350 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY and their arts were those of vanity and pretensions. Instead of large-heart hospitality, he found selfishness and venality. Beyond the "border" he found the locomotive and its "train' of vice and snobbery. He returned to Oh convinced that the times and conditions for which he had sighed were thin of the past, and would never return. Franklin township residents have always been a church going people. Before churches were built, religious meetings were held in the log schoolhouses and the cabin homes of the early settlers. In time churches were built, one of the first being Zeiters' on the old State road, four miles north of Mansfield. The land upon which this church was built was donated by John Zeiters, and the deed is dated December 30, 1834, and the building was locally known as "Zeiters' church." It was used by the Lutherans and the Reformed congregations. There is a cemetery on the church ground and the first interment was that of Henry Wainbranner, who died in 1833. Upon the headstone to this grave, :below the name and dates, the following stanza was inscribed: "Remember, friends, as you pass by, As you are now, so once was As I am now so you must be; Prepare for death and follow' me." Years later beneath this a wag irreverently Wrote : "To follow you I can't consent Unless I know :which way you went." The following are the names of some of the first members of this church: Jacob Kunkleman, Abraham Harnaker, John Zeiters, Jr., J. Henry, Samuel Saltzgaber, John Stouzenberg, Jacob Zeiters, Jacob Clein, J. W. Sturgeon, Elias Keller, Jacob Heck, George Thorne, Jacob Fisher, John Kendall, William Wolf, Daniel Wolf, Peter Goldman, John Blecker, George Wolford, John Zeiters, Sr., Joel Keller, William Cloud, George Cassell, Thomas Russell. and Jacob Bringman. The first church was a log building, which was afterwards supplanted by a brick structure. And a few years ago this latter was taken down, and Zeiters' church is no more. About 1840 a division occurred in the Zeiters congregation; a. number of the members, under the leadership of Jacob Clay, withdrew and erected a church a mile and a quarter west of Zeiters' ; it is called "Clay church," and still exists. Years ago there were ghost stories galore in connection with the Zeiters cemetery locality. The ghost usually appeared in the form, color and semblance of a black dog. One of these stories was recently given, among other reminiscences, by the Rev. Charles Ashton, a former resident of Richland county, now residing at Guthrie Center, Iowa. The story is as follows: "About sixty years ago there was a chopping in the neighborhood of the Zeiters' church. Dan Wolf, a young Dutchman, attended that chopping He carried a maul and a couple of iron wedges to use in the industry of the day. Returning home that night a company of the young men and women had to pass that church and then turn north on the "big road" to reach their HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY - 353 homes. Nearing the Flora place the story of that ghost and that black dog came up. Wolf averred boldly what he would do to that black dog with his maul if he came about him. At the proper juncture for testing his courage one of the. party exclaimed : 'There is that black dog.' Wolf slung the maul from his shoulder, but didn't wait to extricate the two iron wedges from his pocket, but got away from that place at as nearly a two-forty gait as his good, active legs could take him." A Universalist church was erected in the northern part of the township at an early day and may have ante-dated the Zeiters' church. Among its members were : James Ayers, William Truck, Adam, John and Lewis Keith, and a Mr. Crum: A Baptist church was erected in 1852, a short distance north of Five Corners. Among the early members were the Boyce, the Jackson, the Copeland, the Jump, the Bohler, and the Moses families. A Tunker society was organized in the '30s. In 1858 they built a house of worship on section 20, a mile and a half west of Five Corners. The early members were: James Tracy, Elias Dickey, H. Showalter, Henry and Jacob Worst, Jacob Whister, Christian and Joseph Rittenhouse, and Samuel and Jacob Landes. The parents of the late Isaiah Boyce came from England to America and settled in Franklin township, seven miles north of Mansfield, in about 1816 --Isaiah being then six years old. This Boyce place is on the old State road, where it crosses Brubaker's run at Five Corners, and in situation and appearance ranks with the best of the many attractive farms for which Richland county is noted. At the Boyce home Bishop Chase conducted services and confirmed a class—the first confirmation service ever held in Richland county. The bishop held two services upon that occasion, one in the log Courthouse in Mansfield, the other at Boyce's. Different dates may have been given as to the year of the bishop's visitation. The late Isaiah Boyce stated.that "it was just prior to the bishop's trip to England to get funds to start a college." That trip to England was made in 1823. The Rev. Philander. Chase, an uncle of the late Hon. Salmon P. Chase, was consecrated to the episcopate in 1819. The first Episcopal See of the diocese of Ohio was at Worthington. The Rev. Mr. Chase had' settled there in 1817 as principal of an academy and rector of that parish, and two years later was made the first bishop of Ohio. Feeling the necessity for better educational facilities, he visited England to seek financial aid toward founding a college and theological seminary. He raised a fund of over $30,000. Upon his return he bought a large tract of land on the Kokosing, in Knox county, east, of Mt. Vernon, where he founded Kenyon college and Gambier village, the latter being named for Lord Gambier, who was the largest contributor to the fund. Isaiah Boyce died February 10, 1900, aged nearly ninety years. Mr. Boyce was a prosperous farmer and a prominent citizen—a man of influence in his day and generation. Although Mr. Boyce was in Bishop Chase's class, he afterwards united with the Baptist denomination. About a year before his death he was visited by the .Rev. A. R Putnam, and during the interview the visit of Bishop Chase, seventy-five years previous, was vividly and lovingly recalled. The Rev. Mr. Putnam said prayers and Mr. Boyce joined in the responses. 354 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY At the conclusion of the service Mr. Boyce expressed the pleasure and comfort he felt in again hearing the prayers with which he had been familiar in his childhood, and were still .dear to him. Back in the stage-coach days there were two taverns of note in Franklin township. Of these, tong's tavern-kept by Israel Long—was situated on the old State .road, near to the Leiters' church. The other was Gates', on section 17, a little north of the center of the township, in the vicinity of the Franklin township house. The Gates tavern was first called "Ink's." Ink died and a Mr. Gates married the widow—hence the change in name. These taverns Were quite popular in their time, and public gatherings and militia musters were held in the vicinity of each. Jacob Cline and William Hollister were the first justices of the peace in Franklin township. A short time after his election, Squire Cline resigned the office and Jacob Osbun was elected to Succeed him. While water was not wanting, there was not sufficient fall to give water power to operate .grist and saw mills generally. There was a sawmill or two on the Brubaker run, and a grist mill on the Blackfork, where the road from Five Corners to Shenandoah crosses this stream. The first schoolhouse in the township stood on the Flora farm, near Long's tavern, and the first teacher was Thomas Taylor. This was about the year 1821. Franklin township could boast of stalwart men, like Samuel Bell and others—men who helped to found and Maintain a country and intitutions, not only for themselves, but for .posterity. Of Men like these, Sir W. Jones, in his Ode in Imitation of Alcoeus, wrote— "What constitutes a State? Not high-raised battlements, or labor'd mound, Thick wall or moated gate; Not cities proud, with spires and turrets crowed: No ; men, high-minded men ; Men, who their duties know But know their rights, and, knowing, dare maintain,— These constitute a State." The Rev. Charles Ashton, formerly a resident of Richland county, contributes the following old-time sketch from his far-off home in Iowa. That the world is not all made up of one sort of people was proven in the early settlement of the locality of Franklin church in Weller township, this county, as shown in every new settlement. Among the early settlers three brothers located in the neighborhood, Isaac, Jacob and Nathaniel Osborn. Those brothers, especially Isaac and Jacob, were highly respected and influential citizens. When my parents settled in the locality in 1832, Nathaniel was a cripple, unable for active labor. How long he had suffered from that cause we are uninformed. We think he was the oldest of the three brothers In 1832 he had sons married and rearing families. He settled upon the present infirmary }farm, which the sold to the county in 1844 or 1845. His wife, "Aunt Annie," was a woman of strange mental ideas. Naturally active in tongue and limb, in her way she .would make some stir among kindred HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY - 355 elements in society. She had been reared on the frontier. and was truly backwoods in her habits, ideas and manners. Yet a kinder neighbor need not be desired. Of this matter we know whereof we speak, for it was our lot to live on an adjoining farm to the one on which she spent the later years of her life, the family being our nearest neighbor. The family of Nathaniel Osborn consisted of four sons, Isaac, Samuel, Nathaniel, and Jacob, and two daughters. The youngest daughter, "Polly," being an imbecile. In the early settlement of the locality one William Holston settled on the quarter section of land that my father purchased for the family home in the fall of 1832. When my father purchased that farm, William Holston, Sr., having lost his first wife and married a much younger woman, had moved to the neighborhood of Savannah, and his son William occupied the farm. I do not know much of the history of the Holston family; only this I know, that the sons wanted to make a living without spending much muscular effort. "Aunt Annie" Osborn certainly, in my acquaintance with the families, had a destitution of personal regard for the. Holstons. But "Aunt Annie" had implicit faith in witchcraft. Until her death she implicitly believed that the first Mrs. Holston was a witch and the source of all the mental misfortune of her daughter Polly and her serious troubles resulting from Polly's strange antics. "Aunt Annie" could tell marvelous incidents of the work of witches and the appearance of ghosts. She was sanguinely certain that she knew the cause of the first Mrs. Holston's death. In her mental deliberations she had conceived that the death of that woman (witch) was essential to the welfare of the daughter, Polly. So arranging with Abe Pittenger, a man well qualified to act the part desired of him, she formed an image of dough, representing Mrs. Holston, who at the time was lying on a sick bed, and sat it against a fence and arranged with Pittenger to run a silver bullet for his rifle and. with it shoot the doughy image through the breast. Pittenger went through the motions, shot the image, and, as Aunt Annie told the story, Mrs. Holston at once gave up the ghost,. and when she was laid out the attendants discovered a bullet wound in her breast, located exactly as the perforation in the image of dough was made by Pittenger's silver bullet, which Aunt Annie implicitly believed at once ended her life and her power for evil. THE FLORA GHOST. Quite early in the settlement of the locality a family of the name of Flora settled on the big road, south of where the Myers. nursery was afterward established. Flora was a man gifted with a remarkable power of imagination, which he indulged. without restriction or regard for truth. One Trucks, the founder of Trucksville, and Flora appear to have been hail fellows whenever they met where the cheap whisky of the time was served with generous hand. Having met at one time they were indulging in rehearsing incredible tales about happenings and strange occurrences within the limits of their wonderful individual observation. Flora went on to tell of a wonderful storm that he had witnessed and of its strange doings, telling how it swept the limbs 356 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY and bark off the trees and left the bare .poles standing in the woods in stran ghastliness. Trucks at once, as Flora reached this part of his invented story; came to the confirmation of Flora's statements, remarking that he knew that his account of that storm was true, because the bark and brush were blown clear over the mountains in Pennsylvania to where he lived and stuck on the dead trees standing in the fields, so that the dead oak trees again lived and bore acorns. But Flora was suspicioned of evil deeds. A story ran about a peddler that had stopped for the night at Flora's cabin and was never afterward seen. But a ghost was often seen in the road and other places about or near the Flora home. About 1838 an honest, industrious family by the name of Wolf moved into the neighborhood from eastern Pennsylvania and bought and settled on a thirty-five-acre farm that was afterward merged by Alanson Martin into his fine farm home. In the family there were a number of boys that the industrious father, a weaver by trade, trained to habits of honest industry. With one of the younger sons, Dan, our story has to do. When the family moved. into the neighborhood Dan was a boy of about sixteen. He was full of ghostly ideas and a firm believer in spook notions. Some of the older brothers had learned the cooper trade, and weaving and coopering was followed by the boys through the winter to the exclusion of educational opportunities. As Dan verged into manhood his associations were with the German-speaking families around and west of the old Zeiter church. There was a chopping and quilting at some house west of that old log church, and it was followed by a dance which kept the company together well toward Morning. A group of young people, among them our friend Dan with his girl, on their way home had to pass the Flora home. The old man years before had passed to that country where there are no peddlers. But as the company neared the Flora place the matter of the ghost and the probabilities of a visit from the spook were mentioned. Dan made profuse protestations of what he, would do with that ghost if it appeared to trouble them. Nearing the house, some wag of the party exclaimed: "There is the ghost!" Dan at once threw his ax from his shoulder and broke from that company and place with as near a two-ten gait as he could get up. It was the last appearance of that ghost of which we hear, but it was some time before our friend Dan heard the last of his. marvelous run, made at the mention of its appearance. SANDUSKY TOWNSHIP. Sandusky township was organized February 12, 1818, and at that time was twelve miles long from north to south and six miles wide. It remained that size for a number of years, and until Vernon township was created, which took the north half of Sandusky's former territory. Later, Crawford county was formed February 3, 1845, and took part of Richland's territory, and reduced the size of Sandusky to its present limits—seven miles long and two miles wide. HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY - 357 So far as is known, the first white men to traverse this region were Colonel Crawford's troop in 1782, their route leading across the northern part of the township, as they marched from Spring Mills to Leesville. The first settlers in the township were Christian Snyder and Jacob Fisher, who came in 1817. By 1820 the following had located there: John Reed, Daniel Miller, Joseph Russell, John Doyle, Louis Lybarger and Henry Hershner. The first settlement was made near the center of the township. The first settlers in the southern part of the township were the Hardings and the Snyders. The Riblets came in 1831, settled on section 25, and was one of the leading families there for half a. century. Christian Riblet had been a soldier in the war of the revolution. He enlisted in 1779, at the age of, eighteen years, and served till the close of the war. He died April 6, 1844, and is buried in the cemetery nears Riblet's Corners. Daniel Riblet, a son of this Continental soldier, was a justice of the peace in his township for eighteen years and served two terms in the Ohio legislature—from1840 to 1844. He kept the Riblet house, at Riblet's Corners, on the Mansfield-Bucyrus road, about midway between Ontario- and Galion. The Riblet house was a stopping place for. the stages that ran between Mansfield and Bucyrus. Riblet's .postoffice,was maintained there for a number of years. The farms in this neighborhood are valuable and under a high state of cultivation. The residences will compare favorably with the very best in the county. The homes of the Kuhns, the Overlys, the Flowers and others deserve special mention. The inhabitants of Richland county may be called a religious people, and each township has about an average. per capita of church membership. The Methodists, Lutherans and Baptists. seem to largely occupy the field in Sandusky township. The Free-Will Baptists erected a church in 1850 on section 36, near Bailey's Corners. Mr. Reese, Harvey Day and Samuel Nestlerode were among its organizers and influential members. This society finally disbanded and the Albrights .got possession of the building in 1877. This building has ceased to be a place of worship. It was sometimes called the "Red Squirrel church." Services were held there before the building was completed. Upon one occasion a red squirrel appeared upon a joist and took a position over the minister's head. He did not see it, but the audience did. It seemed to mimic the preacher in gestures and grimaces. It was but human nature for the audience to laugh, but their levity shocked the preacher and disconcerted him. But the good pastor forgave them when the situation was explained at the close of the service. The squirrel departed as quietly as it came, without waiting for the benediction. Riblet's chapel, at the Corners, was erected by the Lutherans, but finally passed into the possession of the Methodists. While some townships boast of their wolf stories and their fox hunts, Sandusky does not deign to indulge in reminiscences of anything smaller than bears. One of these is the Hibner story. One day while Mr. Hibner was absent and his wife was busy with her household duties, she heard a noise near the chimney, and on looking in that direction was horrified to see the great black paw of a bear reaching through an opening beside the chimney. 