Long Ago in Dunham

 "No furniture factory of today could furnish such seats and desks as were installed in the Veto school house."

On the river bank at Constitution stood a stone house, the home of William P. Cutler, congressman, farmer and prominent in the management of the Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad, and who rehabilitated the abandoned railroad between Marietta and Big Run and extended the same to Palos. Across the road from the Cutler residence William D. Bailey lived and conducted a general store. Passing over the river hill, the next cleared farm was Isaac Bigford's [Bickford].

The next farm, the ownership of which is remembered, was the Sylvester Ellenwood place. Adjoining the Ellenwood land was Davis Hollister's neat place. Hollister was an excellent teacher and adopted methods far in advance of schools generally in 1850. Mr. Hollister moved to his farm adjoining that of Col. T. W. Moore at Moore's Junction. The Hollisters came from Connecticut with the Chappells, crossing the Allegheny mountains in wagons and on horseback. The Delano, Needham, Tilton, Gorhams, Cole and Curtis families probably came before or soon after.

The Swan saw mill was on the next farm. Next was Thomas Delano's home, occupied many years by his sons, Amos and Lewis. The house appears the same as it did sixty years ago. Near the cemetery lived Albert G. Hollister, his descendants still occupy the home place. Asahel Hollister owned the farm opposite the present school house and was succeeded by his son, Judson. Abisha Cole lived below the school and next above the "Rathbone Place."

Still going west we come to the Needham farms, Jasper and Stephen. Across Hocking stood a log school house where on Sundays congregated the Universalists for church and Sunday school. This was known as "Forks of Hocking," the two branches of that stream uniting there.

 It is probably a mile to the next farm house, John Ellenwood's. It may be that Benjamin Ellenwood lived there at the same time, but he moved to Peoria, Illinois, going by covered wagon the entire distance. This was previous to the building of railroads in Southern Ohio and there were none in Illinois and probably none in Indiana.

Between Ellenwood's and the next cleared farm was quite a distance in woods until Big Run was crossed by a Ford. An iron bridge now spans the stream. Here, to the right and a distance from the road, lived Joline Hopkins, a Connecticut Yankee. Between Hopkins' farm and Veto was but one house, that of John Tilton, also from an Eastern state. Tilton sold his farm to a Mr. Andrews. The Andrews family resides there now.

Veto is at the road crossing. Here stood a log school house, a nice one. The logs were large, well hewn and nicely fitted. The door was supplied with an iron handle and latch, not a wooden one with a latch string. It was an up-to-date building and was standing some twelve years ago, but was soon after taken away. 

No furniture factory of today could furnish such seats and desks as were installed in the Veto school house. The seats were of slabs, flat side up, supported by wooden logs. on three sides of the room were sloping shelves attached to the walls. These were for the "big scholars" who took writing lessons. The pens were of goose quills, made by the "master." On either side of the aisle were slab benches without backs. Our feet could not reach the floor and the little ones were tortured during school hours. We had fine times during the noon intermissions. The larger boys played base ball, two old cats and bull pen. The younger ones had hop, skip and jump, roly ball, den and marbles. The girls had their own amusements, less boisterous than those of the boys. 

The last day of a school term was a red letter day. In the afternoon a spelling school took the place of study and recitations. The teacher would appoint two captains who would "choose up," each alternately calling the name of a speller. The pupils were ranged in two rows and the fun began. There were good spellers in the schools in early times. . .

Returning to Veto and starting North we come to the Daniel Shaw farm. Mr. Shaw, a Scotchman, owned a large tract of land, the farming of which employed many hands. This furnished employment for many upon their arrival in this country. Being industrious and frugal, in a few years the Scotch would buy land and make themselves homes.

Where the road crosses Little Hocking stood Shaw's saw mill. This mill was built by Elihu Clarke previous to 1825. The race has become the channel of the stream and the old channel has become obliterated.

To the right of the road and adjoining the Shaw farm was the Joseph Tilton farm. The original Tilton home is now standing where it was built, probably a hundred years ago and is used for storage. On the west side of the road and beyond the Tilton residence stood a log tenant house where Neil Shaw's house now stands. From the bridge we ascend the hill to the Miller Clarke farm; next comes the John Clarke place upon which stands the original house, built nearly one hundred years since.

This brings us to Barlow Township and the time for adjournment.

E. B. C.
Sunday Morning Observer, April 29, 1917