devoted time, thought and research in order
to place correct statements concerning those early days in
his book.

We ask the "Pioneer Association of Meigs County" for a
liberal patronage of the book, and of thinking men and
women, who will find much to interest them in reading the
work, and especially the favor of descendants of early settlers
in Meigs county, who are scattered in other states and
terrtories.

Emeline Larkin Bicknell,
Reviser of the MSS. of S. C. Larkin.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, JULY

FOURTH, SEVENTEEN HUNDRED AND

SEVENTY-SIX.

When in the course of human events it becomes neces-
sary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have
connected them with another, and to assume among the
powers of earth, the separate and equal station to which the
laws of nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent
respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should
declare the causes which compel them to a separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are
created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with
certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights,
governments are instituted among men, deriving their just
powers from the consent of the governed, and that whenever
any form of government becomes destructive of these ends,
it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to
institute new government, laying its foundations on such
principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them
shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.

Prudence indeed, will dictate that governments long es-
tablished should not be changed for light and transient causes,
and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are
more disposed to suffer while evils are sufferable, than to
right themselves by abolishing the form to which they are
accustomed.

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations pursuing
invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them
under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty to
throw off such government, and provide new guards for their
future security.

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10 Pioneer History of Meigs County

Such has been the patient sufferance of the colonies, and
such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their
former system of government.

The history of the present king of Great Britain is a his-
tory of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct
object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these
states.

To prove this let these facts be submitted to a candid
world: He has refused his assent to pass laws the most*
wholesome and necessary for the public good. He has for-
bidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing
importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent
should be obtained, and when so suspended, he has utterly
neglected to attend to them. He has refused to pass other
laws for the accommodation of large districts of people unless
those people would relinquish their right of representation
in the legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable
to tyrants only. He has called together legislative bodies at
pleasure, unusual and uncomfortable and distant from the
repository of their public records, for the sole purpose of
fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. He has
dissolved representative houses repeatedly for opposing with
manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people. He
has refused for a long time after such dissolutions, to cause
others to be elected whereby the legislative powers incapable
of annihilation have returned to the people for their exercise.
The States remaining in the meantime exposed to all the
dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavored to prevent the population of these states,
for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of
foreigners, refusing to pass others to encourage their
migration hither, and raising the conditions of new appro-
priations of lands. He has obstructed the administration of
justice by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary
powers. He has made judges dependent on his will alone

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 11

for the tenure of their offices and the amount and payment
of their salaries. He has erected a multitude of new offices
and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people and
eat out their substance. He kept among us in times of peace
a standing army without the consent of our legislators. He
has affected to render the military independent of and
superior to the civil power. He has combined with others to
subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our Constitution and
unacknowledged by our laws, giving his assent to their acts
of pretended legislation.

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us ; for
potecting them by a mock trial and punishment for any mur-
ders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these
states; for cutting off our trade with all parts of the world;
for imposing taxes on us without our consent; for depriving
us in many cases of the benefits of trial by jury; for trans-
porting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses;
for abolishing the free system of English laws in a neighbor-
ing province, establishing therein an arbitrary government
and enlarging its boundaries, so as to render it at once an
example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute
rule into these colonies ; For taking away our charter, abolish-
ing our most valuable laws and altering fundamentally the
forms of our government; for suspending our own legfisla-
tures and declaring themselves invested with power to legis-
late for us in all cases whatsoever. He has abdicated govern-
ment here by declaring us out of his protection and waging
war against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our
towns and destroyed the lives of our people. He is at this
time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to com-
plete the work of death, desolation and tyranny already begun
with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled
in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of
a Christian nation. He has constrained our fellow citizens.

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12 Pioneer History of Meigs County

taken captive on the high seas to bear arms against their
country, to become the executioners of their friends and
brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands.

He has excited domestic insurrection among us and has
endeavored to bring the inhabitants of our frontiers under the
merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare is an
undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for
redress in the most humble terms. Our repeated petitions
have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince whose
character is thus marked by every act which may define a
tyrant is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have we been wanting in attentions to our British
brethren. We have warned them from time to time of the
attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable
jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circum-
stances of our emigration and settlement here. We have ap-
pealed to their native justice and magnanimity and we have
conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow
these usurpations which would inevitably interrupt our con-
nections and correspondence. They, too, have been deaf to
the voice of justice and consanguinity. We must, therefore,
acquiesce in the necessity which denounces our separa-
tion ; and hold them as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies
in war; in peace, friends. We, therefore, representatives of
the United States of America, in general Congress assembled,
appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude
of our intentions, do in the name and by the authority of the
good people of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare
that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free
and independent states.

That they are absolved from all allegiance to the British
crown, and that all poltical connection between them and the
state of Great Britain is and ought to be totally dissolved;
and that as free and independent states they have full power

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 13

to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish com-
merce and to do all other acts and things which an inde-
pendent state may of right do.

And for the support of this declaration with a firm reliance
on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge
to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor,
July fourth, seventeen hundred and seventy-six. John Han-
cock, President.

Signers Names.

Georgia — Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton.

New Hampshire — ^Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple,
Matthew Thornton.

Massachusetts Bay — Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert
Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry.

Rhode Island — Stephen Hopkins, William EUery.

Connecticut — Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William
Williams, Oliver Wolcott.

New York — ^William Floyd, Philip Livingstone, Francis
Lewis, Lewis Morris.

New Jersey — Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis
Hopkinson, Abraham Clark and John Hart.

Pennsylvania — Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin
Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, John
Hancock, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross.

Delaware — Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean.

Maryland — Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone,
Charles Carroll, of Carrollton.

Virginia — George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas
Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis
Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton.

North Carolina — ^William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John
Penn.

South Carolina — Edward Rutledge, Thomas Hayward,
Thomas Lynch, Arthur Middleton.

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14 Pioneer History of Meigs County

THE ORDINANCE OF 1787.

(Extract from the History of the United States of America, by Timothy Pitkin,

Vol 2. Pate 214.]

In consequence of cessions the United States became pos-
sessed of all the lands northwest of the Ohio, and the estab-
lishment of a government for the inhabitants already settled,
as well as others who might remove these, became necessary.

(The Colonial Congress, then in session at New York.)

This Congress, therefore, in July, 1787, established an Ordi-
nance for the government of this territory.

This Ordinance is the basis of the governments established
by Congress in all the territories of the United States, and
may be considered an anomaly in American legislation. The
whole territory was under one district, subject to be divided
into two, at the pleasure of Congress.

With respect to the mode of governing the settlers in this
territory or colony, the ordinance provided that until the
number of free male inhabitants of full age in the district
should amount to five thousand, the legislative, executive and
judicial power should be vested in a governor and three
judges, who, together with a secretary, were to be appointed
by Congress. The governor was to remain in office three
years and the judges during good behavior. The governor,
with the judges were empowered to adopt and publish such
laws of the original states, criminal and civil, as might be
necessary, and best suited to the circumstances of the district,
and report them to Congress; such laws to be in force until
disapproved by that body. The governor was empowered to
divide the district into counties or townships and to appoint
all civil officers. As soon as the free, male inhabitants of full
age and should amount to five thousand, a general assembly
was to be constituted, to consist of the governor, a legislative
council, and house of representatives. The representatives to
be chosen from the counties or townships, one for every five

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 15

hundred free, white male inhabitants, until the number should
amount to twenty-five, after that the number to be regulated
by the legislature. A representative must have been a citizen
of the United States for three years, and be a resident of the
district, or have resided three years in the district, in either
case to have the fee simple of two hundred acres of land in the
district. An elector was to reside in the district, have a free-
hold of fifty acres of land therein, and be a citizen of one of
the states, or a like freehold and two years residence. The
representatives to be chosen for two years.

The legislative council was to consist of five persons, to
continue five years in office, unless sooner removed by Con-
gress, were chosen in the following manner : The house of
representatives to nominate ten persons, each possessed of a
freehold in five hundred acres of land; out of this number
Congress was to appoint five to constitute the council. The
general assembly had power to make laws for the govern-
ment of the district not repugnant to the Ordinance. All laws
to have the sanction of the majority of both houses, and the
assent of the governor. The legislative assembly were author-
ized by joint ballot to elect a delegate, who was to have a
seat in Congress with the right of debating, but not of voting.

It was necessary to establish certain principles as the basis
of the laws, constitutions, and governments, which might be
formed in the territory, as well as to provide for its future
political connection with the American confederacy. Congress,
therefore, at the same time established certain articles, which
were to be considered as articles of compact between the
original states and the people of the territory, and which were
to remain unalterable unless by common consent. By these
no person in the territory was ever to be molested on account
of his mode of worship, or religious sentiments, and every
person was entitled to the benefits of the writ of habeas
corpus, trial by jury, and all those other fundamental rights
usually inserted in American bills of rights. Schools, and the

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16 Pioneer History of Meigs County

means of education were forever to be encouraged, and the
utmost good faith to be observed toward the Indians; par-
ticularly their lands and property were never to be taken from
them without their consent.

The territory and the states to be formed therein were
forever to remain a part of the American confederacy, but not
less than three, nor more than five states, were to be estab-
lished.

The bounds of these were fixed with liberty for Congress
to alter them, by forming one or two new states in that part
of the territory lying north of an east and west line drawn
through the southern bend, or extreme of Lake Michigan.
It was also provided that whenever in any of these states
there should be sixty thousand free inhabitants, such state
was to be admitted into the Union, on the same terms or
footing of the original states in all respects whatever, and be
at liberty to form a permanent constitution and government,
such constitution and government was to be republican and
conform to the principles of the articles.

If consistent with the general interests of the confederacy
such state, however, might be admitted into the Union with
a less number than sixty thousand free inhabitants. By the
sixth and last article it was provided there should be neither
slavery nor involuntary servitude in the territory otherwise
than in the punishment of crime, of which the party should
have been duly convicted, and in consequence of this lastwise
and salutary provision the evil of slavery has been prevented
in all the new states formed out of this territory northwest of
the river Ohio."

Note. — Mr. Dana of Massachusetts is said to be the author of the
sixth article.

P. S. — ^When this ordinance was being framed in New York City,
the Constitutional Convention was preparing a Constitution for the
Nation in Philadelphia.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 17

THE OHIO LAND COMPANY'S PURCHASE.

The Ohio Land Company originated with the disbanded
officers of the Revolutionary army, while a large portion of
the stockholders were citizens at large. This company was
organized in Boston early in the year 1787. The purchase
from Congress consisted of a million and a half acres of land
by negotiations made by Rev. Manassah Cutler, in 1787. The
State of Ohio was admitted into the Union in 1802, and com-
prised that portion of the Northwest Territory on its eastern
boundary, extending from the Ohio river on the south to the
shores of Lake Erie on the north, comprising seventeen million
five hundred thousand acres of very fine land. The lands of
the Ohio Company's purchase were located in the southern
part of the state bordering on the Ohio river.

These lands were surveyed by men appointed by the Presi-
dent, George Washington, of whom were General Tupper,
General Meigs, General Israel Putnam, Colonel Ebenezer
Sproat, John Matthews, and others. These surveyors divided
the lands into townships containing six square miles, and these
townships were sub-divided into ranges, and further surveyed
into sections of 640 acres. Townships, ranges, and sections
were numbered, as were 100-acre lots, which sold to pur-
chasers. In every township, three sections are reserved for
Congress, Ministerial and school purposes. The boundaries
of these lands were permanent, thus, when any county or
township or road refers to certain points — ^Township 2, Range
11, Section 6 — it has reference to the surveys of the Ohio
Company's purchase.

Meigs County.

Meigs county was formed in June, 1819, and was composed
of territory set off from Gallia county, Athens county, and
Washington county, and contained the following townships :

From Gallia County. — Letart township, organized in 1803;
Salisbury township, organized in 1805; Rutland township.

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18

Pioneer History of Meigs County

organized in 1812; Lebanon township, organized in 1813;
Salem township, organized in 1814; Sutton township, organ-
ized 1814.

From Athens County. — Orange township, set off in 1813;
Olive township, set off in 1819; Scipio township, set off in
1819; Columbia township, set off in 1820; Bedford, including
Chester, township, set off in 1821.

NAMES OF HEADS OF FAMILIES IN LEBANON,
LETART, AND SUTTON TOWNSHIPS, OHIO, 1820.

Lebanon Township.

Caleb Price
David Pickens
Simeon Lawrence
George Warth
George Commins
William Pickens
John Flesher
Jacob Regor
James Giles
Lucinda Flesher
John Hall
Thomas Flinn
John Smith
Charles Shipman
Abraham Knapp
Ziba Lindley, Jr.
Edward Anderson
Ziba Lindley
Stephen K. Miller
Andrew Anderson
-John Sissle

Thomas Lloyd
Robert Pickens
David Dailey
Jacob BufBngton
Aaron Lasley
William Smith
William Barringer
Elias Browning
Joseph Buffington
David Sleath
Edward Sims
Lawrence Jenks
John Brown
Samuel M. Jackson
Hugh Brown
Catharine Alford
Philip Lauck
William Lauck
Levi T. Gandy
John Hanshaw
Solomon Smith

Letart Township.

John H. Sayre
Samuel A. Deviney
Benjamin Warner
Isaac Taylor

Baltzer Roush
Adam Harpold
Michael Roush
Henry Roush, Jr.

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Molly Roller
David Wheelbarger
Elizabeth Wolf
Thomas Vail
John Linscott
Michael Darst
Peter Wolf
George Hrell
Anthony Roush
Henry Roush
Edward McDade
Ephraim Sayre
David C. Sayre
John Waggoner
Ezra Chapman
George Burns
David B. Sayre
John Sayre
Job Powell
Burton Bradford
John Hayman
James Hayman
John S. White
William Alexander
John Boudinot
Thomas Love
Moses Sayre
Lydia Slack
Reubin Smith

Levi Osborn
Moses Goodfellow
Peter R. Goodfellow
John McElroy
Samuel Clark
Niece Pickens
Milby German
Jacob Scott
John Deviney
Thomas Sayre
Elizabeth Deviney
William Smith
Calvin Martin
Jacob Crowser
Robert Sayre
Spencer Hayman
Jedediah Darby
Theopholus Ketchan
Elijah Bebee
Joseph Bebee
Abraham Kingree
William A. Boyce
Jonathan Evens
Robert Hester
Shadrack Rice
John Smith
Haviland Chase
Daniel Lovett
John Smith

Sutton Township.

John Pickens
George Ingals
Joseph Ingals
Aaron Thompson
Peter Wolf
William Kerr
Thomas Batey
John H. Hayman
Samuel Pickens
Jacob Wolf
Thomas Ashworth

James Ashworth
Isaac Foster
David Ashworth
Jacob Salser
Stephen Partlow
Robert Baird
Loftus Pullins
John Pullins
Michael Will
George Schibelair
John Ralph

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Pioneer History of Meigs County

Aaron Torrence
Simeon Elliott
Randall Stivers
James Pickens
Erastus Gelson
James McCormick
Cornelius Roush
Frances Hughs
John Hussey
William Radford
Jasper Branch
Wyman Hardy
Ezra Bemass
John R. Smith
Thompson Pickens
Jacob Aumiller
David Young
Asa Johnston
Benjamin Noyes
Jonathan Seelye
Edward Ward
George Roush
Mary White
Henry Wolf
Lyman Parker
Seth Jones
Fuller Elliott
Thomas Reding
John Wolf
Peter Lallance
George Wolf
Michael Circle
Sylvanus Ripley
Andrew Donley
John Quickie
Luther Donilson
Gabriel Walling
John Rose
John Frank

Thomas Smith
David Hudson
Anson Sole
Joel Hull
Stephen Root
Samuel Grant
David Curtis
David Cooper
Peter Masten
William Kimes
Solomon Wolf
Thomas Wigger
Samuel Westfall
Sarah Gilmore
William Watkins
Jacob McBride
Philip Watkins
James Blairs
Nathaniel Prentice
Lewis Chase
Richard Haden
Royal Burch
Michael Nease
Mary Burrell
Rogger McBride
Mary Dunbar
Adam Houdeshell
James Dixon
Michael Peltz
Philemon Warner
John Warner
Robert C. Barton
Nicholas Weaver
Charlotte Scott
Fenn Robinson
Hezekiah Sims
David Stewart
Jeremiah Shumway

Township boundaries were made anew, or within the limits
of the older townships. Letart township originally extended

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 21

from the mouth of Shade river to the mouth of Kerr's run and
out of its territory the townships of Lebanon and Sutton were
formed.

Salisbury township originally embraced territory as far
north as Ross county, but such portions of the township as
were within the boundaries of Meigs county were divided into
Rutland township, Salem township, and a township remaining
Salisbury. Deeds of land are recorded according to the
nomenclature of the Ohio Company's surveys.

Ohio, having been admitted into the Union in 1802, it fol-
lowed that a constitutional convention should be called to
prepare a constitution for the new state, therefore, electors, or
delegates, were elected according to the regulations given by
the Congress of the United States, and according to the
Ordinance of 1787, for the Northwest Territory, eliminating
only one claim of that ordinance, viz: the property qualifica-
tions from the counties within its boundaries.

The Constitutional Convention was composed of thirty-five
members. Washington county was entitled to four dele-
gates, as follows : Rufus Putnam, Ephraim Cutler, Benjamin
Ives Oilman, and John Mclntyre. This convention assembled
at Chillicothe, November 1st, 1802, and adjourned November
29th, 1802. That assembly formed Gallia county by a law
that was to come in force April 30th, 1803, by a division of
Washington county, with specified boundaries, but it was
bounded on the west by Scioto county until 1816. Athens
county was formed March 1st, 1805, and was bounded on the
south by Gallia county until January 7th, 1807. The boundary
of the south of Athens county was changed to take a portion
on which Chester is located, from Gallia, and add it to Athens
county, where it remained until the formation of Meigs county,
April 1st, 1819.

An act of legislature authorizing associate judges to divide
the counties into townships was made May 10th, 1803. In ac-

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22 Pioneer History of Meigs County

cordance therewith Gallia county was divided into three town-
ships — Gallipolis, Kerr's, and Letart.

The same act of the legislature authorized the associate
judges to appoint justices of the peace for each of the aforesaid
townships. Robert Saiford and George W. Putnam were ap-
pointed for Gallipolis township. In Letart township an elec-
tion of justice of the peace was to be held in the house of
Henry Roush — one justice of the peace for Letart township.
For Kerr's township one justice of the peace was to be elected,
and the election to be held in the house of William Robinson.
Another act of the legislature creating a board of county
commissioners came into force March 1st, 1804. The commis-
sioners aforesaid on the 11th of June, 1805, proceeded to re-
divide the county of Gallia into townships, recognizing the
boundaries of Letart, but abolishing that of Kerr's, and forming
a new township by the name of Salisbury and establishing its
boundaries as follows: Beginning on the Ohio river in the
Thirteenth range of townships at the southeast corner of 100-
acre lot No. 376 ; thence west with the south line of said lot to
the southwest corner of the same ; thence north to the south-
east corner of Section No. 10, in Range No. 14, of Township
No. 5; thence west to the line between the Fourteenth and
Fifteenth ranges; thence north to the northwest corner of
Township No. 5, in the Fourteenth range ; thence west to the
county line; thence north to the northwest corner of the
county; thence east until it intersects the line between Kerr's
and Letart; thence with the same to the Ohio river; thence
down to the place of beginning.

The first election for township officers for Salisbury town-
ship was held in the house of Brewster Higley, Esq., July 27th,
1805.

Trustees Elected. — Hamilton Kerr, James G. Phelps, Felix
Benedict.

Overseers of the Poor. — ^John Niswonger, William Parker.

Fence Viewers. — Samuel Denny, David Thomas.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 23

Appraisers of Houses and Listers. — William Parker, Jr.,
Benjamin Smith.

Supervisors of Highways. — William Green, Abijah Hubbell,
John Niswonger.

Constables. — ^James Smith, Jared Strong.

Treasurer. — ^Joel Higley, Jr.

Clerk. — Abel Larkin.

In accordance with the above order, John Niswonger and
Horatio Strong were elected justices of the peace for Salisbury
township, July 27th, 1805.

The names of the first settlers in territory included in Meigs
county and the dates of their arrival, as follows :

James Smith, from Marietta, 1797; Levi Chapman, 1787;
Thomas L. Halsey, 1792; Hamilton Kerr, 1797; Nicholas
Brown, 1796; Joseph Russell, 1792; James Smith, 1797;
William Russell, 1792; Brewster Higley, 1799; John Case, a
surveyor, 1799; Levi Stedman, 1798; Peter Grow, 1798; Peter
Shaw, 1792; Ezra Chapman, 1799; Shubael Burris, 1796; Wil-
liam Bradford, 1792; William Browning, 1795; Joshua Chap-
man, 1799; William Barton, 1792; George Warth, 1798; Peter-
Lalance, 1798; Fuller Elliot, agent for O. L. C. P., 1792;
Livingston Smith, 1800; Josiah Rice, 1800; Samuel Denny,
1800; Thomas Everton, 1800; Jeremiah Riggs, 1800; Leonard
Hedrick, 1800; George Ackley, 1800; Thomas Rairdon, 1800;
William Coleman, 1800; John Miles, 1801 ; Captain James Mer-
rill, 1801; Timothy Dexter, 1801; William Parker, St., 1802;
Thomas Shepherd, 1802; Alshire Brothers, Conrad, Michael,
and Peter, 1802; Joel Higley, 1803; Daniel Rathburn, 1803;
Jabez Benedict, 1803; William Johnson; James E. Phelps,
1803; Caleb Gardner, 1803; Thomas Alexander, 1803; Elias
Hall, 1803; William Buffington; Abel Larkin, 1804; Truman
Hecox, 1804; Alvin Ogden, 1804; Shubael Nobles, 1804;
Rev. Eli Stedman, 1804; Samuel Branch, 1804; Timothy Smith,

1805 ; Frederic Hysell, 1805 ; Bing, 1805 ; Luke Brine,

1805 ; Fuller Elliott, located in 1805 ; Jacob Wolf, 1805 ; Jere-

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24 Pioneer History of Meigs County

miah Fogg, 1806; Aaron Holt, 1807; James and John Forrest,
1807; Thomas Gaston, 1807; Joel Cowdery, 1807; Henry
Roush, 1808; Jacob Cowdery, 1808; Squire Bullock, 1808;
Philip Buffington, 1808; Aaron Torrence, 1809; John Euts-
minger, 1787; Josiah and Joseph Vining, 1810; Alexander
Warth, 1810; John Hall, 1811 ; Richard Cook, 1811 ; Seth Jones,
1812; Adam Harpold, 1812; Augustine Webster, 1812; William
Skinner, 1810; Samuel Everett, son-in-law of Ham. Kerr, 1812;
John, Erastus, and Nathaniel Williams, 1812; Joseph Town-
send, 1812; Dr. Philip Lauck, 1813; Andrew Anderson, 1814;
Jedediah Darby, 1814; John Hayman, 1810; Peter Pilchard,
1810.

The electors for Governor of Ohio, 1805, in Salisbury town-
ship, were the following:

John Hilverson, James E. Phelps, John Niswonger, Elam
Higley, William Sparks, Brewster Higley, Daniel Strong,
Caleb Gardner, Cornelius Thomas, John Miles, William Green,
Nimrod Hysell, Stephen Strong, Jared Strong, William Barker,
Daniel Rathburn, Samuel Denny, Hamilton Kerr, Thomas
Shephard, Benjamin Williams, Horatio Strong, Joel Higley,
1st, James Smith, William Spencer, Joel Higley, Jr., Abel
Larkin, Samuel Ervin, Felix Benedict.

The state elections for Governors and state officers were
held on the second Tuesday in October, 1802, and until Novem-
ber, 1886, when, by a constitutional provision, the time was
altered to conform to the time of holding elections for the
Presidents of the United States.

Three road districts were made in Salisbury township in

1806 and the following supervisors elected, namely :

First District: Benjamin Smith, supervisor. He made re-
turns for work done in 1806 to the trustees in 1807.

Second District: Daniel Rathburn, supervisor. He made
returns for work done in 1806 to the trustees m 1807.

Third District: John Miles, supervisor. Returns made in

1807 for work done in 1806. The work on the highways was

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 25

to pay a road tax. By a law of 1804 every male person over
18 years of age and under 50 years of age was liable yearly
and every year to do three days work on the public roads. The
trustees of Salisbury township levied a tax to be worked out
at sixty-two and one-half cents a day.

Rutland township was organized in 1812, being formed out
of territory embraced by Salisbury township, Gallia county,
and consisted of Township 6, Range 14, of the Ohio Company's
purchase. This Township 6 was divided by the original land
company into thirty-six square miles, or sections of 640 acres
each, commencing to number them at the southeast corner,
running north. Three sections were secured to Congress,
namely: Nos. 8, 11, and 26. For ministerial purposes No. 29,
and for school purposes No. 16, making in all five sections.
Nine sections near the center of the township were cut up
into fractions of 262 acres each, as follows: Nos. 9, 10, 14, 15,
20, 21, 22, 27, 28. leaving twenty-two whole sections and
twenty-two fractions for the company. The fractions in Rut-
land township are numbered so as to correspond with the
sections belonging to the company, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12,
13, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36. Six sections
were added after the formation of Meigs county, April 1st,
1819, and are an important addition to Rutland township.
Among the pioneers who settled on this tier of sections were
Joel Higley, Jr., James E. Phelp, Daniel Rathburn, and Benja-
min Williams, all from Granby, Connecticut, in 1803.

In looking back to the days when Salisbury township ex-
tended from Kerr's run westward to Ross county, we have
introduced a list of some supervisors of roads, and after giving
names, dates and returns, find it interesting to describe the
boundaries of one or two road districts, viz, of Daniel Rath-
burn, Second district, ordered to do work, beginning at
Widow Case's, down to the Butternut rock, when he thought
most proper, this being highway tax for the year 1806:

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26 Pioneer History of Meigs County

Daniel Rathburn, $2.15 ; Joel Higley, $1.95 ; Brewster Higley,
$2.65; Abel Larkin, $1.15; Luke Brine, 85 cents; Joel Higley,
Jr., $1.45; James E. Phelps, $2.05; Shubael Nobles, $1.05; Es-
quire Bullock, $1.35; Eli Stedman, $1.15; Benjamin Williams,
75 cents; Elam Higley, 75 cents; Jesse Fleshman, $1.55; Jesse
Carpenter, 85 cents; Edward Faller, $1.65; Moses Russell,
$1.85; Martin Roup, $1.65; William Sparks, 95 cents; William

Campbell, 85 cents; Nicholas Sins, $1.55; Stillwell,

$1.55; Amos Carpenter, 75 cents.

Joel Higley,
James E. Phelps,
October 15th, 1806. Trustees.

John Miles, supervisor of the Third road district in Salisbury
township, highway taxes for the year 1806, the district be-
ginning at the Widow Case's, up the road to the 7-mile tree:
William Spencer, 95 cents; Abijah Hubbell, $1.35; John<
Miles, $1.55; Caleb Gardner, $1.65; Erastus Stow, $1.15; Wil-
liam Parker, Jr., $1.55; Thomas Shepherd, $1.35; Thomas
Everton, 85 cents; Felix Benedict, $1.15.

William Parker,
James E. Phelps,
Joel Higley, Jr.,

Trustees.

The Widow Case mentioned in the boundaries of the Second
and Third road districts lived where the late lamented Virgil
C. Smith afterwards lived. Mrs. Case was his maternal grand-
mother, who subsequently married Abijah Hubbel, Sr. She
was the widow of John Case, mentioned, also, in the account
of the settlement of Brewster Higley. Mr. Case had gone
back to Vermont, and in company with his friend and neigh-
bor, Noah Smith, started for Ohio. Mr. Case had a young
wife, and Mr. Smith had a wife and three or four daughters,
and son 3^ years old. After journeying on the road from
Philadelphia as far as Carlisle, in Cumberland county, Noah

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 27

Smith suddenly died. His family went on with Mr. Case until
reaching a little town West Liberty, the county seat of Ohio
county, West Virginia, where John Case suddenly died, and
where Mrs. Case gave birth to a daughter — her first child, who
was named Eliza. As soon as these conditions were known
by Brewster Higley he went to their relief and brought them
all to Leading creek. Mrs. Smith settled on land bought of
Samuel Denny, on the west side of the creek, and Mrs. Case
settled on the east side of the same stream, and nearly opposite
Mrs. Smith. There she brought up her daughter, Eliza, and
the Smith family were reared, so in the later years Livingston
Smith and Eliza Case were married, reared a respectable
family, and died, after living to a good old age.

The Butternut rock is on the west side of Leading creek,
half a mile above the mouth of Thomas fork. The 7-mile tree
is thought to be on the road up Leading creek on the road
traveled to Scioto salt furnaces, but the exact place is un-
known — probably about Langsville.

BREWSTER HIGLEY AND FAMILY.

The first settlement made in Rutland township was by
Brewster Higley, in April, 1799, on the farm since occupied
by his son, Milo Higley. Judge Higley was a native of Sims-
bury, Connecticut, but came from Castleton, Rutland county,
Vermont, to Bellville, West Virginia, where he remained 18
months, preparatory to his removal to Ohio. He bought a
share in the Ohio Company's purchase for one thousand dol-
lars. He then, in company with John Case, who had been one
of a party of surveyors, and was of some service to Mr. Higley
in making his selection of land, as he was to have a part of the
land, made a visit to the place of his future home. He returned
to Bellville, purchased a family boat and floated down the Ohio
river to the mouth of Leading creek, which being high with
back water, he poled his boat up the stream as far as the place

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28 Pioneer History of Meigs County

known as Jacobs' upper salt works. Here he tore his boat to
pieces and built a shanty for his family to live in until he could
build a house on his land. The first shanty made for his boys
and John Case to live in while clearing the land was made of
bark and sticks and stood near the ground afterwards used as a
family graveyard.

Brewster Higley was a Revolutionary soldier and had served
as justice of the peace in the state of Vermont. General
Arthur St. Clair, Governor of the Northwest Territory, ap-^
pointed Brewster Higley as one of the justices of the peace for
the county of Washington, the commission bearing date
Diecember 28th, 1801, done at Chillicothe. This commission
and one to Fuller Elliot, of Letart, are probably the only ones
for justices appointed under the territorial government for
the people living in what is now Meigs county. Mr. Higley
was one of the first associate judges of Gallia county and
served for a number of years. He was elected justice of the
peace in Rutland township, and in 1815 was made the second
postmaster of Rutland and held the office for several years.
He died June 20th, 1847, at the ripe old age of 88 years 3
months and 6 days. His wife, Naomi Higley, died February
4th, 1850, aged 89 years, one month and 3 days.

The children of Brewster Higley and his wife, Naomi Higley,
were four sons and three daughters.

The sons were : Brewster Higley, Jr., who married Acksah
Evarts.

Cyrus Higley married Electa Bingham, daughter of Judge
Alvin Bingham, of Athens. One son, Julius Bicknell Higley.

Lucius Higley married Nancy Shepherd. Lucius Milton
Higley married Miss Morton. Milo Higley married Miss
Pankey.

Joseph L. Higley married Emily Reed.

Harriet Higley was married to Alvin Bingham, Jr., son of
Judge Bingham, of Athens.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 29

Theresa Higley was married to Josiah Simpson.

Susan Higley, the eldest child, never married, but lived with
her parents until her decease.

In 1800 Samuel Denny came from Massachusetts and bought
a tract of land, and built a cabin on it. This was near the
Livingston Smith farm. He also helped to erect the first
school house, and taught the first school in the winter 1801,
also in 1802. The school consisted of nine scholars, four of
whom came from near the mouth of Leading creek. The roll
recorded the names of James Smith, John Smith, Sarah Kerr,
Christina Niswonger, and five scholars from Judge Higley's
family. In 1803 Samuel Denny built the first grist mill on
Leading creek, which stood close to the residence of Jabez
Hubbell. Mr. Denny delivered the first oration ever delivered
here, at a Fourth of July celebration in 1806. The speaker
stood on the top of an ancient mound not far from the Case
house. Mr. Denny left Ohio in 1810, returned to Massa-
chusetts, and married, and died there.

JOEL HIGLEY AND FAMILY.

In 1803 Joel Higley and his wife, Eunice Higley (nee
Haskins) came from Granby, Connecticut (Lieutenant Higley
he was called), and settled on the south tier of sections, in
what was afterward included in Rutland township. There
were twenty-eight persons in this company with Joel Higley.

Joel Higley, 1st, had a numerous and prolific family. The
daughter, Rachel, married Williams, and remained in Con-
necticut. She was born in 1800.

Joel Higley, Jr., (called Major Higley) settled in the same
neighborhood with his father. He was born July 31st, 1764,
and married Cynthia Phelps, May 25th, 1785. She was a
§ister of James E. Phelps. Mr. Higley died April 26th, 1823,
and his wife died January 5th, 1832.

Of this union there were three sons and five daughters.
Polly Higley married Philip Jones in May, 1806. They lived

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30 Pioneer History of Meigs County

on a farm where Middleport is now situated. Philip Jones
died May 30th, 1866, aged 80 years.

Elihu Higley was born November 26th, 1788. He served in
the Army of the Northwest in the War of 1812. He married
Nancy Cook in December, 1815, moved to his farm in Rutland
in December, 1816. They had one child, Clarissa Fidelia —
married Martin Fox. Mr. Higley died April 23d, 1877, aged
89 years.

Laura Higley, born August 20th, 1795. She was married
to Daniel C. Rathburn in 1812, in Rutland, O., moved to Indi-
ana, died there in August, 1884, aged 91 years.

Sally Higley; born March 8th, 1795, was married to Daniel
McNaughton, DgcTp^^grj 1816, and 'died September 29th, 1845,
aged 50 years. Harlow McNaughton, a son, was captain of
the Seventh Ohio Battery in the Civil war for the Union.

Cynthia Higley, born February 7th, 1797, and never mar-
ried. She died August ^b, 1819, aged 22 years.

Maria Higley, born July ,30th, 1799, and married Willis
Knight, and died February 28th, 1834, aged 35 years.

Joel Phelps Higley was born June 9th, 1802, married
Catherine Wise, and died October 23d, 1836, aged 34. A son.
Captain Joel P. Higley, fell in fighting for the Union in 1863.

Laurinda Higley was married to Earl P. Archer and died
September, 1855, aged 90 years. She was the mother of a large
family. Marinda Archer, Henry, Sophia, Benjamin, Elam,
and Abiah Archer, who married Benjamin Whitlock, their
children were Hiram, Electa, Levi, Harriet, Eunice.

Eunice Higley married Silas Knight, known as "Deacon
Knight," in 1812 and came to Rutland in 1812. They were
highly respected. They had a numerous family — two sons
and six daughters. Mr. Knight and his wife, Eunice, both
died the same day and were buried in the same grave, July
31st, 1839, aged 67 years and 63 years, respectively.

Electa Higley was born in 1778, and came to Rutland with
her parents, and afterwards married Benjamin Williams. She

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 31

was a remarkable woman, intelligent, energetic, with resource-
ful disposition to be adapted to pioneer conditions. She
taught school in her own house, cut and made men's best
clothes, and cared for a flower garden that was the pride of
Rutland for many years. She had two children, a daughter,
born February 21st, 1811, married Rev. James Mitchell, went
to Illinois in 1855, and died February 3d, 1881. Mrs. Electa
Williams died at her daughter's in Illinois, in 1865, aged 87
years. - Her husband died July 26th, 1873. The son, Benjamin
Selah Williams, was born November 18th, 1808, and married
Elizabeth L. Brown, of Athens county, and lived on the home-
stead farm where he was born until his death, February 17th,
1891, aged 82 years, 3 months. Mrs. Williams was born July
2d, 1811, and died February 14th, 1897, aged 85 years, 7
months, 12 days. They had a numerous family of sons and
daughters, but they, except two children, James and Mary, left
Ohio for the West.

Sophia Higley was married to Asa Stearns, a Free Will
Baptist preacher, finally settled in Mercer county, Ohio, where
they both died. They had four children, Rufus, Amos, Louise,
and Joel.

Elam Higley was a soldier in the War of 1812 and served
under General Harrison in the Army of the Northwest. He
married Sally Clarke, and settled on a farm in the northeast
corner of /Rutland township. They had one child, Austin
Higley, who went to Iowa about 1876, and died there.

An incident in the life of Elam Higley is worth relating.
After his enlistment, when about to leave home, his mother
gave him a Bible with directions to put it in a side pocket of
his coat, already made for its reception. When in the Maumee
country they had a skirmish with the enemy, and a bullet
fired by an Indian, aimed at Elam's heart, struck that Bible
but did not pass through, thus his life was preserved. His
comrades said, "Elam thought himself badly wounded, but the
ball was found in the Bible, and he was not hurt."

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Hamilton Kerr was born in Philadelphia in 1764. He was
a noted Indian scout of great daring, courage and strength.
He married Susannah Niswonger, a highly educated young
woman, and daughter of Colonel John Niswonger. Mr. Kerr
came to his land below the mouth of Leading creek, on the
Ohio river, in 1797, and was an active, useful citizen, as seen
in reports of all civil proceedings of Salisbury township. Of
their children, William Kerr married Jane Murray and settled
on a farm on the west side of Thomas fork, just above the
mouth, where he died March 27th, 1883, aged 86 years.

Sarah Kerr was married to Samuel Everett, and lived near
the mouth of Story's run; later moved to the northern part
of Ohio.

Margaret Kerr was married to Hamilton Kerr, a distant
relative.

After the death of Hamilton Kerr in 1821 the estate was
settled by Colonel Everett, the administrator, and Mrs. Kerr,
the widow, and her daughter, Sophia, moved to the north
part of the state, probably Wyandot county.

Colonel John Niswonger was of German extraction and
early in life was from near Winchester, Virginia. He enlisted
December 29th, 1776, to serve during the war; served as a
sergeant in Captain John Leman's company. Thirteenth Vir-
ginia regiment, commanded successively by Colonel John
Gibson, Revolutionary war, and appears on the muster roll,
October, November, and December, 1779, at Fort Pitt, and
February 13th, 1780, on which he is reported as being at Fort
Henry. Colonel John Niswonger was one of the heroes of
the battle of Point Pleasant. He settled on land near the
mouth of Leading creek, with his son-in-law, Hamilton Kerr,
in 1798, and was an important factor in the civil arrangements
for the government of Salisbury township, afterwards in-
cluded in Rutland township, Meigs county. His tombstone
was found in the tearing down of an old building, where

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 33

it had been used as a hearthstone. It had this plain inscription :
"Sacred to the memory of Colonel John Niswonger, who de-
parted this life July 13th, 1821, aged 78 years and 4 months."
No person now living can find the place of his grave.

Peter Niswonger was a comrade of George Warth in the
hunting trips of the years 1811 to 1814, when Mr. Niswonger
had a still-house for making whisky and peach brandy, built
by a spring of excellent water, on Lot 182, Ohio Company's
purchase, afterward owned by Nehemiah Bicknell. The
spring was always called the "still-house spring." His name,
in connection with that of Elias Nesselrode, is used in an
account of an elk discovered crossing the Ohio river below
Sandy creek, by Andrew Anderson, who, being on the Ohio
side of the river, saw Niswonger and Nesselrode pushing a
canoe laden with salt upstream to whom he called "to head
off the elk," which had reached their side so near that they
threw a log chain at his horns, which so enraged him that he
capsized their canoe with the men and the salt and escaped to
the woods of Virginia.

THE WARTH FAMILY— COLONEL DAVID BARBER'S
LETTER, 1882.

"During the Indian war there came to the stockade in
Marietta a family named George Warth, his wife and two
daughters and five sons, namely: John, George, Robert,
Martin, and Alexander. They came from Virginia, brought
up in the woods and were all fine hunters. John and George
were employed as rangers, or spies for Fort Harmar. The
family lived in a log house on the first bottom between the
river and the garrison built by the United States troops for the
artificers to work in. George Warth married Ruth Fleehart,
and John Warth married Sally Fleehart, sisters to Joshua Flee-
hart, and Robert Warth married a daughter of a French widow

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34 Pioneer History of Meigs County

named Lallance, who came from France with two children, a
son and this daughter, and who were in the stockade at the time
when Robert Warth was killed by the Indians. He left a young
widow and one child, Robert Warth, afterwards a noted
merchant of Gallipolis. The family were illiterate, but pos-
sessed keen, clear intellectual faculties, which were improved
in later years by whatever opportunities were afforded for
learning.

Mr. Paul Fearing taught John Warth the rudiments of his
education, which he cultivated so that at the close of Indian
hostilities, having settled on lands in West Virginia, Jackson
county, long known as Warth's bottom, he filled several offices
for the government and was a magistrate for a number of
years. He was also the owner of slaves. Greorge Warth
owned a piece of land in Meigs county, on the Ohio river,
opposite the present town of Ravenswood, West Virginia.
He, with his brother John, carried the first mails from Mari-
etta to Gallipolis, in canoes. They went armed with rifles,
carried provisions for their journey, traveling chiefly at night
to avoid Indian encounters. George Warth was a hunter of
wild animals, his g^reatest success during life. He had a
family of sons and daughters — ^Robert Warth and Alexander
Warth, Clara, Sally, Hannah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Drusilla..
He lived and died in his cabin on the banks of the Ohio, a
poor man in what the world calls wealth, yet all of the hero
is due to his name, for brave and fearless protection of the
helpless in times of peril.

The son, Robert Warth, married Mary Johnson, and lived as
a farmer in Jackson county, West Virginia, and died in
Ravenswood.

Alexander Warth was a boatman, married in Louisville,
Kentucky, and after the death of his parents, within two weeks
of each other, his sisters, Sally, Rachel, and Drusilla, moved to
Louisville.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 85

Rebecca Warth was married to Daniel Lovett, a river man,
and they moved to Kentucky.

Hannah Warth was married to Bartholomew Fleming and
lived and died in Ravenswood. Mr. Fleming bought the
placed owned by Mr. George Warth, valued chiefly for the
landing and ferrying opportunities.

Clara Warth was unmarried — died and is buried by the side
of her mother in the Pioneer graveyard in Great Bend, Meigs
county, Ohio."

FELIX BENEDICT, A PIONEER OF 1803 TO RUTLAND

TOWNSHIP.

He was the son of Elisha Benedict, and his wife, Jerusha
Starr Benedict, and was born May 13th, 1767. He, with his
father, Elisha Benedict, were living at Cooperstown, New
York, when in October, 1780, they were taken prisoners by
the British and Indians, then taken to Canada where they
were kept prisoners for two and a half years. He married
Clarissa Hubbell, daughter of Jabez and Sarah Hubbell, of
Otsego county. New York, and coming to Ohio, settled on a
farm near where the village of Rutland is now. He was an
active and influential citizen, prominent in every interest for
the promotion of civil, educational or religious advancement
for the moral good of the neighborhood in which he spent his
long life. He died October 29th, 1828. Mrs. Benedict died
July 9th, 1849. Their children :

Sarah, bom October 25th, 1788, married John Dixon, died
September 29th, 1835.

