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MICHAEL CULLER, of Mifflin, purchased the Zimmer farm in 1815. Having come from Frederick county, Maryland, by way of Charleston (now Wellsburgh), Virginia, through Cadiz, Ohio, to Wooster, he proceeded thence, by way of Mr. Gardner's (now Windsor), to Mansfield, where he met Philip Zimmer, whose father, mother, and sister, had been killed at the Zimmer cabin on the Black fork, in the fall of 1812, and purchased the farm. To have the deed properly executed, he accompanied Philip to Circleville, Pickaway county, Ohio, to the residence of George Zimmer, a brother. Here the deed was signed by Philip Zimmer, May 6, 1815, the original patent being made to him, and signed by James Madison, President, and Edward Tiffin, commissioner of the land office, October 2, 1812. Zimmer was the German name of the family. While Mr. Culler was there Philip married a Miss Ballentine, and removed west. In 1826 he returned to visit * Mr. Andrews was, for many years, a member of the Seceder church. Like his Scotch-Irish ancestors, he accepted, in good faith, the doctrines and discipline of that church. 204 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. the grave of his father, mother, and sister, on the old farm, since which time he has resided in the west. Mr. Culler cultivated his land for two or three years, stopping most of the time with John Lambright, who was a relative. Returning to Maryland, he married, about the year 1818, and moved to the Zimmer farm, where he has resided ever since. He lived two or three years in the old Zimmer cabin, which still showed marks of the tragedy of 1812. He was in Circleville in 1812, when the Zimmer murder took place, and is conversant with the whole affair, having heard all its details repeatedly from John Lambright and Philip Zimmer. He says: " Martin Ruffner was a stout, frolicsome sort of man, and went to Zimmer's more to capture the Indians and have a little fun, than to bring on a fight, and believes that if Philip had remained at home, instead of going for James Copus, the whole disaster would have been averted, for Philip was a very rugged and active young man, and the two would have deterred the Indians from the attack." Mrs. Culler died in the summer of 1873. Mr. Culler died at his residence in Mifflin township, July 28, 1874, aged eighty-four years, four months, and three days. Two or three of his sons reside in this county. Mr. Culler was benevolent and kind to the poor, and his donations to religious and benevolent institutions very liberal. He was regarded as quite wealthy, but was always humble, and seldom referred to his worldly possessions, believing it better to lay up his treasures in Heaven, where moth and rust doth not corrupt. He was followed to his last resting place by a large number of people, who said in their hearts, "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." JOHN McCONNELL, brother of Mrs. Solomon Urie, located in Orange township about the same time that the Uries came. He was an accomplished backwoodsman and Indian fighter. He was a relative of the famous Alexander McConnell, of Washington county, Pennsylvania, and also a relative of Colonel Williamson. He had many encounters with the Indians in the border wars, and in the Miami and Wabash country; and is believed to have settled a number of accounts with the Green and Jerometown Indians after he came to this county. Being a bachelor, while a resident of Orange township, he spent a good deal of time in his forest camps, hunting deer, bear, wolves, and other game. He had lost many dear friends in the border wars; and hence had no very strong attachments for his red neighbors. He never hesitated, when threatened with danger by the Indians, as he roamed through the forest, to face his foe, and resent impending attacks; particularly when he met savages who had made themselves conspicuous in murdering the border settlers. Some thirty-five years since, when game had grown scarce in this region, McConnell sought a new home in the wilds of Wood county, where he remained a few years, and then located in Eaton county, Michigan, where he died. Hardy, frank and fearless, he seemed to enjoy a lonely but in the wilderness, like Boone and Kenton, more than the restraints of civilized society. FREDERICK SULTZER was born in Green county, Pennsylvania, July 25, 1762. From the time he was ten years old, he was compelled to handle fire-arms. From the period of his childhood, until the close of the war of 1812-15, the border settlers of western Pennsylvania were menaced by Indian raids. He became very expert as a backwoodsman, and when a deer, a bear, or any other species of game, came within range of his rifle, it was sure to fall a victim to his unerring aim. He visited what is now Milton township, in the fall of 1815, and located the tract of land upon which he settled, In the spring of 1816, he brought a covered wagon and four good horses, with a plow and other farming utensils. He slept four months in the wagon, doing his cooking in a sort of camp hut. In the fall, after having put up a cabin and secured his crop of corn, he returned to Pennsylvania and brought on his wife. At that time, the Indians were quite numerous along the Black fork, engaged in hunting, though they were harmless. The next spring they encamped near him and made sugar. Mr. Sigler, who married Mr. Sultzer's daughter, informs us that the old gentleman retained his vision and his steadiness of aim to the last, When he was ninety-two years old, he shot a hawk, offhand, on a very high tree, near his residence, to convince Mr. Sigler that his sight and aim were as accurate as in the days of his prime. He never wore glasses. He was a cousin of the famous Louis Wetsel, and in his boyhood often hunted with Wetsel, who tried to teach him how to run and load his gun. He never became a proficient in that mode of loading. He possessed much admiration for the achievements of his noted cousin as a border warrior and spy. He was a man of very even temper, genial, and warm in his attachments. Mr. Sultzer voted for Washington and the ten succeeding presidents. In his later years, he became a member of the denomination known as Christians. He died childless, at his farm, on the Mansfield road, in Milton township, March 30, 1857, aged nearly ninety-six years. His wife died in 1843. Mr. Sultzer had drawn a pension of ninety-six dollars per annum, for many years prior to his death, as a compensation for his border services in western Pennsylvania in his youth. He was the last of the border men in this county, and deserved the esteem of his countrymen. JOSEPH SHEETS was born in New Jersey, about thirty miles below Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 21, 1792. He learned, in his native village, the trade of tailor, which he followed for many years. When he had completed his trade he went to Philadelphia and sought employment a short time, and then, in 1811, passed over the mountains to Steubenville, Ohio, where he remained at his trade for HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 205 about six years. Being a young man of good habits, he soon began to accumulate money. In the meantime he formed the acquaintance of Miss Nancy Harper, daughter of William Harper, of Fairfax county, Virginia, who had settled in Jefferson county, Ohio, about the year 1806. They were married. The result of the marriage was, that Mr. Harper and family concluded to accompany Mr, Sheets and his wife to, and locate in, Richland, now Ashland county. In the spring of 1817 these families started across the country, through the forest, over rough roads, for their new homes. After a fatiguing journey of several days they arrived safely at Uniontown. Mrs. Sheets states they first put up in a very inferior cabin that stood somewhere near the northeast corner of what is now known as Kellogg square, there being only three or four other cabins in town, one of which was that of Mr. Montgomery, and the other that of Mr. Groff, the tanner, where the old residence of George Swineford formerly stood. Early in the spring they resided for a short time with Mr. Montgomery, where the hardware store of Stull & Charles now stands. Mr. Sheets put up a house nearly opposite, known now as the Weisenstine building, for a small store and tailor-shop, and moved into it. This was the first store. Mr. Harper located about one mile northwest of the present site of Hayesville, where he lived until 1832, when he was accidentally killed by his team, near Plymouth, Richland county. Mr. Sheets continued to occupy his new home some years, engaged at his trade, keeping a house of entertainment, and making himself useful as a citizen. He finally disposed of his Ashland property, and purchased of Mr. Montgomery the ninety acres of land upon which South Ashland was subsequently laid out, About the year 1847 Mr. Sheets sold this tract of land to a corporation known as the South Ashland company, and removed to Vermillion township. About the year 1864 he returned to Ashland to reside on a part of his old property, and died March 6, 1866, aged seventy-four years. Mrs. Sheets still survives, aged seventy-nine years. Her memory is unimpaired, and very few persons of her age possess a more accurate recollection of the pioneers and their times. William Sheets, her oldest son, is believed to have been the first male child born within the limits of Ashland. Mrs. Sheets states that William was born January 1, 1819. Mrs. Sheets says during the time they resided in the village it was a very lively place, especially on public days and Saturday evenings. She states it was not uncommon in those days to see five or six fights in an evening. The strong armed pugilist who could "tan two or three dog skins," claimed high honors. On one occasion, Mrs. Sheets states, the clans had gathered for a little settlement, and prior to opening the ball, visited the distilleries to fit and prepare them for the task. In their absence, just after dark, Mrs. Sheets, butcher knife in hand, visited all the hitching posts, and cut the horses loose. She says that in fifteen or twenty minutes the village was cleared of roughs. She thinks it was a "little rough," but a work of necessity. ALANSON ANDREWS. Mr, Andrews was born in Massachusetts in 1784. He emigrated to Ohio in the spring of 1817, and located in the village of Uniontown, now Ashland, His cabin stood near the spring west of Center street, in the rear of the present residence of David Whiting. Mr. Andrews resided there but a short time, and then completed a new cabin about where the Whiting blacksmith-shop now stands, and moved into it, He resided in that locality two or three years, and carried on a distillery just below the present residence of David Whiting, in company with a Mr. Palmer. During his residence in this cabin, Lorin Andrews, the second male child of Ashland, was born. This event took place April t, 1819. A short time after, Mr. Andrews purchased the farm of David Markley adjoining Ashland on the southwest, and moved upon it. Mr. Andrews was a good farmer, and soon had an abundance of this world's goods to reward him for his toil, He put up a fine residence, barn, and other out-buildings at an early day, and his orchard, fields, fences, and improvements indicated thrift, good judgment, and industry. He was a man of fair education, close observation and of strict habits. Like all New England people, he was the friend of educational institutions, and took a deep interest in the establishment of advanced schools in the village of Ashland. He was one of the founders and props of the old academy, where so many young men commenced a career of usefulness and honor. He was a warm patron of the school from its commencement, and every member of his family passed through its various grades of classification. Mr. Andrews stood high among his neighbors for his truthfulness, integrity, and personal worth. It has often been remarked in the presence of the writer of these sketches, that being one of the best judges of the value of personal and real estate, that he had, perhaps, assisted in the appraisement of more estates than any other citizen in the township. In politics he was a Whig, and always cast his influence in favor of the prevalence of the principles of that party. He never sought office of any kind, although his fitness was admitted by his neighbors. He was tall and well formed ; his face, though not handsome, impressed itself upon the recollection. In the general way he was reticent, and rarely revealed his plans. In temper, he was decidedly firm and resolute. All in all, in his intercourse with his nelghbors, he was pleasant, and noted for his hospitality and kindness to the poor. He died after a brief illness, May r r, 1850, and sleeps in the cemetery west of Ashland. His widow and numerous family reside in the west. But three of his sons reached manhood—Lorin, Lyman, and Levi. Lorin is deceased, Lyman resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Levi in California. His widow, at an advanced age, resides with a daughter in Geneseo, Illinois, 206 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. FRANCIS GRAHAM was born in Delaware county, Pennsylvania, in 1792. He removed with his parents to Erie, Pennsylvania, in 1805. Here he entered a mercantile establishment and learned the business, and remained until the close of the war. In 1815 the firm for which he was employed was left in possession of a large stock of unsold goods. Hard times followed the war, and the firm concluded to transport a part of their goods to Detroit, in the hope of finding a readier sale. In November, 1815, the company dispatched Mr. Graham overland with five large sled loads of goods. He and those who accompanied him passed leisurely up the southern shore of Lake Erie, until they reached the mouth of Huron. Here they were stopped by the melting of the snow, and compelled to abandon the trip to Detroit, The goods belonged to Sanford & Reed, of Erie, Pennsylvania, a firm that has since accumulated its millions. Mr, Graham was compelled, under the circumstances, to rent a house at Huron and open a store there. He succeeded well in the sale of the goods, and one of the partners visiting him, sanctioned all that he had done. He remained here four years. In 1819 he settled in Sandusky City, prior to that time known as Ogontz's town and Portland. In 1821 Mr. Graham arrived in Uniontown, from Sandusky City. He rented and occupied the room where Joseph Sheets had had a small stock of goods, and boarded with Mr. Sheets. This lot was what is now known as the Weisenstine property. Mr. Graham conducted business in this establishment some time, and then put up a store-room where Millington's drug store since stood, now the Schneider bakery. He continued to do a thrifty business until the financial crash of 1837 to 1844, when, owing to the pernicious effects of the credit system, he was compelled to wirtd up his affairs. For years he had done an extensive business, and exerted himself to find a market for all the surplus products of this locality. Financial panics are remorseless. Many a good man has been crushed that would have survived if time had been given. Although he had fur nished a market for nearly everything, many times against his own interest, when hard times came, the unfeeling grip of the law seized the little that had been left him, and left him in distress. He never recovered from the blow. Shortly after opening his store the necessity of a post-office was felt. Mr. Graham sent a petition to Judge Sloan, the member of Congress from this district, asking the erection of a post-office at Uniontown. The post-office directory showed that there was already a post- office by that name in Ohio. The name was then changed to Ashland, and the village with it, after the home of Henry Clay, and the office created; and Mr. Graham was made the first postmaster. Mr. Graham, some years since, after his retirement from business, was elected justice of the peace of Montgomery township, and acquitted himself ably. In September, 1875, when the Pioneer and Historical society of Ashland county was organized, Mr. Graham was elected the first president. He is now about eighty-three years of age. He resides in a comfortable little home, and, in company with his excellent lady, is spending the evening of his days reflecting calmly upon the past and preparing to pass to a better and a happier land. WILLIAM HAMILTON was born in York county, Pennsylvania, in 1777, and about the year 1800 removed to Washington county, Pennsylvania, where he remained until December, 1820. He was of Irish descent. He married in Fayette county, In 1820 he purchased, of his brother Hugh Hamilton, the northeast quarter of section three, in Perry township, Wayne county, Ohio, and removed to it. He erected a cabin and other buildings, and improved his farm. At that period, the Delaware Indians made annual visitations during the seasons for making sugar and hunting. They were harmless and friendly, and often exchanged the products of the chase for corn and other food. Game was abundant in the forests, and the wolves were very destructive upon sheep, young swine and poultry. A premium was offered for scalps at the county offices in Wooster, and large numbers of wolves were caught in traps, By industry, economy and care, Mr. Hamilton soon surrounded himself by all the comforts that result from agriculture. In the year 1834 he undertook the erection of a valuable farm-house, and in excavating for the cellar, dug down an Indian mound which stood upon the spot selected. An oak tree grew upon the top of it, which was some two feet in diameter. When the greater part of the mound had been removed they came upon a triangular stake, the upper part of which had decayed. It was embedded in a grayish sand, which Mr. Hamilton proceeded to remove. When he had dug down some two feet, he came upon an Indian skeleton. Continuing to excavate, he soon reached another. Proceeding, he soon came upon a third one of unusual size, which was almost entire. Near it was found a lot of red paint, and a bluish stone somewhat like a scythe stone, highly polished. The thigh bone of the giant was much longer than that of the tallest man in the neighborhood. The inferior maxillary or lower jaw bone would pass over that of the largest person. Here relics were kept several years. There was also another small mound a little east of the former, which was never thoroughly examined. Northeast of these mounds, about one mile, was an ancient intrenchment, square in form, which contained something near an acre of land. It was upon the highest point of land in the neighborhood, and overlooked the valley. It was not a great way from the Muddy fork of Mohican. These reminiscences of an extinct race are quite interesting, and evince the fact that the occupants of this region not only understood the arts of military defence, but honored their braves by a monument of earth erected over their remains. Mr. Hamilton survived long enough to see his family comfortably situated in life. He was the friend of the Ohio school system, and gave his children HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 207 all its advantages. He was an active member of the Presbyterian church for over a half century, and was the uncompromising opponent of every demoralizing vice. He deceased in 1850, at the ripe age of seventy-three years. His family consisted of Ann, John M., William H., Joseph, Daniel K., Mary J,, Rebecca J., Alexander and Louisa. Of these, Ann, John M., William H., Joseph and Rebecca, are deceased. The balance of the family reside in Wayne and Ashland counties. RICHARD WINBIGLER was born in Frederick county, Maryland, near Frederick City, in 1782. He grew to manhood and married in his native State. In 1818 he concluded to cast his lot among the pioneers of the branches of Mohican, in Ohio, where many other Marylanders found homes. He emigrated with his family, and located about two miles southeast of Jeromeville, Mr. Winbigler deceased some twenty years since, over seventy years of age, At his decease, his family consisted of Mary Anne, Henry, Elizabeth and William, all of whom are dead, except Henry. Henry Winbigler was born in Frederick county, Maryland, June 4, 1808. He accompanied his father's family to Mohican township in 1818, and has a very distinct recollection of the pioneer days of that township. He attended the common schools of that period, and obtained a fair knowledge of the elementary branches. In 1832 he married Jane, daughter of John Hootman. He has filled several township offices in Mohican, and been elected justice of the peace four times, or twelve years. Mr. Winbigler is a gentleman of intelligence and undisputed integrity. His family consists of Richard M. and Elizabeth, wife of Josephus Newbrough, of Jackson county, Michigan. Mr. Winbigler is an industrious farmer, and in possession of a valuable homestead, where he lives quietly and contentedly. HON. GEORGE W. BULL. One of the leading pioneers of Hanover township was Hon. George W, Bull. He was born in the city of Hartford, Connecticut, September 7, 1799. His father was the owner of two or three vessels which were constantly on the ocean, engaged in the West India trade. When only eleven years old, young Bull was placed on one of his father's vessels to learn the art of a sailor. He continued on the ocean until about the year 1816, when, owing to commercial difficulties, and the dangers attending ship owners in the trade with the West Indies, the line was discontinued, and his father's family located in Canton, Ohio. About the year 1818 George W. Bull visited the site of the flourishing town of Loudonville. It was then a mere village, having been laid out by James Loudon Priest and Stephen Butler, four years prior to that time. He remained but a short time. In his brief apprenticeship in the West India trade he formed a strong at- tachment for a life on the ocean. The rugged hills of Hanover township were destitute of novelty and excitement. His mind dwelt continually upon his maritime adventures of other days. He soon became restive, and longed to renew his seafaring exploits and excitements. By the permission of his father he went to the city of New York and engaged as supercargo on a commercial vessel (packet Canton), commanded by Captain Jack Wheaton. This merchant vessel sailed between the city of New York, and Liverpool. He remained in the employ of Captain Wheaton about three years, during which time his ardor for a life on the ocean had been somewhat cooled; and he resolved to retire from the dangers and uncertainties attending such an occupation. In 1821 he again visited Loudonville, and found that during his absence many new settlers had located in and about the village. The town began to show signs of future growth and improvement. The great stage line from New Lisbon, Canton, Wooster, Mount Vernon, and Columbus, passed through Loudonville. At that period there was a good deal of travel by stage, as well as by road wagons, and the village hotels, and the few dry goods establishments in the town, were busy. Mr. Bull determined to make Hanover township his future home. He purchased a quarter section of land adjoining the village, and commenced to improve it. At that time there was a surplus of grain, hogs and cattle raised in Green and Hanover townships, which, owing to the want of a suitable market, commanded but low prices. Mr. Bull had sufficient New England sagacity to perceive that if these surplus articles could be conveyed to a market, the enterprise would be remunerative. He had been tossed upon too many rough seas to shrink from a vigorous encounter with pioneer life; so he determined that while he could find a market that would profit himself, he could, at the same time, be a benefactor to his neighbors. In 1821, a short period after his return, he constructed a flat-boat, and loaded it with wheat, corn, pork, whiskey, and cherry lumber, and passed down the Black fork to the Walhonding; thence, into the Muskingum; thence, down the Ohio and Mississippi, to New Orleans, where he sold his cargo and boat for cash. He returned on foot to Nashville, Tennessee, by the main road, where he purchased a horse, and from thence made the balance of his journey on horseback. The trip to New Orleans and return took about three months, and was attended with many hazards. The river travel and trade gave employment to a hardy and daring class of men. The boatmen and gamblers on the river at the time were proverbial for recklessness and contempt of danger. The bowie-knife and the pistol were the chief weapons of defence, and were often called into requisition. Mr. Bull was a large man, and possessed uncommon strength and activity, and was as courageous and fearless as he was athletic. The rough boatman that courted an encounter with him generally became satisfied before he got through, that he had met a man, in all respects. While thus capable of defending himself against the assaults of the wild and reckless boatmen of the Ohio and Mississippi, he was genial, 208 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO whole-souled and courteous, and never provoked ill-will or sought a quarrel with any one. The trip he took to New Orleans in 1821 is believed to have been the first attempt at navigating the Black fork and the Walhonding. He subsequently conveyed two or three other flat- bottomed boats, similarly laden, to New Orleans, returning on foot by Nashville, and from thence homeward on horseback, in each instance consuming about three months to the trip. In 1822 Mr. Bull married Miss Mary Farquher, daughter of Amos Farquher, who resided near Fredericktown, Knox county, Ohio; and located on his farm near Loudonville. In 1825 he constructed a keel-boat one hundred and twenty feet long, which he named the "Ben Franklin." He freighted this boat with the surplus products of the country, and conveyed it down the same streams to Louisville, Kentucky, where he met a ready market, and procured a load in exchange, which he brought to Cincinnati and sold at a profit. These trips were occasionally renewed until about the year 1832, when he abandoned the business and gave his attention to farming. He was very industrious as a farmer, and few could surpass him in endurance. He was of a class of men who always make an impression, and seem born to lead. In his intercourse with men he was frank, outspoken and independent, His spirit of candor always made him liberal and charitable. In r 839 he was elected one of the justices of the peace for Hanover township; and was subsequently re-elected to the same position four times. While acting as justice, many characteristic anecdotes are related of him. He had a strong dislike for that class of the legal fraternity known as "pettifoggers." He regarded such fellows the pests of society, because their occupation led them to encourage strife and litigation, Some years after his election two neighbors engaged in a heated suit before him, urged on by such legal gentlemen, that they might obtain a fee, The fact was, the neighbors should have refrained from litigation; but a lawsuit was a novelty, and pride of opinion, apparently, unconquerable. Quite a crowd of spectators gathered to see the fun, as it was understood a lawyer from Mansfield, and one from Millersburgh, were to take the lead in the case. A number of witnesses were examined, during which all sorts of technical difficulties were raised and discussed by the attorneys. Thus several hours were consumed, much to the annoyance of the justice, in a wordy legal combat ; and the patience of the 'squire was severely tried. The examination of witnesses was finally concluded, and 'Squire Bull turned to his docket and made a brief entry, and again faced the attorneys. The plaintiff's attorney proceeded to make a long, wordy, foggy argument, in which he belabored the defendant's witnesses and concluded that the cause should be. given to the plaintiff. The defendant's attorney followed in an equally diffuse address, criticising the plaintiff's claim, the character of his witnesses, and the attainments of his attorney. At the conclusion of the arguments, there was a profound silence in the courtroom, during which the rival attorneys fixed their eyes on the justice. After some time, one of the lawyers said: "Squire, as this seems to be a case involving some intricate legal questions, I have no doubt you will desire a few days to investigate, and decide it." The justice promptly responded: "Not at all, gentlemen. The case was decided more than three hours ago." The attorneys were amazed, and demanded to know why he had permitted such extended arguments. The justice said : "Gentlemen, you appeared anxious to hold a discussion, and I was not averse to hearing it. No harm is done—the case is decided." At the organization of Ashland county, in 1846, Mr, Bull was elected a representative to the Ohio legislature, and served one session. He was then elected to the senate one term. When the new constitution was adopted, the district was changed, and he declined to be a candidate. The senatorial district, at his election, was composed of Ashland and Wayne counties. As a member of the house and senate, Mr. Bull acquitted himself with ability. He was an ardent Democrat of the Jeffersonian and Jackson school, and attracted much attention in the senate by the independent utterance of his principles. He was a large man—full of courage--outspoken and manly in his address. He possessed a warm heart and a clear head. He detested every species of hypocrisy, time-serving and political cowardice. Full of humor and pleasant in his general deportment, he made many warm friends wherever he went. Although not a member of any church, from his earliest intercourse with the people of Hanover, his table was often spread for the pioneer preachers, whom he treated with courtesy and kindness. In the vigor of manhood Mr. Bull was prostrated with paralysis, and, after lingering a few months, deceased December 13, 1852, aged about fifty-three years. Mr. Bull was an honest man—frank even to bluntness —of undaunted courage, and possessed mental powers of a high order. As a citizen, an officer, and a business man, he was conspicuous. He is worthy of a high place in the history of his township and county. Mrs. Mary Bull, wife of Colonel George W. Bull, died March 8, 1877, aged seventy-seven years, seven months, and twenty-five days. She had been sick about three weeks with acute bronchial inflammation. The remaining members of the family are: John W. and George Franklin, of Loudonville; Mrs. Sarah J. Slutz, of Cleveland; Mariah, Mary, and Phebe, of Loudonville; Emily Hazlett, wife of Thomas M. Hazlett, of Howell, Michigan. LORIN ANDREWS, LL. D. Lorin Andrews was born in Uniontown, now Ashland, April 1, 1819, and was the second male child born within the present limits of the town. Alanson Andrews, his father, resided in a small log cabin, about thirty-five or forty feet south of Main street, on the lot on which the office of M. H. Mansfield is now located. Here it was that Lorin Andrews first saw the light, learned to lisp the name of his parents, and began to give evidence of HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 209 that talent for which he became, in after years, so noted. When quite young, his father purchased of David Markley, the farm adjoining Ashland on the southwest, and located thereon. Lorin attended the district schools of the village, and made rapid progress in the branches taught at that period. He was much beloved by his schoolmates, because of his amiable disposition, sprightliness of manner and acuteness. When he was about seventeen years of age, he was regarded as one of the foremost youths of the village. In the year 1836, the patriotic fires of the Revolution were still kept blazing on the altars of the country. It was resolved to celebrate the natal day of our freedom in a becoming manner. To this end, after several village meetings, it was agreed that the people would assemble in Carter's grove, about one and a half miles east of Ashland, on the fourth of July, for that purpose; and that Michael Ritter, who kept a hotel on the premises now known as the Finley property, be invited to prepare a dinner; and that Lorin Andrews be requested to prepare and deliver the oration. When the time for assembling arrived, the procession was formed at Ashland, with Alexander Miller as marshal of the day; and the people were escorted to the grove, headed by a band, composed of Jacob Grubb as drummer, Pierce Robinson fifer, Joshua H, Ruth and John K. Billings with flutes. Young Andrews delivered the oration with a coolness and self-possession that astonished the assemblage. His address had been carefully prepared, well studied, and delivered with an ease of manner and grace of gesticulation that was pronounced admirable. The dinner and toasts followed. And the festivities of the occasion are yet referred to by many of the pioneers with much pride. A copy of the address of young Andrews was published in the Ohio Globe, a little paper, then edited by our late townsman, Joshua H. Ruth. A bright future was predicted for the young orator; and his father was induced to send him where his ambition, as a student, could have a better field and be more fully gratified. He at once entered the grammar school of Gambier college, where he commenced a thorough course of instruction, He remained in the grammar school about two years, and entered college, but during his junior year, in 1840, owing to financial embarrassment, was withdrawn from college. He returned to Ashland, and after a few months, by invitation of the trustees, took charge of the Ashland academy as principal, aided by several able assistants, in the male and female departments. Under his superintendence the school was in a most flourishing condition; students from every part of the State, and from distant States, came in by the hundred and enrolled their names. Not having completed his collegiate course, Professor Andrews was compelled to continue his studies in private, to keep in advance of his students. He applied himself with uncommon industry, and distanced the most advanced classes; he evinced a knowledge of the branches taught, and a readiness in recitation that was really surprising. His manner, as an instructor, was agreeable and well calculated to win the esteem of the student. He had a peculiar faculty of enlisting the sympathy, respect and confidence of all with whom he was brought in contact. He was frank and pleasing in his address, and a student met but to love and honor him. When compelled to enforce, with apparent severity, the rules governing the academy, it was done in such a way that the student respected him for his impartiality and evident intention to do justice. The writer of this sketch has seen Professor Andrews, scores of times, after reprimanding a hot-headed student for some gross violation of the rules, while yet smarting under the reproof, and blinded by