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 56
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I went round and told Newbold what the colonel had said ; " that's your sort," said he. Raising on his feet and going towards the colonel, declared he did see him slink behind the log during the battle. He gave his rifle to a man standing by, cut some hickories, and stood on the defence, at which the whole company roared with laughter, and the colonel took himself off to another part of the line. Night was now at hand, and the division was ordered, by the colonel, to encamp in an oak woods, in sight of the Indian villages, Cressap's party laying by themselves. This evening, Jack Hayes was spying down the creek, saw an Indian looking at us through the forks of a low tree ; he levelled his rifle and shot him directly between the eyes, and brought him into camp. Just after night-fall, Col. M'Donald was hailed from over the creek by an Indian, who implored peace in behalf of his tribe. He was invited over by the colonel, who held a parley with him, but declined entering into terms until more Indians were present. It was then proposed, if two white men would go the Indians, they would send two more of their number to us; but none being willing to undertake the visit, two came over and stayed all night in the colonel's tent; but their only object was to watch the troops, and gain time to remove their families and effects from the town. Captain Cressap was up the whole night among his men, going the rounds, and cautioning them to keep their arms in condition for a morning attack, which he confidently expected. About two hours be- fore day-break, he silently formed his men, examined each rifle, and let thiem across the creek into the villages, leaving M'Donald, with the other troops, in the encampment. At this time, the Indians who had passed the night in the camp, escaped. The village was directly surrounded, and the savages fled from it into the adjoining thicket in the utmost consternation. In this attack, none were killed on either side, but one Indian by Captain Cressap.
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By this time, the camp was nearly out of provisions, with a three days' march before them. A small quantity of old corn and one cow was the entire spoils of the villages. Those were distributed among the men, the villages burned, and the troops immediately commenced their march for the Ohio river, where they expected to meet provisions sent down from Redstone. The men became exceedingly famished on this march, and myself being young, was so weak that I could no longer carry any thing on my person. An older brother and one or two others kept encouraging me ; one of them had a good stock of tobacco. I saw him take it, and with an earnestness bordering on delirium, insisted on having some. As I had never used it before, they refused, thinking it would entirely dis- able me ; but as I was so importunate, they at last gave me a small piece. I directly felt myself relieved. They gave me more, and in a short time my strength and spirits returned. I took my arms and baggage, and was able to travel with the rest of them, and was actually the first to reach the Ohio. Here we met the boats, but nothing in them but corn in the ear. Every man was soon at work with his tomahawk, crushing it on the stones, and mixing it with water in gourds or leaves fashioned in the shape of cups, while some provident ones enjoyed the aristocratic luxury of tin cups ; but all seemed alike to relish the repast. A party of us crossed the Ohio that day for the settlement, when we came up with a drove of hogs, in tolerable order. We shot one and eat him on the spot, without criticizing with much nicety the mode or manner of preparation. Indeed, the meat of itself was so savoury and delicious, we thought of little else. In a few days, I returned to my parents, and after a little domestic storming and much juvenile vaunting of our exploits, settled down to clearing.
Zanesville, the county seat, is beautifully situated 54 miles east of Columbus, at the point where the national road crosses the Muskin- gum, and opposite the mouth of the Licking.
