Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I, Part 116

Author: Howe, Henry, 1816-1893
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Cincinnati : Published by the state of Ohio
Number of Pages: 1006

USA > Ohio > Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I > Part 116

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).

It has seventy-eight miles of railroad.

TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS.

1840.

1880.

TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS.

1840.

1880.

Adams,

866

806

Millwood,

1,722

1,984

Beaver,

1,686

Monroe,

1,098

1,080

Buffalo,

1,025

Oxford,

2,133

1,615

Cambridge,

2,033

4,665

Richland,

1,772

1,439

Center,

976

1,233

Seneca,

1,356

Jackson,

1,155

1,140

Spencer,

1,669

1,552

Jefferson,

755

931

Valley,

999

Knox,

538

964

Washington,

1,008

742

Liberty,

835

1,503

Westland,

1,077

925

Londonderry,

1,629

1,320

Wills,

1,887

1,855

Madison,

1,569

1,160

Wheeling,

769

1,284

Population in 1820 was 9,292 ; in 1830, 18,636 ; 1840, 27,729 ; 1860, 24,474 ; 1880, 27,197, of whom 23,554 were Ohio-born, 1,499 Pennsylvania, 608 Vir- ginia, 47 New York, and 578 from Europe.

Previous to the first settlement of the county there was a party of whites attacked by Indians on Wills creek, near the site of Cambridge. The particulars which follow are from the pen of Col. John M'Donald, author of the "Bio- graphical Sketches."

In the year 1791 or '92, the Indians hav- ing made frequent incursions into the settle- ments along the Ohio river, between Wheel- ing and the Mingo bottom, sometimes killing or capturing whole families, at other times stealing all the horses belonging to a station . or fort, a company consisting of seven men rendezvoused at a place called the Beech bottom, on the Ohio river, a few miles below where Wellsburg has been crected. This com- pany were John Whetzel, William M'Col- lough, John Hough, Thomas Biggs, Joseph Hedges, Kinzie Dickerson, and a Mr. Linn. Their avowed object was to go to the Indian towns to steal horscs. This was then consid- ered a legal, honorable business, as we were then at open war with the Indians. It would only be retaliating upon them in their own way. These seven men were all trained to Indian warfare and a life in the woods from their youth. Perhaps the western fronticr at no time could furnish seven men whose souls were better fitted, and whose nerves and sinews were better strung to perform any enter-

prise which required resolution and firmness. They crossed the Ohio, and proceeded with cautious steps and vigilant glances on their way through the cheerless, dark and almost impervious forest, in the Indian country, till they came to an Indian town, near where the head waters of the Sandusky and Muskingum rivers interlock. Here they made a fine haul, and set off homeward with fifteen horses. They travelled rapidly, only making short halts to let their horses graze and breathe a short time to recruit their strength and ac- tivity. In the evening of the second day of their rapid retreat they arrived at Wills creek, not far from where the town of Cam- bridge has been since erected. Here Mr. Linn was taken violently sick, and they must stop their march or leave him alone to perish in the dark and lonely woods. Our frontier men, notwithstanding their rough and un- polished manners, had too much of my Un- cle Toby's "sympathy for suffering human- ity" to forsake a comrade in distress. They halted, and placed sentinels on their back

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GUERNSEY COUNTY.

trail, who remained there till late in the night, without seeing any signs of being pursued. The sentinels on the back trail re- turned to the camp, Mr. Linn still lying in excruciating pain. All the simple remedies in their power were administered to the sick man, without producing any effect. Being late in the night, they all lay down to rest, except one who was placed as guard. Their camp was on the bank of a small branch. Just before daybreak the guard took a small bucket and dipped some water out of the stream ; on carrying it to the fire he discov- ered the water to be muddy. The muddy water waked his suspicion that the enemy might be approaching them, and were walk- ing down in the stream, as their footsteps would be noiseless in the water. He waked his companions and communicated his sus- picion. They arose, examined the branch a little distance, and listened attentively for some time; but neither saw nor heard any- thing, and then concluded it must have been raccoons, or some other animals, puddling in the stream. After this conclusion the com- pany all lay down to rest, except the sentinel, who was stationed just outside of the light. Happily for them the fire was burned down, and only a few coals afforded a dim light to point out where they lay. The enemy had come silently down the creek, as the sentinel suspected, to within ten or twelve feet of the place where they lay, and fired several guns over the bank. Mr. Linn, the sick man, was lying with his side towards the bank, and re- ceived nearly all the balls which were at first fired. The Indians then, with tremendous yells, mounted the bank with loaded rifles, war-clubs and tomahawks, rushed upon our men, who fled barefooted and without arms. Mr. Linn, Thomas Biggs and Joseph Hedges were killed in and near the camp. William M'Collough had run but a short distance when he was fired at by the enemy. At the

