In those early days wild turkeys were plentiful, and those people had way of catching them,: They would build a Den out of fence rails, eve or six feet high End tightly covered on tope Under the bottom rail, a trench was dug large enough to allow a turkey to enter the pen, Corn was .:yen sprinkled in the pen and in the trench, The corn would lead them into the pen, and trying to find a way out, they would look above and miss the way they got in. Frequently, several Would get in at one time. When dressed and taken to market the sale price was usually a quarter. James and Sarah Cox's descendants are numerous and many of them have figured largely in the History of Ohio Yearly Meeting since its beginning, Some of the more prominent ones are Joseph Edgerton, Unice Thomasson, Rachel Patterson, Abigail Vail, Rebecca Dewees, Jesse Edgerton, Walter Edgerton., Rachel E. Cope and Esther Fowler all Ministers. Written by James Walton Barnesville, Ohio - 50 - JOHN H. EDGERTON John H. Edgerton of Morgtan County, Ohio was a seat grandson of the first John Doudna. His grandparents were John and Zilpha Doudna Edgerton removed in 1835 to Deerfield Friends monthly meeting, Morgan County, Ohio Somerset Monthly meeting, near Barnesville, Ohio., where John H. Edgerton’s father John Edgerton (Son of John and Zilpha) was born 5-19-1829, Zilpha Doudna Edgerton died in 1858 and John Edgerton Sr. in 1869 Zilpha was third from the youngest child of the first John Doudna's large family of fourteen children, being eight years old when the Doudna family came to Ohio from North Carolina in 1804. The historical sketch written by John H. Edgerton, concerning John Doudna's early life appears to be almost the only account of that early period which has been preserved in writing. There is however, in another branch of Doudna decendants - decendants of another and older child Knowis Doudna, a quite different tradition relating to the way in which John Doudna was stolen. It is; that the boy who was afterwards known as John Doudna was with his parents on a vessel bound for America, when yellow fever broke out and both parents died and were buried at sea and then it is believed the boy was kept a captive on the vessel until again at sea. By the former account this boy is said to have been only six years old when stolen and while kidnaping of boys and young men to be trained as was a common practice in earlier times it would seem to be an exceptional case for a boy of six to have been deliberately kidnaped for that purpose at a wharf in England. Generally the victims of such "body snatching.' as it was called then, were older, at least ter or twelve. The oldest son and child of John Doudna was Henry and the following tradition relating to him suggests that possibly in the course of time, the earlier tradition if different from that account) might have been mostly forgotten and so became confused with the circumstances connected with an attempted kidnaping in North Carolina of Henry Doudna, when he was about ten or twelve years old. He was with his father, who was selling provisions for a vessel preparing to self from a N. Carolina port, and when his father was about to leave and turned to look for Henry, he was no where in sight. Instantly recalling his own experience and the way he was hidden on a ship long before, he lost no time in going aboard and was just in time to see Henry's head disappearing down the Hatchway. This tradition was well remembered by both Joseph W, Doudna and Anna Livezey Hall, from their early years and later like wise has been by other descendants of John Doudna, the second son and second child of that first Doudna family, who must have been about ten years old When this incident occurred. When the first Doudna family reunion was held at Stillwater meeting grounds, 8-5-1932, there were present fourteen great grandchildren of the first John Doudna and also several great great grandchildren whose ages ranged along with those of the older ones present. - 51 - At this reunion, one of the great grandsons, Jesse B. Doudna made known to several who were present, that his father Knowis Doudna Jr,. passed on to the very different tradition, before mentioned, that John Doudna was with his parents on a vessel bound for America when yellow fever broke out and both parents died and were buried at sea and it was then and in that way that this ancestor was seperated from his parents and kindred. Jesse B. Doudna said further that he must have been at least twelve years old when his father talked with him about these matters, Also said that he never once heard of the other story, that John Doudna was kidnapped at some seaport in England until he read the sketch by John H, Edgerton when it was published in the Barnesville Enterprise in 1908. Jesse B. Doudna attended several of the Doudna-Hall reunions after that at one held in 1936 he made a talk to the company assembled on this same subject and repeated these statements besides mentioning, also, the tradition that John Doudna was in service at the siege and battle of Quebec, was one of the company that scaled the heights of Abraham" and this too his father had told him in his boyhood. This later tradition is referred to in the biographical sketch of Hosea Doudna, in the history of Belmont and Jefferson Counties by Caldwell, published in 1880 and no doubt Hosea himself was the Historian's authority for what he stated. The same tradition also was mentioned in the obituary notice, in the local papers, at the time of Hosea Doudna's death, 7--3-1888; at the age of ninety-five years, Hosea Doudna had a family Bible which is said to have contained, besides birth records of his brothers and sisters, some account of his fathers early life and some facts relating to his mothers people but inquiries in recent years have disclosed no knowledge of its whereabouts. Anna Livezey Hall remembered seeing this Bible, many years ago in the home of Hosea's son, Joseph F. Doundna. Written by Ella Coventry Galloway, whose mother was a sister of Joseph W. Doudna - 52- AARON FRAME 1815-1896  Aaron Frame was bornin 1815 near West Grove, Harrison County, Ohio, where his parents, William and Ruanna (Thomas) Frame, settled soon after their marriage. When he was eight years old his father was taken away by death, leaving a family of four sons Aaron being the oldest. and the youngest only a few tours old. Aaron could remember riding behind his mother on horseback to attend Yearly Meeting at Mount Pleasant when a boy. In 1836 he .married Talitha Thompson and settled near Georgetown, Ohio, where he owned a small farm and a saw mill which was operated by water power from a stream running through the farm. The house which he built on this farm is still standing. Here ten of their eleven children were bonn9 all except the youngest,, Three of the children died in infancy. In 1856 Aaron and Talitha Frame moved to Iowa, being attracted there by cheap land and feeling the need of more employment for their growing family. There was no railroad so far west at that time so the eldest son and an uncle drove their team across country, taking what they could in the wagon, and the rest of the family followed by steamboat., They started from Wheeling, West Virginia, going doves. the Ohio river and then up the Mississippi to Mussatine, Iowa, the trip taking two weeks. They were met at Muscatine by the sixteen year-old son, Thompson, who had gone before, In 1860 the beloved wife and mother was removed by death, leaving a family of eight children, ranging in age from nineteen to four years, In the fall of 1863 Aaron Frame was married to Achsah Smith, of Guernsey, Ohio. In the spring of 1864 they sold their Iowa home and came to Barnesville Ohio, where they settled in the Stillwater neighborhood, near Pigeon Point, of Mr. Holly. The farm had been owned at one time by Issachar Schofield and they bought it from his son, Jonathan Schofield. On this form there was a commodious two--story log house which had probably on one 'tithe been two houses; later jointed together by a hallway between:, One part, used as a dining room, was two steps lower than the other. A one story frame structure added at the west end adjoining the dining room served as a kitchen. The walls of this part were celled inside with boards. There was a small pantry in connection with the kitchen and a convenient dish cupboard opened through from kitchen to dining room. At the back of the house there was a porch., on one side of which was a shed for storing fuel. Changes were made from tire to time and finally the house was weather boarded on the outside, There were three open fireplaces in the house one in the parlor at the east end, with a chimney serving for both of these. There was a cook stove in the kitchen, the pipe going into the chimney at one side of the fireplace. The dining room had a swinging crane for kettles and they sometimes used a dutch oven there for baking by covering with hot embers, A large brick oven outside was used for the regular baking, The women of the family would get the bread, pies, etc, all ready then put them in the heated oven and clean up the kitchen while the baking went on. The floors were all of natural wood;, without paint or varnish and my mother used to tell us how they liked to scrub and scour the wood because it cleaned up, so nicely and looked so well when done. - 53 - A closed stairway in the hall led to the second story where there were two large rooms and one small one No way of heating was provided for these bedrooms. They were separated by board partitions and instead of clothes presses there were large wooden pegs in the walls at convenient places for hanging clothing. The stairway was built of cherry timber and inclosed with cherry boards. When the house was torn down Uncle William Frame used some bf these boards to make the top of an extension table and another smaller table. The wood took a fine polish. The walls of the main part of the house were simply the hewn lots with strips of chinking and plaster between and had to be whitewashed every spring. The joists and floor boards of the upper story made the ceiling for the rooms below. Near by was a small house for Aaron Frame's mother, for whom he had provided a home. There was also a house built over the spring which was the west end and in the upper story of this building were rooms where Achsah's father and mother, Samuel and Elizabeth Smith, Lived for a time, Beneath, in ck of the spring, was a cellar for keeping vegetables from freesing in the winter. In a room below the spring was a trough for the water .to flow through, making a cool place to keep milk, butter, etc., in summer. In earlier days, when Issachar Schofield lived on the farm a school was kept n this upper part of the spring house. Aunt Florence Frame tells of grandmother, Increase Dennis (afterward Increase Thomas) teaching this school. She also relates an amusing little incident which her grandmother used to tell her. The Schofields would sometimes leave their little son Jonathan with the teacher while they were away from home. To keep him from wandering she would pin his clothes to her dress or apron. One day she was sewing and not finding pin handy she took a few stitches instead, The child had a habit of investigating from time to time to see if he was still fastened. On this occasion when he discovered the stitches he burst into a loud wail, "Oh, I'll never get loose! I'll never get loose!" Also west of the house was the sorghum mill, Sorghum molasses was made here in the fall and maple molasses in the spring. We grandchildren loved to go to Grandfather's with the load of cane. A horse was hitched to a sweep which furnished power to turn the great rollers pressed the sap out of the cane. The sap was conducted by a trough to the boiling shed below. Here long shallow pan was set over a brick furnace. We liked to watch the sap bubbling and steaming in this pan until it became thick enough for the delicious molasses to spread on our bread, It had to be watched closely and stirred with a long wooden paddle acid the scum taken off occasionally. We were sometimes allowed to boil some of the molasses to make taffy. The pulling of this was fun when it did not stick to our fingers, which it was apt .to do if we did not run out of doors once in a while to cool it off. In the year 1875, while engaged in building a new house on the farm, Aaron Fram was again called upon to give up his bosom companion, which was a check to the building for a while. But after a time the house was finished. The children had all settled in homes of their own but his aged mother was still under his care and with a housekeeper they moved to the new house. The mother passed away some years later at the age of ninety—three. The old house stood for many years longer and was. occupied at various times, once by the family of a colored man, Mark Peterson. Among the white families was that of Lee Price. Also Wilmer Hall, from Richland, and his wife lived there for a time just after their marriage, occupying only the old parlor, - 54 - In the year 1885, Aaron Frame and Lavine Wright. of Ypsilanti, Michigan, were married. They were permitted to live congenially together until the year when Grandfather passed away suddenly. He had felt for some time the he might go this way, as he was aware of a heart weakness. And so "O ne generation passeth away an another generation cometh.” In the world any better for our having lived in it? Written by Sarah C. (Bundy Holloway) Cooper - 55 - Some Meetings In Belmont & Guernsey Counties, Ohio Concord Meeting, East end of Colerain Township, Belmont County, Ohio near center of Section 7. First meeting on logs, A log house built in 1800. First church in Belmont County, Quarterly Meeting opened and held at Short Creek 1807. Monthly Meetings under it, Concord, Short Creek, Plymouth, Plainfield and Stillwater, Ohio Yearly Meeting established at Short Creek 1813, about one mile west of Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson County, Ohio. Yearly Meeting House built at Mt, Pleasant 1815 & 1816.. Stillwater Meeting. In 1803 a cabin was built by James Vernon near the French or Township grave yard and in it convened a "Friends" meeting, It was the first gathering for religious worship in Warren Township, Ruth Boswell preached the first sermon and business was transacted. (About 1/2 mile south of Childrens home) In 1904 a log house was built in the north east corner of what is now the Stillwater graveyard, the first house in Warren township for worship., RuthBoswell preached the first sermon. Another room was added in 1805 for the womens meeting. In 1812 the brick church was built about 300 feet south of the log house and it was enlarged 1823 or 4 to take care of the Quarterly meeting, Hosea Doudna janitor. Stillwater Preparative Meeting set up spring of 1805. Stillwater Monthly Meetings, a division of Concord, reported to Short Creek Qr . 1807. Fully organized 1808. Stillwater Quarterly Meeting opened 11-28-1821. Stillwater Meeting House built for yearly meeting, 1878. Friends Boarding School. built one mile east of Barnesville, Belmont Co. Ohio 1875. Rebuilt after the fire of 3-31-1910. Friends Meeing House at St. Clairsville built 1809 & 10. Meetings held 1807 at other places. Barnesville Meeting House built 1875. 