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EN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
3 1833 02398 8105
JUN 2 1953
medical
on the author. A
HISTORY
OF THE
JOHN DILL
STATE OF OHIO,
NATURAL AND CIVIL.
BY CALEB ATWATER, A. M.
MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY; OF THE RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY; OF THE LYCEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY OF NEW YORK; AND OF THE AMERICAN GEOLOGICAL SOCI- ETY; AUTHOR OF WESTERN ANTIQUITIES; TOUR TO PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, ETC., ETC.
SECOND EDITION.
CINCINNATI: STEREOTYPED BY GLEZEN & SHEPARD.
Entered according to the act of Congress, in the year eighteen hundred and thirty-eight, BY CALEB ATWATER, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Ohio.
TO
THE YOUNG MEN
OHIO.
813037
THIS volume is respectfully dedicated to you, and as the des- tiny of this great state soon will be, so this book is delivered to you for safe keeping. In writing this volume, my thoughts have always rested on you, in the full confidence that you will carry out all the great measures of your fathers; that you will rectify our errors, and keep pace with the age in which you will live. Your fathers have done more than they even ask you to do. They have even gone ahead of the age in which they lived. Their toils, sufferings and privations have been but feebly depicted by me in this work, because, I did not wish to boast in their names of what they had done, as a duty which they owed to their children.
The liberties of this country, have been preserved by those who achieved them; and their sons have also preserved them until very recently; but great efforts have been made, are making, and will be made to pull from beneath it, all the main pillars, on which our temple of liberty rests. So far as I could in this volume, place before you the principles of your fathers, as the cynosure of liberty, I have fearlessly done so.
I have every where, spoken exultingly of the future, but my young friends, candor compels me to confess, that all such
Book
Smith
1200
4
DEDICATION.
passages, in my writings, of late years, have been written with a heavy heart. However, to you, under the direction of a kind Providence, kind indeed to you, I commit my volume, and all the aspirations which I feel, for your prosperity, in common with your parents and friends.
If this Republic must be destroyed, it will be effected by destroying the liberty of speech and of the press, on some par- ticular subject, at first; but extending its encroachments, ALL freedom of speech and of the press will be blotted out. In that case the party then in power will seize the occasion to intrench themselves in the high places, and unless the people shed rivers of blood, those in office will remain an incubus on the body politic. When that day arrives, rather than yield up the liberties of this country, to the men who are aiming at their destruction, I would prefer to see our own Ohio, breasting the storm of war, alone, if need be, and our citizens, either maintaining their ground valiantly, and victoriously, or dy- ing gloriously. If Liberty ever quits this Union, may her last footsteps, tinged with blood, be imprinted deeply on every plain and every hill of Ohio. My young friends! we live in an eventful period, and you can hardly expect to sustain the liberties of this country, without the utmost vigilance. Watch the men in power at Washington city. What I say to you, I say to all-watch them, because they need it-watch yourselves-watch all parties, and resist every encroachment on your rights. Beware of too closely following any party, and be sure not to adhere too much to any popular favorite. Bitter experience teaches us to do so no more.
Yours truly, CALEB ATWATER.
Ohio, June 25, 1838.
1
PREFACE.
THE history of this work, which has been on the au- thor's hands, more than twenty years, since it was origin- ally projected, demands a few remarks. That it has cost me no small portion of an extended life, is true, but, whether my friends will affix to it, a value commensurate with what of labor, care, diligence, time and money, which it has cost me, I do not know. Its plan is my own, and was long since made known to the public, who appeared to approve of it, twenty years since. Two portions of the original history have been already published, relating to our "ancient works," and to the "Indians" who once inhabited the territory now included within the state of Ohio.
The Natural History has been greatly abridged from my original manuscripts, with the hope of rendering that part of my work, acceptable to common readers. My Geological survey cost me much time and money, unaid- ed by any government patronage. Whether I shall pro- ceed to fill up my original plan, and continue the work, in a second volume, must be, as it is, left for my friends to determine, whose decision I will obey, and by which, I will abide.
Truth has been my polar star in writing this, my last volume. Method and perspicuity, have not been forgot- ten by me.
Two subjects, that is, a history of the legal and medical professions, are omitted, in this volume. CHARLES HAM- MOND, Esquire, is the person to write the history of our laws, our lawyers and our judges; and to publish it, in
6
PREFACE.
his valuable volume of Reports. Dr. DANIEL DRAKE is as clearly indicated by his position and information, to give us a history of the medical profession in this state, in his Medical Journal. To those gentlemen we naturally look to fill up the chasm, which we have purposely left for them.
