USA > Ohio > Champaign County > The history of Champaign and Logan counties : from their first settlement > Part 12
USA > Ohio > Logan County > The history of Champaign and Logan counties : from their first settlement > Part 12
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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 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37
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himself down peaceably by the side of him, seemingly to guard him, until the child overcome with fatigue had closed his eyes to sleep. When he awoke in the morning, he found to his great joy that his company had deserted him. From this place he appears incapable of rendering any correct account of his further daily travels. We must make use of suppositions in some cases, and we think that we may, without violence to the truth, suppose that he continued his course down Mill Creek until he came to a house in the woods, supposed to have been a block-house, as the child states that it was full of holes; but as this was uninhabited by any hu- man being it afforded no assistance to his bewildered and grievous condition. From this place we have a right to conclude that he turned pretty much a northerly course, as his little footsteps were frequently found in that direction, especially on little Mill Creek. By this time the generous inhabitants appeared greatly alarmed for many miles round. They turned out in great numbers; en- deavoring to search every hole and corner of a large body of woods, in order, if possible, to rescue the distressed infant from perishing with hunger, or from the jaws of devouring beasts. We have a just right to conclude, from his situation, that he was daily over- whelmed with tears. He was frequently terrified by the sight of wild beasts; especially a large black creature that he saw on a log- supposed to have been a bear. Thus, through fear, sorrow, grief, and hunger, the infant passed on, between hope and despair. Sometimes he was afraid that he would never get out of that dreadful wilderness, but inevitably perish with hunger, or fall a prey to wild beasts. At other times the hope re- vived his spirits that he should find his own home, or some per- son's honse; which raised a fresh resolution to press through grievous thiekets of bushes, briers and fallen timber, which not only rent his clothes, but likewise his skin - sometimes climbing over, and sometimes creeping under the fallen timber, for about three or four miles - a country almost impassible for man or beast. This laborions travel in his exhausted state, we may well conclude, required more than manly resolution, yet he performed it. Not only had he to encounter hunger and fatigue, but cold and frosty nights, almost naked ; and the best shelter or lodging that he could obtain was a tree-top or a hollow log ; whilst stout men who sought him were well clothed, and had a good fire to lie
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down by, were complaining of being disagreeably cold; and in this deplorable condition, we may well conclude, that being over- whelmed with fears, and a number of days and nights being past, and when all hopes seemed gone, and he reduced to the utmost extremity ; then it was that the gracious. Eye that had regard to poor Ishmael, when cast under the shrub, and procured his relief, we may justly conclude hath not been wanting in respect to his fatherly regard, in preserving this infant, not only through hunger and cold, by day and by night, from savage beasts, as well as poi- sonous serpents! Here we may behold the tender mercies of a gracious God, who begets honor to himself by delivering to the uttermost those who have no help in themselves. For after he had permitted almost a multitude of sympathizing people to search for one whole week, with the utmost diligence, and until being almost ready to despair of ever finding the child, here the Lord saw proper to manifest, not only his great power, but his mercy and loving kindness, by opening a way where there ap- peared no way, and by his own gracious hand led this infant, not only out of a wilderness, but likewise into a house, and placed him in the midst of the floor before he was discovered by any hu- man eye, where a family dwelt, whose hearts we may justly con- clude the Lord had béfore prepared to receive him, and administer relief in the most tender manner, ( for such his afflicted state and condition required.) 'His clothes were all rent in strings, his skin severely torn with briers and bushes, his feet and legs much swol- len, and his body covered with mud. Here he found not cold- hearted strangers, but a tender-hearted father and mother, who used every means in their power for the child's restoration ! Here we have a plain instance that the Lord can save, though all the wisdom and power of man fail. We may justly say with one for- merly, " What shall we render to the Lord for all his benefits ?" We have likewise witnessed that saying fulfilled : "Though trou- ble may come over night, joy may spring in the morning." This we think may be very aptly suited to the present circumstance - for, after a long night of laborious and fruitless hunting, they found the lost child in the house-floor. The joyful tidings flew on eagle's wings-every heart rejoiced -the people flocked in from every quarter to see the supposed "dead alive, and the lost found." Justly may we suppose that many had the following language in their hearts, if not in their mouths: "Great and marvelous are
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thy works, O Lord ! Just and true are all thy ways, thou King of Saints !" Here is not only a miracle in bringing the infant safely through various extremities, but placing him by his wisdom un- der the most tender care. After the rapture of joy and loud accla- mations of the people were a little over, that kind man, Samuel Tyler, could not rest until he took his horse and conveyed the joyful news of the infant being found to his parents. We must now return to the child, when S. Tyler left him in the care of his tender wife, Margaret, and the other kind people of the neigh- borhood, who used every means in their power to relieve him from the weak state to which hunger and fatigue had reduced him. His elder brother who had exerted his utmost endeavors, sparing no pains in seeking after him, returned with Samuel Ty- ler and partook of a rich feast of joy in having his brother to con- vey safely home to his disconsolate parents, which he thought amply compensated him for all his toil - and his parents, like the parable in the Scriptures of the return of the lost sheep, find more joy in receiving the lost child, than in all the rest that went not astray : and we have no doubt that the public in general have been made partakers in a great degree of the same joy ; and es- pecially those who witnessed the labor of both body and mind for the relief of the child. The distance that the child was from its home cannot be correctly ascertained; but his elder brother and many others who have been several times across the wilderness to the place where he arrived, near the mouth of Bough's Creek, on the Scioto River, in Delaware County, judge that it is 20 miles on a straight line; but taking the meanderings, we conclude he must have traveled one hundred miles.
