HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY. Champaign County was formed from Green and Franklin, March 1, 1805, and originally comprised the Counties of Clark and Logan. The Seat of Justice was originally fixed at Springfield, in Clark County, and the first Courts were held in the house of George Fithian. It is said it was named from its appearance, it being a level, open country. Urbana, the Seat of Justice, was laid out in the year 1805, by Col. Wm. Ward, formerly of Greenbrier County, Virginia. It is said by some that Mr. Ward named the town from the word Urbanity, but I think it is quite likely he named it from an old Roman custom of dividing their people into different classes—one class, the Plebeians, and this again divided into two classes—Plebs Rustica and Plebs Urbana. The Plebs Rustica lived in the rural districts and were farmers while the Plebs Urbana lived in villages and were mechanics and artisans. George Fithian opened the first tavern in a log cabin on South Main street, formerly the residence of Wm. Thomas ; but I think it is now owned by the Methodist Episcopal Church, and they intend to improve it and make a parsonage of it. Samuel McCord opened a Dry Goods and Grocery Store in the same cabin in the same year, (March, 1800.) The first house covered with shingles was a house occupied by McDonald as .a store room, on the north corner of Public Square, west of North Main street. For a full and satisfactory description of Urbana and its sur- 6 -CHAMPAIGN AND roundings, see Judge Patrick's able, minute and satisfactory history, found in the body of this work, in which he has placed me under many obligations, and also done himself credit, and the city of Urbana, of which he writes. I find in Howe's History of Ohio the names of a few of the first settlers in Urbana and also in the rural districts, and although most of the names found in his history will be found, in the body of this work, for fear some valuable names may he overlooked I here transcribe them. But let the reader be assured that most of those honored and venerated names will appear in these pages. But before I proceed to record those names I wish to make a remark or two in regard to the first settlers of this county. In vain have I made inquiry of the oldest living pioneers as to the first white man that settled here. Likewise the public records have been searched with the same unsatisfactory results. It may seem to some a matter of very little consequence who first settled a country, but we find people in all ages disposed to attach very great importance to so apparently trifling a circumstance. The Carthaginians have their Dido, the Greeks their Cecrops, and the Romans their Romulus: so in our own country William Penn settled Pennsylvania; Boone, Kentucky, &c; and in most of the counties of this State the first settlers are known, and the date of their settlement. I find in a very able and interesting document, furnished me for this work by an old and respected pioneer, Mr. Arrowsmith, the name of Wm. Owens, who, he says, came to this county in the year 1797 or 1798. I think it not unlikely that he was the first white man that made this county his home. I now commence the list of names: Joseph C. Vance, Thos. and Ed. W. Pearce, George Fithian, Sam'l McCord, Zeph. Luse, Benj. Doolittle, George and Andrew Ward, Wm. H. Fyffe, Wm. and John Glenn, Frederick Ambrose, John Reynolds and Semi Gibbs. Those living in the country—Jacob Minturn, Henry and Jacob Vanmetre, Nathaniel Cartmell, Justice Jones, Felix Rock, Thomas Anderson, Abner Barret, Thomas Pearce, Benj. and Wm. Cheney, Matthew and Charles Stuart, Parker Sullivan, John Logan, John Thomas, John Runyon, John Lafferty, John Owens, John Taylor, John Guttridge, John Cartmell, John Dawson, John Pence, Jonathan Long, Bennet Taber, Nathan Fitch, Robert Nowce, Jacob. Pence and Arthur Thomas. Joseph C. Vance was the father of Ex-Governor Vance, and was LOGAN COUNTIES - 7 the first Clerk of the Court in this County. Cagle Arthur Themes, whose name is in the above list, lived on King's Creek, about three miles North of Urbana. He was ordered to Fort Findlay with his Company, to guard the public stores at that place, and on their return they encamped at the Big Spring near en old Indian town called Solomon's Town, about seven miles north of Bellefontaine. Their horses having strayed away in the night, he and his son went in pursuit of them. When they had got some distance from the encampment they were discovered by the Indians, who attacked them with an overpowering force and they were killed and scalped and left dead on the spot. Urbana was a frontier town during: the war 1812. Hull's army was quartered here the same year, before taking up their line of march for Detroit. In fact, it was a place of general rendezvous for the troops starting for the defense of our northern frontier. They were encampod in the eastern part of the city, and here lie the bodies of many brave soldiers mingled with their :nether dust, and no monument to mark the place where they rest, nor to tell the story of their sufferings ; oven their names have perished with them. All we can do nowis to drop a tear over t heir steering, dust and say, "Here lie in peaceful slumbers the brave defenders of our once frontier homes." In penning these sketches, I find myself very much in the condition of the early pioneer who had to blaze his way through a dense forest to find hie way from one plant() another. Fortunately' for me, however, others have preeced me anti blazed the wry to some extent for me. And to none, perhaps, am I under more obligations than to Mr. Howe, in his History of Ohio; end he is not entirely reliable, for I have been obliged to make some corrections in his statements of facts in the history of this country. For Instance, the time of settlement of Logan County, putting It in the year 1806, when in fact it was settled in the year 1801. Men, the names of the first settlers. Of course he had to rely on others for information, and they did not know ; but in the main; however, I believe he is correct. I now resume My sketch of Urbana : On the corner of Public Square and North Main street—now McDonald's Corner, but in the war of 1812 called Doolittle's Tavern—were time headquarters of Governor Meigs. On the opposite corner—now Armstrong's Bank—stood a two-story brick house, and on the end fronting the 8 - CHAMPAIGN AND Square, could be seen the date of its erection-1811. This was occupied for many years by D. & T. M. Gwynne as a store-room. All the old settlers of Champaign now living, will call to mind the once familiar face of Robert Murdock, with his obliging and gentlemanly manners, who was then a partner in the firm. The above described building was the place where the commissary's office was kept during the war of 1812, and is the one to which Richard M. Johnson was brought wounded after his personal and deadly conflict with the renowned Tecumseh at the battle of the Thames. Urbana was visited by a dreadful tornado on the 22d of March, 1830. Passing from the South-west to the North-east, it leveled the Presbyterian Church with the ground, and unroofed the M. E. Church, throwing it down to within a few feet of its foundation. Both of these buildings were substantial brick edifices; also, a great Many private residences were either unroofed or wholly demolished, killing three children and crippling others. For a more satisfactory account, see Judge Patrick's history of Urbana in this work. I can not leave Urbana without giving a short account of the old Court House, built in 1817. I have never seen a description of this then imposing structure. It stood in the center of the Public Square, now called, I believe, Monument Square, fronting North and South, built of brick, two stories high, the roof having four sides, coining to a point in the center, surmounted by a cupola and spire on which was a globe and a fish that tarried with the wind, The main entrance was on the South. This, for the time in which it was built, was an elegant and commodious public How many pleasant and interesting memories cluster around this, to the old pioneer, almost hallowed spot! Here, too, or near this spot, many a soldier breathed his last and bade adieu to all earthly conflicts. And the soldier mounted on the pedestal on the spot where the old Court House stood, surveying with down-cast eyes and in solemn and impressive silence the. battle-fields of Gettysburg and Shiloh, may drop a tear over the graves of those heroes that freely shed their blood in the defense of our country in the war of 1812. LOGAN COUNTIES - 9 SIMON KENTON. Simon Kenton, whose name will appear frequently in these pages,. was an early settler in Urbana. I quote from Judge Burnet's letters as found in Howe's History. In his letters he says that when the troops were stationed at Urbana, a mutinous plan was formed by part V them to attack and destroy a settlement of friendly Indians, who had removed with their families within the settlement under assurance of protection. Kenton remonstrated against the measure as being not only mutinous but treacherous and cowardly. He contrasted his knowledge and experience of the Indian character with their ignorance of it. He vindicated them against the charge of treachery which was alleged against them as a justification of the act which they were about to perpetrate, and reminded them of the infamy they would incur by destroying a defenseless band of men, woman and children, who had placed themselves in their power relying on a solemn promise of protection. He appealed to their humanity, their honor and their duty as soldiers. Having exhausted all the means of persuasion in his power, and finding them resolved to execute their purpose, he took a rifle and declared with great firmness that he would accompany them to the Indian encampment and shoot down the first man that dared to molest them ; that if they entered their camp they should do it by pausing over his corpse. Knowing that the old veteran would redeem his pledge they abandoned their purpose and the poor Indians were saved. Though he was brave as Caesar . and reckless of danger when it was his duty to expose his person, yet he was mild, even tempered and had heart that could bleed at the dis- tress of others. General Kenton lived many years in Logan county, on what was called the old Sandusky road, about four miles north of Zanesfield on his farm, where he died April 29th, 1836, aged 81 years and 26 days. His remains were removed to Urbana by a deputation of citizens from that place I think in 1865, and buried in the cemetery about three-quarters of a mile east of the city in a lot of 10 - CHAMPAIGN AND ground appropriated by the city for that purpose containing about seventy-five or one hundred feet in a circular form with a view of erecting a monument at some future day. The only thing that now marks. his grave is the same plain stone slab that stood at the head of his grave in Logan county, with this inscription: "In memory of Gen. Simon Kenton, who was born April 3d, 1755, in Culpepper County, Va., and died April 29th, 1836, aged 81 years and 26 days." His fellow citizens of the west will long remember him as the skillful pioneer of early times, the brave soldier and honest man. TECUMSEH. There were several Indian councils in Urbana at a very early day. They were held in a grove on or near where the old grave yard is north-east of town. Distinguished :chiefs from various tribes took part in these councils. Mr. Howe says in his history that Tecumseh in the spring of 1795, took up his quarters on Deercreek near the site of Urbana, where he was engaged in his favorite amusement, hunting, and remained until the following Spring. There never was any creek by the name of Deercreek near the site of Urbana. I think there is a creek by that name in Madison county but I do not think it reaches Champaign. I find Tecumseh's biographer makes the same mistake. I now quote from his biography : "While residing on Deercreek an incident occurred which greatly enhanced his reputation as a hunter., One of his brothers, and several other Shawnees of his own age proposed to bet with him that they could