Granville Township (part 1 of 2)

Granville Township

THIS township is second in the county in population, wealth and influence. It was fortunate in being peopled from the start with first-class settlers - people of intelligence, thrift and energy. They were from New England and a province in Old England - Wales. The former were shrewd, pushing, enterprising, money-making; and both were honest, industrious, religious. Both came in oganized communities, determined to establish permanent, prosperous and happy homes in the far west. The combination of the various elements of which these communities were composed, was a most fortunate one, and probably a more desirable population could not be found in the State or United States than they furnished to Granville township. With this foundation to build upon, is it any wonder the superstructure is solid, beautiful, attractive, and destined to have a history of continually increasing importance, and an influence for good that will extend its boundary continually as the years go by?

The township was organized in 1807, out of the west half of Licking township, Fairfield county. The latter township then embraced all of what is now Licking county, except the Refugee lands. This being cut in two in the center, the west half was named Granville, and was, therefore, the second township organized in this territory.

and is clayey, but produces wheat and all the small ' grains in abundance. It was all heavily timbered with the different varieties of oak and other hard woods that flourish on the uplands. This part of the township seems to have been very attractive to the Welsh people, by whom it was mainly settled, probably from the fact that it was, at an early day, far more healthy than the miasmatic bottoms of Raccoon and Licking. Since the county has been cleared, cultivated and settled, these bottoms are as healthy as the "Welsh Hills," and far more productive. There is, however, a good deal of rich bottom land in the township along the Raccoon fork and its tributaries. The peculiar blending of hill and valley in this beautiful region attracted the New England pioneers, who also dreaded the ague and malaria of the broader and more swampy bottoms of Licking, and yet desired bottom land for farming purposes. There is a gentle terraced incline down the Raccoon from Granville to Newark. This stream of clear, beautiful water passes across the township a little south of its center, tumbling over a rocky and gravelly bed, and is the only stream of consequence within the township limits.

An Indian trail branched from the main trail near Newark, and passed across the township up the Raccoon valley to the Wyandot village near Johnstown. Unfortunately no Indian history has been preserved in connection with this township - and this is the case, also, with most other town- ships in the county - though there is no doubt that this territory, especially the valley of the Raccoon, was extensively used by them as a hunting ground. No permanent Indian camps appear to have had an existence here, unless prior to historic times.

The works of the Mound Builders in this township are very numerous and interesting; indeed, in number and varied character are scarcely excelled by those of Newark township. The Raccoon valley and contiguous territory constitute, probably, the most interesting territory in the State, or even in the United States for the antiquarian. Mounds of different sizes and heights, earthworks of every kind known to the historian exist here in great numbers. Numbers yet to be seen and traced may almost be counted by the hundred, while many, very many, have disappeared entirely, by the ravages of time and the plow, and live only in the memory of the oldest inhabitants. No particular care seems to be taken to preserve these mounds and works. Wherever they are in the way of the tiller of the soil, they are ruthlessly plowed down or dug away. They are disappearing with comparative rapidity, and very soon, with few exceptions, will live only in history. Occcasionally they are erected upon high peaks, or places inaccessible to the plow and cultivator, and in such places are, of course, in the best state of preservation. The traveler between Newark and Granville will observe many of these mounds, a few yet pretty well preserved, even on the extensive and rich bottoms of the Raccoon; but the better preserved works, and those probably the most interesting, are located upon the hills that shut in the valley. Captain M. M. Munson, who occupies a beautiful farm in the midst of these mounds, and who has made them something of a study, is confident that around the great Aligator mound, located not far from his house, is a complete system of mounds and earthworks that point to it as a common center. However this may be, there is certainly a large circle of works in this vicinity, extending several miles in every direction, and seemingly connected with each other and with the "Old Fort" near Newark and its contiguous works.

shape and form of this reptilian monster are distinctly presented, so that all admit, at the first glance, that it was undoubtedly intended to represent the alligator or American crocodile. His entire length is two hundred feet The greatest breadth of his body is twenty feet, and his length between the fore legs and hind legs is fifty feet The limbs are each twenty-five feet long. The head, fore shoulders and back have an elevation varying from three to six feet, while the remainder of the body averages considerably less. The head, limbs and tail gradually taper off to their termination. The scholarly author of "Pre- Historic Man" visited this effigy in 1876, just before the issue of the third edition of his work, and he expresses the belief that it "symbolizes some object of special awe and veneration, thus reared on one of the chief 'high places1 of the nation, with its accompanying altar, upon which these ancient people could witness the celebration of the rites of their worship, its site having been obviously selected as the most prominent feature in a populous district abounding in military, civic and religious structures." It is probable this effigy was an object of worship, as the Mound Builders were certainly a superstitious and idolatrous race. It probably belongs to the same class of mounds as the "Eagle mound" in the "old fort." The hill upon which the Alligator mound is situated, is a "spur" jutting into the level bottom, and not far from the foot of the hill, and to the east of it perhaps one-fourth of a mile, on the level bottom, is the curiously shaped mound called the "Cres* cent." It is an "immense pile of dirt," which seems to lie upon top of the ground as if it had been transported from a distance, thrown down there and fashioned into the shape of a half-moon or crescent. It is composed largely of gravel and in its composition differs largely from the dark, loamy earth around it. This mysterious crescent-shaped pile has been plowed over for fifty years or more, and of course is much reduced in height, but is yet probably six or seven feet high. It is laige and thick in the center, and tapers in either direction to a point. It is located on lot number eight of the Granville purchase, now owned by D. M. Knapp.

the bottom land near the Crescent, and to the south of it. When the first settlers entered this valley, and for several years afterward, this immense circular wall was plainly visible and was two or three feet in height in places. It enclosed seventy-five or eighty acres of beautiful bottom land, and, like the Crescent, the embankment seemed to have been made without digging the earth from either side of it, no ditch appearing. This work covered portions of lots seven, eight, nine and ten of the Granville purchase, and the larger part of it was between Centerville street and the bluffs on the north of the valley, though it extended, probably, slightly south of Centerville street. The "savage plowshare " has long since done its work, and this work of antiquity has probably entirely disappeared. It is said that the embankment was without a break or gateway, and no mound or other work appeared within the circular enclosure.

North of this, half a mile or more, east of the Crescent about the same distance, and upon a "spur" of the bluffs, on the "Fort Hill" or Mc- Cune farm is one of the most wonderful of all the ancient works in this section - wonderful from its size, peculiar shape and internal arrangement. It is situated upon lots five and six of the Granville purchase, extends a little into the Welsh Hills purchase, and was evidently intended, from its outside ditch and high embankment, as a military work. Even to this day the embankment is in places, measuring from the bottom of the ditch to the top of the embankment, ten feet in height, though generally it is much lower than this; but when first erected it must have been a work of considerable magnitude. It incloses about fifty acres of ground. The embankment, evidently a breast-work, is a perfect piece of engineering skill, following closely the sinuosities of the brow of the hill, and wherever there is a ditch or depression in the hill, the embankment is higher than in other places. Conforming as it does to the form of the surface of the hill it is irregular in shape.

Upon the hill, inside of this inclosure, two small circular works appear, inclosing about half an acre each. These have been plowed over many years and are much worn away, though the walls are probably yet three or four feet in height.

These smaller works are in the form of circles, without any break in the walls, and are both located upon the^highest part of the hill, and near to its southern extremity, or, at least, a little south of the center of the greater work. They are very near each other and lie on an east and west line. From the manner in which some of the forts of to-day are built, it would seem that these two smaller works were erected as places of last resort, or, in other words, as works in which to rally and fight after being driven from the outer defences.

In the most easterly of these two circular forts, are two small mounds, or lookout-stations, also an east and west line very near each other, and now not over two or three feet high. The whole surface of the hill is under cultivation, and this great work of antiquity is slowly disappearing in consequence.

Still further to the east of this work, and upon the bluffs, is situated what is known as the "reservoir," evidently once an artificial lake or reservoir for water. It is situated on lots two and three of the Granville purchase, now owned by M. M. Munson, and is probably twenty rods across the top. It is probably half a mile from the fort above mentioned, is located in a natural depression in the hills, and has evidently been scooped out with great labor. Near this, and a little east of north, on lot two, is a "sugar loaf" or conical mound of considerable size - probably fifteen feet in height and forty or fifty feet in diameter at the base. This mound is in a good state of preservation.

Still traveling eastward upon the bluffs, two conical hills are reached in half a mile or more, upon which are two small mounds, apparently scraped up to increase the height of these points as lookout stations. One is located upon the eastern and the other upon the western line of the farm of L. E. Bancroft, and not far from the eastern line of the township.

