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 187

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 187
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 187

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AFRICAN M. E. CHURCH.

The history of this church, is somewhat obscure and meager, but as nearly as can be learned, at this late day, it was organ- ized as early as 1818.

For some years they rented a house for worship, at the ex- treme western end of the village, which they finally bought, and continued their meetings there till it became unfit for use. They then sold and purchased another lot near by, on which they built a neat brick house which they still continue to use.

This church has been in a flourishing condition, numbering as high as 170 members at one time, but like many other churches it has had its internal dissentions, and in 1871, a portion of the members withdrew and formed a new organization called the colored M. E. Church.

COLORED SABBATH SCHOOL.

The first Sabbath School for colored children was organized by Elijah Sawyer in the house used by the A. M. E. church. It commenced abont 1840. Mr Sawyer conducted the school for some years, when the Friends became interested and also as- sisted the colored people, in their efforts. Among the Friends who rendered essential service in the matter were Elisha Jet and the Updegraff's. The school has been kept up, withess of some

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

intermissions, from that time to the present day. The whites have occasionally helped the colored people in their laudable ef- forts for improvement.

M. E. CHURCH (COLORED).)

In the fall of 1871, fifteen members withdrew from the A. M. E., and organized a new M. E. Church. They have not yet built themselves a house of worship, but meet in the colored school house. The following is a list of their ministers since their separation : Alexander Hargrave, 1871-3, Lewis Carr, 1874; Jacob Skinner, 1875; Jesse Hargrave, 1876-7-8; George Carr, present year, 1879.

They at the same time organized a Sabbath school, with about twenty scholars. They have no library.

EMINENT MEN.

Mount Pleasant township has furnished a full share of emi- nent men as statesmen, men who have held prominent positions in the councils of the state and nation.

It has supplied eight members of the state Legislature, to-wit : Dr. William Hamilton, George Mitchell, Ezekiel Harris, Joseph Kitheart, Amos Jones, Cyrus Mendenhall, Pinkney Lewis, Dr. J. T. Updegraff-the two last State Senators, It has also fur- nished three lieutenant governors-Benjamin Stanton, who was also member of Congress from the Bellefontaine district; Thos. B. Ford, and Robert C. Kirk, who was afterwards sent as min- ister to one of the South American governments, was a native of this place. Also Hon. J. T. Updegraff, present member of Congress-as well as many eminent men in the medical and other learned professions.

FITZ-GREENE HALLECK AND ABBIE FLANNER.

A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE CORRESPONDENCE HELD OVER FORTY YEARS AGO, BETWEEN THE AMERICAN POET, FITZ-GREENE HAL- LECK, AND MISS ABBIE FLANNER, OF MOUNT PLEASANT, OHIO.

As a portion of the correspondenee that passed between Fitz- Greene Halleck and Abbie Flanner, years ago, was brought to light by the publication of the life of Halleck, by James Grant Wilson, disclosing how intensely the gifted and courtly poet, who was a bachelor, became smitten by a Quaker girl of Mount Pleasant, created a sensation throughout the country, from Maine to Texas, that was discussed and commented upon in all the leading newspapers and periodicals in the land, it seems proper that a brief account of it appear in our work as an incident in the history of the place.

Miss Flanner was born in North Carolina, October 17, 1798. She was the eldest daughter of William and Penina Flanner, who came to Mount Pleasant at an early period. Her father was an acceptable preacher in the Society of Friends, but in moderate circumstances. She had three brothers and three sis- ters, They all had to work. Miss Abbie taught school. Two of her brothers became eminent physicians. Thomas, the eldest, died of cholera in 1832, in Wheeling, where he went to investi- gate the nature of that disease.

These brothers sent home most of the first money they earned in the practice of their profession to build Albi Cottage. This name was given by the poetess herself, and signifies " cottage of purity." There it stands to-day near the Friends' Yearly Meet- ing House, in that village, but not embowered in vines and flowers as of old.

Miss Flanner was tall and bony; her features were rather coarse, with large hands. Though not pretty, in the common acceptance of the term, she was graceful in her movements and manners, had a sweet, animated, intellectnal face, full of sensi- bility and a peculiarly attractive smile. When silent and thoughtful her face wore a pensive, sad expression, but when engaged in conversation, it lighted up with animation and intelligence. When her feelings were wounded, she put her hands to her face and immediately the tears would come trick- ling through her white fingers. She was a fine conversation- alist and the queen of the circle in which she moved.

