USA > Ohio > Shakers of Ohio; fugitive papers concerning the Shakers of Ohio, with unpublished manuscripts > Part 26
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June 25th. Elder Archabald set off for South Union, and returned on the 15th of July -
About these times the people began to contemplate on removing back to Busro again - As the danger from the war department appeared to be pritty well over -
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August 26th. Noah Legier Departed this life aged something near 18 years - haveing a few week previous received the kick of a horse on his bowels, of which he suffered extreemly -
- During the summer some calculations were made in relation to moveing back to Busro - And on the 4th day of October - John Hand- cock set off for Busro by the way of South Union -
October 18th. John Edgington and Daniel Redmon36 set off for Busro on horse back.
October 25th, four Brethren with a waggon and ox team set off for Busro - After which business went on much as usual -
Still makeing prepareations for removing back to Busro -
And just about so ended the year 1813.
1814.
The weather was somewhat changable during the winter, but gen- eraly cold - Some few were quite sick for a time - bad colds were pritty common - but the disease was not so distressing nor so fatal as it had been in the winter of 1813-
The greater part of the business was makeing prepareations for our journey to Busro -
On the 24th of January Adam Gallagher and Enoch Davis set off for Pittsburgh for the purpose of procureing materials for building such as Iron, nails, glass, Paint, Oil &c .-
February 3d. Six Brethren and four sisters set off for Busro - and as these were .the first Sisters that went back in the beginning of this general removeal - And had almost every difficulty to encounter in the beginning of almost a new settlement on the frontier. It will be no more than just to incert their names - which are as follows - Betsy Worthington - Nancy Boyls - Sally McComb - Eunice Slover37 -
The weather was cold and the waters high -and of cours plenty of mud, when the frost was not hard enough to hide it -
March 12th. There was thirty Brethren and Seven Sisters set off for Busro - some by water and some by land, with some horses
March 15th. William Douglass's family had their kitchen burnt with some of the furniture - however the loss was not very greate -
March 22nd. Adam Gallagher and Enoch Davis returned from Pittsburgh, and landed at Cincinnati - Also there was eight brethren set off from Union Village for Busro - and stayed at Cincinnati all night.
Of the journey, and arival at Busro - of the 30 brethren there was no account ever kept that I know of - neither is there anything to show of the procedure or journey of the main body of the Busro people from Union Village to Busro - more than their departure and arival - there- fore the journal will now show the proceedings of this company that
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started on the 22d of March, with A. Gallagher and E. Davis - from Cincinnati to Busro -
-23d. Loaded our boats and made ready for the river - and stayed all night -
- 24th. We pushed off early -the river was low - we passed the mouth of Big Miami about 8 o'clock in the eavening and sailed all night -
-25th. Went on well - passed the mouth of Kentucky river about sunset we had a pleasend day and sailed all night -
-26th. The wind was strong against us- we were obliged to land about dark and lay by all night -
-27th. Went on to Jeffersonville and landed about 9 o'clock - and after a short stay, went on to Louisville and delivered some frate that we had for that place - then passed over the falls and landed for the night.
- 28th. Pushed off early, had a pleasant day and sailed well --
-29th. The river was quite low and the traveling tedious - we therefore concluded to put as much on board of the keelboat as she would carry safe. and leave the flat boat with two hands on board - and so go on with the Keel boat as fast as we could - calculating for those on the flat boat to store up their load at the Dimond Isleand - we then parted the boats, took hold of the oars and pulled away in hast - till we got out of sight of the flat boat - but was obliged to land about midnight on account of a heavy storm of wind and rain -
-30th. Our boats were close together again this morning we started Early and went on well till about 9 o'clock when we had to land and wait the passage of another gale of March wind - After which we left the flat boat and saw her no more- And with 9 hands on board of a large and heavy loaded Keelboat - we set down to the oars, and pulled away for the mouth of Wabash - the wind was strong against us and we were obliged to land about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, where we lay till about 2 on the morning of the
-31st. When we pushed off and went on well till about 4 o'clock in the afternoon when the wind again proved too hard for us, and we were obliged to land, and lay till after dark, when the wind ceased and we pushed off and sailed all night.
