BETHEL, on the line of the C.G. & P.R.R.
and Ohio turnpike, in a fine country. It has 2 Methodist, 1
Christian, and 1 Baptist church, and in 1880, 582 inhabitants.
The place was settled in 1797 by Obed Denham, a
Virginian, on account of his abhorrence of slavery.
A WITCH STORY. - In the early settlement a family by the name of
Hildebrand accused one of their neighbors, Nancy Evans, of being
a
witch.
Although the statues of Ohio made no provisions for cases of this
kind,
they persuaded a justice of the peace to take the matter in hand.
A tradition prevailed that if a witch was weighted against the
Bible she
would be compelled to tip the beam. A rude scale was made, and in
the presence of the neighbors, with the Bible at one end and
Nancy Evans at the other, she was thus adjured: "Nancy
Evans, thou art weighted against the
Bible to try thee against witchcraftry and diabolical
practices." This being done in the name of the law, and with
a profound respect for the word of God, had a solemn and
conclusive effect. Nancy was of course too
heavy for the Bible; an excellent woman, who willingly submitted
to this novel process to bring peace of mind to her ignorant,
deluded neighbors, whom she pitied.
Bethel is noted for the number of prominent characters who have
dwelt there. Samuel Medary, from Pennsylvania, came to Bethel
almost
destitute; with twenty-five cents capital opened a school, and in
1828 started a newspaper, the Ohio Sun, now the Clermont County
Sun, at
Batavia. Medary was no printer, but he edited it, delivered it
personally to the subscribers, and taught school at the same
time. He eventually moved to Columbus, and as editor of the
Statesman and Crisis, became the most
influential editor of the Democratic party in the State. Late in
life he was territorial governor of Kansas and Nebraska. He was
genial,
possessed business tact and force of character. Prof. David
Swing, D.D., the
eminent divine, was born near the village. Two eminent Methodist
divines are
identified with the history of the county: Rev. Dr. Randolph
Swing Foster, who was born here, and Rev. Stephen M. Merrill, who
passed his youth here.
The noted Gen. Thomas L. Hamer, in 1818, came to Bethel a poor,
friendless boy, and found a home in the family of Thomas Morris,
with whom he studied law.
Jesse R. Grant, the father of Gen. Grant, bought a home at Bethel
about 1845, where he lived ten or twelve years. While he was
there the general at that time just from the Academy at West
Point, and later from the Mexican campaign, visited his father,
and passed a number of months in the quiet village. The general's
father carried on a tannery, and in
1852, was elected mayor. Hid duties were partly magisterial, and
one of his
first was to try some of the village roughs for fighting, on
which occasion he
used the finishing-room of his tannery for a court-room. The
place was crowded, and the better to see some of the small boys
mounted a pile of hides. The pile was totlish, and the leather
slid, and one urchin landed
precipitately into a tub of Father Grant's oil, which afforded as
much diversion as the fight itself.
In the village graveyard at Bethel is the grave of Thomas Morris;
a marble monument with the annexed inscriptions marks the spot.
Said Salmon P. Chase: "Senator Morris first led me to see
the character of the slave
power as an aristocracy, and the need of an earnest organization
to counteract its pretensions. He was far beyond the time in
which he lived."
In 1637, Thomas Morris, the first representative of the family, a
name
prominent in English history and patriotism, settled in
Massachusetts,
Isaac, the father of Thomas Morris, was born in Berks county,
Pa., in 1740, and his mother, Ruth Henton, in 1750, being the
daughter of a Virginia planter. Nine sons and three daughters
were born to them. Thomas, John,
and Benjamin came to Ohio, finally settling in Clermont County.
Thomas was the
fifth child, and was born January 3, 1776; soon after his birth
his parents moved to Western Virginia, and settled near
Clarksburg. The father was a faithful minister of the Baptist
church, p
reaching without failing in a single appointment for over sixty
years, never taking a dose of medicine. He died in 1830, aged
ninety-one. The
mother of Thomas Morris refused her inheritance of four slaves.
At sixteen Thomas Morris shouldered his musket to repel the
aggressions of the Indians, serving several months in Capt. Levi
Morgan's rangers, stationed near Marietta. At nineteen he was
employed as a clerk
in the store, at Columbia, of the then famous Baptist minister,
Rev. John Smith. November 19, 1797, he married Rachel Davis,
daughter of Benjamin Davis, from Lancaster, Pa. In 1800 Thomas
Morris and his wife removed
from Columbia to Williamsburgh, where, in 1802, he commenced the
study of law, without friends, pecuniary means, or a preceptor,
with a growing family and but few books. After the hard labors of
the day he studied at night by
the light of hickory bark or from a brick-kiln which he was
burning for the support of his family. With resolute purpose and
iron will he succeeded in overcoming these formidable
difficulties, and in two years was admitted
to the bar. In 1804 he removed with his family to Bethel, and in
1806 was elected a representative from Clermont.