The origin of the correspondence was this : A party of young ladies and gentlemen of Mount Pleasant, assembled at the house of a friend in that village to watch the old year out. The incoming year was 1836-Leap Year. Amid the merri- ment of the occasion, some one suggested that the ladies should I-68-B. & J. Cos.

avail themselves of the privileges it brought and open a cor- respondence with different gentlemen, mentioning, among others, the bachelor poet, Fitz-Greene Halleck. The proposal was passed by as a jest, but in a few minutes it was noticed that Miss Abbie Flanner was missing from the party. Quietly bid- ding good night to the friends of the house, she had slipped out and gone home alone. The ground was covered with snow that sparkled in the moonbeams. Walking along slowly, searcely noting the beauty of the scene around her, she meditated a poetic epistle to Fitz-Greene Halleck, and reaching her room, sat down and wrote the following:

NEW YEAR'S NIGHT.

THE MERRY MOCK-BIRD'S SONG.

O'er fields of snow the moonlight falls, And softly on the snow white walls Of Albi Cottage shines ; And there beneath the breath of June The honcysuckles gay festoon And multiflora twines,

And forms a swect embowering shade, Pride of the humble cottage maid, Who now transformed and bold,

Beneath the magic of a name, Those equal rights presume to claim, Rights urged by young and old.

And who is she, to fame unknown, Who dares her challenge thus thrown down Low at the feet of one

Who holds a proud, conspicuous stand Among the magnates of the land, The Muse's favorite son ?

As when she roamed, a careless child, To pluck the forest blossoms wild, Oft climbed some pendant brow

Or rock or cliff, to gather there Some tempting flower that looked more fair Than all that bloomed below.

So now, like Eve in Paradise, Though numerous offerings round her rise Of love and friendship bland,

With many a sober blessing fraught; Would give them all for one kind thought, One line from Halleck's hand.

Like that fair plant of India's fields That most when bruised yields Its fragrance on the air, Such is the heart I offer thee, Pride of my country's minstrelsy ! Oh, is it worth thy care?

She signed this Ellen A. F. Campbell, incorporating her init- ials with the name of Seott's Lady of the Lake, and forwarded it to the poet.

In those days of slow coaches, much time must necessarily elapse before a response could be received, and it is but natural to suppose that during that interval, buoyant hope and lively thought alternated with misgivings and donht as to the recep- tion of her letter. Perhaps when the first glow of adventurous feeling passed she half regretted her action and felt the natural shrinking of a woman's heart from offering itself unasked, even in jest. And when at last the long-looked-for, hoped-for packet arrived, with what trembling eagerness she must have opened and read it.

TO ELLEN.

THE MOCKING BIRD.

The Scottish border minstrel's lay, Entranced me oft in boyhood's day : His forests, glens, and streams, Mountains and heather blooming fair; A Highland lake and lady were The playmates of my dreams.

le ML

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

Years passed away, my dreams were gone; My pilgrim footsteps pressed alone Loch Katrine's storied shores; And winds that winged me o'er the lake Breathed low, as if they fear'd to break The music of my oars.

No tramp of warrior men was heard; For welcome song or challenge-word I listened but in vain : And moor'd beneath his favorite tree, As vainly woo'd the minstrelsy Of gray haired " Allen Bane."

I saw the Highland heath flower smile In beauty upon Ellen's isle ; And couched in Ellen's bower. I watched beneath the lattice leaves, Her coming, through a summer eve's Youngest and loveliest hour.

She came not : lonely was her home; Herself of airy shapes that come, Like shadows to depart, Are there two Ellens of the mind ? Or have I lived at last to find An Ellen of the heart ?

For music like the borderer's now Rings round me, and again I bow Before the shrine of song, Devoutly as I bowed in youth ; For hearts that worship there in truth And joy are ever young.

And well my harp responds to-day, And willingly its chords obey The minstrel's loved command ; A minstrel maid whose infant eyes Looked on Ohio's woods and skies, My school book's sunset land.

And beautiful the wreath she twines Around " Albi Cottage," bowered in vines, Or blessed in sleigh-bell mirth ; And lovelier'still'her smile that seems To bid me welcome in my dreams Beside its peaceful hearth.

Long shall I deem that winning smile But a mere mockery, to beguile Some lonely hour of care ; And will this Ellen prove to be, But like her namesake o'er the sea, A being of the air ?