April 1st. At a leven o'clock we landed at the old camping ground just above the Redbanks, thence pushed on to the Dimond Island where we were obliged to land and lay all night on account of the wind - .
-2nd. Pushed off early and kept the Oars a going all day, and just at six o'clock in the evening we Entered the mouth of Wabash under the affliction of a pritty Sharp gale of wind and rain blowing down the Wabash river - we soon landed and had a wet night -
-3d. Sabath, the wind and rain continued very cold, and about 9 o'clock the snow began to fall quite heavy - we made out to get along about one mile when we concluded to land, Strike up a fire and make the best we could of the bad weather all day and night-
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-4th. A cold morning every thing covered with snow. We had to get along by halling brush and spikeing the trees for the river was so high that poleing was out of the question, and the current too strong to gain much by the oars - however we encamped at night just above Bone-bank, 9 miles from the mouth.
-5th. By halling brush and spiking the trees we got along about 10 miles, the snow vanished and the weather was now pleasent -
- 6th. Went round the lower cut-off -
- 7th. Pushed on to the three Islands and encamped for the night.
- 8th. Went through the upper cut-off - all safe -
-9th. Nothing material - we got along by hard work, and en- camped for the night 3 miles above the half-way bend - all in good plight -
-10th. Sabath - Last night we had quite a heavy thunder storm - had a wet day and a cold night -
-11th. Landed at coffe Island about one o'clock and encamped for the night just above the mouth of White river -
-12th. Passed the Grand rapids - and Little rock - and lay five miles above -
13th. The river had fallen so much that we found good poleing on the sand bars- we made a good days push and lay all night just above Vincennes - with out fire (for want of wood) and had a cold night -
14th. Early this morning the snow began to fall - we pushed on about five miles to a convenient place for wood and encamped for the balance of the day and night - This was a heavyer snow than any we had remembered of seeing in winter -tho the weather in general was not so very cold -
15th. We pushed off early, went on well and arrived at the mouth of Busro about 12 o'clock - then pushed up to the old landing place - where one stayed to take care of the boat and all the rest walked home -
16th. The boat was unloaded and the property was halled home - And so ended the second trip to Busro by water -the boat is ready for another trip -
The brethren that had been at Busro during the latter part of the winter, had been mostly imployed in the business of preparing the fields for the plow - Halling rails, makeing and repareing fences &c. - Also, we removed the old meeting house and some other log buildings from Robert Gills place, down to Robert Houstons and Joseph Worthingtons improvements - That place being close to the mills and the timber - all things considered, it was concluded to make our final settlement there - Business went on for a while with a considerable degree of vivacity and altho we had (as it were) to begin the world anew, we felt glad and thankful that we were landed safe on our own possessions once more where we expect and intend to remain through life the Lord willing -
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William Davis went to Union Village, and returned with the cattle on the 29th of May - And on the
31st of May - The Keel boat set sail for the mouth of Wabash to . meet another company of boats and people from Ohio -
June 4th. The day of the great whirlwinds on the Wabash - many plantations and houses were distroyed, and some people badly wounded. Truly the track of these tornadoes was cheerless and disolate -
- 12th. The Keel boat arived with the second load of property from the mouth of Wabash - some of the brethren were sick - .
