USA > Connecticut > Incidents of pioneer life in the early settlement of the Connecticut Western Reserve > Part 5
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It was his religious faith that the Great Spirit, after his death, would conduct him to the far off country of pleasant "hunting grounds, " where he would find plenty of game and live happily forever. When the fatal day arrived, Omic at- fired himself in war-like costume, painted his face and plumed his head with eagle's feathers ; and, when the wagon called for him, leaped into it with agility, sat down upon his coffin ; and, as he rode towards the gallows, which had been erected on the Public Square, employed his time in gazing around him with an air of stolid pride, and at the same time with evident gratification that he was the "observed of all observers. " He was attended by a military escort, commanded by Captain Jones, and marching to the music of
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fife and muffled drum. On arriving at the scaf- fold, Sheriff Baldwin, with the aid of Carter, who spoke the Indian language, assisted the pris- oner to ascend the ladder to the scaffold, where he was seated, while Rev. Mr. Darrow offered up an appropriate prayer.
The sheriff then adjusted the rope and drew down the black cap over Omic's eyes, when he manifested great terror, broke the cords that bound his hands and seized the side post of the gallows with an iron grasp, which the sheriff could not relax. Carter then addressed Omic in Indian and upbraided him for his want of cour- age, when the matter was compromised by giving him a half pint of whisky. No sooner had he drank it, and was about to swing, than he played the same trick over again, and then compromised for another half pint. The scaffold was then cleared, and the moment he had swallowed the second half pint the cord that held the trap door was cut and the trap fell, launching the poor In- dian into mid-air, where he swung back and forth like the pendulum of a clock. After swinging for a few seconds the rope broke and he fell to the ground, seemingly dead or drunk, and which it was difficult to say.
At this stage of the drama, a violent thunder storm burst overhead, and the rain fell in tor- rents. This induced the spectators to run for
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shelter and abandon the closing scene. The body, dead or alive, was put into the coffin and buried in haste at the foot of the gallows. The next morning the body was missing. For a time it was thought by some persons that Omic was not dead when buried, but had resurrected himself and escaped. But the truth was that at the in- stance of a physician of the town the corpse was spirited away and buried in the channel of a water course flowing from a spring on the hillside into the river, where it lay until the flesh was en- tirely denuded from the bones. The skeleton was then disinterred, wired and appropriated to the uses of science. It was known to be in the pos- session of Dr. Town, of Hudson, in 1841. He died in a few years afterward. Who now has the skeleton is unknown. If it could be obtained it would be a valuable relic, worthy of a place in the hall of the Western Reserve Historical So- ciety.
Lorenzo Carter, who aided the sheriff on this memorable occasion, came to Cleveland in 1797 and purchased a farm on the west side of the river, directly opposite of Cleveland, where he continued to reside until his death, which oc- curred February 8, 1814. He was an original character-a man "upon whose like we ne'er shall look again."
CHAPTER X.
Gen. Hull's Surrender-Alarm at Cleveland-Stockade known as "Fort Huntington"-Coffins of Dead Soldiers-Uncle Abram, his Cornfield, Bucket of Powder and Grave- Uncle Jabez, the Jolly Man-Uncle Gaius, the Joker- Young Dudley, the Scapegrace-Cleveland Incorporated -- Its Village Government-First Newspaper-First Steam- boat on Lake Erie-Firing the Last Gun.
Gen. Hull, commanding the American forces at Detroit, ¿surrendered to the British General, August 16, 1812. This unexpected occurrence caused not only a general expression of indigna- tion on the part of the Americans, but created universal alarm among the settlers on the western frontier for their safety, and especially on the Lake shore. Very soon after the surrender had been made, a woman residing on the Lake coast west of Cleveland, having seen in the distance a fleet approaching, and believing it to be the Eng- lish fleet became panic-stricken, seized her two children and sprang upon a horse, with one child
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before and the other behind her and rode, night and day, proclaiming to the settlers along the way, in a loud voice, that the English with hordes of savages were rapidly approaching, and would soon massacre every man, woman and child, unless they fled with all possible dispatch to the interior for safety.
