400 - CHAMPAIGN AND 1839, and was bereft of my partner (the pioneer girl) on the 30th of November, 1869, and to-day, Sept. 14, 1871, am in Urbana, and have this day plucked another angelic bloom from old Champaign's fair bowery, and who now stands by my side, and who now promises to sustain, comfort and protect me through the decline of life. In a few hours we will be wafting our way toward the western horizon, toward the setting sun, to or beyond the father of waters, to our cozy home. If the second tulip compares with the first, will I not hold old Champaign in grateful remembrance? WILLIAM DARNALL Sept. 14, 1871 HIDDEN TREASURE BY ED. L. MORGAN. One of the early settlers of Champaign County, was Richard Stanup, a Virginian, and a man of color. When the writer first knew him, he lived on the hill a short distance north of the place where Mr. Saul Clark now lives, in Salem Township, about one mile north of Kings Creek, in sight of that creek and its beautiful valley. A short distance east of the spot where Stanup then lived and on the brow of the hill, which inclines to the south, lie buried the mouldering remains of a number of human beings, white, red and black, without a stone to mark the place of their earthly repose. A few short years and they and the place where their ashes lie, will pass from the memory of man. Richard was a Baptist preacher, known to many of our citizens of the present day, for he lived to a great age, and died a few years ago at the age of about one hundred and twelve years. Stanup, although comparatively an illiterate colored man, was in the prime of life, and before the commencement of his second childhood, one of the ablest preachers of his time. His comparisons and illustrations were mostly drawn from living nature, as it theft existed, and could be easily understood by the learned scholar, or the unlettered plow boy. The writer once heard him preach the funeral of a young colored woman, at the grave-yard before mentioned ; after describing the punishment of the wicked in their place of torment in another world, he spoke of the hap- 402 - CHAMPAIGN AND piness of the righteous in heaven, and when he came to describe that happy place, he pointed toward the beautiful valley which lay before. us, then clothed with wild prairie flowers of every Color and variety that was pleasing, to the eye, from the "rose of Sharon" to the humblest "Jump up Johnny," and said that to us here was a pretty sight, but only a faint resemblance of the country to be hereafter inherited by the righteous. Richard was not only a good preacher, but a good hand to dig wells. He and Major Anderson did most of the well digging in this part. of the county, (Salem,) in old times. Between forty and fifty years ago Stanup was employed by John McAdams, Esq., to dig a well on his farm. McAdams then lived upon a farm which is now owned by M. Allison Wright, and is. situated about one mile south of Kennard, and on the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad. The digging was begun about the 1st of September, and at the depth of about sixty feet the old man "struck water," and immediately informed those above of the good news. As was the custom on such occasions, a bottle was filled with whisky, corked with a corn cob, and placed in a "piggin," which was let down to the bottom of the well in a large tub, which was used to draw up the sand and gravel. At the moment the tub and its contents reached the bottom of the well, it began to cave in, and instantly covered the tub, bottle and piggin. Stanup seized hold of the rope and climbed slowly until he had ascended something more than half way to the top of the well, when the earth gave way and the unfortunate man was covered up with dirt, sand and coarse gravel, at least twenty feet below the surface. All the men and women who were present and able to work, went at it to remove the earth as soon as possible, and the younger portion of the family were sent in haste to alarm the neighbors. It was Into in the evening when the body of Richard was reached, and all supposed that life was extinct. The rubbish having been removed from the upper part Of his body, Mrs. McAdams cut a few yards of linen from a web she had in her loom, which was placed around his body, below the arms; to this was fastened the well rope, and the body was drawn up by the men at the windless. On reaching the surface all supposed that life had fled ; not the slightest symptoms of breath or pulse could be detected ; yet as there was some warmth about the body, every known remedy was LOGAN COUNTIES - 403 applied, and after a long time there began to be signs of life ; breathing could be perceived for a few moments and then ceased, when all present said in a loud voice, "Richard is dead !" This appeared to rouse him up; he again rallied, and with a voice audible to all he exclaimed, "I is worth two dead niggers yet !" The "hidden treasure" consists of a mattock, shovel, large tub, piggin and bottle of whisky, at the bottom of the well, where they now are; untouched by human hands, and the whisky untasted by mortal lips. Now, as the question as to the relative merits of old and new whisky is still unsettled, I propose that some gentleman test the matter by unearthing the whisky I have here described, and all I shall ask for giving account of its whereabouts, will be the first swallow from the old bottle, after the cob shall be removed. "PIONEER POLLY." BY ED. L. MORGAN. On the 7th of September last, * you published an extract from a communication furnished the Bellefontaine Press by Mr. Joshua Antrim, in which he gave a short account of a day's spinning by Polly Latty, many years ago. On the 14th of the same month, Gen. Wm. Darnall, who "twined" with the said Polly in 1828, furnished a communication for the Citizen, for the purpose, as he said, of removing the "gloom submerged" in the narrative of Mr. Antrim. But as the General has not given a full account of the transaction referred to, the matter is still "submerged in gloom," so far as a large majority of your readers are informed. But we must excuse him for his negligence, as his time and attention were wholly given to that "angelic bloom" which he had just "plucked from old Champaign's fair bowery." May their union be a prosperous and happy one, is the wish of their friend. I will now endeavor to give a true account, in detail, of the whole transaction, so far as my memory will permit, for I was well acquainted with all the parties concerned, and with the details of the circumstances at the time they transpired. It is well known that in the early days of the settlement of the country, each family that was blessed with women, old or young, married or single, possessed also at least one weaver's loom and one small spinning-wheel for each woman, or girl in the family. These "little wheels" were used for spinning flax and tow, and in very early times for spinning *From the Urbana Citizen and Gazette. LOGAN COUNTIES - 405 cotton, which was carded with hand cards after the seeds were picked out by the little boys and girls, and of that thing of picking cotton the youngsters sometimes got very tired, as I well know by experience. How happy they were when the cotton gin was invented ! Each family was also provided with at least one "big wheel." On this they spun the wool, which was also carded by hand until carding-machines were invented. They had reels on which to wind the thread, or yarn, after it was spun. These reels were about three feet in diameter, and had an instrument made of wood, and attached to the front part of the reel, which resembled the minute hand of a clock. This hand would go once around while the reel turned one hundred and twenty times, and every time the hand went round, the reel would "crack," which was evidence that there was a "cut," or one hundred and twenty threads upon the reel. A dozen cuts per day was considered a woman's task ; if she spun more she was entitled to additional pay. The common wages paid to a good spinner was fifty cents per week. If she spun less than twelve cuts per day, she was "docked" in proportion to the number of cuts less than a dozen. The young men in those days of "old fogyism," when they determined to select a partner to accompany them through the journey of life, would, in the first place, ascertain whether or not his best beloved could or would spin her dozen of flax thread per day, turn a pancake unbroken, without touching it, and land it in the pan unsoiled, mend her husband's buck-skin hunting over-garments, and knit her own and the baby's woolen stockings. If she possessed all these necessary qualifications, she seldom failed to become a happy bride and an honored and respected wife. Such being the state of affairs, it is but reasonable to suppose that there was, to a certain extent, a rivalry and a laudable desire on the mind of each young woman (the vulgar name of lady was not then applied to them) to out-do all others, not so much in looks, fine, costly dress and painted cheeks, but in useful industry, general gpod management, and behavior. The most popular qualification of a young woman was that of a good spinner, consequently all endeavored to excel in that business, and spinning parties became the order of the day. Polly Latty was the daughter of Robert Latty, who at an early day settled upon a farm in Salem township, Champaign county, which farm he afterwards sold to Joshua Buffington, who now re- 406 -CHAMPAIGN AND sides at West Liberty, Logan county, having sold the farm to the Stewart brothers, who are sons of Archibald Stewart, deceased. Polly was a fine specimen of a pioneer Buckeye girl, of rather more than medium stature, well formed, healthy and handsome. She was not ashamed nor afraid of work; as a spinner she never was excelled; at a flax pulling frolic, or a house warming, she had but few equals. Once upon a time, I believe it was in 1824 or 1825, but I am not certain as to the precise time, Polly had concluded to do the greatest day's work that had ever been performed by a single person. A time and place had been selected for the purpose—a log barn in the neighborhood was to be the place, and the time front sunrise to sunset on a certain day. At early dawn on the day appointed, the pioneer girl and her mother, With a goodly number of the neighbors, were assembled at the appointed place, and everything having been duly arranged, the first whirr of the spinning-wheel was heard the moment the sun made his appearance in the e stern horizon, and it ceased not for a minute until the sun had disappeared behind the distant hills that border the beautiful valley of Mad river. The mother and another woman waited upon Polly, during the day of her trial and hard work, and supplied her with victuals and drink, that she might not be hindered on that account. One of them also reeled the thread as fast as the spools were filled. Noon arrived; it was "high twelve;" half the day was gone, but half the promised work was not yet done. Polly must hurry up or surrender the laurels to another. Her attendants now inclosed that part of the barn where she sat, by hanging around her a number of sheets, blankets and quilts, at a proper distance, so as to form a kind of private room in which they should not be exposed to the view of vulgar outsiders nor interrupted and hindered by their annoyance. As evening approached, fears were entertained by the girl and her mother that the task would not be accomplished before sunset ; she therefore put forth all her energy, determined to do the utmost in her power. The wheel now hummed and whirled faster than at any time before, and that no expedient should go untried in this critical moment, like Burn's Nannie, in times of old, "She coosed her duddys to the wark, And linket at it in her wk." It is said that time, patience and perseverance will accomplish all things. It was so in this case. As the last rays of the setting LOGAN COUNTIES - 407 sun were glimmering over the western horizon, and shone faintly upon the round logs of that now extinct barn, the last "crack" of the reel was heard to announce the completion of the forty-eighth "cut" and the fourth dozen. The pioneer girl was victorious, and that triumph shaped her destiny in after life. Soon after the spinning was done, an account of the great feat was published in a newspaper, giving the name and place of residence of the spinner. Gen. Wm. Darnall, who had never before heard the name of Polly Latty, on reading the story, at the place where he was keeping school, at some distance from here, immediately formed a determination to see, become acquainted with, and, if possible, to enter into a life partnership with the best spinner of the time. All this he finally accomplished, although in his case, as in nearly all others, the current of true love did not always run smooth, for Polly had other admirers; but wisely selected the one of her choice. She had several brothers and sisters. I know of but one living, her sister Sarah, who married Benoni Barnes, and lives near Addison, in this county. There may be others, but I know of none. Gen. Wm. Darnall, at the time he became acquainted with Miss Latty, was, like the writer, a "school-master," and Judge Vance, of our Probate Court, was one of his scholars. Soon after the passage of the first school laws by the Ohio Legislature, in 1825, Johnathan E. Chaplin, Wm. Darnall and myself were app"inted the first school examiners in Champaign County. Mr. Chaplin was an attorney-at-law, but afterwards abandoned the practice of law and became a Methodist preacher. He passed from time to eternity many years ago. Now reader, you have, as I believe, a true history of "Pioneer Polly," given in part by Mr. Antrim, in part by her husband, and in part by your humble servant. Here is an instance in which a young woman, before unknown to fortune