358 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY The opening was caused by one of the chimney stones having become loosened and rolled to one side. She had placed her babe upon the floor, on a blanket near the fire, and the bear was endeavoring to reach it. Fortunately it was beyond its reach, and the mother quickly removed it further away to a safer place and the bear went away. Many other bear 'stories were told by the pioneers of this locality. As there are only small streams in the township, the grist mills were operated by horse power. There were two of these, one owned by Mr.McQuade, in the southern part, and one by Mr. Snyder further north. But twelve votes were cast at the first election. John Williams was the first justice of the peace. The first school in the township was a subscription school, with about a.dozen scholars. The Russell schoolhouse, south of Crestline, was one of the earliest. Many of the pioneers were of remarkable longevity. Christian Snyder liver to be ninety-eight years old and his wife died at the age of one hundred and seven. In 1820, the third year of Snyder's residence in the township, a terrific wind storm blew down his house and barn and destroyed his growing crops. A few years after the township was first settled squirrels were so numerous that they would come sometimes by hundreds and make havoc with the farmers? corn crops. Three railroads and one trolley line run through this township—the Erie, the Pittsburg, Ft. Wayne & Chicago, and the "Big Four," and the Mansfield-Crestline-Galion-Bucyrus, the latter being the new trolley line recently opened, and whose large comfortable cars glide along our streets like moving pictures. East Crestline is in Sandusky, and is its only town. But the township needs no towns of its own, for it is within convenient reach of several of the best little cities in Ohio, and Harvey Woods daily delivers mail to its people. pioneers cleared the wilderness and now -orchards and fields of grain in season occupy the ground where a heavy forest one stood, and these farms convince the observer that the township was intended by nature for a people engaged in agricultural pursuits------one of noblest of vocations, for no one has greaterreasons to be thankful and contented than the men whose faces are to the earth and whose backs are to the sun, for what they produce feeds the people. Therefore, farming is the grandest calling. Further, there are no promises to any other pursuit or calling like those to the farmers. The farmer has a special promise, that, while the earth stands, seed-time and harvest shall not fail. Farmers scatter precious seeds, showing the sublimest act of faith in burying in the earth the last grain of wheat from his granary, believing, that in due time it would doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing sheaves with it. The history of Rome is shrouded in myth and fable, but the history of this country is an open book. Our fathers planted a republic, which in less than a. hundred years spanned the continent. Our people have advanced as the people of no other country ever did, and our wonderful achievements are due to the sturdy and resolute pioneers who laid the foundation of our greatness. HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY - 359 A MARRIAGE INCIDENT. The marriage, several years ago, of a Sandusky township couple, and the incidents connected therewith, afforded entertainment at the time for those who witnessed the nuptials, and is even yet amusingly recalled. One day as S. G. Cummings, of the law firm of Cummings, McBride & Wolfe, was seated at his desk, engaged upon a legal paper, a Sandusky township farmer, whom we will call John Smith, entered the office. Mr. Cummings had taught school in that township in the years agone, and Mr. Smith had been one of his pupils: After pleasant greetings, Smith took a seat and a short conversation followed. Mr. Cummings, being busy, hoped the interview would be brief, but, the perfect gentleman that he is, he did not betray this in his looks or conversation. Finally, Mr. Smith moved his chair closer to Mr. Cummings and said: "Seth!" "What is it, John?" "I want to get married." "Well, tell me about it," said Mr. Cummings. John, who was a widower, went on to explain that he had brought his prospective bride with him, and that she was waiting at Scattergood's store while he came to Mr. Cummings for advice—to know if he could get married on $5 (all the money he had) and have some left to buy groceries, with which to commence housekeeping. Mr. Cummings assumed an air of dignified sericousness and stated that upon such an important problem he preferred to have a consultation of the firm, and the Hon. C. E. McBride was called into Mr. Cummings' room and the case stated to him. As the bride-to-be was in waiting, Mac told the expectant groom that while he Shad not time to look up the authorities, he thought he could help him out in a business-like way. Mr. Cummings went for the license and Mr. McBride for a magistrate to perform the ceremony. Within half an hour everything was in readiness and a client who had dropped in was invited to be one of the witnesses. 'The company stood and the magistrate, who was somewhat excited, told the bride and groom to hold up their hands, and began: "Do you, and each of yoU, solemnly swear - " "Hold on," said Mac, "they are not making affidavits; they want to be married." "Yes, yes," said the officer, proceeding with: "When in the course of human events it becomes necessary  " "He's reciting the Declaration of Independence,"- said one of the spectors. McBride, acting as stage prompter, again called a halt. The officer then commenced on different lines, saying: "In the name of the benevolent Father of us all - " "Dictating a will," exclaimed several voices. "They do not want to make a will, but to get married," Mac again exclaimed. "Yes, yes," the magistrate said, "I understand. They are married now," 360 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY waving his hands. He then turned to McBride and said, "Give me $2." But the astute attorney cut the fee in two on account of blunders made. The account then stood: License, 75 cents; marriage fee, $1; leaving $3.25 of the five-dollar bill. With this balance they bought groceries and wended their way to Sandusky township, happy and with hopeful thoughts for the future, These attorneys often laugh over this amusing episode, for "a little fun now and then is relished by the wisest men." WELLER TOWNSHIP. Weller township was created in 1846 from Franklin and Milton townships upon the organization of Ashland county. The land of Weller embraces every variety of soil, well adapted for the production of grain and grass, as well as for all varieties of fruit and vegetables. The Blackfork, with its numerous curves and loops, courses diagonally over the township, from a mile south of its northwest corner to its southeast corner, and in the past furnished power for several grist and saw mills. The Brubaker creek, coming in from the southwest, enters the Blackfork at Oswalt's, in section 11, and the Whetstone, coming in from the north, confluences with the Blackfork two miles south of Olivesburg. The Charles mill dam, where the Mansfield-Olivesburg road crosses the Blackfork, was the cause of a long and expensive litigation about forty years ago. There is but little fall to the Blackfork, and the mill dam backed water three miles up the stream, overflowing banks and backing water into lowlands and marshes. A Mr. Lee, father of the late John A. Lee, brought suit against Mr. Charles for damages, and endeavored to have the mill dam obstruction to the stream removed, claiming that the miasmatic condition created by the overflows was unhealthful. The litigation resulted in the verdict that the dam be lowered a foot. Even this small lowering of the dam bettered the condition of the country lying above very much. In 1818 Elijah Charles built a sawmill upon this Charles mill site, and in 1835, Elijah Charles having died, his son, Isaac Charles, erected a grist mill, and for the quarter of a century following ran both grist and saw mills successfully, notwithstanding the litigations in the courts. The mills are now numbered among the "has beens." In 1868 Isaac Charles removed to Bluffton, Allen county, where he was murdered some years later. His son Isaac was convicted of the crime and was sentenced to the Ohio penitentiary for life. The first grist mill in the township was built by Benjamin Montgomery on the Whetstone at Olivesburg; in 1817. Mr. Montgomery was elected a justice of the peace in 1816. The eastern part of what is now Weller was then Milton township. The first schoolhouse was built on the west side of the Big Hill in 1816, and James Mahon was the first teacher. Among those who settled in Weller township in 1814 may be named the following: Benjamin Montgomery, Elijah Charles, Jacob Osbun. In 1815, A. A. Webster, Levi Stevenson, George Hall, John and James Ferguson, James Mahon, John Dixon, James Haverfield, Henry Wikoff, William Holson, Francis Porter and Peter Pittenger. In 1816-19. Sim on Morgan. Moses Modie, HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY - 361 Joseph Ward, James Grimes, Charles Palmer, Charles Stewart and John Palmer. For a number of years after the township was settled there was but little market for the products of the country, and money was scarce. With wheat 25 cents a bushel and calico and muslin 50 cents a yard, corn and oats 15 cents a bushel, and salt $25 a barrel, and coffee 50 cents a pound, conditions confronted the pioneers of which the people of today know of only in an histprical way. But the pioneers with steadfastness of purpose worked out their problem of civilization—a civilization that brought the markets of commerce in its train—markets that made a demand for farm products and reward for farmers' toil. A description of the country in pioneer times says the valley, of the Blackfork was very densely covered. with a low, matted growth of small timber, while, close to the creek, the ground was rankly, covered with long grass, and the interlacing vines of wild .morning glory, plumy willows and the dark, thick growth of alder. The hills were covered with giant oaks, and the fragrant winds were healthful as the breezes of the ocean. Wild game abounded, even great, ferocious wild hogs, with their white tushes gleaming out and ooking frightful. In the years that have intervened, civilization transformed the wilderness into farms whose fields reward the labor of the husbandman. General Reasin Beall, in marching his army to the protection of the frontier, in September, 1812, encamped for a short time: near the present site of Olivesburg, and called the place "Camp Whetstone." Inasmuch as Weller. township :adjoins Ashland county, a story is. given of jow Robert Newall, a pioneer justice of the peace, sometimes decided cases according to his own views of equity, without regard to either law or precedent. 'Squire Newell was one of the earliest settlers in Montgomery township (then in Richland county), and his cabin was burned by the Indians during the war of 1812. Andrew Clark wished 'to bring suit against one Martin Mason for a balance claimed for work per on a mill-race. It was against pioneer ethics for a justice of the peace to encourage litigation, and 'Squire Newell endeavored to effect a settlement between the pasties without resorting to the law, but, being unable to do so, he issued a summons to Constable Kline against the said Martin Mason, 'the '.writ being a verbal one, and his mace of authority was a buckeye club, with which . he was instructed to belabor the said defendant over the "head and shoulders" until he would consent to accompany the officer to the court room of the justice. Force, however, was not required in this case, as Martin recognized the potent power of the constable's club, obeyed the summons with apparent willingness- and was soon arraigned before His Honor, who required that plaintiff and defendant each make a statement of his side of the case, and after this was done the court decided that "Mason should pay to Clark two bushels of corn. Clark being a poor man, and having no horse, you, Mason,. shall deliver the corn at Clark's house. Forever after this you are to be good friends and neighbors, and if either shall ever fail in the least particular to obey this order, I will have the offender before me and whip him within an inch of his life. As for myself, I charge 362 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY no fees. Not so with Constable Kline, his charge being a quart of whisky, which plaintiff and defendant will see is brought into court as promptly as possible, for the use of all present." And the arret of the court was obeyed. The Big Hill forms a prominent feature in the topography of Weller township. It has an altitude of about one hundred and fifty feet and is four miles in circumference. It is more or less abrupt on its several sides, and on top there is a stretch of tableland embracing a number of valuable farms. Upon this hilltop plain stood the Robinson castle, and a few years after it was erected, although the brick and stone masons had been brought from England to build its walls, the foundation spread and the building fell into ruins. Thomas Robinson, the builder and owner of Robinson's castle, was an Englishman, and, on.account of his aristocratic ways, was called "King Tom." He settled on the "hill" in 1820. A brother, Francis Robinson, married a Miss Dixon, who was called "Aunt Jane" by her relatives. Francis Robinson and wife were the parents of William Robinson and of General James S. Robinson, both of whom are deceased. "King Tom" was wealthy and was a widower when he came to America. After getting a farm cleared lie returned to England, as he stated himself, for a wife. He was gone seven years and was married just prior to his return. The cause of his long absence he never explained, and no one dared to question concerning the delay. This wife lived about eight years after coming to America. Her remains rest in the Milton cemetery. Robinson returned to England in 1843, where be died the year following. In past years parties frequently visited the ruins of the Robinson castle, on account of tales—absurd though they were—connected therewith. Boys were usually hired as guides. Upon one occasion, as a party stood gazing at the ruins, one of the number remarked, "Down in that vaulted cellar is where old 'Bluebeard' Robinson buried his wives." "No," said the guide, with an eye to business, "no one is buried there. 