Centennial history of Cincinnati and representative citizens, Vol. I, Pt. 1, Part 53

Author: Greve, Charles Theodore, b. 1863. cn
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1020

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complaint was made against Patrick Grimes, for stealing cucumbers from the truck-patch of one of his neighbors. An order was immediately is- sued to the sheriff, directing him forthwith, to arrest the offender, and summon a jury for his trial. The order was promptly obeyed, a jury was impanelled, the evidence heard, a verdict of guilty returned, and the accused sentenced to re- ceive twenty-nine lashes on his naked back; which were inflicted the same afternoon." (Bur- net's letter, October, 1837.) And so Patrick Grimes' name is handed down for all time. The subsequent history of this the first one of the new settlers to call for the process of the law is not recorded.

The proceedings of this impromptu court soon brought its officers into conflict with the military authorities, always ready to interfere with the civil jurisdiction in a new settlement. Judge Burnet records the matter as follows: "In a few weeks, another complaint was made, and an order issued to arrest the person accused. He immediately fled to the garrison, and claimed the protection of the commandant. The next day, Mr. McMillan received an abusive letter from that officer, requiring him to desist from further proceeding, and threatening him with punish- ment, if he did not. A spirited reply was re- turned to the letter, denying the right of the commandant to interfere, and setting him at de- fiance. The military pride of the subaltern, be- ing wounded by this rebuke, he sent from the garrison, the next day, a sergeant with a file of three men, to arrest McMillan. It is proper here to observe, that at that time Mr. McMillan was young, athletic, in high health, and pos- sessed of unusual strength and activity. The first intimation he had of the movement against him, was from the sergeant, at the door of his cabin, which was taken possession of by the guard. A short parley ensued, in which McMil- lan declared his determination not to be taken alive, and forbade the guard to enter his cabin. After a short pause, however, they rushed in, when a most furious conflict ensued. The ser- geant, who first entered, received a blow, which brought him to the floor. At the same instant the men seized their victim, who, by a prodigious effort of strength, rescued himself from their grasp, giving one of them a blow whichi effect- ually disabled him. Mr. McMillan informed me that the conflict lasted fifteen or twenty min- utes, when the parties became entirely exhaust- ed, and the guard retired. During the struggle, among the severe blows inflicted on McMillan,

was one in the breast ; from the effects of which he never recovered. He was confined to his bed for many weeks, and after he had recovered sufficiently to attend to business, he was weak, debilitated, and afflicted with a cough, which con- tinued to the time of his death." Mr. McMillan was one of the most distinguished men that have lived in Cincinnati at any time during its exist- ence.

Immediately after the affair, when the Court of Quarter Sessions was organized in pursuance of the law for that purpose, published at Mariet- ta on August 23, 1788, Mr. McMillan was ap- pointed one of the judges of the court. He was one of the members in the first landing party. He succeeded William H. Harrison as the terri- torial delegate to Congress in 1800 where he served so well as to be honored with a public dinner upon his return to the city. After his re- turn he was appointed United States attorney for the District of Ohio being the first who held that office. He died at the early age of 44 and Mr. Cist says of him: "There can be no doubt that Mr. McMillan was the master-spirit of the place, at that day, and a man who would have been a distinguished member of society any- where. It is impossible to contemplate his career and character, without being deeply im- pressed with his great superiority over every one around him, even of the influential men of the day, and there were men of as high character and abilities in Cincinnati, in those days, as at present. He was lost to the community at the age of forty-four-just in the meridian of his course-and left vacant an orbit of usefulness and influence here in the community, in which no one since has been found worthy to move."

William M. Corry in a public address speaks of McMillan as follows: "During his profes- sional carcer there was no higher man at the Western bar than William McMillan. Its ac- complished ranks would have done honor to older countries, but it did not contain his supe- rior. Some of our distinguished lawyers of that day were admirable public speakers ; he was not. Some of them were able in the comprehension of their cases and skillful to a proverb in their management ; of these he ranked among the first. His opinions had all the respectability of learning, precision and strength. They con- manded acquiescence, they challenged opposi- tion, when to obtain assent was difficult and to provoke hostilities dangerous."

The date of the arrival of the first family can- not be given with any degree of certainty. Mrs.

