USA > Ohio > Ashtabula County > History of Ashtabula County, Ohio > Part 35
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HISTORY OF ASHTABULA COUNTY, OHIO.
the Democratic national committee. Since 1864 he has held no official position, but has been engaged in the practice of his profession at Cleveland. As a lawyer and jurist Judge Ranney has no superior in the State. It is conceded, not alone
Photo. by Ryder, Cleveland, O.
HON. RUFUS PERCIVAL RANNEY.
by his political friends, but as well by his political foes, that he stands at the very head of the bar in northern Ohio. We cannot claim him wholly for this county, but this is the place where he began the study and the practice of his profession, and he was a resident of the county for a number of years.
REV. JOSEPH BADGER.
No name is more prominent in connection with the carly history of Ashtabula County than that of Rev. Joseph Badger. He was one of the earliest missiona- ries on the Western Reserve. He was the founder of the first church in what was called New Connecticut, namely, that at Austinburg. He was the first min- ister sustained by the Connecticut missionary society west of the Alleghenies. He was identified with the history of the churches of northern Ohio, and in fact with the history of this country for the first twenty-five years of its settlement. He was a resident of this county, and, though his biography does not belong to any local history, but rather to the whole country, yet we are happy to give a sketch of his life in this connection. It is fortunate that so much material has been preserved, notwithstanding the fact that his extensive diary was for the most part burned by his order just before his death. We have drawn for our informa- tion in reference to him from some unpublished portions of his journal, from the memoir which was published in 1851, but is now out of print, and from various other sources.
Mr. Badger was the descendant of Giles Badger, who settled in Newburyport, Massachusetts, in the year 1635. He was of the Puritan stock, and his ancestor was identified with the early history of the New England colony. His father also was one of the first settlers of the new, uncultivated region in Berkshire county, Massachusetts. He was born in Wilbraham, Massachusetts. The line of descent was Giles Badger, Newburyport, Massachusetts. John Badger, son of Giles ; Nathaniel, John, Daniel, Edmond. Samuel, Mehitable, Henry, children of John. Henry Badger married Mary Langdon, and removed in 1766 to Par- tridge Field, Berkshire county, Massachusetts. Joseph was the son of Henry Badger. Mr. Badger spent his early days without schools or advantages, except as they were gained at the fireside. His parents were, however, professing Chris- tians, and his mind was stored with much religious instruction. The spring after he was eighteen, which was February 28, 1775, he entered the Revolutionary army. This was about three weeks after the contest at Lexington. He was in the battle of Bunker Hill. He was enrolled in Captain Nathan Watkins' com- pany, Colonel John Patterson's regiment, and at the time of the battle was posted on Cobble hill, in a line with the front of the battery, about half a mile distant. He says, " We could see the fire from the whole line, and the British break their ranks and run down the hill. On the third return to the charge they carried the works at the point of the bayonet." He was afterwards with his regiment at
Litchmore's Point, where the British landed and endeavored to take off some fat cattle. "Here," he says, " I had an opportunity to try my piece nine or ten times in pretty close order. The contest was sharp and fatal to some." After the British evacuated Boston, Patterson's regiment was ordered to New York, where they remained about three weeks, and then were ordered to Canada, and in time encamped on the banks of the St. Lawrence, in sight of Montreal. A portion
REV. JOSEPH BADGER.
