(RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE) PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY - 9 THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, JULY FOURTH, SEVENTEEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-SIX. When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which compel them to a separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights ; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, and that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundations on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes, and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the form to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty to throw off such government, and provide new guards for their future security. 10 - PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY Such has been the patient sufferance of the colonies, and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former system of government. The history of the present king of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this let these facts be submitted to a candid world : He has refused his assent to pass laws the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained, and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them. He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large districts of people unless those people would relinquish their right of representation in the legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable. to tyrants only. He has called together legislative bodies at pleasure, unusual and uncomfortable and distant from the repository of their public records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people. He has refused for a long time after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected whereby the legislative powers incapable of annihilation have returned to the people for their exercise. The States remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within. He has endeavored to prevent the population of these states, for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners, refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands. He has obstructed the administration of justice by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers. He has made judges dependent on his will alone PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY - 11 for the tenure of their offices and the amount and payment of their salaries. He has erected a multitude of new offices and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people and eat out their substance. He kept among us in times of peace a standing army without the consent of our legislators. He has affected to render the military independent of and superior to the civil power. He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our Constitution and unacknowledged by our laws, giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation. For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us; for protecting them by a mock trial and punishment for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these states ; for cutting off our trade with all parts of the world; for imposing taxes on us without our consent; for depriving us in many cases of the benefits of trial by jury ; for transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses; for abolishing the free system of English laws in a neighboring province, establishing therein an arbitrary government and enlarging its boundaries, so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these colonies ; For taking away our charter, abolishing our most valuable laws and altering fundamentally the forms of our government; for suspending our own legislatures and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever. He has abdicated government here by declaring us out of his protection and waging war against us. He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our towns and destroyed the lives of our people. He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the work of death, desolation and tyranny already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a Christian nation. He has constrained our fellow citizens, 12 - PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY taken captive on the high seas to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands. He has excited domestic insurrection among us and has endeavored to bring the inhabitants of our frontiers under the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions. In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms. Our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. Nor have we been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of the attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They, too, have been deaf tc the voice of justice and consanguinity. We must, therefore acquiesce in the necessity which denounces our separa tion ; and hold them as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war; in peace, friends. We, therefore, representatives of the United States of America, in general Congress assembled appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do in the name and by the authority of the good people of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, fro and independent states. That they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all poltical connection between them and the state of Great Britain is and ought to be totally dissolved and that as free and independent states they have full power PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY - 13 to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce and to do all other acts and things which an independent state may of right do. And for the support of this declaration with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor, July fourth, seventeen hundred and seventy-six. John Hancock, President. Signers Names. Georgia—Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton. New Hampshire—Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton. Massachusetts Bay—Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry. Rhode Island—Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery. Connecticut—Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott. New York—William Floyd, Philip Livingstone, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris. New Jersey—Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, Abraham Clark and John Hart. Pennsylvania—Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, John Hancock, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross, Delaware—Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean. Maryland—Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll, of Carrollton. Virginia—George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton. North Carolina—William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn. South Carolina—Edward Rutledge, Thomas Hayward, Thomas Lynch, Arthur Middleton. 14 - PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY THE ORDINANCE OF 1787. [Extract from the History of the United States of America, by Timothy Pitkin Vol. 2, Page 214.] In consequence of cessions the United States became possessed of all the lands northwest of the Ohio, and the establishment of a government for the inhabitants already settled as well as others who might remove these, became necessary (The Colonial Congress, then in session at New York.) This Congress, therefore, in July, 1787, established an Ordinance for the government of this territory. This Ordinance is the basis of the governments established by Congress in all the territories of the United States, an( may be considered an anomaly in American legislation. The whole territory was under one district, subject to be divided into two, at the pleasure of Congress. With respect to the mode of governing the settlers in this territory or colony, the ordinance provided that until till number of free male inhabitants of full age in the distric should amount to five thousand, the legislative, executive and judicial power should be vested in a governor and three judges, who, together with a secretary, were to be appointee by Congress. The governor was to remain in office three years and the judges during good behavior. The governor with the judges were empowered to adopt and publish such laws of the original states, criminal and civil, as might b. necessary, and best suited to the circumstances of the district and report them to Congress ; such laws to be in force unti disapproved by that body. The governor was empowered to divide the district into counties or townships and to appoint all civil officers. As soon as the free, male inhabitants of ful age and should amount to five thousand, a general assembly was to be constituted, to consist of the governor, a legislative council, and house of representatives. The representatives te be chosen from the counties or townships, one for every five PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY - 15 hundred free, white male inhabitants, until the number should amount to twenty-five, after that the number to be regulated by the legislature. A