My original
watercolor painting of the Null cabin hints that the structure stands atop one
of the highest points in the county. The dwelling is a landmark and, through
donations, has been preserved with extensive restoration work sponsored by the Springboro
Area Historical Society.
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The
Null Cabin Near Springboro, Ohio
Original
Watercolor Painting by Robert T. Rhode
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Born in
Rockingham County, Virginia, in 1772, Christian Null served in the
Revolutionary War while he was still at a tender age. After a journey to the
Ohio country in 1792, Christian and his brother Charles cleared the land and
built the log house. Various siblings joined Christian and Charles. The Null
cabin boasts a cellar and two wings. Its location is protected within the
Heatherwoode Golf Course that includes an elegant residential area.
My
ancestors were part of a Quaker migration that arrived at nearby Caesar’s Creek
only fifteen years after Christian Null began his new life in Ohio; for that
reason, the Null cabin is of particular interest to me. It serves as a reminder
of the promise that Ohio held forth not only for the Nulls and the Rhodes but also
for many other pioneering families.
Christian
Null’s log home is larger than it might appear. As it stands alone on the crest
of the knoll, there is no other structure close enough to give a sense of
proportion. The rooms are ample, especially for a cabin! The wings provide
plenty of space—even for those of us accustomed to today’s spacious houses.
While I
stand before the cabin, I can easily imagine Christian Null and members of his
family coming and going, busy at the tasks each season brings. Planting crops,
harvesting vegetables, preparing meat, spinning thread, making cloth, feeding
cattle, and other vignettes of country life readily please my mind’s eye. It is
not idle nostalgia to picture the Nulls as contented people. From history, we
know that Ohio land fulfilled its covenant with settlers by being wonderfully productive.
The golf course
and fine homes do not interrupt the commanding view from the cabin in nearly
all directions. You feel as if you are standing on top of the world. Seeing the
sunrise through one of the upstairs windows must have been a rewarding
experience for the Nulls! Witnessing the golden light of morning as it spread
across the valleys must have reaffirmed the Nulls’ faith in a benevolent
Creator.
If you
would like to purchase one of my paintings from this blog series, send me a
message through my website at roberttrhode.org or via Facebook.
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