Champaign County, Ohio - The whole text, 1881 (part 15 of 32)

The society familiarly known as Concord, was first organized in 1818. The meetings, both for worship and business, were held principally at the house of Robert McFarland, until the erection and completion of a log church, in 1824. The site of the first house of worship was on the west line of the graveyard, Robert McFarland and James Russell each giving an acre of land for the use of the church. The house, an ordinary hewed log building, was. erected across the line, so that each of the donors had a part of the house on* the land he had donated. This building was erected in 1824, the contract for its erection being given to Tid and Joshua Franklin, they agreeing to inclose the house for the sum of $50. The size of the building was 24x17, two of the logs still being in the possession of the writer. Timber for shingles was furnished by Jacob Barger, and the sawed lumber by William Harbor, who then had a saw-mill on the land now occupied by Perry Loudenback, the mill standing on the opposite side of the road and immediately in front of the residence of M. F. Pence. The house fronted south, with the pulpit on the opposite side of the building, with a four-light (8x10) window in the rear of the pulpit, which afforded ample dimensions for a congregation of wasps during the summer season. This, with a larger sized window in each end of the house, afforded the only light to the room, save what they might expect from the pulpit. The seats were made of slabs, without backs, and upon which men could not sleep, as in more modern days. The writer remembers well setting upon these seats when his feet only came half way to the floor. The building was dedicated the same year of its erection, Rev. George W. Maley being in charge of the circuit. It served the use of the society until 1837, when the erection of a brick building was commenced. The brickwork was let to the Gearheart Brothers, and the brick was made on the ground. The woodwork was let to Joseph Hough and Valentine Russell. Its looks and dimensions are familiar to many who will read this work, and need not be described at length. It was a low, flat house ; one door in the west and called the "men's" door, and the other in the southeast corner, familiarly known as the " women's " door - a wonderful structure in point of architecture. The house was dedicated in 1838, by Rev. James B. Finley, and it served the congregation until 1867, when it was sold at public auction for $56 to Joseph Neer. The entire cost of the building was $1,001, and was torn down simultaneously with the erection of the present building, in 1867. In the erection of the present house, the contract was let to William Stover, of Urbana, the consideration being $6,300, the additional expenses increasing the amount to $7,150. The house was dedicated on the 15th of December, 1867, the dedicatory sermon being delivered by Dr. Asbury Lowry.

Concord Township has within its limits two other Methodist Episcopal Churches. Neer Chapel, situated in the northwest corner of the township, was named for the Rev. Samuel Neer, a deceased minister of the Cincinnati Conference, and a former schoolmate of the writer. The house was dedicated on the 15th of August, 1858, just one year after the death of the man for whom it was named. Rev. D. Warnock preached on the above occasion. The other church is that of North ville, erected and dedicated about the same year as that of Neer Chapel. These are the only church buildings ever erected in the township.

The first schoolhouse in the township was built on the farm of William Harbor, south of and near the Harbor Graveyard. It was erected about ,the year 1820. Near the site of this old house is a singular excavation in the earth, resembling the track usually made by circus shows, wherein they exhibit their ponies. It is, however, not so broad, and yet deeper. It was known to be there in the first settlement of the country, but by what means, and for what purpose, will perhaps forever remain a mystery. Long before the population* of the township warranted the construction of school districts, an old house, standing near the northeast corner of Valentine Russell's farm, was' used as a schoolhouse. Soon after this, a house was built on the farm of John Miller, at the northwest corner, designed for a schoolhouse, but some contention arising as to the location, the house was torn down and removed to the west side of the John Shriver farm, a quarter of a mile south of the present Concord Schoolhouse. In this house the writer learned his letters, under the guidance of D. H. Neer and William Mouser. This house was vacated in 1888, and the school then removed to the hewed-log house on the site of the present building. The township contains seven schoolhouses, all brick buildings, after the most approved style. No township in the county can boast of such schoolhouses, and we doubt if they are excelled by any in the State.

Northville obtained the most prominence of any village in the township. It was laid off by James D. Stevens and Jacob Davis. It contains, at this writing, one Methodist Church, a schoolhouse and a defunct Grange hall. Mr. William Downs, a prominent citizen, and Mr. Howard Smith, the village blacksmith, are the sole occupants of the town at this writing. It lies in the northeast corner of the township, on high table land, a beautiful location for a town of greater magnitude. The citizens of the neighborhood surrounding Northville are, without exception, we believe, among the best in the county. In this locality, we may mention N. D. McReynolds, S. J. McCullough, Daniel Bruner, James Bussell, George Kennedy, Wallace Downs, Thomas Stevens, G. W. Barger, and others of equal standing.

Many years ago, a village was laid off near the present residence of F. N. Barger, by Orsamus Scott, and was named Scottsburg. _ Some two or three bouses were erected that are remembered by the writer, though few of our people of this day remember anything of the town.

Gourdville, three-quarters of a mile south of Concord, was never incorporated, its citizens generally being transient comers and goers. It never contained more than three houses at a time. The families of Tubal Woodard and James Blue now constitute the entire population of the village.

Ileathtown, near the northwest corner of the township, was named for John Heath, a natiyeofNew Jersey, who came West about 1888. He set up a shoeshop in the first place, and soon afterward added a dry goods store, and, subsequently, succeeded in getting a post office, known as Muddy Creek. The village afteward contained a blacksmith-shop, owned by John Detrick, and a shoeshop, owned by J. R. McFarland. But the glory of the town has passed away and it now exists in name only. In the days of Know-Nothingism, the order had its headquartes in the village. The events of 1854, in this connection, will long be reverted to by members of "Muddy Run Council, No. 843." In the neighborhood surrounding the village are a number of excellent men, of whom we might mention the names of J. D. Wilson, Joseph Harbor, Crockett Journell, Peter Baker, Levi Johnson, Ed Baker, D. F. Johnson and others. The original proprietor of the town removed to Iowa in 1854, where he died a few years since.

In the same neighborhood, since the glories of Heathtown have passed away, the village of Crayon has been inaugurated. It has contained for a number of jears a dry goods store, owned by various parties. The post office, Crayon, is the only one in the township, and was established about two years ago. James W. Heath is Postmaster. The village contains some four or five dwellinghouses, besides a blacksmith-shop, now owned by Ira Poffenbarger. Simeon Harbor, S. J. Neer, T. H. Ford, John Clark, Jacob Sarver and David Pool

-compose the leading citizens of the vicinity. The first election held in the township after its organization in 1818, was held at the house of Robert McFarland. James Russell also provided for the election a short time, until they were removed by common consent to the house of Thomas Stretch, on Daniel Kizer's western farm. About the year 1840, they were held for a year or two in the old log church. They were afterward removed to McFarland's Schoolhouse, and remain so to this day.

In the first election of officers, which was held in 1818, John Daniels was elected Township Clerk. The year following, Robert McFarland was chosen Clerk, and held the office for thirteen consecutive years, after which, Joseph Hough, Stilly McGill, James Russell, D. H. Neer, L. M. Steward, Philip -Comer, Austin Heath, John Russell (late Secretary of State) and R. G. Allen filled the office. Philip Kenton, George Robinson and John Bouseman were the first Trustees. John Dagger, Jesse Harbor, Joseph Hough, L. M. Steward, James T. Kite, Philip Comer, James Russell and Daniel Kizer have each served as Justice of the Peace. Joseph Groves and N. D. McReynolds are the present incumbents of that office.

