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BREWSTER HIGLEY AND FAMILY.

     The first settlement made in Rutland township was by Brewster Higley.  Judge Higley was a native of Simsbury, Connecticut, but came from Castleton, Rutland county, Vermont, to Bellville, West Virginia, where he remained 18 months, preparatory to his removal to Ohio.  He bought a share in the Ohio Company's purchase for one thousand dollars.  He then, in company with John Case, who had been one of a party of surveyors, and was of some service to Mr. Higley in making his selection of land, as he was to have a part of the land, made a visit to the place of his future home.  He returned to Bellville, purchased a family boat and floated down the Ohio River to the mouth of Leading creek, which being high with back water, he poled his boat up the stream as far as the place

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known as Jacobs' upper salt works.  Here he tore his boat to pieces and built a shanty for his family to live in until he could build a house on his land.  The first shanty made for his boys and John Case to live in while clearing the land was made of bark and sticks and stood near the ground afterwards used as a family graveyard.
     Brewster Higley was a Revolutionary soldier and had served as justice of the peace in the state of Vermont.  General Arthur St. Clair, Governor of the Northwest Territory, appointed Brewster Higley as one of the justices of the peace for the county of Washington, the commission bearing date Dec. 28th, 1801, done at Chillicothe.  This commission and one to Fuller Elliot, of Letart, are probably the only ones for justices appointed under the territorial government for the people living in what is now Meigs county.  Mr. Higley was one of the first associate judges of Gallia county and served for a number of years.  He was elected justice of the peace in Rutland township, and in 1815 was made the second postmaster of Rutland and held the office for several years.  He died June 20th, 1847, at the ripe old age of 88 years 3 months, and 6 days.  His wife, Naomi Higley died Feb. 4th, 1850, aged 89 years, one month and 3 days.
     The children of Brewster Higley and his wife, Naomi Higley, were four sons and three daughters.
     The sons were: Brewster Higley, Jr., who married Acksah Evarts.
     Cyrus Higley married Electa Bingham daughter of Judge Alvin Bingham, of Athens.  One son, Julius Bicknell Higley.
     Lucius Higley married Nancy Shepherd.  Lucius Milton Higley married Miss Morton.  Milo Higley married Miss Pankey.
     Joseph L. Higley married Emily Reed.
     Harriet Higley was married to Alvin Bingham, Jr., son of Judge Bingham of Athens.

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     Theresa Higley was married to Josiah Simpson.
     Susan Higley, the eldest child, never married, but lived with her parents until her decease.
     In 1800 Samuel Denny came from Massachusetts and bought a tract of land, and built a cabin on it.  This was near the Livingston Smith farm.  He also helped to erect the first school house, and taught the first school in the winter 1801, also in 1802.  The school consisted of nine scholars, four of whom came from near the mouth of Leading creek.  The roll recorded the names of James Smith, John Smith, Sarah Kerr, Christina Niswonger, and five scholars from Judge Higley's family.  In 1803 Samuel Denny built the first grist mill on Leading creek, which stood close to the residence of Jabez Hubbell.  Mr. Denny delivered the first oration ever delivered here, at a Fourth of July celebration in 1806.  The speaker stood on the top of an ancient mound not far fro the Case house.  Mr. Denny left Ohio in 1810, returned to Massachusetts, and married, and died there.

JOEL HIGLEY AND FAMILY.

