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 30
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In 1798, soon after " Zane's trace" was cut through the county, a Mr. Graham made the first settlement on the site of Cambridge. At this time, the only dwelling between Lancaster and Wheeling was at Zanesville. He remained about two years, and was succeeded by George Beymer, from Somerset, Pennsylvania. Both of these per- sons kept a house of entertainment, and a ferry for travellers on their way to Kentucky and other parts of the west. Mr. Beymer, in April, 1803, gave up his tavern to Mr John Beatty, who moved in
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204
GUERNSEY COUNTY.
from Loudon county, Virginia. Mr. Wyatt Hutchinson, who, until recently, kept a tavern in this town, was a member of Beatty's family, which consisted of eleven persons. The Indians then hunted in this
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Cambridge, from the hill west.
vicinity, and often encamped on the creek. In June, 1806, Cam- bridge was laid out ; and on the day the lots were first offered for sale, several families from the British isle of Guernsey, near the coast of France, stopped here and purchased lands. These were followed by other families, amounting in all to some fifteen or twenty, from the same island ; all of whom settling in the county, gave origin to its present name. Among the heads of these families, are recollect- ed the names of Wm. Ogier, Thos. Naftel, Thos. Lanphesty, James Bishard, Chas. and John Marquand, John Robbins, Daniel Ferbroch, Peter, Thomas and John Sarchet, and Daniel Hubert.
Washington is 8 miles east of Cambridge, on the national road. It is a very thriving village, and does an extensive business with the surrounding country, which is very fertile. It has 1 Lutheran, 1 Presbyterian, 1 Methodist, 1 Union and 1 Catholic church-the last of which is an elegant and costly gothic edifice ; 6 mercantile stores, 1 woollen factory, and a population nearly equal to Cambridge. It was laid out about the year 1805, by Simon Beymer, proprietor of the soil, and a native of Cumberland county, Pennsylvania. There were two companies raised in this county, and which entered into service, in the war with Great Britain-one of which was command- ed by Simon Beymer, and the other by Cyrus P. Beatty. The first cannel coal found in this country was discovered several years since, five miles west of Cambridge, near Wills creek. This bituminous coal does not materially differ from the common slaty coal of the country ; it contains rather more bituminous and less carbonaceous matter .*
* See communication of Hon. Benj. Tappan, in the 28th, and that of Dr. S. P. Hildreth, in the 29th volume of Silliman's Journal.
205
HAMILTON COUNTY.
Middletown, 14 miles east of Cambridge, on the national road, has 4 stores, two or three churches and about 250 inhabitants. On and about the Salt fork in this vicinity, there were twelve or fifteen fami- lies settled about the year 1803: the names recollected are Hite, Burns, Cary, Smith, Masters, Hall, Wilson and Warren. Fairview, 6 miles east of the above, on the national road, is a larger town, con- taining several churches and stores and about 425 inhabitants. Sen- ecaville, 10 miles southeast of Cambridge, is a flourishing town, con- taining several churches and stores, and about 300 inhabitants. Cumberland, Claysville, Williamsburg, Mount Ephraim, Liberty, Winchester, Londonderry, Birmingham and Antrim, are villages, the largest of which may contain 70 dwellings. At Antrim is Madison College, which has 40 pupils : at Cambridge is a high school, a fe- male seminary and a printing office.
HAMILTON.
HAMILTON was the second county established in the N. W. terri- tory. It was formed Jan. 2d, 1790, by proclamation of Governor St. Clair, and named from Gen. Alex. Hamilton. Its original boundaries were thus defined : " Beginning on the Ohio river, at the confluence of the Little Miami, and down the said Ohio to the mouth of the Big Miami ; and up said Miami to the standing stone forks or branch of said river, and thence with a line to be drawn due east to the Little Miami, and down said Little Miami river to the place of beginning." The surface is generally rolling, soil on the uplands, clay, and in the river and creek vallies, deep alluvion, with a sub-stratum of sand. The agricultural productions are more varied than any other county in the state; beside the ordinary farm products of wheat, corn, rye, barley, oats and grass, there is produced a great variety of fruits and vegetables for the Cincinnati market. Much attention has been given of late to the cultivation of vineyards upon the Ohio river hills, for the manufacture of wine, and it promises to be a business of great extent in the course of a few years. The following is a list of its townships in 1840, with their population.
