Licking County, Ohio - Chapter 21: Archaology, 1881

Chapter 21: Archaology

Mounp BUILDERS AND INDIANS - ANTIQUITIES - THE DIFFERENT CLASSES OF MOUNDS, EFFIGIES "AND INCLOSURES : - SEPULCHRAL MOUNDS - SACRIFICIAL MOUNDS - TEMPLE MouNDS - MOUNDS OF OBSERVATION - MEMORIAL OR MON_ UMENTAL MouUNDS - EFFIGIES OR ANIMAL MOUNDS - INCLOSURES - COVERED WAYS - SACRED INCLOSURES - LESSONS TAUGHT BY THESE WORKS - THE IMPLEMENTS USED BY MOUND BUILDERS AND INDIANS.

county a most excellent one. It is probably the most interesting field for the scientist aud antiquarian in the State or United States. When the wave of white emigration reached the Mississippi and Ohio valleys, the discovery was made of strange looking mounds of earth, here and there, and, after a time, learning that these and other similar works were of pre-historic origin - the work of an unknown race of people - they were called, in a general way, "Ancient Mounds," and in time the lost race that erected them came to be appropriately named the "Mound Builders." There is noauthentic history regarding this people. The known records of the world are silent- - as silent as these monuments that perpetuate their memory. There are many theories regarding them, but this is all that can be said - nothing of their origin or end is certainly known. They probably antedate the. various Indian tribes who anciently occupied and claimed title to the soil of Ohio. Probably many centuries elapsed between the first occupancy here by the Mound Builders and the advent of the earliest Indian tribes or nations, though this is only conjecture. This county was once, and, peradventure, continued to be through many passing centuries, their most favored locality. The extent, variety, elaborate, and labyrinthian intricacies of their works, still found in many sections of Ohio, clearly indicate the plausibility of this view. Here they dwelt for ages, erected their works and made a long chapter of history, albeit it is yet unwritten - a history whose leading features and general characteristics can be gathered only from those of their works that yet exist. It must be collected scrap by - scrap, and item by item, after a thorough examina- _ tion and patient investigation of their works, and by careful, laborious, faithful study of their wonderful remains. 'The principal events and leading incidents in the strange career of this mysterious and apparently:now extinct people, can be traced out and recorded only so far as they are clearly indicated by those of their works which yet remain, but which, it is to be regretted, are, toa large extent, in a state of mutilation and partial ruin, and rapidly tending to utter extinction under inconoclastic wantonness, and the operations of the plow; also from the devastating effects of the elements, and the destructive tendencies of the great destroyer - Time.

There is no reason to believe that the Mound Builders ever had a written language, and, if they had not, it must be manifest that very few authentic facts pertaining to their domestic and local history, can be verified by reliable testimony other than that deduced from their works, which are the sole memorials left by them to enable us to work out the problems of their origin, their history, habits, manners, Customs, general characteristics, mode of life, the extent of their knowledge of the arts, of husbandry, their state of civilization, their religion and its rites, their ultimate fate, and 'the manner and circumstances of their final disappearance, whether by process of absorption from intermingling and intermarrying with other and more vigorous races, by dispersion or captivity, or by extine-

Although generation after generation of Mound Builders here lived and flourished, and, peradventure, reached the acme of their glory, then passed through age after age of decadence and decrepitude into "the receptacle of things lost upon earth," without leaving anything that may properly be called history; and though no records of their _ exploits have come down to this generation through the intervening centuries, yet their enduring works furnish the laborious student some indications, even though they be slight, of the characteristics of their builders, and afford some data as to the probable history they made during the unknown, perchance barren, uneventful cycles of their indefinitely long career as a nation or race.

As the history of the Mound Builders is yet unwritten, it is certainly a matter of gratulation that sO many way-marks and traces of this people yet remain within the boundaries of Ohio. Their works in the State, still existing in a tolerably perfect condition, are approximately estimated at ten thousand, but they doubtless far exceeded that number at the time of the first permanent Anglo- American settlement here, in 1788.

Only such monuments, or remains of ancient works can be properly ascribed to the Mound Builders as were really regarded by the Indian tribes at the period of the first settlement at Marietta as antiquities, or as the ruins and relics of an extinct race, and "concerning the origin of which they were wholly ignorant, or only possessed a traditionary knowledge."