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Rebecca Reeder, in a letter to the Pioneer Asso- ciation, tells of the arrival of her family in the city as early as February 8, 1789, at which time there were three other women in the city, a Miss Dement, Mrs. Constance Zenes who after- wards married William McMillan, and Mrs. Pesthal, a German woman. The only small chil- dren in the place were those of Mrs. Pesthal.

Mrs. Reeder was the daughter of Francis Kennedy who with his wife and seven children floated down on a boat. The first people they saw after landing were Mr. McMillan and Col. Israel Ludlow. At that time they found but three cabins in which lived the surveyors and chain carriers. The cabins were not floored. Mr. Ludlow came down to the boat and invited Kennedy and his family to make their stay in his cabin until one could be built, but Mrs. Kennedy thought it would be more comfortable with the small children in their boat so they lived on the river in the boat until the running ice made it necessary for them to make some other ar- rangements. The men of the settlement assisted them in breaking up the boats and building a temporary camp in which they lived for , six weeks. By the end of that time Kennedy had built a large cabin which was the first one large enough for a family to live in. The boards of the camp which had been taken from the boat were used to floor the house. The house was intended to be placed on the corner of Walnut and Water streets but although the streets were laid out they had not been opened up and the woods were so thick that it was impossible to tell where they would run ; as a result the house was built in the middle of Water street. At the time of the land- ing of this family, the army was still at North Bend where it was suffering from the want of bread. Kennedy had brought with him a con- siderable quantity of flour and corn-meal and when the soldiers sent up to get a few barrels of flour for the benefit of the so-called army, Ken- nedy refused to sell them flour which he said he brought there to save his children's lives in the forest and not for the purpose of selling. The soldiers were armed and threatened to take the flour by force but Kennedy took down his gun and informed them that he would fight for his flour. Fortunately no collision occurred and the soldiers returned to North Bend from which Judge Symmes wrote to Kennedy asking him to give the soldiers as many barrels of flour as they required and he would see it replaced. This was donc and the matter terminated satis- factorily.

.According to Mrs. Reeder, her father estab- lished the first ferry and received the first license that was granted. Thomas Kennedy kept a ferry on the opposite side of the river and Ken- nedy himself on the Ohio side and the two of them ferried cattle over the river during the three campaigns of Harmar, St. Clair and Wayne. Kennedy was finally drowned at the conclusion of the war while ferrying some cattle across for the army. After his death Joel Wil- liams who had been here some years received a license from the court to run a ferry boat, after Mrs. Kennedy had been afforded the opportunity of continuing her husband's business. This she found would be impracticable and she waived her rights in favor of Williams.

Mrs. Reeder mentions the first storekeepers as Smith & Findley, afterwards General Find- ley (Findlay), and Colonel Gibson whose store was at the corner of Main and Water streets. Another store was kept by Major, Ziegler, the well known army officer who afterwards became the first mayor of the city. The first tavern she says was kept by Joel Williams and Isaac Felter ; it was on Water street.

Mrs. Reeder with a truly feminine inaccuracy says: "I heard it announced that Mr. Smith- if I do not mistake the name-was the first sheriff ; but he was not. John Ludlow was the first sheriff, and hung the first man that was ever hung here. The name of the man that was hung was Mays." By Mr. Smith of course she refers to Mr. Brown, who was in fact the first sheriff. John Ludlow was the sheriff of the "Lynch Court" of which William McMillan was judge, organized during the first year of the settlement before the civil government had been established. He was afterwards elected sheriff for the term of 1793 and 1794, but must have acted in 1792 when Mays. was hung.

Mrs. Reeder mentions as the people who were here at an carly period the following: "Mr. Blackburn and family ; Mr. Garrison and family ; Mr. McHenry and family ; Dr. Morrell and fam- ily; Dr. Hole and family ; Stephen Reeder and family ; Jacob Reeder and family ; Daniel Kitchiel and family ; Mrs. Phebe Flint, daughter of Dan- iel Kitchel; Samuel Dick and family; Mrs. McKnight and sons; Isaac Anderson and family. These were all very early settlers." (Cincinnati in 1859, p. 150.)

At the May donation, Francis Kennedy drew lot 151 at the northwest corner of Front and Walnut. He also appears as a purchaser of lots 5 and 112, the former being at the northwest

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corner of Second and Broadway and the latter on the west side of Main street south of Fourth. He was among the first officers of the militia appointed by Governor St. Clair, being named lieutenant, at the time of the appointments in January, 1790. He subsequently resigned and Scott Traverse who had been appointed ensign was selected to take his place, Robert Benham taking the place of Traverse as ensign. These men were officers in Capt. Israel Ludlow's com- pany.

