USA > Ohio > Ross County > Pioneer record and reminiscences of the early settlers and settlement of Ross County, Ohio > Part 5
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13
54
Pioneer Record of Ross County, Ohio.
Turner emigrated from Delaware to Ohio at an early day. Samuel Turner was one of the first hotel-keepers. Nathan Reeves and Ephraim Camper were the first school teachers. Jacob Myers served as major in the war of 1812; was one of the bravest officers of his regiment; he was a carpenter. John Mahan was in the war of 1812. John Walker built one of the first mills in the township; was a blacksmith. John Summerville emigrated from Scotland to America, and settled in Twin township at an early day ; was quartermaster under Colonel McDonald during the campaign of 1814; served as justice of the peace for many years; is still living. James Summerville was in the war of 1812, and was killed in the battle of Tippecanoe. Archy Mc- Donald emigrated to Ohio from Scotland. He came as a Brit- ish soldier, but deserted and joined the American forces ; was at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. His two sons, John and William, served in the war of 1812. Joseph and Jacob Myers were in the war of 1812. Colonel John C. McDonald, Jr., who fur- nishes the above, is living, aged fifty-nine years, but his well preserved physical condition would not indicate that he had reached that period in life. He is a practical farmer, and one of the representative men of that great interest. He served one term as sheriff of the county, to the credit of himself and county, and refused any further honors in that line, although his many friends would have been pleased to have given him their suffrages. He served during his time as land appraiser, and filled several township offices.
Reminiscences by James P. Brown.
" I was born in Fauquier county, Virginia, and emigrated to Ohio in 1816. Lived several years on the south branch of the Potomac, in Virginia. Was a volunteer in the war of 1812, under one Captain Ashby; was at the battle of Hampton Roads, under Generals Cobin and Crutchfield ; the latter ordered about six hundred of us to advance and fire on about two thousand of the enemy. After giving the order, Crutchfield ran, and was not seen by his men until they found him about twelve miles
55
Twin Township.
distant from the fight. There were seven or eight of our men killed. We stood the fire of the enemy for some time, until it became too hot for us, and then retreated. General Cobin was wounded in the wrist. The ball went up his arm and came out at the elbow. He was on one side of a post and rail fence at the time he received the wound, and the enemy all around him, when one of our men broke down the fence and took him to the rear with his horse. Just before receiving his wound, he called to Captain Ashby, saying: 'I know you and your men will fight ; fight on!' But he was soon wounded, and ordered a re- treat. One of our men, John Barr, was shot through the leg, and cried out: 'Oh, Lord, I am dead!' I took his gun to carry, when Barr got up and took to his heels, soon passing me in his flight; he had only received a flesh wound. After the fight was over, we commenced preparing our repast, which was composed of spoiled provisions, cooked in a few old rusty kettles." My informant says he paid two dollars and fifty cents per week for his board, and rations thrown in; he was not paid off for some time after being discharged, and had to pay his own way home. He is now living, aged eighty-three years. His father, Daniel Brown, was of English descent, and was a a distiller in Virginia. He settled in that State during the war of the Revolution, and had eight sons and eight daughters.
John Camelin, father of Mrs. John Baum, emigrated from Pennsylvania to Ohio about 1800. Was called out during the war of 1812, but furnished a substitute; died aged about ninety- one years. Was born on the fourth day of July, 1776, the day of the Declaration of Independence.
By James Demoss.
James Demoss, Sen., emigrated from Ireland at an early day ; was a soldier in the war of 1812; was a painter; dicd during the war by disease contracted while in the service. Benjamin Grimes, one of the early emigrants, settled in Heller's Bottom at quite an early day, and was many years a class leader in the Methodist Church; was married four times; died
56
Pioneer Record of Ross County, Ohio.
several years since in Fayette county, Ohio. His son, George Grimes, is now living on what is known as the Barger farm, near the village of Bourneville. On Mr. Grimes' farm is quite an ex- tensive circular fortification, containing about eight acres ; the embankment is now some eight or ten feet in hight. Near Mr. Demoss' dwelling, a few years ago, while the hands were work- ing the public road, in digging into a bank they found an entire human frame of a very large size. Old settlers, William McCauley, Matthias Cooney ; physician, Isaac Verden.
By Mrs. McKenzie, mother-in-law of Mr. William Igo.