In May, 1796, congress passed a law authorizing Ebenezer Zane to open a road from Wheeling, in Virginia, to Limestone, now Maysville, Ky. In the following year, Mr. Zane, accompanied by his brother, Jonathan Zane, and his son-in-law, John M'Intire, both experienced woodsmen, proceeded to mark out the new road, which was afterwards cut out by the two latter. The cutting out, however, was a very hasty business, in which nothing more was attempted than to make the road passable for horsemen. As a compensation for opening this road, congress granted to Ebenezer Zane the privilege of locating military warrants upon three sections of land, not to exceed one mile square each ; the first of these to be at the crossing of the Muskingum, the second at the Hockhocking, and the third at the Scioto. It has been generally said that these were free grants to Mr. Zane, for opening the road : but an examination of the law will show that it was only a permission for Mr. Zane to locate his wariant on land which had not been appropriated to that purpose. Mr. Zane first proposed to cross the Muskingum at Duncan's falls, but foreseeing the value of the hydraulic power created by the falls where Zanesville now stands, he crossed the river as that point, and thus became entitled to a section of land embracing the falls. Regarding the fertility of the soil and the beauty of the vicinity, his next choice was selected where Lancaster has since been built, rather than at the crossing of what now bears the name of Rush creek, which is really the main branch of the Hockhocking. At the Scioto, he was obliged to locate his warrant on the eastern side of the river, as the western shore lay within the Virginia military district. His location was made nearly opposite to Chillicothe. These choice tracts would no doubt have all been taken up before that time, but they had not been surveyed and brought into market. The country east of the Muskingum, and for some distance west, also, being hilly and comparatively poor, this was thought to be the least valuable section of the three, and E. Zane gave it to his brother Jonathan, and J. M'Intire, for assisting him and opening the road.
One of the conditions annexed to the grant of Mr. Zane, was that he should keep ferries across these rivers during the pleasure of congress. Messrs. Zane and M'Intire gave the Muskingum ferry for five years to William M'Culloch and Henry Crooks, on condition that they should move to the place and keep the ferry, which they did. The ferry was kept about where the upper bridge is situated, and the ford was near the site of the present dam. The ferry-boat was composed of two canoes, with a stick lashed across. The first flat- . boat used for the ferry, was one in which Mr. M'Intire removed from Wheeling, in 1799. Mr. Zane resided at Wheeling. The first mail ever carried in Ohio, was brought from Marietta to M'Culloch's cabin, by Daniel Convers, in 1798, where, by the arrangement of the postmaster general, it met a mail from Wheeling and one from Limestone. M'Cul- loch, who could barely read, was authorized to assort the mails, and send each package in its proper direction, for which he received $30 per annum; but the service often fell to
H. HOWE DEL
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385
the lot of Mr. Convers, as he was more expert. At that time, the aforesaid mails met here weekly. Four years after, a number of families having settled here, a regular post-office was opened, and Thomas Dowden appointed postmaster, who kept his office in a wooden building near the river, on Front street.
In 1799, Messrs. Zane and M'Intire laid out the town, which they called Westbourn, a name which it continued to bear until a post-office was established by the postmaster gen- eral, under the name of ZANESVILLE, and the village soon took the same name. A few
First Hotel at Zanesville.
families from the Kanawha, settled on the west side of the river soon after M'Culloch ar- rived, and the settlement received pretty numerous accessions until it became a point of importance. It contained one store and no tavern. The latter inconvenience however, was remedied by Mr. M'Intire, who, for public accommodation, rather than for private emolument, opened a house of entertainment. It is due to Mr. M'Intire and his lady, to say that their accommodations, though in a log cabin, were such as to render their house the traveller's home. Prior to that time, there were several grog shops where travellers might stop, and after partaking of a rude supper, they could spread their blankets and bear- skins on the floor, and sleep with their feet to the fire. But the opening of Mr. M'Intire's house introduced the luxury of comfortable beds, and although his board was covered with the fruits of the soil and the chase, rather than the luxuries of foreign climes, the fare was various and abundant.
This, the first hotel at Zanesville, stood at what is now the corner of Market and Second streets, a few rods from the river, in an open maple grove, without any underbrush : it was a pleasant spot, well shaded with trees, and in full view of the falls. The engraving was made from the description of one who knew it well. Louis Phillipe, the present king of France, was once a guest of Mr. M'Intire. The Hon. Lewis Cass, in his "Camp and Court of Louis Phillipe," thus alludes to the circumstance. " At Zanesville, the party found the comfortable cabin of Mr. M'Intire, whose name has been preserved in the king's memory, and whose house was a favorite place of rest and refreshment for all the travellers who, at this early period, were compelled to traverse that part of the country. And if these pages should chance to meet the eyes of any of those who, like the writer, have passed many a pleasant hour under the roof of this uneducated, but truly worthy and re- spectable man, he trusts they will unite in this tribute to his memory."
