Ames, Athens County, Ohio History
This was one of the
four original townships into which the county was divided on its
organization in 1805. The county included then more than twice its present
area, and Ames comprised the territory which now forms the townships of
Marion and Homer in Morgan county; Ward, Green, and Starr in Hocking
county, and Trimble, York, Dover, Bern, and Ames in Athens county. The
settlement of Ames was begun about a year after that of Athens, and the
first settlers were judge Ephraim Cutler and George Ewing, with their
families. In the summer of 1797 Ephraim Cutler, one of the original
associates of the Ohio Company, finding that a considerable portion of his
lands lay on the waters of Federal creek, in the sixth township, of the
thirteenth range, and being desirous to visit them and fix their location,
explored a way and cut a horse path through the wilderness from Waterford
on the Muskingum, to what is now Ames township. He was accompanied and
assisted by Mr. George Ewing, who, with his little family, had come from
western Virginia to the Ohio Company's purchase in 1794, and had lived
till the close of the Indian war in one of the block houses of the
Waterford settlement. In the autumn of 1797 they made a second visit to
and more thorough exploration of Mr. Cutler's lands. This time they were
accompanied by Captain Benjamin Brown who had recently arrived in the
colony from Massachusetts. Mr. Ewing and Capt. Brown each owned one
hundred acres of land in the company's " donation " tract on the
Muskingum, which they exchanged with Mr. Cutler for land on Federal creek,
agreeing to assist him in forming a settlement. They found a fertile
region, heavily timbered, well watered, and abounding in game. Traces of
the buffalo and elk showed that they were not yet exterminated, and deer,
bears, wild turkeys, and smaller game were found in great abundance.
Wolves and panthers were very numerous, and continued for many years to be
a source of annoyance and danger.
The result of their second visit to the valley of Federal creek was a
determination to locate there. Mr. Ewing brought his family out in March,
1798, and settled on what is now known as the Thomas Gardner farm. It was
nearly a year later that Judge Cutler and Capt. Brown brought their
families over from Waterford. The domestic effects and portable property
of the two families were loaded into large canoes and sent, in charge of
Capt. Brown, down the Muskingum and Ohio rivers to the mouth of the
Hockhocking, and up that stream to Federal creek, a distance of about
eighty miles. The women and children, on horse back, were escorted by Mr.
Cutler through the pathless woods and over the hills to their new home. In
a narrative written a few years later Mr. Cutler thus refers to this
journey:
"I, with four horses, took Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Cutler and all our children
to go twenty miles through an entire wilderness to our new home. Night
overtook us before we were able to cross Sharp's fork of Federal creek,
and we were obliged to encamp. We experienced a very rainy night. The
creek in the morning was rapidly rising. I hurried, got Mrs. Brown and
Mrs. Cutler and the children, with the baggage and horses, over the creek,
all except A. G. Brown (Judge Brown of Athens), then a child three or four
years old, whom I took in my arms, and as I stepped on a drift of
flood-wood, which reached across the creek, it broke away from the bank.
We were in danger, but a gracious Providence preserved us and we got
safely across. We arrived at our camp, near where we built our cabin, May
7th, 1799."
Mr. Cutler settled on lands now owned by his son, Mr. William I'. Cutler,
and Capt. Brown on the farm where Daniel Fleming now lives. In May, i Boo,
Silvanus Ames, afterward known as Judge Ames, came from Belpre with his
family and settled near Mr. Cutler -on the farm which he occupied till his
death in 1823.
Deacon Joshua Wyatt came with his family about the same time and settled
on the farm in section 1 now owned by the heirs of George Wyatt. All of
these men bore a large part in the early history of Amesville. Their
wives, too, were persons of solid minds and superior culture. The writer
remembers to have heard Mrs. Ames, who had been tenderly reared in the
family of a New England clergyman, but whose energy and character were
equal to any occasion, describe the hardships of her tedious journey from
Massachusetts to Ohio, in the year 1799, which she made all the way on
horseback, carrying an infant in her arms. Mrs. Cutler and Mrs. Wyatt were
also women of great excellence; the former died in 1809, and the latter a
few years later.
