196 THE INFLUEITCE OF EARLY SETTLERS. 



which were settled by men of radically different char- 

 acter. The southern township was founded by a far- 

 seeing and devoted home missionary. He had become 

 convinced that he could do more to establish Christian 

 institutions on the Reserve ' ' by one conspicuous ex- 

 ample of a well organized and well Christianized town- 

 ship, with all the best arrangements and appliances of 

 New England civilization, than by many years of des- 

 ultory effort in the way of missionary labor." The set- 

 tlers were carefully selected. None but professing 

 Christians were to become landholders. x\s soon as a 

 few families had moved into the township, public wor- 

 ship was commenced, and has ever since been main- 

 tained without interruption. A church was organized 

 under the roof of the first log cabin. At the center of 

 the township, where eight roads meet, was located the 

 church building, fitly representing the central place oc- 

 cupied by the service of God in the life of the colony. 

 Soon followed the school house and the public library. 

 And there, in the midst of the unconquered forest, only 

 eight years after the first white settlement, the people, 

 mindful of higher education, and true to their New 

 England antecedents, planted an academy. At a very 

 early period several benevolent societies were organized, 

 and here was opened the first school for the deaf and 

 dumb in the State of Ohio. 



The northern township was first settled by an infidel, 

 who seems to have given to the community not only his 

 name, but, in large measure, his character also. He 

 naturally attracted men of the same sort. It is said he 

 expressed the desire that there might never be a Chris- 

 tian church in the township; and, though this desire 

 was not gratified, the general character of the town has 

 been irreligious. One of the best colleges in the West 

 was founded within five miles, but I am unable to learn 

 that any young man from this township has ever taken 

 a college course. A few ^ have entered professional life, 



1 1 can gain definite knowledge of only seven, though it is quite likely there 

 have been more. 



