Vermillion Township (part 3 of 6)

The rigors and injustice of this law were occasionally relieved by incidents of humor. Among the latter was a case that occurred at Hayesville in the "early times." A very dashing young man, claiming the ownership of a fast horse, and sporting the first gold watch that had probably ever appeared in the township, sought and obtained credit of a merchant in Hayesville to the amount of about forty dollars, for which indebtedness he was in due time sued ; and in default of goods whereon to levy, an execution issued for his body. Under that law, if the judgmentdebtor gave bail he was released from prison, and became entitled to the "jail-bounds," which comprehended the limits of the county; but the law confined him strictly within such boundaries, and if he placed his foot over the line his bond would become forfeited. The defendant had procured the necessary bail, and, within the territory of Richland County, his movements were as untrammeled as those of his creditor. A party of wags, of which Hayesville, in those days, always had "a quorum," disliking the lofty "style" and fraudulent practices of said debtor, originated a scheme by which to entrap him, and which, having stated the premises, will be understood by the reader as we narrate it.

Thomas Stringer and David Potts, (brothers-in-law, fast friends, and notorious lovers of fun,) whose " heads had been together" on this case, obtained sight of their victim standing near a public place, and forthwith made for his vicinity, in earnest dispute about the trotting qualities of the horses of which they were the respective owners. As they approached their intended victim, their dispute waxed more fierce, and the young man at once enlisted in the broil, and "mixed in." A wager was agreed upon, and the money staked. Judges were also selected, one of whom happened to be the debtor; and the ground selected happened to be on the Mansfield and Wooster Road - the eastern terminus also happening to be a few rods east of the county line.

The arrangements being completed, the contestants for the wager, each astride his own horse, followed by the judges at a certain distance, were soon upon the ground and absorbed in the exciting race. One of the parties to the sham bet, (Mr. Potts,) a regular Falstaff in physical contour, of about two hundred and twenty pounds avoirdupois, appeared rather "much" for his horse, which would occasionally "break," when, by the rules of the race, he would be compelled to turn the animal completely around, thus losing much precious "time." Mr. Stringer, however, not being a remarkably accomplished horseman, the beasts and their riders reached the established goal about "neck and neck." The point having been reached, Stringer and Potts cast themselves from their horses, and engaged in fierce crimination and recrimination, each charging upon the other "foul play" in riding, and throwing off their coats for a desperate fight. The young judge, yet in full view of the "deadly strife," but with his "associate judge," a short distance in the rear, put spurs to his horse, and, with the least possible delay, placed himself between the hostile parties with the humane purpose of saving the useless effusion of blood! - assuring the gentlemen, upon his "word of honor," that the matter should be determined by a scrupulous regard to the rules of racing. His pacificatory eloquence prevailed, and the belligerents meekly received the verdict of the judges, and a happy reunion of broken ties was the result.

After the return of the crowd to town, some one incidentally remarked, in the hearing of the real victim of the drama, that it was rather a remarkable circumstance that Richland County did not afford land enough upon which to have a trotting match, and that it became necessary to use for that purpose a part of Wayne County! Our hero turned to Mr. Stringer and inquired whether they had really passed the limits of Richland County ; whereupon Mr. Strin- ger forthwith proceeded to make a very nice calcular tion of metes and bounds, and after much deliberation arrived at the amazing conclusion that the eastern stakes would, sure enough, bring them within Wayne County! The crowd, discovering the embarrassment of "young gent," gave way to their feelings in an irrepressible and prolonged roar of mirth. The young financier became enraged - charged conspiracy, and all manner of crimes - swore terribly, and the more terribly he swore, louder and more wild became the merriment of the crowd. Discovering, at length, that the insurrection against him was too extensive, he subsided, and with a forced pleasantry consented to permit the affair to pass off as "a good joke."

Michael Sigler

Michael Sigler immigrated with his wife and four children to Vermillion Township, in November, 1820, and purchased the eighty acres upon which Henry Helbert now resides. He emigrated from Pennsylvania. Prior to his purchase of this land, he had contracted with Mr. Hersh for the land upon which the major portion of Hayesville now stands; but some trifling difference in regard to details prevented the closing of the contract, and Rev. Mr. Cox became the purchaser.

Stephen Smith

Stephen Smith immigrated to Vermillion Township from Trumbull County, Ohio, and purchased for his future home the northwest quarter of section 33, Vermillion Township, now occupied by his son,

With the exceptions of John Johnston and George Shriver, who occupied adjoining quarters, among his nearest neighbors was Linus Hayes, subsequently one of the proprietors of Hayesville. The country was very sparsely settled, and the little family would find their nights made hideous by the howling of wolves, which would often approach within a few rods of their house. Wild beasts and reptiles abounded in the wilderness. Rattlesnakes, some of them of immense size, were also numerous.

Joseph Strickland

Joseph Strickland, an emigrant from Jefferson County, Ohio - his native State being New Jersey. He was the father of Mahlon, Joseph, William S., and Amos Strickland. Mr. Strickland died in Seneca County, Ohio, about thirteen years ago, at the age of eighty-six years. He served as a soldier in the war of the American revolution.

Joseph Workman

Joseph Workman, an emigrant from Adams County, Pennsylvania, removed with his family (consisting of his wife and four children) to Vermillion Township in the fall of 1815. He entered the northwest quarter of section 26; and also purchased, of John Baptist6 Jerome, the property in section 12, since known as the Goudy Mill property. He subsequently sold the last named tract to Constance Lake, who erected upon it the first mill. In 1854, he purchased the farm upon which he now resides - being thirty acres in section 25. He is now in his seventy-seventh year, and in vigorous mental and bodily health.

When Mr. Workman came to the country the territory of Vermillion and Montgomery were united in one township, under the name of the former; and Robert Newell and James Wallace were the two justices of the peace. Mr. Workman was elected in 1817, and was the successor of Mr. Wallace.

His nearest neighbors were Johnnycake and his squaw. He was a quiet, friendly neighbor, and Mr. Workman took his first lessons in hunting wild game of this Indian.

The first school taught in Vermillion Township was in 1821, in a building which had previously been used as a Baptist church. Its site was near where the present school-house in Thomas Bushnell's district stands, and the school was taught by Miss Sedelia Bushnell. Six years, therefore, had elapsed before Mr. Workman's children had the privileges of any other instruction than such as they received at home.

Chapter

This town was laid out on the 26 th of October, 1830, by John Cox and Linus Hayes. It was incorporated March 2, 1849, as will be seen by the copy of the law which follows : -

Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, That so much of the Township of Vermillion, in the County of Ashland, as is included in the town plat of the Town of Hayesville, together with such additions as may hereafter be made thereto, be, and the same is hereby declared a town corporate, by the name of the Town of Hayesville, and by that name shall be a body corporate and politic, with perpetual succession.

Sec. 2. The town named in the preceding section of this act shall be entitled to all the privileges and be subjected to all the restrictions of "an act for the regulation of incorporated towns," passed February sixteenth, one thousand eight hundred and thirtynine, and the several acts amendatory thereto.

The Original Town

"The following is a draft of a number of lots, divided by streets and alleys in the form below described, intended for a town to be known by the name of Hayesville, situated on the east half of the southeast quarter of section 15, township 21, of reserve 15, formerly known by the name of Hayes' X-Roads, being the lands of Messrs. J. Cox and L. Hayes. The principal or main street is laid out on the road leading from Wooster to Mansfield, with one row of 19 lots on each side - each lot 60 feet front by 120 feet back. The road leading from Loudonville to Ashland crosses the above-named road at right angles, with 20 lots to the east and 18 lots to the west. Parallel to the first are two streets, viz.: one crossing at the north end of the lots on the north side, the other crossing at the south end of the lots on the south side, each 16 feet breadth, parallel to the second. East is one alley of 10 feet breadth, one street of 20 feet breadth, dividing the lots of Cox and Hayes; east of all is an alley of 12 feet breadth. West is an alley of 10 feet ; west of all is an alley, as may be seen in the plat.

These figures show an apparent diminution of the population of the town between the years 1850 and 1860, which is accounted for from the fact that the census-taker in 1850 embraced in his return a district which, although obviously as much a part of the town as any other, was not legally within the incorporated limits. It is unquestionably true that the population and business of Hayesville during the last twelve years have been constantly augmenting. This has been particularly the case since the Vermillion Institute, which is the chief source of the prosperity of the town, and which has withstood the shock of the present civil war that has prostrated so many kindred institutions, has been under the charge of Mr. Diefendorf. The town and the institute were never in a more prosperous condition than now.

Hayesville contains 3 churches, 3 resident clergymen, 2 physicians, 1 lawyer, 1 high school, (the Vermillion Institute,) 1 lodge I. O. O. F., 2 hotels, 5 boarding-houses, 3 dry goods stores, 2 clothing stores, 2 boot and shoe stores, 1 drug store, 1 bakery and confectionery, 2 shoe shops, 3 saddle shops, 3 wagon manufactories, 4 blacksmith shops, 1 silversmith, 3 cabinet shops, 2 tanneries, 1 tinsmith and stove store, 2 cooper shops; and 1 barber shop.

The dispensation for this lodge was granted 14th May, 1857, to J. Kinninger, Wm. L. Smith, Wm. G. Galloway, Nicholas McCool, and M. McLaughlin.

