Present Civil Officers of Township.
     Justices of the Peace, I. J. Finley, Samuel Rinehart, and A. J. Pummell; Trustees, oseph Ringer, Samuel Rinehart, and Joseph Brugg; Treasurer, William Combs; Clerk, Jno. W. Kellough; Constables, William Wilson and John Lee; Land Appraiser, Thomas DeLong.  Post-office Hoopole at Farmersville.
     Huntington has never furnished any county officers under its present organization, except I. J. Finley who represented, in part, Ross County in the Ohio Legislature in 1868-9; and it has never had a representative in the State's prison, I believe.

In McIntosh's Memoirs in 1789, page 13.
     Daniel Boone encamped on Paint creek, Sept. 7, 1789, near the Rock rapids, on his route from Manchester to Fort Clark, on Mad river.  Gen. Putnam, on April 15th of the same year, encamped at the same place, on his route to Vincennes to treat with the Indians.

Old Pioneers.
     John Cochenour, stone-mason, was in the war of 1812, now dead. Mr. Cochenour was of great service to the new settlers in building chimneys for their cabins, etc.  One evening, while coming home from his work, he was belated and it grew very dark; when within a mile from home, five large wolves attacked him, and he having left his gun at home was forced to take shelter in a large dogwood tree that stood near his path, and there remain until the morning light drove his adversaries away.

[Page 9]
     Peter Streevey emigrated to Ohio at an early day from Pennsylvania; was in the war of 1812 as teamster; now dead; was a resident of Huntington township over sixty years; was a great hunter.  He and a Mr. Rolston, of whom mention will be made in another place, started out with their guns and dogs one morning on a bear hunt.  After being out for some time, being near what is called the Bald Knob, they heard the dogs barking, and going up to them they found them barking up a large chesnut tree which had been broken off at the top, leaving the stump some forty or fifty feet high and hollow at the top, and about twenty feet up there was another hole in the side of the stump.  The two hunters thumped the tree with the butts of their guns, when a bear stuck his head out and Streevey fired, and the bear fell back into the stump. Streevey, supposing the bear dead, and being a good climber, climbed up the stump, taking with him a stout pole which he tied to his body with his suspenders, and upon arriving at the top commenced thrusting his pole down on the bear, when, to his surprise, bruin ran up and out at the top and down one side and Streevey on the other; the dogs met him at the foot of the tree, and one large dog of Streevey's locked jaws with the bear, and Streevey, in the excitement, fired at the bear, but only wounded him.  He hastily reloaded his gun and snapped, but his gun being of the flint lock, as all were in those days, the powder being damp, his gun missed fire, when he renewed the priming and killed the bear; after which, he reascended the stump and found two cubs, which they killed. During their day's hunting they killed seven bears, among them a very large one, which had taken shelter behind the roots of a large white oak tree which had been blown down.  Mr. Streevey, during his lifetime, killed a great many deer, wolves, turkeys, etc.  When young he married a Miss Tabitha Thomas, whose father emigrated to Ohio in very early times, and lived for a short time in Chillicothe with his family, when but two or three log cabins had been built in the place.  One day, Mrs. Streevey, when nine or ten years old, was left with her sister in charge of the cabin, near

[Page 10]
the banks of the Scioto river, while their mother went to the river to wash their clothing.  Several Indians came into the cabin and commenced cutting off slices of venison, which they found hanging up, and roasting it on the coals.  The two young girls became frightened and ran under the bed; but after awhile they thought it would not do to let the redskins eat all their meat, so slipping out from their hiding-place, they ran down to their mother and informed her of what was going on; whereupon the mother started for the house accompanied by a neighbor woman by the name of McMahan, I believe.  On their way they armed themselves with clapboards, such as were used in those days for roofing.  On entering the cabin they commenced clearing it of its intruders by lustily applying the boards to the naked backs of the redskins, which soon made them retreat in haste.  Father Streevey and wife lived to a good old age, and died lamented and beloved by all who knew them.

Robert Bishop's Reminiscences.
     Robert Bishop emigrated to Ohio from Berkeley county, Virginia, in 1805, by land, in wagons; has been a resident of Huntington township sixty-four years; still living; was in the war of 1812 under Capt. George Yoakem; was second sergeant of his company; enlisted after Hull's surrender. The company went through Upper Sandusky; belonged to the brigade of Gen. E. Tupper; he received for his services forty acres of land.  When they first encamped, while their captain was gone to report, one of their men went out to cut poles to build a tent; there was, a short distance from where they commenced to pitch their tents, a horse company encamped, and this man went on the grounds of the horse company, claimed and cut a pole, when he was arrested by them and put under guard; they had him under a large oak tree and guarded by several men with their horse-pistols.  When Capt. Yoakem returned, he asked Mr. Bishop what that meant, seeing the men standing around the tree with their pistols in hand.  Mr. Bishop told the captain they had one of his men under arrest. When Yoakem heard this he drew his sword

[Page 11]
and ordered Bishop and another of his men to arm themselves with their guns and follow him, which they did; they marched boldly up to where the man was under the tree, the guards standing around him with pistols in hand; Yoakem marched through the guards and taking the prisoner by the arm told him to go with him.  The officers of the horse company ordered the arrest of the captain, which he soon found out. when he drew his men into line and ordered them to load their pieces.  When the horse company saw the hostile appearance of Capt Yoakem's company they drew back, and so the matter ended.
     Mr. Bishop relates another incident connected with his soldier life.  One day several of the horse company started out on a reconnoitering expedition, and did not return until late in the night; sometime during the night some of the horses breaking loose from their riders, came dashing into camp, whereupon the whole camp was aroused; a squad of the remaining company mounted their steeds, snatched their arras, which were stacked near by, and, loading them with buckshot, some having five or six shot in them, started out to look after the party which had not returned.  Before going far, they met them returning, when they all came in together, the men restacking their arms.  On the next morning one of the men was cleaning his gun; Mr. Bishop and another of the company were standing near by, when he snapped it, the gun went off, the contents passing between Mr. Bishop and the other soldier, whose name is forgotten, so close they both felt the wind of the balls as they passed, and striking a man standing near, killed him instantly, two balls passing through his body, and breaking the leg of another man named Hill, I believe.
     Mr. Bishop was a home hunter, and helped to kill many bears and wolves; was justice of the peace for many years, besides holding several other township offices.
     Henry Bishop, father of Robert, emigrated to Ohio at the same time with Robert; purchased land in Huntington township in 1806, and died in 1820, at the age of ninety-eight.  Jacob and George Vincentheller were old hunters.  Paul Stree-