'King Tom' cremated them., and if each of you give me a quarter. extra I'll take you to the exact spot where their bodies were burned into ashes." The extra quarters were paid and the boy conducted the party to a ravine on the east side of the hill, where atone quarrymen had had a fire a year before, and, pointing to the place, exclaimed, "This is where he cremated his wives, and here are the ashes of their remains." One of the men took a small quantity of the ashes away with 'him. The boy afterwards boasted of how he had "worked" the party for extra quarters. Other guides have done the same, telling tales to suit the occasion, and in this way many very absurd and erroneous storoes originated and were circulated about "King Tom," who, although peculiar in some things, was a benefactor in his way, for he gave employment to many people, and always paid them in cash, which was quite a consideration in those days; when money was so scarce that the settlers were glad of the opportunity to dig out stumps for "King Tom" to get money to pay their taxes. The Holstein witch story has also been told before, and, in brief, is that in about the year 1831, a Mrs. Holstein, then living west of the Richland infirmary farm, was accused of being a Witch, and a meeting of people of that neighborhood was held to devise ways and means to get rid of her. It was proposed to make a dough image of the alleged witch and shoot it with a silver HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY - 363 bullet. All of which was done, with the result, as the story goes, that Mrs. Holstein died the next day from the effects of a wound in her breast, like unto the one made in the dough image. by the silver bullet. The Richland county infirmary is situated on section 25, in Weller township. In 1846, in accordance with an act of the legislature, proceedings were instituted toward establishing an infirmary, and a farm of 160 acres was bought of the heirs of Nathaniel Osbun for that purpose. The county commissioners had charge of the matter, and William Taggart, William B. Hammett and John McCool then constituted the board. Colonel George Weaver, a soldier of two wars, had the contract for the building, which cost $4,500. The first directors of the infirmary were Richard Condon, Christopher Korn and Samuel Lind, and Lowrey Sibbett was the first superintendent. The building was destroyed by fire in 1877, and the year following a new building was erected at a cost of about $40,000. Samuel Robinson, whose death occurred July 27, was the last of the generation of Robinsons which came from England and settled on the Big Hill in Weller township in an early Period of Richland county's history. Thomas Robinson came from England in the year 1820, and entered a tract of land on the Big Hill. He was a man of wealth; and his views differed widely from those held by the average pioneer. He was aristocratic in his ways, adhered to the old English style of dress, wore knee-breeches and was called "King Tom." He was peculiar in some things, but was a benefactor in his way, for he gave employment to many people in clearing his land, and always paid them cash for their work, which was a great consideration in those days when the circulating medium was so scarce that the settlers often did not know how to get money to pay their taxes, except to go and "dig out stumps for Robinson." He kept from ten to fifteen men in his employ the year round and paid them in gold. He had not the patience, like the other settlers, to wait for stumps to rot, but had them dug out in clearing his land, and, paying liberally for the work, caused fabulous stories to be told as to his wealth. Thomas Robinson was a widower when he came to America, .but after getting his land cleared he returned to England to marry again. He Was gone seven years. Upon his return he was accompanied by his wife, but gave no explanation as to the cause of his long stay. They brought a boy with them, aged about four or five years, who was the Samuel Robinson whose funeral occurred from Oakland Church. In 1836, Robinson built a large brick building for a residence, which on account of its style and the aristocratic manners of its owner was called the "castle." It stood upon the most commanding site of the summit of the hill. Beneath the building were cellars With arched ceilings of stone work. The castle seemed to be doomed, for in about two years after it was built a windstorm wrecked part of the building, and Samuel Robinson, then a boy seven years old, was taken from the debris after the storm abated. A few years later the arched foundation began. to give away, and in time the building fell in a mass of ruins, remnants of which yet mark the place where the old castle once stood. 364 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY Thomas Robinson's wife died after having been here about eight years, and he returned to England, where he died a few years later. Francis Robinson, younger brother of Thomas Robinson, came to America a few years after his brother had located on the hill. He resided with his brother for some time, but later. removed to a farm near the State road, north of Mansfield. Francis Robinson married "Aunt Jane" Dickson. They were the parents of two children---William and James S. William Robinson became the owner of the Thomas Robinson farm, and there he passed the greater part of his life. He is now d dead. The other son was the late General James S. Robinson, who served with honor through the Civil War, as he did later in civil capacities—as a member of congress and as secretary of state. The late Samuel Robinson was an industrious man and an exemplary citizen. He was a hard worker and accumulated much property. He added farm to farm until he had one each for his. five children. Re was best known perhaps as an auctioneer. He was. also very successful in the berry-raising business. About six years a& he built a fine residence on what was formerly known as the Hetler farm, on the Olivesburg road, five miles north of Mansfield. Samuel Robinson's seventy-four years of life covered a period which was noted for its effectiveness in the advancement of civilization. The people were frugal and industrious, and the lesson of their lives might be studied with profit by the present generation. SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP. Springfield township is bounded on the north by Sharon and Jackson; on the south by Troy; on the east by Madison, and on the west by Sandusky. At its organization as a township in 1816 Springfield was twelve miles in length from east to west, and in width was six miles from north to south. In 1818 its territory was delimitated to its present size of six miles square. The name "Springfield" was taken at the suggestion of Mrs. Coffinbury, on account of 'the .springs of water that abound in the township, notably those known as P.almer's, Preston's and Spring Mills. The Palmer spring, on section 8, is the fountain-head of the Sandusky river, and water, is piped from it to Crestline for the waterworks of that town. The. spring is 123 feet higher than the town. In fact, it is one of the means by which Crestline is able to maintain its position as a division terminal of the Pennsylvania railroad. Formerly the water supply of the town was insufficient and of poor quality was not conducive to the generation of steam; was corrosive to metal, rendering it unfit for engine use Fearful of the removal of railroad shops and divisions terminal, Crestline put in an admirable system of waterworks, piping the water from the Palmer spring. Although litigations ensued, costing thousands of dollars, the benefits Crestline derived from the works far exceeded the cost of the plant, with the litigations added. At the Preston spring, a mile northeast of Palmer's, the Purdy mills were built in the pioneer times, and were operated for many years. Earthworks on the dam and race can yet be seen. HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY - 367 The spring at Spring Mills has furnished water-power to operate mills there for eighty years, is still flowing and "tarries not the grindings." A fuller history of this mill, with sketches of the Barr, the Welch, the Wentz and other prominent families of the locality, will be given hereafter in a chapter entitled "Spring Mills." Springfield has a number of small streams, which, seeking outlets in different directions, supply a considerable portion of its area with water for stock and agricultural purposes. The sources of both the Sandusky and the Mohican rivers are in this township, and the Blackfork and the Clearfork branches of the latter have their origin from the same spring or lake, at Five Cornets: Springfield is situated on the watershed between Lake Erie and the Ohio river, the "divide" passing through the township from east to west, at varying altitudes, the highest being 832 feet above Lake Erie. This point is on section 16. Geologists call such elevations "knobs." These. "knobs," which are found along the summit of the "divide," present a difficult problem in surface geology. In some respects they resemble the Kames of the British Isles, and it has been suggested that they may have been formed of shore-waves, when the lake-basin was filled to the brim and they were islands or shoals. They occupy the summit of the water-shed, and in their stratification and the rounding of their pebbles show water action. A half-mile north of this knob there is a gap in the ridge of the "divide" through which the Blackfork flows to the north. The depression is called Shafer's Hollow, and, since the completion of the Mansfield-Crestline-Galion electric line, which crosses the Hollow, the place has come to public notice as picnic grounds. "Agriculturally considered, the land of Springfield compares favorably with the general average of other 'townships. The soil over the greater part of Richland county rests upon the unmodified drift clays, and takes its general character from them. It contains a, large quantity of lime, derived mainly from the corniferous limestone, fragments of which are mingled with the drift. The clay in the soil is also modified and tempered by the debris of the local rocks, and is mostly silicious. This character,' combined with a high elevation and surface drainage, furnishes a soil which renders the name of the county—Richland---appropriate, and secures a great variety of agricultual products. While all parts of the county are well adapted to grazing, the land is especially fitted for the growth of wheat and cereals, and to the production of fruits. Newton Y. Gilkinson has for years been planting and cultivating a forestry park at Millsborough in which he aims to have every kind and variety of trees native to Ohio. This is a commendable work, and Mr. Gilkinson's effort should be appreciated, for forestry has been too much neglected. The late Dr. James W. Craig, father of Dr. J. Harvey Craig, once offered $200 towards buying ten acres of land at Hemlock Falls for an historical and forestry park. But as no one seemed to join him in the matter no action was taken. The trend of civilization has been to destroy the forests, as was necessary to a certain extent, but the time has now come to cultivate instead of to destroy. Colonel William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) recently made an earnest appeal to President Roosevelt in behalf of American forests. An 368 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY interesting branch of the science of forestry teaches the relations of forests to the earth's surface, and the important part forests have in retaining and in distributing the rain and snow which moisten and refresh the earth. Since such vast areas of forests have been destroyed the volumes of water in springs and streams have diminished and the climate has become less equable. Among the olden-time families of Springfield township the following are prominent: The Seward, the Douglas, the Dille, the Trimble, the Ricksicker. the Sewell, the Fraunfelter, the McConnel, the Patterson, the Went; the Crooks, the Leppo, the Davidson, the Nazar, the Kirkland, the Webber, the Rank, the Ralston, the Dougal, the Cooks, the Ashbaugh, the Sheppard, the Roe, the Shafer, the Stewart, the Ringer, the Reinhart, the Miliken, the May. the Woods, the Walker, the Nark, the Craig, the Marshall, the Marlow, Hout. Freed, Ferguson, Day, Brandt, Au, Andrews, Neal, Chambers, Carter, Williams, Crim, Bell, Hackedorn, Hartupee, Moorhouse, Purdy, Sanders, Larimore, Stentz, Roasberry, Myers, Wise, O'Rourke, Musselman Sanderson. Mitchell and others. Others equally notable will be given in succeeding chapters. The first settlers located in the northeast part of the township, coming on Colonel Crawford's route, which was the only road through that part of the county at that time. Among the first settlers was George Coffinberry, who came in 1814, and settled on the southeast quarter of section 1. Coffinberry had served in the War of the Revolution. Richard Condon settled on the northeast quarter of section 2 in 1815. About the same time the Welch family settled on section 1. Jesse Edgerton and Uriah Matson came in 1818. At the organization of the township, April 15, 1816, twenty-five votes were polled. Richard Condon Was the first justice of the peace. The Finneys came in 1820. The first school in the township was taught by John C. Gilkinson, on the southeast quarter of section 1, southeast of Spring Mills. The Presbyterians had church and Sabbath school organizations in Springfield as early as 1822, and built a church at Five Corners, a mile north of Ontario. About the same time the Methodists built a church about a mile south of Millsborough, which was called Taylor's meeting house. Bigelow. chapel, in the Jaques settlement, two miles north of Ontario, was built in 1837. It belonged to the Methodists. In 1844, a Baptist church was built in the Same neighborhood. The Reformed and Lutheran denominations built a church on the Mansfield road, south of Spring Mills, and the Methodists built another near Carter's Corners, but nearly all of these have passed away. and handsome church edifices have been built instead at Ontario. An account of the "underground railroads" for which the township was so noted in slavery days was so recently given in a rural route article that it seems useless to repeat it here. "Uncle" John Finney, one of the most prominent actors in assisting runaway slaves to Canada and freedom, was the step-father of Dr. S. N. Alban, of Mansfield. Springfield outranks her sister townships in leading roads—thoroughfares —over .which travel passes from east to west and from north to south. And it is also traversed by. both steam and trolley lines, and of the latter more are to be built: HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY - 369 The Hon. William Patterson, one of the most prominent men of the county in the '30s, resided for a number of years in Springfield township, on the Mansfield-Galion road. Judge Patterson had been a soldier in the war of 1812, and was a member of congress from this district from 1833 to 1837—the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth congresses. He is buried in the Mansfleld cemetery in an unmarked grave. Even prominent men are soon forgotten, and honors, as Dryden wrote, are but empty bubbles. CAPTURED BY INDIANS. In the pioneer days, when Springfield township was first settled, there were no near neighbors. For miles around there was nothing but paths through the forests—woods infested by savages, wild beasts and venomous reptiles. Stock ran at large and had to be hunted, up if they did not come home when evening approached. They had bells attached to the necks of the. cows, and the tone or clatter of: each was readily recognized by the owner. A Springfield township settler, who had a wife and three children, went in search of his cows one evening, and, following the sound of the bell, was allured into an ambuscade and taken. prisoner by the Indians. He was taken to another part of the country, where he was held a prisoner for five years. His one aim was to escape—to return to his family—but the Indians kept such a close espionage upon his movements, year after year, that no opportunity to escape was open to him. He feigned contentment to throw them off their guard, and whenever separated from them in the hunt or chase would express delight upon rejoining them. Upon an occasion of this kind he succeeded in eluding their vigilance and in making his escape. He traveled by night and concealed himself during the day. He was pursued, but was not retaken. One day, while in the top of a tree and concealed by the thick foliage of its branches, his pursuers passed by, but did not discover him.. Finally, foot-sore and almost famished, he reached his home. Being in Indian dress his wife did not recognize him. He solicited something to eat, and after partaking of refreshments made his identity known. But here an unexpected condition confronted him: His wife, after waiting for his return for three long years, concluded he had been killed by the Indians, and, thinking herself a widow, had again married. The woman explained the situation, and husband No. 2 was called in and a conference was held. A novelist might here graphically portray the emotions, thoughts and passions which surged in the breasts of the dramatis personae in this pioneer drama in real life, but the purpose of this sketch is to give a. true narrative of a local 'historical event, without having the story annotated by flights of fancy. Finally, husband No. 1 suggested, to relieve the woman of embarrassment, that the matter should be left to the children for them to decide which man should remain, and that the other must leave instanter and 'never return. The children said they wanted their "real papa," if he did look like an Indian. Thereupon No. 2. retired and left the country. He had been good to the family and had well provided for them. 370 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY A friend remarked to the returned husband that but few men would have treated the affair so philosophically, and inquired if the case had been decided against him if he would have as quietly acquiesced in the decision. The answer was "No ; while I did not blame them, for they thought I was dead, yet had it been decided that I was to go and for him to remain I would have killed him on the spot."             . The following excerpts are in place here: When the Indians were being removed from Greentown to Piqua they were held in camp in this city a short time under guard. Two Indians—a warrior and his daughter—escaped through the lines, were pursued and the warrior was shot while in the act of crossing the little stream now called Toby's Run. The Indian—Toby—was killed, but the young squaw escaped and nine days later arrived at Upper Sandusky, having subsisted during that time on berries. The fact that the Indian maiden was with her father when he was shot throws around the scene a veneering of sympathy. But there is no sympathy in war, and the soldiers simply obeyed the military order to shoot whoever attempted to escape; and it seems unnecessary at this late day to apologize for the war of civilization against barbarism—a war that prepared the way for the church, the school and other institutions which enlightenment brought in its train. Riblet's Corners are three miles west of Ontario, five miles east of Galion and midway between Crestline and Blooming Grove. In the stage days "Riblet's" was a well-known locality. There was Riblet's postoffice and there was Riblet's tavern, and Daniel Riblet was a state senator in 1854-6. What changes time brings! The postoffice, the tavern and the Riblets are now gone. The history of the past, like an echo from other days, comes back to our memory over the tide of years, as— "The great world spins forever down the ringing grooves of change." WORTHINGTON TOWNSHIP. Worthington township was erected June 6, 1815, out of the west half of Green. As originated it was twelve miles long from north to south, and six miles wide. February 11,.1817, Monroe township was created out of the north half of Worthington, making each six miles square Worthington is in the southeast corner of Richland county. It was named for Thomas Worthington. who was governor of Ohio at the time it was organized. The surface of the township is broken, and in the southern part is hilly. It is well watered by the Clearfork and its tributaries, and numerous springs abound. Slater's run enters the township at its northwest corner and empties into the Clearfork at Newville. Amdre's run comes in from the western part passes through Butler and then enters the Clearfork. The Shields' run, or Gold run, has its source in the southern part, courses north and enter the Clearfork a short distance below Butler. On the latter stream the Shields and Wilson sawmills were operated in former years. Hemlock Falls, the old time picnic resort, is situated a. mile and a half south of Newville, and about the locality are woven legendary tales and HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY - 371 romantic incidents which could be spun out and elaborated upon to make a book of sufficient size to sell either' by measurement or by weight—as bulk and heft are the desiderata of some people in the purchase of books. The. fails is about a half-mile from the Clearfork at Watts' bend, and the water of the falls is a run from spring on the highland back of the ridge. The water pours over a slanting rock for fifty. feet, then makes a leap over the edge to a basin thirty feet below. The first public meeting in the interest of the collection. and preservation of the early history of Richland county was held at Hemlock Falls on the first Saturday of September, 1856. William B. Carpenter, now a resident of Mansfield, was the chairman. of the meeting, and General R. Brinkerhoff and the late Rev. James F. McGraw were the speakers. A number of meetings upon historical lines followed at irregular intervals, resulting finally in the Richland County Historical society of today, which is auxiliary to the Ohio Archaelogical .and Historical society of Columbus. Between Winchester and Watts' bend a narrow road winds between the river and the environing. hills, whose huge rocks seem to frown ominously upon the passersby. The first grist mill in the township, which was the third erected in the county, was built. at Newville in. 1815 by John Frederick Herring, and was operated about thirty-five years. The second grist mill was built by Jacob Myer's in 1820, and was known for many years as the Kanaga mills. It is situated on the Clearfork between Butler and Bellville, and is now called Plank's mills. In 1840 David Herring, whose widow resides at 15 North Walnut street, Mansfield, built a large .three-story grist mill on the Clearfork, between Butler and Newville. It was changed to a woolen factory, and now stands idle. The Watts' mills, on Slater's run near Newville, was operated for many years. The Rummel mills, on the Clearfork below Butler, was built by D. J. Rummel in about 1853. Jacob Armentrout built a sawmill upon this site in the '40s. He sold to Mr. Rummel in about 1850. On Slater's run, at the south end of Newville, a woolen factory was operated for many years, and farther up the run were sawmills owned severally by Tarras, Losh and Clever. Commendable interest has always been manifested in religious matters, and a number of denominations have organizations and church buildings here. The Rigdons preached at Newville in the early '30s. The Disciples, the Methodists, the United Presbyterians, the United Brethren; the Lutherans, the Albrights, the Church of God, the Presbyterians and the German Reformed are represented. The schools of the township are in keeping with the times and are equal to those elsewhere. William Grosvenor., of Park avenue East, Mansfield, witnessed a flood incident on the Clearfork when he was a boy that is worth relating. The upper part of the. long head-race of the David Herring mills widens into a reservoir, between which and the creek there is an island of about five acres. Upon this island stood a dwelling house occupied by a family. The Clear- 372 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY fork had overflown its banks and the waters of Simmons' run, which emptied into the reservoir, overflowed its banks also, and the outlet at the "spill” formed a current but little less swift than the river itself. The dwelling house was inundated and stood unsteady upon its foundation. The peril of the situation was apparent and men gathered upon the shore and discussed ways and means to rescue the family.. A canoe was obtained and a man volunteered to make the several trips necessary to bring the inmates to the shore. A hero always rises equal to every occasion, and this brave pioneer paddled the canoe forth and back until each member of the family was landed in safety upon the bluff. The last person taken over was a Miss Duncan, who was stopping with the family. She declined to take a seat in the canoe but stood with a foot upon either side of the boat and from a bottle drank to the health of the rescuer amid the cheers of the crowd. Samuel Lewis was the first permanent white settler in Worthington township. He located on the northwest quarter of section 1 in 1809. In 1812 he erected a blockhouse on his farm for the protection of the settlers. Henry Nail, William Slater, Peter Zimmerman and James Wilson came in 1811. Simmons, Herring, Broad, Darling, Pearce, Davis and some others came a few years later. Captain James Cunningham was one of the early settlers of the county, but did not locate in Worthington until about 1820. He harvested the first crop of wheat in the county. Captain Cunningham was of Irish parentage, and was reared and educated in Baltimore. He came West—to this "new purchase"—to teach school, but later became a farmer. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, as his father had been in the revolutionary war. He died in 1870, aged nearly ninety years. Martin Spohn was born in Pennsylvania in 1804. Came to Ohio in 1832 and located in Tuscarawas county, and later came to Worthington township, this county. The Spohns were the founders of the town of Butler. They were Dunkards and industrious, exemplary people. Mrs. Sarah Bevington, of West Fourth street, Mansfield, is the daughter of Martin Spohn. She has two son one is the manager of the Aultman-Taylor office at Chicago, and the other is all officer in the United States navy. David Taylor was born in Pennsylvania in 1813. Came to Ohio with his parents in 1821, and located in Worthington. He was county commissioner six years. Jonathan Plank was born in Pennsylvania in 1816. Came to Richland county in 1856. He was a miller, and his son, E. A. Plank, succeeded him. Joseph Snavely came to Ohio from Pennsylvania in 1839. He was a farmer, respected citizen and the father of eleven children. Thomas Simmons came from Maryland to Ohio in 1813 and settled in Worthington. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and two of his sons served in the Mexican war. Edward Sheehy came from County Cork in Ireland 'in 1809. He resided for many years in Monroe township, but later moved to Worthington, where he died. One of his sons, John Sheehy, resides on South Adams street, Mansfield. HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY - 373 Hiram H. Sharp came from Pennsylvania and settled in Newville in 1842, and learned the Carpenter trade with Isaac Pulver. Lewis Rummel was born in Maryland in 1804. He came to Ohio in the twenties. Was a miller by trade. He united with the Disciple Church in 1840, and was one. of the leading, members of that denomination until his death. He was the father of Silas Rummel, of Lucas. David Secrist was born in Pennsylvania in 1815. He was a shoemaker, by industry accumulated considerable wealth and owned some valuable farms. Samuel Easterly and Peter Lehman resided near the Easterly Church. They were farmers and highly respected citizens. William Norris was one of the largest land owners in this township at time of his death. James W. Pearce's father, Lewis Pearce, was one of the earliest settlers the township. Daniel Mowry was born in Pennsylvania in 1823 and came with his parents to Richland county, Ohio, in 1828. He lived near Newville and is now deceased. He was the father of Mrs. John W. Baughman, of Jefferson township. Dr. Robert McLaughlin was a leading physician of Butler for many year and was the father of Dr. J. M. McLaughlin, of this city. The McCurdys are of Irish descent and have been prominent citizens of this township since 1834. The McClelands came from Pennsylvania to Ohio in 1824. They were prominent people in the township, and one of the descendants, C. L. McCleland, is county clerk-elect John Hughes was a prominent citizen and a tailor at Newville for many years. Daniel Spayde is a successful farmer and was a soldier in the Civil War. The late Dr. J. P. Henderson was one of the pioneer doctors of Richland county and was a member of the constitutional convention which framed the present constitution of Ohio. R. W. Hazlett, a prominent citizen of the township, has been successfully engaged in various pursuits, but is now leading a retired life. Alexander Greer came to Ohio in 1820, and is the father of Henry Greer, of Butler. The Darlings came to the county at an early day, and their descendants own some of the most valuable land in the township. James Carlisle, a soldier of the War of 1812, settled near Newville in 1832. He was the father of the late Freeman Carlisle. Thomas B. Andrews was a justice of the peace of Worthington for many years, and served two terms as county commissioner. His widow, whose maiden name was Maxilla Pollard, is still living. The Calhoons were prominent in the township, and Noble Calhoon was a justice of the peace for several years. Robert Alexander located in Worthington township in 1826 374 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY John Hayes, Sr., was a farmer in this township, and a number of his descendants are citizens of the county. Abner Davis was a farmer who lived about two miles southeast of Newville. He was once robbed of eleven hundred dollars in gold. The money was recovered in a peculiar way. The robbers, three in number, were from Mt. Vernon. The night was severely cold, the mercury standing before zero. Two of the number froze to death within a few miles of Mr. Davis' house. The third was so badly frozen that he was easily captured, and upon his trial was sentenced to the penitentiary. John Ramsey was a farmer and school teacher. He was a justice of tge peace and a county commissioner. A. C. Kile was an auctioneer, a justice of the peace and served two terms in the legislature. James A. Price, publisher of the Bellville Messenger, was a Worthington boy. George Hammon came from Virginia and located in Worthington. His son, Thomas, now deceased, became one of the largest land owners in the township. The Carpenter family located in Newville, and Daniel Carpenter was one of the first merchants and manufacturers there. Daniel Carpenter was the father of William B. Carpenter, of this city, and of the late George F. Carpenter. Dr. Hubbs, an Olivesburg boy, learned the printer's trade and followed typesetting for several years, and in company with his father-in-law, the late Joshua Ruth, published the Loudonville Advocate. Later Dr. Hubbs read medicine, and has been a successful practitioner at Butler for about twenty years. The doctor always has a cordial greeting for his friends, and deserves to have good things said of him. John W. Wilson went to California in 1852, driving all the distance from Butler to the Pacific coast, except between Cincinnati and St.Louis, which was made by boat. He served his country as a soldier in the War of the Rebellion. Mr. Wilson, like Henry Greer, was quite a dude in his younger days, and today has the appearance of a well-to-do business man. He has a fine home adjoining the town. William A. Trailer, a school teacher back in the fifties, was a Civil War soldier, has a comfortable home and has retired from business. L. W. Severns was a Butler boy, whose father was a leading merchant there for many years. Curt was in the cavalry service all through the Civil War. The Mix family was long identified with the history of Worthington township, and several of their number have been engaged in mercantile pursuits. Of the McKibben, the White, the Snyder, the Crowner, the Traxler, the Wilson, the Flaharty, the Frehafer, the Piper, the Bemiller, Pritchard, Tooman, Berry, Shields, Grubaugh, Mishey, Kunkle, Cunning, Keller, Switzer, Dutton, Kramer, Halferty and other families, sketches will be given later. HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY - 375 There was a