USA > Ohio > Champaign County > The history of Champaign and Logan counties : from their first settlement > Part 4
USA > Ohio > Logan County > The history of Champaign and Logan counties : from their first settlement > Part 4
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Here are thrown hastily together a pen sketch of the population in Urbana in 1811, comprising 45 familes, describing from memory the kind of tenements with their localities as nearly as possible; there may be some errors, but it is believed they are few. One sad reflection presents its self now ; all these have gone the way of all the earth. There may possibly be an exception, but the writer of this is not aware of any.
It may be proper here to point out the public buildings of the town. The jail has already been noticed. The Court-house was a large log building on lot No. 174 on East Court Street, which has undergone a change, and is now the property of Duncan McDonald, and is used as a family residence. During the war of 1812-15, it was converted into an army hospital, and in it many deaths oc- curred from a prevalent epidemic malady of that day denominated " cold plague," and the bones of the victims now rest in the old town grave-yard. And may God in his merciful Providence avert that unhallowed cupidity, that is now instigating municipal dese- eration upon their silent abode. This building having been ap- propriated to the use above indicated, the upper part of the jail was fitted up for the purpose of holding the courts, and was so used until the new court house in the public square was finished, in about the end of the year 1817, and this latter temple of justice remained as county court house, until the clamorous raids of the populace culminated in the erection of our present one, standing on in-lots No. 16 and 17, about the year 1839.
In the earlier settlement of the town, the practice in the winter seasons, was to convert the larger class residences, for the time being, into Bethets for public worship, and in the warm summer months, to congregate near the present Public Square, under the shade of the spreading branches of the large oak trees then in that vicinity. And as soon as the Court House first alluded to was fin- ished, it became a place of public worship, and the same will ap-
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ply to all its successors. But, I started out with the intention of informing the public thit when I first came to Urbana, a large hewed log M. E. Church had recently been erected on in-lot No. 207, and under the itinerant mode of that denomination, was regu- larly supplied by many sterling pioneer preachers, during the years up to about 1816, when the brick church now part of the Ganson livery establishment was erected. The pulpit in the old log house was supplied something in this order during the years indicated, by Rev. John Meek, - Clingman, Samuel Broekanier, John Collins, and perhaps some others. About 1816 as already stated, the brick edifice situated on east half of in-lot No. 176, was duly dedicated and supplied in the manner named above, by the higher order of talent in the persons of Rev. David Shafer, Henry B. Bas- com, - Crume, - Cummings, John Strange, - Westlake, &c. It may also be remarked that they were fortunato in the years here embraced, say up to 1825, in having a first-class order of local ministrations, and the interests of the Church were fully sus- tained under Rev. Samuel Hitt and others like him, who were ornaments to their profession, and she added to her number daily such as gave evidence that they had passed from death unto life. Many incidents might be recorded of the thrilling scenes con- neeted with the spiritual labors of that old church, before it put on its new dress, in the exchange of the old houses of worship for its present new temple, situated on north half of in-lots No. 24 and 25. This denomination has always been in the lead in this lo- cality, owing perhaps to the indomitable zeal manifested by both ministry and laity, in the propagation of their popular tenets.
The only other religious interest in this town for the first thirty years after its first settlement, was Presbyterianism, but its growth was greatly behind that of the Church described. It however was the instrument in disseminating much wholesome religious in- struction, and exerted an influence for good, upon the morals of the community. It had to encounter difficulties, and inconven- iences for want of a house of worship; the Court House was substi- tuted, and not till about 1829 had it any house of its own for the congregation, and before it was finished, the tornado of 1830 en- tirely demolished it, and another was erected on a new site on lot No. 18, on the same site of the present imposing structure, this be- ing the third within less than thirty years.
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But to come back to the point sought in the programme of the Pioneer Association, I will say that the Presbyterian Church had no organization as a Town Church for many years, but the mem- bership was attached to country organizations on Buck Creek and Stony Creek, according to their several preferences. This state of things continued until about 1814, when the Rev. James Hughs, the father of Mrs. William Ward, came and settled in Urbana, and was very efficient in building up an interest in the denomina- tion which soon resulted in achurch organization, and this worthy divine was called under the rules and regulations of that branch of the Christian Church, and was duly installed as its pastor, and con- tinued in the Gospel labor many years, blessed with many addi- tions to his charge.
