Harrison Township (part 2 of 6)

At another time John Aikman's life was attempted by a hostile Indian. He was tying fodder when he heard the snap of the flint against the steel. He did not stop to interview his dangerous neighbor, but in the words of the aged narrator he "cut for the house lively." Every precaution was used to ensure safety by night against the attack of the wily foe. Every one slept with some weapon at hand, ready at an instant's alarm to start up and battle for life. Traces were often found where the Indians had been prowling around during the night, probably only restrained from committing injury by their fear of the white man's vengeance. Although no record exists of any white being killed by an Indian in the township, reports to the contrary are found.

At one time an Indian came to the house of the Abbotts on Miller's fork, and demanded admittance. Upon its being refused him, he attempted to force his way into the dwelling, but was killed by Mr. Abbott by a fearful blow on the head with some heavy instrument. An Indian was buried by William Myers in the swamp near his house. Although no one can assert positively that he met his death by violence, nevertheless Myers was always regarded as the author of his death, but such was the dread in which the red man was held that no questions were asked. Any one who could dispose of an enemy so cruel and cunning, was held to have done the country a service timely and praiseworthy.

In 1812 Rebecca Sharpe, a sister of Henry Sharpe, was taken prisoner by some wandering Indians while visiting the Abbotts. She was carried to Darke county, and afterwards brought back to Preble county by her captors, who stopped on Swamp creek and made salt. They had a salt pit there which they guarded jealously from the whites. Miss Sharpe fixed the place in her memory, and after her release, which occurred at Greenville soon after, she came back and gave information concerning the salt pit. After the Indians were through with their salt making, they were accustomed to stop the mouth of the pit with large stones and then strew it over with elm bark.

Jacob Potter bought up a large tract of land in the neighborhood and went to work to make salt. He had dug down a good ways, when some one, who was either jealous of his prospects or who was a personal enemy, filled up the shaft with pieces of steel and iron and put an end to the work. Potter was out of funds, probably, and could not proceed with his work. At any rate, he sold out and made no more attempts at salt manufacturing.

At the time of Rebecca Sharpe's capture there were only four men in the township who were not drafted into the army. These four were John Lock, Jacob Werts, John Vantz, and William Lower. This act of the Indians in taking Miss Sharpe prisoner, caused such a fright that every one but old Vantz left in haste for the block-house at Lexington, leaving stock, crops, and everything to the mercy of the Indians. Vantz said that he had come all the way from Pennsylvania to find a home and that now that he had one he didn't propose to leave it to the mercy of "them pesky Injuns." They might kill him if they wished but he would not run. He was never molested during his stay, although the stock of the other farms were run off and the crops destroyed.

Upon her release Miss Sharpe went back to Tennessee. Four years later her relatives went after her and persuaded her to accompany them back to Ohio. She consented, but died on the journey when ten miles north of Cincinnati, within fifty miles of her destination.

The First Election

was held in the year 1816. In 1815 the present township was severed from Twin township, and the first elections were held in the following year. There is no township house, but the elections are held either in the council room at Lewisburgh or the hotel at Sonora. The results of the first election were as follows: Trustees - Jesse Swisher, Daniel Rec and John Vautz; clerk - Daniel Leas, Lester and Asa Sherman; treas- urer - Martin Rice; supervisors - Daniel Rec and John Lock, jr; constables - John Aikman and Christian Kiser. The latter was also elected appraiser.

Overseers of the poor, Tobias Tillman and John Lock, sr.; fence viewers, John White and Jacob Ringer; justices of the peace, Jesse Swisher and Daniel Leas. The present officers are: James P. Reynolds, Hiram Gay, and A. S. Dye, trustees; A. E. May, clerk; William Leas, treasurer; Abdael Etzler and David Werts, assessors; Hiram Weiland and W. C. McGrew, constables, and James R. Dinwiddie, and Simeon Hoffman, justices of the peace.

Population

The present population of Harrison township is two thousand five hundred and forty-five persons. Of these, over six hundred are voters. At the ast election the township went Republican, the town of Lewisburgh going Democratic.

Property Valuation

The valuation of property in the township, according to the latest assessor's returns, is as follows: The land and chattels are valued at eight hundred and seventyfour thousand, nine hundred and ten dollars, that of the buildings is one hundred and sixty-six thousand, five hundred and fifty dollars; a total of one million, forty-one thousand, four hundred and sixty dollars.

Biographical Sketches The Ott Family

The family of this name, which first settled in Preble county, emigrated from Rockbridge county, Virginia. They were among the first settlers of Harrison township, locating near where Euphemia now is. They had not been here long when some vague rumors of Indian depredations induced them, with the exception of the son John and an older brother, who remained to winter through the stock, to return to Warren county, Ohio.

where they made a permanent settlement. At the time of the emigration of the family from Virginia, John Ott, sr., previously mentioned, and father of John Ott, whose portrait appears on another page, was a young man, having been born August 1, 1785. He married June 22, 1815, Mary Magdalena Lock, who came from Maryland in an early day. She was born October r2, 1783. After marriage John settled on the dry fork of Twin creek, not far from where his son John now resides. He lived in Euphemia during the later years of his life, and died there May 22, 1857. His first wife died in 1848, and some two years before his death he married Mrs. Hannah Hinkle, of Euphemia. He wasa great hunter, and often came in friendly contact with the Indians, concerning whom he frequently related in after life many interesting reminiscences. He was an industrious, hard-working man, and secured a good property and provided liberally for his children. He was a member of the Lewisburgh Lutheran church, and was a useful citizen. He had, by his first marriage, five sons - Abraham, George, Jacob, John and Jesse, all of whom, but John, live in Indiana John Ott, jr., subject of the portrait elsewhere given, was born in Harrison township, March 23, 1820. He married April 18, 1844, Matilda, daughter of George Brown, who lived on Twin creek. His first wife died November 1, 1845, leaving one child - John A., born February 11, 1845. In 1848 Mr. Ott married Barbara Link, who was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, July 31, 1822. Her father, John Link, was among the early settlers of Harrison. The children by this marriage are as follows: Daniel, born May 1o, 1849; Matilda, wife of John Gangwer, born February 3, 1851; Eliza Jane, wife of William Glick, born January :15, 1853; Sarah, wife of Jasper Ott, born August 13, 1854, is living in Noble county, Indiana; Barbara Ann, wife of Henry Chambers, born May 14, 1856; Elijah, born November 25, 1860; Mary, born July 11, 1863. An infant son, George Franklin, died in 1859. All of the children, except Mrs. Jasper Ott, live in Preble county. John Ott remained with his father and farmed the place until 1854, when,he removed to Noble county, Indiana. In 1860 he moved back to Harrison, and has since lived here. He is one of the largest landholders in this part of the county, owning nearly eight hundred acres.

Colonel Samuel Kesler

The subject of this sketch was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, on the seventeenth day of May, 1792, and with his father, Jacob Kesler, who served as a soldier in the Revolution, emigrated to Preble county, Ohio, and settled on a farm about one mile south of Lewisburgh, in the year 1811. In the following year, 1812, reports having reached the settlements that the Indians were becoming troublesome, and that several families had been massacred near Greenville, Ohio, a company under Captain Fleming, in which he acted as a private, was sent out against them, but on arriving at their destination, they found that the Indians, after having murdered several persons, had fled. After doing garrison duty for some months, and there being no further need of them, the company was honorably discharged.

An amusing incident, as related by himself, occurred on their return. While halting at one of those refreshing springs that so much abound near where the village of Euphemia now stands, to partake of their last meal of rations before separating for their individual homes, a number of them, for diversion, engaged firing at a mark. The report of their guns was heard by one of the near- est families, residing in the vicinity, and not suspecting the cause, imagined they were Indians, and without stopping to investigate, fled precipitately to their nearest neighbor, excitedly informing them the woods were full of savages, and that whole families were being murdered. Judging from the number of shots being fired, the whole settlement at once became thoroughly frightened, mothers snatching their little ones from their cradles, and in some instances leaving their unbaked bread in the ovens, all fleeing for their lives, as they supposed, before their merciless savage foes. Nor did they discover their mistake until some of them had proceeded as far as the settlements, where West Alexandria now stands.

the front, none being left but decrepit old men, women, and children, and that they not having been apprised of the company's return, it is scarcely to be wondered that they became frightened. It is needless to say that the captain was soundly. berated (whether justly or not) by the female portion for his indiscretion in allowing his men to frighten them in so unceremonious a manner.

In 1814 Mr. Kesler was married to Magdalene Potterf, whose father emigrated at an early day from the State of Maryland, and settled a few miles south of Eaton, Ohio. Having purchased one hundred and sixty acres of timber land a few miles south of Lewisburgh, he built himself a log cabin in the usual style of those days, with a blanket for a door, hung over the entrance. They commenced housekeeping in their rude home, and at once, with brave hearts and willing hands, commenced the arduous labors of converting their forest home into the more congenial wheat and corn fields, which resulted from their toil.

Right here an incident might be related as showing what material our forefathers, and especially foremothers, were composed of, and what trials they Had to undergo in those early days. At one time, when her husband had gone on a trip to Cincinnati, which then occupied six or seven days, Mrs. Kesler remained in her cabin entirely alone, and this, too, when there were wild beasts and savages roaming through the forest. One day a couple of the latter unceremoniously entered the cabin, one of them at the same time flourishing a large butcher knife. Thinking they were going to murder her she became very much alarmed, which only amused the savages. The one with the knife uttering an "ugh," strode to the fireplace, plunged his knife into a firebrand, and with it, much to her relief, departed.

