Coshocton City (part 4 of 11)

" On the farm of a Mr. Long, about fifteen miles southwest of St. Louis, was found, many years ago, an ancient burying-ground, containing a vast number of small graves, indicating that the country around had once been the seat of a great population of human beings of less than ordinary size, similar in every respect to those found near Coshocton. But, on opening the graves, they found the skeletons deposited in stone coflins, while those at Coshocton bore evidence of having been buried in wooden coffins. After opening many of the graves, all having in them skeletons of a pigmy race, they at length found one, as at Coshocton, denoting a full-developed, large-sized man, except in length, the legs having been cut ofiF at the knees and placed alongside the thigh bones. From this fact many scientific men conjectured that there must have been a custom among the inhabitants of separating the bones of the body before burial, and that accounted for the small size of the graves. The skeletons, however, were reduced to white chalky ashes, and therefore it was impossible to determine whether such a custom existed or not.

" A custom is said to have existed among certain tribes of the western Indians to keep their dead unburied until the flesh separated from the bones ; and when the bones became clean and white, they were buried in small coffins. The Nanticoke Indians of Maryland had a custom of exhuming their dead after some months of burial, cutting off from the bones all the flesh and burning it, then drying and wrapping the bones in clean cloths, and reburying them ; and, whenever the tribe removed to new hunting-grounds, the bones of their dead were taken along. It is known that this tribe removed to "Western Pennsylvania, and portions of them came to the Muskingum valley with the Shawanese. Zeisberger had two Nanticoke converts at Schoenbrunn, and one of whom (named Samuel Nanticoke) affirmed - as tradition goes - that this pigmy grave-yard at Lichtenau was their burying-groimd, and contained the bones of their ancestors, carried from one place to another for many generations, and found a final resting place in these valleys, when their posterity became too weak, from the wastage of war, to remove them elsewhere." - Mitchener's Ohio Annals.

When the Walhonding canal was being built, a number of skeletons in the sitting posture were unearthed. On the Powelson place, just east of the town of Coshocton, a skeleton was dug up, having upon the head a curious shaped metallic cap or earthen-ware vase. It was forwarded to the Academy of l^atural Sciences in Philadelphia, by Rev. Wm, E. Hunt, in 1869.

The Tuscarawas river was long embraced with the Muskingum river, as we now call it, under the one designation - the Muskingum extending from Marietta to the headwaters in Summit county. Afterward the Tuscarawas was called the " Little Muskingum." The best accredited meaning of the name Muskingum is " Elk's Eye " - the emblem of placid, quiet beauty.

Tuscarawas, according to Heckewelder (as good authority as any in these things), means " Old Town," the oldest Indian town in South-eastern Ohio being on it near the present Bolivar.

Prose Legend Of The Walhonding

Christopher Gist, when looking up lands for George Washington's Virginia Land Company, was at " White Woman's Town," January 14, 1751. He says the town (it stood near the junction of Killbuck and White Woman creeks) was so called from the fact that the ruling spirit in it was a white woman, who had been taken captive in New England, when she was not above ten years of age, by the French Indians, and had subsequently become the wife of " Eagle Feather." She is reported as having been one of the -' strong-minded " of her day, and " wore the leggins." She had several children, and was even outstripping the Indian in Indian qualities. Her name was Mary Harris. According to this story, the river was named from the town. Those who prefer this account to the more poetic, and perhaps equally truthful, one given in the chapter of this work entitled " Indian Occupancy," can do so without hurting the feelings of the writer of the book, who has not talent nor time to settle conflicting Indian legends.

" There came to Goschachgiink, in the spring of 1778, some disafiected persons from Pittsburg, with Alexander McKee, Matthew Elliot, and Simon Girty - an ignoble trio of go-betweens and desperadoes.

" Soon after the arrival of this party, a second appeared, consisting of a sergeant and twenty privates, deserters from the fort, who joined the British Indians. These men all vied one with another in spreading falsehoods among the Delawares. The Americans, they said, had been totally defeated in the Atlantic States ; driven westward, they were now about to wage an indiscriminate war against the Indians. Such reports produced a general excitement in the nation. Captain Pipe, who had been eagerly watching for an opportunity to supplant White Eyes, and overthrow the policy of the council, hastened to the capital, called upon his countrymen to seize the hatchet, and defend their homes. Who would venture to prate of treaties now?

White Eyes barely succeeded in having the declaration of war postponed for ten days, that time might be given to ascertain whether the reports were true or false. But this did not hinder preparations for the conflict. Goschachgiink rang with the war-song ; rifles were cleaned and tomahawks sharpened. In order to prevent the rising of this nation and its numerous grandchildren, peace-messages must at once be sent to Goschachgiink. Such messages were prepared, but not a runner could be induced to take them. General Hand's oflers of the most liberal rewards were all in vain ; the risk was too great.

" In this emergency, Heckewelder and Schebosh volunteered their services. Riding three days and two nights without stopping, except to feed their horses, in constant danger from the war-parties that lurked in the forests, they reached Gnaddenhiitten an hour before midnight of the fifth of April. The next day was the ninth of the stipulated term. Ko contradiction of the reports spread by Girty and his confederates had been received. War was accepted as a necessity even by White Eyes. Of that crisis John Heckewelder was the illustrious hero. Although scarcely able any longer to sit upon his horse, and although it was at the risk of his life, he pressed on after but a brief rest, accompanied by John Martin, a native assistant, and got to Goschachgiink at ten o'clock in the morning. The whole population turned out to meet him, but their faces were dark and sinister. There was no welcome given. Not a single Delaware reciprocated his greetings. He extended his hand to White Eyes, but even White Eyes stepped back.

" Holding aloft the written speeches of which he was the bearer, Heckewelder addressed the Indians from his horse. He told them that they had been deceived ; that the Americans, instead of being defeated in the Atlantic States, had gained a great victory, and forced Burgoyne and his whole army to surrender ; and that, so far from making war upon the Delawares, they were their friends, and had sent him to establish a new alliance. Such news brought about a - sudden change in the aspect of aflairs. A council was called ; the missives of General Hand were delivered and accepted in due form ; the warlike preparations ceased ; and, while Captain Pipe and his adherents left the town in great chagrin, the instigators of this whole plot fled to more congenial tribes." - From De Schweinitz's Life and Times of Zeisbcrger.

A Temperance Crusade Among The Indians

"In the year 1773, Rev. David Jones, a Baptist minister, was sent out from Philadelphia city to the Scioto and Muskingum valleys, with the view of establishing a mission. On arriving at Schoenbrunn he found Zeisberger had planted his colonies along the Tuscarawas, and as they gave evidence of success, Jones proceeded on south and spent some time among the Shawanese, but found no encouragement for a mission among them. He, therefore, returned up the Tuscarawas valley to 'New Comerstown, in the vicinity of the present town of that name. Here the Indians were having a great feast and dance, in which whisky, procured from traders, was the principal performer. Under its influence they refused Jones permission to preach, shut him up in one of their huts, and put a guard around him, and some proposed to kill him ; but one of the chiefs, called Gelelemend, or Killbuck, interfered and saved his life.

" After the Indian feast was over they listened to the preacher, and he, having spoken much against the use of whisky, made such an impression on the mind of the chief Killbuck, that he became a convert then, and was ever afterward opposed to its use. While Jones remained at " the New Comerstown," Killbuck destroyed all the liquor on hand, and notified the traders that if they brought any more whisky among the Indians they (the traders) would be scalped. This aroused their enmity against the preacher, and threats being again made by some of the drinking Indians against his life, the chief had him escorted up the river to Gnadenhutten settlement, and from there to Schoenbrunn, from which place the Delawares saw him safe to Fort Pitt, it being midwinter, and

The Gnadenhutten Massacre

Although this was not an event taking place in Coshocton county, yet as some of the ancestors of the settlers in Coshocton county had to do with it, and the occurrence bore important relations to the Indians whose cherished seat was once in Coshocton county, and to the settlement of the count}', a brief account is here given.

In 1781, the Moravian Indians were required to abandon the Tuscarawas valley mission stations and repair to Detroit. Amid the rigors of the winter they were taken to Sandusky and there held for a time. A scarcity of provisions was, however, soon felt in the new location, and in February, 1782, about a hundred and fifty of the Indians returned from the Sandusky region to the Tuscarawas region to get supplies of corn which had been raised the season before, and left in the field unhusked. While they were husking and gathering the corn they took up their residence again ii^ Gnadenhutten and Salem.

Meanwhile the settlers in Western Pennsylvania were experiencing some great outrages at the hands of some redskins. A band had attacked the home of a man named Wallace, murdered his wife and five children, impaling one of the children with its face toward the settlements and its belly toward the Indian country, and had carried ofi" John Carpenter as a prisoner. In the latter part of 1781, the militia of the frontier came to a determination to break up the Moravian villages on the Tuscarawas. For this purpose, a detachment of men, under the command of Colonel Williamson, avowing only the determination to make the Indians move further away or taking them prisoners to Fort Pitt. When they reached Gnadenhutten they found but few Indians, the removal of most of them to Sandusky having already been eft'ected. A few were captured and taken to Fort Pitt and delivered to the commandant there, who, after a short detention, sent them home again. This procedure greatly displeased the settlers, who were demand- iiig a more vigorous policy. Colonel Williamson, hitherto a very popular man, was losing his place of honor among the frontiersmen. At length, in February, 1782, a new expedition under his command set out. This was gathered under the impulse of stories that the Indians released by the commandant at Fort Pitt had, the night after they were liberated, crossed the Ohio and killed a family by the name of Monteur ; that an Indian who had been captured after the killing of a family on Buffalo creek had reported that the leader of the baud was a Moravian. Williamson's expedition reached the Tuscarawas valley on the 7th of March. Upon pretense of friendly council, and only with the purpose of arranging for the greater peace and prosperity, and especially to take some steps so as to relieve them from their unpleasant situation as between "two fires," of bad Indians and vengeful whites, the corn-gatherers were all called in and actually made prisoners.