[Page 12]
vey was in the Revolutionary war.  David and Jacob Toops were both in the war of 1812.  John Lewis and George Vincentheller were the first settlers on what is known as the Alum Cliffs.  John Methias was justice of the peace and county commissioner, in the first organization of the township, for some time . John Scantlin was in the Indian war of 1791, under Gen. St. Clair.  John Yoakem was under Gen. Tupper, in the war of 1812.  Job Haynes and George Grove were in the war of 1812, under Capt. William Keyes, of Huntington township, and were in Hull's surrender. Henry Long was sergeant in Capt. Elliott's home company.  David Elliott was also in the war of 1812.  George Ruffner, whose biography will appear in another place, was in the war of 1812; was a great Indian fighter, and was in Hull's surrender.  George Houseman was in the war of 1812, and under Hull at the time of his surrender.  Stanley Seymore was in the Indian war of 1791.  Daniel Toops was in the war of 1812; weaver by trade, and farmer; now dead.  David Shoemaker was in the war of 1812, under Capt. Keyes.  Daniel Grubb was in the war of 1812; was a home hunter; killed several bears on his farm during his lifetime; lived to be very old; was an excellent farmer and a good citizen.

List of Old Pioneers furnished by Mrs. Mary W. Finley

     Isaac Jordan, in war of 1812; now dead. Richard Elliott emigrated from Ireland at an early day, and settled in the township; was in war of 1812; a weaver by trade.  William Sadler.  Jacob Seeleg was in war of 1812; started to go as substitute, but on arriving at Chillicothe the man he was going for had obtained some one in his place, when he volunteered in Captain Keyes' company, but, being a good gunsmith, was detailed to work at that business.  Alex. Monroe.  Henry Wilt was in the war of 1812; still living; wagon-maker by trade.  Richard Honold, Thos. McCann, George Meyers, in the war of 1812 as teamsters; all dead.  David Shotts, William McCann, Jos. Offort, Sr., Martin Howard, Nancy Park, John McCalley, David Murphy, Jacob Maurey, Peter Lightle (who served many years as

[Page 13]
justice of the peace, and in other township offices), Frederick Baker, John Kilbourne, Peter Stagner, Michael Thomas (was an early settler, and a great hunter, in connection with Peter Streevey and Benjamin Rolston, whose names appear in another place in this work).  Henry Miskel, an old colored man, was among the first settlers, and deserves some notice.  He rendered great service, daring the war of 1812, in assisting the women and children in taking care of the harvests during the general call, as harvest came on during the men's absence.  I believe all the white men in the township at that time, except, perhaps, three, had to go.  Miskel was a very large, stout man, and worked almost night and day in securing the crops of his neighbors.  He lived to be very old.  He did not know his own age.

     Benning Wentworth, father of Mrs. Finley, and grandfather of Hon. I. J. Finley, served five years in the war of the Revolution as drummer, and three years in the French war; was a native of the State of Maine.  He emigrated to Ohio in 1816, served for many years as justice of the peace, and was, I believe, the same male school-teacher in the township, a Mr. Gilfillen being the first.  School was taught in a log cabin, with puncheon floor and oiled paper for glass lights.  Phebe, his wife, was the first female teacher in the township.  All the schools in those early days were sustained by subscription.  Mrs. Wentworth organized, I believe, the first Sabbath-school, which she taught for several years at her own house.  Mr. Wentworth and wife were members of the Baptist Church.  They lived to a good old age, and died lamented and beloved by all.

     A. P. Wentworth, the eldest son of Benning and Phebe Wentworth, was an early settler, and lived in the township for many years.  He served during a long period as justice of the peace, clerk of township, etc.  Was still living in Kansas, at last accounts, and holding office.  Benjamin Wentworth, another son, was one of the first in the township who kept a store.  He served for several years as justice of the peace, etc.; now dead.

[Page 14]

Names of Pioneers and Incidents furnished by Mrs. Mary Hester.

     James Finley, the father of Mrs. Hester, emigrated from Ireland in 1811; his family consisted of himself, his wife, and seven children—five sons and two daughters: John, father of Hon. I. J. Finley, and for many years justice of the peace, and who held other township offices, died in 1858; James; Moses, for many years township treasurer; William, served through the Mexican war, and died several years since of cholera in Cincinnati; Isaac, carpenter by trade, now dead; daughters, Mary (Mrs. Hester) and Jane. They traveled from New Haven to Pittsburg, over the Alleghany mountains, in wagons; from there they came in a boat to Manchester, and lived near West Union, on the banks of Brush creek, for a short time, when the country was little more than a wilderness, the nearest neighbor being three miles away.  They came to Huntington township soon after.  Seth Vanmeter, a noted backwoodsman and hunter, killed a large panther a short distance from his residence; it measured nine feet from tip to tip. It was not an unusual thing to scare up a bear in those early days, or to see droves of wild turkeys crossing your path, or herds of deer galloping over the hills, or to hear the wolves howling around at night.  Snakes were very numerous.  Mrs. Hester killed a large rattlesnake as it was passing through the cabin door; it had sixteen rattles on its tail.

