The village of Mount Pleasant was laid out in 1804, by Robt. Carothers and Jesse Thomas, the eastern part being on the land of Carothers and the western part on the lands of Thomas.  For the first few years its growth was slow, only a few log cabins being built, but during the war of 1812, it began to advance rapidly for those days; business and manufacturing establishments sprung up on every side.  A bank was incorporated with a capital of $50,000, that managed its business honorably and successfully and promoted the general prosperity of the place.
     There have been three additions made to the village since it was laid out in 1804.  First, by Caleb Dilworth; second, by
Enoch Harris; third, by Israel French.

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FIRST BUSINESS HOUSES IN MOUNT PLEASANT.

STORES

     The first store in the town was probably started by Enoch Harris in 1804.  It was in a small log building at the west end of Main street, near where Alexander D. Humphreyville’s cabinet shop is situated.  The house has long since been removed and the property is now owned by Joseph Walker. 
  The second store was started by Joseph Gill in 1806.  It was located between Chambers’ tin shop and the drug store.  Mr. Gill was an enterprising, energetic business man, who besides carrying on the mercantile trade, ran a tannery, packed pork, farmed extensively and dealt largely in wild lands.  His enterprise
aided greatly in developing the resources and business of the community.  This old property now belongs to Frank Mitchell.
     The third store was started by John Hogg in 1812.  Mr. Hogg was a man possessed of great business abilities, and besides conducting a large mercantile establishment, he packed pork on a large scale, carried on a tannery and harness shop, &c.  The property now belongs to his daughter, Mrs. Fogle.

HOTELS.

     Tho first tavern was opened by Benjamin Scott in 1806.  It stood opposite the Burriss House.  The building has been long since removed and no other taken its place. The property now belongs to Charles McGonigal.
     About the same time a Mr. Buchanan started another tavern in the building now occupied by David N. Milner as a harness shop.  The bar-room is of hewed logs and is the part now used by Mr. Milner for his shop. In this room soldiers were enlisted and their bounties paid them in the War of 1812.  The cupboard in which the bottles of liquors were kept is there yet, with the shelves and wooden doors, just as they were in 1812.  It afterwards became the practice of hotel keepers to have glass doors to their liquor cupboards, perhaps that the bottles with their tempting contents might be in sight to sharpen the desire to taste.  It was, however, not so with this.

PHYSICIANS.

     The first physician was Dr. William Hamilton and the second one Dr. Isaac Parker.

BANKS.

     The first banking institution was established in 1816, and called the Mount Pleasant Bank. Joseph Gill was president band Lewis Walker cashier Enoch Harris sometime afterwards succeeded Mr. Walker as Cashier.  This institution carried on a successful banking business until 1846, when it decided to wind up its business, and measures taken to that end; and by 1850 its affairs were all honorably settled. Its capital stock was $100,000, and Mr. Gill continued as its president from its commencement to its close.

MOUNT PLEASANT BRANCH OF THE STATE BANK OF OHIO.

     This institution was organized in 1818, with a capital of $100,000.  John Watkins was the first president, James H. Gill, member of the board of control, and Jonathan Binns, cashier.  Mr. Watkins died in 1855, and was succeeded by John Hogg as president, who served as such until 1856, when by reason of ill health, he was succeeded by James H. Gill.  Mr. Gill served until 1859, and was succeeded by Joseph Cope.  Mr. Binns served the bank as cashier during the whole period of its existence. 
     After the passage by Congress of the National Banking Law, this bank ceased its general banking operations, and in 1865, adopted measures to close up its affairs, which is to be finally completed January 1, 1880.

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FIRST NATIONAL BANK.

     This bank was organized in 1866, with a capital of $175,000.  The establishing of this institution immediately after the decision to close up the affairs of the Branch Bank, leaves no doubt that this was only a reorganization of that establishment on a basis to meet the requirements of the National banking law just passed by Congress.  William Price was chosen president, and Jonathan Binns, cashier.  In 1872, Dr. J. T. Updegraff succeeded Mr. Price as president, and Isaac K. Badcliff succeeded Mr. Binns as cashier, which position lie still holds.  In 1877, Dr. Updegraff resigned his position as president, and was succeeded by James H. Gill, who still retains the place.
     All these banking institutions were under Quaker management, and honorably and successfully conducted the whole period of existence, a well merited tribute to the integrity and skill of that people in financial affairs,

BUSINESS HOUSES.