Among the early records of the township, we find where one of our citizens took up a flock of sheep, which were duly appraised at 37 J cents each. Also, one sheep taken up by John Duckworth, reported by the Appraisers as being three-fourths blooded, and appraised at $2, which shows conclusively that blood would tell" even in the earlier days of our country.

About the time of the organization of the township, there lived on what is known as the " Joseph Russell farm," near Concord Chapel, a family named Foley, consisting of the parents and four sons, ranging in age from eighteen to twenty-six years. These young men were noted for nothing except their disposition to quarrel and their huge, muscular frames. It became a kind of fixed habit with them, whenever they got into a crowd, to get into a quarrel, and then into a fight, in which they always proved victorious.

- There lived about this time, in Salem Township, on the " McBeth Hill," a family named Wilkinson. In this family was a son, named Thomas, who was also noted for his great muscular power, but not inclined to be quarrelsome. On learning of the success of the Foleys, he remarked that he would like to try one of them.

This remark soon reached the ears of the Foleys, and they resolved to give Wilkinson an opportunity to try his strength. In the month of July, 1819, and during harvest, the Foley boys went to the farm of Felix Rock, now the home of Daniel Kizer, ostensibly for the purpose of assisting in the harvestheld, when in reality they went there to whip Tom Wilkinson. After dinner, their object in coming was made known and Wilkinson invited to fight. All four of the Foley boys were present, and Wilkinson being asked which of the four he wanted to fight, replied the best man they had.

They accordingly repaired to the shade of a large maple-tree, yet standing in Esquire Kizer's yard, and at it they went. But little time served to show that the Foleys had met their match. His brothers, discovering that they had waked up the wrong passenger, called out to Daniel (the brother's name) to strike Wilkinson an underhanded blow. This suggestion was taken in due time by Wilkinson and improved. But a single blow, and Foley fell across the root of the maple-tree. Wilkinson attempted to follow up the advantage thus gained, but was prevented by the Foley Brothers, one of whom (William) struck Wilkinson a hard blow. This being considered foul play, according to rules governing such pugilistic efforts in those days, William was duly in-* formed by Wilkinson that the next time they met his time would come. Daniel Foley was carried from that yard a ruined man, and, on the ninth day following, died from the effects of the fight.

Wilkinson's avowal that he would whip William Foley became a grqat topic,, and the people looked forward to the event with as much anxiety as a certain class now look forward to a prize fight. The following fall, at a corn-husking at Joseph Longfellow's, the parties again met, and, after supper, by mutual consent, entered into combat, which resulted in the defeat of Foley again. In 1822, at a general muster on the home farm of George Kite, in Mad River Township, these Foleys all got badly whipped by Reuben Loudenback and Isaac Moody, after which they left the country for their country's good.

In the earlier settlement of the country, numerous Indian relics were found on the Johnson farm, on Mad River, indicating at one time a large Indian village. Opposite Northville, on the farm of William Downs and on the banks of Muddy Creek, was also an Indian village.

In the first appraisement of houses for taxation, while Johnson was yet included in Concord, but three houses were appraised, namely, Sampson Talbott's, Joseph Hoak's and David Comer's. Joseph Comer was at this time "House Appraiser," and Jacob Hoak, Assessor.

One incident that served to stir up the community and create an alarm among the inhabitants, was the murder of Arthur Thomas and son in August, 1813. It will be remembered that Thomas and son had left their company to look after their horses, some five miles from Bellefontaine, and not returning, were found next day murdered by the Indians, and hung up by the heels and their intestines hanging around their necks. These bodies were taken by a deputation of citizens the following day to Urbana and interred in the old graveyard. Mr. Thomas lived in Salem Township on the same spot now occupied by his grand-daughter, Mrs. Celinda Bates. Many of the settlers on the frontier retraced their steps to safer quarters after this event became known.

Concord Township, like its sister townships, has produced some men of note. Among these we may note the name of the late Hon. John Russell, late Secretary of State. Mr. Russell was born at the old homestead about fifty years since. Early in life, he qualified himself for teaching, and engaged in that pursuit for a number of years. He was elected Clerk of the Court about the year 1855, and served in that position for a number of years with great acceptability. He was subsequently appointed Secretary of State to fulfill an unexpired term. When he died in 1869, he was Senator-elect to the General Assembly from this district. He was a self-made man, and an uncompromising advocate of the Government during the war. His kindness to the soldiers, both in the field and hospital, will long be remembered and cherished by the " boys in blue."

Rev. Samuel Neer was for a number of years an acceptable minister of the Cincinnati Conference, and died while at his post in 1857. He was an excellent penman, which, together with his other qualifications of both head and heart, rendered him a very useful man in his day. His brother, Rev. Jesse Neer, was also a member of the Central Ohio Conference, and lived a life of usefulness for many years before leaving the township. He died in De Graff, Logan County, January, 1864, and his remains rest beside his brother at Concord Cemetery.

Prof. R. W. McFarland, of the State University, at Columbus, is a native -of this township. He was born in the year 1825, at the old homestead. Early in life, he gave promise of great aptness in learning. At the age of five years, he was pronounced a fair reader, and at the age of eight years was capable of working any sum found in any arithmetic in the schools of that day. With nothing to go upon but a determined will, he engaged in teaching at the age of fourteen years. He attended school one year at Augusta, Ky., and spent a brief period at Westerville, Franklin County, and subsequently graduated at the Ohio Wesleyan University, at Delaware, in 1847, at the age of twenty-two years. He filled for seventeen successive years the Chair of Mathematics at the Miami University, at Oxford, and since the suspension of that school, he has been Professor of Mathematics at the University, at Columbus, since its organization. His thorough scholastic abilities are known far and wide. His lectures on astronomy are listened to by thousands of people with great eagerness. As a mathematician, he stands second to none.

Col. Joseph Hill, of Logansport, Ind., who for many years has been Superintendent of the Pan Handle Railroad, is a native of Concord Township. His .aptness and ability as a civil engineer brought him into notoriety as a railroad man, hence the responsible position he occupies to-day. He controls over four hundred miles of railroad, and handles the rolling stock of the same with the same ease that characterized his earlier life.

The oldest person in the township is Mrs. Mary Russell, mother of John Russell, above referred to. She is now in her ninety-third year, and was born in Loudoun County, Va., in May, 1788. She was a schoolmate, in early life, of Malinda Horn, who afterward became the wife of Andrew Heilman, and was by him murdered - a scene partially connected with the history of Logan County. She is now the mother of five living children, the youngest of whom is more than sixty years of age.

The Logan and Champaign County Pioneer Association have held their annual re-union in Neal's Grove for a number of years, under the direction of its Secretary. The meetings are of rare interest, and are at times attended by large crowds of people. Its officers at present are Dr. Gilcrist, President ; Hugh Mc- Donald, Vice President; V. Thomas, Treasurer, and T. S. McFarland, Secretary.

The family of the late Robert McFarland was composed originally of nineteen children. Of that number, thirteen are still living, whose combined ages now make seven hundred and thirty years, or an average of about fifty-six years. The family circle has remained unbroken by death for more than fortyfour years, a record that perhaps has no parallel.

Mr. James D. Powell, one of our leading farmers, deserves more than a passing notice. In 1845, he married a daughter of Joseph Hill, the pioneer settler of the township. At that time, he was worth about $500, but, by economy and industry, has accumulated a handsome competency, and is now the happy owner of nearly one thousand acres of fine land. The pioneer farm is included in this amount of land. It lies in the eastern part of the township, and affords a fine view of the Muddy Creek and Mad River Valleys.

