USA > Ohio > Knox County > A history of Knox county, Ohio, from 1779 to 1862 inclusive > Part 8
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118
HISTORY OF
" Robt. McMillen allowed S days, $14, for Commissioner services.
Daniel Cooper 5 8.75,
John Harrod
5.25,
"Store license was granted to Anthony Banning, Stephen But- ler, S. H. Smith.
" License to marry was granted to John Green and James Smith, regular ordained ministers in the Religious United Societies or Christian Church.
SEVENTEENTH TERM-10TH JANUARY, 1814.
" Grand Jurors .- Isaac. Vore, foreman, John Davis, Abraham Caimes, John Grear, Nathaniel M. Young, Moses Merrit, Evan Holt, John Stilley, John Johnson, Jabez Beers, Philip Melker, James Low, A. H. Royce, John Spratt.
" Five jury causes are tried.
" License to marry is issued to Amos Mix of the Baptist persua- sion.
" License to retail goods is issued to Eli Miller, Richard Fish- back, L. S. Silliman.
" C. K. Sherman is appointed Prosecuting Atto. for this co.
" Letters of administration are issued on estates of Isaac Jack- son, Benj. Simpkins, Joseph Sieberson, Joseph King and Anny Woodruff.
Our old townsman, Gilman Bryant, seems to figure about these times as general appraiser.
" James Smith, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas and Clerk of the Supreme Court for the county of Knox, appoints Alexander Ellioitt Deputy in either Court, Feb. 24, 1814.
EIGHTEENTH TERM-9TH OF MAY, 1814.
" Grand Jury .- Isaac Vore, jr., foreman, John Wilson, Joseph Walker, Jolın Bean, George Low, Matthew Merrit, Isaac Bonnet, John Bricker, David Ash, Joseph Higgins, Jesse Severe and An- thony Banning.
" Four trials by jury.
" Samuel Kratzer, Esq., appointed Master Commissioner in Chancery.
" License issued to James Smith, John Green, to retail goods, and to N. C. Bowles to keep tavern.
119
KNOX COUNTY.
NINETEENTH TERM-11TH AUGUST, 1814.
" Grand Jurors .- Azariah Davis, Benj. Brown, Bartholomew Bartlet, Ebenezer Brown, Wm. Downs, Thomas Ireland, Wm. Henry, Jacob Rabb, David Johnson, Jonathan Hunt, jr., John Garrison, Isaac Coen, James Harrod, John Kerr, John Mills, fore- man.
" Upon bills of Indictment for assault and battery, James Adams and Wm. Mefford were fined $3, each, and costs; James Martin $10 and costs, Charles Lofland was also fined $5 and costs, and Samuel Baxter $10 and costs, and Thos. Prather $3 and costs.
" Four trials by jury.
"John Harrod as Commissioner allowed $22.75, Robt. McMil- len $29.75, Daniel Cooper $26.25, Wm. Mitchell $5.25.
" License issued to Jolin Fuller, of Christian Church, to marry. L. H. Smith, Benj. Barney and Ichabod Marshal, Ex'rs. of Rich- ard Fishback, deceased ; and Gilman Bryant, Daniel Cooper and Timothy Burr, appraisers.
TWENTIETH TERM-22ND DECEMBER, 1814.
" Grand Jury .- John Trimble, foreman, Thomas Axtell, Henry Markley, Jas. MeCracken, Samuel Newell, Sam'l Johnson, Cor- nelius Vanosdall, John Adams, John Irvine, Nath. M. Young, Da- vid Johnson, Jacob Cooper, L. H. Smith.
"License to vend goods issued to Anthony Banning, Gilman Bryant, John Garrison, Eli Miller, L. S. Silliman.
"License to keep tavern issned to Jacob Nixon, Amos H. Royce, Abner Ayres, Win. Van Horne.
We have given the Court transactions for twenty terms as much for the purpose of letting the present generation know who, in those carly days, per- formed service as Jurors and otherwise, as with the view of giving an account of what was done. By reading over these pages the names of many set- tlers will be known whom otherwise we could not find had lived upon our soil.
