USA > Connecticut > Incidents of pioneer life in the early settlement of the Connecticut Western Reserve > Part 4
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On one of these occasions, the Indian, Big Son, charged Menompsy, the " medicine man, " with having killed his squaw by administering witch- craft medicine, and threatened to kill him. Men- ompsy replied, " Me no fraid." It was the confi- dent belief among the Indians that the "medicine man, " who was regarded by the them as a con- juror, priest and prophet, could not be killed by human instrumentalities. When night came, Big Son watched his opportunity, and overtaking Merompsy on Union Lane, gave him a friendly salutation by offering to shake hands with him, and at the same moment drew his knife and stabbed him to the heart. In an instant, bleeding profusely, Menompsy fell to the ground, uttering a fearful war-whoop. The cry was heard by his friends, the Chippawas and Ottawas, who were encamped on the west side of the river. They rallied and came to the rescue, seized the dead body of Menompsy and bore it to camp, and then returned to take vengeance on the Senecas, who were the friends of Big Son, and who occupied a camp on the east side of the river. The Senecas,
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being comparatively few in number, became greatly alarmed for their safety. At this crisis, Major Carter, who was regarded as the "law of the land, " intervened, and succeeded in negotia- ting a compromise of the affray by a promise that the Senecas should forthwith give the Chip- pawas and Ottawas a gallon of whisky. But it so happened that the whisky could not be pro- cured until it could be manufactured. Bryant put his distillery into operation at once. In the meantime the expectant Chippawas and Ottawas being disappointed, made "night hideous " with their unearthly war-whoops and threats to exter- minate the Senecas. This induced Major Carter to attempt a second negotiation, which he accom- plished, by promising two gallons of whisky, in- stead of one, to be delivered the next morning. This restored quiet for the night. The next day the friends of Menompsy buried his remains in a sitting posture near the foot of Detroit street, and crowned his funeral obsequies with a "glorious drunk. "
Both feasts and fights characterize the history of Bryant's distillery, and were of frequent oc- currence. Not long after the assassination of Menompsy, the Indians proceeded to get up a votive demonstration, known as a "white dog feast." . It was the color of the dog, which gave the feast not only distinction, but imparted
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to it a sacred or religious character. Among the few white men who were invited, was Gilman Bryant, a son of the distiller. He relates that the dog was killed in the presence of the guests, his hair singed off, then chopped in pieces, placed in a kettle, boiled, flavored, and dished up in the the form of a soup, and that he was presented with one of the forepaws with the hair still re- maining between the toes. He received the "choice bit," but declined to eat. But before partaking of the feast the " master of ceremonies" placed on an elevated table a wooden bowl of the soup, smoking and hot, as an offering to the god "Manitou," and at the same time muttered a prayer, asking the god to keep them safe, and give them good corn and plenty of it at harvest. The feast was then partaken of by all the dusky guests with a consuming relish which left no frag- ments to tell the unhappy fate of the white dog. Yet every " dog has his day," it is said ; nor does it follow that this great truth is impeached, whether the dog's life terminates in a feast, or in a sausage.
A small detachment of surveyors, not long prior to the "dog feast," were engaged in their work in the southern part of the Reserve when an as- sistant, by the name of Minor Bicknell, was taken dangerously sick in the midst of the forest, far away from medical aid or human habitation. The two
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surveyors, Amsi Atwater and Warham Shepard, who were with him, contrived to provide for his relief by connecting a pair of horses with ropes, placing poles between them on which they spread twigs, grass and blankets, thus forming a swing- bed, on which they transported the patient sixty miles through the wilderness, at the rate of ten or twelve miles a day, until they reached the Cuya- hoga river at its junction with Tinker's creek, where they expected to find a physician; but within two hours after their arrival, the wretched sufferer expired. They buried him on the bank of the river, and returned with saddened hearts to their labors. This was one of the many sor- rows of the "sojourners in the wilderness."
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CHAPTER VIII.
Additional Settlers at Cleveland-First Dry Goods Store-First white child born-First Funeral-First Wedding-First Grist Mill -First Missionary-First Distillery-First Pub- lic Ball-First School.