Before dismissing this branch of the subject it may be said, that bofore Mr. Hughs had located here, Rev. McMillin, - Purdy, and some others officiated, and after he resigned the pastoral rela- tionship, the pulpit was supplied by Rev. - Brich, Joseph Stephenson, - Dickey, David Mirrill and others. And as a con- cluding remark it may be noted upon this subject matter, that al- though there were no other denominational organizations here than the two above indicated for many long years, yet there were some few belonging to other persuasions, Baptists, Newlights, &c., who attached themselves to country organizations, and were oc- casionally supplied with preaching in this place. The Baptists, by Rev. John Thomas, and John Guttridge, and the Newlights by Rev. - Vickers, all of them as a general rule using the School house mentioned hereafter on in-lot No. 102. Notwithstanding the small beginnings heretofore indicated, the City of Urbana at this day may boast her three M. E. Church, two Baptist, two Presbyterian including Associate Reform, one Lutheran, one New Jerusalem, one Episcopal, and one Catholic organizations, each having a comfortable and capacious house for public worship; and all of them, supplied in the ministry with talents of a respectable order. 5
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CHAPTER V.
SCHOOLN.
The next subject in its proper order, would be to say a word in reference to school houses and schools. My first recollection is, that a school was taught by old Nathaniel Pinckard in the old log Court House already described. I remember too, that afterwards a school was taught in the old log church, by William Nicholson and perhaps others. A school was taught in the old tavern stand, which is heretofore referred to as the old George Fithian and John Enoch stand on lot No. 63, somewhere about 1816, by Hiram M. Curry, afterward State Treasurer.
About the year 1811 however, a small school house was erected on lot No. 102, near the present residence of E. B. Patrick, and a school was made up by subscriptions which was then the only mode of supply, and a teacher employed. I do not destinctly re- member the first teacher, but am inclined to think it was William Stephens, Esq .; afterward John C. Pearson, Henry Drake, George Bell and others were teachers, but forget the order of their services. In this venerable house the writer of this received his last touches of scholastic instruction, and his only surviving schoolmates that he can now name, are Col. Douglas Luce, Joseph A. Reynolds, and Mrs. Horace Muzzy.
At that early day the opportunities for instruction were very different from now. If parents had the ability and inclination to pay for school instruction, it was given; if not, it was with-held. In looking back into the past, and contrasting it with the present organized system of public instruction for all conditions of society, the mind at once is puzzled in the solution of the question, "How did those early Pioneers of Ohio, hedged in with poverty, sur- rounded with difficulties, and exposed to all manner of hardships and privations, manage to so educate, instruct and manipulate the youthful minds of their immediate successors, as to develop such talent as has, in the last generation, graced the pulpit, the bench, the bar, and both branches of the State and National Legislatures ?
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Will such a galaxy of stars set, at the close of the present genera- rion ? If so, where are they now shedding their lustrous brilliancy ?
