In the line of improvements for the aid of settlers in building, there was a horse-mill on Hartell's farm. In connection therewith, was a still-house, the two being operated by Jacob Hartell in 1837 and 1838. There was another mill on the Hathaway farm, one mile southwest of Beamsville. This was a water mill, used only in grinding corn, and had sandstone "grayheads" for buhrs. This mill was the property of Thomas Hathaway. The next mill was built as a saw-mill and remodeled into a grist-mill, at what was called Johnson's Station. The town, Dawn, was then designated Eden. The last-named mill was run by steam, and in it was used the first stationary steam engine used in the township. In addition to these, there was the "Bloomer Mill," located at Bloomer Town, now called Stelvideo. This structure was raised about the same time as the Eden mill during the years 1853 and 1854.

The mill at Eden burned down while it was a saw-mill; it was rebuilt as a lumber-mill, and, afterward, enlarged into a grist-mill. Upon the foundation and with the frame of the old mill the present new mill was constructed.

In the connection of enterprises which have exercised a helping and comfortgiving influence, it has ever been customary to preserve the names, when possible. of those who inaugurated or began them. For this reason, we may mention William Goodheart, as the pioneer mail carrier; J. H. C. Dill, of Beamsville, as the earliest storekeeper, and Adam Coppess, as the first blacksmith, who erected his forge the year of his advent here, 1824.

The first sermon delivered in Richland Township was by John Childers, a minister of the Baptist denomination, in the house of James Stevenson, where Alfred Coppess now lives. The first church building was erected as a schoolhouse, and was purchased by the Methodist Episcopal society. It was located in the Coppess neighborhood on the farm of William Oliver. The next building used for worship was erected for that purpose by the members of a society of the United Brethren in the year 1842. It was built of logs at Beamsville on land donated by Fred. Beam. This house has been repaired and modernized, and is still standing.

Among the heaviest or largest farm owners in the township are B. F. Coppess who has 300 acres, Alfred Coppess, John E. Braden, John Coppess and David Hartell. Original entries were mostly in quarter and eighth sections. The general depth at which well water is found is thirty feet, but it varies from twelve to forty-five feet.

The Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & Indianapolis Railroad crosses the north end of the township, and has a station known as Nevada, and the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railroad enters Richland about a mile west of the southeast corner and runs diagonally to a point three-fourths of a mile north of the southwest corner. Stelvideo, situated in the southern part of Section 9, is a station on this latter road.

From the earliest days along the years up to the present, the political opinion has been Democratic, and the party vote predominates by 100.

The following leading statistics from the report of 1879 show the capacity for production of the Richland farms. The entire number of acres owned is 12,426, of which 7,478 are tilled, 946 in pasture, 3,771 in woods and 231 in waste lands. The extent of wool-growing may be inferred by the clip of 1,244 pounds. Upon 1,927 acres, 36,891 bushels of wheat were raised; 834 acres in oats produced 31.341 bushels and 2,718 acres of corn yielded heavily of the staple product. Rye, barley, flax and potatoes are produced. Fifty-two acres in tobacco produced 69,390 pounds, and the dairy product was 33,502 pounds. Of sweets there were 2,745 gallons of sorghum sirup, 929 gallons of maple sirup, and from 113 hives, 1.227 pounds of honey. The orchards have not been neglected, and from 235 acres planted in trees, there was a yield of 5.776 bushels of apples, 45 of pears, and 35 of peaches.

The village of Dawn contains a population of about one hundred and fifty. The original plat was made by L. W. Johnson, and it was known by that name.

The site was established at the center of Section 20, in 1854, when the proprietor erected a saw-mill. The first addition to the village was made by Shelley, Birch and others. Afterward Uriah Winbigler, O. F. Davidson and James McFarland, also laid off additions. The original proprietor was the first Postmaster, and James McFarland here erected the first forge.

