Montgomery County, Ohio - Chapter 10, 1882

Chapter 10

i S giving many interesting points and events of the early settlement and history of the county, we include as part of the general history, these biociphical sketches of the most prominent and influential men of their times.

Cooper, Edgar, Adams, Hole, Nutt and Hoover, as representatives of tha t:dy, thrifty class of pioneers, who led the advance into the dense woods, u de the clearings, established and protected the early settlements.

Daniel C. Cooper

Among the most active and shrewd of the young men. who became inter- (- ed in Miami Valley lands, was Daniel C. Cooper, of New Jersey, who, when b was about twenty years old, came West to look after the interests of Jonat m Dayton, who owned lands, and was otherwise interested in the " Symmes i rchase." This gave Mr, Cooper employment in his occupation as surveyor, a 1 was also a favorable opportunity for observation and selection of lands for 1 nself.

He was the oldest, son of George Cooper, a wealthy farmer, who lived at, ap owned Long Hill, Morris County, N. J., where his son, Daniel C. Cooper, ms born, November 20, 1773, George Cooper died in New Jersey, leaving to sons, Daniel C. and John.

Of the early experience and adventures of Daniel C. Cooper, for the tirst }ir or two after his arrival in the West, there is but little information. Inin hostilities kept the surveyors and all others close within protection of the Arisons at Fort Washington and the smaller stations around.

In 1794 and 1795, Mr. Cooper was with Col. Israel Ludlow, in his explor- % and surveying expeditions through the valley. Such siuveying parties . nerally consisted of the surveyor and assistant, two chain men, a marker, i nter, cook and spy. In 1795, when peace with the Indians seemed to be asired, these, surveying parties were accompanied by explorers, who were look- ? for lands upon which to settle.

In September, 1795, immediately after Wayne's treaty at Greenville, Coo- }jr located the road north from Fort Hamilton to the mouth of Mad River, where was proposed to establish the Dayton settlement. Besides his surveying ] rty a number of Kentuckians accompanied him to view the country, the trip 1 and back occupying abuut ten days' time.

During that fall and the succeeding winter, Cooper located for himself out 1,000 acres of choice land, and the next year he came up and built his <bin in Dayton, at the southeast corner of Water and Jefferson streets, which probably occupied for two years, then built a cabin on his land, afterward !e Patterson farm, south of the settlement. The cabin facing the river, stood . st south of Rubicon Creek, where the two large pear trees now are, between *je Miamisburg pike and the canal, near which point the next year he built e " corn-cracker " and distillery.

Mr. and Mrs. Cooper had six children, all of them dying in childhood, ex cept David Zeigler Cooper, who was born November 8, 1812, married Mis Letitia Smith in Philadelphia, and died in Dayton, December 4, 1836.

D. C. Cooper was a very active and influential man in all matters pertain ing to the growth and improvement of the town and county; he aided in build ing the churches, was constant in his efforts to bring new-comers to the count) was one of the largest resident land-owners in this part of the valley, aridowne and operated the only mills that were here for ten years after the first settlement

The failure of Symmes to complete his purchase from the Government, an. the delay in opening the land offices, caused Messrs. St. Clair, Dayton. Wil kinson and Ludlow to abandon their purchase on Mad River, thus causinj great confusion and annoyance to the settlers. To remedy the evil, so far as i effected titles, to the town lots, Mr. Cooper by purchase of pre-emption-rights and agreement with lot-owners, became titular proprietor of Dayton, and plat ted it upon the same plan as surveyed and laid out in 1795. From the van ous interests involved, he was several years in completing the arrangemen The fulfillment of this plan gave the Presbyterians, Methodists and Baptists church lots and burying-grounds ; to the county, the court house lot aDd othe pieces of property; to the town, the public square and other valuable conces sions.

In 1804, Mr. Cooper sold his farm and mills, south of town, to Col. Bob ert Patterson, and built his " elegant mansion " of hewn logs on the southwes corner of Ludlow and First streets, in Dayton, where he moved with his fain ly and lived until his death, July 13, 1818. Mrs. Cooper married Gen. Fielc ing Lowry, and died May 17, 1826. Mr. Cooper represented the county in th Third General Assembly of Ohio, convened at Chillicothe, the first Monday i December, 1804.

He was elected to the Sixth Assembly, convened at Chillicothe Decembf 7. 1807; was elected Senator from the district composed of Miami, Montgomer and Preble Counties, to the Seventh General Assembly, convened at Chill cothe December 5, 1808, and was re-elected Senator io the Eighth Assembl; convened at Chillicothe the first Monday in December, 1809.

