USA > Ohio > Butler County > A history and biographical cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio, with illustrations and sketches of its representative men and pioneers. Vol. 1 > Part 3
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This, perhaps, needs some explanation. In the west- ern part of Virginia and the part of the country from which Mir. Hindman and his party came, at an early period of the settlement, land was to be had, as the say- ing was, for "taking up." A entin was built, and by raising a crop of corn or grain of any kind, however small. the occupant was entitled to four hundred acres of land and a pre-emption right to one thousand seres more adjoming. There was also au inferior kind of laud-title, known as "Tomahawk right," which was made by denden- ing a few trees near the head of a spring, and marking the bark of one or more of them with the initials of the name of the person who made the improvement. Mr. Hindman and his party, no doubt, believed that the same rule or custom would prevail in the Miami Valley, and the improvements made by him were probably of the de- scription denominated "Tomahawk rights."
OPENING OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
AT the close of the Revolutionary war, when the in- dependence of the United States of America bad been ae- knowledged by all nations, several of the States set up exclusive claims to all of the unappropriated territory iyiug west of the Alleghanics. The most strenuous of these claimants were Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Vir- ginia. The charter of Virginia, with that uncertainty which is a marked feature of British grants of the sev- enteenth century, allowed her western boundary to go as far as the Pacific Ocean; and so did those of Massaciu- sette and Connectieat. .
New York, with characteristic magnanimity, had pre- vinudy given to the Union her brand's in the Har Weer, acquired by treaty with the ladins, and smesoued by England. To Pennsylvania shortly after she gave a port on Lake Erie, and to Massachusetts several millions of
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OPENING OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
arres of lands in the western part of the State, running frem Seneca Lake to Lake Erie. Massachusetts yielded up her claims to the Northwestern Territory, though borne out by her charter, and the influence of these examples, combined with the persuasions of the other States, finally and reluctantly wrung from Connecticut and Virginia concessions which rendered the settlement of Ohio possi- ble. These States were bought off; the other States gave their lands away.
Connecticut claimed by virtue of her charter, granted by the crown of Great Britain. The State of Virginia claimed as well under her charter as by the rights of con- quest under Colouel George Rogers Clark, in the year 1778, while it remained under the jurisdiction of Great Britain.
The States that had no vacant lands remonstrated against those claims as unjust and inequitable. They con- tended that, as the war had been sustained, and the in- dependence of the country acquired, by the blood and treasure of all the States generally, everything that had heen wrested from the crown of England in the struggle belonged to the United States, in their confederate capac- ity, as a matter of right, and should be held for their joint and equal benefit. There was considerable excite- ment 'on that subject at the time, and propositions were made in some of the newspapers of the day advising the destitute States that bad no unappropriated lands within the limits of their charter to seize ou portions of these vacant lands for their own use.
To allay the ferment, Congress made strong appeals to the justice and patriotism of the States holding these claims to make liberal cessions to Congress, for the com- mon benefit of the Union. On the 20th of April, 1754. Congres adopted the following resolution :
" WHEREAS, Congress, by their resolution of Septem- ber 6, 1780, having thought it advisable to press upon the States having claims to the Western country a liberal surrender of a portion of their territorial claims ; by that of tlw. 10th of October, in the same year, having fixed con- ditions to which the Union should be bound on receiving such cessions, and having again proposed the same sub- ject to the States, in their address of April 18, 1783, wherein, stating the national debt, and expressing their reliance for its discharge on the prospect of vacant terri- tory in aid of other resources, they, for that purpose, as well as to obviate disagreeable controversies and confu- sions, included in the same recommendation a renewal of those of September 6 and October 10. 1780, which ree- ommendations have not yet been complied with.