Seeing that good may be brought out of evil, and joy from af- fliction, who knows but our Heavenly Father has intended the present instance of this bewildered child for an alarming lesson of alvice to all who may hear of the circumstance. Let them take into consideration the manner in which this child first rambled from his father's house and through a careless indolence what danger, grief and distress he had brought on himself. The dan- ger of never seeing his father's house again; the danger of perish- ing with hunger; and the danger of being stung by poisonous serpents. Here we have a lively instance of what grievances we may bring on ourselves, for want of a more diligent watch over our steppings along in a temporal sense, which might terminate
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with our lives-but if we should take it in a spirtual sense, and ask ourselves the serious question : Have I not been straying from my Heavenly Father's house and exposing myself to a great Spiritual danger ? The one mistake is only for Time; but the other for an endless Eternity. O! then, may the above instance awaken us into as diligent a search into the state of our souls, as has been inade for the recovery of the lost infant.
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The Lost Child.
ET old and young regard the hand Which sways the sceptre o'er the land, That guards our steps in all our ways, In childhood and in riper days.
This hand upheld the wandering boy, So that no foe could him annoy- When far removed from human aid, In deserts wild he wandering stray'd.
When friends and parents grieving sought, The Lord for him deliverance wrought- And when all search and toil was vain, He brought him safely home again.
Then let it be our daily prayer, While objects of his holy care, That we grow better day by day, And learn to watch as well as pray.
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CONCORD MILLS.
M. ARROWSMITH.
DECEMBER 4, 1811 .- Concord Mills, three miles west of Urbana, has been the place of my abode for the last forty years. My par- ents emigrated from Mason Co., Kentucky. They left on the 3d of December, 1801, seventy years yesterday. They arrived at the place (four and a half iniles west of Urbana) the same month, where they spent the balance of their days.
I was born at their homestead January 16, 1806. Have never lived out the county except on transient business. There are a few men only that were born in the county and spent their lives in it that are older than I. About the time of my entrance into the world (I have been informed) the Indians manifested a hostile disposition toward the white people.
When six weeks old it was rumored that they were collecting in large numbers with the intention of massacreing the white people; consequently the latter became alarmed and for mutual protection, (or rather as has been expressed to be convenient for the Indians to do their bloody work without having the trouble of hunting them at their different homes) collected together. Then Col Ward, Col. McPherson and Simon Kenton volunteered to go and see the Indians. They found them on the Miami, at the mouth of Stony Creek, one mile below 'he village of DeGraff, Logan county. There were 700 warriors with Tecumseh at their head, painted with the war-paint. In making their business known to them, Kenton told them that if they were for war all that they asked of them was to say so; "For," said he, "we have a plenty of men to meet you." The Indians called a council of their chiefs that were present, and after consultation re turned the answer "that they were for peace."
A little incident occurred while the y were with the Indians. A few years prior to that time there was an Indian called at Demint's
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(now Springfield, Clark county, ) for something toeat. an I for sobre unknown cause Mrs. Damint refused to give him anything. Whereupon he abused her. Kenton hearing of it "00" after, and having six men at hand, ordered each one to give the Indian a certain number of lashes with hickory withes, which were well laid on. The fellow left and had never been syen by Kenton until their interview at the time referred to. The fellow looked suiky; would notso much as notice them. Kenton observing him, invi- ted his comrades out, stated to them his condition, andIthit hy het nothing to defend himself with if he was attacked vy the wily fellow. One of them had a dirk and gave it to Kenton. They then returned among the Indians. Kenton carrying the weapon in his hand, would strike it into the trees as he walked along a4 though he was willing to engage in mortal combat with a foe. When the Indian saw that he was prepared in that manner to meet him, he approached Kenton manifesting much friendship, by pre- senting his hand saying, "Me velly good fliend."
