USA > Indiana > Miami County > History of Miami County, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches, notes, etc., together with an extended history of the Northwest, the Indiana Territory, and the state of Indiana > Part 1
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
3 1833 00096 8435
Gc 977.201 M58H
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY, INDIANA
--
HISTORY
OF
MIAMI COUNTY
INDIANA.
FROM THE EARLIEST TIME TO THE PRESENT, WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, NOTES, ETC., TOGETHER WITH AN EXTENDED HISTORY OF THE NORTHWEST, THE INDIANA TER- RITORY, AND THE STATE OF INDIANA.
ILLUSTRATED.
Ic 977.284 #62
CHICAGO: BRANT & FULLER. 1887.
HALL & O'DONALD, PRINTERS.
1222772 PREFACE.
A FTER several months of almost uninterrupted labor, the History of Miami County is completed. In issuing it to our patrons we do not claim for it perfection; but that it contains that reasonable degree of accuracy which only could be expected of us, is confidently asserted. The difficulties that surround such an undertaking can scarcely be real- ized by one who has never engaged in work of the kind. To reconcile the doubtful and often conflicting statements that are so frequently made by those who would seem to be best informed, is a task both per- plexing and tedious. Yet we believe that we have been able to present a history of the county that is as nearly complete as reason can demand, and the book exceeds our promises in almost every particular. We have endeavored to set forth the facts in as concise and unostentatious lan- guage as possible, believing it is for the facts and not for rhetorical display that the book is desired. The mechanical execution and gen- eral appearance of the volume will recommend it, even to the fastidi- ous. The arrangement of the matter is such as to render an index almost superfluous, as the subject under consideration is at the top of every right-hand page. For further details the italic subdivisions will enable the reader to refer with readiness to any subject. In the spelling of proper names there is such a wide difference, even among members of the same family, and is a matter of so arbitrary a nature that our only guide was each man's desire. Every clue that gave prom- ise of important facts connected with the county's history has been in- vestigated by those engaged in the work. We believe the volume will be favorably received and highly appreciated by those for whom it was prepared. Our thanks are due to those who have rendered us assistance, and to our patrons.
THE PUBLISHERS.
CHICAGO, ILL., March, 1887.
-
CONTENTS.
PART I .- HISTORY OF INDIANA.
CHAPTER I. PAGE.
PREHISTORIC RACES.
17
19
Chinese, The .. 18
Discovery by Columbus. 33
Explorations by the Whites 37 31
Indians, The ...
Defeat of Black Hawk 130
Exodus of the Indians. 131
General Assembly, The First. 122
Guadalupe-Hidalgo, Treaty of .. 142
Harmony Community .. 134
Indian Titles 132
Immigration 125
Lafayette, Action at. 127
Land Sales. 133
Mexican War, The. 136
Slavery ..
144
CHAPTER VI.
INDIANA IN THE REBELLION. 148
Batteries of Light Infantry. 182
Battle Record of States 188 Call to Arms, The. 149
Colored Troops of Indiana .. 182
Calls of 1864. 177
Field, In the. 152
Independent Cavalry Regiment .. 181
Morgan's Raid 170
Minute-Men 170
One Hundred Days' Men 176
Regiments, Formation of. 151
Regiments, Sketch of. 153
Six Months' Regiments. 172
CHAPTER VII.
STATE AFFAIRS AFTER THE REBELLION 189
Agriculture 209
Battle at Peoria Lake 104 Coal. 207
Campaign of Harrison 92
Cession Treaties. 93
Defeat of St. Clair.
79
Defensive Operations. 76
Expedition of Harmer
75
Expedition of Wayne.
Indiana Promological Society.
213
Special Laws ... 190
State Bank 196
State Board of Agriculture 209
State Expositions. 210
Wealth and Progress. 197
CHAPTER VIII.
