USA > Ohio > Ashland County > History of Ashland County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 39
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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, -OHIO.
patronized for six or eight years. In 1823, George Thomas and family located on a farm now owned by Josiah Thomas, in Orange township. Peter Thomas purchased two hundred acres adjoining the homestead, in Montgomery township, and resided upon it until about 1860, when he removed to a new residence, one and a half miles northeast of Ashland, where he de- ceased, February 26, 1876. He was conscious of the approaching termination of his life, and was in the act of dictating a codici! to a will, when he became faint, and expired in a few moments, from paralysis of the heart. He had been three times married, and left a large and reputable family to mourn his loss. He had been a member to the Disciple church for a number of years, and adorned his profession by an upright and ex- emplary life. As a citizen, he was highly respected. He was a man of uncommon resolution and firmness when he had deliberately formed an opinion. He was high-toned and exact in all his transactions with men, and inflexibly opposed to every species of prevarication in morals, business and politics. He was never an office- seeker, but was always the advocate of a pure, economi- cal and patriotic administration of the government .* He was a careful, frugal, and shrewd business man, and had acquired a handsome property. Few men have taken a deeper interest in the prosperity of the county, and none will be more lamented.
DANIEL CARTER, JR.,
was born in Butler county, Pennsylvania, May 23, 1So2. He emigrated, with his father's family, in March, ISo6, to Stark county, Ohio, where he resided until February 12, 1812, and then removed, by way of Jerome's Place, now Jeromeville, where they remained a few days at the cabin of the late John Carr until Daniel Carter, sr., erected a cabin in Montgomery township, half a mile northeast of the present site of .Ashland.
Daniel Carter, sr., had entered at the land office in Canton three hundred and twenty acies of land in Montgomery, constituting the present lands of Peter Thomas, and what was recently known as the John Mason farm. The cabin was a frail affair. It resem- bled a camp house --- was open at one end and made of peles and covered with clapboard. He moved into it in February, 1812. The family began active work on a clearing for corn, and got along quietly, being occa- sionally visited by Indians, until after Hull's surrender at Detroit, on the sixteenth of August. About this time several families quartered for a short time at the cabin of Robert Neweil, in the lower part of Montgomery, re- cently known as the Hugh MeGnire place. When Gen- eral Harrison moved his army to the northwest, these families, Frys, Tridrels, Cuppys and Carters, returned to their cabins. In September, after the murders on the
"He was often dected seboul director, and was township trustee six. bett at nighteen times, but was always nominated and pressed into the service, against las own with".
Black fork, most of these families fled to the block- house at Jerome's place.
Mr. Daniel Carter, sr., as has been elsewhere stated, took his family to Harrison county, and remained for some time at the cabin of a friend, Mr. William Rhodes, about four miles from New Philadelphia. In February, 1813, he returned to his cabin and remained until the fifth of March, when he received news of the Colyer excitement near Tylertown, a son of John Carr bring- ing him news of the appearance of Indians, when he fled with his family to the block-house at Jerome's Place, and remained there until the spring of 1814.
Daniel Carter, jr., retains a vivid recollection of the incidents of block-house life. His father, in the spring of 1814, purchased at Canton the farm upon which David Carter now resides, and removed to it.
The settlers, for several years in Montgomery, were very much scattered. The schools were indifferent, and the youth of that era were deprived of educational op- portunities, except in the primary branches. Mir. Car- ter says he never attended school over three months. He grew up among the pioneers, attending cabin rais- ings, log rollings and other pioneer gatherings. He purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land on sec- tion sixteen, built a cabin and improved his farm. The farm had been entered by William Drumm. In IS29 he married Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Elias Slocum. His family consisted of two daughters-Amanda, wife of William M. Patterson, of Cleveland, Ohio, and Anna A., wife of Hon. William B. Allison, now a senator of the United States, from Iowa. Mr. Carter sold nis farm in 1864, and now resides in Ashland. In IS55 be made a trip to California via. Panama, and remained about three and a half years. He never sought polit- ical promotion, but in sentiment was a Whig until that party disbanded, when he became a Republican, and still adheres to the principles of that party.
ISAAC GATES
Peter Gates was born in New Jersey, in 1778, of Ger man descent, and emigrated to Washington county, Pennsylvania, in iso1, and married Sarah Spech in a So3. He removed to Mifflin township, Richland county, in 1$30, and deceased in 1861, ageil eighty-three years. His family consisted of Martin, Jacob, John, Isaac, Elizabeth, Eunice, Margaret, and Sarah. He was twice married, his second wife being Elizabeth, sister of San- uel Lewis, of Mifflin.