The militia now tried to criminate the Indians, charging that despite their peaceful professions they were warriors, and had taken part in the war against the Americans; that they had harbored and fed, in their towns, British Indians on their march to the American frontiers ; that their horses were, many of them, stolen ; that their houses, in their appliances, and their clothing gave evidence that they had helped to plunder the farms and attack the settlements ; that, at any rate, they kept a half-way house for marauding Indians and received stolen goods.

The prisoners appealed to the knowledge of the soldiers themselves as to the general public friendship for the whites ; to the efforts they had made successfully for years to keep the nation of which they were part from joining with the British Indians ; they explained the necessity which compelled them to entertain British Indians, but showed that they had, at the same time, persuaded many a warparty to turn back ; and, further, that when the American general, Brodhead, had come into their country, on his expedition against Goschachguuk, they had furnished his army too with provisions ; they admitted often receiving articles of clothing and utensils from other Indians for entertain- ment ; and reminded their captors that they were civilized Indians, dressing like the whites, working their horses like them, and using the same household utensils, mechanical tools, and agricultural implements.

But thepe explanations were not accepted. A council of war was held. The officers, unwilling to assume the responsibility, agreed to submit the question to the men. They were, accordingly drawn up in line; Colonel Williamson stepped forward, saying : " Shall the Moravian Indians be taken prisoners to Pittsburgh or put to death? All those in favor of sparing their lives advance one step and form a second rank." Thereupon sixteen (some reports say eighteen) men stepped out of line, leaving an immense majority for the sentence of death.

The mode of execution then created some debate. It was at one time proposed to set iire to the houses in which the captives were and roast them alive; but it was finally determined to kill them and get their scalps as trophies of the campaign. On the 8th of March, the captives (twentynine men, twenty-seven women, and thirty-four children) were placed in the " slaughter-houses," as they were designated - the males in one, the females in another - and then butchered with tomahawks, mallets, war-clubs, spears, and scalping-knives. Only a part of the militia were engaged in this dreadful work. Others were gathering up the plunder and making preparations for the march to another town. After the massacre all the houses of the village Avere burned. The Indians in the second town got timely alarm and fled. Two lads escaped - the one having received a blow that only stunned him, and the other having been scalped. The whole number killed was ninety.

The Eev. Philip Doddridge, a Presbyterian minister, who lived in Western Virginia, where many of Williamson's troops lived, speaking of this massacre, says :

" Should it be asked what sort of people composed the band of murderers of these unfortunate people, I answer that they were not miscreants and vagabonds. Many of them were men of the first standing in the country - many of them men who had recently lost relations by the hands of the savages. Several of the latter class found in the houses of the murderers articles which had been plundered from their own houses, or those of their relations. One man, it is said, found the clothes of his wife and children who had been murdered by the Indians a few days before ; yet there was no unequivocal evidence that these people had any direct agency in the war. Whatever of property was found with them had been left b}^ the warriors from the regions beyond in exchange for provisions. When attacked by our people they might have defended themselves, but they did not. They never fired a single shot* They were prisoners, and had been promised protection. Every dictate of justice and humanity required that their lives should be spared. The complaint of their villages being half-way houses, if well founded, was at an end, because the people had been removed to Sandusky the fall before. It was, therefore, an atrocious and unqualified murder. But by whom committed? By a majority of the campaign? For the honor of my country, I hope I may safely answer this question in the negative. It was one of those convulsions of the moral state of society in which the voice of the justice and humanity of the majority is silenced by the clamor and violence of a real minority. Very few of our men imbrued their hands in the blood of the Moravians. Even those who had not voted for saving their lives, retired from the scene of slaughter with horror and disgust. Why then did they not give their votes in their favor? The fear of public indignation restrained them from doing so. They thought well, but had not heroism enough to express their opinion. In justice to the memory of Colonel Williamson,! have to say that, although at that time very young, I was personally acquainted with him, and from my recollection I say that he was a brave man, but not cruel. Had he possessed the authority of a superior oflicer in the regular army, I do not believe that a single Moravian Indian would have lost his life. But he possessed no such authority. He was only a militia officer, who could advise, but not command. His only fault was a too easy compliance with popular opinion

In the summer of 1872 (some ninety years after the massacre), ten thousand citizens of the Tuscarawas valley assembled at Gnadenhutten to witness the unveiling of a handsome monument erected through the efforts of the "Gnadenhutten Monument Society" to the memory of the Christian Indians who fell the unresisting victims of the Williamson expedition.

After some excellent music by an immense band of traiued singers, accompanied by instrumental music, the Rev. Dr. De Schweinitz, Bishop of the Moravian Church of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, delivered an oration of rich historic interest and rare beauty of expression.

At the close of the oration, amid music of suitable sort, four Indians of the Delaware tribe, two of them lineal descendants of the massacred Indians, stripped the canvas, and exposed to full view the monument. This is of gray stone, wnth base and die and shaft, in all about thirty -five feet high. On the die is the inscription: "Here perished ninety Christian Indians in 1782," and on the base the simple legend, "Gnadenhutten."

The assembly having been dismissed for dinner (basket and otherwise), was again summoned to the stand, and the exercises of the afternoon opened by a hymn in the Delaware language, sung by the Indians and their missionary, the Rev. Mr. Riennecke, from Canada.

Brief addresses were made by Mr. Riennecke and each of the Indians, and Rev. "Wm. E. Hunt, Presbyterian minister from Coshocton, Ohio, made a few remarks congratulating the Monument Society upon the accomplishment of its work, declaring that the monument belonged to the whole Christian world, and would not only commemorate the Christian virtues of the deceased, but speak to all coming generations of the undying fame of all who do and sufier for the Master.

After a few remarks by Rev. Mr. Harmon, pastor at Gnadenhutten, the benediction was pronounced by Bishop De Schweinitz, and the assembly thus dismissed.

Among those present were many of the dignitaries of the Moravian Church, such as Bishop De Schweinitz and his brothers Francis and Mier, Dr. Riennecke, the Wollfe brothers, and others ; but the thousands present witnessed the interest of the whole people of the Tuscarawas valley, and especially those of classic and Christian taste and feeling, in the secluded spot now marked so unmistakably, and even hitherto well known, by all interested in the annals of heroism and the legends of the Christian faith.

" Among the captive children surrendered to Colonel Bouquet, at the ' Forks of the Muskingum,' was one whom no one claimed at the time the people were summoned to the fort for the purpose of identifying and reclaiming their lost ones, and whose after-history is full of romance. In 1756, the wife and child of a Mr. John Gray, living near Carlisle, Pennsylvania, had been taken by the Indians. When Gray died, he willed one-half of his farm to his wife, and the other half to his child, in case they should ever return from captivity. The wife soon got away from the savages, returned home, and, finding her husband's will, proved it, and took possession of the farm. She went to look for her daughter among the Bouquet captives, but, failing to recognize her, was persuaded to claim as the missing daughter the unclaimed little girl above spoken of, and thus secure the whole farm. Taking her home with her, she brought up the strange child as if her own, carefully keeping the secret. The girl grew up as the daughter of John Gray, married a man named Gillespie, and took the Gray estate. This changed hands several times up to the year 1789, when some of the collateral heirs of John Gray obtaining information about the spurious Jane Gray, commenced suits to recover the land, being some four hundred acres of the best land in Mifiiin county, Pennsylvania. After legal contests, running through forty -four years, the case was disposed of against the reputed daughter, and the

"At the time of the reclamation, one woman failing to recognize her lost child was lamenting her loss, and telling how^'she continued still to sing every evening the favorite hymn of the lost child. ' Sing it now,' said the sympathizing officer, and she sang :

" She had sung thus far, when the daughter, having her sight quickened by the old sound, rushed forward, and the joy of the restoration was complete."

Description Of The Hunting-Shirt

Among the earliest settlers of Coshocton county, as elsewhere in the West at the same time, the hunting-shirt was almost universally worn. For the information of our younger readers, we append a description :

" This garment was a kind of loose frock, reaching half way down the thighs, with large sleeves, open before, and so wide as to lap over a foot or more when belted. The cape was large, and sometimes handsomely fringed with a raveled piece of cloth of a different color from that of the hunting-shirt itself. The bosom of this dress served as a wallet to hold a chunk of bread, cakes, jirk, tow for wiping the barrel of the rifle, or any other necessary for the hunter or warrior. The belt, which was always tied behind, answered several purposes, besides that of holding the dress together. In cold weather the mittens, and sometimes the bullet-bag, occupied the front part of it. To the right side was suspended the tomahawk, and to the left the scalping-knife in its leathern sheath. The huntingshirt was generally made of linsey, sometimes of coarse linen, and a few of dressed deer-skins. These last were very cold and uncomfortable in wet weather." - Doddridge's Notes.

