USA > Ohio > Knox County > A history of Knox county, Ohio, from 1779 to 1862 inclusive > Part 9
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" Man wants but little here below, Nor wants that little long."
A few apple-seeds-a few sprouts-a few old books to read, and life to him was full of happiness. He had been favored with education, men knew from his knowledge of books, and his desire to read and have others read induced him at times to dis- tribute Swedenborg's books, and when he had not enough to go around the company he would tear them in pieces, and give a part to each. Nothing more was known of his early days. It was said that he was from Connecticut-a stray Yankee- who wandered off from the fold into these wilds, but no one knew for certain as to who he was, where he came from, or what became of him. We will give, however, to such as feel an interest in his
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history all that we have been able to gather of his later years.
Having disposed of many of his nurseries, and having others destroyed in part, which had began to grow from fourteen bushels of apple-seed last planted by him on Owl Creek, the Black Fork of Mohican, and the Whetstone, he concluded to mi- grate farther west, and managing to get an old mare or two loaded with seeds, he left this part of the country for Sandusky prairie; and from thence made his way west,* planting nurseries, and living after the manner he did here, till finally the old fruit ripened, and was gathered near Fort Wayne, Indi- ana, leaving nothing save the fragrance of good deeds and charitable acts to teach the future that such a being as Johnny Appleseed had ever been and passed like an exhalation-the moisture of the morning's dew dried up by the heat of the sun at meridian !
* NOTE. Silas Mitchell informs us since the above was written that in the fall of 1843, when living in Whiteside's county, Illinois, Johnny Ap- pleseed passed through that county on foot, and stopped all night with Aaron Jackson, son of Ziba, and left in the morning, stating that he was then from the lowa prairies on his way to a Swendenborg Convention in Philadelphia.
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CHAPTER XII.
KNOX COUNTY DURING THE WAR .- POPULATION PRETTY MUCH AT A STAND STILL .- EVENTS .- VOLUNTEERS, &C .- SOME INCIDENTS OF A MORE STIR- RING CHARACTER .- A TOUCH OF INDIAN WARFARE .- FORTS AND BLOCK- HOUSES ERECTED TO SAVE LIVES AND SCALPS.
THE settlements in Knox county being upon the borders, it may be presumed that the news of the declaration of war in 1812, and the threatening as- pect of affairs kept our citizens wide awake and active. The Indians at that time were far more numerous upon Owl Creek, Mohican and in all parts of this country than the whites, and they re- quired the closest kind of watching to keep then from depredating, killing and scalping the people. North of our present county line, the settlers were few and far between, and the county of Richland at that time made its returns to, and for judicial and other purposes was a part of, Knox. Hence within our borders, we may say, were enacted some of the deadliest scenes of slaughter. The killing of the Seymours and Rufner, and the massacre at Copuses are within the recollection of many of our oldest citizens. From several of those who were at the time familiar with these horrid murders we have obtained full statements, but as from the ter- mination of the war, and the organization of Rich- land to the present, the scenes where the tragedies
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were enacted have belonged to our sister county, we will not go into detail in regard to them.
The people clustered together more closely than formerly, and at once made calculations for succor and plans for defence from the savage foe. A block- house was constructed at Frederick, and surrounded with pickets. After the war the building was con- verted into a school house. It was a frame, built on the square under direction of Captain Ayers, and moved on wheels to a point near where the railroad now runs. It was used for church and educational purposes for many years. Many fam- ilies went to the fort at Frederick for safety. Will- iam Mitchell prepared his house for a siege-made heavy batten doors with iron bars, port holes for guns, etc. One of his boys rode express, another kept out with scouting parties, and the old man with two workmen, who staid with him, were constantly on the look out for attack. The girls practiced shooting with rifles, so as to be ready for a large force of Indians at any time, and with his two dogs, "Gunner" and "Rover," that two story log house was prepared for one fight at least.
At John Lewis' was erected a blockhouse, where that neighborhood could defend themselves.
Upon the tax duplicate of Madison township, for the year 1811, is found the names of "James Copus, 4 cattle, 40 cents ;" "Philip Zeamore, 1 horse, 30 cents," and "Frederick Zeamore, 2 horses and 2 cattle, 80 cents," as returned to the commissioners of our county.