     Benjamin Rolston, the noted hunter, while out on his farm one morning saw quite a large bear, which he and his dogs attacked.  The bear fought until she put the dogs to flight, when Rolston dispatched her with his gun.  Mr. Rolston, while out one very cold night, lost his way and perished near his own home.  Thus died one of the bravest hunters of his time.

     Mrs. Hester is now living near the old Indian trail leading from Chillicothe to Portsmouth.  Reuben Elliott emigrated from Virginia at a very early day; was a soldier in the Revolutionary war; died at the age of ninety, and was buried with the honors of war.  Robert McCann was a soldier in the Revolution; fought under General Washington at Brandywine; kept hotel

[Page 15]
in early days—sign, Three Kegs.  Peter Clark, emigrated to Ohio from Kentucky; he was slightly deranged, and was a great hunter; would often fire the woods in large circles, for the purpose of shooting deer and other wild animals. Benjamin Malone emigrated to Ohio from Kentucky about the year 1800; was bearer of dispatches from Chillicothe to Detroit after Hull's surrender; he passed through Columbus before there was a house erected in the place; is still living.  William Heness emigrated to Ohio from Virginia; was a member of an independent company in the war of 1812, and took an active part in the defense of Fort Stephenson.  David Ogden served "three years in the war of 1812.  James Gladstone emigrated from Scotland at a very early day; traveled in a wagon from New York to Pittsburg with his wife; floated down the Ohio river in a canoe to Portsmouth; they traveled from Portsmouth to Chillicothe on foot; settled in Huntington township when quite a wilderness.  James Wilson came from Kentucky to Ohio; enlisted for the war of 1812 at the age of fifteen years; he is a cooper by trade, and is still living.  Stacey Devinney, millwright by trade; fought as a soldier in the battle of New Orleans, under General Jackson; was a great admirer of the old hero.  At the time Jackson was elected president in 1828, Huntington township gave him but eleven votes, I believe.  At this election John H. Robinson, or better known as "Hoopole " Robinson, made a bet of a barrel of whisky with Devinney that he (Jackson) would not get that many votes, Devinney winning the bet, of course.

Aaron Vanscoifs Reminiscences.

     Mr. Aaron Vanscoy emigrated from Virginia to Ohio, in 1804, with his father, Aaron, Sr., in wagons; they settled in Gallia county, and remained there five or six years; from there they came to Ross County, and settled in Huntington township.  He was in the war of 1812, under Captain Northup, Colonel Safford, and General Ed. Tupper; served six months; he belonged to a rifle company, and traveled on foot to Urbana; he

[Page 16]
never received any pay, although promised six dollars a month; he furnished his own arms, clothing, blankets, etc.  He has often, when the mud and water were knee deep, made his bed by cutting a pile of brush, and spreading his blanket on top of it.  He afterward received a warrant for one hundred and sixty acres of land, which was all the compensation he ever had for his services.  He is still living, at the age of eighty-two.  He has seen hundreds of Indians in the early days in the township; he was a hunter, and has killed many deer, and helped to kill several bears, wolves, turkeys, etc., which were very plentiful when he first settled in the township.  He has heard the screams of the panther where he now lives, on what is called Indian creek.  He used to trap a great many wolves on his farm in early days.
     Enoch Vanscoy was in the employ of the government during the war of 1812, driving hogs; is still living.  Wm. Haynes, Rev. Isaac Murphy, of the Baptist denomination, John Campbell, Jacob Day, Benjamin Smith, and David Ridgeway, were in the war of 1812.

Henry Neborgall's Reminiscences.

     Mr. Neborgall's father emigrated to Ohio, in 1808, with his family, consisting of six children, to-wit: Jacob, John, Catherine, George, James, and Henry, my informant, who has been a resident of Huntington township fifty-three years.  He has seen many deer, turkeys, wolves, etc.  He says, one day, when quite a lad, he was sent out by his father to haul wood near the house, and while thus employed he saw a gang of large wolves after the sheep in the field, and tried to get the dog to attack them; but the dog seemed to be frightened and would not go near them.  He then took a billet of wood and drove them off himself, and saved the sheep.  At another time, Mr. Neborgall's wife heard the screaming of a child in the woods at no great distance, and ran to see what was the matter.  Upon arriving in sight of the child, she found it to be a cousin of Mr. Neborgall, named Waggey, who had been sent on an errand to a

[Page 17]
neighbor's house, and, to her horror and surprise, she saw that five large wolves had attacked the poor little fellow.  About the time Mrs. Neborgall arrived, a Mr. Peter Cockerell came to their aid, and they drove the wolves away, thus, in all probability, saving the lad's life.  On another occasion, Mr. Neborgall and a Mr. Joseph Haynes started one night to Chillicothe, with their marketing, on horseback.  After jogging along for some time, they heard what they supposed to be the voice of some one hallooing who had lost his way in the thick woods, which were very common in those days.  They answered several times, and the sound came nearer and nearer.  The travelers were soon satisfied that it was no human voice, but that of the panther.  They put whip to their horses, the screams still following nearer and nearer, until they came to a clearing where another neighbor lived, on the Limestone road, when their unwelcome follower left them, for which they were very thankful.  Mr. Neborgall says he was very well acquainted with William Hewitt, the hermit.  Mr. Neborgall lived near him during his hermitage, and visited him often.  Mr. Hewitt came from Virginia about the year 1808, I think.  He first hunted awhile on the Big Kanawha, wiiere he killed bears and deer, and sold their skins to the hands at the salt works on that river.  He used the bearskin for his bed, and had a shanty made from the bark of trees.  When I first saw Hewitt, forty-five years ago, he occupied a shanty made of bark on Crooked creek, near Mr. Daniel Shotts', not far from Farmersville.  He lived there during the summer, and when cold weather came on he removed to a log cabin which had been built and roofed, on the land near James Toops.  The cabin had no doors or windows cut out, and was erected on sideling ground, one side being raised some distance from the ground; the hermit dug the earth away on this side for an entrance.  Here he lived for about four years, employing his time mostly by hunting, and sustaining himself on the meat of the bear and deer.  One Saturday evening, while returning to his cabin near the Pinnacle Knob, he killed a small deer of the "toehead " species, as he called it.  He tied its legs