IN 1797 Edward Paine opened the first dry goods store in Cleveland. Nathan Chapman ar- rived the same year, and brought with him two yoke of oxen and four milch cows. Mrs. Job Stiles was the mother of the first white child born in Cleveland, and was probably the only white woman resident in the town at that time, if we may judge from the fact that a squaw was em- ployed to officiate on the occasion as a midwife. The first death of a citizen which occurred was that of David Eldridge. He was buried on the corner of Ontario and Prospect streets.
The funeral of Eldridge was soon followed by a wedding, the greatest sensation of the year 1797. This wedding occurred on the fourth of July, at
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the log-cabin of Lorenzo Carter. It was the first marriage in town of a white man to a white woman. The young lady was the hired girl living in Car- ter's family, but none the less respected for being a "hired girl. " The gentleman was a Mr. Clem- ent, from Canada. Rev. Seth Hart, connected with the business of the Land Company, per- formed the marriage ceremony.
The bride was not attired in silks, satins and diamonds after the style of modern times, nor did the bridegroom wear white kid gloves, swallow- tailed coat and French boots ; yet they both con- formed to their means, and, like sensible people, dressed in their best "Sunday clothes " -- the bride in domestic colored cotton and the bridegroom in home-spun sheep's gray. Though not rich in "this world's goods, " they felt that they were rich in what is still better.
They had hands will- ing to work, and "hearts that beat as one." These they gave. No other gifts were expected, nor were any cards issued. They simply stood up and "took the pledge, " and received God's blessing from clerical lips. Whether it was the custom then for the officiating clergyman to take the lead in saluting the bride with a " holy kiss, " or whether the happy pair were left to interchange for themselves matrimonial "smacks" at their "earliest convenience, " does not appear in the history of the times.
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The interests of Cleveland at this early day were more or less identified with the interests of Newburgh, especially in regard to mill privileges. The citizens of the two villages were in sympathy with each other, and did what they could to pro- mote their common welfare. They alike felt an urgent want of a grist mill, where they could have their breadstuff's ground. This want was soon supplied by the enterprise of W. W. Williams, who, in November, 1779, erected at Newburgh a flouring mill, the first that was put in operation in this region of the country.
The creek on which the mill was built has a waterfall of forty or fifty feet. The millstones were excavated from the rock-ledge that skirts the stream, and, in consequence of being too soft, fur- nished the surrounding population with a suffi- ciency of "grit" to meet any emergency. The ' water was conducted into the mill through the trunk of a hollow tree and fell upon an undershot wheel, whose revolutions generated the requisite propelling power. Yet the mill, like the " mill of the gods, " ground but slowly, while custo- mers patiently waited their turns, sometimes for days, when they received their flour unbolted and returned home to " bolt it" in the natural way.
In connection with this method of securing a supply of "daily bread, " the citizens both at Cleveland and at Newburgh felt the moral need of
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obtaining a supply of the "bread of life, " in a spiritual sense, especially those who professed Christianity ; and, consequently, in answer to their earnest prayers, Heaven sent them a mis- sionary from Connecticut, Rev. Joseph Badger. He was a good man, of the "Baptist persuasion." He travelled about among the settlers and preached in private houses. He was generally received with kindness and treated with respect. He was the first clergyman who came to the Re- serve with a view to preach the Gospel. He was soon followed by other missionaries, who occu- pied stations at different points. Their main ob - ject was to establish churches and schools. These civilizing institutions are the first thing which a Puritan desires to have, next to his " bread and butter." In this regard, if in no other, our Puri- tan fathers clearly foresaw the "one thing need- ful " in laying the foundations of a free republic and of a true manhood.
