Union Township (part 7 of 8)

Ladd, James R., Alexandria, Ohio, was bom in ^ Niagara county, New York, June 21, 1835, j resided with his parents until the sixteenth year of I his age, at which time he began to serve an apprenticeship with George W. Meader, of Union village, Washington county, New York, serving three years in that capacity. The remaining time, until he came to Ohio (in the fall of 1856), was spent in following his trade in different parts of the State. He enlisted as private in the United States service August 20, 1862, for three years, with M. M. Munson, of Granville, Ohio, and upon the completion of the company, it was assigned to the One Hundred and Thirteenth regiment Ohio volunteers, organizing at Camp Qiase, Ohio, and ranked as letter D. The regiment was assigned to General Rosecrans' command, and accompanied him to Nashville, from thence to Chattanooga. At that point the regiment was assigned to General Granger's reserve corps. At the battle of Chickamauga he was in command of his company, whose loss was twenty-three out of forty six, who participated in the fight. Under an order from Governor Tod, of Ohio, to send home one man from each company in every regiment of Ohio troops for the purpose of recruiting their decimaated ranks, and those so selected were to be soldiers, who by meritorious conduct, would be entitled to a leave of absence, he was detailed for that duty and left camp near Chattanooga, October 20, 1863, and arrived in Ohio November 2d, and remained until the following April, and rejoined his regiment at Rossville, Georgia. During Sherman's campaign against Atlanta, he participated in the following battles: Resaca, Peach Tree

Creek, Rome, Kenesaw Mountain, Buzzard's Roost, and Jonesborough, besides several other minor engagements. He accompanied Sherman from Atlanta to the sea, participated in the battle of Bentonville, North Carolina, besides several skirmishes en route. He tfas promoted* second lieutenant August 25, 1863; promoted first lieutenant June 14, 1864; promoted adjutant September 1, 1864, and promoted to captain May 8, 1865, and assigned to duty as captain and inspector general upon the staff of General John G. Mitchell, commanding second brigade, second division of the Fourteenth army corps, in which position he served until mustered out of service at Columbus, Ohio, July 10, 1865. May 17, 1866, he married Mary E. Van Buskirk, daughter of John Van Buskirk, sr. He has filled several township offices since the war, including that of justice of the peace, and clerk. At present is acting as notary public, and conducting the business of carriage trimming, also largely engaged in horticulture. He is second to none in energy and benevolence.

Wales. John and Sarah Lewis, parents of the above, emigrated to Ohio in May, 1835, and purchased eighty acres of land where the subject of this sketch now resides. He has added more than three hundred acres to it December 15, 1859, he married Margaret Williams, who was born in Delaware county, Ohio, December 24, 1857. They have two children - Lizzie A., born November 10, i860; Margaret M., born November 21, 1866. John Lewis, the father of this subject, reared six children - D. W., Samuel, Mary, Eliza, David, and Jane; D. W. and Mary live in St Albans township, Samuel and Eliza in Delaware county, Ohio; David and Jane in Hancock county, Ohio.

Lyman, Abner, farmer, post office, Alexandria, was bom in Ontario county, New York, near Canandaigua, November 1, 1811, where he remained with his parents, Abner and Tabitha Lyman, until 1817, when he with the family went to Hardin county, Kentucky, and remained until 1820, when they removed to Louisville, Kentucky, making it their home for six years. About the year 1825 Mrs. Lyman, mother of the subject of this sketch, moved with her family of seven children - Abner, Horace, Lovicia, Arga, Dorcas, John, and Hannah, to Ohio. Abner, the subject of this notice, being fifteen or sixteen years old, drove a yoke of oxen with a cart from Louisville to the southern part of this township, arriving about the twenty-seventh of October, 1825. The family stopped with an uncle, Laman Smith. Mr. Lyman's mother was a widow a number of years, and the care of their affairs principally devolved upon him. His mother died when about sixty-two years of age, his father dying in the prime of manhood. Miss Betsey Hubbard, wife of Abner Lyman, was born September 30, 1815, in Vermont, and was married to Mr. Lyman July 10, 1836, and had four children, two boys and two girls; Elizabeth, the eldest, married Mr. Rufus Wright; Horace married, first, Miss Levonia Derman, by whom he has two children ; she dying May, 1871, he married Miss Dora Gardner. Sarah is still at home. Joseph A, the youngest son, enlisted October 9, 1861, in company B, Seventysixth regiment Ohio volunteer infantry, and participated in the following engagements: Fort Henry, Fort Dondson, Pittsburgh Landing, Island No. 10, Pea. Ridge, Murfreesboro, New Madrid, Siege of Vicksburgh, after which engagements he was ordered to the front and participated in the battles of Mission Ridge, Lookout Mountain, and Ringgold. The twenty-fifth, twenty-sixth, and twenty-seventh of November, 1863, he led the regiment up the mountain, though a private, and was the first man shot out of the regiment, being shot once through the hand and twice through the left lung. He was bom March 7, 1846.

Source changes here: from History of Licking County, O. Its Past and Present, by N.N. Hill Jr, published 1881; 15,322 words in this source stream.

Union Township

'«Go cross their wilds as I have done, From snowy crest to sleeping vales, And you will find on every one Enough to swell a thousand tales." - Joaquin Miller.

N a very interesting article on "American Antiquities" Samuel Park, esq., of Marshall, Hk inois, a former resident of Union township in this county, writes regarding mounds in this township:

''Having been quite familiar, in early life, with the location of several fine mounds in the northeast part of Union, as well as a tew in Granville township, and knowing that some of them afforded a fine prospect of Licking valley, I determined to ascend to the top of one on my old farm (now the Licking County Infirmary farm), and look for something to write about.

"When I reached the summit of the mound, I was astonished at the change that had taken place since I last visited that elevation, some twenty years ago. Much of the timber had been removed from the surrounding country, especially to the west, which had greatly extended the view from this point. While sitting on this elevated tumulus and contemplating the beauty of the scenery, I began to call to mind the several mounds with which I had been familiar in other years, within a radius of two or three miles, and being well acquainted with the topography of the surrounding country, I was astonished to see that they occupied so nearly a common level on the hill-tops, and that, with a little more timber removed, all were in plain view from the position J then occupied; and further, that of some ten or more that I could then call to mind on a territory of some twenty-five or thirty square miles, nearly if not quite all of them could be seen from each and all the others; and further, that while there was an extensive common view to all of them, yet each mound overlooked a valley or plain, more or less of which could not be seen from any other one.

"To make this more clear, let me specify a few cases, to-wit: From the position we now occupied we had a delightful prospect of the country for many miles around us, extending west into Harrison township, north into Granville, and to the east and southeast the whole Licking valley was spread out before us. Looking over the numerous hill-tops of Hog run and Up- per Clay lick, the sight was lost in the hill-tops beautifully delineated on the horizon, extending in a semi-circle from the hills of the Rocky fork to the coal hills of Perry county, while the special view from this mound, and not to be seen from any other, lies to the northwest. Three or four mounds ona ridge along the line between Union and Granville townships command the view, respectively, of deep valleys lying on the north and south sides of this ridge, while one on Stephen Gill's farm, and others on the farms of Aaron Hillbrant, Mrs. Owens, Mr. Jones and John Haynes, south of Auter creek, and others on the lands of F. Dunlevy, Wesley Belt, Henry Lytle and others north of the railroad, each and all have their special views, not to be seen from any other mound, and still are allin plain view from the mound above Union station, on the infirmary farm. Those mounds are all situated on high hills,"-but we have found since that there are many other mounds on the same territory, generally situated on slight elevations at the head of ravines, on the banks of streams, etc.

'The discovery of these peculiarities began to open a new train of thoughts on the mound question, and begat a desire for further investigation. We next visited some of the hills north of the Raccoon valley, among which was Fort hill, so called. 'This is one of the highest elevations belonging to this range of hills, and overlooks a considerable district to the northeast, as well as an extensive portion of the Raccoon valley. On the top of this hill we found a fort enclosing some fourteen or sixteen acres of land, and in the middle of it another, with a deep moat inside of the wall, less than one hundred feet in diameter. The inside of this is considerably elevated, but appears to have been dug down by some person seeking for treasure or curiosities. We have often been surprized at the vain hopes of some persons that they might find a fortune in some of these mounds. Can any sane person for a moment indulge the thought that there ever was a people or nation so ignorant as to erect such conspicuous piles to secrete treasure, with any hope of its safety? Nor since silver and gold have been used by man as the representative of wealth, have we any account of any nation or tribe that buried with their dead any considerable amount of the precious metals, or anything else of lasting value. It is all lost labor to seek in such places for treasure or valuable jewels, for they are not there. raised for no such purpose.

placed there with their dead, a thousand years since the erection of the mounds, by some of the wandering tribes' of our native Indians; but, beyond this, you might as well seek for the treasures of Babylon in its ruins, or for the gold of Solomon's temple, that so dazzled the eyes and astonished the rich Queen of Sheba, or that excited the covetousness of the Assyrian hosts, by a search among the rubbish of that ruined pile, as to seek among these monuments for the treasures of these ancient Americans. We must find some other use for these works _ more in harmony with the human mind, or of its conception of - the nature and relation of things, than that of treasure tombs or military works, or acknowledge that we knew nothing about them. We shall assume that they are the monuments of a ' civil government, with but little of the military or mortuary "character about them, and will try our theory by the works _ themselves, and leave to others to judge of its plausibility.

