Clinton County, Ohio - Chapter 5: Pioneer Incidents, 1882 (part 2 of 2)

Some years ago, the following article was published in the Clinton Republican, at Wilmington, and is considered of sufficient interest to deserve a place in this history; its title was "Pioneers and Pioneer Life in Clinton County: "

" The year 1805 brought few, if any, emigrants to the neighborhood, but in the fall of 1806, Ezekiel Frazeir, William Shields and their families arrived from the same part of Tennessee, traveling in the same manner and driving their stock before them as the others had done. The only persons now living of that little colony are Moses Fraizer and Betsey Ballard. (The former of these two is now deceased.) One little incident on their journey or at their arrival is, perhaps, worth relating. They camped the night before they reached the end of their journey on the banks of Caesar's Creek. Centre meeting had been established previous to that time, and their arrival happened to be on meeting day. Rebecca Ballard, mother of Benajah, John and Jordan Ballard, and daughter of Ezekiel Fraizer and his wife, Rebecca Thomas, had preceded the rest of her father's family to the West about three years, and was attending meeting at Centre. While these people were meditating, perhaps, on the goodness of God, and this daughter and sister breathing a silent prayer for a blessing on those loved ones far away, she listened and thought she heard in the distance a familiar sound; she listened again, and, as the sound grew more distinct, she thought she could not be mistaken. She left the meeting and in the distance saw a party of emigrants approaching, and soon discovered that the familiar sound proceeded from the old cow-bell that had many a time gladdened her in her father's herd in Tennessee. She ran and met her father, mother, brothers and sisters, and, with tears of gratitude, welcomed them to her wilderness home. That cow-bell, minus the clapper, is now in possession of Jonathan Bailey, and should be kept as a relic of those early days. Their arrival proved quite an addition to the neighborhood, for they brought a set of blacksmith's tools and Ezekiel was a blacksmith. Prior to this, if they wanted a horse shod or a plow sharpened, they had to go to Waynesville, a distance of fifteen miles. They made their settlement on part of the farm now occupied by Jonathan Bailey. By close application, the settlers would prepare from four to six acres for corn the first season after their arrival, the women often burning the brush, while the men would chop the trees and roll the logs. The woods afforded pasture in abundance for their stock, but wild onions were so plentiful, and the cattle cropped them to such an extent with the grass, that the settlers would often have to gather them for their tables to destroy the onion flavor in the milk and blitter. Emigrants now begaD to arrive from other parts of the country - the Dillons. Hodgsons and Fishers, from North Carolina, others from Pennsylvania and Virginia - until the lands were nearly all occupied, and they began to look around, and found they were destitute of schools and churches. But before I begin to give a few incidents of their more civilized life, I will relate a few of their hunting adventures:

" Alexander Fraizer, brother to our old and respected fellow-citizen, Moses Fraizer, had, when he arrived in this country, a passion for coon-hunting. One night while engaged in his favorite amusement, his dog came dashing toward him and crouched between his feet; immediately, some other animal came tearing through the bushes after the dog, but, on sight of the human form, stopped, and Fraizer's eyes rested on those of a huge panther. He was unarmed, except an ax, but had presence of mind enough to know that if he looked the monster steadily in the eyes it would not leap upon him; and so, steadily all through the night, he looked that hungry panther in the eyes, with the dog trembling between his feet. When the first gray streaks of morning began to show in the east, the animal bounded away, aud the hunter returned to his home, completely cured of his fondness for coon-hunting. Mahlon Haworth and his brother James, although no great hunters, always in passing through the woods took the precaution to carry their guns with them. On one occasion, when in search of their horsos that had strayed away, old ' Maje,' the trusty dog, treed a bear. James told his brother to stand aside and see him shoot him (the bear) in the head. So he raised his gun, but a film came over his eyes and a tremor seized his hands, and when lie fired he missed his game. Now, Mahlon tried his luck; he did better; the game was wounded and came tumbling to the ground; the dog rushed upon him, and the bear would soon have dispatched him, but the men advanced, when he turned upon them, and, as he reared to give his hug, they placed the gun against his breast, tired and dispatched him. On the same day, they wounded a deer which came bounding past their dwelling and plunged into Todd's Fork. Mary Haworth, afterward Bailey, happened to be passing near, saw the deer become entangled in some brush, so she waded in, caught it and killed it with a stone. My informant remarked, ' Then we had venison and bear fat to cook it in.' Moses Fraizer, whose tottering form we saw on our streets on last election day to vote for President for the fifteenth time, is also the hero of a bear story. On the first spring after his arrival here, and in about his fifteenth year, while he was plowing in the held, a neighbor came by and reported three bears in the woods close at hand. Leaving his plow in the furrow, he ran to the house for his dog and gun, and was soon in hot pursuit of an old bear and two cubs. The old one soon treed; the others dashed on through the woods. Without dreaming of the danger of attacking an old bear when with her cubs, he raised his gun and fired and old bruin came tumbling down, but only wounded. Fortunately, she ran from him; the dog pursuing, soon caused the animal to tree again, but when the hunter came up she was foaming with wrath, and gnashing her huge teeth until the sound would echo through the forest; undaunted by fear, he raised his gun and fired again. This time, the trusty rifle had done its work well, and the bear fell dead at the feet of the young hunter. He now returned to his work and soon heard a call in the woods, saying so distinctly, 'come here,' that he thought some neighbor's child must be lost, and was calling for help, but, on going to the spot, he found one of the cubs piteously calling for its mother. He returned for his gun and soon dispatched him.

