A history of the early settlement of Highland County, Ohio, Part 23

Author: Scott, Daniel
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: [Hillsboro, Ohio] : The Gazette
Number of Pages: 442


USA > Ohio > Highland County > A history of the early settlement of Highland County, Ohio > Part 23


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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38


At this point, the close of the first


this survey Hardin's portion fell on both sides of the creek which bears year of the existence of our county, it his name, from the mouth up some might be interesting to speak briefly of the domestic condition of the people who were then its citizens. They lived


considerable distance. Fall Creek was named in consequence of the numerous rocky falls in its channel, while Clear in long cabins, without, perhaps, a Woodford county, Kentucky, Rocky Fork of Paint Creek explains itself. Creek was named for Clear Creek in single exception, even in the towns. The Some of these cabins, it is true, were graced with lap shingle roofs, and in rare cases, one four-light window. But Moses Patterson, with his family, emigrated from Fayette county, Ken- tucky, to Highland county, in the fall of 1805. Ho settled about a mile north of New Market, where he continued to this was looked upon by the public as rather aristocratic, and did not receive inuch encouragement. Furniture was scarce and generally of the rudest character. Owing partly to the want reside for some three or four years. of passable roads and the consequent About two years after he came he pur- difficulty of transportation through the


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A HISTORY OF HIGHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.


wilderness, few or none of the emi- mule, ever known. It is said they grants thought of carrying furniture have been known to kick a man over with them. When they arrived at their destination, it required but few hours work, after erecting the indis- pensable cabin, to split ont timber and


the fence and kick through at him several times before he was alde to rise. They were both horse and man killers, and in truth did the land little make a rongh table, by boring holes or no good. If a farmer in these days with an inch auger and putting in happened to want a harrow he hunted four rough but strong legs. In the out a forked tree, cut it, dressed the same way were stools made to sit on, fork, bored holes in it, drove in wooden and bedsteads to sleep on, for those teeth, and dragged it over the ground. who could not be satisfied with the The horses were harnessed with raw softest puncheon of the cabin floor. hide bridle and traces, husk collar and The cupboard was erected in one corner, chin bark muzzle on his mouth to keep by placing nice clean white clapboards on pins driven by auger holes in the logs of the cabin. On these shelves were set up on their edges, bottoms to the wall, the bright pewter plates, which hoe was heavy and clumsy, also the axe, were the only article of table furniture of that day, except the cups and knives him from eating the young corn as he tugged the merciless plough through the roots and stumps, among which it was making a desperate effort to grow. The and these were the implements of hus- bandry used in Highland when it had and forks, the latter frequently wooden. the honor to take a distinct position Wooden platters served for the rough among the counties of the State, and uses of the family, which with the for many years afterwards. It may heavy oak buckets occupied the lower be there were a very few who had bet- shelves just above the skillet and ter fortune and enjoyed the pleasure of hominy pot, when they were not in use. handling better tools, but the masses A "dresser," as the cupboards were call- did not. Augers, hand-saws, drawing ed, thus ornamented, looked pretty, knives, &c. were rarities, and of course, because of its very nice, bright and as they were much needed by the new clean appearance. In the course of a comers, borrowed for miles around. few years, men traveled over the coun- There were no saw mills, and such a try, remolding pewter plates and dish- thing as a piece of plink could not be es, and it was common allover the coun- found in the county: All hunber had to be split out of the solid log. In rant. This odious office was left to stern try to find all the plates and dishes on the table at dinner of this metal bright- those days, fashion did not play the ty- ly scoured. There were no regular physicians in this county at that day. necessity. If men could manage to The old women were all the doctors procure the absolute necessaries of life the county appeared to need and they they were quite as well off as their practiced on a very safe system of herb teas chiefly. Mrs. Samuel Gibson was