representative must have been a citizen of the United States for three years, and be a resident of the district, or have resided three years in the district, in either case to have the fee simple of two hundred acres of land in the district. An elector was to reside in the district, have a freehold of fifty acres of land therein, and be a citizen of one of the states, or a like freehold and two years residence. The representatives to be chosen for two years. The legislative council was to consist of five persons, to continue five years in office, unless sooner removed by Congress, were chosen in the following manner : The house of representatives to nominate ten persons, each possessed of a freehold in five hundred acres of land ; out of this number Congress was to appoint five to constitute the council. The general assembly had power to make laws for the government of the district not repugnant to the Ordinance. All laws to have the sanction of the majority of both houses, and the assent of the governor. The legislative assembly were authorized by joint ballot to elect a delegate, who was to have a seat in Congress with the right of debating, but not of voting. It was necessary to establish certain principles as the basis of the laws, constitutions, and governments, which might be formed in the territory, as well as to provide for its future political connection with the American confederacy. Congress, therefore, at the same time established certain articles, which were to be considered as articles of compact between the original states and the people of the territory, and which were to remain unalterable unless by common consent. By these no person in the territory was ever to be molested on account of his mode of worship, or religious sentiments, and every person was entitled to the benefits of the writ of habeas corpus, trial by jury, and all those other fundamental rights usually inserted in American bills of rights. Schools, and the 16 - PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY means of education were forever to be encouraged, and the utmost good faith to be observed toward the Indians ; particularly their lands and property were never to be taken from them without their consent. The territory and the states to be formed therein were forever to remain a part of the American confederacy, but not less than three, nor more than five states, were to be established. The bounds of these were fixed with liberty for Congress to alter them, by forming one or two new states in that part of the territory lying north of an east and west line drawn through the southern bend, or extreme of Lake Michigan. It was also provided that whenever in any of these states there should be sixty thousand free inhabitants, such state was to be admitted into the Union, on the same terms or footing of the original states in all respects whatever, and be at liberty to form a permanent constitution and government. such constitution and government was to be republican and conform to the principles of the articles. If consistent with the general interests of the confederacy such state, however, might be admitted into the Union with a less number than sixty thousand free inhabitants. By the sixth and last article it was provided there should be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in the territory otherwise than in the punishment of crime, of which the party should have been duly convicted, and in consequence of this lastwish and salutary provision the evil of slavery has been prevented in all the new states formed out of this territory northwest o the river Ohio." Note.—Mr. Dana of Massachusetts is said to be the author of the sixth article. P. S.—When this ordinance was being framed in New York City the Constitutional Convention was preparing a Constitution for the Nation in Philadelphia. PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY - 17 THE OHIO LAND COMPANY'S PURCHASE. The Ohio Land Company originated with the disbanded officers of the Revolutionary army, while a large portion of the stockholders were citizens at large. This company was organized in Boston early in the year 1787. The purchase from Congress consisted of a million and a half acres of land by negotiations made by Rev. Manassah Cutler, in 1787. The State of Ohio was admitted into the Union in 1802, and comprised that portion of the Northwest Territory on its eastern boundary, extending from the Ohio river on the south to the shores of Lake Erie on the north, comprising seventeen million five hundred thousand acres of very fine land. The lands of the Ohio Company's purchase were located in the southern part of the state bordering on the Ohio river. These lands were surveyed by men appointed by the President, George Washington, of whom were General Tupper, General Meigs, General Israel Putnam, Colonel Ebenezer Sproat, John Matthews, and others. These surveyors divided the lands into townships containing six square miles, and these townships were sub-divided into ranges, and further surveyed into sections of 640 acres. Townships, ranges, and sections were numbered, as were 100-acre lots, which sold to purchasers. In every township, three sections are reserved for Congress, Ministerial and school purposes. The boundaries of these lands were permanent, thus, when any county or township or road refers to certain points—Township 2, Range 11, Section 6—it has reference to the surveys of the Ohio Company's purchase. Meigs County. Meigs county was formed in June, 1819, and was composed of territory set off from Gallia county, Athens county, and Washington county, and contained the following townships : From Gallia County.—Letart township, organized in 1803 ; Salisbury township, organized in 1805 ; Rutland township, 18 - PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY organized in 1812; Lebanon township, organized in 1813; Salem township, organized in 1814; Sutton township, organized 1814. From Athens County.—Orange township, set off in 1813; Olive township, set off in 1819 Scipio township, set off in 1819 ; Columbia township, set off in 1820; Bedford, including Chester, township, set off in 1821. NAMES OF HEADS OF FAMILIES IN LEBANON, LETART, AND SUTTON TOWNSHIPS, OHIO, 1820. Lebanon Township. Caleb Price David Pickens Simeon Lawrence George Warth George Commins William Pickens John Flesher Jacob Regor James Giles Lucinda Flesher John Hall Thomas Flinn John Smith Charles Shipman Abraham Knapp Ziba Lindley, Jr. Edward Anderson Ziba Lindley Stephen K. Miller Andrew Anderson John Sissle Thomas Lloyd Robert Pickens David Dailey Jacob Buffington Aaron Lasley William Smith William Barringer Elias Browning Joseph Buffington David Sleath Edward Sims Lawrence Jenks John Brown Samuel M. Jackson Hugh Brown Catharine Alford Philip Lauck William Lauck Levi T. Gandy John Hanshaw Solomon Smith Letart Township John H. Sayre Samuel A. Deviney Benjamin Warner Isaac Taylor Baltzer Roush Adam Harpold Michael Roush Henry Roush, Jr. PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY - 19 Molly Roller David Wheelbarger Elizabeth Wolf Thomas Vail, John Linscott Michael Darst Peter Wolf George Hrell Anthony Roush Henry Roush Edward McDade Ephraim Sayre David C. Sayre John Waggoner Ezra Chapman George Burns David B. Sayre John Sayre Job Powell Burton Bradford. John Hayman James Hayman John S. White William Alexander John Boudinot Thomas Love Moses Sayre Lydia Slack Reubin Smith Levi Osborn Moses Goodfellow Peter R. Goodfellow John McElroy Samuel Clark Niece Pickens Milby German Jacob Scott John Devney Thomas Sayre Elizabeth Deviney William Smith Calvin Martin Jacob Crowser Robert Sayre Spencer Hayman Jedediah Darby Theopholus Ketchan Elijah Bebee Joseph Bebee Abraham Kingree William A. Boyce Jonathan Evens Robert Hester Shadrack Rice John Smith Haviland Chase Daniel Lovett John Smith SUTTON TOWNSHIP John Pickens George Ingals Joseph Ingals Aaron Thompson Peter Wolf William Kerr Thomas Batey John H. Hayman Samuel Pickens Jacob Wolf Thomas Ashworth James Ashworth Isaac Foster David Ashworth Jacob Salser Stephen Partlow Robert Baird Loftus Pullins John Pullins Michael Will George Schibelair John Ralph 20 - PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY Aaron Torrence Simeon Elliott Randall Stivers James Pickens Erastus Gelson James McCormick Cornelius Roush Frances Hughs John Hussey William Radford Jasper Branch Wyman Hardy Ezra Bemass, John R. Smith Thompson Pickens Jacob Aumiller David Young Asa Johnston Benjamin Noyes Jonathan Seelye Edward Ward George Roush Mary White Henry Wolf Lyman Parker Seth Jones, Fuller Elliott Thomas Reding John Wolf, Peter Lallance George Wolf Michael Circle Sylvanus Ripley Andrew Donley John Quickie Luther Donilson Gabriel Walling, John Rose, John Frank, Thomas Smith David Hudson Anson Sole, Joel Hull, Stephen Root Samuel Grant David Curtis David Cooper Peter Masten William Kimes Solomon Wolf Thomas Wigger Samuel Westfall Sarah Gilmore William Watkins Jacob McBride Philip Watkins James Blairs Nathaniel Prentice Lewis Chase Richard Haden Royal Burch Michael Nease Mary Burrell Rogger McBride Mary Dunbar Adam Houdeshell James Dixon Michael Peltz Philemon Warner