Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume II, Part 11

Author: Howe, Henry, 1816-1893
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Cincinnati : Published by the state of Ohio
Number of Pages: 916

USA > Ohio > Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume II > Part 11

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).

On a certain Sunday morning an elder asked me if I was going to preach to the slaves after service ? I replied, "Yes." He rejoined, "This must be stopped ; it wont do for the negroes to assemble ; they will plot mischief." I replied, "My appointment is out to preach and I shall keep it, and you must stay here and hear me, for I want you as a witness."

It was the last time I preached to them in a body. I sometimes preached on single plantations to whites in presence of their negroes, some of whom were anxious to have their servants taught the gospel. Some of the planters were at heart anti-slavery like myself, but singly felt they were powerless to

help the matter. Mrs. Howe and inyself liked the Virginia people exceedingly, they were so social, frank and kindly.

Slave Children Yearning for Knowledge. -It was against the law to teach the negro children to read. Often they would come to Mrs. Howe with the torn leaf of an old spell- ing book and request her to teach them the letters. While instructing her own children the young negroes often listened carefully, heard the word, and then without seeing a letter spelled it out carefully to themselves ; this too while sweeping the room or making a bed or doing some other work. It seemed hard not to be allowed to teach them.

Driven from Virginia .- Finally the oppo- sition to me became so strong that we were obliged to leave Virginia, and on October 13, 1838, I began preaching in Pataskala in the church being then just organized. My parish extended twelve miles east and west, and five miles north and south, an area of sixty square miles. For seven years there was no church-building. With a single excep- tion every member of my church lived in a log-cabin. I preached in log school-houses and barns ; administered the sacrament three times in barns. In 1845 the first church was built ; it was at Kirkersville and later at Pataskala, and I preached at each place alternately. My ministry extended over thirty-seven years, until I was obliged to dis- continue it from the infirmities of age. I have married 415 couple, buried 588 persons, and baptized I do not know how many. My salary from the beginning was $400 per annum, never' more, never less. I have always had food in abundance. The clothes question was sometimes a puzzle. My golden wedding was on November 6, 1883.

The little room in which we sat was joyous with the insignia of that famous golden wedding that had rounded out so completely the fifty united years of this venerable couple. I cannot describe the various things that loving hands had made for their joy.

The most prominent object was a banner of brown satin. Fifty golden links worked in gold thread, each representing a year of their wedded life, extending from the bottom to the top, "1833 to 1883." Roses were worked on the side with four buds, each representing a child. Four gold crescents, each enclosing a gold star within its horn, carried the same idea. They were enclosed in a ring and the rings were suspended from the banner and finished with tassels. Another was a placque hanging from the wall and thereon was painted a drear November landscape repre- senting the month of their wedding. There on a dead branch in the foreground rested two birds mated surveying the scene, turtle- doves of course they were, happy in each other irrespective of the sombre season in which they had mated, knowing that spring- time must come, and fruits and flowers fol- low in due season.

Our patriarch had, as stated, married four hundred and fifteen couple. I did not inquire if all the knots he had thus tied were suc-

High Hill

Nº2

Section.

" THE ALLIGATOR "

near GRANVILLE LICKING CO.

Curve of Hill

OHIO. E.G. Squier and E.H.Daris Surveyors.

sasguler det.

TRH

JOHNNIE CLEM, The Drummer Boy of Shiloh.

HOWE 1883

1833

HARRIS

J. N. Bradford, del, O. S. University. THE BANNER OF THE GOLDEN WEDDING.

LICKING COUNTY.

cesses. I judged him to be a perfect work- man at that business, and there would be no slipping. But I once did of another of like great experience, and that other laughingly replied : "Not exactly ; for I once married a couple in the morning and in the afternoon the bridegroom ran away." Whereupon I had to tell him of one I knew that was not even that lasting.

