A history of the early settlement of Highland County, Ohio, Part 5

Author: Scott, Daniel
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: [Hillsboro, Ohio] : The Gazette
Number of Pages: 442


USA > Ohio > Highland County > A history of the early settlement of Highland County, Ohio > Part 5


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INDIAN outrages of every kind were over the bottom to where they knew of now multiplied, and emigration was a fine deer lick. The morning was very calm, and a light fog hung over the bot- tom. When they got near the lick, McArthur halted and Davis proceeded, stooping low among the bushes and weeds to conceal himself. He moved on with the noiseless tread of the cat till he was near the lick, when he straight- ened up to see if the ground was occupi- almost suspended. The incursions of savages kept the frontier settlements in continual alarm. Indeed, the danger became so constant and imminent that the Government of Kentucky found it absolutely necessary to employ spies or scouts to traverse the frontier country in every direction to discover if possible the approach of Indians and give the ed. At that instant he heard the crack alarm to the stations and neighborhoods. of a rifle, and a bullet whistled by his On the vigilance and fidelity of these ear. As the morning was still and foggy, the smoke from the Indian's gun settled around him, so that he could not see


spies, depended the lives and property of the settlers, and on these guardians of the border all eyes were turned. The whether the shot had taken effect or not. position was much sought for, and of course esteemed a high distinction. The number of these sentinels was necessari- ly limited. Duncan McArthur and Samuel Davis with two others were deemed sufficient, and they were in- structed to range the country from Limestone to the mouth of the Big Sandy river.


McArthur and Davis generally went together. They had with them a light canoe, and when going up the Ohio their custom was for one to push the canoe up the stream while the other walked in advance to reconnoitre. They had passed up in this way one day to with- in a short distance of the mouth of the Scioto river. Early the next morning they crossed the Ohio and went back Nathaniel Beasley and others, McArthur


Davis raised his rifle, and as the Indian stepped out of the smoke to make ob- servations, shot him dead. He immedi- ately reloaded his rifle, by which time McArthur came running to him, know- ing the shots he had heard were in too quick succession to come from the same gun; just as he reached the spot where Davis stood, they heard the sound of many footsteps, and in an instant more a number of Indians made their appear- ance on the open ground near the lick. McArthur and Davis were standing in the, thick bushes and high weeds, and being unperceived by the Indians, cau- tiously retreated, reached their canoe and crossed the river. On another oc- casion while spying in company with


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A HISTORY OF HIGHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.


went down to the same deer lick, while their prisoner must have led then his companions remained with the canoe. through the present town of New Mar- He made a blind behind which he con- ket, in this county, and three or four cealed himself, and patiently waited for miles west of the site of Hillsboro. Don- game. He lay about an hour, when he alson remained but a short time with discovered two Indians coming to the the Indians. They had him securely, as lick. They were so near him before he they thought, tied with a bark rope, on saw them, that retreat was out of the each end of which slept an Indian at question. As the boldest course appear- night. He determined, however, to be ed to him to be the safest, he determin- free, and on the last night with his cap- ed to permit them to approach as near tors he set to work, after he was satis as possible, shoot one of them and try fied they were asleep, to gnaw off the his strength with the other. When rope, in which he succeeded just about they came near the lick they halted in ' day break. He then crawled off on his an open piece of ground, and straighten- hands and knees until he got into the ed up to look into the lick for game. edge of the prairie, when he sat down This halt enabled McArthur to take de- within ten rods of the camp to put on liberate aim from a rest, at only four- his moccasins. The Indians awoke teen steps distance. He fired and an while he was thus engaged, and missing Indian fell. McArthur remained still a him, raised the yell, and started on the moment, thinking it possible that the back track, while Donalson ran with other Indian would take to flight. In one moccasin in his hand, and escaped. this, however, he was mistaken, The He suffered intensely from fatigue, Indian did not even dodge out of his hunger, sore feet, &e., before he reached tracks when his companion sunk lifeless Fort Washington. Mr. Donalson lived in Adams county until he reached the advanced age of ninety years. He was a member of the Convention that fram- ed the Old Constitution. by his side. As the Indian's gun was charged, McArthur concluded it would be a rather fearful job to rush upon him; he therefore determined upon a retreat Accordingly he broke from his place of


