The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 41

Author: W. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1880
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051

USA > Ohio > Miami County > The History of Miami County, Ohio > Part 41

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telescope ever possessed in this township, which was an object of wonder to his neighbors and their children. They would draw it out and view distant objects with wonder. He reared twelve children, of whom, not one is now a resident of this township, and only about half are living. In 1839, he removed to Indiana, where he died about twenty years ago. His neighbor and cousin, Thomas McCool, settled adjoining him on the west, about the same time ; he was a farmer also, but had in addition, a taste for office. He was accordingly repeatedly elected magis- trate for what was called the Creek nation. He settled many a controversy between them, if not with the wisdom of a Hale, at least with the dignity of a Mansfield. Some of these suits, conducted without attorneys, were most unique if not ludicrous in their character. One of these cases I must briefly notice. A man whom I will call I. F., known not only as the laziest man in the township, but most likely the laziest in the State, once rented a rather desolate little farm, which he had acquired in early times, to W. F., reserving a favorite apple-tree and little cabin as a resi- dence for himself. W. F.'s geese making a raid upon I. F.'s apples, the latter brought suit against the former to recover damages. The trial ended, the magis- trate rendered a verdict in accordance with the facts. which verdict was that W. F. pay to I. F., 6} cents damage, and each party pay his own costs. The laughter of the spectators can better be imagined than described. Squire McCool's chirog- raphy was somewhat like the late Senator Choate's, of Massachusetts, which is said to have resembled the track made by a spider crawling out of an inkstand. A transcript from McCool's docket once came to court which could not be deci- phered by the writer himself. He remained on his farm during the war, a firm believer in the doctrines of Abolition, after which he removed to Iowa, where he died.

Isaac Hasket, a pioneer noted for his great physical strength, came here about the same time as the preceding ; he came accompanied by his wife and child, the three having journeyed here from South Carolina on horseback. By trade Mr. Has- ket was a carpenter ; a barn, built by him in 1819, is still standing ; it is the property of Frederick Yount, and is probably the oldest in the township. Mr. Hasket moved several times, but in 1823 he settled permanently on Section 19, at the age of forty- five. He was the father of five sons and three daughters ; of these, Thomas is a prosperous farmer, living near his father's last residence, while John, the fourth son, has a farm which joins him on the west, and also a large amount of land in differ- ent places. Joseph, the fifth son, now resides in Indiana. With the help of his children, Isaac cleared a large farm and provided land for his children. He died in 1849, leaving a name which for honesty and sobriety cannot be excelled. Henry Coate, with his father and five brothers, came from South Carolina at about the date of the preceding, and settled on Section 6, on Ludlow's Creek. He was not only a farmer, but also a skillful blacksmith ; he did all the work required by the farmers, such as making trace-chains, hame-books, log-chains, mattocks, hoes, axes and sickles. The most important of all his shop productions were his sickles. In those early days, all grain, except oats, was cut by them, and to be provided with them was quite a requisite with the farmer. No livelier time was known to the farmer than when a company of merry reapers, falling into diagonal line, thrust their sickles into the teeming fields of golden grain. Much skill was required to reap with speed and neatness, and men prided themselves in the acquirement. The fields being laid off in regular two-handed lands, the work went on with order and pre- cision until the field was finished, when, if the farmer had no more, the reapers would go to his neighbors. From twenty-five to thirty dozen of wheat to the hand was a day's labor, and 50 cents per day was the price. For many years, Henry Coate's shop furnished sickles for the surrounding country, until they were nearly superseded by the scythe and cradle. During all this time, Henry Coate had the clearing of his lands and farming operations going on. He accumulated much land and money by his industry, and was able to give all his children a good start in the world. The names of them were Lydia, Isaac, Mary, Esther, Samuel, Rachel and Rhoda, all dead. When age had come upon Henry Coate, he gave up

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his trade, his business, and spent the residue of his life in quietude. Born about the year 1770, he had witnessed the terrors of the revolution when quite a boy. When a man, he assisted in opening up the wilderness and building up our country. Thrice married, he died in 1848, leaving a widow who survived him several years. His name is held in honorable remembrance by those who knew him.