She arrived at Cleveland, at daybreak, and rode through the streets, repeating her frantic cry of alarm, and admonishing every soul to fly for dear life into the depths of the forest, and theu led the way with increased speed into the dusky wood- lands in a southerly direction from the town. Everybody was thunderstruck with the alarming news, sprang from their beds in consternation, and amid the general confusion, with such hasty preparations as they could make, fled into the neighboring wilderness, some on horseback, some . on ox-sleds, some on foot, women and children crying, and men swearing. They scattered in every direction as they fled, and alarmed the set- tlers of the interior. Better counsels, however, soon prevailed. The fighting men of the town, and of the country round about, rallied and armed themselves with shot guns, swords, pistols and bludgeons, and took their position in "line of battle" near the mouth of the river with a deter- mination to prevent the enemy from landing, and in case they succeeded in landing, to give them a
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"bloody welcome." Soon the fleet hove in sight and rounded majestically into harbor, when it proved to be none other than friendly ships ladened. with Hull's paroled troops. The "big scare" instantly collapsed into unrestrained laughter, and the fugitives returned to their homes in Cleveland in "merry mood," while everybody regarded the affair as a " huge joke."
In 1813, Cleveland was designated by the Gov- ernment as a depot of military supplies for her western troops. A stockade was erected at the foot of Seneca street on the bank of the Lake. where a small military force was stationed under command of Gen. Jessup, of the U. S. Army, which was known as "Fort Huntington," and in which soldiers under arrest or sick were quar- tered. During the occupation of the Fort a con- siderable number of soldiers died and were buried in puncheon coffins on the elevated bank over- looking the Lake, and as the high bank became undermined by the action of the waves the cof- fins slid into the Lake, and were driven hither and thither by the winds like a fleet of canoes without an oarsman, ladened with dead men, while some of the coffins still remained thrust half way out of the elevated bank, pointing over the waves like cannons from portholes, as if to pro- tect the helpless fleet of dead men from attacks, or harm. But soon after being thus launched,
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the frail ghostly fleet was dashed in pieces by col- lision in the midst of the merciless billows, and the crews sank to rise no more, yet as they went down-
"As if in fright, they all uprose, Nor spake, nor moved their eyes; It had te'n strange, even in a dream, To see those dead men rise." 1
In 1813, a, blacksmith, known as "Uncle Abram," resided in Cleveland. He was proba- bly the first blacksmith who settled here. His name was Abraham Hickox. He was an indus- trious and honest man, but somewhat eccentric and tenacious of his rights. His shop stood on the southerly side of Euchd avenue near the Pub- lic Park. His sign was spiked over the doorway and lettered, "Uncle Abram works here," fol- lowed with the print of a horseshoe burned into the wood. He was a skillful workman, but had a strong will of his own, and was generally al- lowed to have his way.
He cultivated a corn-patch near his shop, and during the season of roast-ears became exaspera- ted on discovering that the soldiers, quartered at Fort Huntington, were in the habit of stealing his corn at night and feasting upon it at the fort. He resolved to watch their operations by secreting himself in the corn-patch at night and chastising them with the contents of his old shot-gun.
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While thus on the watch in came two soldiers, who began at once to select the roast-ears, when he fired on the one at work nearest him, who fell to the ground, and was seized by his comrade and carried to the Fort. The next morning "Uncle Abram" inspected the locality where the depre- dator fell, and discovered copious evidences of blood, but said nothing about the affair. He learned, in a few days afterwards, that a funeral had occurred at the Fort, and that the deceased was a soldier whose death was caused by an ac- cidental gunshot wound. There was no more plundering of the corn-patch that season. This fact convinced "Uncle Abram" of the efficacy of gun powder.
His own personal experience on the Fourth of July, 1814, had the effect to strengthen this con- viction. It so happened in celebrating the day, that while carrying an open bucket of powder across the Public Square to supply the swivel in firing patriotic salutes, he dropped from the pipe, which he unwittingly held in his teeth, a coal of fire into the powder, when he instantly ascended before his time some twenty feet or more, sky- ward, and when he returned to earth again, was lifted from his prostrate position by his friends, who concurred in the belief that he was dead. But after a little time he revived, with no other serious injury than rent garments and a discol-
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ored face, so severely scorched on one side as to blacken it for life.
He made it a rule, however, to look on the "bright" rather than the "dark " side of things, and continued to work at his anvil.