On the conclusion of the ceremony, at which I was present, both went out of the minister's house together, parted at the door without a word or a look, turned their backs to each other, when the woman went east and the man went west; and I felt sure if they should meet again it would be after a half circuit of the globe, each coming in opposite directions, and that meeting-spot must nat-

urally be on the great plain of Gobi in Chi- nese Tartary.

Another case I kuew, that would be funny if it was not sad. On the morning after the marriage the groom turns to his bride, and says : "Sally"-perhaps Sally at the mo- ment was doing up her back hair-"Sally, what are you going to do for a living ?" Upon this the poor creature wilted, and soon went to grass.

Luckily in her case, eventually came along an honest man, and she again entered the bonds of felicity-

" No goose so gray and none so late

But at last she finds an honest gander for a mate."

The noted "NARROWS OF LICKING " are in the eastern part of the county. "This is a very picturesque spot ; cliffs of sandstone rock, fifty feet in height, line the sides of the canal, especially on the left bank of the stream. In some places they hang over in a semicircular form, the upper portion projecting and defending the lower from the rains and weather. In one of these spots the aborigines chose to display their ingenuity at pictorial writing by figuring on the smooth face of the cliff, at an elevation of eight or ten feet above the water, the outlines of wild animals, and among the rest the figure of a huge black human hand. From this circumstance the spot is known to all the old hunters and inhabitants of this vicinity by the name of 'the black hand narrows.' It is the scene of many an ancient legend and wild hunting story." In quarrying for the Ohio Canal the black hand was destroyed.

THE WAR EXPERIENCES OF MAJOR N. BOSTWICK.

An officer of the 20th Ohio Volunteer Infantry giving the details of his capture by the Confederates, imprisonment and escape through the mountains as related by his commander, Col. Charles Whittlesey, in his " War Memoranda."

Enlists in the Army .- In 1861 Major N. Bostwick was a farmer in Licking county, and an active member of the County Agricultural Society. His farm was well stocked with high-bred cattle, horses, hogs and sheep. He was not subject to military duty, but his ancestors had fought in the army of the Revolu- tion, and he was inspired to do the same in the Southern rebellion. One son was of military age, another was not ; but both joined the company raised by their father for the 20th Ohio Volunteers. Mrs. Bostwick and the younger children were left in charge of the premises and stock.

Sun-struck .- At the battle of Champion Hills, on the 6th of May, 1863, the 20th Ohio was compelled, by the exigencies of the day, to lie on the ground in a hot sun several hours, awaiting the order to charge. A number of the men and officers were sun-struck, from which cause they fell out as the regiment moved up the hill on the rebel line. Capt. Melick died, with several men, and Major Bostwick was so much prostrated that the effects remain to this time.

Made Prisoner .- About 2 P. M. of the 22d of July, 1864, he was captured by three rebel soldiers, during the battle of Atlanta, and led by them to a captain and thirty-nine men, near to town, who guarded the prisoners. His sad expe- rience from that hour in Southern prisons, and his sufferings during a month in the mountains, effecting an escape, appear like a horrid romance. But most of the details are from his own lips. The whole cannot be reported here, but only the salient events.

LICKING COUNTY.

Inhuman Treatment .- Before reaching the rebel gnard a soldier shot at him, the ball striking a corner of one eye. A piece of the ball went inside of the socket, the main part making an ugly and painful wound on the cheek, cutting an artery, which bled profusely. He had just received a new outfit, including a beaver hat, a twelve-dollar pair of boots, and a sword. The captain took his hat, sword and watch, and said : "Damn you, I want those boots." "You can't have them while I am alive." The officer then threatened to kill him, and stooped to seize the boots. Major B. gave him a kick in the breast, which sent him several feet, sprawling on the ground. The major, expecting to be killed, gave the Masonic grand hail of distress, to which the rebel captain responded, " Well, keep your boots." He then put his own hat on one of his soldiers, whose ragged and worthless hat he jammed on the major's head, down over the wounded eye. It was ten days before the fragment of lead was taken out.

