HISTORY OF MORROW COUNTY. - 289

CHAPTER V.

Contributed by Rev. Henry Shedd

GILEAD TOWNSHIP- DESCRIPTION, TOPOGRAPHY, ETC.- SETTLEMENTS-MILLS AND OTHER

PIONEER IMPROVEMENTS -VILLAGES-INCIDENTS AND EARLY SOCIETY

1830-1848-RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL-ANTI

SLAVERY MOVEMENT.

THE territory now embraced in this township has been taken from several surveyed town ships, and may properly be divided into seven parts, viz.: No. 1. The south part of what is called " the three-mile strip," including ten and one-fourth sections or square miles. No. 2. The north part of the same strip, which was "school land," including ten and a half sections. No. 3. One section west of the "boundary," formerly belonging to what is now Cardington Township. No. 4. Three and a half sections also west of the boundary, formerly belonging to Canaan Township. No. 5. Three and one-eighth sections east of the south part of the three-mile strip, formerly belonging to Franklin Township. No. 6. Four and a half sections east of the north part of the three-mile strip, formerly belonging to Congress Township. No. 7. About one square mile south of the three-mile strip and of the "Greenville Treaty line," formerly belonging to Lincoln Township. The land cast of the boundary line and north of the Green. ville Treaty line is within the Wooster District of land. The land west of the boundary line and north of the Greenville Treaty line is within the Bucyrus District of land, and a part of the " new purchase." The small portion of the township lying, south of the Greenville Treaty line belongs to the " United States Military Lands."

The present limits of the township embrace nearly thirty-four sections or square miles, or about twenty-one thousand six hundred acres of land, and by the census just finished (1880), has a population of near two thousand five hundred inhabitants.

The principal stream of the township is the East Fork of the Whetstone, which runs a southerly course to the county seat, the n in a westerly course till it passes out of the township. The largest tributary to this stream is Sam's Creek, in the eastern part of the township. In the northwestern part of the township is Thorn Run, a tributary of Shaw Creek, in Canaan Township. In the south and southeastern parts of the township; are the runs which constitute the headwaters of Alum and Bi- Walnut Creeks. Alum Creek heads within a half mile of the Whetstone, just south of Mount Gilead. In general, the soil is good - a considerable portion deep, black and rich, other portions thinner and more clayey-none sandy and barren, none leachey, but retaining all the fertilizing, material put upon it.

The land in its original state was very heavily timbered. The prevailing timber was beech and sugar-maple ; but there was a great variety and large amount of other timber, as white, burr and red oak, white and yellow poplar (tulip-tree), black and white walnut, shagbark and pig-nut hickory. white, black and blue ash, white and red elm, cherry, chestnut, basswood, white maple, quaking asp, sycamore, gum, buckeye, etc. It is a singular circumstance that no chestnut was found on the west and north side of the Whetstone. There was also an abundant undergrowth of crab-apple, wild -plum, dog-wood, iron-wood, spice-bush, prickly ash, nettles, etc. There was in early times a vegetable called "ramps," a species of garlic or onion, which came up through the woods early in the spring and covered the ground in great abundance. This, being almost the only green thing, was

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Plentifully eaten by the cows, and affected the milk and butter, to the great annoyance of the early settlers.

The land. generally has a natural drainage, and there is but little stagnant water, especially since the improvement of the country and the opening of the runs and swales ; although almost all the land is made much more productive by open ditches and underdraining.

Springs are quite numerous; some of them strong enough to form runs of permanent water. There are but few soft-water springs. The water generally is hard, impregnated with lime and iron. The early settlers selected the lands that had springs, and generally built their cabins near them. Hence the springs are found on the lands first settled in the township.

Some good stone quarries have been- worked in the township. Good building stone are abundant in the bluffs of the Whetstone near Mount Gilead. There are also two other quarries, one in the Quaker settlement, and another at Harshner's on the school land, from which considerable stone has been taken.

The surface of the land is diversified-in some places level or but slightly rolling, in other places still more rolling, and in others considerably broken by bluffs and ravines; especially is this the case on Whetstone and Sam's Creek in the vicinity of Mount Gilead. Nearly the whole of the land is fit for cultivation and for farming purposes very little, if any, waste land in the township. The productions most congenial to the soil, and the most easily and profitably raised, are grass, timothy and clover, bay and seeds, corn, wheat, oats, rye and flax. The common vegetables and fruits are also easily raised. The original forests abounded with deer, wolves, raccoons, opossums, squirrels, porcupines, ground hogs and wild turkeys. Old beaver dams were seen in several places.

The south part of the Three Mile Strip originally belonged to Delaware County. After the organization of Marion County in March 1824, the larger part of what is now Gilead Township, with most of what is now Cardington Township, and a portion of Washington Township, constituted Marvin Township. A new township, called Gilead, was organized in June, 1835; and sines the formation of the new county additions have been made to it from Canaan, Cardington, Congress, Franklin and Lincoln Townships until it has assumed its present size and shape. It is bounded on the north by Canaan, Washington and Congress, on the east by Congress and Franklin, on the south by Harmony and Lincoln, and on the west by Cardington and Canaan.