The McHenrys came on April 10th, with two grandsons and two granddaughters and at the same time came Mrs. Ross with her family. Thomas Kennedy, who was referred to as the ferryman on the other side of the river, was a Scotchman who arrived at Losantiville in the spring of that year but subsequently established himself at the point where Covington now stands which for many years was called from him Ken- nedy's Ferry. The account of the arrival of Thomas Irwin and James Burns, given by Mr. McBride, in his "Pioneer Biography," is interest- ing not only for its description of the village at that time but also for the glimpse it gives of the rivalry between different settlements in the pur- chase. It reads as follows :

"Messrs. Irwin and Burns remained at Colum- bia during the day, examining the place. . Mr. Irwin said there were quite a number of families residing there at the time, scattered over the bottom lands, and, as he thought, very much exposed. They offered great inducements to the young adventurers to locate themselves at Columbia ; and, though they informed them of another small settlement eight miles further down the river, opposite the mouth of the Lick- ing River, they gave them no encouragement to go there,

"They remained in their boat during the night, and the next morning left it in the care of the man opposite whose house they had landed, and taking their guns, started down the river-bank in quest of the settlement below. The bank was narrow, and there was no road or traces; the woods were thick, and the way much obstructed by underbrush and vines ;- so that the traveling was very tedious. Opposite the mouth of the Licking River, they came to a double shanty occupied by the surveyors in surveying Symmes' Purchase during the preceding winter. Their names were David Logan, Caleb Reeves, Robert McConnell, Francis Hardesty, Mr. Van Eaton, William McMillan and John Vance. Joel Wil- liams was also there, and had been with the

surveyors a part of the time, and was with Israel Ludlow when he surveyed and laid out the town in February previous, marking the lines of the streets and corners of lots on the trees. This shanty had been built by these persons for their accommodation, immediately after they laid out the town. It was the first improvement made in the place, and these persons were the first settlers of Cincinnati. Joel Williams assisted them to build the shanty, and remained with them some time, until, with their assistance, he built a cabin on his own lot near the foot of Main street. He had the plat of the town, was an agent for the proprietors, and encouraged Irwin and Burns to settle themselves at that. place.

"In the evening of the same day they re- turned to Columbia, remaining on board their boat all night. The next day they floated down the river, and landed at the shanty opposite to the mouth of Licking River. This was about the tenth day of April. The next day was spent in examining the place, and, being pleased with the situation, they concluded to remain. Mr. Burns located one town-lot and one out-lot. The out-lot contained four acres. Irwin also obtained a town-lot. They cleared one acre of ground, which they planted with corn. * * *

"The double shanty, before mentioned, oc- cupied by Logan, McMillan, and others, was situated about the head of Front street. Irwin and Burns located themselves near to it and put up a. temporary shanty, which they occupied during their stay that summer. The other set- tlers were scattered principally between Syca- more and Main streets."

Irwin states that the first hewed-log house in the place was put up about the first of June between Front street and the river and below Main street. This was erected by Robert Ben- ham and the settlers of the village helped him in the work. Benham was the hero of the episode described elsewhere in which he was shot through the hips so that he could not walk and assisted by another man shot through the arms lived for some weeks on game.

Robert Benham who had become an officer of the militia, as heretofore referred to, appears in the list of lot owners in a number of places. In May he received lots 62 and 63 and according to one list lot 17 as already described. Lots 62 and 63 are at the southwest corner of Fourth and Sycamore. During the following year his name appears as holder of lot 126 on the north side of Front street, 100 feet cast of Walnut,

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and also lots 17 and 18 which are the north- west and southwest corners of Fifth and Broad- way. He also appears as purchaser of lot 3 on the west side of Broadway below Second which had been originally drawn by Joseph Thornton and lot 39 at the northeast corner of Fourth and Sycamore. He is recorded as pay- ing 60 shillings for lot 3 and 25 shillings for lot 39. Benham subsequently became a "ferry- man.

