USA > Ohio > Ashland County > A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland County > Part 8
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DAVID BURNS.
David Burns purchased, in the year 1815, the land upon a portion of which he now resides. This farm is the southwest quarter of section 23, Clearcreek Township. At the same time, however, he entered the quarter which he subsequently sold to Thomas Carr, and which is now owned and occupied by David Shriver.
During the war of 1812, Mr. Burns served under Captain Abraham Martin, for a term of about six weeks, and was stationed at the Block House, near Beam's Mill, on the Rocky Fork, about three and & half miles east of Mansfield. Having served the period above named, he was relieved by his brother Samuel, and David returned to his home in Guernsey County.
In the spring of 1816, Mr. Burns, accompanied by his mother and sister, performed the journey on horse- back from Guernsey County to the land above de- scribed. Here, in a small camp-house, one side being open, they made it their abode until after harvest. On the morning following their first night's rest, the
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family, on rising, were greeted by an immense Indian near their door-way, who had apparently been wait- ing to make the acquaintance of his new neighbors. The dogs, on discovering the strange man, assailed him with savage ferocity, and it was with difficulty that the united efforts of the family could restrain them from a palpably "overt act" upon the person of the visitor.
When Mr. Burns removed hither, he had buried a wife and two children in Guernsey County-the three having died within eighteen months of each other. In November, 1818, he was again united in marriage to Miss Mary Buchanan, by whom he has had four sons, namely: John, Denny, William, and James. This family are all living, except John and Denny.
The nearest mill, from which he could obtain sup- plies of ground grain, was Odell's, in Wayne County- a distance of thirty miles, which was performed on horseback, and the grain and flour being conveyed on pack-horses. Some years later he was accommodated at Mason's (Leidigh's) mill.
JAMES CHAMBERLAIN.
James Chamberlain emigrated from Virginia in April, 1823, and, in 1826, leased a quarter section in section 16-being land now owned by John Bebout. In December, 1826, he purchased of William McCorkle the land upon which he has since resided-being one hundred and ten acres in the southeast quarter of section 25, Clearcreek Township. On the 22d June, 1826, Mr. Chamberlain married Miss Sarah Peterson.
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JOHN COOK.
John Cook emigrated from Washington County, Pennsylvania, in April, 1822. He came with his father's family, consisting of his parents, two brothers and two sisters. His father purchased of Samuel Galbraith the southeast quarter of section 24-being the same land upon half of which he now resides.
THOMAS C. COOK.
Thomas C. Cook immigrated, with his wife, to Clear- creek Township, in the spring of 1822, and entered, at the Wooster Land Office, the southwest quarter of section 3, in said township; which land he improved and made the place of his residence (with the excep- tion of about twenty-two months) until the first of January, 1829, when he removed to Ashland, and purchased the tavern stand which was upon the site of the present Town Hall building. On the first of November, 1830, he sold this stand to Josiah W. Blackburn, and removed to the town of Vermillion, (known then by some as "Haneytown," but now as Savannah.) Here he engaged in the mercantile business, which he has prosecuted since, except an interval of two years, (1854-55.)
When he first removed to Clearcreek Township, the population of the town of Vermillion, according to his recollection, consisted of the following named heads of families : John Downer, cabinetmaker; Joseph Fast, carpenter; William Bryan, blacksmith; Joseph Marshall, blacksmith; and an unmarried man named James Duff, weaver.
These all resided in log cabins, there not being & frame dwelling or shop in the town. In 1836 or
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1837, the names of the town and post-office were changed from Vermillion to Savannah. At this time Savannah was in the zenith of its prosperity-there being three stores, two public houses, and a general supply of mechanics; all doing a fair business. The village was on the leading thoroughfare between a large and productive country south and the market towns of the lake.
All the heads of families above named, who were in the town in the spring of 1822, are now deceased.
The only mill in the township was a "horse mill," built and owned by Thomas Ford, on the farm now owned by Thomas Griffith. The first sawmill in the township was erected by Joseph Davis, on the Clear- creek, about one and a half miles west of town, in 1822. This mill only employed one saw, and ran about five months in the year. In 1824, John Hen- dricks built a frame grist-mill, on the Vermillion, about forty rods below the junction of the Clearcreek with that stream, and about one mile northwest of Savannah. This mill, although it had only one run of the old "hard-head" stone, done a very prosperous business. ·
About 1827, John and Thomas Haney erected a grist-mill on what is called Mulhollen's Run, about fifty rods south of the town.
