USA > Ohio > Highland County > A history of the early settlement of Highland County, Ohio > Part 6
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38
Captain Calvin (who was then mounted
is
A HISTORY OF HIGHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.
upon Captain Ward's horse, the Captain enemy had stolen were grazing in a rich having dismounted in order to accom- bottom below their camp. As they modate him) and nothing short of a were advancing totheattack, therefore, threat to blow his brains out could in- Calvin detached his son with several duce him to dismount. In this orderly halters, which he had borrowed from manner they scampered through the the men, to regain their own horses, and be prepared to carry them off in case the enemy should overpower them. The attack was then 'made in two divisions. woods for several miles, when, in obedience to the orders of Kenton and Calvin, they halted, and prepared for resistance in case (as was probable) the enemy had discovered them, and were engaged in the pursuit. Kenton and Calvin were engaged apart in earnest consultation. It was proposed that a
Calvin conducted the upper and Ken- ton the lower party. The wood was thick, but the moon shone out clearly, and enabled them to distinguish objects number of saplings should be cut down with sufficient precision. Calvin's party and a temporary breast-work erected. came first in contact with the enemy. and while the propriety of these meas- ures was under discussion, the men were left to themselves.
They had advanced within thirty yards of a large fire in front of a number of tents without having seen a single Captain Ward, as we have already observed, was then very young, and perfectly raw. He had been in the habit of looking up to one man as a perfect Hector, having always heard him represented in his own neighbor- hood as a man of redoubted courage, and a perfect Anthropophagus among the Indians. When they halted, there- fore, he naturally looked around for his friend, hoping to read safety, courage and assurance of success in Indian, when a dog which had been watching them for several minutes sprung forward to meet them, baying loudly. Presently an Indian appeared approaching cautiously towards them, and occasionally speaking to the dog in the Indian tongue. This sight was too tempting to be borne, and Calvin heard the tick of a dozen rifles in rapid suc- cession, as his party cocked them in order to fire. The Indian was too close to permit him to speak, but turning to that countenance, usually so ruddy and his men he earnestly waived his hand confident. But alas! the gallant war- as a warning to be quiet. Then cau-
rior was wofully chop-fallen. There tiously raising his own rifle, he fired had, generally, been a ruddy tinge upon with a steady aim, just as the Indian the tip of his nose, which some ascribed had reached the fire, and stood fairly to the effervescence of a fiery valor, exposed to its liglit.
while others, more maliciously inclined,
The report of the rifle instantly broke attributed it to the fumes of brandy. the stillness of the night, and their ears Even this burning beacon had been quenched, and had assumed a livid ashy hue, still deeper if possible than that of his lips. Captain Ward, think- ing that the danger must be appalling, which could damp the ardor of a man like him, instantly became grievously frightened himself, and the contagion seemed spreading rapidly, when Kenton and Calvin rejoined them, and speaking in a cheerful, confident tone, complete- ly reanimated their spirits. were soon deafened by the yells of the enemy. The Indian at whom Calvin fired fell forward into the burning pile of faggots, and by his struggling to ex- tricate himself, scattered the brands so much as to almost extinguish the light. Several dusky forms glanced rapidly before them for a moment, which drew a volley from his men, but with what ef- fect could not be ascertained. Calvin, having discharged his piece, turned so rapidly as to strike the end of his ram- rod against a tree behind him, and drive it into its sheatlı with such violence, that he was unable to extricate it for
Finding themselves not pursued by the enemy, as they had expected, it was determined that they should remain in their present position until night, when several minutes, and finally fractured a rapid attack was to be made in two two of his teeth in the effort.
divisions upon the Indian camp, under
A heavy fire now commenced from the impression that the darkness of the the Indian camp which was returned with equal spirit by, the whites, but
night, and the surprise of the enemy might give them an advantage which without much effect on either side. they could scarcely hope for in daylight. Trees were barked very plentifully, dogs bayed, the Indians yelled, the whites shouted, the squaws screamed, and a prodigious uproar was maintained for Accordingly, everything remaining quiet at dusk, they again mounted and advanced rapidly, but in profound silence, upon the Indian camp. It was about fifteen minutes, when it was re- ascertained that the horses which the ported to Calvin that Kenton's party
.
