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LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA.
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211t G765 B9
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THE
HISTORY OF GRANVILLE
LICKING COUNTY, OHIO
WRITTEN BY
REV. HENRY BUSHNELL, A. M.
11
PUBLISHED BY A COMPANY FORMED FOR THE PURPOSE
.
A.
P
A
M
A
COLUMBUS, O. PRESS OF HANN & ADAIR 1889
F499 .G7B8
PREFACE.
T HIS History of Granville was undertaken nine years ago at the suggestion of one of Granville's absent
sons. In gathering materials, the fact came to light that Mr. Charles W. Bryant was engaged in similar work. Each was urged by the other to make common stock of what had already been obtained and go on with the work. It was finally arranged that Mr. Bryant would take the genealogies and family histories, and the subscriber the annals; the whole to be combined for publication. The annals were ready in 1880, closing with the Seventy-fifth Anniversary. But the other part called for large correspondence and delay. In 1885, Mr. Bryant died ; no part of his work, so far as can be found, being ready for the press. There was so much call for the annals that a company was formed to publish them. The record has been brought down to the present time in an added chapter. It was thought best to leave the pages already written, unchanged. Hence all references to the present, names of streets (since changed), etc., remain as in 1880. In the course of the annals the orthography of some names will be found to change, but this conformns to the usage of the families, and need not lead to any mistake. Some incidents recorded may to some appear trifling, but they have been preserved, not always for their intrinsic
235139
value, but because they might hint to the memory a picture of the olden times, or awaken pleasant recollections by suggestion. Nothing has been deemed unimportant that helped in that service. The cut of the University was loaned to us for this use. The rest are made by Smith, of Columbus; those that appear in the additional record, are from photographs by Carpenter, of Granville; the other buildings, reproduced from memory or description, maps and outlines are from original drawings. The writer would gratefully make his acknowledgments for materials used, to the family of Dr. Little, to C. W. Bryant, Hon. Isaac Smucker, the various authors of pioneer papers in his pos- session, and to the few who were remaining of the pioneers, particularly Deacon T. M. Rose, Col. D. M. Baker, and Mr. L. E. Bancroft; and regrets to have been alone responsible, except where credit is given, for the selection of matter, arrangement, drawings, style of book, and business contracts. He will be thankful to receive any correction of mis-state- ments, or any important additional information ; and may at any time be addressed at Westerville, Ohio.
August, 1889.
H. BUSHNELL.
CONTENTS.
Page
I. Ab Origine, 9
II. Ohio in 1805, 15
III. The First Low Plash, 20
IV. The Scioto Land Co.,. 24
V. The Location, 28
VI. The Licking Land Co.,. 31
VII. Preparations,. 34
VIII. By the Way,. 40
IX. The Symmetrical Location, 45
X. The First Week, 50
XI. Business, . 55
XII. Early Experiences,
62
XIII. Annals, 1806,. 73
XIV. Annals, 1807,.
77
XV. Annals, 1808, 83
XVI. Annals, 1809-II, 89
XVII. The War of 1812, 97
XVIII. Annals, 1812-15, 103
XIX. Annals, 1816, 109
XX. Annals, 1817-20, II5
XXI. Annals, 1821-22, I22
XXII. Annals, 1823-26, I26
XXIII. Annals, 1827, I3I
XXIV. Annals, 1828-30, I35
XXV. Annals, 1831-33, 140 XXVI. Annals, 1834, 149
XXVII. Annals, 1835-39, 155
vi
CONTENTS.
Page
XXVIII. Annals, 1840-50, 160
XXIX. Annals, 1851-55, 169
XXX. Annals, 1856-79, 177
XXXI. The Seventy-fifth Anniversary,
19I
XXXII. Rev. Timothy Harris, . 198
XXXIII. Rev. Ahab Jinks, 201
XXXIV. Rev. Jacob Little, D. D., 204
XXXV. Plan of Union Church, 210
XXXVI. Granville Baptist Church, 217
XXXVII. Methodist Episcopal Church, 222
XXXVIII. St. Luke's Protestant Episcopal Church, . 226 XXXIX. Welsh Churches of Granville, 229
XL. Denison University (Granville College, etc.) 236
XLI. Granville Academy (Male and Female) . 245 XLII. Granville Female Seminary (Baptist and Episcopal) 253
XLIII. Our Professional Record, 256
XLIV. Our Industrial Enterprises, . 273
XLV. Our Commercial Enterprises, 285
XLVI. The Anti-Slavery Excitement, 297
XLVII. Our Criminal Record, 310
XLVIII. Fatal Accidents, 316
XLIX. War of the Rebellion, 326 L. Olla Podrida, 332
LI. The F. F. G's., 341
Additional Record, 346
INDEX.
