rearing a young family. Robert Goens was another occupant to the northwest part of the section. These school lands were sort of pasture grounds for the flocks of the surrounding farmers, and the tingling of the bells was a varied melody, but each family as a rule could tell their bell. These lands abounded in the milk sick, and the writer has seen both young cattle and hogs tremble and fall from its effects. What it really was or its real cause, was a mystery of its day; of course, tradition said, the Indians knew all about it and its cure, but no one ever got the secret, doubtless, because the stealthy Indian knew not himself. In this forest Washington and Albert Long, when they were boys out gathering nuts, became bewildered, and in striking out for home, disputed as to the course. As Albert is a little "fixed" in his notions, Washington had to give in to his way. Luckily while going in the wrong course, they came upon William Swisher, the celebrated deer hunter of those days, who conducted them to the State Road, and pointed out the course to Jacksonville. Washington says when he got in sight of Modest Taylor's, he knew where he was at, and said he would cut across for home, but where he told Albert to go the writer does not know, likely not home, for there is where Albert went. David Rhoades was a later arrival, but quite in time to help roll logs and split rails. He owned lands south of Woods. His widow and the children are still residents.
      John W. Apple was adjacent to Rhoades, owning one-half of a quarter section, he was a clever, active citizen. His widow still survives. They reared quite a goodly family. William Apple, his cousin, was near by as a country blacksmith and machanic of farm implements. He came up to Jacksonville at its transition into Versailles, and in the following years was one of its active tradesmen. He has retired from business and resides in the north part of town. His children are known and identified with modern Versailles. George Apple was to the west of Rhodes, owning half a quarter section. He was of the hard workers well remembered. Of his children were William, John, George, Jacob, Lavina, Lydia, Sarah, and Tillie, and of this lineage there is quite a

number which are identified with the modern surrounding communities. George Fletcher was adjacent to Taylor and the school lands owning one half of a quarter section. He was an orderly quiet citizen. Of his family were a son, Peter and Mrs. David Goens, and Mrs. R. Palser, and a successive lineage.
      Jesse Ballinger was to the southeast on the out-skirts of the Stillwater and Swamp Creek Settlement, whose wife, "Aunt Betts" called, was a daughter of Sam Fetters an old Pioneer Settler of the first named settlement, and though deprived of opportunity of schooling in youth, was a woman of motherly heart, valued information, and a lot of mother wit. These parents knew the whole page of pioneer times. Of the children there were Elim, Samuel, Isaac, Daniel, John, Jesse, Stephen, Jane, Hannah, and Elizabeth. They grew to mature years as citizens, and of the descent there is a small generation. John L. Christian was owner of lands west of Ballinger and John W. Apple. He was among those who knew how a farm was made in the swamps. The curving trend of the east line of this farm which is both a section and a county line, would suggest that either the Darke County Surveyor's instrument was under some hypnotic influence of the rainbow, or the Miami county official had taken an excessive dose of "Snake Root Bitters" for ague chills. Of his children there were Mark, Roll, Noah, John, Lydia, Mary, and Catharine who grew to mature years and of the lineage there is a small generation. Joseph Wolfe was beyond the deep woods to the westward nearing the Stiilwater river, and was the early arrival of the German immigrant settlers. He was a coverlet weaver by trade as well as of the forest farmers in the early day when the material of coverlets was home-spun. Of his family grown to citizenship Epharim was well known. Feibiger owned lands adjacent to Wolfe, and was a German weaver also. Of this family Albert as a citizen is well known. There were others of the family. Kleinsmith, father of J. C. Kleinsmith, the well known harness dealer of the modern Versailles, was a German pioneer, owning lands near by Wolf and Feibiger. Besides J. C. Kleinsmith, there were Samuel, Mrs. Engleken, John and others. A member of this

family, a young lady, when crossing Stillwater on a foot-log at a time of high water, lost her poise and fell into the swollen stream, and e're aid could reach her drowned. It was a sad and sensational event of this early period. Mr. Kleinsmith was probably the first German immgrant in the civil township, coming in some of the years of 30, and the body of this young lady was the first one buried in the Lutheran cemetery south of Bloomers. To the east near by was Robert Kinney, a homestead builder and active in church and school. He reared a good family that grew to mature years as good citizens. William Klipstine, father of Ex-Auditor Lewis Klipstine, was in time to help with the log-rollings, and was a California gold seeker as well. William's father however was the primal pioneer progenitor. Of his family besides William there were others, and of the lineage quite a number grown to citizenship. Trittschuh, father of Henry Trittschuh, the old cooper of Versailles, was of the early German arrivals, owning lands in the border of what in civil or township politics, was called the "Dutch Roost." Besides Henry there were others of the family who were well known citizens, and of the generation there is a goodly number. Kelch, another German pioneer of the early arrivals, on thc east border of the "Dutch Roost." Of this family there were William, Adam, Henry, and Fred., well known citizens, and others as well perhaps, and of the descent there is quite a number, grown to citizenship.
      Adjacent to Modest Taylor south-eastward was a Mr. Grunault, owning one half of a quarter section of which he disposed many years ago, Lewis Kley and David Christian becoming the after owners, Grunault moving elsewhere. South of the east half of V. G. Brandon's was John Miller a French immigrant owning one half of a quarter Section, who sold the improved premises to Mougeville, a leading merchant of Versailles in the mid-fifties and whose family is well known as among our citizens. This Miller family went to other parts. Adjacent to Hile eastward was Frobe owning lands and erecting a homestead. The two sons, Phillip and Henry were soldiers in the war with Mexico and, Frederic:

and Phillip in the later war. The family was well known and of the lineage there is quite a number here and in other parts.
      Central in the German settlement was Mr. Labig owning a homestead and having a family among whom was Michael, who says he remembered well his arrival in America and the pioneer times as that was sixty-four years ago. There were others of the family. Near by was George Sheffle owning and erecting a small homestead. He died many years ago. Of the family were Fred, John, William, well-known, and others perhaps, and a lineage in these and other parts. He had a brother near by owning and erecting a homestead also, of whose family was William and others and a lineage following, well known. Voisard was near or in the southeast corner of the township. He was a French immigrant and owned one half of a quarter section out of which he made a farm. He died many years ago. Of the family were August, James, Adaline, Mary, and Malinda, well known, and a few descendants following. As to Uncle Samuel Woods and Christian in the pioneer matter, like history, they repeated themselves, being not only pioneer boys but pioneers themselves as aforesaid. Woods' father owned one half of a quarter section on the east bank of Stillwater near the southeast part of the township, adjacent to Martin McDonald, a cotemporary pioneer. Of the family were Samuel, Josephus, Farmer, Mrs. John Byrd, Mrs. Christian, Mrs. Caroline Wilson, well-known citizens in the earlier years. Frederic Huddle was up the river on the south side westward from Carlock, which Carlock seems to have been the old patriarch of the pioneers, the stopping place of the emigrants, while his son, Duke, of the earlier years well known, was ferryman at the river whose canoe answered for a bridge for travelers on foot. This Huddle farm is another historic farm in that it was the place of church worship and near by the old sub-district school under the Statute of 1833, and germ of the Webster school and No. 7 school of Adams township. The church services were those of the United Brethern people and were at first in this home, which resulted in the erection of Bethel Chapel. At this writing the congregation is extinct and church ser[vices]