Troy Township (part 8 of 10)

Many of the children of the first settlers reside in Sullivan township. Ashley Parmely, son of Asahel Parmely, born February 21, t8i8, was the first birth in the township. He is now (1876) living on the farm first purchased by his father in Sullivan. Mrs. Sylvia Parmely Campbell was the second birth in the town, June 3, tStS, She was the daughter of Sylvanus and Louis Parmely. John Parmely was the first death in the township, in the spring of jSiS.

The Baptist church reorganized in 1S34. A new bouse of worship was erected in 1839. The Methodists had a small church in 1833. The church of Christ was organized in 1837. The Methodist Episcopal church has gone down. The others possess a good membership.

Jacob Crouse

Among the early pioneers of Montgomery township, ; Jacob Crouse occupies a high place in the esteem of his i neighbors, by reason of bis good sense, frugality, intelligence and integrity. lie was born in the State of Maryland, near Antietam, September 10, 1775. When a young man, in 1799, he sought and obtained employment in Fayette county, Pennsylvania. At this period the set- i tlements adjoining the Ohio river were just beginning to j gleaming scalping-knife. The frightful scalp-halloo and shrill shriek of the red warriors had sent terror into thousands of cabins. A few of the most hearty frontiersmen j ventured to locate west of the Ohio river; and about the 1 year 1807 Jacob Crouse and wife located a cabin home in Columbiana county, where a few of their neighbors and acquaintances bad removed.

men after their disastrous route by General Wayne, in the northwest. In fact, their path leading to "old Pittsburgh" ran through that part of the newly-organized State of Ohio, and it was not uncommon to sec hundreds of Delawares and Wyandot :> loaded with peltry on their way to Fort Pitt, to purchase blankets, cloths and ammunition in exchange for furs.

In i8ot Mr. Crousq married Rebecca Reifsnyder, of Fayette county, Pennsylvania, who willingly accompanied him to the wilds of Ohio, and endured the privations incident to pioneer life, that she and her husband might in the future become the happy possessors of a homestead.

In 1S12, upon the surrender of General UIull, at Detroit, and the assassinations upon the Black fork, Mr. Crouse was drafted, with many of his neighbors, to assist in defending the helpless pioneers of the northwest against the savage incursions of the Wyandot s and Ddawaics. He was enrolled in the company commanded by Captain Foulks, and made ensign, and thecompany entered the regiment of General Beall, and marched to the village of Wooster, where a block-house was erected and part of a company stationed, and from there a wagontrail was cut to the place of John Baptiste Jerome; (now jeromeville) where another , block-house was built and a part of a company stationed; thence, they cut a trail, (now known as Beall's trail), across the north part of what is now Vermillion, the south part of Montgomery, and the middle part of Milton townships, and thence west across the northern part of Richland county, in the direction of Fort Meigs. He served six months, and was discharged in the spring of 1813, and returned to Columbiana county.

In January, t S 1 4, Martin Mason and Jacob Young visited the regions of Jeromeville, Loudonville, Mansfield, Ashland, and Orange township, with the view of locating wild lands. Their report of the new country was so flattering that they concluded to enter a number of tracts, at the land office in Canton, and return, with others, and put up cabins. In August, Martin Mason, Jacob Mason, Jacob Crouse, Martin Hester, Lot Tod, and Peter Biddinger returned and erected six cabins on lands since owned by the respective parties, and cut and cured a lot of prairie hay, and made preparations to bring on their families, and returned. In October, 1S14. Martin Mason, Jacob Crouse, Jacob Young, Joseph. Bishop, and their families, removed to their new cabins on the branches of the Mohican. The new colony, including old and young, numbered thirty one. The route was along the old army trail to Jerome's block-house, and the home of John Carr, now the Nailor farm, where they rested one night, in his cabin, having slept or tented in the air. the entire distance. From thence, they cut a wagon-path up the east side of the Jerome fork, across lands now owned by Joseph Chandler, and thence, across Calotawa, to the cabin formerly owned by Daniel Mirtey, now by Andrew Meson, to the cabin of Jacob Young, some distance west of the present Ct use -< hoolhouse, where they all rested one night. ! lie next morning Jacob Crouse moved into lus own cabin, near where the residence of John Doty now stands. He had leased j one hundred and sixty acres, being of the Virginia mili- ! tary lands, for ninety-nine years, and began to prepare a j held to plant corn in the succeeding year. His first field was where the Doty orchard now is.

Like all good and intelligent pioneers, the first thought, after preparing a cabin for the reception of their families, and a field for culture, the new colony ! turned attention to the necessity of training youth in j lessons of Christian culture and civilization. Mr. Crouse proposed to donate one acre of land on his north boundary, for school purposes, and to be used as a cemetery. The proposition was accepted, and a comfortable log house was erected about where the present school-house stands, and dedicated to the culture of the youthful mind. The first school was taught there in the winter of 1815 - 16, by John Swigart. Ever since that time, that temple of knowledge has been known - and justly too - as the '-Crouse school-house." Let it always retain that name.

A year or two after the expiration of the term of 'Squire Robert Newell, the pioneers of Montgomery elected Jacob Crouse a justice of the peace, and he served three years, and then declined re-election. His manner was modest and retiring, and official life had no charms for him.

He and his lady connected with the Lutheran church, in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, and remained zealous and leading members nearly fifty years. Mr. Crouse died of pulmonary disease, September 14, 1839, aged j sixty-four years and four days; his wife survived him | until 1850. They sleep in Crouse's cemetery.

His family living at his decease, consisted of Catharine, wife of John Proud fit, Isaac, Benjamin, Jonas H., Isaiah, Mariah, wife of Martin Wolf, and Anna, wife of | Thomas Urie, jr.; all are now deceased.

Jacob Young

of Orange, was born in Hardy county, Virginia, January j r, 1773. His parents were natives of Bavaria, Ger- ' many, and immigrated to America about the year j 1743. The Youngs settled in Virginia, and the father j and mother of Jacob Young (the mother's name was ' Cox), landed in New York, and subsequently settled in ' Virginia, where Andrew Young, father of Jacob, mar- j ried into the Cox family. When Jacob Young was j four or five years old h:s father removed to Wash- j ington county, Pennsylvania, then considered part of I VirgintTi, and located near Ten Mile creek. He subsequently served some two years as teamster in die ' Revolutionaiy army, and died on his homestead about ' the year iScy, at nu.adv. need age.

Jacob grew to manhood in Washington county, and married Mary Mason, of Fayette county, Pennsylvania, June 7, 1795, and, in 1804 removed to and located in

Columbiana county, in the newly admitted State of Ohio, where he remained until October, 1814, when he removed to Orange township, then in Richland, but now in Ashland county, Ohio, where he had erected a cabin the preceding year. Prior to his removal he had entered, at the office at New Lisbon, a number of tracts of land, one of which is now (1878) owned by John Crivelin, one by the heirs of the late George Hall, one by Isaac Mason, one by William Rhone, and another by Rev. William Sattler. His route to his new home was by the old army trail to Wooster, thence by Beall's trail to Jerome's Place and block-house, now Jeromeville, and thence up the Mohican, by a new path passing near where Andrew Mason now resides, and thence to his cabin on the present Sattler farm. But few settlers had preceded him, and his cabin was in the midst of an almost unbroken forest. It was a lonely home, and he was soon serenaded by wolves and the screams of other wild animals. As soon as lie had arranged for winter he set to work upon the rich alluvial bottoms to prepare ground for culture the next year. The forests were of stupendous growth, and required much toil to cut and remove them. During the winter his family lived upon corn-bread, milk, and such wild meat as he could secure by means of bis trusty rifle. The hominy block was brought into requisition, and such corn as could be procured in Columbiana county and in the vicinity of Wooster, was prepared for use. His nearest neighbors were Solomon Urie, Vachtel Metcalf, Amos Norris, Patrick Murray, and Jacob Grouse, to whose number others were soon added.

An old Delaware and Wyandot trail ran near his cabin, and Indians from Sandusky frequently passed along, with furs and skins tc Pittsburgh and returned with new blankets, ammunition, and such other articles as they received in exchange for peltry; but were liter: quite civil. They occasionally called at his cabin, in small numbers, for something to eat, and always'- were served by Mrs. Young when she had anything to allay their hunger. After 1 Si 7 they rarely visited the cabin, when off their reservation, which was situated in what is now Marion county, Ohio. They generally hunted in the forests along Black rivet and in. Huron, Lorain and Medina counties. They finally disappeared about 1824, and went west in 1829. In his hunting excursions he often met small parties of Delawares in the northern forests. On one occasion, in attempting to pass silently to a resort for deer - a sort of lick - he came quietly upon an old Ddcnoarc seated upon a log, soundly asleep, and apparently very much exhausted from fatigue and want of food. Upon his approach the Indian was \ery much frightened; but Mr. Young advanced, showing by signs that he intended no harm, and, upon discovering the real situation of the Indian, drew from the pocket of his hunting shirt a corn cake, which he tendered to 1: is red friend, which was eagerly accepted. The Indian kneeled down in token of ihankfulnesss, at the same time ; .Anting toward the heavens, as if to intimate that th Great Spirit would reward him for geneiouly feeding the hungry*

History Of

In 1S33, when the great stellar shower took place, when it seemed as if the universe were coming to an end, Mr. Young was hunting in the north woods along the banks of the 1'iack river, and slept of nights in a rude hut or wigwam covered with bark. The singular appearance of the heavens amazed him, and fear that some great evil might befall his family seized upon him, but upon his return he was happy to discover that his apprehensions were baseless. The heavens had again become calm, and the fiery torches that blazed through the Urn itless regions of space had disappeared, and all nature seemed at rest. It was not a matter of surprise that he should have beer; alarmed, for philosopher and divine alike trembled at beholding the phenomenon, and were uncertain as to its final termination.

