USA > Connecticut > Incidents of pioneer life in the early settlement of the Connecticut Western Reserve > Part 14
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15
Yet Mormonism has a "destiny" to accom- plish, and though it may require centuries of time, it will accomplish it. Time sanctifies im- posture, and clothes it in the habiliments of truth. Ignorance accepts it, and builds its hopes of immortality upon it. Brigham Young has already been canonized, and in all probability will
268
INCIDENTS.
ultimately be "deified." Pilgrims from every quarter of the globe will come and kneel at his shrine, and revere his name. In other words, Salt Lake City will become the "Medina" of America. This may seem a fanciful pre- diction, but stranger things have happened.
Mormonism is but another version of Moham- modanism. Polygamy is its most obnoxious feature-a feature that should be at once eradi- cated. But, the truth is, our Government needs "nerve," yet no man needs more than one wife ; and that one wife is not only enough, but often "one" too many, if we may judge from the great number of divorces annually granted by the courts throughout our "happy Union."
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Ottawa, its Productions and Islands-Battle of Lake Erie- Burial of the dead at Put-in-Bay -- Ashland a piece of patchwork-Daniel Carter its first settler-David Burns & grand juror-Early settlement at Jeromeville-Capt. Pipe, the Indian Chief-Fate of his daughter and her lover.
OTTAWA county was erected in 1840, and is composed of territory taken from Sandusky, Erie and Lucas counties. Its name is of Indian derivation, and signifies "trader." It was for- merly a region productive of furs, and much visited by fur-traders. Though but a fractional part of its present territory originally belonged to the Western Reserve, it is entitled to its kindred share of consideration.
But few, if any, permanent settlements were made in Ottawa previous to 1830. Up to that time it was almost exclusively occupied by the aborigines, who were somewhat numerous. ID
269
270
INCIDENTS OF
its geographical outline, it is essentially a penin- sula, which extends into the Lake a considerable distance. Its chief natural productions are tim- ber, limestone and cranberries. In its primitive condition it was but a basin of liquid mud, known as the Black Swamp, and resembled the lake-like "Dismal Swamp" of the South, on whose dark waters an Indian lover, it is said, pursued, in a canoe, the ghost of his love into its " still darker interior, whence he never returned.
"And oft from the Indian hunter's camp, This lover and maid so true Are seen, at the hour of midnight damp, To cross the lake by a firefly lamp, And paddle their white canoe!"
The enterprising denizens of Ottawa, however, have converted the Black Swamp, by an artificial system of drainage, into a modern Eden. It is now a delightful region of country. The county seat is Port Clinton, a commercial town. It has .a harbor, considerable trade, and is a thriving town. It was surveyed into town lots in 1827. The cluster of beautiful islands, well-known as the gems of Lake Erie, are located in its imme- diate vicinity. The civil jurisdiction of the county has been so extended as to include several of them. The group known as the " Put-in-Bay Islands," has been assigned to the jurisdiction of Erie county. The South Bass is the largest of
------
271
PIONEER LIFE.
the group. It contains sundry caves of an inter- esting character, which were favorite resorts of the Indians in primitive times, and which attract, in the summer time, many visitors. In fact, these islands, generally, have now become popular as a region of fashionable resort in the hot months of the year, and furnish desirable inducements by way of accommodations. In the first place, Nature has embellished them with her magic fingers, and flung over them an air of enchant- ment, which is truly delightful. In the next place, the war of 1812, has invested them with an historical interest, which awakens in the breast of every true American an irrepressible feeling of patriotic pride.
It was in the vicinity of these islands that.the celebrated battle of Lake Erie was fought, on the 10th of September, 1813, between the American fleet commanded by the gallant Commodore Perry, and the British fleet commanded by Com- modore Barclay. The disparity between the two forces, the preliminary movements of the fleets, and the dash and bravery exhibited by Commno- dore Perry in the encounter, constitute such a remarkable series of activities, as have few, if any, parallels in the history of naval warfare.
