USA > Ohio > Champaign County > The history of Champaign county, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; history of the Northwest territory etc > Part 59
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The Indians buried their dead by digging a round hole in the ground in the easiest place they could find, in gravel or sand, and would set the corpse down, feet foremost, in the hole and crowd the body down as low as they could and cover up the grave, sometimes the head was not buried more than a foot deep. James Black attended many of their burials along Mad River, on the east and west side, scattered about. The tribes carried a chief from McPher- son's to Fort Finley for burial after he had been dead three days. They put him on horseback, tied his feet tight under the horse's body, then put a piece of bark round his neck and tied one end to the horse's tail, and another end to his neck. They were about three days in conveying him to Fort Finley, while the stench was very offensive.
Capt. Black, Moses McIlwain and several other early settlers of this neigh- borhood, emigrated from Kentucky, and were members of the New Light or Christian Church. A camp-meeting of the New Light Church was held between the houses of Capt. Black and Moses McIlwain, Sr., I suppose on the old Hull trace, in the year 1813, which meeting lasted two or three days. Richard Clark, of Kentucky, was the only preacher at the meeting ; about forty persons attended this camp-meeting. Joseph Thomas, or the "White Pilgrim," preached many times in this neighborhood, in Salem Township; two preachers named Caleb and Nathan Worley, Virginians, father and son, preached in this neighborhood in an early day, all members of the New Light Church.
The first schoolhouse built in this neighborhood was built on the Samuel Black farm, about the year 1814. I did not learn the name of the first teacher. Robert Crocket taught the second term in that schoolhouse. Among the scholars who attended the first school in this house were : William, John, Samuel and James Kavanaugh, Moses McIlwain's children, Capt. Black's children and George Petty's adopted daughter.
Before the war of 1812, the outlines of an ancient fort were distinctly marked on the George Petty farm. This fort contained four and a half acres, in a right-angled square form; on the outside, the wall was four and a half feet, perpendicular ; on the inside, it was gradually sloping; free from grass on the inside surface. A large burr-oak tree, three feet in diameter, grow- ing on the wall of this fort, which tree may have been five hundred years old.
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
The Indians who inhabited this country eighty years ago, at the first settlement of the whites, have no knowledge when this fort was made. In the war of 1812, Government cattle were herded on this farm, when George Petty was proprietor. The cattle then horned and trampled down the wall of this fort, so that George Petty afterward plowed and leveled down the wall. An orchard and part of a corn-field now occupy the site of this ancient fort. A mound of considerable size still stands a little south of the site of this ancient fort ; exca- vations have been made in this mound, but no bones or Indian relics found. This is a suitable field for our scientific association at Urbana to labor in.
Moses McIlwain, Sr., built a brick house on his farm in 1817. Martin Marmon was the builder of this house, which was the first brick house built in Salem Township. Capt. Black built a brick house in 1818; a man by the name of Whitus was the builder.
The Indians and Indian chiefs frequently stayed all night with Moses Mc- Ilwain, Sr., and Capt. Black sometimes camped around the house and some- times stayed in the house. Tecumseh frequently visited Capt. Black, and tarried with him through the night, and was a quiet, orderly, well-behaved man.
The first post office in Salem Township was established at Kennard in 1866; Thomas A. Cowgill, Postmaster.
About ten rods north of the residence of Thomas A. Cowgill are the remains. of a log schoolhouse, which, it is supposed, was built in 1815-the mark of the old fire-place, which occupied the east end of the house, is yet plainly to be seen. This was among the first schoolhouses built in Salem Township. Among the builders were Isaac Gray, Enos Baldwin, John McAdams, Aaron L. Hunt, William H. Baldwin, Nathan Moffitt and Col. John Thomas. Around the site of this old schoolhouse, linger many pleasant memories of the past. I cannot name the first teacher of this school. Among the early teachers were Judge Daniel Baldwin, Judge Edward L. Morgan, John Organ, Henry Cowgill and Jesse Baldwin.
In 1855, the late Duncan M. Vance, M. D., built a mill on King's Creek, about one mile west of Saratoga Mills, near the mouth of King's Creek. This mill was burned down a few years since. The site is now owned and oc- cupied by a gentleman named Smith.