On the southern end of lot eight, of the Granville purchase, belonging to Messrs. T. M. and T. Rose, very near and just south of Centerville street is a curious heap of sand, for which it is hard to account, unless it be that the Mound Builders placed it there. It is in the center of a fine alluvial bottom, and is irregular in form, appearing to have been brought from a distance and thrown off there for some purpose, although where it could have been brought from is something of a mystery, as the creek bottom in the vicinity does not appear * prolific in the kind of sand of which it is composed Immediately south of this sand pile and a few rods from it, yet exists the walls of a large circular work, enclosing, probably, twenty-five acres. The whole of this land has been under cultivation since the first settlement of the country, and the embankment is nearly plowed away in places, though still visible, and generally two or three feet above the surface of the ground. This appears to have been a perfect circle, without ditch on either side, and without any opening or gateway. Its location is near where the old Granville feeder joins the Raccoon. It is very close to, and evidently connected with, the very large circular work before mentioned as covering seventy-five or eighty acres, and which has entirely disappeared. Directly south of this work, on the same lot, in the vicinity of the spot'where the old canal feeder joins the Raccoon, and very near where the old Munson forge stood, is, or rather was, an ancient well. It was long since filled up, and now exists only in the memory of the older settlers. The probability is it was filled in the construction of the canal, as it was very near the southern edge of the embankment. When first discovered it was sixty or seventy feet in depth, and had evidently been bored through the soft shale that here underlies the surface. It was three or four feet in diameter; no water appeared in it, and the supposition is, that the operators, whether Mound Builders, Indians, or white men, had bored for salt, as a salt well was subsequently sunk in this vicinity, and operated for a time, with partial success. Further up the creek a few rods, on the lot of E. Haskell is a conical mound, in a good state of preservation, probably ten feet in height, and thirty or forty feet in diameter.

Directly south of these works in the valley, on the bluffs south of the creek, are many beautiful mounds. One of them on the farm of H. J. Little is about the size of the above described mound, has not been mutilated, and is yet in a good state of .preservation. To the west of this on the bluffs, are several others similar in construction to those described, and the same may be said of the country north and northwest of Granville To locate and describe all these works would occupy more space than can be allowed in this work. Suffice it to say they are very numerous, but not perhaps, different from those already described A conical mound once existed in Main street, in Granville, between the four churches of that place. It was graded down to make way for the street It was probably fifteen feet in height at the date of the first settlement. Jeremiah R. Munson delivered a fourth of July oration from its summit in 1806.

Late in November, 1800, on the banks of Ramp creek, was lighted a camp-fire, around which sat four men who have played no small part in the history of this county. These men were John Jones, Phineas Ford, Frederick Ford, and Benoni Benjamin. Jones and the two Fords were married to the three sisters of Benjamin. Jones was of Welsh extraction, but was born in New Jersey and partly reared in Pennsylvania; the Fords were originally Yankees, from Connecticut, and Benjamin was bom in Northampton county, Pennsylvania. His father, Jonathan Benjamin, who followed him to this county about two years later, was bom in the same decade with Washington, and was thirty-eight years old at the Declaration of Indepenence. During the Revolution, in order to protect his family from Indians, he moved to the vicinity of Baltimore, Maryland. At the close of the war he returned to Pennsylvania, where he remained until the spring of 1793, when he removed to the Virginia side of the Ohio, nearly opposite Marietta. Here Jones and the Fords married his three daughters.

In the spring of 1799 these men, with their brother-in-law, Benoni Benjamin, went out to the Scioto, where they planted and raised a crop, and returning in the fall, moved their families there. In November, 1800, at the instance of Jones, they traveled up the Scioto to where Circleville now stands, and from there followed an Indian trail through Fairfield county in the direction of Licking.

tions, as well as Indian raids in this direction. Few, if any of the many enchanting basins in the Mississippi valley presented a more encouraging prospect to the pioneer than the Licking valley at that time, and it is not to be wondered at that Jones, a man of keen perceptions, sharpened and developed by extensive travel and adventure, should have led his little party of adventurers hither.

Mr. Isaac Stadden who had arrived at the Bowling Green a short time previous, was out hunting, when he suddenly came upon this camp of pioneers. Each party was agreeably surprised at the unexpected meeting. Stadden had supposed that those living in the Licking valley were the only setlers in this section; while Jones and his party, entering the county from the Scioto, supposed they were the advanced pioneers, and that there was no setllement nearer than the mouth of the Licking on the Muskingum.

The hospitality common among the early settlers made Stadden a welcome visitor for the night. Jones and Stadden soon recognized in each other old acquaintances, they having been school-fellows in Pennsylvania. Neither had seen the other for a quarter of a century, and knew nothing of each other's intervening history, of their adventures or whereabouts. Of the interest of such a meeting of such men, under such circumstances, none but pioneers can conceive.

There is a discrepancy in the statements regarding the time of this meeting, and also regarding the date of the arrival of Jones and his party. Captain M. M. Munson, from whose paper a part of the history of this township is taken, says this meeting took place in the spring of 1800, while Mrs. Stadden, wife of Isaac Stadden, says the meeting took place in the fall of 1800, and that the wives of these gentlemen (the Fords and Benjamin), were not with them at the time, but that they were prospecting in this valley with a view to settlement, and did settle here in the spring of 1801, as has been stated.

It is impossible at this late day to reconcile these conflicting statements, but a close study of all the circumstances and incidents connected with the first setttement of the county, a comparison of dates and of matters connected with the early settlers would seem to place the weight of evidence in favor of Mrs. Stadden's statement. Mrs. Stadden was a pioneer of 1800, was very careful in her statements regarding pioneer matters, and a woman of remarkable mind and memory.

Before coming here, Jones and his party had been offered what was termed donation lots by the agents of General Dayton, a large land-holder in the territory now composing Licking county. These lots were supposed to be located on Ramp creek, a stream which ran out in side-cuts or bayous, forming little swamps and ooze-grounds, with "cat-tails and leeks." These, to Jones, foreboded agues and biliary diseases, and he at once refused to make the stipulated settlement, -and determined to locate on Middle or Raccoon fork.

Jones led his party across the middle fork, searching out one of the many springs of living water that skirt the base of the hills that enclose the valley. On lot number two of the Granville purchase, some ten rods from the foot of the hill, and some twenty rods from the present Centerville street, he made the first settlement within the present limits of Granville township.

Some years before this, a hurricane had passed over this valley, taking, down the primeval timber, and at the time of settlement the country was timbered with a second growth, in many places the blue ash predominating This was particularly the case at the base of the hills, made wet and loamy by the sinking of the waters of the numerous springs that burst from the hill sides. Of these trees Jones built his cabin. By the last days of April, or the first of May, the logs had been cut, and the men, assisted by their wives, raised the first white man's cabin in this township. . Jones moved into this cabin, and the entire party remained with him until cabins had been erected on each of the locations selected. The Fords built on Ramp creek, near Union station, and Benjamin further down that stream, within the present limits of Newark township, not far from where the stream passes under the Granville feeder.

This house was about twenty or twenty-five rods northeast of the Jones' cabin, and near another spring. Cunningham planted some trees, and began the cultivation of several kinds of plants and fruits. In a year or two he removed to, and became one of the first settlers of, Newark.

In the spring of 1802, some young men built some shanties, or cabins, a few rods east of "Paddy" Cunningham's, and that season raised a crop of com.

It was in this year that the vanguard of Welsh Hills settlers made its appearance. Deacon Theophilus Rees had made a purchase of land in this township during the previous year, and had sent Chaplahi Jones and others out to view it. A carefully written history of this settlement appears in another chapter.

David Thomas and David Lewis were the first of the Welsh Hills settlers to enter the township as permanent settlers; but they were soon followed by Theophilus Rees and "Jimmy" Johnson.

Mr. Munson says that these Welsh settlers, the first of them, came in the fall, bought the crops the young men above mentioned had raised, moved into the cabins they vacated, and remained during the winter, beginning their settlement on the Welsh Hills in the spring of 1803.

The coming of Deacon Rees and his colony marks a most important era in the history of the township. He was a man of more than ordinary cultivation, a devoted member of the church, and his decendants are among the most respected of this community at the present time.

On the first of October, 1802, Mrs. Jones gave birth to the first white child born in the township, and on the twenty-second day of the same month, Mrs. Jones died of puerperal fever, aged twentyeight years. This was the first death of a white person in this township. She was buried in Newark, on a little hill or hillock (probably an ancient mound,) just west of the market-house, and where the Beckwith family resided. Jones, after the death of his wife, sold his house and improvements to one Nash, and removed to the mouth of Fishing creek, below Wheeling, where he married a second time.

John Jones was born in New Jersey, but lived sometime in Pennsylvania, and, subsequently, on the banks of the Ohio river, in the western part of Virginia. The Fords and Benjamin also lived there in 1793. Mr. Jones died in October, 1851, after raising a family at the mouth of Fishing creek.

There seems to be a desire to immortalize the first cabin erected in any particular subdivision of territory, and, as far as possible, every other first thing that entered into the germ of the new settlements. At a pioneer meeting on New Years day, 1868, several canes made from the fogs of this first cabin were presented to the officers of the Pioneer society, and the following is an extract from the address of Captain Munson, made at the time:

"The trees from which these sticks were made were cut and builded into a house before either of you were born. The wood was rolled up into the first white man's house reared m this township. In this house was born the first white child ir the township, and here was witnessed the first death struggle- The first sermon preached in the township resounded from it> walls; its manifold incidents would alone make a volume. * 9 These mountings are made from ancient coins plowed up around the old house, and could they but reveal their histon. we should be amazed and charmed at its witchery and interest.

In 1803, John Duke, James Evans, James James, and Mr. Chadwick settled in this township; Messrs. Evans and James being Welshmen, settled on the Welsh hills. John Duke located near the Raccoon creek, and was elected the first justice of the peace in 1807. Esquire Duke came in 1803, from the vicinity of Wellsburgh, Brooke county, Virginia. His son, S. A. Duke, is now an influential citizen of Arkansas.

