History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships, Part 7

Author: Tucker, Ebenezer
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : A.L. Klingman
Number of Pages: 664

USA > Indiana > Randolph County > History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships > Part 7

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He died about 1837 or 1838, on the banks of the Des Moines, in Iowa, in what is now the county of Davis, where his remains were deposited above ground in Indian style. [Another account says he was buried in a grave six feet deep.] They were stolen and carried away, but were recovered by the Governor of Iowa, and placed in the museum of the historical society at Burling- ton, Iowa, where they were finally destroyed by fire.

David Connor, Indian trader and chief [white man], came to Greenville in 1811 or 1812, and opened a small store and trad- ing house, from which he dispensed blankets, calico, powder, lead, flints, tobacco, whisky and what not, to the "noble red men." IIc was married, but his wife remained in Greenville, refusing to accompany him in his wild life among the Indians. Although a rough, hard man in many respects, yet he had some good traits. He wielded a great influence over the Indians, which he somo- times employed for good purposes. In about 1824 (so says Judge Wharry, of Greenville, Ohio, who knew Connor all his life) some New York Indians, traveling to Green Bay, were murdered by some white villains in Indiana. Connor succeeded in securing justice and keeping the peace, and the Miamis on that account made him a "chief" of their tribe, with all due ceremony. He established himself at Fort Recovery soon after the war of 1812 had closed in the West, probably in 1814. He had used his in- fluence in securing the treaty of peace, and had made some ene- mies thereby. Several Indians came to his store one day, and told him they had come to kill him. " All right," said he " give me a few minutes to fix things up." They granted his request and sat down. Suddenly he took a keg of powder, poured it on a deer skin, and seizing a fire brand, swore in etrong, rough Miami, that he and they "should go to h-11 together." They "got " in a "heap hurry." The Indians never molested him again. One of them told Judge Wharry: " Connor one devil of a man; he care no more for Indians than he care for himsolf."

He next built a shanty above Deerfield (1820-21). After a few years he moved down the river to three miles below Wheel- ing and twenty miles above Marion. Still again he moved three miles below Marion, bought land, built mills, grew rich, and died some years ago.

[NOTE. Some will have it that he had a station at Mississi- newa crossing, near Allensville, and also one at Ridgeville, but the residents along the river do not understand the matter thus.]

At Greenville, the understanding was that he had a wife and two boys, and that she would not go with him in his wild, roving border life, and he "took up" with Polly Voorhees, by whom he raised a large family. He was a very rough, outbreaking man, so passionate that few dared to cross him. R. H. Sumption taught scheol near him, and six of his children attended the school. He did not call for his pay till the middle of the second term. The bill was large, and Mr. S. feared he might not take the matter kindly. Connor happened to be in good humor and paid the bill without a word. At one of his "posts," the Indians got "ahead " of him. He had a shed at the side of his cabin, and a log out on the side next the store-room, and as he bought bun- dles of skins, he would toss them through the "crack " into the shed. By some means the Indians made or found a hole from the outside into the shed, through which they got out parcels of skins. First one would get out a parcel and take it in and sell it to Connor, then another, and so on, till Connor began to won- der where they got so many coon skins. Polly had noticed the gamo of the " red skins," and at last she said, " Connor, you fool, how long are you going to buy your own coon skins ? " " Why?" said he. "Because," said she, " those tarnal Ingins have been stealing your coon skins and selling them to you over and over." What he did then and there is not told, but we may easily guess that there was a " rumpus," or danger of one about that time. [Burgett Pierce and others mention Connor in their recitals.]

The " Jay County History " says "that a pioneer family lived for a considerable time in a cabin built at Fort Recovery, Ohio, by David Connor, for a trading house at that point. So that most probably Mr. Connor traded at one period with the Indians near Fort Recovery. Judge Wharry, of Greenville, who knew Con- nor well, states that he went from Greenville to Fort Recovery in 1814, and stayed and traded at that location for several years.

