USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Historical Sketches and Eary Reminiscences of Hamilton County, Ohio > Part 7
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t Some of the descendants of Robt. Caldwell are firm in the opinion that their ancestor settled at Griffin's station as early as 1790 or '91, but in this they must be mistaken. The entire section was entered by Daniel Griffin, in July, 1792. The ยท records also show that James Caldwell purchased 348 acres in the section of Lieutenant Griffin, and obtained a deed from Judge Symmes, in 1796. From this the writer is led to believe that no settlement was made at or near where Griffin's and White's stations were built until after July, 1792.
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The Griffin brothers built their cabins on the south bank of the creek, as did also Daniel and Jacob Vorhis and Robert Caldwell. Daniel Seward and James McCashen resided north of the creek. Sew- ard's cabin stood near the present residence of Mr. Cormany, in Hartwell; and McCashen's was at the point where the C. H. & D. railroad now crosses the turnpike. John Winans was also an early settler near this station, but the location of his cabin is not known.
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The Caldwell's, at an early day, built a saw and grist-mill on the creek, a short distance below the station, and afterwards attached a small distillery. They managed and conducted the entire business until about the year 1806, when a sudden freshet swept the mills away.
TUCKER'S STATION.
In the spring of 1792 a community was organized at Columbia, consisting of Henry and John Tucker,* the brothers Luke and Zebulon Foster, Jonathan Pittman, Henry Weaver, and John McCashen.
They selected section 4, T. 3, entire range 1, now in Springfield township, as their place of settlement, and agreed upon a division of the lands.
* Henry and John Tucker were both from the Passaic Valley, New Jersey, but were not related, unless very distantly.
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They went out into the forest late in the fall of that year, and commenced the erection of a block- house and other cabins, at a point on an old Indian trace, known afterwards as Wayne's trace, and still later as the old Hamilton road. The site selected for the block-house was on the east side of the trace, and immediately opposite the late residence of Man- ning Tucker, son of Henry, the pioneer. The farm is now owned and occupied by Mr. H. Bugher.
Before completing their improvements a dispute arose between Henry Tucker and Luke Foster as to the division of the lands. Foster, it appears, had paced off and marked his portion according to the plan agreed upon, which gave dissatisfaction to Tucker, who claimed that Foster's line encroached upon the site he had selected for his residence. The dispute became irreconcilable, and Tucker, refusing to have anything further to do with the association, returned to Columbia.
The other parties resumed and had continued their labor for a few days, when Capt. Wells, a spy and Indian hunter, came to their improvements, and before they were aware of it had placed himself between them and their guns. He did this to admonish them of their carelessness, and told them they were in imminent danger. He advised them to cease their labor and return to the settlements on the Ohio, and await such time as the army, then organ-
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izing under General Wayne, should be better pre- pared to protect the interior stations. The advice of an experienced woodsman, together with the un- settled difficulty existing between Tucker and Foster, induced them to suspend their improvements and return to Columbia.
PLEASANT VALLEY STATION.
During the winter of 1793 Henry Tucker and the Foster brothers compromised the difficulty before mentioned, Luke Foster agreeing to accept ten acres in the south-west corner of the section, and his brother Zebulon, five acres, adjoining the same on the north, in full compensation for their interests in the improvements made on section 4, which, by a new arrangement, was to be divided between Henry and John Tucker and Jonathan Pittman, while the Foster brothers, Henry Weaver, John McCashen, James Seward, and Ziba Wingent, were to settle on sections 9 and 10, adjoining on the west.
Under this arrangement they all went out the following spring to resume their labor and complete their improvements.
Instead of one they now formed two settlements, but, for mutual safety and protection, they all joined in the erection of a station-house at a central point, and convenient to all the families. The site selected
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was on the line between sections 4 and 10, on the west bank of Millcreek, about where the centre of the turnpike now is, and near what is still known as "Station Spring." It was in a beautiful forest grove, which prompted the settlers to name it "Plea- sant Valley Station."