"We next visited ''Alligator Hill." Here we found quite a curiosity. [t isa pretty fair artificial representation of the alligator, or great American crocodile. We did not measure this singular tumulus, but would suppofe it to be about two hundred feet long, and the length of its legs from forty-five to fifty feet each. Its tail is curled to one side, and its length from the juncture of the legs is some one hundred feet. It is situated on a high hill' and affords a fine prospect of the surrounding country. This animal-shaped tumulus has probaly been eight or ten feet high, and may have been a represention of the tribal ensign orcoatof arms. Some have thought that it was an object of worship, but there is nothing in the surroundings that will

'I think several of the mounds in Union might be seen from this position if the timber were removed from the hills south of the Raccoon valley. From this point we selected several other 'distant elevations, on which, we thought, there ought to be some kind of artificial works to justify the theory we were about to adopt, Some of these we have since visited and found mounds of greater or less magnitude at each point.

'We next visited an elevation about a mile south of Union Station, on the old farm of Henry Hillbrant. Here is a 'double-walled fort, about seventy-five rods in diameter, with two mounds inside of it. The walls, with the ditch between them, have occupied a base of some fifty-feet. There are some forty rods of the circumvallation that is in the timber and has not been ploughed, butthe balance of it has been in cultivation about forty years, and is in many places nearly effaced so that it is at present difficult to determine how many or where the openings were, but from appearances I think there have been gates, or openings, to the north, thé east and the southeast, toward three fine springs that are some thirty or forty rods 'distant, at the base of the hill. From the present appearance one, if not all of these-springs, may have at some former period broken out of the hill-side near to it, if not within the line of the works, but at present they are all at the base of the hill. The prospect from this elevation is very fine, and embraces nearly the same territory as that from the mound on the Infirmary faim, with a fine additional view to the south, and a view of a portion of Cherry valley, that is intercepted by hills from -¢hose mounds north of the railroad. The fine mound near the site of the old Twining mill, on the Raccoon branch of Licking river, the mounds in the upper partof Cherry valley, and those jn the Auter creek valley, near the old English mill, as well as the works at the fair grounds, and others on the Cherry valley, all would come under the view from this elevation, though from five to seven miles distant. From this point the hills south of Newark appear to be in a valley, while those farther east appear to loom up above them, From this elevation I selected some seven or eight objective points of elevation, lying to the south and southwest, and ranging from one to six miles distant from this point of observation, on which I thought there should be mounds or watch-towers to effect a complete view of the whole face of the country, especially to overlook the great valley of the Pataskala river above Hebron, but on none of which did I know of the existence of any artificial works.

"T was sufficiently well acquainted with the country to know in what particular neighborhood each of these elevations was situated, and to satisfy myself on this point, I obtained a horse and started to examine the several locations. On the first I found a fort (so-called), about two hundred feet in diameter, anda mound in the middle of it. This is on the farm of Aaron Hillbrant, and has been in cultivation for many years, but still is well defined. 'The second point was a ridge on the old John Ruffner farm, about one and a half miles northeast from Licking church. On the west end of the ridge I found a fine mound some ten to fifteen feet high, and about forty rods east of it is an oblong, oval fort one hundred and fifty by two hundred feet in diameter, and on the east end of the ridge, and about a half mile from the former, is another fine mound, and the remains of an artificial pool near to it. This pool has been about one hundred feet in diameter, and the bank thrown up to form the pool well defined, but has at one point been swept away, so as to nearly drain the pool. The top of the ridge where this is situated is so narrow that the water falls off to the north and south from the banks of the pool. With the broken part restored, this pool would still be some six feet deep. These works are all in the timber, and have not been disturbcd by the plow. My fourth point was a high hill, a half mile west of Licking church, on James Black's land. Here, too, is a fine mound that has recently been opened in search of treasure. My fifth point was on Thomas Stone's farm. Here, too, is a mound that can be seen in some directions for several miles. My sixth was a ridge lying between the residence of William Moore and that of Joseph Rhodes. On the east end of this ridge have been two small mounds, that have been nearly blown away by the winds, and near the west end there is another small mound. The seventh was on the lands of Mr. H. Kagy, near to the former residence of the late Colonel W. W. Gault. Here, too, is a mound; but the last three or four mounds have the appearance of never having been finished. My next point was on the high lands, in the vicinity of Nelson Buckland's. This point I did not visit, but was informed by Christopher Winters, esq., that there is one on his farm, which joins that of Mr. Buckland. I put up over night with my old friend and associate of my youth, James Wells, esq., who with his excellent wife were pioneer children, and enter fully into the spirit of these pioneer resurrections. My next point was on the west line of the township, and south of the Central Ohio railroad, in the vicinity of where Asa Brown lives. This is usually called a low, wet, beech country, but is in reality an elevated plain or ridge, that marks itself clearly on the h6rizon, when viewed from other distant elevations. I started for Mr. Brown's and traveled up the Pataskala or south branch of Licking river, to the town line. Near the banks of the river I found several small mounds, but I found my principal observatory, or signal mound, on the farm of Mr. Clark, a half mile south of Mr. Brown's. I again called on Mr. Brown, to whom I was already indebted for many items in my Pioneer paper, but I did not find Mr. Brown so well posted on the mound question, and perhaps disposed to be a little skeptical as to my theory. But after spending an hour very pleasantly, and partaking of an excellent dinner with | a wedding party, I again started north on the town line till I crossed the railroad. Here we found mounds on both side of the township line. From here we traveled west and north til] we reached the old Columbus road from Granville, near to the residence of Colonel John C. Alward.

"On this trip I found several mounds, some in the vicinity of Ezekiel Cunningham, esq., but the largest is on the farm of Zephaniah Alward. The summit of this would command the view of a large scope of country if the timber were removed, and signals could be easily exchanged between this and those on the hills near Hebron, or with those about Union Station, and perhaps with not more than one repeating, to Columbus. I put up with Mr. John Deeds, on York street, and spent one day in this vicinity, and found several mounds. From here I traveled south and crossed' the South fork into 4Xtna township, and down the county line, south of the Bloody Run swamp to the Baltimore road, thence to Hebron, and along the east line of the township, back to Union Station. In this trip I sometimes laid down fences and rode through farms, and sometimes would jeave my horse and walk a mile to examine some objective point, and I have found these mounds everywhere on this territory, both on the hills and plains, in sufficient number to overlook the whole surface of the land, and I do not believe that within the bounds of my research there can be found a single fifty acre lot that can not be viewed from some one or more of these artificial mounds. I have examined the location of more than one hundred, and have not found a single exception to the rule that each one is so situated as to command a view, more or less of which cannot be seen from any other, except in a few instances where they were double or in pairs. 'This rule, however, would not hold good where they are found on a level plain in clusters, which is sometimes the case. On this trip I met with Mr. Jesse Thompson, of Hebron, but formerly of Fairfield county, Ohio, who informed me that when he first settled on Walnut creek, in Fairfield county, about the beginning of the present century, there was a graded road, easily traced in the timber; that it was some thirty or forty feet wide between the ditches, and appeared to be as old as the forts and mounds and he always thought it to be a road leading from the works near Newark to those at Circleville, as it was on a line between those points. But I have met with nothing-of the kind, nor do I suppose that, in the present improved: state of the country it could be found.