Part No. 1. - The first settlers of the township were the two brothers, Lewis and Ralph Hardenbrook, from Jefferson County, Ohio, who purchased and settled the southeast quarter of Section 2, in 1817. The next year, 1818, Jonathan Wood, Asa Mosher and Peleg Rogers, from the State of New York, settled on Section 14. The most of the children of their large families in course of time settled around them. Thus the foundation of the Quaker settlement was laid. The next year, 1819, Isaac DeWitt, from Knox County, and John Hardenbrook, from Jefferson County, settled on Section 3. The next year, 1820, William Montgomery, from Jefferson County, and Joseph Worsley, a native of England, settled on Sections 11 and 3. In 1822, Henry Ustick, from Knox County, and Isaac Blazor, from Jefferson County, settled on Sections 2 and 10. The next year, 1823, the two brothers, John and Albert Nichols, and their brother-in-law, Alban Coe, all from Loudoun County, Va., and Charles Web. ster, originally from Massachusetts, settled on Sections 1 and 2. Joseph Peasely also settled the same year in the second set on Section 11. In 1825, Abraham Newson and Frederick Lay, from Maryland, settled on Section 11. The next year, 1826, James Johnston, James Bennett and James Montgomery, from Jefferson County, settled on Sections 10 and 3, also Joseph P. Newson, from Maryland, settled on Section 11. The next year, 1827, Mrs. Nichols, from Virginia, settled on the

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quarter of L. and R. Hardenbrook, who had sold ,,out, and Alexander Crawford, from Licking County, settled on Section 13. The next year, 1828, Allen Eccles and his sons, Jacob and Samuel, from Licking County, settled on Section 13, and Martin McGowan on Section 12. In 1830, Abraham Coe, from Virginia, and Samuel Rickey, from New Jersey, settled on Sections 12 and 10. There were also living in this part in 1830 (date of their settlement not known) Robert Bunker, Smith, Baruch, Butler, Devore, Joshua White, A. and O. and P. and S. Mosher, and D. and I. and J. and R. Wood, in the second settlement.

Part No. 5.-In 1823, James Bailey and Samuel 'Straw, from Pennsylvania, settled on Section 6. In 1826, Lewis Hardenbrook and John Parcell settled on Sections 6 and 7. In 1829, Thomas Parr and James Shepard settled on Sections 18 and 6. The next year, 1830, Amos Crichfield settled on Section 18.

Part No. 3. - James Beatty, from Pennsylvania, settled in 1826; Hiram Channel and William Foreman in 1829, and Aubert in 1830..

Part No. 4.-Eli Johnston, from Jefferson County, and Rufus Dodd, from Knox County, settled on Section 35, about 1824. In 1826, Mrs. Campbell, from Jefferson County, settled on Section 35. In 1830, Andrew Dalrymple and Ezekiel Clark settled on Sections 26 and 35.

Part No. 6-From 1825 to 1830, families settled about in the order of time as here written most of whom were from Pennsylvania: Berkley Finley and Charles Hull on Section 29; Henry James and Mrs. Willot on Section 31 ; James Fulton on Section 32; David and John Moody on Section 31 ; John Forgy on Section 32 ; Noah Brooks on Section 29 ; William Miller on Section 30; Francis Hardenbrook and James Andrew on Section 32.

Part No. 2. -Marvin G. Webster and his brother, Charles C. Webster, settled on Section 35 in 1828 ; then followed, the next two years, John Harshner on Section 23; Jacob Wyrick and S. Hazen on Section 22; Samuel Doty, John Cooper, Jackson and William Dowling on Section 26.

Part No. 7.-Paul White was the first settler, about 1819 or 1820, and Ashley Nutt next. The first grist and saw mill to accommodate these early settlers was built by Asa Mosher, on the Whetstone, in what is now Cardington Township, in 1821. The next grist and saw mill was built on the same stream by Henry Ustick. A saw-mill was also built on Sam's Creek by Samuel Straw. These mills were carried on upon rather a small scale, but were of great utility in those early times. For many years, supplies for the families were scarce; and it was difficult to obtain the necessary grain, and to get it ground in the dry time of the summer and fall. Corn meal and other supplies had to be packed on horseback from Owl Creek and Delaware County, but with hominy-blocks and roasting ears, mush and milk, pone and butter milk, venison and wild turkey, the people got along cheerily and hopefully.

The first road laid out in the township was the Delaware and Mansfield State road. The next was the State road laid out by Col. Kilbourn, of Worthington, about the year 1823, leading through the township from Worthington to New Haven, Huron County. There was also a trail or blazed track much used, leading from Owl Creek to Shaw Creek and the Sandusky plains. This route, in its somewhat winding course, passed Allen Kelley, Lewis Hardenbrook, Albert Nichols, Alban Coe, Mrs. Nichols (crossing the Whetstone with the State road) at Ustick's mill, Isaac DeWitt, James Montgomery, Eli Johnston, Rufus Dodd, the Merritt Settlement and so on.