These consisted of mounds, effigies and inclosures, which are known and designated as the three general classes of ancient works that can be appropriately regarded as belonging to the Mound Builders. - Mounds are sub-divided into sepulchral, sacrificial, temple (or truncated); also of observation, and memorial or monumental.

Inclosures are of several kinds, one class being known as military or defensive works; another as parallel embankments or covered ways; and the third as sacred inclosures.

Under the general title of inclosures, are also walls of circumvalation or ramparts constructed for military or defensive works, while others were games and amusements, and perhaps many also served a purpose in the performance of their religious rites and ceremonies, and facilitated indulgence in some superstitious practices.

Most of the above named works were constructed of earth, a few of stone, and perhaps fewer still of earth and stone combined. The title each bears indicates, in a measure, the uses they are supposed to have served.

Sepulchral mounds are generally conical in form and are more numerous than any other kinds. They are of all sizes, ranging from a very small altitude, to about seventy feet in height, and always contain one or more skeletons, or parts thereof, or present other plausible indications of having been built or used for purposes of sepulture, and were, unmistakably, memorials raised over the dead.

By some archeologists it is maintained that the size of these mounds bears a certain relation to the importance, when living, of the person over whose remains they were erected.

In this class of mounds are often found implements and ornaments, supposed to have been buried with the person or persons there interred, under the superstitious and delusive notion, still entertained by some tribes of American Indians, who indulge in similar practices, that they might be useful to them in the happy hunting grounds of the future state.

The practice being one common to both the Indians and Mound Builders, apparently connects the former with the latter, and raises the presumption that the Indians may have descended from the Mound Builders.

That fire was used in the burial ceremonies of the Mound Builders is manifest from the fact that charcoal is often, if not always, found in close proximity to the skeleton. The presence of ashes, igneous stones, and other traces of the action of fire in these tombs, renders it quite probable this element was employed in their burial ceremonies, clearly indicates that they were erected chiefly for burial purposes. They generally contain but a limited number of skeletons, indeed, often but a Single one; but Professor Marsh, of the Sheffield scientific school, connected with Yale college, a few years ago opened a mound in this county, which contained seventeen skeletons in whole or in part.

The most remarkable of all mounds in the State, was one in Hardin county, in which were found about three hundred skeletons. A doubt has, however, been expressed that these were all Mound Builders' skeletons - some persons entertaining the belief that they were Indian remains, as it is well known that the Indians frequently buried their dead on of near the mounds.

Sacrificial mounds are usually stratified, the strata being convex layers of clay and loam, alternating with a layer of fine sand. They generally contain ashes, charcoal, igneous stones, calcined animal bones, beads, stone implements, pottery and specimens of rude sculpture. These mounds are frequently found within enclosures, which were supposed to have been in some way connected with the performance of the religious rites and ceremonies of the Mound Builders. An altar of stone or burnt clay is usually found in this class of mounds.

These altars, which sometimes rest on the surface of the original earth, at the centre of the mound are symmetrically shaped, and are among the chief distinguishing characterisicts of sacrificial mounds. Upon these altars sacrifices of animals, and probably of human beings, were offered, the fire being used to some extent in that superstitious and cruel performance. Some of this class of mounds seem also to have been used for purposes of sepulture as well as sacrifice; the presence of skeletons, in some of them at least, suggest their sepulchral as well character.

In common with sepulchral mounds these likewise contain implements of war, also mica from the Alleghanies, shells from the Gulf of Mexico, obsidian, and in some instances porphyry from Mexico, as well as silver and copper articles, both for and ornament.

are invariably truncated, having the appearance of | being in an unfinished condition. 'They are frequently surrounded by embankments, and many of them have spiral pathways, steps, or inclined planes leading to their summits. They are generally of large base and of comparatively limited altitude.

The supposition is that the summits of these mounds were crowned with structures of wood that served the purposes of temples, all traces of which, however, owing to the perishable nature of the materials used in their construction, have disappeared. They were also used to a limited extent for burial purposes, as well as for uses connected with their religion.

Mounds of Observation are generally situated upon eminences, and were doubtless ''observatories,' 'alarm posts," "watch towers," "signal stations," or "look outs," serving the purposes indicated by their title. They are said by some writers to occur in chains or regular systems, and that many of them still bear traces of the beacon fires that were once burning on them. They are sometimes found in connection with embankments and enclosures, forming a portion, though greatly enlarged, of the banks of earth or stones that compose said embankments and enclosures.

