Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Coshocton County, Ohio


This is the second day of a two day partial fast (500 calories) and I’m feeling pretty hungry right now. Maybe if I type I’ll forget about it.  I didn’t have to do two days in a row – it’s supposed to be any two days of the week, but I surprised myself today by wanting to get the second day behind me.  Do I notice any improvement so far?  Well yes. By eating only 500 calories I cut way back on salt consumption and even after one day my blood pressure improved. I never add salt to anything but it is part of so many things we eat that it is impossible to avoid. The other five days I'm eating my usual stuff but I'm watching the salt!

Today I’ve been looking at Coshocton County, Ohio.  (There are some lovely photos of the county on this website - click on the link!) It is an important county for our family as our people were some of the first to settle there.  I have to correct that. Coshocton was the ‘capital’ for the Delaware tribe, they were there first . . .  so I have to say some of the first white settlers were our Draper and Meredith families. 

Walhonding River
Tuscarawas River
I had difficulty finding history notes on this county. There was plenty of genealogical information but basically the history blurbs were all the same. The Coshocton County should get the prize for the most unusual name. It is a phonetic spelling of a Delaware word meaning ‘black bear crossing’ or ‘where the rivers join.’ The rivers Walhonding and Tuscarawas join in the county to form the Muskingum River, a primary Ohio watercourse.

Little Muskingum River

If you travel to Coshocton today you will find a tourist attraction – a pioneer village called Roscoe.  They have an annual ‘apple butter stirrin’ that sounds yummy. There’s a quilt exhibit and other country activities in the area. The one thing I don’t want to miss is a ride on the refurbished horse-drawn canal boat on part of what was once the Ohio and Erie Canal. Hmm. I wonder if I’ll have to bring mosquito repellant. There is a winery in Coshocton County but I’m heading right for the apple butter! Golly, who would have guessed there was so much to do in Ohio!
My 5th great grandfather, Isaac Draper, was the first to register property ownership in Tiverton Township. I’d like to see where that farm was – and oh, wouldn’t it be grand to find a written account of his pioneer experience.  Our Meredith family settled in New Castle Township. These are my mother’s people.

7 comments:

  1. Sandy, You know my Disney family came from just north of Columbus, Ohio and I could have driven up to my families burial grounds, but Nationwide Ins. Co.'s meetings with Board of Directors went into evenings

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  2. I'm sorry you missed that opportunity to drive up to the cemetery. Do you remember the name of the cemetery?

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  3. I checked out your Ohio connection. Samuel Disney was born in VA and died in IA, although he must have farmed in Ohio along the way. His father, John, died in VA. It is your father’s mother’s family, the Fidler family, who lived in Knox County, Ohio. Your grandmother, Corena Fidler Disney was born in Knox County, Ohio. It is probably where she and Samuel met and married. Her father (your great grandfather) William Fidler is buried in Fredericktown, Knox, Ohio in the Quaker Cemetery. Check out the book I made for you last Christmas. It would have been interesting to travel up there and see where they farmed.

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  4. What a wonderful Christmas present you're creating for your family. You are welcome to add a link to our site. ~ Director, Marketing & Public Relations, Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area ~ http://www.ohioanderiecanalway.com/Main/Home.aspx

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  5. All the best on your project!

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  6. Thank you for linking to Simply Recipes!

    I love old fashioned apple butter, it's great that you are showing a photo in your blog post about how it is traditionally made (not in an oven!)

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  7. On salt consumption - Thank you for contacting MayoClinic.com.

    You're welcome to establish a link to our site.

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Comments Welcome!