Polly, died young.

Euretta, bom March 18th, 1793. She was married in 1821
to Cornelius Merrill. She died December 12th, 1880. They
had six children, Mary, Robert, Luther, Harriet, Clarissa, and
Augustus.

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36 Pioneer History of Meigs County

Elisha Hubbell Benedict, born September ISth, 1795. He
married Maria Simpson, and they lived in Rutland township
several years, but removed to Kansas in 1856, where Mrs.
Benedict died. They had six children — Lydia Ann, Claretta,
Sarah A., Elisha C, Walter. Elisha C. enlisted in Company
D, Ninth Regiment, Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, and died at
Fort Scott, Kansas, September 13th, 1862.

Walter F., born July 28th, 1845, enlisted in Company D,
Ninth Kansas Regiment, Volunteer Infantry, served during
the Civil war and participated in fifteen engagements.

Harriet, born December 15th, 1797, and married November
8th, 1829, to Benjamin Savage, and died November 9th, 1861.

Felix Starr, born May 3d, 1806, and died August 13th, 1824.

William Spencer, born November 28th, 1808, and died June
16th, 1833.

JABEZ BENEDICT AND FAMILY.

He was a son of Felix Benedict and wife, Clarissa, and was
born October 13, 1802, and removed with his parents to Lead-
ing Creek, Ohio, October 13, 1803. He married April 4th,
1833, Miriam Chase, daughter of John and Miriam Chase, of
Athens county, Ohio. Their children were four — Clarissa,
born May 7th, 1835; William S., died young; John Merrill
Benedict, born September 17th, 1839. He enlisted in the
Eightenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry as a private and was pro-
moted to lieutenant colonel, served four years in the Civil
war, was wounded twice at Nashville, but recovered, and was
brevetted colonel at the close of the war. He married Octo-
ber 18th, 1882, to Miss Bettie Rife, of Morgantown, West
Virginia.

George W. Benedict, son of Jabez Benedict and wife, was
born July 21st, 1843. He served three years in the Eighteenth
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, was married March 4th, 1878, to
Florence Grimes, a daughter of James Grimes, of Rutland,
Ohio.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 37

Jabez Benedict died January 28th, 1886. He was noted for
his fondness for reading, and with a retentive memory he was
familiar with the best authors of his time, and of the Holy
Scriptures.

Thomas Everton came from Canada in 1800, and settled on
a farm near the mouth of Leading creek. He was a member
of the Regular Baptist Church and was called, familiarly,
"Deacon Everton," and died on his farm in Rutland township.
There were eight children: Betsy, Mrs. Benjamin Richard-
son; Ebenezer Everton; Relief, Mrs. Edwards; Thomas
Everton, Jr.; Polly, Mrs. Stone; Nancy, Mrs. Jesse W.
Stevens; Benjamin Everton; Sally, Mrs. Charles Richardson.

JEREMIAH RIGGS AND FAMILY.

He came to what is now called Pagetown, in 1800, and
married Miss Rachel Keller. They had a large family:
William James, Frank, Jeremiah, Jr., George, Elias, Jackson
Perry, and three daughters, Rebecca, Nancy and Polly. There
is no date of the death of Jeremiah Riggs or his wife. Several
of the sons moved to some western states; the daughter,
Nancy, never married. Rebecca was married twice, and lived
and died in the Hocking Valley. Polly was married to Martin
Dye, of Pagetown, for his second wife ; left a widow she died
at the home of her niece, Mrs. John Crary, in Lebanon town-
ship, October 13th, 1895. She was the last one of Jeremiah
Riggs family.

JOHN MILES AND FAMILY.

John Miles came from Rutland, Worcester county,
Massachusetts, to Cooperstown, N. Y., where he married
Chloe Jervis. They came to Belpre, Washington county,
Ohio, in 1798, where they remained three years. In 1801 they
came to Leading Creek, being the second family in what was

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38 Pioneer History of Meigs County

afterwards Rutland township. He bought a share in the Ohio
Company's Purchase for ninety-six pounds, sterling, and
settled on the farm where he died on November 10th, 1847,
aged eighty years. Chloe Jarvis Miles died September 21st,
1844. They had seven children. Benjamin Lanson Miles
went to Arkansas, had a cotton plantation, some slaves ; lived
and died there in 1839. He was twice married, but left one
son, James B. Miles.

Mary Miles was never married. She died in Rutland, April
9th, 1857, aged sixty-four years.

Barzillai Hosmer Miles was a preacher of the Christian
denomination. He married Amy Guthrie, who died leaving
two daughters. As a preacher he was successful, traveled
some and died of cholera in 1832, while on his way home from
Louisiana.

John B. Miles married Mary Johnson and owned a farm in
Rutland township, where they lived many years. They had
a family of sons and daughters. He died in Racine in 1864,
aged sixty-eight years. Mrs. Mary Miles died in Racine, Ohio.

Columbus Miles, son of John and Mary Miles, married
Elizabeth Hopkins; was in the marble business at Gallipolis
and died there.

Benjamin Harrison Miles, a preacher, and a soldier in the
Civil war, but died later. John Wesley Miles, a marble dealer
in Gallipolis. Adaline Miles was married to Waid Cross, a
merchant in Racine, Ohio. They had a family of sons and
daughters. Mrs. Cross died in 1905.

Sally C. Miles was born November Sth, 1803, being the first
female born in the township, afterwards Rutland. She was
married to Russell Cook, lived on a farm in Rutland. They
had a large family of sons and daughters. She died in 1857,
aged fifty-four years.

Joseph Jarvis Miles was born October 19th, 1807. He mar-
ried Sarah Cutler Larkin in 1841. They had children but all
died in infancy. He was a tanner by trade, carried on the

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 99

business in Gallipolis for a number of years, and later in the
same business in Pomeroy. He died July 27th, 1855.

Electa Miles, the youngest child of John and Chloe Miles
was born August 20th, 1812, and was married to John
McQuigg, and lived many years on the "Miles Homestead/*
They had two children — George McQuigg and Frances. She
died January 10th, 1906, aged ninety-four years, loved and
esteemed by all.

George McQuigg was born November 25th, 1830. He was
married twice, first to Miss Caroline Smithy who was the
mother of two children, Lucy M., who died young, and John
McQuigg, connected with the Pomeroy National Bank. Miss
Kate Edwards was the second wife of Mr. McQuigg. They
had three children — Charles, in the salt business as a successor
to his father; Anna, married to Mr. Follett, of Kansas, and
Emma McQuigg. George McQuigg was a man of affairs, a
fine business man, clean in his political actions, genial, affable,
always winning the favor of the best citizens.. He was gen-
eral agent of the Ohio Salt Company from 1868 to the time
of his death, October 29th, 1892; aged sixty-one years, ten
months and twenty-eight days.

Captain James Merrill was a sea-faring man and com-
manded vessels in the East India trade for Mr. Dexter, a
wealthy shipowner and merchant prince. After years of
service in Mr. Dexter's employ he quitted the sea and came
to Ohio in 1801, settling on a farm in Salem township given
to him by Mr. Dexter, but removed to a farm in Rutland
township in later years. Capt. Merrill built the first frame
house in what is now Meigs county. The weather-boards
were of wild cherry, sawed with a whipsaw. He had con-
ducted to the ocean one of the first ships built at Marietta. He
was a religious man, highly respected. He died in Rutland,
October 29th, 1826.

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40 Pioneer History of Meigs County

WILLIAM PARKER, Sr., AND FAMILY.

William Parker, Sr., was born at Maiden, Massachusetts,
June 5th, 1745, and was married to Mary Warner, January
28th, 1772. She was the daughter of Philemon Warner, of
Gloucester, Massachusetts, and was born in 1753. He was a
cabinet maker and exported furniture to the West Indies.
He bought a share of land in the Ohio Company's Purchase,
and left the East in 1789, traveling as far as the forks of the
Youghiogheny, where he remained until about 1800; he re-
moved his family to his farm in Salem township, where they
lived and reared a large family. Their children were:

Elizabeth Warner, born September 21st, 1773, and died
January 19th, 1850, aged seventy-seven years. She was never
married and died in Salem.

William, Jr., was born July 4th, 1775, and married Betsy
Wyatt, May 13th, 1802. She was a daughter of Deacon
Joshua Wyatt.

Sally, born June 6th, 1777, and was married to Judge
Ephriam Cutler, April 13th, 1808. She died June 30th, 1846.

John, born June 20th, 1779, and married Lucy Cotton. He
was a Halcyon preacher and died in 1849.

Daniel was born August 7th, 1781, and married Priscilla
Melloy Ring, October 24th, 1816. He was a preacher of Uni-
versal Restoration. He died March 22d, 1861. His wife died
September 4th, 1874.

Polly, born May 27th, 1783, and was married to Judge
Cushing Shaw. They both lived and died in Salem, leaving a
numerous and worthy family of children.

Nancy, born March 13th, 1785, was married to Stephen
Strong, Esq. Mr. Strong was an early advocate of temper-
ance. He was elected to the legislature for one term, was a
surveyor and held many county offices. They had no children ;
lived and died in Salem.

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Pioneer History of Meigs G)unty 41

Susanna, born March 10th, 1787, was married to Dr. Syl-
vanus Evarts, and died July Sth, 1815, aged twenty-eight
years.

Fanny, born March 26th, 1789, and was married to John
Fordyce and had several children. They were farmers and
lived and died in Salem.

Ebenezer was born December 22d, 1792, and married Mary
Swett, daughter of Benjamin Swett, of Newburyport, Mass.

Ebenezer Parker lived in the old homestead for many years,
but sold out and finally removed to Cincinnati to live with his
sons, where he died.

Clarissa, born May, 1795, and was married to Peter Shaw.
She died May 24th, 1817, aged twenty-two years.

Mr. William Parker, Sr., died November 26th, 1825, and
his wife, Mrs. Parker, died February 25th, 1811. They were
both members of the Presbyterian Church, lived useful and
honorable lives, leaving an exemplary record to their de-
scendants.

The Aleshire brothers, Conrad, Michael and Peter, came as
emigrants from the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, to Ohio, in
1802, and settled first near the mouth of Kiger creek, until
1805, when Michael came to Leading creek and bought a
farm, but afterwards moved to Salem, where he died in 1845.
Conrad Aleshire came to Leading creek, settled on a farm;
had a son, Abram, who came with him from Virginia, who
was born in 1784, and who had two children, Anna and Pres-
ton Aleshire. Conrad Aleshire died in 1842, aged eighty-nine
years. Abram Aleshire died in 1865. Peter Aleshire was a
regular Baptist preacher and lived in Salem township.

Thomas Shepherd moved to Leading creek in 1802 and set-
tled on Fraction No. 19, or the Denny lot. He was from
Maryland, but married Polly McFarland in Kentucky. She

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42 Pioneer History of Meigs County

was the daughter of Mr. McFarland, and who was in the
Block House in Marietta at the time of the massacre by the
Indians of the settlement twelve miles up the Muskingum.
In the alarm occasioned by that event the defense of the
Block House was left very weak, and Polly McFarland, a girl
of sixteen, was given a g^n and stationed at a porthole. Mr.
McFarland moved to Kentucky, where Polly was married to
Thomas Shepherd. Interesting stories are related of her
courage in meeting emergencies. One night when Mr. Shep-
herd had gone to Gallipolis for ammunition, a large bear en-
tered a calf pen not far from the house, and in trying to carry it
off the calf bawled, which wakened Mrs. Shepherd, who went
out, drove the bear off and up a tree, under which she built a
fire and kept it there until morning. It is said of her that an-
other time she was going after the cows in the woods when
the dogs treed a raccoon. She sent a boy after an ax, cut down
the tree, caught the raccoon, tanned the hide and made herself
a pair of shoes.

They had three sons and several daughters. The sons were
Charles, Daniel and Thomas. The daughters were, Polly,
married to Andrew Long; Nancy, married to Lucius Hig^ey
(see Higley family) ; Sally, married to Mr. Shaw ; Jane, Mrs.
John Savage; Betsy, Mrs. James Caldwell; Annie; Peggie,
Clarissa, Mrs. Backus ; Almira, Mrs. Aaron Smith.

Mr. Shepherd's name appears as a voter for the first election
for Governor of Ohio ; also on the supervisors tax list for 1806,
and he was one of the first trustees of Rutland township in
1812. He was born in 1772 and died in 1842.

Caleb Gardner came from the State of New York and
settled in Rutland in 1803. He was a man of good business
abilities, and served the township in various ofiicial capacities
with credit to himself and satisfaction to the public. He died
November 23d, 1823, aged fifty-nine years.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 43

Joshua Gardner was a son of Caleb Gardner, and was born
January Sth, 1793, in Connecticut, and came to Ohio with his
father. He also served as constable and other civil offices.
He was one of a company who went overland to California in
1849. Returning to Rutland after two years he closed his life
in March, 1862, aged seventy-six years and two months.

James E. Phelps came from Connecticut in 1803, and settled
in the lower part of Rutland township. He married Phylenda
Rice, a sister of Mrs. Daniel Rathburn. Mr. Phelps was an
enterprising farmer, filled several township offices, and went
to Columbus as a lobby member to get the county of Meigs
set off. He was one of the first associate judges of Meigs
county. He died in June, 1822. His children: James, who
studied medicine, went South and died there; Nancy Phelps
was married to William Bing, of Gallia county; Harlow
Phelps married Amelia Watkins, and lived in the old home-
stead; Abel Phelps was a physician, practiced his profession
in the lower part of Pomeroy, and died there. He was mar-
ried twice. His first wife was Ruth Simpson. After her death
he married Amy Smith.

John Orlando Phelps was also a doctor and practiced medi-
cine in Piketon, Ohio ; afterwards went South and died there.
Amelia Phelps was married to Dr. Eli Sigler, who had a con-
siderable practice. They lived near her old home. Dr. Sigler
was one of the associate judges at one time of Meigs county.
He died May 1st, 1848, aged fifty-three years, ten months and
twenty-seven days. He was married twice; his second wife
was Barbara Rothgeb, who died April 2d, 1891, aged eighty-
two years, two months and four days.

Amanda Phelps died in early womanhood.

DANIEL RATHBURN.

Daniel Rathburn was born in 1767 in Granby, Connecticut,
and married Desire Rice, born in 1764, in Connecticut. They
came with their family to Leading creek in 1803, and estab-

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4:4 Pioneer History of Meigs County

lished their home, where itinerant Methodist preachers had
regular appointments. The names of Jacob Young, David
Young, William Young, James Quinn, James Gilruth, and
John P. Kent, and others who found a cordial welcome. Mr.
and Mrs. Rathburn were leading and influential citizens in
those early times. They had a family of sons — no daughters.
Mr. Daniel Rathburn, Sr., died in 1852, aged eighty-five years,
six months. Mrs. Rathburn died in 1868, aged ninety-eight
years, ten months, three days.

The children were Daniel C. Rathburn, who married Laura
Higley, had a farm in Rutland, was justice of the peace, and
taught school. They had a numerous family of sons and
daughters. He died September 25th, 1855, aged fifty-nine
years.

Elisha Rathburn was married to Polly Giles, September 23d,
1819. He came with his father to Ohio and settled on a farm
near the village of Rutland. He was highly respected by the
community and favorably known as a preacher in the Baptist
or Christian denomination. His gifts and graces, zeal and
charity were shown in a remarkable degree through a long
and useful life.

Elisha Rathburn was born June 30th, 1789, and died August
8th, 1869. Mrs. Rathburn was born April 13th, 1799, and died
February 7th, 1896, aged ninety-one years. They had a family
of one son, Joseph Newton, and five daughters, Clarissa,
Elizabeth, and Roana (Mrs. Seth Paine), and two daughters
who died in early womanhood.

Two sons of J. Newton Rathburn, Milton Rathburn and
Charles, are successful merchants, and prominent citizens of
Meigs county, Milton Rathburn being elected Senator from
this district, for state legislature, 1906. They were born and
brought up in Rutland township.

Timothy Rathburn, a son of Daniel Rathburn and his wife.
Desire Rathburn, married a Miss Daniel, of Gallia county, and

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M. E. RATHBURN

EIXIAR ERVIN.
Fourth Generation from Daniel Sayre.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 45

lived on a part of the old homestead. They had several
children.

Alvin Rathburn was a physician and practiced medicine in
Rutland. He was married and had three sons. William P.
Rathburn, a banker, removed to Chattanooga, Tennessee,
where he was successful in accumulating a large property by
investments in iron and coal. He died in Chattanooga.

Joseph Rathburn, son of Alvin, was a physician, as was his
brother, James Rathburn, who removed to Gallia county,
where he died.

John Rathburn, a son of Daniel Rathburn, Sr., was a doctor,
but died young. :■' \

Francis Asbury Ral^Bjirn'^ was the sixth son of Daniel
Rathburn, Sr., and llis wife.* He was* born March 9th, 1800.
He was never married but lived with his parents, caring for
them with filial devotion in their old age. After the death
of his father in 1852 hle moved into the village with his mother,
where she died in 1863, .He continued to live in Rutland until
his death, an exemplary man, respected by all who knew him.

Samuel Rathburn was the youngest son of Daniel Rathburn,
Sr., and his wife. Desire Rathburn, and was born in 1802. He
married a Miss Vanden, of Gallipolis, engaging in the mercan-
tile business in that city. He held several offices of public
trust, was probate judge of Gallia county, and maintained an
honorable character, a highly respected citizen, until his death.

THE HUNTERS.

An account of hunting adventures, as described by Mr. John
Warth and reported by Mr. Silas Jones, who was a member
of Mr. Warth's family in 1832. He says that Mr. Warth never
tired of entertaining his guests with narratives of perils and
adventures in his early life, and Mr. Jones reports, as near as
possible, in the actor's own words.

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46 Pioneer History of Meigs County

"In the time of great peril, when it was not safe to look out
of the fort, and our brother Robert had been shot while
chopping a log near the fort, it became necessary to procure
some meat for the families in the fort. Thinking the Ohio
bottoms less liable to be infested with Indians, George and I
stole out of the fort at night, and paddled noiselessly down
the river to a point opposite Blannerhasset island, where we
hid our canoe in the willows. As soon as it was light we
started in different directions to hunt for deer. I had not
gone half a mile when I saw two tall savages coming in the
direction I was going. I squatted in the high pea vines and
thick undergrowth that covered the ground while they passed
by near me but did not see me. However, they soon dis-
covered my trail, which they followed back to the canoe,
which I supposed they would watch until the owner would
come. My great concern now was the safety of my brother
George, as he not being aware of the presence of the Indians
would return to the canoe and fall a prey to them. Then I
decided on a plan to save George, which was to proceed to a
point out of sight of the Indians, hide my gun, swim across
the river, then swim to the island and watch for George's
return. This plan I fully carried out. Along in the afternoon
I heard the report of my brother's gun after which my anxiety
amounted to agony — minutes seemed hours. At length I saw
George coming out of the woods with the carcass of a deer
on his back. He looked up and down the shore, when I
got his attention and by signs and gestures got him to take
in the situation. We both regained the fort without further
trouble. When the danger was over I went with a party and
recovered my gun and the canoe.

"Another time George and I went out in search of game,
and were separated some distance, when I heard the report of
his gun, after which I heard cries of distress coming from
George. I ran to him with all the possible speed of my Kmbs,
and found him pinned to tHe earth by a large elk. I was so

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 47

exhausted that I could not draw the bead, so I ran up and
thrust the muzzle of my rifle against the animal's ribs and
fired, when he fell dead at my feet. My brother was not much
hurt, the horns of the elk had not penetrated through the
ample folds of his hunting shirt, which held him to the
ground. (The hunter's shirt was made sufficiently large so
that he could stow a week's provisions above the belt.)
George had fired on the elk, only wounding him, and so en-
raging the beast that he turned on the hunter and compelled
George to take refuge in a high upturned root where he fought
with his clubbed rifle till he had nothing left but the bent
barrel, when the maddened elk finally dislodged him, with the
above result. Our capture was a valuable one, but did not
compensate for George's g^n."

An Encounter With Wolves at Shade River.

George Warth and Peter Niswonger took their rifles and
went out for a hunt. After traveling some time they came to
a ridge that ran to near the mouth of Shade river, when Warth
said to Niswonger, "You go on the bottom on one side of
the ridge and I will take the other side and will come together
at the end of the ridge on the bank of Shade river." They
started thus, but Niswonger got out of the way, and came
out above the second ridge. Warth went directly to the river
end of the ridge — ^there sat seven to ten wolves. They showed
no alarm at his approach, the largest walked toward him, the
others following. He shot the foremost one, and it fell dead.
He reloaded his rifle as soon as he could, for the wolves
indicated fight. Then he went into the river until the water
was up to his hips, and the wolves went in after him. He shot
the foremost one through the shoulder and he went back to
the water's edge and sat down and looked at him. He de-
fended himself with his empty rifle, broke the stock in many
pieces, and then fought them with the empty barrel. He had
the advantage of being in the water deep enough to swim the

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48 Pioneer History of Meigs County

wolves, and he pounded them until they retreated to the edge
of the water and sat down on their haunches and looked at
him. He dared not go out of the water as he might not be
able to fight if they followed him. Soon Niswonger came on
the shore opposite the wolves and Warth crossed over to him
and told him "not to shoot — ^we will call it a draw game,
neither party whipped." He would not let Niswonger shoot
lest they might be attacked. The hunters returned to their
homes on Oldtown creek, and next day increased their force
and went back to the place of the battle and found two dead
wolves but no live ones. (Sketch by Mr. Silas Jones.)

Black bears were numerous in these parts of southern Ohio
in the first years of the nineteenth century. Henry Roush, of
Letart township, related an incident of his encounter with
bears. He said : "I was going out to bring in the cows, and
contrary to my usual custom did not take my rifle with me,
and while passing along the rear of my neighbor's field of
corn I saw two young bears helping themselves to roasting
ears. I succeeded in capturing one of them, which began to
squall at a furious rate, which brought the mother bear rush-
ing upon me with great fury. I had to drop my prize and
run for a high fence which was near, with the angry bear at
my heels. After gaining the top of the fence, I seized a
stake and beat off my assailants."

Elk were seen, but not in great numbers. Wolves were
numerous and very troublesome. It was as common to hear
the howl of a wolf in the twilight of an evening as it was to
hear the crowing of a cock in the morning. They would
answer each other from hill to hill when gathering their pack
for the depredations upon the settler's sheep or young cattle.
In 1827 a party of road viewers were cutting out a road from
Chester, the county seat of Meigs county, to Sterling Bottom,
on the Ohio river, and at a certain point lay out a road from
this to Oldtown. The viewers were Nehemiah Bicknell,
Samuel Bowman and one or two other men. They had pro-

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 49

gressed only half way from Chester when night came on and
they had to spend the night in the woods. They built fires
for protection from wolves, whose howling they heard appar-
ently in force, at no great distance, at intervals all night. The
men kept the fires burning, but slept little.

Wolves continued to commit depredations on the farmers'
sheep in Lebanon township, a gang having dens somewhere
about the head of Ground Hog creek and Oldtown creek. An
expert trapper named Allen came from Washington county
in 1840 and successfully exterminated these wolves.

The panther was often met by the hunter, but was easily
killed, as the animal was of a bold, defiant nature, he would
climb a tree where he was an easy mark for the hunter's rifle.

Deer were found in great numbers and were a great bless-
ing to the pioner families, who depended for meat upon the
wild game. Venison was a choice meat, while the deer's hide
was tanned and served to make various articles of apparel.
The deer has disappeared from this county. Gray foxes were
numerous and were great enemies to poultry raising, but the
red fox seems to have superseded the gray, and neither are
seen in later years. The raccoon was a great pest, destroying
large quantities of corn while in a green state on the stalk.
Coon hunting with dog^ was a common sport for boys until
the animal has disappeared. The opossum and red and gray
squirrel remain in limited numbers. (Silas Jones.)

ABEL LARKIN.

Abel Larkin, son of Matthias Larkin, was born in Lancaster,
Worcestor county, Massachusetts, August 29th, 1764, and
married Susannah Bridges in 1794, in Rutland, Vermont. She
was bom in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. Her father, Mr.
Bridges, was a surveyor, but started to Massachusetts on a
vessel to prepare a place for his family, and the vessel never
returned, nor was heard from after sailing. Her mother was
a Haskell, and went to Massachusetts with her family, where
she died.

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50 Pioneer History of Meigs County

Abel Larkin had mills on Otter creek, Vermont, which were
swept away by floods. He then started with wife and four
children to Ohio, coming to Leading creek in 1804, in June.
He was able to obtain a house on Judge Higley's farm, where
his family remained four years. Mr. Larkin and Judge Higley
were acquainted in Vermont. In 1808 Mr. Larkin moved into
his own cabin on the farm he had purchased. Mr. Larkin was
the first township clerk for Salisbury township, elected July
27th, 1805 ; was also elected justice of the peace in 1808, again
in 1812, and again in 1818. Afterwards he served as associate
judge for Meigs county.

Their children were four sons and five daughters.

Susannah, born in Vermont in 1796, and died in Rutland in
July, 1805.

Emeline Larkin, born in Vermont 1798, and died in Rutland,
Ohio, in May, 1824, aged twenty-six years.

Abel Larkin, Jr., was born April 21st, 1801, married Adeline
Hadley in Illinois, near Mt. Sterling, in 1835. He settled on a
farm in Brown county, where they reared a numerous family
— five sons and four daughters. Three of his sons enlisted in
the Civil war, and one came back alive with injuries from
which he died. He was John ^Larkin. The daughters were
grown to womanhood, married and moved to different parts
of the country. Mrs. Adeline Larkin died in 1881. Mr. Abel
Larkin, Jr., died in 1884 in Illinois. He had been a pioneer in
Ohio, and going to Illinois in 1829, was a pioneer in that state.

Julia Larkin was born June 29th, 1802, in Rutland, Vermont,
and removed with her parents to Leading creek in 1804. She
was married to Nehemiah Bicknell March 16th, 1826, and
came with him to Lebanon township, to his farm, where she
lived until her death, February 25th, 1863. They had six chil-
dren, one son and five daughters.

Stillman Carter Larkin was born in Rutland, Ohio, March
9th, 1808. He married Mary Hedrick, November 21st, 1837,
and lived on the Larkin homestead until death. Stillman C.

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-d

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THIVtWTili
iPUBUCUIRi.'

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 51

Larkin died in January, 1898, aged ninety years, ten months,
twenty-three days. Mary Larkin died May 30th, 1904, aged
ninety-two years, five months, fifteen days. They had no
children.

Sarah Cutler Larkin was born September 6th, 1811, in Rut-
land, Ohio, and was married to Joseph Jervis Miles, April 12th,
1841. They lived in Gallipolis a few years, then came to
Pomeroy, where Mr. Miles died in July, 1855. Mrs. Miles
returned to the old Larkin homestead. She had no children
that lived. Her death occurred January 17th, 1895, at the
age of eighty-three years^ fpur months> eleven days.

Curtis Larkin was bpjn May '27th, 1813, in Rutland, Ohio.
He was in California a few years, but returned to Rutland,
Ohio, where he married Lura Hubbell, who died in 1846. He
married again — Sarah Church. They had one son, George B.
Larkin. Their home- wjts always in Rutland, Ohio. Mr.
Larkin held some local and township offices, was a trustee of
Rutland township several years. He was a member of the
First Christian church and served as an active local elder for
more than thirty years.

Edwin Larkin was born September 2Sth, 1815, in Rutland,
Ohio. He went to the South in 1839 and never returned.

Betsy Larkin was born August 8th, 1806, in Salisbury town-
ship, Gallia county. She was married to Daniel Cutler, No-
vember Sth, 1834. They lived in Warren township, Washing-
ton county, Ohio, for twenty-one years, and had two children,
Charles Curtis and Mary, who died when sixteen years of age.
Mr. and Mrs. Cutler moved to the West in 1856, and settled
finally in Franklin county, Kansas. Mrs. Cutler died June
19th, 1883, aged nearly seventy-seven years.

Daniel Cutler was born February 19th, 1799, in Waterford,
Washington county, Ohio. He was the son of Judge Ephram
Cutler and his first wife, who died early, leaving four children,
Charles, Nancy, Mary,. and Daniel, who was taken to the
home of Rev. Manasseh Cutler, where he spent his childhood.

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52 Pioneer History of Meigs County

His father, Ephram Cutler, married Sarah Parker, and she
was the mother of Hon. William P. Cutler. Mr. Daniel
Cutler was an anti-slavery man, and lived in Kansas in those
exciting times of border warfare. He was also a temperance
man, and a member of the Congregational church. He was
the first postmaster of Rantoul, Franklin county, was a farmer,
owned a thousand acres of land in one body. He lived and
died an honorable. Christian gentleman, on January 10th,
1887. Charles C. Cutler, an only child, survives him and oc-
cupies the homestead.

Mr. Daniel Cutler commenced life in the Northwestern
Territory, and followed up along the border of civilization
during a most eventful period of time, for "the whole of his
eighty-eight years of life.

Abel Larkin, whose family has been noted, died February
17th, 1830, in Rutland, Ohio, aged sixty-five years, five
months, nineteen days.

Susannah Larkin (Bridges) died August 14th, 1860, aged
eighty-nine years, four months, twenty-six days. She passed
away from her own homestead in Rutland, a woman honored.

Nehemiah Bicknell was the son of Japhet Bicknell and wife.
Amy Bicknell (nee Burlingame), was born June 26th, 1796,
at East Greenwich, Rhode Island. His parents moved to
New York state in 1798, where he lived until nineteen years
of age, and his father and brother having died, Nehemiah,
with his widowed mother, came with a company under the
leadership of Rev. Samuel Porter, to Athens, Ohio, in October,
1815. They traveled with teams and covered wagons, and
were forty days on the way, always stopping over Sunday.
His mother died in February, 1816, and lies buried in the
old cemetery, at Athens, leaving him and his younger sister,
Zimrode, alone among strangers in a new country. God took
care of them and they soon found good friends.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 53

March 16th, 1826, Nehemiah Bicknell married Julia Larkin,
in Rutland, Ohio, and they moved immediately to make their
home on his farm in Lebanon township on the banks of the
Ohio river. They endured many hardships incident to pioneer
life, none of which they deprecated more than the ignorance
and low state of morals in the neighborhood. Mr. Bicknell
opened his own house for preaching in about 1828 or 1829, to
the Methodist itinerant. Later he secured the building of
a school house on his land adjoining the Pioneer burying
ground, where the preaching appointment was removed, and
continued for many years. Afterward he gave a lot for a
site for a church, deeded to trustees of the Methodist Episco-
pal church, and a public graveyard. Mr. Bicknell was a
public spirited man, who felt the lack of early education a
constant impediment to progress. He was elected magistrate
three terms, township trustee, postmaster eleven years, Sun-
day-school superintendent for many years, class leader when
the appointment was known as the Oldtown class. He was an
uncompromising temperance man all of his long life, and
erected a large barn, the second building in Meigs county
raised without the compliment of whisky. He was a road
viewer and helped in laying out roads in nearly every part of
the county, and dissented from the policy of narrow minded
men who would lay out a public road on inaccessable hillsides,
or around the corner of a selfish man's farm. He claimed foi
the traveling public suitable ground, and making good roads
everywhere. At eighty-three years of age his step was firm,
his eyes bright, and cheeks rosy. His birthday, celebrated in
June, 1879, he, with his eldest daughter, left home August 1st
to revisit his boyhood home in Chenango county. New York,
and attend to the placing of gravestones anew at his father's
grave. In some strange manner he seemed to have gone
out of the car to the platform, when he fell off and was
killed. This was on the Erie railroad, near Beaver Flats, and
the fatality occurred about 3 a. m., August 6th, 1879. His

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54 Pioneer History of Meigs County

stricken daughter brought his body back and he was laid by
the side of his wife in the graveyard by the little church
called "Bickneirs Chapel." (E. L. B.)

The children of Nehemiah Bicknell and his wife, Julia
Bicknell (nee Larkin), were Emeline Larkin, born February
19th, 1827, and was married to Isaac A. Cowdery in July,
1846. It proved a most unfortunate marriage, and she ob-
tained a divorce in June, 1853, in the Common Pleas court of
Meigs county, and her name restored to that of Bicknell.
She had borne two children, a son, dying at three months, and
a daughter, Ella Frances, who died October 10th, 1860, in her
ninth year.

Julia Amy was born December 28th, 1828, and died of fever,
September, 1846.

An infant son of Nehemiah Bicknell and his wife, March
10th, 1833.

Zimrode Adaline was married to John Roberts in May, 1855.
She died December 10th, 1870, leaving three children, Arthur
B., Zimrode Ella, and Albert John Roberts.

Sarah Elizabeth, born September 24th, 1839, and died
October 3d, 1860.

Mary Susannah, born March 7th, 1842, was married to Rev.
George J. Conner in October, 1869. They had one son, Charlie
Cookman, but father and son both died — the first 1873, the
latter 1876. She was again married to David B. Cross in
January, 1879, and died March 7th, 1882, forty years of age.
She left one son, Willie Bicknell Cross.

Allen Ogden was born in Maryland, April 13th, 1775. He
was in Marietta in 1788. In June, 1795, he married Miss
Hannah Keller, with whom, in April, 1804, they moved to
what is now known as Columbia township, Meigs county. He
purchased land, cleared up a farm, where he made his home
and reared a family of ten children. He served many years

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 55

as a justice of the peace, and filled other responsible township
offices.

Mary Ogden was married to Joshua Wood, the first couple
married in Columbia township. They had nine children. Mr.
Wood was a justice of the peace and Whig politician.

Margaret Wood married Elias P. Davis. She died, leaving
two children. Nancy Wood was married to Nehemiah Bobo.
They had eleven children, twenty-nine grand children and
five great-grandchildren.

William Wood married Sarah Rutherford and reared four
children, with a number of descendants.

Elizabeth Wood was married to Eli Vale, and they had a
large family of children and grandchildren.

Joshua Wood married Elizabeth Forrest, and they had one
child.

Rachel Wood was married to J. Q. A. Vale, a physician.
Their home was in Minnesota. Dr. Vale has been a member
of the legislature of that state. They had six children.

Mary Wood married Levi Whitlock, and they went to Min-
nesota and had a large family of children.

Adah Ogden, daughter of Alvin Ogden and wife, was born
March 7th, 1799, and was married to John Conner. They
moved to Indiana. To them were born six children.

Sabert Ogden was born October 3d, 1801, married Eliza
Forrest, and settled in Salem. They had seyen children.
Sabert Ogden died February 10th, 1874. Mrs. Ogden died
December 24th, 1896, aged eighty-five years, six months,
eighteen days.

Alvin Ogden, Jr., married Nancy Jordan, and resided in
Salem. They had two children, and several grandchildren.

Herbert Ogden had three sons in the Civil war, Alvin,
John, and Hugh. John was in Company I, Fifty-third Ohio
Volunteer Infantry, and died in the service at Camp Denison,
Ohio.

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66 Pioneer History of Meigs County

Hugh Ogden, the second son of Alvin Ogden, Sr., was born
March 11th, 1804. He never married. He died in 1872 in
Salem township.

Nancy Ogden, daughter of Alvin Ogden, Sr., and his wife,
was born May 18th, 1806. She was married to William Green,
and they both lived and died in Columbia township. They
had five children. Albert Green was a soldier in the
Eighteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and died in the service.

Lovina Ogden Green married Lewis Castor, of Columbia.
Hannah Green married Miles Graham, a member of the
Eighteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, who died shortly after
the close of the war.

Cynthia Green married William Graham, who was a soldier
and died in the service the first year of the Civil war.

Elizabeth Ogden, daughter of Alvin Ogden, Sr., was born
July 25th, 1808, and was married to Daniel Caleb, and moved
to Hardin county, Ohio, where they died. They had four
children and numerous descendants.

Noah Ogden, a son of Alvin Ogden, Sr., was born March
16th, 1811. He married Dorcas Graham and settled in Salem
township and had four children, and numerous descendants.
He died in 1890.

Alvin Ogden, Sr., died January 4th, 1867, aged nearly
ninety-two years. He was a son of a Revolutionary soldier,
himself a pioneer of Meigs county. When he died he left ten
children, 129 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
No race suicide in his posterity.

The foregoing sketch is copied from a history of the Ogden
family, as a part of that interesting narrative published in the
"Telegraph," January 28th, 1898. S. C. Larkin.

Shubael Nobles and family came from Tremont township,
Rutland county, Vermont, to Marietta in 1801. Then to the
Joel Higley farm in 1804, and finally to his own farm in the
northwest corner of Section No. IS, in Rutland, in 1805.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 67

Mrs. Nobles before marriage was Elizabeth Post. They
had three sons and six daughters. Mr. Nobles was a tanner
by trade, also a shoemaker. Charles F. Nobles, a son, was
a blacksmith. He married Sarah Fanny Winn in October,
1818. She was a daughter of Abraham Winn, and was born
July 24th, 1795, in Ontario county. New York. She was a
noble woman, with gjeat energy. They reared a large family
of sons and daughters. Mr. Charles F. Nobles died in 1870.
Mrs. Nobles died November 24th, 1890, aged ninety-five years,
four months.

Lewis Nobles, son of Shubael Nobles, married Betsy
Strausburg. He was noted as an ingenious mechanic. He
died May 26th, 1887, aged sixty-seven years, eleven months,
seven days. His wife died March 1st, 1897, in her seventy-
sixth year of age.

Osmar Nobles was never married, but lived on the old farm

Silas Nobles went to Indiana, married and died there.

Abigail Nobles, daughter of Shubael Nobles, was married
to Phineas Matthews, of Gallia county. Julia married Jacob
A. Winn, lived in Rutland, and died in 1882, at the age of
eighty-five years. Eliza was married to Jacob Swisher and
lived in Gallia county.

Esther Nobles was married to Abel Chase, of Rutland, Ohio.
She was born March 26th, 1808. Eunice Nobles died March
17th, 1878, aged seventy-eight years. Mary Nobles died in
Rutland, aged sixty-one years. Shubael Nobles, Sr., died in
1854, aged ninety-one years. His wife died in 1855, aged
eighty-eight years.

William Parker, second, was born in Newbufyport, Massa-
chusetts, July 4th, 1775, and came to Marietta with his father,
William Parker, first, in 1798. He married Betsy Wyatt,
daughter of Deacon Joshua Wyatt, of Athens county, May
13th, 1802, and they came to Rutland, Ohio, in 1804, and

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58 Pioneer History of Meigs County

settled on a farm, which has been owned and occupied by a
Parker for more than one hundred years.

The children of William Parker, second, and his wife were :
Eliza, who was married to Samuel Halliday, and lived in Meigs
county. They had a family of sons and daughters ; Alexander
died when a child; William Halliday; Jane was Mrs. Rob-
bins; Samuel Halliday married Elizabeth Remington, of
Pomeroy ; Eliza, Henry, Thomas, Edwin, and Mary left Meigs
county with their parents in 1850.

William Parker, third, married Lovina Stout. Their chil-
dren were: William. Parker, fourth, Mary, Ida, Sophronia,
Edwin Parker, BartoriV ' a4fl ' Sjarah — Mrs. Green, who died
early, leaving one daughter. ' Edwin married and lives in
Cincinnati. Ida Parker was a successful teacher in the public
schools in MiddlepQrt,,Ohio. Two brothers and two unmarried
sisters live together, in the. hbniestead.

Silas Parker, son^f Williji.m Parker, second, studied medi-
cine and went to the West when quite a young man.

Mary Parker was married to Buckingham Cooley, who died
early, leaving a widow and one daughter. Mrs. Cooley was
married afterwards to William Bartlett, of Athens, Ohio.

Sarah E. Parker became the wife of Tobias A. Plantz, Esq.,
and lived in Pomeroy. They had two children, Mary E.
Plants who died young, and George Wyatt Plantz, banker and
prominent citizen of Pomeroy for many years, identified with
all good enterprises for the prosperity of the town. He mar-
ried Mary G. Daniel, daughter of H. G. Daniel, banker and an
esteemed business man of Pomeroy. They have one son, who
bears the family name, Wyatt Garfield Plantz, and is one of
the bankers — "First Citizens Bank," of Pomeroy.

John Wyatt Parker, son of William Parker, second, and his
wife, was born in Rutland. He married Eliza McQuigg, and
lived in Gallipolis for several years, was auditor of Gallia
county, but removed to Dubuque, Iowa.

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naBn FOUM2»ATiOKft

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 59

Daniel Parker, son of William Parker, second, and his wife,
was born October 22d, 1809. He married Catharine E. Gil-
lespie, of Dayton, Ohio, in 1847. They had three sons:
George G., Daniel Herbert, and Frank H. Parker, all noted
physicians and specialists in surgery. Mr. Daniel Parker owned
and occupied the homestead, and died January 19th, 1893,
aged eighty-three years, two months, twenty-eight days. Mrs.
Parker died in 1908, in her eighty-fourth year, a woman of
rare accomplishments, one who never grew old.

This Parker homestead is occupied by Dr. Frank Parker, the
only surviving member of his father's family.

A party of Indians came to Rutland sometime in the inter-
val between 1804 and 1808. The date is not as certain as
the incident. It was a custom in those days when preaching
by a minister was only occasional, to observe the Sabbath
by services at the home of some family in the neighborhood.
One Sunday when the meeting was in progress, Indians were
seen looking through the cracks of the door, and between the
logs. Immediately consternation prevailed, the women cry-
ing and wringing their hands, while some of the men went to
the door, shook hands with them and found them to be friendly.
The Indians said they wanted "johnny-cake," which fortunately
was at hand, so the request was granted and the Indians de-
parted. Mr. Milo Higley has written a very good song on
johnny-cake, and we venture to copy two stanzas relating to
the foregoing narrative.

"It was Sunday in that early day.

And all had gone to church
In the house of Mr. Larkin,

God's holy book to search.
Around the fireside they met,

A blessing to partake,
While from the hearth came up the fume
Of steaming johnny-cake.

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60 Pioneer History of Meigs County

"While thus in solemn worship there

The women gave a scream,
For through a crack in the cabin wall

A red-skin's eyes were seen.
The stately deacons rose and asked,

*Why this disturbance make?'
In Indian language they replied,

*We want some johnny-cake !' "

This visit was the last one of the Indians in the vicinity of
Rutland. .

PIONEER SOCIETY.

A meeting preliminary to a call for the organizing of a
pioneer society met at the court house in Pomeroy in October,
1876, Mr. H. B. Smith, chairman, Aaron Stivers, secretary.
Those present were Stillman C. Larkin, Aaron Torrence,
Nehemiah Bicknell, Silas Jones, Mrs. H. B. Smith, Mrs. S. C.
Miles, and Mrs. E. L. Bicknell. They met and proceeded to
name a committee to announce the time and place for a regu-
lar organization of the Meigs County Pioneer Society, and to
prepare a constitution, with suitable by-laws, for the future
conduct of the society. They reported at the next meeting,
which was held in the court house at Pomeroy, November 1st,
1876, pursuant to the call of the last meeting.