DEATH OF FLEMING.

We subjoin an account of the death of "Fleming," an Indian (not indeed a chief), which occurred near Ridgeville, soon after the settlement of that vicinity. given by Joseph Hawkins, Esq., of Jay County, Ind., as told him by parties acquainted with the transaction. Some account of the same trag- edy may be found in the reminiscences of Thomas Ward, George Thomas, and perhaps others. One Smith, a mulatto, had a white wife. She told the Indian, Fleming, that if he would kill Smith she would marry him. The Indian shot Smith through the body, but did not kill him. Out of this in some way grew the fact that some half-drunk Indians (Fleming and others) made an attack on Joah Ward. He was at breakfast, and they came in armed with butcher knives. He arose, seized a gun from the hooks, and sprang backward to the outer door, and into the back yard, point- ing his loaded gun at one and another of the gang. Elias Kizer managed to get another loaded gun, and joined Wurd in the yard. Then Fleming began to run, and Ward told Kizer to shoot him, which he did, the bullet striking his foot, as it was raised in run- ning, passing in at his heel and up his leg to his knee. The other Indians begged so hard that they were let go. Fleming got across the river and lay down in the bushes, remaining there some time. Jesse Gray, the famous "Indian hunter," hearing the fact, came with his brother John (a lad of sixteen), to shoot the Indian. He told his brother to shoot him. The Indian lay on his belly, and as the boy went to shoot, he bent his body upward from the ground; and as the boy shot, he drew himself suddenly down, hugging close to the ground, and the bullet only grazed his

HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY.

back. But he acted as though he had received a fatal shot, and they thought him killed and went off. After the poor fellow had been wounded (in all) three days, Lewallyn, from pity, took him in. Some days after, Jesse Gray and Smith came to Lew- allyn's and shot Fleming in the bed as he lay, and killed him. The Indian saw them come, and turned over to the wall and wrapped his head in the blanket, and Smith put his gun against Fleming's baek and shot him through the heart as he lay there in bed.

[NOTE .- Joab Ward told Hawkins as to the attack, and Charles Simmons, an employe of David Connor, told him as to what Gray and Smith did].

DEATH OF FLEMING-By Thomas Ward.

"A white man brought whisky and sold it to the Indians. That white man fell out with my father, Joab Ward, one morning, and told him he should ' smell h-l' in less than an hour. Within an hour's time three Indians, Fleming, Killbuck and another, came to father's house as they were eating breakfast, armed with big knives and partly drunk. Elias Kizer and Thomas Andrew were there. All. three managed to get their guns. Fleming tried hard to kill father; but when the men got the guns, Fleming ran, and the other Indians began to beg. Elias Kizer shot Flem- ing as he ran, the ball striking his heel when his foot was raised, aud running up his leg to his knee. He managed to cross the river, but fell in the weeds on the north bank, and lay there sev- eral days. Jesse Gray and his brother came and undertook to kill him as he lay in the weeds, and thought they had done so. They, however, did not injure him. Lewallyn, who lived near, took him in out of pity, but Smith, the mulatto whom Fleming had shot through but had not killed, came with Jesse Gray to Lewallyn's house and shot him dead in his bed, as he lay upon a pallet of deer skins. Before Fleming was killed, he kept on threatening to kill Joab Ward and my father."

It seems that the Indians were not much offended at the death of Fleming. He was vicious, and they had turned him off, and he skulked around, getting his living from place to place among the whites as he could. They came and buried him, but said, " He no good-Fleming bad Indian."

Jesse Gray, however, was afraid of the vangeance both of the Indians and the whites, and he fled the State, taking up his abode in Ohio, near Hill Grove, Darke County, and resided at that place several years.

