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 61

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 61
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 61

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The habits of the pioneers were required by their mode of living, and chopping in the clearings for days alone without loggings, raisings, and other gatherings (which were frequent then), it naturally produced a tendency to silence. But they soon made the "wilderness to blossom as the rose," and they did more essential good in a few years than many families have since done in a quarter of a century.

It was a delight to gather at some one of the number of log taverns and relate stories of the Revolution and tales of adven- ture. Whisky distilleries were built, and from corn and rye abundant liqnor was produced, which artiele was used upon all occasions, and often caused much trouble. Many were ruin- ed by the nse of intoxicating liquors, When a building was to be raised, or a field of wheat cut, the bottle or jug was indis- pensable. The evil attracted attention, and has been opposed till the present, when the indulgence in liquor is generally held disreputable.

The amusements and pastimes of settlers were of a physical character. The terms "side," "square," and "back hold" were all understood among them in wrestling. Boxing and not un- frequently fighting were attendants at trainings and town gatherings. Skillful marksmanship, foot-raees and lifting or shouldering weights were other exercises. At religious meet- ings all endeavored to attend, old and young, and the evidence of internal feeling found expression in voice and action, while the fervid eloquence of ministers wrought the assemblies to the highest pitch of excitement. Prominent ideas survive the lapse of time and the conversation of the aged backwoodsman, refer- ring to the pioneer period is of deer, wolf; bear, of trapping, hunting, and fishing; of prevalent sickness, which was occasioned by different causes and reasons. Living in their small log cab- ins, say 12 or 15 feet wide, and perhaps 16 feet long, with a small hole to serve as a window, and one door; the floor of split logs or puncheons and the side crevices ehinked with moss or walls filled in with ind. Large families were crowded together

in these like so many sheep in a pen. Their living was con- fined principally to fresh meat and vegetables. Several years of course would pass before a sufficient improvement could be made to let the sun have its necessary influence and winds to pass off freely. Under such cireumstances, where vegetables grow so luxuriantly, their sudden decomposition must afford much miasma which could not be carried off by the winds suffi- ciently to keep the air pure ; so that by day they were exposed to this unfriendly air, and at night confined to their own effluvia in those unventilated cabins. Add to this the unreconciled state of their minds, by coming so far from their native homes and settling among strangers, creating a degree of home-sickness, as it is called, could not otherwise than have a sensible effect on their diseases. All these causes had a tendency to give a typhus state to them. But on the other hand their strong anticipations and hopes of the beanties of their future home, case and pros- perity lifted them up out of depressed spirits whilst in siekness. Also telling stories of cutting roads and of killing rattlesnakes and various species of venomons reptiles, and relating incidents concerning their journeys to distant markets.

Food was the all-important subject with the settlers, Their hard labor resulted in giving them keen appetites and much ac- count was taken of the feasts and merry-making, parties and publie gatherings. The quality was not so much regarded as to the quantity. Times were when the providential appearance of a deer averted starvation, and the fortunate catch of a fish or the trapping of game eked out a scanty subsistence. Journeys of many miles were made for a few pounds of flour. But at such times when there was a scarcity of food, it is pleasant to reeord the unselfish actions of those who ehaneed to have a sur- plus of grain. The inhabitants kindly shared their food as long as there was anything left to divide.

In pioneer, as well as modern life, the women bore their full share of labor and often the widow, with her children continned the improvements which a deceased husband had begun.

But what a great change has been wrought in three quarters of a century. The log cabin has been superseded by finer and more commodious structures, in consonanee with the taste and changed circumstances of the people. The macademized road has taken the place of the memorable and impracticable Zane's road, and other excellent roads occupy the routes pioneers had great trouble in journeying. The iron horse sweeps over the country with lightening speed and but very few of the early set- tlers are now living to witness the improvements the last quar- ter of a century has made. Their day and generation has passed away, but to them a grateful people look in kindness and their memory will ever have a place in their hearts as it merits a place in history.

WILLIAMS' ACCOUNT OF PIONEER LIFE-WESTERN EMIGRATION-EARLY SETTLERS-THE LOG CABIN-ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE WILDERNESS.

