Samuel Mccammon

As printed in 1879

SAMUEL McCAMMON, M.D.

The late Dr. Samuel McCammon was for many years a resident of Greenfield, and his good qualities both as man and physician were almost universally liked and i-expected. Very few, indeed, were those who could be counted in any other category than that of his friends.

Dr. McCammon was born near Pittsburg, Pa., Jan. 3, 1821, and his parents, Samuel and Elizabeth McCammon, who were at that time living upon a farm, moved two years later to Richland Co., Ohio, and settled in the vicinity of Mansfield.

"When his son was four years of age the father died. When the boy became twelve years of age he began an apprenticeship at the saddle-making trade, at which he afterward worked for a short time. But having a strong desire for study, it was gratified by an attendance at the common schools in Mansfield and Fredericktown.

His taste soon turned toward medical subjects, and he determined to become a physician. His first instruction in this especial field of science was received in Norwalk, under the now venerable Dr. John TifFt, and began in December, 1842. He afterward attended two courses of lectures at the Willoughby (Lake County) Medical College.

In March, 1845, he began the practice of medicine in Greenfield, which was quite a thriving, busy village. He was successful, and slowly but surely built up a practice which gave him a large ride, and brought iiim the means necessary to a comfortable condition of life. Not long after beginning he was able to buy the lot where his widow now resides, and later to purchase the farm adjoining.

Dr. McCammon, during the whole of his professional career in Greenfield, was highly esteemed, and his practice was large until toward the close of his life, when, for a few years, his health was impaired by a chronic ailment which made the travel incident to the profession very painful and at times impossible. He practiced in Greenfield more years than any other physician, and for most of the time was the only doctor in the place. He wa.s associated for a period of about one year with Dr. B. F. Morse, who afterward practiced in Peru township.

The doctor was married, Sept. 7, 1848, to Philene, daughter of Lebo and Polly Blackman, old settlers in Greenfield. She was born in this township, Aug. 27, 1828, and is still living, three of her children being with her. The first-born son of Dr. and Mrs. McCammon, George Ij., was lion June 26, 1851, and died Oct. 3, 1856. The other children are Frank B., born Oct. 5, 1855; Edward L., born Aug. 16, 1858; and Laura, born July 9, 1861.

Dr. McCammon died Aug. 2, 1870, having been sick and confined to his home for several months previous. His last professional call was made in February of the same year.

Although not connected with any church, Dr. McCammon was a man of religious feeling and of strict rectitude of character. During his sickness he himself as being without fear, and he away peacefully and quietly.

Abram Powers, who had returned to Pennsylvania, hearing of the excitement among the settlers of the Reserve, and fearing for the safe)' of his children, of whom he had three residing on the Fire-lands, came to Ohio, arriving at Mansfield the evening of the day Mr. Reed and family left. Bat he met there his two daughters, Mrs. Woodruif and Phoebe Powers, who had been residing at the mouth of Huron river. The th latter had been teaching school there. He found them both lying at the point of death, which with the failure to find Mr. Read and family, greatly depressed him. James Mclntyre, who was equal to almost any emergency, proposed to overtake them on foot. Mr. Powers expostulated with him, but he insisted on a trial, and did overtake them the next day. Mr. Read and family returned to Mansfield, but soon went to Fredericktown, where they remained during the summer. Mr. Read made several trips during the summer to his house in Greenfield, and he found that it had been entered by Indians and every article of household furniture that had not been removed or concealed was destroyed or carried off.

In December of the same year, Mr. Read returned to Greenfield with his family, but reports were so frequent of Indian depredations-that he soon moved south again, and remained until January 1. 1814, when he returned to his former residence and remained.

Mr. Smith and family, and Mrs. Coe, made the journey to Trumbull county with two horses, Mrs. Smith with two of her children I'iding on one horse, and Mrs. Coe on the other with the third child, while Mr. Smith accompanied them on foot.

When a few miles beyond Woostor, they stopped at a farm-house in which the terrified inhabitants in the neighborhood had taken refuge from apprehended danger, and while there a false alarm was raised that the Indians had taken Wooster, when the inmates all fled to the woods, with the exception of Mr. Smith and family, who, with their previous experience, determined to await, this time, the actual approach of danger. Being very much fatigued by the toilsome journey, and needing rest, they appropriated to their use the vacated beds and were soon asleep. But they were not permitted to rest long, one of the fleeing party returning and insisting on their going to the woods. They started, but in a shoi-t time returned and again retired, and soon after the whole party returned from the woods. The alarm is said to have arisen from the noise made by a horse paying in a feed-through, which was supposed to be the guns of the enemy. The iniiabitants were in such a state of agitation that an alarm, however improbable, would cause an immediate flight. Mr. Smith and his company pursued their journey and reached their place of destination in safety. The next fall he retui-ned to Fredericktown for his cattle and goods, which he had left there, but learning of the murder of a family, while traveling over the road wliicii he expected to take, he went back to Vernon without them. Soon after, Samuel C. Spencer and Cyrus W. Marsh took the property through. Mr. Smith and family remained in Vernon until February, 1815, when they returned to their abandoned home in Greenfield. Their house had been used by the Indians as a stable for their horses, but six acres of wheat, which was left in stack a mile or so from the house — the most valuable, perhaps, of the property abandoned — remained untouched.

It is impossible for the young people of the present day to understand the conditions of living in the new settlement. The first settlers in Greenfield were among the first in the county, and they were completely isolated from all the appliances of civilization. The nearest mill, at which grinding was done, was at Owl Creek, a great many miles distant, through an unbroken forest. The grain was ground in the order of its reception at the mill, and sometimes several days would be consumed in going to mill and back. It was customary for one person to take the milling of the entire neighborhood, when going with a team. While there are no instances of suffering from want of necessary food, in the history of this township, provisions were by no means plenty. Wheat was at one time three dollars per bushel, and other articles of food in proportion. William McKelvey on one occasion went to Owl Creek to buy some pork, and could only find some of the "shack" variety, for which he paid forty-four cents per pound. The meat was a poor substitute for that of the domestic hog, being spongy and of ill flavor. For fresh meat the early settlers had denison and other wild game so plenty at times as to become a drug.

In the matter of necessary clothing, the pioneers experienced a greater diflBculty. The families, in general, came well furnished with wearing apparel, but a year or two of wear and tear in the woods sadly diminished their stock. Flax could be raised, and summer clothing of tow, butternut-dyed, and bleached linen could be manufactured when a weaver could be found to do it; for, although every woman was a spinner, only here and there was one weaver, and each family had to await its turn. The old garments were often worn to rags before the new cloth could be put through the loom.

To obtain the material for winter clothing was still more difficult. The introduction of sheep was attended with much difficulty. They were not safe from wolves, and the new, wet lands proved unhealthy to them. The summer clothing would often have to answer for winter wear, or other expedients be resorted to. Buckskin, either wholly or in part, frequently served as material for winter apparel, but garments made entirely of it were never popular. The pantaloons would frequently be wet to the knees, and when dry would be as stiff and uncomfortable as if made of tin.

Cyrus W. Marsh, of whom mention has been made, in 181G erected a house, which he opened as a tavern, on the hill, just north of the river, on the center road.

As printed in History of the Fire lands, comprising Huron and Erie Counties, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers (1879). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.