Mr. F. N. Barger is one of our leading mechanics, and has the reputation of being one of the finest gunsmiths in the country. He resides near the eastern part of the township, where he is always ready to treat his friends to one of the tunes of "auld lang syne."

Ebenezer Wilson, of the same locality, is one of our leading farmers, and is now filling his second term as Infirmary Director. He is a responsible man in every respect, and enjoys the reputation of attending to his own business.

Philip Comer, Esq., of the west end of the township, has filled the office of Justice of the Peace for a number of years, and is now acting as Notary Public. He filled the office of County Commissioner one term with honor to> himself and great satisfaction to his constituents. Two of his sons perished in the army while subduing the rebellion.

Oliver Taylor, near the Arrowsmith Mills, is a farmer, and also President of the Citizens' National Bank of Urbana. He owns a fine farm of several hundred acres on the river, and has filled his position in life, both as a citizen and an officer, beyond the average of his fellow-men. He is worthy and honest.

Among the most remarkable men who have lived among us was Richard Stanhope, who was a servant of Gen. George Washington. He lived for many years on a farm now owned by Levi Johnson, and his remains lie in the Johnson Graveyard. Pie was born at Fredericksburg, Va., on the 1st day of March, 1748, and died September 20, 1862, aged one hundred and fourteen years six months and twenty days. He was, beyond all question, one of Gen. Washington's servants, and had in his possession, until a few years prior to his death, a certificate in Washington's own handwriting. He was at the bedside of his master when he died, in 1799, being then more than fifty years of age. He was with Gen. Washington during several of the hard-fought battles of the Revolution, and showed honorable scars which he received in the bloody conflicts of that day. He was also with the army in the war with Great Britain, in 1812, and was present at Hull's disgraceful surrender, and was at the time driving a four-horse team. When ordered to drive his team to a certain point, for delivery to the British, he positively refused to comply, but unhitched his saddle-horse and made his way back to this county.

Mr. Stanhope was the father of twenty-eight children, most of whom were living at the time of his death. He was a resident of Champaign County for more than fifty years, and always sustained his character of an honest, upright man. He was a member of the Baptist Church for upward of ninety years, having joined it in 1772. He retained the use of his mental and physical faculties, to a surprising degree, to the time of his death. He would relate incidents that had transpired more than a hundred years prior to his death, of which we have no account except in history. He was a remarkable man, reverenced by all.

Perhaps no cemetery in the country contains the remains of two such aged persons as that on the farm of Levi Johnson, the combined ages of Mr. Stanhope and Mr. Tipton making more than two hundred and twenty-five years.

In the war of the rebellion, in 1861, Concord furnished her full complement of volunteer soldiers. These were principally in the gallant 66th Regiment, though other regiments were represented. We regret very much that we have not a complete list of all those who enlisted in behalf of the American Flag. Such names as we append are given only from recollection and may not be complete : Thomas H. Gibbs, Robert H. Russell, Darius Comer, David Comer, Luke W. Bryant, Madison B. Bryant, John W. Russell, Wallace Downs, John R. Wilson, William W. Wilson, Michael Walker, William P. Haines, Benjamin H. Haines, John W. Haines, James A. Kizer, George C. Wallace, David F. Johnson, A. M. Longfellow, James 0. Neer, Thomas J. Johnson, David Compton, Llewellyn Niles, Samuel J. Barger, Philander R. Barger, Joseph H. Loudenback, John Boswell, Evan Jenkins,

Jerome B. Miller, Edward Mitchel, Smith Mitchel, William A. Neer, William R. Arrowsmith, Anthony Schimmel, Robert J. Stewart, Flemon Hall, John P. Neer. Of this number, William A. Neer was killed near the village of Glencoe, Belmont County, while on the way to the battlefield, and his remains were interred at Concord Cemetery. Darius Comer died at Plaquemine, La., and his remains were brought home and buried at Concord Cemetery with the honors of war, surrounded by more people than ever congregated on that spot before or since. David Comer came home, a wonderfully emaciated being, and died in a few days after his return. George C. Wallace died in a hospital at Alexandria, Va., and was buried at the Alexandria National Cemetery. Luke W. Bryant died at Acquia Creek, on the eastern shore of Maryland, and his remains were brought home and now rest in Concord Cemetery. Michael Walker was killed near Cassville, Ga., while on picket duty. Thomas J. Johnson was a member of the 45th 0. V. I., and was killed at Knoxville, Tenn. David Compton was killed at Fort Donaldson. Smith Mitchel died on the grand march of Sherman and was buried in a National Cemetery at Wilmington, N. C. William R. Arrowsmith was starved to death by the Southern chivalry in Andersonville Prison. Anthony Schimmel was mortally wounded at Utoy Creek, Ga. Robert J. Stewart died in the service in Tennessee. Flemon Hall was captured by the rebels at Winchester, Va., and died in prison, at Lynchburg, Va., and was buried in Poplar Grove National Cemetery, near Petersburg, Va. Samuel J. Barger was severely wounded at the battle of Antietam, but survived and is now an honored citizen of Cumberland County, 111. John P. Neer was shot through the body in some engagement, and is now one of our leading men. The remainder of the uboys in blue" are scattered far and wide, each filling his place with acceptability in society.

In the call for one-hundred-day men, a company was organized under the humorous Captain Miles Wilson, with James R. McFarland as First Lieutenant. The most of this company were from Concord Township, and are almost too numerous to mention.

In connection with the above, we may mention the names of Henry C. Gibbs and Simon Kenton, who were valiant soldiers of the 45th 0. V. I. The last name, Mr. Kenton, bears the full name of the pioneer Simon Kenton, and is closely connected with him. He now resides in Kansas, and his name will be to the loyal people of the country in the future, what the name of the old General has been in the past.

This concludes our history of the township. We have endeavored to give it as nearly correct as was possible. If any errors have been committed, it was unintentional. It will be handed down to generations yet unborn, and will be read by them long after the writer shall have passed from the stage of action.

By Dr. Thomas Cowgill

This township is situated immediately north of Urbana. Its southern boundary, at the center, is the northern limit of the city corporation. The township is eight miles long, from south to north, and six miles wide, from east to west. It is bounded on the north by Logan County, on the east by Union and Wayne Townships, and on the west by Concord and Harrison Townships. It contains forty-eight square miles, equal to thirty thousand seven hundred and twenty acres of land, about four thousand acres of this land lies east of Ludlow's line, and is in the Virginia Military District; the balance is Congress land, and is laid off in sections of one mile square, containing six hundred and forty acres each, except some fractional sections, on the west side of and adjoining Ludlow's line, which are of various sizes. Mad River runs south, and passes through the northwest and southwest parts of the township. The south branch of King's Creek has its source in Wayne Township, and the north branch has its source in Logan County, the two branches join together near Kingston. The streams run westwardly, across Salem, and enter Mad River near the western boundary of the township. Macacheek, a tributary of Mad River, passes through the northern part of the township. All these are permanent, neverfailing streams, of pure, clear water. They have never been known to go dry in summer, and always furnish an ample supply of water for milling purposes throughout the year. The land is mostly level, or rolling, dry prairie, and barrens," as it was once called, and the ridges dividing the streams and prairie are covered with timber, mostly oak and hickory. In the southeast corner of the township there is a large, low and once wet prairie, known by the name of Dugan Prairie ; it contains several thousand acres of land, and receives the drainage of the country surrounding it, equal to an area of six miles square.