In the Legislature his abilities soon placed him among the most
distinguished men of the State. He labored for the equal right of
all,
and to conform the civil government to the principles of justice
and Christian
morality. He opposed chartered monopolies, class legislation, and
traffic in spirituous liquors, believing in a prohibitory high
license. He was a
warm friend of the common schools, labored earnestly for the
extinction of the law of imprisonment for debt, and advocated the
doctrine of making all offices elective. In 1828 he introduced a
bill to allow juries before
justices of the peace, and one the next year that judges should
not charge juries on matters of fact. In 1812 he obtained the
passage of a bill allowing the head of a family to hold twelve
sheep exempt from execution for debt. In 1828 he endeavored to
obtain a law taxing all chartered institutions and manufactories
and exempting dwellings. He foresaw the
great future of Ohio, although he alone of the public men opposed
the canal system, for he deemed it impracticable, and prophesied
that in twenty years Ohio would be covered with a network of
railroads and canals superseded.
At incident will illustrate the wonderful progress since that
time.
When the Legislature adjourned in March, 1827, the mud roads were
about impassable and streams overflowing their banks. But Mr.
Morris
determined to overcome all obstacles, and with Col. Robert T.
Lytle embarked in a canoe or "dug-Out" with their
baggage, and after a passage of some hundred
miles down the Scioto from Columbus in this frail craft reached
Portsmouth,
where they took a steamboat, reaching home after a perilous
journey of four days. This transit now by rail takes less than
four hours.
Thomas Morris was elected Senator in 1813, 1821, 1825, 1827, and
1831, and while occupying this position for the fifth time was
elected United States Senator for the term of six years from
March 4, 1833, having
as colleagues from Ohio Thomas Ewing (four years) and William
Allen (two
years). On the opening of the United States Senatorial session in
December, 1833, Mr. Morris became actively identified with the
anti-slavery
movements against the aggressions of the slave power.
To him were addressed the memorials and petitions from all parts
of the land, and in spite of the frowns and entreaties of his own
party, he would introduce them all, although on all other
subjects he was in full accord with it. In Thomas Morris the
apostles of human freedom found their first champion. The
Congress of 1837-38 saw a deep and agitated
discussion of this question, and Mr. Morris replied to the
arguments of John C.
Calhoun, in an able and elaborate speech, which attracted the
attention
of the whole country by its bold and truthful utterances.
February 7, 1839, Henry Clay made a great speech, to counteract
and
arrest the public agitation of slavery; and two days after Thomas
Morris replied to it, in the mightiest and crowning effort of his
life,
concluding with these prophetic words (golden in the light of
subsequent events): "Though our national sins are many and
grievous, yet repentance, like that of ancient Nineveh, may yet
divert from us that impending danger which
seems to hang over our heads as by a single hair. That all may be
safe, I concluded that the negro will yet be free."
This noble speech startled the Senate, produced a marked
sensation
throughout the country, and electrified the warm hearts of
humanity the world over. John G. Whittier, the poet, then a young
editor said:
"Thomas Morris stands confessed the lion of the day."
Thomas Morris was fair in advance of his time, and in less than a
month after the delivery of his great startling speech he left
the Senate and public life, a political exile, his party having
refused to re-elect him to the Senate. Mr. Morris soon became
identified with the "Liberty
Party," and in 1844 was its candidate for Vice-President. He
died suddenly, December 7, 1844, aged sixty-nine years, with his
intellectual powers unimpaired by age, his physical system in
vigorous activity, and his
heart still warm in the cause of freedom.
WILLIAMSBURG has 1 Presbyterian and 1 Methodist
church. Chairnfactory of S.D. Mount, 23 hands; C.H. Boulware
& Bro., chair factory,
20; Snell & Williams, planing-mill, 12. Pork-packing, tobacco
preparing, and
tanning are carried on here. Population in 1840, 385; in 1880,
795.
Williamsburg, as previously mentioned, was laid out in 1795-96 by
Gen. William Lytle and his brother, and was originally called
Lytlestown.
