The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-03-23

range between himself ana lhe luCallty |
from whence the sound came Approach
ing nearer, he detected from the SOUND OF
the chopping that it was not done by In
dams. Embroidered by this discovery,
he advanced upon the company and
fonnd them to be the Latimers-James,
Thomas and Robert, with two hired men,
who were clearing in sec. l3, Canton
township, about mile distant from Mr.
kits opening AN matter OF course
Mr.. and Mrs. KitL were reioiced to learn
they had such close neighbors.
In due time Mrs. Kit expected to be
sick, and where to procure professional
assistance for that interesting occasion
was a sore trouble to Mr.. X. There was
no doctor nearer than New Lisbon, DIS
tance of 80 miles. To send there was out
of the question. Consulting his neighbor
Latimer on the subject, he was relieved
of all anxiety when told that Mrs. Shaw,
his mother-in-law, and member OF his
family, had experience in that line, and
would cheerfully respond when her SER
vices were needed. Sept. Z, 1906, Mary
Kit was born, the first white child born
in Stark county. She is still living, the
wife of Joseph Doll, of ofOsnaburgh. Geo.
Latimer, son of Robert, the first male child,
was born soon after He died ia Ash
land county, in the spring of 1878, from
injuries received in falling from a load OF
straw.
Of the privations of John Sluss we
have not been able to gather anything OF
special interest He was quiet, unob-
trusiVe man, held in high esteem by the
community. He was early elected JUS
tice of the Peace, which Office he held
for many successive terms, was County
Commissioner several terms, and can
dldate for the Legislature. Both he and
his wife attained a good old age. Mrs.
S. died first, and when Mr.. S. ordered the
coffin for her, he remarked to the under
taker that as he should soon need one for
himself, he would order it at the same
time, which he accordingly did, and paid
the price, Sc, the cost at that day, of the
best walnut coffin made. At the death
of Mrs. Sluss, he made sale, disposed Of
his property among his children, four
daughters and two sons; gave his farm to
a son-in.law, with whom he made his
home. He died in a few years after
Both of his sons are dead-the daughters
., all married and living West
In enumerating the early settlers of the
township, only those are included who
came before the war of 1912. Among
them may be mentioned James Leeper,
William Nailor, John Studebecker, a
Tunkard preacher, who came with all his
worldly goods packed upon horse and
COW. Jacob Troxel, Jacob Bowers, Peter
McCabe, Henry and Adam Shull, John
and Geo. McEnterfer, Daniel Graybill,
Henry Bowman, John Criswell; tie
Shearers four brothers, Jacob, John,
Adam and Henry; Daniel and John Lich-
tenwalter, the Floreys and the Camps,
Bairs, Samuel White, Casper Gephart,
said to have beena Hessian, and others,
whose names have passed from the re-
collection of the older inhabitants yet
living.
The town of Osnaburgh was laid out by
James Leeper, of Washington county,
Pennsylvania, in 1906, in anticipation of
being made the county seat of the
new county, to be soon organized. He
built nestory log cabin, and called it
a tavern. The way he kept it, and the
extent of bis accommodations for man
and beas., can be better illustrated by
giving the personal experience of John
Larwell as he told it to the writer Of
this:
LarwelPs home was at Fawcettstown,
(now East Liverpool) on the Ohio river.
In March, 1907, he was sent with pro-
visions to his brother, Jos. Larwell then
in government employ, surveying lands
west of the TusCarawas river. He went
byan Indian trail, leading from the Ohio
river, crossing Sandy Creek near the
mouth. Having heard of Osnaburgh, he
concluded to return home that way, as
the distance was about the same Leav-
ing the camp of his brother in the morn
ing, he reached Osnaburgh in the even
ing of the same day Riding up to the
most pretentious house of the village Mr..
Larwel hallooed, and out came Leeper,
the landlord. He inquired if he could
stop with him over night. Receiving an
affirmative answer, he wished to know
what accommodations he had for his
horse. Leeper pointed to a beech tree
that had just been cut down, saying that
the horse could be tied to top limb and
feed upon the twigs. AS there was not
stable in town, Mr.. Larwell had no alter
native but to submit to such acCommoda-
tions for his iaded horse. The tavern
was log structure, the whole consti-
tuting single room, which was made to
answer the purpose Of kitchen, dining
room, bed room and sitting room. The
floor was made of puncheons, and the
chimney Of sticks and mud. 1t had evil
IDENTIFY been on fire some time, as there
was a considerable hole burnt through
near the ground. The supper consisted
of pone and fresh pork. WhiN the
pone was baking on the hearth, a pig
came through the hole in the chimney,
snatched up the pone and carried it out
the same way he came in. Mrs. Leeper
gave chase, recovered the pone, replaced
it upon the griddle and watched it until
the baking was completed. Mr.. Larwell
remarked that he enjoyed the supper, as
it was seasoned with hunger. For bed,
he had his choice of the floor below, or
on the loft. As the night was growing
cold. he preferred the former, and with
his feet toward the fire, his clothes on,
and blanket, he had tolerably COM
Portable night. His breakfast was the
same as the supper. Over foot of snow
fell during the night, to which his horse
was exposed His bill was rs cents.
Leeper was fluent talker, and as his
house was stopping place for every one
who came west in search Of land, he in
fuenced many to select homes in the
neighborhood. He also induced me-
chanics to settle in Osnaburgh. Be-
ing of social disposition, he con-
tracted the habit of drinking
which eventually weakened his influence.
1t has often been remarked that but for
Leeper's habits, which impressed strang-
ers unfavorably, 0snaburgh would have
acquired such start over Canton as to
have undoubtedly made it the county
seat. Canton was laid out the next year,
and as Bezaleel Wells, the proprietor, was
a.man of character, the influence he ex-
-, oe h.,