     In 1803 Joel Higley and his wife, Eunice Higley (nee Haskins) came from Granby, Connecticut (Lieutenant Higley he was called), and settled on the south tier of sections, in what was afterward included in Rutland township.  There were twenty-eight persons in this company with Joel Higley.
     Joel Higley, 1st, had a numerous and prolific family.  The daughter, Rachel, married Williams, and remained in Connecticut.  She was born in 1800.
     Joel Higley, Jr.,  (called Major Higley) settled in the same neighborhood with his father.  He was born July 31st, 1764. and married Cynthia Phelps, May 25th, 1785.  She was a sister of James E. Phelps.  Mr. Higley died April 26th, 1823, and his wife died January 5th, 1832.
     Of this union there were three sons and five daughters.  Polly Higley married Philip Jonesin May, 1806.  They lived

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on a farm where Middleport is now situated.  Philip Jones died May 30th, 1866, aged 80 years.
     Elihu Higley was born November 26th, 1788.  He served in the Army of the Northwest in the War of 1812.  He married Nancy Cook in December, 1815, moved to his farm in Rutland in December, 1816.  They had one child, Clarissa Fidelia - married Martin Fox.  Mr. Higley died April 23d, 1877, aged 89 years.
     Laura Higley, born August 20th, 1795.  She was married to Daniel C. Rathburn in 1812, in Rutland, O., moved to Indiana, died there in August, 1884, aged 91 years.
     Sally Higley, born March 8th, 1795, was married to Daniel McNaughton, December, 1816, and died September 29th, 1845, aged 50 years.  Harlow McNaughton a son, was captain of the Seventh Ohio Battery in the Civil war for the Union.
     Cynthia Higley, born February 7th, 1797, and never married.  She died August, 26th, 1819, aged 22 years.
     Maria Higley, was born July 30th, 1799, and married Willis Knight, and died February 28th, 1834, aged 35 years.
     Joel Phelps Higley was born June 9th, 1802, married Catherine Wise, and died Oct. 23d, 1836, aged 34.  A son, Captain Joel P. Higley, fell in fighting for the Union in 1863.
     Laurinda Higley was married to Earl P. Archer and died September, 1855, aged 90 years.  She was the mother of a large family.  Marinda Archer, Henry, Sophia, Benjamin, Elam, and Abiah Archer, who married Benjamin Whitlock, their children were Hiram, Electa, Levi, Harriet, Eunice.
     Eunice Higley married Silas Knight, known as "Deacon Knight," in 1812 and came to Rutland in 1812.  They were highly respected.  They had a numerous family - two sons and six daughters.  Mr. Knight and his wife, Eunice, both died the same day and were buried in the same grave,  July 31st, 1839, aged 67 years and 63 years respectively.
     Electa Higley was born in 1778, and came to Rutland with her parents, and afterwards married Benjamin Williams.  She

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was a remarkable woman, intelligent, energetic, with resourceful disposition to be adapted to pioneer conditions.  She taught school in her own house, cut and made men's best clothes, and cared for a flower garden that was the pride of Rutland for many years.  She had two children, a daughter, born Feb. 21st, 1811, married Rev. James Mitchell, went to Illinois in 1855, and died Feb. 3d, 1881.  Mrs. Electa Williams died at her daughter's in Illinois, in 1865, aged 87 years.  Her husband died July 26th, 1873.  The son, Benjamin Selah Williams, was born November 18th, 1808, and married Elizabeth L. Brown, of Athens county, and lived on the homestead farm where he was born until his death, Feb. 17th, 1891, aged 82 years, 3 months.  Mr. Williams was born July 2d, 1811, and died Feb. 14th, 1897, aged 85 years, 7 months, 12 days.  They had a numerous family of sons and daughters, but they, except two children, James and Mary, left Ohio for the West.
     Sophia Higley was married to Asa Stearns, a Free Will Baptist preacher, finally settled in Mercer county, Ohio, where they both died.  They had four children, Rufus, Amos, Louise, and Joel.
     Elam Higley was a soldier in the War of 1812 and served under General Harrison in the Army of the Northwest.  He married Sally Clarke, and settled on a farm in the northeast corner of Rutland township.  They had one child, Austin Higley, who went to Iowa about 1876, and died there.
     An incident in the life of Elam Higley is worth relating.  After his enlistment, when about to leave home, his mother gave him a Bible with directions to put it in the side pocket of his coat, already made for its reception.  When in the Maumee country they had a skirmish with the enemy, and a bullet fired by an Indian, aimed at Elam's hart, struck that Bible but did not pass through, thus his life was preserved.  His comrades said, "Elam thought himself badly wounded, but the ball was found in the Bible, and he was not hurt."