[Page 18]
together, swung it around his neck, and started on his way.  After going a short distance he saw a very large buck, and, as he expressed himself, he "blazed away," and killed him.  He tied this one's legs together, as before, and thus, with his two deer swung around his neck, he marched home.  From this cabin he removed to the celebrated cave on the Portsmouth pike.  Mr. Neborgall says he often visited him at his cave, and he, in return, would visit at Mr. Neborgall's house, and was very
sociable after once becoming acquainted.  He told me, says Mr. Neborgall, that he came from Virginia, and told me often the cause of his leaving and living as he did, not in just these words, but gave me to understand the cause to be this: He was married, and one morning he started on a tramp from which he did not expect to return for several days; but from some cause he returned that night, and on arriving at his home he found, to his surprise, another man occupying his couch with his wife. 
His first thought was to kill them both, but on further reflection concluded he could live alone, and enjoy himself in the wilds of the forest, so he left for Ohio.  He never returned to Virginia, but used often to speak of his wife.  His mode of preparing his vension was to take the fleshy parts of the hams, and then build a fire of wood and let it burn to coals; he would then drive sticks in the ground around the bed of coals, and place thereon the flesh thus taken from the bones, letting it dry very hard.  This he would use for bread; the bony pieces he would broil on the coals for his meat.  He was a very large and muscular man, and seemingly intelligent.  His clothing consisted of skins dressed by himself, which gave him the appearance of a wild man.  He had in his cave his Bible, which he read during the greater portion of the Sabbath day. He was never known to hunt on that day.  Mr. Neborgall says the last talk he had with Hewitt was a short time before he became sick so as to be confined to bed.  He had quite a bad cough, and said he had gone down on the Scioto bottoms for some purpose, and was belated and overtaken by a very severe rain-storm; it growing very dark he concluded he could not find his way,

[Page 19]
so he built a fire in the forks of a large fallen hickory tree in the pasture of Mr. James Davis, and there awaited the return of morning.  It rained on him all night, from which exposure he took a cold that finally put an end to this truly singular man.  The following incident is related of him: A gentleman quite well dressed rode up to the front of his cave one morning, and without ceremony saluted him in this manner: "Well, old fellow, I have come to get the history of your life." Hewitt replied: "You leave here quick, or I will give you a history of hell."  He left.
     Mrs. Mary Hester,, who was personally acquainted with Mr. Hewitt for several years, says he was a large, portly man, rather good looking, dressed in buckskin of his own make; he carried a long flint-lock rifle and a tomahawk, and depended on his rifle for subsistence.  He would sometimes exchange his venison for salt and ammunition.  He was an extraordinary singer and whistler.  He occupied a small cave situated on the Portsmouth pike.  There is a small mound erected to his memory above the cave.  He was taken sick in his cave, but did not die there, being removed to Waverly before his death, where he was kindly cared for until he breathed his last.  He was a peaceable, inoffensive man, of temperate habits, and generally beloved by all who were acquainted with him.
     The cave is under a shelving rock which juts out about fifteen feet in the center, and extends fifteen feet each way from the center, and is about five feet high in front of the cave.  The rocks have been torn away to some extent in constructing the Chillicothe and Portsmouth pike, which passes immediately in front of the cave.  Under this shelving rock is another one, which was used by the hermit to build his couch upon.  The cave is partly inclosed by a circular wall.  The following is the inscription on his monument, erected by T. S. Hammon:

     WM. HEWITT, THE HERMIT, occupied this cave fourteen years,
          while all was a wilderness around him.  He died in 1834,
          aged seventy years.

[Page 20]
William Chestnut, Sr.'s Reminiscences.

     Mr. Chestnut emigrated to the Northwestern Territory in 1798, with his father's family, consisting of five children, to-wit: Daniel, William, Margaret, Polly, and Benjamin.  Daniel Chestnut was in the Whiskey Insurrection under General Washington.  His grandfather emigrated from Scotland, and his grandmother from Ireland to Portsmouth, Ohio; from there they came on foot by the old Indian trail to what is now Chillicothe, and settled. They lived there four years, and then moved on the hill where they lived three years.  He afterward purchased two hundred and sixty acres of land from General Massie on Indian creek, in Huntington township.  The first abode of Mr. Chestnut was an old waste house, where he lived ten days.  The bed was made of crotches and clapboards.  The second dwelling-place, a tent made from an old wagon-cover.  The cabin he built on the land he purchased from General Massie was sixteen by eighteen feet, and seven feet high, puncheon floor, old-fashioned style.  Their food consisted of wild meat, such as bear, deer, turkey, etc., and hominy.  The hominy was made in a wooden mortar or hand-mill.  Every one would have to await his turn at this mill.  Mr. Chestnut was a great hunter; he has killed all kinds of wild game.  He had started, to Chillicothe with his team at one time, and when on the way he met a very large bear, and concluded he was too good a prize to be lost.  He took out his lead-horse and gave chase, carrying his rifle with him, and ran the bear some distance into the woods, where he succeeded in shooting him, after which he dressed and weighed him, finding that he made four hundred pounds net meat, perhaps the largest bear ever killed in Ohio.  The meat was equally divided between himself and a neighbor, Wm. Thompson, and salted down.  Wolves were very numerous in those days.  Farmers who were lucky enough to have sheep had to build high pens for their protection.  During one night Mr. Chestnut lost forty head of his best sheep by those sneaking rascals.  The bears would frequently kill their hogs and carry them off into the dense forests.  Snakes were also very