     Mount Pleasant in 1879 contains 4 drygoods stores, 5 grocery stores, 1 drug store, 3 dress maker shops, 3 milliner stores, 1 hotel, 1 harness shop, 4 shoe maker shops, 3 blacksmith shops, 1 flouring mill, 5 churches, 1 cabinet and undertaker’s shop.

THE SILK FACTORY OF MT. PLEASANT.

     In 1811, about the time when the morus mullicaulis fever prevailed, the highest in this vicinity, a Mr. Thomas White, an itinerant dentist, contemplating silk culture, received permission from John W. Gill, Esq., an extensive land owner, residing in the village of Mt. Pleasant, to set out a mulberry orchard, containing twenty-five acres.  As soon as the trees were large enough attention was turned to the propagation of silk worms.
     In 1842 Mr. Gill erected a frame building for a cocoonery.  This building was 18x40, and two stories high.  A small brick, 20x30, which had been built some time prior, was also brought into requisition for the same purpose.  In these houses the silk worm was hatched, nursed and allowed to spin its cocoons.

INTERIOR STRUCTURE.

     In the interior of these cocooneries were found shelves about two feet apart along the walls, and reaching from the floor to the ceiling.  The shelves were made by stretching reticulated cotton goods over wooden frames, which resembled a mosquito bar.  The arrangement was such that these shelves could be slid back or forth, or removed from their places at pleasure.  After the silk worm had grown to be about one-halt inch in length they were laid on these stretchers and fed on the leaves of the mulberry, which were thrown or spread out over them for their consumption.  The eggs were purchased in France.  The silkworm is a fast breeder, generating twice a year.  It was customary to allow those that first appeared in the season to lay their eggs.  With regular temperature of heat, the eggs, if undisturbed, will bring forth their kind.  As soon as the proper time arrived they would be placed on these shelves as above described.  When fully matured they instinctively climb for the purpose of spinning cocoons, in which, if left alone, they undergo the pupa or chysalis change.  At this particular season they were carefully watched, and as soon as a disposition of spinning was evinced, oak branches were thrown in upon the shelves.  Upon these limbs they spun their cocoons.  With five days spinning by them they would completely encase themselves.

HOW REELED.

     As soon as they had finished their cocoons they were picked from the branches and deposited within a kettle containing boiling water.  This process is followed for the purpose of killing or destroying the larvae.  After this there is picked from these what is called the floss, which was done by hand, and then they were ready for reeling.  There were two copper kettles, one placed within the other.  The outside kettle being filled with steam, and the other containing hot soft water, occasioned by the steam surrounding its outer surface.  These cocoons were then again inserted into the kettle and stirred about with a small broom, and in this manner they were enabled to secure the threads and draw them from the vessel to the reel.  Great skill and care was necessarily exercised to make the threads even.  When it had been reeled and dried it was then ready for winding on spools, after that was accomplished it underwent the double and twisted process, from three to five strands together.  In this condition, or at this stage of the work, it was ready for weaving into silk handkerchiefs, and was what is styled the raw silk.  Silk noils were made from the floss into the article known as the knickerbocker woolens.

THE STYLES OF SILKS AT THE FACTORY.

     Silk velvet, hat flush, dress silks of various colors, ribbons and figured silks were woven here.  The first figured silk made in the United States was manufactured in this establishment.

"DRAW-BOY LOOM"

     These silks were woven by the old process, known as the “Draw-Boy Loom,” the Jacquard loom not having been introdued as yet into this country.  The first pattern made was the buckeye- burr, the color being a light buff'. The figures in the piece were woven about an inch apart and a quarter of an inch in diameter.  Henry Clay, who was the Whig candidate for President in 1844, received a vest pattern off this very piece, from John W. Gill.  It is also said that the voters of this factory, during that election, all voted the Whig ticket printed on white silk manufactured in the establishment.

DESCRIPTION OF LOOM AND WEAVING.