Page
Ab Origine.
9
Aboriginal Works
10
Academy, The Frame.
146, 247
Academy, The Brick.
118
Accidental Shooting
99
Accidents, Fatal
316
Additional Record.
346
Addition's to the Town
185, 347
Advance Companies.
35
Agreement, The Preliminary.
25
Alexandrian Society (Library and Bank) ..
75,107,285
Anniversary, The Seventy-fifth
191
Anticipations Not Realized. 28
Anti-Slavery Excitement 297
Arrivals, The First.
40
Atlantic & Erie Railway
184, 185
Bands of Music.
84,98, 128
Banking
285
Bank of Granville, Alexandrian 107
Battle of Snowballs.
167
Bear Hunt, The Last
129
Bell, Baptist
159, 187
Bell, Congregational
138, 165
Bidding Against Land Sharks .. 81
Bidding for Lots.
58
Bill of Fare, The Early 69
Birth, The First in Town, Etc. 72
Bold Subaltern, A.
99
Bricks, The First Made
89
Buckeye Minstrels
164
Burglaries
310
Burlington Cyclone 127
Burying the Newark Advocate. 124
Business (Colony) Resumed 55
Business Improved by Canal
146
By the Way
40
Cabin, The First,.
52
California Adventurers 166, 168
Camp Fire, 1800. 20
Canal Contracts
133
Cavalry Company, 1812
101
Cemeteries
177, 339
Census Returns, 1880
197
Page
Central Normal and Business College
368
Abduction of George H. Tight
185
Cheese, Large ...
283
Church, Baptist.
217, 355
The Emigrant .. 37
Episcopal. 131, 226
Methodist ..
222, 352
Plan of, Union
132, 210
Presbyterian
350
66
Welsh Baptist.
229
Congregational. 234
Methodist
232
Circular Hunt, The.
126
Coaches of Niel, More & Co.
133
Commercial Enterprises
285
Committee of Exploration
26
Committee of Safety
187
Company, Maj. Case's Rescuing
103
Conference of Churches
211
Constitution of Licking Co
31"
Contractors on Canal.
133
Conveniences, Pioneer
71
Conveyance of Company's Purchase.
29
Costumes, Pioneer:
94
Criminal Record.
310
Cut-off, The
189
Dam of Brush.
36
Sycamore Logs. 36
The Aboriginal. 12
The Third
81
Death, The First in the Colony.
75
The First in the Township 22
66
The Second in the Township
23
The First on Welsh Hills
231
Deed, The Partition.
61
Denison University
240, 358
Dentists of Granville.
269
Descending a Lightning Rod.
144
Diagram of Company's Purchase.
29
Division of Land, The First.
58
The Second
61
Dramatic Performances
117
Drouth.
150, 159
Drove on a Stampede
145
Drumming' School.
115
Dutchman Placated.
42
viii
INDEX.
Page
Earliest Born
340
Early Experiences. 62
Earthquake of 1811 ....
96
Evening Entertainments.
62,
71
Expectations Unrealized
28
Experiences in War.
100
Explosion at Goodrich's Distilery
316
Falling Stars.
146
Fatal Accidents
316
Female Academy
247
Charitable Society
114
College.
249, 362
66
Seminary, Baptist .
253
16
Episcopal
254
F. F. G's
42, 341
Filial Obedience.
93
Financial Embarrassments. 149
Fire Department 364
Fires ...
332
First Frame Houses. 82-87
First Low Plash 20
First Three-story Building.
146
First Week
50
Flood, The Memorable 150
Floor Gives Way
125
Frolic, A Meritorious
92
Frosts ...
150, 178
Fugitive Rescued ..
307
General Muster.
142
Golden Weddings
336
Granville Alexandrian Society
. 75, 107, 285
A Thoroughfare. 133
"
College
236
Furnace
276
Times
370
Guest, A Singular 119
Hogg Tract.
109
Hotels
86, 335
Houses, The First Frame.
82-87
Incidents by the Way 42
Incorporation of Granville 143
Infantry Company, 1812 97
Indians, Friendly
71
of Ohio 16
Indian Works
10
Industrial Enterprises 273
Industries, the Later 349
Infant Schools
140
Jaconet, A Yard of
119
Joke, A Practical. 93
Journeymen Artisans.
9-4
Jubilee, Granville.