rage and resentment, approach him at the black-board in the most friendly manner, take the chalk and give him a statement, and frequently solve the problem. Such treatment would soften the resentment of any young man of reflection, and secure his respect. In this Professor Andrews evinced his deep insight into human nature, and often succeeded in taming the ferocity of the worst students, and changed the whole current of their lives. With him "kind words could never die." Professor Andrews was a fluent conversationalist, was very kind and gentlemanly in his manner; and egotism was an element that could not be detected in his intercourse With his students or society. In fact, he was the least selfish public man I ever knew. The result was that while he always had a flourishing school, and was popular among the students and the people, he was always financially distressed. If he found a student struggling to obtain an education, teaching in the winter and attending the academy in the summer, he would not exact tuition, but insist that his pupil should go ahead, and pay him when he could. This was often equivalent to no pay. As a speaker, Professor Andrews was not an orator, unless we define oratory to be the ability to please and hold an audience, His addresses at school institutes, and lectures before his classes, were all delivered in conversational style. He talked remarkably well, and could hold an audience or an institute for hours. There was a fascination about his manner that invariably made his audience feel friendly toward him, while the lucidness of his ideas enlisted their whole attention. As a lecturer before institutes, he was widely known throughout the State, and he exercised as much or more influence, perhaps, than any other teacher in the west. In consequence of his success as a teacher, in 1846, the honorary degree of A. M. was conferred upon him by Kenyon college. In 1850 the union school system was adopted in many parts of the State. The trustees of the schools at Massillon solicited Professor Andrews to become superintendent. In an unfortunate hour the people of Ashland permitted him to retire from the academy, an institution which had been an ornament to the town, and a source of profit to our people. The academy speedily passed away, and the buildings were merged into the union schools. Professor Andrews remained at the head of the Massillon schools about three years, during which time he 210 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. was nominated by the Whig party, under the new constitution, for commissioner of common schools for the State. He failed, by a small vote, to secure his election. Under his management the schools of Massillon were very efficient and popular. In December, 1854, he was invited to accept the presidency of Kenyon college, with which request he complied. He was the first lay member of the Episcopal church who had been invited to fill that position. To be selected to preside over such an institution was indeed a flattering compliment. His high educational attainments, added to his purity as a man, made him the worthy recipient of such an honor, His presence in the college acted like magic—his friends from every part of the State began to look toward Kenyon as an appropriate place to educate the young men of the country. The college received new life; and energy and prosperity were diffused through every department. Students began to fill the classes, and everything betokened a prosperous future for the institution. Some months atter Professor Andrews had been inaugurated president of Kenyon college, the honorary degree of LL, D. was conferred upon him by Princeton college, New Jersey. This was a high distinction and well deserved, because of his remarkable success as an educator. In 1861, in the midst of his success as president of Kenyon, the rumbling sounds of discontent were borne from the south, and a sanguinary civil war seemed to be imminent. In February, believing the war to be inevitable, President Andrews offered his services to the governor of Ohio. In April he raised a company in Knox county, which reported to the governor, and he was appointed colonel of the Fourth Ohio regiment. Soon after his regiment was ordered into West Virginia, where it remained on duty during the summer. In September Colonel Andrews, in consequence of exposure, was attacked by a malignant form of typhoid fever, that fell destroyer of so many northern, soldiers, and, although able to reach his home in Ohio, was so much prostrated that the friendly efforts of the physician, and all human aid, failed to avert his impending end. The sentiment— Our life is a dream, Our time like a stream Glides swiftly away, was fully illustrated. He died September 18, 1861. Just prior to his departure with his regiment to Virginia, fearing some disaster might overtake him, he, accompanied by his wife, went into the cemetery at Gambier, and selected the spot where he desired to be buried in case of his death in the army. His wishes were complied with, and his honored remains now rest in sight of the institution he loved so well during his active and useful life. Much surprise was manifested among many of his old friends when it was learned that he had abandoned the presidency of Kenyon college to accept a place in the army. It was believed that his true field was that of letters, and that his tastes all ran in that direction. When a student under his instruction in the old Ashland academy, years prior to the war, while translating Homer, Virgil, Xenophon, Livy, Cicero, and the orations of Demosthenes, the military spirit could be plainly detected in his comments upon the strategy of the heroes of that age. At the mention of Achilles, "swift of foot"—"Peleus' godlike son"—"Mighty Agamemnon, king of men" —the venerable "Nestor" the achievements of the Scipios, Alexander, Caesar, Hannibal and Pompey, his enthusiasm exhibited itself in a forcible manner, There can be but little doubt if Colonel Andrews had survived the war he would have reached an elevated position as a military man, and acquitted himself as bravely as a Morgan, a McPherson, and a Sheridan, ,He was very ambitious to excel in everything he undertook, and his spirit, like— "An eagle soared On restless plumes to meet the imperial sun." His motto was "conquer, never cower at, opposition." Hence he was always making progress in the line of his profession. His theory was— "Rest not! Life is sweeping by; Go and dare before you die. Something mighty and sublime Leave behind to conquer time." Right well he performed his part in the drama of the world. He was only about forty-two years old at his decease, Few men have accomplished more. From a cabin, by the force of his genius, he elevated himself to the presidency of one of the best colleges in the west before he was thirty-five years of age, and proved himself one of the first educators of the times. In person President Andrews was about five feet eight inches high, would weigh about one hundred and thirty- five pounds, hair inclined to be curly and sandy, a broad forhead, a clear gray eye, a manly face full of benevolence; in his manners, courteous and gentlemanly ; in his gait, very erect and quite sprightly in his movements. Such was President Andrews, one of the noblest sons Ashland ever sent forth, and whose career is worthy the emulation of all her future sons. JOHN SPRINGER was born in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, October 27, 1794. He was of German descent, his ancestors having come from that country prior to the American Revolution. He grew to manhood amid the border scenes of his native country, and learned the story of the cruelties of the savage red men. His education, in consequence of the newness of that region, was confined to the elementary branches. At the age of twenty, in the year 1814, he visited Richland, now Ashland county, Ohio, and selected the homestead, where he deceased, His father, Michael Springer, had entered three quarter sections of land at the office in Canton, in Montgomery township, upon one of which he built a cabin, while John selected another tract. On this trip he was accompanied by Jacob and William Figley and his son John. They all camped together by the side of a large log, against which they erected a shed-roofed camp- HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 211 house, They built the first cabin for Jacob Figley, who moved to it first, and made the farm the homestead, where he died many years since, In raising the cabin, they invited John and Charles Wheeler, Conrad Cline, Jacob Heller, Jesse Newell, Jacob Cline, and the late Daniel Carter and son, they being pretty much all the settlers in the township. Provisions were growing very scarce. Michael Springer and the Figleys had brought along a few bushels of corn-meal, some potatoes, and a little salt meat on a pack-horse ; but when the cabin was ready to be raised their food had become almost exhausted. In preparation for the raising, John Springer took his gun and hunting dog the day before the frolic, and scoured the forest in search of wild meat. When he arrived near Beall's trail, some two miles south of their hut, his dog treed a large and very fat raccoon, which he shot; and upon arriving at home dressed and boiled it with potatoes for dinner on the day of the raising. He obtained from some of the pioneers a little flour, which was mixed in a sugar trough and baked into an ash-cake for the same occasion. With a degree of merriment Mr. Springer informed the writer that the hands all thought it a very fine dinner and relished it very much, washing it down with parched corn coffee boiled in a brass kettle, This was in December, 1814, just sixty-four years ago. That region of Montgomery township was then a dreary and dense forest, inhabited by wolves and other wild animals. The war of 1812 was drawing to a close. They had. been six weeks preparing Mr. Figley's cabin and were glad to retrace their steps to Allegheny county. The party returned by way of Wooster, then a mere village, staying one night at a little hotel kept by a Mr. Jones, Mr, Jacob Figley, who was a brother-in-law of Mr. Springer, returned to Ohio in 1816 and occupied his cabin; while John Springer did not permanently locate until 1818. He came out and cleared a fraction of the land prior to that time, making his home part of the time at the hotel of William Montgomery, then located where the hardware store of Mr. Stull now stands, and often went deer hunting with the late George Swineford to supply their quota of wild meat—he also boarded at the same log hotel. About this time he married Elizabeth, daughter of the late Daniel Carter. When Mr. Springer located he was of the opinion his neighbors were William Dwire, Solomon Sherradden, John Owens, Peter Swineford, George Butler, the Wheelers, Clines and Newells; and in 1820 Henry Springer, Elijah Smith, Jesse Callihan, who married Rachel Carter, and the Figleys, William and Jacob. Mrs. Springer deceased about 1847, since which time John Springer has resided with his children. His family, at his decease, consisted of five sons and five daughters, all grown: William, John, Lorin, Augustus and Herbert, Susan, Matilda, Rachel, Elizabeth and Irsula, all living. Mr. Springer lived a harmless and exemplary life. For nearly fifty years he was strongly attached to the doctrines of the Methodist Episcopal church, though of late years, from the distance of his residence from the church, he was compelled from the infirmities of age, to remain at home most of the time, At the organization of the Pioneer and Historical society of Ashland county, he became an enthusiastic member, and was always in attendance at the regular meetings. It is a remarkable fact that Mr. Springer was never known to have been sick until his last illness, which was but of a few days' duration. He died at the residence of Samuel Thornburg, in Montgomery township, Thursday, December 5, 1878, aged about eighty- four years, of general debility. He was followed to the grave, the final resting place of all, by a large number of neighbors and friends. He was buried at the Carter cemetery beside his wife and kindred. Peaceful is the rest of the good and true. THE McGUIRES. The grand-parents of the Ashland county McGuires, of Irish extraction, appear to have located near the Potomac, in Virginia, as early as 1771. About the close of the Revolution, three brothers—Francis, Robert, and John—appear to have located in what is now Washington county, Pennsylvania, where Francis and Robert attached themselves to Brady's patrol, and became famous as Indian fighters and scouts, Francis died in Brooke county, Virginia, . in 1825, aged about seventy-eight years. Robert lost his life in Cross creek, in a skirmish, in 1794. John died in 1831, Thomas and Hugh were sons of John. Hugh first visited this county in 180, in company with Robert Newell, and others, on a hunting excursion. In 1811 Mr. Newell entered the farm in Montgomery township, which subsequently became the property of Hugh McGuire. Hugh emigrated in 1841. He was a fine mathematician and a polished gentleman, He filled the office of township trustee for a number of years, and, after the erection of the county, was infirmary director. He was averse to holding office, and asked no promotion. He was an influential and leading citizen, and exerted that influence in behalf of his friends. He died September 13, 1867, aged eighty-one years. This family are all dead, but two daughters. Thomas McGuire settled in Vermillion township in 1831, and died in the spring of 1849, aged seventy-two years. He was a man of fine native abilities, but could not be induced to accept an office. When in his prime, he wielded more political influence than any citizen of Richland county, and often controlled an election. Thomas and Benjamin, nephews of Thomas and Hugh, settled in Green township, in 1837. They are influential and leading citizens. Thomas is seventy-five, and Benjamin about sixty-four years of age. JOSEPH STRICKLAND was born in the State of New jersey, January 4, 1804, and removed with the family of his father, Joseph Strickland, sr., to Jefferson county, Ohio, prior to the 212 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. war of 1812, and thence to Vermillion township, now Ashland county, a few years subsequent to the close of that war. His father had served honorably as a soldier from New Jersey in the war of the Revolution, and died in Seneca county, Ohio, at the advanced age of eighty- six years, in 1850. In 1826 Joseph Strickland, jr., the subject of this sketch, purchased and removed to the farm on which he deceased, in the northwest part of Vermillion township. He improved his homestead and made it a valuable property. He connected with the Methodist Episcopal church early in life, and was an exemplary Christian for over fifty years, and several times a leader in the church. He was noted for his domestic worth, and kindness to his family. His affection and goodness of heart had a cheerful influence over his children, all of whom revered, honored and followed his counsel. As a citizen, he was quiet and unobtrusive. His integrity and uprightness fitted him for public promotion. He was frequentiy called upon by his neighbors to fill offices of trust in his township. He served as trustee, justice of the peace and infirmary director, and retired from the latter position, some years since, because of a paralytic attack, which disabled him, and prevented an active discharge of public duties. In politics he was a Democrat, and had been from his arrival at manhood. He was noted for his benevolent and kindly feelings, and made an excellent infirmary director. He has gone home to rest with the just and the pure. May his example as a Christian and a man have its influence upon those who remain to conduct the affairs of their fellow citizens. Mr. Strickland died at his residence in the northwest part of Vermillion township, Sunday, October 8, 1876, after a long and painful attack of paralysis, aged seventy- two years, nine months, and one day. At a meeting of the obituary committee of the Historical and Pioneer association, of Ashland county, appropriate resolutions were adopted regarding his decease. JOHN PORTER was born in Virginia, October 15, 1799, and removed with his father's family to Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, in 1810. In 1824 he removed to Vermillion township, now Ashland county. He located near what is known as Smith's mill, near Beall's trail and camping ground. His brother Daniel and several acquaintances had been in Beall's expedition in 1812, and finally located in the same neighborhood. Mr. Porter's neighbors were John Johnston, Thomas Roe, Uriah Johnston, George Eckley, Eli Finley, George Keene, Isaac Vail, Robert Finley, Lemuel Bolter, and John Farrer, and shortly afterwards Isaac Paullin. Mr. Porter improved his farm and resided on it until January 20, 1860, when he deceased. His widow still survives. His sons are David, deceased, William O., and Daniel. William O. Porter has filled a number of township offices, and been sheriff four years. He possesses a good education, and has recently studied law, and been admitted. He resides on the old homestead. EDWARD METCALF was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, August 5, 1783, and removed to Mohican (then Killbuck,) township, Wayne county, in the spring of 1815, and located on what is now known as the Robert Glenn farm, He cleared and improved his land, and resided on it for many years. He deceased in 1856, at the age of seventy- three years. His family consisted of three sons, John, Vachel, jr., and Daniel; and three daughters, Julia, Nancy, and Rachel. The family have all removed to other localities, except John, who resides in the vicinity of Mohicanville. He is by occupation an industrious farmer. THOMAS METCALF, brother of Edward, was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, January 9, 1797. He grew to manhood in his native county. In June, 1818, he married Miss Nancy Durbin, of Washington county. In September, having heard much of the richness of the valleys of Mohican, he and his lady traveled on horseback to the residence of his brother, Edward, in the wilds of the valley, and tarried a few weeks, until he erected a cabin, His father had entered a piece of land three miles south of the present site of Jeromeville, upon which Thomas Metcalf settled. He passed through all the struggles of pioneer life, and resided about fifty-eight years on the same farm. In 1868 he had the misfortune to lose the wife of his youth. Since that occurrence, his hours have passed slowly. In 1875 he became partially paralyzed; February 9, 1876, he deceased, at his old homestead, aged seventy-nine years and one month. His family consisted of Drusilla, Rachel, Maria, Eliza, and Sarah; all married. WILLIAM LATTA was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, in 1777. He settled in the east part of Montgomery township, in the 'fall of 1815, His nearest neighbors were John Carr and Robert Newell. Mr. Latta had some trouble in procuring hands to aid in erecting his cabin, In doing so he had to go as far south as the present site of Jeromeville. When his rude house had been completed, his next difficulty was to procure food. He travelled through the forest, along Indian paths, to Shrimplin's mill to procure corn, and when converted into meal, carried it home on a pack-saddle. He also made many trips, with horse and pack-saddle, to Stibbs' mill, near Wooster. These trips were toilsome and not devoid of danger, Mr. Latta was a large, rugged man, and met the dangers and toils of pioneer life with un- HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 213 daunted fortitude, He prepared an excellent farm, and, in his old age, lived comfortably. He was a member of old Hopewell Presbyterian church. He died February 2, 1849, aged seventy-two years. His family consisted of Lewis, John, William, Moses, and Jackson. Moses owns the homestead; John and Jackson reside in Iowa, and Lewis and William are dead. These sons were noted for their remarkable size and vigor. Moses is a good business man, and has been twice elected infirmary director for the county, and a number of times township trustee. MOSES LATTA. Mr. Latta was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, January 20, 1815, and removed with his father, the late William Latta, to Montgomery township, Richland, now Ashland, county, in the fall of 1815. He attended the common schools of the neighborhood, and obtained a fair knowledge of the elementary branches. When his father settled on Catotaway his neighbors were few and far between, and in the erection of cabins and other buildings, it was the custom of the pioneers to go many miles to assist the new settler. In the earlier history of Montgomery township the Lattas were noted for their industry, energy and physical vigor, all the sons being large men, and constitutionally clever. William Latta, the father of Moses, was of Scotch-Irish descent, and like his ancestors, was strongly attached to the doctrines of the Presbyterian church. He was, for many years, a member of "Old Hopewell" in Ashland, and his sons were impressed by the same faith, Upon the decease of William Latta, in 1849, Moses became possessed of the homestead, where he has resided the major part of the time ever since. He was a man of good business habits and of unquestioned integrity, and was frequently elected to act as school director, township trustee, and twice an infirmary director for Ashland county. He was a large, energetic, hard working man, and had accumulated quite a fortune. His general health began to give way early in the summer, and continued to fail until he became prostrated, and gradually approached the hour of dissolution, which occurred on Saturday, November 11, 1876. His remains were interred in the cemetery at Ashland, on Tuesday, November 14. Mr. Latta leaves a widow to mourn the loss of a most excellent husband. During his late sickness, he connected with the Presbyterian church of Ashland. He was also a member of the Masonic fraternity and the Pioneer and Historical society of Ashland county. As a citizen, neighbor and business man, he stood deservedly high, and will be much missed and lamented in the circle of his past and present associations. Peace to his ashes. JOHN S. NELSON was born in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, December 1812, and moved with his father's family to Milton township, Richland, now Ashland, county, in the spring of 1816. He was the oldest son of Robert Nelson, one of the leading pioneers of Milton township, and saw it clothed in its primitive forest. When a boy he roamed amidst its wilds, and often saw the wild deer, bear and wolves, A serenade of wolves was very common, and the pioneers were compelled to enclose young calves, sheep and swine to prevent capture by wild animals. He grew to manhood in Milton, attending log-cabin schools, helping to remove the forest, erect cabins, cutting highways, and making other improvements. When his father entered the township the Delaware Indians, in their hunting excursions, often passed down Beall's trail, and hunted along the streams of this county, but never interfered with the citizens of Milton. But a few families preceded Robert Nelson in Milton. John Nelson, in a personal interview with the writer, said he remembered the following: James Gunthel, Peter Lance, James Kelley, Frederick Sulcer, John Anderson, Obediah Ferrell, Alexander Reed, Edward Wheeler, Allen Lockhart, William Lockhart, Henry Wetzel, George Myers, David Teal, John Kane, Abraham Doty, David Pollock and Laban Conley.   In 1846 he volunteered from the State of Illinois, to serve during the Mexican war, and with his company was in several battles, one of the most noted of which was the battle of Buena Vista. He was in Colonel Clay's regiment, and assisted in carrying that gallant young officer from the field after his fatal wound. His company was attacked in this engagement by a squadron of lancers, and Mr. Nelson was wounded twice; once by a ball in the hand, and afterward by a lancer, who struck him in the breast with his lance. He shot and killed the Mexican and secured the lance-head, which he brought home as a trophy. Like all those from the north who entered the Mexican army, he became a victim of chronic disease, resulting from dysentery. For many years he has been too feeble to labor, and constantly a sufferer. Many years since he became a member of the Lutheran church, and adorned his faith by an upright walk. The immediate cause of his decease was a fall, in which he fractured his hip-bone. He failed rapidly, and after three or four days of pain he expired January 28, 1877. His remains were interred in the cemetery at Ashland, Tuesday, January 30, 1877. He was also a member of the Ashland County Historical and Pioneer society. Suitable resolutions were passed by the appropriate committees touching his decease and life. JACOB FREES, of English-German descent, was born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, November 22, 1808, and he came to Wayne county, Ohio, in November, 1822, and to Wayne township, with his father's family. He remained there until 1857, then removed to Smithville, same county, and, in 1864, removed to Ashland county, He learned the trade of a shoemaker, and carried it on in Wayne county, with a shoe-store, until he came to Ashland 214 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. county. He attended common schools, and became a member of the Lutheran Reformed church in 1825. He is now a member of the English Lutheran church of Ashland, and has been an elder six or seven years. When he came to Ashland he became one of the proprietors of the steam saw-mill until 1870, and then retired. His family consists of two sons and four daughters. JOHN VAN NEST was born December 1, 1814, in York county, Pennsylvania, He attended common schools, learned the trade of a saddler in 1831-32, came to Wooster, Wayne county, in 1838, and worked until 1839. He married Miss Sarah Wiley, of Smithville, Wayne county, May 2, 1839, moved to Rowsburgh the same month, and has carried on business ever since. He has served as a justice of the peace six terms. He was elected commissioner in 1864, and served two terms. He has been a member of the Lutheran church since 1849. His ancestors were from Holland, and located in New Jersey. His father, John Van Nest, located in York county, Pennsylvania, and came to Wayne county in 1838, and died in Millbrook, in 1862, aged eighty-seven. John Van Nest is the father of ten children—two dead, eight living. JESSE CHAMBERLAIN was born in Windom county, Vermont, September 27, 1794. In June, 1815, he married Betsy Mann, of the same county. In 1817 he accompanied what is known as the Parmely colony as far as Medina, where he remained until 1819, when he settled in Sullivan, now Ashland county. The colony traveled from the east with six teams, one yoke of oxen, and sometimes the addition of one horse to each wagon. The wagons were covered and contained beds, cooking utensils, and provisions for the trip. They also brought along a number of cows, which supplied milk on the way, They came by the way of Buffalo, New York, and were many weeks making the journey. These aged people yet (1876) retain considerable physical vigor. They are quite lively, and their mental powers seem to be unimpaired. They had three children—Adeline, wife of Mr. Rice, Alzina, deceased, and Miranda, deceased, Whitney and Richard Chamberlain, brothers of Jesse, settled in the township with the mother who died in 1843. They are deceased. ASA S. REED was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, December 22, 1817. His father, Josiah Reed, came to Westfield, Medina county, Ohio, in the spring of 1829, and died February 18, 1830. He left his family in limited circumstances. Asa was apprenticed to a farmer until he was twenty years of age, to be instructed to the rule of three in arithmetic, and in spelling, reading and writing. In 1834 he hired as a farm hand at twelve dollars per month, and unfortunately wounded his limb, which had to be amputated near the knee. He suffered many months, and being unable to labor was reduced to the necessity of being aided by charity. As soon as he could regain sufficient strength, he engaged in various enterprises to recruit his fortunes. In 1835 he taught school three months. His chief occupation until 1844 was that of teacher. He then undertook to learn the trade of a tailor, and sewed three months in Jeromeville with John D. Jones. In 1846 he was elected recorder of Ashland county for the short term of six months, and was re-elected continuously the three following terms. He acted at the same time as notary public nine years. He then taught one term in the Union school at Ashland. He has been remarkably successful as a teacher, and has taught more terms than any teacher within the limits of the county—in the aggregate amounting to near fifteen years. In 1859 he removed to Sullivan, and became a successful farmer and teacher. He married Priscilla Smalley, of Perry township, by whom he had three sons—George W., John F., and Oliver. George is dead. In December, 1872, Mrs. Reed deceased, aged fifty-one years. April 29, 1873, he married Charlotte Forbes, of Ashland, an experienced teacher, and a resident of Ashland for about forty-two years. Mr. Reed and his former and present wife were and are exemplary members of the Christian church, He possesses a neat and valuable homestead, and is another illustration of what can be accomplished amid all embarrassments by industry, perseverance, integrity and an upright life. Few in early life have undergone more trials, and few have been more successful in mastering all obstacles, MARTIN MASON, SR., was born in Germany in 1742, and emigrated with his parents to America in 1745, and settled on the south branch of the Potomac river, in Virginia. When he was about thirteen years of age, in 1755, he was captured by the Indians. This occurred about two weeks after the disastrous defeat of General Braddock, when on his way to attack Fort DuQuesne. Young Mason was taken by the Indians to the fort, and thence, by Niagara, to Canada, where he was purchased by a French officer at Montreal. When General Wolfe captured Quebec, in 1759, young Mason was ordered, by his master, to conduct the family to a neighboring swamp for safety during the battle. Four years after the surrender of the city to the English, in 1763, he was liberated and returned home, after an absence of about eight years, where he remained until his marriage. He subsequently removed to what is now Fayette county, Pennsylvania, and located land by "tomahawk right," which consisted in blazing trees around the tract selected and having it surveyed and recorded, all of which cost but a trifle. This was four or five years after the Dunmore war, when with his neighbors, he was greatly harrassed by the Indians for a number of years, Mr. HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 215 Mason died at an advanced age on the old homestead of the late Jacob Mason, in Orange, in 1838, aged ninety-six years, leaving nine children: Elizabeth, Barbara, Margaret, Abigail, Mary, John, Martin, Charles, and Jacob. Martin and Jacob located in Orange township, Ashland county, and Charles in Columbiana county, Ohio, He was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, February 16,1780, and died in Columbiana county, in April, 1869, aged about eighty-nine years. He had four sons, John, Martin, Jacob, and Lewis. Martin emigrated to Ashland county in 1844, and settled on a quarter of land purchased by his father in 1814. He was born April 12, 1817. He still resides on the homestead. His children are a son, W. A. Mason, and two daughters, Emila and Mary. REV. JOSEPH SEELEY PARKER was born in South Salem, Westchester county, New York, May 10, 1795. When seventeen years of age, he went as a substitute in the war of 1812, four months. In 1813 he was drafted for three months in the same war, In his first tour he was in the battle of Queenstown, After the war he resided in Columbiana county, Ohio, two years, to which he removed in 1826, and then in Austintown five years, and in 1833 removed to Troy township, now in Ashland county, and located amid a dense forest on lot three of surplus lands. Upon his arrival he found Benjamin Moore, David Mason, David Carrier, Ralph Phelps, Nicholas and Christian Fast and their families. At that time Francis Granger, of New York, owned nearly all the lands of the township, and the primitive forest covered the same. Two years after his arrival, the township was organized, and he thinks, at the first election, there were seven votes cast for the following officers: Benjamin Moore, justice of the peace, J. S. Parker, treasurer, Sanford Peck, David Mason and Ralph Phelps, trustees. He is unable to name the constable. The return was made to Elyria. The first school was a little south of his present residence, and was taught by Ralph Phelps. It was in a cabin, which was sometimes used as a church for the earlier preachers. Mr. Parker and his venerable lady became members of the Methodist Episcopal church as early as 1813-14, and he was licensed as a local preacher nearly sixty years ago. The first class was organized by him at his cabin a short time after his arrival in the township, from which has grown the fine structure in Troy center. He states that the Baptists erected a small building and had a few members at an early day, but the organization went down. He and his lady, now (1876) about eighty-two years of age, are quite vigorous, and their mental powers seem to be unimpaired. When they arrived, and for a few years afterward, the Wyandots from Sandusky hunted in the neighborhood. A number of huts were found a little northwest, near a deer lick. He found on and about his premises great numbers of flint arrow points, stone axes and fleshers, some of which he has presented to the Historical and Pioneer society. He is drawing a pension of ninety-six dollars annually for his services in the war of 1812, and takes a deep interest in the prosperity of the country. His wife's name before marriage was Eunice Phelps. She is a sister of the wife of the venerable Nathaniel Clark, of Troy, another soldier of 1812, Their children are Alonzo, Elisha, Samuel, Joshua, Nathaniel, Mary Ann, Julia and. Hannah. They are somewhat scattered. All are married, except Samuel, who died many years since. Mr. Parker could never be persuaded to travel on a circuit. For over fifty-five years he has been a speaker and zealous advocate of the doctrines of the Methodist Episcopal church. In his earlier years he was a fine singer and a fluent speaker. REV. R. D. EMERSON. Richard Dumont Emerson was born in Fairfax county, Virginia, near the city of Alexandria, August 14,1794. His mother was a highly educated French lady, whose maiden name was Louis, a branch of the royal family, and his