The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1869-11-12
EMIGRATION.

known by the name of the "New
Purchase, and included the present
county Of Seneca.
EMIGRATION.
With the knowledge Of such 4 eoun-
try thus acquired, and with the as
surance that it could be occupied
without interference and depredations
from the Indians, II Is not Singular
that the tide of emigration should
have flowed, as il did, rapidly towards
( it, commencing at once, even prior
( to its survey and subdivision by the
national government. Seneca county.
both from its superior natural advan-
tages for agricultural thrift and hope
! full returns to which | have cursor
I ily alluded, and its contiguity
and accessibility 20 the "Fire
lands" and the other portions
of the State already partially
settled, quite naturally attracted
the first attention Of those
emigrant adventures who sought To-
calities as squatters wherever directed
by inclination or judgment. These
settlements continued during the sur
veys by the United States; and at
the time of the erection of the county
( by an Act of the General Assembly
of Ohio, passed February 18th, 1920,
to take effect from aud after the first
day Of April next thereafter, the for
est here and there was studded with
cabins. The gleeful notes Of civili-
cation succeeded the war-wbOop ofsav-
ages and the exercise of christian
faith aud love, noiselessly, without pal
atisl palaces or preteutious eeremon.
ials, illumed and cheered the hearts Of
sclf-denying pioneers. The surveys
being completed, municipal Organiza-
tions became indispensable, and embryo
villages gradually arose to meet the
requirements aud OOnTeaienes of the
sparsely settled communities. New
ertheless, although our progress was
slow aud bcset with anxious cares,
yet VIC have, as l trust, not unprofita-
bly, nor unsatisfactory devoted our
lives to the culture and reclamation
of this goodly heritage. We have,
most assuredly, no reason to regret
the choice made by Us, when young,
active and vigorous, in assuming the
responsibility of foregoing the com.
forts and appliances of civilized So
ciety for the purpose Of extending its
blessings here, and meantime imprOy-
ing our own condition and prosperity
in life. The present generation, nur-
tu:ed in the lap of plenty, cannot
comprehend the multifarious self
denials unavoidable in settling aud
subduing a new and wilderness coun-
try nor can they appreciate the
practical wisdom it eonfers, nor tie
commingled pleasure and pain We
realize in reverting to it, Neverthe
less q glance at our d4ty aotc 10 pre-
serre some memorial of our career in
the springtime of life, tasked to the
utmost by endurance and alternating,
for years, between hope and fear, to-
gether with brief, unyarnished ret
respect Of pioneer straits and acts
of Kindness, cannot be wholly devoid
of interest to ourselves and our pos
terity, whatever may be its effect on
others, luxuriating in enjoyments
emanating from our early sagacity,
labor and loil. trust that all will
appreciate the importance of such
memorial and retrospect and espee-
tally, at the meetings of this Assoeia
rion, recount the apparently mosf fri
Aing minufa Of our historical reminis-
ences for these Of tenfmes NOT only form
important links inthe chain of events;
but also constitute the spice that give
variety and zest to our enjoyments
And again in reverting to the toll
someness and self-denials of pioneer
life, it is without vanity or boastful
coneeit that We claim some credit for
our patient zeal and eonstaney in sub
DUNG a wilderness and preparing the
way there for higher degree of civ
ilization, whether or not, in our
transit through life, we have been
true to the principles we then incul-
Gated, and have preserved unimpair-
ed the eommendable habits We then
contracted and exemplifed in our
daily walk and conversation, can be
determined only by a truthful and
unpretentious review and retrospect
of the eventful scenes of our lives
traced with impartiality and just
appreciation of our condition and the
ffailties unaYoidably incident to our