Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/249

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��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

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��they laid out a town near the mill. They soon changed their minds, however, regarding this location, and went further up the Rocky- fork where Gen. Hedges had entered land, and nearer the center of what afterward became a county, where they established the present city of Mansfield. In 1811 Jacob Newman j sold his possessions on the Rocky Fork, and moved to the present site of Mansfield. Mr. Newman was in all respects a superior man. He is described as an imposing-looking man, over six feet high, well proportioned and of light complexion. He was of a social disposi- tion and very popular among his associates. He was temperate in his habits, never using in- toxicating liquors of any kind or tobacco in any form. He was always a friend to the poor, and had many of them about him dependent on him. He was a man of the highest character in all respects, and died greatly beloved and regretted. In the winter of 1812, he acted as guide to Gen. Crooks, contracting a disease from which he died. Thus passed away the first settler in Richland County. His remains were among the first to occupy the old cemetery that had been established on the southwest corner of the town plat. They were removed about twenty years since, and now rest in the new cemetery, in Lot 100.

Michael Beam purchased the Newauan place on the Rocky Fork, finished the grist-mill, which l)ecame celebrated and widely known as "Beam's mill." It was a crude water-mill the buhrs being made of "nigger-heads," which did poor work, but it was a great deal better than no mill, and was patronized by the early settlers. who came from great distances, from ever}' di- rection through the unbroken forest. Mr. Beam was often compelled to turn away patrons, being unable to do all the grinding that came to him. His wife, familiarly known as " Mother Beam," was largely instrumental in l)ringing cus- tom to the mill. 8ett!ers were often compelled to wait several days for their grinding, mean-

��while boarding with Mother Beam, who was celebrated for the excellence of her corn-cakes, corn-dodgers, and her general superiority as cook.

Mr. Beam remained here many years, and. in 1812, erected a block-house near the mill, well known as • Beam's block-house," where squads of soldiers w-ere stationed at different times during the war, and to which the settlers looked for protection from the Indians.

The second settlement in Richland County, so far as known, was on the site of the city of Mansfield, in the fall of 1808. made by one Samuel Martin, from New Lisbon, Columbiana Co., Ohio. Martin was somewhat of an advent- urer, had followed the current of the pioneers westward, stumbled upon the Newman settle- ment, heard of the new town which li^d been laid out in June, 1808, came up, and, with the help of Jacob Brubaker, one of the employes of Gen. Hedges, erected the first cabin and be- came the first settler in Mansfield. The record is silent as to whether Martin brought his fam- ily with him ; but he lived in this cabin during the winter, and sold whisky to the Indians, which, being against the law, compelled him to leaA'e the country. When he moved out, the cabin was occupied by James Cunningham, in 1809. From this date, the settlement at Mansfield began a steady and permanent growth, the details of which will be found in another chapter.

The next settlement in the present limits of Richland County was upon the present site of Bellville. in 1809, and was known as the " Mc- Cluer settlement."

James McCluer seems to have wandered up the Clear Fork in 1808, entered land and erected a cabin thereon, but did not bring his family until the spring of 1809, from which time, therefore, the settlement must be dated.

At that time there were no roads in Richland Coimty, nor anything resembling a road more than an Indian trail. McCluer was a small

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