The British fleet moved in a line of battle with six ships, bearing sixty four guns, at sunrise, on the morning of the eventful 10th, in pursuit of the American fleet, and with an air of defiance
---- ----- ! 1 ! 1
272
INCIDENTS OF
and confidence in its own strength. Commodore Perry, observing this movement of the enemy, brought his little fleet of fifty-four guns only into line, with as much dispatch as possible under the influence of adverse winds, and while struggling to keep his ships in line, the winds providentially changed in his favor, and as he neared the enemy, he ordered his union-jack, flaming with the words-" Don't give up the ship"-to be hoisted at masthead on his flag-ship Lawrence, which was instantly done, accompanied with three rousing cheers from his gallant crew. In a few moments a fearful fire was opened from the guns of the enemy upon the Lawrence, when Perry promptly returned the fire with terrible effect.
"And now, as maddening volleys rave, Though Perry's flag-ship reels, 'Neath fire and smoke, with hand to save, From ship to ship he steals; And now the fate of Briton's brave With one broadside he seals !
And now the decks are crimsoned o'er, Swept by that iron hail,
And as the last gun boomed to shore 'Mid shouts and saddening wail, Glad news to anxious hearts it bore Afar on every gale!
Honor to him who fought to break The grasp of sceptred pride; The Hero, whose brave deeds awake Within the heart's glad tide, Proud memories, now, with Eric's Lake And Perry's name, allied!"
1
273
PIONEER LIVE.
The victory won by the heroic Perry carried with it, truly and emphatically, "glad news" to thousands of "anxious hearts" along the entire line of the Lake coast. It was well under- stood by the helpless American residents along the Southern borders of the Lake, that the allied British and Indian land forces, under command of Gen. Proctor and the Indian chief, Tecumseh, numbering in all some five thousand men, were waiting at Malden the result of the naval battle, and in the event the British fleet had triumphed, stood ready to proceed at once to ravage and pillage the American settlements along the entire Lake border from Detroit to Buffalo.
The unexpected result of the battle, however, defeated the enemy's scheme of indiscriminate massacre and plunder, and had the effect to restore peace and safety to our common country. No sooner had the brave Perry received the surrender of the British fleet, than he sent his famous dispatch to the War department, at Washington, announcing, with wonderful brev- ity, modesty and sublimity, the fact-" We have met the enemy, and they are ours." He then proceeded reverently to bury the slain at the island of Put-in-Bay, one of the beautiful group that begems the bosom of Lake Erie, where their ashes still. rest, commemorated by the erection, near by, of a proud monument.
i 1
274
INCIDENTS OF
The territory of Ashland county is a piece of patchwork, surreptitiously clipped from the whole cloth of adjoining counties. The county was organized, in 1816, and embraces a fraction of land which was originally included in the Wes- tern Reserve, just enough in quantity and quality to give the county a tincture of puritanism, and a few dollars annually of the Western Reserve School Fund.
The lands of Ashland are rolling, rich, and productive, especially in wheat. The citizens are an intelligent and industrious people, chiefly devoted to agriculture. The greater part of the early settlers were emigrants from Pennsylvania, and, of course, lovers of wealth and accumula- tion. Their "mint" was the soil they tilled, and from whose abundant products they coined silver and gold. In this way they soon filled their long stockings with the precious metals.
The name of Ashland, was given to the county and to its present county seat, as a compliment to Henry Clay, the famous orator and statesman of Kentucky, whose homestead bore the same name. The county seat was surveyed and laid out into town lots as early as 1816, and received the name of Uniontown, which was subsequently changed to Ashland. The first cabin erected in the county, was built on the present site of the town of Ashland, in 1811, by Daniel Carter, who
275
PIONEER LIFE.
was an emigrant from Butler county, Pa. The locality which he selected soon attracted other settlers, and soon became the nucleus of a prom- ising town. The first store was opened by Joseph Sheets, which, with a half dozen log cabins and a blacksmith's shop, constituted the town. A school house and church were soon added, to say nothing of a whisky shop, or house of re- freshment, for man and beast.
These were primitive days when most of the country remained a dense forest, and when high- ways were paved with fathomless mud, and short distances became very long to travel. It was during this early state of the country, that David Burns, who resided in this region, was summoned to attend court, in what is now, Bel- mont county, as a grand juror. This was the first grand jury ever convened in Ohio. It was convened as early as 1795. Burns, who had been summoned to court, was compelled to travel forty miles through an unbroken wilderness, and along the line of an old mili- tary road, whose foundations seemed to have fallen out, giving to the traveler more depth than breadth of way. He rode on horseback, and occupied three days in accomplishing the journey. He had resided within the territory, now com- posing Ashland county, some years prior to 1795, and was spoken of as an "old settler." After
៛ 1
-----
i
276
INCIDENTS OF
the county was organized, it so happened that this famous old settler was summoned on the grand jury, to attend the first Court of Common Pleas held in the county. Though somewhat aged, he seemed to possess the vigor of youth, .crowned with the laurels of a green old age. He may therefore be considered as a man, de jure, of great usefulness and wisdom in the criminal administration of justice, and was doubtless so regarded by the lawless, who feared nothing but justice.
