USA > Ohio > Champaign County > The history of Champaign and Logan counties : from their first settlement > Part 34
USA > Ohio > Logan County > The history of Champaign and Logan counties : from their first settlement > Part 34
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two feet deep, and it was in the yard, only a few rods from the door, but near several other graves, as it appeared to be a common burying-ground. After the digging was done one of the slabs was placed in the bottom, and one set up on edge on each side, and the short pieces at the ends kept these in place. The grave was now ready for the corpse. Four men now lifted it, one holding to each corner of the blanket, carried, and in this way, let it down into the grave. A portly looking old chief, or priest, now approached, drew a large butcher-knife from its scabbard, which was in his belt, kneeled down at the head of the grave, and reached the halfo down to the head and face of the corpse, and looked as though ho were going to cut it to pieces. Not so; he carefully selected and cut off a nice lock of her flowing hair, and then ent a small corner- piece from each article of dress with which she was clothed, even including the beaded moccasins on her feet. These specimens of relics were carefully wrapped up and suspended from his belt. Hle then took from his belt a small bundle or bag, opened it, und spread out its contents, which appeared to be broken up ary leaves such as they smoke in their pipes. These he held in his open hands, standing a few feet from the open grave and facing it. The company passed in single file around between him and the grave, each one taking a little pinch of the dried leaves as they passed, and throwing it in upon the corpse. The thick slab was then placed on as the lid of the coffin, and the grave filled up, ending the burial ceremony.
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The Old Mioneer ; or, forty Dears Ago.
BY N. LARKIN BROWN.
Yes, everything is changed, John; there's nothing seems the same. And yet it was not long ago, the time when first .ve came:
But the years have passed so swiftly; my hair is white as snow. And not a white hair when I came-it's forty years ago.
Twas here I set my stake, John, when all was wild and new; We followed up the Indian trail-ours was the first team through. Just there our wagon stood that night. We heard the wolf's howl then,
And the first sound heard, as morning dawned, was the boom of the prairie hen.
Then came days of trial and toil, but we weathered them bravely through, For your grandmother had a cheerful heart, and was ever brave and true: And your father and Jake were stout lads, then, and Nancy and Mary and Kate
Could lend a hand in cabin or field, and we all worked early and late.
And the Indian seemed half sad, hall pleased, as our cabin logs were laid; For he dreaded the white man's grasping hand, though fond of the white man's aid;
His sullenest moods were ever beguiled with the hand of welcome and cheer; To his sonniest smiles we trusted not, and the loaded rifle was near.
'Twas there we had the first field of wheat, right over behind the barn; And here, where the orchard and garden are, that spring we planted corn. 'Twas a cheerful thing to see them grow on the new-turned prairie sod, And never a harvest was gathered in with more grateful thanks to God.
We had never a barn nor a threshing floor, and the mill was far to find; But we trod the wheat on the prairie turf, and cleaned it in the wind. For the saying is true, "there is always a way wherever there's a will," And I threaded the paths, and forded the streams, between us and the mill. But neighbors soon began to come, and as soon as the second year. We could count a dozen cabins' smoke from where we are standing here. 'Twas a pleasant sight on the prairie's rim, and sweet, as evening fell. Was the sound of each settler's lowing kine. and faintly tinkling bell.
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And with settlers came the law, John, for law is the right of all And never a man of Saxon bloo.l that held the law a thrall I served as well as I knew, John, as juror. ¿ quire and judge And never false judgment stamed my name. through frar, fever or a udge
I say it not in pride, John, I wanted you to know I did my duty as I could, so many years ago. And you will be called as I was called between the right wod wrong And wrong upheld will canker a life, though 'ifs he never -, long
And I've been greatly prospered in basket and in store And have seen such things in forty year- as were i For & el fufur. The country-you know its grandeur its glory god is And how forever has been removed the shane that st sine | |ty De
And then the mysteries explored-the von irons things foundlont I do not understand them, John, and yet I cannot doubt Two months was the time from Europe, and full two wed Tous der And now we hear in a single day from London or troen R .
