67 and pioneer cabins building betokened the energy of this people independent by force of arms. Among the first arrivals came William Butt and family, who purchased 1200 acres of land and built his first cabin on the farm now owned by Rosemond. Heminger and his sons came along and were paid to clear a way for the wagons. In the year 1800, the ground on which New Philadelphia now stands wTas appropriated by President John Adams to satisfy military boundary claims, and was purchased soon after by Godfrey Haga. In 1804, Haga, through his agent Heckewelder, sold nearly 4000 acres to John Knisely who proceeded to lay out a town. In the spring of 1805, he moved hither with his family in company with John Hull who erected the first house built in New Philadelphia. In May 1808, David Fiscus, Mr. Geiger and son, Daniel Williams and Peter Williams, a lad of sixteen, concluded to make the journey on foot, as horses were not available for the entire party. They walked thirty miles the first day, the next day twenty- five, and sojourned over night in a log cabin
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