each kill as many deer in the space of three days as he. Tecumseh promptly accepted the overture. The parties took to the woods and at the end of the time stipulated returned with the evidences of their success. None of the party except Tecumseh had more than twelve deer-skins, and he brought in upward of thirty, near three times as many as any of his competitors. From this time he was generally conceded to be the greatest bunter in the Shawnee nation. LOGAN COUNTIES - 11 In 1799 there was a council held about six miles north of the place where Urbana now stands, between the Indians and some of the principle settlers on Mad River, for the adjustment of difficulties which had grown up between those parties. Tecumseh, with other Shawnee Chiefs, attended the council. He appears to have been the most conspicuous orator of the conference, and made a speech on the occasion which was much admired for its force and eloquence. The interpreter, Dechauset, said that he found it very difficult to translate the lofty flights of Tecumseh, although he was as well acquainted with the Shawnee language as with the French which was his mother tongue. Sometime during the year 1803, a stout Kentuckian came to Ohio for the purpose of exploring the lands on Mad River, and lodged one night at the house of Capt. Abner Barret, residing on the headwaters of Buck Creek. In the course of the evening he learned, with apparent alarm, that there were some Indians encamped within a short distance of the house. Shortly after hearing this unwelcome intelligence, the door of Capt. Barret's dwelling was suddenly opened and Tecumseh entered with his usual stately air; he paused in silence and looked around until at - length his eye was fixed upon the stranger who was manifesting symptoms of alarm, and did not venture to look the stern savage in the face. Tecumseh turned to his host and pointing to the agitated Kentuckian, exclaimed—"A big baby, a big baby." He then stepped up to him and gently slapping him on the shoulder several times, repeated with a contemptuous manner, the phrase, "Big baby, big baby!" to the great alarm of the astonished man, and to the amusement of all present. CHARACTER AND HARDSHIPS OF THE PIONEERS OF OHIO. CHAPTER I. THOMAS COWGILL, M. D.—Dear Doctor:—Mr. Antrim, of Logan County, called on me a few weeks ago with an urgent request that, as I was an old pioneer of Ohio, I should prepare and send to your address in some readable form, some scraps of early pioneer history, connecting with them such incidents and facts as came within my own knowledge, embracing the times up to about 1820, for the purpose of incorporating them with a proposed history of the early .settlements, and more particularly within my own early localities. This seemed to me at the time, more than my physical strength, owing to a general nervous prostration of my system, would warrant, and I excused myself with a partial promise to comply, if sufficient strength permitted, and will therefore, in pencil sketches, make the effort, hoping you will, in their transcription, so mould and remodel as to make them presentable to your readers. My first acquaintance with men and things in this State commenced in 1806. My father, Anthony Patrick, having emigrated when I was ten years old from New Jersey to Trumbull County, purchased and improved a small tract of wild land in Brookfield township, two miles west of the line bet ween Ohio and Pennsylvania, and two and one-half miles west from Sharon, which is now one of the most distinguished CENTERS for the manufacture of Iron in this country. I could here delineate the hardships and privations of that early day among the few settlers in that vicinity, but LOGAN COUNTIES - 13 it would be traveling out of the objects you seek in your circular. I will, however, as a common specimen of pioneer life, state that from 1806 to 1808 the settlers there labored under many discouragements, even after openings for cultivation were made ; such as want of teams and farming implements, and the want of means to procure them. Oxen and cows were with few exceptions the only teams used ; horses were rare; rough sleds were the vehicles of travel and transit, rough ploughs with wooden mould boards, with iron nosings attached for coulters, barrows all of wood even to the teeth, were their best implements, and the man that had these with a yoke of oxen or even cows was called rich. The man that had even one cow to harness for farming purposes was considered fortunate ; and those that had none of these advantages, but had to put in their crops with manual toil, were the poor, which indeed was very common in that day. Yet with all these conflicts in the start, about 1808 they began to realize relief in return for their toils in products from the rich soil. But up to this time they had to endure in many cases much suffering; flour and meal commanded fabulous prices, and could not be procured nearer than Pittsburg, and for want of means many families had tq resort to roots and wild game entirely for subsistence, using spice-wood and sassafras for teas, and when they could procure it, rye was their coffee, sweetened with sugar of their own make. Salt was also very scarce and dear, so much so, that many families who had pork had to let it remain without salting all winter, using it by cutting from the whole hog as they needed it for cooking during the cold winters. The above are some of the facts connected with pioneer life more than three scores of years ago in the upper end of this State. In this connection it should be stated that there was one characteristic trait plainly prominent in that early day among the people. When it was made known that any one was in need of help, they for miles around would congregate, and if it was a cabin to be raised it was done. If assistance to roll logs was needed in a new clearing it was bestowed. And in many instances under my own observation when any one from age, bad health or poverty was unable to open his clearing or provide shelter for himself and family, they would on a given day for miles around come together, bringing with them their own provisions at an early hour, with axes, cross-cut saws, team* 14 - CHAMPAIGN AND such as they had, and such other implements as were necessary for the occasion. If the object was to open up a small clearing, a leader was appointed who gave general directions ; some were assigned to cutting up the large down timber into logs, others to hauling them together, others to rolling them into heaps ready for burning, others to cut or grub out the under-growth, and either carry it to the edge of the ground and pile it in rows for a fence, or in heaps for consumption by fire, others to felling timber and splitting it into rails, and building fences where there was no brush fence, especially in front of the cabin, with a slip-gap for egress or ingress. And in some instances after the ground was cleared from debris, they would break patches' and plant such vegetables as would come early and afford relief to the occupants ; and indeed it was frequently the case that a dense forest in the morning, would by night-fall, present quits a little field, with the standing timber girdled, surrounded with the uncouth fences already described. LOGAN COUNTIES - 15 CHAPTER II. BUILDING THE LOG CABIN. If a cabin was to be built from the forest, as in the case before Intimated, the leader, as aforesaid, who was always a man of experience, and dubbed Captain, would, as an initiatory step, classify the congregated masses, and assign to each their respective duties, about in this order : 1st. He would select four of the most expert axe-men as corner-men, whose duty it was to first clear off the site, square it, and place a boulder at each corner to build upon after being duly leveled, then saddle and notch down the logs in good, workman-like order. 2d. He would assign a sufficient number of suitable men to select as near the site as possible, the best large-growth, straight-grained white-oak tree for clap-boards, whose further duty it was to fell it, and cross-cut it into suitable lengths, split the cuts into square bolts, and with a fro rive them. Another branch of this classification was required in like manner to prepare puncheons for floors, doors, windows and chimney-corner jambs, out of such timber as VMS best adapted for the purposes, such as oak, chestnut or ash, as all these abounded in that part of the State, and were, when properly selected straight-grained timber, and could he made of sufficient length and width to make a good solid floor, when spotted on the under side at the ends out of wind ; and to rest upon sleepers placed at proper distances apart, with dressed, straight upper surfaces, and which, when top-dressed by a skillful adz-man, made a good substitute for plank, which at that early day could not be procured for want of saw-mills. 3d. He would then select and detail such a number as seemed necessary to cull out as near the site as possible, straight, suitably sized standing trees, and fell them and chop them off at suitable lengths for the proposed structure, with teamsters to haul them in as they were logged off, in the then usual way of dragging them on the ground hitched by a chain with a hook at one. end of the log. To this force were added other teamsters, provided with rough wood sleds to haul in the clap-boards, puncheons, and such 16 - CHAMPAIGN AND other materials, as would be necessary in the completion of the cabin. These preliminaries being all successfully arranged and being carried into effect, the leader would take his station and make proclamation to the balance of the forces, directing them to forthwith prepare smooth skids, the necessary number of forks with grape-vine or hickory withes around the prongs, and two or three strong cross sticks inserted through holes bored in the lower ends to give hand hold to push by ; and also provide a sufficient number of hand-spikes, of tough, small, round hickory, dog-wood or iron-wood, some four feet long, with ends shaved smooth to be used by the men to bear up the logs while in transit to the corner-men, or to the foot of the skids, as the case might be. Then the order would be promulgated that no one but the Captain should give any direction in the further progress of the enterprise; and as the logs would be hauled to the spot, he, with a glance of the eye would m ake the necessary directions; and which would by his order be conveyed to the corner-men upon hand-spikes with sturdy men at the ends walking abreast on both sides of the log, bearing it up to its destination; then the second log was borne in like manner, each being placed after being spotted fiat on the under side, so as to rest level upon the corner-stones, as the end logs of the structure equidistant apart between the ends, then the ends would be prepared by the corner men with what was familiarly known as the saddle, which consisted in this: The expert corner men would chamfer or bevel off at an angle of say forty-five degrees each side of the ends of the log, the two chamfers meeting at a point on the top-center of the log, presenting an end view of the upper half of the log. This preparation is to receive the transverse logs notched at each end so as to nicely fit over the saddles. The two end logs having been placed and fitted as above described, the leader would select the two largest logs being straight for the front and rear bottom logs; being sills, these two logs when in the hands of the corner-men would be notched deeper than the other logs of the building, so as not to throw the floor too high from the ground. The corner-men at each end of the log would cut their notches so exactly at the same angle, and at the same time so as to exactly fit their respective saddles, that when put to the proper place would make a solid fit and out of wind. This dexterity in corner-men no doubt gave rise to the old aphorism, "He cuts his notches close." LOGAN COUNTIES - 17 The four foundation logs having ail been properly notched and saddled and in their places, and upon the usual tests being found square ; the next thing to be done was to cut in the sills the slots, or gains to receive