USA > Ohio > Highland County > The County of Highland : a history of Highland County, Ohio, from the earliest days, with special chapters on the bench and bar, medical profession educational development, industry and agriculture and biographical sketches > Part 18
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is recorded that he took some part in the war of 1812, probably in his native state, and after he came to Ohio he was prominent in the militia organizations and attained the rank of major-general.
The next Highland congressman was Nelson Barrere, who was elected in 1850 and served one term. More is said of him in the Bench and Bar chapter. He was a very prominent politician, and was the candidate of the Whig party for governor in 1853 when his party was crumbling away to give place to the Free Soil and Repub- lican parties.
In 1854 Jonas R. Emrie, of Hillsboro, was elected to the Thirty- fourth congress, to represent the Sixth district, and he served one term. John A. Smith, a man of wide influence, born at Hillsboro in 1814, was elected to the Forty-first congress, in 1868, and he was re-elected in 1870, serving two terms with credit. In 1876 Henry Luther Dickey, of Greenfield, was elected to the Forty-fifth congress for the Seventh district. He had been sent to the legislature in 1860 as a Douglas Democrat, but when a candidate for re-election was defeated by Colonel Hixson by six votes. He was nominated by the Democrats as senator for Ross and Highland in 1865 and being renominated in 1867 was elected. His nomination for congress fol- lowed, and after he had served one term he was renominated for the new Eleventh district, in which Highland was placed, and was elected for the term ending in 1881.
In 1882, Alphonzo Hart, who has been mentioned as lieutenant- governor, was elected from the Twelfth district for the Forty-eighth congress.
Jacob J. Pugsley, an eminent lawyer at Hillsboro, was elected to the Fiftieth and Fifty-first congresses in 1886 and 1888. Mr. Pugs- ley was born in Duchess county, N. Y., came to Ohio in boyhood, was graduated at Miami university, and began the practice of his profession at Hillsboro. Before his election to congress he had made a good record in the general assembly.
STATE SENATORS.
The first senator from Highland represented that county alone. This was George W. Barrere, who served in the sessions of 1808-09 and 1809-10, by two elections. Samuel Evans afterward sat in the senate from Highland alone, by election in 1810 and 1811. After that Highland was in what was called the "Clinton district," until 1825. The senators for this district were George W. Barrere and Jacob Smith in 1812 and 1813; Barrere and William Buckles in 1814; Samuel Evans and Buckles in 1815; Evans and Jacob Smith in 1816; and after that Allen Trimble served continuously in the sessions of 1817-25, inclusive, his colleagues being Jacob Smith in 1817, William R. Cole in 1818-22, John Alexander in 1823, and
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Samuel HI. Hale in 1824. In his last year as senator, the session of 1825-26, Trimble represented the new district of Highland and Fayette, which was maintained for ten years. For this district Trimble's successor was John Jones, in 1826-28; Moses Carothers, 1829-32; Joseph J. McDowell, 1833-34; and Jacob Kirby, 1835. Next, the district was Highland and Clinton, represented by Kirby in 1836, by Isaiah Morris in 1837-38, and Thomas Patterson, 1839-40. The district of Adams, Fayette and Highland was rep- resented by William Robbins in 1841-42 and John M. Barrere, 1843-44. Then it was Highland, Adams and Pike, with Tilbury Reid senator in 1845-46; and Jonas R. Emrie, 1847-48. High- land and Fayette again, in 1849 and 1850 sent Ruel Beeson as sen- ator, and this carries the record down to the constitution of 1852. Since then Highland and Ross have composed the Sixth district, which has been represented as follows : Samuel E. Hibben, 1852-3; John M. Barrere, 1854-55; Jacob Hyer, 1856-37; W. HI. Safford, 1858-39; William O. Collins, 1860-61; George W. Roby, 1862-63; Job E. Stevenson, 1864-65; Silas Irion, 1866-67; Henry L. Dickey, 1868-69; John Woodbridge, 1870-71; John H. Putnam, 1872-73; Henry A. Shepherd, 1874-75; A. L. Brown, 1876-77; John McDonald, 1878-79; John C. Entrekin, 1880-81; William H. Reed, 1882-83, 1884-85; J. J. Pugsley, 1886-87; D. M. Massie, 1888-89, 1890-91. Fifth and Sixth districts : Frank G. Carpenter, 1892-93; James M. Hughey, 1894-95; Charles F. Howard, 1896-97; Byron Lutz, 1898-99; Thomas W. Marchant, 1900-01; Thomas M. Watts, 1902.