and to fame, by her personal labor and great industry, in a single day laid the foundation of a long,, prosperous and happy life. Permit me to say to the present generation of girls, "Go thou and do likewise.' PIONEER PRACTICE OF MEDICINE IN LOGAN COUNTY. BY B. S. BROWN, M. D. Having been requested to contribute something in regard to the Pioneer Physicians of Logan county, I have thought that it might not be uninteresting to the physicians of the county at the present time, and to others, to be told of the very great difference between the practice of the profession now, and what it was thirty to fifty years ago, especially in regard to the arduous work and fatigue necessarily involved then, and now. Now, since the county has become thickly settled, there are generally from two to five or six doctors in each of the dozen or more towns and villages throughout the county; consequently, the circuit of their practice is mostly restricted to a few miles, or they encroach upon the circuit of the adjacent village; which is sometimes necessary and very proper for the purpose of consultation, &c. But in visiting their patients of late years, how do the doctors travel? They are mounted in an elegant spring buggy, mostly with a fast horse attached, whether their trip is a few miles in the country or but around the suburbs of the town. And besides, if they have to drive in the country, it is generally upon smooth, excellent turnpike roads, making it seem more like a ride for pleasure than hard work. This is all in very pleasant contrast with what the practice of medicine in this county was thirty or fifty years ago; then the physicians of the county were "few and far between," and some of the earliest practitioners had to ride to all parts of the county and frequently into the adjoining counties around. LOGAN COUNTIES - 409 For several years after there was quite a considerable settlement along the Miami river ; Cherokee and Rushereek in the northern part of the county. There were no physicians located north of Bellefontaine within fifty or a hundred miles, and a considerable portion of the practice of the physicians of Zanesfield and Bellefontaine was in that direction, particularly in the settlements along the streams above mentioned, and often extending into Hardin and some adjoining counties. In the county spoken of, during the early settlement of it, I think there was much more sickness—in proportion to the number of inhabitants—than there has been for several years previous to this time ; for in addition to "milk-sickness" which prevailed to a fearful extent in several localities of that region, before the cattle were grazed on tame pastures, they had several epidemics of typhoid fever, which was very tedious and difficult, to manage and often proved fatal, after the most careful medical and nursing attention. Besides, malarial fevers, such as ague, and bilious fevers were more prevalent in the early settlement of the country, than since the land has been largely cleared and cultivated. As I have said before a large portion of the practice of the doctors here, was for several years, amongst the diseases I haVe mentioned, and in that region, at the distance of from six to twelve, up to twenty or thirty miles. But how did we get there ? Certainly not by riding in a fine buggy over smooth and pleasant roads ; but on horse-back along the worst kind of roads, or no roads at all, for it was often so that we had to be guided along a foot path, or trail, through the thick woods for miles together, and sometimes, to make a shorter cut from one road to another, through the woods where there was no path at all. There were some wagon roads in different directions which had been cut out through the woods ; but at some seasons of the year, they were much worse to ride on horse-back over than the pathways, or trails through the woods, owing to the deep mud and ruts in many places along them. I have, however, frequently heard it remarked in the spring of the year, that there was only one mud hole between here and Cherokee, Richland, Roundhead, or any other town in that direction, but that one extended the whole distance. It was not uncommon in the winter and early spring, for these mud roads after they had been tramped up very roughly like brick clay, to become so frozen and rough that it was 28 410 - CHAMPAIGN AND very difficult for a horse to pass over them faster than a walk. And sometimes. in places where the mud was very deep, it was not frozen quite strong enough to bear up the weight of the horse and his rider, and he would break. through, nearly or quite knee deep. These are. some of the troubles and difficulties the practitioners of those times had to encounter, both by day and by night,and I used to verily believe tbat these long trips had to be more often in the night than in the day time ; which was accounted for in this way : A person, man, woman or child would be taken sick—not very bad —but after using some home remedies for a few days, the patient was no better, and but little if any worse. The neighbors would call in at night, to see the sick one, (for they were more sociable, and friendly in that way, then than now ;) and upon consultation among themselves, would advise that the doctor be sent for forthwith. Then, perhaps, some young man present would volunteer to go, if some other one would go with him ; and, if the roads were not as bad as described above, the two would mount and gallop the whole way, even if the distance was ten or twelve miles, arriving here perhaps about midnight. No excuse or proposal to go in the morning would avail, but the doctor must immediately saddle up, and go with the messengers, as they came, and it aright be, to find the patient no more in need of medication, than he had been for days previous, when the doctor might have been called in the day time. As an illustration of the greater social friendship existing in regard to seeing after, and assisting sick neighbors, I recollect of being sent for, and going to see a sick man in the night, about ten or twelve miles from here, arriving near midnight. The house in which I found the patient was a small log cabin, perhaps about sixteen by twenty feet, having but one room, with a large chimney fire-place at the end, and the beds, &c., at the other. It was rather cold weather. When we got bout. a half a mile from the place, we could see a very large fire in the direction, that it might almost make us: think the house was burning up, till we got near enough to see what it was. It was a large "log heap" on fire in the yard, a few rods in front of the door, built and fired by the Visiting neighbors, who were collected and warming themselves around it, because there was not room in the house to seat and accommodate half of them, without too much disturbing the quiet LOGAN COUNTIES - 411 of the patients. Some of these kind neighbors, both men and women, lived miles away ; for the whose neighborhood considered it a duty to "visit the sick," and some of them of course would remain all night to assist in waiting on and nursing the sick. When a child was to be born in those times, and the doctor was sent for, either by night or day, (and in cases of this kind it was not uncommon that he had to ride eight to twelve miles,) when he would arrive, he would generally find all the married women of the neighborhood had got there before him, frequently numbering from half a dozen to ten or more ; for it was considered an . insult to a woman, if within a few miles, not to be sent for on an occasion of this. kind. As soon as the child was born and cared for, then commenced the preparation for the feast, and the innocent chickens on the roost had as much cause to be horrified, as it was said in old times they were on the arrival of the circuit preacher at his usual stopping place. And in a short time, no matter what was the hour of day or night, the table was spread and loaded with substantials and luxuries sufficient for the appetite of the most intense gourmand. In those days it was considered necessary, on such occasions, even by temperance families, to have a quart or two of spirituous liquor for the benefit of the mother, and that she must take pretty freely of hot, sweetened punch, as a medicine to prevent her from taking cold: and if the drink was passed around, as it usually was, it was not considered a breach of the rules of temperance "to take a little." It was a custom in those times, in almost every neighborhood remote from a_ physician, that some man, generally a farmer or mechanic, would possess himself of a set of tooth drawers and lancet for bleeding, and he was resorted to by the people around him to pull their teeth, and bleed them, whenever they thought they needed such operations, the latter of which was very frequent. In fact, the habit or custom of being bled became so prevalent, that many persons, generally women, both married and single, got to think &necessary to be bled, sick or well, at least once every year, and generally in the spring. This operation was generally performed by the adepts spoken of above. Besides this, it was not uncommon, when a person was first taken sick, no matter what the disease, to send for the bleeder, who would perform the operation, and perhaps give a dose of salts, or some other mild physic, which, if they did not relieve the patient, it was 412 - CHAMPAIGN AND thought to be time to send for the Doctor. This custom was so prevalent, that it was not uncommon for some of these men to obtain the reputation of being first-rate half-doctors. In addition to the country spoken of as being within the bounds . of tt e Doctors of Bellefontaine, they were sometimes called upon to visit patients of the Indians, who at that time lived on their Lewistown Reservation, which was twelve miles square, and included the present town of that name and the country around it. I think the Indians there were partly of two tribes, the Senecas and Shawnees. Judge James McPherson was U. S. Agent for the Indians on the Reservation, but lived on and owned a large body of land about half way from the Reservation. A part of said land is now known and occupied as the Infirmary farm. At one time the Judge called on me to visit a sick Indian woman, the married daughter of one of the chiefs of the tribe. She lived with her husband in the country, about a mile in an easterly direction from Lewistown. Their dwelling wasn neat log cabin, with a narrow porch on the front side, floored with puncheons, open at both ends. The Judge accompanied me to tile place to act as interpreter, for but few of therricould speak much English. After examining the patient, I told them I could do nothing for her, except perhaps to somewhat ease her suffering during the short time she could live. She was very low, in the last stage of consumption. They however requested me to come and see her every few days, which I did a few times, till one afternoon I found her dead, and laid out on a blanket spread on the floor of the porch. The corpse was splendidly dressed in Indian style, including a robe of fine broadcloth, an elegant shawl about the head and shoulders, and the nicest kind of beaded moccasins on her feet, and other things to match. On the floor, near enough to her right hand to reach, if she could have used it, was a large wooden bowl filled with what appeared to be fried fritters, and by its side was an earthen bowl filled with sugar. I was anxious to see the funeral, and soon after eight or ten Indians returned from the woods with the coffin, where they had been to make it. It was composed of four slabs of green timber, neatly hewed, about three inches thick, and a little larger than the body ; these were not fastened together, but were for the bottom, top and sides. Two short pieces of the same material and thickness for the ends completed the coffin. The grave was not yet dug, but it was soon done, as it was only about LOGAN COUNTIES - 413 two feet deep, and it was in the yard, only a few rods from the door, but near several other graves, as it appeared to be a corn mon burying-ground. After the digging was done one of the slabs was placed in the bottom, and one set up on edge on each side, and the short pieces at the ends kept these in place. The grave was now ready for the corpse. Four men now lifted it, one holding to each corner of the blanket, carried, and in this way, let it down into the grave. A portly looking old chief, or priest, now approached, drew a large butcher-knife from its scabbard, which was in his belt, kneeled down at the head of the grave, and reached the knife down to the head and face of the corpse, and looked as though he were going to cut it to pieces. Not so; he carefully selected and cut off a nice lock of her flowing hair, and then cut a small corner-piece from each article of dress with which she was clothed, even including the beaded moccasins on her feet. These specimens of relics were carefully wrapped up and suspended from his belt. He then took from his belt a small bundle or bag, opened it, and spread out its contents, which appeared to be broken up dry leaves such as they smoke in their pipes. These he held in his open hands, standing a few feet from the open grave and facing it. The company passed in single file around between him and the grave, each one taking a little pinch of the dried leaves as they passed, and throwing it in upon the corpse. The thick slab was then placed on as the lid of the coffin, and the grave tilled up, ending the burial ceremony. 414 - CHAMPAIGN AND THE OLD PIONEER; OF, FORTY YEARS AGO BY B. LARKIN BROWN. Yes, everything is changed, John; there's nothing seems the same. And yet it was riot long ago, the time when first We earns; But the years have passed so swiftly; my hair is white as snow, And not a white hair when I carne—it's forty years ago. 