County

The house was built of logs laid one upon another, all being notched, so that the end and side logs would hold each to the other. The roof was made out of boards split out of short blocks or pieces of logs, called " clap-boards." The cracks between the logs were stopped with clay. A door was made by sawing or cutting the logs on one side of the house, so as to make an opening about three feet wide. The opening was secured by upright pieces of timber, three inches thick, into which holes were bored into the ends of the logs, for the purpose of pinning them fast, and helping to keep the logs in their place. The door was made of clap-boards, such as were on the roof. At one end was the fire-place, made of a few stones, and the chimney, formed of sticks daubed over with mud. There was a little opening that could be covered by a board for a window, or sometimes an opening covered over with apiece of greased-paper or rag.

As to the furniture, there was a table made by splitting a log and putting some sticks for feet on the rounded side. A few chairs were sometimes made in the same way. Some wooden-pins were driven into the logs, whereon to lay clapboards for shelves for dishes, etc. A forked-stick was set in the floor, which was either made of split-logs, called "puncheons" or of earth, and into the fork of this one end of a stick was put, the other going into the log in the side of the house. Upon the rest thus made some sticks were placed, the other end of them going in between the logs which formed the wall of the house. Into these walllogs were driven a few wooden-pins, whereon were hung the gowns of linsey belonging to the women, and the hunting-shirts of the men. Usually two small forks or bucks' horns were fastened up, whereon rested the rifle and shotpouch, etc. Kot a nail nor a piece of glass was anywhere used. A wooden latch for the door was made, and a string of leather or flax ran through a hole in the door to the outside, and when " outsiders " were not wanted this string was pulled in. The " latch-string out " was thus the sign of hospitality. The table-ware consisted of a few earthenware or pewter dishes, and an iron pot or skillet, or both, and some wooden bowls or trenchers, or perhaps a few gourds, made up the kitchen and table furniture. A handmill or a mortar and pestle to prepare the grain for cooking was a housekeeping utensil found in some families, but many did not command these, and one served sometimes for several neighbors. The most " fore-handed " men that came into the county had for some years little or nothing better than these things.

Louis Philippe At Coshocton

Among the accepted traditions of Coshocton is one that old Colonel "Williams kicked out of his tavern the abovenamed famous Frenchman, who, having been compelled to flee his own country, was traveling in America about the close of the last century.

Louis was on the throne when G. "W. Silliman visited Paris, and he reported upon his return that the king, in an interview, had spoken of his travels in the Western country, and stated that he had been very shabbily treated at a tavern at the forks of a river, whose landlord was described in such way as to satisfy Silliman that it must have been "Williams.

The latter, upon being spoken to, said he remembered the circumstance. That Louis had complained of the accommodations as very unbefitting a king, and that he had informed him that all the people in this country were sovereigns, and that, if he did not like what satisfied them, he could get out of the house, and he would help him out, as he then did, with the toe of his boot.

It is said, however, that, as a historical fact, Louis Philippe was on shipboard, on his way back to France, before "Williams kept any tavern at the forks.

In later years, there was living in Coshocton a somewhat famous character, who, when in liquor, always fancied himself "Andrew Jackson." It may have been that 'Williams' French king was a man of the same style.

People who fancy that the importance of either Williams or the town may be increased thereby can still " hold the tradition," and possibly find some way of removing the little anachronism alleged in the case.

How To Kaise A Large Family

One of the " old settlers," who had reared a very large family, though a comparatively very poor man, was asked how in the world he had done it. " No trouble at all," said the old man. " Commenced with a pot of mush, and as each child came, just put in a little more water and gave a few more stirs."

" Indian stories," among many of the old settlers, were largely the stock in trade. A man was not much in the old-time bar-rooms, who could not tell some tall stories.

The fact is thoroughly established that after 1795 there were very few Indians within the territory afterward embraced in Coshocton county. In Tuscarawas county, some years later, there were some of the Christian Indians ; but such as were found in the region of Coshocton were straggling bands, or sellers of game, or individual strollers.

For thirty years before 1795 the whites had been seeking to occupy the land, and the Indians struggling to maintain their hold ; and about that time the whole upper Muskingum valley and the Tuscarawas valley were almost uninhabited, the two races having scourged each other out of them.

Despite all this, stories were told of how frightened the wives and children of the first settlers were, who could hear at night the Indians prowling about the huts and cabins in which they were sleeping.

One of the old fellows, who attached great importance to Indian experiences, was once, when somewhat set up with liquor, relating some wonderful things, when some one, interrupting him, asked him if there were many Indians in the county when he came into it. Eying his questioner sharply, he answered, " Indians plenty ! I guess there were. Why, when I came, if a man got off the canal- boat and took a few steps into the woods, lie would get shot just full of arrows." This a quarter of a century after the Indians were all removed !

Backwoods Sports

In "house raisings," "corn huskings," "fox hunts," and " rifle matches," the early settlers, who had no special interest in horse races or " listicufis," found largely their amusements. In some parts of the county, a custom prevailed in relation to observing Christmas and New Year's day that has been thus reported :

The country around was wild, and but little cultivated. A rifle was an indispensable article for house-keeeping, even before the hewed-out log cradle, or the harrow made by taking a forked stick and driving some wooden pins in it. On the days above named, thirty or forty " neighbors " would come together, some of them coming for twenty miles, and, as noiselessly 'as possible, getting in a circle around a previously selected house, about two or three o'clock in the morning, they would all fire their rifles and simultaneously give a yell. The sequel of the matter was they were all invited into the house and furnished with something hot to eat or drink.

Weddings were big things in the pioneer days. The " neighbors " for twenty miles around would commonly be invited. The understanding was that those coming in by certain roads would gather at a designated place on each road, about two miles from where the wedding was to take place. And then for a race !

The mother of the groom was provided in advance with a supply of bottles of whisky, and as the foremost of the horsemen on each road came in he was presented by her with a bottle, and an elegant ruflQer was placed upon the horse's neck, ornamented also with gay-colored ribbons. When the horsemen were all in, the hills echoed and re-

In the earlier days the amusements may have had more of what is now called " coarseness " than some of the modern ones, but then they were generally more health -promoting, and, according to every testimony, full as " clean " as the latter.

It is certain the social life of the people was not less joysome than now. For a few years, there were not apples enough in the county for " a bee," but they after a time had a place.

In the townships largely peopled by Kew Englauders and Western Pennsylvanians, the singing-school afibrded the diversion as well as often sometliing better.

And then " sparking " was much in vogue - just the thing for a new country - said, indeed, to have originated there. The process was readily learned, generally practiced, and so familiar that old people never stop to inquire about it, but very young do, and for these let it be told how it was done.

The log houses in those days, it will be remembered, had but one room, or, if more, commonly but one with a tireplace. Bed time came, and the children crawled up a ladder into the loft; the old folks went to bed in a quiet way in one corner of the room. The wood fire has been glowing and cracking all through the evening, b*it has pretty well burned out, and, " for sake of the old people," the fragments are drawn together and slightly covered over with ashes, and thenceforth there is only a dull red glow, with now and then a " spark " springing with a slight snap from the wood. Now was the time for the bashful lover and coy maiden, and then were carried on the love afiairs, designated in one locality and set " sparking," and in another " courting," and in another " paying and receiving attentions," but, in one phrase or another, everywhere readily recognized and approved.

Chapter Xx Miscellaneous Matters

1. The Killing of Carimill, " the Post-Boy." 2. Shocking Murders in Coshocton County. 3. Colored People in Coshocton County. 4. Fires in Roscoe - An Incident and a Joke. 5. A Bundle of First Things. 6. Relics and Curiosities in Personal Possession. 7. Coshocton Wags in Early Days. 8. The Treasury Robbery. 9. Humor of the Crusade.

The whole Tuscarawas valley was excited in 1825 by the murder of William Cartmill. He was shot from his horse, while carrying the mail, at a point just beyond the line of Coshocton county, in what in those days was called " the "Wilderness," near by a station on the Marietta and Cleveland railroad, a few miles south of New Comerstown, now called Post Boy. Cartmill was a resident of Coshocton, a brother of Mrs. Richards, who died January, 1876. John Smeltzer, a trader of Coshocton, who had taken a drove of horses on east, was, at the time, on the road some miles behind the post-boy ; and it has always been the idea of many people in Coshocton that the assassin mistook his man, and, when killing the mail-carrier, supposed he was shooting Smeltzer, and would get a considerable part of the price of the drove of horses sold by him. A man named Johnson, out hunting, was the first to discover Cartmell, and declared he was drawn to the spot by hearing the crack of a rifle. The mail-bag was rifled. The neighbors aroused by Johnson arrested him, and he was put into jail in New Philadelphia. The foot-prints on the ground just at the spot where the murder was committed were subsequently measure^, and did not tally at all with those made by him. "While still in jail, he told the sheriti" that he had just caught a glimpse of the murderer as he glided into the woods, and thought he would recognize him if he should see the man again. The entire male population of the locality where the crime was conimitted were requested to meet at the jail at a time appointed; and they having done so, Johnson carefully scanned each one, and finally selected out of the crowd one John Funston, declaring " that is the man." Funston at once sharply answered him, " You are a liar." He was, however, put into jail, and, after a trial and conviction, confessed the crime.

The murder took place on the 9th of September, 1825, and the execution upon the gallows in New Philadelphia was on the 28th of December in the same year. Of course Johnson was released.

By the way, Cartmill's sister, mentioned in the foregoing, had a very peculiar experience in relation to the violent deaths of no less than three of her near family connections. Her brother's case is given above. Her first husband, John Markley, was killed on election day in 1816, at Coshocton, by a stab from the hands of a man with whom he had an altercation, and who came upon him unawares and escaped. Her son by her second marriage, Joseph K. Richards, had been in a saloon, and some words had passed between him and a man named Ward. Richards had left the place and crossed the street, when an injury was received (either from a stone thrown, or as a consequence of a fall directly after being hit with the stone), that caused his death. This occurred in the fall of 1868.