Her father, Daniel Hare, emigrated from Pennsylvania to Kentucky, and from there to Ohio, in 1796. Her husband's grandfather was a drum-major in the Revolutionary war, and served seven years. Her husband, Mr. Mckenzie, was in the war of 1812, as captain of a company for some time, when the companies were consolidated, which relieved him; died aged about eighty years. He was for many years a leader in the M. E. Church. Mrs. McKenzie says her father came to Ohio without bringing his family, for the purpose of hunting and laying up a supply of meat for the next summer. He first chopped down a large tree, and cut it off some twelve or fifteen feet long; this he split in two and dug them out in the shape of troughs; the one half he filled with buffalo, bear, deer, and wild turkey, and salted them down ; then placing the troughs together, one on top of the other, he covered it with a lot of brush so as to deceive the Indians, telling them that when he he came out in the spring, and the brush had become dry, he intended to burn that log up. In the spring when Mr. Hare and his family arrived, they found their meat all right. At ·one time Mr. Hare went to watch a deer lick, and after fixing up a blind and being seated some time, he heard something approaching him through the brush in his rear, and upon turn- ing around, near him, was a large panther crouching, and in the act of springing upon him; he fired his rifle at the panther, when it made one terrible scream and took off through the
57
Twin Township.
thick woods one way and Mr. Hare the other, fully satisfied to leave for the present.
Mrs. Mckenzie is now aged about seventy-nine years; she and her mother were the first two white women who settled on Paint creek. Her playmates were the young squaws, and she says, "many a romp have I had with them, and as fearless of danger as though they had been white children." "When we first settled on Paint creek, father had to go to Limestone for our meal and salt; some times we would use the hominy block in lieu of going to the mill for meal." At one time when her father was away from home, some Indians came to their cabin and asked her mother for salt, they being very fond of that article. The old lady refused to give them any. One Indian became enraged, and said : "My gun shoot by and by." But the old lady did not give them the salt, and they left seemingly much enraged. She, after they had left, feared they would return before her husband and do some mischief. But they did not; and when he returned, she told him how the Indians had treated her in his absence, whereupon he went to the In- dian camp and informed their chief that one of his men had been at his cabin and insulted his wife. The chief called up the guilty Indian, and snatching the hatchet from Mr. Mckenzie's belt, he beat the Indian over the head with it at a terrible rate. The Indian cried piteously during the castigation, and when the chief returned Mr. Mckenzie's hatchet, he told him that that Indian would not trouble his family any more, and he did not. Mrs. Mckenzie says her father was a great hunter in his time, and killed many bears, deer, turkeys, panthers, buffalo, etc. The buffalo used to mix with their farm cattle and were quite tame. Her father first settled near the big falls of Paint creek, on General Massie's land, and while living there she has heard the screams of the panther and wolf in the night quite near their cabin. The first school teacher was David Reed; the first preachers were William and Edward Carnes; the first school house was built on the lands now owned by Howard Newman.
58
Pioneer Record of Ross County, Ohio.
By William Igo.
His father, Lewis Igo, emigrated from Pennsylvania to Kentucky in the year 1794, and from Kentucky to Ohio in 1798, and bought the first land on Twin creek from General McArthur. It was the first tract of land sold by him in the county. My informant, born and raised on the same farm, and still living on it, is now sixty years of age. His father, on first arriving in the country, procured meat for his family by hunt- ing in the dense forests of that then wilderness; and for meal, he made occasional trips to the mills in Kentucky, or manu- factured it himself by a hand-mill. When they first settled, their nearest neighbor was at the Slate Mills, on the north fork of Paint creek, where R. R. Seymore now lives.
On Mr. Igo's farm is an old Indian trail, which leads from Pee Pee to Old Chillicothe. The trail in places is yet quite per- ceptible.
My informant's brother, Paul Igo, who now resides in the State of Illinois, was the first white child born in Twin town- ship. He was born in February, 1799.
I was shown, by my informant, a powder-horn and pouch that has been in use in the family over one hundred years. The strap is made of elk skin, and the pouch of buckskin. Its first owner was a great hunter, and has carried it thousands of miles through Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio.