July 12th. Elder Archabald started for Union Village -
August 1st. Issacher and George Legier arived at Busro -
August 2nd. Lucy McComb Departed this life at Union Village - aged 7 years the youngest of John McCombs family -
-4th. The main body of the Busro people started from Union Village in company with Elder Archabald and Eldress Ruth -
-15th. The waggons and boat started from Busro to meet the people at the Red-banks - and help them along -
-21st. The Elders arived safe on the Prairy in the carriages, and we were all very glad to see them - Also the same day
- 21st. The school family arived with some waggons, and gen- . erally well with a few exceptions - after a fatigueing journey of 18 days, hot weather
- 22nd. The main body of the people arived safe, with all the waggons and in pritty good health considering the heat of the weather and the fatigue of the journey
Notwithstanding the people were generally well when they landed - their comfort in that particular was of but short duration, for the fever began to make its appearance almost immediately, and many were taken violently sick - which, together with the spirit of appostasy brought on very extensive sufferings boath within and without - and on the
-30th of August Nathan Pegg Departed this life in the 44th year of his age - he had hitherto been a stout harty man -
The fever went on, with increased rapidity - notwithstanding all the medical applications that could be made -
September 1st. Israel Edgington Departed this life-in the 15th year of his age- Also the same day the Keelboat arived with the last load of property and people, After a very laborious trip of about 12 days and some sick, the river low and the weather very warm - and many other difficultys too tedious to mention -
The fever still goes on with violence - The days of trouble are at hand - In the course a few (of which) 7 of our promiseing young brethren set the faces towards the world, and seemed determined to go at the risk of all - This circumstance in addition to the great sick- ness then rageing, and our haveing just landed on the ground that had promised us comfort, caused much labour and extreem sufferings - In- deed, we could not think it extravicant to say, that if the heart rending
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sorrow sustained by the Ministry in those days - (and part of them sick too) could be written at all, it must be in some unknown language - for we can discribe none after this- (Eldress Ruth was then on her death-bed) - However they were baffled from starting on the 6th as they intended and all but one recanted their Ideas for the preaseasent -
-8th. Esther Knox Departed this life in the 54th year of her age she had been a zelious believer from the time she first received the Gospel - The mistaken beauty of the world was not yet out of sight - reasoning with them, on, the evil consequences of the practice, was of. but little use - and on the 11th three of the remaining six went off - desolation and distress seemed to invade almost the whole Society &c. &c. -
-18th. Just at 3. o. clock in the afternoon our much beloved Eldress Ruth Departed this life. Alas! alas! she is gone * *
* Her funeral was attended with great lementation and much deep and heart- felt sorrow, the following hymn was composed by Elder Issacher and sung over her corps with great solemnity -
1 A mother in Israel, A mother indeed Has left her dear children her spiritual seed She is gone! She is gone ! we shall see her no more While we remain pilgrims on this mortal shore.
2 O! pitty O! pitty may we not complain Why did our young Eldress no longer remain To teach us and lead us the way she has trod And by her example conduct us to God
3 Her spirit now answers this grievious complaint I've finish'd the labour for which I was sent In patience I've travel'd and suffer'd with you Till Heaven inform'd me my labours were through
4 What soul in their reason according to truth Can ask any more of kind Eldress Ruth Then while we're intering her loanly remains We'll thank her kind Spirit for her toil and pains
5 All her blessed council we'll ever retain And her pure example we'll ever maintain For she from an infant in virtue has run And who among woman her zeal has out-done
6 And now to kind heaven we make our request That with such another we yet may be bless'd Yet we will rejoice in the gift that remains Yet subject and thankful for their care and pains -
Issachar Bates -
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And she was buried on the 19th of September 1814- In the 35th year of her age - on the Big Prairy at Busro -
The fever still goes on with all its desolateing consequences till it seemed as tho' Providence or good fortune had almost forsaken this people - and the messenger who, so lately had snatched Eldress Ruth from us, was again at the door in quest of another - which he soon found - for on the
-23rd. Naoma Miller Departed this life - Aged about 40 years. This valuable and much respected woman, was a sister to John Dunlavy3s
-25th. Betsy McKeen Departed this life in the 17th year of her age - During the month of October the fever began to abate a little, and the distress was not quite so grate- tho many wer yet quite sick and weakly -
November 19th. The School family had their kitchen burned with some of the furniture - The business of building a new one was soon begun -
December 28th. Pegg Tann Departed this life - Age not accurately known but must have been near 50. This was the companion of An- thony Tann that died on the 17th of June 1811 - She was a real white woman -
This about closes the year 1814 -
1815.
The begining of this year brings with it the remains of the last fall's fever - the chief part of the sick are geting better - However there are a few that are still quite sick - and on the
30th of January Martha Johnston Departed this life, her age is not accurately known, but must have been near 60 -
The winter was very cold, the spring wet and the waters high - May 20th. Nancy Knox Departed this life - quite a pale woman at the age of 50
June 4th. The upper dam broke - much labour and pains were spent in trying to repare it, but did not answer the purpose, for which reason we were obliged to build a new one in another place -
-11th. William Davis and Joseph Lockwood arived from Union Village - And the new dam was begun in July under the direction of Joseph Lockwood -
August 10th. Joseph Edgington Departed this life - haveing been sick of a violent fever nearly three days - A speedy dispatch indeed at the age of 48 years
September 21st. John Martin Departed this life - his age is not properly known, but must have been something near 40. He was our first and best blacksmith and as cleaver a man as broke bread - But he was compeled to drop his hammer, and lay down his Iron to cool -
November 10th. John Knox departed this life Aged 60. He had
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been in revolutionary service a number of years, and found in the Gos- pel that Liberty for which he had contended so long ago - he was a jelious believer last.
