History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley, Part 122

Author: Caldwell, J. A. (John Alexander) 1n; Newton, J. H., ed; Ohio Genealogical Society. 1n
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Wheeling, W. Va. : Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 728

USA > Ohio > Jefferson County > History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley > Part 122
USA > Ohio > Belmont County > History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley > Part 122

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While those things were going on at the "Trestle," the civil authorities of Barnesville met in council, and believing that " discretion is the better part of valor," resolved to peaceubly surrender the town if Morgan appeared upon its borders.

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

Councilmau Bradfield solitary and alone protested against the resolution, exclaiming-"I go for fighting him like 'ell."

The "Trestle" being no longer in danger, Col. Charlesworth put his forces in motion and marched back to Barnesville. No sooner had the Colonel and his army arrived at the town than an uncertain report became general that Morgan, having reach- ed about the center of Harrison county, had suddenly turned south and would strike the C. O. R. R. at or near the town of Belmont.

The Colonel at once seized enough freight cars to carry his men and was soon encamped on the old Fair grounds of Bel- mont. The Colonel was escorted on all sides by throngs of citi- zens anxious for the real play of blood. The Colonel remained at Belmont until the following Sunday, but Morgan did not not come, and he, with his troops, returned to Barnesville. So the plnek and prowess of the departmental company and Capt. Eaton's militia were not put to the test by the horrors of a bat- tle field. The citizens returned to their homes, and could only say what they would have done had Morgan come.

In a few weeks after the capture of Morgan, another company of Warren township citizens was instered into the "departmen- tal corps," with Hamilton Eaton as captain, George Nuzum as First and Tyson Rowles as Second lientenant.

In the fall of 1863, the reported raid of the rebels by the way of Canada once more put the people of Ohio into a fever of ex- citement. The State Adjutant-General issued an order com- manding the departmental companies of Warren township to march to Erie, Pa. The companies refused to obey the order, and appealed to General Brooks, at Pittsburgh, commander of the Departmental Corps, for instructions. He answered that they were not subject to state control, as they were in the ser- vice of the United States, but that they might use their own pleasure. Having received Gen. Brook's instructions, they promptly obeyed the order of the Adjutant-General, and were transported to Erie by rail. They were absent about ten days, having a good time generally, when they returned to Barnes- ville. They performed no other or further service, and were honorably mustered out of service at the close of the war.

PIONEER LIFE,

MR. JOHN REED.

As an illustration of pioneer life in Warren township we pre- sent a couple of incidents in the life of Mr. John Reed, the first settler in the southwest part of the township. Mr. Reed has many descendants living in Belmont, Noble and Guernsey coun- ties, and at the same time a wide circle of old friends and ac- quaintances scattered throughout those counties, so that what- ever may be said of him, or related about him, cannot fail to interest many people.

Mr. Reed was an old Methodist, whose conversion dated back almost to the time when the M. E. Church was organized in the United States. He was born in "Old Virginia," and came to Warren township in 1805, locating upon section 31, where he resided until his death. So soon as enongh Methodists had set- tled about him to form a society he organized one, and preach- ing and religious worship were held at his dwelling-house for many years. He was one of the principal agents in having Bethel Church house erected, and at the church he worshiped until he was called from his labors to his reward.

The following incidents in his " life in the woods" have been kindly furnished ns by one who gives them in the very words of Mr. Reed :

RENCONTRE WITH A BEAR.

" When I came to Warren township there was a settlement east of Barnesville and another southwest of me, near where Calais, Monroe county, now stands. These were my nearest neighbors. I built a cabin, cleared a patch, and raised a little corn, depending on my rifle for meat. I had one hog; it was a black hog. It was in a lot I had fenced for the purpose. In the fall I went to the settlement near Calais called the Carpen- ter settlement. There I bought a white hog and brought it home and turned it in with the other hog. It was getting to- wards evening. Wolves and bears were pretty plenty in those days. I went into my cabin and sat down. I hadn't been there long till I heard a hog squealing. I bounded to the door, and saw the black hog, as I thought, dragging the white hog around the end of a log. I started for the lot. When I started the

dog started also. I bid him go back. When I got there, to my surprise, it was a black bear instead of the black hog. Aud no sooner had I appeared than it quitted it and attacked me. I had nothing to defend myself with, only my feet, which I used pretty freely. The dog had disobeyed orders, which he seldom done, and came in reach of the scene at the same time. While I fought in front the dog attacked Bruin in the rear. After a pretty severe confliet we put the bear up a tree. I called to Patty, my wife, to bring me the gun, which she did. With a well-directed aim I brought Bruin down."