Mr. Young succeeded in raising a few acres of corn the first year; but was compelled to depend largely up- 011 the chase for meat. IT is neighbors were few and far between, and he was often requested to assist in erecting cabins for new settlers, to roll logs, and do other acts of good neighborhood, to all of which he responded, often boarding himself in addition to services rendered, and at the same time furnishing seed corr. to the newcomer. Indeed, though industrious, economical, and careful, he found it difficult to protect himself and family from suffering, until he had succeeded in raising a few crops. Nevertheless, short as was his home supply, he' was noted for his generous aid to all comers, even to squandering his own profits by helping parties who were subsequently unable or unwilling to pay him in return. His wife often related that they had, not unfrequentiv, been so short of meat, for the first year or two, that Mr. Young depended almost, wholly upon his gun, from day to day, for a supply; and often returned, hungry and weary, without game, and made a supper upon milk and pone. In his hunting excursions, during his earlier years, he often met, in the northern forests, that skilful and successful woodman and hunter, Solomon Urie. He often found signs of bear, and frequently succeeded in capturing bruin, of whose flesh he was very fond. Deer were very common, and turkeys often made havoc with cornfields, in the fall of the year. Wolves were also numerous, and very destructive on sheep; their scalps commanded a fair price in money.

Mrs. James Kerr, daughter of Jacob Young, has in her possession a family Bible purchased by her father, with wolf scalps, in Columbiana county, over sixty-five years ago. It was a book duly venerated by Mr. Young, during his life. He made a conscientious effort to follow iis precepts.

In July, 1 S j 5, John Whittaker, a surveyor of Columbiana county, was employed by William Montgomery to survey the original plat of the village of Uniontown, now \shlind, Ohio, and boarded at the cabin of Jacob Young, while so doing; for l he site of the new village was covered by the original forest, and had no boarding houses or hotels for the accommodation of travelers.

In 1 S 1 5 he helped erect tire first school-house in Orange township, near his residence, in which. John Swigait: taught the first school, in the winter of 1S15 16,

| and married Barbara Young, about the close of his ! school, which is supposed to have been the first wedding | in Orange township. The ceremony was performed by ! 'Squire Newell, of Montgomery township, at the cabin of Jacob Young.

Mr. Young became a member of the Evangelical I.u- | theran church at the age of seventeen years, in Washj irrgton county, Pennsylvania, and continued faithful | until his decease, which occurred in 1862, at the age of ! eighty-nine year s, a period of about seventy-one years.

It is a sufficient panegyric upon the life and character j of Mr. Young to say, ihat he never had a quarrel with I any man; iliac he never sued any man; that he was 1 never a defendant in a law-suit ; that he was generous j to all men; and that, while he was born under the do- ! minion of King George III., lie lived to see the ir.dei pendcnce of the .American Republic, the establishment j of the Union, and the prosperity and greatness of the j States.

1 His wife, Mrs. Mat y Mason Young, was a member of the same church from 1800 until her decease in 1865, being about ninety years and six months old.

| Ohio, m 1851, and Abraham, who died in Missouri in I 1877 ; and ten girls - Elizabeth, wife of the late Joseph i Bishop; Barbara, wife of John Swigart ; Alary, wife of John Swineford ; Christiana, wife of Samuel Baughman ; Phcbc, wife of Rhinehart Allaphela ; Sarah, wife of Abraham Marks ; Amy. wife of John C. Ken ; Hannah, wife of Robert McKee; Nancy, wife of Jacob Marietta; and Margaret, wife of James Kerr. All sur- I vive but Mrs. Bishop.

Homer Reck

; was born a1: Kent, Litchfield county, Connecticut, March 3, 1S20. In April, 1826. his father, Taylor Peck, and 1 family, consisting of his wife and four children, started j in a wagon for Ohio ; on arriving at Albany, New York, j they took boat passage on the canal, to Buffalo. They found the route pleasant and cheap. At Buffalo they \ took passage on a schooner, and, after enduring a rough and tempestuous journey, arrived safely at Sandusky City. At that point Taylor Peck hired a team to remove his family and goods to Buggies township, Huron, now ! Ashland, county. The trip occupied three days. The streams were full, and had to be forded at some risk.

1 The road, a mere path cut thi ugh the forest, was iv.uji I and full of chuck holes. Upon rent lung the center Mr. Peek and family were kindly received and sheltered the hospitable roof of Daniel Beach, w! 1 had pie ceded him some three years to Rugglcs township. When 1 Mr. Peck arrived, there were about eight families in the j township. He purchased one hundred and fifty-seven acres of land, in lots twenty and twenty-seven, section three, and went to work to clear the same; and by the i aid of his neighbors soon had comfortable buildings and j other improvements. Mrs. Jerusha Peck died in 1835, and Taylor Peck, the husband, died September 24, ; 1855. Homer Peck, a son, and- subject of this sketch, married in 1845. His family consisted of four daughters, three of whom survive. Mr. Peck has lived to see the last of the pioneers pass away - being Harvey Sacket, who died August 11, 1875. ^as been justice of the peace five terms. He is a member of the Congregational church, a Republican, and a reputable citizen.

Abraham Ar Mentrout

ABRAHAM AR MENTROUT was born near Harrisonburgh, Rockingham county, Virginia, December 15, 1797. In his youth he attended a subscription school and studied the elementary branches, i In 1812 he volunteered, and served three months in the | company of Captain W illiam Harrison, under Colonel | Spangler, at Richmond and Camp Bottom's bridge. Af- | ter the expiration of his service he was apprenticed and j learned the trade of a carpenter and house joiner. About the year 1817 his brother George, and family, removed to Worthington township, Richland county, and located near the present site of Newville. He was also a carpenter.

In December, 181S, Abraham Armentrout, then a single young man, journeyed on foot from Rockingham county, Virginia, through Cumberland, Maryland, along the pike which had been completed to Wheeling, where ! he crossed the Ohio river, and continued along Zane's trace to Zanesville, thence up the Licking to Newark, and thence to Mount Vernon, and, by the path leading j through Clinton, to Lewis' block-house, on the Clear fork, where be found his brother. He married Miss j Priscilla Wade, and worked at his trade until about 1S2 r, when he became a farmer, and continued at that occupation until 1840, when he located at Hayesville, in what is now Ashland county After his arrival in this ; county he kept a hotel about fourteen years, and, in ' 1854, became postmaster, and retained the office to the close of the administration of President Buchanan.

In September, 1863, Mrs. Amentrout deceased, since which period he has resided in the family of his son, Wade Armentrout, of Hayesville. He is in fair health and possesses a good deal of physical vigor for a man of his age. The ancestors of Mr. Armentrout were English and German - on his father's side German, and on his mother's English. They settled in Rockingham county about the year 1690. His grandfather, Henry Armentrout, died there in 1792, at an advanced a«'e. His father died in the same county in 1804.

George Armentrout located in Worthington township. Richland county, in 1817, and Philip Armentrout, ait other brother, in Knox county, near Mount Vernon, and

Jacob in Cedar county, Iowa. The descendants of these brothers are quite numerous'. The family retain a number of relics of the olden times. Abraham Armentrout has in his possession a copper tea-kettle, highly finished, which was imported by the family, on the mother's side, from England, about one hundred and fifty years ago. It is in good state of preservation, and quite a curiosity.

The family of Mr. Amentrout consisted of seven children, three sons and four daughters. Four yet survive - M rs. Amanda Glass, wife of the late Dr. Samuel Glass, of Ashland, who was born in a little log cabin, twelve by twelve feet, in Worthington township, Richland county, and rocked in an humble cradle; Alpheus, of Windsor, Richland county; Anseville, wife of Judge John |. Gurley, of Mt. Gilead, Morrow county, and Wade, who re sides in Hayesville.

Henry Church

was born in Suffolk, England, in 1750, and came as a British soldier in the Sixty-third light infantry, and served under Lord Cornwallis in the memorable campaign in Virginia, in 1781. A short time prior to the surrender of Cornwallis, at Yorktown, while on a scouting party between Richmond and Petersburg!), he was captured by the troops under Lafayette, and sent a prisoner to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He remained there until peace was proclaimed ; but the general amnesty brought no freedom to him. He was soon after capt ured by the meek eyes of a Quaker maiden, and forgot his loyalty to King George, and bowed his neck to the gentle yoke which he wore with exemplary patience for a period of about eighty-one years.

Hannah Keine, the lady that held him so long a captive, was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, in 1755, and survived to the advanced age of about one hundred and five years. Mr. Church survived until 1863, when he died at the great age of one hundred and eleven years. He located near Burton, West Virginia, after the close of the Revolutionary war, and continued to reside there until his decease. The fiuits of his union with the meek Quaker maiden were eight children, the oldest of whom, Anne, died at about sixty years of age , William, the next, lived to be about ninety-six years of age; James, the third member of the family, removed to Milton township, Ashland county, about the year 1S17, and yet survives at the age of eighty-five years; Elsey, the fourth child, lived to be fifty- five; Henry, who still survives, is eighty years old ; Elizabeth lived to be seventy-five ; Hannah lived to be seventy, and Sarah, the youngest, still survives at the age of sixty-eight years. In 1S59 an excursion party of artists, with some members of the British Legation at Washington city, visited Father Church at his humble home near Boston, and made drawings of his residence, himself and members of his family. A young English soldier, who had been cLco rated for gallant conduct on the bloody paraphs of the Redan, was introduced to Mr. Church. The old gentleman extended his hand mechanically, but his dull dim eyes gave no sign. "Bring here the bugle," said a member of the company. It was produced, and one of the martial airs of old England was sounded. Private Church, then one hundred and eight years old, stood up as if his blood had been warmed with wine, and his aged face flashed with intelligence. " I know - I knew it. An Englishman and a soldier, did you say ? Ay, a brave lad, I'll warrant." The scene was indeed touching. The old man, eighty years before, had landed on our shores an armed invader to aid in crushing out the spirit of revolt. With the sound of the martial bugle he, in imagination doubtless, heard tire roil of musketry and the thunders of the deep-mouthed cannon. With his dim eyes he again called up and saw the scarlet battallions of his king marching towards the camps of Washington, Lafayette and Lee. What memories must have crowded upon his brain ! He survived until 1863, and left his countrymen again in a death struggle to preserve the liberties and institutions bequeated by his fathers.

