USA > Ohio > Historical collections of Ohio, containing a collection of the most interesting facts, traditions, biographical sketches, anecdotes, etc., relating to its general and local history : with descriptions of its counties, principal towns, and villages > Part 18
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Early the second spring succeeding, a similar incident occurred near the same place. Stephen Gilbert, Joseph Plumb, Adolphus Spafford and Mr. Gilmore started on a fishing expedition, for Maumee river, in a Canadian batteaux. They had aboard some goods and provisions, sent by Major Perry to his son Nathan, at Black river, and a hired woman, named Mary, as a passenger to that plaee. A Mr. White, of Newburg, and two sons of Mr. Plumb, not arriving in time, started by land for the mouth of Black river, intending to overtake the boat at that point. Pursuing the Indian trail, on the bank of the lake, they discovered, when about half way, the wreck of the boat on the beach, by the rocky shore, about sixty feet below them, in what is now Dover, and near it, Mr. Plumb, seriously in- jured, and suffering with cold. From him, they learned that a squall of wind had upset their boat, when about a mile from shore, and that all but him had drowned.
They were all good swimmers but Plumb, who luckily got astraddle of the boat after it had upset, and floated ashore. The others made for the shore, Gilbert telling his com- panions to divest themselves of their clothing as much as possible: but all their efforts failed, the coldness of the water chilled them, so that they could not swim. Having learned the circumstances from Mr. Plumb, they made every effort to reach him, but were prevented by the steepness of the rocks. Mr. White and one of Mr. Plumb's sons hastened to Black river, to procure means of relief, leaving the other son to comfort his father. After they left, he climbed up an iron-wood sapling, which bent with his weight, and dropping about thirty feet perpendicular, joined his parent. In the night, Quintus F. Atkins and Nathan Perry returned with White, and recovered Mr. Plumb, by hauling him up the bank with a rope, by the light of a torch. This was no easy task for men worn down by fatigue, Mr. Plumb's weight being 220 pounds. The corpses of Gilmer and Spafford were afterwards found and buried at Cleveland ; that of the colored woman was discovered and interred at Black river. This was a melancholy event to the colony. Of the eighteen deaths that had taken place among the inhabitants of Cleveland, from the first settlement in 1796, a period of twelve years, eleven had been by drowning. During this time, the nearest settled physicians were at Hudson, 24, and Austinburg, 50 miles .*
On the 26th of June, 1812, an Indian, named O'Mic, was hung for murder, at Cleve- land, on the public square. Fearing an attempt at rescue on the part of the Indians, a
* The preceding part of this historical sketch, is mainly from the MSS. of JOHN BARR, Esq., of Cleveland, who is collecting materials for a history of the Western Reserve.
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CUYAHOGA COUNTY.
large number of armed citizens from this and the adjoining counties assembled. At the hour of execution, he objected to going upon the scaffold ; this difficulty was removed by the promise of a pint of whiskey, which he swallowed, and then took his departure for the land of spirits. In 1813, Cleveland became a depot of supplies and rendezvous for troops engaged in the war. A small stockade was erected at the foot of Ontario street, on the lake bank, and a permanent garrison stationed here, under Major (now General) Jessup, of the U. S. army. The return of peace was celebrated by libations of whiskey and the roar of artillery. One worthy, known as " Uncle Abram," was much elevated on the occa- sion. He carried the powder in an open tin pail, upon his arm, while another, to touch off the gun, carried a stick with fire at the end, kept alive by swinging it through the air. Amid the general excitement, a spark found its way to Uncle Abram's powder, about the time the gun was discharged ; and his body was seen to rise twenty feet in the air, and return by its own gravity to the earth, blackened and destitute of clothing. He was dead, if his own vociferations were to be believed ; but they were not, and he soon recovered from his wounds.
CLEVELAND is at the northern termination of the Ohio canal, 139 miles NE. from Columbus, 255 from Cincinnati, 130 from Pittsburg, 190 from Buffalo, 455 from New York, and 130 from Detroit. It was incorporated as a village in 1814, and as a city in 1836. Ex- cepting a small portion of it on the river, it is situated on a gravelly plain, elevated about 100 feet above the lake, of which it has a most commanding prospect. Some of the common streets are 100 feet wide, and the principal business one, Main street, has the extraordi- nary width of 132 feet. It is one of the most beautiful towns in the Union, and much taste is displayed in the private dwellings and disposition of shrubbery. "The location is dry and healthy, and the view of the meanderings of the Cuyahoga river, and of the steam- boats and shipping in the port, and leaving or entering it, and of the numerous vessels on the lake under sail, presents a prospect exceed- ingly interesting, from the high shore of the lake.
