USA > Ohio > Williams County > County of Williams, Ohio, Historical and Biographical > Part 20
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Col. Lorin Andrews went with his command to Western Virginia, where he succumbed to exposure and severe duty. He was removed to his home, Gambier, Ohio, where he died surrounded by friends September 18, 1861.
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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF OHIO.
Col. Minor Milliken was sent to repel the attacks of the rebels at the rear. He led a superb cavalry charge against the enemy, vastly superior in numbers, and was cut off with a small portion of his regiment. He disdained to sur- render, and ordered his men to cut their way out. A hand-to-hand conflict ensued. Col. Milliken, being an expert swordsman, was able to protect himself with his saber. While parrying the strokes of his assailant, another shot him. The regiment, again charging, recovered his body, stripped of sword, purse and watch.
Col. George P. Webster, with his regiment, the Ninety-eighth, left Steu- benville for Covington, Ky., August 23, 1862, marching from that point to Lex- ington and Louisville. He was placed at the command of the Thirty-fourth Brigade, Jackson's division, Cooke's corps. He fell in the battle of Perryville, and died on the field of battle.
Col. Leander Stem was appointed Colonel of the One Hundred and First Ohio Infantry August 30, 1862. His premonitions that he should fall during his first regular engagement proved too true. As the army was advancing on Murfreesboro, the engagement of Knob Gap occurred, when Col. Stem's regi- ment charged and took a rebel battery, with several prisoners. The army closed around Murfreesboro, and on the evening of the 30th, the One Hun- dred and First was engaged in demonstrations against the enemy. Next morning, the battle of Stone River began in earnest. When Col. Stem's regi- ment began to waver, he called out: "Stand by the flag now, for the good old State of Ohio !" and instantly fell, fatally wounded.
Lieut. Col. Jonas D. Elliott held his position in May, 1863. During the summer of 1864, he commanded the left wing of the regiment at Dodsonville, Ala .; in September, he was sent after Wheeler, and was ordered into camp at Decatur. On the 23d, he was dispatched to Athens, to participate in the attack of Gen. Forrest, of the rebels. Col. Elliott was sent out, with 300 men, and being surrounded by Gen. Forrest, with vastly superior numbers, a forced resist- ance enabled them to sustain their own ground, until a fresh brigade of rebels arrived, under Gen. Warren. This officer instructed one of his men to shoot Lieut. Col. Elliott, and a moment later he fell. He lingered nineteen days.
Col. Joseph L. Kirby Smith took command of the Forty-third Ohio Regi- ment. He fell at the battle of Corinth, under Rosecrans.
Lieut. Col. James W. Shane fell, June 27, 1864, in an assault upon the enemy's works at Kenesaw. He survived but forty minutes.
Col. Augustus H. Coleman displayed the abilities of a successful commander. He was in the first charge on the bridge across Antietam Creek. He was fatally wounded. His last words were inquiries regarding his men.
Col. J. W. Lowe commanded the Twelfth Ohio, and was ordered to assist the Tenth in the battle of Carnifex Ferry. Cheering his men, in the thickest of the fight, a rifle ball pierced his forehead, and he fell dead-the first field officer from Ohio killed in battle in the war for the Union.
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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF OHIO.
Lieut. Col. Moses F. Wooster was engaged with his regiment, the One Hun- dred and First Ohio, at Perryville. He was mortally wounded on the 31st of December, 1862, in the grand effort to stem the tide of defeat at Stone River.
The list of staff officers we refrain from giving, through lack of space.
At the opening of the war, William Dennison was Governor of Ohio. David Tod succeeded him. John Brough was the third War Governor.
Secretary Edwin M. Stanton was one of the most popular war Ministers. He was born in Steubenville, Ohio, in 1815; he was engaged in the United States Circuit Court, in 1860, in a leading law suit, at Cincinnati, known as the Manny and McCormick reaper trial; on the 20th of January, 1862, he was appointed Secretary of War by Mr. Lincoln.
Ex-Secretary Salmon P. Chase's public services in Ohio have already been mentioned in these pages. In 1861, he was appointed Secretary of the Treas- ury, in Mr. Lincoln's cabinet.
United States Senator B. F. Wade made his reputation in Ohio. This Senator of the State stood at the head of the Committee on the Conduct of the War throughout its duration.
United States Senator John Sherman was a leading member of the Finance Committee, during the war. For some time he was its Chairman.
Jay Cooke was the financial agent of the Government, furnishing money for the payment of the troops. He was born in Portland, Huron Co., Ohio.
In our brief review of the war record of Ohio, we have omitted & vast amount of detail information that would prove interesting to our readers. We believe we have been accurate in whatever we have given, taking as our authority, that accepted " encyclopedia " of Ohio war facts-Whitelaw Reid, who has pub- lished a valuable volume on the subject.
SOME DISCUSSED SUBJECTS.
It may be well in: glancing over the achievements of. Ohio, her momentous labors and grand successes, to refer to the Ordinance of 1787, more minutely than we have done, in relation to many events, since its inherent principles are not only perpetuated in the laws of the entire Northwest, but have since been woven into the general Constitution of the United States. It made permanent the standard and character of immigration, social culture and political and edu- cational institutions. It was thoroughly antislavery and denounced involuntary servitude, which was sanctioned in every other State at that time, with the exception of Massachusetts. It protected religion and property. As late as 1862, Gen. William Henry Harrison, Governor of Indiana, called a convention for the purpose of considering the slavery question, and the feasibility of intro- ducing the system in the new States and Territories being formed. There was at this time a spirited contest, and Illinois, Indiana and possibly Ohio, barely escaped a decision that a full support should be given its introduction
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into these States. Its adoption was based upon certain specifications and limits of time, which upon a deeper consideration was deemed perplexing and impractical.
An animated discussion arose not long since, regarding the correct author. ship of this important ordinance, and its chief worker in gaining its sanction by Congress.
Mr. Webster ascribed its authorship to Mathew Dane, of Massachusetts, which statement was immediately refuted by Mr. Benton, of Mississippi, who laid claim to it as the birthright of Thomas Jefferson, of Virginia.
It has been almost impossible to obtain accurate reports of the actions of the old Continental Congress, from the fact that its meetings were held in secret, and any reports either narrated or shown in schedules or lists, were deemed & striking lack of trust on the part of the person who furnished the information. It was sufficient that its acts and conclusions be proclaimed without any prelude or reasoning process. Hence it has been difficult to obtain early Congressional documents. But it has been conclusively proven that the great motive power in gaining the approbation of the Ordinance of 1787, was neither Dane nor Jefferson, but Dr. Cutler.
He arrived at New York, July 5 of that year, after a journey from Ipswich, Mass., in his sulky. He obtained lodgings at the "Plow and Harrow," and saw that his good horse was properly cared for and fed at the same place. Congress was then in session, and he had come on a mission for the Ohio Com- pany, to negotiate their grant and its privileges in the new Territory of Ohio. He remained in New York three weeks, constantly engaged in the work vital to the interests of the future great State. But he secured the installment of the principles deemed the corner-stone of a future powerful State constitution. Mr. Poole, Librarian of the Chicago Public Library, searched assiduously for con- clusive proof of Dr. Cutler's right to this honor, and in the North American Review, Vol. 122, this is emphatically set forth with substantiating proof under his signature.
Other facts have been discussed and proven at a very recent date, relative to the State of Ohio, which heretofore have been omitted, and nearly lost from the historic thread which unites the present with the past.
The first settlement of the lands of the Northwest is necessarily surrounded with interest. But those were exciting, troublesome times, and a few links were passed over lightly. However, the years are not so far removed in the past but the line may be traced.
Mr. Francis W. Miller, of Cincinnati, has supplied some missing chapters. The earliest documentary trace extant, regarding the southern settlement at Cincinnati, is an agreement of partnership between Denman, Filson and Pat- terson, in the fractional section of land to which the city of Cincinnati was originally limited. It bears the date August 25, 1788. This was entered on the records of Hamilton County, Ohio, October 6, 1803.
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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF OHIO.
A letter from Jonathan Dayton to the Hon. Judge Symmes, dated Septem- ber 26, 1789, says: "You have been selling your lands, I am told, for two shillings specie, the acre. The price at this moment is, and seems to be, and undoubtedly is, a good one; but as much cannot be said of it when you find hereafter that in consequence of the rise of certificates, another acre, in another payment, may cost you in specie two shillings and sixpence."
A letter from John C. Symmes to Capt. Dayton, dated April 30, 1790, says: "The land in the reserved township is held at much too high a price. Not a foot of land beyond the five-acre lots will sell. Five shillings, specie, or two dollars in certificates, is the utmost they will bring, and they will rarely sell at that."
This state of affairs was in a large degree brought about by the breaking-up of North Bend and a removal of the town to Fort Washington, or Cincinnati, later. A search through the old letters and other preserved documents prove that North Bend was at one time the beginning of the great city on the Ohio, rather than Cincinnati. Judge Symmes wrote, May 18, 1789: " I have not as yet been able to make a decisive choice of a plat for the city, though I have found two pieces of ground, both eligible, but not upon the present plan of a regular square. It is a question of no little moment and difficulty to deter- mine which of these spots is preferable, in point of local situation. I know that at first thought men will decide in favor of that on the Ohio, from the supposition that the Ohio will command more trade and business than the Miami. * * * But if it were built on the Miami, the settlers throughout the purchase would find it very convenient."