And the huge and mighty engines with their long and fre- drawn irsin. They are running forever, a thousand ways, o'er mountains and Such things had never been seen, John, the day that I car e her. And I always see them on ward ruch with a sense of ane and fear
And the sun-the mighty painter-une instant and tis doue A picture that no human hand can paint you such a one. There's nothing done in the old way, but everything is new We neither sow, nor reap, nor thresh, in the way we wel bud,
The old neighbors who came first, Jol.i., And settle ! here !. .. Some sold and went, and some have du I -there's only two three They may have been rough and rude, John, but always just a l trae But dear old friends! the tear will start whenever I think of you
And her-the soundest friend of all-the dearest andI the best- Not long ago I luid away in everlasting rest: You lay me by her side, John -- the tinwe wil natb. ong- Where the oak tree casts its shadows, ned the rush . 1- bis .as
The old place will be yours, John, the rest have had thao corre I meant it for your father, who died in Freedom , wer 'Twas my home in early manhood, His ne hoing pow I 2 1 The deed was signed by Jackson -I'd like not tolavet s
Yes, everything is changed, John, there's nothing sin me the ast And yet it was not long ago -the time when first we the But the years have passed an swiftly -my hair 's white un cesie And not a white hair when I came-it's forty years of
MY FIRST VISIT TO WEST LIBERTY.
BY THOMAS COWGILL, M. D.
It was in November, 1820 or 1821, early on a frosty morning, my father and I started to "Enoch's Mills." I was then about eight years of age. Our way was through the woods, barrens and prai- ries. Perhaps there was not then one half mile of lane on the common traveled pathway to the wiills. There were then thickets of hazle and plum, where now stand trees large enough to make eight com- mon rails, or to hew for building purposes. At that time I fre- quently saw from two to nine or ten ders, at full run one after an- other, go clear over the top of those thiskets every leap. As I have said the land was mostly in a state of nature. A small log cabin meeting-house stood at Mt. Tabor, and a few graves were there enclosed with a rail fence. A camp meeting had been annually held here, and many touts were standing in the grove. The land composing John Enoch's beautiful farm was then nearly all unim- proved, and partly covered by a dense thicket of hazel, plum and thorn, and the prairie overgrown with wild grass.
When we arrived at the Mills, a considerable number of persons were there before us, so that we must remain till near evening be- fore our turn would come for our grinding to be done. Some had traveled twenty miles or more to get grinding done, from Darby Plains, from north of Bellefontaine, and other points. Among others the late Judge Daniel Baldwin, who then lived about four miles north of Bellefontaine-near where the village of Harper now s'ands-was at the mills. An there, for the first time, I saw my respected friend John Enoch. He was then a young man about
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twenty-one years of age, and on that day was miller in his father's mills. During the day John Shelby wasat the mill; he then, I think, represented Logan county in the General Assembly of Ohio. Capt. Alex. Black, Moses MeIlvaine, James Baird, Robert Freake-, and other pioneer settlers of the land, were there.
I did not recognize the place as a town, although, in 1817, it was regularly surveyed and plotted by Aaron L. Hunt, then County Surveyor of Champaign county. A few small houses were built ; and the house north of the mill, now occupied by Thomas Blackburn, was the residence of John Enoch, Sr. H. M. White had a leg house with a shingle roof, and porch in front, in which he carried on tailoring, and had a few calicoes, pins and noodles, on sonne board shelves ; he also kept a house of entertainment for travelers, and furnished plenty of whisky, an indispensable article in H. M.' estimation.
In the evening our grinding was done, and we returned ho'ne a little after nightfall. When my father told me we had been to West Liberty, I was somewhat surprised to learn we had been to town.
Whatever may be said of the degeneracy of the age, I think much improvement has been made in the moral condition of society since the time of which I am writing ; intemper inen then abounded to a much greater degree than at present, especially in the country neighborhoods ; (much yet sorrowfully abounds in our cities, towns and villages.) At that time it was common for many persons to drink whisky every day, and frequently when we were at a neighbor's house we were invited and pressed to drink, und at all public gatherings, sales, house-raisings, log-rollings, corn-husk- ings, and in harvest, it was customary to have plenty of whisky on the ground, and to drink it as often as water, so that in the best of neighborhoods where ten or a dozen persons were together, it was nothing strange for some of them to be very tight. It was then much more common for men in ordinary conversation to nso impure and profane language than at present. Our excellent Sab bath-school system, and our peace, temperance and other good organizations have wrought a great change for good. And much improvement has been made in the laws of our State in regard to care of the poor, imprisonment for debt, &e. It was then the law for the authorities to sell out persons who required pecuniary aid to the lowest bidder, to be kept six months or a year.