19
A HISTORY OF HIGHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.
had been overpowered, and was in full killed, and the Indians are crossing the retreat. It was not necessary to give creek!" Bonaparte has said that there orders for a similar movement. No is a critical period in every battle, when sooner had the intelligence been receiv- the bravest men will eagerly seize an ed, than the Kentuckians of the upper excuse to run away. The remark is division broke their ranks, and every doubly true with regard to militia.
man attempted to save himself ,as he
No sooner had this speech been utter- best could. They soon overtook the ed by one who had never yet been charg- lower division, and a hot scramble took ed with cowardice, than the rout in- place for horses. One called upon an- stantly took place, and all order was other to wait for him until he could catch his horse, which had broken his bridle, but no attention was paid to the request. Some fled upon their own horses, others mounted those of their friends. "First come, first served," seemed to be the order of the night, and a sad confusion of property took place, in consequence of which, to their great terror, a few were compelled to return on foot. The flight was originally caus- ed by the panic of an individual, . As disregarded. Fortunately, the enemy were equally frightened, and probably would have fled themselves had the whites given them time. No pursuit took place for several hours, nor did they pursue the trail of the main body of fugitives. But it unfortunately happened that MeInitire, instead of ac- companying the rest, turned off from the main route, and returned to the breastwork where some flour and veni- son had been left. The Indians quick- the lower division moved up to the at- ly became aware of the circumstance, tack, most of the men appeared to and following with rapidity, overtook, advance with alacrity.
-
tomahawked and scalped him, while
Captain Ward, however, happened to engaged in preparing breakfast on the following morning. Thus was his case, as in many others, probably pro-
be stationed next to McIntire, whom we have already had occasion to men- dream verified. The prediction in this tion as a practiced woodsman and peculiarly expert marksman. Hereto- duced its own accomplishment by con- fore he had always been foremost in founding his mind, and depriving him of his ordinary alertness and intelli- gence. He certainly provoked his fate by his own extraordinary rashness. every danger, and had become celebrat- ed for the address, activity and bold- ness with which he had acquitted him- self. As they were ascending the gen-
It is somewhat remarkable that a tle acclivity upon which the Indian brother of Captain Ward was in the camp stood, however, he appeared much Indian camp at the moment when it was attacked. He had been taken by
dejected, and spoke despondingly of their enterprise. He declared that it the Indians in 1758. being at the time had been revealed to him in a dream on only three years old, had been adopted the preceding night that their efforts as a member of the Shawnee tribe, and would be vain, and that he himself was
had married an Indian woman, by destined to perish. That he was deter- whom he had several children, all of mined to fight as long as any man of whom, together with their mother, the party stood his ground, but if the were then in camp. Captain Ward has whites were wise they would instantly informed the writer of this narrative abandon the attempt upon the enemy, that, a few seconds before the firing be- and recross the Ohio as rapidly as possi- gan, while he stood within rifle shot of ble.
the encampment, an Indian girl ap-
These observations made but little parently fifteen years of age, attracted impression upon Ward, but seemed to his attention. She stood for an instant take deep root in the mind of the gentle- in an attitude of alarm, in front of one man whose pale face had alarmed the of the tents, and gazed intently upon company at the breastwork. The action the spot where he then stood. Not im- quickly commenced, and at the first fire mediately perceiving that it was a fe- from the Indians, Barr, a young Ken- male, he raised his gun, and was upon tuckian, was shot by 's side. This the point of firing, when her open circumstance completed the overthrow bosom announced her sex, and her of his courage, which had declined vis- peculiarly light complexion caused him ibly since the first encounter in the to doubt for a moment whether she morning, and elevating his voice to its could be an Indian by birth. He after- shrillest notes, he shouted aloud, "Boys, wards ascertained that she was his it won't do for us to be here; Barr is brother's child.
.
CHAPTER VI.
