USA > Ohio > Highland County > A history of the early settlement of Highland County, Ohio > Part 26
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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
and faithful to his country. He was a great hunter and killed many deer, bear and wolves in Highland. Like most of the pioneers lie continued to dress partly in deer skin. As a hunter, skilled and successful, this material was readily obtained and he was an ac- complished hand at dressing and pre- paring skins for apparel. He always wore buckskin moccasins of his own manufacture, preferring them to shoes.
In the course of a few years he had the best peach orchard in the country.
year among the hills of Highland, the of the present day. His fields of idol of the brothers and sisters of the wheat, rye and corn yielded an abund- simple hearted and sincere Christians ant supply for home consumption- - of the Rocky Fork church, were sent there was no market in those days and of course no one thought of raising a surplus of anything. Thus for many years did this good old man and his worthy family live. But in the course of time, his life drew to a peaceful and happy close. He and his worthy wife, Mary, died near the same time and were the first buried in the family grave yard on the highest point of the hill west of his home on his own farm. This grave yard was a lonely and out of the way place, where
"Two low green hillocke, two small gray stones,
Rose over the place that held their bones ;
But the grassy hillocks are leveled again, And the kecnest eye might search in vain, 'Mong briers, and ferns, and paths of sheep, For the spot where the aged couple sleep.
"Yet well might they lay beneath the soil Of this lonely spot, that man of toil,
And trench the strong hard mould with the spade,
Where never before a grave was made :
For bo bewed the dark old woods away, And gave the virgin fields to the day ; Aud the gourd and the bean beside his door, . Bloomed where their flowers no'er opened be-
foro ;
And the maize stood up, and the breaded ry e Bent low in the breath of an unknown sky."
127
A HISTORY OF HIGHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.
It is a subject of regret that most of teams with the gears on hitched close the old burying grounds which hold the by, cracking jokes and patiently wait- bones of so many of the pioneers should ing their turn to grind, for at a horse be found in neglect and comparative mill, which is propelled by hitching ruins. They sleep none the less quiet- horses to a sweep which turus round ly for that, but it should not be so, and and thus works the machinery, cach at no distant day the people of the man had to take the motive power West will become aware of it.
with him and wait till his turn calle
Robert Fitzpatrick, one of the sons in. It was no uncommon thing for of old James, spent his life near the old men from ten'or ty elve miles distitice homestead-was a most worthy and to have to wait three or Ion days in a respected man- was out in the Mexi- throng time before then turn eune. can war-was a devoted Methodist But those days are past and the loss of and esteemed a true citizen. The other the present time have no conception of two sons we are not in the possession the trouble their fathers had when boys of the history of.
to get the meal for a dodger. But the mill boys of those days, in their thin half worn linsey roundabouts and
This interesting pioneer fanfily is all gone and none of them have for many years resided on the old homestead. pants, without shoes, and often bare Their early home in Highland-the headed, enjoyed themselves much' meeting place of the Methodist Church when they were not too hungry and and the head quarters of the circuit could find a place to parch corn. preachers for so many years-that They were healthy and did not mind sweet looking, pleasantly situated log cold and the privations incident to the house, with its surrounding of peach times.
trees, plums, bee hives and blue grass The first wheat ground on the upper Rocky Fork was ground at Creed's horse mill. He was not prepared for bolting the flour, but liv went to Chilli- sward-its cool spring, by which al- ways hung the clean gourd- is gone and with it all that made it sweet and dear, except the spring-houses, peach cothe and got enough bolting cloth to orchard, bee hives-all. The entire cover an ordinary sieve and fastenel it ground is now a field or pasture and on the hoop of one. When any one none of the young generation would took wheat to the mill one of the girls ever suspect the appliances of civiliza- or his wife had to goalong and sift the tion which had once graced it.
flour. The name at that day for this
In the autumn of 1506 Matthew substitute for a bolt was a "strel."' Creed, another Revolutionary soldier, Esther Fitzpatrick says mauy a day she who fought at King's Mountain and has stood at the mill sifting the bran "the Point," was a great hunter and an out of the flour as it was ground. Indian spy during the tronblous times This kind of flour she says made mjust of Western Virginia, came, with his excellent bread and was first rate to large and chiefly grown family, from lighten. When it is recollected that Monroe county, Virginia, and bought the wheat thus converted into eatable out Terry Templin and settled within flour, had to be reaped with a sickle. half a mile of his brother-in-law, thrashed on the ground with a flail James Fitzpatrick. They both had and winnowed by means of a sheet lived close neighbors in Virginia. swung by two stont persons, it is not a Creed and his family were also mem- subject of surprise that the sifted flour bers of the Methodist Church and aid- made good tasting bread at least to ed much in advancing its interest in those who produced it with so much the county. labor.