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     HAMILTON KERR was born in Philadelphia in 1764.  He was a noted Indian scout of great dariang, courage and strength.  He married Susannah Niswonger, a highly educated young woman, and daughter of Colonel John Niswonger.  Mr. Kerr came to his land below the mouth of Leading creek, on the Ohio river, in 1797, and was an active, useful citizen, as seen in reports of all civil proceedings of Salisbury township.  Of their children, William Kerr married Jane Murray and settled on a farm on the west side of Thomas fork, just above the mouth, where he died March 27th, 1883, aged 86 years.
     Sarah Kerr was married to Samuel Everett, and lived near the mouth of Story's run; later moved to the northern part of the Ohio.
     Margaret Kerr was married to Hamilton Kerr, a distant relative.
     After the death of Hamilton Kerr in 1821 the estate was settled by Colonel Everett, the administrator, and Mrs. Kerr, the widow, and her daughter, Sophia, moved to the north part of the state, probably Wyandot county.

     COLONEL JOHN NISWONGER was of German extraction and early in life was from near Winchester, Virginia.  He enlisted Dec. 29th, 1776, to serve during the war; served as a sergeant in Captain John Leman's company, Thirteenth Virginia regiment, commanded successively by Colonel John Gibson, Revolutionary war, and appears on the muster roll, October, November, and December, 1779, at Fort Pitt, and February 13th, 1780, on which he is reported as being at Fort Henry.  Colonel John Niswonger was one of the heroes of the battle of Point Pleasant.  He settled on land near the mouth of Leading creek, with his son-in-law, Hamilton Kerr, in 1798, and was an important factor in the civil arrangements for the government of Salisbury township, afterwards included in Rutland township, Meigs county.  His tombstone was found in the tearing down of an old building, where

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it has been used as a hearthstone.  It had this plain inscription: "Sacred to the memory of Colonel John Niswonger, who departed this life July 13th, 1821, aged 78 years and 4 months."  No person now living can find the place of his grave.

     PETER NISWONGER was a comrade of George Warth in the hunting trips of the yeas 1811 to 1814, when Mr. Niswonger had a still-house for making whisky and peach brandy, built by a spring of excellent water, on Lot 182, Ohio Company's purchase, afterward owned by Nehemiah Bicknell.  The spring was always called the "still-house spring."  His name, in connection with that of Elias Nesselrode, is used in an account of an elk discovered crossing the Ohio river below Sandy creek, by Andrew Anderson who, being on the Ohio side of the river, saw Niswonger and Nesselrode pushing a canoe laden with salt upstream to whom he called "to head off the elk," which had reached their side so near that they threw a log chain at his horns, which so enraged him that he capsized their canoe with the men and the salt and escaped to the woods of Virginia.

THE WARTH FAMILY - COLONEL DAVID BARBER'S LETTER, 1882.

     "During the Indian war there came to the stockade in Marietta a family named George Warth, his wife and two daughters and five sons, namely: John, George, Robert, Martin and Alexander.  They came from Virginia, brought up in the woods and were all fine hunters.  John and George were employed as rangers, or spies for Fort Harmar.  The family lived in a log house on the first bottom between the river and the garrison built by the United States troops for the United States troops for the artificers to work in.  George Warth married Ruth Fleehart, and John Warth married Sally Fleehart, sisters to Joshua Fleehart, and Robert Warth married a daughter of a French widow

