456 - HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY. CHAPTER XIV. * PLEASANT TOWNSHIP-THE EARLY SETTLEMENT-SOCIAL LIFE IN THE BACKWOODS - INDUSTRIES - RELIGIONS - ETC. "Man's fame, so often evanescent, Links here with thoughts and things that last; And all the bright and teeming present Thrills with the great and glorious past." LOOKING G upon the map of Logan County we find a large of tract of land in form an oblong square, its longest diameter east and west; its location south of the "Greenville treaty line," adjoining the Shelby County line. This territory is designated as Township 1, Range 8, of the Congressional survey, and is bounded north by Bloomfield and Washington, south by Miami, east by Harrison and Union, and west by Salem Town ship in Shelby County. The principal water-course is the Miami River, which flows in nearly a due south course through h the township, centrally. On the west are two small tributaries without names and unimportant. The eastern portion of the township is traversed by the Buckongehelas, a stream affording power for numerous mills. The soil east of the Miami is a rich, yellow clay, slightly mired with gravel and well adapted to wheat culture, while westward a black loam predominates, yielding bountiful crops of corn and grass. The farm buildings, and improvements generally, are of a substantial character, and fully equal to the average in this portion of Logan County. The surface features of the township are varied, and presents to the eye a panorama of surpassing Loveliness, Coming from the north you pass through a stretch of country perfectly level, and with the exception of an occasional strip of woodland covered with a heavy growth of golden * Contributed by Dr. J. H. Se Cheverell. wheat. Southward, as you near the river, the surface becomes rolling with a gentle descent from either direction and at intervals cut by ravines, down which, during the fall and spring, flow streams of no mean dimensions. To stranger eyes the name of this township, Pleasant, seems particularly appropriate, for surely no more beautiful or pleasing scenery exists in the county than is found along the valley of the Miami at this period, and imagination can readily paint the scene that met the view of the hardy and resolute men who first penetrated this region. They found a land fertile as heart could wish, fair to look upon, and fragrant with the thousand fresh odors of the woods in early spring. The long, cool aisles of the forest led away into mazes of vernal green, where the swift deer bounded by unmolested, and as yet unscared by the sound of the woodman's ax or the sharp ring of the rifle. All about them was displayed the lavish beauties of primitive nature. The luxuriant growth of the oak, the walnut, maple, beech, chestnut and sycamore, with the lesser shrubs, the dogwood, the crab-apple and the wild plum, and the heavy hanging grape-vines, gave evidence of the strength of the virgin soil and the mildness of the climate. The forests which covered the land furnished an abundance of food for the smaller animals, and the deer, as common as the cattle of to-day, grazed upon the rich brass of the lowlands and browsed upon the verdure in the little glades. Other animals were abundant. The bear and the elk were occasional visitants, while the forest teemed HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY. - 457 with wild hogs, that roamed about in droves and fattened upon the abundant mast. Will turkeys appeared in vast flocks, and in the season came the migratory fowls and tarried by the streams. The river had its share of life, and fairly swarmed with fish. But the pioneers came not to enjoy a life of lotus-eating. They could look forward with happy anticipation to the life they were to lead in the midst of all this beauty, and to the rich reward that would be theirs; but they had first to work. The dangers, also, to which they were exposed were serious ones. The Indians could not be trusted, dud the many stories of their outrages in the earlier eastern settlements made the pioneers of this section constantly apprehensive of trouble. The larger wild beasts were much dreaded, and the smaller antis a source of great annoyance. Added to this was the liability to sickness which always exits in a new country, and that continual feeling of loneliness not easily dispelled. This was a far greater trial to the men and women who first dwelt in this western country than is generally imagined. The deep-seated, constantly-recurring feeling of isolation made many stout hearts turn bend: to the abodes of comfort, to the companionship and sociability of their old homes, but such was not the intention of the rugged sons of toil who first peopled the Township of Pleasant. Early in the month of March, 1809, James Moore and Robert Dickson, each with two yoke of stout oxen attached to heavy covered wagons in which were their families and a few necessary articles of household goods, began from the interior of the State of Kentucky, the long and tedious journey to Logan County, Ohio, a locality represented to be if not a veritable land of "milk and honey," at least, closely allied to it. After numerous mishaps by "flood and field,'' the cavalcade arrived in safety at Cincinnati and was, with much vexations delay, ferried across "La Belle Rivere," an achievement not unattended with danger, in its then swollen condition, From this place northward to Urbana, the route was, for the most part, but a blazed trail, dodging about, first this way and that, wherever convenient, and scarcer passable at alb at this season of the year, Urbana was reached at last, and from here, to the place