Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/461

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��HISTOEY OF EICHLAND COUN^TY.

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��was also a daughter of James Cunningham : " M}' sister, Matilda Cunningham, was born in the town of 3Iausfield, in a house built hj a Mr. Martin, near the corner of the square near- est the big spring." This was what she heai'd her parents say, and corresponds with the evi- dence of her sister, Elizabeth Baughman ; but contradicts that of her father. The following testimony on this point is from Jacob Brubaker. who was a man of high character, and of good memory when his evidence was given, in 1858 : •' When I was eighteen years old, I was em- ployed, with others, in survej'ing and cutting out a road between Canton and AVooster. I was em- ployed by Joseph Larwill, of Wooster, when the town of Mansfield was run off into lots ; I was engaged in cutting the logs for the first cabin that was built in Mansfield, it being built for one ]\Iartin, who had removed from New Lisbon to this place. This cabin was erected on the lot now owned by E. P. Sturges." This testi- mony of one who cut the logs and assisted in l)uilding the house, agrees with that of Capt. James Cunningham, who lived in it after its first tenant, Martin, moved out. There is much other conflicting testimony regarding this mat- ter, which, could space be allowed for its admis- sion, would not present the matter in any clearer light. The weight of evidence seems to place the first cabin on the northwest corner of the square, where the Sturges Block now stands, or very near that spot ; some evidence being given to show that it was a little north of the lot upon which that block Avas erected.

The first sale of lots occurred in October, 1808, Joseph Larwill having pitched his tent above the " big spring '' and opened the sale on that day. It is not stated whether any lots were sold, but probably a few were, as it is found that purchasers came from '• Knox, Col- umbiana, Stark, and other partiall}* settled counties." Among the first settlers in the new town were George Coffinberry, Winn Win- ship, Rolin Weldon, J. C. Gilkison, John Wal-

��lace, Joseph 3Iiddleton, James Cunningham and Andrew Pierce. These arrived, some with their families, mostly in the year 1809, and all came to stay. George Coflfinberry built the sec- ond cabin, on the North American corner. Gen. Harrison stopped at this tavern, on his wa^' to the siege of Fort Meigs, in which siege Gen. James Hedges was engaged. Winn Winship. who was a single man, built the first frame house in the town, across the street from the cabin of George Coffinberrj^, on the corner where the Farmer's Bank was, for some time, located. He was one of the most important of these early settlers, being Postmaster at that time, and not only the first Postmaster in Mansfield, but the first Postmaster in Richland County ; and was also Register and Receiver of A'irginia Military School lands, having been appointed to that of- fice by the Legislature of Virginia, some two years before. He is thus described, in a letter written by Mrs. Margarett Cunningham, in 1873 : ■• This Winn Winship was a singular little man, short, round face, dark complexion, very talkative, wore a cue, quite a fop, was not very particular what he ate so that he got milk, and after we discharged him. he went to ^Ir. Coflfinberrj-'s to board. He used to send little George Coffinberry down to our house, every day, with a great tin quart cup. for milk, with a silver sixpence always in the cup." He seems to have been a little out of place in this wild region, and had a repugnance to boarding or living with other people, and in a log house : so he Iniilt a neat two-stor}' frame, and lived by himself The lumber for this house was hewed and split out. saw-mills being rather scarce. He was afterward appointed Clerk of the court, by the first Judges in the county, Thomas Coulter, Peter Kenm- and Hugh 3Ic- Cluer.

Rolin Weldon came from Delaware, built a cabin, and started the first blacksmith-shop in the town, on the 3IcFall corner, the northwest corner of Third and ]Main streets. This is.

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