AN EARLY ABOLITION COLONY, AND ITS FOUNDER.

By A. A. GRAHAM.

About nine miles north of the capital of Ohio is a village the foundation of which marks an important epoch in the history of Ohio. The conflict between freedom and slavery began before the successful growth of the young republic was assured. Thrifty New Englanders were waiting the encroachment of slavery, and among them were men not afraid to lift up their voices in loud and earnest warnings, and by their deeds as well as by their sayings, showed that they were ready for the struggle.

"Make the land worth having," said the portly Dr. Cutler to the Continental Congress when bargaining for land for the New England associates. " Unless you do," he continued, “we do not want it," and the warning meant in plain terms, "exclude slavery forever from the territory northwest of the Ohio river, and we will buy your land and help you pay your debts; allow it to enter and not a penny will we invest." The confederacy, borne down with its debts, could not allow such an opportunity to pass, and the constitution of the territory "forever prohibited slavery or involuntary servitude" from this great and almost unknown domain. One victory for freedom was won.

Fifteen years afterwards the question arose again. A state was now to be created in the territory. Should slavery be permitted? It had often endeavored to gain even a temporary lodgment. The seeds of liberty had taken deep root, sprung into active life, and the Constitution of Ohio, adopted in November, 1802, confirmed the old compact, and again guaranteed freedom to all who should obey its laws. The deliberations of this convention were awaited with no little interest in many Eastern homes. If it decided for freedom they would become citizens and help to subdue its forests; cultivate its soil; build its cities and extend its commerce. If not, then another state should know them and their children.

Among the interested and anxious ones was James Kilbourn, a young man, enterprising and energetic, and then about

thirty-two years of age. Born of old, sturdy, English stock, he had inherited much of their pertinacity and their thrift. He was born in New Britain, Connecticut, October 19, 1770. His father, Josiah Kilbourn, a true patriot, suffered the loss of three members of his family in the War of the Revolution, almost all ⚫ his property, and was for a time, thereby, partially bereft of his reason. In 1783, he was obliged to give up his finely cultivated farm, and retiring to a more secluded place, purchased thirty acres, on which he made improvements. Soon after he was compelled to mortgage the greater part of this, and realizing his position, advised his son James, then sixteen years of age, to begin life for himself, as the father was now unable to extend to him any help whatever. The boy reflected over the matter, carefully weighing every side of the question. He had health, youth, courage and resolution. He was without adequate clothing; could hardly write his name; knew little or nothing of accounts, and was without influential friends. He could see no prospect of aiding his parents or his own condition while at home, and after a sleepless night he determined to try the world as it lay before him. It might perhaps open a way to assist them and also advance himself. On the morning of September 23, 1786, he bid a tearful farewell to his parental home and started on his undefined journey. Without coat or shoes, and poorly clad, the boy, with a heavy heart, that day walked about thirty miles in his vain search for employment. In the course of his walk, he found time to reflect on his condition and to form his plans. He realized that he must have an education, and that he must be true to every trust. The next day he hired himself to a farmer for the necessary. winter clothing, and soon after apprenticed himself to a clothier for four years, agreeing to work seven months in the year, his compensation to be his board and clothes, and instruction in his trade. The other five months of the year he was at liberty to use as he saw fit.

He carried out his agreement faithfully. During his summers he was chiefly employed as a farmer's boy by Mr. Griswold, an excellent man, whose son became the celebrated Bishop Griswold of the Episcopal Church. At this time Mr. Griswold was at home and managed the farm. Noticing the industrious

boy, who used every night to pursue his studies, he became his instructor, and his most efficient and cordial friend.

instruction he acquired a knowledge of the English, Latin and Greek languages and all the mathematics he judged would be useful to him in after life. So industrious had he been that Mr. Griswold gave him ten shillings more per month than had been agreed upon, and his employer, the clothier, released him from his contract at the end of the third year, and gave him entire charge of the establishment. His advancement was now rapid. He was known as an excellent and careful workman, and by adding new machinery to the works, soon greatly increased their facilities and their trade.

He considered himself somewhat established in life, and Nov. 19, 1789, when nineteen years old, he was married to Lucy, daughter of John Fitch, of Philadelphia, who in after years became distinguished as the inventor of a steamboat. His remarkable success in life began about this time, and seemed never to have left him. He soon had several mills, and by the aid of an exclusive knowledge of the permanent dyes used in England, the secret of which he obtained from an English dyer, he was enabled to outstrip all his competitors. In his twenty-third year, his close attention to business, and his work over poisonous dyes so told on his rugged frame that a council of physicians pronounced him a confirmed consumptive. A change not long after took place. His lungs improved, but a painful disease of the back confined him to his house for eight months, and for over a year after he could only move about with the aid of crutches.

