USA > Connecticut > Incidents of pioneer life in the early settlement of the Connecticut Western Reserve > Part 10
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tempted to persuade John, under plausible pre- tenses, to visit their camp, which was near at hand, but did not succeed. In the meantime, the Indians discovered that the guns which they had left outside the door were missing. They then accused Daniel, who had been absent for a few moments, of having stolen them, and declared they would not leave the house until their guns were restored. The "war of words" became serious. The dance was suspended ; the ladies shrieked, and escaped from the house into the open air, followed by their gallants and the irate Indians. The scene was one of wild confusion. The moon shone brightly, and in connection with the gleam of the snow, seemed to change night into day. Luckily the Indians discovered their guns near the house, and seizing them disap- peared into a neighboring ravine, where they rejoined their associates, who had accompanied them, and who were secreted in the ravine, as a reserve force, in case of need. The dancing party returned into the house and resumed their festivities, believing that they were relieved from the danger of further disturbance.
It was not the intention of the Indians to mo- lest the guests of John Driver, but to secure his person and make him the victim of their revenge. John understood this, and adopted a cautious policy. Yet the Indians were not to be
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foiled. By Indian law every man of a tribe or a race, is responsible for a crime or offense commit- ted by any one of their number. But Daniel Driver, feeling confident of the friendship of the Indians, reconnoitered the premises adjoining the house, and the moment he approached the brow of the ravine, was met by the entire band, led by Mohawk and Nicksaw, who said they had found their guns, expressed themselves as satis- fied, and even condescended to apologize for their improper conduct towards him and his friends, assembled at the house. Daniel reciprocated their professions of renewed friendship, and offered to shake hands with Mohawk, who indig, nantly refused. He then turned to go to the house. and had proceeded but a few steps, when Mohawk lifted his ritle and shot him through the temples, in a range which nearly destroyed both eyes, and felled him to the ground. His brother John, who was in the house, hearing the report of the gun, ran to the spot, and lifting Daniel to his feet, asked "what is the matter ?" Daniel re- plied, faintly, "I am shot."
The entire band of Indians then fled, except Mohawk, who remained surveying his victim with an air of cool indifference. The moment Daniel had been received into the house. John assailed Mohawk with a determination to slay him on the spot; but Mohawk sprang from him
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with a bound and, uttering a fearful yell, fled into the woodlands. John followed, and was rapidly gaining on the savage, when the other Indians of the band emerged from their hiding place and hurried to the rescue of Mohawk, who was their favorite, though subordinate chieftain. John, perceiving his danger of being captured, returned with all possible speed to the house, where he found his brother Daniel still alive, but in a very critical condition.
This marauding band of Indians, fearing to remain in the country, emigrated at once in a northwest direction. The murderous attack which had been made on Daniel, without the least provocation on his part, spread alarm throughout the settlement. Within a few hours after the occurrence, twenty-five brave and heroic men volunteered to pursue and chastise the treacherous savages. They soon discovered the direction the Indians had taken, and pursued them with guns and hounds with unrelaxed avidity for the first twenty-four hours, when the cold became so intense that several of their num- ber froze their feet, and were obliged to stop at settlements on the way; but their places were readily filled by new volunteers, who resided in the settlements along the route. The cold was not only severe, but the snow was deep, which contributed to retard their progress.
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On the night of the second day, they overtook the dusky fugitives encamped near Boston, on the west side of the Cuyahoga river, and sur- rounded them. In the confusion of the onset, Mohawk and Nicksaw escaped from camp and "took to their heels." They were hotly pursued by the white men, who commanded them to sur- render. This they refused to do, and continued their flight. Being close upon them Williams, of Hudson, leveled his gun and shot Nicksaw, who fell dead in his tracks. In the meantime Mohawk redoubled his speed and succeeded in eluding his pursuers for the time being. Yet a detachment of the white men, had resolved that he should pay the penalty of his atrocious crime. They traced him to his lurking place near Detroit, and there dispatched him without cere- mony.
