Randolph County, Indiana - Biographical sketches (2 of 3 so headed), 1882 (part 1 of 4)

Biography

We furnish herewith short accounts of some who were early pioneers among' the colored people in Randolph County, or who have been in some way distinguished among them.

Thornton, Alexander, Greensfork

Thornton Alexander, Sr., farmer, colored, born about 1780, Culpeper County, Va., a slave; but set free at thirty-six (1816). His master, Abram Sellers, brought him, with his wife and nine children, to Warren County, Ohio, in 1816. He moved to Randolph County, Ind., in 1822 (first colored settler on Indiana side in Greenville colored settlement). He entered, first and last, 320 acres of land. His patents are signed by James Monroe and Andrew Jackson. years. He had fifteen children - three pair of twins. All lived to be grown but one pair of twins. He was twice married. The children were Gabriel and John, Henry, Thornton, Betsey, Joseph, Isaac and Jacob, Abraham, twins (no name), Lucinda, Mary, Joshua, Casey Ann.

Isaac, four times married - Virginia Clark, Charlotte Gales, Eliza Bass, Elizabeth Alexander; five children, all living. He is the only one that still holds any of his father's land.

Mr. Alexander was a very enterprising, hard-working citizen, entirely unlearned, but of good sense and with sound business judgment, very energetic and economical withal. Like the children of many another thriving, hard-working farmer, his family did not seem to acquire the habits of economy and thrift practiced by their father, and the whole tract, except some fifty acres held by Isaac Alexander and his family, has long since slipped from the fingers of his descendants, leaving very little to show in its place.

So sadly true does the fact turn out to be that the possession of a large property by a father, proves, in many instances, a nuisance rather than an advantage to his children. He works and saves and leaves his estate to them. They spend and lose, and ere many years are far worse off than if they had begun with nothing.

Isaac Alexander, Greensfork

''When we came here I was ten years old. Spartansburg had not been begun. That ground was then a corn-field, and for several years afterward. Mr. Hawkins lived on the Hough place;

In the colored settlement, William Lewis and Philip Holland bought each eighty acres near the Griffis place. Lewis sold his, but Philip Holland kept his till his death, in 1872 or 1873.

I was at the Indian payments the year the last one was made. The Pottawatomies were paid at Eel River, Pottawatomie Mills, beyond the Wabash, at Tippecanoe, an Indian town; and the Miamis at the forks of the Wabash, being the junction of the Wabash and Mississinewa.

There were perhaps five hundred of them in each place. The woods were full of them. The Indians were sent away the next season. I saw them at Piqua as they went down the canal to Cincinnati to take steamers down the Ohio and on the Mississippi for the far West.

Mr. Isaac Alexander has been married four times, the fourth wife being still living. He had no children except by his third wife. He resides on a part of his father's estate, and is growing old and feeble, though still able to do more or less work.

He is the only one of his father's large family who remains in the settlement. The rest are either dead or removed long ago to other regions.

Born a slave in North Carolina in 1798. His master's name was Roland Jones. He was set free in1832. Hecame to Wayne County, Ind., in 1834, and to Randolph County in 1843. He married Mary Ann Moore in 1842. He has had eighteen children, four in slavery, fourteen in freedom. Hight of the fourteen are still living. He is a Methodist Episcopal and a Republican, and resides one-half mile south of Rural, on the railroad. Although eighty-four years old, he is still strong and hearty and in good spirits, thankful to the Great Giver of all good for all the mercies received. He states as follows:

My master's name was Roland Jones. I had a wife and four children, who belonged to Samuel Jones. He "broke up," and his property was sold by the Sheriff. My wife and children were sold on the block and taken to Alabama, and I never have heard from them since, except once, a short time after. My brother, Michael, and my mother, were freed with me, at my master's death.

My master had his fourth wife. We were to work the place and take cure of her till she died, and we were to have the surplus of all we could make off the place, and Michael and myself were to have each one a horse and four sheep, and our freedom.

We took care of the widow till she died, and then we settled our affairs and moved to Indiana. We had $100.in money, and left $125 behind, which we got afterward. We came with John Jones, who sold out and moved to Indiana.

I had but little, but, by the blessing of God, I have been able to care for a family of fourteen children, and now see my eightyfourth year, and I hope to be kept in peace and comfort till God shall see fit to call me home.

Samuel Jones, who owned my wife, was very prominent. He was High Sheriff of Rowan County; had been elected to the Legislature (both Houses) several terms, and was administrator of many estates; married into the wealthy Brown family, and got a large legacy from his wife's grandfather. My master gaye a fine plantation to Samuel and Robin Jones, and took his share in slaves, and then set them free.

Samuel Jones flourished round like a '' green bay tree" for awhile, and then " broke up" and "went to sticks." The Sheriff sold his property, and he ''took the prison bound,"' as it is called - i. e., he was sent to jail for debt, but was allowed to live outside the jail under obligation not to go beyond a certain specified limit. He was a '' Head Mason," and, in fact, was prominent in most matters of the region and time. Many believed that he "broke " full-handed.

Michael Benson, Colored, Snow Hill

Born in 1807, in North Carolina, a slave; set free by Rowland Jones (see William Benson); married Nancy Lewis in 1839; came to Randolph County, Ind., in 1840. He has had nine children; was a farmer, and a Republican. He died in 1864, fifty-seven years old.

Kent Browne, Winchester

Born in Carroll County, Tenn. August 2, 1840. His mother had been freed before he was born, but she, and he, too, lived on the plantation where she had been a slave till he was twentythree or twenty-four years old.

He went into the army as a hostler for Col. Thomas M. Browne, starting the "Cold New Year's," January 1, 1864, and continuing with him through the marches of the regiment in Mississippi, Missouri, Arkansas and Texas, till the Colonel

He had no education when young, and has not taken time to acquire any since, but he is shrewd and active in business, and highly respected by his fellow-citizens in the town of his residence.

Lewis Burden, Sr

Was born in South Carolina, a freeman, in 1782. He came to Tennessee, and afterward to Wayne County, Ind., and again to Darke County, Ohio, Greenville settlement - the latter movement in 1838. He had thirteen children, eleven of whom became grown and were married and nine are now living. Their names were William, James, Priscilla, Lucy, Silas, Lewis, Daniel, Thomas, Caroline, John, Joel, Sidna, Biddy. He died in 1848. His wife, Polly, died in 1876. She is said to have been several years older than her husbend, and to have been upward of a hundred years old when she died, in 1876. If so, she must have been born before the Declaration of Independence was made, and she had lived through the entire period of our independent national existence.

Abraham Cotmam, Greensfork

Born in 1792 in South Carolina. He was a slave, owned by Joshua Hickman, a Baptist. His wife was Ann Maria Johnson, who was born in ''Old Maryland,'' nine miles from Georgetown, .D. C., about 1800. She belonged to Mr. Newsam. They were set free and game to Wayne County, Ind., in 1832, moving afterward to Randolph County (Cabin Creek settlement), and still after that to Greenville settlement.

Abraham Cotman died -in the winter of 1876, aged eightyfour years. He bought two different tracts of land near Cabin Creek. First, he entered forty acres of land, and afterward bought forty acres nearer Winchester. His widow is now living, and resides in Greenville settlement, northeast of Spartanburg.

HILLRY CHAVOUS (COLORED) was born August 10, 1829, in Charlotte County, Va., his ancestors having been free for several generations, during at least seventy or eighty years. He was one of fourteen children, thirteen of whom became grown and were married, and seven or eight are living now.

His father died in Virginia, in 1848, at the age of sixty years, having been a wagon-maker by trade, at which trade also Hillry worked in his youth and early manhood. His father was in good circumstances, owning 130 acres of land in Virginia, and he was an active, intelligent man, though without book education.

Hillry came, in 1855, to Washington City, working there at his business as a wagon-maker. In 1861, he came West to Oxford, Ohio, in 1861, going afterward to Iowa, working on a farm one ycar in Johnson County, eighteen miles from Iowa City. He spent three years at Michigan City, Ind., turning neck-yokes with Hostler & Myers. In 1866, he set up business in turning neck-yokes, etc., at Portland, Ind., entering a partnership with J. N. Templar of that place. He invested $2,000 in that enterprise, and was so unfortunate as to lose the whole. In 1868, he changed his place of business to Union City, at which place he remained until about 1881, when he removed to Parker (Morristown), on the Bee Line Railroad. At Union City, he was in business with various persons, Messrs. Hartzell, Mason, Stocksdale, Willson, etc. Mr. C. has very little education, but he possesses great mechanical skill, having invented several ingenious machines - as an oscillating engine, a lathe for turning neckyokes, for both of which he obtained patents, and which seem both ingenious and practical, though, like many another skillful mechanician, he always lacks for means to make his contrivances extensively available.

He has been twice married. His first wife was Elizabeth Davis, and they were married at Oxford, Ohio. She died at Michigan City, having been the mother of four children, three of them still living. His second wife was Mrs. Anna (Ratliffe) Berry, who, though twice married, has had no offspring.

Ever since setting up business at Portland, Ind., he has been engaged in the turning business in some form. If he could command capital equal to his business activity and shrewdness, he would. indeed make a stir among his fellow-citizens; as it is, he has, for many years, been wide-awake, and ever active and enterprising among his fellow-citizens.

John Demory, Free-Born, Half Frenchman

Was born in Charleston, S. C., in 1774. He married Sarah Robison in Anson County, N. C., in 1801. He came to Randolph County, Ind., with Lemuel Vestal, in 1825, on Stony Creek, near the Thornburgs. He had eleven children, as follows:

Mary, married William Weaver, living; Irvin, John, Hannah; Robert, living in Cabin Creek settlement; Charles, Coleman; William, living southwest of Winchester; Zachary; Phebe Ann, married Jacob Felters, living; Maston.

He was the first colored man to settle in the west part of Randolph County. The second there was Drew Taylor, on Hight Mile Creek. ,The third was Obadiah Anderson, near Wayne County.

Mr. Demory owned eighty acres of land and a house and lot in Winchester, at the time of his death, which took place in 1860 in his eighty-sixth year.

Is the son of John Demory, above mentioned. His biography is elsewhere given. We add some sketches describing -his quaint and varied adventures from his own lips. He now owns the eighty acres west of Winchester that used to belong to his father. He is a prosperous and thrifty farmer.

Addenda

"In 1847, I crossed the ocean as Steward on the steamer Washington to Southampton, and Bremerhaven, and Paris. Returning to New York, I shipped on the steamer Hermann to England again, and after that on the Iroquois from New York to the West Indies.

