USA > Ohio > Licking County > Granville > The history of Granville, Licking County, Ohio > Part 2
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15
OHIO IN 1805.
CHAPTER II.
The passing century dawned to find the westward march of civilization rapidly breaking at different points across the Ohio River, into the great undeveloped region between the river and the lakes, and gaining a foothold among the valleys never more to be dislodged.
The little spot that concerns us now, according to Hon. Isaac Smucker, has been " under the control of a number of foreign powers " and "an integral portion of at least two different States (Virginia and Ohio), and one Territory (North-West), and six counties (Botetourt, Illinois, Washing- ton, Ross, Fairfield and Licking)."
Spain early claiined all the land drained by the Mississippi and its tributaries.
France also claimed the valley of the Ohio and exercised some jurisdiction over it until the peace of 1763 ..
England then " became the owner by treaty and exercised authority over it until 1784."
At the close of the Revolutionary War it passed to the jurisdiction of the United States.
By the various patents given by England to her colonies with ill-defined boundaries and indistinct knowledge of the territories ceded, conflicting claims arose among the States for possession of this region. As it had come into the pos- session of the United States at the price of treasure and blood expended by all the colonies, the rest also felt that they had equal claim to it and equal right of jurisdiction over it. In 1784, or soon after, the States of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, severally relinquished these original claims in favor of the general government.
Virginia, in 1769, while claiming title, erected the County of Botetourt, whose eastern boundary was somewhere east of the Ohio, and the western was the Mississippi River.
16
INDIAN TRIBES OF OHIO.
Again, in 1778, all west of the Ohio River was set off and called the County of Illinois.
After the establishing of the Territory of the Northwest by Congress in 1787, Washington County was erected, lying between the Ohio and Scioto Rivers, and running north to Lake Erie.
In 1798, Ross County was proclaimed, taking in the Ross County of to-day and all north of it to the Lake.
In 1800, Fairfield, in like inanner, took the northern part of Ross.
In 1808, Licking County was proclaimed with its present boundaries.
When Granville Township was organized, in 1807, its bounds upon the north and west extended much further than at present
The recognition by Congress of Ohio as a State was 011 February 19, 1803. The seat of government until 1810 was at Chillicothe. Then for two years it was transferred to Zanesville, after which it reverted to Chillicothe until 1816, at which time Columbus became the capital.
Previous to 1803 there were nine counties : Washington, erected in 1788; Hamilton, 1790; Adams and Jefferson, 1797 ; Ross, 1798; Trumbull (all Western Reserve), Clermont and Fairfield, 1800, and Belmont, 1801. In 1803, eight more were erected : Butler, Montgomery, Greene, Warren, Frank- lin, Scioto, Gallia and Columbiana. Muskingum was erected in . 1804, and Geauga, Athens, Highland and Champaign in 1805 So that when the Granville colony took possession of their homes in 1805, there were twenty-two counties in the State.
The most powerful of the tribes of Indians occupying, in early times, the lands of the present State of Ohio, was probably the Shawnees, or Shawanoese. They roamed the valley of the Scioto, and as far west as the Miami and east to the Muskingum, having villages here and there; and moving northward as settlements were made along the Ohio.
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Indian Tribes Emigrants' Routes
3
18
GREENVILLE TREATY LINE.
The Wyandots, another powerful tribe occupied the Hock- ing Valley, also moving northward to the valley of the San- dusky. The Delawares were found in the Muskingum Val- ley, and the Mingoes (a fragment of the Senecas, who were of the Six Nations) west of Wheeling. These tribes moved north-westward ; the Delawares to the headwaters of the Sandusky, and the Mingoes to the mouth of the same river, on the east side, where they were called Senecas. The Mi- amis were in the lower valley of the Miami, and the Twig- twees near its headwaters. Remnants of the Six Nations, other than the Senecas or Mingoes, lived east of the Cuya- hoga River. The "Miamis of the Lake," or Maumees, probably occupied the valley of that stream, and a small band of the Ottawas were near its mouth. The Moravian Indians migrated from Pennsylvania in 1772, with their mis- sionaries, settling in the valley of the Tuscarawas, building their villages- Gnadenhutten, Salem and Schonbrun -and living quietly by the arts of peace until massacred in cold blood. The Chippeways, Kickapoos, Potawatamies, Saginas, and others are mentioned here and there, but not with prom- inence, nor can they be located.