The settlers, in 1804, of this township were Thomas Cramer, Simon James, and Peter Cramer, who settled on the Welsh hills. They were from western Virginia.

The third, and a great epoch in the history ot this township is marked by the coming of the Granville colony, in the fall of 1805. About the beginning of the present century, many organizations were effected in the east for the purpose of purchasing land and making settlements in the great Northwest Territory and the State of Ohio.

Among these organizations was the "Licking Land company." The origin of this company, like many other great enterprises in the world's history, it is said, had a love matter at the bottom of it. It is related that a young man offering himself to a young woman, in a neighboring and somewhat rival township, was rejected, and on his way home made a resolve to emigrate from a land where women were so fickle and false, to the new country beyond the Ohio. However this may be, on the twenty-third day of April, 1804, in East Granville, Massachusetts, a meeting was held, at which articles of association were drawn up and signed by thirty-five persons, mostly residents of the towns of Granville, Massachusetts, and Granby, Connecticut. In the preamble, the objects of the association were stated to be the purchase of lands in the State of Ohio; the sending of agents to Ohio to explore, to obtain correct information as to quality and situation of lands, price, mode of payment, title, etc. The body of the article makes them a body corporate, with as large powers as could be attained without special legislation, with two articles of reservation : The first forbids a levying of taxes by a vote of the company, unless one-half of the subscribers or corporators should be present - the second provides that the agreement shall not be binding unless thirty persons shall subscribe to the same. Of the thirty-five persons subscribing to these articles, none survive. Captain Levi Rose, who lived and died at his old home on North street, was the last survivor. By a subsequent vote of the corporation, the price of membership, which had been eight dollars, was raised to ten dollars. May 10, 1804, the company met and appointed Levi Butler, Timothy Rose and Job Case agents, to go to Ohio to view and purchase such lands as would justify a settlement of the company.

On the first day of August, 1804, another meeting of the company was held, when forty-four more persons signed the articles of association. Of these none survive. Amos Carpenter dying in Columbus, was, probably, the last.

The agents appointed to view the land came to Ohio in May, 1804, and returned the following September. Their notes of observation taken during these explorations, and reported to the association, show them to have been men of clear heads and sound judgment

September 24, 1804, a meeting was held, at which a new paper was presented in the nature and character of an article of agreement, in which the subscribers bind themselves, their heirs, executors and administrators to the performance of the several stipulations set forth in the paper. This is the most concise and explicit, in fact, the most lawyerlike instrument of writing that appears among the various papers of the company. Indeed it should have been such, as everything pertaining to the success of the company depended upon its accuracy and binding effect. By this article of agreement the subscribers bind themselves to become the purchasers of the number of acres of lands set opposite their names. The greatest number of acres taken by one person was one thousand five hundred and the next greatest one thousand. These subscriptions were made by Jesse Munson and James Smith. The average of subscriptions was about two hundred acres each. Levi Butler, Timothy Rose, Job Case, Russel Atwater, Seth Hayes, Noahdiah Holcomb, Solomon Noble, Timothy Spellman, Levi Hayes, Samuel Thrall, Zadoc Cooley, and Cornelius Slocum, by this instrument, were made a committee, or rather a board of trustees, to receive deeds in trust, and to perform certain specific duties recited in the article.

This was an important commission and the trust committed to them was executed with fidelity. Deacon Levi Hayes, who lived on Centerville street, and died in October, 1847, was the last survivor.

Many of the men composing this company were men of mark, who for solidity of judgment and probity of character, would adorn any age. Their history reaches back to the days of the Revolution, when they stood shoulder to shoulder in defence of their country. In the closing scene of that conflict at Yorktown, three of them stood in the ranks of their countrymen, and witnessed that proudest of events, for Americans, the surrender of the British army. Timothy Rose as lieutenant, commanding the left of his company, assisted in the storming of a British redoubt.

these articles of agreement on September 21, 1804, in Granville, Massachusetts, none now survive. General Augustine Munson, it is believed, was the last survivor. He was a man of more than ordinary ability and importance in the Granville colony. He was among the first purchasers of land in the township, and lived upcfh his farm until his death. A period of more than sixty years. He built the first saw-mill in Granville township, and displayed much energy and enterprise as an iron founder, canal contractor, and constructor of public works. He rendered efficient military services in the War of 1812; was county commissioner a number of years, and a member of the State legislature from 1822 to 1824, filling all positions of trust with marked fidelity and ability. His son, Captain M. M. Munson, writes as follows regarding his father and other matters of historical interest :

"General Augustine Munson was bom in Granville, Massachusetts, September 30, 1783. He was the youngest child of Jesse and Mariam Munson. At the age of ten years he carried on horseback the first through mail from Schenectady to Fort Erie, the site of the present city of Buffalo. This journey he made through the then wilderness country with no other guide than a pocket compass. At the age of fourteen he was sent to school at the academy in Lenox, where he remained some time, when he was placed under the instruction of the late Dr. Cooley, who kept a select school for young men in Granville, Massachusetts. In 1804, a company was formed in Granville, Massachusetts, called the Licking Land company, for the purpose of buying land and effecting a settlement in Ohio. Munson was the youngest member who signed the articles of association and emigrated with the colony in the fall of 1805, to Granville, Ohio. He was at the sale of the company held in December of that year, and became the purchaser of several lots of land as surveyed and sold by the company. In the year 1806 he built the first saw-mill in the township. It had a capacity of four thousand feet per day. This mill was of vast importance to the new colony, as it furnished the only lumber for building to be had for miles aronnd, and no mill since constructed has ever done so much to meet the wants of this community. The winter following the coming of the colony supplies of flour, salt, etc., had to be brought from Chillicothe and other distant points, and Mr. Munson was generally employed in managing all expeditions in that line. In the years 1806 and 1807 he went to New York and New England to adjust the unfinished business of the colony in that quarter.

In the years 1808 and 1809 expeditions to the lake for fish and other supplies were undertakfen by him, and in the same years a flouring-mill was projected and completed much to the convenience and independence of the new settlement. During these years he, together with the more gay and festive part of the colony, organized a band of music, and instituted balls and festal assemblies. At the commencement of the war of 1812, * his band was mustered in as a regimental band, joining the regiment of Colonel Cass, and was at the surrender of HuD at Detroit. Captain Levi Rose's company of infantry was surrendered at the same time, and all came home on parole together.

"Munson was employed in forwarding supplies to General Harrison's army, and continued active in some branch of the service till the treaty of peace was signed in 1815. Coming home from the war he, in company with his brother. Major Jeremiah R. Munson, constructed and put in successful operation the 'Granville furnace.' This enterprise had more to do in bringing trade and traffic to Granville than any one project before or since put on foot. After the fnmace began to make blooms he started the 'large works' for the purpose of making wrought iron. This work supplied a want heretofore much felt in this part of the State. The iron in its various forms became a metallic currency - a medium of exchange of great value to the settlers.

"The war of 1812 engendered a high military spirit all overthe country, and General Munson, and the Granville people were not exempt. Military drills had been in vogue from the first settlement of the township. It now grew- in force, and instead of a single company, a regiment was organized, and Munson was elected and commissioned as major at the election in 1815; he was promoted to colonel, and remained in command of the regiment till the fall of 1818, when, in one of the most spirited and exciting contests ever known in this part of Ohio, he was elected brigadier general over Colonel Simons, of Mt. Vernoa So excited were the partizans in the contest, that one side demanded that the rival candidates should decide the contest by a "passage at arms," and it is recorded that General Munson did not decline the combat. They were both good swordsmen, but both had too good sense to make such fools of themselves for such an occasion. In 1821-22-23 General Munson was returned to the lower house of the legislature w'here he took part in the discussion of, and voted for the "Internal Improvement Measures,'' then being inaugurated in Ohio.

"In 1825 he became a contractor on the Ohio canal, building the Licking summit, Licking dam, deep cut, eight locks, etc. - all difficult and heavy jobs. These works bore ample testimony of his thoroughness and good laith as a contractor on the public works.

" In the session of 1830-31, by his personal effort aud influence, he secured the vote of the members from Licking county for Mr. Ewing for United States senator, thereby putting the right man in the right place, securing to Ohio one of the ablest members the State has ever had in either branch of congress. Mr. Ewing, it will be remembered, was elected by 00c majority. General Munson was a great admirer of Mr. Gay, and when that gentleman came home with his cattle from England, he visited Kentucky, and purchased some of that and previous importations. He afterwards gave considerable attention to the introduction of improved short-homed cattle into Licking county.

"In 1842 he projected and put in operation a lard oil factory which, though he made superior oils, was not a financial success. The fact of it being too far from the great markets where greases accumulate and can be purchased at an advantage, was the cause of its failure as a remunerative enterprise. From this time on the general spent most of his time on his farm, ne'er, however, losing his interest in all measures and projects that would redound to the advancement and happiness of the whole country. He always kept an open house and a free table: His motto was 'Never breach the laws of hospitality/ Munson, on reaching his majority in the fall of 1804, cast his first vote for Jefferson. He was a firm supporter of Mr. Madison's measures in the war of 1812, and stood by the administration of that pure patriot and statesman all through the difficulties and embarrassments that environed it. He voted for Mr. Monroe, and also for Mr. Clay, but gave a cordial support to the administration of Mr. Adams who was made President by the action of Congress. At the reorganization of parties or rather the formation of new parties which took place at this time, General Munson took sides with the Whigs, and supported the measures and policy - "the American Policy," - as he was wont to call it, of that party, so long as it remained a political organization.