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named Lallance, who came from France with two children, a son and his daughter, and who were in the stockade at the time when Robert Warth was killed by the Indians.  He left a young widow and one child, Robert Warth afterwards a noted merchant of Gallipolis.  The family were illiterate, abut possessed keen, clear intellectual faculties, which were improved in later years by whatever opportunities were afforded for learning.
     Mr. Paul Fearing taught John Warth the rudiments of his education, which he cultivated so that at the close of Indian hostilities, having settled on lands in West Virginia, Jackson county, long known as Warth's bottom, he filled several offices for the government and was a magistrate for a number of years.  He was also the owner of slaves.  George Warth owned a piece of land in Meigs county, on the Ohio river, opposite the present town of Ravenswood, West Virginia.  He, with his brother, John, carried the first mails from Marietta to Gallipolis, in canoes.  They went armed with rifles, carried provisions for their journey, traveling chiefly at night to avoid Indian encounters.  George Warth was a hunter of wild animals, his greatest success during life.  He had a family of sons and daughters - Robert Warth and Alexander Warth, Clara, Sally, Hannah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Drusilla.  He lived and died in his cabin on the banks of the Ohio, a poor man in what the world calls wealth, yet all of the hero is due to his name, for brave and fearless protection of the helpless in times of peril.
     The son, Robert Warth, married Mary Johnson, and lived as a farmer in Jackson county, West Virginia, and died in Ravenswood.
     Alexander Warth was a boatman, married in Louisville, Kentucky, and after the death of his parents, within two weeks of each other, his sisters, Sally, Rachel, and Drusilla, moved to Louisville.
     Rebecca Warth was married to Daniel Lovett, a river man, and they moved to Kentucky.

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     Hannah Warth was married to Bartholomew Fleming and lived and died in Ravenswood.  M. Flemming bought the placed owned by Mr. George Warth, valued chiefly for the landing and ferrying opportunities.
     Clara Warth, was unmarried - died and is buried by the side of her mother in the Pioneer graveyard in Great Bend, Meigs county, Ohio."

FELIX BENEDICT, A PIONEER OF 1803 TO RUTLAND TOWNSHIP.

     He was the son of Elisha Benedict, and his wife, Jerusha Starr Benedict,  and was born May 13th, 1767.  He, with his father, Elisha Benedict, were living at Cooperstown, New York, when in October, 1780, they were taken prisoners by the British and Indians, then taken to Canada where they were kept prisoners for two and a half years.  He married Clarissa Hubbell, daughter of Jabez and Sarah Hubbell of Otsego county, New York, and coming to Ohio, settled on a farm near where the village of Rutland is now.  He was an active and influential citizen, prominent in every interest for the promotion of civil, educational or religious  advancement for the moral good of the neighborhood in which he spent his long life.  He died Oct. 29th, 1828.  Mrs. Benedict died  July 9th, 1849.  Their children:
     Sarah, born Oct. 25th, 1788, married John Dixon, died Sept. 29th, 1835.
     Polly, died young.
     Euretta, born Mar. 18th, 1793.  She was married in 1821 to Cornelius Merrill.  She died Dec. 12th, 1880.  They had six children, Mary, Robert, Luther, Harriet, Clarissa and Augustus.

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     Elisha Hubbell Benedict, born Sept. 15th, 1795.  He married Maria Simpson, and they live in Rutland township several years, but removed to Kansas in 1856, where Mrs. Benedict died.  They had six children - Lydia Ann, Claretta, Sarah A., Elisha C., Walter.  Elisha C. enlisted in Company D, Ninth Regiment, Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, and died at Fort Scott, Kansas, September 13th, 1862.
     Walter F., born Dec. 15th, 1797, and married Nov. 8th, 1829, to Benjamin Savage, and died Nov. 9th, 1861.
     Felix Starr, born May 3d, 1806, and died Aug. 13th, 1824.
     William Spencer, born Nov. 28th, 1808, and died June 16th, 1833.

JABEZ BENEDICT AND FAMILY.

