USA > Indiana > Allen County > Fort Wayne > History of Fort Wayne, from the earliest known accounts of this point, to the present period. Embracing an extended view of the aboriginal tribes of the Northwest, including, more especially, the Miamies with a sketch of the life of General Anthony Wyane; including also a lengthy biography of pioneer settlers of Fort Wayne. Also an account of the manufacturing, mercantile, and railroad interests of Fort Wayne and vicinity > Part 46
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).
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30
HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE.
many made small purchases, while others worked at their trades or hired out as , common day and monthly laborers, as was then common among nearly all classes of the early pioneer settlers of the west, for then all was new, and work was to be done by all, if a competency was to be gained, and the common necessities of life procured. And to-day it would be difficult indeed to enter any of the various machine and general workshops of Fort Wayne and fail to find the German un- represented-indeed, in many of these extensive establishments a full score of these hardy yeomanry of the Old World are constantly employed from year to year ; and are annually making purchases of lots in the city or its suburbs, and building thereon. and raising families; while many of the old German settlers have for years largely prospered in various ways ; and to-day are variously engaged in extensive business pursuits, and greatly esteemed by the masses of Fort Wayne for their in- tegrity, intelligence, and broad spirit of liberality and love of order.
Such are the Germans of Fort Wayne ; and may their better sense of frugality, perseverance, integrity, and general spirit of industry and philanthropie liberality ever serve as worthy examples of emulation and regard for the generations yet to come.
These lines are appropriate here. They tell in rhythm of the brave and noble "PIONEERS OF THE WEST," who years ago sought homes in the western wilds, and, amid hardships and dangers, laid the foundation of future greatness. They are from the pen of Eliczer Williamson, of Ohio, and were written as early as 1842:
Where now, Iask, is that bold, daring band ? The honored fathers of this Western land ; They who first erossed Ohio's silvery wave, And did unnumbered toils and dangers brave ? Though some of them did bid the world farewell, Some still survive, their matchless deeds to tell. Though fleeting years have passed forever by Since first they trod beneath this Western sky ; Yet they remember well those early days, And view our country Now with great amaze. The country THEN was an unbroken wild ; The " WESTERN WILDERNESS," it then was styled ; The Ohio then sent forth a wild-like roar, And dark, dense forests waved upon the shore : Along her strand the Indians then did dwell, And oft was heard the wild and savage yell. The mighty oak-proud monarch of the wood, Upon these hills in stately grandeur stood. Along these vales did ferocious panthers prowl, And oft was heard the fieree wolf's frightful howl ; But all these savage beasts have pass'd away, And the wild Indians too-where now are they ? They've disappeared-most of those tribes are gone, Like night's dark shades before the rising dawn. Can we forget that brave and hardy hand Who made their homes first in this Western land ? Their names should be enroll'd on history's page, To be perused by each succeeding age : They are the fathers of the mighty West ; Their arduous labors heaven above has bless'd. Before them fell the forest of the plain, And peace and plenty followed in the train, In vain would I attempt to bring to view The dangers which those pioneers pass'd through. The wintry winds in wildness round them blow, And o'er them often rolls the drifted snow. Upon the cold damp earth their blankets spread, There they reposed-this was their only bed. They often crossed great rivers, deep and wide, Their frail canoes they paddled o'er the tide. Through pelting storms and the descending snow,
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31
ALLEN COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY-NOTE.
Though thinly elad, they still would onward go. How many long and eheerless nights they pass'd Unsheltered from the eold and ehilly blast! For many years those hardships they endured, And they to arduous toil became inured. What lasting gratitude to the them we owe ! 'Tis from their toils our riehest blessings flow. Illustrious men ! though slumbering in the dust, You still are honored by the good and just ! Posterity will shed a conseious tear, And, pointing, say, " THERE SLEEPS A PIONEER."