Taken to Charleston .- They were marched about ten miles, and lay down. Among them were Capt. Humiston, Lieut. Colby and Lieut. Rush, of the 20th Ohio. They had nothing to eat until the 24th, when they received a tincup of corn-meal. The men were taken to Andersonville, the officers to Griffin. Col. Shed, of the 30th Illinois, and Col. Scott, of the 68th Ohio, were with theni. The latter leaped from the train at night, but was caught by hounds and brought to Macen.

MAJOR BOSTWICK'S OWN STORY.

Here were about 1,800 officers, with no shelter for two weeks. The captains and field-officers were ordered to Charleston, S. C., the lieutenants to Savannalı. At Charleston we were put in the old workhouse, where I had bilious fever. Col. Scott nursed me until he was sent away. Our rations were mouldy cakes of rice and bad pork. Dr. Todd, a brother of Mrs. Lincoln, was our surgeon, who treated us kindly, but could get little medicine, and no proper hospital rations.

Plans for Escape .- We planned an escape, making a saw of an old knife, to cut away the bars. I also got an impression of the key to the lock of a door on the second story. Cols. Shed and Scott opened the door with my key. I went again with Capt. Pease, and the key would not work. Some of the Georgia men on guard favored our escape. I might have been exchanged with Cols. Shed and Scott, but was too sick to travel. Capt. McFadden, of the 59th New York, nursed me. At 8 A. M. of October 6th we were put into cattle-cars that had not been cleaned, and started for Columbia, S. C. I sat against the side of the car sick all day and night. The next morning we were left in a field, in a pour- ing rain, under guard of the provost-marshal.

A Mere Skeleton .- The next day the prisoners were taken across the Combanee river. I could not walk. The guards cursed me, and pushed me with their bayonets. There were others as bad as myself. About 1 P. M. we reached camp. I was a mere skeleton. For three weeks we had neither medicines nor medical attendance ; our rations the same as at Charleston. At last Dr. Ladrones came as our surgeon ; a kind, cheerful man, who placed me and twelve others on stretchers, and put us in a tent. We were almost eaten up by lice. He said : " You shall not die ; don't think of escaping ; I will get you paroled." He gave me fifteen grains of quinine at a dose. I had also lung fever, but in about three weeks could walk, and went to the Saluda river, where there was a Union family, who gave me milk, butter and biscuit. Every day our men would lie down and die ; there were about 1,100 left. Some escaped through the vaults to the river. I determined to escape. The good Union women brought good cooked food to our hospital tent.

Union Southerners .- It might not be prudent, even at this time, to publish the names of the Union men who helped us to escape. We were not betrayed by

LICKING COUNTY.

any of them, their wives or families. Our gratitude to them all is as great as there are words to express, but we might do them an injury by relating their acts of kindness toward us. There was Capt. McFadden, Lieut. H. C. Paine, myself, and two officers of the Army of the Potomac, who determined to take the risks of reaching the Federal lines. For many days we made haversacks, collected provisions and clothing, got directions as to the route, and laid onr plans to get out of the stockade one by one.

The Escape .- There was a rumor of a change of prisons, which caused us to leave one day earlier and before we were entirely ready. On the 1st day of December, 1864, by many stratagems and the help of many true friends, we succeeded in scattering through the woods. Our rendezvous that night was near the farmhouse of a Union friend, who was to put us across the Congaree in a dug-out. This was eleven miles from Columbia. We made about twenty - five miles that night. On the night of the 2d- 3d the two lieutenants of the Army of the Potomac left us and started for the coast. We never heard of them afterwards.