     He was a son of Felix Benefit and wife, Clarissa, and was born Oct. 13, 1802, and removed with his parents to Leading Creek, Ohio, Oct. 13, 1803.  He married Apr. 4th, 1833, Miriam Chase, daughter of John and Miriam chase, of Athens County, Ohio.  Their children were four - Clarissa, born May 7th 1835; William S., died young; John Merrill Benedict, born Sept. 17th, 1839.  He enlisted in the Eighteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry as a private and was promoted to lieutenant colonel, served four years in the Civil war was wounded twice at Nashville, but recovered and was brevetted colonel at the close of the war.  He married Oct. 18th, 1882, to Miss Bettie Rife, of Morgantown, West Virginia.
     George W. Benedict, son of Jabez Benedict and wife was born July 21st, 1843.  He served three years in the Eighteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, was married Mar. 4th, 1878, to Florence Grimes, a daughter of James Grimes, of Rutland, Ohio.

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     Jabez Benedict died Jan. 28th, 1886.  He was noted for his fondness for reading, and with a retentive memory he was familiar with the best authors of his time, and of the Holy Scriptures.
     Thomas Everton came from Canada in 1800, and settled on a farm near the mouth of Leading creek.  He was a member of the Regular Baptist Church and was called, familiarly, "Deacon Everton," and died on his farm in Rutland township.  Their were eight children: Betsy, Mrs. Benjamin Richardson; Ebenezer Everton; Relief, Mrs. Edwards; Thomas Everton, Jr.; Polly, Mrs. Stone; Nancy, Mrs. Jesse W. Stevens; Benjamin Everton; Sally, Mrs. Charles Richardson.

JEREMIAH RIGGS AND FAMILY

     He came to what is now called Pagetown, in 1800, and married Miss Rachel Keller.  They had a large family: William James, Frank, Jeremiah, Jr., George, Elias, Jackson Perry,  and three daughters, Rebecca, Nancy and Polly.  There is no date of the death of Jeremiah Riggs or his wife.  Several of the sons moved to some western states; the daughter, Nancy, never married.  Rebecca  was married twice, and lived and died in the Hocking Valley.  Polly was married to Martin Dye, of Pagetown, for his second wife; left a widow she died at the home of her niece, Mrs. John Crary in Lebanon township, October 13th, 1895.  She was the last one of Jeremiah Riggs family.

JOHN MILES AND FAMILY

     John Miles came from Rutland, Worcester county, Massachusetts, to Cooperstown, N. Y., where he married Chloe Jervis.  They came to Belpre, Washington county, Ohio, in 1798, where they remained three years.  In 1801 they came to Leading Creek, being the second family in what was

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afterwards Rutland township.  He bought a share in the Ohio Company's Purchase for ninety-six pounds, sterling, and settled on the farm where he died on Nov. 10th, 1847, aged eighty years.  Chloe Jarvis Miles died Sept. 21st, 1844.  They had seven children.  Benjamin Lanson Miles went to Arkansas, had a cotton plantation, some slaves; lived and died there in 1839.  He was twice married, but left one son, James B. Miles.
     Mary Miles was never married.  She died in Rutland, Apr. 9th, 1857, aged sixty-four years.
     Barzillai Hosmer Miles was a preacher of the Christian denomination.  He married Amy Guthrie, who died leaving two daughters.  As a preacher he was successful, traveled some and died of cholera in 1832, while on his way home form Louisiana.
     John B. Miles married Mary Johnson and owned a farm in Rutland township, where they lived many years.  They had a family of sons and daughter.  He died in Racine in 1864, aged sixty-eight years.  Mrs. Mary Miles died in Racine, Ohio.
     Columbus Miles, son of John and Mary Miles married Elizabeth Hopkins; was in the marble business at Gallipolis and died there.
     Benjamin Harrison Miles a preacher, and a soldier in the Civil war, but died later.  John Wesley Miles a marble dealer in Gallipolis.  Adaline Miles was married to Waid Cross, a merchant in Racine, Ohio.  They had a family of sons and daughters.  Mrs. Cross died in 1905.
     Sally C. Miles was born Nov. 5th, 1803, being the first female born in the township, afterwards Rutland.  She was married to Russel Cook, lived on a farm in Rutland.  They had a large family of sons and daughters.  She died in 1857, aged fifty-four years.
     Joseph Jarvis Miles was born Oct. 19th, 1807.  He married Sarah Cutler Larkin in 1841.  They had children but all died in infancy.  He was a tanner by trade, carried to the

