The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1867-01-24
Historical Sketches of
Highland County.
BY TIE EDITOR.
BY THE EDITOR.



gics and oilers Ohcay curry, the Poet,
born in greenfield, IN lsO4-IIis Subsequent
Cdreel-GeH. 1fdSSie Settles at the FaUs of
Pamt-lfGj. AHtbony Franklin Settles
near Marshall in lSOO
In our last number, reference was made
to the town of "New Amsterdam" ," at the
Falls of Paint, in connection with the mar
riage of John Emrie and Margaret Ross
Although not within the limits of the pres
cnt county Of Highland, the settlement So
called was close upon its eastern border,
and thus the early settlers of this county
had for some years considerable intercourse
with those of "New Amsterdam" A brief
account of that settlement will not there
fore be out of place in these "Slletches."
It appears that in the fall of 1896, Jacob
and Enoch Smith, who were brothers, led
a party of settlers consisting of ten or ff-
teen families, from Virginia to the Scioto
Valley. Landing at Manchester on the
Ohio, they followed the trace from that
place until they came to the Falls of Paint
Creek. The brothers being millwrights,
were struck with the advantages of the
Falls for affording water power, and being
also pleased with the rich lands in the vi
cinity, they abandoned their original pur-
pose of proceeding to Chillicothe, and de-
termined to settle at the Falls. The party
having built themselves comfortable cab
ins for the winter, Jacob Smith went to
Chillicothe to see Gen. Massie, the owner
Of the land around the Falls, and find out
on what terms he could purchase a mill
site. The General, having already deter
mined at some future day to make his
residence in that vicinity, and desiring to
have his land cleared, offered to give Smith
100 acres of land for every 20 that he would
clear and bring into cultivation. Smith
eagerly accepted the offer, and in the spring
all the men at the Falls went to work. In
the course Oftwo years, during which Mas
sic generously gave them all the crops they
could raise on the land cleared, each man
had acquired farm for himself, and was
ready the third year to put in a crop on
his own land-indeed some did it before
the third year.
The settlers selected their lands on the
north bank Of the creek, while Massie
planned his farm or the south side, and
and settled some tenants on it to continue
the improvements, with a view to his fu-
ture residence. The Smiths went ahead
with their mill enterprise, and in the
course Of the third year after their arrival,
that is in 1898, they had the pleasure of
seeing the mill in successful operation. In
order to encourage them, Gen. NTassie
Joined them in making the dam, and erect
ed a small mill for his own use on his side
of the stream. The Smiths mill prospered,
and was enlarged and improved as its bust
ness increased, until it became one of the
principal mills in the country.
In the fall of '90 the enterprising broth
ers were seized with the prevailing desire
to become suddenly wealthy, by laying out
a torn on their lands. They accordingly
procured the services of a surveyor whose
name unfortunately tradition has failed to
hand down, who proceeded to run the lines
of streets, alleys, &C., of pretty good sized
town, all things considered which they
called "NEw AMSTERDAM" probably in
honor of the land of their ancestors, the
brothers being of Dutch origin. All the
streets were named after distinguished Of
ficers of the Revolution except two, which
were called Virginia and Hudson streets.
The town, however, with all its promise of
great water privileges, rich lands, &c, was
doomed to an early death. Although Gen.
Massie opened a pack-horse trace from the
Falls to New Market, in 1899, and new set
tiers were added from time to time, still it
never attained to any great consequence,
and in few years ceased to be noted
among the towns of the country. 1t has
long since disappeared, and with it has
gone from the busy world the fact that it
ever had an existence, though the mill
stood and did good service for many years.
The order of time in our narrative now
requires us to return to the town of Green
field, which, as heretofore stated, had been
laid out in the fall of 1898, by Gen. Near
thur, and the first cabin built in the town
by Job Smith in the fall of 100.
"Early in the spring of 1900, (says Mr..
Scott John Cofey, Lewis Luttrell, Samuel
Sohooley, Joseph Farmer, James Curry,
James Milligan and John Bell, moved into
Greenfield and commenced building houses
and making other necessary improvements,
with the view of a permanent residence
The next spring Mr.. Bell died. This was
the first death in the place except small
child of Mr.. Cofey. Mr.. Bell left a widow
and six children, three sons and three
daughters. The three sons all married
settled down in Greenfield and became
prominent and active business men. Joseph
and Charles learned the blacksmith trade,
and were the first to set up that business
in the town. Josiah learned the hating
business, and established the first hatter's
shop in the town. In the course Of time
| by industry and close attention to business
they all prospered and became wealthy and
established themselves as dry goods mer-
chants, and Josiah and Charles soon be-
came the prominent merchants Of the
place. Joseph removed many years age