30 by 40 ft.9 2 story, $3000, School upstairs, Captina indulged meeting 1808. Preparative meeting 1816. Ridge asked for meeting 11- -1811. Granted 9-- -1815. Richland asked for meeting in 1809. Granted in 1816. Stillwater Qr. 1854. divided and Pennsville Qr. set up 1854. (Harvey Smith gives 1842.) - 56 - Plainfield. M. M. made up of Plainfield and Flushing 1808., Stillwater Minutes lost 1817 to 1826. Stillwater grounds held by Friends from 1804. Contain 10 acres from Cory. First Friends school built in 1806 near the north west corner of section No. 1 southeast corner of Warren Township, Belmont County, Ohio. 1-31-1842 W. V. Webster Most of above history from Joseph Garretson Sr. and Jonathan Schofield. - 57 - FRIENDS BOARDING SCHOOL "OLNEY" This collection of work pictures, of the homes and people of Stillwater Quarterly Meeting of the olden times, would not be quite complete without a sketch of Friends Boarding School. Schools were one of the early concerns of these pioneers, lately come from Virginia and the Carolinas. Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and Paul sat at the feer of Gamaiiel, but not till the burning bush and the "light shone round them from Heaven" did either reach the full possession of his powers. So Friends believed religion and education must go band in hand, The wonderful Friends Yearly Meeting House at Mr., Pleasant was built or completed in 1815 and soon after the subject of a Boarding school was discussed. It did not materialize until 1837, and was situated not far from the Yearly Meeting House on a farm of seventy-four Acres. The minutes say "It was to be a finishing school for the youth of both sexes,." Fiends peculiar contribution to education of that day was that they gave thought to their daughters" as well as their sons. These first years, boys and girls must be kept entirely separate, except for Meetings and lectures, even had seperate dining rooms.. When it was decided for all t0 eat in one room, one of the teachers thought it was so improper she would not go down to the first meal. One day while sitting in Meeting, the cry of fire was heard, and all went out to find the leaves in the woods necr the barn had caught fire. It was soon put out. When the astonished officers saw the boys and girls working together in distress one said "I am afraid fires will be started, water will not putout.'' Boys and girls of today can hardly picture the primitive arrangements of that time. Only tallow candles for light, not even a cook stove, as cooking was done over a wood fire, or in a Dutch Oven. They had to wash on the porch, their towels often freezing. One of the first students writes, "We did not think of these things as hard ships, but felt we were enjoying a great privilege to be there." It was with real regret in 1874, owing to doctrinal differences the Supreme Court of Ohio decreed that this building be given to another branch of Friends, but the school itself was not given up, Stillwater was soon decided as a promising center for Ohio Yearly Meeting and the present site selected upon which to build a new Boarding School. It was an unsightly wooden field, from which the best timber had been taken. We can but marvel at the vision and foresight and courage of the Friends of that day. They worked together to collect funds, fell trees and commence to work. The brick was burned on the grounds. The Laundry was built first and Francis Davis and wife moved in and boarded the hands. He managed the building of the house and barn. The school building was the size of the present one, but had three stories. School was opened on New Years, 1876, although the halls were still strewed with lumber and shavings and many of the doors were not hung. There was no furnace, only stoves and grates, but a happier band of students would be herd to find even today. The next winter they had the largest enrollment 109, and we wonder how Faculty, helpers and all were housed - 58 - in the one building. The first graduating, class was in 1879. During the early years of tie school, they graduated twice a year. In the winter term of the first class were Wilson Steer, Martha M. Holloway, and Anna Walton, all are living today. In the spring term were Anna C. Llewellyn, who is now deceased, Mary C. Bundy, who is living and Emma Holloway, deceased. In the spring of 1910 the school building was burned, but again there were worthy Friends with courage and foresight and immediately steps were taken for rebuilding, The outer walls were intact, and the present building was erected similar to the former one, only two stories to comply with the State law for schools. Seperate dormatories were necessary and other buildings were added. A home for the Principal, a cottage for helpers, one for the farmer and his wife, a laundry and a Power house. The latest addition is a modern Gymnasium. So that it all forms a desirable school plant where faculty and students and work and recreation help to develop the true Christian "Way of Life." May we of the present day, meet the needs which arise in this War torn world,, with brave courage shown by our worthy forefathers. The name "Olney' was given by Louis Taber, who was a highly valued teacher and lecturer at Mt. Pleasant a hundred years ago. He was much interested in the new school at Barnesville, Ohio and gave some lectures here and wrote the poem "Olney Green" for one of the first Literaries. He was a great admirer of the poet Cowper, whose home was named Olney. The school has been familiarly known as Olney ever since. Written by Sarah Pickett Walton Barnesville, Ohio - 59 - SOME HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF FRIENDS AT THE RIDGE Having written the following account for Ridge School Literary in 1917, without thinking it would attract the attention of others so much as to request me to have it published, which after repeated importuning to do so I offered it with just a little addition for publication in the Enterprise, if the editor is willing to do so. Joseph W. Daudna In the early days of Friends Society at Ridge. Joseph Patterson, a member of Friends Society, and an early settler there, entered the Southeast quarter of section 13 in 1808 for his future home. Friends soon became so numerous there that the need of a meeting for worship was felt and also a place of learning for their children. Accordingly a request for a meeting was granted and it was set up on the 26th day of the 11th month 1811. A log meeting house and a log school house had been built on the lands of Joseph Patterson, where the present meeting and school house now stand. The first school house had greased paper windows and both and the meeting house had open fire places. In the year 1812, a school was taught by John S. Williams, and the writer of this has understood that when the spelling class stood up to spell it was so large that it reached nearly all around the inside walls of the school house. The next school in 1813 was taught by Joseph Garretson for a term of six months, at one dollar and fifty cents per quarter for each scholar, and to be paid for if the subscribers so wished, in wheat, corn or buckwheat, delivered in Carson Thomas mill for the first of the term and the second half to be paid in cash at the expiration of the school. A meeting for worship and a school being now established, Joseph Patterson in 1816, sold to his friends four acres an which the buildings stood for $32.00. It being one of his last acts in leaving this goodly heritage to his friends, The time was now drawing nigh when he was to be taken from works to rewards, which took place in the year 1816, and he was the first person to be buried in the graveyard at Ridge, being buried there at his request, he with others of his friends believing that a monthly meeting would soon be established to take care of the interests of the society at that place. This was done about the year 1820, Joseph Patterson was buried in the open ground without any enclosure, so his friends put a rail pen around his grave until it cou1d be enclosed with more ground for a burial place. Now after a lapse of 100 years, can you who are young scholars going to school (1917) in this nice comfortable room, w its nice large glass windows, realize how much better off you are than our ancestors were going to school in the first school house with its slab bench to sit upon,, without any back to lean against when tired, or glass windows to let in the light. The writer of this used to sit upon the above described benches, when a scholar here during the winter of 1860--61, and from their appearance looked old and substantial enought to have served in all the schools at Ridge from the beginning down to that time. - 60 - Our teacher that winter was Mary Crew from Columbiana County, Ohio, who took such a deep interest in our studies, and so much concern ini directing our steps in the straight and narrow way that those rude benches did not seem hard to sit upon under such pleasant circumstances. But now the time was drawing near when the good old school house (not the first one) and its long remembered benches which did not detract from the happiness of the pleasant school hours that winter at Ridge, had to share the fate of all things here below that finds here an end, no matter how good and useful they have been, and give place to the one which you now occupy. This one was built out of brick and other material as far as they would go which had been first used to build Friends Meeting House at Somerton, that was left vacant after the meeting had been laid down there. In 1863 Friends took this meeting house down and hauled enough of the suitable material up here to help build this house, which was completed about the beginning of the year 1864. Thompson Frame taught the first school in this house in the forepart of that year. After this, schools were conducted here pretty regularly, until about the year 1896 when school children became so few and far removed in this neighborhood that school teaching at Ridge was abandoned until the present school commenced with a new teacher and a new generation of children in a newly repaired school room, which had become very desolate and forlorn for want of scholars and teachers to keep the good work going, which we hope may now be kept on for another hundred years under the sae good management which characterized the Society of Friends at the beginning. Contributed by Elma Doudna Bailey - 61 - OTHO FRENCH HOME HISTORY Otho French was among the first pioneers of Warren Township. He was born in Frederick County, Maryland in 1777. He did not have much of an education as his parents were poor but very respectable. In the year 1800, Robert Plummer, a neighbor, asked him to go "West" with him and assist him in the selection of some land for entry, and he would sell French a part of the land so taken up. They could not in those days, get less then a section of land. Otho accepted the proposition and they started on their journey, At Marietta, Ohio, they heard such glowing accounts of section 10, Warren township, that they got someone to point out the section line that led to it. Following this line north, they reached section ten and knew as soon as they reached it so vivid had been the description given them at Marietta. They made the entry and returned home. Robert Plummer and his family came at once in 1801. The country was all timber, and with few if any roads. It is said it took the Plummers five days to come from the open road where Morristown now stands, to the present Plummer homestead near Tacoma, Ohio. The way had to be cleared as they came. Otho French married in a short time after he returned to his home in Maryland, and they came to Warren township in 1802. Robert Plummer, as he had agreed to do, sold him the south west part of section 10 on easy terms. He at once put up a rude log cabin but soon built a hewn log cabin where they lived for some time. Later he built a brick two story house, two large rooms down stairs and two up. Small windows with small panes of glass, two doors in the front and two in the back. A well was dug at the front of the house near the north east corner and water was drawn by windlass. There was a cellar under the entire house and in the north east corner an opening was made in the foundation about two by three feet even with the top of the well which opening made a deep shelf and here they kept their milk and butter a primitive refrigerator. There were two or three steps up to the doors on the first floor. Large open fireplaces were in the down stairs rooms. Each room, both upstairs and down had a large closet. Shelves in the down stairs closets were used as cupboards and in the upstairs, one shelf the length of the closet and hooks beblow for clothing. The ceilings were very low and the doors so low that a tall man had to stoop to pass through. The closed stairway was narrow with only space for one person. The steps were straight and rather steep to a landing then two more steps to the second floor. Under these steps was the cellar way. The cellar has never had to be cemented as it has a solid stone floor. So this house "built on a strong foundation" has stood straight and solid all these years. It must have been built about 18159 we have not been able to learn the exact date. There were many wild animals in this new and unset bled country and Otho French was a noted hunter and trapper. The outstanding feature of his whole life was his strong opposition to "spiritous liquors". The State of Maine had passed a temperance law, the first in the United States Otho French wanted Ohio to adopt the same law and was so strong for it, he had a sign over his front door, "Hold on to the Maine Law forever," - 62 - He kept drovers and their flocks over night, but they were always asked the question, "Are your stock fed on Brewers grains?" If they had, they were never allowed to stay, One evening E drover stopped. He was asked the usual question and replied "No", but in sore way Otho had learned he had not been told the truth, and although supper Es on the table they were not allowed to stay, My mother used to tell me, when she was a little girl, she was passing with her father on horseback and she saw Otho standing at the front door gently pushing a Drover away and was telling him he could not stay as his stock were fed on Brewers grains, When he was on his death bed,, he asked his family to have engraved on his tombstone, "Hold on to the Maine Law forever," which request was granted and that tombstone can still be found in the "French" or township graveyard, one fourth of a mile south east of Tacoma, Ohio, across the Baltimore and Ohio railroad tracks. He died in 1876, and was in his 80th. year, Written by Anna Bailey Patten Otho French was not a Friend or a member of Stillwater Quarterly meeting but he was so closely connected with the early history of the Friends of Warren township, we feel his history should be recorded here. - 63 - THE GIBBONS FAMILY The Gibbons family moved to Belmont County, Ohio from Somerset township in the spring of 1835 as per arrangements with Somerset monthly meeting of Friends for the care of Catherine Flanner who owned a 25 acre farm, and where rhe first improvement to be accomplished, was the building of the barn by Joseph Williams, brother of Penine. The barn still is in every day use. The family lived in the old log house where Edward and his sister Lavine were born, and this old, house was moved back to make room for the large frame house of ten rooms and an