His life was one of much incident. He was the grandfather of Gen.
Robert T. Lytle, the poet-soldier, killed at the battle of
Chickamauga. The following facts respecting him are from Cists
Advertiser:
GEN. WILLIAM LYTLE was born in Cumberland, Pa., and in 1779 his
family emigrated to Kentucky. Previous to the settlement of Ohio
young Lytle was in several desperate engagements with the
Indians, where his cool, heroic bravery won general admiration.
Before the treaty of Greenville, while making surveys in the
Virginia military district in Ohio, he was exposed to incessant
dangers, suffered great privations, and was
frequently attacked by the Indians. This business he followed for
the greater portion of his life. In the war of 1812 he was
appointed
major-general of Ohio militia, and in 1829 surveyor-general of
the public
lands of Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. In 1810 Gen. Lytle removed
from Williamsburg to Cincinnati, where he died in 1831. As a
citizen he was distinguished for public spirit and benevolence,
and in his personal
appearance and character strikingly resembled President Jackson.
Beside the
facts given under the head of Logan county, we have space for but
a single
anecdote, exhibiting his Spartan-like conduct at Grant's defeat
in Indiana.
In that desperate action the Kentuckians, overpowered by nearly
four times
their number, performed feats of bravery scarcely equalled even
in early
border warfare.
In this struggle Lytle, then hardly seventeen years of age, had
both his arms shattered, his face powder-burnt, his hair singed
to the roots, and nineteen bullets passed through his body and
clothing. In
this condition, a retreat being ordered, he succeeded in bringing
off the field
several of his friends, generously aiding the wounded and the
exhausted
by placing them on horses, while he himself ran forward in
advance of the last
remnant of the retreating party to stop the only boat on the Ohio
at that
time which could take them over, and save them from the
overwhelming force
of their savage adversaries.
On reaching the river he found the boat in the act of putting off
for the Kentucky shore. The men were reluctant to obey his demand
for a delay until those still in the rear should come up, one of
them declaring that "it was better that a few should perish
than that all should be
sacrificed." He threw the rifle, which he still carried on
his shoulder, over the root of a fallen tree, and swore he would
shoot the first man
who pulled an oar until his friends were aboard. In this way the
boat was detained until they came up and were safely lodged from
the pursuing foe.
Disdaining personally to take advantage of this result, the boat
being crowded almost to dipping, he ran up the river to where
some horses stood panting under the willows after their escape
from the battle-field, and
mounting one of the strongest, forced him into the river, holding
on to the mane by his teeth, until he was taken in the middle of
the stream into the boat, bleeding and almost fainting from his
wounds, by the order of his
gallant captain, the lamented Stucker, who had observed his
conduct with admiration throughout, and was resolved that such a
spirit should not perish; for by this time the balls of the enemy
were rattling like hail about their ears.
THE LOST CHILD.
Two sisters living in Williamsburg - Lydia Osborn, aged eleven
years, and Matilda Osborn, aged seven years - started on the
afternoon of July 13, 1804, to drive home the cows, following the
paths which led to
the "big field," about a mile from the village, where
the cattle were wont to range. They were guided in their
movements by tinkling of the cow-bells, and perhaps were led off
from the main path by this means and lost their
way. The elder girl, Lydia, supposed the cows were going away
from home, and left her little sister, Matilda, to make a detour
and head them off, but without success. So she returned to where
she had left her sister, but
could not find her; after wandering about for a long time and
crying out her name she started for home, as she supposed, but
took the wrong
direction, wandered on, and was lost in the wilderness. The
younger sister followed the sound of the cow-bells and arrived
safe at home.
The following is from the touching account of Rev. J.B. Finley,
who was with the party in search for her:
Night came on, casing its darkened shadows over the forest, but
she came not to greet the anxious eyes of her parents; their
child was in
the woods exposed to the savages and wild beasts. The
neighborhood was aroused
with the alarm of "lost child!" Every heart was
touched, and soon in every
direction torches were seen flashing their lights into the
darkness of the forest. Bells were rung, horns were blown, and
guns were fired, if perchance the sound might reach the ear of
the lost one. The news reached the settlement where we resided,
and as many as could leave home turned out to seek for the lost
child. Some signs of her tracks were discovered
crossing branches and miry places; all indicating, however, that
she was
going farther into the wilderness.