"One other bear story, and I will quit; A man whose name I have lost, and, for want of a better one, I will call him Snyder, was in the woods hunting, and, by chance, came upon a bear. He raised his gun and fired and the first shot proved fatal. A neighbor was attracted to the spot by the report of the gun, and found him in great complacency viewing the monster he had slain, and soliloquizing thus: 'Well, Snyder did kill a bear, and the people all over the neighborhood will soon say, Snyder killed a bear. And that's not all, for the people way back in North Carolina will soon say, Snyder killed a bear. ' ' '

Some time in the fall of 1826 (the reader is referred also to the chapter devoted to the history of the press), the Wilmington Argus published an item upon mammoth fruit, which stated that " an apple was lately picked from the orchard of Nathan Linton, of this vicinity, weighing twenty-nine ounces and a pear weighing twenty-six ounces. A turnip was recently taken from the patch of Moses Hoskin, of this county, which weighed twelve pounds." The Western Star and Lebanon Gazette, of December 2, 1826, commented as follows upon the item: "When we saw the above article and recollected the account of the seven- foot cucumber raised this summer in some of our northern counties, we were ready to exclaim, 'Ohio against the Union!' but soon after noticing the following account of a radish, we concluded that our citizens must make another trial for victory. Our friend Hoskin's turnip is beat all hollow by the Dutchman's radish, whose dimensions will be found below: 'Beat This Who Can! - Was raised in the garden of Mr. Jacob Hummel, of Middle Creek, Union Co., Penn., last summer, and is now in the possession of Philip Seebold, Esq., of this place, a radish weighing twenty-seven pounds, measuring twenty-eight inches in circumference and its length thirty inches. - Times.' " fair of the present day clap its hands in an ecstacy of delight and dream of mammoth agricultural wonders for a year afterward. Yet there were truthful people in those days as well aB now.

The following interesting old letters, with others from the sarqe person bearing upon different subjects, were published several years ago, and we thought it best to insert them in this work for preservation. The writer became an honored citizen of Clinton County, and the letters came to us from beneath the dust of years as souvenirs of the pioneer days. They are from Samuel Linton to his friends, Abel and Joseph Safer thwaite, of Philadelphia, Penn., and are as here given:

Friends S a t eethwa ites - I am about to visit you with another letter, and inform you it is fine growing weather here at this date, after a cold, snowy winter ; the northeast wind, about the 20th of the 1st month, made its way round the north bluff of the mountain, and found us and bio wed us up a big snow, about eighteen inches deep - a thing unprecedented in this country - and also that we are in good health and have not as yet become French citizens. The handbill announcing the cession of Louisiana, printed the 1st of last July, at Philadelphia, was reprinted at Cincinnati, and in circulation at Waynesville the 20th of the same month ; and now the United States is in the peaceable possession of that vast country (as our President phrases it), so extensive and so fertile, and there don't at present appear anything to interrupt the peace and happiness of these settlements in this part of the world.

There have sundry changes taken place since I have been in this land besides our taking rank among our sister States. Our meeting, some months ago, was organised into a monthly meeting, with full powers to practice the discipline of the William Saterthwaite, a valuable friend, and Samuel Cope, another - the one from Redstone, in Pennsylvania, the other from Concord Monthly Meeting, in this State - by the appointment of the quarterly meeting were present at the opening of our second meeting; and Ann Taylor, she who lately visited your parts, and Christian Hall, women Friends, were also present, all of whom I had the happiness to entertain part of the time they were in this neighborhood. We had a sitting in my family, and Ann gave good counsel to my young generation.

As I live in a thick settlement of Friends, they soon found out I understood how to use the pen pretty well, and, not knowing that John Brown, to please Moses Comfort, gave me a " measurable certificate," they have made much use of my pen in the management of meeting business.

Another change is, we now have good land enough of our own. I believe I did not answer the question in my last letter respecting the title of lands in this 'State ; I will now do it : There seems to be three descriptions ; first, the greatest paid of the lands are purchased at our land offices for that purpose, at $2 per acre, or otherwise they are put up at public sale at $2 per acre, and such as are not bid higher than $2, during the three weeks of the vendue, are purchased at the land office for $2 per acre. According to the law, lately new modeled, of the last session of Congress, the purchaser may pay at four different annual payments, ancl if he will make payment punctually at the stated time, he will be excused from paying interest. When payment is complete, he is by law entitled to a patent, and his title is indisputable. Secondly, the land between the Little Miami and Scioto Rivers, commonly called the military lands, is land that was reserved to reward the soldiers of the Revolutionary war, and is, much of it, very fertile or rich land. There is an office on purpose for the management of said land, called the war office. Said land is obtainable by warrants granted to such as are entitled to them by law. The following tact will illustrate the matter : There were 12,500 acres allotted to Gen. Gates ; said Gates sold his right to Dr. James Murray ; said Murray, according to law, obtained a patent to said land, executed by George Washington, President, with the national seal affixed to it ; the titles to said lands are good. The aforesaid James Murray, the last fall, sent his son Daniel, with full power of attorney, to sell part of said land, and I have bought 500 acres of him at seven quarter-dollars per acre, and paid him the money, and he executed to me a warrantee deed. There is on my tract good spring water, and above one hundred acres of that sort of land that but little timber grows upon it, and what li ttle there is is chiefly walnut and ash ; the ground is much overrun with pea-vine and spice-wood (sometimes called baby-wood), Such binds are too strong for wheat in their first culture, but excellent for corn, hemp, potatoes, pumpkins, tobacco, etc. Said Murray has sold various other people laud. 11 is several miles from this town, on a branch of the Little Miami, called Todd's Pork. As there is likely to be a large settlement of Friends there, Dr. Murray has generously made us a present of fifteen acres of land for meeting and school use, for the Society of Friends, and made a deed to trustees, of which number Nathan Linton is one, and has got the deed recorded, and has it in keeping. Said Murray, late in the fall, returned to his father's in Maryland, and James Murray has sent Nathan a power of attorney, duly recorded, to survey and sell more of his lands. Daniel Murray is a young officer belonging to the navy department, and he has lately sent us word that lie is ordered on board, to sail to the Mediterranean, to help revenge the wrong done to the ship Philadelphia, by the Tripolitans.

Third. John Cleves Symes (commonly called Judge Symes), a number of years ago, perhaps near fifteen, contracted with the powers of government for one million of acres lying between the two Miami Rivers at two-thirds of a dollar per acre ; so Symes obtained a patent for about one-third of the million acres before Gen. St. Clair's defeat by the Indians ; but St. Clair's army being destroyed, and the Indians very hostile, things carried a very gloomy appearance in this country.. At that time Symes gave up the power of his patented lands into the hands of Congress (the titles of his patented lands are good), but a new army being raised, and Gen Wayne at their head, and gave the Indians battle and totally defeated them, and then held a treaty with them, called the treaty of Greenville, and purchased some hundreds of miles of their lands, as the property of the United States ; and Jay's treaty coming forward, the English garrison (the root of evil), retired to the other side of the lakes, matters here assumed a favorable aspect, Symes resumes his right to the unpatented lands ; as the lands would sell for two or three times as much as they would before these late changes took place, and he actually sold quantities of the unpatented lands before attention was paid to the defect in his title, and those who purchased those unpatented lands of Symes have to purchase it over again at the land office at Cincinnati, and get their money back from Symes as they can. We are not much disturbed with deficient titles this side of the Ohio, except this conduct of Symes ; on the other side of the Ohio, in th State of Kentucky, things have not been so regularly managed ; their title to lands is like their waters - uncertain. But by looking over the laws of the late session, I find Congress has been very indulgent to those who are in the hobble with Symes - they are allowed until the beginning of 1806 before any payment will be demanded, and after 1806, they are allowed six years to pay the remainder, in six annual payments. If they are industrious and managing, they may make the money off their lands in that time.

There will be henceforward, for those who can raise a little money, great opportunities to buy good plantations. There is at this time much land to be sold in the military tract by those who monopolized by buying soldiers' rights, and the reserved sections between the Miami Rivers, will be sold next September in quartersections, and there is some excellent good lands among them ; and when matters can be got in readiness, that vast tract called the Indiana, that temperate and surpassingly fertile country, almost surrounded by the boatable waters of the Wabash, the Ohio, the Mississippi and the Illinois Rivers, will be sold ; such as is not sold at the different vendues may be bought at the land offices for $2 per acre, and the title as good as any government can make titles.

