Abner Copeland
Abner Copeland came with his family from Virginia to Union township in the spring of 1836.
His oldest son, Joseph, bought a piece of land in Clay township, but sold this, and bought land in Union township. He has now over nine hundred acres. In 1849 he married Mary Ann English. They have raised live children, of which four still survive. The Copelands came to Union township when it was new and wild, and encountered all the difficulties and inconveniences of pioneer life. Their first team was a yoke of bulls, and after the death of one of these the other was worked alone like a horse. Mr. Copeland relates the following incident touching this bovine. One of his neighbors, who then owned the bull, had him bridled and saddled to take a grist to mill. All went pleasantly enough until they met another bull, when both animals evinced such fury that the rider of the one soon saw fit to dismount. This he did, and removed his grist, saddle, and bridle, and permitted the beasts to settle their differences, after which he saddled and bridled his game horse, and proceeded on his way. For illustration, see Copeland
page.
From History of Auglaize County, Ohio, with the Indian History of Wapakoneta, and the First Settlement of the County, Robert Sutton, Publishers, Wapakoneta, 1880