[Page 21]
numerous.  Mr. Chestnut was once bitten by a copperhead, which confined him to his bed for several weeks.  He served as the first justice of the peace for a term of seventeen years.  Here I will give an incident that occurred in those early days, during his official term: A Mr. Ogden was in Chillicothe one day on some business, in company with a man calling himself Shears, who, in conversation with Mr. Ogden, told him that he wished to purchase a small piece of land in the vicinity of Chillicothe.  Ogden told him he would sell him a piece, when Shears proposed to go home with him and look at the land.  They started, Shears, having no horse, trudging along on foot.  Getting late, Ogden proposed that his companion should get up and ride behind him, which proposition was thankfully accepted.  It seems that Mr. Ogden had some money tied up in the corner of his handkerchief.  All money in those days was gold and silver, and could not be so handily carried as we do our greenbacks in pocket-books now.  Ogden had twelve or fifteen dollars in his handkerchief, and had put it in his coat-pocket, but did not think of such a thing as his friend behind him abstracting it.  They traveled home together, and when they entered the cabin Mr. Ogden's children came fondling around him.  After being seated, he felt for his money, and found that handkerchief and all was gone.  Mr. Ogden went to Esquire Chestnut's, procured a warrant, and had Shears arrested, when he confessed the crime and gave up the money.  The Squire ordered him to be committed to jail.  Shears told the constable, after they had started on their way, he would rather take thirty lashes than go to jail.  The night being very dark, the constable concluded that was the easiest way to get relieved of his prisoner and consented.  Mr. Chestnut was directed to cut the switches; whereupon he went to the woods near by, and soon returned with five stout switches or withes.  They then tied the prisoner to a mulberry tree near by, and Mr. Ogden commenced to apply them lustily to the prisoner's back.  He would hit him a few cuts and then bathe his back with whisky, and exhort the prisoner to better deeds.  After applying the thirty

[Page 22]
lashes, save one, the prisoner was untied and permitted to go his way, if not a better man, perhaps wiser.
     Mr. Chestnut was captain of the militia for several years, and died Apr. 23, 1851, aged eighty-three years.  He helped to cut out the old Zane trace, now the Limestone road.  He and a Mr. William Richie were chosen, and acted as spies to watch the movements of the Indians in the upper end of the county, while Colonel Barnes was stationed at Waverly with his men.  The Colonel wished to get some orders from Chillicothe, and started on his horse, and the two spies on their mission on foot.  When on the dividing ridge, a large turkey ran across their path.  Richie threw off his blanket and gave chase.  Barnes, in the meantime, coming up, saw the blanket lying in the path, and, supposing there were Indians about, wheeled his horse, and started back full tilt, when Chestnut, who was standing under a tree, sheltering himself from the rain—it raining hard—hailed him, and explained matters, when each went his way.
     William Chestnut, at the breaking out of the war of 1812, volunteered the 9th day of May, 1813, in Captain William Rutley's company, under Colonel Denny, which was in General Tupper's brigade, and on the 10th of the same month started for Fort Meigs, and served about ninety days, when he returned to Chillicothe, and was there dismissed.  He received a land warrant in 1824, and was paid eight dollars per month for his services.  When a boy, Mr. Chestnut, in July, 1798, saw an Indian chief, Captain Johnny, shoot the war-chief Toa-willa-wa.  The bullet entered his forehead, and scattered his brains for some distance around on the ground.  His squaw was present at the time, and bemoaned her loss by tearing her hair and other demonstrations of her terrible sorrow.  The chief was buried in his costume and armor.  In 1798, an Indian, who was intoxicated, rode his horse round in a circle for some time.  A white man by the name of Thompson was standing near, when the Indian exclaimed: "I killed Thompson's father and brothers," at which Thompson became so enraged he made for the Indian,

[Page 23]
and dealt him a heavy blow upon the head, which felled him dead at his feet.  This so enraged the Indians of the neighborhood that they demanded Thompson, that they might avenge their supposed wrongs.  But Thompson managed to escape, and fled the country.  The Indians hunted for him for two long years, but Thompson did not return for seventeen years.  Mr. Chestnut has been married twice.  His last wife died Oct. 24, 1869.  He still lives on his farm with his grandson, Josiah Chestnut.
     The following names of old pioneer settlers are furnished by Mr. Chestnut; Benjamin Chestnut, son of Daniel Chestnut, lives on his farm; was two years old when his father landed in Ohio.  Lemuel Chestnut, carpenter, died at the age of sixty-seven.  James Chestnut is living, and occupies the old homestead.  John Chestnut was a farmer; is now dead.  Peter Cockerell is still living, but very frail; aged eighty years; William Lockwood, now dead; William Selby, Sen., still living, and Larkin Selby; were all soldiers in the war of 1812.  John Thompson was a great Indian killer in 1798.  Hocery McAllister was in the war of 1812.  Charles Chestnut was a famous hunter, Michael Thomas, whose name appears in another part of this work, was in the war of 1812, and in Wayne's campaign was one of the bravest men during the war, with Captain Keys, William Chandler, and Solomon Trego.  Henry Montgomery emigrated to Ohio in 1797, and was drowned in Paint creek in 1800.  George Funk was in the war of 1812; also, Francis Kile, Henry Strong, Lewis Wheaton, and Uriah Hurley.

Old Resident Settlers.