father also of French birth. A brother of his mother accompanied General Lafayette to this country, and fell in the battle of Brandywine, during the Revolutionary war. In his youth, Mr. Emerson attended school near Alexandria, and acquired a fair English education. When about eighteen years of age he entered the army of the war of 1812, as a volunteer, and was at the battle of Crany Island, where he was honorably mentioned for his conduct on the field, and promoted to captain. At the close of the war he returned to Alexandria, and engaged in business as a manufacturer and dealer in shoes and boots. In 1824-5, when General Lafayette visited Alexandria and Mt. Vernon, Captain Emerson was one of the marshals who commanded the guard that received and conducted the general to that "Mecca of American freemen," the tomb of George Washington. He was a fine horseman, and was highly complimented by General Lafayette for his fine military bearing on that occasion. While a young man he became an active membe rof, and local minister in, the Methodist church. In 1840 he removed to Guernsey county, Ohio, and became a Lutheran minister. He subsequently removed to Ashland county, and preached for Lutheran congregations at Rowsburgh, Hayesville, Mifflin, and Orange. He was regarded as a forcible and fluent speaker, and made a fine appearance in the pulpit. In 1852 he was elected a member of the Ohio legislature from Ashland county, and served one term, declining to be a candidate for re-election. In 1854 he was appointed postmaster at Hayesville, and retained the position to the close of the administration of Franklin Pierce. In 1860 he removed to Missouri, but subsequently located and took charge of a Lutheran congregation at Bardstown, Kentucky, where he remained until May, 1876, when he removed to Clark county, Missouri, where he deceased after a lingering illness, September J0, 1876, at the advanced 216 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. age of eighty-two years and twenty-seven days. Mr. Emerson had served his church, as minister, about forty- six years, and was regarded as an able and influential exponent of the creed and teachings of Martin Luther, the great German reformer. He was enrolled among those who drew pensions for services in the war of 1812, and it may be truly said, "he served his country as a patriot, and his church as a Christian." Mr. Emerson was above medium in size, very erect, had black hair, large gray eyes, and was impressive and dignified in his bearing. He was exceedingly fond of fine horses, and rode with all the grace of a marshal of France. His tastes were largely military, and if he had been reared in a country like France, he would have risen to distinction in military life. He was married three times. His family consisted of Rev. William A. G. Emerson, of Kentucky; Colonel Richard D. Emerson, of Iowa; John Emerson, deceased; Mrs. Martha White, of Kansas; Mrs. Elizabeth Davis, of Canal Dover, Ohio ; Mrs. Virginia Crellen, of Missouri; and Mrs. Caroline Ewing, of Illinois. REV. SAMUEL MOODY. The Rev. Samuel Moody, of Scotch-Irish descent, was born in Northampton county Pennsylvania, February 14, 1801, in the vicinity of the mission station of David Brainard, among the Indians. His parents being Presbyterians, he was at an early period of his life indoctrinated in the tenets of that faith. His youth was marked by morality and sobriety. When about fifteen years of age he was greatly impressed by the preaching of Rev. Robert Finley, D. D., of New Jersey, At the age of eighteen he removed to Beaver county with his father's family. When about twenty-three years of age he attached himself, by profession, to Mill Creek church, in Beaver county. Prior to that time he had attended the common schools of the neighborhood. Having thoughts of preparing for the ministry in the fall of 1824, he commenced the study of Latin with his pastor, Rev, George Scott. He continued under his tuition for about three years, and then entered Washington college, Pennsylvania: When in his senior year, the college was temporarily closed by the removal of the president. Still ambitious to become a scholar, he entered Jefferson college, where he graduated in September, 1829, being twenty- eight years of age. He then taught one year, and entered the Western Theological seminary in 1830, at Allegheny City. On the third of October, 1833, he was licensed to preach by the presbytery of Washington. He preached a few months at Upper Ten Mile, Wolf Run, and Unity churches in Washington presbytery, and in 1834 located at Big Spring, in Carroll county, Ohio, and remained about eight years. He was ordained by the presbytery of Steubenville, July 5, 1837, and installed pastor of the Big Spring church, In 1843 he was invited to Hopewell, in Ashland, and Orange churches, and accepting the call, removed to Ashland, July 9, 1843. He continued as pastor of Hopewell and Orange about thirteen years. His ministry was characterized by an exemplary and devout life, and during his residence at Ashland he won the esteem of all. Owing to an unfortunate division arising among his people concerning church music, and a separation of a number of members from the parent church, for the establishment of the First Presbyterian church of Ashland, the number of members in Hopewell was not largely increased during the labors of Mr. Moody. In April, 1856, Mr. Moody and some members of his family visited western Pennsylvania. While crossing the Ohio on the 24th of April, near Wellsville, in a skiff with his little daughter, the ferryman and three others, the skiff being moored to the ferry-boat, on approaching the Ohio shore, became separated from the barge and overturned by the violence of the current, and he and his daughter thrown into the stream. Mr. Moody soon disappeared beneath the turbid current and was drowned, while his daughter floated, being supported by her clothing, and was saved. The remains of Mr. Moody were recovered on the fifth of May, eleven days after the fatal accident, in the vicinity of Steubenville, and brought to Ashland for interment. His funeral was preached by - Rev. John Robinson of the First Presbyterian church of Ashland. We are indebted to him for the following summary of the habits and character of Mr, Moody: Brother Moody's traits of character are easily sketched for they were apparent to all his acquaintances. First—He was unobtrusive, quiet; not as easily known as some, and most highly appreciated where most intimately known. He was a man of tender attachments, disposed to contribute in every practicable way to the comfort of those about him, and exceedingly careful not to give pain by word or act. Second—He was a man of correct judgment. He carefully weighed matters presented for his consideration, and seldom failed to reach a conclusion which commended itself to others. Associated with him from our earliest ministerial life, we have rarely known him to mistake in transacting ecclesiastical business. Calm, thoughtful, and under the influence of sterling principle, his judgments were to be relied upon in all matters pertaining to the interests of Christ's kingdom. Third—He was very conscientious. This may be illustrated by a fact in his college life. Washington college closed temporarily when he was a senior half-advanced. The other members of his class received diplomas, as if they had graduated. He felt that he was not strictly entitled to a diploma, and, therefore, took a certificate and went to Jefferson college, and after a summer term of study, graduated. Now the last term of the senior class is generally passed, mostly in review and preparation for the commencement. So that he had little to gain by this course, as far as mere learning is concerned. But then his diploma never disturbed his conscience by asserting what was not literally true. And this trait ran through all his conduct, in all his relations. Fourth—He was very uniform in his temper and manners. During an acquaintance of nearly sixteen years, we have scarcely ever seen him either manifestly depressed or elated. He was seldom irritated or fretted, or unduly buoyant. He seemed to live realizing the great truth that the Lord reigns, and that "he doeth all things well." More than almost any man we have known, he fully filled the poet's description : " The good man lays his hand upon the skies And bids the world roll on, nor heeds Its idle way." Mr. Moody was married February 17, 1840, and had five children, three sons and two daughters, all of whom survive. Mrs. Moody, his widow, and most of her family, reside in the village of Savannah, Ashland county. HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 251 REV. JOHN ROBINSON, D. D., was the son of Henry and Elizabeth (Harkness) Robinson, of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. His grandparents—James Robinson and his wife, of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and William Harkness and his wife, of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania—all immigrated to this country from the north of Ireland, about the year 1765. He is, therefore, of Scotch-Irish descent. He was born January 27, 1814, in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, When about two years of age his parents removed to Stark county, Ohio, settling about seven miles south of where Massillon now stands. Thus, when he was eight years old his father died, and four years afterward, his mother, with her three sons, of whom he was the oldest, one having died meantime, returned to Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. During the five following years he labored as a hired farm hand, to help in the maintenance of the family in the summer time, and attended school each winter. When he was seventeen years of age he went to Cadiz, Harrison county, Ohio, as an apprentice to the tin-plate business. His employers were Presbyterians, and as his early training had been in the Associate Reformed church, he readily formed the habit of attending the Presbyterian church, joined the Sabbath-school, and, under the labors of the pastor, Rev. John McArthur, soon united with the church. When about half -of his time as an apprentice had expired, his employers ceased business and gave him his indenture. He at once obtained employment at his trade for so much of his time as was needful to earn his food and clothing, spending the rest of his time in study, under the instruction of his pastor. His studies were directed with a view to the gospel ministry. This he continued until he completed the ordinary college curriculum as far as the close of the junior year. Then he entered Franklin college, located at New Athens, Harrison county, Ohio, and graduated there in October, 1837. He immediately went to the Western Theological seminary at Allegheny City, Pennsylvania. Here he remained three terms, not attending the fourth term, which was the prescribed course, because of his suffering from a slight bronchial affection. He was licensed to preach the Gospel by the Presbytery of Steubenville, April 8, 1840. He was at once engaged to supply the pulpits of the adjacent churches of Corinth and Monroeville, the former in the eastern edge of Carroll county, the latter in the northwestern corner of Jefferson county, Ohio. From these churches he received a call for permanent settlement as pastor in- the fall of that year, and on the second day of March, 1841, he was ordained to the full work of the ministry and installed as pastor of those churches by the Presbytery, On the twenty-second day of October, 1840, he married Miss Mary W. Willson, daughter of William Willson, Esq., of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He had a prosperous pastorate of nearly three years in this field. In the autumn of 1843 he was invited to take charge -of' the Presbyterian church of Ashland. He removed to Ashland and commenced labor there on the first. Sabbath of February, 5844. In April following he received a formal call to the pastorate of that church, and in June was installed as pastor by the presbytery of Richland. In that charge he still remains near the close of the thirty-second year of his labor. The membership of the First Presbyterian church has been greatly increased under his pastorship, and now numbers nearly three hundred. The exemplary life of the pastor, added to his care for his flock, has aided in bringing about so desirable a result. He is a pleasant speaker, and well versed on theological topics. As a scholar, his attainments are of a high order. In June, 1871, the honorary degree of doctor of divinity was conferred upon him by Washington and Jefferson college, Pennsylvania. By long service in the ministry, accomplished scholarship, and a profound knowledge of theology, he had fairly won his promotion, He is now in fair health, and may survive many years to carry out the great mission upon which he entered in early life. His family consists of his wife and eight children. One is not. Five are sons and three were daughters. John F., the oldest, resides in Mankato ; William W., the second, James A., the fifth, and Etta B., the sixth, reside in Cleveland ; Henry M., the third, at home ; Samuel N., the fourth, in Dakota ; Mary E. in Van Wert, Ohio ; all of whom have had good educational advantages and training. WILLIAM A. G. EMERSON was born near Alexandria, Virginia, July 12, 1816. He grew to manhood in Fairfax county, Virginia. In 1836 he came to Ohio, having married Miss Catharine Atkins in 1835, when he was but nineteen years of age, His father, Rev. Richard Dumont Emerson, had preceded him to Ohio, and exercised great influence over him. In the meantime his father had connected as a minister with the Lutheran church. William, although from boyhood a member of the Methodist church, and recently licensed as a local preacher, was urged also to unite with the Lutheran church, which he finally did in 1845. He evinced a talent that at once attracted attention, and was soon employed to preach at Bridgeport, Wayne county, and from thence, about 1847, came to Ashland, Ohio, and was employed to preach at the Lutheran church, a little frame, on the corner of Third and Orange streets. He was then thirty-one years old, and possessed all the enthusiasm of youth, and an imagination and zeal that glowed with fervid eloquence. We remember, right well, his appearance in the pulpit. He attracted a great deal of attention, and exerted a wonderful power as a young but gifted minister in the Lutheran church. It will be remembered that many of the leading young lawyers— General John S. Fulton, Professor John Rankin, James Sloan, and many of the brightest students from the old academy, were accustomed to crowd into the little frame church on the corner, on Sunday evenings, to hear the eloquent young preacher. This little church had been purchased from the Universalists about 1842, and the membership was quite feeble. In a few years such had 218 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. been its increase in members under the preaching of this remarkable young man, that the place of meeting had to be changed, and resulted in the erection of the present church on Third street, which was built in 1852. Mr. Emerson laid aside his robes, and toiled like a day laborer to secure the completion of the church. His salary was small, yet he contributed, in toil and money, as much as many wealthy members toward the work. Often have we seen him with one horse and wagon, clothed like a laborer, engaged in hauling bricks and mortar for the work. It went rapidly forward, and in due time was dedicated. Soon after, for some unknown reason, he was permitted to engage his ministerial services to the congregation at Wooster, where he remained until 1854. In 1855 he removed to Hayesville, where he preached about one year, and was then employed by the congregation at Mt. Zion, Richland county, where he remained until 1859, and then preached one year at Newville. From thence he went to Independence and Bellville until 1861, when he returned to Ashland, where he was appointed chaplain of the One Hundred and Twentieth regiment of Ohio independent militia, and was at Vicksburgh, Mississippi, during the winter of 1862-3, and in consequence. of enfeebled health, returned to Ashland, and in the fall of 1863, was elected probate judge of Ashland county. His election was contested, and early in 1864 the court awarded the office to the contestant. The contestor and contestant have now removed the case to that court ,where neither judge nor jury err, and where equal and exact justice will be awarded all men. In 1855-56 he remained in Ashland, frequently preaching to his friends in various parts of the county. In 1866 he was employed by the Lutheran congregation at Brookville, near Dayton, as their pastor, and remained there about two years. In 1868 he removed to Florence, Kentucky, and connected with the Methodist conference of that part of the State, and was assigned to a circuit, where he preached two years. In 1869-70 he preached upon a circuit at Germantown. In 1870 he was assigned a circuit at Bryantsville for one year, and, at the expiration of that time, removed to Mercer, where he remained until 1872, and, in 1873, was sent to a station at Augusta, where he labored two years, and, in 1875, worn down with hard work, enfeebled in health, and much discouraged, he returned to Ashland, where he made his home at the residence of his favorite daughter, Irene, and son-in-law, Mr. Daniel Folk, where he died on Tuesday, November 11, 1879, of acute pneumonia, aged sixty-three years and five months. Mrs. Folk and her husband did all they could to render his situation comfortable, peaceful, and pleasant. He passed away without a struggle, so calmly., sitting upon a chair and resting his head upon the back of another, that it was some moments before it was noticed that he had departed. He looked so natural that it was difficult to realize that he slept not. In his last conversations, he expressed a readiness for the change. The case was indeed a sad one. His whole life had been full of turmoil, disappointments and hardships. The storm is now over, and he has gone home, where critics and censorious people can no longer add a pang to his grief. God is just and will reward, Mr. Emerson was not well adapted to the accumulation and retention of wealth. The science of finance was no part of his study. He had not a venal breath in his whole nature. He was genial, and moved by the warmest impulses. In his address he was earnest and amiable. He loved his friends and treated all men kindly and courteously. He spoke truly to the poor, and never shunned them in their distress. In his last days his wardrobe was greatly neglected. Naturally fastidious and tidy in his dress,- he felt this apparent neglect most keenly, and had nearly disappeared from a curious public. He was unable to toil as a common laborer, and too much prostrated physically and mentally, to labor in the pulpit; in his extreme sensitiveness and humiliation, he said to the writer, a short time before his decease: " I am very poor—have always been poor. I never had money to give the rich. I always labored for the poor, and when my work is done, I hope, like the poor man mentioned in Sacred Writ, I may find a place of rest in the paradise of God." He was naturally hopeful and buoyant in spirit, and every expression of cheerfulness and genialty was criticised and turned to his injury. This was all wrong. True, a minister should be careful and guarded in his intercourse and conversation, but we are too apt to be severe in our criticisms. A preacher is but a man, and often has to govern his own frailties. It is certainly proper that a minister cultivate a cheerful, hopeful, and sprightly habit, casting aside the gloomy deportment of the hermit, His usefulness largely depends upon his friendliness, sympathy, and his cheerfulness, The Saviour did not hesitate to dine and associate with sinners. He did so because he could the better impress his character and teachings upon his hearers. Many remarkable teachers have been crushed or pushed into obscurity by a fault-finding and captious public. Mr.. Emerson had none of the early advantages of collegiate training, neither was he permitted to spend years of study in some theological seminary. Nature had done all for him. He was endowed with fine ability, and an uncommon versatility in the use of words. He never hesitated, even during the glowing flights of imagination, for words to fitly, fully, and elegantly express his ideas. When addressing an audience, the spirit of genius awakened his whole countenance. Tall in person, spare in form, with a voice musical and impressive, and great earnestness and energy in the delivery of his discourses, he always spoke with the utmost effect. He threw such a force and power into his sermons, that the magic of his address seemed to electrify the hearer as if touched by sacred fire. His clear, strong voice and energetic manner carried an audience along, and moved it to pity or thoughtfulness. He was sympathetic in manner, and clothed his words in beautiful images, and painted to the mind and heart the wonderful majesty and goodness of the Supreme Father of all. Large audiences crowded to hear him in the South, and the presence of so many faces seemed to electrify him, HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 219 and call forth his wonderful powers as a pulpit orator. He is gone, and we shall never hear his eloquent voice again. He has gone home until the summing up of all things. It will be a long time before the impress of his preaching will fail to be remembered in this and other communities. Mr. Emerson was of French descent, and possessed many of the genial traits of that most polite and remarkable people. He had eight children, four boys and four girls, all grown and married. His friends secured him a nice metallic case, in which his body now reposes, in the Lutheran cemetery lot. A funeral discourse was delivered at the church by Rev. Wilhelm, and brief addresses made by Revs. John Robinson, Miller and Moody, after which he was conducted by Captain Finger and company to the cemetery, and buried with military honors, Thursday afternoon, November 13, 1879, MR. ENOCH TAYLOR was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, May 21, 1793. In his youth he served an apprenticeship at the trade of a shoemaker.* He married in his native county, in April, 1814, and removed to Ruggles township, Huron county, Ohio, in 1828. He erected a cabin north of the corners, in the midst of a dense forest. He cut away the trees in the vicinity of the cabin, and made a garden for vegetables. When he entered the township there were but about a dozen families in it. Wild game was quite plenty, so much so, that he often shot deer in the vicinity of his cabin. Wild turkeys were uncommonly numerous, and fed upon beach-nuts and acorns. Wild hogs often approached the cabin. He obtained his meal and flour from a mill in the vicinity of Savannah, often carrying a few pecks of corn along the paths on his shoulders. Like his pioneer neighbors, he underwent, for many years, all the hardships incident to the early settlement of this -county. When he erected his first cabin there were few to aid him. The settlement of the township at that time was greatly embarrassed by eastern speculators, who owned and refused to part with the lands at a fair price. Mr. Taylor, in his lifetime, expressed the opinion that he had made the first pair of boots in the center of the township. He followed his trade for many years, in connection with the cultivation of a small farm, and by the joint result of both occupations raised and educated his family. In person he was of medium size, pale, nervous and full of genuine Yankee vivacity. He could not resist the perpetration of a joke even to the last. He was a man of excellent habits. He had been a member of the Congregational church for a long series of years, and adhered with much firmness to its doctrines. In 1875 he lost the wife of his youth, with whom he had lived over half a century in great happiness. In September, 1875, he attended and became a member of the Pioneer and Historical society of Ashland county, and expressed * Mr. 'Taylor served three years in the war of 1812, in Connecticut when about nineteen years of age. much gratification over the organization of such a society. He was then in feeble health, and expressed the opinion that he would never meet the pioneers again. He died of general debility, February 15, 1876. His family consisted of two sons, Clark Taylor, of Iowa, and George Taylor, of Ruggles, who resides on the old homestead, and two girls, Sarah, wife of James Grinold, of Ruggles, and Mary, wife of Argalious Peck, now deceased. JACOB HELBERT was born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, June 1, 1794. His parents were of German descent. During his youth he attended a' German school in his native county, and became a fair scholar in that language, which he talked fluently. In 1814, in September, he volunteered to serve in the war against Great Britain. He entered a company commanded by Captain George Hartman, and was stationed about twenty-five miles 'northwest of Philadelphia. He saw no active service. In December, 1814, he was discharged and returned home. He now (1876) draws a pension of ninety-six dollars per annum for his services during the war of 1812. In 1812 he married in his native county. His wife was two years his senior, and survived until 1872, when she deceased at the advanced age of eighty years. Mr, Helbert removed to Mohican township, Wayne, now Ashland, county, in 1835, and located adjoining the village of Mohicanville, where he purchased a farm. In connection with his enterprise as a farmer, he engaged in selling dry goods in the village, for a number of years. He now resides with a daughter—Mrs. Wachtell—and is quite frail in body, though his memory of the past is quite perfect. He is an upright citizen; a conscientious and courteous old gentleman, and much respected by all his acquaintances. His family consisted of eight sons, Jacob, Michael, Peter, Henry, Levi, Edmond, John, and one deceased; and five daughters: Mrs. John Newman, Mrs. Charles Cosner, Mrs. Henry Wachtell, and two deceased. His children all reside within the limits of Ashland county, and are noted for their industry and intelligence. ABRAHAM DOTY was born in West Virginia, in 1779, and in 1816, removed with his family to Milton township, Richland (now Ashland,) county, where he located a farm, and remained eight years, and then sold and located a larger tract, which he improved and remained upon until his decease, in 1843. He was one of the pioneer Presbyterians of Milton township, and assisted' in the organization of "old Hopewell church," of which he became an elder and leading member. At his decease his family consisted of James Doty, the first sheriff of Ashland county, Peter, Elizabeth, John, Joseph, Martha, Jackson, Samuel, Mary, Sarah, and Jane. They are all living but Sarah, who married Joseph Hill, of Hayesville. 220 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. Joseph Doty was born in West Virginia, August 2, 1812, and accompanied his father's family to Milton in 1816. In 1835 he purchased his homestead in Mifflin township; and in 1838, married Rachel Lambright, daughter of John Lambright, who had located in Mifflin township prior to the Ruffner—Zimmer—Copus tragedies in 1812. The family of Joseph Doty consists of six girls and three boys, all of whom survive but one girl, the wife of Joseph Staffer, of Ashland; and are all located in Ashland county, but two married daughters, who reside in Indiana. The Doty family have long been attached to the Presbyterian faith. Mr. Doty has creditably filled several township offices, but prefers the plain life of a farmer to the duties and criticisms of a public officer. He has been a life-long Democrat. REV. WILLIAM HUGHES, of Green township, was born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, May 20, 1802. He attended a primary school and academy, at Darlington, and graduated at Jefferson college, Cannonsburgh, Pennsylvania, and studied theology at Princeton, New jersey, and was licensed to preach June 24, 1829. He came west in August, and, having preached a few trial discourses in September, 1829, it was arranged for him to preach steadily at Perrysville, and in Lake township, now in Ashland county. He occupied the pulpit, .in Perrysville, from 1829 to November 17, 1866, a period of over twenty-seven years. He retired in consequence of failing health. He is now disabled by chronic rheumatism. During his pastorate, at Perrysville, he preached at several places in the south part of this county; some of them statedly, on Sabbath evenings and week days. When he settled in Green township, in 1829, there were no church buildings in either Green, Hanover, or Lake townships. The larger part of that territory was then covered with a primitive forest, unbroken, save where were found the scattered cabins of the pioneers. The preachers of that era met their congregations in the cabins of the new settlers, or in log schoolhouses. Mr. Hughes has lived to see the forests leveled, and hundreds of farms opened and improved where wild game resorted forty years ago. The sons of the pioneers have productive farms and fine improvements, and comfortable residences, and are blessed with abundance. Great has been the change. Dozens of school-houses, neat and comfortably furnished, are now to be seen, where fifty years before the red man had scarcely ceased to hunt. Then there were no churches. Now we find one Methodist, one Presbyterian, one German Reformed, and two Baptist churches in Green; and one Methodist, one Baptist, one Presbyterian, one German Reformed, and one Catholic church, in Hanover; and one Lutheran, one Presbyterian, and one German Reformed in Lake; in the aggregate, containing several hundred members. Mr. Hughes now resides on his farm in the vicinity of what is known as Meanor's mill, on the Loudonville road, in the east part of Green township, where, when not engaged in the active service of his congregation, he performed, for many years, a good deal of manual labor in the improvement of his farm. He is very comfortably situated. He was married in 1830, and has had seven children, six boys, and one girl. Of the sons, one is a farmer, the other a physician, three are ministers; and an only daughter, the wife of a minister. The others are deceased. It will be seen, therefore, that Mr. Hughes can be congratulated upon his effort to educate and prepare his children for usefulness. Few men have accomplished as much. He died in July, 1880. JOSEPH SHEETS was born in New Jersey, about thirty miles below Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 21, 1792, and came to Steubenville, Jefferson county, Ohio, about 1806, where he worked at his trade as tailor for seven or eight years. He came to Uniontown, now Ashland, in 1817, and was among the earliest tailors in the place. About the time of his location, he married Miss Nancy Harper, daughter of William Harper, who removed from Steubenville in 1815, and settled in Vermillion township, then of Richland, but now of Ashland county, where he remained with his family until 1832, when he was unfortunately killed by his team, while hauling wheat to Milton, near Plymouth, aged sixty-eight years. Mr, Sheets survived until March 6, 1866, when he died,aged about seventy-four years. At his decease, he had the following family: Elizabeth, Joseph (dead), William, Mariah, Martha, Samuel, Alfred (dead), Mary and Sarah. Mrs. Sheets still survives. She was born in Fairfax county, Virginia, June 12, 1796, and is over eighty- four years old, and yet possesses a clear intellect, and is quite active for one of her age. Mr. Sheets originally owned the eighty acres of land upon which South Ashland was laid out. Mrs. Sheets lives on the south margin of town, where a large number of the old settlers of Ashland and vicinity assembled, to celebrate her eighty-fourth birthday. The old lady had been kindly invited by Mrs. Judge Kenny, to spend the afternoon with her, tea included; and while the time was passing, ladies assembled in multitudes, took possession of her house, and like busy bees went to work preparing supper. Ere Mother Sheets was aware of what was being done, all was ready, and the good old lady invited back to her own house, to be entertained there. The attendance was large, numbering, perhaps, nearly one hundred. Besides a large number of her friends and neighbors of the long ago, in the pioneer age, many of her present neighbors were there to share in the festivities, as well as to do her honor by their presence and encouragement. Mother Sheets came to this county in 1817, and was, of course, one of HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 221 the earliest settlers of Montgomery township. The tables were furnished abundantly with all the good things that the market supplied, and the ladies maintained their well-deserved reputation, which has become proverbial for excelling the world in the getting up of choice viands, Mr. John Harper, of Vermillion, one of the oldest settlers of that township, and brother of Mrs, Sheets, was present, and although he bears the burden of ninety years, still appears hale and hearty, He came to Vermillion in 1816. Mrs. Polly Strickland, widow of Joseph Strickland, was also present ; a fine appearing lady who bears the weight of seventy-five years well. Francis Graham, esq., ex-president of the Pioneer association, of Ashland county, was present, and although somewhat feeble, and carrying eighty-eight years, was still able to do justice to a well-filled table, and without doubt hopes to live many years, and enjoy many another agreeable meeting with old friends. Many others were there also, old and venerable, their gray hairs and wrinkled visages showed them to be toilers of years ; and though aged they still had not forgotten how to enjoy themselves. Among the ladies a list was obtained of names and ages, but some, being so much older than any one dared to dream, while others were so much younger than hope ever whispered, it is deemed best not to publish the list without unanimous consent. It may not be best to individualize when all did so well, or tell tales out of school, still it was a warm day, and Mr. McNulty's ice- cream tasted so good that it cannot well be avoided in this instance. Mrs. Sheets desires that her thanks be publicly expressed to her friends and neighbors for their kindness and thoughtfulness in remembering her in the loneliness of age, and that her blessings will follow them in their journey of life, and that it will be long remembered as an epoch in her life. Rev. Persons introduced Rev. Dr. Robinson, who closed the services with prayer. Thus has passed another of our profitable and interesting pic-nic sociables, and it is hoped they will continue to be held from time to time, as long as a single pioneer is left. REV. THOMAS BEER was born in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, March 22, 1807. His father removed to Allegheny county the same year, and settled on a farm on the north side of the Ohio river, on which the flourishing town of Sewickley now stands, twelve miles below the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, until his twenty-third year. He enjoyed the advantages of a common school education, such as it was. In 1823 he commenced a classical course of study at an academy in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania. In 1825 he entered the Western university of Pennsylvania, graduating in 1827, with a class composed of seven, all of whom afterward became ministers of the gospel. In the fall of the same year he, with three other young men, entered the Western Theological seminary of the Presbyterian church, located in Allegheny City. Mr. Beer's name stands at the head of the roll, and he is the only survivor of the class. Leaving the seminary in the fall of 1830, under the auspices of the Home Missionary society of the Presbyterian church, he took charge of four small churches in the northwestern portion of Wayne county, Ohio. A few years later his labors were given to the two churches, Congress and Mt. Hope. From the spring of 1834 until 1859 he resided at Mt. Hope, Wayne county, now Ashland county. In the fall of 1859 he located on a farm three miles southwest of Ashland, where he still resides. In 1861 he took charge of the Presbyterian church in Jeromeville, where he labored until near the close of 1871, since which time, on account of the infirmities of age, he has had no parochial charge. His family consisted of thirteen children, two of whom died in infancy—eleven lived to maturity. Dr. John Cameron, deceased 1865; Rev. Robert, of Valparaiso, Indiana; Judge Thomas, of Bucyrus, Ohio; Adeline, an invalid ; Ashbel G. who lost a leg in the battle of Stone River, and for several years post-master at Ashland, and at this writing engaged as hardware merchant in Ashland; Henry M., lieutenant, and now physician at Valparaiso, Indiana; James A. died at Cumberland Gap; William N., captain, attorney at law, Iowa deceased in 1874; Charles E., deceased 1864; Richard C. and Mary L. Feeling that his own education had been deferred too long, Mr. Beer has been assiduous in educating his family. The result is very gratifying. His children, upon arriving at the age of maturity, have entered upon the business of life with energy, and have attracted the good opinion of the public because of their integrity, efficiency and manhood. JOHN ROBISON was born June 16, 1791, in what was then Chester county, Pennsylvania, and upon arriving at the age of manhood married Miss Mary Hawk, who died in Pennsylvania about 1831. Mr. Robison came to Montgomery township about 1834, with his children, and stopped at the residence of David Robison, sr., his father. Soon after his arrival, July 4, 1836, Michael Ritter got up and prepared a dinner in Carter's grove, east of Ashland some two miles, where the youthful Lorin Andrews was the orator of the day. Mr. Ritter kept a hotel at that time where Finley's now stands, Mr. Robison was a carpenter by trade, and made paterns, etc,, for the Penn foundry, in Northumberland, now Union county, Pennsylvania, where he was employed for many years. David Robison his father, came to Montgomery township in 1824, and died in 1842, aged about eighty years, and his wife about 1847, aged about eighty-four years. David Robison, jr., who served as justice of Montgomery township, removed to Indiana where he died many years ago. His family consisted of Wallace, Wilson, Willard, Fernandez, Hannah, Lucia, Aurilla and Rebecca. 