At that time, all the iron, nail, castings, flour, fruit, with many other articles now pro- duced here in abundance, were brought from Pittsburgh and Wheeling, either upon pack-
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horses across the country, or by the river in canoes. Oats and corn were usually brought about fifty miles up the river, in canoes, and were worth from 75 cents to $1 per bushel. Flour, $6 to $8 per barrel. In 1802, David Harvey opened a tavern at the intersection of Third and Main streets, which was about the first shingled roofed house in the town. Mr. M'Intire having only kept entertainment for public accommodation, discontinued, after the opening of Mr. Harvey's tavern.
In 1804, when the legislature passed an act establishing the county of Muskingum, the commissioners appointed to select a site for the county seat, reported in favor of Zanesville. The buildings were yet few in number, and the streets and lots were principally covered with the native growth ; but the citizens, in order to put on the best appearance possible, turned out, while Zanesville was yet a candidate (if we may so speak) for the county seat, and cut out the bushes from some of the principal streets, and especially from the public square, that the situation might appear to the best possible advantage in the eyes of the commissioners. Some were anxious that the county seat should be at Coshocton, and others preferred the Cass section above Dresden, but Zanesville was finally selected, but in part because it was so near Marietta, as to render any county between the two places for- ever unnecessary. Muskingum included within its original limits the present counties of Muskingum and Coshocton, besides the greater part of what now constitutes the counties of Holmes, Tuscarawas and Guernsey, and a part of Perry, Morgan, Monroe and Carrol.
The county seat having been established, the town improved more rapidly, and as the unappropriated United States military lands had been brought into market during the pre- ceding year, (1803,) and a land office established at Zanesville, many purchases and settle- ments were made in the county. The first court in Zanesville, sat in Harvey's tavern. In a short time afterwards, a wooden jail was erected, and also a wooden building, the lower part of which served as a residence for the sheriff and his family, and the upper room was used as a court room and as a place for all public meetings, political or religious. These buildings stood between the site of the present court house and jail, and were afterwards burnt down by a negro, who was confined on a charge of larceny.
An anecdote may serve to convey some idea of the difficulties of frontier life. It may also show that vice and crime were not less scorned then, than in later days. After the organization of the county, but before the erection of any public buildings, two men were apprehended on a charge of counterfeiting silver dollars. It was impracticable to send them to the jail at Marietta, a distance of sixty miles through the woods, until the next term of court, to which they were bound over. To turn them loose or permit them to escape, would encourage others to depredate in like manner ; it was necessary, therefore, that they should be punished. Under these circumstances, Mr. M'Intire called on Daniel Convers, and in strong language stated his views, adding, " we must take them in charge and keep them until court." This was contrary to law, but as necessity knows no law, the justice was persuaded to surrender them to M'Intire and Convers, as they pledged themselves that if the prisoners were not forthcoming at the hour of trial, they would take their places and abide the penalty. After conducting them to a cabin selected for the purpose, and putting hand-cuffs on them, they were addressed by M'Intire, who, axe in hand, stood by the door: " Now, boys," said he, pointing to the blankets provided for their bed, " there is your bed ; with your guilt or innocence we have nothing to do,-you shall have plenty to eat and to drink, but," added he, raising his right arm in a threatening manner, " if you attempt to es- cape, d-n you, I'll kill you." The firm, resolute manner of the address, deterred them froin making the attempt. M'Intire, with his axe by his side, took his seat by the door ; and here, day after day and night after night, did he and his associates watch the prisoners until the term of court arrived, when they were tried and convicted. One confessed his crime, and told where their tools were secreted, about 18 miles off, on the Rocky fork of the Licking, where they were found and brought into court. Agreeably to the law then in force, he was sentenced to receive twenty-five lashes, well laid on, and to stand committed until all costs were paid. The other was to receive thirty-nine lashes, and also to be re- committed. Their sentence was immediately carried into effect, as to the stripes, which were well applied by Mr. Beymer, the sheriff. After having been re-committed to their prison, they were left on parole of honor, and their guards once more retired to their beds, free from care. Next morning, to the great gratification of all, it was found, notwithstand- ing their promise to the contrary, they were among the missing ; their hand-cuffs having been carefully laid away for the use of their successors.
