Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/685

, 4^

��HISTORY OF KICHLAND COUNTY.

��673

��generally well watered by Jerome Fork of the Mohican and its tributaries, this stream having its rise here.

A few interesting relics of a former age have been found in the township. A few human skeletons were once unearthed on the bank of the creek, while a party of workmen were im- proving the before-mentioned trail, one of which appeared to be more than seven feet in height. It may be imagined that this was an Indian chief, who once headed his file of dusky war- riors along the dark paths and ravines and beautiful streams of the country. If he wielded authority in proportion to his physical dimen- sions, he must have more than rivaled Pipe, Logan or Tecumseh. Col. John Murray, who discovered the remains, had no difficulty in passing the lower jaw over his face. The cra- nium and other bones showed that the skeleton belonged to a man of unusual size and power.

About one-fourth of a mile southwest of the village of Orange is to be found an ancient mound. It was examined by Dr. Deming and others, who found well-preserved human bones, remnants of pottery, etc.

The first settlers were as follows : John Bishop, February, 1814, Section 21 ; Vachel Metcalf, 1814: ; James Campbell; James Clark, 1818, Section 2 ; Robert Culbertson, 1825 ; Phillip Biddinger, 1823 ; Christian Fast, Sr., 1815, Section 18 ; Jacob Fast, 1817, Section 21 ; Nicholas Fast, 1815 ; Phillip Fluke, 1816 ; Jacob Hiffner, Jr., 1817, Section 14; James Medowell, November, 1823, Section 26 ; Ed- ward Murray, 1820 ; Patrick Murray, 1815 ; John Stull, 1820 ; William Patterson, 1818, Section 7 ; Christopher Rickett, 1822 ; Daniel Summers, 1818, Section 10 ; Solomon Urie, 1814, Section 34; Jacob Young, 1814 ; Amos Norris, 1814.

It will be observed from this list that five families (these settlers nearly all brought their families) settled in the township in 1814 ; they were, as was usually the case, mostly from

��Western Penns3'lvania, and many of them came as early as 1813 to select their lands.

The reminiscences of these earl}' settlers are intensely interesting to the present generation, but, however interesting, they cannot all be preserved in print. A few of the best are re- tained, which convey a truthful picture of pio- neer life.

Among the earliest settlers in this township was Christian Fast, Sr., whose captivity among the Indians in this part of the State, is given in the chapter entitled "First White Men in the County." It is only necessary to refer to it here, as it is fully given there. It is a narra- tive of thrilling interest, and shows in a strik- ing manner the privations of frontier days in the West. Mr. Fast returned in 1815 and set tied in this township, where he lived many years.

Vachel Metcalf and Amos Norris were the first to move into the township with their families. They came earl}' in the spring of 1814 ; Jacob Young and Jacob Crouse, how- ever, came the same spring, and the former built his cabin on the Ashland and Orange road, a few rods from where the bridge crosses the Jerome Fork of the Mohican.

Another of these pioneers, Solomon Urie, re- lates man}^ interesting adventures. His brother, Thomas, was killed in Eastern Ohio, b}^ the Indians, while he and Solomon were out hunt- ing. The latter barely escaped, on this oc- casion, by leaping from a high bluff. The Indians dared not follow. Solomon and his son, Samuel, served with credit in the war of 1812. He was with Williamson in his campaign against the Moravian villages in 1782, and wit- nessed the massacre and burning of the villages. Williamson was his brother-in-law, and on this account he was induced to accompany the ex- pedition. He always disapproved the barbar- ous act, and often stated to his sons, that Williamson yielded a reluctant consent to the perpetration of that dreadful tragedy, being un- able to control the violence of his soldiers, who

�� �