He retained his mills and his knowledge of dyes, tried farming, but finding he could not pursue that vocation, entered mercantile business in Granby, Connecticut, in which he soon amassed a fortune. He became the owner of mills, and stores, and in addition, five farms, one of which had been his father's, by whom it was lost in the War of Independence, and from which, when a boy, he had left in extreme poverty to try his fortune. He could now realize his hopes and his plans formed on that September day, when he pursued his weary journey in search of employment. He placed his parents and the younger

members of their family in circumstances of pecuniary ease and competence. During this time, when a busy merchant, mill owner, and farmer, he found time to institute a public library, and be the agent to erect an Episcopal church, to organize a literary society, build a turnpike road from Hartford to Albany, and deliver many public addresses on all sorts of subjects. He had now secured the means of ease and comfort, and determined to relax, somewhat, his arduous labors. He was all this time a diligent student of ecclesiastical history, and had been an active and influential member of the Episcopal church. He often assisted as a layreader, and yielding reluctantly to the requests of numerous friends, entered the ministry, being ordained by Abraham Jarvis, D. D., Bishop of Connecticut. His temporal labors were now superceded by those of a spiritual nature and, for a time, his recreation was as far away as ever. He declined to settle over any parish, but officiated acceptably in many. His project for a western settlement was already forming in his mind. He saw a vast extent of country as yet unoccupied, but rapidly filling up, and with a desire to perpetuate his native land to the cause of liberty, he determined to be among the vanguard of those who should consecrate the soil of the West to freedom.

He made two exploration tours westward, visiting New York carefully, at one time thinking of locating within its limits. His father-in-law advised him to explore the Northwest Territory, especially that part to be included in the State of Ohio, then soon to be created. He was now about thirty years of age, very vigorous in mind and body, and of unflinching courage. He was tenacious in his views, not easily discouraged, and in spite of all objections succeeded, in 1800, in convincing his friends of the practicability of his purpose. It took two years to overcome all obstacles and form a company to establish his colony. Ohio was then the "Far West." Much farther in accessibility than California and Oregon are from Ohio to-day. Many of the men. he wanted were too pleasantly situated to care to make the long, tiresome journey by wagon over the mountains and by flatboat down the rivers. Early in 1802, he had formed a company of eight associates, who, accepting his plans, asked him to explore the country, and if he found a good locality, select enough land.

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for forty families, that number being decided upon to form the company.

Early in the spring of 1802, Rev. James Kilbourn left his home for his first exploring trip to the "Ohio country," as it was then popularly known. He traveled by stage three hundred miles to Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, ten miles east of the foot of the Allegheny Mountains. Here the stage route ended, and here his journey by foot began. Shouldering a heavy pack he started for Pittsburgh, one hundred and fifty miles away. He made the journey in less than two weeks. When he could not find shelter in some wayside tavern, or in the home of a hospitable pioneer, he did as all travelers did, camped out. Leaving Pittsburgh, he crossed the Ohio, and, on foot pursued his way. The fatigues of the journey, however, brought on his old disease and necessitated the purchase of a horse, on which he made the remainder of his journey.

At this date, the principal road west, was.by way of Zane's Nace. Rev. Kilbourn no doubt followed this to some extent. The most populous part of the Territory was its southern half. He learned that the temporary seat of government would be at Chillicothe, then not far from the central part of the proposed State, which, on this account, might be made the permanent Capital.

It is hardly to be supposed that Mr. Kilbourn pursued his journey alone. Emigration was pouring into Ohio. Every portion of the proposed State was now receiving settlers from New England. At this date the principal towns were Marietta, Cincinnati, Chillicothe, Dayton, Steubenville, Zanesville, Lancaster and Hamilton in the southern part of the proposed State. In the northern part, and chiefly near Lake Erie, were Cleveland, Conneaut and Warren, all small villages, hardly recognizable as such in the Western Wilderness. The Moravian Missions still exerted some influence in the eastern part of the State, but aside from the places mentioned, excepting occasional settlements here and there in the forest, generally contiguous to some stream of water, the country was yet in its primeval condition. Indians. and wild beasts roamed the forests. The woods were alive with game; the streams swarmed with fish.

Perhaps no part of the