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I was cognizant of one case where two aged persons, man and wife, were sold out to the lowest bidder to be kept six months. And according to the law of that time, any person who was poor, and in debt more than he was able to pay , was liable to be sued and incarcerated in jail, as soon as judgment and execution were obtained against him at the mercy of his creditor.
At our debating society, held in the school-house where the vil- lage of Kennard now stands, in the winter of 1827-28, this question was discussed : "Is it consistent with civil liberty to imprison for debt ?" Among the speakers were Aaron L. Hunt, Judge N. C. Reade -- both now deceased -- and Edward L. Morgan, still living at an advanced age. It is probable no one could now be found to advocate the affirmative of this question. I was acquainted with many cases where persons were placed in jail for debt. And I was told that Simon Kenton had to leave his home in Logan county and sojourn in Kentucky to avoid imprisonment for debt.
So far as I now remember, all who were at "Enoch's Mills" on that November day, except John Enoch and myself have gone the way of the earth; and these reminiscences admonish me that I too am passing away.
FIFTY YEARS AGO.
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BY THOMAS COWGILL, M. D.
"I love the rough log cabin. It tells of olden time."
From 1818 to 1822 was said to be a very pressing time with re gard to money, which made hard times generally with the girly settlers, yet I think they enjoyed lite, so far as I was acquainted, as well as any people I have since known. They were, in it my respects, dependent upon each other. They would sometime unite in their little farming operations-would join teams to plow a piece of new ground, and assist each other in fencing or planting. and all were considered to be bound to assist in raising a new house, or in rolling logs, &c. And frequently, to have word that a cabin was to be raised in the neighborhood was sufficient notic without an invitation. All felt at liberty and believed it was the duty to go and assist on such an occasion, although it might be to help some one they had never before seen or known. Every cabin that was built and every were of land that was charged, wie considered so much addition to the general improvement of the country. And in borrowing and lending the settlers were gench ally on the most intimate terms. In case of neersity would Be to a neighbor to borrow an ax, hoe, plow. barrow, cross-enfin, chisel, or a little salt or flour, and any one who neglected to warm or repay borrowed articles, would immediately los credit, !! not be trusted again if it could be avoided, unless he could pisos reasonable excuse. And all who tried to do well had the symje thy of the community generally. In their manner and inter
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course with each other, the pioneers were friendly and affection- ate. In meeting together they would generally shake hands in the most social manner-kindly inquire of each other's health and of the health of their families, and frequently sit down and con- verse for a long time, perhaps of their old home in Virginia, or elsewhere. Though much embarrassed by the circumstances by which they were surrounded, I think the pioneers had more time for social intercourse than people generally have now ; they most- ly called each other by their proper names, or would say friend or neighbor, and in their conversation there seemed to be sincerity, and not much attempt at deception or flattery. It was generally customary, so far as my observation extended, when a pioneer would go to a neighbor's house on some little errand, for him to shake hands with all the members of the family, beginning with the elder ones ; and set down and converse an hour or more, if time permitted-attend to his errand, and then, in the most kind and friendly manner invite all to "come and see us," and again shake hands with all the members of the family and depart. About the time of which I am writing, there was more equality in the circumstances of the people of this country than at present, and I think as much genuine feeling and friendship then existed with the community as we can expect to meet with in this poor world. My parents were among the first settlers in the eastern part of Ohio, and I have frequently heard them express, that they never enjoyed life better than they did with the early settlers in the forests of Columbiana county.
TORNADO FORTY YEARS AGO.
BY WM. PATRICK.