Or shall I take the morning's wing, Armed with a parson and a ring, Speed hill and vale along ; And at her cottage hearth, ere night, Change into flutterings of delight. Or (what's more likely) of affright, The merry mock-bird's song ?

Accompanying the poem was the following letter :

NEW YORK, February 29, 1836.

DEAR MISS CAMPBELL :- Were it not that the delightfully flat- tering lines with which you have favored me date "Bessextile," I should have taken post-horses for Albi Cottage immediately on receiving them. As it is, I thank you from my heart for your merry mocking bird's song. Though they did not seriously in- tend to make me a happy man, they certainly have made me a very proud one. I have attempted some verses in the style of your own beautiful lines, and hope you will laugh gently at their imperfections, for they are the first, with a trifling exeep- tion, that I have written for years. Would they were better worthy of their subject! A new edition of the humble writings which have been so fortunate as to meet with your approbration has recently been published here. It is, to use the printer's phrase, "prettily gotten up." Will you pardon the liberty I take in asking you to accept a copy from me, in consideration

of the beauty of its type and the vastness of its margin, and may I hope for a return to this letter, informing me by what convey- ance I can have the honor of forwarding it to you ?

I am, dear Miss Campbell, very gratefully, or if you are in good earnest, as I very much fear you are not, I am dearest Ellen, very affectionately yours.

FITZ GREENE HALLECK.

Her reply to this is a letter of considerable length, in which she thanks him for the promise of his book, and declares that "eager expectation stands tip toe on misty heights of the blue Ohio, to hail its approach."" She closes by saying that when he is in "fashion's crowded hall," or listening to the "trump of deathless fame," she would claim one thought :

"But when the busy crowd is gone, And bright on the western sky The changeful sunset hues are thrown- Oh! wilt though thither turn thy eye And send one gentle thought to her Whose spirit ever turns to thine, Like Persia's idol worshipper, Or Moslem to his prophets shrine ?"

The correspondence continned throughout the year, growing more and more interesting. The gay badinage ceased, and was succeeded by earnestness on both sides. Though still preserv . ing her incognita, and shielded by her assumed name, we find the lady growing timid as the poet grows ardent in his protesta- tions of admiration and esteem. At one time she says : "Every step that I have made in your acquaintance has increased my timidity. With a reckless laugh I flung my first offering on the current of accident, little thinking it would ever bring me back tears and smiles, anxious thoughts and fevered dreams." To- ward the end of the year she intimates that the terms of her privilege will soon expire, and the correspondence must close. The poet replies, urging its continuanee, and speaks of the hap- piness it has afforded him, and his desire to know her personally. She replies: "I certainly did suppose I had written to Mr. Hal- leck for the last time; but you know before I confess that I am but too happy to be convinced by your profound logic, that it is not only my privilege but my duty to respond. Your witty assumption of your extensive privilege has delivered my woman's pride from the bastile of a word, for whose adaman- tine bars, perhaps, I have not shown a proper reverence."

After the interchange of a few more letters the poet an- nounces his intention of seeking the home of his fair corre- spondent, and meeting face to face the lady whom, as "Ellen Campbell," he had learned so highly to esteem. This proposal filled Miss Flanner with dismay. Remembering that she had commenced the acquaintance, she reflected that a tacit agree- ment to the poet's wish would place her in the character of a wooer. An ardent admirer of Halleck's poems, nothing could have afforded her more pleasure than to have met him, but under the circumstances she felt that she must not encourage his coming. Her reply was posted at Washington, whither she had sent it in care of a relative, and to that address the poet's subsequent letters were addressed.

It is difficult to repress the tear of sympathy over this wonder- ful story of what " might have been" had these two gifted beings been permitted to come together. But she absolutely refused him a personal interview, and succeeded in eluding his attempts to find her. She felt that with an interview all the illusion would vanish; that he, who had been accustomed to the flatteries and attentions of the high-born and high-bred and jeweled daughters of fashion, in their gorgeous robes and magnificent palaces, could not tolerate her plain Quaker simplicity and lowly sur- roundings, and she-all unwisely-preferred that he should be her idol at a distance, that she loved to worship, and she to him an "Ellen of the mind"-"A being of the air." They never, never met.

Miss Flanner afterwards married a Mr. Talbot and resided in Mount Pleasant until her death, which occurred September 9, 1852. She lies buried in Short creek cemetery, oue halt mile west of the village. No stone marks her last resting-place.