STATE REPRESENTATIVES.
Highland county was first represented in the lower house of the Ohio general assembly in the Seventh session, beginning December, 1808. Following is the list of representatives since then, with the dates of election :
Highland county alone: Joseph Swearingen, 1808; James Gos- sett, 1809; Samuel Reece, 1810 ; James Johnson, 1811, 1812; John Davidson, 1813, 1814; James Johnson, 1815 ; Allen Trimble, 1816; Joseph Swearingen, 1817, 1818; John Jones, 1819; Moses Patter- son, 1820; Richard Collins, 1821, 1822, 1823; Moses Patterson, 1824, 1825; M. H. Kirby, 1826, 1827; Moses Patterson, 1828; M. II. Kirby, 1829, 1830; David Reece, 1831. Highland and Fayette: Joseph J. McDowell, 1832; Robert D. Lilley, 1833; Jacob Kirby, 1834; David Reece, 1835, 1836. Highland and Clinton: George Collings, 1837; Thomas Patterson, 1838. High- land alone: Andrew Baskin, 1839. Highland and Adams: James Carothers and James Smith, 1840; John A. Smith and Abraham Lowman, 1841. Highland alone : Robert Robinson, John A.
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Smith, 1842; Hugh Means, Burnham Martin, 1843; Ezekiel Brown, 1844; William H. Trimble, 1845, 1846, 1847 ; Hugh Smart, 1848; J. T. Pugsley, 1849; Otho Williams, 1850. Under the new constitution : Christopher Williams, 1852; William Miller, 1854; Silas Irion, 1856; John L. Hughes, 1858; C. B. Miller (resigned), John H. Jolly, 1860; N. H. Hixon, 1862, 1864; David M. Bar- rett, 1866; John L. Hughes, 1868, 1870; Peter N. Wickerham, 1872; Thomas H. Baskin, 1874; Henry C. Dawson, 1876, 1878; J. J. Pugsley, 1880, 1882; David M. Barrett, 1884, 1886; Jonah Britton, 1888; James M. Hughey, 1890, 1892; William H. Glenn, . 1894; Henry H. Redkey, 1896, 1898; N. P. Clyburn, 1900, 1902.
COUNTY OFFICERS.
CLERKS OF THE COURTS: 1805, David Hays; 1808, Allen Trim- ble; 1816, Samuel Bell (appointed) ; 1852, John W. Bell; 1855, G. F. Stephens ; 1859, Ben Flora ( Flora resigned, and W. H. Wood- row was appointed in his place) ; 1860, John A. Trimble; 1869, R. W. Spargur ; 1870, Johnston E. Jackson ; 1872, R. W. Spargur (appointed) ; 1873, Jesse K. Pickering (appointed) ; 1874, R. T. Hough; 1876, J. M. Hughey; 1881, George Baise: 1884, John Keech ; 1890, William N. Walker; 1896, James H. Williams, now in office.
PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS : 1805, Abram J. Williams; 1810, James Daniels ; 1811, John W. Campbell: 1812, Levin L. Belt; 1814, Samuel Daniels; 1815, Wade Luffborough; 1816, Rich- ard Collins; 1821, G. R. Fitzgerald; 1823, Richard Collins; 1824, G. R. Fitzgerald; 1831, John W. Price; 1833, William Scott; 1837, W. O. Collins; 1841, Daniel Scott; 1849, John Torrie ; 1853, R. B. Stevenson ; 1855, James J. Rothrock ; 1857, C. A. Sheaf; 1859, John M. Dorman; 1861, W. H. Irwin; 1868, E. M. DeBruin ; 1874, James M. Dumenil; 1879, John T. Hire; 1885, J. B. Worley ; 1891, George L. Garrett; 1897, Irwin McDow- ell Smith ; 1900, Oliver N. Sams, present prosecutor.