James Church, of Milton, born in 1791 in West Virginia, now 89, is in possession of all his faculties, though his bodily vigor is greatly impaired by reason of age. The longevity of the Church family is quite remarkable, and arises, no doubt, from their plain and simple diet.

Mr. Church has been twice married. His children by his first wife were Elsey, Henry, William, Hannah, wife of Henry Speece, Amanda, Mary, Elizabeth and Caroline.

Jacob Ck All

was born near Harrisburgh, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, December 16, 1811. He is of German descent. He attended the common schools of his neighborhood until he reached manhood, and emigrated, in 1835, to Ashland, Ohio, ana became a clerk in the store of R. B. Campbell A Co., where he remained about one year.

In 1S36 he became the partner of John P. Reynor in the mercantile business, and continued until 1838, when i he separated from Reynor and formed a partnership with i Hulbert Luther, under the name and style of Luther V ! Grail, and continued as a member of the firm until 1854.

In 1S51 he also, in company with Mr. Luther, opened a | hardware store, which subsequently became the property j of Crall and Topping. In the fall of 1S51 he became a stockholder and one of the directors in the establishment of a bank of exchange and deposit in Ashland, and con- | tinned in the same until 1S64. In 1S64 the First Na- , tional Bank of Ashland was organized under a law of Congress, and the stockholders of the bank of Luther, | Crall A Co. transferred their interest to the new institution, and Mr. Crall became one of the directors, and still acts in that capacity. In the fall of 1855 he was elected i treasurer of Ashland county, and held the office two years. In 1 86 r he was appointed postmaster of Ashland by the administration of Abraham Lincoln, and re- j tained the office four )ears. lie has been a mem! or of the town council two years. lie was elected mayor of Ashland in 1 S 7 6. He is at present largely engaged in t he purchase and sale of coal. As a business man he has always sustained an unblemished reputation. Very few men in this region have taken a deeper interest in the improvement of the county. He was among the foremost in procuring the location of a railroad at Ashland, and was engaged in its construction. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church for a number of years. He married Miss Elizabeth M. Melshci trier, of Ashland, June 27, 1837. His family consists of three sons - George, of Virginia City, Nevada ; Oscar F. of Ashland, and Charles, of California; and one daughter, Helen J., who resides with her parents.

Jacob O. Jennings

was born in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, January 21, 1S19; he is of English. German descent. His father deceased when he was a child. He attended, in his youth, the common schools of his neighborhood, near Middletown, Pennsylvania; and when about fourteen years of age, removed with his mother and family to Perry township, Wayne (now Ashland) county, where he attended district school. In the spring of 1834, he entered the store of Michael D. Row, at Row's coiners, as a clerk, and remained about one year; then entered the employ of Joseph Naylor, as clerk, at Jeromeville, where he stayed until the fall of 1835. He then entered the employ of Crawford A Crites, merchants, at Wooster, and continued in their employ until 1838. In the spring of 1838, William Hatfield, then of Wooster, purchased a stock of goods at Loudonville, but circumstances preventing his going there himself, he employed Mr. leanings to go ana take charge of the store. In the fall of 1838, Mr. Hatfield and G. H. Stewart formed a partnership, and Mr. Jennings remained for, and in the interest of. Mr. Hatfield until August, 1S42, when he returned to Jeromeville, and entered the employ of Robert McMahon. Soon after, he became a partner, and continued to do business until the spring of 1S4S. In the meantime, the county of Ashland was erected; and in March, 1847, ^r- Jennings was appointed clerk of the court of common pleas. In 1S49, he removed with his family to Ashland. His term as clerk expired on the adoption of the constitution of 1851, and he retired in the winter of 1S52. In the fall of 1851. the bank of Luther, Crall A Co., an institution of discount and deposit, was organized, and Mr. Jennings was eleeted cashier. In the fall of 1855, he was elected clerk of the court of common pleas of Ashland county, and held that office three years, at the same time conducting the affairs of the bank, as cashier. In rSdg, the bank of Luther, Crall A Co. disbanded, and the First National Bank of Ashland was organized, under the laws of the United States, as a bank of issue and deposit, and Mr. Jennings was elected cashier by the stockholders, which position ho held until 1870, when he was elected president. Mr. Joseph Patterson becoming the cashier. Mi. Jennings (18.80) "till continues president of the bank.

means to acquire a finished education. By close application, attention to business, and unquestioned integrity, lie surrounded himself by friends, and made constant advancement in public confidence. Energetic, exact and upright in all his dealings with men, he commands the respect of the poor, as well as the thrifty, hie has been twice married; his children are all deceased. He has been a member of the Presbyterian church, of Ashland, since 1856.

Arthur Campbell, Jr

ARTHUR CAMPBELL, JR., was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, January 19, 1S10, and emigrated with his parents (Arthur Campbell, sr.,) to Perry township, Wayne, now Ashland, county, Ohio, in May, 1815. They came in two wagons, by the way of Steubenville, Canton, and Wooster, then villages, and followed Beall's trail. Mr. Campbell visited his land, which was entered at Canton, in 1814, in the fall of that year, and built a small cabin, stopping with John Raver while doing so. He located on section twenty-three, just southeast of what is now the village of Rowsburgh. When he landed, the pioneers of Perry are believed to have been John Raver, Henry and John Pittinger, David and Daniel Williams, Henry Worst, Cornelius Dorland, Benjamin Emmons, Thomas Johnston, and Samuel Chasey. Joseph Chandler, sr., and two sons, John Cory and father, and John Carr and family, had been in the township a short time prior to the war of 1812, but had returned to the east part of the State, where they remained until the close of the war, and then re-occupied their improvements. The settlers next succeeding Mr. Campbell, are believed to have been: William Adams, John Adams, Hugh Adams,

Richard Smalley, Isaac Smalley, John Smalley, Henry Worst, James Dickason, Samuel White, Abraham Ecker, John Reiser, Michael Row, Jacob Shinnabarger, and perhaps others. The spring of the arrival of the family of Mr. Campbell, the Sandusky Indians came down and made sugar near what was afterwards the Hoy farm, at Red Haw, and a few of their poli huts, covered with bark, were left standing. The sap was gathered in bark vessels and boiled in copper kettles. The Indians were then quite peaceable. From 1815 until about 1S20, they passed down the old trail once a year, in large numbers, to draw their annuities at Canton. The trail came by the Vermillion lakes, near the residence of the late Jacob Young, in Orange, and ran a southeast course to the cabin of Johq Raver, half a mile southeast of what is now Rowsburgh, passing by the cabin of Mr. Buckingham, in Montgomery, and thence to the cabin of John Premer, in Chester township, Wayne county, by the cabins of Judge Goodfellow and Adam Shinnaman, Yankee Smith, and across Killbuck, near Wooster. The trail was opened and traveled many years as a wagon road for the pioneers, though destitute of bridges.

'lire first year Mr. Campbell was compelled to visit Knox county, by pack-horses, for corn. The first nip was made in company with Benjamin Emmons. Thev

The people were destitute of the means of carrying I on schools, but managed, by subscription, to gather their | children into a log cabin for instruction, two miles north- | east of the present site of- Rowsburgh, at a point known as Mt. Hope graveyard. The first teacher was Alexander Smith, and the first school in 1S16. The scholars were, John Allison, Alexander Allison, Peter Pittinger, Betsy McMillen. Robert Hillis, William Hillis, John t Hillis, Peggy Hillis, Ellen Hillis, John Somcrton, Tabor 1 Somerton, Mary Campbell, Charles Campbell, Arthur j Campbell, Henry Worst, Lydia Pittinger, and Mary A 1 1 ii son. Very few of these remain. Arthur Campbell j speaks well of the school.

; same place. The children brought a lunch and remained 1 ail day, and were instructed and catechised. It was under the control of the Presbyterians, and Mr. Campbell took a deep interest in it. The congregation and school were small, but increased and flourished for many years.

Arthur Campbell, sr., was the first shoemaker in the township. lie generally prepared shoes for his own family, and occasionally made brogans for his neighbors, though not having learned the trade in a regular way. Samuel Neal was the first tanner, and his establishment was carried on near Mt. Hope. A blacksmith arrived in the person of Thomas Andrews. The shop was located in the northwest part of the township, near what is now known as the fiance Hamilton farm. The shop was much frequented; and Mr. Andrews was nut only a useful tradesman, but also acted as the first township clerk.

! and carry up a corner; but cabins began to improve as I the farmers acquired means. Isaac Smalley, about 1S17, became the first legular car] tenter. He followed the business many years, and instructed a numbet of apprentices in the art.

tories, the good mothers made the spinning-wheels hum, night and day, until the flax and wool were prepared for the weaver. Henry Drown was the first wheelright, maker of looms and chairs. He carried on his trade as ! early as 1817. The woollen goods thus woven were carried to a fulling mill, at Stibb's, near Wooster, fulied and dressed for winter wear.