The year 1808 experienced a revival of immigration, only part of which, however, swelled the weak settlements in this township. Among those who came about this time we may enumerate John Pearson, who, after following a romantic life for about two years, settled permanently near the south bank of Ludlow's Creek, in Union Township.

The greater portion of the foregoing list were the heads of families, and settled in this township prior to the year 1810. The States of South and North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee, all seem to be the reservoir from which flowed this almost unprecedented tide of emigration, which not only fed Union Township, but also Warren, Clinton, Montgomery and Miami Counties ; and, while it swelled the thin settlements of these counties, reflexively decimated almost to extinction the districts from which it flowed.

In evidence of this, we are informed that it extinguished two large Friends meetings, one in Georgia and one in South Carolina ; from which we conclude, and the facts confirm it, that this township was first settled by the Friends, or Quakers, hence giving rise to the soubriquet of Quaker Township, which it has by common consent received.

The stream of immigration seems to have exhausted itself during the years 1808, 1809 and 1810, after which it almost wholly ceased, and thenceforth the township received accessions principally from Pennsylvania and the New England States, which, in comparison to the Southern current, was very meager, diminishing, in fact, almost to complete cessation for several years, never fully regaining its former impetus. Subsequently, the war with England engaged the public mind and called out the whole energy of the nation, paralyzing the spirit of emigration. As a natural consequence, therefore, the southwestern, northeastern and northern portions of the township remained undisturbed and safe in the repose of nature.

The other portions of the township having been occupied, and the labor of clearing off little homesteads been accomplished, the inhabitants manifested no desire to leave them to erect new homes in the virgin wilderness ; therefore, so late as the year 1825, all the territory previously referred to remained a vast wilderness, uninhabited, save by its native denizens, who held forth in wild revel- ries in their gloomy solitudes.

STILLWATER.

In noting the various attractive features of a country that play an important part in rendering it habitable, and conduce to its settlement, we know of none more deserving of recognition in this township than the Stillwater ; and, as we have in our introductory remarks but cursorily alluded to it and its tributaries, we shall now endeavor to describe that portion of it within the limits of this township more definitely.

Stillwater takes its name from the sluggishness of its current, frequently appearing to be in a state of tranquillity, or so lazily moving along in a deep, unbroken volume, that its progress is almost imperceptible.

This beautiful stream enters Union Township near the northwest corner of the northeast quarter of Section 4, flowing southwesterly until it nears the center of the section, when slightly turning it divides, inclosing a long, narrow island ; re-uniting, it pursues its course toward the southeast till it approaches the corner of the section, when it takes a line nearly due south, which it continues nearly to the center of the southeast quarter of Section 9, where it takes a course a little south of east to the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of the section, when it flows south, slightly deflecting to the east, pursuing a meandering course

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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY.

till it reaches the center of the northeast quarter of Section 34, where it flows in a semi-circle ; dividing in its recurve it incloses an island, after which, uniting, it flows southwesterly out of the township, near the southwest corner of the south- east quarter of Section 34.

A peculiar characteristic of this stream is distinguishable in the fact that throughout nearly its entire course in this township, the left or east banks are lofty and abrupt, presenting a bold, rocky front to the water, while on the opposite side the land recedes for a considerable distance, nearly on a level with the river, when it gently rises and stretches away in undulating plains. As a natural con- sequence, therefore, all, or nearly all, the " bottom" lands are on the west side of the river.

Another beautiful stream deserving of mention in this connection is

LUDLOW'S CREEK,

which derived its name from one of the original surveyors of the public domain.

The Main, or North Branch of this stream takes its rise from the junction of two small creeks near the center of the northwest quarter of Section 11; thence flow- ing across the northwest corner of the northeast quarter of the same section, it passes east through the southern portion of Section 1; deflecting slightly south, it continues about a mile, when turning, after receiving the Southwest Branch, it flows meandering in a generally northeast course, and empties into Stillwater, near its entrance into the township.