No more deaths occurred dureing the remainder of this year and business went on about as usual - The timber for the new Mill house was ruff hewn in the woods and halled to the frameing yard dureing the latter part of the summer and fall -
And so ended the year - 1815 -
1816.
The weather is changeable, and disagreeably cold - Some few still remain quite unwell, tho' the sickness is not very general at preasent -
No material circumstance that is worthy of note occurred in the Society previous to
January 21st, on which John Johnston Departed this life in the 66th year of his age- Another valiant revolutionist and a good cleaver old man - .
-22nd. James Evans Departed this life - haveing suffered very considerable for several days - Age not known - but was about middle aged -
February and March can be remembered by cold changeable weather and high waters - which always caused great difficulty in geting fire- wood -
April 10th we began to counter-hew - the timber for the new Mill house. The frameing also was carryed on under the direction of Joseph Lockwood -
May 2nd. Elizabeth Rubart departed this life of the pulmonary disease her age I know not but would suppose she was upwards of 30 or thereabouts
June 27th. We began to raise the frame of the Mill-house - and on the
29th finished the square up to the first rafter plates - for it was a high roof -and 40 feet square on the foundation and 72 feet high to the ridge beam -
July 1st. Harvest was begun - and on the 13th we finished cuting 95 acres of wheat - and 30 acres of rye -
- 14th. Polly Bennet Departed this life - leaving her husband and six small children to lement the loss of a kind Mother - Age unknown -
22nd. John Edgington jur departed this life in the 13th year of his age -
-28th. Joseph Bennet Departed this life- age not known -the poor little fellow was close by his Mother when she died - and soon followed her to that state from whence no* traveler returns -
*A later hand has rubbed out "no" and "inserted "there is"
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August 16th. The roof of the Mill house was finished - shingled' and painted -
October 18th. Elder Archabald started to Union Village - from- whence he returned on the 12th of November in company with Eldress- Martha Sanford3 -
November 14th. Rebecca Price Departed this life - Aged about 67 - a very cleaver old woman
December 9th. Samuel Johnston Departed this life in the 41st year of his age - after a severe tour of sufferings - He was one of the three- that was appointed trustees for the Society - and a right cleaver fellow- too -
This about closed the year 1816 -
1817.
No material event took place in January - but on the
20th of February Samuel McKeen, Departed this life in the 22nd year of his age - After a long and severe scene of suffering -
March 7th. The first run of stones was started to grinding in the new Mill house - their diameter was 3 feet 10 inches -
July 3d. The second run of stones was started - diameter 3 feet 2 inches boath reaction wheels -
July 8th. Father David," Elder Solomon, James Hodge, with: Mother Ruth4 and Eldress Hortincy42 - Arived safe in 8 days from U. V.ge
- 10th. Harvest was begun -and on the 19th we finished cutting 85 acres of wheat and 75 acres of oats - Large fields and fine crops - -24th. Father David with all the Elders started to Harmony48 to visit the people, from whence they returned on the 28th all in good health -
August 10th. Ruth McComb Departed this life in the 18th year of her age after haveing suffered extreemly for a number of days, with fever and cramp
- 11th. Father and Mother" with all their company started home to Union Village - and Samuel McClelland went with them to Peola - -25th. We began to hew timber for a new saw mill -the old one about run down
-29th. Little Pelly Bennet Deceased - Aged 13 months - the youngest child
November 16th. John McComb Departed this life in the 52nd year of his age - After haveing suffered extreemly from fever and weakness -
This brings us so near the end of the year that we have no further accounts of any more being dead or missing - Thus you see we have lost but four by the hand of Death during the whole year of 1817.
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SHAKERS OF EAGLE AND STRAIGHT CREEKS.