Justice was first administered by 'Squire Thomas Johnston, who resided in the west part of the township, on what is now the Davault farm. Mr. Johnston, like 'Squire Newell and others, was not noted for his legal j lore, but made a good practical officer, dispensing with j the dry chaff of forms for the real substance.

The forests abounded in wolves, bear, deer, and other game. The wolves were destructive to sheep, and a premium was offered for their scalps, at Wooster. Mr. Campbell relates that a few weeks after the arrival of his father, in neglecting to shelter his sheep, he lost his whole flock in one night, by the wolves. Their throats j were cut in the most scientific manner.

The most noted hunters in Perry were John Jackson j and Thomas l'ittinger; they ranged the forests for many ! miles, and killed annually hundreds of bear, deer, wolves | and turkeys. They were very successful in trapping | wolves, and often visited Wooster to obtain the result of their scalps.

In constructing new roads the pioneers traveled many miles, and were able to do but little more than cut a narrow wagon path. The construction of bridges at 1 public expense was impossible, so that in times of heavy rains and freshets, the larger streams were, for weeks, im 'passable.

Mr. Campbell relates that some two years after their arrival, Mr. Robert McBeth and family, on their way to Clearcreek township, was delayed by the overflowing of the Muddy and Jerome forks, about three weeks, at his father's cabin.

The first deaths in Perry were Henry Johnston, son of Thomas Johnston, in 1S14, of cancer of the lower jaw; James Campbell in 1814, of rheumatism in the foot; 1 and the third death, a son, seven years old, of John Raver, frightened to death by a mouse under his pantaloons leg; he died in spasms some hours after the occurrence.

Arthur Campbell, sr., was killed, August 19, t S t 9, by the falling of a tree, at the age of forty-five years. A neighbor, Alexander Allison, was present when the accident happened. It was on the premises of John Pittinger. Messrs. l'ittinger and Campbell were sitting near a tree conversing, when an oak tree in the clearing, which had been several hours burning, commenced falling. Mr. Allison noticed the falling tree, and instantly notified Campbell and l'ittinger of their danger; Pittinger dodged behind a tree near by, but Campbell was struck in the act of rising, by a heavy limb, on the back causing instant death. He left a widow and seven children; j Mary, Charles, 'Arthur, Margaret, Daniel. John, and ; William. These grew up in Perry township, and the j living are Margaret, William, and Arthur. Mrs. Camp- j hell died in 1865, aged eighty-three years.

Arthur Campbell, jr., married Lydia, daughter of Dr. Abram Ecker, by whom he had eleven children. Mrs. Campbell died in 1871. He married Mary, widow of James Scott, in 1877, and resides in Rowsburgh. Mr. Campbell came into the possession of the home farm, and has been a leading agriculturalist for many years. His children are nearly all grown, some of whom occupy the old homestead near Rowsburgh. He is a large, welldeveloped man, and would weigh about two hundred pounds, is full six feet high, and is in a good state of preservation, mentally and physically.

was born June 13. 1813, in Washington county, Pennsylvania He had two brothers, one James A. McCombs, died at the age of four years. Andrew M. McCombs was a member of Captain Barber's company, and died in the service on the thirtieth of April, 1862, at Ashland, aged forty-seven years and five months. LI is mother Ann McClean, was married to his father, Matthew Mc- Combs, on the twenty-third clay of April, 1812. His father served six months in the war of 1812, under General Harrison, and died, from the effects of the service, in the year 1822. His mother died at Ashland on the eighteenth of February, 1867, in the eighty-second year of her age.

Mr. McCombs' grandfather, on the father's side, was born in Ashland, and emigrated to, and bought a farm in. Washington county, Pennsylvania, and lived to about the age of eighty years, and his wife to near the same age. Mr. McCombs' grandfather, on the mother's side, Andrew McClean, died on his farm in Washington county, Pennsylvania, Smith township, at the age of eighty-five years, and his wife at the age of sixty-seven years. Grandfather McClean was born near Fort Deposit, Maryland, was a Revolutionary soldier, who died at a ripe age, full of years and full of faith, being an elder in the Presbyterian church of Raccoon. He performed an important part in procuring the liberties we now enjov. He was in the battles of Brandywine, Long Island, Germantown, Monmouth, Stony Point, etc., serving five years, and enlisted at the age of seventeen. He saw and participated in the mighty event which, under Providence, ended in the permanent independence of this country, and died enjoying the confidence and esteem of all his neighbors. Mr. McCombs was left to the care of his mother, who brought him up and early taught him selfindependence. He taught school in his neighborhood at the early age of sixteen. He commenced to acquire a liberal education at Florence academy, Washington county, Pennsylvania, then attended Washington college, and after a course of over five years was graduated at Franklin college, in Harrison county, Ohio, in the class ofiS39. He then read law with the Hon. T. M. T. M» Kennan, who was secretary of interior under General Taylor, and his son William McLennan, now United States district judge for northwestern Pennsylvania, and he was admitted to the bar in Washington, Pennsylvania; when he came to Ohio and resided in Richland county j one year; came to Ashland, Ashland county, Ohio, before the county was erected, and assisted in procuring the county-seat, where he has ever since resided and en- j gaged in the practice of the law. He was married to 1 Sarah A. Wright, a native of the State of New York, He- j cember 29, 1846. They had three children - S. Anna, j Mary B., and John. The youngest, John, remains with j the parents; Anna is married to S. W. Andrews, and Mary to James Whyte.

William Taylor And Sons

Among the early settlers of what is now Ashland | county was William Taylor, who emigrated from Penn- j sylvania in the year 1822, with his wife, eight sons and one daughter. He arrived at Mansfield in the month of June and remained there until autumn, when he removed on a farm which he had purchased, situated on what is called Honey creek, in Green township, Ashland county, but at that time belonged to Richland county. He brought with him from Pennsylvania eleven head of horses, three wagons and a set of blacksmith tools, and quite a number of farming utensils. In 1830 he was elected commissioner, and for several years filled the office of justice of the peace. After a great many years of hard labor he became the owner of nearly a thousand acres of land, and on which he quite extensively carried on farming and stock-raising. Mr. Taylor was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1774, and died in 1851. Jane, wife of William Taylor, was born in Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, in the first year of j American independence, and died in 1S32. William, : their eldest son, in 182-8 located in Findlay, Hancock | county, Ohio, where he embarked in merchandising, and j became quite a prominent business man. He at one I time represented his county in the State legislature, j Thomas, the second son, was a farmer, and settled in | Wood county, where he remained until death. Leri | followed his brother to Hancock county. He began active life on a farm, but was afterwards elected treasurer j of his county. James foresaw Horace Greeley's advice, j and emigrated to Oregon in 1S44. He was with the first i train that crossed the Rocky mountains in search of gold, j and at one time he was territorial treasurer of Oregon. He has been successful in business and has amassed quite a fortune. - He is at the present time in retired life on the banks of the Columbia" river. Daniel is a farmer, and at present resides in Richland county, Ohio. He is a j man of energy and enterprise, and has been successful ; in life. He was commissioner of his county during the building of the new court house. Andrew J. took up ! his abode in Putnam county, Ohio, and for several years | was clerk of the court, and tilled the office of probate judge for six years. He now resides in Paulding county, Ohio. Sarah J. McGuire, the only daughter, resides in l ircen township, near the old homestead. Judge John, the only son in this county, has most of his life lived on a farm, and always dealt more or less in stock, and in an ' early day, before railroads in this county, drove a groat deal of stock across the Alleghany mountains. He served as justice of the peace for his township for many years, and was elected to the State legislature in 18^9, and re-elected in 1861 ; and in 1 S 7 5 was elected probate judge, and re-elected in 1878, and holds that position at the present time.

JUDGE DANIEL \Y. WHITMORE was born in the town of Leicester, county of Livingston, and State of New York, March 2, 1823. His father was quite an extensive farmer when Daniel was a small hoy. He was the oldest of his father's children. Mr. Whitmore remained with his parents, worked on the farm, and attended to his father's business, until he was about eighteen years of age, when he became afflicted with sciatic and inflammatory rheumatism, and, consequently, could do but little labor on the farm. Up to this time he had attended a common district school, oniy two or three months each winter, which was one and a half miles from his father's residence. He could imperfectly read, write, and cipher a little, which was about the extent of his education. Being an invalid, and knowing, from the condition of his physical organization, that he would not likely ever be able to perform hard manual labor, and possessing an ambitious disposition to be, or do, something in the world, with the influence of his mother he obtained the consent of his stern father to let him go to a select school at Perry center, three terms, in a!! nine months. In the estimation of hi:; father, nearly all professional men were, more or less, contaminated with one, or all, of the following vices: Intemperance, recklessness, and dishonesty,, and the laziest man made the best fiddler, and the next laziest would come in as a country school-teacher.

School-teaching he had chosen as his profession. As a student, his full determination was to know the principles of his studies. All the time he attended the select school he did not lose an hour, sometimes studying until midnight. To be a good and successful school-teacher, was his aim. To that end he spared neither pains nor expense. After the close of the last term of the select school, he returned home and attended a graded school taught by Professor Nuland, a graduate of the normal school at Albany, New York. In the autumn of 1S45 he made application to Mr. Crosby, town superintendent, for a certificate to teach school, and draw public money for his services. He had no difficulty in procuring a school, as he had a recommendation from the professor and superintendent. He taught a term of four months, and, at the close of the term, he received for the services he had rendered, sixty-four dollars. He never had so much money at one time before. He states that he would have been wcil recompensed if he had not received a dollar, lot he never parsed a more agreeable winter. The following summer he attended the district school at home, three "months, which was taught by a thorough and p.aclical teacher, and studied the remainder of that summer at home. The winter following he en gaged as assistant teacher in a graded normal school. The following summer, his health being poor, he visited the sulphur springs, at Avon, New York.