Anderson, 2311
Fulton, 1505
Storrs, 740
Colerain, 2272
Green,
2939
Sycamore, 3207
Columbia, 3022
Miami, 2189
Symmes, 1033
Crosby,
1875
Mill Creek, 6249
Whitewater, 1883
Delphi, 1466
Springfield, 3092
CINCINNATI, (CITY,) 46382
The population of Hamilton, in 1820, was 31,764, in 1830, 52,380, and in 1840, 80,165, or, omitting the city of Cincinnati, 79 persons to the square mile.
This county was the second settled in Ohio, and the first within Symmes' purchase. The history of its settlemen; we append from Burnet's Notes.
Soon after the settlement was commenced at Marietta, three parties were formed to oc-
206
HAMILTON COUNTY.
cupy and improve separate portions of Judge Symmes' purchase, between the Miami rivers. The first, led by Major Benjamin Stites, consisted of eighteen or twenty, who landed in November, 1788, at the mouth of the Little Miami river, within the limits of a tract of ten thousand acres, purchased by Major Stites from Judge Symmes. They constructed a log fort, and laid out the town of Columbia, which soon became a promising village. Among them were Colonel Spencer, Major Gano, Judge Goforth, Francis Dunlavy, Major Kibbey, Rev. John Smith, Judge Foster, Colonel Brown, Mr. Hubbell, Captain Flinn, Jacob White and John Riley.
They were all men of energy and enterprise, and were more numerous than either of the parties who commenced their settlements below them on the Ohio. Their village was also more flourishing, and for two or three years contained a larger number of inhabitants than any other in the Miami purchase. This superiority, however, did not continue, as will appear from the sequel.
The second party destined for the Miami, was formed at Limestone, under Matthias Denman and Robert Patterson, amounting to twelve or fifteen in number. After much difficulty and danger, caused by floating ice in the river, they landed on the north bank of the Ohio, opposite the mouth of Licking, on the 24th of December, 1788. Their purpose was to establish a station, and lay out a town according to a plan agreed on, before they left Limestone. The name adopted for the proposed town was Losanteville, which had been manufactured by a pedantic foreigner, whose name, fortunately, has been forgotten. It was formed, as he said, from the words Le os ante ville, which he rendered " the village opposite the mouth." Logicians may decide whether the words might not be rendered more correctly, the mouth before the village. Be that as it may, the settlement then formed was immediately designated by the name adopted for the projected town-though the town itself never was laid out, for reasons which will be explained hereafter. Yet, from the facts stated, a very general belief has prevailed that the original name of the town of Cincinnati was Losanteville, and that through the influence of Gov. St. Clair and others, that name was abandoned, and the name of Cincinnati substituted. This impression, though a natural one, under the circumstances of the case, was nevertheless incorrect.
It is impossible to say what influence operated on the minds of the proprietors, to induce them to adopt tlie name of Cincinnati, in preference to the one previously proposed. Judge Symmes, being on the spot, might have advised it; but it is not probable that Gov. St. Clair had agency in it, as he was at the time negotiating a treaty with the north-western Indians, at Marietta, between which place and Cincinnati, there was then but very little intercourse. The truth may be gathered from the facts of the case, which are these.
Matthias Denman, of Springfield, New Jersey, had purchased the fraction of land on the bank of the Ohio, and the entire section adjoining it on the north, which, on the survey of Symmes' grant should be found to lie opposite the mouth of Licking river. In the summer of 1788, he came out to the west to see the lands he had purchased, and to ex- amine the country. On his return to Limestone, he met among others, Col. Patterson, of Lexington, and a surveyor by the name of Filson. Denman communicated to them his intention of laying out a town on his land, opposite Licking ; and, after some conversation, agreed to take them in as partners, each paying a third of the purchase-money ; and, on the further condition, that Col. Patterson should exert his influence to obtain settlers, and that Filson, in the ensuing spring, should survey the town, stake off the lots, and superintend the sale. They also agreed on the plan of the town, and to call it Losanteville. This being done, Patterson and Filson, with a party of settlers, proceeded to the ground, where they arrived late in December. In the course of the winter, before any attempt had been made to lay out the town, Filson went on an exploring expedition with Judge Symmes and others, who had in contemplation to become purchasers and settle in the country. After the party had proceeded some thirty or forty miles into the wilderness, Filson, for some cause not now known, left them, for the purpose of returning to the settlements on the Ohio ; and in that attempt was murdered by the Indians. This terminated his contract with Denman, as no part of the consideration had been paid, and his personal services, in surveying the town and superintending the sale of the lots, had become impracticable.