On the 18th of February, 1792, the Secretary of the Territory, then at Cincinnati, and in the absence of Governor St. Clair acting as Gov- ernor, issued the following proclamation :

."To all persons to whom these presents shall come greeting :-

"Whereas, It has been represented to me that it is necessary for the public interests, and the convenience of the inhabitants of the county of Hamilton, that a ferry should be established over the river Ohio, nearly opposite the mouth of Licking, in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and Mr. Robert Benham having requested permission to erect and keep said ferry ;

"Now Know Ye, That, having duly considered of the said representation and request, I have thought it proper to grant the same, and by these presents do empower the said Robert Ben- ham, of the county of Hamilton, to erect and keep a ferry over the Ohio River, from the landing place in the vicinity of his house lot, which is nearly opposite the mouth of Licking, to both points of said rivulet upon the Virginia shore; and to ask, demand, recover, and receive as a compensation-

For every single person that he may transport

over the said ferry. 6 cents

For a man and horse. 18 cents

For a wagon and team. 100 cents

For horned cattle, per head. 18 cents

For hogs, cach. 6 cents

until those rates shall be altered by law or future instructions from the Governor of this Terri- tory.

"And he is hereby required to provide good and sufficient flats or boats for the purpose, and to give due attention to the same according to right and common usage, and to govern himself in the premises by all such laws as hereafter may be adopted for the regulation of ferries, as soon as such'laws shall be published in the Ter- ritory.

"Given under my hand and seal, at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton, this eighteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord, one thou-

sand seven hundred and ninety-two, and of the independence of the United States the sixteenth, and to continue in force during the pleasure of the Governor of the Territory.

"WINTHROP SARGENT."

John Ludlow referred to above came with his family to Cincinnati from Buffalo. He ar- rived some time about November, 1789, and occupied a double-roomed log cabin on the north- west corner of Front and Main streets. He was acting sheriff in the first temporary organiza- tion and also during 1793 and 1794. He had charge of the first execution under sentence of the court in Hamilton County, that of John May or James Mays in 1792.

William D. Ludlow a son of Sheriff Ludlow, speaks of his early days as follows :

"I came to Cincinnati in 1789, when a boy five years old, and soon became used to the hardships, the frights, the incursions of savages, and the tramp of soldiers, who were either drill- ing, going to or returning from war. All per- sons were obliged in those days to be industrious, and I learned to work when quite a little boy. Sometimes I went to school, and the first master I knew was an Irishman by the name of Lloyd. His school-house was on the river bank, now the Public Landing, near Main street. We chil- dren were sent to school on the safest side of the village. One day in the spring of 1791 the Indians came over the hill-tops right down in sight of the fort, and fired away, killing Henry Hahn, a Pennsylvanian, who was clearing a lot. My uncle Israel gave chase with his militia com- pany but did not overtake them. Harmar's ex- pedition did not intimidate the Indians, but made them worse; and while I was a boy in Cin- cinnati I saw armed men and soldiers every day, and heard Indian stories every night.

"When there was service in the village church I went with my parents, and every man was obliged to liave his gun by his side. I remem- ber once my father's colored man was sent up over the hills to look for our black mare, which had strayed away. The Indians had taken her from the out-lot, and got away with her as far as where Ludlow Grove now is. The thieving fellows had taken the bell from hier neck to clecoy those who should be sent 'after the mare. The darkey was led on and on by the tinkling bell, for lie was one whom they would rather capture than kill. Feeling sure of him, they put the bell on the mare's neck, tethered her and secreted themselves. Just as he walked up the Indians jumped out after him, and the race be-

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gan. The darkey was a good runner, and kept ahead of them to the top of Vine street hill, where the Indians gave up the pursuit. The darkey, however, improved his chances until he reached our house, where, pale with fright and gasping for breath, he shouted: 'De black mare gone, gone! Massa John, you neber see dat black mare any more, suah ! De Injuns got her !' "I do not remember St. Clair's start on his campaign in 1791, but remember the return, the arrival of the wounded, and the funeral of Cap- tain Darke, who died of his wounds in Isaac Martin's house, next to my father's. The turn- out of the soldiers, the black pall, the coffin, the slow pace of those who carried his body, and the dead march sadly and solemnly affected me.