' 'General Munson was never hemmed in by the narrow limits of his own State, or circumscribed by any lines drawn inside of the boundaries of the whole country. He had no sympathy with those who would sectionalize one part of the country against the other, and held in execration him whoever or wheresoever he might be who would raise his parracidal hand against the fair fabric of American constitutional liberty. It was the good fortune of Clay, Webster and other patriots of their day and generation, who had stood by the country, to die when the sunshine of peace was over the land. Not so with General Munson. After he had grown old and feeble, he saw the dark cloud of rebellion rise and burst in all its fury upon the country; but Heaven generously lengthened his days to see the carnage of blood cease, and behold the dawn that betokened a day of peace and reconciliation. Full of hope, and while the ship of State was still rocking on the troubled waters, he was permitted to close his eyes in death. He died April 12, 1868, in the eighty-fifth year of his age."

At a meeting held on the seventh of February, 1805, lt was mQved "to adjourn to meet the first Monday in December next at nine o'clock a. m., on the Hardy section, purchased by the said company in the State of Ohio." The motion was carried by a unanimous vote.

To carry into effect such a resolution, contemplated a work of no little magnitude. It was the work of moving an entire community by the slow process of team and wagon from the Connecticut valley to the then far western wilderness of Ohio. Those accustomed to steamboat and railroad-car as a means of transit, can form but a feeble conception of the time, labor and fatigue incident to such an undertaking. In the spring of this year a small company was sent forward to survey the land purchased, build a saw-mill, clear ground and raise crops to feed the coming emigrants. Regarding the arrangements and derangements, packings and unpackings, partings and departings, the tears of anguish, the hardships and privations of a journey of so many hundred miles in the then crude condition of the roads and means of transit, the reader must draw upon his imagination; but on November 2, 1805, the advance corps of emigrants, consisting of five families, arrived within the limits of this township. These were followed by daily accessions, so that before the setting in of winter forty-five families, consisting of two hundred and thirty-four persons, had arrived.

November 16th (Sabbath), the first divine worship was held. Dr. Little, who for nearly forty years was pastor of the Granville Congregational church, speaking of this meeting, says that although only about one dozen trees had been cut, they held services both forenoon and afternoon.

The novelty^of worshipping in the woods, the forest extending hundreds of miles in every direction, the hardships of the journey, the winter setting in, the fresh thoughts of home, with all the friends and privileges left behind, and the impressions made by their present accommodations compared with those they had relinquished, all bore with considerable weight upon their minds, and made the day one long remembered. When they began to sing, the echo of their voices among the trees was so different from what it was in the beautiful church they had left forever, that they could not restrain their tears. The voices of part of the choir were for a season suppressed with emotion.

An incident in this connection is related of Deacon Theophilus Rees, who two or three years previously had settled on the Welsh Hills. As this incident appears on page 107 of this work, it need not be repeated here.

The committee for the company had purchased seven sections of land, comprising about twentyeight thousand acres. Three of these sections - the second, called the Wells, the third, called the Hardy, and the fourth, called the Stanberry section - had been re-surveyed by James Coe, the company surveyor, into one hundred acre lots, in the spring and summer before the colony arrived. These sections comprised the southeast, southwest, and northwest quarters of what is now Granville township. Mr. Coe had, agreeably to the instructions of the committee, laid out the town as near to the spot where these three sections cornered as the face of the country would admit. This State-

According to the terms of the article of association, a sale by public auction, to the highest bidder, of farm lots in the first division, was held on the eleventh day of December. A consideration of this sale may be interesting as an index of the far-seeing judgment and moneyed abilities pf the bidders. Their homes in New England had passed into the hands of strangers, and themselves strangers in a strange land, with but the surveyor's plats and maps before them, while the lands represented were in a dense wilderness with nothing but the axe-man's blaze to guide them to their future homes.

bid for the first choice." Every one in his own mind had made his selections; but the quandary was, how many were of the same mind? For once in their lives it was not desirable that all should be of the same way of thinking. After several cries by the auctioneer the bidding commenced, and the first choice of the whole, twelve thousand acres in this division, was struck off to Timothy Spellman for one hundred and thirty-eight dollars. He took lot thirteen, range three. This lot is generally known as the Major Case farm. It includes all the village north of Broadway and east of the Granger house, including the Female college, the Union school-house grounds and Mr. Price's farm down to and including Odell's flouring-mill. Mr. Spellman, with his courage now up, bid in four more, making the five first choices of an aggregate of seven hundred and thirty-six dollars and then went home, and it is said, slept none that night, not from overjoy at his good fortune, but from thinking he had paid too deer. The amounts paid for the next forty choices ranged higher than the first. The highest sum paid was for the forty-fourth choice, taken by Job Case for three hundred and forty-four dollars. He took lot twenty, range three. It lies one mile west of town and is known as the William Sherman farm. A few lots were taken without any premium paid for choice. Lot twenty-five, range three, was awarded to Ebenezer Cheney for nothing, there being no competition and no bidding. He was awarded the lot for the asking. It is the east lot

The first division of lots having been disposed of, the proprietors proceeded to sell the four other sections, which were located in St Albans, Hai: ford and Bennington townships.

Almost every colonist was the owner of a lot and most of the houses built and improvements made during the first winter were confined to the town plat, so that by the spring of 1806, Granville had assumed the metropolitan appearance of a small Indian village.

A house for the double purpose of school and church, was one of the first built. A school was taught during the winter, and worship was regularly held both forenoon and afternoon of each Sabbath. The colony had organized a church previous to leaving New England. The meeting at which this organization was effected,fwas held in East Granville, Massachusetts, May 1, 1805. The official record is in rather quaint English, and is as follows :

"We, the subscribers, ministers of the church of Christ, being at East Granville, a number of individuals, serious persons belonging to Granville, Massachusetts, and Granby, in Connecticut, and being about to remove to Granville, in the State of Ohio, requested to be formed into a regular church state previous to their departure. We attended to their request ami formed them accordingly, and recommend them to the care and favor of the Great Head of the church. Likewise, at their request, vve attended while they chose Timothy Rose and Ltf 1 Hayes for their deacons, and Samuel Everett, jr., their derk.

The confession of faith, the covenant and articles of discipline adopted by the church, are about the same as were in general acceptation and use in the Calvinistic churches of New England, of that day. The male members present and signing the articles of agreement were Samuel Everett Israel Wells, Joseph Simmel, Timothy Rose, Roswell Graves, Job Case, Samuel Thrall, Levi Hughes, Huron Rose, Samuel Everett, jr., Silas Winchel, and James Thrall.

The first meeting, according to the record held by this church after their arrival in Ohio, was February 7, 1806, at which they took into consideration the expediency of choosing a special committee to correspond with missionary societies and ministers of the gospel, on the subject of obtaining the ministrations of the word of God in this place. They chose for this purpose James Coe and Samuel Everett, jr.

June 15, 1806, this church had the sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered to the members for the first time since their removal here, by Rev. Samuel P. Robbins, pastor of the Congregational Church of Christ in Marietta. A regular record of the church proceedings were kept by the clerk, Mr. Everett. This record shows that various lectures #were read by the secretaries, dating back as far as February 7, 1806. On Wednesday, February 19th, a lecture was read by Mr. Hoge, a missionary of the general assembly. This was the Rev. Dr. Hoge, who settled about this time as pastor of the Presbyterian church at Franklinton, and removed with that church to Columbus, remaining its pastor until his death, in 1864. His pastoral labors with that people covered a period of over fifty years.

April 24, 1808, Rev. Timothy Harris, a licentiate from Vermont, preached his first sermon in Granville. On the nineteenth *of December of that year, Mr. Harris was ordained pastor. Revs. Lyman Potter, Samuel P. Robbins, James Scott, John Wright, Jacob Lindley and Stephen Lindley were present and officiated. Mr. Harris graduated at Middlebury college, Vermont, ar.d came to Granville a single man, but soon married Bethiah Linnell, daughter of Joseph Linnell. He was a man of fair ability, good scholarship, great modesty and undoubted purity. He continued preaching many years in this church, and died about the year 1822. His place was supplied by Rev. Ahab Jenks, who was dismissed about 1825. It was thought that Mr. Jenks became obnoxious to the church, or a portion of it, because he consented that the masons who were at work on a house he was building, late in the fall, might work on the Sabbath. After the dismissal of Mr. Jenks, they had no regular pastor until about 1827 or 1828, when Rev. Jacob Little was settled.

Just previous to the death of Mr. Harris, or from 1818 to 1822, the state of religion and morals was rather low in Granville. Mr. Harris had become an invalid, meetings were not regularly held, and but little religious interest was manifested.