In 1778, Thomas Beals, a leading mem- concealment and ran with all speed. ber of the Society of Friends, and one of He had run but a few steps when he the earliest settlers in the northern part found himself tangled in the top of a of Highland. conceived the idea that he fallen tree, which caused a momentary could travel among the Indians of the halt. At that instant the Indian fired, West, and in the character of the great and the ball whistled sharply by him. and good William Penn succeed in As the Indian's gun, as well as his own, christianizing and civilizing them. He accordingly left North Carolina in the spring of this year in company with seven or eight others on his way to Ken- tucky. The party arrived at the resi- dence of Beverly Milliner, also an old was now empty, be thought of turning round and giving him fight upon equal terms, but several other Indians appear- ' ing in sight, rushing with savage screams through the woods, he continued his flight with his utmost speed; the Indians settler in our county, on Clinch river, pursuing and firing at him as he ran. where some more Friends joined his One of the balls struck the bottom of party. When they were about resum- his powder horn and shivered it. He ing their journey, Beals spoke to them was sufficiently self-possessed when the and said he could not see the way clear ball struck to drop his hand and catch a to start then. They re-entered the house and sat in silence some time. At length ing them a good sermon. While he was preaching a squad of Light-horsemen rode up and inquired if Beals' company was there. On being answered, the


load of powder, which he innnediately used in charging his gun as he ran, with- Thomas broke the silence, and was giv- out slacking his pace. The Indians pur- sued him for some distance, but he gain- ed on them so rapidly that they soou gave up the pursuit. When he reached the bank of the river he discovered Beas- commander delivered a dispatch from ley and his companions in the eanoe pad- Col. Preston, then on duty near Beau's dling up stream, in order to make them- station with a small military force selves more conspicuous to MeArthur Beals' party immediately set out for that should he make his escape from the place. When they arrived, Preston in- Indians.


quired very minutely into his plans, and told him the Indians would not listen to him, and he could not let his party pass,


In April, 1791, Israel Donalson, while on a surveying expedition with Massie, on the waters of Brushereek, was made but that he might stay and preach to prisoner by the Indians and carried him and his troops. Beals replied that north towards their towus on the Miami. he did not know that he could say any- The route taken by the Indians with thing of himself, but if the Colonel would


4


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A HISTORY OF HIGHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.


order his men into silence he would sit had discovered their camp, and were with them, which the Colonel did. They lying in ambush awaiting the return of all sat awhile in profound silence; for the party. On the first fire, five of the the scene, though extremely novel to men were shot dead. The remaining most of the troops, who had never be- two, James Horton, Beals' son-in-law, and John Branson were taken prisoners. They were immediately hurried off to fore witnessed the peculiar, though simple and impressive ceremonies of the meek, gentle and philanthropic Friends, the north-west, and taken to Old Chilli- was understood to be a religious meet- ing, and the rough soldiers and the hardy back-woodsmen, though depriv- ed for many months of the advantages stake. James Horton was the father of cothe-now Frankfort-and after under- going all the tortures peculiar to savage ingenuity, were finally burned at the of regular preaching, had by no means Jacob Horton, who afterward resided in ceased to respect the ministers of the Fairfield township, in this county.


church. Beals finally rose to his feet Early in the spring of 1791 a party of and preached one of the greatest sermons, Shawnees crossed the Ohio near the which was listened to with marked at- mouth of Eagle creek and stole horses, tention. This was doubtless the first robbed and burned houses and murder- sermon ever heard from the lips of a ed some of the inhabitants of what is now Friend in the wilds of Kentucky. Col. Mason county, Kentucky. Kenton rais- Preston was much pleased with the ed a party and pursued them. The preaching, as well as the earnest de- Indians took a due north course. The votion and self-sacrificing spirit mani- pursuing party made a forced march, fested by the preacher and his compan- and being fresh and eager, reached by ions. They seemed unconscious of night-fall the banks of the Rocky Fork danger, and impressed with the belief of Paint, and encamped on its bank near that the voice of Christian love and the the present residence of John H. Jolly. promised rewards of an obedience to the In the morning they continued the pur- promptings of the inner spirit, could not suit, and passed up the ridge in the fail in their effects on the hearts of the direction of where Hillsboro now stands, savages. But Col. Preston knew the and over the site of the town on towards


Indians better, and advised Beals and


where Martinsville now stands. A short his companions to return, which they distance east of the present town, and on reluctantly did.