neighbors, and consequently all were about on an equality in this respect. celebrated for her skill, and ministered But they were hearty and happy in to the wants of the people far and near. their humble homes. Game was still At a later day somewhat, Mrs. Daniel abundant, and they supplied them- Inskeep practiced extensively. There selves liberally, and on the whole, en- was however, but little sickness. The joyed life very much. They had few only lawyers who practiced in this cares, and having per force redneed thol county in 1805, were found in Ross, wants within their capacity to supply Adams and Clermont, there being none them, they soon learned to be content resident within the county. Each man with what they had, and make the made his own house, and pretty much most of life as it passed. They had all his domestic necessaries-shoes, their amusement, too, which sichend ser ploughs, harrows, sleds, &c. The farin- the times. Shooting matches Anual utensils consisted of a long nosed old dances about Christmas, chopping frol Virginia bear shear plow with wooden licks, quiltings, log rollings. home mole board, weighing more in itself than raising, elections, and occasionally a one of the splendid steel plows of the religions meeting in the woods, of present day. All the iron about one more rarely still, a buying, in some of these primitive ploughs was the of the new but lonely hill top gravd sheer and coulter, but this deficiency yards, brought the settlers togetfor, was made up in the wood work, which and made them acquainted. Hospi- was chunsy and heavy beyond the con- tality was a prominent churartoride ception of one Who never saw such an among all the piomer settiera of High- implement; in length, when hitched land, which the few of them who yat up, they were ten or fifteen fect, and remain never forget to practice when the wickedest thing to kick, except a visited.


CHAPTER XXV.


INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES OF THE EARLY NEW MARKET SETTLEMENT- COLONEL WILLIAM KEYS AND THE HARDSHIPS WHICH HE AND HIS FAMILY ENDURED IN THEIR JOURNEY TO HIGHLAND-THE STAFFORD, CALEY, AND CREEK FAMILIES MOVE IN AND SETTLE IN DIFFERENT LOCALITIES -FURTHER COURT RECORDS, CLOSING UP THE YEAR 1800.


The follies and vices indulged in the conception of the plan, was seen to those days, were too often only looked spread from car to ear. They, in car- upon as so much sport, though they had a rying forward their plan, contrived damaging influence on the youth of the speedily to use up or siall all the water day, particularly in and around New


that Fritz had provided before dark Market, which was then the centre of for night. Soon a demand was made fashion and refinement as well as vice for water, and water they must have, and profligacy, of the county. One of that time and place, which was a source of amusement and laughter for many a day afterwards, is thus iemem- bered by an early resident of that place. "Late in the Fall of 1805, Adam Barn- gruber came from Kentucky with a so poor Fritz had to gather up his the many characteristic incidents of bucket and trudged off through the dark, a matter of three hundred yards, to the spring, the nearest point where water could be obtained. He was absent some time. Meantime, the company put out the fire which furnish- ed all the light for the store room. four horse wagon and team to Now They then secreted themselves, in the Market, loaded with a miscellaneous stock of goods, wares and merchandise. among which was a barrel of whisky and a keg of tobacco. He had some remnants of calico, cotton handkerchiefs


dark, in the chimney corners, and at the side of the house, awaiting the ar- rival of Fritz. At length he came with his bucket of water. Finding the door open, and all darkness within, at the shawls, &c., perhaps enough to fill a same time he was met at the door by bushel basket. These goods he put for such offensive, sickening and suffocit- ing effluvia, that he was for a moment startled, and almost unnerved. Recov- ering his breath, however, and speech, he vociferated in his broken language, "Vat, vat now! Vat in do hell ish now! I pleves dis divel has came! Poys ! poys!" At this moment one outside in the chimney corner, gave an awful groan and gritted his teeth. "Vot ! dunder and blixen! O poys, vat now ? Mine Got! vat ish dis!" Here their leader, Finley, set up a most hide- sale in a small cabin about twelve feet square, right opposite where Lewis Couch afterwards lived, which he digni- fied by the name of store. He brought with him a Dutchman called Fritz Mil- ler with whom he had formed partner- ship, he furnishing the goods and Fritz selling. This was the first trading es- tablishment or store in New Market, and, it is believed, the first in the county. Here in New Market, just like every other place, sinks of demoralization were always first in order. Fritz open- ous bellowing, followed up by all the ed under most flattering auspices, and others in their hiding place, with a · by reason of his whisky and tobacco most terrific rushing and rattling of soon had lots of friends. Barngruber casks, and gnashing of teeth, growling, soon returned from Kentucky with an- howling, &c., which so terrified the other load of goods of the same stripe. poor Dutchman that he exclaimed, as Winter came, and during the long nights he turned to run, "Mine Got! vat ish many of the citizens would walk up to dis ? Mike Stroup, the difel is comes for spend an hour with "Fritz Miller." Ile me!" He left his store to the full pos- had become a great favorite. At these session of the supposed evil one, glad to escape so lightly what to him seemed terrible in the extremo. After he was fairly scared off, and everything quiet,


meetings, the "New Market Devil" (J. B. Finley) was prominent, and many were the little tricks played upon poor Fritz for the amusement of the com- the merry company lighted up the fire, pany. One chilly evening the company, and amused themselves with whisky six or eight in number, concocted a and cards till morning, winding up in plan by which to have some fun out of a pretty extensivo fight, in which Finley remained master of the cabin. During the following winter was Fritz. J. B. Finley was among them as chief conductor, whose mouth, upon