"'T commenced life on ship-board in 1845, being body servant to Commodore Perry on the James K. Polk, which was burned at the Straits of Gibraltar, and accompanying the Commodore in a six-months' trip through the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, Egypt and elsewhere. Returning to New York, he went up the Hudson to Whitehall and so to Buffalo, and upon Lake Erie to bring a vessel thence through to Lake Erie, the Welland Canal, Lake Ontario, the River St. Lawrence, the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean, to Brooklyn Navy Yard. The ocean

"Tn 1852, I came West to Cincinnati. I went upon the steamboat Fanny Bullitt as cabin boy, giving a bill of sale of myself to the Captain, because it was considered safer in going down the river into a slave country to be reckoned as belonging to some responsible party, than togo asa free man. Afterward shipping as Steward on the Echo, Capt. Key, I went up Red River to Natchitoches. The Echo was burned just below Alexandria, with a cargoof cotton. Going back, my next engagement was on the Magnolia, Capt. Thomson, running in the New Orleans and St. Louis trade. Capt. Thomson was the worst man I ever had to do with. On the way up the river, he fell out with me. I was folding napkins, and some ladies coming along handed me some papers, saying, ' Please hand these to the Captain.' I did so, thinking no harm. They proved to be 'kiss papers' from some candy they had been eating. He was a bachelor, and took the act as an insult, and, with an oath, kicked me severely. I turned in a flash and knocked him down. He was enraged, but, not venturing more summary measures, he put me on shore and had me arrested. I explained to the officer, and he believed me, and put me on an up-river steamer, and I got to St. Louis as soon as Capt. Thomson did. He had my baggage, and I presumed I should never get it. But I did, for shipping on the James H. Lucas, Capt. McGuire, at St. Louis. bound up the Missouri River, Capt. Thomson, coming to put some lady passengers on board that steamer, found me there; and he cried, ' Hallo, William; isthat you?' I thought I was a goner, but he merely said, 'I have got your baggage locked up on my vessel for fear those niggers would steal it. Come and get it.' I feared that was a trap to catch me on board his vessel, but I wanted my baggage, and I went after it, and got it all right, and no harm came to me. We went up to St. Joe and back to St. Louis.

""My next trip was on the George W. Kendall, Capt. Norton. I shipped one time on the Itasca from Cincinnati via Louisville, and up the Mississippi to St. Anthony's Falls. At another time, I shipped as Steward for a trip up the Mississippi. At Nauvoo I went on shore and bought some provisions for the boat, as I had a right to do. The Clerk, however, who was also part owner, was provoked at me, because he generally bought them himself, and charged them up at advanced prices, thus filling his own pocket. He swore at me, and said he would settle with me at St. Louis. When there, he came at me with a club, and I caught his club with one hand and struck him with the other, flooring him. He was very bad and cruel, and those on board took my part, and I got out of the trouble unharmed.

'""At another time, the Captain of the boat on which I was employed set me to guard a certain line, and to prevent all persons from passing beyond it. The people mostly submitted quietly; but one fellow, a boat-runner, refused to observe the directions of our Captain, and, saying he would not be ordered round by a Cincinnati free nigger, drew his revolver. I had a little one in my hip pocket, and, drawing it quick as lightning, I shot him in the mouth. He fell, and I ran into my room aud hid my pistol. A comrade found it where I had hid it, and hid it again, and they never discovered it. I was taken and tried, but men testified that I was peaceable and never carried a pistol, and my attorney maintained the ground that the man fell somehow, and that, his own revolver exploding, he was shct in that way. I got clear once more by paying some fine and the costs. But these things were becoming too common to be interesting, and I left boat life, got married and settled down to business on the land."

Henry M Donald, Colored, Spantansburg, Blacksmith

Was born in South Carolina in 1814. His mother had been a slave, but was set free before his birth. He came to Preble County, Ohio, in 1839; married Mary Knowles, and has had four children, all dead; moved to Greenville settlement in 1856, and to Spartansburg in 1859. He learned the blacksmith's trade in South Carolina when a boy fifteen or sixteen years old, and has followed it ever since.

workman, and is respected and relied on as an upright and substantial citizen. He has a good property in the town of Spartansburg, including a fine house and lot, and the shop in which he follows his life-long vocation. He says of himself:

"J have no education. This fact has greatly hindered me in business. I forget so much of my work that I lose largely. Ihave never been troubled in any other way. People have always been friendly. I was to have had some schooling, but just then Nat Turner's insurrection broke out in Virginia, and laws were passed forbidding colored people to be taught. A free colored man who taught another free colored man got 500 lashes and was put in jail. A white man, for the same thing, was fined $500 and imprisoned. AI] gatherings of slaves separate from whites were prohibited by severe penalties; so I got no schooling. I went to Sunday school a few times before Nat Turner's day. In other respects, I got along very well. My apprenticeship lasted five years. I then worked for a man, furnishing the tools and he the shop. When a boy, I lost four years' work.

"'My father (a white man) hired me out for four years (eleven to fifteen years), for $20, $25, $30 and $40; the money to be paid to me at twenty-one. But I never got it. He was killed in the Cumberland Mountains, having been robbed of $6,000 as he was coming North to buy land. ' The murderer was caught and hung. If father had lived, I should have got the money all right; but as it was, I never got it."

Willis Perry, Winchester

Was born in Perquimans County, N. C., in 1795. He was a slave forty years. He was bought and set free by David White, a generous Quaker gentleman, and brought by him to Newport, Wayne Co., Ind., in 1835, with his wife and family of six children. Mr. Perry had married Nancy Mills in North Carolina, who was what was called ''Quaker free'' - i. «, her Quaker owner had done as much toward setting her free as the laws of Carolina allowed at the time. Their seventh child, Rachel, was born three weeks after the arrival of the family in Wayne County.

They had thirteen children in all. 'His wife died in 1862, and was buried in Dunkirk Burying-Ground, west of Winchester, her husband erecting a neat and tasteful monument over her grave, at a cost of $100, containing the following inscription:

"TI was a slave, freed by a law-suit prosecuted by David White, the Quaker, may God bless his name! . My husband's freedom was bought for $675. He made the money on rented land. Who of you that tauntingly say of my race, 'They can't take care of themselves,' have done better?"

They had no property when they came to this county, but Mr. Perry set to work at once with a hopeful spirit and an invincible purpose to attain a position of comfort and independence. He began by renting land'of Thomas Hill, northeast of Newport. He had, the first year, fourteen acres of corn, raising a big crop, and fatting $120 worth of hogs. He worked his crop with an old blind horse that cost him $5. He bought an old cart " for a song," had it made into a wagon, and so on. Notmany years after, he bought eighty acres of land near Durtkirk, for $770, paying $190 and giving notes for $580. Those notes he obtained at a heavy discount, getting them by the payment of $380 cash, thus saving $200 by the operation.

On this farm he resided till after the war, selling it at length for $3,000. He purchased property near Versailles, Darke Co., Ohio, remaining there three years, selling at a sacrifice; he returned to Indiana and settled at Winchester, where he still resides.

After the loss of his first wife, he married Hetty Ann Kimsey, which union proved a misfortune, since, after living with her four years, he was obliged to obtain a divorce.

John Ranele, Greensfork, 1833

Lives in the Greenville colored settlement, and had been a resident there for forty-eight years. His story can best be told in his own words:

*'T was born in Virginia, east of the Alleghany Mountains, in 1796, being a siave, and was sold on the auction block and taken to Georgia and sold again. The man who bought me bought also two others, who had, it seems, been stolen. The owner of the two came on, found, claimed and gained them. My purchaser kept the two, and gave me in part payment for them. I was then taken to South Carolina and sold by that owner to his mother. She came to Indiana in 1810, to get away from slavery. She owned four. She was a Methodist, and her husband a Quaker. Before his death, they both freed all they had owned; but she bought four more and brought them to Indiana. The company were my mistress, her son and daughter, her daughter's husband and the four slaves. Mistress died in 1813. Shortly afterward, I sued for my freedom. By Territoria] law, a man might hold his slaves awhile by his recording an inventory of them, and, if under fourteen, they could be held till thirty-seven years old; if over fourteen, the slave could have his choice as to length of time. They put me down as under fourteen. This law had been declured void. Others had sued and gained freedom, and so I tried it, too. I agreed to give the lawyer $100 if he gained my suit. I had no money, of course, but I was in custody of the Sheriff, and he hired me out two years, my wayes to follow the suit. I was set free, and I gave the lawyer an order on the Sheriff for $100, which he got, but I never got any more. When I heard my petition read, it made me charge my owner with pounding, beating, striking, tying, chaining, and I know not what all. I was scared, for I had made no such charges; and besides, the Clerk told me I must prove my affidavit, which I knew could not be done in that shape. I went on foot to see my attorney at Brookville, James Noble (and a noble old man he was, too), and said to him, 'Mr. Noble, I never told you my owners abused me. They never struck me a blow in my life.' He replied, 'Oh, never mind; you go home; we'll fix thht all right.' When the jury brought me in free, he whispered, 'Now, Johnny, get your $3.25 and pay the jury.' (At that time, the successful party had to pay the jury.) I, went and got the money of my employer and paid them, and I was a free man. This was at Salisbury, two and a'half miles west of Richmond, then county seat of Wayne County. I had nothing, but began to work. I went to Fort Wayne in the fall of 1817 (by 'Quaker Trace') with some teamsters. From one mile north of Spartansburg there was no farm till near Fort Wayne. There were two stations - one at Mississinewa and one at Wabash. Fort Wayne was a fort and an Indian trading post. I was first married to Sarah Culpher in 1817. She died insix months. I married again in 1826, my second wife Meing Lydia Sawyer. I worked three or four years as a traveling pewter-molder, molding over old pewter, etc. My kome was in Preble County, Ohio, and I traveled extensively, on horseback, with my tools in saddle-bags, through Western Ohio, to Dayton, Cincinnati, Springfield, Urbana, Toledo, etc., and so to Michigan and through Kastern Indiana, mostly, however, on Twin and Wolf Creeks, and on Mad River, Ohio. I made money, and saved enough to buy some land. I came to Spartansburg in 1833, and purchased seventy-four acres for $500, including three big hay-stacks. I bought more afterward, till I had 220 acres there, and finally sold it to Wilson Anderson in 1874. I tried to settle near Bethel, and bargained for some land, but the man's neighbors were so hostile that he backed out. I went to school a little in South Carolina to make up for lost time of white children. My mistress taught me some, and the rest I have picked up as I could. I tried to send my children to school at Spartansburg, but they were treated so unkindly that I took them out. Afterward, there was school in the colored settlement east of me, and I sent there. Daniel Hill, Ira Marine, Betsey Black, Ann Williams, etc., taught them. I have tried to keep posted on the affairs of the country. Ever since the anti-slavery movement arose, I have taken papers, sometimes several at once. I have had the Liberator, Palladium, Emancipator, Philanthro- pist, Standard, National Era, Wesleyan, etc. From the time of Bailey's death (National Era), I have taken the Gazette. When I came to Spartansburg in 1833, the colored settlers near the State line were Thornton Alexander and his large family of grown and married children; Ezekiel Lewis, Collier Simpson; William Lewis, father of Alfred Lewis; etc.; Allen Davis, near Jessup's Mill; Philip Holland, near the Griffis farm. Thornton Alexander was the first.

