Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1930-04-24
INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES
OF NTGIGS TOWNSHIP


The following was written by j..
H knight of Cumberland, at the
request of the members of Renrock
grange:
Meigs township is the southeast
corner of Muskingum county, is full
36 sections, and was named for
Meigs creek which in turn was NAM
ed for Gov Return Meigs. High
Hin is the highest point of land in
Muskingum county, being 1869 feet
above sea level Four creeks have
their source on this knob, within
200 feet Of each other-Kent's run.
Collins creek. branch of Wills
creek; Salt creek, and a branch OF
into the Muskingum above Dres-
den, and Meigs flows into Mus
kingum near Center Bend.
But as we are more concerned
about the people than the geography
of the township, | will try to relate
some things | have learned by con-
tact. and some handed down by 9TH
ers older than myself. The first
white settler was Archibald Bowles
who built a cabin near where
Quiek's mill used to stand, one mile
south of Toad Town" in 1907.
Then came Yeagers, Hyatts, Mitchels,
Hedges, Dunlaps, on Bowles fork of
Meigs creek, and Thos. Gilkison,
Jno. Greene, Adam Grandstaff, Sam
uel Paxton, Jacob Baker Bully
Quarterman, the Collins and David
Stevens. In the southeast corner,
/ have heard that David Stevens
built cabin around a large chest
nut stump, where Dwight Brown
now lives. He used the stump for a
dining table, and it is said Bishop
Asbury. General Cass, Gov. Meigs,
were glad to dine at it. Casper Hol-
lenbeck built the brick house that
took the place of the cabin, and
used il as a tavern" on the old
stage coach route from GAINESVILLE
to Marietta Whisky was sold and
was the cause Of many fehte some
of which | may tell of later, il | do
not wear out my pencil
Has Many Descendants
The John Greene mentioned came
from Pennsylvania. one of his
daughters. Nancy, married David
James. and when | knew her she
was "a years old and lived with her
son-in-law Dr. Chas. Hurd at Litels-
burg. She was the mother Of IL
children. had 63 grandchildren, rs
great grandchildren. and four great.
great grandchildren. She was
wonderfully well preserved, and
could recall the past so years very
wildly AS she was related 10 the
Tldens. | will recount one Of her
stories Her father John Greene
took up land claim four miles
from where he lived, and built 4
cabin on il. Having business at the
county seat and knowing his claim
must be occupied every day so that
someone else could not jump it, he
took his daughter Nancy. then 10
years old. and her little brother
Tommy" seven, to the cabin to
occupy the claim for that day. eN-
= cling To return before night, But
being an Irishman and finding some
Old rierds in town. they hunted up
Cd "aahn Barleycorn" and soon
"their tongues began to clatter for
SH4a. tha "le was growing better
Iat how about Eannic and Tommy?
The suu is sin 'siuG and the shadows
lenGthel4Hs; ne Gocr TO the cabin.
no board On The jaists. Nancy
watched the rafh and kept repeat
ING why don't he come? Why don't
ha Gomez Darkness settled down,
and 10 add TO her horror the wolves
began h.wIing around the cabin.
What would she do? She got her
small brother on her back and told
him to hold tight with his arms
around her neck, while she climbed
the wall to one OF the round joist
logs. and there she sat through all
the long hours of the night, holdins
Tommy asleep, between her and the
wall AS daylieht came, the wolves
left the otfals Of a deer that had
been dressed near the cabin. ana
skunk away to their dens Mamie
almost fainting climbed down with
her precious burden and fell asleep.