When the country was first settled by the whites, this prairie was mostly covered with water the greater part of the year, having the appearance of a lake, with here and there a small island thickly covered with timber, mostly oak and hickory. The barrens and dry prairies were covered with wild grass, which, in summer, grew to an incredible height, and furnished fine pasture for thousands of buffalo, elk and deer before the intrusion of the white man upon their rich domain. After this grass became dead ripe, or was killed by the frost in the fall of the year, and became dry enough to burn, the Indians, at a time agreed upon by their chiefs, would place themselves with their guns upon the high timbered land adjoining that upon which the grass grew, and at ^ signal given by the Captain, the squad would set fire to the grass, and the wild animals of all kinds, which lay there concealed, would be suddenly aroused from their quiet slumbers and run for safety to the high ground, and there meet death by the rifle and the red man. Great numbers of deer were killed in this way by the Indians, even after the commencement of the settlement of the country by the whites. The Indians would invariably give the white settlers at least a week's notice of their intention to burn the grass at a certain time, so they could protect their fences and cabins by plowing a few fresh furrows around them. i According to reliable information, the settlement of that part of the township which lies in the King's Creek valley, was commenced in the year 1802 or 1808. Samuel and William Stewart came to this township with their father, Matthew Stewart, who settled on King's Creek in the spring of 1804. At that time William Powell was living near the place where Albert Jackson now lives, having settled there about a year before. William Wood, a Baptist preacher, from Kentucky, and father of Christopher Wood, who distinguished himself in the War of 1812, and is remembered by all the old settlers, then lived where the Kingston Mills now are, having settled there about a year before. Arthur Thomas, who was afterward killed by the Indians, then lived at the mouth of King's Creek, where he soon after built a grist-mill, which was probably the first mill of the kind ever erected in this county. Joseph Petty then lived on King's Creek, on the place where his grandson, Hiram Petty, now lives, where he built a water-mill soon after.

The following-named persons came to the county about the same time, or soon after : David Parkison, James Turner, John Guthridge, Abner Barrett,

William Johnson, George and Jacob Leonard. A majority of the first settlers from Kentucky and Virginia. Matthew Stewart and John McAdams came from Pennsylvania at an early day, and lived a short time at Columbia, on the Ohio River, above Cincinnati ; from there they came to this place, and settled on King's Creek, in 1804. John Taylor came from Virginia and settled on King's Creek in 1806, at the place where the village of Kingston now is. He purchased 640 acres of land from Isaac Zane, for which he paid four dollars per acre. This land, together with two other sections of the same .size, was given to Isaac Zane by the United States Government in consideration of services rendered the army under the command of General Wayne, in 1794. In 1810, John Taylor erected a grist-mill, now (in 1880) owned by Henry Wolfe & Sons. In the same year the citizens who then lived in the vicinity erected two block-houses near the mill, as a protection against the attacks of the Indians. To these houses, which were enclosed by tall pickets, the settlers would flee in times of danger. But the Indians never disturbed them there ; great numbers of them, mostly squaws, were to be seen every day coming to and returning from the mill, with their little buckskin sacks filled with corn, and thrown across the naked backs of their bob-tailed ponies, upon which the squaws rode astride, some of them with their papooses fastened to a board and strapped upon their backs. On dismounting, the squaw would place the board to which the baby was tied against the wall of the mill, in an erect position, then take off and carry in her sack of corn, and immediately return and feed her papoose. The late Judge Edward L. Morgan relates that he once saw a squaw in a great hurry accidentally place her child upon the board wrong end up.

Salem Township was organized in 1805, the same year that the county was created. The civil jurisdiction of the county then extended from the southern boundary of the tenth range, near Springfield, to the shore of Lake Erie on the north, including a territory almost as large as some of the old States. If the census had been taken at that time, it would have shown that for every white person within its bounds, there were at least one hundred Indians. From the township record-book of 1805, it appears that Christopher Wood and Daniel McKinney were the first Trustees, and William Davis first Constable, George Johnson was the first house appraiser and lister of taxable property.

By the record of 1806, it appears that Joseph Petty, Thomas Pearce and William Parkison were elected Trustees, and David Parkison, Clerk for that year. The Trustees allowed William Powel's account for keeping a poor woman and child. Who the poor women and child were, is not known. The following is copied from the township record of 1808.

"Agreeable to the squirrel law, the Trustees of this township have laid on each taxable citizen, ten squirrel scalps, and one scalp for each and every twelve and a half cents his tax amounts to. Done the 23d day of April, 1808. Attest, David Parkison, T. C."

In early times it was customary for the squirrels to travel from North to South in countless numbers about once in ten years. They made their journey in the fall of the year, about the time that corn began to ripen.

They appeared in such vast numbers, as apparently to cover the earth for miles, and if not well guarded, they would clear the corn-fields as they went along. They would suffer death rather than turn from their course ; and would pass over houses and swim lakes, ponds and water-courses. They traveled due south, until they would reach the Ohio River, into which they would plunge and attempt to swim over ; here an immense number would lose their lives by drowning in the river, and those that got over alive would crawl upon the bank, and, after resting a short time, would resume the journey southward. This accounts for the necessity of levying a squirrel scalp tax.

Capt. Alexander Black, Moses Mcllvain and others from Kentucky, settled on Macacheek and Mad River, in the northern part of Salem, in the spring of 1809; at that time James McPherson, called " Squalicee " by the Indians, (which means the red-faced man), was then living on Mad River, at or near the Kavanaugh farm, and there were several Indian families there at the time ; among others, Capt. John Lewis. A chief had in his family a white woman, named Molly Kiser, who was taken prisoner when young, and raised with the Indians. She was highly esteemed by the whites, sixty years ago. The writer several times saw Molly Kiser riding through the woods or along a path in Salem Township, with several ponies and dogs along with her.