But to return to the subject matter of the early schools of Urbana, -say prior to 1820. Having referred to the school-houses used, and the teachers, and the mode of supplying them, up to that time, it might not be amiss to say something of their capacity to teach and ¿govern. They were, as a general rule, men of high moral stand- Eng, and qualified to teach all the first rudiments of a common school education, such as reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic and English grammar, and some of them the higher branches of math- ematics and algebra; but not many claimed the latter qualitica- tions. But they were thorough in such branches as they professed "to teach, and if they found that any pupils were close upon their heels in any branch, they became studious themselves, to be pre- yared to impart instruction to such. This fact has come under my down observation in more than one instance; in short, they were perseveringly industrious, energetic, and it may be said, ambi- tious, and the pupils were like them; they applied themselves :assiduously to their lessons, and the key to it was, both boys and girls at home had to work, the boys at mechanical trades or upon Farms, the girls at house-keeping, hackling and spinning flax, warding and spinning wool ; so that when they went into the school- room, it seemed a recreatiou to take hold of their books, slates, &e. The teachers had an aptitude to teach, and the pupils to receive Instruction ; the spirit of emulation was infused by the former, and seized and secured by the latter. As already intimated, the teach- ›ers were determined to impart, and the pupils to receive instruc- rion. Indeed the invincible determination to learn among the youth of that day, was a common trait. I will have to give an instance as an illustration for many other cases. The writer of this knew an Urbana boy in his teens, whose father in the winter of 1814-15, was drafted, and to save the family who were very poor From the sacrifice of its support in the head, voluntarily left his -school, offered himself and was received as a substitute; being en- gaged in committing the rules of English Grammar, he put up in Gis knapsack a copy of a small edition containing these rules, and when at his destination at Fort Meigs, at all leisure times pursued the committing of them to memory, preparatory to finishing at the end of his time in school, his studies upon that branch. He ssas kindly assisted and invited by his Captain, John R. Lemen,
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to use his quarters out of the din of the boys in the service. Hlde really came home prepared to apply the rules and did so, under the instruction of the same teachershe left. That boy had no higher aim than a common school education; he did not aspire to any profession, but the same indomitable energy that actuated him, stimulated hundreds of others in the State that did aim at highen aspirations, and this perhaps is the solution to the question asked! in a preceding paragraph.
Before dismissing this branch of the subject, I will note the fact of the erection about 1820, of what was called the Academy, and im which higher branches were professed to be taught, and which a6- tracted to our place afterward, a good class of competent instruct- ors. And the greater part of our present business men, who are the descendants of old settlers of the town, received most of their education in it. The building was on the present site of our secondl ward district school houses on lots No. 179 and 180. Also there was erected a little later, a female Academy, but it did not prove a sus- cess ; it was on lot No. 35, West Church Street, being part of tho present residence of William Wiley.
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CHAPTER VI.
CIVIL POLITY-MEDICAL MEN-CALAMITIES AVERTED, ETC.
As I have given some of the desultory outlines of the first churches and schools of Urbana, sixty years ago, I will continue by saying a word in regard to the civil polity. I remember that when I first came here, Nathaniel Pinckard, Esq., was Justice of tthe Peace for Urbana township, and was a great terror to benders and boys ; his wife was his counsellor, and was considered the best statute lawyer of the two, and kept him advised. in all difficult and knotty questions of law.
The Court of Common Pleas had on its bench Hon. Francis Dun- ERvy, President, with three Associate Judges-Hon. John Runyon, John Reynolds, and Joseph Layton; and the way justice was meted out to horse-theives, hog-theives, and all other violators of the law was a "caution," (as the curt phrase expresses it,) to offenders. "The Urbana bar, at my first acquaintance, consisted of Henry Ba- con and Edward W. Pierce, heretofore noticed in another para- graph. But very shortly afterward it received many very respect- able accessions, in the persons of Moses B. Corwin, (who likewise, ist 1812 commenced the publication of the Farmers' Watchtower. the first newspaper ever publishe I in this place, associating with fim a young printer by the name of Blackburn as co-editor,) Janies foley, afterward Charge des Affaires to a foreign country; Caleb Atwater, the distinguished Antiquarian; Chaney P. Holcomb, af- derward of some notoriety, and J. E. Chaplain. I could add to this very cheerfully, Col. John H. James, whose record as a lawyer weeds not the eulogy of my pen, but he located here after 1820, and would be outside of the objects sought by the Pioneer Associ- ation. I will now say a word in reference to the lawyers within this then large judicial circuit, embracing Hamilton county, and all the organized and unorganized territory within its castern and western limits, north to the Michigan territory line, who prac- diced at the Urbana bar prior to 1820-Jacob Burnett, David K. Este, Nichols Longworth, Arthur St. Clair, son of General St. Clair, Joseph H. Crain, afterward president Judge of this Circuit, John
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Alexander, &c. Here was an array of talent that has not sines. been surpassed.
These men were frequently pitted against each other in the. trials of important cases, and many amusing passes of wit and' repartee were evoked. I remember an instance of this kind: Johs Alexander, who was a man of hugh dimensions, and Nichola : Longworth, who was below medium size, were employed against each other in the trial of a State case in the court-room at Urbana .: and during its progress they both became very much enragect against each other, when Mr. Alexander stamped his foot, and with, excited voice said, " You little thing, hold your tongue or ! wit ? put you in my pocket," which Mr. Longworth did not deign to> answer, but addressing himself to the Court said, "may it please- your Honors, this mountain of flesh," pointing at his antagonist. "has threatened to put me in his pocket ; please tell him for me, &f he does, he will have more law in his pocket than he ever had isz his head."