Illustrative of this, sdme of the young people devised a theatrical performance, and obtained permission of the church authorities to occupy the church for that purpose. A stage was improvised on the top of the unfinished pews. Tragedies were performed, and perhaps some farces; comic songs were sung, and the performances were continued two nights. No charge was made. The house was well filled; people coming from Newark and the surrounding neighborhoods. The ,names of a few of the performers were Matthew Adams, jr., Hiram Pettibone, Stephen Smith, Calvin K. Warner, William Wing and Jeremiah Jewett. The trustees, however, soon came to the conclusion that the church was not the proper place for such performances.

that a bell should be purchased for the church. An estimate was made as to the cost, and a subscription raised to cover, as was supposed, the expense of procuring the bell and hanging it in the tower. A day was appointed for raising it to its place, and the people assembled in large numbers to witness the operation. Too late, it was ascertained that the cost of the bell and other expenses were much more than was expected, and no more money could be procured to pay this 'debt Everything was ready, the people were assembled, and yet the raising was delayed, when it leaked out in some way that more money must be raised, to pay the deficiency, else the bell could not be put in its place. . The assembled crowd did not propose to be cheated out of the object for which they came together; money enough was immediately raised to cover the debt and the bell put in its place. It is thought that this was the first church bell in the county.

A frame church* edifice was erected about 1815, but not entirely finished until 1827, when Mr. Little took charge. This was the building in which occurred the theatrical performances. Prior to the erection of this frame church in 1815, two others had been in use by this congregation. One, a log, was erected in the winter of 1805-6, and was used until about 1810. It was used as a school-house and church together, and for other public meetings. About 1810 this congregation erected a small frame which was in use until 1815, when the larger frame above mentioned was erected. This latter building was removed about 1864, and the present fine brick edifice erected.

Dr. Little's pastorate extended over thirty-nine years. He was very popular, a man of ability and influence, and much beloved by his people. The society over which he presided was not only a religious society, but it had the courage as early as 1831 to take a strong stand against intemperance. Whiskey drinking, as is well known, was freely indulged in by men of all parties and conditions, as well as by church members, even the Puritan blood of this church not excepted. Dr. Little was a prime mover in this first temperance society, and its influence soon became so potent for good that strong drink was no longer tolerated in the church.

Dr. Little was followed by Revs. David Beech and Mr. Dudley, and the present pastor, Rev. D. B. Hervey. This church is yet large in numbers, and in a flourishing condition, having changed to Presbyterian about the time the old and new school Presbyterian churches united.

The Sunday-school of this church was first organizid soon after the advent of the colony in the county, and has been successfully continued until the present time, and is now large and active.

It may be proper here to state that the first Presbyterian preaching in the township was probably by Rev. Thomas Marquis, in 1803. This gentleman visited the Raccoon valley at that date and preached a sermon in an unoccupied cabin, probably that erected by John Jones and vacated by him after the decease of his wife. Patrick Cunningham attended this service, and, like all the settlers at that time, was poor and had hoped some of them would tender the requisite hospitalities to the minister; but they all left without inviting him to remain over night, for the reason, pephaps, that each thought his means inadequate to entertain him properly. After all had left, Patrick, whose theological views were in sympathy with those of the preacher, told him that he would gladly entertain him, but that he had nothing fit to set before him. On this subject a colloquy took place between them which developed the fact that corn for the horse, and milk, corn bread and potatoes for the preacher were on hand, whereupon a tarry until the next day was soon arranged. Mr. Marquis afterward, in 1807, held communion service in Newark for the few scattering Presbyterians, and this is about the extent of his operations in this county, so far as remembered He was from Washington county, Pennsylvania.

The first Episcopal preaching in Granville, it is believed, was by Bishop Chase, of Kenyon college On his way from the east, he passed through this place, was requested to hold services and did so. His own short record of it is thus given in 1.819 : "On my way home, I preached and performed service at Granville. The audience, though assembled at two hours notice, was attentive, and further services were requested."

From time to time Episcopal services were held by different ministers passing through, but it did not become a regular preaching station until 1826, when Rev. N. G. Baldwin, taking Granville in connection with Zanesville and Newark, organized a parish here.

From that time to the present, though occasionally with long intervals of neglect, the parish of St. Luke's, Granville, has had services. The following ministers have officiated: Revs. P. Chase,

J. Morse, N. G. Baldwin, George Denison, S. A. Bronson, W. C. French, E. A. Strong, Thomas Corlett, E. B. Kellogg, C. S. Doolittle, and J. W. McCarty.

In proportion to its numerical strength and pecuniary ability, St. Luke's church ever set the other parishes of the diocese a good example. Zealous, active and liberal, though but a small band, the members in 1837, erected on the public square a house of worship, which externally was an ornament to the town, and internally tasteful aad neat. With furniture and organ, its total cost was a little over seven thousand dollars, in those days by no means a small sum.

St. Luke's was, for many years, self-supporting: able to keep a pastor of its own, and give him a respectable living; only, however, by great effort

That which mainly gave the church strength and stability was the presence of the ladies, seminary, connected with it. In 1838 Rev. Alvah Sandford commenced an Episcopal school for young ladies, which, for many years, was very successful. The buildings in which this school was kept, had been erected by a Baptist society under the lead of Charles Sawyer, in 1832. Mr Sawyer becoming embarrassed, was compelled to dispose of the buildings, and they were purchased by the Episcopal church.

This institution, passing into the hands of another principal, Rev. C. S. Doolittle, it was decided some years ago to remove it to Mansfield* This was a misfortune to the people of St. Luke's, as it deprived them at once of the regular services of a resident pastor - a deprivation which had the most depressing effect. Since that time the parish here has simply kept together, holding its own, perhaps ; having a few additions from time to time, but losing by removals about as much as it gains.

The main consolation of the good people of St. Luke's is, that what has been their loss, has been gain to some other parish, that many of those who are an honor to the church, in other portions of the diocese, entered on their Christian course at Granville.

Rev. J. W. McCarty ministered to the church about ten years. Regular preaching has not been sustained since 1873, but occasional services are yet held. Rev. Hall now ministers to the people of this church occasionally.

The Rev. Edward Jones, now of Cincinnati, is believed to have preached the first Welsh sermon in Granville, at the residence of Mr. Jenkin Hughes, about the year 1834. About this time also, a Sabbath-school was organized. These services and Sunday-school exercises were conducted in a rented room over the post office.

Morgan were occasional preachers until 1840, when Rev. William Parry became the settled minister. He remained until 1852, and was succeeded by Rev. Joseph E. Davis. Rev. E. T. Evans became the settled minister in 1856.

At the organization in 1839, William Ellis, John Jones and William T. Williams were elected elders. J. J. Hughes and John R. Owens were subsequently elected.

The first church edifice was erected in 1843; this was succeeded, in 1856, by the building now occupied. Services in this church have always been conducted in Welsh.

The Welsh Hills Baptist church was organized September 4, 1808, in the cabin of David Thomas, by Elder James Sutton, assisted by Mr. Steadman. It was styled the "First Regular Baptist Church of Granville," because of its location in Granville township. It continued to be known by that name until 1819, when, upon the organization of the Regular Baptist church, in the village, its name was changed to its present title.

The original members of this organization, nine in number, were Theophilus Rees, David Thomas, jr., Nathan Allyn, jr., David Lobdell, Joshua Lobdell, Thomas Powell, Elizabeth Rees, Elizabeth Jones and Mary Thomas. Theophilus Rees was elected deacon, and Mr. Lobdell clerk.

They worshipped in private houses for some time, but a log building, with a puncheon floor, and, in size, about eighteen by twenty feet, was erected during the year 1809, on the Rees purchase, about one mile northeast of Granville, which was used, more or less, for a church and school-house several years, when a building, twenty by twenty-four feet was erected two miles north, of round logs, puncheon floor and pulpit.

Mr. Phillips donated a few acres of land in connection with this church for a cemetery, in which he and many of his family and descendants are buried.

ground for a cemetery where the original church stood, which is yet known as the "Welsh Hills cemetery," and in .which he and his family are buried. It was given by him February 6, 1808, and on the same day, Rees, son of David Thomas, was buried there, being the first interment. David Lewis and Simon James dug the grave.

A school-house, standing at a point about midway between these meeting-houses, was used some years for church purposes, and private houses were, meanwhile, frequently used for this purpose, as well as churches.

In 1823, a large hewed log meeting-house was built near the site of the one that was burnt, where services were conducted until 1834, when it, too, burnt during its occupancy as a school-house.

At present the services of this church are held in a comfortable frame church-building standing near the old Cambria mills, erected in 1836. It is about thirty by forty feet in size.

Deacon Theophilus Rees may justly be regarded as the founder of the Welsh Hills church. Through his influence and exertions it was organized, and four of his family were among the first members of it. He lived only about four and a half years after its organization, when it had attained to a membership of thirty. He died in February, 1813, aged sixty-six years. He exercised the functions of deacon until his death, and was a useful, intelligent and Christian pioneer.

The Welsh Hills church was among the first organized in Licking county. The small Methodist organization on Hog run, ministered to by Rev. Asa Shinn, in i8o3-,4, and the organization effected on the eastern border^ of the county through the instrumentality and labors of Rev. Joseph Thrap, in 1805-6, together with the Congregational church of Granville, organized in Massachusetts, in 1805, and a Methodist church in Newark, being the only ones of prior date, within the present limits of the county.

