Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/576

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��HISTORY OF EICHLAND COUNTY

��Mr. Snyder saj-s there was not a white settler in the territory now embraced in that county when he came. The first settlement east of them was the Douglas settlement in Springfield Town- ship, and, when they started west from this set- tlement, on their arrival, they were compelled to cut a road for their teams to the land they had entered. This was the second road cut through the township, the soldiers on their march in 1812 having cut the first through the northern part. This was the only road for many years, but was finally abandoned. A few of these settlers came from Western Pennsyl- vania, and the remainder from near Steubenville, Ohio.

The early settlers who arrived after those named were Mordecai Harding, Section 36 ; Daniel Riblet,came in 1831 and settled on Sec- tion 25 ; John Brookwalter, Section 26 ; Chris- topher Fletcher, Section 25 ; Jacob Haflich, 1828, Section 24; George Johnson, Section 13, 1820 ; Carson, Section 13 ; Andrew Tay- lor, Section 1 ; Rev. Culler, Section 13 ; George Walters, Section 12. The Hardings and Sny- ders were among the first settlers in the south- ern part of the township. Daniel Riblet was a prominent man in the township and count}- ; was Justice of the Peace eighteen years and sei-ved two terms in the Legislature — from 1840 to 1844. He was from Union County, Penn., and died November 6, 1865. For many years, he kept what was well known as the Riblet House, at a point on the Mansfield & Bucyrus road, about half-way between Ontario and Gallon. This was a stopping-place for the stages. The house was first built of logs, after- ward a frame was added. It is yet standing and is occupied as a dwelling. A post office was established here while the stages were run- ning — one of the first, if not the first, in the town- ship; and the militia musters frequently occurred here, making it altogether an important point.

The Snyder family were somewhat remarka- ble for longevit}-. Christian dj-ing at ninety-

��eight, and his wife, Mary M., at one hundred and seven. An Indian trail ran across the township, east and west, very close to their house. Mr. Snyder says it was about the width of a sheep-path, and many times he has seen parties of Wyandots on this trail, pass- ing along in single file, and while thus on the march, he never knew them to speak a word to each other, or make the slightest noise. They never disturbed the new settlers, but often di- vided their venison with them. The Indians and white settlers Ijoth made large quantities of maple sugar every year.

Among the early settlers, also, was a family by the name of Hibner, and the bear story, handed down l^y this family, is illustrative of the condition of the township in those early daj^s. They lived, as did everybod}- in those times, in a log house, with an immense chim- ney occupying most of one end. One day, while JNIr. Hibner was away from home and Mrs. H. was busy about her work, she heard a noise near the chimney, and, looking around, was horrified to see the great black paw of a bear, reaching through an opening beside the chimne}'. The opening was caused b}' one of the chimney stones having become loosened and rolled to one side. She had placed her babe upon the floor, on a blanket, near the fire, and the bear was endeavoring to reach it. For- tunately it was be3'ond its reach, and the mother was very quick to remove it still further away. Finding his chances for a dinner had disap- peared, liruin moved away. iMany such stories are remembered by these earl}' pioneers, but space forbids the mention of them. It is not the paws of a bear that troubles the mother of to-day,- but croup and kindred diseases, that must have come with civilization, for they were not known in those early days.

The township was organized February 12, 1818, and at that time was twelve miles long from north to south, and six miles wide, and included Vernon, Jackson, Polk (the two last in

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