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Source:
A History of Northwest Ohio
A Narrative Account of Its Historical
Progress and Development
from the First European Exploration of the Maumee and
Sandusky Valleys and the Adjacent Shores of
Lake Erie, down to the Present Time
By Nevin O. Winter, Litt. D.
Assisted by a Board of Advisory and Contributing Editors
ILLUSTRATED
Vol. I & II
The Lewis Publishing Company
Chicago and New York
1917 Chapter VII
Ridge Township
Settlement of the Township - Incidents of Life Among the
Pioneers - Two Large Trees -
An Irishman Scares Away a Wolf - A Wild Cat Hunt - Early Elections -
An Indian Tragedy - Indian Method of Writing - Experiences With Indians
-
Indian Remains - "Johnny Appleseed" -
Some Recollections of the Gilliland Familyl and Early Day Anecdotes -
The Gilliland and McCoy Families - Smith Hill -
The Ridge and Gilliland Methodist Episcopal Churches -
The First Sunday-School.
Pg. 135
Ridge Township was settled in 1835 - by
Smith Hill and John Mark in May; by James Gordan Gilliland
in July; and by Thomas, Adam, Robert and Hugh Gilliland
and Peter Mills in October. William Priddy and his
sons - Foster, Archelaus, Thomas D., John and William -
settled here in the spring of 1836; also William and
John Hill.
INCIDENTS OF LIFE AMONG THE PIONEERS.
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TWO LARGE TREES.
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five logs, each 12 feet long to the first limb and a good log above
that; and a log two feet thick out of the first limb. After trying
in every way he could to haul it to the sawmill, as a last resort he
split it into quarters with powder.
AN IRISHMAN SCARES AWAY A WOLF.
A WILD CAT HUNT.
EARLY ELECTIONS.
[Page 141] -
AN INDIAN TRAGEDY.
INDIAN METHOD OF WRITING.
EXPERIENCES WITH INDIANS.
[Page 142] -
INDIAN REMAINS.
[Page 143] -
"JOHNNY APPLESEED"
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its head and killed it. It was very large and very fat. The
writer recollects eating some of it.
THE GILLILAND FAMILY.
THE M'COY FAMILY
SMITH HILL
Came to Van Wert County, May 4, 1835, and settled in
Ridge township. At that time there was not a white family in the
county except in Willshire township. He and Aunt Julia Ann,
as his wife was called by all that knew her, built a camp of poles and
covered it with linn bark. It was open in front and a fire was
kept before it for the purpose of cooking and as a protection from wild
animals. Here they were living when the Gillilands came to
the county. Hill was a great hunter, and made a good living
from the pelts that he secured. He always kept two or three good
coon dogs and a deer-hound. He was also a great bee hunter.
If he found a bee on a flower in the woods, he would seldom fail to
follow it to the tree and secure the honey by climbing and cutting the
honey out.
Smith Hill, Elihu Ireland (a brother-in-law) and
James G. Gilliland always camped out in the fall of the year to
hunt. Hill spent most of his time hunting bees of a clear
day and Ireland and Gilliland would hunt for deer.
During these camping trips Hill always held prayers night and
morning, as regularly as at home. He was a good singer and of a
still morning or evening his voice could be heard for a great distance,
although he was not a loud singer.
But Hill's greatest enjoyment was at quarterly
or protracted meetings and he would go a great distance to spend a week
at such meetings.
Smith Hill and his wife had no children of their
own, which was a source of regret. Yet
[Page 151] -
they were seldom without a large family of young people of their
relatives or others. Their latch string was always out. "Uncle
Smith" was always ready with good advice and counsel. The
writer recollects that a young man once said in Hill's hearing
that he had sworn that he would whip a certain man if he ever met him,
for some wrong the man had done him, when he was a boy. "Uncle
Smith" said, "A bad oath is better broken than kept. Then you
will have two." "Uncle Smith" and "Aunt Julia Ann"
have both passed over the river and are reaping the rewards of their
well-spent lives here below.
THE RIDGE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
THE GILLILAND METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Was organized at an early day with the following members:
Hugh Gilliland and wife, Sarah Gilliland (wife of Adam
Gilliland), Elizabeth Cavett (wife of William Cavett), Christian
Harnley and wife and A. T. Priddy and wife,,. The
Gilliland Methodist Episcopal Church for a number of years met in the
school-house on the Thomas Gilliland farm. In 1857 they
built a frame church on the farm of Hugh Gilliland. Among
the early ministers were: Rev. N. B. C. Love, 1854 and
1855; Rev. Nathan Gavet, 1856; Rev. G. O. McPherson, 1858;
Rev. William Baker 1859; Rev. Franklin Merritt, 1860;
Rev. James F. Mounts and Rev. B. A. Webster, 1862; Rev. B.
A. Webster and Rev. H. L. Nickerson, 1863; Rev. Lemuel
Herbert and Rev. Caleb Hill 1864; Rev. Lemuel Herbert
and Rev. Nathaniel Hupp, 1865; Rev. Francis Hogan and
Rev. Nathaniel Hupp, 1866; Rev. Nathaniel Hupp and Rev. J.
Harper, 1867; Rev. James F. Mounts and Rev. W. Beiler,
1868; Rev. James F. Mounts, 1869; Rev. Isaac N. Kalb and
Rev. Nathaniel Hupp, 1870; Rev. Nathaniel Hupp and Rev.
L. W. Patrick 1871; Rev. Josiah Crooks, 1873, Rev. Caleb
Hill, 1876; Rev. James F. Mounts, 1877.
The present brick church was built in 1880; in 1902 it
was rebuilt and a vestibule added. The present membership is 60.
The church is free from debt and perfect harmony exists among its
members. It is supplied by the Van Wert circuit, of which it is a
part. THE FIRST SUNDAY-SCHOOL
In Ridge township was organized
at the home of Daniel Beard by Rev. B. W. Chidlow in 1840.
[Page 152] -
After Mr. Chidlow had been up through this part of the country
and was telling about traveling for long distances through the woods
without seeing a house, some of the company asked how he could find his
way. He said, "By blazes on the trees." A lady in the
audience said, "Now, Mr. Chidlow, would you tell us such things.
Who was there to keep up the fires.
- END OF CHAPTER VII NOTES: |
