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 31
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A large number of the original adventurers to the Miami purchase, had exhausted their means by paying for their land, and removing their families to the country. Others were wholly destitute of property, and came out as volunteers, under the expectation of obtain- ing, gratuitously, such small tracts of land as might be forfeited by the purchasers, under Judge Symmes, for not making the improvements required by the conditions stipulated in the terms of sale and settlement of Miami lands, published by the Judge, in 1787; which will be more fully explained in a subsequent chapter. The class of adventurers first named was comparatively numerous, and had come out under an expectation of taking immediate possession of their lands, and of commencing the cultivation of them for sub- sistence. Their situation, therefore, was distressing. To go out into the wilderness to till the soil, appeared to be certain death; to remain in the settlements threatened them
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with starvation. The best provided of the pioneers found it difficult to obtain subsistence ; and, of course, the class now spoken of were not far from total destitution. They depended on game, fish, and such products of the earth as could be raised on small patches of ground in the immediate vicinity of the settlements.
Occasionally, small lots of provision were brought down the river by emigrants, and sometimes were transported on pack-horses, from Lexington, at a heavy expense, and not without danger. But supplies, thus procured, were beyond the reach of those destitute persons now referred to.
Having endured these privations as long as they could be borne, the more resolute of them determined to brave the consequences of moving on to their lands. To accomplish the object with the least exposure, those whose lands were in the same neighborhood, united as one family ; and on that principle, a number of associations were formed, amount- ing to a dozen or more, who went out resolved to maintain their positions.
Each party erected a strong block-house, near to which their cabins were put up, and the whole was enclosed by strong log pickets. This being done, they commenced clearing their lands, and preparing for planting their crops. During the day, while they were at work, one person was placed as a sentinel, to warn them of approaching danger. At sun- set they retired to the block-house and their cabins, taking every thing of value within the pickets. In this manner they proceeded from day to day, and week to week, till their im- provements were sufficiently extensive to support their families. During this time, they depended for subsistence on wild game, obtained at some hazard, more than on the scanty supplies they were able to procure from the settlements on the river.
In a short time these stations gave protection and food to a large number of destitute families. After they were established, the Indians became less annoying to the settlements on the Ohio, as part of their time was employed in watching the stations. The former, however, did not escape, but endured their share of the fruits of savage hostility. In fact, no place or situation was exempt from danger. The safety of the pioneer depended on his means of defence, and on perpetual vigilance.
The Indians viewed those stations with great jealousy, as they had the appearance of permanent military establishments, intended to retain possession of their country. In that view they were correct ; and it was fortunate for the settlers, that the Indians wanted either the skill or the means of demolishing them. .
The truth of the matter is, their great error consisted in permitting those works to be constructed at all. They might have prevented it with great ease, but they appeared not to be aware of the serious consequences which were to result, until it was too late to act with effect. Several attacks were, however, made at different times, with an apparent determination to destroy them ; but they failed in every instance. The assault made on the station erected by Captain Jacob White, a pioneer of much energy and enterprise, at the third crossing of Mill creek from Cincinnati, on the old Hamilton road, was resolute and daring ; but it was gallantly met and successfully repelled. During the attack, which was in the night, Captain White shot and killed a warrior, who fell so near the block- house, that his companions could not remove his body. The next morning it was brought in, and judging from his stature, as reported by the inmates, he might have claimed descent from a race of giants. On examining the ground in the vicinity of the block-house, the appearances of blood indicated that the assailants had suffered severely.
In the winter of 1790-1, an attack was made, with a strong party, amounting, probably, to four or five hundred, on Dunlap's station, at Colerain. The block-house at that place was occupied by a small number of United States' troops, commanded by Col. Kingsbury, then a subaltern in the army. The fort was furnished with a piece of artillery, which was an object of terror to the Indians ; yet that did not deter them from an attempt to effect their purpose. The attack was violent, and for some time the station was in imminent danger.
The savages were led by the notorious Simon Girty, and outnumbered the garrison, at least, ten to one. The works were entirely of wood, and the only obstacle between the assailants and the assailed, was a picket of logs, that might have been demolished, with a loss not exceeding, probably, twenty or thirty lives. The garrison displayed unusual gal- lantry-they frequently exposed their persons above the pickets, to insult and provoke the assailants ; and judging from the facts reported, they conducted with as much folly as bravery.