President Stillman C. Larkin in the chair, and Aaron
Stivers, secretary. The object of the meeting was stated by
the president and then the report and constitution was read
and adopted.

"In view of the fact that all of the first settlers of Meigs
county have passed away, and most of their children are also
gone, and that time is effacing the mementos and monuments
that have marked the only history of our county, we are
admonished that unless immediate steps are taken to preserve
the remembrance of those interesting events they will be for-
gotten and lost. In order therefore to recover and preserve

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 61

and record the past and current history of our county for the
benefit and satisfaction of our present population, as well as
those whom it may interest when time shall have removed us
who now record these events, this society is formed and for its
regulation have adopted the following constitution:

"Article 1. This society shall be known as the Meigs
County Pioneer Society.

"Art. 2. The object of this society shall be the promotion of
social intercourse, the collection and preservation of the his-
tory of the early settlers of Meigs county, and such other
matters of interest as may be declared by the society to be
worthy of record and preservation.

"Art. 3. Any person who has been twenty years a resident
of Meigs county, and is over fifty years of age, or who is the
wife of a member, may become a member of this society by
signing this constitution, and all male members paying into its
treasury five cents, and fifty cents annually during member-
ship. Residents of adjoining counties may become members
by a vote of the society.

"Art. 4. The officers of the society shall consist of a
president, vice-president, treasurer, corresponding secretary,
and recording secretary, and an executive committee of five,
who shall hold their respective offices for the term of one year,
and until their successors are elected and installed.

"Art. 5. The officers shall be elected annually by ballot on
the day of the annual meeting, and a majority of the members
present and voting shall be necessary to a choice.

"Art. 6. The annual meeting of this society shall be held on
the second Thursday in August of each year. The president
or executive committee may call a meeting at discretion.

"Art. 7. All money must be paid to the recording secretary,
vvrho shall pay the same to the treasurer, taking his receipt for
the same.

"Art. 8. The treasurer shall deposit the funds of the so-
ciety in some solvent bank in the name of the society, and

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63 Pioneer History of Meigs County

pay the same out on the order of the recording secretary, as
directed by the executive committee, unless otherwise ordered
by the society.

"Art. 9. A majority of the members present at an annual
meeting shall determine the place of the next annual meeting
thereafter to be holden.

"Art. 10. The executive committee with the two secretaries
shall give the necessary notice, and make arrangements for the
annual meeting of the society.

"Art. 11. The constitution may be altered or amended at
any annual meeting by a vote of two-thirds of all the members
present."

The Signers of the Constitution.

Horace Holt, Mary Lasher, N. Bicknell, Sarah C. Miles,
Benjamin Smith, P. Pennington, Samuel Bradbury, Samuel
Halliday, Sarah Murphy, Samuel S. Paine, Mary Simms,
Sophrina Stivers, Silas Jones, W. Stivers, John Erwin, Electa
McQuigg, Aaron Thompson, Sarah F. Nobles, Aaron Stivers,
Persis O. Cooper, T. A. Plants, Stillman C. Larkin, S. Bos-
worth, W. A. Barringer, John Ruble, L. Smith, Geo. W.
Cooper, W. B. Smith, W. B. Pennington, John C. Hysell.

The society then proceeded to choose officers and the fol-
lowing were elected :

Stillman C. Larkin, president; John C. Hysell, vice-presi-
dent; H. B. Smith, treasurer; Aaron Stivers, recording secre-
tary ; Geo. W. Cooper, corresponding secretary ; Samuel Brad-
bury, Silas Jones, Washington Stivers, Aaron Thompson, and
John Ervin, executive committee.

It was then determined by a vote of the society to hold the
next annual meeting in Middleport.

The meeting then adjourned.

Stillman C. Larkin, President.
Aaron Stivers, Secretary.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 63

Benjamin Smith, who was born in Salisbury township in
1804, gave some items, related interesting incidents of early
times, and promised if life and health permitted to prepare
a paper for the annual meeting, as his father and grandfather
were among the first early settlers in the county.

John C. Hysell gave incidents of early history and con-
sented to write an article from his knowledge of pioneer
events.

Samuel Halliday, who came from Scotland in 1819, and was
county auditor for twenty-three years, expressed his gratifi-
cation at this moment, and made some very appropriate re-
marks in relation to it. He also promised to furnish a paper
containing a history of events in the county, and observations
on the conduct of county affairs.

T. A. Plantz spoke of a history prepared by a son of Daniel
Parker, who lived in Clermont county, that included valuable
information of the earliest settlements in Meigs county, and
he would secure a copy for this pioneer society.

H. B. Smith offered the following resolution, which was
adopted : "Resolved, that each member of this society be re-
quested to furnish in a written form, at the next annual meet-
ing, such information as shall be within the meaning and
spirit of the constitution of this society, and that T. A.
Plantz be appointed a committee to procure the Parker
papers."

A paper was filed containing an account of the settlement
of N. Bicknell in 1820, in Lebanon township.

SKETCH OF EARLY HISTORY.
By Luther Hecox.

Thurman Hecox and family moved from the Wn^stone, New
York, to Newbury in Ohio, between the Big Hocking and
Little Hocking rivers in August, 1800, and the same year
moved up the Hocking river four miles into Troy township.

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64 Pioneer History of Meigs County

The next year, 1801, they planted corn on the George Ackley
farm and one day when they were hoeing com they killed five
rattlesnakes, not until Mr. Hecox had been bitten by one.
They had to go up the Muskingum river four miles above
Marietta to a floating mill in summer; in winter they lived
on boiled com and turnips. Their meat was venison. The
nearest neighbor was Mr. Humphrey, who lived on what is
known as Waterman's hill. Another neighbor was Mr. Sut-
ton, a trapper. In 1803 they moved to the middle branch of
Shade river, to No. 4, in Troy township. They moved with
an ox sled and two yoke of oxen, the first team that ever went
through Tupper's Plains. David Daily drove the hogs, and
as they tired out he had to camp in the woods with them to
keep the wolves from killing them. David Daily was a Revo-
lutionary soldier. Nathan Burris was the first family to
settle on the middle branch of Shade river, one mile above
where Levi Stedman built his first mill. Solomon Burris, an
uncle to Nathan Burris, lived there. Mr. Longworth and Mr.
Stone settled on Congress land, and Jacob Cowdery settled
on the middle branch, at the mouth of the west branch of
Shade river, above Stedman's mill. Levi Stedman and Peter
Grow lived in Gallia county, half a mile below the line be-
tween the two counties. Afterward they got one section an-
nexed to Athens county, which then ran no farther than the
Orange township line, with the exception of one section which
belonged to Gallia county. This line runs east to the Ohio
river, near the mouth of a small stream called Indian run.
Samuel Branch came next with his family and located on the
east side of the middle branch of Shade river, and Ezra Hoyt
came about the same time. Jacob Rice settled on the west
side of the west branch in 1806. Mr. Kingsbury took land on
the first fork of the west branch of Shade river, which is known
as Kingsbury, after the name of the first settler. He was a
brother-in-law to Levi Stedman. The first organization of
militia was in 1805. Thurman Hecox was elected captain

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 65

and Joseph Guthrie first lieutenant. He lived in No. 5. Jacob
Halsey and a man named Lasley lived on the middle branch
of Shade river. They hauled grain to the mouth of Hocking,
there loaded in canoes and pushed up to the floating mill on
the Muskingum river above Marietta, a trip that took nine
days to go and return. There were no stores nearer than
Marietta or Gallipolis. Prices were high — sixty-two and one-
half cents for prints, the same for brown sheeting, and tea was
two dollars a pound. Bears, panthers, wolves and deer were
plenty, also small game. Wild turkeys were seen in flocks of
hundreds. Mr. Hecox killed a bear that weighed four hundred
pounds when dressed. William and Jeptha Hecox were in
the woods and treed a half-grown bear. Jeptha ran home to
get an ax, or a gun, and left William and the dogs to watch
the bear. While he was gone the bear came down the tree,
the dogs seized him, and William took a pine knot and struck
him in the head and killed him. Levi Stedman had his hog
pen near his house and one night he was away and a bear
came into the pen to get a hog, but Mrs. Stedman threw a
firebrand at him from the window and frightened him away.
Cyrus Cowdery killed an elk, the last one seen in these parts.
John Sloan was hunting deer one day when his dogs treed a
panther. He shot and wounded it, when it came at him ; the
dogs caught hold, and Sloan declares that he "shot the animal
nine times before he killed it." In the year 1804 Mr. Hecox
bought a pair of hand-mill stones, on which they ground wheat
and corn, and sifted it through a buckskin sieve. Levi Sted-
man built a log mill on what is now Chester, and put Mr.
Hecox's hand-mill stones in his mill until he could get larger
ones. These pioneers had to go to the Scioto river to obtain
salt, a journey of seventy miles, and paid two dollars a
bushel for the salt. There was only a horse-path for travel,
and carried by pack horses the salt, the party camping out at
night. Later roads were made for the use of carts and oxen.
They went tP Marietta for all mail matter until 1812. There

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66 Pioneer History of Meigs County

was a mail route opened from Parkersburg to Point Pleasant
running through by Stedman's Mill. Levi Stedman was ap-
pointed Postmaster, he was also the first Justice of the Peace,
and Thurman Hecox was Constable. These men filled these
offices for a number of years, without opposition. Levi Sted-
man opened a store, carried on farming, ran a saw and grist
mill, kept a tavern, and owned a distillery. Wool had to be
carded, spun and woven by hand, flax was raised, and manu-
factured into cloth, for wearing apparel. Some men had
suits of dressed deerskin. The first preaching was at Nathan
Burris' house, and next by Rev. Eli Stedman at Samuel
Branch's. Afterwards they had occasional preaching by dif-
ferent denominations. In 1820, Elisha Rathburn was the
preacher, and a goodly number experienced religion and
united with the Bible Christian Church. The first school-
house was built on Samuel Branch's land, and the first teacher
there was a Miss Pratt, who lived on Pratt's fork, a mile up
the river. William and Benjamin Bellows were settlers in
this neighborhood, until William sold out to Caleb Cart-
wright, a preacher of the Seventh Day Baptist.

The name of Stedman occurs so frequently that an ex-
planation is in order. From Walker's History of Athens, we
take the statement: "Alexander Stedman, a native of Ver-
mont, and by profession an artisan, settled in Rome township
in 1804. In 1805, he was appointed a Judge of the Court of
Common Pleas, and served in that position several years.
One of his sons was Eli Stedman, a minister. Another son
was Levi Stedman, a Commissioner of Athens county, and for
a short time in Meigs. Bial Stedman married Sally Foster in
1811," and had sons and daughters. Capt. Julius C. Stedman,
a son of Bial Stedman, was a soldier in the Mexican War,
and a soldier in 116th Ohio V. I. from the first to the close of
the Civil War. He always had a home in or near Athens.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 67

EXTRACT FROM J. H. STEWART'S SKETCH OF
LONG BOTTOM.

Long Bottom is situated in the eastern part of Meigs
county. The first settlers were Thomas Rairdon and the
Colmans, probably before 1800, as the date is not positively
known. William Buffington bought land in 1808, and several
families came about that time, the Whitesides, Collins' and
others. Thomas Rairdon built the first grist mill in 1815.
The first postoffice was kept on the Warner farm in 1815.
Robert Collins, Postmaster. The first Methodist Church was
built in 1844. The first Christian Church in 1847, and the
first store was kept by John Roberts and William Hicks in
1839, near the mouth of Forked Run. J. H. Stewart came to
Long Bottom in 1830. The leading business of the place has
been the working up of the splendid forest into staves, and
the manufacture of various kinds of casks. In 1819, this
locality was an almost unbroken forest."

Lebanon township was formed in 1813, taken out of Letart
township, and possesses a greater river boundary than any
other township in Meigs county. It was a dense forest at the
time of its organization. Trees of great size, and timber of the
finest quality, covered the rich bottom lands of the Ohio river
and the creeks of Old Town and Groundhog, while the hills
bore the best yellow pine and spruce for lumber. The sugar
maple, hickory, black oak and white oak, poplar, beech and
sycamore excelled in size and quality any forests of Europe.
The black walnut, white walnut and wild cherry were favorite
woods for the manufacture of furniture, and for inside work of
the best houses. Black walnut and cherry were used particu-
larly for the making of coffins in those early days. So these
trees of Lebanon had special attractions to the commercial
eyes of later emigrants. More than one farm was paid for by
the cordwood cut and sold to steamboats for fuel, when steam-

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68 Pioneer History of Meigs County

boats first ran on the Ohio river. Besides the trees, were
growths of wild fruits, crab apples, red and black hawes, rasp-
berries and blackberries, and two or three varieties of grapes,
and not least in profusion, beauty or lusciousness, was the pa-
paw. There were herbs and roots used for medicinal purposes,
and collected to sell for money. Ginseng, snakeroot and nerv-
ine, or ladies' slipper, grew in abundance in the shade of the
great trees. Two remarkable trees are worthy of notice. One,
a monster sycamore on Old Town creek not far from the mouth
of the stream. It was hollow, and made a home for a family
once, afterwards served as a stable for horses. The other tree
was a sycamore, and hollow, and stood on the bottom land of
N. Bicknell's farm in Great Bend.

Dr. Philip Lauck and Rev. Ezra Grover came from Eastern
Virginia with their families in 1813 and bought a fine tract of
land in Lebanon township, on the Ohio river bottom. Rev. Gro-
ver was a Methodist preacher, but was superannuated from the
Baltimore Conference. Dr. Lauck was his son-in-law by mar-
riage and had an extensive and successful practice, which took
him away from home much of the time, so that the care of his
growing family, and of the making of a farm out of the wilder-
ness developed upon Father Grover and Mrs. Lauck. Rev.
Grover was a good preacher, a zealous Christian and an able
defender of the faith, as held by Methodism. They opened
their door for public preaching, and many a weary itinerant
was cheered by their hospitality. Dr. Lauck died compara-
tively young, leaving a widow and six children. The sons,
Isaac, Ezra, and Simon; the daughters, Mary Ann, Hannah
and Elizabeth. Isaac Lauck married Nancy Hall, and Ezra
Lauck married her sister, Rachel Hall, of Old Town^ They
moved to Missouri many years ago.' Mary Ann Lauck died
of consumption in early womanhood, Hannah Lauck married
Nicholas Richardson, son of a Scotch family who came to
Sterling Bottom. Elizabeth* Lauck was married to James

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 69

Amsden, a highly respected man, who took charge of the
farm, and the family after the death of Father Grover in 1835.

In 1811, a company of Scotch from Glasgow, Scotland,
through the influence of Nahum Ward of the Ohio Company's
Land Purchase, emigrated to Ohio, and settling on Sterling
Bottom, named for the "land of the heather." George Rich-
ardson, the Pattersons, McCoys and others. Dissatisfaction,
discontent, homesickness and death served to break up and
scatter the company. Only Mr. George Richardson remained,
and he was a merchant and capable of adapting himself to the
primitive conditions of the country. Mrs. Richardson was a
native of Antigua, one of the British West Indies, and had
inherited slaves and plantation interests, but England freed the
slaves, and much of the riches vanished. They had a family,
one daughter, Eliza Richardson. Nicholas Richardson, the
eldest son, married Hannah Lauck. George, Jr., and other
children names unknown. The Richardsons left Sterling Bot-
tom some time in the 30's.

Philip Buffington purchased the Island of Duvol in 1796,
ever since known as Buffington's Island. Joseph Buffington
came from Hampshire county, Virginia, in 1814, bought a
farm, Jacob Buffington also, located on the Ohio bottoms, op-
posite and below the island. They both had large families of
sons and daughters. They were a well-to-do, industrious, hos-
pitable people — good neighbors.

THE PICTURED ROCKS OF ANTIQUITY.

The rock of Antiquity is so called from the fact that thi
earliest settlers found engraven on its face inscriptions and
figures of ancient date. These consisted of names of persons
not English ; also the figure of an Indian cut in the face of the
rock. He was represented as in a squatting position, his right
elbow on his knee, with a tomahawk pipe in his mouth. Dr.
Fuller Elliot, a man of much learning, thought that these in-
scriptions were made by a party of Frenchmen who descended

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70 Pioneer History of Meigs County

the river after the evacuation of Fort Duquesne — now Pitts-
burg, as the date on the rock seemed to correspond with that
event. The inscriptions are now obliterated.

The rock in question is situated about four mites below
Letart Falls, and is detached from a confused mass of rocks
that have fallen from the cliff above. The village of Antiquity
takes its name from this rock. — Silas Jones.

Comments on the Foregoing by Stillman C. Larkin.

The opinion of Judge Elliot (who at an early period lived
near the noted rock, and saw the inscriptions), that they were
made by a party of Frenchmen, is doubtless correct. But what
particular party did the work is not so clear. The English
and French nations were contending for many years by diplo
macy, and by wars, to secure the title and possession of the
Ohio Valley, and were not slack in employing every available
means to strengthen their claims. In a history of the Kan-
awha Valley by Professor V. A. Wilson, is the following :

*Tn 1748, the British Parliament passed laws authorizing the
formation of many new settlements and issuing land grants
for the settlement of the upper Ohio. In view of such ag-
gression the Governor General of Canada, by order of his
home government, determined to place along the 'Oyo,' or
La Belle Riviere, a number of leaden plates suitably inscribed,
asserting the claims of France to lands on both sides of the
river, even* to the source of the tributaries. The command
consisted of eight subaltern officers, six cadets, 180 Canadians
and 55 Indians, an armorer, 20 soldiers, 270 men in all.

The expedition left Montreal on the 15th of June, 1749, and
on the 29th reached the junction of the Monongahela and the
Allegheny rivers, where the first plate was buried. The expe
dition then descended the river depositing plates at the mouths
of the principal tributaries, and on the 18th of August they

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Pioneer History of Meigs County tl

reached the mouth of the Great Kanawha and on the point
between the rivers the fifth plate was buried. It was found in
1846 by a son of John Beale of Mason county, West Virginia,
and was removed from the spot where it had lain for ninety-
seven years.

From the mouth of the Great Kanawha the voyage was con-
tinued down the river depositing plates until they reached
the mouth of the Great Miami, where they buried the sixth
and last plate, August 30th, 1749, and returned to Montreal by
way of Maumee." It being the business of this company to
establish monuments of ownership, it seems reasonable to
suppose that they might have made the inscriptions on the
rock at Antiquity, a historic monument worthy of giving name
to that enterprising village of Antiquity. S. C. L.

Dr. Fuller Elliot was the son of Aaron Elliot and wife Lydia,
and was born in Sutton, Massachusetts. He was a university
graduate, and chose the profession of medicine. Fuller Elliot
was an agent, and possibly a stockholder in the Ohio Com-
pany's Purchase, as the county records show his name in the
making of deeds of lands in 1792 to purchasers of lands situ-
ated in Washington and Gallia counties. He entered land for
himself in 1805, 277 acres, and again in 1817, 648 acres in Letart
township.

Fuller Elliot was a man of high character and rare attain-
ment, and locating in Letart at that early date; was promi-
nent in helping to organize townships, and in all matters per-
taining to public interest and benefit. He was appointed Asso-
ciate Judge of Gallia, and afterwards of Meigs county. He
was elected to the Legislature of Ohio, in all offices serving
with fidelity to the people, and honor to himself. He married
a daughter of Seth Jones who lived near, and came to Letart
about the same time. Judge Elliot and wife had a large family.
Mary Elliot, the eldest daughter, was born June 7, 1803, and
was married to John Weldon. Mrs. Weldon spent most of her

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72 Pioneer History of Meigs Counts

married life not far from her father's home, and reared a nu-
merous family. Serena Elliot, another daughter, married

Swearingen and moved to West Virginia.

Decatur S. Elliot married Parma Sherwood, and resided in
West Virginia, Graham Station. They had a number of chil-
dren. Decatur Elliot and two or three of his sons were sol-
diers in the Civil War to preserve the Union.

Philip Elliot, a son of Fuller Elliot, married Serena Myers,
and had four children — Martha, Eliza, Thornton J. and Ben-
jamin. He had served as lieutenant in the militia, but died
young.

Thornton J. Elliot, a son of Philip Elliot, served in the Civil
War, and won honorable distinction and promotions for
bravery and irreproachable conduct during the War for the
Union.

In his later life Judge Elliot resumed the practice of medi-
cine until his death which occurred in 1832, at the age of 60
years.

James Smith, Sr., removed from Marietta, and located above
the mouth of Leading Creek in the spring of 1797. He died
May 8th, 1817. His wife was Elizabeth Mack, who died Au-
gust 9th, 1821, aged 77 years. He was 73 years of age.

Their children were : Benjamin Smith, Esq., born October
1st, 1770, and married Alma Barker, a daughter of Judge Isaac
Barker, of Athens, O.

Their children were five sons and four daughters.

Benjamin Smith, Sr., died August 7th, 1836, aged 66 years.

Mrs. Smith died August 29th, 1831, aged 54 years 8 months
11 days.

John, James, Benjamin, Barker and Sardine (the sons, and
Polly, Elizabeth, Catharine and Rhoda and Amy, daughters),
of Benjamin Smith, Sr.

John N. Smith lived and died in Middleport, Meigs county.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County Y3

James Smith married Eliza Murray, of Rutland, and emi-
grated to Arkansas where they both died.

Benjamin Smith, second, a native of Salisbury, born in 1814,
and died on May 12th, 1887, aged 83 years.

Barker Smith settled on the West Branch of Thomas Fork
creek.

Sardine Smith lived on Hysell run.

Polly Smith was married to John Harris.

Elizabeth Smith, wife of Dr. William Van Duyn.

Catharine Smith was married to Hamilton Murray.

Rhoda Smith became the wife of Nial R. Nye.

Amy Smith was Mrs. Dr. Abel Phelps.

James Smith, Jr., married Sally HubbelL sister of Capt. Jesse
Hubbell. He died August 8th, 1844, aged 61 years 6 months.

Mrs. Smith died April 20th, 1861, aged 61 years.

Esquire John Smith married Betsy Monroe and lived on the
old homestead. He died in 1872. They had a numerous fam-
ily of sons and daughters.

The daughters were: Polly, Mrs. Stone, of Washington
county, O. ; Betsy, Mrs. Russell ; Catharine, Mrs. Fulsom ; Jane,
Mrs. Erastus Stow.

Mr. Stow died in 1842, and Mrs. Stow died in 1870.

The Stow family : Eliza, married Dr. Augustus Watkins.

Euretta Stow was married to Franklin Knight, of Chester,
Meigs county.

Mary Stow was married to David R. Jacobs, and resided in
Pomeroy.

James Smith Stow, born July, 1806, went to Washington
county, and died there in 1895, aged 89 years 1 month.

John Stow went to California — to Mississippi with a boat of
produce, and died in the south among strangers.

Erastus Stow married Lucretia Whaley and lived on the old
Stow farm. He was a soldier in the Civil War until its close,
when he returned home and died. Mrs. Stow died December
18th, 1895. They had a family.

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74 Pioneer History oi? Meigs County

Luke Brine moved with his family from Rutland, Vermont,
to Leading Creek in 1805. He bought a farm near New
Lima. He sold his farm to Horace Holt in 1824 or '25, and
moved to Marion county, O. His children were three sons
and three daughters.

Jonathan Brine, a son, married Elizabeth Bobo, of Athens
county, O. He was an ordained minister of the Christian
Church. They had a numerous family. One daughter, Eliza
H., was married to B. F. Stivers, a blacksmith, who lived in
Pomeroy.

Lumon Brine was bom in Rutland, O., in 1806. He married
Lena Sylvester, and had a family of children. Lumon Brine
died April 16th, 1879. His widow lived on the home farm
with her son-in-law, Harvey Stansbury, until her death in
October, 1887, aged 81 years, 7 months, 18 days.

Almon Brine lived in Indiana, and died there.

Betsy Brine married William Gaston.

Sophia Brine was the wife of William Larue.

Semela Brine was the first wife of John Gaston.

Thomas Gaston was a native of New England, and served
seven years in the Revolutionary Army. He moved with his
family to the State of New York, and afterwards, induced by
liberal grants of land, emigrated to Canada. But on account
of conscription measures by the British government and the
unfriendly feeling existing between that government and the
United States, he disposed of his property there at a sacrifice,
and with others in like condition left Canada, and came to
Ohio, landing at Silver run, Gallia county, in 1807. He was a
millwright, and moved to the Higley Mills. Later he bought
a farm near New Lima, where he spent his remaining days.
He was a member of the Regular Baptist Church, and
preached occasionally. Mr. Gaston and his wife had a large
family. He was a man highly esteemed by all who knew him.
He died in 1823 and was buried in the Miles graveyard.

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Pioneer History of Meigs CotiNtV Y5

Mrs. Gaston died some years after, while with some rela-
tives in Indiana. Their children were :

Jared Gaston, married Sally Stivers.

Anson Gaston married Lucretia Holt.

William Gaston married Betsy Brine.

Jonathan Gaston's wife was Selusia Morton.

John Gaston was married twice ; his first wife was Semelia
Brine, and for his second wife Lydia Larue, who was bom
March 6th, 1806.

Her parents were Jacob Larue and Sally Gardner, who were
married in the Block House at Marietta four or five years
before Ohio became a State. Her grandfather, Abraham
Larue, was a French Huguenot. Mrs. Lydia Gaston was
married a second time, to Thomas Wood, who died in 1876,
while Mrs. Wood continued to live in the old Gaston home-
stead until her death in 1893.

James Gaston married Mary Woodworth, in Canada.

Thomas Gaston, second, died when quite a young man.

Elijah Gaston married Samantha Woodworth and emigrated
to the West. The daughters were: Hannah, Mrs. Joseph
Richardson; Polly, Mrs. Joseph Skinner. All are dead, 1893.
Roena.

Frederic Hysell was a soldier of the Revolution and came
from eastern Virginia to Ohio in 1805, to the lower part of
Gallia county, but afterwards moved to Salisbury township,
in what is known now as Middleport. He married Nancy
Smith, and they had sons and daughters. Mr. Hysell died at
a good old age, and his wife died in 1823.

Their children: Edward Hysell lived on a farm in Salis-
bury township. Catharine, Mrs. Jason Thomas, settled in
lower Rutland township. Elizabeth, Mrs. George Hoppes,
lived in Salisbury, near. Bradbury. Margaret, Mrs. Anthony
Hysell, lived on Thomas fork. Francis Hysell married
Nancy Dodson and lived on a farm on Hysell run. Smith

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76 Pioneer History of Meigs County

Hysell married Elizabeth Hunter and lived in Salisbury town-
ship. Owen Hysell married Sophia Archer and lived in Salis-
bury township. John C. Hysell moved into Rutland township
on a farm on Hysell run. Mr. John C. Hysell enjoyed the con-
fidence of his fellow citizens. He was township clerk seven
years and served as justice of the peace for Salisbury eight
years and for Rutland twelve years — twenty years entitled
him to be 'Squire Hysell always. He was county commis-
sioner one term, when the court house was built at Pomeroy,
and superintended the same. He belonged to the Christian
church in Rutland, and was an active, useful elder for many
years. His wife was Miss Jane Bailey.

Nancy Hysell, a daughter of Frederic Hysell, was married
to Enoch Murray and lived on Thomas Fork. She died in
1892 or 1893.

James B. Hysell, of Middleport, was a son of John C.
Hysell, a good citizen, held several responsible offices, was
mayor of Middleport, trustee of the Meigs County Children's
Home, and held other positions of honor. He died in 1906.

Joshua Johnson (supposed to be from Portugal) came to
Ohio in very early times, and bought a valuable tract of
land in what is now Scipio township, and included the land
where Harrisonville is located. He was married twice, and of
the first marriage he had one son and two daughters. His sec-
ond wife was a sister-in-law of Mr. Trickier, a wealthy farmer
of Gallia county. This marriage was favored by two sons and
one daughter. The eldest son, Isaac, went to a place near
Cincinnati, Ohio; and the sisters, Kate, Mrs. McHenry, and
Milly, Mrs. John Ervin. The second son, David, married
Mrs. Paton, and after a few years moved to Missouri.
James married his brother Isaac's widow and lived where his
father did. The third daughter, Polly Johnson, was a maiden
lady, taught school in Ohio and in Missouri. She was a much
respected and enterprising woman, and during the excitement

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 77

caused by the discovery of gold in California she emigrated
with some relatives from Missouri to the gold fields, where it
is supposed that she died.

Leonard Hedrick was bom in North Carolina May 14th,
1784, and came to Marietta, Ohio, in 1800, and went on the
first ship commanded by Captain James Merrill as a cabin
boy to the ocean. When he returned, he married Elizabeth
Loucks, of Gallia county, but settled on his own farm in Scipio
township. Mr. Hedrick was a soldier in the War of 1812 and
served under Colonel Robert Saiford in the Northwest cam-
paign. Mrs. Hedrick was born February 3rd, 1786. Their
children were: Margaret, born February 2nd, 1810, married
— — Camp, who died in a few years after the marriage ; she
died in Rutland, December 14th, 1891, aged eighty-one years,
ten months. Mary, born December 15th, 1811, married Still-
man C. Larkin, November 21st, 1837, and died in the Larkin
homestead. May 30th, 1904, aged ninety-two years, five months,
fifteen days. Catharine, born September 25th, 1816, married
James Misner, who died many years ago. Mrs. Misner has
lived in Point Pleasant, W. Va. Sally, born October 17th,
1818, married David Forrest and lived in Scipio township.
William, the only son, June 29th, 1824, lives on a part of his
father's farm. Malinda, daughter of Mrs. Camp, moved to
West Virginia, married W. Starkey. Mr. Lemuel Hedrick
died March 29th, 1861, aged seventy-six years and ten months.
Mrs. Hedrick died March 4th, 1870, aged eighty-four years
and one month.

Mr. Hedrick was a good citizen, reliable and industrious.

Aaron Holt came originally from near Hartford, Conn., but
after the Revolutionary War was induced, like many others,
to go to Canada for cheap lands, but became dissatisfied and
removed with his family to Rutland, Ohio, in 1807. His son,
Horace Holt, was born October 7th, 1798, in Connecticut, near

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Y8 Pioneer History of Meigs County

Hartford. He married Malinda Bellows, daughter of Benja-
min Bellows, of Rutland, Ohio, January 1st, 1824. They had a
family of five children: Columbus B. Holt, Nial N., Electa,
Mrs. John Stansbury, died many years ago; John B. Holt
and Lovina, Mrs. S. D. Webb. Horace Holt died in Rutland,
Ohio, March 6th, 1885, aged eighty-six years. Mrs. Holt, nee
Malinda Bellows, was born September 4th, 1805, in Belpre,
Ohio, and came with her father's family to Rutland in 1822.
She died May 20th, 1893, aged eighty-seven years, six months
And twenty-five days. She was much respected for her benevo-
lence and Christian character.

William Bellows, a son of Benjamin Bellows, was born
June 1st, 1816, and married Amelia Flynn, daughter of Thomas
Flynn and wife, who were early settlers of Lebanon township.
They had a large family. He was killed in a runaway of
frightened horses August 18th, 1893, aged seventy-seven years
two months. Mrs. Amelia Bellows was born September,
1817, and died December 16th, 1895, aged seventy-eight years
three months. They had lived a married life of fifty-six years,
respected by their neighbors and the community.

The manufacture of weavers reeds was commenced and
carried on by Horace Holt in Rutland township, Ohio, from
1823 until his death, March 1st, 1885. The history of this
industry, as well as that of the man who prosecuted the busi-
ness, is worth a page of careful record. When a young man,
Mr. Holt went to the Wabash country, in Indiana, and was
taken sick, and while convalescent he found an old weaver's
reed, which he unraveled to find how it was constructed.
This led to a knowledge of the canes from which the splits
were made. Returning to Rutland, he began in earnest to
make weavers reeds. He obtained the canes from Mississippi
by sending men down the river to cut canes, convey them to
the river and to purchase boats to load with these and bring
them to Leading creek, a tedious and expensive enterprise.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 79

Mr. Holt, seeing the need of a proper machine for making the
splits, made such a one, which worked well, and went to^
Washington, D. C, and obtained a patent. He went in a two-
horse wagon, laden with reeds to sell on the way as well as to
take his model for a patent, to the city of Washington. In
1831 he began to manufacture reeds on a large scale. The
sale of reeds had been by peddlers in wagons, traveling over
the country and taking store goods in return for the reeds.
That began the stores for the firm. Mr. Holt employed his
brother-in-law, John Rightmire, who was a blacksmith, to
make his machines, so that he secured complete control of the
weavers reeds manufacture. It is claimed that at one period
of time his was the only reed factory in the United States or
Canada. His books show that he had made 300,000 reeds, that
brought about $200,000. Mr. Holt paid good wages and
treated his employes fairly, and his business was a great ad-
vantage to the community, as it furnished remunerative em-
ployment for many young women who otherwise could have
earned but little. Mr. Holt was of commanding figure and
had a giant's strength. He engaged in other kinds of busi-
ness besides the making of reeds. In a partnership with Mr.
Clem. Church they built the first steam gristmill in Rutland
township, and he owned and brought into the township the
first thrashing machine. Before the Civil War he was an
abolitionist, and his place was a station on the "underground
railroad." A member of the Universalist Church, he was ex-
emplary in speech and honorable in business habits, never
using intoxicating liquors or tobacco, and in his last years he
was a prohibitionist. He sold the reed manufacturing business
to his son, John B. Holt.

Meigs county is the richer for having had such an enter-
prising citizen.

Peter Lalance came from France with his widowed mother
and sister about 1788 to Marietta, Ohio, and lived in the

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80 Pioneer History of Meigs County

stockade at Harmar. The sister was married to Robert
Warth, who was killed by the Indians just outside of the fort,
leaving a wife and one child, Robert Warth, Jr. Peter Lalance
was a comrade of the Warth brothers on their voyages down
the Ohio river to Gallipolis, or French Town, as the Amer-
icans called it. The Warths, George and John, were carrying
United States mail in their canoes, and young Lalance was a
companion. The company had to stop over night each trip,
not being able to go all of the distance in one day, and the
place for stopping was at Jacob Roush's, near or at Graham's
Station, Va. Mr. Roush owned a farm and slaves. He had a
family and, as the story goes, a handsome daughter, whose
beauty captivated the heart of Peter Lalance, but he kept his
secret until meeting his mother, when he described mam'selle
to her. "She's very pretty," summed up his account. "Bring
her here," said his mother; "I can teach her." So, with such
permission, he asked Mr. Roush if he might woo his daughter.
"If she is willing," was the father's consent, for up to this time
the ardent lover had not ventured to propose to the girl. Mat-
ters were arranged for mam'selle to go to Marietta on the
"mail boat," a trusty colored man to accompany the young
woman for her protection. Madame Lalance received her
graciously, and afterwards she was married at her father's
house to Peter Lalance. He located a farm below Bowman's
run, in Ohio, and reared a large family. Communicated by
Mrs. Cynthia Philson, of Racine, Ohio.

Mrs. Mary Lasher was a daughter of Aaron Holt, and his
wife, Elizabeth Holt, and was born in 1803, and came with
her parents to Rutland in 1807. She was married to Charles
Chase in 1823, and had a family of nine children, all of whom
she reared to be respectable and useful citizens. Dr. Owen
Chase, of the West, and Dr. Lyman Chase, of Albany, were
her sons. After the death of Mr. Chase, she married Mr. John
V. Lasher, of Rutland, with whom she lived in social and

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 81

religious harmony until his death, which preceded her own
about two and one-half months.

John V. Lasher was born August 9th, 1799, in Dutchess
county. New York, and married Catharine Martin, October
24th, 1820. In 1825 they moved to Sullivan county. New
York. In 1835, in company with his brother-in-law, Frederic
Tuckerman, they came to Ohio and settled on a farm in Rut-
land township. They had a large family of nine children:
William V., Charles, George V., Margaret, Mrs. Green;
Mary, Mrs. Tuckerman; Beattie, Mrs. Stansbury; Carrie,
Mrs. Brown. Mrs. Catharine Lasher died in 1864. After-
wards Mr. Lasher married Mrs. Chase, widow of Charles
Chase. Mr. Lasher seems to have favored all religious and
political reforms. First a Whig; then one of two or three
who voted for Birney, the Liberty Party man, and in his last
years for the Prohibition Party. He died in 1864.

STOW AND THE WOLVES.

An incident related by Mrs. Eliza Watkins, nee Stow:
Mr. Erastus Stow, at an early period, when a young man, was
employed by Captain James Merrill to stay with his family
in Salem while he (Captain Merrill) was taking a vessel from
Marietta to the ocean. Young Stow started with ten bushels
of corn to get ground on the Ohio or Muskingum. After
being gone a week, he returned to the mouth of Leading
creek. He then took a bushel of meal and started for home
and walked as far as Mr. John Miles, where he stopped and
borrowed a horse and proceeded on his way. Before he
reached home it became dark, and wolves began to howl and
made an attack on him. Both he and the horse were fright-
ened. He threw oif the bag of meal, put his feet on the
horse's flanks and his arms around the animal's neck and
made all speed to his home. When he arrived, Mrs. Merrill
and the family came out, having heard the noise, and with

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82 Pioneer History of Meigs County

firebrands drove the wolves away. The next day they found
the sack of meal, which had been torn open, but the contents
not destroyed.

Such incidents did not often occur, and the people did not
seem to apprehend much danger. Women and children often
went through the woods, hunting servis berries and grapes, or
frequently to hunt the cows, that would often stray from
home, and were seldom molested.

A BRAVE BOY.

An account given by Mrs. Sarah Torrence of an incident
worthy of note was read at the pioneer meeting in August,
1879, by Mr. A. Gardner. Mrs. Torrence was a daughter of Mr.
John Knight, who came to Meigs county in 1818. A Mr.
John Harris, who lived in Bedford township, got Mr. Knight's
son Daniel, a lad of only eleven years, to stay with Mrs. Har-
ris while he made a trip to New Orleans. There were few
families in Bedford township, and it was very lonesome for
the young wife in the small cabin in the woods, where the
wolves were heard nightly. So Mrs. Harris concluded to go
down to her father's, Mr. John Smith, above the mouth of
Leading creek, and a son of Mr. Bissell, who was younger
than Daniel, was engaged to stay and care for the stock. One
night early in March, as these boys were getting in a log to
build a fire in the morning, young Knight slipped, and the log
fell on him, breaking his thigh bone about the middle. Daniel
told the Bissel boy to pull their straw bed down before the
fire. Then he lay flat on his back, with one hand on each side
and the fingers of each hand thrust through the cracks of the
puncheon floor, directing the other boy to pull at his foot
while he held on to the floor, until they actually set the bone
in its place. He had buckskin pants and took some buckskin
thongs and tied above and below the break, the pants serving
as splints. Fortunately, Major Higley had gone out that day

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 83

to look after some stock, and called in to see how the boys
were doing and to spend the night with them, and this was
the plight in which he found them. They had corn bread of
their own baking and venison. Mr. Higley examined the
boy's leg and found that it was broken, and he then mounted
his horse and rode to Mr. Knight's, the father of the boy, at
Middleport, who immediately started to his son in the
wilderness, going by way of Chester for Dr. Robinson to ac-
company him. They knew the path as far as Bissell's, but no
farther. They arrived there to find that Mr. Bissell was away
from home, but Mrs. Bissell got out of bed at midnight, had
her horse saddled, and piloted these two men through the dense
forest to where the suffering boy lay, leaving her own little
one asleep at home, and stayed with the boy until Mr. Knight
returned and brought his wife and provisions. Mrs. Knight
had to stay twenty-one days before they could take the boy
home. Those were pioneer times.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIRST COUNTY COURT OF
COMMON PLEAS FOR MEIGS COUNTY, STATE
OF OHIO, ss.:

April Term, in the Year 1819.

Be it remembered. That at a term of Court of Common
Pleas for the county of Meigs, begun and held at the tem-
porary seat of justice: Present, Hon. Ezra Osborn, president,
judge of the Eighth Judicial Circuit of the Court of Common
Pleas for the State of Ohio ; and Horatio Strong, Fuller Elliot
and James E. Phelps, Esqs., associate judges of the Court of
Common Pleas for Meigs county, who produced their several
commissions under the great seal of the State of Ohio, which
were read in open court.

Robert C. Barton was appointed clerk pro tem. of the said
court in complying with the requisitions of the law. Samuel

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84 Pioneer History of Meigs County

F. Vinton was appointed prosecuting attorney for the present
and succeeding terms.
The court then adjourned until tomorrow at 9 o'clock.

Ezra Osborn.

Second Day. — The court met pursuant to adjournment.
Present: The same judges as of yesterday. The clerk, on
motion, produced a bond as sureties for the faithful discharge
of his duties. The same was approved, and he was duly
sworn into office, and the senior associate was directed to
deliver the said bond to the county treasurer.

On motion, it was ordered that license be renewed to James
E. Phelps to keep a house of entertainment at his new dwell-
ing house on his complying with the requisitions of the law.
A notice was duly served on James E. Phelps and Fuller
Elliot, Esqs., associates of the court, by Horatio Strong, senior
associate, to meet at the temporary seat of justice on the
twelfth day of April, instant, for the purpose of appointing a
recorder of the county, according to law. Ordered by the
court that the clerk within twenty days give notice to the
trustees of each township that they make a selection of grand
and petit jurors, and that they return to him thereof to him
in twenty days thereafter. And he is required to have them
subpoenaed to attend in their respective capacities as jurors
at this place on the first day of next term, by the sheriff. On
motion, ordered that licenses be granted to George Russell
for a ferry across Leading creek where he now keeps it on his
complying with the regulations of the law.

On motion, ordered that license be granted to Elisha Rath-
burn, of Rutland, to solemnize the bonds of matrimony. On
the application of James H. Hayman and Alexander Miller
for the appointment of county surveyor, the court was equally
divided and the application laid over until the next term.

Ordered by the court that the clerk pro tem. use his private
seal for all processes issuing from court until a county seal

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 85

shall be provided. The court adjourned until half-past 1
o'clock P. M. The court met pursuant to adjournment. Pres-
ent: Horatio Strong, Fuller ElHot, James E. Phelps, Esqs.,
associate judges. On petition of Thomas Ridding, of Sutton,
for a license to keep a house of entertainment at his dwelling
house, ordered that the clerk give him a license on his com-
plying with the requisitions of the law. The minutes being
read and approved by the court and adjourned without day.

Horatio Strong.

April 12th, 1819.

Pursuant to request, the associate judges assembled at the
temporary seat of justice. Present: Horatio Strong, Fuller
Elliot and James E. Phelps, Esqs., associate judges.

Robert E. Barton was appointed recorder of Meigs county,
and on producing his bond was duly sworn into office by the
senior associate judge, the bond having been approved. The
oath of office was administered as follows : I, Robert C. Bar-
ton, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully and impartially
discharge the duties of recorder of Meigs county according to
the best of my abilities and understanding. Robert C. Barton.

Subscribed April 12th, 1819. The oath to support the Con-
stitution of the United States and the State of Ohio being also
administered, the associates adjourned.

Horatio Strong.