It was as early as 1738 that Arthur St. Clair, Governor of the territory, northwest of the Ohio river, extended his jurisdiction over the Western Reserve, by including it within what was then known as Washington Co. He afterward, July 10, 1800, erected the Reserve into a single county by itself ; gave it the name of Trumbull, in honor of a Connecticut Governor by that name; organized it by appointing the proper officers, and fixed the
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county seat at Warren. Prior to this the West- ern Reserve was practically a "heathen land" where "might gave right, " and every man was a "law unto himself. "
This is sufficiently illustrated in the fact that there existed but very little regard for law or re- ligion among the rank and file of adventurers who first settled at Cleveland and in its vicinity. It was this class of men, who, though individually possessing but little influence, gave tone to public sentiment and public morals. The Sabbath was generally recognized by them as a day set apart for social intercourse or sports of various kinds. It was not until the year 1800, that public religious exercises were introduced. The Rev. Joseph Badger, the missionary, preached the first sermon in Cleveland. It was Gilman Bryant, senior, who established the first distillery. Thus it would seem that good and evil are providentially asso- ciated in new as well as in old countries, and must, like "tares in the wheat," grow together until the "harvest."
The first public ball which was gotten up on the Reserve, came off at Carter's cabin, on the hillside in Cleveland, July 4th, 1801. It was no easy matter in those days of mud-roads, un- bridged streams, and magnificient distances, for the young men to collect the girls for such an oc- casion, Tradition has handed down the fact that
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Gilman Bryant, junior, gave Miss Doan, who re- sided some four miles from Cleveland, an invita- tion to accompany him to the ball. He was sev- enteen and she fourteen years of age. They were both ambitious to excel, and accordingly attired themselves in the best style of the times, he in · domestic gingham with a cue dangling down his back, and she in printed calico of gay colors. He called for her at the appointed hour on horse- back, without a pillion for her accommodation, as none could be obtained. She comprehended at a glance the situation, sprang upon a stump, spread her apron on the horse, adjusted her skirts, and then leaped to her seat with the agility of a squir- rel, seized the crupper with one hand, and clasped her beau around the waist with the other, and thus they rode in merry mood to the ball.
The entire party, when assembled, consisted of fifteen or sixteen couples. They occupied the front room or parlor of the cabin, which was not carpeted, but had a substantial puncheon floor. The violinist, Mr. Jones, proceeded at once with spasmodic hand and listening ear to harmonize the strings of his instrument, and then struck up "Hie, Bettie Martin," the favorite dancing tune of that day. The dance commenced with unre- strained enthusiasm and with orders to cast off "right and left." The style, step and grace of action were inimitable. "Fantastic toes," clad in
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brogans, twinkled in the mazy dance. The gen- tlemen were then not so ungallant as to step on the long trails of the ladies dresses, for the rea- son that their dresses did not fall below the ankles. Thus the dance was bravely and happily exe- cuted with the usual interludes of "billing and cooing." The dancers often changed their steps from double shuffle to cutting not only the pigeon- wing, but the wing of almost every other bird known to the vocabulary of ornithology. The refreshments, which had been provided with a liberal hand, consisted of plum-cake, and a cordial of raw whisky sweetened with maple sugar. The dance continued until "broad day-light," when the boys went home with the girls "in the morn- ing."
In the spring of 1802, the first public school was opened in Cleveland. Miss Anna Spafford was employed as teacher. The school was kept in the front room of Carter's log cabin. Here it was that Miss Spafford taught the "young idea " of about a dozen juveniles how "to shoot.' Strange, indeed, is the contrast between that early day and the present, in respect to the public schools of Cleveland. The one school of a dozen pupils was good seed sown in good ground, which has grown and ripened into a system of public schools, extending educational facilities to mora than fifty thousand youth, and providing for them
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educational palaces in which their physical com- forts are consulted as well as the advantages of their mental culture.
Though our modern system of common school education has become exceedingly expensive, and aims in fact to give our youth a liberal and even a professional education, yet it is tolerated and en- couraged by a patient tax-paying community for no other reason, as it would seem, than that fur- nished by the democratic theory that every Amer- can is born a sovereign, and should therefore have a sovereign's education at the public expense. The theory, however, is one thing, and the practical result quite another. With all the facilities thus furnished, less that three per cent. of the youth of the State have received, or are likely to receive, anything more than a meagre common school edu- cation. The children of the rich are manifestly much more benefited by this modern educational system than the multitudinous children of the poor, for the simple reason that the poor are "too poor" to allow their children sufficient time to accom- plish the higher branches of study, or to supply them with the requisite books and clothing, and at the same time dispense with their aid in the daily labors necessary to secure a comfortable livelihood, The result is, that, instead of the rich being taxed to educate the poor, the comparative poor are taxed to educate the rich, especially in
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our cities and villages. Schools in which the higher branches only are taught are certainly not common schools in the sense of the constitution of the State, and ought not to be sustained by general taxation, unless specially authorized by a popular vote in the districts where they are located.