Col. John Wallace, of Cincinnati, one of the earliest and bravest of the pioneers, and as amiable as he was brave, was in the fort when the attack was made. Although the works were completely surrounded by the enemy, the colonel volunteered his services to go to Cincinnati for a reinforcement. The fort stood on the east bank of the Big Miami.
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Late in the night, he was conveyed across the river, in a canoe, and landed on the opposite shore. Having passed down some miles below the fort, he swam the river, and directed his course for Cincinnati. On his way down, the next day, he met a body of men from that place and from Columbia, proceeding to Colerain. They had been informed of the attack, by persons hunting in the neighborhood, who were sufficiently near the fort to hear the firing when it began.
He joined the party, and led them to the station by the same route he had travelled from it ; but before they arrived, the Indians had taken their departure. It was afterwards ascertained that Mr. Abner Hunt, a respectable citizen of New Jersey, who was on a sur- veying tour in the nighborhood of Colerain, at the time of the attack, was killed before he could reach the fort. His body was afterwards found, shockingly mangled.
O. M. Spencer, in his "Indian Captivity," says :
The Indians tied Hunt to a sapling, within sight of the garrison, who distinctly heard his screams, and built a large fire so near as to scorch him, inflicting the most acute pain ; then, as his flesh, from the action of the fire and the frequent application of live coals, became less sensible, making deep incisions in his limbs, as if to renew his sensibility of pain ; an -. swering his cries for water, to allay the extreme thirst caused by burning, by fresh tor- tures ; and, finally, when, exhausted and fainting, death seemed approaching to release the wretched prisoner, terminating his sufferings by applying flaming brands to his naked bowels.
Soon as the settlers of Cincinnati landed they commenced erecting three or four cabins, the first of which was built on Front, east of and near Main street. The lower table of land was then covered with sycamore and maple trees, and the upper with beech and oak: Through this dense forest the streets were laid out, their corners being marked upon the trees. This survey extended from Eastern row, now Broadway, to Western row, and from the river as far north as to Northern row, now Seventh street.
In January, 1790, Gen. Arthur St. Clair, then governor of the N. W. territory, arrived at Cincinnati to organize the county of Hamil- ton. In the succeeding fall, Gen. Harmar marched from Fort Wash- ington on his expedition against the Indians of the northwest. In the following year, (1791,) the unfortunate army of St. Clair marched from the same place. On his return, St. Clair gave Major Zeigler the command of Fort Washington and repaired to Philadelphia. Soon after, the latter was succeeded by Col. Wilkinson. This year, Cincinnati had little increase in its population. About one half of the inhabitants were attached to the army of St. Clair, and many killed in the defeat.
In 1792, about 50 persons were added by emigration to the popu- lation of Cincinnati, and a house of worship erected. In the spring following, the troops which had been recruited for Wayne's army landed at Cincinnati and encamped on the bank of the river, between the village of Cincinnati and Mill creek. To that encampment Wayne gave the name of "Hobson's choice," it being the only suit- able place for that object. Here he remained several months, con- stantly drilling his troops, and then moved on to a spot now in Darke county, where he erected Fort Greenville. In the fall, after the army had left, the small-pox broke out in the garrison at Fort Washington, and spread with so much malignity that nearly one third of the soldiers and citizens fell victims. In July, 1794, the army left Fort Greenville, and on the 20th of August, defeated the
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enemy at the battle of "the Fallen Timbers," in what is now Lucas county, a few miles above Toledo. Judge Burnet thus describes Cincinnati, at about this period.
"Prior to the treaty of Greenville, which established a permanent peace between the United States and the Indians, but few improve- ments had been made, of any description, and scarcely one of a per- manent character. In Cincinnati, Fort Washington was the most remarkable object. That rude, but highly interesting structure, stood between Third and Fourth streets produced, east of Eastern Row, now Broadway, which was then a two-pole alley, and was the eastern boundary of the town, as originally laid out. It was com- posed of a number of strongly built, hewed-log cabins, a story and a half high, calculated for soldier's barracks. Some of them, more conveniently arranged, and better finished, were intended for offi- cers' quarters. They were so placed as to form a hollow square of about an acre of ground, with a strong block-house at each angle. It was built of large logs, cut from the ground on which it stood, which was a tract of fifteen acres, reserved by Congress in the law of 1792, for the accommodation of the garrison.