Memorial or Monumental mounds belong to the class of tumuli that were erected to perpetuate the memory of some important event, or in honor of some distinguished character. 'Uhey are mostly built of earth, but some of the stone mounds found in some portions of ihe State probably belong to this not numerous class.

Effigies or Animal mounds are simply raised figures or gigantic éasse reltetos of men, beasts, birds or reptiles, and in some instances, of inanimate objects. They are on the surface of the earth, raised to a limited height, generally from one foot to six feet above the natural surface of the ground. Mr. Schoolcraft, an authority, calls this class of ancient works Emblematic mounds, and expresses the belief that they were "Totems" or "heraldic symbols." Professor Daniel Wilson, the learned author of "Pre-historic Man," and other writers of distinction, call them Symbolical mounds, and hold the opinion that they were erected as objects of worship, or for altars upon which sacrifices were offered, or that they served 'some other purposes connected with the religious worship of their idolatrous and superstitious constructors.

Of the three most notable examples of Effigies in the State, two are situated in this county. One is the Eagle mound, near the center of what is known as the "Old Fort," near Newark; and the other is called the "Alligator mound," and is situated on the summit of a hill nearly two hundred feet high, near Granville. Both of these renowned works will receive more particular attention in the histories of the townships in which they are located.

Inclosures defensive and sacred, have been briefly mentioned. Most of them are earth-works, though a few are of stone. Defensive enclosures are of irregular form, are always on high ground, and in naturally strong positions, frequently on the summits of hills and steep bluffs, and are often strengthened by exterior ditches. The walls generally wind around the borders of the elevations they occupy, and where the nature of the ground renders some points more accessible than others, the height of the wall and the depth of the ditch at those weak points are proportionally increased. The gate-ways are narrow, few in number, and well guarded by embankments placed a few yards inside of. the openings or gate-ways, parallel with them, and projecting somewhat beyond them at each end, thus fully covering the entrances, which, in some cases, are still further protected by projecting walls on either side of them.

These works are somewhat numerous, and indicate a clear appreciation of the elements, at least, of fortification, and unmistakably point out the purpose for which they were constructed. A large number of these defensive works consists of a line of ditch and embankments, or several lines carried across the neck of peninsulas or bluff head-lands, formed within the bends of streams - an easy and obvious mode of fortification, common to all rude peoples. To this class of inclosures belongs that situated on the summit of a hill one mile east of Alligator mound in Licking county.

Covered ways are parallel walls of earth of limited height, and are frequently found contiguous to inclosures, sometimes, indeed, connecting them by extending from one to another. One of their purposes, at least, seems to have been the protection of those passing to and fro within them.

Sacred inclosures are mainly distinguished from those of a military character by the regularity of their form, their different construction and their more frequert occurrence. They are of all shapes and forms, and where moats or ditches exist they are invariably found in the inside of the embankments. They are generally in the form of geometrical figures of surprising accuracy, such as circles, squares, hexagons, octagons, ellipses, parallelograms and of various others. They are sometimes found within military inclosures, and evidently had some connection with the religious ideas and ceremonies of their builders. Frequently there is situated in the center of this class of works a mound, or elevation, supposed to have served the purposes of an altar upon which sacrifices were offered, or which was, at least, in some way, used in conducting their religious services. Within these sacred inclosures were doubtless celebrated religious festivals, and

.upon those central mounds or altars were undoubtedly performed, by priestly hands, the rites and ceremonies demanded by their sacrificial and idolatrous religion.

The very extensive works near Newark, known as the "Old Fort," and situated in the fair grounds, evidently belong to this class, and receive particular attention in another chapter. Some archzologists, however, maintain that many works called sacred inclosures were erected for and used as places of amusement, where these ancient people practiced their national games, and celebrated their great national events, where they held their national festivals and indulged in their national jubilees, as well as performed the ceremonies of their religion,

It may be that there are those (and there are many such) within which no central elevation or altar occurs, were erected for the purposes last named, and not exclusively (if at all) for purposes

Other ancient peoples, if indeed not all the nations of antiquity, had their national games, amusements, festivals and jubilees, and why not the Mound Builders? Without doubt they had, and congregated within their inclosures to practice, celebrate and enjoy them.