"Near the center of the place is a public square of ten acres, di- vided into four parts, by intersecting streets, neatly enclosed, and shaded with trees. The court house and one or two churches front on this square.
" The harbor of Cleveland is one of the best on Lake Erie. It is formed by the mouth of the Cuyahoga river, and improved by a pier on each side, extending 425 yards into the lake, 200 feet apart, and faced with substantial stone masonry. Cleveland is the great mart of the greatest grain-growing state in the Union, and it is the Ohio and Erie canals that have made it such, though it exports much by the way of the Welland canal to Canada. It has a ready connec- tion with Pittsburg, through the Pennsylvania and Ohio canal, which extends from the Ohio canal at Akron to Beaver creek, which enters the Ohio below Pittsburg. The natural advantages of this place are unsurpassed in the west, to which it has a large access by the lakes and the Ohio canal. But the Erie canal constitutes the principal source of its vast advantages ; without that great work, it would have remained in its former insignificance." The construc- tion of two contemplated railroads, the first connecting Cleveland with Wellsville, on the Ohio; and the last, with Columbus, will add much to the business facilities of the place.
The government of the city is vested in a mayor and council,
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CUYAHOGA COUNTY.
which consists of three members from each of the three wards into which the city is divided, and also an alderman from each ward. The following is a list of the mayors of the city since its organiza- tion, with the time of their election: John W. Willey, 1836 and 1837; Joshua Mills, 1838 and 1839; Nicholas Dockstader, 1840; John W. Allen, 1841; Joshua Mills, 1842 ; Nelson Hayward, 1843; Saml. Starkweather, 1844 and 1845; George Hoadley, 1846, and J. A. Harris, 1847.
MEDICAL
COLLEGE,
Medical College.
The Cleveland medical college, although established but four or five years, is in a very flourishing condition, and has gained so much in public estimation, as to be equalled in patronage by only one or two similar institutions in the west. It has seven professors, and all the necessary apparatus and facilities for instruction.
In 1837, the government purchased nine acres on the height over- looking the lake, for the purpose of erecting a marine hospital ; up to the present time, but little more than the foundation has been laid. It is to be of Ionic architecture, of hewn stone, and will combine convenience and beauty.
There are in Cleveland a large number of mercantile and mechan- ical establishments, 4 banks, 3 daily, 6 weekly, and 1 semi-monthly newspapers, and 21 religious societies, viz : 3 Episcopal, 2 Presby- terian, 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Baptist, 1 Catholic, 1 Bethel, 1 Wes- leyan Methodist, 1 German Evangelical Protestant, 1 German Mis- sion Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church, 1 German Evan- gelical Lutheran, 1 Evangelical Association of North America, 1 Associate Presbyterian, 1 Seceder, 1 Disciples, 1 Jewish, 1 Univer- salist and 2 Second Advent. The business of the port of Cleveland, both by canal and lake, is very heavy, and constantly increasing. The number of arrivals by lake, in 1845, was 2136; of these, 927
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CUYAHOGA COUNTY.
were steamers. The tonnage then owned at this port, amounted to 13,493, and number of vessels, of all kinds, 85. The total value of the imports and exports by the lake, was over $9,000,000.
The population of Cleveland, on the east side of the Cuyahoga, was, in the year 1796, 3; 1798, 16; 1825, 500; 1831, 1100; 1835, 5080 ; 1840, 6071, and 1846, 10,135. Of the last, 6780 were natives of the United States; 1472 of Germany ; 808 of England ; 632 of Ireland ; 144 of Canada ; 97 of the Isle of Man, and 96 of Scotland. OHIO CITY is beautifully situated on a commanding eminence on the west side of the Cuyahoga, opposite Cleveland. It was incorporated as a city, March 3d, 1836, and its government vested in a mayor and council. The city is divided into three wards, and is well laid out and built. There are three churches, viz .: 1 Presbyterian, 1 Metho- dist Episcopal and 1 Episcopalian-the last of which is a Gothic structure of great beauty. The population of Ohio city, in 1840, was 1,577, and in 1845, 2,462.
ne
Chagrin Falls.
The village of Chagrin Falls is in the new township of the same name, on Chagrin river, 17 miles sE. from Cleveland.
