Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1858-06-09
Historical Sketches Of Carroll
COuRty.-BrOWR Township.
CHAPTER II.
BY GEO. HARDEsTT.


and Pekin and found the house still stand
ing which was built by him more than fif
" years ago, which was the first house built
within the bounds Of the township.
The houses Of our first settlers were Of
a peculiar structure, being generally from
sixteen to eighteen feet square, and not
more than ten feet bigb, yet containing
story and halt; the under one generally
not more than six or seyen:feet in heightb. y
and often so low that a tall man could not
walk erect within it, without removing his
hat. The roof generally of clap boards,
and the floors Of puncheOns the door
swinging upon well wooden hinges fssten-
ed invariably with a wooden latch, the
string OF which, at all reasonable hours,
would be found upon the outside.
The one above referred to, was built
much after this fashion, and, notwithstAnd-
ing, the original clap board roof vas re
placed by shingle one, yet, the marks Of
premature architecture are still plainly Wis.
bIe,i the heigth of the story and the rude
ness Of the structure generally.
Upon this farm is the raye,whieh con.
tsius the remains Of the first whitO man
who died within the bounds Of the town.
ship. II used to be known as SHE stran.
gers grave" and was situaled by the road
side, near the west line Of said farm, where
the old valley road used TO run, The wri.
ter remembers we'll Of passing this spot 10
his juvenile days, when It required the ex-
ercise Of all the courage be could man, with
form erect and careful stepIto pass the lone
ly spot.
The individual whose dust sleeps here,
was slrangsr,n a strange land. Not long
after Mr.. Vaughn had settled here, this
gentleman had torn himself away from the
embrace Of his friends in the e asst, and
made his way through the almost track.
less forest to seek home for bis loved ones
in the "new world;" and as Mr.. Vaughn
was the Oldest settler in the neighborhood,
be stopped with him,to make inquiry with
regard to The country, aud obtain bis as.
sstance in the selection Of home; but IN.
stead Of home lie found a gravel Soon
after his arrival he was taken violently III,
and az there were no physicians in the
couHtry,nor medicines to be obtained with
in any reasonable distance,the family kind
ly administered such simple remedies, as
their judgment dictated, and as were with
in their reach, but the "feIl destroyer" had
marked him as lis victim, and in few
days be was numbered with "the pale ma
tioDs Of the dead !" and bis body borne by
strangers to tue silent tomb, without sin.
gle friend TO follow bis remains, and drop
a tear over bis grave.
The plough share,has long since torn up
the soil, l,and the sower sown bis seed broad
cast over the sleeping dust, and many
golden sheaf has been gathered from the
soil, whist not single yestage remains to
mark "Lhe place where they laid him.
Thus
"Unheeded DER his silent dust,
The storms Of earth have beat"
And no kind friend has reared a monument
to his memory, or planted rose to bloom
over his grave.
On another part of the same farm. and
not far from the old homestead, is the bu-
rial place of the proprietor, Mr. Vaughn,
the secord person who died in the town
ship, and also, where sleep the remains of
Moses Porter, the third person who died in
the township; together with Mrs. Vaughn,
and Mrs. Lydia V. Beaver, the daughter,
and only child of Mr.. and Mrs. Vaughn
above named.
! The contrast between this, and the bu.
rial place of the stranger, is truly great
Here the hand OF affection, has reared a
, costly monument, aud inclOsed the graves
of loved ones with a beautiful stone wall,
With sculptered cornice, and engraven up
on the marble tombs mementoes of affec.
ton 10 depOlted friends.
In consequence of the threatened rup-
ture between the United States and En-
gland. and the consequent hostilty of the
Indians on the frontier, the settlement of
the township did not improve much until
after the restoration Of peace. It is true,
that IN addition to those named in the
: first number Of these sketches, there came
several other families into the bounds Of
Q the township, before the War broke out,
=. among them, John Creighton, Henry
4 Shultz, David Zimmerman and few 9th :.
. ers whose names are not recollected.
!, But notwithstanding their numbers were
few, yet they were not wanting in patriot.
q ism; for no sooner had the tocsin Of war
: sounded, than they were ready TO respond
, 10 the call of their country; and upon the
very frat demand for volunteers, James
! Reed, Robert Thompson, Samuel Knapp,
, aud John Creighton shouldered their arms
and marched in defence of their country's
rights These were marshsled into SER
vice at Canton in July 1912, under Cap
tain Rowland, and with others marched
u towards Detroit, which was then tue place
Of general rendezvous. But about the time
they reached Sandusky,the news of HuIrt
Surrender reached them, and they were
discharged from further duty, aud return
, cd home.
There were also drafted into service from
" this township, John Thompson, William
Reed, Henry Shultz, David Zimmerman,
L George Shultz, Caleb Knapp, and James
ECarothes Jo'eph B. Tidball aud Thcs
iTidball being under age, went as substi.
tutes for Others, and after serving as such
for six months, without returning home
enlisted for year. Some of these were
: in several engagements with the enemy,
. but all returned home without wound,
except John Thompson who died On his
return at Rock River. George Shulz re-
I J.. 4 Il i