Travels at Night .- With my pocket-knife I cut each of us a stout hickory stick, which were the only weapons we had. These we carried through to Knoxville, Tenn. We travelled only at night, and in single file within sight of each other. As the day be- gan to dawn we turned into the woods and lay during the day, but dare not make a fire. On the 5th, near Newberry, just before morn- ing, we met a colored man. He told us to go up one of the forks, where he had a brother. McFadden mistrusted this man and would not go with us, but Paine and myself went. That night he brought us some cooked sparc- ribs, coffee and milk, and showed us the way to his brother's. This man's wife was tickled to death to see us, and he wanted to go with us. He put some red pepper and onions into a bottle of turpentine, and said if we rubbed this on our feet and legs the hounds would not follow us. He kept watch outside the cabin and went eight miles with us on the way, but refused to take any pay from us.

We kept to the east of Greenville, S. C., because there were troops at that station. Being out of rations we ate turnips and stumps of cabbages, which made us sick. I went to a negro cabin where they got us a supper and cooked a peck of sweet potatocs to put in our haversacks. Perhaps I shall not place everything in the right order, for I lost my memoranda before I got to the lines.

Captures a Guard .- At Tyger's river, on the waters of the Saluda, we came to a bridge where there was a guard, all of whom ap- peared to be asleep. The stream could not be crossed except at this bridge, and one sat near one end with his head on his knees. I was to strike him on the head with my cane, and all of us to spring on the other two. My man fell off into the water. We seized the muskets of the others and bound them with their knapsack straps. We hurried along the road with them about two miles. They

begged so piteously (promised not to tell and told us about the roads) that we did not kill them. We bound them to some trees and hurried on. By daylight we thought we had made twenty-five miles and were in the vicinity of Hendersonville.

Bloodhounds on their Track. - At the Saluda pass of the Blue Ridge was a fire ahead of us on the road, and there appeared to be men standing around it. We went back up a mountain and got into a rock shelter. The next day we saw there were no pickets, but only stumps around the fire. In that shelter I left my diary, knife, fork and spoon. Soon after we saw a tent and some men at a bridge, about 9 P. M. There was a fearful storm. We crossed the stream among the rocks below the bridge, climbed a preci- pice over one hundred feet high by grasping the laurels, and got into the road beyond. About this time, towards morning, we heard the bloodhounds bellow. Then horns began to blow and other hounds to answer in all directions. We crept along a fence into a brook, and went up it in the water. As we lay on our blankets two hounds attacked us, whom we killed with our clubs.

Challenged by a Rebel Picket .- We wished ' to get on the west side of the French Broad river, and believing we were on the wrong road, came out of the woods that night, when we heard a halloo. I went into the road and saw a rebel picket, who called halt. " Where do you belong ?" said he. "Charleston." "Where are you going ? " "To Flat Rock." " You are deserters.' ""That's so." " Well, I would desert too, but I have a wife here. You can pass.". We came upon a number of houses, and went behind a large elm log, from which the bark had partly slid off. In the morning we thought it was the town of Asheville. It rained and snowed three inches deep, with a strong wind. Our pains were dreadful, but we dared not stir that day. The place was Hendersonville, thirty-five miles from Asheville.

Friendliness of Negroes .- That night we had so nearly perished that we went to the negro quarters of a fine house to dry our blankets. The man was not at home, but his wife said it would not do to stay in their cabin. She was the most sympathetic person we had met, and went to the still house, built a fire, gave us a bottle of apple-jack, gave me a pair of socks, made a pouch for me, and when her husband came home he offered to pilot us to the house of a Union white man in the mountains, who had charge of the underground railroad.

An Underground Railroad Official .- It

LICKING COUNTY.

was midnight when we found his house, with great difficulty. He doubted us, and held a parley through the door. I convinced him by showing a letter from home. He said they were watched day and night; it would not do for us to be seen there, but his colored man would show us to the stable ; they would send us something to eat and this man would show us the way to Mr. - , twelve miles. He said it was reported that Col. Kirk's Federal Rangers were on the French Broad, and that the rebel pickets had withdrawn to Asheville.

I do not give the name of this heroic man and family, for fear there may be yet in that region some rebel devils who would retali- ate.