As representative of the county, he was a member of the Twelfth Assembl; convened at Chillicothe December 6, 1813. He was Senator in the Fourteent Assembly, convened at Chillicothe December 4, 1815, and was re elected i the Fifteenth General Assembly, convened at Columbus - the then new capit of the State - December 2, 1816.

His property in Dayton had not greatly increased in value, until the flusj war times of 1812. He was then running the saw-mill on First street, opposii Sears, and the flour and fulling mills at the head of Mill street.

At the time of his death, in 1818, he was somewhat involved, but his e: ecutors relieved the estate from emban assment, and the large property inheres have always been closely connected with the city's extension and Improvemoi)

Robert Edgar

Robert Edgar, Sr. , came to this country from the North of Ireland in th) year 1739, and settled in Pennsylvania, afterward removing to Virginia. H children were two sons and two daughters. His son Robert, who was one < the pioneer settlers of this county, was born at Staunton, Augusta Co., V: February 8, 1770. Ten years later, Mr. Edgar with his family moved | Wheeling, where, on the night of Good Friday, 1792, while he was on thew^

Robert, the son, his mother also being dead, settled up the estate, and , th his brother and two sisters came down the Ohio River in a flat-boat, to I rt Washington.

In 1796, Robert Edgar came to the Dayton settlement, locating an eighty i:e tract of second-rate land in Section 33, now the southwest corner of hd River Township, a portion of it being now within the corporate limits of liyton, at the south end of Wayne street.

He married Mrs. Margaret Kirkwood (nee Gillespie), widow of David Kirklod, of Cincinnati, September 27, 1798. She was born in Philadelphia April 1772.

They first went to housekeeping in the old cabin at the southwest corner Water and Mill streets, in Dayton. He was a farmer, yet being of an in- . nious turn, frequently had profitable employment at the Cooper Mills, below ryton, and at the Robinson Mill, up Mad River. In 1805, while yet living town, he built for D. C. Cooper the grist-mill at the head of Mill street, d ran it for a short time, but moved back on his own farm before the spring , .1806.

The first iron mold-board plow that was brought to this county was owned him, and used on his farm at that time. It was a great curiosity to the -Tiers, and its work a marvel. None of them had ever before seen anything the kind, and they were interested, as farmers are now. in improved farm iplements, as this one certainly was over the wooden plows then made by the rmers themselves, from the forks of hard wood saplings.

Jane Alien, their second child, was born November 24, in the year 1800, ad was married to Augustus George December 4, 1817. She died March 3, 126.

John F., born October 29, 1814, married Effie A. Rogers April 20, 1843, id is still living with his wife and three daughters in Dayton. He is an Ider in the First Presbyterian Church, and 'is the only child of Robert Edar's now living.

In the war of 1812, Robert Edgar was a soldier in one of the companies t mounted rangers from this county, and among the interesting relics of that loody border war, is his sword now in possession of his son, John F. Edgar.

The care of the four children and the managment of the farm during her usband's service in the army devolved upon Mrs. Edgar, who, with the other rave, true-hearted women of that day so nobly bore their share of the dangers nd trials incident to frontier life. Her babe, Mary, was but a year old, yet he brave mother with the aid of her three children, Jane eleven years old; jlobert, nine years old; and Samuel, six years old, took care of the cattle, culivated and harvested the grain, and kept the farm in good shape until the rerun of her husband. The farm was not exposed to Indian attacks like those u the western and northern parts of the county; yet the anxiety for the safety if her husband, the common danger to all frontier settlements, the care and responsibility of the family, and the burden of farm work taxed her heart and strength to the utmost. Her gallant soldier husband returned safely to his family to live in the peace won in the victory over the savages and their British allies.

Mr. Edgar and his wife were members of the Presbyterian Church, he having been active in its first organization in Dayton, and helped to get out the logs and put up the little log cabin meeting-house in the hazel thicket back of the corner at Third and Main streets, in the year 1800. He died December 19, 1838. Mrs. Edgar died November 25, 1841. The Edgar name is perpetuated through the son Samuel D. who was married in 1845. and succeeded to the ownership of the farm, and died in 1874; and, in the division of his estate, left the homestead to his son Charles, who was born May 29, 1851, married Caroline L. Bidleman January 26, 1871, and died November 23, 1877.

Margaret, Emma B. and Robert C. were bom at the old home in Mad River Township. The son, Robert C., was born June 5, 1877, and is the repiv sentative in the fifth generation of the descendants of Robert Edgar the eider, his great-great-grandfather, who emigrated to this country in 1739; and of his great-grandfather who was one of the pioneers of Montgomery County, and oi whose life this sketch is written.