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A HISTORY OF HIGHLIND COUNTY, OHIO.


brought together and organized, in tive of Col. William Keys, showing the Fritz Miller's grocery, a bogus lodge difficulties and hardships encountered of Freemasons, the Master of which by emigrants from the older States to was J. B. Finley. This new order, of course, soon became very popular, and petitions for initiation were numerous at each regular meeting, which was in


Ilighland county in 1805. We now make further extracts from the same material, which properly take position at this date. The portion heretofore the dark of the moon of each month, published, the readers will recollect, in any old shanty they could get, and brought the Colonel and his companions frequently in the woods and corn fields to main Paint ereok, which "we cross- in summer. Among those who peti- cd," he says, "at the Indian ford, two tioned for membership, was Fritz, who or three miles above the mouth of the Rocky Fork of Paint, and then took the newly cut Anderson State Road (this was in the autumn of 1805,) which had been recently opened, so far as the chop- ping down and logging off the trees and saplings were concerned ; but the logs were lying strewed helter skelter over the line of the road, so we had, in order to get along, to connnence a log rolling of some ten miles long, the first day we entered the county. seems to have been the butt of most of their pranks. Tradition says the cere- mony of initiation was performed in the most solemn manner-the initiate being blindfolded and completely sub- missive to the will of those around him. At the conclusion of the rehearsal of the ritual of the Order, the candi- date was branded with a red hot nail rod, and duly pronounced by the Master a "Tree and accepted Mason." Fritz Miller, the first merchant of Highland, was thus made a Mason, much to the amusement of the members of the fun- loving Order present, being branded in his own store, late at night. So thorough was the branding, and so hot was the nail rod, that the smoke rose to the roof, and Fritz howled in Dutch from the pain inflicted. J. B. Finley soon after this became a member of the


"On or about the 20th of November, piloted by Judge Pope, we found a spring on our lund, and, by fiat cutting a wayon road to it, landed all safe. We cleared away the brush, erected a tent, before which we kept a huge fire, and soon commence building a cabin, which for all the world looked like log cabins in general, and buing completed, we moved into it on Christmas day, A. Methodist Church, and a preacher. D. 1505. Oui cabin was a rough looking Since theen, his history as a Christian Minister is familiar to the public. Hc devoted himself to the cause, and after nearly fifty years of zealous and effici- ent labor, died a few years ago at an advanced age.


concern, but it sheltered us from the stonn, and kept us dry and comfortable; and, as was usual all over the west, we kept the latch string hanging out." This cabin was built on Fall creek.


In speaking of their long journey of His father, R. W. Finley, opened a eight weeks from Virginia, the Colonel classical school, as was his custom says: "Our mode of traveling over the whole length of the road, was like that of the children of Israel to the land of promise; we all took it on foot, except the aged mother, and women with young children- they rude on horse- hack, where rifling was possible." wherever he went, in a cabin on Whiteoak, and taught Latin, Greek and Hebrew, to such young men as desired those accomplishments. Among his pupils about this time, was John W. Campbell, well known in this region as a member of Congress from the Dis-


This party of Virginians, number- trict in which Highland then was. He ed in all ton persons Colonel Keys, also gave his son John a thorough ed- his wife and child, his mother, ncation, who was, it is said, the most four sisters, Samuel and Andrew, his intellectual man of the family. Ho brothers. They lived a year in that became a licensed preacher of the cabin. Their settlement was made on Methodist church in 1810. In 1822 he the farm now owned in port by Sammel was appointed Professor of Languages Reese, in Penn township. One of the in Augusta College, Kentucky. He sisters afterward became the wife of died in May, 1525.