These men were among the victims of Indian barbarity in the commencement of this war. The
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Seymour's lived on the Rocky or crooked fork of the Mohican, a little stream which headed above Mansfield. They were plain, simple minded peo- ple, who had been cultivating a small patch of ground and making slow but sure improvements on their location. Their nearest neighbor was a dutch- man named Martin Rufner, who lived in a little cabin with only a small dutch boy. The Seymour family consisted of Frederick and his wife, and their children Philip and Catharine. One night four Indians were seen about dark prowling around the neighborhood of Seymour's house, and Rufner went to their house and urged Philip to go over to Mr. Copus and get help from there to capture them. No sooner had he started than the Indians entered the front door, when they were received in a friendly manner, and Catharine at once prepared supper for them, but the Indians instead of eating at once set upon the household and proceeded to kill and scalp them. Rufner was a very strong man and fought like a tiger, but he was soon overpowered, killed by two balls through his body, and left scalped in the yard and with several of his fingers cut off by a tomahawk. The father, mother and daughter were killed and scalped. In a few days after this an attack was made by a party of Indians upon the cabins of Mr. Copus, who lived at the Black fort. Some men belonging to a scouting party were at the time stopping at his house, and four of them had gone to a spring a few rods off to wash, when they were fired upon by the Indians who were hidden from view. Three of the men were killed and the fourth escaped into the house with a
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bullet in his thigh. Mr. Copus, when in the act of looking out the door to see what was the affray, was shot in the breast, and the door was at once closed, and a vigorous resistance made to the attack of the savages, who came on with terrific yells and a volley of balls. The daughter of Mr. Copus was shot in the thigh, and herself and mother for safety stowed away in the cabin loft. One of the men had his arm broken by a ball, and the house was completely riddled by bullets. Several of the In- dians were killed, and at length, after an hour's hard fighting, they withdrew from the field.
The particulars of the Seymour massacre, we have got from a Knox county man who was near the scene, and saw the place where the hellish deed was committed the next day. William and Richard Roberts had been for some time engaged building a mill for Andrew Newman, within one mile and a half of Seymour's. The night they were killed the dog kept up such a disturbance that Newman aroused those in the house, telling them "by shure Indians about, I know py my tog"-the Indians were then always uppermost in the thoughts. The guns were got in readiness-a man named Shere helped load them as Newman cried out "by shure I shall spill all my powder, I can't load the gun "- and the score axes were also laid hold of, expecting an attack. There was no sleep for that night, and carly in the morning word was got from Mr. Hill's, a neighbor, that Seymour's family was killed. Upon examination about where the forebay had just been raised, several moccasin tracks were discovered, and the evidence was clear that the Indians had medi-
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tated an attack there, but feared they were too strong for them to succeed. During the night howling as of wolves had been heard about where the race and dam had been dug. There were but the four men at Newman's. Within an hour from the time of hearing o" the massacre, Newman got up his team and took all of his tricks to Mansfield. William Roberts at once rode around to Seymour's and viewed the scene.
After this a trader in Mansfield, by name of Jones, was killed and scalped by the Indians on an out lot north of the houses near where the depot of the railroad now is. He bad a wife and two chil- dren. The Roberts' had at that time a job of work about one of the blockhouses. The news of this was carried by Johnny Appleseed, on horseback, to the Richardson neighborhood, and thence on to Frederick. The greatest excitement prevailed throughout the country, and many amusing things were said and done in this general panic. Among the most ludicrous was that of Samuel Wilson, who lived near the Quaker meeting house, and was so badly scared that he rushed from his house with his overcoat on and his pantaloons under his arm, and in that condition ran all the way to Frederick.
Application was made to Gov. Meigs for Ran- gers, and he sent an order for a company of twelve to be raised by Abner Ayers, whose beat was as- signed them on the frontier, and this, with other bodies out, kept quiet in the settlements.
The friendly Indians of the Delaware tribe in this portion of country were mainly of the Green- town gang. That place, so much talked about by
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early settlers, was about eight miles northeast from the Richardson settlement, in Knox county, and within twelve miles of the Mansfield blockhouses. It was situated in the township of Green, laid out by our commissioners the 7th of January, 1812. The Indian village contained about sixty huts, and a council house built of posts and clapboards, sixty feet by twenty-five feet was its size. From 300 to 500 Indians congregated about it. During the summer various acts of hostility were attributed to this band, and many of the whites, whose friends and relatives had been killed by the Indians, were disposed to make no distinction between tribes, but to kill an Indian whenever it could safely be done. Collisions between parties of settlers and Green- town Indians became frequent, and it was at length determined to drive them from the soil. Two dis- tinet races of people never have or can long live together in peace-one or the other must remain as subjects, or seek homes and freedom elsewhere. This little band of Indians became impressed with this historical truth and made ready to leave-some few, however, were loth to depart from the hunt- ing grounds of their youth-the graves of their fathers-the homes of their race.