Two years afterwards, Beals, still im- pressed with the idea of christianizing the Indians, set out with another party to the West, crossed the New river coun- try down to a stream called Bluestone, about fifty miles above the falls of Kanawha. The party was pleased with the country, but owing to some unknown cause, the project was again abandoned, and after taking a good hunt, the party returned home.


The next spring Beals made up an emigrant party of Carolinians, and mov- ed out and commenced a settlement on Bluestone. That fall inost of the men went on a hunt some distance from the settlement. They had excellent luck and killed a large quantity of game-bear, deer, &c. They returned home and sent a party out with horses to bring in the meat. During their absence the Indians


a tract of land now known as the Throck- morton survey, the scouts of the party reported Indians in the neighborhood. Kenton and his party halted and sent one Timothy Downing forward to re- connoitre, supported by two others. Downing was in advance and caught . sight of an Indian who had doubtless loitered in the rear of his party for the same purpose that Downing had gone in advance of his. Downing, by some means, got the start of the Indian and killed him. At the report of his rifle the main body of the Indians took alarm and scattered through the woods, leav- ing all the stolen horses and goods. Kenton and his men pursued with all speed, but were unable to overtake any of them. So they were compelled to content themselves with the plunder they had obtained.


CHAPTER V.


THE BATTLE OF THE EAST FORK.


IN the spring of 1792 the Indians were Washburn, with another, followed on very troublesome to the settlers on the the trail some distance in advance. They northern frontier of Kentucky, and had not gone far before Washburn was kept them in constant dread. Occasion- seen returning hastily to meet the party. ally a party would cross the river, steal a He gave Kenton intelligence that about a mile ahead he had heard a vast num- ber of bells, and that he was convinced the bells were near the Indian camp; they appeared to be scattered as if the


lot of horses, kill some of the inhabitants and burn their houses. In April Ken- ton raised a party of thirty-seven mien and set out in pursuit of a marauding company of Indians, who had re-crossed horses were feeding in different direc- the Ohio a short distance below Lime- tions. A council was immediately held stone, and started in the direction of the to make arrangements for the coming head of the Little Miami. When near combat. It was now late in the evening the East Fork of the Little Miami silent- and drizzling rain. Kenton, after plac- ly pursuing the Indian trail, he heard a ing his men in a proper situation to de- behl in the distance. He immediately fend themselves should they be attack- ed, took Washburn and went to ascer- tain by personal observation the situa- stopped his party, and went in person to reconnoitre. He took with him, says McDonald in his sketches, three others. tion of the enemy. About the dusk of Among those he selected was Cornelins the evening he came in view of the Washburn, a young man whose nerves were as steady while taking aim at an


Indian encampment. With the stealthy and watchful tread of the cat he ap- Indian as when he was practicing with proached as near the camp as prudence his rifle at a target. He had been with Kenton on several expeditions, and al- would dictate. The Indians were camp- ed on the bank of the East Fork of the ways distinguished himself as a bold Little Miami, a short distance above soldier. Kenton and his companions the residence of Michael Stroup, and went cautiously forward toward the bell. within the present limits of Highland After they had gone some distance they county, though others locate the place saw an Indian riding toward them. The lower down. They had a number of Indian, it appeared, was hunting with tents and marquees, which it is proba- his bell open, as deer are not alarmed at ble they had taken at St. Clair's defeat. the sound of a bell, on the contrary they The number of Indians could not be stand in mute astonishunent and gaze at ascertained, but Kenton had no doubt the horse on which the bell hangs. As there were three or four times as many soon as Kenton saw the Indian approach- of them as there were of the whites. He ing he concealed his little party till the returned and reported to his company Indian came sufficiently near. Wash- their situation and probable mumber, burn was selected to shoot the Indian, and, after consultation, it was determin- and when he reached an open space, ed to trust to fortune and attack them Kenton made a noise. The Indian, as boldly. Kenton moved his party on was expected, stopped his horse to listen. near to the Indian camp without attract- The moment he stopped his horse ing the notice of the enemy, and then Washburn fired, and down fell the divided them into parties of four men Indian. Kenton then returned to his each. These parties were instructed, main party and a consultation was held when the signal was given, each to at- ou the subject of their future operations. tack a separate tent or marquee. He They were satisfied this Indian was not chose midnight for the attack, lest he alone in the woodla -- that his contrades might have to retreat, in which case he were not far distant. As they were con- wished a good part of the night to get a vinced that they were in the neighbor- start, as they could not be pursued in hood of the enemy, circumspection in the dark. As soon as his arrangements their movements was indispensable. were made, they moved cautiously for- They were still on the trail of the Indians ward to the unequal contest. So cau- they started in pursuit of from Kentucky. tious and noiseless was their approach


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A HISTORY OF HIGHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.