222 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. His death resulted from a fall at the hardware store of Messrs. Stull & Charles, of Ashland, about the third of May 1880. The old gentleman was desirous of being weighed and passed into the store room with Mr. Charles to learn. his weight, stating that he felt unusually well that morning, and on reaching the stairway stumbled and fell heavily upon the floor, striking his shoulder and fracturing it. He was rendered immediate assistance, and the injury dressed, when he was taken home, where he remained in a feeble condition until his death. He did not seem to rally from his wound, but did not appear to suffer much from it, and died on the evening of June To, 1880. At the time of his death Mr. Robison's surviving children were Percifer and Hannah. He retained a fine memory to the last, and knew his friends at each visit. He was an honest, upright man, and always noted for punctuality and prompt dealing among his neighbors. We believe that he was respected by all, and had no enemies in the world. May he rest in peace. HUGH DAVIS was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, June 23, 1802, and died in Ashland, Ohio, June 13, 1876, aged seventy-four years. Martha S. Davis was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, December 12, 1803, and died at Ashland, Ohio, April 8, 1870, aged sixty-six years, three months, and twenty-four days. Hugh Davis came to Knox county, Ohio, about 180, and returned to .Pennsylvania in 1821, where he completed the trade of tanner, after which he married Martha S. Morrow, in 1829, and returned to Mount Vernon, Knox county, Ohio, and lived some months, working for James Loverage and Samuel Trimble, at the tanning business, and about 1829, located in Ashland upon the property now owned by Justus W. Davis, his son. He erected and carried on a tan house upon this lot, commencing business about 1830. Himself and the late George Swineford were the only tanners in the village. Mr. Swineford had purchased the property of George Croft, where the machine works of D, Whiting are now located, and carried on business, while Mr. Davis, as a rival, erected property on the east end of Main street, The family of Mr. Davis consisted of Morrow H., Lester Finley, Justus Wilson, Sylvester Curtis, Josephine Agnes, Ilgar Vanleer, and Martha Estelle. The two girls are dead. The boys are all living and married. Justus W. was born April 13, 1833, in Ashland county, and married Miss Catharine Jane Trimble, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, daughter of Thomas Trimble, November 1857, at Mount Vernon, Ohio. Their children are.: Horace Urie, Thomas Trimble, and Mary Ellen. Mr. and Mrs. Davis were originally members of the old Hopewell Presbyterian church, and, upon its sale and transfer to the Cathohcs, never united with the First church. JOHN SWINEFORD was born in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, March 25, 1795• His father, Peter Swineford, located with his family in Fairfield county, Ohio, in 1807, and remained there until 1819, when he removed to Montgomery township, then in Richland, but now in Ashland county, and settled one mile and a half southeast of Ashland, then Uniontown. In February, 1823, Mr. Swineford married May, daughter of the late Jacob Young, and having erected a cabin, commenced to improve his farm. He remained on the homestead until 1857, when he moved into Ashland, where he now resides. Mr. Swineford gives the following statistics : The first grist-mill in Montgomery township, one mile north of Ashland, by Thomas Oram, in spring of 1816. First saw-mill, two miles from Ashland, in Milton township, by Allen Lockhart. First church, Methodist Episcopal, at Eckley's, now Smith's mills, in Vermillion township, 1819, and Old Hopewell, in Milton, 1817. First dry goods store in Uniontown, Joseph Sheets, succeeded by Francis Graham. First blacksmith, Ludwick Cline, on Wooster road, two miles east of Ashland. First cabinet-maker and undertaker, the late Alexander Miller. First carding-machine, stood where Smiths' mill now is in Vermillion township, built by Andrew Newman; the next by the late Andrew and Uriah Drenub, in Ashland. The first tannery stood where Whitings agricultural works now stand, built by John Croft, and subsequently owned by the late George _Swineford. The first wagon-shop, where Barkholder's saw-mill now stands, and was owned by Henry Wachtell. The first blacksmith in Ashland was the late Samuel Urie. The second cabinet-maker in Ashland, the late Jacob Grubb. The family of Peter Swineford, father of John, consisted of George, John, Anthony, Samuel, and A. C. Swineford. They are all deceased, except John and Abram C., who reside in Ashland. Peter. Swineford, sr,, died January 30, 1849, aged seventy-eight years, and Samuel died January 13, 1862, aged sixty-two years. The family of John Swineford consisted of Abraham (dead), Lib (dead), Hannah, Mary, Nancy, and Austin. The family of Samuel Swineford consisted of Luther, Alfred P., James, Curtis, Sarah, Elsa, Jane and Emily. HULBERT LUTHER. He was born in Lanesborough, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, March 14, 1809, and attended the common schools of the neighborhood until he was fifteen years of age. In 1825, he emigrated to Lewis county, New York, and remained there until the spring of 1830, when he emigrated to Ashland, Ohio, where an older brother (Dr. Joel Luther) had located and entered upon the practice of medicine, some fourteen years before. At that time, Dr. Luther and John P. Rezner were in company in the mercantile business, and Mr. Luther entered their employ as clerk. In 1831, he formed a partnership with John P. Rezner, and continued the same some six or eight years; and dissolved the arrangement, and formed' a new firm with Jacob Crall, known as Luther & Crall, which continued until 1854. In 1849, the firm established a hardware store, under the HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 223 management of George H. Topping, and the new firm was known as that of H. Luther & Co. In 1851, Luther, Crall & Co. established a bank of deposit and exchange in Ashland, which continued until 1864, when the same stockholders, under a law of Congress, established the First National Bank of Ashland, and Mr. Luther became its president, and Jacob 0. Jennings, cashier; and retained the position until 1870, when he withdrew his stock, and Jacob 0. Jennings became president. At that time, Mr. Luther purchased a farm in Milton township, in this county, and for about five years gave his attention to agriculture. Some time prior he owned and conducted the steam flouring mills of South Ashland, and was one of the principal proprietors of the woollen factory connected with it. In 1874, he engaged in the sale of ready-made furniture, and continued to carry on the business until his decease. For a period of forty-nine years he has been actively engaged as a business man in Ashland. When he arrived it was a mere village. His business career, and his bearing as a citizen, have been influential and honorable. He has done as much as any other citizen to promote the growth and prosperity of the place, He was for a long time postmaster of the town, and was very influential in securing the location of the county-seat at this point. At a period when the markets were distant, and the transportation of the surplus products of the country exceedingly expensive, he paid the farmers and producers liberally for their products. In this respect, the interests of the farming portion of the community were promoted, and those of the merchant enhanced. In habits, Mr. Luther was retired, and, though reserved in manner, in conversation he was fluent and agreeable. Though chronically dyspeptic; he was regarded as a well preserved man of his age, and his prospects of long life were thought to be fair. His sudden demise, unexpected, enables us to realize that in the midst of life we are in death, and what shadows we are and what shadows we pursue. Mr. Luther was an exemplary member of the Disciple or Christian church for a number of years. Mr, Luther married Miss Lydia E. WIcoff, of Ashland, February 17, 1835. His family consisted of his wife and three children—Joel H., and two daughters—Helen, wife of John Holland, of Cleveland; and Emily, wife of Andrew J. Burns, of Ashland. Mr. Luther died Saturday evening, March 15, 1879, aged seventy years and one day, after a brief illness. The remains of Mr. Luther were deposited in the cemetery of Ashland, on Tuesday, March 18, 1879. May he rest in peace. The circumstances attending the last illness, and decease of Mr. Luther; though generally known in this community, may be repeated in this connection. On Saturday, March 1st, he had gone into the garden for some purpose, when he found his strength failing him, and at once attempted a return to the house. Finding he could not succeed in this, he called to his daughter, Mrs. Burns, who sat by a window near by. Before that lady could reach him, however, he had fallen to the ground, and lapsed into unconsciousness. By the time aid had been summoned, and his removal to the house had been effected, sensibility returned, and towards evening the heart had resumed its normal condition, From this time until the middle of the following week he gradually rallied, and hopes were entertained of his recovery. But on Thursday he grew rapidly worse, to rally slightly the day following, and to relapse again and pass peacefully away Saturday afternoon. With the exception of one short moment of unconsciousness when he was first stricken, he retained his senses until the last moment, conversing easily with his family and friends until death took him. THOMAS COLE, SR,, was born in Baltimore county, Maryland, March 0, 1796. His grandfather, Aquilla Cole, came from England and settled near Baltimore about 1760. After the close of the Revolutionary war, when the lands of Kentucky came into market, he started on a journey to that region with the intention of purchasing a large tract of land and finally locating there. On his way through Ohio, while traveling along "Zane's trace," from Wheeling to the present site of Zanesville, in crossing the main stream of Wills creek, his horse became entangled in driftwood, the stream being full and deep, and he was drowned. His traveling comrades all escaped, and recovered and buried his remains near where he met his melancholy death. His estate, under the old English law, fell to his oldest son. His sons were Thomas, Elijah, Aquilla, Salathiel, Mycagy, and Stephen. They all removed to Kentucky but Thomas and Stephen. Thomas finally located in Washington county, Pennsylvania, while Stephen removed to Fairfield county, Ohio, about the year 1809. Stephen was twice married in Maryland, prior to his removal. He died in Fairfield county, leaving the following family: Stephen, Salathiel, Thomas, Charles, who died in infancy, Abraham, Mycagy, John, Eleanor, Mary, Richard, Charles, Wesley, Elijah, and Eliza. Stephen and Thomas came to Jackson township, Wayne county, now Ashland county, in August, 1819. Thomas had married in 18 t6, and had .one child at the time of his removal. On his route from Fairfield he came by Newark, Mount Vernon, Bellville, Greentown, Jeromeville, and over the east part of Montgomery township to the forest home of William Bryan, south of the present site of Polk, where he remained until he and his brother cut a path to section eight, southeast and southwest quarters. When they selected a site for a cabin their wives stitched a number of linen sheets together and a tent was erected, in which they lived until the cabin could be erected and prepared for occupation. The third day was Sunday, and with the night came a heavy rain. His child was sick, and the rain beat through the tent. The bed became wet, and Mr. Cole sat upright with the quilt over his head to protect his sick child. Fortunately the next morning his child was better. He retains a vivid recollection of that intro- 224 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. ductory storm, and his altitude as "center-pole." Salathiel, with a team, accompanied them to their wilderness home, and returned to. Fairfield by the path he came. When the cabin was raised, Mr. Cole states that most of the hands were from the present vicinity of the village of Orange. He squared his house to the meridian by observing the section line, setting up and plumbing a stake and watching when the sun shadow pointed due north. Upon his arrival he found the following families in the north half of the township: Rev. John Hazzard, John Mason, Mr, Morton, Thomas Green, Josiah Lee, Jesse Matthews, Laffler, and James Durfee, and in the south half, Noah Long, Jonas H. Gierhart, James A. Dinsmore, John Jackson, Michael and Matthias Rickel, William Bryan, Charles Hoy, and John Davault. A number of other families arrived during the fall of 1819. Stephen and Thomas Cole brought a number of milch cows and young cattle, and two or three head of horses. A favorite mare escaped and attempted to return to Fairfield, but was pursued and captured, after a hvely chase of several hours in the south part of the township. Wild grass was abundant in the forest, and cattle thrived upon it. Mr. Cole, by industry, and the assistance of his pioneer neighbors, soon prepared fields for culture, There were no schools or churches at his arrival in the township. Rev. Mr. Hazzard was a gentleman of good English education, and soon volunteered to instruct the children of the pioneers. He resided in the northeast part of the township, on section eleven. In 1822-3 Mr. Hazzard also established the first class of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he was leader and teacher. He became a local preacher of the Methodist Episcopal church. The class was established in what has since become the village of Perrysburgh known sometimes as Albion, the name of its post-office. The first class contained about ten members; Josiah Lee was at one time a leader. Mr. Cole became a member in 1825, and about 1830, a leader and exhorter, and in 1840 was licensed a local preacher and still retains his license. The Rev. Mr. Hazzard died in 1870 and was buried on his homestead. Mr. Cole; and we believe, Mr. Hazzard also, was licensed by that venerable and much loved pioneer minister, Rev. Elmer Yocum. Mr. Cole is now (1876) deprived of his vision, having been afflicted some years with opacity of the crystalline lens, or cataract. His general health is good, and his disposition quite cheerful. Mrs. Cole, his excellent wife, who shared his pioneer toils, deceased May 8, 1870, aged seventy-four. His children are: Thomas Cole, jr.; Elizabeth, wife of Chester C. Matthews; Rebecca, wife of Joseph C. Bolles; Mary, wife of Jacob Plice; Rachel, wife of Isaac Gordon, deceased, and Ruthie, wife of James Campbell, of Iowa, Mr. Cole has forty-six grandchildren, and twenty- five great-grandchildren. Most of his children reside in Ashland county. Rev. Thomas Cole died of paralysis; May 17, 1880, aged eighty-four years, - one month, and twenty-seven days. This sketch was written in 1876, when Mr, Cole was in fair health. His infirmities of vision gradually grew worse, until his decease on the 17th. HENRY BROTHERS was born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, December 11, 1804. When a babe, his parents removed to Stark county, this State, where he resided until the year 1827, when he removed to this county. where he resided until his death, making him a resident of Ashland county for_ over fifty years. On May 20, 1825, he was married to Miss Mary Duffy. The fruits of this union are eleven children, seven of whom are still living: Nathaniel, Mary, Ruth, John, Elizabeth Ann, Ursula, and Franklin. The ones deceased were: Catharine, Hannah, Nancy, and Jonas. They were all born in this county but Nathaniel; and all that are living are married but one, Franklin C, Mr. Brothers settled in Rowsburg, at a time when there were but one or two houses in the place, as well as in Ashland. At that time Ashland was called Uniontown, He used to often recall the many hardships and privations that he, together with others, had to contend with, that the present as well as future generations will never know or experience. He never professed rehgion, but always tried to live an upright life. Although he had his faults as well as virtues, and which the human family are all heir to, his friends have the satisfaction to know he enjoyed the respect and esteem of those in the community where he resided, and have their sympathy in their sad bereavement. Mr. Brothers died at his late residence, May 14, 1880. We commend his spirit to Him who gave it, and trust his ashes may rest in peace. WILLIAM RAMSEY was born in Maryland and removed to Jackson township, Wayne county, in 1823, and has resided in Jackson township about forty seven years. When he located the original settlers were Charles Hoy, John Baker, John Russell, Noah Long, John Jackson, William Bryan, Elisha Chilcote, John Tucker, John Davault, John Swaney and Robert Crawford, who owned a horse-mill, and finally went to Missouri. He owns a good farm and has it under fine cultivation, with fine buildings. Mr. Ramsey is now about eighty-two years of age. MICHAEL RIDDLE, SR., son of George and Mary Riddle, was born August 21, 1793, in Maryland. His father was of Scotch-Irish descent, and his mother was a native of Maryland, and of Welsh descent. His father died and was buried on Crows' Island, when the subject of this sketch was but ten years old; and at the age of sixteen he came into Fayette county, Pennsylvania, and engaged to serve an HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 225 apprenticeship at blacksmithing, with a Mr. Peter Herdsack, for a term of five years. But a short time before the expiration of said term, and in the fall of 1812, the Ruffner, Zimmer, and Copus assassination on the Black fork of Mohican took place, by the Indians. Volunteers from western Pennsylvania were called out to defend the border settlers in Ohio, He entered the service as one of the volunteers, for a term of six months, under General Robert Crooks, and passed over the territory now constituting Ashland and Richland counties, en route for Upper Sandusky; was at all the principal points along the rivers and lakes, from Fort Meigs, on the Maumee, to Toledo, Detroit and Cleveland, under General Harrison, He became acquainted with Col. Richard M. Johnston, of Kentucky; and was finally detailed to take charge of the sick on Put-in-Bay and South Bass islands, where he remained most of the time for which he had enlisted. He stood by and saw James Bird shot for deserting Perry's fleet; and in the spring of 1813 he returned to Fayette county, Pennsylvania, worked at his trade, and in the fall, September II, 1814, married Miss Barbara Ann Franks, daughter of George and Abigail Franks, of Fayette county, Pennsylvania. The result of said marriage was eleven children, nine sons and two daughters. George W., was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, June 5, 1815; Aaron, born in same county, February 10, 1817. And in the spring of 1818, he removed with his little family to Applecreek, Wayne county, Ohio, at which place his daughter Abigail was born, December 31, 1818. And in the spring of I820, he located on eighty acres of military school land, four miles northeast of Ashland, then Uniontown, on the Cleveland road, it being then in Richland county, and there he erected his little log cabin in which to live, surrounded by a dense forest of tall oak and hickory, as well as beech and maple. And in the fall of the same year, November 28, I80, his son, Samuel was born. Then Michael, jr., born October 28, 1822; John. R., born April 12, 1824; Jacob, born January 12, 1826; Cornelius, born December 8, 1827; Jesse, born August 3, 1830; Mary Ann, born January 9, 2832; and William Patterson, born October 31, 1834; of these, Jacob, Jesse, Cornelius, Aaron, and Mary Ann are dead. Aaron married Miss Delia Ann Alexander, February 15, 1838, who died August 17, of the same year. George W., married Miss Ruth Alexander, October 23, 1838, who also died, May 31, 1839; George's second marriage, to Miss Jane Scott, March 31, 1842, by whom he has eleven children -John S., dead; Sarah, Cornelius F., Ira A., Jane Irene, dead, Samantha Ann, Sophia S., Eliza E., Rebecca A., Flora and Dora, twins. Of these Samantha Ann, Sophia S., and Eliza E., are school teachers. Aaron's second marriage was with Miss Elizabeth McCammon, November r, 1843. They have had four children-three boys and one girl: Marshall W., dead; Almon G,, dead; Judson B., in the far west; and Lucy Jane, school teacher, wife of Joseph Welch, a farmer. Aaron died November 17, 1851, aged thirty-four years nine months and seven days. Abigail remains single. Samuel married Miss Margaret Dally, of Mohicanville, November 16, 1843. The result of said marriage was nine children, three boys and six girls. Michael, jr., married Miss Catharine Hatfield, of Doylestown, Ohio, February it, 1849. Result of marriage, six children, two boys and four girls. Mary Ann was married to James A. Hazlett, and had seven children, three boys and four girls; Willie, dead; John, Ellie, Ettie, Lucy, Phoenie, and James Franklin. William Patterson married Kate D. Stents, December t0, 1861, and has three children-Orwell, Emma, and Norman. Two of his sons, Samuel and Michael, turned their attention somewhat to the subject of education, and attended the Ashland academy, under the superintendence of the Fultons and Lorin Andrews. After teaching school each several terms, the former turned his attention to the study and practice of medicine; the latter, to the ministry of the Gospel. The other members of the family are farmers, and live on and near the old homestead. Mr. Riddle was noted for his habits of industry, economy, and self reliance. He was an excellent farmer, and experimented largely in choice varieties of fruits, and is believed to have manufactured the first wine in Montgomery township, from the catawba grape. In his earher years he was an active member of the Baptist church; he and his wife were baptized by Elder John Rigdon,. who was then a pioneer preacher, living in Clearcreek township, Richland county; but when Alexander Campbell began to publish his views of church doctrine and government, in what was called the Christian Baptist, first published in 1823, Mr. Riddle embraced the doctrine of the Disciples, and assisted Mr. Rigdon and others in organizing a church in Ashland. Many years, however, before the little church-house was built which stands on Orange street, of which he was one of the original trustees, he opened his own house for public worship; he made it the home of all the old pioneer preachers, as they passed through from place to to place; and not unfrequently they held protracted meetings at his house. He entertained on many occasions from forty to fifty people at a time, giving largely of his means to support the ministers, besides. He was for a long time the only elder of the church, but in" after years, others were appointed to assist him. He unfortunately received a mortal injury in a fall from an apple tree, October 28, 1857, from which he expired in a few hours, aged sixty-four years two months and twenty-seven days. His wife died June 15, 1880, aged sixty-seven years five months and seven days. He was a life-long Democrat, of the Jeffersonian and Andrew Jackson school, and was never known to vary his vote in any case. PETER VAN NORDSTRAND, SR., was born in New Jersey, and, after the close of the Revolutionary war, emigrated to Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. His ancestors were from Holland. In 226 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. 1816 he came to Clearcreek township, Richland (now Ashland) county, and located on section thirty-five, where he deceased, in 1817, aged about fifty years. He had been a neighbor to the Baileys and Brytes in Westmoreland county, and was induced to settle in the wilds of Clearcreek because of their emigration to that region. A brother-in-law, Archibald Gardner, located in Mifflin, on the present site of Windsor, in the spring of 1811, and forted at Ream's in 1812. Mr. Van Nordstrand's sons were: John, who subsequently removed to, and deceased, in Iowa ; Isaac, who also located in Iowa, and Peter, who continues to reside in Clearcreek township. The daughters were: Elizabeth, wife of Abraham Bebout; Anna, wife of William Andrews; Rachel, wife of David Urie; Effie, wife of Alexander McCready; Eleanor, wife of James McCool; Margaret, wife of Michael Shoup; Mary, wife of David Bryte, and Sarah, wife of John Mykrants. Peter married Nancy Shaw, and is now about seventy- two years of age, He states that when his father landed in Clearcreek, there were but eight or ten families in the township. The first school-house in his part of the township was a little cabin of round logs, erected on the farm of the late Abraham Huffman, in 1817. The children of the following householders attended, Mr, Robert Nelson being the first teacher: Abraham Huffman, John Brown, Andrew Stevison, Robert Ralston, Widow Trickle, David McKinny, Rev. William Matthews, Levi and Thomas Brink, Widow Mary Van Nordstrand, and the children of Robert Nelson. The country was in its primitive condition, game was plenty, and the Indians from Sandusky hunted annually in the forests of Clearcreek for a number of years after the arrival of the first settlers. They were harmless, and rarely visited the cabins of the • pioneers, except when they were driven to do so from pinching hunger. Peter Van Nordstrand, jr., occupied the old homestead until about 1872, when his wife deceased. He is now residing with a son-in-law. He has been an exemplary member of the Christian church for over thirty years. His wife was also a devoted member of the same church. It is rarely that men, in a single community, witness the changes that have taken place within this county in the last sixty years. From an almost unbroken forest, the hills and valleys of this county have been reduced to cultivation, and every township teams with abundance. Schools, villages, and towns have sprung into being, as if by magic. From a few hundred the inhabitants of the county have multiplied until our population reaches over twenty-three thousand. The Indian that roamed over the hills and along the fertile valleys of this county, has long since removed to the far west, and his race will, ere long, become extinct. THE MERCERS. Abner E. Mercer was born in Virginia, January 19, 1810. He emigrated with his family to Jackson county, Ohio, in 1812. From that county his father, Levi Mer cer, served as a soldier in the war of 1812, in the northwest, In 1824 he removed with his family to Milton township, Richland, now Ashland, county, where he en- teed a half section of land in section six. He deceased in 1850, and his wife in 1853; he at the age of seventy years, and she at seventy-three. They left a numerous family—thirteen children—Sabra, Elizabeth, Levi, Maria, Hale, Abner, Sarah, Mary, Jackson, Franklin, Mohada, Washington, and Caroline, and about one hundred grandchildren. Elmer E. was the sixth member of the family, and has resided on a part of the home farm since arriving at manhood. He attended the common schools of the township, and learned the trade of a plasterer. He married Miss Thankful Crabbs, daughter of John Crabbs, near Olivesburg, Richland county, February 17, 1834. In . 