'"There are some of these mounds that appear to be in an unfinished state, and some that must have been intended to answer some other purpose than that usually assigned them, or of signal points. There are several mounds on the lands of Mr. Dunlevy, and some of peculiar character. There is one west of the public road that is, by way of eminence, called 'the mound,' because of its being larger than any other in that vicinity, that I. will try to describe. It is situated a half mile north of the creek and nearly a half mile west of the public road, on a gently undulating plain. This mound is about twenty rods in diameter at the base, and, although it has been in cultivation many years, and every effort matle to reduce its heighth by plowing around it (for it is too steep in its ascent for a team to pass over it), it is still some thirty feet high. On the south side of this mound there appears to have been a land slide that has considerably reduced the grade of the ascent on that side, throwing it a little out of a regular circle, and giving it rather a semi-oblate form. On the north side, there has been a narrow, graded road for ascending the mound. 'This has been nearly destroyed by cultivation, but still can be seen. But the great curiosity in connection with this mound, and a peculiarity that I have not found in any other, is the remains of a massive vault the southwest part of the mound, that has nearly or quite extended to its center. From the present appearance, this vault must have been not less than sixty by one hundred feet, and possibly much more than that. By its falling in, it has left the top of the mound in the form of a crescent or semi-circle, and doubtless has greatly reduced its altitude. I think that the bottom of the vault has been nearly on a level with the surrounding plain. There also appears to have been a narrow subterranean passage through the mound, from the north side of the mound to the vault. This is indicated by a narrow sink in the walls of the mound, that extends from the vault to the northern extremity of the mound. This transverse sink in the wall is yet clearly manifest, though the plow has passed over it several times. The length of this subterranean passage to the main cave or vault, must have been nearly two hundred feet. How the roof of this great artificial cayern may have been sustained, whether by an arch of sun dried brick, or otherwise, is left to conjecture; but if all other mysteries were solved that now surround some of these works, we could soon find means to sustain the roof of the caverns. "Some thirty or thirty-five rods south of the mound is an excavation of considerable extent, from which a portion of the material to erect this pile was doubtless obtained. The soil of this mound is very fertile, while a portion of the surrounding plain is comparatively sterile. There are other tumuli around this at various distances that are in plain view from this. Among them are some in an unfjnished state, others are complete; but none other possessed the threefold character of watchtower, signal point and magazine for stores. T'roma half mile to a mile and a quarter to the northeast from this singular

Most of these have always been considered by the citizens natural elevations, though there are among them several well defined artificiay mounds, and some things in others that give them the appearance of a series of artificial works, or perhaps rather, natural elevations with artificial Zerméné. While looking among these hillocks, which range from eight to fifty feet in height, and of various forms, I noticed that from the side of one of them a tree had fallen, that had turned up a root of some six feet in depth, which would reach to the level of the surrounding plain. This I examined, and found that it had brought up from the bottom a stratum of rich black soil, apparently of drift formation, while above it was a mixture of clay loam and gravel. This mound was not less than a hundred feet above the alluvium or bottoms of Auter creek, aud nearly a mile distant from its channel. This straitification of earth in this tree root showed not only that this was an artificial tumulus, but that it had been erected on the original surface soil. Not more than two hundred feet from this is found the largest mound that I have seen in the county, or that I have ever seen, except Everman's mound, in Jasper county in the State of Illinois. But there are in this - State some larger mounds. This is nearly round, between hree and four hundred feet in diameter at the base, and, It should think, fifty feet high. There are two or more other well defined artificial mounds on my father's farm, now owned by Wesley Belt, but the greater portion of these elevations are on lands that were owned, when I left this State, by Reuben Linnel, Justin Hillyer and James Cunningham, all of which | believe is now owned by Mr. F. Dunlevy.

""There are among these knobs some ponds of water which 1 think are artificial pools. 'Though the land there is generally quite porous, and the water passes away quickly, still, from some cause some of these pools are very retentive, and hold water nearly or quite the year round. As we go west from this singular cluster of elevations, along the line of Union and Granville townships, we find quite a number of mounds, some of which are clearly in an unfinished state, while others are neatly and scientifically completed.

It will be seen from the above that this township is rich in antiquarian relics. This gentleman, in the same article, gives his theory regarding these mounds and their builders, which differs somewhat from the generally received theories, and will be found in another part of this work. In another article he says regarding the subject of antiquities:

'There were, at the first settlement of the township, many rel- _ ies of antiquity found, such as axes, hatchets, pipes and hammers of stone, broken pottery, etc. If these had been preserved, a respectable cabinet of curiosities might have been gathered in this county alone. But no one then thought of the value they might have been to science, and they have been lost or destroyed. There was on my old farm, when first improved, avery remarkable pile of ''flint chips," and broken, and unfinjshed, 'arrow points,' amounting to several bushels. These were at a place where neither flint nor stone were found beside them. Their presence there was a mystery to all who saw them; it was called by the early settlers the 'Indian arrow shop,' and the hunters used to resort there to get their gun-flints. The nearest place from whence they could be brought must have been the Flint ridge, some ten or twelve miles distant."

"'This is the largest township in Licking county. It embraces about one and a half square miles in town one, range twelve, and the whole of town one, range thirteen, United States military lands. Also sections one to eighteen inclusive, in town seventeen, range eighteen, of the Refugee lands on the south, embracing an area of more than forty square miles. 'The south part of the township is watered by the south branch of Licking, or the Pataskala river, which also constitutes a part of the east line of the township. The middle is watered by the Beaver run and its branches, and the north by Auter creek and itstributaries. These all pass through its territory nearly from west to east, making it a uniformly well watered township. The face of the country is generally level, or gently undulating. The soil is a clay loam, rich with vegetable mould, sufficiently retentive to hold stimulating manure without leaching, yet the subsoil is generally so porous as to need but little draining. It is as well, if not better, adapted to a variety agriculture, than any township in the county.

a small district in the southeast corner, covered by the Licking Summit reservoir, and another small district in the southwest, by the Pigeon-roost or Bloody Run swamp. The latter has been greatly improved, within a few years past, by draining, and inay yet be fully redeemed and become fine meadow land, or afford a valuable bed of rich fertilizing matter to enrich other lands with. Nearly the whole of the eighteen sections

'The public improvements are the Ohio canal, tbe Cumberland road, and the Central Ohio railroad. The first was completed through this township and county in the summer of 1828, the second in 1834, and the third in 1853. These, each in their turn, gave a great impetus to local improvements. These all run entirely through the township, and the canal and National road cross nearly at right angles within its territory, and afford ample facilities for getting its products to market. Hebron, its principal town, and situated at the crossing of the canal and National road, was once a fine business point, and, in the days of its glory, the largest and best grain and pork market in the county, if not in the Licking valley. But since the men that made it such have passed away, and railroad facilities have attracted the commerce to other points, Hebron has lost its prestige as a commercial point, and, with it, much of its moral and religious enterprise. The towns of Moscow and Lutay have nearly passed away. 'There isa small business done at Union station, oa the roilroad. 'These are the only villages in the township, from which it will be seen that Union is emphatically an agricultural township. Although its villages are on the decline, both as to their population and business, its agricultural interests are improving. The lands are generally owned and occupied by an enterprising class of farmers that are rapidly developing the resources of its rich soil.

"'Tt was very heavily timbered, and required as much hard labor to bring it into cultivation as any township in the county, The better kinds of timber consisted of black walnut, butternut, wild cherry, several varieties of oak, white, black and blue ash, hickory, mulberry and sugar maple. The less valuable were the beech, elm, basswood or linden, black gum, cottonwood, sycamore, buckeye, etc., with underbrush of dogwood, red-bud, paw-paw, wild plum, spice brush, and, in many places, abundance of wild grapes and black haws. The apparent - superabundance of timber induced such a reckless prodigality in its use and destruction, that good timber is becoming very scarce, and many farmers begin to feel much anxiety about a future supply of fencing and fuel.

''The principal productions of the south part of the township, for many years, were cornand hay, which were generally fed to hogs, horses and cattle; while in the middle and northern portions more attention was given to the growth, of all the cereals, as well as the cultivation of potatoes, turnips, flax, hemp, ete.

Wheat was grown with good success for many years, but after awhile failures became more frequent from rust and the wheat midge, and for the last twenty-five years the farmers have given their attention to the growth of live stock, principally sheep, rather than to the production of grain. While this township gives attention to the growth of all kinds of live stock common to this part of the country, it stands first in the

"(In the early settlement of this part of the county, the citizens manufactured a large amount of maple sugar, not only a supply for their home consumption, but considerable quantities for market. But the low price at which the cane-sugar could be had, for some time previous to the late war, caused the destruction of the sugar groves to such an extent that there is now but little sugar made in the township. Many have tried the several yarieties of sorghum, with some success, as a substitute for the maple and the southern sugar and molasses, but to those accustomed to the use of the maple sugar and molasses, its use is not very palatable.

"There has been but little attention given to manufactures of any kind inthis part of the county, except sawing lumber. The first settlers, however, manufactured all their own clothing and other textile goods for domestic use. The carding, spinning, and weaving was generally all done in the family. The first nillin Union township was built by Phineas Ford in 1803, on Auter creek, some forty rods below where his first cabin was erected, it was a small temporary log building; the millright work, as well as the mill-iron, and the mill-stones (which were made from boulders, or nigger-heads, found on the surface of the ground), was all done by Mr. Ford himself. This mill was in a few years swept away by a flood. The mill-stones remain on the farm of Mr. Ford, a relic of antiquity. This mill was succeeded by another on the same stream built by James Mc- Cauley, in 1802 or 1803, but within the bounds of Newark township. The second mill in Union was built by John Good, on South fork, near the mouth of Bloody run, in 1807, this was kept up for some twenty years, but also passed away. Daniel Green erected another on the same stream, near Moscow, about the year 1830. There was another below this, erected some. years before by Matthew Black, but it stood on the east side of the river, within the present bounds of Licking township. The last two are still kept running, but are in a state of dilapidation.