EDUCATION AND BENEVOLENCE 215
Blind Institute, The 232
City School System. 218
Compensation of Teachers .. 220
Denominational and Private Institutions 230 Deaf and Dumb Institute. 236
Education 265
Enumeration of Scholars. 219
Family Worship. 252
Free School System, The. 215
Funds, Management of the .. 217
Female Prison and Reformatory 241
House of Refuge, The. 243
Northern Indiana Normal School. 229
Origin of School Funds 221
Purdue University .. 224
School Statistics. 218
State University, The 222
State Normal School. 228
Population in 1815. 118
Territorial Legislature, The First. 84
Western Sun, The 84
CHAPTER V. PAGE.
ORGANIZATION OF THE STATE, ETC. 121
Amendment, The Fifteenth. 147
Black Hawk War. 126 Constitution, Formation of the .. 121 Campaigns Against the Indians. 128
Immigration, The First.
18 20 21
Pyramids, etc., The ...
Relics of the Mound-Builders
Savage Customs
Tartars, The.
Vincennes. 39
Wabash River, The 39
White Men, The First
37
CHAPTER II.
NATIONAL POLICIES, ETC. 41 46
American Policy, The
Atrocity of the Savages 47
Burning of Hinton. 48
British Policy, The
46
Clark's Expedition ..
French Scheme, The.
Gilbault, Father.
Government of the Northwest.
Hamilton's Career.
64
Liquor and Gaming Laws
74
Missionaries, The Catholic ..
42
Ordinance of 1787.
70
Pontiac's War
46
Ruse Against the Indians 64
Vigo, Francis 6
CHAPTER III.
OPERATIONS AGAINST THE INDIANS 75
Fort Miami, Battle of.
Harrison and the Indians 87
105
Kickapoo Town, Burning of. 78
Maumee, Battle of .. 75
Massacre at Pigeon Roost 103
Mississinewa Town, Battle at
106
Oratory, 'Tecumseh's
114
Prophet Town, Destruction of.
100
Peace with the Indians
106
Siege of Fort Wayne ...
101
Siege of Fort Harrison 103
Tecumseh 111
Tippecanoe, Battle of. 98
War of 1812. 101
War of 1812, Close of the. 108
CHAPTER IV.
ORGANIZATION OF INDIANA TERRITORY. 82 Insane Hospital, The. 238
Bank, Establishment of. 120
Courts, Formation of 120
County Offices, Appointment of. 119
Corydon, the Capital 117
Gov. Posey .. 117
Indiana in 1810. 84
State Prison, South! 239
State Prison, North 240
Total School Funds. 220
Divorce Laws 193
Finances 194
Geology 205
Internal Improvements ... 199
Indiana Horticultural Society. 212
Expedition of St. Clair.
Expedition of Williamson
79 78 78 80
Hopkins' Campaign
52 41 65 67
Immigration, The Second
23 34 23
Antiquities.
VIII
CONTENTS.
PART II .- HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY.
CHAPTER I.
PAGE.
GEOLOGY-General Features-Soil and Boun-
dary-Lime-The Pillared Rocks. 247
CHAPTER II.
INDIAN HISTORY-Early Tribes-The Miamis-
Treaties-The Pottawattomies-Indian Vil-
lages-Miami Chiefs-Indian Murders-
Frances Slocum-Battle of the Mississinewa 250
CHAPTER III.
COUNTY ORGANIZATION-Acts of the Legisla-
ture-Proceedings of the County Board- Creation of Townships-Public Buildings-
County 'Finances-Wabash & Erie Canal- Railroads-Gravel Roads-Medical and Ag- ricultural Societies-Elections-County Offi- cers, etc .. 272
CHAPTER IV.
MILITARY HISTORY-Early Militia-Mexican War-Opening of the Rebellion-Call to Arms-First Troops for the Front ... Miami County Regiments in Detail-Roll of Honor -Drafts-Bounty and Relief, etc. 299
CHAPTER V.
BENCH AND BAR-Early Courts-First Judges- Destruction of Records-Early Cases-Early Attorneys-Courts under the New Constitu- tion-Official Seal-Criminal Trials-Later Judges and Attorneys-Probate and Com- mon Pleas Courts-Roll of Attorneys .... 328
CHAPTER VI.