The great difficulty which all the Although game was abundant at this date and old Mr. Creed a good hunniter, early settlers had to encounter-want of mills was overcome in this neigh- yet he did not take time to indulire as borhood in a year or two. Creed erect- much as many others. He built a tu- ed a horse mill, which was resorted to key pen near the house, in which he by distant settlers. Before the build- canght a large number of turkeys. ing of this mill. Fitzpatricks and their They were thus taken nutil the flowsily neighbors were obliged to carry their becaute tired of them, when the old man grain to Porter's horse mill beyond would then turn them out to see them New Market. Creed's mill stood for run. near twenty years and was extremely A turkey pen is thus described by one useful. At an early day it was no who has seen them, A pon is built at uncommon thing to see half a doken a suitable place of light woher rails. persons at a time setting by a log fire commencing at the base a square about out of doors, late in the fall, their tho site the falls will make and nap-
1
128^
A HISTORY OF HIGHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.
rowing in each round to the top, which have gathered up all the corn of course is secured. A trench is then cut into they want to go and, as is their nature, it so deep that a turkey may walk in instead of looking down to the ditch easily. Corn is then strewn pretty by which they entered, they constantly freely in the trench and over the bot- persist in looking up for a place to get tom of the pen. The turkeys com- mence picking up the corn some dis-
out. They thus await the pleasure of the owner of the pen. Not infrequent- tance perhaps from the pen and follow ly whole flocks of twenty or thirty up the bait in the ditch, until they un- were thus taken. consciously enter the pen. After they
4
-0-
CHAPTER XXVII.
FREDERICK FAWLEY, JEREMIAH SMITH, MATTHEW CREED, JO. HART, MARK EASTER, ABRAHAM CLEVENGER AND JESSE AND WM. LUCAS MOVE INTO THE COUNTY-A QUEER MARRIAGE FEE- ACCESSIONS TO THE SETTLE- MENTS NEAR LEESBURG AND FALL CREEK, COMPOSED OF THE WRIGHTS, MORROWS AND PATTONS - COURT RECORDS AND ELECTION RESULTS -- EARLY TOWNSHIP OFFICERS -- JACOB HIESTAND LOCATES NEAR SINKING SPRINGS -- THE ROGERS SETTLEMENT NEAR GREENFIELD, AND EARLY PRESBYTERIAN HISTORY.
The same spring that Fitzpatrick of eighty-four. He had some eccentric- moved up from Chillicothe Fredrick ities or rather peculiarities of manner, Fraley moved with his family from but with all his bluntness was regard- Pee Pee bottom and settled on the farm afterwards owned and occupied by his death. Adam Miller, about four miles south-
Jeremiah Smith and Matthew Creed, east of Hillsborough. His eldest son, jr., came out from Monroe county, John, had come up the year before and Virginia, as early as 1804. They made purchased the farm and made some im- a crop for HIugh Evans and worked provement.
Mr. Fraley moved from Pennsylvania, Shortly after the Fitzpatricks came on the banks of the Susquehana, a few Smith married Sally and settled down
years before to the Scioto. He was a blacksmith and started a shop almost law. immediately on his arrival in Highland, having brought his smith tools . with
ed by all as a good man to the day of where they could get work to do. in the neighborhood of his father-in-
The first coffin ever made on the Rocky Fork, that we have any informa- him from Pennsylvania. This was the tion of, was that made for the corpse first shop of the kind established on of George Weaver in the winter of the waters of the Rocky Fork, except a 1806. Jeremiah Smith was the under- little thing set up by Llewellyn a few taker, being a pretty good carpenter years before. It was not even an and cabinet maker, but owing to the apology though, as he knew little or fact that there were no saw mills yet nothing about the business and could established in the county he had no only tinker a little with hot iron. Fra- plank, nor could he get any. So he was obliged to split the lumber out of a walnut log. In dressing up this ma- terial Esther and Nancy Fitzpatrick, in the spirit characteristic of the pioneer
ley was a good workman and made everything in his line the country needed. He made a great many chop- ping axes, for the excellency of which
he acquired quite a reputation. He girls, assisted him. They worked near- also made mattocks, hoes, &c. He was ly all night at it in order to have it ready by the hour appointed for the
esteemed a very industrious and hon- est man. The Fraleys were all Metho- burial. dists and the father was much esteem- In the spring of 1806 Jo Hart, with ed as an exhorter and leader of his his family, consisting of two grown class. He died in 1825 or '6 at the age sons, two daughters and his wife, came
5
199
A HISTORY OF HIGHILAND COUNTY, OHIO.