CHAPTER IX.
First Election Precinct-First Postmaster-Cleveland made & Port of Entry-First Collector of Revenues-Style of Early Courtships-First ship built-Militia Drill-First Court-Execution of Omic, the Indian-Death of Lorenzo Carter.
The State of Ohio was admitted into the Union as a State in 1803, and the first election in what was called the "precinct of Cleveland" was held at the house of James Kingsbury on the Ridge. In the course of the next year the first postoffice was established at Cleveland, by which Cleveland was connected by postal route with Pittsburgh, Detroit, and other towns both East and West. Elisha Norton was the first man appointed post- master.
In 1805, the harbor at Cleveland was declared by law, a port of entry, and John Walworth ap- pointed collector of the public revenues. In 1806, Norton resigned his office of postmaster, and John Walworth was appointed to fill the vacancy.
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He kept the postoffice in the upper story of a small frame building located on the northerly side of Superior street, near the corner of Superior and Water streets. His postoffice receipts, for the first quarter, were but two dollars and eighty- three cents., His percentage on that sum did not afford him the means of indulging in a very ex- travagant style of living, nor did he prove a de- faulter. He was evidently an honest man, and lived within his income.
The style of living in those early times was not only simple, but frugal. In social intercourse no solicitude was felt in regard to the "latest" fashions. If able to appear clad in neat and cleanly apparel of domestic manufacture, it was considered quite sufficient, however grand or im- portant might be the occasion. This was true, of all classes, including even the marriageable young men and young ladies, who desired to make favor- able impressions. The way in which courtships were then conducted, is graphically described by J. D. Taylor, who came into the country with his father in 1806, and settled in the vicinity of Cleve- land. He has now become an elderly man, and is ranked among the "old settlers." At a meeting of the pioneers held a few years since at Rock- port, he was called out for a speech, and in re- sponse addressed the audience as follows :
"I am happy to meet so many of the pioneers
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and their descendants, of whom I am one, as I see here on this occasion. I am reminded of the 'good old times,' and of experiences to which none of the speakers have alluded-] mean pio- neer courtships. Topics of this kind are always interesting, especially to ladies. Courting, or sparking, in those early days was not a flirtation, but an 'affair of the heart,' and was conducted in the natural way. The boys and girls who were predisposed to matrimony used to 'set up' together on Sunday nights, dressed in their 'Sun- day clothes.' They occupied usually a corner of the only family room of the cabin, while the bed of the 'old folks' occupied the opposite corner with blankets suspended around it for curtains. During the earlier part of the evening the old and young folks engaged in a common chit-chat. About 8 o'clock the younger children climbed the ladder in the corner and went to bed in their bunks under the garret roof; and in about an hour later ' father and mother' retired to bed be- hind the blanket curtains, leaving the ‘sparkers' sitting at a respectful distance apart before a capacious wood fire-place and looking thought- fully into the cheerful flame, or perhaps into the future. The sparkers, however, soon broke the silence by stirring up the fire with a wooden shovel or poker, first one and then the other, and every time they resumed their seats, somehow the
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chairs manifested unusual attractions for closer contiguity. If chilly the sparkers would sit closer together to keep warm; if dark to keep the bears off. Then came some whispering 'with a ' hearty smack,' which broke the cabin stillness and disturbed the gentle breathing behind the suspended blankets, so as to produce a slight parental hacking cough. All this accords, in a good degree, with my own experience.
" When a strapping boy I fell 'head over ears' in love with a girl of the real Plymouth Rock stamp. She lived twenty miles away, and I went to see her regularly every fourth Sunday night. I won the lass, longed to marry her, but as the ' course of true love never did run smooth,' her mother objected. I appealed to her in the most pathetic language I could command, but she could not be melted, and I became sad and went about 'sighing like a furnace.' My father was sent Minister Extraordinary to the court of the old woman, to contract an alliance, offensive and defensive, but with no better luck. I managed, however, to keep on courting the girl until I loved everything on her father's farm. At last love and perseverance were rewarded, and the wedding day was fixed.