'In the year 1820 Joseph Mantonya erected water works on Auter creek, a little above the site of the old Ford mull, for the purpose of manufacturing sickles and augers, to which he attached a mill for grinding. This establishment was of great value to this county at that time. Mr. Mantonya was a good workman, and the demand for his sickles was large, as the small grain in those days was all cut with the sickle. This manufactory was successfully carried on several years, until Mr. Mantonya left his shop to become a contractor in building the Ohio canal. It then remained comparatively idle until the spring of 1830, when it was repaired and again put into successful operation by Mr. Mantonya and Samuel Park. In a few years, perhaps in the year 1835, it was sold to Phinehas Ford and his son Benjamin, In the year 1831 John Park erected a saw-mill where Union Station now is, and in 1832 Samuel Vance erected another, a mile below; and in 1833 Messrs. S. H. Joseph and J. Downer erected another a half mile above, all on the same stream, making four saw-mills withjn a distance of one and a half miles. 'These were all kept up nearly twenty years, and some of them more. Almost every rod of the channel of Auter creek, from its mouth to the Joseph & Downer mill above the fork, has at some time been occupied for mill purposes, and at the early settling of the country it was a good mill stream; but since the country has been cleared up it does not afford water enough to be worth occupying for that purpose. It may have been noticed that this stream is called Auter creek, when it is generally known by the name of Ramp creek. The latter is a misnomer, and originated as follows: - At the first settling of this country, and up to about the year 1820, the wide and fertile bottoms along this stream were covered in early spring with a wonderful growth of leeks, which the Virginians and Pennsylvanians called Ramps; these were eaten freely by the cattle in the spring, before other vegetation came on to supply their wants. This gave a very unpleasant smell to the breath of the cattle, and a disgusting flavor to the milk and butter. This, however, was partially neutralized and rendered endurable by a person eating freely of raw onions or garlick before partaking of the milk and butter, but it did not remove the bitterness of feeling entertained by the citizens against those early plants, and about the year 1807 or 1808, the first settlers along this valley applied the name of these plants to the stream on whose rich bottom lands they grew so abundantly, and it has never been so far redeemed from its ''rampy reproach," as to be called by its proper name. The name Auter creek is French, and signifies another creek. This name may have originated in the very singular circumstance of so many streams of so nearly the same size forming a junction so nearly at the same point, as do the several branches of Licking river. The only wool carding machines ever run in Union township were, one erected by N. Buckland & Brother in 1829, and another by a gentleman in Hebron, some three or four years later; but these have both long since ceased to operate.

'There is a tile factory in Hebron, and a carriage factory in the town of Luray, which are all the manufacturing establish_ ments of any importance now in the township.

'The first canal-boat built in the county, or that floated on the waters of the Ohio canal within its borders, was built bya joint-stock company at Hebron, in 1827-8, and was called the 'Licking Summit." It was built under the supervision of Joshua Smith, and made its first trip through the ''Deep cut" on the Fourth of July, 1828, but it was built too large to pass the locks, and was so poorly constructed and drew so much water that it was not thought worth reconstructing, consequently, it never jeft the summit level. It was laid upin he basin at Hebron, for a while used as a drinking saloon - then as a resort for the lewd, or a kind of house of ill-fame, until it was destroyed as a nuisance, or rotted down. 'This statement is in part confirmed by Captain John Murphy, formerly af this county, and now of Knox county, Ohio, who also furnished the information that he run the first boat through from Cleveland to Portland. It is also corroborated by Mr. H. H. Denis, of Newark, and Messrs. James Sawyer and Dr. James Ewing, and John Edwards, esq... of Hebron.

"The distilleries were another class of manufactories that were of too much importance in those days to be passed without notice, for their product was used by nearly everybody, and was considered an article of necessity in every household. Even among the clergy there were some that thought the exhilerating effects of the spirit of the 'still' was quite essential to an effective elucidation of the 'Spirit of the Sacred Writings. The importance of the stills may be conceived from the promptness with which they sprang into existence, after the erection of the cabin in the wilderness, for the protection of the family from the inclemency of the season, and the production of a litele surplus grain for them to operate on. The first distillery in Union township, so far as we can learn, was erected by Abram Mouser in 1809, a little east of Thomas Stone's farm, this was soon followed by one erected by James Taylor, another by Samuel Hand, and others, as the population and demand increased. The distilleries of those days supplied their customers, as did the mills, by giving every man his turn. When the bag with grain was taken to the mill, it was marked and left there to be ground, when all others were ground that had _preceeded it. Just soat the 'still house,' every man left his jug or bottle to be filled, when all the jugs and bottles were filled that had preceeded it. It was quite common among the better class of citizens, when they sent for their meal, to send ahother bag _ of grain to take its turn, lest the family wants should get ahead of the turms at the mill, which was quite common in dry weather. Just so with those that patronized the still-house, when the full jug was taken away an empty one must be left for its turn, otherwise an involuntary total abstinence might have to be endured for awhile, unless relieved by some kind neighbor. Happy indeed was the man thought to be, whose means were such that he could afford to get a whole barrel stowed away in some safe place, where he could resort to it at his pleasure for the comfort of himself and friends.

'In those pioneer days it was considered a specific for nearly all the woes that the flesh of man was heir to, and by some for both soul and body. It warmed them when cold; it protected them in the harvest field from the evil effects of a scorching suri; it soothed their sorrows; it calmed their fears; it gave them courage in a fight; orit allayed the excited feelings of anger and made friends of those who had been at enmity. It braced up the system under fatigue, and protected it from the evil effects of a storm, of either rain or snow. It sharpened their appetite for their food, and sustained them under long fasting. It cured rheumatism, cholic, and headache, and was an excellent remedy for a cold. It was a protection against the malaria of a new country, and one of the finest emollients for bruised flesh, or a sprained limb in the world. versal specific for all their sufferings in this life, whether physical, mental, or moral. No patent medicine of modern days could compare with it; and that, too, without any newspaper puffing - for it was well understood to be adapted to every age andsex. It was the first thing given to the baby, and the last thing applied to the cold clay of the mortal body to hold it to anatural freshness until laid in the tomb.

'Was it any wonder that an article of such universal adaptation should be promptly provided for? Then its importance as an article of commerce, in those days should not be overlooked; many of the farmers paid for their land with it. When there was no market for their grain, their fruit, or their live stock, they had but to trade or convert it into whiskey or brandy, when it at once became substantially a legal tender, for no man ever heard in those days of a person refusing to take it for a debt. It was the rich man's glory and the poor man's consolation.

"So far as can be ascertained at this late day, Asa Shinn was the first man that ever preached within the present bounds of Union township, and the place was at the cabin of George Wells, in the year 1803 or 1804. A society was soon after organized here, and John Price was appointed class-leader. About this time there was a local preacher, by the name of Smith, settled near the south line of the township, but there are no particulars in regard to his religious labors, farther than that he was a very active and energetic Christian. Inthe year 1812 they erected a good hewed log meeting-house on the land

Indeed, it was a uniwas superceded in the year 1833 by a large brick, called "George's chapel.' This society became so weakened by deaths and that many years ago it was disbanded, and its members attached to other points, and the meeting-house torn down. In 1805 Benjamin Green, a Baptist preacher, commenced preaching at David Beaver's anda few years after this, a society was formed at this place from members that had been attached to the churches of Hog run and Pleasant run, and held their meetings at the house of David Beaver. About the year 1815 or 1816 they erected a hewedlog church, with gallery on the sides and one end; this was for some time called 'Beaver's meeting-house,' but was subsequently named 'Licking church.' This society, with some modifications, continues in a prosperous condition, and now have a good frame church and a well improved cemetery. The people on Auter creek, for many years, attended meeting at Mr. Nash's, within the bounds of Granville township, but soon after the War of 1812, a society was formed at the house of John Park, and John Black was appointed class-leader. This continued to be a regular preaching place, until the erection of Park chapel in 1840-1. There are several other pretty good churches in the township, but of modern date. Although the people of Union did not, like those of Granville, bring their religious instructor with them, they have always given respectful attention to religious instruction. They came here in small parties and from various points, representing almost every faith that was taught in the older states, including the Puritans, Baptists, Methodlsts, Lutherans, Quakers, Moravians, Dunkards, Universalists and Unitarians.