'Twas here I set my stake, John, when all was wild and new; We fulloWed up the Indian trail—ours was the first team through. Just there our wagon stood that night. We heard the wolf's howl then, And the first sound heard, as morning dawned, was the boom of the prairie hen. Then came days of trial and toil, but we weathered thorn bravely through, For your grandmother had a cheerful heart, and was ever brave and true; And your father and Jake were stout lads, then, and Nancy and Mary and Kate Could lend a hand in cabin or field, and we all worked early and late. And the Indian seemed half sad, half pleased, as our cabin logs were laid; For he dreaded the white man's grasping hand, though fond of the white man's aid; His sullenest moods were ever beguiled with the hand of welcome and cheer; To his sunniest smiles we trusted not, ana the ]jaded rifle was near. 'Twas there we had the first field of wheat, right over behind the barn; And here, where the orchard and garden are, that spring we planted corn. 'Twas a cheerful thing to see them grow on the new-turned prairie sod, And never a harvest was gathered in with more grateful thanks to God We had never a barn, nor is threshing floor, and the mill was far to find; But we trod the wheat on the prairie turf, and cleaned it in the wind. For the saying is true, "there is always a way wherever there's a will," And I threaded the paths, and forded.the streams, between us and the mill. But neighbors soon began to come, and as soon as the second year, We could count a dozen cabins' smoke from where we are standing here. 'Twas a pleasant sight on the prairie's rim, and sweet, as evening fell, Was the sound of each settler's lowing kine, and faintly tinkling bell. LOGAN COUNTIES - 415 And with settlers came the law, John, fur law is the right of all, And never a man of Saxon blood that held the law a thrall. I served as well as I knew, John. as juror, squire and judge, And never false judgment stained my name, through fear, favor or grudge. I say it not in pride, John, I wanted you to know I did my duty as I could, so many years ago. And yen will be called as I was called. between the right and wrong. And wrong upheld will canker a life, though 'Ile be never so long. And I've been greatly prospered in basket and in store, And have seen such things in forty years as were never seen before. The country—you know its grandeur, its glory and its fame, And how forever has been removed the shame that stained its name. And then the mysteries explored—the wondrous things found out; I do not understand them, John, and yet I cannot doubt— Two months wes the time from Europe, and full two weeks from home, And now we hear in a single day from London or from Rome. And the huge and mighty engines, with their long and fire-drawn trains, They are running forever, a thousand ways, o'er mountains and o'er plains. Such things had never been seen, John, the day that I came here. And I always see them onward rush with is sense of awe and fear. And the sun—the mighty paints--one instant and 'tis done; A picture that no human hand can paint you such a one; There's nothing done in the old way, but everything is new, We neither sow, nor reap, nor thresh, in the way we used to do. The old neighbors who came first, John, and settled here by me, Some sold and went, and some have died—there's only two or three; They may have been rough and rude, John, but always just and true; But dear old friends! the tear will start whenever I think of you. And her—the soundest friend of all —the dearest and the best— Not long ago I laid away in everlasting rest; You lay me by her side, John—the time will not he long— Where the oak tree casts its shadows, and the robin sings his song. The old place will be yours, John. the rest have had their share; I meant it for your father, who died in Freedom's war: 'Twas my home in early manhood, 'tis my home now I am old. The deed was signed by Jackson—I'd like not to have it sold. Yes, everything is changed, John, there's nothing seems the same, And yet it was not long ago - the time when first we came. But the years have pressed so swiftly —my hair is white as snow, And not a white hair when I came—it's forty years ago. MY FIRST VISIT TO WEST LIBERTY. BY THOMAS COWGILL, M. D. It was in November, 1820 or 1821, early on a frosty morning, my father and I started to "Enoch's Mills." I was then about eight years of age. Our way was through the woods, barrens and prairies. Perhaps there was not t hen one half mile of la ne on the common traveled pathway tothe mills. There were then thickets of hazle and plum, where now stand trees large enough to make eight common rails, or to hew for building purposes. At that time I frequently saw from two to nine or ten deers, at full run one after another, go clear over the top of those thickets every leap. As I have said the land was mostly in a state of nature. A small log cabin meeting-house stood at Mt. Tabor, and a few graves were there enclosed with a rail fence. A camp meeting had been annually held here, and many tents were standing in the grove. The land composing John Enoch's beautiful farm was then nearly all unimproved, and partly covered by a dense thicket of hazel, plum and thorn, and the prairie overgrown with wild grass. When we arrived at the Mills, a considerable number of persons were there before us, so that we must remain till near evening before our turn would come for our grinding to be done. Some had traveled twenty miles or more to get grinding done, from Darby Plains, from north of Bellefentaine, and other points. Among others the late Judge Daniel Baldwin, who then lived about four miles north of Bellefontaine—near where the village of Harper now stands—was at the mills. And here, for the first time, I saw my respected friend John Enoch. He was then a young man about LOGAN COUNTIES - 417 twenty-one years of age, and on that day was miller in his father's mills. During the day John Shelby was at the mill; he then, I think, represented Logan county in the General Assembly of Ohio. Capt. Alex. Black, Moses MeIlvaine, James Baird, Robert Freakes, and other pioneer settlers of the land, were there. I did not recognize the place as a town, although, in 1817, it was regularly surveyed and plotted by Aaron L. Hunt, then County Surveyor of Champaign county. A few small houses were built ; and the house north of the nail), now occupied by Thomas Blackburn, was the residence of John Enoch, Sr. H. M. White had a log house with a shingle roof, and porch in front, in which he carried on tailoring, and had a few calicoes, pins and needles, on some board shelves ; he also kept a house of entertainment for travelers, and furnished plenty of whisky, an indispensable article in H. M.'s estimation. In the evening our grinding was done, and we returned home a little after nightfall. When my father told me we had been to West Liberty, I was somewhat surprised to learn we had been to town. Whatever may be said of the degeneracy of the, age, I think much improvement has been made in the moral condition of society since the time of which I am writing; intemperance then abounded to a much greater degree than at present, especially in the country neighborhoods ; (much yet sorrowtully abounds in our cities, towns and villages.) At that time it was common for many persons to drink whisky every day, and frequently when we were at a neighbor's house we were invited and pressed to drink, and at all public gatherings, sales, house-raisings, log-rollings, corn-huskings, and in harvest, it was customary to have plenty of whisky on the ground, and to drink it as often as water, so that in the best of neighborhoods where ten or a dozen persons were together, it was nothing strange for some of them to be very tight. It was then much more common for men in ordinary conversation to use impure and profane language than at present. Our excellent Sabbath-school system, and our peace, temperance and other good organizations have wrought a great chapge for good. And much improvement has been made in the lvs of our State in regard to care of the poor, imprisonment for debt, (Ste.. It was then the law for the authorities to sell out persons who required pecuniary aid to the lowest bidder, to be kept six months or a year. 418 - CHAMPAIGN AND I was cognizant of one case where two aged persons, man and wife, were sold out to the lowest bidder to be kept six months. And according to the law of that time, any person who was poor, and in debt more than he was able to pay , was liable to be sued and incarcerated in jail, as soon as judgment and execution were obtained against him at the mercy of his creditor. At our debating society, held in the school-house where the village of Kennard now stands, in the winter of 1827-28, this question was discussed : "Is it consistent with civil liberty to imprison for debt ?" Among the speakers were Aaron L. Hunt, Judge N. C. Reade—both now deceased-and Edward L. Morgan, still living at an advanced age. It is probable no one could now be found to advocate the affirmative of this question. I was acquainted with many cases where persons were placed in jail for debt. And I was told tbat Simon Kenton had to leave his home in Logan county and sojourn in Kentucky to avoid imprisonment for debt. So far as I now remember, all who were at "Enoch's Mills" on that November day, except John Enoch and myself have gone the way of the earth ; and these reminiscences admonish me that I too am passing away. FIFTY YEARS AGO. BY THOMAS COWGILL, M. D. "I love the rough log cabin, It tells of olden time." From 1818 to 1822 was said to be a very pressing time with regard to money, which made hard times generally with the early settlers, yet I think they enjoyed life, so far as I was acquainted, as Well as any people I have since known. They were, in many respects, dependent upon each other. They would sometimes unite in their little farming operations—would join teams to plow a piece of new ground, and assist each other in fencing or planting, and all were considered to be bound to assist in raising a new house, or in rolling logs, &,e. And frequently, to have word that a cabin was to be raised in the neigbborhood was sufficient notice without an invitation. All felt at liberty and believed it was their duty to go and assist on such an occasion, although it might be to help some one tbey had never before seen or known. Every cabin that was built and every acre of land that was cleared, was considered so much addition to the general improvement of the country. And in borrowing and lending the settlers were generally on tbe most intimate terms. In case of necessity would go to a neighbor to borrow an ax, hoe, plow, harrow, cross-cut saw, chisel, or a little salt or flour, and any one who neglected to return or repay borrowed articles, would immediately lose credit, and not be trusted again if it could be avoided, unless he could give a reasonable excuse. And all who tried to do well had the sympathy of the community generally. In their manners and inter- 420 - CHAMPAIGN AND course with each other, the pioneers were friendly and affectionate. In meeting together they would generally shake hands in the most social manner—kindly inquire of each other's health and of the health of their families, and frequently sit down and converse for a long time, perhaps of their old home in Virginia, or elsewhere. Though much embarrassed by the circumstances by which they were surrounded, I think the pioneers had more time for social intercourse than people generally have now ; they mostly called each other by their proper names, or would say-friend or neighbor, and in their conversation there seemed to be sincerity, and not much attempt at deception or flattery. It was generally customary, so far as my observation extended, when a pioneer would go to a neighbor's house on some little errand, for him to shake hands with all the members of the family, beginning with the elder ones ; and set down and converse an hour or more, if time permitted—attend to his errand, and then, in the most kind and friendly manner invite all to "come and see us," and again shake hands with all the members of the family and depart. About the time of which I am writing, there was more equality in the circumstances of the people of this country than at present, and I think as much genuine feeling and friendship then existed with the community as we can expect to meet with in this poor world. My parents were among the first settlers in the eastern part of Ohio, and I have frequently heard them express, that they never eejoyed life better than they did with the early settlers in the forests of Columbiana county. TORNADO FORTY YEARS AGO. BY WM. PATRICK. Monday, March 22, 1830, was a memorable day for Urbana. It was mild and pleasant in the early morning, but at about 10 or 11 o'clock it began to haze with fitful South-western breezes, with alternate sunshine and flitting clouds, until about 2 o'clock P. M., when a small, black, dense cloud, could be seen low down in the South-western horizon, which gradually ascended and rapidly approached at a seeming angle of about thirty degrees. Spectators were attracted by its marked singularity in many respects. It moved, enlarged, and expanded in quick darting swoops, and zigzag gyrations, up, down, and horizontally, with quick, whirling evolutions, and seemed to emit dazzling bright electrical scintillations, producing the most gaudy fringe-work of which humanity can conceive. As it neared, for a few moments, all nature seemed to be hushed--not a ripple of air could be felt. The heavens seemed to hang out a dark pall, and all seemed to be immersed in one general gloom. When suddenly the scene changed from a death-like silence, and a breathless calm, to a most terrific and appalling spectacle. The whole heavens wore in tumultuous commotion. The storm King in awful grandeur, rode majestically, wrapt in his cloud panoply to the music of the screeching, howling, and horrific roar of the elements, bearing up in his track in mid air, trees, lumber, fence-rails, timber, shingles, gates, haystacks and all manner of debris, as trophies of his vast and mighty power in the demolition of nature's garniture, and the results of man's labor. 