USA > Ohio > Delaware County > Century history of Delaware County, Ohio and representative citizens 20th > Part 6
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and cathartic. The composition of the water also shows diuretic properties, to the beneficial influence of which on the kid- neys many testify. Thus we find we have a mild cathartic refrigerant, diuretic anti-acid, and an anti-septic water, to bless and benefit mankind, as found in but few other localities. The gaseous products found in one gallon of water by analysis :
Sulphuretted hydrogen gas ... . 96 cubic inches Carbonic acid gas . ... .24 cubic inches
White Sulphur Spring of Delaware-temperature 60 degrees, density 1.0026, total solids ; gases-Sulphur- etted hydrogen 96, carbonic acid gas 24.
The deposit resulting from the evaporation of several gallons of water from the White Sulphur Springs was as follows :
Chloride of Sodium 48 gr
Calcium Sulphate 8 gr.
Calcium Bicarbonate .20 gr.
Sulphate Magnesium .16 gr.
Bicarbonate Magnesium . 8 gr.
Carbonate of Soda 5 gr.
The sulphuretted springs known as the C. O. Little Springs, west of the city, con- taining white and black sulphur, are equally valuable, but have never been analyzed.
These sulphuretted waters, possessing these mineral substances and abundance of gases, can be readily distinguished from the others by the odor as well as by drinking. Those found in Europe, and in various parts of the United States, are far inferior to those in our locality. Those in Virginia and in Pennsyl- vania do not conform to these in power of medicinal influence. The famous Harrogate Sulphur Spring has a density of 1.01113. and a temperature of 48 degrees. The celebrated Clifton Springs, of New York, to which so many go annually, do not compare with either the White Sulphur Springs or the Odevene Springs of Delaware, yet it is classed with the leading mineral springs of the world.
CHAPTER II.
INDIAN OCCUPATION.
Prehistoric Races-The Red Race-The Delawares-Relations Between the Settlers and the Indians-War of 1812-Anecdotes.
Delaware County may have been the home of man before the glacial period. There seems to be evidence, at least, that Ohio was occu- pied by human beings prior to this great geo- logical epoch. Paleoliths have been found in the Little Miami Valley similar and under similar conditions to those unearthed by Dr. Abbott in the glacial terraces of the Delaware River. As to whether pre-glacial man ever had a home in Delaware County, however. in our present state of knowledge. could be nothing more than a matter of profitless specu- lation.
That the Mound-Builder lived here there is abundant evidence. The State of Ohio it- self, from the standpoint of pre-historic oc- cupation, is one of the most interesting por- tions of the entire globe. In no other equal area have so many of the Mound-Builder's works, consisting of fortifications. effigies, mounds, etc., been found. On this point we quote from the recent work of Gerard Fowke on the "Archeological History of Ohio." "The total number of mounds in Ohio has been estimated at ten thousand. This is probably uncler rather than over the correct figure; for while they are almost unknown in the north- western counties and are comparatively scarce in some parts of the rugged hill lands of the south and southeast and along the main water- sheds, there is scarcely a township in any other part where they are not found. In the neigh- borhood of every stream in the southern half of the State, except some of those flowing
through rough or swampy country, the sur- face is so dotted with them that signals could be transmitted from one to another for a hun- dred miles or more. There is scarcely a point along the Scioto below Circleville, or on either Miami in the lower half of its course, or in the valley of any tributary to these streams, where one may not be within a few minutes' ride of some permanent evidence of aboriginal habitation. The same is true of the Cuyahoga and some other rivers belonging to the Lake Erie basin. On the summits of steep hills ; in bottom lands subject to overflow, on every terrace bordering a stream; on plateaus and uplands; wherever there is cultivable or na- turally drained land, a good point of observa- tion, an ample supply of water, a convenient topography for trails-the Mound-Builder has left his mark. Even in places where it would seem a nomad would not care to go, except as led by excitement or the necessities of the chase, and then for as brief a time as possible. such evidence is not lacking of pre-historic residence, or, at least, sojourning."