'The first school is said to have been taught in the neighborhood of David Beaver's in the year 1805, bya Mr. Livingston. The next, of which there isany account, was taught in the Benjamin settlement, by Sallie Gavit, in 1809 or 1810. She taught two terms, and was followed by Miss Sarah Baldwin, Mr. Lockwood, Miss Harriet Munsel (now.Mrs. H. Gaffield of St. Albans), and Miss M. Twigg. In 1815 this part of Union and the southeast part of Granville, united and built a schoolhouse, on what is now the McMillen farm, and that winter the school was taught by Oliver Thrall, and in 1816 and 1817 by Daniel Howe; in 1818, by Miss Barsha Howe, now Mrs. Hillyer, of Kansas. 'The territory was again divided, and the Union portion erected a school-house on Auter creek, Miss Hannah Ford (now Mrs. Benjamin, of Iowa), taught one or two terms; then Mr. Driggs, followed hy James Corbin. In 1813 and 1814 a sister of Sallie Gavit, Mrs. A. E. Bragg, of Granville, taught school in the Stone and Pumphrey settlement.

In 1804-5 James Holmes, jr., Daniel Smith, James Stone, David Beaver, John Good, John Farmer, John Coulter, Elias Farmer, John V. Farmer, Abram Beaver, Francis Twigg, Cornelius Elliott, John and Jacob Myers, Jeremiah Page, and John Hilton.

In 1808 to 1810 the increase of population was quite ravi. among whom we may name John Rhodes, John Ruffner, Abram Rhodes, John Park, Henry Myers, Samuel Stone, George Callahan, Aaron Park, J. K. Myers, Philip Peters, James Cunningham.

"' Seyeral of these brought with them children, that were men and women at the time of their parents arrival, among whom were Jemima Black and Jane Ingraham, daughters of Jonathan Benjamin, in 1801; Catharine Horned in 1803; Amos and Lewis Farmer in 1805, aa in the same year, Samuel and Ephraim Coulter.

"Por some things that could not be obtained from the living, the cities of the dead have been visited, the tombs consulted, and from their records the following list taken, which will' give a pretty fair representation of the astonishing degree of longev_ ity to which many of those hardy pioneers attained, notwithstanding their privations.

Names Age Names Age

NAMES AGE NAMES AGE Jonathan Benjamin ...... rosy (Nicholas, Porter ee: . se 67 Margaret Benjamin ...... 95 'Lovel Motris.cy sec. ceux 79 WDavacdl IS 6niannT erasers ee 67,4 Many, Morns tea ensenee 84 Elizabeth Benjamin ...... 67 ~Uhemas, Holme@sing §. qa doen 78 Phineast Ord rocmtaces vei: 6s, « Mis, Iolmes...cdh... crise aot 69 Mary Ford ...... Pee ere 87 Joshua Browning.......... 64 Henry Hillbrant 4.0... 94.¢ Polly Barmen:. acc- aaceenlese 66 INamey- as Sear cag «neaiehe 754 johns Ve anmen" 25 aces 95 Colne Neh ema 1 ae 76: wAMOS PAN ee. asmescatet Jo Margaret Parkas a. teins 66, 6George sWellsscy ieee Sooke 86 IME yvee ieteahi ea ee See 74. Elizabeth Wells. .......... 75 I RISES ISIE A Orden Mac oor 89. 'Theron Hamiltom. s2~.... 78 AD TATO I NOGES ra neps aieu oe William) Cai aioe. roa 82 Barbara Rhodes.......... 60: ieBiizabeth 'Cagniss..gecdeeer 76 Hohn RO Ges yac «au aves 65) Ohne Miversing, sooner 79 John Cunningham.. ..... FO) eieOllyMMLYErS «ai « cicis ae See 90 Deborah Cunningham .... 84 Benedict Belt ............ 78 ThoOmasS \StOMey a <2. siete 7G RACHEL ABEM) aulest ae bicker 75 Barbary: Stone su. hone < 78 James, Holmes, sr... ...5.00 79 samuel Hand........... ade TA PADI WTO UNSS ieee te tees 69 Elizabeth Hand.......... 81 George Hancock.......... 85 Phiipereters 22.5... cates 86 Nancy Hancock .......... 65 Ann Peterswitts sce. bite oe 790 Philip Smiths). cscs. cts secs 82 Hugh Whiteford ........ Ope [Onn WAnmMer.ce eee. sa eeen 92 Charlotte Whiteford...... 68 Mary Watson ,........... 77 INaneys Laneansts anes On' s JamesustonGy, kote ss san 64 Elennys Miyersivsaen 23<...dei ens 8a Susan Stone ¢....... 00.20% 65 Rebecca IVivers.. caucus en 74. Christian Nulton .......... 94 John Edwards............ 77, Dorothy Cofimanm:. -....+..s 76 Ruth: Edwards) ......09sec 77.) Blias Parmer, ic... eee 68 Eidmitmd! Maylotedc.. 0s. 70 WRebeccay Stoner. «cabw reser 79 Thomas Dewese.......... 79 Elizabeth Moore.......... 83 Catharine Dewese........ 78

'A few of the above did not move into the township till a later date, but were properly western pioneers, and came to the Licking valley at an early day. There are others who died out of the township whose record has not been obtained, among whom » are James Taylor and wife, James and GeorgeStone and wives, Alex. Wells and wife, and Susan Park, some of whom attained an age of nearly one hundred years.

''It may be worth noting that nearly all of these early settlers, both male and female, were expert in the use of the rifle, and some of the men were '' professional hunters," who devoted much of their time to the chase, especially in the fall and winter, when the flesh and skins of wild animals were most valuable. Among these may be named Thomas Stone, Joshua Browning, John Edwards, John Price, John and Elias Farmer, and John Coulter, as among the most expert of their day. Thomas Stone was distinguished as a bear hunter, sometimes killing as many as eight to twelve in a segson. These men were seldom seen at any time, even at church, without their rifle. Some of them did not feel themselves fully dressed until their ''hunter's belt" was buckled around them, and the shotpouch and powder-horn hung over their shoulders. They not only gloried in the chase, but with some of them it was the chief source of their living, until old age and scarcity of game compelled them to give it up. John Edwards and Thomas Stone were good farmers and fair business men, and accumulated some property, but most of these hunters died poor.

''Joshua Browning was a man without any education, but a person of good judgment. At the time of the great meteoric shower of 1833, the alarm among many of the people was great. Almost every kind of business was suspended, and the people of the country gathered at the towns to talk about it, and to hear what others had to say. Mr. Browning said that he was out hunting and camped in the woods. In the night he saw an unusual number of ''shooting stars,"" and their number continued to increase. To get a better view of them, he left his camp and went about a quarter of a mile to open ground. Here his description of the scene was truly ludicrous, but very interesting. He watched them until his neck pained him from looking up; he then lay on his back and watched them for three hours. Having heard of a time coming when the stars of Heaven should fall, he fixed his eyes on certain stars to see them fall, but not one of them moved. These sparkling gems that filled the atmosphere above him seemed to take their existence somewhere in the open space between him and the stars that he fixed his eyes upon, hence he concluded that this was not the "'star falling" spoken of in the Bible. It now, to his mind, assumed a delightful aspect; and his description, in his untutored dialect, of the dividing and multiplying character of the mete ors as they descended to the earth, though laughable, was very entertaining; and while many reading persons were frantic with fear, the scrutinizing mind of this son of nature converted it into a scene of pleasurable delight. Joshua Browning was a man of mild temper and of good morals. He died at the age of sixty-four. His brother-in-law, Philip Smith, was a frontiersman in taste and habits, and died at the age of eighty-two years.

"'Lovel Morris was born in New Jersey, and came to this country in the spring of 1804, living one year on Richard Pitzer'sland. He then moved to the neighborhood of Cooper's mill, on Jonathan's creek, and remained there five years, when he returned to the Hog Run valley, where he remained till 1828,

* 1834 he sold his land to R. A. Holmes, and bought more about one mile turther south,in the same township, where he remained until his death in August, 1843. His wife was a sister of old Philip Sigler, another pioneer, and died in October, 1848. Lov, el Morris was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church fifty-six years, and his wife sixty-five years.

"Thomas and George Stone came to this township from Jefferson county, Virginia, in 1803. They were both men of good morals and useful members of the church. George was a

"He and his wife lived to a ripe old age, dying at the ages of seventy-nine and ninety, respectively. Jacob was justice of the peace many years, and earned for himself a good reputation for integrity and judgment.

'James Holmes jr.,a brother of Judge Alexander Holmes, came from Washington county, Pennsylvania. He was an energetic, industrious man, the county surveyor many years and beame wealthy. He wasan eccentric character, and made a provision in his will that his body, after death, should be embalmed and placed in a vault above ground, which was done.

'*Phineas Ford was born November 1, 1772, and was the son of Thomas and Hannah Ford, of Farmington, Connecticut. He was married to Mary Benjamin April 5, 1796.

'«They, with the families of John Jones, Frederick Ford and Benoni Benjamin, placed all their effects on a flat-boat, and left the mouth of the Muskingum in September, 1799. They floated down the Ohio to the mouth of the Scioto, thence up the Scioto to a settlement about where Circleville now stands. Here they stopped and wintered with some friends who had preceded them, and raised acrop. In the spring of 1801, as soon as the ice had left the river, Phinehas Fordand John Jones, with their families, and Frederick Ford, a brother-in-law as assistant, but without his family, again started with their boat up the Tiver for Franklinton, then the first white settlement on the Scioto above Circleville.