Molly Kiser was married to an Indian and had two half-Indian daughters. She stayed one night at the house of Col. John Thomas, and next day traded horses with Daniel Corwin near the head of North Fork of Kings Creek ; some time afterward, she came along with the horse she traded for ; it had been out in a hail-storm, and had a considerable part of the hair cut off its back. Alexander Black was a soldier and served in the army of Gen. Wayne, at the battle with the Indians on the 20tb of August, 1794; he was an officer and served in the war of 1812, under Gen. Harrison. John Enock came to Salem Township with his father's family in 1812 ; he was then ten years of age, having been born at Fort Washington, now Cincinnati, in the early part of 1802 ; he is therefore somewhat older than the State of Ohio. Abram Smith built the first cabin, and was the first white settler in what was then called the "barrens," between the settlements on King's Creek and Macacheek. This cabin was raised in 1818, and stood a short distance east of the State road and not far from the residence of Joseph Miller ; a few old apple-trees, I believe, still remain to mark the place where it stood. Abram Smith was a prominent and worthy citizen, and filled some of the most important township offices for several years before his death ; he had a wife and two children ; the whole family died of " milk sickness " within a few days of each other, about the year 1821. William Copes settled at the place adjoining Jonathan Parke's farm on the State road, between Urbana and West Liberty, in the spring of 1814; here he purchased 160 acres of land from the United States at $2 per acre, erected a cabin and made a small improvement, but, like many others at that time, he came to the conclusion that the country was well named, and that it was really a barren and worthless place. He accordingly sold his farm for the same price that he gave, and bought 160 acres in another part of the township without improvements, for which he paid $4 per acre; this land to day is worth one-fifth as much per acre as that on the State road, and probably no more. Thomas Thomas purchased the farm of William Copes, and when the State road became a highway of some importance and was traveled by drovers, teamsters, movers, etc., after putting up a pretty good house, kept entertainment for travelers. Thomas Thomas had several children by his first wife, and after her death he married & young woman of the neighborhood, by whom he had other children. This as usual caused trouble and strife in the family, which was carried to such an extent that his son William, by his first wife, became a desperate maniac, and had to be confined either in a cell or in irons. While in this condition, the family moved to one of the new States of the West. Here as before the young marm was left confined in a small house built for the purpose a short distance from the dwelling of the family. By some means he one night made his escape from his hut, got an ax, broke open the door of the dwelling-house and entered the sleeping-room of his father and step-mother. On hearing the noise they both sprang up from bed, when, after a short struggle, he succeeded in splitting his mother's skull and slightly wounding his father while endeavoring to protect his wife. Some of the neighbors on going to the house next morning, found! the maniac in quiet possession of the house, and both parents dead upon the? floor. On being questioned, he said he intended to kill his step-mother but not his father ; that he had at first accidentally wounded his father but slightly, but fearing it might become troublesome and painful to his aged parent, he concluded to kill him at once and put him out of his misery. Charles McClay settled in the fall of 1814, at the farm afterward owned by Joel Funk. Charles* McClay was brother-in-law to Abram Smith, the first resident in the barrens £ he died many years ago and left several children. Archibald Stewart, Robert Latta and John Williams settled on the highland east of the State road in 1814- or 1815. William Mayse, father of Archibald R. and George Mayse, and David Fulwider's wife, came to this township at an early day and settled at the place where his son Archibald now lives. He lived awhile in the prairie ona land now owned by heirs of Levi Cowgill, where his wife was bitten by a rattlesnake. William Mayse was a prominent, worthy and useful citizen in his time.. Col. John Thomas settled on King's Creek in 1809; he was a native of Charles County, Md., where he was born June T, 1779. Sixty years ago, the writer saw the remains of a block-house standing on Col. Thomas' farm, about twelve* rods south of where the mansion of his sons Ivon B. and F. M. Thomas now stand. An addition has been built to the west end, so that it formed a double* log barn. Col. Thomas was peculiarly fitted for pioneer life, having a strongand vigorous constitution and enjoying good health. He was endowed with a. large measure of patience and fortitude thaU enabled him to successfully battle^ with the perils and discouragements incident to backwoods life. He was a quiet and unassuming in his manners, possessing a warm, social nature, and was noted for his propriety of conduct and his kindness and benevolence to the poor and unfortunate. James Turner settled at the place where I. C. Yoder lately lived - in 1808 or 1809. This farm, I believe, is now owned by the Stewart brothers. James Turner's wife, Ann Turner, was the first person buried in the graveyard at Kingston ; her grave was dug by Thomas Stewart,. Isaac McAdams and Edward L. Morgan. Joseph Vance, who afterward filled many important offices in the civil and military departments of the United States and State Governments, came to this township with his father's family in 1805. Gov. Vance was born at Washington, Washington Co., Penn., March 21, 1786, and died on the 24th of July, 1852, on his farm in Salem Township, two and a half miles north of Urbana, and is buried in Oakdale Cemetery, near Urbana Gov. Vance was the architect of his own character and fortune, commencing business in life as a wood-chopper at the salt works when a mere boy, and by his industry and economy procuring means to purchase an ox team, with which he was accustomed to haul and distribute salt to.

the scattered settlers of Kentucky; and he still followed the occupation of an ox driver after he removed to Salem Township, occasionally making trips to the salt works. Sometimes at night his camp was so beset by wolves and other wild beasts as to compel him to keep up a fire and watch his team through the ontire night. In 1818, Gov. Vance built a merchant mill on King's Creek, about a mile above where it empties into Mad River. The mill had four run of buhrs, and all the improvements of that time. He owned this and a saw-mill and other fixtures connected with them until 1848. The writer inserts the following letter from his old and honored Democratic friend, B. B. Leonard, M. D., believing it is eminently suitable in this place :

Hr. Thomas Cowgill - My Dear Sir : Your request has been duly considered, and I hasten 'to comply. My father, George Leonard, was born in Jefferson County, Va., April 26, 1777, and came to Champaign County, Ohio, in the fall of 1805, and settled near Kingston, on King's Creek. My uncle, Jacob Leonard, came to the same place in 1806, and died in 1835. My father died in December, 1868, having been a citizen of the county for sixty-three years.

The first schoolhouse that I remember was a little brick one, built on the south bank of King's Creek, a half-mile west of where Kingston now is. The first teacher was Edward L. Morgan. This house was also used as a place of worship. Before its erection, religious services were held in private houses, and, when the weather admitted, at barns. I have often heard my mother say that the first time I was ever taken from home she carried me to the barn of Benjamin Byers to hear Rev. George W. Walker preach one of his first sermons. There was no Methodist Church building in the neighborhood at that time, nor until 1834, when the old brick -church was built on the north bank of King's Creek, near the residence of Mr. Benjamin Byers, and on the land of Samuel Taylor, and near the schoolhouse referred to. Abraham Wademan, Joel Funk, John Mast and my father were on the building committee, all of whom, except one, have been gathered as ripe sheaves into the garner of the Master they loved and served, and he, John Mast, still continues as a mark connecting the past with the present. There is a little financial circumstance connected with the erection of that church, which I often think of with pleasure. Mr. John Mast had a meadow near my father's house, and had a man named Ellis mowing with a scythe. I was then a very small boy, and was employed by the owner of the meadow to spread the grass, at a compensation of 12£ cents a day. I worked a day and a half, to his entire satisfaction, and received 18f cents. The church committee were going to inspect a kiln of brick which had just been burned for the building. My father suggested that it would be a good investment if I would contribute to the purchase of the church brick. In went my 18 cents, the first money I had ever received for labor. That contribution, or rather investment, has been at compound interest ever since, and has yielded a " hundred fold " in its influence on mind and heart.

The first Sabbath school ever in the neighborhood was held at the schoolhouse referred to, and Joel Funk and others of his age were the leading managers. It must have been as early as 1829 or 1830. The first time I went to the Sunday school, Mr. Funk gave me a blue ticket, and, placing his large hand on my head, he read it to me with a comment. I was too young to read, and my mother read it for me until it was so fixed in my mind that it has stood out before me all my subsequent life, the first clause of which I had engraved at the top of the monument at the grave of my sainted mother: " For the Lord God is a sun and shield;

A debating society was organized, and continued in this "Little Brick," as it was called, which was well attended, and attracted general interest. Among the disputants who entered into the war of words, I remember Thomas Parker, Peter Walker (afterward an eminent physician), his brother, Moses B. Walker (who studied law, and was subsequently a State Senator, entered the army in 1861, and rose to the rank of Brigadier General, and, after the war was closed, to the Supreme Bench in a neighboring State), Jesse Leonard, T. A. Gifford, Joseph Wademan, Russel B. Spain, I. P. Leonard, James Tolman and others, who will be remembered by -the older citizens as prominent young men of 1836 and 1837.

I have hastily put the inclosed together, and therefrom you may be able to glean something rto suit your purpose. Very truly, etc., B. B. Leonard.

The late Duncan M. Yance, M. D., and his sister, Mary Corwin, children of Gov. Yance, when small children, attended school at the Little Brick spoken of in Dr. Leonard's letter. They walked two miles evening and morning to from school, across the fields and woods. James C. Tolman, mentioned in

Dr. Leonard's letter, is now a citizen of Oregon, and was lately Republican candidate for Governor. He was defeated by a few votes, there being a Democratic majority in Oregon.