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ALLEN COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
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This society was first organized in 1852 for the encouragement of agricultural interests and domestic manufactures. Under the management of Hon. Wm. Rockhill, I. D. G. Nelson, Lott S. Bayless, Wm. Hamilton, F. P. Randall, D. M. W. Huxford, H. C. Gray, and others, it continued, with varying fortunes, until 1860, when, owing to the disturbed condition of affairs throughout the country, meetings of members and annual exhibitions were discontinued. In 1859 a Horticultural Society was organized by some of the members of the Agricultural Society, and in 1863, the two societies were united, forming one sssociation, under the above title. The new Organization has been very successful, and, with weekly meetings, at their rooms, in the Court House, at Fort Wayne, aided by a fine Library, their discus- sions, are doing a good work in directing the attention of the public to the most improved system of agriculture and horticulture. The officers for the year 1868, are Adam Link, President ; F. P. Randall, Secretary ; S. J. Housh, Treasurer.
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REMARKS.
In the compilation, writing, and arranging of the material throughout this volume, I have drawn freely from every available source, and have been most careful to aeeept of those faets only that are well substantiated by previously published records and per- sons yet living whose recollections of many of the seenes and accounts presented are still quite fresh and clear. I would gladly have continued the " Sketches of Early Set- tlers of Fort Wayne," had I been supplied with the necessary material with which to form the same, as I had frequently both publiely and privately expressed and desired at an early day in the preparation of this work. But a failure to comply with this de- sire is not to be attributed to neglect or indifferenee on the part surviving friends ; and in view of a further issue of the work, it is still my wish to receive at any time sueh faets and reminisences of the early fathers and mothers of Fort Wayne as may be deem- ed interesting and valuable for this department of the volume.
The HISTORY OF FORT WAYNE could not perhaps have been prepared and sent forth at a more favorable or propitious period. Having attained a wonderful, and let us hope, a most valuable and lasting growth, with the prospects of, and earnest desire for, a still wider, more beautiful and benifieent range of culture in the future, we are to-day the better enabled to look baek upon the scenes and hardships of the Past, and to sean with a more scrutinizing vision the perils and vicissitudes that beset the pathway of the pioneers of the West; and the general connecting links of the work have been most carefully preserved throughout, rendering it thereby most vauable in a general as well as local point of view. W. A. B.
INDEX.
Biography of General Anthony Wayne, : :
: 1 CHAPTER II .- Primitive accounts-The Mastedon-Indian names of tribes, : : :
: habits and customs-
:
14
CHAPTER III .- Habits and customs continued-Indian dances --- French settlements --- Suggestions of Dr. Franklin --- Dances --- Peace-pipe --- An incident, : 32 : CHAPTER IV .--- Death of La Salle --- French stockade forts-French and Indian war --- Death of Wolfe, and defeat of the French at Quebec, : :
: 43 CHAPTER # VI .--- Condition of tribes after the French and Indian war --- The Delaware Prophet --- British occupancy of forts --- Commencement of the Pontiac war, 57 CHAPTER VII .--- Siege of Detroit, and defeat of Pontiac --- Captain Morris at the Miami village --- Croghan's journal --- Death of Pontiac, 73 CHAPTER VIII .--- The war for Independence, : : ..
: 88 CHAPTER IX .--- Early pioneers --- Movements of George Rogers Clark --- Capture of Kaskaskia --- Retaking of Vincennes --- La Balme's expedition, 93 : CHAPTER X .--- Emigration westward --- Territorial government --- Gamelin's journal --- Forsyth's narration --- General Cass' address --- Harmar's Expedition, :
: 106 CHAPTER XI .--- Expedition and defeat of General Arthur St. Clair, ..
.. 131 CHAPTER XII .--- Relief of the frontier settlements --- General Wayne's appointment and expedition ... Battle of the Rapids ... Erection of Fort Wayne, and treaty of Greenville, : ..
.. 143 CHAPTER XIII .... Emigration westward ... Death of General Wayne ... The Shawanoe Prophet ... Treaty of Fort Wayne ... Tecumseh ... Progress of avents leading to the war of 1812, : .. : .. : : : ..