TRENTON.

This village, which is situated about one mile west of Mount Pleasant, was laid off about the year 1815, by Ell wood Radcliff. Probably because of its proximity to Mount Pleasant, it had made but little progress. It contains about one hundred and

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

fifty inhabitants-one-half of whom are colored. The colored people have a school and church (Baptist) which was dedicated October 13, 1872.

The village contains one dry goods store, one grocery store, one blacksmith shop, one wagon maker's shop, one carriage shop, one shoemaker's shop, one church, and one school house- colored.

THE REGULAR BAPTIST CHURCH, (TRENTON COLORED,)

This church was organized and constituted January 10, 1844, at a meeting beld in the east room of the brick house owned by Esther Sparksman. William Callihan was moderator, and Mil- ton W. Kasley, clerk. The names of those who united with the organization, were George Sparksman, Esther Sparksman, John Williams, Harriet Emeline Williams, Frank King, Susan Thompson, John V. Brown, Sarah Brown, John Cusans, Eliza- beth Sparksman, John Thompson, Charlotte Dnting and Martha Sawyer. George Sparksman was then appointed deacon, and ordained, and John Cusans elected church clerk. The exercises were closed by Elder Callihan preaching a discourse adapted to the occasion. This church belongs to the Zoar Association.

November 2, 1850, Elder Jones was called to the pastorate at a salary of $4 per month.

May 30, 1854, a committee was appointed to buy a lot on which to build a church. A half lot was bought from Henry Bundy for $30, and the amount of first payment raised among the members,

October 26, 1860, the church met and agreed to employ Mad- ison H. Gaskins, as pastor, at a salary of $105, for half his time. The meetings were held in the Seceder church, about eighteen months, when the congregation removed to a room in Mrs. Sparksman's house, where they worshiped until their new church building was completed in 1872, a neat frame, 24x30, costing $1,000. The new house was duly dedicated October 13, 1872. Elder G. C. Sedgwick preached the dedication sermon.

They have ordained two ministers, Jared Chavers in 1866, and Madison Boggs in 1873.

This chureb, in 1879, numbers one hundred and four members. Five of the original members in 1844, are still living, Estber Sparksman, Elizabeth Sparksman, Susan Brown, John Williams and Harriet Williams.

A Sabbath school was organized in 1868. Number of volumes in the library, 258; number of scholars enrolled, 25.

SKETCHES OF THE GILL FAMILY .- Joseph Gill was one of the pioneers of Mount Pleasant, where he settled and built the sixth house in the village. He was born on Kent Island, Mary- land, and resided there and on the western shore of Chesapeak Bay until he was thirty years old. His ancestors were English and came out with Lord Baltimore. His father's name was Joseph Gill. He died at his son-in-law's, Dr. Rumsey, at Hop- kinsville, Kentucky. His mother, Nancy Gill, died at Mount Pleasant, and was interred in the Friend's cemetery, at Short Creek Church.

Joseph Gill emigrated from Maryland to Shepherdstown, Virginia, and whilst there witnessed the first successful attempt of the application of steam in propelling boats on the Shenan- doah river.

It is probable the real inventor of the steam engine was Ed- mund Rumsey, who died from apoplexy in the city of London, just before making a trial trip of his boat there, and while ex- plaining the value of his invention. Fulton had access to his papers, plans and drawings, went with them to Livingston, in France, and got him to join them in their trial and success on the Hudson river. In 1839, by a joint act of Congress a gold medal was presented to his son, James Rumsey, "commemora- tive of his father's high agency in giving to the world the bene- fit of the steamboat."

For fuller details see Appelton's Journal.

From Shepherdstown, Joseph Gill moved to near Bunker Hill. He there married Nancy Hanna, daughter, of William Hanna, and settled on Back creek, where he commenced to build a mill, got the dam abont completed, when a flood came and washed it away. He then traded his farm on Back creek for a store in Winchester. Va. In 1806 he removed from Virginia to Mount Pleasant. He paid seven dollars per hundred for having his goods transported over the mountains. At that time he brought seven wagon loads of goods, consisting of household goods, furniture, cooking utensils and merchandize. His family consisted of himself, wite, father, mother, uncle John Gill, and five colored children, Jim Bowen and his mother; Aunt Lney,

Jack Jones, Frank Buckany and Hannah Washington. Their grown servants, they liberated before leaving Maryland and Virginia. Mr. Gill inherited a number of slaves left him by one of his aunts. He never sold one of them, but set them all free, never exacting a day's work of them after they be- came of age, the males twenty-one, the females eighteen.