State of Ohio, Meigs County, ss.
July Term, 1819.
Be it remembered, That on Monday, the nineteenth day of
July, 1819, the Court of Common Pleas in said county, at the
meeting house in the township of Salisbury — present, the
Hon. Ezra Osborn, president judge; Horatio Strong, Fuller
Elliot and James E. Phelps, associate judges — the venire for
grand jurors was returned and the following jurors empan-
eled, to- wit: Foreman, Daniel Rathbum; David Lindsey,

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86 Pioneer History of Meigs County

Adam Harpold, Jesse Worthing, Joel Smith, Silas Knight,
James Shields, Jr., George Roush, Jas. Gibson, Calvin Marvin,
John H. Sayre, Alvin Ogden, Joseph Hoit ; Major Reed, talis-
man.

Then follows the licensing of different men for various pur-
poses, the trial of persons for various offenses, consisting
largely of "fist-i-cuffs," and probate business is omitted.

State of Ohio, Meigs County, ss.
November Term, A. D. 1819.

Be it remembered. That on Monday, the twenty-second day
of November, in the year of our Lord, eighteen hundred and
nineteen, the Court of Common Pleas met at the meeting
house in Salisbury township. Present: The Hon. Ezra Os-
born, president judge, and James E. Phelps and Fuller Elliot,
associate judges, this, the last court for the first year in Meigs
county, 1819.

Review of proceedings by S. C. Larkin.

The design of the following resume is to elucidate facts
that relate to the history of Meigs county, but are not gener-
ally understood.

By a law of Congress, Section 29 in every township of six
miles square in the Ohio Company's purchase should be re-
served for ministerial purposes. The land upon which this
meeting house stood belonged to Salisbury township, and the
Courts of Common Pleas were held in it for two years, when,
unfortunately, it was burned down. Mr. Levi Stedman, of
Chester, invited the judges to hold court in his house. When
the second set of commissioners met, they went where the
court was held, and decided to locate the county seat, as Mr.
Levi Stedman offered to make a good deed of land, enough to
lay out a town. The offer was accepted. The county seat
was located there, the town laid out and named Chester. The
question was asked why the county seat was not located at

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 87

Middleport? Mr. Benjamin Smith and his wife Alma had
agreed to donate as a gift the land for a town and to secure it
by a good title deed. Smith had given a bond for $5000, with
his brother, John Smith, and Samuel Everett as sureties, but
it has been stated that upon reconsidering the matter, Mrs.
Smith refused to acknowledge the deed, which she had a
right to do, according to the law of Ohio. The commissioner
did not bring suit against the sureties, as John Smith lived on
his father's farm, and Samuel Everett was a young man not
owning any real estate. The judges claimed that nothing
could be realized more than cost of suit, and they should not
be blamed for not ordering or permitting the commissioner,
Eli Sigler, from commencing suit. S. C. L.

EXTRACTS FROM REPORTS OF THE PROCEEDINGS
OF THE FIRST COMMISSIONERS OF MEIGS
COUNTY, STATE OF OHIO, APRIL 30th, 1819.

The commissioners of said county met this day, to-wit,
Levi Stedman and William Alexander, who, after being duly
sworn by Archibald Murray, a justice of the peace for the
county aforesaid, and lodging a certificate thereof in the
office of the Court of Common Pleas for the said county, pro-
ceeded to business.

Benjamin Stout, duly elected sheriff of said county, pre-
sented a bond, of which the following is a copy, which was
approved and delivered to the county treasurer :

Know all men by these presents : That I, Benjamin Stout,
as principal, and Levi Stedman and Philip Jones, as sureties,
all of the county of Meigs and State of Ohio, are held and
firmly bound to Levi Stedman, William Alexander and Elijah
Runner, commissioners of the county aforesaid, and to their
successors in office in the full and just sum of four thousand
dollars, current money of Ohio, for which sum well and truly
to be paid, we bind ourselves, our heirs, executors and admin-

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88 Pioneer History of Meigs County

istrators firmly by these presents. Signed and sealed this
thirteenth day of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and
nineteen.

The condition of the above obligation is such, that, whereas
the above bounden Benjamin Stout was duly elected sheriff
of the county aforesaid, on the fifth day of April, inst, and was
also duly proclaimed as such on the twelfth day of April, to
serve until the annual election in October next. Now, there-
fore, if the said Benjamin Stout shall well and truly perform
all the duties of sheriff of the county aforesaid and account
for and pay over all the moneys by him collected according
to law, then this obligation will be null and void; otherwise
remain in full force and virtue.

[Seal] Benjamin Stout.
[Seal] Levi Stedman.
[Seal] Philip Jones.

Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of Robert C. Bar-
ton.

Philip Jones, of Salisbury, was appointed county treasurer
to serve until the annual meeting in June next, and having
produced bond for the faithful discharge of his duties the
same was approved. Robert C. Barton was appointed clerk
(pro tem).

Resolved, That the tavern of James E. Phelps, of Salisbury,
and that of Thomas Redding, of Sutton, pay six dollars each
for a license for one year ensuing. And that George Russell
pay two dollars for a renewal of license to keep a ferry over
Leading creek where he now keeps it.

June 7th, 1819. Commissioners met this day.

Present: Levi Stedman, William Alexander and Elijah
Runner. The last named was duly qualified by William
Alexander, a justice of the peace, and a certificate thereof
lodged with the clerk of Common Pleas Court. Benjamin
Stout, of Orange township, was appointed collector of the
county tax for the year 1819, and Philip Jones was appointed

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 89

county treasurer for one year from this date, and having pro-
duced a bond for the faithful performance of his duties in
office, the same was approved.

Resolved, That six sections formerly attached to the township
of Morgan, and which are within the county of Meigs, be, and
the same are hereby attached to the township of Salem.

Resolved, That the three sections lately belonging to Che-
shire township and numbered 24, 30 and 36, being within the
county of Meigs, be and the same are hereby attached to the
township of Rutland. And that the three sections lately be-
longing to the township of Cheshire and numbered 6, 12 and
18, being in the county of Meigs, be and the same are hereby
attached to Salisbury township.

Resolved, That the original surveyed Township No. 9, in
Range 13, be and the same is hereby attached to the township
of Orange.

Rates of ferriage across the Ohio river that persons licensed
to ferry are entitled to demand, viz : Each foot man, 10 cents ;
for one man and horse, 20 cents; for a loaded wagon and
team, 100 cents; for any other four-wheeled carriage, 75
cents; for a loaded cart and team, SO cents; for an empty
wagon and team, 37^ cents; for an empty cart or sled or
sleigh and team, 18f cents ; for every horse, mare, mule or ass
or head of neat cattle, 5 cents ; for every sheep or hog, 3 cents.

Rates of ferriage across Leading creek : For each foot man,
6J cents; for a man and horse, 12^ cents; for a loaded wagon
and team, 50 cents ; for any other four-wheeled carriage, 37^
cents; for loaded cart, 25 cents; for an empty cart and team,
sled or sleigh and team, 18f cents; for every horse, mare,
mule, ass or head of meat cattle, 5 cents; for every hog or
sheep, 3 cents.

Resolved, That ten dollars be allowed to the clerk of the
Court of Common Pleas for services not otherwise provided
for, and one dollar for opening the poll books from April 5th
to June 7th, 1819. And that one dollar and sixty-seven cents

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90 Pioneer History of Meigs County

be allowed to Benjamin Stout, Esq., sheriflf of said county, for
similar services.

Resolved, That there be allowed to the clerk of the Court
of Common Pleas for the ensuing year the sum of fifty dollars
in full for all services wherein the State may fail in prosecu-
tion, the same to be paid quarterly.

Resolved, That Robert C. Barton is appointed clerk of the
court for the ensuing year.

Resolved, That there be allowed to the sheriff of the Court
of Common Pleas for the ensuing year the sum of forty dollars
in full for services wherein the State may fail in prosecutions
which may be commenced, and that the sum of three dollars
be allowed for opening and certifying poll books, the same to
be paid quarterly.

Resolved, That all persons required by law to bring returns
to the office of the county commissioners or clerk of the Court
of Common Pleas be allowed 5 cents per mile for travel — the
same for commissioners — and $2.25 cents per day for services.

Proceedings approved by the Court of Common Pleas, July
24th, 1819.

The board adjourned until the twenty-first of July, 1819.

An application was made this day to divide the township of
Orange.

Resolved, That said township of Orange be divided as fol-
lows: Beginning on the Ohio river at the southeast corner
of Section 29, Township 3, Range 11, west to the north-
west corner of Section No. 5, Township 3, Range 12; thence
north to the county line; thence east with said line to the
Ohio river; thence with the meanderings of said river to the
place of beginning; and that the name of the township be
Olive.

Then follows a detailed account of expenses, much of which
had to be paid in county orders.

December 6th, 1819. At a meeting of commissioners, pres-
ent were Samuel Downing and Philip Jones, this being the

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 91

first meeting of the commissioners since the October election
of 1819.

They proceeded to draw lots agreeable to law, Robert C.
Barton being authorized to draw for William Alexander in
case he was not present. In drawing of lots, it appeared that
William Alexander was to serve one year, Philip Jones two
years and Samuel Downing three years.

An act for levying tax on land, passed February 8th, 1820 :

Section 2. That all lands subject to taxation shall be rated
or classed as first, second and third rate, agreeably to the fol-
lowing rules, to-wit : In all cases where the largest proportion
of a tract of land is of the best quality, it shall be denominated
first rate and shall be taxed annually as such. And when the
largest proportion of a tract of land is inferior to the best and
superior to the worst quality, it shall be denominated second
rate and shall be charged with a tax annually as such.

Section 3. Be it further enacted. That there shall be levied
and paid yearly and every year on each hundred acres of land
of the first rate one dollar and fifty cents.

On each hundred acres of second rate land, one dollar ; and
on each hundred acres of third rate land fifty cents, and in the
same proportion for any greater or less number of acres.

Section 48. Be it enacted. That 25 per cent, of the net
amount of taxes collected shall be paid into treasury of such
county for county purposes.

On February 24th, 1824, a law was passed altering the
amount of tax on the different rates of land, as follows :

First rate land, $1.25. Second rate land, 87^ cents. Third
rate was 56 cents.

Section 2. Twenty per cent, of the net tax collected to be
paid into the county treasury.

February 23, 1824, another act of the Legislature fixes the
rates of stud horses not to exceed the rate for which he stands
for the season, but on all other horses, mares, mules and asses

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92 Pioneer History of Meigs County

three years old and upwards a sum not to exceed 30 cents per
year. On all neat cattle three years old and upwards, 10 cents
per head. On other property made taxable by this act, not to
exceed one-half of 1 per cent, of the appraised value.

The reason why the substance of the tax laws has been
quoted here is in order to show that in the early years of
Meigs county and in former years the Legislature of Ohio
always limited the amount of tax to be raised, giving the com-
missioners of a county no authority to go beyond such limits.
Great care was taken not to allow corporations to run the
people into debt, as they now do, entailing upon future genera-
tions a heavy debt, a grievous burden to be borne.

The amount of revenue for Meigs county was not sufficient
to pay expenses, and orders on the county treasury became so
depreciated as to bring only SO cents on the dollar and became
an article of trade. Merchants would pay in goods, 50 cents
for a dollar, and sell the same in money to taxpayers, who
would pay tax with it to the amount of its face. What little
money was paid into the treasury was used for expenses that
orders would not pay.

The method of grading land into first, second and third
grades and for fixing the amount of tax for each 100 acres,
according to the respective rates for state purposes, was
enacted February 18th, 1804, and was continued with slight
alterations up to the first years of Meigs county as heretofore
mentioned, but no part of it was allowed for county purposes.

The law of levies for county purposes by assessing a tax
on stock, etc., was continued at about the same rate until
after Meigs county was organized, which law was enacted
February 19th, 1805.

At the pioneer meeting in 1885 Mrs. Dolly Knight had a
most interesting paper concerning early days about Chester,
from which some extracts are taken of facts not included in
the former papers. "In 1798 Peter Grow and Levi Stedman

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 93

built their first cabins in what afterwards became the town
of Chester, but they did not remove their families until a year
later. Mrs. Grow died before the cabins were ready for occu-
pancy, but the father, with six motherless children, came to
the place of their future home. Mrs. Stedman shared with
her husband all the privation of those primitive times. She,,
too, had a 'bear story,' for one time when Mr. Stedman was
away from home she heard something disturbing the pigs in
the pen and discovered a bear. She resorted to firebrands,
throwing them vigorously. The bear retreated, not getting
fresh pork for supper. Many families who came from Ver-
mont and Massachusetts and located on Shade river, in and
about Chester, in the first years of 1800 ought to be included
in pioneer history. Thomas L. Halsey, 1792, bought land of
the Ohio Company's purchase; Jacob and Joel Cowdery in
1807 and 1808, and the Branch, the Rice and Walker families
and others. Those families from the New England states
brought their ideas of education with them, and until they
could have a common school they would work hard by day
and in the evening teach their children. They succeeded in
bringing up some intelligent sons and daughters. Their books
were few, but well chosen and carefully read. After Meigs
county was made and organized, with the county seat located
at Chester, the principal lawyers to attend the sessions of
Common Pleas Court were Samuel F. Vinton and Thomas
Ewing."

In various communications that have been submitted to us
there has been much of the same character related by Mrs.
Knight, so we have taken the liberty of making extracts from
her excellent paper instead of using the entire history. — S. C. L.

It is a serious fact that among the first early settlers in
what is now Meigs county and who bought land, that no sub-
sequent account of their lives or families has been obtained,
an omission which at this late day it is almost impossible to

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94 Pioneer History of Meigs County

supply after the lapse of nearly a century. We find in the
records of deeds of Washington county and of Gallia county
names of men who bought land and made homes in what is
now Meigs county. Ezra and Joshua Chapman and Levi
Chapman purchased land dating to 1787. Ezra and Joshua
Chapman lived and died in Letart township. Henry Roush
bought thirty-six acres of land in 1808 in Letart. Adam Har-
pold, in 1812, a farm in Letart township. Thomas Alexan-
der, first, in 1803. After 1810, there seems to have been a
steady influx of families from Virginia, Pennsylvania and
New York, as well as the earlier emigrants from New Eng-
land. The names of Sayre, Hall and Price are represented by
a large number of people living in Meigs county.

George W. Cooper was a son of Abraham Cooper and Mar-
garet Cooper, nee Wetzel, daughter of Lewis Wetzel, of fron-
tier notoriety. Mr. Cooper lived in Chester several years as a
salesman in Colonel David Barber's store. Moving to Middle-
port, he was an active member of the Meigs County Pioneer
Society, being the first corresponding secretary of the same.
Mr. Cooper was one of the most upright, reliable of men and
universally respected. He died in Middleport, Ohio, in 1878.

Persis O. Cooper, nee Blackstone, wife of George W. Cooper,
was born in Athens, Ohio, May 22nd, 1822. She was a grand-
daughter of Major John White. She died at New Carlisle,
Ohio, July 23rd, 1894.

Major John White was born in 1758 in Pomfret, Conn., and
was a soldier in the Revolutionary army. He was said to be
one of the bodyguards at the execution of Major Andre, and
was familiar with all the circumstances connected with the
attempted betrayal of the army by Benedict Arnold. He was
one of a company that landed at Marietta in 1789 and lived in
the blockhouse, serving at times as an Indian scout. While
here he married Priscilla Duval. After his marriage he move4

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 95

to Waterford, subsequently to Athens county, until the death
of his wife in 1838, when he came to his son-in-law's and
daughter's, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Fair, of Chester, Meigs
county, with whom he remained until his decease, in his
eighty-seventh year. He is buried in the Chester cemetery.

Samuel Ervin built a cabin near the site of what is known
as the "Horton boatyard" in 1807, being the first settler of the
town of Pomeroy. Amos Partlow came in 1809 and built his
cabin about where the Excelsior Salt Works are situated, and
that was the second house. The third cabin was erected by
Frank Hughes on the ground where the court house stands,
and John Mason put a cabin on Sugar run, being the fourth
dwelling house in Pomeroy. Mr. Ervin vacated his house in
favor of John Bailey and built another cabin at the mouth of
Kerr's run; lived there in 1815, when he sold to Nathan
Clark, who was therefore about the fifth settler of the town of
Pomeroy. Some of the above mentioned improvements were
sold to other parties. Clark sold his improvement to Robert
Bailey or Randall Stivers, who afterwards sold to Major Dill.
Nial Nye bought a lot of Dill and built the first store house,
where he kept the first post office in Pomeroy in 1827. Mr.
John Knight bought the improvement made by Mr. Ervin of
a Mr. Miles, and Samuel Grant bought the Partlow improve-
ment.

Robert Bailey, Elihu Higley, John Bailey, David Bailey,
Hedgeman Hysell, Leonard Hysell and Elam Higley met at
the house of Samuel Ervin and from there started to Gallipolis
and volunteered under General Tupper to serve in the Wa'*
of 1812.

Thomas Ervin, Robert Bailey, David Bailey and John Bai-
ley were pioneer keelboat men, who boated salt from Ka-
nawha to Pittsburg, the boat being owned by P. Green and
Jack Allen.

The first public road cut through the woods from Gallipolis
to Chester was opened by Samuel Ervin, Asahel Cooley and

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96 Pioneer History of Meigs County

Hamilton Kerr. [Note. — ^The date of this road is not given,
but there were settlements on Leading creek and at Athens
as early as at Chester, and may have been opened as early by
way of these settlements from Gallipolis to Athens.] It should
be borne in mind that many roads were barely marked out for
horse or foot men that were never opened for teams. Mr.
Thomas Matthews settled in Chester in 1798 or 1799, and he
told me (Larkin) while we were in company passing over the
hill on the Rutland road to Middleport that there was where
he and Hamilton Kerr and some other men whose names are
forgotten located a road to Shade river, crossing Leading
creek where the K. & M. Railroad crosses that stream, run-
ning immediately up the point of that hill and following the
ridge all the way west of Middleport and Pomeroy, but that
road was never opened for teams. S. C. L.

Mr. Ervin stated that in 1814 the Ohio river was very high,
so that his father, Samuel Ervin and family, were compelled
to leave the cabin and take shelter in a cave, where they lived
seven days and nights, in much discomfort, as it was in the
month of February.

Rutland, Ohio, March 29th, 1878.
To the Teacher and Scholars of the School in Pleasant Val-
ley:
We propose to write a few items in relation to the early
history and settlement of the little spot of earth that appears
to be of so much importance and which in reality is so very
interesting to the inhabitants of what is now called Pleasant
Valley, the lawn where now stands the seat of learning and
capitol for this community, together with its surroundings up
and down the vale —

When wild turkeys and deer,

And old black bears that prowled.

Were sought by hunters here,

Though wolves as sentries howled.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 97

This place in those olden days was called the White Oak
Flats. Now it has been three score and ten years since the
first settlement was made within its borders. I will relate a
few incidents. Soon after the Hon. Brewster Higley settled
with his family near the mouth of the middle fork of Leading
creek in the spring of 1799, and not far from the mouth of
Great run, which drains the water of this little valley into the
channel of that little creek, Mr. Levi Stedman had estab-
lished himself on Shade river at a point where Chester now
stands and had built a mill for the grinding of wheat for the
settlers. It became necessary that a road should be opened
between the two places. Accordingly, it was agreed that Mr.
Levi Stedman and a party from Shade river and a company
from Leading creek, under the direction of Mr. Brewster
Higley, should meet near the place where little George Russell
lived at the forks of Thomas creek. The parties having met,
proceeded to mark out the road to their respective homes.
The Leading creek party marked the way very near where H
is now established. When they passed through a very thick
wood on what is now the Stow farm and on through the low
gap to a place by the west line of the McGuire land, it being
in June and night had overtaken them, the darkness was in-
tense, not a gleam of light to direct them, when one of their
number thought of an expedient, which was to get into the
channel of that little stream, exceedingly crooked as it was,
and to follow its meanderings to the mouth, which was open
ground, so they all got safely home. This occurred in 1804 .
or 1805.

The first settler in this valley was Abel Larkin, who moved
into his cabin April 1st, 1808, on the northeast corner of
Section No. 7, in Rutland township. The second settler was
Joseph Richardson, a little west, in 1809, who sold to. Samuel
Danforth in 1811. Mr. Danforth resided there until his death
in 1845. The place had been occupied by different families
until now, 1878, it is owned by John F. Stevens. Richard

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98 Pioneer History of Meigs County

Cook and James McGuire came with their families from Mari-
etta in 1813 and settled on Section No. 1. Eari P. Archer
came about that time and bought land in 1814, and EHhu
Higley married Nancy Cook and settled on Section No. 2 in
1816. Bereman Bailey located a farm a little north in 1827.
Hazael Lathrop, who framed more buildings in this neigh-
borhood than any other man in his time, came from New
York in 1817. He married Catharine, a daughter of Billy
Wright, and lived in a cabin on the eastern border of Section
No. 8. He moved farther west in 1825, but after seventy
years that strip of land is known as the "Lathrop Place."

Mr. Richard Cook died July 17th, 1840, aged seventy-three
years. His wife, Irene Cook, nee Hodge, died October 7th,
1839, aged seventy-three years.

About 1812 James McGuire bought a farm in Pleasant Val-
ley. He was born in Ireland August 14th, 1777. He emigrated
to Marietta and there married the Widow Murray, who had
four children — ^William, John, Eliza and Matilda. Mrs. Mc-
Guire's maiden name was Mary Garnet. She was a sister of
the mother of John Brough, the famous war Governor of Ohio.
A little story was current about Esquire Brough, father of the
Governor, of his queer decisions when an acting magistrate.
He made the witness pay the cost of prosecution in a case of
larceny. A mechanic living in Harmar and working in Marietta
had a canoe to go over to his work and back for his meals.
Persons troubled him by taking away his canoe when he
wanted it. He therefore gave notice that he would prosecute
the first one that did it. So the next day a man came along
and asked where such a man had gone. He saw him take the
canoe and go out of the mouth of the Muskingum. "Did you
see him do that?" "Yes." Dropping his tools, he went to
Esquire Brough for a warrant, and the man and the witness
were soon before the court. There the witness said he did
not see the man take the canoe, that he said so "for a joke." ;
The judge figured a little and said, "I find the prisoner notii

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Pioneer History of Meigs County

99

guilty. So much cost for the witness to pay." Then, address-
ing the witness, ordered him to pay it over quick or he would
send him to jail for contempt of court, so the witness forked
it over.

The Original Forest of Rutland.
S. C. Larkin. Dr. Frank Parker.

Common name.

Botanical.

White Oak.

Quercus Alba.

Black, or Yellow Oak.

Quercus Touelona.

Red Oak.

Quercus Rubra.

Chestnut Oak.

Quercus Castaneo.

Swamp Oak.

Quercus Discolor.

Pin Oak.

Quercus Polastris.

Laurel-leaf Oak.

Quercus Imbricano.

Shell-bark Hickory— Small

Nut.

Caya Micro-a.

Shell-bark Hickory — Large

Nut.

Caya Alba.

Bitter Pignut— Soft Shell.

Caya Amara.

Black Walnut.

Fuglans Nigra.

Butternut.

Fuglans Cinerao.

Chestnut.

Castaned Visca.

White Elm.

Ulmas Americana.

Red, or Slippery Elm.

Ulma Fulva.

Sycamore.

Platuus Occidentalis.

Beach.

Fagus Peptugintalis.

Birch.

Betula Nigra.

Bass-wood, or Linn.

Filia Americana.

Cherry.

Prunus Serptiva.

Buckeye.

Aesculas Flava.

Box Elder.

Negando Acervides.

Cotton Wood.

Populus Monilifera.

Yellow Pine.

Pinus Milus.

Red Cedar.

Juniperus Virginicana,

Cucumber.

Magnolia Acuminata.

Hemlock.

Albies Canadensis.

Peppuridge, or Gum.

Agarsa Multiflora.

Persimmon.

Dios Virginiana.

Aspen.

Populus Premuloides.

Digitf)

MS)U

100

Pioneer History of Meigs County

Sassafras.

Honey Locust.

Yellow, or Black Locust.

Mulberry.

Sour Wood.

Horn Bean, or Iron Wood.

Servis Berry.

Sweet Pignut.

Poplar, or Tulip.

White Ash.

Blue Ash.

Crab Apple.

Black Haw.

Plum.

Papaw.

Red Bud.

Waakoo.

Blue Beach.

Dog Wood.

Willow.

Witch Hazel.

Spice Bush.

Prickly Ash.

Laurel.

Sumach.

Elder.

Leatherwood.

Hazlenut.

Bladdemut.

Hackberry.

Sugar Tree.

Soft Maple.

Blackberry.

Raspberry.

Green Briar.

Eglantine Rose.

White Hydrange.

Arrow Root.

Buckberry.

Huckleberry.

Blueberry.

Sassafra Officinalis.
Gleditschia Triacanthes.
Robinia Pendracanthus.
Morus Rubra.
Oxigdendrum Arboreum.
Ostrya Virginica.
Amelanckier Canadaensis.
Caya Glabadendroir.
Lilliodendron Tulipifera.
Fraxicanus Americanus.
Fraxicanus Quadrangulata.
Pyrnes Coronarid.
Vesburnem Prunifolium.
Prunus Americana.
Asimena Triloba.
Cercis Canadensis.
Enonymas Stropurpurens.
Caspunnus Americana.
Cornus Florida.
Salix Alba.

Hamamillis Virginica.
Benjoin Oderiferen.
Lanthorylum Americana.
Kalmia Augustifolia.

Glabra.
Rhus Canadiensis.
Sambucus Canadaensis.
Dioca Palustris.
Corylus Occidentalis.
Staphylla Trifolia.
Celtis Occidentalis.
Acer Saccharinum.
Acer Rubrum.
Rubus Wilborns.
Rubus Occidentalis.
Amilox Rotundafolia.
Rosa Rubignosa.
Hydrangea Arboresceus.
Viburuma Acerifolime.
Rhaninies.

Gaylussaceid Resinosa.
Vaccinium Pennsylvanicum.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 101

Wild Tea. Ceanothis Americanus.

Frost Grape. Vitis Cordifolia.

Hill Grape. Vitis Aestivalis.

Bitter Sweet. Celastrus Celastricus.

^oison Ivy. Rhus Toxicodendron.

V^irginia Creeper. Ampelopsis Lugnesolia.

Trumpet Flower. Tecoma Rudicaus.

Yellow Perila. Lanthrhoriza Aperfolia.

Pea Vine. Ipomea Prisforea.
t

REMARKS.

The pea vine, though small, is said to have been excellent
Dod for buffalo and deer, and was freely devoured by the
orses, cattle and sheep of the early settlers. It grew plenti-
lUy in the Rutland woods, and was much depended on as
>od for stock in warm weather. The wild tea is a small bush
Jiat grows on the hills. The first settlers gathered it when in
fcloom in June, dried it, and used it instead of tea from China,
land considered it a good substitute. The wild cherry was a
noble specimen of the forest trees, while it did not grow as
large as some others, the poplar or oak, yet it has always
been highly prized for the fine texture of its grain and bright
color of its wood. It was much sought after by cabinet mak-
ers.

A few cucumber trees grew on Section 28, but have disap-
peared. S. C. L.

Times of the Dogwood being in full bloom as record of
early or late seasons:

fears.

Months.

Days.

Years.

Months.

Days.

1840

April

14th

1870

May

3rd

1841

May-

2nd

1871

April

13th

1842

April

6th

1872

May-

1st

1843

May

10th

1873

May

7th

1844

April

ISth

1874

May

13th

1845

April

24th

1875

May

18th

1846

April

2Sth

1876

May

6th

1847

May

2nd

1877

May

4th

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102 Pioneer History of Meigs County

1848

April

23rd

1878

1849

Missed record.

1879

1850

May

10th

1880

1851

April

23rd

1881

1852

May

10th

1882

1853

April

30th

1883

1854

May

2nd

1884

1855

May

7th

1885

1856

May

7th

1886

1857

May

24th

1887

1858

April

30th

1888

1859

May

6th

1889

1860

April

23rd

1890

1861

April- ;

, 30th

.1891

1862

May '

4tb

1892

1863

May

10th

1893

1864

May

11th

1894

1865

April

22nd

1895

1866

April

.27th

1896

1867

May

3rd

1897

1868

May

3rd

1898

1869

May

3rd

April

18th

May

6th

April

25th

May

10th

May

11th

May

1st

May

12th

May

13th

•April

27th

JMay

5th

May

5th

April

23rd

April

29th

April

24th

May

4th

May

8th

April

28th

May

1st

April

25th

May

5th

May

2nd

This record of the Dogwood blossoming is because it
blooms with more uniformity than any other tree, showing
late or early spring, and the foregoing table has been care-
fully kept, year by year. S. C. L.

The name Rutland was given to the township through the
influence of five of its citizens who came from Rutland, Ver-
mont, and Rutland, Massachusetts. Their names were, viz.:
John Miles, Luke Brine, Abel Larkin, Brewster Higley and
Shubael Nobles. The village of Rutland was laid out in 1828,
by Barzillai H. Miles and Abijah Hubbell, Jr., and the survey
was made by Samuel Halliday, and the acknowledgment of
the deeds for the streets before Abel Larkin, Associate Judge,
August 20th, 1828. The original lots consisted of one-fourth
of an acre in Section No. 14, and fractions of Nos. 1 and 7.
Other lots have been added from Section No. 8 and No. 7.

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^

THii .,:,vf Y^tt

FOBUC Ui.iAKf

i^STOH, LENSX AKD
lU^JCM JX^UfCBATIOKS

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MR. SAMUEL HALUDAY,
Auditor of Meigs G>unty Twenty-four Years.

AARON STIVERS.
Auditor of Meigs G>unty in I860.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 103 .

SAMUEL HALLIDAY.

Mr. Samuel Halliday came from Scotland, fresh with educa-
tional honors from the University of Edinburgh, and en route
to a professorship in the Ohio University at Athens, had by
the difficulties of travel in a new country been impeded in
his progress, and by one of those strange events in life was
stranded in the little country place of Rutland, where he found
his life work. He was soon engaged in teaching, and estab-
lished a reputation for success in giving instruction to his
pupils. Judge Ephraim Cutler sent his two sons, Manasseh
and William P., to attend the "Halliday School,'' boarding
them with the Larkins. Gen. Holcomb sent his son Anselm
to be taught in the Scotchman's College at Rutland. Mr.
Halliday married Miss Eliza Parker, a daughter of William
Parker, an intelligent pioneer, thus locating himself as a citi-
zen, he entered into the plans for increasing the public utili-
ties. He surveyed and laid out the village of Rutland, and
surveyed and laid out the lots in the Miles graveyard. He
was influential in the erection of the two-story brick school-
house. When the county seat of Meigs county was located
in Chester, William Weldon was the first Auditor, and after
one year Mr. Samuel Halliday was elected Auditor, and served
the county in that office for twenty-four successive years. He
moved to Pomeroy when it was made the seat of justice, but
afterwards Mr. Halliday moved to Southern Illinois, where
Mrs. Eliza Halliday died. His sons were engaged in business
in Cairo, having accumulated considerable wealth, and Mr.
Halliday spent a few years with them.

He returned to Ohio, bought a farm in Gallia county, mar-
ried a widow lady, Mrs. Braley, and passed his last days in
comfortable, honorable retirement. "The memory of the just
is blessed."

The brick school-house, referred to above, was used for
all kinds of public assemblies, religious or political, as well as
lectures on temperance or abolition. There was not a meeting

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104 Pioneer History of Meigs County

house in the township, so this house was a preaching place
for all denominations, when the services would not interfere
with the school.

A payment of five dollars was made by the township trus-
tees for the privilege of holding elections in this school build-
ing.

Spelling schools and singing schools met in this "town hall"
and young people enjoyed the social opportunity.

There was a debating club, of considerable importance in
helping young men to try their skill ^ oratory, or sharpen
their wits by controversy. They had' rules that secured to
them an exclusive selection of membership.

Many intellectual contests were 'held there by the young
men engaged in debating. The growth of minds, and the
friendship of hearts, nursed in that building, will continue
while life shall last with those thus associated.

THE WIND-STORM OF 1826.

The severest wind-storm ever known in Rutland from its
first settlement, came on Sunday afternoon, October 29th,
1826. The school-house just mentioned suffered greatly. The
upper story was swept off entirely, and the roof only was ever
replaced. The strong current of this wind was not more than
a quarter mile in width, showing greater strength in some
places than in others in its course, which was a little south of
east. It came from Salem township, but did little damage
until reaching the brick house of Felix Benedict, the upper
part of which was blown down. In the village of Rutland, a
frame house, the residence of Mr. Beebe, was blown all to
pieces, but fortunately the family had gone out of the house,
and so escaped with their lives. Passing over a hill a half
mile east, which was covered with heavy timber, it completely
felled the standing trees. Then pitching over another hill
into the valley of Hysell run, it removed all the timber except

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 105

a few saplings that were not twisted off. At the base of the
hill stood a log cabin, the home of Royal Hysell. There were
nine persons inside when the storm began, Mr. Royal Hysell
and family, and Mr. James McGuire, Sr. The house was
leveled to a log or two at the bottom, but no one was hurt.
Passing over Thomas Fork, near the residence of Charles
Russell, the wind felled all the heavy timber on the hillside,
and then passed on to the Ohio river, where the Whitlock's
lived, and across the river into Virginia, and report came of
its destructive path many miles into the country.

The first school in the first school-house in Salisbury town-
ship was taught by Samuel Denny, from Massachusetts, who
also helped build the school-house. The school cosisted of
nine scholars, viz.: James Smith, John Smith, Sarah Kerr
and Christena Niswonger, these four from near the mouth of
Leading creek, and five children from Judge Higley's family.
This term of school was in the winter of 1801-1802. Miss
Electa Higley, afterwards Mrs. Benjamin Williams, was the
woman to teach in that school-house. Mr. Denny taught one
year in a house that belonged to Widow Case.

Mr. Denny delivered the first oration at a celebration of
the 4th of July, in 1806. He stood on a mound not far from
the Case house.

Mr. Denny left Ohio in 1810, and returned to Massachusetts,
where he married and died there.

Miss Fanny Smith taught school there, in 1811. She was
married afterwards to Mr. Asa Maples. Probably the next
school in the order of time was taught by James G. Green, a
preacher, from Kentucky in 1809.

Miss Uretta Benedict had a school in a blacksmith's shop,
built by Mr. Rufus Wells, but who had moved to Wilkesville.
This was in 1811. The teacher was afterwards the wife of
Cornelius Merrill. In 1812, Elisha Rathburn taught a school
in a house belonging to Samuel Danforth that stood near the

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106 Pioneer History of Meigs County

present dwelling of John F. Stevens. In 1812, a school-house
was built on land now owned by Mr. George V. Lasher, and
stood a few rods west of the old blacksmith shop. Miss Polly
Wyatt, a lady from Athens, taught school in this neighbor-
hood in 1812.

In 1816, a school-house was erected on land one hundred
feet north of the southeast corner of Section No. 8, now owned
by S. C. Larkin.

This house was built of logs, hewed or dressed on the inside
as far up as the joists, with a stone chimney built on the out-
side, while the cracks between the logs were chinked with
small pieces of wood or stone and daubed on the outside with
mud. The windows for light were made by cutting out one-
half of the upper side of the log at the proper height, and one-
half of the log next above, on the under side, so as to match.
Instead of glass, paper was fastened on, and then greased so
as to admit the light. This was done on two sides of the
house, and benches were made for the children to sit on, and
boards laid on pins driven into the logs below the windows
were for writing tables. The floor was made of boards, and
loose boards were laid on joists overhead. The roof was made
according to the common log-cabin style, by having eave-
bearers and buttling poles to hold the long shingles in proper
place. Nails were scarce and few were used in building.

The first teacher in this house was David Lindsey, who
taught in the winter of 1816 and 1817. He then settled on the
east branch of Thomas Fork, near the Rutland and Chester
road. His successor as a teacher was Selah Barrett, who
came from Vermont, bringing a young wife with him. They
moved into the school-house and taught the winter school.
His habit was to rise early, cut wood, make a fire, eat breakfast,
and then move the household goods into the loft each morning
before school hours. This was in November, 1817, and the
winter 1818.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 107

Brewster Higley, Jr., and his sister, Susan Higley, were
teachers at some time in this log school-house. Mr. Samuel
Halliday taught many terms in a house on the school lot, and
continued to teach in different neighborhoods until the brick
school house was built, where he taught until his election as
Auditor of Meigs county, which office he held for twenty-four
years, having been elected in 1825.

"First school-house was a small log cabin, built about 1809
on the ground now occupied by the lower graveyard in Mid-
dleport. The first teacher in that house was Jared Gaston, in
1810. The second teacher was Sally Higley, afterwards the
wife of Daniel C. McNaughton, and the next term of school
was taught by John Gilliland, who continued to teach about
one year. The second school-house was built of hewed logs
a short distance above Leading creek, on the Ministerial Sec-
tion, and was designed for a meeting house, as well as a
school-house. It was in this house that the first Courts of
Common Pleas were held for the county of Meigs in the year
1819.'' Recollections, John C. Hysell, Esq., who lived with
his father where the Rutland road came out to the river at
the mouth of Bone Hollow, their home for eight or nine years,
while he was a boy of sixteen years.

Joel Lowther was born in Loudon county, Virginia, August
4th, 1741. He was a Revolutionary soldier and drew a pen-
sion. He made his home at the house of John Stevens in
Rutland, and died there November 7th, 1853. After his death,
the Military Record was examined by Jesse Hubbell, then
acting Justice of the Peace, who found that record made him
one year older than his own account, which made him 112
years, 3 months and 3 days old, at the time of his death.

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108 Pioneer History of Meigs County

GRANT AND KNIGHT FAMILIES.

December 1st, 1817, the families of John Grant, Sr., and
wife, Sarah Boltwood Grant; their sons, Samuel Grant, wife
and children ; John Knight and wife, nee Agnes Grant, landed
at Silver run, Salisbury township, having had a long and
tedious journey from Maine, which was made, first in wagons
as far as Wellsburg on the upper Ohio, where a flatboat was
constructed in which they floated down the river to Silver run,
their destination. With them came a lad, John Pierce, whose
home had been with the senior Grant for several years.
Landress Grant, a bachelor brother, came also.

John Grant, Sr., died in June, 1820, and Mrs. Sarah Grant
died in March, 1824. They are buried in the "Miles Ceme-
tery," side by side.

Samuel Grant married in Maine, Hannah Davis, and they
landed with a family of eight children, viz. :

Oliver Grant, married Mary Jones, daughter of Philip Jones,
of Middleport, and moved to Iowa.

There was an invalid son of Samuel Grant, who lived to
mature years, but died many years ago.

Royal C. Grant, the inventor and machinist of Middleport,
O., married Lovina Fuller, who died many years ago.

William Grant married Esther Hobart and settled in Middle-
port, O. He was associated with his brothers, John and Sam-
uel Grant, Jr., in the steam flouring mill, one of the finest mills
ever built in Meigs county.

Ebenezer Tuttle Grant married Sarah Jones, daughter of
Philip Jones, of Middleport. They moved to Minnesota.

Lydia Grant was married to Phineas Robinson of Chester,
died many years ago, leaving two children, a son William
Fenn Robinson, and the daughter Elizabeth was married to
George Grorw, grandson of Judge Grow.

John Grant married Mary Roup, both died many years ago.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 109

Eliza Grant was the wife of William Wright, of Kentucky.

Cyrus Grant married Charlotte Hebard, of Athens county.
He was known as Col. Grant, for many years identified with
the business interests of Pomeroy. Samuel Grant, St., and all
of his family are dead.

Mr. William Hobart came from Spencer, Tioga county,
N. Y., in 1818, to Leading creek. Mrs. Hobart, nee Hugg,
with two children, were with him. They had five children
born in Meigs county. The older children were Isaac Hobart
and Phebe, married to Mr. Hanlin, of Middleport, O. Esther
Hobart became the wife of William Grant and reared a family
of marked intellectual force. California, a daughter, was for
years a noted teacher in the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music,
and passed away in 1906, deeply mourned. Electa Grant spent
some years teaching in the "New Church" Academy in Phila-
delphia. Julia was the wife of James Boggess, a prominent
citizen of Meigs, and has been County Treasurer. William
Grant, Jr., was a farmer in Great Bend, Kansas, a successful
man. Lucy Grant, the youngest child, is a teacher of kinder-
garten schools.

There were two children of Samuel Grant and wife born
after they came to Ohio, viz. : William Grant, who married
Esther Hobart, and lived in Middleport. He and brother,
John Grant, were enterprising and successful millers for many
years in Middleport. They operated the roller process for
making flour, about the first of any mill in Meigs county. Mr.
William Grant was one of a company who went overland to
California in 1849.

Samuel Grant, Jr., was an invalid, and died unmarried.

Belinda, the daughter, died when quite young.

Mr. Samuel Grant, Sr., operated mills in different parts of
Meigs county. At the Higley Mills on Leading Creek soon
after his arrival ; later, he took charge of the Stedman mill on
Shade river, and built, or rebuilt, the mill at Chester. He

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110 Pioneer History of Meigs County

bought land and settled on his farm below Middleport, and
spent the remainder of his life in the vicinity of Pomeroy and
Middleport, alternately with his sons. He died in 1866 at the
gjeat age of 93 years. His wife, Mrs. Grant, lived a few years
after her husband, dying "well up in the nineties," of age.

John Grant, brother of Samuel Grant, was born on April
11th, 1789, in the State of Maine. He married Mahetible
Mahew, and they had two children when arriving at Silver
run, Meigs county.

Thompson Grant married Cynthia McNaughton.

Franklin Grant, when a small boy, was drowned in Leading
creek.

Andrew, another child, was choked to death by a grain of
corn falling into his throat or windpipe.

Mary Grant was married to Elias Hutton, and moved to
Delphos, Kansas.

John, Jr., married Lucinda Lellan, residing in Ottumwa,
Iowa.

Sarah, first; Simpson, second; Steward Grant, living at
Greeley, Iowa.

Lydia Grant, unmarried, living with her father at Greeley,
Iowa.

Henry C. married Clarissa Merrill, located at Ironton, Ohio.

In 1852, John Grant, Sr., moved to Greeley, Iowa, being up-
wards of ninety-three years old. Mrs. John Grant died in
1864. While John Grant, Sr., lived in Rutland, O., he en-
joyed the respect and confidence of all classes of the people.
He was Justice of the Peace in 1826, and Township Treasurer
for many years.

He died at his daughter's, Mrs. Hutton, of Delphos, Kansas,
December 16th, 1889, aged 100 years, 8 months and 5 days.

This long-lived family, as the records indicate, were of
Scotch descent, and known as far back as Peter Grant, who,
it is supposed emigrated in colonial days and settled in Maine.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 111

John Knight and his wife Agnes, nee Grant, came from
Maine in the "Grant Company" in 1817. Their children were,
viz. : Daniel, who died at the age of 18 years.

