History of Richland County, Ohio : (including the original boundaries) ; its past and present, containing a condensed comprehensive history of Ohio, including an outline history of the Northwest, a complete history of Richland county miscellaneous matter, map of the county, biographies and histories of the most prominent families, &c., &c., Part 38

Author: Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Mansfield, O. : A. A. Graham & co.
Number of Pages: 968

USA > Ohio > Richland County > History of Richland County, Ohio : (including the original boundaries) ; its past and present, containing a condensed comprehensive history of Ohio, including an outline history of the Northwest, a complete history of Richland county miscellaneous matter, map of the county, biographies and histories of the most prominent families, &c., &c. > Part 38

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).

This road was the great outlet for grain and produce in the rich and older settled counties of Knox, Licking and others. Great covered freight wagons, with tires seven or eight inches broad and an inch thick, drawn by six horses or mules, made regular trips from Baltimore and Philadelphia over the national road to Zanesville ; thence over this mud road, stopping at the little stations on the way to re- ceive and discharge freight. Many of those teamsters were men of high character, standing and credit, and, in transacting their business. would require persons who shipped goods by their wagons to make out three bills of lading, all properly signed, with as much regularity as a ship at sea or the freight trains of to-day; one bill to accompany the goods, one to be re-

tained by the shipper, and one to go by mail to the consignee. One of those teams would to- day be a greater curiosity than a steamer or a train of cars. They are yet to be found on the great prairies of the West, transporting freight to points not yet reached by the iron horse.

These wagons did most of the carrying trade of the country. The merchant who wished to purchase goods in the East, sent his order and received his goods by these wagons, and, in order to pay for the goods, often intrusted large sums of money to these teamsters. The prod- uets of the country, received by the merchant in exchange for goods, consisting mostly of wheat, whisky, furs, etc., were also shipped by these wagons, going, generally, to the lake, where they were sold, or shipped on a vessel for some point east, and months would often elapse before returns could be received.

Another source of outlet for the produce of the country was by the water-courses, which were then untrammeled by mills, or bridges, and, by reason of the swampy condition of the coun- try and the consequent abundance of water, were navigable for small boats to points which would seem incredible at this time. Flat-boats were built, carrying from twenty to fifty tons. These were loaded with pork, flour, whisky, the products of the chase, etc., and taken to New Orleans, where the cargo and boat were sold. and the pioneer, with his money in his pocket, would return across the country, walking per- haps the entire distance, or may be, purchasing a mule or horse by the way, or taking occa- sional advantage of the well-remembered stage coach for short distances. In this primitive way, the early pioneers of Richland County com- municated with the outside world. Nearly forty years elapsed from the time of the first settle- ment before these means of transportation were superseded by that great civilizer-the railroad.

The products of the country, for want of a market, brought very low prices: The average being, for wheat, 35 cents per bushel ;

240

HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

oats, 12 cents per bushel ; corn, 20 cents per bushel ; whisky, 15 cents per gallon ; pork, $1.50 per cwt. ; cows, $8 to $10 each ; horses, $30 to $40 each. Coffee bought from 75 cents to $1 per pound ; salt, from $4 to $6 per barrel ; cali- coes from 50 cents to $1 per yard, etc. Money was the exception, traffic and trade the rule. The great wagons carried the produce to Port- land (now Sandusky City) and Huron, and re- turned with salt, fish, etc.

In trading with the Indians it was customary to set a bottle of whisky on each end of the counter, that the purchasers might help them- selves gratuitously, and thus facilitate the busi- ness. These cabins for the purposes of trade and traffic sprang up along the new roads, and were occupied by some hardy pioneer and fam- ily. who procured his living partly by hunting. partly by trading whisky, tobacco, blankets, knives. tomahawks and trinkets with the Indi- ans and settlers, and, as travel on the roads increased, by keeping travelers over night, finally converting his cabin into a "tavern. Frequently these taverns were the means of starting a town. which afterward grew and pros- pered. or became extinct. Establishing a town was like investing in a lottery ticket, which might draw a prize or a blank. Nothing now remains to mark the site of many early towns platted on the soil of Richland ; others are marked by small clusters of partially deserted houses.