Relying on the patronage of our fellow citizens, so liberally and so promptly extended to me, on all former occasions, I have been at the expense of Stereotyping, this first HISTORY OF OHIO.
Its mechanical execution, shows what is daily doing in Cincinnati, in the arts of book making. It is an Ohio pro- duction, in all its parts, fairly representing the views and feelings of a large majority of the reading people of this state. The number of copies of this work hereafter to be issued from the press, will depend solely on the pub- lic demand for it. I shall publish butone thousand copies at a time, and deliver them, at any point in the state, where there shall be a demand for them. None will ever be left for sale, on commission.
On taking leave of my friends, who have so long en- couraged me to proceed in my literary labors, I have only to thank them, for all their kindness to their old friend,
CALEB ATWATER.
Cincinnati, June 25, 1838.
1
CONTENTS.
PART I.
NATURAL HISTORY.
Prefatory Remarks -
9
GEOLOGY -
10
Sandstone
13
Millstone-Flint Family
16
Marble-Lias
17
Clintonite
18
Iron ores-Clays
Coal
19
23
Prairies in Ohio
25
Reliquia Diluvianæ
31
Slate and Limestone Regions- Limestone 37
Mortar
39
Native Flowering Plants - 78
40
Medicinal Plants
81
RIVERS-Ohio river
44
Naturalized Plants 88
Naturalized Trees, &c. 90
Little Miami
49
Great Miami-Mad river 50
Maumee-Sandusky 51
Huron-Cuyahoga -
52
Milk sickness
97
Currents of Air 101
Our Winters
103
PERIOD I.
CIVIL AND POLITICAL HISTORY
107 Indian Treaties
- 125
Lord Dunmore's War
110
PERIOD II
FIRST SETTLEMENT OF OHIO - 128 First Territorial Legislature - - 162
Harmar's Campaign - 133 Remarks on the Constitution of
St. Clair's Campaign and Defeat 136 Ohio 171
Wayne's War - 144
PERIOD III.
ORGANIZATION OF THE STATE
GOVERNMENT -
176
Delaware springs-Petroleum springs - - 59
Lake Erie, its Islands and Min- erals 60
The Fishes, &c.
63
Reptiles
65
Wild animals, &c.
67
BOTANY-Trees-Oaks - 71
Walnuts-Maples-Dogwoods- Coffee tree-Magnolias - 72 Pawpaw-Buttonwood-Pines- Poplars, &c. 73
The Frost Grape - 76
Organic Remains
Primitive Rocks
41
Plants naturalized at Cincinnati 82
Muskingum
46
Hocking-Scioto 47
Grasses, native and naturalized - 92 BIRDS, resident and migrating - 93 MEDICAL TOPOGRAPHY, Diseases, Climate, Tornadoes and the
Winters in this state . 96
Grand river
54
ALLUVIAL DEPOSITES 56
MINERAL SPRINGS 58
Burr's Expedition -
- 179
" Sweeping Resolution"
182
8
CONTENTS.
PERIOD IV.
WAR WITH GREAT BRITAIN - 187 Croghan's Defence of Fort Ste-
General Tupper's Expedition 197
venson - - 226 Missisineway Expedition 199 Perry's Victory on Lake Erie - 231,
Siege of Fort Meigs
215
PERIOD V.
GENERAL EVENTS
. -
. 249
Preparatory Measures leading to
School Lands and Common
the Ohio Canals -
-
-
- 263
School system of Education 253 De Witt Clinton's Visit to Ohio 266
School Report
255
PERIOD VI.
CIVIL HISTORY
- 274
The Miami and Maumee Canal 277
Cincinnati
and White Water
Cana! - 279
Roads-Rail Roads
279
Turnpike Roads
280
Common Roads and Highways - 283
Bridges -
284
THE STATE OF LEARNING IN OHIO 285
Colleges Academies and Com- mon Schools-Kenyon Col- lege 288
Miami University-Ohio Uni- versity 290
College of Teachers
291
Medical College of Ohio - 295 Woodward College of Cincinnati 295 Select Schools in Cincinnati 297 Public Common Schools in Cin- cinnati 298
Immigrants Friend Society
299
Common Schools in other parts of the state 300
State of the mechanic Arts - 301 The Ohio Mechanics' Institute 302
State of Religion
- 303
Religious Sects
305
Presbyterian Church
306
Methodist Church
307
Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb
308
TRADE AND COMMERCE -- Exports 309
Our Imports
310
Banks in Ohio -
315
State of Agriculture, Price of Lands, Produce and Labor 316 Raising of Hogs, Horscs and Cattle - 318
State of the Press
318
BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES
322
Colonization Society
323
Cincinnati Orphan Asylum
332
ORGANIZATION OF COUNTIES 333
CITIES AND TOWNS
335
Population and Remarks -
348
Character of the People
352
Officers of the Territorial Gov- ernment 357
Senators of Congress
359
Representatives of Congress
360
Members of Assembly
361
Members of Senate
362
Vote on Canals
363
APPENDIX No. I .- Ordinance of
July 13, 1787
365
No. II .- Constitution of the
State
- 377
No. III .- Remarks from a Brit-
ish paper
397
Protestant Episcopal Church
- 307
Canals
-
- 275
A
HISTORY OF OHIO.