attic, with a cellar under the entire house. This house was built in 1868,, The lumber being shipped from Bridgeport and were heavy timbers hewed out from local timber and the newel post and hand railing all hand worked, made from cherry and walnut. A thing of wonder in those times tae the cellar dug in sand stone and the walls contain locally quarried stone, 11 ft. 8 inches by 2 feet square, The water well that was dug in such hard stone, the first man to try it failed and. then a neighbor Jehu Bailey offered to dig the well until water was found and it is one of the best wells of soft water in all the country side. The water standing 3 1/2 feet and self draining, assuring fresh water at all times The stone was quarried on the former Crew farm, out on the Ridge east of the new house and one cut of stone was over 40 feet in length and when being cut into proper lengths, they were hauled with oxen and horses, with large high wheeled carts to the building site. The old house was moved back but the family continued to live in it whiile the new house was being built. Penina never had a stove until they moved into the new house. The cooking and baking being done in the open fireplace. The winter of 1856 was the biggest snow that anyone remembers of having as far as we know at this time. The old house had no glass windows. Greased paper and tallow dripped being used. Later candles were used for lighting and this was thought to be a wonder. Witten by Edward V. Gibbons, the only survivor of Joseph and Penina Williams Gibbons, late of Warren township Belmont Co., Ohio - 64 - WILLIAM GREEN William and Rachel Hoyle Green came to America in 1813 from England. They were married in Richmond, Jefferson County, Ohio in 1820. She lived first in Philadelphia and moved to Richmond, Ohio before 1820. They were twenty one days coming out to Ohio and who made her first trip back to Philadelphia by train in twenty one hours. Our grandparents moved to Barnesville before 1826 and conducted a store in partnership with Benjamin Hoyle. The building had a fronting on main street, the lot extending to church street, They also owned three acres adjoining west the B. and O. R. R. Depot. Upon retiring from the store business, grandfather bought several small farms that comprised the 245 acre our father James Steer bought in 1864. This land adjoining the farms of Robert Plummer and Robert H. Smith. One half mile west of Tacoma, and belonging to Walter Skinner. The first home on the farm was at the spring where Joseph and Ethel Wylie. now live. He built the new house in 1855 and was a useful member of Stillwater meeting for forty years. de died in 1862, at the age of 66. Rachel Green died in 1882 at the age of 83. She was the mother of thirteen children, six of whom lived to maturity, and five to the old age. Their names were Hanna, Sarah, Joseph, John, Lydia, Rebecca and Mary. JAMES STEER HOME This was built by Wiiliam Green in 1855, and was very much like the English plan. Our father, James Steer, was born at Colerain, Ohio in 1827. His father and grandfather, coming from Lowden County, Virginia in 1812. He and our mother, Mary Green, were married at Stillwater in 1853 and were the parents of eight children, two of whom died in infancy. Their names were Anna M., William G., Joseph G., Rachel G., Elizabeth, and Charles, the passing away in his twentieth year. Anna is at present in her 88th., year, William G. in his 86th. year and Elizabeth in her 80th year, and all are members of Stillwater meeting. One of my early recollections of our moving to Barnesville was that I went with father when he took a four horse load of goods. The way four horses were handled in those days were, the driver rode one of the wheel horses and drove the leaders with a single line, called a jerk line, When wanting them to go to the right he would call "Gee" and to the left would call "Haw." Father was about five foot ten inches and weighed around two hundred pounds. In his prime, he was considered the strongest man in Warren township,. Before the cradle came in use, he had reaped 40 dozen sheaves of wheat with a sickle in a day. In the winter of 1874, with four horses, he hauled all the logs to the mill for 125,000 feet of lumber to build the boarding school, After he was 86 years of age, he committed to memory a great many poems which he often recited when in a company. When at the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the building of the Yearly Meeting house at Mt. Pleasant, he stood on his feet and recited a lengthy poem. He died suddenly, while on his feet, the second of third month 1917, in his 90th. year, - 65 - Our mother was born in 1828 and died in 1903 in her 75th year. I don't think any greater tribute could have been paid to her life and character than that expressed by some one at her funeral, when quoting the passage, " Her gentleness hath made me great." Our parents moved from Colerain, Ohio in the eight month of 1864 and bought the farm which father owned for fifty three years. Five of their children were born at Colerain. Our brother Charles in 1865, at the home of our grandmother. Her home was with us until her death in 1882. It was through the influence of Aseneth Bailey and herself that the monthly meeting was established at Richland, sometime in the seventies. It has already been stated the James Steer home was built in 1855 by our grandfather William Green,. of which the following is a description. He no doubt followed the English plan of having all the needed rooms under one roof. This making the house 106 feet long. The first section was 40 feet square, with a cellar the same size. The walls were made of nicely dressed stone, as were the seven and a half foot pillars that supported the floor. One stone in the wall is ten feet long. The milkroom adjoining the cellar was ten feet square, the walls being the same as in the cellar. The steps, both inside and outside were also stone, all of which were quarried on the farm. In the milkroom was a trough eight feet long, three and one half feet wide and eight or ten inches deep in which was set the pans of milk, It being cooled by water from a well in the kitchen. The second section was 17 by 17 and two story, as the first section., roofs on these were flat end covered with tarred paper and gravel. This not proving satisfactory, a raised hip roof was soon put up. The first section contained eight rooms, 16 by 17 with 9 foot ceilings and halls 6 feet wide on each floor. Each of these being heated by small coal burning stoves. The first winter we lived in the home, some one thought there was an unusual smoke in the house, so our mother, on going upstairs at once, began stamping on the floor to give warning there was fire. My uncle John Green, who lived in the home called to me "Come Willie quick and help get water for the fire." Something that had been put in the unused flue to stop it had caught fire from a spark and dropped down, burning a hole in the floor. The rooms on the first floor were provided with double swinging doors so they could be converted into two rooms 17 by 32 feet, one on each side of the hall. The second section lapped only five feet on the first and contained the kitchen end pantry and store room for provisions,, This was built up one step above the other floors but was set down even by William Frame when Oscar Bailey owned the home. The kitchen has four doors, two opening on the outside and also had the open wood fire place and crane on which to hang the pots for cooking. The extension 45 by 17 and a story and a half contained the wash house, coal house, chicken house, and carriage shed,, This has a pitch roof with an attic over two rooms and a shop over the carriage shed. The room for chickens extended to the roof, having the roosts in the top and a long ladder for them - 66- to reach the roosts. There was a back stairs leading to two sleeping rooms over the kitchen and pantry. There was no way of getting from one section to the other when a door was put in 1885. In the first section were two doors leading to a rear porch, 36 by 10 and one door in front to a portico so called, 8 by 10 and two steps from the ground. The roof to this was supported by four posts 10 by 10 inches. There were forty four windows in the house, all having two sash with 8 by 10 lights except four windows in the attic with hinged sash, had but one light, The five windows in the front having sash on each side, one light wide. One thing that has been omitted was that there was a heavy trap door in the flat attic room that gave a good chance to get a good view of the surrounding country being able to see Morristown, seven miles away. It had also been neglected to say that the frame of this house was heavy hewn timbers such as were used in the construction of large barns built many years ago, In recent years the main sections have been covered on the outside with asbestos shingles, adding much to the durability and appearance of the home. We have been told that the present owner expects to remove the 45 ft. extension which would add greatly to the appearance of its construction and if properly cared for this house should last perhaps as long as the pioneer brick houses. In conclusion will say in answer to the question that we made soft soap and used a Dutch oven that father had made. Also the flail grubber and horse power thresher, the syckie, scythe, cradle, Walter A. Wood mowing machine, Kirby harvester with one big wheel and a platform for a man to stand and pull the grain back with a long rake before dropping it, a self rake and dropper before the advent of the binder. Written by Anna M. Hoge and William G. Steet - 67 - JOHN HALL John Hall, my paternal grandfather was born in Perquimans County, North Carolina, 24th of 10th. month 1784. He died 5th. Month 22nd. 1854, at the age of 70. His wife was Phebe Webster, the daughter of John and Hannah Plummer Webster, born the 24th. of 11th. Month 1786 in the Little Britian Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and died the 23rd., of the 8th., month 1855 at the age of 69. John Hall came from Wayne County, North Carolina to Ohio in 1805 with his father Isaac Hail and Mother Ann White Hall and sister, Anna Hall. The brothers were Isaac and Moses. The children of John and Phebe were; Cyrus, Isaac W., Thomas, John P., Nate A., Eli, Jesse and Eliza. John with his father and family settled on a place about three miles west of Barnesville, Ohio. The following year, John being 21 years of age, decided to go West, along the Valley of the Leatherwood and located a. farm. The land was covered with timber, Mostly Walnut, Hickory and Oak. He soon built a cabin for himself, during this time he slept under a white Oak trees. Later on, he built a brick house finishing it in the spring of 1828. It was two stories with one story on the East side. He was the first settler in Millwood Township. The brick was burned for the house nearby where the house was erected. Many squirrels played on the scaffold while the house was being built, as there were many wild animals here when he came. Deer, wolves, bear, and wild turkeys were numerous. John Hall was a fine marksman and brought down many a deer and wild turkey, which provide him with an abundance of meat. In the fall of the year the ground would be covered with Hickory Nuts. The fine big walnut trees would be very valuable if we had them today, but had to lie and rot on the ground because there was no way to take care of them. The house had a very large fireplace and a large mantle. The fireplace would take in 5 foot logs. The windows were not unusual as they had six panes above and six below. There was a fine spring, which was one inducement for him to build his cabin there. The spring house is probably 10ft, by 20 ft., but era not sure if it has cemented troughs. It may have been changed since my grandfather's day. They made soft soap by leaching wood ashes. Grandfather had a maple sugar camp and made sugar. He had a trough hollowed out of a Buckeye log in which he caught the maple juice and he used it as a shelter by holding it over his head when it rained. They raised some sheep and spun some wool., Some of the machinery is too far removed in time for me to remember. John Webster moved to Ohio in the fall of 1806. Part of his family stayed with John Hall until they got their two story log house built. It was built where the cut for the Baltimore and Ohio railroad now stands. The house was torn down to make way for the railroad. John Webster had ten children. He bought 800 acres of land so as to give 80 Acres apiece to each of his children. Part of his family stayed in the cabin with John Hall while they finosjed their house. - 68 - One of his daughters, Phebe, married John Hall thus providing a mate for the one who dared to carve his home out of the wilderness. As I said before, his principal reason for building his cabin where he did. was to be near the fine spring which he had found. What kind of a spring house he built, I do not know or whether he had any at all for awhile.. The one I described is the one now in existence. Grandfather died several years before I was born The things I know about him were told me by my Father and Uncle. Written by Elvira Hall Quaker City, Ohio (The only remaining grandchild of John Hall) - 69 - THE THOMAS HALL HOME Thomas Parry Hall was born 11-22-1840 near Quaker City, Ohio. His father Nathan Hall was born 12-18-1809 in Wayne County, North Carolina and came to Ohio about 1825. Mother Deborah Parry was born 4-7-1814 near Quaker City, Ohio Rebecca Webster Richardson was born 4--3-1843. Her mother was Hanna D. Vail who was born 7-5-1810 in Fayette County, Pa., and died in Barnesville, Ohio 1-9-1884. Her Father Samuel Webster Richarson was born in (Little Britian Township) Lancaster, Pa., and died near Malta, Ohio 9-12-1849. Thomas Hall married Rebecca Webster Richardson 4-5-1865, and they went to housekeeping on a farm near Quaker City, Ohio. The children were, Margaret V. Hall was born 3-15-1866 at Quaker City, Ohio. The following children were born at the Sandy Ridge home, Wilford T., 8-29-1869; Blanche D., 5-22-1874; Evarett and Elma, 6--11-1878; Elsie H., 5-22--1880,, On 3-18-1867 the Halls changed their residence to Sandy Ridge, east of Barnesville, Ohio. There was quite a little snow and Ezekiel Grier let them go through his farm which made it much shorter distance to come across to the Pultney Ridge road. A few First-days after they had moved to this new home, Hosea Doudna rode his dun horse down to spend the afternoon, saying he just came down to see what kind of neighbors he was going to have. They bought the 234 acre farm of John Wehr, and wife and agreed to pay $80 acre. The house was built by Asahel Thomas, which was a one and one half story frame with an unusual arrangement. From the front door you entered a 10 ft. wide hall--it is said they wanted it wide enought to drive a load of hay through. On one side of the hall was a parlor and sitting room, and on the opposite side there wore two large bedrooms, each 11 ft. ceiling, and each of these rooms was provided with a grate. Then at the back of the house, with one. step down, were kitchen, pantry, back porch, and two small bedrooms--all with a low ceiling. From the large hall a wide stairway led to a small hall upstairs, and from it a very large front bedroom and a small back bedroom with large side garrets at the