I have seen in the Citizen and Gazette, that you wanted the names and other items of the early settlers of this part of the country. I can give some of them, but not the exact time of the settling. Having heard my parents and contemporaries tell of many, I can therefore name some of them, and after giving the names of a few that I believe were the first to squat down on the frontier, will class others as near as I can by half decades.
The bottom-lands of Madriver and creeks were occupied first, which includes the eastern part of Madriver Tp., in which was the place of my nativity, and in the northeast part of the township. I will name Wm. Owens as the first settler in the township. He came, I should think, in 1797 or 1798, but am not positive.
Next will commence with those at the lower part of the town- ship, as they occur to me : Thomas Redman, Joseph Turman, Wm. Rhodes, Joseph Reynolds, Mr. Clark, Thomas Pierce, Ezekiel Ar- rowsmith (my father), Elisha Harbour, Henry Pence, Abram Pence, Abram Shockey, John Wiley, Joseph Diltz, Adam Wise, Thomas Kenton, Christian Stevens, Wm. Kenton (my grandfather) and two sons-William and Mark, Thomas Anderson, Henry Newcomb, Wm. Custor, Hugh McSherry and John Norman, who built about the first grist mill which was on Nettle creek, where B. Wyant's mill is at this time. Norman placed a slight obstruction in the channel of the creek, where he had a wheel for the water to.
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flow against, and a little primitive gearing set in motion a small stone that he formed out of a boulder that he picked up on hi- land. When he got his mill to running, he would fill the hopper in the morning, start it to work, and then he would leave to en- gage in other labor until noon, when the mill would get his ser- vices again by replenishing the hopper with grain, and filling the sacks with meal or cracked corn to the same height that thex were with corn, he having made a hole in the sack with a bodkin before emptying them.
Will resume with names of early settlers. There are others perhaps that came before 1806, but are included in the first decade. George and John Steinberger, Thomas Runkle (tanner), John Pence, Philip C. Kenton, George Faulklit. W m. Bacom, Henry Bacom, John Taylor, (Nettle Creek,) Arnold Custar, Abram Custar, Archibald McGrew, Sen., Wm. McGrew, Matthew McGrew, Archibald McGrew, Jun., Wm. Custar, James Scott, Christian Hashbarger, Mr. Colbert, Sen., John Colbert, Peter Smith, Daniel Pence, John Whitmore, Adam Kite, Charles Rec- tor, Conoway Rector, Samuel Rector, Joseph Reynolds, Jun .. Réuben Pence.
I turn to an old record of Sec. 16 of the Township, in connection with those who supported the school. John Moody, George Bos- well, Thomas Jenkins, Joel Jenkins, George Ward, Ezekiel Bos- well, John Logan, Wm. Stevens, Ephraim Robison, Wm. McGinness, Valentine Miller, Curtis M. Thompson, John Haller, John Hamilton, Archibald Hosbrook, Abraham Stevens, Caleb> Baggs, Wm. Baggs, James Baggs, Martin Idle, John Idle, Jacob Idle, Daniel Loudenback, Daniel Snyder, Jacob and Frederick Tetsler, Henry Evilsizer, James Stevens, Robert Mckibbon, Reuben Loudenback, William Jenkins, William Harper, (Bapti-t minister), Nathan Darnall, Jacob Arney, George Bacon, Levi Rowz, John Rowz, Luther Wait, Elijah Standiford, Ist a hockey William Colgan, Frank Stevenson, Henry Phillips, Ehjay Koger- Zachariah Putman, John Taylor (fiddler), Shadrack D. Northout, William Blue, Richard Blue, Andrew Blue, Samuel Blue, Joshua; Darnall, Elijah Bell, Peter Baker, Sen., Robert Underwood, Wil liam Salsbury, William Mitchel ( Water Witch), Cornelius Blue Lewis Pence, David Loudenback, James Kenton, Abraham Cnup- bell, George Zimmerman, Daniel Pence, Jun., Jame- Sins, Joseph Sims, Benjamin Kite, Emmanuel Kite, Adam Prince. There are
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many others I have not named. Some have sunk into oblivion. You will receive information from others and in compiling can cull from the above if you find anything worthy of a place in your work.
