"Relative to them the will provides that at his death his 'slaves in
Virginia shall be free.' That his lands shall be sold and comfortable
homes in a free State be purchased for them with the proceeds. That
the revenue from his plantations the last year of his life be applied
in building school houses and churches for their accommodation. That
all money coming to him in Virginia be set aside for the employment
of ministers and teachers to instruct them. That 'care be taken to
make them as comfortable and happy as possible.'

"In 1815 Samuel Gist died, and Wickham of Richmond, Va. (in
conjunction with his father-in-law, Page), who had been appointed
Gist's agent, proceeded to execute his will. Accordingly through
parties in Hillsboro, Ohio, 1,112 acres of land near Georgetown, and
1,200 acres west of Fincastle, in Eagle Township, were purchased for
homes for these slaves. These lands were covered with thickets of
undergrowth and sloughs of stagnant water and were almost valueless
at that time for any purpose other than pasturage. Here in June,
1818, came nearly 900 persons, a part of whom located on the
Georgetown lands, the remainder on the Fincastle purchase. Their
'comfortable homes' lay in the wild region about them; the education
they received was in the stern school of adversity. As a matter of
course, they did not prosper. Some who were able returned to
Virginia. Others built rude huts and began clearing away the forest.
What little money they had was soon spent. Scheming white men planned
to get their personal property. They became involved in numerous law
suits among themselves, and so from various causes they were reduced
almost to pauperism. In later years their lands have been sold, so
that at present but few families remain as relics of this once large
settlement. Among the first families that settled in this township
were the following, most of whom had families:

"Jacob Cumberland, George Cumberland, Samuel Hudson, Gabriel York,
James Gist, Gabriel Johnson, Joseph Locust, James Cluff, ---- Davis,
Sol Garrison, ---- Pearsons, ---- Williams, Glascow Ellis, and Tom
Fox. 'Old Sam Hudson,' as he was familiarly known, was an odd
character, and many anecdotes are yet related of him. At one time he
was sent to the State Prison at Columbus fo