Mr. Denman, being yet at Limestone, entered into another contract with Col. Patterson and Israel Ludlow, by which Ludlow was to perform the same services as were to have been rendered by the unfortunate Filson, had he lived to execute his contract. A new plan of a town was then made, differing, in many important respects, from the former, --- particularly as to the public square, the commons, and the names of the streets. The whimsical name which had been adopted for the town to be laid out under the first con- tract, was repudiated, and Cincinnati selected, as the name of the town, to be laid out under the new contract. Late in the succeeding fall, Col. Ludlow commenced a survey of
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207
HAMILTON COUNTY.
the town which has since become the Queen City of the West. He first laid off the lots, which, by previous agreement, were to be disposed of as donations to volunteer settlers, and completed the survey at his leisure,
A misapprehension has prevailed, as appears from some recent publications, in regard to the price paid by the proprietors for the land on which the city stands. The original pur- chase by Mr. Denman, included a section and a fractional section, containing about eight hundred acres ; for which he paid five shillings per acre, in continental certificates, which were then worth, in specie, five shillings on the pound-so that the specie price per acre was fifteen pence. That sum multiplied by the number of acres, will give the original cost of the plat of Cincinnati.
The third party of adventurers to the Miami purchase, were under the immediate care and direction of Judge Symmes. They left Limestone on the 29th of January, 1789, and on their passage down the river, were obstructed, delayed, and exposed to imminent danger from floating ice, which covered the river. They, however, reached the Bend, the place of their destination, in safety, early in February. The first object of the Judge was to found a city at that place, which had received the name of North Bend, from the fact that it was the most northern bend in the Ohio river below the mouth of the Great Kanawha.
The water-craft used in descending the Ohio, in those primitive times, were flat-boats made of green oak plank, fastened by wooden pins to a frame of timber, and caulked with tow, or any other pliant substance that could be procured. Boats similarly constructed on the northern waters, were then called arks, but on the western rivers, they were denom- inated Kentucky boats. The materials of which they were composed, were found to be of great utility in the construction of temporary buildings for safety, and for protection from the inclemency of the weather, after they had arrived at their destination.
At the earnest solicitation of the Judge, General Harmar sent Captain Kearsey with forty-eight rank and file, to protect the improvements just commencing in the Miami coun- try. This detachment reached Limestone in December, 1788, and in a few days after, Captain Kearsey sent a part of his command in advance, as a guard to protect the pioneers under Major Stites, at the Little Miami, where they arrived soon after. Mr. Symmes and his party, accompanied by Captain Kearsey, landed at Columbia, on their passage down the river, and the detachment previously sent to that place joined their company. They then proceeded to the Bend, and landed about the first or second of February. When they left Limestone, it was the purpose of Captain Kearsey to occupy the fort built at the mouth of the Miami, by a detachment of United States troops, who afterwards descended the river to the falls.
That purpose was defeated by the flood in the river, which had spread over the low grounds and rendered it difficult to reach the fort. Captain Kearsey, however, was anxious to make the attempt, but the Judge would not consent to it; he was of course much dis- appointed, and greatly displeased. When he set out on the expedition, expecting to find a fort ready built to receive him, he did not provide the implements necessary to construct one. Thus disappointed and displeased, he resolved that he would not attempt to construct a new work, but would leave the Bend and join the garrison at Louisville.