Maj. Geokge Auams

One of the bravest, most experienced and daring Indian lighters among the earliest settlers of Montgomery County, was Maj. George Adams, who was born in Virginia October 26, 1767, served as a drummer boy in the Revolutionary army, and came West with dispatches to Gen. Harmar in the fall of the year 1790.

Adams, with a companion, came down the Ohio River in a canoe from Pittsburgh, as a bearer of dispatches to Gen. Harmar, at Fort Washington. Gen. Harmar' s expedition had marched against the Indians, and Gov. St. Clair, who was at the Fort, desiring to aid in forwarding the dispatches, proposed tc furnish Adams with a good horse, saddle and bridle, if he would follow Harmar's trail. Adams, equipped with rifle and ammunition, and provided with parched corn, some flour and a piece of pork, started without delay, and at the end of the fourth day, overtook the army near the old Chillicothe town, on the Little Miami River, and delivered his dispatches to Gen. Harmar. He joined one of the companies of Kentucky Mounted Infantry, in Maj. Fontaine's battalion, and continued with the expedition to the junction of the St. Joseph and St, Mary's Rivers (now Fort Wayne, Ind.), where the army, in detachments, suffered mortifying defeat on the 19th and 22d of October He was in Col. Hardin's fight of the 19th, and participated in the disastrous battle of the 22d. It was shortly after sunrise that Maj. Fontaine with his battalion charged the Indians on the west bank of the St. Joseph River, and was killed. George Adams was close by the Major at the time, and although himself wounded, was still fighting. In the fight of October 22nd, in a fierce hand tc hand contest with the savages, he was five times severely wounded, yet mirac ulously escaped, but was pronounced to be in a dying condition.

From the failure to carry out the plans for a surprise of the Indian camp, the savages escaped, but making a stand, a scattering fire was kept up in the regular backwoods style, where each man treed and fought on his own hook.

George Adams' horse was killed in the first dash at the savages, and Adams was shot in the thigh. He then fought from tree to tree. His arm was broken by a bullet. He was shot in the side, the ball cutting through the flesh and lodging under his other arm. He was shot in the breast, the bullet lodging under his shoulder blade. Yet notwithstanding these severe wounds, he was not totally disabled, and to stop fighting was death. Seeing an Indian: ear. who had just fired his rilie. he gave chase, overtook him, tomahawked im, and while scalping him, five other savages came up and fired at him. fi the effort to grasp his rifle, he found that his arm was paralyzed from being roken and the severe wound in the shoulder. He caught his rifle with his jther hand, and escaped into the thickets before the Indians could reload. He ad killed five Indians in the two days' fighting, but now, from great loss of lood, his strength only lasted until he got back to the battalion, where he fell xhausted upon the ground, and was one of the few wounded who escaped and 'ere carried on litters into camp. The surgeons dressed his wounds, but stated rat it was impossible for him to live through the night, and his grave was jug ready for his burial, before the retreat should begin. Contrary to all expec it ions, he was alive in the morning, and was carried on a litter between two iorses the next day's march; and in the evening, there still being no hopes of is recovery, a second grave was dug for him. He was thus canned in a weak nd unconscious condition from day to day, back to -Fort Washington, where for i any weary weeks his life hung as by a thread, but finally he fully recovered, et carried for the rest of his life the two Indian bullets in his body, one in his roulder, the other in his thigh. He again became a strong, robust man. bout five feet eight inches tall. His hair was red, and he wore it very long, te was as brave as a lion, used to the life of a woodsman, quick in expedients, elf-reliant, perfectly acquainted with the trails through the forests, and the pcation of Indian villages, and from his knowledge of their haunts, habits and iodes of warfare, his services were invaluable in all campaigns against the ivages from St. Clair's defeat in 1791, until the close of the war in 1795. jle was in St. Clair's defeat November 4, 1791, but escaped without injury, allough he was in constant service through the campaign, scouting through the odian country, frequently having running fights with the savages, but as his fleet was only tc get information, he avoided observation and battle.

January 26, 1792, he married Elizabeth Ellis, probably at Limestone, Ky. he was born in Northwest Virginia, or in Greene or Westmoreland County, enn., March 31. 1773. George Adams was a Captain of scouts in Wayne's rmy, in the campaigns of 1793, 1794 and 1795. On one of his expeditions orth into the Indian country, his two intended graves were pointed out to him ;y one of his comrades, who had assisted in digging them in 1790.

He passed safely through the perils of Wayne's active aggressive war. wider ing conspicuous service in all important movements; and when the Inians had dispersed after the conclusion of the treaty of peace at Greenville, he necessity for the services of Capt. Adams and his brave men no longer exited. They could then locate their lands and settle down to enjoy the peace nd possession their valor had aided in conquering.