"The most notable mounds in the State are : The Serpent Mound, in Adams County, which is more than a thousand feet in length ; Fort Ancient, in Warren County, the length of whose surrounding embankment is about five miles, and estimated to contain 628,800 cubic yards of material: Fort Hill. in High- land County, enclosing an area of thirty-five acres : Graded Way, in Pike County ; and for- tifications at Newark covering over a thou-
42
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
sand aeres. The largest mound in the State, at Miamisburg. is sixty-eight feet in height and 800 feet in circumference at the base.'
While Delaware County possesses none of these more important of the works of the Mound-Builders, and while there is nothing characteristic in the mounds and earthworks found in the county to distinguish them from those in many other parts of the State, yet there are many interesting evidences that these peo- ple once lived within the limits of the county. In nearly every township are to be found mounds and fortifications of various deserip- tions, which, though fast becoming obliterated, still remain to attest the activity of a people whose character and history are shrouded in the oblivion of the past. Many relics, such as stone hammers, hatchets, flint arrow-heads. spear-heads, pestles, pipes, and fleshers, have been found at various times, and many inter- esting collections have been made by citizens of the county. In June of the year 1906, a society known as The Delaware County Ar- cheological and Historical Society was or- ganized and incorporated by a number of citi- zens who are interested in the collection and perservation of relies of this character, as well as in other matters pertaining to the archeo- logy and history of the county, and there is now in the possession of various members of this organization a large number of relies which, as soon as permanent quarters are se- cured, will be open to the inspection of the public. As illustrating something of the in- terest which has been shown in matters of this kind we append a list of the various articles of archeological interest which have been col- lected by several Delaware County citizens :
Axes
Fleshers
16 105.10: 25.01 Pestles
Mortars
Arrow and
Spear-heads
Pipes
Gorgets
Tubes
Crescents
HOPS
Gange
: = | Discoidal
12
JOB. Gross
10
50
Jack Taggart.
19
D. W. Zeigler
5
300
Hugh Me Kay
10
20
300
Frank Grove
40
1
:200
35
2
1
Judge Wickham
30
20
200)
1
In the Museum of the Ohio Wesleyan Uni-
versity there is also a large and very interest- ing collection.
For the past quarter of a century little in the way of archeological investigation has been done in the county. There has been no sys- tematic effort to investigate the various earth- works that exist, and perhaps much that con- cerns the character and habits of their build- ers still lies hidden in the unexplored recesses of the mounds themselves. The larger part of the mounds within the county are to be found in the southern portion and along the Olentangy River. One of the most notable is in the southwestern part of Orange Town- ship on a farm now owned by Dr. Peasley, of Columbus, and on the east bank of the Olean- tangy. "It bears all the marks of having been a fort, and with the river -- and a large ravine which enters the river at almost right angles- forms a semicirele, or, more properly speaking, a quadrant, and ineloses something near ten acres of ground. Several gateways, or open- ings, in the wall surrounding it, which is of earth, from five to eight feet high, are guarded by mounds on the inside of the enclosure." It is a misfortune that no scientific exploration of this mound has ever been made as it would undoubtedly be replete with interest for the archeologist. On a farm belonging to A. E. Goodrich, in Liberty Township, there is a circular mound, perhaps forty or fifty feet in diameter, which, until it had been largely ob- literated by the cultivation of the land on which it lies, was one of the most perfect works of its kind to be seen anywhere. There was an- other mound on Mr. Goodrich's barn lot a number of years ago, which has been entirely removed. During the process of grading there was found. some distance below the surface, three skeletons in a good state of preservation. One of them was apparently that of a man considerably above medium stature, while the other two were smaller.
There is an ancient fortification located on the east side of the Olentangy about four miles south of Delaware. Like the one farther down the river, before mentioned as being built at the intersection of a ravine with the river, this one is likewise located between two
J. L. Smith
75
15
1900
5
10
II. E. Buck
:
100;1
: 2:
6 15 5 ;ese |Hammers
-
20) 40 828-29WE Knives
43
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
ravines at the point of their intersection, about half a mile from the river, and could have been intended for no other purpose than that of defence. The embankment with the ditch outside of it contains about twenty acres. "The height of the embankment is now about five feet from the bottom of the ditch and the embankment itself is about five hundred feet in length, with an opening or gateway near the southern extremity. There seems to have been a line of fortifications extending all along the river for considerable distance, perhaps all the way to the Scioto and thence to the Ohio."