SCHOOLS-Early Educational Advantages-First Schools-Teachers and Their Methods- Schools of Peru-The Townships in Detail- County Seminary-The Township Funds- Normals and Institutes, etc ... 348
CHAPTER VII.
PERU-The Original Owners-Laying out of the Town-Miamisport-Sale of Lots-Early Business-Navigation of the Wabash-The Canal - Early Families - Incorporation- Additions-Fire and Water Departments-
Newspapers-Churches-Secret Societies-
Literary Societies and Libraries-Banks- Manufacturing Enterprises - Biographical Sketches. 362
PAGE.
Allen Township History ..
488
Allen Township Biographies.
505
Butler Township History. 535
Butler Township Biographies. 543
Clay Township History
559
Clay Township Biographies. 563
572
Deer Creek Township Biographies
579
Erie Township History.
591
Erie Township Biographies.
596
Harrison Township History
602
Harrison Township Biographies
617
Jackson Township Biographies. 659
637
Jefferson Township History 682
712
Perry Township Biographies
726
Peru Township History ..
362
Peru Township Biographies. 392
738
Pipe Creek Township Biographies 753
Richland Township History 762
Richland Township Biographies. 772
Union Township History. 781
Union Township Biographies. 792
Washington Township History. 802
Washington Township Biographies. 807
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Bloomfield, E. M. 405
Brown, James M. 351
Clendenning, E. B. 513
Coe, A. D 657
Cox, J. T. 475
Crowell, Geo. A. 369
Dukes, A. N.
315
Farrar, John L
549
Farrar, Josiah. 423
Fisher, Joseph 603
Graft, Benjamin 675
279
Helm, John H.
297
Hollenshade, James
639
Larimer, J. H.
567
Lockwood, W. W
441
McDowell, H. P
621
Miller, W. B
460
Runyan, R. B. 585
261
Shirk, H. J. 387
Waite, A. C. 531
Walker, Lyman 333
Wilson, J. S
495
Deer Creek Township History
612
Jackson Township History
Jefferson Township Biographies.
Perry Township History.
Pipe Creek Township History
Graham, John A
Shirk, E. H.
-
HISTORY OF INDIANA. 1
FORMER OCCUPANTS.
PREHISTORIC RACES.
Scientists have ascribed to the Mound Builders varied origins, and though their divergence of opinion may for a time seem incom- patible with a thorough investigation of the subject, and tend to a confusion of ideas, no doubt whatever can exist as to the compar- ative accuracy of conclusions arrived at by some of them. Like the vexed question of the Pillar Towers of Ireland, it has caused much speculation, and elicited the opinions of so many learned antiquarians, ethnologists and travelers, that it will not be found beyond the range of possibility to make deductions that may suffice to solve the problem who were the prehistoric settlers of America. To achieve this it will not be necessary to go beyond the period over which Scripture history extends, or to indulge in those airy flights of imagination so sadly identified with occasional writers of even the Christian school, and all the accepted literary exponents of modern paganism.
That this continent is co-existent with the world of the ancients cannot be questioned. Every investigation, instituted under the auspices of modern civilization, confirms the fact and leaves no channel open through which the skeptic can escape the thorough refutation of his opinions. China, with its numerous living testi- monials of antiquity, with its ancient, though limited literature and its Babelish superstitions, claims a continuous history from antediluvian times; but although its continuity may be denied with every just reason, there is nothing to prevent the transmission of a hieroglyphic record of its history prior to 1656 anno mundi, since many traces of its early settlement survived the Deluge, and became sacred objects of the first historical epoch. This very sur- vival of a record, such as that of which the Chinese boast, is not at variance with the designs of a God who made and ruled the universe; but that an antediluvian people inhabited this continent,
18
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
will not be claimed; because it is not probable, though it may be possible, that a settlement in a land which may be considered a portion of the Asiatic continent, was effected by the immediate followers of the first progenitors of the human race. Therefore, on entering the study of the ancient people who raised these tumu- lus monuments over large tracts of the country, it will be just sufficient to wander back to that time when the flood-gates of heaven were swung open to hurl destruction on a wicked world; and in doing so the inquiry must be based on legendary, or rather upon many circumstantial evidences; for, so far as written narra- tive extends, there is nothing to show that a movement of people too far east resulted in a Western settlement.
THE FIRST IMMIGRATION.
The first and most probable sources in which the origin of the Builders must be sought, are those countries lying along the east- ern coast of Asia, which doubtless at that time stretched far beyond its present limits, and presented a continuous shore from Lopatka to Point Cambodia, holding a population comparatively civilized, and all professing some elementary form of the Boodhism of later days. Those peoples, like the Chinese of the present, were bound to live at home, and probably observed that law until after the con- fusion of languages and the dispersion of the builders of Babel in 1757, A. M .; but subsequently, within the following century, the old Mongolians, like the new, crossed the great ocean in the very paths taken by the present representatives of the race, arrived on the same shores, which now extend a very questionable hospitality to them, and entered at once upon the colonization of the country south and east, while the Caucasian race engaged in a similar move- ment of exploration and colonization over what may be justly termed the western extension of Asia, and both peoples growing stalwart under the change, attained a moral and physical eminence to which they never could lay claim under the tropical sun which shed its beams upon the cradle of the human race.
That mysterious people who, like the Brahmins of to-day, wor- shiped some transitory deity, and in after years, evidently embraced the idealization of Boodhism, as preached in Mongolia early in the 35th century of the world, together with acquiring the learning of the Confucian and Pythagorean schools of the same period, spread all over the land, and in their numerous settlements erected these raths, or mounds, and sacrificial altars whereon they received their
19/
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
periodical visiting gods, surrendered their bodies to natural absorp- tion or annihilation, and watched for the return of some transmi- grated soul, the while adoring the universe, which with all being they believed would be eternally existent. They possessed religious. orders corresponding in external show at least with the Essenes or" Theraputæ of the pre-Christian and Christian epochs, and to the. reformed Theraputæ or monks of the present. Every memento; of their coming and their stay which has descended to us is an evi -- dence of their civilized condition. The free copper found within : the tumuli; the open veins of the Superior and Iron Mountain - copper-mines, with all the modus operandi of ancient mining, such .: as ladders, levers, chisels, and hammer-heads, discovered by the~ French explorers of the Northwest and the Mississippi, are conclu- sive proofs that those prehistoric people were highly civilized, and that many flourishing colonies were spread throughout the Missis- . sippi valley, while yet the mammoth, the mastodon, and a hundred. other animals, now only known by their gigantic fossil remains, guarded the eastern shore of the continent as it were against sup -: posed invasions of the Tower Builders who went west from Babel; while yet the beautiful isles of the Antilles formed an integral portion of this continent, long years before the European Northman> dreamed of setting forth to the discovery of Greenland and the northern isles, and certainly at a time when all that portion of. America north of latitude 45° was an ice-incumbered waste.
Within the last few years great advances have been made toward. the discovery of antiquities whether pertaining to remains of organic or inorganic nature. Together with many small, but telling relics of the early inhabitants of the country, the fossils of pre -- historic animals have been unearthed from end to end of the land,. and in districts, too, long pronounced by geologists of some repute .. to be without even a vestige of vertebrate fossils. Among the" collected souvenirs of an age about which so very little is known, . are twenty-five vertebræ averaging thirteen inches in diameter, and three vertebræ ossified together measure nine cubical feet; a .... thigh-bone five feet long by twenty-eight, by twelve inches in diameter, and the shaft fourteen by eight inches thick, the entire. lot weighing 600 lbs. These fossils are presumed to belong to the cretaceous period, when the Dinosaur roamed over the country from East to West, desolating the villages of the people. This animal i is said to have been sixty feet long, and when feeding in cypress ..; and palm forests, to extend himself eighty-five feet, so that he may ;
- 20
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
devour the budding tops of those great trees. Other efforts in this direction may lead to great results, and culminate probably in the discovery of a tablet engraven by some learned Mound Builder, describing in the ancient hieroglyphics of China all these men and beasts whose history excites so much speculation. The identity of the Mound Builders with the Mongolians might lead us to hope for such a consummation; nor is it beyond the range of probability, particularly in this practical age, to find the future labors of some industrious antiquarian requited by the upheaval of a tablet, written in the Tartar characters of 1700 years ago, bearing on a subject which can now be treated only on a purely circumstantial basis.