from North Carolina and stopped at a Quinn was the first preacher of that big spring on Rocky Fork. They were denomination who preached in that very poor and had packed ont all the settlement and from that time for more way on horseback-the men and girls than twenty years regular preaching walking. They built a rough little was had at or near his house. Some cabin at the spring and 'on the faith of years after the settlement was com- a "squatter's claim," cleared ont a menced they built a parsonage-a good patch of ground, and, by some time in log house of three rooms, one of which June, were ready to plant corn. Being was designed for a meeting house ou all hunters they relied more on the meeting days and a dwelling house the woods for subsistence than any other remainder of the thne. It had a pulpit resource. The old man was addicted to fixed in one corner and movable seats. drink and followed hunting afnost en- The young generation, which was very tirely for a livelihood.
Mark Easter, with his three sons, ed. Many of them are dead, and many Adam, John and Jacob, and one son-in- have emigrated to the West. A few law, -- Evans, came from Pennsyl- vania in the spring of 1806, and having
numerons, are pretty much all scatter-
yet reside in this county and are very worthy citizens. Basil was the young- purchased five hundred acres of land est of all. Hle was a worthy member on Churn Creck, a small tributary of of the Methodist Church over sixty the Rocky Fork, divided ont the land years, near forty of which he was lead- equally among the four. They all set- er of a class. The first sermon ever tled down, built cabins, made improve- preached in Ohio by James Quinn, ments, reared large families, and are now dead. John Criger came out with them. He also settled down in the (says Basil Lucas) was preached in the cabin of William Lucas, at the Gift Ridge, on the Ohio River, and his first same neighborhood, where he contin- in the Lucas settlement in this county, ned to reside until his death.
in the cabin of the same William Lucas. About 1801 Abraham Clevenger came from Kentucky and settled on a James Qhim also preached his funeral many years after at the parsonage, the piece of land on the Rocky Fork. first meeting house erected in the set- Clevenger acquired this farm as com- thement. All the first pioneer preach- pensation for clearing a number of acres of land on a tract belonging to a man in Kentucky by the name of Blinco. His land lay on a small stream crossed at this day by the turnpike cast of Hillsborough, nearly opposite the
ers, says Mr. Basil Lucas, took for "quarterage" all kinds of produce, such as flour, meat, potatoes, corn, hackled flax, &c. The first marriage in the set- tlement was at the cabin of Jese Lucas-then a Justice of the Peace. residence of Daniel Miller. This was The groom's name was Obediah Me- the first improvement made on the Kinney-the marriage fee was one creek and from the owner of it the bushel of hulled walnuts. stream has since borne the name of Blinco.
Jesse and William Lucas built cabins
This year (1806) Hleth Hart, father of Joel, with his family, arrived from North Carolina at Nat Pope's. Heth
and cleared some land on Blinco in the was a famous -a mighty hunter, in-
spring of 1506. The Lucases came deed, and he carried a rifle of propor- from Pennsylvania. There were six tionate calibre-capable of throwing brothers of them, all married and with an ounce ball to a great distance for families of children. They came down those days, and with such ungrring aim the river from Redstone and stopped at as to prove fatal to wintever unlucky or near Manchester, where they made a "varmint" happened within its range. crop. Jesse came up into Highland Shortly after he came out he created a and purchased five hundred acres of cabin at a spring at the upper side of land on Blinco. The next winter or George Wilson's orchard, on Che" spring he and William moved up. Creek the farm afterward owned by Albert Swearingen and converted into a vineyard. This enbih was 104t characteristic in appenanes It was built on the general model of the prime itive "rough log cabin" of the thin, but the exterior was literally covered with the trophies of the chose. The luck horns were generally tossed up on the
Richard, Basil and Charles came up shortly after and settled in the vicinity of their brothers. James did not come for some time afterwards. Ile bought ont Borter Sumuer. The farm where Jesse settled was afterwards owned and occupied by C. Berch Miller. The old folks of this neighborhood were Methodists and regular preaching cir- roof, until, from the vast queenitity - Lin enit was established at William's by leth, it became covered; while the house in the fall of 1806.