Three villages or towns were laid out in the township-one by the Moshers on the Delaware road , where it crosses the boundary, called Friendsboro ; but it was never built up. The next was laid out on a small scale on the knolls of the Whetstone, on the northeast half of Section 2, by Jacob Young, of Knox County, the proprietor of the soil, September 30, 1824. Its proper name was Whetstone, though it generally went by the

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name of Youngstown. A county road was established leading from this village to Friendsboro, passing Ustick's mill, John Hardenbrook, Joseph Worsely, James Johnston, Isaac Blazor and James Bennett, to the Delaware road. The first resident of the village of Whetstone was called Charles Webster, who built a cabin on the northeast corner of the public square, in December, 1824. The next house was a small frame, built by Henry Ustick, on the southwest corner of 'the town, and first occupied by Henry James, Ustick's miller. John Roy, originally from New Jersey, moved from Martinsburg, Knox County, to the village in 1827, and occupied a house which be had had built, and kept the first store. This was the second frame house. The third frame house was built and occupied by Greenberry Merritt, the first hatter of the place. The fourth frame house was built by William Cooper, on Main street, where was a cabin in which John Cooper, his brother, lived, and after having worked in the place two years, as the first carpenter, moved his family to his now house in the spring of 1829. The fifth frame house was built and occupied by George D. Crops, who came to the place in the fall of 1828, from New Jersey. Harmon R. Miller and Joseph I. Roy, from New Jersey, bought out 'Merritt, and established a tannery in 1829. There were three other cabins in town, occupied by Dr. R. H. Randall, the first physician ; Henry Smith, the first blacksmith, and Robert Moore, the first tanner. In 1829, John Cooper moved to the school land. In 1830, William N. Mateer bought out Moore and became the first chairmaker, and Ayres bought out Smith and became the second storekeeper, having his store in a part of William Cooper's house. Rev. Henry Shedd became a resident of the village in 1830, he and his family boarding with G. D. Cross, and became the first resident preacher. Thus in 1830, six years from the origin of the village, there were in it nine dwellings, five frames and four cabins, occupied by ten families; and thus was laid the foundation of what was to be the county seat of Morrow County. For even when the town was laid out, the project of a new county and of its being the county seat was agitated and hoped for.

About the same time that Youngstown was laid out, another village, as a rival town, was laid out on the Mansfield road, Dear Allen Kelley's, by James Bailey, named Jamestown. Bailey had there a small store, and Appleton Rich had a blacksmithshop; and this was the culmination of the town. Allen Kelley bought out Bailey, and the store was kept there for some time, last by R. & N. House.

In 1830, there were in the several parts of the township, including the village of Whetstone, about eighty-five families.

During several years after the settlements had commenced, the Wyandot and Delaware Indians were frequently seen passing to and fro, and encamping for a time in the neighborhood, on their hunting and trading expeditions. They were generally friendly and quiet when well treated. They tied their children with their backs to boards, and when they called at the cabins of the whites to trade or get refreshments, the squaws would set the little papooses up on the outside, and they would remain very quiet, while the parents were engaged within.

There was a curious character, ragged and barefooted, with his bag of apple-seeds, who occasionally passed through the township-Jonathan Chapman, or Johnny Appleseed, as he was called. He kept on the outskirts of the settlements, planting apple-seeds in the woods, then going around to attend his young nurseries. He had at least one nursery, if not more, in this township, and that was on the "school land." He was, in religious sentiment, a Swedenborgian, and lived a moral and blameless life.

During ten years, from 1824 to 1834, the elections of the township were held at a schoolhouse near Mosher's Mill. Mount Gilead afterward became the voting place, an honor it still retains to the present day.

For many years, the township had but one Justice of the Peace. Those who filled the office were

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Lewis Hardenbrook (the first Justice), then Isaac Blazor, Henry Ustick, Isaac DeWitt and George D. Cross, who was first elected in April, 1833, and held the office, by successive reelections, nearly forty-seven years.

The first mail route through the township was from Mount Vernon to Marion, going and returning once a week, passing Kelly's and Whetstone. The mail was carried on horseback. The name of the post office was Whetstone, Marion County, and the first Postmaster was Charles Webster, and the second was John Roy.

The early settlers of the township were not lawless renegades, but, with very few exceptions, moral and industrious people-many of them religious. They were generally the owners of the soil-settling the country for the purpose of getting homes-living and letting live-but a few squatters, and some who cleared the land of others on a lease, having the use of it for a term of years, as a remuneration. They were distinguished for an open and generous hospitality-the latch-string of the cabin always out for travelers and new-com. ers-and for neighborly kindness, going at any time, and at almost any distance, to help at raisings and rollings and other cases of need. There were among them many good and noble and useful men and women.