It is said that the earliest settlement made in Ashland county, was at Jeromeville, a town which took its name from Jerome, a Frenchman, who was the first settler. In fact, this was the only settlement within the present limits of the county during the war of 1812. The town at that date consisted of some half dozen families, who protected themselves against the incursions of the Indians by enclosing the space they occu- pied with a formidable array of pickets. They expected an attack, and would in all probability have been massacred, except for the fact that Jerome, the father of the settlement, had married a squaw for a wife, who was the daughter of an Indian warrior. There were several tribes who were hostile to the white settlers, occupying the northwestern part of the territory at this time, and who had threatened to exterminate every
3 $
277
PIONEER LIFE.
white man, woman and child, to be found within the limits of their hunting grounds. It was from these hostile tribes that the Jerome settlement had reason to expect a merciless attack.
The Delaware Indians, a friendly tribe, to which the wife of Jerome belonged, and who had been located near the settlement he had commenced, took their departure soon after the outbreak of the war with the Western Indians, and sought homes where the facilities for hunting and fishing were more ample and reliable at all seasons of the year. In their excursions, whether pertaining to war or hunting and fishing, they were led by a distinguished old chief known to the whites as Captain Pipe. He was, when young, a renowned warrior and an implacable foe of the white race, but later in life became much less vindictive, both in temper and spirit. He possessed a high degree of self-respect, and entertained a sensitive regard for his own honor and that of his kindred. He " had made for himself and for his warriors a proud record in the battle which resulted in the memorable defeat of Gen. St. Clair, and boasted that he had slain in the bloody fight so many white men with his own hatchet that he became tired and could wield it no longer.
He did not approve of contracting family alli- ances beneath his own rank and dignity. His daughter, who was an only child, was a favorite,
278
. INCIDENTS.
and possessed a nativemodest y and beauty truly. magical. Her charms had fascinated a brave and noble young warrior, who belonged to a tribe of less renown than her own, and whose love she reciprocated with & sincerity that could not be doubted. Nothing was wanting to consummate the attachment but the consent of her father. This the brave young warrior sought to obtain, but received a positive denial. The shock was too much for the young brave. He saw that he had "loved and lost," and, sorrowing, no longer desired to live. He ate the poisonous Mayapple and died. She sank into a deep melancholy, and soon died of a broken heart. They were buried, side by side, in the depths of the solitude and beneath the watchful shadows of the silent forest -- now the land of a civilized race.
" Two low, green hillocks, two small gray stones, Rose over the place that held their bones ; But the grassy hillocks are leveled again, And the keenest eye might search in vain, 'Mong briars and ferns, and paths of sheep, For the spot where the loving couple sleep."
CHAPTER XXIX.
Mahoning, why so named-Abounds in Coal, Iron and Salt Spring3-John Young-Caufield and Youngstown-En- terprising population-Murder of Kribs and of two other men-Terrible fight with Indian marauders on the river banks of Yellow Creek.
MAHONING county is a clip from the skirts of Trumbull and Columbiana. It was organized in 1846 .. Its name is derived from the Indian word " Mahonink,". signifying "at the lick," or "salt springs." It has sufficient Western Reserve territory within its limits to give its population a kindred recognition.
The county is rich in mineral wealth, especially in coal, iron and salt. Its citizens are principally devoted to mining, manufacturing, and agricul- ture. It is a region of picturesque hills and vales, and has many interesting localities which are known to history. Its natural resources have been already developed to a considerable extent.
·
279
280
INCIDENTS OP
The music of the mill, the forge, the hammer, and the pick, is everywhere heard throughout its borders. The products of its manufactories have become extensive, and enter largely into the commerce of our common country. Its mines arc inexhaustible.