1835 he became a member of the Disciple church, and adorned his faith by an upright walk. In 1844 he became the elder of Bryte's church, and was devoted to his faith. Mr. Mercer was also a farmer of industrious habits and admitted integrity and uprightness. When he entered the township, in 1824, it was largely in its primitive condition. The native forest had been comparatively undisturbed by the woodman's axe. At that period cabin-raising, log-rolling, and wood-cutting were the principal occupations of the pioneers, who cheerfully volunteered their aid to assist those who sought a home amid the forests, Great have been the changes since the Mercers entered the township. Mr. Mercer, for the last six or seven years, had been greatly enfeebled by that fell destroyer, consumption. The immediate occasion of his last illness was pneumonia, of which he deceased February 23, 1877, and was interred at Bryte's church on the 24th. He was the father of fourteen children—Jefferson, John, Levi, Polly, Madison, Abner, Sarah, Darius, Benjamin, William, Silas, Jacob, Nancy, and one unnamed. His funeral was attended by a large number of his neighbors, the members of his family, and fourteen grandchildren, Mr. Mercer still survives and is aged about sixty years. Thus, one by one, the pioneers are being gathered home by the great reaper, and soon the funeral chime will have tolled the knell of the last early settler. SOLOMON MARKEL was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, December, 1813, and came with his parents to Congress township, Wayne county, in 1837. The name of his father was Solomon Markle, sr., who died in 1852, at the age of fifty-two years; his mother died in 1850, aged seventy-two years.. Solomon located on section sixteen, Orange township, in 1837. He had married Miss Hannah Howman, of Congress, Wayne county, prior to locating in Orange. Their family consists of five boys, Jacob, Israel, Aaron, Franklin and Lewis C,, and four girls, Mary, Margaret, Elizabeth and Hannah J. The HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 227 children are all married but Lewis C. They are much scattered, living in the new States. Mr. Markel possesses a fine homestead of one hundred and sixty acres of well-improved land, on section sixteen, Orange township. Israel Markel was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, February 7, 1819, and came with his father's family to Congress township, Wayne county, in April, 1835, where he remained until 1839, and married shortly after settling on section sixteen, in Orange township, Miss Mariah Ricket, in 1839. Mr. Markel has been a justice of the peace two terms, a constable two terms, and a coroner of the county one term, in 1846. He now resides in Ashland, but retains one hundred and seventy acres of his homestead in Orange township, on sections sixteen and nine. His family consists of six boys : Jacob W., George A., Samuel D., Israel C., a physician, Isaiah F. and Henry A., lawyer, and four daughters, Eliza, Rachel, Lucia A. and Artha M, Like the family of Solomon, they are much scattered in the west and in this State. ELI W. WALLACK was born September 3, 1828, in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, from whence, at the age of twenty years, he removed to Ashtabula county, Ohio, and remained until 1848, when he located in Ashland. At first he formed a partnership with J. W. Harman in the provision business, which lasted about two years, when he formed a partnership with R. and J, Freer in the same business. About this time he married Miss Anne Faws, who deceased in 1873 aged thirty-mne years. He afterward married Mrs. Caroline Campbell in 1876. Mr. Wallack has been an active business man in Ashland for thirty-two years, and is one of the oldest business men of the town. He has met many business reverses. The failure of the Citizens' Bank in 1877, greatly shook his confidence in men. The destuction of his store rooms, by fire, in June, 1880, was a sad disaster and a great loss. He is now in company with W. C. Frazee in a furniture establishment on Main street, Ashland. Mr. Wallack has often been called to fill the office of treasurer for Montgomery township, and has many friends who respect him for his undoubted integrity and honor. WILLIAM C. FRAZEE was born December 10, 1841, in Alleghany county, Maryland, and came to Ashland county, Ohio, in 1863, and taught school two winters and labored one summer on a farm, after which he formed a partnership with John Rebman in the provision business about one year, and then entered the same business with Joseph Stoffer, during which time he was elected clerk of the court of common pleas for Ashland county from 1870 to 1876. Since his time as clerk has expired he formed a partnership with E. W. Wallack in the bed spring business, and subsequently in the furniture and undertaking business in Ashland. He married Miss Nancy Swineford, daughter of John Swineford, December 26, 1864, by whom he had two children, one of whom yet survives. THE RALSTONS, originally Scotch, fled from Scotland to the north of Ireland during the persecution of the Presbyterians, and from that branch of the family descended the American Ralstons, who emigrated to Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, about the year 1760. From Lancaster they removed to Washington county in 1786. Robert Ralston, sr., served in the war of 1812, in a regiment from western Pennsylvania. On the way to the Maumee, he passed over the territory now constituting Ashland county; and being pleased with the appearance of the country, sold his farm in Washington county on his return from the army, and came to Montgomery township, Richland (now Ashland) county, in 1814, and settled two miles north of Ashland, where he resided until 1830. He became one of the justices of the peace at the first election, after the organization of Montgomery township, his commission being in the possession of his son James. He married Jane Woodburn; he died October 26, 1854, aged eighty-six years. Jane, his wife, died September 3, 1862, aged eighty-six years, five months. Their children were: Robert, jr., who died November 17, 1871, in Clinton county, Iowa, aged seventy-four years; James, of Plymouth, Richland county, Ohio, aged seventy-seven years; Jane Hall, oldest daughter, resides in Nevada, Wyandot county, Ohio; Margaret Hall resides in Orange township, Ashland county; Nancy Gribben, in Plymouth, Richland county; Alexander, in Franklin county, Tennessee; Samuel W., in Auburn, Indiana; Maria Dickson, in Crawford county, Ohio; David, in Clinton county, Iowa; and Julia Bodley, in Whitley county, Indiana. Robert was the father of the late W. C. Ralston, of San Francisco, California. James, the second son of Robert, sr., the oldest living member of the family at this time (1876), was the mill-boy during the first few years of their residence in Ashland county. With a horse and pack-saddle, with a sack of corn or wheat, he often traveled by new-cut roads and Indian trails to Shrimplin's mill, in Knox county, the journey occupying three or four days, to obtain a grist. In these trips, he often forded swollen streams, and encountered many dangers and difficulties. Robert, jr., was a house carpenter, and constructed many of the first buildings in Ashland and Montgomery township. He removed from his farm, north of Ashland, to Plymouth, Richland county, in 1829; and from there to Brooke county, Virginia, in 1832; and from there to Wellsville, Ohio, in 1836; and to Clinton county, Iowa, in 1853, where he died. Alexander represented Richland county in the Ohio legislature two terms, and served as justice of the peace a number of years, prior to his removal to Tennessee ; he was also a carpenter by trade. 228 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. The Ralstons, like their Scotch-Irish ancestors, are warmly attached to the Presbyterian faith, and have all been noted for their intelligence, frugality, industry, and moral integrity. ADAM LINK was born November 14, 1763, in Washington county, Maryland. His father, Jacob Link, was a native of the same State, while his mother was born in Switzerland. When Adam was about six years old his mother died. His father married again, and moved to the frontier, and located some seven or eight miles from Wheeling, Virginia, where he secured by "tomahawk right," six hundred acres of land, four hundred in Virginia and two hundred in Washington, then Westmoreland, county, Pennsylvania. At the breaking out of Indian hostilities he had already made a good deal of progress in clearing and fitting up his farm, and had a number of horses, cattle and hogs, and determined to remain in his cabin and defend his property, taking the precaution, however, of sending his wife and smaller children back to the settlements before the approach of the savage Shawnees and their allies. In August, Mr. Link sent Adam and an older brother, Jonathan, with horses laden with provisions to his family. After the departure of his sons, the same evening, two strangers hunting strayed horses stopped at the cabin of Mr. Link for the night. A nephew of Mrs. Link by the name of Miller also remained at the cabin. When the strangers arose the next morning Mr. Link cautioned them not to go out, as the dogs had been uneasy all night. Paying no attention to his warning, they opened the door and went out to wash, and were immediately shot by Indians, who were concealed near the cabin. Link and Miller gathered up the guns and retreated to the second story of the cabin, drawing up the ladder. The Indians rushed into the building, but finding the stairway safely guarded by rifles pointing down, retreated. After exchanging shots for an hour without effect, a painted white man came forward with a flag of truce, and said if they would give up their arms and come down they would not be hurt, otherwise they would set fire to the cabin and burn them out. Finding further resistance to be useless, they handed down their guns, descended, and their hands were tied. They were marched some distance into the woods, where the Indians halted and held a council, there being some thirty in the gang. The consultation related to the fate of the prisoners. At the conclusion, Mr. Link was tomahawked and scalped, and his body left. Mr. Miller was a sad witness of the fate of his friend. The Indians then moved forward, marching, as he observed, in a circle. That night they had a scalp dance, after which Miller was fastened by raw-hide cords to a large Indian to sleep. The Indians being tired, soon slept profoundly. As soon as it was safe Mr. Miller commenced to gnaw the thongs from his . wrists. After much perseverance he finally succeeded, He then carefully removed the cord that encircled his wrist, arose to his feet, seized a good gun and passed into the forest; but had made little progress before the Indian awakened, and with a yell, aroused his companions. Miller continued his fhght, and finally reached the settlement. On the morning before the fight took place at the cabin, Adam and Jonathan, who had accompanied their step-mother to a neighboring settlement, were requested to remain part of the day to cut wood. Adam remained, but Jonathan returned. There were several families on the route. On his way Jonathan rode up to a cabin where the owner-was making a trough, and asked him if he was not afraid of Indians. He replied—"the d—d redskins are afraid to come about here." Jonathan had not proceeded over one hundred rods when he found himself in the middle of a large body of savages, who were watching the cabin he had just passed. They ordered him to surrender, but he fled. The Indians pursued his horse became frightened—the saddle turned; he cut the girth and fled in the direction of his father's cabin. When he came in sight of it he found it and the barn in flames. He returned by a circuitous route to the fort. In a few hours Adam followed his brother, and met a stranger on horseback, who told him to turn back, "for the Indians were as thick as yellow jackets in Hawkin's bottom," After these adventures, the family of Jacob Link became scattered, until the close of the Revolutionary war: Some returned to the vicinity of Baltimore, where the father of Mrs. Link resided. At the conclusion of the war, Adam located adjoining the old homestead in Washington county, Pennsylvania. The old farm passed from the possession of the family, and Adam became a common laborer. He was a young man of great endurance, and could thresh, with a flail, sixty bushels of wheat per week, and make as many rails as any man of his weight in the border settlements. At the age of twenty-eight he married Miss Elizabeth Link, a relative, and settled in Washington county. He purchased, improved and sold a number of small farms in that county. He saw no active service in the war of 1812. In 1818 he walked from his home in Pennsylvania to Uniontown, now Ashland, Ohio, and located in the southwest quarters of sections one and eleven in Milton township, built cabins, and in the following spring removed with his family, consisting of four sons and five daughters. He located on section one, and afterward sold it to William Lockhart, and removed to section eleven, which, in his seventy-fourth year, he sold to a son, and then improved a small farm on section fourteen, and then removed to Crawford county, and resided with his son-in-law, Mr. Rashton Markley, until August, 1864, when he deceased, at the age of one hundred and one years. Mr. Link was a peculiar man. His habits are worth notice. In height he was five feet ten inches. His weight was about one hundred and sixty pounds. He was compact in muscle, and possessed great strength and endurance. He was never sick, and never suffered pain. He retained his soundness of constitution until he had nearly reached the age of ninety years. As his limbs began to grow stiff and unwieldly, he was accustomed to say "the machinery is wearing out." From HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 229 early life he attended the Presbyterian church, but always contended that "all men would be saved after being beaten with few and many stripes, according as they had sinned in this life. That having paid the penalty of sin, they would eventually be saved with the just." Although nearly all his life a border settler, he was well versed in the history of the times. He was an 'interesting conversationalist, and in narrating the adventures of the border settlements of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, he was accurate in incident, and often eloquent in description. In politics he was a Jeffersonian Democrat. He had a strong preference for military presidents, and is believed to have supported General W. H. Harrison, General Zachariah Taylor and General Scott, for president. As a farmer, he was peculiar. For a period of nearly sixty years he never used or owned a wagon. He always attended market with a sled, and packed his wheat to mill on a horse. He was equally singular in his diet. His standard living was bread, meat, eggs, potatoes, butter, sugar and coffee. No fruit or milk. He was a hearty meat eater. He regarded two goose eggs as a medium breakfast, combined with a little bread and meat. When he was eighty-seven years old, having used whiskey freely all his Iife, he became convinced that the modern modes of its manufacture were pernicious, by reason of the deleterious drugs entering into the new compound, and abandoned its use. Here, then, are two problems for solution : 1. Did his diet contribute to the preservation of his health to so advanced an age ? 2. Is it true that the use of pure spirituous liquors, as a common beverage, shortens life by enfeebling the physical and vital powers ?* JOHN BISHOP. To preserve the memory and hold in respect the deeds and services of the pioneers who have devoted their lives and energies to leveling the forest and taming the wild luxuriance of a new country, must ever be grateful to those who survive. While this is true, in regard to the world's great men in military life, it is equally true ii all discoveries of science, as well as in building up of new communities, in prosperity, intelligence, virtue, and wealth. It has often been the case, that in the age in which the pioneer lives, his invaluable services fail to be appreciated, yet those who survive, have generally made liberal amends for any apparent neglect. The present generation is under lasting obligations to those who encountered the dangers, and endured the hardships of our new settlements to prepare the way for the advance of the standard of civilization, where hitherto the wild native roamed free and unmolested. We should long remember these fathers and mothers for such incalculable services in the cause of human improvement; for they deserve to be held in remembrance in all coming time as public benefactors. This sentiment, we * Note—Jonathan Link built a block-house on Middle Wheeling creek, in 1780, near the present town of Triadelphia. He was killed in it by the Indians in the fall of 1781. trust, actuates all the members of the Pioneer society of Ashland county. John Bishop was born January 22, 1793, in Frederick county, in the State of Maryland. At the age of thirteen years, his parents removed to Green county, Pennsylvania. His father, being in moderate circumstances, John was hired to work for a neighbor named William Estel, for ten shillings per month, and having amassed sufficient means, came to Licking county, Ohio, during the war of 1812. That county was then sparsely settled, and the pioneers had to endure many privations in the midst of war. Here he found employment for one year. He was then twenty years old, and remained one year. In 1814 he returned to Pennsylvania and induced his father's family to accompany him to Licking county. At the close of the war, in 1815, he came to Orange township, then Richland, now Ashland, county. He found the pioneers of that region few and greatly scattered. It was not uncommon to meet the red men in the woods, who were friendly to the whites, and often hunted in our forests. His first work consisted in digging the foundation of a new mill erected by Martin Mason, on the present site of Mr. Leidigh's mill in the west part of Orange township. There were then no villages in the township and none in the county. The mill was put in running order, to do a small business in 1816. In 180, he aided in the erection of the first school-house in the township in the Hiffner settlement. In 1819, March 9, he married Miss Catharine Hiffner, daughter of Jacob Hiffner, a revolutionery soldier, who died about 1849. This lady was the choice of his youth, and he lived in great peace with her until about 1876, when she left earth for a happy home prepared for all the good. Mr. Bishop could exclaim with the poet: . She's the star I missed from heaven, Long time ago, and has now gone to join her in the happier land, never more to part. There were ten children when the Bishop family ar¬rived in Ohio. There are still living: Jacob, Catharine Weedman, and Elizabeth Young, all of whom now reside in the State of Ilhnois. Mr. Bishop leaves several members of his family in Ashland county. He resided about sixty-four years in this county, most of the time on his late homestead north of Orange, Mr. Bishop had always been an industrious, unpretending farmer, and, by economy and uprightness had acquired a good property, which he divided among his children. As a citizen, socially and morally, he occupied a high place in the respect of his neighbors, He was among the earlier pioneers of the township—the Metcalfs, the Fasts, the Norrises, the Youngs, and the Uries. He helped to clear its forests, make its roads, erect its school-houses, and aid the pioneers by his kind offices. As a citizen he was kind and gentle in his manners, and, as a Christian, exemplary among his neighbors. He was a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church for more than half a century, and deemed death but gain for the true Christian. Although regarded as a member of the Pioneer and Historical society of the 230 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. county, advanced age and exposure prevented his meeting with his pioneer associates frequently. Mr, Bishop died, after a brief illness, March 12, 1879, aged eighty-six years, one month, and eighteen days. His work is done, and he has gone to rest. May he find the reward of the good and true. JOHN CORY was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, May 17, 1800. His father, Aaron Cory, was born in New Jersey in 1772, and came to Washington county when a young man, in 1793, and married Miss Elizabeth McGuire, sister of the late Thomas and Hugh McGuire. He and his family, consisting of his wife and children, removed to what became Tuscarawas county, Ohio, in 1802. That region had been the home of the Delaware Indians prior to the expeditions of Williamson and Colonel William Crawford, in 1781-2, and was long a favorite resort for Indians of that nation, after the Corys came into the country. The Delawares were much attached to. the preaching and teaching of the Moravian missionary, Rev. John Heckewelder, and visited Goshen in memory of the past. Here the Corys and Carrs became acquainted with many leading Indians, among whom were George Hamilton and Philip Ignatius, who participated in the fight with General Wayne at Fallen Timbers in 1795, and often spoke of the wonderful manner in which he conducted the campaign. These Indians, with others, often visited Mr. Cory in Perry township, Wayne county, after his removal in subsequent years. In the year 1814 Aaron Cory located two quarters of land in Wayne and Richland counties, one in section twenty-nine in Perry, and one in Montgomery township, known as the old Andress farm, at the land office at Canton. In 1817 Aaron Cory and his son John, the oldest member of his family, visited Perry township with the view of improving his land. They cleared about ten acres, and Mr. Cory returned to Tuscarawas county. John remained, and continued the improvements in the summer season, for two years, returning home during each winter. In the spring of 1819, Aaron Cory and family, consisting of his wife and eight children, John being the oldest, removed to the farm in Perry township. Mr. Cory remained about eight years, and then purchased a new home, and located in Crawford county, where he died in 1834, aged about sixty years. John took possession of the home farm in Perry township, and married Miss Elizabeth Cantwell, sister of the late Colonel James Cantwell, who fell at the second battle of Bull Run, during the late war, John Cory continued to reside on the old farm until 1867, when he sold it and purchased in Morrow county, whence he removed. Here he had the misfortune to lose, by death, the wife of his youth, in 1872, aged about sixty-five years. He felt the separation most keenly, and was never fully reconciled to her death. Mrs. Cory was an excellent lady, and possessed of great firmness, good judgment, and Christian forbearance, in a large degree. Of late years Mr. Cory has resided in Sandusky town- ship, Richland county, at the residence of a daughter, Mrs. Stevens, where he died. His family consists of Anne Mariah, wife of Peter Spangler, of Evansport, Defiance county, Ohio; Aaron F. Cory, of Hixville, Defiance county, Ohio; Sarah, wife of Dr, J. McKune, of Marion county, Ohio; Martha J., wife of George Palmer, of Marion county, Iowa; William W. Cory, esq., of Ottumwa, Iowa; John F. Cory, of Hixville, Defiance county, Ohio ; and Rhoda A., the wife of Lewis Stevens, of Richland county, Ohio. The members of the family above enumerated are all living, and were generally present at the funeral of Mr. Cory. The Corys, on the mother's side of the house, were French, and on that of the father's and grandfather's, of Scotch descent, and originally settled in New Jersey, some time before the American Revolution. Mr. Cory, at the time of his decease, possessed a Bible printed in France in 1727, which is said to have been originally the property of his great-grandfather, Joseph Freeman. The Bible was purchased in France about the time his ancestors settled in New Jersey. Mr. Cory often, in his conversation, dwelt upon the early reminiscences of settlement in Perry township, the wildness of the forest, the hardships of the pioneers, the difficulty of procuring milling, and the thinness of the settlements. He related, with much merriment, the experience of himself and father during the first summer, whilst engaged in making their first improvements. They erected, against a large log, a camp cabin, eight b ten feet, of small logs or saplings, and .covered it, the roof all sloping one way, by clapboards, to keep out the wet. It had no floor, and was open in front. A fire was built a few feet from the front, to keep off the wolves, which at night were quite numerous. The only furniture of the cabin consisted of a rifle, two axes, two or three knives, a fork or two, two or three pewter plates, one or two tin cups, an iron pot for cooking, a skillet for frying meat, and two or three home-made stools. They slept on their blankets spread on. leaves in their cabin. In this solitary home they were often joined by the late John Carr, sr., who lived a few miles away, in their work, One evening, while preparing supper, Mr. Cory had the misfortune to upset the skillet in frying meat. The oil immediately took fire, and with a great blaze was, with the meat, consumed. The fragrance of the consuming fat was wafted on the evening breeze, and snuffed by the hungry wolves, which speedily gathered in the distance, and commenced a hideous serenade, not daring to approach, having great fears of the fire. In this manner, Mr. Cory began his improvement in Perry, about sixty- two years ago. Such has been the change that has, almost imperceptibly, gone on in a single life time. It may be remarked that Mr. Cory was an intelligent, honest, and kind-hearted gentleman. He was noted for his Christian bearing and generous impulses. In his politics, as in his religious views, he was firm and fixed, and never shrank from the issue, For a long series of years he was a most exemplary member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He met the dread monster, Death, fearing not, but conscious that his work was well JOHN H. McCOMBS was born June 14, 1813, in Washington county, Pennsylvania. He had two brothers, one, James A. McCombs, died at the age of four years. Andrew M. McCombs was a member of Captain Barber's company, and died in the service on the thirtieth of April, 1862, at Ashland, aged' forty-seven years and five months. His mother, Ann McClean, was married to his father, Matthew McCombs, on the twenty-third day of April, 1812. His father served six months in the war of 1812, under General Harrison, and died, from the effects of the service, in the year 1822. His mother died at Ashland February 18, 1867, in the eighty-second year of her age. Mr. McCombs' grandfather, on the father's side, was born in Ireland, and emigrated to, and bought a farm in, Washington county, Pennsylvania, and lived to about the age of eighty years, and his wife to near the same age. Mr, McCombs' grandfather, on the mother's side, Andrew McClean, died on his farm in Washington county, Pennsylvania, Smith township, at the age of eighty-five years, and his wife at the age of sixty-seven years. Grandfather McClean was born near Fort Deposit, Maryland, was a Revolutionary soldier, who died at a ripe age, full of years and full of faith, being an elder in the Presbyterian church of Raccoon. He performed an important part in procuring the liberties we now enjoy. He was in the battles of Brandywine, Long Island, Germantown, Monmouth, Stony Point, etc., serving five years, and enlisted at the age of seventeen. He saw and participated in the mighty event which, under Providence, ended in the permanent independence of this country, and died enjoying the confidence and esteem of all his neighbors. Mr, McCombs was left to the care Of his mother, who brought him up and early taught him self-independence. He taught school in his neighborhood at the early age of sixteen, He commenced to acquire a liberal education at Florence academy, Washington county, Pennsylvania, then attended Washington college, and after a course of over five years was graduated at Franklin college, in Harrison county, Ohio, in the class of 1839. He then read law with the Hon. T. M. T. McKennan, who was Secretary of the Interior under General Taylor, and his son, William McKennan, now United States district judge for northwestern Pennsylvania, and he was admitted to the bar in Washington, Pennsylvania; when he came to Ohio and resided in Richland county one year; came to Ashland, Ashland county, Ohio, before the county was erected, and assisted in procuring the county-seat, where he has ever since resided and engaged in the practice of the law, He was married to Sarah A, Wright, a native of the State of New York, December 29, 1846. They had three children—S. Anna, Mary B., and John. The youngest, John, remains with the parents; Anna is married to S. W. Andrews, and Mary to James Whyte. HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 231 done, and he had nothing to regret, but was ready to go, Just as the morning of the fourth of July, 1879, commenced to dawn, the good old pioneer was ushered into the presence of all those who had long since departed to a better and, we trust, a happier world. May he rest in peace, JOHN CARR, SR., was born in Maryland, and came to Washington county, Pennsylvania, about 1790, and married Margaret McGuire, sister of the late Thomas and Hugh McGuire, and during the border wars acted as an Indian spy a short time, when the Bradys, the Poes, as well as Frank McGuire, Robert McGuire, and the Wetsels, scouted along the western border of Pennsylvania. From Washington county, Pennsylvania, John Carr removed into Tuscarawas county, Ohio, where he remained until about 1810, when he came to Mohican township, then in Wayne, now in Ashland, county, with his family, and settled on what is now known as the Chessman farm, about half a mile northwest of Jeromeville, which he subsequently sold to John Ewing, sr., and purchased what is now the Horn farm, on the east line of Montgomery township, where he died in 1837, aged about sixty years. Mrs. Carr died there also. His children were: Thomas, Nicholas, Nancy, Hugh, Joshua, Benjamin, John, Samuel, Margaret, Aaron, Susan, and Curtis, by his first wife, and Aquilla and David by the second wife. When the people became alarmed in Mohican, in the fall of 1812, because of the menacing conduct of the Indians, Mr. Carr and his family took refuge upon the Tuscarawas, until all danger and threats had been so far removed as to warrant a return to his cabin. Mr. Carr is understood to have been on friendly terms with the Indians of Mohican township, many of whom had resided in other days, at Goshen, on the Tuscarawas. In fact, it has often been suggested, that so warm was his attachments for many of the Jerome Indians, and so deep their regard for Mr. Carr, that he probably would have remained unmolested in his cabin, near the fort, had he chosen to do so, during the war. The Indians often called on him, after the war, in their hunting excursions in Mohican. He was a good man. JAMES CLARK was born in Chambersburgh, Pennsylvania, October 7, 1790, and in youth attended the common schools of his neighborhood. In 1797 his parents removed to Washington county, in the same State, where he grew to manhood. War having been declared against Great Britain in 1812, by the United States, all those capable of bearing arms in the contest were either drafted or volunteered for the service. Washington county during the Revolution and subsequent struggles, had suffered severely by the incursions of the red men from Sandusky and the Scioto. From the temper evinced by the mother country, it was apprehended that so far as her agents could corrupt and inflame the passions of the tribes of the northwest against our people they would do so. Her agents secretly gave to the fierce red men ammunition, blankets, and arms, as the price of human scalps. They regarded the Americans as rebels in rebellion, and in a relentless war expected to subdue our people. The border settlers were aroused, and a most determined effort was put forth to turn back the red fiend, headed by British bayonets, and thus parry every attempt to subdue our country a second time. The young men of Washington county, in 1813, of the proper age, were drafted into the service. Mr. Clark was among those who drew a place, in the service, and was soon enrolled. The heroic victory on Lake Erie, by Commodore Perry, and the brave conduct of Captain Crogan, turned back the red hordes of the northwest, headed by British bayonets, and thus repelled invasion, by lake and land, and by the time the troops of western Pennsylvania had reached Pittsburgh, a lull in the contest soon caused a declaration of peace, and Mr. Clark and his comrades were discharged without further service. He was in no battle, but evinced his readiness for the fray. In 1814 he entered, at the land office, his late home in Orange township. When he visited his land he came by way of Wheeling, Zanesville, Coshocton, up the Walhonding, the Lake and Jerome forks, by Finley's, to the blockhouse on Jerome's farm, and thence up the stream by what became the home of Jacob Young, to his own location northwest of what is now the village of Orange, on the waters of Mohican. In 1818 he built a small cabin on his land, and kept bachelor's hall during the summer season, doing his own cooking, grubbing, chopping, and preparing his land, and in the fall returned home and engaged in teaming to "old Pitt." In this manner he continued to labor on his land, each summer, for seven successive years, When he came out in 1818, he was accompanied by his brother John, and stayed all night at Uniontown, now Ashland, at the cabin hotel of Joseph Sheets, just opposite the present hardware store of Mr. Stull, on the north side of Main street. Mr. Sheets deceased several years since; but Mrs. Nancy Sheets, the former landlady, resides in South Ashland, possessing a good deal of energy, and quite a vigorous mind, for an aged lady. For some time after his arrival wild game was abundant. Mr. Clark was a good marksman, and easily procured plenty of venison, wild turkeys, and occasionally a black bear. These he dressed and cooked according to his taste. Wolves were very numerous and bold. He related that on several occasions, having no door to his cabin, wolves ventured in during the night and actually carried away meat and other articles. On one occasion he killed and dressed a large, fat turkey, expecting to enjoy the luxury of roasting and eating the same. On going to bed he hung it up in his cabin; but when he arose next morning he found that during the night some howling, hungry wolf had carried it away and devoured it while he slept. He was repeatedly visited by bands of Delaware Indians, from the Fire Lands, during their encampment and hunts in the neighborhood. - These Indians were 232 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. very poor, and miserably clad. They were always apparently hungry, and in a begging humor. They often got corn-meal and other food from him, and agreed to pay him in deer skins and peltry for it, but invariably forgot . to remember the agreement. Mr. Clark, in his prime, was fully six feet high, and would weigh one hundred and eighty pounds. He was very resolute in his manner, and frank in his interviews with the Indians, and hence was never uncivilly treated by them. These Indians had a number of wigwams, or bark huts, three- quarters of a mile northwest of him, in what is now Troy township. Old Tom Lyons, Jonacake and his squaw, Catottawa, and other Indians, often came to his cabin, on their hunting excursions. He was also visited on several occasions by the eccentric, but harmless, Johnny Appleseed, who was engaged in planting, on Mason's run, a nursery in advance of the pioneers. These were solitary times; but Mr. Clark often stated that, being busily engaged in clearing and preparing his farm, time passed rapidly, and he really enjoyed himself working, and occasionally traversing the wild forests in search of game. When he entered the township, he was. of the opinion there were not over sixteen or seventeen families in it. Joel Mackerel, John Bishop, and Peter Biddinger were his nearest neighbors. Mr. Biddinger was a blacksmith, and also repaired guns and tomahawks for the Indians. At that time two shillings a day, and twenty-five cents a hundred for cutting and splitting twelve foot rails, in trade, was the customary price. He often traveled five miles on foot, to help roll logs or raise a cabin, and was really glad to assist in this manner all new settlers. There were no improved roads; all was new, and no road fund to repair highways. The willing hands 'and stout arms of the resolute pioneer had it all to do, and right cheerfully did they perform the task. It was some years before the advantages of good schools were enjoyed by the rising generation. Mr. Clark dwelt on the reminiscences of the past, the growth of the country in population, Intelligence and wealth, and regarded the change that had occurred in this region, as simply wondrous in the last sixty-one years. In I830 he married Miss Charlotte Myers, daughter of Jacob Myers, of Clearcreek, by whom he had four sons: Josephus, John, M. L., and James M. Clark, and two daughters, Mary A. McBride and Mrs, C. Sharrick. Mrs. Clark died in 184r, and Mr. Clark subsequently married a Miss Marshall, who, at an advanced age, survives her husband, and resides at the home of James M. Clark, on the old homestead. Mr. Clark and his aged lady enjoyed the filial attentions of the family, and esteem of all his pioneer neighbors, and life ebbed quietly away, and at eighty-nine years he became gradually feeble, and gently passed over the dark river to a better and happier land July 7, 1879. A deep veneration for the memory of these fathers and mothers of a new country pervades the rising generation. In the last twelve months we have parted with over twenty-five of the pioneers of the county, who have been gathered to their fathers, Ere long the last will disappear from among us. It is a grateful duty we owe the to smooth their departing hours by kind and respectful attention, ere we are called upon to enjoy the fruits of their toil and valor. JAMES KILGORE was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, December 21, 1795. He removed, with his parents, to Fairfield county, Ohio, in December, 1809, when about fourteen years of age. In 181o, his father located in Franklin county, on Alum creek, about two miles east of the present site of Columbus. He resided in a cabin, at