Mounds, mostly sepulchral, in addition to those already mentioned, have been discovered in various other parts of the county. In the issue of the Delaware Herald for September 25, 1879, there is an account of a mound which was evidently explored more thoroughly than most of those which have been known to exist here. "Saturday we were shown some interesting relics consisting of a queen conch shell, some isingglass (mica), and several peculiarly shaped pieces of slate which were found on the farm of Solomon Hill, Concord Township, Delaware County, Ohio. The mound is situated on the banks of a rocky stream. The nearest place where the queen conch shell is found is on the coast of Florida ; the isingglass in New York State, and the slate in Vermont and Pennsylvania. Two human skeletons were also found in the mound, one about seven feet long, the other a child. The shell was found at the left cheek of the large skeleton. A piece of slate about one by six inches was under the chin. The slate was provided with two smooth holes, apparently for the purpose of tying it to its position. An- other peculiarly shaped piece, with one hole, was on the chest, and another with some ising- glass was on the left hand." In an article pre- pared by Mr. R. E. Hills, of Delaware, a num- ber of years ago, for a former county history, he calls attention to several other mounds which have been located from time to time, particularly one on the "Broom Corn Farm" in Troy Township, and another in Porter. In both of these many interesting relics have been
found. In more recent years some very inter- esting discoveries were made by Mr. Burgher on his farm in Radnor Township, and, like most of the others, on the bank of a stream. though, in this case, it was the Scioto instead of the Olentangy. They consisted mostly of human skeletons, together with some parched corn evidently deposited with the body at the time of burial.
In the article of Mr. Hills before alluded to, he gives an account of the investigations made in certain mounds in the eastern part of the county, and, inasmuch as they constitute about the only efforts of a strictly scientific character to discover the important features and contents of mounds within the county, we deem it worth while to quote this part of the article in full. "A mound near Galena was recently opened by Prof. John T. Short, of the Ohio University, under the direction and for the benefit of the Peabody Museum of American Archeology and Ethnology; and we are under obligations to Prof. F. W. Putnam, curator of the Museum, for the privilege of using Prof. Short's report in this connection, and to Prof. Short himself for kindly fur- nishing a copy of his report for this pur- pose."
He says : "In the month of August, 1879, the writer, in company with Mr. Eugene Lane and Mr. David Dyer, opened three mounds in Delaware County, Ohio. Two of these formed part of a system of mound works situ- ated on the estate of Jacob Rhodes, Esq., in Genoa Township. *
* The peninsula or tongue of land situated between Big Wal- nut Creek and Spruce Run is an elevated area having nearly perpendicular sides, washed by the streams over a hundred feet below. The central figure, the mound A (referring to a plate ) stands within a perfectly circular en- closure B, measuring nearly 570 feet around. Now it is but about three feet higher than the natural level, but formerly was ten feet higher. Its present owner reduced it by plowing it clown. The trench is inside of the enclosure, and no doubt furnished the earth for both the embankment and the mound. Its present width is twenty-seven feet, and it was formerly
44
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
about seven feet deep. The circle has an opening about twenty feet in width on the east, from which a graded way of about the same width, and probably 400 feet in length-10 doubt of artificial construction-affords a de- scent at an angle of about thirty degrees to the stream below. On the north side of the entrance and continuous with the embankment, is a small mound measuring ten feet in dia- meter and four feet in height. It may have served as a point of outlook into the deep ra- vine below, as from it alone the entire length of the graded way is visible. A shaft six feet in diameter was sunk in this mound to a depth of four and one-half feet, but we discovered nothing that could be removed. Charcoal, a few calcined animal bones, and burnt clay, were all that was found. The large mound situated in the center of the enclosure, measured sev- enty-five feet through its major axis and sixty- eight feet through its minor axis. Its present height is about twelve feet above the natural level, though the distance to the bottom of the trench is three or four feet or more. It is probable that the mound was perfectly round. as its symmetry has no doubt been dle- stroyed, in part. by the removal from its sur- face of about twenty-five wagon loads of flat sandstones ( each a foot square, more or less, and about three inches thick) for the purpose of walling neighboring cellars. The stones were brought from the ravine below and made a complete covering for the mound. Extend- ing out from the mound on the west. the re- mains of a low crescent-shaped platform, twenty-five feet across at its greatest width, are still visible. A small excavation was made four years ago in the top of the mound, by the son of the present owner, but the digging was abandoned before any depth was reached or anything was discovered. I excavated the mound by causing a trench four feet wide to be dug from the northern side of the mound to its center. * A single layer of flat stones, like those on the outside of the mound, was found to start at the base and to cover what at one time must have been re- garded as its finished surface. At the center this inner layer of stones was situated about