The following letter from Gen. Moses B. Walker, who formerly resided in Salem Township with his father's family, and now a resident of Kenton, Ohio, I deem entirely suitable for these pages : in 1824, and purchased from Campbell and Neville the property since known as " Pimm's Mills." The country was very sickly, and, after living in that place about one year, he removed to King's Creek, near Kingston, where the family home was fixed, and remained until 1842, when the family, excepting the Rev. George W. and Moses B., removed to Iowa, where John Walker, Sr., died in 1845, and Mrs. Walker died in 1850. The eldest daughter, Harriet, married Charles Lewis; the second daughter, Rebecca, married David Hale; John D. Walker married Cynthia Corwin, daughter of David Corwin, of Lebanon, Ohio ; Zachariah Walker married Ann Thomas ; Dr. Peter Walker married Sarah Stokes, who died in 1856 ; he was again married to an Iowa lady ; Jemima Walker married David Shelby, son of the late Judge Shelby, of Logan County ; Moses B. married, in 1842, Maria C. Van Skayck, of Germantown, Ohio, who died July 3, 1853. Two years after, he married Mary M. Hitt, of Vincennes, Ind., the granddaughter of Rev. Martin Hitt, who settled in an early day at Urbana, and whose family will be remembered by all the old inhabitants of the county. Mary Walker, the youngest child of John and Mary, married Nelson Stokes. John D. Walker, Moses B., Mrs. Stokes and Mrs. Shelby, are all who are living of this large pioneer family. They all live in Iowa except Moses B., who resides at Kenton. Hardin Co., Ohio. He is a lawyer by profession, is still in the practice ; but when the war of the rebellion broke out he accepted a commission in the regular army, and is now a Colonel on the retired list owing to wounds received at the battle of Chickamauga. The children of John and Mary Walker, when grown up, during the eighteen years they lived in Champaign County, were all ambitious to improve their moral and intellectual status. As they had to contend with the want of good schools at that early day, Moses B. only of the sons received a thorough collegiate education. He began with other boys of his age in the old log schoolhouse. The opportunities for learning the schools then afforded are by no means to be despised ; and Judge Walker, though now an LL. D., often speaks in terms of praise and veneration of his early teachers - Thomas Goode, John Waller, Robert Findley and Edward L. Morgan. Only the very small boys whose heads would not yet reach the plow handles, went to school in the spring and summer months. The winter schools were too full to give each scholar a fair opportunity to learn, and only those did learn much who put forth an earnest effort, and were very diligent and attentive. Now and then some of the teachers tried to make learning strike in on the scholars, by a sturdy application of the willow and the apple-tree ; which I think, after all, was a better way than has since been found out in the system of imprisonment (often false imprisonment at that), which keeps in the child after school hours, often to the great annoyance of parents as well as children, and not unfrequently to the great prejudice of the health of the child. In old times, if a boy deserved a licking, the teacher considered it something he owed to the offender, and it was promptly paid, the debt canceled, and the boy, whipped and cleared, felt that he was free again, and had the world even and ready to open new aocounts if necessary. Now resort is had to* imprisonment of the offender. I am opposed to the keeping-in system. I have not had time allowed me from other engagements to write anything worthy of insertion in your book (of which I wish a copy). My daughter has extracted from print some sketches of which, should you wish, you can make use. I am glad my father's family should be remembered by you and those who read your book. Rev. M. P. Gaddis, of Dayton, wrote and published a memoir of brother- George, which you will find with many Methodist families, and from which you could take extracts, if you desired, touching church and other matters. I write with a crippled hand, and. will crave your indulgence if you have trouble in reading.

Rev. George W. Walker was an elder brother of Gen. Walker. His home was for many years in Salem Township. He was an able preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and regarded as a good man. I append the following from the " Cyclopedia of Methodism, by Bishop Simpson," which was kindly copied for my use by Gen. Walker's daughter:

George W. Walker was born in Frederick County, November 26, 1804, and died at Delaware, Ohio, July 31, 1856. His parents were members of the Roman Catholic Church, in which he received his religious training. In 1810, the family removed to Ohio, and his father, chiefly out of curiosity, purchased a Bible. In a short time, his mother united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, which held services in the neighborhood. The father was indignant, but a

HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTYcompromise was made, in which it was agreed that the matter should rest for one month, during -which he was to read the Bible and pray for direction, and if, at the end of the month, his opposition remained, the mother should leave the Methodists forever. In a few days, the father was converted, and also united with the church. The son was licensed to preach in 1825, and, in 1826, entered the Ohio Conference. He had a vigorous constitution, and did effective service funtil the close of his life. He spent two years of his ministry in Michigan, at a time when it was a field of great privation ; " but no swollen river, no dismal swamp or dangerous fen, could 'daunt the lion heart that beat in the bosom of George Walker." He filled important appointments in Cincinnati and Dayton ; was Presiding Elder of several districts, and was engaged in ^agencies connected with the Wesleyan Female College. When on the Hillsboro district, he was stricken with his fatal illness. For his wife's sake, he had a desire to live, but, when he saw lthe physicians hesitating, he said, " Speak candidly, gentlemen ; I am not afraid to die." As a preacher, he was both argumentative and declamatory. He had a sound understanding and a 'dear judgment. His brethren showed their confidence in him by electing him several times in -succession to the General Conference, and giving him other tokens of their regard.

One of the early settlers of Salem Township was Richard Stanhope, a Virginian and a man of color. Sixty-five years ago Richard lived on the hill a little north of the late residence of Solomon Clark, deceased, about one mile north of King's Creek, in sight of that creek and its beautiful valley. A short distance east of the spot where Richard then lived and on the brow of the hill, which inclines to the south, lie buried the moldering remains of a number of human beings, white, red and black, without a stone to mark the place of their earthly repose. A few short years, and the place where their ashes lie will pass from the memory of man.

Richard was a member of the Baptist Church, and was converted to that faith on the banks of the Potomac more than eighty years before his death. It is said he was one of the body-guard of Gen. Washington during the Revolutionary war. Richard lived to a great age, and died a few years ago at about one hundred and twelve years. He was a Baptist preacher, and was well known to many of the people of Champaign County sixty-five years ago. At that time he was in the prime of life, and, although comparatively an illiterate colored man, was one of the ablest preachers of his time. His comparisons and illustrations were mostly drawn from living nature as it then existed, and could be easily understood by the learned scholar or the unlettered plow-boy. Judge Edward L. Morgan, deceased, relates that he once heard him preach the funeral sermon of a young -colored woman, at the graveyard before mentioned. After describing the punishment of the wicked in their place of torment in another world, he spoke -of the happiness of the righteous in heaven, and when he came to describe that happy place, he pointed toward the beautiful valley which lay before us, then clothed with wild prairie flowers of every color and variety that was pleasing to the eye, from the "Rose of Sharon " to the humblest " Jump-up- Johnny," and said that to us was a beautiful sight, but only a faint resemblance of the country to be hereafter inherited by the righteous. The writer frequently saw Richard Stanhope sixty years ago in his traveling round to dig wells. He dug a well for Garlant Wade on the farm where we now reside, and a well for William H. Baldwin, and for William Mayse, on the farm where Archibald R. Mayse now lives, and for John McAdams and many others. Richard was regarded as a good well-digger and a good preacher. He was a very stout, hardy, heavy-set, chunky, fine-looking man. About the year 1856, Richard was on the stand at a Fourth of July celebration at Urbana, and was introduced to the audience by the orator as the venerable Richard Stanhope, the body-guard of Washington. Thomas Anderson was a noted well-digger in Salem Township at the same time Richard Stanhope was here. He was a soldier of the war of 1812; was not as steady a man as Richard; he would sometimes "drink too rmuoh and fight too much," yet with all had many good qualities, and was well known in Champaign County, and was honored as an old soldier. He has no doubt long since gone the way of all the earth, hut do not quite remember the manner of his death.