the sleepers, which if on the ground and prepared as already intimated by being scotched straight on upper sides, were cut to right lengths and fitted at the ends, so as to rest solidly upon said slots, and put in their places ; though this Was frequently done after the building was raised. All things prepared for the superstructure, the leader still at his post, with a shrill emphatic voice selects a log, and his forces bear it to the corner men as already intimated, resting, one end of the handspikes on the top log already placed, rolling it upon the two saddled logs; it was then fitted and prepared in proper manner and placed plumb on the wall by the practiced eye, aided by the pendulous axe held loosely at tip of helve, between the thumb and forefingers of the experts. This routine being continued, until the building was too- high to reach and rest the handspikes as heretofore described upon the wall ; then, the skids resting on the ground at the but-ends would be reared up to the corners on the front side and one end of the building, nearest the collection of the hauled-in timber; the logs one by one selected as aforesaid, would be carried as before to the foot of the appropriate skids, and placed on them, and rolled up as far as the men Could conveniently reach ; and being stanchioned and held, the necessary number of forks were placed under each end of the log inside of the skids, with lower ends held firmly down to the ground, were by the order of the leader manned at the cross-handles already described at each end of the log, which was at a given word of said leader, slid up the skids by the uniform motive power thus applied, to the top, where, by the leverage of handspikes in the hands of the corner-men, it would be thrown on top of the already saddled logs, and by them rolled to the batik wall ; then the next log in like manner would be shoved up and received by the corner-men for the wall upon which the skids rested : these being fitted as indicated, the two logs intended as transverse would in like manner be placed on the ends of the last two logs, all being done with exact uniformity and celerity, and with dispatch and neatness fitted to their respective places in the wall. And if t he contem plated cabin was intended to be more than one story, at the proper height from the top of 3 18 - CHAMPAIGN AND the sleepers for lower floor, slots would be prepared for the joists, and if they were on the ground would he fitted in like manner with the sleepers. Then the building would in the routine already described be carried up to the square; when upon the two ends of the building would be raised the eave-bearers, projecting some twenty inches beyond the wall, and would be notched down and saddled back far enough to receive the timbers hereafter described; when the two ends in front of the building were notched at the upper tips in the form of the large capital V to rest the upper ends of the skids ; then the butting pole for the back side of the cabin would he shoved up to the front corner-men, and rolled to the back eave and notched down upon the saddles projecting some fifteen inches, beyond the outside plumb of the wall ; then the first rib would be sent up to corner-men in same manner, and rolled back to proper distance inside of said butting pole, and notched down, so as to give the pitch of roof from center of butting pole to top surface of said rib; then the front rib and butting pole would in like manner be sent up and placed in same order as those in the rear, then the first two gable logs would be placed in notches cut into the ribs and chambered at the ends to suit the pitch of the roof. The other ribs and gable logs being placed, so as to preserve the intended pitch of the roof, the upper and central one being called the ridge pole is in like manner notched down in such position, as that a straight edge would from the centers of the butting poles upward, touch the upper surfaces of all the ribs and ridge pole respectively at the indicated angles. Thus the cabin is ready for the clapboards, which are laid down upon the ribs with the lower ends resting against the butting poles, with small spaces between, which are top-covered in like manner, so as to break joints, and the eave courses on each side being FO laid down; knees out of the hearts of clapboard bolts, of proper lengths are prepared at each end, resting endw ise against the butting poles to hold up the weight poles, which are placed upon the two cave courses of clapboards as nearly over the ribs respectively as possible ; and in like manner another course of clapboards is on each side laid down abutting the weight-poles, and being kneed as described, another weight-pole is put in its place to hold down the boards, and so on until the whole cabin is roofed and weighed down as per programme. In this connection it may be stated, that those forces that were LOGAN COUNTIES - 19 detailed to prepare material in the early part of the clay, would long before the cabin was raised and covered have finished their several allotments of labor, and report themselves ready for further service, and would again he subdivided and their respective duties under the direction of the leader allotted ; some to cutting out the openings, such as doors, windows, and fire-places, and jambing them up with the material prepared for that purpose ; others to laying down the floor as already described; others to building up the chimney, back and side jambs for outside fire-place; others to preparing "oat and clay" with which to top out the chimney and put in stone back wall and fire-place jambs; others to making door or doors as the case might be, out of long clap-boards prepared for such purpose, and hanging them with wooden hinges and fixing wooden latches; others to scotching down slightly with a broad-axe inside walls ; others to chinking and daubing the cabin and filling up the hearth even with the floor and flagging it with fiat stones, if such material was on hands, and putting cross sticks in windows upon which greased paper would be pasted as a substitute for glass. And indeed it may be said the whole would he completed, so that a. general house-warming, as it was called—in the shape of a country dance or other innocent amusements—would be the prelude to the family occupancy the same night after the completion. This characteristic kindness was mutual—all felt it, all manifest. ed it toward each other. All intercourse was social; no one felt that he had a right to domineer over his poor neighbor, but the disposition was to aid and encourage. These settlers, as soon as they had furnished themselves and families with shelters and provided for their wants, directed their attention to the moral and religious culture of the community, and schools and churches were organized and sustained, and from year to year the facilities of the people were gradually improved, and their condition began to assume prosperity and happiness. But before this amelioration, notwithstanding all tried to assist each other as far as means to do so permitted ; yet there were some distressing hardships endured. One family by the name of Knight was reduced almost to starvation, and had to subsist upon such resources as a wilderness afforded. Mr. Knight had to labor without nourishment enough to give him strength. He was one of those who had no kind of team, and had to carry his rails on 120 - CHAMPAIGN AND his shoulder out of his clearing to his fence-row, and was actually so reduced for want of food, as to have to stop and rest with his rail one end on the ground, several times before reaching the fence-row. Another family had no other subsistence than that afforded from the milk of a cow, and such wild game and esculent roots as they could procure, and this same cow was kept in gear for hauling, plowing, &c., as their only team ; these privations lasted from early spring into the summer of 1807, when their toils were blessed with the products of the soil in the shape of early potatoes, green corn, &c. These are given as samples for many more such cases. In this connection it may be well to anticipate the question that may be asked : "Could not these extremities have been obviated by the wild game that always abounded in a new country ?" It is easier to ask than answer questions, but there were good reasons why a sufficient supply could not always be had. Many of these persons had neater guns nor ammunition with which to hunt.; and most of them were not skilled in the use of fire-arms. They had emigrated from old settlements, and those who had the means at hand had to practice; and as an incident the writer of these sketches will state that his father, on his way from New Jersey, when at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, purchased a new rifle, a kind of fire-arms he had never used, but during his first winter in his new home, when there would come a fall of snow he would take his rifle and practice hunting, and succeeded in killing a turkey or a rabbit now and then, but from that nervousness and anxiety called buck-fever, could not for a long ti me succeed in killing a deer. But one morning after a fall of light snow he tied a white handkerchief over his head and dressed in light-colored clothing, assimilating as near as possible to the color of the snow, put out, gun in hand into the forest immediately back of his cabin, and was not gone more than ten minutes until the family were saluted with the shrill crack of his rifle, and looking in the direction of the report he was seen running at full speed toward the cabin, with his gun held horizontally in both hands, in a perfect fever of excitement, out of breath, and entirely speechless, thrusting the cock of his gun almost in the faces of his family, to let them know he had killed a deer ; he had to be even reminded that he must stick it, which he had forgotten under the frenzy of his buck-fever ; he LOGAN COUNTIES - 21 went immediately back and stuck a fine fat doe which had dropped dead from his shot, after which he was more deliberate and cool, and became a tolerably good hunter both in the chase and at deer-licks, which abounded at that time in that part of the state. A few mornings after the above occurrence his brother Johnson Patrick, who afterwards lived in Logan County, borrowed the gun and was gone but a little while until he came across two cubs and killed them both, but found himself in an almost inextricable dilemma ; for as soon as he was about to bring away his game, the old dam made her appearance, and he not having been a skillful hunter, had not reloaded, and had no opportunity to do it ; but with the aid of a good dog that happened to be on the spot made good his escape with the trophies of his luck, and this incident made him a wiser man, and better hunter afterward. These fragments are intended as specimens; many such might be enumerated but would only vary in the personages and not in character. As I have undertaken to give the reasons why an abundant supply to relieve suffering could not be had, I will as another reason state the fact that the din of improvement in so many places at one time, added to the discharge of fire-arms to a considerable extent, with other causes, frightened all wild animals and made them extremely wild; and even caused them to retire to more undisturbed places in the forests. I will here intimate a mode of capturing wild turkeys, which was very successfully practiced without the use of powder and lead. It consisted in building of common fence rails a square pen, say three feet high covered with fence rails on top, with interstices between of some four inches, making an opening on on side at the bottom of the pen large enough for a turkey to pass through it, then throw into the pen shelled corn or other cereals, trail said seed outside some distance, and very frequently a whole flock would begin on the outside trail and clean it up to the pen, and one at a time follow the leading turkey through the opening until the whole flock, large or small, would be crowded inside, and When once in they became bewildered, and had neither sense nor Instinct to go out as as they went in, but only attempted to escape