USA > Ohio > Greene County > History of Greene County, Ohio > Part 26
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is said, with great circumspection. His other place of preaching was some twelve miles distant. As time passed his worldly circumstances improved. His farm was being opened up. Stock was accumulating around him. In his inexperience in farming operations, he frequently found the know !- edge and services of his old friend and patron. James Galloway, Sr., of great value. .As they were neighbors, Mr. Galloway was frequently consulted. On one occasion he had a horse bitten by a rattlesnake, which Mr. Galloway readily cured by the applica- tion of a weed that is said to exist where snakes abound.
In the year 1805 another of those grand weddings appeared at the house of Squire George Galloway. The parties were James Stephenson and Anna Galloway. half-sister to the Squire. The guests were numerous, so much so that accommodations could not be found within, and a large log heap was built without. Mr. Stephenson was the party who donated the ground for the church and cemetery. He, with his brother John, had settled in the Stephen- son neighborhood as early as the year 1797. the year preceding the settling of the Gallo- ways.
January 6, 1806, James Galloway. Jr., or Major Galloway as you please, and Mar- tha Townsley were married by Rev. Joshua Carman. In 1809 the Major built a fine brick residence a short distance west of the Fairfield pike, on the farm at present owned by Mr. Joseph Collins. Many will no doubt remember seeing this brick building stand- ing out in the field as they passed along the pike. In the following year James Gallo- way. Sr., built the stone house ( which is still standing) on the Yellow Springs pike. but its use is perverted to that of a stable.
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In the chinmey of this building there was a date-stone marked 1810. This stone has been removed and inserted in the rear end of the Galloway building in Xenia, in their late improvement. On the 27th of June. 1812, a terrible tornado passed over this section of country, extending several miles in length and about half a mile in width, leaving scarcely a tree or shrub in its track. A portion of the Major's brick mansion was blown down and the balance of the building left in a very unsafe condition till rebuilt and repaired. In 1813, probably, George Galloway ( usually designated Pennsylvania George) and Rebecca Galloway, oldest daughter of James Galloway, Sr., were mar- ried. Miss Galloway had had a former suitor, which she rejected, who was no less a personage than the distinguished Tecum- seh. He had been a frequent visitor in the family and took a wonderful liking to the white girl and, according to the Indian cus- tom, made his advances to the father, who referred the case to the daughter. The undaunted chief appealed to the girl herself, offering her fifty broaches of silver. She told hun she didn't want to be a wild woman and work like the Indian women. He told her she need not work. Notwith- standing the rejection of his suit, he ever after remained friendly with the family. though he was sometimes found to be rather a tough customer. On one occasion, when at the shop of blacksmith James Galloway, and being under the influence of whisky, he proved to be rather annoying, when Galloway took him, much to the disgust of the chieftain, and tied him to a tree till he got more sober and quiet.
In the year 1814 Rev. Armstrong sold his first purchase to Samuel Goe, and bought lands on the other side of the river,
in order to avoid the difficulties so often ex- perienced by high waters. About the same time a new congregation was organized in Xenia, and Mr. Armstrong having been re- leased from the Sugarcreek branch of his congregation, the two united in a call for the Rev. Francis Pringle, Jr., who was set- tled in the united charge of Xenia and Sugarcreek. This left Mr. Armstrong in charge of the Massiescreek congregation alone, and perhaps no pastor in the entire county has, at any time, presided over a more intelligent congregation in the history of the county. Several of its members were at different times called to fulfill important positions of honor and public trust. Col. James Morrow served several years as county commissioner and as member of the lower house of the legislature. Joseph Kyle also served several terms in the legis- lature. Judge Samuel Kyle was an asso- ciate judge for thirty-five consecutive years. Robert Alcody was one whose cool and clear judgment was surpassed by few; David Jackson was a man of intellectual power; Thomas Raugh had a clear and penetrating mind ; and the same can be said of the Mc- Coys, Laugheads. McHattons, Andersons, Greggs, Browns, Bradfutes Collins, Kings, Turnbulls, Deans, Gibsons, Andrews, Jun- kins, Bulls, Galloways and Struthers.
THE OLD CABIN AND PIONEER CHURCH.