One of the earliest settlers thus writes : "Our social parties consisted of cabin-raisings. log-rollings. quilting parties. corn-huskings, etc. Our sports were various gymnastic exercises and shooting matches. There was no punctil- ious formality, nor aping after fashions. The rich and poor were dressed alike. The clothing of the men consisted of coarse material for hunting shirts. and pants made of buckskin. The women were also attired in coarse fabric ; if a young damsel wanted a magnificent wed- ding dress, she would have her highest aspira-

tions in this respect gratified by obtaining a suit of American cotton check, which then cost from 50 cents to $1 per yard, but which can now be obtained for one shilling. Silks, satins and other varieties of fancy goods. which now infest society, were never thought of. Our drink was whisky toddy, which we thought was good enough for a king. The woods furnished us with abundance of meat, and corn-pone sup- plied the place of the present dyspeptic-prodnc- ing pastry."

This pioneer might have added that, in addi- tion to their gymnastic exercises and shooting matches, they frequently engaged in ring-fights by way of variety. Mr. John M. May, the first lawyer in Mansfield, thus describes one of these affairs :

" Every neighborhood had its bully or chief fighter, and these were pitted against each other like game-cocks. These fights often ended in a general melee, in which whole neighborhoods were sometimes engaged against each other. I remember one fight of this kind which took place on the public square in Mansfield, be- tween the Clearforkers and Blackforkers. The Clearforkers were the fighting men living in the southern portion of the county, in the valley of the Clear Fork. and the Blackforkers were from the northern and eastern portions of the county, living along the Black Fork. These two regions were always at enmity, and always getting up fights with each other.

" Among the Blackforkers were the Prossers, Burrels and Pittengers, noted fighting men. Jonathan Prosser, was their champion man. Among the Clearforkers were the Brodies, Slaters and Driskells. Of these Stephen Brodie was the champion.

" At the time referred to, I noticed Stephen Brodie and Bill Slater riding up to the North American corner.

" They hitched their horses, and there I no- ticed Burrell and two of the Prosser boys ride up also.

241

HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

"Jonathan Prosser jumped off his horse and told Brodie he was going to whip him. I saw there was to be a fight. so I and Sylvenus Day mounted a big stump on the square to see the fun. A crowd gathered and joined hands, forming a ring around the champions. Prosser and Brodie stepped into this ring. stripped and prepared for battle. They looked like giants. "The fight soon commenced. and was going on in due order, according to the rules of the ring, when suddenly Bill Slater, who was out- side, made a rush to break through the ring. As he came up. Burrell let go and knocked him down like a beef. I thought he was dead.

"The ring was re-formed, and the fight con- tinned as before. Pretty soon, however, Slater came to, and, raising up, caught Burrell by the leg, threw him down, and, getting on top of him, began pounding him. This brought on a general fight, and all hands went in with a will. The result was, the Clearforkers came out ahead. 7

The early settlers were a rough, hardy set of backwoodsmen ; and. if they were always ready for a fight, they were also always ready to help each other on any and all occasions, and for this purpose would put themselves to great in- convenience and go great distances. Did one of them want a cabin raised. he had only to let his neighbors (and all were neighbors who lived within a circle of five or ten miles) know they were wanted on a certain day, and they wouldl be there, the only compensation asked being a generous supply of whisky.

Log-rollings were almost an every-day occur- rence ; every settler would have one or more of these gatherings every year. Settlers would come for miles around, with their handspikes. oxen and axes ; the logs were cut, hauled to- gether and piled in great heaps, to be set on fire after drying. The younger members of the community. girls and boys, piled the brush and smaller sticks in immense heaps ; and boys, not very old, can remember when these heaps were

set on fire at night. and how all the young peo- ple for miles around gathered, and played "goal " and " round-town" by the light of the cracking brush.

Then there were " wood-choppin's " and " quilt- in's," where everybody, old and young, woukl go-the men with their teams and axes. the women with their needles. Annt and Uncle Somebody would get wood enough in a few hours, delivered at their cabin door, to keep the great fireplace roaring the whole winter ; and enough quilts and things to keep them warm in spite of the snow that drifted through the clapboard roof upon their beds. The de- lightful part came in the evening, when the older people went home, and the younger danced the happy hours of the night away to the music of the violin and the orders of some amateur cotillion caller.

The red man of the forest was often the silent and amazed spectator of these happy gather- ings. In the simplicity of his heart, he did not dream the white people were "like the leaves of the forest," and that they would soon over- run and possess all the soil that for centuries had been the hunting-grounds of his tribe. He could not realize the fate that awaited him, so beautifully expressed in Longfellow's verse ---

" Wrapt in thy scarlet blanket, I see thee stalk through the city's

Narrow and populous streets, as once by the margins of rivers

Stalked those birds unknown, that have left us only their footprints.