selected for a home, the journey was made through an almost trackless wilderness. At last the "Mecca'' of their pilgrimage was reached, and a rude encampment mach upon the east bank of the Miami ricer, a short distance above the site of the present hamlet of Logansville. The land, previously purchased, consisted of a fractional section, embracing some 300 acres, including, and extending north along the river northward from Logansville. In the division Mr. Moore became the proprietor of the north half of this tract; his pioneer log cabin was erected not far from the site of the old homestead, was occupied by Newton N. Moore. Mr, Dickson's cabin stood nearly one-half mile to the southwest. Forced to rely entirely upon their own efforts, these pioneer houses were, of necessity, little more than huts; made entirely of small logs, roughly put together, they answered for temporary shelter, until the arrival of outer settlers, by whose aid more substantial dwellings were built. Mr. Moore's family at this time consisted of a wife and four children, only one of whom is now living in the township, Dennis, whose head is "Thickly silvered o'er with care," and round whose pathway naught now remains, as a reminder of those early days, save perhaps, the "silent city of the dead" upon the home farm, where rest the remains of many whose strong hands have helped to subdue the mighty forest. The family of Mr. Dickson consisted of a wife and three children, new all deceased, though many descendants 458 - HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY. of the family still reside in the vicinity of Logansville. Two years pass away, and still these two families are the sole white occupants of the territory embraced within the limits of what is now Pleasant Township; the hardships and privations they endured during this period would have discouraged less determined ones. The nearest grist-mill was at Urbana, at the same place was also a store, where the commonest goods were sold at enormous prices: tea, $2 per pound; salt, $5 per bushel of fifty pounds, and calico, which now sells at eight cents, sold readily for $1 per yard. During the fall of 1811, Alfred Mathews and John Means, each with large families arrived in the township, and made settlement; the former upon a tract of land some two miles east of Logansville, and the latter about one and one-half miles to the south of Mr. Moore's, on the west bank of the river. Alfred Mathews, Jr., is the only surviving member of these families now residing in the township. These four families constituted the entire white population of the township until after the close of hostilities with Great Britain. Among the settlers who arrived immediately subsequent to the close of the war were: Alexander Piper and family, who came from Nicholas County, Ky., in the fall of 1818. The farm upon which they first settled is now owned by Dennis Moore. William D. Piper is the only one of the family living in the township. Robert Ellis, also from Kentucky, made settlement upon lands, still occupied h` the family, to the northwest of Logansville. Robert McMullen, purchased a tract of land adjoining Mr. Piper's. These are believed to be all who became actual residents prior to the year 1820. This locality, as is every newly settled country, was infested with a class of nomadic people, known as squatters, chose sojourn was usually brief, yet whose departure was heartily welcome. The next settlers were: Peter Hanks, Addison Henderson, John Hill, Samuel Geise, Daniel McKinnon, and possibly others whose names are forgotten, but as the settlement soon became general we will not follow it further. During the war of 1812, the utmost alarm and uneasiness prevailed in the scattered settlements by reason of which the Government ordered a company of soldiers into the vicinity for protection. Immediately an their arrival they proceeded to the erection of a " blockhouse." Its location was upon a high point of land, about one mile east of the present village of Logansville. The structure was composed of two buildings, some twenty feet square, connected at the second story and well provided with port-holes. It was of little importance, however, as the troops were withdrawn soon after its completion. As the settlement increased the asperities of life were softened, its amenities multiplied. Social gatherings became numerous. The log-rolling, harvesting and husking be bees for the men, and the apple-butter making and quilting parties for the women, furnished frequent occasions for social intercourse. The early settlers took much pleasure curl pride in rule shooting and as they were accustomed to the run as a means, often, of obtaining subsistence, and relied upon it as a weapon of defence, they exhibited considerable skill, and "shooting matches'' were of frequent occurrence. These trials of skill were not governed. as are the "rifle clubs" of the present day, by a complication of " rules," by which, perhaps, the best shot in the team makes the "poorest string,'' but 'the best marksman won. The event of most importance, however, in the sparsely settled new country was a wedding. The young people hod every inducement to marry, and generally did so as soon as able to provide for themselves. When a marriage was to be celebrated, the settlers within a radius of several miles turned out. All went NO PAGES 459 OR 460 HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY. - 461 on horseback, if able, riding in single file along the narrow trail-a couple often riding upon one horse. After the ceremony came the dinner, a substantial backwoods feast of bear or deer meat, pork or fowls, with such