In writing these pages, we copy largely form the collection of the late Judge Edward L. Morgan, believing that his descendants will not object. Judge Morgan says, what is now the King's Creek Baptist Church, was organized, and twelve years later, in 1816, a log meeting-house, 26x20 feet, was built where the large Baptist meeting-house now stands. John Taylor, a Virginian, and not a member of any church, had previously given the society one acre of land for a burial-ground, and on which to build a meeting-house. The first grave made at King's Creek was the grave of Ann Turner, wife of James Turner. We have not yet learned where the first Methodist meeting was held in Salem Township, nor who preached the first Methodist sermon in that township, but believe the first Methodist society was formed at Mount Tabor about the year 1814. The late Archibald Hopkins, Esq., says : "The first religious meeting I attended here was held at Griffith Evan's house. About the year 1816, a small log meeting-house was built at Mount Tabor. The first camp-meeting was held at Mount Tabor in 1816, which was continued there a few years. Lorenzo Dow preached at Mount Tabor in 1826. The writer's home here was near the place where Simon Kenton was once tied on a wild colt by the Indians, with the expectation that the colt would run through the plum thickets and soon tear him to pieces. Instead of that, the colt was as gentle as a lamb, and quietly followed the Indians without doing him any harm. Simon Kenton informs us that the Indians made a mound, yet standing in John Enoch's field, on which the Indian chief used to stand and see the white men run the gauntlet on the track in the prairie nearby."

The first grave made at Mount Tabor, was for a daughter of Griffith Evans, buried about the year 1815. Among the first Methodist preachers in Salem Township were Samuel and Martin Hitt, Robert Casebolt and Joshua Inskip.

A religious meeting of the Society of Friends was held regularly at the cabins of the settlers in the year 1812 - John Robinson's, Jacob Stratton's and Isaac Gray's houses - and one summer the meeting was held in Silas Williams' sugar camp. Mildred Ratliff, a lady minister, resident in North Carolina, was probably the first minister of the Society of Friends who preached in Salem Township. In the fall of the year 1812, she held meetings at the houses of Jacob Stratton, John Robinson and Isaac Gray. She was an old acquaintance of Isaac Gray's family. When she was at Isaac Gray's house, in conversation with Aunt Lydia Gray, she said, " Lydia, we may not live to see it, yet in the order of Divine Providence, the slaves will be set free, and will probably have -as much dominion over their former masters as their masters now have over them." This meeting was held near the northeasterly corner of Salem Township, where Silas and Mary Williams settled, in the year 1818. Phineas Hunt settled here about the same year, and William H. Baldwin in 1814. Aaron L. Hunt and Enos Baldwin, with their families, settled at the same time on what was then called the " Round Prairie," about three miles south of where the village of Kennard now is. Probably in the year 1815, a small log meeting-house was built in this neighborhood, near the source of the North Fork of King's Creek, nearby where a grave-yard now is, known as the " Old Friends' Graveyard," where perhaps one hundred and fifty graves are made. The first grave made at this place was for John Williams, who died in the summer of 1815. He was the father of the late Nicholas Williams, of Logan County, and brother of Hon. Micajah T. Williams, one of the first Canal Commissioners of Ohio,, and long an honored resident of Cincinnati, who died about forty years ago, and brother to Hon. Jesse L. Williams, a distinguished civil engineer of Indiana, long a resident and active business man of Fort Wayne ; he is yet living, I believe; also uncle to Hon. Micajah T. Williams, now an eminent lawyer and a Judge, in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Phineas Hunt and his sister, Mary Williams, frequently ministered and gave council at this meeting in early times. Thomas Antrim was probably the first resident minister of the Society of Friends in Ohio, north of Waynesville. He was father of Joshua Antrim, the historian, and was an able preacher, and regarded by all as a good man. He spent much of his time in traveling and preaching and doing good, without any pecuniary compensation. He settled in what is now Logan County, near where West Middleburg now is, in 1803. In the year 1815, he removed to Salem Township and there spent six of the latter years of his life. He died in 1821. His moldering remains now lie in the cemetery near where he settled in 1803. Phineas Hunt was noted as a peace man ; he did not believe in using violence, even in self-defense - perhaps never met with a case where it would have done any good. His armor was justice to all men and faith in God. Phineas Hunt was of large stature ; he was over six feet high, well proportioned, very muscular, rather corpulent, and, at fifty- five or sixty years of age, walked erect. His appearance was venerable, noble and commanding. He was a native of North Carolina, and crossed the Ohio River from Virginia into the Northwestern Territory some years before the beginning of the eighteenth century. He lived in the Southern part of the now State of Ohio until 1812, consequently he lived a number of years in the vicinity of hostile Indians. In the year 1812, he removed to Champaign County, and lived a year or two near where Cable now is. He then removed to Salem Township, near the present line of Logan County, on a tract of land now owned by William Scott, where he lived until the year 1830, when he removed to Northern Indiana, near La Porte, and soon after removed to Logan County, Ohio, where he died in 1836. A pioneer friend thus writes of Phineas Hunt : " It was my privilege to spend a few minutes with him and his wife in their very advanced age, not long before his close. It was among the sweet moments of my life. His countenance shone with brightness, while he declared the love and mercy of the Savior, and his confidence in Him. I thought they were both very near the Kingdom." William H. Baldwin and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Phineas Hunt, settled in Salem Township in 1815. William H. Baldwin's death occurred in 1855, and his wife's death occurred in 1878, she having resided in Salem Township sixty-three years, and in what is now the State of Ohio over eighty years. Dr. John D. Elbert, Sr., who died near Mount Moriah, in Logan County, Ohio, about fifty years ago, was the first resident physician in Salem Township. He settled on Dugan Prairie in 1811, and practiced medicine there a few years. Dr. Elbert was an eminent physician, very extensively known, and regarded as being one of the best of men. His daughter Catharine, in her life-time the wife of Rev. George W. Walker, thus speaks of her father :

In August, 1818, the writer attended his first camp-meeting at Mount Tabor ; was then six years old and went with his father on second day, Monday morning. Was much interested to see so many wagons and tents around. The tents were mostly built of small logs, in the form of a three-faced cabin ; but many tents were stretched with linen covers. Our attention was immediately arrested with the exercises of the meeting. A large company was collected on and around the preacher's stand ; nearly all were standing on their feet, some on benches, some on chairs and some on the ground. It seemed that all were engaged, either in preaching, singing, praying, shouting, crying or laughing ; had never beheld such a scene. The jerks were then a common exercise at the Methodist meetings ; the young women were mostly affected in this way. Stout young women would be taken with the jerks, and it would seem they would be jerked to pieces ; their long hair would come down on their shoulders and become disheveled, and, in their jerking, would crack like a wagon whip ; and sometimes they would fall down, backward, or in any way, over the rough benches or logs and lay for hours in a state of apparent suspension of life, and, after awhile, get up all well.

In a conversation with the late John Hunter, a few years since, he said that he had not known any of this remarkable exercise since the camp-meeting that was held at Mount Tabor in 1820. Some of the old Methodist friends remarked that Simon Kenton attended camp-meeting at Mount Tabor about this time and became so excited with the exercises of the meeting, that, without hat or coat, he ran through the woods at full speed toward the site of the present town of West Liberty, and probably made as good time as he did when the Indians were after him nearly on the same ground.