There were some noted men in the community in those early times. Lewis Hardenbrook, with all his peculiarities, was one. He was generous, whole-souled and kind hearted. Those old patriarchs, Jonathan Wood and Asa Mosher, were noted for their sterling good qualities. They were active, enterprising and public - spirited. Henry Ustick was a prominent man-Justice of the Peace, Colonel of the militia, County Commissioner, and Associate Judge of the County. Abraham Newson was not only distinguished for his good humor, but for being the largest landholder and the biggest settler-owning 1,000 acres of land, and weighing from 350 to 430 pounds. Lewis Hardenbrook, John Nicols and William Cooper were noted for their success in hunting.

Neighbors were very friendly and sociablerunning together and eating together without any ceremony. Social gatherings and bees and frolics were common for special purposes and on particular occasions. The mode of living was coarse and plain-eating corn bread, potatoes, cabbage, pumpkins and turnips, wild he-, deer, ground hog, raccoon, squirrels, wild turkey and pheasants. The wearing apparel was home- made - manurfactured by the women mostly from flax for summer, and from flax and cotton, and wool and cotton for winter. Wool was scarce; for it was difficult to keep sheep on account of the wolves. Shoes and moccasins were made of the tanned skins of ground and men's clothes were frequently made of dressed deer skin and caps of coon skin. The primitive cabin was in many cases built without nails or glass or any article of hardware. An ax, "frow," saw and auger were the only tools necessary to build a cabin. The component parts were round and straight logs, clapboards, eave-bearers, weight poles, split sticks and mud for the chimney and for chinking and daubing, a spacious fireplace to take in a big back-log, puncheon floor, ladder for the loft, greased paper for the windows, a door made of clapboards and an open porch with various useful articles hanging round. After awhile some progress was made in building better houses, in the use of nails, glass, hewed logs, shingles, boards, lime, stone and brick. The great idea and aim of a new settler was to make a clearing for the raising of some crops to support the family. This one thing must be done-the heavy forests of timber must, by some means, be cleared away, and this was a Herculean task - but by patient, persevering labor it was done; the openings were made by the ax, handspike and fire, the fire being a good servant, but sometimes a bad master; and by means of the maul and wedge the cleared spot was fenced in. There were three ways of clearing land-first, clearing all away for the buildings, for cultivation and for a small orchard; second, clearing off the underbrush and smaller growth, killing the largest trees by burning brush-heaps around

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them, or by "girdling" them, and, third, by making large deadenings, which would become ripe for clearing by fire in about five years. This was the easiest and most expeditious way and insured much better crops. These deadenings were often very dangerous to man and beast, especially in a windstorm; and it is remarkable, that so few accidents happened amidst the falling timber. The labors, hardships and privations of the early settlers were shared by both men and women-the women working out heroically with the men in picking and burning brush, as well as doing the housework, spinning and weaving, knitting and sewing, etc. Some of the women were also excellent nurses and famous midwives, spending considerable time in acts of usefulness throughout the settlement.

In early times the health of the people was remarkably good in this township, though a few were broken down by the hardships of a new country. There were no deaths in the township for about eight years after its first settlement. The first death was that of Elizabeth Bryant, daughter of Mrs. H. Ustick by a former husband, September 9, 1825; about eight years old ; then there were some deaths of young children, and, in August, 1832, Mrs. John McQuig died, probably the first married person who died in the township; the next was Mrs. Charles Webster, who died in January, 1833, a resident of the village. Some disasters occurred, which may be properly noticed. About 1830 or 1831, three sons, nearly grown up, of Mr. Smith, a blind man, perished in the well; something like a snake was seen in the water, and one of them went down to get it out and fell, then another went down and he met with the same fate, and then another; and all perished by what is called damps. A few years after, a man committed suicide by poison, and, in the year 1843, Isaac DeWitt, Esq., an old settler, was killed in his own house by lightning.

The first child born in the township was Harriet, daughter of R. Hardenbrook.

In cases of sickness, neighbors were very attentive; frequently the cabin would be full of visitors by night and by day. Sometimes such an overflow of kindness proved too burdensome and injurious to such as were very sick. Funerals were attended by the people generally, both near and remote. As a wedding was of rare occurrence, a general invitation was extended; there was a wedding one day and an infair or reception on the next; at both, the tables were loaded with the best that a new country could furnish. Much joy was wished to the newly married couple, and general hilarity and good feeling abounded. The earliest marriages of the township occurred among the Moshers and the Woods in the Quaker settlement, the ceremony being at the public meeting, according to the custom of the Friends. The two earliest weddings in the vicinity of the village were those of Charles C. Webster to Ann Worsely, and Marvin G. Webster to Maria Newson in December, 1828. The first person of the village that entered the marriage relation was Nathan T. Brown, who was married to Mary Moriarty in May, 1832. Those who officiated at weddings received from 50 cents to $2. Money was hard to be got, from the fact that there was scarcely anything to be sold that would bring money. It was very difficult to get money enough to pay the taxes. "Store pay," or orders on the store, was the general currency of those times. About all the salable products the early settlers had were ashes and maple sugar. The ashes were made into black salts ; these and the sugar were sold to the store, and exported to Portland on Lake Erie for New York City. Transportation, or hauling by wagons to the lake in such muddy and rutty roads, was a hard and tedious business. The wagons in return brought back salt, tobacco, coffee and some few dry goods-after awhile, pork, and wheat were hauled to the same market.