A pioneer settlement is fortunate if its founders cultivate at the
beginning a respect for law and order, due regard for the ordinances of
religion, and a healthy desire for literary culture. These early
influences seem to be permanent, and the character of a community for
generations is often fixed for good or evil by the forces dominant at its
birth. Amesville, not less than the sister settlement at Athens, was
favored in this regard.
"Schools of an elevated character," says Ephraim Cutler, "were soon
established. Two gentlemen, graduates of Harvard college-Mr. Moses
Everett, son of the Rev. Moses Everett, of Dorchester, Massachusetts, and
Mr. Charles Cutler-taught successively several years.
For some time the youth enjoyed no other means of acquiring knowledge. Mr.
Cutler took the United States Gazette, at that time the only newspaper
taken in the settlement; and that, except by fortunate accident, did not
arrive much oftener than once in three months." Steps were taken, at an
early day, to form a circulating library. In 1803 the inhabitants of Ames
assembled in public meeting to consider the subject of roads, which,
having been disposed of, the intellectual wants of the settlement became a
topic of discussion. They were entirely isolated and remote from
established schools and libraries, and felt keenly the necessity of
providing some means for their own and their children's mental
improvement. The establishment of a library was suggested, and all agreed
that this was the readiest way to meet the case, provided funds could be
raised and the books obtained. The scarcity of money seemed an almost
insuperable obstacle. We can form little idea at this day of the almost
total dearth of any medium of exchange which existed in our pioneer
settlements. The little transactions of the colony were carried on almost
wholly by barter and exchange in kind. Very little more produce was raised
than each family needed, and, indeed, there was no market for any surplus.
fudge A. G. Brown says that, soon after they settled in Ames, his older
brother raised a little crop of hemp, which they tools in a canoe down
Federal creek and the Hockhocking, and up to Marietta, where they
succeeded in disposing of it for a small sum; and adds: "So scarce was
money that I can hardly remember ever seeing a piece of coin till I was -a
well-grown boy. It was with difficulty we obtained enough to pay our taxes
with and buy tea for mother-as for clothes and other things, we either
depended on the forests for them, or bartered for them, or did without."
In this great scarcity of money the purchase of books for a library seemed
like an impossibility; but the subject was canvassed by the meeting, and
it was resolved to attempt it. Before the end of the year, by dint of
economy, and using every ingenious device to procure necessary funds, a
sum of money was raised. Some of the settlers were good hunters, and,
there being a ready cash market for furs and skins, which were bought by
the agents of John Jacob Astor and others, these easily paid their
subscriptions. At all events, the movement was successful, and the money
was paid in. Esquire Samuel Brown was just ready to make a business trip
to New England. He was going in a light wagon, and took with him a
quantity of bear-skins and other furs, which he designed exchanging in
Boston for such goods as were needed in the settlement. The money was
placed in his hands, and he was deputed to make the first purchase of
books for the embryo library-the first in Ohio. He was furnished with
letters to the Rev. "Thaddeus M. Harris (a gentleman of education and
note, who had visited the western country a short time before), and the
Rev. Dr. Cutler, who accompanied Mr. Brown to Boston and selected a
valuable collection of books. This was the first public library formed in
the northwestern territory, though not, as some have supposed, the first
incorporated. The "Dayton library society" was incorporated February 21,
1805; a library "at Granville, in the county of Fairfield," January 26,
1807; one at Newtown, Hamilton county, February 10, 1808, and the
"Coon-skin library," as it has been familiarly called of late years, was
incorporated, under the name of the "Western library association," by an
act passed February 19, 1810. But, that to Athens county belongs the honor
of having given birth to the first library created in the territory of the
northwest, does not admit of any doubt. The original record of the
association is before us, entitled "Laws and regulations of the Western
library association, founded at Ames, February 2, 1804."
The preamble to the articles sets forth that, "considering the many
beneficial effects which social libraries are calculated to produce in
societies where they are established, as a source both of rational
entertainment and instruction, we, the subscribers, wishing to participate
in those blessings, agree to form ourselves into a society for this
purpose, under the title of the Western library association, in the town
of Ames. Furthermore, at a meeting of the said association, at the house
of Christopher Herrold, on Thursday, the 2d of February, 1804, agreed that
the following articles be adopted as the rules of the society." The shares
were $2.50 each, and each share paid a tax of twenty-five cents a year.