Samuel Ranesey, nother married Hugh Hill, and another a gentleman named


Old Robert, though sileneed as a reg- ularly authorized preacher of the Gospel, Jones.


continued to preach on his own account Sammel Reese, from Berliny confly, whenever an opportunity afforded. He Virginia, came and settied on Fall was a man of splendid education and creek, in the fall of 1806, of the old great worth- admired and loved by all. James Patton fan. He was a worthy


In the first chapter of this History, we man, po ceso of good strong common Have an extract from the written narra- sense, and represented this comfy in


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A HISTORY OF HIGHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.


the Legislature afterwards ; also Hamil- two. Jacob Beals, who moved out early, ton county, after he removed from High- erected a small tub mill on the creek, land to the Miami. In the fall of 1804, about a mile below where the Wash- ington road now crosses, in 1804. Abont the same time, l'hincas Hunt erected a small grist mill where the Washington road now crosses, and built his house on the hill adjoining. These mills did much of the grinding of the Fall creck settlers, and, indeed, for the settlers more dis- tant. About the same date, and per- laps even carlier, a little trap of a mill was built at the falls of Rattlesnake-


Abner Robinson came from Northi Carolina, and built a cabin and made an improvement on the farm known as the old Leverton farm, on the Washington road. Hle sold out to old Foster Lever- ton in 1806, and moved away. Leverton came from North Carolina to Ohio. He was an Englishman by birth, and has been dead a number of years, leaving a large family of children and grand- children, most of whom still reside in right at the falls-but it never did much this county, useful and worthy citizens. good, washing away soon after, and from never being rebuilt.


In 1805 Jonathan Barrett, Virginia, bought out Nathaniel Pope, Old William Stafford and his four on Hardin's creek, and settled there. sons, Jonas, James, Robert and John, Ilis brother Richard, and his brother-in- moved out from North Carolina, and law, Henry Cowgill, came with him. settled between Fall and Hardin's creek, Richard settled on Fall creek, near the in 1804, in the neighborhood of Abner farm known as the old Fairley place, Cowgill settled in the same neighbor- hood.


Robinson. The old man settled on the farm now owned and occupied by John Morrow, Esq. James, his son, settled


Mr. Crew, father of Joshua Crew, of on the farm now owned in part by Penn township, settled on Hardin's Jacob Tompkins, Jordon Ladd, Micajal creek, in this year.


William and Isaac Sharp came out Jolin Stafford settled on the farm now from Virginia, in company with the owned and occupied by Jolin Leverton. Keys family, and settled on Samuel Nicholas Robinson came out with his brother Abner, from North Carolina, Reece's land, as tenants.


The settlements up to this year, (1805,) and settled the farm now owned part by in Highland county, had principally John Leverton and part by Allen John-


been made on the water courses within son. its boundaries. There were, however,


In the year 1805, 'Squire George exceptions; New Market, Franklin and Caley purchased the land on which he Dicks settlement, Wilkins, Shafer, resided for many years. This place is a Laman and Caley, north-west of New short distance north of the old Philip Marko and the settlement of James Wilkin farm. Mr. C'aley says the first Johnson, in the present township of year he lived there he killed twenty- Penn.


two deers. He came from Virginia to


What the strong inducements were New Market, it will be remembered, in on the banks of the little creeks which 1801. 'Squire Caley reared a large and respectable family, and in all essentials faithfully discharged the duties of a good citizen. He was present at the laying off of the present town of HIills-


cut up the county, is not very apparent at this day. Perhaps the small bottoms of rich lands formed the principal attrac- tion. This inquiry is not, however, im- portant. These streams, though small, borough.


were generally well adapted to mills, In 1805 John, Joseph and Jacob · and mills, of all things, were most need- Creek emigrated from Virginia, and ed by the carly settlers. Consequently they soon appeared at intervals, along the banks of the creeks. Temporary,


settled with their families in the neigh- borhood of Richard Evans. John settled on the old Thomas Hinton farm on the frequently rickety things, only able to pike. Joseph settled on and improved grind a few bushels of corn in a day, the farm recently owned by Jndge Barry,


when there happened to be plenty of and later by Thomas Willett; and Jacob water, and that had not frozen, were settled on the farm now owned by the erected. These little pioneer mills, heirs of John Barry, where he resided a simple and unpretending as they cer- number of years. They are all dead. tainly were, even for that day, met, to a Whilst they lived they were industrious considerable extent, the wants of the and useful citizens. Joseph Creek was carly settlers.


something of a mechanic, rather better Up to the time of which we now than the necessities of the times forced speak, no mill had been erected on upon all backwoods men. It was abso- Clear creek, and none on Fall creek. lutely necessary for every head of a On Hardin's creek there were, however, family, in the early settlement of the


Johnson's widow, and Joseph McNeil.


