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Aged, Odd Houses Contain Little World, Apart From Outside EDITOR'S NOTE—The followin interesting story of the history of the Gist Settlement in Highland County, not far from New Vienna, was written by Violet M. Turner, staff writer of the Columbus Dis patch. It appeared in a recent is sue of the Dispatch. Removed from a state road, in a secluded part of Penn Township in Highland County, is a little world all its own. The little scattering of houses begins just before you reach a bend in the winding road on which you see a peaceful, shady ceme tery, a frame church and an aban doned frame school building. Soon a little road strikes off for itself to the right and if you should care to follow it, you will come upon the very heart of this strange world and see aged, odd houses with approximately 70 inhabitants all told, that breathe of days long gone. The oldest log cabin to be found in the county and perhaps in the state sits sturdily in a pret ty spot, as if defying time and the hand of man to demolish it. Such a friendly, courteous folk they are, that they belie a name found to designate it on an old atlas of the county, Darktown. In the church at Wormington in Gloucester County England (if it, or is replica be still standing), is a blue stone against the north wall within the chancel of the church simply inscribed with the name and age of one Samuel Gist. Below Stone steps there is a vault con taining a marble coffin which had for years awaited him in a deal case in his stables in Gower street. There one would stand before all that remains of Samuel Gist, mor tally. The world in which he was liv ing almost 200 years ago has prob ably forgotten him but he 's alive in the hearts of the inhabitants of the Gist Settlement today. Scanning the 28-page will he made June 22, 1808, about seven years before his death, we learn the character of this fine English man rather intimately. He must have been a colorful figure in his day, somewhat con tradictory, but well-meaning and lovable. To begin with, he was really fabulously wealthy. He had two married daughters, Mary and Elizabeth. He also was fond of his 268 slaves living on his extensive estates in Virginia and the Dismal Swamps. Horses were a particular hobby and he is credited with bringing the first race horses to America, to his Virginia estates. He was honest, generous, thought ful, virtue-loving, stern, religious ly inclined, home loving. Will Changed He kept changing his mind about some details of his will and add ed four codicils, the last one, March 4, 1811. Between 1811 and 1815 he died. In his strange will he decreed that within one year from his death his slaves on his estates in America shold be emancipated if the law of Virginia would so per mit; that his American estates be sold and the proceeds he held in trust for these slaves and their heirs forever, by appointed trus tees. Land was to be selected for them by the trustees, homes and school; built. This land must nev er be sold but must be handed down from one generation to the other. “I specially request trustees and their decendants to attend to the comfort and happiness of my slaves and their offspring,” wrote Sam uel Gist. Thus it came about that these Negroes were emancipated by the assembly of Virginia. Traditional lore says that about 130 Gist Ne groes were located in Erie County, near Sandusky, by Virginia or Ohio trustees. They were dissatis fied because of the climate, the malaria, and the mosquitoes, and they walked their homesick ways back to “Ole Virginny.” Here they remained for 12 years when they were relocated in Adams and High land Counties. The location in Highland Coun ty was in close proximity to the Dunkard and Quaker families of Penn Township. This accounts for the good treatment unusually ac corded emancipated slaves. They did not retain the name of Gist as in the general rule, but chose other names. Part of Military District The land bought for them was a part of a vast acreage known as the Virginia Military district, land reserved by the state of Virginia when it gave up claims to land for the good of the United States. It had based its claims here because of a survey made by George Wash ington. An act of congress and the Virginia legislature granted the reserved land to Revolutionary soldiers who wanted to settle in the “west.” Often one soldier re ceived as many as 1,000 acres of land as his reward. Joshua Woodrow, Amos Lewis and Woodrow Warner were the three trustees appointed for the ones who settled in this country. The last named was the first Quaker child born west of the Al leghanies. So many litigations arose over mixed-up land titles that finally the trustees in recent years pre sented a petition to the state leg islature to have the care of the Negroes turned over to the com mon pleas court. The court now settles their land problems. The children, gathering on small playgrounds at the tiny bridge or along the creek, attend school in the neighboring village of New Vi enna, but they still like to romp in their deserted school yard. No Stores in Community There are no stores, the trad ing is done in the county seat of Hillsboro. They are curiously friendly to the visitor. It is a carefree, easy-going community, a haven from storms of life a kind man feared they could not combat. Mr. Gist’s will reads like fiction. He tells of three instances in which he has had business deal ings involving money, with John Hiscox, John Wilkinson and John Tabb, respectively. He was grant ed judgment against them, but just in case he might have been in the wrong and these men may have been cheated in anyway, he left a large legacy to each man. To the Wormington schoolmaster he left an annuity of 20 pounds and the residue and remainder of balance of dividends of 1000 pounds of three per cent, consolidated bank annuities for purchasing school supplies and clothing for the poor and needy children. His two sons-in-law received 10,000 pounds of three per cent, consolidated bank annuities and out of the dividends, interest and annual proceeds they were in structed to maintain and support six poor men, six poor women, and six poor girls. Six poor boys were to be clothed, educated and ap prenticed in Elizabeth's college or hospital. Every year on St. Thom as lay, five pounds each were to be given to the poor men and women; and 10 pounds to each of the poor boys. Should there be any surplus, other poor boys were to be cared for. Receives 12,000 Pounds Large sums were left to Mary and Elizabeth. On Elizabeth's marriage to Wilbur Fowke she re ceived a settlement of 12,000 pounds with four per cent annui ties which brought her in, annual ly, 480 pounds in interest and an nuities. Should not Mary comply with the requests made of her, she was to be cut off with one (1) shilling. Otherwise, in addition to her legacy of 2,000 pounds, she was to receive her father’s pictures, books, four silver-covered dishes, silver cup gilt, four pillar candle sticks, silver snuffers and pan, plate, and bed furniture. He had at first bequeathed the furniture to a relative, but at the last decid ed in favor of Mary, since she “fancied it.” His two sons-in-law, Wilbur Fowke and Martin Pearkes, fared handsomely. A Thomas Darracott of Virginia was left his gold watch chain and seals. Each servant re ceived a legacy in accordance with time of service, Thomas Bland, his coachmen, received his carriage, horses and harness. In his last codicil he changed his mind concerning a bequest to John Sellick, to whom he had left 100 pounds per annum. Unless John abandons his idle life and fol lows a respectable calling, says the will, his legacy is to be reduc ed to a mere 50 pounds. Each niece and nephew receiv ed 100 pounds, and sometimes more, when a favorite. So did his employes and apprentices. The fol lowing received a like bequest: Bristol infirmary; Christ’s hospi tal, in London; City of London Ly ing-in-hospital; Welch charity in Gray’s Inn lane; Hospital for the Blind; Vaccine Institution. On and on read the bequests with full instructions as to how his last wishes were to be carried out. He seemed to feel a divine re sponsibility for those he was leav ing behind. If one could read be tween the lines the reason for each legacy, out of it might evolve a thrilling story. Fate seems to be as contradic tory as we would believe Samuel Gist’s life was, for here in High land County, Samuel Gist lves in the hearts of his black brothers, while in his marble sepulcher across the sea in his native Eng land, he sleeps the years away.
Newspaper Details
Wilmington News Journal
Wilmington, Ohio, US
Sat, Jul 25, 1936
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Laura B.
USA 11 Jul 2026
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