Isaac Gates, fourth son of Peter, was born near Hills borough, Washington county, Pennsylvania, September 15, 1815. In 1830 he accompanied his father's family to Richland county, Ohio. Here he grew to manhood, attending the common schools of the neighborhood in the winter season, and labored on a farm in the summer. His father's family bourg in un xlerate cheunstances, he was compelled to labor at vages to procure clothing and education, the schools at that petted being sustained by individual subscriptions. In 1839 he was checked con
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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.
stable of Mifflin township, and was re-elected five times successively. In November, 1834, he married Susan Newcomer, daughter of Christian Newcomer, who was subsequently commissioner of Ashiand county. Mr. Gates moved to the village of Miflin, where, in 1842, he was elected justice of the peace, and twice re-elected. In 1848 he was elected sheriff, and re-elected in 1850. In 1852 he was elected auditor, and re-elected in :854. In 1862 he was again elected auditor, and re-elected in 1864. He now resides in Ashland. Since the expiration of his second term, as auditor he has followed the busi- ness of a public salesman or auctioneer. He has been an active member of the Lutheran church since 1847, and, much of the time, a deacon or elder. His family consists of Sarah J., Halstead, Margaret, deceased, Fan- nie E., Nelson, William H., Christian N., Reuben H., Arminda, Elizabeth, Frank and Martin L.
JOSEPH HARVUOT
was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, in 1792. In 1818 he married Lydia Bruce, and removed to Clear- creek, Richland county, Ohio, in the spring of 1820, and located on section twenty-five, where he resided until his decease in 1843. He was a member of the Disciple church, and an elder. His family, at his decease, con- sisted of Isaac, Anne, Richard, Elizabeth, Lewis, Sarah, Joseph, and Mary, by his first wife, and William, by his second wife, having been twice married. The only member of the family left in Clearcreek is Isaac. Isaac is a dealer in money, and is accumulating a fortune. He is married, and resides in Savannah.
LEWIS OLIVER.
In the early settlement of the south part of this county, the pioneers were considerably embarrassed for a market for their surplus grain and other farm products. The ports ou Lake Erie, Pittsburgh, and New Orleans were the principal markets. To reach the lake by teams, over the rough, new-cut roads, was toilsome and difficult, as well as quite expensive; while wheat, fiori, and corn commanded a low price. In consequence of the inferior markets on the lake, at Zanesville and Pittsburgh several enterprising pioneers had boats constructed, which were loaded and conveyed to New Orleans.
In the spring of 1823. Lewis Oliver and John Davis, of Green township. purchased of Nathan Dehaven, a flat-bottomed boat, which had been built at the mouth of Honey creek on the Black fork, by Mr. Dehaven, near the modern site of his saw-mill. The bout was , fifty-five feet long and fifteen feet wide, with rounded bows and a steering apparatus, and cabin. It was so covered as to protect its lading. This boat was con- veyed up the Black fork to near the residence of Mr. Oliver, where it was partly loaded with wheat, dour, pork, whiskey, and chickens.
About the sixteenth of March, the new vessel passed
slowly down the Black fork to Dehaven's, and the Lou- donville mills, where a large amount of sawed cherry lumber and other articles were placed on board, to be conveyed to a southern market. The Black fork was a slow, tortuous stream, though the water was quite deep. Navigation was considerably impeded in consequence of the lodgment of driftwood in its winding course to the Walhonding. These difficulties were overcome by moving slowly and guarding the boat against accident.
The crew of the boat consisted of Lewis Oliver and John Davis, proprietors, and Amos Harbaugh and Tim othy Wilson, as hands. On the seventeenth, "all hands aboard," the boat was floated leisurely down the Black fork to its junction with the Lake fork ; then down the Walhonding to its junction with the Tuscarawas at the town of Coshocton; thence down the Muskingum to the city of Zanesville. There were on board, two skiffs, so that if the boat should be snagged, or otherwise injured by driftwood, the proprieters and hands could! have means of escape. When the stream was sluggish and current slow, the boat was urged forward by setting- poles.
Upon their arrival at Zanesville, a formidable obstacle to their further advance was presented. The dam across the Muskingum at that place, was difficult to pass. It was seen at a glance, that it would require an experi- enced pilot to conduct the boat over it in safety. Mr. Oliver went ashore to procure the services of a suitable guide. An individual representing the craft, presented himself and offered to conduct the boat safely over the dam. On being asked his price for the job, he blandly informed Mr. Oliver it would be cheap at ten dollars. Mr. Oliver thought the charge rother extravagant. The valorous pilot feeling certain that he would ultimately get the job, declined to take a cent less.