this point, when the city of Columbus was surveyed and numbered in lots, and helped erect the first cabin, in 1811. This cabin was owned by Adam Hare, and stood on the corner of Broad and High streets. The Kilgores helped cut the trees and roll the logs on Broad and High streets, and hauled the stone for the foundation of the old capitol building from Black Lick, nine miles east of Columbus, In 1812, after the surrender of General Hull at Detroit, a great panic took place in the county of Delaware, and extended to Franklin, resulting from what was then known as Drake's defeat, in the southern part of what is now Marion county. Captain Drake was leading a new company of pioneer settlers from Delaware county, to recruit some advanced station near Upper Sandusky, to prevent surprise by the Indians, then largely in the interest of the British. By way of testing the courage and steadiness of the new troops, after the company had encamped, and placed a guard about the camp, and retired to rest, the captain managed to send out a few soldiers, who were to return from the forest in a short time, crying, "Indians! Indians!" and fire in quick succession, and thus arouse the soldiers from their slumber. In due time the false alarm took place. The new soldiers were greatly terrified, many taking the back track, and giving the alarm all along the road to Delaware, while the settlers immediately became panic-stricken, and, almost in a body, fled toward the settlements in Franklinton and Chillicothe. John Brickel, who was engaged on the upper branches of the Scioto, six miles above Columbus, in the milling business, and others in the neighborhood, fled to Franklinton, then the capital of the State, to the stockade. A requisition was immediately made for the service of all able-bodied men and youth, who were notified to report for duty at the stockade. James Kilgore, then about seventeen years of age, took his father's old gun and obeyed the call. In crossing the Scioto, at a ford near the site of the present National bridge, he overtook a woman and three children on their way to the stockade, He remained at the stockade a few weeks on guard duty, and when the excitement over the Drake stampede had subsided, southern Ohio and Kentucky having sent forward a large number of troops, to recruit the army of the northwest, he returned home. At the close of the war, the Kilgores reoccupied their old cabin on Alum creek, and continued their improvements for six or eight years. HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 233 After Columbus became the fixed capital of the State, the growth of the new city was quite rapid. The Kilgores participated in its improvement, and Mr. James Kilgore often stated that he saw the erection of the first cabin, in what is now the most valuable part of the city, and if nature had endowed him with a sufficient foresight, he might have owned some of the most valuable locations. Like General Cass (when asked how he made so much real estate in Detroit, responded: "Buy a farm, young man, and have them build a city on it"), he long since felt that the only mistake was that he did not purchase in the city, instead of in Ashland county. In 1818, he located in Stark county, where he married in 1821. In 1827, he purchased a half-quater of land, then in Richland, but now of Ashland county, and removed to it, and continued to reside there until his decease. In 1873 he had the misfortune to lose, by death, his excellent lady. She deceased at the age of seventy-six years, At the time of her death their family consisted of one son and five daughters. One son fell in the battle of Chickamauga, in the war of 1862-5. The other, Silas, lives on the homestead, and with whom the old gentleman resided at the time of his demise, July 4, 1878. Mr. Kilgore is believed to have been a member of the Presbyterian church for more than fifty years. In politics he was an old time Whig of the strictest order. He was in full possession of all his faculties to the last, and was very fond of relating his pioneer experiences. Upon the organization of the Ashland County Pioneer and Historical society he became an active member, and retained a high regard for the society. Thus, one by one, the pioneers pass away. May their exemplary lives and great sacrifices long impress the rising generation. Peace to their ashes. SYLVANUS PARMELY was born in Wilmington, Vermont, March 31, 1784. He was the oldest son of John Parmely, of English descent. He married Miss Louis Gould, in Somerset, Vermont, where he resided several years. In 1816 he came to the Western Reserve to select a home. He traveled the entire distance on horseback. At that time the lands of the Reserve townships were being surveyed into lots and sections. Mr. Parmely assisted in surveying Sullivan township during that season. The surveying party camped in the forest, and procured food from Harrisville during the period of the survey, by means of pack-horses. In the fall he returned to .Connecticut, and in the spring of 1817 removed his family, accompanied by six other families, to Sullivan center. These families were his father, John Parmely, his brother, Asahel Parmely, his brother-in-law, Thomas Rice, James Palmer and their families. A few months later this little colony was joined by Henry, Benjamin and Khesa Close and their families. The first mentioned families came in ox-teams, with the exception of Mr. Rice, who drove a span of horses. From Harrisville to Sullivan center, a distance of ten miles, file)/ cut a road through the forest, to enable their teams to ass. They arrived August 28, 1817. The log hut, ends on two sides and one end, which had been erected and occupied by the surveyors the year before, was given to Mr. and Mrs. James Palmer to occupy, while the rest of the families slept in their wagons about three weeks, until cabins could be erected for their accommodation. wo hewed log houses were built near the center of the town. Mr. Palmer went to the village of Wooster, on foot, by paths through the forest, to obtain glass for his windows. The nearest mill was also that of Stibbs, near Wooster, to which the new settlers in Sullivan resorted for their grists. Mr. Parmely and others soon conceived the idea of erecting a horse-mill in the center. The people, far and near, came there to have their grinding done, after staying all night. Mr. George Mann was the next pioneer. When it became necessary to establish a post-office in the Center, about the year 182o, Mr. Parmely was made the first postmaster. In 1822 he removed to Elyria, and Mr. John Gould was appointed postmaster. In 1833 Mr. Parmely returned to Sullivan and reoccupied his old farm. In company with Alexander Porter, he erected a large steam grist- and saw-mill, and established a dry goods store at the Center. In 1843 he was elected representative from Lorain county to the legislature. After the expiration of his term he attended at Columbus as lobby member several years, to procure the erection of a new county, of which Sullivan was proposed to be the seat of justice. It was believed by him that ample territory could be procured from the surrounding counties to erect such a county. A counter project was set on foot by rival interests, culminating in the erection of Ashland county in the winter of 1846. This unexpected result terminated the legislative efforts of Mrs. Parmely. He returned to the routine of business, and conducted his store until advancing age required his retirement. He was noted as a thoroughgoing, energetic and upright business man. He was exceedingly industrious, and during his pioneer life labored early and late. His axe was heard ringing amid the wilds. He felled the lofty forest trees, and soon made "the wilderness blossom as the rose." He was strictly honorable in business, mild in disposition, genial and kind to all. He was a friend to the struggling pioneer, and always ready to lend a helping hand to worthy enterprises. He was an earnest member of the Christian church, and a diligent student of the scriptures. He was, for many years, a member of the Baptist church, which was established at an early day in Sullivan. Upon hearing the doctrines advocated by Alexander Campbell, he became warmly attached to that reform, and helped organize the first Disciple church in Sullivan. For a period of nearly seventy years his name was enrolled as a member of the Baptist and Disciple churches. He died January 23, 1874, aged nearly ninety years. Mrs. Louis Gould Parmely, his wife, was born January 31, 1789, and died April 12, 1873, about nine months prior to the decease of her husband. Her ancestors were also Eng- 234 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. lish, and settled at Newburyport, as early as 1644. She was a Christian lady, and much beloved by her children and acquaintances. Her house was the minister's home, and many pilgrims were sent on their way rejoicing by the ministrations of this excellent woman, Eight of her nine surviving children were at her funeral. "The memory of the just is blessed." The children of Sylvanus Parmely were Manning, Louis, Louisa, Rosetta M,, Sylvia P., Ellesworth, Jane L., Celia Melvin B,, and Sarah A. Louisa married Robert B. Campbell, of New Orleans; Rosetta M., John P. Mann, of Sullivan; Sylvia P., John L. Campbell, of Cincinnati; Jane L., John M. Gorham, of Ashland; Celia D., James Pritchard; Sarah A., Stephen Doughton. Ellesworth resides in Wisconsin, and M. B, in Dayton, Ohio, The whole number of families arriving in 1817 was nine. There were but twenty-seven families there in 1824, and in 1825, about twenty-nine, Jesse Chamberlain and Betsy, his wife, are the only heads of families now (1876) living, of the original pioneers, Aretas Marsh having deceased May 2, 1876, aged seventy-seven years. Whitney Chamberlain is eighty-two years old, and his wife, Maritta, is eighty years old. Many of the children of the first settlers reside in Sullivan township, Ashley Parmely, son of Asahel Parmely, born February 21, 1818, was the first birth in the township. He is now (1876) living on the farm first purchased by his father in Sullivan. Mrs. Sylvia Parmely Campbell was the second birth in the town, June 3, 1818, She was the daughter of Sylvanus and Louis Parmely. John Parmely was the first death in the township, in the spring of 1818. The Baptist church reorganized in 1834. A new house of worship was erected in 1839. The Methodists had a small church in 1833. The church of Christ was organized in 1837. The Methodist Episcopal church has gone down. The others possess a good membership. JACOB CROUSE. Among the early pioneers of Montgomery township, Jacob Crouse occupies a high plaec in the esteem of his neighbors, by reason of his good sense, frugality, intelligence and integrity, He was born in the State of Maryland, near Antietam, September 10, 1775. When a young man, in 1799, he sought and obtained employment in Fayette county, Pennsylvania. At this period the settlements adjoining the Ohio river were just beginning to recover from a long continuance of the Indian wars. Very few families had wholly escaped the tomahawk and gleaming scalping-knife. The frightful scalp-halloo and shrill shriek of the red warriors had sent terror into thousands of cabins. A few of the most hearty frontiersmen ventured to locate west of the Ohio river; and about the year 1807 Jacob Crouse and wife located a cabin home in Columbiana county, where a few of their neighbors and acquaintances had removed. That region was often traversed by the humble red men after their disastrous route by General Wayne, in the northwest. In fact, their path leading to "old Pittsburgh" ran through that part of the newly-organized State of Ohio, and it was not uncommon to see hundreds of Delawares and Wyandots loaded with peltry on their way to Fort Pitt, to purchase blankets, cloths and ammunition in exchange for furs. In 1801 Mr. Crouse married Rebecca Reifsnyder, of Fayette county, Pennsylvania, who willingly accompanied him to the wilds of Ohio, and endured the privations incident to pioneer life, that she and her husband might in the future become the happy possessors of a homestead, In 1812, upon the surrender of General Hull, at Detroit, and the assassinations upon the Black fork, Mr, Crouse was drafted, with many of his neighbors, to assist in defending the helpless pioneers of the northwest against the savage incursions of the Wyandots and Delawares. He was enrolled in the company commanded by Captain Foulks, and made ensign, and the company entered the regiment of General Beall, and marched to the village of Wooster, where a block-house was erected and part of a company stationed, and from there a wagon- trail was cut to the place of John Baptiste Jerome; (now Jeromeville) where another block-house was built and a part of a company stationed; thence, they cut a trail, (now known as Beall's trail), across the north part of what is now Vermillion, the south part of Montgomery, and the middle part of Milton townships, and thence west across the northern part of Richland county, in the direction of Fort Meigs, He served six months, and was discharged in the spring of 1813, and returned to Columbiana county, In January, 1814, Martin Mason and Jacob Young visited the regions of Jeromeville, Loudonville, Mansfield, Ashland, and Orange township, with the view of locating wild lands. Their report of the new country was so flattering that they concluded to enter a number of tracts, at the land office in Canton, and return, with others, and put up cabins. In August, Martin Mason, Jacob Mason, Jacob Crouse, Martin Hester, Lot Tod, and Peter Biddinger returned and erected six cabins on lands since owned by the respective parties, and cut and cured a lot of prairie hay, and made preparations to bring on their families, and returned. In October, 1814, Martin Mason, Jacob Crouse, Jacob Young, Joseph Bishop, and their families, removed to their new cabins on the branches of the Mohican. The new colony, including old and young, numbered thirty-one. The route ' was along the old army trail to Jerome's block-house, and the home of John Carr, now the Nailor farm, where they rested one night, in his cabin, having slept or tented in the air, the entire distance. From thence, they cut a wagon-path up the east side of the Jerome fork, across lands now owned by Joseph Chandler, and thence, across Catotawa, to the cabin formerly owned by Daniel Mictey, now by Andrew Mason, to the cabin of Jacob Young, some distance west of the present Crouse schoolhouse, where they all rested one night. The next morning Jacob Crouse moved into his oWn cabin, near where HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 235 the residence of John Doty now stands. He had leased one hundred and sixty acres, being of the Virginia military lands, for ninety-nine years, and began to prepare a field to plant corn in the succeeding year. His first field was where the Doty orchard now is. Like all good and intelligent pioneers, the first thought, after preparing a cabin for the reception of their families, and a field for culture, the new colony turned attention to the necessity of training youth in lessons of Christian culture and civilization, Mr. Crouse proposed to donate one acre of land on his north boundary, for school purposes, and to be used as a cemetery. The proposition was accepted, and a comfortable log house was erected about where the present school-house stands, and dedicated to the culture of the youthful mind, The first school was taught there in the winter of 1815-16, by John Swigart. Ever since that time, that temple of knowledge has been known—and justly too— as the "Crouse school-house." Let it always retain that name. A year or two after the expiration of the term of 'Squire Robert Newell, the pioneers of Montgomery elected Jacob Crouse a justice of the peace, and he served three years, and then declined re-election. His manner was modest and retiring, and official life had no charms for him. He took a deep interest in the prosperity of common schools, and one of his sons, Jonas H., became a very energetic and noted teacher. He and his lady connected with the Lutheran church, in Fayette county, PennSylvania, and remained zealous and leading members nearly fifty years. Mr. Crouse died of pulmonary disease, September 14, 1839, aged sixty-four years and four days; his wife survived him until 1850. They sleep in Crouse's cemetery. His family living at his decease, consisted of Catharine, wife of John Proudfit, Isaac, Benjamin, Jonas H., Isaiah, Mariah, wife of Martin Wolf, and Anna, wife of Thomas Urie, jr.; all are now deceased. JACOB YOUNG, of Orange, was born in Hardy county, Virginia, January 1, 1773. His parents were natives of Bavaria, Germany, and immigrated to America about the year 1743. The Youngs settled in Virginia, and the father and mother of Jacob .Young (the mother's name was Cox), landed in New York, and subsequently settled in Virginia, where Andrew Young, father of Jacob, married into the Cox family. When Jacob Young was four or five years old his father removed to Washington county, Pennsylvania, then considered part of Virginia, and located near Ten Mile creek. He subsequently served some two years as teamster in the Revolutionary army, and died on his homestead about the year 1807, at an advanced age. Jacob grew to manhood in Washington county, and inarried Mary Mason, of Fayette county, Pennsylvania, June 7, 1795, and, in 1804 removed to and located in Columbiana coi ty, in the newly admitted State of Ohio, where he re amed until October, 1814, when he removed to Orange township, then in Richland, but now in Ashland county, Ohio, where he had erected a cabin the preceding year. Prio to his removal he had entered, at the office at New Lisbon a number of tracts of land, one of which is now (1878 owned by John Crivelin, one by the heirs of the late Ge e Hall, one by Isaac Mason, one by William Rhone, a another by Rev. William Sattler. His route to his new home was by the old army trail to Wooster, thence by Bea trail to Jerome's Place and block-house, now Jeromeville, and thence up the Mohican, by a new path passing near where Andrew Mason now resides, and thence to his cabin on the present Sattler farm. But few settlers had preceded him, and his cabin was in the midst of an almost unbroken forest. It was a lonely home, and he was soon serenaded by wolves and the screams of other wild animals. As soon as he had arranged for winter he set to work upon the rich alluvial bottoms to prepare ground for culture the next year. The forests were of stupendous growth, and required much toil to cut and remove them. During the winter his family lived upon corn-bread, milk, and such wild meat as he could secure. by means of his trusty rifle, The hominy block was brought into requisition, and such corn as could be procured in Columbiana county and in the vicinity of Wooster, was prepared for use. His nearest neighbors were Solomon Urie, Vachtel Metcalf, Amos Norris, Patrick Murray, and Jacob Crouse, to whose number others were soon added. An old Delaware and Wyandot trail ran near his cabin, and Indians from Sandusky frequently passed along, with furs and skins to Pittsburgh and returned with new blankets, ammunition, and such other articles as they received in exchange for peltry; but were then quite civil. They occasionally called at his cabin, in small numbers, for something to eat, and always were served by Mrs. Young when she had anything to allay their hunger. After 1817 they rarely visited the cabin, when off their reservation, which was situated in' what is now Marion county, Ohio. They generally hunted in the forests along Black river and in Huron, Lorain and Medina counties. They finally disappeared about 1824, and went west in 1829. In his hunting excursions he often met small parties of Delawares in the northern forests. On one occasion, in attempting to pass silently to a resort for deer—a sort of lick—he came quietly upon an old Delaware seated upon a log, soundly asleep, and apparently very much exhausted from fatigue and want of food. Upon his approach the Indian was very much frightened; but Mr. Young advanced, showing by signs that he intended no harm, and, upon discovering the real situation of the Indian, drew from the pocket of his hunting shirt a corn cake, which he tendered to his red friend, which was eagerly accepted. The Indian kneeled down in token of thankfulnesss, at the same time pointing toward the heavens, as if to intimate that the Great Spirit would reward him for generously feeding the hungry. 236 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. In 1833, when the great stellar shower took place, when it seemed as if the universe were coming to an end, Mr. Young was hunting in the north woods along the banks of the Black river, and slept of nights in a rude but or wigwam covered with bark. The singular appearance of the heavens amazed him, and fear that some great evil might befall his family seized upon him, but upon his return he was happy to discover that his apprehensions were baseless. The heavens had again become calm, and the fiery torches that blazed through the limitless regions of space had disappeared, and all nature seemed at rest. It was not a matter of surprise that he should have been alarmed, for philosopher and divine alike trembled at beholding the phenomenon, and were uncertain as to its final termination. Mr. Young succeeded in raising a few acres of corn the first year; but was compelled to depend largely upon the chase for meat. His neighbors were few and far between, and he was often requested to assist in erecting cabins for new settlers, to roll logs, and do other acts of good neighborhood, to all of which he responded, often boarding himself in addition to services rendered, and at the same time furnishing seed corn to the newcomer. Indeed, though industrious, economical, and careful, he found it difficult to protect himself and family from suffering, until he had succeeded in raising a few crops. Nevertheless, short as was his home supply, he was noted for his generous aid to all comers, even to squandering his own profits by helping parties who were subsequently unable or unwilling to pay him in return. His wife often related that they had, not unfrequently, been so short of meat, for the first year or two, that Mr. Young depended almost wholly upon his gun, from day to day, for a supply; and often returned, hungry and weary, without game, and made a supper upon milk and pone. In his hunting excursions,' during his earlier years, he often met, in the northern forests, that skilful and successful woodman and hunter, Solomon Urie. He often found signs of bear, and frequently succeeded in capturing bruin, of whose flesh he was very fond. Deer were very common, and turkeys often made havoc with cornfields, in the fall of the year. Wolves were also numerous, and very destructive on sheep; their scalps commanded a fair price in money. Mrs. James Kerr, daughter of Jacob Young, has in her possession a family Bible purchased by her father, with wolf scalps, in Columbiana county, over sixty-five years ago. It was a book duly venerated by Mr. Young, during his life. He made a conscientious effort to follow its precepts. In July 1815, John Whittaker, a surveyor of Columbiana county, was employed by William Montgomery to survey the original plat of the village of Uniontown, now Ashland, Ohio, and boarded at the cabin of Jacob Young, while so doing; for the site of the new village was covered by the original forest, and had no boarding houses or hotels for the accommodation of travelers. In 1815 he helped erect the first school-house in Orange township, near his residence, in which John Swigart taught the first school, in the winter of 1815-16, and married Barbara Young, about the close of his school, which is supposed to have been the first wedding in Orange township. The ceremony was performed by 'Squire Newell, of Montgomery township, at the cabin of Jacob Yung. Mr. Young became a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church at the age of seventeen years, in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and continued faithful until his decease, which occurred in 1862, at the age of eighty-nine years, a period of about seventy-one years. It is a sufficient panegyric upon the life and character of Mr. Young to say, that he never had a quarrel with any man; that he never sued any man; that he was never a defendant in a law-suit; that he was generous to all men; and that, while he was born under the dominion of King George III,, he lived to see the independence of the American Republic, the establishment of the Union, and the prosperity and greatness of the States. His wife, Mrs. Mary Mason Young, was a member of the same church from 1800 until her decease in 1865, being about ninety years and six months old. The family of Mr. Young consisted of twelve children, two boys, John, who died in Van Wert county, Ohio, in 1851, and Abraham, who died in Missouri in 1877 ; and ten girls—Elizabeth, wife of the late Joseph Bishop ; Barbara, wife of John Swigart ; Mary, wife of John Swineford ; Christiana, wife of Samuel Baughman ; Phebe, wife of Rhinehart Allaphela ; Sarah, wife of Abraham Marks ; Amy, wife of John C. Kerr; Hannah, wife of Robert McKee; Nancy, wife of Jacob Marietta; and Margaret, wife of Janies Kerr. All survive but Mrs. Bishop. The entire family, learned at an early day, lessons of industry, economy and morality, and lived to honor the parents that gave them birth. The loom was their parlor organ, and the busy hum of the spinning-wheel kept time with the music of the shuttle as it shot to and fro among the warp. All made intelligent, exemplary mothers, and faithful wives. HOMER PECK was born at Kent, Litchfield county, Connecticut, March 3, 1820. In April, 1826, his father, Taylor Peck, and family, consisting of his wife and four children, started in a wagon for Ohio; on arriving at Albany, New York, they took boat passage on the canal, to Buffalo, They found the route pleasant and cheap. At Buffalo they took passage on a schooner, and, after enduring a rough and tempestuous journey, arrived safely at Sandusky City. At that point Taylor Peck hired a team to remove his family and goods to Ruggles township, Huron, now Ashland, county. The trip occupied three days. The streams were full, and had to be forded at some risk. The road, a mere path cut through the forest, was rough and full of chuck holes. Upon reaching the center Mr. Peck and family were kindly received and sheltered under the hospitable roof of Daniel Beach, who had pre- HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 237 ceded him some three years to Ruggles township. When Mr. Peck arrived, there were about eight families in the township. He purchased one hundred and fifty-seven acres of land, in lots twenty and twenty-seven, section three, and went to work to clear the same; and by -the aid of his neighbors soon had comfortable buildings and other improvements. Mrs. Jerusha Peck died in 1835, and Taylor Peck, the husband, died September 24, 1855. Homer Peck, a son, and subject of this sketch, married in 1845. His family consisted of four daughters, three of whom survive: Mr. Peck has lived to see the last of the pioneers pass away being Harvey Sacket, who died August 11, 1875. He has been justice of the peace five terms. He is a member of the Congregational church, a Republican, and a reputable citizen. ABRAHAM ARMENTROUT was born near Harrisonburgh, Rockingham county, Virginia, December 15, 1797. In his youth he attended a subscription school and studied the elementary branches. In 1812 he volunteered, and served three months in the company of Captain William Harrison, under Colonel Spangler, at Richmond and Camp Bottom's bridge. After the expiration of his service he was apprenticed and learned the trade of a carpenter and house joiner. About the year 1817 his brother George, and family, removed to Worthington township, Richland county, and located near the present site of Newville. He was also a carpenter. In December, 1818, Abraham Armentrout, then a single young man, journeyed on foot from Rockingham county, Virginia, through Cumberland, Maryland, along the pike which had been completed to Wheeling, where he crossed the Ohio river, and continued along Zane's trace to Zanesville, thence up the Licking to Newark, and thence to Mount Vernon, and, by the path leading through Clinton, to Lewis' block-house, on the Clear fork, where he found his brother. He married Miss Priscilla Wade, and worked at his trade until about 1821, when he became a farmer, and continued at that occupation until 1840, when he located at Hayesville, in what is now Ashland county. After his arrival in this county he kept a hotel about fourteen years, and, in 1854, became postmaster, and retained the office to the close of the administration of President Buchanan. In September, 1863, Mrs. Amentrout deceased, since which period he has resided in the family of his son, Wade Armentrout, of Hayesville. He is in fair health, and possesses a good deal of physical vigor for a man of his age. The ancestors of Mr. Armentrout were English and German—on his father's side German, and on his mother's English. They settled in Rockingham county about the year 1690. His grandfather, Henry Armentrout, died there in 1792, at an advanced age. His father died in the same county in 1804. George Armentrout located in Worthington township, Richland county, in 1817, and Philip Armentrout, another brother, in Knox county, near Mount Vernon, and Jacob in Cedar county, Iowa. The descendants of these brothers are quite numerous. The family retain a number of relics of the olden times. Abraham Armentrout has in his possession a copper tea-kettle, highly finished, which was imported by the family, on the mother's side, from England, about one hundred and fifty years ago. It is in good state of preservation, and quite a curiosity. The family of Mr. Amentrout consisted of seven children, three sons and four daughters. Four yet survive— Mrs. Amanda Glass, wife of the late Dr. Samuel Glass, of Ashland, who was born in a little log cabin, twelve by twelve feet, in Worthington township, Richland county, and rocked in an humble cradle; Alpheus, of Windsor, Richland county; Anseville, wife of Judge John J. Gurley, of Mt. Gilead, Morrow county, and Wade, who resides in Hayesville. HENRY CHURCH was born in Suffolk, England, in 1750, and came as a British soldier in the Sixty-third light infantry, and served under Lord Cornwallis in the memorable campaign in Virginia, in 1781. A short time prior to the surrender of Cornwallis, at Yorktown, while on a scouting patty between Richmond and Petersburgh, he was captured by the troops under Lafayette, and sent a prisoner to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He remained there until peace was proclaimed ; but the general amnesty brought no freedom to him. He was soon after captured by the meek eyes of a Quaker maiden, and forgot his loyalty to King George, and bowed his neck to the gentle yoke which he wore with exemplary patience for a period of about eighty-one years. Hannah Keine, the lady that held him so long a captive, was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, in 1755, and survived to the advanced age of about one hundred and five years. Mr. Church survived until 1863, when he died at the great age of one hundred and eleven years. He located near Burton, West Virginia, after the close of the Revolutionary war, and continued to reside there until his decease. The fruits of his union with the meek Quaker maiden were eight children, the oldest of whom, Anne, died at about sixty years of age ; William, the next, lived to be about ninety-six years of age; James, the third member of the family, removed to Milton township, Ashland county, about the year 1817, and yet survives at the age of eighty-five years ; Elsey, the fourth child, lived to be fifty-five; Henry, who still survives, is eighty years old ; Elizabeth lived to be seventy-five ; Hannah lived to be seventy, and Sarah, the youngest, still survives at the age of sixty-eight years. In 1859 an excursion party of artists, with some members of the British Legation at Washington city, visited Father Church at his humble home near Boston, and made drawings of his residence, himself and members of his family. A young English soldier, who had been decorated for gallant conduct on the bloody parapits of the Redan, was introduced to Mr. Church. The old gentleman extended his hand mechanically, but his dull-dim 238 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. eyes gave no sign. "Bring here the bugle," said a member of the company. It was produced, and one of the martial airs of old England was sounded. Private Church, then one hundred and eight years old, stood up as if his blood had been warmed with wine, and his aged face, flashed with intelligence. " I know—I know it. An Englishman and a soldier, did you say ? Ay, a brave lad, I'll warrant." The scene was indeed touching. The old man, eighty years before, had landed on our shores an armed invader to aid in crushing out the spirit of revolt. With the sound of the martial bugle he, in imagination doubtless, heard the roll of musketry and the thunders of the deep-mouthed cannon. With his dim eyes he again called up and saw the scarlet battalions of his king marching towards the camps of Washington, Lafayette and Lee. What memories must have crowded upon his brain ! He survived until 1863, and left his countrymen again in a death struggle to preserve the liberties and institutions bequeated by his fathers. James Church, of Milton, born in 1791 in West Virginia, now 89, is in possession of all his faculties, though his bodily vigor is greatly impaired by reason of age. The, longevity of the Church family is quite remarkable, and arises, no doubt, from their plain and simple diet. - Mr. Church has been twice married. His children by his first wife were Elsey, Henry, William, Hannah, wife of Henry Speece, Amanda, Mary, Elizabeth and Caroline. JACOB CRALL was born near Harrisburgh, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, December 16, 1811. He is of German descent, He attended the common schools of his neighborhood until he reached manhood, and emigrated, in 1835, to Ashland, Ohio, and became a clerk in the store of R. B. Campbell & Co., where he remained about one year. In 1836 he became the partner of John P, Reynor in the mercantile business, and continued until 1838, when he separated from Reynor and formed a partnership with Hulbert Luther, under the name and style of Luther & Crall, and continued as a member of the firm until 1854. In 1851 he also, in company with Mr. Luther, opened a hardware store, which subsequently became the property of Crall and Topping. In the fall of 1851 he became a stockholder and one of the directors in the establishment of a bank of exchange and deposit in Ashland, and continued in the same until 1864. In 1864 the First National Bank of Ashland was organized under a law of Congress, and the stockholders of the bank of Luther, Crall & Co. transferred their interest to the new institution, and Mr. Crall became one of the directors, and still acts in that capacity. In the fall of 1855 he was elected treasurer of Ashland county, and held the office two years. In 1861 he was appointed postmaster of Ashland by the administration of Abraham Lincoln, and retained the office four years. He has been a member of the town council two years. He was elected mayor of Ashland in 1876. He is at present largely engaged in the purchase and sale of coal. As a business man he has always sustained an unblemished reputation. Very few men in this region have taken a deeper interest in the improvement of the county. He was among the foremost in procuring the location of a railroad at Ashland, and was engaged in its construction. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church for a number of years. He married Miss Elizabeth M. Melsheimer, of Ashland, June 27, 1837. His family consists of three sons--George, of Virginia City, Nevada ; Oscar F. of Ashland, and Charles, of California; and one daughter, Helen J., who resides with her parents. JACOB O. JENNINGS was born in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, January 21, 1819 ; he is of English-German descent. His father deceased when he was a child. He attended, in his youth, the common schools of his neighborhood, near Middletown, Pennsylvania; and when about fourteen years of age, removed with his mother and family to Perry township, Wayne (now Ashland) county, where he attended district school. In the spring of 1834, he entered the store of Michael D. Row, at Row's corners, as a clerk, and remained about one year; then entered the employ of Joseph Naylor, as clerk, at Jeromeville, where he stayed until the fall of 1835. He then entered the employ of Crawford & Crites, merchants, at Wooster, and continued in their employ until 1838. In the spring of 1838, William Hatfield, then of Wooster, purchased a stock of goods at Loudonville, but circumstances preventing his going there himself, he employed Mr. Jennings to go and take charge of the store. In the fall of 1838, Mr, Hatfield and G. H. Stewart formed a partnership, and Mr. Jennings remained for, and in the interest of, Mr. Hatfield until August, 1842, when he returned to Jeromeville, and entered the employ of Robert McMahon. Soon after, he became a partner, and continued to do business until the spring of 1848. In the meantime, the county of Ashland was erected; and in March, 1847, Mr. Jennings was appointed clerk of the court of common pleas, In 1849, he removed with his family to Ashland. His term as clerk expired on the adoption of the constitution of 1851, and he retired in the winter of 1852. In the fall of 1851, the bank of Luther, Crall & Co., an institution of discount and deposit, was organized, and Mr. Jennings was elected cashier. In the fall of 1855, he was elected clerk of the court of common pleas of Ashland county, and held that office three years, at the same time conducting the affairs of the bank, as cashier. In 1864, the bank of Luther, Crall & Co. disbanded, and the First National Bank of Ashland was organized, under the laws of the United States; as a bank of issue and deposit, and Mr. Jennings was elected cashier by the stockholders, which position he held until 1870, when he was elected president, Mr, Joseph Patterson becoming the cashier. Mr. Jennings (1880) still continues president of the bank. In the fullest sense of the term, he is a self-made man. In the death of his father, he was left without HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 239 means to acquire a finished education. By close application, attention to business, and unquestioned integrity, he surrounded himself by friends, and made constant advancement in public confidence. Energetic, exact and upright in all his dealings with men, he commands the respect of the poor, as well as the thrifty. He has been twice married; his children are all deceased. He has been a member of the Presbyterian church, of Ashland, since 1856. ARTHUR CAMPBELL, JR., was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, January 19, 1810, and emigrated with his parents (Arthur Campbell, sr.,) to Perry township, Wayne, now Ashland, county, Ohio, in May, 1815. They came in two wagons, by the way of Steubenville, Canton, and Wooster,. then villages, and followed Beall's trail. Mr. Campbell visited his land, which was entered at Canton, in 1814, in the fall of that year, and built a small cabin, stopping with John Raver while doing so. He located on section twenty-three, just southeast of what is now the village of Rowsburgh. When he landed, the pioneers of Berry are believed to have been John Raver, Henry and John Pittinger, David and Daniel Williams, Henry Worst, Cornelius Dorland, Benjamin Emmons, Thomas Johnston, and Samuel Chasey. Joseph Chandler, sr., and two sons, John Cory and father, and John Carr and family, had been in the township a short time prior to the war of 1812, but had returned to the east part of the State, where they remained until the close of the war, and then re-occupied their improvements. The settlers next succeeding Mr. Campbell, are believed to have been: William Adams, John Adams, Hugh Adams, Richard Smalley, Isaac Smalley, John Smalley, Henry Worst, James Dickason, Samuel White, Abraham Ecker, John Keiser, Michael Row, Jacob Shinnabarger, and perhaps others. The spring of the arrival of the family of Mr. Campbell, the Sandusky Indians came down and made sugar near what was afterwards the Hoy farm, at Red Haw, and a few of their poll huts, covered with bark, were left standing. The sap was gathered in bark vessels and boiled in copper kettles. The Indians were then quite peaceable. From 1815 until about 1820, they passed down the old trail once a year, in large numbers, to draw their annuities at Canton. The trail came by the Vermillion lakes, near the residence of the late Jacob Young, in Orange, and ran a southeast course to the cabin of John Raver, half a mile southeast of what is now Rowsburgh, passing by the cabin of Mr. Buckingham, in Montgomery, and thence to the cabin of John Premer, in Chester township, Wayne county, by the cabins of Judge Goodfellow and Adam Shinnaman, Yankee Smith, and across Killbuck, near Wooster. The trail was opened and traveled many years as a wagon road for the pioneers, though destitute of bridges. The frrst year Mr. Campbell was compelled to visit Knox county, by pack-horses, for corn. The first trip was made in company with Benjamin Emmons. They followed Indians, directed by a small pocket compass, and camped out two nights, serenaded by immense packs of wolves, but were not harmed. After procuring a few sacks of corn it was ground at Shrimplin's' mill and carried on pack-saddles, through the forests, to their cabins. Mr. Campbell was greatly mortified to learn, upon his arrival, that his family could not eat the meal. He was compelled to return to Washington county, with a wagon and three horses, to procure flour enough to last until his first crop had been harvested. In the spring of 1816 John Raver erected a small log mill with nigger-head stones, which did some business in the way of cracking corn. He afterwards added horse power, but the mill did not come up to his expectations. The major part of the pioneers obtained their grists at Stibbs' mill, one mile east of Wooster, until John Pittinger erected, in 1820, what afterwards became the Ecker mill, east of the village of Rowsburgh. The people were destitute of the means of carrying on schools, but managed, by subscription, to gather their children into a log cabin for instruction, two miles northeast of the present site of Rowsburgh, at a point known as Mt. Hope graveyard. The first teacher was Alexander Smith, and the first school in 1816. The scholars were, John Allison, Alexander Allison, Peter Pittinger, Betsy McMillen, Robert Hillis, William Hillis, John Hillis, Peggy Hillis, Ellen Hillis, John Somerton, Tabor Somerton, Mary Campbell, Charles Campbell, Arthur Campbell, Henry Worst, Lydia Pittinger, and Mary Allison. Very few of these remain. Arthur Campbell speaks well of the school. The first preaching was in the same school-house, and the first preacher Rev, Cole, about 1817. The first Sabbath-school was organized about the same time, at the same place. The children brought a lunch and remained all day, and were instructed and catechized. It was under the control of the Presbyterians, and Mr. Campbell took a deep interest in it. The congregation and school were small, but increased and flourished for many years. Arthur Campbell, sr., was the first shoemaker in the township. He generally prepared shoes for his own family, and occasionally made brogans for his neighbors, though not having learned the trade in a regular way. Samuel Neal was the first tanner, and his establishment was carried on near Mt. Hope. A blacksmith arrived in the person of Thomas Andrews. The shop was located in the northwest part of the township, near what is now known as the Hance Hamilton farm. The shop was much frequented; and Mr. Andrews was not only a useful tradesman, but also acted as the first township clerk. In the erection of the first cabins, almost any pioneer could prepare the clapboards, hew the logs or puncheons, and carry up a corner; but cabins began to improve as the farmers acquired means. Isaac Smalley, about 1817, became the first regular carpenter. He followed the business many years, and instructed a number of apprentices in the art. In the absence of fulling mills and eastern manufac- 240 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. tories, the good mothers made the spinning-wheels hum, night and day, until the flax and wool were prepared for the weaver. Henry Brown was the first wheelright, maker of looms and chairs. He carried on his trade as early as 1817. The woollen goods thus woven were carried to a fulling mill, at Stibb's, near Wooster, fulled and dressed for winter wear. Justice was first administered by 'Squire Thomas Johnston, who resided in the west part of the township. on what is now the Davault farm. Mr. Johnston, like 'Squire Newell and others, was not noted for his legal lore, but made a good practical officer, dispensing with the dry chaff of forms for the real substance, The forests abounded in wolves, bear, deer, and other game. The wolves were destructive to sheep, and a premium was offered for their scalps, at Wooster. Mr. Campbell relates that a few weeks after the arrival of his father, in neglecting to shelter his sheep, he lost his whole flock in one night, by the wolves. 'Their throats were cut in the most scientific manner. The most noted hunters in Perry were John Jackson and Thomas Pittinger; they ranged the forests for many miles, and killed annually hundreds of bear, deer, wolves and turkeys. They were very successful in trapping wolves, and often visited Wooster to obtain the result of their scalps. In constructing new roads the pioneers traveled many miles, and were able to do but little more than cut a narrow wagon path. The construction of bridges at public expense was impossible, so that in times of heavy rains and freshets, the larger streams were, for weeks, impassable. _ Mr. Campbell relates that some two years after their arrival, Mr. Robert McBeth and family, on their way to Clearcreek township, was delayed by the overflowing of the Muddy and Jerome forks, about three weeks, at his father's cabin. The first deaths in Perry were Henry Johnston, son of Thomas Johnston, in 1814, of cancer of the lower jaw; James Campbell in 1814, of rheumatism in the foot; and the third death, a son, seven years old, of John Raver, frightened to death by a mouse under his pantaloons leg; he died in spasms some hours after the occurrence. Arthur Campbell, Sr., was killed, August 19, 1819, by the falling of a tree, at the age of forty-five years. A neighbor, Alexander Allison, was present when the accident happened. It was on the premises of John Pittinger. Messrs. Pittinger and Campbell were sitting near a tree conversing, when an oak tree in the clearing, which had been several hours burning, commenced falling. Mr. Allison noticed the falling tree, and instantly notifred Campbell and Pittinger of their danger; Pittinger dodged hehind a tree near by, but Campbell was struck in the act of rising, by a heavy limb, on the back causing instant death. He left a widow and seven children: Mary, Charles, Arthur, Margaret, Daniel, John, and William. These grew up in Perry township, and the living are Margaret, William, and Arthur. Mrs. Campbell died in 1865, aged eighty-three years. Arthur Campbell, jr,, married Lydia, daughter of Dr. Abram Ecker, by whom he had eleven children. Mrs. Campbell died in 1871. He married Mary, widow of James Scott, in 1877, and resides in Rowsburgh. Mr. Campbell came into the possession of the home farm, and has been a leading agriculturalist for many years. His children are nearly all grown, some of whom occupy the old homestead near Rowsburgh. He is a large, well- developed man, and would weigh about two hundred pounds, is full six feet high, and is in a good state of preservation, mentally and physically. JOHN H. McCOMBS was born June 13, 1813, in Washington county, Pennsylvania. He had two brothers, one James A. McCombs, died at the age of four years. Andrew M, McCombs was a member of Captain Barber's company, and died in the service on the thirtieth of April, 1862, at Ashland, aged forty-seven years and five months. His mother Ann McClean, was married to his father, Matthew McCombs, on the twenty-third day of April, 1812. His father served six months in the war of 1812, under General Harrison, and died, from the effects of the service, in the year 1822. His mother died at Ashland on the eighteenth of February, 1867, in the eighty-second year of her age. Mr. McCombs' grandfather, on the father's side, was born in Ashland, and emigrated to, and bought a farm in, Washington county, Pennsylvania, and lived to about the age of eighty years, and his wife to near the same age. Mr. McCombs' grandfather, on the mother's side, Andrew McClean, died on his farm in Washington county, Pennsylvania, Smith township, at the age of eighty-five years, and his wife at the age of sixty-seven years, Grandfather McClean was born near Fort Deposit, Maryland, was a Revolutionary soldier, who died at a ripe age, full of years and full of faith, being an elder in the Presbyterian church of Raccoon. He performed an important part in procuring the liberties we now enjoy, He was in the battles of Brandywine, Long Island, Germantown, Monmouth, Stony Point, etc., serving five years, and enlisted at the age of seventeen. He saw and participated in the mighty event which, under Providence, ended in the permanent independence of this country, and died enjoying the confidence and esteem of all his neighbors. Mr. McCombs was left to the care of his mother, who brought him up and early taught him self- independence. He taught school in his neighborhood at the early age of sixteen. He commenced to acquire a liberal education at Florence academy, Washington county, Pennsylvania, then attended Washington college, and after a course of over five years was graduated at Franklin college, in Harrison county, Ohio, in the class of 1839. He then read law with the Hon. T. M. T. McKennan, who was secretary of interior under General Taylor, and his son William McKennan, now United States district judge for northwestern Pennsylvania, and he was admitted to the bar in Washington, Pennsylvania; HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 241 when he came to Ohio and resided in Richland county one year; came to Ashland, Ashland county, Ohio, before the county was erected, and assisted in procuring the county-seat, where he has ever since resided and engaged in the practice of the law. He was married to Sarah A. Wright, a native of the State of New York, December 29, 1846. They had three children S. Anna, Mary B., and John. The youngest, John, remains with the parents; Anna is married to S. W. Andrews, and Mary to James Whyte. WILLIAM TAYLOR AND SONS. Among the early settlers of what is now Ashland county was William Taylor, who emigrated from Pennsylvania in the year 1822, with his wife, eight sons and one daughter. He arrived at Mansfield in the month of June and remained there until autumn, when he removed on a farm which he had purchased, situated on what is called Honey creek, in Green township, Ashland county, but at that time belonged to Richland county. He brought with him from Pennsylvania eleven head of horses, three wagons and a set of blacksmith tools, and quite a number of farming utensils. In 1830 he was elected commissioner, and for several years filled the office of justice of the peace. After a great many years of hard labor he became the owner of nearly a thousand acres of land, and on which he quite extensively carried on farming and stock-raising. Mr. Taylor was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1774, and died in 1851. Jane, wife of William Taylor, was born in Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, in the first year of American independence, and died in 1832. William, their eldest son, in 1828 located in Findlay, Hancock county, Ohio, where he embarked in merchandising, and became quite a prominent business man. He at one time represented his county in the State legislature. Thomas, the second son, was a farmer, and settled in Wood county, where he remained until death. Levi followed his brother to Hancock county. He began active life on a farm, but was afterwards elected treasurer of his county. James foresaw Horace Greeley's advice, and emigrated to Oregon in 1844. He was with the first train that crossed the Rocky mountains in search of gold, and at one time he was territorial treasurer of Oregon. He has been successful in business and has amassed quite a fortune. He is at the present time in retired life on the banks of the Columbia river. Daniel is a farmer, and at present resides in Richland county, Ohio. He is a man of energy and enterprise, and has been successful in life. He was commissioner of his county during the building of the new court house. Andrew J. took up his abode in Putnam county, Ohio, and for several years was clerk of the' court, and filled the office of probate ,judge for six years. He now resides in Paulding county, Ohio. Sarah J, McGuire, the only daughter, resides in Green township, near the old homestead. Judge John, the only son in this county, has most of his life lived on a farm, and always dealt more or less in stock, and in an early day, before railroads in this county, drove a great deal of stock across the Alleghany mountains. He served as justice of the peace for his township for many years, and was elected to the State legislature in 1859, and re-elected in 1861; and in 1875 was elected probate judge, and re-elected in 1878, and holds that position at the present time. JUDGE DANIEL W. WHITMORE was born in the town of Leicester, county of Livingston, and State of New York, March 2, 1823. His father was quite an extensive farmer when Daniel was a small boy. He was the oldest of his father's children. Mr. Whitmore remained with his parents, worked on the farm, and attended to his father's business, until he was about eighteen years of age, when he became afflicted with sciatic and inflammatory rheumatism, and, consequently, could do but little labor on the farm. Up to this time he had attended a common district school, only two or three months each winter, which was one and a half miles from his father's residence. He could imperfectly read, write, and cipher a little, which was about the extent of his education. Being an invalid, and knowing, from the condition of his physical organization, that he would not likely ever be able to perform hard manual labor, and possessing an ambitious disposition to be, or do, something in the world, with the influence of his mother he obtained the consent of his stern father to let him go to a select school at Perry center, three terms, in all nine months. In the estimation of his father, nearly all professional men were, more or less, contaminated with one, or all, of the following vices: Intemperance, recklessness, and dishonesty, and the laziest man made the best fiddler, and the next laziest would come in as a country school-teacher. School-teaching he had chosen as his profession. As a student, his full determination was to know the principles of his studies. All the time he attended the select school he did not lose an hour, sometimes studying until midnight. To be a good and successful school-teacher, was his aim. To that end he spared neither pains nor expense, After the close of the last term of the select school, he returned home and attended a graded school taught by Professor Nuland, a graduate of the normal school at Albany, New York. In the autumn of 1845 he made application to Mr. Crosby, town superintendent, for a certificate to teach school, and draw public money for his services. He had no difficulty in procuring a school, as he had a recommendation from the professor and superintendent, He taught a term of four months, and, at the close of the term, he received for the services he had rendered, sixty-four dollars. He never had so much money at one time before. He states that he would have been well recompensed if he had not received ,a dollar, for he never passed a more agreeable winter. The following summer he attended the district school at home, three months, which was taught by a thorough and practical teacher, and studied the remainder 242 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. of that summer at home. The winter following he engaged as assistant teacher in a graded normal school. The following summer, his health being poor, he visited the sulphur springs, at Avon, New York. In the month of September, 1847, he came to Ashland, Ohio, on a visit; and a long one it has proven, for it has lasted thirty-three years. He had not been thirty miles from home before. His first night in Ohio was passed in Oberlin. In the coach that carried him from Oberlin to Ashland, he met a tall, elderly gentleman, who was very jovial and communicative. A couple of days after arriving at Ashland, he was informed that there was an interesting lawsuit in progress at the Stone church, then used as a court-room, to decide whether Ashland village should remain the county-seat of Ashland county. There, to his surprise, stood the tall, spare man, who came in the coach with him, pleading in the interests of Ashland village. Upon enquiry, he found the interesting speaker to be Reuben Wood, the great expounder of law, from Cleveland. A few days after arriving at Ashland, he became acquainted with one of Ohio's most gifted and talented sons—one of the most energetic, generous, scholarly and self-sacrificing. of men, and who did everything in his power for the advancement of the rising generation; that man was Lorin Andrews. Being informed where Mr. Whitmore formerly resided, and that he had taught school, and that he was familiar with the methods employed in the common and graded schools in the State of New York, Mr. Andrews strongly urged him to remain in the county and teach school, and help him and other teachers in the cause of education. He informed him that he had a district school in view, that wanted to engage a school-teacher, and was willing and able to pay the highest wages to a teacher who would teach them a good school and give general satisfaction ; he was fully convinced it was a difficult school to govern. Mr. Whitmore took Professor Andrews' advice, and made application for the school referred to. After several interviews with Mr. James Anderson, one of the school directors, Mr. Whitmore engaged to teach school for fifteen dollars per month of twenty-four days, and to receive his board in the homes of his pupils, He was admonished that the school would be a difficult one to manage, He believed that good order was the first and leading principle in successful school-teaching. He commenced his school on the day agreed upon, and had a much larger number of pupils at the commencement than he expected. He distinctly recollects this, his first day of school-teaching in Ohio. The most of his pupils on this day were from five to frfteen years old, and in appearance robust and healthy, with sparkling eyes and anxious countenances, and in their behavior quiet and mannerly. The second day a few more came, and his school continued to so increase through the winter that his average daily attendance was over forty. His schoolroom was considered to be one of the best in the township, and was of peculiar structure and greatly in contrast with what he had been accustomed to see and use in the east. It was constructed of logs, nearly twenty feet square, about seven feet high to the eaves, and roofed with oak shingles. Yet it let in water and snow when the storms were violent. The chimney was built on the outside; the foundation was built of stone, brick and clay mortar. Mr. Whitmore found, after he had taught a few days, that he had the material for a good school, provided he could get the parents and householders to purchase their children suitable school books. This he finally accomplished after much persistent effort. He persuaded Professor Andrews to visit his school and give the parents of the pupils a lecture ,upon the subject, which had a wholesome effect. Mr, Whitmore offered to purchase school books for the pupils of such parents as could not afford to buy them then, and wait until they could repay him, An effort was made, just before holiday time, by some of the older pupils, lead on by young men not members of the school, to have Mr. Whitmore agree to treat the scholars, after the usual custom that then prevailed. The teacher refused to agree to anything of the kind, much to the chagrin of some of his pupils; but Ater the time had passed, and all hope of a treat had been given up, he surprised his school with a most liberal distribution of fruit and palatable delicacies, Mr. Whitmore relates the following: In one school district, a teacher was barred out, because of his refusing to treat, and wanted possession of his school-room. His scholars were all in, and had the doors and windows well fastened. The teacher, expect. ing to be barred out, had prepared himself for the emergency. He got a ladder, and ascending to the top of the house, dropped sulphur down the flue into the stove, where there was a good fire. It ignited so quickly that the room soon became filled with a strong sulphurous odor, and the scholars were obliged to open the doors and windows to breathe, putting the teacher in victorious possession. In another district the case was similar, but the scholars were more shrewd. After the teacher had ascended the ladder to the cone of the house, and was trying to smoke his scholars out, by covering the top of the chimney, one of the boys crawled out of a window, and took the ladder down, leaving the gentleman teacher on the top of the house, with the cutting wind whistling around, to keep him cool and bring him to time. He begged to have the ladder replaced, but the boys would not unless he would consent to treat. After a couple of hours of shivering meditation, he came to the conclusion that he had better treat than freeze, or kill himself by jumping down. The contract was not considered binding unless it was in writing, so one of the boys took a long pole, and, tying the agreement to be signed and a pencil to the end of it, reached them up to him, when he signed the agreement and threw it down. The boys replaced the ladder, and he came down nearly frozen. So they compelled the teacher to treat, and had a jolly good time. It was not customary for the householders to take part in the treating business, but let the children and teacher fight it out. One of the parties would generally HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 243 back down or give up in a few days, or the school would be entirely closed for that term. Mr. Whitmore had marked success with his first school; and public funds being lacking, money was raised by subscription, and he was invited to teach a summer school in the same district, and was employed again for the winter session. His further experience as a teacher extended over a number of years, and it is to be regretted that sufficient space cannot be given to recount the many interesting facts and events connected with his school-teaching days. His contribution to education in the county of Ashland was very great. The text-books then used were the elementary spelling-book, McGffeuy's readers, Mitchell's geography, and atlas, Green's grammar and analysis, Adams' new arithmetic, and Colburn's mental arithmetic; and a good deal of writing was done. They had no steel or gold pens, and no writing-books with plated copies. After arriving at the school-houses in the morning and making a fire and sweeping the room, Mr, Whitmore's next task was to write copies and make pens out of geese quills, and sometimes his pupils would bring turkey quills as a sub-, stitute when geese quills could not be conveniently had. -Their ink was mostly made by his pupils or their parents out of the water which maple or chestnut bark had been strongly boiled, then putting in coperas and boiling it with the liquid to its.proper thickness, and then straining. It made a very good black ink. The following principles were a guide to Mr. Whitmore in his educational labors, and he endeavored to have his pupils governed by them : 1st. That it is no disgrace to perform manual labor, but an honor, a credit and a benefit to- themselves, to the community, and to their country. To be industrious, economical and saving should be the aim of all, and that physical and mental exercise are necessary to fulfill nature's laws; and that they should not forget the old adage, that "idleness is said to be the mother of crime." 2d. The sure way to success was for them to depend upon themselves, and that self-reliance, with proper exertions, would enable them to accomplish whatever they might reasonably undertake, and that it is all within their own power to have or not to have the confidence and respect of their fellowmen, and a person without friends is a miserable being. Wirt says, and it is true, that every person is the architect of his own fortune. 3d. That they should be honest in all their business transactions, tell the truth on all occasions, and they would be well rewarded for their uprightness and truthfulness; that they should never forget, but always follow, the precepts of that good old maxim: "Honesty is the best policy." 