Among the founders and original stockholders, whose names are subscribed
to the articles, were the following, viz.: Ephraim Cutler, four shares;
Jason Rice, two; Silvanus Ames, two; Benjamin L. Brown, one; Martin
Boyles, one; Ezra Green, one; George Ewing, one; John Brown, Jun., one;
Josiah True, one; George Ewing, Jun., one; Daniel Weethee, two; Timothy
Wilkins, two; Benjamin Brown, one; Samuel Brown, 2d, one; Samuel Brown,
Sen., one; Simon Converse, one; Christopher Herrold, one; Edmund Dorr,
one; George Wolf, one; Nathan Woodbury, one; Joshua Wyatt, one; George
Walker, one; Elijah Hatch, one; Zebulon Griffin, one; Jehiel Gregory, one;
George Castle, one; Samuel Brown, one, etc. Among the subscribers in later
years appear the names of Dr. Ezra Walker, Othniel Nye, Sally Rice,
Nehemiah Gregory, Thomas Ewing, Jason Rice, Lucy Ames, John M. Hibbard,
Seth Child, Ebenezer Champlin, Elisha Lattimer, Cyrus Tuttle, Pearly
Brown, Robert Fulton, R. S. Lovell, Michael Tippie, James Pugsley, and
others among the early residents of Ames.
December 17th, 1804, a meeting of the shareholders was held at the house
of Silvanus Ames, and Ephraim Cutler was elected librarian. It was also
"voted to accept fifty-one books, purchased by Samuel Brown."
At the annual meeting held at the house of Ephraim Cutler, January 7th,
1805, the committee reported that they "have received pay for thirty-two
shares, amounting to $82.50, of which they have laid out $73.50 for
books." For this year Benjamin Brown, Ephraim Cutler and Daniel Weethee
were elected the committee of managers, and Ephraim Cutler librarian.
"Voted that the thanks of this association be transmitted, post paid, to
the Rev. Thaddeus M. Harris, for his assistance rendered in the selection
and purchase of the books which constitute our library." The list of this
first purchase of books is before us. It contains "Robertson's North
America;" "Harris' Encyclopedia," 4 volumes; "Morse's Geography," 2
volumes; "Adams' Truth of Religion;" "Goldsmith's Works," 4 volumes;
"Evelina," 2 volumes; "Children of the Abbey," 2 volumes; "Blair's
Lectures;" "Clark's Discourses;" "Ramsey's American Revolution," 2
volumes; "Goldsmith's Animated Nature," 4 volumes; "Playfair's History of
Jacobinism," 2 volumes; "George Barnwell;" "Camilla," 3 volumes1; "Beggar
Girl," 3 volumes, &c. Later purchases included "Shakspeare;" "Don
Quixote;" "Locke's Essays," "Scottish Chiefs," "Josephus," "Smith's Wealth
of Nations," "Spectator," " Plutarch's Lives," "Arabian Nights," "Life of
Washington," &c. In 1807 John Brown was elected librarian, and William
Green, Thos. M. Hamilton and John Brown managers for one year.
In 1808 George Walker, Benjamin Brown and Samuel Beaumont were elected
managers, and George Walker librarian. In 1809 John Brown, Benjamin Brown
and Seth Fuller were elected managers, and John Brown librarian. In 1811
(under the incorporating act) Silvanus Ames, Ezra Green and George Ewing
were chosen directors, Seth Fuller, treasurer, and Benjamin Brown,
librarian. In 1812, '13 and '14 the same officers were re-elected. In 1815
Seth Fuller, Geo. Walker and Ezra Green were chosen directors, John Brown,
2d, treasurer, and Benjamin Brown, librarian. From 1816 to 1820 the
directors were Seth Fuller, Josiah True and Ezra Green. Benjamin Brown was
librarian during 1816 and 1817, and Dr. Ezra Walker during 1818 and 1819.