Reaches the Union Lines .- He gave us his sign manual on a piece of paper, a peculiar scrawl which all the underground white men of the mountains understood, and helped the

prisoners forward. At Mr .- 's were only his wife and daughter; he was obliged to stay in the woods, or be shot. We showed our sign manual. We stayed two nights in the centre of a hay stack. They directed us to -'s ; and he to -'s. From there we crossed the French Broad, in a dug-out, to Painted Rocks, where the Federal pickets were. There were nineteen escaped prisoners there. Paine started alone for the next station in the night. He met a sentinel, who fired at him in the dark, but did not hit him. The prisoners went on without guns or a guard. Near night, when we thought all danger was past, about a dozen guerillas rose up in the bushes and fired at us. Only one man was hit, whose under lip was entirely carried away. They stripped us of our blankets and all other valuables. It was the last day of December when we reached Knox- ville.

In the southeastern part of this county, commencing about eight miles from Newark and extending eastward toward Zanesville, and into Hopewell township, Muskingum county, is what is called "THE FLINT RIDGE." It was the principal source of supply for Indian arrow-heads and other flint implements, not only for the aborigines of Ohio but for a large extent of country beyond the present limits of this State.

The flint forms the cap-rock of this ridge, which for a distance of almost ten miles is scarred with trenches and pits, left by the aboriginal diggers, while surrounding fields and farms are covered with large quantities of chippings where the flint was dressed.

The stone, varying greatly in different parts, is mainly buhr-stone, jasper, and chalcedony. Much of it is very beautiful, capable of a very high polish ; certain kinds of it are sometimes mistaken for moss-agate. It is found in many colors, as white, red, blue, brown, yellow, green, black, and some of it translucent.

The stone is found at varying depths from the surface of three to eighty feet; the aborigines would remove the superincumbent

earth, and then build fires, which cracked and loosened the rock, pieces of which suit- able to their purpose were then removed to some adjoining field or camp, and by means of stone hammers dressed to convenient shape and size for transportation. In many instances these dressed stones were carried great distances before they were worked into their finished shapes, as is evidenced by the finding of large quantities of flint chippings hundreds of miles from the "Ridge."" This "Flint Ridge" must have been as valuable to the Indians and other aborigines as the coal and iron mines of Ohio and Pennsyl- vania are to the white men of the present day.

PATASKALA is fifteen miles southwest of Newark, on the B. & O. R. R. News- paper : Standard, Independent, A. Q. Beem, editor and publisher. Churches : 1 Methodist, 1 Presbyterian. School census, 1888, 261. Population about 800.

UTICA is fourteen miles north of Newark, on the B. & O. R. R. Newspaper : Herald, Republican, H. E. Harris, editor and publisher. Churches : 1 Pres- byterian, 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Reformed Presbyterian, 1 United Presbyterian, 1 Christian. Bank : Utica (Sperry & Wilson). Population, 1880, 702. School census, 1888, 233; I. C. Gunther, school superintendent.

HOMER is four miles west of Utica. It has 1 Presbyterian, 1 Baptist, 1 Methodist church, and about 300 inhabitants.

HEBRON is nine miles southwest of Newark, on the T. & O. C. R. R. and Ohio Canal. Churches : 1 Methodist Episcopal, 2 Baptist, 1 Disciples. Popula- tion, 1880, 489. School census, 1888, 163.

HANOVER is eight miles east of Newark, on the P. C. & St. L. R. R. Churches : 1 Methodist and 1 Presbyterian. Population, 1880, 302. School census, 1888, 159.

LICKING COUNTY.

HARTFORD is twenty miles northeast of Newark, on the T. & O. C. R. R. Population, 1880, 349. School census, 1888, 116.

ALEXANDRIA is eleven miles west of Newark, on the T. & O. C. R. R. Population, 1880, 269.