of the regiment was ordered to the defense of a small fort, and here the soldiers came in contact with the noted Indian chief, Brant, who with his Indians was attacking the fort. Mr. Badger was within hearing of this action, but his com- pany did not take part. General Benedict Arnold reinforced this regiment, and is spoken of in the memoir. The smallpox broke out among the troops at this place. Mr. Badger was inoculated, and made himself very useful to the suffer- ing. At one time, when there was not a dish to be found, he ordered tools, and turned wooden dishes with his own hands for the use of the sick. He was also employed in baking bread, and speaks of himself as coming in contact with Colonel Buell, in command of the post, and others. He was with General Washington on the Delaware. Here he was called upon to nurse the sick. He says, " The gen- eral hospital had for several months been stationed at Bethlehem, and under the management of most wretched nurses. The doctors very earnestly besought me to go into the grand hospital. I finally consented. I attended them with the most constant care and labor until the 24th of February (1777), when I was taken sick with a fever and lost my reason, excepting a few lucid intervals, until the last of March, when I began to recover. I was so enfeebled and wasted that for some time I was unable to help myself. The doctors provided a convenient cham- ber in a private family, to which I was carried. The old lady and her husband, both Germans and Moravians, treated me with great kindness. As soon as my strength was recovered I concluded to return home. I took a discharge from the principal surgeon, as my time of service had expired." "There was soon a pressing call for men to guard the seaport towns. I again enlisted as an orderly sergeant for the remaining part of the year. I then returned to my father's, the 1st of January, 1778, having been absent a few days over two years." Mr. Badger, after spending a few weeks in visiting friends, returned to Connecticut and spent the winter under the instruction of the Rev. Mr. Day. He received about two hundred dollars in paper currency for his service in the army, " with the whole of which," he says, " I could not get cloth for one decent coat. This was all the compensation I received for almost three years of hard service, until in 1818. when congress began to think of the old soldier." During his time of study Mr. Badger was converted, and began to think of educating himself for the min- istry. He prosecuted his studies, keeping school in the mean time, until March. 1781, when his strength gave way from too great application. Recovering from this to a degree, he went with Mr. Day to New Haven to attend commencement, and was admitted to the college. During his college-course he taught singing, kept school, and managed in various ways to support himself. He graduated in 1785, studied theology with the Rev. Mr. Leavenworth, of Waterbury, Connecti- cut, and was licensed to preach in 1786. He received invitations to preach in Northbury, Connecticut, and in Vermont, but was settled at Blanford, Massa- chusetts, on the 24th of October, 1787. Mr. Badger was married before he graduated from college, in October, 1784. His wife was a Miss Lois Noble. One
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HISTORY OF ASHTABULA COUNTY, OHIO.
son, Henry L., was born in Waterbury, and his other children, Julia Anna, Lu- cius, Sarah, who died young Lucia, Sarah, and Joseph were born in Blan- ford. Mr. Badger was dismissed from this church in 1800.
He received an appointment from the Connecticut missionary society during the same year to visit the churches in the State of New York ; but his appoint- ment was afterwards changed, and he was requested to go to the Connecticut Western Reserve. He began his journey November 15, 1800. He took the southern route, crossed the Hudson at Newburg, and stayed with the Rev. Mr. Carr, of Goshen, New York. Hc arrived at Sussex Court-House, New Jersey, and here spent the Sabbath. He was recognized as a clergyman in the congre- gation by Rev. Mr. Brown, and was invited to preach. From this place lie passed down the Delaware, stopped with the elder of Mount Pleasant church in Pennsylvania, and here remained eight days for the sake of having the company of four young men who were going the same journey. He started with the young men on Wednesday, crossed the Allegheny mountains, where it was very cold, and on the 14th of December crossed the Monongahela about twenty miles above Pittsburgh. Here he parted with his company, and spent several days with the Rev. Mr. Ralston, forming acquaintances with several ministers of the region. He reached the Reserve late in December. This journey of six hundred miles was taken at a difficult season of the year. There was at the time but one road leading from Beaver to the Reserve, and that almost impassable. Mr. Badger took a blazed patlı which led to the Mahoning river; was obliged to ford the stream where the water came over the tops of his boots while he was on his horse; but reached the shore, crossed the State linc, and arrived at the cabin of Rev. Mr. Wick about dark, and was received by the family as a familiar friend. Mr. Wick had been settled a few weeks before in charge of three small congrega- tions in