The main portion of the house occupied by Mr. Andrew Holland, with two enor- mous stone chimneys, was built in the year 1800 by George Galloway, Esq. It was built with logs and weather-boarded. In this Mr. Armstrong ministered through the winter of 1804 and 1805.
Subsequently "a church was built on a
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lot of three acres donated by Mr. James Stevensen for church and cemetery pur- poses." ( For description of same see .\n- drew Galloway's sketch. ) Thus these good old seceders continued to worship till about the year 1812 or 1813. when they built a larger, nobler and more comfortable house of hewed logs a short distance from the first. In the building of this house the la- bor was divided up among the members of the congregation. Mr. Armstrong was to furnish a gallon of whisky and Squire, George Galloway was to haul the logs, which had to be done with oxen. For some reason the squire couldn't manage the oxen very well, and employed a wicked gentile to take his place, who attributed the Squire's want of success to the fact that he didn't swear. However this may have been in re- gard to the driving of oxen, profane swear- ing became a violation of law-human and divine-and the Squire, from a double sense of duty, faithfully inflicted its penalties on its perpetrators. On one occasion a vio- lator of this law was fined fifty cents, and gave a dollar in payment of his fine: but the Squire being unable to make change, the perpetrator let off with another oath. "There." said the Squire, "that makes the change."
Through the above contributions we have been enabled to give the names of many settlers from 1800 to 1805. We shall start from this period with the name of John Todd, who emigrated from Virginia in 1780, first to Nashville, Tennessee, then from Nashville to Xenia in 1805, followed in September, 1806. by his son-in-law. Henry Philips, wife, and Rebecca, daughter of Mr. Todd. Mr. Todd and family lived in a liewed-log house, on Main street a little east of the old Towler cabin. in which
Philips and others succeeding him kept a tavern as late as 1820. In June. 1807. Dr. Andrew W. Davisson and Rebecca Todd were married by William McFarland, jus- tice of the peace. Dr. Davisson was the first physician in Xenia. He also built the first brick house in Xenia, in 1811, on Main street, near the site of B. Knox's saddler shop ; and in 1814 the first stone house was built by him on Main street. Doctor and Mrs. Davisson were members of the old seceder congregation under Francis Pringle in 1811. She died in Chicago in 1870, at the age of eighty.
THIE OLD SCHOOL HOUSE.
During the initial steps toward educa- tional advancement in this county the facili- ties for literary attainments were not so varied as are thrown around the youth of to-day. Following our cicerone along a blazed path through the woods to the old log school house; rapping, a voice from the far interior says, "Come in;" we pull the latch string, enter, and, at the request of the "master," settle down upon a puncheon bench, the cynosure of all eyes. The first thing we observe is that nearly the whole end of the house is occupied by a fireplace, within whose capacious depths the crack- ling blaze sends forth light, heat and cheer- fulness. Our gaze being attracted to the outside, we look, not through French plate, but a hole made by sawing out a log and re- placing it with paper greased with lard. Our attention is recalled by a shrill voice. "Master, mayn't I git a drink?" The urchin goes to the bucket sitting on a bench near the door, takes the tin from the accustomed peg, dips it full, drinks a few sips, holding it over the bucket meanwhile, pours the bal- ance back, looks around awhile, goes back
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to his seat, and, with his dog's-eared book close to his face, is soon lost in study. We observe the benches are made out of flat rails and puncheons. with wooden pins in them for legs ; backs, they have none. The "master" has a table, made by driving pins in the wall and placing hewed puncheons on top of them. Under each window a similar contrivance accommodates the scholars.
While examining these unique writing- (lesks we are again startled by a sharp cry, apparently in agony, of, "Master, please mayn't 1 go out?" Consent is given, and the boy hurriedly moves toward the door. pausing to take down a crooked stick and carry it out the door with him. Our curi- osity is excited, and while the master's back is turned we ask a big, white-headed boy near us what it is for, who, opening his month wide and staring at us in blank amazement, says, "No other boy don't darst go out while that stick is gone."
