History of Greene County, Ohio, Part 29

Author: Robinson, George F., 1838-1901
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 934

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PIONEERS OF GREENE COUNTY THAT DR. WATT REMEMBERED.

Two very old men were familiar 10 me. Robert Woodburn, whose grandson has

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been for years a prominent lawyer and poli- tician of Marysville, Ohio, and Joseph Mc- Farland. always kindly and respectfully called "old Uncle Joe."

Mr. Woodburn gradually sunk, body and mind, through softening of the brain. and often would he get lost in the wide for- est referred to in previous articles. Uncle Joe was the delight of small boys, and at a barn raising or log rolling he would gather the boys around him and amuse them with wonderful stories. One day he showed us his gun and told us how he kept the fore- most sight smooth by looking along it. He said when he was young that he looked so sharp that he would wear the sight out in a year, but now they lasted lots longer.

The first that I ever heard of an elec- trical experiment was from one of his st ries. "1 seed a man set upon a stool and filled so full of fire that to pint his finger at his nose he would spit the fire right after y1. Now, don't you tell that it was hell fire, for maybe it wasn't." He was the pit - neer of the MeFarlands on Massies creek and vicinity, a grandhuncle of Professor Mc- Farland of the State University, a man of commanding appearance, a good neighbor and had the respect of all.

On a farm adjoining him lived Uncle George Ward, who had a beautiful meadow thickly set with herd grass, sometimes called red top. Hle regretted that the ground' was not adapted to timothy and clover, and when some one spoke of his nice hay he re- plied, "Oh, burn the light stuff. I could! carry a ton of it on my shoulder," and he threatened to thrash Colonel Stevenson for laughing at his expression.

Not far off was Judge Samuel Kyle, a man of unbounded influence in the neigh-

borhood, a pattern of propriety and pos- sessed of abundant means, his credit being good save in a single case. Charley Mahan charged a business man with trying to cheat him. Said Charley: "You always was a rascal ; you could not borrow one dollar with old Judge Kyle as security." He meant no reflection on the Judge, but intimated that the other man's character was beyond re- demption.

South of Judge Kyle on the Federal icad lived John Mitchel, whose youngest son. R. P. Mitchel, has lately become a citi- zen of Xenia, and R. B. Davidson, of E. Miller & Company. is a son of his youngest daughter, the widow of the late Dr. David- son. the only orator I ever heard speak.

Southeastward from my starting point at the crossing of the Federal and Limestone roads lived a large collection of people named Mahans. Mathew Mahan was a local preacher, and after his wife had died and his children had been provided with a home, he went at his own expense as a mis- sienary to an Indian tribe. I think the Wy- andots. He was a mechanical genius and taught them several trades, such as brick mason, harness making, carpentery, etc. It is unnecessary to say he died in peace, re- spected by all who knew him.

Charles Mahan lived on the Limestone read two miles south of Jamestown. Yearly camp-meetings were held on his farm. He was the grandfather of Mrs. Samuel Elwell. of Xenia, and his own mother and his wife's irother lived with him. I know of no one now that suggests extreme old age as they (lid. They sometimes walked to our house, knitting and resting by the way .. Their balls of yarn would frequently get away from them, and as a little four-year-old boy

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it was my delight to race after them. And to add to my enjoyment they often dropped them voluntarily.

William Mahan lived where Mathew Wilson now lives ( 1883), and, like the rest of them, he had a large family, but he was less prosperous than his brothers. His sec- ond son was a prodigy of physical develop- ment, and once ten men undertook to catch him in a ten-acre field in four hours and failed.

James Mahan, anther brother, lived near the camp ground: 1 think where George Shigley resided. He lost three sons by drowning. Most of the Mahans moved west.

Mathew Mahan, Jr., a grandson of both Charles and Mathew, Sr., became an influential minister of the Methodist church. James Clark, living among the Mahans, was noted for prudence and credibility.

THOMAS TOWNSLEY, SR., A SOLDIER OF THE REVOLUTION.

