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Yankeetown.  About 90 years ago three families William Steward, Sr., Jason Garrison and Jonas Pollard, with their wives and children left the State of Vermont for the then new State of Ohio.  Starting late in the fall, winter overtook them in the Genessee Valley, New York, where they tarried until Spring.  After the snow and ice of winter had been displaced by the genial rays of approaching spring, their teams of two horses and wagon to each family being well rested they renewed their journey westward.  Passing through northwestern Pennsylvania and northwestern Ohio they located in Knox County where they tarried one year.  Having but little money and hearing of cheap lands in Richland County, the three men walked from Knox to Richland and selected their future homes in northeast Madison Township.  After making some preparations for the safety and comfort of their families, such as cutting trees and building shanties, they returned to Knox County and for the third time loaded their good wives and small children in three Yankee wagons and set out for Richland.  Woods covered all the way except a small opening at Bellville and a cleaning at Mansfield from Sugar to Bloom, containing about 20 or 24 dwellings, one hotel and two stores.  Entering the woods just north of the city mills they found a small opening on the Platt farm and heavy timber from there to their hastily constructed homes.  What a contrast between their old homes in Vermont and the new ones in Ohio.  No company by day but the timid deer and the strutting wild turkey and their music by night was the howl of the wolf and the shrill notes of the whippoorwill.  But two or three years rolled away and the Smiths and the Does came.  Then John Hilton, the teacher and violinist, and others, all locating near those early pioneers forming a congenial neighborhood, for they were sociable and friendly people.  Then came the Nimans, John, Samuel, Henry and William, From Pennsylvania, taking land west of the Vermonters and then the Gateses from New Jersey, locating east of them all well doing, substantial citizens.  But the New Englanders gave to the neighborhood the name of Yankeetown by their superior thrift, tact and intelligence.  And when they organized a school district it took and still retains the name.  Of all those early pioneers but one is living.  He is Calvin Steward and he still clings to the old neighborhood.  He was a boy three years old when the family left the hills of Vermont and remembers distinctly the stop in the Genesee valley of New York and many incidents that occurred on that long tiresome journey.  His first term in school was in a long cabin on the Tyler hill on the farm now owned by R. Cole O’Brien, an Irishman, was the teacher.  He was a strict disciplinarian, governed mostly with the rod for he used to go around once or twice a day striking the flat rail benches to scare the scholars into submission.  Among Calvin’s schoolmates were Joseph Cairns, whose father owned a hewed log house on the Miller corner of Main and Third streets; John and James Weldon, sons of Roland Weldon, whose father had a little blacksmith shop on the southeast corner of Main and Fourth, and John and Griffith Johns, whose home was on the Perrysville road, three miles southeast of the city.  He made rapid progress in the few branches taught at that time and began teaching before he reached his majority.  He taught in his own and adjoining districts till past middle life.  He is a man of more than ordinary intelligence, a great Bible student and well posted in ancient and modern history; a rady talker and a good debater.  He was always glad to ____ ___ antagonist in public discussion when he could have choice of sides but never rejoiced over a fallen foe.  He is a Christian man, but doesn’t believe much in literal hell, fire and endless punishment.  Mr. Steward is one of that class that ____ growing less that would fill scripture measure, “Swear to his own hurt and change not.”  In early manhood he married a daughter of John Garrison, and William Garrison, a son of Jason, married Cintha Pollard, thus connecting the three pioneer families in bonds of matrimony.  To Mr. & Mrs. Calvin Steward were born four sons and five daughters, all living, but widely scattered.  Chauncey, the older son, a farmer and preacher, lives in Michigan.  Calvin Jr. And Philo are farmers and live in south Tennessee.  Elizabeth, a farmers wife in Kansas.  Mercy, the wife of Peter Barkdall, in Williams County.  Mary, the wife of Martin Gates, in Mansfield.  Clarissa, wife of John Hursh, carpenter and teacher, lives in Yankeetown.  Sophrona Andrews, widow of Edward Andrews, lives in Lima.  William, the _____, lives on the home farm, ____ his excellent wife take care of father Steward.  Mrs. Steward Sr. Died ten years ago.  Blood tells in human kind as well as in animal.  Very little bad blood is found among the early inhabitants of Yankeetown school district.  For it has been the banner district of Madison Township for 70 years.  Very few districts in Richland County can claim as many successful farmers, business men and professional men except lawyers, as Yankeetown.  Never has there been a man arrested for a crime or a law suit among her people.  Loyal in time of ware and law abiding in peace.  For the preservation of the Union she gave two of her noble young men, both first class teachers, a college education, based on good native talent.  Of her business men James and John Niman of Mansfield, are fair specimens of her professional men, Dr. James Frances of Mansfield, and Solomon Steward of Sedalia, Mo.  Of her farmers William and Elzy Charles, the Bush brothers, William Steward, Henry Hursh and the Worts brothers, G. Niman and the Garrison boys.  No assignments have been made by a native of Yankeetown.  All honor to the brave old pioneers of Yankeetown.  – S.N. 

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Friday, November 20, 2009