422 - CHAMPAIGN AND The awful sublimity of the scene can not be impressed upon the mind of any one who did not witness it. And in much less time than the above can be read, the whole force of the tornado seemed to dart down like forked lightning upon the town—picking up and demolishing a small brick building on the north-east corner of John A. Mosgrove's homestead lot, occupied by Richard Baker ; unroofing the Luce House on the corner of West Main and Russell streets, then with one concentrated swoop dipped into the Town-branch, in the present foundry yard, cleaning out all the water and sediment in its wake ; then ascending, whirled and scattered J. B. Eaker's frame house, standing near the front yard of J. M. Gardener, unroofing a log house of old James Hulse, which stood in the rear of the present Lutheran Church, destroying all the stables in this vicinity. Then as if imbued with mercy, the cloud leaped over without injury to two or three small frames, near where Col. Johnson now lives, occupied by J. E. Chaplin and others, demolishing in front, a pillared street market-house ; and then taking up a hip-roofed, steepled brick Presbyterian Church, on the present site of the Court-house—crumbling it to its foundation, carrying the steeple and other timbers long distanCes, some of which struck what is known as the Hamilton House, leaving the marks to this day.; then with a bound, this last-named house was partly unroofed, and a part of its walls prostrated, unroofing at the same time the house of Joseph Reppart, now occupied by Mrs. James Brown. Here in its wild freak, the tornado seemed to sever itself, and a part of it struck and unroofed a log house then owned and occupied by Wm. Downs, (Mason) drawing or rather sucking out the north wall from its solid corners of the old brick M. E. Church, evidently caused by a vacuum produced by the action of the storm, and laid it out in a straight line without even separating the masonry to any considerable extent. The other segment of the tornado struck the house of Rolin J. Harvey, near the present residence of Mrs Heylin and prostrated it to the ground. Then it whirled into fragments a new frame house, occupied by George Bell (school-teacher) a little east of the present residence of Dr. Houston. Would to God it were only necessary to record the demolition of property ; but oh, no; the spirit of the storm here transformed itself into an angel of death, and seized four innocent, beautiful LOGAN COUNTIES - 423 and interesting children, one a little infant, as victims to the dark domain, and secured them as additional trophies, in the retinue of the Storm King, carrying their lifeless bodies immense distances in mid air ; and not content with this sacrifice, hurled Mrs. Bell several rods, maiming her for life, and at the same time greatly injured a little girl who happened at the house, who is now a respect, able lady of this city, and who carries the evidence of it to this day. Here the two segments of the storm again coalesced ; leaving the residence of Jerry Mathis untouched, which stood in the present trent yard of Jerry Deuel, and next picked up the brick residence of Charles Mathis, (on the spot where Mrs. West now lives,) and crumbled it to the lower floor, leaving Mrs. Mathis sitting with a small child in her arms, surrounded with the wreck of the house, uninjured and unscathed, as a seeming atonement for the work of death at the last named place, and then veered north and demolished the oil-mill of John Mathis, destroying his whole stock of castor beans, &c. At this point the Tornado left our town, pursuing its tumbling, pitching, swooping course through the Ryan woods, hurling, twisting and up-rooting the largest trees ; on, • yet on it sped, ascending and descending, touching the earth, here and there, at unequal distances, leaving a track of some twenty yards wide when it came in contact with the earth through the State of Ohio, nearly destroying a small town in Richland. county, reaching a small town in North-Eastern Pennsylvania at about 5 o'clock the same afternoon at the unparalleled speed of about 150 miles per hour. You not tell me, gentle reader, that my effort is a failure; I know it. I feel it, but console myself with the reflection that no uninspired pen, however ably wielded, can do justice to such a subject: I have failed to catalogue all the destruction in the town; some thirty buildings, including stables, &c., were either partially or totally demolished, in the wake of the storm, besides many chimneys and other fixtures in other parts of the town. I ought to speak of one incident which I passed : I have already spoken of the Hamilton House ; it was in process of erection and Elijah Wolfkill and another carpenter were in it, and were entirely buried with the crumbled part of one of the walls and were only saved by crouching under their work bench, which held up the weight of brick and mortar. I might here extend Many diversified incidents, some very sad, 424 - CHAMPAIGN AND some mirthful, and some indeed laughingly ludicrous, but will forbear, and will close by merely saying that immediately after the catastrophe the citizens of the town, and many from the country, met with the council and immediately inaugurated measures of relief to the sufferers, and early next morning, marshaled under chosen leaders, commenced the reconstruction of the buildings that the havoc of the storm had demolished. Merchants, blacksmiths, tailors, shoe-makers, hatters, tinners, saddlers, wheelwrights, tanners, pump-makers, cabinet-makers, potters, gunsmiths, and, indeed, all classes were metamorphosed into carpenters, plasterers and brick-masons, and those who could not labor furnished means necessary, such as shingles, nails, glass, lumber, &c. Also in addition to contributions from our own citizens, the people of Dayton and perhaps some other neighboring towns, contributed and placed in the hands of the town council handsome sums of money for distribution ; all the unfortunate families were again provided with new homes and many indeed in less than a month were in better condition than before the storm; thus order and comfort were restored by united effort. PERE DUGAN. BY ED. L. MORGAN. It not known who was the first white man who settled in Salem township, nor at what time or place the fist cabin was built. It is thought by many that Pere Dugan, a Ffenchman that had on Indian squaw for his wife, was the first. In 1803 he was living in a small log cabin, a short distance from the present residence of Mr. Mark Higbee, and the Pan- Handle Railroad passes over or near the spot where it stood. Dugan Prairie toot its name from Pere Dugan, who was the first white settler upon its border. His name is immortalized, and will probably outlive the name of Napoleon Bonaparte, who spent his Whole life in robbing, tormenting and butchering his fellowmen ; Pere spent his in killing the beaver', the wolf, the bear and the prairie rattle-snake, this preparing the wild desert for the secure settlement of the civilized white man. Reader, which do you believe will Occupy the highest seat of honor in the great hereafter, Napoleon Bonaparte or his fellow countryman, Pere Dugan ? At the time hero spoken of, and for many years after, the Prairie, (with the exception of a few small islands, and here and there an elevated spot) was covered with water, in some parts to a considerable depth, for there was no out-let for the water which flowed in from the surrounding country. In spring nail summer it had the appearance of a small lake, and contained a vast amount of fish, frogs and turtles, and was a place of resort for countless numbers of water fowls, such as wild geese, ducks, cranes, storks, &c. Great numbers of beaver, otter, mink, muskrat and black rattle-snakes 29 426 - CHAMPAIGN AND had their houses on the margin of the lake, and in the elevated spots throughout its whole extent. Of very dry summers the water on the prairie would get so low that some parts would become entirely dry, and leave large quantities of fish, which would either be devoured by the hogs, wild beasts and fowls, or left to rot in the hot sun, causing an almost intolerable stench, and it was thought caused much sickness for many miles around. "Us young folks" once constructed a rude sail boat and launched it upon the "raging waters" of Dugan. - In this boat, accompanied by our "darlings," we spent a good deal of time that might have been employed in a more profitable, though not in a more agreeable and pleasant manner. Occasionally, either by accident or design, the boat would lip over, but this seldom happened in deep water, so that all could wade to the shore. Of the hundreds w ho enjoyed the happiness of a rapid and merry ride upon that boat but few now remain upon the earth. I know of none save four of the family of Jonathan Long, four of the family of Matthew Stewart, one of the family of John Taylor, and myself. This was probably the first boat ever launched in this township, and I know of but one other since that time, whith was built by John McAdams, Esq., some years after. The history of this boat and the adventures of its owner, I expect to give in a short time. In 1825 the Legislature) passed an act authorizing Judge John Reynolds, of Urbana, to drain Dugan prairie, which he accomplished in a short time at great expense, and by this means became the behefactor of the inhabitants for many miles around. The people in that neighborhood have ve suffered but little with fever and ague since then, though it occurred every summer previous to that time. When emigrants from the old Shifts began to settle and make improvements around him, and Pere could see the light of other fires in the "clearing" at night, and hear the sound of the woodman's axe and maul by day, he concluded it was time for him to hunt a new home;.,its game was getting somewhat scarce. He accordingly packed up his traps. and accompanied by his wife, children and dogs, he wended his way to the north and located near the head of the Scioto river, where he ended his days. It was his custom after he left here to visit Urbana at least once a year, to dispose of his furs and skins, and as Judge Reynolds had become the owner of his old home, he always expected him to pay some LOGAN COUNTIES - 427 rent, which was cheerfully done, and a pound of "pig-tail" tobacco or a calico dress pattern for his youngest pappoose was usually given by the Judge, and thankfully received by Pere as ample satisfaction. Many amusing anecdotes of Dugan were related by the early settlers who knew him, one of which I will give: He once purchased a bag of corn-meal from John Taylor, at his mill on Kings Creek, and as he had no horse of his own, Mr. Taylor kindly offered him the use of one to carry his meal home. The . horse was a small one named Gopher. Pere thankfully accepted the offer, and after taking an eantest look, first at Gopher, then at the bag of meal, then at himself, he concluded that it would be impossible for the horse to carry both him and the bag of meal, and being impressed with the belief that "a merciful man wilt be merciful to his beast," he took the bag of meal upon his own shoulder and deliberately leading Gopher to a stump, he mounted his hare hack, saying. as he did so that "he could carry the bag of meal and the horse could carry him," and in this way he rode home. FIFTY YEARS AGO. BY THOMAS COWGILL, M. D. In presenting some account of my knowledge and experience of tbe trials and privations, the pleasures and friendships of the pioneer settlers of this country, I may not do better than to give the history of the " emigration and settlement" of our family here. The histciry of one is mainly the history of all the families of the early settlers, as they all had nearly the same object in view—they were in search of a home in the wilderness ; and they generally had about the same means of conveyance— they moved in covered wagons, in carts, on horseback, and on foot. , There was not then the convenience of railroad, turnpike, canal and river conveyance, as at present. They traveled through the woods on the new and rough roads, and often without roads, to the respective places selected for their homes. They were generally about on an equ day in point of property, were mostly comparatively poor, and had sought this new country where land was plenty and cheap, to better their condition in life. Yet some had left comfortable homes in Virginia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, &c., and had come to settle in this country, that they might he entirely free from any participation in that "sum of all villainies," — that scourge and curse of the human race — human slavery. About the middle of October, 1817, our family had made necessary preparation, and started on our journey toward the setting inn. leaving our family home in Columbiana. county, Ohio. In the latter part of this month we traveled up the valley of Darby LOGAN COUNTIES - 429 to the neighborhood where Middleburg now stands: This neighborhood, and north and east of it, as far as settled, was then known as the "Beech-woods," and farther south and west, in Mingo, Kingscreek and Madriver valleys, was called the "Plains." In the east part of this State, and perhaps other pleas, all this section was known as Madriver, or the Madriver country. We remained in that neighborhood two or three days, visiting some relatives, and many old Virginian acquaintances of my parents, and