Thomas Townsley was born in Cum- berland county, Pennsylvania, A. D. 1755. In 1782 he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Patterson of the same county, and to them were born five children, as follows: Martha, William, George, Joanna and Nancy. Martha, January 16, 1800, became the wife of Major James Galloway, Jr. Ilis son William died November 10, 1825, aged forty-two years, and is buried in the ceme- tery at Clifton, Ohio. His son. George Townsley, Esq., was the father of our re- spected townsman, Thomas P. Townsley ( now deceased ). He was a useful and re- spected man in his day, filling with honor the office of county auditor when that office was first made an elective one. He was born September 17, 1786, while his parents

were journeying from Pennsylvania to Ken- tucky, and died October 12, 1857. and is Lunied in Woodland cemetery, Nenia, Ohio. Joanna was born May 25, 1789, and was married to James Gowdy ( first merchant of Nenia ) and lived a happy married life for three years and six months, when, at the age of twenty-eight years, she died. \ little daughter, their only one, chied a few hours Lefore, and they were both buried in the Associate Reformed graveyard. East Third street. Nancy married Mr. Robert Nesbitt, one of Xenia's pioneer carpenters. In 178G Mr. Townsley and his younger brother, John, with their families, bid adieu to their Pennsylvania homes and emigrated to Ken- tucky, where they resided till the year 1800. when they removed to what was to be Greene county, Ohio, and located on survey No. 3746, two miles east of the present town of Cedarville, which survey was a part of the Virginia military land set apart for those who took part in that war. Mr. Townsley enlisted first in the Revolutionary war at the age of twenty-one at Sherman's Valley, Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, December 6, 1776, as a private soldier in Capt. Thomas Clark's Company ( 1). Watt's Regiment, and served two months. He after that, April 1. 1778, enlisted as a wagoner in McCabe's Brigade, and served two months. He again enlisted as a private soldier in Capt. John Nelson's Company. Regiment, for which he received a pension, having applied September 15, 1832, from Xenia, Ohio. He was wont to speak of the time that he was wagoner as having hauled in his wagon wounded Hessian soldiers. He died at the home of his son-in-law. Major James Galloway, February 22, 1841, and was buried in the cemetery at Clifton, Ohio.

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DANIEL DEAN, SR.,

Was born in the village of Tubermore. County Londonderry, in the north of Ire- land, in the year 1700, and emigrated to this country in the year 1784. landing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when but eighteen years of age. He was a son of Roger and Mary Dean. He sojourned in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia until about 1788, when he removed to Kentucky and purchased some land. In 1790 he sent back to Ireland for his mother. In 1791 he was married to Miss Jeannette Steele. In 1812. having a large family of children and not being willing to rear them under the in- fluence of slavery, and having purchased a tract of eighteen hundred acres of land on the waters of Caesars creek. Greene county, Ohie. he removed to it, and here he resided until his death, which occurred on the 24th of January, 1843. in the seventy- eighth year of his age. His mother died July 21, 1825, aged eighty-six years. These, with many of his lineal descendants. lie buried in the Dean "burial place." selected by himself on the tract of land al- ready alluded to on the banks of a small stream of water that flows on the west side of the same. Early in life he made a pub- lic profession of religion by joining the Associate Reformed church, in the congre- gatien under the pastoral charge of Rev. Rankin. He and his wife remained mem- lers of this congregation until their removal to Ohio. After their coming to Ohio, there not being any organization of that body in their neighborhood, they connected them- selves with the Associate congregation of Massiescreek, then under the pastoral care of Rev. Robert Armstrong. He became a member of the Caesarscreek congregation

(. Associate) upon its organization, and su remained until the day of his death. His children consisting of five sons and six daughters, all married and settled on the land before alluded to. Some have moved away and settled in different portions of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, lowa and Kansas. Ilis five sons were Robert, William, Dan- iel. Joseph and Jamies. These five sons were the senior members and heads of familie- of the large connection of that name it Greene county. Robert Dean was a soldier in the war of 1812 and served a tour of duty to Fort Wayne under Capt. Robert Me- Clellan. He died May 8, 1856, aged sixty- three, and is buried in the Dean Graveyard.

SAMUEL KYLE.