The Friends' meeting in Salem Township was frequently favored with the ministry of traveling ministers from a distance - some from Virginia, Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and other places, who came to visit the scattered little meetings in the wilderness, and on their journeys frequently had to camp out at night without shelter, and hobble their tired horses out to graze. Among those early ministers was Christopher Anthony, an eminent preacher among the Friends in Virginia. He was grandfather of Hon. Charles Anthony, late of Springfield, Ohio. About the year 1816, he held a meeting at Jacob Stratton's house, in Mingo Valley, and in the evening of the same day, in company with Thomas Antrim, held a meeting at the house of Matthew Stewart, Sr., on King's Creek. Some time previous to this date, a lady minister, aged about seventy years, traveled on horseback through the wilderness, from her home in North Carolina, camping out mostly at night, and wherever she could find a little settlement of her own society, or others who wished to have a meeting among them, she would have them collected together and preach to the lonely settlers the glad tidings of mercy and peace. This aged and devoted Christian seemed to be willing to bear any privation or face any difficulty to do the Master's will. In passing through the woods from a meeting held in " Marmon's Valley," to an appointment at Job Sharp's house, near the site of West Middleburg, the party was overtaken by a heavy rain, accompanied by much wind, thunder and lightning. Some of her companions proposed to halt and shelter under the trees as best they could ; she at once said "No, go on, go on ; we shall be too late to meeting." Her shield was faith in God. There vere many instances of equal devotion and energy among the early ministers and members of the Society of Friends. They were remarkable for their zeal and perseverance in attending their religious meetings. They were seldom deterred by cold, rain, storm or high water in the streams, which were then generally unbridged. The writer has seen his father and mother start out in the rain, thunder and lightning on horseback and travel three miles to attend their meeting in a log cabin, when, perhaps, there were very few there besides themselves. In August, 1819, I attended a camp meeting at Mount Tabor, and heard Revs. James B. Finley, Robert Miller and Martin Hitt preach to the Indians. A very, large colored man named Jonathan Stuart acted as interpreter. We well remember how closely he seemed to listen while the preacher spoke a few sentences ; he would then speak almost in a voice of thunder and interpret to the Indians, with many motions and gestures ; the Indians would then give a loud grunt, I suppose, of approbation. This Stuart was of the Baptist persuasion, and spent many years as a missionary among the Indians about Upper Sandusky, and, I suppose, did much good. About 4 o'clock in the evening, a prayer meeting was held for the Indians. I heard a number of them pray ; their prayers were not interpreted ; I do not know what they said. One old chief, I think it was " Between-the-logs," sometimes seemed to be at a loss for a word. He would frequently appear to make out a sentence with a long groan. A large number of Indians attended this meeting, mostly Wyandots, some Senecas and perhaps some of other tribes. They had a great many ponies and dogs with them.

On the 23d of August, 1880, on a visit to an aged friend, James Black, Esq., of Salem Township, the writer found the old man in his eighty-fourth year, weak and feeble in body and mind, but strong in honesty, honor and noble feeling. With the assistance of his obliging sons, John and James, he gave the following historical incidents. His father, Capt. Alexander Black, settled on Mad River, in Salem Township, in 1809. Judge McPherson, then an Indian trader, lived on what is now known as the Samuel Black farm. This point was first settled by a Frenchman named Deshicket, in 1794 ; he was probably the first resident white settler in what is now Champaign County. In the spring preceding Wayne's decisive battle, August 20, 1794, Deshicket resided near the Greenville treaty ground.

He warned the Indians that they had better remove, if they remained where they were they would have trouble. The white woman named Molly Kiser, spoken of elsewhere in this work, resided at this place in the family of Judge Mc- Pherson, as a servant or help. Judge McPherson was grandfather or great-grandfather of Gen. McPherson, who was murdered by guerrillas during the war of the rebellion. Sometimes there were five hundred Indians or more camped around McPherson, on Mad River. At one time the whole company of Indians left for Detroit market with thirty horses loaded with furs. On such trips they would return loaded with goods and rum ; they would put two kegs of rum in a leathern sack and carry one keg on each side of the horse. Judge McPherson would send any number of Indians to help the white settlers raise their cabins, with strict orders that there should be no whisky on the ground. As long as there was a white man left to direct the Indians how to build the cabin they were good and faithful hands.

" Roundhead " was much of the time about McPherson's, and was a troublesome Pottawatomie Chief. " Battecast " was also at McPherson's and along Mad River a considerable portion of the time. He had a remarkable nose; it covered his face and hung down over his chin.

During the war of 1812, at the time when Fort Finley was besieged, Gov. Meigs, whose headquarters was at Urbana, visited Capt. Black one evening nnd requested him to raise his company and go immediately to the relief of Fort Finley. Capt. Black's company were almost immediately in motion, following Hull's trace toward Fort Finley. In crossing the Scioto River, the Captain ordered his men to let their horses drink, and not stop to water them any more till they arrived at Fort Finley. The next stream to cross was Eagle Creek. There was a flank trace on each side of the main Hull trace, about two hundred yards from the latter. Capt. Black ordered his men to divide in two equal numbers and march along the flank traces, about ten feet apart, in single file. Before the company approached the crossing of Eagle Creek, they noticed the grass was much tramped down. The company moved quietly over Eagle Creek on the flank traces, and soon after learned that Battecast, with eight hundred Indians, was hid in the grass on each side of the creek, waiting for the company to stop at the creek, on the main trace, to water their horses, and then intending to exterminate the company in a few minutes. The adroit management of Capt. Black in marching his men on the flank traces saved the lives of his men.

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 McPherson'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 Mcllwain and several other early settlers of this neighborhood, 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 Mcllwain, 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 Mcll wain'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, growing on the wall of this fort, which tree may have been five hundred years old.

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 ; excavations have been made in this mound, but no hones or Indian relics found. This is a suitable field for our scientific association at Urbana to labor in.

Moses Mcllwain, 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 Me* Ilwain, Sr., and Capt. Black sometimes camped around the house and sometimes stayed in the house. Tecumseh frequently visited Capt. Black, and tarried with him through the night, and was a quiet, orderly, well-behaved man.

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 occupied 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. Arrowsmith, 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 enjoyment 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 rev ligion and all good works. Benjamin Gehman has, in the past few years, paid large sums of money for the building of two houses of public worship in Salem "Township ; ke has patiently borne the burden and heat of the day in sustaining them, sometimes under discouraging circumstances.

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 England, 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 Revolutionary 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 Ludlow, and, about 1802, said blocks of land were divided into sections and quartersections 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 previously located. In consequence of this deficiency of regular original surveys, and the irregularities with which the several locations were made, and the consequent 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 Robinson 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 examination 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 arrangement could be made to quiet the title of this land. Col. Thomas accordingly 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 customary for a woman, on signing a deed with her husband, to ask for some present, 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 landwarrant on the three hundred acres of vacant land and had it regularly patented, 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 improvements 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.

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 parties.

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 Methodist 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 to Griffith Evans, she was possessed of considerable wealth ; among other property, her father left her several slaves. At or before the time of their emigration 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. Kauffman, 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 congregations 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 pleasant 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 Township. 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 meeting house at Mount Tabor. They all helped liberally to build two brick meeting 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

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 w'as one of the excellent women of the earth. Ezra Read and his twTo wives and Lyman North and his wife are buried in the Baptist cemetery at Kingston.