     The loom was three yards long and one yard wide, and was operated in the following manner:—By cords passing overhead from the heddle to a frame at the side of the loom, where the shed was made by a boy drawing the cords in regular succession.  There were seventy-eight cords, which kept the draw-boy busy whilst the weaver threw the shuttle.  They usually wove three yards, then stopped to clean off the warp or chain; the weavers styled this “picking the parry.”  It was a season highly enjoyed by the draw- boys, who were relieved from their work for about an hour, and were permitted to recreate, amusing themselves by turning somersaults, wrestling, etc., while the weavers wore engaged in cleaning the chain.  In this way the figured silk was manufactured.

VELVET SILK.

     The loom upon which the velvet was woven resembled the one above described, differing only in gearing.  The warp used for silk was cotton, and immediately above the cotton chain was a silk warp.  A brass wire was introduced between the silk and the cotton warp, after which four picks were thrown in to bind the cotton and silk chains.  This process was repeated until three small wires had been thus introduced, then a thumb gauge knife was placed against the last wire inserted, so that the knife would rest on the centre of the first wire, after which it was drawn across the same, cutting the chain, and the wire pulled out.  So in this way the process was continued until the warp was all consumed.  The silk ends protruding from the cotton warp forms the fine plush found on the velvet.

HAT PLUSH

     Is woven in the same manner as the velvet, with the exception of the use of heavier wires.

RIBBONS.

     The ribbon looms then in use at this factory were nearly the same as the present style.  The operation of them at that time was made entirely by hand; since, steam has been applied.  The loom was built nearly square.  Eight distinct warps in the same loom; the shuttles, which also numbered eight, were all thrown at the same operation with but one weaver.  The shuttle more resembled the shape of a sunfish than anything else.

CONCLUSION.

     The building used for the factory had been erected in the first place for a “'salt house” for salting pork and stowing the same away.  It was built by John W. Gill, who used it for that purpose several years prior to the morus multicaulis fever taken by himself and Thomas White.  In the year heretofore mentioned it was converted into a silk factory.  All the machinery for manufacturing the silk was made in the establishment.  Three weavers were constantly employed and sometimes four.  About twenty laborers, male and female, found employment here.  John Fox, Jr., was foreman.  In the fall of 1846 the factory was removed to Wheeling, and the silk culture excitement died out at Mount Pleasant.  In a conversation with Mr. A. C. Hogue, the author obtained the above information.

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NEWSPAPERS AND PERIODICALS.

THE POSTOFFICE - POSTMASTERS.

LEADING BUSINESS HOUSES IN MOUNT PLEASANT.

     THOMAS HORTON.- This establishment keeps a general assortment of family groceries, dry goods, &c.
     H. HEBERLING. - This house keeps a general assortment of dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes.
     DR. C. SCHOOLEY, practices medicine in all its branches.
     DR. JAMES F. FINLEY, is a general practicing physician.
     A. M. WITHROW, dentist, is prepared to do all the duties of his profession.
     ALEXANDER D. HUMPHREYVILLE, cabinet maker and undertaker, attends to all business in his line.
     WILLIAM GLASS carries on the blacksmithing business in all its branches.
     R. W. CHAMBERS keeps a general assortment of drugs and medicines.
     F. M. HEATON, boot and shoemaker, attends to all branches of business in this line.
     T. J. EVANS, of Trenton, carries on the coach-making business in all its branches.
     H. ELBERT carries on the boot and shoe-making business in all its branches.

MOUNT PLEASANT UNION SCHOOL.

FRIENDS BOARDING SCHOOL, MT. PLEASANT.

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HISTORY OF THE TEMPERANCE CAUSE IN MOUNT PLEASANT.

UNION SABBATH SCHOOL.

THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.

     Tho people of Mount Pleasant being mostly Friends or Quakers, were from principle opposed to slavery, in fact many of them had left their pleasant homes in the bright sunny South and sell led in this wilderness land with its bleak climate on account of their abhorrence of the institution with its wrongs and cruelties inflicted upon the poor helpless slaves.
     As early as 1817, a slave would occasionally get across that boundary line between slavery and freedom, the Ohio river, and strike out for Mount Pleasant, where that class was always

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kindly received by these good people and helped off on their way to a land beyond the reach of their masters.  These fugitives continued to increase year by year in numbers and the means of sending them beyond the reach of their owners became more and more systematized, until a regular chain of posts between here and Canada was established, so that when a slave once reached one of these posts he was safe from pursuit.  This was termed the underground railroad and Mount Pleasant became famed as the leading station in the United States on this road.  The travel over this route increased, till it became almost a regular business with many citizens.  Hundreds of slaves every year escaped over these lines, amounting to many thousands during its existence, and the travel only ceased with the close of the war.