The old meeting-house (A. M. E.) was built about 1837. The religious work for both sides at first was done by the white Methodists. The African Methodist Episcopal society broke off first, but some stayed with the white Methodists till the Wesleyans arose. The white Methodist meeting-house was in Ohio, in the woods near the Clemens Burying-Ground. Afterward, the Wesleyans built a log church near their present one."

Mr. Randle has clear judgment, strong sense and firm principle. Mr. Ralph Pomroy, merchant at Spartansburg, once said that, if John Randle were white, he would be sent to the Legislature. He has always been an active and intelligent friend of education. He was one of the first Trustees of Union Literary Institute, and held that position for thirty years, and until age and infirmity obliged him to resign. He is now blind, but otherwise sprightly and active. His mind seems as bright is ever, his memory being sharp and vigorous, and it is a rich treat to talk with him of those old times when darkness lay heavy and thick over all the land. Mr. Randle has been many times to Canada. He moved there first in 1832, and once afterward. He has owned land there. He owned at one time 500 acres in the settlement, but now only 140 there, and in all, 300. He has had eleven children, five living - Mary, Reuben, Moses, Nathan, Elijah; William, Nathan and Elijah reside in Paulding County, Ohio; Mary lives at Oxford, Ohio; Moses is at Westville, Ohio; Reuben lives in the settlement in Greensfork; William has had eight children; Mary, five; Reuben, six; Moses has one. His second wife died in 1851, and he married Nancy Sizemore in 1857. This marriage did not prove fortunate, and they were divorced. She died two or three years ago. Mr. Randle now resides with his son Reuben. He has been for years totally blind, but enjoys otherwise excellent health, waiting cheerfully the hour when the darkness of earth shall be dispersed by the ineffable brightness of the glorious kingdom.

Richard Robbins

Born in South Carolina in 1800, a freeman, was a blacksmith; came to Wayne County, Ind., about 1820, and to Randolph County (Cabin Creek) about 1825; married Margaret Terry, daughter of Jerry Terry, and afterward, Susan Davis, daughter of Allen Davis. He had sixteen children - eleven by his first wife and five by his second- - eight of whom are living. His children were Eliza, Agnes, Elwood, Nancy, John, Melinda, Reuben, Celia, Ann, Simeon and an infant; Clarkson, Wiley A., Wesley, Silas, Alonzo. -Clarkson went South to teach after the war, and died there; John, Simeon and Reuben were in the Union army.

Mr. Robbins was an enterprising, thriving, intelligent man, a humble, active Christian and a highly respected citizen. He acquired a good property, and, a. few years before his death, was worth several thousand dollars.

He was a strong and thorough Abolitionist, and engaged earnestly in the work of that active body of citizens, and lived to see his race freed and enfranchised, and, for several years before his death, enjoyed the privilege of the ballot.

Of his sons, Wesley studied medicine, and Silas prepared himself for the law, and is now practicing at St. Louis. Mr. R. removed to Greenville settlement, Darke Co., Ohio, about 1857, and died there in February, 1877. His second wife had died about n year before. He had a fine property, which he had acquired by patient economy and thrift, but, through mistaken kindness to some of his children, his affairs became involved, and, in the administration of his estate, it proved insufficient fully to discharge the debts thus incurred. In earlier life, he was a blacksmith, and followed that laborious but useful and honorable business many years; but in his later life, he was mostly a farmer, being possessed at his death of a fine tract of land of 160 acres in Darke County, Ohio, and about seventy-five acres in Randolph County, Ind. He was buried in the Alexander Graveyard in Greensfork Township, Indiana.

John Roberts, Nettle Creek

JOHN ROBERTS, NETTLE CREEK. Was elected in the spring of 1880 Assessor of Nettle Creek Township, the first colored Assessor in Randolph County - perhaps the first colored official in the county of any kind. They had an exciting time. He beat, they say, three preachers, was declared defeated by three votes, contested the election, and won by one vote. The struggle is said to have cost the contestants $50 apiece. Much feeling was aroused for a time. The novelty of having a éolored Assessor in a township with so strong and aggressive a Democratic vote seemed to many tu be intolerable, and some, in their haste, are said to have spoken somewhat harshly about the matter. But Mr. Roberts is really a fine, intelligent, genial gentleman, and fully competent withal; and public feeling soon quieted down, and the township is rather proud, on the whole, to have been the one to break the ice for the new departure. There are some forty-tive colored votes in Nettle Creek Township, and so Yarge a body of electors would seem to be justly entitled to offidW reongaition. and neither party should object thereto. Mr. Roberts has performed his official duties with dignity and intelligence, and no citizen finds any ground of reasonable objection to the work he has accomplished for the public.

James Scott, Nettle Creek

Is the son of Robert Scott, who came to Randolph County, Ind., in 1832, from Wayne County, and before that from North Caroling. Mr. Scott has been married twice, and has had fourteen children, all by his first wife. His second wife is still living. Mr, Scott has a fine farm of 120 acres, and a comfortable dwelling. He met with a serious misfortune a few years ago in the loss by fire of a nice residence erected not long before. He is respectable and respected, a member of the Baptist Church, and a sound Republican. Although past seventy years; he is active and vigorous, and altogether a fine specimen of the race to which he belongs.

Robert Scott, Stony Creek

Was born a slave in 1770, in North Carolina; emancipated in 1779; married Amy Robbins, half sister of Richard Robbins; had twelve children, nine grown, seven living now.

His children were Martin, Nettle Creek, ten children; Ruchel (Outland), Michigan, one child; George, dead; Robert, dead; Amy, dead; James, Nettle Creek, fourteen children; Greenberry, Nettle Creek, ten children; Uriah, dead; Lewis, Michigan, five children; Robert, four children; Lydia, two children. There was One other, name not given.

Mrs. James Scott, Nettle Creek

Was born a slave, at Frankfort, Ky., in 1829. Her maiden name was Casseline Cox. In 1845, she married Pallas Taylor. Her husband enlisted in the army during the civil war and died in the service. She came North in 1865, residing at Troy, Ohio, four years. In 1870, she married James Scott, he being much older than herself. 'She had five children by her husband in Kentucky. Her father had fourteen children. In 1872, at the

He was still alive in 1877, being one hundred and two years old. She has not heard of his death, if it has occurred. In 1877, he was still comparatively well and strong. She is an active, energetic, wide-awake woman.

Martin Scott, Nettle Creek

Is the son of Robert Scott. He was born in North Carolina in about 1800; came to Randolph County, Ind., in about 1827; has had ten children, and lives in Nettle Creek.

Many of the old settlers moved away, more of them died, and now few of the old stock are left, and the settlement itself has dwindled greatly.

William Shoemake, Greensfork

Was born in South Carolina April 15, 1815, a freeman. He removed to Tennessee, marrying in that State, and residing there ten years. In 1837, he came to Wayne County, Ind., and to the Greenville settlement, Randolph County, in 1855. His wife, Priscilla Burden, was born in 1811, in South Carolina, daughter of Lewis Burden, who died in 1848, They have had three children, one of whom is now living.

Mr. Shoemake has always worked at farming, though when he came to Indiana they were very poor, arriving there with a one-horse cart, the children riding in the cart, and his wife and himself on foot. The first land he ever owned was forty acres, bought in the Greenville settlement in 1855. Since then, he has been constuntly thriving, until now he owns 500 acres of valuable land in the region of his residence. Though he has no education, being unable either to read or to write, he has much general knowledge, and is a man of active enterprise. He is an unflinching Republican in politics. In the winter of 1878-79, he became the subject of a fearful persecution. A colored man of the region (in Darke County, Ohio) had been cruelly murdered by a large gang of armed marauders on the night of Saturday, October - , 1876. , They were all (as they still are) unkfown to the public. Some persons, however, imagined him to be one of the band. He was arrested, imprisoned without the privilege of bail, though the Grand Jury of Darke County had refused to find a bill against him; and herculean efforts were put forth, by every means that wit could invent or money could procure, to convict Mr. Shoemake of the murder of Stephen Wade. Many days were spent upon the trial, but, through the mercy of providence and the incessant exertions of his friends - since he was kept closely locked in jail for weeks before his trial - his innocence was declared by a jury of his countrymen, and he was let go free. The cost of his defense amounted to more than $2,00Q. Prominent among his earnest friends may be reckoned Retben Goens,.a gentleman of honor and integrity, whose untiring labors greatly aided in bringing the trial to the fortunate result attained. The public mind in Greenville seemed greatly excited by the fact that two terrible tragedies had been enacted in the same township by companies of men banded for the purpose; and there seemed to be a desperate attempt to find a victim of the public rage, and it happened that Mr. Shoemake was laid hold of as that victim, and every nerve was strained to carry the point. But the attempt signally failed, and Mr. Shoemake returned from his imprisonment to the congratulations of his neighbors and friends. The terrible mysteries still remain hidden in midnight darkness, and none but the banded gangs themselves seem to know who made up those fearful troops, that came - the first, in the edge of the even ing, into the heart of a bustling village, and the second at midnight, under a moonlit sky, to a peaceful country home, where its inmates lay in quiet slumber, and in both cases shot to death the master of the house and the father of the family, with the most revolting brutality and the most fearful cruelty. That such things can occur in acivilized community, within the sound of the '' churchgoing bell" - nay, almost within the shadow of the church itself - is, indeed, passing strange. Yet occur they did, and the blood of those men still cries from the ground in vain, uncleansed, unae that innocent blood cannot be cleansed from the land but by the blood of those who shed it, there lies upon that community a most fearful curse, which shall yet arise to plague the perpetrators of such awful crimes.