172
Page
Last Cabins in Town.
138
Lawyers from Granville 262
Library, Early
75
Licking Land Co., The
31
6 6
Ceases to Act.
81
84
Licking Exporting Co
289
Licking Summit Celebration.
128
Literary and Theological Institute
143, 236
Locations in Town, First Winter.
50
Location of Company's Lands
28
Location, The Symmetrical.
45
Log Cabin Parade, 1840
160
Mail Coach, The First
124
Male Academy
249
Map of Ohio in 1805.
17
"
Granville Township.
11
Village
46
Maple Grove Cemetery
1S1
Meeting House, Baptist .. . 137, 165, 219, 225, 355
Congregational.
.91, 110, 156, 179. 215, 351
Meeting House, Episcopal
158, 227, 364
Methodist
223, 352
Presbyterian
350
Mercantile Enterprises.
288
Merchants, Present.
369
Meteoric Shower
146
Military Company, 1812.
97
Matters, 1818.
116
Parades.
142
Drill, The Last.
162
Mill Site, The First
36
Ministers from Granville
256
Missionaries from Granville
260
Missionary Work
117
Mob of 1836 ..
300
Municipal Officers
369
Munson's Saw Mill
73
Name Chosen for Village.
34
Newspapers of Granville.
370
New Year's Sermons
135
Ohio Central Railroad.
197
Ohio in 1805. ..
15
Opera House
364
Organs
158, 179, 356
Paintings, Proficients in.
271
Partition Deed.
61
Pasquinades
339
Pennsylvania Schooners. 145
Pews of the Olden Time.
113
Physicians of Granville ..
266
Physician, The First Resident
90
Licking County Organized.
16,
INDEX.
Page
Piano, First in Town.
253
First at G. F. A. 157
Pioneers Yet Living
371
in 1880
196
Plot Uncovered.
136
POETRY-
A million lives went out, H. B.
326
Bright is the dawn of morning, H. B .. 48
Hail! widely famed,
George Bliss 147
It is the last time,
Mrs. Sigourney 174
In Granville when the sun,
Whitney 306
O God, thy purpose planned,
H. B. 194
Oh ! fare ye well,
T. Spelman 193
Oh! weep for the day, Anon 161
O thou man of God,
H. B. 188
When rambling o'er,
T. Spelman 39
With joy as to a cherished, J. M. Pond 172
Ponds
79
Postmasters .. 336
Pottery, Aboriginal. 13
Preparations of Emigrants. 34
Present Business Houses ...
369
Public Worship in the Woods.
51
Pulpit, an Old-time
111
Quota More than Filled. 180
Railroad Disturbances.
189
The Underground 308
Record, Our Criminal.
310
Reflector Baker, The. 155
Refugee Tract
30
Reminiscences of Dr. Bronson 226
Rescue of a Fugitive.
307
Reservations of Company's Land.
56
Revival, Mr. Little's Description 211
Riot
181
Roads Improved.
109, 190, 346
Roster of Infantry, 1812
97
$6 Cavalry, 1813 102
Soldiers of Civil War 327
Mexican War.
166, 340
U. S. Regular Army
340
Route, The Emigrants'
40
Routine of a Day.
70
Sabbath Habits 58, 68
Sabbath Schools, The First. 106
Sad State of Morals, 1827. 131
Saw Mills.
.36, 73, 81,
120
Scarcity of Money
107, 120
The Union 171, 363
Schools, Select
133
Scioto Land Company
24
ix
Page
Seventeen Year Locusts.
103
Seventy-fifth Anniversary.
191
Shepardson College for Women.
360
Shinplasters .
158
Sickness of 1834. 152
32
Signers of Constitution.
"
of Original Agreement
26
Snake
65
Song in the Desert 51
Special Mention
269
Spiritualism
170
Stampede of Cattle.
145
Steeple, The First.
110
Streets Re-named
348
Narrowed
163
Stoves in Church, The First.
141
Students' Fre
164, 338
Sugar Loaf Denuded.
114
Sunday Creek Coal and Iron Company
296
Survivors in 1880
196
Teetotal Pledge.
167
Temperance Pledge, Limited.
138
Temperance Society, The First
136
Town Clock ..
166
Township Enlarged
109
Organized 77
Officers, First.
78
Trees, Forest.
72
Trial, A Sham.
92
Underground Railroad
308
Village Boundaries
184
Government Re-organized. 184
Incorporated
143
of the Hills
47
Visit of Dr. Little
187
Vocal Music Teachers
251
Wanderer, The
122
War of 1812.