Benjamin Knight married Dolly Newell, settled in Chester,
Meigs county. Calvin Knight married Jane Barton, first wife
died. He then married Euretta Stowe. Sarah B. Knight was
married to Samuel Torrence. Samuel Knight married Eliza-
beth Mitchell, a preacher of the Christian denomination, and
moved to Kansas.

Louisa, the wife of Francis Chase, lived in Rutland. Both
are dead.

Lydia Knight was married to John Whiteside, of Long
Bottom.

Agnes Knight became Mrs. Alvin Rife, of Chester, long
since dead.

Rhoda Knight was never married, but cared for both of her
parents in their old age and to their death with filial devotion.
She died in 1906.

Eunice Knight was Mrs. Osborn; moved to Davenport,
Iowa, and died.

Olive Knight, unmarried, dead many years.

Almira, wife of Oscar Newell, of Chester, left a widow, but
since dead.

Mr. John Knight moved his family six times, always in
Meigs county. He opened the first coal bank on Naylor's run,
Pomeroy, O. He died in* Chester in 1875, in his 93d year.
Mrs. Knight preceding him a year, and died aged 87 years.
Pioneer sketch, by G. W. Chase, December 1st, 1882.

At the meeting of the Meigs County Pioneer Association in
August, 1882, a very interesting paper was presented by Mr.
Silas Jones of personal recollection of incidents related by
John Warth, Esq., of events and experiences of himself and
his brother, George Warth, in the early days of Indian
troubles, while his father's family were living in the stockade,
and where his brother, Robert Warth, was shot, killed and

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112 Pioneer History of Meigs County

scalped by Indians. This paper by Mr. Silas Jones is repro-
duced in this history. The fact that the Warth brothers
carried the first United States mail between Marietta
and Gallipolis, brought out the letter of Col. David Barber, of
Harmar, who was present at the reading by the secretary,
Mr. George McQuigg. Before the reading of the letter, Mrs.
E. L. Bicknell placed an "In Memoriam'' in the secretary's
hands which he read as preparatory to the correspondence
with Col. Barber.

"I come today to speak of the dead, of funerals without
hearse, and burials in graves hollowed out by kindly neigh-
bors, and mourned sincerely by loving hearts. The pioneers
who died were laid in plots of ground not held by any special
tenure, often private burial places convenient of access to the
families bereaved. In the subsequent changes of ownership
of land ; in the wide scattering of relatives ; these places have
been neglected, and graves of our ancestors have too often
been lost. Allow me to call attention to a "burying ground,"
I use the Quaker term, as most befitting, situated on the farm
of my late father, N. Bicknell, and the portion now owned by
me. It is in all respects a pioneer graveyard. There have
been no interments in it for forty years. Here are the graves
of Mrs. Abigail Lindley, who drove the first carriage from
Athens to Great Bend; Mr. Haviland Chase, from Otsego,
N. Y., whose tombstone is marked with the compass and
square; Mr. Isaac Laveaux Roberts, also with compass and
square. He was grandfather of the well-known Capt. William
Roberts, steamboatman, of Letart, O. Mr. Smith and wife,
and Mrs. Smith, second, wife of John Smith, mother of Mr.
Thomas Smith, and great grandmother of Prof. Thomas S.
Carr, of Syracuse, O. Mr. Duncan, a Scotchman, and his
wife, who came from Scotland, with the famous Nahum Ward
colony. Mrs. McDaniel, of the same Scotch company, Mr.
George Warth, wife and daughter. Two children of Charles
and Lydia McClain, nee Roush, little ones — "Mary Jane and

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 113

Isabel." Mr. Artemas Johnson and his little daughter Mar-
garet, and others.

Mrs. Lindley was a sister of President Lindley, first Presi-
dent of the Ohio University at Athens, O. I well remember
his visit to his sister's grave, stopping over night at my father's
house. Mr. George Warth was the real pioneer. His grave
is known, but has never been marked by a stone. In regard
to him I wrote to Col. David Barber, of Harmar, and received
an interesting letter, which shall be read presently.

Before this letter is read, I beg to state my object in pre-
senting these names before you. It is my wish to secure the
ground where these dead are lying by a deed, in some form
claiming the oversight and gfuardianship of the membership
of the Meigs County Pioneer Society. It contains nearly
one-fourth of an acre, on the bank of the Ohio river, a south-
east corner lot, that might be made, with small expense, a
place fair to look upon. I ask for this old pioneer, this Indian
scout, George Warth, a stone for his grave. What more ? The
ground is grown up with brush and briars, and without a
fence. In order to deed the land a survey will be necessary,
and some expense will be incurred to clear it out, and enclose
it with a fence. Two men are lying there with the compass
and square on their headstones.

These beautiful lines,

"My flesh shall slumber in the ground.
Till the last trumpet's joyful sound.
Then burst death's chain in sweet surprise.
And in my Savior's image rise,"

are the Christian watchwords on the tombstone of Mrs. Lind-
ley. Shall the plow of any future proprietor lengthen furrows
over these graves? Will you help secure God's acre from un-
hallowed uses?

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114 Pioneer History of Meigs County

Col. Barber's letter was then read, he being present, :

"Harmar, April 27th, 1881.
Mrs. E. L. Bicknell:

Your favor of the 18th inst. was duly received. In reply
thereto I copy from Hildreth's Pioneer History. He gives the
names of families in and near Fort Harmar in the time of the
Indian hostilities. Among them, George Warth and wife and
two daughters and five sons. Catharine Warth, a daughter
of Mr. George Warth, Sr., was married to Joseph Fletcher, a
young man from New England, and settled in Gallia county.
He was a surveyor of the county, and a Judge of the Court of
Common Pleas. He died in 1844.

Pickett Marvin, a young man from the Eastern States, mar-
ried Polly Warth, a sister of Catharine Fletcher. They settled
in Gallia county, where Mr. Marvin served several years as
Magistrate.

The sisters, Ruth and Sally Fleehart, who were married to
George and John Warth, brothers, were noted for their skill
with the rifle. It was said that Sally Fleehart could bring
down a hawk upon the wing, or a squirrel from a tree top as
readily as her husband, John Warth. These women had been
brought up on the frontier and possessed all the intrepidity
and courage of women of that class. This ends the record in
Col. Barber's letter. In regard to Mr. George Warth, he was
one of a party who accompanied Governor Return J. Meigs on
his perilous journey down the Ohio river. He was less fa-
vored by fortune than brother John ; nevertheless, services to
his country should be appreciated. Silas Jones.

At the pioneer meeting of 1883, a committee was appointed
to procure a suitable monument to be placed at the gjave of
George Warth.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 115

Rutland, Ohio, August 14th, 1884.
The committee appointed to erect a monument to mark the
resting place of George Warth beg leave to report. The
amount contributed by members at the last meeting:

$8.50. Robert Combs, dime collection, $5.00. Do-
nated outside of the Society, $16.00. Donated by
L. A. Weaver, $8.00. Total $37.50

Paid for monument $35.00

For hauling and putting it up 2.50

$37.50
Silas Jones,
Chairman of Committee.
Thus are remembered the services of an Indian spy and
scout, who carried the U. S. mail from Marietta to Gallipolis
in a canoe, defended by his unerring rifle, and propelled by a
pole in his strong hands. S. C. L.

This pioneer graveyard was surveyed and deeded to Leb-
anon township by Mrs. Emetine L. Bicknell, and the deed was
recorded in the Recorder's office at the Court House in Pome-
roy, O., in 1883. She also paid to the wife of Uriah Sayre, for
her labor, and her boys, money for the cleaning of brush and
briars of this same pioneer graveyard in the fall of 1882.

FLAX.

In those primitive times the raising of flax and the manu-
facturing of the same was an important business. It could not
be exchanged for or supplied by anything else. The ground
needed for cultivation had to be good, mellow land, free from
weeds, and was sown broadcast. When grown and seed nearly
ripe, it was pulled up by the roots by hand and spread upon
the ground where it grew, and where it remained until dry.
It was then bound in small bundles, and the seed pounded oflf
with flails, after which it was taken to a meadow or pasture,
and spread evenly on the grass to lie until the rain and weather

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116 Pioneer History of Meigs County

had weakened the pith or inside of the stem, or rotted it suffi-
ciently to be easily broken when dry. It was then taken up
and bound ready for the brake. The brakeman would take a
handful of flax and place it under the brake, and with his
other hand ply the brake till all the sheaves were mashed fine.
Then the ends of the handfuls were slightly combed by what
was called a hatchel, and the broken stems were thrown away
as useless. Then both ends were thoroughly combed, and the
tow saved for use. The flax that remained after these pro-
cesses was fine, smooth and glossy. The tow was carded on
hand cards into rolls, or bats, and was spun on a "big wheel"
like wool ; but the flax was spread over a distaff and spun on a
little wheel, and operated by the foot on a treadle. This thread
made the warp, and the tow yarn made the filling when woven
into cloth, which was called "tow and linen cloth," and was
commonly worn by men for trousers in summer. The linen
warp was sometimes colored with copperas, a yellow brown,
and filled with woolen yarn colored with butternut bark, and
was called butternut jeans, and made winter clothing. For a
change, both linen chain and woolen filling were colored with
indigo and made blue jeans for men and boys, coats and
trousers.

Experiments were made with other material, as of buckskin,
the hide of the deer, when properly tanned was a soft, pliable
leather, made into gloves, mittens and moccasins, very rarely
into the garments for men or boys.

Attempts were made to raise cotton, but in such small quan-
tities, and lacking proper machinery to take the seeds out of
the cotton, the effort was unsuccessful.

At a later period a few families entered into silk culture,
planted white mulberry trees, and had rooms fitted for feeding
the worms, but it was considered an unhealthy business, and
was abandoned.

Perhaps no article of household furnishings was prized more
highly than the long pendulum wall clock. The firm of Reed

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 117

and Watson, of Cleveland, Ohio, made them, and sold to farm-
ers in Rutland, on nine months' time, for twenty dollars per
clock. Abel Larkin, Esq., bought one in December, 1813, and
paid for it in flannel at one dollar a yard the next fall. This
clock of Judge Larkin's, bought in 1813, had been in constant
use, and always keeping correct time, was still running in
December, 1893, after eighty years of service.

Among the few equipments of a log cabin, and a great con-
venience for cooking over the fire, was the crane. It was a bar
of iron fastened in staples in one side of the fireplace, and
movable, hung with hooks of different lengths for the use of
the kettles in cooking. The teakettle, the pot with boiled din-
ner and the beans were easily hung over the log fire, while
with a long shovel coals were drawn out from under the fore-
stick and put on the hearth for the oven to bake the bread.

Many a family have enjoyed a supper of mush and milk,
sitting around the family table with bowls for the father and
mother and tin cups and iron spoons for the children. The
best mush was made from the corn, grated on a tin grater, be-
fore the corn was quite hard enough to shell. This was sifted,
and carefully dropped by one hand into the water boiling in the
kettle over the fire, while the other hand stirred it in ; it had
to be stirred all the while the meal was passing from the other
hand to avoid lumps, and the boiling continued during the
process. The salt was put in the water first.

To make bread, mills were necessary, and the pioneers used
hand-mills for crushing corn and wheat. In 1791, a floating
mill was built at Marietta. It required swift water to run this
mill, which was operated in the Ohio river not far from the
island now known as Blannerhasset, and ground wheat for the
inhabitants for many miles distant during the Indian War.
Many canoe loads of grain were brought from Graham's Sta-
tion, Point Pleasant and Gallipolis. After Indian hostilities
had ceased, the mill broke loose from its moorings and floated
down the Ohio river some sixty miles, when the chain cable

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118 Pioneer History of Meigs County

got entangled in a rock and retained it. Some French settlers
from Gallipolis bought it, and it was kept at Letart Falls, as
the swift current there could run the mill. The first name we
have been able to obtain as miller at Letart was George Burns,
but it is probable he was preceded by some man whose name
is not recorded

In 1798, a floating mill was built by Col. Devol, the second
one by Col. Devol and Mr. Greene, which was on the Mus-
kingum river several miles above Marietta, which did all the
grinding for the inhabitants on the Ohio and Muskingum rivers
for fifty miles above and below the mill. This mill is referred
to by Mr. Luther Heacox in his histpry of Olive township, and
also by Mrs. Dolly Knight in her paper giving a history of
Chester. ' • ? ' .!. i

In 1806, a saw and grist mill was built on Leading creek by
Brewster Higley, James E. Phelps and Joel Higley, Jr.
Asa Daine was the millwright The mill was known after-
wards by the names of different owners, as Higley's mill, Bing-
ham's mill and others. Several miles farther up Leading creek
was the grist mill built by Samuel Denny in 1803. A saw mill
was added subsequently, and this mill stood about twenty
years. A log mill was built on the middle fork of Shade river
by Levi Stedman about 1808, the first mill in that locality, and
he used hand millstones obtained from Mr. Trueman Heacox
until proper millstones could be provided.

In 1815, Thomas Rairdon built a grist mill at Long Bottom.
Samuel Grant took charge of the Stedman mill at Chester in
1820, and rebuilt it, although Levi Stedman had supplanted
the log mill by a frame one ; still it was a water mill, needing
new machinery.

Sloper's mill on Shade river farther down the stream than
Chester was noted for making flour that would "raise" salt-
rising bread, however dark.

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'«^'''l«^iSrl

'^"■'^^^iasj

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 119

Cross' mill on Bowman's run was far in advance of other
mills in turning out good flour. This was a water mill, dating
1839.

Joseph D. Plummer and his wife Dorothy came from New-
buryport, Massachusetts, to Rutland, Ohio, having spent sev-
eral months at Marietta, in the spring of 1817. He bought of
Eli Stedman the southwest corner of Congress Section No. 8,
where he resided until his death, October 16th, 1852, aged 81
years and 3 months.

Mrs. Dorothy Plummer died December 9th, 1854, aged 79
years 3 months.

Their children were two sons and five daughters. The
eldest son Ebenezer took the lead in business. He was influ-
ential in the building of the Presbyterian Church, the first
church of that denomination in the township of Rutland, in
1820. Mr. Eben Plummer was a singer and led the singing in
that church. After his marriage he took care of his parents for
a few years, when he sold to his brother, Herriman Plummer,
and moved to some Western State.

Herriman Plummer married Lucinda Stout, daughter of
Benjamin Stout, who died, leaving quite a family of children,
after some years. For his second wife, Mr. Plummer married
Miss Rebecca Mauck, of Gallia county, and spent a few of his
last years in that county. He was a man of great industry,
and besides farming, he engaged in building boats, and in the
salt business.

Herriman Plummer was born April 6th, 1802, and died May
31st, 1894, at the age of 92 years and 25 days.

Hannah Plummer, the oldest daughter of Joseph and
Dorothy Plummer, was married to Jacob Rice, of Marietta.
They had one son, Henry Rice, who lived on a part of the "old
Plummer farm," and where he died in 1859, aged 36 years.

Melinda Plummer was married to John C. Bestow, of Ches-
ter, had two sons, Joseph and Henry. Mr. Bestow married for

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120 Pioneer History of Meigs County

his first wife a daughter of Levi Stedman, who died leaving one
son, Levi S. Bestow.

The second wife died in a few years after marriage.

Harriet Plummer was married to Robert McElhenney, of
Middleport, and died November 18th, 1855.

Sarah Plummer was the wife of Lewis Nye, of Pomeroy,
where he was engaged in the milling business, but after a few
years moved to Illinois, where they both died.

Eliza Plummer, the youngest daughter, never married. She
died November 20th, 1873, aged 26 years.

John McVey died in Salem township, February 1st, 1885,
aged 94 years.

Allen Sayles came to Rutland in 1819, and died there in
1838. Mrs. Sayles died July 18th, 1851.

Mrs. Noah Smith had three daughters. Nancy, married to
Capt. Jesse Hubbell, of Rutland. Jennie became Mrs. Maples,
and Theresa Smith was married to Eliazer Barker, who was
drowned in Leading creek in June, 1813. She afterwards mar-
ried Laundres Grant.

In the fall of 1816 two brothers, Josiah and Robert Simpson,
came from Penobscot, Maine, to Rutland, Ohio. Josiah bought
the northwest corner of Section No. 8, Congress land, and
moved his family into a house on the premises. They had a
large family. Josiah Simpson, Jr., married Theresa Higley,
and had two daughters — Mary, Mrs. Thomas Kirker, and
Adaline, Mrs. Samuel Higley.

Josiah Simpson, Sr., died February 18th, 1837, in his sev-
enty-seventh year, and his wife died in 1840, aged sixty-four
years.

Josiah Simpson, Jr., died April 12th, 1874, and his wife
Theresa died in 1862. He had married a second wife in De-

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 121

cember, 1864, a widow, Mrs. Dixon, of Albany, Athens county.
Her first husband was Dr. Joseph Dixon, and they had two
daughters, one of whom died unmarried. The other is Mrs.
John Bradford. Mrs. Simpson died in 1890 (?).

Nathan Simpson was the second son of Josiah Simpson, Sr.,
born May 20th, 1812. He married Miss Liva Nye, daughter
of George Nye, of Athens county, Ohio, who died June 11th,
1845, aged thirty-three years and twenty-two days. Nathan
Simpson and his wife Liva had one son and two daughters.
The son, G. Perry Simpson, became a lawyer and married a
daughter of Mrs. Kennedy, of Salem township, and settled in
Point Pleasant, W. Va., and practiced his profession while he
lived. His daughter. Miss Liva N. Simpson, was proprietor
and editor of the Point Pleasant Gazette some years before
her marriage.

Two daughters of Nathan Simpson were Rosantha, who
died young, and Mandana, who was married to Alvin Bing-
ham, of Rutland. They lived in Middleport several years,
then moved to Missouri, and afterwards they went to Iron-
ville, near Toledo, Ohio, where two of their sons were in busi-
ness. Mrs. Mandana Bingham died there in 1896.

The daughters of Josiah Simpson, Sr., were Eliza, Mrs.
Ransom Harding; Nancy Simpson, became Mrs. Wheatley,
of Indiana; Mary Simpson, Mrs. Simms; Betsy, the second
wife of Ethan Cowdery, lived on Shade river ; Ruth, Mrs. Dr.
Abel Phelps, of Pomeroy, Ohio; Lydia, Mrs. Pullens; Susan
Simpson, Mrs. Willis. There was one son, John Simpson,
who died in early manhood.

Nathan Simpson married for his second wife Miss Nancy
Hendry. He was an associate judge, in Meigs county six
years ; later filled the office of prosecuting attorney with abil-
ity and public approval.

Robert Simpson bought the northeast corner of Congress
Section No. 26 in Rutland township, 160 acres. He sold this
farm in a few years and purchased a fine tract of land near

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122 Pioneer History of Meigs County

Harrisonvllle, in Scipio township, where he and his wife spent
their remaining days. Robert Simpson, Jr., succeeded his
father in the possession of the homestead. The daughters of
Robert Simpson, Sr., were : Maria, Mrs. EUsha Hubbell Bene-
dict; they moved to Kansas in 1856, and Mrs. Benedict died
there. Emily Simpson, the wife of Lucius Bingham, of Rut-
land, Ohio; Sarah Ann Simpson was married to Jeremiah
Carpenter, of Columbia township and became the mother of
a distinguished family; she died in 1887, aged eighty years and
four months.

Amos Carpenter, Sr., came from Virginia at an early period
and settled in Rutland township. About 1818 he sold his farm
there and bought a valuable tract of land in Columbia town-
ship. Mrs. Carpenter's name was McLaughlin. They spent
their last days on this farm, leaving a fine estate to their chil-
dren,

i
John Newell and family came from Massachusetts in 1816
to Fairfield county, Ohio. He had bought land in Bedford
township, Meigs county, four miles from the nearest house,
and did not move his family to his land until 1819, after he
had cleared it and many families had settled in the neighbor-
hood. Mr. Newell was a tanner and shoemaker.

Mr. Newell died suddenly October 14th, 1839. Mrs. Newell
died in 1871. They had a large family of sons and daughters.
Sally was married to Silas Burnap and was the mother of
Silas Asa Burnap, captain of an Ohio battery in the Civil War.
Harriet became the wife of Milton Walker, moved to Illinois ;
both died. Dolly Newell married Benjamin Knight, of Ches-
ter, who was a justice of the peace for twenty years ; he died
February 16th, 1872. Rebecca Newell married Quartus Bridge-
man, of Syracuse, who died in the forties, leaving a family of
six children — four sons and two daughters.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 123

The Newell sons: Alonzo, who married Fanny Dyke and
moved to Oregon, where they both died. Franklin Newell
moved to the South, married and then died there. His son,
Samuel Newell married Almira Knight, and their son is editor
and proprietor of a newspaper in Ravenswood, W. Va. The
third generation of the Newell family were all first class citi-
zens in Meigs county. Mrs. Rebecca Bridgeman lost two sons
in the war for the Union, Emory and Austin Bridgeman, who
perished on that ill-fated steamboat. Sultana, at Vicksburg,
Miss. Zelda Bridgeman married John Blair, superintendent
of the Syracuse Coal and Salt Works, Meigs county. They
are both dead.

Lonnis H. Bridgeman married Artemesia Young, of Racine.
He was connected with the Syracuse Coal and Salt Company
for many years and superintendent of the works after the
resignation of Mr. John Blair. Mr. Lonnis H. Bridgeman has
ever been an earnest and successful superintendent of the
Methodist Sunday school in Syracuse and in later years super-
intendent of the district of the State Sunday School Union.

Quartus Bridgeman married Jessie McElroy, daughter of
Captain J. C. McElroy, and occupied the homestead, his
mother remaining there until her death. He is identified with
the best interests of the town and a worker in the Methodist
church and Sunday school.

Melinda Bridgeman died some years ago, the youngest
child, unmarried.

Rev. Eli Stedman was born in Tunbridge, Vt., August 17th,
1777, and was married to Polly Gates, December 5th, 1798.
She was born February 19th, 1778. They came to Ohio in
1804, locating in Belpre, Washington county, but removed to
Leading creek in 1805. He was a preacher of the Free Will
Baptist denomination.

Mary Stedman, daughter of Eli Stedman and wife, was bom
June 16th, 1805, and was married to Abner Stout, of Chester,

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124 Pioneer History of Meigs CouNrv

February 27th, 1825. Mr. Abner Stout died August 28th,
1875, and Mrs. Mary Stout died May 30th, 1882. They were
both estimable people and highly respected in the community.

Auralia Stedman was a daughter of Eli Stedman and wife,
and was born June 22d, 1815, in Rutland, Ohio. She was
married to Mr. Branch, of Chester, who died, leaving her a
widow with two children. Afterwards Mrs. Branch was mar-
ried to Mr. Bartlett Paine, of Rutland. She died May 27th,
1889, aged nearly seventy-four years.

Alexander Stedman, son of Eli Stedman, was born in 1800
and died in Minnesota in 1869.

Elihu Stedman was the youngest child of Eli Stedman and
wife. He married Adaline Elliott, daughter of Simeon Elliott,
Esq., and a sister of Rev. Madison Elliott, at one time prin-
cipal of the Chester Academy. Elihu Stedman lived in Middle-
port many years, but moved to Iowa. Both are dead.

Captain Jesse Hubbell was born Septeniber 25th, 1788, in
Cooperstown, N. Y., founded by the father of James Fenni-
more Cooper, the novelist. He served an apprenticeship to
the tanning business. In 1808 he came to Rutland, Ohio,
where for a long series of years he followed his trade. He was
a soldier in the War of 1812, serving under General W. H.
Harrison, and was familiarly called Captain Hubbell on ac-
count of the years spent in military service. He was justice
of the peace six years and one of the trustees of Rutland town-
ship eighteen years. He married Nancy Smith, a daughter of
Noah Smith and his wife. They had two daughters, Lurinda
Hubbell was the wife of Curtis Larkin, who died about
1847 ; Sarah Hubbell, who was married to John Easterday.

Captain Jesse Hubbell died October 17th, 1874, aged eighty-
six years.

Seneca Haight was born in Washington, Dutchess county,
N. Y. He came to Rutland, Ohio, in 1835. He held several
offices of trust — as township clerk two years, commissioner

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 126

one term and justice of the peace nine years. He had two
daughters. Phebe Ann Haight was married to James Wil-
liamson, of Buffington Island; died in the eighties. Mary
Haight was the wife of William Skirvin. Both are dead.

Mr. Seneca Haight died November 23rd, 1855, aged fifty-
nine years.

Stephen Titus was born in Dutchess county, N. Y., June
20th, 1796, and moved to Meigs county in 1833, and was mar-
ried to Margarhetta Lois Nye, daughter of Melzar Nye, of
Leading creek, December 18th, 1836. He was an active, ener-
getic citizen. He represented this county in the Legislature
in 1840-41. He was president of the Meigs County Agricul-
tural Society and was president of that society six of the first
years of its organization. He died at his residence in Rutland
September 13th, 1871, aged seventy-five years, universally
respected and lamented. They had four children, Samuel,
Phebe, Margaret and George.

Mrs. Stephen Titus was no ordinary woman. With a per-
fect physique, fine mental equipment, a thoroughly decided
moral attitude for country and for God, she was a "perfect
woman, nobly planned." She was a member of the Presby-
terian Church in Rutland for seventy-seven years; also a mem-
ber of the Pioneer Association of Meigs county. She died
October 31st, 1907, aged ninety-two years and two months.
Her home was with her son, George Titus, in the old home-
stead. He is quite a prominent farmer; was sheriff of the
county one or two terms.

Major Samuel Titus was a soldier in the Civil War and lost
an arm. Margaret died in January, 1902. Phebe, Mrs. Glea-
son, lives in Kansas.

Melzar Nye purchased land from Ebenezer Nye in 1809, situ-
ated below the mouth of Leading creek, but did not make a
home there until 1826, when he came to Meigs county with
his family. There were five daughters and one son, Melzar

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126 Pioneer History of Meigs County

Nye, Jr. The daughters: Sarah became the wife of Lewis
Maguet, of Gallipolis. Margarhetta was married to Stephen
Titus and lived in Meigs county. Mary Nye was married
twice; first husband, Nicholas Titus, and after his death the
second husband was James Brown.

Alvira Nye and Almira were twin sisters. Alvira was Mrs.
Thomas Fessler and lived on the Nye farm, where Mr. Fessler
died. Almira Nye was married to Mr. Gates, of Gallia county.
Melzar Nye, Jr., moved to Mississippi. Prominent members
of the community while in Meigs county. All are gone.

Lewis Nye entered land in 1809. Nial Nye, Sr., lived at the
mouth of Kerr's run, before Meigs county was organized.
He had a family of sons and daughters. The sons: Lewis,
Rodolcue, Milton, Buckingham, Edward and Henry. He had
a store, and a postoffice called Nyesville, of which Mr. Nye
was the postmaster ; a boat landing for receiving and shipping
goods to Chester and other places ; a sawmill that was in op-
eration many years. Lewis Nye and Aaron Murdoch were
successors of Haven & Stackpole in the steam flouring mill ;
later Lewis Nye moved west. Milton Nye went to a Western
State. Rodolcue lived and died in Meigs county. Edward
Nye died. His two sons are prosperous business men in
Pomeroy.

Murrain. — One of the greatest difficulties with which the
early settlers had to contend was a disease affecting cattle,
and causing much loss, was known as murrain. There were
two kinds ; one called dry murrain was the most prevalent, in
which the manifolds became fevery and dry, and stopped all
natural passages. The animal would linger a few days in
great distress and die.

The other form was called bloody murrain and consisted of
internal hemorrhages that generally proved fatal.

Many remedies were tried with little success. The mur-
rain gradually disappeared after 1820.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 127

Abel Larkin was unable to raise a yoke of oxen before that
time without at least one of them dying with murrain.

It is said that Daniel Rathburn lost eighteen head of cattle
in one season with murrain.

William Parker came to Rutland in 1804, and built a cabin,
and in 1805 moved his family from Marietta, bringing with
him three yoke of oxen, and the nigh ox out of each yoke,
died of murrain. Good steers were the only property com-
manding cash in those days. Drovers would buy them at a
low rate and drive them on foot to the eastern markets. They
were not bought by weight, but by the head, according to
terms agreed upon by the parties.

Another singular and disagreeable disease, though not fatal,
was that of slabbers in horses. They would stand, while a copi-
ous flow of saliva would issue from the mouth until puddles of
water would collect at their feet. The horse would become thin
in flesh, and his strength be greatly diminished. The disorder
came immediately after the introduction of the white clover,
and the cultivation of the grape. Many causes were assigned by
different persons as the cause of the disorder, but it is uncer-
tain if any one discovered the real source of the trouble. It
continued many years and affected other kinds of stock, but
gradually disappeared from the country.

HISTORY OF THE CICADA, OR SEVENTEEN- YEAR

LOCUST.

After the first settlement on Leading creek, in the year 1812,
the cicada made their appearance and periodically in seven-
teen years subsequently, as in 1812, 1829, 1846 and 1880. There
seemed to be districts or locations where the locusts were seen
in great numbers in these seventeen-year dates. The east and
west lines between these two districts crossed the Ohio river
near the mouth of Old Town creek, thence back into West
\2l%inia at or near Racine, Ohio, and back into Ohio at Silver

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128 Pioneer History of Meigs County

run, passing north of Cheshire in Gallia county and moving
on to Scioto county. There is a curiosity about the line of the
two districts that they continued nearly straight without re-
gard to the crooked Ohio river. They made their first ap-
pearance from the 15th to the 20th of May, according to
warmth or coolness of the season, and remained about forty-
five days before they all disappeared. The males belong to
the "drum corps," while the fenf^le pierces the small twigs
and limbs of trees and deposits her eggs. These in due time
fall upon the earth, where they remain for another period of
seventeen years, to mature their grolvth for a few days' work
in the sunshine, which seems necessary to continue the ex-
istence of their species.

These cicada were destructive to young orchards as well as
other green and growing shrubs. A gentleman in Lebanon
township had an orchard of choice variety of apples, and hear-
ing of these "seventeen-year locusts" just coming into notice,
turned his flock of a hundred geese into his orchard who, de-
vouring the pests as they came up from the ground, protected
and preserved his fruit trees from any damage.

When the first settlers came to Ohio they found great num-
bers of wild turkeys, a large bird seen in flocks in the woods,
but harmless in every way. In the fall of the year men of the
settlement caught them in pens built of rails from a fence near
by, and generally placed on a side hill, and were about three
feet high, and covered with rails. Then a low place dug at
the lower side of the pen, and extending under, just large
enough for a turkey to enter, would be strewed with a little
shelled corn, leading into the pen where more corn would be
scattered inside. The turkey eating followed the trail into
the pen, and one after another all would go in. When they
wanted to go out, their heads would be up, never looking
down at the entrance hole. A man with a club would go in,
even where the turkeys did, and kill all, or as many as he

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 129

desired. The meat was fine, and frequently a very large fowl
would be with the flock, so that they furnished many a good
dinner for an emigrant's family. The feathers were not elastic
or fluffy, though some attempts were made to use them for
beds and pillows, while the wings and tail feathers were
serviceable for fans and dusters.

The pheasant and quail remained here all the year, but crows
and blackbirds seen in large numbers in the spring and sum-
mer, migrated in the fall. The wild pigeons passed over in
vast numbers when going north or south, in the early or late
season. Large flocks would sometimes tarry for a while in
the fall and select a roosting place, where might be seen
pigeons coming from every direction to stay all night. Men
would sometimes visit those roosts at night and capture many
birds, which were used for food.

The wild goose was often seen by the early settlers, on
their yearly migration from the lakes and swamps of the
South to the lakes and swamps of the North, fleeing the ap-
proach of cold weather in each case. They moved in large
flocks, with a leader to direct their course, following in a
closed-up column in a triangular shape obeying the com-
mand — a singular "honk," uttered by the leader. Southern
Ohio was neutral ground, as none stopped, except a few that
by weakness or some unknown reason strayed from the com-
pany.

The crane was a very large bird, not numerous, though fre-
quently seen in warm weather.

The large owl remained in this climate during the year, and
the small owl — "screech owl" — ^were noted for their habits of
taking chickens from the roosts at night. The large owl made
a peculiar "hoot" at nightfall.

The hawk was another invader of the domestic fowls, in
broad daylight swooping down on a brood of young chickens
and seizing one in bis talons, fly away frgm the distracted

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130 Pioneer History of Meigs County

mother hen, and only to be halted by the unerring aim of the
rifle-man.

It IS not certain when bees were discovered by the first emi-
grants. The hunters were men with strong eyes so that they
could see a bee in flight, and follow it to the tree where the
honey was made and stored, and chopping down the tree to
secure the honey was the sweet reward of the hunters' sight
and patience. Hollow gums were used for domesticating bees,
and some farmers made hives with ropes of straw, sewed to-
gether so as to form a conical shaped hive for bees. Boxes
were made afterwards for the same purpose, until the bee moth
became so destructive that other kinds of hives were invented
and patented for the protection and raising of bees.

Few of the first settlers in Rutland were hunters and did not
use guns. Many of the New England men, also those from
New York, were carpenters, and a few were millwrights. The
first thing to use was an ax, then something to draw wood. If
by oxen, a yoke with a ring in it, to which a hook in a chain
lengthened out to fasten around the end of a log securely to
draw to the place desired.

If horses were used, then ropes or strips of rawhide were fas-
tened to wooden hames, which served as collars. Sleds were
first used, then carts, but wagons were not in general use for
many years, except by some wealthy farmers. In the house,
the woman was furnished with a split brush broom. These
brooms were made of a hickory pole by cutting and peeling
down with a knife splits from the end to make the broom. The
broom corn of later years was not known in those early days.
A chest served for a table till some mill was started and boards
were available, so that cross-legged tables were made and
shelves placed upon pins driven into the logs. A few spiders
and pots to cook with and pewter plates to eat from completed
the assortment. Some families had provided themselves with

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 131

home conveniences by bringing things needful from their for-
mer homesteads, but the majority of those first settlers had
come from long distances, poorly equipped for traveling or for
even camp life for a while. Good housewives who had brought
pewter plates from "away back east" could not give them up
without protest to the daughter's innovation of a lot of porce-
lain ware. It was claimed that the knives would all be dull if
used on such plates.

Mr. Daniel Rathburn, who was a carpenter, built a frame
barn without nails. He put everything together with wooden
pins. This was the first frame barn erected on Leading creek.

Wheat was cut with sickles and threshed with flails, and the
grain winnowed by a sheet held by two men, who employed
the wind and their united force to clear the chaff from the
grain.

SALT.

In giving an account of this indispensable article I will in-
troduce an extract from the life of Griffin Green, by S. P. Hil-
dreth. "In 1794, when salt was worth from $6 to $8 a bushel,
he projected an expedition into the Indian country near the
Scioto river for the discovery of the salt springs said to be
worked by the savages near the present town of Jackson. At
the hazard of his life and all those with him, ten or twelve in
number, he succeeded in finding the saline water and boiled
some of it down on the spot in their camp kettle, making about
a tablespoonful of salt. While here he narrowly escaped death
from the rifle of an Indian who discovered them, unobserved by
the party. After peace was concluded, this warrior related the
circumstance of his raising his rifle twice to fire at a tall man
who had a tin cup strung to his girdle on his loins and who
was known to be Mr. Green. As he might miss his object,
being a long shot, and be killed himself, he desisted and hur-
ried back to the Indian village below the present town of Chil-
Hcothe for aid. A party of twenty warriors turned out in pur-

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132 Pioneer History of Meigs County

suit and came on to the bank of the Ohio at Leading creek a
few minutes after the whites had left it with their boat and
were in the middle of the river. They were seen by the men
in the boat, who felt how narrowly and providentially they had
escaped."

The first settlers here got their salt from these Scioto salt
works. The writer remembers hearing his father tell of taking
a horse and pack saddle and going to the "Scioto Licks," as
they were then called, and working a week for a sack of salt.
His business was drawing salt water by means of a hand pole
affixed to a sweep above. After receiving his wages, put his
salt on the pack saddle and made his way home. Those salt
works were under the superintendency of a state officer, and
by a law passed January 24th, 1804, renters had to pay a tax
of 4 cents per gallon on the capacity of the kettle used in
making salt, provided always that no person or company shall
under any pretense whatever be permitted to use at any time a
greater number of kettles or vessels than will contain 4000 gal-
lons, nor a less number in any one furnace than 600 gallons.
After the salt works on the Kanawha were started the people
here depended on Kanawha for salt, and for many years it was
a place of considerable trade. Young men, on coming of age,
went to Kanawha to chop wood or tend kettles when they
wished to obtain a little money. It was hardly. expected to get
money at any other place, and salt seemed to be the medium
by which trade was conducted.

Keelboats were used as a means of transportation, and ship-
ments were made by them of salt to Marietta, Pittsburg and
the lower Ohio. In order to give some knowledge of the origin
and progress of the Kanawha salt business, we append a letter
which appeared in the Niles Register, Baltimore, Md., in April,
1815, and we copy from the Meigs County Telegraph, April,
1884.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 133

Kanawha Salt Works.

At the first settlement of this place there was a great "buffalo
lick," as it was called, was discovered where some weak salt
water oozed out of the bank of the river. After some time the
inhabitants sunk hollow gums into the sand and gravel at that
place, into which the water collected, but it was so weak that,
although sufficient quantities might be collected, not more
than two to four bushels were made in a day. After the prop-
erty came into the possession of my brother, Joseph Ruffner,
and myself (by divisee), we were desirous to see the effect of
sinking large sycamore gums as low down as we could force
them. We found great difficulty in this on account of the
water coming in so rapidly. When we got down about eight-
een feet below the surface of the river we discovered that our
gums lodged on a solid, smooth freestone rock, and the water
was but little improved as we descended. We then bored a
hole in the rock about 2^ inches in diameter, the size generally
used subsequently for that purpose. After penetrating the
rock eighteen or twenty feet, we struck a vein of water saltier
than had been attained in this place before. Our neighbors
followed our example and succeeded in obtaining good salt
water in the distance of 2^ miles below and four miles above
us on the river. They all have to sink the gums about eighteen
feet to the rock, into which they bore a hole from 100 to 200
feet deep. The rock is never perforated, though the water
seeps into the holes in soft or porous places. The cost of bor-
ing was from $3 to $4 a foot. The first water that is struck in
the augur hole is fresh, or an inferior quality of salt water,
which is excluded by means of copper or tin tubes put down
into the augur hole and secured so that none of the water that
comes in above the lower end of the tube can discharge itself
into the gum, which has a bottom put into it immediately upon
the rock, and is secured in such a manner that no water can
get into the tube except that which comes up through the tube

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134 Pioneer History of Meigs County

from below. The water thus gathered in the gum rises about
as high as the surface of the river at high water mark, and it
requires from seventy to 100 gallons of it to make a bushel of
salt. Each well produced on an average a sufficient quantity
of water to make 300 bushels of salt per day. There are now
established and in operation fifty-two furnaces, and more are
being erected, containing from forty to sixty kettles of thirty-
five gallons each, which make from 2500 to 3000 bushels of
salt per day. The quantity may be increased as the demand
shall justify. The wood in the course of time must become
scarce or difficult to obtain, but we have stone coal that can
be used for fuel, and the supply is inexhaustible. These works
are situated six miles above Charleston, Kanawha Courthouse,
sixty-six miles from the mouth of the river and twenty-six
miles below the great falls. The river is navigable, with a gen-
tle current, at all seasons of the year for boats drawing two
feet of water, and at most seasons for boats of any size.
Your obedient, humble servant, David Ruffner.

Kanawha Salt Works, November 8th, 1814.

It appears from old account books that salt rated as high as
$2 per bushel in Rutland township as late as 1820. The first
salt water seen on Leading creek was a small pond of reddish
water, which in dry weather cattle would visit for drink, the
place being near the channel of the creek, about a quarter of a
mile below the old Denny mill, in a bend of Leading creek. In
1820 several of the neighbors brought in their kettles and set
them on a kind of furnace and made of that water one bushel
of salt. After which a company was formed consisting of Ben-
jamin Stout, Caleb Gardner, Thomas Shepherd and Michael
Aleshire, who bored a well and erected a furnace and com-
menced making salt in 1822, when Benjamin Stout bought out
the other parties.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 135

In 1822 Abijah Hubbell and his son, Jabez Hubbell, and
Barsley Hubbell bored a salt well above the Stout well and a
furnace set for making salt in 1824.

Ruel Braley manufactured salt at his works, five miles above
on Leading creek, in 1830.

The Bradford and Stedman's furnace was located about five
miles below the Stout well in 1830 or 1831.

Still further down the creek Theophilus Jacobs operated a
furnace for a few years with a great deal of energy.

Near the mouth of Thomas Fork Herriman Plummer bored
a well and made salt in 1831.

Two other salt wells had been previously attempted in Rut-
land township, but failed to obtain salt water. One was bored
by Joseph Giles, Sr., and the other one was by Samuel Church
in 1822, which resulted in the discovery of a heavy lubricating
oil, the true value of which was not understood and very little
attention was paid to it.

After the Rutland furnaces began to make 200 bushels of
salt per week the prices came down to 50 cents a bushel. After
salt was made in large quantities along the Ohio river the
works on the creek became unprofitable, and the manufacture
of salt was discontinued.

In 1810 Joseph Vining and his brother, Joshua Vining, came
with their families from Hartford, Conn., and settled in Rut-
land township, near the later residence of John B. Bradford.
Timothy Vining, a son of Joseph Vining, was born in Hart-
ford July 24th, 1805. Joseph Vining died at the age of ninety-
one years, and his wife near ninety years.

Timothy Vining married Sina Jones, daughter of Charles
Jones, and they had a large family — six sons and three daugh-
ters. The six sons were all soldiers for their country. Mr.
Vining died at the age of eighty-seven years ten months and
twenty-eight days on May 23rd, 1893.

Mrs. Sina Vining died at the age of eighty-four years.

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136 Pioneer History of Meigs County

Mrs. Jane Jones, nee McDaniel, was born and brought up
in the Shenandoah valley, Virginia, until she was fifteen years
old, when she came to Ohio. When twenty-four years of age
she was married to Elijah Jones, of Salisbury township. They
had a family of sons and daughters.

Mrs. Jones had belonged to the Christian Church for more
than fifty years. She died May 29th, 1893, at the age of eighty-
four years, seven months and nineteen days, and was buried in
the Bradford graveyard.

Abraham Winn moved with family from New York to
Canada and from there to Rutland in 1816, and bought a farm
on Section 17, where he lived until his death, in 1835, at the
age of sixty-four years. He left a widow and several children.
Mrs. Winn died in 1860, aged eighty-six years. The children
were: Joseph Winn, Sally, Mrs. Joseph Howell; Jacob Arm-
strong Winn, Fanny Winn, Mrs. Charles Nobles; Jonathan
Winn, Lydia Winn, Mrs. Alexander Stedman; John Winn
lived and died in Albany, Athens county, aged eighty-three
years; William Winn went to Illinois, Nancy Winn, Mrs.
Daniel Skinner.