In pursuance of that resolution, he embarked early in March, and descended the river with his command. The Judge immediately wrote to Major Willis, commandant of the garrison at the Falls, complaining of the conduct of Captain Kearsey, representing the ex- posed situation of the Miami settlement, stating the indications of hostility manifested by the Indians, and requesting a guard to be sent to the Bend. This request was promptly granted, and before the close of the month, Ensign Luce arrived with seventeen or eighteen soldiers, which, for the time, removed the apprehensions of the pioneers at that place. It was not long, however, before the Indians made an attack on them, in which they killed one soldier, and wounded four or five other persons, including Major J. R. Mills, an emi- grant from Elizabethtown, New Jersey, who was a surveyor, and an intelligent and highly respected citizen. Although he recovered from his wounds, he felt their disabling effects to the day of his death.
The surface of the ground where the Judge and his party had landed, was above the reach of the water, and sufficiently level to admit of a convenient settlement. He there- fore determined, for the immediate accommodation of his party, to lay out a village at that place, and to suspend, for the present, the execution of his purpose, as to the city, of which he had given notice, until satisfactory information could be obtained in regard to the com- parative advantages of different places in the vicinity. The determination, however, of laying out such a city, was not abandoned, but was executed in the succeeding year on a magnificent scale. It included the village, and extended from the Ohio across the penin- sular to the Miami river. This city, which was certainly a beautiful one, on paper, was
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208
HAMILTON COUNTY.
called Symmes, and for a time was a subject of conversation and of criticism ; but it soon ceased to be remembered-even its name was forgotten, and the settlement continued to be called North Bend. Since then, that village has been distinguished as the residence and the home of the soldier and statesman, William Henry Harrison, whose remains now repose in a humble vault on one of its beautiful hills.
In conformity with a stipulation made at Limestone, every individual belonging to the party received a donation lot, which he was required to improve, as the condition of ob- taining a title. As the number of these adventurers increased in consequence of the pro- tection afforded by the military, the Judge was induced to lay out another village, six or seven miles higher up the river, which he called South Bend, where he disposed of some donation lots ; but that project failed, and in a few years the village was deserted and con- verted into a farm.
During these transactions, the Judge was visited by a number of Indians from a camp in the neighborhood of Stites' settlement. One of them, a Shawnee chief, had many com- plaints to make of frauds practised on them by white traders, who fortunately had no con- nection with the pioneers. After several conversations, and some small presents, he pro- fessed to be satisfied with the explanation he had received, and gave assurances that the Indians would trade with the white men as friends.
In one of their interviews, the Judge told him he had been commissioned and sent out to their country, by the thirteen fires, in the spirit of friendship and kindness ; and that he was instructed to treat them as friends and brothers. In proof of this he showed them the flag of the Union, with its stars and stripes, and also his commission, having the great seal of the United States attached to it; exhibiting the American eagle, with the olive branch in one claw, emblematical of peace, and the instrument of war and death in the other. He explained the meaning of those symbols to their satisfaction, though at first the chief seemed to think they were not very striking emblems either of peace or friend- ship ; but before he departed from the Bend, he gave assurances of the most friendly cha- racter. Yet, when they left their camp to return to their towns, they carried off a number of horses belonging to the Columbia settlement, to compensate for the injuries done them by wandering traders, who had no part or lot with the pioneers. These depredations hav- ing been repeated, a party was sent out in pursuit, who followed the trail of the Indians a considerable distance, when they discovered fresh signs, and sent Captain Flinn, one of their party, in advance, to reconnoitre. He had not proceedcd far before he was surprised, taken prisoner, and carried to the Indian camp. Not liking the movements he saw going on, which seemed to indicate personal violence, in regard to himself, and having great con- fidence in his activity and strength, at a favorable moment he sprang from the camp, made his escape, and joined his party. The Indians, fcaring an ambuscade, did not pursue. The party possessed themselves of some horses belonging to the Indians, and returned to Columbia. In a few days, the Indians brought in Captain Flinn's rifle, and begged Major Stites to restore their horses-alledging that they were innocent of the depredations laid to their charge. After some further explanations, the matter was amicably settled, and the horses were given up.
The three principal settlements of the Miami country were commenced in the manner above described ; and although they had one general object, and were threatened by one common danger, yet there existed a strong spirit of rivalry between them-each feeling a pride in the prosperity of the little colony to which he belonged. That spirit produccd a strong influence on the feelings of the pioncers of the different villages, and produced an esprit du corps, scarcely to be expected under circumstances so critical and dangerous as those which threatened them. For some time it was a matter of doubt which of the rivals, Columbia, Cincinnati, or North Bend, would eventually become the chief seat of business.