among these old acquaintances were the Elberts, Sharps, Garwoods, Jameses, Stokeses, Ballingers, Bishops, Euanses, Inskeeps, and Warners. On the morning of November let we started, and traveled cm the laid-out road from Urliana to Garwood's Mills ( now East Liberty ), and at about 11 o'clock, A. M., on that day, being the second day of the week, arrived in Mingo Valley, at the spot which was since that time the home of my parents during their lives, and still belongs in the family. The place was entirely in the woods, except a small cabin, 17x20 feet, which had been built and used as a school-himse, by a fine spring of water. The logs of this house were of large oak and hickory trees split in two, and the building was five logs high to the square, with puncheon floor, or slabs about four inches thick, split out of large trees, and hewed a little where they were too rough. The fire-place occupied the entire south end of the house—about seventeen feet— with a back-wall of round stone and clay, built up about five feet high against the log wall. At the top of the square a log was laid across about three feet from the south wall, and on this log and the wail the ehimney was built of sticks and clay ; that is; a little house was built up there, about three by four feet, a little higher than the roof, and the cracks filled up with mortar; there was no up-stairs to the house, and the roof was tolerably fiat. In this house our family of ten persons lived about eighteen months. During the winter of 1817-18, a school was taught by the late Judge Daniel Baldwin, about one mile south of our house, in a house similar to our dwelling, except there were smite joists and an upper floor. This school was largely attended by the young men and women Of the neighborhood — a number of them coaling four miles to school. There were at least ten young men attending this school over six feet high and large in proportion, and weighing about 430 - CHAMPAIGN AND two hundred pounds each. There were about the same number of young women attending this school. Verily, there were giants M those days. And those large and tall young men exhibihed more signs of humility than some of the smaller scholars, for in walking across the floor they must bow, or they would bump their heads against the joists every time. A number of those young men and women were in their spelling-books. The young women were neatly clothed in bome-spun, mostly the work of their own hands. Their educational privileges seemed to be poor, yet they were highly favored of nature; they were fair and comely, and I never beheld a more beautiful company of young ladies. The school books consisted of Webster's Spelling Book, Lindlay Murray's Works, the introduction English Reader, Sequel, and the New Testament, Walsh's and Pike's Arithmetic. I think there was no one studying English Grammar or Geography. The late Nicholas Williams, his two sisters and several brothers attended this school. I have taken some note of the subsequent history of the young men and women who attended this school. With a few exceptions they have all gone to the house appointed for the living., and with the exception of one or two prodigals, they all did well fn life, were mostly bright ornaments to society, lived useful lives, and died respected and lamented. A little incident occurred which may be worth relating as an evidence of the care and protection of Divine Providence. On a. beautiful sunshiny Sabbath day, in the spring of 1818, all of our family, except my mother and I, and three smaller children, had gone to a. meeting about three miles from home. About noon mother was walking in the yard near tbe door, and no doubt that she felt lonesome, when a man came running through the woods towards our house. In passing by, in sigbt, he discovered that our cabin was on fire ; at the junction of the clap-board roof with the stick and clay chimney the fire had kindled and was burning in a blaze. In a moment he was on the roof, and with bucket of water soon put the fire out. If this good man had not been passing by at the time there is no doubt that our home would have been destroyed in a few minutes. I think it was Samuel Adams, in speaking of the history of the early settlement of this country, who said : "These things, my LOGAN COUNTIES - 431 countrymen, should not be forgotten. For the benefit of our children and those who come after them, they should be recorded in history." One object with me in writing, thee notes is to induce others of the early settlers still living in our favored country, to write their experience of early times in order that they may be perpetuated in history for the benefit of those who live after us: And thus each one who can, bringing their "tithes into the storehouse," may call to mind many pleasant scenes now forever past an gene. "And here our pilgrim fathers bowed, In fervent faith and prayer." I propose to give an account of two ministers of the gospel, of the Society of Friends, who visited this country in early days. I believe many of the pioneers paid much attention to the promotion Of religion, to founding churches and building meeting-houses, "For angels of mercy oft met with us here, In the wilderness home that we loved." One of those ministers was a lady over seventy years of age, residing in North Carolina. This aged and devoted Christian traveled on horseback through the wilderness from her borne in North Carolina, on her gospel mission to the people of this then new country, mostly camping out night, and where sbe could find a little settlement, holding meetings and preacbing the glad tidings of mercy and peace to the lonely settlers. In passing through the woods from a meeting held in "Marmon's Bottom," to an appointment at Job Sharp's house, near where Middleburg now stands, the party was overtaken by a heavy rain, accompanied with much Wind, thunder and lightning, and her companions proposed to halt and shelter under the trees as best they could. She at once said, "No, go on ; go on, we shall be too late to meeting." Her mission and desire seemed to be to do the will of her Divine Master. "Her shield was faith in God." The above relation was given to me by some one or the early settlers of this country, and I can not now give the lady's name is the incident took place before we removed to this country. About the year 1820, Joseph Hoag, whose home I think was in the State of Vermont, in the course of a religious visit to the people of the South and West, was a guest at my father's house, and 432 - CHAMPAIGN AND held meeting for Divine Service at our meeting-house, and arse held a number of meetings in the vicinity, mostly with the members of his own church. He was a remarkable man—a first cousin to Lorenzo Dow—and spent about sixty-five years his life in traveling and preaching the gospel ; his wife also spent about the same length of time in the same service. He had nine children, all married, and all his children and children-in-law, with two executions, were able ministers of the gospel, of the same church with him. Several of his children became public preachers before they were fifteen years of age. At the time he visited my father's house he had been traveling through. the Carolinas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, and other States. He related to my father how the Kentuckians treated him. At Lexington he was taken sick, and Henry Clay removed him to his house and treated him in the most kind and friendly manner until he recovered from his illness. Being unable to travel for some time, he held several meetings in the neighborhood of Lexington, and preached to the people. When he was about to take his- leave, the Presbyterian Church sent a committee to him, inviting him to remain with them as their pastor for one year, offering him a house, furnished as he desired, and every convenience about it that he wanted, and fifteen hundred dollars per year (which was considered a great salary fifty years ago,) and if that a as not satisfactory, they wanted him to say what would be, as they desired him to remain with them. He stated to them that he felt that his duty was discharged to them—that his mission was to visit other churches and people, and that he must, leave them and travel on. The committee evinced much feeling on the occasion and proposed that if he could not remain with them, that he would accept a purse of one hundred dollars to enable him to pursue his journey. He thanked them for their kintness, and said that if he needed help he` would be as willing to receive help from them as any other people, but as he was prepared to Oil Mile his journey, he desired that they help other persons, if they met with such that were needing help, and they would not lose their reward. LOGAN COUNTIES - 433 SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF *MRS. MARY MADDEN. BY ED. D. MORGAN. Mary Madden Was tbe oldest daughter of Matthew and Elizabeth Stewart, who became residents of Salem township, Champaign County, Ohio, in the spring of the year 1804, and settled upon Kings Creek, where Mr. Stewart purchased from the United States, the north-east quarter of section number nine, of township number five, of range twelve, for which he paid two dollars per acre. His youngest son, Matthew Stewart, now owns and lives upon the same farm. Mary was born on the 19th of May, 1800, and was consequently four years of age wben her parents settled on Kings Creek, and there, and in the adjoining township of Union, she passed sixty years of her lite. She was married to Nathaniel W. Craighill, in the year 1819. and by him she had five daughters: Eliza, now the wife of John Beatty, of Kennard, this county, ; Nancy, the wife of Mr. Joseph Miles, of Lewisburg, this coma .y ; Mary, the wife of Mr. Richard Gill, who lives near Sandusky ; Margaret, the wife of Mr. Bell, of California. These tour are still living. Elizabeth, the youngest, died some years ago, on the road to California. Mr. Craighill died on the 3rd of September, 182G, aged twenty-seven years, at the place where Mr. Martin Dickison now lives ; and Mary was left a widow with five small children to maintain, to feed;, to 'Clothe, to educate by means of her own labor, for they were too young to render their widowed mother any material aid. Shortly after the death of her husband, she moved to a small farm on the east side of Dugan Prairie, and adjoining the farm now owned and occupied by her sister Eleanor's husband, * See Photograph. 434 - CHAMPAIGN AND Mr. Jesse C. Phillips. Here, in a small log cabin, with her family of five young female children ; with a fortitude and firmness that is seldom equaled, she toiled on, through "thick and thin," through the long tedious days of summer and the long, stormy, dreary nights of winter. But she was equal to the emergency, and when she was not employed in other household duties, the constant whir of her spinning-wheel might be heard as she was preparing thread for the manufacture of linen or cloth for the comfortable clothing of her children who were merrily playing around her. At this time Polly (for by this name she was known), was the owner of a fine, large, bite* mare, named "Sook," which was purchased from my brother George. This mare was Of a quiet, docile disposition, reliable and safe at all times, and under all circumstances. In time of winter when there was snow on the ground, Polly would do her visiting and church-going with her children, in a "jumper," drawn by Sook. In summer she frequently went to chinch, riding upon the back of the old mare, equipped with an old-fashioned side-saddle, and a blind-bridle. Behind her mother, snugly seated sideways, might be seen the oldest daughter, while the youngest child was safely seated on its mother's lap. Over the back of the animal was placed a wide strap of leather, and to each end of this strap was securely fastened a large, strong basket. In one of these was placed two of the children, and in the other tbe remaining child, with a small basket of cooked victuals in its lap to make them balance. A lovelier sight upon earth has never been seen than this family group, as tbey passed along the road. The cheerful smiles and happy countenances of the well-clothed, clean-washed youngsters, with their well-combed heads, bobbing above the brims of their baskets, was a sight both beautiful and interesting, that can never be excelled. On the 8th day of January, 1832, Mary was married to Perry G. Madden. Mr. Madden is still living. He is a native of Virginia, was born in Harrison County, on the 5th of July, 1809; came to Ohio in August, 1830. Perry and Polly (for by these familiar names they were known to everybody), commenced life together at the lowest round of fortune's ladder. Neither of them was blessed with what is called a liberal education, for the means of obtaining it were extremely limited in the days of their youth. But they possessed what then was, and still is of much greater value, healthy, robust constitutions, and a will to labor. LOGAN COUNTIES - 435 It is an old adage that "where there is a will there is a way," and in this ease it proved true, for by unremitting toil, honest industry, and the judicious investment of the proceeds of their labor, they eventually became wealthy. Mary Madden, wife of Perry G. Madden, died on the 11th of May, 1864, aged sixty-four years less eight days. By her last marriage she had seven children, five of whom were living at the time of her death. Her son Nathaniel, who married Miss McFarlan, has since died, leaving a widow and two sons. Sarah, the oldest daughter, married George Reams, and lives at the old homestead. Susan married David Perry, and lives near Dugan Prairie. William married a daughter of Martin Dickison, and lives on a farm in that neighborhood. Martha married John Pearce, and lives at Kennard. All own good farms. Two