Asahel Skinner and family moved from Maine to Rutland,
Ohio, June, 1817. Mr. Skinner's first wife was Phoebe Gould,
who died in September, 1817. Two of their children remained
in the East ; the others were : Daniel Skinner, a miller in the
southeast part of Rutland; Alona, Mrs. William McKee; Jo-
seph, Joel and William Skinner, Olive, Mrs. John Chase;
Isaac Skinner, Edna, Mrs. Hiram Chase; Phebe, Mrs. Wil-
liam Hartinger; Asahel Skinner, David Skinner and Lucinda
Skinner.

Asahel Skinner married for his second wife Jane, the daugh-
ter of Thomas Everton. Their children were : Lucinda, Mrs.
Dr. Clark Rathburn; Elizabeth, Mrs. Alexander Hogue; Cal-
vin, Marinda, Mrs. Metcalf; Samantha, Thomas, Isaac Skin-
ner. Twenty-two children of Asahel Skinner's family.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 137

Daniel Skinner was born in Corinth, Me., in 1801, and
moved with his father, Asahel Skinner,. to Rutland in May,
1817. He was constable one year and township trustee sevefi
years. He had a numerous family. His death occurred in
1844.

Thomas Everton came from Maine in 1800 to Rutland, Ohio ;
bought land and made a home for his family. He was a mem-
ber of the Regular Baptist Church and was familiarly known
as "Deacon" Everton. His children were: Betsy, Mrs. Ben-
jamin Richardson — ^first wife ; Ebenezer Everton, Relief, Mrs.
Edwards; Thomas Everton, Jr., Polly, Mrs. Stone; Benjamin
Everton, Nancy, Mrs. Jesse W. Stevens; Sally, Mrs. Charles
Richardson.

Mrs. Lucinda Pendegrass was born in Conway county,
Mass., August 14th, 1793, and was married to Daniel Childs
April 29th, 1813. They had a family of nine children. They
came to Ohio in 1835. Mr. Childs died September 21st, 1846.
Later, Mrs. Childs was married to Benjamin Richardson in
1848. He died in April, 1852. She lived a widow nearly forty
years and departed this life on June 12th, 1892, aged ninety-
seven years, nine months and twenty-eight days. She had led
a most exemplary life, a devoted follower of her Lord. The
Bible was her companion, with a remarkable memory. She
read it through thirty-six times in thirty-six years. She was a
member of the Baptist Church in Pomeroy at the time of her
death.

i
John Sylvester came from Maine and located in Rutland.

He married his second wife, who was a widow of Henry

Filkin. They had two children, Sarah and William. John

Sylvester was a son of the first wife, and John Sylvester, Jr.,

was a grandson of Joseph Sylvester and was noted for his

great strength and his skill in wrestling.

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138 Pioneer History of Meigs County

Joseph Giles lived in Rutland and followed the blacksmith
business. He married Elizabeth Townsend in September,
1822. She was born in Kennebec county. Me., March 26th,
1803, and came to Scipio, Meigs county, in 1816.

Mr. Giles died in Rutland in 1873. Mrs. Joseph Giles died in
Middleport, February 18th, 1887, aged eighty-three years, ten
months.

Lemuel Powell was born near Steubenville, Ohio, March
28th, 1814. He was married twice, first to Nancy Sook, and
his second wife was Miss Osca Elizabeth Tingley, from near
Cincinnati. Mr. Powell died January 9th, 1894, aged nearly
eighty years.

Aaron Torrence was born in Allegheny county. Pa., July
5th, 1792, and came to Meigs county in 1809. He was married
to Lucy Hussey in 1823. She died in 1872. They had a family
of seven children, and had been married forty-nine years. Mr.
Torrence married a second wife in 1873, Mrs. Rachel Horton.
He was a soldier in the War of 1812 and fought the British at
New Orleans. He lived a conscientious Christian life, a mem-
ber of the Methodist Church, and died at Bald Knobs, July
18th, 1884, aged ninety-two years and thirteen days.

Whittemore Reed was brought from New Hampshire in
1798, a child, to Orange township, by his mother. He married
Miss Stout and had a family of five sons — Darius, Aaron,
Whittemore, Jr., Enos and Sardine. Darius Reed married
Miss Curtis, of Washington county, and engaged in the drug
business in Pomeroy. They had a family — Curtis Reed, a
druggist; William Reed, banker, and Helen, the wife of Rev.
Thomas Turnbull. All of these families live in Pomeroy.
Darius Reed and his wife are dead. Aaron Reed married and
settled in Orange, a farmer. Whittemore, Jr., married Miss
Young and moved to Clermont county, a farmer. Enos Reed

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 139

was married twice, first to Miss Curtis, and the second wife
was Miss Ann Maria Seely. He was a druggist in Portsmouth,
Ohio, but later went to farming. Sardine Reed graduated from
West Point with first honors and bright prospects, married,
and died in six months.

SAMUEL DOWNING.

Samuel Downing came from Waterville, Me., in 1815. He
came overland to Pittsburg and then floated down the Ohio
river on a raft or flatboat to Gallipolis, Ohio. In February,
1818, he removed to Scipio township, Meigs county, where
he purchased land and opened a valuable farm. He was a sur-
veyor and a justice of the peace for many years. He was an
infidel in belief, until in later life he became a zealous Metho-
dist. When Meigs county was organized, in 1819, the sheriff
and commissioners were chosen in April to serve until after
the general election in October of that year. Benjamin Stout,
sheriff ; Levi Stedman, William Alexander and Elijah Runner,
commissioners. At the October election in 1819 the following
men were elected for commissioners by drawing of lots. It
was determined that William Alexander should serve one
year, Philip Jones two years and Samuel Downing three years.
Mrs. Downing was Hannah Harding before marriage. They
had a numerous family — six sons and one daughter. Accord-
ing to their ages, they were: Samuel, Jr., George, Rodney,
Franklin, Hollis, Harrison and Hannah, the youngest child.
Samuel Downing, Jr., died when quite a young man. George
Downing was born in Waterville, Me., April 2Sth, 1801.

George Downing married Harriet Chase. He was a black-
smith by trade, also a surveyor, and served many years as a
justice of the peace. In 1826 an independent company of
militia was organized, with Jesse Hubbell for captain, George
Downing as lieutenant and Oliver Grant ensign. After seven
years, the officers having served out the time of their commis-
sion, the company disbanded. He was a large, well propor-
tioned man, of great strength. He was supposed to be the

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140 Pioneer History of Meigs County

strongest man in southern Ohio. Many stories were told of
remarkable feats of lifting great weights and other exhibitions
of strength. He died July 12th, 1878, aged seventy-seven years
and three months. Mrs. Downing died March 10th, 1890.

Rodney Downing was born in Waterville, Me., November
8th, 1802, and came with his father, Samuel Downing, to Ohio.
He married Maria Black in 1825. They had two sons, Samuel,
who died young, and John B. Downing, familiarly known as
"Major" Downing. Mr. Downing and his wife became mem-
bers of the Disciples or Christian Church in 1829, under the
ministry of the Rev. James G. Mitchell. He lived in Rutland
and kept a country store and dealt largely in produce, built
flatboats and with a cargo of grain, fruit or hay sent them to
trade on the coast of the Mississippi river in the South.

Mr. Rodney Downing built a steamboat, the Gen. Harrison,
at the Stedman farm on Leading creek, in 1835, intended for
the Cincinnati and New Orleans trade. He was one of the
leading spirits in nearly every useful enterprise. He was clerk
of Meigs county Court of Common Pleas for three terms. He
removed to Middleport in 1847. Mrs. Maria Downing died
October 22nd, 1870, in her sixty-fourth year. In April, 1873,
Mr. Downing married for his second wife Lorinda Downing,
of Harding, Lake county, Ohio. He died in Middleport, De-
cember 16th, 1886, aged eighty-four years.

Franklin Downing, third son of Samuel Downing, married
Nancy Black. They were members of the Christian Church
in Rutland and led consistent lives, unostentatious, industrious,
highly esteemed in the community.

Hollis Downing was born in Maine June 16th, 1807. He
married Phebe Smith, of Middleport, with whom he lived
eighteen years, when she died. He married Jane Reed for his
second wife, after which they moved to Ripley, Ohio, in 1850.
He married again, Ellen Ross, his third wife. Hollis Downing
died December 29th, 1889, in Ripley, Ohio, aged eighty-two
years six months.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 141

Columbia Downing was born in Maine August 23, 1809, and
came with his father to Scipio township. He married Mary
Gibson in 1829. Mr. Downing held many public offices, such
as mayor of Middleport, magistrate, county commissioner and
member of the Legislature. His first wife died, and he mar-
ried Jane Smith in 1840. Columbia Downing died in Middle-
port, Ohio, July 2Sth, 1889, aged nearly eighty years. Many
friends mourned at his death.

Harrison Downing, the youngest son of Samuel Downing,
married Jane Graham, of Rutland. They moved to the West
many years ago, and Mr. Downing died in 1892.

Hannah Downing, the only daughter and youngest child,
was married to Mr. Thompson and settled in Athens county,
but afterwards moved to Pontiac, 111., where she died Febru-
ary 2nd, 1894, seventy-eight years of age. She was the last of
the old Downing family.

Aaron Thompson was born at Racine, Ohio, in 1815. He
had spent most of his life in Meigs county, but moved to
Kenova, W. Va., where he lived ten years and where he died
October 23rd, 1893. He was one of the first members of the
Meigs County Pioneer Society. He was a communicant of the
Christian Church, respected by all who knew him. He was
married twice and had a numerous family. Mrs. Thompson,
second, died at Kenova, W. Va., August, 1893.

Pleney Wheeler was born in Canada in 181S. She was mar-
ried to William B. Pennington in New Albany, Ind., Decem-
ber 31st, 1835, and moved to Middleport, Ohio, in 1847. She
was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and sus-
tained a character of piety and good works. She died in Mid-
dleport May 29th, 1892.

Alexander Von Schritz came to Salem township in 1816,
where he brought up a large family. Joseph Von Schritz was

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142 Pioneer History of Meigs County

his son, born in Salem township, and married Elizabeth Sloan.
They moved to Omega, Pike county, Ohio, in 1849.

The Von Schritz family were mostly daughters, married,
and are scattered in the country. The father, Alexander
Von Schritz, was a soldier in the War of 1812.

Joseph Townsend came from the northern part of Ohio to
the mouth of Leading creek in 1812. He was a tanner by
trade and made morocco leather. His children were: Maria,
born March 28th, 1806, and was married to Joseph Hoyt, one
of five brothers who settled in Orange township in 1813 ; Mar-
garet Townsend; Sally Townsend was married to Berriman
Baily in 1825, and lived in Rutland; John Townsend; Albert
Townsend, and Charles Townsend, a son of Albert, a blind
man, well known in Rutland, Ohio.

John McClenahan and his wife, who was a Cargill and
lineal descendant of Rev. Donald Cargill, who was executed in
1684 at the cross in Edinburgh because of his religious prin-
ciples, came from Palmer, Mass., in 1816 and settled in Ches-
ter, Meigs county. They had two children, Guy McClenahan,
who resided in Sterling Bottom for a number of years, then
removed to the great West. His sister was married to Lyman
Stedman, a son of Levi Stedman, of Chester. They had three
children, Lyman Stedman and Lucy, who was the first wife of
J. J. White, of Portland, Ohio. Mr. Stedman died in 1828, and
his widow, Samary Stedman, was married to David de Ford
in 1832, who died in 1836, leaving one child. The third hus-
band was Isaac Sherman, in 1839. They had four children.
Mr. Sherman died in 1852, and the family emigrated to Kan-
sas, finally to east Washington, where Samary McClenathan
Sherman died at the age of ninety-three years. A life that
began within sound of the Atlantic ocean and ended on the
shores of the Pacific in 1898.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 143

Stephen Smith was a native of New Jersey, but at an early
age came to Fayette county, Pa., and later, in 1823, to Meigs
county. Stephen Smith and his Wife Mary had a family of
fourteen children; Sally, Leighty, Annonijah, Firman, Wil-
liam, Josiah, John, Elizabeth, Mrs. Branch; Robert, Joseph
v., James and Isaac. Two sons died in infancy.

Stephen Smith died in 1841.

Joseph V. Smith was born in Fayette county. Pa., January
24th, 1816, and came with his parents to Meigs county in 1823.
He obtained his education in the schools of his native state
and in Meigs county after coming here. He was a plasterer
by trade, which he followed until 1854, when he was elected
sheriff of Meigs county and served two terms. In 1863 he was
appointed deputy provost marshal of the Fifth district of
Ohio, and at the same time he held the office of United States
marshal under President Lincoln. He served as deputy pro-
vost from April 1st, 1863, to April 1st, 1865, and as deputy
United States marshal until 1864. During the incumbency of
these offices he had many exciting experiences and narrow
escapes. As provost marshal he arrested ninety-seven desert-
ers from the United States army.

Mr. Smith married Rachel Hinckley, daughter of Abraham
Hinckley, who died in 1848, leaving two daughters, Marietta
and Prussia.

Mr. Joseph V. Smith married for his second wife a daughter
of Ira Foster, on January 1st, 1870. He died January 14th,
1894, aged seventy-seven years, eleven months and twenty
days. His daughter. Marietta, Mrs. Simms, died years since.
Prussia, the second daughter, married Stephen Schilling and
died in a few years.

Jesse Page came from Maine and located in Scipio township
in 1816. He had a wife and three children when he came to
Ohio. The children were: Edith Page, Mrs. Robinson;

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144 Pioneer History of Meigs County

Lydia, Mrs. Amos Stevens; Elizabeth, married a Mr. Page.
The sons were Samuel, Sargent, Reuben and John Page.

Jesse Page died in 1834.

William Stevens was born in 1767 at Cape Ann, Mass. He
came to Rutland, Ohio, ,in 1818, and settled on a farm near
Langsville. His children were : William, Jr., Jesse W. and
Rev. Amos Stevens, Sally, Mrs. Jared Gaston; Lois, Mrs.
Cowdey; Betsy, Mrs. Danforth; Eunice, Mrs. Davis; Mrs.
Loran Hovey was Harriet S. Rev. Amos Stevens married
Lydia Page. Their children : Jesse W. Stevens, A. J. W. Ste-
vens, Arion Lovejoy Stevens, Theresa, Mrs. Dyke; Sarah
Stevens, Mrs. Dudley. Rev. Amos Stevens' second wife was
Miss Anna Aleshire. Mr. William Stevens died in 1843, aged
seventy-nine years.

John Bing was born in Botetourt county, Va., November 1st,
1799, and with his parents came to Gallia county, Ohio, in 1805.
He came to Rutland in 1829, when he married a daughter of
John Entsminger. They lived in Rutland until 1869, when
they moved to Masonville, Iowa. One son, Ernest Bing, was
in the Civil War.

Robert Bradford was born March 28th, 1796, in the stockade
near Belpre, Washington county, Ohio. He was said to be a
lineal descendant of Governor Bradford of Massachusetts.
In 1822 he married Mary L. Arnold, who was born July 26th,
1798, in Rensalear county, N. Y. They came to Meigs county
in 1828. Mr. Bradford sold goods in Rutland three years, and
then became interested in the manufacture of salt. Subse-
quently retired to a farm in Salisbury township. They had a
family of sons and daughters. William Wallace Bradford and
John B. Bradford survived their parents.

Mr. Robert Bradford died December 3rd, 1875, aged seventy-
eight years, eight months and six days. Mrs. Mary L. Brad-
ford died July 29th, 1894, aged ninety-six years. They \srere
good citizens and enjoyed the respect of the community.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 145

JOSHUA GARDNER.

A synopsis of an article from the pen of Albert G. Gardner,
in which the principal statement was related to him by his
father, Joshua Gardner: "Many of the early settlers were of
Puritan stock, and thoroughly imbued with the love of liberty,
united to dauntless courage and daring to aid or rescue from
oppression any helpless fellow being. But to the story.

One morning in the early part of summer of the year 1825
a party of neighbors were at the blacksmith shop of Joseph
Giles, near New Lima, among whom was Joshua Gardner, the
father of Albert, who lived near. A horseman was seen ap-
proaching from the direction of Scipio, and as he came fully
in view it was seen that a negro woman sat on the horse with
the stranger. It was evident that she was not a willing pas-
senger on that train, so they were promptly halted. Mr. Gard-
ner demanded of the man his authority for taking the woman.
He had none. He said that "she acknowledged herself to be a
slave of the Wagners in Virginia," opposite Kerr's run in Ohio.
She had made her escape from bondage and was on her way
to Canada to join her husband, who had made the race for
freedom some time before. Thereupon Mr. Gardner told them
that he was a peace ofBcer, a town constable, and it was his
duty to prevent kidnapping as well as other crimes. Turning
to the woman, he asked her "if she wanted to go with this
man." She almost sobbed out, "No, sir." Mr. Gardner told
her to "get down and go where you please," and as an officer
of the law he would protect her. She slipped down from the
horse and started to retrace the road she came. The man
started for Virginia to inform the Wagners and to put them
on her track. Some of the party from the shop soon overtook
the woman and guided her to the house of one Crandle, a poor
man, but noble citizen, who lived in an "out of the way" place,
where she could be provided for until the search and excite-
ment should die away. The colored woman was hidden in an
old brush fence by a shelving rock and fed and well taken care

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146 Pioneer History of Meigs County

of by Mrs. Crandle and family. The Wagners were soon in the
neighborhood, scouring the country and offering rewards. On
one occasion a very poor man from the east side of the town-
ship came loitering around the premises of Crandle in search
of deer or turkey and discovered the hiding place of the wo-
man. Tempted by the reward offered, he started to inform
the slave owners, but, as little souls are apt to be ignorant,
stopped at Stephen Ralps' and told him of his plan and visions
of future wealth. As soon as he left, Ralph shouldered his
rifle and, marching through the woods, gave the alarm. Next
morning the fire had destroyed the old brush fence and effaced
all traces of its recent occupant. The Wagners concluded the
old hunter was a wilful fraud. However, the woman was
removed to the farm of Benjamin Bellows and secreted until
he had communicated with parties in Canada and ascertained
the whereabouts of the woman's husband. Mr. Bellows pre-
pared a wagon with a false bottom, or double box, into the
bottom of which he put the woman and on the top a lot of
weavers* reeds and started for Canada to sell reeds. Mr. Bel-
lows reported that he traveled one day with one of the Wag^
ners and another party who were hunting this very woman,
and that Mr. Wagner got off from his horse and helped Bel-
lows' wagon down a steep, rocky hill to keep it from turning
over, little suspecting that the object of his search was 5io
near him.

Foiled in all other points, the Wagners determined to try
the law to obtain the value of their woman chattel from Joshua
Gardner. Suit was brought in Court of Common Pleas at
Chester and came to trial by jury, which resulted in a verdict
for the plaintiffs. An appeal was taken, and the Supreme
Court held that the admissions and sayings of the woman
could not be admitted to prove her identity ; if she was a com-
petent witness she must be produced in court ; but if she was
a slave she could not be a competent witness. So the case
failed.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 147

After the trial, Judge Pease, of the Supreme Court, was
heard to say "that an action of trover for the recovery of stock
might do in Virginia, but it would not do in Ohio unless the
stock had more than two legs." M. Bosworth.

The next step was to kidnap Gardner and deal with him
according to the rules of chivalry. It was reported that twelve
men were seen on horseback in disguise for that purpose, but
they were anticipated by a force abundantly able to resist
them. There was no attack made. The expenses of this suit
and trouble consequent consumed all of Mr. Gardner's prop-
erty. He made an overland trip to California and obtained
money sufficient to buy a comfortable home in Rutland, Ohio,
where he enjoyed the respect and confidence of his neighbors.

Mr. Joshua Gardner was born in Connecticut January 5th,
1793, and died in Rutland March 1st, 1869, aged seventy-six
years. Mrs. Gardner was Nancy, the daughter of James E.
Caldwell, who came with his family from Vermont in 1817.

Albert Gallatin Gardner was born in Rutland March 15th,
1820. He contributed the foregoing narrative of Joshua Gard-
ner. He married Lucy Bellows November 27th, 1849, and had
a family of six children.

Albert G. Gardner died in Rutland, Ohio, January 13th, 1891,
aged seventy years, ten months and twenty-eight days.

From the "Leader," by Mr. Charles Matthews, Washington,
D. C, February, 1908:

"Daniel and Timothy Smith, with their brother-in-law, Brad-
bury Robinson, came from Vermont in 1805. With their fam-
ilies, household goods, wagons and stock, they floated down
the Ohio river, stopping at Belpre, Big Hocking and Leading
creek. The party, after looking at land and visiting the settle-
ments, concluded to separate. Timothy Smith and family
were landed at Silver run, while Daniel Smith and their
brother-in-law, having purchased their brother's share in the
boat, floated down the river to Cincinnati. Timothy Smith was

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148 Pioneer History of Meigs County

born in 1770, and married Polly Conner, who was born in 1772.
They had seven children, as follows: Charlotta Smith, born
May 24th, 1797, and married EHas Jones in October, 1814; she
died October 4th, 1871. John Adams Smith, born February
22nd, 1800, and married Deborah Paine, November 22nd, 1822 ;
he died January 10th, 1840. Elizabeth Smith, born January
9th, 1802, and married John S. Giles June 7th, 1818; she died
November 8th, 1842. Sarah Smith, born July 10th, 1804, and
married Obadiah Ralph, September 19th, 1822; she died Feb-
ruary 3rd, 1875. Anselin Smith, born in 1806, and died in
1816. Timothy Smith, Jr., born 1810, and died at the age of
nine months. Mary Smith, born December 19th, 1812, and
married Moses R. Matthews, April 10th, 1831 ; she died De-
cember 24th, 1893.

Timothy Smith erected one of the first grist mills in the
county. It was a tread mill, run by horse power, located on the
bank of Silver Run. He also mined the first coal, shipping to
Cincinnati on a raft. John Adams Smith, above mentioned,
was the man arrested by Virginia officials and confined in
Point Pleasant jail for running off slaves, and was rescued by
his Ohio friends in 1824, described in the paper by John S.
Giles, Jr., so ably for the Pioneer Society and published in the
"Telegraph" in 1875.

"In 1823 Hamilton Kerr, living at the mouth of Leading
creek, employed Adams Smith to act as guide for eight col-
ored men who were on their way to Canada, a not infrequent
occurrence for colored persons made free by their masters to
pass through the country on their way to Canada. So Mr.
Smith escorted the colored men to Columbus as hired by Mr.
Kerr, with no thought of wrong doing. The fact was that Kerr
had given aid to colored people, bond or free, to go north.
Slave owners on the Kanawha and on the Ohio river above
Point Pleasant had organized for protection and sent out de-
tectives on both sides of the river. They concluded that Smith
was guilty of aiding escaped slaves. In October, 1824, four

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 149

men from Virginia arrested Smith without authority of a war-
rant or law and took him by force into Virginia, and placed
him in close confinement in the jail at Point Pleasant, refusing
bail for him. This gross violation of the most sacred rights of
the citizens of Ohio, showing such contempt for the state's
jurisdiction that it excited universal indignation, and open vio-
lence was threatened to release Smith from his illegal confine-
ment. Many good citizens of Ohio, who had no disposition to
interfere with their Virginia neighbors in holding slaves, had
no doubt often unconsciously aided slaves many times in giv-
ing them food or answering questions as to the points of com-
pass when the traveling black man appeared at their doors, so
it was argued that if one man, like Smith, upon whom suspi-
cion had fallen, could be picked up without form of law and
carried beyond the jurisdiction of the state and there impris-
oned without the right of bail for a supposed criminal offense,
what security was there for others equally exposed? This
argument had its effect upon the excited people, and to the
formation of a vigilance committee, with regular station sig-
nals from Colonel Jones' landing, where the Grant's mill stood,
in Middleport, and from Smith's landing at the mouth of Sil-
ver run out to where John S. Giles lived in Rutland. So per-
fect was the arrangement that by the sound of horns trans-
mitted from station to station, an alarm would circulate over
the route in fifteen minutes if any suspicious person or com-
pany were seen at any of these points. Smith had been de-
tained at Point Pleasant jail six weeks, during which time a
plan had been matured to effect his release by force. John S.
Giles had visited him in jail, ostensibly to take him clothing,
but in fact to notify him of the arrangement and to be ready
at any moment. Information that was considered reliable
came from Point Pleasant of a plot to murder Smith in jail. It
was said that one of the Wagners had put one of his slaves in
the jail with Smith, who, in consideration of his freedom, was
to commit the murder. On receipt of this information hasty

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150 Pioneer History of Meigs County

preparations were made to carry into effect the plan for
Smith's release.

"It was secretly arranged that Martin Meeker, William
Hatch, John Woods, David Tyler, Obediah Ralph, William
Terry, Charles Giles and John S. Giles to meet on the bank of
the river at the mouth of Silver run on the evening of a day in
November, 1824. These men were noted among the early set-
tlers for their coolness, courage and great physical strength
and activity. They had taken the greatest precaution in with-
drawing from their homes without the knowledge of other
members of their families. All were armed to the teeth with
hunting rifles, pistols. One carried a flint lock musket loaded
with seven rifle bullets, another carried a dragoon or horse-
pistol loaded with three rifle bullets. They agreed on their
plan and chose John S. Giles as commander, and, having dis-
guised themselves by blacking their faces, they embarked in
an old pirogue and with muffled oars floated down the river on
their perilous adventure. It was known that the jail at Point
Pleasant was strongly guarded, but these men, smarting under
the outrage of their rights as citizens of Ohio, and aroused to
resentment by the frequent taunts of Yankee cowardice hurled
at them because they did not come and 'take Smith out,' as
they had threatened to do, with fears for the imminent danger
of the prinoner's life, had become desperate in their purposes.
The little craft was urged forward by the long, dull strokes of
the oars and landed eleven miles below at Point Pleasant. The
jail was a two-story frame building, standing about fifty yards
from the river bank, with two rooms below and two rooms
above. The front entrance opened into the jailer's room on the
lower floor, from which there was a passage into the other
lower room, occupied as the jail. An outside stairs led to the
rooms on the second floor, at the top of which was a platform,
surrounded by bannisters and was used as a guard stand. The
room at the head of the stairs was called the 'debtor's room.'
On this occasion it was occupied by the gfuards, whose num-

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 151

ber had been increased to four men after the visit of Mr. John
S. Giles. Without a word the attacking party divided, to make
a simultaneous assault on the jailer's room and upon the upper
room occupied by the guards. Meeker and Lyles reached the
guards' room, where they succeeded so as to find an entrance
for the muzzles of their guns, but the four guards inside held
the door, but the action in placing the guns was menacing
enough to restrain for a few minutes the guardmen, while the
work in the lower room was in progress. First into the jail-
or's room, who was in bed, and just wakened, he was kept
quiet by the presence of guns pointing close to him, while
with an ax the prison door was broken down, and Smith
jerked out of bed half asleep, and pushed through the door. The
object of the raid having been effected so far, and no one hurt,
they made haste to retreat and reach the boat as soon as pos-
sible. But the guards were out on the platform. Woods,
with his dragoon's pistol, fired; the gun failed, but his au-
dacity kept the g^ard back, thus enabling the party to gain
time in advance of their pursuers, for the jailer, as well as the
guard, were bold, brave men, and followed with such deter-
mined steps that the order was given to fire on the pursuing
force. Terry fired with his musket and hit one of the guard,
who fell, the ball having marked his ear and cut through his
whiskers. Thus hindered, but while the Giles men were get-
ting into their boat, the guardsmen stood on the top of the
bank not more than forty yards away and began to fire. Dis-
regarding the firing they pulled for the opposite shore until
near the middle of the river when balls began to strike the
boat with precision. The boat was turned broadside to the
shore and the men lay close down in the side of the vessel un-
til out of range of the firing, all but Tyler, who refused to
obey this command to shelter himself, and received a ball
across the lower part of his breast that made a scar four or
five inches long. While holding the boat in this position and
floating down stream, out of the range of g^ns, the jailer had

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152 Pioneer History of Meigs County

taken a position behind a sycamore on the edge of the bank,
and his shots were very annoying. His head looked like a
knot on the side of the tree. And Hatch, the marksman of the
company, was ordered to fire at the knot. He shot, and the
ball, striking the side of the tree, filled the jailer's eyes with
splinters. When reaching the Ohio shore, the boat was aban-
doned, and the men walked home, and before daylight crept
to their beds so quietly that the members of their several
households were not aware of their having been away or ab-
sent. The Virginians suspicioned John Woods, John S. Giles
and Elisha Ayers, as three of the party that had broken the
jail in Point Pleasant, and threats were heard of taking these
men to Virginia, as they did Smith, and lynching them. This
was not done. A more peaceful and lawful way was adopted,
by seeking redress for their wrongs in the power of the law.
Indictments were found at Point Pleasant against Woods,
Ayers and Giles, and the Governor of Virginia made requisi-
tion on the Governor of Ohio for the surrender of the parties
to the Virginia authorities. The Governor of Ohio issued his
warrant and deputized Col. Lewis, of Virginia, to serve it
When Col. Lewis crossed the river to make the arrests, the
people unaware of his authority, prepared to make a defense.
Col. Lewis went directly to Chester, the county seat of Meigs
county, and called to his assistance Thomas Rairdon, of Long
Bottom, Deputy Sheriff Newsom and Constable Dickey, of
Chester township. They went to make the first arrest of John '
S. Giles in Rutland and satisfied him of their authority, and
he went without resistance, but they had not proceeded half a
mile, when twelve men in disguise stepped out of the woods
on Sargent's hill and demanded Giles' release. After some
parleying, Giles convinced them of the authority from the
Governor of the State that this was a legal transaction, and he
was willing to let the law take its course, and they concluded
to acquiesce. Among the men who were about to interfere
were John Sylvester, Sr., Joshua Gardner, David Tyler and

\

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 153

Burrell Peck. Giles, Woods and Ayres were taken to Point
Pleasant and lodged in jail, where they remained two months
before they were tried,

Giles and Ayres were found "not guilty," but Woods was
pronounced guilty and fined thirty dollars, which he refused
to pay, or allow his friends to pay, and boarded it out in jail,
refusing to leave until they would keep him no longer. Judge
Summers, of Charleston, presided at the trial, which was a
perfectly fair one. Judge Clough, of Portsmouth, and Judge
Fisher, of Point Pleasant, were attorneys for the defendants.

There was no evidence whatever against Ayres, and none
against Giles except the testimony of the jailer's wife, who
swore positively to his being one of the party that broke into
the room, but the jury was led to distrust her statement by
the strong evidence of an alibi proven by the defendant. Polly
Smith, a sister to Adams Smith, and afterwards the wife of
Moses Matthews, a girl then of twelve years, and Col. Everett
also gave strong evidence for the defendants which was all
owing to the sly movements of the party in coming and going.

After the conviction of Woods, the defendants made a
point that it was only a misdemeanor punishable by a fine and
imprisonment in the county jail, and the court concurred in
that opinion. A number of persons were presented to the
grand jury of Meigs county for interfering with Col. Lewis
when making arrests. Some were indicted but the evidence
Was not strong enough to warrant a conviction.

John S. Giles, Sr., was born in Maine, February 28th, 1795,
and died in Rutland, O., May 18th, 1889, aged 86 years, 2
months and 20 days."

William Church was a native of Maine, was married twice.
His first wife died, leaving two children — Samuel and Rhoda.
Mr. Church married for his second wife a sister of the first
wife, and a family of six sons and two daughters were born to
them. He moved from Maine in 1816, with a family of seven

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154 Pioneer History of Meigs County

sons and one daughter, and came to Rutland, O., in 1817. He
was a millwright, and lived in Rutland until his death in 1821.
The children were: Samuel, a millwright, a fine mechanic,
who lived and died in Pomeroy, O. Clement Church was
a mechanic and a farmer. He lived and died in Rutland, leav-
ing several children. William Church lived and died in Rut-
land. Joseph Church had a paralytic stroke when quite a
young man, but lived to marry and rear a large family of chil •
dren. He settled in Salisbury township. John Church went
to Minnesota, owned a farm and brought up a family. He
died in Minnesota. Oliver Church moved to Marion county,
O., and had a good farm, and died there at the age of ninety
years, leaving a number of descendants. Alfred Church
moved to Illinois, where he owned a mill and carried on that
business until his death. Charles Church lived in Pomeroy,
and was killed by the explosion of a boiler in the Pomeroy
rolling mill in 1866.

Sarah Church was married to Curtis Larkin, who died in
1898, leaving a widow and one son, George B. Larkin, with
whom she has a home, and lives in the enjoyment of good
health, in her ninety-first year. 1908. G. B. L.

Clement Church married Hannah Buxton, who was born
in England November 2, 1808, and came to Ohio in 1817, and
became the wife of Clement Church in November, 1829. They
had six children, three sons and three daughters — Royal
Church and James Church, and Mrs. Maria Shepherd and
Mrs. Eliza Thompson. Mrs. Hannah Church died in August,
1896, aged 87 years, 9 months, 6 days.

Mrs. Elizabeth Church, widow of William Church, Sr., was
married to John Hoyt, and died in July, 1859; was buried at
Hoyt Town, Meigs county, Ohio.

There are many families of the name of Hoyt in Olive town-
ship and Orange, but no record of names or dates have been
furnished for Mr. Larkin's manuscript, and the same fact is

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 155

evident in the lack of family history of the name of Stout in
and about Chester township. Their names are always asso-
ciated with the reputation of citizens of the best influence
and character.

RANDALL STIVERS.

Randall Stivers was born in New Jersey and was the son of
Daniel Stivers, a Revolutionary soldier. Mr. Stivers married
Phebe Ball, a native of Vermont, and a daughter of Samuel
Ball, a Revolutionary soldier. They came with four children
to Graham's Station (now Racine), in 1816, having come from
Olean, N. Y., on a raft of pine lumber.

He was a brickmaker by trade, and found employment in
that business at Graham Station, remained there for two
years. Hearing of the discovery of coal, easily accessible, and
near the Ohio river bank at Kerr's run, he removed to that
place, where they lived three years. In those first five years
in Ohio they experienced the privations and hardships as fully
as generally fall to the lot of early emigrants. In a sparsely
settled neighborhood, with barely sufficient means for support
as the common lot of the people, they built a school-house and
hired teachers. In 1819, the new county of Meigs was organ-
ized, and about 1821 the county seat was located at Chester,
to which place Mr. Stivers removed his family in 1822. He
was elected Justice of the Peace in Chester, and held the office
for several years. He served four years as Sheriff, and was
twice elected to the State Legislature. He was a promotor
and patron of schools, and always interested in churches and
works of benevolence. He was fearless in expressing his
sentiments, and society and public affairs felt the influence of
his opinions. Mr. Randall Stivers and his wife reared a large
family, all of whom were prominent in business, or in political
and educational lines. There were six sons and four daughters.

Washington Stivers was married twice. Julia Stanley was
his first wife, and Caroline Fisher the second. He was a mer-
chant, and sold goods in Pomeroy for a number of years.

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156 Pioneer History of Meigs County

Afterwards he moved to Chattanooga, Tenn., where he died in
ripe old age.

Aaron Stivers was married twice; the first wife was Miss
Kerr; the second, Miss Cole. Mr. Aaron Stivers was one of
the best known men in Meigs county, serving as Auditor and
Deputy Auditor for many years. He made and published a
large wall map of the county, suitable for school-houses, a
work of thoroughly correct presentation.

He was one of the most active members of the Meigs County
Pioneer Association, and served as its Recording Secretary for
seven years. He removed to Alton, Iowa, where he died
November 29th, 1893, aged 77 years.

Katharine Stivers was married to Theodore Montague, a
lawyer who lived in Chester until the county seat was taken to
Pomeroy, when they removed to Middleport, and continued as
useful members of society for many years. In later life they
made their home in Chattanooga, and there they both died.

Serena Stivers became the wife of Mr. Allen, of Middleport,
and died in middle life, leaving a husband and interesting
family.

George Stivers married in Meigs county, but moved west.
He was a soldier in the Civil war, and died soon afterward.

William Stivers went from Chester to Indiana, married
there, and had a family. He was engaged in business, and
was elected to the legislature, serving with credit to himself
and constituents. He died in Indiana.

Charles Stivers settled in Kentucky, where he married.

Randall Stivers was the youngest son, and accompanied his
father, Randall Stivers, Sr., to California on the overland route
in 1849, and died in California.

Urania Stivers was born in Chester, December 25th, 1827,
and received her education in the Academy at Chester, and
later in a prosperous seminary in Ashland, Kentucky. In her
early teens she became a teacher in the public schools in

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 157

Meigs county. She taught many years in the Pomeroy
schools, a highly respected and successful teacher.

Caroline Stivers, the younger sister, acquired her education
in the same schools with her sister Urania, and was also a
popular school teacher, yet she was employed in the office of
the Auditor, with her brother Aaron Stivers for several con-
secutive years. These sisters left Meigs county in 1884, and
finally located in Des Moines, Iowa. Their influence for right
principles and useful lives was evident through all the years
as teachers in Pomeroy, Ohio, as well as in less active years
in Des Moines, Iowa.

Randall Stivers, Sr., and his wife, Phebe B. Stivers, both
died in Pomeroy, and are buried side by side in the beautiful
Beech Grove Cemetery.

Pioneer travel on the Ohio river, for neighborly intercourse,
or traffic, seems to have been done in canoes, while flatboats
were in use for the transportation of families, produce and
goods down the stream; but when it was necessary to carry
on trade up and down the river, keel-boats were employed,
until steamboat navigation superseded their mode as merchant
carriers. The first steamboat that ever passed down the Ohio
river is said to have been the New Orleans, built at Pittsburg
by Mr. Roosevelt, and which left that port in October, 1811.
and reached Natchez, Miss., in January, 1812. Earthquakes
occurred during the trip down. Few charts of the river were
in existence, and the falls at Letart were provided with a pilot
appointed by Congress, or rather authorizing the courts of
Gallia county to appoint a pilot for Letart falls to pilot boats
over the falls in the Ohio river, such pilot to give bonds for
the proper discharge of his duty. Thomas Sayre was ap-
pointed in 1804 as such pilot.

Adam Harpold was born October 9, 1790, and came to Le-
tart, O., in 1812, where he married Dorothy Roush in August,
1812. They settled on a farm, and Mr. Harpold conducted a

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168 Pioneer History of Meigs County ,

store, the first one for dry goods and groceries in Letart town-
ship. After the county of Meigs was organized and Courts
of Common Pleas were held in the meeting-house in Salisbury
township — in the July term of 1819, among the jurors im-
paneled is the name of Adam Harpold. He was prominent
in township oflSces and a patron of education, strictly honest in
business transactions, and maintained the respect and confi-
dence of the community. Mrs. Harpold was a woman of
strong character, of wonderful physical power and vitality.
They had a family of sixteen children, and all save one child,
who was drowned at seven years of age — ^seven sons and eight
daughters — grew up and married, each making a new home
of thrift and industry. The sons were mostly farmers and
have been identified with the material prosperity of Meigs
county for more than sixty years. Henry Harpold, Spencer
Harpold, Peter Harpold, Philip Harpold, William Harpold,
George B. Harpold, John Harpold. The daughters: Mrs.
Pickens, widow, later Mrs. Wolf ; Mrs. William Hester, widow,
Mrs. Jacob Baker; Mrs. Michael Bentz, nee Polly Harpold;
Mrs. Eben Sayre, Mrs. Augustus Justice, Mrs. Hezekiah
Quillen, Mrs. Bradford Roush, Mrs. Barbara Ann McDade.

The greater number of the Harpold sons and daughters had
large families, so that the descendants in the third and fourth
generations were notably numerous.

Mr. Adam Harpold died in October, 1869, and his wife, Mrs.
Dorothy Harpold, died in December, 1865, having lived in
their Letart home for more than fifty years.

i

"At a meeting of the associate judges of the county of
Gallia, held at Gallipolis the tenth day of May, 1803, for the
purpose of dividing the county of Gallia into townships and to
apportion to each township a proper number of justices of the
peace, and for other purposes; present, Robert Safford and
George W. Putnam,

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 159

"The said county was divided into three townships, named
and bounded as follows: Letart township, beginning at the
mouth of Shade river; thence down the Ohio river to Kerr's
run ; thence north to the county line ; thence east with the said
line to the place of beginning; and that one justice of the peace
is the proper number to be elected in said township, and that
the election be held at the house of Henry Roush." From
Gallia county records.

From the foregoing we find that Henry Roush, Sr, lived in
Letart township in 1803, but at what date he came to Ohio we
are not informed.

Henry Roush, Sr., owned land in Letart, Ohio, opposite
Letart Falls, and brought up a large family.

His son, Henry Roush, Jr., entered land in 1808, or pur-
chased of the Ohio Land- Company's Purchase, thirty-seven
acres, as shown by the Gallia county records. He married
Anna Say re, of Mill Creek, Va., and settled on their farm in
Letart, where they had a family of ten daughters and two sons.
Sally Roush was married to Thomas Coleman, of Muses Bot-
tom, W. Va. Betsy was the wife of Samuel Roberts, later
married Henry Wolf, of Racine. Lydia was married twice — to
Charles McClain — widow — Mr. Wagner. Anna was the wife
of Mark Sayre ; lived and died in Great Bend, Ohio. Hannah
was married to Mr. Coleman; a widow — married — Mr. Jack-
son. Dorothy was the wife of Silas Jones, a prominent mem-
ber of the Pioneer Association. Phebe was married to Elijah
Runner, a son of an early settler of that name. Katharine was
the wife of Morris Greenlee. Almena was married to Jacob
Brinker, of West Virginia. Mahala was the wife of a Mr.
Quillen.

Edward Roush married Julia Sparr; moved to Illinois and
died. David Roush married Maria Hayman ; moved to Grand
Rapids; is dead.

Mr. Henry Roush, Jr., died at an advanced age, and his wife,
Mrs. Anna Roush, attained the remarkable age of 105 years at

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160 Pioneer History of Meigs County

her decease. They were worthy people, and their children
were all esteemed members of society.

Mrs. Dorothy Harpold was a daughter of Henry Roush, Sr.

Paper by Mr. Charles Matthews, of Washington, D. C, as
published in the Leader, March 12th, 1908:

"Among the earliest settlers of Meigs county was George
Washington Putnam, son of Colonel Israel Putnam and
grandson of General Israel Putnam. George W. Putnam was
born in Pomfret, Conn., July 27th, 1777. After the Indian war
he came to Ohio with his father and his family, driving one of
the teams, along with the late Phineas Matthews, of Cheshire,
who also drove one of Colonel Putnam's teams. George W.
Putnam was married March 31st, 1799, to Lucinda Oliver,
daughter of Colonel Alexander Oliver, of Washington county,
and settled on lands then in Washington county, now located
mostly in Gallia county, but the fraction of land on which he
built his house is now located in Meigs county, on what is
known as the Jacob Coughenour farm, between the turnpike
and the river and from the Carl coal railway down the river
to where the township line strikes the river. He also owned
two lOO-acre lots, Nos. 392 and 395, immediately west, now in
Cheshire township. His dwelling stood on the lower part of
the fraction of land now in Meigs county, where he lived and
died before Meigs county was formed.