Tyre T. Puckett, residing west of Winchester, relates, con- cerning the poor Indian, that Fleming lay wounded on a deer- skin at Lewallyn's cabin. The Indians, though they had ban- ished him from their tribes, nevertheless took pity on him. In particular, " Aunt Sally," wife of "Uncle Jake," and mother of " Indian Jim," came and doctored him, and said he would get well. Gray and Smith came to the cabin. Gray undertook to get Mrs. Lewallyn out of the house; she resisted, and he pulled her out, she crying out meanwhile, "Don't do any murder here." Almost instantly she heard the shot, and, struggling back, she saw Fleming lay dead upon his pallet.

The grand jury (of which Mr. Puckett's father was a mem- ber) indicted Jesse Gray (and probably Smith) for the homicide, and a " true bill " was found against them. They fled the county and the State, and no special pains were taken to find them, since everybody was glad the " vicious Indian " was out of the way. Mrs. Lewallyn was the witness, of course, for the State, because she was the one (and the only one, perhaps) who saw the "deed," except indeed Smith and Gray themselves.

OTHER CHIEFS.

In the " History of Delaware County," by Kingman Brothers, may be found sketches of several other chiefs of the Delaware Indians, viz. : Tamanend, Capt. White Eyes, Capt. Pipc, Buck- ongahelas and Killbuck, Jr., for whose history we have no room. A brief mention must suffice. Tamanend was a mighty

chief, brave, illustrious, patriotic and virtuous. The scene of his exploits was on the castern seaboard, near Philadelphia, and he died about 1685.

Capt. White Eyes [Ko-gue-tha-gechi-ton] was a distinguished Delaware Chieftain, and a firin friend of the Americans. During the Revolution, he steadfastly refused to be drawn into the strug- gle between England and America. He died at Philadelphia in 1780, supposed to be 120 years old.

Capt. Pipe [Hop-o-can, tobacco-pipe, and Ko-giesch-qua-no- hei, maker of daylight], was a noted war chief of the Wolf tribe of the Delawares. He was an active partisan of the British, dying about 1818.

Buckongahelas was a more famous chief than Logan. IIe favored the English, but after Wayne's defeat he disdaincd their favor, and was firm in his friendship to the Americans. On his death-bed he adjured his people to desert the British, and remain steadfast to the United States. He was brave and truthful. His death occurred in 1804.

Killbuck, Jr. [Gelelemend] was the son of the elder Kill- buck ; was firmly attached to the United States, and was specially protected by them in a treaty made with his nation. He died in 1811, aged about eighty years.

Delawares .-- Kithawenund, or Capt. Anderson, Pec-kee-lund, Magh-pi-way, or Red Feather, Pit-che ke-ka-pou, The Beaver, Hock-ing-pom-skow, Lah-pah-ni-hi, or Big Bear, James Nanti- cope, Ne-te-ho-pun-a, Capt. Tu-nis, Capt. Ketch-um, The Cat, Ben Beaver, The War Mallet, Capt. Cagh-Koo, The Buck, Pet- che-nau-a-las, John Quake, Que-nagh-to-oth-mait, Little Jack.

Miamis .- Pucan, The Owl, Little Turtle, Wa-pe-mau-qua (the Loon), Silver Heels, Sha-wa-pe-no-mo.

The above signed the treaties made with their tribes in 1804, 1809 and 1818.

Other Indians .- Mont-see (Monsie) was chief of the Miamis and resided at Mont-see town (Muncie). An account of him is not at hand.

" Uncle Jake " resided at the Indian town near Muncie long after the rest of the natives had emigrated westward, and till his death, as did also his wife "Sallie," and his son "Jim." " Aunt Sally " died first; she was buried in the old Indian grave- yard near their town, and her husband, " Uncle Jake," watched over her grave, keeping his lonely vigil for two weary days and nights, and when he died, "Indian Jim," their son, did the same for him ; but when "Jim," poor fellow, died, he was the last of his race, and none was at hand to perform the solemn, sacred watch over his lonely grave. "Jake " was well known to the early settlers, a fine specimen of his nation; "tall, straight and stout, clever and nice when sober, but vicious when drunk,-" much like white people in that. "Sally " was very small, but active and sprightly ; she, too, loved the bottle, and, like her hus- band, got drunk. "Jim " lived with the white settlers and became civilized, working and earning his livelihood in a friendly, peaceable manner. It is not many years since his death took place. (See History of Delaware County, 1881.) This family seem to have been dwellers in Randolph County in the early time, since Ira Swain, coming to the region when a small lad, used to know them, and used also to play with the Indian boy " Jim." (See Account of Ira Swain.)