.. CHAPTER XIV .... Plot to massacre Fort Wayne ... Tecumseh and the treaty of Fort
: 181 CHAPTER# XVI .... Assembly of Indians at Fort Wayne-Visit of Tecumseh ... Death of Little Turtle ... Preparations for war ... Ilull's surrender ... Captain Well's expedition to Chicago ... Ilis death and defcat of the troops of Fort Dearborn, : 199 : CHAPTER XVII .... Siege of Fort Wayne ... Movements of the army for its relief 211 CHAPTER XVIII .... Early Prophecy concerning Fort Wayne ... Movements of the army from Fort Wayne ... General Winchester's appointment, and movement down the Maumee, ..
: : : : 224 ..
CHAPTER XIX .... Siege of Fort Harrison ... Massacre of the Pigeon-Roost settlement- Capture of Gen. Winchester ... Massacre of Frenchtown, and death of Col. Allen, 232 CHAPTER XX .... General movements of the army under Harrison ... Expedition of Col. Richard M. Johnson to Fort Wayne ... Bombardment of Fort Meigs ... Capture of Fort George ... Evacnation of Fort Miami, at the foot of the Rapids, :
: 244 CHAPTER XXI ... Movements at Fort Wayne ... Plan of Col. R. M. Johnson ... His march to Fort Wayne, and movements from the Fort ... Re-investment of Fort Meigs, 249 CHAPTER XXII -Reinforcements from Ohio and Kentucky-Commodore Perry on the lake-Defeat of the British-Destruction of Malden -- Retreat of the British -Speech of Tecumseh,
: 262 CHAPTER XXIII .- Pursuit of the British-Bones of the killed of Frenchtown-The American Eagle hovering over the army-Battle of the Thames-Defeat of the British and death of Tecumseh, : :
: 266 CHAPTER XXIV .- Further Movements of the American army after the battle of the Thames-Resignation of General Harrison-Treaty of Greenville-The fort -- An incident, : ..
; :
.. : 279 :
CHAPTER XXV .- Value of Fort Wayne to the country at large-Kindly spirit of the garrison-Indian bones-Navigation-The fur trade -- Evacuation of the fort-Names of Commandants-Settlers of 1815-Captain James Riley-Ran- dolph county-Letter of Major Stickney-State Districts, ..
283 CHAPTER XXVI .- The Land office-Purchase of Barr and McCorkle-The old plat -First school-house-Fish-Fort Wayne in 1819-Traces-Early purchasers of land-Organization of Allen county -- County officers-Court sessions -- Trial of Big-Leg -- Canal grant-Hon. Oliver H. Smith-Senatorial Districts -- Winter of 1831-2 --- Wolves --- Taber's addition- Common Pleas and Criminal courts-Mar -- riage records, : : : . .
: 293 CHAPTER XXVII .- First court-house and buildings of court-square-Present court - house-Post office-The old pond-Shawanve Run-Chief Richardville-The Sand-hill-Indian bones and relics-Population-An early residert-Roads, buildings, and business-Manufactories-The world's future great commercial centre-Railroads-First Printing office-Churches and educational relations-
: : : : : : : : 312 The Future, .. : :
* By an oversight of the printer, this Chanter is printed "VI," instead of V; and Chapter XV, by a similar mishap, is made to read, " Chapter XVI ;" neither of which, however, otherwise intertero with the regular order or reading of the chapters throughout the book.
: .. ..
: 158 : Wayne ... Battle of Tippecanoe, : : ..
: ..
.. ..
VIII CHAPTER I .- Situation and primitive relations,
INDEX. 33
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF EARLY SETTLERS OF FORT WAYNE, ETC.
Biography of Samuel Hanna,
3
Sketch of Gen'l Hyacinth Lasselle,
15
Sketch of Henry Rudisill, ..
16
Sketch of Mrs. Laura Suttenfield,
17
Sketch of Mrs. Emeline Griswold,
..
22
Sketch of the Ewings-W. G. & G. W. Ewing,
..
23
Sketch of Early German Settlers of Fort Wayne, : ..
28
" Pioneers of the West "-(Poetry,) :
.. 30
Allen County Agricultural Society-Remarks,
·
31
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Sketch of Allen Hamilton,
18
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