120
HISTORY OF
THE FINANCES IN 1812-13-14, AND THE FIRST SALE OF LAND FOR TAXES-1812, 3D JUNE.
" At settlement with the Treasurer.
Dr. Treasurer-
Amount of Land Tax 1811
$523 76.7
do -
20 36.2
Duplicate for Wayne 1811
do Madison
35
5
do Union
91 50
do
Morgan 60 80
do Clinton 204 62.5
Wolf scalps. 32 00
Gilman Bryant, license 6 66.5
Am't of license, permits and fines received 81 09.5
1129 8.6
By amount of County orders received. $10 79.72
do do do
1079 73
do do do
... 59 42 ₺
1149 95
1129 8.6
At settlement balance due Treasurer. $20 86.4
" Treasurer pay Henry Haines $45 19.4, for his commission on revenue Taxes 1811; for traveling trip to Zanesville $5.
" At settlement with the Treasurer June 8th, 1813. Treasurer Dr. for-
Tavern license. $91 32
do do
12 493
Richland duplicate
64 25
Duplicate for Clinton. 135 533
do Morgan
79 80
do Wayne
74 32
do Chester 20 30
do Union
90 60
do Morris 47 36
do on duplicate now due 502 54.6
Daniel Demmich 4
Butler's license 30
1122 S2.6
73 22
121
KNOX COUNTY.
Cr. by orders produced and delivered. $1076 45
your com. per centum
44 39
traveling fees.
5
1125 84
Cr. the Treasurer on settlement $3.01.
James Berry, Collector 4th District. Collector's office, Zanes- ville, 17th Dec., 1813, received $359 23, the full amount of the Resident Land Tax of Knox county, of John Green, Collector. 9th June, 1814-At settlement with Treasurer of Knox co.
Treasurer Dr .-
For license taverns and stores $103 583
Cash rec'd of collector of non-residents on land for 1813 451 70
County, as paid by collector, for C. Levy for 1813. 405 16
960 443
Cr. by orders paid in.
$923 00.7.5
treasurer's fees.
38 41
traveling fees to Zanesville 5
966 41.7.5
Balance due to Treasurer on settlements the sum of $5 97.5, as per order number 1251."
"July 5, 1814. The Board this day examine the duplicates for County Levy for the Township agreeable to the return of the lis- ters of Townships as follows :
Morgan Township $S3 10
Union do
104 07.5
Morris do 73 40
Chester do
31 50
Wayne do 93 61
Clinton do 140 96
526 64.5
" Collector Green collected all on these lists and $2.58 more in Clinton township, than listed.
" The first lands sold for Taxes were in January 12th, 1815, when collector John Green sold for Abram Emmett 2-8 of lot 120 north side taxes and costs-75 ; and 2 of lot 34 south side-75. Isaac Vore, jr., 4 of lot 19 south side, and 4 of 20 north side-for 75 each.
122
HISTORY OF
" Parts of lots belongingto John Hawn, jr., James Smith, (Skenk's creek) Nathan Majors, Ichabod Nye, John Marquis and Wm. Marquis, jr., for which he charged for deeds and acknowledgments $1.25."
ITEMS SUGGESTIVE FROM COMMISSIONERS' JOURNALS OF 1811- 12-13-14.
Among the bills audited by the Commissioners in 1811, we find one to John Butler $4, for extra services in summoning jurors and witnesses for May Term ; Nicholas Kyle $3, for use of their house for third Court, Sept. 1811 ; Ichabod Nye, sheriff's fees in criminal cases, 1811, $25; Associ- ate Judges James Colville $18, W. W. Farquhar $21, John Mills $21; Edward Herrick for Prose- cuting Attorney two terms, and at Supreme Court also, $9.75. A pretty cheap attorney's fee !
Order No. 626 issues to Ichabod Marshal 75 cts. for gaging a half bushel for the County standard, and 627 to James Walker for making seal for standard for Knox county.
Timothy Burr appeared and gave bond as Coro- ner, with Gilman Bryant and Robert Jones as sureties. Ichabod Nye gave bond as Sheriff, with John Hawn and Richard Fishback as sureties.