Kenton Mills are situated near the mouth of King's Creek, and were built, I think, about forty years ago ; these mills are now owned by a Mr. Arrow- smith, who is related by marriage to Rev. William Haller .* Rev. William Haller was a very early settler of Mad River Township, and, about fifteen years ago, removed to Salem Township and settled at Kingston, where he still lives, at an advanced age.
Friend Haller has been a member and minister of the Methodist Church for many years. He has spent much of his time and means to promote morality and religion in the community in which he has lived. He is now in the enjoy- ment of a peaceful old age, looking back upon a well-spent life, devoted to good works.
In 1842, Rev. Benjamin Gehman bought the John Walker homestead, near Kingston. On this farm he has since lived. He is a wealthy and prosperous gentleman. Since his settlement in Salem Township, he has been a member and minister of the Methodist Church. Like William Haller, he spends much of his time and contributes his money liberally to promote morality and re- ligion and all good works. Benjamin Gehman has, in the past few years, paid
*Rev. William Haller died Dec. 2, 1880. See obituary notice following Salem township history.
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
large sums of money for the building of two houses of public worship in Salem Township ; he has patiently borne the burden and heat of the day in sustaining them, sometimes under discouraging circumstances.
LUDLOW'S LINE.
The above name was given to a line running from the head of Scioto to the source of Little Miami River, dividing the United States land on the west from the Virginia military land on the east. This line was run by Israel Ludlow about the year 1800. By virtue of a charter given by James I, King of En- gland, in the year 1609, all the country west of the Ohio River to the Pacific Ocean was ceded to the State of Virginia. After the close of the Revolution- ary war, the State of Virginia ceded to the United States the greater part of this vast domain, and, at the same time, made certain reservations, and among them she reserved all the land lying between the Little Miami and Scioto Rivers, in what is now the State of Ohio. Nearly four thousand acres of this Virginia military land lies in the northeasterly corner of Salem Township. The remainder of Salem Township is composed of United States lands, which, about the year 1800, were laid off in blocks of four miles square, by Israel Lud- low, and, about 1802, said blocks of land were divided into sections and quarter- sections by Lewis Cass. The sections are one mile square, containing 640 acres each. Six miles square of this land form a township. The Virginia military lands are not surveyed into townships or any regular form, but any individual holding a Virginia military land warrant could locate it wherever he chose within the district, and in any shape he pleased, where the land was not previ- ously located. In consequence of this deficiency of regular original surveys, and the irregularities with which the several locations were made, and the con- sequent interference and encroachment of some surveys upon others, more than double the litigation arose between the holders of adverse titles in this district than occurred in any other part of Ohio of equal extent, in regard to land titles. Those difficulties were mostly settled more than forty years ago.
The following will give an idea of how a law-suit was prevented fifty years ago in Salem Township: About the year 1824, it was found the title was not good to Military Survey No. 4520-Richard Osborn, original proprietor. This land is situated about nine miles north of Urbana, and mostly in Salem Township, adjoining the farm on which the writer lives, and embraces a tract of nearly one thousand acres. It was also discovered, at the same time, that about three hundred acres of land, lying immediately south of the Osborn tract, was vacant land, and these three hundred acres had, before that time, been thought to be included in the Osborn survey. A part of the occupants of the Osborn survey were James Thomas, Silas Williams, Phineas Hunt, Richard Williams, Benjamin Johnson, Asa Williams, John Robinson, Col. John Thomas and Jacob Stratton. The occupants of the vacant land were Jacob Stratton, John Rob- inson and Garlant Wade. This affair occasioned, for a time, much trouble and uneasiness, as the occupants would probably be involved in a tedious lawsuit, and be subjected to much difficulty, and might lose their homes. Upon exam- ination it was found that the defect in the title of the Osborn survey was with some of the representatives of Richard Osborn, one of whom was Maj. Hugh Boyle, then Clerk of the Courts of Fairfield County, at Lancaster. It was agreed by the parties interested that Col. John Thomas-an honored name- should be deputed to visit Hugh Boyle at Lancaster, and see if some arrange- ment could be made to quiet the title of this land. Col. Thomas accordingly
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
had an interview with Hugh Boyle, and, after mutual explanations of the case on both sides, Maj. Boyle, without any hesitation, went to work and removed the difficulty entirely, and he and his wife gave Col. Thomas a power of attorney to make proper conveyances to the parties interested of their respective shares of this land, as they had before occupied. At that time, it was sometimes cus- tomary for a woman, on signing a deed with her husband, to ask for some pres- ent, as a dress etc. When Maj. Boyle's lady signed this conveyance, Col. Thomas asked her what present he should make to her. She replied, as she was raised and educated a member of the Society of Friends, and as several of the families living on this land were members of the same church, she wanted the ladies living on the land to make and send her a plain cap, such as the elderly women Friends usually wear. This request was handsomely complied with by Aunt Esther Downs and other ladies interested.
