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THE HUNTERS.
Pg. 45

     An account of hunting adventures, as described by Mr. John Warth and reported by Mr. Silas Jones, who was a member of Mr. Warth's family in 1832.  He says that Mr. Warth never tired of entertaining his guests with narratives of perils and adventures in his early life, and Mr. Jones reports, as near as possible, in the actor's own words.
     "In the time of great peril, when it was not safe to look out of the fort, and our brother Robert had been shot while chopping a log near the fort, it became necessary to procure some meat for the families in the fort.  Thinking the Ohio bottoms less liable to be infested with Indians, George and I stole out of the fort at night, and paddled noiselessly down the river to a point opposite Blannerhasset island, where we hid our canoe in the willows.  As soon as it was light we started in different directions to hunt for deer.   I had not gone half a mile when I saw two tall savages coming in the direction I was going.  I squatted in the high pea vines and thick undergrowth that covered the ground while they passed by near me but did not see me.  However, they soon discovered my trail, which they followed back to the canoe, which I supposed they would watch until the owner would come.  My great concern now was the safety of my brother, George, as he not being aware of the presence of the Indians would return to the canoe and fall a prey to them.  They I decided on a plan to save George, which was to proceed to a point out of sight of the Indians, hide my gun, swim across the river, then swim to the island and watch for George's return.  This plan I fully carried out.  Along in the afternoon I heard the report of my brother's gun after which my anxiety amounted to agony - minutes seemed hours.  At length I saw George coming out of the woods with the carcass of a deer on his back.  He looked up and down the shore, when I got his attention and by signs and gestures got him to take in the situation.  We both regained the fort without further trouble.  When the danger was over I went with a party and recovered my gun and the canoe.
     "Another time George and I went out in search of game, and were separated some distance, when I heard the report of his gun, after which I heard cries of distress coming from George.  I ran to him with all the possible speed of my limbs, and found him pinned to the earth by a large elk.  I was so exhausted that I could not draw the bead, so I ran up and thrust the muzzle of my rifle against the animal's ribs and fired, when he fell dead at my feet.  My brother was not much hurt, the horns of the elk had not penetrated through the ample folds of his hunting shirt, which held him to the ground.  (The hunter's shirt was made sufficiently large so that he could stow a week's provisions above the belt.)  George had fired on the elk, only wounding him, and so enraging had fired on the elk, only wounding him, and so enraging the beast that he turned on the hunter and compelled George to take refuge in a high upturned root where he fought with his clubbed rifle till he had nothing left but the bent barrel, when the maddened elk finally dislodged him, with the above result.  Our capture was a valuable one, but did not compensate for George's gun."

AN ENCOUNTER WITH WOLVES AT SHADE RIVER.