Having become tired of the hard labor incident to clearing up a heavily timbered farm, he purchased a woollen mill near Lewisburgh, and after successfully conducting that for a few years, he came into possession of a hotel in Lewisburgh, where he resided for some years, when he again moved to his farm one mile south of town. About the year 1830 St. Joseph, Michigan, was being talked of as the coming Eldorado, and with a friend he started on an exploring expedition to that town. The journey had to be performed on horseback, and through an almost trackless forest. On their arrival there they found only a few log cabins near the lake shore, and some of them were deserted. It is needless to say that they were disgusted with the place, and returned to their homes, thinking, after all, there was no place equal to old Preble county. He soon after purchased a large farm on Price's creek, two miles southwest of Lewisburgh, where he lived until within a few years of his death, which occurred at his residence in Euphemia on the twelfth day of February, 1867, at the age of seventy-five years. Mr. Kesler had been married twice, his first wife having died in 1851, he married Mrs. Mary Steele, who survives hitn. During his lifetime he held numerous positions of trust and honor. In early life he became-colonel of the State militia, a position he held until the law was repealed. He raised seven children, all of whom he lived to see grow to manhood and womanhood, and four of whom survive him.

Samuel Bunger, Sr

was born in Greenbrier county, Virginia, November 29, 1806. When about twelve years of age, his father, John Bunger, emigrated with his family to Ohio. He rented a farm for one year near Hamilton, in Butler county, and then moved to Preble county and settled where his son, Samuel, now lives. He died September 16, 1821, aged sixty-one years, two months and ten days. His wife, Eva (House), died August 16, 1843, aged seventy-five years, five months and six days. They had fourteen children, twelve of whom they raised. Only three are now living, viz.: Samuel, Eli and Simeon. Eli resides in Euphemia, and Simeon in Darke county.

Samuel, the subject of the portrait given on another page, still lives on the old homestead where he settled over sixty years ago. After the death of his father, he continued to live with his mother until he became of age, when he assumed control of the home place and began to buy out the interest of the other heirs, and now owns a farm of one hundred acres, all the buildings on which he has himself built. Mr. Bunger has always been a hard working, industrious man, and has accumulated a good property and raised a large family. He married January 3, 1832, Eva Lock, daughter of John and Elizabeth Lock, who came from Maryland in the first settlement of the county, and settled in Harrison township, near Euphemia. Mrs. Bunger was born November 15, 1815. Samuel and Eva Bunger are the parents of the following named children: John, born May ro, 1834, living in Harrison township on a farm of fifty-seven acres; William, born April 22, 1836, is a grocer in Euphemia; Elizabeth, born August 16, 1838, is the wife of Levi Brown, of Euphemia; Rachel, born July 27, 1840, is the wife of George Chambers, of Montgomery county; Sarah, born May 6, 1842, wite of Andrew Ridenour, living in Illinois; Sophia, born March 13, 1844, was the wife of Michael Cupp, and died February 26, 1875; Aaron, born January 20, 1846, died May 28, 1851; Samuel, born April 9, 1848, lives on a portion of the homestead ; Eliza, born February 20, 1850, was the wife of Clark B. Dye, died January 17, 1870; Mary Catharine, born Novem- ber 4, 1852, the second wife of Clark B. Dye, lives in Harrison township; Jacob A., born February 25, 1854, lives on the home place with his father.

Mr. Bunger has held the office of trustee of his township; is a member of the Lutheran church, and possesses the respect of all who know him.

Israel

The schoolboy indicating the boundaries of this township would stand with his face towards Morning Sun and Somers township beyond, with Indiana in the west behind him, Dixon township on the north, and Butler county on the south.

In the first days of township history, Israel was known only by the name of the Beech Woods, because of its situation in the heart of that extensive tract of beech wood land which stretches from the White Oak regions south of Hamilton, through and beyond Preble county.

Entering the township at the northeastern corner the traveller soon reaches the dividing ridge between Seven Mile and Four Mile creeks. This ridge, which enters the township just below section twelve and leaves it between sections one and two, has secured to Seven Mile only the smallest rivulets of Israel township, while a whole net-work of brooks and branchlets spreads from the western slope and is opposed by a similar net-work from the ridge west of the Indiana line, thus shaping the course of Four Mile creek, which bisects the township from north to south and furnishes one of the richest and most productive valleys in the county. This creek took its name from the fact that General Wayne, in his march into the Indian country in 1793, crossed it four miles from fort Hamilton. The east branch, rising in the northeastern corner of the township, empties into the main stream near McDill's mill, in section twenty-eight, while Little Four Mile from the west enters farther down in the same section.

The valley proper, especially in the northern part of the township, is quite narrow, and in many places is cut through the blue limestone on either side. The scenery is varied and beautiful, and occasionally wildly picturesque. In this porge, jagged with rocky sides, and overhung with cooling shades, is found the playground of Fancy, while just beyond the wildness of the place blends into the broad acres of waving corn, so pleasing to the practical eye of the farmer. "The broadest areas of bottom land are to be found in the southern part of the township. The several branches of the creek mark out the corners of its many tributary valleys, extending to the right hand and to the left, between successive ridges of good land, and thus the whole surface of the township is rolling, and in many places hill. Of the twenty-two thousand eight hundred and ninety-one acres of land in the township, there is not a real poor one, and the whole is the most valuable land in Preble county. Of this land sixteen thousand five hundred and forty-five acres are under cultivation, four hundred acres are used for grazing purposes, and the remainder is yet uncleared. The total value of lands in Israel township, with the additional buildings since 1870, is nine hundred and ninety-seven thousand five hundred and fifty dollars. Corn, wheat, oats, flax and hay are the principal agricultural products. Barley is not raised, and tobacco is only grown for home consumption. Of late the cultivation of sorghum has been on the increase, and almost every farm has its patch. Several farmers, prominent among whom is Thomas McQuiston, have of late become very much interested as to the expediency of entering into the extensive manufacture of sugar from their sorghum.

Stock raising is an important industry. Every possible attempt to improve the breed of their cattle is made; and the success of the farmers as hog raisers has become proverbial. Nearly all of the corn raised is fed to their hogs, and a very small proportion goes directly to market. Not many years ago a man from Israel township was distinguished by the large and well built horses which he drove. At present the horses of the township are not quite so good as of old, though there is beginning to be a gradual improvement.

Organization

The whole of the first range of which Israel is a part was, prior to March 7, 1809, considered one township. At that time it was ordered that a line be run east and west across the range, eight miles north of the southern boundary of the county, and that the portion north of this line be called Jefferson, and that the southern portion take the name of Israel. The first records show that an election for township officers was held at the house of Benjamin Kurcheville, April 4, 1808, with the following result: Clerk, Caleb Pegg; trustees, John McCormick, Joseph Caldwell, and Paul Larsh; overseers of the poor, James Fleming and Robert McCormick; fence viewers, John Bishop and Benjamin Harris; house appraisers, James Calder and Joseph Chadwick; supervisors, John Caldwell Smyth, James Purviance, and William Neal; constables, James Bennett and Peter

Ireland; treasurer, Joseph Davis. As will be seen by reference to the above dates and names, this election took place while the whole of the first range was considered a single township. After the division the following was the result of an election held at the house of William Ramsey, in section twenty-three, April 3, 1809: Clerk, Caleb Pegg; trustees, Andrew McQuiston, Caleb Pegg, and Joseph Caldwell; lister and house appraiser, James Caldwell; Bartholomew Burroughs, house appraiser; supervisors, Ebenezer Elliott and James Caldwell; constable, William Davis; fence viewers, David Costo and John Allen; overseers of the poor, William Ramsey and James Ockletree; treasurer, Joseph Davis. cers were sworn in during the month of April, and immediately proceeded to perform their official duties. John Caldwell is the first justice of the peace mentioned in the records, and at the next election Caleb Pegg also became a justice.

In accordance with the law providing for the appointment by the township trustees of a number of jurors, the following names constituted the list of those first chosen as grand jurors: John Horney, Peter Ridenour, John Bishop, Samuel Patterson, on Four Mile, Caleb Pegg and James Huston. The following were taken for petit juries: Robert and James Boyse, Richard Sloan, James Kurcheville, Joseph Nelson, Samuel Parke, Ebenezer Elliott, John Ramsey, and John Caldwell.

The following names are among the list of early township clerks: Caleb Pegg, William McCreary, John Horney, Samuel Mitchell, who held his place for eight years, John Brown, and James Buck. 'The present officers are: Trustees, Alexander P. Orr, James Johnson, and John M. Ramsey; clerk, John P. Smith; treasurer, Rev. J. Y. Schouller; justices of the peace, William Borradaile and W. H. Pierson. The township assumed its present dimensions, when it was ordered March 2 1812, that the line on the north be drawn six instead of eight miles from the southern line of the county. The township house is in section twenty-two, at the cross roads, about one mile east of Hopewell meeting-house.

Israel township contains three well defined mounds, all in the vicinity of Four Mile valley. Two of them are situated in section twenty-one, a short distance west of the east branch of Four Mile creek, the one on William Bell's place, and the other just below, on the farm of Samuel Graham. The third mound is on the Ridenour place, in section twenty-nine, not far from Little Four Mile. Undoubtedly these mounds were raised by the race, known to us only by the general name, Mound- Builders. They are built in positions whence a view of the valley may be obtained, and it is supposed that they were at times used as places of defence. prove that they were used as burial places.

The mound on the Graham place is remembered to have been seven or eight feet high, but has been nearly levelled by excavations. The mound in section twentynine is the largest. It is about thirty feet high in the most elevated spot, and is about two hundred and fifty

In it have been found: bones indicating that their orginal possessor was eight feet high. A very large jaw-bone with a double row of teeth, is another of the monstrosities found in this mound. Besides these bits of skeletons, the usual number of accompanying rings and ornaments of various kinds have been dug up.