The emigration into this country is so prodigious that, notwithstanding the fertility of the soil, there is scarce enough raised to supply their immediate wants at this time (without our exporting company sending it away), which makes produce high at the present. ; wheat, two-thirds of a dollar ; corn half a dollar ; bacon, 8 cents per pound, etc.

Our crops of wheat, oats and flax, last year (1803), were generally much damaged by being lodged by a shower of rain a little time before harvest ; crops of corn were generally good ; we were allowed to plant about eight or nine acres that lay handy to us, for new setting and extending the fence and putting the ground in better order ; we had above four hundred bushels of corn - plenty for our use and some to spare to hungry and starved new-comers.

We have been informed various ways, both verbally and in print, that on your side of the mountains the drought prevailed in many places last year, and occasioned very scanty crops of grain and grass. The Virginians say in their country many of their springs of water were dried up, and the late winter many creatures died for want of provender. Newspaper says, at Frederickstown, Md., there were forty days and no rain, and the herbage withered, and in the Genesee country ninety days and no rain. What disturbs M. Comfort's peace now, that he wants to go to the Genesee ? Don't he like his new neighbors as well as his old ones ? Perhaps he won't bring so favorable an account of that county as C. Brown did. Perhaps he will like his plantation five hundred pounds better, like he did when he came from Maryland. Land begins to be dull sale in the old settlements in many places, I hear.

I commiserate you on account of the loss of your preacher, John Comfort, and the damage the hailstorm did you after you had hurried him under ground. Has Charles Brown got his windows repaired yet ? If you had lived in as humble houses as we do, you would not have lost so much window-glass. The loss of Oliver Hough is a serious loss to the Falls Monthly Meeting. We have three preachers belonging to our monthly meeting, and likely to have the fourth before many years. Our meeting-house is too little for our greatly increasing numbers, and we are about to build a new meeting-house, thirty feet square, and that, it appears to me, will be too small before many years. I think I see four monthly meetings here away before a great while - the Miami Monthly Meeting ; one at Stillwater, over the Big Miami; one at Todd's Fork, and one at Lee's Creek. It is not unlikely that times to come will see as prodigal edilices at the above places as those that constitute Buck's Quarter.

I live a sort of public life at present. I have many visitors, both foreign and domestic, among others Benjamin White and Benjamin Gillingham, from Buck's Quarter, Tell all whom it may concern, and Benjamin Palmer in particular, I had the honor lately to entertain his son Richard. The matter stands thus: The Little Turtle and other Indians about Fort Wayne (above a hundred miles to the north of us,) sent a message to Baltimore Yearly Meeting, requesting their assistance to instruct them in the arts of civil life, and how to use the husbandry and other tools they had sent them; upon which the Committee on Indian Affairs appointed George Ellicot and Jarrard Hopkins (the yearly meeting's Clerk), to visit them, and give them such counsel as they should think expedient when among them ; and also Philip Thomas, to assist them in their farming the ensuing season ; and the War Department sent David Jinkinson, carpenter, and Richard Palmer, blacksmith, to reside and work with them; all of which, in a company, came to my house in the forepart of the day, and stayed with me until about that time next day, to refresh themselves and horses, and then proceeded on their journey. Unfortunately, Nathan and David were not at home ; they were at work on our 500-acre plantation, where we propose to raise a crop the ensuing summer - farm some here and some there until we can get ready to move there. George Ellicot gave it as his opinion there is more rich, fertile land in the State of Ohio, than in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey all put together. Remember, the State of Ohio is but a small proportion of the land contained between the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers; and Richard Palmer says he will never go over the mountains again to live, and that it would be better if some of his brothers would come here, and not stay there getting nothing. He desired I would send word about him in a letter to his old acquaintances.

Two Kentuckians traveled through this neighborhood and made the following remarks: " That the State of Ohio would decidedly have the advantage of Kentucky, for the following reasons : First, the climate is more friendly to the growth of wheat ; and, secondly, the streams of water are constant and steady, not swelled into floods by winter rains, nor dried up by summer droughts, but in many places mills can go constantly all the year;* when, on the other hand, in Kentucky, when they should be manufacturing their wheat for market, their mills can't go for want of water." The mill before our door - grist and saw-mill - with all the fertile land belonging to it, near one hundred acres, has been bought up by a wealthy Quaker, who is able to pay for it. Another wealthy Quaker, near the Big Miami, has a grist-mill, a saw-mill and a fulling-mill, and many hundred acres of capital land, and a sweet daughter about seventeen or eighteen years old, who gains the praises af all who have the happiness to be acquainted with her.

We have four head of horses, old and young, and thirteen head of cattle, old and young. It begins to be time to enlarge our borders. I have got a weaving shop, and weaving tackling. I have woven a number of pieces, and made out bravely, but the worst difficulty is I am run over with custom.

