The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-06-01
Distoriral
SKETCHES OF THE EARLY SET
ELEMENT OF STARK COUNTY.
NUMBER |.


present boundary of Stark county. He
was born in Franklin county, Penn, in
l779, improved the best opportunities
then afforded at his home for obtaining
an education, and when of age engaged
with a surveyor, remaining with him un-
til he had acquired practical knowledge
of the business. About that time the
lands of eastern and southern Ohio were
being surveyed by government, and
brought into market; a land Office hav-
ing been established in ChilliCothe. The
few who had explored the country re-
turned with such wonderful accounts of
the quality of the soil, value of the tim
Der, the excellent springs of water, the
lay of the land, and other attractions
that everybody became excited and made
it the common subject of discussion. 1t
was the same old story, began with the
first settlers upon the shores ofthe Allan
tic, which will not end until every ves-
tige of public land to the Pacific is pre-
empted. Leonard was of those who
caught the fever, and he determined to go
west. In 1902 he was clerk in the land
office in ChilliCothe. He remained here
about year. Meanwhile an office was
established in Steubenville, and in 1904
he came to Steubenville and obtained
like position in the Office at that place.
The original survey of lands in this
district was in sections of four miles
square. To select and enter less guam
tity, required the services of a surveyor;
and as Leonard observed this want, he
decided to locate himself in the district
where land was being sought, as he could
make it more profitable than his employ
ment as clerk. AS he would require as
sistance, he engaged James and Henry
Barber to accompany him. They were
brothers, and originally from Virginia.
Henry was the father of our citizen Will
liam Barber.
1t was in the month of March, 1905,
that the three men started from Steuben-
Vile Their outfit consisted of blankets,
salt pork and -four, cooking utensils,
two axes, surveying instruments, with
some other articles, packed upon two
horses. Each of the party carried a ri
fle and ammunition. They walked and
rode by turns. Their route was by an
Indian trail to crossing on Sandy thence
through the unbroken forest up the Nim-
ishilen, TO where the prospective county
seat of the new county, yet in embryo,
would be likely located.
[ A spring was sought for and found on
the N. E. or, ofsec. 8, at present known as
the "Reed farm" lying Immediately
north ofthe Comfy Fair Grounds. Here
the party improviEed a rude shelter of
saplings, setting up forks and cross pie
ces and covering with bark. With this
they managed to get along for several
months, until able to construct a log cab
in. In a few weeks Leonard returned to
Steubenville, entered the quarter upon
which he was squatter, advertised him
self as a surveyor and land jobber offer
ing his services to persons in search of
land in the new country.
On the occasion of a visit to the land
office in June following, he met James
Culberson, also from Franklin county,
Pa. He was of ood family, but had
acquired habits of dissipation, and in a
fit of desperation left a wife and three
children, determined to expatriate
himself, or rather, bury himself with
some Indian tribe of the west. He ask
ed for employment of Leonard, who en-
gagged him, and together they came to
the camp, where Culberson didsuch work
as Leonard directed.
,,,pOlo ,hoV,NlnI -, nrI -
was no trouble to secure all the meat
they wanted. Flour and salt were the
most difficult articles to procure, as they
had to be packed from the settlements
cast Bear, deer and wild turkeys were
plenty, and so were wolves and rattle
snakes.
Up to this period the only land lying
in Canton township, known to have been
purchased from government were in Sec
tions 2, 3 and 10, by Nicholas Firestone
and Charles Long, lying Immediately
east of the city. These pieces were en-
tered in the fall of 1904. Whether either
of the party had seen the land previous
to entry, is unknown to any one now liv-
ing. The following incident was related
to the writer by Leonard as having oc-
Cured at the spring
A stranger from the east in search of
land arrived at the station on Saturday
evening. Leonard had gone to Steuben-
vile to enter several tracts he had sur
veyed for parties, leaving the camp in
charge of the two BARRIERS and Culberson
On Sunday the stranger engaged the
men to pilot him around the country, as
far as it was safe to venture from camp
He had 1888 in silver done up in twill
ed bag, in which he had carried his ba-
con and bread, which, before starting, he
deposited for safe keeping in a hollow log
covering the hole with moss Returning
late in the evening, he concluded not to
lift the money until next morning. When
he went for it Monday morning, 10 and
behold, it was gone, bag and all! The
man was distracted, took on terribly,
and as there was camp of Indians by,
he charged them with the theft, Una
BILE to obtain any clue to his lost money,
he started home with a heavy heart On
his way he met Leonard, to whom he
related his great loss, and his belief that
the Indians were the thieves. Leonard
assured him that the Indians had not
disturbed his money-that the wolves
were the thieves, and he had no doubt
but that some day the money would be
found. About four months after, three
men from Pennsylvania were locking
around in search of desirable land, when
one of them espied portion of the twill
ed bag Having heard the story of the
lost money from the guide, the company
Immediately instituted a search, and very
soon picked up nearly all of the lost coin,
found within half mile from the place
of deposit. A few pieces are still lying
in the accumulated leaves of the virgin
soil, within hearing distance of the busy
mum of the city.
In October, 1906, Culberson made
visit to an Indian trading post located
at the mouth of Sandy. They kept whis-
ky, and Culberson was led into his old
habit, became intoxicated, and from ex-
posure while at the Post, and on his re-
turn to the station, contracted a severe
cold which resulted in an attack of pneu.