This small church had preaching very irregularly for the first two years of its existence. Rev. Thomas Powell preached occasionally, and other pioneer preachers, braving the dangers and privations incident to life in the wilderness, sometimes visited and preached for them. Meetings were, however, held regularly, and every month the church met for praise and prayer.

About 1823, Mr. Owen Owens, of this church, was licensed to preach, and during his missionary operations, organized "Liberty," "Genoa" and "Homer" churches.

In March, 1823, Elder Thomas Hughes, a licentiate from Wales, who settled in the neighborhood, was chosen pastor, and supplied the church regularly until 1832, when he resigned. During his pastorate services were held in the stone school-house, and in the old log church.

Seventeen persons united with the church during his ministry, and the aggregate reached seventy-one members. Mr. Hughes' resignation was again reluctantly accepted, the church esteeming him a man of sound judgment, and of great wisdom in counsel

Elder James Sargent, a young man from Granville college, served the church very acceptably one year. During his ministry thirty persons were received into the church. After his resignation, Messrs. Roberts and Owens, students from Granville college, supplied the church a year or more.

In 1846 William Smedmer engaged to supply the church three-fourths of the time, which he did until 1848, when hfe resigned, and was succeeded

In 1851 Thomas Hughes was called for the third time to the pastorate of this church, and died September following, after having been a member of the church for fifty years, most of that time in the ministry.

After his death, the church was served some time by Rev. Dr. Bailey, president of Granville college, and Rev. J. Lawrence. They were followed in 1853 by Rev. N. Clouse, who remained two years. In January, 1855, Rev. Dr. Hall became minister and served five years, frequently assisted by Mr. Clouse and Rev. E. D. Thomas. Mr. Clouse became pastor again in January, 1863, and continued three years; being succeeded by Rev. B. J. Powell, who also served three years. President Talbot followed for one year, and Rev. A Jordon for nine months. Revs. J. Kyle, N. Clouse, Miller and Thornton have successively occupied the pulpit since Mr. Jordon's time. During seventy-two years this church has been four and a half years without a pastor. The longest pastorate, that of Rev. Thomas Hughes, was seventeen and a half years. At present there are fifty members connected with the church ; and the Sabbath-school, organized about 1825, contains sixty members.

The Muskingum association was formed in this church in May, 1811, in the building first erected, by Revs. William Brundige, Jacob Drake, William Thrift and J. W. Patterson. This church remained with said association until 1841, when it united with the Columbus association, with which it is yet connected.

The First Baptist church of Granville was organized in 1819. In Howe's history of Ohio, it is stated that the first Baptist sermon preached in Granville was by Elder Jones in 1806. This is undoubtedly the "Chaplain Jones" of revolutionary fame, who often visited Licking county, and especially. Granville and the Welsh hills, and

This society may be considered an offspring of the Welsh hills church, founded by Deacon Rees. When their numbers increased sufficiently about Granville, they ceased attending the old church, and organized one of their own. In 1828 they erected a brick church in the west part of town, upon the present site of Professor A. M. Thresher's residence, and since that time have erected a frame church on the public square, opposite the Congregational church, and disposed of the old brick building.

After Chaplain Jones, Elder George Evans was probably the first preacher for the congregation. He continued his ministerial labors from the organization of the church until October 26, 1822. He was a missionary from Massachusetts. At the above date, he was succeeded by Elder John Hanover, who preached until 1825, and was succeeded by Elders DeBolt in 1825; Hanks, in 1826; James Berry, in 1828; Allen Darrow, after 1832; Henry Carr, from 1842 to 1847; Silas Bailey and Professor John Pratt, until 1851; Jeremiah Hall, D. D., from 1851 to 1853; N. S. Burton, eight years; J. D. King, one year; J. C. Fernald, until 1873, and w- C. P. Rhodes to the present date (November, 1880.)

The Methodist Episcopal church of Granville, although one of the first organized is, as usual, last to take steps for the preservation of its history. No records have been kept until in later years, and consequently its earliest history has disappeared. Howe's "Historical Collections" says:

"In the .fall (probably the fall of 1806. though no date is given) the first Methodist sermon was preached under a black walnut tree; the first class organized in 1810, and the first church erected in 1824.'*

It has been ascertained that this class organized in 1810 was at the house of William Gavit, by the Rev. James B. Finley. This was then called the Knox circuit. The names of the members of this class do not appear, but the names of the ministers that immediately succeeded Mr. Finley are Revs. Elisha W. Bowman, 1811; Michael Ellis, 1812; David Knox, 1813; Samuel West, 1814;

John Solomon and John McMahon, 1815; Shadrick Ruark, 1816; Henry Baker and Philip Green 1817; Thomas Carr and Leonard Lane, i8i8,and Thomas Carr and John Solomon, 1819. In 1820 the name of the circuit was changed to Granville, j Rev. S. B. Fratnpton is the present minister, and I the church and Sabbath-school are in a flourishing I condition.

Chapter Li Granville Continued

An Important Legal Instrument - Early Mills - First Farm House - First Birth and Marriage in Granville- First Cemetery and First Burial - Music - Early Doctors - First Court in the County - William Wing and his Contribution - The Licking Exporting Company - Prices of Produce and Other Things - Ohio Canal - Mr. Briggs' Paper - The "Wanderer" - "The Granville Intelligencer" - "Licking Bee' - The "Denisonian" - The "Hebarium" - The "Collegian " - The "Granville Times" - The Dead Pioneebs- First Postmaster - The Granville Alexandrian Society - The Granville Furnace - The Forge - Distilleries - Oil-Mill - Salt Well - Various Other Business Matters in the Early Days of Granville - Thi Clock Factory - Military Matters - First Merchants - Charles Sawyer - Later Merchants - Abolition Troubles - Snakes - Living Descendants of the Pioneers - First Masonic Lodge - Water Works - Present Business.

ONE of the most important legal instruments to the Granville colony was the partition deed, executed by Mr. Samuel Everett. It partitioned the land among the people of the colony, and was signed by seventy-eight proprietors, in the presencejof, and attested by, Abraham Wright, justice of the peace. It bears date of March 8, 1806, and contains twenty-eight closely written pages of foolscap. It appears upon the records of Fairfield county, and is the most lengthy written instrument of the kind upon the records of the county. It was executed gratuitously by Mr. Everett. He was a ready accountant and good conveyancer. He was the father of Harlow, Revel and Israel Everett.

One of the things most needed for the convenience and improvement of the country was a sawmill. For the purpose of building one, a millwright named Phelps, and four men as assistants, had been sent out to the purchase in the spring of

1805. They came in company with Mr. Coe and his surveying corps. A site near where the old furnace stood was selected, and a temporary mill erected. They dammed the Raccoon for the purpose of procuring a supply of water, but evidently they did not understand damming a western stream in a new country, and the first freshet swept it away. The mill was abandoned before it was ready for operations. This was a drawback and disappointment to the colony; and from this cause more light and transient dwellings were erected than otherwise would have been.

By the fall of 1806, a saw-mill had been erected further down the stream by Augustine Munson, with a capacity of four thousand feet per day. A reasonable supply of lumber to meet the wants of the colony was now to be had, and the heavier ana more substantial structures began to be erected

The first farm house was built by Deacon, afterward Judge, Timothy Rose, in the winter of 1806-;, and stood where Judge Bancroft afterward resided The first (forty by fifty) frame barn built in the county was erected in this township in the spring of 1807. The boards enclosing it were nailed on with Newgate nails, made in the Connecticut State prison. Most of the boards and nails are yet in their places.

It was the frequent remark of strangers and visitors to Granville in those early days, that no pioneer settlement in the west could boast of so many marriageable and desirable young ladies as could Granville.

A burying-ground was laid out in the company's first survey. The first death and burial was that of an infant son of Ethan Bancroft, who died April 6, 1806. On the twenty-second of August of the same year, Gideon Cromwell died, aged forty-five, and was the first interment of an adult person in this graveyard.

The 'pioneers of Granville early paid attention to the cultivation of music, both vocal and instrumental. Singing schools, to learn church music, were held as early as the fall of 1806; and at all their social parties singing was part of the entertainment. As early as 1808, a band for instrumental music was organized; it consisted of eleven performers; three clarionets, three hautboys, three bassoons, one bass drum and cymbal. This was the first band west of Pittsburgh, if not of the Alleghanies. It was the band of Cass' regiment in the War of 1812, and was in Hull's surrender at Detroit.

In the formation of the Granville colony an effort was made to have the professional and mechanical pursuits represented as far as possible, so that among these pioneers men were found for almost any work or duty required, and they were, therefore, better fitted in all respects to enjoy life than the majority of western pioneers, and their

In the spring of 1807 Dr. Lee settled in Granville, the first physician in this part of the county. He married Sabina, eldest daughter of Job Case, and subsequently removed to Coshocton. He was followed by Drs. Richards and Eager, men of general education and professional skill. One of these was a regular graduate of Dartmouth and the other of a literary institution in Rhode Island. Granville has hever been without medical men who would adorn that piofession in any age or community.

The first court ever held in the county was held on Centerville street, in this township, in a house that stood on the corner of Levi Rose's garden. The grand jury held its inquest under a tree that stood near the guide post that points to Hebron.