James sides and ends were literally plastered
I
130
A HISTORY OF HIGHILAND COUNTY, OIIIO.
with the stretched skins of every varie- the Clear and Fall Creek settlements ty of wild animal from deer down to during the summer and fall of 1806. raccoon. In the interior were stowed William Wright-Quaker Billy, as he bears' skins, beaver, fox and all kinds was called-came from Tennessee and of peltries known in this country as settled on Hardin's Creek in the neigh- valuable in those days. Added to these borhood of Beverly Mimer, a most es- teemed citizen. David Mitchell came were the carcasses of deer hanging against the walls, from which the fam- from Kentucky with his family and ily cut and eat as hunger or inclination settled on the farm afterward owned prompted. Their beds were skins of and occupied by Major John W. Wool- animals and the ponderous rifle, toma- las. William Morrow, also from Ken- hawk and shot pouch of otter skin, the tucky, came with his family and set- skin of the face of the animal, nose tled on the farm afterward owned and down, swung for the flap, hung, when not in use, the first on two wooden hooks over the door and the others at the side, convenient at a moment's was a valuable citizen and an honest, warning to be put in immediate requi- sition. occupied by his son Joseph. He was a member of the Presbyterian denomina- tion and up to the time of his death good man. Alexander and James Wright, from Kentucky, came the saine
HIeth and his sons followed the chase year and settled in the same neighbor- for many years, making hills resound hood. The father of William, JJoseph with the reports of their rifles, old and James Patton came from Ken- Ileth's being easily distinguished from all others by its unusually heavy re- port. Indeed, to the people of the time it was known for miles around. They
tucky the following year and settled on Fall Creek. These were the old stock and were, in their day, prominent and useful citizens. Many of their de- could always tell when "old Heth" was scendents now reside in the county and out and tradition has it that his rifle a part of them occupy the same farms could be heard reverberating through on which their fathers made their im- the still woods and over the hill as far provements fifty years ago. They are as a four pounder. Heth was a man of all most worthy citizens.
decided mark. His nose was diseased and grew constantly larger and redder to the day of his death, and when he gret our inability to give the names of all the settlers. This Fall Creek region embraced the best lands of the county and was much sought after at that day.
During 1805 and '06 the whole of the Fall Creek country filled up and we re-
used to range the Clear Creek and Rocky Fork hills, as was always an- nounced by the boom of his big gun, he wore moccasins, leather leggins, hunt- ing shirt and fox skin cap, and his tre- mendons large and fiery looking nose was generally the first part of Heth that became visible through the brush . after the report of his gun was heard.
In October of this year (1806) the first Supreme Court for the county of High- land was held at New Market by Judges Ethan Allen and W. W. Irwin. The only case tried at this term was Isaac Collins against Joseph Kerr- Game was very abundant at the date appeal. It was an action of covenant, named in another chapter of this his-
of which we speak (1806), not only on Clear Creek, but all over the county. tory. The issne being joined, the fol- "I have known our neighbor, Joseph lowing jurors were empanneled to try Swearingen," says an early settler on it, to-wit: Samuel Evans, Oliver Ross, Clear Creek, "often to come home in the
Jacob Medsker, Jacob Kite, Allen evening when the snow was on the Trimble, Jacob Coffman, Philip Wil- ground, with a deer before him on his kin, Joseph Swearingen, Samuel Mc- horse 'Paddy,' and one other tied to his tail, dragging behind."
Quitty, Frederick Miller, William Keys and Elijah Kirkpatrick, who, in the language of the record, being elect- ed, tried and sworn, find a verdict in
Daniel Huff, sr., came from Surrey county, North Carolina, in 1806, and bonghit the land on which Jehu Beeson these words: "In this case the jury afterward resided, where he made an find the defendant hath not kept and improvement. Ile moved his family performed his covenant, &c. They, out the next year and became a perma- therefore, find for the plaintiff to re- cover of the defendant the sum of six nent citizen. Daniel was a member of the Society of Friends and his descend- hundred and fifty dollars and fifty ants still reside in this county, most cents damage." Thereupon the cause worthy citizens, who strictly adhere to was continued on motion of defendant's the faith and religious customs of their ancestor.
