USA > Ohio > Warren County > The History of Warren County, Ohio > Part 1
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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
Digitized by
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
Digitized by
Mills
Schools of Lebanon
477
Early Settlement. 434
1
CONTENTS.
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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1
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."
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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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