SHERIFFS : 1805, Anthony Franklin ; 1808, Augustus Richards ; 1811, Samuel Harvey; 1813, William Curry; 1815, John Jones ; 1819, Joseph Dryden; 1821, William Wright; 1823, John Jones; 1827, Amos Grantham ; 1831, David Miller; 1835, Andrew Baskin ; 1839, Benjamin Chaney ; 1843, Edward S. Beeson ; 1848, Thomas S. Rhodes ; 1849, David Fenwick; 1853, Joseph H. Mullenix; 1857, Thomas H. Baskins; 1859, R. W. Spargur; 1867, John B. Hays; 1871, Carey T. Pope; 1875, William C. Newell; 1879, Thomas H. Long; 1883, Henry C. Dawson ; 1885, Isaiah McConnaughey ; 1889, Michael G. Mackerly ; 1893, Samuel N. Patton ; 1897, John G. Will- iamson ; 1899, Joseph P. Elton, present sheriff.
AUDITORS: Under the act of the general assembly, passed Febru-
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ary 8, 1820, creating the office of county auditor, and making audi- tors elective by the general assembly of the State, William Keys was elected by the legislature, and continued in office from 1821, by sub- sequent elections by the people, after the office became elective by them, until 1829; 1829, Joseph Woodrow, who died in 1832, and was succeeded by his son, Joshua Woodrow, Jr. (appointed), who served until 1833; 1833, Matthew Waddell; 1839, Joshua Wood- row; 1841, Matthew Waddell; 1845, Samuel Johnson; 1847, Mat- thew Waddell; 1849, William H. Woodrow; 1855, James Reece; ยท1857, John A. Patterson; 1859, James Reece; 1863, Joseph Mor- row ; 1865, Edwin Arthur ; 1869, Daniel Murphy ; 1873, Edward M. DeBruin ; 1883, George Lefever; 1889, John A. Trimble; 1892, James Reece ; 1898, George W. Shaffer, now in office.
TREASURERS: 1805, John Richards; 1808, George Shinn; 1810, John Smith ; 1842, John M. Johnson; 1850, William McReynolds ; 1854, David Fenwick; 1858, Joseph J. Woodrow; 1862, George Lawrence; 1864, James Reece; 1868, J. W. Spargur; 1871, Will- iam H. Glenn; 1876, William S. Patterson; 1879, Edward Pierson ; 1883, Joseph M. Hiestand; 1885, Henry C. Glasscock ; 1887, Ed. O. Hetherington; 1891, Harrison Roades; 1895, Charles E. Hixson ; 1899, Earl A. Squier.
RECORDERS : David Hays, the first clerk, was also the first recorder, in 1805. The list since the office has been elective, is as follows : 1836, Samuel Bell; 1842, David Miller; 1845, James M. Keys; 1854, John Baskin; 1856, W. C. Winter; 1863, John Baskin ; 1866, J. M. Matthews; 1869, Isma Troth; 1872, Calvin Stroup; 1876, George Stephens; 1878, John H. Keech; 1884, Hugh J. Vance; 1887, Samuel N. Patton; 1893, John W. Rogers; 1899, Joseph Miller, present recorder.
COUNTY SURVEYORS: Walter Craig was the first surveyor, appointed in 1805. Afterward Thomas Sanders held the office, 1819-35. The office was made elective by an act of the general assembly of March 3, 1831, and after Sanders the following took office: 1835, Jesse Barrett; 1843, Thomas Berryman; 1849, Thomas Wilson ; 1855, Thomas Berryman; 1858, Thomas M. Boyd ; 1861, William J. Boies; 1864, Edward Burnett, died, and Will- iam J. Boyd appointed to fill vacancy ; 1867, William Siders; 1870, Eli Stafford; 1876, William J. Boyd; 1879, Eli Stafford; 1881, Z. Kay; 1884, Nathaniel Massie; 1893, Daniel Murphy ; 1899, Hugh J. Vance, now in office.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS: The first board, appointed in 1805, was Joseph Swearingen, George Richards, and Nathaniel Pope. At the election, in the same year, Nathaniel Pope, Jonathan Boyd and Frederick Braugher were chosen. G. W. Barrere succeeded Braugher in 1806, and Moses Patterson succeeded Boyd in 1807. In 1808 Bourter Sumner, Richard Barrett and George Richards
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OFFICIAL HONORS.