Pioneers And Settlers

A casual glance down the list of the settlers of Israel township would at once reveal the fact that fully twothirds of the families came from the south. It will be seen that the earliest pioneers came from old Virginia, andthatthey were quickly followed and outnumbered by a continuous stream of emigrants from the Carolinas, especially from the State of South Carolina. "The vast area of hundreds of square miles in the northern and northwestern parts of South Carolina, was the great from which the colonization of Israel township was drawn. Well watered, with rich, productive soil, this territory has always been a most attractive agricultural region. Prior to and about the year 1800 this State, with its sisters of the south, was clouded with the evils of slavery. At this time South Carolina was the stronghold of Presbyterianism in the south, and to many of the freedom, justice and conscience-loving members of that church the sight of slaves and slavery was painful They were by no means rank Abolitionists, though few of them held slaves. Their chief anxiety was for their children, whom they dreaded to see growing up in the midst of influences which they thought adverse to Christianity. Seeing no lawful way of doing away with the cause, they resolved to avoid the dreaded effects, by a removal of their families to a free State. No doubt, many were actuated by the promised rewards falling to the settler of new territory, but there is also no doubt that the impetus of this migratory movement was chiefly due to conscientious motives.

It will also be seen that the northeastern part of the township was settled by members of the Friends' society from New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It is possible that one or two settlements were made as early as 1816. In the spring of 1817, Eli Ganse and his wife, Martha, with their children, emigrated from Redstone, Pennsylvania, and settled in section twelve of Israel township. From this time until 1822, the settlement in this neighborhood gradually increased by constant emigrations from the eastern States. Among the earliest settlers were the Browns, seven brothers of them, who came from New New Jersey. In 1822 Isaac Ballanger, Isaac Wiley, John and Nehemiah Starr and others settled in section twelve. Nehemiah Starr started a tanyard in 1822, but soon moved to Indiana. These pioneers have left as a blessing to their children and their children's children, a land beautiful for situation, and most rich in agricultural resources.

Inasmuch as nearly all of the earliest pioneers are dead, and tomb-stones and memories dim with age are the only available sources of information, it is very diffisource,

'The earliest recorded settlement is that of Joseph Kingery, who was a native of Virginia, and in 1803 moved to Ohio, and settled in section thirty-two of Israel township. His wife, Eva Miller, was a Virginian, and died in 1842. They had six children: Elizabeth, Nancy, Sarah, Mary, Martin and Abraham.

Abraham Kingery, son of Joseph, was born in Israel township in 1807. In 1829 he married Margaret Ridenour, who was born in'i811. Twelve children have been born to them. Mr. Kingery died in 1865. His widow still survives him and lives on the home farm.

brothers, Samuel and James Huston, emigrated from Virginia, and built cabins in section thirty-four, Samuel settling near where College Corner now stands, and James éntering the northern half of the section. The families of both these brothers have become widely separated, and definite information concerning their whereabouts could not be obtained. Samuel and James died more than fifty years ago. 'Together they lived, and together they died, both being buried on the same day.

Quite a number came to the township in 1805, and among the first of these was William Ramsey and family. He was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1776. When he was nine years old he emigrated with his parents to Rockbridge county, Virginia, and remained there until 1802, when his parents moved to Kentucky, and after remaining there three years, emigrated to Ohio, settling in Israel township, section twenty-three. William Ramsey tnarried Rebecca Miller, by whom he had seven children: Elizabeth, wife of William Hays, of Mercer county, Ohio; John, living in section twenty-one, Israel township; Rebecca, wife of Robert Mitchell, both dead; Martha, wife of William Reed, of Cedarville, Greene county, Ohio; Jane, wife of William Huston, of Fayette county, Indiana; William, who died when nine years old, and Thomas L., living near Cedarville, Greene county.

John Ramsey was born in 1800, in Rockbridge county, Virginia, and afterwards lived in Kentucky, coming to Israel township in 1805. He was raised on the farm in section twenty-three. His father was, by trade, a millwright and built the McDill mill, and the one at Fairhaven. In 1829 John married Miss Mary Brown, daughter of James Brown, sr. She was born in 1802, and is the mother of six children, only two of whom are living, Mary, wife of W. A. Douglass, who lives near his

Abraham Miller emigrated from Virginia in 1805, and settled on the farm in section thirty-four, in Israel township, now owned by James McDill He brought with him a blacksmith, Adam Solladay, who built a shop on Mr. Miller's land, about thirty rods from Four Mile "creek. About 1814 Robert Miller, an emigrant from South Carolina, bought the farm. a * Peter Ridenour came out from Maryland in company with the Browns, Andersons, Lutzs, and others, on packhorses, in 1800. He entered land in section thirty-three, ' but, the Indians being troublesome, went to Venice, Butler county, where he remained six years. In 1806 he built a cabin upon his land, and with his wife, Margaret, and sons, Samuel, Jonathan, and Isaac, moved in and began life in the woods. He built the first grist- and sawmill in the township, and consequently made the first flour and sawed the first lumber. He built a distillery near the site of the mill, in 1807, and manufactured the first whiskey in the county, it is believed by many. He was born in Maryland, in 1771, and was married to Margaret Darcas, who was born in 1775. They were the parents of sixteen children, only six of whom are now living, viz.: Isaac and Mrs. Margaret Kingery, both of this township; Mrs. Susan Moore, in College Corner; Mrs. Elizabeth Brown, in Wayne county, Indiana; Mrs. Nancy Wilson, in Union county, Indiana; and Mrs. Jesse Doty, in Butler county, Ohio. Isaac was born in 1806, during the temporary residence of his parents in Butler county, Ohio. He married, in 1831, Margaret Doty, and has had a family of four sons and four daughters, two of the daughters being deceased.

In the winter of 1805 Joseph Caldwell, an old Quaker, with his children, emigrated from North Carolina, and settled in section nine, where Fairhaven now stands. Mr. Caldwell was a widower at the time of his emigration. He was the father of six sors - Joseph, who moved to Connersville, Indiana; John, who became a Baptist preacher; Train, who became quite prominent in the township; Manliff; James; and Jonathan, who, in 1832, laid out the town of Fairhaven, and was the husband of Nancy Porter, daughter of Rev. Alexander Porter. Jonathan Caldwell has a son engaged in business in Cincinnati.

William McCreary was born in South Carolina in 1775. His wife, Mary Douglas, was born in 1777, and died in 1845. In the spring of 1806 they emigrated to Ohio, and entered land in section thirty-six of Israel township, where they spent the remainder of their days. To them were born five children, four of whom are living - Sarah, the widow of Henry Marshall, resides in section thirty-four of Israel township; Mary, the widow of E. Pinkerton, lives in Illinois; James lives at Morning Sun; and William lives on the old home place. It was at the house of William McCreary that the first meeting to consider the advisability of organizing Hopewell church was held. He was one of the earliest township officers. In 1822, while returning from Cincinnati with his son, James, he was taken very sick, and died on the way. He was buried in Hopewell township.

William McCreary, jr., was born in 1814, and in 1840 was married to Miss Isabella McDill, daughter of David McDill To them have been born eight children, of whom six are living - Harriet, Jennie, Sarah, Thomas M., William J., and Charles C.

James McCreary was born in 1806, in section thirtysix of Israel township. His wife, Annie Cook, was born in 1814, and is still living. They have had five children, of whom Mary, Maggie, and James R. are living. Mr. McCreary resides in Morning Sun, this township.

Carolina, in 1771. His wife, Esther Gaston, also a native of South Carolina, was born in 1770, and died in Israel township, Preble county, 1814. To them were born seven children: Joseph, James, Janet, William, John, Ebenezer, Hugh, Isaiah, and David. Of these, five are living: Janet, the widow of Ebenezer Douglas, lives in Indiana; Ebenezer, Isaiah, James, who settled in Dixon township, and Hugh, who lives on the home place. Ebenezer Elliott emigrated to Ohio the first week of December, 1806, and settled in section twenty-six of Israel township. For two years the family lived in a pole shanty. 'Then Mr. Elliott built a hewed-log house, and in 1816, erected a brick house, which was probably the first brick house in the township. 'Three or four years after his settlement he was elected justice of the peace, which office he held for several terms. During his official career he performed very many marriage ceremonies. About one year and a half after his settlement, his son, Hugh, was born, and his was among the first, if not the first birth in Israel township. Mr. Elliott died in 1849.

Hugh Elliott, born June 26, 1808, married for his first wife Henrietta Brown, who died in 1849, leaving no children. His second wife, Elizabeth Robertson, was born in 1826. Four of their seven children are living: Henrietta Elizabeth, wife of Rev. Samuel Buck; Sarah Essie, Edwin, and Annis, all living at home.

William Ramsey was born in Ireland in 1749, and when quite young emigrated to the State of Virginia. His wife, Martha Ochletree, was born in 1769, and died about 1850. In 1806 he emigrated to Ohio, and settled in section fourteen of Israel township. To Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey were born seven children: Elizabeth, Jane, Nancy, Martha, Samuel, George, and David, who is the only one still living. Mr. Ramsey entered one hundred and sixty acres of land. 4

David Ramsey was born in Israel township in 1811, on the old farm in section fourteen. His wife, Mary Marshall, whom he married in 1831, was born in 1813, and died in 1843. Five children were born to them. In 1844 he married Mary C. Gilmore, who was born December 26, 1818, and is still living. She is a sister of Judges W. J. and James Gilmore, and daughter of Dr. Eli Gilmore. 'There have been no children by this marriage.

Samuel Ramsey was born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, in 1799, and emigrated with his father to Ohio in 1806. He died in section fifteen of Israel township in 1836. His wife, Sabina Gilmore, whom he married in 1823, was born in 1799, and is living with her son, Samuel. To them were born five children, of whom Martha .A., Thomas L., and Samuel R. are living - all in College Corner.

Samuel R. Ramsey was born in 1833, in Israel township. He was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Wilson, who was born in 1843. They have two children: Sabina C. and Annie M.

In 1859, the then brothers, Samuel, Thomas L., and William G., formed a copartnership in the general store and grain business, and thus. continued until the death of William, in 1871. After the death of their brother, Samuel and Thomas continued in the business. The amount of business done annually by this firm is about fifty thousand dollars.