" Resolved, That the same subject be again presented to, the attention of the United States; that they be urged to consider that the war being now brought to a happy termination by the personal services of our soldiers. the supplies of property by our citizens and loans of money by them, as well as from foreigners, these several cred- itors have a right to expect that funds shall be provided
on which they may rely for the indemuification : that Congress still consider vacant territory as an important resource, and that, therefore, the said States he earnestly pressed, by immediate and liberal cessions, to forward those necessary ends and to promote the harmony of the Union."%
The requisition of Congress was complied with by the State of Virginia. The Legislature of that State, on the 2d of January, 1781, resolved that they would viell to the Congress of the United States, for the benefit of the State, all their rights and claims to lands northwest of. the River Ohio, on certain conditions, mentioned in the act. The Congress by their act of the 13th of Septen !- ber, 1783, agreed to accept the cession on the condition named, and the Legislature of Virginia, by their act of the 20th of October, 1783, authorized their delegates in Congress to make the conveyance on the ternis agreed on.
Accordingly, on the first day of March, 1784, a deed was executed, by which the State of Virginia ceded to the United States all her right and title to the territory north- west of the River Ohio, reserving the land lying between the Little Miami and Scioto Rivers, to satisfy bounties for the Virginia troops upon the continental establishment in the American Revolution, and also a tract at the Falls of the Ohio, reserved as compensation for the services of General George Rogers Clark.
. On the 14th of September, 1786.i the State of Con- necticut granted to the United States her claims to West- ern lands with the reservation of a strip " beginning at the completion of the forty-first degree of north latitude, one hundred and twenty miles west of the western bound- ary line of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as now claimed by the said Commonwealth, and from thened by a line to be drawn north parallel to, and one hundred and twenty miles woer of, the said west line of Penn- sylvania, and to continue north until it comes to forty- two degrees two minutes north latitude." This is the distriet on Lake Erie known by the name of " The Con- 'nectieut Reserve."
The Congress of the United States established a Board of Treasury, and authorized and empowered them to con- tract with any person or persons for the sale of public lands. And on the 20th of May, 1785, Congress pas -.. 1 "An ordinance for ascertaining the mode of disposing of lands in the Western territory, "# which ordinance directed the public lands to be surveyed and laid off into towy- ships of six miles square, by lines running due north and south, and others crossing these at right angles east and west, and each township to be subdivided into thirty -- ix sections, of one mile square each. Section umber 16 in cach township to be reserved and dedicated for the maw-
* " Old Journals of Congress." Vol. IV. p. 592 {" American State Papers, Publie Lands," Vol I. p. s7. *"Old Journals of Congress," Vol. IV, p. 520: "Land Laws of the United States." Vol. I. p. 349.
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
tenance of public schools within the township, and see- tions number 8, 11, 26, and 29 to be reserved for future disposition.
Seven ranges of townships were directed to be sur- veyed and laid off, extending west from the western bound- ary line of the State of Pennsylvania.
On the thirteenth day of July, 1787, the Congress of the Confederation adopted the celebrated ordinance for the government of the territory of the United States north- west of the River Ohio,* which was the first step towards establishing civil government, and throwing around it the first protection of law and preparing it for social exist- ence. That ordinance affirmed and perpetuated the great. principles of liberty, civil and religious, which had been set forth at the Declaration of Independence, reaffirmed in the treaty of 1783, and perpetuated by the Federal Con- stitution adopted in 1788.
The first sale made by the Board of Treasury, pursu- ant to the powers vested in them, was a tract of one mill- ion five hundred thousand acres at the mouth of the Mus- kingum River to " the Ohio Company." It was bounded on the east by the western boundary of the seven ranges, then in the course of being surveyed, and extending down the Ohio River and westwardty for quantity.
Manasseh Cutler and Winthrop Sargent were the agents on behalf of the directors of the company of asso- ciates, who negotiated with the Congress of the United States and the Board of Treasury for the purchase of the tract of land, as appears by a communication made by them dated New York, July 26, 1787. However, the agreement was not finally completed and the contract closed until the twenty-seventh day of October, in the same year.t According to the contract, in each township was reserved section number 16 for the maintenance of publie-schools; section number 29, for the support of re- ligion ; and seetions number 8, 11, 26, for future disposi- tion. There were also given, within the tract, two town- ships of land for the support of a university, on which the Ohio University has since been established at Athens.
