USA > Ohio > Ashland County > A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland County > Part 34
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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
(From the Ashland Union, April 9, 1862.) Another Old Pioneer Gone.
Jacob Young, an old citizen of this township, died on the third instant, at the advanced age of eighty-nine years and three months. He was born in Hardy County, Virginia, the 1st day of January, 1773. He emigrated to Ohio in 1804, and to this county in 1814. He lived with his companion (who still survives him) sixty- eight years. He was the father of twelve children, and when he died had one hundred and seventeen grandchildren, one hundred and seventy-six great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grand- children. Father Young was a pious, devoted man, and, like a ripe shock of corn, has been gathered into the garner above.
Election of Officers of the Township for 1862.
Trustees, David Biddinger, Henry Worts, and Thomas Culbert- son-Clerk, J. Deal-Treasurer, Jacob Smurr-Assessor, Eman- uel Finger-Constables, Daniel Summers and Henry Ricketts.
Digitized by Google
CHAPTER XVIII.
Mifflin Township.
SURVEYED in 1807, and settled in the spring of 1809. While it remained in Richland County, Mif- flin was a full township; but when Ashland was erected, it was divided-less than one-half the ter- ritory and population falling within the boundaries of the new county. The western limit is for the most part the center of the Black Fork.
While Mifflin was a full township, it presented at three decennial periods the populations herewith named :-
In 1820. 467
" 1830. 1118
" 1840. 1800
Since the division of the township, the census re- turns of the Ashland portion exhibits the populations given below :-
In 1850 891
" 1860 829
The surface is generally broken and hilly; but the soil yields a rich reward to its tillers. The township is abundantly watered by the Black Fork, which runs along its western margin, and by other streams origi- nating in numerous springs.
The date of the formation of Mifflin cannot be ascertained, either by the records at Mansfield or by (523)
Digitized by Google
524
HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY.
those remaining in either portion of the old town- ship. From the best information derived from the early settlers, it is supposed that the organization occurred in about 1814. Prior to that date its ter- ritory had been embraced in Madison Township.
In Norton's "History of Knox County," p. 137, occurs the following paragraph :-
"Upon the tax duplicate of Madison Township, for the year 1811, is found the names of 'James Copus, 4 cattle, 40 cents;' 'Phillip Zeamore, [Seymour,] 1 horse, 30 cents;' and ' Frederick Zeamore, [Seymour,] 2 horses and 2 cattle, 80 cents;' as returned to the commissioners of our county."
Circumstances occurred in this township during the last war with Great Britain, which invest its history with more than ordinary interest. Effort has been made to obtain the true history of these events; but statements from different persons of equal candor and intelligence are found in conflict. Mr. Home, in his Historical Collections of Ohio, adopts, with evident hesitation, one of three versions of the Copus tragedy, each differing in some essential particulars, which he accompanies with the following note of explanation :-
"We have three different accounts of this affair: one from Wyat Hutchinson, of Guernsey, then a lieu- tenant in the Guernsey militia; one from Henry Vail, who was with some of the wounded men the night following; and the last from a gentleman living in Mansfield at the time. Each differs in some essential particulars. Much experience has taught us that it is almost impossible to get perfectly accurate verbal narrations of events that have taken place years since, and which live only in memory."
The opportunities of the writer of this for obtain-
Digitized by Google
525
HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY.
ing the true history of the matter have been more ample than those of Mr. Home, and although some discrepancies in his authorities also occur, he does not feel warranted in making the attempt to reconcile such discrepancies by modifications of the narrations as furnished him. Many facts throwing light upon these transactions will be found among the reminis- cences of the pioneers of Green and other townships. Subjoined is the statement of Wesley Copus, who, at the date of the murder of his father, was a boy of nine years of age :-
James Copus immigrated to Mifflin Township, from Green County, Pennsylvania, in the spring of 1809. His family con- sisted of his wife and seven children, namely, Henry, Nancy, Sarah, James, Wesley, Nelson, and Anna. Mr. Copus was mur- dered in September, 1812, by a band of Indians. His widow subsequently became the wife of John Vail; is again a widow, and continues to reside in Mifflin Township. She is in the eighty- eighth year of her age. James and Wesley Copus are the only male survivors of the family now residing in Ashland County, the former occupying the old homestead, the scene of his father's murder.