Another of the earliest selections of town sites was adjacent to the most southerly point of what is now Delhi Township. To this the name of South Bend was given. Judge Symmes reports November 4, 1790, of this place, over forty framed and hewed-log two-story houses, since the preceding spring. Ensign Luce is said to have taken his troops to North Bend, but decided to remove to Cincinnati, on account of the object of his affections having settled there-the wife of a settler. But this story is refuted by contradictory evi- dence from Judge Symmes' letters, which illustrate the fact that the post of North Bend was abandoned by Ensign Luce and his men in consequence of a panic, caused by Indian attacks. The removal of the troops caused a general decline of the town. Again, history and letters from the same eminent Judge, assert that Fort Washington was completed and garrisoned by Maj. Doughty before the close of that same year, and was begun by him during the summer, that Ensign Luce must have still been at his post at the bend at that time. It has been, therefore, recently accepted that the traditional "black eyes" and the "Indian panic," had nothing to do with the founding of Cincinnati, and that the advantages of the position gained the victory.
Cincinnati has advanced, not only in prosperity and culture, but in national significance. Our readers must have observed, in perusing these pages, that
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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF OHIO.
from this city and the State which it represents, have emanated some of the superior intellects which have used their wise faculties and talents, tempered by a wise judgment, in behalf of the American Union.
The originality of the Senecas and Wyandots have been debated at some length, while others have called the tribes the same, having two branches. We have searched the earlier records and have found an authenticated account of these two tribes.
The Indian tribes of Ohio were originally bold, fierce and stalwart. The country watered by the Sandusky and its tributaries was frequented by the Wyandot tribe, who came from the north side of the St. Lawrence River. The Senecas were blood relatives of this tribe. Both tribes were numbered by the thousands. A war originated between them, in this manner: A Wyandot chief desired to wed the object of his affections, who laughed him to scorn, because he had taken no scalps, and was no warrior " to speak of." To change her opinion, he led out a party, and falling upon a number of Senecas, slaugh- tered them mercilessly, that he might hasten to the side of his dusky belle, with his trophies. This act inaugurated hostilities, which extended through a century. The Wyandots began to fear extermination, and, gathering their entire effects, the natives escaped to Green Bay, and settled in several villages. But the Sen- ecas made up a war party and followed them, killing many Wyandots and burn- ing some of their villages. They then returned to Canada. Soon thereafter, they secured fire-arms from the French. Again they followed the Wyandots, firing their guns into their huts, and frightening them severely. They did not succeed as well as they expected. But the third party nearly exterminated the villages, because the young warriors were nearly all gone to war with the Foxes. The few at home escaping, promised to return with the Senecas, but desired two days for preparation. . The Wyandots sent word to the two villages left undisturbed, and held a consultation. They decided to go as near the Senecas as possible, unobserved, and discover their real motive. They found them feast- ing on two roasted Wyandots, shouting over their victory. They danced nearly all night, and then fell asleep. A little before daylight, the Wyandots fell on them, leaving not one to carry back the news.
The Wyandots then procured guns, and began to grow formidable. They set out to return to their own country, and proceeded on their way as far as Detroit, where they met a party of Senecas, on the lake. A fierce conflict ensued, and the Wyandots beheld the Senecas fall, to the last man, suffering fearful carnage themselves. They soon settled in this part of the world, their principal village being on the Sandusky. Northwestern Ohio was particularly dangerous with new Indian tribes, and the Wyandots were cruelly aggressive. The death of their chief, and their total defeat by Harrison, destroyed their power forever.
On the 29th of September, 1817, a treaty was held, at the foot of the rapids of the Miami of Lake Erie, between Lewis Cass and Duncan McArthur,
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Commissioners of the United States, and the sachems, chiefs and warriors of the Wyandot, Seneca, Delaware, Shawnee, Potawattomie, Ottawa and Chippewa nations. All their lands in Ohio were ceded to the United States forever.
There was really not a Seneca in the Seneca nation. They were chiefly Cayugas, Mohawks, Onondagas, Tuscarawas, Wyandots and Oneidas. But the Mingoes were originally Cayugas, and their chief was the celebrated Logan. After the murder of his family by the whites, the Mingoes were scattered over the territory northwest of the Ohio.
The notorious Simon Girty was adopted by the Senecas. Girty's name was a terror and fiendish horror for many years. He not only led the Indians in their atrocities, but he added barbarism to their native wickedness.