---
The Ohio Company, however, failing to make full pay- ment for the whole amount due for their lands, conse- quently received a potent for only as much as they had paid for, being nine hundred and sixty four thousand two lundred and eighty-five aercs, instead of one million and a hafft However, a donation of one hundred thousand cores to actual settlers was given by Congress, to relieve the company of furnishing the donation entirely from their own lands, as they had proposed to do.||
The second settlement begun in Ohio was the one at Columbia, and from this the other places in Hani- ilten and Butter Counties are offshoots. Shortly after, 4
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"" Off journals of Congress," Vol. IV, p. 752; " Land Laws of the Beited States." vol. 4. 2. 950
+" Land Laws of the United States." Vol. I, p. 361.
* " Pioneer History," by S. P. Hildreth, p. 2.v.
" Land Laws of the United States," Vol. I. p. 361.
; third party landed at Cincinnati, and a fourth at North Bend. These were all on Symmes's purchase, and were set- tled by men of energy and ability. At Fort Washington, since Cincinnati, a fort was raised for defense of the pec- ple, and at the other places block-houses were built. It was soon, however, found to be necessary to have posts in advance, and to this need may be ascribed the build- ing of Fort Hamilton, on the site of the present eity of --- Hamilton. In January, 1790, General Arthur St. Clair, then governor of the Northwest Territory, arrived at Cin- --- einuati.
In the year 1788, a party of men were sent by Judge Symines to explore the ground between the Miamis. They passed up through the country, from the mouth of the Great Miami River, to near where Middletown now is, thence traversed the country east to the Little Miami River, and down that stream to the Ohio.
THE BUILDING OF FORT HAMILTON -- ST. CLAIR'S EXPEDITION.
THE general government, finding little effeet produced on the hostile Indians from the expedition of General Harmar and other previous commands, determined To carry the war muto the enemy's country, and attack the savages in their own fastnesses.
Arthur St. Clair, the governor of the Northwest Ter- ritory, was appointed major-general in the United States army on the 4th of March, 1791. and invested with the ellief command of the troops to be employed mainst the hostile Indians.
The army was raised and assembled at Fort Washing- town, where Cincinnati wow stands, in the ensuing Sam- mer. On the 7th of August the troops which hed ar- rived, except the artificers an I a small garrison for the fort, movel to Ludlow Station, on Mill Creek, five miles fromi Cincinnati. On the 17th of September, 1791, a portion of the army was led by Cloud William Darke to the Miami River at Hamilton, which had been previousiv recounoitered, und encamped on the prairie about half a mile below where the town now is. In a day or two, General St. Clair, who had been necessarily detained at Fort Washington, arrived, selected and leid out the site and commenced biulding Fort Hamilton, designed to cover the passage of the river, to serve as a place of deposit. for provisions, and to forma the first link in the chain of posts of communication between Fort Washington and The object of the campaign. The site selected for the fort was hamediately on the bank of the river. The upper part of the fort was nearly opposite to where the east end of the bridge now is, and the lover part where the United Presbyterian meetinghouse now stands. The ground was then thickly covered with tiraber, and the
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THE BUILDING OF FORT HAMILTON. 1
first thing necessary to be done was to clear off the site, and to cut the timber to the distance of two or three hundred yards all round.
The fort was a stockade work, the whole circuit of which was about one thousand feet, throughout the whole extent of which a trench about three feet deep was dug to set the piekets in, of which it required about two thousand to inclose the fort. It is not trees taken promiscuously from the forest that 'will answer for piekets; they must be tall and straight, and from nine to twelve inches in diameter (for those of a larger size are too unmanageable) ; of course, few suitable trees are found without going over a consider- able space of woodland. When found, they were cut down, trimmed of their branches, and divided into lengths of about twenty feet. They were then carried to the ground. Although some use was made of oxen in draw- ing the timber, the woods were so thick and encumbered with underbrush that it was found to be the most expeditious method to carry it. The pickets were theu butted, with an ax or cross-cut saw, that they might be placed firm and upright in the trench. Some hewing upon them was also necessary, for there are few trees so straight that the sides of them will come in close contact when set upright. A thin piece of timber, called a rib- bon, was run round the whole, near the top of the pickets, to which every one of them was pinned with a strong wooden pin, without which they would have declined from the per- pendicular with every blast of wind, some hanging outwards and some inwards, which would have rendered them in a great measure useless. The earth thrown out of the trench was then returned and strongly rammed to keep the piekets firm in their places. About two thousand pickets were also set ap on the inside, one between every two of the others, to intercept any balls which might pass be- tween the outer pickets. The work being then inclosed, a shallow trench was dug out- side about three feet distant, to carry off the water and prevent the pickets from being moved by the rains.