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business in Gallipolis for a number of years, and later in the same business in Pomeroy.  He died July 27th, 1855.
     Electa Miles, the youngest child of John and Chloe Miles McQuigg, and lived many years on the "Miles Homestead."  They had two children - George McQuigg and Frances.  She died Jan. 10th, 1906, aged ninety-four years, loved and esteemed by all.

     GEORGE McQUIGG was born Nov. 25th, 1830.  He was married twice, first to Miss Caroline Smith, who was the mother of two children, Lucy M., who died young, and John McQuigg, connected with the Pomeroy National Bank.  Miss Kate Edwards was the second wife of Mr. McQuigg.  They had three children - Charles, in the salt business as a successor to his father; Anna, married to Mr. Follett, of Kansas, and Emma McQuigg.  George McQuigg was a man of affairs, a fine business man, clean in his political actions, genial, affable, always winning the favor of the best citizens.  He was general agent of the Ohio Salt Company from 1868 to the time of his death, Oct. 29th, 1892; aged sixty-one years, ten months and twenty-eight days. 

     CAPTAIN JAMES MERRILL was a sea-faring man and commanded vessel in the East India trade for Mr. Dexter, a wealthy shipowner and merchant prince.  After years of service in Mr. Dexter's employ he quitted the sea and same to Ohio in 1801, settling on a farm in Salem township given  to him by Mr. Dexter, but removed to a farm in Rutland township in later years.  Capt. Merrill built the first frame house in what is now Meigs county.  The weather-boards were of wild cherry, sawed with a whipsaw.  He had conducted to the ocean one of the first ships built at Marietta.  He was a religious man, highly respected.  He died in Rutland, Oct. 29th, 1826.

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     WILLIAM PARKER, Sr., AND FAMILY

     William Parker, Sr., was born in Malden, Massachusetts, June 5th, 1745, and was married to Mary Warner, Jan. 28th, 1772.  She was the daughter of Philemon Warner, of Gloucester, Massachusetts, and was born in 1753.  He was a cabinet maker and exported furniture to the West Indies.  He bought a share of land in the Ohio Company's Purchase, and left the East in 1789, traveling as far as the forks of the Youghiogheny, where he remained until about 1800; he removed his family to his farm in Salem township, where they lived and reared a large family.  Their children were:
     Elizabeth Warner, born Sept. 21st, 1773, and died Jan. 19th, 1850, aged seventy-seven years.  She was never married and died in Salem.
     William, Jr., was born July 4th, 1775, and married Betsy Wyatt, May 13th, 1802.  She was a daughter of Deacon Joshua Wyatt.
     Sally, born June 6th, 1777, and was married to Judge Ephriam Cutler April 13th, 1808.  She died June 30th, 1846.
     John, born June 20th, 1779, and married Lucy Cotton. HE was a Halcyon preacher and died in 1849.
     Daniel was born Aug. 7th, 1781, and married Priscilla Melloy Ring, Oct. 24th, 1816.  He was a preacher of Universal Restoration.  He died Mar. 22d, 1861.  His wife died Sept. 4th, 1874.
     Polly, born May 27th, 1783, and was married to Judge Cushing Shaw.  They both lived and died in Salem, leaving a numerous and worthy family of children.
     Nancy, born Mar. 13th, 1785, was married to Stephen Strong, Esq.  Mr. Strong was an early advocate of temperance.  He was elected to the legislature for one term, was a surveyor and held many county offices.  They had no children; lived and died in Salem.