In the beginning, Columbia, the eldest of the three, took the lead, both in the number of its inhabitants, and the convenience and appearance of its dwellings. It was a flourish- ing village, and many believed it would become the great business town of the Miami country. That delusion, however, lasted but a short time. The garrison having been established at Cincinnati, made it the head-quarters, and the depot of the army. In addi- tion to this, as soon as the county courts of the territory were organized, it was made the seat of justice of Hamilton county. These advantages convinced every body that it was destined to become the emporium of the Miami country.
At first, North Bend had a decided advantage over it ; as the troops detailed by General Harmar for the protection of the Miami pioneers were landed there, through the influence of Judge Symmes. That consideration induced many of the first adventurers to plant themselves at the Bend, believing it to be the place of the greatest safety. But, as has been stated, that detachment soon took its departure for Louisville. It appears also that Ensign
209
HAMILTON COUNTY.
Luce, the commandant of the party which succeeded it, did not feel bound to erect his fort at any particular place, but was at liberty to select the spot best calculated to afford the most extensive protection to the Miami settlers. Viewing his duty in that light, he put up a small temporary work, sufficient for the security of his troops, regardless of the earnest entreaty of the Judge, to proceed at once to erect a substantial, spacious block-house, suffi- cient for the protection of the inhabitants of the village.
The remonstrances and entreaties of the Judge had but little influence on the mind of this obstinate officer ; for, in despite of them all, he left the Bend, and proceeded to Cin- cinnati with his command, where he immediately commenced the construction of a mil- itary work. That important move was followed by very decided results-it terminated the strife for supremacy, by removing the only motive which had induced former emigrants to pass the settlements above, and proceed to the Bend. As soon as the troops removed from that place to Cincinnati, the settlers of the Bend, who were then the most numerous, feeling the loss of the protection on which they had relied, became uneasy, and began to follow; and ere. long the place was almost entirely deserted, and the hope of making it even a respectable town, was abandoned.
In the course of the ensuing summer, Major Doughty arrived at Cincinnati, with troops from Fort Harmar, and commenced the construction of Fort Washington, which was the most extensive and important military work in the territory belonging to the United States.
About that time there was a rnmor prevailing in the settlement, said to have been en- dorsed by the Judge himself, which goes far to unravel the mystery, in which the removal of the troops from the Bend was involved. It was said and believed, that while the officer in command at that place was looking out very leisurely for a suitable site, on which to build the block-house, he formed an acquaintance with a beautiful black-eyed female, who called forth his most assiduous and tender attentions. She was the wife of one of the settlers at the Bend. Her husband saw the danger to which he would be exposed, if he remained where he was. He therefore resolved at once to remove to Cincinnati, and very promptly executed his resolution.
As soon as the gallant commandant discovered that the object of his adniiration had changed her residence, he began to think that the Bend was not an advantageous situation for a military work, and communicated that opinion to Judge Symmes, who strenuously opposed it. His reasoning, however, was not as persuasive as the sparkling eyes of the fair dulcinea then at Cincinnati. The result was a determination to visit Cincinnati, and examine its advantages for a military post, which he communicated to the Judge, with an assurance that if, on examination, it did not prove to be the most eligible place, he would return and erect the fort at the Bend.
The visit was quickly made, and resulted in a conviction that the Bend could not be com- pared with Cincinnati as a military position. The troops were accordingly removed to that place, and the building of a block-house commenced. Whether this structure was on the ground on which Fort Washington was erected by Major Doughty, cannot now be de- cided.
That movement, produced by a cause whimsical, and apparently trivial in itself, was attended with results of incalculable importance. It settled the question whether North Bend or Cincinnati was to be the great commercial town of the Miami country. Thus we see what unexpected results are sometimes produced by circumstances apparently trivial. The incomparable beauty of a Spartan dame, produced a ten years' war, which terminated in the destruction of Troy ; and the irresistible charms of another female, transferred the commercial emporium of Ohio from the place where it had been commenced, to the place where it now is. If this captivating American Helen had continued at the Bend, the gar- rision would have been erected there-population, capital and business would have cen- tered there, and there would have been the Queen City of the West. * * * *
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