'*They reached Franklinton the last of March, and landed, where Columbus now stands, in an unbroken forest. Their team and other things were taken from the boat, and rigged on land. By the aid of a pocket-compass and a map of this part of the Ohio Company's lands, they started for the Auter creek branch of the Licking river. The first day they broke a wheel of their wagon. Mr. Ford made some felloes for the whetl from a crooked dogwood, screwed on the tire, and started again. The next day Frederick Ford thrust his gun into a wheel to save the wagon from turning over, and broke the stock off. When coming down a steep bank on Moot's run, a grape vine caught under the yoke of the oxen, and the weight of the wagon drove them forward with such an impetus that it swung the cattle from the ground until relieved by cutting the grape vine. After passing through various dangerous as well as laughable incidents, they reached their destination April 7, 1801, and Phinehas Ford, with his wife and two daughters, set his stakes On the bank of Auter creek, about one hundred and twenty rods above where Union station on the Central Ohio railroad now stands. Here, by the aid of his wife and brotherin-law, Frederick Ford, he erected a small cabin, and covered

" By this time their stock of provisions was nearly exhausted, and Phineas Ford, with his brother-in-law, Frederick Ford, left Mrs. Ford with her two little girls at this lonely spot in the wilderness, and returned to the settlement on the Scioto, to obtain bread for their families. He was detained by high water and was absent eleven days. During this time Mrs. Ford did not see the face of a single human being besides her little children. Wild beasts were numerous and threatening. One large wolf, a little more bold than his fellows, showed a disposition to closely inspect the frail cabin and its inmates, with an expression of countenance that indicated an overt act, with malice aforethought. Mrs. Ford, dreading an attack, took her rifle to shoot the intruder; but her powder had become so wet by recent rains that her gun would not go off. She then armed herself, as best she could, to await an attack; but the wolf, after an hour's deliberate survey of her quartcrs, left her unharmed. On the eleventh day her provisions had become exhausted, and, with a degree of bravery, that bordered on desperation, she started through a trackless wilderness to find the cabin of her sister, Mrs. Lilly Jones, some four miles distant, on Raccoon ereek. The forests were alive with wild beasts, and but little less wild Indians, some of whom were not friendly to the white settlers. After wandering all day with her little children, just at night, wearied and forlorn, and near to the cabin of her sister, she met her husband, safely returning with supplies for their immediate wants. During these eleven days of her husband's absence, Mrs. Ford had not seen an Indian; but on the next day after his return, several came to their cabin to beg, or to exchange wild meat for bread. These were quite friendly, and said they had come near the cabin several times while Mr. Ford was absent, but did not show themselves, for fear the 'white squaw would be frightened.' These wild sons of the forest continued to visit and maintain friendly relations with this family so long as they continued to lmger around the graves of their ancestors.

" Phineas Ford and his brother-in-law had come to the Licking valley on a proposition from the agent of some eastern land holders to donate fifty acres of land to each family, on condition of their occupying and improving it for a term of years, and encouraging a settlement; and when these land-holders afterward sold their land in large quantities, these donated lots were reserved and deeded to those who in good faith opened the way ora settlement in the wilderness. Phineas I'ord at once went to work to improve the land that continued to be his home till his death, April 7, 1839, thirty-nine years to a day from the time he built his first camp-fire on that fifty acre lot. Mrs. Ford con_ tinued to occupy it nearly sixty-four years. Mr. Ford's New England education and taste induced him to at once provide for an orchard of fruit trees by planting seeds that he had brought with him; and some of the first apple trees planted in Granville were taken from Phineas Ford's nursery. On this place Mr: Ford claims to have sowed the first bushel of wheat that was He carried the seed on his own back Krom this bushel of seed he sown in Licking county. from the vicinity of lancaster. raised thirty-six bushels of wheat, only five bushels of which were used for bread. 'The balance was sold to the settlers for seed.

are six other children of these hardy frontier parents, namely: Florilla, Cyntha Ann, Benjamin, Jane, Mary and Drusilla. These were born respectively in the years 1804, 1806, 1809, 1811, and 1814.

"Phineas Ford was a man somewhat eccentric in some respects, but brave, self-relying and persevering; a good neighbor, a pleasant, social companion, a little reserved, but very affable and courteous in his manners towards others. In short, he was a good type of the New England gentleman, without his inquisitiveness, but was apt in his jokes and full of fun. He wasa pretty good farmer and an ingenious mechanic, who could make anything he would undertake, or wanted for his own use, from a horse-shoe nail to a flouring mill with all its internal organism. He was full of resources to overcome difficulties, and, being a stranger to despondency, he possessed all the characteristics of a first class pioneer. Mrs. Ford was a very skilful woman among the sick, and having taken lessons from Mrs. McCauley (the most skilful woman in the pretice of medicine, probably, in the country), she was a useful woman among the sick, and saved her neighbors many doctor's bills Her knee was dislocated by a fall from a horse, and by the unskilful management of a quack surgeon, she recovered with a stiff knee, which left her a cripple the last fifty years of her life. She died in the fall of 1863, in the eighty-seventh year of her age and the sixty-third year of her residence in Union township.

'Jonathan Benjamin, the father of Mrs. Ford, Mrs. Jones and Bennoni Benjamin, moved to Auter creek with his family in the spring of 1802, and settled on a fifty acre donation lot joining that of his son-in-law, Ford. This lot was first occupied by John Horned. There were several families of the Benjamins who moved from the Susquehanna in Pennsylvania in 1795, and settled at, or near, Marietta, but Jonathan was not one of them. He came there with his son-in-law, Ford, in 1708. Jonathan Benjamin was in some respects an extraordinary man. He was a person of rather coarse features, but of strong muscular powers, with a still stronger will. Hewas very determined in all of his undertakings, and of rather an unforgiving temperament. Haying passed through the French and Indian wars, and through the war of the Revolution, and having suffered much and long by Indian depredations, both in the loss of friends and property, the finer feelings of his nature had be come blunted to such an extent that he seemed to have lost most of his sympathy for his fellow man. Still he was a man of religious habits, and of good morals, but was generally considered to be a man that was naturally morose and unsociable, and was not known through life to have expressed his forgiveness of the Indian race. He was not a reading man, hence what time he gave to social intercourse with his neighbors, was given to the relation of personal experience, or to business matters. He was a soldier, or frontiersman, most his life. It was not until he was about eighty years old that he consented to settle himself for the balance of his life. He bought in the woods and cleared up his last farm after he was seventy-eight years old. Notwithstanding this life of hardships, the iron constitution of himself and his excellent wife sustained them to a great age. Mrs. Benjamin possessed social qualities that in a great measure compensated for the lack of them in her husband, They lived together as man and wife nearly eighty years, and raised a family of seven daughters and one son, all of whom lived to raise families of their own, and most of them large families. It is difficult to trace his family through all their meanderings, but Jonathan Benjamin was born in the year 1738, probably, in the State of New York. There is a family tradition that he was born, raised and married in New York, then moved to Pennsylvania, and settled on the Susquehanna river, and from thence into Maryland, and from Maryland to Wheeling, Virginia, thence to Marietta, in 1798, and to Licking in 1802. Their appearance and dialect was of the Knickerbocker class of New York in former years, and they moved from either New York or New Jersey to Pennsylvania, soon after their marriage. There is no doubt among his friends that he entered the military service at the age of fourteen years, and served through the war, but they cannot tell what war. It must have been some Indian campaign, as the French war did not commence for some two years later. He also served in the war of the Revolution, for which he drew a pension until his death; and some or his grandchildren still have some continental money, which they claim was paid him for wages while in the army. He and his brother David with other men and their families, were in a fort on the Susquehanna in 1775, where he escaped from the Indians by being on the other side of the river with his family when the fort was taken. His brother and family were carried into captivity, and saved only their lives and the clothes on their backs. In the year 1802 he settled on a fifty acre lot of land that corners within a few rods of where Union Station now is. Here he remained until 1816, when he sold his land to James Holmes, jr., and bought again one mile further west, where he continued to reside till his death, at the age of one hundred and three years. Ina conversation a short time before his death, he recapitulated his. Indian history and sufferings. They, were driven from their homes and their property burned three times, but the places where they suffered are forgotten.