This was no time for sympathy with the race, and no tears were shed or regrets expressed by the settlers when the order come from the government for their removal. Under direction of the United States authorities they were removed via. Mans- field to Urbana, and thence to other western lands. From three of our old citizens, then young soldiers of Major Kratzer's command, we have gathered
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the particulars of their transfer, and have been told of a most brutal act committed by some white men, which shows more fully than language can express, the feelings of the greater part, if not all of this christian people. At the Mansfield station, our good old pastor, then of the Methodist, but subse- quently of the New Light persuasion, James Smith, was officiating as Chaplain to the Regiment-for even in those early times soldiers thought such an officer necessary to their welfare. While there an Indian and his plighted squaw came up to the Rev- erend Smith to have him marry them in the most approved manner of whites. While the guard were looking at the performance of the ceremony, an old Indian and his daughter made their escape, but before they got a mile off they were discovered by two men from Coshocton, named McCulloch and Morrison. Morrison shot the old Indian, who ran a short distance and fell to the ground. The young girl fled to the woods. The men having shot the Indian ran back to the blockhouse greatly excited and told their exploit, and under Kratzer's orders Sergeant Gilkison, with a squad of twelve, followed up the Indian to the spot where he lay bleeding from the wound of a bullet in his chest, and to Gil- kison's inquiry as to who he was, he replied "a friend." Morrison and McCulloch having joined the band at this answer, the latter exclaimed "d-m you! I'll make a friend of you!" and struck at his head with his tomahawk. And then stamped his foot on the neck of the dying Indian and sunk his tomahawk in his head. Sergeant Gilkison tried to prevent this fiendish act but could not accomplish
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it. Many of the old settlers tell of this feat of Mc- Culloch's with great gusto, and add that he subse- quently roved about among the western wilds taking revenge for two of his brothers who had been killed by Indians, by waylaying and shooting down and scalping every friendly or hostile Indian he met.
Such are some of the traditions of frontier life. The early settlers underwent many hardships and privations; but their sufferings from the savage foc were greater than the imagination of their descend- ants who occupy beds of down at night and cush- oins of quilted ease by day-who dress in silks, sat- ins, and fine velvets with furbelows-who clothe themselves in purple and fine linen-can realize or comprehend.
MUSTER ROLL OF CAPT. JOSEPH WALKER'S COMPANY, UNDER THE COMMAND OF COLONEL LEWIS CASS, MUSTERED TO THE FIRST OF NOVEMBER, 1812.
Joseph Walker, Captain, engaged &th June for 12 months. R. M. Brown, Lieutenant.
Saml. Everett, 1st Corporal.
John Elliott, 1st Sergeant.
George Dickinson, 2d “
John Barney, 2d
Josialı Trimbly, 3d
Archd. Crawford, 3d "
Lewis Grindstaff, 4th
Peter Kyle, 4th
PRIVATES :
Abram Emmett,
Alexr. Walker,
Rivenus Newel,
Saml. Yoman,
Philip Walker,
Daniel Swagert,
Michael Barton,
Robert Davidson,
Emanuel Hawn,
Jacob Wolf,
Andrew Welker,
Adam Lynn,
John Smith, Harley Strong, Alex. Enos,
Powel Welker, Paris Sprague, Isaac Rogers, Wm. Wallace.
Michael Davis, Nicholas Kyle,
John Wefford,
Joseph King,
Rawley Clark, fifer.
James Wood,
John Ryan,
Henry Clemmens,
John Sunderland,
David Elwell,
John McConnell, Benjn. Simpkins,
drummer.
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Among the number of volunteers was JOHN H. MEFFORD, a native of Connelsville, Fayette co., Pa., who at the time of the breaking out of the war was teaching school in Hawkins' neighbor- hood, about five miles from Shrimplen's mill. He served under Capt. Walker and also in Capt. John Spencer's company, of which last he was a Lieu- tenant and had command after Hull's surrender.
After his return to Mount Vernon he married Abigail Mitchell, and worked at his trade, as a saddler, in partnership with his brother. He served the people as Justice of the Peace and as Associate Judge, and was a man of much popularity. He was possessed of some poetical talent, and it is said, by some, was the author of a noted song about " Hull's surrender." He was a good singer, which, in early times, in a country, is considered a great accomplishment. He died at Findlay about 1845, leaving two boys and three girls. His widow sur- vives, and with the family now resides at Norwalk.