BATTLE OF BELFAST-BEALS AND POPE MAKE AN EXPEDITION INTO THE COUNTY-SOMETHING ABOUT LAND WARRANTS AND HOW THEY WERE LOCATED-AN ADVENTURE OF MASSIE WHEN OUT SURVEYING IN THE VIRGINIA MILITARY DISTRICT.
JOHN MONARY was one of the early which stands in the forks of the creek. Indian spies of Kentucky, and served The Indians came on them whilst they with Shelby, Kenton, Clark and were eating, unexpectedly and apparent- others of the fearless and persever- ly unintentionally. It seemed, from ing men of their day, in protecting the their actions, that they were themselves border settlements from Indian depre- surprised, for before they could fire the dations. Shortly after St. Clair's defeat
whites were able to give them a well- he was sent out from Kentucky in directed broadside, and fled. They saw company with about forty others, to several of the Indians fall after their the battle ground, to collect and bury fire, but as the enemy numbered at the dead, but owing to the determined least four to one, they did not feel like hostility and characteristic vigilance of risking a battle while escape was possi- the Indians in the vicinity, they were ble. The party of whites ran for sev- unable to accomplish the desired object. eral miles. The Indians fired on them After they discovered the impossibility just as they started, but fortunately of the undertaking, they commenced a without killing or wounding any of retreat. Several of the party had al- them. After a pursuit of several hours ready been picked off by the wily ene- the Indians finding the whites gaining my, and an effort was made to elude on them abandoned the chase, and the them, and if possible baffle pursuit. party arrived safely at Manchester in But they had not proceeded far on the evening. their homeward route before they be-
There is no doubt as to the truth of came aware that the Indians were the above statement, and the location dogging them. A hurried march was is well settled. McNary's recollection resolved upon, and as they doubted not of the place is worthy of credit, for he but the Indians were much stronger says he has passed through Belfast than their party, all their skill was em- since that town has been built, and vis- ited the place where the fight occurred. The forks of the creek and the mound farther attest his statement. In ad-
ployed to prevent an attack. The forced march continued until the party of Kentuckians were within a day's march of Manchester. The morning of that dition, however, to these, a human day was dark and rather misty. The skull was picked up some years ago at party of whites were still on the look- the identical point described by him as out for their pursuers, although they that where the skirmish occurred.
had succeeded in baffling them the pre- This then is the second battle which ceding night and afternoon, and had took place between the Indians and therefore ventured to stop and take whites within the boundary of the such repose as they could during most county of Highland, and within a year of the night, taking care to make as or two only from the date of Kenton's little noise as possible, and kindle no battle on the East fork of the Miami. fires. They passed the night in securi- In 1794 or '95 Thomas Beals and Na- ty, free from interruption. Early in thaniel Pope, one of the early settlers the morning they moved some four or of this country, projected an expedition five miles farther south, when they to the now State of Ohio. Accordingly concluded to halt and take a hasty early in the summer of that year, in breakfast. The point at which they company with a few others, they cross- stopped for this purpose, as remember- ed the mountains and reached the Ohio ed by McNary, was at the first fork of at Point Pleasant, where they crossed Brushcreek, as now known, immediate- the river. Pope was intimately ac- ly above the present town of Belfast, in quainted with Boone, and learned from this county, and south of a mound him on his return from the West to his
-
21
A HISTORY OF HIGHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.
home ou the Yadkin much of the beau- He kept quiet, however, and waited till tiful country lying on the waters of the it came nearer; he, to his great joy, dis- Scioto and Miamis. Boone thought covered that they were not Indians these countries equal to Kentucky. The bnt Indian traders. He was so excited party were resolved to see them, while that he hallowed. The men in the Beals, still anxious to preach to the canoe all snatched up their ritles; he Indians, hesitated not to accompany threw hisdown. These traders furnish- them. After they entered the then ed the party with what ammunition North-western Territory they crossed and provision they needed. So ended over the country watered by the the explorations and the sufferings of Raccoon, Sims' Creek and Salt Creek. the party after having been out forty- They struck the Scioto above West Fall. five days, much of which time they were They passed on to the head of Cæser's on short allowance, depending more on creek and being short of provisions and green pawpaws roasted than on bread unable to find game, they turned and or even mneat.