Mr. M'Intire, the founder and patron of Zanesville, was indefatigable in his attention to the interests of the town ; no personal or pecuniary sacrifice being considered too great, in his anxiety to promote its prosperity.
The seat of government had been fixed temporarily at Chillicothe, but for several rea-
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sons, many members of the legislature were dissatisfied, and it was known that a change of location was desired by them. Muskingum possessed natural advantages favorable to agricultural and manufacturing purposes, which gave Zanesville a fair prospect of becoming an extensive town ; while its nearly central situation rendered it a desirable site for the state metropolis. It was believed, therefore, by many, that if once the legislature could be induced to fix the temporary seat here, it would not be removed, but made permanent. The citizens of the town and county were alive to the importance of obtaining the change, and a committee, consisting of John M'Intire and others, was appointed to visit Chillicothe during the session of the legislature, and make whatever pledge might be necessary on the part of the county, as well as to aid the Muskingum delegate in obtaining the passage of the desired law. At the session of 1808 and 1809, the Muskingum delegation received assurances from their friends in the legislature, that if the county, at its own expense, would furnish suitable buildings for the use of the legislature, a law would no doubt be passed for making Zanesville the place of meeting. Encouraged by the cheering prospect, the county commissioners determined to erect a brick building in front of the old court house, which would make a respectable state house, if the law of removal should be passed, and should they fail in that, it would make an excellent court house. The county was without funds, but a few public spirited individuals stepped forward and offered to loan the money, and the buildings were accordingly erected in the suinmer of 1809, but not finished.
In February, 1800, the desired law was passed, fixing the seat of government at Zanes- ville, until otherwise provided. The county then went on to finish the buildings in such a manner as would best accommodate the legislature. A smaller building was also erected for the secretary of state and the treasurer. This building was used as a jail after the removal of the legislature, and the destruction of the old jail, until a new jail was erected . in 1824, and afterwards, as offices for the clerk and county auditor. The county incurred a heavy debt in the erection of these buildings, and the county orders were long under par, but were ultimately redeemed. The legislature sat here during the sessions of '10,-'11 and '11-'12, when the present site of Columbus having been fixed upon for the permanent seat, the Chillicothe interest prevailed, and the temporary seat was once more fixed at that place, until suitable buildings could be erected at Columbus.
The project of removing the seat of government was agitated as early as 1807 or '8, and the anticipation entertained that Zanesville would be selected, gave increased activity to the progress of improvement. Much land was entered in the county, and many settlements made, although as late as 1813, land was entered within three miles of Zanesville. La 1809, parts of the town plat were covered with the natural growth of timber. It was feared by some, that re-action would succeed the defeat of the favorite project of making Zanesville the state capital ; but this was not so. The natural resources of the country, and the numerous local advantages, amply supplied the necessary objects of pursuit, and saved the country from the lethargy which frequently follows disappointed effort .*
The annexed sketch of Zanesville, giving its condition, resources and prospects, is communicated by a citizen.
ZANESVILLE has long been regarded as one of the principal towns in the state, and once bid fair to yield the palm only to Cincinnati. But the extensive internal improvements of the state have built up her rivals, while they have cut off, to some extent, her trade, and checked the rapidity of her growth. Zanesville, however, has ad- vantages and resources which, when fully developed, must again give her a prominent place among the cities of the state.
Zanesville is situated on the east bank, in a bend of the Musk- ingum river, about 80 miles above its mouth, by water, and 65 miles by land. The river seems once to have run nearly in a right line, from which, however, it has gradually diverged to the westward, forming a horse-shoe curve, and depositing, through successive cen- turies, an alluvion of gravel, sand, &c., of great depth, on which Zanesville now stands. In sweeping around this curve, through the
* The preceding historical sketch of Zanesville, is from a series of editorial articles in the Zanesville Gazette, of 1835.