The remaining Indians, who had surrendered while in camp, near Boston, were escorted to Warren, where they were tried before a magis- trate on the charge of being implicated in the attempt made to murder Daniel and John Driver. They arrived before the magistrate in a pitiful condition, in the midst of a severe snow storm, half-clad and shivering with the cold, some with frozen feet, and others with frozen ears and fingers, and all of them nearly overcome with exhaustion and hunger. They were seated in a
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half-circle on the floor, in presence of the magis- trate, who sat at a rickety table, on the upright section of a log for a chair, with becoming dignity and solemnity. The prisoners awaited events with woeful faces and with an expectation of being condemned to be shot. An array of witnesses was called, some white men, and some Indians, who were sworn and heard in the case. There were no lawyers employed on either side. The magistrate questioned the witnesses and took notes of their testimony, not a word of which had been understood by the prisoners. In sum- ming up the evidence the magistrate seemed somewhat perplexed, and looked very grave; but after thrusting his fingers through his hair, as if to concentrate his thoughts, he recovered his usual equanimity and clearness of perception and pronounced a "verdict of acquittal," which was communicated to the Indians by an inter- preter. The Indians were at first overcome with the unexpected result, but soon rallied and gave expression to unrestrained joy and delight, and went on their "way rejoicing" to their old camp- ing ground, where they met their dusky friends, and crowned their narrow escape from death with a dog feast and a drunken repose from all fears of a public execution.
CHAPTER XX.
Characteristics of Huron County-Founder of Norwalk-Its first House-Church "Horn " --- Two Trappers Murdered by Indians-The Murderers arrested, tried and sentenced to be Hanged-Break Jail and Escape --- Re-arrested and Hanged -Their Religious Belief.
HURON COUNTY was formed in 1809; but not organized until 1815. It originally embraced the entire tract known as the "fire-lands," to which allusion has been already made. Norwalk was selected as the county seat, and is now one of the pleasantest towns in the State. Its citizens are a very enterprising and intelligent class of people. Everything about them gives evidence of their Puritanic origin and practical good sense.
The county takes its name from an Indian tribe, which the French designated as "Hurons." The name is of Indian origin, but its significa- tion is unknown: yet it doubtless had allusion to a branch of the Wyandot tribe. The territory
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of the county is composed of swelling hills and undulating prairies, with a soil of sandy loam. There are several distinct ridges of land in this county, which run along the southern shore of Lake Erie, varying in width from a few rods to a mile or more, and which essentially correspond in their curvature, with the line of the shore. There is little or no waste land in the county. The soil is easily cultivated and is very produc- tive, while the climate is unusually healthful. ' In a word, it is a paradisical region for agri- culturalists.
The site which Norwalk, the county seat, now occupies, was originally selected by Hon. Elisha Whittlesey, in connection with two or three other prominent gentlemen, in the year 1815. It was at that time a part of the primitive wilderness, but was soon surveyed in allotments, and the lots apprais- ed and put in market at from sixty to one hundred dollars each, according to location. Though sev- eral sales were promptly made at the appraisal, the first house was not erected until 1817. It was constructed of logs, and owned by Platt Benedict, who intended to occupy it with his family ; but while he and his family were return- ing from the east with this view, the structure took fire from the carelessness of hunters, and was reduced to ashes.
No sooner had Benedict arrived and discovered
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his misfortune, than he proceeded to construct another cabin, instead of yielding to discourage- ment, as men of less enterprise might have done. In the course of three days, he completed a new cabin, placed his family in it, and became " mon- arch of all he surveyed." Like most of the early pioneers, he was a man of pluck, and re- solved to conquer difficulties. His cabin was the nucleus of a town. Other families from the east 'soon arrived, and swelled the population to a respectable village. This accession, induced the erection of a spacious log school-house, which, for a number of years, was occupied on Sundays for public worship. The congregation consisted of all classes, without regard to creed or color, and was convened at the "blowing of the horn." In the absence of a preacher, the elders con- ducted the services. With the increase of popu- lation came not only additional schools, but churches and a court-house.