CONCLUSION.
When peace was proclaimed, after the surrender of Gen. Robert E. Lee to Gen. U. S. Grant, the volunteer troops disbanded, and a return to home indus- tries instituted, Ohio, like many other States, gave direct attention to the inter- ests of returned soldiers. The thrift of the State was augmented by a spasmodic, and thereafter recognized as a fictitious, demand for products, commercial and industrial pursuits redoubled their forces. But the great wave of stagnation swept over this fair land-the re-action of a war excitement. Laborers were many, but wages were inadequate. Deeper and deeper settled this lethargy- called by many " hard times"-until the wheels of commercial life revolved slowly, and from the workshops and the factories went up the echoes of priva- tion and distress. There was no famine, no fever, no epidemic, it was simply exhaustion. In the larger cities there was much suffering. Idle people loitered about, barely seeking employment, the task seeming worse than hopeless.
During the years 1870, 1871 and 1872, the stringent measures brought about by the depressed state of business retarded any material advancement in general matters. The years 1873-74 were marked by a preceptible improve- ment, and a few factories were established, while larger numbers were employed in those already founded. The year 1875 was under the direction of a Demo- cratic Legislature. It was marked in many respects by a " reverse motion " in many laws and regulations.
The Legislature which convened in 1876, January 3, was Republican in the main. It repealed the "Geghan Law" passed by the preceding body. At the time of its adoption, there was the most intense feeling throughout the State, the charge being made that it was in the interests of the Catholics. Among the general enactments were laws re organizing the government of the State insti- tutions, which the previous Legislature had ordered according to their own belief to follow new doctrines. The office of Comptroller of the Treasury was abolished. The powers of municipal corporations to levy taxes was limited, and their authority to incur debts was limited. Furthermore, this body prohibited any municipal appropriations, unless the actual money was in the Treasury to meet
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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF OHIO.
the same in full. A law was passed for the protection of children under fourteen years of age, exhibited in public shows.
The temperance cause received more vigorous and solid support than was ever rendered by the State previously. A common-sense, highly moral and exalted platform was formed and supported by many leading men.
This year witnessed the serious "strikes" among the miners in Stark and Wayne Counties. The consequences were painful-distress, riots and distruc- tion of property.
The State Mine Inspector reported 300 coal mines in the State, with only twenty-five in operation. Not over 3,000,000 tons of coal were raised during the year, owing to the dullness of the times.
The State charities reported the aggregate number under public care to be 29,508. The taxation for the maintenance of these classes was one and one six-hundredth of a mill on each dollar of taxable property.
The reports given of the year 1877 indicated a revival of business interests and prosperity. The State produced of wheat, 27,306,566 bushels; rye, 914,106 bushels; buckwheat, 225,822 bushels; oats, 29,325,611; barley, 1,629,817 bushels ; corn, 101,884,305 bushels ; timothy, tons of hay, 2,160,334 ; clover, tons of hay, 286,265; flax, pounds of fiber, 7,343,294; potatoes, 10,504,278 bushels; sweet potatoes, 126,354} bushels; tobacco, 24,214,950 pounds; sorghum, sugar, 7,507} pounds; syrup, 1,180,255 gallons ; maple sugar, 1,625,215 pounds; maple syrup, 324,036 gallons; honey, 1,584,902 pounds.
The year 1878 was marked by a more vigorous and combined effort of the people to entirely overcome the stagnation of business, the influence of the lethargy yet combating the awakened interest. This energy was amply rewarded in 1879, by a general dawning of the " good times " so ardently desired. New enterprises were instituted, manufactories erected, improvements carried on, and agriculture was successful. Before the year closed, the State was basking in the light of prosperity, and the year 1880 was ushered in when the confidence of the people was again a permanent incentive-confidence in the nation, their State, each in the other and themselves. The old-time crown of power, influence and integrity, which Ohio has earned, is conspicuous in this year of 1881. The jewels have been reset, and we confidently doubt not that their luster will remain undimmed intrusted to so faithful and so earnest a people.
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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF OHIO.
POPULATION OF OHIO BY COUNTIES.
