PLAINVIEW CENTENNIAL - November 5-6, 1937 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contributed to the Ohio part of the USGenWeb Archives by: John McDonald November 28, 2001 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- PLAINVIEW CENTENNIAL - November 5 & 6, 1937 Published in the Monroe County Republican By Forrest S. Hogue (Who taught the Plainview (Rice) School for almost forty years. (This typed story was located in the genealogy files of the public library in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. It is retyped here, typos and all, as it appeared there. There are occasional "My Notes" included in the Mt. Vernon copy. Submitted to this website by John McDonald.) Following are brief glimpses of a Pioneer Community fitting program to be given during Farmer's Institute a November 5 & 6, 1937 in observance of the one hundredth anniversary of the entry of the land from the government on which the present school now stands. Grandpa West has in his possession the original deed by which the government granted to a Mr. John Dillon the plot of the ground on which was later erected the Plainview School House. The deed is dated 1837 and has the signature of Martin Van Buren, President of the United States. Two great-grandchildren of Mr. Dillon, David Briggs and Betty Barnard are enrolled in this school at among other articles of interest which we hope to display. We are inclined to believe that these mementos of an almost forgotten past, as well as the few details of our history which we shall attempt to here set forth, may aid the modern youth of our community to meet some of his problems with same unflinching courage as was displayed by our pioneer fathers. The writer of this account is indebted almost entirely to the recollections of Grandpa and Grandma West. Some inaccuracies probably occur. If so, we respectfully ask the charitable consideration of our readers. The first actual settlement in the district was in 1840, when a Mr. Leek built his cabin about a hundred yards south of the present school house. Some few reminders of this homestead may still be seen. Another cabin was erected a little later about midway of what we call the Barnard Hill. Here a Mr. Beaver with his wife and 15 children lived for some years. It is told that Mrs. Beaver, during the late 1840's, in order to help support the family, did washing for the more well-to-do families of Antioch. She walked to and fro each morning and evening, a distance of about four and a half miles and knitted continuously as she went. Presuming that many of you are interested in knowing the original settlers of your present homes we are listing the names of those who now occupy the farm, the original owner appearing first followed by the present owner: Mr. Rice - Carl Kinsey H. Barnard - Henry Barnard S. Barnard - Roger Briggs Capt. William Dougherty - Haud Hendrix Mr. Menamie - Philip Pickens John Phillips - John Thomas Isaac Phillips - Rex Kindall Mr. Piatt - William Foraker George Andrews - Victor Colvin Philip Truex - Marion Covert Tom Moffett - Janie Bonam George Eickleberry - Henry Bonam John Drum - Pearlie Briggs Mr. Dunn - Tom Dillon George Foraker - Arthur Weddle Mr. Stewart - Denver Haught Thomas West - Oliver West Samuel Cox - Paul Pickens Nathaniel States - Earl West Jacob Hall - Pete Edington Place Nearly all of the names recorded here are all found in a school register of the early 1850's which is in the possession of Mr. West. It will be displayed during our program. The houses and other buildings of our early settlers were typical of pioneer times. Some of the earlier ones were of round-log structure being later replaced with hewed logs. Windows were made of oiled papers. The floors of split-log, the roofs of clapboard and the fireplace of stone with "tobacco stick" chimneys. Cooking and heating were provided by the large open fireplace which would accommodate huge logs as fuel. Cooking and living furniture were of the simplest. Beds, tables and chairs were homemade as was also the clothing for old and young. The food was chiefly home produced, plentiful and wholesome of wild game. The streams were full of fish uncontaminated by oil or refuse. Domestic animals ran at large during the earliest era of settlement. Eliza Thompson, an aunt of Asher Beardmore, told of hunting cows on the Pickens farm one mile west of the school house. She had followed the sound of the bell for some distance until it became early twilight. Upon hurriedly rounding a tree she came within arms length of a large bear which was contentedly eating his supper of wild berries. The cows weren't driven up until the next morning. Eliza was seven years of age when this incident happened. Mrs. Oliver Sloan, the mother of Grandma Emma Hogue, related a somewhat similar occurrence. She was sent early of a morning to a neighboring cabin to "borrow fire." While hurrying through the thick timber, she came upon a sleeping bear. Returning hurriedly to the cabin, she called her father who succeeded in killing the beast after following it for some time. (My note - Mrs. Oliver Sloan was Mary Zillah Dailey, the daughter of Vincent Dailey and this incident probably happened in Seneca Twp., Monroe Co., Ohio, where she grew up. She was the grandmother of Forrest S. Hogue, who wrote this article.) Social and religious activities of our fathers were centered mainly around the home, the church and school. We are led to believe that these institutions exercised a greater influence upon the lives of the people than they do today. We may explain this from the fact that they had but little competition from the many other interest and agencies of our modern life which we consider essential to our comfort and pleasure. Religion was a serious matter with them. They felt that they needed it and used it in their every day lives to combat the discouragements of their hard environment with a hope that lay beyond the vista of their years. May we not say today that our most priceless heritage from them is the faith and moral principals resulting there from which they willed to us. The schoolhouse was probably the greatest social center of the neighborhood. Here were held the "spelling bee" and the debate. McGuffey's speller was committed to memory in preparation for these events. Old and young took part. Saying "pieces" was also a part of the program. Political and religious questions were discussed by the speakers. A later innovation was the Geography Singing School which was introduced into our district by Miss Susan Walters about the year 1860. Log rollings and raisings, tobacco stringings and corn huskings, the play party and the dance (where religious views