John Warner Robert C. Barton Nicholas Weaver Charlotte Scott Fenn Robinson Hezekiah Sims David Stewart, Jeremiah Shumway Township boundaries were made anew, or within the limits of the older townships. Letart township originally extended PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY - 21 from the mouth of Shade river to the mouth of Kerr's run and out of its territory the townships of Lebanon and Sutton were formed. Salisbury township originally embraced territory as far north as Ross county, but such portions of the township as were within the boundaries of Meigs county were divided into Rutland township, Salem township, and a township remaining Salisbury. Deeds of land are recorded according to the nomenclature of the Ohio Company's surveys. Ohio, having been admitted into the Union in 1802, it followed that a constitutional convention should be called to prepare a constitution for the new state, therefore, electors, or delegates, were elected according to the regulations given by the Congress of the United States, and according to the Ordinance of 1787, for the Northwest Territory, eliminating only one claim of that ordinance, viz : the property qualifications from the counties within its boundaries. The Constitutional Convention was composed of thirty-five members. Washington county was entitled to four delegates, as follows : Rufus Putnam, Ephraim Cutler, Benjamin Ives Gilman, and John McIntyre. This convention assembled at Chillicothe, November 1st, 1802, and adjourned November 29th, 1802. That assembly formed Gallia county by a law that was to come in force April 30th, 1803, by a division of Washington county, with specified boundaries, but it was bounded on the west by Scioto county until 1816. Athens county was formed March 1st, 1805, and was bounded on the south by Gallia county until January 7th, 1807. The boundary of the south of Athens county was changed to take a portion on which Chester is located, from Gallia, and add it to Athens county, where it remained until the formation of Meigs county, April 1st, 1819. An act of legislature authorizing associate judges to divide the counties into townships was made May 10th, 1803. In ac- 22 - PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY cordance therewith Gallia county was divided into three townships—Gallipolis, Kerr's, and Letart. The same act of the legislature authorized the associate judges to appoint justices of the peace for each of the aforesaid townships. Robert Safford and George W. Putnam were appointed for Gallipolis township. In Letart township an election of justice of the peace was to be held in the house of Henry Roush—one justice of the peace for Letart township. For Kerr's township one justice of the peace was to be elected, and the election to be held in the house of William Robinson. Another act of the legislature creating a board of county commissioners came into force March 1st, 1804. The commissioners aforesaid on the 11th of June, 1805, proceeded to redivide the county of Gallia into townships, recognizing the boundaries of Letart, but abolishing that of Kerr's,and forming a new township by the name of Salisbury and establishing its boundaries as follows : Beginning on the Ohio river in the Thirteenth range of townships at the southeast corner of 100 acre lot No. 376 ; thence west with the south line of said lot to the southwest corner of the same ; thence north to the southeast corner of Section No. 10, in Range No. 14, of Township No. 5; thence west to the line between the Fourteenth and Fifteenth ranges ; thence north to the northwest corner of Township No. 5, in the Fourteenth range; thence west to the county line ; thence north to the northwest corner of the county; thence east until it intersects the line between Kerr's and Letart; thence with the same to the Ohio river; thence down to the place of beginning. The first election for township officers for Salisbury township was held in the house of Brewster Higley, Esq., July 27th, 1805. Trustees Elected.—Hamilton Kerr, James G. Phelps, Felix Benedict. Overseers of the Poor.—John Niswonger, William Parker. Fence Viewers.—Samuel Denny, David Thomas. PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY - 23 Appraisers of Houses and Listers.—William Parker, Jr., Benjamin Smith. Supervisors of Highways.—William Green, Abijah Hubbell, John Niswonger. Constables.—James Smith, Jared Strong. Treasurer.—Joel Higley, Jr. Clerk.—Abel Larkin. In accordance with the above order, John Niswonger and Horatio Strong were elected justices of the peace for Salisbury township, July 27th, 1805. The names of the first settlers in territory included in Meigs county and the dates of their arrival, as follows: James Smith, from Marietta, 1797; Levi Chapman, 1787; Thomas L. Halsey, 1792; Hamilton Kerr, 1797; Nicholas Brown, 1796; Joseph Russell, 1792; James Smith, 1797; William Russell, 1792; Brewster Higley, 1799; John Case, a surveyor, 1799; Levi Stedman, 1798; Peter Grow, 1798; Peter Shaw, 1792; Ezra Chapman, 1799; Shubael Burris, 1796; William Bradford, 1792; William Browning, 1795; Joshua Chapman, 1799; William Barton, 1792; George Warth, 1798; Peter Lalance, 1798; Fuller Elliot, agent for O. L. C. P., 1792; Livingston Smith, 1800; Josiah Rice, 1800; Samuel Denny, 1800; Thomas Everton, 1800; Jeremiah Riggs, 1800; Leonard Hedrick, 1800; George Ackley, 1800; Thomas Rairdon, 1800; William Coleman, 1800; John Miles, 1801 ; Captain James Merrill, 1801; Timothy Dexter, 1801; William Parker, Sr., 1802; Thomas Shepherd, 1802; Alshire Brothers, Conrad, Michael, and Peter, 1802 ; Joel Higley, 1803; Daniel Rathburn, 1803; Jabez Benedict, 1803; William Johnson ; James E. Phelps, 1803 ; Caleb Gardner, 1803 ; Thomas Alexander, 1803 ; Elias Hall, 1803; William Buffington; Abel Larkin, 1804; Truman Hecox, 1804; Alvin Ogden, 1804; Shubael Nobles, 1804; Rev. Eli Stedman, 1804; Samuel Branch, 1804; Timothy Smith, 1805 ; Frederic Hysell, 1805 ; Bing, 1805; Luke Brine, 1805 ; Fuller Elliott, located in 1805; Jacob Wolf, 1805; Jere- 24 - PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY miah Fogg, 1806; Aaron Holt, 1807; James and John Forrest, 1807; Thomas Gaston, 1807; Joel Cowdery, 1807; Henry Roush, 1808 ; Jacob Cowdery, 1808 ; Squire Bullock, 1808 ; Philip Buffington, 1808; Aaron Torrence, 1809; John Eutsminger, 1787; Josiah and Joseph Vining, 1810; Alexander Warth, 1810; John Hall, 1811; Richard Cook, 1811; Seth Jones, 1812; Adam Harpold, 1812; Augustine Webster, 1812; William Skinner, 1810; Samuel Everett, son-in-law of Ham. Kerr, 1812; John, Erastus, and Nathaniel Williams, 1812; Joseph Townsend, 1812; Dr. Philip Lauck, 1813; Andrew Anderson, 1814; Jedediah Darby, 1814; John Hayman, 1810; Peter Pilchard, 1810. The electors for Governor of Ohio, 1805, in Salisbury township, were the following : John Hilverson, James E. Phelps, John Niswonger, Elam Higley, William Sparks, Brewster Higley, Daniel Strong, Caleb Gardner, Cornelius Thomas, John Miles, William Green, Nimrod Hysell, Stephen Strong, Jared Strong, William Barker, Daniel Rathburn, Samuel Denny, Hamilton Kerr, Thomas Shephard, Benjamin Williams, Horatio Strong, Joel Higley, 1st, James Smith, William Spencer, Joel Higley, Jr., Abel Larkin, Samuel Ervin, Felix Benedict. The state elections for Governors and state officers were held on the second Tuesday in October, 1802, and until November, 1886, when, by a constitutional provision, the time was altered to conform to the time of holding elections for the Presidents of the United States. Three road districts were made in Salisbury township in 1806 and the following supervisors elected, namely : First District : Benjamin Smith, supervisor. He made returns for work done in 1806 to the trustees in 1807. Second District : Daniel Rathburn, supervisor. He made returns for work done in 1806 to the trustees in 1807. Third District : John Miles, supervisor. Returns made in 1807 for work done in 1806. The work on the highways was PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY - 25 to pay a road tax. By a law of 1804 every male person over 18 years of age and under 50 years of age was liable yearly and every year to do three days work on the public roads. The trustees of Salisbury township levied a tax to be worked out at sixty-two and one-half cents a day. Rutland township was organized in 1812, being formed out of territory embraced by Salisbury township, Gallia county, and consisted of Township 6, Range 14, of the Ohio Company's purchase. This Township 6 was divided by the original land company into thirty-six square miles, or sections of 640 acres each, commencing to number them at the southeast corner, running north. Three sections were secured to Congress, namely : Nos. 8, 11, and 26. For ministerial purposes No. 29, and for school purposes No. 16, making in all five sections. Nine sections near the center of the township were cut up into fractions of 262 acres each, as follows : Nos. 9, 10, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28. leaving twenty-two whole sections and twenty-two fractions for the company. The fractions in Rutland township are numbered so as to correspond with the sections belonging