The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1883-08-30

climate Is comparatively mild, the
country is healthy and blessed with
an abundance of soft, cool water from
running streams and perennial
springs
The first settlers located here in
1918. The names Of the heads of
those families were John Jones, Ship,
as he was called because he kept a
tavern in Wales on the sign of which
was painted ship, John Evans and
Evan Evans, sons-in-law Of John
Jones, Lewis Davies, and a man by
the name of Williams-fve families
in all, we believe. Nevertheless, like
many other good things and useful
discoveries, the settlement of the
Welsh there was purely accidental
The destination of all these families
when they left Wales was Paddy's
Run When they arrived at Pitts
burg, they, like all other emigrants in
those early days, procured small
flat-boat on which they intended to
float down the Ohio river to Cincin-
natl. When they arrived at Gallipo-
lis, a small town Of French settlers,
they stopped for the purpose of buy
ing provisions for the remainder of
the journey. They tied their little
boat to the shore and proceeded up
town where the families spent the
night. A heavy rain and wind storm,
which prevailed that night, lashed the
waters so that the little craft broke
loose and foated down the river. The
next morning the pilgrim sailors
found themselves boatless-with no
means-naval or terrestrial-of pro-
ceeding on their journey, and with no
money with which to buy another
boat. Thus there is soil as well as
a providence that shapes our ends.
The hills and ravines or white and
blue clay plains could never make
farming profitable in Gallia and Jack
son. A comfortable living was all
that the majority Of the farmers
aimed at, and allthey could reasona-
bly, expect to attain prior to the de-
velopment of their minerals. Hence
religion and literature fourished far
more than pork and beans. As
consequence we find that their south
ward journey was accidentally ar
rested if not providentally terminated.
Mr.. Daniel M. Davies (son Of Lewis
Davies) who lately died at Kerr's Run,
near Pomeroy, Ohio, told US that
what ended the journey was the rebel
lion raised by the women, who de-
clared they had risked their lives
long enough by land and by water,
and they did not propose to do it any
longer. Whether that or the want of
means, OR the opportunities of the
French colonists be the cause, the
fact is that the journey was brought
to an abrupt close at Gallipolis. The
poor immigrants could not afford to
remain idle long, nor to be dependent
on the French colonists. AS the
state was opening public road at
that time from Gallipolis to Jackson,
the men soon found employment on
it. In this way they were taken out
in the neighborhood Of Centerville.
They were particularly pleased with
the topography of the land in that
vicinity because it closely resembled
that portion of Wales from whence
they emigrated. AS AN abundance Of
Congress land was to be had then at
81 IS per acre, they decided to locate
on that place which, to them, mostly
their native Wales Of any
place they had seen in the New
World.
Thus was laid the foundation of
what, from Is to 25 years afterwards,
proved to be the most popular resort
for Welsh emigrants of any place in
the United States-particularly emf
grants from Cardiganshire.
On what slender threads our desti-
nies hang! But for the breaking of
that cable, which anchored that little
boat to the shore, the thousands of
and their descendants,
who populate the knolls and dells of
Gallia and Jackson, would probably
be tilling the richer soil of Butler
county, engrossed in the production
of barley, corn and hogs. But
"Gwlad yr Asgwrn," the butt end Of
so many Jokes in richer lands with
lesser brains. has raised more doctors,
teachers and particularly preachers
than any other settlement Of its size
and age in the United States. Cardi-
ganshire is said to have been the
nursery of preachers in Wales, and
the same thing, whether owing to
blood or soil, or both, and grace COM
bined, is true Of her representative
In the United States. VIGILAX.