DECEMBER 20t h 1811 .- Since writing at a former date I have thought of a thing or two that is known by but few of the present generation, which I feel like rescuing from oblivion, viz :
A FORTIFICATION IN MAD-RIVER TOWNSHIP.
I said above that the Indians manifested a hostile disposition about the year 1806 which continued up to the war of 1812. To the best of my recollection it was in 1807 that the settlers in the valley on the north side of the township, from their exposed con- dition ty the savages, erected a fort by enclosing about one-fourth of an acre with buildings and pickots. It was erected at the resi- dence of Thomas Kenton on the s. w. qr. sec. 12. t. 4. r. 11. It was quadrangularin form. His two cabins stood about ten feet apart. The space between was to be used as an inlet for any needed pur- pose and protected with a swinging gate inade of split timber. Those pickets were made of split logs planted in the ground and reaching ten or twelve feet high. These flat sides (for they were doubled) were placed together, thus shutting the joints completely, formed the north side. The east and west sides were made with log buildings, the roofs slanting inwards and high enough on the inside for a door way into then. On the out side about the height of the inner eave was a projection sufficient to prevent the enemy from climbing up, and a space of a few inches was left be- tween the lower wall and jut that could be used for port holes in case the Indians were to come to set fire to the buildings or any other purpose. There was one building about the center of the south side and the other spaces were closed with pickets. There was a well of water within the enclosure. Fortunately, it was, that they never had need of using it for the purpose for which it was erected.
We little fellows of that day were taught to regard the Indians as our natural enemies, for the most of our parents had been reared on the frontiers and many of them had had some experience in the wars with them, and the minds of those that had not were fully imbued with the same way of thinking.
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In those early days an Indian came to Thomas Kenton to buy a horse. His horses were out, running at large, as was the custom at that time. They went together to hunt them, and when they found them my father's horses were with them and one-a fine young horse for that day-took the Indian's eye. He would not even notice any of the others. After enquiring who he belonged to he came to my father to see if he would sell him, and what was his price. Father asked $80. He offered $70. After parleying a while the Indian held up both hands seven times and one hand once, and on that proposition they traded. He had but $74 to pay down but promised to be back at a certain time to pay the other, which he did at the time promised. This is written to show that there was honor and honesty with the Indians.
About 1818 it was a common thing for the Lewistown Indians with their families to come to this neighborhood in the summer. They would make camps covered with bark in some pleasant shady grove where their squaws and pappooses would stop. The men would hunt deer or lie about their camp. Their squaws were generally busy making or peddling their baskets among the peo- ple around about for something to eat. Amongst them on one of their visits was an old acquaintance of my father's, by the name of Cold water. He came to our house to buy some bacon on credit, and promised to pay at some time in specie, for he said he had specie at home. At that time the banks, or inany of them, had failed ; so it was necessary in dealing to have it understood what kind of money was to be used in the trade. They got the bacon, but unlike the other Indian never paid for it. Those two Indians exemplified an old gentleman's expression when speaking of the different religious denominations, "I hope that there are good and bad amongst all of thein."
The first religious meeting in the neighborhood was held at my father's by a young methodist minister, which was before my time, James Davison, brother of the late D. D. Davison. He after- wards settled in Urbana and engaged in the practice of medicine, and died in 1816.
Amongst the first methodist preachers I can name, were Hector Sanford, Saul Henkle, Moses Trader, Moses Crume, H. B. Bascom, and David Sharp. There were others in the regular work. In the local work, I remember James Montgomery, Nathaniel Pinckard, Joseph Tatman, Martin and Samuel Hitt, Robert Miller, --- Tru- itt. Baptist, John Thomas, John Guttridge, Moses Frazer, Sen., Cotterel. The above named ministers occasionally preached, but did not reside here.
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ZANE TOWNSHIP, LOGAN COUNTY.
The following is the vote at the first election in Zane township, in 1806, copied from the Poll Book, now in my possession, spelling as found there :
JUDGES, James McPherson, George M. Bennett, Thomas Antrim.
CLERKS, Thomas Davis, Henry Shaw.
Certified by William McColloch, J. P.
NAMES OF ELECTORS.
Jiles Chambers,
Isaac Zane,
John Stephenson,
William McCloud,
Matthew Cavanaugh,
Job Sharp, Jeremiah Stansbury, · Samuel McColloch, Edward Tatman, James Frail, William McColloch,
Abner Cox, Alexander Suter,
Isaac Titsworth,
John Tucker,
William C. Dagger,
John Fillis, Sen.