He was appointed at an early day, sexton of the town, and supervised the burial of the dead. The awkward manner in which the pall-bearers per- formed their duties at the grave often incurred his displeasure, and sometimes so provoked him as to call forth a profane reprimand. He selected an eligible spot for his own grave and placed a stake at the head and foot, inscribed with the ini- tials of his name, and declared with an oath that no one should be buried there but himself. The spot is located in the old Erie street cemetery near the front gate, and on the northerly side of the Central avenue leading into this somewhat ancient " city of the dead." When he died, he was buried in the identical place he had selected. The grave is marked with an unostentatious head- stone, bearing on its face nothing more than a record of his name and age.
There were quite a number of original charac- ters besides "Uncle Abram" among the early denizens of Cleveland. There was " Uncle Jabez" who manufactured soft soap under the hill. He was a comical old bachelor who loved fun and whisky, and told stories with a comical
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grimace of the face, accompanied with a spasmodic wink of the eye, and a flirting snap of the fin- gers. He was always a favorite, because he was always jolly, as well as complimentary in his re- marks. He seemed to live but to enjoy fun and frolic, and deal in " soft soap."
There was also "Uncle Gaius" who kept a hotel on St. Clair street. He was an inveterate joker, and for this reason was feared by every- body. He abounded in coarse wit, and in giving gratuitous advice. One evening a traveling di- vine stopped at his hotel and took lodgings for the night. He arrived on horseback and had ridden in the mud and rain all day. He was thoroughly drenched and his boots so saturated with water that he, after a severe trial, found it impossible to disboot himself. " Uncle Gaius," noticing the discouragement of the divine, came to his assistance and coolly remarked, "I would advise you, my reverend friend, to try pulling your boots off over your head." Whether the reverend finally disbooted himself, or retired to bed in his boots, does not appear in the tradition of the times.
There was also a young scapegrace, known as "Dudley," who was ostensibly engaged in mer- chandising, and who became notorious for his "sprees" and mischievous "tricks," such as frightening people by playing "ghost." in an
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old house said to be haunted, and riding on horse- back into hotels and treating his horse with a drink of whisky. But unexpectedly, while thus engaged in sowing his "wild oats," he received à summons which required him to give an account of himself in the "shadowy land."
It was not until 1814, that Cleveland became in- corporated by an Act of the Legislature as a village. Its corporate government was confided to a Presi- dent, Recorder and five trustees. The first election of officers was held in June, 1815. The entire vote cast was but twelve. Alfred Kelley was elected President. The valuation of the real estate of the village taken at that time for taxa- tion was $21,065. The village increased but slow- ly in wealth and population. The entire vote of the village in 1829 was but forty-seven.
The first newspaper published in Cleveland commenced its career in 1818. It was edited, printed and published by Andrew Logan, and was christened the "Cleveland Gazette and Com- mercial Register." The magnitude of its title was somewhat top heavy compared with the dimen- sions of its sheet, which was but a little larger than a nine by ten pane of window glass. It pro- fessed to be a hebdomadal, but seldom appeared on time. It was conducted with considerable ability while it lived. It was a sickly infant, how- ever, and soon died for want of the "milk of hu-
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man kindness." It was succeeded by the " Cleve- land Herald " conducted and owned by Ziba Willes, who was a practical printer, and possessed of an unusual amount of practical, good sense. He not only edited the paper, but set the type and printed it on a hand press with his coat offand his sleeves rolled up. He was a true man. The "Herald " still survives, and enjoys the health of youth in its advanced age.
The first steamboat which was launched on Lake Erie, received the name of the "Walk-in-the- Water." She was employed in running between Buffalo and Detroit, touching at intermediate ports. It was on the first day of September, 1818, that she entered for the first time the harbor at Cleveland. The citizens hailed her approach with delight and assembled at the landing to give her a hearty welcome. She was regarded with intense interest and was rightly named, for she seemed "like a thing of life" that literally walked on the water. Both her arrival and departure were signalized by the discharge of thirteen rounds of artillery. The captain acknowledged the salute by a return of the same number of guns and fling- ing to the breeze from masthead the glorious ban- ner of American freedom. The excited citizens could not restrain their joyful expressions, but continued to fire guns, wave hats and handker- chiefs, and utter wild "hurrahs," until the ma-
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jestic "Walk-in-the-Water" disappeared in the hazy distance on her way to Detroit.
