,A·N Ac-c-aUNT OF I~t ftltbratiou of ~Ultricau ~ubtptubtuct. AT CLAY LICK, BY THE LICKIN~ COUNTY PIONEERS. TOGETHER WITH AN ADDRESS, BY DR. COULTER, ON EARLY TIMES IN THE CLAY LICK SETTLEMENTS. ALSO, HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF THE TOWNSHIPS OF LI,CKING,BOWLING GREEN, FRANKLIN AND HOPEWELL, &c. BY ISAAC SMUCKER. ,. ~ .. NEWARK, OHIO: CL4RK 8& KING, BOOK AND JOB PRIN'f.f:RS, A~E~ICAN OFFICE. 1869, NOTE.-Acknowledgements are due to the following persons for information furnished and used, in the preparation of the "PIONEER P .HERS," which are here presented in pamphlet form: Richard Green. Rev. Benjamin Green, Mr. Charles Wallace, Mr. Kel'an, Rev. S. Meredith, Mr. Schofield, Jesse R. Moore, Esq., Rev. J. L. Gilbreath, the Messrs. Siglar, Mrs. Motherspaw, John Bixler, EsQ.., Stephen R. Tuck­ er, Esq., Wm. Parr, Esq., Solomon Myers, Samuel B. HulJ, Joseph Hamil­ ton, Esq., John F. Bane, Esq., J. S. Griffith, Mr. Fluke. Geo. Gutridge, Esq., B. D. Sanford, Esq., James Pitzer, Esq., and others. The Pioneers of Licking and Independence Day. BASKET MEETING AT CLAY LICK. The meeting of the Pioneers of George Wilson, who has resided in Licking on Clay Lick, in Franklin the State of Illinois for the past 27 township, on Monday last, July 5th, years, I received the following ac­ was a glorious occasion. They met count of what he thinks was the in large numbers in the pleasant first celebra.tion of the 4th of July in grove, at Ellis Chapel, near the fine this county. He was of sufficient spring at the foot of the hill, where age at the time to recollect many of platform anu seats had been erected, !he particulars. He says it was in and there had such a "feadt of rea· the year 1807, and in Newark, on son and .tlow of soul" as is seldom the north side of the Public Square, enjoyed in a life time. All W6re before the grounds were fully clear­ cheerful, joyous, hilarlOus, but it ed of th~ forest trees. A dinner for was all within the limits of becom­ the occasion was prepared by the ing mil'th--everybody was happy. joint work of the two tavern.keepers The day was beautiful, balmy, de­ at the time, Abram Johnson and lightful-indeed we could not have Morris A. Newman. The tables had a finer day in which to celebrate were placed in the form. of a cil'cle the anniversary of American Liber­ --an abundant supply of meats and ty. The occasion presented a scene other provisions were placed· on most emphatically social and frater­ them'-among other thiJlgs a hog, a nal. sheep, and a deer (the latter havlD~ . The veteran patriarchal pioneer been killed by Bannaniah Pugh. J of more than 60 years, Rev. C. They were well roasted and placed Springer, of Muskingum county, on the table standing on their feet. performed chaplain services . The hog had an ear of corn in its .Dr. Wilson was President of the mouth, and was trimmed with let­ day. It is noteworthy that his fa­ tuce. The sheep had a bunch of ther, Archibald Wilson, Sr., in 1807 fennel in its mouth, and was trim­ acted in the same capacity at the med with parsley. The deer, he celebration of independence, in thinks, was decorated with leaves, Newark, 62 years ago. Dr. Wilson vines, and flowers from the forest. addressed the meeting as follows: The President of the day was Capt. ·'Pioneers ot Licking County-we Archibald Wilson,Sr.-by his sid~ have ·met to-day to celebrate the an­ stood the chaplain of the occasion, niversary of American Liberty. It the Rev. John Emmett, a Method­ is a fitting occasion for us to look ist preacher, and the reader of the back and inquire when, and where, Declaration of Independence, Dr. this day waa first. honored by the J. J. Brice. They ·were in the cen­ Pioneers of Licking. During a ter of the circle formed by the ta­ recent visit to an older brather, bles. The Ol'ator of the day was to- 4 have been Archibald Wilson, Jr., ago period, (Rev. C. Spri~ger,) ,,!ho but he having received an injury by in the early years of his ~1ll1stry Im­ a fall from his horse just before, was parted religious instructIOn to the unable to he present. His oration, speaker, were most tender and pa­ in manuscript was read by Dr. Brice. thetic, calling into aJtivity the ten­ The military were out in force, un­ derest· sensibilities of our nature. der the command of Capt. John His eloquence was of the sort that Spencer. After the dinner and ora­ found the way to the human