On the third day Cornelius Washburn, the famous backwoodsman and
hunter, arrived with about five hundred others and accompanied by
his noted hunting dog. We were now deep in the wilderness and
made preparations for campin out that night. At day-break we were
again ready for our search, but as the collection of people was
so numerous we formed into companies
taking different directions and meeting at night at a place
designated. Money was
collected and sent to the settlements to buy provisions. Our
numbers increased so that on the seventh day there were more than
a thousand persons, many from Kentucky.
Washburn discovered the place where she had slept for several
nights. He also saw where she had plucked and eaten foxgrapes and
whortle-berries.
The place she had selected was where one tree had fallen across
another, which was lying down and afforded a good protection. To
this place the whole crowd hurried. Nothing could restrain them
so eager were they
to find the lost child.
In all these journeyings, the father was present, so absorbed in
grief that he could neither eat nor sleep. Sorrow drank up his
spirits, and he refused to be comforted. When hope was kindled he
seemed like one
frantic, and flew in every direction, calling most piteously the
name of his child. " Lydia!" "Lydia!"
The eighth morning the company started out abreast, about three
rods apart, with a man in the middle and one at each end of the
line,
whose duty it was to blow horns at intervals to keep the line in
order. The line extended for several miles.
On the morning of the fifteenth day we found on the north fork of
the Whiteoak her footprints in the sand where she had crossed
that stream.
These footprints greatly revived our hopes, as they appeared
fresh.
Sending back a man to notify the main body we proceeded up the
creek until we came
to a large blackberry patch. Near this patch we found a neat
little house built of sticks over which were placed, in regular
layers, pieces of
moss.
In the centre was a little door, and in the interior was a bed
made of leaves, covered with moss and decorated with wild
flowers. All could see
at once that it was the work of a child, and as we gazed upon it
the tears stole freely down our cheeks.
Here away in the wilderness, far from human habitation, had this
child constructed this miniature house,and thus recalled the
scenes of home, sister, mother and father.
The child must have been here several days, for from her little
house to the blackberry patch she had beaten quite a path.
Discovering
no fresh signs of her presence we determined to return to the
main creek and wait the coming of the company, and prevent, if
possible, the eager crowd from rushing, on and destroying the
signs. More than a thousand men camped
along the creek that night.
Fearing the consequences of disclosing our discovery that night
we kept it secret until morning, when, forming the company into
military order, we marched them out into the opening flanking out
right and left.
They surrounded the entire space, forming a hollow square. At the
sight of
the little bower, a scene occurred which it would be impossible
to describe. Here were brave stalwart men, who had been subjected
to the perils of the wilderness, contending for every inch with
savages and wild
beasts, whose hearts were never known to quail with fear, who at
the sight
of that little bower were melted to tears. But when the father
came up to
the little dwelling his own dear child had built, and exclaimed,
Oh! Lydia, Lydia, my dear child, are you yet alive?" a
thousand hearts broke forth in uncontrollable grief.
The result of investigation showed that the tracks were several
days old. Horse tracks were also found, and the conclusion was
that she had been carried away by the Indians.
Two miles from "Lydia's camp," for so it is called to
this day, they found her bonnet, and farther on an Indian camp
several days old.
Further pursuit being considered useless the company disbanded
and returned to their homes.
The father never gave up the search, but penetrated the wildest
solitudes and sought her among the Indians till the day of his
death.
The lost was never found.
The spot of Lydia's bower is pointed out to this day in Perry
township, Brown county; a citizen of that township, Mr. L.W.
Claypool,
in speaking of this occurrence, has given some additional items:
Cornelius Washburn engaged in it with the keen perceptive
intelligence which only a noted hunter possesses, and that it was
wonderful
to see him calm and thoughtful walking slowly along noting a leaf
upturned.
pea vine, brush or anything disturbed, while others could see
nothing
except at a time when he would point out to them tracks of the
child on
the sand bars, beds of leaves or the like. Some of the searchers
made so much
noise, hollowing, blowing horn, etc., that Washburn begged of
them to
desist, and he would find the child, insisting that after she had
been lost
so long that she would hide from man as quick as she would from a
wild animal. They would not heed him but dashed ahead. Mr.
Claypool
continued: I was once lost when eight or nine years of age with
Jake Ashton, a year
younger, and can fully realize Washburn's assertion of fright. We
went out
early in the morning to hunt the cows; soon the path gave out and
we were
lost in the flat beech swamps between Glady and Glassy Runs. We
wandered
about until night, coming out at a new road recently underbrushed
just at
the time that an infair party of about a dozen couple on
horseback were
passing. Although knowing most of them we hid until they passed.
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