Levi W. Wilder

As printed in 1883

Levi W. Wilder, so well known throughout this and adjoining counties as farmer, drove and violinist, was born at Three rivers, Canada, December 27, 1830. Shortly after his birth, his parents moved to New Hampshire. In 1839, they again removed to Mantua, Portage Co., Ohio, where, at the age of thirteen, Levi worked for William Skinner for 16 a month, going to school winters, and doing chores for his board. When sixteen, he came to this county, and when twenty he had [)aid for his present farm S295, including interest. When twenty-three, he married Olive A. Stone, and two children — Lillie Clarina and Otis Lee — have added to their married happiness. Mrs. Wilder is familiar with farm life from childhood, and is eminently qualified to adapt herself to every circumstance. Her practical good sense and sound judgment have contributed, in no small degree, to their financial prospects, while her social and intellectual attainments have made their home an attractive center of a large circle of friends, who are always welcome to their hospitable board. Mr. Wilder never took time to hunt, except for a couple of times, when he was highly successful, on the first day shooting the only deer of the party, who were old hunters. On the second time he hunted, his bearahip tried the valiant captain of the hunt, and after allowing the bear to escape the party were marched home. Mr. Wilder tells a good story of his hunting experience. In 1880, he wrote out an address to the citizens of Hicksville, the manuscript of which we have. He begin by roferriuf to thirty-live years' resideuco in the county, and to the great changeB that have taken place in that time, from a donso forest to smiling villages and farms. He deBcribes early scenes. How farmeTs, in some cases, had to dig up seed potatoes to save themselves from starvation Imagine, says he, a spring-pole, a pest( a string, a followed out stump, a inw grains of corn, and a woman pounding up that corn to get dinner for the Hon. A. P. Edgorton! Young men roamed the woods barofootud, hunting, until the soles of their feet were impenetrable by thorns or briefs. He goes on humorously to relate how, owing to the refusal of his horse to carry two, he had to walk while the girl (afterward Mrs. Wilder) rode, and when crossing the stream near Mr. Parmer's, the high-spirited steel leaped across, throwing off the young lady, who hungry the stirrup. Wonderful to relate, the horse, usually a kirker, stood still until Levi came up and released the lady. The address goes on cleverly to contrast the warm manners of the past with the formality of the present, "cold as the wiggle of a dead dog's nose." But in the last forty years a mighty change has taken place; carding and spinning by hand have gone, and the girls are to-day pleading at the bar, preaching in the pulpit, or editing newspapers. The sohoolhouse in which Mr. Boyington taught was about sixteen feet square, with holes bored in the logs and pins driven in, and boards nailed on for a desk; basswood logs split for benches, and luncheon floor. One day, Spencer Hopkins came to the school, and wished Levi to help him catch a wounded deer, and after going two miles, Hopkins directed him to catch it by the horns while he cut its throat. Levi did so, but let go without being told, The doon-, as Levi expresses it, was a careless cuss, and put I)oth hind feet on his shoulders, and Levi thought for a minute or two that he had a dozen feet. The deer cut his pants on the bias, and put some beautiful stripes on them. This was the last deer he over caught. He never forgave Hopkins until he got a chance to stumble with him on his back (accidentally?) while carrying him across a mud-hole. Hopkins was dressed for church, but when he came out of that mud-hole be was hardly presentable. When Mr. Wilder came to Farmer, there were living there then Grandfather Rice and wife, Edward Lacost and wife, John Rice and wife, Joseph Barney and wife, AVilliam Reynolds and wife, Josiah and James and Isaac Tharp and wife, AmariHa Lord, Jacob Conkey, Dr. O. Rice and Spencer Hopkins; none of whom are here now. Mr. Wilder here pays a eulogy to Mr, Hopkins, with whom he had spent many happy days. " In the meridian of life he departed. Peace be to thy ashes, thou share of my boyhood pastime.

May the flowers bloom sweetly over all the old settlers' graves. May the journeying wind sigh sweetly, as year after year they pass o'er their grassy beds. May the solitary rain-clouds weep in darkness over the remains that lie in that Parmer's Cemetery. But when shall human tears cease to be shed? * * * What is death? Or what is life? Of what does it consist, that we put such a value upon it? Is it that frail breath that makes us weak, and suffer so much ? Why do we fear to lose it, more than anything in this world ? What is reserved for us after it, that the thought of death makes us tremble? Man has been talking about it for century after century. We all bink about it, but no one can tell; it is a mystery, all. How little we realize that we are so interwoven into the fabric of society, that not one fiber can be influenced for good or for evil without such influence extending to all in contact. Wheal brother "Wentworth sang his song here last year, it had its influence with me, and in a few weeks' time I had a song all cut and dried, ready for the touch of the old settler's match. If my time is not out, I will sing that song to-day; if it is, I will sing it in some future time, providing that old invader, Death, does not travel me over that road from which no traveler was ever yet known to return. It speaks of the residences, occupations, names and nicknames of quite a number of the first settlers. Por the benefit of late settlers and the young, T will explain the nicknames: Edge is the Hon. A. P. Edgerton; Nat, Rev. N. Crary; Boots, Mr. Elias Crary; Mullen, Mr. Spencer Hopkins; K, Mr. Seneca Sanford; The Miller of Lost Creek, Mr, Miller Arrowsmith; Buckskin, the name of a creek where Mr. Lyman Langdon resides.

As printed in History of Defiance County, Ohio. Containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, etc.; military record; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; farm views, personal reminiscences, et (1883). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.