     George Warth and Peter Niswonger took their rifles and went out for a hunt.  After traveling some time they came to a ridge that ran to near the mouth of Shade river, when Warth said to Niswonger, "You go on the bottom on one side of the ridge and I will take the other side and will come together at the end of the ridge on the bank of Shade river."  They started thus, but Niswonger got out of the way, and came out above the second ridge.  Warth went directly to the river end of the ridge - there sat seven to ten wolves.  They showed no alarm at his approach, the largest walked toward him, the others following.  He shot the foremost one, and it fell dead.  He reloaded his rifle as soon as he could, for the wolves indicated fight.  Then he went into the river until the water was up to his hips, and the wolves went in after him.  He shot the foremost one through the shoulder and he went back to the water's edge and sat down and looked at him.  He defended himself with his empty rifle, broke the stock in many pieces, and then fought them with the empty barrel.  He had the advantage of being in the water deep enough to swim the wolves, and he pounded them until they retreated to the edge of the water and sat down on their haunches and looked at him.  He dared not go out of the water as he might not be able to fight if they followed him.  Soon Niswonger came on the shore opposite the wolves and Warth crossed over to him and told him "not to shoot - we will call it a draw, game, neither party whipped."  He would not let Niswonger  shoot lest they might be attacked.  The hunters returned to their homes on Oldtown creek, and next day increased their force and went back to the place of the battle and found two dead wolves but no live ones.  (Sketch by Mr. Silas Jones.)
     Black bears were numerous in these parts of southern Ohio in the first years of the nineteenth century.  Henry Roush, of Letart township, related an incident of his encounter with bears.  HE said: "I was going out to bring in the cows, and contrary to my usual custom did not take my rifle with me, and while passing along the rear of my neighbor's field of corn I saw two young bears helping themselves to roasting ears.  I succeeded in capturing one of them, which began to squall at a furious rate, which brought the mother bear rushing upon me with great fury.  I had to drop my prize and run for a high fence which was near, with the angry bear at my heels.  After gaining the top of the fence, I seized a stake and beat off my assailants."
     Elk were seen, but not in great numbers.  Wolves were numerous and very troublesome.  It was as common to hear the howl of a wolf in the twilight of an evening as it was to hear the crowing of a cock in the morning.  They would answer each other from hill to hill when gathering their pack for the depredations upon the settler's sheep or young cattle.  In 1827 a party of road viewers were cutting out a road from Chester, the county seat of Meigs county, to Sterling Bottom, on the Ohio river, and at a certain point lay out a road from this to Oldtown.  The viewers were Nehemiah Bicknell, Samuel Bowman and one or two other men.  They had progressed only half way from Chester when night came on and they had to spend the night in the woods.  They built fires for protection from wolves, whose howling they heard apparently in force, at no great distance, at intervals all night.  The men kept the fires burning, but slept little.
     Wolves continued to commit depredations on the farmer's sheep in Lebanon township, a gang having dens somewhere about the head of Ground Hog creek and Oldtown creek.  An expert trapper named Allen came from Washington county in 1840 and successfully exterminated these wolves. 
     The panther was often met by the hunter, but was easily killed, as the animal was of a bold, defiant nature, he would climb a tree where he was an easy mark for the hunter's rifle. 
     Deer were found in great numbers and were a great blessing to the pioneer families, who depended for meat upon the wild game.  Venison was a choice meat, while the deer's hide was tanned and served to make various articles of apparel.  The deer has disappeared from this county.  Gray foxes were numerous and were great enemies to poultry raising, but the red fox seems to have superseded the gray, and neither are seen in later years.  The raccoon was a great pest, destroying large quantities of corn while in a green state on the stalk.  Coon hunting with dogs was a common sport for boys until the animal has disappeared.  The opossum and red and gray squirrel remain in limited numbers.  (Silas Jones)