"The country at that time was sickly, and I often detected myself feeling my pulse as the ' day of days' drew near, fearing lest the ague .
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shakes should add to the fever which was already consuming me. But I got married without acci- deut or further embarrassment, moved to a log cabin, went to housekeeping, and soon discovered that my 'better-half' was a pattern of neatness and good housewifery. Election soon came, I went to the polls, was asked if I was of age, as my juvenile looks belied my age, but I was not allowed to vote. My wife felt bad about it. When the next election came round, on the very morn- ing of that day, she presented me with a little counterpart of herself, the news reached the polls ahead of me, and when I presented iny vote, though not of age, it was received without objec- tion."
In 1808, Lorenzo Carter built and launched the first vessel constructed at Cleveland. The craft was named the "Zephyr," thirty tons burden, designed for the Lake trade, and was employed in transporting furs, grindstones and other com- modities, and receiving in exchange salt, iron, leather, dry goods and groceries, with such other supplies as were needed by the settlers.
The first militia training, or drill, which took place within the precinct of Cleveland, in obe- dience to State law, came off at "Doan's Cor- ners." About fifty men, rank and file, appeared in all sorts of costumes, and were armed with all sorts of weapons, from peeled-clubs to rusty old
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shotguns. Doan's tavern was headquarters. The captain wore a cocked-up hat surmounted with a tall plume manufactured of roosters' tail feathers. He marched and countermarched his men with drawn sword flashing in the sunlight, and uttered his commands with a stentorian voice that made the welkin ring, and at the same time kept step to the music, with pompous strides, backward and forward in front of his "bold soldier boys." Many of the evolutions which his gallant com- pany performed were quite unknown to the science of military tactics, as they moved to the shrill cry and noisy beat of fife and drum.
Before dismissing his train-hand, in due form, the captain marched them in solid column to headquarters, where they were ordered to charge on the contents of a whisky barrel, which they did with a degree of heroism rarely paralleled in the annals of warfare. The victory was won at the "expense" of their generous commander whom they "delighted to honor," and continued to honor until an exciting "war of words" be- gan to rage in regard to several grave questions of the day, which involved the entire company and induced them, one after another, to lay the vexed questions on the table, and themselves un- der it. There was no longer any question raised as to who "had the floor." After taking an un- conscious snooze for a few hours they finally took
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the "sober second thought," disbanded, and re- turned to their respective homes.
The county of Cuyahoga was organized in 1809, and Cleveland made the county seat. The first court of record which convened in the county was held in 1810, by Judge Ruggles and his three associates, in a small frame building on the north side of Superior street, which has long since disappeared. John Walworth, who was at that time postmaster and collector of the revenue, was appointed clerk of the court, and S. S. Bald- win, sheriff. The cases set down for trial were mostly for violations of the criminal law, consist- ing of indictments for petit larceny, for selling whisky to Indians and for selling foreign goods without license. The entire population of Cleve- land, at that time, was but fifty seven persons," including women and children. The first court- house was constructed of logs, and erected in · 1812 on the northerly side of Superior street, in the Public Square. The upper story was used as a court-room, and the lower story was divided into two rooms-the west one was used as a jail, while the east one was occupied by the jailor and his family.
The first execution of a criminal which took place on the Reserve was that of Omic, the In- dian. This occurred at Cleveland June 24, 1812. Omic had been convicted of murdering two white
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men, Buel and Gibbs, trappers, for the purpose of obtaining possession of their traps and furs. The brutal deed was perpetrated at night when the men were asleep. The fact soon became known, when Omic was speedily arrested and confined in the chamber of Carter's house and. chained to a rafter. Soon after his arrest he was arraigned in court, tried and convicted. He said to Carter, after conviction, that he would let the pale-faces see how bravely an Indian could die, and that the sheriff, at the execution, need not tie his hands, as he intended to leap from the scaf- fold and hang himself.
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