As incentives to close application to study, we observe a rule, of about a pound in weight, and a formidable-looking beechen rod, whose acquaintance every boy in school has long ago formed. Dilworth's Arithme- tic, Webster's Spelling-book and the Testa- ment were the text-books. It seemed to be an expressly settled fact that during a reci- tation a boy could get up a better spirit of inspiration by stenatorian competition with his fellows : and in the spelling class the boy could spell the loudest should stand head. It was interesting to see the boys at the end of the bench, standing on tip-toe' with every muscle in a quiver, waiting for the master to say "noon." in order to get out first and raise the biggest yell.
PIONEER 11 ABITS OF LIFE IN THE WEST.
The history of the manners and customs
of our forefathers will appear like a collec- tion of "tales of olden times." It is a homely narrative, yet valuable on account of its being real history.
"Then the women did the offices of the household; milked the cows, cooked the mess, prepared the flax, spun, wove and made the garments of linen or linsey; the men hunted, and brought in the meat ; they planted, ploughed and gathered in the corn; grinding it into meal at the hand-mill or pounding it into hominy in the mortar was occasionally the work of either or the joint labor of both.
"The men exposed themselves alone to danger; they fought the Indians, they cleared the land, they reared the hut or built the fort, in which the women were placed for safety. Much use was made of skins of deer for dress, while the buffalo and bear skins were consigned to the floor for beds and covering. There might incidentally be a few articles brought to the country for sale in a private way but there was no store for supply. Wooden vessels either turned or coopered, were in common use as table furniture,
"A tin cup was an article of delicate luxury, almost as rare as an iron fork. Every hunter carried his knife; it was no less the implement of a warrior: not infre- quently the rest of the family was left with but one or two for the use of all. A like workmanship composed the table and the stool: a slab hewed with the axe, and sticks of a similar manufacture, set in for legs, supported both. When the bed was, by chance or refinement, elevated above the floor and given a fixed place, it was often laid on slabs placed across poles, supported on forks set in the earthen floor; or where the floor was puncheon the bedstead 'was
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hewed pieces pinned on upright posts or let into them by anger holes. Other utensils and furniture were of a corresponding de- scription applicable to the time.
"The food was of the most wholesome and nutritive kind. The richest milk, the finest butter and best meat that ever de- lighted man's palate were here eaten with a relish which health and labor only know. Those were shared by friend and stranger in every cabin with profuse hospitality.
"Hats were made of the native fur, and the buffalo wool employed in the composi- tion of cloth, as was also the bark of the wild nettle.
"There was some paper money in the country, which had not depreciated one-half or even a fourth as much as it had at the seat of government. If there was any gold or silver, its circulation was suppressed. The price of a beaver hat was five hundred dollars.
"The hunting shirt was usually worn. This was a kind of loose frock reaching hali way down the thighs, with large sleeves, open before, and so wide as to lap over a foot or more when belted. The cape was large and sometimes handsomely fringed with a raveled piece of cloth of a different color from that of the hunting shirt itself. The bosom of his dress served as a wallet to hold a chunk of bread, cakes, jerk, tow for wiping the barrel of the rifle, or any other necessary for the hunter or warrior. The belt which was always tied behind answered several purposes besides that of holding the dress together. In cold weather the mittens and sometimes the bullet-bag, occupied the front part of it. To the right side was suspended the tomahawk, and to the left the scalping knife in its leathern sheatlı.
"The hunting shirt was generally made of linsey, sometimes of coarse linen, and a few of dressed deer skins. These last were very cold and uncomfortable in wet weather. The shirt and jacket were of the common fashion. A pair of drawers, or breeches, and leggins, were the dress of the thighs and legs : a pair of moccasins answered for the feet much better than shoes. These were made of dressed deer skin. They were mostly made of a single piece, with a gathering seam along the top of the fout and another from the bottom of the heel, without gathers, as high as the ankle joint or a little higher. Flaps were left on each side to reach some distance up the legs. These were nicely adapted to the ankle and lower part of the leg by thongs of deer skin, so that no dust, gravel or snow could get within the moccasin.
"The moccasins in ordinary use cost but a few hours' labor tomake them. This was done by an instrument denominated a moc- casin awl, which was made of the back spring of an old clasp knife. This awl, with its buck-horn handle, was an appendage of every shot pouch strap, together with a roll of buckskin for mending the moccasins. This was the labor of almost every evening. They were sewed together and patched with deer skin thongs, or whangs, as they were commonly called.