There are some memorable events connected with the early settlement of Huron county. In 1819, two Indians were tried and executed at Norwalk for murder. The circumstances were of an aggravating character. Two white men, John Wood and George Bishop, had been trap- ping muskrats in the vicinity of the "two har- bors," so called, and had stored their furs in a temporary hut, where they lodged at night. On
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a dark and rainy night, while they were asleep, three Ottawa Indians, Negosheck, Negonaba and Negasow, approached the hut, stealthily, with a preconcerted determination to rob the trappers of their furs." The two Indians first named, were well known as reckless villains, but the third was a young lad, "guiltless of guile," who had taken no part in the evil counsel which animated. his associates. On entering the hut, they found the trappers lost in a profound slumber. The young Indian lad stood at the open door and saw Jis stalwart associates select their victims, and deal the fatal blow. The murderers then re- quired the young Indian, who had witnessed the brutal scene, to strike the dying men several ad- ditional blows on the head with a club, in order to make him a participant in the nefarious deed, and prevent him from being called as a witness of the crime against them in case of detection. They then gathered their booty, and took their departure up the valley of the Maumee river, avoiding the settlements on the way, and endeav- oring to leave no visible track or trace behind them.
In the course of a few days the bodies of the dead men were found by their friends. The cir- cumstances made it evident that the two trappers had been killed by the Indians and plundered of their furs and other articles of property.
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The discovery created a general excitement among the white settlers in that region of the country, who at once organized a volunteer com- pany of armed men, and dispatched them in pursuit of the escaping murderers. They soon ascertained, from information received in a neigh- boring Indian settlement, the direction which the perpetrators of the crime had taken, and after following in their wake for several days and nights, overtook them in the valley of the Maumee, and succeeded in arresting them with- out serious difficulty. They found the stolen property in their possession, returned with their prisoners, and took them before a magistrate for examination, when they confessed the crime and were lodged in jail. When brought to trial in the County Court, the two older Ottawas, who instigated and actually committed the murder, were found guilty and sentenced to be hanged on the first Friday of June, being the next Friday after the trial. The young Ottawa was acquitted.
The county, at this date, had not provided a jail, but used as a substitute a log cabin, in which the convicts were placed and kept in charge of an armed guard, awaiting the day ap- pointed for their execution. In the meantime the wily convicts took the advantage afforded them by a very dark night, and despite the vigi- lance of the guard contrived to escape. The
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guard, hearing their departing footsteps, fired on the fugitives and wounded one of them, as was evident the next morning, from blood stains which appeared along the track. The disabled convict, however, continued his flight for several miles, when he became exhausted and lay down to die, urging his companion to quicken his speed, and thus save, if possible, his own life.
In the course of the next day the pursuers overtook the wounded Indian, and found him lying on the ground and apparently in a dying condition. But his captors soon revived him with stimulants, and succeeded in returning him in a comfortable condition to the jail, whence he had escaped. The other Indian was soon after- wards recaptured, near the Maumee, while at- tempting to cross that stream, and brought back in triumph to Norwalk, where the two convicts were executed on the same day, in accordance with the sentence of the court, amid a large concourse of both white men and Indians, who had assembled to witness the novel but impres- sive spectacle.
These Indians, like most of their race, re- garded the white men as usurpers of rights and privileges which belonged exclusively to the red men, and therefore felt justified for the deeds which they had committed, believing the Great Spirit would receive them after death into still .
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happier "hunting grounds." The culprits be- . lieved also, that their dogs would accompany them, and seeing their dogs present pointed at them, and then at the sky, as they were launched from the platform. Such is the Indian's creed.
" To be, contents his natural desire, He asks no angel's wings, no seraph's fire; But thinks, admitted to that equal sky, His faithful dog shall bear him company."
CHAPTER XXI.
Harrisville and its Founder -- Explorers from Wooster and their Experiences-The cold Winter -- The ancient Pathway of Indian Travel-Their Hunts and methods of Transporta- tion-Differences of Races-Indian Theology.