Another was Richard Montgomery Brown, whose name will be found as Lieutenant in Capt. Walker's company. He was born in Massachusetts, of revo- lutionary stock. His father, Samuel Brown, was under Montgomery at Quebec, was taken and im- prisoned 9 months, and was subsequently a pen- sioner of the U. S. His father emigrated to Brooke county, Virginia, and from thence to the neighbor- hood of St. Clairsville, Ohio, in 1805; from there, in Oct., 1811, Richard M. moved to Mount Vernon, and engaged at his trade as a chairmaker and house painter. He has been in three new countries where the Indians yet were inhabitants. When he lived
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in Brooke county, Va., no roads were then cleared out, nor streets in Wellsville or St. Clairsville. Indians then and there were plenty and savage. He volunteered at Mount Vernon, June Sth, 1812, and was mainly instrumental in getting up the company to which he belonged. One company was then raised at Newark and another at Gran- ville. Enos was then Col. and Kratzer Major of the militia. Major Munson, the recruiting officer, came to Mount Vernon when the Regiment was out on parade, and on call for volunteers the whole company of Joseph Walker, with Brown as Lieu- tenant, turned out. There were 42 in the com- pany. Emanuel Hawn was to have been Ensign, but no election was gone into for that office on account of a quarrel with the Clintonites. They volunteered for one year, and served until surren- dered by Gen. Hull, in August. This company mustered in a Regiment, of which Lewis Casswas Col., and the other officers, my informant believes, were Munson, Major, and Norton, Adjutant.
The company rendezvoused at Urbana with regi- ments of Col. McArthur and Col. Findlay, of Hull's brigade, and from thence marched to De- troit. They were piloted on an Indian trail to De- troit, by roads which were cut out from the Scioto to the Maumee, and from there to French Creek and River Raisin, etc., following trails. A band, part Indians and part white blood-the Zanes and McCullochs, of Zanesfield near Bellefontaine, who had intermarried with Indians, and they had half breed children, acted as principal pilots. When Hull surrendered, Walker's company returned by
10
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HISTORY OF
Greentown, Black Fork of Mohican and Wooster. The militia of the county was then called out en masse by Major Kratzer, and every man in Mount Vernon went out to guard the frontier but old George Lybarger, who was left in charge of the women and children. When Fort Meigs was be- seiged Lieut. Brown, now Captain by brevet, says that two thirds of the men in the county went on to the Fort, and after the siege was raised he re- turned, having in his company Swigert from Fair- field, a man from Coshocton and some from other counties. All men who could go-impelled by the sense of danger went without delay-singly and not waiting for battalions.
Capt. Brown in 1816 married Mary Hawn, and settled down to his trade, at which he succeeded in making a competency, and now in his 73d year, with his wife and a portion of his children yet lives in Mount Vernon. Two of his children, James F. and Mrs. Elizabeth Updegraff, now reside in Wis- consin; two, Samuel R. and George W. in Colorado Territory, and one Mrs. Mary Sapp in Nebraska.
Colonel Alex. Enos, was one of the number sur- rendered up by General Hull, and on his return he attempted to take command of the men raised in Knox county, but Major Kratzer contended, that as he was a prisoner of war, he had no longer a right to the command.
Another active man in these times was Captain John Greer, who raised a company in the eastern part of the county, of which Daniel Sapp was Lieutenant, and George Sapp, Ensign.
The regimental adjutant was John Stilley ; sur- geon, Dr. Timothy Burr; chaplain, Rev. Jas. Smith.
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CHAPTER XIII.
NOTABLE EVENTS OF 1815.
NINETEEN INDICTMENTS FOR FIGHTS AND 'FRAYS .- NEW ROADS ESTABLISHED. -THE JAIL A COSTLY THING .- LICENSES TO PREACHI, TO SELL AND TO ENTER- TAIN .- THE SUPREME COURT FOR SEVEN TERMS .- THE OLD FOLKS SING .- WHAT PAY SOLDIERS RECEIVED IN OLDEN TIME .- THE LAWYERS GET INTO THIE COUNTY .- ELECTION OF 1815 FOR STATE AND COUNTY OFFICERS.