It is perhaps not best to keep fresh the recollection of those sad manifestations of the weakness and wickedness of human nature which .have come out in great crimes. Of course Coshocton county has not been without its share of these things. Some of them committed under the influence of drink, and others growing out of family difficulties based upon jealousy, or unexpectedly arising out of some broil, to the after grief of those having part in them, we may well pass by. And yet they all may be useful to teach a community that extravagant and unregulated passion of any kind is a root full of cost and curse of every kind. One thing is noticeable, and that is this, that although numerous persons have been indicted for murder in the first degree, there has never yet been a case of capital punishment.

George Arnold and John Markley having previously had one or more altercations, the former, on an election day in 1816, in Coshocton, approached stealthily and plunged a knife into the latter, causing his death in a little while. Arnold's reputation as a " rough " was so great, and the confused amazement of the bystanders so great, that he was allowed to escape, never more to be heard of in " these parts." This having been the first shocking murder committed in the county, made an impression not yet efl:aced nor overshadowed by occurrences of later date.

At the March (1849) term of the Court of Common Pleas John Gearhart was tried for murder in the killing of one Matilda Wade on the 28th day of September, 1848. Richard Stillwell, president judge, andB. R. Shaw, Sam'l Elliott, and James Le Retilley, associate judges, were on the bench. Thomas Campbell was prosecuting attorney, and William Sample, Esq., assisted in the prosecution. The defendant's attorneys were David Spangler, J. C. Tidball, and James Matthews. The grand jury at the October (1848) term had indicted him for murder in the first degree, James Moore, of Jefferson township, being the foreman. The petit jury were Joel Glover, D. W. Burt, Samuel Winklepleck, John Carnahan, Abraham T. Jones, Thomas Boggs, Daniel Forker, S. C. Crichfield, Joshua Clark, James Whittaker, Stephen Donley, and Andrew Ferguson.

The proof showed that Mrs. Wade, the wife of a druggist in Roscoe, was doing some washing for herself in the basement or cellar of the hotel where she was boarding. In a little time she was missed, and blood was found where she had been at work. Her husband was sent for, and, as there was an unused cistern near where she had been wash- ing, aiid traces of blood to it, he was let down into it, and found his wife at the bottom. She was drawn up, and it was found that her head had been nearly severed from the body. The defendant had been employed to tend the stables and chop wood, etc., and was seen, a few minutes before the woman was found, whetting his axe. Upon this axe and upon the defendant's clothing blood was found. The plea on the trial was " not guilty " - the line of defense " insanity." The jury convicted of murder in the second degree. Gearhart was sentenced to the penitentiary for life. He died with cholera about three months after being placed in the penitentiary.

On the morning of November 21 (Sabbath), 1875, Isaac Wertheimer, a clothing merchant in Coshocton, was called on at his house by a friend, who stated that he had failed to secure some needed articles of wearing apparel the night before, and would like to have him go with him to the store. W". asked him why he himself had not gone to the store, observing that his son Abraham was sleeping there, and could have attended to the matter. The reply was he had been there, but could get no response. Impressed with the idea that something might be amiss, the father speedily accompanied the man, and, upon entering the store, the body of young Wertheimer (twenty years of age), weltering in gore, and evidently dead some hours, was discovered on the couch he was accustomed to sleep on. Alarm was given, and in a little time the excited crowd became firm in the conviction that the murder had been committed by a journeyman tailor named Frank Ept, who was missing. It was learned that a fast train, which usually went east about two o'clock in the morning, had been behind time that morning, not being in Coshocton until eight, and chances of escape by railroad had probably failed the culprit. Patrols were sent out in every direction, and the whole country aroused. Late in the afternoon, word came of the capture of the supposed murderer near Port Washington, in Tuscarawas county, twenty-two miles east of Coshocton, near the line of the railroad ; and about dusk, amid the intensest excitement of an immense crowd gathered about the doors of the jail, Ept was lodged in it.

At the February (1876) term of the Court of Common Pleas, a grand jury, composed of the following persons, viz.: John McFarland, l^ew Castle township; Benton Clark, Jackson township; William Biggs, of same township; Daniel McConnell, of Washington; Henry Schmueser, of Franklin ; Henry K Shaw, of Tuscarawas ; Oliver Crawford, of Crawford ; Thomas Martin, of Franklin ; E. C. Haight, of Jackson ; John Seitzer, of Oxford ; Thomas Smailes, of Virginia; John Mulligan, of Tuscarawas; James B. Heslip, of Linton ; L. J. Bonnell, of Tuscarawas; and Waldo Adams, of same township (Henry Schmueser being the foreman), indicted Ept for murder in the first degree, the return being made February 11, 1876. On the 22nd of February, the judge (Wm. Reed) appointed Wm. Sample and R. M. Voorhees, Esquires, to act as attorneys for the accused, who was arraigned on the 26th, and plead not guilty. The case was continued until the May term. A special jury, consisting of Geo. Stringfellow^ of Tiverton township ; Abraham Weatherwax, of Clark ; John Johnson, of Bedford ; Daniel Fair, of Clark ; R. W. Thompson, of Keene ; Laban Headington, of Clark ; Highland Wright, of Virginia; Moses Finley, of Virginia; F. W. Powell, of Adams ; James Workman, of Tiverton ; Willard Nichols, of White Eyes; and Robert Doak, of Craw- - ford, were sworn May 5, 1876. The court-room was crowded during the whole trial, ending with a verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree, on Sabbath morning, May 14, 1876, at nine o'clock. W. S. Crowell, Esq., prosecuting attorney, was assisted by John D. Nicholas, Esq.

The testimony showed Ept (native of Bavaria, born in 1842, having been some three years in this country, having father and mother and other relatives in Columbus, Ohio) to have been working for some time with Isaac Wertheimer ; to have gained access to the store on the fatal night by a plea of being sick ; to have killed young Wertheimer with a dull hatchet and tailor's goose ; to have tried to break open the safe ; to have packed up a good supply of fine clothing in a new satchel, along with the bloody tailor's goose ; to have taken the watch and revolver, etc., of young- "Werthei me r ; to have left the store and gone up to the railroad about the time the fast train was due, and to have stealthily pursued his way along and near the railroad track until his capture, which was eftected by John Bolton, James Reed, and Isaac Mulatt, all of Coshocton. The defence set up was insanity - " homicidal mania."

Pryor Foster was the first colored man of note in Coshocton county. He was the reputed agent of the " Underground Railroad." About 1839, several "fugitives" stopped with him on their way to Canada. The United States officers were in hot pursuit, but Foster and those in sympathy with him, or so far respecting him individually that they would not involve him in trouble, fixed matters, so that for a time they were safe, lodging the fugitives among some rocks up the Walhonding. They were, however, ultimately recaptured and taken south.

Several of the old families from Virginia were followed to their new homes, in the north-western territory, by some of their servants. The Robinsons had two or three ; the Darlings brought one ; and " Aunt Letty Thomas " came with the Simmons family. The latter was for many years at service, and afterward kept a boarding-house. She started an eating-house in 1855, for the railroad at Coshocton (then the principal eating station), and made it a favorite place for the hands and passengers. The business proved profitable, and she enlarged and extended the building until it was substantially the "Hackinson House" of today. She removed to Oberlin, and later to Washington City. The Waring family came in at an early day from near Richmond, Virginia, settled on Killbuck, and, by their becoming conduct, long enjoyed the esteem of the whole community. One of the young men studied at Wilberforce University at Xenia, and became quite a successful teacher in Ohio and among the freedmen in Tennessee. In 1855, the only colored people in the county were the Warings and Aunt Letty Thomas' family. In 1878, there were about thirty. Old Mr. Darling set up, on a farm in Knox county, the colored man who came in with him, but he did not do well. An effort was made to " abduct " those who had come in with the Robinsons, and place them in bondage in Kentucky. But in some unaccountable way (their captors claimed not by them), they were shot at Chillicothe. This was not long after they had first come to the county. C. Dorsey was the first of his racp to do jury duty - served in a corporation case, 1875.

Roscoe has had a noticeable experience in the matter of fires. The store of D. L. Triplett, the brick hotel adjoining, the " Union Flouring Mill " in the lower part of the town, the M. E. church, the brick hotel (standing where the Hutchins House now is), and other buildings in the central part, the Roscoe Flouring Mill, two woolen factories, and the distillery in the upper part of the town, are readily recalled as among the chief conflagrations. By the way, it is said that when the distillery burned, one of the most prominent temperance men in all the region was most vigorously at work, with coat off, to stay the ravages of the fire. Some one twitting him afterward about this, he claimed that after all he had been thoroughly consistent, for his main efforts had been directed to saving the water wheel !

A Bundle Of First Things

octon county, or, at all events, among the white settlers, was Joseph Evans, a son of Isaac Evans, born October 3, 1801. He grew up to manhood, and spent most of his life in the county as a farmer and a canal-boat captain. He removed to Illinois in 1853, and died August 23, 1867. His son, Isaac Evans, lives in Peoria, 111., having as his wife the great-grand-danghter of an old neighbor of his grandfather, Phebe Wagoner.