It is natural to indulge in speculations regarding these ancient works. Probably none of them have been constructed since Christopher Columbus reached America in 1492. About sixty years ago a tree which stood upon the bank of the inclosure last named, at a point where the bank was twenty feet high, was cut down, and its concentric circles numbered five hundred and fifty, thus proving conclusively that the said inclosure was constructed more than six hundred years ago.

Authorities differ regarding many matters connected with the Mound Builders, but a few facts seem to be fully established by their works. There can be no doubt that they were a numerous people. Works so elaborate, so gigantic, could not have been erected by a people insignificant in numbers. This is the more apparent when it is considered that they were without iron or any suitable metal instruments or tools with which to perform their herculean labors.

It could scarcely have been otherwise than that they were also the subjects of a single strong goyernment, because, under any other, the performance of such an immense amount of, probably, enforced labor could not have been secured. Very likely some sort of vassalage or servitude prevailed. There is abundant evidence that they were a war-like people, and probably, like some savage nations now existing, they made slaves of their prisoners. The number and magnitude of their works, and their extensive range and uniformity, prove that they were essentially homogeneous in customs, habits, religion, and government. 'The general features common to all their remains identify them as appertaining to a single grand system, owing its origin to men moving in the same direction, acting under common impulses, and influenced by similar causes, evident. Building their defensive works in naturally strong positions, and constructing many of their other works in the form of various, geometrical figures, show this.

The construction of military works would indicate that they were, occasionally, at least, at war, either among themselves or with some other nation or tribe. If another nation, what other? Perhaps with the North American Indian to whom the country may have belonged before the Mound Builders entered it. There are various scraps of history relating to the antiquity of the Indian. For instance, in the annual report of the council of the Americaf Antiquarian society, page "40, occurs this note from Sir Charles Lyell:

''4 human cranium, of the aboriginal type of the red Indian race, had been found in the delta of the Mississippi, beneath four buried forests, superimposed, one upon another, implying, - as estimated by Dr. Dowler, an antiquity of fifty thousand years.

Lyell, himself, estimated the age of the delta at one hundred thousand years. It may be conjectured from many historical facts, that the Mound Builders were a foreign people who invaded the soil of America, as there is but little evidence that they spread themselves overt the continent, but much, that they passed through it from northeast to southwest, covering a broad belt, on which they erected their mysterious mounds. The time occupied by them in crossing the continent can only be conjectured. It is a well known historical fact that the Northmen reached the coast of North America from Greenland in 999, A. D. Perhaps the mysterious Mound Builders were no other than these - they came in great numbers, attempted to conquer the country, found the Indians too strong for them, but conquered a certain portion of the territory, clung together, moved gradually southwest, protecting themselves on the way by forts and other earthworks, finally disappearing in Mexico, either conquering that country or intermingling with and becoming absorbed by that people.

The Mound Builders were doubtless a superstitious people, cherishing faith in some religious system. 'The amount of labor bestowed upon those of their works that were erected in the interest of their religion, shows a strong tendency toward a superstitious belief. 'They doubtless offered up animals in sacrifice, as a part of their religious ceremonies, and it may be that human sacrifices were not unknown among them. Prisoners of war are thus disposed of sometimes by peoples and nations who have attained to as high a grade of civilization as that reached by the Mound Builders. The sacrificial character of their religion is clearly established.

The late Dr. Foster hesitated not to say that they were worshipers of the elements; that they also worshiped the sun, moon and stars; and that they offered up human victims as an acceptable sacrifice to the gods they worshiped. He deduced this fact from the charred or calcined bones that cover their altars. Other high authorities also unhesitatingly assert that there is convincing proof that they were fire-worshipers.

It may be well in this connection to notice, briefly, the implements made and used by this people, especially so far as investigation has revealed their character in Licking county.

