Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/120

 108

��HISTORY OF OHIO.

��Church was organized in the cabin of David Thomas, September 4, 1808. April 21, 1827, the Grranville members were organized into the Granville Church, and the corner-stone of their house of worship laid September 21, 1829. In the fall of 1810, the first Methodist sermon was preached here, and, soon after, a class organized. In 1824, a church was built. An Episcopal church was organized in May, 1827, and a church consecrated in 1838. In 1849, there were in this township 405 families, of whom 214 sustain family worship ; 1431 persons over four- teen years of age, of whom over 800 belong to church. The town had 150 families, of whom 80 have family worship. In 1846, the township furnished 70 school teachers, of whom 62 prayed in school. In 1846, the township took 621 peri- odical papers, besides three small monthlies. The first temperance society west of the mountains was organized July 15, 1828, in this township; and, in 1831, the Congregational Church passed a by- law to accept no member who trafficked in or used ardent spirits."

It is said, not a settlement in the entire West could present so moral and upright a view as that of Granville Township; and nowhere could so perfect and orderly a set of people be found. Surely, the fact is argument enough in favor of the religion of Jesus.

The narrative of Mr. Little also states that, when Granville was first settled, it was supposed that Worthington would be the capital of Ohio, between which and Zanesville, Granville would make a great half-way town. At this time, wild animals, snakes and Indians abounded, and many are the marvelous stories preserved regarding the destruction of the animals and reptiles — the Indians being bound by their treaty to remain peaceful. Space forbids their repetition here. Suffice it to say that, as the whites increased, the Indians, animals and snakes disappeared, until now one is as much a curiosity as the other.

The remaining settlement in the southwest- ern parts of Ohio, made immediately after the treaty — fall of 1795 or year of 1796 — was in what is now Madison County, about a mile north of where the village of Amity now stands, on the banks of the Big Darby. This stream received its name from the Indians, from a Wyandot chief, named Darby, who for a long time resided upon it, near the Union County line. In the fall of 1795, Benjamin Springer came from Kentucky and selected some land on the banks of the Big Darby, cleared

��the ground, built a cabin, and returned for his family. The next spring, he brought them out, and began his life here. The same summer he was joined by William Lapin, Joshua and James Ew- ing and one or two others.

When Springer came, he found a white man named Jonathan Alder, who for fifteen years had been a captive among the Indians, and who could not speak a word of English, living with an Indian woman on the banks of Big Darby. He had been exchanged at Wayne's treaty, and, neglecting to profit by the treaty, was still living in the Indian style. When the whites became numerous about him his desire to find his relatives, and adopt the ways of the whites, led him to discard his squaw — giving her an unusual allowance — learn the English language, engage in agricultural pursuits, and be- come again civilized. Fortunately, he could remem- ber enough of the names of some of his parents' neighbors, so that the identity of his relatives and friends was easily established, and Alder became a most useful citizen. He was very influential with the Indians, and induced many of them to remain neutral during the war of 1812. It is stated that in 1800, Mr. Ewiug brought four sheep into the com- munity. They were strange animals to the Indians. One day when an Indian hunter and his dog were passing, the latter caught a sheep, and was shot by Mr. Ewing. The Indian would have shot Ewing in retaliation, had not Alder, who was fortunately present, with much difficulty prevailed upon him to refrain.

While the southern and southwestern parts of the State were filling with settlers, assured of safety by Wayne's victories, the northern and eastern parts became likewise the theater of activities. Ever since the French had explored the southern shores of the lake, and English traders had car- ried goods thither, it was expected one day to be a valuable part of the West. It will be remem- bered that Coimecticut had ceded a large tract of land to the General Government, and as soon as the cession was confirmed, and land titles became assured, settlers flocked thither. Even before that time, hardy adventurers had explored some of the country, and pronounced it a "goodly land," ready for the hand of enterprise.

The first settlement in the Western Reserve, and, indeed, in the northern part of the State, was made at the mouth of Conneaut* Creek, in Ash- tabula County, on the 4th of July, 1796. That

��*Conneaut, in the Seneca language, signifies "many flsh."

�� �