Hugh Ramsey, sr, was born in^ Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1779. His wife, Francis Sheppard, was born in 1776, and died in 1835. Mr. Ramsey emigrated with his father to Rockbridge county, Virginia, and after remaining there a short time removed to Woodford county, Kentucky, and in 1807 emigrated to Ohio, settling in section fourteen, of Israel township, Preble county. To them nine children were born, all of whom are dead except Hugh B., who was born July 4, 1819. He married Martha C. Gilmore in 1844, who was born in 1825. Only two of their seven children are living. John, son of Hugh Ramsey, sr., familiarly called **long John," was born in 1804, and in 1807 came with his father to Israel township, and lived in section fourteen. He died in 1870 on the farm in section twenty-seven, near Morning Sun. His wife, Jane Marshall, who was born in 1806, is still living. To them were born twelve children: Hugh; Sarah, widow of Samuel Hamilton, living in section twenty; James lives in Montana; John A. resides in Morning Sun; William living in Camden; Joseph T. in Texas: Mary E., wife of William Wright, lives in Somers township; David C. and Aibert are all living; and Isabella H., wife of John Wright, Eliza, Frances, wife of James Wright, are dead.

Hugh Ramsey, jr., was born in 1827, and married for his first wife Miss Mary Ann Gilmore, daughter of Samuel and Margaret Gilmore, who were old. pioneers of Israel township. Six children were born to them, of whom four are living. Mrs. Ramsey died in 1869. In 1870 he married Miss Clarissa Hamilton, who was born in 1832. By this marriage have been born three children, but one of whom is now living. Mr. Ramsey owns one hundred and sixty acres of land well improved.

David C, Ramsey, Hugh's brother, was born in 1847. His wife, Susan Orebaugh, was also born in 1847. They have had four children. In 1879 Mr. Ramsey engaged in the manufacture of tile near Morning Sun. He manufactures about seventy-five thousand tile per year.

George Ramsey was born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, in 1801, He came to Ohio from Kentucky, and settled with his parents, William and Martha, in section fourteen, of Israel township. His wife, Martha M., was born in 1806, in Hamilton county, and died in 1874. They have had nine children born to them, six of whom are now living. Mr. Ramsey was trustee of his township several terms. He died in 1858.

Nathan L. Ramsey was born in Israel township in 1831. In 1876 he married Mary E. Calderwood, born in 1851. She is the daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth

John M. Ramsey was born in Israel township in He married Susan Reeve, who was born in 1833. They have five children. Mr. Ramsey owns a farm of two hundred and twelve acres in Israel township, and one of forty acres in Paulding county. He was elected trustee of Israel township in the year 1875, which office he now holds. `

William A. Ramsey, son of Hugh B., was born in Israel township in 1846, and in 1869 was married to Miss Elizabeth J. Hayes, who was born in Israel township in 1847. Their only child, Charlotte A. Ramsey, was born in 1871. Mr. Ramsey lives on his father, Hugh B. Ramsey's, farm in section four.

In the spring of 1806 a widow by the name of Martha Faris, emigrated from Chester county, South Carolina, with her family of four children. She made the journey in company with William McCreary, and settled in Israel township. Her children were: James, who married Peggy, daughter of David McDill; David, who married Miss McClurkin, and Martha and Mary, who never married.

David Faris, sr., settled in section twenty-five, which he entered about the year 1807. His wife, Catharine McClurkin, emigrated at a very early day with her parents from South Carolina and settled on Indian creek, Indiana.

David Faris, jr., was born in Israel township in 1820, and died in 1865. His wife, Martha Gilmore, was born in 1818, and died in 1857. They had five children. James I. Faris was born in 1843, and in 1865 was married to Caroline Wilson, who was born in 1845. "They have had three children: Annie M., George I., and Nellie A., all living at home. Mr. Faris owns one hundred and fifty-eight acres of well improved lands.

David McDill, sr., was born in South Carolina. His wife was Isabella McQuiston. To them were born six children: Thomas, David, Peggy, who married James Faris; John, Hugh, Archibald. Mr. McDill. was very desirous to remove his children from the influences of slavery, and in the spring of 1806 emigrated to Preble county, and settled in section twenty-six, of Israel township. His son, David, studied for the ministry. He was among the first school teachers in Israel township. He graduated at the Associate Reformed Theological seminary at New York. He commenced preaching at Hamilton, Ohio; removed to Sparta, Illinois, and soon afterwards moved to Monmouth, Illinois, and became the efficient editor of the Western United Presbyterian. He had become a giant inthe United Presbyterian church, and the great work that he did as a reformer will always be remembered. As an editor Dr. McDill had few equals. Few men who took up the pen, in controversy with him, but were willing to drop it again on as good terms as they could. He died June 15, 1870, and was

James McDill, son of Hugh, was born in Israel township in 1819, and in 1844 was married to Agnes G. Paxton, who was born in 1825. They have had five children, one of whom is dead. Mr. McDill is, at the time of this writing, the Republican nominee for county commissioner.

James Boyce entered land in this township in 1806, and the following year built a cabin on the farm now occupied by John B. Irwin, and continued to live there until his death in 1842. He was a native of Ireland, born in 1768; emigrated to the United States, and in 1800 was united in marriage to Mary McGaw, of South Carolina. From that State he removed to Preble county in 1807. His wife was born in South Carolina in 1778, and died in 1834. Mr. Boyce was an active and generous supporter of religious and educationalinterests. He contributed freely to the support of Oxford seminary, in Butler county, educated several young men at his own expense, and was one of the founders of the first Bible soclety of Preble county. He carried on the dry goods business several years in the township, giving his attention at the same time to farming and stock business. Of his four children two are living - a daughter in Illinois and John H. in this township, on land which his father entered. He is the youngest of four children, and was born in 1809. He was married in 1830 to Mary Ann Irwin, who was born in 1811,

Caleb Pegg emigrated from North Carolina with the Caldwells, and settled near them. It is not known what family he had, as the last representative is gone. Reference to the first records of Israel township show that he was one of the most active of the early public men, and at the first election was elected clerk of the township, and it is his hand that penned the records of the first meeting of township officers. He was also among the first township trustees, and in 1813 he became a justice of the peace.

In the spring of 1805 James Brown, sr., settled below Hamilton, and in 1807 became a resident of Israel township. His wife Elizabeth was born about 178o. Seven children were born to them before their arrival in Israel township - Nathan, living in Iowa; John; Eleanor, widow of Hugh Porter; Grizella, wife of Hugh McDill; Mary, wife of John Ramsey; and Robert, After their removal to this township there were born John, James, and Eliza, the wife of Samuel Bonner. Mr. Brown settled in section twenty-four.

Richard Sloan emigrated from. South Carolina in the spring of 1807, and settled in the southeast quarter of section fourteen, on the farm now occupied by his son, Nathan. John lives in section twenty-two. Dr. Richard Sloan has long been a practicing physician at Morning Sun. James, Peggy, Polly, and Betsey are dead. Betsey was the wife of Squire Thomas Pinkerton.

In 1808 Hugh McQuiston, sr., settled in section twenty-four, where he entered one hundred aud sixty acres of land. On this farm he lived until his death, in 1845, and his son Hugh has occupied it after him, so that the place has not passed out of the family. Hugh McQuiston, sr., was a native of Ireland, born in 1765, and emigrated at the age of seven years to America, in 1772. He eventually found his wife in South Carolina, in the person of Margaret Gaston, who was born in that State in 1767. She outlived her husband some seven years, dying in 1852. There were six children - William, Joseph, David, Eliza, Archibald and Hugh, all deceased but Hugh. He was born in 1810; married for his first wife Nancy McDill, who died in 1853. There were six children by this marriage, three of whom are deceased, John C. having died in the war of the Rebellion. His second wife was Elizabeth Wilson, by whom he had one child, now deceased.

David McQuiston was born in South Carolina in 1807 and died in 1867. His first wife was Sarah Mc- Dill, born in 1808. She died in 1846. By his first wife David McQuiston had seven children, only one of whom is now living, viz: Jane McQuiston, who resides on the old homestead. For his second wife David McQuiston married Nancy, widow of John Foster. She was born in 1820 and died in 1870.

Mrs. Andrew C. McQuiston, zee Anna Foster, was born in 1849. Her husband was born in 1840 in Israel township, and died in 1879 in section twenty-three of the same township. They had seven children born to them, five of whom are now living.

Thomas McQuiston was born in 1829 in Israel township. His first wife was Nancy Paxton. She was born in 1828 and died in 1853. He then married Eliza Bonner, born in 1836. After her death in 1859 he married Tabitha Harper, born in 1842. She died in 1874, when Mr. McQuiston married for his fourth wife Irene Harper, born in 1853. They now reside in Israel township. Mr. McQuiston has been engaged in the manufactory of sorghum for twenty years, and has realized handsome profits from the business. He manufactures about four thousand gallons of syrup per year. He was the inventor of the elevated axle now used on the twohorse plows throughout the country.

David McQuiston was born in 1802 in South Carolina, from which State he emigrated to Ohio in 1808. His first wife was Jane McDill, born in 1802 and died in 1845. Nine children were born to him by his first wife, eight of whom are living, viz.: Samuel, Hugh, Thomas, Margaret Ann, Martha A., William P., Mary and Sarah R. For his second wife he married Margaret Hamilton, who was born in r811.

William P. McQuiston, a son of the first marriage, was born in 1838. In 1860 he married Mary Benner, who was born in 1841, and has four children living and two dead. He resides in the house built by his father in 1824.

George R. Brown was born in 1809 in Israel township, section twenty-four, and died in 1873. ret Herron was born in Israel township in 1811, and died in 1877. To them were born six children - James A., nois, Ellen, wife of S. B. Gilmore, Jane, deceased, and Alice, wife of J. B. Johnson, dead James A. Brown was born in Israel township in 1831.