In the month of September, 1847, he came to Ashland, Ohio, on a visit; and a long one it has proven, for it has lasted thirty-three years. He had not been thirty miles from home before. II is first night in Ohio was passed in Oberlin. In the coach that carried him from Oberlin to Ashland, he met a tall, elderly gentleman, who was very jovial and communicative. A couple of days after arriving at Ashland, he was informed that there was an interesting lawsuit in progress at the Stone church, then used as a court -room, to decide whether Ashland village should remain the county-seat of Ashland county. There, to his surprise, stood the tall, spare man, who came in the coach with him, pleading in the interests of Ashland village. Upon enquiry, he found the interesting speaker to be Reuben Wood, the great expounder of law, from Cleveland.

A few days after arriving at Ashland, he became acquainted with one of Ohio's most gifted and talented sons - one of the most energetic, generous, scholarly and self-sacrificing of men, and who did everything in his power for the advancement of the rising generation; that man was Lorin Andrews. Being informed where Mr. Whitmore formerly resided, and that he had taught school, and that he was familiar with the methods employed in the common and graded schools in the State of New York, Mr. Andrews strongly urged him to remain in the county and teach school, and help him and other teachers in the cause of education. He informed him that he had a district school in view, that wanted to engage a school-teacher, and was willing and able to pay the highest wages to a teacher who would teach them a good school and give general satisfaction ; he was fully convinced it was a difficult school to govern. Mr. Whitmore took Professor Andrews' advice, and made application for the school referred to.

After several interviews with Mr. James Anderson, one of the school directors, Mr. Whitmore engaged to teach school for fifteen dollars per month of twenty-four days, and to receive his board in the homes of his pupils. He was admonished that the school would be a difficult one to manage. lie believed that good order was the first and leading principle in successful school-teaching. He commenced his school on the day agreed upon, and had a much larger number of pupils at the commencement than he expected. He distinctly recollects this, his first day of school-teaching in Ohio. The most of his pupils on this day were from five to fifteen years old, and in appearance robust and healthy, with sparkling eyes and anxious countenances, and in their behavior quiet and mannerly. The second day a few more came, and his school continued to so increase through the winter that his average daily attendance was over forty. His schoolroom was considered to be one of the Lest in the township, and was of peculiar structure and greatly in contrast with what he had been accustomed to sec and use in the cast. It was constructed of logs, nearly twu'.ty feet

| square, about seven feet high to the eaves, and roofed j with oak shingles. Yet it let in water and snow when | the storms were violent. The chimney was built on the j outside; the foundation Was built of stone, brick and clay i mortar. Mr. Whitmore found, after he had taught a few | days, that he had the material for a good school, provided J he could get the parents and householders to purchase | their children suitable school books. This he finally ac- ! complished after much persistent effort. He persuaded I Professor Andrews to visit his school and give the parents I of the pupils a lecture upon the subject, which had a j wholesome effect. Mr. 'Whitmore offered to purchase | school books for the pupils of such parents as could not ! afford to buy them then, and wait until they could repay j him.

An effort was made, just before holiday time, by some ! of the older pupils, lead on by young men not members | of the school, to have Mr. Whitmore agree to treat the | scholars, after the usual custom that then prevailed.

; much to the chagrin of some of his pupils; but after the I time had passed, and all hope of a treat had been given j up, he surprised his school with a most liberal distribu- ! don of fruit and palatable delicacies. Mr. Whitmore | relates the following:

In one school district, a teacher was barred out, be- ; cause of his refusing to treat, and wanted possession of J his school-room. His scholars were all in, and had the ! doors and windows well fastened. The teacher, expect- ! ing to be barred out, had prepared himself for the j emergency. He got a ladder, and ascending to the top j of the house, dropped sulphur down the flue into the I stove, where there was a good fire. It ignited so quickly that the room soon became filled with a strong sulphurous odor, and the scholars were obliged to open the doors and windows to breathe, putting the teacher in | victorious possession.

In another district the case was similar, but the ! scholars were more shrewd. After the teacher had asj cended the ladder to the cone of the house, and was try- ! ing to smoke his scholars out, by covering the top of the j chimney, one of the boys crawled out of a window, and ! took the ladder down, leaving the gentleman teacher on ! the top of the house, with the cutting wind whistling i around, to keep him cool and bring him to time He [ begged to have the ladder replaced, but the boys would not unless he would consent to treat. After a couple | of hours of shivering meditation, he came to the conclu- I sion that he had better treat than freeze, or kill himself by jumping down. The contract was not considered binding unless it was in writing, so one of the boys took ; a long pole, and, tying the agreement to be signed and a - pencil to the end of it, reached them up to him, when , he signed the agreement and threw it down. The hoys replaced the ladder, and he came down nearly frozen. So they compelled the teacher to treat, and had a jolly good time.

Mr. Whitmore had marked success with his first school; and public funds being lacking, money was raised by subscription, and he was invited to teach a summer school in the same district, and was employed again for the winter session. His further experience as a teacher extended over a number of years, and it is to be regretted that sufficient space cannot be given to recount the many interesting facts and events connected with his school-teaching days. His contribution to education in the county of Ashland was very great.

The text-books then used were the elementary spellingbook, McGffeuy's readers, Mitchell's geography, and atlas, Green's grammar and analysis, Adams' new arithmetic, and Colburn's mental arithmetic; and a good deal of writing was done. They had no steel or gold pens, and no writing-books with plated copies. After arriving at the school-houses in the morning and making a fire and sweeping the room, Mr. Whitmore's next task was to write copies and make pens out of geese quills, and sometimes his pupils would bring turkey quills as a substitute when geese quills could not be conveniently had. Their ink was mostly made by his pupils or their parents out of the water which maple or chestnut bark had been strongly boiled, then putting in -coperas and boiling it with the liquid to its proper thickness, and then straining. It made a very good black ink.

The following principles were a guide to Mr. Whitmore in his educational labors, and" he endeavored to have his pupils governed by them : ist. That it is no disgrace to perform manual labor, but an honor, a credit and a benefit to themselves, to the community, and to their country. To be industrious, economical and saving should be the aim of all, and that physical and mental exercise are necessary to fulfill nature's laws; and that they should not forget the old adage, that "idleness is said to be the mother of crime." 2d. The sure way to success was for them to depend upon themselves, and that self-reliance, with proper exertions, would enable them to accomplish whatever they might reasonably undertake, and that it is all within their own power to have or not to have the confidence and respect c f their fellowmen, and a person without friends is a miserable being. Wirt says, and it is true, that every person is the architect of his own fortune. 3d. That they should be honest in all their business transactions, tell the truth on all occasions, and they would be well rewarded for their uprightness and truthfulness; that they should never forget, but always follow, the precepts of that good old maxim: "Honesty is the best policy." 4th. That they should at all time reverence and treat their parents with respect and kindness; be civil, quiet and mannerly, and not forget the golden rule, but practice it: "Do unto others

Mr. Whitmore had determined to follow farming for a livelihood, but in the spring of 1857 he was elected town ship treasurer, and the following spring moved back to Milton township, in this county, and in the autumn of

| 1858 was elected real estate appraiser for the township 1 of Milton, and assessed the value of the realty the fol- 1 lowing summer. In the spring of 1861 he was elected ' justice of the peace. At the expiration of three years he ; declined a re-election, but was elected again in the spring ! of 1866, and was re-elected again in the spring of 1069,

I and in the month of October. 1 869, was elected probate j judge for Ashland county, and three years thereafter re- | elected probate judge for the second term, which expired ! in February, 1876; since that time he has employed bim- ' self in farming.

Jacob Gibson

I In 1804 his parents removed to Allegheny county, where I his father died, and in 1810 his mother removed to what I was then Jefferson county, Ohio, and settled near the J village of Cadiz, in what is now Harrison county, where j his mother died, in 1814. He then learned the clothier i business, serving three years at the trade. He then re- ! turned to York county, Pennsylvania, and remained there : until 1817, and then went to Washington county, where he worked at the trade until 1819, and in 1823 married Miss Mary Gault, removing to Ohio county, Virginia. In 1825 he came to Belmont county, Ohio, where he built a fulling-mill, and carried it on until 1836, when He removed to Clearcreek township, then Richland, now Ashland, county, and located one and a quarter miles west of Haneytown, now Savannah, on the Vermillion river, in 1836. Here he built a fulling-mill, a carding-machine, and a saw-mill, and purchased the farm upon which he now resides, one hundred and sixty acres. He carried on his mills about twenty years, in the meantime operati ing his farm. For the last twenty-eight years, 1851 to j 1879, he has devoted his time wholly to his farm. When j he came the leading pioneers of his region were the | Freedoms, the Fords, the Baileys, Joseph Davis, James [ Gribhen, Jacob Myers, Thomas Cook, John Gault, John ! Haney, and others. At that time the Indians had all : disappeared, though there was much talk about them.

J The story of the captivity of Christian Fast was often I related, and he often met Mr. Fast at his mills. When i clearing some ground on the bottom, east of bis house,

! he came upon the remnants of an Indian village, where the Delawares had often encamped and cooked. He found hearths, or pot-holes, of boulders, where fires had been built, and large amounts of charcoal had been I burned. The boulders had been so frequently heated that they were much stained and reddened by the fire.