The fort was situated on the first bank of the river: the second bank, where the court-house now stands, be- ing considerably elevated, and within point-blank shot. rendered it necessary to make the pickets, particularly along the land side, of a height sufficient to prevent an enemy from secing into the area, and taking the side next thw river in reserve. Four good bastions were made of trunks of trees. One stood at the northeast angle of the fort, in High Street, south of where the post-office now i, On this was raised a high platform, to scour the ser-
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ond bank with artillery. Another platform was also raised on the bastion towards the river to command the ford (which was then opposite the lower part of the town) and the river for some distance up and down.
Planks for the platforms, gates, and other works con- nected with the forts and barracks were sawed by the
PLAN OF
FORT HAMILTON
Front
Street
Sitters storehouses.
A-The southern portion of the fort, con- structed under the command of den- Fral St Clair in September. 179. B B B B- Four block houses, on two of which cannon were played. (-Quarters of commandug officer. com- monty called General Wilkinson's house.
D D D D. dr .- Barracks for officers and men. E-Magazine.
F-Building called officers' moss-room. C-Gate for entrance into the fort. f-Hall or open space between the com- mandant's quarters and the kitchen.
K-Ki chen. i .- Collar and cistern. M -- Artificers' shops. SS-Two storehouses. R-Northern adnibon to the fort. con structed by order of General Wayne in 1793.
It-The well, with a wheel to draw with. PPPPP-Line of pickets. 1 b- Former bridge. f- Ford across the river. xx-Sutter s storehouses.
men with a whip-saw. Barracks were then created in- side of the fort for the accommodation of the officers, and for one hundred men. Two store-houses, a guard-room, a magazine, and some other necessary buildings were erected. The magazine stood at the southeast of the fort, near where the United Presbyterian Church now stands. It was built of large, squared timber, the sides coming clos together, and covered with a hipped rood. It was used is a jail for many years after the organization of Butter County The officers' mes-rown stood near where the rear portion of the Universalist Church is at present. It was a frame building about forty feet long by twenty
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
wide, one story high, weatherboarded with rough plank,. and set upon wooden blocks, three feet high. This build- iug was afterwards used as a court house for many years after the organization of the county.
On the thirtieth day of September, 1791, the fort be- ing nearly completed, so far, at least, as to be in a con- dition to receive a garrison, two pieces of artillery were placed in it, on the platform; a salute was fired, and it was named Fort Hamilton, in honor of General Alex- ander Hamilton, then Secretary of the Treasury. Gen- era! Richard Butler, second in command. and Captain Denny, aid-de-camp to General St. Clair, joined the army at Fort Hamilton ou the 27th of September. The whole. army was mustered and inspected at Fort Hamilton by Colonel Mentgez, inspector of the army. The whole force numbered two thousand three hundred non-commissioned officers and privates fit for daty. While they lay at Hamilton fifty-seven horses were stolen by the Indians in one drove, and, on the 3d of October, the night before the army marched, twenty-one men deserted. A de- tachment of troops was made, to be left in garrisou at Fort Hamilton, which was. committed to the command of Captain John Armstrong. General St. Clair issued an order directing the manner in which the army was to march, to encamp, and formu in order of battle, un- der various circumstances. The order of march was that the army should be preceded by a small party of ritle- men with the surveyor to mark the course of the road; then were to follow the road-cutters, with a party to cover them; then the advanced guard, and after them the army in two columns, with one piece of artillery in front, one in the center, and one in the rear of each col- umn. In the space between the two columns was to march the remaining artillery, designed for the forts that should be created ; then the horses with the tents and provisions, and then the cattle with their proper guard, who were to remove them in case of the enemy appear- ing. Beyond the columns, at the distance of about one hundred yards, was to march the cavalry in file, and be- yond them, at the same distance, a party of riflemen and scouts, for escorts, and then to follow the rear guard at a. proper distance. On the 3d of October. General St. Clair returned to Fort Washington to organize some militia which had arrived from Kentucky. On the morning of the 4th, the army was put in metion, and marched at eight o'clock, led by Gezera! Butler. They crossed the river at the ford opposite the lower part of Hamilton, and marched a mile and a half to Two Mile Creek. and en. campeil on the land since owned by Mr. MeClelland. Gen- eral Butler thought fit to change the order of march laid down by General St. Clair so as to march the troops in wny liwe, which required the opening of a road forty feet wide. There was no person with the army who had ever been through the country before to act as a guide, conse- quently the geography and topography of the country were atterly unknown to the army. John S. Gano was -
the surveyor who marked the line of the road according to a course taken by the compass. .