97
War of Rebellion 326
Ward's.
89
Water Cure Establishment
169
Water Works.
.171, 179, 187, 348
Wedding, The First.
78
Week, The First.
51
Wells, The Aboriginal.
12
" Well, I Reckon"
43
Welsh Citizens.
229
Churches of Granville.
229
Hills Cemetery .
177,
339
Wheat Bread, The First
22
School House, The First
57
Whisky
58
The Second
91
Wild Hogs.
67
Wild Turkeys
63
Wives of Ministers ..
262
Wolves
64
Sermon, The First Methodist
95
Young Ladies' Institute
254
.
X
INDEX.
NAMES.
By far the greater part of the names that occur in this volume must be looked for in the Annals, Professional Records, Mercantile or Industrial Enterprises, Accidents, etc. It is only when some prominent mention is made of individuals that their names are indexed.
Page
Page
Avery, Alfred
27, 64
Jinks, Rev. Ahab.
122, 201
Jones, John (first settler)
20
Jones, Mrs. Lily (death of). 22
Jones, T. D. (sculptor)
271
Bancroft, Albert L.
271
Bancroft, Deacon G. P.
.336, 366
Bancroft, Henry L.
Lee, Dr. Samuel.
90
Little, Rev. Jacob, D. D
187, 204
Little, Rev. Joseph.
365
Martin, William S.
250
Meeker, Rev. Eli.
140
Moore, William D 368
Mower, Colonel L. D
149
Munson, Gen. Augustine.
183
Munson, Hon. J. R
97
Phelps, John (Capt. Put.).
105, 120
Philipps, Urias
75
Pratt, Prof. John, D. D.
237
Prichard, A. P.
111, 182
Carr, Rev. Henry 219
Carter, Prof. Paschal 237
Case, Major Grove 103
Clark, Appleton B
270
Cook, Lyman.
272
Cooley, Dr. John B. 153
Cramer, William
337
Cunningham, Patrick
21
Downer, Hon. S. S 189
Dudley, Rev. A. S. 216
Dunlevy, Mrs. Amanda F. 368
Fassett, Elias 115
Gavit, Hon. William. 103
Gilman, Elias, Esq. 177
Going, Rev. Jonathan, D. D.
238
Griffin, Major-General Charles
269
Hamlen, Horace.
251
Harris, Rev. Timothy 123, 198
Hayes, Prof. Ella
271
Hervey, Rev. Dwight B.
216
Howe, Deacon Amasa
171
Howe, Curtis ..
186
Hughes, Rowland ..
339
Humphrey, Hon. Daniel
170, 177
Reed, Simeon
119
Rees, Deacon Theophilus
21
Richards, Dr. William S
.95, 170, 228
Robbins, Rev. S. P.
73
Rose, Deacon Lemuel.
155
Rose, Capt. Levi
98
Rose, Ormond ..
99
Rose, Hon. Timothy
104
Rose, Deacon Timothy M.
365
Sample, John H
271
Sanford, Rev. Alvah.
228
Shepardson, Daniel 360
Sinnet, Hon. E
367
Sinnet, Hon. John A
177, 180
Slocomb, William
129
Talbot, Rev. Samson, D. D
187, 241
Thompson, Hon. T. M.
176
Thrall, Dr. Homer.
267
Van Meter. Rev. C.
368
Weld, Theodore D
297
White, Hon. Samuel.
263
Wright, Sereno.
122
Kerr, Hon. William P
187, 365
Bancroft, Hubert H.
270
Bancroft, Hon. Samuel.
127, 185
Bancroft, Dr W. W.
169, 185
Basset, Mr., death of .
106
Beach, Rev.E. A., D. D
215
Beecher, Dr. Lyman
112, 141
Berry, Rev. James
218
Bragg, Mrs. A. E.
190
Bronson, Rev. S. A., D. D. 226
Bryan, Dr. E. F
159
Bryant, Charles W 367
Bushnell, Leonard.
272
Butler, Leveret.
41, 67, 147
Bailey, Rev. Silas, D. D 220
Bancroft, Ashley A. 337
337
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CHAPTER I.
AB ORIGINE.
Granville township is a tract of choice land five miles square, centrally located in the county of Licking, State of Ohio. Through the center of it, from west to east, runs the middle fork of the Pataskala, or Licking River, this branch being commonly called Raccoon Creek. Irregularly skirting the stream on either hand is a chain of hills from one to two hundred feet high, out of whose tops excellent stone is quar- ried, and from whose base flow perennial springs. They are diversified with ridges, knobs, spurs, and buttes, and here and there the chain is broken by the valleys through which the brooks, fed by those springs, find their way into the leading stream.