In 1827, while Cleveland was still but a village, the villagers decided to celebrate the Fourth of July. When the day arrived all due preparations had been made. The villagers assembled in the upper school-room of the Academy on St. Clair street, now occupied as headquarters by the Fire Department, heard a patriotic oration ; and, then, as many as could afford to pay for a dinner, marched in procession to Boughton's Hotel, on the corner of St. Clair and Water streets, keeping step to the inspiring strains of " Yankee Doodle," played by a single fife and drum.
Here they dispatched the eatables and "drink- ables" with a generous liberality, concluding with toasts and speeches, and the firing of an old cast-iron swivel, located on the then common, in front of the hotel. The jollification was pro- longed until near sunset, when the guests dis- persed quite as soberly.as could be "expected."
A few tatterdemalions, however remained, and resolved to crown the day by firing the last gun. Captain Guptil, the gunner, poured into the old swivel the last canister of powder, and loaded it with sand and sod to the muzzle, but was afraid to apply the match. In the meantime a young simpleton, by the name of Wheeler, volunteered to take the hazard, and seizing a fire-brand ran in
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the direction of the swivel, while his comrades ran in the opposite direction ; and, as soon as he reached the gun, applied the fire-brand, when an explosion, louder than the " seven thunders," fol- lowed, leaving behind it a dense pillar of smoke, curling skyward, with inimitable grace,
His comrades hastened to the spot to ascer- tain the result. There they found poor Wheeler prostrate and completely disembowled, an arm here and a leg there, and nothing left of the swivel except the breech. The fragments of the other parts of the gun had flown in every direc- tion, falling in the streets and on the buildings in the vicinity. One large fragment fell upon the roof of an adjoining house and penetrating through it and two floors beneath it, imbedded it- self in the ground in the cellar. Thus terminated the glorious "Fourth " in sad disaster, accom- panied with a sad lesson as well as with a " last gun."
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CHAPTER XI.
The Cleveland Bar in 1828-Riding the Circuit-Practical Jokes on each Other-Wood and Willey in the Legislature and on the Bench-Growth of Cleveland-Machinations of Land Proprietors on both Sides of the River-Incorpora-
. tion of Cleveland as a City, and Brooklyn as Ohio City- The " Bridge War" and how it terminated.
THE members of the legal profession, who re- sided at Cleveland in 1828, and who constituted the "Cuyahoga Bar," were but few in number, yet were men of tact and talent, who enjoyed a wide and enviable reputation. It was the custom in those days for lawyers to "ride the circuit," in order to secure a lucrative practice. The circuit consisted of several adjoining counties. The principal lawyers who resided at Cleveland were Alfred Kelly, Leonard Case, Samuel Cowles, Reu- ben Wood and John W. Willey. The last two were the juniors of the Bar. They excelled as pop- ular advocates, and for this reason, found it for their interest to attend the courts in the adjoining
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counties. They were often accompanied by one or more of their seniors, and while on the circuit de- lighted to indulge in "mirth and fun," and especially in perpetrating practical jokes, which were not always of the most refined char- acter, but were kindly taken and usually repaid in the " same coin," and often with "compound interest."