AMUSING INCIDENT.

"In those days there were copperhead and rattle snakes that we dreaded as well as bears and wolves. I was cutting weeds in the yard late one evening, and something started up my pants leg. The idea of copperhead instantly entered my mind. I grabbed the thing with both hands and called to Patty to come quick. She did so very fast, asking ' What shall I do, John ?' I yelled, ' Unbutton my pants '-' there it bit me '-' be quick ' -- ' there it bit me again." I finally got my pants off, and when I came to an examination of the imaginary copperhead, it proved to be a bull-frog. It had scratched me with its toe-nails, and 1 thought I was awfully snake-bitten."

Among the earliest settlers in Warren township was John Doudna, who moved here from North Carolina about the year 1804. He entered the lands on which he lived until his death, which took place in 1863, at the age of ninety years. The lands are situate one mile and a half sonthwest of Barnesville, on the Boston road. Bears, wolves, panthers, wild cats, wild turkeys and deer were then common in the woods; and the deer and turkey were hunted for food. He had a large flint-lock shot gun that he brought with him from North Carolina, and he often killed from three to five turkeys at a single shot with it. One of his neighbors having had some sheep killed by wolves, he and Zadock Boswell, who lived adjoining him, set two or three guns for them. The guns were placed star fashion, their muzzles pointing inwards to a trap as a common centre. From the trap strings extended to the triggers of the guns, so that when the bait was disturbed the triggers were pulled and the guns dis- charged. It was, harvest time and he was up late putting up hay; and when he had gone to the house and was about to go to bed he heard the guns go off. He immediately went to Bos- well's and they went to see the result. It was entirely satisfac- tory as a large wolf lay dead at the trap.

At another time he and his son was hunting a hog and found a den of wolves. He left his son to watch while he went for help. When they came back he determined, Putnam like, to en ter the den. So he tied a rope to his leg that those on the out- side could pull him out if he wanted out faster than he could get ont himself. Ile took his gun and crawled several feet under the rock, thinking he might "shine " the old one's eyes, as they called it, and shoot her. But he could not see her and the litter of whelps could get so far back into the crevices of the rocks that he conld not reach them. But he was not to be ontdone in that way ; so he went to work and made a large stick trap, which he " set " on the side toward the den and then walled up the mouth of the den at the sides of the trap so that the old ones could not get in or the young ones out. In the morning four or five of the young ones were in the trap, but the old ones were no where to be seen. He then posted his friends about the den at different points and made one of the whelps howl. That brought the old one in sight of the men in ambush and a well directed shot brought her to the ground. Next night another young one was canght in the trap and the den broken up.

Copperhead and rattlesnakes were very annoying to the early settlers of Warren township and they were very numerous abont the residence and farm of Mr. Doudna. One evening about dusk his daughter heard the goslings complaining in their coop. She went and lifted one of them ont and it died almost instantly. Having procured a light she looked into the coop and there lay a large rattlesnake, which no doubt was the mur- derer of the gosling. The feelings of the young lady can be bet- er imagined than described.

LAST DEER.

When Dr. Carolns Judkins and his brother Joel came to Barnesville from North Carolina, they were accompanied by a young man named Joseph Brown, a hatter by trade. Brown threw a stone with great force and precision of aim. As they were coming over the mountains one day late in the evening, an opossum was seen near the roadside, a full hundred yards

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

distant. Joel said to Brown : "Thee ean't hit that 'possum with a stone." Brown threw and killed the opossnm. The animal was butchered and the next morning was eaten for breakfast. Brown worked for Joel about four years, and finally married and settled at Somerton, where he remained during life,

While he resided in Barnesville in the year 1813 in the early part of winter, a severe storm of wind and rain came upon the town and vicinity. The wind blew furiously, prostrating many trees about the little village. After the storm had subsided the snu came ont bright and warm, and Brown took his gun to see if he could not kill some game. Just at the edge of the village, on the top of the hill, where the "old Academy" now stands, several trees had been blown down. When Brown arrived op- posite the trees, he discovered a large buck standing among them and browsing on their tops. Brown fired and the deer fell flat to the ground, but as Brown approached to finish him, he rose on his fore feet, turned his hair wrong end foremost and did his best to get at Brown; but his back was broken by the shot, and he could only look fury at his assailant. Brown with a club soon put him ont of his miseries, That was the last deer ever killed within the corporate limits of Barnesville.

