Very soon after our arrival, my father made preparations for building a more comfortable house. Logs were hauled to the sawmill above the town, on the Whetstone River. These logs were soon converted into two-inch planks, thirteen feet long, which being set up on end, edge to edge, and spiked to suitable timbers, soon formed a house, such as it was. The roof was covered with boards from the mill, and the rough boards laid down, without smooth. ing or straightening, for the floors. Thus, in about two weeks, we had a house to move into, which, though not warmer, was more roomy than the cabin, as there were two rooms below, and what answered to two above. The chimney, if it could be called one, was in the middle of the house; it was constructed of two pieces of large timber, framed in when the house was raised, about six feet apart, and about five feet high, above the floor, reaching across the whole width of the house. The fire was to be built upon the ground, and the smoke to ascend between these two timbers, which should be called mantel-pieces. On these mantel-pieces boards were set up on end, running out through the roof, something in the shape of a square cone. But this did not do well, and had to be remodeled as soon as could be done.

At that time there were no other buildings in Worthington than log cabins except a frame storehouse built by Nathaniel Little on the north side of the public square. By the by, what I call and is now the public square, was then pretty much all the "opening" there was about there. The ground laid out for a public square was, as was all the country about there, covered by a heavy growth of forest timber. At the time I speak of these trees on the square had been cut down only, falling across each other and every way, as they were naturally inclined. It was, of course, difficult getting about among these fallen trees, and going from house to house.

On the north side of the public square there was the frame house I mentioned west of Main Street, and Ezra Griswold's double cabin on the east side of the street, who kept a tavern, the only one there was. On the east side of the square, there was a large cabin built for public purposes, and used on the Sabbath day as a church, Major Kilbourn officiating as a deacon of the Episcopal Church. At all public meetings, it was a town hall; and whenever the young people wished to have a dance or a ball, that being the only room large enough for that purpose, it was used as a ballroom; and this, I know, was very often, probably once in ten days on an average. Of course the house was never long unoccupied or unemployed. On the south side of the public square, the only house was that of James Kilbourn, then called Major and Esquire Kilbourn, now Colonel Kilbourn, who was the principal sachem of the tribe, being general agent of the Company settlement the Scioto Company — socalled clergyman of the place, Justice of the Peace, large stockholder, or rather landholder in the Company, had been the longest out there, and so the oldest settler, having been there over a year, and many other things which went conclusively to designate him as head of the clan. On the west side of the square, I only recollect one house, which was occupied by Isaac Case, at whose house I frequently boarded.

During the month of March, 1805, Mr. Buttles's father was overtaken by a frightful tempest in the Licking wilderness. He was endeavoring, at the time, to make his way, on horseback, from the Kilbourn colony to the twin New England settlement at Granville. Seeing the storm coming on, at evening, he pushed ahead, hoping to find some house or other shelter, but lost his way, and was soon involved in utter darkness except as the lightning illuminated with its fierce flashes the rayless gloom of the woods. "Finding it impossible to go further," says the diary of his sou, "he took the saddle from his horse, and laying it down in the snow beside a large tree, he seated himself upon it and leaned against the tree, holding the horse's bridle in his hand, in which position he expected to spend the night. But the rain poured down the tree so that he had to change situations several times before morning; but no change saved him from wet. We can hardly conceive of a more uncomfortable situation that what he described his to be, knowing, as we did, the horrors of the night. As soon as the morning light enabled him to

proceed, he went on, and soon came in sight of the house at which he had expected to stay. But a new difficulty had arisen. Licking Creek was now impassable, which the evening before was not ten inches deep. In short, the whole day was spent in getting himself over, leaving his horse to provide for himself."

This adventure precipitated a fever, which resulted fatally in the ensuing June. Compelled by this calamity, young Buttles, then seventeen years of age, cast about for some means of independent support. The expedients which he adopted are thus set forth in his diary:

Mr. James Kilbourn had procured a printing office to be brought to and established at Worthington for the purpose of publishing a weekly paper. He was himself acting as editor, but his other business rendered it desirable for him to disengage himself from the paper. I had never been in any printing office other than this, nor had I ever seen a type set; but I proposed buying this in conjunction with a man by the name of George Smith, a printer by trade. Our proposition was accepted and I engaged at once, not only as editor but as printer. This business succeeded so well, principally on account of the war with Great Britain soon after this time, which made this part of the country a scene of preparation, reinforcement, provisioning, etc., for the army which went against General Hull [sic]. The failure of that expedition left this country exposed as a frontier to the British and Indians, neither of which it afterwards appeared, had the courage or ability to molest us. But they were fearfully apprehended by our people; and many an alarm, or report of their coming, gave great disturbance and distress to us. Such stirring times made newspapers in great demand, and

gave some good job work, and we made some money by the business. About this time I had to perform a campaign of a few weeks only with the militia, who were called out en masse to guard the country from the threatened attacks of the British and Indians of Canada, who it was feared, would come in by the way of Sandusky.

In

The weekly newspaper mentioned in the foregoing extract was the Western Intelligencer, of which a full account will be given in the history of the press. 1812 Mr. Buttles sold his interest in the Intelligencer in order to participate in a store opened by the Worthington Manufacturing Company at Franklinton. The founder of that Company was Mr. Kilbourn, whose personal career continues to engage our attention as the most conspicuous factor in the development of the Worthington colony. Soon after the organization of the State, he was appointed a civil magistrate and an officer of the militia on the northwestern frontier. About the same time he began trade with the Indians, whose boundary, fixed by the Greenville Treaty, was only twentyeight miles north of the Worthington settlement. Appointed in July, 1804, to survey part of the military lands of the Chillicothe District, he explored, in the spring of 1805, the south shore of Lake Erie, and selected the present site of Sandusky as a post for north western traffic. By vote of the General Assembly, he was made one of the original trustees of the Ohio University at Athens in 1806, and one of the three commissioners to locate the Miami University in 1808. Promoted to but declining the colonelcy of the Frontier Regiment, he was elected in 1812, and many times thereafter reelected, as President of the corporation of Worthington College.

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The Worthington Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1811, with James Kilbourn as President and General Agent. It was the pioneer manufacturing enterprise of Central Ohio, but was by no means limited to manufacturing. Besides undertaking to produce various articles in wool, leather and other materials, it circulated its notes as currency, and engaged extensively in mercantile business and banking." Its factories were established at Worthington and

Steubenville, and its stores opened at Worthington and Franklinton. When the War of 1812 broke out, the Company engaged extensively in the production of woolen fabrics for army and navy clothing. This part of the industrial department ceased, of course, with the conclusion of peace in 1815, after which the Company lost heavily in its multiplied enterprises until it failed, in 1820, sweeping away the investments of its shareholders and the entire fortune of its President.

"Finding himself thus totally destitute of means," says Mr. Kilbourn's biographer, "he took up his surveying apparatus again, and went into the woods. For more than twenty years he was much of the time busily engaged in his calling, and we hazard nothing in saying that he has surveyed more townships, highways, turnpikes, railroads and boundary lines than any other three men in the State."

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Although fifty years of age when financial disaster overtook him, Mr. Kilbourn regained, by these efforts, a portion of his financial independence, and continued to take a conspicuous part in public enterprises. His services in political station, and on occasions of general interest, at various periods of his life, will be mentioned in their proper historical connection.

We have now reached the period when the colonies at Worthington and Franklinton became rival suitors for the location of the Capital of the State. Their emulation related not only to different sites but differing elements of population. Worthington was settled almost exclusively from New England; Franklinton from Kentucky, Virginia and Pennsylvania. The New Englanders offered the most elevated, the healthiest, and by far the most comely situation, but were overmatched. Franklinton was rejected for reasons which experience has fully justified; but when the location was finally chosen it was near enough to the rivals for both to unite, and both did unite, in the development of the new community. Whatever special qualifications each possessed were actively and harmoniously exerted to this end. Virginian, Kentuckian, Pennsylvanian and New Englander. each performed his part. They joined hands and hearts, not in founding a new city only, but in the evolution of a new individuality— that of the typical Ohio Man.

NOTES.

1. In writing this chapter, the author has made liberal use of a manuscript sketch of the Worthington colony, written, and kindly submitted, by A. A. Graham, Esq., Secretary of the Ohio Archæological and Historical Society.

2. Constitution of 1802, Art. III., Sec. 2.

3. The original model of Mr. Fitch's steamboat is in the possession of Mr. A. N. Whiting, of Columbus, who is one of his descendants.

4. History of the Kilbourn Family; by Payne Kenyon Kilbourn; 1856.

5. This was doubtless the socalled Carpenter settlement, mention of which will be found

in a subsequent portion of the present chapter.

6. During these visits of exploration Mr. Kilbourn drew a map of Ohio which was subsequently much used by landbuyers and emigrants. In executing this work, he was assisted by charts and surveys placed under his inspection by Colonel Thomas Worthington, then Register of the Land Office at Chillicothe. He also drew upon information furnished him by his fatherinlaw, Mr. Fitch, who had been, in his youth, a captive among the Indians of the Northwest Territory.

7. The surveying was done by Mr. Kilbourn. The lands of the Company were divided into one hundred acre tracts, and apportioned among the shareholders, pro rata. Each shareholder was entitled to one town lot for each hundred-acre tract which he possessed. In the selection of places of residence in the town, Ezra Griswold settled on town lot 71, William Thompson on 70, David Bristol on 60, James Kilbourn on 61, Samuel Beach on 92, Zophar Topping on 83, Alexander Morrison on 82, Nathan Stewart on 100, and Glass Cochran on 101. All drew water from a well on the church lot.