ABEL LARKIN.
Pg. 49

     Abel Larkin had mills on Otter creek, Vermont, which were swept away by floods.  He then started with wife and four children to Ohio, coming to Leading creek in 1804, in June.  He was able to obtain a house on Judge Higley's farm, where his family remained four years.  Mr. Larkin and Judge Higley were acquainted in Vermont.  In 1808 Mr. Larkin moved into his own cabin on the farm he had purchased.  Mr. Larkin was the first township clerk for Salisbury township, elected July 27th, 1805; was also elected justice of the peace in 1808, again in 1812, and again in 1818.  Afterwards he served as associate judge for Meigs county.
     Their children were four sons and five daughters.
     Susannah, born in Vermont in 1796, and died in Rutland in July, 1805.
     Emeline Larkin, born in Vermont 1798, and died in Rutland, Ohio, in May, 1824, aged twenty-six years.
     Abel Larkin, Jr., was born April 21st, 1801, married Adeline Hadley in Illinois, near Mt. Sterling, in 1835.  He settled on a farm in Brown county, where they reared in numerous family - five sons and four daughters.  Three of his sons enlisted in the Civil war, and one came back alive with injuries from which he died.  He was John Larkin.  The daughters were grown to womanhood, married and moved to different parts of the county.  Mrs. Adeline Larkin died in 1881.  Mr. Abel Larkin J., died in 1884 in Illinois.  He has been a pioneer in Ohio, and going to Illinois in 1829, was a pioneer in that state. 
     Julia Larkin was born June 29th, 1802, in Rutland, Vermont, and removed with her parents to Leading creek in 1804.  She was married to Nehemiah Bicknell March 16th, 1826, and came with him to Lebanon township, to his farm, where she lived until her death, Feb. 25th, 1863.  They had six children, one son and five daughter.
     Stillman Carter Larkin was born in Rutland, Ohio, March 9th, 1808.  He married Mary Hedrick, November 21st, 1837, and lived on the Larkin homestead until death.  Stillman C. Larkin died in Jan., 1898, aged ninety years, ten months, twenty-three days.  Mary Larkin died May 30th, 1904, aged ninety-two years, five months, fifteen days.  They had no children.
     Sarah Cutler Larkin was born September 6th, 1811, in Rutland, Ohio, and was married to Joseph Jervis Miles, April 12th, 1841.  They lived in Gallipolis a few years, then came to Pomeroy, where Mr. Miles died in July, 1855.  Mrs. Miles returned to the old Larkin homestead.  She had no children that lived.  Her death occurred Jan. 17th, 1895, at the age of eighty-three years, four months, eleven days. 
     Curtis Larkin was born May 27th, 1813, in Rutland, Ohio.  He was in California a few years, but returned to Rutland, Ohio, where he married again - Sarah Church.  They had one son, George B. Larkin.  Their home was always in Rutland, Ohio.  Mr. Larkin held some local and township offices, was a trustee of Rutland township several years.  He was a member of the First Christian church and served as an active local elder for more than thirty years.
     Edwin Larkin was born September 25th, 1815, in Rutland, Ohio.  He went to the South in 1839 and never returned.
     Betsey Larkin was born August 8th, 1806, in Salisbury township, Gallia county.  She was married to Daniel Cutrler, Nov. 5th, 18934.  They lived in Warren Township, Washington county, Ohio, for twenty-one years, and had two children, Charles Curtis and Mary, who died when sixteen years of age.  Mr. and Mrs. Cutler moved to the West in 1856, and settled finally in Franklin county, Kansas.  Mrs. Cutler died June 19th, 1883, aged  nearly seventy-seven years.
     Daniel Cutler was born Feb. 19th, 1799, in Waterford, Washington county, Ohio.  He was the son of Judge Ephram Cutler and his first wife, who died early, leaving four children, Charles, Nancy, Mary,  and Daniel, who was taken to the home of Rev. Manasseh Cutler, where he spent his childhood.  His father, Ephram Cutler, married Sarah Parker, and she was the mother of Hon. William P. Cutler.  Mr. Daniel Cutler was an anti-slavery man, and lived in Kansas in those exciting times of border warfare.  He was also a temperance man, and a member of the Congregational church.  He was the first postmaster of Rantoul, Franklin county, was a farmer, owned a thousand acres of land in one body.  He lived and died an honorable, Christian gentleman, on Jan. 10th, 1887.  Charles C. Cutler, an only child, survived him and occupies the homestead.
     Mr. Daniel Cutler commenced life in the Northwestern Territory, and followed up along the border of civilization during a most eventful period of time, for the whole of his eighty-eight years of life.
    Abel Larkin, whose family has been noted, died Feb. 17th, 1830, in Rutland, Ohio, aged sixty-five yeas, five months, nineteen days.
     Susannah Larkin (Bridges) died Aug. 14th, 1860, aged eighty-nine years, four months, twenty-six days.  She passed away from her own homestead in Rutland, a woman honored.