Yet it by no means follows that Mr. Shoemake was one of the gang who murdered Wade, and, in fact, all attempts to show that he was one of the number proved utter failures.

Yet a numerous gang there was in each case, and terribly they accomplished their revolting crime. Yet '' murder will out," and some day those tragedies, performed in secret, shall be " proclaimed upon the housetop," and the perpetrators of taose fearful atrocities shall be exposed and brought to suffer condign punishment.

Colored Soldiers

As elsewhere, so here, the men of color flocked to the appeal of President Lincoln, and when allowed, offered themselves freely as soldiers in the Union army.

Some joined the Massachusetts colored regiments, and some the United States volunteer troops; and some, moreover, were taken as members of white regiments. It has been a matter of difficulty to obtain an account of the colored volunteers from Randolph, but we have done the best we could.

Twenty-eighth Regiment United States Colored Troops, John Perkins, mustered out November 8, 1865; John Roberts, mustered out November 8, 1865, George W. Johnson, not accounted for.

William Shaffer, Company K, Forty-second United States Colored Troops, enlisted October 8, 1864; spent three weeks at Camp Carrington; was in the fight at Nashville, December, 1864; was detailed to hospital duty at Hospital No. 6, Nashville, Tenn. ; discharged at Huntsville, Ala., October 7, 1865.

P M. B. Thomson enlisted in Company F, Fifth United States Colored Troops, September 1, 1863, at Camp Delaware, Ohio. The regiment went into the Eastern army, and was in the engagement at Deep Bottom, Va., at Petersburg, Bermuda Hundred, Fort Harrison (Dutch Gap), Fort Fisher, N. C., Wilmington and Raleigh. The regiment was mustered out at Caroline City, N. C., September 1, 1865, and the men were discharged October, 1865, at Camp Chase, Ohio.

In 1870, he joined the Twenty-fourth Regular Regiment Colored Troops. They spent two years at Fort McCarth, Texas; Laredo, Texas, on the Rio Grande, one year; Port Duncan, Texas, nearly @ne year and four months, till May, 1875; went on a scouting expedition to the North Prong of the Brazos River, six months; was discharged in camp September 1, 1875, having served five years in the regular army.

Levi J. Linzy, Greensfork Township, enlisted in Company G, Thirty-third Indiana, September, 1864; mustered in at Indianapolis; went forward to Chattanooga; was in hospital, sick, at Chattanooga, till April, 1865: went forward to the regiment via New York City to Newbern, N. C., and marched against Johnston; was sent to Camp McDougal, New York City, and discharged July 21, 1865.

Sylvester Holland enlisted in Forty-fifth United States Colored Troops September 1, 1864: went forward to the Eastern army, and was in the charge against Petersburg, Va.; lay sick ae apes Monroe, and was discharged at that place June 2,

Nathan Randle enlisted September, 1863; was sick at Nashville several weeks; his father visited him there; was discharged after the close of the war, winter of 1865-66.

Members of the Forty-fifth United States Colored Regiment: Lemuel Stokes, Alexander MeKown, Charles Mason, Reuben Goens, William H. McKown, Zebedee Bass. Henry Stokes, Charles Clemens, Jackson Holland, Levi Shaffer, all then beionging to Darke County, Ohio. :

Doubtless others from Randolph County belonging to the colored race were volunteers in the Union army during the war of the rebellion, but we have not learned their names.

Religion

T has seemed advisable to group the accouut of the various churches together. Hence, the statement concerning them will be found below in alphabetical order. First in order come the BAPTISTS.

The Baptists have not been very numerous in Randolph County, though there have been some from the earliest days of the settlement of the county. Curtis Cleny, of Lynn; W. C. Wilmore and John James, of Greensfork; Ira Maulsby, of Nettle Creek; Mr. Cartwright, of Spartansburg; Bela Cropper, of West River; Ezra Stone, of Winchester; James Spray, Edward Scott, ete., have been prominent Baptists, and some religious work has been done in the region by that worthy body of Christians. Messrs. Cropper and Wilmore have been ministers of that order.

Still, large success seems not to have attended their efforts, and the number of their societies is but small in this locality. There have been churches at Little Creek, at Losantville, at Winchester and at Middletown. The one at Winchester has been long extinct. The churches at Losantville and Little Creek have been greatly disturbed by the question, among them considered important, of 'Means and Anti-Means," and both are nearly or quite extinct. The one at Middletown still maintains itself, though it is not vigorous.

Huntsville. - The Baptists used to have meetings at Bela W. Cropper's and Samuel Spray's, not far from Huntsville. They never had a church nor any society in that neighborhood. B. W. Cropper was a preacher, and did religious work in that region; but no church was ever planted there, so far as we have been able to learn.

Little Creek. - -This society was established many years ago, and, after a time, they built a meeting-house near the residence of Ira Maulsby, who was, perhaps, their chief member. Several families belonged to that society, and for years it had considerable strength, but the removal of some members and the death of others, and also other causes, perhaps, has nearly extinguished the society.

Losantville. - This society was organized many years ago, and had a more or less vigorous and successful existence, but we do not possess the information requisite to a regular detailed account of the organization.

and Middletown, Ind. This society was formed in Ohio about 1840, and began to hold services near Middletown in 1860. They never had a meeting-house. Their gatherings have been held chiefly at dwelling-houses. Their meetings take place once a month, at Middletown and Rose Hill- - every third meeting at the former place, at Mr. Hinkle's on Saturday, and at the Christian Church, at Middletown, on Sunday. The society intend soon to build a house for worship at Rose Hill. The first members at Middletown were Richard and Eliza Straight, Henry and Eliza Ann Hinkle, Mahlon and Rachel Peters, Silas and Mary Byrom, John Peters, David and Eliza Byrom, Rachel (wife of George) Debolt.

The preachers have been Revs. Mahlon Peters, John McDaniels, Seymour Craig, John Petérs, George Cottrell. Mr. Cottrell has ministered to the church for fifteen years past. Present membership at Middletown: Henry Hinkle, wife and daughter, Ira Adamson and wife, Alvin Skinner and wife, Mrs. Mary Moore, Mrs. Elizabeth Holmes, Mrs. Mary Miller (living near Bartonia). They belong to the branch of the Regular Baptists styled Anti- Mission Baptists.

Winchester. - About 1840, a Baptist Church was organized for Winchester and the region. The meetings were held at first at John Lykins', five miles south of Winchester; afterward, at Winchester, and still later, at Willis Wilmore's, south of Winchester. The society continued for a considerable time, but the members died or moved away, and the church finally ceased. The first members were Bela Cropper and wife, James Spray, Edwin Poor and wife, George Vandeburg and wife, Ezra Stone, Willis C. Wilmore and wife, Edward Scott and wife. Afterward, Thomas Loring and wife joined the society, and. probably others may have done so. The church never had a meeting-house. At Winchester, the services were held at the court house; elsewhere, at private dwelling-houses. The society never grew very much. The Deacons were Brethren Stone and Cropper. The church was a friendly band, no difficulty ever arising to mar their peace. Prayer-meetings were held from house to house, with sweet seasons of Christian love and high hope and foretaste of endless bliss in the mansions above. In Winchester, they assisted in maintaining a union Sunday school for several years.

Some of the preachers were Revs. Nathaniel Case and James Harvey. Willis C. Wilmore has been for nearly or quite fifty years a preacher among the Baptists, and an active and zealous Christian withal.

Spartansburg. - Hezekiah Cartwright was a Baptist residing near that town, and preaching by the ministers of that order took place at his house. We have heard of no other Baptists in that region, though there may have been such. No church of the kind so far.as known was ever formed in that vicinity.

Iynn. - Curtis C. Cleny, residing near Lynn, was a Baptist, but, as his location was near Wayne County line, our impression is that he belonged to a church in that county - perhaps to the Freedom Baptist Church.

West River. - William Smith and his wife, father and mother of Hon. Jere Smith, were Baptists and were members and regular attendants upon the Friendship Church, south of them in Wayne County.

Free-Will Baptist Church - Ridgeville and vicinity. - There was a society at Father Mendenhall's, on the river, as long ago as 1860, or earlier. They began to hold worship at Ridgeville ahout 1868. The society have no meeting-house in the town, the college chapel being occupied for meeting purposes. At Wather Mendenhall's was a hewed log church, which, however, has not been used since the society began at Ridgeville. Some of the members have been Robert Sumption, Pennel Mendenhall, vhn Collier (Rev.), Mahlon Sumption, William Hollowell, Eg- Lert Payne (Rev.), Cunningham, John Thurber, Allen Baker, Dr. Farquhar, William Reed (Prof.), Asa Pierce (Rev.), and their wives. The church at Ridgeville numbered at first thirty to forty members; now about fifty. The society maintains a good Sunday school the year round, with eighty to one hundred pupils. The preachers have been Messrs. Collier, Atkinson, Bates, other Sabbath. About 1867, the Free- Will Baptists undertook to establish Ridgeville College, which has been in operation ever since. The enterprise has been a struggle from the beginning, but the institution is still sustained, and it is to be hoped that it will bold its ground through the ages to come.

Stone Station Free-Will Baptist Church. - Meetings were held there during the winter of 1880-81, at which about forty professed conversion, and a church was formed, embracing twentyfive members, viz., Thomas Clark and wife, George Sperea and wife, David Ritenour and wife, Mrs. Ross and daughter and two sons, Mrs. Owens and family, Samuel Ross and wife, James Jefferson and wife, etc. They meet in the Clark Schoolhouse, and Rev. Asa Pierce is their minister. It is intended to build a meeting-house before long. Sunday school is maintained regularly.

There is n German Baptist (Dunkard) Church north of Union City, which will be noticed in connection with the German congregations. There has been, also, some work for the laptists among the colored residents of Randolph, which is shown in the account given herein of the colored settlements which have existed in the county.