by flying up, and were knocked back by the fence rail covering; and would either be secured in the trap until needed for use, or taken out and put into another pen and fed; and leave the trap for 22 - CHAMPAIGN AND a new haul. The writer of this has practiced upon this same principle, and caught as many as a dozen at one time, but that mode would not last long in the same neighborhood, for it would seem that the poor silly creatures would learn caution and instinctively avoid the traps. While upon this subject, it might be appropriate to notice other modes of capturing game which were devised, such as snares, dead falls, &c.; even wolves were ensnared in this way when properly set and baited. For want of steel or iron traps the resort was simply to select a suitably sized tough, elastic under growth sapling, cutting off the top and tying to the upper end a small strong cord, so adjusted as to present an open slipping noose, then bending down the sapling near to the ground and fastening it to such fixtures as would upon slight contact spring suddenly, being careful to so adjust the noose that the animal must reach through it to obtain tho bait already attached to the springing fixtures. These preliminaries having all been so arranged, the unsuspecting victim would approach, thrusting its head through the fatal noose, seizing the bait, which would spring the hole suddenly and draw the noose tight, holding it up in a dangling attitude, until loosened by the owner of the snare. And the dead fall was either a heavy slab of timber, or a small square pen built of poles and covered over with such material as would weigh it down after it had been sprung ; the latter mode was the most humane, as it inflicted no torture upon the captured game : to this class may be added the common quail trap, which was built of small light split sticks, fastened at the corners with small twine and drawn in, so as to form what might for want of a better term be called a square cone at the top ; this weighted down with a stone on top completed the trap. All these were set upon what was familiarly known as a figure four trigger, baited to suit the kind of game desired. Before dismissing these fragmentary ruses to decoy wild game, it would not be amiss to notice the practice of watching deer-licks. Then, were here and there certain brackish springs, to which deer in the summer and fall seasons of evenings would resort, and were denominated deer-licks. And the hunter who would avail himself of this opportunity, would prepare himself in the branches of some suitable standing tree near by, a kind of booth, or screen of green limbs with their foliage; and in which he would fix a LOGAN COUNTIES - 23 seat, and at about six o'clock P. M., would seat himself, gun in hand, prepared with a small piece of spunk into which he would with steel and flint strike a spark of fire, which would make smoke without a blaze to keep off the gnats, &c., which were very numerous and annoying. He would sit there without daring to make the least rustle or other noise, for fear of frightening the expected visitors ; he would some times go away disappointed, but frequently they would come and one at least would remain as a trophy to 'the happy huntsman; but this mode of hunting was anathematized by professional hunters, for the reason that it was calculated to drive away the deer from their winter haunts, and because neither the hide nor the venison was so good as when killed in proper seasons. Speaking of deer hides, they were highly prized at that day for the reason that when properly dressed in the Indian mode, they became very useful material for clothing, such as pants and hunting shirts, and were of common use among the zraale population. I will here break the thread of these fragmentary sketches by remarking that I have attempted to Show that the early pioneers of the State were noble minded, generous hearted, and social men; full of the milk of human kindness, ready at all times, to aid the needy, relieve the distressed, and bold back nothing that would promote the happiness of their fellows. Indeed we never had better communities of men and women, than were constituted out of the first settlers of Ohio. They were always ready to do good deeds, but added to these noble qualities they had the muscular power to perform. It may be said, "There were Giants in those days." I have lived too long to make rash statements of facts, but I am about to make one, that I feel almost afraid to make, fearing it may seem to assail my veracity. Here it is : I knew a man of that day by the name of Collins, who between sun rise and sun set, with only his axe and wooden wedges split one thousand rails of full size, the cuts having been logged off. It was chestnut timber, and he being a large boned alethic axe-man, would wield his pon- d erous axe with such certainty as to check the cut, so as to drive in a small wedge, then. following it with a tough glut, would so burst it open as to sever it with a few well directed blows of his axe, then quarter it in like manner, and then his axe alone was sufficient to shell the quarters into rails. As these fragmentary and desultory scraps of the early times in Ohio are intended to perpetuate facts and incidents, connected with the lives of those who have "Gone to that bourne whence no traveler returns," it may be well to hand them down to the 24 - CHAMPAIGN AND generations to come, that they may compare notes, and realize the contrast. And in that view of the subject, it may not be amiss to bring up in review some of the annoyances to which the people were exposed. Wolves were very numerous and ravenous and consequently it was with difficulty that sheep could be introduced, and indeed other domestic animals had to be kept in safe quarters, near the family residences, in order to save them. It was no uncommon thing in the night season to he saluted with the dismal howl of these nocturnal prowlers, in close proximity to the cabin homes of the settlers; and which if scared away, would make a raid before morning upon the sheep-fold or other stock within their reach. The most effectual way of riddance, was to keep on hands a good supply of outer, jaggy flakes of the shell-bark hickory, and make a sally at them with blazing torches, which would be sure to make a sudden retreating stampede. Blazing fire-brands from the hearth had the same effect ; the sight of fire seemed to strike them with terror; indeed it was necessary at some seasons of the year for persons who were out at night to carry a torch or lantern for self preservation, as attacks upon persons were sometimes made. In some instances persons were not secure even in daylight, and, as one proof of it, I will bring up an instance. The Hon. Samuel Huntington, one of the first Governors of this State, lived in the Western Reserve. He had occasion about the year 1807 or 1808, to travel on horse-back from Cleveland to Warren, which was then almost an entire wilderness, on a very rainy day in the early part of winter ; and was suddenly, without notice, beset by a large pack of hungry wolves. They pitched at both horse and rider ; the horse was completely frightened into timid docility, and could not be urged to move; nothing was left for the Governor to do but to fight it out, with the only weapon he had, a folded umbrella, with which he punched them off, but was nearly being captured when fortunately it flew open, and the sudden change in its aspect frightened the ferocious animals, so that they fled; and he was miraculously relieved from a terrible dilemma. The probability is that it was the horse they desired to capture in this case, but persons were not safe if they were ravenously hungry.  The writer of this on one occasion had good cause to believe that he escaped providentially from being devoured. The circumstances, as nearly as now recollected, were about these : The first LOGAN COUNTIES - 25 school in the neighborhood had been opened, and he being then about eleven years old was sent to it, and not being willing to lose time had to use evenings to attend to other matters. The only pair of shoes he had needed half-soling, and it was arranged that after school was dismissed he should go to Wm. Cunningham's, the shoemaker, on a public road, about one mile north from the school house, and his father's residence being about a half mile east from the school-house, on a public road, making his whole distance from home by the road about one and one-half miles. To describe without a diagram, it may be stated that a short distance on the way home from the residence of Mr. Cunningham, a small by-path for pedestrians. took off from the north road and led to his father's cabin on the east road, and shortened the distance so that it was only a little over a mile by the path to his home. He remained until near 10 o'clock; it was a bright moonlight night, with a little fall of snow on the ground; his shoes being mended, he prepared to start home, when the family of Mr. Cuningham advised him to take the road for safety ; but when he came to where the path took off he failed to take the, advice, and at a rapid pace, plunged into the dense forest, and when about two-thirds of the way home began to flatter himself that all would be. well, and that in a short time the family welcome would greet him, when suddenly he realized the fact that he was in the midst of danger; he heard the brush cracking some distance in the rear, and his rash folly in attempting to go the short route in the night season without some mode of defense was apparent ; but boy as he was he knew his only chance of escape was in a foot race, and being swift of foot for his age, he put forth his energies, still keeping ahead of his pursuers, although they were nearing him; but he sped on and soon reached his father's clearing and bounded over the fence, when the glare of a bright light from the cabin and a faithful house-clog met his enraptured vision, and he was safe. It was supposed that they had sniffed the new, fresh sole leather which caused the pursuit. (4) 26 - CHAMPAIGN AND CHAPTER III. LOG CABIN CONTINUED In this connection might be named one other pest to the new settlements. Yellow rattle snakes largely abounded to the great annoyance and peril of the people. The country in many portions was underlaid with a strata of shelly rocks, which upon abrupt acclivities of the surface and at heads of springs would crop out, and these cropping points afforded these pestiferous reptiles commodious caverns or dens, in which, in some localities, vast numbers would collect for winter quarters, and in the early spring would leave the caverns to bask in the spring sunshine in the vicinity of their head-quarters, and snake Hunts were common in some neighborhoods. I. remember to have heard of a raid being made upon some of these dens a short distance west of Warren, which resulted in the destruction of immense numbers counted by the hundreds in one day. But as I do not design to tell a long snake story, I will give a few facts, which may seem at this clay to partake of the Munchausen type. My father built his cabin near a very fine springy-which headed in a depression bounded on three sides by an oval circular rock bench, some four or five feet higher than the surface of the spring;. his cabin had not been furnished when he moved into it in the early Spring, and was not fully chinked; necessity compelled the occupancy of it in that condition, intending soon to finish it, and in the mean time to furnish it temporarily in the most primitive mode of that day; his bedsteads were in this style—one crotch or post of proper height, fastened upright, to rest the ends of transverse straight suitably sized poles upon, inserting the other ends into the interstices between the logs of the cabin, putting in other cross sticks, upon which to rest. clapboards, to hold up the bed and bedding. Upon these rustic bedsteads, with appropriate couches, the family enjoyed that sweet reporeposech they needed after their daily toils; all went on charmingly, until one morning ray mother, in making up the bed in which she and my father had slept, in drawing off the feather bed in order to shake up the straw- LOGAN COUNTIES - 27 tick, discovered to her consternation and terror a large rattlesnake gliding away between the logs, which was supposed to have ensconced itself between the two ticks the day before ; and during the night had remained so quietly still as not to have disturbed its bed fellows. 