''John Edwards was born in Baltimore county, Maryland, November 8, 1770. In the spring of 1798 he, with a small boy, with the necessary tools, knapsack and gun, crossed the Ohio river, into Jefferson county, in the Northwest territory, and established a squatters right on Yellow creek, by erecting and fitting up a cabin for the reception of his little family, he and the lad living on wild game while building the house. When completed, he brought his family over from Virginia, to their new home in the wilderness, where they remained until the summer of 1801. A portion of the time while here he assisted the military as a spy, as the Indians were quite troublesome on some portions of the frontier at this time. In the fall of 1801, he moved into Union township, on the land of John Van Buskirk, with whom he had previously been acquainted. He was moved by George Wells, with a four horse team; Mr. Edwards went ahead of the team, selected and marked the way with his tomahawk, and killed a supply of game for their food. In the month of September, they drove up to the cabin of Phineas. Ford, and stopped for dinner. Mrs. Ford prepared for their dinner some fried venison and johnny-cake, which she baked before the fire on a board, and a cup of sage tea. Mr. Ford was delighted with their call, and the whole party enjoyed the dinner, and the association as one of the happiest of their lives. John Edwards was a good neighbor, but there was a kind of decisive emphasis in his manner of speaking that grated harshly upon the sensitive nerves of some persons, and made them think him crabbed and unsocial. But this was a great mistake, for he was a great talker and enjoyed the social circle very much, and scarcely ever tired of telling and hearing hunting

"David Benjamin was the son of David and Elizabeth Benjamin, and a nephew of Jonathan Benjamin. He was born on the Susquehanna river in Pennsylvania, in 1767; but, as was the case with Jonathan, the family records have all been burned by the Indians, and the exact date of his birth cannot be given. At this time the Indians were quite restless, and sought every opportunity to commit depredations upon frontiersmen. At the commencement of the Revolution, they had become so _ troublesome in that part of the country that several of the Benja- _ min families and a few others, tor mutual protection, had erected a block-house and a small fort, where they had kept their families for some time, they knowing that a band of Indians was lurking around them; but while thus combined and protected the Indians did not dare to attack them, and the whites supposed they had given the matter up and left. In this vain confidence, one pleasant Sunday morning in the month of May, 1775, they salliedfout to their respective cabins, to look at their gardens, etc. While thus divided, the Indians, who had been lying in ambush waiting for such an opportunity, rushed upon them and made prisoners of David Benjamin and his family, including his wife and six children, with some others. In this melee Jonathan Benjamin and his family escaped with their lives by being on the opposite side of the river. David Benjamin, feeling provoked at the thought of being taken prisoner.

before he was disarmed, raised his rifle and shot an Indian, who fell off the fence and was supposed to be killed. For this, a few minutes after, he was killed by an Indian with his tomahawk, at a moment when he was not suspecting danger. For this the chief expressed sorrow when he found his brother was not killed, but only had his arm broken. Our hero - David Benjamin, jr. - was the second eldest of this family of children taken prisoners, and who, with their mother, were hurried away into hopeless captivity, as soon as their houses were pillaged and burned. They were probably taken into western New York, as David's children say their grandmother often told them that they were close to the Canada line, but not in Canada. This family remained prisoners seven years, until the close of the war. One or two of the children having become so accustomed 'to Indian life, and nearly lost their knowledge of the English - language, refused to return to civilized life; among whom was David's only sister, who, after she had married among the Indi- - ams and had two children, was recaptured by the whites near the Niagara falls, but was so much dissatisfied with civilized life that she returned to the Indians, and was never again heard of by her friends. Among those who did return were David and two brothers, and their mother, who lived to a great age, and died in Hocking county, Ohio. After their return, they remained on the Susquehanna until David married, in the year 1795, when he, with his mother and one or more brothers, moved to the Northwest Territory, near the mouth of the Muskingum river. Here they remained about four years, when they moved about twenty miles from Marietta, probably in the northeast corner of Athens county. There they remained until May, 1805 or 1806, when they settled on the farm where Union station now stands, and where David died, on the seventeenth of July, 1834, aged sixty-seven years, and where his wife died in 1835, supposed to be sixty-eight years old. David Benjamin was a frontiersman all his life, and so much of his youth having been spent among savages, he grew up without education or much knowledge of the refinements of fashionable society, but he was a peaceable and kind-hearted citizen. He as cheerful, quite sociable, and very industrious. Although he often said he never could forgive the Indian race for the wrongs that he had suffered, still, when a friendly Indian called at his door for bread, he never would turn him away till he supplied his wants. But when this was done, he would at once request him to leave. He seemed to fear that the remembrance of his wrongs would overcome his feelings of humanity, hence he would not suffer them to remain where they would be likely to tempt him, or excite his feelings of revenge. For some cause he entirely laid aside the use of a gun, and for many years he kept none of his own. He raised a family of three sons and four daughters.

"'Rey. Benedict Belt was born in Baltimore county, in the State of Maryland, January 30, 1785. His father died when he was a small child. When he was seventeen years old, he, with his mother, two brothers, two sisters and his brother-in-law, James Petticord, moved to the Licking valley in the spring of 1802, and Benedict, with his mother and' Petticord, stopped on the banks of the North fork of Licking, where Newark now is. Benedict, having been raised in a mill, he and his brotherin-law erected a hand-mill on which they: ground corn for toll. This proving rather a hard way to make a living they, by the aid of his mother's money, in the fall of 1802, erected a small log mill about one hundred feet from where the Van Buskirk or Montgomery mill now stands. This and a similar mill erected by Phinehas Ford on Auter creek in the summer of 1803, were doubtless the first two mills run by water within the bounds of Licking county; and probably the Belt mill preceded the Ford mill some six months. Soon after Benedict left his mill, perhaps in the spring of 1804, it was swept away by a flood, and the site was bought. by John Van Buskirk, who built a better mill, and there has been a mill on that site ever since. The Ford mill, in a few years, shared the fate of the Belt mill, and was never rebuilt. Benedict Belt subsequently, with the family of his youngest son, moved into Union township, where he died, in July, 1863, in the seventy-ninth year of his age. He was a man of energy and activity, bit was a little given to impatience and despondency when troubles assailed him. The evil consequences of this, however, were greatly overcome by the stability and sound judgment of his noble wife. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church about fifty-five | years, and held a license as exhorter or preacher for more than fifty years. He wasnotaman of much preaching talent, but possessed a great amount of religious fire and zeal. He wasa fluent talker, and im some places quite popular and successful in calling sinners to repentance, and in building up the cause of Christianity in the wilderness. He was raised in the faith of him, and was most eloquent when most excited. Few men have lived and died more respected for their uniform piety and Christian integrity than Rey. Benedict Belt. He gave up his business matters to his son, but was active in his religious duties to the end of life.

"Rey Benjamin Green was probably the first Baptist preacher that ever preached in the township. His labors doubtless laid the foundation for the '' Licking church," which has now been in successful labor as a Christian organization more than sixty years.

Amos Park came here as a traveling preacher of the Methodist Episcopal church from Hampshire county, Virginia, and was a man of respectable preaching talents, and in his manners and dress an old fashioned Methodist preacher, and as easily distinguished as such as a Quaker is from a Puritan, He continued to preach until worn out with old age.

"Rey, George Callahan, was another resident Methodist preacher of respectable talents who continued to preach for the people until age and afflictions compelled him to desist. He was born in the State of Maryland in the year 1766, and moved with his parents to Fayette county in the State of Pennsylvania, thence to Washington county, inthe same State, where he married and continued to live till the year 1809, when he settled in Union township. He filled the office of justice of the peace for several years. He worked hard on the farm through the week, preached for the people on Sunday, married the youth and buried the dead. He lost his wife in 1813, and married again in 1818. He moved to Jersey township, where he died in the seventy-third year of his age. He suffered much from malarial diseases while on the South fork of Licking, and his system had become so much prostrated by it that he suffered with the third day ague through the last seven years of his life, without intermission, and died in the winter of 1839, respected by all that knew him, as an industrious and good man. He claimed to have been the first Methodist preacher that ever preached within the present bounds of the State of Ohio, and the time was 1785. While on the Ohio circuit he crossed the Ohio river and preached a few times at Carpenter's fort, where he had acquaintances. He had beena soldier in the war of the Revolution, and was a distinguished marksman with the rifle and an expert hunter of wild game.

"Rey. Elijah Scofield was a Dunkard preacher, who moved from the State of Maryland in 18ro, and settled on Jonathan's creek, but traveled all oyer the western country, preaching wherever he could get a congregation. He preached and organized a society in Union township, soon after he came to the State. He was somewhat like Lorenzo Dow in being so much of a cosmopolite, but more like him in that he wore a long beard, which made him a conspicuous person in those days, when men were too proud to wear this distinguishing mark of their sex.

''Mr. D, J. Davis and his lady, who is the youngest daughter of the late Judge Henry Smith, have in their possession what is supposed to be the first frame table ever used in Licking county, also a case of drawers, both said to have been made in Zanesville, and brought by Judge Smith when he moved to this county in 1803, or soon after.