     NEHEMIAH BICKNELL was the son of Jephet Bicknell and wife, Amy Bicknell (nee Burlingame), was born June 26th, 1796, at East Greenwich, Rhode Island.  His parents moved to New York state in 1798, where he lived until nineteen years of age, and his father and brother having died, Nehemiah, with his widowed mother, came with a company under this leadership of Rev. Samuel Porter, to Athens, Ohio, in October, 1815.  They traveled with teams and covered wagons, and were forty days on the way, always stopping over Sunday.  His mother died in February, 1816, and lies buried in the old cemetery at Athens, leaving him and his younger sister, Zimrode, alone among strangers in a new country.  God took care of them and they soon found good friends.
     March 16th, 1826, Nehemiah Bicknell married Julia Larkin, in Rutland, Ohio, and they moved immediately to make their home on his farm in Lebanon township on the banks of the Ohio river.  They endured many hardships incident to pioneer life, none of which they deprecated more than the ignorance and low state of morals in the neighborhood.  Mr. Bicknell opened his own house for preaching in about 1828 or 1829, to the Methodist itinerant.  Later he secured the building of a school house on his land adjoining the Pioneer burying ground, where the preaching appointment was removed, and continued for many years.  Afterward he gave a log for a site for a church, deeded to trustees of the Methodist Episcopal church, and a public graveyard.  Mr. Bicknell was a public spirited man, who felt the lack of early education a constant impediment to progress.  He was elected magistrate three terms, township trustee, postmaster eleven years, Sunday-school superintendent for many years, class leader when the appointment was known as the Oldtown class.  He was an uncompromising temperance man all of his long life, and erected a large barn, the second building in Meigs county raised without the compliment of whiskey.  He was a road viewer and helped in laying out roads in nearly every part of the county, and dissented from the policy of narrow minded men who would lay out a public road on inaccessible hillsides or around the corner of a selfish man's farm.  He claimed for the traveling public suitable ground, and making good roads everywhere.  At eighty-three yeras of age his step was firm, his eyes bright, and cheeks rosy.  His birthday, celebrated in June, 1879, he, with his eldest daughter, left home Aug. 1st to revisit his boyhood home in Chenango county, New York, and attend to the placing of gravestones anew at his father's grave.  In some strange manner he seemed to have gone out of the car to the platform, when he fell off and was killed.  This was on the Erie railroad, near Beaver Flats, and the fatality occurred about 3 a.m., Aug. 6th, 1879.  His stricken daughter brought his body back and he was laid by the side of his wife in the graveyard by the little church called "Bicknell's Chapel."  (E. L. B.)
     The children of Nehemiah Bicknell and his wife, Julia Bicknell (nee Larkin), were Emeline Larkin, born Feb. 19th, 1827, and was married to Isaac A. Cowdery in July, 1846.  It proved a most unfortunate marriage, and she obtained a divorce in June, 1853, in the Common Pleas court of Meigs county, and her name restored to that of Bicknell.  She had borne two children, a son, dying at three months, and a daughter, Ella Frances, who died Oct. 10th, 1860, in her ninth year.
     Julia Amy was born Dec. 28th, 1828, and died of fever, Sept. 1846.
     An infant son of Nehemiah Bicknell and his wife, March, 10th 1833.
     Zimrode Adaline was married to John Roberts in May, 1855.  She died Dec. 10th, 1870 leaving three children, Arthur B., Zimrode Ella, and Albert John Roberts.
     Sarah Elizabeth, born Sept. 24th, 1839, and died Oct. 3d, 1860.
     Mary Susannah, born Mar. 7th, 1842, was married to Rev. George J. Conner in Oct., 1869.  They had one son, Charlie Cookman, but father and son both died - the first 1873, the latter 1876.  She was again married to David B. Cross in Jan, 1879, and died Mar. 7th, 1882, forty years of age.  She left one son, Willie Bicknell Cross.

     ALLEN OGDEN was born in Maryland, Apr. 13th, 1775.  He was in Marietta in 1788.  In June, 1795, he married Miss Hannah Keller, with whom, in April, 1804, they moved to what is now known as Columbia township, Meigs county.  He purchased land, cleared up a farm, where he made his home and reared a family of ten children.  He served many years as a justice of the peace, and filled other responsible township offices.
     Mary Ogden was married to Joshua Wood, the first couple married in Columbia township.  They had nine children.  Mr. Wood was a justice of the peace and Whig Politician.
     Margaret Wood married Elias P. Davis.  She died, leaving two children. Nancy Wood was married to Nehemiah Bobo.  They had eleven children, twenty-nine grand children and five great grandchildren.
     William Wood married Sarah Rutherford and reared four children, with a number of descendants.
     Elizabeth Wood was married to Eli Vale, and they had a large family of children and grandchildren.
     Joshua Wood married Elizabeth Forrest, and they had one child.
     Rachel Wood was married to J. Q. A. Vale, a physician.  Their home was in Minnesota.  Dr. Vale has been a member of the legislature of that state.  They had six children.
     Mary Wood married Levi Whitlock and they went to Minnesota and had a large family of children.
     Adah Ogden, daughter of Alvin Ogden and wife, was born Mar. 7th, 1799, and was married to John Conner.  They moved to Indiana.  To them were born six children.
     Sabert Ogden was born Oct. 3d, 1801, married Elizabeth Forrest, and settled in Salem.  They had seven children.  Sabert Ogden died Feb. 10th, 1874.  Mrs. Ogden died Dec. 24th, 1896, aged eighty-five years, six months, eighteen days.
     Alvin Ogden, Jr., married Nancy Jordan, and resided in Salem.  They had two children, and several grandchildren.
     Herbert Ogden had three sons in the Civil war, Alvin, John, and Hugh.  John was in Company I, Fifty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and died in the service at Camp Denison, Ohio.
     Hugh Ogden, the second son of Alvin Ogden, Sr., was born Mar. 11th, 1804.  He never married.  He died in 1872 in Salem township.
     Nancy Ogden, daughter of Alvin Ogden, Sr., and his wife, was born May 18th, 1806.  She was married to William Green, and they both lived and died in Columbia township.  They had five children.  Albert Green was a soldier in the Eighteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and died in the service.
     Lovina Ogden Green married Lewis Castor, of Columbia.  Hannah Green married Miles Graham, a member of the Eighteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, who died shortly after the close of the war.
     Cynthia Green married William Graham, who was a soldier and died in the service the first year of the Civil War.
     Elizabeth Ogden daughter of Alvin Ogden, Sr., was born July 25th, 1808, and was married to Daniel Caleb, and moved to Hardin county, Ohio, where they died.  They had four children and numerous descendants.
     Noah Ogden, a son of Alvin Ogden, Sr., was born Mar. 16th, 1811.  He married Dorcas Graham and settled in Salem township and had four children, and numerous descendants.  He died in 1890.
     Alvin Ogden, Sr., died Jan. 4th, 1867, aged nearly ninety-two years.  He was a son of a Revolutionary soldier, himself a pioneer of Meigs county.  When he died he left ten children, 129 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.  No race suicide in his posterity.
     The foregoing sketch is copied from a history of the Ogden family, as a part of that interesting narrative published in the "Telegraph," Jan. 28th, 1898.  S. C. Larkin.