The first brick house built in Coshocton was that at the northeast corner of Second and Chestnut streets. The first in Roscoe was built by Theophilus Phillips, and used as a hotel, as was also the one in Coshocton. These houses were both as good in their day as the " Price House," in Coshocton, of to-day, with its three stories and handsome one hundred feet front.*

The first bell in the county was the one now on the courthouse, bought in 1834. When the canal-boat bringing it got within the county the captain commenced to ring it, and continued to do so at intervals until Roscoe was reached, where a vast and pleased crowd greeted it. The bell was bought for the commissioners in Troy, N. Y., by W. K. Johnson, and cost $131.

The first coal-burning cooking-stove used in the county was set up by William Tidball in 1856, when opening what is now the " (yity Hotel," in Coshocton. By the way, Mr. Tidball himself is almost old enough to find a place among " first things," being now ninety-five years of age. Pie was born in Alleghany county. Pa., and spent the active years of his life in Holmes county. He had a good deal of enterprise for an old man when he set up that stove.

Relics And Curiosities In Personal Possession

John Burt, of Coshocton, has a watch (tortoise-shell, bound with gold case) belonging to his grand-father (Foght). It was carried by the elder gentleman through the Revolutionary war.

J. W. Rue, of Coshocton, has two books - saved from his father's library when it was burned - one a hundred and j fifty and the othOT two hundred years old.

M. L. ISTorris, near Coshocton, has a padlock-key, picked up in Chicago, which he avers is the one that locked the door of the stable in which Mrs. O'Leary was milking the cow that kicked over the lamp that started " the great fire."

T. C. Ricketts has the set of books kept in his father's store from 1819 on for some years. John Smeltzer is understood to have been the book-keeper. The penmanship is admirable ; the ink was good. The accounts show that somebody used a good deal of whisky in the days of the forefathers. Some of the customers came all the way from near Millersburg, in what now is Holmes county, after a quart, paying only twelve and one-half cents for it. The election and muster days can be readily discerned by the increased sales of "the juice."

James M. Burt, of Lafayette township, has a silver tobacco-box bearing the imprint of a bullet, received while it was in the pocket of his grand-father (Foght) at the battle of Monmouth, in the Revolutionary war.

The Treasury Robbery, And The Trials

Brief mention of the robbery of the Coshocton county treasury has been made in another place in this volume, but additional details are here given.

On the night of January 21*, 1859, about one o'clock, the attention of Hiram Taylor, who was passing through the public square at the time, was arrested by sounds of some one, as if in distress, coming from the county treasurer's office, that being in the up-stairs room on the north side of the building, just north of the court-house.

He gave the alarm, and soon the sherifl" and some other parties were assembled, and proceeded to the office of the treasurer. Bursting open the door, they found Mr. Ketch um, the treasurer, tightly bound, and with a gag in his mouth, displaced enough to allow him to make some outcry.

The treasurer told his story - how that having remained in the office to pay, at special request, some witnesses in a case in progress that evening, so that they might take a late train home, two men (one with a big shawl) had come into the office and made inquiries about a little back tax ; and that while he was intent upon the books, looking the matter up, the one cast the shawl over his head, and the other seized him, and by their united exertions he was bound and gagged. The keys were taken, and the moneys taken out of the safe, and the robbers withdrew.

Much sympathy was expressed for the treasurer, and at a public meeting of citizens of Coshocton, and some from the county, this sympathy found expression in resolutions which read a little strangely now-a-days. The meeting -urged the commissioners to spare no expense or eftbrt in the ferreting out and punishing the bold miscreants who had injured the treasurer and robbed the people. It also advised that Wm. Bachelor, Esq., be employed to go about almost at will in search of the criminal. And there was much hurrying to and fro. But no clue was announced.

At length, two men were put on trial ; but the treasurer could only swear that one of them looked like one of the men that came into his office.

Time passed on. Ketchum stepped out of his office by " resignation," but showed no signs of guilt - only seemed worried by his " misfortune."

Among other plans looking to discovery of the robbers, the commissioners of the county requested by special messenger that banks should be on their lookout for such money as w^as taken - nearly all of it being in bills on the State Bank of Ohio.

In May, after the robbery, notice came from the Bank of Cadiz that a package of stained and musty bank-notes had been presented at their bank for redemption by James M. Brown, of Coshocton. Brown was called upon for an explanation, and his statement was written down and preserved ; but as it could not be discovered that he was using more money than he had apparently been using before the robbery, the suspicions against him died out and were forgotten.

Years passed away, and no clue to the robbery could be obtained. Brown, how^ever, was closely watched. While no offense had ever been proven on him, he had established a reputation from boyhood for being eager in the pursuit of money - keen to acquire it, and close to hold it. He had been for some time engaged in "shaving" operations, and had not by some of these helped his reputation, though evidently tilling his purse. He was making money rapidly in a year or two after the robbery, and no one could tell just how.

therefor. About this time he was not to be found in Coshocton, nor thereabouts. An unsuccessful attempt was made to bring him from Canada, where he was after a time discovered operating largely in gold, and with, it was reported, some $58,000 in ready funds.

In 1865, facts enough had come to light to warrant the grand jury in finding an indictment for robbing the treasury, and another for receiving the money stolen. The state proposed a trial in December, but Brown obtained a change of venue to Licking county, and by some informality in proceedings could not then be compelled to go to trial there unless he chose, which he did not.

Meantime, testimony was increasing to show that Brown never got his moneys where he alleged - chiefly from some parties in Kentucky. Just at this stage the attorney-general of the State commenced civil process against Brown for the state's proportion of funds abstracted from the treasury, attaching all his property - his farm, a mile below Coshocton, and many valuable properties he had within a few years purchased in the town. Quarters were now getting close.

At this time. Brown commenced suit in Franklin county against Ketchum for the balance on a note given by him to Brown for $18,000. He alleged it was money loaned to Ketchum in his line of business as a broker. Ketchum said it was" hush " paper given without any consideration ; that in June, 1857, he had discovered a " shortage " in his accounts as treasurer, and had got Brown at that time to lend him that amount ; that he repaid it, and Brown insisted as a matter of comity upon getting occasionally sums from the treasurer ; that, to prevent exposure of his deficits, he borrowed on other occasions, but that ultimately Brown had the advantage, and threatened to have Ketchum prosecuted as a defaulter. On the 22d of January, 1859, the commissioners were to examine the treasury. To cover up the deficiency the sham robbery was planned. On the 21st of January, 1859, Brown came into the ofiice, and suggested the carrying out of the plan, stating that he (the treasurer) must be diacov- ered next day and go to the penitentiary anyhow ; that he agreed to the arrangement, provided Brown would give up the $18,000 note, on which he had, as alleged, paid him $14,000 (as the credits on the notes showed), and also give up a $2,000 note, secured by mortgage on Ketch um's house in Lafayette; that Brown promised to do all this, hut said he did not have the notes with him, but that after the smoke had blown away he would give up all notes, and give him a good portion of whatever he could get out of the safe that night. The bargain was made ; Brown tied the treasurer, put the gag in his mouth, and carried away every dollar, amounting to some $16,000 or $18,000, including the whole sum in the treasurer's private safe.

April 16, 1867, Samuel Ketchum and James M. Brown were indicted for embezzlement, by simulated fraud, from county treasury, and put under bonds of $20,000 each.

Brown got a change of venue to Licking count3\ The trial began January 14th and closed February 2d, by the jury failing to agree. A subsequent trial, begun March 18, 1869, worked Brown's conviction. This also was held in Newark.

On law points the case was carried to the Supreme Court, but sentence was finally passed, and Brown and Ketchum were fellow prisoners in the Ohio Penitentiary, as elsewhere noticed. The attorneys for the State were A. G. Dimmock, K. M. Voorhees, E. T. Spangler, Wm. Sample, and C. Hoy; and for Brown, Nicholas and James. Campbell and Voorhees were Ketchum's attorneys.

Sheriff John Hesket (who was a bondsman of Ketchum), Colonel James Irvine, C. II. Johnson, and James M. Sells (and Sheriff Rankin, of Licking county), are recognized as having played prominent parts in these famous cases.

Coshocton Wags In Early Days

raised a nice lot of watermelons, and, just as they were ready for use, found the boys were after them. The two above-named were his apprentices at the time, and finally, as helping the old gentleman to discover what boys had been on hand, proposed to try " the track," when, lo ! to the old man's horror, it was discovered that his own shoes just fitted the tracks ; the boys, when they went to the patch, taking the precaution to "hook" the old gentleman's shoes as the first step.

A couple of festive youths from the rural districts, on one occasion, came to town, and inquired of one of the above wags if he could direct them to a house of certain (here nameless) sort. He, after a little hesitation, suggested that they might go about dusk to a certain house which had just been left vacant, and matters would be all right. He then notified his cronies, and while the aforesaid young men were seeing the lions in the groceries, etc., they hastily gathered into the old house a few articles of furniture and utensils, giving the place an inhabited appearance. At the appointed time, one of the town "b'hoys," arrayed in female apparel, received "the guests" at the door, and they were just beginning to feel at home, when in rushed a party of young men, who made things so lively for the rustic gentlemen that they were glad to escape with their lives !

Humors Of The Crusade

the beer ordinance. The case being about over, there was some little talk between the justice and the lawyers about the penalty, and especially about going to jail. At this juncture, "Christ" broke out with - "Jail! oh me can no go to shall. Vy, vot would become of mine shop and mine do, vy can't he go to shall, and leve me alone ?" The point made was a double one, especially in view of the fact that the "substitute" proposed having been out of employment for some time, had been acting as a sort of Deputy Marshal, especially iu Crusade cases.