In consideration of his services as drummer boy in the Revolutionary nny, he received a warrant for 100 acres of land, which he located south of lamilton, Ohio, and lived upon it for a short time.

Knowing thoroughly of the rich lands up the Miami, toward Mad River, le profusion of luxuriant verdure and native vegetation to be found in its rich, olendid bottoms, and over the rolling timber lands; when it was found that re Indians would respect the treaty by leaving this valley unmolested and tear- to settlers, Adams ventured into the forest with his little family, and lany others came to settle around him on Silver Creek (Hole's). His services p the Indian wars entitled him to a large tract of Government land. He otered 400 acres of first-rate land in Sections 21, 27 and 28, Range 6, TownpP 1, east bank of the Miami, and built his cabin in the bend of the river, elow but near to Silver Creek (Hole's). With his family he brought their yanty cabin furniture and supplies, his rifle, ax, and one horse critter, begin-

In the river were tish in abundance; and in the woods game and wild honey, so that even in thac first year there was but little privation for his family. With each year his farm was improved, furniture and cabin were made more comfortable. In the fields were cattle and hogs, and the fertile soil yielded abundant crops. The farmer and his family had bread and butter, milk, meat and vegetables in plenty for themselves, and gave freely of it to hungry travelers and wandering Indians.

Until after the year 1800, he had no near neighbors, and but few cabins i had been built. After that year, land was more rapidly taken up and the road up the river was in constant use.

That part of his farm near the mouth of the creek was known as Adams Prairie, where in after years militia camps were located and camp meetings were often held. The New-Light Church people in the early days, at stated times, held services in his cabin, and in later years he became a zealous member of |j that church.

At the Indian alarm in 1799, Adams organized the settlers of the neighborhood as a garrison for the defense of Hole's Station, and the cabins around. There were no whites west of the river, and it was feared that the Indians might come down the Bear Creek trail, to destroy the feeble settlements along ' the river from Hole's Creek down to Hole's Station. For a few days, possibly for a month, scouts were kept out, and the families repaired to the block-house each night, but the danger passed without the settlements being molested. In|| fact, the settlers of Montgomery County never were really distm'bed by Indian war parties, although until 1811 it was a common thing for them to be herein small parties of hunters and traders. George Adams was the father of four sons - George, Thomas, William and Caleb - all of whom are dead ; and four daughters - Elizabeth, Cynthia, Martha and Nancy; the latter is dead, but the others were living not long since.

Under the militia laws of Ohio, sometime after the county was organized.! Adams was commissioned Major of one of the Montgomery County regiments and held that position at the time hostilities began against the British anc Indians in 1812. By oi'der of the brigade commander, his battalion was as sembled at the prairie on his farm near Alexandersville, April 16, of that year, and from it the ranks of Capt. Perry's company of United States Ranger; were tilled.

Maj. Adams was in constant service through the war. In August, im mediately upon receipt of the news of Hull's surrender, he marched with kii battalion to the frontier and was in command of the post at St. Mary's until tin arrival of Gen. Harrison and his army, the last of September.

By reason of his well-known bravery and knowledge of Indian warfare he was assigned to the command of a regiment of scouts for special service t( the front of Harrison's army, and in the country over toward Fort Wayne. 1 trusted officer who gallantly performed the important duties assigned him.

When the road had been once more opened to the Maumee Rapids, t Ala.). Adams was assigned the duty of keeping clear of Indians the countr; around Fort Greenville and up to St. Mary's.

It was while scouting in that vicinity at that time that he selected th; land on Greenville Creek. He entered the land, about a section, in 1815, an during that winter or early in the spring of 1816, he moved out with his famil) and that year built a grist-mill, a small water-power mill from which k urned out coarse corn meal, and flour that customers had to bolt by hand, was the pioneer mill of Darke County, and for a long time had trade from 11 the settlements around.

Maj. Adams was a genial, fun-loving man, widely known, respected and -opular. His neighbors were people, who, like him, had come West in search f homes, participated in the Indian wars, and upon peace being declared in 814, had settled down in their backwoods homes, a neighborhood of congenal spirits, the little settlement taking the name of " Adams' Mill" - a popular place for old time gatherings, shooting matches, horse-races and like sports.

There are yet many people living in Montgomery and Darke Counties who ave pleasant recollections of association with the battle-scarred old pioneer amor.

His land was five miles east of Greenville in Section 33, Adams ,'ownship, named in honor of the gallant old Major. That country was new nd sparsely settled. Small parties of Indians were constantly passing long the trails that led to their villages, or to the forts at New Lexington, Fort hack (New Madison), the stockade near Covington, and to the fort at Upper fiqua.