! After Mr. Fast came, the Indians had a feast at this I place. The sugar trees were much hacked, by the In- ; dians, in tapping to make sugar, before the whites came,

I all over the bottom. Mr. Gibson died in 1874, of heart j disease, aged seventy-six years. The family of Mr. Gibson consists of John, William, and Robert. William lives ; in Cleveland, and Robert in the State of Indiana. His daughters wen:, Mulinda, wife of Janies ( "hambet : Ma1- garet Jane, deceased; Lucina, wife of Dr. W illiam Shaw, deceased ; Malissa, wife of Levi Shi] Ty, a widow, and ! Leticia, single. Mr. Gibson has been an exemplary ; church member for many years. In 1S7S he became a j member of the Ashland County Pioneer society, in which his name lias been enrolled for future reference. He is ' now, 1879, in his eighty-third year, and possesses a fair ; share of vigor, for a man of his age. His memory is j clear and retains past events, and rehearses pioneer times j with much interesting detail.

John Gibson, son of Jacob Gibson, resides on the adjoining farm in Clearcreek township, which is under a good state of culture, and quite valuable. His family is small, and they own a pleasant home.

Martin Henry Mansfield

MARTIN HENRY MANSFIELD was born in the city of New York, December 1, 1S21. and left an orphan by the death of his father and mother when quite young. There were but two children, Martin H. and William, who by the intervention of friends, succeeded in finding desirable homes in Pennsylvania. Martin found a place at the home of the father of Senator Patterson, at Mifflintown, Juniata county, where he grew to manhood and learned business habits. Pic early developed a talent for mechanical pursuits, and devoted his time in perfecting machinery to aid the agriculturist. He never had any training by practical machinists, and his mechanical ideas were all born with him, ! and of a wonderful cast. About 1846 he began to evince \ his peculiar talent for invention, and letters patent were i granted by the office in Washington for improvements in i clover hullcrs; his object being to enlist the farmers in raising clover for the purpose of saving the seed, and enhancing the price of both clover and seed, and in making it a valuable ciop as a fertilizer of failing lands, and a good feed for stock. When patented his original h tiller was visited by many farmers, and looked upon as an J effort that would aid in saving the seed, and increase a j disposition to raise anu save increased crops wherever in- ! troduced. He visited several States with a view to inter- j esting farmers in the enterprise, and selling territory, j He met with some encouragement, but not such as the i merits of his invention warranted, and finally turned his | attention to Ohio, where his invention attracted a good I deal of attention, and finally settled in Mfflin township, in Richland county, where lie commenced the manufac- ; ture of his huller in 1848.

His original object was to enlist mechanics who would ! engage in making this huller. His shop was at first in Mifilin, in j uniata county, Pennsylvania. He procured two - horsesanda wagon, and with oneofhis hullcrs and cleaners commenced to canvass, hoping to encourage the growing 1 of clover, but met with little success in selling machines and patents. It was then in the fall and winter, when clover could he procured to exhibit the machine by bulling and cleaning the seed. The weather was general!) stormy, with rain or snow, arresting the hulling and cleaning. It v\as not pleasant work exhibiting the machine. The roads became very bad, and he could hardly travel.

In the winter of 1S48 he made a trip to Ohio and made an effort to sell the patent, and operated among the farmers of Richland and Ashland counties, but without sales. In Ashland he put up at the hotel kept by the late fames McNulty. While at his hotel lie drove out to the farm of the late Isaac Davis, near the Mifflin line, and states that by that time "he was flat broke" in finances. He remained with Mr. Davis about two weeks, and sold one machine to Isaac Roland and Jacob Hoover, for fifty dollars - about half-price - getting twenty-four dollars cash and a note for the balance. He found that in his travels it would be better to sell machines than patents. So he determined to come to Ohio and engage in manufacturing his huller and cleaner, and never again offer a patent right for sale. Before leaving he went to Mansfield' and partly arranged with Messrs. Hall and Alien, then proprietors of the Mansfield Machine Works, toassist in making his huller. Leaving Ashland county, he returned to J uniata county, Pennsylvania, receiving from Roland and Hoover twenty-four dollars, balance due on a machine, winch carried him safely through the mountains, there then being no railroad for conveyance to Ohio. About six weeks after, being in December, 1848, he arrived at Ins old home. It is proper to state that Mr. Saiger, a brotherin-law, accompanied him on his former trip. In a good covered spring wagon, with curtains, and a pair of good horses and about eight hundred pounds of goods and clothing, and in February, 1849, his wife, Mr. Saiger and himself started for Ohio. The roads were then frozen and were smooth, much resembling a plank floor all the way to Mansfield, where he rented a- house from Dr. Teesarden, and lived in it until April, 1849. Having failed to complete a contract with Messrs. Hah & Co., to manufacture machines, and becoming scarce of money, he con eluded to settle in Mifflin township, near Mr. Isaac Davis, and start a shop of his own, furnished by Mr. Stemhour, who lived near, and with his assistance, he being a mechanic, made hullcrs. On the first of April, 1S49, he moved near Mr. Davis, and commenced making clover h ullers in a small way. He made five that spring and summer, and sold them all in the fall. He remembers that George Stillwagon and Daniel Koogle, near Mifflin, bought machines and ga\e him a friendly recommend among- the farmers, which aided him very much, these gentlemen having done a good deal of bulling during that fall and winter. Mr. Mansfield regarded tins act as very kind to the day of his decease, and attributed his success to the aid of such friends. It was the means of selling a number of hullcrs that fall and winter, and was the cause of many other sales in Ashland count). By this means he had accumulated a small amount of money by April r, 1S50, when he temoved to Ashland and settled in an old frame building opposite the house of the late Captain A. Walker, on Third street, in which he lived and used as a shop for two years.

'The demand for hullcrs was very great, and it became necessary to procure more room. So he purch; >ed lot number sixteen, of Joseph Wasson, in South Ashland, where lie built a shop, where Robert Me Murray subsequently built a residence. The shop was twenty-four b) sixty feet, two stories high, one of which was converted into a. dwelling, wheic Mr. Mansfield lived, having moved into it, until the spring of 1852. A short time after he attached a foundry, and made plows and other farm implements, having a blacksmith shop, with steam engine. | The demand for huliers kept increasing from year to | year - some years running as high as one hundred - until iie was compelled to enlarge his facilities, and, in the summer of 1853, Mr. D. Whiting built him a residence, where he resided, which gave him all the room he needed for the huliers. In 1856 he entered into partnership with D. Whiting, who built a shop on ground formerly owned by the late George Swineford, as a tannery and residence, and now occupied by Messrs. Whiting & Shearer fur the manufacture of agricultural implements. After he and Mr. Whiting formed a partnership they increased their facilities for manufacturing. He sold one-half of the undivided interest in his patents to Mr. Whiting, after having conducted a thriving business four years, being limited to that time. In January, i860, he sold his interest in the machine works to Mr. Whiting.

j of ill health, and being affected with a bronchial trouble, brought on by being exposed to the clover dust by experimenting, setting up and starting clover huliers for the past thirty years.

Since the Mansfield machine was invented, and introduced among the farmers of this part of Ohio, the production of clover has been largely increased, the acreage being more than five times as great as formerly. The land has been greatly improved by raising the crop, the old adage that "he that causes one blade of grass to grow, where it had not previously grown, must be regarded a benefactor of his race," is literally true. It was Mr. Mansfield's pride, not only to lie a successful inventor, but to aid the farmer in producing a valuable crop. In this respect, his value to the agriculturist cannot easily be determined. He has now done his last work, and been called home to rest. He died April 4, 1SS0, and was buried April 6, 1880.

As- a mechanic, he was very successful; in fact, he may be regarded as a genius it) invention. He was methodical and unassuming in manner, and deemed a

On the fourth of January, 1861, he purchased lot number thirty-five, on the south side of Main street, in Ashland, from William Skilling, and commenced again to make huliers, during the year, in an old building on the lot. He seems to have been destined to wear out in improving and making clover machinery.

In 1S62 he built the brick building that now stands upon the lot opposite the Times office, and in 1S66, put up the rear brick. The front part is about twenty-eight by seventy-five feet, two stories high, with a basement. The rear is thirty-eight by seventy-five feet, with same number of stories as front. It :.s now occupied by F. E. Myers &: Brother as an agricultural implement store-room. These buildings were built for the manufacture of clover huliers; also with a view to other employments.

Previous to 1864 the clover huliers and cleaners made in Ashland were not like the ones made at the present day. They hulled and cleaned the seed from the clover heads after the straw was first removed by a separate machine, or by a wheat threshing machine, or in some other manner. In 1858 Mr. John Birdsall, then of New York State, obtained a patent for combining in one machine, a cylinder to thresh the heads, from the straw, and a cylinder co hull the seed, with separating and cleaning apparatus. These were called double-cylinder machines. Other manufar turers immediately commenced to make the two-cylinder machines. Mr. Birdsall brought suit in the United States court against several parties for infringements upon his machine. In order to compete with Mr. Birdsall, and not to infringe upon his patents, Mr. Mansfield constructed in the fall of 1863, a machine with only one cylinder to do the same work as that done by the Birdsali two cylinder machine. To the surprise of quite ^ number of manufacturers he was successful, and succeeded in obtaining a patent for his machine in 1 86;, t 866, and in 1X7 1, with, additional improvements. In 1875 be retired from business, and granted a license to Messrs. Russell X* Co., ol Massillon, Ohio, and since then retired from the business altogether, in consequence very generous and conscientious manager of his business. Employes speak of him only in a spirit that evinces true affection. They carried him, with many tears, to his last resting place in the cemetery, accompanied by hundreds of citizens, who had learned, by long association, to love and respect him.

| 1S4S. Of this union there were eleven children, seven | boys and four girls; two boys died young, and five survive. Two members of the family are married, William and Atlna Belle.