John S. Williams, who edited the periodical entitled the American Pioneer, published at Cincinnati in 1843, wrote a series of articles on the knowledge and experience of pioneer life, which will afford the reader of the present day a vivid idea of the subject. In the spring of 1800 he came with his mother, sister, and brother from Beanfort, North Carolina, to what was then Jefferson county, in the Northwest Territory. We make the following liberal extracts from his accounts of their journey to the west and their settlement and experience in the wilder- ness :

THE JOURNEY.

"In April, 1800, we sailed from Beaufort for Alexandria, in company with seventy other emigrants, large and small, say twelve families. We had one stormin and was onee becalmed in Core sonnd, and bad to wait about two weeks at Curritue inlet (now filled up) for a wind to take us to sea. From thence to Alexandria we had a fine run, especially up the Potomac bay. While cooped up in the vessel, a circumstance happened to me that I shall never forget, and was always of use to me. One of the first nights of the voyage I lost my trowsers, so that when it was time to dress in the morning, my indispensables were non est inventis. There were many of both sexes present, for the schooner had very little loading but emigrants. The mortification, felt for half an hour at the accident, was never erased from my memory, and from that time to this I never un- dress without knowing precisely where my clothing is left. During the storm we were in, the majority on board were sea- siek, and we had rather a disagreeable time among say forty or

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

fifty vomiting individuals. Neither that nor the rolling of the vessel affected me as it happened. This is mentioned as one of the disagreeabilities of emigration, that makes settling in the woods feel more comfortable by contrast.

"At Alexandria we remained several days before we got wag- ons to bring us out. Here every thing was weighed. My weight was just seventy-five pounds. We stopped near two weeks on what I think was called Goose creek, in Virginia, be- tore we could be supplied with a wagon, to cross the mountains in place of the one we occupied, which belonged there.

"The mountain roads (if roads they could be called, for pack- horses were still on them) were of the most dangerous and difficult character. I have heard an old mountain tavern-keeper say, that although the taverns were less than ten miles apart in years after we came, he has known many emigrant families that stopped a night at every tavern on the mountains; I recollect but few of our night stands distinctly. say, Dinah Besor's, (Foose creek, Old Crock's, near the south branch, Tomlinson's, Beesontown, and Simpkins' and Merritstown. Our company consisted of Joseph Dew, Levina Hall, and Jonas Small, with their families.

"After a tedious journey we all arrived safe at Fredericktown. Washingtown county, Pa., where we stopped to await the open- ing of the land office at Steubenville, Ohio. Here we found Horton Howard and family, who had come on the season pre- vions. Hlere, also, the children had the whooping cough. Those whom we left at Alexandria, came to Redstone Old Fort, ten miles below Fredericktown, where they sojourned for the same purpose ; and although, as we thought, unfortunately detained, they were the first at their resting place. We regretted much to leave them, but considered ourselves fortunate in being the first to start, but like many circumstances of life where appear- ances are not realities, they were fortunate in being left for a better and more speedy conveyance.

"Jonas Small, Francis Mace, and several other families from Redstone, returned to Carolina, dissatisfied with the hills, vales and mud of the Northwest, little dreaming of the level and open prairies of this valley. Horton Howard and family started first from Fredericktown ; Joseph Dew, Levina Hall and ourselves made another start in September, or early in October. We started in the afternoon and lay at Benjamin Townsend's, on Fishpot run ; we lay also at the Blue Ball, near Washington ; at Rice's, ou the Buffalo ; and at Warren," on the Ohio. These are all the night stands 1 now recollect in fifty-five miles. We arrived safe at John Leaf's, in what is now called Concord set- llement. From Warren, Joseph Dew and Mrs. Hall proceeded up Little Short creek, and stopped near where Mount Pleasant How is. In what is now called Concord settlement, four or five years previously, five or six persons had squatted and made small improvements. The Friends, chiefly from Carolina, had taken the land at a clear sweep. Mr. Leaf lived on a tract bought by Horton Howard, since owned by Samnel Potts, and subse- quently by Wm. Millhouse. Horton Howard had turned in on Mr. Leaf, and we turned in ou both.

THE LOG CABIN.

If any one has an idea of the appearance of the remnant of a town that has been nearly destroyed by fire, and the houseless inhabitants turned in upon those who were left, they can form some idea of the squatters' cabins that fall. It was a real harvest for them, however, for they, received the rhino for the privileges granted, and work done, as well in aid of the emigrants in get- ting cabins up as for their improvements. This settlement is in Belmont county, on Glenn's run, about six miles northwest of Wheeling, and as much northeast of St. Clairsville.