For the wounds received in 1790, and for disabilities incurred in the war i 1812; he, for a number of years, drew pension from the Government.

He was elected Associate Judge Common Pleas Court of Darke County, by |he Legislature at the session of 1829-30. and he held that position until his lleath in 1832. Maj. George Adams died at his home five miles east of Green - ille, November 20, 1832. His wife Elizabeth died in the same house February 2, 1847.

Dk. John Hole

Closely following the Dayton Colony up the Miami, in the spring of 796, were parties of settlers who located at favorable points along the east tank of the river, between Hamilton and Dayton. Squatters took possession of he rich bottom opposite the mouth of Bear Creek. Maj. Adams selected his land it the mouth of Silver Creek (Hole's); Col. Jerome Holt took land that is now n Van Buren Township, while others ventured farther up Silver Creek Hole's), on lands now in Washington Township.

Dr. John Hole purchased 1,440 acres of land in Township 2, Range ;>, and in the spring of the next year moved up from Cincinnati with his 'arnily.

His father, Zachariah Hole, married Phoebe Clark, in Virginia, about the rear 1750. Their second child, John Hole, was born there in 1754. The son was raised on the farm, but received a good education, and, when quite young, {studied medicine and surgery under the instruction of Dr. Fullerton.

In Virginia, the militia were organized for defense of the colony, under he resolutions offered by Patrick Henry, in the Provincial Convention that assembled at Richmond. March 20. 1775. So that in the uprising of the people throughout the colonies, after the battle at Lexington and Concord, Virginians promptly responded to the call for troops to resist the threatened advance ,jf the British from Boston.

Dr. John Hole marched, with a battalion of Virginia militia, and shortly after their arrival at the American camp, then encircling Boston, he was commissioned Assistant Surgeon in the Continental army, and continued in active 'service through the Revolution.

He was in the battle at Bunker Hill, and when the army was re-organized, with Gen. Washington as Commander-in-Chief. he was assigned to the medi- cal stall', in the division of gallant Brig. Gen. Richard Montgomery, in whose honor Montgomery County is named ; and it is very probable tliat il was at the suggestion of Dr. Hole that the county was so named.

During the assault upon Quebec, before daylight, on the morning of Be cember 31, 1775, Dr. Hole, with other Surgeons of the American Army, estab lished the lield hospital near the walls of the fort, and it was there that Gen. Montgomery's body was brought immediately after he was shot through the heart. The General was leading and cheering his men when he received j! his death shot.

In 1787, they moved to Virginia, but after a short absence, returned to jj New Jersey, where they remained until early in 1796, when they came West. I traveling in a large covered wagon, arriving in Cincinnati early in April, where |i the family stayed until the next spring.

Leaving his family comfortably fixed in Cincinnati, Dr. Hole came up the Miami, and after visiting the several little settlements around Dayton, determined to locate on Silver Creek, and bought the land previously described paying for it in military land bounty warrants granted to him as an officer in the Revolutionary army.

He built his cabin close to the creek, on the spot where David Gepkart's new two-story frame house now stands, a short distance below E. Bellaman'sj mill. It was a round-log cabin, puncheon floor, cat and clay chimney. He cleared and grubbed several acres of land, chinked and daubed his cabin, and during the following winter made frequent trips to Cincinnati, and moved |! out with his family early in 1797.

The family then were, himself and wife, his son, Jeremiah, eighteen j years old; Elizabeth, eleven years old; Jane, nine; David, six; Nancy, one. Benches and bunks had been put up by the Doctor, other cabin furniture and j cooking utensils were brought along, so that, comparatively, the family were comfortably provided for.

With their own rifles, the Doctor and his son, Jeremiah, kept the table! well supplied with game, and the two older daughters could help very muchj| in the corn and truck patches, and in burning brush and tending the burning] log-heaps. .

The Doctor met with no serious obstacles in establishing his family inj their new home, although, with all other settlers, they suffered very much from fever and ague. He was the only physician in that part of the valley,] and, for many years, was in active practice in the cabins for ten or twelve miles around, riding night and day, often, from the necessities of the situa-j tion, having to bivouac for the night in thickets through which the bridlepaths led.

Money being so scarce and of such little use on the frontier, his bills were settled at the convenience of his patrons, by the delivery to him of produce or cattle. For a year's attendance as family physician, a two-year old heifer, or six Barbary sheep, a mare with foal, 200 bushels of coro, etc. Duebills would be given, such as these:

In 1799, Dr. Hole built a hewed-log mansion on the hill, a short distance .orthwest of his cabin, where his daughters, Matilda and Phebe, who are yet iving, were born. From his comfortable circumstances and well known hosdtality, his cabin was a great stopping place for travelers and new-comers, and Iso had many visits from roving Indian parties.