Very few copper implements have been found in this part of Ohio, owing partly to the fact of the unexplored condition of many of the mounds, and to the fact that little, if any, copper exists in this part of the United States. What does exist is in loose fragments that have been washed down from the upper lake region. When mounds are explored, great care is necessary lest these small utensils be lost, as they are commonly scattered through the mass, and not always in close prox: imity to the skeletons. The copper deposits about Lake Superior furnished the pre-historic man with this metal, and, judging from the amount of relics made of this metal now found, it must have been quite. abundant. 'The population of the country, then, must have been quite numerous, as occasional copper implements, tempered to an exceeding These implements are small, generally less than half a pound in weight, and seldom exceeding three pounds. use during the period of the ancient dwellers. which must have been hundreds of years in duration. The copper-implements left on the surface soon disappeared by decomposition, to which copper is Only a part of the dead Mound Builders were placed in burial mounds, and of these only a part were buried with their copper ornaments and implements on 'and about them. Of those that were, only a small part have been discovered, and, in many instances, the slight depth of earth over them has not prevented the decay and disappearance of the copper relics. Articles of bronze or brass are not found with the builders of the mounds. It is evident they knew nothing of these metals in the Ohio valley, nor did they possess any of the copper that had been melted or cast in molds.

Wedge-Shaped

zologists include all wrought stones with a groove, a bit and a poll. They are 'found unpolished, partly polished and polished. The bit was made sharp by rubbing, and the material is hard and 'tough, generally of trachyte, greenstone, granite, quartz or basalt. Most of them are straight on one edge. In Ohio, it is very rare that stone axes are found in the mounds, indicating that they are modern, or were not so much prized by the Mound Builders as to be objects of burial. Occasionally, axes of softer material are found, such as slate, hematite and sandstone, but these are small in size

None were made with holes or eyes for the insertion of a helve or handles, but were grooved to receive a withe twisted into the form of a handle.

and not common. They appear to have been manufactured from small, oblong boulders, first brought into shape by a pick, or chipping instrument, the marks of which are visible on nearly all of them. 'They were made more perfect by rubbing and polishing, probably done from time to A handle or helve, made of a withe or split stick, was fast- The bit is narrower than the body of the axe, which is gentime after they were brought into use. ened in the groove by thongs of hide.

It is very seldom the material is hard enough to cut green and sound timber. The poll is usually round, but sometimes flat, and rarely pointed. It is much better adapted to breaking than cutting, while the smaller ones are better fitted for war-clubs than tools. Asa maul to break dry limbs, they were very efficient, which was probably the use made of them. In weight they range from half a pound to sixteen pounds, but are generally less than three pounds. The very heavy ones must have been kept at the regular camps and villages, as they could not have been carried far, even In canocs. Such axes are occasionally found in the Indian towns on the frontier, as they were found in Ohio among the aborigines. 'The Mound Builders apparently did not give them as much prominence among their implements as their savage successors. Double-headed hammers have the groove in the middle. They were made of thesame material as the axes, so balanced as to givea blow with equal force at either end. Their mechanical symmetry is often perfect. Asa weapon in war, they were, indeed, formidable, for which purpose they are yet used among the Indians on the Pacific coast. Implements, known as 'fleshers" and ''skinners," chisel-formed, commonly called ''celts," were probably used as aids in peeling the skins of animals from the meat and bones. For the pur

Stone pesties are not plentiful in this county, while stone mortars are rare, indicating that they were made of wood, which is lighter and more easily transported. Most of the pestles are short, with a wide base, tapering toward the top. They pose of cutting tools for wood, they were net suf ficiently hard, and do not show such use, exeepting ina few flint chisels. They may have been applied as coal scrapers where wood had been burned; but this could not have been a general thing with out destroying the perfect edge most of them now exhibit. The grooved axes were much better adapted to this purpose.

were probably used with one hand, and moved about in the mortar in a circle. The long, round instrument, usually called a pestle, does not appear to be fitted for crushing seeds and grain by pounding or turning in the mortar. It was prob- ably use ing-pi S i | i y d as a rolling-pin, perhaps on a board | smooth or polished, and varies from seven to thiror leveled log, not uponstone. It is seldom found

Club-Headed Stones

There is almost an endless variety of perforated plates, thread-sizers, shuttles, etc. They are usually made of striped slate, most of which have tapering holes through them flat-wise, the use of which discussed. dlate exhibits several specimens of these; but there are, doubtless, many other forms and styles. They are generally symmetrical, the material finehas been much The accompanying their principal use was that of ornamentation. Many of them may well have been worn suspended as beads or ornamens. Some partake of the character of badges or ensigns of authority. Others, if strung together on thongs or belts, would serve as acoat of mail, protecting the breast or back against the arrows of an enemy. A number of them would serve to size and twist twine or coarse thread made of bark, rawhide or sinew. The most common theory regarding their use is, how- ever, lacking one important feature. None of them show signs of wear by use. The edges of the holes through them are sharp and perfect. 'This objection applies equally well to their use as suspended ornaments. Some of them are shuttleform, through which coarse threads might have been passed, for weaving rude cloth of bark or of fibrous plants, such as milk-weed or nettles, There are also double-ended and pointed ones, with a cross section about the middle of which is a circle, and through which is a perforation.