Chapter Xxi Christian, Catholic, And Lutheran Churches

There are in Coshocton county, at this time, some eighty congregations, representing the various religious bodies. These congregations own church buildings costing about $225,000. Ten of the congregations are reported as owning parsonages, which cost some $15,000 in all, ranging from $500 to $5,000 apiece.

Many of the earlier settlers of the county did not have much appreciation of the clergy, and were not more inclined to the church than to the school, and none of the denominations made much headway for nearly a score of years after the county was organized. Some of the settlers, however, invited the ministers of their old homes to come and preach to them in the wilderness, and these responded. Ministers passing to and fro stopped and conducted religions services. Of course, at that day, there was no need to carry rifles to the meeting-places to protect from the Indians, as in the days of the fathers in Western Pennsylvania. " Grove-meetings " were often held. Some log churches were built, but even these were arranged for fire, and were not in this like the first sanctuaries in New England, and they had puncheon floors, and at least splitlog seats ; and while there were " backwoods " appliances, there was little to now recall in amazement. Now and then there were at the services " some fellows of the baser sort," and it is said that on more than one occasion the preacher had occasion to display his muscle as well as mind and heart.

Some of the doings would call to mind the story of the fjreacher, who, upon sending his hat around for a collection, exclaimed as he surveyed its contents : " Thank God, I got my hat back from this crowd." One of the earliest preachers was reported to have been " a great fighter " in his old Maryland home, and, it was said, lost a piece of his nose, it having been bitten by his antagonist in a fight before he came into the church. People came from a long distance to church, all usually on horseback. Poverty and ignorance and their glazed-eyed daughter indift'erence were in the way to the success of the churches; but, after all, most of the trials were mutual to people and ministers, a,nd had in them very little of romantic interest or striking character. What weariness and pain came to individuals - what struggles were required by godly women and noble men - in the building of the church even to its present height, in this county, would take more than a volume to tell. And yet these were of such sort as that they must appear in individual history, or necessarily lead to invidious discrimination, and even then to tiresome repetition.

Previous to 1825, we have no solid history of this denomination of Christian workers, more than that there were a few pioneer Baptist preachers, who traveled and preached the gospel in dwellings, school-houses, etc., wherever and whenever opportunity and circumstances made it their duty. As among the most prominent of these self-sacrificing ministers, we mention the names of Elders Stephen Korris, Wm. Spencer, and Amos Mix. But there were other ministers and devoted laymen, who aided much in planting the gospel in this county at that time.

The first Baptist church organized in Coshocton county was the White Eyes Plains. This church was organized at the house of Isaac Evans, on said plains, November 5, 1825, by Elders S. ISTorris and Wm. Spencer, with fourteen members. Elder Norris was the first pastor, and labored for them three years, when he was succeeded by Elder "Wm. Spencer, who continued with them until about the

Their places of worship were dwellings, school-houses, etc., in Oxford and Lafayette townships. In the later part of 1847, they completed a house of worship in the village of West Lafayette, having previously been at times nearly prostrate in power and influence.

At the time of the formation of the Coshocton Baptist Association, August 25, 1845, this church had a membership of thirty-four, as nearly as can be ascertained from their records, which at times were badly kept.

In the year 1850, the church built another house of w^orship, near the center of Oxford township, to accommodate the eastern portion of the church, making it also a regular place of worship.

In 1870, the church having increased largely in numbers, efficiency, and territory, divided into two separate and independent bodies. That portion which remained with the eastern part retained the name ot the White Eyes Baptist Church, and the other portion took the name of the West Lafayette Baptist Church. Since the separation, both have been doing good work for the Master, and are having regular service, and also keeping up good Sabbath -schools. The "White Eyes church has a membership of about fifty, and Elder E. B. Senter is their successful pastor. The West Lafayette church has about sixty-five members, under the well-received ministry of Elder J. F. Churchill. The order of the pastors that have labored with the White Eyes Plain church is as follows : Stephen ITorris, William

L. L. Ptoot, II. Broom, A. W. Odor, J. G. Whitaker, L. Rhineheart, and E. B. Senter, who was serving them at the time they separated, and who continues with the White Eyes church. The ministers that have labored with the West Lafayette church since it became an independent body are E. B. Senter, G. W. Churchill, and J. F. Churchill, wdio is yet with them.

township, was organized in May, 1840, by Elder B. White, with six members. It grew rapidly, and, in 1846, its membership was nearly one hundred, and in 1850, one hundred and thirty. Subsequently, it began to decrease in numbers, caused mostly by removals West and elsewhere. Not more than ten years elapsed until it was but a weak church, and since 1860 it has not been able to sustain preaching, and in fact is no longer to be properly called a church. The ministers that have labored for this church are as follows : B. White, William Mears, L. Gilbert, J. M. Winn, R. R. Whitaker, S. W. Frederick, A. AV. Odor, under missionary employ, and A. W. Arnold. The old frame house of worship is almost a wreck. There are probably eighteen members.

Toniika Regular Baptist Church, situated in Washington township, was organized January 5, 1828, with but three members, by Elder Amos Mix, who was its first pastor. For several years they had no house of worship, and the first one they built was a log one. In 1845, their membership had increased to about seventy -five. They have had their misfortunes and successes alternately, and at present have a frame-house of worship, capable of seating from three hundred to four hundred persons, and a membership of nearly sixty, with a good working Sabbath-school. Their pastor, Elder S. C. Tussing, closed his services with them a short time ago. The order of the pastors who have labored for them since their organization is as follows : A. Mix, J. Frey, Sr., William Mears, L. L. Root, L. Gilbert, H. Sampson, J. Frey, Jr., S. West, R. R. Whitaker, B. Alen, E. B. Smith, J. W. Reed, A. W. Odor, E. Frey, J. C. Skinner, and S. C. Tussing.

Clark Township Regular Baptist Church was organized June 19th, 1833, by T. G. Jones and E. Otis, with eleven members. Shortly after the organization, the church licensed one of her members, B. White, to preach, and in June, 1834, he was ordained as an elder and called regularly to the pastorate, in which relation he continued about nine years. This church did not grow rapidly, and at no time could it boast a large membership, yet it has lived, and continues to this day to hold forth the word of life through the labors of S. W. Frederick, who is their present pastor. After Elder White closed his labors as pastor of the church they went into strife and contention, until finally they divided into three separate bodies, but were afterward united as before, Elder White again becoming the pastor of the church. At this time the church has a membership of about thirty-five. They have a new frame house of worship, capable of seating three or four hundred persons. The

Mill Fork Regular Baptist Church, located in Virginia township, about eight miles southwest of Coshocton, was organized May 1st, 1840, by Elders William Mears and L. Gilbert, with fifty-two members. After the organization, the church grew rapidly, and in a few years had over one hundred members. Having reached a membership of one hundred and forty, the number decreased, and at present it is about eighty-five. Since 1850, this church has sent four of its members into the ministry, viz.: J. W. Reed, E. B. Seuter, F. C. Wright, and A. W. Odor. The present pastor is Elder S. C. Tussing. The ministers that have served this church as pastors are as follows : Wm. Mears, L. Gilbert, T. W. Grier, L. L. Root, J. G. Whitaker, R. R. Whitaker, T. Evans, E. Smith, A. W. Odor, J. C. Skinner, and S. C. Tussing. They have a commodious frame house of worship, built in 1870.

Mohawk Regular Baptist Church, located in Perry township, was organized about the year 1841 or 1842. In 1846 the membership was forty-nine, and in a few years was about one hundred ; but since that time has been gradually decreasing until 1870, when it was thirty-five. The present membership is about fifty. They have no minister at the present time. They have a small frame house of worship, in tolerably good repair. The ministers that

Tiverton Regular Baptist Church, located in Tiverton township, was organized in 1841. In 1854 there were about fifty members, and in 1860 over one hundred. Since that time the number has decreased, and although the membership is about seventy it can not be properly called an active church. They have a strong and capacious frame house of worship, but it is not in proper repair. The ministers that have labored with this church as pastors are as follows : L. Gilbert, R. R. Whitaker, R. W. Lockhart, B. M. Morrison, A. W. Arnold, and S. W. Frederick. The Sunday school still manifests some life.

White Eyes Regular Baptist Church, located in White Eyes township, was organized in 1839, with fourteen members. For a time after the organization the church prospered, and in 1854 had a membership of sixty. From that time the number has decreased, and more than a year ago they met and disbanded, having at that time about fifteen members. Their house of worship is a small frame one, quite old. The ministers who have served this church as pastors are as follows : H. Sayer, B. White, R. R. Whitaker, A. W. Odor, J. W. and H. Broom.

Monroe Regular Baptist Church, located in Monroe township, was organized in 1847, under the name of the Wolf Creek Church, and was subsequently changed to Monroe. When first organized she went forward, with seeming zeal for success, and in a fe\v years had a membership of over sixty. In 1867 she changed her location, at that time having a membership of only twenty-seven. At present they report fifty-five members, but have no house of worship, using a school-house for that purpose. The ministers that have served as pastors to the Monroe church are as follows: J. M. Winn and L. L. Root, the latter having served the church for over twenty years and still continues.