Mr. William Wing was a resident of Granville township from 1818 to 1827, and has furnished some valuable history of early times here. He died in Columbus, Ohio, February 13, 1878, in his seventy-ninth year. He came to Licking county from Windsor, Connecticut, settling in Granville in 1818, where he married Electa Spellman in 1822. He was a merchant, a canal contractor and, later in life, engaged in railroad business. He was well acquainted with the pioneer history of central Ohio, and was often called upon to address pioneer gatherings. A few extracts following are taken from the few of these addresses which appear in print:

" From 1818 to 1822 money was exceedingly scarce and produce low. The inhabitants had to live chiefly on what they were able to raise and manufacture themselves. Business of most kinds was conducted by exchanging one article for another. It was next to impossible to get money to pay debts. About this time a stay law was enacted by the legislature which virtually suspended the forced collections of debt for some time. Produce would scarcely pay enough for transportation to any market that was accessible. As an instance of this a company was formed at Granville, about the year 1820, called the ' ' Licking Exporting Company," for the purpose of sending produce, especially pork, to market. The hogs were put into control of the company by the farmers, driven to Sandusky, there slaughtered, packed and shipped in the spring to Montreal. Mr. C. Humphrey supervised the shipment, and went to Canada and made sales. About one dollar and twenty-five cents per hundred was realized for the pork, and the operations of the company were not repeated.

half to twenty cents ; flour, from one dollar to one dollar and twenty-five cents per hundred weight ; pork, one dollar and fifty cents to two dollars ; chickens, thirty-seven and one-half to fifty cents per dozen , butter, six to eight cents per pound ; eggs, three to four cents per dozen ; country sugar, six to eight cents per pound ; country molasses fifty cents per gallon (no foreign sugar or molasses to be had); coffee, when obtainable, about fifty cents, and tea two dollars and fifty cents to three dollars per pound. Salt retailed for three dollars and fifty cents per bushel ; whiskey, twenty-five cents per gallon ; potatoes and turnips, twelve and one-half to sixteen cents per bushel, and other articles in proportion. Even at these prices money could not be obtained freely for them, there being no other than a home market. Merchandise and goods of all kinds could be obtained only with great difficulty. The stores were bare of the real necessaries for the people, and all had to depend on their own resources.

"From 1822 to 1825, there was a gradual improvement, merchants at Granville purchased the farmers' hogs and cattle, drove them to an eastern market and returning furnished the people with merchandise suitable to their wants. From that time the inhabitants were better accommodated, and the parties engaged in the business were benefitted and eminently successful. The working of the Granville furnace by the same parties successfully, afforded a market for considerable of the produce raised by the farmers.

"Beginning work on the Ohio canal in 1825, gave an impetus to business, furnishing a home market for much of the surplus labor and produce of the county. Great advances and changes soon took place. The people of Granville felt much interest in that work, expecting to derive much benefit from the proposed side cut, or feeder. Meetings of rejoicing were had upon the passage of the law, speeches were made, toasts offered and good feeling prevailed. A toast given by Judge Alexander Holmes, of Newark, was as follows: 'The Licking summit - we are indebted to her depression for this day 's elevation.' A well known citizen, Chauncey Humphrey, in the height of his joy made this remark in relation to the prospects of Granville: 'We shall be a second Utica.'

"But the expectation of advantages to be derived from the side cut to Granville, does not appear to have been realized, as it has been useless for purposes of navigation many years. However, the people were generally benefited by the prosecution of the work.,

"From the day of the beginning of the canal (July 4, 1825,) we may date the rapid advancement of the county and State in wealth, prosperity and all the material elements which go to make a happy and prosperous people.

"The Newark A dvocate, published by Mr. Briggs, at Newark, was commenced in the year 1820. A good subscription list was obtained for the paper at Granville; the papers were sent to a depository there by a carrier, for the subscribers. To fill up his columns the publisher commenced publishing the life of Patrick Henry in weekly installments. Some of the subscribers became dissatisfied. About this time Augustine Munson was a candidate for the legislature; some one was sent to the Advocate office to get tickets printed with Munson's name on them. Mr. Briggs, not favoring Munson's election it was thought, declined to print them, assigning as a reason that he had so much printing on hand he could not do it in time. Of course the parties were not pleased, and having been dissatisfied with his paper before, a number of the subscribers and others, collected together, went to the depository where considerable accumulations of them were, and gathering them up, formed a procession, and with muffled drums and fife marched to a cross street in the east part of the town and buried them. Shortly after a number of subscribers took produce of various kinds to Newark to pay their subscriptions and stop the paper. Briggs published in his next issue an article in regard to the matter, attempting to ridicule the people, and there the matter ended; but the Advocate, after that time, never had much circulation there while he conducted it.

"After this a press was obtained by Mr. Sereno Wright, who was a practical printer, and the publication of a newspaper was commenced by himself, called the Wanderer. 'Uncle Sereno,' as he w'as familiarly called, was considered a very honest upright man, but somewhat eccentric in character. Many stories used to be told of his peculiar ways in dealing with his customers in his store, which he kept about this time. It is probable they were not true, or if they were, they were not to his prejudice, but only illustrative of his eccentricities. He afterward served as county treasurer a number of years with great acceptability. The Jackson party finally became dominant in the county and he was obliged to give way.''

The Wanderer spoken of by Mr. Wing, was established in 1822, and was the second paper started in the county. It was devoted to news, advertising, and the interests of the little village in which it was published. It was small in size, contained little reading matter, and was issued by "Uncle Sereno," and one of his boys. The latter fell down stairs one day, seriously injuring himself, which circumstance led to the suspension of the Wanderer \ This was about two years after it started. Newspapers were not in great demand in this county in the days of the Wanderer.

Probably the next pa'per started in Granville was the Granville Intelligencer in 1847, by D. Hunt and H. C. Blackman. Mr. James Taylor may also have been connected with the Intelligencer before its name was changed to the Licking Bee in 1851, as it was afterward.

These papers were devoted to the interests of Granville, were well conducted, well printed and exerted a good influence. The Bee advocated the Maine Law in 1853, and was always strongly for temperance. Both of these papers were independent in politics.

The Herbarium was a literary periodical issued in Granville, in the interest of one of the literary institutions of that place. It was the cotemporary of the Denisoniany and lived as long at least, perhaps longer. It was conducted, probably, by the young ladies of Mr. Kerr's seminary.

The Collegian , a magazine of thirty-two pages, was started by the members of the Calliopean Literary society of Denison university, in July, 1867, with Thomas Ewart, F Catworthy, and F. Austin Drew as editors, and H. A. Rogers and C. M. Rupe publishers. It was published by this society two years. In 1869, the Franklin Literary society united with the Calliopeans in its publication, and from the commencement of the third volume it was issued as the Denison Collegian , and under the auspices of these societies it is ably conducted.

The Granville Times , a weekly Republican paper, was established in June, 1880, by Harry A. Church, the first number appearing on Friday, June n. The paper is a five column folio, and is principally devoted to the interests of Granville township. It has been placed upon a paying basis, and is a welcome sheet to almost every family in the township. Although supporting the principles of the Republican party, it is liberally encouraged by men of both parties, Rev. A. Y. Yale, of Alexandria, now prints a peripdical in the Times office. It is noticed in the chapter on St. Albans township.

"Of the first pioneers who were living in 1818, Joseph Linnel, sr., Levi Rose, Deacon Levi Hayes, Roswell Graves, Job Case, Samuel and Azariah Bancroft, Justin Hillyer, sr., Timothy Spellman, Elias Gilman, Silas Winchel, William Gavit, Amos Carpenter, and Hiram Rose, are remembered - all now dead.

"Of the descendants of the first settlers and others residing there at the time are recollected the following : Augustine, Jeremiah R. and Jesse Munson, Spencer Wright, Elkanah Linnel, Grove Case, Curtis. Amara, and Daniel Howe, Benjamin and Jacob Cook, Oren and Ralph Granger, David and Campbell Messenger, A. P. Pritchard, Elias Fassett, Willard Warner, Hiram and Samuel Boardman, Jacob Apollos Griffin, the Mower family (father and sons), and many others whose names are not now recalled.

"The first postmaster at Granville was Judge Rose ; the next, William Gavit. Sereno Wright succeeded him and was postmaster there in 1818, and so remained many years.

Moulton. Dr. Sylvester Spellman settled there about 1820, and was in practice many years. Some other physicians came there but did not remain long.

* ' At an early period an act of the legislature incorporated the Granville Alexandrian society. It was supposed the law conferred banking powers, accordingly a bank was established about 1814 or 1815.

"The banking house was a one-story stone building, and stood at the southeast comer of Broad street and the public square. It issued circulating notes and did a general banking business. I am not certain who its first directors and officers were, but believe Elias Gilman, Silas Winchel, and Timothy Spellman, residents of Granville, were of the board, wiih Alexander Holmes, of Newark, as president, and R. R. Roach, as cashier. Subsequently G. Swan was cashier, and he was succeeded by Elisha S. Gilman. This was, no doubt, the first banking institution in the county.

"In 1817, in common with other banks in the State, such as the Owl Creek bank of Mt. Vernon, and others, the bank failed to redeem its notes, and. suspended payment, when its notes greatly depreciated. In 1836 the bank was revived, principally by Buffalo parties. Henry Roop was. made president, and A. G. Hammond cashier. Mr. Hammond did not continue long, and A. J. Smith succeeded him. Mr. Roop retired from the presidency after a time, when his place was supplied by some person interested in the bank in Granville. The public did not have great confidence in this bank, its issues not being in much favor, and it suspended payment in 1841. Its business was wound up by order of the court, and, I believe, some of its stockholders were made individually liable for its outstanding notes.

"The Granville furnace was built in 1816, by J. R. and A. Munson. It was supposed that ore could be obtained about four miles west of Granville. This proved to be a mistake, and the ore had to be transported by wagon from Mary Ann township, and other places, distant twelve or sixteen miles. After the completion of the canal ore was obtained from Zoar, in Tuscarawas county. The operations of the furnace were not successful until it passed into the hands of L. D. Mower and his associates in 1822 or 1823, when it became profitable. In 1825 Elias Fassett purchased the interest of L. D. Mower & Co., and carried on the business some years. From 1830 to 1838 the persons interested in it were Elias Fassett, Alfred Avery, P. W. Taylor, Elizur Abbott, Simeon Reed, D. L. Cook, and D. D. Jewett. It was finally abandoned in 1838.

"A forge was built by A. Munson on Raccoon creek, twfo miles from town, and worked for a time with partial success; it was built about the time the furnace was erected. Colonel A. Jewett worked it in 1824 and 1825, but was unsuccessful. A. Munson had a grist and saw-mill on the site of the forge; Grove Case had a grist-mill on Clear run, adjoining the town on the east.

"Distilleries were common. The parties operating them were Joseph Fassett, Royal Marsh, Silas Winchell, and another name not recollected, about a mile and a half west of town.

"A saw-mill wras carried on by Captain John Phelps, about three-fourths of a mile southeast of town. He will be remembered by some of the older residents as going by the name of "Captain Put." He became partially deranged about 1824, travelled about from place to place, and when he came into a town he would call his roll, naming persons whose names he had obtained. I recollect hearing him call it one day in Granville. What became of him I do not know, but have the impression that he wandered off to the State of New York, or some of the New England States, from whence he came, and died.

"An oil-mill was built at an early day on Clear run, north of town, near the Welsh Hills road. It was run for a time but soon discontinued. Two tanneries were in operation in 1818, one carried on by Spencer Wright, near Clear run, east of town, and the other by George Donnovan on a lot afterward occupied by Harvey Bragg, near the spring.

"A salt well was sunk some hundreds of feet, about threefourths of a mile southwest of town at an old deer-lick. Salt water was reached and a furnace erected to make salt, but on testing the water, two bushels of salt per day was all that could be made, and the enterprise wras abandoned. Another well was commenced on Moat's run, in St. Albans township, but did not come to anything. I think these enterprises were undertaken in 1822 or 1823.

"There were four ponds of standing water on the town plat; one at the junction of Broad street and the Columbus road, one on the north side of the public square; one in the street fronting the house occupied by Rev. Mr. Little, and the other north of Broad street, and west of the street leading north toward Mt. Vernon. By voluntary labor contributed by the people in town and country, they w ere filled up and drained in 1826, and the unsightly nuisances abated.

"The old burying ground south of town, containing some twelve or fifteen acres, was first surrounded with a wooden fence, which became decayed. In 1820 the inhabitants turned out and built a good, substantial wall around the lot, which still remains. A new cemetery has been established and dedicated in the past few years, southeast of the town plat.

' "There were two or three woollen factories in the township at an early day. The original proprietors were William Paige, Horace Wolcott, James Mead, and Linus G. Thrall; there may have been others w'hose names are not remembered.

"The people of the township and county were supplied with plows made at Granville. The first manufactured was the "bull plow," so called; the woodwork made by the Blanchards, and the iron (all wrought) by Colonel Alpheus Jewett, and afterwards by Allen Sinnet, Hugh Kelley and others. The Blanchards and Woodbury also built wagons, carts and other things.

"In 1831 a Mr. Bunker, from Troy, New York, started, on the site of the old forge referred to, an extensive manufaciory of plows, of the "Wood's patent." They were of cast iron, so far as iron was used. These plows came into general use; had a wide market, and gave great satisfaction.

"A very considerable business was carried on from 1820 to 1825, in quarrying and cutting stone for building purposes, also grave stones, by Josiah Taylor, P. W. Taylor, and others. Several teams were kept running in the country peddling grave stones, and it is supposed that those engaged in the business did well.

"The first lodge of Free Masons in Licking county was instituted at Granville, called "Center Star." It had members from all parts of the county, and had a Royal Arch chapter. I believe it still continues in working order.

"Linnel, French & Brace had a clock factoiy five miles wes of Granville, and had several men in their employ. In 1825 1826, Franklin county was a part of the congressional district and Lyne Starling, of Columbus, was a candidate for Congress. He came to Granville on an electioneering excursion, and a*- introduced to the people as a candidate to represent ties Hearing of the clock factory he wished me to go there wrt him, which I did. After spending some time with the pm:- pals, as we were about leaving, he inquired the price of * clock, and directed them to send him one; it wras sent to r._. care and forwarded to him at Columbus. He paid for tbr clock, but whether he received the votes of the parties or th*r employes I do not know, but he was not elected. The doc* factory was afterward removed to Granville, and stood non of the building now occupied by the First National bank Granville, and carried on by French & Brace, Mr. Linnel bavins withdrawn.

" From 1818 to 1828 the attention of the people was called military matters, Regimental and company musters were regularly kept up. There were three uniformed companies, one id infantry, oue of artillery and one of cavalry, commanded re spectively by Captains Timothy Spellman, jr., Willard Warner and P. W. Taylor. There were also two companies of militu ('flood-woods' and 'barefoots'), one in the south part of the township, commanded by Captain Myron Phelps, and one a the north part commanded by Captain Alpheus Jewett, afterward became colonel of the regiment. The writer had nut much military taste, but was appointed pay master of the regment, and was mustered as such, but is not aware that am money came into his hands, wherewith to make any payments

"The first and only cannon ever made in the county was ca^ at the Granville furnace, for the artillery company, and bored out in a stable near where the clock factory stood, and mounted for the company. It was used at the celebration at Licking Summit in 1825, at the beginning of the Ohio canal.

"In 1818 Griffin & Humphrey had a stock of goods in the store next east of the old bank building. Mr. Humphrey sok, his interest to Elisha S. Gilman, the firm then being Griffin 4 Gilman. They did not replenish the stock, and soon gave up the business. Matthew Adams, jr., had a stock of goods a 1819, or 1820, but I do not recollect who was concerned with him. His store was next west of R. Granger's tavern; but je was not successful, and the business was closed up. Fitch £ King opened a stock of goods, and, I believe, Matthew- Adams jr., assisted them; but they did not remain long. Sercno Wright kept some articles of merchandise in part of his dwelling, southwest corner of the public square; and the post office was kept there, he being postmaster.

"Charles Sawyer came to Granville in 1817. He was a saddler by trade, and carried on the business in a small, fed building, on the lot now occupied by Doctor Spellman's dwelling house. In 1819 or 1820 he began keeping some articles of merchandise, and from small beginnings and close attention to business, he had accumulated considerable property by the year 1830. At or about this time he became a zealous member of the Baptist church, and felt it his duty to contribute libenQv of his means towards the enterprises of his church, one of whk£ was the building of a female seminary, with a spacious boarding house attached. The buildings were located in the northwester part of town. The seminary was occupied and well patronued

Mr. Sawyer having contributed so freely of his own means, became embarrassed and was obliged to take the building and its surroundings in payment of his advances on account of it, and to relieve himself was obliged to sell^it to the Episcopal church, but did not realize near what he had paid out. He lemoved to Newark soon after, in 1850 to Columbus, and from thence to Springfield, Illinois.

"About 1822 L. D. Mower commenced merchandising, built a new brick store-house on the south side of the street, between the houses occupied by Doctor Spellman and Dr. Paul Eagar. His brother, Horatio, and Alfred Avery were associated with him; and after Horatio's death his brother Sherlock was a partner. Mr. Mower also worked the furnace until he disposed of his interest in that enterprise to E. Fassett, as before mentioned. Afterward A. P. Pritchard was a partner of his in the sale of goods in 1830, under the firm name of Mower & Pritchard. Mr. Mower was a very thorough business man, and a man of great energy and perseverance, and acquired a handsome property. He died in 1834 or 1835.

"A. P. Pritchard w'as probably the first druggist in the county. He had a chemical establishment or labratory in connection with the drug business, near ihe spring, in the northwest part of town.

"Other parties. were engaged in merchandising from 1820 to 1838. whose names are as follows: Elias Fassett, Alfred Avery* P. W. Taylor, D. R. Cook, Elmer Abbott, Doctor Sylvester Spellman, Simeon Reed, D. D. Jewett and George Abbott. Some of these parties were also engaged in the furnace, their names appearing in a former paragraph. It is supposed that these gentlemen were generally successful in their undertakings. A steam flouring mill was built near the furnace in 1831, by P. W. Taylor & Co. After the feeder had been finished to Granville, tiro mill was removed to the site of the old Phelps sawmill, before referred to.