What, in a few short years, will remain of thy race but the footprints ?"

In later years, when Johnny Appleseed's or- chards began to bear fruit, " parin' bees " were in order, and also " corn-huskin's." These were gotten up on the principle that "many hands make light work," and, in addition to the work accomplished, they furnished excuses for social gatherings. Fashionable calls, were, of course. unknown ; work was the order of the day, and. all feeling the necessity of continual labor. they

242

HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

varied its monotony and made it lighter by as- sembling together and getting through with a large amount of it at one time, at the same time enjoying the social advantages thus of- fered.

A moonlight night was selected for the corn- huskings. Sometimes the corn was husked as it stood in the field, and large fields were thus cleared of corn in a single evening. At other times, the owner of the corn field would go through it a day or two before the husking was to take place, jerk the ears from the stalk, and hanl them to some dry place in the meadow, where they were piled in a huge circle. About this circle, on the outside, the men would gather in the evening, and, amid the rattle of husks, and the general hilarity, the yellow ears would flow toward the center of the circle in a con- tinual stream, while the huskers buried them- selves deeper and deeper in the husks, until after a time they emerged and stood upon the inner line of the circle. with a great pile of corn in front and a pile of husks in the rear.

Occasionally the corn was, as nearly as pos- sible, equally divided into two heaps ; captains or leaders were chosen by the men, who, choos- ing their men, arranged themselves in opposi- tion. Each of the opposing captains endeav- ored to finish his pile first. the bottle being passed frequently. each one helping himself to as much of the contents as he desired. The successful captain was elevated upon the shoul- ders of his men. amid prolonged cheers, and carried around the pile. Sometimes the beaten party were aggravated until knock-downs en- sued, after which they would repair to the house of the host and partake of the good things prepared for the occasion.

A good deal of ingenuity was exhibited among the early settlers in making traps to secure the wild animals of the forest. At one time it seemed utterly impossible for the pioneers to raise sheep or hogs, on account of the depredations of wolves and bears ; the latter

invariably preferred pork to mutton, but the wolves always attacked the sheep in preference. The State offered $6 each for wolf scalps ; this and other considerations stimulated the settlers in the work of capturing and destroying them. Many of the young men devoted their time al- most exclusively to this business. For the pur- pose of trapping them. a " wolf-pen " was " con- structed of small logs, six feet long, four feet wide and three feet high. It was formed like a large box. with a puncheon floor. The lid was made of heavy puncheons, and was moved by an axle at one end, made of a small round stick. . This trap was set by sticks placed in the shape of a figure 4, and baited with any kind of meat. except wolf meat, the animal pre- ferring any other to his own. Upon gnawing the meat the lid fell, inelosing the unwary na- tive for the benefit of the trapper."

The continual and common use of whisky among the pioneers, received its first check in Richland County, on the 29th of March, 1828, at which time the first temperance society was organized, at the house of Samuel Smith, in Monroe Township, near the east line of Wash- ington. This society was entirely indigenous to the soil of old Richland, none of its mem- bers having had any previous knowledge of such an organization. On this occasion, Thomas Smith was called to the chair, and Samuel Ritchey appointed Secretary. Thomas Smith, Alexander McBride and Samuel Smith were appointed a committee, and presented the fol- lowing as a basis of action :

Where's, The common use of intoxicating liquors as a beverage is injurious to the health of the consumer, and ruinous to the morals of the community,

Resolved, That we form ourselves into a society to be known by the name of the Washington and Monroe Temperance Society, and that we adopt the following pledge for our guide:

We, whose names are hereunto attached, do pledge ourselves to dispense with the common use of ardent spirits in our families, and at our gatherings and frolics ; and, as far as our influence extends, use all laudable means to discourage the use of it in others.

JARSmith

245

HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

This was adopted after considerable discus- sion, in which many expressed their fear that they could not get along with their raisings, rollings and harvestings without liquor. The pledge was signed by Thomas Smith, Sr., Henry Mosar, Lambert Larnee, Joseph Coe, Jedediah Smith, Robert McDermot, Levi Tarr, David New- lin. Thomas Smith, Jr., Samuel Smith, John Con well, Joseph Reed and Alexander McBride. Thus began a crusade in this county which has not yet ended. The pledge was for one year, but at the end of that time it was renewed, and continued gaining in strength until more than five hundred names appeared on its list. This was a society of earnest workers. They met on the 1st day of January, yearly, and continued the organization more than thirty years.

