Guernsey County, Ohio - Chapter 4: Early Settlement of the County, 1911

Chapter 4: Early Settlement of the County

To have been in the vanguard of civilization and among the first persons to penetrate so goodly a domain as Guernsey county, Ohio, with the view of making permanent settlement, is an honor, though possibly such honor was never fully realized by Mr. Graham, who. it is believed now, was the first white man to invade the territory with the view of remaining and building for himself a permanent habitation, in what was then a great wilderness, which had only been explored by the Indian race and possibly a few white adventurers. The date of Mr. Graham's settlement was 1798 and he located where afterwards the watertank of the railroad stood in Cambridge. Doubtless there were a few "squatters" who tarried for a short time within this county, as early as 1796, as it is claimed that Levi Williams had a son John born where Washington now stands. March 8, 1806, and that the father came in 1796, but of their experiences and future whereabouts no record now exists. It should be remembered that Guernsey county now contains more than five times as many people as did the entire state of Ohio in 1798. when the Graham settlement was effected.

The southern part of Guernsey county was the first to be settled to any considerable extent and the first township to have a permanent settler was Cambridge. Pioneer Graham's cabin was the only house between Wheeling and Zanesville. Two years later, or thereabouts, came George Beymer. from Somerset, Pennsylvania, and these two persons kept a house of entertainment, and also a ferry for travelers on their way to Kentucky. In 1803 came John Beatty from Loudoun county, Virginia, and purchased the tavern which was on the "Zane Trace," which was a blazed path through the wilderness from Wheeling to Chillicothe, on the west bank of the Scioto river. Ebenezer Zane marked the path, and for his services received three sections of land at the crossing of the rivers - one on the Muskingum, one on the Hocking, and one on the north bank of the Scioto - with the right to run a ferry and toll bridge over the Ohio and Muskingum rivers. Zanesville was located on his section, at the crossing of the Muskingum, and from him it derives its name.

I luring the year 1805 the survey of the plat of Cambridge was executed and the first house built on that platting; it stood on what came to be the Shaw property, and was occupied by John Beatty. father of Zaccheus A. Beatty. More concerning this family and its settlement will be found in the city chapter of Cambridge. Also an account of many of the families, including those who emigrated from the beautiful isle of Guernsey, from which the county took its name, will lie given in detail in such chapter.

Wild animals abounded on every hand here when the pioneer band first invaded these parts. Bears, wolves, deer, etc., were very plentiful, ami both state and county paid a bounty of two dollars for wolf scalps.

The pioneering days in America are almost over, forever. The great public domain is fast being settled and developed, the lands being divided and sub-divided and prices steadily advancing, until ere long American real estate will be as high priced as in the old European countries. The modern pioneer disappears after the iron horse has made his way to the new, unsettled countries, whereas the first pioneers of our republic went in long years in advance of either steamboat or railroads, hewing their way through the dense forests and there subduing land, covered with stumps and roots, raising crops which, if there was a surplus, had to be drawn by oxen or horses many miles to market. These conditions have all been reversed; now the husbandman can raise his crops and sell at his very door and it is transported by steam or electric cars to points near at hand, where good prices richly repay him for his toil and investment - hence the happy, prosperous homes of the twentieth century in this country.

The first settlers had to cook their venison and other wild meats without salt, for there was none within many miles and cost much money when it could be obtained. AYhen this necessary commodity was brought, it came by way of pack-saddles over the mountains. It did not come by good highways such as obtain now. but over roads unbridged and for the most part unworked by man.

The first work of the pioneer was to clear away enough timber to make room for his cabin and a garden patch. After his cabin was raised, he set about cutting timber, hewing and splitting, while the good housewife busied herself by spinning, weaving and knitting. Nearly all the clothes worn by the first comers to Guernsey county were home-made - made by the industry and genius of the mother, wife or daughters, while the "men folks" were busily engaged in the hard task of clearing up a field and fencing it.

The axman was ever employed. The rude log cabin, illy furnished, provided their only shelter from summer's rain and winter's blasts. The fireplace was used for both cooking and heating; the andiron and blackened crane were then as essential as the modern heater or gas range is considered today. Puncheon were used for floors and shakes for shingles. Post bedsteads, with ropes for holding the straw or feather ticking, and the little trundle-bed at the side, were used instead of the present-day iron gilded beds and children's fancy cribs, with their silk and satin lined couches in which sleeps the twentieth-century infant; yet Presidents and statesmen have come from both the old fashioned and the new !

The log cabin has nearly become extinct, like the wild beast and bird that roamed and winged their way through the forests of this county a hundred years ago. In the place of the cabin of logs and the mud chimney at its end, have come the modern mansions and elegant farm-houses, all provided with suitable fixtures, even to steam heat and electric or gas lights.

The pioneers of this county desired an. education for their children, but rude indeed were the earlv dav school houses. Thev were constructed, like all buildings, of logs, and poorly finished. In place of glass windows, usually an opening was left in the logs and over it was stretched a greased paper, which admitted enough light to allow the pupils, with their young, bright eyes, to see to study from the old United States Speller, Murray's Grammar and now and then consult the Western Calculator.

While the children of early-day Guernsey county were rocked in sugar troughs, fed on Johnny-cake, corn bread, and mush and milk, with wild meats, yet they grew to manhood and womanhood and have furnished their full share of brains and muscle for the carrying on of a county, state and nation, through three wars, and had time and genius enough to develop one of the best subdivisions in the Buckeye state.