Fifty years ago, the country presented a new and wild appearance. The deep and thick woods abounded with underbrush and rank vegetation and wild game. Honeybees were also plenty and many a splendid tree, as poplar and black

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walnut, was cut down for bees or a coon, and left to decay. The roads consisted of trails among the beech roots and through the mud-in some places underbrushed, and in others only blazedwith no bridges or crossways. In passing from one neighborhood to another, or from one settlement to another, persons were guided by the blazed trees. The buildings generally were rude log cabins. Besides the five frame buildings in the village, Henry Ustick's house and mill, and the barns of Lewis Hardenbrook and Abraham Newson, and a little store at Jamestown, were the only frame buildings in the township. The main .settlements were in the southern portion of the "three-mile strip," with a few settlers in the adjoining corners of Knox and Richland Counties, while the "school land " on the north, and nearly all west of the " boundary," and northeast and southeast, were just beginning to be settled. When, in the latter part of 1829, the first resident preacher, with his wife, came to the township on horseback, in crossing, the creek south of the village, where now is the fine iron bridge, the woman's bonnet was caught in the brush and left hanging there; and the preacher, before escorting his lady into town, was obliged to go back and get her bonnet. There were in the village eight or nine families-two living in small frames in the western part, and seven about the public square in three frames and four cabins. The two parts of the town were separated from each other, and surrounded by dense forests. There was a little store and post office kept by John Roy, on the south side of the public square. To get a letter from the Eastern States out of the office, 25 cents must be paid.

From 1830 to the formation of the new county in. 1848, immigration into the township became more rapid, and nearly all the vacant land was settled. Many of the old settlers sold out to newcomers, and large farms were opened and put under cultivation, new and better buildings erected, the roads improved and new ones laid out and opened, bridges and mills built, and the whole country improved in many respects. And just here we might as well speak of one of the, most extensive mill enterprises that has ever been in the township, perhaps-that of Judge House, built on the Whetstone Creek, east of town, some forty years ago. It was originally built as a grist mill, but some ten years later a saw-mill was added, and still later, a planing-mill. At first they were all operated by water only, but afterward steam machinery was put in, so that when water fails in the dry season, the mills are run by steam. It has three run of buhrs and does a large business, running the year round. It was built about 1840, as we have said, and in 18.55 it passed into the bands of John C. House, a son of Judge House, who still runs and operates it.

Among the men who came into the township during that period ( 1830-1848) and who were the most active and efficient in making improvements, and who have passed away either by death or emigration, may be mentioned Allen Kelly, a cattle-dealer and drover; William Timanns, who built a large mill; Charles Russell, at the stone quarries; Solomon Gellar, John Snider, William Loren, Richard Wells, John Blakely, Samuel Peasely, Ebenezer Brown and Simeon Brooks.

The construction of the Cleveland, Columbus & Cincinnati Railroad, which runs through the township, and was opened for business in 1851, has undoubtedly done more than anything else to increase the material prosperity of the township in opening convenient and good markets, and in rapidly advancing the value of real estate.

How things have changed in fifty years! Wellcultivated and productive farms, with good houses and barns, and horses and cattle and sheep and hogs; good roads and bridps and mills; railroads and telegraph wires; fine schoolhouses and good churches, now occupy the place of the almost unbroken heavy -timbered land, and the log cabins, and the rooty and muddy and miry roads.

The people, instead of trudging around on foot in the woods, or riding " double on horseback, or perchance jolting along among the roots in a

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big wagon, or getting stalled with a load in the mud, are riding about on smooth roads, in splendid buggies and carriages or gliding swiftly from town to town, or from city to city, in elegant palace cars.

The improved farming implements and multiplied machinery of the present day have taken the place of the ax, the grubbing-hoe and the maul, the utensils of the fathers; and in the house are heard the click of the sewing machine and the music of the parlor organ and the piano, instead of the buzz and hum of the spinning wheels and the racket of the loom. And we now see much shirking of labor and love of fashion, and excitement and extravagance and display; much hurry and bus le in speculation, and much running about selling all kinds of patent rights and books and pictures, instead of the steady, hard noticed. work and frugal habits and rustic simplicity of early times.

The village of Whetstone, when originally laid out, contained the south public square and eighty lots, four by eight rods each. On December 7, 1832, Henry Ustick, the proprietor of the soil, laid out an addition to the town of seventy lots more, including the north public square. In 1832, the name of the town was changed by an act of' the Legislature, from Whetstone to Mount Gilead. The name was suggested by Daniel James, after a town in Virginia Warsaw was also suggested by Henry Ustick. A paper with the two names was carried around among the citizens of the village, and it was found that Mount Gilead received the majority of votes. The town had a slow growth. The ground was so uneven, much grading, cutting down and filling up had to be done at a geat expense of labor.