1 remember another incident that occurred after ward in the same locality. My now only sister Mrs. Jonas Cummings of Illinois was an infant, beginning to sit alone, and my mother having some work to do in the house yard, to pacify the child placed it upon the grass plot with play things to amuse it. While attending to her domestic duties she observed that the child manifest most ecstatic glee, and looking in that direction, she was horrified upon seeing the child about to clutch a huge yellow rattle snake. She ran and jerked away the child, and her excitement emboldened her to hunt a club with which she suddenly dispatched his snakeship. There were many rattle snake adventures of varied types and phases, but let the above suffice. It may however be said that many persons became reckless and were the victims to their twin folly; others were unavoidably bitten, but as a general rule the Indian remedies were resorted to, and generally were effectual in their cure. In some few cases however the bite proved fatal ; one instance can be given that was a sad one ; and by way of introduction to the sequel, the remark may be made that there were persons and not a few, who seemed to lose their terror of the reptiles from their familiarity with the abundance and it was a very common pracice to be provided with a stick two or three feet long with a prong at one end, which they would use when an opportunity offered, by throwing the fork or prong upon the neck of the snake, and pinning it down to the ground for the purpose of teasing it, as young kittens will a mouse before killing it, and when they have satisfied themselves with this amusement, they seize the serpent by the tail off the yoke, and give a sudden backward jerk and break its neck. A very fine young in the neighborhood who was greatly esteemed, by the name of Mahan, who was about to be married to a daughter of Judge Hughs, (who was uncle to Mrs. William Ward of Urbana) espied a large rattle snake, and attempted to capture it in the mode above described, but it slipped away from him and glided into a small hole in a stump, and before it had drawn in its whole length he seized it by the tail to draw it back with a sudden jerk and break 28 - CHAMPAIGN AND its neck, but unfortunately the aperture Was large enough for the snake to coil itself back, which it did, and bit him among the blood vessels of his wrist, which to the universal regret of the community caused almost immediate death. The introduction of swine into the country, relieved the people in a great degree of this pest in a few years. It is averred, though I will not avouch its truth, that even the timid deer was a great snake killer, that when it came in contact, it would with its fore feet stamp the reptile to death. This branch of the subject here closes, with this one remark—the rattle snake has one redeeming trait, when let alone it will never attempt to bite without giving notice by the rattles. This settlement continued to progress in the direction of improvement. Log cabin churches, school-houses, mills and other indispensable utilities were erected, and furnished the people with the usual facilities of society, their granaries and larders were replenished, and they began to realize all the comforts that persevering industry always brings in its wake. All were ha ppy and contented up to about 1810, when that mania among the first settlers of a new country, in the shape of new adventures broke out in all its most virulent types. The most glowing descriptions of new localities westward in the State were circulated, the new counties of Wayne, . Stark, and especially a place still further west under the general term of the Mad River Country, attracted the deepest interest as a land "flowing with milk and honey," interlarded with game and wild hogs in great abundance, about which the most extra vagant hyperbolical declarations in. jest were made, such as that roasted pigs were running at large with knives and forks stuck in their backs, squealing out, "Come and eat." This agitation in the end, culminated in the exodus of about forty families, more at that time than two-thirds of all the old settlers of Brookfield township, who in their frenzy, sacrificed to new corners, the results of their toils for years; not then, even dreamingof the bidden treasures under their feet, in the shape of inexhaustible coal fields and rich mines of iron ore, that have since been the source of unbounded wealth- to that community; making improved lands then sold for three or four deflate an acre, worth, upon an average, one hundred dollars an acre at this time. As I have elsewhere said not less than forty families began to prepare themselves for this movement, and strange as it may now LOGAN COUNTIES - 29 appear, not less than thirty of them selected the Mad River Valley, and within a year or two all of them settled in what at that time was Champaign County, and my being so mixed up in these scenes, must be my excuse for connecting my pioneer life in Champaign County, with its incipient stages in Trumbull County. It seems to me from my stand-point, I could not separate them so as to confine myself alone to this my present locality, for the reason that my old associates in a large degree. were my new comrades in early pioneer life in this part of the State. And the scenes from 1806 to 1811 are now endeared to me, and can not be eradicated or separated from the scenes of pioneer life in Champaign County, but must by me be treated. as one of the parts of my early life in Ohio. I can well adopt the language of Tupper in his veneration of old haunts; his portraiture in the following lines vibrates upon every chord of my early reminiscences, and vividly renews all those early recollections which. I have attempted to delineate in varied sketches. In view of all these surrounding circumstances am I not justified in their connection? OLD HAUNTS "I love to linger on my track, Wherever I have dwelt, In after years to loiter back, And feel as once I felt; My foot falls lightly on the sward. Yet leaves a deathless dint; With tenderness 1 still regard Its unforgotten print. Old places have a charm for me, The new can ne'er attain— Old faces now I long to see,. Their kindly looks again. Yet these are gone—while all around Is changeable as air. All anchor in the solid ground, And root my memories there! 30 - CHAMPAIGN AND The sentimentality of these lines after a lapse of more than a half century, has on two or three occasions induced me to revisit the locality of these scenes of my boy-hood. The spring near my father's cabin; the site of the old log school-house; the place where stood the old church to which my father and mother led me, all claimed! my first attention. The "deathless' dint" Was there, but the "ola faces" were not there; these were "gone," I shall never see "their kindly looks again." A deep veneration for these sacred spots cam never be erased. Memory cherishes them, and the judgment endorses the declaration that all is vanity. I have already stated that a general stampede among the settlers was about to take place, and which ended in its consummation. My father and his brothers Samuel and Johnson Patrick caught the contagion, the two latter moving in the fall of 1810 and settled on Beaver Creek, in what is now Clarke County, and afterward moved into what is now Logan County. But my father remained in Brookfield until the next spring, and during the winter entered into an arrangement by which five of his neighbors united with him and built a boat, about two miles above Sharon on the Shenango River, of sufficient capacity to cone tain six families with their goods, and. was made ready to be launched. it was no doubt the first, if not the last, enterprise of the kind so far up from the confluence of the river into Big Beaver. The boat being ready, it was after the first sufficient rise floated. over three new mill-dams down to the mouth of Big Yankee creek and moored, and side oars and rudder being attached, was ready for the embarkation of the families of Richard Kramer, Jacob Reeder, William Woods, Josiah Whitaker, Isaac Loyd and Anthony Patrick, with their goods, when after a sudden spring rise in the river were all on hoar I in due order as above indicated, when the cable was loosed, and this band Of in migrants numbering about twenty souls set sail and were gently wafted with the current down the Shenango to Big Beaver, and down falls of the latter, when the boat was again moored and the crew and their effects were by wagons employed, conveyed to the foot of the rapids.. The boat was put into the hands of a pilot to navigate it over the falls which was done with great speed, but through the unskillfulness of pilot, was greatly injured upon the rocks and had to be refitted at some expense, and made sea-worthy, after which she was again duly laden, and the voyage renewed by running with the LOGAN COUNTIES - 31 current from the falls to the confluence with the beautiful Ohio River, and thence down to Cincinnati without noting the daily stop-. pages and delays after about a three weeks voyage, interspersed with many incidents which will he now passed. Cincinnati was then a little town under the    Here these old family wayfarers seeking new homes separated, after selling their boat for about twenty dollars and dividing the proceeds, intending to meet again in the Mad. River Valley, which was ultimately realized, as all of them became settlers in old Champaign County as bounded in 1811, embracing what is now Clarke, Champaign, Logan, AT., north to the. Michigan Territory line. My Father moved his family to Lebanon, Warren County, arriving there on the evening Moses B. Corwin was married, remaining there and working as a journey-man cabinet maker until August, when he moved to Urbana, arriving there the 9th day of August, 1811. NOTE: I have attempted to describe a log cabin raising, in its multiform delineations from the standing forest to the completed structure. And in doing so have committed myself to the criticism of many yet living, who would be inure capable of the task I have assumed. I ant aware that my attempt has many defects in point of accuracy of description, that will likely be pointed out as needing amendment. But my motive was not the enlightenment or the present generation, but was attempted from a desire to band down to posterity the primitive structures up to 1820, believing that before the year 1920, this mode of building will have become obsolete, and unknown. As the new settlers of this day do not resort to the log cabin, but to the frame house or hovel, the idea of the original to cabin as already said will be unknown, hence the reason of my feeble attempt. 