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INCIDENTS.

FIRST ABOLITION STATE CONVENTION.

FREE LABOR STORE.

ANNA DICKINSON.

     The mother of this widely famed lady once lived in Mount Pleasant.  Her maiden name was Mary Edmondson  She taught school in 1826 or 1827, in Short creek church.

THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS OF MT. PLEASANT.

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THOMAS SHILLITOE'S DIARY RELATING TO FRIENDS' OHIO YEARLY MEETING.

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PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

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THE PRESBYTERIAN SUNDAY SCHOOL.

M. P. CHURCH.

AFRICAN M. E. CHURCH

COLORED SABBATH SCHOOL.

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intermissions, from that time to the present day.  The whites have occasionally helped the colored people in their laudable efforts for improvements.

M. E. CHURCH (COLORED)

EMIMENT MEN.

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FITZ-GREENE HALLECK AND ABBIE FLANNER.

A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE CORRESPONDENCE HELD OVER FORTY YEARS AGO, BETWEEN THE AMERICAN POET, FITZ-GREENE HALLECK, AND MISS ABBIE FLANNER, OF MOUNT PLEASANT, OHIO.

NEW YEAR'S NIGHT.

TO ELLEN

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TRENTON.

     This village, which is situated about one mile west of Mount Pleasant, was laid off about the year 1815, by Ellwood Radcliff.  Probably because of its proximity to Mount Pleasant, it had made but little progress.  It contains about one hundred and

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fifty inhabitants—one-half of whom are colored.  The colored people have a school and church (Baptist) which was dedicated Oct. 13, 1872.
     The village contains one dry goods store, one grocery store, one blacksmith shop, one wagon maker’s shop, one carriage shop, one shoemaker’s shop, one church, and one school house — colored.

THE REGULAR BAPTIST CHURCH, (TRENTON COLORED)

     This church was organized and constituted Jan. 10, 1844, at a meeting held in the east room of the brick house owned by Esther Sparksman.  William Callihan was moderator, and Milton W. Kasley, clerk.  The names of those who united with the organization, were George Sparksman, Esther Sparksman, John Williams, Harriet Emeline Williams, Frank King, Susan Thompson, John V. Brown, Sarah Brown, John Cusans, Elizabeth Sparksman, John Thompson, Charlotte Dating and Martha Sawyer.  George Sparksman was then appointed deacon, and ordained, and John Cusans elected church clerk.  The exercises were closed by Elder Callihan preaching a discourse adapted to the occasion.  This church belongs to the Zoar Association.
     Nov. 2, 1850, Elder Jones was called to the pastorate at a salary of $4 per month.
     May 30, 1854, a committee was appointed to buy a lot on which to build a church.  A half lot was bought from Henry Bundy for $30, and the amount of first payment raised among the members.
     Oct. 26, 1860, the church met and agreed to employ Madison H. Gaskins, as pastor, at a salary of $105, for half his time.  The meetings were held in the Seceder church, about eighteen months, when the congregation removed to a room in Mrs. Sparksman’s house, where they worshiped until their new church building was completed in 1872, a neat frame, 24x30, costing $1,000.  The new house was duly dedicated Oct. 13, 1872.  Elder G. C. Sedgwick preached the dedication sermon.
     They have ordained two ministers, Jared Chavers in 1866, and Madison Boggs in 1873.
     This church, in 1879, numbers one hundred and lour members. Five of the original members in 1844, are still living, Esther Sparksman, Elizabeth Sparksman, Susan Brown, John Williams and Harriet Williams.
     A Sabbath school was organized in 1868.  Number of volumes in the library, 258; number of scholars enrolled, 25.