Cornstalk, the younger, was a chief in later times after the war of 1812. He was friendly, and a fine, stately, noble Indian. He used to come to Randolph County to hunt, spending more or less time among the settlers. A striking incident is related of Cornstalk and his wife by Squire Bowen, which occurred soon after the settlement of his father, Ephraim Bowen, in the county. We have no detailed statement of the life of this chief at our command.

Pontiac, Ottawa chief, was in 1761, a great friend of the French. He was tall in person and dignified and stately in de- meanor, fifty years of age, and civil and military ruler of the Ottawas, Ojibways and Pottawatomies. He formed his cele-

IIISTORY OF RANDOLPII COUNTY.

brated conspiracy suddenly in 1763. Many tribes were joined in that movement; Chippewas, Ottawas, Wyandots, Miamis, Dela- wares, Mingoes, etc. Nine British posts fell; Detroit was saved; the war was short; the conspiracy was soon crushed, the struggle ending in 1764.

REMINISCENCES.

Statement of Mrs. Henry Horn, of Arba, Indiana: " I trav- eled during the summer of 1880 in Northern Michigan. There are Indian Reserves in that region, and I becamo acquainted, among other persons, with an educated and talented Indian lady of the Ottawa tribe. Margaret Boyd, by name (she has also a long and difficult Indian name, Oqabegijiqokwe). She was educated when young, by the Catholics, they intending her for a mis- sionary ; she now lives near Petoskey, Northern Michigan; is seventy-two years old, and supports herself, in Indian fashion, by making various curious and useful articles for sale, baskets, moc- casins, pin cushions, slippers, etc., of most exquisite workman- ship and surpassing artistic skill. One of her brothers (Mac- coteybinassee, Black Bird) went to Rome for education as a Catholic priest. An Indian comrade was the companion of his journey and was to remain with him while at Rome ; but alas! erelong her poor, lonely brother sickened and died in that far- off foreign land, alone, except that one faithful comrade and friend. She commemorated her brother's death by composing a poem in English, of rare beauty and exquisite pathos, a copy of which is here given :

DEATII OF WILLIAM MACCOTEYBINASSEE.

(THE BLACKBIRD.)

[Of the Ottawa tribe of Indians, who was sent (with a companion of the same tribe) to Rome, for hits education, and died June 25, 1833 ]

COMPOSED BY HIS SISTER, MARGARET BOYD,

The morning breaks! See how the glorious sun, Slow wheeling from the East, new luster sheda O'er the soft climes of Italy. The flower That kept its perfume through the dewy night Now breathes it forth again. Ilill, vale aod grove, Clad in rich verdure bloom, and from the rock The joyful waters leap ! O meet it is That thon, Imperial Rome, shouldst lift thy head Decked with thy triple crown, where cloudless skies, And lands rejoicing in the summer sun Rich blessings yiekl.

But there is grief to-dny ! A voice is heard within thy marble walls, A voice Inmenting for the youthful dead, For o'er the relics of her forest boy The mother of dead empires weeps, aod lo! Clad in white robes, the long procession moves. Yonths throng around the bier, and high in front, Star of our hopes, the glorious cross is reared, Triumphant sign ! The low, sweet voice of prayer, Flowing spontaneous from the spirit's depths Pours its rich tones, and now the requiem swells- Now dies upon the ear. But there is one

Who stands beside my brother's grave, and though no tear Dims his dark eye, yet doth his spirit weep. With throbbing heart he gazes on the spot, Where his young comrade shall forever rest ; For they, together, loft their forest home, Led by the man who to their fathers preached Glad tidings of grent joy. My brother duar Who sleeps beneath the sod lus labors blessed. llow must his spirit mourn, the bosom henve Of the lone Indian boy ! No tongue can speak The accent« of his tribes, and as he bends la melancholy mood above the dead. Imagination clothes his tearful thoughts In rude and plnintivs endences of woe!