     John Long, who served in the war of 1812, now dead, lived to a good old age.  He held in his lifetime several township offices, and was beloved and respected by all who knew him.  John Edgington lived in the township for many years; a good citizen; now dead.  John Toops, shoemaker, is still living, and is very old.  A. P. Riley, local preacher, is still living.  Noah Hollis, still living, held several town-
 
[Page 24]
ship offices.  Jacob Bishop, blacksmith and carpenter, held several township offices; now dead.  Daniel Shotts, quite a home hunter in his younger days, is still living.   John Mendenhall, an old citizen, is still living.  Henry Haynes is still living.  Michael T. Streevey, an old hunter, has killed as many deer and wild turkeys, in his day, as any man of his age in the township; still living.  William Thomas, a great hunter and fisherman, is still living.  Jacob Sheets, tailor and farmer, is still living.  John Gibson was a great singer and a good citizen.  Benjamin Henis, now quite frail, has held several township offices. Jacob Blessing is still living, but very poor in health.  Moses Finley, for many years township treasurer, has gone West.  Richard Boyer, for many years justice of the peace and trustee of township. Andrew McCollister, for many years justice of the peace, school teacher, etc., moved West some years ago; is still living.  Robert Ralston, a great raiser of stock, etc., is still living.  His father, whose name appears in another place in this work, was a great hunter.  Richard and Robert Elliott are still living.  Ebenezer Rozell, Sen., I believe, was in the war of 1812; dead for many years.  Milbourn Palmer held several township offices; now dead.  Enos Rinehart, grocer, and trustee of township for several years, is still living.  Henry R. Bishop, trustee of township for several years, is now living, but has been confined to his bed for several years with rheumatism.  T. C. Robinson, still living, has served as township officer.  David Nelson, still living, has held several township offices.  John Seelig held several township offices; was captain of militia, etc.; is still living. P. G. Selby held township offices; is still living.  Samuel P. Long, trustee of township for several years, is now keeping a hotel in Chillicothe.  John Murphy is still living.  B. S. Ruley, carpenter and farmer, for several years justice of the peace, trustee, etc., is living.  John Clutz, farmer, is living.  George Lytic, for many years constable, is yet living.  John M. Haynes held several township offices; living.  James Toops, trustee of township for sev-

[Page 25]
eral years, is living.  Abram Streevey served several years as trustee of township; living.  Bartholomew Reible, a resident for many years, is now in Minnesota.  He emigrated at an early day from Germany, and was truly one of our best German citizens.  Lawrence Lowery, farmer, emigiated to Ohio from Germany several years since; living. James Lenox, Sen., emigrated from Ireland; was several years a resident of Huntington township; is quite aged; yet living.  James Lenox, Jr., served several years as township trustee; is living.  Benning Wentworth, carpenter, a great marksman, hunter, and wrestler in boyhood, is now living near Lattaville.  Samuel E. Posey, farmer, a Pennsylvanian by birth, served as trustee of township.  Francis Hester, German by birth, has been a resident of the township for several years, a good citizen; is still living.  Daniel Recob has been dead for several years.  David Miller, constable for several years, is now dead. Jacob Van Gundy was constable for several years.  Larken Selby was in the war of 1812; dead for several years. Simon Johnson, was drummer for militia during the war of 1812; still living.  Henry Cramer was in the war of 1812; is still living.  Also, John and William Miller.  Hector Sanford emigrated to Ohio, in 1797, from the District of Columbia, in a canoe, with his slave Thomas Watson. They landed at the big bend on the Scioto, above the mouth of Paint creek.  His entire record will be given in full in another place.  John England and Robert McCollister, and another whose name is not known, voted in the township for Andrew Jackson for President in 1821, he only receiving three votes in the township.
     David Shotts, father of Mrs. Margaret Bishop, emigrated to Ohio from Virginia in the year 1810; was in the Revolutionary war, and stood guard at Frederick city; was also in the Whisky insurrection.  He died, in the year 1825, in the following manner: He had been away from home and was returning, when he was overtaken, near his own home, by a severe thunder storm, and took shelter under a large oak tree, which was struck by lightning; he was there found dead; there were seven other trees

[Page 26]
struck near the spot, from appearances, at the same time.  Mr. Shotts was quite a hunter, and in early days killed several bears, some two or three on his own farm.  His family consisted often children, to-wit: Catherine, Jacob, Elizabeth, Margaret, Hannah, Mary, Daniel, Sophia, Susan, and Jonas, all living except Catherine.

     Jacob Grubb was in the war of 1812.  He came to his death, several years since, in the following manner:  He and some two or three neighbors went into Paint creek to bathe, Grubb being a great swimmer.  They were in the water sometime, when, as Grubb was swimming across a deep hole, he was seen to sink, and before he could be rescued was drowned.  It is supposed
he was taken with cramp.

     George Ruffner emigrated to the Scioto Valley, in 1798, from Kanawha, Virginia, and settled on the waters of Paint creek, near Chillicothe.  The foundation of his cabin is yet visible.  He was a fearless, brave, and daring hunter; had a great antipathy to the Indians, in consequence of the killing of his father and mother by them, in 1791, on the Kanawha.  He lived by hunting panthers, bears, wolves, and deer, and would kill, during his hunting excursions, any straggling Indians that crossed his path.  During the wars of 1791 and 1812 he served as a spy.  He moved his headquarters on the head waters of the Mohiccan, was frequently in company with the renowned Indian killers, Wetzel and Hughes.  A few days after the burning of Greentown, a party of Indians was discovered upon the banks of the Mohiccan Lake. The discoverer was Bunty Billy.  It appears that the Indians had recognized Billy at the same time he saw them.  Billy at first attempted to run away, but the Indians called to him to stop, telling him that they would not hurt him; he stopped.  The Indians approached him in a friendly manner, calling him good boy, etc.  "Do you know a family by the name of Seymore?" asked a tall Indian.  "Yeth thir, I geth I do, thir," said Billy. "Do you know a man by the name of Ruffner?"  "Yeth thir, but I'd thay to you, thir, not to put yourthelf in hith way, thir.  He ith

