USA > Ohio > Adams County > A history of Adams County, Ohio, from its earliest settlement to the present time, including character sketches of the prominent persons identified with the first century of the country's growth > Part 4
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"Structural peculiarities of the skulls point to a similarity of the Mound Builders with the Hindoos of the present day and with the ancient Peruvian races. The occasional presence of decapitated bodies in the serpent mound graves, or a bodyless skull, indicates that head hunting, even as it is now practiced among the Dyaks of Borneo, existed in those earlier days. Traces of paints occasionally are found on the disinterred
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TRIPLE COIL. OF THE TAIL. THE GREAT SERPENT MOUND
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THE MOUND BUILDERS
skeletons together with lumps of the ochre used for such personal adorn- ment, even as the American Indian does now where he has not come in con- tact with the influence of civilization. Lastly, the skulls found are those of men equal in brain capacity and muscular and bony structure to races in existence at present."
In 1886 the trustees of the Peabody Fund of Harvard University, through the efforts of Prof. F. W. Putnam, purchased the Serpent Mound and several acres of the lands surrounding it from Hon. John T. Wilson. Under the directions of Prof. Putnam, the Serpent was restored to its original outlines, and the grounds surrounding were tastefully converted into a beautiful park-now known as The Serpent Mound Park.
Recently the park has come into the possession of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society. It will be greatly improved and made a place of resort for pleasure seekers as well as for the graver students of the monuments of a lost race.
Old Stone Fort.
In the northern part of Tiffin Township, about one mile to the north- west of the now almost forgotten site of the old town of Waterford on Lick Fork, on lands now owned by William Smith and William Crosby, is "Old Stone Fort," an ancient structure, the work of the Mound Builders.
The form of the fort is circular. The walls are from twenty to thirty feet at the base, and were when first observed by the early settlers from three to five feet in height. They seem to have been constructed of clay and surmounted with a heavy wall of stones. This theory is sustained from the fact that portions of the stone superstructure seem to have top- pled over where the bulk of the stones lie on the outer edge of the walls. In other portions there are but few stones remaining, the walls having been taken down and removed.
The site of the fort was well chosen. It is on the highlands border- ing Lick Fork of Ohio Brush Creek, and commands a sweeping view of the valley below and the country about and beyond. It is near enough the rich valleys of Ohio Brush Creek to afford a place of safe retreat for those engaged in cultivating the soil or fishing in its waters in case of attack.
A little rocky stream known as Mink Run flows across the enclosure from west to east cutting it into two equal portions. From the outer limits of each of these portions of the enclosure come little rivulets which enter Mink Run within it thus dividing it by a series of narrow longitudinal val- leys affording shelter from the missiles of an attacking party from without the walls of the fort. Within the walls of the fort are three fine springs of pure water. The one on the east of the center of the enclosure would alone supply hundreds of persons and animals with abundance of water at all seasons of the year. There seems to have been constructed across Mink Run below this spring and near the castern wall of the enclosure, a dam which formed a great reservoir of pure water in this portion of the fort: The walls of the fort itself have been much heavier in the portion where Mink Run passes through them than elsewhere. There are three gateways yet visible in the walls. One at the southwest, one at the west where Mink Run enters the enclosure, and one to the northwest. This last gateway is in a portion of the wall yet covered with forests and can
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HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY
readily be seen. At the western gateway where Mink Run enters the en- closure are two circular structures, one on each side of the stream. These are each about thirty feet in diameter and were erected for the protection of this gate. Without the north and east walls of the fort are a number of small mounds. Within the eastern wall of the enclosure there can yet be seen a small mound about thirty feet in diameter, now about level with the surrounding surface, which at one time was several feet in height. This was opened many years ago by Samuel McClung who then owned the lands on which the fort is situated, and it was found to contain charred bones and some bits of earthenware. The walls of the fort proper enclose about thirty acres of land.
*Explorations of the Valley of Brush Creek.
This region is well known because in its northern part is located the famous Serpent Mound. The serpent itself has been the subject of much literature and considerable has been published regarding Fort Hill, in the edge of Highland County, but a few miles up Brush Creek from the ser- pent. But no one seems to have examined the remains lying between the serpent and the Ohio River. There are several branches of Ohio Brush Creek which also have remains along their shores, so that altogether there is about sixty miles of occupied territory along Brush Creek Valley.