On one of these circuit rides taken late in the wintry month of December, Wood and Willey happened to be accompanied by lawyer Cowles, who was not only a bachelor of mature years, but a "devout man," fastidious in his tastes and scrupulous in his observances of the proprieties of life. While on their way they stopped for the. night at a country inn, benumbed with the cold and very much fatigued. The daughter of the landlord, an ancient maiden who had lost one of her eyes, prepared the supper and served at the table. It was noticed that she was particularly attentive to the wants of Mr. Cowles, and seemed to look at him with a "single eye" to ultimate conquest. When the hour for retiring to bed had arrived Mr. Cowles, who complained of still feel- ing chilly, requested to have a couple of heated bricks placed at the foot of his bed to keep his feet warm. In a short time the one-eyed maiden informed him that his request had been complied with, and handed him a lighted candle and point-
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ed the way to his chamber. In the meantime Wood and Willey had preceded him and occu- pied the adjoining chamber, but on their way had contrived to remove the heated bricks and to sub- stitute two large wood chips heavily encrusted with snow and ice. Cowles soon entered his room, undressed himself and sprang into bed, and with the expectation of feeling the warm bricks thrust his feet squarely against the icy chips, when the agonizing sensation compelled him to bound instantly out of bed. He struck upon the floor in an erect posture and with a force that re- sounded throughout the house. This sudden and unaccountable noise alarmed the household. The one-eyed maiden ascended the chamber stairs in haste, rapped at Cowles' door and desired to know what was the matter. "Matter enough," exclaimed Cowles, in a loud and indignant tone of voice. At that moment Wood and Willey, who occupied the adjoining chamber, were heard to utter a half-suppressed laugh, when Cowles at once comprehended the source of the mischief, and restraining a profane oath that came to his lips, pronounced his traveling companions " villains." In the meantime the disconcerted maiden re- treated down stairs as speedily as possible. Wood and Willey, professing to be as innocent as lambs, sympathized with Cowles, and endeav- ored to persuade him not to be discouraged in
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prosecuting "affairs of the heart," assuring him, at the same time, that a "faint heart ne'er won a fair lady." The result was that Cowles would never again consent to "ride the circuit" with Wood and Willey.
While these facetious gentlemen took delight in perpetrating jokes on others, they seemed to take equal delight in perpetrating jokes on each .other. While in the midst of a successful law practice they were both elected members of the General Assembly-Wood to the Senate and Willey to the House. In going to Columbus to attend the session they traveled on horseback in company with each other, and on the way stopped over night at a hotel in Wooster. In the morn- ing, while at the breakfast table, Willey slyly took several silver spoons from the table and slipped them into Wood's outside coat pocket, and took care, after they had mounted their horses to de- part, to halt for a moment and whisper in the ear of the landlord that he had better look out that none of his silver spoons were missing, as he suspected that his traveling companion was a " doubtful character."
This intelligence startled the landlord and in- duced him to recount his spoons, when he dis- covered that several of them were gone. By this time the travelers had disappeared in the dis- tance, and no time was to be lost in making an
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attempt to recover the missing spoons. The land- lord bestirred himself, called to his aid a constable, and pursued the supposed thief ; and, after a fast ride of five miles, overtook the travelers, arrested Wood, and charged him with having committed the theft. He looked surprised, and then became indignant. The constable, however, required him to submit to a search, when the spoons were found in his coat pocket. Wood in the midst of his be- wilderment glanced an eye at Willey's comical expression of face, which at once unraveled the mystery. Willey paid the constable's fees, and all joined in a roaring laugh. Though Wood pretended to enjoy the fun, he thought it rather too serious a joke, and meditated revenge.
When the General Assembly of the following year was about to convene, Willey, who had led a bachelor's life, married and took his bride with him to spend the honeymoon at Columbus. The happy pair traveled by stage-coach, and on the way stopped off for the night at a hotel in Lou- denville, registering as J. W. Willey and wife. Feeling somewhat fatigued after a day of rough traveling, they retired at an early hour after tak- ing their evening repast. Wood arrived on horse- back and stopped for the night at the same hotel soon after Willey and his bride had retired, and seeing their names on the register as man and wife, called the attention of the landlord to the
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fact, at the same time, whispering confidentially in his ear that he had known that fellow Willey as a bachelor for many years past, and knew that he was a " tricky chap," but did not suppose he would travel with a strange woman and register as man and wife, intimating at the same time that if this fact should become known, it would dis- grace the hotel as well as the guilty pair. The landlord, who was a religionist of the "strictest sect," became intensely indignant, rushed up- stairs to Willey's chamber, rapped loudly at the door and demanded immediate entrance. Willey awoke, supposing the house on fire. Sprang out of bed and opened the door, when the enraged landlord seized him, dragged him into the hall, and ordered him to take lodgings in a separate chamber, saying " I have found out who you are, and assure you, sir, you cannot be allowed to dis- grace my hotel by such immoral practices." At this crisis, and before Willey had time to demand an explanation from the landlord, the long, lean, lank shadow of Wood darted into the hall, and the moment Willey saw the apparition, he com- prehended the " true intent and meaning" of this untimely disturbance of his slumbers. Willey frankly admitted that he had been amply repaid for the "trick of the spoons" which he had played on Wood. He then explained the matter and his acquaintance with Wood to the landlord,
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