1812, January. Win. Roberts, deputy coroner, is paid $4.45 " for viewing a dead body, for drawing the necessary writing in the same, for traveling, venire," &c. James Bryant for taking care of the dead body $5.
" Ordered that one acre of land be taken off Morgan township and added to Clinton, which acre was purchased of Martin Cosner by Silas Brown, in range 12, township 6."
"The Overseers of the Poor is directed to seize and sell the -
property of a negro called Wm. Jackson."
123
KNOX COUNTY.
The Commissioners held their meetings at differ- ent places as the following orders show :
"To John Jones 50 cents for house rent last meeting." "To Ash 75 cents for same this meeting." -
A new court house. is being erected, and the Jour- nals state that
" Solomon Geller and George Downs did receive by subscrip- tions $745."
On the 10th of April, 1812, the following entry is made :
" The Commissioners this day did examine the court house built by George Downs and Geller, and do receive the same."
No sooner is the new court house ready for use than the Commissioners become involved in trouble about its occupancy, by different sects, as will be explained by the following entries on the Journal :
"Whereas, a number of the inhabitants of this county has made application for the use of the court house in Mount Vernon, for the purpose of occupying the same for preaching and holding public worship therein ; it is, therefore, ordered that the different denomi- nations of christians are allowed to occupy the same for the afore. said purpose provided that each denomination shall have the use of the same for one meeting once in four weeks ; provided also, that the different denominations aforesaid shall meet and mutually agree upon the time or times they shall hold the same, which shall be in force for one year unless they do not agree on the times they shall hold their meetings aforesaid, and each denomination failing to clean up the house and have the same in as good repair as they found it within three days, it shall forfeit their privilege aforesaid, and shall at all times be liable to make good all damages done by such denomination at their meetings aforesaid ; and James Smith shall keep the key of the house aforesaid ; it is further provided, that each denomination aforesaid shall furnish the said house with at least fifty feet of good strong Benches for the use of the house aforesaid, which shall be left there for the use of all publick busi-
124
HISTORY OF
ness which shall be necessary previous to such denomination occu- pying the said house for the purpose aforesaid."
Eminently catholic and practical-especially the Bench part !
The brethren could not occupy together in unity, and accordingly the Commissioners on the 8th of June, 1813, pass this resolution :
" Resolved, That the court house, from this date, be closed and kept lockt from all denominations except courts."
This brought about a cessation of hostilities, and again petitions poured in for use of the court house agreeing to agree as to time of using it, &c. There- upon Commissioners Herrod, Cooper and MeMil- len, on the 22d of June, meet for the special pur- pose of ordering
" That the court house be opened as formerly by and under the same rules as formerly."
One great difficulty was that the Methodists were unwilling to let the "New Lights," who had split off from them, come in under the order as first made. These were times fraught with great peril to the churches, as elsewhere recorded.
The following order appears : " Treasurer pay to George Davis 75 cents for being accommodating with load of wood for the court."
John Lee is paid $2 for riding with returns of Senatorial election of 1812 to Newark. John Shrimplin endeavors to get a road from his mill, which Wm. Darling, James Rightwire and John Green report as not of public utility, and the peti- tion is rejected. Stephen Stilwell is taxed fourfold for refusing to give in four horses to the lister for
125
KNOX COUNTY.
taxation, and Amos Yarnard is also taxed fourfold upon one horse. Samuel Kratzer is allowed $1.62} for iron for the jail, and Archibald Crofford $4.75 for iron and labor done on the jail. The rate of taxation on taverns in 1812 is $8 for all located on Market st., Mount Vernon, all others on other streets of Mount Vernon and on road from Mount Vernon to Newark and in Fredericktown $7, and all others in the county $6.