The two justices of the peace in 1822 were James Haney and Robert McBeth, (the former being also a Methodist clergyman.)
The Indians yet claimed the country, by a sort of pre-emption right, for their hunting-grounds. They were mostly of the Wyandot and Seneca tribes, and, up to the date of their removal, were upon friendly terms with the whites.
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While Mr. Cook was residing upon his farm, in the spring of 1824, he called on a certain Sunday, with a neighbor, at the wigwam of an old Indian of some celebrity, named Johnnycake. This wigwam was upon the place now owned by Jacob Myers. Here they met two other white neighbors-Hance McMeeken and Andrew Clark. In the course of con- versation, Mr. McMeeken inquired of Johnnycake's wife about the recent success of her husband in hunt- ing. She replied, "Not very good ;- on Sunday last Johnnycake saw a large number of deer while out hunting his horses; but it being Sunday, he was without his gun, as Johnnycake never carries his gun or hunts game on that day."
To this response McMeeken inquired, with some surprise, "Do you know when Sunday comes ?"
"Why!" she retorted, "do you consider me a brute? No, I am a person, and know when Sunday comes as well as you do."
"Well, the Indians don't all know that much, do they?" inquired McMeeken.
"Yes they do," she replied; "but some of them, like the white people, do not keep it when they know it has come."
A sarcastic rebuke, and one that confused not & little her interrogator, and made him quite willing to change the subject.
There was not a church building in the township, and only two school-houses-one in Vermillion, and the other in the neighborhood of Ford's "horse mill." The first sermon which Mr. Cook heard preached, and among the first, probably, delivered in the town- ship, was the funeral sermon of a young man named Eliphalet Downer, by Rev. James Haney, in the sum-
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mer of 1822. This young man was a hatter, who had put up a shop in Vermillion, preparatory to the commencement of business; and while traveling on his return to his former home in Pennsylvania, he had stopped over night at Wooster, and, during his sleep, jumped from a window of his room, sustaining severe injury. He was returned to the house of John Downer, his brother, in Savannah, on a litter, conveyed by eight men, on foot, and survived about three weeks from the date of his injury.
The spring elections in the days of the first settle- ment of Clearcreek were conducted in a somewhat novel manner. The crowd who would first appear at the polls would select a township ticket-write down the names and read them to the electors, who, as they would come up, would declare viva voce, "I vote the general ticket." The clerk, John Bryte, would take down the name of the voter, and at the close of the polls, (no ballot save the one originally prepared, nor ballot-box, having been used,) the one "unscratched ticket" would be held and deemed to have been unanimously elected. At this time, also, the trustees and clerks of election waived their right to all compensation for services. Those officers who first innovated upon this practice, and charged for such services, rendered themselves, it may be sup- posed, rather unpopular.
In 1831, Mr. Cook had an interest in a contract for supplying the army at Green Bay with wheat. He offered fifty cents cash, per bushel, and as wheat, prior to this, had never been in demand for export, it spread great joy among the farmers. His purchases amounted to about three hundred bushels, which ex- hausted the surplus stock of the neighborhood.
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Prices in Vermillion in 1830 and 1831.
NOTE .- Before the time named above, there had been no demand whatever for domestic animals or produce, except by the new immigrants :-
Pork .- Dressed, 2 @ 2} cents per lb.
Beef .- No sale, except to drovers-a good three- year old steer being worth at the outside $10.
Corn .- No sale whatever for cash.
Coffee .- 18₺ cents per lb.
Tea .- $1.25 @ 1.50 per lb.
Sheeting .- 15 cents per yard.
Calico .- 25 @ 44 cents per yard.
Pepper .- 50 cents per lb.
Indigo .- 25 cents per oz.
Sugar .- None imported-the country supplied its own consumption.