George Swineford

was born in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, Sep- I tern her 22, 1797, and came to Ashland county with his j parents in 1819. He married Miss Rosa Ewing, of Moi hican township, in 1S20. She was a daughter o! John j Ewing, one of the pioneers of that township. Mr. Swinoj ford was a tanner by trade, and one of the first mechanics | of Ashland. His tan-yard stood where the agricultural 1 works of David Whiting were built. Mr. Swineford I continued in business until about 1850, when he re- 1 moved to his farm in the country, some two miles east of j Ashland, on the Wooster road. Mr. Swineford was for I several years in feeble health, and died in 1866, aged j sixty-nine years. His family consisted of nine living I children, and three deceased, at his death They were : Mahala, Sopharus, Anthony, Harriet, John, Lewis, Ellen, at harness making and as a saddler in Pennsylvania. W!k n he first came to town he worked in the shop cf the late Hugh Davis about three years, and started a shop of his own, and has continued in business since the year 1839. For the last ten years he has been engaged in carriage trimming, at which he is a fine mechanic. He was married to Miss Mahala Swineford, daughter of George Swineford, in 1842. His family consists of Charles, George, and Clara, and three boys dead. Charles, Clara and George are married. Mr. Iigar is much respected as a citizen, and has frequently been elected to the town council and other offices.

Michael Myers

was born January 24, 1814, in Germany, and came to America with his parents and settled in Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, in the fall of 1814. From there his parents removed to Dauphin county, where they lived about j eight years, and then removed to Center county, where they resided until 1S32, when they removed to Columbia county, where, they remained about two years, and then emigrated to Richland county, Ohio, in 1S36, and settled near Savannah, then known as Haneytown, in Clearcreek township.

Here he became acquainted with and married Miss Anne Mason, daughter of Martin Mason, and then resided about two years in Ruggles township, Huron county, after which he removed to Montgomery township, and purchased his present homestead. The fruits of his marriage have been sixteen children, fourteen of whom still survive. His sons are Charles, Alongp, John, Martin, Joseph, Frank, and George; the girls are Mary Anne, Lucia, Elizabeth, Irene, Ella, Ida. and Maggie; all married but two boys and one girl.-

Mr. Myers came in 1836, and has been a resident of Montgomery township forty-four years, and, all the time, he has been a practical farmer. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church ten years. He now attends all Protestant churches, miscellaneously. Mr. Myers owns a good farm, which is in an excellent state of cultivation, and yields an abundance to rewaid him for his toil. He has quite an interesting family who have been raised to habits of industry and economy, and are respected as useful and exemplary citizens.

Daniel Vantilburg, Sr

DANIEL VANTILBURG, SR., was born in New Jersey, in 1781, and with his father's family settled in Jefferson county, Ohio, about 1809' or 1810, where he served a.^ a soldier under General R. Beall, in the war of 1S12, in the Sandusky campaign, lie located one hundred and sixty acres of land, one and one half miles south of Ashland, on the Ilavesville road, which he cleared up and improved, and where he died, August 4, 1 Xfio, at the ripe old age of eighty-five years. lie married, in 1813, in Jefferson county, Ohio, Mis- Margaret Clinton, by whom he had six children, three boys and three girls. The beys were: Henry, who

Daniel Vantilburg, jr., died in May, 1877, aged fiftysix years. His family consisted of Margaret, John, William, and George. Margaret married Dr. Charles Campbell, and died in 1879. Mrs. Varitilburg's name before marriage was Clarissa Myers. She was born January 22, .1828, and was married to Daniel Vantilburg, jr., January 3, 1846.

John Ramsey

was born in Maryland, near Baltimore, February, 3790, and came into Wayne county, Ohio, about 1822, and afterward settled on his homestead in section thirty-five, in Orange township. His father located in Jackson township, and by his assistance cleared up the farm which came into the possession of John, after the death of his father, whose name was William, and who died at the age of eighty-six years. Mr. Ramsey passed through i ail the early pioneer scenes, such as cabin-raisings. !ogi rollings, corn-huskings, attending the first mills, cr in i the use of hominy blocks, which were in extensive dej mand, flax-pullings or scutchings, and the evening dances I on such occasions. These were regarded as occasions of much fun by the young people. Those days are all gone. Age gradually comes on, and many of his associates of fifty years ago have been gathered to their long | home. Mr. Ramsey has a fine estate, and has always ! lived on agreeable terms with his neighbors, and does | not know of a single enemy in the world. He state? J that he has always obeyed the dictates of conscience, j and treated ail men kindly, and believes when his time | is at an end, the Good Being will reward his actions in a | better world. He has always lived a single life, believing i that he would have less trouble and be quite as happy j as those who married. He has one hundred and sixtv i six acres of land in Orange township, and ninety in jack- ] son, and thinks he is in no danger of coming to want.

: William Ramsey, of Jackson, is a brother. He is eighty- ! two years of age. Mr. Ramsey resides with a widowed J sister on his one hundred and sixty acie lot in Orange township. The widow is the wife of the late Samuel Tilton, and aged about seventy-two years. Mr. Ramsey is quite cheerful aiid is perfectly contented and happy, and may live to sec his hundredth anniversary.

Ephraim Welch

was born November 27, i.Soo, in Washington countv, Pennsylvania, and came to Orange township, Richland, but now Ashland, county, in February, 1S2S The farm upon which he located, and which he cleared up and improved, section two, southeast quarter, had been entered h\ his father, and some timber girdled , a ior to his improving it. He married Miss Jane McAdoo, of Scotch- Irish descent, October 2, 1X27, 'n ".ishington county, Pennsylvania, who came with him when he nut up his first cabin, and submitted to all the hardships of pioneer life. The union was blessed by four sons, \ James, John, Johnson, and Rankin, and two daughters, : Catharine, married to Dr. Bailey, and Mary Jane, married to Levi Mason, of Ashland.

Ephraim Welch deceased April r, 1S74, aged about seventy-four years. Mrs. Welch resides in district nurm \ ber one, and remembers many of the early teachers. She I mentions among their number: Isaac Stull, Clarissa i

Rising, Shadrach Bryan, and others. Mrs. Welch has ! one hundred and sixty acres of land in the old homestead, which is well improved and valuable. She states that her earliest neighbors were, John McConnell, William McConnell, Thomas McConnell, George McCon- | nell, all from Washington county, Pennsylvania ; Jacob j Ridenour, Robert Walters, Thomas Donley, John Bishop, Samuel Mackeral, Robert Culberson, Peter Biddinger, Robert Mickey, James Clark, John Sibert, John ; Haun, and Jacob Hiffner. Mrs. Welch is a member of the United Presbyterian church, of Savannah, and has j been for fifty years. She is at this time in good health, j and seems to possess a clear recollection of former i events in Orange township.

Daniel Summers

was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, May ! j'27, 1 7 8S, and came tc Orange township, Richland ; [county, Ohio, in 181S, and located on section ten, where ! ; he died, August 15, 1863, aged seventy-five years and i (seventeen days. During his pioneer life, he passed j through many hardships incident to the times, such as cabin raisings, log-rollings, corn-huskings, flax-scutchings, and the like. For the first few years, he and his family : met with many privations; but he met all bravely, and ; [was employed often in assisting his neighbors to improve j their lands, and in erecting cabins. Mr. Summers marjried in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, December 5, 11815. At his decease his family consisted of seven j girls and four boys: Barbara, Mary, Catharine, Margaret, Susan, Eliza, Hannah, Henry, Adam, Daniel and fa- |cob. Four of the girls, Susan, Catharine, Eli; a and (Barbara, are dead; the boys are all living, j The first settlers, Mrs. Summers states, were: Philip -

! Thomas Donley, Robert Mickey, Mr. Wheeler and sons, William Patterson, John McConnell, William McConnell, George McConnell and others, now- nearly all gone. Mrs. Summers also states that the earliest teachers in that district remembered, were: Isaac Stull, Sage Kel-, logg, Elijah Banning, and many others not now remembered.

Mrs. Summers is a member of the German Reformed church, and has been for the past sixty-four years. She (remains on the old homestead, and taught her children lessons of industry, morality and economy.

James W. Smith, Esq

JAMES W. SMITH, ESQ., was born March 2, rSiS. His father, John V. Smith, then resided three miles east of Wooster, Ohio, and owned what was known as Smith's mill, situated on Apple creek. In 1824 he built a mill in Cedar valley, six miles northwest of Wooster, where be lived until

James Wr. was the fourth son, and was one of a family of thirteen children by the same parents. At an early age he manifested a strong desire for education, and soon acquired a knowledge of all the branches then taught in the common schools. At the age of fifteen he left the paternal home and engaged in a drug store, with Dr. J. P. Coulter, of Wooster, but, after an experience of about one year, he was engaged by his eldest brother! V. C. Smith, as a clerk in his dry goods store at Congress (then Waynesburgh), where he remained another year, when his brother sold out and quit business there. It was then that he fully determined to engage in literary pursuits, and not being satisfied with a common school education, he and his brother, William Harrison Smith, shouldered their bundles of clothing, and, for want of a better mode of travel, footed ic across the country to the then famous Norwalk academy, in two days, a distance of fifty miles, where he remained until 1835, when the academy building burned down. The school was temporarily suspended, and Mr. Smith returned to Wooster, and became a clerk in the store of V. C. Smith & Co., the firm consisting of his brother and father.

In 1837 he, in company with his friend, the late Samuel Hemphill, esq., of Wooster, took passage on a canalboat at Canal Fulton, for the Ohio university, at Athens, Ohio, and, having reached Lancaster, they were, compelled to foot it across to Athens, a distance of forty -five miles, there being neither stage-coach, canal, or railroad, between the towns at that time. Hope then boomed, and the prospect was fair fora classical education, but, after studying the languages and higher mathematics for a year or more, he was induced to suspend the collegiate course, and entered the law office of the iate Judge Cox, of Wooster, and, in the month of October, 1841, was admitted to practice as an attorney and counscllor-atlaw, at Millersburgh, Ohio. He first commenced practice at Bucyrus, Ohio, but, on the death of Silas Robbins, esq., an old lawyer well known to the older settlers of this county, Mr. Smith located at Ashland, in July.