C. enty purty was within five or six ing an Indian horse in the woods, which ;wwwos of the Endof tent- withont being he tied in the rear of the camp. After They rusbei npon the the retreat was commenced he mount- Indian in with tremendous vells, and ed the horse and rode off. Early on the each tired his rite against au Indian as


following morning, Tecumseh, with hr dept. The Indians who were nnin- some of his men, set out in pursuit of june, broke through the backs of the the retreating party, and having struck tony and escaped. Kenton's party was the trail of MeIntire, they pursued it so small that nothing like half the tents for some distance, and at length over- had been fired into. After the first fire took him, where he had struck a fire nearly all the Indians who had escaped and was cooking some meat. When he from the tents, seeing the small number discovered his pursuers he immediate- ot the whites, boldly rallied, returned to ly fled at full speed. Tecumseh and the tents that had not been attacked, two others pursued in full chase, and were fast gaining upon him when he turned and raised his gun. The two Indians, happening to be in the advance of Tecumseh, sprang to trees, but he boldly rushed upon McIntire and made him prisoner He was tied and taken back to the battle ground, where short- gathered up their arms and returned the tire. There was on a lower bottom, or as some say on the other side of the creek, a second line of tents which Kenton had not discovered when he reconnoitred the camp. The Indians from them ran to the aid of their comrades. Kenton perceived this movement, and seeing the ly afterwards, in the temporary absence Indians attempting to surround him, of Tecumseh, the Indians fell upon him ordered a retreat. The whole skirmish lasted but a few minutes. From inform- ation received from a Mr. Riddle, a white man who lived with the Indians, from prisoners, who after the peace of their numbers were ascertained to be two hundred, some of whom were Kentucky. They stated that the en- women. There were about thirty of them killed and a number wounded. The celebrated Tecumseh commanded the Indians.


and killed him. It is said Tecumseh was greatly vexed and distressed at this. This information was obtained 1765 were released and returned to campment had been formed at the head- quarters, from which predatory parties were to attack the settlements in Ken- tucky and cut off boats descending the Ohio river. Another version of the story is, that McIntire was pursued by the Indians, and killed on what is now the farm of Charles Stroup. His body, tradition says, was taken to the Indian camp, where the savages, with many ceremonies, cut it into quarters, which they suspended on the surrounding trees. His heart they took out of the body and elevated on the point of a long pole in the centre of the encamp- ment in front of the marquee of Tecumseh.


When the first gun was fired Riddle states that Tecumseh, who was lying by the fire outside of the tents, sprang to his feet, and calling upon his warriors to follow his example, rushed forward and killed one of the whites, John Barr, with his war club. One of the Indians in the midst of the engagement fell in- to the creek, and in his efforts to get out of the water, made so much noise as to induce the whites to believe that another reinforcement was crossing the stream to assail them. This is sup- posed to have hastened the order from In reference to the precise locality of the battle, some difference of opinion seems to prevail among writers, who claim to derive their information from authentic sources. A majority of them Kenton for his men to retreat. The re- treating party was three days in reach- ing Limestone, during two days of which they were without food, and destitute of sufficient clothing to pro- appear to favor the opinion that it was tect them from the cold winds and fought on the banks of the East Fork rains which had overtaken them. The pursuit of the Indians continued during the greater part of the day succeeding the fight. of the Little Miami, a few miles above where the town of Williamsburg now stands, near a large deer lick, but no evidence has been offered to establish the location at the point indicated. All authorities concur, however, in the facts that a battle was fought at the time


