Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/550

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��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

��Capt. Pipe, who happened to be among them ; and that this tragedy gave the place its name, but there is a doubt as to the correctness of this story. Aside from any Indian traditions, however, these rocks are well worth a visit. At the eastern extremity of Pipe's Cliff a pro- jecting rock rises full one hundred feet above the valley below, and affords a magnificent view of the surrounding country. The summit of this rock is about forty feet in diameter, is con- nected with the main cliff on the north, and can be reached from either side. From the west, a narrow pathway winds up along the brow of the main cliffs until it reaches a height of some fifty feet, when it enters a narrow gorge in the rocks, turns abruptly to the north and pushes boldly to the summit. To the east, the ground slopes gradually to the plain. To the south lies the lovely valley of Switzer's Run. The summit itself is a bare rock, with the exception of here and there a bush. Near the center of the summit is a singular rock, some six feet in diameter and two feet high, resembling in many respects, a rude altar. Tradition points out this as the place where Capt. Pipe came annually to offer up a sacrifice in behalf of his murdered sister. Near the western extremity of the cliffs, is a cavernous opening called the Dragon's Mouth. The upper jaw is formed by a ledge of rocks, which pro- ject into the air some fifteen or twenty feet, and at an angle of about thirty-five degrees, the lower jaw being formed by the sloping earth. Viewed from the west, this cavern bears a striking resemblance to a huge mouth. To the right of the Dragon's Mouth is a per- pendicular rock some thirty or forty feet in height, and entirely detached from the main cliff. Its sides are indented and furrowed by the beating storms of past ages; its summit is crowned with shrubs and clambering vines. The solitary rock, thus standing in monumental loneliness, has been appropriately named, in commemoration of the murdered sister of Capt.

��Pike, " Onalaska's Tower." There are several other points along these cliffs worthy of notice, such, for instance, as the " Hanging Rock," " The Porch," the " Frowning Cliff," etc.

This township, like most others in the county, was heavily timbered with hard wood, and, in making their homes, the settlers were compelled to encounter this forest, as well as the bears, wolves, wildcats, and other animals that abounded. Indians were plenty, but it does not appear that they committed any depreda- tions in this township, though generally keep- ing the settlers in continual dread.

The first settlers followed up the Black Fork in 1809. When they came to the junction of the Black Fork and Rocky Fork, some of them continued up the former and settled in Mifflin. Among the latter were the Copuses, the Zim- mers, some of the Hills, Andrew Craig and others mentioned in the history of Mifflin. Others continued up the Rocky Fork, and set- tled first in the neighborhood of the present village of Lucas. Among these early settlers, David Hill has the honor of being the first, and of building the first cabin in Monroe Town- ship. It was erected on the farm for many years occupied by John Swigart, adjoining the village of Lucas. The place is now owned by Ursula Kerr. It stood on the north side of and near the railroad, on the bank of a little spring brook. The following is a list of the earliest settlers of the township, so far as known : David Hill, Section 9; Frederick Bo- nenberg, Section 10; John G. Peterson, Sec- tion 1; John Lambright, Section 2; Mordecai Williams, Section 9; William Slater, Section 35; Adam Wolfe, Section 19 ; Robert and Will- iam Stewart. Those who settled on Section 8. were William McLauglin, William Ray, Will- iam Ferguson, Thomas Rigdon and Thomas McBride. Jeremiah Smart, Section 4; An- drew Richey; Michael Huffman and Eben- ezer Smith settled on Section 6; Thomas Pope and David Balliett, Section 9: John Her

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