COLUMBIA COUNTY OHIO - MORRIS/MILLER History Chapter 12 (published 1873) *********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Maggie Stewart-Zimmerman MaggieOhio@columbus.rr.com November 5, 1999 *********************************************************************** "HISTORY OF THE MORRIS AND MILLER FAMILIES" By Morris Miller 1873 *********************************************************************** Chapter 12 Incidents of 1814-15 The year 1814 was not marked with any adversity to us, yet our immediate locality was visited in the spring by a very malignant fever, which the doctors could neither name nor cure. It only attacked grown persons. It called away seven, I think, in about 12 days, all within a mile of our home. Four from the heads of families were much missed; the other three were young unmarried persons. This produced a solemn consternation for the time being. Neither family (Morris or Dutton) was attacked, yet the seven cases occurred on all side of us. This was felt severely in our little settlement, as the requisition for military recruits had only recently subsided. In the fore part of the season, Uncle Nathan Walton moved over to Ohio. Cousin John Miller (the second son of Uncle James Miller) being in the teaming business, concluded to bring his uncle over. Brother Isaac went along with him, although an invalid yet from his injuries the previous autumn. They had a very prosperous journey, and Uncle and Aunt were gratefully received by us. Their new home being about a mile from ours placed us in the enjoyment of each others’ society. Although they had no children of their own, yet their philanthropic feeling for the destitute and homeless often encumbered them with more children than was agreeable for their comfort. Uncle Thomas Ball moved over that autumn also, and settled about four miles from us. Thus comforted by an increase of relatives, much was added to the enjoyment of our home. Father and those two sisters always had a strong affection for each other, and the fact that he moved first was an inducement for them to follow. During this season we put up the addition to our house, which added much to our comfort, and the winter passed away very pleasantly. The year 1815 was remembered by many as being a propitious one on account of the restoration of peace shortly before its commencement. We were gratified in the spring by a visit from Grandfather and Grandmother Morris. Their friend Stokes came along with them. That was the only time Grandmother was over to see us, and it was truly an enjoyable time among us all. I must now in the course of events speak of Uncle Joseph Dutton. He had been improving his lease and making a comfortable living, but he felt anxious to possess a piece of land of his own, and having had his eye on an unimproved quarter section situated about a mile northwest of our farm, it being the division between two streams, it was thought to be a good locality for fruit. The owner lived some thirty miles distant, but he had an agent who lived adjoining it. Uncle had not said much about the land, but hoped that it might remain until he could sell his lease or raise sufficient funds to purchase it. One day he was informed that a purchaser was looking at the land and the agent was to start that day at noon to make the purchase for the applicant. Uncle felt at first that it was all over about getting the land, but after a few hours’ reflection he concluded to try the following plan. He had understood that the owner lived near his old friend William Stokes, and by starting in the evening and traveling all night he could rouse up his friend Stokes at daybreak and perhaps get him to take his means and go with him and secure the land before the agent arrived. He started on the execution of his plan and found Stokes ever willing and ready to assist any member of the family of his friend Isaac Morris. He rose, quickly got his purse and off they went, and had the land bought before the agent arrived. This I record as one of Stokes’ generous acts. Feeling much pleased with the result of his efforts, Uncle succeeded soon after in disposing of his lease to the man that he had leased from before, on favorable terms, and being prosperous in his efforts, he succeeded in complying with his stipulated agreements. Hence, in the fall and winter following, he prepared to build and move to his new home in the spring. Being favored with good health, they succeeded in getting up a comfortable cabin-roofed log house to move into against spring. Thus having to go into the woods a second time taxed their energies to the utmost, but by diligent perserverance they succeeded in making a comfortable house of their own in a few years. Their land, as expected, proved to be a favorable locality for fruit, and as soon as practicable a portion was devoted to a peach grove which succeeded very well. As the rising family were all daughters except one (the oldest child being a son), during peach time the girls with their well-arranged dry house could realize more income than the father and son could on the rest of the farm. In process of years their place became much noted for the production of peaches and cherries. We will now leave Uncle and his family for a time and notice some of the others. Nothing of an adverse character transpired among us in the year 1815 that I can now recollect. I believe that Father attended the Yearly Meeting at Mount Pleasant that year, while we boys were busy enlarging the area of our cleared land for farming. In the fall it was arranged for Father and Mother to make a visit over to Westland to their friends, as Mother had not been back since we left there five years before. After procuring a suitable housekeeper they set out on their visit. In about two weeks they returned and found us getting along very well. Hitherto I have not said much about Aunt Sarah Morris, Mother’s sister next younger. She remained single about seven years after Mother was married, and near two years after Aunt Mary Dutton was married. Cousin David Miller, the oldest son of James Miller, after marrying Aunt Sarah, became our uncle, and we always called him Uncle afterwards. After marriage they lived mostly on rented farms for several years and he worked at the cooper trade. As they had several sons in the family, they concluded they had better go west while land was cheap, and there being an unimproved quarter section situated about a mile north of Uncle Joseph’s late purchase, in the latter part of 1816, Uncle came over to put up a house on it with the prospect of moving late in the fall. Getting his own home ready to move, he returned home, and as Brother Robert had not visited the old home since we left there, he concluded to go along with him and return when they moved. Uncle Samuel Morris, being principal foreman on his father’s farm, concluded to bring them over, arriving late in the fall. Thus, the three sisters were located within convenient distance of each other for social intercourse without much traveling. At first starting out, they were all compelled to go on other people’s land, but now that they were all freeholders with large families coming up around them, both parents and children felt more encouraged to make convenient and permanent improvements than when on rented property, and they all looked forward with bright hopes of the future.