generous friendship among the pioneers. There were no aristocratic lines drawn between the "upper and lower" classes. Their amusement—cabin raisings and log-rollings—were generally accompanied with a sewing or a quilting, and these brought together a whole neighborhood, both men and women, old and young, and after the labors of the day were ended the evenings were spent in amusements. A wedding frequently called together all the young people for miles around. The party assembled at the home of the bride, and after the nuptials came the wedding dinner, of which there is none such now. The second day was called the groom's day, and the party would go to the home of his parents to enjoy the "infair." Then came the racing for the bottle, and fleet horses were in demand. The successful racer would take the bottle and meet the company, treat the bride and and groom and then the guests. While Worthington township had no taverns outside of the village, a number of private houses entertained transient guests. Among these were Shields, Davis and Hammons. At the latter place drovers often put up for the night. At these pioneer homes many a weary traveler through the tall and lonely forests has been sheltered and refreshed beneath their humble roofs, and the savory odor of ham and eggs would have tempted more fastidious appetites. Many manly lads and beautiful lasses have been reared within the walls of these cabin forest homes. Many courtships have been carried on during the long winter evenings beside the dying embers in the old-fashioned fireplace—happy in present love and anticipating future bliss and prosperity in a more commodious home. Here and there yet can be. seen some relic of pioneer life and the good old-fashioned customs. The present generation should be remindful of the privations and hardships of the men who cleared the forests and first tilled our soil, and compare their humble beginning with our present state of improvements and utilities. It is to those who marked the way in the early settlement that we are so deeply indebted for our present prosperity. PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP. Plymouth township was organized February 12, 1818, and as originally created was twelve miles long from east to west, and six miles wide from north to south. By the creation of new, counties and new 'townships, Plymouth was reduced in size to twenty-four sections—six miles from north to south and four froth east to west. This territory was surveyed by Maxfield Ludlow in 1807, but no settlement was made until several years later. The land is generally fertile, slightly rolling, and an elevation extending across the township from east to west is the "Portage" between the river and the lake. In the survey swamps and prairie land are occasionally noted, but the larger part of the township was heavily timbered. The old Wyandot trail, from the Sandusky river to Pittsburg, passed across the northeast part of the township and through the present village of 376 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY Plymouth. This trail was widened into a road by General Beall's army in1812, and it was along this road that the early settlers of the northern part of the county came when hunting homes in the West. Many of the first settlers of Blooming Grove and other northern townships had been soldiers under General Beall, who had opportunities when encamped upon the banks of the Whetstone, at Olivesburg, and at Camp Council in Blooming Grove township, and in marching along the "trail," to see the beauty and the possibilities of the country, and at the close of the war returned to the forest scenes of their military operations, entered land and became pioneer settlers, and their descendants are today influential citizens of the county. Abraham Trux was the first settler in Plymouth township. He built a cabin on the northwest quarter of section 5 in the spring of 1815. John Concklin, Daniel Kirkpatrick, Robert Green and John Long also came in 1815. John Morris, William and Daniel Prosser, Thomas McCluer, James Gardner, Michael Gipson and James Douglass carne in 1816. By 1818 there was a sufficient number of residents to organize a township. The first election was held in the spring of 1818 and resulted in the election of Abraham Trux, justice of the peace; Stephen Webber, constable; John Concklin, John Long and Thomas McCluer, trustees. A postoffice was estabfished in 1817 on the military road a few miles east of Plymouth on section 4, now in Cass township. Jacob Vanhouten was the first postmaster. The first settlers were at considerable inconvenience in getting grain ground, and had to go miles to reach a grist mill. There was not sufficient water in that section to run mills in dry seasons. Later a number of horse mills were erected. This was before steam was used as an operating power. Whatever improvements have been made in Richland county, Plymouth township has shared those improvements. Whatever advancements there have been along educational lines and in civic betterments, Plymouth is always in line and touch with her sister townships. At irregular intervals for years past reports have been made of the discovery of coal in the northern part of the county. But such discoveries never materialized. The collapse of the recent "boom" was owing to the fact, as alleged, that the shaft had been "salted." It is a legitimate part of the work of a geological survey to expose and to prevent frauds, but not to assert that any particular individual has attempted or practiced a fraud. Thin seams of carbonaceous matter or .beds of bituminous shale may be reahed by boring. Coal if discovered in Richland county would have to be found below the carboniferous conglomerate, beneath which strata it has never been found in paying quantities. The Pittsburg, Akron & Western railroad, which crosses the B. &. O. Plymouth, opened a market for the stone quarries that has been a material help to that vicinity. The Plymouth stone is of the Berea grit, the upper layers thin, the lower ones more massive and blue in color. A story of a fight in Plymouth between two Irishmen comes down in the unwritten history of pioneer times. These sons of Erin were neighbors living south of Plymouth. Upon returning from a trip to the lake they quarreled as to which side of a stump they should drive around at the corner HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY - 377 of Main and Plymouth streets. Their team was composed of a horse belonging to each; therefore, each Claimed to speak as having authority. They stopped the horses and sat. in the wagon and discussed the question, but as thev could not agree, .they. proposed to decide the case by fighting. They got out of the wagon and fought in the street. Quite a crowd collected to see the performance, and while the "mill" was in progress the team started, went around the stump on the west 'side and was then halted by one of the bystanders. The Irishmen were separated and told that the horses had decided the stump question, going around it by keeping to the right. But the Irishmen replied that, although. it was decided so far as the horses were concerned; it was still an open question between themselves, which they prooposed to decide in their' own way, and each taking a drink of whisky from a jug in the wagon, the pugilistic encounter was renewed and finally they were down in the muddy street "'wallowing in the mire." A 'squire being present, he commanded peace. in the name of the state of Ohio, and the belligerents desisted from their strenuous contest, for the Irish are always loyal to those in authority. After drinking again from the jug, they got into the wagon, avowing that they would fight it out when they got home. Going to the lake in the old time meant a trip to Portland (Sandusky) or to Huron, the market marts on the lake. Teams came in long processions from the interior of the state to the market ports of Lake Erie. That markets are now at our doors is almost a literal fact. One of the bear stories is the following: Michael Trux, Charles Bodley, Jacob Wolf, Jedadiah Moorhead, Michael Gipson, Robert Yearian and other early settlers were great hunters. Yearian made his own powder and guns, was a remarkable shot, as was also his son Frederick, who used a light rifle his father made for him. It is related of this boy, when he was about twelve years old, he was one day separated from his father while hunting, and came suddenly upon a mother bear and her two cubs, upon whom he at once made war. The ball from his rifle was, however, too small to do much execution, and the. bear turned upon him, pressing him so closely that he had neither time to reload or climb a tree, and so ran in the direction of his father. The latter, seeing him coming and the bear at his, heels, called to him to run past him, which Fred did, and as the bear passed Yearian planted one of his ounce balls in some vital part of the animal with such certainty and precision as to bring her down They then carried the cubs home for pets. Blackman's Grove, in the southwestern part of the township, where farmers' picnics were held for a number of years, was superseded by Holtz, Blooming Grove township. Monteith's, two miles south of Plymouth, has become a picnic place, where a lake has been formed on the headwaters of the Huron river. The place is now called "Huron Valley Park." A gentleman returning to Plymouth after an absence of a number of years, inquired after Andrew and. Eli Clark, G. W. Loveland, James Ralston, Benjamin Reynolds, Joseph Rickman, M. K. Seiler, S. H. Trauger, H. Westfall and others; who were prominent people in Plymouth township a 378 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY decade or two ago, and the answer to each was "dead." How each decennial period removes from the living many of those who were influential in molding the affairs of the county and in shaping its destiny a generation ago. JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP. The second settlement within the present borders of Richland county was made on the Clearfork, where Bellville now stands, and was called the McCluer settlement. James McCluer came to that locality in 1808, and was so favorably impressed with the Clearfork country that he entered land, after which he returned to Pickaway county, where he had temporarily settled, and gave such glowing accounts of the Clearfork part of the "New Purchase" that he induced his kinsmen, Samuel and Thomas McCluer, and Jonathan Oldfield to join him upon his return, and a cabin was put up, the first in that part of the county. James McCluer then returned to his family for the winter, leaving his three comrades to keep "bachelors' hall" in the cabin. They had laid in breadstuff, and they could supply themselves with meat by killing game which abounded in the forest. James McCluer brought his family to the cabin in the spring of 1809, which date is usually given as the time the first settlement was made. The founding of Bellville, its growth and history, with mentions of its people—past and present—will be given in another chapter. This sketch deals with the township and its people. The first election district, named Jefferson, was organized August 9, 1814, and was eighteen miles long and twelve miles wide, embracing six congressional townships, namely, Jefferson, Perry, Congress, North Blooming Grove, Troy and Washington. On September 3, 1816, Jefferson township as it is today, was organized with an area of six miles square and containing thirty-six sections. Jefferson township has a diversified topography. The water courses are generally from the northwest to the southeast, making a succession of ridges and valleys. The principal stream of water is the Clearfork of the Mohican which enters the township near its northwest corner and leaves it about the center along the east line. While the land of Jefferson township as a whole is fertile and productive, the soil along the clearfork is acknowledged to be as good as there is in the country, and the ridges that border the valley form a landscape picture exceeding in beauty any creation of an artist's fancy. Honey creek gathers its waters from the west-central part of the township and empties them into the Clearfork, a short distance above the old Greenwood mills at Wintergreen hill. This stream also courses through a rich valley—a country of historic associations and of restful beauty. Another stream, a branch of the Owl creek, waters the southern part of the township. Its source is up in the Bangorville region, flows to the southeast and leaves the township where the railroad enters Knox county. Deadman's run comes down from the hills of the northern part of the township and empties into the Clearfork at Bellville. Along this stream is HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY - 379 the gold region, where gold Was discovered in 1853 by Dr. James C. Lee, who had been a miner in California. Considerable gold has been taken out theere, but has never been found in paying quantities. A furious tornado swept over Jefferson in 1808, entering the township near its southwest corner and sweeping diagonally to the southeast, cutting a swath through the forest and felling every tree on Chestnut ridge. This ridge has an elevation. of 1,059 feet above the lake. Young chestnut trees grew up in time. and made the ridge a beautiful background for a landscape picture. Just south of this ridge is where Bushong killed his wife on the morning of October 4, 1840—one of the worst murders .in the criminal history of the county. Physicians testified that Bushong was a monomaniac and he went clear on the plea of insanity. John Fox was shot and killed on the evening of March 8, 1883, two miles south of Bellville, on the road leading east from the Honey creek school house and within a half mile of his own home. This crime is one of .the several murder mysteries of the county. Bangorville, although now but a small country settlement, possesses an interesting history,. and back in the "forties" had bright prospects and a promising outlook of future greatness.. The reason of its rise and decline will be given in another chapter. The Red House, one mile south of Bellville, was one of the most popular taverns on the state road in. the old stage days, and of all the places of public entertainment on the route between Columbus and the lake, none surpassed in general favor this Red House tavern. The wood fire in the bi.g fireplace in the winter not only warmed the. spacious room, but also illuminated it. The words of an Irish comic song seem to be applicable to the spirit that pervaded the place : "Now's the time for mirth and glee, Sing and laugh and dance with me." For, in addition to its patronage by the traveling public, it was a favorite place for balls and other public functions. A rival was started across the way—"Morrow's Inn"—but there, was patronage enough for both until the railroad was built through Bellville,. in 1850, and the stage and stage taverns were relegated to the past. Thackery wrote that one of the delights of stage traveling in England was the opportunity it afforded to laugh with the jolly hostess at the bar and to chuck the pretty waiter girls under the chin. 