THE territory which comprises the county of Medina, was previous to its organization, a part of Portage county. It was organized in April, 1818, and embraces an undulating region of fer- tile land, which was originally clad with a dense forest of oak, maple, beech, hickory, chestnut and whitewood. The soil is an intermixture of clay and sandy loam, and is admirably adapted to the production of grass and the various kinds of grain.
The first noteworthy settlement in the county, was made at Harrisville, February 14, 1811, by Joseph Harris, who, with his family, consisting of a wife and one child, "led the way," and commenced the future town by the erection of the
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first cabin. Here he resided in solitude for some years, with no white neighbors nearer than Wooster, a distance of seventeen miles. There were no roads existing in this region of the country at that early day. The first attempt at road-making, resulted in merely marking out a trail, by blazing the trees in a line extending northerly from Wooster through Harrisville to Lake Erie.
. The party who explored and designated this route, resided at Wooster, and was composed of George Poe, Joseph H. Larwill and Roswell M. Mason. They traveled on foot, carrying with them their provisions and other indispensables, including a pocket compass. They left Wooster in the morning, encouraged by the benedictions of their fellow citizens, and camped the first night, after a weary day's work, on the southerly margin of "Big Swamp ;" ate a cold supper with a keen relish ; wrapped the " drapery of their couch" about them, and lay down to "pleasant dreams," with the windows of heaven wide open, through which the sentinel stars looked out and watched over their extemporized, but roofless lodgings.
But, instead of enjoying " pleasant dreams,?' they were entertained all night by the howling of hungry wolves, the incessant croaking of the frogs in the swamp, and the dismal crushing
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sound which was made by coons, engaged in de- vouring these nocturnal serenaders, the frogs. At daybreak they heard the bells of cattle in a northerly direction, and following the sound, soon discovered the lone cabin of Mr. Harris, where they were hospitably received and re- freshed with the best the larder afforded. They then proceeded on their way to the falls of Black river, where the town of Elyria now is, and thence followed the river to its entrance into the Lake, where they found a solitary settler by the name of Reed. He and Harris were the only white men to be found on the new route which they had now marked out, and established be- tween Wooster and Lake Erie. It was at that time, not only a lone route, but like the way over Jordan, a "hard road to travel." The present gen- eration cannot appreciate the embarrassments to which the pioneers of the Reserve, were subjected in their earnest endeavors to subdue the asperi- ties of the wilderness, and provide for themselves and for their posterity happy homes, which are now enriched with all the privileges and blessings of a refined civilization. .
In June, 1811, the Harris settlement received an accession, by the arrival of George Burr and family, accompanied by his brother, Russell Burr. They came from Litchfield, Ct. In the following year, when war was declared between Great Britain and the United States, the Indians
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of the upper Lake regions, espoused the cause of Great Britain, and threatened to invade the set- tlements on the southern shore of Lake Erie. This induced the families, located at Harrisville, to remove to Portage county, where they ex- pected to find protection and greater safety, among settlements supposed to be able from their number to defend themselves. But finding that they were not likely to be molested, the Harris- ville families returned to their own settlement in the month of October of the same year. The ensuing winter was a severe one, and was long remembered as the "cold winter." The settlers were subjected to great distress for want of the necessary provisions. The snow fell to the depth of two feet, and remained at that depth during the months of January and February, with a degree of cold which was uniformly intense, so much so that many domestic and wild animals were frozen to death, while others died of starvation. It was difficult to obtain water, as nearly all the smaller streams were closed and sealed up by congelation. There was no relief until the month of March, when a general thaw and flood ensued, followed by mild weather and the de- · lights of an early spring, which inspired hope and gave to nature a smiling aspect.
"Oh speak the joy, ye, whom the sudden tear Surprises often, while you look around ;
And nothing strikes your eye but sight of bliss, . All various nature pressing on the heart."