" The artificers' yard was an appendage to the fort, and stood on the bank of the river, immediately in front. It contained about two acres of ground, enclosed by small contiguous buildings, occupied as work-shops and quarters for laborers. Within the enclosure, there was a large two story frame house, familiarly called the 'yel- low house,' built for the accommodation of the Quartermaster Gen- eral, which was the most commodious and best finished edifice in Cincinnati.
"On the north side of Fourth street, immediately behind the fort, Colonel Sargent, secretary of the territory, had a convenient frame house, and a spacious garden, cultivated with care and taste. On the east side of the fort, Dr. Allison, the surgeon general of the army, had a plain frame dwelling, in the center of a large lot, culti- vated as a garden and fruitery, which was called Peach Grove.
" The Presbyterian church, an interesting edifice, stood on Main street, in front of the spacious brick building now occupied by the first Presbyterian congregation. It was a substantial frame build- ing, about 40 feet by 30, enclosed with clapboards, but neither lathed, plastered nor ceiled. The floor was of boat plank, resting on wooden blocks. In that humble edifice, the pioneers and their families assembled, statedly, for public worship; and, during the continuance of the war, they always attended with loaded rifles by: their sides. That building was afterwards neatly finished, and some years subsequently, [1814,] was sold and removed to Vine street, where it now remains, the property of Judge Burke.
"On the north side of Fourth street, opposite where St. Paul's church now stands, there stood a frame school house, enclosed, but unfinished, in which the children of the village were instructed. On the north side of the public square, there was a strong log build- *ag, erected and occupied as a jail. A room in the tavern of George
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Avery, near the frog-pond, at the corner of Main and Fifth streets, - had been rented for the accommodation of the courts; and as the penitentiary system had not been adopted, and Cincinnati was a
The First Church in Cincinnati.
[The engraving represents the first Presbyterian church, as it appeared in February, 1847. In the following spring, it was taken down, and the materials used for the construction of several dwellings in the part of Cincinnati called Texas. The greater proportion of the timber was found to be perfectly sound. In 1791, a number of the inhabitants formed themselves into a company, to escort the Rev. James Kemper from beyond the Kentucky river to Cincinnati ; and after his arrival, a subscription was set on foot to build this church, which was erected in 1792. This subscription paper is still in existence, and bears date January 16th, 1792. Among its signers, were Gen. Wilkinson, Captains Ford, Peters and Shaylor, of the regular service, Dr. Allison, surgeon to St. Clair and Wayne, Winthrop Sargeant, Capt. Robert Elliot and others, principally citizens, to the number of 106, not one of whom survive.]
seat of justice, it was ornamented with a pillory, stocks and whip- ping-post, and occasionally with a gallows. These were all the structures of a public character then in the place. Add to these, the cabins and other temporary buildings for the shelter of the in- habitants, and it will complete the schedule of the improvements of Cincinnati, at the time of the treaty of Greenville. The only ves- tige of them, now remaining, is the church of the pioneers. With that exception, and probably two or three frame buildings which have been repaired, improved and preserved, every edifice in the city has been erected since the ratification of that treaty. The sta- tions of defence scattered through the Miami valley, were all tem- porary, and have long since gone to decay, or been demolished.
" It may assist the reader in forming something like a correct idea of the appearance of Cincinnati, and of what it actually was at that time, to know, that the intersection of Main and Fifth streets, now the center of business and tasteful improvement, there was a pond of water, full of alder bushes, from which the frogs serenaded the neighborhood during the summer and fall, and which rendered it necessary to construct a causeway of logs, to pass it. That morass remained in its natural state, with its alders and its frogs, several
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years after Mr. B. became a resident of the place, the population of which, including the garrison and followers of the army, was about six hundred. The fort was then commanded by William H. Harrison, a captain in the army, but afterwards president of the United States. In 1797, General Wilkinson, the commander-in- chief of the army, made it his head-quarters for a few months, but did not, apparently, interfere with the command of Captain Harri- son, which continued till his resignation in 1798.
