USA > Ohio > Champaign County > The history of Champaign and Logan counties : from their first settlement > Part 19
USA > Ohio > Logan County > The history of Champaign and Logan counties : from their first settlement > Part 19
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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
James Cooly, E -. , of Urbana, was appointed Prosecuting Attor- · ney, Nicholas Pick-rell Sheriff, and Samuel Newell, Clerk pro. tem. The first County Commissioners were Robert Smith, Solomon McColloch and William McBeth ; they met at Bellville, April 14, 1818 ; on the 23d they appointed Martin Marmon, County Treasurer, and on the 25th Thomas Thompson, County Recorder. The fees of County Treasurer for 1819, amounted to the sum of $20,80.
The committee appointed to examine and establish a site for the location of the county-seat of Logan county, agreed in 1818 to locate it on Mad river about two miles below Zanesfield, on Solomon Mc- Colloch's farm and some adjoining lands, but upon examination some doubts arose as to the validity of the title to said land, much prejudice existing at that time against the Virginia Military Land titles, in consequence of the frequent litigation which had grown ont of them. Consequently in 1819 that location was set aside, and the location permanently fixed on the lands of John Tullis, William Powell and Leonard Houtz, on what was called Congress land. On December 28. 1819, this action was reported to and approved by the court, and Solomon McColloch appointed Director of the town of Bellefontaine, the name of the new county-seat.
The proprietors of the land agreed to donate to the county every alternate lot in the town, and also a block of the size of four lots "for building a court-house upon, and one of the same size in the north east corner of the town, the north half of which was to be
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used for a burying-ground and the south half for the purpose of building meeting houses upon." In the fore-part of 1820, Solomon McColloch, director, surveyed and laid off in lots the town plat ; there were 248 lots, and he received from the proprietors deeds for the public square above mentioned, and all the even-numbered lots, according to the agreement. In the summer of the same year these county lots were advertised for sale, and many of them sold at pub- lic auction. The two lots which brought the highest price were : No. 140 immediately north of the public square, for $430, and No. 108 opposite the northwest corner of the square, (now called the Rutan corner) for $305. In June, 1820, the County Commissioners -deeming it unadvisable to build a temporary court-house on the public square appropriated for a permanent one-contracted to have a frame building put up on lot No. 142, in which to hold the courts till a proper house could be built on the public square, but for va- rious causes they failed to get it finished until 1823. It was finished by Vachel Blaylock in that year. Its size was 36x24 feet, two stories high, and is the same building which is the north end of the Union House, now occupied as a hotel by Capt. John B. Miller. The courts were not held in Bellville but a few terms, for soon after the location of the permanent county-seat at Bellefontaine, they were removed to the private residence of John Tullis, one of the proprietors of the town, who lived in a log house near the south- west corner of the town, immediately east of the railroad engine house. In this house the courts were held until 1823, when they were removed to the new frame house above spoken of, where they remained till the completion of the brick court-house on the public square, which was recently torn down, demolished and removed to make room for the new and splendid court-house now in course of erection.
The town of Bellville has long ceased to exist as a village ; it is now partly a corn field and partly a pasture, in which are many forest trees. The first jail in the county was built on the public square, near the north east corner, on the ground now occupied by the present stone and brick jail which is shortly to be taken down. It was built several years previous to the erection of the brick court-house. Although it was a wooden structure, a prisoner would perhaps have found it as difficult to break out of as any in the State, in any other way than by the grated door. The walls were of logs, hewn about 15 inches square, neatly dove-tailed at the corners.
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Outside of this was another wali all around, of the same material, and put up in the same manner, leaving a space between the two walls of about 10 or 12 inches which was filled up with loose stones. The floors above and below, were of logs of the same size, but of only one thickness.
Some few prisoners were confined in this jail, even before it had a roof, except some loose plank laid upon poles. The Square around at that time, was a thicket of brush, undergrowth, and forest trees. The contract for building the brick Court-house was made September 9, 1831. The stone and brick was awarded to Wm. Bull, for $900, and he received an extra $150 for a few courses of cut stone above ground which had not been provided for in the original contract. The wood work was awarded to John Wheeler and George Shuffleton for $1,000. All the contractors were citizens of this town at the time. The house was built in 1832, and fin- ished in 1833, in the latter part of which year, the courts were first held in it. September 11, 1831, the contract to build the two brick offices north and south of the Court-house, was awarded to Captain William Watson for $650. They were built in 1833, and torn down and removed at the same time that the Court-house was; viz : in 1870.