"In cold weather the moccasins were well stuffed with deer's hair or dry leaves, so as to keep the feet comfortably warm ; but in wet weather it was usually said that wearing them was "a decent way of going barefooted;" and such was the fact, owing to the spongy texture of the leather (.i which they were made.
"Owing to this defective covering of the feet, more than to any other circumstance,
13
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ROBINSON'S HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
the greater number of our hunters and war- riors were afflicted with the rheumatism in their limbs. Of this disease they were all apprehensive in cold or wet weather, and therefore always slept with their feet to the fire, to prevent or cure it as well as they could. The practice unquestionably had a very salutary effect, and prevented many of theny from becoming confirmed cripples in early life.
THIE HIOME OF THE PIONEER.
"The fort consisted of cabins. block- houses and stockades. A range of cabins commonly formed one side at least of the fort. Divisions, or partitions of logs, sepa- rated the cabins from each other. The walls on the outside were ten or twelve feet high the slope of the roof being turned wholly inward. A very few of these cabins had puncheon floors, the greater part were earthen.
"The block-houses were built at the angles of the fort. They projected about two feet beyond the outer walls of the cabins and stockades. Their upper stories were about eighteen inches every way larger in dimension than the under one, leaving an opening at the commencement of the sec- ond story to prevent the enemy from mak- ing a lodgement under their walls. In some forts instead of block-houses the angles of the fort were finished with bastions. . \ large folding gate, made of thick slabs. nearest the spring. ch sed the fort. The stockade, bastions, cabins and block-house walls were furnished with port-holes at proper heights and distances. The whole of the outside was made completely bullet proof. It may be truly said that necessity is the mother of invention, for the whole of
this work was made without the aid of a single nail or spike of iron, and for this reason, such things were not to be had. In some places, less exposed, a single block- house, with a cabin or two, constituted the whole fort.
"For a long time after the first settle- ment of this country the inhabitants in gen- eral married young. There was no dis- tinction of rank, and very little of fortune. On these accounts the first impression of love resulted in marriage: and a family establishment cost but a little labor and nothing else. In the first year of the settle- ment of this country a wedding engaged the attention of a whole neighborhood, and the frolic was anticipated by old and young with eager expectation. This is not to be wondered at when it is toll that a wedding was almost the only gathering which was not accompanied with the labor of reaping. log-rolling, building a cabin or planning some scout or campaign.
"In the morning of the wedding-day the groom and his attendants assembled at the house of his father, for the purpose of reaching the mansion of his bride by noon, which was the usual time for celebrating the nuptials, which for certain must take place before dinner. Let the reader imagine an assemblage of people, without a store. tailor or mantnamaker within a hundred miles : and an assemblage of horses, with- ont a blacksmith or saddler within an equal distance. The gentlemen dressed in shoe- packs, moccasins, leather breeches, leggings, linsey hunting-shirts, and all home made. The ladies dressed in linsey petticoats and linsey or linen bedgowns, coarse shoes, stockings, handkerchiefs and buckskin gloves, if any. If there were any buckles, rings, buttons or ruffles they were the relics
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of okl times, family pieces from parents or grandparents. The horses were caparisoned with okl saddles, old bridles, or halters, and pack-saddles, with a bag or blanket thrown over them; a rope or string as often con- stituted the girth as a piece of leather.
"The march, in double file was often in- terrupted by the narrowness and obstruc- tions of our horse-paths as they were called, for we had no roads; and these difficulties were often increased. sometimes by the good and sometimes by the ill will of neighbors by falling trees and tying grape vines across the way. Sometimes an am- buscade was formed by the wayside, and an unexpected discharge of several guns took place, so as to cover the wedding company with smoke. Let the reader imagine the scene which followed this discharge: the sudden spring of the horses, the shrieks of the girls and the chivalric bustle of their partners to save them from falling. Some- times in spite of all that could be done to prevent it, some were thrown to the ground. If a wrist, elbow or ankle happened to be sprained it was tied with a handkerchief and little more was thought er said about it.
