The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1866-12-20
Historical Sketches of
Highland County.
nuMRKR Nv.
BY THE EDITOR

Of IfsghIdnd, A. d. 1Te5--John Witcor-
son, his we and ChRd ire FIRST Settlers
Their Cabin at Sinking Spring, and Hov
They Bun It--An Eden in the Bdek1ooods
--WTtcorson Captured BY the Indians, but
Escapes Unhurt and Returns 10 His Cabin
lie and His Family Remove 10 Mdssie's
Settlement on the Scioto-Their Cabin
Found and Occupied bg Timothy Marshon
and Family IN 1895 Frederick BraWcher
etso Settles near lfrrshon about me same
Time.
The present county Of Highland was
originally embraced within tho limits Of
Adams county. which was established by
proclamation of Gov. st. Clair in July,
1877. II Included large tract of country
lying on both sides of the Scioto river, and
extended northwest to Wayne. II was the
fourth county organized in the Northwest
Territory. The first county seat was Ad-
amsville, situated few miles above the
mouth of Brush Creek, but the people of
Manchester were so much opposed to this
location, that they succeeded in having
West Union made the county scat in the
year 1901
In August, I79s, the county of Ross was
established, and the principal part of what
Is now Highland was included within its
boundaries.
We now como TO one Of the most intor-
esting events in the history of the county,
viz: the first white settlement made upon
its soil. OF this important occurrence, Mr..
Scott, in his History, gives graphic and
detailed account, from which we condense
the following narrative.
70 JOHN WILcoxsoN belongs the honor
the soil of the present county of Highland.
In the spring of 1896 he left Kentucky,
travelling on foot himself hut with his
wife and child on horseback, crossed the
Ohio at Maysville; and struck boldly
through the wilderness towards the rich
lands of the Scioto and Main Paint Creek,
which had already become famous for
their fertile soil and other advantages
The journey occupied seven weeks, aud
the weather being pleasant, the adventur-
Gus little family, having no fear of the In
6ians, (who had recently made treaty of
peace with Gen. Wuyne,) enjoyed them
selves rs well as could he expected, until
the cold rains of May came on, which rem
dered hunting disagreeabfe, and provisions
became scarce in their camp. The situa-
ton Of these bold adventures now became
rather unpleasant, and to add to its dis
comfort, their horse broke his halter and
wandered of. As soon as the storm
abated, Wilcoxson took his dog and rifle
and set out in search of him. 1t was diff
ficult to follow the tracks, owing to the
heavy rains, and unfortunately the bell
on the horses neck had become stopped
with leaves, so that it could not be heard.
After several days search, however, Will
coxson found him and returned to camp.
During this excursion he discovered in a
beautiful valley, an unusually large and
most remarkable spring, which furnished
great abundance ofmost excellent water.
Fancying this spring and the country
round it, he determined to strike his tent
and go TO it. He was also induced to make
the location permanent by the necessity of
raising something for bread for his family.
When he arrived at the spring, which Is
known as "Sinking Spring" and has given
its name to the present fiOurishing village
around its site, WilcoXson went to work
in earnest to make an Improvement" and
build a house. He first cleared off a small
patch of ground and managed to plant
some seed corn he had brought with him
from Kentucky. Next he went TO work
with his axe and cut small poles and logs
such as he, aided by his wife, could man
age to get up, and carried and hauled them
with his horse to the spot, near the spring,
which he had selected for his cabin. In
the course of few days it was so far COM
pleted as to serve the purposes of the fam
lily for a summer residence. The luxury
Of bed was attained by gathering up
leaves and drying them in the sun, then
putting them into bed-tick brought with
them. For bedstead forks were driven
into the ground and sticks laid across, con.
Meeting with the walls of the cabin, on
which was laid elm bark. On this was
placed the tick filed with leaves, which in
those days was considered quite a comfort
able bed. We copy the following beauti
full description by Mr.. Scott, of the rustic
home of these first white inhabitants O
our now thickly settled and pOpulou,
county:
"Next, Mrs. WilcoXson busted herself tC
nla NJ IL gI,o 4.
brought with her. This accomplished, anC
chimney something over six feet high
made of poles and mud, with back wal
and joints of fiat rock, and a rough clap
board door for the cabin, domestic comfor
seemed to be complete, and the new HON,
by the Big Spring, was n joy to the simple
honest hearts of the lonely settlers.
"Time passed on. The small patch O
corn and pumpkins grew finely, and prom
ised an abundant yield, while in the littl,
garden at the end of the cabin, opposite tn,
chimney, fourished the gourd and bean
the lettuce and potato. Around the doc
of the cabin clustered the morning glory
and in carefully protected nook by til,
wall, grew the pink, violet and other ia
vorite garden flowers, the seeds of whicl
had been carefully brought from Ken
lucky. These little luxuries seemed now
to the eye of Mrs. Wilcoxson, TO be NOR
beautiful than they were when she frs
learned 10 love them in the garden of he
old home, and recalled TO her mind man,
NIL Of