Previous to this date, the currency of the neighbor- hood was sugar in the spring, ginseng in the summer, and corn in the fall-cash, in the form of coin or shinplasters, not being either an article of merchan- dise or currency. Whisky, however, after the estab- lishment of distilleries, in 1824, afforded corn-growers an opportunity of converting their grain into that article, which, even more than ginseng, was regarded as approximating nearer a lawful tender than any- thing except gold and silver.
As illustrative of the scarcity of money, and to give an inkling of the humor of the times, it is related that Robert McBeth, Esq., received as a fee for per- forming a marriage ceremony, his choice of a lot of pups. They were gratefully accepted, of course, as the animal offered belonged then to a class which was practically a "legal tender."
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In the years 1832, 1840, and 1841, efforts were made for the erection of a new county, with the seat of justice at Savannah.
In the legislative sessions of 1825-26, 1826-27, 1827-28, Rev. James Haney represented Richland County in the House of Representatives of the Gen- eral Assembly of Ohio.
Thirty-eight years since, Rev. James Haney, in contemplating the then comparatively happy and prosperous condition of the township-the result of the labors of the pioneers-looked with an interest, somewhat tinged with melancholy, from the past to the future ;- and addressed to his friend, Mr. Cook, the inquiry as to whether succeeding generations would be informed of THE NAMES, even, of those who had hewn down the forests and first introduced the plow into the cultivated fields which were spread be- fore their vision. It reminded him whom he ad- dressed of the lines of Henry Kirk White :-
" Fifty years hence, and who will hear of Henry ? Oh ! none; another busy brood of beings Will shoot up in the interim, and none Will hold him in remembrance."
Mr. Haney did not foresee that in a period of less than forty years from the time he was speaking, an organized effort would be made to rescue from forget- fulness and preserve upon the page of history the names of those whose anticipated loss he regarded with so much solicitude.
The first election in the township was held at the house of John Freeborn.
The first physician in the township was Dr. Cliff, who studied his profession at Wooster, and who re-
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moved to Vermillion in 1823. Prior to this, the nearest physician was Dr. Luther, at Ashland.
The Career of a Philanthropist.
In the spring of 1842, a man by the name of Ne- verson Sherman came from Florence, Erie County, to Savannah, and purchased the tavern stand now occupied by John Henry, and opened a public house. He professed to be an ardent abolitionist, and was frequently expatiating upon the sad condition of the poor down-trodden slave. But the people of Savan- nah, notwithstanding Mr. Sherman's professions of piety, and devotion to negro freedom and equality, were led to doubt his sincerity; and they came to the conclusion that he was the kind of a Christian who would do but very little for God's sake if the devil were dead. Accordingly, some wags of the town concluded to put his professions of Christianity and philanthropy to a test. A. W. Purdy, then a young merchant, and S. Olin-both always on hand for any enterprise that would have a tendency to drive away dull care-concluded to sound Mr. Sherman, and ascer- tain whether love of the poor slave or love of money predominated in his heart. Having arranged their scheme, they put in circulation the report that there was a Kentucky slave-hunter in the neighborhood in search of two runaway slaves, and had left an advertisement at the village of Orange, offering a reward of five hundred dollars for their apprehension. This news they of course took good care should be conveyed to Mr. Sherman, and, without being in- formed of the plot, I was the one selected to commu- nicate the matter to him. In the afternoon of the day, Mr. Olin came along by my door, and, taking
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a seat beside me, inquired whether I had heard of an advertisement at Orange, offering a reward of five hundred dollars for two runaway slaves from Ken- tucky. I replied that I had heard nothing of the kind. He then queried whether Mr. Sherman had heard it-to which I of course replied that I did not know. He then asked me to call upon Sherman and inform him of the matter, and also to say to him that two black fellows had been seen around old Mr. Har- vey's that morning, who had stolen in the back way across lots. By this time I began to think there was some kind of game on hand, for I could see Olin's eyes dance in his head; but to accommodate him I waited upon Mr. Sherman, and gave him the details about the fugitives, and the reward offered for their apprehension, as requested. Sherman listened eagerly, and at the conclusion of the statement, exclaimed : "There is a chance now to make money, and I will have it. Boys, I will catch them darned niggers before to-morrow morning; for they will hide them- selves at old Harvey's to-day, and to-night will put out on their way to Oberlin." I then left Mr. Sher- man, absorbed in his arrangements for the cap- ture, and with the golden thoughts of the five hundred dollars vibrating through his mind; and in a few minutes after reaching home, I discovered him making his way to Purdy's Store at a quick pace. Soon the two were in earnest and con- fidential conversation. Sherman communicated to Purdy "the news"-assured Mr. Purdy that he had resolved upon capturing the "darned niggers," but as they and their abolition friends might interpose some obstacles, he proposed to Mr. Purdy a partnership and an equitable division of the spoils. Mr. Purdy