THE SECOND IMMIGRATION
may have begun a few centuries prior to the Christian era, and unlike the former expedition or expeditions, to have traversed north- eastern Asia to its Arctic confines, and then east to the narrow channel now known as Behring's Straits, which they crossed, and sailing up the unchanging Yukon, settled under the shadow of Mount St. Elias for many years, and pushing South commingled with their countrymen, soon acquiring the characteristics of the descendants of the first colonists. Chinese chronicles tell of such a people, who went North and were never heard of more. Circum- stances conspire to render that particular colony the carriers of a new religious faith and of an alphabetic system of a representative character to the old colonists, and they, doubtless, exercised a most beneficial influence in other respects ; because the influx of immi- grants of such culture as were the Chinese, even of that remote period, must necessarily bear very favorable results, not only in bringing in reports of their travels, but also accounts from the fatherland bearing on the latest events.
With the idea of a second and important exodus there are many theorists united, one of whom says: "It is now the generally received opinion that the first inhabitants of America passed over from Asia through these straits. The number of small islands lying between both continents renders this opinion still more probable; and it is yet further confirmed by some remarkable traces of similarity in the physical conformation of the northern natives of both continents. The Esquimaux of North America, the Samoieds of Asia, and the Laplanders of Europe, are supposed to be of the same family; and this supposition is strengthened by the affinity which exists in their languages. The researches of Hum-
21
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
boldt have traced the Mexicans to the vicinity of Behring's Straits; whence it is conjectured that they, as well as the Peruvians and other tribes, came originally from Asia, and were the Hiongnoos, who are, in the Chinese annals, said to have emigrated under Puno, and to have been lost in the North of Siberia."
Since this theory is accepted by most antiquaries, there is every reason to believe that from the discovery of what may be called an overland route to what was then considered an eastern extension of that country which is now known as the " Celestial Empire," many caravans of emigrants passed to their new homes in the land of illimitable possibilities until the way became a well-marked trail over which the Asiatic might travel forward, and having once entered the Elysian fields never entertained an idea of returning. Thus from generation to generation the tide of immigration poured in until the slopes of the Pacific and the banks of the great inland rivers became hives of busy industry. Magnificent cities and monuments were raised at the bidding of the tribal leaders and populous settlements centered with happy villages sprung up everywhere in manifestation of the power and wealth and knowl- edge of the people. The colonizing Caucasian of the historic period walked over this great country on the very ruins of a civil- ization which a thousand years before eclipsed all that of which he could boast. He walked through the wilderness of the West over buried treasures hidden under the accumulated growth of nature, nor rested until he saw, with great surprise, the remains of ancient pyramids and temples and cities, larger and evidently more beauti- ful than ancient Egypt could bring forth after its long years of uninterrupted history. The pyramids resemble those of Egypt in . exterior form, and in some instances are of larger dimensions. The pyramid of Cholula is square, having each side of its base 1,335 feet in length, and its height about 172 feet. Another pyramid, situated in the north of Vera Cruz, is formed of large blocks of highly-polished porphyry, and bears upon its front hiero- glyphic inscriptions and curious sculpture. Each side of its square base is 82 feet in length, and a flight of 57 steps conducts to its summit, which is 65 feet in height. The ruins of Palenque are said to extend 20 miles along the ridge of a mountain, and the remains of an Aztec city, near the banks of the river Gila, are spread over more than a square league. Their literature consisted of hieroglyphics; but their arithmetical knowledge did not extend farther than their calculations by the aid of grains of corn. Yet,
.22
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