Here was a quandary. Mr. Oliver returned to the boat and reported the result of his mission. After some consultation, Mr. Davis concluded they could conduct the craft over the dam without the aid of a professional pilot. By this time a large crowd of spectators had as- sembled on the river bank to see the fun. The fall over the dam was about ten feet, and the current was very rapid Some fifteen of twenty rods below the dam, the Buckingham bridge, since the bridge of the national turnpike, supported by large stone piers, spanned the Muskingum river. If the boat moved straight forward, it would pitch upon its prow and be crushed or capsized: and if it eseniped such a disaster, might strike a pier.
In this crisis Jersey wit and ingenuity triumphed. Mr. Oliver placed hauself as steersman, at the stern, while Mr. Davis and the bands, by united efforts, swung the boat around so that it would piss obliquely over the dam. and strike and rise on the rolling current below, without stoving or capsizing. They held its coarse steadily. until it reached the dam, when it shot over like an atren. rose and floated on the current, and narrowly escaped the pier. At this achievement, the inge assen that it share, gave a tremendous sbatte, and declarat a " Jong Yankee," was equal to any emergency, and capable of any daring.
HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.
The boat floated slowly down to Duncan's falls, nine miles below Zanesville, where it was again compelled to encounter new dangers. They were less formidable, however, than the dam over which the boat had just passed. A point where the channel was deepest, was selected, and the little vessel cleared the falls in safety, and moved onward to Marietta, and entered the Ohio river. The hills and bluffs along its banks, covered with pine and other timber, rendered the voyage novel and interesting. The buds of the trees were just opening in- to leaf, and the banks of the river were lined with spring vegetation and flowers. Thus they glided toward the far south, where they were to find new and strange scenery.
They passed Cincinnati, now the queen city of the west. How great has been the growth of that beautiful city since 1823! Its markets were then easily glutted. Messrs. Oliver and Davis were compelled to go further south to dispose of their produce. Their little boat was shoved from the wharf into the main current of the Ohio, where it moved rapidly toward the falls at Louis- ville. On their way they overtook a stranded emigrant boat which was unable to move, in consequence of the drift-wood. There were several families, with their goods on it, en route to southern Illinois and Iowa. Secing the situation, the owners of the boat from the Black fork volunteed their aid to relieve the emigrants.
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On arriving at the falls, the boat passed through with- out accident, and the light-hearted owners pushed on- ward to the Mississippi, and down its dark-rolling cur- rent to New Orleans, the great southern market of that period. Here they found a ready market for their cherry lumber, at two dollars and twenty-five cents per hundred feet, and thirty-seven and one-half cents per gallon for their whiskey-a better article than now sells for five dollars per gallon in the same city. Times change, men change, and prices necessarily fluctuate. Cur country and its wealth are much more potent now than they were fifty- two years ago, and hence a greater value is attached to "fire-water." The pioneers are pretty generally of the opinion that the antiche manufactured fifty years ago wes much purer and less harmful in its effects than modern "fire-water."
Finding no demand for their wheat, floar, and pork, they concluded to transfer those articles to a schooner and proceed to Richmond, Virginia, for a market. This transfer was made, and, as soon as completed, the "wharf rats" of New Orleans captured and concealed the boat. It was never seen again by its owners About the first of April they sailed for Richmond. Their voy- age was a pleasant one. They costed around to the Chesapeake bay, and passed up the James river to Rich- mond. They arrived there about the seventeeth of April. The grand outline of the southern coast, with its attractive scenery, was constantly under their gaze, and was the subject of many remarks and much admiration. As they passed up the James river, the ancient homes of the colonists frequently hove in view and excited com. ment. Along the banks of that now dassie stream, nearly three hundred years before, the colonists con- tended with the "fierce red man, " for a home.
On reaching the market, they obtained one dollar and thirty cents per bushel for their wheat, and eight dollars per barrel for salt pork. These prices were such as would reward then fairly for their toil and perseverance. They felt amply compensated.
After spending a few days in Richmond, they prepared for returning to the wilds of the Black fork. They had separated from their hands at New Orleans. Their route, from Richmond, was through Goochland, Louiss, and Albemarle counties, and over the Blue Ridge moun- tains to Harrisonburgh, in Rockingham county; thence across the Great North mountain, to Moorefield, in Hardy county; thence to the Old Fort Redstone, in Pennsylvania; thence to Wheeling, West Virginia; thence by Zanesville, Newark, and Mount Vernon, to the Black fork, making a journey of about nine hundred miles on foot. They met with no accident or incivility on their way, and arrived at home about the first of July.