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     Susanna, born Mar. 10th, 1787, was married to Dr. Sylvanus Evarts, and died July 5th, 1815, aged twenty-eight years.
     Fanny, born Mar. 26th, 1789, and was married to John Fordyce and had several children.  They were farmers and lived and died in Salem.
     Ebenezer was born Dec. 22d, 1792, and married Mary Swett, daughter of Benjamin Swett, of Newburyport, Mass.
     Ebenezer Parker lived in the old homestead for many years, but sold out and finally removed to Cincinnatito live with his sons, where he died.
     Clarissa, born May, 1795, and was married to Peter Shaw.  She died May 24th, 1817, aged twenty-two years.
     Mr. William Parker, Sr. died Nov. 26th, 1825, and his wife, Mrs. Parker died Feb. 25th, 1811.  They were both members of the Presbyterian Church, lived useful and honorable lives, leaving an exemplary record to their descendants.

     The ALESHIRE BROTHERS, Conrad, Michael and Peter, came as emigrants from the Shenendoah Valley, Virginia, to Ohio in 1802, and settled first near the mouth of Kiger creek, until 1805, when Michael came to Leading creek and bought a farm, but afterwards moved to Salem, where he died in 1845.  Conrad Aleshire came to Leading creek, settled on a farm; had a son in 1784, and who had two children, Anna and Preston Aleshire.  Conrad Aleshire died in 1842, aged eighty-nine years.  Abram Aleshire died in 1865.  Peter Aleshire was a regular Baptist preacher and lived in Salem Township.

     THOMAS SHEPHERD moved to Landing creek in 1802 and settled on Fraction No. 19, or the Denny lot.  He was from Maryland, but married Polly McFarland in Kentucky.  She

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was the daughter of Mr. McFarland, and who was in the Block House in Marietta at the time of the massacre by the Indians of the settlement twelve miles up the Muskingum.  In the alarm occasioned by that event the defense of the Block House was left very weak, and Polly McFarland, a girl of sixteen, was gien a gun and stationed at a porthole.  Mr. McFarland moved to Kentucky, where Polly was married to Thomas Shepherd.  Interesting stores are related of her courage in meeting emergencies.  One night when Mr. Shepherd had gone to Gallipolis for ammunition, a large bear entered a calf pen not far from the house, and in trying to carry it off the calf bawled, which wakened Mrs. Shepherd, who sent out, drove the bear off and up a tree, under which she built a fire and kept it there until morning.  It is said of her that another time she was going after the cows in the woods when the dogs treed a raccoon.  She sent a boy after an ax, cut down the tree, caught the raccoon, tanned the hide and made herself a pair of shoes.
     They had three sons and several daughters.  The sons were Charles, Daniel and Thomas The daughters were, Polly, married to Andrew Long; Nancy, married to Lucius Higley (see Higley family); Sally, married to Mr. Shaw; Jane, Mrs. John Savage; Betsy, Mrs. James Caldwell; Annie; Peggie, Clarissa, Mrs. BAckus; Almira, Mrs. Aaron Smith.

     CALEB GARDNER came from the State of New York and settled in Rutland in 1803.  He was a man of good business abilities, and served the township in various official capacities, with credit to himself and satisfaction to the public.  He died Nov. 23d, 1823, aged fifty-nine years.

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     JOSHUA GARDNER was a son of Caleb Gardner, and was born Jan. 5th, 1793, in Connecticut, and came to Ohio with his father.  He also served as constable and other civil offices.  He was one of a company who went overland to California in 1849.  Returning to Rutland after two years he closed his life in Mar., 1862, aged seventy-six years and two months.