This is the locality, the events of which are narrated in the following pages.
The earliest record of "human events" in this region bearing a fairly definite date, carries us back to A.D. 1262 ; but such are its relations to other records of undetermined dates that we know we have the indications of human trans- actions long anterior to this. They are written, however, in a language difficult of interpretation. The records are spread out upon these broad acres, on the tops of these hills, and beside tliese streams. The characters appear in these scat- tered mounds, these earth elevations of squares, half moons, alligators, eagles, and other quaint designs; and fragments here and there of well-laid stone wall, of earthern pottery, and of the implements of the culinary art and of the chase.
In 1812, the tree was cut from one of these earth works, whose rings, as commonly reckoned, registered a succession of five hundred and fifty years. Dr. Hildreth, of Marietta, cut, in similar circumstances, a tree in which he counted 800
2
)
10
C
€
AN ANCIENT TREE.
rings. Long previous to this the builders lived upon them and had their history. They tell us of a people strong in numbers, thoughtful and industrious; who cherished the memory of their dead, loved their fatherland, and kept it from hostile inroads by elaborate works of defense, and who gave play to the untaught religious sentiments of the human soul by some sort of worship paid a some sort of deity.
A brief description of these works is due to the memory of those who first made this ground historic.
About a mile east of the center of the township, a spur from the chain of hills north of Raccoon winds around from the northeast, turning again to the southeast, terminating in a rounded prominence on the summit of which "The Alli- gator " has been couching all these centuries. The outline of the figure is like the animal whose name it bears. It lies looking directly toward the village, i. e., south of west, its tail coiling around to the south and its limbs extended at full length. By measurement it is 190 feet long, from tip to tip, following the curvature. In the highest point it is now about six feet high, gradually declining to each extremity.
On the summit of another spur called " Fort Hill," nearly a mile to the east and a little to the north, is one of the cir- cular enclosures commonly called "forts." It follows in outline the curvature of the hill-top, but is very nearly a circle. It is about 970 feet across, enclosing about 17 acres, with embankments 6 feet high, made by throwing the dirt upward and inward. Southwest from the fort, on the point of the hill, and 50 rods distant, was a stone mound about six feet high and eighteen feet wide. This mound has been destroyed by the quarrying of stone underneath it. As it fell from time to time, into the quarry, it was found to be full of bits of charcoal throughout. The western and north- western openings of the fort looked each toward a copious spring of water.
Between these two spurs, and about equally distant from each of them, but sixty or eighty rods further south, the
-
--
MtVernon Rood.
Cemetery
Church!
MAP of
GRANVILLE TOWNSHIP.
Griffin Run
References. 1. Fost 59 rods diam
Beaver Dans
2 1
60
3.
30
*
4.
12
A
5.
.
6. well, stone walked.
Wyandot,
7. Brusk Dam.
village: z
& Crescent mound. Q. Stone mound, 10, Alligator.
swamp
Burg St.
Purchase
N. Buried trees. 12. Bits of pottery. A.F. Arrow Factory S. S, Sulphur Spring 13. First cabin, Jones' 14 Cunningham's. 15. Two Young Men's.
Alexandria Road.
x. Distilleries (en) 16. Phelps' Saw Mill. 17. College Cemetery. is Reservoir.
19. First Site of Great Cold 20. Woolen Factory (Now
Run
7:00
H. . Highest ground in Township ..
Wo
@ Mounda
Su
Newark Road
Arbu
Munson's
Mill.
Road
"Dug Way."
O pun
R
R
T.Philipp's Purchase. 18 91.
Upper Loudon.
North St
1800
Cemeteryfunktion
W. Hills Road
Y. Reese's
and
Hill
Machine Shop)
Loudon
Jersey Road
Newark
Run
Salt
Sattwall,
Hle
an
ColumbusRoa
-
or
12
ABORIGINAL, WORKS.
ground around being valley loam, lies an elevation formed of gravel, in the shape of a crescent, its points opening . toward the south and a little west. It is about ten rods from tip to tip, and six rods across from exterior to interior curve. The highest point is now about seven feet high, it having been plowed more or less for two generations. On the north, or convex, side there crops out a large quadrangular stone, two or three feet across, and sinking deep in the earth. By digging, the ground beside it has been found to be mixed with bits of charcoal.