Clothing was made from buckskin, tow, linen or flax, manufactured at home by their own hands, unaided by modern machinery. Sometimes, the family being large, a traveling spinner might be engaged. He usually came along with his little spinning wheel and would generally do the spinning act at a "fipenny bit'' a dozen. Again, a journeyman tailor would call with his press-board and '-goose" to make up the home-spun cloth. These days are forever gone on this continent. A better era has come to mankind, but really do we as a people generally appreciate the transformation? There are those still among us - a very few - who remember those pioneer days and the scenes of seventy and eighty odd years ago. These have seen the thick jungle and denser forest fall and the sunlight allowed to strike full and brilliant on fields ripe with an abundant harvest; the hillsides are the scene of orchard and rich vintage, while the leaves are yet turning to amber and gold. These have seen the last of the Indian, the last of the wild game, the last of the log cabin. They have survived to see the wilderness blossom as the rose, with dwelling and churches and school-houses on every hand. Verily, the pioneer "builded better than he knew."

A Wounded Deer

Two old pioneers, Jim McClurg and John Dixon, were the noted deer hunters in the early history of Cambridge, and many were the thrilling and, at times, dangerous incidents told of their deer hunting experiences. They usually supplied venison saddles in the winter to the old taverns, and at

He started one December morning from their cabin west of Cambridge on Crooked creek, on a deer hunt, with his trusty flintlock, smooth-bore gun, that carried a half-ounce ball which on shooting match days never failed to cut the centre of the "bull's eye." With hunting knife in his belt, he started for the dividing ridges between Indian Camp and big Sarchet's run. This would now be in Knox and Adams townships. After traveling through the woods for some time he sighted, in the distance, a large buck with large spreading antlers, but too distant for a shot. He followed it round and round over the ridges and through the valleys, only to discover that the buck was circling, making a circuit of five or six miles, and that when he would turn back it would scent him and cut across the circle. After putting in the day in fruitless pursuit, he returned home late at night, resolved to renew the chase the following day, taking with him his brother Joe.

They started early the next morning, and near noon they sighted the buck. They followed after it, and soon found it was playing the same game as on the previous day. McClurg directed his brother to the top of one of the hills, at a point where the buck, in cutting across the circle, would approach near enough for him to get a shot, while he himself followed the trail.

After some time, the buck, in crossing, scented Joe on the top of the ridge and turned back. It soon came in sight of McClurg. who secreted himself behind a large tree to await its nearer approach. At quite a distance away it scented the hunter and for a moment it stopped. Although it was a long shot. McClurg fired and the buck fell. He hurried to the spot and, setting his gun against a tree, drew his knife and, seizing the buck by the antlers, was making ready to cut its throat, when it opened its eyes and began struggling to its feet. In the struggle the buck struck the hunter in such a way as to knock the knife out of his hand. McClurg, during the struggle, was unable to regain his knife, and a furious struggle for mastery began.

McClurg had a giant's strength, but was unable to hold the buck to the ground, and it was tearing off his hunting shirt and lacerating his arms and body. The buck finally got to its feet, but the hunter held on to its antlers, hoping that he would be able to hold the animal till his brother could arrive, who would hear the shot and hurry to him.

Hut Joe had a long distance to come. McClurg's strength was fast giving away, but, having the buck in bis clutch, he could not think of giving up. It now seemed a life and death struggle. He concluded to let go. hoping that after such a fight the animal would make off, and if not he would seek safety in climbing a tree. So he let go, but the infuriated animal showed fight.

It was once more a life and death struggle. He seized the buck by the horns, and by almost superhuman strength succeeded in throwing it to the ground, and the struggle again went on.

Soon Joe came to the scene, but it was some time before he could get a shot. He knew that if he shot and failed to kill the animal at once, it would only cause it to fight with greater ferocity, and perhaps not only endanger the life of his brother but his own life.

At last a favorable opportunity offered, and he sent a bullet through the heart of the buck and the struggle was over. He at once removed its entrails and hung the carcass upon a tree fork, out of the reach of wolves, and began the difficult task of getting his brother to shelter, as the night was upon them.

With much difficulty, sometimes leading and sometimes carrying his brother, he reached the home of Mr. Culbertson, where McClurg was kindly cared for and the next morning their host brought them to their home on Crooked creek.

Perhaps our long-time friend, Joseph Culbertson, of Adams township, will remember hearing this story of McClurg and the buck, told around the family fireside in the long ago.

McClurg kept the antlers of the buck nailed upon the wall of his cabin for many years, as a trophy. The buck, on first scenting McClurg, had thrown up its head and the shot, although penetrating the center of its forehead, had passed between the antlers and through the skull above its brain.

There are now no persons living who ate this venison ; but there was a large party who partook of it at a Christmas dinner at the Judge Metcalf tavern. McClurg never fully recovered from the effects of the fearful conflict. His nervous system had been overtaxed.

At the time of the first settlement there were several Indian camps, in this county, of the Wyandotte and Seneca tribes, that remained until just before the war of 1812.

It is related that one morning as Isaac Oldham was endeavoring to kindle the fire in his cabin, whilst upon his knees blowing the few remaining embers, an old Indian named Douty crept stealthily in upon him, caught him by the neck and raised the deadly tomahawk, ready to deal the fatal blow, but after holding Oldham in that position for some time, he released his hold, and remarked, "Ingen let white man go: white man no let Ingen go," and left the cabin. This occurred just before the war of 1812. and after the larger por- tion of the Indians had removed farther to the Northwest. It was always supposed that Douty intended to kill Oldham, before he left, for the loss of his hunting ground, which Oldham had entered and was occupying; but fear of being caught before he could overtake the rest of his tribe, it was thought, deterred him, and Douty came no more. Novelists have sought to portray the magnanimity and generosity of the Indian character, but the history of the attempt of the government to civilize, and of the missionary to enlighten, prove the Indian character to be one of cunning, treachery and revenge. History points to them as being a part of the tribe of Ishmael, "whose hand is against every man, and every man's against him."