The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1867-03-21
BY THE EDITOR.


i''Jrom TeaneSSeei IN 1sOi-Anecdote Of Seth
Smith and his WVe-TEe Stq6ords scale
on Hardin's Greek in lsO3-Ihe Lees
Creek Set2eUeat--The BeaLs and Lupt0nS
--AdVenttUe aSith a Bear Thomas Dick
settles in Marshall Tp.-Brief Sketch Of
his Lye-caPtTe Of Himself and Mrs..
Dick by Indians--Her Terrible SyGerings
and ITondeEtd Escape-A Romance il,
Real life.
FRIEND BoARDMAN:-Dear Sir: Agree
ably to your request, early this past win
ter, commenced hunting up the historl-
cal incidents of the early settlement of this
Township, but wishing to have them as cor
rect as possible, I have not written you
sooner. My information as 10 the first set
Elements is from living witnesses. viii
liam Wright, who came to Ohio in 1901;
Whitman Hetheock, in 1906; and the
Township Records Of 1906 and 'O7; and
that Of a later date, is from the recollec-
ton of younger men. After having col
lected all the incidents, again went to
Mr., Wright with them, for his approval.
He said that your "Sketches, " which be is
reading with great interest, are IN some
cases incorrect in regard to time, and was
anxious for me to forward you mine, for
publication. They are now partly at your
disposal. The remainder, should this ap-
pear, shall send you.
l Yours truly, &c,
... J. r. LADD, Leesburg, Ohio.
The FIRST settlements were made in this
section of the county about the year 1902,
by emigrants from Virginia, North Caro-
lima and Tennessee, and mostly of Quaker
origin. In the spring of 1901, the father
Of William Wright, with his wife and a
family of eight children, in company with
James Howard, Tor lIayworth) and Seth
Smith, and their families, left Tennessee,
near the vicinity of Knoxville, for Ohio
Besides their teams they brought through
with them, II head of cattle. Old Seth
was very fond of his grog, (which he was
always sure to give young William Wright
his share. I will here give little incident
of the trip The party had put up at n
hotel for the night. The bar-room being
1lled, Seth Smith, like Burns "Tam
O'Shanter," soon got "unco' glorious"
when his wife came in and wished him to
assist her in milking the COWS. But Seth
was happy and "did ma mind the storm
a whusue." Seeing his condition, his wife,
with mettle up left tho room, but soon re-
turned with bucket of milk, and in
presence of the whole company, deliber-
ately poured it on Seth's head. This rails
ed Smith from his cares so 'napyy," and
jumping up, he exclaimed: ''if thee ,oere not
a pretty lDonall, I lgoltLd give thee The bottom
Of my foot"
Tho party, after innumerabe difficulties,
! finally arrived at the Falls of Paint, in the
summer ofthe same year. Here the father
of William Wright was taken sick and
died. They remained here until the spring
of 1902, hunting and looking ont for To-
cation. This spring, James Howard in
company with John Walters and Nath-
aniel Pope, continued westward and set
tied in the vicinity of where Leesburg now
stands. Howard on the hill below, and
east of Bentley's hotel John Walters on
the creek below, on the old Pavey place f,
and Pope at big spring, west of what is
now Hillsboro Street, in Leesburg. Seth
Smith settled on Walnut creek, some two
miles below New Martinsburg, where he
remained for several years. He then NOV
ed to Clark county, Ohio.
William Wright, after the death of his
father, partly contracted with Gen. Mussie
for land on Buckskin but not liking the
situation, he again went to Gen. NIassie in
1902 and contracted for 24O acres of land
on the south side of Hardins Creek, two
miles above its mouth.
Early in the spring of 1908, William
Wright and his mother, in company with
James Stafford, Robert Stafford; and Jonah
Stafford, emigrants from North Carolina,
left Buckskin in Ross county, Ohio, and
after considerable difficulty in cutting q
way through the timber, and making
roads, they finally arrived at Hardiu's
Creek in Highland county, but then por-
ton of Ross co. The Stafords settled on
land now belonging to Benz. F. Barrett,
John Morrow and Jacob Tompkins. VIM.
Wright and his mother set their tent at q
spring now owned by his youngest brother
David. Thoy soon built them log cabin
aud moved inJ They cleared about eight
acres of land west of the cabin, and plant
ed 1t IN corn, raising enough 10 dothemand
having some for sale.
In the sum mef and fall ofllBC3, the Uar-
din's Creek settlement received quite an
addition to its numbers. Nathaniel Pope
LEFT Lees Creek and came to Hardin's
Creek, and settled on land one mile west
4 of Wrighrs. John Beuls, Jacob Reals,
Uliah Paulin, and Jessie Baldwin, emf
grants from Virginia and North Carolina,
settled here this year, also Phineas Hunt
and his sons. John Boalg settled on the
Banks farm, on the north side Of the creek,
Jacob Beals on tho Burgess farm, Uriah
Paulin on the farm where Moses Miner
now livesi Jesse Baldwin on the farm now
owned by silas George, ard PLineas Hunt
on tue James Hsdlsy farm,