Aaron L. Hunt, then County Surveyor of Champaign County, laid a land- warrant on the three hundred acres of vacant land and had it regularly pat- ented, and the title secured in his own name. He then surveyed this land into lots, giving the same occupant the same land he then occupied, including im- provements and timber, and sold and conveyed the land to the occupants at $2 per acre, which was only a very little more than it cost him to secure the title to himself. This land was then worth about $8 per acre, and A. L. Hunt had the genuine title, and could have conveyed it to whom he pleased.
It seems A. L. Hunt had deeded some of the land to parties before they paid for it, without taking any security.
Jacob Stratton at one time went to Aaron to make a payment on his share. He had probably paid at several times previously, without keeping an account of the amount of his payments. Aaron said, "Jacob, I think thee has paid me enough already, and maybe too much ; thee may stop now-needn't pay any more." And so the matter ended, I believe, to the satisfaction of all par- ties.
Since writing the foregoing pages, I have learned that, in the year 1810, Griffith Evans and Martha Evans, his wife, with a few children, emigrated from Greenbrier County, Va., and settled near the site of Mount Tabor, on a large tract of excellent land that he previously bought from the owner, Alexander Dunlap, in Virginia. In the year 1811, an infant daughter of Griffith Evans and wife, was buried at the place now occupied by the large cemetery at Mount Tabor. This was the first grave made at this consecrated place, and Griffith Evans' family was probably the first Methodist family in Salem Township. It seems that Griffith and Martha Evans, with almost prophetic vision, selected this beautiful spot in the wilderness, on their own land, as a burial-place for their loved child, long before any arrangement had been made for using this ground for church purposes. From the year 1810 to 1814, several other Meth- odist families removed from Greenbrier County, Va., and settled near what is now the north line of Champaign County.
In 1814, a little Methodist society was formed at this place, and met at Griffith Evans' house for worship. This house was furnished with an earthen floor and puncheon seats. In 1816, a little log-cabin meeting-house was built at Mount Tabor, and Rev. Saul Henkle preached the first sermon in that house. John Hunter, father of Nathaniel C. Hunter, the last of the pioneer band who built that little meeting-house in 1816, departed this life February 28, 1878. Another noble act of Griffith Evans and wife, I think ought to be here recorded. Martha Evans' maiden name was Martha McNeal; at the time of her marriage
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN. COUNTY.
to Griffith Evans, she was possessed of considerable wealth ; among other prop- erty, her father left her several slaves. At or before the time of their emigra- tion to this county, their slaves were all set free, and I believe all followed them to this country. I have frequently seen Martha Evans' former slaves about her house, and she used them as kindly as if they had been her own children.
Mennonite or Amish Church .- In the spring of 1845, Joseph N. Kauff- man, in the summer of same year, his brother-in-law Jacob Hooley, in the fall of same year his father David Kauffman, all settled in Salem Township. The first meeting of this sect in Salem Township, was held in 1849, at Christopher Yoder's house, on the large farm now owned by Stewart brothers. Their first meeting-house was built in 1857, immediately west of Ludlow's line, adjoining Jacob Hooley's farm. At this meeting-house, there is a beautiful cemetery, in good order ; the house is now used on funeral occasions. In 1877, this society built a large meeting-house, about one mile northwest of the cemetery above named. The membership of this church amounts to about one hundred and ten. There is generally a large attendance at this meeting from other congre- gations of the same church in Logan County. The society seems to be in a prosperous condition. The members of this church are remarkable for their care in keeping their homes and farms in beautiful and excellent order, and for their industry, economy and prudence in managing their business. It is pleas- ant to speak of the prosperity of this quiet and inoffensive people.