"Emigrants poured in from different posts, cabins were put up in every direction, and women, children, and goods tumbled into them. The tide of emigration flowed like water through a breach in a mill-dam. Everything was bustle and confusion and all at work that could work. In the midst of all this, the mumps, and perhaps one or two other diseases, prevailed and gave ns a seasoning. Our cabin had been raised, covered, part of the cracks chinked, and part of the floor laid when we moved in, on Christmas day. There had not been a stick cut except in building the cabin. We had intended an inside chimney, for we thought the chimney ought to be in the house. We had a log put across the whole width of the cabin for a mantel, but when the floor was in we found it so low as not to answer, and removed it. Here was a great change for my mother and sister,

as well as the rest, but particularly my mother. She was raised in the most delicate manner in and near London, and lived most of the time in affluence, and always comfortable. She was now in the wilderness, surrounded by wild beasts, in a cabin with about a half a floor, no door, no ceiling overhead, not even a to]- erable sign for a fireplace, the light of day and the chilling winds , of night passing between every two logs in the building, the cabin so high from the ground that a bear, wolf, panther, or any animal less in size than a cow, could enter without even a squeeze. Such was our situation on Thursday and Thursday night, December 25th, 1800, and which was bettered but by very slow degrees. We got the rest of the floor laid in a few days, the chinking of the cracks went on slowly, but the daubing could not proceed till the weather was more suitable, which happened in a few days; door-ways were sawed out and steps made of the logs, and the back of the chimney was raised up to the mantel, but the funnel of sticks and clay was delayed until spring." * *

"In building our cabin it was set to front the north and south, my brother-using my father's pocket compass on the occasion. We had no idea of living in a house that did not stand square with the earth itself. This argued our ignorance of the com- forts and conveniences of a pioneer life. The position of the honse, end to the hill, necessarily elevated the lower end, and the determination to have both a north and south door added much to the airyness of the domicil, particularly after the green ash puncheons had shrunk so as to have cracks in the floor and doors from one to two inches wide. At both the doors we had high, unsteady, and sometimes icy steps, made by piling up the logs cut out of the wall, We had, as the reader will see, a win- dow, if it could be called a window, when, perhaps, it was the largest spot in the top, bottom, or sides of the cabin at which the wind could not enter. It was by sawing out a log, placing sticks across, and then, by pasting an old newspaper over the holes, and applying some hog's lard, we had a kind of glazing which shed a most beautiful and mellow light across the cabin when the sun shone upon it. All other light entered at the doors, cracks, and chimney.

"Our cabin was twenty-four by eighteen. The west end was occupied by two beds, the centre of each side by a door, and here our symetry had to stop, for on the side opposite the will- dow, made of clapboards. supported by pins driven into the logs, were our shelves: Upon these shelves my sister displayed, in ample order, a host of pewter plates, basins, and dishes, and spoons, scoured and bright. It was none of your new-fangled pewter made of lead, but the best of London pewter, which our father himself bought of Townsend, the manufacturer. These were the plates npon which you could hold your meat so as to ent it without slipping and without dnlling your knife. But, alas ! the days of pewter plates and sharp dinner knives have passed away never to return. To return to our internal ar- rangements. A ladder of five rounds occupied the corner near the window, By this, when we got a floor above, we could as- cend. Our chimney occupied most of the east end; pots and kettles opposite the window under the shelves, a gun on books over the north door, four split-bottom chairs, three three-legged stools, and a small eight by ten looking-glass sloped from the wall over a large towel and comb-case. These, with a clumsy shovel and a pair of tongs, made in Frederick, with one shank straight, as the best manufacturer of pinches and blood-blisters, completed our furniture, except a spinning-wheel and such things as were necessary to work with. It was absolutely necessary to have three-legged stools, as four legs of anything could not all touch the floor at the same time.