"AAnother ceremony commonly took place before the party reached the house of the bride, after the practice of making whisky began, which was at an early period. When the party were about a mile from the place of the destination two young men would single out to run for the bottle. The worse the path, the more logs, brush and deep hollows, the better, as these obstacles afforded an opportunity for the greater dis- play of intrepidity and horsemanship. The English fox chase, in point of danger to the riders and their horses, is nothing to this race for the bottle. The start was an- nounced by an Indian yell: logs, brush.
muddy hollows, hill and glen were speedily passed by the rival ponies. The bottle was always filled for the occasion, so that there was no use for judges : for the first who reached the door was presented with the prize, with which he returned in triumph to the company.
"On approaching them he announced his victory over his rival by a shrill whoop. At the head of the trop he gave the bottle to the groom and his attendants, and then to each pair in succession to the rear of the line, giving each a dram, and then putting the bottle in the bosom of his hunting-shirt. took his station in the company.
"The ceremony of the marriage pre- ceded the dinner, which was a substantial backwoods feast of beef, pork, fowls, and sometimes venison and bear meat, roasted and boiled, with plenty of potatoes, cabbage and other vegetables. During the dinner the greatest hilarity always prevailed, al- though the table might be a large slab of timber, hewed out with a broadaxe, sup- ported by four sticks set in auger holes, and the furniture some old pewter dishes and plates, the rest wooden bowls and trenchers ; a few pewter spoons, much battered about the edges, were to be seen at some tables. The rest were made of horns. If knives were scarce the deficiency was made up by the scalping knives which were carried in sheaths suspended to the belt of the hunt- ing-shirt.
"After dinner the dancing commenced, and generally lasted till the next morning. The figures of the dances were three and four-handed reels, or square sets, and jigs. The commencement was always a square four, which was followed by what is called jigging it off : that is, two of the four would single out for a jig, and were followed by
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the remaining couple. The jigs were often accompanied with what was called cutting out; that is, when either of the parties be- came tired of the dance. on intimation, the place was supplied by some one of the com- pany, without any interruption of the dance. In this way a dance was often continued till the musician was heartily tired of his sit- uation. Toward the latter part of the night, if any of the company, through weariness. attempted to conceal themselves, for the purpose of sleeping. they were hunted up. paraded on the floor and the fiddler ordered to play "Hang on till tomorrow morning."
THE STEALING OF TIIE BRIDE.
"About nine or ten o'clock a deputation of the young ladies stole off the bride and put her to bed. In doing this, it frequently happened that they had to ascend a ladder instead of a pair of stairs, leading from the dining and ball room to the loft, the floor of which was made of clapboards, ly- ing loose and without nails. This ascent. one might think, would put the bride and her attendants to blush, but as the foot of the ladder was commonly behind the door. which was purposely opened for the occa- sion, and its rounds at the inner ends were well hung with hunting shirts, petticoats and other articles of clothing. the candles being on the opposite side of the house. the exit of the bride was noticed but by few.
THE STEALING OF THE GROOM.
"This done, a deputation of young men in like manner stole off the groom, and placed him snugly by the side of his bride. 'The dance still continued, and if seats hap- pened to be -carce, which was often the
case, every young man, when not engaged in the dance, was obliged to offer his lap ds a seat for one of the girls, and the offer was sure to be accepted.
"In the midst of this hilarity the bride and groom were not forgotten. Pretty late in the night some one would remind the company that the new couple must stand in need of some refreshment; black betty, which was the name of the bottle, was called for, and sent up the ladder, but some- times black betty did not go alone. I have many times seen as much bread, beef, pork and cabbage sent along with her, as would afford a good meal for half a dozen hungry men. The young couple were compelled to eat and drink, more or less, of whatever was offered them. It often happened that some neighbors or relatives, not being asked to the wedding, took offense, and the mode of revenge adopted by them on such occasions was that of cutting off the manes, foretops and tails of the horses of the wedding company ..
SETTLING TIIEM IN LIFE.
"I will proceed to state the usual man- ner of settling a young couple in the world. A spot was selected on a piece of land of one of the parents for their habitation. . \ day was appointed, shortly after their marriage, for commencing the work of building their cabin. The fatigue party consisted of chop- pers, whose business it was to fell the trees and cut them off at proper lengths : a man with a team for hauling them to the place and arranging them, properly assorted, at the sides and ends of the building ; a car- penter, if such he might be called, whose business it was to search the woods for a proper tree for making clapboards for the
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