     SKETCHES OF THE GILL FAMILY - Joseph Gill was one of the pioneers of Mount Pleasant, where he settled and built the sixth house in the village.  He was born on Kent Island, Maryland, and resided there and on the western shore of Chesapeak Bay until he was thirty years old.  His ancestors were English and came out with Lord Baltimore.  His father’s name was Joseph Gill.  He died at his son-in-law’s, Dr. Kumsey, at Hopkinsville, Kentucky.  His mother, Nancy Gill, died at Mount Pleasant, and was interred in the Friend’s cemetery, at Short Creek Church.
     Joseph Gill emigrated from Maryland to Shepherdstown, Virginia, and whilst there witnessed the first successful attempt of the application of steam in propelling boats on the Shenandoah river.
     It is probable the real inventor of the steam engine was Edmund Rumsey, who died from apoplexy in the city of London, just before making a trial trip of his boat there, and while explaining the value of his invention.  Fulton had access to his papers, plans and drawings, went with them to Livingston, in
France, and got him to join them in their trial and success on the Hudson river.  In 1839, by a joint act of Congress a gold medal was presented to his son. James Rumsey, “commemorative of his father’s high agency in giving to the world the benefit of the steamboat.”
     For fuller details see Appelton’s Journal.
     From Shepherdstown, Joseph Gill moved to near Bunker Hill.  He there married Nancy Hanna, daughter, of William Hanna, and settled on Back creek, where he commenced to build a mill, got the dam about completed, when a flood came and washed it away.  He then traded his farm on Back creek for a store in Winchester. Va.  In 1806 he removed from Virginia to Mount Pleasant.  He paid seven dollars per hundred for having his goods transported over the mountains.  At that time he brought seven wagon loads of goods, consisting of household goods, furniture, cooking utensils and merchandize.  His family consisted of himself, wife, father, mother, uncle John Gill, and five colored children, Jim Bowen and his mother; Aunt Lucy, Jack Jones, Frank Buckany and Hannah Washington.  Their grown servants, they liberated before leaving Maryland and Virginia.  Mr. Gill inherited a number of slaves left him by one of his aunts.  He never sold one of them, but set them all free, never exacting a day’s work of them after they became of age, the males twenty-one, the females eighteen.
     Jack Jones, Frank Buckany and Hannah Washington.  Their grown servants, they liberated before leaving Maryland and Virginia.  Mr. Gill inherited a number of slaves left him by one of his aunts.  He never sold one of them, but set them all free, never exacting a day’s work of them after they became
of age, the males twenty-one, the females eighteen.
     Upon his arrival at Mount Pleasant, Mr. Gill bought section 17, and commenced clearing it up.  He also started a store, and carried on the mercantile business, farming and stock raising.  He introduced a flock of Merino sheep, of the famous Wells and Dickinson stock, the first ever brought into the township.   In 1816 he started the old Mount Pleasant Bank, of which he was president during the entire period of its useful and successful existence.  He also built a mill with four run of buhrs, about one mile north of town, on Short creek, and in 1828 he bought of John McCurdy another mill, with the same number of buhrs.  That was about three miles further up the creek.  These mills were run very successfully for twenty-five years, Mr. Gill shipping the flour in large quantities in flatboats to New Orleans.  Generally either one of his sons, John or James, would accompany these flatboats as supercargo.  He also handled and cured large quantities of pork, selling it in the form of bacon, and grazed, slaughtered and sold hundreds of beeves in what is now Ottawa county, Ohio.  The family of Mr. Gill consisted of three sons—William, John an d James, and one daughter, Nancy.  John and James managed the Business of their father, at least ten years before his death, which occurred Dec. 1, 1845.
     John W. Gill, a son of Joseph Gill, started the raising and feeding of silk worms in 1835, and the manufacture of the silk into beautiful fabrics.  He made and presented to Henry Clay, the great commoner, a full suit of silk clothes; he also furnished the great tragedian, Edwin Forest, his stage suit - knitwork.  In 1841, the government, through the instrumentality of Mr. Clay, ordered a very large silk flag, which was finished and delivered to the government on the 4th day of March, 1841.  It was taken to China by Caleb Cushing, our newly appointed minister to that government, and was the first American flag that ever floated from an American embassy in that strange and far off land, or among that extraordinary and peculiar people.  John W. Gill then removed his silk factory to Wheeling, Va., which ends his career in Ohio.
     James H. Gill, the youngest son of Joseph and Nancy Gill, is now the only representative of the family living in Mount Pleasant.  He was born in the village, Jan. 31, 1813.  At present (1879) he is president of the First National bank of Mount Pleasant.  He was also for a long time connected with the branch of the State bank of Ohio, at the same place, served in it as president, member of the board of control and director.  His principal business, however, was farming, milling and operating in western lands in Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota.  He was the first to introduce the horse rake, mowing machine and portable hay derrick, which he invented and obtained letters patent for.  He was married Dec. 1, 1842, to Miss Mary Parker, niece and adopted daughter of Dr. Isaac Parker, one of the early pioneers of Mount Pleasant, and has two daughters living in the west, one, Mrs. Kirk, living in Chicago, the other, Mrs. Updegraff, residing in Denver, Colorado.  Mr. Gill remembers when the Indians traded at his father’s store.  At that time Mount Pleasant was a principal point of trade, and its merchants bought the wheat and pork of the country as far back as Guernsey, Carroll and Tuscarawas counties.  In the war of 1812, as the army passed through Mount Pleasant, they were in need of clothing and tents, and they took a thousand or more yards of cloth of suitable material for their use from Mr. Gill’s store.  He was a Quaker, and said his religious principles were opposed to war, but it they needed his goods they could take them.  He never would take anything from the government, while others were willing to make out their accounts and receive pay for supplies for the army.