On the farm of James McCullough, about four miles north of Youngs- ville, a small mound was opened and a skeleton badly decayed found near the center, with head toward the east. Several flint war points, some bones, needles, and a few bear tusks were found near the shoulders.
In a small stone mound on the farm of James Montgomery was found a cremated skeleton and one badly decayed. An earth mound three- fourths of a mile northeast of Montgomery's was opened and a hammer stone and decayed bones found.
On the Mccullough farm five miles south of Youngsville, three stone mounds, nine by eleven, seventeen by twenty-one, seven by ten, and each about one foot high were explored. They occupy a high point of land over- looking West Fork of Brush Creek. Bodies as in case of all stone graves or mounds lay upon the surface, and had been covered with bark and stones heaped on top. No relics accompanied the remains. On a spur of the same hill, lower down, say 100 feet above the valley is an earth mound, two feet high and thirty-two feet in diameter. In the center was found a skeleton buried about five feet deep. The skeleton was surrounded by large flat stones forming a kind of sarcophagus.
On the Swearinger farm two and a half miles below Newport on Ohio Brush Creek is an earth mound.
On the Plummer farm just below Newport is a village site containing twenty-five acres, and must have had 200 lodges. There are numerous pottery fragments, flint chips, bones, and other remains scattered over the surface. Skeletons in graves have been found here.
On the Florea farm at an elevation of 500 feet, commanding a view of the country for ten miles about, is an earth mound.
*Extracts from Ohio Archaeological Report, 1897.
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THE MOUND BUILDERS
On the Patton farm on Cherry Fork is a mound four feet high and forty feet base. In it was a badly decayed skeleton and two rare spear- heads. A layer of charcoal two inches thick covered the skeleton.
There are a number of stone graves on the farm of William McCor- mick on West Fork of Brush Creek. On the Williams farm across West Fork from McCormick's, on a hill 175 feet high is a mound four feet high and forty in diameter. In it was found burnt earth, charcoal, a cremated skeleton and one spearhead.
On the Finley farm near North Liberty is a mound four feet high and fifty feet broad. Two skeletons were found above which were much charcoal and ashes and two fine spearheads of the "shouldered" pattern.
About one-half mile north of Winchester is a fine mound and three circles, the walls of which were when first discovered about five feet high. These circles are about 150 feet in diameter. One mile north of Win- chester on a branch of. West Fork, Mr. James McNutt in 1896 found a cache or pocket of eighteen spears of fine workmanship, and constitute one of the finest deposits ever discovered.
Above and below the village of Rome six miles aboye the mouth of Ohio Brush Creek are extensive village sites with refuse scattered over the fields in great profusion. Just below Rome on the high bank of the river, 200 yards from the water, is a mound two feet high and fifty feet in diameter. In this mound were twenty-two skeletons.
To the above we add the following: On Ohio Brush Creek, on the old Daniel Collier farm, there is a circular enclosure 200 feet in diameter and three to four feet high. This is situated on the broad terrace on the right bank of the creek about three-fourths of a mile below the Collier res- idence, and just below the old ford of the creek. The banks of the creek have been washed away until a portion of the circle is exposed, giving a fine sectional view. There are fragments of human bones, shells, charcoal and flint chips extending through a vertical section of two feet. There are numerous stone graves on the high hills overlooking Brush Creek in this region.
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At the mouth of Ohio Brush Creek is a village site, and numerous, kettle-shaped pockets of burnt earth, charcoal and other debris. On the Ohio River just below Vineyard Hill was a fine mound perhaps fifteen feet high and one hundred feet in diameter near which Israel Donalson was captured by the Indians in April, 1791. When the writer visited this mound in 1883, the river had cut it nearly all away. In the archaeological report above quoted, the mound at Rome is said to be the place of Donalson's captivity. This is a gross error.
Below the mouth of Island Creek and near the upper island is a mound and circle. And at the crossing of Seventh and Broadway in the town of Manchester stood a most beautiful mound twenty or twenty-five feet high, and perfect as a cone. It is said that the Ellison heirs who owned the land had this beautiful tumulus dug down and carted away.