The name Chagrin, originally applied to the river, then to the present village of Wil- loughby, in Lake county, and later to this town, " is supposed to have been derived from the sore disappointment of some surveyors who mistook it for the Cuyahoga river, and followed their respective lines to the lake. It had, however, long been previously known by that name, in consequence, it is said, of the wreck and sufferings of a French crew near its mouth, the particulars of which have not been preserved." In Evans' map, published in 1755, the river is called " Elk." Prior to the war of 1812, the Indians were numerous in this vicinity. In July, 1817, a person now living in the village, in company with another, visited the spot and killed a variety of wild game, such as bears, deer, turkeys, &c., and a short distance east, alarmed a drove of from 40 to 50 clk. There were then several ancient mounds and burial places on the village site. On the 1st of April, 1833, two families commenced the foundation of the settlement, and on that day the first blow was struck with an axe upon the village site, and shortly after a log house and saw mill built where the furnace now stands. In the succeeding fall, the town was laid out by Noah Graves and Dr. S. S. Handerson. It was commenced without cash capital, and has been built up by the indefatigable enterprise of its inhabitants, many of whom are of Connecticut
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CUYAHOGA COUNTY.
origin. For want of money, bartering and exchange of labor has been extensively prac- tised. Notwithstanding these disadvantages, the village has scarcely an equal in Ohio in its rapid progress from a wilderness to a flourishing town. All that it requires to make it a large place, is a canal or railroad, to furnish transportation facilities to Lake Erie.
Chagrin Falls contains 1 Congregational, 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Wesleyan Methodist and 1 Free Will Baptist church; 1 academy, 9 mercantile stores, 1 axe and edge tool, 1 sash, 1 wheel and wheel head, 1 wooden bowl and three woolen factories; 1 paper, 2 flouring and 3 saw mills ; 1 printing office and bindery ; 1 furnace and machine establishment, 1 carriage, 2 tin, 3 harness and 3 cabinet shops, and about 1,200 inhabitants. The Cleveland and Pittsburg stages pass through the town, and a carriage daily runs to the former place. Near the village is an inexhaustible grindstone quarry, which is extensively worked. The township of Chagrin Falls was organized in June, 1844, within which, including the vil- lage, there is a fall of 225 feet in the river, about one third of which is improved. The view shows the village as it appears from an elevation below, called either the side or slide bank. It was drawn and engraved by Mr. Jehu Brainerd of Cleveland. In the distance represented, the river has about one hundred feet descent.
We introduce an incident in the life of an early settler, a lady, who was recently living but a few miles distant from Chagrin Falls.
Joel Thorp, with his wife Sarah, moved with an ox team, in May, '99, from North Haven, Connecticut, to Millsford, in Ashtabula county, and were the first settlers in that region. They soon had a small clearing on and about an old beaver dam, which was very rich and mellow. Towards the first of June, the family being short of provisions, Mr. Thorp started off alone to procure some through the wilderness, with no guide but a pocket compass, to the nearest settlement, about 20 miles distant, in Pennsylvania. His family, consisting of Mrs. Thorp and three children, the oldest child, Basil, being but eight years of age, were before his return reduced to extremities for the want of food. They were compelled, in a measure, to dig for and subsist on roots, which yielded but little nourish- ment. The children in vain asked food, promising to be satisfied with the least possible portion. The boy Basil remembered to have seen some kernels of corn in a crack of one of the logs of the cabin, and passed hours in an unsuccessful search for them. Mrs. Thorp emptied the straw out of her bed and picked it over to obtain the little wheat it contained, which she boiled and gave to her children. Her husband, it seems, had taught her to shoot at a mark, in which she acquired great skill. When all her means for procuring food were exhausted, she saw, as she stood in her cabin door, a wild turkey flying near. She took down her husband's rifle, and, on looking for ammunition, was surprised to find only sufficient for a small charge. Carefully cleaning the barrel, so as not to lose any by its sticking to the sides as it went down, she set some apart for priming and loaded the piece with the remainder, and started in pursuit of the turkey, reflecting that on her success depended the lives of herself and children. Under the excitement of her feelings she came near defeating her object, by frightening the turkey, which flew a short distance and again alighted in a potato patch. Upon this, she returned to the house and waited until the fowl had begun to wallow in the loose earth. On her second approach, she acted with great caution and coolness, creeping slyly on her hands and knees from log to log until she had gained the last obstruction between herself and the desired object. It was now a trying moment, and a crowd of emotions passed through her mind as she lifted the rifle to a level with her eye. She fired ; the result was fortunate : the turkey was killed and herself and family preserved from death by her skill. Mrs. Thorp married three times. Her first husband was killed, in Canada, in the war of 1812 ; her second was supposed to have been murdered. Her last husband's nanie was Gordiner. She died in Orange, in this county, Nov. 1st, 1846.