The first officers were Joseph Kinninger, N. G.; Wm. L. Smith, V. G.; M. McLaughlin, Rec. Sec.; and W. G. Galloway, Treasurer. The lodge was organized with the five charter members, nine were initiated, and one admitted by card. Total, fifteen.

Churches In Hayesville Old School Presbyterian

The Presbyterian Church in Hayesville was organized in the fall of 1846, and had as the first minister the Rev. Benj. T. Lowe, who preached the half of his time there and the other half in the church of Jeromeville.

The Rev. Wm. W. Colmery became pastor and had charge of the church until the spring of 1850, when Mr. Colmery having taken the Jeromeville church, the Rev. Sanders Diefendorf, Principal of Vermillion Institute, became minister of the Hayesville church. This arrangement lasted until the spring of 1852, when the Rev. Jacob Coon having succeeded Mr. Die- fendorf as principal of the institute, also took his place as stated preacher to the church. In the autumn of 1853 Mr. Coon resigned, and the church was vacant until April, 1854, when the Rev. Mr. Diefehdorf, who had settled in Athens, Ohio, was recalled, and has ever since been their minister. A handsome and substantial house of worship was erected in 1859 nearly on the site of the old building.

United Presbyterian Congregation Of Hayesville

We have not access to the records of the organization of this congregation. The earliest records attainable were made in 1838, at which time Rev. Samuel Hindman was the pastor of the congregation. He became, as we are informed, pastor of the congregation in 1837. A preaching station was recognized here by the Associate Church, perhaps as early as 1832, and the "Associate Congregation of Hayesville" was organized soon after. The members were but few at its first organization, and when Mr. Hindman became their stated pastor, they were able to obtain no more than one-fourth of his ministerial labors - the other three-fourths being divided equally between Mansfield, Iberia, and Savannah. Mr. Hindman's connection with this congregation continued till 1842, when the pastoral relation was dissolved. In the year 1844, Rev. J. L. McLain, having accepted a call from the congregation, was installed as their pastor. His ministerial labors were divided equally between Hayesville and Mansfield. Mr. McLain's connection with the congregation continued for eleven years. Early in the year 1855, upon the mutual request of the pastor and congregation, the relation was dissolved by the Associate Presbytery of Richland, to which the congregation was in subordination. After this the congregation was dependent upon supplies until the autumn of 1856, when Rev. J. Y. Ashenhurst, receiving a call, became their stated pastor. His labors were divided equally between Hayesville and Savannah. In May, 1858, the union being consummated between the Associate and Associate Reformed Churches under the name and title of the United Presbyterian Church of North America, and the Associate Congregation of Hayesville, acceding to the terms of union, became the United Presbyterian Congregation of Hayesville. In December, 1859, upon the petition of the Congregation of Hayesville, the entire la,bors of the pastor were granted to them, thus dissolving the relation between him and the congregation of Savannah. In January, 1860, Mr. Ashenhurst entered upon his labors at Hayesville, as a separate charge - and the congregation, for the first time in their history, obtained the entire ministerial labors of a pastor, which they still continue to enjoy. In 1856, when the present pastor took charge of the congregation, there were about fifty-six members. Since that time about sixty have been admitted to membership; and the decrease by death and removals has been about forty, leaving the present membership about seventy-six. The contributions of the congregation for religious purposes average about eight dollars to each member annually.

Methodist

The society was organized in 1828, at the house of Richard Jackman. -About two years after Hayesville was laid out, the society erected a house for worship 28 by 35 feet, which occupied the site of the present residence of Mr. Craig. The membership at this time amounted to thirty. The clergymen were Rev. H. Sheldon and Rev. S. Renark. Trustees - S. Smith, R. Jackman, John Harman, and W. James.

The present building was erected in 1855. Its size is 38 by 50 feet - valuation $1400. Rev. Mr. Starr and Rev. Mr. Wilcox are the present clergymen, and R. Hill, J. Hill, and W. Seamans are Trustees of the church.

Permanently Established Business Men In

ArmenlrotU A Go., dealers in dry goods, groceries, boots, shoes, hats, and caps. Also manufacturers of mill inery goods and clothing. Northeast corner of North and Main Streets.

Chapter Xi

Mifflin and Mohican. There is no township in the county more rich in antiquarian wealth, or incident relating to its early history, than Green. Dr. J. P. Henderson, of Newville, a fine scholar, and a gentleman of cultivated taste, has a collection of specimens of the ancient race, the accumulations of many years, and gathered from Ohio and other Northwestern States, some of the most valuable of which were obtained from this township. After centuries of undisturbed repose, the disemboweled earth of old Green has yielded up treasures which have enriched the cabinets of students of archaeological science to a greater degree, probably, than any surface of equal extent in the country.

Upon the land of Jesse Parr existed a circular embankment, seven feet in height, inclosing an area of nearly three acres. From a mound, a few rods east of this work, curiously wrought implements of copper and stone were taken. Regarding other of these ancient works near the old Indian village, the reader is referred to the statement of Samuel Graham, which will be found in its proper place.

Much of the surface of Green Township is broken, although its hills and valleys yield rich rewards to the cultivators of its soil, as the agricultural statistics demonstrate.

The Black Fork enters the township from its western border, and flows in a southeasterly course, until it reaches Loudonville, in Hanover Township - traversing a distance of about ten miles. The low banks and sluggish current of this stream render its water privileges of comparatively little value. There are, however, two dams upon it in Green Township. One of these, owned by Mr. Beechley, runs two pairs of burrs and one saw; and the other, formerly known aa the "Stringer Mill," but now owned by Augustus A. Taylor, furnishes water for running three pairs of burrs and one saw. The valley of this stream is generally broad, and not exceeded in fertility by any area of equal extent in this quarter of Ohio.

It will be discovered, by statements elsewhere made, that in the early settlement of the township, Messrs. Coulter, Oliver, Rice, and others built flat-bottomed boats, and freighted them with pork, flour, whisky, etc., and ran them to New Orleans. These boats would average about fifteen feet in width, fifty feet in length, and would carry near twelve hundred pounds.

Upon the Clear Fork, which only runs about a mile through the southwest corner of Green Township, there is one dam, furnishing power for running a grist-mill with three pairs of burrs, and a saw-mill with one saw. These mills are now the property of Thomas W. Calhoun.

Honey Creek originates in the Quaker Springs, near the southeast line of Vermillion Township, and pursues a southwardly course through Green, a distance of about five miles, and terminates in the Black Fork, upon the land recently owned by the lale Abraham Dehaven. Upon this stream there are six saw-mills and one grist-mill.

Union

of Green Township, adjacent to the present town of McKay. The society, about twelve years since, becoming feeble, by reason of deaths and removals, the building and ground were purchased by Christians, in the neighborhood, belonging to various denominations, and it is now open to all creeds who desire its use as a place for worship. The present trustees are Abner Hissen, Jacob Barlett, and Jesse Davis. The building is a frame, and will accommodate with seats about two hundred persons.

Greentown Baptist Church

The building was erected in 1837. It is built of brick; is 35 by 44 feet, and will accommodate with seats a congregation of three hundred and fifty persons.

The town is situated upon the line of the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne, and Chicago Railroad. It contains one church, one forwarding and commission house, two dry goods stores, one tannery, one hotel, one tailor shop, one blacksmith shop, one grocery and provision store, and two physicians.

Presbyterian Church

Rev. William Hughes was licensed as a clergyman of the Old School Presbyterian Church, by the Presbytery of Beaver, on the 24th of June, 1829, and during the same year immigrated to this county. On the 15th of August, 1829, he preached the first sermon in the neighborhood of his present residence, at the house of the late William Taylor, Esq., in Green Township. On the ninth of September following he was appointed by Presbytery as stated supply for the churches at Perrysville and Lake Fork Cross Roads. April 5th, 1830, he was ordained.

The first elders of the church were Thomas Coulter, John Van Horn, and George Crawford - none of whom are now living. The present elders are William D. Ewalt, James Byers, John White, and William Reed; and the deacons are James Coe and William D. Ewalt.

James Byers

James Byers, wife, and child emigrated from Washington County, Pennsylvania, to Green Township, in the spring of 1821. He had two years previously entered the southeast quarter of section 23, and erected thereon a cabin, and made some other improvement. He yet resides upon this land.

Conrad Castor

Conrad Castor emigrated with his wife and son, Tobias Castor, from Pennsylvania, to the place upon which he now resides, in Green Township, in the fall of 1817. He is now seventy-two years of age, and resides upon the land he originally entered - being the southeast quarter of section 22.

The orchard upon this place was commenced by trees transplanted from the nursery of Johnny Appleseed, situated on the John Murphy place, northeast of the farm owned by the late James Rowland,

Although the township had been settled some six years when Mr. Castor removed to it, the country was yet very wild. About four weeks after he removed his family into his cabin, a bear made his appearance within twenty steps of the cabin door. Having no gun, bruin was permitted to leisurely pursue his way.