Canfield was the original county seat, but after a severe political contest the "seat" was trans- ferred to Youngstown, which has now become one of the most beautiful cities in the interior of the State. Many of the residences of its citizens are palatial, indicating, what is true, a high degree of social refinement. John Young, who settled here in 1798, was the original proprietor of the township. From him the city derives its name. The first postoffice was established here in 1802. John Young was appointed Postmaster. He was one of the renowned pioneers of the early times, and ą man for the times, wise, shrewd, and benevolent. He has left behind him a noble record.
Adventurers, as early as 1785, penetrated this region, and erected log cabins at Salt Springs, for the purpose of engaging in the manufacture of salt. They were regarded as intruders, and, by order of Gen. Harmar, were dispersed in the course of the same year. The cabins were sub- sequently used for the storage of goods, and a man by the name of Kribs was sent there to take
3
أخلاط ص٤
281
PIONEER LIFE.
charge of the goods. While in charge, he was attacked and cruelly murdered by the Indians, · who claimed the exclusive right to the springs. Col. Hillman, who was passing soon afterwards through the country, discovered the mangled remains of the murdered man lying near one of the cabin doors, partially devoured by the wolves. The Indians had stolen the goods. He reported the facts, and the friends of the unfortunate man gathered the fragments of his remains and buried them in the vicinity of the springs. Within a short time after this sad occurrence, James Morrow and Samuel Simerson, while on their return from Sandusky, were overtaken and killed by the Indians, at Eagle Creek, west of Cleveland, with the evident design on the part of the murderers to appropriate the guns, ammunition, and other valuables belonging to their victims. So hostile had the Indians become, at this time, that it was dangerous for any white man. unless protected by a military guard, or escort, to traverse the wilderness in any direction. The reason of this was that many of the Indians had been shamefully cheated by mercenary traders, and, as a natural conse- quence, felt disposed to retaliate, whenever an opportunity occurred. The Indians, however, while treated kindly and justly, were generally peaceful, and very willing to engage in commer-
282
INCIDENTS OF
cial intercourse with the white men, whom they called their "pale-face brothers."
In the olden time, about the year 1782, a plun- dering party of seven Wyandot Indians from the region of Fort Pitt, Pa., entered a small white settlement, located in the interior of Ohio, not far distant from the southern limit of Mahoning county, where they found an old man alone in his cabin, whom they killed and plundered. They then took a hasty departure. As soon as the denizens of the settlement learned what had occurred, they dispatched a party of eight of their best riflemen in pursuit, led by the two famous .brothers, Adam and Andrew Poe.
The Wyandot Chief, who led the marauders, was a giant in size and strength, as well as a brave and shrewd warrior. After a hot pursuit of one day and night, the white men struck upon the trail of the Indians, and finally overtook them, hid in ambush on the banks of a river, probably Yellow Creek, and within the limits of Mahoning county. The Indians had discovered the approach of their hostile pursuers. In view of this state of things, both parties sought an ad- vantage by adopting a system of cautions move- ments.
At this juncture, the captain of the white men, 'Andrew Poe, undertook to reconnoiter the out- lines of the Indian ambuscade, and with this
------
283
PIONEER LIFE.
intent, crept carefully along the margin of the river, beneath the overhanging branches of the trees, when he discovered an Indian raft lying close ashore, apparently deserted. £ He cocked his rifle and approached the raft with noiseless step, but had advanced but a few paces, when he discov- - ered the gigantic Wyandot Chief, with a small Indian approaching him. The Chief was armed with a rifle, but was looking in the wrong direc- tion to see Poe, who instantly lifted his rifle to his cheek, took aim at the Chief and drew trigger, but missed fire. The click of the lock was heard by the Indians, who at the same moment dis- covered Poe. In this dilemma, and quick as thought, Poe dropped his useless rifle, and sprang like a tiger upon the gigantic Wyandot, disarmed him, and, at the same time grasping the small Indian by the neck, succeeded in laying both prostrate on their backs. The small Indian extricated himself in the struggle, sprang to his feet, ran to the raft, and returned with a toma- hawk to dispatch Poe, who was now in turn held fast to the ground in the grasp of the gigantic Chief. The small Indian lifted his fatal weapon to strike Poe on the head, but, in the "twinkling of an eye," receivedl'a violent kick in the abdo- men from Poe, which felled him to the ground. . The Chief "sneered" in derision at the small . Indian for his failure in dealing the deadly blow.