Some time in the month of August, 1812, a party of soldiers were stationed at the block-house, at Beam's Mill, for the purpose of protecting the settlements within their jurisdiction. After the arrival of the officer and his soldiers at the block-house, the officer was informed that an Indian village, called Greentown, stood about nine miles distant, on the banks of the Black Fort; and fearing that Tecumseh might influence them to take up arms against the government, and murder the defenseless settlers, conceived the idea of removing them and putting them under the eye of the govern- ment. Accordingly, at the head of a party of soldiers he made his way through the wilderness to the cabin of James Copus, which was located about two miles and a half north of the village of Greentown.
The officer (whose name is not now remembered) called upon Mr. Copus personally, and informed him of the object of his mis- sion. He stated that as a war now existed between Great Britain and the United States, and as the Indian tribes generally were ris- ing up against the whites, he deemed it most prudent to secure those inhabiting the village.
Mr. Copus and the officer entered into a long conversation re- specting the justness of his mission. Mr. Copas had on two or three occasions preached to these people, and enjoyed their full confidence; and since he had been with them, a period of nearly
Digitized by Google
526
HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY.
three years, he had seen no signs of hostility in any of them. All these considerations were laid before the officer, but to no purpose.
The officer told Mr. Copas that his mission was not one of blood; but that he merely intended to persuade them to throw themselves under the protection of the United States government; and that he only wanted him (Mr. Copus) to use his influence in a peaceable manner to press the importance of a peaceable surrender to the government, and their rights, lives, and property should be protected.
With this understanding, Mr. Copus consented to accompany the officer to the village. Accordingly, taking his little son Wes- ley, then about nine years of age, they and the officer and his sol- diers left the cabin and proceeded to the village, where a council was held and the agreement made, in which it was stated that their village should be protected during their absence, or until they were permitted to return.
Accordingly their property was invoiced, and the Indians placed themselves under the protection of the officer and his soldiers, and commenced their line of march for some place in the western part of the State. They were first brought to the place where Mans- field now stands, and there placed under guard.
After the Indians had been gone some distance from their vil- lage, the soldiers left behind to guard their goods until they could be conveyed away, set fire to the village and burned it to the ground. On casting their eyes behind them, the banished villagers saw, to their horror and astonishment, the smoke of their ruined wigwams, the sight of which aroused in them a spirit of vengeance.
In a few days after the burning of Greentown, a bound boy be- longing to Martin Ruffner, who resided near the present town of Petersburg on the Black Fork of Mohican, discovered a party of five Indians in the woods, who interrogated him concerning the Seymour family, and then left him. The boy hastened home with this intelligence to his master, whereupon Ruffner took down his rifle and proceeded in search of them.
Martin Ruffner was a bold and fearless backwoodsman, and an uncompromising enemy to the Indians, having had several of his friends and relatives murdered by them. Ruffner followed after the Indians and arrived at the cabin of Mr. Seymour as soon as the Indians. He rightly concluded that the savages were on no friendly mission; he detected in their countenances tokens of bloody hostility, and he expressed his fears to the family. After a short consultation between Ruffner and Philip, it was agreed that the latter should start off immediately, and with all possible speed, in search of aid to take the Indians prisoners.
Shortly after Philip had left the cabin in search of aid, the Indians commenced the attack. Ruffner made a desperate resist- ance. He clubbed his rifle, and broke the stock to pieces in defend- ing himself and the Seymour family.
As soon as they had dispatched Ruffner, they commenced their attack upon the old people, who were also killed and scalped.
Digitized by Google
527
HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY.
Kate begged the savages to spare her life, but all to no purpose. They first constrained her to deliver up her father's money, and then buried the tomahawk in her brains.