The following early business men, in addition to those already mentioned, resided in the town Joseph Axtell and Nathan T. Brown, hatters; Grafton B. Rigdon, John P. Garrigus and Charles Stott, blacksmiths ; Oliver Sayre, Joseph B. Lyon and Levi Thurston, shoemakers; Conklin,- and Stephen Taylor, saddlers and harness-makers; Hugh Kearney, William Linn and Elzy Barton, tailors; John Giles, cooper; Alfred Brees, wagon-maker; Nathan Williams and Craven 0. Van Horn, cabinetmakers; Joseph Lash and Elias Cooper, carpenters; John Mateer, millwright - Jonathan Wilson and - Fishback, stonecutters; U. and N. House, H. Ustick and Ira Miller, merchants; John Merrell, Silas Miller and James R. Sage, tavern-keepers; Drs. John Stickel, - Welch, R. L. Roberts and Johnston, physicians; Samuel Kelly, the first lawyer. William and Elias Cooper, George D. Cross, Joseph B. Lyon, Richard House, C. O Van Horn and Levi Thurston continued longer in a permanent business than other citizens of the village.

The village of West Gilead was laid out at the railroad station some years ago, as elsewhere noticed.

It was a great event to the village of Mount Gilead, when, about the years 1845-46, there was a line of stages passing through the town, carrying the mail and passengers from Delaware to Mansfield. When the stage-driver, with his four horse coach full of passengers, wheeled into town, cracking his whip, and stopped for the change of horses and for dinner, there was almost as much, perhaps more excitement and interest than now when the trains on the Short Line arrive. There was another great event-when the town, after a long and earnest struggle and much expense of time and money, became an established county seat. There was then a great jollification-bonfires and a large assembly of people in the old Presbyterian Church. Speeches were made and mutual congratulations were passed; and amid the excitement of the occasion, Capt. Rigdon got his leg broken by tumbling over the bank of a deep cut in the street. For, in anticipation of becoming a county seat, the citizens had begun in good earnest to improve the uneven town.

The first brick building erected in the village was the little shoemaker's shop of Joseph B. Lyon in 1833. He obtained the brick of Joseph Peasely. The next was the blacksmith-shop of

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Charles Stott. Andrew Donan built the first brick dwelling-house in the town in 1842.

The formation of a new county and the making of Mount Gilead the county seat in February, 1848, gave a new impulse to the life and enterprise of the town, especially by the influx of groceries, lawyers, physicians, newspaper presses and office seekers.

The citizens of the town made a gross blunder, when, by misapprehension and indifference and want of united effort, they let the golden opportunity slip of securing the Cleveland, Columbus & Cincinnati Railroad. The consequence has been, that the town has had to depend upon the mere fact of its being the county seat, and upon some share of the patronage of the country for support and growth; though it has, without doubt, received indirectly much benefit from the railroad.

Within the last thirty-five years the town has been visited by several destructive fires, consuming business houses, four taverns, a large gristmill, a saw and planing mill, a foundry, etc. New and elegant brick blocks have, however, been built in the place of some of the burnt frames.

Many of all trades and occupations have come and gone; some succeeded and some failed, some changed their employment, kind others went West; some have retired from business and some have died. It would take quite a volume to describe all the changes that have occurred during the last fifty six years among the citizens of this small town.

The advantages for a common-school education were for a number of years rather poor. The first settlers were not compact enough to form good school districts; and well qualified teachers were scarce. There was but little school money for the payment of teachers; and they had to be supported mainly by subscription. Notwithstanding, the early settlers manifested considerable interest in the education of their children. The first school of the township was in the Quaker settlement, the next in the settlement on the Whetstone, and an old-fashioned log schoolhouse was built and occupied near Ustick's mill about 1823 or 1824. Afterward there was a school and log schoolhouse in the eastern part; another in the southeastern, and another at what is now Levering Station. Among the early teachers of the township were Peleg and Peace Mosher, Taber Randall, William Campbell, Jacob Eccles, the two sisters, Elizabeth and Martha J. Foster, from New Hampshire; Luther D. Mozier and William N. Mateer. Luther D. Mozier has probably taught more in the township, outside of the town, than any other person. Forty and fifty years ago male teachers received for their services from $10 to $15 per month; and female teachers from 75 cents to $1.50 per week. Board was thrown in as being of not much account, and teachers generally boarded around in the cabins of the families, as best suited their convenience. By contrasting the past and present systems of education, we give the following statistics of Gilead Township for the year 1879, as reported to the County Auditor: Balance on band, September 1, 1878, $1,224.07; State tax, $444 ; local tax for school and schoolhouse purposes, $2,053.30 ; total from all sources, $3,862.40. Amount paid teachers within the year, $1,589. Whole number of schoolhouses in township, outside of the town of Mount Gilead, eight; value of school property, $8,000; number of teachers employed-male 9, female-6, total 15; wages paid them per month -males $37, females $20; pupils enrolled-males 150, females 125, total 275; average daily attendance-males 100, females 91. total 191. Balance on hand, September 1, 1879, $2,050.43.