to the company, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36. Six sections were added after the formation of Meigs county, April 1st, 1819, and ampe an important addition to Rutland township. Among the pioneers who settled on this tier of sections were Joel Higley, Jr., James E. Phelp, Daniel Rathburn, and Benjamin Williams, all from Granby, Connecticut, in 1803. In looking back to the days when Salisbury township extended from Kerr's run westward to Ross county, we have introduced a list of some supervisors of roads, and after giving names, dates and returns, find it interesting to describe the boundaries of one or two road districts, viz, of Daniel Rath-burn, Second district, ordered to do work, beginning at Widow Case's, down to the Butternut rock, when he thought most proper, this being highway tax for the year 1806: 26 - PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY Daniel Rathburn, $2.15 ; Joel Higley, $1.95 ; Brewster Higley, $2.65 ; Abel Larkin; $1.15 ; Luke Bmpine, 85 cents ; Joel Higley, Jr., $1.45 ; James E. Phelps, $2.05 ; Shubael Nobles, $1.05 ; Esquire Bullock, $1.35 ; Eli Stedman, $1.15 ; Benjamin Williams, 75 cents; Elam Higley, 75 cents ; Jesse Fleshman, $1.55 ; Jesse Carpenter, 85 cents ; Edward Fallemp, $1.65 ; Moses Russell, $1.85 ; Martin Roup, $1.65 ; William Sparks, 95 cents ; William Campbell, 85 cents ; Nicholas Sins, $1.55 ; Stillwell, $1.55 ; Amos Carpenter, 75 cents. JOEL HIGLEY, JAMES E. PHELPS, Trustees October 15th, 1806 John Miles, supervisor of the Third road district in Salisbury township, highway taxes for the year 1806, the district beginning at the Widow Case's, up the road to the 7-mile tree : William Spencer, 95 cents ; Abijah Hubbell, $1.35 ; John Miles, $1.55 ; Caleb Gardner, $1.65 ; Erastus Stow, $1.15 ; William Parker, Jr., $1.55 ; Thomas 'Shepherd, $1.35 ; Thomas Everton, 85 cents; Felix Benedict, $1.15. WILLIAM PARKER, JAMES E. PHELPS, JOEL HIGLEY, JR., Trustees. The Widow Case mentioned in the boundaries of the Second and Third road districts lived where the late lamented Virgil C. Smith afterwards lived. Mrs. Case was his maternal grandmother, who subsequently married Abijah Hubbel, Sr. She was the widow of John Case, mentioned, also, in the account of the settlement of Brewster Higley. Mr. Case had gone back to Vermont, and in company with his friend and neighbor, Noah Smith, started for Ohio. Mr. Case had a young wife, and Mr. Smith had a wife and three or four daughters, and son 3 1/2 years old. After journeying on the road from Philadelphia as far as Carlisle, in Cumberland county, Noah PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY - 27 Smith suddenly died. His family went on with Mr. Case until reaching a little town West Liberty, the county seat of Ohio county, West Virginia, where John Case suddenly died, and where Mrs. Case gave birth to a daughter—her first child, who was named Eliza. As soon as these conditions were known by Brewster Higley he went to their relief and brought them all to Leading creek. Mrs. Smith settled on land bought of Samuel Denny, on the west side of the creek, and Mrs. Case settled on the east side of the same stream, and nearly opposite Mrs. Smith. There she brought up her daughter, Eliza, and the Smith family were reared, so in the later years Livingston Smith and Eliza Case were married, reared a respectable family, and died, after living to a good old age. The Butternut rock is on the west side of Leading creek, half a mile above the mouth of Thomas fork. The 7-mile tree is thought to be on the road up Leading creek on the road traveled to Scioto salt furnaces, but the exact place is unknown—probably about Langsville. BREWSTER HIGLEY AND FAMILY. The first settlement made in Rutland township was by Brewster Higley, in April, 1799, on the farm since occupied by his son, Milo Higley. Judge Higley was a native of Simsbury, Connecticut, but came from Castleton, Rutland county, Vermont, to Beliville, West Virginia, where he remained 18 months, preparatory to his removal to Ohio. He bought a share in the Ohio Company's purchase for one thousand dollars. He then, in company with John Case, who had been one of a party of surveyors, and was of some service to Mr. Higley in making his selection of land, as he was to have a part of the land, made a visit to the place of his future home. He returned to Bellville, purchased a family boat and floated down the Ohio river to the mouth of Leading creek, which being high with back water, he poled his boat up the stream as far as the place 28 - PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY known as Jacobs' upper salt works. Here he tore his boat to pieces and built a shanty for his family to live in until he could build a house on his land. The first shanty made for his boys and John Case to live in while clearing the land was made of bark and sticks and stood near. the ground afterwards used as a family graveyard. Brewster Higley was a Revolutionary soldier and had served as justice of the peace in the state of Vermont. General Arthur St. Clair, Governor of the Northwest Territory, appointed Brewster Higley as one of the justices of the peace for the county of Washington, the commission bearing date December 28th, 1801, done at Chillicothe. This commission and one to Fuller Elliot, of Letart, are probably the only ones for justices appointed under the territorial government for the people living in what is now Meigs county. Mr. Higley was one of the first associate judges of Gallia county and served for a number of years. He was elected justice of the peace in Rutland township, and in 1815 was made the second postmaster of Rutland and held the office for several years. He died June 20th, 1847, at the ripe old age of 88 years 3 months and 6 days. His wife, Naomi Higley, died February 4th, 1850, aged 89 years, one month and 3 days. The children of Brewster Higley and his wife, Naomi Higley, were four sons and three daughters. The sons were : Brewster Higley, Jr., who married Acksah Evarts. Cyrus Higley married Electa Bingham, daughter of Judge Alvin Bingham, of Athens. One son, Julius Bicknell Higley. Lucius Higley married Nancy Shepherd. Lucius Milton Higley married Miss Morton. Milo Higley married Miss Pankey. Joseph L. Higley married Emily Reed. Harriet Higley was married to Alvin Bingham, Jr., son of Judge Bingham, of Athens. PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY - 29 Theresa Higley was married to Josiah Simpson. Susan Higley, the eldest child, never married, but lived with her parents until her decease. In 1800 Samuel Denny came from Massachusetts and bought a tract of land, and built a cabin on it. This was near the Livingston Smith farm. He also helped to erect the first school house, and taught the first school in the winter 1801, also in 1802. The school consisted of nine scholars, four of whom came from near the mouth of Leading creek. The roll recorded the names of James Smith, John Smith, Sarah Kerr, Christina Niswonger, and five scholars from Judge Higley's family. In 1803 Samuel Denny built the first grist mill on Leading creek, which stood close to the residence of Jabez Hubbell. Mr. Denny delivered the first oration ever delivered here, at a Fourth of July celebration in 1806. The speaker stood on the top of an ancient mound not far from the Case house. Mr. Denny left Ohio in 1810, returned to Massachusetts, and married, and died there. JOEL HIGLEY AND FAMILY. In 1803 Joel Higley and his wife, Eunice Higley (nee Haskins) came from Granby, Connecticut (Lieutenant Higley he was called), and settled on the south tier of sections, in what was afterward included in Rutland township. There were twenty-eight persons in this company with Joel Higley. Joel Higley, 1st, had a numerous and prolific family. The daughter, Rachel, married Williams, and remained in Connecticut. She was born in 1800. Joel Higley, Jr., (called Major Higley) settled in the same neighborhood with his father. He was born July 31st, 1764, and married Cynthia Phelps, May 25th, 1785. She was a sister of James E. Phelps. Mr. Higley died April 26th, 1823, and his wife died January 5th, 1832. Of this union there were three sons and five daughters. Polly Higley married Philip Jones in May, 1806. They lived 30 - PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY on a farm where Middleport is now situated. Philip Jones died May 30th, 1866, aged 80 years. Elihu Higley was born November 26th, 1788. He served in the Army of the Northwest in the War of 1812. He married Nancy Cook in December, 1815, moved to his farm in Rutland in December, 1816. They had one child, Clarissa Fidelia married Martin Fox. Mr. Higley died April 23d, 1877, aged 89 years. Laura Higley, born August 20th, 1795. She was married to Daniel C. Rathburn in 1812, in Rutland, O., moved to Indiana, died there in August, 1884, aged 91 years. Sally Higley, born March 8th, 1795, was married to Daniel McNaughton, December, 1816, and died September 29th, 1845, aged 50 years. Harlow McNaughton, a son, was captain of the Seventh Ohio Battery in the Civil war for the Union. Cynthia Higley, born February 7th, 1797, and never married. She died