This curse of intemperance permeated all classes and conditions of society. Even the children of the early schools, when they barred out their teacher on New Year's Day, as was the custom of the time, frequently demanded a certain amount of whisky, among other things, as the price of admission. The children could hardly be blamed, since both teachers and par- ents, perhaps, as a rule, indulged more or less in strong drink. In this connection, Judge Jacob Brinkerhoff, in his address at the laying of the corner-stone of the new court house, tells an anecdote characteristic of the times.

"I have told you who was the first tavern- keeper in Mansfield. Now, among his success- ors in that hospitable employment, was a Mr. Moore, whose weakness it was to entertain what were then deemed extravagant notions of the future prosperity and glory of the town of Mansfield.

"The village school was taught or rather kept by an Irish schoolmaster, who, before cross- ing the water, had kissed the blarney-stone, was always ready to make free use of the gift thus derived. and well aware of the 'powerful weak- ness' of Mr. Moore.

"In those days to keep a tavern was to sell whisky, carefully measured out at a fippenny- bit a gill, and it happened that the schoolmas- ter's weakness for whisky was quite equal to that of Mr. Moore, for the future of Mansfield. And the cases were not infrequent, that, when the ardent spirit was most ardently desired, the requisite fippenny-bit would be wanting and the blarney would be the only available substi- tute. And so he would begin-'Ah! Mesther Moore, there are few gintlemen in this wilder- ness counthry that have your sagacity-your gifts of foresight. I tell you what it is, Mesther Moore, Mansfield is predestined to be a great say-port yit some day !' No sooner would this prediction be uttered than the heart of Mesther Moore would soften, and then would follow the coaxing question-' Mesther Moore, couldn't yees trust us for a gell of whisky, this blessed mornin'?'

" The coveted potation would at once appear, and go where so many of the like had gone before-to cheer the heart and thaw the blood of the ' poor exile of Erin,' as he went forth to the arduous labor of dusting, with his hickory rod, the buckskin breeches of boys, who, in those days, were not always ruled by moral suasion alone."

The great days among the pioneers were the Fourth of July and those upon which the militia assembled for muster. These were the holidays, when the people ceased from labor and turned out en masse, and when plenty of fun and whisky were expected. The place of assembling was generally in some clearing, near some " tavern," the landlady of which had the reputation of being a good cook. There was plenty of drumming, fifing and noise, and somebody was always found who could readily perform the duties of President of the meeting ; somebody who could read the toasts, and some- body who had been under Harrison or Van Rensselaer as Orderly Sergeant. to act as mar- shal. Plenty of men were ready to read that

246

HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

wonderful document, the " Declaration." for among the settlers were not only many excel- lent scholars and gentlemen, but here and there could be found a veritable graduate of Yale College. When no minister was present to act as chaplain, a good pious man was called to that post. If the meeting did not end with a grand ring fight. the people went home dis- appointed.

At a meeting of the pioneers of the county in 1858, of which Mr. Jabez Cook was Pres- ident, an ax was presented to each of the fol- lowing persons, they being the oldest pioneers then living in the county; Jacob Stoner, who set- tled here in 1807 or 1808 ; Michael Newman, who settled in 1808 : Jonathan Oldfield, 1809 ; Thos. McCher, 1809 ; Henry Nail, 1810, and John Coulter. Uriah Matson was also presented with an ax in consideration of his having cleared more land than any man in the county.

Richland County is only seventy-two years of age-yet in its infancy. What mighty changes ! The human mind can hardly comprehend it. Yesterday, a wilderness, full of wild animals and wild men ; to-day, rejoicing in the bright light of the highest civilization.

" I ask myself, Is this a dream ? Will it vanish into air ? Is there a land of such supreme And perfect beauty anywhere ?"

There are over three hundred thousand acres of tillable land in the county, valued at about eleven millions of dollars ; property in city and villages valued at about four millions, and chattels and personal property, nearly twenty millions ; all in seventy-two years.

Statistics prove that Richland County is one of the best in the State for agricultural pur- poses, generally. Almost everything grown in the Northern States can be grown on its soil. It does not largely excel in any one thing, but in some things stands first among the best.