heart­ tion were over, many toasts were of the kind that moved our sympa­ given, which were responded to by pathies, and .called into action the vollies fired by the military. The faculties of our emotional nature. proceedings of the day closed with The acting President of the day, a ball in the evening on the hill, in calling another to the chair, after the the first house built in Newark. address of Dr. Coulter, remalked as The best feeling prevailed---a good­ follows, Capt. M. M. Munson hav­ ly number of Revolutionary soldiers ing, by invitation, been seated on were present, who enjoyed it great­ the platform: ly~ for they looked upon this day as "MR. PRESIDENT-I hold in my their political Sabbath. They had hand a cane made from a branch of assisted in wresting the 'power to the first apple-tree planted in the soil g&vern the then colonies from the of Lickisg, in the year 1800 by Mrs. King of Great Britain, and lodged Isaac Stadden, who at the age of 88, it, as declared on this day to belong, is still with us. She brought· the to the people, without distinction. young root, which is' all it then was, They in this way maiie short work from Northumberland county, Penn­ with the absurd doctrine of the di­ sylvania, and planted it with her own vine right of Kings to rule. Sor­ hands. They both yet liv.e-the tree rowful will it be when the people of continues to bear its fruit and she the United States forget to honor protects it in turn. Thus they have the authors of our freedom, or fail lived mutually depending on each to accord to them honor and praise other for the last sixty-nine years. for placing before the world the true Capt· Munson, you sir, are a "branch princIples· of government, and the of one of the Pioneers of Licking political rights of each individual. county, and you sir have done much Let us to-day, do what we can, as to rescue from oblivion, ihe very our Pioneer Fathers and. Mothers first pioneers of your township, John did In 1807, to keep fresh in the Jones and wife, by placing their minds of our people the great work names in the pages of the history of that was done on the 4th of July, our county. They were the intimate 1776, bv our revolutionary sires." friends of Mrs. Stadden in their early Dr. Coulter, of Columbus, a na­ pioneer life in Licking. Please ac­ tive of the "Clay Lick settlement," cept the cane as a token of her re­ then read a very interesting paper ~ard, together with that of Isaac illustrative:-of early times-of pioneer Smucker and myself, for the signal manners, customs, peculiarities, and service you have rendered the pion­ characteristics. Tears came unbid­ eer cause in Licking county. The den to many an eye, during the read­ cane bears the inscription, "1800- ing of the more tender passages of 1869. To M. M. Munson, from Mrs. his excellent paper. The extem­ Staduen, J. N. Wilson, and Isaac poraneous remarks with which he Smucker." interspersed it, and which were elici­ ted by the presence on the platform Capt. MUllson responded in sub'7 of the speaker's school teacher of st.ance, as follows, as near as can be fifty years ago, (Mr. Samuel B. recollected: Hull ,) now of Columbus, and of his "MR. PRESIDENT-YOU and your Christian minist6lr of the same long ~(}-donors in this handsome gift have 5 effectually surprised me. I have not Capt. M; M. Munson read It paper had the slighest intimation of any on the early settlement and modern intention on your part to bring me history of Franldin Township. be(ore you all this platform as the The two last name] pepers were recipient of this favor. A cane, of prepared by a.nother, and read by course, I did not look for, for you the gentlemen named to accommo- all know that it is an article I do not date their author. ' use, for I am a young man, and for Dr. Coulter, of Columbus, read proof of that I refer to the ladies in the Declaration of Independence this crowd before me. with much force and effect. "I came here to hear from the James R. Stanbery followed in Pioneers about the first settlement some appropriate remarks, in which of this section of our county, and of he gave some of his own early time the)ncidents connected with early recollections of events that transpir­ times in the south eastern townships ed in the locality of the meeting. He of Lieking~ and not to take any pub- adverted to the time when the late lic part, even the least, in the exer- Col.