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CHAPTER IV.
THE INDIANS
Principal Tribes that Inhabited Ohio-Their Mode of Life-Pioneer Ex- peditions Against the Indians-Extinguishment of Indian Titles.
That portion of the Northwest Territory comprised within the limits of the state of Ohio, when first visited by white men, was occupied by several powerful and warlike tribes of Indians. The first explorer of this region was LaSalle who discovered the Ohio River in the year 1669, but his account of the Indian tribes is meager and unreliable. In fact no authentic account of the Indians in this region dates beyond the year 1750. About this period, some reliable information as to location, numbers, manners and customs of these tribes was obtained from adventurers and traders among them. In the year 1755 James Smith, of Bedford, Penn- sylvania, was taken prisoner by some Delaware Indians and carried to one of their towns on the upper Muskingum, and adopted by one of their families. Smith was then about eighteen years of age, and he remained with this tribe, adopting their customs and manners, until his twenty- third year. He afterwards became a resident of the state of Kentucky and was elected a member of the Legislature of that state for several years. His account of the Ohio Indians is accepted as reliable. In the year 1764, Col. Boquet led an expedition overland from Fort Pitt against the Mingos and Delawares in the Muskingum country, and at the same time Col. Brad- street invaded the lands of the Wyandots and Ottawas in the region of the Sandusky and Maumee, from the British post at Detroit. As a result of these expeditions much valuable information was obtained concerning the
Ohio Tribes of Indians.
At this period the Wyandotts occupied the valleys and plains bordering the Sandusky River. They were, according to their traditions the oldest of the northern tribes of Indians, and had at one time occupied all the country from Mackinaw down the Lakes to Quebec, west to the Great Miami River, and northwest to Lake Michigan. They had spread the deer skin for the Delawares and Shawnees and permitted them to occupy a por- tion of their country. It is said of them that they were always a humane and hospitable people who instead of torturing and killing their white pris- oners, adopted them into their families and treated them as of their own blood and kin. Rev. James B. Finley, a missionary to the Wyandotts for many years, points to the fact that at that time this tribe was dominated by descendants of the Armstrongs, Browns, Gibsons, Walkers, Zanes and other white families prominent in Ohio pioneer history.
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THE INDIANS
The Delawares who at one time occupied the country north of the Potomac, and who sold to William Penn the state of Pennslyvania, after- wards crossed the Alleghanies and took possession of the country drained by the Muskingum and its tributaries. The Delawares were largely represented by warriors at the defeat of St. Clair.
The Mingos, a remnant of the Six Nations, were in greatest force about the Mingo Bottoms on the Ohio River below Steubenville, and occupied the country as far down the Ohio as the Scioto. In the early history of the country they had dwelt in the lake region of the state of New York and in the contest for supremacy between the British and French, had taken sides with the English. The celebrated Logan, whose speech at the treaty with Lord Dunmore, at Camp Charlotte, on the Scioto, which was pronounced by Jefferson one of the masterpieces of the world's oratory, was a chief of the Mingo nation.
The Miamis, a fearless and warlike people of whom the chief Little Turle, was a representative type, resided in the region of the Great Miami and the upper Maumee.
The Shawnees, the most relentless enemy of the early white settlers, were of southern origin, and occupied all the country between the Scioto and the Little Miami northward to the territory of the Wyandotts and Ottawas in the region of the Sandusky and Maumee. The celebrated Chief Tecumseh was a Shawnee. The above mentioned were the principal Indian tribes in what is now the state of Ohio, when the first white ad- venturers began to explore this region.
Indian Mode of Life.