Hopeful, Neshannoc, and Youngstown. Mr. Badger spent his first Sun- day on the Reserve at Youngstown. This was the last Sunday of the year 1800. The year was spent in visiting various localities on the Reserve. His report of his journeys, until his arrival at Austinburg, is given in the history of that town- ship. He underwent many adventures during this journey, but did much to encourage the people. He speaks of meeting George Bluc Jacket, a Shawnese Indian ; also of fording the Cuyahoga after dark, and spent the night in a small cabin, lying on the floor in his wet clothes. At Cleveland he lodged at Benoni Carter's. He swam his horse across the Cuyahoga, followed an Indian path up the lake and forded the Rocky river, encamping on its banks that night. He pursued the Indian path to Huron river, and spent Sunday among the Delawares. He stayed in an Indian cabin, and was presented with a knot bowl of string beans boiled in fresh water and buttered with bear's oil. On his departure from this place he was also presented with a bread cake, baked in the embers, filled with beans, like a plum cake. He then passed, in company with an Indian boy for guide, to the Shawnee village on the Maumee. Here an Indian woman presented him with a bowl of boiled corn buttered with bear's grease, saying, "Friends, eat ; it is good ; it is such as God gives Indians." He went from thence to the French town on the river Raisin ; stayed with Captain Blue Jacket in a comfortable cabin, which was well furnished with mattress, blankets, furniture for the table, crockery, and silver spoons. He spent Sunday at Malden, Canada, and on Monday was at Detroit. Here he visited Rev. David Bacon, but says, " There was not one Chris- tian to be found in all this region, excepting a black man who appeared pious." From this place he returned by way of the Maumee village, and arrived at Hud- son the 13th of September, having been two days without anything to eat, except a few chestnuts. He organized a church at Austinburg the 24th of October, 1801, and started, with Judge Eliphalet Austin, to return to his home in Massachusetts. The account of the removal of his family to Austinburg is given in the history of that township.
Mr. Badger's situation at Austinburg was attended with some hardships, but were borne cheerfully by himself and family. He was engaged in visiting nearly all the communities on the Reserve, as he was about the only missionary in the region for two or three years.
His journal at this time reveals something of the state of the different settle- ments. At Euclid he stopped with Mr. Burke, who had come to this place three years before, and whose wife, he says, was obliged to spin and weave cattle's hair to make covering for her children's bed. He speaks also of Ravenna, in his un- published manuscript, as follows : " In this place were twenty familics, probably not a praying person among them. A considerable number attended meeting, but their conversation disclosed their state of heart. Reproaching one another, whisky-drinking, and fighting, with deistical sentiments, formed the prominent features of this place." He speaks of Newburg-" Infidelity, and profaning the Sabbath, are general in this place. They bid fair to grow into a hardened and corrupt society."
Mr. Badger's adventures were numerous. At one time he was followed several miles by a wolf. He spent a whole night in a tree watched by a bear. Tying 22
himself to a limb with his large bandanna handkerchief, he remained until the morning. A heavy thunder-storm passed over him while in this position, but the heavy peals of thunder did not avail to drive off the animal. His horse was standing at the foot of the tree, in no way frightened by the bear. As he shook himself in the rain he scared the brute away, so that Mr. Badger, a little after daylight, was able to go on. He had no weapon but a horseshoe in his hand at first, and throwing this produced no alarm, and so his only resort was to climb into the tree and wait until morning.
He often forded streams even when the ice was running. At one time he found himself entangled among some trees, with the water swimming depth, and was obliged to throw his portmanteau to the shore and jump on to a log, and then make his horse jump out of the water over the log. At another time, in crossing Mosquito creek, he found a place where he could cross the flood-wood and swim his horse through. And at still another was obliged to lie on the sand of the lake and dry himself in the sun. The settlements were very scattered, the rivers without bridges, the roads mere blazed paths for miles through the forests. The missionary was frequently wet with rain, covered with snow, drenched in fording streams, and was at times obliged to camp at night in the forests alone and with- out shelter. Hc bore his hardships, however, cheerfully, and was full of the self-sacrificing spirit. His family werc left alone frequently for weeks and even months at a time. They were obliged to live in a small log house, which for the first summer had a floor only half-way across its room. The poverty which he experienced was great, and cven amid his most arduous labors he speaks of the anxiety which he felt for his family. The little farm which he had was conducted by his boys at home, and he spent the intervals