PART FIRST.
NATURAL HISTORY.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY.
PREFATORY REMARKS.
THIS state is situated between 38° and 42º north latitude, and between 3º 30' and 7º 40' longitude West of Washington city.
On the surface of the earth, within our limits, is, almost every where, a rich vegetable mould, made by the decay and putrefaction of vegetable substances. Along the Ohio river and all its larger tributaries in this state, are wide intervales of rich alluvial soil, on which, when we settled in the country, a thick growth of gigantic forest trees flourished. In the hilly region hercafter to be noticed, there are two kinds of soil- the silicious and argilaceous. The former is made by the disintegration of the sandstone, near the surface, the latter by the clay slate which exists there. And where it is quite hilly, as it often is, these two kinds of soils, become intimately blended together. By a wise provision of nature, we see here, the clay for bricks, and the sand in which to mould them. The wild scenery, of this region, seventy, or even fifty years ago, must have been eminently beautiful. If any one, at that time, had ascended any elevated ground, near the Ohio, or of any of its larger rivers, the prospect, of hill and dale, spread out, immense, must have been delightful to
2
10
HISTORY OF OHIO.
the eye of the beholder. The spectator beheld tall trees, covered with vines of the grape, and of wild roses, hanging in clusters from near the ground to the topmost boughs. He saw, too, a beautiful shrubbery of flowering plants, tall grasses, and a great profusion of wild flowers in full bloom, of every shade of color. All was silent and still, except the singing birds of every variety, of wild fowls ;- the paroquette, bob-of- lincoln, quail, turkey, pigeon and mocking bird. If he ascended the second bank of lake Erie, he saw, what appeared before him, a boundless ocean, or bounded, only by the distant horizon. When the lake was calm, he heard the same solemn, sublime hum, that the Atlantic rolls to its shore. When the spectator approached near to the lake in mid summer, he felt the land and the lake breezes succeed each other, and felt all the in- conveniences produced by sudden changes of temperature.
While he stood on some lofty summit fronting the Ohio, and near it, he saw that delightful stream moving slowly, but ma- jestically along, noiseless as the foot of time, and as resistless.
But, we will proceed, directly to our object, which is, to consider for a moment our
GEOLOGY.
The whole valley of the Mississippi, is what Geologists de- nominate " a secondary formation." Those who have written on Geology, may be divided into two classes, Huttonians and Wernerians, from Hutton and Werner, the founders of the two sects of naturalists. The former, refer all the changes ob- served on the earth's surface, to the action of heat, the latter to that of water. We may say, with great propriety to those theorists : "Non nostrum inter vos tantas componere lites." It belongs not to us to settle such disputes between you. That both these causes, have operated on this globe, to pro- duce changes in its external surface, at different periods of time ;- and, that both these causes are still operating, is equally certain. But, the great valley of the Mississippi, ex- hibits very few marks of volcanic action, whereas every thing shows its Neptunian origin. From the Erie, Huron, Michi-
3 1833 02398 8105
11
GEOLOGY.
gan and Superior lakes, to the Mexican gulph, this great valley, every where exhibits, a deposite of great depth, evi- dently derived from the action of the ocean, upon the surface of the earth, north of this valley, running in currents, so power- ful, that nothing of the kind, now in existence, resembles them. This whole valley, is covered, to a vast depth, with the ruins of a former world. This is the greatest valley, and the largest tract of secondary formation, in the whole world. This vast field has been but recently visited by geologists, and books can afford us very little aid, in the remarks we are about to make, on this subject. Having examined no small portion of this tract, we venture a few general observations on its principal out- lines, as Ohio is connected with them. On the south side of Lake Ontario, we find the same formation. That the surfaces of all our northern lakes were originally much higher than they are now, appears certain from indubitable evidence. Ontario has been once so elevated, as to wash the edge of what is now, a considerable ridge, about twenty rods south of what is called the ridge road, between Rochester and Niagara river That road, resembles a turnpike, consisting of sand and peb bles, which the waves had dashed upon the shore, with such a force, that these materials rebounded, and finally settled where they now repose, forming the best natural road, in the Union. In process of time Lake Ontario wore down its outlet, and set- tled its surface, to where we now find it. The falls of Niagara began to be, at Queenston, and have ascended the river, seven miles to the interesting spot, where they now roar.
The present bank of lake ERIE, on the southern side, is about seventy feet above the now, common surface of the lake. Running all along the present southern shore and generally about two miles and a half south of it, is another elevation of about seventy feet. We have said generally, because there are exceptions, as to the width of the strip of land, between the old and new banks of Lake Erie. Cleaveland stands on the present bank of the lake. And the earth, on which it stands, is made up of sand, and pebbles rounded and smoothed, by the action of water. The first strip of land south of the
12
HISTORY OF OHIO.
lake, is, (where no stream has brought down its alluvial depos- ite,) composed of pebbles and sand, water worn, abraded and smoothed, by friction, in water. The whole belt of land, near est the lake, is composed of sand and water worn pebbles, all along its southern shore. The strip of land, which we have described, is elevated about seventy feet above the present surface of the Erie, and immediately south of, and touching its waters, and generally about two or two and a half miles in width, is succeeded on its southern side, by another elevation of about seventy feet in height, above the land, lying imme- diately along the present lake Erie. The second ridge con . sists of slate rock, which shows on its northern edges, every where, marks of the violence of the waves and rocks, and ice driven against it by the winds, in a storm. This slate rock, which lies under the second rise of land, is evidently older than lake Erie, and it is composed of secondary slate, crumb- ling into a blue clay, where long exposed to the action of the atmosphere, rain and frost. This slate rock contains some few remains of small shells, but more frequently, we find in it, zoophitæ. Reposing on this old clay slate, east of Sandusky city, in Ohio, we often see sandstone, of the same age, with the slate, or perhaps of even a more recent date. West of Huron river, in Huron county, limestone, lies upon the slate rock. Among the sandstones, we have every variety, of sec- ondary, in colour, and hardness, cemented by much, or a little lime. Some sandstones are cemented by iron. Its grains are quartz, frequently very fine, but sometimes very coarse, so much so, as to be called pudding-stone. Some of these rocks, in the county of Huron, when first raised from their native beds, may be conveniently sawed into suitable slabs for build- ings, for grind and whetstones. Some eight miles, or more, south of the mouth of the Geauga or Grand river, at Fairport, there are, what are called "the little mountains," consisting of sandstone of a very coarse grain. At an early date of our set- tlement of that region, mill-stones were made of this pudding stone. It proved not to answer that purpose very well, being
13
GEOLOGY.
destitute of the necessary hardness, and liable to crumble into small pieces.
The height of the surface of the earth, in Ohio, above the surface of the ocean, varies, from seven hundred, to fifteen · hundred feet. As a whole, it may be fairly estimated, at eight hundred feet. Its surface is infinitely varied, in its hilly region; sometimes it rises into abrupt precipices, in the sandstone regions, and then again, falling off, into long plates. It was generally covered with a thick growth, of forest trees, while in its natural state. We have neither the highest hills nor the deepest vales, but, generally, a surface undulating enough, for every useful purpose. The dividing line, between the sandstone and limestone formations, both of the same age, begins on Lake Erie in the mouth of Huron river, the sandstone lying on the east, and the lime stone on the west of it. Running nearly south, it is about nine miles east of Co- lumbus, bearing rather westwardly it is four or five miles east of the Scioto river, quite across Pickaway county, when, it ab- ruptly crosses the Scioto westwardly, almost as soon as it gets fairly below Pickaway county, south line. Extending west- wardly, near to, but west of Bainbridge, on Paint creek, it bears off, southwardly and westwardly until it strikes the Ohio river at or near Aberdeen, opposite Maysville, Kentucky. Thence turning southeastwardly it strikes the highlands west of the Big Sandy river, some eighty miles above its mouth. This line, as we have stated, which separates the sandstone from the limestone region begins on lake Erie, at the mouth of Huron river, and, passing through the town of Huron, in Huron county, and extending to the Ohio river, at Aber- deen, thence to the Alleghany mountains, by the route which we have indicated.
SANDSTONE.