In 1814, July, Francis Hardista is taxed fourfold for refusing to return seven head of cattle to the lister. G. Downs and J. Martin are allowed $80 for shutters for court house. And the court house, but recently erected, is found to need alteration and repairs, so Solomon Geller purchased the job of making certain repairs for $799.70. The county, at this time, seems to have had a troublesome pris- oner, as the following payments were made for standing guard over the prisoner, Beldon :
" Calvin Hill 3 nights, $1.50; Wm. Dehart 10 nights and one day, $5.50; Henry Burge for 9 nights and one day, $5; James Irvine 19 nights and one day, $10; John Cramer 13 nights and one day, $7; Thomas Sprague one night, $1 ; Samuel Kratzer for guarding, $7.50; Jacob Woodruff, $14.75; Samuel Breese, con- stable, .95 ; Michael Click for trailing after prisoner Beldon, $1; Eli Gregg $1 for aiding in committing A. Beldon to jail, and Wm. Dehart for trailing after Beldon, $3."
Thus the snug little sum of $58.20 was expended in guarding, because Mike Click had convinced the people that, as he said, the "jail is not worth one tam !"
126
HISTORY OF
VARIOUS NOVEL ITEMS AND ADVERTISEMENTS OF THESE TIMES.
" FRIENDLY ADVICE !!
"The person who made so free as to borrow my AXE without my liberty, is respectfully solicited to return it immediately-otherwise, he will find his Axe, like the Indian's GUN, to cost more than it comes to. He can either leave it himself or by proxy at my wood- pile.
T. BURR.
March 1, 1813."
Oak bark for tanning was worth in April 1813, at Clinton, $2.50 per cord. Samuel H. Smith was then carrying on a tanyard there.
A concert was held at Mt. Vernon, in the court house, May 6th, at 10 o'clock, P. M., under direc- tion of M. D. Lewis, of different singing societies in the county. " All those who feel willing to participate with us are earnestly solicited to attend."
May 3d. James Smith's Vindication is now pub- lished, and offered for sale at Clinton and Mount Vernon-"for resisting the ecclesiastical power and authority of their Episcopal dignity, Michael Ellis and David Young:"
"TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.
" This may certify that I was present when Mr. Isaac Beam ex- amined a trunk and bundle belonging to POLLY MCCRACKEN, for table cloths, but found nothing resembling such in either trunk or bundle. T. BURR.
May 3, 1814."
George Paul, Col. 27th Infantry, was appointed, by Maj. General Harrison, to take command of the recruiting service for the 27th Reg't., and estab- lished his office at Zanesville, March, 1814.
"Samuel H. Smith having added a large stock of goods to his former assortment, will trade for butter, sugar, country linen, rye, corn, hides, deer skins and furs. Doct, T. Burr is duly authorized
127
KNOX COUNTY.
to attend to his business, and will prescribe GRATIS to purchasers of drugs and medicines, &c.
December, 1813."
John H. Piatt, of Cincinnati, advertises, April 4th, 1814, for 5,000 barrels flour, and 200 barrels whisky delivered at Fort Meigs, "or at any con- venient place on the Lake shore to save transporta- tion by land."
Samuel H. Smith gave 75 cents per dozen or 96 cents in fine hats, for Rabbit skins.
GRAND CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM'S BIRTII-DAY, 1814.
On the morning of the 4th of July the flag of the United States was hoisted near Mr. Zebulon Ashley's dwelling house, on a liberty pole 68 feet in length, and the day was celebrated by a respect- able number of the citizens of Strong's settlement and its vicinity. After an elegant dinner 18 toasts were drank, accompanied with the discharge of musketry. From the number we extract the fol- lowing :
" The President of the United States, prefers republican principles to British tyranny-May the Constitution be his life guard.
" The American Sword, which is drawn in defense of our coun- try-May it never be returned till it has pierced the heart of our enemy.
" Perry and his brave crew on Lake Erie-May they ever be vic- torions while their swords are drawn in defense of America.
" The United States of America-May they ever be too indepen- dent to be governed by any other nation.
"Success to the American Eagle, not forgetting Great Britain, hoping its kingdom may be brought down."
The others alike partake of the warlike spirit engendered by the war, and breathe hate and defi- ance to the foe.
128
HISTORY OF
CHAPTER XI.