The first explorers of the region bordering the Ohio from the mouth of the Muskingum to that of the Great Miami note the existence of but one Indian town-Lower Old Town-a Shawnee village just below the mouth of the Scioto, on the Ohio side. The village contained a numerous population, but was destroyed by a great flood about the year 1765. After- wards the whites laid out the old town of Alexandria near the same site, which in time was abandoned for reasons which caused the Indians to re- move to another situation. The other Indian towns in this region were those on the waters of Paint Creek, and near where the town of Xenia now stands on waters of the Little Miami. There were camping sites oc- cupied a portion of the year by Indian families on the larger tributaries of the Scioto and the Miamis, but no permanent villages. In Adams County, there were noted summer camps on Ohio Brush Creek near its mouth, on the West Fork above the village of Newport, and above the Marble Furnace on the East Fork. There was a well-known hunting camp on Scioto Brush Creek near Smalleys. As late as the year 1800, Indian families cultivated the bottom lands on West Fork above where the Tranquillity pike crosses that stream. These families came from the towns on Paint Creek to this region to gather their winter stores; the women and children to make sugar in the fine groves of black maple that bordered the waters of Brush Creek, and to cultivate patches of maize and beans, while the men fished in the well-stocked streams, or followed the chase in quest of the deer, elk and bear.
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HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY
When the first white adventurers penetrated this region they found the Indians well equipped with guns, axes, and knives supplied by the French traders in the region of the Lakes. Only boys and squaws used the bow and arrow in the pursuit of game. They were also supplied with iron ket- tles for use in cooking and sugar-making. The men were experts in the construction of bark canoes, and the women were unexcelled in the dress- ing of skins and the making of moccasins for the feet. They also made ves- sels from skins in which they stored the oil of the bear for future use. These summer camps consisted of wigwams formed from poles set on end and fastened together at the top, and covered usually with bark, occasionally with skins, leaving a small entrance on one side, and an opening at the top for the escape of smoke when a fire was made within. Their huts in the villages were made of small round logs covered with bark or skins. Old Chillicothe, near Xenia, was built up in the form of a hollow square, with a log council house extending the length of the town.
The domestic animals of the Indian were the horse and the dog, and the wealth of a brave was reckoned by the number of these in his posses- sion. The Indian furnished shelter and food for his dog, but neither for his horse. His dog could share his meal of venison or bear meat, and could sleep in his wigwam-but the horse could do neither. His horse was ex- pected to feast in summer and starve through the winter, when its only subsistence was the fallen grass of the rich bottom lands and upland prairies, or the "browse," or twigs of small bushes and undergrowth of the forests.
Pioneer Expeditions Against the Indians.
The Ohio tribes of Indians guarded its soil with jealous care against the encroachments of the whites. They had carried on wars of extermina- tion among themselves previous to the coming of the white settlers, but upon the advent of the latter, the prominent chiefs of the several tribes counseled peace among their own people, and unrelenting warfare against their common enemy, the whites. As a result, for a period of forty years from Braddock's defeat to Wayne's victory at Fallen Timbers, the most relentness, the most cruel border warfare in the history of the world was waged between the Ohio Indians and the white settlers of Western Penn- sylvania, and Virginia, and the northeastern border of Kentucky. The military organizations led into this region before the establishment of civil government in the great Northwest, under Maj. Wilkins, in 1763; Col. Bradstreet, in 1764; Col. Bowman, in 1779; Col. Clark, in 1780. Col. Broadhead, in 1781, and that of Col. Crawford, in 1782, only served to stimulate the Indians to greater efforts to exterminate the white invaders. Even the successful campaigns of Col. Boquet, in 1764; of Lord Dunmore, 1774, and of Gen. George Rogers Clark, in 1778, failed to give any per- manent safety to the border settlers on the Ohio. After the treaty of peace between the United States and England in 1783, when the Northwest Territory came into the possession of our government, several minor expeditions from the settlements in Kentucky were undertaken against the Shawnee towns on the Little Miami and the waters of the Scioto, but with no beneficial results to the whites.
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THE INDIANS
Tod's Expedition.