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at once accepted the offer, but proposed, also, to in- clude Mr. Olin, as the extent of the abolition resist- ance might require his services. This proposition involved a reduction of dividends which interfered materially with the greed of Sherman; but he at length consented, and Mr. Olin was admitted to their councils, and promised an equal share of the reward. Sherman then went home to arrange matters for the negro chase that night, and left his confidential friend, . Mr. Purdy, to make such arrangements with Mr. Olin as he might think best. They accordingly went to work on the programme, arranging it on a basis rather different from that which had taken possession of the mind of Sherman. They instructed two young lads- William Marshall and John McClain-in the plot, and obtained their consent to have their faces blacked and to play the parts of the fugitive Africans. The next point was to inform Mr. Harvey, an old Scotch gentleman, residing a little west of town, and who was a well-known abolitionist. The scheme was made known to all his family except the old lady. After dark the colored boys were to seek refuge in the house, after which Purdy, Olin, and Sherman were to appear and reconnoiter the premises. Soon the trio appeared at a rear window of the house, and discovered Mrs. Harvey in conversation with the "fugitives," sympathizing with them in their troubles and tendering her kind offices. She would lay her hands affectionately on them, and exclaim, "Ah! poor craters! ye are ill-clad for the coul wither. Ah! ye must ha' something to ate!" A prearrangement had been made with young Robert Harvey, at a given time, to suggest to the amateur Africans that they would be more secure at the house of Thomas Walker,
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about sixty rods east of the village, and which house was partly concealed by the woods. About the time young Harvey had persuaded the fugitives to seek new quarters, Sherman and his confederates were ogling their prey through the window. Sherman was very positive that he could not only see the black rascals, but that his olfactories were much offended by the villainous odor that exuded from their black skins! In the mean time four or five abolition neigh- bors had called in at Mr. Harvey's. All things being in readiness, the door opened and the fugitives passed its threshold. Sherman was anxious to make the "grab" at once, but Olin and Purdy maintained that the abolition force was too strong for such a move- ment at that instant, and that it would be expedient , to wait until they had scattered a little, and then make the onslaught; and told him to wait for the word. But Sherman was eager for the chase, and chafed and pranced like a race-horse just brought on the track, waiting for the word "go." Finally, Olin gave the word, and Sherman leaped off like an ante- lope. He was a tall, gaunt, long-legged Yankee, smart on foot, and would have caught the boys; but not being acquainted with the character of the route, he took across a piece of low marshy ground, and a broad ditch intersecting his pathway; he put forth all his energies to reach the opposite bank, but failed in the effort, and found himself in mud to the depth of his knees. Soon extricating himself, he renewed the chase with all the energy of a Green Mountain Yankee intent upon the "almighty dollar;" but he was a little encumbered with an old bed quilt and a loaf of bread he had taken with him, expecting to find it necessary to camp out at night. The boys
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succeeded in eluding him-ran to Purdy's Store- washed off the blacking, and then followed after the company, and set in to help Sherman catch the negroes. But Sherman and his partners were encoun- tered, as they were passing through the village to Walker's, by a set of abolitionists thoroughly instructed in the plot. Sherman immediately marshaled his cohorts into line of battle, and two or three sham fights ensued. Purdy and William Lang were clinched twice for a fight, and John Symon and Purdy also had an encounter. Sherman, availing himself of a pause in the conflict, ordered an advance upon Walker's, whose house it was supposed then protected the fugi- tives; but William Lang had taken the precaution to , go in advance and explain to Walker the particulars of the game. The latter met Sherman's party at his door armed with a formidable club, and in reply to questions, gave his assurance that there were no negroes at his house, and threatened the slaughter of the first man who would attempt to set foot upon his floor. A council of war was held on the outside, and it was resolved to postpone the chase until the follow- ing night, when there would be no doubt of their ability to intercept the fugitives between Walker's and Oberlin. They accordingly returned to the vil- lage. Before Sherman had left home he had dis- patched a man to Orange to obtain a copy of the advertisement; but his messenger returned without the desired paper. He had also sent another man to John Dencer, constable of the township, who resided about three miles distant, with directions to that functionary to appear in town without unnecessary delay-calling, however, as he passed his house, upon John C. Myers, Esq., and obtain a warrant for the
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negroes; but the latter declined to issue the writ. These discouragements, however, did not abate the ardor of the now thoroughly "aroused" Yankee.