COUNTIES
1820
1830
1840
1850
1800
1870
1880
The State
581434
937903
1519467
19803:29
2539511
2665260
1 Adams
10406
12281
13183
18883
20309
20750
24004
2 Allen.
578
9079
12109
19185
23623
31323
3 Ashland
7382
14584
23724
28767
31814
32517
87139
5 Athens
6338
9787
19109
18215
21364
23168
28418
6 Auglaize
20329
28827
30901
34600
36399
39714
49698
8 Brown
13356
17867
22715
27332
29958
30802
82726
9 Butler
21746
27142
28173
30789
35840
39912
42580
10 Carroll
18108
17685
15738
14491
16416
11 Champaign
8:79
12131
16721
19782
22693
24188
27817
12 Clark ..
9533
18114
16882
22178
25300
32070
41947
13 Clermont
15820
20166
23106
30155
33034
34268
36713
14 Clinton.
8085
11436
15719
18838
21461
21914
27599
15 Columbiana
22133
35692
40378
33621
32836
38299
88299
16 Coshocton
7086
11161
21590
25674
25032
23600
26641
17 Crawford
6328
10373
26506
48099
78033
132010
190943
19| Darke ..
3717
6204
13282
20276
26009
82278
40498
20 Defiance
7639
11504
22060
21817
23902
25175
2.380
23 Fairfield
16633
24786
31924
30264
30539
31138
34283
24 Fayette
6316
8182
10984
12726
15935
17170
20364
25 Franklin
10292
14741
25049
42909
50361
63019
86816
26 Fulton
7098
9733
13444
17063
22043
25545
28194
7791
15813
16297
11827
15817
14190
14255
10529
14801
17528
21946
26197
28038
81349
9292
18036
27748
30438
24474
23839
27197
31764
52317
80145
156844
216410
260370
313308
813
9996
16751
22886
23847
27789
14345
20916
20099
20157
19110
18682
20455
35 Henry
12308
16345
22269
25781
27773
29133
90290
37 Hocking
2130
4008
9741
14119
17057
17925
21196
38 Holines
9135
18088
20452
20589
18177
20775
39 Huron
13341
23933
26203
26616
28532
81609
40 Jackson
8746
5941
9744
12719
17941
21759
29679
41|Jefferson.
18531
22489
25030
29133
26115
29188
83018
42 Knox
8326
17085
29579
28872
27735
26333
27450
43 Lake .
3499
5367
9738
15246
23249
31390
99068
45 Licking
11861
20869
85096
38846
37011
35756
40151
8181
6440
14015
19162
20996
23028
262-8
47 Lorain
5696
18467
26086
29744
30308
85525
49 Lucas.
9382
12363
25831
46722
67398
49 Madison
4799
6190
9025
10015
13015
15633
20'29
50 Mahoning
6551
14765
12618
15490
16184
20564
3082
7560
18352
24441
22517
20092
21454
53 Meigs
4480
6158
11452
17971
26534
81465
82325
54 Mercer
1110
8277
7712
14104
17254
21808
55 Miami
12807
19688
24999
29959
32740
86178
56 Monroe
4645
8768
18521
28351
25741
25779
26497
57 Montgomery.
15999
24362
31938
38218
52290
64006
78545
58|Morgan
5297
11800
20952
28585
22119
20363
20074
60 Muskingum
17824
29334
88749
45019
44416
44886
49780
63 Paulding
8429
13970
19344
20775
19678
18453
28218
13149
16001
19725
21006
23169
24875
27358
4253
6024
7626
10953
13643
15447
17927
67 Portage
10095
18826
22965
24419
24208
24584
27500
69|Preble
10237
16291
19482
21736
21820
21809
24534
70 Richland
9169
24006
44532
30879
31158
32516
36306
71 Ross
20619
24068
27460
32074
35071
87097
40307
72 Sandusky
852
2851
10182
14305
21429
25503
32063
73 Scioto
5750
8740
11192
18428
24297
29302
33511
75 Shelby
2106
2671
12154
13958
17493
20748
24136
76 Stark.
12406
26588
34603
39818
42978
52508
64027
77 Summit
78 Trumbull
15546
26153
38107
30490
30656
38659
44882
79 Tuscarawas
8328
14298
25631
31761
32463
83840
40197
80 Union
1996
3192
8422
12204
16507
18730
22374
81 Van Wert
29030
83 Warren
17837
21468
23141
25560
26902
26689
28392
84 Washington
10425
11731
20823
29540
36269
40609
43244
85 Wayne
11933
23333
35808
32981
32483
35116
37452
86 Williams
387
4465
8018
16633
20991
23821
87 Wood
733
1102
5357
9157
17886
24596
34026
88| Wyandot
11194
15596
18553
22401
Digitized by
34674
48788
59 Morrow
20280
20445
18583
19073
61 Noble
20751
19949
21187
62 Ottawa
161
1034
1766
7016 4945
8544
13490
64 Perry
65 Pickaway
66 Pike
69 Putnam
230
5189
7221
12808
17031
23718
74 Seneca
5159
18128
27104
30868
30827
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