'Squire James E. Howard, sitting upon the porch of his suburban home, can look down the old race track near the Red House tavern of the long ago and recall sporting scenes of other years. It was over that track that the young man who assumed to be an unsophisticated Yankee lad won the stakes, thanked the crowd for the fun he had with them, then rode. away. Of the popular stage drivers Thomas, James and Alex Huston—three brothers -whose home was in Honey creek valley, deserves special mention. They held the ribbon's, blew the horn and cracked the whip for a number 380 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY of years, and had the Hon. Lewis Cass and other distinguished as passengers. The Rev. John Moody was a pioneer preacher of the Disciple Church. He built a grist mill at Bellville in 1831. The story of his good deeds during the period of the threatened famine has been told and retold, and should be repeated in the years to come as a memorial to him. Providence rewarded his generosity, for giving to the poor did not impoverish him, for the crops upon his farm yielded more plentiful than before. He was blessed in the giving as the poor were receiving his assistance. Captain Miller Moody. son Of the benefactor, gave his life for his country upon the bloody field of Antietam. On account of their kinship the Leedy and Garber families are often mentioned as one people: John Leedy came to Richland county from Pennsylvania in 1811, and Samuel Garber came from the same state in 1821, and married a daughter of John Leedy. The Leedys and Garbers are both numerous and prosperous. They are helpful to one another, and the maxim "live and let live" has been a rule of their lives. Their annual reunions are attended by hundreds of their friends. . The Gatton brothers, at Gattons' Rocks, have one of the largest and best fruit orchards in Ohio. Their hospitable homes are always open to their friends, and for an after dinner talk "Cy" can entertain his guests with coon and fish stories that would read like tales of fiction. The Gattons came to Richland county in 1819 and are people of property. "As rich as Gatton" is a familiar phrase and shows their financial standing as a people. John Robinson was born in Ireland, came to America, settled in Pennsylvania, then came to Ohio and settled in Jefferson township in 1815, on section 11, east of Bellville. His descendants are well-to-do farmers. The Robinsons are industrious people, whose endeavors are directed more in the line of good citizenship and home comforts than in the pursuit of fame. A half mile below Bellville there was a saw mill and a carding mill owned by John LeFevre, one of the pioneers of the township. These mills were successfully operated for marry years. Mrs. LeFevre, whose maiden name was Huston, came to Bellville with her parents in 1813, when there were but four buildings in the town and one of those a block house. She was then six year old. Mr. and Mrs. LeFevre. were. the parents of Mrs. M. M. Sheidley, of Ohio, and of J. M. LeFevre, of Garrett, Indiana, and of Samuel Le-Fevre, who lives on the old homestead. These have other brothers and sisters living, of whom mention would be made did space permit. A Mr. Cornell built a saw mill on Honey creek, a half mile east of the Old State road, in 1821, and a pottery was operated in the same vicinity for some time, but both have long since been numbered With the things of the past. These old mill seats are interesting from an historical point of view, although the generation of today know them not. The race of the old Samuel Heron mill is still discernible on the south side of Honey creek, where it crosses the New State road between John Robinson's and John Baughman's Mr. Heron afterward owned the Marshall saw mill further up the stream HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY - 381 Of the early romances of Jefferson township that of Katy Ebersole was the most pathetic. Katy's parents were honest, honorable people of high respectability and owned a large tract of land in the Owl creek valley between Fredericktown and Palmyra, and also owned a half-section in Richland just north of the Knox-Richland line, on the New State road. This Richland tract was Miss Katy's inheritance, and after the death of her parents she made her home upon her own farm a portion of her land having been cleared and a cabin built close to and upon the west side of the road, along which the stages then passed. Prior to this, however, occurred the events that constitute the first chapter of her heart history—the first act in the sad drama of her life. Varied stories of Katy's love affair and blighted hopes have been told, but the following true version is from facts furnished by Frank Caywood, who was born and reared in the Ebersole neighborhood. Katy Ebersole was engaged to be married to Taylor Willits,. an estimable young man of the same vicinity. The Willits were Quakers, and they said it would never do for a member of the Society of Friends to marry a "worldly" person, they called those who were not of their faith. Jacob Ebersole, Katy's father, also forbade the bans, saying that the Dutch and Quakers had never got along well together and never would. Katy was a girl of high character and nobility of womanhood, and one of the strong points of her nature was reverence for her father and obedience to his word. Taylor and Katy each accepted and obeyed the parental injunctions and thus their ways parted—Taylor's leading to a premature grave and Katy's to the life of recluse. Taylor Willits had not the strength and courage to sustain him in the disappointment he felt in having his cherished plans for the future thwarted and blighted, and being predisposed to consumption, went into a decline and died, pleading to the last to see his "Katy." He was buried in the Friends' cemetery, southwest of Palmyra. Katy lived on for, as we are told, "Life may long be borne, ere sorrow breaks its chain." She did not attempt to enter upon a "career," but was content to live unostentatiously and in seclusion, bearing her sorrow in silence. Her semi-hermit life extended over a period of perhaps thirty-five years—from 1840 until a short time before her death, when she was taken to the residence of a relative and was tenderly cared for until the death angel came and took her home. The student of history takes interest in studying race lines and clanish groupings, and how the peculiarities and idiosyncracies of the early settlers leave their influence and impressions upon future generations: Some of the prominent early settlers of Jefferson township were from Maine, which gave a Yankee impress to many things, especially in educational lines, upon which the people of that township have always been well advanced. The Moore, the Drew, the Howard, the Walker, the Cross, the Greeley, the Gurney, the Ordway, the Alexander, the Bean, the Whitten, the French, and the Cutting families came from Maine; Evarts and Sweet from Vermont. The Gatton, the Strong, the Armstrong, the Bell, the Mahagan, the Thrilkill, the Gibson and other families came from Maryland. The Laffertys, the 382 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY Robinsons, the Lashes, the Leedys, the Garbers, the Swanks and others from Pennsylvania. In this sketch a number of names are omitted—omitted so that the pleasure of writing about Jefferson township can be again enjoyed to mention those not given in this chapter. The early settlers of Jefferson, as well as those of other townships in the county, were men of brain and brawn. There may have been no decadence, but where are the men of this generation who could be considered favorably with such pioneers as were Major Samuel Poppleton, Major Morrow, Captain Joseph Johnson, Squire John Young, Squire Reuben Everts and others who might be named? SHARON TOWNSHIP. Sharon township was created out of Blooming Grove and was organized February 9, 1819, and in size was six miles square. In the creation of new counties there was also rearrangement of townships in the northern part of the county, and on March 2, 1847, Jackson township was organized, taking a strip six miles long and two wide off the east side of Sharon, reducing the latter to four by six miles. The land of Sharon is well adapted to agricultural purposes and the farms are well improved and the dwellings and barns give evidence of the prosperity of the farmers and of their civic taste. Sharon is watered by the Blaokfork and its tributaries. It has three railroads and one trolley line, placing the township in communication with the "whole world and the rest of mankind." History tells of a school in Cleveland when but three families resided there. This shows the interest taken in educational matters in the very early settlements of Ohio. The schools and churches of Sharon township and of Shelby town will be given the credit and mention they deserved and they deserve much in a future chapter. A small band of Indians under Johnnycake had a camp for some time about two miles southwest of Shelby. But the Indian "episodes" in this part of the county consisted of nothing fiercer than war-whoops and dances. It has well been said that the great wave of the sea of civilization has long since blotted out all external evidences of Indian occupation, except here and there the plow yet turns up some curiously shaped implement which speaks of years gone by. During the early settlement of Sharon wolves and other wild beasts, as well as game, abounded in the. forests, and travel by night was unsafe on account of them. A pioneer story is told of a fiddler who was on his way after dark to play for a dance in the neighborhood, and was "treed" upon a high fence, by a pack of wolves. So fierce were they that they would try to jump upon the fence to get hold of the fiddler, who had to sit tailor-like upon the top rail to keep out of their reach. The familiar couplet of the poet Congreve at last came to the fiddler's mind, that "Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast, To soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak." HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY - 385 And acting upon the thought, he played, as he afterward expressed it, "for dear life," and the music not only quieted the wolves, but actually seemed to charm them. The party for 'which the fiddler was going to play finally got tired of waiting and sent a committee after him, and the blazing torches of the searching party frightened the wolves away, and the fiddler was escorted in safety to the cabin where the dance was to be held, and in a short time there was "a sound of revelry by night," and the fair ladies and the brave young men of Sharon danced to the familiar strains of old-time airs. Judge Hugh Gamble was a prominent citizen of Sharon township in the pioneer period. He was born in New York state, came to Ohio in 1823 and located in Sharon township, Richland county. His father, James Gamble, and his brother, John Gamble, came a few years later. John Gamble built the first grist mill in that part of the county, and it was run by horsepower. At the cross roads, now the crossing of Main and Gamble streets, where the mills stood, a number of houses were built, and in 1828 a postoffice was established called "Gtamble's Mills," with John Gamble as postmaster. In about 1840 the name was changed from Gamble's Mills to Shelby in honor of Governor Shelby, of Kentucky. Hugh Gamble was elected a justice of the peace in 1834, and a member of the legislature in 1835 and served until 1839. He was an associate judge of the common pleas court for nine Years. He was the president of the old Richland County Agricultural Society, and was a member of the board Of directors of the Mansfield & Sandusky railroad. In whatever position Judge Gamble was placed he filled the same faithfully and well. The first settlement in the township was made where Shelby now stands in 1818, by Henry Whitney, Eli Wilson and Stephen Marvin. In addition to Gamble's, other mills were later erected. General Wilson put up a saw mill on the Blackfork. John Kerr came to Sharon in 1826 and settled on section 29, in the southeast part of the township, and a few years ater erected a grist mill and 4 saw mill. These were destroyed by fire in 1875. Joseph Coltnian erected two grist mills, which were operated for a number of years. In 1839 John Duncan erected a grist mill on the Blackfork at Shelby. It was run ten br twelve years. . The Heath mills Were erected in 1844 and, keeping up with the ithprovements of the times, is still in business. The Shelby mills, at the crossing of Main street and the Big Four tracks, has a capacity of a thousand barrels of flour per day—quite a contrast With the pioneer mills of seventy years ago. Levi Bargahiser Was an historical character. He was born in Pennsylvania, December 5, 1791. He came to Ohio when he was twelve years old and became a boy pioneer of Richland county. He lived with Martin. Ruffner, near Mifflin, and was taken prisoner by the Indians, after Ruffner and the Telmer family had been killed, September, 1812. . Mr. Bargahiser entered the southeast quarter of section 6, Sharon township, in 1815, where he lived until his death, December 26, 1868. Samuel M. Rockwell, who was born in Norwalk, Connecticut, December 2, 1811, and came to Sharon township in 1815, took a commendable interest 386 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY in history and published a number of historical sketches, and to these he had intended to add others with the intention of having the same published in book form, but death cut short his labors. Each year it becomes more difficult to gather data of the past history of the county. John F. Rice was the last survivor of Commodore Perry's battle on Lake Erie, September 10, 1813, known in history as Perry's Victory. Mr. Rice died March 8, 1880, aged ninety years, five months and seventeen days. Mr. Rice owned a farm of fifty acres, being a part of the southwest quarter of section 28 of Jackson township, but the last few years of his life were passed in Shelby at the home of his foster daughter, where he died. His funeral was an historical one. The flag on the dome of the state house at Columbus was at half-mast, as were the flags from the custom houses at Cleveland and Sandusky. These honors were accorded him on account of the distinction of having been the last survivor of the valiant band who fought under the gallant Perry. The soldier is the unit of the army, but when numbers are massed together people generally look more to the aggregate than to the individual soldier. But these individuals make companies, companies make regiments regiments make brigades, brigades make divisions, divisions make corps and corps make the army. But no matter how large an army may be, the individual soldier is the unit, and to him as such we are under obligations for the services rendered and the battles won. Then, too, people may be inclined to estimate the importance of a battle by the number of troops engaged in the same. History shows that a battle may be far reaching in its results, though but a small number be engaged. The combined Continental army at the siege of Yorktown numbered only sixteen thousand men, yet this force compelled the surrender of Lord Cornwallis and secured the independence of the American colonies. General Jackson won his victory over the British at New Orleans with eight thousand men, and this victory ended the War of 1812. General Scott entered the City of Mexico with an army of less than eleven thousand and triumphantly terminated the Mexican war. But in Vter years wars have been conducted upon. more gigantic scales, and the larger the army the more people are liable to lose sight of the unit—the individual soldier. TROY TOWNSHIP. Troy township was organized September 5, 1814. Prior to this date this territory was included in Jefferson township. At its organization Troy was eighteen miles in length from east to west and six miles from north to south. This area included all of Washington and North Bloomfield townships. In March, 1816, Washington township was created, leaving Troy six by twelve miles in extent. March 4, 1823, the size of Troy was again reduced by the creation of North Bloomfield on the west, leaving Troy six miles square. Morrow county was created in 1848, which took thirteen sections from Troy, leaving the township irregular in form, there being a pan-handle at the northwest corner and a jog at the southwest corner. The first permanent settlement in Troy was made in the winter of HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY - 387 1811-12. The first land entered in the township was the west half of section 12, by William Gass, in 1811. The next was the southwest quarter of section 11, by Francis Mitchell. Government land then sold at $2 an acre. In the spring of 1812 Amariah Watson located there with his family, having previously entered the north half of section 24. Elisha Robins and family also came in 1812. Others soon joined the little colony, among the number being Calvin Culver, Wesley Sprat, William and Daniel Cook, Samuel McCluer, Ezekial Boggs, Alexander Abernathy, Noah. Cook, A. J. and Henry Winterstein, Thomas Scott and others. The first election in Troy. township was held October 4, 1814, and resulted in the election of Amariah Watson, clerk; C. Culver, constable; John Young, Jacob Mitchell and Solomon Culver, trustees. The second election was held April 3, 1815, at which Daniel Mitchell was elected clerk; Salomon Culver, John Young and Jacob Mitchell, trustees; John Vandorn, constable; Ichabod Clark and Andrew Perkins, fence viewers; Samuel Watson, appraiser ; Jacob Cook, lister; Amariah Watson and Samuel McCluer, overseers of the poor; Aaron Young, William Gass; Alexander Mann and Amariah Watson, supervisors. The treasurer gave a bond of $400, with Amariah Watson as security. From this humble beginning Troy has advanced with her sister townships. And while no cities have grown up within her borders, the. people have