Ashland county had no existence at that time, but was part of Richland county, and, in this connection, it is worthy of note, that having experienced the great inconvenience of practicing law away from the countv-seat, and feeling that the growing demands of the time Mr a new county must give Ashland the superiority over all other localities, at the suggestion of the late 1. P. R<ynor, Mr. Smith took measures to * all the first new counts1 meeting that was ever held in Ashland, by giving not:, e in person to the citizens of the town to meet at the counting-room of Luther N Crall, at a time named, to the county-seat. The meeting was accordingly held, and he was made chairman of the committee, and actually I drafted the notice and petitions to he signed by the citi- 1 zens, and presented it to the legislature, fixing the boun- j daries of the proposed new county. In the winter ot 1845-46, being the second session of the legislature | after the enterprise began, it was successful, and the | county of Ashland began its own independent existence, and thus became historic.

In the month of October, 1S43, James \V. Smith was married to .Miss Augusta Burnham, who was then attending the Ashland academy as a pupil, residing with her sister, the late Mrs. T. W. B. Hibbard. She was born at Rumney, New Hampshire, September 29, 1S23, where she lised until she came to Ashland, at the age of eighteen ; and having been born and raised beneath the shade of the granite mountains of her native state, and possessed of more than an ordinary share of the graces of her sex, with admirable health and personal attractions, she found it no hard task to capture the young Buckeye lawyer, and to this day it is said he still entertains the opinion that she has lost none of the qualities that so much ennoble and dignify woman in all the relations of life.

The children consisted of two sons and two daughters. The two youngest, Charlie and May, died in childhood, the former at seven, the latter at two and a- half years old,

George E. Smith was admitted to the bar as an attorney at law in the year 1S67, and has been his father's law partner ever since. He was elected prosecuting attorney of the county in 1878, and was married to Miss j Jessie Sutherland, daughter of the Hon. J. W. Sutherland, of St. Louis, Missouri, on the 29th day of May, lS79-

Belle H. Smith was married December j, 1S69, to Frederick S. Hanford, esq., an educated and talented young lawyer of Akron, Ohio, who died January 29, of congestion of the lungs, after a brief illness, leaving two little daughters, Ethel and Grace Hanford, the fruits of said marriage.

Mr. Smith has been in the active practice of law since his settlement in Ashland, and by close application to the business of the profession, careful and thorough investigation and preparation of cases confided to him, and a strict regard for the interests of his cliencs, prompt attention and honest and fair dealing inali matters of busi- j ness, has secured to him a larger share of public confidence as a lawyer, and a greater number and variety of cases than fall to the lot of most lawyers, which, to- | gether with his temperance principles and Christian character, entitles him to the confidence and respect of all men as a citizen, and place him as a member of the legal profession in a position worthy of the emulation of the fraternity. During his long residence he lias been identified more or less with all the enterprises and business interests of Ashland, has at various times been placed in nomination by bis party for office, in earlier times lor prosecuting attorney and state senator, and later for judge of the court of common pleas of the sixteenth. 1 judicial district, third sub-division, composed of Ashland, Richland and Morrow counties; but being a Republican in politics, although in the latter instance he ran five 'hundred votes ahead of his ticket, it was not enough to overcome the Democratic majority of his judicial disrict, ana therefore was not successful.

Solomon Vance

was born in Richland county, Ohio, April 1, 1828, and when two years of age went with his parents to Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, where he remained ten years, and returned with his parents, and settled on section five in Orange township, then in Richland, but now of Ashland county, upon the farm upon which he now resides. He attended the early schools of that township, where he obtained a knowledge of the English branches as then taught. - He mairied Miss Eliza Richards, daughter of Samuel Richards, of Troy township, by whom -he has had eight children, all of whom are living, five girls and three boys. One daughter is married and lives in Nebraska, and another in Troy township; and one son, married, resides with Valentine Vance, his grandfather, in Orange township, upon a part ! of the old homestead, which contains one hundred and | thirty acres.

Mr. Vance is in prosperous circumstances as a farmer, and much respected by his neighbors. He is a member of the Christian LTnion church, as well as his lad}'.

Valentine Vance was born December iS, 1797, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and when seventeen years of age, came with his father, Valentine Vance, to Canton, Ohio, and from thence to near Mansfield, in i Richland county, Ohio, where he resided as a pioneer,

He married Mrs. Eliza Chapman in July, 1827. She \ was a widow, and had been married to Mr. Chapman in ! Harrisburgh, Pennsylvania, by whom there is yet living one son.

Mr. Vance, after selling his land near Mansfield, returned to Allegheny count}', and remained there several ; years, and finally returner to Richland county, and located on section five in Orange township. His first neighbors were John Krebs, Robert McLaughlin, William Murray, William Patterson, Henry Hi finer, Edward Murray, Jacob Krebs, and Philip Biddinger. The country was new and the times were hat'd.

Mr. Vance is the father of eight children, four boys- Solomon, Job H., David and George; and three girls - Fannie, Rachel and Matilda D. : Rachel and Matilda D. are deceased; and David died young; the rest are all living and married. Mr. and Mrs. Wince belong t<> tire Christian Union church. Mr. Wince is now eighty -three years of age, and quite feeble. Mrs. Vance was eighty years old June 14, 1 8S0, and seems to have excellent health and a clear mind. Mr. Solomon Vance nmv owns the old homestead, and seems solicitous to 1 cm lei the old people happy and comfortable, while liic) journey in the valley of trials and troubles.

Colonel John Berry

COLONEL JOHN BERRY was born in Center county, Pennsylvania, July 2, 1807, and emigrated with his father's family (Jacob Berry) to Huntingdon county, in 1803, where he remained till the spring of 1819, in May, when his father and family came to Perry township, Ohio, and located on what was known as the oid Peter Berry farm (section sixteen), and resided there until 1821, when he located on section sixteen in Jackson township, then in Wayne county, Ohio. When his father landed iri Jackson the settlers in the north part were: James Durfee, Josiah Lee, John Measor,

James McBride, Thomas and Stephen Cole, Thomas Green, Lawrence Swope, John Hazzard, Ilankey Priest, Charles Hoy, and perhaps a few others. A few Delaware Indian hunters yet remained on Black river, but were quite harmless. "Billy Dowdee" had often hunted on a run that now bears his name. A Delaware by the name of " Wolf" also hunted there - a run bears his name. John Measor had bored for salt water some time before Mr. Berry and father arrived, but found it in insufficient quantity to be profitable, and continued to boil the water but a short time when the works were abandoned. Mr. Berry attended school but a part of a winter after his parents settled in 1823, to James Dili fee, teacher. It was a little subscription affair in a cabin house. Rev. John Hazzard, John Rigdon, Charles Rigdon. Sidney Rigdon, and Thomas Cole held occasional meetings at that time in the cabins of the settlers. The first doctor called to Jackson is believed to have been Dr. Ecker, of Rowsburgh, and Dr. Church, from Jerome vibe, who made frequent visits to the township. Game was then quite plenty, such as deer, bear and turkey. Wolves and wild cats were also very common, and quite destructive on sheep and hogs. Mr. Berry was elected lieutenant, and afterward captain, and finally promoted adjutant and colonel, and finally made brigade inspector under the old militia system, while Jackson township was yet m Wayne county. After the erection of Ashland county, in 1845, Mr. Berry served six years as justice of the peace, and prior to that time served as constable continuously for fifteen years, and also as township clerk and supervisor a number of times. He was elected commissioner of Ashland county seven years, two terms, and served one year by appointment, in lieu of Robert Cowan, who removed west. Colonel Berry married Mary Smith, of this county, October 22, 1833, by whom he had the following children: Leandcr S., Allen J., Robert J., and

Mary J., Josephine and Emma, and two deceased when quite young. Allen J. was accidentally killed by being thrown from a vicious horse in November, 1S76. The rest of the family are believed to be all living. The colonel possessed much military enthusiasm and made a fine officer. As commissioner of tire county he was watchful and prudent in the expenditure of the people's money, and stands high as a man of integrity and uprightness.

Jacob Berry

was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, June 5, 1789, and married Miss Elizabeth Herring in 1806, and emigrated to Wayne county, Ohio, in 'j Si 9, and settled on section sixteen, in Jackson township in 1821. His wife deceased about 1S66, after which he resided with Colonel John Berry, a son, where tie deceased, March 31, 1874. aged about eighty-five years and ten months. His family consisted of John, Philip, Jacob, Christcna, Henry, Margaret, Peter, William, Susannah, and Elizabeth, all of whom are believed to be living except Phiiip, William, and Elizabeth.

Philip, Jacob, and Peter removed to Richland county, Illinois, and Henry to West Salem, Wayne county, Samuel and John remain in Jackson township, and Christena, wife of Samuel Landis, and Margaret East, of Eli, in Ruggles township.

As one of the reminiscenses of the past, it may be remarked that Jacob Berry was a very successful hunter, and often averaged over one hundred deer during season. Colonel John states, that he and his father killed large numbers of deer as well as other game, John also states that he has seen his father shoot a wolf and kill it a distance of one hundred and ninety yards. 1 here was a nest of wolves in a hollow log, near the .spot where he killed the wolf, and the next morning he and his sons returned and killed four half-grown cubs. The bounty, at that lime, was twelve dollars for old ones, and six dollars for young ones. He received thirty-six dollars for the job, at Elyria, in the county where he had killed them, being in Homer township, Huron county.