     SHUBAEL NOBLES and family came from Tremont township, Rutland county, Vermont, to Marietta in 1801.  Then to the Joel Higley far in 1804, and finally to his own farm in the northwest corner of Section No. 15, in Rutland, in 1805.
     Mrs. Nobles before marriage was Elizabeth Post.  They had three sons and six daughters.  Mr. Nobles was a tanner by trade, also a shoemaker.  Charles F. Nobles, a son, was a blacksmith.  He married Sarah Fanney Winn in October, 1818.  She was a daughter of Abraham Winn, and was born July 24th, 1795, in Ontario county, New York.  She was a noble woman, with great energy.  They reared a large family of sons and daughters.  Mr. Charles F. Nobles died in 1870.  Mrs. Nobles died Nov. 24th, 1890, aged ninety-five years, four months.
     Lewis Nobles, son of Shubael Nobles, married Betsy Strausburg.  He was noted as an ingenious mechanic.  He died May 26th, 1887, aged sixty-seven years, eleven months, seven days.  His wife died Mar. 1st, 1897, in her seventy-sixth year of age.
     Osmar Nobles was never married, but lived on the old farm.
     Silas Nobles went to Indiana, married and died there.
     Abigail Nobles, daughter of Shubael Nobles, was married to Phineas Matthews, of Gallia county.  Julia married Jacob A. Winn, lived in Rutland, and died in 1882, at the age of eighty-f8ive years.  Eliza was married to Jacob Swisher and lived in Gallia county.
     Esther Nobles was married to Abel Chase, of Rutland, Ohio.  She was born Mar. 26th, 1808.  Eunice Nobles died Mar. 17th, 1878, aged seventy-eight years.  Mary Nobles died in Rutland, aged sixty-one years.  Shubael Nobles, Sr., died in 1854, aged ninety-one years.  His wife died in 1855, aged eighty-eight years.