instant the fire was given he jumped into a quagmire and fell ; the Indians, supposing that they killed him, ran past in pursuit of others. He soon extricated himself out of the mire, and so made his escape. He fell in with John Hough, and came into Wheeling. John Whetzel and Kinzie Dickerson met in their retreat, and returned together. Those who made their escape were without arms, without clothing or provisions. Their suffer- ings were great; but this they bore with stoical indifference, as it was the fortune of war. Whether the Indians who defeated our heroes followed in pursuit from their towns, or were a party of warriors who accidentally happened to fall in with them, has never been ascertained. From the place they had stolen the horses they had travelled two nights and almost two entire days, without halting, except just a few minutes at a time, to let the horses graze. From the circum- stance of their rapid retreat with the horses it was supposed that no pursuit could pos- sibly have overtaken them, but that fate had decreed that this party of Indians should meet and defeat them. As soon as the stragglers arrived at Wheeling, Capt. John M'Collough collected a party of men, and went to Wills creek and buried the unfor- tunate men who fell in and near the camp. The Indians had mangled the dead bodies at a most barbarous rate. Thus was closed the horse-stealing tragedy.

Of the four who survived this tragedy none are now living to tell the story of their suffering. They continued to hunt and to fight as long as the war lasted. John Whet- zel and Dickerson died in the country near Wheeling. John Hough died a few years since, near Columbia, Hamilton county, Ohio. The brave Capt. William M'Collough fell in 1812, in the battle of Brownstown, in the campaign with Gen. Hull.

Hon. William M. Farrar has given us the following interesting items concern- ing the carly history of the county :

The streams of this county come somewhat curiously by their names, as Leatherwood, from a bush having a tough leathery bark used by the pioneers for many useful pur- poses ; Yoker, from the yoker brush that grows along its banks; Wills creek, from Wills river, Maryland ; Crooked creck, from its winding course ; Little and Big Skull Forks, from the fact that in early times the Indians, having made one of their raids into the white settlements east of the Ohio river, were returning with their prisoners, among whom were a mother and infant child ; being pursued they first killed the infant and left the body to be devoured by the wolves, who left no remains but the little skull ; farther on the mother was killed and in like manner devoured by the wolves, leaving only the skull. These skulls were found by the pur- suing whites on the banks of the streams which thus received their respective names.

Another stream is named Indian Camp from one of their camping grounds.

The settlement of the county was curious in that settlers from so many different dis- tricts met here. The Virginians and Guern- seymen met at Wills creek; the Yankees from Massachusetts and Western Pennsylva- nians in the southwest ; Quakers from North Carolina and Chester county, Pa., in the southeast ; the Irish in northern and western townships. A settlement from New Jersey extends into two townships, while there are families, descendants of the Hessians, in the southern part of the county that came in through Virginia and Maryland settlements. The youngest daughter of Gen. Stark, of the Revolution, died in this county, aged ninety-nine years.

The man who wields the second oar in the painting of Perry's Victory, in the rotunda of the Ohio State House, was a Guernsey

728

GUERNSEY COUNTY.

county man known as "Fighting Bill" Reed. He was of Virginia or Pennsylvania stock, who learned the blacksmith trade with Wil- liam McCracken, of Cambridge.

Gen. Broadhead's trail on his Coshocton

campaign in 1781 against the Indians is dis- tinctly marked through the county. There were no Indian villages in this region, it be- ing the hunting ground of parties that hunted and fished along the principal streams.

In 1798 " Zane's Trace " was cut through the county. When Zane's party arrived at Wills Creek Crossing they found the government surveyors husy sur- veying the United States military lands. They had a camp on its banks. At this time the only dwelling between Wheeling and Lancaster was at Zanesville. The Zanes were from the South Branch of the Potomac, near Wills river, Mary- land, and hence gave the name Wills creek to the stream. So far as known, Ebenezer Zane's party consisted of himself, his brother Jonathan Zane, John McIntire, Joseph Worley, Levi Williams, and an Indian guide named Tomepome- hala.