THE ECCENTRIC CHAPTER IN OUR EARLY HISTORY-BEING ALL THAT IS KNOWN OF THE HISTORY OF JOHNNY APPLESEED.
AN original character flourished in this part of the country at an early day, who was always con- spicuous in times of excitement and danger, and his vigilant care of the early settlers entitles him to a tribute at our hands. The sobriquet of Johnny Appleseed attached to him, though his real name was Chapman, in consequence of his being ever engaged in gathering and planting appleseed and cultivating nurseries of apple trees. Many of the earliest settlers recognized in him an old acquain- tance, who had wandered about for years along the streams of western Pennsylvania, engaged in the same pursuit and preparing the way for those who might follow upon his trail to have their own orchards.
He would find suitable spots of ground along the banks of creeks and rivers, in which to make small clearings, and there he would plant the seed he had gathered, fence in the ground, and then leave it to germinate and grow in coming years into fine nurseries, which he would have in readiness for the coming settlements. He would make just as many nurseries as he could get seed to plant, and
129
KNOX COUNTY.
he never lost any time in gathering and preparing for the future. He did not restrict his operations to the settled portions of the country, but went into the wilderness regions and among the Indians and wild beasts, having his trust in God and fear- ing no harm.
In personal appearance he was prepossessing, when one could get sight of his eyes and well formed head; about medium height, quick and restless and uneasy in his motions, and exceedingly uncouth in dress. In truth he cared not what he wore, nor who before him might have worn the garment upon his back-whether it was too large or too small for his person. The greater part of his traffic with the world was in exchanging his trees, at a nominal price, for old worn out clothes. He incased his person, at all times, in what might be called thrown away garments. For covering to the head he was not particular whether he wore an animal's skin, a cloth, or tin case. He has been seen with head gear of each kind, and without foot apparel of any description. For a time, after the war, he wore an old military chapeau, which some officer had given him, and thus accoutred he came suddenly upon a dutchman, who had just moved into the country, and scared him most to death as he stood in his bare feet with "one tam muscle shell cocked on his head." The sides were ripped, and as it flopped in the wind-on a head covered with long black hair, a face with a long beard and dark black eyes peering out from the vast under- growth, and a body enveloped in a coffee sack with
9
130
HISTORY OF
a hole through which he had run his head, it was enough to frighten any honest dutchman almost out of his wits.
He lived the roughest kind of a life-slept the greater part of the time in the woods-by the side of logs-and on the bare ground. He was harm- less and inoffensive-always striving to save the feelings of mankind and of the brute creation. Very many anecdotes are remembered character- istic of Johnny Appleseed. The following show the native goodness of his heart: One night he built his camp fire at the end of a hollow log, in which he intended to pass the night, but as a bear and her cubs had a pre-emption claim to the hole in the tree, he moved his fire to another spot and slept all night on the snow, exposed to the storm, rather than disturb the varmints. Another time, when he had a camp-fire near the creek where the musquitoes were very bad and flew into the blaze and were consumed, he took off his tin head gear, filled it with water, and put out the fire, saying, " God forbid, that I should build a fire for my own comfort that should be the cause of destroying any of his other created works." And still another is that one morning he was bitten by a rattlesnake, and some time after he related the circumstances with tears in his eyes as he said " poor fellow ! he only just touched me, when in an ungodly passion I put the heel of my scythe on him and killed him."
He had the following told at the expense of his bare feet, which had become hardened beyond belief by long usage "out of doors" and exposure to the cold. At one time he crossed Lake Erie on
131
KNOX COUNTY.
the ice barefooted, and when night overtook him- the man traveling in company with him was frozen to death-but old Johnny, by rolling about on the ice, kept warm, and in aftertimes was none the worse for it.
An old citizen of Mansfield vouches for the fol- lowing : A traveling preacher was at one time holding forth on the scriptures in the public square, to a miscellaneous audience, when he exclaimed, "where is the barefooted christian traveling to heaven ?" Johnny Appleseed was among the audi- tors, laying flat on his back on a piece of timber, and he stuck his bare feet high in the air and cried out " here he is!"