Near the house, one night, Mr. Igo's father heard a dis- turbance among his sheep. He got up, and taking his loaded gun, went out to see what the trouble was, leaving his ammu- nition behind. He heard the dogs in full chase after some- thing, which they soon treed on a large stump several feet high. Upon drawing near, he discovered an animal of some kind on the stump, and, taking as good an aim as the darkness would admit, fired at it. He then called to his wife to bring him some ammunition and the ramrod, which he had left at the house in his haste. His wife soon brought the ammunition, but forgot the ramrod. There was near the stump a lot of blue-
59
Twin Township.
ash chips, where Mr. Igo had been hewing some puncheons. They raked the chips together, and he set fire to them, telling his wife that, as he could go more quickly back to the cabin after the ramrod, she had better await his return. The old lady, be- ing a little nervous, said she would not stay there, but go herself, which she did. By this time, Mr. Igo had quite a fire burning from his chip-pile, by the light of which he saw on the stump a large panther, his eyes glaring down upon his pur- suer like two balls of fire. Mr. Igo soon reloaded his trusty rifle, and fired the second shot, which took effect in the head of the panther, but too low down to penetrate the brain. The animal now began deseending the stump backward, while Mr. Igo quickly reloaded his gun, and when the panther neared the ground, he fired again, the ball passing through its body, soon putting an end to its life. It measured nine feet from tip to tip.
By Henry Pool.
J. W. Pool, the father of Henry, emigrated from Maryland in 1813. He left his native State on the day of Perry's vietory on Lake Erie; lived in Ohio exactly ten years, and died at the age of fifty ; he was a blacksmith. Henry Pool is now sixty - five years of age. His father-in-law, George Vineent Heller, and also Jacob Vincent Heller, were in the Indian fight on Paint creek, at the Reeves' erossing. George was one of the chain-carriers who assisted in laying out the city of Chilli- cothe.
Mrs. Henry Pool says that she lived in Heller's Bottom with her father for several years. She particularly remembers one winter. In February, a deep snow had fallen, and was followed by rain. Mr. Heller had several tenants on his land at the time, and among them one named Russell, who lived with his family in a small cabin. On the evening of the storm, Mr. Heller told the men they had better move out of their houses, as a flood was coming, and the bottom would be inun-
60
Pioneer Record of Ross County, Ohio.
dated before morning. Mr. Heller's house being on high ground, they all moved to it with their families, except Rus- sell, who sent his family out, but could not himself be per- suaded to leave his cabin. The water shortly began to rise, and soon flooded the lower part of the house. He then took a kettle, filled it with coals of fire, and ascended to the loft of the cabin. But soon the water began to make its appearance there also, when he commenced calling for help, but amid the roar- ing of the flood it seems no one heard him. He finally took a cake of deer's tallow, which he found in the cabin loft, and, taking off his shirt, tore it into strips, which he wrapped around the tallow, and then set it on fire with the coals in his kettle. Tearing off a portion of the roof, and elevating his light on a pole, he soon attracted the attention of his friends, who came to his relief in a dug-out, and conveyed him to safe ground. In the morning his cabin could nowhere be found, the flood having carried it away. During the inundation, says Mrs. Pool, one of the neighbors lost a fine two-year old heifer, and one day, when hunting for her, after the water had sub- sided, he found her hanging by the neck in the fork of a buck- eye tree, fourteen feet from the ground, quite dead. What would our farmers, living in Paint creek valley, say if such a flood should make its appearance in these days ?
Mr. Heller was one of the first farmers who brought sheep into the county. He was a local preacher and justice of the peace for many years. On the farm of Joseph Ross, some years since, stood a large hollow sycamore tree, with a hole cut in one side in the shape of a wedge, wide at the top, and cut down to a point, which is supposed to have been done by the Indians for the purpose of catching wolves, by placing meat on the inside so as to induce them to place their necks in this notch. Mr. Heller at one time started out to watch a deer lick, on the land he owned on Paint creek. After he had pre- pared his blind, and had been seated a short time, he saw a large bear jump up on a large poplar log near the lick, and in a few seconds a large panther made its appearance on the other
61
Twin Township.
end of the log. They made for each other, and when they met the bear struck the panther one powerful blow with his paw, and knocked him off. Mr. Heller did not stay to see the fight finished, but made a hasty exit for home. One day a Mr. Daniel Devoss, whose name appears in another place, and who lived on the ridge ncar what is called the Spruce hill, was out hunting his horses, when he met a neighbor's boy hunting cows, cach having a dog with them. When passing along near the northwest side of the hill, the dogs commenced a furi- ous barking a short distance from them. When Mr. Devoss and the lad approached near the spot, they saw a large panther, who was jumping at their dogs from under some pine brush. When they came up the panther made a spring down the hill, the dogs following him, but they soon brought him to bay, and by clubs and stones, and the assistance of their noble dogs, quickly dispatched him. At another time Mr. Devoss was hunting his stock, which had strayed into Huntington town- ship, and on the farm formerly owned by Mr. Daniel Toops (an old settler), but now the property of Nathan Ward, near where the house now stands, he saw a large panther lying behind a log, which instantly sprang up and ran a short distance, and then stopped and looked at Mr. Devoss, who, having neither dogs nor gun, quietly retired and left him to his own reflec- tions.