August 26th, 1819, aged 22 years. Maria Higley, born July 30th, 1799, and married Willis Knight, and died February 28th, 1834, aged 35 years. Joel Phelps Higley was born June 9th, 1802, married Catherine Wise, and died October 23d, 1836, aged 34. A son, Captain Joel P. Higley, fell in fighting for the Union in 1863. Laurinda Higley was married to Earl P. Archer and died September, 1855, aged 90 years. She was the mother of a large family. Marinda Archer, Henry, Sophia, Benjamin, Elam, and Abiah Archer, who married Benjamin Whitlock, their children were Hiram, Electa, Levi, Harriet, Eunice. Eunice Higley married Silas Knight, known as "Deacon Knight," in 1812 and came to Rutland in 1812. They were highly respected. They had a numerous family—two sons and six daughters. Mr. Knight and his wife, Eunice, both died the same day and were buried in the same grave, July 31st, 1839, aged 67 years and 63 years, respectively. Electa Higley was born in 1778, and came to Rutland with her parents, and afterwards married Benjamin Williams. She PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY - 31 was a remarkable woman, intelligent, energetic, with resourceful disposition to be adapted to pioneer conditions. She taught school in her own house, cut and made men's best clothes, and cared for a flower garden that was the pride of Rutland for many years. She had two children, a daughter, born February 21st, 1811, married Rev. James Mitchell, went to Illinois in 1855, and died February 3d, 1881. Mrs. Electa Williams died at her daughter's in Illinois, in 1865, aged 87 years. Her husband died July 26th, 1873. The son, Benjamin Selah Williams, was born November 18th, 1808, and married Elizabeth L. Brown, of Athens county, and lived on the homestead farm where he was born until his death, February 17th, 1891, aged 82 years, 3 months. Mrs. Williams was born July 2d, 1811, and died February 14th, 1897, aged 85 years, 7 months, 12 days. They had a numerous family of sons and daughters, but they, except two children, James and Mary, left Ohio for the West. Sophia Higley was married to Asa Stearns, a Free Will Baptist preacher, finally settled in Mercer county, Ohio, where they both died. They had four children, Rufus, Amos, Louise, and Joel. Elam Higley was a soldier in the War of 1812 and served under General Harrison in the Army of the Northwest. He married Sally Clarke, and settled on a farm in the northeast corner of Rutland township. They had one child, Austin Higley, who went to Iowa about 1876, and died there. An incident in the life of Elam Higley is worth relating. After his enlistment, when about to leave home, his mother gave him a Bible with directions to put it in a side pocket of his coat, already made for its reception. When in the Maumee country they had a skirmish with the enemy, and a bullet fired by an Indian, aimed at Elam's heart, struck that Bible but did not pass through, thus his life was preserved. His comrades said, "Elam thought himself badly wounded, but the ball was found in the Bible, and he was not hurt." 32 - PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY Hamilton Kerr was born in Philadelphia in 1764. He was a noted Indian scout of great daring, courage and strength. He married Susannah Niswonger, a highly educated young woman, and daughter of Colonel John Niswonger. Mr. Kerr came to his land below the mouth of Leading creek, on the Ohio river, in 1797, and was an active, useful citizen, as seen in reports of all civil proceedings of Salisbury township. Of their children, William Kerr married Jane Murray and settled on a farm on the west side of Thomas fork, just above the mouth, where he died March 27th, 1883, aged 86 years. Sarah Kerr was married to Samuel Everett, and lived near the mouth of Story's run ; later moved to the northern part of Ohio. Margaret Kerr was married to Hamilton Kerr, a distant relative. After the death of Hamilton Kerr in 1821 the estate was settled by Colonel Everett, the administrator, and Mrs. Kerr, the widow, and her daughter, Sophia, moved to the north part of the state, probably Wyandot county. Colonel John Niswonger was of German extraction and early in life was from near Winchester, Virginia. He enlisted December 29th, 1776, to serve during the war ; served as a sergeant in Captain John Leman's company, Thirteenth Virginia regiment, commanded successively by Colonel John Gibson, Revolutionary war, and appears on the muster roll, October, November, and December, 1779, at Fort Pitt, and February 13th, 1780, on which he is reported as being at Fort Henry. Colonel John Niswonger was one of the heroes of the battle of Point Pleasant. He settled on land near the mouth of Leading creek, with his son-in-law, Hamilton Kerr, in 1798, and was an important factor in the civil arrangements for the government of Salisbury township, afterwards included in Rutland township, Meigs county. His tombstone was found in the tearing down of an old building, where PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY - 33 it had been used as a hearthstone. It had this plain inscription : "Sacred to the memory of Colonel John Niswonger, who departed this life July 13th, 1821, aged 78 years and 4 months." No person now living can find the place of his grave. Peter Niswonger was a comrade of George Warth in the hunting trips of the years 1811 to 1814, when Mr. Niswonger had a still-house for making whisky and peach brandy, built by a spring of excellent water, on Lot 182, Ohio Company's purchase, afterward owned by Nehemiah Bicknell. The spring was always called the "still-house spring." His name, in connection with that of Elias Nesselrode, is used in an account of an elk discovered crossing the Ohio river below Sandy creek, by Andrew Anderson, who, being on the Ohio side of the river, saw Niswonger and Nesselrode pushing a canoe laden with salt upstream to whom he called "to head off the elk," which had reached their side so near that they threw a log chain at his horns, which so enraged him that he capsized their canoe with the men and the salt and escaped to the woods of Virginia. THE WARTH FAMILY—COLONEL DAVID BARBER'S LETTER, 1882. "During the Indian war there came to the stockade in Marietta a family named George Warth, his wife and two daughters and five sons, namely : John, George, Robert, Martin, and Alexander. They came from Virginia, brought up in the woods and were all fine hunters. John and George were employed as rangers, or spies for Fort Harmar. The family lived in a log house on the first bottom between the river and the garrison built by the United States troops for the artificers to work in. George Warth married Ruth Fleehart, and John Warth married Sally Fleehart, sisters to Joshua Fleehart, and Robert Warth married a daughter of a French widow 34 -PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY named Lallance, who came from France with two children, a son and this daughter, and who were in the stockade at the time when Robert Warth was killed by the Indians. He left a young widow and one child, Robert Warth, afterwards a noted merchant of Gallipolis. The family were illiterate, but possessed keen, clear intellectual faculties, which were improved in later years by whatever opportunities were afforded for learning. Mr. Paul Fearing taught John Warth the rudiments of his education, which he cultivated so that at the close of Indian hostilities, having settled on lands in West Virginia, Jackson county, long known as Warth's bottom, he filled several offices for the government and was a magistrate for a number of years. He was also the owner of slaves. George Warth owned a piece of land in Meigs county, on the Ohio river, opposite the present town of Ravenswood, West Virginia. He, with his brother John, carried the first mails from Marietta to Gallipolis, in canoes. They went armed with rifles, carried provisions for their journey, traveling chiefly at night to avoid Indian encounters. George Warth was a hunter of wild animals, his greatest success during life. He had a family of sons and daughters—Robert Warth and Alexander Warth, Clara, Sally, Hannah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Drusilla. He lived and died in his cabin on the banks of the Ohio, a poor man in what the world calls wealth, yet all of the hero is due to his name, for brave and fearless protection of the helpless in times of peril. The son, Robert Warth, married Mary Johnson, and lived as a farmer in Jackson county, West Virginia, and died in Ravenswood. Alexander Warth was a boatman, married in Louisville, Kentucky, and after the death of his parents, within two weeks of each other, his sisters, Sally, Rachel, and Drusilla, moved to Louisville. PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY - 35 Rebecca Warth was married to Daniel Lovett, a river ma and they moved to Kentucky. Hannah Warth was married to Bartholomew Fleming at lived and died in Ravenswood. Mr. Fleming bought the placed owned by Mr. George Warth, valued chiefly for ti landing and ferrying opportunities. Clara Warth was unmarried—died and is buried by the side of her mother in the Pioneer graveyard in Great Bend, Meigs county, Ohio." FELIX BENEDICT, A PIONEER OF 1803 TO RUTLAN TOWNSHIP. He was the son of Elisha Benedict, and his wife, Jerusha Starr Benedict, and was born May 13th, 1767. He, with his father, Elisha Benedict, were living at Cooperstown, New York, when in October, 1780, they were taken prisoners by the British and Indians, then taken to Canada where they were kept prisoners for two and a half years. He married Clarissa Hubbell, daughter of Jabez and Sarah Hubbell, of Otsego county, New York, and coming to Ohio, settled on farm near where the village of Rutland is now. He was a active and influential citizen, prominent in every interest for the promotion of civil, educational or religious advancement for the moral good of the neighborhood in which he spent his long life. He died October 29th, 1828. Mrs. Benedict died July 9th, 1849. Their children : Sarah, born October 25th, 1788, married John Dixon, died September 29th, 1835. Polly, died young. Euretta, born March 18th, 1793. She was married in 1821 to Cornelius Merrill. She died December 12th, 1880. They had six children, Mary, Robert, Luther, Harriet, Clarissa, and Augustus. 