THE SHARON FAMILY

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     JONATHAN AND ANN TAYLOR were both natives of Bucks county, Pennsylvania.  They were married in 1789, and removed to Loudon county, Virginia. In the year 1800, they left Winchester and a home of comfort, for Ohio, and finally located at their late residence, one mile west of Mount Pleasant, on the farm now owned by D. B. Updegraff.  Their object does not seem to have been the acquisition of wealth.  Their belief being that they were called of God to go out, not knowing whither they went.  Accordingly a large portion of their time was spent in missionary and ministerial labor in the new state, as they
were both recorded as ministers of the Gospel by the proper authority in the Society of Friends.  As soon as their cabin was reared, it was dedicated to the service of God, and became the meeting place for a small company of worshipers, who. habitually collected there for that purpose.  These meetings were
the nucleus of the Short Creek meeting house.  These pioneer missionaries performed many long and fatiguing journeys, sometimes together, sometimes separately, sometimes in their carriage, sometimes on horseback.  Jonathan Taylor died in Ireland in 1831, while on a religious visit to the churches of that
land.  He is described by one of his contemporaries, who knew him well, as “Mild in his manners, upright in his conduct, and ready to render kind offices whenever it was in his power; he was respected and beloved by all who knew him.”  As a member of civil society, he was extensively useful.  In religious society he was remarkably bumble and unassuming.  Ho was slow or rather cautious in coming to a judgment on subjects of importance, but he was equally remarkable for the correctness of his views.  His wife, Ann Taylor, survived him thirty years, and after her ninetieth year she traveled several hundred miles in a private carriage on religious missions to the church.  She was a woman of distinguished energy and piety, sound judgment, large-hearted benevolonce and sterling integrity.  Personal considerations were not allowed to interfere with a conscientious apprehension of duty, in the discharge of which she traveled thousands of miles on horseback, and as many as fifteen hundred miles in one of these journeys.  She

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was thus widely known and honored to a great extent in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, North Carolina, New England, Canada, Indiana, &c., as altogether a remarkable woman.  She died at her home near Mt. Pleasant in 1863, in peace, full years at the age of 97.

HALL FAMILY

     MRS. ANNA H. G. BROWN -

     ASAHEL H. HUSSEY.

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GEORGE G. JENKINS

THE STANTON FAMILY

     BENJAMIN AND ABAGAIL MACY STANTON

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     PLEASANT H. UNDERWOOD (colored), was born in Goochland county, Va., Jan. 18, 1791.  He was born a slave, but liberated by his mistress.  His mother was freed at the same time.  He traveled as a hired servant for several years and went into many parts of the country.  After arriving at the age of man hood ho started to Philadelphia, where his mother lived, to see her, but on his way learning that she was dead, he turned his course to Mount Pleasant, where he arrived in the spring of 1817.  He turned in and attended school under the instruction of Dr. Parker for some years.  He, in the meantime, became acquainted with Jane Englehart, whom he married in 1820, and commenced farming for a living.  When what is generally known as the underground railroad got into operation, Mr. Underwood took a prominent part in running passengers over it.  He devoted a large portion of his time for several years to the business.  His wife died in 1863.  He raised a family of nine
children— seven sons and two daughter. One of his sons studied for the ministry, in which he is engaged; another is engaged in a printing office in Wasngton City.