of their children died in infancy. Perry Madden, who is known to everybody in this region of country, is now sixty-three years of age, large and well formed, weighs about two hundred and forty pounds, and is somewhat of a favorite among tbe ladies, always jovial and full of fun. The welcome visitor at the hospitable mansion of Perry Madden is sure to enjoy the comforts of a rich joke, a hearty laugh and a good dinner. Mary Madden had two sisters and six brothers. Her sister Eliza is married to Wm. Long, and her sister Eleanor to Jesse C. Phillips. As a model wife, mother and neighbor, she had few equals, and surely none were her superiors. JOHN CHESHER. Died, at the residence of his son, in West Middleburg. Logan county, Ohio. December 26, 1859, Mr. John Chestier, aged 93 years, 7 months, and 12 days. The deceased was born in Prince William County, Virginia, May 14, 1766—was nine years old at the time of tbe battle of Lexington, and ten when the Declaration of Independence was made —and though too young to take an active part, he was an eyewitness and participant (as nearly all the inhabitants were) of many of the trying scenes and hardships of the Revolution. He was near 436 - CHAMPAIGN AND enough the Battle of Yorktown, to hear distinctly the roar of the cannon. He afterward joined the army, and marched, under the command of Gen. Morgan, to suppress the flames of civil war that had broken out in Pennsylvania, known as the "Whisky Rebellion." On their way, they were met, at Morgantown, by Washington, who passed their lines, and remarked to them "that they were a brave looking set of heroes." He also took pert in the struggle of 1812; was forced marched (after the battle of Bladensburg) to defend Washington City ; but arrived only in time to see the capitol and other public buildings in ruins. He was also at the bombardment of Fort McHenry, and in several other less i m portent engagements. In 1816, he removed from Virginia to Todd county, Kentucky, and thence, sometime in the fail of 1823, to Clarke counhy, Ohio, and finally, in the spring of 1825, to Logan county, and settled in the vicinity of what is now West Middle burg, to which village he removed shortly after it was laid out, and continued to be an inhabitant thereof, during a greater part of the time en to his death. During the last few years of his life, ago and affliction weighed heavily upon him, and he was for the most part, confined to his room. Yet, though for years he had been tottering on the verge of the grave; his death was sudden and unexpected. Thus has passed away from our midst another of that venerable race of men, who, in the language of the immortal Webster, "had come down to us from a former generation; one, the period of whose life extended back to a time when our present proud and glorious Republic was a colonial dependency of the British Crown, numbering little more than two million inhabitants; when the Valley ot the Mississippi was—with the exception of a few French trading posts—an unbroken wilderness, trodden by the Indian and the buffalo and echoing to the scream of the panther, and the war-whoop of the savage; one that was a witness of the seven years' struggle. between Might and Right, that resulted in the birth of our glorious liberty—one that had lived under the administration of every President of the Republic; and one, too, whose arm had been lifted in defence of the liberty which we enjoy ; who tore himself from the bosom of his friends, left his home, braved many dangers, and periled his life in his country's cause. May his good deeds be long remembered with gratitude; and his defects be hid with him in the grave. LOGAN COUNTIES - 437 *HENRY WEAVER. At the ripe old age of eighty-four years, the wealthiest man in this county has been gathered to his fathers. Henry Weaver was born in Berkely county, Virginia, May 6th, 1788, and while yet an infant was brought to Kentucky with his father's family, residing in that State until 1802, part of the time near Maysville, and later near Lexington. In 1802 he came with his father to this county, settling in the south-western portion of Mad-River township. In 1807 he was married to Nancy Chapman. He moved to Urbana in the winter of 1813-14, beginning business in a small shop that then stood on Scioto street where E. B. Gaumer's dwelling stands. He was then a practical shoemaker, and plied his vocation diligently, and branching oat into mercantile pursuits in a smell but profitable way, entering fully into the legitimate store business (as it was called in those days)only when his son Lemuel became old enough to attend the counter. He successfully owned and occupied the Gaunter shop, the Guthridge property and, in 1821, built the Bassett house, near the Square, on Scioto street. In 1824-25 he occupied a store room in what is now the City Hotel; afterwards, and for about two years, the Campbell corner, now called Glenn's corner, on the Square. In 1821 he was appointed Tax Collector for Champaign county, at which time the collector traveled the county over, visited each tax-payer, and was armed with the special powers and privileges of a constable to distrain and enforce payment if necessary. In 1833 he purchased from Wm. Neil the site of the present L. Weaver building and removed the old buildings (some. of which May yet be seen) to lots on Church and Court streets. He erected at once a building which was in that day an ornament to the town, and one of the finest brick blocks west of Columbus. He built the house occupied by O. E. Lewis & Co. as a leather store, and the Weaver dry goo Is store room, finishing his work on * The above sketch of the life of Mr, Weaver I clip from the Urbana Citizen and Gazette.—[E. D.     . 438 - CHAMPAIGN AND Monument Square by the completion of the large and elegant Weaver House, a building unexcelled for beauty of architecture and attractive style by house in the State. He had built a number of dwellings, two of which, neat brick cottages on South Main street, remain unfinished. In 1859 he was elected president of the Champaign C ninty Bank, a position he held several years, and we believe until the reorganization of the bank under the National Bank laws. Mr. Weaver was a man of purely business habits. His mind. was thoroughly engrossed and occupied with business and his attention was not easily drawn aside from his daily routine. With vigilant eye he observed his gradual and constant increasing fortune, meeting with little adversity, yet surmounting difficulties with vigor and energy. Within a few days of his death he was on the street and at his store at his accustomed hours, transacting the usual business connected with his large property, retaining his usual vigorous strength until Tuesday, February 27. On that day he was attacked with congestion of the lungs and suffered severely until Sunday even hie* March 3, when he died, at 8:25 o'clock. He retained his consciousness to the hour of death, though at times under the influence a powerful opiates administered to alleviate pain. THE *PIONEER MEETING. Mr. Joshua Antrim, Historian of the Pioneer Association of Logan and Champaign counties, hands us the following address of Hon. Joseph C. Brand, Mayor of Urbana, accompanied with the request of the Association that it be published. It was the Address of Welcome to the Pieneers. when they assembled at the Court House, September 5th, 1872: MR. PRESIDENT AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE - PIONEER ASSOCIATION OF THE COUNTIES OF LOGAN AND CHAMPAIGN :-A society organized and created as yours has been, from patriotic motives, unselfish in its aspirations, and impelled by an earnest desire to serve the era in which you live, as a medium between the past and the future, and through which to collect and preserve for future use the h istArieal incidents, individual heroism and the interesting details in the settlement of these two beautiful . counties, should command the respect and kind regard of every good citizen. Three quarters of a century ago our fathers were neighbors to the Indians, and surrounded by the concomitants of that race—the buffalo, the bear, the panther, and other wild beasts, and lapped upon that barbarous and uncivilized state in which this beautiful country had for ages been enveloped. They were the corn peers of Logan, Tecumseh, Moluntha and Kenton, and to recover fragments of the History of these brave men and women is the work of your society: When we remember the change that has been wrought in this period, it is wonderful even to us, and marvelous to the old nations of the earth. Seventy-five years ago, on this very ground, our fathers and * From the Urbana Citizen and Gazette. 440 - CHAMPAIGN AND mothers had to contend with the savages and the wild beasts of the forest ; but in this short time (which is scarcely anything in the life of a nation) we find in these two counties almost every acre of land subdued and cultivated, animated with a population of 50,000 active and enterprising people, while the plains and the valleys "blossom as the rase." Schools, .colleges, universities, churches and cities now line the old Indian trail from the North to their hunting grounds in Kentucky, where the buffalo and the deer wintered upon the cane-brakes. Along this Indian trail our first army for the protection of the northern frontier marched and left its trace; the first railroad in Ohio was also built upon it; and will it be extravagant to predict that in less than a century from this time the cities and towns tbat now dot this historic path will run together and form an almost unbroken city from the southern to the northern boundary of the State? This line of country has the material and capacity to support its millions instead of thousands, witb the varied .pursuits and industries common to all densely populated countries. It is a custom long since established in the old countries of Europe, through the agency of antiquarian societies, to preserve as near as possible the characteristics of their people in every century —to preserve in government museums specimen samples of the finearts, architecture, mechanical skill, implements of husbandry for house and field, arias, armour, costumes (military and civil,) house and kitchen furniture, wares, &c. These relics increase in value and interest from age, and so will the valuable reminiscences of the trials, adventures and labors, as well as biographical sketches of representative men and women of the early days of our history enhance in value and interest as the years come and go, and the last link that binds the present to the past generations shall have been broken. You will then be remembered as lovers of your race and as disinterested public benefactors. Your archives will be carefully examined and your annals read with interest and avidity. Mr. President, without detaining you with elaborate remarks and occupying your valuable time, I now, on behalf of the people and authorities of the city of Urbana, welcome you in our midst, and hope that this, your annual meeting, may be both interesting and profitable. THE LOGAN COUNTY *TORNADO. A whirlwind is a bad thing to get mixed up with. People living in cities have little opportunity of judging the entire truth of this statement, but their country cousins are entirely aware of the fact, and their knowledge is based on the very solid foundation stone, experience. Their houses are not of the city pattern. They contain no massive joists, and walls a foot thick, nor is Much brick or stone used in their construction. They are generally wooden structures, rarely over two stories in height, and are not destined to last much beyond the lives of their builders. Consequently when the wind becomes tempestuous in a country village, time inhabitants of the place are very much concerned about the matter, and are at their wit's end to find a secure refuge. Such was the .case with the inhabitants of this little town, and those of De Graff, its nearest adjoining neighbor, on Friday evening, 7th inst. Indications of a storm were apparent to the close observer during the day, but as twilight came on, the clearness of the atmosphere and the strange quiet that seemed to affect all things, gave everybody the cue to what was to follow. The whirlwind came from the west, and at about half-past 6 o'clock it struck in the vicinity of Quincy, tearing the forest to pieces, and then after leaving their broken remnants behind it, coming upon the town itself. It looked like a massive balloon as it sped on its mission of destruction, and little clouds appeared to be pursuing each other with lightning rapidity through the upper section of it, while the lower part, corresponding to the basket of an aeronaut's vessel, seemed like the chimney of a locomotive. As it struck the town, houses, barns, stables, *From Quincy Correspondence Cincinnati Gazette, June 12th, 1872. 