three feet below the present surface of the mound. This was the only trace of stratifica- tion observable in the structure and is sug- gestive of the section given by Squier and Davis to illustrate stratification in altar mounds. Aside from this, the indications were distinct that the earth had been dumped down in small basket- or bag-fulls. This is con- firmatory of the observations of Prof. E. B. Andrews in the mounds of southern Ohio. * On the undisturbed surface of the ground, at the center of the mound, I un- covered a circular bed of ashes eight feet in (liameter and about six inches in thickness. The ashes were of a reddish clay color, except that through the center of the bed ran a seam or layer of white ashes-no doubt calcined bones, as at the outer margin of the bed in one or two instances the forms of the bones was traceable, but so calcined that they pos- sessed no consistency when touched or un- covered. Ranged in a semicircle around the eastern margin of the ash heap, were several pieces of pottery, all broken, probably in the construction of the mound or by its subsequent settling. The pottery was exceedingly brittle and crumbled rapidly after exposure. It was almost impossible to recover any fragments larger than the size of the hand, though a couple of pieces were taken out which indi- cated that the size of the vessel to which they belonged was much larger than any which to my knowledge have been taken from Ohio mounds; it was probably twelve or fourteen inches in height. The vessel was ornamented with a double row of lozenge or diamond- shaped figures. Although the dec- oration on these vessels (produced by a pointed tool before the clay was baked) indicated an attempt at art of a respectable order, the ma- terial employed was nothing more than coarse clay and pounded sandstone-instead of pounded shells, as is more frequently the case. However, numerous fragments of finer work- manship were taken out. Evidently an attempt had been made to glaze the vessel. I could not help being impressed with the thought that the mound marked the site where cremation or possibly sacrifice had been performed.
45
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
About 300 yards southwest of the mound just described are the remains of a circular enclosure 300 feet in diameter. The embankment has been reduced by plowing un- til it is now scarcely two feet in height. The precipitous sides of both the Big Walnut and Spruce Run render an ascent at this point im- possible. The circle is visible from the mound and is possibly an intermediate link between the mound and another system lying west at a point two miles distant.
"On the estate of E. Phillips, Esq., one mile south of Galena, in the same county, 1 opened a mound of 165 feet in circumferance and about four feet in height. No bones nor pottery were found. Mr. Dyer states that about a couple of years ago a large mound, measuring seventy feet in dia- meter and fifteen feet in height, constructed entirely of stone, and situated on the farm of Isaac Brimberger, three miles south of Ga- lena, was partly removed by its owner for the purpose of selling the stone. Immediately under the center of the mound and below the natural level, a vault was discovered. The sides and roof of the mound consisted of oak and walnut timbers, averaging six inches in dia- meter and still covered with bark. * The timbers were driven perpendicularly into the ground around the quadrangular vault while others were laid across the top for a roof. Over all the skin of some animal had been stretched. Inside of the vault were the re- mains, apparently, of three persons, one a child, and fragments of a coarse cloth made of vegetable fiber and animal hair. * The preservation of the wood is due, probably. to the presence of water, with which the vault seems to have been filled."
Mr. Hills, in his able article, states the fol- lowing conclusions with regard to the Mound- Builders in Delaware County: "Our knowl- edge of the other remains in the county is meager, but enough is known to enable us to classify it with the other counties bordering the Scioto River to the Ohio. It appears to have been near the northeast corner of the ter- ritory of the race which occupied Ohio, Indi- ana and Illinois, as the most of the permanent
works discovered have been south and west of here. although many fine specimens of in- plements have been found in Marion County, north of Delaware."
As was previously stated, for many years practically no effort at systematic investiga- tion of the mounds, or any one of them. in the county has been made, and little can be added to what was set forth at the time Mr. Hills prepared his article. In the year 1897 a visit was again made to the Galena mounds by the curator of the State Museum and to various other points of archeological interest in the county, but his report contains little that would add to the information already in our possession. We give, however, the sum- mary of the present knowledge possessed re- garding the mounds and other matters of ar- cheological interest relative to Delaware County as it appears in the seventh volume of the Ohio Archeological and Historical Socie- ties' publications.