Monday, March 22, 1830, was a memorable day for Urban It was mild and pleasant in the early morning, hit ntab ut 10 er 11 o'clock it began to have with fittul South-western breezes, with alternate sunshine and flitting clouds, until about 2 o'clock P. M. when a small, black, dense cloud, could be seen low dosh in the South-western horizon, which gradually ascended ndlr p liy pp- proached at a seeming angle of about thirty degreos. Spainlire were attracted by its marked singularity in many remote It moved, enlarged, and expanded in quick darting swoj-, midalp zag gyrations, up, down, and horizontally, with quick, whining evolutions, and seemed to emit dazzling bright detriedl sinlille- tions, producing the most gaudy fringe-work of which Freutly can conceive. As it neared, for a few moments, all nature med to be hushed- not a ripple of air could te felt. The Jegy- ens seemed to hang out a dark pall, and all sce nel fo bo pro est in one general gloom. When suddenly these ne dlaboot from a death-like silence, and a breathless e ilm, to a most terrine an1 } palling spectacle. The whole heavens were in this typex com motion. The storm King in awful grandeur, rile polis wrapt in his cloud panoply to the music of the screeching, west ing, and horrific roar of the clements, bearing up in bris trank in mid air, trees, lumber, fence-rails, timber, shingles, gains, bay stacks and all manner of debris, as trophies of his vost and mighty power in the demolition of nature's garniture, and the reitis of man's labor.
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The awful subtimity of the scene can not be impressed upon the mind of any one who did not witness it. And in much less time than the above can be read, the whole force of the tornado seemed to dart down like forked lightning upon the town-picking up and demolishing a small brick building on the north-east corner of John A. Mosgrove's homestead lot, occupied by Richard Baker ; nuroofing the Luce House on the corner of West Main and Russell streets, then with one concentrated swoop dipped into the Town- branch, in the present foundry yard, cleaning out all the water and sediment in its wake; then ascending, whirled and scattered J. B. Eaker's frame house, standing near the front yard of J. M. Gardener, unrooting a log house of old James Hulse, which stood in the rear of the present Lutheran Church, destroying all the stables in this vicinity. Then as if imbued with mercy, the cloud leaped over without injury to two or three small frames, near where Col. Johnson now lives, occupied by J. E. Chapiin and others, demolishing in front, a pillared street market-house; and then taking up a hip-roofed. steepled brick Presbyterian Church, on the present site of the Court-house-crumbling it to its founda- tion, carrying the steeple and other timbers long distances, some of which struck what is known as the Hamilton House, leaving the marks to this day ; then with a bound, this last-named house was partly unroofed, and a part of its walls prostrated, unroofing at the same time the house of Joseph Reppart, now occupied by Mrs. James Brown.
Here in its wild freak, the tornado seemed to sever itself, and a part of it struck and unroofed a log house then owned and occu- pied by Wm. Downs, (Mason) drawing or rather sucking out the north wall from its solid corners of the old brick M. E. Church, evidently caused by a vacuum produced by the action of the storm, and laid it out in a straight line without even separating the ma- sonry to any considerable extent.
The other segment of the tornado struck the house of Rolin J. Harvey, near the present residence of Mrs. Heylin and prostrated it to the ground. Then it whirled into fragments a new frame house, occupied by George Bell (school-teacher) a little east of the present residence of Dr. Houston.
Would to God it were only necessary to record the demolition of property ; but oh, no; the spirit of the storm here transformed itself into an angel of death, and seized four innocent, beautiful
LOGAN COUNTIFR.
and interesting children, one a little infant. as victimsJitin fark domain, and secured them a additional trophies. In die i nur o the Storm King, carrying their lifelest bodi . imonda in inid air; and not content with this sternie ,, harl 1 5Ens Pal several rods, maiming her for life, and at the - uno How goalie no jured a little girl who happened at the house, who pedreguer able lady of this city, and whocarries the evidencem & le Ung des
Here the two segments of the storm again enter 1! fving the residence ef Jerry Mathis untouched, which stoel in tor prom ent front yard of Jerry Deuel, and next picked up the dence of Charles Mathis, (on the spot where Mr. West mol Ivey and crumbled it to the lower floor, leaving Mrs. Matt- liting with a small child in her arms, surrounded with the sheep of the house, uninjured and mustached, asa setting alonenot for Me work of death at the last named place, and then verted moth att demolished the oil-mill of John Mathis, destroying the white stock of castor beans, &c.
At this point the Tornado left our town, puisumy Af anasling. pitching, swooping course through the Ryan wumul hurling. twisting and up-rooting the largest trees ; on, yet onil ped, sending and descending, touching the earth, here and There at the. equal distances, leaving a track of some twenty Juos JEIr With it came in contact with the earth through the State erCher nearly destroying a small town in Richland county, raching & 000 town in North-Eastern Pennsylvania at about 5 o'does Ton - Ine afternoon at the unparalleled speed of about fot male- pochant
You need not tell me, gentle reader, that my ctron in a Gilar . I know it. I feel it, but console mysent with the refletir Jivo en uninspired pen, however ably wielded, can do ju tl to ab a subject. I have failed to catalogue all the destruction le de forme some thirty buildings, including stables, do .. werd rithey justbuly or totally demolished in the wake of the storm, Lesdes gowy chimneys and other fixtures in other parts of the town.