were elected. The board in 1810 was Jesse Baldwin, Morgan Van- meter and Enoch B. Smith. After 1811 the list is as follows: E. B. Smith, 1811-12; Jesse Baldwin, 1811-13, 1816-17; Morgan Vanmeter, 1811; Moses Patterson, 1812-14, 1817-18; John Mat- thews, 1813-15, 1822-29; Amos Evans, 1814-16, 1819; Pleasant Arthur, 1816-19, 1831-32; Newton Doggett, 1818-22; John Was- son, 1822-23; William Davidson, 1823-25, 1828; David Reece, 1825, 1829-30 ; Moses Carothers, 1828; Samuel McClure, 1829-30; John Farris, 1830; Philip W. Spargur, 1831; William Carothers, 1832-34; Thomas Patterson, 1832-34; Newton Doggett, 1833-38; John H. Mitchell, 1834-37; John W. Spargur, 1835, 1842-47; Claiborn Lea, 1837-39; Philip Wilkins, 1838-40; John Baskin, 1839-41; Samuel Smith, 1840-42; John Littler, 1841-43; David Fenwick, 1843-45; William Cochrane, 1844; N. W. Ayres, 1845-49; Joel Thurman, 1846-48; Sampson Reno, 1848-49; Edward Easton, 1849-51; Charles Robinson, 1850-55; Henry Wil- kins, 1851-53; Benjamin Cowgill, 1852-55 ; John Haigh, 1854-57; Philip Roush, 1855-61; Abraham Lowman, 1856-65; Benjamin Pearce, 1857; William C. Conard, 1860-62; Thomas Robinson, 1861-64; F. I. Bumgarner, 1863-72; F. M. Cox, 1864-66; H. H. Redkey, 1865-68, 1871-73, 1876-82; Benjamin Cochrane, 1867-68; Samuel Russell, 1868; William Elliott, 1871-72; T. H. Long, 1873-79; David McConnaughey, 1873-76; John Bogart, 1874-80; Franklin Ladd, 1878-81; Faust, 1881; Isaac Lar- kin, 1886-92; Giles W. Setty, 1896-98 ; James A. Burnett, 1892-95 ; Cary McCoppin, 1895-1901; Warren W. Morrow, 1896 to present ;. John B. Puckett, 1901-04; James B. Davis, 1902-05.
CHAPTER XI.
CHURCH HISTORY.
T HE church and the institution of such an order as relig- ious teachers are deeply imbedded in the common principles and common wants of man. Such is his intellectual and moral nature, that he imperatively demands religious teach- ing. No matter what the religion is, so long as conscience has a dwelling in the human bosom, there must be a class of men devoted to its services. So far as information goes there is no nation, nor tribe, nor any age of the world that has ever been utterly destitute of a class of men separated to sacred purposes. Paganism in its more degraded, as well as in its more enlightened and polished forms, down to the "Medicine man" of our own wilderness has its shrines, its sac- rifices and its priests. If man is not a religious being, he is certainly superstitious, believing in the supernatural, and demanding that some one should stand between him and the unseen forces whose influences he feels, but whose purpose he cannot understand. The voice of nature is strong, stronger than the "strong man armed." Ours indeed would have been a county worse than savage had not those men who felt the impulse from on high traveled to meet the need of their fellow men in the wild western homes.
Early Methodism in Highland county is a feature not to be over- looked in the study of its history. Schools were scarce, books were few, and the Methodist preacher with his hymn book and Bible was an important factor in the literature and religion of the country. "Our best history," says Emerson, "is still poetry." Doubtless this is true, for in our hymns and songs we find expression for our deepest feelings, the inmost soul of the times embalmed in music and made immortal. In songs and hymns we have preserved the loves and sorrows, the joys, the humors, and the domestic manners of by gone days. Reference has been made in these pages to James B. Finley, whose home was in Highland county, as one of the pioneer settlers of the county. After his conversion he preached to his old comrades in wickedness, commanding their respect and often leading them to espouse the cause of his Master. It is enough to say of him that he
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was a great and good man. While he was exceedingly wild and dis- sipated in his early manhood, his after years evidenced a wonderful change. The old Jim Finley had passed away, and a new man had taken his place. His life was full of earnest labor for the cause he loved and his presence in the county was a benefit and blessing to all.