36 - PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY Elisha Hubbell Benedict, born September 15th, 1795. He married Maria Simpson, and they lived in Rutland township several years, but removed to Kansas in 1856, where Mrs. Benedict died. They had six children-Lydia Ann, Claretta, Sarah A., Elisha C., Walter. Elisha C. enlisted in Company D, Ninth Regiment, Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, and died at Fort Scott, Kansas, September 13th, 1862. Walter F., born July 28th, 1845, enlisted in Company D, Ninth Kansas Regiment, Volunteer Infantry, served during the Civil war and participated in fifteen engagements. Harriet, born December 15th, 1797, and married November 8th, 1829, to Benjamin Savage, and died November 9th, 1861. Felix Starr, born May 3d, 1806, and died August 13th, 1824. William Spencer, born November 28th, 1808, and died June 16th, 1833. JABEZ BENEDICT AND FAMILY. He was a son of Felix Benedict and wife, Clarissa, and was born October 13, 1802, and removed with his parents to Leading Creek, Ohio, October 13, 1803. He married April 4th, 1833, Miriam Chase, daughter of John and Miriam Chase, of Athens county, Ohio. Their children were four-Clarissa, born May 7th, 1835; William S., died young ; John Merrill Benedict, born September 17th, 1839. He enlisted in the Eighteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry as a private and was promoted to lieutenant colonel, served four years in the Civil war, was wounded twice at Nashville, but recovered, and was brevetted colonel at the close of the war. He married October 18th, 1882, to Miss Bettie Rife, of Morgantown, West Virginia. George W. Benedict, son of Jabez Benedict and wife, was born July 21st, 1843. He served three years in the Eighteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, was married March 4th, 1878, to Florence Grimes, a daughter of James Grimes, of Rutland, Ohio. PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY - 37 Jabez Benedict died January 28th, 1886. He was noted for his fondness for reading, and with a retentive memory he was familiar with the best authors of his time, and of the Holy Scriptures. Thomas Everton came from Canada in 1800, and settled on a farm near the mouth of Leading creek. He was a member of the Regular Baptist Church and was called, familiarly, "Deacon Everton," and died on his farm in Rutland township. There were eight children : Betsy, Mrs. Benjamin Richardson ; Ebenezer Everton ; Relief, Mrs. Edwards ; Thomas Everton, Jr.; Polly, Mrs. Stone ; Nancy, Mrs. Jesse W. Stevens ; Benjamin Everton ; Sally, Mrs. Charles Richardson. JEREMIAH RIGGS AND FAMILY. He came to what is now called Pagetown, in 1800, and married Miss Rachel Keller. They had a large family : William James, Frank, Jeremiah, Jr., George, Elias, Jackson Perry, and three daughters, Rebecca, Nancy and Polly. There is no date of the death of Jeremiah Riggs or his wife. Several of the sons moved to some western states; the daughter, Nancy, never married. Rebecca was married twice, and lived and died in the Hocking Valley. Polly was married to Martin Dye, of Pagetown, for his second wife ; left a widow she died at the home of her niece, Mrs. John Crary, in Lebanon township, October 13th, 1895. She was the last one of Jeremiah Riggs family. JOHN MILES AND FAMILY. John Miles came from Rutland, Worcester county, Massachusetts, to Cooperstown, N. Y., where he married Chloe Jervis. They came to Belpre, Washington county, Ohio, in 1798, where they remained three years. In 1801 they came to Leading Creek, being the second family in what was 38 - PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY afterwards Rutland township. He bought a share in the Ohio Company's Purchase for ninety-six pounds, sterling, and settled on the farm where he died on November 10th, 1847, aged eighty years. Chloe Jarvis Miles died September 21st, 1844. They had seven children. Benjamin Lanson Miles went to Arkansas, had a cotton plantation, some slaves ; lived and died there in 1839. He was twice married, but left one son, James B. Miles. Mary Miles was never married. She died in Rutland, April 9th, 1857, aged sixty-four years. Barzillai Hosmer Miles was a preacher of the Christian denomination. He married Amy Guthrie, who died leaving two daughters. As a preacher he was successful, traveled some and died of cholera in 1832, while on his way home from Louisiana. John B. Miles married Mary Johnson and owned a farm in Rutland township, where they lived many years. They had a family of sons and daughters. He died in Racine in 1864, aged sixty-eight years. Mrs. Mary Miles died in Racine, Ohio. Columbus Miles, son of John and Mary Miles, married Elizabeth Hopkins ; was in the marble business at Gallipolis and died there. Benjamin Harrison Miles, a preacher, and a soldier in the Civil war, but died later. John Wesley Miles, a marble dealer in Gallipolis. Adaline Miles was married to Waid Cross, a merchant in Racine, Ohio. They had a family of sons and daughters. Mrs. Cross died in 1905. Sally C. Miles was born November 5th, 1803, being the first female born in the township, afterwards Rutland. She was married to Russell Cook, lived on a farm in Rutland. They had a large family of sons and daughters. She died in 1857, aged fifty-four years. Joseph Jarvis Miles was born October 19th, 1807. He married Sarah Cutler Larkin in 1841. They had children but all died in infancy. He was a tanner by trade, carried on the PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY - 39 business in Gallipolis for a number of years, and later in the same business in Pomeroy. He died July 27th, 1855. Electa Miles, the youngest child of John and Chloe Miles was born August 20th, 1812, and was married to John McQuigg, and lived many years on the "Miles Homestead." They had two children—George McQuigg and Frances. She died January 10th, 1906, aged ninety-four years, loved and esteemed by all. George McQuigg was born November 25th, 1830. He was married twice, first to Miss Caroline Smith, who was the mother of two children, Lucy M., who died young, and John McQuigg, connected with the Pomeroy National Bank. Miss Kate Edwards was the second wife of Mr. McQuigg. They had three children—Charles, in the salt business as a successor to his father; Anna, married to Mr. Follett, of Kansas, and Emma McQuigg. George McQuigg was a man of affairs, a fine business man, clean in his political actions, genial, affable, always winning the favor of the best citizens. He was general agent of the Ohio Salt Company from 1868 to the time of his death, October 29th, 1892; aged sixty-one years, ten months and twenty-eight days. Captain James Merrill was a sea-faring man and commanded vessels in the East India trade for Mr. Dexter, a wealthy shipowner and merchant prince. After years of service in Mr. Dexter's employ he quitted the sea and came to Ohio in 1801, settling on a farm in Salem township given to him by Mr. Dexter, but removed to a farm in Rutland township in later years. Capt. Merrill built the first frame house in what is now Meigs county. The weather-boards were of wild cherry, sawed with a whipsaw. He had conducted to the ocean one of the first ships built at Marietta. He was a religious man, highly respected. He died in Rutland, October 29th, 1826. 