took a southerly direction one day's journey -- then east, which brought All the earliest settlers of the Ohio Valley were necessarily men of great them through the north part of what is courage and fortitude. Indeed the now Highland county. They crossed nature of the duties, inseparable from Paint and kept to the west of Old Chil- the position, precluded everything but licothe, not wishing to see the place the stern and manly virtues developed where their friends, Horton and Bran- in the hard school of experience, and son, had been burned. They passed none but men in every sense of the word
ever thought of entering the arena and
through the Salt Creek country and struck the Ohio river near the mouth of braving the dangers of frontier life. Guyandotte. For several days before The noblest spirits of the old States this the party had been out of provisions, were therefore concentrated in the and were forced to kill and eat their then West. But defiant of hardships, dogs to sustain life. In hopes to find privations and dangers as were the something in the way of game they passed np the river one or two days journey to a beautiful bottom, after- wards known as Green bottom. Here they determined to cross, and having constructed a raft by lashing dry mulberry logs together with hickory bark, they placed their saddles, &c., on it, and getting on themselves, swam their horses over. Being again on the
pioneer emigrants, the early Surveyors who located and run off their lands. were, undoubtedly, much their supe- riors. They were not properly the first explorers of the country, but they were the first to take practical and perma- nent steps towards the beginning of the settlements which have grown in the brief period of sixty years into an empire of population, wealth and Virginia side, they attempted to find a power. The surveyors were all men of new route through the mountains, but education, and many of them were men after wandering some length of time, of high order of talent, while for dar- and becoming fatigued and weakened ing, endurance and energy they stand by hunger, they gave it up and return- unrivaled perhaps in the country.
ed to the river in hopes to see a passing
On the 1st day of March, 1784, Vir- emigrant boat from which they could ginia ceded to the United States her get relief. They arrived on the bank of the river late in the afternoon, weary, territory north-west of the Ohio river, as a common fund for the benefit of all disheartened and starving. Something the States, reserving the country lying to eat they must have. One of the between the Miami and Scioto rivers party proposed to kill a horse, which, to be appropriated as a reward to the as there appeared no alternative but soldiers of the Continental Line. This starvation, was agreed to, but the ques- portion of country known as the Vir- tion arose as to whose horse should be ginia Military District, soon became sacrificed. They finally settled it by the field of the active operations of the drawing cuts. It fell upon Pope's, surveyors. A land office was opened in which being a great favorite, he begged Louisville, Ky., as early as JJune, 1781, for a half hour, while he made a last for the location of land in that territory. effort to get provision elsewhere. He which had also been appropriated by had only one load of ammunition re- Virginia to the payment of Revolu- maining, which was in his gun. Creep- tionary soldiers.
In the spring of 1787 Major John O'-
ing along the banks of the river in hopes to see a duck or goose, he heard a Banion and Arthur Fox, two enterpris- noise in the water at a short distance, ing surveyors, crossed over into the and presently discovered a canoe with Military District on this side of the three men in it who looked like Indians, river to obtain knowledge of the coun-
1
22
A HISTORY OF HIGHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.
try, for the purpose of enabling them Defective entries, in this particular, the better to make entries of land as have been very common in this Dis- soon as an office should be opened for trict, and been the cause of more litiga- that purpose. They explored the whole tion than, perhaps, any other. Next in extent of country along the Ohio, and order came the survey, the essential some distance up the Scioto and Miami requisite of which was conformity to a rivers and some of their tributaries. just and reasonable construction of the On the 1st day of August of that year, entry. Surveys when made were re- Col. Anderson opened an office for the turned by the deputy to the general surveyor. with a plat of the land sur- veyed, together with a description of the same by metes and bounds. This
entry of lands in the Virginia Military District. Entries were rapidly made of the bottoms of the Ohio, Miami and Scioto rivers. But this seems to have was required to be signed by the deputy been contrary to the design of Congress, surveyor, together with the chainmen who promptly, on receiving the in- and markers. The survey was then re- formation, passed an act dated July, corded, and the plat with a certificate 1788, invalidating all entries made on from the general surveyor, under his the north side of the Ohio river, which seal of office, delivered to the owner, was, however, repealed two years after. together with the original warrant, This act restored validity to all entries after which a patent, issued from the made and regulated the mode of President of the United States, acknowl- obtaining patents. edged a complete title in the owner.