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There was an old Indian trail leading from Sandusky to the Tuscarawas river, which passed through the locality selected by Harris at the time he settled in this region. This trail was probably connected with the old "Portage path," if not identical with it. It was a hard trodden trail, which was much traveled by the Indians, who rode on ponies when making their periodical hunting excursions from north to south. They had been accustomed, from time immemorial, to hunt and fish at eligible points in the country, and at different seasons of the year, wherever fish and game abounded. In winter they resorted in large parties to the Tuscarawas Valley, and in summer returned to the more inviting regions of the Lakes. They were usually very successful, especially in the Tus- carawas Valley, whence they often returned with their ponies ladened with furs, jerked venison, and bear's oil. They traveled in single file along their ancient path-way, stretching out in a line often two or three miles in length. Their ponies were admirably trained for the service required of them, and were readily directed 'in their course by the signs and dictation of their riders. Neither bridles nor saddles were used; yet their ponies often carried surprising burdens, consist- ing not only of the spoils of the hunt, but often including camp utensils, tents, squaws, pap-
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pooses, and other luggage. At night they encamped wherever they might happen to be, and contrived to make themselves very com- fortable. . Every day brought with it, its wild pastime, and every night its sound and refresh- ing slumber. They lived to enjoy, since Nature had provided liberally for all their physical needs. In fact they lived in a state of primitive innocence, until their wild domains were entered by civilized men, who brought with them the vices rather than the virtues of civilized life. In this way the "apple of discord" was sown, and the children of the wilderness soon became demoralized, and though often grossly deceived by the white traders, still bore and forbore wrongs and insults, to which they quietly sub- mitted, rather than come to an open outbreak. So far as possible they protected themselves against fraud by the practice of fraud. The white traders were often outwitted by the in- genious deceptions of their dusky patrons. The result was that the "sharpers" on both sides, came to the conclusion at last, that "honesty was the best policy,"-a policy which both professed to adopt, but never, or "hardly ever," did adopt. The differences between savage and civilized life are not, after all, so wide as we are apt to imagine. An interchange of missionary effort between the races might prove mutually bene-
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ficial, especially since the Federal Government professes to be doing so much, yet achieves so little, in promoting the moral and physical wel- fare of her Indian tribes. The two races are by nature distinct. Yet each has its rights-rights which ought to be respected. Whether "might"' ever gives "right," still remains a "vexed ques- tion," yet in practice it usually proves true. Though civilization may conquer barbarism, it does not follow that it can either reclaim or regenerate it. There is a distinctive difference in the constitutional characteristics of the red, white, yellow and black races, which never has been, and never can be overcome or reconciled. They were constituted, as they are, by an im- perative law of Nature. They all reason, and have their reasons. They all have their philoso- phies, and a theology of their own.
An aged chief of one of our Indian tribes, re- cently in conversation with a missionary, said : "You are just as you were made, and as you were made you can remain. We are just as we were made, and you cannot change us. Why then should we quarrel or try to cheat one another ? I do not believe that the Great Spirit gave one kind of men the right to tell another kind of men what they must do."
The son of this old chief visited Washington not long since for the purpose of perfecting the
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terms of a treaty, and in discussing the question of missionary effort among his people, stated that they "believe in the Great Spirit, who sees and hears everything, and that he never forgets ; that hereafter he will give every man a spirit-home, according to his deserts; if he has been a good man, he will give him a good home; if he has been a bad man, he will have a bad home. This I believe, and all my people believe the same."
If this simple faith of the "poor Indian" is not orthodox, it certainly does not seem to be grievously heterodox. It may be assumed as true that man, whether savage or civilized, is en- dowed by nature with the elements of a religious faith of some kind, which develops itself and "grows with his growth." It is a faith or guid- ing principle of life, which inanifests itself not only in the individual, but in the family, the tribe and the nation. Hence creeds are as various as the various peoples of the earth. All claim to be right, yet all may be wrong. It is not what a man professes to believe, but what he does, that furnishes the true test of a Christian life. ‹
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