4th. That they should at all time reverence and treat their parents with respect and kindness ; be civil, quiet and mannerly, and not forget the golden rule, but practice it: "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you." Much other mood advice he gave to his pupils. Mr. Whitmore had determined to follow farming for a livelihood, but in the spring of 1857 he was elected township treasurer, and the following spring moved back to Milton township, in this county, and in the autumn of 1858 was elected real estate appraiser for the township of Milton, and assessed the value of the realty the following summer. In the spring of 1861 he was elected justice of the peace. At the expiration of three years he declined a re-election, but was elected again in the spring of 1866, and was re-elected again in the spring of 1869, and in the month of October, 1869, was elected probate judge for Ashland county, and three years thereafter reelected probate judge for the second term, which expired in February, 1876; since that time he has employed himself in farming. JACOB GIBSON was born in York county, Pennsylvania, March 31, 1797. In 1804 his parents removed to Allegheny county, where his father died, and in 1810 his mother removed to what was then Jefferson county, Ohio, and settled near the village of Cadiz, in what is now Harrison county, where his mother died, in 1814. He then learned the clothier business, serving three years at the trade. He then returned to York county, Pennsylvania, and remained there until 1817, and then went to Washington county, where he worked at the trade until 1819, and in 1823 married Miss Mary Gault, removing to Ohio county, Virginia. In 1825 he came to Belmont county, Ohio, where he built a fulling-mill, and carried it on until 1836, when he removed to Clearcreek township, then Richland, now Ashland, county, and located one and a quarter miles west of Haneytown, now Savannah, on the Vermillion river, in 1836. Here he built a fulling-mill, a carding-machine, and a saw-mill, and purchased the farm upon which he now resides, one hundred and sixty acres. He carried on his mills about twenty years, in the meantime operating his farm. For the last twenty-eight years, 1851 to 1879, he has devoted his time wholly to his farm, When he came the leading pioneers of his region were the Freeborns, the Fords, the Baileys, Joseph Davis, James Gribben, Jacob Myers, Thomas Cook, John Gault, John Haney, and others. At that time the Indians had all disappeared, though there was much talk about them, The story of the captivity of Christian Fast was often related, and he often met Mr. Fast at his mills. When clearing some ground on the bottom, east of his house, he came upon the remnants of an Indian village, where the Delawares had often encamped and cooked. He found hearths, or pot-holes, of boulders, where fires had been built, and large amounts of charcoal had been burned. The boulders had been so frequently heated that they were much stained and reddened by the fire. After Mr. Fast came, the Indians had a feast at this place. The sugar trees were much hacked, by the Indians, in tapping to make sugar, before the whites came, all over the bottom, Mr. Gibson died in 1874, of heart disease, aged seventy-six years. The family of Mr. Gibson consists of John, William, and Robert. William lives in Cleveland, and Robert in the State of Indiana. His daughters were, Malinda, wife of James Chambers; Margaret Jane, deceased; Lucina, wife of Dr. William Shaw, 244 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. deceased ; Malissa, wife of Levi Shiply, a widow, and Leticia, single. Mr. Gibson has been an exemplary church member for many years, In 1878 he became a member of the Ashland County Pioneer society, in which his name has been enrolled for future reference. He is now, 1879, in his eighty-third year, and possesses a fair share of vigor, for a man of his age. His memory is clear and retains past events, and rehearses pioneer times with much interesting detail. John Gibson, son of Jacob Gibson, resides on the adjoining farm in Clearcreek township, which is under a good state of culture, and quite valuable. His family is small, and they own a pleasant home. MARTIN HENRY MANSFIELD was born in the city of New York, December 1, 1821, and left an orphan by the death of his father and mother when quite young. There were but two children, Martin H. and William, who by the intervention of friends, 'succeeded in finding desirable homes in Pennsylvania. Martin found a place at the home of the father of Senator Patterson, at Mifflintown, Juniata county, where he grew to manhood and learned business habits. He early developed a talent for mechanical pursuits, and devoted his time in perfecting machinery to aid the agriculturist. He never had any training by practical machinists, and his mechanical ideas were all born with him, and of a wonderful cast. About 1846 he began to evince his peculiar talent for invention, and letters patent were granted by the office in Washington for improvements in clover hullers; his object being to enlist the farmers in raising clover for the purpose of saving the seed, and enhancing the price of both clover and seed, and in making it a valuable crop as a fertilizer of failing lands, and a good feed for stock. When patented his original huller was visited by many farmers, and looked upon as an effort that would aid in saving the seed, and increase a disposition to raise and save increased crops wherever introduced. He visited several States with a view to interesting farmers in the enterprise, and selling territory. He met with some encouragement, but not such as the merits of his invention warranted, and finally turned his attention to Ohio, where his invention attracted a good deal of attention, and finally settled in Mifflin township, in Richland county, where he commenced the manufacture of his huller in 1848. His original object was to enlist mechanics who would engage in making this huller. His shop was at first in Mifflin, in Juniata county, Pennsylvania. He procured two horses and a wagon, and with one of his hullers and cleaners commenced to canvass, hoping to encourage the growing of clover, but Met with little success in selling machines and patents. It was then in the fall and winter, when clover could be procured to exhibit the machine by hulling and cleaning the seed. The weather was generally stormy, with rain or snow, arresting the hulling and cleaning. It was not pleasant work exhibiting the machine. The roads became very bad, and he could hardly travel. In the winter of 1848 he made a trip to Ohio and made an effort to sell the patent, and operated among the farmers of Richland and Ashland counties, but without sales. In Ashland he put up at the hotel kept by the late James McNulty. While at his hotel he drove out to the farm of the late Isaac Davis; near the Mifflin line, and states that by that time "he was flat broke" in finances. He remained with Mr. Davis about two weeks, and sold one machine to Isaac Roland and Jacob Hoover, for fifty dollars—about half-price—getting twenty-four dollars cash and a note for the balance. He found that in his travels it would be better to sell machines than patents. So lie determined to come to Ohio and engage in manufacturing his huller and cleaner, and never again offer a patent right for sale. Before leaving he went to Mansfield and partly arranged with Messrs, Hall and Allen, then proprietors of the Mansfield Machine Works, toassist in making his huller. Leaving Ashland county, he returned to Juniata county, Pennsylvania, receiving from Roland and Hoover twenty-four dollars, balance due on a machine, which carried him safely through the mountains, there then being no railroad for conveyance to Ohio. About six weeks after, being in December, 1848, he arrived at his old home. It is proper to state that Mr. Saiger, a brother- in-law, accompanied him on his former trip. In a good covered spring wagon, with curtains, and a pair of good horses and about eight hundred pounds of goods and clothing, and in February, 1849, his wife, Mr. Saiger and himself started for Ohio. The roads were then frozen and were smooth, much resembling a plank floor all the way to Mansfield, where he rented a house from Dr. Teegarden, and lived in it until April, 1849. Having failed to complete a contract with Messrs. Hall & Co., to manufacture machines, and becoming scarce of money, he concluded to settle in Mifflin township, near Mr. Isaac Davis, and start a shop of his own, furnished by Mr, Stein- hour, who lived near, and with his assistance, he being a mechanic, made hullers. On the first of April, 1849, he moved near Mr. Davis, and commenced making clover hullers in a small way. He made five that spring and summer, and sold them all in the fall. He remembers that George Stillwagon and Daniel Koogle, near Mifflin, bought .machines and gave him a friendly recommend among the farmers, which aided him very much, these gentlemen having done a good deal of hulling during that fall and winter. Mr. Mansfield regarded this act as very kind to the day of his decease, and attributed his success to the aid of such friends, It was the means of selling a number of hullers that fall and winter, and was the cause of many other sales in Ashland county. By this means lie had accumulated a small amount of money by April 1, 1850, when he removed to Ashland and settled in an old frame building opposite the house of the late Captain A. Walker, on Third street, in which he lived and used as a shop for two years. The demand for hullers was very great, and it became necessary to procure more room. So he purchased out- lot number sixteen, of Joseph Wasson, in South Ashland, where he built a shop, where Robert McMurray subsequently built a residence. The shop was twenty-four by HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 245 sixty feet, two stories high, one of which was converted into a dwelling, where Mr. Mansoneield lived, having moved into it, until the spring of 1852. A short time after he attached a foundry, and made plows and other farm implements, having a blacksmith shop, with steam engine. The demand for hullers kept increasing from year to year—some years running as high as one hundred—until he was compelled to enlarge his facilities, and, in the summer of 1853, Mr. D. Whiting built him a residence, where he resided, which gave him all the room he needed for the hullers. In 1856 he entered into partnership with D. Whiting, who built a shop on ground formerly owned by the late George Swineford, as a tannery and residence, and now occupied by Messrs. Whiting & Shearer for the manufacture of agricultural implements. After he and Mr. Whiting formed a partnership they increased their facilities for manufacturing. He sold one-half of the undivided interest in his patents to Mr. Whiting, after having conducted a thriving business four years, being limited to that time. In January, 1860, he sold his interest in the machine works to Mr. Whiting, On the fourth of January, 1861, he purchased lot number thirty-five, on the south side of Main street, in Ashland, from William Skilling, and commenced again to make hullers, during the year, in an old building on the lot. He seems to have been destined to wear out in improving and making clover machinery. In 1862 he built the brick building that now stands upon the lot opposite the Times office, and in 1866, put up the rear brick. The front part is about twenty-eight by seventy-five feet, two stories high, with a basement. The rear is thirty-eight by seventy-five feet, with same number of stories as front. It is now occupied by F. E. Myers & Brother as an agricultural implement store-room. These buildings were built for the manufacture of clover hullers; also with a view to other employments. Previous to 1864 the clover hullers and cleaners made in Ashland were not like the ones made at the present day. They hulled and cleaned the seed from the clover heads after the straw was first removed by a separate machine, or by a wheat threshing machine, or in some other manner. 'In 1858 Mr. John Birdsall, then of New York State, obtained a patent for combining in one machine, a cylinder to thresh the heads, from the straw, and a cylinder to hull the seed, with separating and cleaning apparatus. These were called double-cylinder machines. Other manufacturers immediately commenced to make the two-cylinder machines. Mr. Birdsall brought suit in the United States court against several parties for infringements upon his machine. In order to compete with Mr. Birdsall, and not to infringe upon his patents, Mr. Mansfield constructed in the fall of 1863, a machine with only one cylinder to do the same work as that done by the Birdsall two cylinder machine. To the surprise of quite a number of manufacturers he was successful, and succeeded in obtaining a patent for his machine in 1864, 1866, and in 1871, with additional improvements. In 1875 he retired from business, and granted a license to Messrs. Russell & Co., of Massillon, Ohio, and since then retired from the business altogether, in consequence of ill health, and being affected with a bronchial trouble, brought on by being exposed to the clover dust by experimenting, setting up and starting clover hullers for the past thirty years. Since the Mansfield machine was invented, and introduced among the farmers of this part of Ohio, the production of clover has been largely increased, the acreage being more than five times as great as formerly. The land has been greatly improved by raising the crop, the old adage that "he that causes one blade of grass to grow, where it had not previously grown, must be regarded a benefactor of his race," is literally true. It was Mr. Mansfield's pride, not only to be a successful inventor, but to aid the farmer in producing a valuable crop, In this respect, his value to the agriculturist can-* not easily be determined. He has now done his last work, and been called home to rest. He died April 4, 1880, and was buried April 6, 1880. As a mechanic, he was very successful; in fact, he may be regarded as a genius in invention. He was methodical and unassuming in manner, and deemed a very generous and conscientious manager of his business. Employes speak of him only in a spirit that evinces true affection. They carried him, with many tears, to his last resting place in the cemetery, accompanied by hundreds of citizens, who had learned, by long association, to love and respect him. Mr. Mansfield was married to Miss Anna Saiger, of Mifflintown, Juniata county, Pennsylvania, February 1, 1848. Of this union there were eleven children, seven boys and four girls; two boys died young, and five survive. Two members of the family are married, William and Anna Belle. GEORGE SWINEFORD was born in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, September 22, 1797, and came to Ashland county with his parents in 1819. He married Miss Rosa Ewing, of Mohican township, in 1820, She was a daughter of John Ewing, one of the pioneers of that township. Mr. Swine- ford was a tanner by trade, and one of the first mechanics of Ashland. His tan-yard stood where the agricultural works of David Whiting were built. Mr. Swineford continued in business until about 1850, when he removed to his farm in the country, some two miles east of Ashland, on the Wooster road. Mr. Swineford was for several years in feeble health, and died in 1866, aged sixty-nine years. His family consisted of nine living children, and three deceased, at his death. They were Mahala, Sopharus, Anthony, Harriet, John, Lewis, Ellen, Almira, Rosa; and the dead, Rosa, George and William. Mrs. Swineford survived until April 15, 1878, when she deceased, aged seventy-two years. WILLIAM W. ILGAR was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, June 27, 1813, and came to Ashland in 1836. He had learned his trade 246 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. at harness making and as a saddler in Pennsylvania. When he first came to town he worked in the shop of the late Hugh Davis about three years, and started a shop of his own, and has continued in business since the year 1839. For the last ten years he has been engaged in carriage trimming, at which he is a fine mechanic. He was married to Miss Mahala Swineford, daughter of George Swineford, in 1842, His family consists of Charles, George, and Clara, and three boys dead. Charles, Clara and George are married. Mr. Ilgar is much respected as a citizen, and has frequently been elected to the town council and other offices. MICHAEL MYERS was born January 24, 1814, in Germany, and came to America with his parents and settled in Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, in the fall of 1814. From there his parents removed to Dauphin county, where they lived about eight years, and then removed to Center county, where they resided until 1832, when they removed to Columbia county, where they remained about two years, and then emigrated to Richland county, Ohio, in 1836, and settled near Savannah, then known as Haneytown, in Clearcreek township. Here he became acquainted with and married Miss Anne Mason, daughter of Martin Mason, and then resided about two years in Ruggles township, Huron county, after which he removed to Montgomery township, and purchased his present homestead. The fruits of his marriage have been sixteen children, fourteen of whom still survive. His sons are Charles, Alonzo, John, Martin, Joseph, Frank, and George; the girls, are Mary Anne, Lucia, Elizabeth, Irene, Ella, Ida, and Maggie;. all married but two boys and one girl. Mr. Myers came in 1836, and has been a resident of Montgomery township forty-four years, and, all the time, he has been a practical farmer. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church ten years. He now attends all Protestant churches, miscellaneously. Mr. Myers owns a good farm, which is in an excellent state of cultivation, and yields an abundance to reward him for his toil. He has quite an interesting family who have been raised to habits of industry and economy, and are respected as useful and exemplary citizens. DANIEL VANTILBURG, SR., was born in New Jersey, in 1781, and with his father's family settled in Jefferson county, Ohio, about 1809 or 180, where he served as a: soldier under General R. B911, in the war of 1812, in the Sandusky campaign. He located one hundred and sixty acres of land, one and one-half miles south of Ashland, on the Hayesville road, which he cleared - up and improved, and where he died, August 4, 1866, at the ripe old age of eighty-five years. He married, in 1813, in Jefferson county, Ohio, Miss Margaret Clinton, by whom he had six children, three boys and three girls. The boys were: Henry, who died in 1843; John, who died in 1846; and Daniel, who died in 1877. Mrs. Vantilburg died in 1864, aged about seventy-one years. Daniel Vantilburg, jr,, died in May, 1877, aged fifty- six years. His family consisted of Margaret, John, William, and George. Margaret married Dr. Charles Campbell, and died in 1879. Mrs, Vantilburg's name before marriage was Clarissa Myers. She was born January 22, 1828, and was married to Daniel Vantilburg, jr., January 3, 1846. JOHN RAMSEY was born in Maryland, near Baltimore, February, 1790, and came into Wayne county, Ohio, about 1822, and afterward settled on his homestead in section thirty-five, in Orange township. His father located in Jackson township, and by his assistance cleared up the farm which came into the possession of John, after the death of his father, whose name was William, and who died at the age of eighty-six years. Mr. Ramsey passed through all the early pioneer scenes, such as cabin-raisings, logrollings, corn-huskings, attending the first mills, or in the use of hominy blocks, which were in extensive demand, flax-pullings or scutchings, and the evening dances on such occasions. These were regarded as occasions of much fun by the young people. Those days are all gone. Age gradually comes on, and many of his associates of fifty years ago have been gathered to their long home. Mr. Ramsey has a fine estate, and has always lived on agreeable terms with his neighbors, and does not know of a single enemy in the world. He states that he has always obeyed the dictates of conscience, and treated all men kindly, and believes when his time is at an end, the Good Being will reward his actions in a better world. He has always lived a single life, believing that he would have-less trouble and be quite as happy as those who married. He has one hundred and sixty- six acres of land in Orange township, and ninety in Jackson, and thinks he is in no danger of coming to want. William Ramsey, of Jackson, is a brother. He is eighty- two years of age. Mr, Ramsey resides with a widowed sister on his one hundred and sixty acre lot in Orange township. The widow is the wife of the late Samuel Tilton, and aged about seventy-two years. Mr. Ramsey is quite cheerful and is perfectly contented and happy, and may live to see his hundredth anniversary. EPHRAIM WELCH was born November 27, 1800, in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and came to Orange township, Richland, but now Ashland, county, in February, 1828. The farm upon which he located, and which he cleared up and improved, section two, southeast quarter, had been entered by his father, and some timber girdled prior to his improving it. He married Miss Jane McAdoo, of Scotch-Irish descent, October 2, 1827, in Washington county, Pennsylvania, who came with him when he HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 247 put up his first cabin, and submitted to all the hardships of pioneer life, The union was blessed by four sons, James, John, Johnson, and Rankin, and two daughters, Catharine, married to Dr. Bailey, and Mary Jane, married to Levi Mason, of Ashland. Ephraim Welch deceased April 1, 1874, aged about seventy-four years. Mrs. Welch resides in district number one, and remembers many of the early teachers. She mentions among their number: Isaac Stull, Clarissa Rising, Shadrach Bryan, and others. Mrs. Welch has one hundred and sixty acres of land in the old homestead, which is well improved and valuable. She states that her earliest neighbors were, John McConnell, William McConnell, Thomas McConnell, George McConnell, all from Washington county, Pennsylvania ; Jacob Ridenour, Robert Walters, Thomas Donley, John Bishop, Samuel Mackeral, Robert Culberson, Peter Biddinger, Robert Mickey, James Clark, John Sibert, John Haun, and Jacob Hiffner. Mrs. Welch is a member of the United Presbyterian church, of Savannah, and has been for fifty years. She is at this time in good health, and seems to possess a clear recollection of former events in Orange township. DANIEL SUMMERS was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, May 27, 1788, and came to Orange township, Richland county, Ohio, in 1818, and located on section ten, where he died, August 15, 1863, aged seventy-five years and seventeen days. During his pioneer life, he passed through many hardships incident to the times, such as cabin-raisings, log-rollings, corn-huskings, flax-scutchings, and the like. For the first few years, he and his family met with many privations; but he met all bravely, and was employed often in assisting his neighbors to improve their lands, and in erecting cabins. Mr. Summers married in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, December 5, 1815. At his decease his family consisted of seven girls and four boys: Barbara, Mary, Catharine, Margaret, Susan, Eliza, Hannah, Henry, Adam, Daniel and Jacob. Four of the girls, Susan, Catharine, Eliza and Barbara, are dead; the boys are all living. The first settlers, Mrs. Summers states, were: Philip Fluke, James Clark, Peter Biddinger (the first gunsmith), Thomas Donley, Robert Mickey, Mr. Wheeler and sons, William Patterson, John McConnell, William McConnell, George McConnell and others, now nearly all gone. Mrs. Summers also states that the earliest teachers in that district remembered, were: Isaac Stull, Sage Kellogg, Elijah Banning, and many others not now remembered. Mrs. Summers is a member of the German Reformed church, and has been for the past sixty-four years. She remains on the old homestead, and taught her children lessons of industry, morality and economy. JAMES W. SMITH, ESQ., was born March 2, 1818, His father, John V. Smith, then resided three miles east of .Wooster, Ohio, and owned what was known as Smith's mill, situated on Apple creek. In 1824 he built a mill in Cedar valley, six miles northwest of Wooster, where he lived until 184r, after which he continued to reside in Wooster until his death, January 24, 1852. James W. was the fourth son, and was one of a family of thirteen children by the same parents. At an early age he manifested a strong desire for education, and soon acquired a knowledge of all the branches then taught in the common schools. At the age of fifteen he left the paternal home and engaged in a drug store, with Dr. J, P. Coulter, of Wooster, but, after an experience of about one year, he was engaged by his eldest brother, V. C. Smith, as a clerk in his dry goods_ store at Congress (then Waynesburgh), where he remained another year, when his brother sold out and quit business there. It was then that he fully determined to engage in literary pursuits, and not being satisfied with a common school education, he and his brother, William Harrison Smith, shouldered their bundles of clothing, and, for want of a better mode of travel, footed it across the country to the then famous Norwalk academy, in two days, "a distance of fifty miles, where he remained until 1835, when the academy building burned down. The school was temporarily suspended, and Mr. Smith returned to Wooster, and became a clerk in the store of V, C. Smith & Co., the firm consisting of his brother and father. In 1837 he, in company with his friend, the late Samuel Hemphill, esq., of Wooster, took passage on a canalboat at Canal Fulton, for the Ohio university, at Athens, Ohio, and, having reached Lancaster, they were compelled to foot it across to Athens, a distance of forty-five miles, there being neither stage-coach, canal, or railroad, between the towns at that time. Hope then boomed, and the prospect was fair for a classical education, but, after studying the languages and higher mathematics for a year or more, he was induced to suspend the collegiate course, and entered the law office of the late Judge Cox, of Wooster, and, in the month of October, 1841, was admitted to practice as an attorney and counsellor-atlaw, at Millersburgh, Ohio, He first commenced practice at Bucyrus, Ohio, but, on the death of Silas Rob- 'bins, esq., an old lawyer well known to the older settlers of this county, Mr. Smith located at Ashland, in July, 1842, and opened a law office with his late preceptor, Judge Cox, as his partner. Ashland county had no existence at that time, but was part of Richland county, and, in this connection, it is worthy of note, that having experienced the great inconvenience of practicing law away from the county-seat, and feeling that the growing demands of the time for a new county must give Ashland the superiority over all other localities, at the suggestion of the late I. P. Reznor, Mr. Smith took measures to call the first new county meeting that was ever held in Ashland, by giving notice in person to the citizens of the town to meet at the counting-room of Luther & Crall, at a time named, to 248 - HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. consider the question of a new county, with Ashland as the county-seat. The meeting was accordingly held, and he was made chairman of the committee, and actually drafted the notice and petitions to be signed by the citizens, and presented it to the legislature, fixing the boundaries of the proposed new county. In the winter of 1845-46, being the second session of the legislature after the enterprise began, it was successful, and the county of Ashland began its own independent existence, and thus became historic. In the month of October, 1843, James W, Smith was married to Miss Augusta Burnham, who was then attending the Ashland academy as a pupil, residing with her sister, the late Mrs. T, W. B. Hibbard. She was born at Rumney, New Hampshire, September 29, 1823, where she lived until she came to Ashland, at the age of eighteen ; and having been born and raised beneath the shade of the granite mountains of her native state, and possessed of more than an ordinary share of the graces of her sex, with admirable health and personal attractions, she found it no hard task to capture the young Buckeye lawyer, and to this day it is said he still entertains the opinion that she has lost none of the qualities that so much ennoble and dignify woman in all the relations of life. The children consisted of two sons and two daughters. The two youngest, Charlie and May, died in childhood, the former at seven, the latter at two and a-half years old. George B. Smith was admitted to the bar as an attorney at law in the year 1867, and has been his father's law partner ever since. He was elected prosecuting attorney of the county in 1878, and was married to Miss Jessie Sutherland, daughter of the Hon. J. W, Sutherland, of St. Louis, Missouri, on the 29th day of May, 1879. Belle H. Smith was married December 1, 1869, to Frederick S. Hanford, esq., an educated and talented young lawyer of Akron, Ohio, who died January 29, 1879, of congestion of the lungs, after a brief illness, leaving two little daughters, Ethel and Grace Hanford, the fruits of said marriage. Mr. Smith has been in the active practice of law since -his settlement in Ashland, and by close application to the business of the profession, careful and thorough investigation and preparation of cases confided to him, and a strict regard for, the interests of his clients, prompt attention and honest and fair dealing in all matters of business, has secured to him a larger share of public confidence as a lawyer, and a greater number and variety of cases than fall to the lot of most lawyers, which, together with his temperance principles and Christian character, entitles him to the confidence and respect of all men as a citizen, and place him as a member of the legal profession in a position worthy of the emulation of the fraternity. During his long residence he has been identified more or less with all the enterprises and business interests of Ashland, has at various times been placed in nomination by his party for office, in earlier times for prosecuting attorney and state senator, and later for judge of the court of common pleas of the sixteenth judicial district, third sub-division, composed of Ashland, Richland and Morrow counties; but being a Republican in politics, although in the latter instance he ran five hundred votes ahead of his ticket, it was not enough to overcome the Democratic majority of his judicial district, and therefore was not successful. SOLOMON VANCE was born in Richland county, Ohio, April t, 1828, and when two years of age went with his parents to Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, where he remained ten years, and returned with his parents, and settled on section five in Orange township, then in Richland, but now of Ashland county, upon the farm upon which he now resides. He attended the early schools of that township, where he obtained a knowledge of the English branches as then taught. He married Miss Eliza Richards, daughter of Samuel Richards, of Troy township, by whom he has had eight children, all of whom are living, five girls and three boys. One daughter is married and lives in Nebraska, and another in Troy township; and one son, married, residus with Valentine Vance, his grandfather, in Orange township, upon a part of the old homestead, which contarns one hundred and thirty acres. Mr. Vance is in prosperous circumstances as a farmer, and much respected by his neighbors. He is a member of the Christian Union church, as well as his lady, Valentine Vance was born December 18, 1797, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and when seventeen years of age, came with his father, Valentine Vance, to Canton, Ohio, and from thence to near Mansfield, in Richland county, Ohio, where he resided as a pioneer, and then sold his land. He married Mrs. Eliza Chapman in July, 1827. She was a widow, and had been married to Mr. Chapman in Harrisburgh, Pennsylvania, by whom there is yet living one son. Mr. Vance, after selling his land near Mansfield, returned to Allegheny county, and remained there several years, and finally returned to Richland county, and located on section five in Orange township. His first neighbors were John Krebs, Robert McLaughlin, William Murray, . William Patterson, Henry Hiffner, Edward Murray, Jacob Krebs, and Philip Biddinger. The country was new and the times were hard. Mr. Vance is the father of eight children, four boys— Solomon, Job H., David and George; and three girls-- Fannie, Rachel and Matilda D.; Rachel and Matilda D. are deceased; and David died young; the rest are all living and married. Mr. and Mrs. Vance belong to the Christian Union church. Mr. Vance is now eighty-three years of age, and quite feeble. Mrs. Vance was eighty years old June 14, 1880, and seems to have excellent health and a clear mind. Mr. Solomon Vance now owns the old homestead, and seems solicitous to render the old people happy and comfortable, while they journey in the valley of trials and troubles. HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO - 249 COLONEL JOHN BERRY was born in Center county, Pennsylvania, July 2, 1807, and emigrated with his father's family (Jacob Berry) to Huntingdon county, in 1803, where he remained till the spring of 1819, in May, when his father and family came to Perry township, Ohio, and located on what was known as the old Peter Berry farm (section sixteen), and resided there until 1821, when he located on section sixteen in Jackson township, then in Wayne county, Ohio. When his father landed in Jackson the settlers in the north part were: James Durfee, Josiah Lee, John Measor, James McBride, Thomas and Stephen Cole, Thomas Green, Lawrence Swope, John Hazzard, Hankey Priest, Charles Hoy, and perhaps a few others. A few Delaware Indian hunters yet remained on Black river, but were quite harmless. "Billy Dowdee" had often hunted on a run that now bears his name. A Delaware by the name of "Wolf" also hunted there—a Ain bears his name. John Measor had bored for salt water some time before Mr. Berry and father arrived, but found it in insufficient quantity to be profitable, and continued to boil the water but a short time when the works were abandoned. Mr. Berry attended school but a part of a winter after his parents settled in 1823, to James Durfee, teacher. It was a little subscription affair in a cabin house. Rev. John Hazzard, John Rigdon, Charles Rigdon, Sidney Rigdon, and Thomas Cole held occasional meetings at that time in the cabins of the settlers. The first doctor called to Jackson is believed to have been Dr. Ecker, of Rowsburgh, and Dr. Church, from Jeromevilie, who made frequent visits to the township. Game was then quite plenty, such as deer, bear and turkey. Wolves and wild cats were also very common, and quite destructive on sheep and hogs. Mr, Berry was elected lieutenant, and afterward captain, and finally promoted adjutant and colonel, and finally made brigade inspector under the old militia system, while Jackson township was yet in Wayne county. After the erection of Ashland county, in 1845, Mr. Berry served six years as justice of the peace, and prior to that time served as constable continuously for fifteen years, and also as township clerk and supervisor a number of times. He was elected commissioner of Ashland county seven years, two terms, and served one year by appointment, in lieu of Robert Cowan, who removed west. Colonel Berry married Mary Smith, of this county, October 22, 1833, by whom he had the following children: Leander S., Allen J., Robert J., and Mary J,, Josephine and Emma, and two deceased when quite young. Allen J. was accidentally killed by being thrown from a vicious horse in November, 1876. The rest of the family are believed to be all living. The colonel possessed much military enthusiasm and made a fine officer. As commissioner of the county he was watchful and prudent in the expenditure of the people's money, and stands high as a man of integrity and uprightness. JACOB BERRY was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, June 5, 1789, and married Miss Elizabeth Herring in 1806, and emigrated to Wayne county, Ohio, in 1819, and settled on section sixteen, in Jackson township in 1821. His wife deceased about 1866, after which he resided with Colonel John Berry, a son, where he deceased, March 31, 187-4, aged about eighty-five years and ten months. His family consisted of John, Philip, Jacob, Christena, Henry, Margaret, Peter, William, Susannah, and Elizabeth, all of whom are believed to be living except Philip, William, and Ehzabeth. Philip, Jacob, and Peter removed to Richland county, Illinois, and Henry to West Salem, Wayne county, Samuel and John remain in Jackson township, and Christena, wife of Samuel Landis, and Margaret Fast, of Eli, in Ruggles township. Jacob Berry and his wife were for many years members of the Lutheran church. As one of the reminiscenses of the past, it may be remarked that Jacob Berry was a very successful hunter, and often averaged over one hundred deer during season. Colonel John states, that he and his father killed large numbers of deer as well as other game. John also states that he has seen his father shoot a wolf and kill it a distance of one hundred and ninety yards. There was a nest of wolves in a hollow log, near the spot where he killed the wolf, and the next morning he and his sons returned and killed four half-grown cubs. The bounty, at that time, was twelve dollars for old ones, and six dollars for young ones. He received thirty-six dollars for the job, at Elyria, in the county where he had killed them, being in Homer township, Huron county. ISAAC STULL was born in Green county, Pennsylvania, January 13, 1810, and removed with his parents to Jefferson county, Ohio, in 1818. In December, 180, his father and family removed to Orange township, then in Richland, but now in Ashland county, and located near the farm of Jacob Young, on lands now owned by Mr. Saddler. Isaac continued to reside with hrs parents until he became of age, and then he learned the trade of a millwright, from Colonel John Murray. At the conclusion of his apprenticeship, he worked at the trade for several years, and then purchased a farm and made farming his occupation, until about 1865, when he removed to Ashland and purchased a homestead, and opened a shoe store. He carried on the shoe furnishing business for some four years, 'then sold out; and purchased a hardware store with his son-in-law, Mr. Joseph Charles, with whom he is at present engaged in active business. Mr. Stull gives the following reminiscences of the early settlement of Orange township: The first road was from Rowsburgh to Jacob Young's, on the Jerome branch of the Mohican, along the old Indian trail, and thence to Savannah lakes. The other road was known as the Cuyahoga road, and passed