If Mr. Comfort was to see our lamls in this country, I am apprehensive that when he returned to his own plantation he would like it £500 worse, instead of £500 better, as he expressed himself when he returned from Maryland.

A straightrcoated Friend (a millwright) is about purchasing some hundreds of acres of land adjoining my plantation, and intends to have a grist-mill running in less than a year from now on his land. He has a sweet, pretty daughter, just cleverly merchantable. There is a fine chance for young men in this country - good land, and pretty girls plenty; there were six fair ones passed my door this morning in a troop. But, setting aside nonsense, although true, I request that when thee has read this letter, to convey it to Joseph Saterthwaite, and Joseph to make the interesting parts of it as public as may be among my old acquaintances for their information.

Respected Friend, Abel Saterthwaite - I received thy letter, dated 10th mo., 1805, from Waynesville Post Office, some time ago, and it is agreeable to me to keep up a correspondence as opportunities may present.

condition of affairs, if It existed then, has been subjected to a wonderful change, for the opposite Is certainly true at the present day.

Thee informs me this is the best country to send people to, as they cannot, ascend the river to get back again ; the bearer of my letters last year found a way to get back again, as well as sundry others, and return and bring more with them. The immigration to these parts is prodigious; it is supposed that not less than one thousand new members were incorporated in the Miami Monthly Meeting in the year 1805, and that the members of the Miami monthly meeting are more numerous than any othermonthly meeting in the United States. As to trade, io is but a short time we have had the command of the Mississippi River, and (to carry on the joke) does thee not observe what a loss your grain monopolies have already sustained? You may spend thousands after thousands of dollars in improving your roads lo Pittsburgh, but you wagoners cannot afford to transport goods from your cities to Pittsburgh for three pence per pound. I have been informed the boatmen plying between New Orleans and Cincinnati bring goods from New Orleans to Cincinnati for three pence per pound in this early stage of their practice, and when they become more improved in the use of sails perhaps they can afford to do it cheaper, as the current is in their favor going down, and the wind, three-fourths of the time, in their favor coming up stream. Thee informs me your traders are in better credit at foreign ports than New Orleans merchants; but when New Orleans has had time to establish itself under the Goverment of the United States, its credit may appreciate. So advantageous a stand will certainly tempt wealthy merchants there when matters become better regulated and prejudices overcome.

And we have another string to our bow to shoot your cash from you; that is, Ave can raise vast stocks of cattle and swine. The drovers will already give $3 per hundred for hogs, alive, to supply your markets with, and them that follow such business must bring their cash back to give to us farmers for more cattle and hogs.

Our summer, last year was very prosperous, both in wheat and Indian corn. We have had a mild winter, but a backward, dry, cold spring; we had some frost the morning of this, the fifth month.

As to politics, there are contests in this State as well as other States. Our Governor, Tiffin, lias submitted to serve us the present three years, but requests to be released at the end thereof, to attend to his private concerns. You may groan under the tyranny of McKain another three years, then he will go out of office triumphs nt, consistent with your State Constitution.

I have received no letters from your quarter, except thine, for a long time. By letters from brother Daniel and Hezekiah Linton, I think likely they will both immigrate here erelong, and David Linton has " past meeting," and married some months ago.

Respected Friend, Joseph Satertiiavaite - I at length am about to reply to thy letter that I received last spring, and inform thee we are blessed with health and peace at present, and that the summer of 1807 was extremely wet until some time after harvest, followed by an extremely dry fall, and our winter has been middling - not much snow. The great quantity of rain we had last summer damaged our wheat much, and our corn suffered Avith having too much wet. And these may inform thee Nathan Linton has been married more than a twelvemonth, and lias a young daughter, and my girls say they are waiting to hear tell of thy getting married.

In regard to negroes: I have seen but two since I crossed the Ohio - one man, that lives many miles up the State, and a black virgin that lives at Waynesville ; but I suppose there is a small number in this State, but I have been informed our law enjoins negroes to give freehold security, to the amount of $500, for their good behavior and not becoming chargeable, which law, if put in practice, makes heavy against their becoming numerous.

Thee mentioned in thy letter thee thought we could do but little toward supplying other countries with produce. Thee is not aware of the vast quantities that goes down the Ohio in ships and ark-boats. We, who have been farmers so short a lime, sent off above three thousand pounds of pork last fall, and, if the last summer had not been so uncommonly wet, we might have had many bushels of wheat to spare.