Some time after nightfall of the same evening in which Philip had left the cabin for aid, he returned to the cabin in company with James Copus and a Mr. Lambright. This little party halted a short distance from the cabin, when it was agreed that Mr. Copus should creep slyly to the cabin and ascertain the condition of affairs therein; as they had judged that all was not right on discovering no light in the cabin. Accordingly Mr. Copus stole slyly up to the cabin, and looking in at the back window found all dark and silent within, and he rightly concluded that the whole family were murdered. He then groped his way round to the front door, and on endeavoring to open it found it offered a slight resistance. The door, however, was partially open, and on en- deavoring to open it still further, so as to introduce his hand to feel if the floor was saturated with blood, which he found was the case, a slight resistance was offered. Mr. Copus, after finding blood upon the floor, felt confident that the whole family were murdered, and supposing that the Indians were yet in the house awaiting the return of young Seymour, did not think it prudent to enter. He communicated his discovery to the young man, who became insane with rage, and would have bounded to the cabin in one leap, if possible, had he not been prevented by his com- panions, who forcibly retained him.
After a short consultation, it was agreed that the party should return to Mr. Copus's cabin, and take his family, and proceed with all possible haste to the cabins of Mr. Hill and Mr. Lambright, and taking their families, convey them all to the block-house for safety, where a reinforcement could be obtained to march in pur- suit of the murderers.
The party then started back through the dark woods, and after coming to the cabin of Mr. Hill, situated where the village of Lucas now stands, it was agreed to proceed no farther till morning.
Morning dawned, and as the first beams of daylight broke in upon the forest, the little party set out for the block-house, where they arrived in safety with the sad intelligence of the murder of the Seymour family.
A company of soldiers immediately volunteered to accompany Mr. Copus and the young man back to the cabin, where they found the family all murdered. The old gentleman, lady, and daughter, lay in the house, and the heroic Ruffner in the yard. They were all tomahawked and scalped. Ruffner had two rifle balls through him, and was otherwise dreadfully mangled. Upon inspection it was found that he had fought desperately.
Miss Seymour, as stated, was the last one which suffered death ; according to the confession of Kanotchy, as he advanced upon her with his tomahawk, she raised up her arm to defend herself, and the blow taking effect upon her arm nearly severed it; the savage
Digitized by Google
528
HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY.
then dealt another, and the hatchet was buried in her brains-one quiver and all was over.
The party then buried the dead and returned to the block-house, and communicated the affair, after having pursued the Indians without any success.
The news of the murder spread like wildfire all over the conn- try, and aroused the fears of the settlers, causing some to leave the country entirely, while others flocked to the different block- houses.
Mr. Copus and his family remained at the block-house some few days after this affair; but hearing of no further depredations, and supposing that quiet had been restored, and the Indians had all left the country, he concluded to return to his cabin and again commence his farming operations.
But before starting back, he prevailed upon a party of some eight or nine soldiers to accompany him. Besides, one of the officers of the block-house promised him to call at his house that same evening, as he intended starting that morning with a party of soldiers in search of marauding Indians. With this consider- ation, he and his family and the small party of soldiers left the block-house and returned to the cabin, where he found everything as he had left it.
The spot where the cabin stood was at this time wildly roman- tic, and even now presents a picturesque appearance. The cabin stood at the foot of a high bluff and on the west side. The side of the bluff next the cabin was somewhat precipitous and rocky, and at its foot, and a short distance (three or four rods) from the cabin door, there gushes forth from the hill one of the best springs of water in the State. The barn stood a short distance to the left of the spring, a new cut-out road ran parallel with the base of the hill. In fact, this locality was just such a one as was cal- culated to inspire the soldiers with fun and frolic, and, indeed, they seemed to enjoy themselves most agreeably, as they spent the day in various kinds of sporting exercises.
The day was drawing to a close and the gloomy shades of night were settling down upon the forest. Anxious eyes were turned up the road in expectation of seeing the officer and his party of soldiers. Night came, but the officer was not yet to be seen. Nine, ten, eleven o'clock, and yet no signs of the officer and his party.
As the shades of night drew near, the feelings of Mr. Copus became strangely agitated, and he communicated his apprehensions to the soldiers, who only smiled at his fears. Mr. Copus was no coward; he had often faced danger; but on this evening he was under the influence of some unaccountable feelings.