One of these expeditions organized by Col. Robert Tod, of Paris, Ken- tucky, and Simon Kenton, of Kenton's Station, near Washington, Ken- tucky, took its route across Adams County, and blazed a line of travel through the forest, that afterwards became a prominent landmark in this region, known as Tod's Trace and Tod's War Road. The Indians had greatly harrassed the inhabitants around Kenton's Station, stealing their horses, and killing the settlers or carrying them away in captivity. This was in the summer of 1787, and Kenton sent word to Col. Tod to bring what men he could raise and join his men at Washington from which place their combined forces would march against the Shawnee town on the north fork of Paint Creek in what is now Ross County, Ohio. The forces ren- dezvoused at Washington, and Col. Tod was put in command. They crossed the Ohio at Limestone and marched up the river to Little Three Mile Creek and thence by the way of where Bentonville now stands to the waters of Lick Fork, and thence to Ohio Brush Creek which they crossed at the Old Indian Ford, afterwards called "Tod's Crossing," near the Fristoe bridge, and thence by way of the Sinking Spring to Paint Creek. McDonald says Kenton as usual commanded a company and piloted the way to the Chillicothe town. On their route out, about five miles south of the town, the advance guard, commanded by Kenton, met four Indians. Kenton and one Helm fired, and killed two of the Indians. The other two were taken prisoners. Kenton was surrounded by a set of young men of his own training, and fearful was the doom of enemies of equal numbers who came in their way. From the two prisoners they learned that there was a large Indian encampment between them and old Chillicothe, and about three miles from that place. On this intelligence the army was halted, and Kenton and his company went cautiously forward to recon- noiter the situation of the enemy. Kenton proceeded near the Indian camp, and with a few chosen men reconnoitered the enemy. He then sent an express to Col. Tod, informing him of their probable number and situation. Before day Maj. Hinkston came on and joined Kenton. Prompt measures were immediately. taken. The Indian camp was sur- rounded, but the whites were too impatient for delay, and the attack was made before it was light enough. Two Indians only were killed and seven made prisoners. Many in the darkness made their escape. Col. Tod, with the main body of the troops, lingered behind, and did not reach the place where the Indians were defeated till the sun was at least two hours high in the morning. The Indians who escaped alarmed the town. Their men, women and children took naked to the woods, and by the time Col. Tod reached the town, they had all fled. The town was burned and everything about destroyed. The army camped that night on Paint Creek and the next day made their way home, without the loss of a man killed or wounded.
Scott's Expedition.
In the spring of the year 1790, Col. Charles Scott led an expedition of 230 mounted men from Limestone across Adams County to the waters of Scioto Brush Creekx in pursuit of a band of marauding Indians who had been committing depredations against the settlement on Lee's Creek, Ken-
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tucky. At the Indian camp near Smalley's Spring, four Indians were sur- prised and killed, the main body having abandoned the camp before the arrival of Col. Scott's force.
A Battle Near Reeve's Crossing.
In 1793, a large party of Indians crossed the Ohio above the mouth of Brush Creek and attacked the white settlements about Morgan's Station. ,Col. Kenton having been informed of the attack hastily collected a party of about thirty of the choice spirits about his station and set off in hot haste to intercept the Indians on their retreat to the Chillicothe towns on Paint Creek. Taking Tod's trace opposite Limestone, he followed it to what is known as Reeve's Crossing of Paint Creek near the present town of Bainbridge, where he discovered a fresh trail of Indians going down the creek. It was late in the evening and he cautiously followed the trail till dark. Kenton then left his party, and in company with Michael Cassady, went forward to make observations. They had not proceeded far when they found the Indians encamped on the bank of Paint Creek. They had three fires; some of them were singing and making other merry noises, showing that they felt in perfect security. Kenton and Cassady returned to their party, and it was concluded to lay still till daylight and then surround and attack the Indians. Kenton's party were all on horseback. Having secured their horses, they lay still till daylight when they moved on for the Indian camp. When they got near the camp they halted and divided into three divisions. Capt. Baker, with one division, was directed to proceed to the creek above the camp; Cassady with another division was ordered to make the creek below the camp; and Kenton with the re- maining division was to attack the camp in front. Strict orders were given that no attack should be made until it was light enough to draw a clear bead. The divisions took their several stations promptly. Day- light began to appear, the Indians had risen, and some were standing about the fires. Capt. Baker, seeing the Indians, soon became impatient to commence the action, and before it was light enough to see to draw a clear sight, he began the attack. All the divisions then rushed upon the Indian camp and fired. The Indians dashed across the creek and scattered through the woods like a flock of young partridges. Three Indians only, and a white man named Ward, were killed. Ward had been taken prisoner by the Indians when young, and in every respect was an Indian. He had two brothers, James and Charles, who were near neighbors to Kenton and who were respectable men. James Ward was with Kenton in this engagement. Kenton's party lost one man, Joseph Jones, in this engage- ment. The party returned home without any further adventure.
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