David Linton left me near two years ago, and lives on my possessions at Waynesville, and folloAvs merchandising with his wife's father; and Nathan is so much employed in other business, he does but little at farming, so I am slack a man from my family. I follow weaving at times ; I have wove about twenty-four hundred yards of different kinds of cloth since 1 have been in this country, notwithstanding all of which, I expect there will be near sixty acres of corn planted on my farm this coming spring, by tenants mostly, who Avork the ground to the shares.

Thee queries in thy letter if there is no curse on this land, as well as other countries. I answer, yes. In the first place, there is much labor in improving anew country - "In the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat bread;" and, secondly, "Thorns and thistles shall it bring unto thee." Thorns we have not much reason to complain of, but thistles and nettles we have in abundance. My wheat last summer was, much of it, lodged by rains and a rank soil, and a prodigious crop of thistles and nettles grew up amongst it; but I hope for better times when the ground is subdued by working it- I thus conclude this letter, and subscribe myself

Better times came indeed, and the descendants of the most worthy pioneers are to-day reaping the benefits accruing from the toil of their ancestors.

The following document was found by Jesse H. Kirk, of Liberty, among his old papers, and is a good sample of the forms of marriage certificates in use among- the Friends of this region fifty-two years ago:

Whereas, Mahlon Kirk, of the county of Clinton and State of Ohio, son of Ezekiel Kirk, deceased, and Hannah, his wife, of the county and State aforesaid, and Sarah Hines, daughter of Anthony Stanley, and Hannah, his wife, of the county of Vermilion, f and State of Illinois, having declared their intentions of marriage with each other before a monthly meeting of the religious Society of .Friends, held at Center, according to the good order used amongst them, and having "concent" of parents, their said "proposial" of marriage was allowed by said meeting. Now these are to certify whom it may concern that for the full accomplishment of their said intentions, this, the first day of the twelfth month, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty, they, the said Mahlon Kirk ancl Sarah Hines, appeared in a public meeting of the said people, held at Center, and the said Mahlon Kirk, taking the said Sarah Hines by the hand, declared that he took her, the said Sarah Ilines, to be his wife, promising, with Divine assistance, to be unto her a loving and faithful husband until death should separate them ; and then, in the same assembly, the said Sarah Hines did, in like manner, declare that she took him, the said Mahlon Kirk, to be her husband. promising, with Divine assistance, to be unto him a loving and faithful wife until death should separate them. Ancl, moreover, they, the said Mahlon Kirk and Sarah Hines, she, according to the custom of marriage, adopting the name of her husband, did, as a further confirmation thereof, then and there, to these presents set their hands.

And we, whose names are also hereunto subscribed, being present at the solemnization of said marriage and subscription, here, as witnesses thereunto, set our

The persons whose names appear as witnesses nearly all resided in the neighborhood of Centre Meeting-House, in Union Township, and it will be

Tho first deed recorded in Clinton County was made April 20, 1810, and was from Conrad Haws and Fanny, his wife, to Conrad Haws, Jr., all residents of the county. It conveyed 150 acres of land in John Roberts' Survey, No. 2687, consideration, $50. Walter Craig and Abraham Haws were witnesses to the deed, which was recorded in Book A of Deeds, page 5, August 13, 1810, by Robert Eachus, Recorder of Clinton County. The document had been acknowledged before Thomas Hinkson Justice of the Peace.

Tho first mortgage was from Israel and Catharine Johns, of Clinton County, to Soboston Stingley, of same, on Lot No. 100, in the Wilmington town plat, for $448. Acknowledged before Bebee Treusdell, Justice of the Peace, and recorded in Book A of Mortgages, page 1; date. December 31, 1835, by Amos T. Sewell, Recorder of Clinton County.

The following poem was written by Joseph Whinery and printed by Gaddis & Abrams, at Wilmington, in 1816. The incident upon which it was written - " The Death of Caleb, Son of Isaac and Phenia Perkins," as the title page has it - occurred in 1809, at which date Mr. Whinery was not in the place. The occurrence was related to him several years later upon his arrival, and he wrote his "poem" upon it. The production is deemed too good to be lost, and iB therefore here reproduced:

The Death Of Caleb Perkins

As they from home their lengthening course did bend. And soon the hounds with cries " a chase " maintain - The beast for safety scuds across the plain;

Be pleased to heal with Gilead's balm their bleeding wounds, And from affliction's iron bands relieve their son that 'moans. Cut short, in mercy, gracious Lord, Thy works in righteousness Relieve his soul from bondage - free this brother in distress, And if it be Thy gracious will, to bid his spirit rise,

Epitaph

As relating to early railroad matters in the county, the following article is inserted. It was published some years since under the heading, " An Effort to Secure a Railroad:"