32 - CHAMPAIGN AND CHAPTER IV. LOG CABIN CONTINUED. In the presentation of the fragmentary sketches contained in the preceding chapters, I owe it to myself to make some additional explanations Of the motives that actuated me, in a seeming departure from the programme of the " Western Ohio Pioneer Association," in locating scenes of pioneer life in sections of the State outside of Champaign and Logan Counties. And they in part consist—because my most early experience antecedes, and W4 elsewhere intimated, connects. itself with the scenes which followed my early settlement in Chain paign County in the year 1811. Pioneer life in all its general relationships is so uniformly the same, that all its general features are as applicable to one locality as another ; and therefore all those generalities of which I have treated, such as hardships endured, dangers encountered, difficulties met and overcome, including all those manifestations of generosity, equality, and sympathetic mutual kindnesses, that have been portrayed as traits of character in the early settlement of the Eastern part of the State, are to the letter, applicable to the first settlers of Champaign and Logan Counties, and as a beginning point may be transferred to the latter locality. As Already said, .my father arrived in Urbana, August 9th, 1811, and rented of Benjamin Doolittle a double cabin, then standing on lot No. 175, on what is now East Court St., opposite the First Baptist Church, and near the present residence of Mrs. Keller. At this point I will attempt a pencil sketch of all the habitations of the old settlers at the date here indicated, and in order to do so more understandingly will promise the remark, that the original plat of Urbana at that day, consisted of 212, in lots 6 rods in front, abutting streets running back ten rods ; four fractional lots around the Public Square six rods square; and two tiers of out lots on the western border, and one tier on the southern border of the town, aggregating twenty-two lots,- varying in size from about one and one-half acres to three acres; for all further general descriptions I LOGAN COUNTIES - 33 will refer to the records. And as a further prelude will remark, as the streets now nearly all have new names, that I will adopt them with reference to my localities, and I will take my standpoint in the Public Square, and briefly dot the several localities of the first settlers of that day, as fully as my recollections will enable me. PUBLIC SQUARE On the southeast corner of fractional lot No.1. Benjamin Doolittle occupied a two-story log house, with a back budding attached to west rear for dining room and kitchen, as a tavern stand, and being the same lot now owned and occupied by McDonalds and others. Joseph Hedges occupied a small frame with shed roof, called the knife-box, little west of northeast corner of fractional lot No. 4, as a store room of Hedges & Neville, with small family residence in the west end, and being the same lot now owned and occupied by Glenns and others. John Reynolds owned and occupied a neat white two-story building on northeast corner of in lot No. 48, fronting east on the Public Square, and used in part as a store room ; the balance being his family residence. The store room being on the corner was also by him used as the Post-office, he being the first Postmaster of the ]lace. The very same spot is now used for the Post-office in the Weaver House. This whole lot is now owned by Henry Weaver, and as already intimated, is the site of the Weaver House. Widow Fitch, the mother of Mrs. Blanchard, owned and occupied in lot No. 1, opposite the Weaver House, and had a small log building on it, which was occupied as a family residence, to which she added in front facing east on the Public Square, a respectable two-story hewed log house, using the same soon after as a tavern stand for several years. This site is now known as the Donaldson corner, Dr. Davidson occupied a small frame, fronting the Square on lot No. 154, on part of the site of L. Weaver's block. SOUTH MAIN STREET, From the Public Square, south. Alexander Doke owned and . occupied in-lot No. 104, and had on it a little south of the pres- ent tavern stand of Samuel Taylor, a double cabin residence of 34 - CHAMPAIGN AND his family, and being a blacksmith, he had on the same lot as smith shop. This lot embraces all the ground south of S. W. Hitt's store to the corner on market space, and owned now by several individuals. All this ground during. the war of 1812, was used as an artificer yard. W. H. Tyffe owned the south half of in lot No. 55, &c., and occupied the southeast corner of it, as his family residence; it being-the same building now on said corner, having since been weather-boarded, and is now owned by his descendants. George Fithian! the grandfather of Milton Fithian, owned and occupied as a tavern stand, the same building now standing on in lot No. 63; it has undergone but little impiovement in outside appearance, excepting the weatherboarding of the log part of it. This: same tavern was afterward owned and occupied by John Enoch, the father of John Enoch, Jr., and is now owned by the Second M. E. Church as a proposed future site for a Church edifice. George Hite, on the next abutting lot on west side of South Main St., being No. 71, erected a two-story log house for his family, and being a wheel-wright, had a shop near it. The present residence of Mr. Bennett occupies the site of the old dwelling. Job Gard, the father of Gershon' Gard, owned in-lot No. 87, the corner of South Main and Reynolds streets, and lived in a hewed log house near the present residence of Col. Candy. This lot is now owned by the New Jerusalem Church and others. Alexander McComsy, father of Matthias McComsy, owned and had a cabin for his family on south-east corner of South Main and Reynolds streets, on out-lot No. 18, now vacant and owned by William Ross. William and John Glenn owned in lots No. 124, 125, 126 and 127,. on which they had sunk a tan-yard, with a rough log shop for finishing; this is now what is called the lower tannery, in the present occupancy of Smith, .Bryan & Co. William Glenn then owned and had a cabin-residence on lots No. 134 and 13.5, now owned by John Clark, George Collins and others. NORTH MAIN STREET, from Public Square, north. John Shyach owned in-lot No. 163, upon which his family lived in a respectable two-story, hewed log house. near the drug store of Fisler & Chance. (Years afterward LOGAN COUNTIES - 35 was burned.). This property embraces the row of business buildings now occupied from the corner of North Main and East Court streets, to J. H. Patrick's hardware store. Randal Largent occupied a small rough cabin on lot No. 24, on the north-west border of a pond, between it and what is known as the " Bamilton House," on the ground now occupied and owned by J. H. Patrick as his residence. Samuel McCord had nearly opposite to last Mentioned place, his family residence on lot No. 173, being a story and half hewed log house, which was many years after burned down. N. Carpenter lived in a small one-story log cabin on the corner of in-lot No. 32, near the present residence of John Smith, corner of North Maid and West Church streets. John Frizzle occupied a large double two-story log cabin as a tavern-stand, fronting east on North Main street, on in-lot No. 40, near present residence of O. T. Cundiff. EAST MAIN OR SCIOTO STREET, from Public Square, east. Joseph Vance owned lot No. 155, and was erecting in the fall of 1811 the present two-story frame and part of the back building in which his son, Judge Vance, now dwells, as owner of the premise, described. Frederic Gump occupied a small one-story cabin on east half of in-lot No. 160, near the present site of the Episcopal Church. David Vance owned lot No. 97, and had on it a small story and half hewed log house, Occupied by Solomon Vail, and being the same' house, with some additions, now owned and occupied by Joseph S. Kiger. WEST MAIN OR MIAMI STREET, From Public ,Square; west. David Parkison owned and occupied a two-story log house, Mid had a. smith shop near it, both fronting the street on in-lot No. 2, now opposite the Weaver House, near the livery-stable and Fisher's rooms. Zephaniah Luce owned in-lot No. 50, and occupied it by his family in a double log house, standing on the ground now occupied by Doctor Mosgrove's large brick residence. Mr. Luce was also the owner of in-lots No. 51, 52, 53 and 54, and on the two first sunk 86 - CHAMPAIGN AND a tan-yard, and had finishing-shop on same, which he used during the war of 1812, as Issuing Commissary Office, he holding that post. Lawrence Niles (hatter) occupied a hewed log house on east part of in-lot No. 3, being the same property no .v owned and occupied by Wm. Sampson, having been repaired in such a manner as to present a neat two-story house. His family, like nrnny new set- tlers, after living here a few years, became dissatisfied, and without waiting to dispose of their property moved west, seeking new adventures, and were never heard of afterward. It was supposed they were either all drowned, or murdered by the savages. EAST MARKET STREET, East from South Main. James Fithian Occupied two-story hewed log house, with an addition of a one-story on west side of it, (the latter being used in the war of 1812, as a Quartermaster's office) on in-lot No. 105, being the present premises of Mrs. Dr. Stansberry; the log buildings above described were moved east on to lot No. 109, property of estate of Samuel McCord, and very recently torn down. Simon Kenton, as Jailor of Champaign County, occupied one family room below and the rooms above in the old Jail building, on lot No. 107, as his family residence. Here two of his daughters, Sarah, afterward Mrs. Jno. McCord, and Matilda, afterward Mrs. Jno. G. Parkison, wore married. This lot is now owned by two of the Lawsons. Frederic Ambrose, by trade a. potter, afterward Sheriff and County Treasurer, owned and occupied in-lot No. 111, and lived in a cabin, on southeast corner, with a shop near it ; this lot is now owned by Havery Stump. Wilson Thomas, colored, right south. on the opposite side of the street on in-lot No. 121, owned and occupied a small cabin, near the present residence of Mrs. Jacob Fisher. _____ Toney, a colored man, whose full name I have forgotten, but who was somewhat distinguished in the war of 1812, according to his own statements, occupied an old cabin in the Northeast corner of E. B. Patrick's in-lot No. 112, fronting East Market Street. Peter Carter, colored, husband of old Fannie, owned in-lot No. LOGAN COUNTIES - 37 113, and had a cabin in the rear, which stood on the ground now occupied by the present African M. E. Church building.  WEST MARKET STREET, West from South Main Edward W. Pierce, a very highly educated lawyer, without family, had a hewed log office near the present residence of Mrs. E. P. Tyffe, on in-lot No. 61. He possessed sterling talents, but from some cause had much mental affliction, and in the winter of 1816, was found dead in the woods between here and Springfield; much torn by wolves as then supposed. Persons of that day who professed to know the fact, said that in his very early life he had the misfortune to exchange shots in a duel, and killed his adversary, which was the secret of his mental malady. This I give as a matter of information only.. EAST WATER STREET, From South Main, East. Daniel Helmick owned in-lots No. 136 and 137 ; on the latter he had a double cabin as the residence of his family,' and on the corner of the former in front of the Second M. E. Church, was his hewed log cabinet shop ; he afterward built the brick house now owned by J. C. Jones. Nathaniel Pickard owned and occupied lots No. 142 and 143, and erected for his family residence a hewed log cabin, standing immediately West of Moses B. Corwin's present brick residence. WEST WATER STREET, West from South Main. William Ward, Sr., the old proprietor of the town, then lived in a double log cabin standing near the present residence of Mr. Smith, southeast corner of West Water and High Streets, on a block of lots, No.'s 83, 84, 85, 86, 91, 92, 93, 94, and now the property of Messrs. Smith, Donaldson and others. EAST REYNOLDS STREET, East from South Main Street. Joseph C. Vance owned and occupied in-lots No.'s 152 and 153, and erected on the premises a two-story log house as a family residence ; he also erected a small hewed log office, he being the first Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, and Surveyor, &c. 38 - CHAMPAIGN AND WEST REYNOLDS STREET, West from South Main Street. Lsaac Robinson, a brick mason, occupied a cabin on one of out-lots on south side of the street, but Lam now unable to locate it. John Gilmore, a brick mason, occupied a cabin on out lot No. 8, now enclosed in the private 'park grounds of Col. John H. Jones, in which his superb family mansion is situated. EAST COURT STREET, East from North Main Street. Anthony Patrick, as already stafed occupied a double cabin nearly opposite the Baptist Church on in-lot No. 175, owned then by Benjamin Doolittle. Jacob Tharp occupied a cabin on lot No. 165, near the site of the present Baptist Church. WEST COURT STREET, West from North Main Street. Capt. WM. Powell occupied a .small frame tenement on West side of in-lot No. 14, being the present premises of Duncan McDonald. —Stout