Associate Judge Samuel Kyle was born near Harrisburg. Pennsylvania, in Novem- ber, 1777. His father, Joseph Kyle, Sr .. served as a soldier in Dunmore's war, and was present at Camp Charlotte, in what is now Pickaway county. when Logan, the chief of the Mingoes, sent in his famous speech. In izco the family emigrated to Kentucky and located in Fayette county. In 1804 they came to Ohio and settled in what is now Cedarville township, and he was appointed justice of the peace some time afterward. On the 22d of May, 1810. he took his seat on the bench as associate judge, Judges James Snowden and David Houston being his associates; the Hon. Francis Dunlavy, presiding judge, and James Collier, sheriff. He was on the bench when that remarkable scene occurred when the presiding judge ordered James. Snowden to leave the bench because he had not taken an oath of office under the new constitution, and on his refusal he ordered

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the sheriff to lock him up in jail, and when the sheriff refused to obey the order he sent both the judge and sheriff to jail and the court broke up. Ile held the office of associate judge for thirty-five years. He was also the appraiser of real estate. He did a great deal of surveying and located more lands in early times than any other man. Ile was a member of the Associate church when it was first organized by Rev. Robert Armstrong in this county, and his Christian life was blameless and exemplary. He was a man of practical good sense, and did well in whatever he undertook. He was dignified in deportment, mild in man- ners, bland and courteous in all social inter- course. In the war of 1812 he took a part. He died at his residence near Cedarville, Ohio February 25, 1857, aged seventy-nine.

DAVID M. LAUGHLEAD, SR.,

Son of David, was born in Fayette county, Kentucky, in 1778. His father, David Laughead, Sr., had made a visit to this county previous to his settlement here with his family, having served under General Clarke in his celebrated campaign against the Indians, resulting in the destruction of the village of Old Chillicothe, or Old Town, in the month of August, 1780, the site of the old historic Indian town in Greene county.

In 1804. the Laugheads, father and son, removed from Kentucky to this county, set- tling near this city, upon the very land where the subject of this sketch died. At that time the present flourishing city of Xenia consisted of two log houses in the center of town, one of them the well known Crumbaugh House, where now stands the Eavey & Steele building, and the other on

the present site of the Xenia National Bank.

In company with the Laugheads came the ancestors of a large number of the pres- ent population of Xenia and vicinity, among whom we might name William and Rob- eit Kendall, Joseph Kyle, Sr., and his fam- ily, among whom was his two sons, Joseph Kyle, Esq., and his brother, Judge Samuel Kyle: Alexander McCoy. John Bigger. Stephen White, James Clency and Major James Morrow. These composed a large portion of the Rev. Robert Armstrong's congregation, which transplanted itself al- meist bodily to this state and county. In- spired by a strong hatred of slavery, their pastor, Rev. Robert Armstrong, followed and organized the first Associate church in Greene county.

David M. Laughead was united in mar- riage to Miss Elizabeth Kyle February 7. 1810, by Rev. Robert Armstrong. After the breaking out of hostilities in 1812 the settlers were continually called upon fer services, generally of a very difficult and dangerous nature. Mr. Laughead was found to be an active and willing volunteer in several important expeditions, principally among which was the celebrated expedition to Ft. McArthur (near the present town of Kenton ), from there to Ft. Finley on the Auglaize and from thence to Upper San- dusky. The company composing this ex- pedition were of a very singular element, most of the privates being men high in mili- tary title, embracing in its ranks such men as Major James Galloway, Capt. Thomas Constant, Capt. Robert Gowdy, Col. Will- iam Buckles, Capt. George Junkin, Adjt. William Rodgers. Mr. Hugh Andrews and others. The company was placed under the command of Capt. Samuel Herrod. The

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object of the expedition was to guard a train of pack horses from Ft. Arthur to Ft. Finley, a very dangerous enterprise it may well be supposed, considering the hostile na- ture of the country swarming with savage Indians.

When near Ft. Arthur they were met by a messenger, who told them that the fort was surrounded by Indians, and of course they would have to fight their way into it. This news served only to hasten their progress, but on arriving at the fort they found the report of the express exagger- ated: the Indians were in the vicinity, it was true, but they experienced no difficulty in making their way into the fort.

.At this time occurred the death of Mr. Cunningham, of Bellbrook, shot through the body by an Indian bullet. The expedi- tion reached its destination without mis- hap and returned soon after. When near Urbana on their way home they were met by Gen. Benjamin Whiteman and Dr. Joshua Martin, who informed them that the citizens of Nenia were excited over a rumor that the whole company, except three, had been murdered by the Indians, and that they had been chosen to advance into the enemy's country and ascertain the truth of the re- port. The meeting under the circumstances was a joyous one, and the members of the company breaking ranks made their way to Venia, arriving on Sabbath morning, as the citizens were wending their way to church.