One day while the Doctor and his son were in the clearing, three Indians ame to the cabin and asked for dinner, which Mrs. Hole at once began to pre- >are. Being somewhat uneasy, however, she got one of the Indians to blow he conch shell, as a signal to her husband, who, with his son, hastened with [heir rifles to the cabin, but the Indians were peaceable, and after their ueal, went to the woods and killed a buck, taking to the cabin the hind quarers, in return for the good treatment they had received.

The stream upon which the Doctor had located had been known to sureyors and explorers, as Silver Creek, but from his prominence as a physician, ,nd the fact of his being one of the largest resident land- holders of the couny, as a matter of convenience in giving direction, it soon got to be known as ;Iole's Creek, and for more than eighty years has held that name in honor of liinr as one of the first and most prominent of Montgomery County pioneers.

Doctor and Mrs. Hole, and their children, were members of the early Bapist Church at Centerville. He was the first person baptized in Hole's Creek; ]?as an active, influential member of the church, and lived a consistent Chrisian life.

Matilda, born in the hewed-log " mansion house," on Hole's Creek, December 4, 1799; married Elisha Hopkins December 25, 1823. Her husband lied August 23, 1849. They had no children. Mrs. Hopkins, now nearly eighty- three years old, is living on part of her father's estate, near Hole's Creek m Washington Township, and is probably the oldest native of the county.

Phebe, born in the cabin home on Hole's Creek, March 11, 1802, was never married, and is yet living od her own property, near where her father's first 'cabin was built, on part of the land that he entered in 1796.

From exposure, incident to his service in the Revolutionary army, the toil and anxieties of backwoods life, long rides and character of his experience in the practice of medicine through the scattered cabin settlements in all kinds of weather, Dr. Hole's health began to fail, so that at the outbreak of the war, in 1812, he was obliged to decline the position tendered him, in the medical staff of the army. He died January 6, 1813. His wife died July 25, 1842. They, with live children, are buried in the old cemetery, one-half mile north of Cen terville.

Zachariah Hole

Father of Dr. John Hole, lived in the colony of Virginia, where about the year 1750, he married Phebe Clark. Their eight children were born in Virginia.

Their son, Zachariah. married Hannah Delay; Daniel married Polly Beedle a sketch of the life of Dr. John Hole has already been given; William Hole mar ried Ruth Crane; Polly married David Yazell; Sarah married a Mr. Eaton Phebe also married a Mr. Eaton; Betsy married John Craig.

A year after his son, John, moved to the West, Zachariah Hole, with his wife and three sons, Zachariah, Jr., William and Daniel, and two daughters, Polly and Betsy, came to the Miami Valley. The father and his three sons bought land on the east bank of the river, opposite the mouth of Bear Creek, which they afterward entered at the land office in Cincinnati, paying $2 an acre for it.

At the time of the threatened Indian outbreak, in the summer of 1799, a block-house and stockade were built upon Zachariah Hole's land, near the river, and the settlers were organized for defense, with Maj. Adams in command. Although there were several cabins between that and Dayton, none could be seen from the narrow road through the woods.

The block-house and stockade were known as Hole's Station, and afterward became quite a busy little point, where new comers would halt while prospecting for lands west of the river.

Aaron Nutt

Who came to this county from Kentucky, was a soldier of the Revolution. After that war he came west with his little family, seeking a home and land that were due him under the bounty laws of the Government.

His parents, Levi and Ann, lived in Monmouth County N. J., where, July 17, 1758, their son Aaron was born. The father died when his boy was but two years old, who, when he became old enough, was apprenticed by his mother to a tailor. During his last year of apprenticeship, the war of the Rev olution being then in progress, his boss was pressed into the army, but in duced Aaron to go in his stead by giving him the rest of his time, and setting him free. Inspired with the patriotism of the times, and although not yet twenty years of age, he gladly accepted the opportunity of entering the country's service, and at once enlisted.