Their children were Sarah, Lucretia, George W., Jr., Isabel
and Clarinda. Sarah married Henry Sisson, February 16th,
1818. He was killed by the falling of a tree January 10th,
1827. George W. Putnam was the first county judge of Gallia
county. He died in May, 1815, of what was known as the
"cold plague." Whatever that may have been, it was cer-
tainly contagious, for the reason that Mrs. Mary (Russell)
Matthews, first wife of Phineas Matthews, who volunteered to
help attend their old friend during his illness and until his
death, was then herself taken with the same disease and died
in a short time. Another version of his death is that he was

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CHARLES MATTHEWS

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 161

helping Phineas Matthews shear his sheep, became overheated,
drank too much cold water and was taken with the "cold
plague" and died at the Matthews farm house. Mrs. Matthews
nursed him, took the same disease and died within a week
(June 4th, 1815), leaving an infant son, a few days less than
two months old.

Mr. Putnam was buried on his farm, and several of his fam-
ily were afterwards buried beside him. His unmarked g^ave
is located immediately below the Carl coal railway, about half
way from the turnpike to the river. Formerly there was a
tombstone at his g^ave, but about. four years ago some of his
relatives bought a lot in the Qffa¥e4 'Hill *Cemetery, Cheshire
township, and moved the tombstone to that cemetery, but did
not remove the remains of Mr. Putnam of his family. The
grave can yet be located by Mr. Coughenour or W. P. Cohen
or his mother. The son has repeatetjly told me that he "would
be willing to undertake to rem6ve his remains to Gravel Hill
Cemetery." Copied by E. L. B.

Tumuli or mounds were seen in various localities,
always bearing evidence of man's work in their construction;
always conical in shape and usually situated on the top of
hills, as favorable to watch tower use. The curiosity of many
settlers, ignorant and otherwise, despoiled these peculiar
mounds by digging them down to find what might be en-
tombed within. Human skeletons, pottery, mica and stone
axes, copper rings, were exhumed in most places. There were
in Lebanon township several mounds, one on the Bicknell
farm that had a well defined fortification in the shape of a
horseshoe surrounding the mound at a regular distance from
the base. This mound was never opened, but, being in a field
of level land, was plowed over, and very much of the hill shape
was leveled. A larger mound on the James Hall farm was
opened, and human bones, trinkets of copper, mica and curious
stone arrows, pipes ?tnd stone axe§ w^re disclosed. In Rutland

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162 Pioneer History of Meigs County

township was a large mound on the hill near the center of Sec-
tion No. 7. It was twelve feet high, and the bones of a very
large man were found there. A small one on white clay bot-
tom was on the Stevens farm ; also one on the southeast quar-
ter of Section No. 8. A large mound on fraction No. 13 was
known as the one on which Samuel Denny stood and made an
oration July 4th, 1806.

According to the measurements and calculations by a civil
engineer, Henry Grayum, in 1873, the principal coal seam in
Meigs and Gallia county has a dip to the east of about twenty-
seven feet and to the south five feet to the mile. The greatest
elevation in the measurements taken was at Braley's salt vsrell,
840 feet, and its least at Antiquity, 377 feet, a difference of 463
feet in the direction of tidewater at Norfolk, Va.

Samuel Denny was a prominent actor in nearly all the pub-
lic transactions on Leading creek, and by many persons his
name was supposed to be Dana, but the reading of his letters
and business accounts show that he subscribed his name as
Samuel Denny.

Livingston Smith was the son of Noah Smith and his wife
and was born in Vermont in 1796, but came with his mother
to Leading creek, Ohio, in 1800, his father, Noah Smith, hav-
ing died in Carlisle, Pa., while moving with his family to Ohio.
Livingston grew up to manhood, married Eliza Case and set-
tled on a farm in Rutland township and reared a family. Mr.
Smith was a good citizen, intelligent and esteemed by the
community, and lived and died in Rutland township. Virgil
C. Smith was the son of Livingston Smith and was born No-
vember 28th, 1833, and married Mary Plummer in 1857,
who died in 1875. He was married the second time, to Agnes
C. Torrence, in 1876. He was a farther and also a minister of
the Christian Church. He lived in Rutland and was identified
with every enterprise for the moral elevation of the dependent

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 163

and neglected. He was the recording secretary of the Pioneer
Society of Meigs county at the time of his death, in March,
1885, a man loved by his friends and respected by his neigh-
bors. He left a widow and seven children.

Mrs. Noah Smith, the mother of livingston Smith, came
from Vermont to Leading Creek, Ohio, with three daughters,
besides the son, heretofore mentioned. They were : Theresa,
who was married to Eliezer Barker, who was drowned in
Leading creek in June, 1813. She afterwards was Mrs. Laun-
dress Grant. Jenny Smith married a Mr. Maples. Nancy
Smith became the wife of Captain Jesse Hubbell.

William Johnson was born in Ireland and married Sally
Harmon. They emigrated to the United States and came to
Shade river in Chester township in 1800. There they made a
home, in which they raised a large family. This was a relig-
ious family, and all lived to honor their pious parentage.
Abram Johnson was a local preacher, and Thomas Johnson
moved west. Mary was the wife of John Miles. Adaline, Mrs.
Henry Ellis. Sarah, Mrs. John Wolf. William Johnson and
his wife died in 1836 and 1848.

John Entsminger was born in Virginia in September, 1757,
and when but a youth of seventeen years was an active par-
ticipant in the battle at Point Pleasant under the immediate
command of Colonel Charles Lewis. He was a soldier in the
Revolutionary War under General Francis Marion and sub-
sequently under General Morgan. He fought at the battle of
Cowpens. Many incidents of soldier life were related by him
in later years to his children. Mr. Enstminger was captured
by the British at one time, but released on condition that he
would go home and fight no more. A comrade, whose name
was Vansant, and he started home, but on the way they came
across several Tories who were building a house and who
twitted them about having been captured. They went on a

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164 Pioneer History of Meigs County

little farther, when Mr. Entsminger said to his comrade, "I
wish we had thrashed them," and, going on a little farther, he
said, "Let's go back and thrash them." So they turned back
and whipped the Tory men, took them prisoners and marched
with them to the Continental army and again took up arms
and served until the close of the war for independence. John
Entsminger married Jane Reese, February 16th, 1787. She
was born on July 26th, 1759. They moved with their family
from Botetourt county, Va., to Ohio, in the fall of 1797. They
traveled overland, bringing their stock and household goods
with them. They wouWi travel all day and camp at night.
Sometimes stopping ad^y to cbbk and bake, when necessary.
They milked their cows, and after using what milk they want-
ed put the rest of it in the churn, set the churn in the wagon,
and the butter was ready to take out when they stopped at
night. They crossed ''the Ohio river about five miles above
where GalHpolis now i stands, known then as French Town.
At that time, leaving out the primitive town, there was but
one house besides theirs in a radius of ten miles on the Ohio
side of the river. They ground com on hand mills and went
to Logan for flour. Later they could buy flour from the canoe-
men who poled their crafts up stream. Salted bear meat and
fresh game supplied their tables. Although fifty-five years of
age, Mr. Entsminger volunteered and served a term under
General Tupper in 1812 in the Northwest. His eldest son^
David Entsminger, was a soldier in the War of 1812. Mr.
John Entsminger and his wife had a family of two sons and
four daughters. David, John Lewis. The daughters were:
Mrs. Luther Shepherd, Mrs. John Bing, Mrs. Daniel Gra5rum
and Mrs. David Gra5rum, who was left a widow with two
daughters and two sons. Henry Grayum served as major in
the Civil War; William Grayum was a captain in the Fourth
West Virginia from the first to the close of the war in 1865.
Mr. John Entsminger felt crowded when the settlers moved
into that neighborhood, so he went farther into the wilderness

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 165

and located near where Langsville is now and lived there with
his son, John Lewis Entsminger, until the close of his event-
ful life, on October 10th, 1830, fifty-six years to a day from the
celebrated battle of Point Pleasant, aged seventy-eight years.
He was buried in the Miles Cemetery. Mrs. Jane Entsminger
died May 19th, 1830, in the seventy-first year of her age, and
is buried in the Miles Cemetery at Rutland, Ohio.

George Wolfe, father of John, Jacob, Peter and Henry
Wolfe, came from the Shenandoah valley of Virginia to the
rich bottom lands on the Ohio river adjoining the present
village of Racine, about 1807 or 1808, date uncertain. He
felled the great trees and toiled hard to clear land for cultiva-
tion, and in 1812 his sons, John Wolfe and Jacob Wolfe, who
had families, emigrated to Ohio. John Wolfe, with a four-
horse covered wagon, came over the Alleghany mountains to
inherit the home founded by the father, George Wolfe. There
were two younger brothers, Peter and Henry Wolfe. John
Wolfe and Jacob Wolfe built each of them a two-story brick
house on the river front of their respective farms and reared
large families. They tilled the land, planted fruit trees and
lived to see a numerous posterity grow up around their homes,
a quiet, honest, industrious people. The Wolfe bottoms have
been owned and cultivated by the descendants of George
Wolfe for at least one hundred years. In recent years the
families have been distributed over other sections of the coun-
try.

The first Regular Baptist Church in Rutland was organized
on November 27th, 1817, by members signing the covenant,
seven men and three women. Benjamin Richardson, clerk,
and Thomas Everton, deacon. The church was further organ-
ized on October 31st, 1818, by the following persons signing
the covenant: Thomas Everton, Asahel Skinner, Anson Gas-
ton, Benjamin Richardson, Robert Simpson, Relief Everton,

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166 Pioneer History of Meigs County

Betsy Richardson, Elizabeth Holt, Thomas Gaston, Jared
Gaston, Ebenezer Everton, Laundress Grant, William Stevens,
Joseph Richardson, Sally Stevens, Bethiah Simpson.

The first preachers were Aaron Holt, Peter Aleshire, Horace
Persons and Thomas Gaston. Afterwards other ministers
preached at different times — ^James Hovey, Amos Stevens and
James McAboy. The brick schoolhouse was used for religious
worship by several denominations — the Free Will Baptists,
Presbyterians, Methodists, Regular Baptists and Universal-
ists. The Presbyterians built a church on the lot by the
Plummer homestead in 1820, it being the first church erected
in Rutland township. The Regular Baptists built their church
in 1838. Benjamin Richardson gave the lot and did a large
share toward building the house. The first Disciples, or
Christian church, in Rutland was built on a lot given by Rev.
Elisha Rathburn.

Rutland Cemetery was surveyed and laid out in lots in 1824
by Samuel Halliday. The place had been used as a burying
ground for a long time, but the interments had been made
without regularity, so that it was difficult to make the proper
arrangement of the premises when surveyed by Mr. Halliday.
The lots were made 8 by 33 feet in size. Later, in 1872, the
township of Rutland bought of George McQuigg the cemetery
grounds, which, including the "old graveyard," contains three
and three-quarters acres of land. The size of the new lots,
10 by 24 feet, which are staked and numbered.

The first burial in what is now Rutland township, from the
settlement in 1805, was that of a girl nine years of age and
who was buried on the Higley farm, a spot afterwards aban-
doned, but a family burying place was made on the Higley
grounds in subsequent years. Many persons were buried on
the Phelps farm. Some of the pioneers were interred on their
own land. The first grave made in the Miles' Cemetery was
for a little child, but no date is known. Dr. Clark, from New
England, came to Ohio in quest of health, and died soon after

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 167

his arrival and was the second person buried there, but his
grave was unmarked and the precise location is lost, as is
many another one.

John Hayman and family came from Somerset county, Md.,
about 1810. They came first to Letart Falls, in Virginia, but
soon removed to Letart, Ohio. Their eldest son was Spencer
Marshall Hayman, who married Jerusha Chapman, a daughter
of Ezra Chapman, an old settler in Letart township. Spencer
M. Hayman was a surveyor and after the organization of
Meigs county, was elected as surveyor for the county, and
served the public in that office for many consecutive terms.
He was also justice of the peace and the first postmaster at
Apple Grove, so named because of Mr. Hayman's large orchard
of fine fruit. They brought up a large family — three sons and
five daughters. The sons were : Ezra Hayman, who married
Sally Wright, of Mill Creek, W. Va., who lived and died in
Letart township. Henry Hayman was married twice. His
first wife was Minerva Marvin, a daughter of Calvin Marvin ;
the second wife was a Miss Harding. Henry Hayman lived
in Mercer's Bottom, where he died. Harrison Hayman mar-
ried Agnes Williamson, a daughter of Wilkinson D. William-
son, of Lebanon township, Meigs county, Ohio. They settled
in Warth's Bottom, W. Va. Both are dead. The daughters :
Sinai Hayman was the wife of Hillman Parr. Betsy Hayman
was married to William McKay, of Warth's Bottom. Minerva
was Mrs. Ephraim L Sayre, of Letart township.

Martha Ann Hayman was married to Elson Paden, and
their home was just below Letart Falls, in Ohio. They were
noted for true Christian lives and benevolence.

Angeline Hayman was the wife of a Mr. Paden; both died
early.

Kitty Hayman married James Ashworth. Both died soon.

Josiah Hayman was the second son of John Hayman and
was in the family that moved from Maryland. He married
Nancy Ford, a daughter of Mrs. Esther Ford, a widow, who

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i66 Pioneer History of Meigs Cou'^tit

came from Maryland at the time of the senior Hayman's emi-
gration to Ohio. Josiah Hay man lived in Letart township,
where they* brought up a large family. Mr. Hayman was a
local preacher, belonging to the Methodist Episcopal Church,
and a fine singer, noted for leading large congregations on
camp grounds. They had a family of sons — Wesley, Henry,
Calvin, Lewis, William and Charles; daughters — Elizabeth,
Mary Ann, Regina and Adaline Esther. Wesley Hayman
married Thirza Maria Cross, became insane, never recovered.
Henry Hayman married Margaret Wagner and lived in Letart.
He was a man highly esteemed by a large circle of friends and
acquaintances. He was elected sheriflE one or two terms.
Always identified with the affairs of his church as steward,
class leader and Sunday school superintendent They reared a
family of worthy citizens. Calvin and Lewis Hayman died in
young manhood.

William Hayman, son of Josiah Hayman and his wife, was
married to Mary Jane Donally, a daughter of Andrew B. Don-
ally, many years clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, Meigs
county. He made their home at Letart Falls, W. Va. Was a
merchant. Esther Hayman became the wife of Lewis Pil-
chard ; lived at Letart Falls. Elizabeth married John Ritchie,
but died soon afterwards. Regina was the wife of Townsend
Smart ; lived in Racine and died there, leaving a family of five
children — Arthur, Frank, William, Earl and one daughter.

Adaline Hayman was the wife of Philip Jones, of West Vir-
ginia.

Hezekiah Hayman was a nephew of John Hayman, Sr., and
moved with his family from Maryland in company with his
uncle to Ohio in about 1810. One son, Robert Hayman, lives
in Middleport, Ohio. Stephen Hayman married Letitia Cald-
well, and their children were: John N. Hayman, one of the
commissioners of Meigs county for several terms; Stephen

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 169

Hayman, of Grand Island, Neb., and Maria, the widow of
David Roush, who died at Grand Island, Neb.

Jphn Wagner was born May 12th, 1792, and came to Letart,
Ohio, from Lancaster, Pa., after the War of 1812. He was a
soldier in that war. He married Elizabeth Himeleich in 1818
and settled in Letart, Ohio. They had three children — George
H. Wagner, Alfred N. and Margaret, who became the wife of
Henry Hayman, son of Josiah Hayman. Mrs. Elizabeth
Wagner died in October, 1821. Mr. Wagner married a second
wife, a widow, Mrs. Lydia McClain, and they had two chil-
dren. Mr. John Wagner died in March, 1882, and Mrs.
Lydia Wagner died at ninety years of age.

George Burns came from Philadelphia to Letart, Ohio, at
an early day. Had charge of a floating mill at Letart Falls
and kept a store, said to be the first at Letart, Ohio. There
was a family of three daughters and one son, George Burns,
Jr. The eldest daughter was Mrs. Alfred Beauchamp, of
Elizabeth, W. Va. Caroline became the wife of Thomas Alex-
ander, of Letart, and spent her long life in their home in
Letart, where they brought up a family of eleven children.
They were influential and highly respected people. They died
at the advanced ages of eighty-four and ninety years. Regina
Burns was married to John Caldwell and made a home in
Letart, where they brought up a family. She died many years
ago.

Obadiah Walker and Cassandra Walker, nee Halsey, lived
in Chester township in 1805 and spent their long lives in the
same locality. They were good citizens and brought up a
large family of sons and daughters.

Jesse Walker, the eldest child, was born in 1806. He was
twice married. Miss P. M. Richardson was the first wife, but
dying, left two children. He then married Margaret Mauck,
of Cheshire, Gallia county, where they made their home

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170 Pioneer History of Meigs County

until death. They had two children. Jesse Walker died at
the ripe age of eighty-five years, a kind, upright man, a mem-
ber of the Free Will Baptist Church from his youth. Milton
Walker married Harriet Newel and lived in Chester several
years, and then went to Illinois. They were Methodists, earn-
est Christians. Selden Walker, Vincent Walker and Obadiah
Walker were younger sons. Vincent married Sevilla Weldon
and moved to Iowa and died there. Obadiah married Emily
Weldon ; lived and died in Chester township. Bethia Walker
was the wife of Baza Wells, in Chester. She had two children,
but buried them and her husband also. She was married
afterwards to Benjamin Brown, of Athens, Ohio. All are
dead.

Melissa Walker married and was left a widow in Iowa.
Emeline Walker was the wife of William Church, in Rutland.
Ohio, where he died, and she went to Iowa. Samaria Walker
was married to James Decker, of Lebanon township. They
had two or three children. Mr. Decker and Mrs. Decker died
in Lebanon township. Caroline Walker was married to Abner
Hissim, of Tanner's Run, Ohio, but later they removed to
Iowa.

In the Gallia county records of deeds made for lands coming
within the boundary of Meigs county when organized is the
name of Thomas Halsey, purchaser, 1792. The family of
Halsey have continued in Chester and Orange townships, with
their descendants.

Dr. Fenn Robinson was the most noted doctor within the
boundaries included in Meigs county in the pioneer days. He
had an extensive practice, and he was equal to any emergency.
His saddle pockets were receptacles for all medicines needed,
with compartments for surgical instruments. He could pull a
tooth or cut off a man's leg, if necessity required, lance an
abscess or an arm, spread a fly blister plaster or set a dislo-

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Pioneer History of Meigs County ITl

cated joint. He rode through the woods, following road or
trail, through creeks, at high or low tide, in rain or snow, at
night or in the day — he found the way. His patients believed
in him and had faith in his skill. His travels were in a radius
of more than thirty miles from his home at Chester, and he
was the family doctor for two or more generations. No trained
nurse with sick folks then, nor pharmacist to fill prescriptions.
He reared a large and highly respectable family. Dr. Robin-
son never ran for Congress nor sued a poor man for his bill.
His honors rested on a noble life.

John Hall and his wife, Sarah Hall, nee Hahurst, came from
Pennsylvania and settled on a tract of land in Letart town-
ship above the mouth of Old Town creek, known as Ohio
river bottom land, in the year 1811. Mrs. Hall was reared by
Quaker parents. They were industrious and thrifty and
cleared for cultivation their large farm. They had a large
family of sons and daughters.

James Hall, the eldest son, married Leah Ford, and they
lived in Lebanon township and brought up a family. Their
children were: William Henry Hall, Wesley, Thomas, Isaac
Lewis, Spencer Marshall and a son Benjamin, who died in
childhood. Two daughters were : Sarah, who was married to
Hamilton Parr and lived in Brown county, Ohio. Ann Maria
Hall died in young womanhood. James Hall was elected jus-
tice of the peace and served one or two terms. He was post-
master for Great Bend, Ohio, several years. He died in 1885
or 1886. Mrs. Hall lived to the great age of eighty-seven
years, a most excellent woman. They both died in Great
Bend, Ohio. Job Hall married Betsy Smith, daughter of Solo-
mon Smith. She died early, leaving two children. Job HaU
was killed on his boat on the Yazoo river, supposedly for
money.

Ela Hall married Polly Lasley. John Hall married Silvina
Buffington. Aaron Hall married Nancy Crall. The daughters

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172 Pioneer History of Meigs County

were: Nancy Hall, the wife of Isaac Lauck, and moved to
Missouri. Rachel was married to Ezra Lauck, and they went
west. Matilda Hall was married twice — first to Mr. Shafer
and afterwards to John Lee. She lived and died in Lebanon
township. Mary Hall was Mrs. Owen Darby ; they went west.
Delilah was married to a Mr. Lornes and died in Great Bend.
Sarah Ann was married three times. The first husband, George
Cummings, who died. Mr. Ezekiel Custer, Sr., was the second
husband, and John Warner third.

Mr. John Hall, Sr., died in middle age, but left a will that
was the puzzle for lawyers for two generations. Mrs. Sarah
Hall died in the early seventies, living and dying on their
homestead farm.

The Sayres are a numerous people, residing in Letart, Ohio,
and Letart, W. Va. David Sayre entered land in Letart town-
ship in 1803. There are several branches of the name, de-
scendants in four and five generations, living in Meigs county.
Daniel Sayre, father of Moses E. Sayre and great-grandfather
to the Hon. Edgar Ervin, were first settlers in Letart township.
As a people the Sayres were religious, good, prosperous citi-
zens. Mr. Ervin is a member of the Ohio Legislature, a native
of Meigs, and has reflected credit on his family and won popu-
larity for his own public services in the Ohio Legislature for
the years of 1907 and 1908.

At the pioneer meeting in August, 1890, Mr. Phineas Robin-
son made a speech, in which he said that "in early times silver
was the coin most in use by the common people, and that it
was often cut into four or five parts to make change," a fact
that the writer of this article well remembers. Mr. Robinson
also gave a history of the Keg Company of Chester, which
was undoubtedly correct as he stated it, but not as published
from report in the Telegraph. Therefore this reviewer wishes
to state the case as he understands it.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 173

About 1825 or 1826, not sure as to date, a company was
formed, it was said, of Nathan Newsom, a tanner, who lived in
Chester ; Moses Green, of Orange township, said to be a horse
jockey, who had married into a very respectable family ; Nich-
olas Lake, who also had a very respectable woman for a wife,
and John Nolan, a batchelor, who lived about Chester at that
time, not a bad man naturally, but so constituted that he could
be made a cat's paw when needed. The Keg Company made
and sold counterfeit money, silver dollars, that could not be
told from the genuine, and they would exchange two dollars
for one good one. So one man, having two or three hundred
dollars, agreed to buy of the spurious coin, and, repairing to a
secret room, his money was counted out on a table, when the
lights were suddenly put out and all the money swept off from
the table. The man lost his money. He went before the gjand
jury, and the four men were indicted. They could not arrest
Newsom and Green, they fleeing to parts unknown. An officer
tried to arrest Nolan, who stabbed the officer and was sent to
the penitentiary for it. As soon as he had served his time he
left for New Orleans, where it was said that he became a
wealthy and respectable citizen.

Lake had stolen a horse in Athens county and Was sent to
the penitentiary for that act. While in prison he, with others,
was taken under gfuard outside to work. Lake attempted to
run away, the guard shot and wounded him so that he died.

In 1818 Dr. David Gardner and his brother Charles came to
Chester, Ohio. They bought out Mr. Levi Stedman's store
and filled it with goods purchased in the Eastern cities. Charles
Gardner went back to Long Island, New York, but Dr. Gardner
remained in Chester many years and died there; also Mrs.
Gardner, and both are buried in the Chester Cemetery. Their
daughter was married to Mr. Maples, an Episcopal clergyman,
who was rector of Grace Church in Pomeroy, Ohio, and influ-
ential in the erection of the neat Gothic church in that place.

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174 Pioneer History of Meigs County

After a long and successful pastorate, winning high regard for
his character, he unfortunately became insane and died in the
Athens Hospital for the Insane.

Edward Weldon was married to Mary Paris in Dublin, Ire-
land, and emigrated to the United States. The precise date is
not on record, but they located for a few years in Washington
county. Pa., where Mr. Edward Weldon died; also two sons,
each one named Edward. The widow, Mrs. Weldon, moved
first to the Lewis farm, above Point Pleasant, Va., and stayed
one year, when she removed with her family to Chester, Ohio.
The children were: Frank Weldon, who was lost, fate un-
known. James Weldon married Lettie Stout. William Wel-
don married Elinor Pullins; lived and died in Chester, Ohio.
John Weldon married Mary, daughter of Dr. Fuller Elliott;
settled in Letart township, later Sutton, and had a family of
sons and daughters. Richard Weldon, married Sally, daugh-
ter of Levi Stedman, of Chester. They had two daughters —
Emily, Mrs. Obadiah Walker, and Caroline, who was married
to Mr. Heaton. Richard Weldon and his wife died young.
Martha Weldon became Mrs. Samuel McKinley ; lived in Ken-
tucky. Catharine was married to John Van Kirk, in Chester
township. Margaret became the wife of Augustus Watkins.

Mary Weldon was the first wife of Andrew Donnelly, clerk
of the Court of Common Pleas for Meigs county during a long
period of years. Mrs. Donnelly died young, leaving two chil-
dren, Charles Donnelly and Margaret.

Francis Weldon, son of James Weldon, married Rachel
Cozad ; parents of Mrs. Lurinda Williamson, widow of Captain
James Williamson, now of California.

A remarkable meteoric shower was displayed in November
of the year 1831. It was called "the stars falling," and created
great alarm in some localities. Some people averred that the
judgment day had come, while others opened their Bibles to
read of "stars falling and men's hearts failing,*' while in many '
homes in sparsely settled places the inhabitants slept soundly

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 175

and knew nothing of the wonderful sight in the heavens re-
ported by witnesses.

Rev. Isaac Reynolds lived in Letart village and mingled
with the frightened ones, allaying their fears. He said "the
meteors fell thickly at one time, and that strange, fantastic
shapes were assumed by many of those lurid bodies in their
descent to the earth." The history of meteoric showers or the
aerolites had not been taught in the schools. This event was
generally concluded to foretell some great calamity to befall
the world.

Another natural phenomena was considered as an omen of
calamity — the aurora borealis, or northern light. The beauty
of the sky was not so impressive as the smothered belief that
some disaster was impending, as of war or pestilence.

A comet with a luminous following gave certain warning to
a class of credulous folks that the end of this world was near,
and a few believers in the Miller prophecy resided in Lebanon
township. Time has gone on with great regfularity; spring
and summer, autumn and winter, have banished such fears.

A flood in the Ohio river in 1832 was a real and disastrous
event. The inhabitants were living in houses on the river
bank, and farmers especially had no buildings on the bluff or
second bank to shelter themselves. In Lebanon several fam-
ilies sought shelter in a two-story log house, but the water
continued rising, so that at nightfall they were removed in
flatboats to the hillside, making beds on the ground in the open
field, although snow was falling in scattering flakes. One man
made a pen on his flatboat for his four fat hogs and for his
chickens, with corn for feeding them. Stock and horses were
taken to the hills before the water had wholly covered the
bottom lands. Houses, bams, haystacks, as well as uprooted
trees, went hurrying by on the swollen river.

Of the cholera in Chester in the year 1834 an account
of the scourge was published in the Meigs County

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176 Pioneer History of Meigs County

Telegraph of January 20th, 1893, and copied from that
paper into this manuscript the same year by S. C.
Larkin. "Fifty-nine years ago since Meigs county had
that awful experience with cholera. Chester was then the
county seat and the chief village in the county, with a popula-
tion of 200 souls. Of those who lived in Chester in 1834 but
three persons remain as residents of the old village with clear
remembrance of that event, Mrs. Dolly A. Knight, Mr. Harold
Wells and E. Sardine Weldon, then a child of six years. Re-
ports were in circulation of the ravages of Asiatic cholera in
maritime cities. New York and New Orleans, and of its deadly
prevalence in foreign countries. Mrs. Dolly Knight and her
husband, Benjamin Knight, moved from the Ohio river, where
Pomeroy was located later, to Chester, where Mr. Knight took
charge of a flour mill. They were congratulated by their
friends for getting off from the river and going to the interior,
where they would be comparatively safe from the contagion.
Human foresight was a failure. In Chester they took a house
situated on the lot where the postoffice stands at present. On
the west end of the lot was a small brick schoolhouse, used
also for religious or church assemblies. The first case of
cholera was Dr. James S. Hibbard, who had been called to
Syracuse to prescribe for a man who was sick, a steamboat
man just returned from a trip on the river. Dr. Hibbard pro-
nounced the case cholera and prescribed accordingly. On his
way back to Chester he was attacked with the malady and,
getting off from his horse, took a dose of calomel, lay down
by the roadside and fell asleep in the woods. As soon as he
was able to remount his horse he proceeded homeward. He
finally recovered. This occurred in July. Soon afterwards a
son of Jasper Branch, about fourteen years of age, came to his
work in the mill from his dinner, was taken violently ill and
was assisted to an upper room, but grew rapidly worse, and
before nightfall he was dead. That night a sister, older than
he, took sick and died before morning. Two deaths in Mr.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 177

Branch's family was a shock to the community. Two or
three weeks elapsed, and then a show came to Tupper's Plains,
which Lewis Nye, a youth, attended and remained over
night. He was stricken with the cholera next morning
and died in a few hours. Next in order of time was the family
of John Ware, a saddler. He had a large family, but the
father, mother and four children fell victims to the cholera.
First the daughter Polly, a young woman, returned from
church in the evening, apparently well, but that night she died.
The next day two of her brothers were snatched away, and
the second day the father and mother joined the dead children.
Relatives of the Ware family came up from Gallipolis to help
care for them, and took the survivors home, one boy dying on
the way. Five children remained, who lived, married and set-
tled in Meigs county, Gallia and Mason, W. Va. William
Ware never married ; lived in his sister's home and died there
at Miller McGlothlin's, near Ravenswood, W. Va.

Charles Doane, a tanner, was suddenly attacked after a talk
with Dr. Carpenter in a light vein, "that after the people all
died, he and the doctor would open a hotel." After parting, in
fifteen minutes the message was sent to the doctor of his sick-
ness, and in one hour Charles Doane was dead.

William Torrence was stricken by the epidemic, but rallied
for a time, then relapsed and died after an illness of fourteen
days. Mr. Harold Wells nursed William Torrence fourteen
nights in succession without taking off his clothes to go to
bed. Later, Myron Wells, Baza Wells, their mother and a
sister were each prostrated with the disease, while Harold, the
brother and son, attended them, and they all recovered.

A son of Marcus Bosworth, about ten years of age, went to
bed as usual, but later called his mother, "so very sick," and,
although medicine was administered at once, by 10 o'clock the
child was dead. A Mr. Horton, aged about forty-five years,
was one of the fatal victims. Harold Wells, Otis Hardy and
Van Weldon were busy all the time ministering to the sick

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178 Pioneer History of Meigs County

and burying the dead. Mr. Weldon was a cabinet maker and
made the coffins for those who died. This history of the
cholera in 1834 in Chester we believe correct and authentic.
S. C. L.

An incident occurred in 1833 in Lebanon township, below
Sandy, when the cholera was epidemic in New Orleans and
many cities, that a steamboat landed on the Ohio side of the
river near a small graveyard on the bank and sent a messenger
to a house not far away for permission to bury a man, then
dead on the boat. The request was denied with rudeness, so
frightened was the householder at the approach of cholera.
The man was buried by the roadside. No case of the disease
appeared in the neighborhood until the next summer, when
the man who refused the stranger a grave was stricken with
cholera and died, the only death from cholera ever known in
the place.

The second visitation of cholera at Middleport, in 1849,
resulted in the deaths of four persons in the Baily family — Mr.
David Baily and his wife, his daughter and son-in-law; also
Mrs. Hudson, a sister of Mr. Bailey. Oren Jones was their
nurse. He was a young man and claimed that by his strong
will he was able to resist the contagion. There were a few
cases of cholera in Pomeroy in 1849, but we are not in posses-
sion of details. In the first seasons of the epidemic there were
fatalities of some persons about Letart. Balser Roush and
family, living above Racine, in Letart township, were victims ;
several of them died. Dr. J. B. Ackley gave medical attention
and secured assistance for care of such as needed.

Job Story, of Bedford township, was one of the early set-
tlers of that township and a pioneer abolitionist, who ever
dared to vote his sentiments even in old Bedford. He died
March 18th, 1883, aged ninety-one years.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 179

Frederic Merrill and Arthur Merrill were brothers, who
were bom in Newburyport, Mass., and moved with their
father to Cincinnati in 1823. The family came to Meigs
county in 1830. Frederic Merrill was a merchant in Rutland
village. He was a township trustee several years, but returned
to Cincinnati, where he died in 1844.

Arthur Merrill graduated in a law school and came to Rut-
land in 1834. He served as probate judge in Meigs county six
years. Died in Rutland April 18th, 1881, aged sixty-eight
years.

Samuel Pomeroy owned the valuable coal lands first de-
veloped in and near the town of Pomeroy, at the first quarter
of the nineteenth century. Much territory of the Ohio Com-
pany's Purchase is seen on the records of Gallia county and
of Washington county as entered by Abigail Dabney, and later
was transferred to other parties, Mr. Samuel Pomeroy, a rela-
tive, a Boston man, who lived in Cincinnati in 1833, at the
time that his daughter, Clara Alsop Pomeroy, became the wife
of Valentine B. Horton, a young lawyer from Pittsburgh, Pa.
Mr. Horton was born January 29th, 1802, in Windsor, Vt.,
having taken a military training and also a regular course in
law, and after his marriage came directly to Pomeroy, Ohio,
in 1833, where he opened up the coal industry that gave Meigs
county its greatest commercial importance and laid out the
town of Pomeroy.

Mr. Samuel Pomeroy built a fine residence just back of the
present Court House, but died soon afterwards. The history
of V. B. Horton cannot receive adequate notice in these brief
articles, and belongs in fact to a later time than the real pio-
neer period of the early settlers. Mr. Horton died in Pomeroy,
January 13th, 1888, at the age of 86 years.

Mrs. Clara Alsop Horton was born in Boston, October 7th,
1804, and with her husband made their home in Pomeroy dur-

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180 Pioneer History of Meigs County

ing fifty-four years of their wedded life. Her courteous man-
ners and fine intellectual equipment made her the peer of any
lady in any land. Her gracious charity and broad views of life
gave her influence with the best class of people in social, civil
or religious life. She was a devout Episcopalian, and her hus-
band built and donated to the town of Pomeroy the elegant
stone church of that denomination. She was a wise, exemplary
wife and mother. They had a family of five children : Clara
Pomeroy Horton became the wife of Gen. John Pope. Fran-
cis Dabney Horton was married to Gen. M. F. Force of Cin-
cinnati. Edwin Johnson Horton married a daughter of Dr.
Estes Howe of Boston. Annie Alsop Horton died in child-
hood.

Samuel Dana Horton became noted as a writer of promi-
nence in monetary affairs, lived on the Continent of Europe,
and married a daughter of a retired British officer in Switzer-
land.

Catharine Alsop Horton was the wife of John May of
Boston.

Mrs. Clara A. Horton died September 28th, 1894, nearly
ninety years of age, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Force,
in Sandusky, Ohio.

Martin Heckard, a lawyer, came to Meigs county about
1838 or 1839, not certain as to date. He located in Pomeroy
and married Miss Catharine P. Horton, a sister of the Hon. V.
B. Horton. Mr. Heckard was the first Probate Judge of Meig^
county; and served three years. They had a family of three
children. George Heckard, Lucy Heckard died in young
womanhood. Mary Heckard went to school on the Hudson,
and became the wife of Mr. Huntington of Long Island. Judge
Heckard died in Pomeroy. Mrs. Heckard died at her daugh-
ter's, Mrs. Huntington, January 9th, 1890, aged seventy-nine
years.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 181

Jacob Rice, born at Murray ville. Pa., January 2nd, 1790. He
married Hannah Plummer, who died leaving one child, Henry
Rice of Rutland. Mr. Jacob Rice died November 3d, 1888,
aged 98 years, 10 months, 1 day, in Salisbury township.

Ira McCumber was born July 5th, 1805, in Gallia county,
and married Mary Boyer, who was bom April 29th, 1807, in
Pennsylvania. They lived in Salem township, and Mr. Mc-
Cumber died April 14th, 1882, aged 77 years.

Mrs. McCumber died May 5th, 1895, aged 88 years. She was
a member of the Pioneer Association, and died in Salem.

The fugitive slave law was brought to notice by two men
who had captured a slave belonging to one of the party, and
had taken him before a justice of the peace in Gallia county, O.
They requested a trial, and certificate for the removal of the
slave from the State. The justice appointed the trial to be
made the next day at 10 o'clock a. m. An anti-slavery man
who learned when the suit was to held, started at once to
Rutland for Nathan Simpson, a lawyer of local fame. The
following morning Mr. Simpson and his friend started for that
magistrate's office to watch proceedings. What could be
done? Evidently the master had all the proof that the law
required. When the lawyer's party got within a few miles of
the place, they began announcing their mission and inviting
people, every man they saw or could send word to, "to come
and see the fun."

At the hour, 10 o'clock, Mr. Simpson went into the court-
room and talked with the owner; also with the slave, and
oflFered to see that he had a fair trial. At first, he opened the
case very mildly, but as the house filled up, the crowd looking
through the doors and windows and every place where they
could see or hear, Simpson's voice became louder and in-
creased in pathos and energy with little thought about cor-
rectness of language or logic. The slave owner became

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182 Pioneer History of Meigs County

alarmed, fearing the mob had collected to lynch him, and with
his party slipped out of a back door, saying, "He would never
follow another slave into Ohio, for when they get there they
are beyond our reach." It is claimed that this case was the
last capture of a slave in Ohio. 1850.

James Petty was born in old Virginia in 1819, and came
when quite young with his parents to Pagetown, Meigs
county. His father Hugh Petty moved to Gallia county sub-
sequently, and died there. James Petty married in that
county, but lost his wife soon afterwards, when with his wid-
owed mother, he came to Rutland, and remained there the
rest of his life. He held many responsible local offices, justice
of the peace, for many years. He made a home for his aged
mother and invalid sister with filial and brotherly devotion.
His death occurred in Rutland, Ohio, January 26th, 1891, aged
seventy-two years.

Mrs. A. Hoff — nee More — ^was born in Parkersburg, W. Va.,
on November 1st, 1819, and was married to J. D. Hoff January
29th, 1839. They came to Letart, Ohio, in 1845, and to Mid-
dleport, Ohio, in 1849. She united with the Methodist Epis-
copal Church in her fourteenth year, and lived a consistent and
useful life. She died in Middleport, July 18th, 1883.

Lucinda H. Dunham, wife of Hiram B. Smith, was born in
Washington county, Ohio, November 20th, 1808. She was the
daughter of Amos Dunham and wife — nee Laura M. Guthrie,
from whom she inherited a liberal share of physical and men-
tal qualities. She obtained a fair English education at Mari-
etta, Ohio. The family came to Pomeroy in 1837, where she
became the wife of Mr. H. B. Smith, a lawyer and prominent
man in business and social circles in Pomeroy, Ohio. He was
an active member and president of the Miegs County Pioneer
Association for several years. They had one son, who died

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 183

in early manhood. Mrs. Smith died in Pomeroy, Ohio, March
17th, 1881.

Catharine Dawson was born July 17th, 1820, in Beaver
county. Pa., and was married to Dr. Joseph Dickson, October
19th, 1841. They moved to Athens county the same year.
They had five children, three of whom died in childhood. Dr.
Dickson went with a company overland to California in 1849,
and was killed by the accidental discharge of his own revolver
soon after reaching California. December 11th, 1864, Mrs.
Dickson was married to Mr. Josiah Simpson, of Rutland, Ohio,
and removed to his home with her two daughters. She died
June 4th, 1895. She had been a faithful member of the Free
Will Baptist Church, a most excellent woman.

The Bradbury family. Contributed by Judge Samuel Brad-
bury in 1895, to the Meigs County Pioneer Association.

"Seventy-nine years ago, December, 1816, the parents of
Judge Samuel Bradbury floated down the Ohio river in a little
boat and tied up at the mouth of Leading creek, where they
entered a small log cabin, and with their seven children be-
came citizens of the great State of Ohio. The father had but
one dollar and fifty cents in his pocket when he landed. The
family came from Maine, having made their way through the
wilderness as best they could. Samuel was seven years old at
that time. One son was born after the arrival in Ohio, who
died at the age of thirty-eight years. The family were reared
to honorable lives, and the sons achieved merited distinction
in positions of honor and trust. The seven children lived to
an average age of eighty-three years."

Judge Samuel Bradbury was born in Maine, August 4th,
1809, and died in Middleport, Ohio, March 1st, 1897, aged
eighty-seven and one-half years. He had been one of the most
active and efficient men in the organization of the Meigs
County Pioneer Association in 1876.

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184 Pioneer History of Meigs County

Simeon Elliott was a brother of Judge Fuller Elliott, and
came to Meigs, rather Washington county, in 1797, and
bought land, situated back from the Ohio river, in what was
later included in Sutton township. He married Lucy Putnam,
a distant relative of George W. Putnam. They had a large
family, reared to honorable positions in the community, in a
home of refinement not common in those days. The sons
were: Rey. Madison Elliott, a graduate of Marietta College
and of Lane Seminary, Cincinnati, Ohio. He was the prin-
cipal of the academy at Chester in 1844-45, a flourishing insti-
tution at that time. Miss Clarissa Cutler, a daughter of Hon.
Ephraim Cutler, was the vice-principal. Two other sons were
Putnam Elliott, who died in early manhood, and Sumner
Elliott, who emigrated to some Western state years ago. The
daughters were: Nancy Elliott, Maria, Mrs. William Tor-
rence ; he died of cholera ; then she married Mr. Phineas Rob-
inson. Lucy, Mrs. Josiah Branch; Lury Ann, Mrs. Grin
Branch; Adaline, Mrs. Elihu Stedman; Fidelia, and Lydia
died unmarried.

Mr. Simeon Elliott was called "Squire" Elliott, in distinc-
tion from Judge Fuller Elliott, M. D. He built a tread mill
run by horse-power, and attached to the machinery a carding
machine. Mrs. Elliott, after being a widow many years, mar-
ried Abel Chase, Sr., of Rutland.

Samuel Branch settled in Chester township in 1807. He
married Miss Tryphena Stedman, a sister of Levi Stedman, so
long prominent in public affairs.

Mr. Branch was a Free Will Baptist preacher, and opened
his own house for preaching; also built a schoolhouse on his
own land for the education of the children of the neighbor-
hood. Mr. Branch was ready to assist in any enterprise for
the benefit in morals or education in the community. They
had a large family of sons and daughters.

