Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/465

 ±.1

��^ >^

��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY

��451

��Henry Newman, and fully agi'ee with him in all the statements made by him. I came to Mans- field in 1814; made the acquaintance of Gen. James Hedges ; afterward was married to his brother, my late husband. Ellzey Hedges, and, during all their subsequent lives, alwa3-s under- stood from them that you (^I. H. Grilkison) ' was the first white child born in ^lansfield." "'

With this the case for the defense will close. Much other testimony- is given, but none that would add any material weight to the foregoing.

The following extract from the report of a "Pioneer Committee"' is signed by R. Brinker- hoflJ", Henry Hedges and R. C. Smith. '• Said committee further find that Margaret Cunning- ham, of Worthington Township, is entitled to the chair, she having settled in 3Iansfield, in said county of Richland, May 1, 1808." They must have meant 1809, as the town was not laid out May. 1808. The following letter is from Thomas B. Andrews, dated February 3. 1873: '■ On the 31st day of January, 1873, I visited jMrs. Margaret Cunningham for the purpose of ascertaining from the famil}- record, the true age of Matilda Cunningham, said to be the first white child born in the county of Richland, and in the town of Mansfield.

" I found the record well WTitten, in a plain, legible hand, in a large famil}' Bible. The first entry is the birth of Elizabeth Cunningham in 1805. The second is Matilda Cunningham, born August 23, 1809. The third is Mary Cun- ningham, born November 16. 1810.

'• Mrs. Cunningham says that Matilda Cun- ningham was born in the town of Mansfield, in the first house built in the town, there being no other house in the town when they moved into it. and where the first child was born."

This evidence, coming from the mother, her- self, would seem to be conclusive, though it must be remembered this testimony was taken about sixtj'-four years after the event happened: however, much of the testimony on l)oth sides is open to the same criticism. This testimonj'.

��it will l)e seen, contradicts that of her husband before given. AVho, therefore, is able to decide where Matilda Cunningham was born, when the testimonj' of the father and mother is con- tradictory ? 3Irs. J^lizabeth Baughman. who has l)een quoted in regard to the first cabin, saj-s in the same letter regarding the first child: '• And in that same cabin, on the 23d day of August. 1809, my half-sister. Matilda, was born. M}' father remained there onl}- aliout a j'ear, then removed to the Greentown settlement on the Black Fork." As Mrs. Baughman is be- believed to be in error in regard to the location of the first cabin, so she may be in error in re- gard to Matilda being born in that cabin. She was not, as before stated, living with her father at the time. Mrs. Baughman in the same letter further says : "I have often heard father say that ^lansfield H. Gilkison was the first white mah' child born in 3Iansfield. In fact it is of the male child /rn that mention is generall}' made. For instance, we read that ' George "W. Cass was the first white male child born in the city of Allegheny." Had father remained per- manently in town, or had the child been a boy. the fact, no doubt, would have been better re- membered. The first settlers have nearly all been called to their heavenl}^ homes, and it seems very reasonable to me that their de- scendants — whose honest}' I do not question — in speaking of the matter have learned to say the ' first child ' instead of the • first male child." " The following extract is from a letter to Mr. Andrews in 1873. signed by nine old citizens of Worthington Township. " We have been neigh- bors, and have known James Cunningham and ^largaret Cunningham, of Worthington Town- ship. Richland Count}-, for the thirtj-five or forty years last past, and we have heard them both tell at difl[erent times, that their daughter Matilda was the first white child born in the county of Richland, and in the town of 3Ians- field. We never heard this disputed until 18G9 at the coimtv fair at Mansfield, when and where

�� �