Wills creek is a sluggish stream with clay bottom, and choked up as it was at that day with drift wood and rubbish, was a difficult crossing; and the Zanes, in compliance with the requirements of the act to establish and maintain ferries at the principal crossings, probably induced a man of the name of Graham to estab- lish one there. It was the first stream west of Wheeling on the "Trace" over which they placed a ferry. Who this first ferryman was or where from is not known. He remained about two years, and was succeeded by George Beymer, from Somerset, Pennsylvania, a brother-in-law of John McIntire, of Zane's party. McIntire was a brother-in-law of Ebenezer Zane. Both of these persons kept a house of entertainment and a ferry for travellers on their way to Kentucky and other parts of the West. Mr. Beymer, in April, 1803, gave up his tavern to Mr. John Beatty, who moved in from Loudon county, Virginia. Beatty's family consisted of eleven persons. Among these was Wyatt Hutchinson, who later kept a tavern in the town. The Indians then hunted in this vicinity, and often encamped on the creek. In June, 1806, Cambridge was laid out; and on the day the lots were first offered for sale, several families from the British isle of Guernsey, near the coast of France, stopped here and purchased lands. These were followed by other families, amounting in all to some fifteen or twenty, from the same island; all of whom, settling in the county, gave origin to its present name. Among the heads of these families were William Ogier, Thomas Naftel, Thomas Lanfisty, James Bishard, Charles and Jolin Marquand, John Robbins, Daniel Ferbrache, Peter, Thomas and Johu Sarchet, and Daniel Hubert.

CAMBRIDGE IN 1846 .- Cambridge, the county-seat, is on the National road, 77 miles east of Columbus and 24 east of Zanesville. It is a flourishing village, and contains 1 Presbyterian, 1 Seceder, 1 Methodist Episcopal and 1 Reformed Meth- odist church, an academy, 9 mercantile stores, 2 carding machines, 1 flouring and 2 fulling mills, 1 newspaper printing office and about 1,000 inhabitants. The view represents the town as it appears from a hill on the west, about 300 yards north of the National road. The bridge across Wills creek is shown on the right and the town on the hill in the distance .- Old Edition.

The bridge above spoken of is shown also in the new picture. Although built in 1828 it still does good service. It is on the plan of Ithiel Town, a noted architect who, at the same date, was building the Connecticut State-House after the model of the Greek temple, and is now standing on the New Haven Green, though no longer used as a State-House, while the bridge, started as a bridge, remains still on duty as a bridge.

Cambridge is 77 miles east of Columbus, at the intersection of the C. & M. and B. & O. railroads. It is the centre of a fine agricultural district and the county-seat of Guernsey county. County officers in 1888 : Probate Judge, Lot P. Hosick ; Clerks of Court, James R. Barr, Alfred .Weedon ; Sheriff, Hugh F. McDonald ; Prosecuting Attorney, Justus H. Mackey ; Anditor, Thomas Smith ; Treasurer, Milton Turner ; Recorder, John K. Casey ; Surveyor, William J. Hes-

729

GUERNSEY COUNTY.

tor ; Coroner, John H. Sarchet ; Commissioners, John Shipman, James B. Hart- ley, George Watson. Newspapers : Jeffersonian, Democrat, Jolin M. Amos, edi- tor and proprietor ; Guernsey Times, Republican, D. D. Taylor, editor and pro- prietor ; Herald, Independent, Mehaffy & Ogier, editors and proprietors; Peo-

Drawn by Henry Howe in 1846.

CAMBRIDGE, FROM THE WEST.

ple's Press, Republican, C. W. Dunnifer, editor ; Eastern Ohio Teacher, Educa- tional, Prof. John McBurney, editor and proprietor. Churches : 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Presbyterian, 1 United Presbyterian, 1 Baptist, 1 Episcopalian, 1 Colored Baptist and 1 African Methodist Episcopal. Banks : Central National,

J. P. Brown, Photo., Cambridge, 1887.

CAMBRIDGE, FROM THE WEST.

A. J. Hutchinson, president, W. E. Boden, cashier; Guernsey National, J. D. Taylor, president, A. A. Taylor, cashier ; Old National, S. J. McMahon, presi- dent, A. R. Murray, cashier.

Industries and Employees .- C. & M. R. R. shops, 50 hands; Cambridge Chair Factory, 75 hands ; Cambridge Roofing Co., iron roofing, 27 hands ; Hoyle &

730

GUERNSEY COUNTY.

Scott, doors and sash ; Simons Bros., foundry ; E. M. Collum, buggies, City Mills .- State Report for 1887. Natural gas is used here for manufacturing and domestic purposes. Population in 1880, 2,883. School census in 1886, 1,280; E. Burgess, superintendent.