Mrs. Mary G. Shedd taught the first school in the village, in a part of the house of G. D. Cross, in 1831. Other schools were taught in various buildings of the town. About 1834, a new frame scbool house-round, or rather octagonal-was built, and continued to be the chief schoolhouse for many years. Philander K. Francis, John Ustick, Miss Barnes, Miss Hayden, Joel Bruce, J. M. Rogers, Samuel B. Morgan and others, taught in the town in former years. Erasmus G. Phillips was a famous teacher for many years, and had a good schoolhouse of his own. Of late years,

300 - HISTORY OF MORROW COUNTY.

education has been gradually rising in the town and township; and its progress is still onward and upward. In 1854, the union graded school system was adopted by the town district, and has been continued with a good degree of success. Milton Lewis, as principal teacher and superintendent of the schools for fifteen years, did an efficient work in promoting education in the township and the county. In 1854, a large two-story brick schoolhouse was built by the district ; and, in January, 1873, another schoolhouse, more spacious and elegant, was dedicated and begun to be occupied.

Quite a number of the youth of both sexes have received an education above the branches generally taught in the common schools. Eleven young men have pursued a regular course of study at colleges, and received their graduating diplomas; while many others have entered the professions, not having completed the regular course of college study-all from this town and township; a number of young women have also graduated at seminaries. The township has furnished ministers of the Gospel, lawyers, physicians, teachers, and many active business men, here and elsewhere.

In February, 1829, a Sunday school was established in this township by Rev. Eldad Barber, an agent of the American Sunday School Union. It was a union school for the whole neighborhood, and was held during the summer season for four years in the old log schoolhouse, near Ustick's Mill. John Roy was the Superintendent for the first year, Henry Ustick for the second, William N. Mateer for the third, and John Mateer for the fourth. It had nine or ten teachers and about seventy scholars; it also had a library. After the Methodists and Presbyterians had regular preaching and organized churches, the school was taken first to the Methodist Church, then to the Presbyterian Church, and after awhile became two schools.

The good fruits of this institution have been obvious in the community. Many excellent men and women have been raised up from the Sunday Schools of the township-members of the churchto fill various useful stations in society. No less than twelve young men, who were members of these schools, have become ministers of the Gospel.

In the spring of 1830, the first temperance movement in the township was made in the little village of Whetstone. Rev. H. Shedd delivered a lecture, and formed a temperance society of about forty members. During the last fifty years, various efforts have been made to promote temperance and to prevent intemperance, and various societies and organizations, both open and secret, have been formed, have flourished, and passed away; and still the desired reformation, and protection of community against the liquor traffic and the evils of intemperance are not yet realized. A great change has been effected in the habits, practices and sentiments of many people in reference to the manufacture, sale and use of intoxicating drinks-and some good done by every movement-but the sad fact remains that the liquor power is still outraging the be community by its secret and open violation of law; and neither her the professed temperance principles of the men, for want of decided and united action, nor the tears and prayers of virtuous women, in all their untiring quiet efforts, and in all their bold and earnest crusades, have been able to overthrow it.

In early times, there were two small distilleries in the township. They were then considered very useful institutions, accomplishing two great objectsfurnishing a market for corn, and furnishing that indispensable article, which was regarded so useful in stimulating the pioneers in their arduous labors. In after years, there was another distillery, established in connection with a large grist-mill, near the mouth of Sam's Creek. This establishment did an extensive business for a number of years.

The attention of the community was first aroused and directed to the subject of slavery in March, 1836. William T. Allan, the son of a Pres byterian slaveholding minister of Alabama, after much difficulty obtained the use of the Presbyter-

HISTORY OF MORROW COUNTY. - 301

ian Church at Mount Gilead, and attempted to deliver a course of lectures on the abolition of slavery. On the first evening, there was blowing of horns, beating of tin pans, etc., around the house. As he proceeded in his lectures, the excitement and opposition on the part of a certain class of people increased, and showed itself first in an attempted reply to his arguments, and in a regular built mob, which broke up the meeting. Other lectures were delivered and other meetings held, at different times, and in different parts of the township, till March, 1840, when S. W. Streeter lectured in the same church in Mount Gilead, and there was another mob. But an antislavery constitution (for a society) was bravely signed on the spot, in the midst of throwing of eggs and uproar, by twenty-three persons-fourteen men and nine women, and the meeting was broken up in disorder. In May, 1840, L. D. Butts lectured at the same church, and there was another mob, more violent and furious than any of the preceding ones, which followed the antislavery people some distance with hooting and yelling, and rails and other usual accompaniments of mobs. For some years the question was, not whether slavery ought to be abolished, so much as whether the right of free speech on that subject should be allowed.