After the exhausted forces had returned to the village, Mr. Olin informed Sherman that his feet had become so sore running that he would be compelled to abandon the "prize," and, without charging for past services, he would give Mr. Sherman his full share of the five hundred dollars. Mr. Purdy, also, having important and pressing business to attend to the next day, said it would be out of his power to continue longer in the service, but advised Sherman to pursue the niggers with redoubled fury and vigor on the following night, as they would not leave Walker's before that time. He also relinquished his share of the reward. Sherman was in ecstasies. The generosity of his friends had now placed the whole five hundred dollars almost in the palms of his own hands. He invited the whole company to his house to eat and drink and make merry. The crowd ac- cepted the invitation, and soon the foray commenced upon the magnanimous landlord's apple pies and brandy. In the midst of the party, and as hilarious as any, were the two boys who had played the part of the fugitives. While the refreshments were circu- lating among his guests, the elated host himself did not neglect attention to the inner man. The fire- water soon had possession of his stomach and brain, and his feelings soon rose to fever heat .. He frisked about with all the suavitor in modo of a French danc- ing master. He insisted that the boys should eat and drink to their full, as it was not every day that a man made his five hundred. But the party at length bade him good night, and wished him every
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success in his pursuit of the two negroes and the five hundred dollars.
On the following morning, Sherman engaged the services of Constable Dencer to aid him in the cap- ture of the negroes. Dencer remained about town until toward evening, when the trick was disclosed to him. He felt much chagrined in being so wretch- edly "sold," and visited Mansfield to consult a lawyer touching ways and means for a redress of grievances; hoping that he might have the party arrested for a riot. On his return, he informed some friends that the lawyer advised him that the affair would not amount to a riot, but it was a "drotten row." He was not a bad kind of fellow, but Purdy had some antipathy toward him, and thought it might be well that he should do some duty as aid to Sherman.
Mr. Harvey, the elder, disclosed the trick, after he thought the joke had gone far enough.
And thus ended the negro chase, and thus ended the career in Savannah of Neverson Sherman, the philanthropist. Our hero became seized with a fancy that in Savannah he was "the wrong man in the wrong place," and his genius was soon employed in seeking another abiding place. The affair I have de- scribed occurred in November, and in the following spring the distinguished humanitarian and negro- hunter made his exit, and the town that then knew him has known him no more.
JOHN CUPPY.
John Cuppy removed from Jefferson County, Ohio, in August, 1819. His wife remained a few days at the house of Abram Huffman, until he was enabled to erect for his family a cabin upon the place he had 9
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then purchased, and upon which he has since resided, being the southeast quarter of section 15, Clearcreek Township. His house was burned in the summer of 1822.
PATRIOK ELLIOTT.
Patrick Elliott removed from Washington County, Pennsylvania, to the southwest quarter of section 12, Clearcreek Township, where he arrived in the spring of 1817-having made the entry of the land in 1816. His family then consisted of his wife and daughters, Sarah and Mary A. This farm is now occupied by his sons, Hugh and Moses. Mr. Elliott died in De- cember, 1826, aged thirty-eight years.
Mrs. Elliott taught, in her own house, in the winter of 1817 and 1818, the first school in Clearcreek Town- ship. Among her scholars were the children of Rev. Mr. Haney, William Shaw, and John Hendricks.
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