A somewhat fanciful account of the formation of this library has
heretofore appeared in print styling it the "Coon-skin library," and
stating that the first purchase of books was made wholly with the furs and
skins of wild animals. Some hunting adventures supposed to have occurred
in the pursuit of skins are given, and the founders of the library appear
rather in the light of literary Nimrods, with whom the chase was an
intellectual pastime, and every crack of whose rifles brought down a
volume of poems or history. The account we have given is the correct one,
our facts having been obtained from one of the surviving founders, and
from the records. Certainly some coon skins were sold to raise money by
some of the subscribers; and doubtless some hemp, grain, deer or
bear-skins, and whatever else would fetch a price; but the sobriquet of
"Coon-skin library" was only invented comparatively a few years since. The
literal truth about this event is sufficiently interesting, and that we
have given.
We have given considerable space to an account of the formation and early
history of this, the first public library formed in the state of Ohio,
because of the interesting nature of the event, and because nearly all of
the founders of the library have descendants still living in the county,
who will read with pride of the part their ancestors took in establishing
an institution which worked such great and lasting good. The library
received additions from time to time, until there were finally accumulated
several hundred volumes-a considerable library for the place and period.
Many years later it was divided, and part taken to Dover township (where
some of the original stockholders lived), where it formed the nucleus of
another library, which was incorporated by an act of the legislature,
passed December 21, 1830. The portion retained in Ames township was sold
by the shareholders in the year 1860 or 1861 to Messrs. J. H. Glazier, A.
W. Glazier and E. H. Brawley, and they afterwards sold it to Mr. William
P. Cutler, of Washington county (son of Judge Ephraim Cutler), who still
has it in his possession.
In the year 1798 Samuel, John and Thos. McCune, three brothers, and David,
Jacob and Peter Boyles, came from Pennsylvania and settled temporarily on
the Hockhocking, on what is now N. O. Warren's farm, where they remained
till 1802, when they removed to the township of Ames and settled within
half a mile of the present village of Amesville. George Ewing, Jun.,
brother of Thomas Ewing, married a daughter of this David Boyles. The
three McCune brothers, as also two of the Boyles brothers, were strong,
athletic men, and great hunters, sometimes killing, it is said, twelve or
fourteen deer and three or four bears in a day. John McCune was something
of a mechanic, and used to repair the guns of his neighbors. On one
occasion a man brought his gun to be mended and borrowed McCune's gun to
use in the meantime. Before repairing the gun McCune went out with it to
kill some game. Coming unexpectedly on a bear, he tried to shoot it, but
the gun failed to go off, when the bear, as if seeing his advantage, made
for the hunter. McCune, unlike his gun, went off. He ran as fast as he
could for some distance, the bear closely pursuing, and McCune trying
every few rods to fire his gun, which, however seemed to like the
situation, and refused to be discharged. After running about half a mile,
a neighbor's dogs came to his assistance, and Bruin was driven off but not
killed. Wolves were, of course, very abundant at that time, and killing a
wolf was a common occurrence. The wife of John McCune seeing something
pass the door of their cabin one evening which she took for a dog, set
their own dog upon it, and, at the same time stepping out of the door,
found it was a large black wolf. Arming herself with a pitchfork that
stood within reach, she and the dog kept up a running fight of several
rods and finally killed the wolf.
John Boyles and John McCune, while hunting one day, came upon a mother
bear and two cubs. Boyles fired at and wounded the old bear, and then,
wishing to see his dog kill one of the cubs, laid down his gun and hissed
his dog on to attack the cub-the old bear and other cub beating a retreat.
Boyles, becoming interested in the fight between his dog and the cub, had
approached near them, when he was disagreeably startled by seeing the old
bear return, brought by the cries of the cub, and place herself between
him and his gun. He was preparing to make the best battle he could with
his hunting knife, when McCune, hearing his call for help, hastened to the
spot and dispatched the bear by a bullet from his rifle. The sons of the
McCune brothers still live in the county, and, like their fathers before
them, have been famous hunters and contributed much toward ridding the
settlement and eastern part of the county of the wild game and "vermin"
that so annoyed the early settlers. Jacob McCune, one of the sons of John
McCune, a few years since, on the occasion of a squirrel hunt, killed in
one day one hundred and three grey squirrels, and Samuel McCune, his
brother, killed eighty-three.