I ought to speak of one incident which I passed : I hopedie is spoken of the Hamilton House; it was in process of com and Elijah Wolfkill and another carpenter won 16 56 and were entirely buried with the crumbled part of one of Hip. 000. and were only saved by crouching under their wml bom which held up the weight of brick and mortar.
I might here extend many diversified incidents, am very
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some mirthful, and some indeed laughingly ludicrous, but will forbear, and will close by merely saying that immediately after the catastrophe the citizens of the town, and many from the coun- try, met with the council and immediately inaugurated measures of relief to the sufferers, and early next morning, marshaled under chosen leaders, commenced the reconstruction of the buildings that the havoc of the storm had demolished. Merchants, black- smiths, tailors, shoe-makers, hatters, tinners, saddlers, wheel- wrights, tanners, pump-makers, cabinet-makers, potters, gun- smiths, and, indeed, all classes were metamorphosed into car- penters, plasterers and brick-masons, and those who could not labor furnished means necessary, such as shingles, nails, glass, lumber, &c. Also in addition to contributions from our own citi- zens, the people of Dayton and perhaps some other neighboring towns, contributed and placed in the hands of the town council handsome sums of money for distribution; all the unfortunate families were again provided with new homes and many indeed in less than a month were in better condition than before the storm ; thus order and comfort were restored by united effort.
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PERE DUGAN.
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BY ED. L. MORGAN.
It is not known who was the first white man whe con: Salem township, nor at what time or place the fir t catdo ga built. It is thought by many that Pere Darm, a Fr coloosu Dos had an Indian squaw for his wife, was the first. In 1 09 he Was " living in a small log cabin, a short distance from the ones me dence of Mr. Mark Higbee, and the Pan H mile R .lhut j. over or near the spot where it stood. Dagan Prilo ne name from Pere Dugan, who was the first whit setips 0,0 08 border. His name is immortalized, and will probiliy ali Ihm name of Napoleon Bonaparte, whospent his whole lub firmuins tormenting and butchering his fellowmon; Pec pod & # killing the beaver, the wolf, the bear and the prairie ralf- les thus preparing the wild desert for the secure saidesero et Foo civilized white man. Reader, which do you believe whileone the highest seat of honor in the great here ifier, Nigoles Boas parte or his fellow countryman, Pere Dugan ? At the thom fas spoken of, and for many years after, the Prairie, (with to greep- tion of a few small islands, and here and there in diesmal spelt was covered with water, in some parts to a considerable depth, for there was no out-let for the water which towed in mne te surrounding country. In spring and summer it had the spiser ance of a small lake, and contained a vast amount of fish, ings and turtles, and was a place of resort for countless antalet of water fowls, such as wild geese, ducks, cranes, storks, &c. Grens numbers of beaver, otter, mink, muskrat and black rattle sonDe
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had their honses on the margin of the lake, and in the elevated spots throughout its whole extent. Of very dry summers the water on the prairie would get so low that some parts would become entirely diy, and leave large quantities of fish, which would either be devoured by the hogs, wild beasts and fowls, or left to rot in the hot sun, causing an almost intolerable stench, and it was thought cansed much sickness for many miles around.
"Us young folks" once constructed a rude sail boat and launched it upon the "raging waters" of Dugan. In this boat, accom- panied by our "darlings," we spent a good deal of time that might have been employed in a more profitable, though not in a more agrocable and pleasant manner. Occasionally, cither by accident or design, the boat would fip over, but this seldom hap- pened in deep water, so that all could wade to the shore. Of the hundreds who enjoyed the happiness of a rapid and merry ride upon that boat but few now reniain upon the earth. I know of none save four of the family of Jonathan Long, four of the family of Matthew Stewart, one of the family of John Taylor, and myself. This was probably the first boat over launched in this township, and I know of but one other since that time, which was built by John MrAdams, E-q., some yearsafter. The history of this boat and the adventures of its owner, Iexpect to give in a short time.
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