There is a church at Dawn, built by the Methodists in 1872, on land donated by C. W. Demem. The business of the place supports three stores kept by J. W. Duckall, J. B. Wertz and James Woods. The first named is also a grain and produce dealer, the last named is Postmaster. J. F. Shoud is the proprietor of a large saw-mill with which he does an extensive business. Rush & Chirger operate a steam grist-mill. It has two stories, has four runs, and is propelled by a fortyhorse power engine. This mill stands on Section 20, and does both custom and job work. Its capacity is sixty barrels a day. O. Davison erected a tile factory in the spring of 1877, on his lands just south of Dawn. Twenty kilns of 275 rods, assorted size, are burned annually, requiring 130 cords of wood. It is the only tile factory in the township. The drying shed is 120 feet long and a second shed of 60 feet in length is being built. The village of Beamsville is situated on the Stillwater at the center of the west side of Section 32, Range 3, and at the crossing of the Greenville and Dallas pikes. There is about 150 population. It was laid out by John Beam in 1837. The first house put up in the place was raised by the proprietor of the village and it is still standing. Additions to the original plat have been made by Messrs. Hartell, Earheart and Plessinger. The Stillwater Hotel, kept by Samuel Paulas, was built in 1834-35. It was primarily a single story, but several years having elapsed, a second story was added. The first landlord was named Stillwell. John C. Dill was storekeeper in the early day, and among physicians were Drs. Ford, Smith, Hoover, Hostetter, Peck and Tillman.

The first preacher at Beamsville was Rev. M. Wintermute, Baptist, who was succeeded by Rev. Seymour Craig. Rev. George Adams, Christian, came in 1848-49. The United Brethren Church was built some six years earlier than this later date. A township house was built here in 1874. The place contains two wagon-shops-one owned by J. Stagger, the other by William Price. There is also a cornet band of ten horns and two drums which enliven the evening hours with inspiriting music. This band was organized in March, 1879, and is led by William Loudom and Frank Plessinger.

The iron bridge over the Stillwater, just south of town, was constructed during the summer of 1878, and cost $1,900, exclusive of masonry. Another iron bridge over the same stream, west of Beamsville, on the Dallas pike, cost $2,100, besides mason work, and was erected in 1875.

Stelvideo, located near the center of the south line of Section 9, Range 3, Township 11 (the same being part of the boundary between Richland and Adams). is a small village, numbering 100 inhabitants. It was laid out in 1851. by Solomon Farmer, the present owner of 125 acres of land adjoining on the east. This person is now the oldest living resident of this vicinity, and one of the oldest in Richland. A few lots have been laid off since the original platting by George Hartell, Jr., but they are not in demand. Stelvideo is a station on the Pittsburgh. Cincinnati & St. Louis Railroad, surrounded by a fine farming country, well culti vated and profitably productive. The population is composed mainly of the owners of adjacent or adjoining farms. Its origin is thus denoted: About the time when the "Forty-niners were en route, overland, to the gold fields of the far Pacific, John Patterson determined to realize his expectations nearer home. He had inherited a large farm, located east of Stelyideo. There being promise of quite a village here, Mr. Patterson bought a number of lots, erected a steam sawmill, a two-story tavern, and induced the erection of several other buildings. These improvements were made in 1852 and 1853. Through correspondence with Alfred Brisbane, S. Andrews. Dr. Nichols and other noted Socialists, Stelvideo soon became a center for modern radicalism of all kinds, save and except free

love." Meantime, the dress-reform movement was being agitated by Amelia Bloomer and other ladies. The costume was generally adopted by the feminine population of this village. So many isms and ologies, so much amplitude in freedom and brevity in costume was obnoxious to the people resident in the neighborhood, who proceeded to make Patterson and his confreres desirous of going elsewhere. The Pluribus Unum Hotel was vacated, several houses partially completed were left unfinished, the saw-mill and other property was disposed of at a sacrifice, and Mr. Patterson and his followers moved to Berlin Heights, in Huron County, where quite a colony of modern Liberalists of various phases assembled. They published a weekly newspaper, and, for a time, attracted popular attention.

The first house put up in the immediate vicinity of Stelvideo was by Jacob Hartell. The first schoolhouse near by was a small log structure which stood about fifteen yards east of the present brick house, on the Solomon Farmer place. The first Postmaster was Aaron Frampton. It is stated by Peter Brewer, who is the second oldest resident, that in the early days, the residents here were accustomed to go about sixteen miles to mill, to where the present Coppock Mill stands. Sometimes the trip was extended to near Milton, and on occasion to Union, not far from Dayton. The present smithy here was built as a carpentershop in 1866, by Peter Farmer; it was later used as a dwelling, and was finally, April 15, 1876, utilized by the present village blacksmith," D. W. Inman, of whom it may be said:

"Week in, week out, from morn till night,

You can hear his bellows blow."

And the distich is as applicable to him now and for four years past as ever it could have been to Longfellow's original.