Indian troubles operated as a check to immigration from the first, until the decided victory of General Wayne, in 1794, established the " Greenville Treaty Line," giving undisputed possession of all the lands south and east of that line to the United States. The Indian reservation was bounded by the Cuyahoga River, from its mouth to the portage, near where Akron now stands; across by that portage to the Tuscarawas River ; by that stream down to Fort Laurens (a point in the northern boundary of the present County of Tuscarawas); thence by a line of survey running a little south of west, and nearly across the . State, to a trading station on the Miami, marking the portage between the Miami and St. Marys Rivers, called Loramie's Station ; thence north of west to Fort Recovery, on the head waters of the Wa- bashı, and near the present State boundary, and thence
19
WAVES OF EMIGRATION.
west of south to a point opposite the mouth of the Ken- tucky River.
In the spring of 1788, "The New England Company" made the first permanent settlement north of the Ohio, at Marietta. From this point the settlements reached out among the hills and up the valleys, until, in 1805, they had reached the head-waters of the Muskingum, there to meet similar advancing currents setting in from the east, the south and the southwest.
In 1788, the settlements at the mouth of the Little Miami were commenced, and from there, as rapidly, they spread northward in widening radii, until in 1805, all that part south of the middle of the State was dotted with settlements.
I11 1790, the Ohio was crossed at Wheeling, and thence the wave began to roll westward.
In 1805, the prominent points, the choicest localities, were occupied over half the State, that portion lying south and east of the middle portion. But the land was not by any means subdued. It was simply marked here and there by the outposts of civilization, while mnuch of it was still an unoc- cupied wilderness. The Indians were restricted to their reservation already described, except as roving squads of them put in an occasional appearance, or where a few of them were tolerated in clinging to the homes of their fathers.
Thus it was when the attention of the Granville emigrants was directed thither.
.
20
THE FIRST LOW PLASH.
CHAPTER III.
The " first low plash of waves," where soon was to " roll a human sea," began to be heard on the borders of our town- ship in 1800.
On our southern border, in the valley of Ramp Creek, near Cherry Valley, one evening in the late autumn of this year, a settler from the valley below was threading his way through the forest, hunting for deer, when he came unex- pectedly on a camp fire. Around it were gathered five men ; Benoni Benjamin and his three brothers-in-law, John Jones, Phineas and Frederick Ford, and the fifth, a man in Mr. Jones's employ, by the name of Danner or Denner. They were exploring with a view to settlement, having left their families back on the Scioto. Mr. Jones was a Welshman, born in New Jersey, and the visitor was Isaac Stadden, who afterwards became the first Justice of the Peace acting within the limits of Licking County. The two men soon recognized each other as old acquaintances, having been schoolmates in their boyhood, in Northumberland, Pennsylvania. Great was their surprise to meet thus, in the wilds of this new country.
Having found locations that pleased them, the four brothers- in-law returned to their families; and late in the following winter or early in the spring of 1801, they brought on their families and went to work. Mr. Jones erected his cabin near a spring at the foot of a spur which is on the Munson farm. It was about ten rods south of the spring, or half way to the track of the road as it was first used. Centerville Street, being afterwards laid out straight through the plain, 110w runs thirty or forty rods south of this spot. Mr. Jones planted corn that year with Mr. Stadden, on a bit of prairie east of Newark, but proceeded to open the land around his cabin and prepare for future crops.
.
21
EARLY SETTLERS.
The others of that evening group located beyond the limits of our township.
Patrick Cunningham built the second cabin in the township during the same summer, and about fifty rods northeast of the Jones cabin, near another spring. There he set out an orchard, and cultivated fruits and vegetables, the remains of the cabin and nursery being still seen.
Early in the year 1802, two young men built cabins a little to the east of Cunningham's, and raised a small crop of corn, but did not become permanent settlers.