40 - PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY WILLIAM PARKER, Sr., AND FAMILY. William Parker, Sr., was born at Malden, Massachusetts, June 5th, 1745, and was married to Mary Warner, January 28th, 1772. She was the daughter of Philemon Warner, of Gloucester, Massachusetts, and was born in 1753. He was a cabinet maker and exported furniture to the West Indies. He bought a share of land in the Ohio Company's Purchase, and left the East in 1789, traveling as far as the forks of the Youghiogheny, where he remained until about 1800; he removed his family to his farm in Salem township, where they lived and reared a large family. Their children were : Elizabeth Warner, born September 21st, 1773, and died January 19th, 1850, aged seventy-seven years. She was never married and died in Salem. William, Jr., was born July 4th, 1775, and married Betsy Wyatt, May 13th, 1802. She was a daughter of Deacon Joshua Wyatt. Sally, born June 6th, 1777, and was married to Judge Ephriam Cutler, April 13th, 1808. She died June 30th, 1846. John, born June 20th, 1779, and married Lucy Cotton. He was a Halcyon preacher and died in 1849. Daniel was born August 7th, 1781, and married Priscilla Melloy Ring, October 24th, 1816. He was a preacher of Universal Restoration. He died March 22d, 1861. His wife died September 4th, 1874. Polly, born May 27th, 1783, and was married to Judge Cushing Shaw. They both lived and died in Salem, leaving a numerous and worthy family of children. Nancy, born March 13th, 1785, was married to Stephen Strong, Esq. Mr. Strong was an early advocate of temperance. He was elected to the legislature for one term, was a surveyor and held many county offices. They had no children ; lived and died in Salem. PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY - 41 Susanna, born March 10th, 1787, was married to Dr. Sylvanus Evarts, and died July 5th, 1815, aged twenty-eight years. Fanny, born March 26th, 1789, and was married to John Fordyce and had several children. They were farmers and lived and died in Salem. Ebenezer was born December 22d, 1792, and married Mary Swett, daughter of Benjamin Swett, of Newburyport, Mass. Ebenezer Parker lived in the old homestead for many years, but sold out and finally removed to Cincinnati to live with his sons, where he died. Clarissa, born May, 1795, and was married to Peter Shaw. She died May 24th, 1817, aged twenty-two years. Mr. William Parker, Sr., died November 26th, 1825, and his wife, Mrs. Parker, died February 25th, 1811. They were both members of the Presbyterian Church, lived useful and honorable lives, leaving an exemplary record to their descendants. The Aleshire brothers, Conrad, Michael and Peter, came as emigrants from the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, to Ohio, in 1802, and settled first near the mouth of Kiger creek, until 1805, when Michael came to Leading creek and bought a farm, but afterwards moved to Salem, where he died in 1845. Conrad Aleshire came to Leading creek, settled on a farm ; had a son, Abram, who came with him from Virginia, who was born in 1784, and who had two children, Anna and Preston Aleshire. Conrad Aleshire died in 1842, aged eighty-nine years. Abram Aleshire died in 1865. Peter Aleshire was a regular Baptist preacher and lived in Salem township. Thomas Shepherd moved to Leading creek in 1802 and settled on Fraction No. 19, or the Denny lot. He was from Maryland, but married Polly McFarland in Kentucky. She 42 - PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY was the daughter of Mr. McFarland, and who was in the Block House in Marietta at the time of the massacre by the Indians of the settlement twelve miles up the Muskingum. In the alarm occasioned by that event the defense of the Block House was left very weak, and Polly McFarland, a girl of sixteen, was given a gun and stationed at a porthole. Mr. McFarland moved to Kentucky, where Polly was married to Thomas Shepherd. Interesting stories are related of her courage in meeting emergencies. One night when Mr. Shepherd had gone to Gallipolis for ammunition, a large bear entered a calf pen not far from the house, and in trying to carry it off the calf bawled, which wakened Mrs. Shepherd, who went out, drove the bear off and up a tree, under which she built a fire and kept it there until morning. It is said of her that another time she was going after the cows in the woods when the dogs treed a raccoon. She sent a boy after an ax, cut down the tree, caught the raccoon, tanned the hide and made herself a pair of shoes. They had three sons and several daughters. The sons were Charles, Daniel and Thomas. The daughters were, Polly, married to Andrew Long; Nancy, married to Lucius Higley (see Higley family) ; Sally, married to Mr. Shaw ; Jane, Mrs. John Savage ; Betsy, Mrs. James Caldwell; Annie ; Peggie, Clarissa, Mrs. Backus ; Almira, Mrs. Aaron Smith. Mr. Shepherd's name appears as a voter for the first election for Governor of Ohio ; also on the supervisors tax list for 1806, and he was one of the first trustees of Rutland township in 1812. He was born in 1772 and died in 1842. Caleb Gardner came from the State of New York and settled in Rutland in 1803. He was a man of good business abilities, and served the township in various official capacities with credit to himself and satisfaction to the public. He died November 23d, 1823, aged fifty-nine years. PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY - 43 Joshua Gardner was a son of Caleb Gardner, and was born January 5th, 1793, in Connecticut, and came to Ohio with his father. He also served as constable and other civil offices. He was one of a company who went overland to California in 1849. Returning to Rutland after two years he closed his life in March, 1862, aged seventy-six years and two months. James E. Phelps came from Connecticut in 1803, and settled in the lower part of Rutland township. He married Phylenda Rice, a sister of Mrs. Daniel Rathburn. Mr. Phelps was an enterprising farmer, filled several township offices, and went to Columbus as a lobby member to get the county of Meigs set off. He was one of the first associate judges of Meigs county. He died in June, 1822. His children : James, who studied medicine, went South and died there ; Nancy Phelps was married to William Bing, of Gallia county ; Harlow Phelps married Amelia Watkins, and lived in the old homestead ; Abel Phelps was a physician, practiced his profession in the lower part of Pomeroy, and died there. He was married twice. His first wife was Ruth Simpson. After her death he married Amy Smith. John Orlando Phelps was also a doctor and practiced medicine in Piketon, Ohio ; afterwards went South and died there. Amelia Phelps was married to Dr. Eli Sigler, who had a considerable practice. They lived near her old home. Dr. Sigler was one of the associate judges at one time of Meigs county. He died May 1st, 1848, aged fifty-three years, ten months and twenty-seven days. He was married twice ; his second wife was Barbara Rothgeb, who died April 2d, 1891, ged eighty-two years, two months and four days. Amanda Phelps died in early womanhood. DANIEL RATHBURN. Daniel Rathburn was born in 1767 in Granby, Connecticut, and married Desire Rice, born in 1764, in Connecticut. They came with their family to Leading creek in 1803, and estab- 44 - PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY lished their home, where itinerant Methodist preachers had regular appointments. The names of Jacob Young, David Young, William Young, James Quinn, James Gilruth, and John P. Kent, and others who found a cordial welcome. Mr. and Mrs. Rathburn were leading and influential citizens in those early times. They had a family of sons—no daughters. Mr. Daniel Rathburn, Sr., died in 1852, aged eighty-five years, six months. Mrs. Rathburn died in 1868, aged ninety-eight years, ten months, three days. The children were Daniel C. Rathburn, who married Laura Higley, had a farm in Rutland, was justice of the peace, and taught school. They had a numerous family of sons and daughters. He died September 25th, 1855, aged fifty-nine years. Elisha Rathburn was married to Polly Giles, September 23d, 1819. He came with his father to Ohio and settled on a farm near the village of Rutland. He was highly respected by the community and favorably known as a preacher in the Baptist or Christian denomination. His gifts and graces, zeal and charity were shown in a remarkable degree through a long and useful life. Elisha. Rathburn was born June 30th, 1789, and died August 8th, 1869. Mrs. Rathburn was born April 13th, 1799, and died February 7th, 1896, aged ninety-one years. They had a family of one son, Joseph Newton, and five daughters, Clarissa, Elizabeth, and Roana (Mrs. Seth Paine), and two daughters who died in early womanhood. Two sons of J. Newton Rathburn, Milton Rathburn and Charles, are successful merchants, and prominent citizens of Meigs county, Milton Rathburn being elected Senator from this district, for state legislature, 1906. They were born and brought up in Rutland township. Timothy Rathburn, a son of Daniel Rathburn and his wife, Desire Rathburn, married a Miss Daniel, of Gallia county, and PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY - 45 lived on a part of the old homestead. They had several children. Alvin Rathburn was a physician and practiced medicine in Rutland. He was married and had three sons. William P. Rathburn, a banker, removed to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he was successful in accumulating a large property by investments in iron and coal. He died in Chattanooga. Joseph Rathburn, son of Alvin, was a physician, as was his brother, James Rathburn, who removed to Gallia county, where he died. John Rathburn, a son of Daniel Rathburn, Sr., was a doctor, but died young. Francis Asbury Rathburn was the sixth son of Daniel Rathburn, Sr., and his wife. He was born March 9th, 1800. He was never married but lived with his parents, caring for them with filial devotion in their old age. After the death of his father in 1852 he moved into the village with his mother, where she died in 1863. He continued to live in Rutland until his death, an exemplary man, respected by all who knew him. Samuel Rathburn was the youngest son of Daniel Rathburn, Sr., and his wife, Desire Rathburn, and was born in 1802. He married a Miss Vanden, of Gallipolis, engaging in the mercantile business in that city. He held several offices of public trust, was probate judge of Gallia county, and maintained an honorable character, a highly respected citizen, until his death. THE HUNTERS. An account of hunting adventures, as described by Mr. John Warth and reported by Mr. Silas Jones, who was a member of Mr. Warth's family in 1832. He says that Mr. Warth never tired of entertaining his guests with narratives of perils and adventures in his early life, and Mr. Jones reports, as near as possible, in the actor's own words. 