Pleasant Hill Regular Baptist Church, located about five miles west of Roscoe, in Jackson township, on the graded road, was first organized in 1845, with about forty members. They advanced steadily for a few years, but in about fifteen years became virtually extinct. In 1862 they were reorganized, being named the Rock Hill Church. They made some progress, and in 1869 built a comfortable house of worship on its present site, being renamed Pleasant Ilill. The ministers who have served as pastors of this church, from its first organization, are as follows : L. L. Root, H. Sampson, J. G. Whitaker, R. R. Whitaker, W. S. Barnes, A. W. Odor, S. W. Frederick, and E. B. Senter, who is their .present pastor.

Evan's Creek Regular Baptist Church, located in Adams township, was organized in 1845, with about twenty members. In ten years the membership was about fifty. From that time the number began to decrease, and in 1866 they ceased to be a church. They once had a log house of worship, but it has ceased to be serviceable. The ministers that furnished pastoral service to this church are as follows : R. R. Whitaker, J. G. Whitaker, A. W. Odor, and J. W. Moreland.

Perry Regular Bajytist Church, located in the western part of Perry township, and formerly a branch of the Tomaka Church, was organized in 1860 as an independent body, with twenty-seven members. They have been slowly but steadily advancing, their number now being about forty. They have a small but neat frame house of worship, in tolerably good repair. The ministers that have labored with them as pastors are as follows: S. West, R. R. Whitaker, E. B. Senter, A. W. Odor, E. Frey, and A. W. Arnold.

Darling's Ran Regular Baptist Church, located in Jefi:erson township, was organized in 1866, with ten members. They advanced for some years, but have now come to a stand-still condition, with a membership of a little over twenty. They have no house of worship, using a school-

Harmony Regular Baptist Church, located in Monroe township, was organized in 1866, with ahout twenty members. Since that time it has steadily advanced, having at the present time over sixty members. They have no house of worship, using a school-house instead. They contemplate building soon. They have had as pastors A. "W. Arnold and J. K. Linebaugh. The latter is still with them.

Canal Lewisville Regular Baptist Church was organized in 1866, with twenty members. Since that time the number has increased to about forty. They have a small frame house of worship not very well adapted to the purpose. As pastors, they have had Elders L. L. Root, W. S. Barnes, and S. W. Frederick.

Chestnut Ridge Regular Baptist Church, located in Tiverton township, was organized in 1873, with about twenty members. It has been striving for three years to do work for the Master, and the membership has increased to twentyseven. They have built a comfortable frame house of worship, and paid off all the incumbrances. They meet regularly, and have a good Sunday school. Elder J. K. Linebaugh preached for them before their organization, and has continued to do so up to the present time.

Chestnut Hill Regular Baptist Church, located one and a half miles east of Coshocton, was organized in 1875, with twenty members. They have no house of worship, but use the district school-house. They have a good Sabbath school kept up throughout the year, and at the present time have a membership of twenty-four. They have been visited occasionally by different ministers, and for some time were regularly supplied with preaching by Rev. H. Clark. At present they are under the oversight of Elder J. F. Churchill, of West Lafayette.

A Regular Bcqjtist Church was constituted at Coshocton on the 23d of August, 1834 - the services being held at the house of Wilson McGowan (who was a leading member, and for many years clerk of the congregation), and conducted by Elders John Pritchard, Geo. C. Sedgewick, Wm. Spencer, and Wm. Purdy. Elder Sedgewick Rice was the minister until May 5, 1838, when he was at his own request released. He died sometime thereafter, leaving a pleasant recollection of him in the community as a godly man and an able and earnest advocate of his church. After his services ceased, the church was supplied by several brethren for several years, until it seemed to have become practically dissolved about 1848. The McGowan, Bryant, Welch, Burt, Coe, Carhart, Farwell, Loder, Miller, Estinghausen, Whittemore, Babcock, Sprague, Elliott, Wright, and Oder families seem to have been connected with this movement. At one time there were some thirty-seven members. The services were held in the court-house. Benjamin Coe was the last clerk of the congregation.

Keene Regular Baptist Church was organized in 1850, with about twenty members, several of whom had been members of the church which had been organized and kept up for several years in the town of Coshocton, but at the above date had ceased to exist. The Keene Church built a good frame house of worship, but never made a successful advance, and in 1866 failed to report to the association, having ceased to be a church proper. The house has since been burnt, and naught remains. The ministers who labored with this church were J. M. Winn, B. White, M. J. Barnes, and T. Evans.

There were at different times four other organizations of Baptist Churches in Coshocton county beside the ones already noticed, but they were not of sufficient importance to merit a sketch.

Christian Churches

There is a Christian church, having at present one hundred and fifteen members, in Virginia township. It was organized by Elder J. W. Marvin, of Knox county, Ohio, in ] 832, starting with five members, of whom two are yet living. For some twelve years the congregation met in the woods, or a barn, or a school-house. In 1844, a frame meeting-house (twenty-eight by thirty-two feet) was erected, which, in 1873, was replaced by a better and a larger house of worship. The pastors of the church have been J. W. Marvin, James Hays, Wm. Bagley, Jacob Harger, A. E. Harger, A. Bradfield, B. Rabb, Wm. Overturf, M. M. Lohr, E. Peters, and John "W. Wright, at present in charge.

The whole number of members enrolled in connection with this church during its history is two hundred and thirteen. Formerly there were three other active churches of this communion - the West Bedford, the Antioch, and the Severns - each with a good house of worship for the day and locality ; but they are now almost extinct.

It is understood that there is at least one congregation of German Baptists known as " Dunkards," gathered in the Saul Miller neighborhood, quite small, having no house of worship, and without much ministerial service.

No organized society of " The Disciples " has been reported as at this time in existence, although there is a considerable number of adherents of that church in the county.

Catholic Churches

There are four of these in the county. The oldest - aS'^. 31ary's, of Linton township - was organized about 1840. A small log building was used by the congregation until about 1873, when this was replaced with a neat frame. This church and the few scattered Catholics elsewhere in the county were for years ministered unto by priests from Zanesville, who would make three or four trips a year, traveling on horseback. About 1855, the Rev. T. Bender, of Cincinnati, was appointed pastor of the Newark church, having also the charge of the Coshocton county Catholics.

He went vigorously to work, and by 1857 had succeeded in gathering and establishing the church of St. Nicholas in Franklin township, and the church of St. Elizabeth in Monroe township. Each of these erected small log-houses of worship, built by the labor of the members, who also furnished the ground and materials. These congregations have both been greatly depleted by emigration to the Far AVest, and they have made little or no progress since their organization. They have been mainly supplied by weekday services by the resident pastor of Coshocton.

In 1858, the Rev. Serge De Stchaulepinkofi' (a Kussian priest, who, on becoming Catholic, had been compelled to leave his country) was sent to Coshocton, and was the first resident pastor. Under his direction, St. George's church, of Coshocton, was built. He continued in charge for some three years, and was succeeded at short intervals by Fathers Andres, Ranch, and ISTordmeyer - all sent by Rev. J. B. Purcell, archbishop of Cincinnati.

In January, 1869, Rev. John M. Jacquet was appointed pastor of Coshocton by the Right Rev. J. H. Rosecrans, who, the year before, had been made first bishop of Columbus. In the membership of the St. George's church, there has been no great change for some years. Through the instrumentality of Father Jacquet, both the church building and the pastoral residence have been much improved, and all debts against the charge paid oif. The country churches have also been repaired and much improved.

Lutheran Churches

There are three evangelical (English) Lutheran churches in the county. The oldest of these is Zion Church, in Crawford township. It seems to have been gathered and organized through the labors of Rev. E. Greenwald (long settled in IsTew Philadelphia), about 1832. Rev. J. B. Reck succeeded him in 1835 ; but, after a few years, the care of the church again devolved (in 1838) on Mr. Greenwald. In 1840 Rev. E. C. Yunge took charge of the church, and in 1846 Eev. E. Melsheimer, who died in 1849. In 1850 Rev. A. U. Bartholomew became pastor, and in 1859 Rev. M. M. Bartholomew. Rev. S. S. Samson took charge in 1862, and Rev. David Sparks in 1864. The present pastor, Rev. J. W. Myers, has been in charge some ten years. The elders have been Andrew Eichmier, Jacob Myser, Henry Grimm, John Smith, A. Winklepleck, William Stall, and Frederick Everhart. The Mysers, and Wiiikleplecks, and Frocks, and Doaks, and Everharts, and Michael Grill, John Smith, James Christy, Frederick Barrick, and i^icholas Storm have been among the more prominent members, who have varied in number from thirty to eighty. The congregation has a good house of worship in Chili.

About 1840 an effort was made for a church in Franklin township, and an organization was effected and building secured, but, after some years, the enterprise was abandoned. About 1856 Rev. S. Kammerer began preaching in that (the Wertz) neighborhood, and a church building about thirty by forty feet was erected, and a congregation called St. PauVs organized. Rev, A. IST. Bartholomew became pastor, and continued for twelve years. He was succeeded byRev. J. S.Sleutzin 1870, and he in 1872 by the present pastor, Rev. John Weber. This church and the church at Adamsville, in Muskingum county, have always been joined as a pastoral charge. Daniel Gaumer gave the land for the church and burial-ground. The church building is of frame, aud cost about $1,500. The elders have been John Wertz and Zachariah Glaze. The number of members at the organization was thirty ; at this time it is about ninety.

The third church is at West Carlisle - a neat frame building. But few services have been held for several years; and the congregation, especially since the removal of Mr. Billman from the township, is very feeble.

There is a church near New Bedford, a little way over the line in Holmes county, with which a considerable number of residents of Coshocton county are connected.