vegetables as could be procured,, during the discussion of which the greatest hilarity prevailed. After dinner the dancing begun, and was usually kept up during the entire night. The pioneer wedding in Pleasant Township occurred in 1812. Sarah Leonard and David Matthews were the " happy pair." An event of some importance in the annals of our colony was the advent, during the early summer of 1810, of a youthful stranger into the family of James and Catharine Moore. It was a girl, thus verifying the oft-repeated statement that this sex ware always first, everywhere.'' No doubt the little lady ruled all the inmates of that humble home quite as regally in her dress of calico as does the elegantly attired "baby " of the present time with its nurse, mother and aunties, not to mention its dear " par," and the rest of mankind, dancing attendance to its real or imagined wants. The little Miss Moore grew to womanhood, became the wife of John. Moore, and eventually located in Zane Township, where she died some years since. The circumstances attending the first visit of the grim monster, Death, to the infant colony, are touchingly sad. It was during the summer of 1810, soon after the birth before referred to, that William, son of James Moore, was taken violently ill with a fever, He grew rapidly worse. The nearest physician was at Urbana, and thither a messenger was dispatched to summon him. He came at once, but only arrived in time to witness the death of his patient. A rude coffin was prepared of plank split from a tree near by, and gender hands made ready this rough receptacle for all that remained of the bright, beautiful boy. A grave was prepared in the adjacent forest, and here, amid the dim solitude the sunlight casting slanting rays through the branches of the trees, with no minister of God to pronounce the solemn ritual, no funeral choir to "chant the last sad requiem, he was laid to rest, there to peacefully sleep on and on until that last great day when the sea, shall give up its dead." The greatest inconvenience was caused, perhaps, by the absence of grist-mills. The nearest was at Urbana. The only road leading thereto was a blazed trail, nearly impassible with a wagon, hence, it was customary to put a bag of grain upon a horse, mount one of the younger boys on top, and start the whole for Urbana. Arriving at the mill, which was a rude affair, with small capacity, it was frequently the case that a previous arrival would occupy the mill for the remainder of the day, and a stay until morning was rendered necessary but as the folks at home were prepared for such emergencies, rarely any uneasiness was felt, or, as was sometimes the case, the boy would get his grist ground just before night, and starting for home, be overtaken by the darkness and the wolves. Sometimes it became expedient to tie up and spend the intervening hours, till daylight, among the branches of a friendly tree, but usually an extra amount of birch was applied to Dobbin, and the family roof-tree gained in safety. In about 1819-20, James Moore put his operation the pioneer grist-mill in Pleasant Township. The building was of logs, and stood on the west bank of the Miami Riser. A short time subsequent Mr. Moore constructed a frame saw-mill adjoining the first. These pioneer industries were of the greatest importance to the settlers in the vicinity, not only in preparing the crude elements for bread, but furnishing lumber for the floors, doors, etc., of the cabins. These mills have been several times rebuilt, and are now owned by John Long. In 1825 Mr. Moore built a distillery near the mills, thus furnishing a market for 462 - HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY. much of the corn grown in the neighborhood. It was in operation some fifteen years. The second grist-mill in the township was built by Washington Firestone, on Indian Run. It was only in operation a few years. Thompson Dickson built a tannery just west of Logansville in 1826, which was successfully conducted for many years. In those early days the general hospitality exhibited rendered hotels superfluous. The "latch-string" was out at every cabin, and the weary traveler was always sure of a welcome and the best the house afforded: but as the settlement grew older, and the desire for wealth became predominant, dominant, that genial, social welcome ceased, and the tavern came into existence. To meet this want, John Dickson, in about 1835, opened a house of entertainment at Logansville. It was quite a commodious affair few years later Joseph Davison became the host of a second hostelry, in the same hamlet. For many years during the early part of the settlement there were no roads in the township the travel being along trails, approximating the direction you wished to go, less attention being paid to the points of the compass than to the convenience of the builder, hence these routes quite often brought to mind the adage: "The longest way round is the nearest way home." The first legally constituted road in the township was cut through in about 1830, and ran in a. general northwest course from DeGraff to Bloom Center, crossing the Miami River at the point now spanned by the Moore bridge. This road is now a fine graveled turnpike. In early times the river was crossed by means of a small ferry boat, built by James Moore, of which it is said, that the chances of getting wet were about equal, whether you rode in a boat or waded across. However, during the hilt water in the fall and spring months, this boat was of considerable utility. The finest bridge in Logan County is the one crossing the Miami River immediately west of Logansville. It is of the high