In 1854 he married Ellen Buck, who was born in 1833. Eleven children have been born to them, nine of whom are still living. Mr. Brown engaged in the dry goods business in 1871, in the village of Morning Sun, in company with I. L. McCracken. In 1874 he sold out and engaged in the saw-mill and lumber business with Phillip Murray and Nathan Foster. He engaged in this business for two years, at the expiration of which time he sold out to S. B. Gilmore and moved back to his farm.

John Bishop, sr., was born in Maryland, in 1774. He moved into Ohio from North Carolina about 1810, and settled in section four of Israel township. He married Elsie Black, who was born in North Carolina, in 1764. Mr. Bishop was engaged in the War of 1812. Five children were born him, one only of whom survives. John Bishop, jr, was born in Israel township, in 1808. In 1854 he married Ellen Laird. They have had nine children, all of whom are living. Mr. Bishop owns one hundred and thirty-six acres of land, which is under a good state of cultivation.

Thomas C. McDill came into the: township with his father in 1811. In 1837 he purchased the Cliff mills of William Ramsey, by whom they were built, and has since operated them. He married Mary J. Paxton, by whom he has had six children.

William McGaw, sr., came into the township and settled in section five, in 1811. He was born in Ireland in 1750, and emigrated to this county from South Carolina. He was married in 1775, to Mary Patterson, who was then twenty years of age. He died in this township in 1831, at the advanced age of eighty-one, and his wife survived him some twelve or thirteen years, reaching the great age of about ninety years. Out of eleven children born to them, all are now deceased but two. 'These are: Martha, widow of Samuel Smith, living in Illinois; and William McGaw, jr., of this township. He was born in 1801, and has been twice married. His first wife was Rachel Paxton, who died in 1852. He subsequently married Elizabeth Lang. By his first wife he had ten children, and by his second, two. Mr. McGaw was elected justice of the peace of Israel township, in 1842, and held the office for twenty-seven years.

Washington Ridenour was born in 1810, on Mill creek, in Hamilton county, Ohio, and came to Preble county with his parents about 1812, and settled near College Corner, Israel township. His father, Joseph Ridenour, was a native of Virginia. His wifes maiden name was Annie Troel. They had about sixteen children, of whom only three are living: Washington, Jacob, and Samuel. Washington Ridenour married Elizabeth Fudge, who was born in 1818, and died about fourteen years ago. To them have been born thirteen children, eighth of whom areliving: Samuel, two miles east of Eaton; Joseph, north of Eaton, in Washington township; Bird lives east of Eaton, with Luther Cotterman; Mary Petrey, wife of John Petrey, of Monroe township; and Mary Ann Stephens, living in West Manchester - all of Preble county.

owned by John Brown in section twenty-six. His father died in Dixon township. His mother died a short time previous to the removal of the remnant of the family to Ohio. James Brown married Elizabeth Scott, who was born in Butler county, Ohio, in 1804. They have had à family of twelve children - six living.

William Van Skiver settled in Israel in 1816, entering the land now owned by his son, Samuel. He was born in New Jersey in 1758, and died in 1819. His wife, Elizabeth, died in 1846, aged seventy-five. There were seven children - five daughtérs and two sons, two of whom are now living: Elizabeth, widow of William Brown, and Samuel, who resides in the old homestead in section thirteen.

Samuel Van Skiver was born in 1805; was married to Elizabeth Brown in 1827. Mr. Van Skiver was five years the senior of her husband, having been born in 1800. A daughter (Hannah) of Samuel and Eliza Van Skiver is the wife of Mr. H. Morton.

Samuel Bell was born in Ireland in 1780. He moved into Ohio from South Carolina He died in Israel township in 1866. His wife was Jane Hamilton, born in South Carolina in 1783. She died in the same year with her husband. Six children were born to them, five of whom are living: Andrew, John, James, William and Nathan. Of these Andrew, William and Nathan reside in Israel township. John resides in Iowa, and James in Kansas.

William Bell was born in 1822. In 1851 he married Sarah McCollum, who was born in 1823. Her parents were James and Mary McCollum. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. William Bell, six of whom are now living.

George S. Hamilton was born in South Carolina in 1799, and when eight years of age, removed with his parents, Samuel and Jane Hamilton, to Kentucky. In 1816 they came to Preble county, and located on the tract of land now owned by James and Thomas Johnson, in.section twenty-four. Samuel Hamilton was born in 1775, and deceased in 1824. His wife survived him, and died in Indiana in 1856, at the age of eighty-one. Her maiden name was Jane Smith. They had a family of ten children: Alexander, Elizabeth (afterwards wife of Thomas Brown), George S., Israel, John, James, Nancy, Jane, Robert and Mary- Of these, George S., Robert and Mary (now Mrs. Adam Peters), are living. George S. was married in 1825 or 1826, to Hannah, daughter of Dr. John Ramsey, who was an early settler in the township.

James Marshall was born in Ireland about 1785. He emigrated from Georgia to Ohio, and settled in section five of Israel township in 1817. His wife was Elizabeth Wilson, also born in Ireland. He died in Israel township. By his marriage he had nine children.

In 1839 he married Lydia Stephenson, who was born in 1816, and died in 1879. They have had eight children, all but one of whom are still living.

John Marshall was raised on the farm which his father purchased, when he first came to Israel township, and lived there until his marriage in 1839.

Robert Gilmore was born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, in 1793, and in 1815 emigrated to Franklin county, Ohio, where he remained two years. In 1817 he came to Preble county, and settled in section twenty, Israel township, where he remained till his death, which occurred in 1873. He was married in 1818 to Martha Paxton, who was born in Virginia in 1802, and emigrated in 1815 to Franklin county, Ohio, with her parents, Jonathan and Nancy Paxton. To Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gilmore were born eight children - Sarah Jane, wife of John Buck, died in 1848; James A., resides on the old homestead in Israel township; Jonathan P. is dead; Nancy lives on the old home place; Annie P. is dead; William M. on the old place; Robert P.; and Samuel B.

Joseph Steele emigrated from North Carolinfi in 1818, and settled in Israel township, section three. By his wife, Jeannette Taylor, he had ten children, four of whom are living - John, Joseph, and Mary N. reside in Indiana, and Samuel Steele lives in section three, Israel township. Samuel was born in 1814, in North Carolina, and came to Ohio in 1818. In 1840 he married Martha Hays, who was born in 1815, and died in 1879. To them were born ten children, four of whom are living. In the fall of 1830 Joseph Steele moved to Clinton county, Indiana, and his son, Samuel, after living with his father seven years, rented a farm in Israel township, and eight years after his marriage bought the farm which he now owns - three hundred and fifty-six acres of land.

John Brown was born in Burlington county, New Jersey, in 1777, and died in Israel township, Preble county, in 1856. In 1806 he married Sarah Moore, who was born in Trenton, New Jersey, in 1786, and is still living with her children in Israel township. Mrs. Brown is the oldest person living in Israel township, and probably the oldest in the county. She has seen General Washington marching through Trenton at the head of his troops. She has wonderful vitality and still retains her powers of mind, and has not yet ceased to work a little. She is now ninety-five years of age. She has one great-greatgrandchild, fifteen great-grandchildren, seven grandchildren, and three children living, viz.: Nathaniel M., Joseph G., and Bathsheba, wife of W. L. Stratton, all living in the same section in Israel township in which they settled. Mr. and Mrs. John Brown emigrated to Ohio in 1815, and remained in Warren county for three years, and in 1819 came to Israel township, and settled in section twelve.

William Brown was born in New Jersey about 1781. In 1816 he moved to Ohio, and about 1819 settled in section two, of Israel township. His wife, who was Elizabeth Van Skiver, was born in 1794, and is still living in Israel township. William Brown emigrated first to Warren county, Ohio, where he stayed for a year, and from there moved to his present farm. He died in 1873, leaving a wife and two children: Barclay, aud Sarah Ann, wife of Joseph Borradaile.

Barclay Brown was born in 1822,and in 1849 he married Sarah Mullin, born in 1831. They have had five children, four of whom still survive. Mr. Brown owns one hundred and four acres of land in section one, Israel township.

Thomas Brown was born in South Carolina, in 1792, and emigrated from that State to Ohio in 1816, and about 1819 settled in Israel township, section twentyseven. His wife was Elizabeth Hamilton, born 1798, and died in 1847. They have had nine children, one of whom (John) is dead: Jane, Andrew, Samuel, William, Eliza, James H., Israel and Margaret are living.

Andrew Brown was born in 1821, and in 1849 married Eliza Smith, born in 1828. They have four children now living. Mr. Brown owns one hundred and forty-two acres of land, which is under good cultivation.

Samuel B. Gilmore, son of William and Martha Gilmore, was born in Virginia in 1801. When but a boy he came with his parents to Preble county, where they settled in Israel township, where Margaret Gilmore now lives. In 1828, Samuel Gilmore married Margaret Mc- Mahon, who was born in Ireland in 1806. She was the daughter of David and Sarah McMahon, who settled in Butler county at an early day. To Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Gilmore were born four children, three daughters and one son: Sarah is the wife of J. P. Smith; James I. is married and lives at home; Martha J. the wife of James Ramsey, lives in Tennessee; and Mary is the wife of Hugh Ramsey. Mr. Gilmore died in 1836, and his widow resides in the old place, which consists of one hundred and forty acres of land.

Jonathan Paxton was born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, in 1778. In 1817 he emigrated to Franklin county, Ohio, and the next year he moved to Preble county, and settled in section twenty, of Israel township, where he died in 1852. His wife, Agnes Gilmore, who was born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, in 1783, died the same year that her husband died. They had seventeen children, all of whom lived to raise families. Five of these are still living: James S. resides in Erie county, Ohio; Jonathan resides in Israel township; Alexander P. resides in Israel township; Mary G., wife of Thomas McDil, lives on Four Mile creek at the old mill; Elizabeth, wife of James Gavin, lives in Missouri.