Mr .- Oliver is now about eighty-seven years of age, is- quite active, and in the possession of all his faculties .. He looks younger than many men of sixty-five. He informis me, that during the haying season of 1874 he drove a team and rode on the mowing-machine several days, and felt none the worse for it. Very few men, at his age, would think of performing any labor. He has always been noted for his integrity, industry, and uprightness, and says "he feels better to keep moving." He owns and resides upon the old homestead of his father, Allen Oliver, and has resided in the same locality sixty-four years.
JAMES LOUDON PRIEST,
from Crawford county, Pennsylvania, settled on the banks of the Lake fork, in what was then Wayne county, as early as 1810. At that period the Coshocton county line joined Wayne on the south and included the county of Holmes. At the erection of Holmes county, in 1824, the part of Lake township where Mr. Priest located became a part of Washington township, in Holmes county ; and at the erection of Ashland county, in 18.46, another slice, on the east side of the township, was an- nexed to Clinton township, Wayne county, leaving Lake one of the smallest townships in Ashland county. Mr. Priest, with his family, located in the spring of the year, and by the aid of Thomas Jelloway, and several other friendly Delaware Indians, put up a plain log cabin and moved into it. His nearest neighbor was Alexander Finley, who had located six miles further up the Lake fork, at a point now known as Tylertown, in 1809. Mr. Priest was indebted to Mr. Finley for his seed corn for his first crop, and many other favors. His next neigi:bor was Nathan Odell, who arrived in the spring of iSit, and located in that part of Lake township which is now l.nown as Clinton township, Wayne county
James London Priest died abont 1822, at an ad vanced age.
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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.
WILLIAM GREENLEE.
In the spring of St Mr. Greenlee visited James L. Priest, a former neighbor, from Crawford county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Greenlee came by the way of Har- rison county to Zanesville, then a new village, and up the banks of the Muskingum, the White-woman and the Lake fork on horseback. He found but few settlers between Mr. Priest and Zanesville. He selected and located a farm adjoining Mr. Priest, and returned for his family by the route he came. In October, 1811, he and his family, consisting of his wife, six daughters, and one son, started for the forests of Ohio. He had two teams, one with two and the other with four horses. The wagons were covered with linen canvas, and contained such household goods and provisions as were deemed essential to the comfort of a new settler. The route was through the village of Canton to what is now Wooster, and thence to the Lake fork. The trail was so narrow that Mr. Greenlee was compelled to widen it at many points before his teams could pass. His family slept in the wagons most of the way, doing their cooking by the side of the trail, nights and mornings. The route was wild and romantic, and it required somc eight or ten days to complete the journey. He erected a plain log cabin, by the aid of Mr. Priest and a few friendly Indians, and moved into it. He resided on this farm until 1814, and sold it to Calvin Hibbard, father of Ed- ward Hibbard, one of the first commissioners of Ash- land county. He then purchased where John Greenlee, his only son, now resides. When he landed in Lake, there were but the families of J. J .. Priest, Samuel Mar- vin, William Hendrickson, Elijah Bolling and John Hen- drickson, in what is now Washington township, Holmes county. The next settlement was that of the Odells, which contained the families of Joshua Oram, Thomas Oram, John Oram, and Mordecai Chilcote, near Odell's lake.
On the morning of the tenth of September, 1813, John Greenlee went in search of his father's horses, which had strayed in the direction of Odell's lake. About the middle of the day, a heavy, roaring sound was heard in the northwest, amid the forest. It resem- bled distant thunder, and he feared a tremendous tor- nado was approaching. What excited his surprise was, the sky was clear and cloudless, and the roaring seemed a phenomenon. In the afternoon he abandoned the search and returned home, convinced that a great storm was approaching. His parents and others had heard the sanic rumbling sound, and were unable to account for it. In a few days the little colony learned the particulars of the victory achieved by Commodore Perry over Commo- dore Barclay and the British fleet ; and this accounted for the mysterious rumbling of the toth The sound of Perry's guns had been conveyed down the valleys, a dis- tance of over seventy miles. It is related that the heavy cannonading was heard at Cleveland, about the same distance. Mr. Greenlee is a man of intelligence and n- questioned veracity, and relates the incident with mintite- ness and patriotic pride.
Willian Greenlee died in 1854, aged about eighty two years.
