Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-05-06
Special to the Register.


MT. PLEASANT, Ohio, May 5.-This
year forms the centenary of the first
meeting for worship of the Society of
Friends in Ohio and the northwest ter
ritory. This meeting was held five
eailes from this place at Concord, and
WAS hold under the spreading branches
of a tree, and those who formed the
gathering sat on newly hewed logs. 1t
WAS held near the tent of Jonathan
Taylor, who afterward removed to
Short Creek, near this place, and then
the meeting house was removed here.
The first meeting house was built in
1904. Among the early settlers in this
section the Society of Friends formed
a considerable portion in regard to
numbers and influence. By their in
dustry and thrift they soon transform
ed the wilderness into community OF
prosperous homes. Their intense re-
ligious fervor and fidelity to defend
convictions Of right made them a
strong power in shaping the contour of
thought about them. These Friends
Streamed to this section from Pennsyl-
Rania, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia
and North Carolina. Those coming
from the South sought more rigorous
climate that their children might grow
up free from slavery associations. In
1906 the Society was prosperous and
they purchased ten acres of ground,
and one year later the Short Creek
meeting house, 45x7O, was built at a
cost of $4,000. In the beautiful bury
ing ground at this place are to be
found generation after generations of
worshippers. In 1897 the Short Creek
quarterly meeting was organized con-
sisting Of the five monthly meetings
of Concord, Short Greek, Salem and
Miami, in Ohio, and West Branch in
Indiana. The Ohio yearly meeting was
set off from the Baltimore yearly meet
ing in 1872, and the first yearly meeting
was held at Short Creek year later
During the years 1S15-16 large brick
yearly meeting house capable of seat
ing $500 people, was erected here.
The Friends settled here in such
large numbers and spread out to points
for miles, that they still predominant
these communities. This was an ''un-
foreground railroad" station, and as
early as 1917 slaves would get across
the river and strike out for this place,
and be helped on to Canada. These
fugitives increased year after year, and
as none that ever got to Mt. Pleasant
were ever re-captured, this station be-
came famous. The first anti-slavery
convention in Ohio was held here in
1887. In 1921 Benjamin Lundy, who
lived here then began the publication
of the Genius of Universal Emancipa-
tion,' the first genuine abolition paper
In the U. S. The records of 1S14-15
tell Of the marriage of Lundy to Esther
Lewis. The mother of Anna Dickinson
lived here. Shortly after 1880 Benz.
Ladd, Quaker, established two col
onies of manumitted slaves at Hayti
and Saltwater. Edwin M. Stantons
grand parents were early settlers here.
The late Congressman Updegraff and
the present Congressman J. ]. Gill
came from this stock. one of Mr.. Gills
ancestors establishing the first silk
mill in the United States here in 1871.
Abbie Flamer, the Quaker maiden with
whom Fitz-Greehe Halleck had a ro-
mantle leap year correspondence in
verse in 1886, lived and died here. This
place has furnished eight members of
the Legislature, two State Senators,
three Lieutenant-G and Benz.
Stanton, once member of Congress
from the Bellfontaine district. The
millionaire Senator, VIM. Sharon, of
Nevada, was born near here.
Exciting scenes connected with the
memorable Hicksite division in 1928
occurred here. The harmony of the
Quakers was disrupted again in 1854.
when the Quincy and Wilbur factions
caused another split. In early days the
Friends were Abolitionists, but for
years they have been solidly identified
with the Republican party. The fol-
lowing is handed down as faithful ac-
counts of the riotous proceedings in
dulged in by the Hicksite faction at
the yearly meeting here, September 6,
is, %, and the days following. Hicks
and two other preachers of his party