" At the session of the Ohio Legislature, which convened on the first Monday of December, 1835, a bill was introduced in the Senate by John W. Allen, a member from Cuyahoga County, to incorporate a company to make and operate a railroad from Cleveland to Cincinnati. The only intermediate point between these cities named in the bill, it is believed, was Columbus. Information of this important measure was obtained in some way at Wilmington at an early day, and attracted general attention. It was thought that as the town was in almost a direct line between' Columbus and Cincinnati, and, as the route was shorter and the grades easier than upon rival routes, the road could be secured for our town and county, if early and proper efforto should bo made for that purpose. Some one drew up a call for a meeting to be held on the following Saturday, inviting all railroad men to come together for consultation, which appeared in imposing headlines in the next number of the newspaper. On the day appointed, a large number of our most substantial men were in attendance. The old court house was full of earnest and energetic people, composed of the leading property holders, farmers and Imsiness men of the town and country adjacent. A. deep interest was manifested in the prospective road. For once the orators stayed away or were silent,. At any rate, no spoecheB were made, so that the meeting was not long in session. A Chairman and Secretary for the meeting were chosen. There was no division or diversity of opinion in the meeting. It resolved in favor of securing the road if it could be done. A resolution was passed instructing our Representative in tlio Legislature to use his vote and influence to have the act amended so as to make Wilmington a point in the road. A motion was also adopted to send four delegates to Columbus to act as a sort of lobby and assist, if nood be, in procuring the insertion of Wilmington in the charter of the road. The delegates selected were instructed to go at once on their mission. These were Isaiah Morris, Nathan Linton, William Hadley, of Springfield, and the writer of this communication. The three delegates first named were all men of wealth, worth, good sound sense, knowledge of men and business experience, leading men at home and were known by many members of the Legislature from this section of the State. They are all now dead, but hundreds still live who knew them well, and could bear witness to their fitness for the business on which they were sent.

"After the adjournment of the meeting, the delegates conferred together as to the best mode of reaching Columbus, and a3 to the time of starting. The conclusion was to take a carriage in which all should take seats. Carriages were not at that time as often met with as now, but William Hadley had one, with a capacity for seating four; this, with a horse, was Rendered to the delegates for their use, and either Nathan Linton or Mr. Morris offered the use of a second horse. The next Monday morning was agreed upon for starting. On that morning, promptly on time, Nathan Linton and William Hadley were at the appointed place for starting and ready to move; some delay, however, occurred which was turned to good account. These few minutes of waiting were employed by some of the citizens in calling upon Samuel H. Hale, then a citi zen of Wilmington, and soliciting him to accompany the delegation to Columbus and unite his efforts and influence with theirs to secure the proposed improvement to our long-neglected section of the State. In this request, the delegates heartily joined. Mr. Hale in that day was a man of wealth, was of the same politics as the dominant party in both branches of the Legislature, had theretofore served through three sessions in the House and three in the Senate of Ohio, and would be almost as a matter of course acquainted with members then serving in the Legislature. Mr. Hale yielded at once to the general wish, but how was he to travel? Certainly not in the carriage, which would only seat four, especially when two such large men as Isaiah Morris and William Hadley, both then in fine health and weighing in the aggregate over 500 pounds, held pre-emption claims to seats, and two medium-sized men as were Nathan Linton and the writer. The difficulty was but momentary and soon removed. Mr. Hale, after consenting to go, was not a man likely to be kept at home for want of an easy mode to travel. Though not accustomed to horseback riding, not having been in the saddle twice, it may be, in twenty years, he soon had a famous gray horse, fully rigged out and brought to the door, and a moment later he was in the saddle. By this time, the carriage being ready, and all the passengers seated in it, the entire party took the road together and continued together to the end. In this day, when bands of Irish, English and American rifle shooters are called teams, our company, united together to promote the making of a railroad, would be called a Clinton County JEtailroad Team.