By a further provision of the act of the Virginia Legislature passed shortly after the close of the Revolutionary war, for the establishment of a princi-
Prior to 1790 the location of lands in this District was made by stealth. Every creek that was explored, and every line that was run, was at the risk pal surveyor of the Military lands, the of life from the Indians, whose courage holders of the warrants were required and perseverance were only equaled by to place them in the hands of the chief the stern determination and heroic dar- surveyor, or one of his deputies, by a specified day, and that then the priority of their warrants should be decided by lot. The surveyors, after these prelimi- naries, were authorized to survey all
ing of the whites in pushing forward their settlements. It was a contest for dominion, and the bravery, the strata- gem and the boldness displayed by the Indians in executing their plans, could the good lands within the boundaries only be equaled by their fearless onsets of the District. in attacks, and their masterly retreats when defeated.
These warrants were issued to satisfy bounties, promised by various acts of The holders of warrants were at lib- . the Virginia Legislature to her Revolu- erty to locate them, but they were un- tionary officers and soldiers, and pre- acquainted with the business and detered by the hostility of the Indians. They, therefore, usually chose to employ the deputy surveyors on such terms as could be agreed upon. As the risk of making entries was great, and as it was desirable to possess the best land, the owners of warrants in most cases made liberal contracts with the survey- ors. One-fourth, one-third and often as much as one-half, acquired by the
scribed the amount of land to which each person was entitled according to his rank in the army and the length of time of actual service. The first step, says McDonald, taken towards the acquisition of land by a warrant, is by means of an entry, which is the appro- priation of a certain quantity of vacant land by the owner of the warrant. This is made in a book kept by the surveyor for the purpose, and contains the quan- entry of good lands, was given by the tity of acres intended to be appropriat- ed, the number of the warrant on which it is entered, and then calls for some specific, notorious and permanent object, by which the locality of the land may be known, and concluding with a gen- A large amount of warrants were plac- ed in the hands of Gen. Nathaniel Massic in 1790, who was an accomplished sur- veyor, as well as a reliable and energetic business man. As a preliminary step, eral description of the courses to be followed in a survey of it. This par- ticularity was required that every per- son holding a warrant might be enabled, without interfering with prior locations, he determined to form a settlement in to locate his own warrant. This could the District: He accordingly, during not be done with safety in a wild coun. the winter of 1790-'91, laid out the town try, unless prior entries were made of Manchester, and built cabins for the with sufficient certainty as to notoriety. inhabitants. By the middle of March
proprietors to the surveyors. If the owners preferred paying money, the usual terms were ten pounds Virginia currency for each thousand acres enter- ed, exclusive of chainmen's expenses.
-
A HISTORY OF HIGHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. 23
the whole place was enclosed with strong called the spy, whose duty it was to keep pickets, firinly fixed in the ground, with on the back trail, and look out lest the block houses at each angle for defense. party might be pursued and attacked by The establishment of this settlement was surprise. Each man, including the snr- absolutely necessary. The surveyors must have a secure headquarters on the north side of the river, otherwise they would have been completely at the dis- posal of the Indians, with the river be- tween them and a safe place of retreat. Thus was the first settlement in the Vir- ginia Military District, and the fourth
veyor, carried his rifle, tomahawk, scalp- ing knife and blanket, and any other article he might stand in need of. On the packhorse was carried the cooking utensils and such provisions as could be conveniently taken. But nothing like bread was thought of. Some salt was taken. In this manner the surveying in within the present boundaries of the Ohio was done. They did not carry any State of Ohio, effected, which, although provisions with them from home, but depended on their rifles forsupplies. At camp, sentinels were regularly posted during the night, and each man held himself in constant readiness for defense. commenced in the hottest of the Indian war, suffered less than any previously made. All north of this place, then call- ed Massie's Station, to the lakes, west to the mouth of the Miami, and east to
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.