Eight miles east of Cambridge, on the National road, is Washington, of which we said in 1846 : "It is a very thriving village, and does an extensive business with the surrounding country, which is very fertile. It has 1 Lutheran, 1 Pres- byterian, 1 Methodist, 1 Union and 1 Catholic church, the last of which is an elegant and costly Gothic edifice ; 6 mercantile stores, 1 woollen factory, a population nearly equal to Cam- bridge. It was laid out about the year 1805 by Simon Beymer, pro- prietor of the soil, and a native of Cumberland county, Pennsylvania." Being away from railways, it has lost its relative importance. The census of 1880 gave it exactly 600 inhabitants.

In the northern part of this county, on the line of the C. & M. railroad track, a few hundred yards north of Guernsey station, stand the TWIN SYCAMORES, which are a considerable curiosity in the way of trees. These are the measurements, as obtained for us by Mr. William M. Farrar : Twelve inches above ground the largest is in girth 14 feet 6 inches, and the smaller, 10 feet and 4 inches. I. N. Knowlton, Photo. THE TWIN SYCAMORES. The arm or connection is 22 feet 2 inches from the ground, and its girth 5 feet 5 inches. The girth of the larger tree above the arm is 10 feet 5 inches ; of the smaller tree, 7 feet 9 inches. The growing of a limb of one tree into the body of another is occasionally seen in the forests. This, however, is an unusual specimen. Sometimes one limb grows into another ; an example of this is on the New Haven Green, where a lower limb about five feet in length has grown into the one above and serves as a brace as completely as any brace put in by human hands.

THE LEATHERWOOD GOD.

At the village of Salesville there was built by the early settlers a hewed log- church called the Temple and for the use of all denominations. In August, 1828, about two and a half miles northwest of the Temple, was held a camp-meeting under the auspices of the United Brethren Church. It begau on Wednesday and continued over Sunday.

On Sunday afternoon a large assemblage was addressed by the Rev. John Crum, P. E. He was about half way through a sermon of great eloquence, which had produced a profound impression, when he paused that the truths he had spo- ken might sink into the minds of his hearers. At this moment the solemn silence was broken by a tremendous voice, bursting forth like a clap of thunder upon the congregation, giving utterance to but one word, "SALVATION," followed by a shout and snort, which filled the people with awe and dread ; one of those present said : "They carried with them, right through you, a thrill like that felt when greatly scared in the dark and a dread similar to that experienced when we think of dying instantly."

731

GUERNSEY COUNTY.

Men jumped to their feet, women screamed aloud and every cheek blanched. All eyes were turned in the direction from whence the sounds came, and there, seated in the midst of the congregation, was a stranger with solemn countenance, totally unmoved, dressed in a suit of broadcloth, frock coat, white cravat and yel- low beaver hat.

How or when he had come there no one knew, although dressed in a garb differ- ing from any scen in this community at that time.

After several moments the clergyman proceeded with his sermon, but the people gave no heed to it, for every eye and mind was centred upon the mysterious and solemn stranger in their midst. His large black flashing eyes, pale face, low broad forehead, from which the long black locks were brushed back, reaching half way to his waist, and his melancholy, solemn aspect seemed to inspire the people with awe.

After the mecting, he went about representing himself to be God Almighty, who had come down into the midst of the assembled people in his spiritual body and then assumed the corporeal one with the name of Joseph C. Dylks; that he could appear and disappear at will, perform miracles, and, finally, that he had come to establish the millennium, and that whosoever followed him should never die in their natural bodies. He found many believers and followers. At first he was very cautious in his statements, but, as converts became more numerous, he grew more bold, claimed that his body could not be touched without his permission and that with a shout and snort he could destroy the universe. His following increased and converts were made throughout parts of Belmont, Guernsey and Noble coun- ties. Three men from the vicinity of Salesville, Michael Brill, Robert McCormick and Jolin Brill, also a young minister named Davis, who had come to Salesville during his visitation, were appointed disciples. He preached in the Temple at Salesville and made many converts.

He addressed them as follows : "I am God and there is none else. I am God and the Christ united. In me Father, Son and Holy Ghost are met. There is now no salvation for men except by faith in me. All who put their trust in me shall never taste death, but shall be translated into the New Jerusalem, which I am about to bring down from heaven." Then the brothers yelled "We shall never die," the sisters screamed, Dylks snorted and the spectators muttered their indignation at the blasphemy. When Dylks descended from the pulpit McCor- mick exclaimed, " Behold our God," and the believers fell on their knees and worshipped him.