sides. Just one clothes closet in the house! We had dug a well with an iron pump on the back porch and a rain barrel to catch the soft water at the side of the house, The windows were six panes to the sash, except two long narrow-side of the front door. We had a cellar under most of the house within steps from the hall; also an outside entrance, but in the winter we had to use candles or a lantern to see as in the winter the windows of the cellar were closed. The barn was built on a hillside so it was really a three story building. From front there was an approach and very large barn door to open to drive in with the hay or grain which was stored in the mows. The next floor was used for sheep stables with an entrance ther. On the ground floor we kept cattle, and here there was a dug well with a wooden pump so the cattle could be watered there from buckets if the hill was to icy for they to go to the watering trough What the house lacked in convenience was made up somewhat in the situation, for it had a fine view in all direction. Tommie and Bettie Hall welcomed people to their home, and if they happened there at mealtime they were asked to share the meal prepared. For sometime mother just had a dinner horn to call the family - 70 - together at mealtime, and they decided to get a farm ball so mother made soft soap and father peddled it in Barnesville, and in this way they paid $8.00 for the bell from money made that way. Father believed when women had meals ready they should not be kept waiting and when this tell was installed he made a rule that if anyone was late after the bell rang they would have to go without the meal. Soon after, father we at the lower part of the place at dinner time, and some of the men thought he would not have time to get back promptly; but he had a good house that brought him in time. They set out peach and apple orchards, also cne pear and a quince orchard. Once when father was showing a man through the peach orchard that was laden with fruit, this friend said, "They are very nice Tommie, but they will all rot." An Iowa cousin went with father to the quince orchard and the fruit looked so nice, and when they returned to the house the cousin asked his mother what kind of a man Tommie Hall was that he took him around among the quince trees and never asked him to taste any of the fruit., Our parents were among the largest berry growers for several years. One and a half acres of strawberries, and twenty-five acres of raspberries was the most grown. One year we had 10,060 bushels of raspberries, which required about 50 pickers-a large per cent being colored folk. They raised lots of melons and as father was generous, he asked boys in from the neighborhood to come and eat melons in their season, He did not have vines pulled or destroyed. They raised Shorthorn cattle and I remember that mother did not get much butter from quite a quantity of cream churned by dash, churn. Sheep were raised extensively and I remember just once being allowed to go to Jesse Bails farm, joining ours, to watch the process of sheep washing. They had a pen for the flock with a lane from it to the dam in the creek and the sheep were driven into the water, then let them out on the other side to another pen. Then sheep shearing was an annual event. Father was an extra fast shearer and mother often folded and tied the fleece. Thomas P. Hall died 11-14-1886 and the family remained in the home for 6 years following, then sold the farm at about $37 per acre in 1893, and bought e little home joining, belonging to Beulah Roberts, Here our mother died 330-1926 How lightly through the mist of years my quiet country home appears, Wonderful progress has been made in science, medicine and transportation, and so many developments in our modern life to enjoy, but I am glad I was privileged to be brought up in the horse and buggy days, and our parents took turns with other neighbors in caring for the sick in our community. I am glad we had chores to do in the morning and evening and we did not feel it any hardship to walk to school. Written by Elma C. Hall Barnesville, Ohio - 71 - ANECODOTE OF SCHOOL DAYS OF WILFRED T. HALL My grandfather, Wilford T. Hall, tells of the many delights of a growing boy walking to school at No. 1, with his sister Margeret. They started in a southwestern direction from the barn of the Thomas P. Hall home down the lane towards Peter Sears. This lane was lined with very large fruit trees extended almost the length of their place. One of the large apple trees on Peter Sears farm was considered the largest apple tree in Belmont County. It is known that Prudence Williams went on horseback to Redstone, Pa. for the trees when planning to plant the orchard, and brought the trees back and set them out herself. The last tree was blown down on 7th. month 10th. 1896, and by measurement taken a few years before, was found to be 9ft, 4 inches in circumference at the smallest point between the roots and forks and 10 feet and eighteen inches above the ground. It had four large branches, on of which measured 4 ft. in circumference, another 5ft., another 5ft. 2in., and another 5ft. 1 inche. These measurements were token 18 inches from the junction of the forks, The big apple trees were laden with many varieties such as Hubbards and sheep nose. The large peach trees were laden with juicy fruit.. All of the fruit was perfect and required no spraying. The sweet apples hidden in the deep blue grass, so deep that in late winter they could be kicked out, cold and delicious. The walk then continued through a maple camp with perhaps a few sips of maple sap. All these things made the walk to school seem most too short. The school was located in a beautiful grove, and at that time was one of the best schools in the township. With the money earned as janitor, which included the care of the teachers horse, my grandfather bought his first watch. On their way home from school, grandfather and his sister Margeret often stopped to see grandmother Anna Sears (Peter Sears Mother) and having her feel them all over to see how they were growing as she was totally blind. Written by Harold L. Holloway Jr. Wheeling, W. Va. - 72 - *ANECDOTES* My father, Wilford Hall, recalls an incident when his father, Thomas P. Hall, was putting up bay on John Bundẙs place. Grandfather Jesse Metcalf came along and after dinner the two Grandfathers talked together. Grandfather Bundy showed him a new bottom he had put in a half bushel measure. The bottom, although not just real tight served the purpose quite well. Grandfather Metcalf didn't say much, but in a short time Grandfather Bundy found out Jesse Metcalf was a "Cooper" by trade. He took the bottom out and put in a tight one. At the next opportunity he showed Grandfather Metcalf the measure saying, “Jesse, when I showed thee the half bushel measure I didn't know an old Cooper was peering at my work," The story is told that on a severly cold day, William Bundy and his crew of men went over to his brother John's barn to assist in flailing grain. The grain which was spread on the barn floor was threshed out by beating with a hand flail. Despite the vigorous exercise, William and his men got cold end went to the house to get warm, When they returned John had his coat off and his sleeves rolled up, reclining in the hay fanning himself with his hat. The apparent inference that William and his men were soft made William so angry he jumped on John and gave him a good choking to even the score. Written by Helen Hall Holloway Wheeling, W. Va. ELIJAH HANSON Grandfather Elijah Hanson went to meeting one first day, during very cold weather and found one other friend in attendance. These two men held the meeting on the steps, for the Scriptures say "Where two or three are gathered." By thus conducting the services, it was not neeful to report to monthly meeting, "No meeting held that days." Mother does not know the name of the men who was with grandfather, when the two of them. held meeting on the steps. This meeting house was on Captina creek, near the site of a Methodist church and cemetery, and. a portion of the Susanna Scribner Hanson farm. Grandfather Hanson often talked of the meteric phenomenon of 1833 which he witnessed. About the year 1810, my grandmother Hanson went to school in the frame meeting house which stood on the present grounds of the Ohio Yearly meeting. My mothers school days started in a log house in Goshen Township in 1846, Her desk was a board laid on top of pegs stuck in the wall and their seats were benches without backs, Written by Mary C. Smith - 73 - THE THOMAS HABSON HOME Thomas Hobson was born in Jefferson County, Ohio on July 7th., 1812 and died at Bartlett, Ohio on June 8th, 1899. His wives were, Unity Johnson, who was born April 11, 1811. They were married on November 28th., 1839 and she died March 13th, 1856. Mary Stanley was his second wife, She was born April 9th 1823 They were married September 30th., 1857. She died on November 28th., 1879. His third and last wife was Eliza Worthington who was born February 6th, 1831. They were married on July 27th., 1882 and she died about the year 1905. The Children of Thomas and Unity Johnson Hobson Benjamin Born 7-18-1841 and died 12-17-1907 Mary J. Conrow Born 3-13-1843 and died 718-1921 Sarah A. Masters Born 10-15-1844 and died 8-28-1909 Dorothy Stratton Ashton Born 5-14-1847 and died 3-31-1934 Dr. John A. Born 7-2-1849 and died 2-21-1913 Belinda Binns Born 8-9-1851 and died 7-23-1915, Thomas Hobson. whose parents came from Virginia, made his home in Jefferson County, Ohio until his oldest son Benjamin was a lad of nine or ten years old. For some time after coming to Washington County, the family lived on what was later known as the Thomas Bowman farm. In about the year 1873 a carpenter was secured to build a new house within a few rods of the Plymouth Meeting House. The site chosen was a very desirable one, furnishing a fine view of a wide scope of country side and the nearby view of the Meeting House, with the beautiful grove of forest trees on the slope leading to it. The house is a well built frame of two story height, consisting of four rooms down stairs and three upstairs. The windows are quite large of the four pane style. There seems to have been nothing especially unusual, except that between the kitchen and dining room were built folding doors. The purpose of these was to provide space to set the long table for the dinners which the Hobsons hospitality and food provided for friends at Quarterly Meeting time. This custom must have clung as a pleasant memory for many Friends. In that day of slower travels, Quarterly Meetings were important events for which much preparations was made, They furnished not only spiritual enlightment but supplied social needs. Near the house is a well from which water was. and still is Lawn with a windlass. For the storage of fruit and vegetables, a sawdust house was made a short distance from the kitchen door. As to the house and farm work, they made soap raised sheep, spun and wove cloth, Suits were cut and made at home. The sickle, scythe and grain cradle were used. Alden, Thomas Hobsons grandson, remembers his father Benjamin, telling about the first threshing machine he ever saw, It was while Benjamin was still a small boy living in Jefferson County. No doubt his astonishment at such a machine encouraged the owner to elastic speech hoping to arouse even greater curiosity, At least Benjamin as told that the machine sheared sheep and in order to see the wool, he was taken to see the straw coming from the machine. - 74 - This house was he home of Thomas Hobson the remainder of his life, but shortly after his death the place was sold. However, in 1906 Alden Hobson bought the property. Perhaps it will not be out of place here to give a brief description of the house which had previously been his home. It was near a quarter of a mile away and had been the home of Benjamin Hobson since about 1862. The house had been built by McCagey Emmons, An old carding mill sixteen feet square had been moved some distance. To it had been added a log structure of equal size. Here the water supply came from a spring at the spring house,, This home, too, was noted for it hospitality. When Alden moved his family to the Thomas Hobson house it became the home of the second, third and fourth generation of its founder for Benjamin was included in the family. At the present time in this home with Aldea is living his daughter, Edith Hobson Burt with her husband and two children, Betty and Harold J. Thus again this home is housing three generation — the third, fourth and fifth. The Plymouth Community was favored when It was chosen as the home of the Hobson family because of the good influence that has been spread by its members. At least two were placed in positions of unusual responsibility. Dorothy Stratton Ashton was matron of the Boarding School near Barnesville, Ohio for some time. Because of her understanding and interest in young people she was valued counselor as long as health permitter her to share with others the wisdom of her ripe years of experience. Dr. John Hobson became associated with Flushing Hospital in 1875 and gave many years to relieving the ailments to which the human body is heir. In this home which Thomas Hobson established, both he and his son Benjamin, passed on to that "House not made with hands" and were laid to rest Friends Cemetery nearby. For many years there has been no Plymouth Meeting House but the Hobson home still stands. Although this house is not especially pretentious in appearance it is attractive and very home like for it has experienced that “Heap O’ livin’” that makes a house a home. Written by Elizabeth Burgess Many fact given by Alden Hobson and Edith Hobson Burt. - 75 - BENJAMIN HOYLE Benjamin Hoyle was born in Yorkshire, England 6-11-1797, His father John Hoyle, was a husbandman in the parish of Pontefract, where Benjamin received his education in the Friends School. John Hoyle's first wife and mother of all his children, having died, he married a second time and in 1815 the parents with seven children and two grandchildren, stepped on a sailboat for America. The voyage was tedious and not without danger, The Captain, unacquainted with the Gulf stream, found himself within its current and helpless. In daytime, the wind blew them westward but at night the current carried them back eastward, Water and food became very scarce. Of the former each person was limited to one gill a day for all purposes and for the latter they were considering killing and eating a dog which was on board with them. In this extremity a waterspout suddenly appeared so near that the Captain feared they would be drawn into it. He fired cannon through the center of it to disperse it. Presently there was a heavy rain with many fish. Evidently dropped from the waterspout. Hailing a passing boat, he was told to sail across the Gulf stream and presently they reached Philadelphia after a voyage of fourteen weeks and five days. Our next trace of them is in the records of Plymouth monthly meeting, when the parents and five children, including Benjamin presented a certificate from Pontefract monthly meeting in England, which was accepted at Smithfield, Jefferson County, Ohio. They were apparently considered solid members and their names soon are found on various committees. At twenty, Benjamin was on a committee to prepare monthly meeting