"THE LEATHERWOOD GOD" OR THE RELIGIOUS IM- POSTER OF 1828.

A great religious commotion was created in the year 1828 by the appearance and pretentions of an imposter mamed Joseph C. Dylks, The scene of his principal transactions was the lit- tle village of Salesville, situated in Guernsey county, on the Leatherwood creek, about six miles from Warren township, though the excitement among the people spread over portions of Belmont and Noble counties, At the village of Salesville there had been built by the early settlers a hewed log church, which was nsed by all denominations, and was known as the Temple. About the middle of August of that year a camp-meeting was held about two and a half miles northwest of the temple, under the auspices of the United Brethren. At this meeting Dylks made his advent under strange and peculiar circumstances. A lengthy and well written account of the appearance and preten- sions of this man has been prepared by R. H. Taneyhill, Esq., and published by Robert Clarke & Co. of Cincinnatti, Ohio. The main facts were first written by Mr. Taneyhill in a series of articles for the Barnesville Enterprise, under the non de plume of "R. King Bennett." The nanative attracted such general attentiou that Messrs. Clarke & Co .. incorporated it in their volume entitled "Ohio Miscellanies." From this account we make a synopsis and a number of extracts. The advent of Dylks at the camp-meeting is thus described :

"The camp-meeting began on Wednesday, and was to contin- over Sunday. On Sunday the attendance was very large, the in- gathering being from over twenty miles around. The Rev. John Crni, P. E., addressed the congregation at the afternoon service. He had proceeded about half way in his discourse, and by his eloquent appeal had obtained the profound attention of the andience, and had wrought their feelings up to their intens- est pitch ; a sileuce solemn as the quietude of the grave per- vaded the congregation, when a tremendous voice shouted "Sal- vation !" followed instantly by a strange sound, likened by all who heard it to the short of a frightened horse. The minister was taken by surprise and stopped preaching, all eyes were turned to the spot whence the sonud seemed to proceed, and were fixed on a stranger of odd appearance, seated about midway the con- gregation. He sat steadfastly in his seat, with a connteuance of marked solemnity, and totally unmoved by the excitement which he had produced. That stranger was Joseph C. Dylks, the noted " Leatherwood God." The shont and snort of Dylks are described by every one who heard them as imparting to all within their sound both awe and fear. One who had heard them often 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.' Their effects upon the congregation at the camp-meeting were singu- lar indeed, Some of the men jumped to their feet, others bounced in their seats, women shrieked alond, and every check blanched. It was several minutes before the minister coukl proceed with his sermon ; but the people gave no further heed to it, they were too much absorbed in scrutinizing the myster- ious stranger,

" The strangest circumstance, however, connected with his ad- vent is, that no one saw him come into the congregation, nor had any one there ever seen him before. The most searching in- quiries were made. but no witness ever appeared to verify the manner of his coming. He was there, but that is all we will ever know about it.

"The dress and personal appearance of Dylks were such as to highten the astonishment of the people concerning him. He was about five feet eight inches high, straight as an arrow, a little heavy about the shoulders, but tapering symmetrically to the feet. His eyes black, large and flashing; nose, slightly Roman; forehead, low and broad ; hair, jet-black, long, and glossy and thrown back from the forehead over the ears, and hung in a mass over the shoulders, reaching nearly to the mid- dle of the back. His face was fair, but pale, and was pervaded by a look of deep solemuty, tinged with melancholy. He was dressed in a black broad-cloth suit, frock coat, white cravat, and wore a yellow beaver hat. He appeared to be between forty-five and fifty years of age. When we reflect that this was the day of linsey-wool hats, hunting shirts, and wamuses; that there was not in that large multitude one broad-eloth coat, and not a male person whose hair was not ent elose, and who had not a rustic, pioneer look, we see, at once, how these considerations compli- cate the question, how he got into the congregration unnoticed. * * * * *