30 442 - CHAMPAIGN AND outhouses, buildings of every description, went to pieces with a continuous clashing that sounded like the shock of armies in battle; and the terror-stricken citizens, such as were unhurt, rushed wildly to and fro with irresolute mind but feet of courier swiftness. Shouts of joy froth mothers at finding their lost offspring, from husbands at seeing their wives again, and from children being as-Bored of their parents' safety, mingled with lamentations V grief from those whose search was unrewarded. The scenes were such as would have ensued had the end of the world arrived, and there is perhaps no resident of the town who did not for the moment suppose that such was the case. The terror was universal, and every thought was of self, until the wind had expended its forces. When the nature of the shock was understood, however, many persons recovered a portion of their lost courage, and their thoughts reverted to their relatives and friends. They then endeavored to ascertain their whereabouts, end many who left their houses under such circumstances, fell in the streets, struck by flying timbers and debris, After the shock had lasted about a moment, its destroying force was carried onward to Des Graff, which is situated three miles from Quincy, and there the same scenes were re-enacted among the populace. The destruction was principally wrought in the best section of the town, but was not as extensive as in Quincy. The whirlwind seemed to be traveling. on a straight line at the rate of sixty miles an hour as it reached DeGraff, and it covered territory from fifty to a hundred miles wide. After the hurricane had passed over DeGraff, it progressed about three miles further in its course, and then died away with its force expended. The citizens of the devastated villages were then able to proceed about the mournful t isle of hunting out the victims of the disaster, and the work was one to which all hands were turned and which was soon completed. In DeGraff about fifteen persons were hurt. The house of Jonathan Roll, a large two-story frame, fronting on the main street of the hamlet, was badly riddled and the roof torn off, and during the alarming crisis the occupants became overwhelmed with terror, and rushed into the street. Mr. Poll in person carried his little daughter Lulie, a girl seven years of age, in his arms, and had scarcely left the building before mass of flying wreck struck and knocked him to the earth and covered his body and that of his daughter out of sight in the LOGAN COUNTIES - 443 ruins. When the rescuers reached him after the accident, the little girl, the pride of his heart, was still clasped in his arms; but her eyes could never more twinkle the delight she felt while in his company, and her tiny hand could never more pat his cheek—she was dead; and the form five minutes before all grace and beauty, was now distorted into a shape that wrung copious tears of sorrow from those who viewed it. Her injuries were so terrible that death could not have been delayed long enough for her to know that she had received them. Mr. Roll, personally, suffered a broken shoulder blade and numerous and severe bruises. His wife and Levanda Moses (her daughter by a former husband) met with an equally terrible misfortune in their effort to seek safety. The girl's brains were dashed out, and she was mutilated as badly as her balf sister, and Mao Roll had her left forearm crushed, and received internal injuries of so serious a nature that her recovery is entirely conjectural. The names of the other victims I can not recollect. Suffice it to say that they are receiving every attention, and, with the exception of a boy named Warner, who was blown a distance of one hundred yards, some assert, are in little danger. THE PROPERTY DESTROYED. The ravages of the wind in DeGraff are made plainly apparent to the occupants of passing railroad trains, and they still look confused and widespread, although every effort is being put forth to restore the town to its former shape. The chief thoroughfare abuts on the railway depot as Baymiller does to the C. H. & D. Depot in Cincinnati, and it view of it in the present condition is trot gratifying-. The last building on the east side of the street was a barn, which belonged to Newt. Richardson, and adjoining it was the barn of Dr. Hance. Next to the last named came the frame house and stable of T. J. Smith, and then the Methodist church, a large frame structure. These buildings were all some distance back from the street,. and were leveled flat. In front of the church was the dwelling house, store, and barn of Mrs. Christine, and not an erect timber in either building is left standing. Mr. Roll's house and stable were situated net to Mrs. Christine's property, and the stable was wrecked completely. Adjoining the Roll homestead on the west was Mrs. Lippincott's house, and barn. The house was bereft of its roof and otherwise 'damaged,' 444 - CHAMPAIGN AND While the stable was resolved into lumber on the spot. The last buildings on this side of main street were a small brick building,. occupied as a tin and stove store by Samuel Pratt, and the frame cabinet shop of J. H. Rexer, both of which were ruined. On the west side of the street the destruction was not so great as on the east, but the number of buildings partially destroyed was about even. The list opens with Newt. Richardson's frame business house, which lost its roof, as did the adjoining store of Conrad Mohr. The dwelling of John Van. Kirk came next, and was similarly treated, and the owner's saddle and harness shop next. door also suffered scalping. The next house was Schriver, Wolf & Co.'s dry goods establishment, which, in addition to unroofing, was battered and broken in many places. A good sized frame next to this last named, occupied as a dry goods store, and owned by Benjaa iin Crutches, was unroofed and otherwise damaged, and the hard warestore of Graffercl, Crutcher & Co., adjoining it met with bad luck, being nearly destroyed. On Boggs street, in rearof Main, Mrs. Russell's dwelling house (a large building,) Lippincott Hersche's cooper stop and barn, and Lippincotts stable, were all very badly damaged, and on the west side of this street the dwellings of John O'Hara and Devitt Gainey suffered severely. C. H. Custenborder, a farmer living India mile distant, lost his house and two barns, all of which no re blown to atoms. The grist and saw mills of Schriver, Wolf & Co., near DeGraff, were injured to a considerable extent. In Quincy about seventy build ings are believed to have been all or partially destroyed, and an estimating committee who reckoned up the matter calculated that the loss would reach sixty or seventy thousand dollars. Among the chief losses are the following: Baptist and Methodist churches, frame buildings, both are down. Wm. Cioninger's blacksmith, cooper and wagon shops, leveled with. the ground, and dwelling house rendered uninhabitable for some days. The dwelling house was moved twelve feet from its foundations. Large frame house occupied by Daniel Clark and Edward Fitzgerald, was rendered almost valueless by the damage inflicted. Henry Keyser's frame house, demolished. Widow Offenbach's dwelling house, roof off. Elias Walburn's crrriage shop, partially destroyed. D. S. Wolf's hotel and pump factory—roof off, the former and the latter destroyed. LOGAN COUNTIES - 445 These are but a few of the heaviest losses. Very few buildings in the entire town seemed to have escaped the visitation. Several people were caught and imprisoned in the ruins 'of their own houses as they tell, and had to wait some time before succor came to them. The force of the hurricane was felt very plainly in Quincy, and as instances, timbers of a thickness of eight or ten inches were blown from the Methodist Church a distance of ten yards, and in one place after the storm, a shingle was found driven into some Weatherboarding, just as if it had been steel and as sharp pointed as a razor. In De Graff, also, it drew a pump from the well of Alexander Corry, and threw it ten feet and over his house. A large piece of tin roofing was carried away from the Town hall in the latter Village, and was thought by imaginative countrymen, in its progress, to be a winged gray horse. Masses of rubbish were carried Several miles and deposited in fields, on the tops of forest trees' and elsewhere. INCIDENTS. The first reliable intimation of the coming destruction was given to the inhabitants 01 DeGraff by a countryman, who drove through town in his wagon as fast as his lame and antiquated government mule could hobble, and shouted to the people to vacate. Nobody Understood the cause of his alarm, however, and many thought the volume of dust sweeping on toward them was caused by a runaway team. When the storm broke, a citizen named Johnson, who possessed the first requisite of a good Cincinnati Councilman, a capacious abdomen, laid himself down beside a stone wall, and had not been there thirty seconds, before Mr. Graffort, the hardware man, came gliding along and speedily ranged .himself on Mr. Johnson. It wasn't a good fit, however, and the next man was a Kentucky doctor of about Johnson's size, who settled down on the-two members of the stone wall brigade, with all the lightness and ease of a three story brick house. He found, however, after he had done so, that the wall was not high enough to shield him from the destroyer, and .so got up again, thereby saving himself the unpleasantness of acting as principle in a murder trial, as Johnson's breath had ebbed down to almost . a thimbleful, and he could not muster up a whisper of remonstrance. The most miraculous event that occurred in DeGraff is relieved 446 - CHAMPAIGN AND to have been the escape of a French stallion—a splendid .animal—that was lodged in astable back of Main street. The stable was leveled flat with the ground, and a surface of perhaps one hundred feet square was covered with corn cobs and rubbish, and the ant. mat was found afterward standing where his stall ought to be, and calmly feeding upon the loose hay strewn around him. A similar incident was the escape of a brood of pigeons. This last event. was chronicled by one youngster to another (as overheard by a bystander) in very grieved tones, "There wasn't one of the old pigeons hurt," and the event was sufficiently singular to excite comment among older people than the boy. On Hay street a Small frame dwelling house occupied by John Van Kirk was turned half way round with the gable end to the street, without a board being displaced. The Ministerial Association of the Bellefontaine District was to have met in the Methodist church to-day, but upon second thought concluded they would not do so. The funerals of the dead girls, and also that of Mrs. Glick, in Quincy, took place on Monday, and were not very largely attended, owing to the. their interests that claimed time absorbing a attention of the people. The towns have been visited by thousands of people since time disaster, and the relief movements are in good shape, and promising an abundantly satisfactory return. In DeGraff the houseless ones have all been provided with shelter by their neighbors, but in Quincy time destruction was so general that many had to be sent to the country, and thrown on the hospitality of the farmers. In many houses. in Quincy the occupants can he seen at their work, sewing women plying the needle at the windows, where sash, glass anti all are missing, and domestics washing in apartments with apertures in them large enough to admit a horse, seemingly. The following curious poster, written with ink, meets a person's gaze on nearly every dilapidated house front in the place: "Blown down, but alive awl ready to do duty in my dwelling house, one door north of the old stand.  SAM. FRANTZ, "Stoves, queensware, &c." Half a dozen persons in the two towns were carried some yards by the strength of the wind, and one by the name of Johnnie Parks, living in Quincy, sags he held to the post as long as the post stood it, but when it went he went too. He couldn't resist LOGAN COUNTIES - 447 the inclination. It is most probable that the whirlwind’s power was brought chiefly to bear upon the forests before it had reached Quincy. The scene in these uninhabited tracts of land is most convincing evidence of the wind's terrible power. Trees as high as the Opera House, and thick beyond the capacity of two men"s arms to encircle, lie here; wrenched out of the very ground by the airy monster. Some. are split in two, and their branches lie strewn around in endless confusion. Others are taken short off at the base, and others still have had their branches lopped off. Those that are still standing are bent and insignificant-looking, when compared with their former erect position. HOW KINGS CREEK GOT ITS NAME. BY ED. L. MORGAN. According to the best information which can be obtained, this township (Salem) was, first visited by the whites, in the fall of 1786. At that time an army of Kentuckians, under the command of Gen. Benjamin Logan, passed through here, when on their way to destroy the Indians on Mac-a-cheek. The advance of this army was commanded by Colonel Daniel Boone and Major Simon Kenton. The following incident, which occurred at the time, was related to the writer, and others, by Simon Kenton, at Taylor's mill, on Kings Creek, the spring of 1814: A few of the mounted men, who were a short distance in advance, suddenly encountered a few. Indians, in the prairie, a short distance west of the present residence of Mr. John Eichholts. The two parties discovered each other at the same time, and the Indians, who were on foot, made a vigorous effort to reach the high ground upon the east, that they might have the advantage of the timber, and fire at the whites from behind the trees ; but by a timely and rapid movement, they were headed off by the horsemen. The Indians then wheeled to the north, and on entering the high grass, near the creek, they scattered like frightened quails, and squatted and concealed themselves in the highgrass and weeds. The Kentuckians pursued, and at a point alibut one-fourth mile 'below the' present site of the Kingston mills and nearly opposite the present residence of Mr. Nathaniel Johnson, one of the horsemen came upon an Indian, who, upon. being dis- LOGAN COUNTIES - 449 covered, rose to his feet, presented his gun and pulled the trigger, but fortunately for the soldier, the gun missed fire, and the Kentuckian shot and killed the Indian before he could make his escape. This Indian, from his dress and. appearance, was supposed to be a chief or king. After scalping the fallen foe, and divesting the body of its ornaments and jewels, they watered their horses at the beautiful stream hard by, and gave it the name of "The King's Creek," which name it, still bears. At he time herd referred to, there stood near the spot a honey locust tree, which afterward attained to a great height and uncommon size for one of its kind, and was often referred to by the old settlers as the place where the Indian king was killed ; and some folks who believed such things, asserted that they frequently saw the red man's ghost, with his "raw head and bloody bones," prowling about the tree or perched upon the topmost branches in form of a huge horned owl, as they passed that way of a moonlight night ; and so great was the dread of some, that they would travel halt a mile .out of their way, rather than risk an encounter with his "royal highness." Out that tree is gone, the ghost has disappeared, the generation that feared it has passed away and is almost forgotten —nothing connected with the event now remains, save only the creek and its name—they will abide forever. 