     WILLIAM PARKER, second, was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts. July 4th, 1775, and came to Marietta with his father, William Parker, first, in 1798.  He married Betsy Wyatt, daughter of Deacn Joshua Wyatt, of Athens county, May 13th, 1802, and they came to Rutland, Ohio, in 1804, and settled on a farm, which has been owned and occupied by a Parker for more than one hundred years.
     The children of William Parker, second, and his wife were: Eliza, who was married to Samuel Halliday, and lived in Meigs county.  They had a family of sons and daughters; Alexander died when a child; William Halliday; Jane was Mrs. Robbins; Samuel Halliday married Elizabeth Remington, of Pomeroy; Eliza, HEnry, Thomas, Edwin, and Mary left Meigs county with their parents in 1850.
     William Parker, third, married Lovina Stout.  Their children were: William Parker, fourth, Mary, Ida, Sophronia, Edwin Parker, Barton, and Sarah - Mrs. Green, who died early, leaving one daughter.  Edwin married and lives in Cincinnati.  Ida Parker was a successful teacher in the public schools in Middleport, Ohio.  Two brothers and two unmarried sisters live together in the homestead.
     Silas Parker, son of William Parker, second, studied medicine and went to the West when quite a young man.
     Mary Parker was married to Buckingham Cooley, who died early, leaving a widow and daughter.  Mrs. Cooley was married afterwards to William Bartlett, of Athens, Ohio.
     Sarah E. Parker became the wife of Tobias A. Plantz, Esq., and lived in Pomeroy.  They had two children, Mary E. Plants who died young, and George Wyatt Plantz, banker and prominent citizen of Pomeroy for many years, identified with all good enterprises for the prosperity of the town.  He married Mary G. Daniel, daughter of H. G. Daniel, banker and an esteemed business man of Pomeroy.  They have one son, who bears the family name, Wyatt Garfield Plantz, and is one of the bankers - "First Citizens Bank," of Pomeroy.
     John Wyatt Parker, son of William Parker, second, and his wife, was born in Rutland.  He married Eliza McQuigg, and lived in Gallipolis for several years, was auditor of Gallia county, but removed to Dubuque, Iowa.

     Daniel Parker, son of William Parker, second, and is wife, was born Oct. 22d, 1809.  He married Catharine E. Gillespie, of Dayton, Ohio, in 1847.  They had three sons: George G., Daniel Herbert, and Frank H. Parker, all noted physicians and specialists in surgery.  Mr. Daniel Parker owned and occupied the homestead, and died Jan. 19th, 1893, aged eighty-three years, two months, twenty-eight days.  Mrs. Parker died in 1908, in her eighty-fourth year, a woman of rare accomplishments, one who never grew old. 
     This Parker homestead is occupied by Dr. Frank Parker, the only surviving member of his father's family.

     A PARTY OF INDIANS came to Rutland sometime in the interval between 1804 and 1808.  The date is not as certain as the incident.  It was a custom in those days when preaching by a minister was only occasional, to observe the Sabbath by services at the home of some family in the neighborhood.  One Sunday when the meeting was in progress, Indians were seen looking through the cracks of the door, and between the logs.  Immediately consternation prevailed, the woman crying and wringing their hands, while some of the men went to the door, shook hands with them and found them to be friendly.  The Indians said they wanted "johnny-cake," which fortunately was at hand, so the request was granted and the Indians departed.  Mr. Milo Higley has written a very good song on johnny-cake, and we venture to copy two stanzas relating to the foregoing narrative.

"It was Sunday in that early day,
And all had gone to church
In the house of Mr. Larkin,
God's holy book to search.
Around the fireside they met,
A blessing to partake,
While from the hearth came up the fume
Of steaming johnny-cake.
"While thus in solemn worship there
The woman gave a scream
For through a crack in the cabin wall
A red-skin's eyes were seen.
The stately deacons rose and asked,
'Why this disturbance make?'
In Indian language they replied,
'We want some johnny-cake!'"

     This visit was the last one of the Indians in the vicinity of Rutland.