"The Indians were continually hanging around, watching along the Miamis, stealing from cabins and horse-lots, from Columbia to North Bend, and back in the country from the river, wherever anyone had ventured to fix a stopping place. Once our horses were missing from the wood-lot. Pursuit was given at once by four men, John and James Spencer, John Adams and Peter Cox. These were known as the 'Northwestern Spies.' Cox had a new rifle, and as they started Cox called out to my father : 'Squire John, the Indians shall never get this rifle unless they kill me at the first fire.' These men found the horses and Indians just north of Spring Grove Cemetery, near Platt Evens' house, and fired into them, killing two. The Indians returned the fire disabling Cox. Knowing he could not escape from the twenty or more who came after him with a yell, Cox told his com- panions to go and save themselves. The last seen of Cox was with the muzzle of that new rifle in hand smashing it to flinters against a tree, as the savages closed upon him. In my school-boy days I used to pass that sugar-tree and look upon the mutilated bark, where poor Cox had smashed the stock and lock of his gun the moment before the tomahawk fell upon him. While General Wayne was drilling his troops at 'Hobson's Choice,' preparatory to his cam- paign against the Indians, I was a frequent wit- ness of camp and field proceedings under the iron-countenanced old general, and on Sundays I used to perch myself in the top of a beech tree and look down upon the sham battles be- low.

"General Wilkinson usually commanded the riflemen, who, as whooping Indians, filled the woods while Wayne directed our soldiers. These sham battles were often exciting, and I shall

never forget old Wayne's appearance, his warlike manner, and his stentorian profanity, which could be heard above the noise whenever any- thing displeased him. This year, 1794, Wayne's army left the town, going up Main street, over the hill and up the Mill creek valley, the foot- men and horsemen crossing the central parts of Mill Creek and Springfield townships, the left wing passing over the present sites of Cummins- ville, Spring Grove, Carthage, and Springdale."

Ludlow moved out to what was known as Ludlow's Grove or the second crossing of Mill creek, where Wayne's army crossed on the way to the third crossing ; this was at White's Station a mile from Carthage. Mr. Ludlow in his rem- iniscences says: "Few persons of to-day can form any just conception of our constant ap- prehension, our constant sense of danger in those days. My father made it a rule for each of his men to have his rifle loaded and in hand on going out in the morning, and the supply of ammunition was to be constantly attended to. The plowman carried his gun on his back; the man with the hoe placed his gun from time to time against the first tree ahead, and when en- gaged rolling or raising logs, sentinels were placed in the outskirts to prevent surprises."

James Cunningham was another one of the early settlers who arrived in Cincinnati in May of this year. He was originally from Pennsyl- vania and had emigrated from Kentucky in 1785 where he had been building cabins for settlers about four miles back of the present site of Covington. The Indians became too aggressive and after one of the party had been killed they all removed to Beargrass creek or Louisville. Cunningham married there and two years later with his three brothers-in-law, Arthur, Andrew and Culbertson Park, he came to Cincinnati where he remained but a short time, moving out to Sycamore township, being the first settler in that township. He remained there during the following year but the increase in the danger from Indians induced him to go back into the city after Harmar's defeat. He bought a lot and built a cabin near the corner of Second and Walnut streets. Three years later he moved again to his farm where he remained for the rest of his life. He built the first saw and grist mill in his township and for some years ran a distill- cry.

Another prominent citizen who arrived during this year was Col. Jolin Bartle who was the principal storekeeper in the town for a time. He became one of the best known citizens, sur-

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viving to the age of 95. He died December 9, 1839.

The houses in which these settlers lived have already been described in connection with other settlements. They were the usual log cabins that furnished the habitation of people in a new country. They were constructed of course of logs notched to fit together with poles pinned on top for rafters on which were sometimes laid clapboards with weight poles extending from one end to the other and sometimes bark. Such floors as they had were made of puncheon boards split from logs and hewn with the broadax. The doors were sometimes made of puncheons too. Nails were not used except in the more ex- pensive buildings. The windows were usually small and little more than port holes and fre- quently covered with paper greased with bear's grease. The furniture was equally simple. Tables and chairs were made of puncheons with split sticks of wood at the corners for legs. Once in a while an old-fashioned splint-bottomed chair would appear but the stool and benches and blocks of wood were more frequently used. The kitchen utensils were usually a Dutch oven with a skillet and tea kettle and a few old pots to hang over the fire on an old-fashioned crane. Gourds served for cups and pitchers and when cut off at the neck served as bottles.

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Centennial history of Cincinnati and representative citizens, Vol. I, Pt. 1, Part 53

Author: Greve, Charles Theodore, b. 1863. cn Publication date: 1904 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1020

Author: Greve, Charles Theodore, b. 1863. cn
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1020