"During the period now spoken of, the settlements of the territory, including Cincinnati, contained but few individuals, and still fewer families, who had been accustomed to mingle in the circles of pol- ished society. That fact put it in the power of the military to give character to the manners and customs of the people. Such a school, it must be admitted, was by no means calculated to make the most favorable impression on the morals and sobriety of any community, as was abundantly proved by the result.
"Idleness, drinking and gambling prevailed in the army to a greater extent than it has done to any subsequent period. This may be at- tributed to the fact, that they had been several years in the wilder- ness, cut off from all society but their own, with but few comforts or conveniences at hand, and no amusements but such as their own ingenuity could invent. Libraries were not to be found-men of literary minds, or polished manners, were rarely met with; and they had long been deprived of the advantage of modest, accom- plished female society, which always produces a salutary influence on the feelings and moral habits of men. Thus situated, the officers were urged, by an irresistible impulse, to tax their wits for expe- dients to fill up the chasms of leisure which were left on their hands, after a full discharge of their military duties; and, as is too fre- quently the case, in such circumstances, the bottle, the dice-box and the card-table were among the expedients resorted to, because they were the nearest at hand, and the most easily procured.
"It is a distressing fact, that a very large proportion of the offi- cers under General Wayne, and subsequently under General Wil kinson, were hard drinkers. Harrison, Clark, Shomberg, Ford, Strong and a few others, were the only exceptions. Such were the habits of the army when they began to associate with the inhab- itants of Cincinnati, and of the western settlements generally, and to give tone to public sentiment.
"As a natural consequence, the citizens indulged in the same practices, and formed the same habits. As a proof of this, it may be stated, that when Mr. Burnet came to the bar, there were nine resident lawyers engaged in the practice, of whom he is, and has been for many years, the only survivor. They all became con- firmed sots, and descended to premature graves, excepting his brother, who was a young man of high promise, but whose life was terminated by a rapid consumption, in the summer of 1801. He expired under the shade of a tree, by the side of the road, on the banks of Paint creek, a few miles from Chillicothe."
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On the 9th of November, 1793, Wm. Maxwell established, at Cin- cinnati, "the Centinel of the North-Western Territory," with the motto, " open to all parties-influenced by none." It was on a half sheet, royal quarto size, and was the first newspaper printed north of the Ohio river. In 1796, Edward Freeman became the owner of the paper, which he changed to " Freeman's Journal," which he con- tinued until the beginning of 1800, when he removed to Chillicothe. On the 28th of May, 1799, Joseph Carpenter issued the first number of a weekly paper, entitled the "Western Spy and Hamilton Gazette." On the 11th of January, 1794, two keel boats sailed from Cincinnati to Pittsburg, each making a trip once in four weeks. Each boat was so covered as to be protected against rifle and musket balls, and had port-holes to fire out at, and was provided with six pieces, carrying pound balls, a number of muskets and ammunition, as a protection against the Indians on the banks of the Ohio. In 1801, the first sea vessel equipped for sea, of 100 tons, built at Marietta, passed down the Ohio, carrying produce ; and the banks of the river at Cincinnati were crowded with spectators to witness this novel event. Dec. 19th, 1801, the territorial legislature passed a bill, removing the seat of government from Chillicothe to Cincinnati.
January 2d, 1802, the territorial legislature incorporated the town of Cincinnati, and the following officers were appointed: David Zeigler, president ; Jacob Burnet, recorder ; Wm. Ramsay, David E. Wade, Chas. Avery, John Reily, Wm. Stanley, Samuel Dick and Wm. Ruffner, trustees ; Jo. Prince, assessor ; Abram Cary, collec- tor, and James Smith, town marshal. In 1795, the town contained 94 cabins, 10 frame houses, and about 500 inhabitants. In 1800, the population was estimated at 750, and in 1810, it was 2,540.