The next day, October 5th, they marched over the hill to Four Mile Creek, and encamiped in the bottom, where the Fearnot -mill has since been built. October 6th. the army marched to Seven Mile Creek, and en. camped on the east side of the creek, on lands since belong- ing to Robert Lytle, in the southeast corner of section 24, Milford Township. They gave those streams which they crossed names corresponding with the distance measured from Fort Hamilton to the places where they crossed them.
The army continued their march north, near the east- ern line of what is now Milford Township. On the 8th, General St. Clair came up with them. General Butler, the next morning, made an apology to General St. Clair for having changed the order of march and substituting another, giving his reasons for doing so. The reasons assigned did not appear satisfactory to General St. Clair, because he thought that the line of battle could not so easily be formed from the order of march instituted as from the original one; that the artillery would have a considerable distance to march to their proper places, and that the labor of the troops was greatly increased by it ; for that it was much easier to open three roads, ten or twelve feet wide each, if necessary, than one forty feet wide, the quantity of big timber to be cut down inereas- ing in a great proportion as the width of the road in- creased. But as it had been done, the army might con- tinue to march in the same order for some days, a- it might have an ill-effect if the two chief officers should be altering the dispositions made by each other; but that as they advanced into the country. where the enemy was likely to be met with, the original order of march should be resumed.
On the 13th of October, having advanced forty-four miles from Fort Hamilton, and a proper place presenting itself for another post, the army halted, and encamped in two lines, the artillery and cavalry being divided nioou the flanks, and the riflemen without them at right angles.
They then began the creation of a new post, which was called Fort Jefferson .. This was in the present county of Darke, six miles from Greenville, the county scat. The work was completed on the 24th of October.
The army again took up its march, proceeded one day from Fort Jefferson, and cneamped for the night. Al- though St. Clair had observed ordinary cantion, his troops were very new, and the surprise which was meditated by the savages proved completely successful. They anacked the whites in force at abont sunrise on the morning of the 4th of November, and easily succeeded in their attempt. The militia were slaughtered. Many fled across the coun- try, and either died of their wounds or were picked up by the enemy, and the remainder retreated in disorder to Forts Jefferson and ifamilton. General St. Clair, al- though suffering severely from the gout, which prevented his walking, fought bravely ; two horses were shot under
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CAPTAIN JOHN ARMSTRONG.
him, and had a third been killed he must inevitably have been left as a prisoner. General Butler, after whom this county is named, was mortally wounded, and soon after died. Every thing was in the greatest confusion, and no exact statement of the loss was ever made. The indigna- tion of Washington, on receiving the news of the defeat, was great. He had especially warned St. Clair against surprise, and yet the general had fallen into a trap. After the close of the campaign, however, a committee of Congress investigated the causes of the defeat, and exon- erated the unhappy commander. His troops were undis- ciplined; they were largely without clothing, their food supply was short, and their arms were bad. He was a victim to causes beyond his control.
The remains of the army cacamped this night at Seven Mile Creek, within about seven miles of Fort Hamilton, where they arrived about noon on the 6th of November, and remained during the next day, taking care of the wounded, and resting and recruiting themselves after the fatigue and hardships they had endured.
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