By this time, Mr. Theophilus Rees and Mr. Thomas Philipps had purchased, of Mr. Samson Davis, of Philadel- phia, a tract of 1800 acres, lying in the northeast portion of what is now Granville township; Mr. Rees's tract lying in the southwest quarter of the section, and Mr. Philipps' tract immediately north of it. Messrs. Rees and Philipps came in company from Wales, where they were neighbors and long-time friends, and with them a large colony; taking ship Wednesday, April 7, 1796, and arriving in New York Friday, May 14, having been thirty-seven days out. In 1802, Mr. Rees came out with his family to take possession of his purchase, and for a time found shelter in the cabin of the two young men. Not having seen his land, Mr. Rees, from the description given him, supposed these settlers were upon his tract. So, paying them for their crop and supposed im- provements, he took possession. He soon learned his mistake, however, and went to his own purchase, a little further north.
David Lewis and David Thomas, sons-in-law of Mr. Rees, came with him, bringing also their families ; Mr. Lewis stop- ping for a time to work as a stone-mason at Zanesville, and in the same employment at Newark ; but all soon settling on the purchase of Mr. Rees. There were two sons-in-law of Mr. Rees named David Thomas, one being a large man and the other, who came later, a small man ; and they were universally distinguished as big David Thomas and little David Thomas. The one mentioned as coming with Mr.
22
FIRST BIRTH AND DEATH.
Rees was big David Thomas. Simon James accompanied them, but without his family. He located on the Philipps tract, north, and went to work to prepare a residence for his family.
It was big David Thomas who carried a bushel of wheat on his back to mill at Zanesville, and brought back the flour of which Mrs. Rees baked the first wheaten loaf made in the township, and the neighbors' children were all invited in to help eat it as a curiosity and luxury.
About the same time came from the vicinity of Wheeling one Jimmy Johnson, an experienced frontiersman, who bought land of Mr. Rees and erected a cabin.
Meantime, settlers were multiplying in the valley below, and during this year the town of Newark was laid out.
October Ist, of this year, Mrs. Jones gave birth to the first white child born within the limits of this township. But she never came back to health again. She lingered until the 22d of the same month, when she died. Hers was the first death within the present limits of the township. Her remains now lie buried [1880] in the old cemetery, on the highest ground at the extreme western side, and near where the old gate used to be, having been removed thither from the place in Newark where they were first interred. There is a headstone about twenty inches wide and two feet nine inches high, with this inscription :
Here heth the Body of Lilly Jones departed this Life Oct" 22 A). 1802 Aged 28 years 3 400 & 13 days left her husband John Jone & with u children 2 girls & 2 boys This is thefirst White family that ever inhabited GRANVILLE Tp. This store is made to suis the times of the first settlers.
23
INDIAN CAMP.
In 1803, the Welsh Hills settlement was increased by the addition of two more families : James Evans and a Mr. Shadwick. A Mr. Parker, also, came from Virginia and built · a cabin near the mouth of Clear Run, cleared four acres of ground and planted a patch of corn and garden vegetables. He then hired a man to tend it and went back for his family.
He brought them safely to their new home, but lived only three weeks after arriving. He left a wife and six children. The oldest son took charge of the place, gathered the large crop of squashes and pile'd them in a rail pen, stacking the corn around it. A band of fifty Indians wàs camped near, and they would often bring a hamn of venison to exchange for a squash, so that the family did not suffer for want of food. Some other settler, perhaps Mr. Jolın Duke, about the same time, built another cabin near the same place.
In 1804, Thomas and Peter Cramer, sons-in-law of Jimmy Johnson, were added to the settlers on the Welsh Hills, and during the next two years they were joined by Jolin Price, Benjamin Jones and Thomas Powell. Not long after this, also, Mr. Simon James, having gone for his family, returned with them. The name also of James James appears as of a settler.
Mr. Thomas Philipps and wife, with their son, John H. Philipps, came and tarried a short time on the Philipps' pur- chase, and then returned to Pennsylvania to prepare for a permanent residence here.
24
THE SCIOTO LAND COMPANY.
CHAPTER IV.
While these things were transpiring in the wilderness, other scenes were passing actively 'in review in old Gran- ville, Mass., the events of which were rapidly tending toward this samne mark, and which we must now briefly sketch.