Catholic Church

Union City. - This church was begun in 1854; Rev. Sheon, of Sidney, was pastor one year. Rev. Hemsteger, from Piqua, came in 1855. Rev. Clane came next and established a chapel on the farm of Mr. Weiss, two miles from town. Rev. Hemsteger came again and stayed four years. Rev. Shelhammer, from Greenville, then came, remaining till 1862. Rev. McMahon was next, till 1865. During his pastorship, a church wus built on Plum, north of Oak, frame, and, about 1870, a large and splendid bell was added. Rev. Lamour was pastor from 1865 to 1870; Rey. Van Swadler, 1870 to 1871; Rev. Noll, 1871 to 1875. Rev. Quinlan succeeded, who is pastor at the present time (1882). The congregation is thriving and prosperous, with a property of four lots, a church, parsonage, nunnery and schoolhouse; as also a cemetery, out of town, two miles north on the Salem pike (see account of cemeteries). There is a splendid bell on their meeting-house, which, when it was put up, was by far the finest in town. The congregation numbers 150 families or more, and the appointed church services through the week and on the Sabbath are regularly maintained. A flourishing day school hus been maintained for many years by the Catholics, which has been for aconsiderabletime, and is now, free to all comers, through the munifi-

Winchester. - Some Catholics have been restdents of Winchester from early times, and, as long ago as 1854, or even before that, priests would visit the town and perform the services of religion for the communicants of that faith. For many years, their meetings were held in private houses. Clergymen from Muncie, Indianapolis and elsewhere used to come and officiate in religious things at Winchester. About 1875, three lots were purchased on West Washington street, and a neat place of worship was erected at a moderate cost. The congregation intend to build a parsonage, but that has not yet been done. "The principal Catholic families are as follows: Patrick McDonald, John Kinney, Edward Laynan, James Mack, Edward Laren, Bryan Gaffey, Dennis Laynan, Michael Doyle, John Lacey, William Fitzmaurice, Edward Fitzgerald and others. The church is out of debt and in a remarkably prosperous condition. The regular church services are held once a month, besides special services at irregular intervals. Some of the clergymen who have officiated have been Fathers Maloney, Mack, Fitzmaurice, Clark, Lamour, Noll, Quinlan. The church is connected in the same parish with Union City, and the pastor, Rev. Quinlan, of Union City, supplies also the congregation at Winchester once a month.

in Randoiph County: Thomas Addington, New Dayton; Emerson Addington, New Dayton; Thomas A. Brandon, Union City; Davenport, Harrisville; Moses Gwynn, Morristown; I. V. D. R. Johnson, Bloomingsport; L. W. Johnson, Losantville; B. F. Kemp, Jordan; John Manhouse, Windsor; Samuel McNees, Farmland; A. H. Oren, Peter Robison, W. D. Ross, Morristown; William Terrell, Windsor. Perhaps there may be others besides the above: Congregations: Windsor, Union Chapel (south of Windsor), Mt. Zion, Losantville, no meeting-house; Pleasant Grove, southeast of Windsor; White River Chapel, Farmland; Shiloh, north of Farmland; Mississinewa, Olive Branch, Green Township; Clear Creek, no meeting-house.

Fairview. - This church was begun about thirty-seven years ago (1845). Their meetings were held in the beginning at Martin Smith's. Their meeting-house was built many years ago (1846), but has become old and time-worn, and is not now used. Fora time they had great success, and people used to turn out to their services wonderfully. The preachers have been Messrs. Wolverton, McDaniel, McNees, Holland, Aker, Minnick, Richardson and doubtless others. The members cannot now be given. The society is not at present in a flourishing condition, and their congregations are small.

Farmiand. - This religious society commenced in the region in 1838, on White River, near the toll-gate. The preachers were Messrs. Barker and Batterall. The class was organized in 1838 at the schoolhouse. Shortly afterward (1839 or 1840), a log church was built, and the brick now standing, in 1850 or thereabouts. They organized at Farmland in 1854 in a schoolhouse and provided themselves with a church in 1867. They were for many years the strongest denomination in the place, though for some time they have been declining, and are now quite weak in numbers. Their members in the region have' been Peter S. Miller and wife, Nathan Thornburg and wife, A. H. Mc- Nees and wife, A. N. McNees and wife, William Elwood and wife, Hiram Smith and wife, Samuel McNees and wife and others. Their meeting-house has lately been sold to the Friends, who occupy it at the present time. The names of their ministers are not at hand.

Harrisville. - This church was organized in 1865, and their meeting-house was built in 1866. The first members were about twenty-five, some of whom were William Ingle and wife, David S. Davenport and wife, Miles Scott and wife, Samuel Keister, Rebecca Shelley, Mary Duncan, Elizabeth Whitesell, etc. The Trustees at first were Henry Hill, William Ingle and Miles Scott. The pastor of the church most of the time has been David S. Davenport, resident at Harrisville. Rev. Long was preacher one year, Capron, one year, and Newhouse, two years. The church now numbers over 100 members. Preaching takes place once a month, and Sunday school every week during the summer, Jacob Conkling, Superintendent. The school averages from thirty to fifty pupils. Paul Ellinger is Elder, and Joel Elwell and Frederick Ingle are Deacons. Rev. Davenport preaches also at four other points--Ogden, Henry County; a country place beyond Muncie, Delaware County; Union Chapel, southeast of Gettysburg, Darke Co., Ohio, and at Horatio, Darke Co., Ohio. The Dunkards also hold meetings once a month at Harrisville in the Christian Church, beginning in 1880. Their preachers have been Revs. Marquis and Simmons.

Liberty Chapel, - (North of Bloomingsport), was built about 1860. Many who had been United Brethren joined the society, some of these having been previously 'New Lights.'' The preachers have been Messrs. Jellison, Brumfield, Coates, I. V. D. R. Johnson, Davenport, King, Kemp. Some of the members have been John Johnson, Strother Brumfield, John Anderson, Curtis Bales, Isaac N. Bales, etc. There is a society, but not very large nor flourishing.

Christian Church, north of Liberty Chapel. - Was built many years ago, as early, perhaps, as 1838. The first preacher was Jesse Brumfield. There was once a good society. After awhile, the '' Reformers" and they had a split and the work did not go on The United Brethren Church supervened at Liberty, and, rae. years afterward, the "New Lights" again at Liberty, in 1866.

Middletown. - This society was organized about 1855, and the meeting-house was built about the same time. First members, Ephraim Dull and wife, William Cole and wife, Enos Cole and wife, James Alexander and wife, John Poorman and wife, Henry Weyrick, John Boner, Thomas Alexander, William Warren, Sr. and Jr. and wives, James Warren and wife, Joseph Hinkle and wife, Abram Alexander and wife and 'many others, eighty in all. Their preachers have been Revs. Sharp, Vincent, Leavell, Gettinger, William Cole, Andrew McNees, Jacobs, Davenport, Samuel McNees, Kemp and perhaps others. At times, the society has been flourishing. It became much run down, and a few years ago the Friends began religious services there and were somewhat active. The Christians, however, took up their work again, and there is a small society, with services once a month and part of the time a Sunday school.

Olive Branch. - The society was organized about 1858 or 1860 by Rey. Larkin. Mullen, and re-organized about 1866. The church was built in 1870. Some of the members have been and are John Wenzel and wife, Washington Cortner and wife, David Lewis and wife, Mrs. Engle and her son, William Engle, Jacob B. Jones and wife, Mrs. Stanley, etc. Preachers, Messrs. Mullen, Holloway, Puckett, Ross, Addington, Johnson, Cortner. Preaching is monthly, three sermons at atime. Sunday school not very large. The society numbers 100 to 150 members. The present pastor is Elder Thomas Addington, resident on Bear Creek, northwest of New Dayton.

Parker. - Began in 1854. A society was formed, and they carried on their operations regularly and successfully, but for a long time they had no house of worship. They built one at length, but became involved in debt, under which load they were forced to allow the church to be sold, which was done during the present year, the society of Friends being the purchasers. Some of their ministers have been Messrs. McNees, Aker, Lynn, Ross, Gwynn, Wells, Capron, Burkett, Minnick, Addington. Among the members have been John Gunckel and family, David Gunckel, Monroe Gunckel, William Phillips and wife, Martin Phillips and wife, Leonard Boise and wife, Alexander Fowler and.two sons, John Bowers and wife. The church has seen somewhat encouraging' seasons. At a revival in 1864, fifty or sixty members joined them, but the interest has declined, and the debt on their hands took their meetinghouse. They hope to recover their strength and regain their standing and usefulness as a church of Christ.

Pittsburg. - This church began about 1869. Some of its members are Stephen Jacks and wife, Harvey Coons and wife, Moses Ferrell, James Malloy and wife. At one time the society was quite active and flourishing, seventy members joining in one night. They have become less vigorous than formerly, though the operations of the society still continue to some extent.

Pleasant Grove. - (Union Church, east of Deerfield). Was built in 1877, by the Disciples, Methodists and Christians, and al] three use it, the society having been organized since the house was erected. The Methodists have occasional services, but no class. The members of the Disciple Church are W. B. Field, Nicholas Linkhauer, Abram Sipe, Washington Peters, Clark Peters, Enoch Peters, Joseph Marsh, George Marsh and their wives. Preaching has been by Messrs. Harrison, Youtz, Manny, Enos Polly, Solomon McKinney, etc. The Christians were organized at first before 1865. Some of the members are Joseph Warren and wife, Henry Bragg and wife and others. Preachers, Jesse Jacobs, Benjamin Kemp, Capron, ete.

Pleasant Grcve. - (Northwest of Poplar Run, Friends' Church, Stony Creek). The church was built in 1846. Preaching had been established some years previously. A society was formed and a church movement was begun one and a half miles south, but that fell through, and the church was built where it now stands. Among the principal members were and are Jonathan Clevinger, Lewis Clevinger, Wesley Clevinger, Wesley Dudley, Thomas Aker, Elisha Thornburg, Avila Thornburg, Madison Clevinger, Isaac Keener, Joseph Oren, with most or all of their wives. Some of the preachers have been Messrs. Andrew McNees, Francis A. Wilkins, Larkin Mullen, Swain, Richard Brandon, I. V. D. R. Johnson, Wesley Ross, William Ter- rell, Edward Burke, Davenport, «tc. There is a flourishing Sunday school and they have preaching services once in three weeks. It has enjoyed powerful revivals and received large additions, and is a strong and active church.

Pleasant Hill._Was established before 1847. Meetings were held at Mr. Constable's. A frame church was built about 1850, and the present brick house in 1876. Some of the members in 1848 were Mrs. Lindley, Constable, Isaac Berkhammer, Hugh Woodin, Hiram Grice, Stokesberry and their wives and others. Some of the preachers have been Revs. Swain, William Murray, Davenport, McNees, McNees, Terrell, Jacobs, Brandon, Green, Brown (now). They have preaching once a month and Sunday school every Sabbath, some years summer and winter. There is a good congregation.