After the expiration of his term of enlistment, he, on the 4th of May 1779. married Mary, daughter of Joseph and Sarah Archer, born November 28, 1758. About the close of the war, when so many soldiers were attracted by the glowing accounts of the rich lands west of the mountains, Aaron Nutt moved with lii' family as far west as Redstone Old Fort, Pennsylvania, where they lived for a time, and when by reason of the aggressive movements against the Indians in the Northwest, it became safe, he moved to Central Kentucky, where near out of the block-houses on the " Dry Ridge,'' the divide between the Kentucky and Licking Rivers, he kept tavern for several years. With the opening of traflk along the Ohio River, and the tide of emigration setting in so strongly to the lands northwest of the Ohio, his business was greatly reduced. He determined! to again change location.

jyors from Cincinnati as far as where Centerville now is, and selected 320 acres l land, the east half of Section 25, Town 3, Range 6, between the Miami Rivers, ,'is brother-in-law Benjamin Robbins taking the west half. These two tracts e separated by the Dayton & Lebanon pike; the north half of the town of Cen- was platted upon parts of them. Joseph Nutt, son of Aaron, owns and ves upon pai't of the land entered by his father nearly one hundred years ago.

In the spring of 1798, Mr. Nutt moved up with his family from Kentucky, topping at his brother-in-law's (Robbins) cabin, he having moved up the year revious. Robbins wanted Nutt to unload his plunder and live with him until is cabin was built, but Nutt declined, saying, "No, I will unload my stuff into iiy own cabin."

He went nine miles over to Franklin, the little settlement on the Miami at ie mouth of Clear Creek, for help at the "raising," which, with the aid of six allons of whisky, was done in a day, and the family occupied the cabin at nightie afterward put up a tavern, sign of the " buck horns," of jwhich he was mdlord for many years.

The Indian alarm in 1799 was an emergency that the settlers knew well ow to meet; stockades were to be put up in all the neighborhoods large enough i which to quarter all of the families and strong enough to protect against kvage attack. The horrors of Indian warfare were known too well to all.

The settlers down in Mr. Nutt's neighborhood rallied at once and built a ,;rong block-house, with stockade to inclose a spring on Peter Sunderland's jmd the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 26, east of and ear to the road, and about a mile north of Centerville. Arrangements were omplete for the dozen or more families down there to assemble, but scouts from ae more exposed settlements reported that the Indians were not preparing for rar against the whites; and it is probable that the block -house was not occuied.

The Government had been lenient with the settlers in collection of money or land, but the time coming for settlement, Mr. Nutt went to Kentucky, hopagto collect what had long been due him there; failing to get it he determined p make a trip with produce to the New Orleans market.

He, with others, built two flat-boats at Cincinnati, and. loading with prses, pork and poultry, started in December, 1810, upon a trading and coasting rip down the river, and sold out at New Orleans. Mr. Nutt within a few days fought a cargo of produce and shipped it around by sea to Baltimore, making . good profit on the venture.

With part of his money he bought in Baltimore a horse and cart which |ie loaded with dry goods and brought overland to his home, arriving at Centerville after an absence of five months ; in his own language, " as fat as a iouse pig," and besides his stock of goods, with money enough to pay his lebts.

With this stock of goods lie opened the first store in Centerville. His license to sell the goods, dated May 20, 1811, was signed by Benjamin Yan Ileve, Clerk, M. C.

January 11, 1818, Aaron Nutt married Widow Martha Craig, daughter of [saac and Hannah Pedrick, born in Salem County, N. J., and came West with her parents to Warren County, Ohio, in 1805 or 1806.

Aaron Nutt died June 2, 1842 ; Martha, his widow, died March 20, 1850, aged nearly seventy-six years ; they, with his first wife Mary, are buried in the old cemetery a half mile north of Centerville.

Daniel Hoover

Daniel Hoover, Sr., and Hannah Mast were married on a farm situated upon the banks of the Uharri River, in Randolph County, N. C., and came to this county with the colony of first settlers of Randolph Township.

Some of the men had made a trip north, seeking land, and finding at Gin cinnati that the land office was not yet open, and that the splendid lands west of the Miami River were yet open for entry, they came up to the Dayton settlement. and being satisfied with the outlook, returned to their people in North Carolina.

In organizing the colony, it was decided that the roads were too rougt and the distance too great to haul furniture; therefore the wagons were loaded with provisions, clothing, cooking utensils, and a few farming implements, leaving room for the women and children to ride.

It was a long, lonely journey over the mountains, across the rivers, and 'hrongh the hundreds of miles of dense, unbroken forest, yet it was an old roac easily followed, although entirely unimproved.

The colony started in 1801, and did not sleep under a roof until theii arrival at a point ten miles south of Dayton, near where Ridgeville, Warrei County, now is, where they stopped for the winter.