The population of the town had so far increased that the younger families began to long for more room for their activ- ities. Emigration by single families had already commenced. Some had gone to the new lands northwest of Lake Cham- plain, known as the Chazy region. But the report they sent back was of a country bleak and trying in its long winters, and it did not particularly invite others to follow them.
In 1803, a company from Granby, Conn., the town [town- ship] adjoining that of Granville, Mass., and from which some of the first settlers of Granville, Ohio, eventually came, had emigrated under articles of association to Worthington, Ohio. This association was formed in 1801, and was called the Scioto Company.
[Let it be borne in mind that there were three Scioto compan- . ies; the Scioto Land Co. operating in the southern part of the State near the mouth of the Scioto River; this Scioto Co., just named operating on its head waters; and another Scioto Land Co., of which we are about to speak. ]
Explorations were made, a site chosen and a large emigra- tion conducted by them to new and desirable homes in the west.
This suggested a similar movement to the enterprising spirits of Granville, Mass. The expanse of the western wilds promised a sphere that would satisfy their longings. Con- gress had given the U. S. soldiers of the Revolution each a bounty claim for one hundred acres of land. These warrants were passing from hand to hand, and rapidly finding their way into the possession of speculators. Entire townships of land
25
THE AGREEMENT.
were "located " in sections of 4000 acres each, and held for sale by these speculators.
In the early part of 1804, Samuel Everitt, Jr., started the idea of raising another company, and similar to the above, to go to the same region. Suggesting the matter to Levi Buttles he was encouraged, and they two carried the project to Dea Timothy Rose, who also approved the plan. This was the origin of what was called " The Scioto Land Co."
In April, (1804) the movement began to take definite form. We find the following preliminary agreement as adopted by those who were favorable to the movement and were propos- ing to take part in it. It bears date at East Granville, [Mass.,] April 3rd, 1804.
"We the subscribers being desirous of making a purchase of Newlands in the State of Ohio for settlement, have thought best to form ourselves into an association or Company for the purpose of sending agents into said State of Ohio, to explore said lands in such way & manner as will enable them to ob- tain correct information as to the quality & situation of said lands, also the price, terms of payment, the different tracts they may be had at, & title to the same.
" And in order that we may, (at a small expense to each in- dividual of us) obtain such information, we do hereby agree to form ourselves into an association or Company for that purpose & do severally promise & engage (in consideration of the mutual advantage which we expect to receive by this associa- tion) to & with each other to & with each individual that shall belong to this association or company, that we will be bound by & will faithfully fulfill all & every rule, regulation or by-law, that shall be regularly voted or entered into by the said association or company, & particularly we severally prom- ise to pay into the treasurer that shall be appointed by us the sum of eight dollars for the said purpose of paying such agents we may send to explore the said lands, '& we do also agree each one of us for ourselves that if we shall fail of paying the said sum of eight dollars by the time that shall be first [fixed] or for said payment by the said association or of paying the as- sessment or taxes made by us when regularly convened, we severally agree to forfeit & do, (in case of such failure) hereby relinquish all right and benefit of this association or exploring,
2
26
THE SIGNING.
& we do also agree each one of us for himself that we will abide by & be bound to fulfill the following rules and regula- tions, & all others that the said association shall enter into.
" 1st We do agree that no tax or assessment shall be binding on us unless one-half of the subscribers shall be present at the meeting which shall vote the same, but any other busi- ness shall bind us when voted by the major part of the mem- bers present at any meeting regularly warned.
"2nd We further agree that unless there should be thirty subscribers to this agreement it shall not be binding on any of us, -but when over that number has subscribed, -we are holden by all & every article above written, In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this day & year above written."
At the end of three months the following names were found to have been attached to the above agreement :
Levi Buttles,
Hugh Kelley,
Asa Seymour, Jr.
Russel Atwater.
Araunah Clark,
Horatio Forbes,
Job Case,
Samuel Thrall,
Levi Rose,
Reuben Ashmun,
Lemuel Rose,
Alvin Holcomb,
Solomon Noble,
Levi Cooley,
James Sinnet,
Samuel Everitt, Jr.,
Timothy Rose,
Worthy Pratt,
Noadiah Holcomb,
Samuel Everitt,
David Messenger,
Ebenezer Street,
Silas Winche1,
Frederick Moor,
Levi Hayes,
Nathan Gates, Wm. Jones,
Timothy Spelman,
Benj. Reed,
Asa Day,
Cornelius Slocum,
Titus Hoskin,
Dan Godard.