occupied a small roughly built frame, which stood near the present residence of Miss Nancy Jennings on in-lot No. 22. EAST CHURCH STREET, East from North Main Street. Samuel Trewett the grandfather of Nathan Reece occupied in-lot No. 194, and lived in a hewed log one story cabin near the present residence of Robert Bell. He was a local M. E. preacher. WEST CHURCH STREET, West from North Main Street. John Huston a rough carpenter, built a story and a half hewed log cabin and occupied it on in-lot No. 26, being the present premises of William Scorah. Daniel Harr the father of Newton Harr, was here with his then small family, and as I have no other building in my eye for a farntly residence, I am inclined to the opinion that he occupied a small cabin on in-lot No. 27, the present premises of W. H. Colwell; if he did so occupy, it was only temporarily, for I remember soon after, he improved the north half of in-lots No. 65, 56, and erected the LOGAN COUNTIES- 89 two story frame now owned by W. L. Studybaker on South Main: Street and occupied the upper part and rear buildings as his family residence, and front as a store room of Harrand Rhodes—the latter being the father of Nelson Rhodes, Esq. Henry Bacon if memory serves me, owned and occupied a small frame building on the ground now owned by Mr. Osborn on in-lots No. 38, 39; he afterward erected the brick building known as the Insurance Office on in-lot No. 8, and occupied it as a dwelling. Here are thrown hastily together a pen sketch of the population in Urbana in 1811, comprising 45 familes, describing from memory the kind of tenements with their localities as nearly as possible; there may be some errors, but it is believed they are few. One sad reflection presents its self now ; all these have gone the way of all the earth. There may possibly be an exception, but the writer (Of this is not aware of any. It may be proper here to point out the public buildings of the -town. The jail has already. been noticed. The Court-house was a large log building on lot No. 174 on East Court Street, which has undergone a, change, and is now the property of Duncan McDonald, and is used es a family residence. During the war of 1812-15, it was converted into an army hospital, and in it many deaths occurred from a prevalent epidemic malady of that day denominated "cold plague," and the bones of the victims now rest in the old town grave-yard. And may God in his merciful Providence avert that unhallowed cupidity, that is now instigating municipal desecration upon their silent abode. This building having been appropriated to the use above indicated, the upper part of the jail was fitted up for the purpose of holding the courts, and was so used until the new court house in the public square was finished, in about the end of the year 1817, and this latter temple of justice remained as county court house, until the clamorous raids of the populace culminated in the erection of our present one, standing on in-lots No. 16 and 17, about the year 1839. In the earlier settlement of the town, the practice in the winter seasons, was to convert the larger class residences, for the time being, into Bethel, for public worship, and in the warm summer months, to congregate near the present Public Square, under the shade of the spreading branches of the large oak trees then in that vicinity. And as soon as the Court House first alluded to was finished, it became a place of public worship, and the same will ap- 40 - CHAMPAIGN AND ply to all its successors. But, I started out with the intention of informing the public that when 'I first came to Urbana, a large hewed log M. E. Church had recently been erected on in-lot No. 207, and under the itinerant mode of that denomination, was regularly supplied by many sterling pioneer preachers, during the years up to. about 1816, when the brick church now part of the Ganson livery establishment was erected. The pulpit in the old log house was supplied something in this order during the years indicated, by Rev. John Meek, ____ Clingman, Samuel Brockanier, John Collins, and perhaps some others. About 1816 as already stated, the brick edifice situated on east half of in-lot. No. 176, was duly dedicated and supplied in the Manner named above, by the higher order of talent in the persons of Rev. David Shafer, Henry B. Bascom, ____ Crume, — Cummings, John Strange, — Westlake, &c. It may also be remarked that they were fortunate in the years here embraced,. say up to 1825, in having a first-class order of local ministrations, and the interests of the-Church were fully sustained under Rev. Samuel Hitt and others like him, who were ornaments to their profession, and she added to her number daily such as gave evidence that they had passed from death unto life. Many incidents might be recorded of the thrilling scenes connected with the spiritual labors of that old .church, before it put on its new dress, in the exchange of the old houses of worship for its present new temple, situated on north half of in-lots NO. 24 and 25. This denomination has always been in the lead in this locality, owing perhaps to the indomitable zeal manifested by both ministry and laity, in the propagation of their popular tenets. The only other religious interest in this town for the first thirty years after its first settlement, was Presbyterianism, but its growth was greatly behind that of the Church described. It however was the instrument in disseminating much wholesome religious instruction, and exerted an influence for good, upon the morals of the community. It had to encounter difficulties, and inconveniences for want of a house of worship ; the Court House was substituted, and not till about 1829 had it any house of its own for the congregation, and before it was finished, the tornado of 1830 entirely demolished it, and another was erected on a new site or. lot No. 18, on the same site of the present imposing structure, this being the third within less than thirty years. LOGAN COUNTIES - 41 But to come hack to the point sought in the programme of the Pioneer Association, I will say that the Presbyterian Church had no organization as a Town Church for many years, but the Membership was attached to country organizations on Buck Creek and Stony Creek, according to their several preferences. This state of things continued until about 1814, when the Rev. James Hughs, the father of Mrs. William Ward, came and settled in Urbana, and was very efficient in building up an interest in the denomination which soon resulted in a church organization, and this worthy divine was called under the rules and regulations of that branch of the Christian Church, and was duly installed as its pastor, and continued in the Gospel labor many years, blessed with many additions to his charge. Before dismissing this branch of the subject it may be said, that before Mr. Hughs had located here, Rev. McMillin, -- Purdy, and some others officiated, and after he resigned the pastoral relationship, the pulpit was supplied by Rev. — Brich, Joseph Stephenson, — Dickey, David Mirrill and others. And as a concluding remark it may be noted upon this subject matter, that although there were no other denominational organizations here than the two above indicated for many long years, yet there were some few belonging to other persuasions, Baptists, Newlights, &c., who attached themselves to country organizations, and were occasionally supplied with preaching in this place. The Baptists, by Rev. John Thomas, and John Guttridge, and the Newlights by Rev. — Vickers, all of them as a general rule using the School house mentioned hereafter- on in-lot No. 102. Notwithstanding the small beginnings heretofore indicated, the City of Urbana at this day may boast her three M. E. Church, two Baptist, two Presbyterian including Associate Reform, one Lutheran, one New Jerusalem, one Episcopal, and one Catholic organizations, each having a comfortable and capacious house for public worship ; and all of them, supplied in the ministry with talents of a respectable order. 5 42 - CHAMPAIGN AND CHAPTER V. SCHOOLS. The next subject in its proper order, would be to say a word in reference to school houses and schools. My first recollection is, that a school was taught by old Nathaniel Pinckard in the old log Court House already described. I remember too, that afterwards a school was taught in the old log church, by William Nicholson and perhaps Others. A school was taught in the old tavern stand, which is heretofore referred to as the old George Fithian and John Enoch stand on lot No. 63, somewhere about 1816, by Hiram M. Curry, afterward State Treasurer. About the year 1811 however, a small school house was erected on lot No. 102, near the present residence of E. B. Patrick, and a school was made up by subscriptions which was then the only mode of supply, and a teacher employed. I do not distinctly remember the first teacher, but am inclined to think it was William Stephens, Esq.; afterward John C. Pearson, Henry Drake, George Bell and others were teachers, but forget the order of their services. In this venerable house the writer of this received his last touches 'of 'scholastic instruction, and his only surviving schoolmates that he can now name, are Col. Douglas Luce, Joseph A. Reynolds, and Mrs. Horace Muzzy. At that early day the opportunities for instruction were very different from now. If parents had the ability and inclination to pay for school instruction, it was given ; if not, it was with-held. In looking back into the past, and contrasting it with the present organized system of public instruction for all conditions of society, the mind at once is puzzled in the solution of the question, "How did those early Pioneers of Ohio, hedged in with poverty, surrounded with difficulties, and exposed to all manner of hardships and privations, manage to so educate, instruct and manipulate the youthful minds of their immediate successors, as to develop such talent as has, in the last generation, graced the pulpit, the bench, the bar, and both branches of the State and National Legislatures ? LOGAN COUNTIES - 43 Will such a galaxy of stars set, at the close of the present generation ? If so, where are they now shedding their lustrous brilliancy ? But to return to the subject matter of the early schools of Urbana, say prior to 1820. Having referred to the school-houses used, and the teachers, and the mode of supplying them, up to that thee, it might not be amiss to say something of their capacity to teach and govern. They were, as a general rule, of high moral standing, and qualified to teach all the first rudiments of a common., school education, such as reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic and English grammar, and some of them the higher branches of mathematics and .algebra ; but not many claimed the latter qualifications. But they were thorough in such branches as they professed to teach, and if they found that any pupils were close upon their heels in any branch, they became studious themselves, to be prepared to impart instruction to such. This fact has come under may own observation in more than one instance ; in short, they were perseveringly industrious, energetic, and it may be said, ambitious, and the pupils were like them ; they applied themselves assiduously to their lessons, and the key to it was, both boys and girls at home had to work, the boys at mechanical trades or upon farms, the girls at house-keeping, hackling and spinning flax, carding and spinning wool ; so that when they went. into the schoolroom, it seemed a. recreation to take hold of their books, slates, ire. The teachers had an aptitude to teach, and the pupils to receive instruction ; the spirit of emulation was infused by the former, and seized and secured by the latter. As already intimated, the teachers were determined to impart, and the pupils to receive instruction. Indeed the invincible determination to learn among the youth of that day, was a common trait. I will have to give an instance .as an illustration for many other cases. The writer of this knew an Urbana boy in his teens, whose father in the Winter of 1814-13, was drafted, and to save the family who were very poor from