There were numerous accessions to the first. Supreme
counsel for a new trial until October term, 1808. This closes the business of Court of the
131
A HISTORY OF HIGHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.
county. The attorneys in the case able to learn there were no parties were James Scott and William Creigh- known in this county at that day, and ton, jr. In connection with this is an every man ran on his own merits-but order of the Commissioners of the eighty years have worked a mighty county, that Abraham J. Williams re- change and a contemplation of the of- ceive twenty dollars for attending as feet causes many a manly, honest wish Prosecuting Attorney at the term of for the good old days of the past, ju the Supreme Court held on the 10th day of October, 1806, and for the Octo- ber term of the Court of Common Pleas for Highland connty.
politics, if not in anything else. Men were honester and better in those days -more hospitable, patriotic and trust- worthy, and the present, with all its improvements, suffers greatly when contrasted with the days of eighty years ago, in every thing save the skill aud
In October of this year an election took place in Highland for member of Congress, State Senate, &e. Jeremiah Morrow and James Prichard were the success in getting the dollar. candidates for Congress. Elias Lang- ham and Abraham Claypole for the Stato Senate. James Dunlap, James Johnson, Henry Brush, John A. Ful- ton, Nathaniel Massie, David Shelby
The Trustees of New Market town- ship this year (1806) were James B. Finley, Joseph Davidson and Hector Murphy. James Fanning and William Curry, clerks of the election. In Lib. and Abraham J. Williams, for Repre- erty township, Edward Chaney, Amos sentative. Bigger Head, George W. Evans and Robert Fitzpatrick; Samuel Evans and Reason Moberly, clerks. Iu Barrere, Ezekiel Kelly, Alex. Fullerton and Joseph Quillin, for Commissioner. Fairfield township, Joseph Hoggatt, It appears by the names of the candi- John B. Beals and William Lupton; B. dates at this election that Highland and Ross counties formed one District for Senator and Representative. The official returns of this election on file in that Jeremiah Morrow received one hundred and sixteen votes for Congress II. Johnson and John Todhunter, clerks of the election. In Brushcreek township, there appears only two judges of the election this year, to-wit: the Clerk's Office of this county, show Peter Moore and James Cummins, and Jonathan Boyd and William Head, clerks. The election for Liberty town- and James Prichard one hundred and ship was held at Capt. William Hill's twenty-two. Elias Langham received on Clear Creek. The Fairfield election was held this year at Beverly Milner's. was elected Justice of the Peace, and
one hundred and forth-four votes for Stato Senate and Abraham Claypole At the same election Samuel Littler one hundred and eighteen. For Repre- sentative, James Dunlap received two Dimpsey Caps Constable for Fairfieldl. hundred and fifty-nine, James Johnson In the fall of 1805 or the spring of one hundred and fifty-seven, Henry 1806 Reason Moberly came with his Brush one hundred and twenty-nine, family from Maryland and settled on John A. Fulton one hundred, Nathan- Clear Creek. He was an honest, in- iel Massie one hundred and thirty-nine, dustrious citizen and left a large fami- Abraham J. Williams one hundred and ly of sons and daughters, some of twenty-five and David Shelby one hun- whom still reside in the county. Mr. dred and twenty-three. For Comnis- Moberly has been dead many years.
sioner, Bigger Head received one hu-
This year (1506) Jacob Hiestand, sr. dred and fifteen votes, Ezekiel Kelley moved from Bottetourt county, Vir- eighteen, G. W. Barrero one Inmidred ginia, to Ohio, and purchased the land and twenty-four, Alex. Fullerton ten on which the town of Sinking Spring and Joseph Quillin two. It appears now stands. Some time after he set- that G. W. Barrero was elected Com- tled on this land he conceived the idea missioner. As to the other candidates, of laying off a town on it, and went so their votes in Ross not being within far as to survey and make a plat. But out reach, we are unable to say who the members of his church, after con- seutative. Morrow was Congress. was successful for Senator and Repre- siderable deliberation, came to the con- elected to clusion that making towns and selling town lots was an anti-Christian trans-
This appears to have been one of the action and advised him to abandon the good, honest, old-fashioned kind of enterprise. Ho complied with their elections, in which all citizens were wishes and stopped proceedings. We permitted to be candidates who chose are not able to say to what denomina- and each voter could vote for the man tion of Christians Mr. Hiest and belong- who pleased him best, without saying ed; certain it is, however, that he gave "by your leave" to the petty managers up all idea of being proprietor of a of any party. Indeed, as far as we are town and some time afterwards sold
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.