46 - PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY "In the time of great peril, when it was not safe to look out of the fort, and our brother Robert had been shot while chopping a log near the fort, it became necessary to procure some meat for the families in the fort. Thinking the Ohio bottoms less liable to be infested with Indians, George and I stole out of the fort at night, and paddled noiselessly down the river to a point opposite Blannerhasset island, where we hid our canoe in the willows. As soon as it was light we started in different directions to hunt for deer. I had not gone half a mile when I saw two tall savages coming in the direction I was going. I squatted in the high pea vines and thick undergrowth that covered the ground while they passed by near me but did not see me. However, they soon discovered my trail, which they followed back to the canoe, which I supposed they would watch until the owner would come. My great concern now was the safety of my brother George, as he not being aware of the presence of the Indians would return to the canoe and fall a prey to them. Then I decided on a plan to save George, which was to proceed to a point out of sight of the Indians, hide my gun, swim across the river, then swim to the island and watch for George's return. This plan I fully carried out. Along in the afternoon I heard the report of my brother's gun after which my anxiety amounted to agony—minutes seemed hours. At length I saw George coming out of the woods with the carcass of a deer on his back. He looked up and down the shore, when I got his attention and by signs and gestures got him to take in the situation. We both regained the fort without further trouble. When the danger was over I went with a party and recovered my gun and the canoe. "Another time George and I went out in search of game, and were separated some distance, when I heard the report of his gun, after which I heard cries of distress coming from George. I ran to him with all the possible speed of my limbs, and found him pinned to the earth by a large elk. I was so PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY - 47 exhausted that I could not draw the bead, so I ran up and thrust the muzzle of my rifle against the animal's ribs and fired, when he fell dead at my feet. My brother was not much hurt, the horns of the elk had not penetrated through the ample folds of his hunting shirt, which held him to the ground. (The hunter's shirt was made sufficiently large so that he could stow a week's provisions above the belt.) George had fired on the elk, only wounding him, and so enraging the beast that he turned on the hunter and compelled George to take refuge in a high upturned root where he fought with his clubbed rifle till he had nothing left but the bent barrel, when the maddened elk finally dislodged him, with the above result. Our capture was a valuable one, but did not compensate for George's gun." An Encounter With Wolves at Shade River. George Warth and Peter Niswonger took their rifles and went out for a hunt. After traveling some time they came to a ridge that ran to near the mouth of Shade river, when Warth said to Niswonger, "You go on the bottom on one side of the ridge and I will take the other side and will come together at the end of the ridge on the bank of Shade river." They started thus, but Niswonger got out of the way, and came out above the second ridge. Warth went directly to the river end of the ridge—there sat seven to ten wolves. They showed no alarm at his approach, the largest walked toward him, the others following. He shot the foremost one, and it fell dead. He reloaded his rifle as soon as he could, for the wolves indicated fight. Then he went into the river until the water was up to his hips, and the wolves went in after him. He shot the foremost one through the shoulder and he went back to the water's edge and sat down and looked at him. He defended himself with his empty rifle, broke the stock in many pieces, and then fought them with the empty barrel. He had the advantage of being in the water deep enough to swim the 48 - PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY wolves, and he pounded them until they retreated to the edge of the water and sat down on their haunches and looked at him. He dared not go out of the water as he might not be able to fight if they followed him. Soon Niswonger came on the shore opposite the wolves and Warth crossed over to him and told him "not to shoot—we will call it a draw game, neither party whipped." He would not let Niswonger shoot lest they might be attacked. The hunters returned to their homes on Oldtown creek, and next day increased their force and went back to the place of the battle and found two dead wolves but no live ones. (Sketch by Mr. Silas Jones.) Black bears were numerous in these parts of southern Ohio in the first years of the nineteenth century. Henry Roush, of Letart township, related an incident of his encounter with bears. He said : "I was going out to bring in the cows, and contrary to my usual custom did not take my rifle with me, and while passing along the rear of my neighbor's field of corn I saw two young bears helping themselves to roasting ears. I succeeded in capturing one of them, which began to squall at a furious rate, which brought the mother bear rushing upon me with great fury. I had to drop my prize and run for a high fence which was near, with the angry bear at my heels. After gaining the top of the fence, I seized a stake and beat off my assailants." Elk were seen, but not in great numbers. Wolves were numerous and very troublesome. It was as common to hear the howl of a wolf in the twilight of an evening as it was to hear the crowing of a cock in the morning. They would answer each other from hill to hill when gathering their pack for the depredations upon the settler's sheep or young cattle. In 1827 a party of road viewers were cutting out a road from Chester, the county seat of Meigs county, to Sterling Bottom, on the Ohio river, and at a certain point lay out a road from this to Oldtown. The viewers were Nehemiah Bicknell, Samuel Bowman and one or two other men. They had pro- PIONEER HISTORY OF MEIGS COUNTY - 49 gressed only half way from Chester when night came on and they had to spend the night in the woods. They built fires for protection from wolves, whose howling they heard apparently in force, at no great distance, at intervals all night. The men kept the fires burning, but slept little. Wolves continued to commit depredations on the farmers' sheep in Lebanon township, a gang having dens somewhere about the head of Ground Hog creek and Oldtown creek. An expert trapper named Allen came from Washington county in 1840 and successfully exterminated these wolves. The panther was often met by the hunter, but was easily killed, as the animal was of a bold, defiant nature, he would climb a tree where he was an easy mark for the hunter's rifle. Deer were found in great numbers and were a great blessing to the pioner families, who depended for meat upon the wild game. Venison was a choice meat, while the deer's hide was tanned and served to make various articles of apparel. The deer has disappeared from this county. Gray foxes were numerous and were great enemies to poultry raising, but the red fox seems to have superseded the gray, and neither are seen in later years. The raccoon was a great pest, destroying large quantities of corn while in a green state on the stalk. Coon hunting with dogs was a common sport for boys until the animal has disappeared. The opossum and red and gray squirrel remain in limited numbers. (Silas Jones.) ABEL LARKIN. Abel Larkin, son of Matthias Larkin, was born in Lancaster, Worcestor county, Massachusetts, August 29th, 1764, and married Susannah Bridges in 1794, in Rutland, Vermont. She was born in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. Her father, Mr. Bridges, was a surveyor, but started to Massachusetts on a vessel to prepare a place for his family, and the vessel never returned, nor was heard from after sailing. Her mother was a Haskell, and went to Massachusetts with her family, where she died.