* " An advent so stange and mystical-so like the coming of a spirit-was well calculated to exeite the credulity of the peo- ple, and to form a ready and sure basis for the pretense that he was endowed with supernatural powers. He immediately availed himself of the vantage ground given him over the minds of the community, and began seeretly to declare himself to be a celestial being, bearing in his person a heavenly mission. * *

" In secret, he was impressing certain members of the com- munity with a knowledge of his tremendous spiritual powers. Telling them that he came into the congregation at the camp- meeting in his spiritnal body, then took a corporeal one, and clothed it as they saw him there; that he could disappear and reappear at pleasure, perform miracles, and finally that he was the trne Messiah come to set up the millenium, and establish a kingdom that should never end; that he should never die, and that all who should believe on him should live forever in their natural bodies, and hold the earth as an everlasting heritage ; that his kingdom would spread over the whole earth, and noth- ing but holiness dwell therein ; that his body could be touched only by his permission ; that not one hair of his head could be taken from him. And that with one shout and one suort he could strike out the universe."

By his shrewd and mysterious coudnet Dylks soon obtained a number of enthusiastic followers. Three men of the vicinity of Salesville became so completely infatuated with him, and such firm believers in his pretentions, that he designated them as his apostles, These men were named Michael Brill, Robert MeCor- mick and John Brill. During the progress of events, a young minister named Davis came into the neighborhood, who also became converted to the new faith, and was made by bylks one of his apostles. All the methods by which Dylks effected the delusion of these men, are perhaps now not kuown, and some matters connected with it must forever be a mystery, but Mr. Taneyhill, in his elaborate account, gives a description of the events and circumstances which make it plain how the preten- der operated with his adherents until he became complete mas- ter of them. We regret that his account is too lengthy to give in these pages, and that we are compelled to adopt a brief sun- mary with a few extracts. The delusion had "spread with a rapidity scarcely ever equaled in the history of religious fanatic- ism." A division of the church membership and the whole community had taken place. The nature and extent of Dylks' pretentions, and the effect of his teachings upon his bearers is shown by the following description by Mr. Taneyhill, of a ser- mou preached by the avowed God in the Temple at Salesville, after he had accomplished the preliminaries of his dehision :

" The brethren and sisters assembled iu a body, and many others vougregated, prompted by enriosity. At first, he was cautions in his language, but gradually grew boll, and at last gave utterance to the following blasphemous language: '1 am God, and there is uone else. I am God and the Christ nuited. 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.' The brothers yelled : . We shall never die.' The sisters screamed, Dylks snorted, and the spectators muttered in-

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES

dignant exclamations. The dedication ceremonies were con- verted into an uproarions religions tumult. Men shouted and velled, women screamed and uttered prayers to Dylks to have mercy upon them, while he stormed and snorted. As Dylks descended from the pulpit, McCormick exclaimed : "Behold our God!" and the believers fell on their knees and worshiped him. When partial order was restored, McCormick announced that the next meeting would be held that night a week, and the con- gregation was dismissed.

"The violent demonstrations of the Dylksites on Sunday night disgusted some who were wavering, and drove them back to the ancient landmarks, while they increased and confirmed the in- dignation and hatred of the non-professors. The lofty preten- sions of the avowed God were soon put to the test. We must have a miracle-some evidence of his stupendous powers must be produced-simple declamations will not do,' were expres- sions everywhere resounding in the ears of Dylks' deciples. He saw the necessity of some act to confirm his claims, and prom- ised to make a seamless garment, if the cloth was furnished him."