     JAMES E. PHELPS came from Connecitucut in 1803, and settled in the lower part of Rutland township.  He married Phylenda Rice, a sister of Mrs. Daniel Rathburn.  Mr. Phelps was an enterprising farmer, filled several township offices, and went to Columbus as a lobby member to get the county of Meigs set off.  He was one of the first associate judges of Meigs county.  He died in June, 1822.  His children: James, who studied medicine, went South and died there; NAncy Phelps was married to William Bing, of Gallia county; Harlow Phelps married Amelia Watkins, and lived in the old homestead; Abel Phelps was a physician, practiced his profession in the lower part of Pomeroy, and died there.  He was married twice.  His first wife was Ruth Simpson.  After her death he married Amy Smith.
     John Orlando Phelps was also a doctor and practiced medicine in Piketon, Ohio; afterwards went South and died there.  Amelia Phelps was married to Dr. Eli Sigler, who had a considerable practice.  They lived near her old home.  Dr. Sigler was one of the associate judges at one time of Meigs county.  He died May 1st, 1848, aged fifty-three years, ten months and twenty-seven days.  He was married twice; his second wife was Barbara Rothgeb, who died Apr. 2d, 1891, aged eighty-two years, two months and four days.
     Amanda Phelps died in early womanhood.

    DANIEL RATHBURN was born in 1767 in Granby, Connecticut and married Desire Rice, was born in 1764, in Connecticut.  They came with their family to Leading creek in 1803, and established

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their home, where itinerant Methodist preachers had regular appointments.  The names of Jacob Young, David Young, William Young, James Quinn, James Gilruth, and John P. Kent and others who found a cordial welcome.  Mr. and Mrs. Rathburn were the leading and influential citizens in those early times.  They had a family of sons - no daughters.  Mr. Daniel Rathburn, Sr. died in 1852, aged eighty-five years, six months.  Mrs. Rathburn died in 1868, aged ninety-eight years, ten months, three days.
     The children were Daniel C. Rathburn, who married Laura Higley, had a farm in Rutland, was justice of the peace, and taught school.  They had a numerous family of sons and daughters.  He died Sept. 25th, 1855, aged fifty-nine years.
     Elisha Rathburn was married to Polly Giles Sept. 23d, 1819.  He came with his father to Ohio and settled on a farm near the village of Rutland.  He was highly respected by the community and favorably known as a preacher in the Baptist or Christian denomination.  His gifts and graces, zeal and charity were shown in a remarkable degree through a long and useful live.
     Elisha Rathburn was born June 30th, 1789, and died Aug. 8th, 1869.  Mrs. Rathburn was born Apr. 13th, 1799, and died Feb. 7th, 1896, aged ninety-one years.  They had a family of one son, Joseph Newton, and five daughters, Clarissa, Elizabeth, and Roana (Mrs. Seth Paine), and two daughters who died in early womanhood.
     Two sons of J. Newton Rathburn, Milton Rathburn and Charles, are successful merchants, and prominent citizens of Meigs county, Milton Rathburn being elected Senator fro this district, for state legislature, 1906.  They were born and brought up in Rutland township.
     Timothy Rathburn, a son of Daniel Rathburn and his wife, Desire Rathburn, married a Miss Daniel of Gallia county, and lived on a part of the old homestead.  They had several children.
     Alvin Rathburn was a physician and practiced medicine in Rutland.  He was married and had three sons.  William P. Rathburn, a banker, removed to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he was successful in accumulating a large property by investments in iron and coal.  He died in Chattanooga.
     Joseph Rathburn, son of Alvin, was a physician, as was his brother, James Rathburn who removed to Gallia county, where he died.
     John Rathburn, a son of Daniel Rathburn, Sr., was a doctor, but died young.
     Francis Asbury Rathburn was the sixth son of Daniel Rathburn, Sr., and his wife.  He was born Mar. 9th, 1800.  He was never married but lived with his parents, caring for them with filial devotion in their old age.  After the death of his father in 1852 he moved into the village with his mother, where she died in 1863.  He continued to live in Rutland until his death, an exemplary man, respected by all who knew him.
     Samuel Rathburn was the youngest son of Daniel Rathburn, Sr., and his wife, Desire Rathburn and was born in 1802.  He married a Miss Vanden, of Gallipolis, engaging in the mercantile business in that city.  He held several offices of public trust, was probate judge of Gallia county, and maintained an honorable character, a highly respected citizen, until his death.

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