The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1906-09-28

J the limit of human endurance Being
poor in purse and far from friends TO
lend a helping hand, they were des-
titude of the means with which to
procure the necessaries Of life and
consequently they were compelled to
battle against starvation, drinking
the cup to its very dregs. But they
were not entirely friendless. A
stranger by chance hearing of their
distress sent them a load of provi-
sions for their relief. Samuel Hen
line, a well-to-do farmer, residing
about three miles north of the colony
having considerable grain and other
means such as were actually necessa-
Ty for living and comfort, also
came to their aid, and by the as
sistance thus given they were ena-
bled to pass over this trying period
of their existence in their home in
the new world. The remembrance of
these marks of affection and love
shown them in the time of their
great distress, have been taught
their children and grandchildren to
the third and fourth generations, and
the memory of the benefactors Is
cherished in the hearts of this good
people.
They worked in separate families
for nearly two years. At the end of
that time ii was found that they
could not sustain themselves, and
the idea to combine themselves into
one great family was then acted upon
and thereafter they were enabled to
conquer by associated toll and effort
A constitution was adopted under
which they have lived until very re.
Gently. By it they held all their
| property in common. A board CT
trustees and an agent are the per.
sons upon whom the management
Of the temporal affairs devolves.
Their officers were elected, females
voting as well as males. The trus-
tees serve three years, one vacating
his place annually and his successor
elected.
After several years of combined
leffort they were enabled to overcome
all the obstacles incident to set
element in the wilderness and to
gradually pay off their indebtedness
and eventually to gain wealth. Their
property has become very valuable.
Probably no other portion of the Tus.
carawas valley has as much wealth
lcombined in the same area of terri.
tory.
The greatest scourge which ever
visited the colony was in the year
1892, very shortly after the compile.
tion of the Ohio canal through the
village. This year is known in Zoar
as the Cholera year" "a man was
put off boat while passing by the
place, with the disease, who shortly
afterward died and was buried in
the Zoar cemetery, soon after anoth.
er was dropped from boat on the
towing path to die. The society took
him in, cared for him, and buried
him in Christian manner. In a
short time. appeared woman
claiming that he was her husband,
and had large sum of money on
his person. which she wished to re-
cover. She was informed that all he
had about him was buried with him,
as they would not disturb his appa-
rel or anything in it. She then went
away and came back with a stranger
whom she had hired for one hundred
dollars to dig up the body and recov-
er the money. Permission being Civ
en-, he and the woman repaired with
two OF. the members to the cemetery
and disinterring the body found in
the dead mans clothes several hun.
dred dollars of paper money and
coin. They then re-interred the re
mains, and arriving at the hotel she
counted the money, gave the hired
, man his hundred dollars, and offered
to pay the society, but it was refus
, ed. She then went away with the
man and money. That night the
cholera broke out In Zoar, and be
! came SO violent that 1t is said abou
nifty odd members, or nearly oAe
, third the population of Zoar wec,
carried off. 1t is also said that the
, money digger and woman were botf
, attacked few miles from Zoar will
: the disease, and both died"
= About the year 1875, when at tn,
q point OF greatest prosperity, tn,
!, property, both personal and real es
, tate, OF the society, was valued a
\ 100000. Since that time land prop
: erty has decreased somewhat in val
, ue, and about the beginning of tn
= 10th century the society by mutua
!, consent dissolved the corporation
. acts, divided the property among tn
, members as nearly equal as possible
= = and have since been living in fam
~ lies independent of each other
\ The village of Zoar is situated O.
y the banks of the Tuscarawas rive
. about three miles south of BOLIVIA,
and the land property of the societ