[Page 27]
a perfect devil, thir, when he ith not in a good humor, thir."  "All right," said the Indian, and the Indians took their leave, and Billy hastened home to inform Ruffner of his discovery.  Instantly Ruffner seized his rifle and set out in pursuit of the Indians.  He soon got on their trail and followed them to the cabin of Seymore.  The Indians had entered the cabin door when they were soon joined by Ruffner.  On their entry they appeared friendly, shaking hands with the whole family; nor were the family alarmed, as the visitations of Indians were frequent.  But Ruffner's sudden appearance aroused the suspicions of Philip Seymore.  Ruffner thinking that they would not dare to attempt an assault upon the family in his presence, insisted upon Philip, as he was the most fleet on foot, to run into the settlement and gather up some friends.  As soon as Philip had left the cabin, Ruffner immediately noticed a sudden change in the countenances of the savages; they cast upon each other significant looks and glances, as much as to say: "He is gone for aid, and now is our time."  A deep, death-like silence now reigned in the lonely forest cabin.  Kate Seymore could no longer endure this deathly gloom.  Advancing toward Ruffner, she said: " Oh, Ruffner, we shall all be killed!" Ruffner, who had sat eyeing the savages with a tiger's look, sprang to his feet and exclaimed, in a stentorian voice: " Imps of hell, leave this place this moment, or I will send your bloody red spirits to the burning pit of hell," advancing toward them.  Instantly the Indians sprang from their seats, and made an attack upon the heroic Ruffner with uplifted tomahawks.  In the bloody conflict he killed three of the murderous savages, bat, being overpowered by their united strength, fell a lifeless bleeding corpse upon the cabin floor.  The remaining savages then turned upon the aged and helpless couple, who sat like petrified statues, gazing with a vacant stare upon the terribly bloody scene around them.  Two tall savages, with tomahawks uplifted, dripping with the blood of the murdered Ruffner, dealt each a blow upon their heads, and they, too, fell in the agonies of death.

[Page 28]
     Poor Kate was an eye-witness to the dreadful tragedy.  She was compelled to hand over all the money of her murdered father, and cook dinner for the murderous Indians.  Immediately after dinner Kanotchey, the brutal chief, approached Kate and sunk his tomahawk deep in her head.  She, too, fell to rise no more.
     The savages then left the cabin, concealing themselves in the deep, dark forest.  Philip, on returning with help, entered the yard, and seeing the bloody, mangled body of Ruffner, sprang into the cabin, where his worst fears were realized.  The sight was shocking.  Poor Kate, the once romping, laughing, beautiful, rosy-cheeked Kate—there she lay beautiful in death.  Philip, on beholding her lifeless form, and those of his beloved parents and the noble Ruffner, gave vent to a flood of tears, and exclaimed: "'Tis done; I am left alone."  Said he to his neighbors: "Blood for blood shall be my motto."  Bidding them farewell, he bounded into the deep forest, becoming an Indian killer.  His home was the forest; his covering, the blue sky; his food, wild meat.  He would lay in ambush, and every straggling Indian that hove in sight he would kill.  Near the close of the war, while seated on a high bluff near the Mohiccan, in a narrow bottom below, he saw a large, straight, tall Indian in shooting distance.  He cocked his gun, took aim, fired, and killed the savage.  He descended and walked to the place where the Indian lay.  On examination of his costume and person, he found it was Kanotchey, the murderer of his sister.  Philip said: "I am now avenged."  He then returned to his home on the Mohiccan.

Race for Life, etc.

     Michael Thomas, whose name appears in another part of this work, was a spy under Wayne, and traveled all over the Northwestern Territory.  At one time, when out reconnoitering, he saw five or six Indians not far from him, and nearly at the same time the Indians saw Thomas and gave chase. Thomas, being very swift of foot, eluded his pursuers for some time, but the Indians could outwind him, and commenced gaining on

[Page 29]
him so fast be began to look for a biding-place.  As be ran along almost out of breath, be saw a large poplar tree which bad fallen, and the bark from the log bad fallen off and rolled up, and Thomas ran to it, threw in his gun and crawled in after.  The Indians being so near, Thomas was almost sure they saw him, but it seems they did not.  They came up and stood on the bark, immediately over Thomas' body, and he was sure they could hear his heart throbbing; for he says he thought it seemed to raise the bark above him with the Indians standing upon it.  But to his astonishment and great satisfaction, the Indians passed on without discovering him.  He lay in his hiding-place all that day, and when night came on he crawled from it and made his way to the first post of safety.
     At another time when Mr. Thomas was out on a scout, while standing on the banks of the Ohio river, he saw coming down the bank, on the opposite side, three large Indians.  He then hid himself.  The Indians came down to the water and lay down to drink, when Thomas leveled his long and trusty rifle at one of their heads and fired, when the Indian tumbled head first into the turbid stream.  The remaining two Indians fled into the deep forests, leaving their companion food for the  fishes.

The Mistaken Shot.

     Mr. Thomas and Peter Streevey, son-in-law of Thomas, and whose name appears in another part of this work, started out one fine morning on a bear hunt.  After being out several hours, near where the Baptist church now stands, on the side of a hill, Thomas told Streevey he saw a bear at the foot of the hill through the vines and brush, and pointed out the object to Streevey.  Streevey told him he did not think it was a bear, but Thomas insisted it was a bear, and told Streevey to shoot.  Streevey refused, saying it was no bear, but if be thought it was to shoot it himself.  But Thomas still insisted on Streevey's shooting, when be finally consented and fired.  When the would-be bear fell, they heard the jingle of a bell, and Thomas exclaimed

[Page 30]
"You rascal, you have shot my breeding mare;" and when the two hunters reached the spot, behold, to their astonishment there lay Thomas' old black mare, stone dead.  In those early days the horses and cattle of the pioneers were allowed to range at large, and would travel for miles away among the hills and valleys, and the owners would put bells on their stock, so that they could be more easily found when needed.

Natural Curiosities, etc.