We give, on an adjoining page, a view of Cincinnati, taken by J. Cutler, as it appeared about the year 1810. It is from an engraving in "the Topographical Description of Ohio, Indiana Territory, and Louisiana, by a late officer of the army," and published at Boston, in 1812.
That work states, that Cincinnati contains about 400 dwellings, an elegant court-house, jail, 3 market-houses, a land office for the sale of congress lands, 2 printing offices, issuing weekly gazettes, 30 mercantile stores, and the various branches of mechanism are carried on with spirit. Industry of every kind being duly encouraged by the citizens, it is likely to become a considerable manufacturing place. It has a bank, issuing notes under the author- ity of the state, called the Miami Exporting Company. A considerable trade is carried on between Cincinnati and New Orleans in keel boats, which return laden with foreign goods. The passage of a boat, of forty tons, down to New Orleans, is computed at about 25, and its return at about 65 days.
In 1819, a charter was obtained from the state legislature, by which Cincinnati was incorporated as a city. This, since repeat- edly amended and altered, forms the basis of its present municipal authority.
CINCINNATI is 116 miles southwest Columbus ; 120 southeast Indi- anapolis, Ia. ; 90 north northwest Lexington, Ky. ; 270 north north- east Nashville, Tenn .; 455 below Pittsburg, Pa., by the course of the river ; 132 above Louisville, Ky. ; 494 above the mouth of the
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Ohio river, and 1447 miles above New Orleans by the Mississippi and Ohio rivers ; 518 by post route west of Baltimore ; 617 miles west by south of Philadelphia; $50 from New York by Lake Erie, Erie canal and Hudson river, and 492 from Washington City. It is in 39 deg. 6 minutes 30 seconds north lat., and 7 deg. 24 minutes 25 seconds west long. It is the largest city of the west, north of New Orleans, and the fifth in population in the United States. It is situated on the north bank of the Ohio river, opposite the mouth of Licking river, which enters the Ohio between Newport and Coving- ton, Ky. The Ohio here has a gradual bend towards the south.
This city is near the eastern extremity of a valley, about twelve miles in circumference, surrounded by beautiful hills, which rise to the height of 300 feet by gentle and varying slopes, and mostly cov- ered with native forest trees. The summit of these hills presents a beautiful and picturesque view of the city and valley. The city is built on two table lands, the one elevated from 40 to 60 feet above the other. Low water mark in the river, which is 108 below the upper part of the city, is 432 feet above tide water at Albany, and 133 feet below the level of Lake Erie. The population in 1800, was 750 ; in 1810, 2540 ; in 1820, 9602 ; in 1830, 24,831 ; in 1840, 46,338, and in 1847, over 90,000. Employed in commerce in 1840, 2,226 ; in manufactures and trades, 10,866 : navigating rivers and canals, 1748 ; in the learned professions, 377. Covington and Newport op- posite, in Ky., and Fulton and the adjacent parts of Mill creek town- ship on the north, are in fact, suburbs of Cincinnati, and if added to the above population would extend it to 105,000. The shores of the Ohio at the landing, is substantially paved to low water mark and is supplied with floating wharves, adapted to the great rise and fall of river, which renders the landing and shipping of goods at all times convenient.
Cincinnati seems to have been originally laid out on the model of Philadelphia, with great regularity. North of Main street, between the north side of Front street and the bank of the river, is the land- ing, an open area of 10 acres, with about 1000 feet front. This area is of great importance to the business of the city, and generally pre- sents a scene of much activity. The corporate limits include about four square miles. The central part is compactly and finely built, with spacious warehouses, large stores and handsome dwellings ; but in its outer parts, it is but partially built up and the houses ir- regularly scattered. Many of them are of stone or brick, but an equal or greater number are of wood, and are generally from two to four stories high. The city contains over 11,000 edifices public and private; and of those recently erected, the number of brick ex- ceeds those of wood, and the style of architecture is constantly im- proving. Many of the streets are well paved, extensively shaded with trees and the houses ornamented with shrubbery. The climate is more variable than on the Atlantic coast, in the same latitude. Snow rarely falls sufficiently deep, or lies long enough, to furnish sleighing. Few places are more healthy, the average annual mor-
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