motwithstanding all their varied accomplishments, and they were evidently many, their notions of religious duty led to a most demo- niac zeal at once barbarously savage and ferociously cruel. Each visiting, god instead of bringing new life to the people, brought death to thousands; and their grotesque idols, exposed to drown the senses of the beholders in fear, wrought wretchedness rather than spiritual happiness, until, as some learned and humane Monte- zumian said, the people never approached these idols without fear, and this fear was the great animating principle, the great religious motive power which sustained the terrible religion. Their altars "were sprinkled with blood drawn from their own bodies in large quantities, and on them thousands of human victims were sacri- ficed in honor of the demons whom they worshiped. The head and heart of every captive taken in war were offered up as a bloody sacrifice to the god of battles, while the victorious legions feasted ou the remaining portions of the dead bodies. It has been ascer- tained that during the ceremonies attendant on the consecration of two of their temples, the number of prisoners offered up in sacri- fice was 12,210; while their own legions contributed voluntary victims to the terrible belief in large numbers. Nor did this horrible custom cease immediately after 1521, when Cortez entered the imperial city of the Montezumas; for, on being driven from it, all his troops who fell into the hands of the native soldiers were subjected to the most terrible and prolonged suffering that could be experienced in this world, and when about to yield up that spirit which is indestructible, were offered in sacrifice, their hearts and heads consecrated, and the victors allowed to feast on the yet warm · flesh.
A reference is made here to the period when the Montezumas ruled over Mexico, simply to gain a better idea of the hideous idolatry which took the place of the old Boodhism of the Mound Builders, and doubtless helped in a great measure to give victory to the new comers, even as the tenets of Mahometanism urged the ignorant followers of the prophet to the conquest of great nations. It was not the faith of the people who built the mounds and the pyramids and the temples, and who, 200 years before the Christian era, built the great wall of jealous China. No: rather was it that terrible faith born of the Tartar victory, which carried the great defenses of China at the point of the javelin and hatchet, who afterward marched to the very walls of Rome, under Alaric, and
2
23
1
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
spread over the islands of Polynesia to the Pacific slopes of South America.
THE TARTARS
came there, and, like the pure Mongols of Mexico and the Missis- sippi valley, rose to a state of civilization bordering on that attained by them. Here for centuries the sons of the fierce Tartar race con- tinued to dwell in comparative peace until the all-ruling ambition of empire took in the whole country from the Pacific to the Atlan- tic, and peopled the vast territory watered by the Amazon with a race that was destined to conquer all the peoples of the Orient, and only to fall before the march of the arch-civilizing Caucasian. In course of time those fierce Tartars pushed their settlements northward, and ultimately entered the territories of the Mound Builders, putting to death all who fell within their reach, and causing the survivors of the death-dealing invasion to seek a refuge from the hordes of this semi-barbarous people in the wilds and fast- nesses of the North and Northwest. The beautiful country of the Mound Builders was now in the hands of savage invaders, the quiet, industrious people who raised the temples and pyramids were gone; and the wealth of intelligence and industry, accumulating for ages, passed into the possession of a rapacious horde, who could admire it only so far as it offered objects for plunder. Even in this the invaders were satisfied, and then having arrived at the height of their ambition, rested on their swords and entered upon the luxury and ease in the enjoyment of which they were found when the van- guard of European civilization appeared upon the scene. Mean- time the southern countries which those adventurers abandoned after having completed their conquests in the North, were soon peopled by hundreds of people, always moving from island to island and ultimately halting amid the ruins of villages deserted by those who, as legends tell, had passed eastward but never returned; and it would 'scarcely be a matter for surprise if those emigrants were found to be the progenitors of that race found by the Spaniards in 1532, and identical with the Araucanians, Cuenches and Huil- tiches of to-day.
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