Arthur Mc Waid, John Lodwork, Henry Shaw,
George Bennett,
Carlisle Haines,
Thomas Davis,
Samuel Sharp, John Sharp,
Daniel Phillips,
Thomas Antrim,
Charles McClain,
James McPherson,
John Tilis, Jr Daniel Tucker.
John Provolt,
CANDIDATES VOTED FOR IN 1806 IN ZANE TOWNSHIP, THEN CHAM- PAIGN COUNTY, NOW LOGAN COUNTY. .
James Pritchard, for Congress. John Starett, for Representative ( Legislature ). George Harlin, for Senate ( Legislature ).
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William Ward, for Senate ( Legislature ).
Richard Thomas, for Senate ( Legislature ). John Daugherty, for Sheriff.
Daniel Mckinnon, for Sheriff.
Joseph Layton, for Commissioner.
John Lafferty, for Commissioner.
William Powell, for Coroner.
Solomon McColloch, for Commissioner.
" It will be remembered that at this time Zane was included in Champaign County, and extended to the Lakes.
NAMES OF FIRST SETTLERS
Not found in the above list, in Zane Township.
· Job Sharp, came from -, 1801.
Joshua Balenger, Sen., came from New Jersey, 1806.
Daniel Garwood, came from Virginia, 1806.
Abraham Painter, came from -, 1809.
Robert Branson, came from , 1809.
Abisha Warner, came from New Jersey, 1809.
Jesse Downs, came from -, 1814.
John Warner came 1807, a soldier in Wayne's army. John Inskeep, Sen., came 1805, from Virginia.
The above gentleman was elected to the Legislature in 1816, and in conjunction with Gen. Foos, then a member of that body, pro- cured the division of Champaign into two counties; Logan and Clark.
I would just say Gen. Foos is the father of Lewis Foos and grandfather of John Foos, Jr., both of Bellefontaine. He has three sons in Springfield, Ohio-William, Gustavus, and John.
Joshua Inskeep, came 1807, from Virginia.
Job Inskeep, Sen., came 1816, from Virginia.
Dr. John Elbert, came 1811, from Maryland.
Waller Marshall, came 1810, from Kentucky.
Thomas Segar came 1811 from Baltimore. John Sharp. Sen., came 1803 from Virginia.
Jonathan Haines, came 1808 from New Jersey. Thomas Antrim, came 1803 from Virginia. Robert Ray, sen., came 1806.
Joseph lay, son of the above, came 1806.
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Moses Euans, came 1806, soldier of Revolution.
Joseph and Wm. Euans, sons of the above, came 1806. John Cowgill, came 1807.
Samuel Balenger, came 1810.
Joshua Balenger, son of the above, came 1810.
John Balenger, brother of Joshua, 1810.
Wm. Asher, came 1808.
John Asher, son of the above, came 1808.
Josiah Outland, came from North Carolina 1806. He had 16 children by one wife; 11 boys and 5 girls. All lived to be men and women. Boys all farmers and plowed their own land and occupied a respectable position in society.
.
Joseph Curl, Sen., came from Virginia, 1809.
Joseph Curl, Jr., came from Virginia, 1809.
Joseph Stratton, Sen., came 1810. Joseph Stokes, Lieut. in war of 1812, came 1808. James Stokes, came 1808.
FIRST SETTLERS IN JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP.
Dr. James Crew was one of the first physicians in the country --- he wasa member of the Legislature. He will long be remembered by his fellow-citizens.
Martin, Samuel, Robert, and David Marmon, came 1806. John Brown, came 1806.
Henry Newsom, colored, (first in the county,) came 1806. Jeremiah Reams, came 1807, soldier in war of 1812.
For other names in this township see first election, 1806, found elsewhere in this work.
Monroe Township.
Robert Frakes came from Kentucky 1810.
Nathan Gilliland from Virginia 1810.
Samuel McColloch came 1803.
The Rev. George McColloch, son of the above, came 1803.
Samuel McColloch was the first Representative to the Legisla- ture from this county-then Champaign county.
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Thomas Athy came 1809 ; drummer in the war 1812.
Zabud Randel came from New York 1810.
George Moots came from Pennsylvania 1809. Conrad Morts came from Pennsylvania 1809. Charles Moots came from Pennsylvania 1809.
George Green came from Kentucky 1810.
Wm. Williams, Henry Williams and Obadiah Williams, came from Virginia, 1814.
Jacob Johnson, came from Kentucky, 1811.
The above gentleman had 6 sons, 4 of whom are preachers. Jacob, John and William Paxton, brothers, came about 1814. Nicholas Pickerel, first Sheriff Logan county, came 1813. Henry Pickerel came 1813.
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