From the eastern side of the crescent a parapet starts off, sweeping eastward and southward in a semicircle to a point half a mile south of the crescent, where it connects with a circular fort, which is about 980 feet in diameter and con- tains over seventeen acres.
About ten rods south of this fort, on the level below, was found a well of water five or six feet deep, walled up with stone in a workmanlike manner, and made· long before the advent of the settlers. It is probably to be classed with the three wells found by the settlers of Knox county, Ohio, men- tioned in Howe's Historical Collections of Ohio. As located by Mr. L. E. Bancroft, it is III feet from the center of the railroad track and thirty-three feet southeast of a young black-walnut tree.
About twenty-five rods east of this well, near the old time wool factory of Mr. Wm. Paige, until the feeder was dug and the lock built, there was a bored well that sent up a strong stream of sulphurous water. One of the lock timbers was laid across the mouth of it. Its depth was never tested be- low about forty feet. The diameter of the bore was about two and one-half inches.
About ten rods still further to the east, in what appeared to have been at one time the creek bed, in digging the . feeder a brush dam was discovered, lying several feet under ground, three rods across and ten rods up and down the bed. The brush were cut with a sharp instrument and regularly
13
ANCIENT POTTERY.
placed, the butt ends up stream and layer upon layer. At the upper end, and underneath the ends of the brush, were found three human skeletons. For some distance up and down the bed were traces of a submerged forest.
Westward from the stone well are two parallel earth lines, only a few rods in extent.
Still further west were found in early times many curious fragments of pottery and other aboriginal implements. The pottery fragments have a firm basis of mortar, composed of sharp, coarse, white sand or pulverized shells in a matrix of clay or river mud, and colored, perhaps, with manganese. After being moulded into shape, the vessel seems to have been covered both inside and out with an enamel of clay, which left a smooth surface ; the whole then being hard- ened, perhaps only by drying in the sun. It has the appear- ance of unburned stoneware. It was about three-eighths of an inch thick, the enamel on each side being about a six- teenth. The pieces found indicate vessels of various sizes, of dishing form and circular rim, varying in diameter from twenty inches to six feet. Fragments of a similar kind were found at two different localities a few miles west of this in St. Albans township. They are also found at the Saline Springs, Gallatin county, Illinois, and at other widely sepa- rated points in the Mississippi Valley, even to its mouth, and as far east as Florida.
Midway between the crescent and the large fort with which it is joined by the semicircle, is a smaller circular fort, containing about eight acres. The Centerville street has al- ways run through it just north of its center, and the road to the old-time factory started just at its eastern side. About the only part of the outline descernable is at the northeast cornor of the lot, where the fence on the west side of the north and south road stands to protect it.
On the south side of the creek are two other smaller cir- cles, each crowning a hill, one on the Munson farin and the other crossed by the division line between the farms of Mr. Reuben Linnel and Mr. Howard Howe.
14
MOUNDS-A PLEA.
Of mounds there were "a great many." A dozen or more used to lie in the immediate vicinity of the crescent and its connected works. There were two or three within the pres- ent limits of the town plat ; one just in front of where the Town Hall stands ; one, perhaps, in the northeast quarter in Granger's addition, and one crowning Mt. Parnassus. This mound was opened in 1887, and skeletons were found buried within it.
(There might have been something of kindred nature on the summit of Sugar Loaf. The first year of the colony the boys, led by information obtained from Indians, dug several feet into the ground and found a string of twelve bone beads, the largest in the middle, the rest tapering in size toward each end.)
Others are scattered from the extreme northwest corner of the township to the southeast, most frequently on the hill-tops, sometimes several being grouped together.
Of more perishable material than the monuments which men generally build to fame, these earthworks have yet sur- vived six or eight centuries. After being used-perhaps for centuries preceding -- and abandoned, forests sprang up and covered them, and each year that passed over them was tal- lied by its ring of growth. Within a generation their out- . lines were distinct, and there were banks where earth lay as steep in its incline as earth can be made to lie. Now, the ruthless plow, the ceaseless tramp of thousands, the cutting of roads, railroads, canals, and other demands of advancing civilization, are rapidly leveling. and obliterating them. Read them while you may! They will tell you of human affections, superstitions, passions. Uninvited, we have en- tered into the inheritance of a vanished race. Let us cherish an interest in these mementos. History offers an earnest plea for the careful preservation of these relics. Already they are venerable with age. They will become more inter- esting with the lapse of time, and each succeeding generation will seek them out with increasing zest. Let it be also with the satisfaction of beholding them as well preserved as time will allow.
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