It was a sultry September evening, and the soldiers proposed to spend the night in the barn. To this proposition Mr. Copus objected, alleging that there was impending danger. "Men," said he, "I feel a strange presentiment this evening, and I would
Digitized by Google
529
HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY.
rather see you all in the cabin." But the soldiers persisted in their proposition, and Mr. Copus reluctantly consented, with the provision that they would return to the cabin before daylight in the morning, which they agreed to, and immediately left for the barn.
Before daylight in the morning, the soldiers returned to the cabin, whereupon Mr. Copus, who was yet in bed, again commu- nicated his fears to them, stating that during the night he had slept but little, as his dogs had kept up a constant barking; that such a continuous barking was unusual, and that it was his solemn opinion that a fearful storm awaited his cabin. Again the soldiers made light of Mr. Copus's apprehensions, telling him that they were all imaginary, and that the Indians had left the country. But Mr. Copas protested that before daylight would fairly dawn upon his cabin it would be attacked.
Daylight had just began to make its appearance, when the sol- diers proposed to go out to the spring to wash themselves, when Mr. Copus again remonstrated, telling them not to act so incan- tiously, and unnecessarily expose themselves till after daylight. But this warning was all in vain-they persisted in going. "Well," said Mr. Copus, "if I cannot influence you to remain in the cabin till day has fully dawned, I hope you will at least take your rifles with you to the spring." They promised, but did not comply with this request. As soon as they had closed the door after them, they set their rifles against the cabin wall and proceeded to the spring without them, and while in the act of washing themselves, the mingled yells of forty-five painted savages broke in upon the ears of the terrified soldiers; who, on hearing these yells, and see- ing the cabin surrounded by the savages, attempted to make their escape.
Two of the soldiers were caught, in running about eighty yards, and murdered on the spot; a third being fleet, distanced his par- suers, who, finding it impossible to overtake him, fired upon him ; one ball passed through his bowels, and another through his foot. He ran about half a mile; when he was found, about eight weeks afterward, his body resting against a tree, with his handkerchief stuffed in his bowels.
The fourth man, Mr. George Dye, from Leatherwood, Guernsey County, wheeled, and, like a chafed lion, he rushed through the infuriated savages and escaped into the house, with one ball through his thigh. The names of the two who were caught and scalped were George Shipley and John Fedrick; and the name of the one who was found dead in the woods was Mr. Warnock.
As soon as the attack was made upon the soldiers at the spring, the firing commenced upon the cabin. Mr. Copus, on hearing the alarm, sprung from his bed, and, seizing his rifle, partially opened the door, just as Dye entered, when he, Mr. Copus, received a fatal wound. A rifle ball passed through the center of his bosom, and, staggering backward, he fell across the table, exclaiming, "Sol-
Digitized by Google
530
HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY.
diers, I am a dead man, but do not be discouraged; fight like men, and save yourselves and my family." He said no more; his af- frighted wife and daughter helped him upon his bed, from which but a moment before he had arisen in health, but upon which he was now carried a dying man. He breathed his last about one hour afterward.
Whether Mr. Copus discharged his rifle or not cannot now be positively stated; but it is thought he did, as a few moments afterward, an Indian was seen lying in a dying condition in the yard, immediately before the door, a ball having passed through his bowels, which were seen protruding through the abdomen; and it is thought that Mr. Copus and the Indian both fired at the same instant, and in that instant both received a mortal wound.
Several balls had penetrated the door, and the soldiers seeing it tore up the plank floor and placed the planks against it. The firing now was incessant. Volley after volley was poured in upon the cabin, and at every volley more than forty horrible yells greeted the ears of the terrified inmates. But the fire was returned with unerring precision, and the impertinent savages kept themselves at a respectable distance from the cabin after the first fire.
Finding it impossible to effect an entrance, the Indians retreated to the side of the bluff, already described, where for some time they continued to pour their leaden messengers of death upon the cabin roof; one or two balls took effect through the roof. Miss Copus was shot in the thigh, and George Launtz had his arm broken, in removing a piece of chunking to fire through.