THE Grand Jury at the spring term of Common Pleas Court consisted of Anthony Banning, fore- man, John Merritt, Peter Bricker, John Hawn, David Hawn, John Green, Wm. Marquis, George Davis, Moses Craig, James Strange, Azariah Davis, Jacob Martin, Benjamin Bell and Gilman Bryant. They returned 19 indictments for "assault and battery" and "affrays." Quite a number of the parties plead guilty, and were fined $2 and costs. Of this Grand Jury but one man is now living. Adnal Hersey, of the Christian Church, was licens- ed to marry. John Cook, of the Baptist, was also licensed to do the same. Samuel Mott was appoint- ed Master Commissioner in chancery. Tavern li- censes were granted this year to Jonathan Hunt, Elisha Cornwall, Abner Ayres, John Baxter and A. H. Royce ; and store license to Nicholas Mc- Carty, George Girty, Eli Miller, Anthony Banning, L. S. Silliman, Gilman Bryant, John Wilson and
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James N: Ayres. Two important roads are opened this year, namely : from Mount Vernon towards Sandusky, under the supervision of John Lewis, as commissioner, for which he is granted by the county commissioners orders for $100, and is paid $15 for his services ; another, a road opened by Benjamin Rush, as commissioner, to Mansfield, for which ser- vices he is paid $9, and $200 is expended by the county in work upon the same. Among the bills paid in November, 1818, by the commissioners, are: to Anthony Banning, for 1823 lbs. iron, and brick for jail, $26.55, and Archibald Crofferd, for the fol- lowing work for the county : 1 pr. hand-cuffs, $3 ; 1 hasp, 50 cents; shackles and hasp, $1.50; 2 grates, $13.80; eight spikes, 50 cents-$19.50. The job of making further improvements to the jail and jailor's house is given to Wm. Douglass at $125. The commissioners were determined, if possible, to make the jail burglar proof. That little log thing was a great institution truly-a first rate concern to sink money in, without any prospect of ever getting it back.
SUPREME COURT-1810-16.
The first session of the Supreme Court of the State of Ohio held in Knox county was on the 3d day of August, 1810, by Honorables William W. Irwin and Ethan Allen Brown.
James Smith was appointed clerk for seven years.
The only cases were those of the State vs. Ichabod Nye and Samuel Nye. Upon oath by the defend- ants that they did not believe an impartial trial
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could be had, the venue was changed to Licking county.
E. Herrick, Esq., attended as prosecuting attor- ney.
The second session was held May 1st, 1811, but two causes were on the docket. Sylvenias Law- rence, for the use of Benjamin Rush, vs. George Davidson, and James Peuthres vs. Samuel Kratzer; both of which were dismissed. No other business was to be transacted, and the court adjourned until the next court in course.
The third term was held April 9th, 1812. In addition to the former cases the docket shows the following : Joseph Butler vs. Elizabeth Vendrew ; Wmn. W. Farquhar vs. James Craig; Andrew Craig vs. Henry McCart and James Cunningham; James Smith vs. Samuel H. Smith; Henry Smith vs. Ben- jamin Barney; Henry Smith vs. Samuel H. Smith and Benjamin Barney; and Thomas Slater vs. Lovina Slater. Attachments were issued vs. Amos Yarnold and Alexander Enos for refusing to attend as witnesses.
The case of Slater vs. Slater is the first divorce question ever presented in Knox county.
The fourth term was held on the 2d of August, 1813, by Thomas Scott and Ethan A. Brown.
Win. C. Enos was qualified as attorney and coun sellor at law as the law requires.
The case of Lawrence for use of Rush is dismiss- ed for want of bond to prosecute the appeal.
In Craig vs. McCart and Cunningham, judgment of non-suit is entered, because of non-appearance of plaintiff. Farquhar vs. Craig is continued, and the
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defendant is to pay all costs of this term within six months, or judgment, &c. John Jones vs. Joseph Cherry Holmesand George Lybarger-the complain- ant being thrice called did not appear, nor any per son to prosecute this suit for him, therefore the in- junction is dissolved and bill dismissed. The in- junction case of Benjamin Barney vs. Henry Smith is heard by counsel, and the injunction is made perpetual, plaintiff to pay all costs. James Smith vs. Samuel H. Smith is argued by counsel, and the court decide that the defendant go hence, without day, and recover of plaintiff costs, &c. David Davis vs. John Cambridge, removed from Licking county, is continued. Slater's divorce petition is dismissed at cost of plaintiff. Lewis Dent and Co. vs. John Wheeler-judgment for plaintiff for $493.80 and costs. Another divorce case, Isaac Bonnet vs. Elizabeth Bonnet, is continued at cost of plaintiff, to be paid in six months, and upon condition that he give personal notice to the defendant of the pending of this suit in six months.
On the evening of the 3d of August, having spent two days, court adjourned.
The fifth term was held August 15, 1814-Judges, William W. Irwin and Ethan A. Brown.
John Williamson vs. Samuel Farquhar is con- tinucd at defendant's cost.
Isaac Bonnet vs. Mary Bonnet, divorce. "After argument the court continued the cause under ad- visement until the Coshocton Supreme Court, their decision to be certified from that or some other Court to this Court." The first jury cause ever tried
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