Mr. Laughead lived to see the wonder- ful changes which have transformed the wilderness into a land, as it were, flowing with milk and honey. He lived to enjoy the fruits of the hardships of the pioneer life, and raised a large and respected family, and to become possessed of all that which should attend old age, as love, honor, obedience,

troups of friends and finally to die with all the consolations of religion and a life well spent.

ORIGIN OF THE NAME INDIAN,

The name Indian was erroneously ap- plied to the original man of America by its first discoverers. The attempt to arrive at the East Indies by sailing west caused the discovery of America. When they were first discovered. Columbus and many after him supposed they had arrived at the eastern shore of the continent of India, and hence the people they found there were called In- dians. The error was not discovered until the name had so obtained that it could not well be changed. It is true that it matters little to us by what name the indigenous of a country are known, and especially those of America, in as far as the name is seldom used among us but in application to the aboriginal Americans: but with the people of Europe it was not so unimportant. Situ- ated between two countries, India and America, the same name for the inhabitants of both must at first have produced con- siderable inconvenience, if not confusion, because in speaking of an Indian no one would know whether an American or Zealander was meant. Therefore, in a his- torical point of view, the error at least is much to be deplored as that the name of the continent itself should have been derived from Americus instead of Columbus.

ORGANIZATION OF THE CAESARSCREEK ASSO- CINTE CHURCHI, BY DR. GEORGE WATT.

About 1831 or 1832 an event occurred which resulted in almost a revolution of the (Id neighborhood, and this was the or-

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ganization of the Caesarscreek congrega- tion of the Associate, often called the "Se- ceder" church. It is the congregation now worshiping in Jamestown, with Rev. W. A. Robb as pastor. To the left as you go to Jamestown, nine miles from Xenia, is a country graveyard, which was the burial place of this congregation. Its first pastor was the Rev. Andrew Heron, who came from Rockbridge county, Virginia. He was then in the prime of life, and his only son. Rev. John M. Ileron, was ten years old. Dr. Heron was regarded as quite an acquisition to the ministerial talent of the county. Ile was clerk of the Associate synod for many years. His first wife was a MeCampbell. a cousin of Joseph McCamp- bell. who resides between Xenia and Jamestown, and his second wife was Mrs. Irvin, nec Martha Creswell.

When the congregation was organized. David Brown, grandfather of Xenia's ex- postmaster, Thomas Brown; James Moore, father of the late Dr. Daniel D. Moore; James Irvin and Col. John Duncan were elected ruling elders. . \ tide of emigration flowed into the congregation, many coming from Virginia, some of whom had been members of Dr. Heron's charge in that state and these were followed in some cases by hangers-on and dependents, and these two distinct grades of society came in at once. Samuel Bromagen did the stone work of the house and also the brick work, and I think that John and William Bradfute did the carpenter work. Colonel John Dun- kin was wonderfully lively with a tinge of eccentricities in his character that made him more interesting. The first time I ever saw David Brown he was in search of a cow. As John Watt was township clerk and knew the earmarks, he called on him. John asked

him the appearance of the cow. "Well, John, she's na a black coo, but she's a white coo; but she's na a large cov, but she's na sma cco, and she's a pretty coo." As the Scotch dialect was music to me I enjoyed the description of the cow much better than I did the sermon. Some Scotch shepherds moved into the congregation, among them a married man and his wife and two bachelor brothers. Mr. Brown said he would go around with them and arrange work, as nearly every farmer would make rails in preference to shearing sheep and they could get all their rails made. "We will make our own rails," said the eldest of the three. "But ye can na do it," said Mr. Brown. "You lie, you dog; we made twa apiece yesterday," was the prompt reply.

Dr. Heron gave a course of expository lectures on the prophecies of Isaiah, a para- phrase of a psalm, or part of it, and the lecture took up the forenoon. Next we had a recess of fifteen minutes in winter and forty-five in summer, in which we partook of the basket or, with the most of us, a pocket dinner. A sermon took up the after- noon, and most of us got home at sundown. even in winter. The service began the same hour the year round, and eleven did not mean twelve by Dr. Heron's watch. Once he began with my brother Hugh and my- self present, and not many were late the next Sabbath. Dr. Heron, with his course of lectures, went through the book of the prophet Isaiah, and in reading this book in after years when I came on a chapter I had heard him expound I seemed to have found a bright place. The last time I laughed aloud during religious service was in the old meeting house. The house was very full. when a big woods beau with his red