"The completion of our cabin went on slowly. The season was inclement ; we were weak-handed and weak-pocketed-in fact, laborers were not to be had. We got one chimney np breast high as soon as we could, and got our cabin daubed as high as the joists outside. It never was daubed on the inside, for my sister, who was very nice, could not consent to 'live right next to the mud.' My impression now is that the window was not constructed till spring, for until the sticks and clay were put on the chimney, we could possibly have no need of a window ; for the flood of light which always poured into the cabin from the fireplace would have extinguished our window, and rendered it as useless as the moon at noonday. We got a floor laid over- head as soon as possible, perhaps in a month ; but when it was laid, the reader can readily conceive of its imperviousness to wind or weather, when we mention that it was laid of loose clapboards split from a red oak. That tree grew in the night, and so twisting that each board laid on two diagonally opposite corners, and a cat might have shook every board on our ceil- ing.

#Now called Warrenton.

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

"It may be well to inform the unlearned reader that clap- boards are such lumber as pioneers split with a frow, and re- semble barrel staves before they are shaved, but are split longer, wider, and thinner ; of such our roof and ceiling were composed. Puncheons were planks made by splitting logs to about two and a half or three inches in thickness, and hewing them on one or both sides with the broad-axe. Of such our floor, doors, tables, and stools were manufactured. The eave-bearers are those end logs which project over to receive the butting poles, against which the lower tier of the clapboards rest in forming the roof. The trapping is the roof timbers, composing the gable end and the ribs, being those logs upon which the clapboards lie. The trap logs are those of unequal length above the eave- bearers, which form the gable ends, and upon which the ribs rest. The weight poles are those small logs laid on the roof, which weigh down the course of clapboards on which they lie, and against which the next course above is placed. The knees are pieces of heart timber placed above the butting poles, suc- cessively, to prevent the weight poles from rolling off."

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF' LIFE IN THE WILDERNESS.

"It was evidently a mistake to put our chimney at the lower end of the house, for as soon as we put the funnel on in the spring, we found that the back of our breastwork settled, and was likely to topple onr chimney down. This we might have remedied by a kind of frame work, had we thought of it, and had the tools to make it with. So searce were onr tools that our first pair of bar posts were mortised by pecking them on each side with a common axe, and then blowing coals in the holes we burned them through so as to admit of the bars. But I do not think the frame-work to support the chimney was thought of. To prop it with a pole first suggested itself, at the foot of which was a large stake. These remained an incum- brance in the yard for years.

"There never was any unmixed good or unmixed evil fell to the lot of men in this probationary state. So, our fire-place being at the east end, was much more like our parlor fire-place in Carolina; and besides this, while the chimney was only breast high, we should have been bacon before candlemas had the chimney been in any other position ; but situated as it was, and the prevailing winds that blew inside the house as well as outside being from west to east, most of the smoke was driven off, except occasionally an eddy which would bring smoke and flame into our faces. One change of wind for a few day made our eabin almost uninhabitable. Here is presented an advantage of an open house. Let the wind be which way it would, the smoke and ashes could get out withont opening doors and win- dows, and all that sort of trouble, known at the present day, whenever a chimney seems to draw best at the wrong end ; be- sides this, a little breeze would not, as now, give us eolds."

"The monotony of the time for several of the first years was broken and enlivened by the howl of wild beasts. The wolves howling around us seemed to moan their inability to drive us from their long and undisputed domain. The bears, panthers, and deer seemingly got miffed at our approach. or the partiality of the hunters, and but seldom troubled us. We did not hunt for theut. The wildcat, raccoon, possum, hornet, yellow-jacket, rattlesnake, copperhead, nettle and a host of small things which seemed in part to balance the amount of pioneer happmess, held on to their rights until driven ont gradually by the united efforts of the pioneers, who like a band of brothers mutually aided each other in the great work. These things, as well as getting their bread, kept them too busy for law-suits, quarrels, erimes, and speculations, and made them happy."

"When spring was fully come, and our little patch of corn, three acres, put in among the beech roots, which at every step contended with the shovel plough for the right of soil, and held it too, we enlarged our stock of conveniences. As soon as bark would run (peel off) we could make ropes and bark boxes. These we stood in great need of, as such things as bureaus, stands, wardrobes, or even barrels, were not to be had. The manner of making ropes of linn bark, was to cut the bark in strips of convenient length, and water-rot it in the same man- ner as rotting fax or hemp. When this was done, the inside bark would peel off and split up so fine as to make a pretty con- siderably rough and good-for-but-little kind of a rope. Of this, however, we were very glad, and let no ship owner with his grass ropes langh at us. We made two kinds of boxes for fir- niture. One kind was of hickory bark with the outside shaved off. This we would take off all round the tree, the size of which would determine the calibre of our box. Into one end we