Perforated Plates, Thread Sizers, Shuttles, Exc

tionare: d. .ney are nearly all fabricated from striped and variegated slate, highly finished, very symmetrical and elegant in proportion, evidently designed to be ornamental. If they were stronger and heavier, some of them would serve the purpose of hatchets or battle-axes. The material is compact and fine-grained; but the eyes, or holes, for handles or staves, are quite small, seldom half an inch in diameter. 'Their edges are not sharp, but rounded, and the body is thin, usually less than one-fourth of an inch in thickness.

crescent, perhaps, signified a rank next below the double. In Mr. John Bb. Matson's* collection there is a rough-hewn double one in process of construction, the horns of which turn inward. In nearly or quite all the finished ones the points turn outward. 'The finish around the bore of all winged badges and the crescents is the same, and the size of the bore about the same - from two-fifths to three-fifths of an inch. On one side of all is a narrow ridge; on the other, a flat band, lengthwise, like a ridge that has been ground down to a width of one to two-tenths of an inch. Badges and crescents are invariably made of banded slate, generally of a greenish shade of color. The other forms of wands or badges, such as those with symmetrical wings or blades, are also made of green striped slate, highly polished, with a bore of about one-half inch in diameter, apparently to insert a light wooden rod or staff. They were probably emblems of distinction, and were not ornaments. Nothing like them is known among the modern tribes, in form or use, hence they are attributed to the Mound Builders.

In addition to stone ornaments, the pre-historic man seems to have had a penchant, like his savage successors, to bedaub his body with various colors, derived from different colored minerals, These compounds were mixed in hollowed stones or diminutive mortars - '"paint cups," - in which the mineral mass of colored clay was reduced to powder and prepared for application to the body. Such paint cups are not common in this county; in fact, they are quite rare, but one being known to exist, that in the collection of Dr. Craig, of Mansfield, Ohio.

The comparative rarity of aboriginal smoking pipes is easily explained by the fact that thev were not discarded, as were weapons, when those by whom they were fashioned entered upon the iron age. The advances of the whites in no way lessened the demand for pipes, nor did the whites 'substitute a better implement. 'The pipes were

Stone

It only remains to notice the "flints," in addi tion to which a few other archeological relics of minor importance are found about the country, but none of sufficient import to merit mention, or to throw additional light on the lost tribes of America. pieces of flaked flints are the most abundant of any aboriginal relics in the United States. 'They are chiefly made of hard and brittle siliceous ma: terials; are easily damaged in hitting any object at which they are aimed, hence many of them bear marks of violent use. Perfect specimens are, The art

A classification of arrow heads is not within the scope of this work; indeed, it is rarely attempted by archeologists. The styles are almost as numerous as their makers. In general, they are all according to the taste of their makers. The accompanying cut exhibits a few of the common forms, though the number is infinite. They may have been chipped - probably most were and some may have been ground. Spear heads exhibit as large a variety as arrow heads. Like arrow heads, spear heads were inserted in wooden handles of various lengths, though in many tribes they were fastened by thongs of untanned leather or sinews.

Their modes of manufacture were generally the same. Sometimes tribes contained 'arrow makers," whose business was to make these implements selling them to, or exchanging them with, their neighbors for wampum or peltry. When the Indian desired an arrow head, he could buy one of the "arrow maker" or make one himself. The common method was to take a chipping implement, generally made of the pointed rods of a deer horn, from eight to sixteen inches in length, or of slender, short pieces of the same material, bound with sinews to wooden sticks resembling arrow shafts. The "arrow maker" held in his left hand the flake of flint or obsidian on which he intended to operate, and pressing the point of the tool against its edge, detached scale after scale, with much ingenuity, until the flake assumed the desired form.

Note. - For more particular information regarding the works of the Mound Builders, located in different parts of this county, the reader is referred to the history of the different townships in which such works are located.