Noah Troyer, a member and remarkable minister of the Amish society, lived in Salem Township from 1847 to 1862-fifteen years. In September, 1880, he visited his old home and neighbors in Salem Township. Since some time in the year 1878, he has been strangely held by nervous or other peculiar symptoms. About 4 o'clock, P. M., every day, he is generally attacked with severe spasmodic action of the muscular system, which continues to grow worse until about 7 o'clock, when he is thrown into a deep sleep or trance ; soon after, he will partly arise from his bed and kneel and offer a short and impressive prayer ; then stand upon his feet and speak or preach for from one hour to three and a half hours, then appear to swoon away and sleep soundly, generally until 4 o'clock A. M., waken up and appear to be sound and well in the morning, and not remember anything that took place during the night. This was about the course with him every night while he was here for two weeks.
Jacob Hartzler was the first preacher at the Amish Church in Salem Town- ship. Since him there have been Joseph Kauffman, John Wary, John King, Moses Stutzman, Rufus A. Yoder, and perhaps others who have officiated as ministers.
Nathaniel and Ann Hunter, with their nine children, four boys and five girls, started to remove from their home in Greenbrier County, Va., on the 15th day of September, 1811. They stopped and settled six miles south of London, in Madison County, Ohio, where they remained three years. In 1814, they removed to Salem Township, Champaign County, Ohio, and bought a large tract of excellent land, three miles southeast of where West Liberty now is. The parents of this family were members of the Methodist Church. In 1816, Nathaniel Hunter and his four sons all helped liberally to build the first meet- ing house at Mount Tabor. They all helped liberally to build two brick meet- ing houses at the same place since that time.
The four sons and five daughters all joined the Methodist Church at Mount Tabor at an early age; all lived and died members of the same church; all were of high social standing in life ; all did much every way to advance morality
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
and religion in the community in which they lived ; and all, parents and chil- dren, are buried at Mount Tabor.
At a re-union of the Hunter family in Salem Township, in 1873, twenty-six members of the family connection were present. Now, in 1880, Nathaniel C. Hunter and his family are all of this once large family connection that remain in Salem Township.
About the year 1817 Ezra Read and Lyman North settled on King's Creek, in Salem Township. They were natives of Connecticut, and, I think, emigrated from that State about the time they settled in Salem Township. They both joined the Baptist Church at Kingston about the year 1840. Nancy Read, wife of Ezra Read, died in 1820. Ezra Read and Lyman North were good and useful citizens, and ardent friends of education, always willing to bear their share of the burden to promote schools. They both raised large families of children, some of whom were among the best scholars of their time. Daniel Read, eldest son of Ezra Read, still lives, and is professor in a college in Minnesota. Burleigh Read, the youngest son, is living in Logansport, Ind. All the remainder of that once large family are in their graves. John and Abel North live in Salem Township; William lives in California; their sisters, Sarah and Lucy Ann, live in Allen County, Ohio ; the other children of that once large family are deceased. Ezra Read and Lyman North both died about 1862. Lucy North, wife of Lyman North, died a few years since. She was one of the excellent women of the earth. Ezra Read and his two wives and Lyman North and his wife are buried in the Baptist cemetery at Kingston.
William and Huldah Downs, and many of their descendants, emigrated from New Jersey about the year 1816, and settled on King's Creek, opposite to where Lyman North lived. The old people were buried nearly sixty years ago in the cemetery near Alfred Johnson's mansion, in Wayne Township. Some of their descendants still live in Salem Township. William and Joseph Downs, nephews of the above named William and Huldah Downs, about the same year (1816), settled on King's Creek, a little north of Ezra Read's home, where William erected a woolen factory, and died at that home fully sixty years ago, and was buried in the Johnson Cemetery above named. Jo- seph Downs died in the year 1858, on his farm, adjoining Mount Tabor, and was buried in the old Friends' Cemetery, one mile east of Mount Tabor; his venerable widow, aged 85 years, now lives in North Lewisburg. In 1818, Robert Reed and family, his son Joel Reed and family, emigrated from New Jersey and settled on King's Creek, one mile west of Lyman North's home, where they lived many years. The older members of the family are now all deceased ; some of their descendants live in Urbana.