Alexander P. Paxton was born in 1826. He married Rosanna C. Wilson, who was born in 1828, in Israel township. They have had eight children. Mr. Paxton

Jonathan Paxton, jr, was born in Israel township in 1819. In 1852 he married Elizabeth Jane McQuiston, who was born in 1831, and who died in 1879. "They have had five children, all of whom are now living. Mr. Paxton owns a farm of sixty acres, which is under a good state of cultivation.

Robert Gilmore Paxton was born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, in 1799. His wife, Mary Ann McDill, was born in-180o, and is still living. In 1818 he emigrated to Preble county and settled in section eighteen of Israel township. He was justice of the peace in Israel township, and served during the years 1840-46. Of their children, Agnes, wife of James McDill, lives in Israel township; Samuel M. lives in Israel township; John C. is in Israel; Jane, wife of William Wilson, lives in Iowa; Martha Ann, wife of Alexander Orr, lives in Israel township; Robert G. is in Israel, and Louisa lives with her mother in College corner.

Robert G. Paxton was born in 1838. beth Jane Graham, was born in 1847. 'To them three children have been born. Robert resides on the old home farm in section twenty-nine.

Samuel M. Paxton was born in 1827, and in 185o married J. Simpson, who was born in 1831, and died in 1867. Four of their five children are still living. Samuel Paxton resides in section twenty-nine, where he owns one hundred and sixty acres of land.

John C. Paxton was born in 1829. In 1853 he married Mary Ann Pinkerton, who was born in 1833. She was the daughter of Ebenezer and Mary Pinkerton. Her father, born in 1805, died in 1862; and her mother, who is the daughter of William McCreary, sr., is living in Peoria county, Illinois. She was born in Israel township in 1808, on the McCreary farm.

Benjamin Morton settled in 1819, He was once a native of New Jersey, and was born in 1787. He was married to Hannah Jenney, who was born in 1795. He died in June, 1854, inthis township, and his wife in October, 1850, They had a family of thirteen children, eight sons and five daughters. Ten of them are now living, to-wit: John and Samuel (twins), the former in Edgar county, Illinois, and the latter in Dixon township, this county; Sarah, wife of Joseph McDivitt; Ashir, Benjamin, and Israel, all in Edgar county, Illinois; Hezekiah, in this township; Margaret, wife of Nathan, Huffman, in Dixon township; Hannah, wife of Simeon Sutten, living in Harrison county, Missouri; and William, who resides in Gasper township, this county. Samuel Morton was born in 1819, in Warren county, Ohio, and in 1856 married Miss Susan Kinney, who was born in 1832.

When Benjamin Morton moved into the woods of Israel he and his family camped by the side of a log until he could erect his cabin. In this cabin they lived for about fourteen years, during which the land was cleared of the forest and brought under cultivation. The place is now occupied by Mr. Borradaile.

Dooley, jr. To them has been born one child, Fanney I., born in 1876. Mr. Morton has owned the farm of one hundred and sixty-seven acres, on which he now resides, since the year of 1862.

William Asay was born in New Jersey in 1784, and died in 1858. He married Rachel Shaw, born in 1785, and who died in 1862. There were nine children born them, two of whom survive, Joseph and Samuel.

Samuel Asay was born in 1823. In 1845 he married Perthia Cupp, who was born in Kentucky in 1820. They have had two children, one of whom is now living.

Joseph Asay was born in New Jersey in 1812. He came to Ohio with his parents in 1815, and settled in Warren county. After a stay of five years they moved to Preble county and settled in section eleven, of Israel township. In 1837 Joseph Asay married Catharine S. Brown, who was born in Kentucky in 1817. They have had two children - both daughters - born to them, one of whom is living, Susan B., wife of Abraham H. Ballinger.

Isaac Ballinger was born in New Jersey in 1776, and died in 1852. His wife, Hannah, was born in 1780, and died in 1862. In 1822 he emigrated with his family to Ohio and settled in Israel township, section twelve. He had seven children.

Abraham Ballinger, sr, was born in New Jersey in 1801; his wife, Beulah Brown, was born in 1805. Abraham Ballinger, jr., was born in Israel township in 1835. His wife, Susan Asay, was born in 1840. They have had four children, all of whom are living.

David T. Wilson was born in Preble county in 1826. His parents, Daniel and Catharine (Rock) Wilson, were among the early settlers of the county, coming from South Carolina. David Wilson married Mary Jane Orr, born in 1835 in Israel township. Six children were born to them, all of whom are living.

Of the nine children born to Daniel.and Catharine Wilson, seven are living: John R., Mary A., widow of Henry C. Blake, now residing in Iowa; David S., residing in Israel township; Rosannah C., wife of Alexander P. Paxton; William lives in Iowa; Sarah, wife of John Lee, lives in Nebraska. Thomas D. lives in Iowa; Elizabeth is dead, and James B. died in 1864, while in the war of 1861-5.

Joseph Marshall was born in Ireland in 1801. From Ireland he emigrated to Georgia with his parents, and from there he came to Ohio in 1819. They moved back to Georgia after a short stay in Ohio. In 1837 Joseph Marshall moved again into Ohio and settled in Preble county, where he died in 1861. His wife was Mary Ann Trimble, of Georgia. Six children were born them: John, James, Matthew, Joseph, Daniel, and a child who died in infancy.

William D. Borradaile was born in Burlington county, New Jersey, in 1816. From New Jersey he moved to Ohio, and in 1831 settled in section two, of Israel township. He married Priscilla. Brown, who was born in 1821, and died in 1874. Her parents emigrated to Ohio, from New Jersey, in the fall of 1815, and settled in Warren county. In 1818 they moved to Preble county and settled in Israel township, section two. William D. Borradaile's parents emigrated to Ohio, from New Jersey, in 1831, and settled in Preble county. W. B. Borradaile was elected justice of the peace in Israel township in 1860, and has held that position ever since. He has had eight children, five of whom are living.

John Marshall, sr., was the first representative of the family who settled in Preble county. He emigrated with his family from Ireland and settled in Israel township in 1820. His son Robert, born in Ireland in 1810, married Margery M. Sample, who was born in 1815. They had eight children, as follows: John, David S., Margaret R., deceased, and a child who died in infancy; Mary A., Sarah -M., Elizabeth and Rebecca Ellen. John Marshall was a graduate of Miami university, and afterward prepared himself for the ministry, but on account of partial loss of hearing he gave up the ministry He taught the Morning Sun academy, and was school examiner for a number of years. He married Margaret Swan. He died in 1873 and his wife in 1879.

James Graham was born in Virginia in 1790. From this State he emigrated to Ohio, and in the fall of 1822 settled in section twenty-one, of Israel township. In 1815 he married Margaret Whitman, who was born in 1794, and who died in 1839. Eleven children were born to them, six of whom survive: Samuel, Andrew, Thomas, William, Harriet and Joseph.

Samuel Graham was born in Virginia in 1822, and came to Ohio with his parents. In 1843 he married Isabel McClanahan, who was born in 1820. They have had six children, three of whom survive.

Dr. Eli Gilmore was born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, in 1795, and came to Ohio with his father in 1825, and immediately began the practice of medicine. He lived for many years on the farm in section eleven, now occupied by Samuel Asay. His wife, Clarissa M. Clayton, was born in 1802. They were the parents of eight children who grew to maturity: Mary C., wife of David Ramsey; William J., exsupreme judge of Ohio, now living in Columbus; Robert M.; Martha C., wife of Hugh B. Ramsey ; Elvira, who died near Greencastle, Indiana; Alexander; Esther;and James A., judge of the court of common pleas at Eaton. Dr. Gilmore's professional career is noted in the sketches of physicians.

Thomas Scott emigrated from Burlington county, New Jersey, in 1817, and settled in Gratis township, near the village of Winchester. He entered one hundred and seventy-two acres of land, which is now owned by Samuel S. Scott. Thomas Scott was born in Burlington county, New Jersey, in 1780, and died on the farm in Gratis, where he first settled in 1842. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Smith, was born the survived him, and died in Israel township in 1853. They had ten children, four living and six deceased. The survivors are: Abner S.; Mrs. Sarah Simmons, of Fair Haven; Daniel, residing in Cass county, Indiana,

Abner Scott was born in 1807, in Burlington county, New Jersey, and was a lad of ten years when his parents came to Ohio. He married Esther W. Hunt, who was born in Burlington county, New Jersey, in 1812, and in 1828 came with her mother to Preble county, her father, John Hunt, having died in New Jersey in 1824. Mrs. Hunt died in 1859, in her seventy-fourth year. Mr. Scott is the father of six children, as follows: Mrs. L. Gable, of Eaton; John; deceased; Mrs. David Owens, deceased; Mrs. Lewis Gillingham, who resides

Joseph P. Scott was born in Israel township, in 1847. In 1872 he married Hannah Maria Dugdale, born in Richmond, Indiana, in 1845. Two of their three children are still living.

John Herron was born in South Carolina in 1806, and died in Israel township, in 1853. His wife Jane Douglas was born in 1807, and died in 1877. They settled in Israel township on the farm in section nineteen. They were the parents of five children, three of whom are living, viz: John C., Martha Hamilton, and Mary, wife of Samuel Marshall, of Butler'county.

Samuel Buck was born in South Carolina in 1801, and died in 1863. His wife, Margaret C., was born in South Carolina in 1805, and died in 1876. "Their children are: Thomas M., Mary J., Sarah M., William, Eleanor, Margaret A., John P., Robert A., and a child who died in infancy. John P. Buck was born in Israel township, in 1839. He married Minerva Lane, who was born in Indiana. Four children have been born to them, all of whom are living, viz: Effie, Mary, Samuel, and Arthur. Mr. Buck owns two hundred and eighty-five acres of well improved land.