LUDLOW FALLS.

The scenic features of this stream are its most prominent characteristics.

A short distance below the crossing of the Dayton and Covington pike, the stream glides along, gently plashing from ledge to ledge in its descent until it trembles on the brink of the precipice; then, leaping thirty feet over rocks whose dark heads are thrust through the foaming water, it bubbles and boils, then rushes on its mad career along the canon through whose rocky cleft we can trace the meandering course of the stream hewn from the solid rock ; cascade fountains within, a beautiful cedar grove and green ascending sward in the conservatory, with an outlook through the descending vista, along which the foaming stream finds its way still tumbling down-massive buttresses, and dark alcoves, in which grow beautiful mosses and delicate ferns, while springs burst out from the further recesses and wind in silver threads over floors of lime rock.

To these grand and beautiful combinations is attributable the almost con- stant influx of visitors during the pleasant seasons to this Niagara of Miami County.

RESOURCES.

The physical conditions of a country determine in an eminent degree the direc- tion of development, as well as the character of the people in so far as character is dependent upon occupation. In some localities we observe the full development of agricultural pursuits, in another pastoral, in a third manufacturing-all, to a great extent, influenced inceptively by the physical conditions of the locality. Chief among these are the numerous magnificent ever living springs located in this township, in the vicinity of Stillwater. Without trenching upon the general geology of the county, we may say in this connection, that these springs issue at the immediate outcropping of the Clinton limestone, which is overlapped by the Nia- gara. The vast surface of porous Niagara rock, many feet in thickness, receives the water as it percolates the drift, which grows deeper as it recedes, gradually sinking down until it reaches the impervious Clinton, and flows out over it to its outcropping as previously remarked.

Hence, the foregoing premises stand out as lucidly explanatory of the early manufactories, and the various directions of development the different branches of

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industrial pursuits have taken. The soil of this township is rich and productive, yielding abundant harvests of all the cereals and grasses, and possessing within itself all the chemical elements of regeneration.

By means of artificial drainage, such as tiling, etc., almost the entire town- ship has been utilized and brought up to a high state of cultivation, as is evi- denced by the many fine farms, splendid residences, blooded stock and heavy crops.

In addition to these, nature has deposited in this township untold riches in her quarries of limestone, suitable for quick-lime and all kinds of building.

Hydraulic, or water-lime, is also found in some localities. This is so called because it will set under water. It is composed of lime-clay, silica, or sand, and sometimes magnesia. But this will be treated of more at length in the general history of the county.

The gravel banks, afford ample material for the building of the many excellent pikes with which the township is intersected. Sand of excellent quality is also found in vast quantities in the drift.

Valuable timber of all kinds, such as oak, ash, sugar, maple-from whose sap great amounts of sugar and that boys' delight, " home-made molasses," was manu- factured-hickory, elm, walnut, poplar, beech, and many others, whose names will appear elsewhere.

The mast of the oak afforded a nutritious supply of food for the hogs, and the hickory-nuts and walnuts were the delight of the pioneer fireside during long winter evenings, when the huge back-log was rolled on, and the forestick placed upon stones in front, with space filled in between, and the cheerful, crackling blaze lighted up the whitewashed cabin wall. But with the influx of people and the rapidly expanding population, the timber is fast melting away, and not many gen- erations will have passed ere the once unbroken forests of this township will have disappeared, and in their stead waving fields of wheat and corn will be seen, and the Indian's wigwam and the pioneer's log hut will have given place to the stone mansion of completely developed civilization. Such, throughout the countless ages of the world, have been the transitions marked by the footprints of time.

PIONEER TIMES.