     The Alum cliffs are on Paint creek.  What is called the court house is a circular formed cave, the circle being about three hundred feet around, the rocks projecting over about twenty or thirty feet, from which the water trickles down continually.  At the north end of this circular cave is a solid rock
twenty feet square.  The cliff of rock is about four hundred yards in length, and about one thousand feet above the level of the water, with alum and other salts.  There are several other caves, one about thirty feet in hight, and extending into the rocks considerable distance.  Another cave is called the bake oven, by the old pioneers, from its similar appearance.  All the way around the cliff is a ledge or layer of rock about four feet apart; the under or lower layer is about four inches and the upper layer about two inches in thickness.  On the other side of the creek is a similar layer of about the same thickness and like kind of rock.  It seems as though at one time they were united, but by some eruption of nature had been sundered to make way between the hills for the passage of the stream.  Also, at the north end of this circular cave, is another cliff, about half a mile in length, of solid rock.  In this cliff is another circular cave about one hundred yards in circumference, and extends back under the rocks fifty feet, and about one hundred feet in hight.  About one mile from this cave is still another large cliff about six hundred feet in hight and three hundred yards in length, which, from some unknown cause, took fire, proving thereby that this earth contains elements of its own destruction.  This fire burned without cessation for the space of nine months.  At the north end of this

[Page 31]
cliff are three ancient graves covered with stone, about three feet high and twelve feet in length.  In these cliffs is a kind of mineral pronounced by a geologist to be sulphurous acid; there is also saltpeter to a considerable extent.  Several years ago some gentlemen, whose names are forgotten, undertook to and did manufacture saltpeter there, but not finding it in quantities sufficient to pay, abandoned the undertaking.  The cliffs are situated on the banks of Paint creek, which name was derived from the Indians, there being a bank of red clay on said creek, near the beautiful village of Bainbridge, where the Indians, before going on their war path, would resort to paint themselves with this red clay. In early days these cliffs were a great harboring place for wild animals, such as panthers, bears, wolves, and foxes, and many an old hunter has been foiled in securing his game by its hiding in those rocks and caverns.
     These cliffs, as seen from below, present one solid mass of jutting rocks, extending far out over the beholder's head in many places, and looking as though about to tumble down and crush him to atoms, which inspires him with astonishment and awe.  The top of the cliff is crowned with spruce pines, which can be procured very handily, and the citizens of Chillicothe often resort thither to procure those evergreens to decorate their halls and ball rooms.  Those who are fond of viewing natural curiosities would be well repaid for their trip.  Indeed, I know of no place where there is such grand natural scenery.  It is visited in the summer season by hundreds, and often has been a place of resort for pleasure; and many social parties have met on these rocky bights for the purpose of having picnics, etc.  These cliffs are owned by the Hon. Ex-Senator William Allen, and are about six miles from Chillicothe.  Our venerable friend, Mr. Robert Bishop, Sen., who lives near these cliffs, showed us several ancient curiosities picked up near them, which he has in his possession, such as stone axes, chisels, darts, and arrows of various sizes; petrified horns of different kinds, shapes and sizes; bee combs, wedges, land turtles; bark and roots; stones, supposed to have been

[Page 32]
used by the aborigines for skinning their game; pipes, etc., of different shapes and sizes.  On Mr. Bishop's farm is a sulphur spring and deer lick  Near the cemetery on Bishop's hill, at the head of a branch, is a graded fall of about one hundred feet.  And on the farm of Mr. George Long is a beautiful and picturesque fall, almost perpendicular, of twenty or thirty feet.  And on the farm of Mr. George Long is a beautiful and pictuesque fall, almost perpendicular, of twenty or thirty feet.

Ancient Works.
     About four miles southeast of the village of Bourneville, on what is called Black run, a branch of Paint creek, are two quite curious fortifications.  The first, a stone wall, incloses about one acre of ground; the wall is three or four feet high and forms almost a square, with inner walls, forming partitions as it were; the walls have been much higher from appearances.  The second works are situated about two hundred yards south, and are thrown up in a perfect circle, with stone, about six feet high and three hundred feet in circumference; nearly half of the wall ahs been washed away by the creek.  On the inside of this circle, and in the center, is quite a mound thrown up of stone, which is nearly one thousand feet in circumference, and is eight or ten feet in hight, with a large white walnut growing immediately on the top.
     Near Mr. Aaron Vanscoy's, on Indian creek, at the head of a branch, is quite a mound of stone near where an old Indian trail used to pass; the mound is several feet in hight.  There is a story connected with this mound which says:  Several years ago some brave young men concluded they would explore the mound and ascertain what was buried within it.  They went to work and commenced to tear away the stones.  After they had worked some time, all at once it commenced blowing, thundering, and lightning at a tremendous rate, when they became frightened and ran for their lives.
     On Mr. John Dunn's farm, on Paint creek, is an ancient work thrown up in a circular form; the distance around this circle is about three hundred years, and about four feet high.  On Mrs. Houlse's farm, adjoining, is an Indian mound some ten or twelve feet in hight, about sixty feet long and forty wide.

[Page 33]
     On the south side of Paint creek, near the Chillicothe and Huntington pike, and about five miles up the creek, near the old dam, is an old salt well, where a considerable amount of salt was made several years ago, but it is now abandoned.  The well is on the lands owned by Mr. John Dunn, of Chillicothe; it was bored by General McArthur, I believe.

Indian Battle Grounds.
     In 1790 a termination was put to the war, which, for several years, had raged between the Creek Indians and the State of Georgia.  Pacific overtures were also made to the hostile tribes inhabiting the banks of the Scioto and the Wabash.  This being rejected, an army of 1,400 men, commanded by General Harmar, was dispatched against them.  Two battles were fought near Chillicothe, Ohio on Paint creek in the territory included in Huntington township, between successive detachments from this army and the Indians, in which the latter were victorious, cutting off almost the entire detachment.

END OF HUNTINGTON TOWNSHIP -