Early in the autumn of 1805 the first regular Methodist meeting ever held in Highland county was at Fitzpatrick's. Peter Cart- wright and James Quinn were the regular circuit preachers, and William Burk was presiding elder. Of Peter Cartwright so much has been said and written that we would but repeat the utterances of others did we attempt a description of the man in person and char- acter. But the good people of Highland county, and especially the Methodists, would not excuse us did we not say something of this wonderful man. Numerous stories have been told of his eccentrici- ties, which the old man while living denied. At one time, complain- ing to a brother preacher about the matter, he was consoled with the reply, "that he deserved to have lies told on him for not writing out his life history himself, so that in coming years the church might treasure his memory and keep alive the history of his labor and toil." His ability as a preacher was such as to make him very useful to the church in her early struggles against the various obstacles that im- peded her progress. The older forms of Christian faith greatly opposed this new child of providence in the religious world, and sought by discussion and debate, violent and merciless, to drive her from the field. Cartwright was a strong man in debate, and was as fearless as a Spartan gladiator, ready for theological blows, or any other kind if the occasion demanded it. His early identification with Highland county Methodism was just suited to the condition and character of the times. His clothing was buckskin while on Highland circuit.
In 1807 Rev. James Quinn was sent back to Highland circuit for his second year. He was of the first of the itinerant preachers in the county, loved and venerated by all its people for his great worth, and earnest, loving, and watchful over the scattered flock of humble, devoted Christians. James Quinn spent the greater part of the prime of his life in southern Ohio, and when he felt the winter of his life closing round him, his fond recollections of the love and devotion of Highland friends led him to make the county his home, among the peaceful hills and valleys of his early charge. In 1820 he purchased a farm of one hundred acres in Union township, to which he removed his family. The house was the old fashioned hewed log, with stone chimney, to which he gave the name of "Rural Cottage". At this quiet home he died on the 1st day of December, 1847, aged seventy- two years. His parents were from Ireland, and were among the first settlers that crossed the mountains and settled at Maysville, at that time called Limestone. In his pioneer home he learned the charac-
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teristics of the noble pioneer race, and among them he learned the great truth of Christ and found the secret of a pure and happy life. He was admitted into the traveling connection of the Methodist Episcopal church by the Baltimore conference in May, 1799. He was then under twenty years of age, and was placed upon the Green- field circuit, Fayette and Washington counties, Pennsylvania. After some years of work in the Baltimore conference, at his own request he was transferred to the Western conference, which met at the church near Cynthiana, Ky., in October, and the second year he was sent with Peter Cartwright to the Scioto circuit, which embraced Highland county. He was returned the second year to the same work but with another helper. One who knew Quinn intimately says of him: "I distinctly recollect the advent among us of the Rev. James Quinn, so long and so favorably known to the people of Highland. His youthful and manly form, his fine expression and amiable face, calm and dignified, vet flushed with zeal in his Master's cause, a self-sacrificing and devoted itinerant preacher. He at first preached at old father Fitzpatrick's, and then came across the woods some six miles to visit our family. His manner and exterior gave assurance of a gentleman, and his first words of salutation were a passport to the confidence, regard and esteem of all. His visit was a pleasant and agreeable surprise to the younger members of the family, who felt at once the mesmeric influence of his mild persuasive language and unobtrusive worth. Such was the James Quinn, who lived to im- press indelibly his excellence and his virtues upon the hearts of all who lived under his ministry. He made an appointment to preach at our cabin, on his next round on his circuit, which was given out at the raisings and huskings throughout the settlements. It was quite a novelty and a stirring event in the neighborhood and at the speci- fied time he had a large and attentive audience. The costume of the young men and women was quite different from the prevailing fash- ions of the present day, and particularly in their manner and custom, when economy and frugality were virtues of necessity, and where none indulged the expense and luxuries of foreign merchandise. While Mr. Quinn remained, my brother, who had purchased a violin and was taking lessons from uncle Tom, who had all the fondness of his race for music, would often play while the evening hymns were sung."