The contracts for building the new Court-house now in the pro- cess of erection on the site of the old one, were awarded in 1870 as follows, viz : 1. The entire mason work to Rouser, Boren & Co., of Dayton, for the sum of $28,168.80. 2. The cut stone work to Webber & Lehman of Dayton, for $20,000. 3. The entire carpen- ter work (including tiling, clock and bell) to Harwood & Thomas of Cincinnati, for $13,600. 4. The galvanized iron and tin work to W. F. Gebhart of Dayton, for $7,644.60. 5. The entire wrought and cast iron work to D. S. Rankin & Co., of Cincinnati, for $23,- 000. 6. Painting ond glazing to Wiseman and Hays of Cleveland, for $5,132.69. 7. Heating and ventilation to Peter Martin of Cin- cinnati, for $6,507.80. 8. Plumbing and gas fitting to Thos. A. Cosby of Cleveland, for $1,419.09. Total on Court-house, $105,598 .- 08. The contract for building the new Jail on lot No. 159, east of the Public Square, was awarded to Rouzer & Rouzer of Dayton, for $27,895.
PIONEER SKETCHES.
BY WILLIAM HALLER.
John Haller, my father, was a native of Pennsylvania, but went to Kentucky about the year 1796, when quite a young man. He was a spare, active man ; weight, about 135 pounds, auburn hair, medium complexion, of great energy and ingenuity. My mother was a Virginian, and was brought to Kentucky in childhood. Father and mother were married in 1798, but mother died when I was a youth. About 1796 my father came to Ohio, in company with others, on foot, to look at the country, then an Indian wilder- ness. He was delighted with the rich valleys of Miami and Mad- river. In 1807 he again explored the Madriver valley. I well re- member how well pleased he was with the country, and he pro- posed to emigrate ; but the war cloud was gathering between this and the mother country, and he with others hesitated, as it was certain that the savages would unite with the British and resent the intruding pale-faced emigrants. Bat, finally, my father re- solved to brave the danger, and in October 1812 bade adieu to Ken- tucky soil and friends, and landed in Urbana, then of but few inhabitants. Here he followed his trade of blacksmithing until 1814. He bought land, and settled near the mouth of Nettle Creek, still following his trade, and was the only smith that tempered edge tools in these parts. Axes could not then be bought as now. My father could make a good ax, an indespensible article in this timbered country. His fame spread through the Buck Creek coun- try, up the Miami about Sidney, on Lost Creek, among the Hun- ter's and Enoch's near West Liberty, and on the west side of the river, the Kavanaugh's, and Beard's, and Fuson's, and all inter-
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vening settlements. At about forty-tive years of age he joined the M. E. Church, and was rigid in the observance of discipline. He opposed the use of alcoholic drinks, nor would he suffer such in anything about the house or on the place. He filled the office of Justice of the Peace a number of years. He finally sold here, and settled near Defiance, where he died very triumphantly.
Land was sold in tracts of 160 acres, in payment of $80 at entry, and payments annually until all paid ; but if not all paid, the land was forfeited to the Government. This being an Indian country, very few moneyed men would risk life of self and family among cruel savages. The emigrants were mostly men of no means, and those were men of wonderful nerve, beyond civilization, among barbarous savages, a dense forest to hew out, and no means, with all the liabilities incident to emigration. Let our kid-gloved ladies and gentlemen of the present day think what their fathers and mothers endured ! But they had the grit. Don't be ashamed of them ; they were the highest type of our race.
As early as the first of the present century, some families emigra- ted to what is now Madriver township, and settled on land-, and paid the first installment, and commenced building and clearing. Having to clear first, then make the money out of the product- of the soil to pay for the land, is it strange that some failed, as they did, and lost all the money paid-their improvements and land be- sides ! As great injustice as was ever practiced by any Govern- ment to her subjects.