The ordinance, by Congress, of 1787, forever prohibiting slavery in the North- western Territory, while slavery was allowed to exist in the South, were the two principal reasons which caused at that time the great tide of emigration. The emigrants were anti-slavery in their character, and, though those from North and South Carolina passed through the fertile regions of Kentucky, where slavery existed, they would not stop there, but traveled on to the land of freedom west or northwest of the Ohio River. Continuing on above the settlements already made, many of them pitched their tents, as already stated, in Union Township, truly glad that their long and perilous journey was ended. They found here what they expected, and what the poet calls

" Dark, mephitic, tangled woods."

The first thing in order was, for those who were able, to select and purchase their lands. In those days, land could be entered only by the section, and that at $2 per acre, rendering it impossible for the poorer ones to buy themselves homes. The Government, however, allowed them, on paying 20 per cent down, to pre empt the land and pay the balance in four annual installments, without taxes, which conditions, if complied with, entitled them to receive from the Government a patent, or deed in fee simple, and then their lands were brought under taxation.

Those who were unable to enter a section of land would sometimes put their money together, enter the land in the name of one of the party, then survey and divide it. By this means the emigrants mostly obtained homes.

It was not long, however, until Congress reduced the price of its lands to $1.25 per acre, and also allowed the entry of quarter-sections, or 160 acres. In process of time, the downward sliding scale adopted by Congress allowed the entry or

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purchase of public lands to reach. the low amount of forty acres, but we think the lands in this township were taken before this law was enacted.

The next thing after purchasing homes from the Government was to make them such. Like the children of Israel, they found the land possessed (not so much by men, as in their case,) by the denizens of the forest, the bear, the wolf, the wildcat, the deer, the rattlesnake, with numberless minor inhabitants, who seemed disposed to hold it, if not by force, at least by the title of pre-occupancy. The writer well remembers hearing the terrific howling of the stealthy wolf at midnight, causing his hair to rise, and seeing the half-devoured carcasses of sheep that had become their prey in the pasture.

Simultaneously with the extirpation of wild animals came the erection of houses, stables, barns, and clearing away of forests for cultivation. The tools necessary for subduing the forests, and erecting their rude buildings, were at once brought into requisition. The chopping and hewing, or broad ax, the hand and crosscut saw, the mattock, the froe, the beetle or maul, and the iron and wooden wedges, were either brought along or procured for the occasion. The sight of the grand and lofty forest trees of gigantic proportions, with interlocking branches, with earth-hiding undergrowths, presented a scene appalling to any heart but those of the heroic pioneer. They came to conquer, and were no more dismayed than were Hannibal or Napoleon at the Alps looming up before them.

A common friendship and fellow-feeling pervaded the hearts of the first set- tlers. The first who had come and made a start (28 it was called), by living in their wagons until a tent or house was built, readily threw open their doors to those who followed, and assisted them also in making a start, the first object being, after selecting a site, to clear it off, erect a house for the family, and a stable for the horses. On such occasions, they made what were called " chopping frolics," the neighbors gathering in with their axes, crosscut saws, etc., and assailing the forest simultaneously with a most hearty good will. These scenes continued for many years, and were conducted with sport, animation and gayety. The writer remembers them during the years of long ago, being by them reminded of the description of the poet :

" Loud sounds the az, redoubling strokes on strokes, On all sides round the forest hurls her oaks Headlong, deep echoing groan the thickets brown. Then rustling, crackling, crashing, thunder down."

The fall of the forest giants would be attended by shouts of applause from the jolly wood-choppers, who proceeded immediately, if it was an ash, oak, hick- ory, poplar or black walnut of proper size, to work it into rails, stakes, boards or shingles. I may remark that but few shingles were made in those early times, the roofs being mainly constructed of clapboards, four feet long, upheld by rib-poles below, and kept to their places by weight-poles above. A mud-and-stick chim- ney, some eight or ten feet in width, would be joined at one end of the building on the outside, a suitable opening having been cut in the wall for it. The first ten feet of the chimney were joined to the house or hut, were built of cleft timber called slabs, being securely lined with stone laid in clay mortar. The upper part of the chimney was detached from the building, and made of riven sticks and clay mortar, being about three and one-half feet in width and two and one-half in thickness, reaching two or three feet above the roof to secure it against fire. The chimneys being considerably narrowed in at about ten feet distance from the ground, afforded a safe roosting place to poultry from the prowling wolves, and warm, comfortable quarters in winter; they even roosted on the chimney tops, enjoying the warm columns of air ascending from the covered fires. A friendly co-partnership appeared to exist between the chickens and their owners in this recognition of mutual rights, the latter enjoying the fire by day, and the former by night. Many a time did the toil-worn pioneer hear from his chimney's summit the clarion tones of the chanticleer ringing out upon the air, and telling him of approaching day.