1818.
The winter was considerably wet, but not very cold - for January and February we have nothing more to say, than what is commonly said of moderate winter weather - But when March came onto the. stage he soon whistled up a set of gales, breezes and winds - Blowing- to and from almost every point of the compas - And from the appear- ence of their opperation on the anamel - An invisibl spectator might have thought they had been Excently manufactured in the highest -- Promontory of Plots and Seditious -- This was only the begining of trouble - However the storm at last passed over, but we lost 20 mem -- bers of Society before the end of the year - Some carpenter tools, and! many other articles - both good and bad - All was blown clear off to. the world in the storm -
April 24th. Jesse McKeen Departed this life - aged near 40 - he had a few week previous fell on some timbers that lay at the end of the bridge and so hurt his side, that he never got over it -he was attending the Mill -
April. - Also the first Improvement was made at Ambrau - Illinoy state nearly 18 miles west from Busro -
May 19th. Elder Archabald and James Davis45 with Eldress Martha: and Peggy Steward set off for Union Village - From whence they re -- turned on the 14th of June -
July 1st. Harvest was begun - and finished on Saturday 18th.
August 10th. Under the influence of a spirit of prophecy .James- Price exhibited a very strikeing Example of obedience and humiliation. _ the scene was truly strange and shocking - and would have made an, unprejudiced spectator feel very awful46-
August 18th. James Price Departed this life - aged about 39 years- -after haveing suffered extreemly for eight days -with a kind of hypothetical Insanity -
The fevers began just about these days, and went on with violence so that before the scene was closed, there was but 7 of the whole Society that escaped without takeing a pritty smart brushing47 - so much so at eny rate that the aforsaid prophecy, was promptly fulfilled - before. all was wiped off -
September 28th. Benjamin Gill a little boy departed this life - aged
November 9th. James Bounfield and Benjamin Miller started for Union Village with a waggon and teem-and James returned on the- 27th -
December 30th. - Elder Issachar and Calvin Morrel started for Union. Village - And so ended the year 1818.
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1819.
January 10th. John Maggs arived from South Union -
During the months of January and February the weather was re- markably warm - Lightning and thunder with showers of rain like those .of summer was quite common. So that on favorable situations the grass grew, from two to three or four inches high - And had the season not changed in March it would have been an early spring -
March 4th. Henry Miller moved to the North House to live - and on the same day the wind shifted to the North west, and witlı violence brought on a storm of snow which fell to the depth of eight inches on fair ground - The frost was very hard and the wind more than commonly cold and oppressive - so that from the 4th of March to the 4th of April there was but four days that was tolerably comfortable to work out of doors - A late spring after a warm winter -
April 7th. James Brounfield Departed this life, after a very tedious illness of about seven weeks - most of the time severly afflicted with very acute pains darting through different parts of his body and limbs, he had but very little fever, and not one day of real sickness - his age is not accurately known but must have been near forty -
May 7th. By the appearence of a black and fearfull looking cloud that arose a little west of south, we were warned to witness the passage «of a tremendious hurrecane, which removed everything that his power was master of - the fences were taken from the ground - trees taken up by the roots - Indeed it seemed, for a few minutes at one time, as tho all would be lost - And a new frame barn which had just been raised and shingled (but not weatherboarded) was litterly toren to peices - It was 65 feet long and 28 feet wide - large peices of the roof was found 10 or 12 rods from the foundation - It was surely a frightful storm - On the evening of the
-8th. The wind and rain was repeated - but with less violence - tho there was more hail with the last than the first -
-15th. The new saw mill was started to sawing -
-16th. Rain, hail, snow, and very cold disagreeable weather - Some of the Brethren took hold of the broken barn- collected the peices - got some new timber and rebuilt. And finished it off -
June 28th. Harvest was begun - And finished on the 9th of July -
August 2nd. 14 Brethren went to Ambrau, to help to rais the frame of the Milldam and bridge- which was finished on the 12th - and on the 14th they all returned home- On the night of the
-15th. There was a dreadful scene of Lightning thunder and rain - And the new barn, tho' just finished had well-nigh suffered a second and total defeat - The lightning struck the south west corner, tore off some of the boards and opened the post about half way down - and so let go -
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