Perhaps but few countries were settled under greater disadvan- tages ; but the fine soil and climate were very inviting to home seekers, and they came. We now call attention to some of these noble families : William Ross, Charles Rector and Christopher Weaver, settled just above Tremont. These were from Kentucky. Rector and Ross were brothers-in-law, and settled in the rich val- ley of Madriver. Ross was of medium stature, and had wonderful strength and endurance. Rector was larger, was also strong and very hardy. These men and families were fitted for new country life, and were valuable Christian men and families. One of Rer- tor's sons lives near the old homestead, and is a valuable Christian man. Weaver settled on the banks of Stones Creek, just above the Madriver valley ; a man of fine stature, an upright Christian man ; and one of his sons lives in Urbana now, very aged, has ac-
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quired great wealth, and is one of the finest financiers of Urbana. The above three men, Ross, Rector and Weaver, came here about the first of the present century, and were silvered with gray when I first knew them. Weaver had camp-meeting on his land many years.
One Thomas Redman settled just above the falling springs; he had located, but before the war of 1812, retraced his steps back to Kentucky.
One Terman settled just up the valley, but sold to John Pence at a very early day. Pence built a grist-mill on Nettle Creek, but finally sold to Louis Pence and went west. He came from Vir- ginia ; and so did William Runkle, afterwards Judge Runkle, who was a tanner by trade, a very kind neighbor, and had an excellent wife and family, none of whom are in this country now.
William Owens settled on Nettle Creek in 1797 or 1798, and was remarkable for eccentricity, but died in middle life. Abram Shocky was from Kentucky, settled on Nettle Creek and built a saw mill, and was the most remarkable man in some respects that I ever knew. He was sandy complexioned, muscular in form, about 175 pounds weight, and certainly the greatest pedestrian that was ever in the State if not in the United States. He was a near neighbor, and I have seen him start with a company of good trotting horses and keep ahead. One circumstance will illustrate his walking abilities. There was a tract of land not far off that was well timbered with poplar, belonging to Uncle Sam. Shocky was hauling to his mill. One evening, as he was coming in with a log, Judge Runkle met and said to him, "You cannot haul any more logs from that land, for I have sent Jo. Sims to Cincinnati this morning to enter it." The next morning as Sims was going to Cincinnati, he met Shockey going home. Then Shockey re- vealed to him that he had entered said land. Circumstances con- firmed the fact, and Sims and Shockey went home together, one on foot, the other on horseback.
This Sims was a Kentuckian, and as stout as any in Madriver township, then or sines; å lean, broad-shouldered man of about 220 pounds weight. Henry and Abram Pence were among the early emigrants from Virginia. They were Baptists, and were good, consistent men, and were a nucleus around which formed a flourishing Baptist Church. They were good neighbors, and died
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full of years, and in death exemplified the power of grace to save in a dying hour. Abram was remarkable for honesty. One of his daughters lives near, and a son on part of the old homestead, pos- sessing much of their father's qualities.
Some farther up Nettle Creek there was a neighborhood of Shen- andoah Valley Virginians. The Wiants, Kites, Loudenbacks, Runkles, Normans, and Jinkenses, many of them valuable citi- zens and generally the stoutest, hardiest men that settled from any country. John Wiant was a tanner, and was master of his trade ; consequently was highly useful in his day. Some of his sons are fine business men, and one is a very talented Baptist Minister.
Thomas Kenton (Simon Kenton's nephew,) and Ezekiel Arrow- smith were brothers-in-law. Kenton was a native of Virginia ; Arrowsmith of Maryland, but lived a time in Kentucky ; in 1801 he came to the Madriver valley. Kenton was a good-sized, well- made man-a man of great endurance and energetic industry. Perhaps the first election held in the township in 1805 was held in his house. He lived to a great age. Arrowsmith was slender, rather tall and active when young. With this family I connec- ted. There were five boys and four girls living when I became acquainted with them, and thirty years acquaintance gave me a fine opportunity to know them, and when together, I think they were as agreeable a family as I ever knew. Arrowsmith's wife was Simon Kenton's niece; and all that knew her will bear me witness, that she was among the kindest women that ever lived. All the Kenton family were remarkable for strength of memory, and the above-named Thomas Kenton seemed never to forget anything that he had known. These were valuable citizens, and the first Methodist society which was organized in this part of the township, met at Ezekiel Arrowsmith's, and his house was a place of preaching for many years.