Earth
Mound
Village
Site
Enclosure
Stone
Mound
Square
Crescent
Mound
Groups
Burial
Kingston ..
1
Marlboro ..
1
Oxford
1
Porter
3
Harlem ..
4
Genoa.
1
Orange
Liberty
8
1
Concord
1
Delaware Berlin
1
1
Brown Scioto
4
2
Trenton.
1
Berkshire . Troy.
3
1
1
Radnor
1
3
Thompson
1
TOTALS ..
52
10
3
1
1
1
2
4
1
I
1
3
1
1
The Mound-Builders have long since passed away. Aside from the earthworks which they constructed and the relics found within them. no source of information remains to us by which to determine anything as to their char- acter, history, or fate. Even the Indians themselves had practically no traditions con- cerning them. All the research and investi- gation that has been made has led to no defi- nite or reliable conclusions. Theories have been propounded only to be discredited by
.
46
HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
later discoveries. Whether the Mound-Build- ers were a race distinct in themselves, ulti- mately conquered and exterminated by the Indians, or whether they were simply the pro- genitors of the Indian tribes, are questions which remain unanswered and are destined, perhaps, always to be so.
THE RED RACE.
Of the successors to the Mound-Builders, however. considerably more is known. In- deed it has not been much over a hundred years since the only residents of Delaware County were the red men, and a hundred years is a period comparatively brief when we con- sider the length of time that has elapsed since the date where historical knowledge begins. It is scarcely correct, however, to speak of the Red Men as residents. The term implies a more permanent attachment to a locality than could be attributed to them. With their no- madic habits, they were not long confined to a single place, and we find the various tribes wandering over widely extended areas.
When the white man first came to the Ohio Valley he found a number of tribes inhabiting the Northwest Territory. Among those which are known to have been in the region which is now Delaware County there were the Dela- wares, Shawnees. Mingoes, Wyandots, Sene- cas, and perhaps others. Since the first of these have given the county its name, and are known to have had a more permanent location liere than some of the others, it is not inap- propriate to give some accounts of their char- acter and history.
The Delawares took their name from the Delaware River on the banks of which they were located when first discovered by the Euro- peans, and which, in turn, took its name from Lord De la Warre, who first explored it. Their real name, however, was Lenni Lenape. While this name is usully interpreted to mean "original men," it is stated by Drake in his edition of Schoolcraft's book on the Ameri- can Indians that the orthography does not justify the assertion. "Lenni is the same as Illini in the Illinois and Innini in the Chip-
pewa, the consonants / and n and the vowels o and i being interchangeable in the Algonkin. Lenape is in the same language, and, under the same rule, the equivalent of inabi and iabi, a male. The true meaning is "manly men"-a name involving a harmless boast.
According to the traditions of the Lenni Lenape, their organization antedated that of most of the other Indian tribes. They regarded themselves as having occupied in former ages a pre-eminent position for prowess, valor and wisdom. They pointed to a "Golden Age" in the remote past when their claims to su- periority over the other tribes was recognized in the term "Grandfather," which these tribes applied to them. The Iroquois were called by the Lenni Lenape, "Uncle." which the Iro- quois reciprocated by calling the Lenni Le- nape, "Nephew." The other tribes were called by them "Brother" or "Younger Brother." When the Delawares were subdued by the Iroquois in after years, these traditions of their former greatness, from which they had fallen, rested heavily in their memories.
It was a further tradition among the Dela- wares that they had once occupied the western part of the country, but, crossing the Missis- sippi, had gradually moved eastward until they had taken up a more permanent abode on the river which gave them their English name. In the course of their migration eastward they had exterminated the Allegans who occupied the principal ranges of the Allegheny Moun- tains. They had formed an alliance with the Iroquois by whom they were afterward sub- dued and reduced to "women." Whatever truth there may have been in their traditions, however, when the European settler came, they were found on the banks of the Dela- ware. The Dutch carried on a friendly traf- fic with them, exchanging for the skins of animals the superior products of European art and manufacture.
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