The important thing then was the selection of land, and to get a tract upoi which the families could locate, neighboring. An exploring party madi| several trips up the Southwest Branch (Stillwater), and finally were agreed ti locate on the west bank of that river, ten or twelve miles from Dayton, Mi Hoover taking the southeast quarter of Section 10. Cabin sites were selected! roads were marked out, and in some cases were at least partially opened to th ! Indian trail leading to Dayton. Capt. Mast and Daniel Hoover made the lam entries at the Cincinnati office. In March, all being ready, the colony lef their winter quarters, and passing through Dayton, where they crossed tli Miami, arrived upon their lands March 20, 1802. ji

Three-faced cabins of saplings were put up as temporary shelter for th families, while the men were clearing up patches to plant what corn and pot; toes they had left. There was big work to be done, hills and valleys wer heavily timbered, slow, hard work was before the men in the clearings, an there was no place for drones in that colony. Fortunately for them, it was a early spring, and a long, dry season, and what planting they did do, turne' out well.

It was the frontier settlement and it took brave men to stay there. Theii was not a white man's cabin beyond them. Indian war parties and tradinjl parties were constantly passing along the trails, and hunting parties wei roaming the woods. Fleets of their canoes were upon the rivers. In fact, tb country was yet in control of the savages, and the Hoover settlement was tb advance post of civilization.

Mrs. Mary Sheets, who is living in Randolph Township, daughter of Daub and Hannah Hoover, remembers that one day while they were yet living in tl huts, she and her younger sister being alone, an Indian made his appearanc frightening them very much, but soon went away.

The road cut through by a division of Wayne's army, east from Fort S Clair, along what has since been known as the "Sled Road," to Salem Creel

;,ar Salem, thence north to Fort Greenville, was at that time used exclusively the Indians; and at all times, except winter, camping parties were located ; the line springs along Stillwater, Greenville Creek, and at some of the Salem eek springs. These were favorite hunting and fishing grounds, not given 1,1 bv the savages until after 1811.

All kinds of game were to be had in great plenty in the woods, but after te Hoover Mill was built (the pioneer mill, built in 1803), the Indians 'ouo-ht in to trade for corn meal more venison, bear meat and wild turkeys,

: d those west of Stillwater were used every year until 1815. At times of slecial alarm, the families remained in the block-houses, and all cattle and ockwere corraled. The years 1806, 1809 and 1812 were specially trying nes, and were about the only times that it was deemed too dangerous for the ©n although strongly guarded to work in the fields.

The Indian outrages over on Greenville Creek in 1812 of course spread irror through the frontier. Settlers from all that section tied to the stronger he of block- houses from New Lexington across to the Miami. The men were guard night and day, and although the savages did not molest neighbor - in this county, great excitement prevailed until Fort Greenville was rri soned by militia.

Daniel, son of Daniel and Hannah Hoover, was born in 1802, after the rival of the colony, and was the first white child born in Kandolph Town ip. He owns, and is living upon, part of the farm that his father settled <i, and upon which he was born - the southeast corner of the section.

Randolph Township was organized November 6, 1804, and by influence of e colony from North Carolina, was named for the county from which they id emigrated.

Daniel Hoover, Jr., remembers that in 1811, when he was nine years old, party of 800 friendly Indians camped on his father's farm. This was just fore the battle of Tippecanoe, and when the Indians broke camp they folwed the trail west to the Wabash. Years after that, Mr. Hoover saw the Inan chief, Shane, at Fort Wayne, Ind., who told him that he had crept inside ;.e American lines as a spy the night before the battle at Tippecanoe, drew a sad on Gen. Harrison, 'out for his own safety did not fire.

She remembers that her parents filled a large jar with wild honey, dried m bushels of noodles, and put up other provisions for the long journey irough the woods. They had great difficulty in crossing the Alleghanies. or three years after their arrival in Randolph Township, the family lived oon corn bread, potatoes, game and fish.

From the heavy timber to be cleared away, progress at the Hoover settleent was slow, yet was never checked, and at the time of the marriage of aniel Hoover, Jr., all Government lands had been taken up. Roads, however, ere in bad condition, and in wet seasons were almost impassable.

The children of Daniel and Susan Hoover were Hannah. Eli, Levina, ndrew Jackson. Henry Clay, Abraham, James Elliott, Sarah Ann, William, harles and Eliza Jane. Hannah, James E. and Sarah Ann are dead. Eli, /illiam and Charles were born blind, were educated at Columbus, Ohio, and name accomplished both in vocal and instrumental music. Levina married nos Embree: Andrew J. married Charlotte Gable; Henry C. married Ann arbara Cook; Abraham married Julian Gable; Elza Jane married George W. -by

The aged couple, Mr. and Mrs. Hoover, are living a quiet, comfortable lifi on the old farm, with their children and grandchildren around them, oftei entertaining their friends and descendants with interesting stories and inci dents of the early days and settlement of the Stillwater Valley. A happil couple of old school people, retired from active farm life, they are living in the memories of the past, and contentedly enjoying the blessings with which ther are surrounded.