There was plenty of game all over this country when first settled, and thrilling hunting incidents will be handed down in history for ages to come. But there was something peculiar in the origin and the character of the 'big hunts' which occurred in this township. About the beginning ot the present century a large landholder by the name of Backus had some fifteen hundred acres of land deadened preparatory to having it cleared. It was located in the northeast quarter of Harrison and the northwest quarter of Union township. The land was not cleared when the timber died, as was intended, but suffered to grow up with briars, thorns, grape vines, and a second growth of timber, until it became almost an impenetrable wildemess, and a great harbor for wild beasts of every variety common to this part of the country. The Bloody Run swamp a few miles to the south, and another to the west, called the Fallen Timber, where the forest had been prostrated by a tornado, also afforded pretty safe retreats for the game to evade so numerous and threatening that the hunters were compelled at night to surround their camps with a circle of fire, or to erect a superstructure with poles in the forks of trees beyond the reach of the wolves, to secure their safety while they rested _ and slept. This deadening was situated nearer to the settlements than were those other retreats, and sometimes these wild beasts accumulated in such great numbers at this point that the professional hunters could not afford a sufficient protection to the live stock of the farmers. At such times it became necessarv for a general rally of all the pioneers to destroy or drive from the settlements these invading beasts. But for the purpose of killing as many as possible, and to secure the safety of the hunters at these general rallyings, or 'big hunts,' a district of the country was surveyed and the lines well marked. The first was twelve miles in circumference, embracing the great deadening. The second, or inner line, was four miles in citcumference, and a third but half a mile in diameter. This centered in an open valley on what was known as Grass Lick run. To this open valley the game was all driven that had not been killed or made its escape before reaching the third line. The hunters were formed in line on the first or outer line, from which they moved at a given signal, and on reaching the second line they all halted until all had reached the line, and a second signal was given, when they again moved till they reached the third and last line; the people being thus prepared for a safe and systematic warfare upon these enemies to their prosperity. When the raids upon the pigs, calves and' sheep of the farmers became frequent and destructive, then the 'big hunt' would be gotten up. This was done by callinga public meeting of the people of the several townships that suffered by their depredations, at which meeting they would elect their officers and appoint the day forthe hunt. The command was usually given to some experienced military officer, with a suitable number of subordinates. The hunters were all placed in a circle around the haunted district, on the first line, and were not allowed to move from the place assigned them until the concerted signal was given by the discharge of artillery at a given point, when they at once began to move from every point towards the center. Everybody that could carry a gun, or make a noise to help drive the game in, and would obey orders, was expected to be there. The movements were regulated by the officers, who rode along the lines to keep the men to their places. The number of men that attended these hunts was sometimes so great that by the time the circle was reduced to half a mile in diameter, it constituted a solid column all round. And when every part of the column moved with care and strictly obeyed orders, not even a wildcat or anything else could make its escape, except the turkeys and the deer. The former would fly over, and the latter, when they found themselves entirely surrounded, would pass through or over the lines, sometimes in large numbers; while carniverous animals would hide in the brush, hollow trees, etc. At a suitable point the line halted, and select hunters sent in to look up the game. When every hiding place had been carefully examined, the game was all brought in together, and the meat and peltries were divided among the different companies, when all would return home with feelings relieved from fear of any further depredations from that source for the next year, at least; for the destruction of wild beasts at these hunts was sometimes very great. The last hunt was in 1821 or 1822.

now living in this country that have any fair conception of the number of squirrels that once infested this part of the country. When the wild fruits were scarce and they turned to the farm crops, they became a great burden to the farmers, and the squirrel hunt was gotten up as a self-defense. It was usually done by organizing rival companies, sometimes of difterent townships, and the prize was awarded to the company that killed the greatest number within the time agreed upon for But few of the squirrels were saved for food by the hunters on these occasions, but the scalps were counted by the number of tails. The number killed at some of these hunts would seem incredible at the present day, but they frequently amounted to several thousands. William T. Martin, in his history of Franklin county, gives the number killed at one hunt in that county. in 1822, at nineteen thousand six hundred and sixty, that were brought in, and that many of the hunters did not report at all. At the last hunt of the kind that took place between rival companies of Granville and Union townships, the number reported was a little over nineteen hundred on a side. The hunt lasted one day and a half, and was reported on the afternoon of the second day. Nothing but the rifle was allowed to be used.

"In the month of July, 1779, a party of Wyandot Indians, from the Sandusky rlver, made their appearance in Greenbriar county, Virginia, and killed or took prisoners many of the white citizens, burning or destroying such property as they could not carry away with them. Among the sufferers was a family by the name of McKeever. The husband and father was shot down in his own door-yard, and the mother and three smali children, the youngest but.an infant of six months, were taken prisoners. Their house was pillaged and burned, and the prisoners hurried away toward the Indian headquarters on the Sandusky river. The woman could in after years give but little idea of their line of travel, further than this: that the Indians, fearing pursuit, took the most direct route to Upper Saridusky. But in the year 1815, while moving to this State, when she reached the mouth of Licking river, she recognized that as the point where they crossed the Muskingum river, and whence they probably took the Indian trail up the valley north of Newark. Soon after reaching Upper Sandusky the youngest child died, and the other two, both girls, were taken from her to some place to her unknown. Here she remained a prisoner and a slave three years and nine months. Though the war had then closed, her friends did not seek for her as they supposed her dead, and the Indians, her masters, refused to give her up and let her return to her friends. In the spring of 1783. by the aid of an Indian trader by the name of Isaac Zane, she made her escape and got back to her friends, then in Hampshire county, Virginia. To successfully make her escape, she traveled for three successive nights on foot and alone, secreting herself in the wilderness inthe day time. She had previously received instructions from Mr. Zane as to her line of travel, and where she should stop and await his arrival. To avoid any suspicion resting upon him as an accomplice in effecting her escape, the trader remained in the town the next day, until many of her pursuers had returned. He then started, but again stopped over night before reaching her hiding-place through the day. The Indians, not being fully satisfied as to his innocence, secretly pursued him and watched him all night. He again started late in the morning, and traveled a less distance than it was agreed that she should travel the preceding night. One or two Indians again made their appearance, but now abandoned the pursuit, being satisfied of his innocence. The third day he reached the point that had been agreed upon as the place of their meeting. She had reached the place in safety the night before, but for fear the Indians might be still secretly pursuing them, she did not join the wagon of the trader until he was ready to start the next day. Mr. Zane, being on his way to the sea coast with aload of furs, aided her to the circle of her friends. During the whole time she remained a prisoner, she had received as kind treatment as could have been expected from such an uncultivated race of people. Her mistress was very fond of ''fire water,"' and when drunk was a bloodthirsty tyrant; but her eldest son was a large and noble young chief, strictly temperate, religiously inclined, a warm and constant friend of the prisoner, whom he called his white mother, and from whom he often seemed pleased to receive religious instruction. This noble young chief would sometimes aid her to secrete herself, and supply her with food for two or three days at a time, during a drunken frolic of the Indians. Of this chief she would often speak in her old age, and would sometimes express a wish to see or know what became of her big Indian son, as she would sometimes call him. There was another lady, a fellow prisoner with her, who had been a slave in Virginia, but was very nearly white, who married an Indian chief by the name of Walker, soon after they were taken to Sandusky, and who became the mother of the learned, wealthy and celebrated Walker family among the Wyandots, at the time they left their reserve on the Sandusky, for their new home west of the Mississippi. Mrs. Walker lived to be nearly one hundred years old, and to enjoy the blessings of a Christian civilization, under the missionary instructions of James B. Finley and James Gillruth. Mrs. Walker was a warm friend and intimate associate of Mrs. McKeever as long as she remained a prisoner, and from her the history of the two lost daughters was obtained after the death of their mother. But the mother had passed through life without a knowledge of what had become of them, and had mourned for them as being numbered with the dead."

"'About two years after her return to the association of her friends, she married Samuel Park, the widowed husband of her deceased sister, with whom she lived until the eighteenth of February, 1815, when she was again left a widow. She had raised a family, by this last marriage, of six children of her own, besides six orphan children and one grandchild of her deceased sister. At the death of her husband, her eldest son, who had moved to the Licking valley in the year 18ro, and settled on Auter creek, in Union township, returned to Virginia and brought her to his home in this county, where she continued to live fourteen years, and until her death, on the fourteenth day of September, 1829, aged seventy-five years; dying within less than one hundred miles of the Indian tribe and the place where she had been a prisoner anda slave fifty years before, and within about two hundred miles of the residence of her two lost daughters, then the wives of two civilized Indian chiefs, but both of whom died near Detroit about the time their mother died in Union township.

"This woman of suffering and sorrow was my grandmother, and her son, who provided for her wants the last fourteen years of her life, was my father. She often spent her time in\relating her experience among the Indians, and in teaching me the Wyandot dialect. She and David Benjamin would often, though prisoners with different tribes, relate to each other their sufferings while among the Indians.