minutes for recording and to prepare a certificate for removal. In 1820, he and Tabitha Grimshaw, also born in England, were married at Smithfield. The next year he was companion to Mildred Ratcliff, on a religious visit to Indiana, The next year, he was assistant clerk to the monthly meeting. He took out his first papers for citizenship in 1826. He seemed to lose interest and did not get his final papers of naturalization until 1840 In 1827 he removed to Barnesville, where he and his brother in law, William Green opened a general store. He was head of Stillwater meeting a recommended minister in Ohio, and made several trips to the seaboard in which he combined business with meeting interests. He bought stock for the store in town, wrote once that he wanted to “get salt at Pittsburg if it can be accomplished so as to have it waggoned from Wheeling, West. Va. by the bacon wagons." Also to buy Bibles and Testaments in Philadelphia to sell in Barnesville. Business over, he turned to visition meetings, where he frequently felt occasion to preach, or even to add his comment at times in the business period. During the turbulent times of the Hicksite seperation, he said in one letter that the clerk of a certain yearly meeting, had suggested that Benjamin Hoyle might better keep his seat. On one trip he fell ill and visited a doctor who "gave me 20 grains of calomel mixed with one of Epecacuana, which indeed did rouse my system. He became a widower in 1828. The next year he bought 45 acres from Jonathan Taylor who had it in a patent deed from Thomas Jefferson, President and James Madison, Sec. of State. He added to it from time to time until he gave up the store to devote all his time to farming. He married Mary - 78 - Millhouse of Stillwater meeting in 1830,. A letter which he wrote to her needs to be labeled to recognize it as a love letter. His penmanship was as precise as his language which is prim and subduded as became an Englishman. His son said many years later, that he was very reticent, never talking about his early days unless directly asked, but then, quite willing to talk. For that reason very little can now be told of his life. Three children were born to he second marriage. Hannah Hoyle Smith born 1834, Benjamin Hoyle Jr.. 1837, and William in 1847. Two children had been born to the first wife, Tabitha. They were Sarah born 1821 and John, born 1827, On his farm, he made a specialty of sheep and turnips. It was an English habit to have a large flock of sheep and to feed them on turnips. He also raised the best wheat to be found in the neighborhood. Sinclair Smith, who had just bought a marvelous big Kirby reaper, used it first on Benjamin's wheat fields and reported it was extra nice and they had cut the whole fourteen acres in one day, Previously the Hoyle's had used scythe, sickle and cradle, and had a home made fan mill or seperating chaff from the grain and clover seed. A salesman wanted to sell him such a fan and when he was shown the one in use, tried to collect royalty on it, But the Hoyle machine was older than the life of the patent so the salesman gave up his claim. The first house which we know is the present two story brick, completed in 1843. An old dutch oven was still standing in the '80's' but is now gone. One old hoary landmark remains at this writing the old sickle pear tree up in the garden. An elderly man born in 1816, once drove past the garden where a workman was busy and asked for a pear, saying he remembered that the tree was planted when he was a little boy. It is now well over a hundred years old, the most aged fruit tree in this part of the State, The trunk is now an empty shell and cannot last much longer, but it bore fruit in 1941. The old farm became divided to make homes of Barclay Smith and Benjamin Stanton, and the original boarding school farm was made from this land. The present campus was once a maple grove and the trees were tapped for sugar water. Benjamin and Mary Hoyle were superintendents at Mt. Pleasant boarding school from 1842 to 1847. He was clerk of the Ohio yearly meeting for twenty consecutive year, 1838 to 1857. This long term was partly caused by the inability of the representatives to agree on any clerk and by the rules of the Yearly meeting, the former clerk held over until there could be unity. During this time the Guerney separation took place. Benjamin and Mary Hoyle were frequently seen driving on first day afternoons to visit members of the meeting. Starting out for a social call he often found a fitting word of advice or exhortation given him to deliver. He was a real "Pastor to his flock." When the inability of age came upon them, they went to their daughter, Hannah Hoyle Smith to live out the remainder of their lives. In 1873, he attended his last yearly meeting and following is an account of his farewell, written at the time; - 77 - "Benjamin Hoyle now across and delivered what was probably his farewell communication to the Ohio Yearly Meeting, reciting that he had, attended in for about fifty year, in which time many valued friends had been members of it who had been gathered to their everlasting rest. He had remembered the words of a worthy friend who had said that there was a danger in those who were promoted from station to station in the church feeding upon it and being lifted out of the Lord's hands, and he cautioned his friends against being elated with appointments and thus allowing themselves to be lifted out of the Lord's hand He then dwelt upon the text "Hear ye me Asa and all Judah and Benjamin the Lord is with ye, be with him, and if ye seek him, he will be found of you, but if ye forsake him, be will forsake you" repeating parts of the text three times and leaving it as his farewell to the meeting. He took his seat, much affected and great tenderness spread over the meeting in thus receiving the last weight,, and impressive message from their ancient friend now worn and weary and soon to be released from the scene of his earthly trials and tribulations, Before the business of the day was entered upon, Benjamin arose and walked feebly down the steps of the gallery where he stood for a few minutes weeping. Then gathering strength from his rest, he left the meeting with many a strong man brushing away the tears from his eyes and probably no one in that room with heart so cold as to be indifferent to the occasion." He died 2-3-1875 and was laid to rest in Stillwater burying grounds. Written by Laura J. Hoyle  - 78 - DR CAROLUS JUDKINS The First physician to locate Barnesville, Ohio, was Dr. Carolus Judkins. He was born in North Carolina in 1767, On reaching man hood he read medicine and began practice near his home folks, but as he was opposed to the principles of human slavery, he determined to move to the then Western wilds, where slavery was unknown. In the year 1810 he came with his family and brother Joel to Barnesville. The trip was a long tedious one with horse and wagon. On reaching his destination, he erected a cabin and an office on East Main St. Where he lived and followed his profession the remainder of his days. His field of service was a radius of twenty miles around Barnesville, visiting his patients on horse back. In 1820 he formed a partnership with Dr. James Stanton, but after two or three years Dr. Stanton moved to Mt. Pleasant, Ohio, Dr. Carolus Judkins was born a member of the Friends meting of N. Carolina and we find in the old minutes of Stillwater Monthly Meeting Fifth Mo. 1811 the following; "Received a certificate for Carolus Judkins and wife Charity and their children, namely, Thomas, Jesse, Joel, Anderson, Elizabeth and James, from New Garden Monthly Meeting North Carolina dated 30th. of Third month 1811. He was an active member in the early days of Stillwater Quarterly Meeting. An anecdote told of his faithfulness as a Dr. to his work. Friends Yearly meeting was in progress, and as his patients were none of them, dangerously ill Dr. Judkins went to Yearly Meeting held at Mt. Pleasant, Ohio, leaving his partner Dr. Stanton in charge of the sick. Among the sick was an old colored man, Robert Peters, who when Dr. Judkins left was in the worst condition of any. Dr. Judkins had not been in Mt. Pleasant forty eight hours when near the close of the second day Dr. Stanton put in appearance, Judkins asked him at once about the sick. Stanton replied, "All out of danger but Peters and he will die any way, so I thought I'd come to the meeting too." Without a work Judkins mounted his horse and riding all night arrived at Peter's home by daylight. He found the old gentleman much worse; but by prompt treatment restored him to health. Dr. Carolus Judkins died Oct. 24, 1854, in the 87th, year of his age and was buried in the Stillwater Friends burial ground. Written by Dr. D. O. Shepard Barnesville Ohio - 79 - SOME HISTORY OF WOOL, FLAX & NETTLES IN LEATHWOOD VALLEY From Cyrus Hall's History of Leather wood valley. Ann, the oldest child of John and Hannah Plummer Webster was born the 6th. of Third Month 1779. She was one of the last members of the family that was married, but of that event I at present have no date. She was married to Jesse Chalfant about the year 1823 or 1824. He was a widower and came from Wilmington, Delaware. Jesse Chalfant was by trade a wheelwright; or one whose occupation was making and repairing spinning wheels, and reels for winding yarn, and other spinning and weaving machinery, which were then in use in almost every family. In this branch of business Jesse Chalfant was a skilled mechanic, There being much of that class of work to be done in that day, the services of such a man was needed in every neighborhood. At this period when both the food and clothing had to be produced and prepared within the families of the people; the Scriptural problems "What shall we eat?" and "What shall we drink?" were closely followed and almost inseperably connected with the no less important question, "Wherewithal shall we be clothed?" Among the inhabitants of this period a. large portion of their clothing was wholly or in part, prepared by the members of their own families, thus the spinning wheel and reel; and in a large number of families the loom, were household necessities. Woolen goods of home manufacture then formed most of the winter clothing of the country people; most farmers keeping a few sheep for that purpose. The wool after being prepared was carded at the country carding machine which was then an indespensable institution in every section of country; as much as the mill for grinding grain. A portion of the wool was sometimes carded at home with hand cards which was a slow and tedious process. The wool after being carded or made into rools, was usually apun by members of the farmers' families. After being spun it was woven into cloth of several kinds as desired by country weavers, of which there were generally several in every neighborhood; this branch of business being generally followed by women, but there were men also who followed the business of weaving. There were factories in almost every section of country that done spinning, weaving, dyeing and finishing of cloth; but for want of more improved and efficient machinery their work was tedious and comparatively expensive and they received only a limited patronage. The culture of flax for textile purposes, was also carried on very generally throughout the country during the early settlements and even up to near the middle of the present century (1850). It being used in a multitude of ways, and filled a place as much if not more important than any other material in providing clothing for the common people. Being gpun and woven into linen which formed one of the staple articles of summer clothing, it was also used to some extent for the chain for linsey and other woolen goods, While the principal part of the sewing thread then in use was spun directly from flax. The culture and manufacture of flax was a thing that too K considerable time, and was a tedious and in some respects a laborious business. After the flax was raised and the seed had been taken off; it was spread thinly upon the grass to be rotted as it was termed, which caused the woody part of the straw to be easily broken and separated from the fiber. This took a period for of from one to two months; this being done in the fall or early spring, - 80 - as the hot sun would injure the fiber, This being done, next in order was breaking and dressing, or cleaning the fiber of the coarse or woody portion straw. The old flaxbrake is now a relic of the past; it was a clumsy implement and was made with five horizontal bars, two above and three beneath, the under set being stationary set in heads at each end and mounted upon legs of convenient height. The upper set were set in heads in like manner, the head at the back end being in the form of a roller, leaving the front end free to be moved up and down the two upper bars working between and nearly touching the three under bars. The operator taking the flax in bunches as large as he could conveniently handle in one hand and holding it under the brake moving it backward. and forward between the bars; at the same time with his other hand raising the upper section of the brake and bringing it down with a heavy stroke and shaking and knocking it from time to time as the work progressed. After being thus broken the flax was then dressed or swingled as it was termed. This was usually done by another man, as two hands could thus work together to the best advantage. This was done by taking each hand of flax as it came from the brake and holding it across the end of an upright board, (the end of which had been dressed to a smooth blunt edge), and striking it with a large wooden kinfe, with both an upward and downward stroke until it was cleaned or sufficiently freed from the shives or small pieces of the broken straw.. In this way two men could usually break and dress from twenty to twenty-five pounds per day according to quality. This work was usually done during the cold and dry days of winter when the farmers were most at leisure, The flax if not sufficiently dry was dried over or around an open fire, Many of the older citizens recollect the old "Family Almanac" where at the head of each calendar month was a picture illustrating the principal kind of work set apart for that month, or properly belonging to that particular season. Thus for the month of January, two men were always represented breaking and dressing flax, with a boy drying it over a fire. While for the month of December, two men were always represented in the barn thrashing grain with flails. Concerning Nettles and their uses among some of the Pioneer Settlers. The nettle is a perennial plant that formerly grew in great abundance over all or most of the northern United States; it is partially covered with a minute sharp hair or prickles, which are in a measure poisonous which upon comic contact with the skin cause a painful, itching, disagreeable sensation. As the time of the first settlement along the Leatherwood Valley, the nettles in patches some larger covering acres of ground; some smaller confined to space of rods, or even a yard or less, occupying a full proportion of the alloted to herbaceous and perennial plants,. Wherever they grew they seemed take entire possession of the soil to the extinction of all other plants, especially during the alternate period in which one class of plants