     ROBERT B. LAWRENCE

     HENRY HABERLING

     CHARLES BURKE.

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     JOSIAH HALL. -

     WILLIAM B. HUMPHEYVILLE. -

     ROBERT SMITH

     BRADWAY THOMAS

     ELLWOOD RADCLIFF

     A. M. WALKER

     JOHN THOMPSON. - Aaron Thompson, the father of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Eastern Pennsylvania.  He married Sarah Baldwin.  In 1801 or 1802 he left his wife and children at a place called Bed Stone, in Pennsylvania, and came to Ohio to prospect for land.  He halted in the vicinity of Mount Pleasant, and bought 160 acres of land of Benjamin Stanton at $2.25 an acre, going in debt for part of the pay.  He also bought an axe from Stanton and commenced work on his land, but soon became discouraged and abandoned it, returning the axe and receiving his money for it, he set out for where his family was.  Having traveled one day and night coming, he came to a log tavern beyond the Ohio river where he stopped for the night, and slept on the floor with his feet to the fire.  When morning came it was bright and clear, and Aaron concluded to take the backtrack, and came to the land he had purchased, got his axe back and went to work with a will, not allowing himself to be discouraged by any one.  He soon had a cabin erected and went and brought his family to it.  When Mr. Thompson came to this county there was no cleared land and but few settlers.  By hard labor and preserverance be cleared out this beautiful farm, where he died in 1838.  It was on this farm that John Thompson was born, June 28, 1803, and grew up to manhood, and where he now lives.  He was married to Miss Sarah Patton in 1826.  They reared a family of four children, but one of whom is now living.  One son, William, enlisted in the late war and died in Bolivar, Tennessee.  Mrs. Thompson died in 1873, and Mr. Thompson now lives alone, and expects to end his days on the old homestead.

     MRS. SARAH McGLENN. -

     AARON BLACKLEDGE

     ELISHA PACKER. -

     GEORGE L. EVANS was born in Montgomery county, Pa., Aug. 31, 1812.  Came to Ohio June 26, 1830, and settled in the neighborhood of Trenton, Mt. Pleasant township.  He was a son of Jonathan and Elizabeth Evans.  His father was born in Montgomery county, Pa., in 1778, and died Apr. 7, 1844, aged 66 years.  His grandfather was born in 1733, and died in 1818, aged 85 years.  His great-grandfather, Thomas Evans, was born Apr. 11, 1695.  Mr. George I. Evans is the thirty-sixth generation in descent from ancestors as traced back.  He can follow back his mother’s ancestors to the year 1236.  Mr. Evans was married first to Sarah Griffith, who died in 1846.  He married for a second wife, Mary P. Richards, a native of Pennsylvania.  She died Sept. 20, 1876, during her visit to the Centennial Exposition, at Philadelphia.  He had by his first wife five children -  one son and four daughters; by his second wife, one daughter.  Mr. Evans is now in his 67th year, and resides in Trenton, Jefferson county.

     W. HEATON

     GEORGE P. CLARK

     THOMAS HORTON

     JOHN W. SMITH

     MILTON R. PETTIT

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PETIT FAMILY RECORD

     WILLIAM J. WATERMAN was born July 29, 1816, in Chester county, Pa., and emigrated when a small boy, with his parents, to Trenton, Jefferson county, Ohio.  He was a son of Charles and Rebecca Waterman, who were both natives of Pennsylvania.  His father was a cabinet maker, and once bought a property from a Mr. Wood for ten bureaus at $10 each.  This same property is now owned by a man named Heaton, in Trenton.  Mr. Waterman was married in 1847, to Miss Phebe Roberts, of the same village.  They have reared a family of three children, all boys— George E., Israel and Charles.  The oldest son, George E., died in Cincinnati in 1876.  Israel is a silversmith in Reading, Pa.  The youngest remains at home.  Mr. Waterman is in his 65th year, hale and healthy, and works at the carpenter trade, which he has followed most of the time since he has lived here.

