Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/594

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��HISTOKY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

��It is generally level, or rolling, with a ridge of sufficient elevation, running northeast and south- west, a little north of the center of the town- ship, to divide its waters ; those south of the ridge finding their way through the Clear Fork, Mohican, Walhonding and ^luskingum to the Ohio, and those north, through the Sandusky River to Sandusky Bay.

Agriculturally considered, the land is gener- ally excellent, the timber presenting the usual variety in Ohio — beach, hard (sugar) and soft maple, many varieties of ash and oak, and nearly all varieties of hard wood. Such timber speaks well for the quality of the land. The black walnut is already rapidly disappearing here, as well as all over the State, under the pressure of continual demand. The land pro- duces the usual variety of cereals produced in the Northern States.

The people of the township are made up largely of New Englanders and Pennsylvanians — perhaps the latter predominate. There are ver}' few foreigners, and no colored person seems to have obtained a permanent residence here until after the war of the rebellion. The first settlers struck the northeast corner of the town- ship, for the reason, most likely, that in those days Indian trails were the only highways, and settlements gi'ew up along these first. One of these trails passed ]Mill Springs on its way from the headwaters of Rocky Fork to those of the Sandusky River. It was much used by the Wyandots, Delawares and Shawanees in their trading and scalping expeditions to the Ohio. This trace was followed b^- Col. William Craw- ford and his command in 1782, and, so far as is certainly known, these were the first white men tliat set foot on the soil of Springfield Township, though there is little doubt that white hunters or prisoners among the Indians, or white ren- agades, like Simon Girty, had passed through before this period.

Among those who followed up this Indian trace, and became the first settlers of the town-

��ship, was George Cofflnberry, who, in ISl-I, set- tled on the southeast quarter of Section 1. He was a soldier of the Revolutionar}' war, and came from Virginia. He had five sons — George, Jacob, Wright L., Salathiel and Abram B., all of them men of more than ordinar}- aliility. The next year, 1815, Richard Condon, from New Jersey, built his cabin on the northeast quarter of Section 2. He came to Mansfield in 1814. from Warren County, Ohio. He had six chil- dren — Richard, Elizabeth, John, Nancy, ^lar- garet and Elisha. About this time, the Welches also settled on Section 1. Joseph Welch came from Lancaster County, Penn. He had a family of five children — John, James, Jane, A. C. and Joseph. He built the third cabin in the town- ship on the northwest quarter of Section 1. He also, in 1818, built the first brick house in the township. Jesse Edgerton (Section 17) and Uriah ]Matson came in this year. In 1816, came Alexander Welch, John and Nathan Casel)ar (Section 12), Thomas Williams, Edward Barren and Charles Stewai't. The township was now organized, and an election held the 15th of April, 1816, at which about twenty-five votes were polled. Richard Condon, the first Justice of the Peace, was chosen at this election. For several years, township officers were not in de- mand ; there was little for them to do. From this time forward settlers came in rapidh'. set- tling first in the neighborhood of the springs, and along the valley of the Clear Fork. On the 10th of April, 1820, Robert [Finney came from Harrison County, Ohio, and Imilt his cabin on the southeast quarter of Section 11. He was oiiginally from Fayette County, Penn., and his descendants are now numerous and infiuential. He had six children — John, James, William. Martha, Mary and Jane, of which only John and James are now living ; the former on the old homestead, and well known to all the coun- try as " Uncle John Finney.'' He is now in his eightieth year, and, having l)een always act- ive and strong mentally and physically, his mind

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