It was late in the fall, and nearly two months after General Wayne had started upon his campaign, that the settlers moved their families out to the station. The army being at that time in the enemies' country gave confidence and comparative security to the settlements. Neither Tucker's nor Pleasant Valley stations suffered any serious trouble. with the Indians. No murders or other depreda- tions were committed, and, save one single incident, nothing occurred to cause alarm or apprehension of danger. The event referred to happened one morning during the winter of 1793-4. Mr. James Seward, while down at the spring getting water, heard what he supposed to be turkeys calling, some distance beyond the creek, and, on going into the station-house, spoke to a Mr. Mahan, who had been about the station for several days, saying, "If you would like to have a turkey, Mahan, I think you can get one if you hurry out, I heard them calling over on the hill." Mahan at once caught up his gun and started in the direction pointed out by Seward. He had gone but a short distance when
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he heard the peculiar calling of turkeys, and he followed on in that direction until he was led away near a mile from the station, when suddenly a large Indian stepped from behind a tree, not more than twenty yards from him, and said in broken English, " How do," at the same time he saw a gun pointing towards him from a cluster of spice bushes. The surprise was so great and sudden that he dropped his gun and ran with super-human speed for the station, followed closely by the Indians. They no doubt intended capturing him without alarming the settlement, and therefore did not fire upon and kill him at once, as they could easily have done.
When life is the stake, and under the stimulant of fear, men perform feats that seem marvelous and incredible. But such great bodily exertions never fail to expend the vital powers and endanger life. It was so with Mahan; he knew the forfeit should he lose the race, and every nerve and muscle of the body was put to its utmost tension. He outstripped his pursuers and reached the station, but so overcome that his eyes were protruding and bloodshot. He swooned from exhaustion, and lay for an hour or more in a complete stuper. When reaction came a fever sat in, and for several days his life was despaired of.
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CARPENTER'S SETTLEMENT.
James Carpenter was one of the early settlers of Columbia. He located lands in section 15, T. 4, entire range 1, now in Sycamore township. The precise time when he commenced his improvements is not known, but it was probably during the fall of 1793, or in the spring of 1794. Price Thompson, a revolutionary soldier, who was from Essex county, New Jersey, was among the founders of this settle- ment. He came to Mason county, Kentucky, in 1790, and remained there for two years, when, on the 26th day of November, 1792, he entered warrant No. 103, and located the north-east quarter of section 21, T. 4, entire range 1, adjoining the lands of James Car- penter. David and Abner Denman, brothers-in-law of Price Thompson, Benjamin Willis,* also a brother- in-law to Thompson, Elihu Crain, and Richard and Samuel Ayres, were among the first settlers.
They built ordinary cabins near to each other, at the corner of the four sections 15, 16, 21, and 22, or near where the Plainfield school house now stands. Others came to the settlement soon after peace was established with the Indians, among whom may be
Price Thompson and Benjamin Willis married sisters of David and Abner Denman ; Elihu Crain was also distantly related to Thompson.
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named James and John Mathers, Daniel and Nathan- iel Reeder, Joseph McKnight, Morris Osborn, Moses Hutchings, Mathias Crow, Henry, Benjamin and Isaac Devie, Nathaniel Jarrard, Samuel Knott, and perhaps others, all of whom settled prior to 1797.
The settlement was never annoyed by Indians, and there was nothing to encounter but the wild animals and the almost interminable forest.
CAMPBELL'S SETTLEMENT.
Of this settlement but little information has been obtained. John Campbell probably began his im- provements during the summer or fall of 1793. In November, 1792, we find him applying, as an actual settler, for the forfeiture of one hundred and six acres of section 20, T. 4, entire range 1, now in Sycamore township, which, though not conclusive, is forcible evidence that his station, on the Great Miami, as mentioned on page 41, was not then es- tablished or begun. The settlers around the station were few in number; no preparations for defense were made; and, having been established late in the period of Indian hostilities, no depredations were committed in the neighborhood, consequently no im- portant historical events are attached to it.
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VOORHEES' SETTLEMENT.