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hair, freckles and very tall dulciner came late. By packing two pews already full room was made for them by the usher, but not in the same pew. He sat to my right and she directly in front of him. Narrow lace collars were worn by ladies then, but she had a broad lace cape that extended well down her back over a dress still whiter than her cape. One of her long red hairs had strayed from its comrades and was resting on the cape. The contrast of color was too painful for Joshua, and he made several attempts to remove the hair with- out attracting attention. I came to the con- clusion, as I knew he was near-sighted, that he did not know that it still had its natural attachment, and felt that if he would snatch it and she would jump I would have to laugh. To enforce sobriety on myself I thought of death, fire and brimstone, a re- proof from the minister, a rebuke from my parents, the teasing of my comrades, the embarrassment of the young lady. After I had suspected the red hair had been aban- dened to its fate, and when the pastor was in the midst of an eloquent declamation. Joshua grabbed it. The red head shot up like a rocket, a wild vell of alarm came from somewhere up there, and after an explosion of laughter I subsided and was too mis- erable to remain for the afternoon service, and the red hairs were carefully taken home as well.

The next day I met Dr. Heron and asked him to scold me. "For what?" said he. "For laughing aloud in church yester- day," said 1. "But scolding is one of the exact sciences," said he. "and you must tell me all about it, so that I can properly adapt the penalty." After hearing me through he said, "Well, I am glad I did not see it. for a laugh in the pulpit might have done more

harm than a laugh in the pews." I felt bet- ter, and had the kindest feelings for the Doctor as long as he lived. I had the satis- faction of hearing the last sermon he ever preached.

REV. ANDREW HERON.

Andrew Heron was born in Scotland. October 11, 1788. He first came to the United States ( as he says in his application to become a citizen of this country in 1840) in the year 1807. lle was nineteen years of age. He remained a while at Cambridge. New York, where he studied theology and was licensed to preach by the Associate church. For a number of years he acted as missionary, traveling on horseback through Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and the Carolinas, and preached to the congrega- tions in these states. In 1818 he was set- tled in Rockbridge county. Virginia, where he remained thirteen years. During this time he acted for a while as professor of languages in Washington College at Lex- ington, the same over which General Lee presided at the time of his death. In 1831 he removed with a considerable part of his congregation, and formed what was known as the Caesarscreek congregation, near Jamestown, Greene county, Ohio. Here he remained until 1844, when he was displaced by the disruption in the Associate church. His next charge was in Indiana. where he remained, however, only a few years. Yielding to the infirmities of age, he re- turned to this county and became a resident of Cedarville. He received the degree of D. D. from Washington College. Virginia. In familiarity with the Scriptures he had few equals, and his retentive memory en- alled him to quote scripture while preach-

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ing, with peculiar fitness. He was twice married. By his first wife he had one son, Rev. John Heron, who is yet ( 1900) living in Jamestown, Ohio. Dr. Andrew Heron died August 30, 1873. in his eighty-fifth year, and is buried in Woodland cemetery, Xenia, Ohio.

FIRST ORGANIZATION OF THE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHI.

It appears that it dates its origin back to 1804. In that year James Miller and fam- ily from Scotland, and David Mitchel and wife from Kentucky, settled on Clarkes run, and these two families organized the first praying band of this congregation and were for some years the only members. In the spring of 1808 James Reid and family came and settled in the same neighborhood and took an active interest in the society or- ganized. In the fall of 1808 William More- land and family found a home here and identified themselves with the society. The first Reformed Presbyterian preaching in the bounds of this congregation, and per- haps in the state of Ohio, was in the fall of 1809, by Rev. Thomas Donnelly and Mr. Jobin Kell. then a licentiate. Mr. Kell preached in the morning and Mr. Donnelly in the afternoon. Soon after this Rev. John Black, of Pittsburg, visited the little so- ciety, constituted a session and received James Reid and wife as the first accessions to the church. At this time there were nine or ten members in the congregation. The next Sabbath Mr. Black preached in a log cabin on the farm on which Mr. Dallas for- merly lived. On that day the ordinance of baptism was administered for the first time in the congregation. The parties baptized

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History of Greene County, Ohio, Part 29

Author: Robinson, George F., 1838-1901 Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Publishing Company Number of Pages: 934

Author: Robinson, George F., 1838-1901
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 934