It may be a matter of some interest to know what were the real sentiments of the early Abolitionists of this township. They believed that immediate emancipation was the duty of the master and the right of the slave-that slave-holding is a sin and should be dealt with as other sins-by reason and argument, moral means and appeals to the best interests of all concerned. They endeavored to create a public sentiment in the church and in the country so strong and influential, that the system of iniquity might be abolished peaceably, and as soon as possible by the slaveholders themselves. They did not advocate emancipation by physical force or I resort to arms, or any interference with slavery in the States, except by moral means-by free speech and a free press-neither did they countenance the amalgamation of the whites and blacks, nor even advocate negro suffrage. They believed in the natural and inalienable rights of man, according to the Great Declaration, and they believed it is right and safe to carry into practice the Golden Rule of our Savior, "To do unto others as we would wish others to do unto us."

A branch of the "underground railroad " passed through this township, which did quite a business, though the principal depots were in Peru and Washington Townships. It is not necessary to pursue the subject further, or notice the wonderful change that has taken place in these modern times in regard to slavery and human rights. Slavery is abolished! Liberty is triumphant and universal!

The religious denominations of the township were Methodists, Presbyterians, Friends, Regular Baptists, Disciples, Seceders and Universaltists. The Friends had a society and log, meeting-house. About fifty years ago they divided into two bands, Orthodox and Hicksites, and had separate houses of worship. The latter have become extinct as an organization, the former are a large and flourishing church with a respectable house of worship.

Methodist meetings and classes began to be held over fifty years ago at the houses of Joseph P. Newson and James Beatty and others, with occasional preaching. They built a frame church in Mount Gilead, in 1832, in the southwest part of the town. It was occupied about twelve years, and then passed into a tan-house. The present Methodist Episcopal Church was built in 1844. About the year 1830, a new circuit was formed, including the town and vicinity. Revs. Silas Ensign and Russell Bigelow were the first preachers; S. Ensign and Z. Bell first traveled the circuit, and Russell Bigelow wasthe first Presiding Elder that attended the quarterly meetings.

In November, 1829, Rev. Henry Shedd came to the township and commenced preaching regularly a part of his time to the Presbyterians. The places of preaching were at the houses of Henry Ustick, John Roy and George D. Cross, and in

302 - HISTORY OF MORROW COUNTY.

H. Ustick's mill and in Lewis Hardenbrook's barn. Previous to that time, Revs. William Matthews, E. Washburn and John McKinney had preached occasionally in the township.

Some of the early settlers in the eastern part of the township were Baptists. A church was formed in Congress Township, called Brin Zion, about 1824. A frame meetinghouse was built in 1833, and, in 1857, a new church edifice was erected on the old site, where is a cemetery. Revs. David James and - Dakin were among the first preachers.

A church of the Old School Baptists was organized a short distance from Brin Zion some years after the foundation of that church, and a church edifice built. It is located on Section 30, in the southwestern corner of Congress Township, which has recently been -attached to the township of Gilead. Among the early members of this congregation were Mr. Mellott, Enoch Hart, Mr. Jacobs, Rev. Mr. Frye and others of the early settlers in that vicinity. There is no regular preaching at this church at present, but a union Sabbath school is carried on during the summer, and the ministers of Mount Gilead go out occasionally and preach to the congregation. A cemetery was laid out adjacent to the church, and is among the oldest burying grounds in either Gilead or Congress Townships, and contains the mortal remains of many of the pioneers of the neighborhood.

About the year 1848, a Baptist Church was organized by Rev. Benjamin H. Pearson, and a church edifice erected in Mount Gilead. The house remained unfinished a number of years, being occupied also as a court house, schoolhouse, etc., till 1857, when it was sold, the church having become extinct. A new Baptist Church has since been organized, and their present church edifice was erected in 1856. There were also in early times a few families of Disciples, or Campbellite Baptists, and William Dowling was their preacher. Also, there were two or three families of Seceders, and Rev. S. Hindman, of Iberia, preached among them occasionally. The Universalists have an organization, and built a church in 1860. They have generally had preaching since.

A new Methodist Episcopal Church was built at the boundary, about four miles northwest from Mount Gilead-in 1858.

Methodist camp-meetings were held about threefourths of a mile northwest from the town, in 1830 and 1831, also half a mile west of the town in 1832 and 1833. The Methodist preachers at these meetings were Revs. R. Bigelow, W. B. Christie, Shaw, S. Ensign, Z. Bell, Smith, McDowell, Goff, Westlake, Felton and Lorain. Presbyterian campmeetings were held in the eastern part of the township in 1833 and 1834. The Presbyterian ministers who preached at these meetings were Revs. A. Jinks, C. N. Rawson, J. McKinney, J. Thompson, B. W. Higbee and H. Shedd. These meetings were largely attended and the behavior good ; the privileges of the Gospel were appreciated and improved. The hospitality of the people was unbounded. These Christian pioneers lived about a week at each meeting in their wellprepared log tents in the woods, holding family social and public worship. God blessed their labors for the spiritual good of themselves and their fellow-men.

With this brief glance at Gilead Township, and the early history of the town of Mount Gilead, we will close this chapter, and leave the further history of the town to be completed in a new chapter.