Concerning the establishment of this settlement but little can be added to what has already been mentioned on page 60. The Voorhees family, in- cluding the sons-in-law, were sufficiently numerous to form a self-sustaining community.
It was in the fall of 1794 that they moved their families out upon their improvements, and but a few months afterwards another large family joined their settlement.
IIenry Redinbo and his wife Margaret were Penn- sylvania Germans, residing near the town of Read- ing, in Berks county. They came to the territory in the carly spring of 1795, and settled the south half of section 27, adjoining the Voorhees' section on the east.
On the 13th day of August following, Mr. Redinbo obtained a deed for his lands from Judge Symmes. This couple brought their entire family with them, consisting of eleven children, eight sons and three daughters, nearly all of whom were grown up men and women. The sons were Solomon,* Frederick, John, Phillip, Samuel, Andrew, Henry, and Adam, and the daughters Ann, Barbara, and Margaret.
* Solomon was drowned while crossing the Schuylkill river in coming to the Miami country.
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They built a log cabin and barn on the lands now belonging to the estate of Dr. Thomas Wright. The writer has a distinct recollection of these old build- ings, and also of the old couple Henry and Margaret Redinbo .*
This settlement was begun under very favorable auspices. It was near the close of Indian hostilities ; Gen. Wayne was rapidly devastating the enemy's country along the Maumee, St. Mary's, and Wabash. For several months few depredations had been com- mitted in the Miami settlements, and they were becoming less and less frequent, while omens of peace were multiplying, and before the close of the year it spread its bright wings over the territory, and gave joy and gladness to every heart.
Nothing now remained but to conquer the forest, and each and all devoted themselves to the task with an earnest will.
Abraham Voorhees, Jr., was a blacksmith, and, in anticipation of a rapid settlement in the neighbor- hood, he built himself a cabin and blacksmith shop on the east side of a road that had previously been opened, leading from White's station to Runyan's settlement, at a point where now stands the dwelling
* Henry and Margaret Redinbo both lived to the great age of ninety-four years, and both died within the same year, 1828 or '29. They were buried near the west line of their farm, in a north-west direction from the dwelling house.
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and store house of James Browne, on the north-east corner of Main and Columbia streets, in Reading. There he carried on his business for several years, using a hickory stump as an anvil.
Minny Voorhees, the second son, commenced a clearing and built a cabin on the north-west quarter of section 32. He built his house on the west bank of Millcreek, a few hundred yards south of where the iron bridge now spans the creek between Lock- land and Reading, and in what is now Conklin's addition to Lockland. He and his brother Abraham built a saw mill there at a very early day. The house was still standing in 1834.
Garret Voorhees, the third son, made his improve- ments on the lands now owned and occupied by his son Harvey.
Thomas Higgins, who married Nellie Voorhees, settled on the west bank of the creek, some distance north of Garret's improvements, and John Rynear- son, who married Ann Voorhees, located still west of Higgins, near where the old residence of the late Jeremiah Dunn now stands.
John Higgins, a brother to Thomas, settled north of and on adjoining lands to his brother. All these improvements have long since disappeared. .
Frederick and John Redinbo also built cabins on their father's lands. And about the year 1798, Abra- ham Voorhees laid out the town of Reading, although
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the plat was not recorded until 1804. It was first called Voorheestown, but at the suggestion of Henry Redinbo it was changed to Reading, in honor of his native place in Pennsylvania.
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JOHN LUDLOW'S SETTLEMENT.
John Ludlow, who was a native of New Jersey, and a half brother to Israel, the surveyor, came to Cincinnati in November, 1790, and was the first acting sheriff of Hamilton county.
In the spring of 1794 Mr. Ludlow moved out upon a tract of land which he had previously purchased in section 17, T. 3, F. R. 2, now in Millcreek town- ship. His cabins were built on the east side of Millcreek, a short distance south of the lands lately used as a trotting course. The particular site was where the old frame dwelling, known as the Ludlow homestead, now stands.