Elihu Buttolph,
Ethan Bancroft,
-[35.]
Sometime in May following it must have become apparent that the movement had gone beyond a peradventure, for three men whose names appear in the above list were sent out to Ohio as the agents " to view and purchase such lands as will justify a settlement of the contemplated company." They were Levi Buttles, Timothy Rose and Job Case. They performed the duty assigned, locating the tract to be purchased in the United States Military Lands.
On the first of August following, there had come to be so much enthusiasm in their undertaking that they thought best to raise the fee required for membership. The following persons became members by the payment of ten dollars each :
.
27°
THE FEE RAISED.
Sylvanus Mitchel, Titus Roe, Enoch Buttles,
Jonathan Wright, Zadoc Cooley,
Eleazar Clemons, Israel Wells,
Amos Carpenter,
Roswell Graves,
Elihu Cooley, John Sinnet,
Moses Godard, Jr.,
Enoch Graves,
Ezekiel Welis, Wm. Phelps,
Theodore Taylor, Jr., Spencer Wright, Ezra Holcomb, Hiram Rose,
John Phelps, Arden Holcomb,
Wm. Phelps, Jr., Spencer Spelman, Joel Buttles,
Joseph Linnel, Joab Griffin,
Samuel B. Dean,
Benj. Waters,
Samuel Waters,
Daniel Messenger, Ozni Miller, Job W. Case,
Gideon Cornell,
Andrew Hayes,
Theodore Taylor,
Wm. Gavit,
Sereno Holcomb,
John Wilcox,
Ebenezer Cheney,
Seth Hayes.
Wm. Slocum,
Joshua Kendall,
-[44.]
Jesse Rice,
Asa Holcomb,
In September, the locating committee returned and made a favorable report.
An incident in the boyhood of Alfred Avery may illustrate the influence under which many New England people have sought western homes. When he was a mere child, his father went out to plant corn; & himself, ambitious to help, took his hoe & went out also, tugging and sweating, to do what a little boy could. At length, his father noticed that Alfred was crying, & asked him what was the matter. The child's reply was a turning point in the history of the family. "I can't get dirt enough to cover the corn." Then the father thought it was time to go where the world had more dirt. Soon afterward he became a member of the Licking Company.
28
THE LOCATION.
CHAPTER V.
Rev. Jacob Little, D. D., in his History of Granville, says :
"The company having heard much of the fever & ague as well as the fertility of the west, wished a location which would avoid the evil & secure the good; contain hills for health & level lands for fertility.
"The level borders of the Licking [the Indian Pataskala,] through the center of the township, with the rising hills at a little distance on both sides, governed the agents in the selec- tion of this place. The northeast quarter had been previously purchased by some Welsh. The Scioto [Land] Company pur- chased the other three quarters; & stiil increasing, bought half of St. Albans Township, a quarter of Hartford & a quar- ter of Burlington, in all. 29,040 acres; at an average of one dollar & sixty-seven cents an acre, ($1,672.t)."
The Hardy section, that upon which the village was located, "was regarded as the most important point. It was then supposed that the capital of Ohio would be Worthington, be- tween which and Zanesville, this would make a half-way town."
An illustration of the failures of the early settlers of a coun- try to realize their expectations may be seen in the fact that the road from Granville to Worthington, opened at that early day and with such anticipations of its use, continues at this present writing (1880) in many of its sections one of the poor- est for its age in all this region. It passes through an unde- veloped country ; and only recently have some of the large streams been bridged, and still the carriage track winds among stumps that cumber the road from side to side. Col- umbus, instead of Worthington, became the capital, and the National Road long ago took the carriage travel eight miles to the south. The railroad of later date connecting Zanes- ville and Columbus passes also three miles away, through the Ramp Creek valley. Thus has Granville been once and
29
THE CONVEYANCE.
again left to consume her energies in other channels than those of trade.
The following diagram will aid the reader to understand the location of the committee's purchase, and the allusions which are subsequently made to it.
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