Samuel Branch, Jr., was a Baptist preacher. Harry and
William were farmers. Josiah Branch married Lucy Elliott,

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 185

and kept a store in Chester. Orin Branch married Lury Ann
Elliott ; they had one daughter, Julia. Mrs. Lury Ann Branch
died early. Orin Branch moved to Pomeroy, and was county
treasurer several years. His second wife was Miss Josephine
Paige, an excellent woman. Hosmer Branch married and set-
tled in Pomeroy, engaged in mercantile business. They had
several children.

Mary Branch was married three times — ^Wallace and Spicer
were two of them. Lucy Branch was the wife of James Mad-
ison Cooper. Miranda Branch was married to Mr. Cline ; lived
in Pagetown. Rev. Samuel Branch, Sr., was a pioneer of the
type to be honored and remembered.

Some old, yellow papers, found among the Levi Stedman's
documents, have been furnished for notice in the Revised
Pioneer History of Meigs County by Miss Eva L. Walker, of
Chester, Ohio, as belonging to the estate of Mr. Levi Sted-
man, her great-grandfather, and we take pleasure in copying
several of them, while all of them are interesting specimens
of the writing and transactions of the pioneer period. We
copy first a parchment deed, a land warrant, signed by James
Monroe, President, with official seal of the United States of
America attached.

I, James Monroe, President of the United States of Amer-
ica, to all to whom these presents shall come, greeting :

Know ye, that in pursuance of the acts of Congress, ap-
propriating and granting land to the late army of the United
States, passed on and since the sixth of May, 1812, Dinah
Byram, only heir at law of Adam Ball, having deposited in the
General Land Office a warrant in her favor, numbered 24689,
there is granted unto the said Dinah Byram, only heir at law
of Adam Ball, late a private in Holt's Company of the Seven-
teenth Regiment of Infantry, a certain tract of land containing
one hundred and sixty acres, being the northwest quarter of
Section 6, of Township 1 south. Range 5 east, in the tract ap-

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186 Pioneer History of Meigs County

propriated (by the act aforesaid) for military bounties, in the
territory of Arkansas, to have and to hold, the said quarter
section of land, with the appurtenances thereof, unto the said
Dinah Byram, only heir at law of Adam Ball, December 9th,
and to her heirs and assigns forever.

In testimony whereof, I have caused these letters to be made
patent, and the seal of the General Land Office to be hereunto
affixed. Given under my hand, at the City of Washington,
this sixteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thou-
sand, eight hundred and twenty-one, and of the independence
of the United States of America the forty-sixth.
^ Seal of the ] By the President,

^ General Land Office }- James Monhoe.

[ U. S. A. J JosiAH Meigs,

Commissioner of General Land
Office. Exd.

Recorded, Vol. 6, 7255. J. Wheaton.

Levi Stedman, Esq., to Matthew Buell, Dr. :

1811.
May 9th. To 8 doses of physic, et gm. opie $3 OO

1812.

Aug. 10th. " Jal. Senna 25

Sept. 12th. " Gm. Opie et Rad. Dianthus 1 50

1813.
April 2nd. Sundry Articles, Medicine, Advice and

attendee 12 50

May 4th. Elix. Vit. I. loz. Cham. Emetic, I art., &c. 2 50
July 1st. Visits to Daughter, Sundry Art. Medicine. 15 00

Aug. 18th. Puley Ipecac Rheumatic Liniment, Elix. p — 36 25
(non-readable) Ex. Jr., Wife 2 50

$38 75

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Pioneer History of Meigs County
Dolls. 130. cts. No. 131.

18T

General Post Office.
Washington City, July 1st, 1819.
Sir — At sig^t, pay to Skinner & Barber, or order, One hun-
dred and thirty dollars, and charge to account of this Office.

Absiam Bradbitry,
Assistant Post-Master GeneraL
To Levi Stedman, Esq. ]

Post Master, at Stedman's Mills, J-
Chester, O. J

Aug. 29, 1820.
Order from M. Segrist, to Mr. Levi Stedman, Shade river,
Ohio.
Let Thomas Haywalt have three galls, of Whiskey, in ex-
change for Rye, to be delivered at the Ferry, and oblige.
Yours Resp'y, '

Michael Segrist.
Mason, Va.

The deed of the land from Dinah Byram to Dorothy Sted-
man and Joel Cowdery, executors of the will of Levi Stedman,
deceased, executed and acknowledged before Randall Stivers,

Her
justice of the peace, signed Dinah -f- Byram, and recorded by

mark
Recorder of Meigs county, 1824. David Barber, Clerk.

Receipts of money for diflferent purposes.

A deed of ten acres of land from Josiah Vining to Dorothy
Stedman to satisfy a judgment for eighteen dollars and sixty
cents, with the costs accruing thereto.

Recorded in Volume 2nd, page 80 and 81. Chas. Gardiner,
Recorder.

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188 Pioneer History of Meigs County

Gallia County.

Gallipolis, December 31st, 1805.
Received of Levi Stedman, Collector of taxes for Letart
Township, the sum of Thirty Dollars and thirty-two cents i,
on account of the County tax of this township, for the year
1805.

Francies Le Clerq, Ex (torn out).

Received of Levi Stedman $4.20 cts. for his tax on 420 acres
of land — 12, Range 3, T. 24 S. Athens Co. for 1819.

Isaac Barker, CoU'r.

The Pilchard and Ellis families came from the eastern shore
of Maryland to Ohio, about the year 1810, and settled in
Letart, Ohio. Peter Pilchard's wife was a Miss Roloff. They
had several children, Lewis, Lybrand and others. Lewis Pil-
chard married Esther Hayman, a daughter of Josiah Hayman,
and located in Letart Falls, W. Va. Lybrand Pilchard mar-
ried and made his home in East Letart, and brought up a
family. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
an active, loyal adherent to its usages, serving as steward,
class leader or Sunday school superintendent, and brought up
a highly respectable family.

John Ellis, Sr., lived in Letart many years. He had two
sons, John R. Ellis and Henry Ellis. John R. Ellis married
Elizabeth Ford, and had a family of sons and daughters.
Milton Ellis served in the war for the Union, and was pro-
moted to the rank of major. William A. Ellis was a soldier,
also, in the cavalry service, and won distinction for courage.
Esther Ellis was married to Hiram L. Sibley, a soldier in the
army, but was held a prisoner in the Libby prison, Richmond,
Va., for several months. After the close of the war he opened
a law office in Marietta, Ohio, and became distinguished for
his legal talents. He served as circuit judge in this district,

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 189

and as a delegate to the General Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, in each capacity repeatedly.

Regina Ellis remained ministering to the needs of her par-
ents in their last years with filial devotion. John R. Ellis was
elected as a county commissioner several terms, and was a
Sunday school superintendent for more than forty years. Mrs.
Elizabeth Ellis died in her ninety-eighth year.

Henry Ellis married Adaline Johnson, daughter of an old
resident of Chester township. They lived in Racine, Ohio;
had two children, Jeremiah A. Ellis, who married and moved
to Kansas. Mary E. Ellis was married to Dorr DeWolf, one
of a family of steamboat men. Their home has been in Ra-
cine. Mrs. Mary E. DeWolf is a loyal Methodist.

Mr. Henry Ellis died in middle life, and Mrs. Adaline Ellis
did not attain old age. They were good citizens, highly
esteemed by the community.

In the earlier days, the schoolboy's equipment was scant,
made up chiefly by the mother's ingenuity, in co-operation
with the father's desire to give some "book learning" to his
children. Money was hard to obtain, and the necessities of
life were secured by traffic. For writing purposes, an ink was
made by an infusion of oak gall nuts, mixed with beef's gall
and vinegar, in proportions learned by experiments. Another
kind of ink in use was made from a decoction of maple bark,
carefully poured off, and a lump of copperas and a little sugar
added to the liquid. The sugar gave a gloss to the writing,
and this ink was a good black, but if too much sugar was put
in, the written pages would stick together.

For schools and ordinary purposes, a thick, unruled paper,
called foolscap, was in use, and the ruling was made with
lead pencils cut off in strips from the lead of which bullets
were made, and hammered into shape, flat and narrow, about
three inches in length. These lead pencils were drawn across
the paper by a straight-edged ferule. Pens were made from

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190 Pioneer History of Meigs County

quills taken from the wings of geese. The schoolmaster called
the children into school by rapping loudly on the door — ^never
had a bell. The sessions were from 8 or 9 o'clock a. m. to 4
or 5 o'clock in the afternoon, six days in the week for a three
months' term in winter. Some teachers had a watch, but, if
lacking that, a good look at the sun was a common way of
reckoning time. E. L. B.

April 12th, 1819, the first Court of Common Pleas for Meigs
county, on petition of Thomas Ridding, of Sutton, for a
license to keep a house of entertainment in his dwelling house,
it was ordered that license be given him on his complying with
the requisitions of the law. Thomas Ridding had a license,
previously granted, to keep a ferry at Graham's Station, Meigs
county, Ohio.

The hotel, as described by Mr. Ridding's daughter, "was a
double log cabin — two log houses with a space of ten feet be-
tween them, but all included under one roof — and having a
spacious attic for common sleeping rooms. The patrons of
this hostelry were men who carried on trade up and down the
Ohio river in pirogues, or large canoes, laden with flour, salt
and groceries, for sale to the people on shore, and who did a
good business in exchanging commodities for skins, furs and
ginseng. These boatmen would make their stopping place at
night at the Ridding house at Graham's Station. Sometimes
two or three boat crews would land at the same time. They
were sure of a bountiful meal of substantial food, and when
the beds were all filled, if necessary the landlady would make
field beds on the floor. There was no grumbling at the lack of
washbowl and pitcher, nor any scrambling for a looking-glass.
They were glad to sleep after the hard day of poling canoes.
This tavern had a sad closing up. Mr. Ridding was acci-
dentally drowned, and his widow went back to her old home
in the Shenandoah valley. Narrative by Mrs. Cynthia Phil-
son, Racine, Ohio.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 191

The first newspaper published in Meigs county was dated
November 1st, 1843, called "The Weekly Times," edited and
printed by L. Beatty. In a year or two the paper was edited
by O. B. Chapman, with Mr. Beatty. In 1845 and 1846, R. T.
Van Horn was associated with Mr. Chapman, and the name
was changed to "The Meigs County Telegraph." Later, Mr.
Van Horn withdrew, and the paper was under the manage-
ment of T. A. Plants, Esq. The paper had a change of names
and editors until 1860 — O. B. Chapman editor and E. S. Trus-
sell business manager. Mr. Chapman was a good editor and
practical printer, and no slovenly typesetting was ever seen
while he was editor. He held the place longer than any one
before or afterwards. Mr. E. S. Trussell succeeded Mr. Chap-
man, and continued to publish a good, influential paper. Mr.
O. B. Chapman finally, after many vicissitudes in fortune, died
in Colorado Springs, at the advanced age of eighty years, a
true, noble-hearted man, steadfast in his principles of right-
eousness in civil or religious matters.

The next paper was "The People's Fountain," a temperance
paper, printed by Hoy and Rundle, in 1854. It failed after a
few years for lack of patronage. The first paper printed in
Middleport was "The Meigs County News," in 1871, by E. S.
Branch. S. C. L.

"The Buckeye Rovers." — An article in the Cincinnati En-
quirer by Arthur B. Harding, and copied into this manuscript
by S. C. Larkin :

"The Buckeye Rovers crossed the continent to the Cali-
fornia gold fields in 1849. There were twenty-two men in the
party, from Athens and Meigs counties exclusively. From
Athens county : Elza Armstrong, W. S. Stedman, Hugh Dick-
son, Dennis Drake, Elijah Terrill, Solomon Townsend, James
Shepherd, William Logan, W. T. Wilson, Joseph Dickson, M.
D., R. P. Barnes, John Banks, George Reeves, Asa Condee,
M. D., H. L. Graham. From Meigs county : Seth Paine, L. D.

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192 Pioneer History of Meigs County

Stevens, J. C. Rathburn, M. D., Joshua Gardner, Charles Giles,
John S. Giles. Fifteen Athenians and seven Meigs countians.
The party left Albany April 9th, 1849, and, going to Middle-
port, Meigs county, embarked on a steamboat and, further on,
by boats until reaching Lexington, Mo. Here they organized,
choosing Dr. Joseph Dickson captain. Cattle were brought
that never had seen a yoke, and a week was spent in breaking
them. The party drove one hundred miles to St. Joseph,
where, if they had waited to cross the ferry in their turn, they
would have been delayed six weeks, so great was the rush
westward. Luckily, some of them were old river men, and
who constructed a rude craft, that carried them over the river
in four days. They proceeded up the Platte river by Fort
Kearney and Fort Laramie, and to the north of the Great Salt
Lake, eighty miles. Cholera infested the plains at this time,
and for more than a thousand miles west of Fort Kearney, if
there had been no trail, they could easily have kept their
course by the new made graves. They had many thrilling
experiences and narrow escapes from the Indians. At the sink
of the Humboldt river the Indians stole all of their cattle.
Then the company disbanded, and each one had to get to Sac-
ramento the best way he could. Judge Wilson fell in with an
Illinois party going to Oregon, and he was the first white man
at Downieville, on the Yuba river, where he subsequently took
up the largest nugget any of them secured. It was about the
size of a goose egg and was valued at $1285. On September
20th, 1849, the first of the Buckeye Rovers reached Sacra-
mento, then consisting of only one wooden structure and used
for a postoffice. The tent population was about 5000, which
increased as by magic, so that in less than one year it was
estimated at 80,000 souls. When they reached the golden land,
labor was worth $16 a day, but dropped to $10 the next sea-
son. Provisions of all kinds were brought from the Sacra-
mento valley on mules and sold at enormous prices. Every-
thing sold by the pound, at $1, except butter, which was $4.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 193

Once they paid $8 for a pound of soda to make slapjacks.
Letters from the East cost 40 cents postage, and were usually
a year in reaching their destination. A man at the diggings
was employed as mail carrier. He took a list of the names of
the miners and went to San Francisco, the nearest postoffice,
200 miles distant. On reaching the office, he had to hunt the
letters that were wanted from a large pile on the floor. They
paid the mail carrier $2 for each letter carried or received. In
the winter of *49 Condee and Wilson formed a partnership
with two Illinois men, Burroughs and Barnes by name, for the
purpose of prospecting on the Yuba river. There were no
towns and no laws, but among themselves. They agreed that
each miner was to have thirty feet on the river as his claim.
After staking out four claims near Downieville, Barnes and
Burroughs went farther up the mountains prospecting, leav-
ing the others to guard the claims. The miners began to
swarm in, and it was useless to try to hold the claims. "The
upper two we thought were good," said Judge Wilson, "but
the lower two we sold to a party of Georgians for $1000, and
shortly afterwards I saw them take out between $40,000 and
$50,000 worth of gold dust. My share in the upper claim T
sold in a few weeks later for $2300." It was a common oc-
currence for a miner to be worth $1000 one day and be as
much in debt the next day from losses in gambling. There
was not much stealing in the mining region, for among the
miners, if a person was caught stealing anything to the amount
of $1 or more the penalty was a severe whipping or death.

The first of the Rovers that died was Dr. Joseph Dickson,
who was accidentally shot by dropping his revolver while
prospecting on the American river. Mr. Stedman spent eleven
years in California.

Judge Wilson served four years in the Civil War, and he
says "the hardships endured were trifling in comparison with
the overland trip to California in 1849." A few of the men

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I

194 Pioneer History of Meigs County

who went out with this expedition returned home with finan-
cial gains, but the majority were not so fortunate.

The Associate Judges of Meigs County, Ohio.

Date of Election. Names of Judges. Terms.

February 6th, 1819. . Fuller Elliott, M. D 2 years

January 17th, 1821., George Bums 2 years

"anuary 23d, 1823. . Peter Grow 4 years

anuary, 1827 Henry L. Osborn, appointed to fill one

year for Grow 1 year

January 25th, 1828. . Nial Nye 7 years

January 25th, 1835. . Henry L. Osborn 7 years

February 17th, 1842. William Ledlie 7 years

March 17th, 1849. . . William McAboy 3 years

Total 33 years

February 6th, 1819. . Orasho (Horatio) Strong 5 years

January, 1^ Gushing Shaw 7 years

January 22d, 1831. . . Eli Sigler 7 years

February 10th, 1838. Nathan Simpson 6 years

February 28th, 1844. Samuel Bradbury 7 years

February 17th, 1851. Samuel Bradbury 1 year

Total 33 years

February 6th, 1819. . James E. Phelps 3 years

In 1822 Abel Larkin, appointed to fill one year

for J. E. Phelns 1 year

January 23d, 1823. . Abel Larkin 7 years

February 22d, 1830. John C. Bestow 7 years

February 16th, 1837. John C. Bestow 7 years

1844, 1851 Henry L. Osborn 7 years

Total 33 years

Lists furnished by Mr. Charles Matthews, Washington,
D. C:

Names of all persons in 1820 in Salisbury township, from
Census Report. — ^Joseph Bradford, David Bradford, Charles
Wright, William T. Whitney, David Lindsey, Joel Smith,
Benjamin Smith, Frederic Frazier, Josiah Vining, Piaris Ec-
cleston, Perry Hardin, Alvin Rathbum, Sarah Bullock, Ben-
jamin Williams, David Osork, Daniel Rathbum, Cyrus Hig-

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 196

ley, Archibald Murray, George Russell, Daniel McNaughton,
Joel Higley, John Winkley, Samuel Risley, Samuel L. Wilder,
Charles Jones, Frederic Hysell, Isaac Meeker, Timothy Smith,
Erastus Saus, Robert B. Harris, Isa Russell, Joseph Vining,
Increase Jones, James Smith, Edward Hysell, Caleb Austin,
William Kerr, John Wc^ward, Strother Hysell, John Smith.

Names of all persons living in Rutland township and Salis-
bury township in 1820. — George Russell, Benson Jones, Abel
Larkin, Silas Clark, James McGuire, William Hobart, Joshua
Parker, Ebenezer Howard, Samuel Vining, John Knight, Cor-
nelius Bradshaw, Amos Partlow, John Baily, Jeptha Mason,
Benjamin Frost, David Bailey, Samuel Gilman, Isaac Hugg,
Samuel Gilman, Jr., Elias Grigsby, Joseph Saxton, Eli Wright,
Robert Hysell, Samuel Lyman, Richard Vining, John Lynas,
Elam Higley, Daniel Rathburn, Jr., Alvin Bingham, James E.
Phelps, Philip Jones, Samuel Everett, Hamilton Kerr, Benja-
min T. Clough, William Dodson, William Baily, John Kin-
dall, George Knapp, Nathanael Bean, Lariah Norris, Isaac
Smith, Jans Bingham, Silas Knight, John Hysell, Brewster
Higley.

Salem township, 1820. — ^William Parker, Peter Aleshire,
John S. Giles, Gushing Shaw, Ozias Strong, Jacob Swett, John
Williams, Jame McClure, William Green, L. V. Vonschritz,
John Fordice, Eleazer Crowell, Mark Malone, Chauncey
Knowlton, Sampson Nelson.

CYCLONE IN COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP IN MAY, 1886.

[Condensed from a report in the Tclcgraph.l

May 12th, at 11 o'clock p. m. two dark clouds were seen
approaching each other from opposite points of the north and
of the south. They met, and the roar of the concussion was
terrific. The clouds commingled and seemed to fall to the
earth, moving with electric speed and resistless fury. The
first house struck was a log building occupied by J. Q. Adams

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196 Pioneer History of Meigs County

and his family of seven persons. The house was demolished,
but the inmates escaped injury. Next in the course of the
storm were the barn and sheep houses of Mr. Gregory ; then a
school house ; on, tearing off the upper story of the dwelling
of E. Foster; then more barns, until it narrowed down to a
track of not more than 300 yards in width, keeping near the
ground. A new house of Nathan Vail was badly shaken ; an-
other house torn down. The upper story of T. D. Jackson's
house, with a large stone chimney, was tumbled over the
inmates in bed ; one person injured ; his barn blown to pieces ;
two horses and eighteen sheep were killed. The home of S.
D. Wilcox was wrecked, and the furious storm went on, flat-
tening shrubbery, sweeping away fences, twisting oak trees
like wisps around each other. Then it reached the house of
Mrs. McComas, who, with her granddaughter of ten years,
was sleeping in one room, while in another room was a grand-
son twenty years old. Everything was swept from its place ;
the house, granaries, all were wrecked. The married son, who
lived near, ran to the place as soon as possible ; first found the
little girl, apparently lifeless, but who was resuscitated. The
old lady was found fifty yards to the south, stripped of cloth-
ing and dead. The young man lay in another direction, with
broken neck and legs.

Many sheep were killed. A fine orchard of J. L. Carpenter
was prostrated. The depot of the K. & M. Railroad was cut
in two, dividing it from the roof to the ground, and carried
eastward. A frame dwelling of Mr. McKnight was torn
away. The father, mother and daughter, having heard the
storm coming, threw themselves flat on the floor, face down-
wards, and the house was borne away from over their heads,
the wind catching: them up and pitching them with great force
on the ground. Mrs. McKnight had two ribs broken, and Mr.
McKnight was badly bruised, but they succeeded with great
difficulty in reaching the house of Dr. Dudgeon, a neighbor
who, fortunately, h^d escaped the hurricane. A cloudburst of

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 197

rain followed immediately, that prevented contiagration, as
the air was charged with electricity. Mr. Jewell s Dlacksmitn
snop was cleared ol all its fixtures, in leaving the ground, tae
wind retained its strength, tor a lot of standing timber had tne
tops cut olt at an angle ot thirty degrees irom tne base until
"out of the woods." ibe storm lasted about two hours, but
the havoc was the work of a few minutes. A memorable event
lor Columbia township.

In 1817 four young men from Kentucky, evidently of
wealthy parentage, well dressed, with nice boots, traveling on
foot to see the country in Ohio, being weary and footsore,
stopped a few days at Judge Larkin's to recuperate. One day,
near sunset, the judge came in from his work to have a little
talk. They said to him: **You have no slaves in Ohio. We
should think it very wearisome to do all your own work. And
then it deprives you of an opportunity to acquire knowledge.
We have slaves to do our work. Then we can go to town, or
any place to talk, and hear all the news, and so acquire in-
formation." They were told "that those who had the best
chance did not always get the most knowledge." One of the
number, in order to change the subject, asked Judge Larkin,
"Where did you come from?*' He replied, "From New Eng-
land." They said, "New England must be a big state, we find
so many that come from that state." They were informed
New England was not a state, but was composed of five
states. "Did you never hear of the State of Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, Vermont or Connecticut?" They were hard
to convince, but finally said they thought they were towns or
counties.

Soon after the organization of the county of Meigs a com-
pany of prominent citizens of Athens purchased lands of the
Ohio Company's Purchase, situated as river bottom farms,
above Old Town creek, and farther above the Hall property

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198 Pioneer HistORY of Meigs CouNtv

on the Ohio river border. The lands were heavily timbered.
Mr. Ziba Lindley, Sr., Ziba Lindley, Jr., Elnius Lindley, Col.
Charles Shipman and Nehemiah Bicknell, who had his home
with the Shipman family. Col. Shipman built a two-story
hewed-log house, well finished, in which he had a storeroom
for general merchandise. Mr. Ziba Lindley, Sr., put up a
house of logs, hewn on the inner side, with floors, doors, win-
dows and partitions done by a regular "house joiner." Ziba
Lindley, Jr., erected a two-story hewed-log house, well fin-
ished as to floors, doors, windows and bedroom partitions, a
stone chimney, with open fireplaces to each story. Elmus
Lindley had the farm adjoining his brother Ziba's and built a
smaller house. Mr. Bicknell bought his farm later, where he
built a hewed-log house, one and a half stories high, with inner
house-joiner finishings and stone chimney. The lumber for
all of these buildings was brought from Wright's mill on Mill
creek, Virginia. There was an old cabin on the back part of
the Shipman farm that was taken for a schoolhouse, and Miss
Harriet Bartlett taught school there in the summer. Colonel
Shipman conducted religious services there, reading the Scrip-
tures and a sermon on Sundays, and on Sunday afternoons
sometimes they met to sing. There were good singers in the
Athens company, and when they met with their note books —
patent notes — to sing "Easter Anthem" and "carry all the
parts" to time as correct as a military drill, it was quite in-
spiring. But the native population did not assimilate. They
preferred the fiddle and such dances as suited their ideas of
pleasure.

The Athens people became discouraged. The elder Mrs.
Lindley died and was buried in the pioneer graveyard, and the
other families gathered up their children and household goods
and moved back to Athens, leaving N. Bicknell agent for all
of their farms to rent or sell, as he might have opportunity. In
the meanwhile he had married Julia Larkin, of Rutland, and
had no alternative but to remain and open up his own farm

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SAMUEL S. PAINE

NEHEMIAH BICKNELL

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Pioneer HistoRY of Meigs Couniy 19d

for cultivation, doing a vast amount of hard work. He spoke
often of his disappointment in the abandonment of the neigh-^
borhood by the Lindleys and Shipmans^ as he had anticipated
their good influences to bring about a better social environ-
ment.

The name of George Ackley is on the record of deeds for
land purchased by him in 1800, in a part of Washington
county, afterwards included in Meigs county, thus giving the
name of a pioneer family. Jeremiah B. Ackley came to Letart
about 1831, a young doctor. He had spent some time at the
Ohio University at Athe;^s,»Q., and had prosecuted his studies
there as a physician. 7^e^located his office at Letart, O., but
also practiced medicine in Jackson county, Va. He had an
extensive practice on both sides of the river. He married a
daughter of Mr. Wright, of Mill Creek, Va., Miss Charlotte
Wright, and made their home in Letart.

They had several children:, all of whom died in childhood
except one son, George K. Ackley, who lived to follow the
profession of his father, and was especially noted as a surgeon.
He served as army surgeon in the Fourth West Virginia
Infantry in the Civil War. Mrs. Charlotte Ackley died in
1838 or 1839.

Dr. J. B. Ackley then entered the arena of politics, and rep-
resented Meigs county in the Ohio Legislature, serving one
or two terms with fidelity to his constituents and credit to
himself. He was a natural orator, and held county audiences
in rapt attention while pleading the cause of temperance dur-
ing the Washingtonian movement. His second wife was
Miss Miriam Smith, of Letart. They had one daughter, Kate,
a lovely child, who died at the age of six years. Dr. Ackley
had moved to Racine, and resumed the practice of medicine,
chiefly among the older families. Mrs. Miriam Ackley died in .
the seventies. In a few years he married Miss Sarah Woods,
of Racine, a happy alliance. She lived to make his last years

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SOO Pioneer History of Meigs CouNtY

comfortable with faithful care. He passed away, leaving the
record of a useful and honorable Ufe.

Dr. John R. Philson came from Maryland in 1839, and set-
tled in Racine, Ohio, where in 1841 he married Miss Cynthia
Redding, a daughter of Thomas Redding, who kept the pio-
neer hotel in Graham Station in 1824. Mrs. Redding married
as second husband Jacob Lalance, and their home was made
in Sutton township, below Racine, on the river.

Dr. J. R. Philson was associated with Dr. J. B. Ackley for
a while, but subsequently opened up a practice as physician
independently. He was in a scope of territory the principal
doctor, and won distinction for his skill in the treatment of
diseases. He was an army surgeon in the Fourth West Vir-
ginia, through the war, and while in the service received in-
juries that resulted in his death. Dr. Philson was elected
Senator for the Sixteenth Congressional District of Ohio, and
filled the position with fidelity to his constituents and honor
to himself. His death was lamented by the community at
large, by his many friends, and especially the poor, whom he
had treated gratuitously.

He left a widow, two sons and one daughter. The eldest
son. Professor Lewis Philson, has been devoted to educa-
tional work as teacher and superintendent.

The second son, John Rush Philson, followed his father's
profession and has a well-earned popularity as a doctor. A
son of Professor Lewis Philson is also a doctor, making three
generations in the medical fraternity.

The daughter, Margaret E. Philson, was married to Charles
McElroy soon after the Civil War. He was a soldier in
some sharp engagements, inducing a loss of vital force that
caused an early death.

The elder Mrs. Philson is living, a marvel of clear mind and
memory, and Mrs. McElroy is the faithful daughter and
Christian woman.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 201

Dr. John McClintock came to Letart, Ohio, from Philadel-
phia, and opened an oflSce as a regular physician in 1839. He
married Nancy Kingree, daughter of Abraham Kingree, of
Letart, an old pioneer in 1841.

They had one son, George M. McClintock, who became a
prominent and successful business man, but died in his man-
hood's prime, honored and lamented.

Dr. McClintock made his permanent home on a farm at
Apple Grove, and followed his profession continuously for
more than forty years, chiefly in Letart township, a wise and
skillful doctor. Dr. McClintock was a man of culture and
refinement, quiet, yet genial in manner, a good judge of char-
acter. He died leaving a widow and son. His life com-
manded respect, and his name is an honored memory.

REV. ISAAC REYNOLDS.

Isaac Reynolds was born in the State of New York and,
with his parents, emigrated to Ohio and settled in Athens
county in early days. He was a student in the Ohio Univer-
sity for some time, and while attending school was converted
under the preaching of the Rev. John Stewart, a noted minis-
ter of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Soon after his con-
version he began to preach.

In 1817, Mr. Reynolds traveled Burlington circuit. Rev.
Jacob Young, presiding elder. There was an element of evan-
gelistic fervor in his preaching, and among the converts of his
ministry was James Gilruth, who became a Methodist
preacher of great power and influence, long an active member
of the Ohio Conference.

After traveling circuits a few years, he married Miss Maria
Williamson, of Washington county, and located. He had a
difficulty of the throat that caused him to cease itinerant work.

About 1830 he came to Letart, not certain as to precise date.
He taught school and preached occasionally. As a teacher

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202 PioNEiER History of Meigs County

he was popular. He moved to Lebanon township in 1833»
and taught the public school several years. After giving up
teaching he settled on his farm and opened a small store, and
succeeded in establishing a postoffice, called Great Bend, he
being appointed postmaster. Mr. Reynolds finally moved to
northern California, preaching sometimes until 1876, where
he soon "fell on sleep" his work done.

MR. LUCIUS CROSS, SR.

Lucius Cross was born December 30th, 1798, in Mansfield,
Connecticut. When he was three years old He was brought
to Marietta, Ohio, where he grew up to manhood. He mar-
ried Thirza Stanley, (daughter of Timothy Stanley, a promi-
nent citizen of Washington county, in April, 1822, and came
directly to Meigs county, settling on lands back of Racine, in
Sutton township. He cleped his laiid for cultivation, built a
tannery on his farm, ejected a saw and grist mill on Bowman's
run, built flatboats on the river Jbea^h at Graham's Station, as
it was then called, had his timber all utilized for lumber, cord -
wood or tanbark. He opened a trade in the South with boats
laden with pressed hay and farm products, and by his different
industries gave employment to many men. In 1832 he built
his large, commodious farm house. Mr. Cross was a real
temperance man, and suffered no whisky to be brought to his
premises, and his farm house has the record of being the first
building erected in Meigs county without whisky or any in-
toxicating drink. The house was noted for its beauty in
construction and situation, considered the best house in the
country as a farmer's home. He had some military knowledge
and drilled recruits for the army. He left a valuable estate, a
widow and nine sons and daughters. He was entirely blind
a few years before his death in August, 1883. The sons have
been enterprising men, and all of the family married and set-
tled in Racine and vicinity, except the younger son, Edwin

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""«t:iilj{yj

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 203

Cross, who became a physician and followed his profession in
Chicago with notable success.

THE ALEXANDERS,

Thomas Alexander, who entered land in Letart township in
1803, died in 1808, aged 80 years. His wife, Elizabeth, died
in 1807, aged 77 years. William Alexander, son of Thomas
Alexander, lived on the farm purchased by his father, and
married Susan Love. They had a family of two sons and
three daughters.

Thomas Alexander married Caroline Burns, and their home
was on the Alexander farm, where they lived to a great age,
having had a family of eleven children, grown up and married.
Moses Alexander married Jane Smith, and died early, leaving
a wife and four children. His family lived in the Alexander
homestead.

The daughters were : Julia, who was married to David O.
Hopkins, and whose home was in Racine, Ohio, where she
died. They had several children grown to maturity, but par-
ents and children are all dead but one daughter, Mrs. Reese,
of Chicago. Mary Alexander was the wife of Albert Wood-
ruff, of Mill Creek. She passed away soon, leaving one daugh-
ter. Isabel Alexander was married to Daniel Bibbee, of
Letart, and died in a few years, leaving a daughter.

William Alexander, Sr., was one of the first Commissioners
in Meigs, and held that office by re-election several terms.
He was prominent in local affairs, magistrate, merchant and
farmer. He erected the first stone house in Letart, noted in
those days for elegance, the "mansion house" of Letart. He
died in 1877, and his wife Susan died in 1860.

Dr. David C, Whaley same to Meigs county with his par-
ents in 1832, and has been a resident of Meigs county ever
since. He opened the first dentist's office in Pomeroy, and
has followed his profession continuously for more than fifty

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204 Pioneer History of Meigs County

years. Possessed of a fine mind and rare mechanical abilities,
he acquainted himself with every scientific method available
for the perfecting of his skill in dentistry, for besides the set-
ting of teeth, Dr. Whaley is an artist in studying facial effects,
as well as the inserting of molars. He has had also a suc-
cessful medical practice, limited in extent on account of his
proclivities for dental operations.

He married Miss Amy Smith, a daughter of Benjamin Smith,
of Middleport, Ohio, who is a direct descendant in the fourth
generation from the pioneer James Smith who came to Lead-
ing Creek in 1797. They had a family of three children, one
son and two daughters. The son, a bright young man, was
drowned just as his career was opening as a dentist. The
daughters were well educated, and each one has a vocation
The elder Miss Whaley is a talented literary woman, and the
younger sister is a popular singer in operatic circles, is mar-
ried and resides in New York City.

THE PAINE FAMILY.

Seth Paine, Sr., came with his family to Ohio from Maine in
1816, and settled in Rutland township. He had four sons,
Samuel S. Paine, Bartlett, Seth, Jr., Josiah, and several daugh-
ters. The brothers were engaged in the mercantile business
in Rutland. Mr. Samuel S. Paine held township offices, as
Justice of the Peace, Trustee, and was Postmaster in Rutland.
He was elected Recorder of Meigs county when the county
seat was removed to Pomeroy, and served in that office for
more than twenty years.

He married Miss Martha Cowdery, a daughter of the pioneer
Joel Cowdery, who settled on Shade river in 1807. They had
two children, a daughter, dying in childhood, and a son, Lewis
Paine, who was educated at Kenyon College, Gambler, Ohio.
He is a lawyer, has been Probate Judge, and practices his pro-
fession in Pomeroy. Mrs. Martha Paine died in 1889, and
Mr. Samuel S. Paine died in 1892, both highly esteemed people.

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Pioneer History of Meigs County 205

Mr. Bartlett Paine was married twice and had three chil-
dren, two sons and one daughter. Mr. Seth Paine, 3d, Jr., an
expert bookkeeper in Columbus, Ohio, and Dr. Bartlett L.
Paine, a noted doctor in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The second wife was Mrs. Aurelia Branch, a widow. Seth
Paine, 2d, was one of the "Buckeye Rovers," who went to
California in 1849. He was fortunate in business and returned
to Rutland a rich man. He married Miss Roxana Rathburn, a
daughter of Rev. Elisha Rathburn, a pioneer. The Paine
brothers are dead. They were good citizens, enterprising,
sterling characters.

Stillman Carter Larkin was born, March 9th, 1808, in Rut-
land, Ohio, the son of Abel Larkin and Susannah Larkin (nee
Bidges), they having moved from Rutland, Vermont, to Ohio
in 1804. His childhood, youth, manhood and old age were all
spent in Rutland, Ohio. He was a self-educated man, with a
philosophical cast of mind, with a clear apprehension of public
affairs, and a careful student of political events. A member of
the Christian church the greater part of his life, he left the
record of a faithful disciple in the performance of religious
duties, and the example of an unblemished character. When
his father died, his widowed mother chose to remain in the
homestead, and this son to take charge of the estate, and to be
her protector. This duty he fulfilled with filial tenderness and
unremitting care, thus holding the Larkin homestead in his
name for a long period of years, and, though married most
happily, they had no children. So, when years and infirmities
of age were felt, he transferred the "Larkin homestead" —
which has now possessed the name for one hundred years — to
his nephew, George B. Larkin.

Stillman C. Larkin died January 17th, 1899, aged nearly
ninety-one years. Mary Larkin, his widow, died May 30th,
1904, in her ninety-second year of age.

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INDEX

TO

PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY

By STILLMAN CARTER LARKIN

Page

Introduction 3-7

Declaration of Independence in 1776 9-13

The Ordinance of 1787 14-16

Ohio Company's Purchase '. 17

Meigs County Formed in 1819 17, 18

Census Report for Letart, Lebanon and Sutton Townships, for 1820 18-20 v

Township Boundaries 21, 22

Elections, for Governor 24

Road Tax 24

Rutland Township Organized in 1812 25

Brewster Higley and Family 27-29

Joel Higley and Family 29-31

Hamilton Kerr and Col. John Niswonger 32, 33

The Warth Family 33, 34

Felix Benedict, Jabez Benedict 35, 36

Jeremiah Riggs and Family 37

John Miles and Family 37-39

Captain James Merrill 39

William Parker, Sr., and Family 40, 41

Aleshire Brothers 41

Thomas Shepherd 42

Caleb Gardner 43

Daniel Rathburn 44, 45

The Hunters — ^John and George Warth 45-49

Abel Larkin and Family 49-54

Allen Ogden and Descendants 54-5rf

Shubael Nobles 56, 57

William Parker, 2d, and Family 57-59

A Gang of Indians 59, 60

Pioneer Association 60-63

Sketch of Early History, by Luther Hecox 63-66

Alexander Stedman of Athens County 66

Long Bottom, by J. H. Stewart 67, 68

Dr. Philip Lauck and Rev. Ezra Grover 68, 69

The Scotch Colony at Sterling Bottom 69

The Pictured Rocks at Antiquity. Silas Jones 69, 70

Dr. Fuller Elliot 71, 72

James Smith, Sr 72, 73

Erastus Stow 73

Luke Brine 74

Thomas Gaston 74

Frederic Hysell 75, 76 ^

Joshua Johnson 76

Leonard Hedrick 77

Aaron Holt 77

Weaver's Reeds 78, 79

Peter Lalance, Sr 79, 80

John V, Lasher 81

206

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i'

Index 207

Page

Stow and the Wolves 81

A Brave Boy 82

First G>urt of G>mmon Pleas in Meig^ G>untjt. 83-87

Meeting of Commissioners, April 30, 1819 87-91

Tax Laws 91 92

Mrs. Dolly Knight's Paper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......!..!!.!!!!! 92^ 93

Meager Accounts of Early Settlers 93

George W. Cooper 94

Major John White 94

Samuel Ervin 95

Letter to Teacher and Scholars of Pleasant Valley 96-99

Original Forest of Rutland Township 99-101

Time of Do^ood Blossoming 101, 102

Samuel Halhday 103

The Windstorm of 1826 104

Schools and School-houses 105, 106

Joel Lowther, the Centenarian 107

The Grant and Knight Families 108-111

Pioneer Meeting at Middleport in August, 1882 Ill, 112

Col. David Barber, Ex-Treasurer of Meigs County — A Guest 113

The "Warth Family." Mr. Silas Jones 114

Plea for the Pioneer Graveyard 115

1883. Tombstone for Mr. George Warth, the Indian Scout, and

Mail Carrier 115

Flax 115, 116

Clocks, Cranes 117

Mills 118

Joseph D. Plummer 119

Josiah Simpson, Sr , 120

Robert Simpson, Sr. 121

John Newell and Descendants 122, 123

Rev. Eli Stedman and Family 123, 124

Captain Jesse Hubbell. Seneca Haight 124, 125

Stephen Titus and Mrs. Margarhetta N. Titus 125

Melzar Nye an'd Lewis and Ebenezer Nye 126

Cattle Diseases 127

Cicada, 6r Seventeen Year Locust 127

Wild Turkeys, Wild Geese, Owls and Hawks 128, 129

Bees, Ingenious Contrivances for Work 130

Salt 131-135

Joseph Vining, Elijah Jones 135, 136

Asahel Skinner and Descendants 136, 137

Joseph Giles, John Sylvester, Lemuel Powell, Aaron Torrence 138

Whittemore Reed and Family 138, 139

Samuel Downing and Descendants 139, 140

Aaron Thompson, Pleney Wheeler 141

Alexander Von Schritz, Joseph Townsend 142

John McClenahan 142

Stephen Smith and Family 143

Jesse Page, William Stevens, John Bing 144

Robert Bradford 144

Joshua Gardner 145, 146

Timothy Smith 147, 148

John S. Giles' Account of the Rescue of Adams Smith from Jail . . 149-153

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208 Index

Page

William Church and Family 154

Randall Stivers , 155 >

Aaron Stivers , 156

Adam Harpold ; . . 157, 158

Henry Roush, 1st, and Henry Roush, 2d 159

George Washington Putnam, by Charles Matthews 160, 161

Livingston Smith 162

William Johnson t 163

John Entsminger 163, 164

George Wolfe 165

Regular Baptist Church 166

Rutland Cemetery 166

John Hayman and Descendants 167, 168

John Wagner, George Burns 169

Obadiah Walker, Sr 170

Doctor Fenn Robinson 170, 171

John Hall and Descendants 171

Th-e Sayres. Hon. Edgar Evin 172

The "Keg Company" 173

Dr. David Gardner 173

Edward Weldon and Family 174

Meteoric Shower. Flood of 1832 of the Ohio River 175

The Cholera in Chester in 1834, by Mrs. D. Knight 176-178

Cholera in Middleport in 1849 178

Arthur Merril, Frederic Merrill 179

Samuel Pomeroy 179

Mr. V. B. Horton and Family 180

Martin Heckard — ^Judge 180

Jacob Rice, Ira McCumber 181

Fugitive Slave Case 181

James Petty, Lucinda Smith, nee Dunham 182

Mrs. Josiah Simpson, nee Dawson 183

The Bradbury Family, by Samuel Bradbury, Esq 183

Simeon Elliott and Family 184

Rev. Samuel Branch 184

Papers from the Levi Stedman*s Documents 185-188

The Pilchard and Ellis Families 188, 189

Scholars Equipments 189

Pioneer Hotel 190

First Newspapers Printed in Meigs County 191

"The Buckeye Rovers" 191-193

Associate Judges of Meigs County 194

Census List, in 1820, of Rutland, Salisbury and Salem Townships. 195

Cyclone in Columbia Township in 1886 196

The Young Kentuckians 197

The Athens Colony 198

The Ackleys 199

Dr. John R. Piison, Sr. Dr. John McClintock. 200, 201

Rev. Isaac Reynolds 201

Mr. Lucius Cross 202

The Alexanders , . 203

Dr. David C. Whaley. The Paine Family y. . . 204, 205

Obituary of S. Z. Larkin. ..,,,.,,,,,.,,.,,,,,,.,.,.,,.,,., ^, , , 205

Di|^ze?by'G00gle

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DEC 5 19S7

FLKX BINDING

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