"Soft be thy peaceful sleep, my brother loved. At Nature's call the branches here shall wave, The wailing winds lament above his grave!" The dewy night shall weep ; And he, the lonely youth, my cousin and, 0, he shall come to shade with moss the grave; To plant above his head the mystic cross ; To hope, to prny, to mourn in silent grief! No marble here shall grand and stately rise,

But o'er thy tomb I ll tench the forest tree To lift its pensive head and point to thee Rejoicing in the skies.

And when the breeze stirs soft its waving boughs, I'll think thy spirit wakes the gentle sound, Such as my fathers thought when all nronad Shook the old forest trees. Dost thou forget the hour, my brother dear, When first wo heard the Christian's hope revealed, When fearless warriors felt their bosoms melt And yield beneath the power of mighty love? The heavenly Truth persuasive moved our souls Whilst on the flowery mount the preacher stood. The gentle messenger of Christ proclaimed The dying love of Jesus to an outcast race, And through the listening silence of the wood llis gentle, solemn words like spirits passed ; And oh ! hadst thou been spared, my tender hoy, We two had gone to bless our fatherland, To sprend rich stores of grace, and, hand in hand, Each boly labor would in love have shared ; But there the relie of my brother lies Where Nature's flowers shall bloom o'er Nature's child, Where ruins stretch and classic art has piled Jler costly monuments oo high.

Sleep on, sleep peaceful here in quiet rest ;

The traveler from thy far-off land shall come Aad claim this spot, and give to thee in grief What kingly tombs have not-the tribute of An honest tear shed o'er thy lonely grave !

The woman who wrote the foregoing lines is new living at Little Traverse City, in Northern Michigan, with a remnant of the Ottawa tribe, to which she belongs. Mrs. Horn visited her at her own home, had with the Indian lady a most interesting and instructive interview, and brought away several beautiful and curious ornaments wrought by the skillful hand of the werthy poetess. Some of the articles were a basket, a paper-receiver and lamp mat, all made of bireli bark, wrought with porcupine quills; a pin-cushion made of velvet, ornamented with beads in a unique manner, and other things besides. Mrs. H. had also a mat pur- chased of Petoskey's son, who is a merchant in the village of the same name. All the specimens are wonderfully rich and nice.

Chief Petoskey lives there still among his tribe, near the town. He is ninety-eight years old, but streng and hearty, standing straight, tall and vigorous, like a tree in their forests. He was at the door chopping wood when they called for a friendly visit ; he lel them into his dwelling, and entertained his guests like a prince, as he is. He is an Ottawa chief, living with his tribe upon their reservation.

Mr. Henry W. Ilorn has a photo of the old chief, which he says is a most striking likeness. The picture looks like that of a white man of striking appearance; yet Petoskey is a full-blood Ottawa Indian. They brought also the photo of Minonquet, an aged Indian woman (103 years), living at the old Mission Farm, some miles from Petoskey. She is bowed with years, but vigor- ous still, remarkably so considering her wonderful age.

At Petoskey, in the suburbs of the town, is a natural park of two acres, coverel with a young growth of sugar trees, inclosed with a plain fence. Through the park runs a narrow path between the trees, and at the head of the path stands a post with a board put up, and on the board this inscription :

MARQUETTE AVENUE,

Origianl Trail between Grand Traverse Bay and Mackinne. J'raveled fer hundreds of years by the Indians, and more than two hundred years ago by Father Marquette, the famous missionary and explorer.

INDIAN TROUBLES.