In the winter of 1826-27, Dr. Samuel A. Latta taught school in a log cabin schoolhouse on the farm now owned by David Fulweider ; he also taught a grammar school at night, which schools were both largely attended. This was the first grammar school I attended. An exhibition was held on the last day of this school, which was attended by a large concourse of people. At the close, Dr. Latta preached an able sermon, and very good order was observed. In 1818, Mr. Cowgill opened a smith-shop near the east line of Salem Town- ship. Among his regular customers were William H. Baldwin, Nathan Moffitt, Enos Baldwin, Isaac Gray, Jehu Gray, Asa Gray, Matthew Mason, Isaac Mason, James Craighill, Matthew Stewart, Archibald Stewart, John McAdams, Isaac McAdams, John Taylor, William Taylor, David Taylor, Ezra Read, Lyman
Benjamin Norman JOHNSON. TP.
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
North, Aaron L. Hunt, Col. John Thomas, Alexander Thomas, Griffith Evans, Isaac Evans, Isaac Thompson, Joseph Downs, William Mayse, Thomas Hum- phreys, Nathaniel Hunter, Alexander Hunter, Thomas Hunter, and Bethuel Samples. This was the beginning of a friendship with Mr. Cowgill and each and every one of the venerated persons above named, which continued through life.
LOST CHILD IN THE WOODS AND PRAIRIES IN 1821.
A little daughter of Mr. Cowgill's, then about four years old, had been in the habit of going with some of the family to the nearest neighbor's, William H. Baldwin. She one afternoon assumed the responsibility of going alone ; she went straight to the neighbor's, when Aunt Elizabeth soon started her home, and went with her near to the crossing of the Urbana road, and watched her along the path until she thought the little girl would surely get safe home. Somehow, she missed the way, and took down south along the Urbana road, which was then a mere pathway. Her track was seen in the road, but, as it happened, she was not seen by any one until after sundown. She had traveled partly along the Urbana, and along paths and through woods, barrens and prairies, and crossed King's Creek, which is said to have been one-third larger fifty years ago, than at present. In the evening, after sundown, she was found along a cow-path, among the plum and hazel bushes, near the present home of Matthew Stewart, Esq. A man named Lyman Olds then lived near Kingston ; his boys were out hunting their cows, and met the little girl along the path ; they asked her where she was going, she said " goin' home." The boys took her home with them, their father talked with her, and she told him where she had been, told him her name, and answered every question directly and to the point. Lyman Olds made ready as soon as he could and took the little girl to the house of John McAdams, Esq. As soon as it was ascertained that the child was lost, almost the whole neighborhood turned out to search for her, a number of women were of the company. Near 11 o'clock at night, several men were stopped about one-fourth mile south of where Kennard now is, consulting about the best mode of search, when some one said, "Listen, I hear a call.' We listened, and at the distance of about one mile we plainly heard a loud, clear call borne upon the quiet air of that calm, clear night in August, Isaac McAdams said, "That is mother's voice. I know the child is found." The men then started on a run in the direction of the call. Soon after, tin horns sounded from several of the neighboring houses ; it seemed to be a time of great and general rejoicing-the child was found. Lyman Olds said the little girl talked to him incessantly on their journey that night, told him what each member of the family were doing when she left home, the names of all the horses and cows on the farm. She arrived at home about midnight, to the great joy of her parents and the family, her mother being sick at the time. A company of Indians were camped a few days before on the east fork of King's Creek, near where Cable now stands. It was feared by some that the Indians had taken the child.
RAILROADS.
The Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad was the pioneer road in Ohio; it was surveyed in 1832, and finished building in 1848. It is now known as the Cincinnati, Sandusky & Cleveland Railroad. It is now one of the most noted thoroughfares in the State; running across Salem Township from a point south of Saratoga Mills to Logan County line, near West Liberty.
R
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
The New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio Railroad, first known as the Franklin & Warren Railroad, afterward as the Atlantic & Great Western Railroad, was surveyed in 1855, and trains first ran on this road through Salem Township in 1865. This road is now about equal in commercial importance with the Cin- cinnati, Sandusky & Cleveland Railroad. It crosses Salem Township from a point at about the junction of King's Creek and Mingo Valleys, running down King's Creek Valley to join the line of Urbana Township, near Urbana. The Pan Handle Railroad, now known as the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railroad, was surveyed in the spring of 1852, and built immediately thereafter. A great business is now done on this road. It is probably equal in importance to any road in this part of Ohio. It crosses the east line of Salem Township at a point near " Round Prairie," on the south Fork of King's Creek, running down the beautiful valleys of King's Creek and Dugan to join the line of Urbana Township, very near the line of the New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio Railroad.
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