Bedford, on the Pittsburg road, 12 miles from Cleveland, has 1
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DARKE COUNTY.
Baptist, 1 Methodist and 1 Disciples church ; 3 stores, 1 flouring and 3 saw mills, 1 woolen factory and about 80 dwellings. Newberg, 6 miles from Cleveland, on the same road with the above, has 1 Presbyterian and 1 Methodist church and a few dwellings. Euclid, a beautiful village, 8 miles east of Cleveland, has 1 Presbyterian, 1 Disciples church, 1 academy, 4 stores and 42 dwellings. Two miles east of it is the smaller village of East Euclid, which has 1 Baptist and 1 Methodist church. The Presbyterian church at Euclid, built in 1817, was the first frame meeting-house, with a spire, erected on the Reserve.
The township of Euclid (says the Barr MSS.) was purchased of the Western Reserve Land Company under peculiar circumstances. While the surveyors of the Reserve were about to commence operations, they found some disposition among their men in camp to strike for higher wages. To settle this difficulty, Gen. Cleveland, the agent, agreed that a town- ship should be surveyed and set apart, so that each individual of the party who should desire might have the privilege of purchasing a lot on long credit and at a stipulated price. . This settled the difficulty, and this township was the one selected. In 1798, Joseph Burke and family, and in 1801, Timothy Doane and family, settled in Euclid.
Albion and Strongville are two connecting villages, scattered along on the Cleveland and Columbus road, about 14 miles from the former, and contain 1 Presbyterian, 1 Methodist, 1 Baptist and 1 Episcopal church; 3 stores, I woolen factory and about 80 dwell- ings. On the same road, about 4 miles from Cleveland, and sepa- rated by a creek, are the small villages of Brooklyn Centre and Brighton, jointly containing 1 Presbyterian and 2 Methodist churches. In the western part of the county, on branches of Rocky river, are the small but thriving manufacturing villages of Norris Falls and Berea. Rockport, Doan's Corners and Warrensville, are small places. At or near the latter, is a settlement of Manks-a term ap- plied to natives of the Isle of Man.
DARKE.
DARKE was formed, Jan. 3d, 1809, from Miami county, and or- ganized in March, 1817. The surface is generally level, and has some prairie land. It is well timbered with poplar, walnut, blue ash, sugar maple, hickory and beech. Much of it is well adapted to grazing, and it produces superior wheat. The following is a list of its townships in 1840, with their population.
Adams,
698
Gibson, 276
Richland, 589
Allen,
194
Greenville, 1851
Twin, 1047
Brown, 293
Harrison, 1666
Van Buren, 42]
Butler, 1116
Jackson, 304
Washington, 898
Franklin, 291
Mississinewa, 124
Wayne, 727
German, 1173
Neave,
635
York, 371
Population of Darke, in 1820, was 3717; in 1830, 6204; and in 1840, 13,145, or 20 inhabitants to a square mile.
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DARKE COUNTY.
Gen. Wm. Darke, from whom this county derived its name, was born in Pennsylvania, in 1736, and removed at the age of five years, with his parents to near Shepherdstown, Va. He was with the Virginia provincials at Braddock's defeat, taken prisoner in the rev- olutionary war, at Germantown, commanded as colonel, two Virginia regiments at the siege of York, was a member of the Virginia Convention, of '88, and was repeatedly a member of the legislature of that ancient commonwealth. He distinguished himself at St. Clair's defeat, and died, Nov. 20th, 1801. Gen. Darke was by profession a farmer. He possessed an herculean frame, rough manners, a strong but uncultivated mind, and a frank and fearless disposition.
This county has been the theatre of two important events in the early history of the west,-St. Clair's defeat and the treaty of Greenville. The first in order of time, was the defeat of St. Clair, which took place on the northern boundary of the county, within two or three miles of the Indiana line.
The great object of St. Clair's campaign was to establish a mil- itary post at the Miami village, at the junction of the St. Mary and St. Joseph, at what is now Fort Wayne, Ia., with intermediate posts of communication between it and Fort Washington, to awe and curb the Indians in that quarter, as the only preventive of fu- ture hostilities.