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A HISTORY OF HIGHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.


county, to be able to turn his hand to many occupations now esteemed arts and professions. He had to construct, after the best fashion he was able, with the few and often very poor tools in his possession, or which he could borrow from his neighbors, pretty much all the indispensable implements for the farm and household. It is very true they did not know the use of the tenth part of the domestic conveniences so lavishly employed by the farmers of the present day, but some things they were obliged to have. They had to have clothing, and as the day had passed when a whole family could be considered genteel, however comfortable they might be, clad in the skins of wild beasts, some arrangement was necessary to fabricate clothes from flax and wool. And these articles for many years subsequent to the date of which we speak, were almost the sole resource to the Ilighland pco- ple. They had to cultivate flax and sheep. The wool had to be carded by hand for all the winter clothes of the family, and then spun and wove. This work was all done by the women folks of the house. They had a hard time of it, poor souls, and we wish we could present the picture of the pioneer mothers, as we know it to have existed pretty much for the first twenty years of the history of the domestic life of the county. It was one round of incessant toil, from spring to fall and from fall to spring. Frequently they had to assist their husbands in clearing the ground and building the cabing, then they help- ed work, the crop- helped harvest the grain- helped thresh and clean the wheat and husk and shell the corn - hunted the cows, frequently had to chop and carry the wood from the woods to cook or warm the house in winter when the husband was down with the rheu- matism, a eut foot or some other of the mi fortunes which befell farmers in those days. In addition to all this she was depended upon for preparing some- thing catable for her hard working his- band and sons. She had, in the spring, to hunt through the woods for carly plants suitable for greens, for ordinary vegetables were out of the question. These greens boiled with the "jop!," the remnant of last fall's supply of bacon, with some corn bread, the meal of which was most probably pounded by her hand or ground on the hand mill. This constituted the bert dinner for the spring of the year. In the fall, how- ever, comparative almadance came, in pumpkins, turnips, potistors, de., but with the other Libois of the summer, the mother had to pull the glas, spreal,


and after it was sufficiently rotted, break, skutch and hackle it. She had also to spin and weave linen for shirts and pants for her husband and children. This she of course had to make up and keep washed and mended. Euly in the fall came the carding, spinning. weaving and dyeing of the little crop of wool, shorn the spring before off the backs of the few sheep which had sur- vived the inclemency of the past winter, or the more dreaded attacks of the merciless wolves. The material used for dyeing was bark, walnut, hickory or oak. By Christmas, the mother, if her health did not fail, generally had the satisfaction of seeing her husband and all the boys and girls clothed in good warm new clothes of her own manu- facture, including socks of her own spinning and knitting. To accomplish all this, she had to set up till midnight and frequently work by fire light, making or mending darning socks, patching little socks almost all over, whilst the owner was asleep, uncousti- ous till moming that his only pair of ragged breeches were thus carefully prepared to protect him from the cold blast the next day. In this way, from year to year passed the whole of the life of the faithinl and devoted mother of early days. Truly justice has never been done to these kind hearted and true women. We Sincerely regret that we can not do it. They were the true heroines of the West if het of the world, nobly and self-sacrificingly giving their lives to the cheerful discharge of their duty, without a thought but for the comfort and happine of their family, they were content to pass their days in humble ob. curity an I toil.


Most of these pioneer women-moth . ers and maids of Highland, have long since sunk into humble, it may be, now forgotten graves, without even a simple rudely engraven tombstone to niark their birth and death, yet from our very soul we trust and hope they have re- ceived the reward due to their patient, uncomplaining and constant discharge of duty in this world. They are a class who have been utterly loet sight of in the annals of the West, except a few who were mide prisoners by the sava- yes, or monkled bullets whilst their Inbands and brothers defended the block houses against the vengeful end- my, All honor and the heart of every true descendant of the early women of Highland, will echo it-to the memory of the early women of Highland. They were nature's ableet production, as they abundantly evidenced by their arts, and contributed more, we doubt




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