Moving into the interior of the forest, even at that late period of the Indian war, was not regarded entirely free from danger, and Mr. Ludlow very prudently joined the company of a few families who were moving out to White's station. Capt. Jacob White, who was then in Cincinnati, rode with the company also, it being on his way home. And Thos. Goudy (who was the first practicing lawyer in Cin- cinnati), with two young women, Abby Cochrane and
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Sarah Freeman, went along with the company on horseback as a mere pleasure excursion.
They reached Ludlow's cabins without encounter- ing any trouble, and Capt. White and his party moved on toward their destination.
The road from Ludlow's improvement to White's station had been opened and traveled for several years previous, and formed a part of the great high- way leading from Fort Washington to Fort Hamilton, over which had been wagoned or packed all the sup- plies and munitions for Wayne's army. Along this road White's party, including Goudy and the two young women, had proceeded not more than half a mile when they heard a volley of musketry but a short distance up the road. They knew from the almost simultaneous discharge of the guns that the firing did not proceed from hunters, and at once suspected that the Indians were engaged in some work of death. The whole party were alarmed, and some were excited with fear. Capt. White, who was ex- perienced in Indian warfare, having been raised on the borders of Pennsylvania, endeavored in vain to rally them. They returned in confusion to Lud -. low's cabins, where they all came to a halt except lawyer Goudy and the two young ladies, who con- tinued their flight down the road to Cincinnati.
Capt. White determined to remain upon the ground for a time and await further events. It was not
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long until two men on horseback came dashing down the road. They proved to be pack-horsemen, in the government service, and from them he learned that the firing was indeed an affair of death. There were four of these men in company, who, while stopping at the little stream beyond to give their horses drink, received a volley from a small band of Indians con- ccaled by the road side. One of their number fell instantly killed, another was severely, and a third slightly wounded. On learning this grave news Capt. White speedily returned to Ludlow's improve- ment, accompanied by the two men, one of whom was slightly wounded. There he procured a sufficient force and started in pursuit of the savages. They were not successful in overtaking them, however, but they found the body of the man that was killed, and buried him near the spot where he fell. They also found and took charge of the other soldier who was severely wounded, and sent him to Ludlow's station (now Cumminsville), where he was left at the house of Abner Boston, and where, after linger- ing for several days, he died. This event gave the name of Bloody Run to the little stream where it occurred, which it still retains.
In 1857, the late Solomon Burkhalter (who died in Reading but a few years since), while engaged in building a new bridge over Bloody Run, dug up the remains of the poor fellow who, sixty-three years
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before, had fallen there. Not knowing what else to do, Mr. Burkhalter placed the bones deeper in the earth, beneath the abutment, where all that is left of this unknown soldier still remains.
THE MONTGOMERY SETTLEMENT.
During the fall of 1795* a settlement was effected near where the town of Montgomery now is, by six families, who came from Ulster county, New York. They were Cornelius Snyder, Nathaniel Terwileger, Jacob Rosa, and three brothers, Jacob, Ironimous, and David Felter. They were all related, Snyder, Terwileger, and Rosa having each married a Felter, sisters of the Felter brothers.
On the 27th day of June, 1796, Cornelius Snyder obtained a deed from Thomas Espy for section 4, T. 4, R. 1, M. P., six hundred and forty acres, the consideration being $1440. Upon this section the first improvements were made, but soon afterwards Mr. Terwileger purchased of Judge Symmes the S. W. quarter of section 3, in the same township, and there began improvements. The deed bears date August 1, 1796. On the 5th day of May, 1801, Mr. Terwileger purchased the north half of
* By some it is claimed that improvements were begun at this setlement in the fall of 1794.
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section 3, and during that year laid out the town of Montgomery. Andrew Lacky, Eli Duskey, Moses and Joseph Crist, and Joseph Tallman were among the carly settlers of the neighborhood. About the close of the century they organized a church in the neighborhood, which was known as "Sycamore Pres- byterian Church " until 1803, when the name was changed to "Hopewell."
BEDELL'S SETTLEMENT.
William Bedell, from New Jersey, founded a settlement a short distance south-west of where the town of Lebanon now is, in Warren county. He commenced his improvements in the fall of 1794, and the neighborhood had a rapid and prosperous growth.