prospered. The greater number of Troy township farms are fertile. and productive in soil, and in appearance from landscape views both pleasing and beautiful. Judge William Gass, who settled in Troy township in 1812, was the father of the late Colonel Isaac Gass, and Samuel Davis, who settled on the northeast quarter of section 11 in 1825, was the father of the Hon. Henry P. Davis, of Mansfield. Grist and saw mills were erected on the Clearfork in 1812-14, and contributed largely to the business of the new settlement, and stores of general merchandise were opened at Lexington by William Darnell and J. F. Adams. Each succeeding year brought new settlers, and in time all the land in Troy had been entered, and town and township grew apace with the other sections of this part of north central Ohio. In the religious field the Rev, Henry George was the first minister in Troy, and he did an itinerant work, preaching in different places. He was a stone mason and worked at his trade during the week. Pioneer preachers were worthy and useful members of those early settlements. They seldom received any salary from. their congregations, but; nevertheless, they carried the "Banner of the Cross" along the borders of the wilderness, notwithstanding the dangers that beset them. Some of them may have been faulty in their English and may occasionally have said "had went," as was said in a fashionable Ohio pulpit during the year last past. In 1816 the Rev. George Van Eman, a Presbyterian minister, began preaching at Lexington, and the first church building was erected by that denomination in about 1831. Several denominations soon had organized societies in Troy, among the number being the Old School, the New School and the United Presbyterians; 388 - HISTORY OF :RICHLAND COUNTY the Baptist, the United Brethren, the Universalists and the Methodists. The township, outside of Lexington, had its churches also. A United Presbyterian Church was built a mile and a half northwest of Lexington and was called "Troy church." A mile north of Troy the Methodists had a church called "Fairview." Each is now numbered among the "has beens." The Congregational Church at Lexington was organized as a New School Presbyterian society in. 1844 by the Rev. James B. Walker, who later served as pastor of the Congregational Church at Mansfield. The Rev. Mr. Walker was a writer of note of both prose and poetry. His "Philosophy of the Plan of Salvation" and other works treating of nature and revealed religion were republished abroad in several languages. "The Angel Whisper" and other poems gave him a high place as a poet. While Mr. Walker was successful as a minister and parishioners may feel. pride in having a pastor who has literary ability, whatever fame a minister may win in that line is usually attained at the expense of his ministerial vocation. But few men are endowed with the two-fold ability of succeeding in the ministry or in the law and also in literature. The Rev. Mr. Walker Was an exception to this rule. The Rev. James Johnson, who was pastor of the United Presbyterian Church in Mansfield from 1821 to 1852, also preached for several years for the Troy congregation. The Rev. Mr. Johnson was a remarkable man, being of fine presence and address, an indefatigable worker and an eloquent speaker. He died in 1858. Noah Cook, who came to Troy township in 1814 and died in 1834, did much in those intervening twenty years to promote religious interests. Upon one occasion when he held service in a country school house, no one came to to attend the meeting, but he did not permit that to disconcert him. Apasser-by heard him singing and stopped to listen. Mr. Cook then read an prayed and preached as though the benches were auditors with ear to hear and souls to save. The report of this meeting was noised about with tthe result of good congregations at subsequent services. Noah Cook was a soldier in the War of the Revolution. He was also a soldier in Colonel Crawford's ill-fated expedition, and encamped at the big spring, where Mansfield now stands, in 1782. In the grand galaxy of ministers for which Troy has been noted, the Rev. Orville L. Cook, of the present day, must not be omitted. The Rev. Mr. Cook is the son of Carter L. Cook and a descendant of Pioneer Noah Cook. He is a young man of fine ability, 'who by his distinctive individuality, earnest work and eloquent words has won a success in the ministry that few men ever reach. For several years he was the pastor of the Christian Church at Lexington. In pioneer times religious services were frequently held in the log cabin homes of the settlers. At one of these cabin meetings an amusing incident occurred, for amusing things do sometimes take place even at devout religious services, and as the incident referred to was followed by good results, its narrative is permissible. Although it is vouched for by an old resident as having occurred in these parts, it flavors somewhat of a Wilson Lee story, the HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY - 389 prineipal change being in the venue. The children of the family in whose home the meeting was held had a pet lamb that had been taught to "butt." The children would make motions at it with their heads and the lamb would dart forward at them and then they would jump aside to avoid being hit. Upon this occasion a man came to the meeting in a somnific state of intoxication. He quietly took a seat near the door and was soon asleep. The pet lamb was in the house and, seeing the man nod, mistook the motion as a challenge for a butting contest and butted the sleeper over on the floor, to the consternation as well as the amusement of the audience. That was the last time the man was intoxicated,. and some time after the incident he united wth the church and became one of its most useful members. The residents of Troy township have always had faith in their country and contributed to its advancements and its achievements. With pardonable pride they say, "We are Trojans.," Thebes and Babylon passed into oblivion because they had no poet to- sing their praise and no writer to record their history. But the history of Troy township and the valor and gallantry of her sons, and the grace, beauty and.. accomplishments of her daughters have been graphically portrayed and faithfully sketched by Correspondent Moore, whose versatile pen kept the readers of the Mansfield News fully informed of people and events in that vicinity for a long time. is now dead. In the list of interesting localities in Troy township, King's Corners has an important place. In the years that are past Squire Jacob King was an influential and prominent resident of that locality, and the "Corners" were named in his honor. He was the father of J. J. King, of Mansfield. 'Squire King built a saw mill on the branch of the Clearfork that runs 'a short distance south of the corners. This mill was a valuable industry in its time and was operated for a number of years. James Summers, who was county recorder in 1844-47, built a large brick residence upon his farm at the Corners. This house was one of the largest and best of its kind in the county at the time it was built. Since Recorder Summers' time the house has been .owned by the Maxwells for two generstions. It is now the residence of D. C. Maxwell. John W. Needham, father of Jerry Needham, settled near the locality known as the "jog," over sixty years ago. Troy township was a favorite hunting ground for the Indians and later for the pioneers. But the bears and the deer have gone and only the smaller fame remain. Among the latter the raccoons still hold a place, but their number is limited. The raccoon is a carniverous mammal, somewhat larger than the fox, and originally inhabited most parts of the American continent and abounded particularly in this part of Ohio. The animal lodges in hollow trees, feeds occasionally on .vegetables, and its flesh is palatable and its fur is deemed valuable next to that of the beaver. A sketch of coon hunting in the past, before Cy Gatton introduced modern methods, may be of interest to the reader. In the old-time way of coon hunting a trained dog was indispensable. In the selection of a dog for the sport it was not thought best to choose a 390 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY hound, as its persistence in "giving tongue" warns the raccoon of his danger, and gives that crafty little animal ample time to seek safety in the hollow of some high tree, the size and value of which would prevent the hunter from cutting it down. A good coon dog will not follow the trail of a rabbit when hunting the coon ; but many a dog about whose ancestry there clusters much uncertainty, develops into a remarkable "coon dog." Some of these dogs are very keen scented and will follow the trail of a raccoon over the ground where the scent of rabbits and other animals is encountered every few yards. A well-trained dog of the old days would take large circles and skirt along the edge of the woods that bordered on the cornfields, never giving tongue until their approach to the coon was so close that it would try to escape by climbing the nearest tree, and then the frantic barking of the dog would proclaim to the hunter that the "game was up"—up a tree. If the tree was small, so much the better; the animal was either shaken off, the tree, and the dog given an opportunity of testing his metal, or else the coon was shot, and the dog allowed to be in at the finish. It often happened that the tree was large, and then the scientific part of coon hunting was brought into play. This was called "shining the coon," which was done by placing a lantern upon the head of one of the hunters, who would walk around the tree until the reflection of the light located the game. The coon is a tricky animal, especially if he be an old timer ; he would take to rail fences across streams, run along the bottom of shallow streams and jump long distances. The time for coon hunting was in October, when they would visit cornfields for food at night. A coon pelt was worth from one dollar to one dollar and fifty cents in the market. Sometimes a dog would blunder upon one of those little animals that have large, bushy, black tails and a white stripe down the back, when the odor that filled the night air and enveloped the dog, convinced the canine that he was in the vicinity of a different kind of game. Al Moore, for many years the Lexington correspondent of the Mansfield Daily News, in one of his communications to that paper referred as follows to the famous snake of that neighborhood and to the snake deed: "The existence of the monster reptile, which inspired people here with so much terror in the dim and distant past, had almost faded from the memory of those yet living here who were cognizant of the fabulous tales told about the reptile. But A. J. Baughman's reference. to the famous snake deed of Allen B. Beverstock, deceased, in his interesting article in the News, brought vividly to their memory the fear and excitement that long prevailed about the reptile. It lurked in the dismal swamp near the town and it would emerge from the swamp and pursue its sinuous course through the meadows and public highway. Its size and appearance were variously described according to the intensity of the fear and elasticity of the imagination of those who claimed to have seen it and heard its loud hissing and bellowing. Its length was variously estimated at from ten to fifteen feet, and some described it as having huge, blazing eyes, a forked tongue and several tails. Its body was mottled with black, green and yellow, and on its back way a row of sharp spines. It has been seen entwined along fences and about trees and it moved over the ground fleet as a man. It is said to have gorged itself with sheep HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY - 391 and hogs and squads of men with guns would grope cautiously about to kill the reptile. The most sensible people gave credence to the wild tales of narrow escapes made from thr reptile and they avoided its haunts lest it strangle threm in its slimy coils and swallow them and their fate would ever remain s mystery to their sorrowing. friends." ALTA. Alta lies southwest of Mansfield four miles from the city, by rail. It is a siding and coaling station on the B. & 0. and is the highest point on that road between the Alleghany mountains and Chicago, having an elevation of over 700 feet above Lake Erie. Alta is on the "divide." Here the Toby branch of the Rocky Fork has its source, and on the south rise the waters of the Lexington branch of the Clearfork of the Mohican. While Alta station has but little importance 'aside from its railroad connections, a stretch of Altanian country extends to the southwest, beautiful and fertile, arid abounding in family associations and replete in local histories. This Altaic country has a rolling surface of pleasing aspect and the sky seema to reach down at the horizon and kiss the rim of ridges that nearly encircle the plateau-like valley. SHELBY SETTLEMENT. Bethlehem, or the Shelby Settlement, is situate about two miles southwest of Vernon Junction. The locality is often called the "German Settlement." as the majority of the residents are Germans, or of German descent. At this settlement the Rev. J. M.. Henni organized a parish of the Roman Catholic communion in 1823. The church is called the "Sacred Heart of Jesus." Father Henni later became archbishop of Milwaukee. Not only in Richiand county, but all over the American continent, the Catholic Church has been fully abreast of other. religious bodies in missionary, educational and charitable work. The first members of the settlement parish were Matthias Ulmcheider, Joseph Kurtzman, Joseph Wensinger, Heinrich Dollinger, John Ritschlin, Theobald Singer, Carl .Sutter, Mr. Heitsman, Mr. Richerd, Sebastian Scheibley, Gottleib Schuble, John Brodmann, Joseph Miller, Morris Keller, Mr. Ebner, Mr. Hinsky, Frederick Christian, Nicholas Bieglin and John Bomgardner. Forty acres of land where the church stands was entered and deeded to the trustees and their successors. A part of this tract was subsequently sold. The land still owned by the parish is in use for the parochial buildings and cemetery. At his first visit (1823) Father Henni found sixteen Catholic families in the "Settlement." The excellent land and the prospect of having a church built, induced others to locate there, and when Father Henni made his second visit, a year or two later, the number of families had increased to thirty. For several years services were held in the log cabins of the settlers by visiting priests. In 1836 a log church was built, which served its purpose until 1852, 392 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY when it was supplanted by a brick building, forty by eighty feet, which was then one of the best of its kind in the county. The Rev. F. A. Schreiber, now. of St. Peter's, Mansfield; was the pastor at the "Settlement" from 1890 to 1898, and during his pastorate there the long cherished project of building a new church in keeping with the growth of the parish was begun under Father Schreiber's direction. The corner stone was laid by Horstmann on May 29, 1892, and the same prelate dedicated the splendid church on September 15, 1895. The occasion was a day of supreme joy for Father Schreiber, whose able management of the building affairs was seconded by the generosity of his devoted parishioners. The new church: has a length of one hundred and forty-eight feet and a width of forty-eight feet, is of Berea cut stone, of Gothic architecture, and is doubtless the finest country church in the Cleveland diocese. Among the generous donors, Simon Metzer, Sr., and the late Elizabeth Brotmann should hare special mention. The Rev. Father Kuebler is now pastor of the Settlement parish. GATTON'S ROCKS. "Upon the comely wooded mount I stand, Where erst of old the simple huntsman stood I see about me far and wide expand The scenes of hill and valley, field and wood." Cowper wished for a lodge in a wilderness, and a number of Mansfield families, sharing with the poet this desire for seclusion, have cottages at Gatton's Rocks, about half-way between Bellville and Birder, where they spend a considerable part of their time during the summer months. The location is an admirable one and combines the practical with the romantic. Several of the cottages are of rustic exterior, but within all are modernly furnished and equipped. They stand in a row on the top of the knoll, with a street or promenade between them and the brow of the cliff, which is almost perpendicular in its declivity to river