This artless child of nature was a man of much intelligence, and in his day and generation, much as he was hooted at and derided by the scoffers and jibers of the country, yet did he in his life time perform far more of good than they all did. If it is true, as claimed, that he who causeth a single blade of grass to grow, or plants a single shade tree, is a public benefactor, how much greater is the meed of praise due to poor old Johnny Appleseed, who caused thousands of fruit bearing trees to grow, and hundreds of orchards to blossom and bear fruit for the people. What lasting obliga- tions are we not under to him here in Knox county -in all central Ohio-in western Pennsylvania- in northern Indiana-and of a verity in all the " Great West," for our present most excellent fruits. God preserve his memory! To help perpetuate it we have devoted this Chapter in our History-to be read by many whose parents and relatives would
132
HISTORY OF
have fallen vietims to the relentless hate of the savage had Johnny Appleseed not have traveled from settlement to settlement along the Mohican, Owl Creek, the White Woman, the Muskingum, the Tuscarawas, and other water courses, notifying the families of the pioneers of the approach of dan- ger. Much, very much, may also be due this man of peace, this child of nature, for his kind offices among the children of nature in turning their hearts from wrath and averting their purposes of destruction. Reader-think of these things. Na- tive Owl Creeker ponder over them and cherish the memory of good old Johnny Appleseed.
The promises he made he faithfully redeemed. Among other evidences of his keeping his word, we have the following :
In 1819, Isaiah Roberts, then on his way to Mis- souri, finding no boat at Zanesville ready to start on the trip down the river, footed it to Marietta, and on the road met with Johnny Appleseed, who promised to call at his fathers in Knox county, and tell him where he parted with him, etc. Shortly after, Johnny made his appearance one night about dark, and was cheerfully received. He then had an old tattered coat and slouched hat, with hair and beard uncut and uncombed, and barefooted. After eating some supper, he espied a copy of "Bal- lou on Atonement," which he took and read for some time by candle-light, thinking at first it was good Swedenborg doctrine, and desired to take it with him; but after he read further, and found the kind of doctrine it inculcated, he threw it down indignantly, expressing his disappointment, and in
133
KNOX COUNTY.
a few moments after stretched himself out, and went to sleep.
Johnny Appleseed sometimes clipped his beard with scissors, but never used a razor. His nurse- ries, near Mount Vernon, were located at the fol- lowing places : One in the then called Indian Fields, on the north bank of Owl Creek, directly west of Center Run, and another on the ground where James W. Forrest established his pottery, and known more recently as Rich's pottery.
The last time he was in this country, he took Joseph Mahaffey and pointed out to him two lots of land, at the lower end of Main street, west side, about where Morey's soap factory was carried on, which he said belonged to him, and sometime he might come back to them. The tail-race of the Clinton Mill Company passed along there, and some of the ground has since been washed away by the water, and upon another portion stands the Mount Vernon Woolen Factory building. He has not been seen about here since 1829; but many a stray apple-tree that has been found upon the bor- ders of our streams, marked the spots where the barefooted pilgrim had marked his way.
In 1837, the Rev. John Mitchell, when traveling on the Plymouth Circuit, met him traveling along the road on foot and in his shirt sleeves, as con- tentedly as a prince. He told him then that he lived " out west."
Johnny Appleseed in religious belief was called a Swedenborgian ; in truth, he was of the primi- tive Christian style, taking little thought for the morrow, satisfied that God would provide for his
134
HISTORY OF
people, living in meekness and humility, and walk- ing uprightly. He had his peculiarities-who have them not ? He had his frailties-who is clear of them ? No wonder the Indians liked him. They could read his character at a glance. All was re- vealed by his eye, clear as the sunlight of God. He was without selfishness ; he sought not to intrigue with or cheat them-he would do them no wrong. He put confidence in their honor, and they never would do him wrong. Many and many a time has that faithful old hermit traveled through the settle- ments on foot and alone, putting his countrymen on their guard. Often have we been told of these trips by those who have passed and now are pass- ing away. Of him it was strictly and literally true, as sung by the poet :
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