predominate, thrive, grow and flourish; one succeeding another as it were in the rotation of crops, sometimes during a series of years, In a rich moist soil shaded with forest trees and sparse undergrowth of bushes and small timber, they would frequently grow to the height of three or four feet and occupying acres together. The nettles of course are propagated from seed more or less, but the plants increase and spread from suckers forming a thick network of roots near the surface of the soil:. While in the early stages of its growth., hogs will eat it with a relish nearly if not equal to red clover, the young s shoots being very - 81 - succulent, tender and easy of mastication; thus the swine were made to feel themselves at home in the enjoyment of forest life amidst a patch of luxuriant young nettles and as they frequently destroy those young germs which probably tended to check and diminish its spreading growth upon once being nipped off does not so readily start again as is the case with some other plants, especially the grasses. I was informed a number of years ago that Jane Shannon, widow of George Shannon, one of the three first settlers in Warren Township, who soon after his coming there was frozen to death while hunting, and of which a branch of Leatherwood Creek through the easier part of Millwood township beers his name; his widow being left at the head of a family in straightened circumstances, manufactured a long web of linen from the textile fiber of nettles, they living in Belmont county a few miles northeast of Barnesville. She having the care of an interesting family and possessed of a genius and an energy peculiar to the those whole souled pioneer women who figured in the early unwritten history of southeastern Ohio; but whose acts some of which have been retained in the memory of the surviving few even until this time. With her inventive powers which were equal to the emergency of the times; under her superintendence and direction, she had a quantity of those nettles mowed or cut with a cradle and left exposed to a process of masceration, as was the custom in rotting flax and hemp, After this process the stem or woody part which forms the interior of the stalk becomes brittle and The fiber or lint somewhat loosened from exposure to alternate sunshine and rain, when this process of rotting is gone through with it is then broke and swingled in the same way as flax, the stalks being larger and the shives separated with less labor. The fiber is finer softer stronger, more pliant and silklike than flax; and is capable of being drawn into a finer thread from the distaff of the spinning wheel. The little spinning wheel as it was then called being a household necessity at that time. It being filled with flyers and distaff, and propelled with a treadle being the kind used in spinning all kinds of linen or thread, whether made or flax hemp or nettles, Thus when the fiber of those nettles was prepared to be drawn into thread., this dilligent with the labor of her own hands, assisted more or less by the members of her family as the case might be; spun and wove a long web of fine linen ample for all domestic purposes in the family. Several members of the family of Jane Shannon that were thus raised under these adverse circumstances and amid the privations to which the rising generation of that period were subjected, become prominent citizens and held responsible positions in society, The youngest son Wilson Shannon, the first white child born in Warren Township, who in his youth. wore clothing such as heretofore described; afterwards became governor of Ohio; an ambassodor to foreign courts, thus gaining a state and national reputation. Ann (Webster) Chalfant was a Gr. Gr. Aunt of the contributor. Debona Webster Dearing 2679 Indianola ave. Columbus, Ohio. - 82 - HISTORICAL REMINISCENCES Prepared for and read at an Edgerton reunion 9-25-1891 by James Edgerton It has been laid on me to give at this time some items of unwritten history concerning some events in the life of the family to which I have the honor to belong.. A very striking feature of my remarks on the reminiscenes of the past sixty years will be in the contrast between the present times and that of forty or sixty years ago in respect to the manner and the expense of living,. When our father Joseph Edgerton, son of James Edgerton Sr., settled on this place, 1818 the country was almost an unbroken forest, and the wolves were quite numerous, and troublesome. The neighbors united to hunt them down, and found a den about a mile away on the Leatherwood hills. It was not certain whether the old ones were inside or not. Therefore they deceded that grandfather Doudna would crawl in, light in one hand and gun in the other and rope tied tied around one foot by which his comrades on the outside were to draw him out on signal of danger. Thus equipped, he dragged himself in about twenty feet and was awarded by finding a nest of several young ones but no old ones. These cubs they secured and used as decoys to draw the parent wolves and in this manner succeeded in shooting one or both the parents. We had no friction -matches in those days, and if we let the fire go out we had to go to a neighbor for a supply. As grandfather lived a quarter of a mile away, he usually burned good hard woody maple or sugar tree wood, he was in a position to furnish the requiste article so some of us were usually dispatched there for fire. In those days all did their cooking by open fire in a large fireplace so he seldom lost fire and if he did he knew how to make it by striking flint and steel which he always kept on hand. We seldom lost fire when the weather was cold and a fire was kept up all of the time but in summer. A fire of green sugar wood covered well with ashes when not in use kept very well. Many a time I have gone for fire when grandfather would open his pile of ashes and divide his stock giveing me a generous share which I would carry home on a shovel, Then too, our light at night for reading or sewing was from the open fireplace, and if an extra task of the kind was on hand a. supply of light wood must be provided, This was secured from an old tree or some such place and stored in one corner,, The tallow candle was kept only for extra times or for use when company was present. Our oil of today was then unknow: although it was at that day stowed away in natures storehouse waiting the light, of science and the inventive genius of man to utilize. Indeed, when I first went to Mt,, Pleasant Boarding School in 1845, our light for studying at night was a lard oil lamp swung overhead and raised or lowered by a pulley. There was one such lamp in a room„ the balance of the light being supplied by candles. I also well remember the first cook stove brought into our house. It was of the Hathway patent. The peddler begged hard and finally got them to let him put it in to try but it was thought too expensive a luxury and he had to take it out and they returned to the open fire for cooking and the tin reflector for baking. This article was a case made of time about twenty inches long, a little like a minature house or shed set with the open side to the fire. It was equipped with a pan similar to the bread pans of today. This would so-on bake a loaf of bread or a couple of pies if placed near and in front of a good hot fire. - 83 - A more advanced contrivance was the Dutch Oven out in the year made unusally of mud, which: has to be heated to a certain degree, then the bread or whatever was to be baked, put in and shut up tightly to bake as the oven cooled. I remember very vividly my honor of getting oven wood which had to be very dry and split up fine. A modification of this oven is still in use, particularly by bakers, but we never see nowadays theold mud oven out in the backyard. It stood on four posts set in the ground and on them a floor laid of split puncheons covered with a thick coat of mud to keep them from burning. The oven was made of mud piled on wood so arranged that when the wood burned out it would leave the oven of dried mud, This possessed the great advantage of costing little except work, and that was a grand item in those days when it was harder to get a shilling than it is now to get a dollar. We were glad to get six and a quarter cents a pound for butter then and many things which now sell readily at paying prices would not sell at any figure. Wheat, so important to us now was not then found to any great extent in any farmer̊s storehouse, and would commend only twenty-five to fifty cents a bushel. I well remember when father go a few bushels made into flour which he thought we could spare and he had to haul it to Wheeling, W. Va. to sell it at all. There was a tread mill in the neighborhood to which I used to go to get our family breadstuffs made and I well remember one time in the fall of the year when our father was away from home and the water was so low the mills could not run, I would have to get up away before day and go to the mill and wait until someone came to join teams so as to have force enough to run the mill, In this manner we got our corn and occasionally a grist of buckwheat ground. In the latter case I would have to put the product into a sack and carry it into an upper story and bolt it by band. Compare this with the present mode of producing breadstuffs. In the ratter of clothing there was nearlyas marked a difference. We would raise flax, pull it thresh the seed from it, spread it out on a clean piece of grass rot, and when sufficiently rotten for the hard stiff part of the stalk to break easily, it was put away in a dry place until time to manufacture it. Then if the weather was too damp for the stalk to break up readily it had to be dried by fire, For this a frame was made over a pile of burning logs on which the flax was spread to dry but great care was necessary to keep it from taking fire for it falls under at the touch of fire To break, skutch, spin, and weave the lint was a job for the farmer's family in those days and nights also. In the cold winter evenings, Mother would get her wheel in front of the large fire and spin the evening away in the manufacture of sheets as well as clothing, such as skirts, pants, etc. save what few dimes we could raise and lay away to pay our taxes or other necessary bills. The item of fruit has also changed. A peach orchard stood on the hill in sight where we now are, which was planted in 1805 and bore abundantly after my recollection. It was very difficult to realize anything for the fruit and I have seen neighbors come with ox carts, beat off the peaches, put them in their carts and take them home. The sugar bills were of the indispensable variety and father would make any exchange he could to secure a supply. I remember his coming home with a lot of maple sugar cakes at one time. These were very large, having been moulded in some vessel which made them big enough to weigh ten or twelve pounds each and it seemed a problem how best to get them. - 84 - reduced to a state to be used. Father finally got the cutting box from the barn an sliced the sugar on it. In subsegent blears we secured sugar water from this grove and made our own maple sugar. We hauled it to the cellar where there was a large open fireplace and evaporated it in iron kettles and thus procured the season's sweet. Written by Sarah Maxwell - 85 - ANECDOTES CONCERNING CHARLES LIVEZEY. Charles son of Jesse K. and Elizabeth Patterson Livezey raised a colt that proved to be one of those good family horses. Such were designated because of their quiet, gentle disposition and a valuable trait in those days when used so much by women and children as well at the men. His wife, Elizabeth Smith Livezey, could harness and hitch her to the surrey, if necessary, and drive her wherever she wished. The children, Albert, Walter, Jesse and William would play around her and walk under her body when so inclined, without the least fear of danger and she never betrayed their confidences. When they got old enough to help care for, and work her she was so bidable, more so than with the older persons. For a number of years, she was the only horse on the ten acre lot. Consequently, she was driven to the surrey to take to take the family to meeting at Stillwater twice a week and very often to the Boarding School as well as elsewhere. Near the Meeting House, the road was forked. One lane leading to the meeting house and the other to the school, and. when nearing that point if some one would say "Nelly, we want to go to the Boarding School this time", she mostly took the right road. If in the evening, she usually without beingtold, took the road to the School, apparently having learned that we did not go to meeting that time of day When the time came that an automobile was bought, old Nelly, still had her same home and master while needed. Written by Elizabeth Smith Livezey Barnesville, Ohio. - 86 - MEMORY LANE In writing a bit of early history, I will say that anything I may offer will be from memory alone. I was 71 years old on the 12th, of March 1942, so my memory should go back to practices and things that might be a new subject to the younger generation. At this particular time, s igar end sweets are a much talked of subject, No doubt there are many young folks who do not know that even in my time, no one even with plenty of money, could buy granulated sugar. The reason, it had been made as yet. My first recollection of sugars "Orlenes" sugar, a very dark sticky coarse granted kind, that would become so juicy in the bottom of the grocers barrel that the last had to be carried home in water tight containers. Then there was light brown, which exposed to the air for a short time would become as hard as sand rock, But, I invite the younger generation to go with us down "Memory Lane" to the time when but little sugar was used in canning or for fruit butters. My grandfather, Cyrus Hall,, was the first white child born in the Leathenwood Valley. After growing to manhood he married Ellen Strahl. They built a home on the hill, one mile south of what is now Quaker City, Ohio and planted what was then considered a large orchard. In this orchard were many sweet apples of several varieties. These were used for making sweet cider to be used for sweetening fruit butters etc. Back in that time, many people travelled long distances on horseback, with a cotton grain bag with a gallon jug in each end thrown across the back of the saddle (or maybe a sheepskin) to grandfathers to try to buy,. or beg, enough cider to sweeten "a sturring" of apple butter. Grandfather had three sons, the older of the three, Edward who was my father, learned the art of maple sugar, making when quite young. Grandfather at one time, had about two hundred sugar tries, (hard maples ) When there was a good run of sap all four men were quite busy at least part of every day and well into the night, while the season lasted, that being until the leaf buds were ready to swell. A good sized log house was built near the middle of the camp, an open fire place extended entirely across one end and in this fireplace were hung four sugar kettles. Some of them weighing 250 pounds. At that time, buckets were scarce and expensive, so by each tree was a trough, made from half of a poplar log., about three feet; long. The sap boiled down to a light syrup after the had been filled up many times. This syrup was allowed to cool and settle