of his sojourn at home in assisting them to make sugar, to repair the house, and to do other work on the place. The variety of employments to which Mr. Badger could give himself was remarkable. He could repair the wagon ou which he was moving to his new home; he could help his neighbors build log houses, and turn out with the other citizens to build bridges ; could nurse the sick ; could prescribe successfully as a physician ; could write letters and sermons and reports ; could revise confessions of faith, attend synods, preach two or three times on the Sabbath and frequently during the week, and all the time be useful. His visits were always welcome. He frequently found a pious family who were glad to sce a minister of the gospel, and cven those who made no profession regarded him with great respect and estecm. The humility of the man was one of his prominent traits. No service was too lowly for him, no sacrifice too great, if he might serve his Master. Doubtless he felt the hardships of his lot, and considered that others were perhaps improving their time and gaining reputation in other respects, while he, a poor missionary, was laboring with but little compensation and amid great privations. His zeal, how- ever, was not without its reward. He preached in most of the places throughout northern Ohio, and was well known as the pioneer missionary of those days. He was not settled as a pastor when he came to Ohio, but he spent his life in laying the foundations for others to build upon. As a wise master-builder, he toiled until the Lord called him to his reward. His reward was certainly not in worldly things. He spent a large part of the little fortune he had after he went to Ash- tabula to live in the support of his family. His efforts as a minister of the gos- pel seemed to have been very successful. There was that about his preaching- the spirit which he manifested, his zeal, his humility, and devotion, or something it was-which gave him great effect when he was addressing the people. He frequently speaks of the people being moved cven to tears, and seemed to have produced by his preaching great solemnity among his hearers. He ascribed these impressions to the spirit of God, but doubtless it was that spirit working through his own humility and devotion, and imparting to others the faith which he had. It was a contagion of an earnest faith and of such self-denying zeal, and the work of God's holiness found no impediment in his pride or self-seeking. He was plain, unassuming, but kindly, and always gained the confidence and affection of the people. We picture him as going about among the settlements, which were scat- tered through the wilderness, with his portmanteau on his horse and his plain dress. When he arrived at a village he would alight and always find a welcome, and made it his home where he was. He gencrally visited all the families in the hamlet, talked with them kindly, and would most always have something to say of a religious character. He would gather even the children together and cate- chise them, and the effect of his influence was very great upon them. Children were frequently impressed by his preaching, and some of the most remarkable conversions were among the young. At the same time he seemed to carry con- viction to older persons. Judges and lawyers were frequently impressed by his words, and many additions to the churches were of adults. Those assemblies in private houses, in which whole neighborhoods were gathered, were quite remark- able. There was a kindly way among the people which made them attractive, and the very sociability of the occasion prepared the attendance for the better feeling which worship might bring. There was the true idea of the church in
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HISTORY OF ASHTABULA COUNTY, OHIO.
these gatherings. It was but a family, and God was the father, and the liome feeling was the religion of it. Worship was at that time peaceful. The mission- ary, whether a pastor or not, was a shepherd and had a love for the flock.
A few extracts from his journal will show something of the character of his congregations and the uature of their surroundings: " Having spent about five weeks with my family, I set out for my winter's tour. Preached at General Payne's the first Sabbath in December." "Went to Newburg and spent Sunday ; from this to Hudson, twenty miles,-a lonely tour in the cold, snow, and mud. Here I preached twice on the Sahbath and visited all the families. I visited and preached in all the neighhoring settlements-Ravenna, Aurora, Mantua, and Burton-until some time in February, 1803." "At Palmyra preached a lec- ture ; mostly Methodists. At this time a Methodist preacher had never been on the Reserve." "From this I went on to Canfield. Preached on the Sabhath and visited all the families. I then went through all the settlements in the south and eastern part of the Reserve, preaching twice every Sabbath and one or two lectures weekly ; visiting and preaching from house to house until the forepart of April." " Having returned to my family, I continued to help them for several weeks, and visited the settlements in this part of the Reserve, preaching on the Sabbath, with frequent lectures, until the 8th of June, when I again left for an- other preaching tour. Rode to