Shedville (half-mile east).. - The society was formed in 1877, and the house was built in 1880. The church was organized by Rev. Kahn and Witzel at the schoolhouse south of Shedville, with about thirty-two members. The present number is about one hundred. The preachers have been Addington and Cortner. Some of the members are John McProud, J. C. Jones, J. Ford, James McProud, C. B. McProud, Henry Woodard, Jesse Pace, William Bales, Milton Meranda. The interest is strong and the attendance good, with a flourishing Sunday school.

Shiloh (two and three-fourth miles north of Farmland). - Preaching had been begun by that denomination in the neighborhood before 1853; held in a log house east of Shiloh. The meeting-house (brick) was built in 1860. Last year anew frame church was erected near the former one (1880). The preachers have been Mullen, Barber, Wilkins, Ross, Terrell, Jackson, Johnson, etc. The members have been Isaac Holloway and wife, John Mills and wife, John Goodin and wife, Philip Witzel, John Cortner and wife, Andrew Cortner and wife, etc. It has been during a portion of the time a large and flourishing society of 100 to 150 members; it is now not so large. They have had Sunday school more or less in past years, but there is none at the present time (1880).

Stony Creek (one mile west of Neff). - Was organized February 20, 1858, by Elder William Terrell, with nineteen members - S. W. Smithson, D. S. Terrell, Isaac Thornburg, George Clevenger, William Clevenger, Isaac Faulkner, John W. Sanders, Peter Helm, ete. December 5, 1859, Pleasant Grove and Stony Creek Churches united as a monthly meeting under the name of Pleasant Grove Church, with officers as follows: J. M. Terrell, Clerk; Drummond S. Terrell, Ira Smithson, Deacons; Allen Hunt, Treasurer. Members up to October 5, 1858, 103; joined, January 18, 1860, 57; joined January 25, 1860, 65; others, 4, making a total of 229 members. It would seem that a new organization of some sort was effected September 1, 1860, under A. M. and Samuel MeNees, and that at some time seventy-seven names were taken. In 1865, four members were received, and, in 1867, forty-two members. Total of members, 1869, 65; 1870, 93; 1871, 90; 1872, 94; 1878, 71; 1877, 96; 1878, 97. A Sabbath school has been maintained with more or less vigor and interest. The chapel was built about 1859. The preachers have been William Terrell, A. McNees, S. McNees, E. Hodson, Wrightsman, Roberts, Elisha Thornburg, Hardesty, Tingle, William Hunt (Methc:.ist), Mullen, Minnick, Addington, Sharp, King, Cowgill, Johnson, Ross, Chandler, Leeka, I V. D. R. Johnson (present pastor).

Union City, Ohio. - The first Christian Church of Union City, Ohio, was organized with thirty-five members, in 1861, by Elders Heary Gittinger, Harrison Vinson and C. M. Sharpe. Elder Gittinger was the first pastor. Other pastors were H. Vinson, C. M. Sharp, A. W. Brodrick, J. Jacobs, J. Weeks, T. S. Wells and T. A. Brandon. The society built a church, corner of Oak and Plum, at a cost of $1,300. Builder, Jacob Deardoff; dedication by Elder Joseph Weeks. A debt was contracted by the building of the church, which the society could not pay; the

Unionsport. - The Christians have had preaching in this neighborhood for many years, though mostly in private dwellings and schoolhouses. About 1868, when the woolen factory was there has been a society ever since. Some of the members have been Absalom Oren, J. C. Bates, William Aikens, Samuel Gillum, Mr. Merriwether, James Pursley, David Moore, Andrew Moore, Mr. Fister, John Moyer. Preachers, Isaac V. D. R. Johnson, Absalom Oren, Mr. Cropper, etc. The society occupies at present the meeting-house between Buena Vista and Unionsrt.

x Windsor. - The church was built in the fall of 1859. Rev. Larkin Mullen was the preacher. Others have been Messrs. Minnick, Wells, Wilkins, Elisha Thornburg, William Terrell, T. Addington, Humphrey, etc. The class at one time was strong and flourishing, but is not neariy so large now. Members, Mr. Gable and wife, John Woolford and wife, John M. Terrell and wife, Jacob Carver and wife, Joseph Thornbury and wife, Elisha Thornburg and wife, T. W. Thornburg and wife, Amburn and wife, Amos Smith and wife, Jonathan Thornburg and wife, besides others. The church stands near the cemetery and the schoolhouse a short distance southeast of town.

Congregational Church

Winchester. - About 1870, a church of this order was formed at Winchester, embracing a small number of members. Measures were taken looking to permanent occupancy of the field; a subscription was raised for a meeting-house, a lot was purchased, a preacher engaged, etc. Tha movement, however, seemed not to succeed, and, though the organization may never have been formally dissolved, yet for some years no direct, definite activity has been shown, any further than that the place has been visited occasionally by Rev. L. P. Rose, Congregational Home Missionary Agent for the State of Indiana, and that religious services have been conducted by him in Winchester during his visits to the place. Rev. J. G. Brice, clergyman and missionary agent, resided for many years at Winchester, preaching and lecturing and making collections for missionary purposes through portions of Indiana and Ohio. Notvery long ago, he removed to Weston, Mo., where at the latest knowledge he was living in a green and vigorous old age. Congregationalists Lave been residents of the county at various times and dates, but for the most part they have united with other branches of the Christian body. A Congregational Church was once attempted at Buena Vista by Rev. J. G. Brice about 1846, but no success attended the effort.

This body of Christians (called sometimes Campbellites, from Alexander Campbell, and sometimes Reformers and also Christians, etc.), came into this region shortly after their first rise, and formed churches at various points. Some of their early preachers, such as Elder Benjamin Franklin and others, assisted in planting their societies in this county and the ones adjoining. Some debates have been held here by their champions with opponents in doctrine or practice, and, from the first, the adjacent portions of Wayne and Randolph have been to them congenial ground. (See Reminiscences of Rev. H.C. Tillson.) Yet there are now only a few churches of the order in the county, some accounts of which are subjoined hereto. Their societies at present are Union City, Winchester, Spartanburg, Gilead, White River Chapel, New Lisbon. Preachers, C. G. Bartholomew, J. T. Shaw, I. P. Watts, W. D. Stone, Revs. Vinson (father and son), Sloan, Polly, Ellis, ete.

Bethphage (south of Spartanburg). - The meeting-house below Jesse Jordan's was built very early, being, perhaps, first in the county built by the Disciples. It was erected probably about 1838 or a little later. Bethphage was a famous place in its day; one or more debates were had, which were largely attended; at least, one powerful revival was held, perhaps more, and many members were gained to the Disciples, and the membership became so numerous and extensive that two congregations were at length formed - one at Sugar Grove near Benja- min Elliot's, southeast of Spartanburg, und one at Gilead, southwest of the same village. They were built in 1854 or about that time, Gilead, probably, somewhat later, and Bethphage went into disuse. A special detailed history of Bethphage, with membership, etc., has not been obtained. Some of the preachers were Elders Franklin, Swallow, etc. The latter held a series of meetings with very powerful results, bringing in many new members.

Gilead. - Was built somewhat after 1854, as one of two churches growing from the society at Bethphage. It continues to this day a flourishing society, with preaching, Sunday school, etc. Some of the members have been Henry D. Nichols, Isaac Nichols, Murray Chenoweth, Columbus Chenoweth, Harvey Platt, Henry Thomas, John Mann, James Peelle, John Peelle, Samuel Hill, etc, John Kelly, James Kelly, several Hills, Mr. Throckmorton, with the wives of most or all of the above.

New Lisbon (Jackson Township).- - Was formed July 7, 1839. Several preachers had held meetings some years before - Elihu Harlan, Hosea Tillson and perhaps others. Meetings were held at private dwellings - first at Thomas Wiley's; also at Mr. Reeves,' Mr. Skinner's and elsewhere, and, in the summer, in the grove. The first members were Thomas Wiley and wife, John Skinner, James and Anna Skinner (parents of Mrs. James Reeves), James Reeves and wife, Putnam and Milly Campbell, Charles and Perlina Smith, William Pratt and wife.. Thomas Wiley and Charles Smith were chosen Elders, and John Skinner, Deacon. The first church was of hewed logs and it stood near the old cemetery, having been built before 1839 and named Carmel Meeting- House. The second church was a nice frame edifice, and was built in 1855. The society is at this time (July, 1881), building a large church near the site of the second one. The preach. er3 have been Thomas Wiley, John Thomson, William Murray, Valentine Thomson, George W. Thomson, Farrell Vincent and Enos Polly. They were without regular preaching for a long time. Mr. Polly has been their pastor most of the time for ten or twelve years. Their Sunday school began about twenty years ago, and, though awkward and irregular at first, has grown to be a prosperous school. The society may be regarded at present as in a flourishing condition. Some of the chief members, besides the original members above mentioned, have been James Wickersham and wife, Abram Smith and wife, Jacob Mangas and wife and children, David Banta and wife and children, William Ross and wife, Isaac Beal and wife, James Lambert and wife and doubtless many others not now recollected. The New Lisbon Church was the first built in the township. The Baptists had preaching in early times at Mr. Beach's, near Allensville and in that neighborhood, but their church wss built in Jay County, near North Salem. The new Disciple Church was dedicated with appropriate ceremonies in the presence of a large and interested congregation on Sabbath, October 24, 1881. Some statistics, etc., of the church are as follows: By 1843, there had been fifty-one members; by September, 1867, there had been 346 members in all. There was a revival in August, 1871, and twenty-two joined at one time; twenty-five joined in 1878; fiftyfive in 1874 (forty-seven in December); eleven in 1875 and twenty-five in 1875. Atthe renewal of the society in 1871, there were seyenty-one members, and 176 have joined since that time. In all, there have been 522 members, of whom some 170 still belong. The size of the new meeting-house is 37x55 feet, and it cost $2, - 000. The building committee are Eli Mangas, Daniel Mussulman and George Warner.

Salem (four miles southwest of Union City). - Was established about 1843. For a considerable time the church flourished. A meeting-house was built some thirty years ago, and there has been a large and thriving society. Among the preachers have been Messrs. Barnhill Polly, W. D. Stone and others. By removals, deathe, etc., the church has been greatly reduced, and for some time preaching has been iutermitted. We have no definite account of the society.