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The industrious pioneer would obey the call, and quickly look around to see if any contributions had been levied upon him during the night by his wild neigh- bors the wolves and foxes ; if he found all safe he would consider himself fortu- nate.

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The cabins of those early days were about eight feet high by twenty or twenty-four in length, and eighteen or twenty in breadth, being somewhat larger than the one described by the poet as " The Hoosier's Nest " __

" In other words & Buckeye cabin, Just large enough to hold Queen Mab."

Containing from four to five hundred square feet, they at once answered the purpose of kitchen, dining-hall, bedroom, sitting-room and parlor. They often, particularly during the winter, contained the inevitable hand-loom for weaving both summer and winter apparel. In some cases the people had an upper half- story on their houses, which gave them much bed room.

Though it could hardly be said of these people as of some of old, that they loved darkness rather than light, yet so little appreciation had they of light that their windows were not only like angels' visits, few and far between, but small in dimensions, ranging from four to eight and nine panes to the window. The writer well remembers seeing a cabin, in which a family of seven or eight persons resided, having but one window, and that having but four panes or lights, all told; it was even deemed necessary to have it inclosed by a shutter, which was upheld by one hinge in its center, thus allowing it to swing somewhat awry. Instead of chests and bureaus, they had broad pieces of elm bark bent around in the form of lard- cans, in which they put such clothing as they had not room to hang upon the nails around the walls. It might be remarked that this house received additional light coming through its capacious chimney and fire-place; this, with the aid of the blazing fire, rendered the room not exactly one of darkness. Was not this primi- tiveness in its most primitive form ? Everything connected with this family-their education, thoughts, pastimes, costumes and aspirations was adapted to their mode of living. Being muscular and industrious, they cleared away the dense forests, killed deer and wild turkeys in abundance, wore deerskin breeches, and seemed to possess the philosophy of adaptation to condition and animal enjoy- ment. I would not have my readers believe that the above-described family was a sample of the early settlers in general, but only of those who were possessed by " forest philosophy.

Before finishing the history of the primitive cabins, I would tell something of the mode of cooking in them. Having described the chimneys, I must further state that a strong pole, called a lubber-pole, placed at a safe distance above the fire, reached across the fire-place; on this was suspended an iron pot-rack or trammel, composed of two parts, each about three feet long ; the upper part had a hook supporting it on the pole, with a clasp at the lower end, and a row of holes a few inches apart between. The other part had a catch at the upper end, and a hook at the lower. By means of the holes and catch, a sliding scale was estab- lished that enabled the cook to adjust the pot or kettle at the proper distance above the fire. The pot, kettle, Dutch oven, skillet and long-handled frying-pan constituted about all the cooking utensils of those primitive days. The grease or oil lamp, holding about a gill of lard or grease, with its curved handle, to which was attached a little bar, with hook, spike and wick-picker, thus allowing it to be hung or fastened to a crack in the wall, was then thought to be a cheap and valu- able substitute for the tallow candle. These lamps, when filled with oil, gave forth a brilliant light, superior to that of the candle; but when the oil was low, their light became dim and flickering.

Wood being handy and abundant in those days, the reader may well believe that, during cold weather, large fires were not wanting. Back-logs, such as would require two men to carry, would be placed against the back wall. Near each jamb would be placed either two large dog-irons or two large racks to hold up the

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The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 41

Author: W. H. Beers & Co. Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1051

Author: W. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1880
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051