ninety-six feet below. Back of the buildings is a road or driveway, extending down with gentle slope to Gatton's ford, above which a suspension bridge one hundred and eighty-five feet in length spans the river. The elevation upon which the cottages stand is a detached oblong bluff on the north side of which is the precipitate declivity to the river already mentioned; on the south side the slope is more gradual, terminating in a valley coursed by a smaller stream. The bluff is covered with primitive forest trees - oak, hemlock and other varieties—affording ample shade and romantic seclusion. The Clearfork at the suspension bridge is one hundred and twelve feet wide and about four feet deep; ample volume for boating and fishing. Bass and carp abound in the stream. Across the river from the Rocks is a beautiful valley or plain containing perhaps two thousand acres and extending from Bellville to Butler, and is one of the most fertile in Ohio. , And the people of that valley are descendants of old-time families and bear honored names. Before the settlement of Richland county by white people, this Clearfolk HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY - 395 valley was a favorite hunting ground.. of the Indians, who had annual outings there, as our people have now. The valley was so noted for its game that long after the evacuation of Greentown, squads of Delaware Indians would re-visit this locality for their annual hunt. The last of their annual feasts was attended by John Grafton, Sr.., and Joe Haynes, his kinsman and hired man. Tom Lyons, "old leather lip," who had taken a bloody part in Wyoming massacre, was there, drunk and loquacious. He boasted that he had ninety-nine scalps on his belt, and that he wanted one more to make an even hundred. He stated that it was he who had killed Isaac Mericles, who had been murdered. a short. time before at Willow Bend, and whose murderer up to that time had not been known. This admission enraged young Haynes, who publicly vowed to avenge his uncle's death. This rash avowal made a tumult in the camp and tomahawks flashed in the camp-light. Gatton prevailed on Haynes to withdraw to avoid bloodshed and they left the camp. A few days later Tom .Lyons and Joe Haynes disappeared. But the purpose of this reference to the affair is not to give or repeat stories and theories of their fate, but to simply show that the locality has a. history dating back into the past, Again the summer holds the hills and valleys in garbs of green. Her cloud-fleets sail through the azure sky as gracefully as they did fifty years ago when the writer—then a Bellville boy—angled in the stream at Gatton's Rocks and hunted wintergreen on the bluff where the Mansfield cottages now stand. Fifty years! What events have taken place in. that half-century! What a terrible struggle our country passed through to preserve our national unity! The thousands and tens of thousands of graves that have grown green this spring-time tell of the Civil War,' of the soldiers who fought and died for "one country and one flag." Monuments and headstones in Beulah cemetery at Bellville and elsewhere show where soldiers rest whose earthly warfare is over. But nature, as if she took no part in earthly wars or in human sorrow ; as if it were her's to lift humanity to the consciousness of immortality in herseif renewed wears today all youthful verdure of her May days of fifty years ago. The fleecy. clouds sail through the air as of old and encircling hills cover their brows with veils of tender green; the hemlocks distill their frankincense and the deciduous trees flutter their leaves as new and unsullied as they did. in the years that are gone. "When life is like th.e shadows, swift and faint, That dim the valley and are seen no more; Eternal hills are here, the rocks and stream Themselves survive the race that pass as in a dream." Barring sentimental retrospection, those fifty years have brought forth inventions and improvements that are today the servants of men. The Baltimore & Ohio railroad courses through the valley and it is an interesting moving-picture to see long trains of cars wind around graceful curves as they speed over the rails, but the road is a utility as well, for four passenger trains stop daily at the Gatton's Rocks station for the convenience of the public. The telephone companies have, strung wires to the cottages. In addition to the 396 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY railroad, telephone, free mail delivery and other utilities and facilities, grocery and meat wagons make daily trips from Bellville to the rocks, and milk, butter and fruits are produced and grown in the neighborhood. There are more than a dozen springs of good water on the Gatton farm, but the cottages have a well ninety feet. deep, cut through solid rock, from which they get cool, water, pure and soft. Surely, Gatton's Rocks, both in location and environment, is all that could be desired as a summer resort. The view from the camp is entrancing. In the distance hill tops notch the horizon and lift their green crowns through the clear, soft atmosphere of these summer days into the azure sky. "I leave the place, it closes on my view. Back to the busy world I go; fair camp, adieu." SHENANDOAH. Shenandoah is in the southeast part of Blooming Grove township, and was laid out in June, 1844, by William and George Altorfer, of Virginia, and was named after the far-famed valley of their native state. The land upon which Shenandoah was platted is the southeast quarter of section 24, and had previously been owned by Robert Cummings, and was sold by him to the Altorfers. The first house erected upon the town site was a hewed, log building, and was used as a hotel for a number of years, and of which Standard Cline was at one time the landlord. Jacob Bushey erected the second house and John Valentine the third. Bushey and Cline were shoemakers. John Niman opened a blacksmith shop, and William Hisey a pottery. John Sanker a wagon shop and conducted the business for years. Edward Hall had a store of general merchandise and was the first postmaster. The most important industry in the. village was McClain's rake and handle factory which was successfully operated for a number of years. Andrew J. Beelman engaged in carriage building, but in latter years, after factory-made vehicles were shipped over .the country and crowded hand-made work out of the market, Mr. Beaman devoted his time more to repairing the machine-made vehicles than to building new ones. When Shenandoah was at its best, the village contained from twenty to thirty families. The number is now, perhaps, less, but the town has not the appearance of being in a state of decadence. A number of the buildings are new, and all are kept painted and in repair. Two church buildings sit upon the south side of the village in neighborly-like propinquity, and here, too, the civic taste for which Shenandoah is noted has touched with its magic wand both buildings and grounds. The founders of Shenandoah had no expectations of their town ever being a great city. They simply platted a village site and were content to let it take its chances in the prorenata of the future. And although the town never became great in population in a numerical way, the majority of the olden-time residents—as well as those of today—may be referred to with more local pride, for their influence and usefulness can not be pent up within municipal lines. HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY - 397 Benjamin Morris, a Pennsylvanian, settled in Butler township, a half mile east of Shenandoah; in:1846. Mr. Morris was a prosperous, influential man in his day, and was a county commissioner in the '50s. The Rev. B. F. Morris, a son of the late Benjamin Morris, is a minister of the Christian church. and is chaplain of the Sherman brigade organization. He served in McLaughlin squadron of cavalry and was wounded in the service. David and Michael Miller owned farms and resided upon opposite sides of the road just west of Shenandoah. They have gone from the earthly life. Shenandoah is on the historical Beall's trail—the road cut :through the north part of Richland county by General Beall's army in the fall of 1812. The first halt of Beall's army within the present limits of Richland county was on the Whetstone, where Olivesburg now stands, and the camp was called "Camp Whetstone." For the purpose of getting better spring water and of being nearer the Huron trail, the army broke camp on the Whetstone and went about five miles west and founded "Camp Council." The location of this camp is a .mile west of Shenandoah and Rome. Here is the famed Ferguson spring, the water of which is healthful and the output sufficient for a much larger army than the' one commanded by General Beall. Here, too, is Camp Council run, whose volume of water was then sufficient for, and afterwards used as power to operate mills. A half mile south is the Blackfork of the Mohican, thus affording the troops all the water facilities needed even by an army of occupation. Winter get in early in the fall of 1812, and the soldiers at Camp Council, not being properly clothed, suffered severely with the cold. Prior to the halt on the Whetstone, General Beall's army camped for short time at Hayesville, then 'called Hayes' Cross Roads, and while there an amusing incident occurred. On a dark, rainy night the soldiers were awakened by the firing of pickets at one-of the outposts, and, in obedience to the command to "fall in," the soldiers soon formed into line to meet the foe, as it was supposed the Indians were coming to attack the camp. The pickets reported that the enemy' was advancing in solid columns and the ground seemed to tremble with the tread of the foes. It was the army's first experience in war's alarms, but the troops acted as veterans and as bravely opened fire upon their unseen enemy. The musketry firing, the charging of cavalry combined to make the night awfully grand with the pomp and reality of war. Soon, however, the tramping and bellowing of stampeding cattle explained the "attack"that the stock had broken out of the corral, and advancing toward the camp had been mistaken by the pickets for Indians. The incident, however, showed the vigilance of the sentinels and the bravery of the troops, and that the army was ever ready to meet surprises, midnight attacks and other emergencies. General Beall had previously served as an officer under General Harmar, in the campaign against the Indians in 1790, and possessed many of the characteristics of a commander, as was shown in leading his troops successfully through the wilderness in this 1812 campaign against both a savage and an invading foe. 398 - HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY This cattle stampede at Hayesville has been likened in its humorous aspect to the "Battle of the Kegs," in the war of the Revolution, and which was made the subject of a mock heroic poem, by Francis Hopkinson, from which the following lines are taken : 'Twas early day, as the poets say, Just when the sun was rising, A soldier stood on a log of wood And saw a thing surprising. As in amaze he stood to gaze, The truth can't be denied, sir; He spied a score of kegs or more Come floating down the tide, sir. The British supposed that each keg contained a Colonial soldier, who was coming to destroy, in some inexplicable manner, the shipping at Philadelphia. EAST CRESTLINE. East Crestline is in Sandusky township and, while it can hardly be classed as a town by itself, being only the east part of Crestline proper, it is a part of Richland county, and, therefore, deserves a place upon the pages of its history. In fact, the entire plat of Crestline was in Richland before a four-mile strip was taken off its west side and given to Crawford county. Therefore this chapter may treat of that territory as though it were still a part and parcel of "Old Richland," with which it is so closely allied in history. The Sandusky river has its source about two miles north of Ontario, and, in its northwest course to Lake Erie, passes through a country which was so thickly timbered and abundant in game that the pioneers were at first reluctant to undertake the hard, difficult task of clearing the land and despoiling such prolific hunting grounds. But, in the westward march of civilization, even this thickly-wooded tract on the upper waters of the Sandusky had to be supplanted in part by an enterprising town through which trunk lines of railroads pass, whose trains carry much of the interstate traffic of the north. The Cleveland, Columbus & Cincinnati railroad—now known as the Big Four—was chartered in 1836, but its construction was delayed for a number of years. Even after the work was begun it progressed so slowly that the road was not opened to traffic until 1851. There Was no town at that time between Shelby and Galion—a distance of thirteen miles. For the convenience of the people it was thought there should be a station between these towns, and the crossing of the Leesville road was selected as the proper place for its location. The station was established and called Vernon. Its location was where Main street crosses the Big Four, which is nearly a half-mile north of the present station or junction of the Big Four and the Pennsylvania lines. Soon after the erection of the station a town was founded there called Livingston, after its founder—Rensselaer Livingston. Rensselaer Livingston settled in 1800 near the county line, where he HISTORY RiCHLAND COUNTY - 399 built a tine residence which is in fair condition today. Livingston was of the noted Livingston family of New York. Being wealthy, educated and cultured. Livingston and his family were the aristocrats of that neighborhood. Mr. Livingston. died in 1852. A postoffice called Livingston was opened, with Mr. Livingston as postmaster. He resigned soon after his appointment and was succeeded by Thomas Hall, whose brother, A. Hall, is still a resident of the place. But Livingston as a town had but a brief existence, for within a few years it became a suburb of Crestline, and finally lost its identity and became absorbed by its former rival. The Pennsylvania road then called the Ohio & Pennsylvania—did not cross the 3Cs where the station had been established, but for reasons not necessary to be given in this chapter, the line was changed and located south of the original survey, leaving Livingston north of the crossing. This change gave an opening for another town to be founded, which was doubtless the intention of the men who made the change from the first survey. The farm of Harvey Aschbaugh had been purchased by a party consisting of Judge Thomas W. Bartley, John and Joseph Larwill and Jesse R. Stranghan, and through this land the new line was run and upon it the town of Crestline was founded. Mr. Stranghan was the chief engineer of the Pennsylvania road. The land was then supposed to be on the crest of the "divide," and the town waar named Crestline. In 1845 Wyandot county was created largely from the west part of Crawford county, wand, to compensate Crawford for the territory taken from it, a part of Richland—four miles wide and nineteen miles long—was given to Crawford. This four-mile strip extends in width from Crestline to Leesville, a portion of country fraught with historic events. It was in this strip, ceded from old Richland to Crawford county, that Colonel Crawford was captured by the Indians, as shown from the following abridgment from Dr. Knight's journal. Leaving Spring Mills on the morning of June 2 (1782), Crawford's army reached the Leesville locality about noon, where a halt was made for an hour; then followed the Sandusky river for some distance and encamped for the night near the eastern edge of the plains. Omitting :the events Which transpired—the marches, the battles and disasters that resulted within the three days, the 3d and 7th—the army in disorder retreated after the battle of Olentangy, reached the Sandusky on Friday evening, June 7, and encamped for the night at the place where it had halted upon its outward march, six days before. The pursuing enemy encamped within. two miles of Colonel Crawford's army. The retreat and pursuit were continued the next day, and Colonel Crawford, Dr. Knight and two others were captured about a mile west of Leesville. Therefore, the capture of Colonel Crawford was made within the original borders of Richland county. On August 3, 1877, the Pioneer Association of Wyandot county erected a marble shaft to the memory of Colonel Crawford. It is situated as near the site of his torture and death as could be determined by Dr. Knight's