Upon his arrival at Mount Pleasant, Mr. Gill bought section 17, and commenced clearing it up. He also started a store, and carried on the mercantile business, farming and stock raising. He introduced a flock of Merino sheep, of the famous Wells and Dickinson stock, the first ever brought into the townsbip. In 1816 he started the old Mount Pleasant Bank, of which he was president during the entire period of its useful and successful existenee. He also built a mill with four ruu of buhrs, abont one mile north of town, on Short creek, and in 1828 he bought of John McCurdy another mill, with the same number of buhrs. That was about three miles further up the creek. These mills were run very successfully for twenty-five years, Mr. Gill ship- ping the flour in large quantities in flatboats to New Orleans. Generally either one of his sons, John or James, would aeeom- pany these flatboats as supercargo. He also handled and cured large quantities of pork, selling it in the form of bacon, and grazed, slaughtered and sold hundreds of beeves in what is now Ottawa county, Ohio. The family of Mr. Gill consisted of three sons-William, John and James, and one daughter, Nancy. John and James managed the business of their father, at least ten years before his death, which occurred December 1, 1845.

John W. Gill, a son of Joseph Gill, started the raising and feeding of silk worms in 1835, and the manufacture of the silk into beautiful fabrics. He made and presented to Henry Clay, the great eommoner, a full suit of silk clothes ; he also furnished the great tragedian, Edwin Forest, his stage suit-knit work. In 1841, the government, through the instrumentality of Mr. Clay, ordered a very large silk flag, which was finished and de- livered to the government on the 4th day of March, 1841. It was taken to China by Caleb Cushing, our newly appointed minister to that government, and was the first American flag that ever floated from an American embassy in that strange and far off land. or among that extraordinary and peculiar peo- ple. John W. Gill then removed his silk factory to Wheeling, Va., which ends his career in Ohio.

James H. Gill, the youngest son of Joseph and Nancy Gill, is now the only representative of the family living in Mount Pleasant. He was born in the village, January 31, 1813. At present (1879) be is president of the First National bank of Mount Pleasant. He was also for a long time connected with the branch of the State bank of Ohio, at the same place, served in it as president, member of the board of control and director. His principal business, however, was farming, milling and op- erating in western lands in Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. He was the first to introduce the horse rake, mowing machine and portable hay derrick, which he invented and obtained let- ters patent for. He was married December 1, 1842, to Miss Mary Parker, niece and adopted daughter of Dr. Isaac Parker, one of the early pioneers of Mount Pleasant, and-has two daugh- ters living in the west, one, Mrs. Kirk, living in Chicago, the other, Mrs. Updegraff, residing in Denver, Colorado. Mr. Gill remembers when the Indians traded at his father's store. At that time Mount Pleasant was a principal point of trade, and its merchants bought the wheat and pork of the country as far back as Guernsey, Carroll and Tuscarawas counties. In the war of 1812, as the army passed through Mount Pleasant, they were in need of clothing and tents, and they took a thousand or more yards of cloth of suitable material for their use from Mr. Gill's store. He was a Quaker, and said his religions principles were opposed to war, but if they needed his goods they could take them. He never would take anything from the government, while others were willing to make ont their accounts and receive pay for supplies for the army.

THE SHARON FAMILY.

The ancestors of this now celebrated family were Quakers, who came over in William Penn's colony and settled in Phila- delphia.

William Sharon, whose descendants have become so promi- ment in Jefferson county, and one of whom, at least, has ob- tained a national fame as the great millionaire of the Pacific coast, was born in Westmoreland county, l'a. He married Mrs. Sarah Whitaker, and came to Jefferson county in 1802 and set- tled in Wells township, where he lived and died in 1809. Ile reared a family of four sons-James, William, Smiley and John.

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

These four sons were all born in Westmoreland county, Pa., and came with their parents to Jefferson county while young. Of these four sons, James, the oldest, was born in 1790 and married Miss Martha Eaton about 1815. They reared a family of four children, two sons and two daughters. William, the second son and tho father of Senator Sharon, was born in 1793. He mar- ried Miss Susan Kirk about 1815. They reared a family of seven children, four sons and three daughters-John, Mary Ann, Sarah, William, who is now senator from Nevada, Susan, Lewis and Smiley.

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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 187

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