Page Four

From the "Memoirs of James K Wells, Son of William M. & Hilly Ann Wells"

Submitted by Jana Trace





He encouraged his old neighbors many of them that moved and settled in Owen County. He seemed to know the kind of people it would require to make this a moral, peaceful and properous community, and being aa good reasoner, he soon had a host of families preparing to go to Owen County, Indiana, and from about the year 1845 to 1860 they kept coming in. The majority of them from Coshocton County, Ohio. They purchased land in Owen County. The last coming in this township were Joseph Benjamin, John Benjamin, and Hathaway Benjamin. John Wilson, Henry Schepper and two brothers, William Schepper and Christopher Schepper, Laborious Brown, William Macguhart, Henry Strahley, David Collenbaugh. The last seven persons were men of families and came from Germany. Amos Dillon and his son Joel were the last persons to come from Ohio and settle in Jefferson Township and they were here as early as A.D. 1860.

For about twelve years prior to the year to the war in the United States between the North and the Southern States, the people of Jefferson Township had lived in peace and enjoyed friendship and sociability. They had passed those dozen years in great activity in clearing up and making productive farms. The men had united their efforts together in helping each other at log rollings, houses and barn raisings. The women would have quiltings, and in that way meet as neighbors, be together and have the enjoyment of the day. When the people here were all on good terms, and bending, all their energies in improving the the country, and the uplifting of humanity. It rarely ever happened that less than thirty or forty men would meet together for the purpose of rolling logs for some one of the neighbors.It was on one occasion of this kind, that I saw a greatest amount of logs piled into heps, in one day, that I had witnessed, the log rolling was a Jacob Smith's an old deadening of about twelve acres had been made ready to role. The logs lay so thick that a man in many places could walk on them for quite a distance, without tramping on the ground. The men had gathered in early, some doubts expressed about getting the logs all piled that day, and as the custom was in those days, were to chose captains, and they were to divide the hands and the ground.

There was about forty men with handspikes to do the work. They chose Solomon Fiscus and William M. Wells as their captains. The two captains chose their men, then viewed the ground, and then the work begun. There was no cessation in using handspikes, except for dinner, until the last log was piled. Then the cheering by the men would begin. The captain that would last done in rolling his share of the logs would receive great applause by his men, and very often carried by them on their shoulders off the clearing. This race was a grand one and both sides claimed victory. The last log piled on either side was so near the same time that the Judges decided it an even race and the captains were raised above the heads of their men amidst great cheering and joy. Such was the custom in those fargone days. When in the spring of the year when not less than from two to three weeks were spent in log rollings.

In deed, it is not from the slightest desire of self glorification that I have written, concerning myself of my ancestors. For I have rather regarded them and myself as a type of the large body of men who were industrious and persevering in this country. They were the sons of unremitting industry and toil. It is important that the rising generation should understand this class of men and women, the embarrassing proposition and the peculiar priviations they have been compelled to undergo. For twenty years had the first settlers of this community toiled on under the most embarrassing circumstances until the Ohioans came in and even longer for those glorious principles of friendship and the thoughts which they made it bear in a united effort, through their greatness and goodness.

Their success had been wrought out by persevering industry. Successful men owe more to their perseverance then favorable circumstances around them. The great mental power of man is that made by the hand of cultivation, for this very reason the first settlers of this community left their native states and came here. It is said of our immortal Washington that he was an an agriculturist and used the sickle as well as the sword.

Thus, I have briefly passed through a period of time when our fathers were engaged in laying the foundation of peaceful and happy homes, enjoying each others society and cultivation, honesty, morality, and civilized citizenship. To them we owe a debt of gratitude for their persevering industry. A half a century has come and gone since those days of activity and enterprise, and those stalwart heroes have passed over the dark river of death.

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Debbie Jennings