Disciples arose under the lead of A. Campbell, the society at Bethel divided, a majority going with the Disciples. The Christians afterward built a church at Hollandsburg, and both societies remain till this day. Before very long the Disciples began to hold meetings in Randolph County and a society was formed in the region south of Spartanburg. Between 1839 and 1846, probably about 1840, a hewed-log meeting-house was built, largely by the efforts of John Sterling, who lived where Ephraim Bowen now resides, eagt of Jesse Jordan's place, between Jesse Jordan's and Joshua Thomas.' That churcb stood for many years and was a famous center of religious influence in its day. Before that house was built, meetings were held at the old schoolhouse north of the Jordan place. The hewed-log church was between Benjamin Franklin, the distinguished Disciple preacher, and Mr. Randolph, one of the leading Methodist clergymen of the time. Inthe same church, Rev. Swallow conducted a revival meeting, as the result of which eighty converts joined the Disciples. The same Randolph above named engaged in several debates upon slavery with Moorman Way, Pusey Grave, Arnold Buffam, and perhaps others at Arba, Bethel and may be elsewhere. Some of the early Disciple preachers were Elders Tillson,*Franklin, Elihu Harlan, Valentine Harlan, Miller, Windsor, Swallow and others. The revival under the labors of Rey. Swallow so increased the numbers and enlarged the bounds of the society, that, in process of time, two other houses were built - Sugar Grove, southeast of Spartanburg, in about 1854, and Gilead, southwest of Spartanburg, some years later. Some of the chief members of the Bethphage Church at first were John Sterling and Arthur Hagepeth and wife, Mr. Howe, etc. The meetings there were at length discontinued, and the church itself has been removed for many years. The Sugar Grove Church also has fallen into disuse for some time. The society at Gilead still continues to be flourishing, with an active Sunday school. Some thirteen years ago, or about 1868, a society was gathered and a church was built at Spartanburg, which still stands and is occupied by the society in that vicinity. . Some of the chief members there are Clement Alexander, James Rubey, Jeremiah Horn, Benjamin Shaw, Levi Hill and others. A Sunday school is held in connection with the church, which is reasonably flourishing from year to year. In the fal) of 1881, Elder Ellis, pastor of Winchester, began preaching work with the Spartanburg congregation also. A series of meetings was held, lasting several days, with the result of a renewal of religious interest and the prospect of a higher Christian life among the members and in the community. The Superintendent of the Sunday school, during 1881 and 1882, was Charles F. Tucker.

Sugar Grove (near Ben Elliot's place). - This church was built in about 1854, being erected by a portion of the Bethphage congregation, out of which two societies grew - Sugar Grove and Gilead. This church was used for meeting purposes till the Spartansburg Church was built, after which it gradually ceased to be used, though it is standing at the present time. We have not a particular statement of the items of history connected with this congregation, although some additional information may be found in the statement concerning Spartansburg and vicinity.

Union City..- - Was organized in 1858 by Rev. Thomas Wiley, with twenty-four members. The Trustees were Simeon Branham, Thomas Wiley, Isaac Beal, J. HE. Paxson. The first Elder was Rev. Thomas Wiley, who was also pastor. The original records are lost and the first Deacons and Clerk are unknown. The pastors have been Revs. Wiley, Barnhill Polly, Thompson, Harrison, Moore, Aylesworth, Howe, Tully, Bartholomew and Sloan. The Elders are Henry Polly, B. F. W. Stewart, W. H. Anderson, John W. Starbuck, James White, Jefferson Gist. The Deacons are William Strawbridge, James M. Warren, E. L. Anderson, D. L. McDonald. The Trustees are Simeon Branham, William H. Anderson, Thomas Jones, Ephraim H. Bowen, Gabriel Fowler. Clerk, William Commons; Treasurer, D. L. Me- Donald. Number in Sunday school, 200 to 275. Superintendent, William A. Wiley. Pupils, 175 to 250. Teachers, twentyfive. Secretary, B. F. W. Stewart. Choir Leader, William A. Wiley. Their church building was the first house of worship erected in the town. It was a frame, 40x45 feet, commenced in 1858, completed in 1858. Jere Smith gave a lot to the society at first and afterward another, at the solicitation of Simeon Branham, Esq., one of the Trustees. The house became too small for the increasing congregation, and the society have erected a massive brick edifice, 48x924 feet, Gothic style, J. C. Johnson, Fremont, Ohio, architect. The cost of the building complete was $13,500. Since the organization, 622 persons have been connected with the church and the present number of members is 450. Series of meetings have been held from time to time in addition to the regular and constant weekly and Sabbath services, by the pastor and others, and great numbers have been brought to profess faith in Christ and to submit to the seal of the covenant in the ordinance of baptism. The congregations in this society are large, attentive and interested, and the various services of the sanctuary are well sustained. The Superintendent of the Sunday school, William A. Wiley, has held that position from the commencement.. The church has a fine organ and a large and well-trained choir, whose skill and spirit add greatly to the interest of the sanctuary service, and William A. Wiley is also leader of the choir. Elder Bartholomew resigned the pastorship in the summer of 1880, and the position remained vacant for some months, the pulpit services being supplied meanwhile by Rev. Polly, one of the Elders of the congregation. In January, 1881, Elder Sloan, late from Richmond, Ind., was called to be pastor of the church, and was installed to the position with simple and impressive ceremonies. Elder Sloan enters upon his new labors with this large and interesting flock under favorable auspices and with encouraging tokens of unity and harmony among the people of his charge, and of increasing interest by the members of the society in the work which the Lord has committed to their care in the great vineyard. The first members were about twentyfour in number, among whom were Rey. Thomas Wiley and wife, Simeon Branham and wife, Isaac: Beal and wife, Barnhill Polly and wife, Peter Nickum and wife, John Harlan and wife, Austin Williams. In January, 1866, there were 135 members; at the close of 1869, 125 members. In the succeeding years, the number of persons joining the church was as follows: 1870, 32; 1871, 10; 1872, 7; 1878, 22; 1874, 58; 1875,51; 1876, 86; 1877, 126; 1878, 14; 1879, 25; 1880, 67. The Elders have been Thomas Wiley, Barnhill Polly, Uriah Ball, David Polly, John Harlan, Valentine Thomson, N. Bowles. The Deacons have been Cornelius V. Harlan, James White, Levi Hill, Henry V. Polly, David McDonald, J. T. Shaw, J. J. Downing, William Pinkerton, Isaac Beal, Samuel Sutton, B. F. W. Stewart.

When the enterprise of building the new church was set on foot, the following gentlemen were chosen as a Building Committee, viz.: William H. Anderson, David Polly, William A. Wiley, Simeon Branham, E. H. Bowen, John W. Starbuck, John L. Frank, J. R. Jackson (resigned from ill health).

The foundation of the church was laid during the fall of 1875, and the building was first occupied for religious services on the first Sabbath of March, 1878.

The cost of the edifice was about $13,500. Before the organization, in 1858, Union City had heen a point of missionary work from the first settlement of the town.

This church is very prominent in the denomination, being among the largest in the State. Several large religious conventions have been held at this place with this congregation, the latest in 1881, being a large and enthusiastic assembly, and lasting nearly u week.

White River Chapel (north of Snow Hill). - There was preaching at Timothy Hinshaw's and elsewhere for six or eight years, as far back, perhaps, as 1850, or sooner.

City, Ind., held a meeting in the Disciples' Church at Winchester, Ind., August 25 aud 26, 1866; and on Lord's-Day, August 26, 1866, the brethren and sisters were formed into a church by ayreeing to a covenant as follows:

"*The undersigned, met together on the fourth Lord's-Day in August, 1866, at the Christian (Disciples') Church in Winchester, in Randolph County and in the State of Indiana, agree to accept the Bible as the revelation God has given men, and as their rule of faith and practice; and hereby enroll ourselves as a Church of Christ, at Winchester, Ind., and promise and covenant to labor faithfully as servants of Christ to build up His church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone."'

Several have died, among whom is Judge Jeremiah Smith, who departed this life December 28, 1874, and whose funeral services were conducted by Rev. G. W. Thompson. His remains were interred in the Union City Cemetery.

The congregations have been small, but the church has courageously maintained its ground with a settled purpose to bear aloft the standard of the cross.

The clergymen who have,preached to the church at Winchester have been G. W. Thompson, Butler K. Smith, Jeremiah Smith, I. P. Watts, Wm. D. Frazee, E. Goodwin, Samuel Matthews, Uriah Ball, R. T. Brown, - - Wayand, Barnhill Polly, Thomas Munnell, Hardin Harrison, Benjamin Franklin, Elder Davis, J. O. Beardslee, Enos W. Polly, J. H. Vinson, H. T. Morriscn, Russell T. Prichard, J. W. Ferrell, George W. Bailey, T. B. Scoville, D. H. Gary, C. A. Burgess, - - Belding, J. C. Tully, C. G. Bartholomew, N. A. Walker, J. B. Ludwig, Felix Simms.

Their first meeting-house had been built by the Presbyterians some yeats before, being a small frame structure, which is still standing, but has not been used as 1 church for several years.

In the fall of 1881, Elder Ellis was engaged as their Pastor, who has a fine reputation as an active and reliable worker, and who appears to give good satisfaction.

The first settlement of Friends known in Indiana was in 1806. The fust meeting-house was built of logs. The first yearly meeting for Indiana was opened in 1821. The old Friends' meeting-house at Richmond was first occupied in 1824, and the present one in 1878. George Fox began to preach in England in 1647. There are now in the world twenty-six yearly meetings of Friends. Indiana Yearly Meeting used to embrace all the territory west of Ohio. There are now in those bounds four Yearly Meetings, Indiana, Western, Iowa and Kansas. Ipdiana Yearly Meeting has thirteen Quarterly Meetings, and is held at Richmond, Ind., and has 18,000 members. Western Yearly Meeting was set up in 1857, and is held at Plainfield, Hendricks Co., Ind. Ithas fourteen Quarterly Meetings. Kansas Yearly Meeting was set up in 1872. Itis held in Leavenworth, and has four Quarterly Meetings, and 5,000 members. Iowa Yearly Meeting is held at Oskaloosa, and has eleven Quarterly Meetings, and 10,000 members.

Winchester Quarter, including Poplar Run, White River and Cherry Grove, monthly. Poplar Run, monthly, including Poplar Run, Cedar and Farmland, preparatory. Cherry Grove, monthly, including Cherry Grove, Lynn and Bloomingsport, preparatory. White River, monthly, embracing White River, Jericho, Winchester, preparatory. Arba, preparatory, belongs to New Garden, monthly and quarterly.