There are no churches at this place. Dr. Ligafoo is the local physician. He was preceded by B. F. Zeller and Dr. Morrison, who was among the first doctors in this part of the township.

Messrs. Coppess, Brewer & Bro. are grain-dealers at the railroad warehouse. Their annual purchases range from fifteen thousand to twenty-five thousand bushels of wheat and a smaller quantity of corn. The Brewer Bros. also have a store, located just northeast from the railroad crossing. One of the brothers, Jessner, is the Postmaster here, the other, John, is station agent. The speedy lapse of time will soon have made the record of these now active a worthy remembrance, and events are only as yet in a formative state, hence the descriptions of the present will be the history of the near future.

WAYNE TOWNSHIP.

This township is one of the oldest in the county, having been constituted at one of the first sessions of the County Commissioners, in July, 1817. Its name was suggested by the prominent position occupied by Gen. Anthony Wayne, in the latter part of the last century, in matters pertaining to the permanent security of such settlers as might desire to make their homes in this locality. When Wayne was laid off, it contained all of the county north of a line commencing at the northwest corner of Township 12 north, Range 1 east, and running thence east to the northwest corner of Township 9 north, Range 4 east, thence south to the middle of said township, and east to the county line. In 1819, that part of Wayne lying in Township 9 north, Range 4 east, was attached to Adams Township. A year later, and all of Wayne that lay in Range 1 was united to Washington Township. In 1820, Richland was formed, which was taken principally from Wayne, but partly from Greenville and Adams. In 1841, Patterson was taken from the north end of Wayne, and contained all of that township that lay in Townships 12 and 13, Range 3, and 11 and 12, Range 4.

The land is well watered and well drained. Its sections are traversed in a south of west course by the railroad, and supplemented to its fine farms are its villages, Versailles. Webster and North Jacksonville. In comparison with the townships heretofore named. Wayne is much the older, and, as is frequently the case, many of the settlers of Wayne migrating to the new townships became their pioneers. It is agreed that the first settler within the present limits of Wayne was David Ward, who, moving in from Covington, Miami County, in 1815, settled on land (more recently the property of Lewis Sherry). in Section 18. Ward had not long been established in his forest home, when two neighbors moved in. Jacob Carlock entered land and made a clearing, where, in 1835, the village of Webster was laid out, and Zachariah Hole settled in the vicinity. Two years later, the population was increased by the arrival of Aaron Greer, Richard Brandon and Lewis Baker, and in 1818, Henry Swisher moved in, and was soon after made a Justice of the Peace, and so became the pioneer arbitrator of petty disputes. In addition to those named among the pioneers, may be given those of Peter Radabaugh, William McGriff, John Wyland, Thomas Bayman, N. York and Joseph McDonald. Allan Reed, who later became a merchant and engaged in business at Versailles, came to Wayne in 1821. The first white child born in the township was Dr. Stephen A. Greer, now living near Woodland, Patterson Township. The first man who died was named Atchison. The pioneer log schoolhouse was erected about 1821. It is a cause of regret that so meager a record should be acquired of a township so prominent in the threefold interests of civilization, agriculture, education and religion.

During the war of 1812, and subsequently, an eccentric character by the name of Conner, and his son, occupied a cabin not far from the present site of Versailles. With an old ox, the boy tilled a little patch of corn, while Conner hunted deer and other game. When their supply of corn-meal was exhausted, the boy saddled up the old ox, threw a sack of corn over him, mounted the whole and started thirteen miles to Greenville Falls to mill. When night overtook him, he tied the ox, built a fire, cooked his supper, and lay down alone in the woods to sleep. Many anecdotes are told of Conner, one of which we insert:

A man by the name of Wyland moved to the Laramie settlement, and a number of men went from here to help him build his cabin; among those were Conner and Killbuck, an Indian chief, who concluded to remain in the neighborhood awhile, and have a good time. To aid in their happiness, they bought a halfgallon jug of whisky, started to the woods and made a camp. It snowed at night about six inches, and in the morning, Wyland saw a smoke in the woods, and wondering what it was, approached it, and found Conner and Killbuck asleep. with the jug of whisky on one side, and their moccasins hanging on a stick on the other, and their guns leaning against a tree. Creeping softly up, he took a good drink out of the jug and emptied the balance out, and put the moccasins in the fire, and retreated to the house. Wyland, watching them from the house, soon saw old Killbuck slowly raise up and brush the snow away and reach for the jug, turn it up to his lips, and dash it to pieces on the ground; then Conner and Killbuck both got up, went to their guns, reprimed them, turned their heads toward the cabin, and sat down by the fire. Presently old Killbuck started off through the woods barefooted to the settlement. Conner, on the contrary, started toward a thicket where he knew Wyland had a valuable sow and pigs. Wyland saw him. and his anxious ear soon heard the crack of his rifle followed by the squealing of a hog, yet was afraid to venture out, knowing Conner would shoot him as quickly as the hog. Shortly Conner returned to the fire, stirred it up, and after warming himself, started off through the woods after old Killbuck. Wyland went to the bushes and found his sow dead and partly skinned, and small pieces of hide lying around, the remains of a pair of moccasins Conner had made. About two weeks afterward, Wyland went to a Baptist meeting. In front of the "church" were two large logs. Wyland occupied one, and he was dismayed to see Conner approach

and deliberately take a seat opposite to him, cross his legs, and bring his foot in unpleasant proximity to his face. Looking down, what should he see but the black skin of his poor old sow ornamenting Conner's foot, which he persisted in putting in his face at every opportunity. As soon as the country began to settle up, Conner went further into the wilderness, and was never heard of again.

Jacob Garlock was the first settler at Webster, and came here in 1817. Stopped on Bald Hill and camped with old Killbuck two weeks. The first graves in the township were on this hill, in which a woman and two children were buried, in about 1817 or 1818.

The first colored man, George Davenport, came to this township in 1817. Previously to coming here, he was an itinerant pewter-spoon molder, and in his travels was accompanied by a dog, which the Indians stole, and he followed them to this part of the country, recaptured his dog, and was so highly pleased with the surroundings that he built him a cabin and remained here.

The little settlement now began to receive accessions. In the following year (1818). Henry Swisher and Aaron Grier came to this township, the former of whom was of a jovial and humorous disposition, and delighted to relate anecdotes of early pioneer life, many of which still survive and are repeated by those who had the pleasure of hearing them from his own lips. Soon following these, were Isaac Finkbone, whose prowess in the many pugilistic encounters in which he was engaged is well remembered by those who knew him; and Aaron Grier, who came in about 1818. Within two years, it had received Allen Reed, who located in Section 19, and a family of Holes, who filled a space in the forest. Leonard Hess came to this township in 1836, and is still living here, as are also Mr. Simon, who came from France in 1839, and first located in the northeast part of the township, where he remained five years, then removed to the southwest part, remaining one year; he came to Versailles, where he began business without capital and without knowing a word of English. When Mr. Simon first settled here, his nearest neighbor on the east was five miles, through the woods; one-half mile on the west, and two miles on the north and south, and L. R. Hugh, the oldest man in the township. Mr. H. retains all his faculties and jocosely boasts that he can outrun any man of his age (eighty-four) in the county. John J. Begien lives about three miles southwest of Versailles, aged eighty-six, and was a member of Napoleon's old army in France, an honor of which but few living men, in this or any other country, can boast.

Such were the men who penetrated these parts of nature, who courted the solitude of the illimitable forest, and we may add, in the words of Virgil: "They neither pined with grief, lamenting the poor, nor envied the rich; what fruits the boughs spontaneously yielded, they gathered; nor saw the iron-hearted laws, the madly litigious bar, or the public courts."

The Hardshell Baptists had a little church, the corner-stone of which is still to be seen in the yard of Dr. Gordon, of Versailles, in this township, and, it seems, their rules required every applicant for membership to give in a brief experience as a test of his fitness for admission.

A person, living up the creek, by the name of Stoner, it appears, notwithstanding his hard name, was a little soft. Nevertheless, he wanted to join the church. He rose in the congregation and thus began: "I got up this mornin', greased my shoes, combed my head and started to meetin'. As I was a comin' along, I saw a tree; I says to myself, Kin one man pull that ar tree up? No! Kin two men? No! Kin ten men? No! Kin twenty men? No! Kin God Almighty pull that tree up? Yes! I feel like suthin' is going to happen." He sat down. The preacher rose and said: "Brethren, extend the right hand of fellowship to Brother Stoner, for this is the true bleatin' of the lamb.'

Frenchtown is a hamlet situated near the northwest corner of Wayne Township, at the center of Section 11, Range 3, and, as its name denotes, has a population largely composed of French. The oldest living settler is J. P. Berge, who migrated hither from Stark County in 1838, and entered an eighth-section of the

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