PIONEER SOCIETY
Pg. 60

     A meeting preliminary to a call for the organizing of a pioneer society met at the court house in Pomeroy in October, 1876, Mr. H. B. Smith, chairman, Aaron Stivers, secretary.  Those present were Stillman C. Larkin, Aaron Torrence, Nehemiah Bicknell, Silas Jones, Mrs. H. B. Smith, Mrs. S. c. Miles, and Mrs. E. L. Bicknell.  they met and proceeded to name a committee to announce the time and place for a regular organization of the Meigs County Pioneer Society, and to prepare a constitution, with suitable by-laws, for the future conduct of the society.  They reported at the next meeting, which was held in the court house at Pomeroy, Nov. 1st, 1876, pursuant to the call of the last meeting.
     President Stillman C. Larkin in the chair, and Aaron Stivers, secretary.  The object of the meeting was stated by the president and then the report and constitution was read and adopted.
     "In view of the fact that all of the first settlers of Meigs county have passed away, and most of their children are also gone, and that time is effacing the mementos and monuments that have marked the only history of county, we are admonished that unless immediate steps are taken to preserve the remembrance of those interesting events they will be forgotten and lost.  In order therefore to recover and preserve and record the past and current history of our county for the benefit and satisfaction of our present population, as well as those whom it may interest when time shall have removed us who now record these events, this society is formed and for its regulation have adopted the following constitution:
     "Article 1.  This society shall be known as the Meigs County Pioneer Society.
     "Art. 2.  The object of this society shall be the promotion of social intercourse, the collection and preservation of the history of the early settlers of Meigs county, and such other matters of interest as may be declared by the society to be worthy of record and preservation.
     "Art. 3.  Any person who has been twenty years a resident of Meigs county, and is over fifty years of age, or who is the wife of a member, may become a member of this society by signing this constitution, and all male members paying into its treasury five cents, and fifty cents annually during membership.  Residents of adjoining counties may become members by a ote of the society.
     "Art. 4.  The officers of the society shall consist of a president, vice-president, treasurer, corresponding secretary, and recording secretary, and an executive committee of five, who shall hold their respective offices for the term of one year, and until their successors are elected and installed.
     "Art. 5.  The officers shall be elected annually by ballot on the day of the annual meeting, and a majority of the members present and voting shall be necessary to a choice.
     "Art. 6.  The annual meeting of this society shall be held on the second Thursday in August of each year.  The president or executive committee may call a meeting at discretion.
     "Art. 7.  All money must be paid to the recording secretary, who shall pay the same to the treasurer, taking his receipt for the same.
     "Art. 8.  The treasurer shall deposit the funds of the society in some solvent bank in the name of the society, and pay the same out on the order of the recording secretary, as directed by the executive committee, unless otherwise ordered by the society.
     "Art. 9.  A majority of the members present at an annual meeting shall determine the place of the next annual meeting thereafter to be holden.
     "Art. 10.  The executive committee with the two secretaries shall give the necessary notice, and make arrangements for the annual meeting of the society.
     "Art. 11.  The constitution may be altered or amended at any annual meeting by a vote of two-thirds of all the members present."

The Signers of the Constitution.
Pg. 62-63

     Horace, Holt, Mary Lasher, N. Bicknell, Sarah C. Miles, Benjamin Smith, P. Pennington, Samuel Bradbury, Samuel Halliday, Sarah Murphy, Samuel S. Paine, Mary Simms, Sophrina Stivers, Silas Jones, W. Stivers, John Erwin, Electa McQuigg, Aaron Thompson, Sarah F. Nobles, Aaron Stivers, Persis O. Cooper, T. A. Plants, Stillman C. Larkin, S. Bosworth, W. A. Barringer, John Ruble, L. Smith, Geo. W. Cooper, W. B. Smith, W. B. Pennington, John C. Hysell.
     The society then proceeded to choose officers and the following were elected:
     Stillman C. Larkin, president; John C. Hysell, vice-president; H. B. Smith, treasurer; Aaron Stivers, recording secretary; Geo. W. Cooper, corresponding secretary; Samuel Bradbury, Silas Jones, Wasington Stivers, Aaron Thompson, and John Ervin, executive committee.
     It was then determined by a vote of the society to hold the next annual meeting in Middleport.
     The meeting then adjourned.
                                                                      STILLMAN C. LARKING, President.
                                                                      AARON STIVERS, Secretary.    

     Benjamin Smith, who was born in Salisbury township in 1804, gave some items, related interesting incidents of early times, and promised in life and health permitted to prepare a paper for the annual meeting, as his father and grandfather were among the first and early settlers in the county.
     John C. Hysell gave incidents of early history and consented to write an article from his knowledge of pioneer events.
     Samuel Halliday, who came from Scotland in 1819, and was county auditor for twenty-three years, expressed his gratification at this moment, and made some very appropriate remarks in relation to it.  He also promised to furnish a paper containing a history of events in the county, and observations on the conduct of county affairs.
     T. A. Plantz spoke of a history prepared by a son of Daniel Parker, who lived in Clermont county, that included valuable information of the earliest settlements of Meigs county, and he would secure a copy for this pioneer society.
     H. B. Smith offered the following resolution, which was adopted: "Resolved, that each member of this society be requested to furnish in a written form, at the next annual meeting, such information as shall be within the meaning and spirit of the constitution of this society, and that T. A. Plantz be appointed a committee to procure the Parker papers."
     A paper was filed containing an account of the settlement of N. Bicknell in 1820, in Lebanon township.

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