Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/581

 ^1

��1>_

��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

��569

��curiously shaped stone implement, which speaks, in its silent wa}^, of " that exiled race."

Probably the first road opened by white men into the wilderness of Sharon, followed this Indian trail from Mansfield, and was cut hj Uriah Matson and the Currans, who were among the first settlers in what is now Jackson Town- ship. However, about the same time, or soon after, a road was cut from Beall's trail to Gan- ges, and from there into the northern part of Sharon, where Shelb}' was afterward established. It was hj these two roads that the first settlers entered the township, about the year 1818.

It appears that the first settlement occurred on the present site of the town of Shelby.

The following, regarding the early settlement, appeared some years ago in the Shelby News, written, it is understood, b}' Mr. Rockwell, of that place :

'' Tbe first settlers within the present limits of Sharon Township were Eli Wilson, Henry Whitney and Stephen Marvin, who came in the fall of 1818. Mr. Wilson's cabin was erected on the east side of South Gamble street, on the second lot south from the west side of the pub- lic square. It is perhaps the highest point of land in Shelby, with a gentle slope toward the Black Fork, that immediatel}' south sweeps around to the east, before turning on its north- ward course through Shelbj*.

" Mr. Marvin erected his cabin on the same day, near the present Marvin mansion, a;t the crossing of the Cleveland, Columbus & Indiana Central Railroad, at Gamble street. Between the two, on the west side of Gamble street, and near the northwest corner of Gamble and Mill streets, Mr. Whitne}' erected his cabin.

" These three pioneers came from the vicinitj' of Norwalk, Conn., and had a long and tedious journe}' hither.

" The country was then a wilderness — heavily timbered, with thick underbrush, beneath which, in springtime, magnificent wild flowers bloomed, giving the forest a delightful appearance.

��" At this time — 1818 — there were no settle- ments west of Shelby, and beyond lay the Wyandot Reservation, on which the Indians roamed at will. The Wyandots, Delawares, Senecas, Mohicans, and other Indian tribes, in- habited the region to the west of these hardy settlers, and paid them frequent friendly visits.

" At one time, while these families were en- joying the hospitalities of Giles Swan, a still ear- lier pioneer, I'esiding within the bounds of what is now Jackson Township, before the}* had Ijeen enalDled to clear away enough of the forest on which to erect their respective cabins, a band of ten or twelve Indians came to the residence of Mr. Swan, several of whom were well known to him. One was named '• Jacob," and another of them " Williams," the latter being quite intelligent, speaking English quite well.

" The Indians had been well supplied with ' fire-water,' as were also all those eark settlers. After the usual greetings were exchanged, and the bottle passed, both whites and Indians drinking therefrom, and getting a little warmed up, it was proposed that the Indians give an exhibition of the war dance. At first, the}- ob- jected, alleging a want of preparation, paint, feathers, etc., but finally- consented. A fire was kindled in the open space before the cabin. One old Indian took a seat on a log. and being furnished with a clapboard, which he placed on his knees, he commenced a song in the Indian language, keeping time on the clap)joard with his knife and hatchet, while the others ranged themselves around the fire, commenced the war dance, yelling like demons, gesticulating furi- ously-, and leaping around in the most grotesque and violent manner.

" The subject of the Indian song, as he in- formed the settlers, was the ancient exploits of his tribe in war, and their triumphs over their enemies. It was, in fact, an epic poem in the Indian ^-ernacular, and, although no doubt far below our standard in point of merit, yet it is

��^\^

��a)

�� �