Archibald McGrew came from Pennsylvania, and settled on a fine tract of land. He was. a well-made, stout, hardy man, and lived to a great age, and aided in the improvement of the country.
Christian Stevens came to Ohio from Pennsylvania, and in- tended to purchase land where Zanesville now stands, but the town site was fixed on his choice, and he left abruptly and went to Ken- tucky, and stayed there about two years, then came to this part of Ohio. He was a Methodist, and he opened his house as a place for preaching, and there I joined the church fifty-three years since.
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Elisha and Wm. Harbour were Virginians, but came to Ohio among the first settlers. They were valuable citizens. I lived by them many years, and more honest men I never knew.
I will now speak of Rev. Robert McFarland, of publie notoriety, who came to Ohio in the year -. He was a lean, slender man, dark complexioned, black hair ; weight about 155 pounds when in middle life. He was called an exhorter, but he preached as did the Apostles. A Virginian by birth, but was taken to Kentucky when young, and lastly came to Ohio. He unloaded his goods by an oak log near where the Union Church now stands, then a dense orest ; he has pointed me to the spot as we rode by. His purse contained about four dollars, two of which he gave to his teamster for expense money. What a prospect this! After living some time on the east side of the river, he bought land and settled west on Anderson's creek, in Concord township. He being a Metho- dist, gathered around him a flourishing society, and his house be- came a preaching place. Methodism is indebted more to him, than any man in that part of the country. His closing hours were truly exaltic.
I may speak a few words of Simon Kenton, of historie fame. I know him in Urbana in 1814; he was then quite old. Afterward, I saw him at his relatives many times. Though bowed by age, yet the beholder could see that muscle and mind gave evidence of former nobleness and strength and generous heart impulses. I only give this as a passing tribute ; western history amplifies his worth.
I may be permitted to speak of Thomas Grafton, though not of Madriver township. He grew up, and married among the hills of Virginia; but could see no site for a living there. I was well ac. quainted with Grafton, and got these things from him. He packed up and started towards the northwest, as Jacob of old, not knowing whither he went; he traveled into Ohio until he reached the dense beach forest nine miles west of Urbana. There he unloaded and built a camp for shelter, and soon reared a cabin, and commenced clearing. He, like others, had to clear and then cultivate and sell the products to pay for the land on which the crop grew. He raised wheat, and once sold 400 bushels for $100, to pay for his land ; but salt was hard to get, and as the surest way was to go to the factory, so Grafton steered to the joto salt works, cutting his way through, a distance of eighty miles. When he arrived, his
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clothes were torn, had no money, but told his errand. The propri- etor scanned him, and then said, I suppose you will pay me, and let him have the salt, after saying, you wear good clothes. He sold one barrel of that salt for $27. When he became aged, he seemed to be in his elements, if he could take a four-horse load of his neigh- bor women to Urbana, on a trading expedition. He lived to a great age ; he died without regret, regretted by all. In those days, people manufactured their own wear. There were few sheep in the country, consequently wool was quite an object. My father sent my oldest brother to Kentucky for fitty pounds of wool, which he brought out on a horse. Father brought a flock of sheep to Ur- bana, and sold them to the farmers around town ; perhaps all the sheep in the country in early times descended from them.
One Bassel West bought a cow of my former father-in-law ou credit, and after long credit he paid for the cow, saying that he did not think he could have raised his family without the cow.
But the forest began to be dotted with inhabitants, and as emi- gration poured in, the hunting grounds of the savages were owned by the pale-faces, and the bones of their ancestors were plowed over by strangers. These things outraged the forbearance and former kindness of the red men of the forest, and depredations were not uncommon, and at one time after certain misdemeanors, alarm spread with both parties, and a council was called to meet at Springfield. The parties met. General William Ward represented the whites. Tecumseh was advocate for the Indians. An amicable adjustment was made. Tecumseh's speeches on that occasion were never translated, and this I regret ; some of my friends were there who thought them as fine specimens of eloquence as they ever lis- tened to. His interpreter said he could not give force to them, he seemed to surpass Ward greatly in point of force.