John Shields, an Irishman, and a Methodist preacher, as well as a brick mason, came to Hillsboro and erected a home on Beech street. He seemed determined that Beech street should go ahead of all the rest of the town, and for a time he succeeded, for there were six houses on it west of High street. Shields donated part of the square for a Methodist church. This was the corner on the alley opposite the jail. On that ground was erected the first Methodist church in Hillsboro and of any denomination in the town. The church was a
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CHURCH HISTORY.
neat small frame and was erected in 1810. The first preaching in Hillsboro was by John Shields early in the spring of 1808 and con- tinued every Sabbath of the spring and summer of that year. The preaching was in the house of the preacher, who had, on coming to Highland, purchased a whole square north of the public square, between High and West streets, and south of Beech street. From their small frame building on Beech street, the Methodists of Hills- boro moved at an early date to their present site on Walnut street, where they now have a large and handsome church, with a pipe organ that cost about $10,000.
The first preacher in Highland county licensed to solemnize matri- mony was the Rev. Isaac Pavey, Methodist. This authority was granted October, 1808, as the records show. From the record we find that Abbot Godhard, a young Methodist preacher from Fox Creek, Kentucky, and the regular circuit preacher for Highland, who held by far most of his meetings at the neat and hospitable home of Fitz- patrick, was given authority to solemnize matrimony in Highland county. We have made some effort to find out more of this man's history, but without avail, but his general reputation and character was worthy his high calling and profession. In an old newspaper called the Home Circle, published at Nashville, Tenn., and edited by the Rev. L. D. Huston, is found a brief notice of the death of Rev. Abbot Goddard, which contains some facts of interest of this first preacher in Hillsboro: "Rev. Abbot Goddard was born in Virginia, 1785, and his parents removed to Kentucky when he was but an infant. He was converted to the Methodist faith at the age of eighteen and licensed to preach at the age of twenty-one. Goddard was one of the most remarkable men in the western pulpit forty years ago. He was a man of marked eccentricity, but always in solemn earnest, possessing a certain rugged, resistless, awful power, which we have seen in no other man. He died in the state of Illinois, in great peace, October 12, 1857."
Among the famous Methodist preachers of the past were the fol- lowing: Rev. John Meek, John Collins, James Quinn, G. R. Jones, James B. Finley, Isaac Quinn, William I. Elsworth, Moses Smith, James Morley, A. M. Lorain, George W. Walker, William Simmons, William H. Lander, Isaac I. Beale, Isaac Ebbert, Joseph M. Gotch, W. M. D. Ryan, Michael Marlay, William B. Christie, Allen T. Thompson, Joseph M. Trimble, George C. Crum, Samuel D. Car- othurs, and Stephen Merrill. Of all these Bishop Merrill is the only survivor. Many of these men were personally known to the writer, men of cultured minds and pure christian manhood, and some of them remarkable for their talents. Moses Smith was a writer of great strength and beauty. His published sermons are gems in thought and expression, while his volume on mental science will take rank
H-12
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THE COUNTY OF HIGHLAND.
with the productions of Hamilton, Cousin, Kant and others upon questions metaphysical. William B. Christie was another remark- able man, for his preaching ability and his pure and simple faith. He died at a comparatively early age, being overtaxed with labor which his constitution, never strong, finally sunk under. An old man told the writer of this sketch that at one time, while listening to William B. Christie preach, he distinctly saw a cloven tongue of fire above the preacher's head. While this might have been the result of an overwrought state of mind and feeling on the part of this man, he certainly thought he saw this wonder.
Rev. George W. Walker was a religious prodigy of such proportions that we can scarcely find any classification for him. He grew to young manhood without an education, not even being able to read or know the letters of the alphabet. Religiously inclined, and feeling in his heart the inspiration to preach, he determined to obtain an education. His first half day at school took him through his letters and the "a-b, abs" of the first part of the old time spelling book, and the second half of his first day he could read the simple words without aid from the teacher. His advancement was very rapid, to the won- der and astonishment of the whole school. Starting in the study of grammar after a few weeks at school, he requested the privilege of going out under the shade of a tree to study, as the noise of the school room disturbed him. In just one-half day he had committed the grammar to memory and recited to the teacher until the latter became frightened and declared he would hear no more. Before the term of school was ended the teacher informed him that he had taught him all he knew, and advised him to seek elsewhere for higher attain- ments. His book, entitled "The Philosophy of the Plan of Salva- tion," created a profound sensation. It appeared without the name of the author and the surmises were countless in regard to the unknown writer of such wonderful clearness and power. The book had a wonderful sale before the name of George B. Walker was asso- ciated with it as author.
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