Matthew Wilson came from Kentucky in 1828, and located in section thirty-four, Israel township. His wife was Jane McQuiston, who bore him eight children, three are now living: Mrs. Hugh McQuiston, Jane, and William. William Wilson, back in 1838, was engaged in the dry goods business at Fair Haven. In 1840 he purchased a farm north of that village, where he resided two years. In 1842 he bought where he now resides in section thirty-three. He was born in 1812, and was married to Jane Brown in 1833, and has had twelve children, six of whom are living.

Robert M. Wilson was born in Kentucky, in 1812, and died in 1871. His wife was Sarah Leech, born in 1799, and died in 1866. 'They had five children, three of whom are living: Charles A., born in 1856; Robert M., born in 1860; and Sarah L., born in 1865. They own a farm of one hundred and thirty-two acres, which is in a good state of cultivation.

Andrew B. Rock was born in 1837. He married Martha F. Worden, who was born in 1848. Five children have been born to them, all now living. He owns a farm of about eighty acres in Israel township. Hamilton was born in 1828 in Israel township. His wife was Sarah J. Ramsey, born in 183o. In 1872 he died in Israel township. About 1866 he was elected trustee of the township. Seven children have been born to them, three of whom are living, viz: Mary, Hannah and Eliza, living at home.

John Hamilton was born in section twenty-four of Israel township in 1831. He married Martha Herron, who was born in 1842. Eight children have been born to them.

Gavin McMillin was born in Ireland in 1789. In 1825 he moved to Ohio from South Carolina, and settled in section thirty-six of Israel township. His wife was Rosanna Ronalds, born in 1806. She now resides in Greene county, Ohio. Thirteen children were born them, four of whom are now alive. John R. McMillin, son of the above was born in 1834. In 1872 he married Harriet Louisa McCreary, who was born in 1842. They have had four children, all of whom are now living. Gavin McMillin was for many years pastor of the cld Covenanter church near Morning Sun.

William Maddock was born in South Carolina about 1788. From that State he moved to Ohio and settled in Israel township. His first wife was Hannah Stubbs, by whom he had nine children, four of whom are now alive. His second wife was Sarah Huffman, a Kentuckian. They have had seven children, four of whom are now living.

Edward Maddock married M. J. Felton, daugh ter of Edward Felton, an old settler of Gasper township. They have had six children, four now living. He is giving a good deal of attention to raising of pure stock. His farm contains about two hundred and thirty acres.

James Cook settled in Israel in the year 1831; removing here from Butler county, Ohio. His father died in that county in 1819. His mother came with him to Preble county and lived until 1874, dying at the great age of ninety-six years. Mr. Cook was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, in 1809; was married in 1837 to Mary McDill. She was born in 1817, and died in 1851. They had six children, as follows: Jane E., Thomas M. (deceased in 1868), James M., William C. (died in 1863), and his sons who died in infancy. James Cook, the father, is a prominent member of the United Presbyterian church at Morning Sun, and was elected elder in 1840. His son, James M., resides in this township near Morning Sun. He was born in 1842; married Mary A. Logan in 1871. She was born in Indiana in 1846. They have three children.

John B. Orr was born in Butler county, Ohio, in 1811, and died in 1843. In 1832 he moved to Preble county, and settled in section sixteen of Israel township. His wife was Jane Porter, born in 1812. She is the daughter of Rev. Alexander Porter, who came to Israel township from South Carolina in 1814. Mrs. Orr is the mother of four children, two of whom are living.

Alexander P. Orr was born in 1832, and in 1853 he married Martha Paxton, who was born in 1835. "They have four children. Mr. Orr owns the old homestead farm, on which his grandfather, Rev. Alexander Porter, settled. The big willow tree mentioned hereafter is on their place, near the spring, back of the house.

Israel Brown 'was born in Israel township, section eighteen, in 1833. In 1866 he married Anna Eliza Mann, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1841. They have a family of three children. Mr. Brown has one hundred acres of land in section twenty-seven, his father's old homestead.

Caleb Shera, a native of Ireland, born in 1805, emigrated with his parents to Franklin county, Indiana, in 1821. In 1835 he removed to Preble county, and settled in this township, in section thirty-one, where he has since resided. In the spring of 1832 he was married to Sally Shaffer, born in Butler county, Ohio, 1812. He has served as township trustee four years. Has a good farm, with excellent improvements. He has a family of six children.

Joseph Marshall was born in Ireland in 1801. Matthew and Sarah (Grimes) Marshall were his parents. The Marshalls emigrated from Ireland to Georgia, and in 1819 to Ohio, where they remained but eighteen months, when they returned to Georgia. To Matthew and Sarah Marshall were born seven children - Joseph, Jane, Elizabeth, William, Sarah, Matthew, and Mary, who lives in section twenty, Israel township, with her nephews.

Joseph Marshall was married to Mary Ann Trimble, a native of Georgia. In 1837 they removed from Georgia to Preble county, and settled in Israel township, where Mr. Marshall died in 186r. To them were six children born, of whom Matthew and Joseph are still living on the home place. The others were John, James, a child that died in infancy, Daniel.

Samuel B. Gilmore was born in Israel township in 1837. His wife, who was Ellen E. Brown, was born in 1840. In 1878 he bought the saw-mill at Morning Sun, owned by Philip Murray and James A. Brown, and has since then been engaged in this business. He has had eight children, six of whom are living.

James A. Magaw was born in Israel township in 1839. His wife was Grizella C. Brown, born in 1848. Mr. Magaw farms about one hundred and sixty-five acres of land in section twenty-three. The family consists of four children, all of whom are living at home.

Edward Hawes was born in Wayland, Massachusetts, in 1815. In 1834 he moved to Boston. After three years he moved to Illinois. From there he moved to Butler county, Ohio, where he lived two years. In 1839 he moved to Indiana, but moved back to Ohio in a year or two, and settled in Fair Haven. He lived there for thirteen years, and engaged in the mercantile business. In 1854 he closed his business, and moved to Iowa. He afterwards moved back to Fair Haven, and. engaged in the general store business which has been his business ever since. He was married to Mary Jane Walden, born in 1828, in Butler county, Ohio. He has had five children, three of whom survive.

Henry Marshall was born in Georgia in 1804, and died in 1871. His first wife, Martha Ramsey, was born in 1809, and died in 1837. To them were born four children: Eliza (dead), William, who lives in Iowa; James L. in this township, and John P. (dead). James L. was married in 1860, to Caroline E. McClanahan, and has had eight children, seven of whom are living. Henry Marshall married for his second wife, Sarah Mc- Creary, who was born in 1805, and is stillliving. By his second wife he had three children, only one of whom, Mary Jane, is living.

William Hays settled in section three, Israel township, at an early day, and died in 1835. His wife, Elizabeth Ramsey, was born in 1798, and lives in Mercer county, Ohio, with her daughter, Rebecca Wiley. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Hays were six - four sons and two daughters: Rebecca, wife of Rev. Preston Wiley, lives in Mercer county; John G. and William R. live in Israel township; Robert in Iowa;'as is also Thomas R.

William Ramsey Hays was born in 1828, and in 1859 married Miss Elizabeth Jane Marshall, who was born in 1840. Eight of their nine children are living, and all at home; Isabella A., Margaret E., Lydia M., Mary E., John Henry, James C., William B. and Walter. Mr. Hays is the possessor of three hundred and fifty-five acres of land in Israel township. He resides in section three, where he is the possessor of two hundred and five acres.

John G. Hays was born in section three of Israel township in 1824. His wife, Mary J. Williamson, was born in 1827. She is one of the seven children of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Williamson, both of whom died many years ago. To Mr. and Mrs. Hays seven children have been born, all of whom are living: Elizabeth, wife of W. A. Ramsey, of Israel township; W. A. living in Iowa; John M. in Fayette county, Indiana; James H. living in Connersville; R. M., Rhoda R. and Mary M. living at home.

James Hamilton was born in 1842, in Israel township. His wife, Sarah D. Newton, was born in 1843, in Somers township. They have four children, all of whom are living.

John B. Johhston was born in 1842, and married Alice E. Brown in 1869. She was the daughter of George and Margaret Brown, and was born in 1850, and died in 1879. Two of their three children are living - Luther R. and Harry E. He owns eighty-two acres of land in section twenty-three.

Joseph Cramer was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, in r814. From Pennsylvania he emigrated to Ohio in 1845, and settled in Israel township, near Fair Haven. In 1838 he married Mary J. Ramsey, born in 1814. Joseph Cramer's father was a descendant of some ~ Cramers who came from Holland, and were among the first settlers of New Amsterdam - now New York city. Joseph Cramer had seven children, three of whom sur-

Wiliam Douglas, sr, was born in Pennsylvania in 1769, and diedin 1854. His wife, Ann Douglas, was born in 1774, and died in 1839. Their five children are dead.

William Douglas, jr., the fourth child of the above, was born in Pennsylvania in 1805. In 1837 he was married to Eliza Coulter, who was born in Ireland in 1814, and came to Pennsylvania when she was eight years old. In 1837, just after their marriage, they removed to Preble county, and settled on the farm in Israel township, where Mrs. Douglas still resides with her sons. To Mr. and Mrs. Douglas have been born nine children, of whom eight are living - Thomas C. married Sophia Hungsinger, and lives in Indiana; Margaret Ann is dead; William A. married Mary Ramsey; James H. married Jane McDivitt, and lives in Somers township; Robert A. had for his first wife Jennie Crose, and for his second, Isabella Coulter; Isabella Douglas married Robert Irwin; John C. married Eva Teague; and Benjamin B. and Samuel J. are living at home with their mother. They have charge of the home farm, which is under a good state of cultivation.