The year 1805 was a year of unexampled drought, and a scarcity almost
amounting to a famine prevailed through all the settlements of this
region. The inhabitants of Ames and Athens townships lived almost
exclusively during the winter of 1805-6 on the meat of deer, bears, &c.,
and were compelled to go to Lancaster and Marietta for breadstuff.
In 1806 or 1807 Joab Hoisington settled in the township, and in 1807 Azor
Nash, an eccentric character, well known here in early times. Elijah
Latimer and Obediah Clark came about the same time. The latter, who
married a sister of Thomas Ewing, had been a fifer in the army, and used
to play the violin at the country dances in Ames.
The first school taught in the township was in a cabin on the old Cutler
place, in 1802, by Charles Cutler, a graduate of Harvard college, and
eminently qualified for teaching. At an exhibition given at the close of
the term, when the children recited dialogues or other pieces committed
for the occasion, Thomas Ewing and John Brown, two of the pupils, spoke
the dialogue of Brutus and Cassius, from Shakspeare. In 1804 a log school
house was built on Silas Dean's place, near the present village of
Amesville, and close by the site of the late George Walker's store. Moses
Everett, a graduate of Harvard, taught the first quarter in this house.
General John Brown taught here in 1807. The next school house was built in
1811, on Silvanus Ames' farm, and for several years served as a meeting
house and school house for the settlement. Sophia Walker, then recently
from Vermont, taught the first quarter in this house, and Dr. Ezra Walker,
her father, taught tier, in the winter of 1811-12.
An incident connected with early preaching among the pioneer settlements
may be mentioned. A neighborhood in the lower settlement in Ames township,
in which 'Squire John Brown lived, secured the services of Elder Asa
Stearns, a Free Will Baptist, to preach for them once a month during the
year, to be paid with three barrels of whisky. Mr. Stearns had an
arrangement with Ebenezer Currier, at Athens, to take the whisky and allow
him therefor twenty-four dollars, to he credited to him toward the farm he
had bought of Judge Currier. The contract was faithfully carried out on
all hands, Elder Stearns visiting his little congregation every third
Saturday of each month during the year, at the end of which he received
his salary in whisky and made the transfer of it as agreed to Judge
Currier.
The Rev. J. H. Hopkins, an early resident of Ames, says: "Among the
pioneers of Methodism here were Gulliver Dean and wife, Mr. Haight, Judge
Walker's family, the McCunes, &c. The class formed at Ames, early in this
century, was ministered to at first by Mr. Austin Thompson and Mr.
Dickson, local preachers, and the Rev. Messrs. Ferree, Baker, R. 0.
Spencer, Henry Fernandez, and Abraham Lippett, Athens circuit, preached to
them. A great many years ago, when William Miller first published his
lectures on the prophecies concerning the second coming of Christ, some of
our people became very much alarmed to think the end of all things was so
near. There was one old sister, quite a good woman too, no doubt, but
possessed of a large share of credulousness, and consequently ready to
gulp down almost anything that came from the mouth of Mr. Miller touching
the signs of Christ's coming and the end of the world. She awoke one
winter night, the weather extremely cold; quite a deep snow had fallen,
and the roads and sledding were fine. The wind was blowing hard, and a lot
of old clap-boards that had been loosely thrown down near the house, were
flapping and making quite a noise. She shook the old man and told him to
arise, for the day of judgment had come, or at least that Gabriel and his
angels were at hand. The old man raised himself up a little and said: 'Old
woman, what put this into your head? you are always anticipating some
wonderful event.' 'It must be so,' was the reply, 'for I have been
listening for some time to the rumbling of Gabriel's chariot wheels.' The
old man told her just to lie down and be quiet, for said he, 'Gabriel is
too wise a creature ever to come to our world on wheels, while the
sledding continues as good as it is now."'
In early times much attention was given to militia organizations. The
first organization in the eastern part of the county was made at the house
of Judge Ames, in 1803, when Silvanus Ames was elected captain, Josiah
True, of Dover township, lieutenant, and Samuel Brown, of Ames, ensign.