450 - CHAMPAIGN AND *DEATH OF HON. MOSES B. CORWIN. Moses Bledsoe Corwin died at his residence in this city, Thursday evening., April 11th, 1872, aged 82 years and 3 months. He was the first child of Ichabod and Sarah Corwin, and was born in S a:arb an entity, Kentneks, taaAry 5th, 1790, and six years later the family re:uovel to Lebanon, Ohio, where he grew up to manhood. June 4th, 1811, ha w is married to Margaret Fox, of Lebanon, and in 1812 they moved to Urbana, arriving here June 18th, and here they spent the remainder of their lives. Upon his arrival here, Mr. Corwin began the publication of the Watchtower, the first newspaper published in 1 he then large county of Champaign, introducing press and types into the vast wilderness, undismayed by the popular illiteracy of most early settlers, and less annoyed by the competition of other presses a hundred miles away. Early in 1811 he had been admitted to the bar and he began his practice here, which became very extensive, his circuit including Cincinnati and Detroit, at which places he was an attendent at court. In those early days the lawyer traveled like an old style gentleman, astride the best horse in the country, his legal acumen stored in his brain and legal authorities in his saddle-bags. The Journey of a circuit then was no trifling trip, as it now would be, but occupied weeks always, and frequently extending into months. In 1838 Mr. Corwin was elected Representative from Champaign and Union counties to the State Legislature, and was re-elected in 1839. * From the Urbana, 0., Citizen and Gazelle. He represented this District (then composed of Champaign, Logan, Union, Delaware and Clarke counties,) in Congress, in 1849-50, and again in 1853-51, serving, faithfully and acceptably, the people of the Eighth District, in times when political strategy and high-toned compromise were actively engaged in prepsring evil webs for a future day to unravel. On all the measures of those days, Mr. Corwin entertained and advocated advanced ideas, which eventually led him to enroll himself in the ranks of the Republican party, early in its career, in which he lived politically Matti his natural death. His social life was a thread of interesting portrayals of the character of true friendship. The fire of love burned brightly in his heart and the sun never set upon his anger. To a friend he was all friend, in adversity or thrift. In the hour of trial, of deep despair, his friend found him strong to avert any danger and with a will to do it. An incident occurs to us that is fruitful of the lessons of friendship and shows the true tests. It was told by Jonathan E. Chaplin, in the First M. E. Church, many years ago, in an address on Temperance. And to make this incident the more fully understood, it must be known that in his early manhood, Mr. Corwin was an intemperate man, beyond the ordinary drain drinking customs of the day, and Mr. Chaplin was his chosen companion of the hour. In the fall of 1830; in November if we mistake not, the naturally religious faculties of Mr. Corwin assumed supremacy over his grosser passions and led him to unite himself with the M. E. Church; He closed his lips against liquor in all its forms and became totally abstinent. The great change in so prominent a man was . the theme of every tongue and excitement even resulted from so great a reformation and so prominent an example. The example was apt lost an his most valued and truly honorable friend, Jonathan Chaplin, and he too made the effort to abstain from the cup. For days and nights he wrestled with the demon appetite, and fought manfully against the love of that which he knew would drag him down to destruction. At the morning of the eighth day he succumbed to the demands Of his tottering brain and with shaking nerves, and mind racked with the torture of an appetite freed from resistance, he arose long before dawn, 452 - CHAMPAIGN AND and maddened, crazed, he awaited the coming of the first gray streaks of the day thatlie might go downtown, awaken a storekeeper, and appease his appetite with brandy, which he knew he would surely obtain. Day dawned, and throwing a blanket around him, he started down town, the wind blowing fiercely,,and rain falling frozen upon the ground, and soon reached North Main street. As he turned into that street he met a strong blast of wind that nearly carried away his hat and blanket, when he pulled the blanket over his head and groped his way onward, not caring what might be in his way, and seeing nothing. Out of a little nook near where Busser's Cigar Store now stands, stepped a manly form and seized him firmly by the shoulder, turned him around, and in a friendly voice said, "Jonathan, come home." And, God be praised, Jonathan went. He who had saved his friend from that most hopeless, uncharitable road to destruction, was Moses B. Corwin, and for eight early mornings had he watched and waited there ; knowing the cravings of appetite that would afflict him in whom he had the strongest interest—knowing the hour it would come the strongest to attack him, and he put forth the strong and resolute hand. Jonathan Chaplin became as Honored and exceedingly popular minister of the Gospel. Such an event is worth theAiving of an ordinary lifetime ; but Mr. Corwin's life exhibited Many such incidents, showing his-valuation of the fraternal ties of manhood, and their correct uses. The declining days of such a man are full of peace, and his retrospect of a long life was fruitful of comfort and contentment that halide him happy, even when surrounded with affliction. Seeing, he beard not, but his thoughts of the good the world has and had were the solace of a good old man. THE LUDLOW ROAD. HOW IT GOT ITS NAME. BY ED. L. MORGAN. The question ispften asked, why and for what reason a certain line and road in this county is called the "Ludlow Line," and "Ludlow Road." I will endeavor to explain the why and the wherefore, in as brief a manner as possible. On the 23d of May, one one thousand six hrincired and nine (1609,) King James the First of England granted a charter to certain persons for that part of America called Virginia, and from that charter I now will copy the following extract : "And we also, of our special grace, certain knowledge and were motion, give, grant and confirm, unto the said treasurer and company, and their successors, under the reservations, limitations and declarations hereafter expressed, all these lands, countries and territories situate, lying and being in that part of America called Virginia, from the point of land called Cape or Paint Comfort, all along the sea coast to the northward two hundred miles, and from the said point of Cape Comfort all along the sea coast to the southward two hundred miles, and all that space and circuit of land lying from the sea coast of the, precinct aforesaid, up into the land, throughout, from sea to sea, west and north-west; and also all the islands lying within one hundred miles, along the coast of both seas of the precinct afore said." The foregoing is an exact copy, even to the punctuation. 454 - CHAMPAIGN AND By virtue of this charter, Virginia claimed title to all land lying. between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and her right was never. called in question. After the close of the war of the Revolution, the State of Virginia ceded to the United States the greatest part of this vast domain, and at the same time made certain reservations; and among them she reserved all the land lying between the Little Miami and Scioto Rivers, in what is now the State of Ohio. This land was reserved for the purpose of paying the Virginia soldiers who served in the war of the Revolution, and was distributed among the officers and soldiers in quantities proportionate to their several grades in the army. As the Little Miami extended but a short distance into the country, from its mouth at the Ohio river, and the Scioto, which is the eastern boundary of the reserve, extends a great deal further, both northward and easterly, into the country, it was necessary that a line should be run from the head of one river to the other, in order to define the limits of the reserve made by the State of Virginia. The first line was run from the head of the Little Miami toward the place that was supposed to be the head of the Scioto. This line was run by Israel Ludlow, hence the name of "Ludlow Line." 'This line from the head of the Little Miami hears north, twenty degrees west. It was afterward discovered that the head of the Scieto was several miles further west than the point at first designated as its source. This discovery caused much trouble and several law-suits, and a second line was run, called "Roberts' line." In due time a number of surveyors were employed to locate and survey the lands, and for this purpose the owners of warrants put them into the hands of surveyors, and in many cases gave them part of the Land fur their services. I will here state that the surveyors' fees were payable in, tobacco ; but lest my veracity should be called in question by some of your readers, I will quote from a law of the State of Virginia, passed in October, 1793, and which I believe is still in force, and applies to surveys in the Military District. "SEC. 3. And for declaring what fees a surveyor may be entitled to: Be it Enacted, That every surveyor shall be entitled to receive the following fees for the services hereinafter mentioned, to be paid by the persons employing him, and no other fees whatever ; that is tosay : For every survey by him plainly bounded, as the law directs, and for a plan of such survey, alter the delivery LOGAN COUNTIES - 455 of such plat, where the survey shall not exceed four hundred acres of land, two hundred and fifty pounds of tobacco; for every hundred acres contained in one survey above four hundred, twelve pounds of tobacco; for surveying a lot in town, twenty pounds of tobacco; and where the surveyor, shall be stopped or hindered from finishing a survey by him begun, to be paid by the party who required the survey to be made, one hundred and twenty-five pounds of tobacco; for surveying an acre of land, for a mill, fifty pounds of tobacco; for every survey of land formerly patented, and which shall be required to be surveyed, and for a plat . thereof, delivered as aforesaid, the same fee as for land not before surveyed ; for running a dividing line between any county or parish, to be paid by such respective counties or parishes in proportion to the number of tythables, if ten smiles or under, five hundred pounds of tobacco; and for every mile above ten, fifteen pounds of tobacco. "SEC. 4. That all persons who are now chargeable with any surveyors' fees, for services under the act of Assembly, entitled, An act for regulating the fees of the register of the land office, and for other purposes, or who shall hereafter become chargeable with any tobacco for any of the services mentioned in this act, shall, at their election, discharge the same either in transfer tobacco notes or in specie at the rate of twelve shillings and sixpence for every hundred pounds of gross tobacco!' The foregoing quotation is from Henry's Statutes of Virginia, page 353. Jim Armstrong and I had been paid such fees for our services as surveyors, and all in tobacco and could we have kept it until now, we would be able to supply the upper and lower ten and their little boys with cigars for a month or more, beside poisoning all the potato bugs in the county. 456 - CHAMPAIGN AND EX-GOVERNOR VANCE'S FAMILY. For the satisfaction of those who feel an interest in the family of Ex-Governor Vance, and would like to know how many of his children are still living, and where, I will just say, in addition to Judge A. F. Vance, mentioned on page 258, now Probate Judge of Champaign county, he has another son and one daughter, now living in Urbana, Dr. D. M. Vance, a practicing physician in that place, and Mary, the widow of Judge John A. Corwin, late of the Supreme Court of Ohio ; three links that bind us to the many pleasant memories of the past. May they never be forgotten. ERRATA In the heading of the Poll Books of Champaign and Logan counties for 1811 it is said, "The first election." This is a mistake of the printer. The first election held in Champaign county was the same year the county was organized, 1805. The first in Logan, then Champaign, was in the year 1805. I selected the year 1811 because the vote was fuller, and tbe names of voters come within the memory of many now living. Page 173, eight lines from bottom, for 1872 read 1822. Page 217, last line, for North-East read North-West. Page 140, for Fillis read Tillis. Page 229, sixteen lines from bottom, for Rupel Bigalow read Russel Bigalow. Page 230, twenty-two lines from top, for Manly read Maily. Page 137, for Thomas Runkle Taner read William Runkle Taner. Page 253, for Lidders read Siders, and for Parker read Parks. Page 230, six lines from top, for John Long read John S range.