Barr's bones were left on the battle field, and were gathered and buried by Joseph VanMeter, William Spickard and Daniel Jones, the first settlers on stated between a party of Kentuckians, the lands in the vicinity of battle. As to McIntire, there are body of encamped Indians, under the commanded by Kenton, and a large not less than two reports. One is to Tecumseh, on the East Fork of the the effect that the afternoon prior to Little Miami, and that the predatory the battle MeIntire succeeded in catch- band of Indians, followed by Kenton


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A HISTORY OF HIGHLAND COUNTY OIIIO.


and his men from Kentucky, crossed It may not be inappropriate to close the Ohio river a short distance below thisaccount with some rhymes embody- Limestone, doubtless at the mouth of ing the tradition of the battle. They -Eagle Creek, as that is known to have are the closing part of a poem of sever- been one of their crossing places, and al stanzas, written long ago by an early continued on in the direction of the settler in the vicinity of the battle head waters of the Little Miami. A ground. We extract them literally : glance at the map of Ohio will show "I'll drop you now another thought, A battle here long since was fought ; By Indians on MIaml's shore, And white men from Kentucky o'er. this route to lead to a point on the East Fork, several miles above that claimed by those who fix the battle ground a few miles above Williamsburg, and The whites closed up on thein at night, And shot them down by early light ; The Indlans' cry of war repeat, The white man had then to retreat. very near that at which it is here claim- ed the fight actually occurred. In ad- dition to this, Indians never were in They traveled far the forest o'er, the habit of fixing a large and compara- Till they reached again the Obio shore ; Then the lamentation was to all, For those two men who had to fall. tively permanent encampment near a lick, on which they would necessarily depend to a considerable extent for pro- The Kentucky friends then did Inquire What became of Barr and MeIntire ; They did reply with sorrow deep, visions. Then there are evidences on ground which is on the farm now own- The Indians laid them long to sleep." ed by William Gibler, and about a mile [A different account of this battle is found in McClung's "Western Adventures," which we give below in full .-- ED.] above the mouth of Dodson creek, on the south east bank of the East Fork, near a yellow bank and on or near The trail led them down on the Miami, what was once a small prairie of some and about noon on the second day they ten acres-that are incontrovertible of heard a bell in front, apparently from a a battle having once been fought there. horsegrazing. Cautiously approaching Human bones were found on this it, they quickly beheld asolitary Indian ground by the early settlers, trees scar- mounted on horseback, and leisurely red by the bullets and marks of the advancing towards them. A few of camp fires were still visible at the first their best marksmen fired upon him settlement. An Indian tomahawk was and brought him to the ground. After found upon the ground some years after, a short consultation it was then detor- and a gun-barrel was found in the route mined to follow his back trail, and as- of the retreating party about a mile certain whether there were more in the from the battle ground, supposed to neighborhood. A small, active, reso-


have been McIntire's, and the place lute woodsman named Melntire, ac- the scene of his death. Josepli Van- companied by three others, was pushed Meter, who settled where Michael on in advance, in order to give them Stroup afterward resided some ten early notice of the enemy's appearance, years after the battle, found the bones while the main body followed at a more of MeIntire, some of them still hanging leisurely pace. Within an hour Mc- on the trees, and buried them. There Intire returned, and reported that they were then within a short distance of a


was cut on the bark of a large beech tree, near the battle ground, the figure large party of Indians, supposed to be of an Indian in war costume, tomahawk greatly superior to their own. That in hand. Under which were deep they were encamped in a bottom upon notches supposed to be intended to in- the borders of a creek, and were amus- dicate the number killed in the battle, ing themselves, apparently awaiting and short hacks for those wounded. the arrival of the Indian whom they The direction the Indians took when had just killed, as they would occasion- they left is supposed to be shown by a ally halloo loudly, and then laugh im- long mark through the bark of the tree. moderately, supposing, probably, that These things have all been seen by the their comrade had lost his way. old settlers, who can yet point out, This intelligence fell like a shower though the ground has long been culti- bath upon the spirits of the party, who, vated, the battle field on which the bold thinking it more prudent to put a great- Kenton and his Kentuckians met the er interval between themselves and the great Tecumseh and his followers. enemy, set spurs to their horses, and They also show the location of the galloped back in the direction from Indian encampment and the command- which they had come. Such was the ing ground where Kenton and his party panic, that one of the footmen, a huge, lay in wait for several hours for mid- hulking fellow six feet high, in his zeal night to como-the hour of the attack for his own safety, sprang up behind on the Indian camp.




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