" The roads were almost impassable on account of mud, but the weather had now turned cold, and, on the higher lands, the crust on the road would, in general, bear the weight of the carriage and its load; but in the lowlands, and in the deep ruts and mud holes the crust would break and the wheels of the carriage and the legs of the horses would find the bottom. The carriage was tossed to and fro. Sometimes it would surge violently to side, and then with equal violence to the other; the fore wheels would frequently drop into a deep depression, called by the old-style wagoners & 'chuck-hole.' We would be thrown almost against the dash, and then, as they would rise out of the sink to the firm ground, the hind wheels would be thrown into the depression, throwing us with violence against the back of the carriage. Then a great deal of the road, especially between here and Washington, was corduro , and in very bad repair. Of course, traveling was slow, and, in fact, painful. The blood of the passengers was kept flowing in rapid currents by the surging and tossing of the carriage. Fortunately, no bones were broken. When we arrived at Washington, daylight was about gone, and we had traveled twenty-two miles that day, We all put up at the Stockdale House for the night. On comparing notes, it was found that the traveling experience of the gentleman who rode the gray horse had been far more pleasant than that of the gentlemen who had taken passage in the carriage. The next morning, we took the road early, that we might reach and cross Big Darby (then not bridged) before daylight should be gone. And the road for this day, though by no means good, being better than the day before, we effected our purpose. Tenor twelve miles' travel from Washington brought us to the residence of Gen. Bethuel Harrison. As all were cold, and some of the company acquainted with him, we stopped in part to warm ourselves, but more to pay our respects to the old hero himself. We warmed and had quite a pleasant was in command of a company on our northern border in the war of 1812. In some one of these battles (I think Lundy's Lane), he occupied an exposed and closely contested position in the American line. To the right and left of Harrison, our forces began to break and retire. But he stood his ground so steadily and bravely as to check an advance of the British forces with which he was engaged. * * * We put up for the night at the solitary cabins of a Mr.

coffee and butter added. Our hotel consisted of two medium-sized cabins joined together by ends, with a door to pass from one room to the other. At bed-time, the family retired to a smaller room, used as a kitchen, leaving our party in possession of the other room, used as a parlor and dining-room by day, and a bedroom at night. In this, the best room in the house, a bed, large enough for all, was made on the floor. Bed clothing was spread down as some protection against the hard puncheon floor of the cabin, reserving a rather thin supply of quilts and blankets to be drawn up over at our pleasure. A rousing fire, made of large logs in the ample chimney, kept our feet warm through the night. By a skillfully managed arrangement, William Hadley took one flank of the company in the bed and Mr. Morris the other, and between the two Mr. Linton, Mr. Halo and I lay like sardines in a case. Men accustomed to sleep on soft beds, when forced by circumstances to take a bed upon a hard floor, seldom lie abed late iu the morning. Our company was no exception to the general rule. We were up early and had an early breakfast, very like the supper of the previous evening. The venison steak, it is believed, was prepared and brought to the table on special request. We had fomleen miles of travel yet to accomplish before Columbus would be reached. The country was mostly unimproved, the land and the road without drainage; ten miles of the way was through a dense forest, without a single house or track for footstep, except the one, and, as it was very bad, we were compelled to travel slowly, so that it was almost night when we reached a hotel in Columbus."

Esquire Ephraim Kibby and wife, of Wilmington, gave a dinner to the pioneers of the vicinity on the l ltli of December, 1809, the published account of which was as follows:

" The dinner to the pioneers and old residents in Wilmington and vicinity, given on Saturday, Decombor 11, 1809, by Esquire Ephraim Kibby and wife, of Columbus stroot, is an ovont which will bo well if not long remembered.

The principal occasion for the entertainment was that Sunday, the 12th, was the seventy -fourth anniversary of the birthday of Mr. Kibby, a native born citizen of Ohio, but another, and hardly less prominent object, was the bringing together in a social way of the old residents of the town. In order that the quiet of the Sabbath might not be disturbed, they determined to celebrate the day on Saturday. The day was quite unfavorable for a meeting of aged people. There was a sort of drizzling rain falling all day, with an occasional shower by way of variety. The pavements were wet and there was mud everywhere, especially in the streets and on the street crossings. But such rain and mud had been encountered many times before by the old folks, and did not in the least arrest the assembling of the guests. About 12 o'clock - -the old pioneer dinner hour - groups of venerable men and women were to be seen wending their way toward Columbus street, and by 1 o'clock, all were assembled at the hospitable residence of Esquire Kibby. The number, little less than fifty, of various ages, ranging from sixty to eighty-seven, sat down to dinner with a sharp relish for the good things spread before them. Those present were Sarah Haworth, born in Wayne County, Ga. , July 7, 1802; George D. Haworth, born in Greene County, Tenn., May 29, 1797; Samuel W. Frazer, born in Augusta County, Va., August 15, 1805; Nancy Frazer, born in Hampshire County, Ya., April 11, 1808; Henry Kline, Hampshire County, Va., December 4, 1801; Sarah Kline, County, Ky. , June, 1807; Justus Taylor,

The following, published in the Clinton Republican of May 6, 1880, is from the pen of Amos IPockett, of Wilmington, and was by him " dedicated to our fathers of 1820."

A Home Idyl

I stole me out through Clinton's meadows, And sought her fields and forest shadows, Where wild bird's note or squirrel's tread is The soothing only sound.

Ah, have you not here found a pleasure Which thronging crowds can never measure, That in your inmost heart you treasure 'Bove all the joys around ?

And " babbling brooks " of small dimensions All running on with good intentions, Branches and creeks, without dissensions, Their sparkling waters gleam.