Dylks was given the opportunity but never performed the miracle. The indignation of those who had not been drawn into the delusion soon grew to an organized opposition to the pretend- er and his faith, and culminated in a mob. Dylks was arrested, taken before a justice of the peace and tried, but the magistrate finding no law to punish him acquitted him. The mob was un- satisfied, but Dylks escaped to the woods, pursued by his shouting accusers who hurled at him a volley of stones. The pretended God had been put to flight, and for several weeks he kept himself secreted from the fury of his enemies, who hunted him as a fugitive. But his trusty followers aided him during his disappearance from the public, and their faith appeared to in- crease during the persecution. Finally Dylks reappeared and announced to an assemblage of his followers that he must set up his kingdom on earth, or his "New Jerusalem," at Philadel- phia. At the same time be revealed to them that Rev. Davis, Michael Brill and McCormick were his apostles "Peter," "Silas" and "Paul," that they must go with him to Philadelphia to as- sist him to establish the "great city," and the very next morn- ing these deluded men started with Dylks to journey the whole distance on foot. This was in the latter part of October, and they traveled directly eastward, by the highways, by-ways, across fields, through forests, and over mountains.

"When they arrived to within about three miles of the city, the road they were pursuing forked. Dylks now said : 'Faith- ful apostles, it is now necessary for us to separate for a time. Paul and Silas will take the south fork of this road. I and Peter will pursuethe north. We meet again where the light from heaven shall shine brightest within the city, for there will New Jerusa- lem begin to expand to fill the earth.' They parted. McCor- mick and Brill went on, and in due time arrived at the city, but saw no light. They journeyed the city over, but still no light. Day after day they traveled the city, street by street, trembling between hope and fear, but still found no light. The light never came, nor did Dylks or Davis. Having remained until the last vestige of hope vanished, with sorrowings and weepings, foot-sore and moneyless, they set their faces towards Baltimore, where they arrived in due time. Here, from the pledge of their tobacco crop, which was still in the hands of a commission mer- chant, they procured funds and went home by stage. They made a truthful report of the events of their journey, suppress- ing nothing. The effect of Dylks' trickery upon the brotherhood was scarcely perceptible. They had become too deeply imbued with the bewildering influence of the delusion to yield it up, no matter what the defeat to their expectations might be, or how dastardly so ever Dylks should act."

Mr. Taneyhill adds to the foregoing :

"The firmness with which the followers of Dylks adherred to their faith is really surprising ; for it is very doubtful, indeed, whether any one of them ever yielded up his belief in him as verily and truly God. Although death came and carried off one after another of the ' believers,' who, according to the faith, should never die, still those who remained were as unwavering in their belief as before."

The Rev. Davis returned about seven years afterwards and preached one sermon in which he declared that he had seen Dylks ascend to heaven, and that he would return to earth to set up his kingdom. Davis then left and was never heard of afterwards.

Mr. Taneybill adds to his account an anecdote entitled " The Rattlesnake Man," which is of local interest, and is as follows :

"The following incident illustrates howthe children were cor- rupted by ' faith.' It was communicated to me by an eye-wti- ness of the facts related :

"In the summer of 1850, a large man, abont thirty-five years old, stopped for dinner at the hotel of Mr. Robert Mills, in Barnesville, Ohio. He was dressed in an nncolored homespun snit ent after the plain style of the old Methodists, and wore his hair and beard long and disheveled. He had a fine horse, sad- dle and bridle, and on the valise pad was strapped a small flat box. Having dismounted, he carefully unstrapped the box, and carried it under his arm into the sitting-room of the hotel. When invited to dinner, he took the box with him, and put it on the floor by the side of his chair. After dinner he brought the box into the bar-room, and instantly inquired if any one wished to see a rattlesnake ; if so, he would show one for a dime apiece. A purse was soon made up. The stranger opened the box, and a large rattlesnake, having eighteen rattles, emerged from it and coiled itself on the floor. It was lively, and rejoiced to see its master ; it shook its rattles, threw open its mouth, and shot out its tongue. The snake was fangless. One of the spectators seeing this inquired the cause.

'When I caught it, I took it up and knocked ont the teeth with my jack-knife.

'Were you not afraid to take hold of it ?'

'No ; for had it bit me, it would have done me no harm. 1 shall never die; I shall live three hundred and fifty years, pre- cisely from this year, and shall then be transferred into the New Jerusalem without seeing death.'

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History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley, Part 122

Author: Caldwell, J. A. (John Alexander) 1n; Newton, J. H., ed; Ohio Genealogical Society. 1n Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Wheeling, W. Va. : Historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 728

Author: Caldwell, J. A. (John Alexander) 1n; Newton, J. H., ed; Ohio Genealogical Society. 1n
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Wheeling, W. Va. : Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 728