Vernon. Visited two sick persons and prayed with them." "Rode to Hartford. Conversed with several professing Christians on the subject of forming a church." " Rode to Vienna. Preached on the Sab- bath to about sixty." "Rode to Fowler's store in Poland, the only store on the Reserve at this time. Consulted with Brother Weeks in regard to spending two Sabbaths in places where the revival was attended with extraordinary power. The next Sabbath at a place called Salem, in Pennsylvania. Preached to about five hundred people. From candle-lighting till near twelve o'clock it was made a time of extraordinary prayer and singing. I then preached a third discourse, on the doctrine of repentance, and dismissed the people. During the meeting numbers cried aloud, ' Oh, my hard heart ! my sinful, rebellious heart !' and soon became powerless for some hours." "Rode to Cross creek. I preached in the afternoon to ahout three thousand people,-the largest worshiping assembly I ever saw. In time of preaching there were many who cried out, and fell into a per- fectly helpless situation." "From June 18 to July 1 I rode more than two hundred miles. July 10, preached twice in the woods ; had a shower of rain. Rode on to Warren, visiting families. Preached on Saturday, and on the Sabbath three times. Had in the afternoon a heavy shower ; took a violent cold." " Au- gust 1, rode to Nelson, then to Aurora, thirty miles ; very unwell with my cold." " Rode to Hudson ; visited several families, and on the Lord's day preached twice and administered the sacrament." " Attended the funeral of an infant, and then rode to Aurora, and preached to one family,-the only one in the place,-and the next day preached in Mantua ; frequently got wet with heavy showers. Rode to Burton ; visited one woman on her dying bed. Sabbath, preached twice. Mon- day, rode to Mesapotamia. Wednesday, rode to Windsor; stopped at Judge Griswold's about two hours during a heavy shower. Rode on through the woods without path or marked trees; came to a deep ravine filled with water running rapidly, and muddy ; was met by a large bear." Here follows the record of his spending the night in the tree. " August 21, attended the funeral of Mrs. Hawley ; made a prayer at the grave ; preached in Mr. Austin's barn and admin- istered the sacrament to twenty-one communicants." "The Connecticut Mis- sionary society sent on at this time as many books as I could earry in a large bag, to accommodate the population with means of instruction. Rode to Grand River after the books. Saturday, rode to Conneaut, twenty-five miles ; no marked roads. Sabbath, preached twice. Monday, visited a school of sixteen children ; gave primers and books. Tuesday, rode to Erie, twenty-eight miles; then to North East, fifteen miles." The presbytery met here, and Mr. Badger preached the sermon. " Rode five miles to visit a sick man who had been drinking and ahusive in his family. The next day rode to Chautauqua to visit a family. The husband and father was drowned in the lake," etc.
In the period of one year Mr. Badger visited forty-nine or fifty different places, and preached one or more sermons every Sunday, and frequently several times during the week. During the year he attended five funerals, married one couple, organized two churches,-the one at Hartford and the one at Warren,-and administered the sacrament nine times. He also attended two presbyteries,- one at Slippery Rock and one at North East,-and the synod at Pittsburgh. He began the year with the revival work at Cross Creek, Pennsylvania, where were such remarkable exercises, and continued through it with the same extraordinary interest attending his labors wherever he went. Mr. Badger was very faithful in his missionary work. The church at Austinburg, where he lived. made great progress, though he secmed to have been absent from it most of the time. On the 10th of June forty-one persons were added to this church, and among them some of the most prominent persous in the place. The church at Harpersfield
also prospered. He speaks of having visited Ashtabula and preached to about .twenty persons. He occasionally also visited Conneaut, though the path from Austinburg to that place was not even blazed. He says of this place, "Notwith- standing there are some here, as in other places, who do all they can to profane the Sabbath and promote infidelity, yet God is carrying on the redemption of souls." Mr. Badger, after laboring five or six years as a missionary in this and other counties, resigned his commission. The reason for this was that the Con- necticut Missionary society had reduced the amount of the appropriations to the missionaries on the Reserve. Mr. Badger felt that, with all his labors and hard- ships, the society did him a great injustice. He says, " I felt myself and family exceedingly injured by their vote to reduce the means of my support. I had encountered indescribable hardships, with my family, in performing missionary labors, and had repeatedly written to them respectfully on the subject. The subject had also been presented to them by gentlemen who were my neighbors, and well knew that my reduced pay to six dollars per week was much below the necessary expenses of my family. But all applications on the subject were unavailing."
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