Out of eighty-eight counties in the State, only nine raised more wheat in 1878 than Riel-

land, and these were generally larger counties, with more acreage sown. The average yield was a little more than fifteen bushels to the aere ; the average in the State, for twenty-eight years, being a little more than eleven bushels per acre.

In the same year, only two counties in the State raised more oats than this ; these were Stark and Wayne, in both of which the acreage was greater. The average is in favor of Rich- land, it being a little more than forty bushels per acre, while both Stark and Wayne averaged a little more than thirty-nine bushels. The yield of wheat was 488.641 bushels. and of oats, 982,993 bushels.

The average yield of corn in the State for twenty-eight years was a little over thirty bushels per acre ; Richland, in 1878, averaged over thirty-five bushels, the yield being 1.063 .- 045 bushels.

These are the principal crops. and it will be seen that Richland excels. In all other crops her standing is high.

For a healthful climate and the longevity of its citizens the county stands almost unrivaled. The purity of its water and air, and the general intelligence of its citizens, have tended to lengthen their days. There are a number of hale, hearty pioneers who have passed the three- score and ten allotted to man ; a few who walk with comparatively firm step under the weight of eighty or ninety, or more years. and one at least-John Wiler, Esq .- who, in this year (1880) completes a century of existence.

The political history of the county is not unlike that of other counties in the State. Its first member of Congress was Mordecai Bartley, who was elected in 1823, to the House of Rep- resentatives, serving four terms, or until 1831. The second, William Patterson, was elected to the Twenty-third Congress in 1833, serving as a member of the House until 1837. The third was Jacob Brinkerhoff. elected to the House in 1843, serving two terms. or until 1847. The

HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

247

fourth was John Sherman, elected to the Thirty- fourth Congress, in 1855, serving as a member of the House until 1861. when he was called to the Senate to take the chair vacated by Sal- mon P. Chase, who became Secretary of the Treasury. The county was honored by the presence of Mr. Sherman in the Senate from that time until called to the cabinet of President

Hayes. The fifth man elected to the House of Representatives from this county was William Johnson, who served one term, from 1863 to 1865. The present member, George W. Geddes, resides in Mansfield, and was elected in 1879, making the sixth furnished by this county to the councils of the nation.

248

HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

CHAPTER XXV.

THE GOOD OLD DAYS.

CABINS AND THEIR FURNITURE- EARLY EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES-CLOTHING AND ITS MANUFACTURE-SUPER- STITIONS-SALT-HOMINY BLOCKS-MEAL-DISTILLERIES-WHISKY AND ITS USE-SINGING, SPELLING AND DANCING SCHOOLS -- CAMP MEETINGS-MODES OF EMIGRATION-EMIGRANTS' TRIALS-OBSERVANCE OF THIE SABBATH-MARRIAGES-DEATHS-INCIDENTS-MILLS AND MILLING-FLAT-BOATS ON THE BLACK FORK- MILITIA DRILLS-PIONEER JOKES-JOHNNY APPLESEED'S NURSERIES-OLD INDIAN LANDMARKS.

" Which naming no names, no offense could be took." -Sairy Gamp.

T THE primitive log cabins built by the early pioneers, as long ago as from 1809 to 1820, were rarely double. They were generally 14x 16 feet, covered by clapboards held on by weight-poles placed on each tier, a ridge-pole in the center. The floors were made of punch- eon, split out of logs, and roughly hewn with a broad-ax. The windows were square or long holes, made by sawing through one or two of the logs; slats were nailed across, and the ori- fice made into a window by covering it with greased paper, which was pasted over. In- stances are well remembered in which there was no flour of which to make the paste, and burnt fingers and scowling brows attested to the in- efficiency of corn-meal for that purpose. Bed- steads were improvised of rough dogwood poles. with the bark left on, and bottomed very serviceably with strips of elm bark, woven in and out skillfully; or, they were made fast to the wall, requiring only two posts. A substi- tute for chairs was found in small benches, hewn out roughly, as were the puncheons. The cupboard, or "dresser," was made by boring holes in the wall, driving wooden pins therein. and placing boards on them. A row of wide shelves, made the same way, was likewise nec- essary, and considered an article of furniture, furnishing a place to store bed-clothes. If the family had not a square, four-legged table, they

constructed one after this same fashion of bed- stead, cupboard and wardrobe.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Author: Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848- Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Mansfield, O. : A. A. Graham & co. Number of Pages: 968

Author: Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Mansfield, O. : A. A. Graham & co.
Number of Pages: 968