usually over night. Then it was straomed through a heavy woolen cloth, next a well beaten egg together with a pint of rich milk was added and allowed to come to a slow boil. The milk and egg all left the syrup, and came to the top in the forma of an ugly looking scum, and this process brought up the dark particles of woody substance and left the syrup a bright golden color. A product that I am certain will - 87 - never be excelled, if one is looking for a top ores, ing for either griddle cakes or hot soda biscuits. On the farm where I now live, there were at one time about forty large sugar trees, but scattered over a wide area, but any way we called it the sugar camp., There I served my apprenticeship. Some may think that in order to make maple syrupy or maple sugar, on must have a great number of trees, expensive outfits, etc. If so they are wrong again On our lawn are sugars that planed in the spring of 1914. This spring I tapped four of the larger ones. On good sap days they produce 1 1/2 gallons per tree. Four gallons of sap should make one jelly glass of thick syrup. Five gallons should make a desert dish of dry maple sugar. You might ask does it pay? The answer all depends upon what kind of pay you are looking for. Sell at a profit? No. Who would want to sell anything so good„ Profitable to make and keep? Yes for "its good to the last drop" and the "memory lingers on.” Some people may have "raised cain", before the advent of maple sugar making, but the rising of cane for molasses making came much later. Six miles south west of Quaker City end on the Seneca Fork of Wills Creek was in the early times the Joseph Burson farm. On it was the first clearing and permanent home in that part of the valley. On the Burson farm, no doubt was the first cane patch in this part of Ohio. `!he following year cane was raised in many places in Guernsey and Belmont Counties, The Burson farm is now covered by the water in Seneca Lake. Written by Isaac Hall Quarker City, Ohio - 88 - THE PATTERSON HISTORY As near as I can tell, the Pattersons came to Concord meeting ( now Coleraine) from North Carolina in 1807 and later moved to Stillwater Meeting one mile east of Barnesville, Ohio. Talitha Patterson married Stephen Bailey 9-14-1808 and had six children. Some of the Fishers in Barnesville are descendants of their son Benjamin Bailey who married Lucy Crew. Burkharts flower gardens is owned by Vernon Burkhart, a great grandson. Some of the Skinners on Stillwater are descendants of Rachel who married Louis Naylor. Stephen Bailey married Martha Edgerton, their descendants are Resells Bailey who married Jonathan Elena and Ida Bailey who married Harvey Binns. Sarah Patterson, daughter of William and Elizabeth Ladd Patterson married Macajah Binford, on 2-4-1804. Jared Patterson, son of William and Elizabeth married Angelina Binford. 1-2-1808. Silas Patterson son of William and Elizabeth married Rachel Starbuck 5-4-1814. Some of their descendants, Lindley P. Bailey, and Allen Bailey. Jeremiah Patterson, son of William and Elizabeth Ladd Patterson married Elizabeth Plummer 12-16-1812. Rachel Patterson, daughter married John Plummer 3--27-1817. Exum Patterson, son married Anna Doudna, 11-27--1818. I have heard mother Anna Livezey Hail tell of the years of long ago about great grandfather, William Patterson Jr. He had wha.t was called "White swelling," so was lame, His mother Keziah and others were at a quilting. The company were talking about this one end that one who were going to get married. Keziah Patterson said " My poor lame Billy, there won't be anyone have him." Elizabeth Ladd was present and spoke up "Yes, I will," Grandmother Keziah said "I intend to see it shall be so." They were married in 8-22-1781 and raised a large family. William Patterson, son of William and Kezieh, married Elizabeth Ladd and came to Stillwater meeting in 1808, later on to Ridge monthly meeting. They bought a few acres of land just south of the road leading to Ridge meeting house and on number 8 road. A new house and barn have been built in the past 25 years. The old log house stood near a spring about 100 feet north east of the present one : I have heard mother say "One first day morning grandfather Exum was eating his breakfast. He looked up in time to see Anna Doudna on her way to meeting. I believe I would like to walk with Anna Doudna on her way to meeting That was the first she knew he thought anything of her. They were married in 1819 and lived in a house almost on the same foundation where Joe Johnson now lives, just south of Sugar Grove school house on number 8, south of Barnesville, Ohio. They had 40 acre of ground that her father John Doudna gave them. ElIzbeth Ladd Patterson was a minister and was the first to speak in the first meeting housebuild at Ridge. My mother, her great granddaughter, Anna Livezey Hall spoke her first time in the last meeting held in the same building, before tearing it down and building the one now standing. The meeting grounds were given by Joseph Patterson, who married Hannah Marmon in 1775. They livwd where Alfred Doudna now lives a lane east of the meeting house to the left. He was the first to be laid in the graveyard. - 89 - Elizabeth Laid Patterson had a minute to visit with some friends, and while they were away , their son Exum who lied about one quarter of a mile away, they asked him to take care of their chores. During this time my grandmother Elizabeth Patterson was born in little log cabin near the spring of Wm. and Elizabeth's home in 1821. Exum and Anna Patterson bought a 131 acre farm in Somerset township, two miles east of Ridge meeting house. This home was near a spring in bottom Land, near a pine tree now standing below the present home on a hill above by a new road number 148. This was a great charge, as great uncle John died in 1827 and great grand father Fxum died in 1828, with typhoid fever. In 1836 great aunts Phebe and Mary both. died with scarlet fever. This is known as the scarlet fever. The rest of the children had it. Grandmother Eliza Patterson had it so bad, the soles of her feet peeled off so perfectly, that she laid them away for keep sakes. Her children played with them and they had it too, these soles became so broken she finally burned them. A very good deed. My uncle Oliver Livezey had the habit of running with his tongue out, and was running back and forth on a setee one evening and stumped his toe and fell on the arm of the setee and cut the artery in his tongue with his teeth. He lived only a few hours as the Doctors in those days did not know how to stop bleeding by sewing, like they do now. The Doctors used to bleed nearly every one if they were sick, That was the custom in the early days. This left great grandmother Anna Doudna Patterson alone with two young girls and a large farm, They held together until 1848, when Anna married Joseph King of Chesterhill, Ohio. She then went with him to live there. This left grandmother. Elizabeth and Aunt Sarah alone. In 1849 grandmother married Jesse K. Livezey. They lived here a few years but thought the family would be stronger and have better health if the house was moved up on a hill a few hundred feet,, This was done by rollers and a horse. The family lived in a house while it was being moved„ It took some time to do and it was a slow job. After wards a two story, two rooms wide and one deep was built in front of the old house. I think all of the old part has been torn In 1889 or 1890 grandfather built a large two story barn which sheltered a large flock of sheep, cows, and horse. It had large mows of good hay. I have heard people say "Jesse (K. Livezey's farm was the best in Somerset township." He was a good financier and farmer. Both he and his wife were real old fashioned friends, as well as my father John G. Hall and mother Anna Livezey Hall. Grandfather and grandmother had six children, All died young except mother the oldest and uncle Charles Livezey. Mother was a teacher at Ridge School, Westtown Boarding school, and Friends Boarding school at Barnesville, Ohio. She taught seven terms at Barnesville. She was married to John G. Hall, who came to the United States when 25 years olds from England. He was born on Paradise St., Liverpool, England, They were married 12-21-1883. Grandfather Livezey bought great-grandfather John Doudna's, in the spring of 1884. Father and Mother moved into it in 3rd. month 1684. They lived here nearly 34 years. Wilmer Hall is now living on this farm. They had two children, Elizabeth and Wilmer Hall, - 90 - Elizabeth married Silas H. Hartley in 1907. We have five children and eight living grandchildren. Wilmer Hall married Mildrd Rachel Edgerton in 1918, and they have four children and one grandchild„ Wilder lives on the old home place which has been in the family for six generations continually. Elizabeth and family live in the house Amos Barlow built, and is just west of father's and mother's home. In 1893, Charles Livezey married Elizabeth W. Smith and they went to house-keeping on Jesse K. Livezeys farm until 1898 or 99, then went to Barclay Smith's on Stillwater neighborhood End bought ten acres from him and built a house west of Barnesville, Ohio where his wife now lives. He died 8-20-1927 while superintendent of the Friends Boarding school, with Influenza. they had five boys, the oldest died in infancy. There are fifteen living grandchildren, Albert Livezey is the only one living around Barnesville since their marriage. Aunt Sarah Patterson, (grandmother Livezeys sister) married Henry Clay Lewis in 1860 and they had four children,. One died in infancy and nine living grandchildren, eighteen living great grandchildren, Aunt Sarah lived most of the time with grandmother and grandfather Livezey until she married.. They lived a few years where Charles Meyers now lives, west of where they bought and their son Hiram Lewis now lives, They both died here. A DOG STORY After Uncle Charles Livesey moved away from the farm, the dog finally got to our home. Grandfather and Grandmother came to live with father and mother, Grandmother lived only a few weeks end passed away 10th, month 1897. The dog remembered grandmother as she fed him so often. After he came to our house he came in and greeted all but soon went to the hall door and whined. He found all but grandmother. He died a few years later. It appears that a number of Patterson families moved from North Carolina to Ohio and. settled first at Concord Meeting at Coleraon, Ohio, then to Stillwater monthly meeting and later on some went to Ridge monthly meeting. Joseph Patterson married Hannah Marmoon, The man who gave the ground for Ridge monthly meeting, Lemuel Patterson, married Hannah Arnold, and lived in a house by the water works, A son Joshua Patterson married Amy Broomall. Their son, Barclay, married Georgia Connard. Benjamin Patterson Sr. married Jane Bailey, and later married Jane Lowery. The first wife had. ten children. One child, Wm. Henry Patterson married (1) Carry Outland, (2) Elizabeth Griffith- French, no issue, Wm. henry and Carry had two children. Ernest Patterson a contractor married Florence Bailey. They live in Barnesville. A son Benjamin, married Anna Hardesty. They had four children. Frederic and Edward live in Barnesville. Frederic is an electrician, and Edward is manager of east Main Street M. K, grocery store, besides being prominent in other affairs. Isaac Patterson married Rebecca Crew, 9--20-1820 and they had eight children, four died in 1836 of scarlet fever. Two of them died within a week. Their - 91 - son Eli married (1) Pharaba Bailey, (2) Tabitha Bailey. Eli lived just east of Ridge school house near a spring. He afterwards built a nice house by the road where another house now stands. The first one burned in the "90's." Louisa Patterson (daughter of Eli and Pharaba) married Jesse I. Doudna. They had four children. Wallace and Ethel lived and Wallace has two children snd two grandchildren. Ethel married Joe Wylie and they have three living children and five grandchildren. Ruthanna (called Rutanner) Patterson married Joel Bailey, David Patterson carried (1) Eunice Starbuck, (2) Sarah Stewart. The first wife had four children, a daughter Eva Luzerne married Allen Bailey. They had seven children. The second wife had seven children and they live in the west. The Ridge School house was build out of bricks out of the meeting house at Somerton. Written by Elizabeth J. Hartley - 92 - JOSEPH PATTERSON Joseph Patterson was born third month 18th.. 1753 and married Hannah Marmon in 1775. She was born second month 27th. 1753, Their daughter Sara Patterson was born fourth month 8th 1790 and married John Shoebridge Williams. He was born 7th. month 31st 1790 They were married 9th. month 16th. 1813. Sara died 5th, month 29th. 1858, John died 4th. month 27th. 1878. John Shoebridge Williams was my fathers great uncle and a brother of his grandmother Elizabeth Williams Garretson. Joseph Patterson died 5th, month 7th. 1816 at the age of 63, and was the first one buried in the grave yard at Ridge. His wife Hannah Marmon Patterson died 2nd. month 9th. 1820 at the age of 67. Uncle John Shoebridge Williams helped build the national road, In 1826 he became the assistant of C. W. Wever in the construction of the national road in Ohio east of Zanesville,. It was his business to superintend the graduation and macadamizing the Maysville turnpike, which he did during the six years of its construction. That road together with the engineering of drivers roads in Kentucky and several diverging from the city of Cincinnati and some other roads in this state, will long remain as marks of seventeen years labor. I will copy a little from the American Pioneer which Uncle John S. Williams wrote in 10th. month 1843. " In my twenty second year. I took up school near Barnesville where the bright blue eyes of one of my pupils, Sara Patterson by name the same eyes that do not wear glasses to this day) together with her rosy cheeks, seemed to monopolize in themselves all that was good, bright,. or pretty in Euclid, Ferguson, Newton, Bacon, Martin, and a host of other authors that were dear to me. The purpose of my life seemed to be changed. Here let me drop a caution to the fair lasses not to let their eyes shine too sparkingly around, for they know not what harm they might do. How many good scholars in prospect they might spoil, and how much of the course of life might be changed by them. Later he says "Ten fine children have in times past sat around my table. Other kinds of wealth I never was adept at either collecting or keeping together. The lack of such a trait of character I shall not regret untii it is seen that money bestows merit, or that the value of the man is in direct proportion to the weight of his purse. Having seen some men do more good with one dollar than others with their thousands. The conclusion had been forced upon me, that richer are more frequently detriments than blessings. This however; not the fault of the property, but of those who possess it." Written by Elma. Doudna Bailey - 93 - "BOB PETERS" When Jesse Bailey Sr., grandfather of Lindley P. Bailey came to Warren Township, Belmont County Ohio from Dinwiddie Couty, Virginia, in 1811 he brought with him a coiored man, Bob Peters who joined Stillwater Friends Meeting soon after his arrival and, so far as is known was the only colored person ever belongng to this meeting, "Old Bob" was known and honored