     JOHN B. BECK

     JEREMIAH WALKER - The subject of this sketch was born in York, Penn., Nov. 19th, 1829.  He was the son of Joel Walker, and came with his parents to Ohio in 1838.  They first settled in Smithfield township, where they resided two years.  They then moved and settled in Belmont county, on the farm now owned by Joel Walker.  Joel Walker, Sen., died in 1878, his wife died in 1877.  They left a family of eight children, six sons and two daughters.  Mr. Walker, our subject, was married to Ruth Hannah McMillan, daughter of Mahlon McMillan.  Mrs. Walker’s father, Mahlon McMillan, was a native of York county, Penn., but at the age of twenty-one he went to Cecil county, Md., to learn the trade of miller.  While there he married Rachel Richards, a native of that county.  Thomas McMillan, grandfather of Mrs. Walker, was born May 14th, 1762.  Her grandmother, Ruth Moore, was born Jan. 23d, 1763.  Mr. Walker has reared a family of five children, all boys.  The farm he now resides on is known as the Mahlon McMillan homestead.  It is pleasantly located in a fine neighborhood, and is well improved, the improvements being all his own work.  It may justly be called the model farm of the “Ridge.”

     BENJAMIN COMLY

     S. M. GRUBB

     CHARLES ZEYER - Charles Zeyer was born in Germany, Apr. 28, 1836.  He emigrated to this country in 1853.  He worked in a vineyard for a man named John Stevens, near St. Clairsville,  afterwards with Charles Shoemaker, and then with Conrad Troll.  He then married Catharine Hotz, and came to the farm on which he now resides, in Mount Pleasant township.  His parents were natives of Germany, and died there.  His father died in 1850, and his mother in 1848.  He had three sisters and one brother, but none of them ever emigrated.  He has reared a family of ten children, eight sons and two daughters.  Mrs. Zeyer is also a native of Germany, and came to this country soon after her husband.  Mr. Zeyer owns two farms, one in Belmont county of forty-three and a half acres, the other in Jefferson county of sixty-six and a half acres, all well improved, well stocked, and good land.

     SAMUEL J. HAWTHORN.

     JOSEPH RUSSELL.  The subject of this sketch was a son of James and Sarah Russell.  He was born in Frederick county Virginia, near Winchester.  His lather was a native of Maryland, his mother a native of Virginia.  They were married in 1768, and reared a family of six children, and emigrated to Ohio in 1815.  Joseph Russell, was the fourth child.  His brother James resides in Smithfield township, and his only sister, Mary resides with him.  The other members of the family are all dead.  In 1848, Joseph, our subject, married Miss Hannah Ann Hancock, who died in 1849.  They had one child, a daughter, who is now the wife of Thomas Stanley of Mahoning county, Ohio.  His next marriage was to Miss Martha Rally, Oct. 30, 1872, of Belmont county, Ohio.  By this marriage they have one daughter.  Mr. Russell was raised on a farm and educated in the old style, but attended for a while the Mount Pleasant Bearding School.  Mrs. Russell also received her education at the same school.  Mr. Russell pays strict attention to raising fine sheep and his clips of wool always bring the highest price in the market, on account of its good quality and the care with which he handles it.  His farm is a model of neatness, and one of the best in the county.

     WILLIAM THOMPSON, SR. - This old gentleman is also a son of Aaron Thompson and the history of his parents is found in the preceeding sketch of John Thompson.  William Thompson, was born in Pennsylvania, in 1801, and came with his parents to Ohio, when he was a small boy.  He recollects the first cabins and the first settlers of this section.  He remembers Abram Farington, who built a three cornered cabin on the farm now owned by Mr. Brown, and a hewed log house, the first one he ever saw, built by William Foreman, which now stands on the farm of Robert Smith.  Mr. Thompson was first married in 1825 to Rachel Vernon, daughter of Amos and Mary Vernon, of Belmont county, Ohio.  Mrs. Thompson’s parents were natives of Georgia.  They reared a family of eight children, only three of them now living, William, Israel, and Aaron.  Mrs. Thompson died in 1864.  Mr. Thompson next married Mrs. Mary Vernon Craft, Dec. 19, 1868.  His present wife was but one year old at the time of his first marriage, and he himself is two years older than his mother-in-law.  Mrs Thompson’s second husband, Mr. Craft was killed while on picket duty near a house on the northerly side of Bald mountain.  Mr. Thompson is now in his seventy-ninth year, and has seen many trials and hardships.

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