permitted it) at the various homes. The younger set particularly made the most of these occurrences. "Sparkings, settin-ups, and weddins" were in process of formation from such meetings. Weddings and bellings were often made the occasion for a complete neighborhood holiday. If you girls and boys don't know the meaning of some of the terms used ask your grandmother or even your mother. The words are probably not defined in your school dictionary. One of the greatest handicaps to the economic and social progress of our community was its almost complete isolation from the rest of the world. The mail, which consisted mainly of the county paper was brought weekly from Antioch and Greenbrier. A journey to Woodsfield and return required an entire day even when the roads were good. Telephone communication was made possible in the year 1905. Our main highway is in process of being hard-surfaced during this our centennial year. Why could not someone write a story entitled "A Hundred Years of Mud?" Agriculture continues to be the chief industry of our people. In the early days tobacco was the main money crop. Very little is raised at present. Our chief source of income is from the sale of dairy and poultry products. Very little virgin timber remains. Some of the good farms of fifty years ago are now almost worthless. Some oil and gas have been mined but the present productions are very small. Coal is scarce and inferior in quality. We have some high-grade limestone but no so far has been marketed. The most tragic situation which now confronts us is our inability to provide renumerative work sufficient to keep our boys and girls with or near us. Other more fortunate communities are absorbing our best brains and brawn. The talk is now that our school must go. We are told that we must keep abreast of the times. We must lose our individuality and become members of increasingly larger communities. We must become centralized and federalized. My old neighbor, John Kindall calls it "When the big hog eats the little hog." The writer, being only a back woodsman, is not sufficiently wise to combat in words the world wide tendency toward nationalization of industry, the home, the church and the school, but is left in a maze of impotent wonderings concerning the causes of the French Revolution of 1793, the present Spanish rebellion, the rape of China, Bolshevism and Fascism, threatening European war clouds. Where will Plainview be a hundred years hence, and just where do we go from here? Is there no place in the future set up for the fireside chat, the homely virtues, the friendly care of the sick and unfortunate, the neighborhood meeting or will both our work and our business become mechanized and will our activities be by rate or rhythm? Much evidence has been discovered that the Indians occupied our district to some extent. Many arrowheads have been found, especially near the natural cavern of the Dougherty, Pickens and Charles Foraker farms. I have been told that a stone stove and stone hatchet were found in the Foraker Cave about fifty years ago. I am told that recently, while road workmen were excavating near this cave they discovered many arrowheads, one almost whole stone hatchet. Another half one, and what they believe to be a stone scalping knife. I have not seen these articles as yet. They are in possession of Homer Baker and James Ward, two of the workman. Mrs. Baker told me today that they would display them at our program together with some interesting war relics which he has in his possession. The incident of the Johnson boys killing their two Indian captors with their own rifle and tomahawk as related in Howe's History of Early Ohio is thought by some to have occurred in or near our district. Grandpa West says that his father, Thomas was acquainted with the elder brother and often heard his father say that Mr. Johnson avoided discussing the incident. His remains lie today, it is said, in an unmarked grave in the pioneer section of the Antioch Cemetery. The younger brother was mayor of Woodsfield about 1830. He is buried in the Pioneer Cemetery there. (My note - from Historical Collections of Harrison County, Ohio by Charles A. Hanna it is thought that the incident of the Johnson brothers, James and Henry happened in Wells Twp., Jefferson Co., Ohio. They both in later years settled in Monroe County, Ohio.) I shall attempt to list below, first names of the Civil War Veterans who lived in our district or whose people now do so. I have no official record to which to refer but am relying entirely upon the memories of our people. Wherever known, I am noting as killed, wounded, etc. Following the names of the veterans, I am listing the relationship of our present citizens to them. I am also including in this narrow strip of Mulberry Knob Territory which once belonged to the Plainview district and whose people are aiding in compiling this permanent record. George Eickleberry - War of 1812 - Great grandfather of Mrs. William Foraker. The brothers, George and William Foraker, the former twice wounded, uncles of William Foraker, Mrs. Ivah Kindall and Mrs. Golia Haught. William Bonam - father of Henry Bonam. Theodore Molden - Brother of Mrs. Oliver West. Peter Edington Sr. - wounded. Stephen Hogue - wounded at Gettysburg - great uncle of F.S. Hogue. Jacob Hall - reported missing in battle - grandfather of Edgar hall. Thomas Twaddle - wounded at Winchester - father of Mrs. Lula Givens. Henry Hendrix - wounded - father of Jed Hendrix. William Sloan - killed at Atlanta - uncle of Mrs. Emma Hogue. Peter Dailey - imprisoned at Andersonville - Uncle of Mrs. Emma Hogue. Daniel Petty - color bearer, wounded at Atlanta and Reseca - father of Mrs. Nina Hogue. Elias Kindall - wounded - father of John Kindall. Isaac Bates - father of Mrs. Florence Kindall. William Hawkins - uncle of Thad Hawkins. Willoughby Morgan - no relatives here. Isaac Phillips and two sons - Lieut. Joe and Ezra, the last named was wounded - no relatives here. Capt. William Dougherty and son Henry - grandfather and father of Mrs. Rosa Ruff. Wesley Ackley - killed at Richmond - grandfather of Raymond Cline. John Andrews - brother-in-law of Oliver West. Nathaniel States - Uncle of Dock (David) and Floyd States. Henry Barnard - uncle of Henry Barnard. Frank Nugent - no relatives here. James Stafford - wounded - no relatives here. Gideon Allen - died in service - grandfather of Mrs. Elsie Kinsey. William Hupp - grandfather of Delbert Hupp. Ben Dye - uncle of Mrs. Ella Ward. Felters brothers - Abraham, Jacob, Isaac and Dennis - uncles of James Ward. Alexander Harmon - grandfather of Mrs. Golia Haught. Charles Covert - killed - half-brother of Marion Covert.