Mr. Launtz had watched the Indian for some time who fired upon him and broke his arm. He was secreted behind a stump on the brow of the hill, and from this position, which was a com- manding one, he kept up a constant firing as fast as he could load and shoot. At length, the fellow's pate came peering in full view; Launtz was ready with his broken arm, and, discharging his rifle, the stalwart savage bounded into the air, and tumbling from rock to rock, he was precipitated to the bottom of the hill, where he lay full six feet long, taking his last rest.
The savage who was wounded in the bowels at the commence- ment of the attack had crawled toward the fence, and, although moaning and dying, he attempted several times to elevate his rifle in order to discharge it upon the cabin; but his strength failed him, as death was fast closing his mortal career. A soldier seeing him attempting to shoot while dying, sent a friendly messenger to ease him of all his cares and anxieties. He was shot through the head.
The battle lasted from daylight till about ten o'clock A.M., when the savages, finding that they could not succeed in their undertak- ing, raised the retreating yell, and gathering up their dead and wounded-nine in number-retreated from the cabin, firing upon a flock of sheep, which, during that eventful morning, had huddled together upon the brow of the hill, looking down in strange be-
Digitized by Google
531
HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY.
wilderment upon this scene of bloodshed. The poor affrighted animals tumbled down that hill one after the other, until they lay in one heap at the bottom.
After the Indians had left the hill, it was proposed that one of the inmates of the cabin should escape through the roof of the building, and with all possible haste make for the block-house for help. Accordingly one of the number left for this purpose. The rest were to remain inside the cabin till he returned. It was thought that the Indians had only gone off a short distance, and would again return, if not before, after nightfall.
About one o'clock, a soldier on looking up the road, in the direction of the Black Fork, discovered, as he thought, the same party of Indians stealthily advancing upon the cabin under cover of woods and bushes.
The inmates now gave themselves up for lost, but determined to sell their lives at the dearest possible rate. Death stared each one in the face, and excited in the bosoms of that handful of heroes a spirit of unfaltering courage. "Boys," cried the intrepid Dye, though smarting under the horrible wound he had received in his thigh, "each one of you charge home with unerring precision upon these skulking devils."
"Hold, hold !" cried a voice just as they were about to give the advancing party a greeting salute, which would, in all possibility, have left one-half dozen dead in their tracks-"hold! this is a party of white soldiers !"
And so it was. The same party too, who had promised to en- camp at Mr. Copus's on the preceding evening, but from some unknown cause had failed so to do. Great was the joy of the terrified inmates on beholding this unexpected deliverance. The soldiers, not knowing that anything had happened, had concluded to steal upon the cabin under disguise in order to frighten the soldiers, whom they knew to be there; but they had well-nigh carried the joke too far. But if the inmates of the cabin were overjoyed in beholding a party of friends, the officer and his party were no little astonished on beholding the work of death and de- struction around them. Three whites lay murdered, and three wounded, while the cabin was perfectly bullet-riddled.
During the night the Indians lay concealed behind the cornfield, each having made himself a little fire where he roasted his corn. It was by noticing these fire-places after the battle, that the sol- diers were enabled to tell how many savages were engaged in the contest.
Some time in the afternoon preceding the morning of the at- tack, a little girl of Mr. Copas had perceived an Indian leap behind a small brush-heap, which somewhat frightened her; but strange to say, she never mentioned the circumstance to any one till after the attack.
The coolness and fortitude with which the besieged maintained their position, and defended themselves, was very remarkable.
Digitized by Google
532
HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY.
During the battle the utmost good order prevailed, and, con- sidering numbers-six or seven against forty-five-this battle stands, perhaps, unparalleled in the history of modern times.
The cabin and the barn are torn down; but that spring is yet pouring forth its jet of pure cold water, marking the spot as one ever memorable in the annals of Ohio.
Captain Pipe, a Delaware chief, resided near the road to Mans- field, one mile south of Jeromeville. He was the chief of the Jeromeville Indians. He had a beautiful daughter; she refused the hand of a young warrior, whereupon he poisoned himself with the may-apple. Captain Pipe was a great warrior, and the im- placable foe of the whites; he was in St. Clair's defeat. He and his tribe left Jeromeville some short time before the Seymour mur- der and Copus battle.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.