The indignation of those who had not been drawn into the delusion of the Dylksites finally resulted in organized opposition, and Dylks was called upon to prove his professions by the performance of a miracle. Thereupon he agreed to make a seamless garment if the cloth were furnished him.

The cloth was forthcoming but the miracle was not accomplished. Dylks was arrested and brought before a magistrate, but there being no law provided for such offences he was discharged. His accusers were not satisfied with this, and Dylks was obliged to flee to the woods pursued by a mob. After this his conversions ceased, but those who had accepted him still believed in his divinity, and among these he found a refuge from the unbelievers who sought to drive him from the country. He remained several weeks in hiding, and then assembled his converts and announced that he must go to Philadelphia and set up his " New Jerusalem." This was in the latter part of October, and taking three of his disciples with him, they proceeded on foot to Philadelphia. When about to enter the city, Dylks and Davis separated from McCormick and Michael Brill, " to meet again," said Dylks, " where the light from heaven shall shine brightest within the city, for there will New Jerusalem begin to expand to fill the earth." They searched the city over and never found the "Light" nor Dylks and Davis, and after many days wan- derings, footsore and moneyless, with sorrow and weeping, McCormick and Brill turned their steps homeward.

732

GUERNSEY COUNTY.

Notwithstanding that death removed the Dylksites one by one, the survivors still believed in the divinity of the Leatherwood God, and that he would some day return and set up his New Jerusalem. Seven years later the Rev. Davis reap- peared and preached a sermon in which he declared he had seen Dylks ascend into heaven, and that he would return and set up his kingdom. Davis then left and neither he nor Dylks was ever heard of again.

The mystery surrounding the method by which Dylks reached the centre of that congregation was never divulged. When it is considered that his appearance was such a peculiar one, his attire differing from any ever seen in that community at that time, it is not surprising that many believed him to be a supernatural being, to have suddenly appeared in the midst of that large body of people without obser- vation from any one.

A PENNYROYAL DISTILLERY.

The title, " The Leatherwood God," was given this impostor from the meeting where he first appeared having been held on the bank of Leatherwood creek. Leatherwood, which gives name to the creek, is a peculiarly soft and pliable wood with a tough bark that can be tied into knots. It was used by the pioneers for tying the meat of wild hogs, venison and bear upon pack saddles for conveyance to market at Wheeling. When green it is so soft and spongy that it can be dented by the pressure of the fingers.

PENNYROYALDOM is the name of a district of uncertain boundaries of which Oxford township is the centre and to which it is principally applicable. This is the central of the three easternmost townships bordering on Belmont county. It is so called from the peculiar industry of pennyroyal raising and distilling within its limits. It is not a great industry, because the demand for the article is light, but it is a peculiar and rare industry, and as such is worthy of notice. The fol- lowing is a description of the process of its distillation.

The pennyroyal, after being gathered, is allowed to wilt until it will pack well, is then tramped down carefully in the steam-chest until it is full. The oil is in the leaf, and at times can be seen with a magnifying glass in small globules on the under side of the leaf. Set free by the steam it passes into the condenser, into which a stream of cold water is conducted until condensed, and poured into an oil vat filled with water up nearly to the top. The oil, being lighter than the water, runs into the vessel and passes out into a receiver.

The still-houses are of rude construction, as shown in the engraving. Four forks are set in the ground with connecting poles, upon which the roof of rough

733

GUERNSEY COUNTY.

boards is placed, extending from a ridge-pole to the eaves. The business is not of enough importance to justify any large expenditure for complete works.

The origin of the industry is as follows :

The first settlers of Oxford township found after plowing up the ground that a spontaneous growth of pennyroyal sprang up. Benjamin Borton, who came from New Jersey in 1804 and settled on the line of the old Wheeling road, having learned the art in his native State, commenced its distillation, and the industry has since been continued by his sons, grandsons and great-grandsons and became iden- tified with the history of this region.

It is said that in the early days when all other resources for raising ready mouey with which to pay taxes had been exhausted, the farmers would go out and gather pennyroyal, distil it and in this way raise the cash, which was a scarce article in those times.

The medicinal qualities of the American pennyroyal are superior to that of for- eign production, and the oil found a ready sale in the Eastern markets.

The industry has been productive of benefit as it has given rise, indirectly, to social reunions among the people, and as the outcome of these has been narratives of pioneer experience, it comes within our province to go into some little detail in regard to them.

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Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I, Part 116

Author: Howe, Henry, 1816-1893 Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Cincinnati : Published by the state of Ohio Number of Pages: 1006

Author: Howe, Henry, 1816-1893
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Cincinnati : Published by the state of Ohio
Number of Pages: 1006