EBENEZER RICE
was born in Marlborough, Massachusetts, April 8, 1773. He was the eldest son of Samuel and Abigail Under- wood Rice. Samuel was born in Sudbury, in November, 1752, and was the son of Gershain and Elizabeth Rice. Geisham was born in Sudbury, in June, 1703, and was the son of Ephraim and Hannah Livermore Rice. Eph- raim was born in Sudbury, in April, 1665, and was the son of Thomas and Mary Rice. Thomas was born in 1611, and was the son of Edmund and Tamazine Rice, who came from Barkhamstead, England, in 1638-9, and settled in Sudbury, and lived and died there, on the beautiful old farm on the east side of Sudbury river, near the border of the extensive meadows through which that river flows in its course to the Merrimac. The old farm is now in the possession of the Hon. John Whitmore Ricc.
Ebenezer Rice married Martha, daughter of Barnabas and Mary Clark Hammond, of New Salem, Massachu- setts. She was born in September, 1776, and they were married May 5, 1796, and emigrated to Licking county, Ohio, froin Essex county, New York, in the year ISto. The following February they came to Richland county, and entered the farm upon which Alexander Rice now resides, in Green township. Mr. Rice and his family ex- perienced all the privations and anxieties of pioneer life in their forest home. He cheerfully aided the new set- tlers in the erection of cabins, at log-rollings and other gatherings. For several years the pioneers were mutu- ally dependent upon each other, and the social relations were largely cultivated. The forests were to be cut away. farms to be opened, school-houses to be erected. and public highways to be constructed. Mr. Rice took an active and leading part in all these enterprises. He was particularly interested in the education of his chikhen. He survived until 1821. His family, at his decease, consisted of eleven children- -- four girls: Elizabeth, Mar- tha, Harriet, and Abigail; and seven boys: Ebenezer. Alexander, Clark, Orson, Reuber, Levi, and Samuel. Only four survive : Elizabeth, wife of the late John Coul- ter; Martha, of Wisconsin; Alexander, of Green town- ship, and Samuel, of lowa. The widow of Ebenezer Rice subsequently married Judge Thomas Coniter, and died in September, IS35.
Alexander Rice was born in Massachusetts, in August, ISos, and emigrated with his parents to Green township. in 1810. Hle grew up amid the wild and beautiful scen- ery of the hills and valleys Bringing the Black foris of the Mohican, and a neighbor to the red men of the village of Greentown. His educational advantages at that early day, were extremely limited. Being a young man of cx- cellen: sense, he acquired much information after reach. ing manhood. He is noted for his practical ideas, and plainness of speech. He has resided about sixty-si years on the homestead, and been continuously engaged in cultivating the soil.
In 1826 he married Mis Sarah Johnson, of Vermit- lien township. Then children were Rosella, Rosina, Orson, Reaben H., Isaac J., and Rostline. Mrs. Rice died in IS4 ;. Miss Rosella is a lady of talent and
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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.
fine literary attainments, and has written a great deal for the eastern magazines.
Mr. Rice subsequently married Mary Vanscoyoc, by whom he had Russell B., Ida, Josephine, and Ada Le- nore.
Mr. Rice is yet in the full possession of all his facul- ties, and is quite vigorous for a man of his age. He re- members very distinctly the carly scenes in Green town- ship -the excitement of cabin-raisings, log-rollings, cutting roads and constructing corduroy bridges over marshes and sloughs. He relates, with historic precis- ion, the opening scenes of the war of 1812, the Indian tragedies on the Black fork, the erecting of block-houses, and modes of life from 1812 to 18:5.
When about nine years of age, his father, mother and a number of neighbors, were invited by the Indians to attend a feast at their village. He accompanied the invited guests to witness the performance. "There were be- tween three and four hundred Indians present. The in- vited guests were permitted to enter the council house, a builtling, perhaps thirty feet wide, and nearly sixty fect long. In the center of the building was a mound of earth about three feet high and eight or ten feet in diam- eter. Forks were driven into it and poles placed upon them. Upon these a number of copper kettles were sus. pended. They contained bear's meat, venison and the like, which was being boiled for distribution among the Indians and invited guests. The white and Indian boys remained outside the building." While gazing at the performance within, a young Indian came up behind young Rice, seized him around the arms and body and held him firmly. The alarm and amazement of young Rice were very great. He states that his first sensation on being unable to extricate himself, was that of despair. He thought he could almost feel his scalp disappearing. By the intervention of a squaw he escaped the grasp of the young savage, to the relief of his fears. Although this scene occurred sixty-four years ago he says he re- tains a most vivid recollection of his sensations on that occasion. Subsequently he became well acquainted with the Armstrong boys, young Pipe, a son of old Cap- tain Pipe, Jonacake, Lyons, Dowdee and other Green- town Indians.
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