In September, 1821, Mr. Castor was returning home, toward the close of day, from an examination of some lands in the neighborhood, and, when within about forty rods of a clearing, his attention was called to a crackling sound in advance of him, and following on some distance, discovered it to be a bear and two cubs. When within about twenty steps of the "family," the cubs ascended a tree, and the old bear commenced a rapid advance upon Mr. Castor. Being without a gun, or even a knife of any description, he lost no time in seeking safety by climbing a small tree. He barely made good his escape. The enraged brute would stand erect against the trunk of the tree and gnash her teeth at Mr. Castor, and then lie down, fixing upon him her glaring eyes, and beating the ground heavily with her huge paws. As night was rapidly approaching, he began to feel anxious about his release, and raised his voice for help. His dog was the first to come to his aid ; and the moment the bear saw the dog, she immediately stationed herself at the base of the tree upon which rested her cubs. Mr. Castor instantly availed himself of the opportunity, and sprang from the tree, and was soon at the nearest clearing, belonging to Nathan Wyatt. Here, within a few minutes, a party of four were assembled, properly armed, and, aided by three dogs, set out to capture the bear. The dogs were soon engaged with her, but she made short work with them, striking them with her paw, and causing the strongest among them to reel under her powerful blows, and seek protection, by piteous howls, of their masters. The timber and dense underbrush afforded such concealment of the bear that the efforts of the hunters were baffled, and they returned to their homes, leaving her the victor.

Jonathan Coulter

Jonathan Coulter emigrated from Beaver County, Pennsylvania, to Green Township, in February, 1816. He died in August, 1841, at the age of seventy-three years. Thomas W. Coulter, Esq., now of Perrysville, is the only surviving member of the family now residing in Ashland County.

In the year 1825, a band of outlaws, under the leadership of John Driskel, made their principal abode in Green Township, upon the farm now owned by John Taylor, Esq. They were the terror of the good people of Green and neighborhood, as they had previously been of the inhabitants of Columbiana and Wayne Counties, where they had formerly resided, and where they had committed extensive depredations. While in the first-named county, the elder Driskel had an encounter with one of the Poe family, resulting in the loss of the tip of his nose, which, added to his naturally repulsive features, gave him a marlced and hideous countenance. During his residence in Wayne County, but while the other families connected with the gang, hereafter mentioned, were living in Green Township, he had been sentenced to the penitentiary, and effected his escape. A reward was offered for his recapture and return. His confederates were numerous, and scattered over a large district of territory; but John Driskel, his son Pearson, and his son-in-law Reeson Brawdy, and Aaron Brawdy, were among the most desperate; and they (when not professionally engaged) and their families made their headquarters on the place above mentioned.

Their principal crimes were horse-stealing, incendiarism, and burglaries. They were men of great physical strength and brutal courage, and never omitted an opportunity to exercise these qualities. The boldness and frequency of their depredations had aroused intense indignation among the people of the neighborhood, and organized efforts were made to detect the haunts and effect a capture of the leaders. Among those most active and vigilant in securing this object, were Jonathan Coulter and William Irvin - the former being generally engaged, when one of the gang would be arrested, in prosecuting for the

State, and the latter being constable of the township. The outlaws had offered, alternately, violent threats and large bribes in money to these and other like adversaries to secure their neutrality; but their firm resistance of all corrupt offers to compound felony, and their inflexible determination to either bring the culprits to justice or rid the country of their presence, brought upon them the concentrated malice of the entire gang, and a war of extermination became necessary to the security of life and property in the settlement.

The barns of Coulter and Irvin were fired during the fall of the year 1829 - consuming several horses and large stocks of grain, hay, etc., and requiring all the energies of Mr. Coulter and family to prevent the flames from communicating with their house. Suspicions led to the arrest of Pearson Driskel, who was tried and sentenced to the penitentiary for the crime; although in the progress of his trial it appeared that he was only a particepa criminia - having employed a fellow known as "Crop-eared Brawdy" to accomplish the incendiary work.

Efforts were, some years later, made to arrest the elder Driskel, who, having effected his escape from the penitentiary, had been discovered, one December evening, near dark, by John Kidwell, in Mohican Township, making his way, stealthily, on horseback, through the woods, in the direction of the dwellings of his son and son-in-law. The younger Driskel in the mean time had served his term in the penitentiary, and was at home. Kidwell, anticipating the destination of the old man, immediately set out on foot through the woods to communicate his discoveiy to the immediate neighbors of the outlaws. A force of five resolute men were assembled, and proceeded to the suspected houses, which they reached at a late hour in the night; and a careful reconnoissance of the premises discovered hanging under the portico of young Driskel's cabin a new saddle, which had been described by Kidwell as the one upon the horse which the old man was riding. Being thus persuaded that the fugitive was in the house before them, three of the party, consisting of William Irvin, David Ayres, and Thomas W. Coulter, opened the door and entered. The latter approached the fire-place to stir the live coals, and produce a light in the room. The inmates of the house had, until this, been in a profound slumber; but the movement of Coulter awoke the women, who immediately gave utterance to piercing screams. Their cries at once aroused the old man; and, springing from bed with a bowie-knife in hand, stooped down and also seized his rifle, threatening with death every intruder who did not instantly leave the house. His order was promptly obeyed - the three men retreating and closing the door after them. The old man stormed terribly, and swore that he would not be taken alive - that he would rather be shot down in his tracks than returned to the penitentiary - and that he would sell his life as dearly as possible.

It was a bitter cold night; and the party on the outside, suffering from the inclemency of the weather, determined to bring the scene to a close, and they accordingly announced to the old man that he had five minutes in which to make his election of death or surrender. During this interval, he at several times sought to escape through the door and confront his enemies; but his son, aided by the women, would as often force him back from the door. In one of these efforts, he had thrust his gun and arm through an opening in the doorway, when William Irvin seized the opportunity to deal a heavy blow with a club upon his exposed arm, which for the time paralyzed it. Four of the five men were armed with flint-lock muskets - these being the best fire-arm in common use in those days - and the other had a pistol. Old Driskel was a little ahead of the times. He owned a pick-lock gun - percussion caps were not known in this country then - but old Driskel's nice gun had what were called "percussion grains." These grains were about the size of a pin's head, and the pick striking down on one was what exploded the powder. The old man had his gun raised to fire at Mr. Rice, who was standing in front of the partly open door, when his son Pearson slipped his hand between his gun and the pick, thereby preventing the discharge of the gun, but receiving a wound upon his own hand. He once snapped his gun within four feet of the breast of David Ayres, and the latter aimed a pistol at the body of the culprit, but his weapon also missed fire. The five minutes having expired, the order to fire was given, and the result was four "snaps" and one " flash." Ayres's pistol was a crack one, and in a few minutes its load was accidentally discharged. To obtain a better sight on the old man, the party began to push out the "chinking" between the logs for the purpose of securing port-holes for the muzzles of their guns; when the criminal yielded to the entreaties of bis family, and announced his willingness to surrender. The men then entered the house and secured the limbs of the prisoner with a rope - committed him to the charge of two strong men, brothers, named Peterson, who, on the same morning, left with their charge for Columbus. Arriving at Sunbury, Delaware County, on the first night, the old villain managed to effect his escape - and thus terminated the career, in Ohio, of one of the vilest desperadoes that ever cursed a civilized community. His family and confederates soon joined him in the West, where they pursued their vocation of crime for some years; when old John, his son William, and another of the gang, fell into the hands of a band of " Regulators," in Northern Illinois, and were shot immediately upon their seizure. The body of his youngest son, David, was soon after found hanging upon a tree.

A communication by John Coulter, Esq., published several years since in the Mansfield Herald, contains the following reference to this band and their depredations, and the names of those who had organized to bring them to justice : -

" This gang was also composed of some of the actual settlers as well as others at a distance. The following are some of the depredations which were committed previous to their being detected and routed.

"They commenced first by stealing the horse of William Taylor, Esq., then living on Honey Creek, about three miles east of Perrysville. Next was the stealing of Alexander Rice's Rockingham colt, a very valuable animal; then the breaking open and robbing Mr. Hart's store, on Honey Creek, about three miles south of Hayesville.

" These depredations, committed in succession, alarmed the different neighborhoods, calling into action the services of the ' Black Cane Company.'*

* This company was composed of the most prominent settlers of the different neighborhoods molested by these ruffians. Each member of the company carried with him a black cane made of

"Marshaling their numbers into the field, they started out upon a searching expedition. Information had reached them that the goods stolen from Mr. Hart's store were secreted in a certain elder swamp, about one and a half miles above the village of Perrysville, which swamp was situated near the banks of the Black Fork.

"On receiving the information, the company immediately repaired to the swamp, and after searching it, they returned without meeting with any success.

"In a few days after this, the saddle of John Coulter was stolen, and, as he supposed, in retaliation for assisting in the search of the goods stolen from Mr. Hart.

"On hearing this, Mr. Coulter and Mr. Smith (after being duly authorized) went in pursuit of said goods, overtaking the wagons at Monroeville, and searched them, but without success; and they came to the conclusion that the goods were not there, and returned home.* the wood of crab-apple or black haw, as follows : the bark was peeled off, (the knots being left on,) after which the canes were burned black, and then greased for the purpose of giving them a shining appearance.

The names of the persons composing this company, as far as recollected, are, Captain Thomas Coniter, William Irvin, A. Rice, Isaac Martin, Thomas Martin, David Coniter, C. H. Rice, David Ayres, Charles Tannehill, Lewis Oliver, T. W. Coniter, John Capel, Solomon Gladden, Melzer Tannehill, Jonathan Coniter, James Irvin, Nathan Stearns, Harry Hill, David Hill, Renben Hfll, John Latty, Levi Taylor, John Coulter, Esq., and some others whose names are not now recollected.

"After his return home, Mr. Coulter commenced the collection of several judgments then due on his docket, one of which, amounting to about forty-five dollars, was on one of this notorious clan, who, having considerable business before Mr. Coulter in his official capacity, knew where he (Mr. Coulter) kept the money he thus collected.

"After collecting the money, one evening after his return, a thought occurred to him that his desk might become an object of consideration to this villain and his gang, and that the removal of said deposits to another place might not be unimportant. This was done; the money, excepting about five dollars, was removed. That night his desk was removed from the house into the meadow, about one-fourth of a mile distant, then owned by Dr. Ayres, and rifled of its contents, amounting to five dollars in money, a set of shaving tools, and a penknife, all of which the villians took. By removing the money, Mr. Coulter saved about one hundred dollars.

"About the time that the barns of Jonathan Coulter and William Irvin were fired and burned, a large flatboat, built by Lucius Doolittle, and loaded with three or four hundred barrels of flour, pork, and whisky, was cut loose from its moorings by the same clan of villians, and left to drift at random down the Black Fork of Mohican. Luckily it drifted but a short distance, when it was discovered and made safe.

were then actually in the wagon, bnt confined under a false floor of the bed, and, on entering the wagon, the deception was not disco vered.

Coulter Family

"The Coulter family are known as among the earliest settlers at Perrysville, on the Black Fork. Thomas Coulter (the fjather of John) was born in the State of New York, and moved from thence with his father to the Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania, and was living there at the time of the Wyoming massacre.

"Many years before the Revolution, a colony from Connecticut had commenced a settlement in the valley of Wyoming. About one thousand families had settled in this val!ey up to the time of the Revolution, which event called out a thousand brave youths of noble sires to fight for freedom. In the absence of these, the tories collected several hundred Indians together, who, with horrid yells and fearful imprecations, commenced the work of death and carnage upon the defenseless inhabitants. The old men were murdered, and women and children and babes were all locked up in forts and houses, and destroyed in one awful conflagration. Wyoming was never more called the happy valley. The few who survived the massacre had a bitter lot, and the grave received crushed and broken hearts.

"The father of Tom Jelloway (one of the Greentown Indians) lived at this period in the valley of Wyoming; he was a friendly Indian, and on hearing of the intentions of the savages, he immediately commenced warning the whites of their danger, and among the number saved by his timely warning was the Coulter family. On hearing this news, Mr. Coulter took his family into a canoe, and, under cover of the darkness of the night, made his escape down the creek in,to a fort.

"After the massacre, Mr. Coulter moved his family to Washington County, Pennsylvania, where Thomas volunteered, under General Morgan, to fight the Indians on White River. In this expedition a severe battle was fought and gained, and many Indians taken prisoners.

"After returning from this expedition, Mr. Coulter and his father took a trading excursion down the Ohio. In this expedition, Thomas and his father were attacked with the small-pox. The father died, and was buried in Maysville. The son recovered, settled up his business, and returned home.

"On his return, he fell in company with the notorious Simon Girty,* and having often heard of this bloody white savage, and finding himself in his company, determined to guard himself against surprise.

* This notorious renegade was the son of a notorious drunkard, who had emigrated from Ireland. The old man was beastly intemperate, and nothing ranked higher in his estimation than a jug of whisky. His sottishness turned his wife's affections, and she yielded her heart to another, who knocked Girty on the head, and bore off the trophy of his prowess. Four sons remained behind, Thomas, Simon, George and James. The three latter were taken prisoners in Braddock's war, by the Indians. George was adopted by the Delawares, and died in a drunken fit. James was adopted by the Shawnees, and became a bloody villain. Simon was adopted by the Senecas, and became an expert hunter. In Kentucky and Ohio, he distinguished himself as an unrelenting barbarian. It was his constant wish that he might die in battle. This wish was gratified. He was cut to pieces, by Colonel Johnson's mounted men, at Proctor's defeat.

"Girty and Mr. Coulter had met upon the borders of a dark, long forest, through which they both had to pass, being on their way to the same station.

"On entering the forest, Mr. Coulter sprang behind Girty with his rifle in hand, ready cocked, and commanded him, under the penalty of being shot, to lead the way, and neither move to the right nor left.

"The two strangers were well armed, but Mr. Coulter had gained the advantage of Simon on entering the woods, and thus compelled him to lead the way to the station, where they parted company and never met again.

"Some short time after his arrival at home, (Washington County, Pennsylvania,) Mr. Coulter married Miss Nancy Tannehill, sister of General Tannehill, of Pittsburg, who, during the revolutionary war, served as a captain, and had been engaged in fighting several bloody battles.

"Among the number implicated in this affair was Thomas Coulter, who was taken prisoner by the authorities, and acquitted only on condition of his signing an instrument of writing, in which he, with all others, promised loyalty to the United States laws.

"Shortly after this event, Mr. Coulter immigrated to Washington County, Pennsylvania, when, after remaining a few years there, he made his way into Ohio, about the year 1806, and settled down in Jefferson County, which, although created by proclamation by Governor St. Clair, in 1797, was, nevertheless, as yet a dense wilderness.

"After remaining here a few years, he finally immigrated to and settled down on the Black Fork of Mohican, Richland County, Ohio, (near the present site of Perrysville, Ashland County,) in 1811.

"This region was then a primal wilderness, presenting a scene of wild magnificence. The bottoms were covered with the most luxuriant growth of grass, while the banks of the stream were lined with an almost endless variety of wild flowers and flowering shrubs.

" Mrs. Thomas Coulter had four brothers, who fought in the revolutionary war. She once made a most magnificent cockade, which she intended to present to one of her brothers; but coming under the eye of General Washington, who took a fancy to it, she presented it to him, who, on receiving it, kindly thanked her, in the name of Liberty, for this memento of her respect."

John Coulter

John Coulter was born September 13th, 1790, in Washington County, Pennsylvania. The following is from an article published in the Mamfidd Herald, and was written by himself: -

" I came in company with a young man, the name of Edward Haley, who my father hired to accompany me. We came into Richland County in the fall of 1810, and commenced cutting brush to clear off a spot of land to put up a cabin, on the third day after the second Tuesday of October of that year. We continued to labor for two months, during which time we put up a cabin, (said cabin was afterward converted into a block-house,) grubbed out ten acres of land, and cut and split three thousand rails, and cut the timber all off the lot, set out some fruit trees, and then, during the winter, returned to Island Creek Township, Jefferson County, Ohio; there remained until the 1st of March, 1810. I then, in company with my father and brother Melzer, came out to the cabin we had built the fall before on the bank of the Black Fork of Mohican, now in Green Township, Ashland County, Ohio. From that time until the present, I have been a resident of Richland County, and suppose I have gained my residence in Richland County. John Coulter."

Mr. Coulter was the first coroner of this county, and the first assessor of the eastern half of the county. He was twice elected justice of the peace in Green Township; twice in Washington Township; served twice in the legislature, and once on the State Board of Equalization.

Besides the cabin which he helped to erect for his father, Mr. Coulter aided his companions to put up two others the same fall - one for Mr. Crawford, which was located on the present site of Perry sville, Ashland County, and one for Tannehill, which stood on the land now occupied by his son, Melzer Tannehill.

These cabins wrere in the midst of a dense wilderness and delightful hunting country. The nearest settlement was about three miles distant, and was composed of the following named pioneers: James Cunningham, Henry McCart, Andrew Craig, Samuel Lewis, and David Davis.

celebrated one of their religious festivals in the village of Greentown. This village, as remarked in another chapter, stood upon or near the banks of the Black Fork, and contained about one or two hundred inhabitants.

The festival was held in the council-house, a spacious building, some sixty or seventy feet long. In the center of this building a temporary altar was erected, about eight feet in diameter and some one or two feet high. Upon this altar a large fire was kindled, which burned with a most lurid brilliancy. Around this fire the principal speakers performed their solemn marches, speaking and singing alternately, while the rest of the audience were arranged in rows, two or three deep, around the walls inside the house.

During the performance of these officials, the audience kept up a kind of grunting exercise, accompanied by a variety of gesticulations and singular contortions of the countenance, indicating that the occasion was one of deep and solemn interest, and would also occasionally cast a piece of fresh meat (prepared for the occasion) into the fire, on which a general "pow-toow" would be heard for a few moments.

The costumes of the prominent chiefs were singularly fantastic, being ornamented with various colors, arranged in such a manner as to produce the most striking effect. Deers' hoofs were also attached to their leggings, which produced a rattling noise as they moved around the fire.

Among the number of these officials was the celebrated Captain Pipe, of Jerome ville, who acted a most conspicuous part in the devotions. He was a tall and very graceful chief, somewhat stricken in years. His movements were quick, though bending

"It was evident," says our informant, "that this occasion was one of no ordinary importance, for during the whole exercises a most profound solemnity characterized their devotions, and during some particular parts of their ceremonies the audience were moved to tears."

These ceremonies lasted about two hours, when the occasion was ended by a general shaking of hands, indicating the utmost good feeling among the worshipers. After the ceremonies were over, the Indians, in order to show their respect to the white spectators present, who came to witness the festival, presented each one of them with a piece of the meat which they had prepared for the occasion. Mr. Coulter received a piece of bruin's fat, which, after tasting, he threw away.

Among the persons present on this occasion, the following are recollected, viz.: John Coulter and his sisters, Rachel and Abigail, David Coulter, Harvey Hill, Alexander Rice, and his sister, Elizabeth, (wife of J. Coulter, Esq.,) and Mariah Petty.

James Gladden

James Gladden, with his family, emigrated from Jefferson County, Ohio, to the farm upon which he now resides, in 1826. He is now sixty-eight years of age - sixty-five of which he has spent in Ohio. Mr. Gladden having immigrated to the country at a comparatively late date, there were no incidents regarding his pioneer life, in Green Township, which he regards worthy of relation.

Samuel Graham

Samuel Graham and wife removed to Green Township in October, 1821, and entered the northwest quarter of section 17, upon a part of which he yet resides. He was an emigrant from the State of New York.

Upon the quarter above mentioned, there was a circular embankment, embracing about half an acre of ground. The embankment was about five feet in height, forming a regular circle, with the exception that it had been broken on the west side by what appeared to have been a gateway. This supposed gateway was about twelve feet in width. The embankment, as well as the interior space, was covered with a heavy growth of timber. In the center of the circle was a mound of irregular sides, the center of which rose about three and a half feet above the natural surface of the ground. Excavations were made in this mound to the depth of about nine feet, which appeared to be the distance of the artificial work. No other relics than wood, coal, and a substance resembling feathers, were found. These were discovered near the lowest depth. The latter substance rapidly decomposed on exposure to the air. This ancient work was about half a mile northeast of the old Indian Greentown.

Another similar embankment, but near twice the height of the one above described, was situated about half a mile east of Greentown. It inclosed near an acre of ground, but had no mound within the inclosure. The plow has nearly obliterated these ancient works, though their outlines can yet be traced.

Calvin Hill

Calvin Hill, an emigrant from Vermont, purchased, in November, 1811, the land in Green Township, which subsequently became his homestead for many years. This farm is now the property of G. W. Carey, Esq. His nearest neighbors were Captain Ebenezer Rice, (father of Alexander Rice, who lived on the place now occupied by the latter;) Joseph Jones, (who owned the farm upon which now resides John Taylor;) Judge Thomas Coulter, (who lived upon the quarter directly south of Charles Tannehill;) Lewis Hill, (who resided immediately below what is now the town of Perrysville;) Solomon Hill, (who resided immediately above said town;) Moses Adzit, son-in-law of Solomon Hill, (and who resided upon the place of his father-in-law;) Melzer Tannehill, (whose farm adjoined Judge Coulter's on the east;) Lewis Oliver, (whose farm was directly east of Charles Tannehill;) and Jeremiah Conine, (whose farm was east of Melzer Tannehill's;) Sylvester Fisher, (whose land joined Mr. Rice's on the northwest;) - these were the neighbors of Mr. Hill.

Andrew Humphrey

Andrew Humphrey removed with his family, consisting of his wife and four children, to Green Township, in the year 1824. He emigrated from Champaign County, Ohio. The previous year he had purchased the half section now owned and occupied by his son, William Humphrey. He died in 1850, at the age of sixty. William and John Humphrey, both residing in Green Township, are the only surviving members of the family. The north part of the township, when1 Mr. Humphrey removed to it, was an unbroken wilderness - no house between him and Mohicanville and Hayesville, and only one or two between him and Perrysville.

William Hunter

William Hunter, an emigrant from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, removed with his family, consisting of his wife and eight children, to Green Township, in March, 1818, and commenced improvement upon the north half of section 26. He originally emigrated from Ireland, and was an officer in the Federal service against the insurgents in the "whisky insurrection."

He died on the 17th of January, 1819, at the age of forty-seven. He had been to the mill at Newville, and on his return his family discovered, from an unusual appearance in his features, that he was ill. He remarked to his family, " Faith, childers, I believe I am poisoned," and laid himself down before the broad fireplace, so close to the embers on the hearth that his feet were partly imbedded in the warm ashes. His trembling limbs created a great dust, which, added to his chattering teeth, despite their warm sympathy for their father's affliction, provoked mirth from the little ones. This demonstration so annoyed the sufferer, that he raised himself up, and demanded to know whether they had " no better manners than to laugh at the miseries of a dying man," and made an effort to give the children "a brush." His attack proved to be a hard ague chill - the first of which he or his family had any experience - and which, in about three months, resulted in his death.

About two years after the death of the elder Mr. Hunter, his widow died, leaving a family of nine orphan children - the eldest boy being between sixteen and seventeen years of age, and the youngest only fourteen months. This young family, in a new and wild country, struggled with the privations that beset them, and remained together (with the exception of two sisters, who married) until David, the senior brother, attained the age of twenty-seven years. On the third morning after the death of the widow, the youngest child rose, and, approaching the bed formerly occupied by his mother, called upon her in piteous terms to receive him - an incident which opened afresh the fountains of grief in the elder members of the family.

Some years after the death of his parents, David Hunter, on his way to Mansfield to pay his tax, met, for the first time, with Johnny Appleseed. The two sat down upon a log and engaged in conversation - Hunter dividing with his new acquaintance the few cakes he had taken with him to sustain himself on his journey. Johnny inquired into the circumstances of Hunter's family, where he lived, etc., and receiving answers, advised the young man that he should not delay in obtaining and transplanting trees for an orchard. Hunter stated that he was too poor to pay for the trees. His new friend rejoined that he could supply him with fifty or sixty trees, and that as to the question of pay, it was a matter of no moment whether they were ever paid for. He then told Hun- ter to call upon his brother-in-law, William Broom, (who lived upon the farm now owned by William Cowan/ Esq.,) and obtain the trees. He did so, and from this beginning, has made additions until now he has orchards numbering over six hundred fruit trees.

About fifteen years since, in plowing a field below a depth that a plow had ever before reached, some bones of a skeleton, in a good state of preservation, were exposed, and, upon further examination, all the principal bones were found. Among other relics found near the skeleton was a skillfully-wrought and highly-polished stone hatchet, in exact imitation of the most perfectly-formed modem instrument of that name, including the eye for the handle. The arts that belong to our present civilization could not produce a more perfect specimen than this.

The first wheat raised upon the place, which was the second year after the family settled upon it, was a remarkably fine crop. As the family had been without wheat flour since their residence in the country, Mr. Hunter lost no time in threshing six or seven bushels, and taking it to the mill at Newville for manufacture into flour. The flour had every appearance of being of the best quality. On returning home, the children could not wait the ordinary process of baking bread, and Mrs. Hunter immediately commenced preparations for baking "slim cakes." The family were soon engaged in partaking heartily of the cakes; and their meal being finished, the faithful dogs also were were not neglected. Within from five to ten minutes after supper was concluded, one of the family became suddenly seized with an attack of what was termed " water brash," which was soon followed by violent and painful vomiting. Soon the whole family, and finally the dogs, were similarly attacked. Not attributing the cause to the cakes of which they had eaten - for they had yet learned nothing of " sick wheat" - the family again, after they had recovered of their illness, which was brief, partook of the cakes, and the same results followed. Subsequently, hogs were fed of this wheat. They eagerly ate of it, and its effects was to make even "hogs tomit." Chickens were also affected by it. The only animals whose stomach could endure it, were cattle, sheep, and other ruminating beasts.

At the raising of Alexander Skinner's mill, on the Black Fork, half a mile above Loudonville, a Mr. Green, who had been attending the raising, applied at the house of Hunter for some food. He had been partaking rather freely of liquor. There was bread in the house, made of the flour of this "sick wheat," which David offered him, with a cup of milk. Within a few minutes after partaking of this food, and having withdrawn his chair from the table, the saliva commenced accumulating rapidly in his mouth. He was resting his face upon his hand, and soon his rebellious stomach involuntarily deposited most of its contents into the broad sleeve of his hunting shirt; which, in the position of his hand and arm, was in a good situation to receive it. He attributed his illness exclusively to the liquor, and after his stomach recovered from the effects of its sickness, and as it was now more empty than before he had partaken of the food, he called for more bread and milk. David, whose love of fun was equal to his hospitality, readily complied with the request of the hungry man, and again supplied him with bread and milk. Soon another misfortune, even worse than the first, occurred to him. When the paroxysm was over, he gave it as his solemn opinion, that the liquor he had drank had ruined the coats of his stomach - advised the boys to take warning of him, and never drink liquor - thanked them for their kindness, and took his leave.

William Irvin

William Irvin 'immigrated to Montgomery Township, Eichland County, from Mt. Yernon, in 1815, and in the year following purchased eighty acres of the southeast quarter of section 20, Green Township, upon which land he yet resides.

Moses Jones

Moses Jones, with his family, settled in Green Township, on the farm now owned by John Taylor, Esq., in August, 1815. He died in 1856, at the age of seventy-eight. Joseph Jones is the only survivor of his family resident in Green Township.

Thomas Johnston

Thomas Johnston emigrated from Pennsylvania, in March, 1828, and made his first purchase in section 9, Green Township, a tract originally entered by John Murphy. Mr. Johnston, at present, is the owner and occupant of section 33, southeast quarter, Vermillion Township, a tract which he purchased, within a few years past, of his father-in-law, Mr. Joseph Workman.

Peter Kinney

Peter Kinney, formerly a resident of Columbiana County, entered, in April, 1810, the land upon which the families of Thomas W. Calhoun and Elias Groff now reside. He made some improvement, but never removed his family to this land, having made another purchase in the adjoining Township of Monroe, to which he removed his family on the 7th of July, 1819. He subsequently removed to Illinois, where he died in 1833, at the age of fifty-two.

Abraham Baughman and John Davis had preceded him to Green Township, but what length of time is not known to Mrs. James Irvin, (daughter of Mr. Kinney,) who communicates this memoranda. Mr. Davis was a widower, and had been a revolutionary soldier, and, some years subsequent to his settlement in the township, was found dead on the roadside, above Chillicothe, to which place he had been to draw his pension.

When Captain Douglas, of Mt. Vernon, with his command, visited Greentown for the purpose of removing the Indian inhabitants, a party of Indians, on the night of the day that Douglas made his appearance in their town, came to the house of Mr. Kinney, and stated to him their troubles, and asked him to intercede for them, and permit them to remain at their homes. He accompanied them on their return; had an interview with Captain Douglas, and remonstrated with him on the injustice and impolicy of removing the Indians from their town, since they had agreed to give up all their arms, and have the roll of the men called twice a day. So confident was Mr. Kinney that evil to the white settlers would result from their removal, and so earnest did he become in his protest against the folly, that the captain drew his sword upon him, and might have committed violence, had he not been for the moment surrounded by the anxious and indignant Indians. It is doubtless true that, had Mr. Kinney's counsels prevailed, the massacre upon the Black Fork would not have occurred.

It was a command under Colonel Robert Crooks, of Pennsylvania, that burned the buildings in Greentown a few days after the removal of the Indians.

William Mcnaull

William McNaull immigrated to Montgomery Township in June, 1815, and in 1828 removed to Perrysville, and engaged in the mercantile business, in which he continued until 1856 - a period of twenty-eight consecutive years. He is the oldest merchant in the county, and has lost by " the credit system" an amount sufficient to secure a life-long competence to the poorest family in the county.

John Neptune

John Neptune, an emigrant from Maryland, removed to Wooster in 1819, and in 1824 purchased the farm in Hanover Township, now owned by John Sneer. In 1831 he purchased and removed to the farm upon which himself and family have since resided, in Green Township.

Allen Oliver

1810. In the preceding June, he entered the southwest quarter of section 28, Green Township; and in February, 1811, removed his family to a half-faced cabin, without a roof, upon this land. During the first night the family lodged in their roofless house, the snow fell to the depth of ten or twelve inches.

His family at this time consisted of his wife and sons, John, Daniel, and Lewis, and four daughters. Daniel and Lewis - the latter residing upon the old homestead - Mrs. Sarah Tannehill and Mrs. Elizabeth McMahan are the only survivors of the family of Mr. Oliver now residing in Green Township. His own death occurred on the 28th of September, 1823, in the sixty-fifth year of his age.

Johnny, from more respect to his sense of right than law, would join parties who were employed in work upon the public roads. On one occasion, while thus engaged near the Jones prairie, in Green Township, a yellow jacket's nest became disturbed, and one of the insects found its way under his pants; and although it inflicted repeated stings, he gently and quietly forced it downward by pressing his pants above it. His comrades, much amused at his gentleness under such circumstances, inquired why he did not kill it? To which he replied that "it would not be right take the life of the poor thing, as it was only obeying the instinct of its nature, and did not intend to hurt him."

and freighted it, partly at the place of Mr. Oliver and partly at the Loudonville mills, with wheat, flour, lumber, pork, chickens, and whisky, and safely navigated their craft and its burden to New Orleans. At that place, not finding a market for their wheat and pork, they reshipped those portions of their cargo to Richmond, Virginia. From the latter place, they traveled homeward, on foot.

William Reed removed, with his wife, to Green Township, in April, 1829 - his father having previously entered for him the northeast quarter of section 11 - being the same tract which he improved, and upon which he has since resided. Mr. Reed was an emigrant from Washington County, Pennsylvania.

Ebenezer Rice

Captain Ebenezer Rice and family immigrated to Green Township, in February, 1811. He had emigrated from Essex County, New York. In August, 1811, he removed his family to the northwest quarter of section 29, which tract he had entered in November, 1810.

Mr. Rice's family were the thirty-ninth which settled in Richland County, and the fifth in Green Township. He died in 1821, in the forty-ninth year of his age.

Alexander Rice occupies the farm originally entered and improved by his father, and is the only son of Ebenezer Rice now residing within Ashland County.

Abigail Underwood Rice. Samuel was the son of Gershom, who was the son of Ephraim, who was the son of Thomas, who was the son of Edmund and Tamazine Rice, who emigrated from Barkhamstead, England, in 1638, and lived and died in Sudbury, Massachusetts. The old homestead, on the hanks of the Sudbury River, with its beautiful spring and its broad meadows, is still in the possession of the Rice family.

" Any way to make money to pay taxes, and have a little something to trade on," thought the poor pioneer; and no better way was there than to make whisky. And here, in early days, among the sylvan shades of wild and beautiful Green Township, were no less than eight distilleries. A staunch, buzzing, seething, chattering, peerless one, was that which stood on the green slope just a few rods above Green town meetinghouse: old, old settlers will tell you now, with a sneaking, fun-loving twinkle in the half averted eye, "it made most delicious whisky." But, alas! for the curse! poor men hung around it, willing to chop wood, empty slops, or do any dirty jobs, for all they could drink while they worked. Another distillery was near where Warring Wolf now lives, a mile or so below McKay; another on the Co wen farm; another on the Van Horn estate; one on the Vanscoyoe farm; another on Richard Guthrie's; another on Jesse Parr's; and the last one we can remember, near the old Manner mill, on the Clear Fork. Thank God! they are all gone now ! The sweet autumn airs play over the green, grassy places where once rose their snaky hisses and their pestilential breathings, and the brooks and hillside springs and gushing fountains, that were once so wickedly perverted to base uses, now sin no more. Where stood the distilleries with the cavernous hole dug under them, are now fields or woodland pastures, with only a green hollow, or dimple, left to tell the tale. But, my oh ! how handy it was to have something to bought a horse of old Billy Rag Bag, and gave fortyfive gallons of whisky; great, big, good horse, nothing the matter at all with him; not shoulder-stove, or spavined, or ailing at all. And the Rag Bag family lived gloriously, superbly, for a whole month or twohad egg-nog to drink three times a day, and a good swig all round before they went to bed at night, and had their pumpkin sauce seasoned with whisky, and their corn bread; and then it was excellent to take the wild, woodsy taste off the spring water in those early times, when the very sunshine would not penetrate through the dense, leafy screen that curtained in their hill-side springs !

And this fine young horse that the wealthy Miss Skimmens drives so beautifully every day, her veil and ribbons all a flutter after her, and her dainty gloved hands toying so charmingly with the scarlet lines! Fine horse, that - carries his head like a Napoleon! Well, his great-great-grandam only cost sixty gallons of whisky, and grandpa carried it home himself, in pails and such like. Boggs wouldn't let him have the big barrel in the bargain. Boggs was close in a deal - Young America would call him cussed stingy.

In the year 1809, Judge Thomas Coulter was going down the river, from Jefferson County, Ohio, with a boat load of flour, pork, and whisky, when a man, who owned a large tract of land on which Cincinnati now stands, hailed him, and was very anxious to make a trade with him - let him have his land for the contents of his boat. The judge didn't like such mighty rough, broken land, and, after talking a few minutes, went on his way to New Orleans. . That was a common way then, among enterprising men, to make a good stout boat, and take provisions down to New Orleans, unless they sold out before they got there.

In early days all the salt the pioneers could obtain was brought from Zanesville, on horseback, subsequently in boats. Neighbors often borrowed pints or teacupsful, and then used it very sparingly, it was so precious. Mush was almost intolerable without salt. The old pioneer mothers tell us now that stewed pumpkin was eaten three times a day, and was considered a staple, or as much of a necessity as potatoes are now. A young married couple, who commenced housekeeping in a bare log cabin, with a straw bed, an axe, and a borrowed dinner pot - no teakettle or spider or other ironware, save this memorable pot - the first winter dried one hundred large pumpkins for their own family use; for, as she says now, "we wanted to busy ourselves at some kind of employment in the long evenings." The following summer, she taught school at home - had a few scholars, some of them great slab-sided young men, who couldn't tell how many months there were in a year. The cheery, sweet little wife would have to stand tip-toe beside them, and used to get so tickled at their funny answers. Not as school ma'ams do now did she when school was out - draw her pay and buy something new. Oh, no! their parents paid in spinning and weaving, and in helping John clear and grub in the sturdy wild wood. Sheep were very scarce, but the good wives managed to get up an occasional homespun coat for the husbands to wear to meeting. They dyed the cloth brown with butternut bark, or, in better days, blue, with a dye made of chamber lye and indigo. The dear little dye tub had to stand in the warmest corner; it held as honorable place then as my lady's trim little workstand does now in the family sitting-room. The dye tub had a tolerably close cover, and was used to sit on altogether. We have frequently heard a story about a young man in those days, in Green Township, going sparking Sunday night, and, while he stayed, he occupied the honorable seat above named. The cover got shoved aside a little, and the skirts of his light-drab coat slipped down into the blue element. And there he sat, like a beaver soaking his tail, and the skirts were dyed a pretty blue. We never believed this, but it made a capital thing for the girls in those olden times to titter about, at quiltings and corn-huskings and frolics, and "after meeting was out." They had pretty girls in those days - we love to ask the old fellows about 'em now, and hear the invariable answer, "she was like a steel-trap;" or, "her eyes were like a wild deer's;" or, "her cheeks were like red roses;" or, "she'd a complexion like a china radish;" and, again, "oh! she could ride like the winds; manage any critter you ever saw; go so fast she'd leave no shadow at all." Once in awhile, in those days, a girl had a nice dress - or short gown, it was called - made out of mama's gray cloak, or crimson camlet, that had passed through

For the first few years the pioneers had to eat com bread and mush altogether, except on Sunday mornings, when the whole family would be treated to short cake for breakfast. The poor little children did love that holy day so, for the short cake was delicious. Then, on that morning, the mother indulged in a cup of tea; real store tea, that smelt of dear old New England or New York; and we'll warrant, the hot tears often coursed down those dear old care-worn faces as they sipped little tastes, and tried to make it taste longer and get all the good of it. Folks had to have pills then as well as now, and, as there were no pill venders with their boxes or one-horse wagons perambulating the country, they manufactured their own. They boiled butternut bark down to a thick syrup, thickened it with meal or Hour, and made it out into pills ; and every well-to-do family kept a supply. In peeling off the bark from the trees, be sure it had to be stripped doumtcard, or it wouldn't physic. The leaves of the boneset stripped off, upward, were dried, and saved among the valuable medicines for an emetic.

Naughty pride would creep in among the young men even then ; and do let me tell an incident that afforded me a good laugh. It was in the long, long ago, about 1816, an indulgent father told his two boys, who were, perhaps, eighteen and twenty, that because they had been so good to work and help bring up the younger brothers and sisters, they might have a fine seven-acre field to put out in tobacco, and they might have the proceeds all themselves. The great strapping good fellows thought they bad the best father in the world. They raised a fine crop, took special care of it, and sold it. Well, but how to lay out the money to best advantage troubled them a good deal. At last they decided to buy hats, and went off and bought each a great, long, funy stovepipe hat, just exactly like the preacher toore. Oh! they were the happiest boys; went to meeting regular, and wore the hats every time, unless the weather was bad or the clouds looked lowering and suspicious; then they left them safe up in the loft, in the "chist." Both went to see the rosiest girls they knew, and both were married in less than a year, and to-day they are rich old farmers, trotting their grandchildren on their knees; and all this came of wearing such monstrous, fine, furry, unexceptionable hats !

Good Methodist preachers used to be very common in early days, real talented men too. One of them, though, in his moments of thoughtless excitement) used to swear - real, wicked, bad swearing - and, on being reprimanded once, he replied, " My dear brother, it's not swearing; it is a kind of a rough way I have of praying when I am excited !"

Some of the industrious, busy mothers, in those perilous and hard times, never took time to comb their little children's heads only once a week, and that was on Sunday morning before church. After this performance was over, each child had to take a spoonful of bitter cordial, made of aloes and other stuff, to keep off ague and sickness, and keep the stomach in healthy order. Little ones dreaded this as much as they liked the morning that brought the delicious offset, the short cake.

stick them over the cabin door, and giggle, and watch what young fellow would pass under first. Had lots of fun. Then they would press the leaves of the rue on the bare arms, and wish, and if it left a red impress, the wish was sure to come true - never failed. In milking a young cow, for the first time, sometimes they would milk in a big washing tub, or some large vessel - it was a sure sign she'd be an abundant milker; any woman was silly who would milk first in a small pail or tin cup.

The country in those early days was more beautiful than any pen can describe. The valley of the Black Fork was very densely covered with a low, matted growth of small timber, while, close to the creek, the ground was rankly covered with long grass, and the interlacing vines of the wild morning-glory, plumy willows, and the dark, thick growth of alder. The Hills were crowned with giant oaks, and the fragrant winds were healthful as the breezes of the ocean. Wild game abounded, even great ferocious wild hogs, with their foamy, white tushes gleaming out and looking frightful. Captain Rice got his neighbors and all their dogs to help him catch one once. It took a sty as stout as the hills and the rocks to hold him captive.

The first school taught in Green Township, that we know of, was taught by Betsey Coulter - a little accommodating neighborly affair, in her own house, in the summer of 1814. The next summer, poor old William Maxwell Adolphus Johnson taught in his own house. He was a Scotchman, a man of some talent and good education. The following winter, Asa Brown, a shrewd Yankee, taught in the new school-house. It was built near the center of the town, on the south side of what is now Esq. Cowen's farm. It had a good, stout puncheon floor, wide fireplace, a log left out at each side of the house, and the aperture covered with greased paper, for windows.

The Oliver boys "stalled the master" that winter, in the rule of three, but Judge Coulter helped him out of the scrape creditably. Oh ! what good times they did have that first winter at school ! Only yesterday, we heard one of the boys and one of the girls laughing heartily over fun of running races and snowballing and playing tricks on the master! Though the boy is now hale and hearty, and on the shady side of seventy, and the girl a little younger, their laughter was cheery and ringing, instead of cracked and tremulous. ' Before that winter's school was fairly closed, the master went into the dry goods business. His entire stock was bought in Zanesville, and brought up the river and tributary creeks, and safely landed at Perrysville, in a boat of his own making. He lived on the old Esq. Taylor farm, now owned by Hiram Cake. One of his children thrust a burning stick into some powder ; the house was partly demolished, and two of his children killed. The explosion was felt for a great distance, and heard in Vermillion Township, ten miles distant.

At an early day, John Coulter and Captain Rice took the job of cutting a road from Ashland to Mansfield. They contracted to cut ten miles for ninety dollars, and the place of beginning was specified then as the Trickle farm. The Trickle family had left their poor little home on account of the Indiana, and gone to Wooster for safety. The father of the family died the day the men commenced their job of cutting.

After the roads were cut, or laid out through the woods ready to work on, Philip Seymour was made one of the first supervisors. His district extended from Perrysville up the Mansfield road, almost to Lucas. One time when they were laboring on the road and felling trees on the Mohawk Hill, one fell aslant and broke one of Richard Conine's legs. The men made a comfortable resting-place for him against a tree, and then started John Oliver off to borrow Peter Kinney's old gray mare to carry Dicky home. John had five miles to walk through the woods; it was growing late when he returned, and Dicky suffered extremely. His father rode and took him .on behind, and there he was all that weary ride of rough miles, his leg dangling and the broken bones grating together and paining him intensely. Solomon Hill and Judge Coulter attended to the binding up and splintering and fixing his poor limb that night, as the family were in poor circumstances, and no doctor .nearer than Mt. Vernon. It was many weeks before Richard could get around, and as soon as he could walk, he limped out on crutches to look at the young pigs in the pen, and before he got back to the house, he slipped and fell and broke it over again ; and then the two men were sent for, and the dreadful performance unskillfully gone through with another time. Then, before he wholly recovered, the settlers had to flee to the block-house for safety from the Indians ; and there, within its dreary, lonesome walls, Dicky's young mother died, with no physician near to save or help; none but hardy and sympathizing men and weeping and pitying neighbor women. How these little life-incidents will run on into stories; one leads into another and another, and we hardly know where to stop or how to close ! What a web of history is even the incidents of pioneer times in one township! And what fun those stalwart, handsome, sunburnt young fellows, clad in buckskin, did have ! How they did love the free, wild wood, and the cheerful-looking clearings, with their burning brush heaps and piles of logs lying promiscuously every way, and the green framing-in of woodland that shut out everything from sight except the spanning of blue sky ! Those were glorious old times, indeed, and no wonder that weary, sluggish old pulses leap as with the vigorous life of childhood, now when they, old friends, meet together and live those times over again, as they sit in the shade of their own vines and roof-trees. They did have the jolliest singing schools and spelling schools and log-rollings and raisings of barns and double log houses. And then, at elections and trainings, sometimes some of the old fellows would drink a little too much, and they would have such laughable fights, and the younger ones would be so tickled at the "dog falls" and the aimless blows at the head that wouldn't tell on the head at all, and the great earnest grips that would bring the tow shirt with them, and the tumbling over, and the too drunk to make a raise again, and the lying on the ground, and the feeble pecking at each other's heads, blows that a suckling baby would almost take as caresses I We often hear the dear old boys laughing heartily over these merry recollections. And we hear them tell, too, of deaf old Aston. A crowd of them would gather in the old man's shop, and some of them would say real saucy things right to his face, and swear at him, and call him bad names, and make an immense sight of fun for the rest, who would be in convulsions of laughter, and the poor old man wouldn't hear a word they'd say. Once in awhile they would make some pleasant remark to him to keep him in good humor, and from suspicion.

And then, one time, some of the young men went, after night, away up toward Hayesville, to search for a thief. They suspected him to be hidden in his house, and they all lay down slyly close up to the outside wall of the big fireplace, where they could peep in. Nobody was to be seen inside the house except the man's wife and an old gal, who was living with them. There sat the two women, right before the fire, knitting, and both talking busily enough, never dreaming that a dozen ears heard every word they said. The boys could hardly keep from laughing, and one giggling fellow had to go off a little distance, occasionally, to laugh it out. After awhile they got to passing the bottle around - must have something to drink to keep them warm ; and the funniest part was that the two women smelt whisky, and sniffed up their noses and wondered what it was, and kept sniffing and wondering until after they had gone to bed.

The thief did not make his appearance that night, but a few weeks afterward the boys searched again, and found him under the floor, and made him crawl out, and they took him.

Histo&Y Of Ashland County

handsome man, by the name of Gerry.* For awhile he made his home in Green Township. He was wedded to an accomplished Irish lady. The gambling saloons of our cities know not a more successful and scheming rascal, and yet over all he dared to wear the "livery of Heaven." His eloquence was of a masterly style, and he won the hearts of all his hearers, while he held in his power even those who doubted his sincerity and godliness. His bearing was fascinating and faultless, and his polite demeanor was winning in the extreme. Of his superior rascality, two instances I remember to have heard from those interested.

He had borrowed a hundred dollars "of David Coulter, a son of Judge Coulter, and had not paid it back at the time specified. He had removed to some city distant from here, and Mr. Coulter, growing tired of his promises to pay, started off in a rage, swearing he wouldn't come home until he had received his money. It was Saturday night when he arrived there, and he sallied out the next morning in anything but a good humor. People were thronging the streets on their way to church, and, as Coulter was walking along, moodily, with his head down, a manly but silky-toned voice said: "My dear Coulter, how happy I am to see you! I am to preach at ten ; come with me, please." It was Gerry, who drew Coulter's arm within his own, saying blandly, "I wish to speak with you, privately, after service and he took him right along with' him.

A few days after, Mr. Coulter came home, looking very serious, and, when his jolly chums inquired his success, he told them that he went and heard Gerry preach, and the beautiful sermon, so wonderful in its touching eloquence, made him feel that he could well afford to give Gerry one hundred dollars.

The text was, "Love one another " and Coulter said it affected him to tears, and he felt mean and guilty, and thought he wasn't good enough to receive money from Gerry's hands, and that, as soon as service was over, he sneaked out and hurried away, for fear Gerry would see him. So great is the magical power of eloquence !

Gerry was one time riding in a carriage, going to fulfill an appointment, when he came to where some laborers were working on the roads, in the western part of Green Township. They were fixing a crossing, and the carriage could not be driven over very well, and Gerry got out and led the horse, while the men got the carriage safely across. Gerry, with his usual politeness, took off his hat, and, bowing, thanked them very nicely, and, to add a flourish probably, went to pull his handkerchief out of his coat pocket, when out came a loose pack of cards, flying hither and thither all over the road !

Not at all discomposed, he smiled sweetly, and said in his silkiest tones: "It is not very creditable, gentlemen, to find such things in a minister's keeping. I had no idea these were the contents of a little package that your neighbor B.'s children were sending to some of their little friends - ha! ha!" and he laughed heartily; while the honest men, believing his glowing words, gathered up the little tell-tales, brushed off the dust, and returned them to his pocket.

Simon Rowland

1812, when about seventeen years of age. Several years later, he married Sarah, daughter of Calvin Hill, and purchased the farm in Green Township, now owned by John Maurer, which place he occupied until the time of his death, which occurred in December, 1838; and his widow died on the 17th day of March, 1859.

Charles And Bazel Tannehill

Charles and Bazel Tannehill, in October, 1810, commenced improvement on the northwest quarter of section 33, Green Township. They had, the month previous, entered the above described quarter, together with the southeast quarter of section 29, (which was subsequently improved by Charles Tannehill, and upon which he at present resides.) They were emigrants from Jefferson County, Ohio.

The family of Abraham Baughman was the only one residing in the township when Messrs. Tannehill commenced their improvement. This place became afterward known as "the Guthrie farm," and is now occupied by John Castor. There was also an unmarried man, named John Davis, keeping "bachelor's hall" upon the farm now owned by William Irvin, being the southwest quarter of section 30. In the fall of 1811, Melzer Tannehill, Sen., (father of Charles and Bazel,) removed his family to Green Township.

Melzer Tannehill, Sen., of Green Township, James McClure, of Belleville, and Samuel Watson, of Lexington, were the first Commissioners of Richland

County, elected in 1813. Mr. Tannehill, in 1812, had been elected assessor for Knox County, (Green then being one of the townships of that county.) He was also among the first justices of the peace of Green Township.

Directly after Hull's surrender, at Detroit, the public necessities were supposed to demand immediate additions to the military force for the purpose of resisting anticipated Indian invasions of Ohio. Charles Tannehill responded to the call for volunteers, and enlisted for a term of forty days,' under the command of Major Kratzer, of Mt. Vernon. A body of troops, himself among them, were out on a scouting expedition, and in the vicinity of the present town of New Haven, Huron County, discovered a vacated encampment, which had the appearance of having been a few hours previously occupied by the Indians. On Saturday night, the white and Indian encampments were not separated by a distance exceeding a mile; although this fact was not discovered by our troops until Sunday evening, which gave the enemy a day's advance of us. Early on Monday morning, the troops pushed forward on the Indians' trail, and on that evening reached the place where the town of Ganges now stands; On Tuesday morning, (the day Copus was killed,) a party of five, including Mr. Tannehill, were sent to the relief of the settlers on the Black Fork, as it was supposed the Indians contemplated an attack upon that settlement. They were led to this conclusion, from their knowledge that Seymour and Ruffner had been killed a few days previously. Arriving near the Ruflner place, they met the remaining troops, (seten in number,) who had been engaged in the battle at Copus's, having in charge the surviving members of the Copus family. These troops had also, since the battle, been joined by about one hundred others belonging to the same command, (that of Major Krebs, of Tuscarawas County.) The united force on that night encamped in the vicinity of the Copus cabin, and, on the next morning, Mr. Tannehill and party took leave of the Tuscarawas militia, and pursued their way to the deserted village of Greentown. Near that place, at the cabin of Abraham Baughman, (which was also found deserted,) Mr. Tannehill separated from his companions and continued his way homeward. Near Perrysville, he overtook John Coulter and Harvey Hill, who were urging forward some cattle at, "double quick," and from whom he learned that the settlement had heard the tidings of the last battle, and that they formed the rear guard of the settlers who were fleeing to Samuel Lewis's block-house, on the Clear Fork.

On the day following, the men returned and erected a block-house on the place of Thomas Coulter, which afforded security for a greater portion of the Black Fork settlement of Green Township during the remainder of the war.

From the date of the first settlement of the township until about 1816, the wants of new immigrants created a good demand and good prices for all the surplus produce the farmer could raise; but in the year above mentioned, a surplus beyond the wants of the settlement was produced, and prices fell to a very low figure. This made it peculiarly hard upon the first settlers who had leased Virginia Military District School lands, as the interest on their purchases fell due about this time. Corn, which had in the previous years since the first settlement, found ready sale at seventy-five cents per bushel, could not be sold at any price; and wheat, which had formerly sold for $1.25 per bushel, and even higher, was now reduced to 37 i and even 25 cents per bushel. Five bushels of wheat were exchanged by Mr. Tannehill for one bushel of salt. The first market was at Portland, or Sandusky City. The first trip which Mr. Tannehill made, in 1819, occupied ten days.

Melzer Tannehill, Sen., died in April, 1851, at the age of eighty-five and three-quarter years. Charles and Melzer Tannehill, Jun., are the only survivors of the family that originally immigrated now residing in the county.

Melzer Tannehill, Jun., immigrated with his father's family to Green Township, in September, 1811, and is now the owner and occupant of the original homestead of the family. He was a boy ten years of age when he came to the township.

Mr. Tannehill is of opinion that Green Township, in 1810, embraced what is now Hanover, in Ashland County, Monroe and Worthington, in Richland County, and Brown, Jefferson, and probably other townships, in Knox County. The territory thus organized, he believes, derived its name from the old Indian Greentown, and when the territory finally became subdivided into civil townships conforming to the United States surveys, the old town, falling within the limits of the present township, retained the original name.

In October, 1813, after all apprehension of Indian attacks had subsided, and the families in the neighborhood had withdrawn from the forts and returned to their homes, a corps of soldiers, who had been stationed at Lewis's block-house, of which the old soldier, John Davis, had also been an inmate, concluded to test the courage of the old man. Accordingly, about daybreak, they approached within a short distance of his cabin, and discharged their guns. The old man, however, was not driven from his propriety, and exhibited no symptoms of fright. But the consequences of the joke did not end here. Lieutenant Winteringer, of Jefferson County, then in command of Coulter's block-house, hearing the report of the guns, but mistaking the direction of the sound, concluded that the bouse of Mr. Adsit was attacked, and, placing himself at the bead of his troops, made for the relief of \that citizen's family. Arriving at Adsit's, and finding all quiet, he proceeded to Mr. Rice's, controlled by tbe opinion of Mr. Adsit that the firing had proceeded from the vicinity of that neighbor's premises. The lieutenant was soon at the house of Mr. Rice, who had also heard the report of fire-arms, and had inferred that the sound proceeded from the neighborhood of Lewis's block-house. Adopting Rice's theory, he made for the block-house - upon reaching which place, he soon learned the truth of matters. After severely reprimanding the thoughtless wags for their violation of discipline, and for having cost him so much anxiety and labor, he returned. The "comedy of errors," which had produced such perplexity and confusion of sound, originated, as will be plainly evident to those

During the years 1812 and 1813, the fall crops of wheat and rye were put in by the farmers in the neighborhood under guards of soldiers - those being the periods when attacks from the Indians, in consequence of occurrences elsewhere related, were most apprehended.

During the excitement that pervaded the community at the block-house, on the evening after the attack upon the Copus family, the male inmates of the fortress, including boys and men, assembled, in the dusk of the evening, in the vicinity of the fort, and near the apprehended point of attack, for military drill. There were no regular soldiers, and it was a parade of the militia. Such as had bona fide rifles and muskets shouldered them, and those who had not, substituted wooden or Quaker guns. The roll was called, and the men would respond for themselves, the boys, and a multitudinous number of mythical persons - thus leaving the impression upon the minds of the concealed foe, if such were in sight and hearing, that an immense force was defending the block-house.