And sometimes these passes of wit occurred between the C'our? and members of thebar. I will give an instance: Mr. St. Clair hav? an unfortunate impediment; although a man of more than ordinary talents he could never give the letter S its proper sound -- in other- words he lisped, and on one occasion he became very much excited at the decision of the Court in some matter of interest to him, anci indulged in improper language, and still persisted after the Judy" had commanded him to take his seat. Judge Dunlavy ordered the' Sheriff to arrest and imprison him ; the Sheriff feeling that the di --- charge of that duty would be very unpleasant, hesitated, where- upon Mr. St Clair, in the most bland tone, addressed the Judge bs saying : "May it Pleath your Honor, perhapth the theriff ith wait- ing the order of the Court." Whereupon Judge Dunlavy immedi- ately consulted the three associate judges, and to his mortificatiors had to let it pass.
The Supreme Court under the Constitution of 1802 was requirest to hold an annual session in each county ; my first recollection ss that Court in Champaign County is, that between 1811 and 1817 its. sessions were on some occasions in the old log church-why, i des not now remember, and according to my best recollection, Judges Thomas Scott, Chief Justice, William W. Irwin, and Ethan Allen Brown, the latter of whom afterward was Governor of the State ...
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were on the bench ; and soon after the above period Peter Hitch- cock, John McLean, and others not now remembered, were suc- cessors of that Court.
As these sketches to be acceptable to future readers should em- brace all the varieties of pioneer life, it might be well at this point to say a word as to the gentlemen of the medical profession. And as a beginning I will say that I do not remember any except Doc- tor - Davidson, a brother-in-law to Judge Reynolds, who was here when I first came. But very shortly after very respectable accessions were made in the persons of Doctor Joseph S. Carter and Collins, to which may be added prior to 1820, Adam Mos- grove and Obed Hor, and perhaps some others not now recollected. 'These gentlemen, it may be safely said, all secured the confidence of the people, and were very popular and successful practitioners. And in the mean time, young gentlemen of the vicinity had quali- fied themselves, who also in this time became successful in prac- tice. I will name a few : E. Banes, Wilson Everett, - Hughs, - Curry, and afterward, E. P. Fyffe and others. Being hedged in by the 1820 rule, I will dismiss this branch of the subject.
I have already said that my first acquaintance with Urbana was on the 9th day of August, 1811, and I have according to my best recollection given the names and the location of all the heads of families at that date. The first settlers here were exposed to many hardships and difficulties, but banded together in kindly assist- ir g each other. From its first settlement in 1805, through all the succeeding years, embracing those of the war 1812-15, they were fre- quently alarmed at threatened Indian raids ; frequent occasions of the massacre in close proximity, of whole families, added to their terror -. Mr. Joseph A. Reynolds informs me that on several occa- sions about 1807 and 1808, the few settlers of the place, repeatedly alarmed at rumors of the near approach of hosti 3ges, would congregate in the most strongly built and roomy log house, barri- cade the doors and windows in anticipation of an Indian attack. He recollects on one occasion that Zephaniah Luce, the father of Col. Douglass Luce, received information that a body of Indians were in the neighborhood prepared to make an attack upon the place in the night : and he moved around among the settlers, urg- ing them to immediately repair to the house of George Fithian. already noticed, and bring with them all their guns and ammuni-
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tion, and barricade it as the most secure strong-hold of the place, which was carried into execution, and as represented, the scenes of that night were very exciting, and have left impressions not to be forgotten. The attack, however, was not made, and the fortress was disbanded, and all for the time being returned to their own cabins. While on this subject it should be mentioned that soon after the scenes above described, the people erected a block-house on lot No. 104, and which during the war was used as one of the army artificer's shops. This must suffice on this branch, though I could recite some similar scenes within my own knowledge after- ward. I will, however, in this connection remark, that although our neighboring frontier