"In 1799 Edward and his family followed Zane's Trace into what is now Fairfield County. They originally settled near Pleasant Run and built a log cabin. Methodist services were held in this two room cabin in the autumn of 1799. Circuit Rider Rev. James Quinn preached at these services. In 1803 Reverend Quinn married Patience Teal, the youngest daughter of Edward and Sarah Teal. During the early 1800's Bishop Asbury made several trips from Baltimore to the area to preach. He continued his close ties with the Teal family and, in an 1803 entry to his Journal, Bishop Asbury comments on the "1200 acres of fine land" owned by Edward Teal."
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http://www.archive.org/stream/sketchesoflifela00wrig/sketchesoflife...
Some time early in the year 1804 Mr. Edward Teal re-
moved to Ohio, and settled in Fairfield county. At the
close of Mr. Quinn's term of service on Redstone, being
transferred to the Western conference, he removed his wife
into the vicinity of his father-in-law's. Here he built a small
cabin, just sufficient to contain their little plain furniture.
Its dimensions were not more, perhaps, than twelve feet by
fourteen. Soon after fitting up this humble habitation for
his wife, he left to attend the conference, which was held
at Mount Gerrizim Church, near Cynthiana, Ky., October
2, 1804. . . . . In attending to his work at those distant points, he had of
necessity to be a great deal from home, and was often com-
pelled to leave his wife with no other company than that
of a little niece, when he knew her visitors would likely be
more frequently Indians than white persons. He however
committed her to God, as to a faithful Creator, and she put
her trust in the Lord Jehovah, and all was safe.
This humble cabin was the birthplace of their first-born.
In later years, when visiting that daughter, now Mrs.
Clark, of Chilicothe, he seemed to take much pleasure in
describing to her friends the size of the cabin, and the little
furniture it contained, in contrast with her present spacious
and convenient dwelling, and other favorable circumstances,
and would always close by saying, "I hope my Sarah will
never become ashamed of her humble birth." Near the
close of life he seemed to have special delight in relating
the circumstances of his privations, hard labors, and con-
sequent suffering, like the old mariner, who never descants
on the clear sky and smooth sea, but always talks of the
storms and other perils of the deep, or like the old soldier,
who delights to tell of the hardships of his campaign, and
show his scars. Tales of woe are softly pleasing, though
they may sadden the soul !
I have heard him say that the first wheat flour they ever
had in their house, and which was some time after they
removed to Ohio, he brought home on his horse from a
distance of more than forty miles. It formed a matter of
some interest, and when his generous wife had taken of
the fine flour and baked many "cakes," so uncommon in
that region, she had several invited guests present to par-
ticipate with them in the great rarity.
. . .
" Reached Rushville an hour before sunset. Well, before
I was well seated, the inquiry was, 'Will you preach for
us to-night? Yes, you will; we will ring the bell, and you
shall have a good congregation.' Accordingly we had a
good congregation and a good meeting, and I found I was
no stranger here. Rushville is a pleasant place. I have
known the society here from its first organization, an excep-
tion to almost all others with which I have had an ac-
quaintance; for, from the beginning, it has continued to
wax and wax, and never wane. So may it continue till
time shall be no more. In 1804 we had a small class of
six or seven members, which met at the house, or cabin,
of Mr. John Murphey. Mr. Murphey, his wife, Mr. Isaac,
J. James, his wife, and two or three others, composed the
class, which continued to prosper and increase; moving
their place of meeting to a little church, a little south of
East Rushville, which they built and called Pleasant Hill.
Here the society continued to grow and grow, till the place
became too strait for them. They next built a neat brick
house in the village. This, however, in a few years became
too small. It was removed, and now, in its place, behold!
a stately, spacious brick church, with basement, steeple, and
bell, all in neat style, and a happy society of more than
three hundred in number, with Sabbath school and Bible
classes, etc.; but nothing of those anti-Methodistical thing's,
pews or organs. In this vicinity was my family residence
for sixteen years, while I ranged through the Muskingum
and Scioto districts for eight years, and eight years more
on circuits, more or less contiguous, 3 T et not so as to clog
the itinerancy, or embarrass the superintendencv. I hope
Rushville will do well, keep humble and good, and not
take it into her head to become a station; for, if all our
flourishing villages should become stations — located, as
they are for the most, in the center of a dense and wealthy
country population — the circuits would soon be so crippled
that either the local preachers and the exhorters would
have to do the itinerant work, or else we should have to
get up a home missionary society to support the netkm-
ims, who might still In- admitted, and retained to supply
the poor and destitute places.
. . . .
We have already noticed the trying circumstances in
which Mr. Quinn found himself placed in view of his
rising family and the limited means afforded for their sup-
port. We do not wonder that he should have it suggested
to his mind, that the. time had arrived when he should
cease to devote his whole time to the service of the
Church as an itinerant minister, and should provide for
his own household. Unfortunately, he yielded to this sug-
gestion, and, at the next session of the conference, he re-
ceived an honorable location. He now applied himself,
with great energy and industry, to the means by which
he hoped to secure a support for his family. He once
understood agriculture practically, and was accustomed to
work on a farm. But now his labors seemed to avail but
little; and the anticipated prosperity was not realized.
The Legislature of the state elected him associate judge
of the Court of Common Pleas for Fairfield county. His
friends tried to encourage him. He seemed to have the
confidence and good-will of all his acquaintances; yet he
was an unhappy man. He has informed the writer that,
often at night, after working hard all day, he has retired
to the woods, and, for an hour, writhed in anguish, suf-
fering indescribable torture of mind. He seemed to have
a consciousness of having done wrong in retiring from the
itinerant work, and to apprehend that the curse of God
would rest upon the labor of his hands. Many of his
cattle and horses died, and nothing he did seemed to
prosper. He often spoke of the two years he was located
as being the most unhappy of his life. It may be asked,
What counsel or influence was used to get him to desist
from traveling? It gives me sincere pleasure to record
that no blame was attached to his excellent wife. His
father-in-law, however, I can not proclaim thus innocent,
but have reason to believe he used all his great influence
to procure Mr. Quinn's location. Bishop Asbury visited
him, and having ascertained his state of mind, and how
things were going with him, remarked that he should not
wonder, if he did not enter the itinerant field again, if he
should be taken out of the world in some way. Some
time after this, Mr. Quinn narrowly escaped death by the
falling of a limb from a tree. But for the quick and sudden
leap of his horse he would have lost his life. He rode
home, and told his father-in-law what had happened, and
he, having knowledge of what Bishop Asbury had said,
replied, "Well, you had better go into the itinerant work
again; for I see plainly you will never be fit for any thing
else."
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