Philip Murray was born in Somers township in 1814. His father, Thomas Murray, was born in Ireland in 1779, and his mother, Martha Lewellen, was born in this country in 1788. They were early settlers of Somers township. In 1844 Philip Murray married Elizabeth Bader, who was born in 1823, and died in 1856. Four of the six children by this marriage are living. In1857 Mr. Murray married Elizabeth T. Moren, who was born in 1820. Two children have been born by this marriage. In 1862 Mr. Murray became township treasurer, which office he held for four years. Until the year 1834 he was a farmer. In that year he took charge of a saw-mill on the Killough farm, in Somers township. He has been connected with the saw-mills located on the Camden and Richmond pike, on the farm of John Mills, then on the farms of John Douglas and Thomas McQuiston. In the year 1858 he quit the milling business and engaged in the dry goods business at Morning Sun until about the year 1866, when he again engaged in the saw-milling business.

Winburn Jenkins was born in North Carolina in 1817. From that State he moved to Ohio, and settled in Israel township, section six, in 1849. He married Sussanah Leviston in 185-, and has had six children, three of whom are living.

James R. Smith was born in Union county, Indiana, in 1810, and died in 1857. His wife was Mary Paxton, who died in 1871. They had ten children, three of whom are still living: Eliza, married and living in Israel township; Mary, married and living in Fair Haven, and William R., living in Israel township. William R. Smith was born in 1836. In 1857 he married Mary Ann Evans, who was born in 1836. She died in 1874, leaving three children. He married again in the same year, a Miss Grace E. Munns, who was born in Butler county, Ohio. They have had two children. He lives in Fair Haven and owns fifty-four acres of land.

Robert Smith, the second son of James and Ann Smith, was born in Kentucky in the year 1795. In 1815 he was united in marriage to Mary A. Patterson, who was born in South Carolina in 1795. She emigrated to Ohio with her parents and settled in section thirty, of Israel township, where her father entered land in 1806. They had seven children born to them, of these only four survive: John P., Samuel P., Eliza Jane, and Margaret. The two daughters reside in Kansas, but John P. and Samuel P. still reside in this township.

John P. Smith was born in 1816 in Somers township. In 1840 he married Nancy Buck, who was born in 1818, and died in 1857. By this marriage he had four children, three of whom survive. In i858 he married a second time. His wife was Jane Morrow, born in Pennsylvania in 1826. She died the same year of her marriage, leaving one child. His third wife was Margaret McKay, who died in 1862, leaving one child. In 1863 he married Sarah Gilmore, who was born in 1830. By this marriage he has had four children, all living. In 1869 Mr. Smith was elected justice of the peace, which office he held for nine years. In 1866 he was elected to the office of clerk of the township, which position he still holds.

Samuel P. Smith was born in Somers township in In 1842 he married Mary Ann McGaw, who was born in 1819, and who died in 1852. There were born them four children, three of whom still survive. In 1853 he married for his second wife Matilda McBride, born in South Carolina in 1823. They have had three children.

Alexander M. Smith was born in Dixon township in 1857, and in 1879 was married to Lydia Allen, who was born in Union county, Indiana, in 1857. They have one child, Nora Myrtle Smith. He owns forty-five acres of land given him by his father.

James Harper, the only surviving child of Nathan and Elizabeth Harper, was born in Union county, Indiana, in 1829. In 1850 he moved to Preble county, Ohio, and located on the farm on which he now lives. In the same year he married Margaret A. Paxton, who was born in Israel township, in 1828, and who died in 1876. Ten children were born to them, six of whom are still living. Mr. Harper owns ninety acres of land located in section twenty-one of Israel township.

Alexander Caldwell was born in Ireland in 1818. In 1846 he emigrated to Pennsylvania, wheré he lived about five years. He then moved to Virginia and stayed there a year. In the next year, 1852, he moved to Ohio and settled in Israel township, where he has since resided. His wife was Mary Monteith, born in Ireland in 1831. Nine children have been born to them, all of whom are living. Mr. Caldwell owns a farm of eighty acres, one and a half miles northeast of College Corners, Ohio.

John Campbell was born in North Ireland, in 1815, and emigrated to Preble county, and settled in section six .of Israel township, in 1861. In 1846 he married Martha Scott, born in Ireland, in 1825. They have had seven children, six of whom are now living. Mr. Campbell owns a farm of seventy-eight acres, which is well improved.

Francis A. Beall was born in Somers township, in 1820. His father, Charles Beall, was an early settler in that township, having removed there with his parents from Maryland, in 1816. Francis A. married for his first wife Sarah Moore, of Israel township, born in 1827; she died in 1860. There were two children born of this marriage, one living. In 1866 he married Mary H. Brown, born in Israel township, in 1830, by whom he has had no children, but has taken two to raise.

Jabez Harrison was born in Virginia in 1800, and died in 1845. He emigrated from Virginia to Wayne county, Indiana, and remained there five years, and afterwards lived in Fayette county until his death, which occurred in 1845. His wife, Elizabeth Taylor, born in Virginia in 1800, died in 1847. Three of their eight children are living: Ashbury C., in Washington Territory; James R., near St. Louis; and Wesley H., in Preble county, Israel township, where he owns two hundred and seventy-five acres. He moved from Wayne county, Indiana to Fayette county in 1835, and to Union county in 1847, whence he moved, in 1858, to Israel township. His wife, Lavina Brown, was born in 1829. They have a family of five children.

Charles Hockersmith was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, in 1850. He came to Preble county in 1868, and purchased a farm of seventy-nine acres from James A. and William M. Gilmore. In 1874 he married Rachel M. Gilmore, who was born in 1843. They have had two children, one of whom, Robert A., is still living.

The first birth in the township was that of Hugh Elliott, who was born June 26, 1808, and Mr. Elliott is consequently the oldest native resident.

The first death of which there is any remembrance was that of the little daughter of Dr. John Ramsey. She died about the year 1807, and was 'buried near the family residence, on the farm now occupied by George Hamilton.

Ebenezer Elliott put up the first brick house in 1816, on the farm now owned by his son Hugh. Robert Boyse is supposed to have put up the first house that was roofed with shingles, and James Boyse put up the first frame barn.

The first wheat was sown in the summer of 1807, by Ebenezer Elliott, on his farm, in section twenty-six. In the previous spring he planted five acres of corn. The family tired of corn bread, and longed for a taste of wheat bread, and so the boys persuaded their father to clear two acres and put them in wheat. The crop raised was a big one, and after it was harvested was put in a rail pen covered with clapboards. As soon as possible, the boys cleared a spot of ground near by, and after threshing it with flails and winnowing it in a sheet, they started for the mill at Hamilton, with two bushels and a half After they returned with the flour they could hardly wait while Mrs. Elliott baked a cake, which as soon as done was eagerly devoured by the boys, Mrs. Elliott, with motherly self-denial only taking a morsel. The cake tasted very good, but had scarcely been swallowed before the whole family became sick, with sickness proportioned to the amount of cake eaten, and the mother received the reward of her self-denial, and was the least sick of all. Mr. Elliott, upon his return, pronounced the wheat "sick" wheat. All of it was of the same nauseating quality, and so ended the visions of a continuous supply of daily bread. The wheat, after being spurned by the cows and hogs, was used for whiskey, and it is not definitely krown how sick it made the men who drank it.

When Ebenezer Elliott was justice of the peace he was going to church one Sabbath when he met a man hauling a load of mill-stones. Upon being convinced that this Sunday labor was voluntary he was filled with righteous wrath, and on Monday the constable collected two dollars and a half from the Sabbath breaker.

In a violent tornado swept through the woods south of Morning Sun, doing great damage. The trees were thrown in every direction, and what few fences there were, were scattered to the four winds. Fortunately no lives were lost, though there was great anxiety among families whose members were supposed to be in the track of the storm. This was the most violent storm there has ever been in Israel township.

At the time of the first settlements bears, wolves, wildcats, and foxes were plenty, but it was the smaller game that gave the settlers the most annoyance.

In the spung of r8ro the country was over run with hordes of mice, mice of all colors, shapes and sizes. They are described as having been a cross between a mole and a common mouse. For awhile they stayed, creating great havoc.

Wild turkeys were very plentiful, and their gobble, gobble, gobble! was a terror to the corn planter, who found that the corn was scratched up nearly as fast as it was put under the ground. Large numbers of these marauders were entrapped.

In the fall of 1809, there was a failure of the beechmast throughout the country, and the consequence was, that the squirrels began to emigrate to the south in armies. Hundreds of them passed through Israel township, jumping along at a lively rate, and swimming, or rather floating, over the streams. Scores of them were killed with clubs while crossing the Miami river.

Many will remember the crust which formed over the snow in 1817, when the deer, breaking through the crust, were easily captured by improvident hunters, who killed so many that there was a great scarcity of meat afterwards.

All of the yellow willow trees in this part of the country owe their origin to a very patriarchal old tree that stood on the Colerain dike, between Cumminsville and Cincinnati. As the travelling public passed by that way, it was customary to cut a switch from the old tree, and to plant it when the distant home was reached. More than sixty years ago, Rev. Alexander Porter, upon his arrival from Cincinnati, after a trip on horseback to that city, gave the willow switch which he had cut from the old tree near Cumminsville, to his little daughter, Mary, who thrust it into the moist ground near the spring which was back of the house.

in circumference. the golden candlestick of old, has seven branches, the longest of which measures sixty feet. This tree, which is well worth visiting, is still strong and vigorous. It stands just back of the early residence of Mr. Porter, which was situated in section seventeen, on the farm now owned by Alexander Orr, a grandson of Mr. Porter.

Levi Coffin, president of the underground railroad, had one branch of his road through Israel township. Ebenezer Elliott, Nathan Brown, and others along the line are said to have been directors of the road. Whenever the colored refugees touched College Hill, near Cincinnati, they were sure to go to Canada 2722 the Israel township route.