Ancient Works.
Near Bourneville, and overlooking the beautiful valley of Paint creek, with the pretty town of Bainbridge in the dis- tance, is what is known as Spruce Hill, the name being derived from the large amount of spruce pine growing thereon. The crest of this hill, or mountain, is surrounded by a stone wall five or six feet in hight in some places, and from appearances has been much higher, but the hand of time has caused it to sink and crumble down. This wall surrounds the entire crest of the hill, or mountain, is almost circular in form, and is
62
Pioneer Record of Ross County, Ohio.
nearly three miles around. On this hill, within the inclosure, are found cinders, or dross, as if caused from the melting of some metallic substance. At the base of the hill, Paint creek flows over a bed of solid slate rock, and at low water may be seen two or three round holes, or wells, neatly cut out in the rock, about the size of an ordinary well, with closely fitting covers or lids over the top.
On Joseph Baum's farm, near Bourneville, is an earth for- tification thrown up, which is now from three to four feet in hight, with outlets or gateways at each corner. The embank- ment, or wall, is formed in a perfect square, embracing about thirty acres. On the farm of George Baum, adjoining that of Joseph Baum, is quite a large mound, from three to four hun- dred feet in circumference at the base, perfectly round, and some thirty feet in hight. On the line between the lands of John Storm and Joseph Baum, is another fortification, in shape resembling the letter J, containing twenty-five or thirty acres.
Near the same place, on Mr. Baum's land, are three large pools, or basins, which were evidently scooped out by some race of people long since passed away. One of them is twenty or twenty-five feet in depth. There are large trees growing in these places, and near them are found pieces of broken earth- enware in abundance, human bones, teeth, etc. On the same farm is another work, built of stone, the whole resembling in shape a horse shoe. On the lands of the Messrs. Cochran, nu- merous pieces of earthenware have been found in plowing every spring from many years past.
63
Buckskin Township.
Buckskin Township.
Township Officers.
Justices of the Peace, John H. Carr, James Bell, and John Coder; Trustees, John Carr, Calvin Parrott, and John Murray ; Treasurer, D. O. Diggs; Clerk, Steward Evans; Constable, William Davis; Notary Public, Henry Hester; Land Ap- praiser, John Parrott; Postmaster, Levi Pricer-Office, South Salem.
The village of South Salem contains about three hundred inhabitants, two stores, three blacksmith shops, two wagon shops, two carpenter shops, four churches (two Methodist, one Presbyterian, and one colored), one grist and saw mill, two school houses (one white and one colored), and one cemetery.
By Henry Hester.
His father emigrated to Ohio in 1804, from West Pennsyl- vania ; was in the war of 1812 as a lieutenant of a company served as clerk of the township for many years; was by trade a millwright; died aged fifty-two years, in Chillicothe. James Wilson. John H. Wilson served many years as justice of the peace in the township, and was in the war of 1812; now dead. John Morton emigrated from South Carolina in carly days; now living. First preachers, Rev. James Dickey, who was pastor of the church in South Salem for twenty years ; Hugh Fullerton was also a pastor for twenty years. Frederick Parrott was in the war of 1812. John Wallace served for many years as justice of the peace. Satterfield Scott served as county commissioner one term, and for many years as justice of the peace; now dead.
64
Pioneer Record of Ross County, Ohio.
By Alexander McGinnis.