truss model, and is constructed entirely of wrought iron. Its entire length is 187 feet with two spans, supported at the ends and in the center by solid masonry, It was built by the Cleveland Bridge and Iron Company during the winter of 1879-80. The masonry by John M. Watters of Jefferson, Ohio. Entire cost $9,376. The work was all done under the supervision of S. A. Buchanan, Civil Engineer for Loran County, and reflects credit upon all connected there with. The early mails were carried on horseback. and reached Logansville once each week, during favorable weather. John Dickson kept the first postoffice. It was established about 1830. Lewis Young is the present Postmaster. The old mail line from Bellefontaine to Sidney, via Logansville, was long since abandoned, and now a daily mail is received from DeGraff. Messrs. Thompson and William Dickson, sons of the original proprietor, in the year 1827, made a plat of a portion of their real estate upon the east side of the Miami, and this embryo village they named in honor of the celebrated Mingo Chief, whose burning speech to the messenger of Lord Dunmore, in 1774, has become immortal. Logansville is yet in its infancy. It contains one general store, one drugstore, a church, school, two blacksmith shops and a Grange hall. The history of the lat ter is as follows: Pleasant Grange, No. 485, P. of H., was organized on January 29, 1879, with thirty charter members. lts meetings were held in the hall over Young's store for one year, when a purchase of the Presbyterian meeting-house was effected. This has been refitted, and here the society meets on Saturday day evening of each week. The membership now numbers sixty. The succession of Masters is R. J. Smith and John Hannah. HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY - 463 The history of the churches dates from a period near the close of the war of 1812, and is of considerable interest. Early in the summer of the year 1815, an itinerant preacher of the New Light or Christian faith, a denomination having its origan at a camp meeting held at Cane Ridge, Kentucky, near the dawning of the present century, came into the settlement, and announced a meeting at the log house of James Moore. At the appointed time the entire settlement turned out, and so much interest was manifested that another meeting was announced. This was followed at intervals of a few weeks duration, by others until about 1824, when the families of the four original settlers: James Moore, Robert Dickson, Alfred Mathews and John Means, united in the formation of the first religious society in Pleasant Township, and not Iong afterward, a log meeting-house was built in Logansville. A few years later a society of the Presbyterian denomination was formed here, and they united with the Christians in the erection of a comfortable frame church, (now the Grange hall). In this the original organization met for worship until 1876, when the present substantial church edifice at Logansville was erected. This society has now. a large membership, and in connection a flourishing Sabbath School. In point of chronological order the Methodist Episcopal Church antedates the Presbyterian. The date of its formation was not far from 1828. A hewed log meeting - house was erected at Logansville, and regular religious services organized. For a time the society gave promise of success, and its numbers increased, but eventually the tide set adversely, the membership, by death and removals, decreased, until at last services were discontinued, and the old log chapel went to decay. In the northeastern part of the township stands a pretty little church, built by the Society of United Brethren, a few years since. small society still worships here. The school interest has been fostered from the earliest settlement in the township, and the commodious school buildings of to-day, with their cleanly and well kept surrounding , attest the continuance of that fostering care. Immediately subsequent to the close of the war of 1812, a small log schoolhouse was erected upon what is now the McMullen farm, just East of Lo Logansville, and in this building a man named Wilson commenced a term of school the fall following, all the children in the township were in attendance upon this school. The schoolhouse was of the most primitive character-unhewn walls, puncheon floor. seats and door; greased paper windows, and the wide-throated stick chimney. "And yet," one of the dozen scholars, the only one now living, remarks: " the memory of that old homely schoolhouse is far more pleasing to me than to Took upon the huge riles of brick and stone constituting the school buildings of to-day." Upon the organization of the township, a division into sub-districts was effected, and a number of frame schoolhouses erected. The first of these was erected in Logansville, on the site at present occupied by the brick schoolhouse. Following are the school statistics for Pleasant Township for the school year ending August 31, 1879; Whole number of pupils enrolled.............. 363 Whole amount paid teachers.................. $1,748.23 Whole numher of schoolhouses.......... 7 Value of schoolhouses and grounds........ $3,500. The writer has been unable to learn anything in relation to the organization of the township, except that the first election was held at the hotel of John Dickson's, in Logansville. Several persons now live in the township who were present at this election, hut none of them are able to give the date or the names of the officers elected. The records in the office of the Township Clerk do not date back but a few years. (RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE)