Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/411

 HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

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��of that town), were in some respects a remark- able pioneer family. Greorge Foulks was the theme of manj' a wild tale of border life. He was captured by the Indians when eleyen 3-ears of age, and remained with them until he grew to manhood. A record of his adventures would be a fortune to a novelist, but, like thou- sands of pioneers, he passed away without leaving an}- written record, and thus there is left but the shadow}-, imperfect outlines of a daring, reckless, adventurous life ; the vision of a mighty hunter and backwoodsman flitting through forests of the past. Nothing can be told to a certainty, and thus passes out of exist- ence what might have been a valuable record of pioneer life.

Upon the organization of the township, an election was held about one and half miles north of Rome, at the house of Mr. Madden, at which twent^'-one votes were polled.

Thefirst marriage in the township is believed to have been that of James Long to Martha Guthrie.

For milling, the early settlers of this town- ship generally went to what was known as the " Cole Creek " mill, near Sandusky, or to Beam's, on the Rock}- Fork.

The first mill was erected at Trucksville (Ganges) in 1816. by William Trucks and Dan- iel Ayers, on the Black Fork in the southwest part of the township. It was a poor concern, but a good deal better than none. The buhrs were manufactured out of •' nigger heads." They also erected, at the same time and place, a saw- mill and a distiller}-, thus furnishing the three great staples of the time — flour, lumber and whisk3^ This mill was in operation, perhaps, fifteen years. It could only run a small por- tion of the year, as it stood on low ground and the frequent overflow of the Black Fork kept it blocked up a good deal of the time. It finally became a place of bad repute, a resort of " bum- mers," and as the settlers generalh- lost part of their grist and sometimes the entire grist, the}- ceased to patronize it.

��The second mill was erected by Jacob Stoner, on Snip's Run, near the site of Rome. This, like the other, the settlers termed a '• thunder- gust " mill. It was erected on such low, marshy ground that every freshet blocked it up and prevented operations. This section of the countr}- is now thoroughly drained, and these overflows do not occur.

The third or fourth mill was Crouses, also erected on Snip's Run, a half-mile above Stoner's, and Avas no better than the others. None of these mills existed a great length of time.

One of the earliest mills was erected by Charles Saviers on Camp Council Run. This run, being fed mostly by the marshes, amounted to but little after the}- were drained.

In a very early day, Samuel Rogers erected a horse-mill in the northeast part of the town- ship, to which the early settlers resorted, and where they were compelled to wait from one to three days for a grist, passing the time pleas- antly pitching quoits, wrestling, jumping, shooting at a mark, etc., living meanwhile at Mr. Rogers' expense. The only mill in the township at present was erected by Walter Shupe, in Rome. It is owned by Mr. Bricker, of Ganges, and is a steam-mill.

The first school in this township was opened in December, 1824, in the cabin erected l)v William Guthrie in 1816. It was a three-months school, and was taught by Robert Finney. Mr. Guthrie had occupied this cabin about two years, when he erected a better one in the same yard, and thus the old cabin was honored by becoming the first schoolhouse. Those who at- tended this school were Nathan S. Guthrie, now a resident of Shiloh ; Francis, Eliza and Lydia Guthrie ; George, Betsy, Margaret, AVilliam. Mary and Drusilla Hackett ; Washington. David, Sallie and Mariah Long, and William and Thomas Dickinson. It was a subscription school, the teacher receiving $8 or .flO per month. Mr. Guthrie says that he and his brothers and sisters attended that school

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