Acting under his instructions, St. Clair proceeded to organize his army. At the close of April, (1791,) he was at Pittsburg, to which point troops and munitions of war were being forwarded. On the 15th of May, he reached Fort Washington, but owing to various hindrances, among which was the mismanagement of the quarter- master's department, the troops instead of being in readiness to start upon the expedition, by the Ist of August, as was anticipated, were not prepared until many weeks later. From Fort Washington, the troops were advanced to Ludlow's station, six miles distant. Here the army continued until Sept. 17th, when being 2300 strong, exclu- sive of militia, they moved forward to a point upon the Great Miami, where they built Fort Hamilton. From thence, they moved forty four miles farther, and built Fort Jefferson, which they left on the 24th of October, and began their toilsome march through the wild- erness. We copy below from the Notes of Judge Burnet.
During this time, a body of the militia, amounting to three hundred, deserted, and re- turned to their homes. The supplies for the army being still in the rear, and the general entertaining fears that the deserters might meet and sieze them for their own use, deter- mined, very reluctantly, to send back the first regiment, for the double purpose of bring- ing up the provisions, and, if possible, of overtaking and arresting some of the deserters.
Having made that arrangement, the army resumed its march, and on the 3d of Novem- ber, arrived at a creek running to the southwest, which was supposed to be the St. Mary's, one of the principal branches of the Maumee, but was afterwards ascertained to be a branch of the Wabash. It being then late in the afternoon, and the army much fatigued by a la- borious march, they were encamped on a commanding piece of ground, having the creek in front.
It was the intention of the general to occupy that position till the first regiment, with the provisions, should come up. He proposed on the next day, to commence a work of de- fence, agreeably to a plan concerted between himself and Maj. Ferguson, but he was not permitted to do either ; for on the next morning, November 4th, half an hour before sun- rise, the men having been just dismissed from parade, an attack was made on the militia posted in front, who gave way and rushed back into the camp, throwing the army into a state of disorder, from which it could not be recovered, as the Indians followed close at their heels. They were, however, checked a short time by the fire of the first line, but immedi-
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Cleveland.
Lake Erie.
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Ohio City.
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VIEW OF SANDUSKY CITY FROM THE BAY.
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DARKE COUNTY.
ately a very heavy fire was commenced on that line, and in a few minutes it was extended to the second.
In each case, the great weight of the fire was directed to the center, where the artillery was placed ; from which the men were frequently driven with great slaughter. In that emergency resort was had to the bayonet. Col. Darke was ordered to make the charge with a part of the second line, which order was executed with great spirit. The Indians instantly gave way, and were driven back several hundred yards, but for want of a sufficient number of riffemen to preserve the advantage gained, the enemy soon renewed their at- tack, and the American troops, in turn, were forced to give away.
At that instant, the Indians entered the American camp on the left, having forced back the troops stationed at that point. Another charge was then ordered and made by the bat- talions of Majors Butler and Clark, with great success. Several other charges were after- wards made, and always with equal effect. These attacks, however, were attended with a very heavy loss of men, and particularly of officers. In the charge made by the second regiment, Maj. Butler was dangerously wounded ; and every officer of that regiment fell, except three, one of whom was shot through the body. The artillery being silenced, and all the officers belonging to it killed, but Capt. Ford, who was dangerously wounded, and half the army having fallen, it became necessary to gain the road, if possible, and make a retreat.
For that purpose, a successful charge was made on the enemy, as if to turn their right flank, but in reality, to gain the road, which was effected. The militia then commenced a retreat, followed by the United States' troops, Maj. Clark, with his battalion, covering the rear. The retreat, as might be expected, soon became a flight. The camp was aban- doned, and so was the artillery, for the want of horses to remove it. The men threw away their arms and accoutrements, even after the pursuit had ceased, which was not con- tinued more than four miles. The road was almost covered with those articles, for a great distance.
All the horses of the general were killed, and he was mounted on a broken down pack- horse, that could scarcely be forced out of a walk. It was therefore impossible for him to get forward in person, to command a halt, till regularity could be restored, and the orders which he dispatched by others, for that purpose, were wholly unattended to. The rout continued to Fort Jefferson, where they arrived about dark, twenty seven miles from the battle-ground. The retreat began at half past nine in the morning, and as the battle com- menced half an hour before sunrise, it must have lasted three hours, during which time, with only one exception, the troops behaved with great bravery. This fact accounts for the immense slaughter which took place.
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