284
INCIDENTS OF
In the meantime Poe by a desperate effort broke from the grasp of the Chief, seized his gun which lay at a little distance from them, and killed the small Indian on the spot.
And now came the " tug of war." The gigantic Wyandot and Andrew Poe seized each other with renewed grasp, strong as iron, and in the strug- gle for the mastery, both rolled down the steep river bank, topsy-turvy, into the water. Here they attempted to drown each other by thrusting each other's heads under the water. At last Poe caught his antagonist by the hair and held his head under the water until he thought him drowned, but on relaxing his grip, discovered that he was mistaken. The old Wyandot lifted his head above the wave, and at once renewed the contest. At this time, each had floated beyond his depth, and were rapidly carried down stream in the rush of the current. Aware of this, both relaxed their grasp, and swam for the shore ; the Indian out-swam Poe, and reached the shore con- siderable in advance, caught up one of the guns and leveled it at Poe as he neared the land, while Poe, seeing his danger, dived into the depth of the stream to avoid the effect of the expected bullet ; but, as luck would have it, it proved to be the gun with which Poe had shot the small Indian, and be- fore the chief could reload, Adam Poe, the brother of Andrew, happened to arrive in sight, when An-
285
PIONEER LIFE.
drew cried out to him, "shoot the Indian ;" but Adam's rifle was unloaded, and, of course, ho could not obey. The contest now lay between Adam and the Indian, in seeing which could first load his gun and shoot the other. In his haste, the Indian dropped his ramrod into the brush before he had driven down the bullet, and was delayed in recovering it. This enabled Adam to finish loading his gun first, when he instantly leveled it and shot the Indian, who fell at his feet. He then rushed into the river to assist his brother Andrew in reaching the shore, but Andrew declin- ed his assistance and directed him to secure the scalp of the fallen chief as a trophy, lest he should, in his agonies, roll into the river, and perhaps es- cape. At this moment, another man of the white party arrived on the bluff bordering on the river, and not knowing what had happened, mistook An- drew swimming to shore for an Indian and shot him in the shoulder. This was a serious disaster; yet Andrew was quickly rescued and placed on land, and though crippled by the wound, con- tinued to render valuable services in the fight with the five other Indians, still remaining in am- bush. Adam Poe secured the scalp of the big Chief, who, as was anticipated by Andrew, rolled into the river and disappeared beneath its waters, never to rise again.
The two brothers, Adam and Andrew Poe, now
286
INCIDENTS.
held a brief "council of war," and resolved to rejoin their "companions in arms," who were · supposed to be at the station assigned them on the river bank, about a mile distant. The brothers had not proceeded far before they heard a brisk exchange of shots between their com- rades and the remaining five Indians. They examined their rifles, quickened their steps, and soon arrived at the scene of action. Here they found that four of the five Indians had been killed, while the other had fled, and that three of their comrades had fallen in the desperate fight. Though gratified with the chastisement they had inflicted on the Indian marauders, the surviving five white men gathered their slain comrades, and bore them back, with saddened hearts, to the settlement, where their remains received a Christian burial.
This was one of the severest conflicts, between Indians and white settlers, ever known to occur on our Western borders. No braver men ever lived than Adam and Andrew Poe, nor braver Indians than the Wyandot Chief and his four brothers, who were of the Indian party. While the white settlement mourned its loss with incon- solable grief, the Wyandot tribe were not less grieved at the loss of their giant Chief and his four valiant brothers.
CHAPTER XXX.
Smoke descried-Unexpected meeting of old friends-The price of whisky in Deer Skin currency-A social jollification - The joke too good to keep-Another version of the McMahon conflict with the Indians-The Pioneer life and Modern life of the Western Reserve.
IN the summer of 1796, Col. James Hillman was returning in a canoe down the Mahoning, from one of his trading expeditions, when he discovered a smoke rising on the river bank, near the present locality of Youngstown. His desire to learn the cause of it, induced him to land. On approaching the spot, he found John Young, the proprietor of the township, and a surveyor by the name of Wolcott, with an axeman and two chainmen, encamped before a comfortable fire for the night, and ready to commence a survey of the lands the next morn- ing. The meeting was as pleasant as it was unexpected. Young proposed to purchase a
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.