The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1895-05-09
"REMINISCENCES OFTHE
PIONEER DAYS OF
LOGAN.
Customs, Habits, Incidents,
Adventures in the Old
en- Times.
The character Of the people
who founded Logan
and tlOurisiled when
we old men were
boys.
By Capt. Nm. NJ. Bowen.
Continued from last week,


=. ganizatlon of Courts, County officers
and all necessary appurtenances there
to belonging.
~ According to the County history;
the first court was held in log build
y ing belonging to William Wallace
situated where the new "Odd Fellows
> Hall" now stands; Judge James Will
son being the first presiding officer;
a Benjamin Biddle and Thomas Puilen
u u and Abraham Peters were appointed
? the first associate judges; Joseph Wes-
). tenhaver first sheriff and William
q Wallace first clerk.
i The organization of the comfy
gave it greater notority, and in the
2 next few years Logan increased in
population, assuming the grade of
Hamlet: many of the newcomers
5 being from the states of Maryland,
) Virginia and Pennsylvania, noble
adjunct, who were pleasureably re-
, ceived by the earlier arrivals, with
: that hospitality for which they were
noted.
Speaking of hospitality, reminds us
of the story often told and always
dwelt upon with pleasant remem
brance by the writers parents: of
their reception in this sparsely set
tied community, being in the month
of June A. d. 1917. Leaving the
Valley in Virginia (Shenandoab) in
the summer of 1916, crossing the
Allegheny Mountains with wife and
two children, in one of those old |
fashioned two-wheeled vehicles called !
a Gig: first stop in Ohio being at a
little place in Ross County called
Westfall, thence to Logan, as before
mentioned, in the summer of 1917,
arn wing with family in excellent
health and buoyant spirits, here to
remain, 1t proved, while life lasted.
They were received with such well
come, that belonged wholly to the push
ing frontiers-men of the day, causing
the recipient to feel at home, and
fully satisfied with his adventure.
In anticipation of the new arrival
a log cabin had been prepared, near
where the residence of Joel Kittsmil-
ler now stands, and there they were
domiciled, the yeomanry calling i'm
mediately, extending hearty and sub
stantial greetings.
The next day being Sunday; in the
early morn the male population ofthe
Hamlet repaired across the river to
inspect new structure erected by far
mer Peter Saunders, and sample a
beverage therein manufactured. ,
While arranging her household mat
tiers, my mothers attention was called
to The approaches of young boy per-
haps II or IA years of age: She bid
him good morning and invited him in: ,
mo" he said, sour folks heard that a
new family had arrived and | came :,
down to see them." His name was =
John Adams Smith and their family
lived on the river, way above the :,
Falls; and after looking around Il few
moments he said good day and start
ed back home. The parents of this
young man were early settlers, and
lived at that time on q farm now own
ed by Charles Jurgensmire. The
young man himself, was the John
Adams Smith of Logan, decd father
of RoraceC. Smith and grand father
Of DR.. A. K. Smith and Attorney =
John Smith.
The promoters of the new county y
seemed to have entertained but limit
ed comprehension as to what magni
tude the official business would assume
in after years, for we find in the Office
of the Probate Judge one of the first
collection of records, an unruled book,
containing about $50 pages indexed.
and embracing Marriage licences,
Tavern, Store and Ferry licences, 2
notices of Estrays commissioned c
Justices of Peace, proprietary Cat !;
tie Sheep and Hog, ear mark; all in Q
cluded in the one register under the Ii
same cover. The first marriage IL 7
cence recorded was May 4, 1918. !
Thomas O'Neil to Nancy Lee, cere 5
mony by Dutton Lane j. P. the
second December s, 1S1S.-
Barney Stivison to Eve Matthias, GER e
cmony by Dutton Lane j. 2. A
The date of Lanes ]. P. commiss-
ion does not appear as a matter of 4
record but must have been prior to "A
the establishment of the county,
Among the earliest j P's recorded
are ]. W. Coffenberry, Daniel Harsh
and William Wallace Of Falls Twp.
Samuel Featheroif OF Salt Creek.
Henry O'Neil of Starr.
VIM. Vandeford Of Eagle.
Benjamin Webb of Green,
Robert McBroom of Laurel.
John Engle of Good Hope.
David Johnson of Swan. +
James johnson of Washington. i, IL
John Hamilton of Marion.
Curry of Jackson and Moses n,
Lasley of Benton. Il
1INh