the sacrifice of its support in the head, voluntarily left his school, offered himself and was received as a substitute; being engaged in committing the rules of English Grammar, he put up in his knapsack a copy of a small edition containing these rules, and when at his destination at Fort Meigs, at all leisure times pursued the committing of them to memory, preparatory to finishing at the end of his time in school, his studies upon that branch. He was kindly assisted and invited by his Captain, John R. Lemen, 44 - CHAMPAIGN AND to use his quarters out of the din of the boys in the service. He really came home prepared to apply the rules and did so, under the instruction of the same teacher he left. That boy had no higher aim than a common school education; he did not aspire to any profession, but the same indomitable energy that actuated him, stimulated hundreds of others in the State that did aim at higher aspirations, and this perhaps is the solution to the question asked in a preceding paragraph. Before dismissing this branch of the subject, I will note the fact of the erection about 1820, of what was called the Academy, and in which higher branches were professed to be taught, and which attracted to our place afterward, a good class of competent instructors. And the greater part of our present business men, who ale the descendants of old settlers Of the town, received most of their education in it. The building was on the present site of our second ward district school houses on lots No. 179 and 180. Also there was; erected a little later, a female Academy, but it did not prove a success ; it was on lot No. 35, West Church Street, being part of the present residence of William Wiley. LOGAN COUNTIES - 45 CHAPTER VI. POLITY-MEDICAL MEN—CALAMITIES AVERTED, ETC. As I have given some of the desultory outlines of the first churches and schools of Urbana, sixty years ago, I will continue by saying a word in regard to the civil polity. I remember that when I first came here, Nathaniel Pinckard, Esq., was Justice of the Peace for Urbana township, and was a great terror to benders and boys ; his wife was his counsellor, and was considered the best statute lawyer of the two, and kept him advised in all difficult and knotty questions of law. The Court of Common Pleas had .on its bench Hon. Francis Dunlavy, Presrdent, with three Associate Judges—Hon. John Runyon, John Reynolds, and Joseph Layton; and the way justice was meted out to horse-theives, hog-theives, and all of her violators of the law was a " caution," (as the curt phrase expresses it,) to offenders. The Urbana bar, at my first acquaintance, consisted of Henry Ba- eon and Edward W. Pierce, heretofore noticed in another paragraph. But very shortly afterward it received many very respectable accessions, in the persons of Moses B. Corwin, (who likewise, in 1812 commenced the publication of the Fanners' Watchtower, the first newspaper ever published in this platy, associating with him a young printer by the name of Blackburn as co-editor,) James Cooley, afterward Charge des Affaires to a foreign country; Caleb Atwater, the distinguished Antiquarian ; Chancy P. Holcomb, afterward of some notoriety, and J. E. Chaplain. I could add to this very cheerfully, Col. John H. James, whose record as a lawyer needs not the eulogy of my pen, but he located here after 1820, and would be outside of the objects sought by the Pioneer Association. I will now say a word in reference to the lawyers within this then large judicial circuit, embracing Hamilton county, and all the organized and unorganized territory within its eastern and western limits; north to the Michigan territory line, who practiced at the Urbana bar prior to 1820—Jacob Burnett, David K. Este; Nichols Longworth, Arthur St. Clair, son of General St. Clair, Joseph H. Crain, afterward president Judge of this Circuit, John 46 - CHAMPAIGN AND Alexander, &c. Here was an array of talent that has not since been surpassed. These men were frequently pitted against each other in the trials of important cases, and many amusing passes of wit and repartee were evoked. I remember an instance of this kind: John Alexander, who was a man of hugh dimensions, and Nicholas Longworth, who was below medium size, Were employed against each other in the trial of a State case in the court-room at Urbana; and during its progress they both became very much enraged against each other, when Mr. Alexander stamped his foot, and with excited voice said, "You little thing, hold your tongue or I will pat you in my pocket," which Mr. Longworth did not deign to answer, but addressing himself to the Court said, "may it please your Honors, This mountain of flesh," pointing at his antagonist, threatened to put me in his pocket ; please tell him for me„ if he does, he will have more law in his pocket than he ever had in his head." And sometimes these passes of wit occurred between the Court and members of the bar. I will give an instance: Mr. St. Clair had an unfortunate impediment; although a man of more than ordinary talents he could never give the letter S its proper sound—in other words he lisped, and on one occasion he became very much excited. at the decision of the Court in some matter of interest to him, and indulged in improper language, and still persisted after the Judge had commanded him to take his seat. Judge Dunlavy ordered the Sheriff to arrest and imprison him ; the Sheriff feeling that the discharge of that duty would be very unpleasant, hesitated, whereupon Mr. St Clair, in the most bland tone, addressed the Judge by saying: "May it Pleath your Honor, perhapth the theriff ith waiting the order of the Court." Whereupon Judge Duniavy immediately consulted the three associate judges, and to his mortification had to let it pass. The Supreme Court under the Constitution of 1802 was required to hold an annual session in each county; my first recollection of that Court in Champaign County is, that between 1811 and 1817 its sessions were on some occasions in the old log church—why, I do not now remember, and according to my best recollection; .Judges Thomas Scott, Chief Justice, William W. Irwin, and Ethan Allen Brown, the latter of whom afterward was Governor of the State, LOGAN COUNTIES - 47 were on the bench ; and soon after the above period Peter Hitchcock, John McLean, and others not now remembered, were successors of that Court. As these sketches to be acceptable' to future readers should embrace all the varieties of pioneer life, it might be well at this point to say a word as to the gentlemen of the medical profession. And as a beginning I will say that I do not remember any except Doctor Davidson, a brother-in-law to Judge Reynolds, who was here when I first came. But very shortly after very respectable accessions were made in the persons of Doctor Joseph S. Carter and Collins, to which may be added prior to 1820, Adam Mosgrove and Obed Hor, and perhaps some others not now recollected. These gentlemen, it may be safely said, all secured the confidence of the people, and were very popular and successful practitioners. And in the mean time, young gentlemen of the vicinity had qualified themselves, who also in this time became successful in practice. I will name a few : E. Banes, Wilson Everett, — Hughs, _____ Curry, and afterward, E. P. Fyffe and others. Being hedged in by the 1820 rule, I will dismiss this branch of the subject. I have already said that my first acquaintance with Urbana was on the 9th day of August, 1811, and I have according to ray best recollection given the names and the location of all the heads of families at that date. The first settlers here were exposed to many hardships and difficulties, but banded together in kindly assisting each other. From its first settlement in 1805, through all the succeeding years, embracing those of the war 1812-15, they were frequently alarmed at threatened Indian raids ; frequent occasions of the massacre in close proximity, of whole families, added to their terror'. Mr. Joseph A. Reynolds informs me that on several occasions about 1807 and 1808, the few settlers of the place, repeatedly alarmed at rumors of the near approach of hostile savages would congregate in the must strongly built and roomy big house, barricade the doors and windows in anticipation of an Indian attack. He recollects on one occasion that Zephaniah Luce, the father of Vol. Douglass Luce, received information that a body of Indians were in the neighborhood prepared to make an attack upon the place in the night ; and he moved around among the settlers, urging them to immediately repair to the house of George Fithian, already noticed, and bring with them all their guns and ammuni- 48 - CHAMPAIGN AND tion, and barricade it as the most secure strong-hold. of the place, which was carried into execution, and as represented, the scenes of that night were very exciting, and have left impressions not to be forgotten. The attack, however, was not made, and the fortress was disbanded, and all for the time being returned to their own cabins. While on this subject it should be mentioned that soon after the scenes above described, the people erected a block-house on lot No. 104, and which during the war was used as one of the army artificer's shops. This must suffice on this branch, though I could recite some similar scenes within my own knowledge afterward. I will, however, in this connection remark, that although our neighboring frontier tribes professed friendship towards the whites, yet many distrusted them, and were suspicious that through the blandishments of Tecumseh and his brother, the Prophet, they might be induced to join the standard of the Potawatamies and other hostile tribes, which had leagued together, and ultimated in the celebrated battle of Tippecanoe, in November, 1811. In this conflict,, though Gen. Harrison's forces were greatly cut to pieces, the Indians under Tecumseh were, after much slaughter, driven from the ground and put to rout, and this being late in the fall, no fears were entertained that they could again, before the next summer, re-organize and renew their depredations. Things being in this shape, precautionary measures were immediately taken to secure. the settlements from future Indian raids, and Governor R. J. Meigs came in the spring of 1812 to Urbana, and inaugurated the project of making a call upon all the Indian tribes, and especially those on our border who professed friendship for the people of the United States, to convene at Urbana on .a given day, to hold a council with him as Governor of the State, and as a preliminary step, employed Col. James McPherson, one of the Zanes, and perhaps ow? of the Walkers, to beak the proposals of the call to the several tribes over which they could exert a favorable' influence, which resulted in a meeting of the Chiefs of Shawnees and Wyandots accompanied by their braves, including some of the leaders of remnant tribes. Taken all together they presented quite an imposing appearance, and arrangements having been made. by the erection of a platform-stand in a grove a few rods southwest from the old grave-yard, about in the centre of the block of in-lots numbering 197, 198, 199, 200, 207, 208, 209 and 210, enclosed by East Church, North Locust, East LOGAN COUNTIES - 49 Ward and North Kenton streets in Urbana. The arrangements to bring about this event had required time, and it must have been as late as the latter part of June, a little after the declaration of the war of 1812, before the council met. But its results were very satisfactory to Governor Meigs, and to the tribes represented, and ended in the exchange of wampum, and in smoking the pipe of peace. The Indians avowed their determination to take sides with the United States, and the Governor on his part guaranteed protection and support to their families, which was accepted soon after as a measure of security against hostile tribes. And a blockhouse was erected near Zanesfield for the protection of their women and children, and they were, at the public expense, furnished with provision, &c. I was very young at the time, and have nothing but memory to aid me in these allegations, but believe there substantially true.