The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1875-11-12
THE PIONEERS.
Regular Semi-AnHEal Meeting at the Coart House
last saturday Afternoon.

The regular selni-annual meeting of
the Hancock County Pioneer and His
torical Society was held in the Court
House last Saturday afternoon. Tie
attendance was rather slim, the greater
part of the members failing, for some
cause, to put in an appearance. Not
Withstand ing this, however, the meeting
was an interesting one. and enjoyed 10y
those present. Allen Wisely, Esq,
President, occupied the Chair, and
called the meeting to order The min
uies of the previous meeting were read
and approved Thomas Groves, Esq,
of Blanchard township, joined the soci-
ETY. at this meeting. Mr. Groves was
born in Rockingham county, Virginia,
October Z, 1897. He came TO Ohio III
1907, and settled IN this county in No
vember, 1928.
ABEL F. PARKER, ESQ,
having been called upon, said Il came
TO this county from the State of New
York. rhe first time / ever saw any
i'dent" was near Lake Erie; it was
growing in the water, and the stalks
were fully ten feet high. l came to
Ohio in the fall of the year; the season
was very rainy, and we were three days
travelling from the lake to Fostoria. At
Fostoria | met some acquaintance, and
among them Mr.. C. w. Foster, who l
had met in Vermont, my native State.
l bought clothing of Mr.. Foster in Ben
nington, Vt, some years before, while
he was clerking in a store there. l
stayed in Fostoria for some time, as the
roads were so, bad that we could not
travel. worked at different things
while there We came to Findlay at
last. After we came l wanted some
wood, and got permission to cut down
an oak tree that stood where Cages
house now stands. FCorner of Sandusky
and East streets.-Rep.l Very soon
after reached here l met Mr.. William
Taylor. He said to me, ''You have just
come into the settlement; now, l have
killed hog, come over and get piece. +"
went over to his house and his wife
gave me a large piece of the pork. 1
afterward went down into Dukes settle
ment and taught school. 1 traded the
horses and wagon with which came to
the county for 40 acres of land. The
pioneers of this county were a liberal,
large-hearted set of men, who were
always ready TO assist those who came to
the county. 1 have been three times
Prosecuting Attorney, Deputy Treas
urer, Postmaster, and Commissioner of
Insolvents.
THOMAS GROVES, ESQ.
l was born in Virginia, in 1897. In
1909 my father settled in Pickaway
county, this State; l came to this
county in 1928. l settled eight miles
West of Findlay, and live here still. 1
came on the day of Jackson's election.
1 formerly owned 600 acres of land, but
have sold all but 165 acres, being too old
to look after so large a farm. Game
was plenty when l first came, and the
river was full of fish. George Shaw
came to the county the year before l
did. He settled on section l6 Mr.
Hunter Richard, and John Dukes, and
Mr.. Copley, settled below me. McKinnis,
Poe. MoreIand and Hedge settled below
me, and theirs were all the houses be-
tween my place and FindIay. There
were but four houses in Finolay. The
first school house In Blanchard town
ship was built on my farm. The first
teacher was a man named Wood. The
first preachers who came to our neigh
borhood were Thompson and Gavitt.
They were Methodists. A Presbyterian
preacher named Monford came after
ward. l am the only person living in
Blanchard township who lived there
when it was organized. All the persons
living in the to gnsIip at its organization
are dead, except Richard Dukes and
myself