As a specimen of treatment of Indians by white men, and as the " spark which set the magazine on fire " in this region at the beginning of the war of 1811-13, we give the following from the history of Darke County :

"A squaw, with her husband and sen, was coming to Green- ville to purchase supplies at David Connor's. They camped over night by Irvin's Spring, a mile out of Greenville. A white man, who had traveled with them, went on into town and told that

HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY.

some Indians were up by Irvin's Spring. The commander was absent, and a villain by the name of Fish was exercising authority at the time. He went out and killed the Indian and his wife, and wounded tho boy. The lad fled like the wind, and, in an incredibly short space of time, Fort Meigs, 100 miles distant, was besieged by 2,000 savages bent on revenge for wrongs that were past, and for the utter extermination of the cruel white men."

David Connor came to Greenville in 1811, or early in 1812, and with him came a man by the name of David Thomson; who had been a soldier with " Mad Anthony " in the Indian wars of twenty years before, being with Gen. Wayne at Rouge de Bout and elsewhere.

D. T. died in 1840, aged eighty years. His oldest daughter, the widow of Judge Beers, one mile north of Greenville, died in Auguat, 1881.

Shortridge was killed and scalped by the Indians near where Cambridge City now stands. Shortridge had on clothes belong- ing to an " Indian hater," and the Indians thought he was the other man.

Charles Morgan and his two brothers were killed by the savages at a sugar camp in the northern part of Wayne County, where they were boiling sugar water. Morgan resisted power- fully, but was overcome and tomahawked. One boy was killed by the tomahawk and the other was shot as he started to run. All three were scalped. This took place before 1811. Morgan was a leader in the band that tried to murder Johnny Green, an Indian warrior residing in the region, and many thought at the time that Morgan's death was accomplished by Green in revenge for his bitterness against the Indians.

" PIGEON ROOST " MASSACRE, SCOTT COUNTY, 1812.

A settlement was formed in 1809, five or aix miles from any other white residents, on about a square mile of land. Jeremiah Payne and Mr. Coffman, two of the settlers, were hunting on the afternoon of September 3, 1812, two miles north of the Pigeon Roost settlement, and they were surprised and killed by a party of Indians. The savages then attacked the settlement (about aun- set), and in one hour had killed one man, five women and sixteen children, also burning the cabins with some of the dead bodies of the victims. Those alain were as follows :

Henry Collins and wife, Mrs. Jeremiah Payne and eight children, Mrs. Richard Collins and seven children, Mrs. John Morrill and one child and her mother ; Mrs. Jane Biggs and three children slipped away, and, before daylight, got to Zebulon Collins's, six miles distant.

William Collins, an old man of sixty years, with Capt. John Norris, defended themselves against the Indians for three-quarters of an hour ; and, after dark, escaped with two children, and arrived at Zebulon Collins's the next morning. The militia gathered and went to the settlement, and found the smoking ruins with some of the charred bodies of their slaughtered friends.

BURNING AT THE STAKE.

In the Indian village of Old Town, five milea above Muncie, many victima were tortured to death by a slow fire. They were tied to a stake, which was of oak, and ten or twelve feet high. A ring of ashes was round the stake, and the dancing in a circle by the Indians had tramped the ground as hard as a brick. The stake remained for many years to be seen and shuddered at by the passing traveler.

Mr. Thomas S. Neely, of Muncie, Ind., and a pioneer of that region (in history of Delaware County also elsewhere quoted from), says : " On the farm of Samuel Cecil, in Section 25, Center Township, in 1839, was a piece of ground near the then Richmond State road, now the Burlington Pike, on which tradi- dition says one Col. Winchester was burned by the Indians. The stake was visible when I came, and was charred. Around it for about fifty feet the ground was level and smooth, and the spot was round like a circus ring, only not thrown up on the cir-

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History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships, Part 7

Author: Tucker, Ebenezer Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : A.L. Klingman Number of Pages: 664

Author: Tucker, Ebenezer
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : A.L. Klingman
Number of Pages: 664