22-B. & J. Cos.

would place a flat piece of bark or puncheon eut round to fit in the bark, which stood ou end the same as when on the tree. There was little need of hooping, as the strength of the bark would keep that all right enough. Its shrinkage would make the top unsightly in a parlor now-a-days, but then they were considered quite an addition to the furniture. A much finer article was made of slippery-elm bark, shaved smooth and with the inside out, bent round and sewed together where the ends of' the hoop or main bark lapped over. The length of the bark was around the box and inside out. A bottom was made of a piece .. of the same bark dried flat, and a lid like that of a common band-box, made in the same way. This was the finest furniture in a lady's dressing room, and then, as now, with the finest for- niture, the lapped or sewed side was turned to the wall and the prettiest part to the spectator. They were usually made oval, and while the bark was green were easily ornamented with drawings of birds, trees, &c., agreeably to the tast and skill of the fair manufacturer. As we belonged to the society of Friends it may be fairly presumed that our band-boxes were not thus ornamented.

"Many a sly glance would be cast at the new band-boxes, and it is hoped that no modern belle will laugh because a pioneer Miss might be proud of her new bark box; for it is just as easy to be proud of such things, and as much sin too, as to be proud of a new dressing-table, glass, &c. On the other hand, it is quite as easy to be happy, and easier to be properly thankinl for the small favors in the woods, than it is now for a pampered Miss to be happy with, or thankful for, all the finery of her toil- ette. The amount of happiness received, or acknowledged to the Giver, is by no means regulated by the appearance or cost of the articles.

"To the above store of bark ropes and bark boxes, must be added a few gums, before the farmer considered himself comfort- ably fixed. It may be well to inform the unlearned reader that gums are hollow trees cut off with puncheons pinned on, or fitted in one end, to answer in the place of barrels.

"The privations of a pioneer life contract the wants of man almost to total extinction, and allow him means of charity and benevolence. Sufferings enoble his feelings, and the frequent necessity for united efforts at honse-raisings, log-rollings, corn- huskings, &c., produced in him habitual charity, almost unknown in these days of luxury, among the many tyrannical wants of artificial tastes and vitiated appetites. We have now but little time left to think of good, and still less to praetice it, Our sys- tem of action now seems to be a general scramble for the spoils. From the reverend divine, who looks upon the fatness of his salary as being the good of his profession, down through all the grades of speculators, swindlers, and jockeys, whose maxim is, 'Their eyes are their market,' the leading principles are near akin if not the very same. Most, if not all of these, if it were not for publie opinion, would eheat their dim-sighted mothers out of' their good spectacles by giving them empty frames in trading, and then brag of their skill in cheating. There are many honor- able exceptions to the too prevalent system of grabbing. That system reminds ns of the scramble that went on for years among the squirrels, raecoons, and groundhogs for our corn crops ; and frequently they left us little except the husks, and our path around the field made in our own defence.

"We settled on beech land which took much labor to elear. We eonld do no other way than clear out the smaller stuff and burn the brush, &c., around the beeches which, in spite of all the girdling and burning we could do to them, would leaf out the first year, and often a little the second. The land, however, was very rich, and would bring better corn than might be expected, We had to tend it principally with the hoe, that is, to chop down the nettles, the water-weed, and the touch-me-not. Grass, care- less, lambs-quarter, and Spanish needles were reserved to pester the better prepared farmer. We cleared a small turnip patch. which we got in about the 10th of August. We sowed in timo- thy seed, which took well, and next year we had a little hay be- sides. The tops and blades of the corn were also carefully saved for our horse, cow, and the sheep. The turnips were sweet and good, and in the fall we took care to gather walnuts and hickory nuts, which were very abundant. These, with the turnips, which we scraped, supplied the place of fruit. I have always been par- tial to scraped turnips, and could now beat any three dandies at scraping them. Johnny cake, also, when we had meal to make it of, helped to make up our evening's repast. The Sunday morning biscuit had all evaporated, but the loss was partially supplied by the unts and turnips. Our regular supper was mush and milk, and by the time we had shelled our corn, stemmed to- bacco, and plaited straw to make hats, &c., &c., the mush and

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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 61

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