JOHNSTOWN is sixteen miles northwest of Newark, on the T. & O. C. R. R. Newspaper : Independent, Democratic, Wm. A. Ashbrooke, editor and publisher. Bank: Johnstown ; C. Derthick, president ; C. V. Armstrong, cashier. Popula- tion, 1880, 278. School census, 1888, 163.

The following are the names of the villages in this county, in 1840, with their populations. The first six named were on the old National Road. Brownsville,. 313; Hebron, 473; Jacksontown, 215; Kirkersville, 179; Luray, 109; Gratiot, 147; Alexander, 200; Chatham, 173; Etna, 219; Fredonia, 107 ; Hartford, 106; Havana, 54; Homer, 201; Linnville, 101; Lockport, 125; and Utica, 355.

LOGAN.

LOGAN COUNTY derived its name from General Benjamin Logan; it was formed March 1, 1817, and the courts ordered to be holden at the house of Ed- win Matthews, or some other convenient place in the town of Bellville, until a permanent seat of justice should be established. The soil, which is various, is generally good ; the surface broken around the head waters of Mad river, else- where rolling or level ; in the western part are eight small lakes, covering each from two to seventy acres.

Area about 440 square miles. In 1887 the acres cultivated were 138,272; in pasture, 47,314; woodland, 50,765; lying waste, 1,643; produced in wheat, 630,487 bushels; rye, 1,856; buckwheat, 1,253; oats, 197,399; barley, 1,331 ; corn, 1,283,173 ; broom-corn, 350 lbs. brush; meadow hay, 17,454 tons ; clover hay, 6,588 ; flaxseed, 220 bushels ; potatoes, 44,793 ; tobacco, 110 lbs .; butter, 582,708 ; cheese, 3,160 ; sorghum, 2,855 gallons; maple sugar, 158,587 lbs .; honey, 9,249; eggs, 517,596 dozen ; grapes, 5,910 lbs .; wine, 14 gallons; sweet potatoes, 605 bushels ; apples, 4,735 ; peaches, 911 ; pears, 1,383 ; wool, 287,130 lbs .; milch cows owned, 6,040. School census, 1888, 8,316 ; teachers, 273. Miles of railroad track, 61.

TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS.

1840.

1880.

TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS.

1840.

1880.

Bloomfield,

565

895

Perry,

1,014

1,007

Boke's Creek,

222

1,617

Pleasant,

1,123

Harrison,

658

978

Richland,

1,761

Jefferson,

1,527

1,572

Rush Creek,

1,077

2,265

Lake,

1,175

4,640

Stokes,

299

1,095

Liberty,

807

1,666

Union,

832

784

McArthur,

1,673

1,579

Washington,

517

886

Miami,

1,423

2,157

Zane,

1,021

939

Monroe,

1,203

1,303

Population of Logan in 1820 was 3,181; in 1830, 6,432; 1840, 14,013; 1860, 20,996 ; 1880, 26,267, of whom 21,766 were born in Ohio; 1,236 in Penn- sylvania ; 836 in Virginia ; 234 in Indiana; 208 in New York ; 160 in Ken-

LOGAN COUNTY.

tucky ; 476 in Ireland ; 163 in German Empire ; 59 in England and Wales; 43 in Scotland ; 39 in British America, and 17 in France. Census, 1890, 27,386.

The territory comprised within the limits of this county was a favorite abode of the Shawanoe Indians, who had several villages on Mad river, called the Mack- -a-chack, or Mac-o-chee towns, the names and position of three of which are given to us by an old settler. The first, called Mac-o-chee, stood near West Lib- erty, on the farm of Judge Benjamin Piatt ; the second, Pigeon Town, was about three miles northwest, on the farm of George F. Dunn, and the third, Wappato- mica, was just below Zanesfield.

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Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume II, Part 11

Author: Howe, Henry, 1816-1893 Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Cincinnati : Published by the state of Ohio Number of Pages: 916

Author: Howe, Henry, 1816-1893
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Cincinnati : Published by the state of Ohio
Number of Pages: 916