His father, James McGinnis, emigrated from Pennsylvania to Ohio in 1801; was in the war of 1812; was a shoemaker by trade ; was also a home hunter of considerable notoriety ; he killed many deer and other game ; my informant says he would kill some days five or six deer, and hang them up in the woods, and then send him and his brother to bring them home; he died aged seventy-two years. His grandfather, James McGinnis, emigrated to Ohio at the same time; served in the Revolu- tionary war six years, and was wounded in the thigh with a ball which he carried to his grave ; lived in the township about twenty-two years ; was a shoemaker; died aged eighty years, and retained almost the vigor of youth to near his death. Alexander McGinnis is now sixty-nine years of age, and has lived in the township about sixty years ; is a local preacher of the Methodist Church. He says the first house built in South Salem was by a Mr. Douglas, in 1846 or 1847, and he built the third one in the place. His wife's maiden name was Tay- lor ; her father emigrated from New Jersey, in early days, to Ohio, and served in the war of 1812 ; was at Hull's surrender ; he was an elder of the Presbyterian Church for forty years, and died aged eighty-two years. George Pricer, Michael Hare, Robert Edminston, Jacob Davis, Abram Dean, Robert McGinnis, Captain Nathan Kilgore, and Captain Daniel Hare, were all in the war of 1812.
How Buckskin Derived its Name.
Buckskin creek derived its name in the following manner : At the time of the settlement of the township, the Indians had a camp at Old Chillicothe (now Frankfort), and they made a raid among the white settlers, stole some horses, and committed other depredations along said creek. When the whites made a search for them, they found them camped near the creek on the land now owned by Daniel Cline, where stood a very hollow sycamore, which had a large opening in the side at the root.
65
Buckskin Township.
In this hollow the Indians had hung their skins-mostly deer- and built a fire under them for the purpose of drying them. When the whites attacked them, the Indians fled, leaving their skins to the whites. This circumstance gave the name to Buck- skin creek, and afterward to the township.
By Doctor Hamilton.
He emigrated from Pennsylvania to Ohio in 1839. He built the house in which he now resides, in South Salem, in 1847, and has practiced medicine in that vicinity ever since; was educated at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, and attended the University of his native State. After moving to South Salem he was very instrumental in building up the village, and especially the Academy.
By Willis Graham.
His father, whose name was George, emigrated from the State of Maryland in 1804; served as a soldier in the war of 1812 ; was a carpenter and cabinet-maker ; died aged eighty- four years and ten months.
By Joseph Vanderman.
His father, whose name was John, emigrated from Penn- sylvania to Ohio in 1800; he and his brother Frederick were in the Revolutionary war, and took an active part in the battle of Brandywine; they served under General George Washington. John Vanderman was a tanner; was a great hunter, and de- pended upon his rifle for sustenance for himself and family for several years in the first settlement of the country. At one time the Indians stole a fine bay mare from him; he and a younger man gave chase, and trailed them for several miles, when they found themselves surrounded by the savages, but they boldly dashed through them and made their escape. He died aged eighty-six or seven years. Joseph Vanderman served at one time as lieutenant of a militia company ; never held any other office, though often solicited. His brothers,
66
Pioneer Record of Ross County, Ohio.
John, Matthias, Conrad, and Henry, were all in the war of 1812, except Conrad, who died on his way to the army. He was a finely educated young man, and died beloved by all who knew him.
By Mrs. Frances Wilson.
Her husband, John H. Wilson, emigrated from Pennsyl- vania to Wheeling, Virginia, and thence to Kentucky. In 1800, he came to Ohio. He was in the war of 1812; served as justice of the peace for sometime; was a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church for a great many years, and died at South Salem in 1865, aged eighty-seven.
By John G. Caldwell.
His father, James Caldwell, emigrated to Ohio in 1805 ; was sergeant of his company under Captain Kilgore, and served his township for many years as justice of the peace and clerk, etc .; he also taught school in different townships for several years. His son has several books, in manuscript, written by him, of a religious nature; he died aged sixty-three years. The following statistics, taken from some of his old books, and papers published in 1827, which had been preserved by his father, may be interesting to our readers :
Associate Judges of Ross County in 1827, Isaac Cook, James Armstrong, and Thomas Hicks; Clerk of Courts, Su - preme and Common Pleas, Recorder and Clerk of the United States District Court, Humphrey Fullerton ; Sheriff, Thomas Steel ; Coroner, Josephus Collet ; Commissioners, John Mc- Clain, Wm. Wallace, and E. Fenimore; Notary Public, John A. Fulton ; Postmaster, William Creighton ; Justices of the Peace, Levi Belt, and Wm. Creighton, Sen .; Attorneys-at-law, Wm. K. Bond, Joseph Sill, Platt Brush, Thos. Scott, Richard Douglas, Wm. Creighton, Jr., Edward King, Henry Brush, Samuel Treat, and Levi Belt; Physicians, John Edminston, Joseph Scott, James Hayes, Samuel Monett, Jr., Samuel McAdow,
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.