for his many good qualities and was the best cook around. No wedding was complete without "Old Bob" as cook. His maple sweet cakes, corn pones and roast possum made him famous and were enjoyed by all, Robert H. Smith related to William H. Stanton how, "Old Bob" kept his cookie box well filled for the boys of the neighborhood and If he was not at home when they called, they would sometimes climb down the stick chimney of his cabin to get them, though they knew the door was never locked, just to hear him scold about them "ornery" boys that would steal his cookies, but it pleased him and was just what he wanted and expected them to do Robert H. Smith was one of the boys who ventured down the chimney for old Robs" cookies. At one time he lived near the present James Walton brick house and "kept" the Stillwater Meeting House. He died sometime in the "Forties" and was laid to rest in the Stillwater burying ground, loved and honored by all. Written by Anna Bailey Patten Tacoma, Ohio - 94 - EDWARD PICKETT Edward, the youngest son of William Pickett, was married in 1888, and moved to Omaha, Nebraska, where two children, Warren Edward and Howard were born. Owing to the declining health of his wife, they moved back to Barnesville, Ohio in 1893. After a year in Barnesville, she passed away. The boys were cared for in their grandfathers home and Edward went to Pittsburg and was engaged in the Life Insurance work, He later married again in the third month, 1898. He contracted typhoid fever and passed away the following winter and was buried at the Stillwater burying grounds. William G. Steer was appointed guardian for the two boys and they lived in their grandfathers home until they reached manhood. Howard, the youngest, seemed to be the unlucky one in early life and all of his troubles were on his left side, First it was boils,, then while riding a pony, he was crowded against a fence and injured his knee, Later while in a swimming pool, a turtle bit a piece out of his heel as large as a twenty five cent piece which left a permanent scar. When he was nine years old, I sent him to the barn to bridle a horse that I had borrowed of a neighbor and was thoughg to be perfectly gentle, but on inquiry found that when young he had a wicked disposition. Soon after Howard went to the barn, we heard an alarming cry and on going immediately to the barn, 20 rods away found him outside with his left eye laying out on his cheek. The horse had bit him and the lower teeth had cut the eye open and the mark of the upper teeth was very light on his forehead and disappeared in a few days. A doctor was called at once and he removed the eye The cavity soon got well and he never had trouble with the artificial eye except when at Penn State College. He had the artificial eye crushed in the socket and he was in the hospital for sometime. He has lived on the Pacific coast for more than 20 years and his home is in Salem, Oregon. He has three sons, the oldest is a Marine in the Pacific fleet and another past 21years of age. He has been successful in business and he and his wife are leaders in religious activities. Written by William G. Steer Barnesville, Ohio - 95 - WILLIAM PICKETT William Pickett was the son of Thomas Pickett and Hanna Steer. She was a sister of my grandfather, James Steer Sr. and was born in 1820 at Concord and moved with his parents to Hopewell meeting, three miles south of Malta, Morgan County, Ohio. He married Rebecca Worthington when she was sixteen years old. They were the parents of nine children, John, Mary, Elizabeth, Perly, Isaac,, Louisa. D., Sara M., Edward and Anna. The latter passing away when young, With the exception of John, they all were educated at the Boarding School at Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson County and Barnesville, Belmont County, Ohio. Mary taught at Mt. Pleasant for several years, and all the others had been teachers except John and Thomas, Sara M. the only one who graduated at Barnesviile Boarding School, taught for a number of years at number one in Warren Township, Barnesville Public school, and Friends primary school at Salem, Ohio. Of the twenty five grandchildren, sixteen are living, and eleven grandchildren are of draft age, two of them are in the navy. Father Pickett had but little means when married, so felt the need of economizing time. On one mid week meeting day he thought best to stay at home and plow. The first round he made he broke his plow, which to repair cost him more than a weeks work. This accident confirmed him the belief that it was not right to absent himself from attending all meetings. At the time of the Civil War, John, the oldest son was of age, so father and he were taken to Marietta, Ohio when they refused to enlist, and were kept there for for some time then allowed to return home without having been punished in any way. With the help of his sons he cleared the land and also increased the size of his farm so it was considered one of the best kept and best fenced in the community. In those days all the fences were rail, staked and double ridered. To build such a fence, was to first make it eight rails high, set two stokes at each panel end on to of these place the two riders, These rails were made of the best walnut, popular and oak. The virgin soil was very productive. Father told me that he grew 100 bushels in three crops in sucession or 1000 on the 10 acres. Also that he was the first one to use bran to feed stock, the millers having always dumped it into the river., I am reminded in connection with this, that one evening he had loaded a wagon with sacks of wheat to take to the mill, and the next morning, found his wagon on top of the barn with the wheat in it. This was a Halloween prank. In the early time of the Boarding School at Mto Pleasant a brother, Thomas Pickett was a student, One day near noon, he received a telegram telling of his brothers serious illness. There was no railroad in Morgan County then, so the only way of travel was by steamboat on the Muskingum to Zanesville„ Having to wait until morning for the boat he started on foot and was soon picked up by a farmer and taken several mile., Then he again walked on when man in a high wheeled one seated sulky overtook him and stopped to inquire where he was going. On learning from father the urgency of getting to Zanesville in time for the train, the man informed him, that the only help he could - 96 - gave was to allow him to hold on to the back of the cart, which offer he readily accepted. In this manner he ran for sometime though it required an effort to keep up ith the speed of the horse. By being thus assisted he was able to travel the 28 mile in time for the train to Wheeling, W. Va. It was after night by the time he had reached the boat landing that crossed to Martins Ferry amd no boat running on account of the heavy ice floating in the river. Althougj it seemed a hazardous thing to do, he saw no way but to endeavor to cross on the floating cakes of ice, which he was favored to do without en accident. We need to remember that the only light to guide him was the reflection from the blast furnaces. It was still 12 miles to Mt. Pleasant. Yet he travelled on to the home of Asa Raley about half way and soon learned he was too late to see his brother alive. Father and mother were faithfull in the attencande of all their meetings, driving to Chester Hill, 12 miles away over unimproved roads in all kinds of weather., Their only conveyance being an open top spring wagon. Those who never have had such experiences can hardly realize what it meant to drive that 24 miles and attend meeting the same day. By 1883 their home meeting being kept up by a very few and two of their married daughters, Mary P. Taber and Louisa D. Steer, living near Barnesville they decided to sell the farm and move there. They bought the Joseph Doudna farm, which was formerly the Joel Dawson farm, located one half mile from the yearly meeting house Father was the then quite lame and not able to manage the work so his son Thomas and wife lived with them for four years, after which he had to depent on hired help until 1896 when Louisa and myself returned after living nine years in California. Mother Pickett passed away in 1904. The farm was sold, so father and the two sisters Elizabeth and Sara M. went to live with us in 1907. The home we had bought at Tacoma, formerly the home of William and Jane Stanton. Father told us of one fall when he failed to get his apples stored before winter, he covered the piles with corn fodder and the apples wintered in good condition. He was a man of strong character and a very useful member of meeting, though having but little education he would often repeat a selection he hod comitted to memory while following the plow. Father and mother were faithful attenders of meeting when able., They were both in the position of elders here and in Pennsville quarter, Morgan County, she passed away in 1904 and he in 1910. The next day after his grandson Louis J. Taber and Edna Bailey were married. William and Rebecca had been married more than 65 years and were laid away in Stillwater burying grounds, as were all of thelr children except John and Thomas. The former was buried in Colorado and the letter in Omaha, Nebraska. Written by William G. Steer Barnsville, Ohio - 97 - THE PLUMMER FARM Back in the last of the 18th, century when Friends were freeing their son slaves, but were surrounded and hectored by neighbors who would neither agree with them nor welcome such free thinkers among them, these friends were casting longing eyes to the regious about them for a land where freedom of speech and conscience might still be exercised. At this critical juncture, the great North west Territory was opened to colonization. Slavery there was prohibited and the country was beautiful and rich, full of hills, meadows, rivers and most of all forests. It is no wonder the heartsick Quakers thronged towards it willing toface all sorts of heavy labor and privations. The first Friend, and the fourth person, to settle in Warren Township, Belmont County, Ohio came from the Plummer family, tracing to its ancestry to Wales in the late sixteen hundreds. It's first representative to settle in Ohio was Abraham Plummer, born in 1736 and who married Sarah Ward in 1762, in Calvert County, Maryland. The mother is not mentioned as being in Ohio, but Abraham Plummer accompanied by his son Robert Plummer Sr. and his family, arrived in the region now called Warren Township, in the late spring of 1801. They hired a wagon and teamster to carry their goods to the wilderness, but rode horseback themselves, While debating where to build, the wife stuck her willow riding switch into the ground near a spring saying "This is where our house shall be." Many years later the old willow tree still marked the spot though the little cabin was soon replaced, This certificate of membership among friends followed them as soon as it could be arranged. From the records of Concord Monthly Meeting 11-19-1803, a certificate was produced for Robert Plummer, Rachel his wife, and children, Elizabeth, John and Abraham from Pipe creek monthly meeting dated 13th. of 11th month 1802, which was read and received. Abraham Plummer, then 65 years old, promptly "entered" the land and in 1802 received the patemt for same, granted by Thomas Jefferson, President, and James Madison, Secretary of State, These three adults with the children, aged respectively, 6, 5, and 2 lived as one family, and having arrived later in the spring they built a hurried summer here of logs and poles, cut and placed by Abraham and Robert' and chinked with moss by Rachel, the latters wife. The roof was made of hickory bark, the first layer being placed with the sap side up, and the second laid so as to break the joints of the first, with the bark side up, When exposed to the sun, this roof being green became so shrivelled and drawn together that rain could scarcely penetrate it, The floor was dirt, and the door a quilt, The window had greased paper for glass, They hastily cleared a small space and raised a crop of corn, The nearest place to have it ground was Morristown, six miles away, through the wilderness, By autumn they built a more substantial home of heavy logs, The ambitious home builder put a little porch at the front door to sit on which innovation placed this cabin in a class by itself and Rachel held up her head In pride - 98 - that her house was the only one in the neighborhood to possess such a feature. This last log douse is still on the "Plummer Farm", and has for many years been used as the "shop" housing all sorts of carpenters and mechanics tools, It has been boarded over inside and out but a little chipping away of this shell reveals the original logs. The oldest part of the present dwelling was also built by Robert Plummer Sr. In the big kitchen fireplace, recently re-opened, the cooking was done in pots hanging on the crane, in utensils covered with ashes on the hearth, a reflecting dutch oven, long legged skillets and so forth. He dressed the stones and built the spring house and deep stone trough into which the milk crocks were set to be surrounded by the cold water, and erected the log smoke house in the rear of the dwelling, both of which are standing at this writing. He set aside, in 1802, the next year after his arrival, an acre of ground for burial purposes, intending to make it the property of Friends so that a meeting house could be built on it, so rapidly did the settlement fill up. In the meantime, James Vernon built a home in 1803 near the burying ground, and this house was used as a meeting house. This was the first gathering for religious worship in the township, Shortly afterwards the trend of settlement having moved southward, the first meeting house was erected on the land where now stands the yearly meeting house. Consequently the intention of Robert P Plummer Sr. was not carried out, but the plot became a township burying grounds and is still known by that name. We do not have the date of the death of Abraham Plummer, but one or the other of these two is buried in this acre donated by Robert Plummer Sr. and we suppose it was the former, as he passed out of the records rather soon. In those days no stones marked the graves of Friends. After arriving at the new home, two more children were born to Robert and Rachel; Mary C. in 1809 End Robert Jr. born 1813. The latter was just one year old when Robert Sr. died, The widow Rachel, presently married Caleb Engle. In the course of time the farm became the property of Robert Plummer Jr., and his mother again a widow, lived out her space of life with her son's family. In 1836, Robert Jr. married Jane Bailey (born 1817), the daughter of Micajah and Mary Bailey. They raised eight children out of nine. The house not being commodious enough for such a family, he added more rooms to the old part as can be readily seen. Part of the original farm was disposed of to the Belmont County Childrens home, The remainder was purchased in 1940 by Charles and Ellen Morlan and were presented to the Friends Boarding School as a gift of love. Both were at the time, members of the Boarding School Committee. Notes A maple sugar camp was operated on the place and also cane was raised for sorghum molasses; made for themselves and neighbors. Lye was leached out of wood ashes and home made soap was for a long time the only kind they knew. - 99 -