8. The log schoolhouse stood on the south college lot. In its construction is said to have been used the first timber cut in the settlement.

9. Mr. Robe was a dwarf, or man of remarkably small size, not weighing more than fifty to sixty pounds in ordinary health. He was well proportioned and neat in his appearance; a well educated man, and gentlemanly in his manners. He was a teacher in the Worthington Seminary - afterwards a clerk in the State Auditor's office. He died in January, 1823, aged about fortyfive years.-Martin's History of Franklin County.

10. This appointment was tendered in the following letter - here copied from the original manuscript-addressed to "Rev.'d James Kilburn, Franklin County, near Franklinton":

DEAR SIR:

MARIETTA, July 3d., 1804.

I have the honor to inform you that with the approbation of the Secretary of the Treasury, you are appointed District Surveyor for No. 1, of Chillicothe District, or of all that tract within the Sd. District. which is called the military tract.. I must request you to afford me the speediest intelligence of your acceptance or nonacceptance. In case of the first, the law requires an oath of affirmation, which it will be necessary to take before some magis trate, and transmit a copy thereof to the Secretary of the Treasury. With profoundest respect,

I am Sir,

Your obt. Hum. Servt.

JARED MANSFIELD.

It appears on consideration necessary that a copy of the oath should be sent to this office.

11. The following extracts from the Company's Articles of Association are copied from an original document, printed, except the signatures, at the office of the Western Intelligencer, at Worthington, in January, 1813:

ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF THE WORTHINGTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY.

*

*

*

Article 1st. The objects, which this association or copartnership propose to effect, are, to establish at Worthington in the state of Ohio, an extensive Manufactury of the various kinds of woolen cloth; of Hats, Leather, and the various manufactures of which leather is a part; a manufactory of pot and pearl ashes, and generally, any and all kinds of manufactories which experience may advise, and the company think fit and profitable for them from time to time to establish; to purchase, raise and keep an extensive flock of sheep; to introduce into the state of Ohio, and encourage the raising of the full blooded Merino sheep; to purchase, export, and sell, any and all kinds of the country productions which we shall judge profitable; and to establish and continue a complete variety store of goods, both of foreign and domestic articles which shall be suited to the demands of the country, including our own manufacTM tories, and the same to divide into as many branches as we shall think expedient. And to promote these purposes and the general object of this our association, we will also purchase and hold, or barter, sell and convey, as circumstances in the opinion of the company duly expressed shall justify any property or estate, real. personal, or mixed; prescribing to ourselves no other limits, as to the amount of the capital stock, or the application thereof, than such as the body shall determine by ordinance or special resolution as may be done in pursuance thereof by the proper officers.

Art. 2nd. The seat of the said manufactories, the store and countinghouse, or office of the company, shall be in the town of Worthington aforesaid; but the members, and even some of the officers, as occasion shall require, may reside, and particular parts of the business of the company be transacted in any other place or places, where, and when we shall agree, or appoint by vote or otherwise.

Art. 3rd. The capital stock of this company, be the same more or less, shall be divided into shares of one hundred dollars each, payable by installments of one fifth at a time; the first at the time of subscribing, and the remaining four, at such times as the company shall agree when duly organized.

Article fourth provides for the election of a president, a secretary, three directors and "such other officers as may be found convenient," by the stockholders.

vote.

Article fifth provides that the officers shall be chosen by ballot, each share casting one

Article sixth directs that no person shall be employed by the company in any clerkship or other important function who is not a shareholder.

Art. 7th. When any person shall make his subscription in sheep, labor, materials for building, land for the establishment, or goods for the store, to the acceptance of the directors, the payment or performance thereof as stipulated, will be received in place of a regular payment by installments, as in the case of cash subscriptions.

Article eighth instructs as to the duties of the president, acting as general agent for the Company.

Article ninth relates to proxies representing non-resident shareholders.

Article ten provides for the calling of special meetings.

Art. 11. Books of subscription shall be immediately opened, under the care of James Kilbourn, of said Worthington, and George Fitch, of New York City, who are hereby authorized and requested to superintend the same, provide the proper books, and make exhibition thereof to the first meeting of the stockholders, to be holden as hereinafter provided.

Article twelve fixes the time, place, and manner of holding regular meetings and elections, and concludes as follows: "And we do hereby appoint James Kilbourn to be our President and General Agent, and Joseph Garnett, Secretary, until the said first Tuesday of May next, and till others shall be elected and duly qualified to said offices."

To the foregoing articles of association, and to the strict observance thereof we do each of us bind and pledge himself to the others, in the full amount of all damages which may accrue by his neglect or refusal.

In testimony whereof, we have severally hereunto subscribed our names and affixed our seals, in presence of each other and of the attesting witness.

First signed at the city of New York, this first day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eleven.

P. S.-The business proposed by this association shall go into operation so soon as one hundred shares shall be subscribed.