I will be pardoned for speaking more at length of this savage chieftain. He was born in 1768, in Piqua, an old Indian town of the Shawnees, on the west bank of Madriver, five miles west of Springfield, and was one of three at a birth. His father was of the Kiscopoke (or Kicapoo) tribe; his mother of the Shawnees nation . He was above medium stature ; his personal appearance was dig- nified and commanding ; as a speaker, he was finent and clear, with a musical tone of voice. His speeche- were ornamented by striking illustrations and lofty flights at the council. At Spring-
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field, above alluded to, he evinced great force and dignity. As a warrior, he was brave but humane. Ardent in his country's cause, he keenly resented the encroachments of the whites, yet extended protection to the captive. Early in life he distinguished himself in several skirmishes with the whites, but was not promoted to the chiefship till he was about thirty years of age.
In witnessing the onward rolling tide of white emigration, he anticipated the fall of his native land. The thought of the moul- dering remains of departed kindred, whose resting place would be disturbed by strangers, prompted feelings of resentment ; he con- ceived the importance of concentrating all the Indian forces west, south and north, in one united effort of extermination and opposi- tion ; he set out on a tour to the south, visiting all the Indian tribes contiguous to his route, urging the necessity of immediate action. Meeting one tribe in Louisiana who refused aid, Tecum- seh stamped his foot on the ground and said, the Great Spirit would shake the earth, in evidence of His displeasure. The threatened phenomenon strangely occurred as predicted in the shock of 1811, to the great alarm of the delinquent nation. But war spread her wings of blood over the country, and ere the contemplated ar- rangement could be effected, Harrison had struck the blow on the Tippecanoe that forever sealed the savage fate. But Tecumseh was not yet subdued, but traveled north, gathering to his standard a remnant who, like himself, could be overpowered but not con- quered, united with the dastardly Proctor, who was greatly infe- rior in generalship, intelligence, and humanity, and was charged by Tecumseh with cowardice, and was repeatedly urged by the savage chief to active duty.
When Perry achieved the victory on the Lake, the British gave up Lake Erie, and thought of drawing off their land forces, when Tecumseh addressed them, illustrating their infidelity by keen sar- casm. This speech was translated and read shortly afterward, and may be seen in history at this day.
But the land forces under Harrison on the one hand, and Proctor and Tecumseh on the other, were yet pending. Just previous to the engagement, the fated chieftain seemed to realize his doom, and -aid to his companions, "I shall not survive this conflict; but if it is the will of the Great Spirit, I wish to deposit my bones with those of my ancestors." He drew his sword and added, "When I am dead, take this sword; and when my son grows to
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manhood, give it to him !" Soon the forces engage in deadly con- flict. The thundering tones of Tecumseh rose above the roar of battle, in the fiercest of the conflict; at the head of his band he deals death around him, till overpowered by numbers, the mighty chief, tain sinks in death's cold embrace. On seeing their leader slain, the remnant of the savage forces retreated in confusion, leaving the field with the dying and the dead to the victors. When he fell. Tecumseh was about forty-five years of age. With the opportuni- ties of some great men, perhaps this noble son of the forest would have been second to none that have set foot.on the continent of any color.
Disheartened and driven back, the poor savage has been com- pelled to seek a home on the slopes of the Rocky Mountains, near the coast of the mighty western waters.
The whites again claim their hunting grounds. Like Noah's dove, they have no place on which to rest the sole of the foot. Many powerful tribes have become extinct, bearing no trace of former greatness-perhaps in a few revolving centuries not a ves- tige of the once powerful tribes will remain to rehearse the sad story of their fate. In the language of Logan, the lamenting Mingo chief, not a drop of pure Indian blood will run in the vein- of any living creature.
Hostilities having now ceased, emigrants of all creeds and na- tionalities came among us, bringing their predilections with them. An outgrowth of privilege to worship according to conscientious views was granted with readiness, and at first it was found expe- dient to unite irrespective of predilections, and worship harmo- niously together. Dwellings were freely opened, and those little bands would worship harmonious.y together, until each acquired strength sufficient, then societies were organized : soon log meeting houses were built, though of rude construction, yet songs of praise would reverberate in the forests from those temples. A log house was built by the Methodists on the land of William Ros, named above. The next was a Baptist Church on Nettlecreek, also of logs ; and in youth and early manhood I worshiped there, though not a member. In 1820 a log church was built by the Methodist-, on the lan 1 of Christian Stevens. There I worshiped for many years. These buildings were not comfortable. As soon as circum- stanees would permit,-more commodious houses were erected. The
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