And now my indulgent reader, you have a faint word of the stern realities of life in a new country. We have taken you back three fourths of a century, and set you down in a dense forest infested with wild beasts, where not a thing of art was known. The earth, wilderness and sky was all that met the eye. All was nature�s work. They were heroes who dared to venture into a thicket and strike the first blows for a settlement. Reflections on the sufferings and toils of our fathers and mother, should support us to become more deserving occupants of their dearly bought homes. We should labor to prove ourselves the worthy descendents of such parentage. No part of our country can boast a more noble and honored ancestry, than the people of South Ridge. Trained in the steady habits of New England, their children were brought up with Puritan care. They wrought for pure hearts, dignified families, advanced schools, pious churches, free citizens and a noble nation.
It has been no small task to collect the materials and write this mass of facts, during the last sixteen weeks, which have been published at the rate of two columns in each issue of the Conneaut Reporter. Nor has it been much less a tax on the patience of the editor and his compositors to put it into type. But we are glad that it is done. It was needful to have it accomplished soon or the matter composing these sketches would go far beyond our reach. Only a few old settlers remain to tell their stories, and when they shall have gone, all the past of our place, all the past of our place would be left in obscurity. It is about the last opportunity any one could have for such an object. And now on taking my leave of the subject, we would ask the reader to supply the omissions, to correct mistakes, and, if possible, feel glad that so few errors have crept into the manuscripts, which has been a so difficult task to write
The Temperance Question
was not extensively agitated in the United States until after the organization of the American Temperance Society, Feb. 13, 1826. At this time the general settlement prevailed that the use of alcoholic drinks as a beverage was useful. It was supposed to give courage, ambition, and strength. The intoxicating draft was called Aqua Vit� or Water of Life. It had such power to deceive that men thought it possessed qualities directly opposite to its real nature, for instead of being useful it was injurious, and so far from being the water of life, it proved to be the water of death.
The early settlers had accepted the delusion that it paid to drink whiskey, and hence all esteemed it as necessary as tea and coffee. It was sold twenty-five cents per gallon. Men took it by the glass, the youth by the swallow, and the babe by the teaspoon. It was deemed necessary in sickness to cure; in health to preserve it; in cold weather to warm up; in hot weather to cool off; in sheep-washing to prevent colds; in haying and harvesting to contribute strength; at raising, to carry a steady hand; on holidays to enjoy their independence; in company to be social, and on every other occasion, because they liked it. At that time none realized the serpent was in the cup. At the raising of the fist barn frame, 1820, at P.C.�s one of our citizens remembers that at that time, he, a boy of eight years, got drunk. One other instance of which we have heard, a similar case occurred with a boy about nine years, but we do not remember of one drunken sot at South Ridge.
About 1828 temperance lecturers began to visit these parts and stir up public mind on the evils of the use of intoxicating liquors. One of the first who gave a temperance address was Dr. Greenleaf Fifield, father of Dr. Amos Fifield of Conneaut. He read the testimony of able physicians on the evil effects of ardent spirits on the constitutions of men who drank. Men pondered the subject, and after a short time a temperance society was organized, auxiliary to the American Temperance Society of Boston, Mass. The young people generally signed the pledge, and we have never known a conformed inebriate, nor public place for the sale of intoxicating liquors at South Ridge. A more temperate and orderly class of people, in these parts, has never grown to manhood � none that have ever been more trustworthy and reliable.
The South Ridge Vigilance Committee
was one of the best, of not the best, organizations for the protection of our citizens against thieves ever known in these parts. Gangs of men had systemized their plans for stealing horses, carriages, stocks, goods, and all kinds of property so skillfully, causing them to change hands so frequently that it rendered single-handed people unable to get any traces of them. One of these desperados could that the property, another convey it away, another secrete it, and still some of the gang be about the town watching every effort for search, and then give information to their comrades in crime. The people of South Ridge resolved an association which would protect themselves against such lawless bands.
At a meeting held Jan. 21, 1860, they took measure to form a compact. Feb. 4, they met and formed a Constitution and By-Laws, and Feb. 11, they met again and chose their officers. For president, Eber Sanford; for Vice-Presidents, Elisha Farnham, Edward C. Brooks, Isaac Stevens, and B.B. Smith, Esq.; for Secretery, J.Q. Burrington; for Treasurer, Thomas Gibson; Captain, Steven Daniels; Lieutenants, W.G. Buss, Horace Cook; Minute-men, A. Durkee, A. Richards, W.G. Smith, O.D. Shepard, Joel Couch, Joel Couch, L. Evarts, D. Green, W.H. Cheney, G.W. Phelps, and Thomas Bunton. The number of signers at this time was thirty-three, and the territory over which they extended jurisdiction was South Ridge and its vicinity. But the Vigilance Committee has grown to such dimensions as to reach a membership of 247, scattered over Conneaut, Kingsville, Monroe, Springfield, Pa., as lies west of the Erie & Pittsburg Railroad. Applications have been made for membership by men living outside these limits, but thus as far it has been thought not best to accept of them, as they may not be able to extend protection sufficiently faithful. The society has cash in bank, $200.94.
The present officers of the society are as follows: President, B.B. Smith, Esq.; Vice Presidents, E. Dorman, E.C. Heading, R. Washburn, and H.S. Hewit; Treasurer, Henry Frack; Secretary, O.G. Clark; Captain, Abner Scott; First Lieutenant, Wm. Hogle; Second Lieutenant, Alden Pomeroy; Minute-men, D.C. Turner, P.M. Darling, A. Durkee, Jonathan Spaulding, D.W. Hayward, Patrick Kennedy, Philo Green, Stephen Daniels, C.F. Colby, and S.B. Buss.
Such a strong organization has operated as a terror to all evil doers. We are informed that, though many horses have been stolen from outsiders, only one instance of horse stealing from one of the members has been committed. Such a criminal would have a dozen men after him in so short a time that he would be overtaken in less than twenty-four hours. The captain with his company of lieutenants and minute-men stand pledged to start at a moments warning.