The first company muster in the same neighborhood was in 1804. At the next
election of officers, in 1808, John Brown was made captain and George
Ewing lieutenant. John Brown was subsequently advanced to major, colonel
and brigadier general, to which last position he was elected in 1817, the
brigade being composed of Athens, Morgan, Washington, Meigs, Gallia, and
Vinton counties. The first battalion muster was held at Athens in 1805.
Another was held a short time afterward on Esquire Daniel Stewart's place
in Rome township, and a third on Wm. Henry's place in Canaan. Regimental
musters were held annually for many years at Athens, and Colonel Jehiel
Gregory, of Athens, was the first colonel; after him came Silvanus Ames,
Edmund Dorr, John Brown, Charles Shipman, Calvary Morris, Absalom Boyles,
Nathan Dean, Ziba Lindley, Jun., Charles Cutler, Jonas Rice, and Amos
Thompson.
General John Brown was lister of lands for Ames township in 1807, in
connection with which he recalls the following anecdote. As his quaint
style can not be improved, we give his own words: "In 1807 1 was elected
lister (an office somewhat like the present assessor) of Ames township,
which at that time was about thirty miles east and west, and twelve or
fourteen miles north and south, while the inhabitants were few and far
between. In discharging that duty I learned how hard it is to levy taxes
so as to give satisfaction to all. At that time the tax on all horses
three years old, in April preceding, was forty cents per head; on all
cattle three years old ten cents. The great difficulty was to settle as to
age. Some would not tell, some would prevaricate, sometimes the man of the
family was not at home, and the woman did not know, &c. One old lady I
found fully posted. I had looked about the place and found they did work
with two yoke of cattle; but the woman said these were 'late calves'-would
be three years old during the summer. There were several cows evidently
giving milk, but, somehow, none but the bell cow was old enough for me.
Out of a lot of three or four horses only one was three years old. I
quizzed the old lady about the singularity of nearly all the colts and
calves in the settlement coming after April. 'Ah,' said she, 'you are a
single man and young yet, but you will learn that Providence arranges
these things.' That was a clincher, and I left."
The same year the county commissioners appointed him collector of the
resident land tax, and the following is a copy of the land tax duplicate
as levied by him that year for the whole township:
The first election for township officers in Ames was held June 1, 1802 (nearly three years before the organization of the county), at the house of Silvanus Ames, and resulted as follows:
The original township of Ames contained-three hundred and sixty square
miles-more than one fourth of the territorial area of Rhode Island. By the
formation of new townships and counties at intervals during forty years,
her extensive domain has been reduced to six miles square-the limits of a
regular surveyed township. Ames has not kept pace with some other parts of
the county in population, being now ninth in that regard; but in respect
of the character of her population, business enterprise, moral and
educational movements, etc., she is second to none.
Amesville, handsomely located and well built, is a thriving and
interesting village. One of the best academies in the county is located
here. It originated in a meeting of the citizens held in November, 1852,
to consider their educational wants, when George Wyatt, Robert Henry, J.
T. Glazier, James Patterson, and A. S. Dickey, were appointed a committee
to report a plan for organizing a seminary. They reported on the 25th of
that month, and this action was followed in due time by the incorporation
of "The Amesville Academy."
The school has been exceedingly well sustained, and is one of marked
usefulness. Its teachers have been Mr. J. P. Weethee, from 1854 to 1856;
P. B. Davis, from 1856 to 1851; A. C. Kelly, from 1857 to 1858; Mr.
McGonagle, from 1858 to 1860; E. P. Henry, from 1860 to 1861; J. H. Doan,
from 1861 to 1862; J. M. Goodspeed, from 1862 to 1864; Miss L. M. Dowling,
from 1864 to 1866. The present teachers are the Rev. H. C. Cheadle,
principal, arid Miss M. G. Keyes, assistant, under whose management the
school is growing in popularity and usefulness.
The population of Ames in 1820 was 721; in 1830 it was 857; in 1840 it was
1,431; in 1850 it was 1,482; in 1860 it was 1,335.
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