tribes professed friendship towards the whites, vet many distrusted them, and were suspicious that through the blandishments of Tecumseh and his brother, the Prophet, they might be induced to join the standard of the Pota- watamies and other hostile tribes, which had leagued together, and ultimated in the celebrated battle of Tippecanoe, in November, 1811. In this conflict, though Gen. Harrison's forces were greatly cut to pieces, the Indians under Tecumseh were, after much slaughter, driven from the ground and put to rout, and this being late in the fall, no fears were entertained that they could again, before the next summer, re-organize and renew their depreda- tions. Things being in this shape, precautionary measures were immediately taken to secure the settlements from future Indian raids, and Governor R. J. Meigs came in the spring of 1812 to Ur- bana, and inaugurated the project of making a call upon all the Indian tribes, and especially those on our border who professed friendship for the people of the United States, to convene at Ur- bana on a given day, to hold a council with him as Governor of the State, and as a preliminary step, employed Col. James Mc- Pherson, one of the Zanes, and perhaps one of the Walkers, to bear the proposals of the call to the several tribes over which they could exert a favorable influence, which resulted in a nieeting of the Chiefs of Shawnees and Wyandots accompanied by their braves, including some of the leaders of remnant tribes. Taken all together they presented quite an imposing appearance, and ar- rangements having been made, by the erection of a platform-stand in a grove a few rods southwest from the old grave-yard, about in the centre of the block of in-lots numbering 197, 198, 199, 200, 207, 208, 209 and 210, enclosed by East Church, North Locust, East
1
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Ward and North Kenton streets in Urbana. The arrangements to bring about this event had required time, and it must have been as late as the latter part of June, a little after the declaration of the war of 1812, before the council met. But its results were very satisfactory to Governor Meigs, and to the tribes represented, and ended in the exchange of wampum, and in smoking the pipe of peace. The Indians avowed their determination to take sides with the United States, and the Governor on his part guaranteed protection and support to their families, which was accepted soon after as a measure of security against hostile tribes. And a block- house was erected near Zanesfield for the protection of their wo- men and children, and they were, at the public expense, furnished with provision, &c. I was very young at the time, and have noth . ing but memory to aid me in these allegations, but believe them substantially true.
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CHAPTER VII.
EARLY POPULATION.
I will at this point break the thread of these scattered fragmenta- ry sketches and return to the subject of the early population of the place. The forty-five families that have been enumerated em- braced within their numbers many young persons of both sexes, and frequent intermarriages occurred. And confining myself to the years between 1811 and 1820, I will name a few in the best or- der I can from memory.
George Hunter intermarried with Ruth Fitch, now Mrs. Blanchard.
James Robinson intermarried with a Miss Swing, sister to Mrs. Alex. Doke.
Asel Sweet with Miss Gard, daughter of Job Gard.
Allen M. Poff, afterward an editor of a paper, with Rebecca Fithian, daughter of George Fithian.
John Glenn with a Miss Cooper of Kentucky.
William Neil with Miss Swing, also a sister of Mrs. Doke.
Amos J. Yarnall with a Miss Swing, sister to above.
Hugh Gibbs with Elizabeth Fitch, daughter of Nathan Fitch, and sister to Mrs. Blanchard.
Peter R. Colwell with Lavina Fitch, sister to above.
John Goddard with Mary Hull, father and mother of Doctor Goddard.
David Vance, Sheriff, &e., with Miss Wilson.
James Paxton with Miss Luce, sister of Col. D. Luce.
George Moore with a Miss Luce, sister to above.
Samuel Miller with Elizabeth Dunlap, daughter of Rev. James Dunlap. Mrs. Miller survives.
Col. William Ward, Jr. with Miss Hughs, daughter of Rey. James Hughes. Mrs. Ward survives.
William Chatfield with Elizabeth Hull, neice of Mrs. Goddard.
Doctor William Fithian, now of Illinois, with a Miss Spain, and after her decease, with Miss Berry, daughter of Judge Berry.
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John A. Ward with Eleanor McBeth, daughter of Judge MeBeth, one of our first Representatives in the State Legisla- ture.
Benjamin Holden with Lucinda Pennington.
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