In 1800 Christian Gundy left Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, left his wife in Wheeling (Virginia) for "safe-keeping," and continued to the Walnut Creek Valley just north of the Hockhocking Valley. He "squatted" on some good but unsurveyed land, planted some corn and then returned to Wheeling to retrieve his pioneer companion. Gundy was soon followed by Robert Wilson and they became the first settlers in Liberty Township. In 1806 "Father" Gundy and Sarah brought into the world a son, Noah. For his 1877 "Complete History of Fairfield County" Hervey Scott interviewed Noah Gundy for the "rest of the story" about the elder Gundy.

One of the good stories about pioneer times in Liberty Township recounts the time "Father" Gundy attempted to sell some of his hogs. He could not get what he thought was a fair price locally so he contracted with a buyer in Zanesville. Transportation was very crude at the time and the Zane's Trace was the only decent "road" to his market so he herded his hogs and herded them over several days to Zanesville. Upon arriving at the confluence of the Licking and Muskingum Rivers forty miles away he was informed by the buyer that the hogs were no longer wanted! Needless to say, Gundy was quite angry. He refused to march his hogs back to Liberty Township so he left them foraging in the streets of Zanesville and returned to his farm. According to Gundy, within three weeks everyone of the porkers found their way home on their own.

I once asked Mr. Fairfield County Fair, Russell Alt, whether he believed Gundy's hogs could have returned as described in the story. Mr. Alt said he wouldn't bet on it but he did believe hogs had a bit of a "homing instinct." Of one thing he was certain, however. He steadfastly claimed the Alt's were the oldest continuous farm family in Liberty Township, arriving with the first wave of Swiss pioneers.

Francis Bibler settled along the little Walnut Creek tributary that bisects West Market Street between the Old Basil Cemetery and the new business complex just to the west of the graveyard. Ironically, one of the newest constructions in town sits on the same site as the very first log cabin built here 200 years ago this year. Bibler would be the first permanent settler within the present boundaries of Baltimore.

Joseph Bibler told Scott about the time he took some wheat to Lancaster to sell and was disappointed at the price to bring the crop back home rather than sell it for the few cents per bushel he was being offered. As he was leaving "downtown" Lancaster a merchant made him an offer he decided to take rather than chance not being able to sell the wheat at all. The merchant offered the pioneer farmer only twelve and a half cents a bushel. And then, to illustrate the plight of the early Ohio farmer, the businessman proceeded to dump the wheat into the mudholes at his storefront to offer better access through the muddy streets for his customers!

Where do you want to go? Select your destination: