The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 1

Author: W. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1081


USA > Ohio > Warren County > The History of Warren County, Ohio > Part 1


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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137


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THE


HISTORY RARES 11


OF


WARREN COUNTY,


OHIO,


CONTAINING


A HISTORY OF THE COUNTY ; ITS TOWNSHIPS, TOWNS, SCHOOLS, CHURCHES ETC. ; GENERAL AND LOCAL STATISTICS; PORTRAITS OF EARLY SETTLERS AND PROMINENT MEN ; HISTORY OF THE NORTH- WEST TERRITORY; HISTORY OF OHIO; MAP OF WARREN COUNTY ; CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS, ETC., ETC.


ILLUSTRATED.


CHICAGO: W. H. BEERS & CO. 1882.


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PREFACE.


THE generation of hardy men who first settled the region comprising War- ren County has nearly all passed away. The names and deeds of those who encountered the perils of Indian warfare, endured the privations of pioneer life, and, with rifles by their sides, cleared away the giants of the forest and rescued from savages and wild beasts the beautiful lands the present genera- tion possesses in peace, should not be forgotten. It is the purpose of this vol- ume to give the history of their achievements, and to record the growth and development of this county, that the present and future generations may know something of what it cost to give them this fair land, and who were the brave men and noble women who converted a wilderness into the smiling region we now behold.


The volume has been prepared in strict accordance with the announcements made in the prospectus issued more than a year ago. The publishers have been fortunate in securing the services of efficient and painstaking local historians. The general county history was prepared by Josiah Morrow, the author of the Centennial Historical Sketch of Warren County, deposited in the Library of Congress, who has devoted much time and study to the subject. The township histories contained in Part IV are designed to chronicle the annals of each neigh- borhood, thus rescuing from oblivion much interesting and valuable historical matter that otherwise would be lost through the death of early settlers and the ravages of time. The historians of the townships, whose names appear at the head of their articles, are either residents or natives of the respective townships whose history they write, and were selected on account of their fitness for the work.


The biographical sketches in Part V were prepared, for the most part, by the canvassing agents of the publishers. The personal and family histories given in these sketches may be found in succeeding years to possess an interest and value which will cause the book to be much sought after by explorers in genealogies and pedigrees. The study of family history is not for the purpose of ministering to an aristocratic pride; it is perfectly consistent with democratic simplicity and Christian humility. It is not necessary to have noble blood in our veins to give us an intelligent interest in our ancestral relations. The man of science and the general historian may well concern themselves with the ped- igrees of a people. It is desirable that the genealogical story of at least every


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iv


PREFACE.


old and long-settled family in each county should be recorded, in a form both permanent and readily accessible.


This volume is believed to contain a larger and more varied amount of historical materials than was ever before embodied in a history of a county of the State of Ohio ; but he who expects to find it entirely free from errors or defects has" little knowledge of the difficulties attending the preparation of a work of this kind. To procure its materials, its compilers have explored many hundred pages of manuscripts and written records. In some cases, it was nec- essary to reconcile contradictory statements. Some errors are unavoidable. The publishers trust that the book will be received in that generous spirit which is gratified at honest and conscientious efforts, and not in that captious spirit which refuses to be satisfied short of unattainable perfection.


To the county officers, town and township officers, and many intelligent citizens of Warren County, the publishers are indebted for favors and generous assistance in the preparation of the work.


THE PUBLISHERS.


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CONTENTS.


PART I.


HISTORY OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.


PAGE.


PAGE.


PAGE.


Geographical Position.


19


English Explorations and Settlem'ts 34 | Tecumseh and the War of 1812 ......


69


Early Explorations ....


20


American Settlements ...


59


Black Hawk and the Black Hawk


War ..


73


Discovery of the Ohio.


32 | Division of the North west Territory 65 |


PART II.


HISTORY OF THE STATE OF OHIO.


PAGE.


PAGE.


PAGE.


History of Ohio.


93


Organization of Counties.


.. 137


A Brief Mention of Prominent


French History


..


96


Description of Counties.


137


Ordinance of 1787, No. 32.


.105


Early Events ...


137


Governors of Obio.


160


Conclusion. ..


.. 200


Banking.


.126


Ancient Works.


174


Some General Characteristics. .. 177


Ohio Land Tracts.


129


Outline Geology of Ohio.


179


Ohio's Rank During the War ..


.182


Published in the year 1833 ..


.204


PART III.


HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.


PAGE.


Preface .214


First Settlements.


240


Rapid Growth of the County


.. 241


States from which the Settlers


Came ..


.. 242


Prices and Commercial Inter-


course .....


243


Friendly Indians ..


243


Early Mills.


.244


Deerfield Township, Hamilton


County


244


Early Elections.


247


Members of the Territorial Leg-


islature ..


.247


Members of the Constitutional


Convention


.. 248


Pioneer Life ...


.. 249


Christopher Gist ... 223 Clearing of the Land. 249 First Petit Jury. 277


O'Bannon and Fox .....


223


Dwellings and Furniture


.249


Maj. Benjamin Stites. 223 Wearing Apparel. 250


Symmes' Land Speculation .224 Adventures of Early Surveying Parties. .227


Method of Survey 228


Numbering of Sections .. 229 Virginia Military Lands .230 8ymmes' Patent. 231


Ministerial Sections


231


School Sections. 231 Streams. .257


Premiums for Wolf and Squirrel


Scalps


258


Snakes and Leeches ..


.. 259


Bear Hunt Described.


.259


CHAPTER V .- EARLY


SCHOOLS


Railways ...


289


CHAPTER IV .- PIOXERRHISTORY.237 Stations for Defense Against the AND CHURCHES .261 First Excursion Train on Little .290


Miami Railroad


First Teachers and Schoolhouses.261


Francis Glass.


.262


Post Offices.


292


PAGE.


Pioneer Preaching.


.262


The Baptist Church ..


... 263


The Methodist Episcopal Church.264


The Presbyterian Church ....


.... 264


The Great Revival of 1801 ......... 267 Rev. Richard McNemar .. ... 268


The Jerks and Other Nervous


Disorders ...


269


Scenes of Religious Tumult ........ 271


First Visit of Shaker Mission-


aries ....


.272


Presbyterians become Shakers ... 273 CHAPTER VI .- GENERAL PROG- RESS ... .274


First Official Business ..


.274


First Court and Grand Jury ..


.274


First Financial Exhibit .....


.278


Seat of Justice.


.279


First Jail.


279


First Court House .280


Second Jail


280


Second Court House.


281


Fourth Jail


.281


Infirmary ...


.282


Orphan Asylum and Children's


Home ...


282


Military Rango. 232 Forfeitures. .... 232


Congress Lands


233


Pre-empted Lands ..


.233


Chain of Land Titles.


233


.237


Indians ....


Premiums for Indian Scalps ... ... 239


PAGE.


CHAPTER I .- ORGANIZATION AND BOUNDARIES .... .215


Hamilton County


215


Illinois and Botetourt Counties .. 216


Act of March 24, 1803.


216


Act of January 30, 1815 ..


.. 217


CHAPTER IL-THE INDIAN OWN-


.218


Little Turtle Quoted. 219


Indian Mode of Life. .220


Gen. Harrison on Indian Char- acter ... .221


Extinguishment of Indian Titles.221 CHAPTER III .- EXPLORATIONS-SUR- VEYS-LAND GRANTS. 223


Copper Distilleries.


251


The Back woods Age not a Golden


Age.


252


Josiah Espy Quoted. 253 The Primitive Foresta .. 253


Wild Animals ...


.258


Roads.


283


Turnpikes. 287


Canals-Warren County Canal ... 287 Little Miami Canal and Banking Company .289


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Comments upon the Ordinance of 1787, from the Statutes of Ohio, Edited by Salmon P. Chase, and


Improvements


132


State Boundaries


.136


Ohio Generals


....... 191


Some Discussed Subjects.


.196


The War of 1812.


122


The Canal System


128


Horseback Travel.


250


Horse Thieves.


.251


Character of the Pioneers.


252


Third Jail.


280


vi


CONTENTS.


HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY-Continued.


PAGE.


The Bench and the Bar ...


294


Lists of Lawyers in 1830 and


1840 ...


.298


Lawyers' Fees and Judges' Sal-


aries.


299


The Militia Muster.


.. 842


Fort Ancient.


.401


Corwin's Reply to Gen. Crury.


.. 343


Fort of Burnt Earth


.402


The War of 1812.


.343


Archeological Relics.


.403


The Wagoner Boy ..


.. 347


Opening of a Mound.


.. 404


Shakers Drafted.


347


The Mexican War.


.348


Corwin's Speech


-348


The Civil War.


.349


Medical Censors


304


CHAPTER VIII .- THE DISTIN-


QUISHED DEAD.


353


Dr. Samuel Thompson's Botanic


System ..


304


Robert Benham


353


Expedition ..


... 408


Gen. George R. Clark's Second


Francis Dunlevy


357


George J. Smith


379


Joseph Whitehill ...


382


John Probasco, Jr.


383


J. Milton Williams ..


.. 387


George Kesling.


388


Ephraim Kibby


389


Towns Laid Out.


419


Eaton Township (Extinct)


.. 420


CHAPTER XI .- LIST OF OFFICERS.421


Recorders -- Sheriffs -- Prosecuting


Attorneys ....


.. 421


Auditors-Clerks-Treasurers .... 422 County Commissioners. .. 423 Associate Judges-Probate Judge 424 Members of the Legislature ....... 424 Members of the Constitutional Convention, etc ... .499


PART IV.


TOWNSHIP HISTORIES.


PAGE. :


PAGE


TURTLE CREEK TOWNSHIP


433


Organization


433


Protection from Fire.


526


Public Buildings


527


Schools


528


Churches


520


HAMILTON TOWNSHIP


.604


Prominent Buildings


539


Land Entries.


605


Canal and Railroad.


535


Early Settlements


606


Geology and Topography


608


Visit to Union Village in 1811. .. 446


Shaker Events ..


448


Y. M. C. A. and Library


549


Schools.


610


Lebanon


449


Site of Miami University 451 Postmasters-Telegraph .452


Newspapers


547


Fire Department.


.452


In the War.


547


Early Graveyards.


614


Public Ground


455


Cemetery, Hotels.


548


Miscellaneous Reminiscences .... 615


The Old Town Hall


457


Secret Societies


648


Township Officers.


615


Washington Hall


457


List of Township Officers.


549


War of 1812 and Mexican War ... 617


War of the Rebellion ...


617


The Public Hall


458


WAYNE TOWNSHIP.


555


The Lecture System


460


Fourth of July Celebration


.461


Industrial Interests


465


Printing and Publishing ..


.. 467


The First Bank.


.468 1


Mason's Prices, 1815.


469


Industrial Establishments, 1839 .. 470 Religious Societies .568 An Eccentric Character. 470 Schools, Physicians 570


Cemeteries


471


Taverns ...


.571


Distilleries, Industries 572


National Normal University ..


.. 480


Bridges, Stores.


576


Churches


487


Prices of Land


576


Societies.


501


Marriages.


577


Early Settlements


631


Township Officers


633


Women's Anti-Liquor Crusade ... 505


579


Some Early Settlers


Roads.


636


.581


County Seat Contest, 1879


... 507


Efforts of Lebanon to obtain a


Officers


.582


Churches


639


Towns


585


Schools ..


640


Concluding Notes


CLEAR CREEK TOWNSHIP


587


586


Situation and Organization


.. 587


Ancient Remains


512


List Township Officers.


New Jersey Presbyterian Church515


Schools.


693


The War Record.


643


Old-School Baptist Church.


517


Churches


.. 594


Towns


645


Carlisle Station.


518


Societies ..


595


MASSIE TOWNSHIP


647


The Town of Franklin.


518


In the War.


.. 597


Location of Land Warrants.


647


PAGE.


Officers of Franklin


.520


Manufactures


.597


Post Offices and Roads


.598


Early Settlers.


.598


Incidents


603


Two Indians Killed on Turtle


Creek


440


Shaker Swamp ...


441


Review of Agriculture in 1849 ..


.324


John Bigger.


390


William 8. Schenck


.891


Michael H. Johnson


.391


Thomas B. Van Horne.


.392


CHAPTER IX. - PHYSIOGRAPHY


AND ANTIQUITIES.


393


Topography.


.. 393


Nominating Candidates


338


Table of Elevations.


.397


Campaign of 1840.


.339


Climate.


.. 397


Statistics of Votes.


340


Geology


398


PAGE.


CHAPTER X .- HISTORICAL NOTES AND COLLECTIONS .. .407


Routes of Expeditions Against the Indians ... .407 Col. John Bowman's Expedition .. 407 Gen. George R. Clark's First


Lebanon Medical Society.


317


The Newspaper Prees


309


Education.


.311


Teachers' Institutes


312


Religion in the Common Schools.313


John McLean.


370


County School Examiners.


.313


Thomas R. Rome


.371


Pilgrims of 1818.


413


Religion ......


314


Changes In Worship and Belief .. 318 Sunday School. 319


Agriculture


320


Horses ...


321


Cattle-Sheep.


322


Swine-Poland-China Breed.


.323


County Agricultural Society.


.. 328


County Horticultural Society ....


... 328


Growth of


Population


and


Wealth


.330


Value of Real Estate


.333


Politics ....


337


Shakers of Union Village.


442


Mobe against the Shakers ..


442


Franklin Hydraulic and Mills ... 535


Prominent Men


539


Roads ..


.. 609


Temperance Movements 546 Maineville Academy .611 Grain Elevators. 546 Members of Board of Education.612 Early Manufactures. 613


Contract of Symmes, Smith, Heighway and Banes .. 556 Agreement of Smith, Heighway and Banes .. .. 557 Samuel Heighway's Journey to


Waynesville


... 557


Post Offices-Villages ... .. 618


Maineville.


..... 621


M. E. Church at Zoar.


.. 623


Maineville M. E. Church.


.... 623


Maineville Free . Will Baptist


Church


623


Hopkinsville United Presbyterian


Church


.624


Bethel Presbyterian Church ...... 624


Bethel Temperance Society ........ 629


DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP


.. 630


Topography .. 630


Railroad.


508


FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP


.509


Early Settlements.


509


Manufactures.


512


Societies.


641


Mills and Distilleries. 642


Graveyards.


642


589


Politics ..


643


Jeremiah Morrow


360


Expedition.


.410


Gen. Josiah Harmar's Route ....


.410


Matthias Corwin


.367


Joshua Collett


369


Journey Through Warren County


in 1797


411


Visit of Gov. De Witt Clinton ..... 414 Visit of the Duke of Saxe-Wei- mar ... 418


Butler and Warren Pioneer As-


sociation.


419


Thomas Corwin


372


Opposition to the Code ..


299


List of Judges.


300


The Medical Profession ..


.300


Liste of Physicians in 1830 and


1840 ..


303


PAGE.


CHAPTER VII .- MILITARY HIS-


TORY


.342


Antiquities.


Bowlders and Fossils ..


.400


.401


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Mills


Schools of Lebanon


477


Early Settlement. 434


1


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vii


PAGE.


Roads 703


Ancient Remains. .. 672


Churches. .651 Early Roads, 673


Industries .. 652


Harvey burg


.652


Dr. Jeme Harvey. .654


BALKM TOWNSHIP.


660


Organization ..


660


Land Warrants .661 Settlements .. 662


Justices of the Peace.


665


Churches .


665


Roachester


667


Frederickburg ..


667


Millgrove ...


.667


Morrow.


.. 668


Col. Thomas Worthington .669


E. D. Mansfield .. .669


HARLAN TOWNSHIP.


671


PORTRAITS.


PAGE.


Jeremiah Morrow (deceased) ... .115


Job Mullin .. 326


Joseph Lakens ..


.. 603


J. W. Keys ..


134


Aron Wilson ..


335


Salathiel Lukens.


514


A. G. McBurney. .151 John Drake. .346


Alfred Holbrook 170


John Perrine. .365 Jonathan Sherwood .534


I. H. Harris.


187


James Perrine (deceased ) ...


376


John Morris


.543


David Brown (deceased)


385


Mahlon T. Janney 554


Samuel Harris


.. 396


James Bowyer. .563


Isaac K. Steddom. 235


Davis Furnas. 246


T. C. Kersey, M. D 255


S. R. Crane ...


266


W. O. Lewis.


275


T. M. Wales.


286


John E. Dey


295


John N. Oswald .474


William Swank


676


.693


PART VI.


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.


PAGE.


PAGK.


PAGE.


Turtle Creek Township. 725


Hamilton Township .. 938


Franklin Township 793 Deerfield Township. 960


Wayne Township ... 822 Massie Township 994


Union Township.


.1060


Clear Creek Township.


890 | Salem Township .. .1020


ILLUSTRATIONS.


PAGE.


PAGE.


PAGE.


Source of the Mississippi. .... 22


High Bridge .............


33


Lake Bluff.


62


La Salle Landing on the Shores of


42


Green Bay .......


24


Bufido Hunt. 26


Present Site Lake Street Bridge, Chicago, 1833 ... 58


Perry's Monument, Cleveland .... 91


Niagara Falls


99


MISCELLANEOUS.


PAGE.


PAGE.


Map of Warren County ........ 14 and 15


Constitution of the United States .. 79 the World. 203


Population of the United States ... 203 Miles of Railroad in Operation .... 208


Population of the Principal Coun- tries in the World. 203


203 | Population of Oblo 202


PAGE. Population of Warren County ...... 330 Autographs of Old Settlers of War- ren County ... ............... 355 and 356 Business References ................ .1079


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PAGE. 648


Organization


Organization ... .. 671


Early Settlers 650


Churches


704


Cemeteries 706


Schools.


706


Villages.


.707


War Record 709


UNION TOWNSHIP. 710


Organization 710


Early Settlements 710


Deerfield laid out. .711


Description of the Miami Woods.714


714


The Stites Family


714


Mills .. 715


Timber-Indians


687


Churches.


716


Justices of the Peace. .. 716


Ancient Works.


.717


Sketch of William Smalley


.. 697


Organization and Records.


.698 |


PAGE.


Religious Denominations 678


Societies


679


Early Elections. 680


Early Settlements 680


Justices of the Peace


683


Township Officers


684


WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.


685


Topography 685


Ancient Works .. .686 .


Wild Animals-Game. 686


Thomas Rich.


523


Benjamin A. Stokes. 206


S. S. Haines.


211


Henry Dilatush .. 226


D. M. Worley. 405


Nathan Keever (deceased). .416


William Butterworth .583


Thomas P. Hutchinson. .. 425 R. M. Cox. 602 William Jackson 619


John T. Mardis .. 434


Jabez Hollingsworth.


.443


Frederick Cline


.638


J. L. Stephens, M. D .. .454


John L. Thompson ... .656


Aaron Stephens (deceased) .. 463


Mrs. Eleanor Thompson .657


David Graham.


306


W. H. Heighway.


.483 | A. Voorbis


Charles F. Chapman 315| William Hollcroft 494 |


Harlan Township .......... .1029


Washington Township ...


.. 1044


Pontiac, the Ottawa Chieftain. ... Indians Attacking Frontiersmen ... 55


Tecumseh, the Shawnee Chieftain, 68 Indians attacking & Stockade ........ Black Hawk, the Sac Chieftain ....... 74


Trapping .......


28


Mouth of the Misslesippl 31 A Pioneer Dwelling .. 60


PAGE.


PAGR.


First Methodist Sermon


Early Settlements.


687


Incidents


696


The Roosa Murder.


.. 717


Towns and Villages. .674


Area of the United States ............


Area of the Principal Countries in


S. B. Greely. .574


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PART I. THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.


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..


THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.


GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION.


When the Northwestern Territory was ceded to the United States by Virginia in 1784, it embraced only the territory lying between the Ohio and the Mississippi Rivers, and north to the northern limits of the United States. It coincided with the area now embraced in the States of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and that portion of Minnesota lying on the east side of the Mississippi River. The United States itself at that period extended no farther west than the Mississippi River ; but by the purchase of Louisiana in 1803, the western boundary of the United States was extended to the Rocky Mountains and the Northern Pacific Ocean. The new territory thus added to the National domain, and subsequently opened to settlement, has been called the "New Northwest," in contradistinction from the old "Northwestern Territory."


·


In comparison with the old Northwest this is a territory of vast magnitude. It includes an area of 1,887,850 square miles ; being greater in extent than the united areas of all the Middle and Southern States, including Texas. Out of this magnificent territory have been erected eleven sovereign States and eight Territories, with an aggregate popula- tion, at the present time, of 13,000,000 inhabitants, or nearly one third of the entire population of the United States.


Its lakes are fresh-water seas, and the larger rivers of the continent flow for a thousand miles through its rich alluvial valleys and far- stretching prairies, more acres of which are arable and productive of the highest percentage of the cereals than of any other area of like extent on the globe.


For the last twenty years the increase of population in the North- west has been about as three to one in any other portion of the United States.


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THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.


EARLY EXPLORATIONS.


In the year 1541, DeSoto first saw the Great West in the New World. He, however, penetrated no farther north than the 35th parallel of latitude. The expedition resulted in his death and that of more than half his army, the remainder of whom found their way to Cuba, thence to Spain, in a famished and demoralized condition. DeSoto founded no settlements, produced no results, and left no traces, unless it were that he awakened the hostility of the red man against the white man, and disheartened such as might desire to follow up the career of discovery for better purposes. The French nation were eager and ready to seize upon any news from this extensive domain, and were the first to profit by DeSoto's defeat. Yet it was more than a century before any adventurer took advantage of these discoveries.


In 1616, four years before the pilgrims " moored their bark on the wild New England shore," Le Caron, a French Franciscan, had pene- trated through the Iroquois and Wyandots (Hurons) to the streams which run into Lake Huron ; and in 1634, two Jesuit missionaries founded the first mission among the lake tribes. It was just one hundred years from the discovery of the Mississippi by DeSoto (1541) until the Canadian envoys met the savage nations of the Northwest at the Falls of St. Mary, below the outlet of Lake Superior. This visit led to no permanent result ; yet it was not until 1659 that any of the adventurous fur traders attempted to spend a Winter in the frozen wilds about the great lakes, nor was it until 1660 that a station was established upon their borders by Mesnard, who perished in the woods a few months after. In 1665, Claude Allouez built the earliest lasting habitation of the white man among the Indians of the Northwest. In 1668, Claude Dablon and James Marquette founded the mission of Sault Ste. Marie at the Falls of St. Mary, and two years afterward, Nicholas Perrot, as agent for M. Talon, Governor Gen- eral of Canada, explored Lake Illinois (Michigan) as far south as the present City of Chicago, and invited the Indian nations to meet him at a grand council at Sault Ste. Marie the following Spring, where they were taken under the protection of the king, and formal possession was taken of the Northwest. This same year Marquette established a mission at Point St. Ignatius, where was founded the old town of Michillimackinac.


During M. Talon's explorations and Marquette's residence at St. Ignatius, they learned of a great river away to the west, and fancied -as all others did then-that upon its fertile banks whole tribes of God's children resided, to whom the sound of the Gospel had never come. Filled with a wish to go and preach to them, and in compliance with a


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THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.


request of M. Talon, who earnestly desired to extend the domain of his king, and to ascertain whether the river flowed into the Gulf of Mexico or the Pacific Ocean, Marquette with Joliet, as commander of the expe- dition, prepared for the undertaking.


On the 13th of May, 1673, the explorers, accompanied by five assist- ant French Canadians, set out from Mackinaw on their daring voyage of discovery. The Indians, who gathered to witness their departure, were astonished at the boldness of the undertaking, and endeavored to dissuade them from their purpose by representing the tribes on the Mississippi as exceedingly savage and cruel, and the river itself as full of all sorts of frightful monsters ready to swallow them and their canoes together. But, nothing daunted by these terrific descriptions, Marquette told them he was willing not only to encounter all the perils of the unknown region they were about to explore, but to lay down his life in a cause in which the salvation of souls was involved ; and having prayed together they separated. Coasting along the northern shore of Lake Michigan, the adventurers entered Green Bay, and passed thence up the Fox River and Lake Winnebago to a village of the Miamis and Kickapoos. Here Mar- quette was delighted to find a beautiful cross planted in the middle of the town ornamented with white skins, red girdles and bows and arrows, which these good people had offered to the Great Manitou, or God, to thank him for the pity he had bestowed on them during the Winter in giving them an abundant " chase." This was the farthest outpost to which Dablon and Allouez had extended their missionary labors the year previous. Here Marquette drank mineral waters and was instructed in the secret of a root which cures the bite of the venomous rattlesnake. He assembled the chiefs and old men of the village, and, pointing to Joliet, said : " My friend is an envoy of France, to discover new coun- tries, and I am an ambassador from God to enlighten them with the truths of the Gospel." Two Miami guides were here furnished to conduct them to the Wisconsin River, and they set out from the Indian village on the 10th of June, amidst a great crowd of natives who had assembled to witness their departure into a region where no white man had ever yet ventured. The guides, having conducted them across the portage, returned. The explorers launched their canoes upon the Wisconsin, which they descended to the Mississippi and proceeded down its unknown waters. What emotions must have swelled their breasts as they struck out into the broadening current and became conscious that they were now upon the bosom of the Father of Waters. The mystery was about to be lifted from the long-sought river. The scenery in that locality is beautiful, and on that delightful seventeenth of June must have been clad in all its primeval loveliness as it had been adorned by the hand of




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