Winchester Quarterly Meeting embraces three Monthly Meetings - White River, Cherry Grove and Poplar Run. White River Monthly has mestings for worship: White River, Jericho, Winchester, Muncie. Cherry Grove Monthly, has Cherry Grove, Lynn. Poplar Run Monthly has Poplar Run, Cedar. There are several other meetings wiich have been held as follows: Middletown, west. of Union City (discontinued) ; Penn, Pike, Jay County ; West Chester, Jay County; Camden, Jay County; Olive Branch, Randolph County; Farmland, Morristown, Buena Vista, and two in Michigan. 'The total membership is over 2,000. Arba Preparative Meeting belongs to New Garden Quarterly Meeting, which meets at New Garden, Wayne County.

Sparrow Creek was set up about 1836, located about one and a half miles west and one mile south of Dunkirk. There is an old cemetery at Hardshaw, and also one at Sparrow Creek.

Cabin Creek went mostly Anti-slavery in 1843, and continued such until that society died out. A new meeting, called Cedar, was set up at the same place in 1860, which is now strong and flourishing.

Poplar Run was set up in 1846, after the "separation." The leaders were Mark Diggs, John Diggs, Henry Moorman, Eli Townsend. Recorded minister, Elihu Carter. Their meetinghouse was first of logs; the second, and present, is a frame, built in 1856.

At Cedar Creek, in 1881, has been built a new and very neat and convenient meeting-house near the old place of worship. The new house was first occupied for service, though unfinished, in August, 1881, for the Monthly Meeting. The occasion was a blessed season and the attendance was large. Many Friends were there from a distance, and the assembly were deeply sensible of the overshadowing presence and melting power of the precious Spirit to cause all hearts to flow into one free channel of Christian love That consecration of their new house of worship will long be remembered by the Friends who were present as a bright and blessed time to all] their souls, and a day to reckon from as the beginning of new and still better things.

Arba was formed about 1815. They built, during the fall of that year a pole cabin meeting-house of the most primitive kind, with neither fire-place nor chimney, which served both as schoolhouse and church for some years. After a considerable time a new, hewed-log church was built, which was occupied for worship for some thirty years, which, nevertheless, gave place in turn toa neat and plain britk structure, which now opens its welcome doors on First and Fifth Days, as well as at other times fur the gentle, quiet, loving Friends to assemble "in the spirit" to wait on the Lord according to His appointment for the sweet and refreshing tokens of His gracious presence, and for the power ot the life-giving Spirit to work in their souls that which is well pleasing in His sight. The members at times have been Thomas Parker, Jesse Overman, Ephraim Overman, Eli Overman, Jacob Horn, Thomas Cadwallader, Micajah Morgan, John Thomas, Clarkson Willcutts, Aaron Mills, William Hill, John Cammuck, Frederic Fulghum, Francis W. Thomas, and many others.

The present members, some of them, are Aaron Jiill, Jacob Hill, William Hunt, Henry W. Horn, Henry Horn, Nathan Overman, Jordan Fulghum, Clarkson Fulghum, William Fulghum, Jonathan Rogers, Joshua Thomas, Manlove Thomas, Silas Horn, Calvin Pucket with their wives and families, and others besides them.

The Friends at Arba are an active people, engaging largely in mission work, holding religious meetings, establishing First Day schools, having temperance meetings, etc. Some five years ago an enthusiastic temperance gathering was held in the grove near the north toll gate, being addressed by Hon. T. M. Browne, Rey. Marine, then of Richmond, and others. The assembly was large, and great interest was taken, and much good was done.

The Society of Friends at' Arba, established about sixty-six years ago, has maintained a solid existence, and enjoyed a steady, substantial growth, quiet, peaceful, united, they have pursued the "even tenor of their way," manifesting a constant and unwavering abiding in the things that make for peace and truth and mercy and righteousness and Christian love. Though making but slight apparent noise and stir in the groat world, yet their quiet and gentle power has been like the werds of the sacred writer: "My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass."

Besides the Friends, preaching has been had at the place more or less from time to time; but no permanent lodgment was ever made by any society but the Friends, so far as known. The Episcopal Methodists have made it a preaching point to some extent, and the Wesleyan Methodists once had regular meetings for a considerable time, but they were discontinued.

~Buena Vista (between Buena Vista and Unionsport) - The church was built about 1870, by a union effort of all classes, and was then given into the charge of Friends. There was no Society in connection with the meeting-house, but Friends from abroad made appointments for a time. Their meet-

There was once a Quaker Church standing about in the middle of the burying-ground. It was built by Thomas Gillum, perhaps thirty years ago, say 1850, or thereabouts.

Cherry Grove is one of the group of Friends' Societies formed by that branch of Christian believers during the first years of settlement in Randolph County.

About 1820, Arba, Lynn, Cherry Grove, White River, Jericho and Dunkirk had all taken their beginning in religious work; and, except Dunkirk. every one of these meetings hold fast to its place and its work among men.

The exact year of the establishment of each one is not easy to tell at the present time. Each one of them grew up, naturally, as it were, by the gathering together of those who, in each locality, were of one heart and one mind in the worship of the Lord. They had been sober and devout worshipers in the Southern land, and they brought with them, deep settled in their inmost souls, their love of God and man and their hope in Christ, and their sense of obligation to be the Lord's, and to live and die for Him. And almost the very first thing done by them was to plant the tabernacle of the Lord in the wilderness; and, through rain and sunshine, and winter's cold, along forest trails and over paths dimly traced by blazed trees, on horseback or on foot, did those sturdy pioneers obey the command of their Lord not to " forget the assembling of themselves together."

The history of one is substantially the history of all. One in spirit, in faith, in love and hope, and in their views of the appropriate methods of Christian work and worship, this group of Friends' Societies have gone on, hand in hand and heart with heart, in their loving service of their Divine Master.

The chief members of Cherry Grove at first were Stephen Hockett, John Osborn, Jonathan Johnson, John Pegg, Caleb Reece, Thomas Frazier, Curtis Bales, James Jay, Gideon Frazier, Edward, Joseph and Nathan Thornburg, etc.

The recorded ministers from time to time, during almost 'twothirds of a century have been Thomas Frazier, the only one for many years, Elizabeth Pearson, Elwood Osborn, Jonathan Hodgin, Levi Jessup, Seth Reece, Huldah Reeea, Cynthia Reece, Martha Johnson.

Some of the members at this time are, in addition to most of the above ministers: Isaac Osborn, Davis Pegg, Hli Reece, Calvin Johnson, Elkanah Osborn. 'There are about eighty families

It is worthy of remark, as showing the sincerity and permanancy of the religious convictions of early Friends that the ministers among this group of meetings were, for a long time, very few. Jericho had none, Cherry Grove had but one, 'Arba had but one, Dunkirk had only one; and for many years Jericho Friends: would meet on First and Fifth Day, winter and summer, raih or shine, regular as the sunrise, and sit in absolute and céaseless quiet with neither prayer, nor exhortation, nor song, under the gentle power of the purifying and comforting Spirit, cherishing in their waiting souls the lovely Christian graces. The meeting-house now standing has been in occupancy for about tweny-two or twenty-three yéars.

The first house was log, built where the schoolhouse now is. The second was frame, built in 1888. That was burnt down in about 1856, and another, the present one, was erected the next season.

Dunkirk. - The first meeting-house at Dunkirk was built in 1822, and the second and last one in 1830. The Friends there were led by Isom Puckett for thirty-six years; when he died, the church went down (1856).

\Among those who helped to build it are Jerry Reynolds, Isom Puckett, Jesse Green, Elijah Jackson, John Wright, Solomon Reynard, Solomon Wright.

It was situated on the Paul Way farm. The church is stil] standing. The graveyard is used for purposes of burial, though much out of repair. It is to be regretted that the early Friends were so unwilling to place memorial stones over the graves of their dear departed, since by that neglect all memory of most of those ancient pioneers will speedily pass from among men. Dunkirk has scores, perhaps hundreds, of rough stones set up as a token that at some time some friend or relative was deposited beneath; but who it may have been, or when the act was done, or what the age or sex of the one above whose dust the " dumb token " still remains, that lifeless, that letterless stone will not reveal, and no mortal now living can tell, and the secret is forever hidden. The tomb is locked, and the key is thrown into the river, and perpetual darkness rests down upon the rolling wave!

That ancient graveyard would be regarded by coming ages as a thrice sacred spot, and al] the more could future generations read upon the fair face of the slabs of unmoldering marble the names, the ages, the virtues of fathers and grandfathers and great-grandfathers in « long, backward-extending line of honored and venerable, but now wellnigh forgotten ancestry!

In New England and the Hast there are no spots like those ancient "God's acres," where whole generations of ancestors lie entombed, and where, moreover, the monuments above the lifeless dust of the departed dead preserve in fadeless freshness the memory of those who in their appointed lot and place, in ages long gone by, served well their generation according to the will of God.

venerated among that mighty nation - Westminster Abbey. "And think of being baried in Westminster Abbey with no stone to mark the restiug- piace! To be honored with a niche among that congregated hdst of.-heroes worthy and beloved, and yet to lie utterly unnoted and wholly unknown among that company of England's best and noblest, even as though bleaching in the blank "and empty desert,-or as though in the deep bosom of the ocean buried.

And Dunkirk, in the Randolph woods, though a humble, is yet a sacred, spot; and could ww, as we repair thither, but point out the graves of the worthy sires and grandsires, and of the aged mothers and grandmothers who have in that solemn place been buried out of sight until the Archangel's trump shall sound, after they had well fulfilled the mission which the Great Master above had given them to do, instead of being, as it now threatens speedily to become, simply a ruinous old inclosure, rough and uusightly, with uncouth, shapeless stones projecting uselessly from the hillocked earth, that same Dunkirk, hidden away in the recesses of the forest, would grow to be, and more and more as the years and the ages roll, become a veritable "temple of Mecca," a shrine sacred to love and affection, and to reverence of the lamented dead.

Erect the gravestones and préserve the cemeteries, and let suitable and imperishable monuments mark 'the resting-places of the " dear ones long departed," net indsea for vain and costly show, or in the way of proud and senseless display of aristocracy and pride, but under the gentle power of affection and with a sincere and worthy purpose to preserve to the public through succeeding generations the knowledge and the memory of those who, during their lives, were devoted to friendship and kindness and the love of Gd and man.

Farmland. - Benjamin Morris, of the Cedar Preparative Meeting, has a minute from that society allowing him to hold meetings at Farmland. He does so every other week, Sabbath and Sabbath evenings. Thereare about thirty members. Their services were at first held in the old schoolhouse. During the present year (1881), they have bought the old Christian (New Light)