M'FARLAND'S SETTLEMENT.
Col. John McFarland was from Fayette county, Pennsylvania. It was in the spring of 1795 that he purchased a large tract of land, containing nine hundred and sixty acres, being the whole of section 24 and the east half of section 30, T. 4, R. 1, now in Columbia township. He began his improvements near where the town of Pleasant Ridge now is. This is said to have been the last station that was established during Indian hostilities As peace was
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secured in August following, nothing of any histori- cal interest, save the hardships and privations com- mon to pioneer life, occurred in the neighborhood for a number of years.
Twelve years after the first settlement was made, however, an incident occurred, which, from the ex- citement it produced throughout the neighborhood at the time, seems worthy of mention. The facts are given substantially as obtained from Mr. Jeremiah Clark, now of Cincinnati, but who was born and raised in the McFarland settlement, and being now in his 79th year, has some personal recollection of the event, and knew the parties well that were connected with it.
In the year 1807, on what is now known as Nor- wood Heights, in the immediate neighborhood of Pleasant Ridge, and almost four miles south of the present village of Reading, then known as Voorhees- town, [there lived a man named Daniel Wolverton, with a family consisting of a wife and three children, Jemima, about six years of age, John, nearly four, and an infant but a few months old. They lived in an humble cabin on the spot of ground now occupied by the stately residence of Mr. John W. Siebern, a well-known merchant of Cincinnati.
It was the afternoon of a pleasant autumn day that the two children, Jemima and John, by permis- sion of their mother, went out into the woods to
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gather nuts. This was by no means an unusual occurrence; the children were accustomed to the woods, which at that day surrounded every cabin in in the neighborhood-in fact, the whole country was one continued forest, except here and there a spot laid bare by the woodman's axe.
The mother took little heed of her children until near the close of the day, when, as twilight set in and they did not return, she grew anxious, and going into the woods, called loudly to them, but re- ceiving no answer, her mind became filled with forebodings of evil. Darkness now came and the husband, who had been absent during the afternoon, having returned, both parents made diligent search through the adjacent woods. Again they called the names of their little ones, until their voices reached the neighboring cabins and alarmed the whole settle- ment, still no answer came save the echo of their own voices.
Soon the neighbors came and joined the parents, and the entire night was spent in a fruitless search. The woods throughout the settlement resounded with the voices of men and the firing of guns, but all to no purpose; morning came, but no tidings of the lost ones.
The entire neighborhood was now alarmed, and a large assembly of people met at the cabin of the distressed parents and determined to continue the
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search. That the canvass might be more thorough and cover a greater territory, they arranged that each person should go alone, or at most in couples. It was agreed also that each party should carry, what was then a common article in every cabin in the country, a "dinner horn," which, it was agreed, should not be used until the children were found, and then the successful party should sound a blast that would be responded to by others, and thus the news be conveyed to all exploring parties, and reach as a joyous signal the almost distracted mother.
This also served the purpose of keeping all parties upon the search, as all would know that so long as the horns were silent the object of their pursuit had not been found.
Though small bands of Indians passed through the country occasionally, but little fears were enter- tained that the children had met with violence at their hands, for they were quite friendly. There was the greater danger from starvation, or death from fright or grief, or from the sting of the deadly serpent. The woods, too, abounded with wild ani- mals. The wolf and the bear were regarded dan- gerous, and panthers, though not numerous, had been seen in sufficient numbers to make them a terror to all mothers.
With the knowledge that the children had been exposed to all these grave dangers for the entire
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night, left little hope of finding them alive. Still it was thought that, whatever their fate, it was better to have it known and put all doubts at rest. Even should they have been devoured by wild animals, it was confidently hoped that at least a portion of their remains would be found within the circuit of a few miles.
With these preparations and these thoughts in their minds the neighbors went forth again into the forest, some afoot and others on horeback, each party taking different directions, and it would now seem that a few hours would crown their efforts with suc- cess. But the day wore away and evening came, some of the hunters returned, bringing however no word of cheer to the grief-stricken parents.
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