St. John's Evangelical Lutheran {German) Church, at New- Bedford, was organized by Rev. G. Doepken in 1854, and ministered unto by him for twenty years, at the end of which time he removed to Marietta. The minister at present is Rev. 0. Primer. The house of worship, a large frame, was built in 1855. At its organization there were connected with the congregation some twenty-iive families ; in 1876 there are about sixty-five families. Among the more prominent have been the Schaumeeker, Schmelz, Schmidt, Schlegle, Baad, Steel, and Holt families. The church is in connection with the Joint Synod of Ohio.

Chapter Xxii Episcopal, Christian Union, Etc

THE CHDRCHES - DETAILED ACCOUNTS OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL, METHODIST (pROTESTANT), PRESBYTERIAN, UNITED PRESBYTERIAN, PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL, CHRISTIAN UNION, ETC.

Methodist Episcopal Churches

In relation to the Methodist Episcopal churches south of the rivers, the following has been furnished by Rev. B. F. Beazelle, the pastor of the one in Coshocton :

The first preacher who occupied tliis territory was the Rev. John Mitchell. That was in 1812. He was most likely the first Methodist preacher of Coshocton county. He organized three classes that year - one near where Plainfield now is, one at Maysville (Marquands), and one in the Robinson neighborhood, now called Bethany church. Religious services have been maintained in these places ever since, and after the lapse of nearly two generations, the fruit of this " handful of corn " is seen in a comfortable and tasteful house of worship at each place, and larger and more vigorous societies than perhaps ever before.

They were at first connected with the Tuscarawas circuit, Muskingum district, Western conference. Subsequently, it is said, they formed a part of Norwich circuit. Not later than 1820, they were included in Muskingum circuit. From 1813-23, the district was called Muskingum also, then for a time Lancaster.

That old Tuscarawas circuit included within its boundaries the following circuits and stations : Zanesville, now of the Ohio conference, Norwich, Sonora, Adamsville, Cambridge, Liberty, Washington, Milnersville, Plainfield, and Coshocton, of the Pittsburg conference, and parts of what are now Dresden and Roscoe circuits in the North Ohio conference, and doubtless other territory which can not be designated.

circuit, when the Rev. Charles Elliott was my colleague, in 1818-19, included what is now called Zanesville station, Putnam circuit, Cambridge circuit, and parts of others; and the following year, when Samuel Brockunier and James Gilruth were my colleagues, we so enlarged it as to include Washington, Coshocton, and other intermediate settlements. Those familiar with the country can see the extent of our plan by running a supposed line from Zanesville on through the settlements of Jonathan's creek to Wolf creek, below McConnelsville; thence up the river to Putnam; then by a zie-zae: route on to the bend of Wills creek, and all the neighborhoods down to Cambridge; thence to Washington, Sugar creek. Wagoner's plains, Coshocton, and Johnsou's plains ; and finally, by numerous angles, right, acute, and obtuse, back to the place of beginning. This, when I went to it, was a four weeks' circuit ; but when I left, it required a tour of six weeks, with little rest for man or horse. Our first year's work resulted in a small decrease, chiefly on account of strictly enforcing the rules of the discipline, and laying aside many delinquent members ; but the second year we received about two hundred new members, which, after deducting all losses, gave us a considerable increase."

About the year 1833, as nearly as I can tell, " the radical split,'' as it was commonly called, occurred. This rupture was produced originally by the question of "lay delegation," and led to the formation of the Methodist Protestant Church, in 1828, This event was very disastrous in its consequences to the appointments of which we have been speaking. The Plainfield society, then perhaps sixty in number, was reduced to eight. This little band, headed by Judge Thomas Johnson, continued faithful to the old church and its principles, and continued to meet on a week day, for preaching, in the school-house. From this fact, I infer that the seceding party, by odds the largest, retained the original house of worship.*

*A house of worship was erected, chiefly by Judge Johnson, in 1835. Subsequently, the congregation erected a building (frame) in Jacobs- I^ort. For the erection of this, M. L. Norris (afterward so extensively

The Marquand appointment was for a number of years seriously enfeebled, but through unflagging faith and labor, under the leadership of the earnest men, Marquand and Ballentiue, quiet and order were again restored.

At Robinson's, the society shared a similar fate. At times, prosperity would seem to return, when, by deaths, removals, or other untoward events, it would seem to be left in the same or worse condition. But the little company of earnest men and women, chief of whom, I believe, was Judge Robinson, stood firm, and the result is the substantial success of to-day. Judge Johnson died in 1840, having, however, lived to see prosperity restored to the church of his love. Judge Robinson fell at his post in 1856. Peter Marquand passed from earth about eight years ago; and Hugh Ballentine removed to the West some year's since, where he still lives.

For about five years prior to the organization of the Coshocton circuit, those appointments were connected with the old Roscoe circuit, which, during that period, was served by .the following-named preachers: Blanipied, Lynch, McDowell, Cooley, Goof, Lowell (who died of small-pox in Dresden, and was succeeded by Perkins), Camp, Brown, and Kalog. During that time, David Young and W. B. Christie served as presiding elders. I am not certain that this list is correct, nor can I give the date of appointment or length of service of any one. As we approach our own time, however, our information is more abundant and accurate.

Rev. I. IST. Baird, D.D., now of Allegheny City, Pa., in a letter to the writer, says : " I was sent to Coshocton in the summer of 1840. Found the territory I was to organize into a circuit to be bounded by the Muskingum river from Coshocton down to the mouth of Wills creek; up the same to the neighborhood of Linton ; then north to the plains near Evansburgh; thence down to the place of be- *ginning. There were societies at East Plainfield, Marengaged in building operations in Coshocton) had the contract. This building was somewhat enlarged and greatly improved in the summer of 1875.

quand's, and Robinson's. There was no society in Coshocton indeed, but one member was found there, Sister Spangler, still with you. Thomas C. Ricketts had, a little before that, united with the church in Roscoe - was yet on probation, and afterward came to us when we organized. There was a brother Conwell, also, who had been a member of the church somewhere, and joined us when we organized. But Mrs. David Spangler was the only member of the church at the time of my arrival, and to her as much as to any preacher, perhaps, our struggling enterprize there is indebted for its success. Her noble husband, though not a member, was always helpful in every way."

In 1841, Dr. Baird organized a class near the present Mount Zion appointment, the planting from which sprang the church of that name. In 1854, the following appointments were attached to the charge: Liberty, Hopewell, Peoble's, and Early's. The arrangement not proving mutually agreeable, at the end of one year they were detached. In 1855, the church at Lafayette was founded, which in recent years has attained considerable strength. . Until 1859, the circuit retained substantially its original shape, but in that year a division was made. Coshocton, Robinson's, and Lafayette formed one pastoral charge, retaining the old name. Maysville, Mount Zion, and Plainfield formed another, under the latter name. Lafayette, by request, was next year placed in the Plainfield circuit. For nine years, Robinsons and Coshocton constituted one pastoral charge ; but in 1868 the former was again included in the Plainfield circuit, since when the latter has been a station.

The first quarterly conference of the original Coshocton circuit was held at Bethany church, October 17, 1840. It will be of interest to know the names of the men constituting that body, Avhich have been furnished me from the original record by one of the members: Rev. Edward Taylor was the Elder; Rev. I. N. Baird the Preacher; James Robinson, Robert Johnson, David Richason, Hugh Ballen-' tine, T. C. Ricketts, and John M. Johnson, the Stewards. Exhorters : E. Davis and Charles Grimes. Leaders : Adam

We have seen that, at the organization of the circuit in 1840, no society of the Methodist Episcopal Church existed in Coshocton ; but for some years previous the Methodist Protestant Church had maintained one. Different men had, however, preached in the town from time to time as occasion offered, for a number of years - such as Thomas A. Morris (afterward bishop), David Young, Jacob Young, Robert 0. Spencer, Wm. B. Christie, John Dillon, and others, no doubt, of whom I have no certain knowledge.

As to the founding of the church in Coshocton, Dr. Baird further says : "I preached in the court-house, and organized the first class of twelve members in the old jury-box. It was during my second year that some steps were taken toward building a church. I can not now recall the stage of the work when I left in 1842. I left a considerable society - near seventy members, I think - and was succeeded by Rev. John J. Swayze, at that time the most popular man in the pulpit, in the conference." The twelve members of that first class were : Elizabeth Spangler, Thomas C. Ricketts, George E. Conwell, Felix Landis, David Frew, Benjamin R. Shaw, Henrietta Shaw, Nancy Decker, Martha Wallace, Mary Wallace, Abraham Sells, and Lucy Thomas.

Fortunately, from the original record-book, I am enabled to transcribe the following : " At a meeting held in the town ot-' Coshocton, May 9, 1842, by the friends and members of the M. E. Church, for the purpose of consultation as to the propriet}^ of erecting a house for public worship - Wm. McFarland having been called to the chair, and B. R. Shaw made secretary - on motion of David Spangler, it was unanimously resolved that we take immediate measures to secure a site and erect a suitable building." Accordingly a committee of five persons was appointed to secure a location and solicit subscriptions. Thomas C. Ricketts, James Robinson, David Frew, and Wm. McFarland composed the committee. An additional committee, consisting of James LeRetilley, Theophilus Phillips, and Samuel Hutchinson, was appointed to secure subscriptions in Roscoe. At a subsequent meeting, David Frew, B. R. Shaw, and George E. Conwell were elected a building committee.

After some good-natured difterence of opinion, the present location was agreed upon for the church, the ground then being owned by Joseph Rue. Whether their friends of to-day regard their selection as a fortunate one, I can not say.