We proceed to remark upon, the minerals East of the above mentioned line-and we begin with the sandstone, which of- ten lies nearest the surface of the earth. In many parts of the B
14
HISTORY OF OHIO.
region, in question, numerous interesting, and impressive views present themselves. Sometimes the strata of sandstone seem to have been broken down, into large tabular masses, which are promiscuously scattered about, or they are piled on each other, in wild disorder. In some places, this rock rises into conical hills, as in Licking county, near, and also north, and northeastwardly of the town of Granville. Here, these mounds, of a very friable sandstone, resemble, in appearance, at a distance, the limestone knobs, in the barrens of Kentucky .. Sometimes these rocks rise into pillars, as in Fairfield county, whose summits are high and their angles acute, and, standing. in piles not very distant from each other. The summits of these hills and pillars are often, nearly on the same level, and the seams which separate their strata, correspond through the whole series.
Hence, it is inferred, that these hills and pillars, once con- stituted a continuous mass, traversed by perpendicular fissures, and that the elements have operated the changes in them which we now see. Along the Ohio river, in the counties of Scioto, Lawrence, Gallia and Meigs, and in corresponding parts of Kentucky and Virginia, the hills assume a lofty as- pect, of five and sometimes, seven hundred feet, in height, ris- ing with acute angular sides. In front of the town of Ports- mouth, the sandstone hill, on the Kentucky shore, rises, five hundred feet above the bed of the river. This rock consti- tutes the broken, and often abrupt surfaces of the hilly por- tions of Scioto, Lawrence, Pike, Jackson and Hocking coun- ties. It lies in beds, between three and four miles east of the Scioto river, across Pickaway county, diverging from it, as we travel north, until at Columbus, in Franklin county, these beds are nine miles cast of the Scioto river. From these beds stone is procured for buildings of various sorts, and the great aqueduct, across the Scioto river at Circleville, where the ca- nal crosses the river, rests on pillars of this sandstone.
It is easily quarried, and answers many useful purposes. It underpins houses and barns ;- and it is made into spring-houses, in the sandstone region. Of it, fronts of houses are built, in
15
GEOLOGY.
Cincinnati, which look very well, though, it is not as durable a rock, as granite, or very hard limestone.
This stone is frequently used for grind stones, whetstones, &c. and large quantities of these articles, are used in Ohio, and begin to be carried beyond the limits of the State, for sale to our neighbors.
In some places, it is finer, and others are coarse. They are very fine grained, near Waverly, but they are a pudding stone in Jackson county. Where this rock is hard, and where it once stood in a perpendicular mass, with a rivulet running off it, caverns have been formed, in which the aborigines once lived, and, before them, wild animals there, found a home, es- pecially in winter. Such caves exist in Jackson, Lawrence, and Gallia counties. Many such caverns were often used, as cemeteries, in times long past. The small eagle, finds a place of security, for itself and young ones, in the cavities, existing in the perpendicular walls of this rock, fronting the Ohio river and along it ;- and hence, the name of the river, among the Indians-Kiskepeela Seepee - Little-Eagle river. In some places, the mass of sand, originally deposited, in this region, by the ocean, for want of any cement in the mass, never be- came a rock, but is sand still, in which, trees are imbedded, but not petrified. Such a tree, was found on the high land, near Marietta, in digging a well, (many years since) forty fect below the surface.
We suspect that it will eventually be ascertained, that the whole sandstone formation northwest of the Ohio river, from the Portage summit, south of it, dips towards the southeast, about thirty feet to the mile: that inclination ends on that sum- mit, which is the cause of that summit's location where it is, nearer the lake than it is to the Ohio River. Should that be ascertained to be the fact, it answers to a general law, notic- cd in every thing, cast of the Mississippi, which lies parallel with the shore of the Atlantic ocean, and is inclined towards it. Even the Alleghanies as a whole, obey the same law, and the Atlantic rivers, originate in the most westwardly ridge of that chain of mountains. The western edges of the Allega-
16
HISTORY OF OHIO.
nies, are more acute than the eastern ones, just as our lake rivers have more descent in them, in a given distance, than those have falling into the Ohio river. We say it is so, with- out knowing or caring, why it is so.
MILLSTONE.
The burghstone, of which millstones are made, in considerable numbers, in the counties of Muskingum, Hocking, Jackson and Gallia, occurs in amorphous masses, partly compact, but this rock always contains in it, more or less irregular cavities. These holes are occasioned sometimes, by the seashells which originally filled them having fallen out of their places in the rock. The aspect of this millstone is somewhat peculiar, resembling paste, which had been in a state of fermentation, when moist, and warm; but when the the heat had ceased to act, the mass became dry, hard and compact, with all the marks of fermenta- tion remaining in it. The cavities are sometimes, filled with crystals of quartz. The fracture of this burghstone is com- monly dull, and its colour is whitish or redish brown. Its hard- ness and cavities, when not too numerous, render it very use- ful for making mill stones, many of which are manufactured, and sent all over this state, and to the western ones generally.
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