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space of about 12 miles, the river falls 8 or 10 feet, and by the aid of a dam, a fall of between 16 and 17 feet is obtained, thus furnish- ing very extensive water power, which is used for hydraulic pur- poses. Near the toe of the shoe, Licking creek, or river, discharges her waters from the west, and while above the mouth of Licking, West Zanesville, containing some three hundred inhabitants, is lo- cated, South Zanesville, with nearly the same population, is situated immediately below. Further down the curve, and separated from South Zanesville by a bluff, is the beautiful village of Putnam, con- taining about 10 or 1200 inhabitants. A substantial and handsome bridge connects Zanesville with Putnam, while less than half a mile above, another similar bridge is thrown from Zanesville Main street, to a point in the stream, where the bridge forks, and one branch connects, on the route of the national or Cumberland road, with South Zanesville, while the other connects with West Zanesville, and the roads leading off in that direction. The "Cumberland road," constructed by the national government, and originally de- signed to run from the town of Cumberland, in Maryland, at the eastern foot of the Alleghany mountains, indefinitely westward, as the country becomes settled, crosses the Muskingum river, at Zanes- ville, bearing upon it a constant and immense travel; while the Muskingum, made navigable for steamboats, by dams, locks and short canals, opens a trade southward to the Ohio, and northward to the Ohio canal, near Dresden, which is 16 miles above, by water. The low level of the Ohio canal, between Licking and Portage sum- mits, passes within 2 miles of Dresden, and a navigable side-cut of 22 miles, connects the canal with the river, at that place, which is the head of steamboat navigation. The trade of Zanesville having, through the river and side-cut, reached the canal, is conveyed south- ward through the interior of the state, or northward to the lake, and thence through the New York canal, &c. : or leaving the Ohio canal, through the Sandy and Beaver, it may branch off towards Pitts- burgh and Philadelphia, before reaching Cleveland. The freight, however, designed for Pittsburgh and other points on the Ohio, and for the south, is usually shipped down the river upon steamboats, and on entering the Ohio, it may ascend or descend. One or more steamboats run regularly, during the business season, from Zanes- ville to Dresden, for the purpose of towing canal boats, carrying passengers, &c .; while others, of larger size, ply between Zanes- ville and Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, New Orleans, &c.
In addition to the hydraulic power furnished by the Muskingum and Licking, the hills which surround Zanesville abound in veins of bituminous coal, which lead to the free employment of steam power, and is almost exclusively used for fuel, except for cooking, and a good deal for that. But though Zanesville seems thus favored by nature with all the facilities for manufacturing, and art has con- structed avenues of communication in every direction favorable to the procurement of the raw material and the transmission of manu- factured goods, her citizens have not turned their attention hereto-
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fore, so much as they might have done, in that direction. Their former great advantages in the salt and wheat trade, seem, with other circumstances not necessary to specify, to have shaped their course differently ; but the silent workings of causes growing out of public improvements, have satisfied business men that Zanesville must be made a manufacturing-a producing place-or diminish in impor- tance ; and a company is now, with praiseworthy spirit and enter- prize, erecting a cotton mill, which, it is believed, will be the fore- runner of many others. Zanesville should be the Lowell of the west ; but this will never be brought about by old capitalists whose fortunes have been differently made, and whose thoughts have always run in other channels. A new population rising up and mingling with emigrants of skill and enterprize, may do it; but it must be in despite of such, as having amassed wealth, would play the part of the dog in the manger.
At present, there are in the above mentioned cluster of towns, 5 extensive flouring mills, 2 oil mills, 4 saw mills, 1 paper mill, on the most recent and approved plan of machinery, 5 iron founderies in active operation, and 2 others not doing business at present, 2 manufactories of yellow-ware, of beautiful finish, and much used for culinary purposes, 2 manufactories of glass, 2 of woollen goods, 2 machine shops, 1 last manufactory, with numerous other establish- ments of less note. There are 5 printing offices, 4 being in Zanes- ville, and 1 in Putnam. At these are published the Gazette, weekly ; the Courier, weekly and tri-weekly; the Aurora, weekly ; the West- ern Recorder, weekly ; and Lord's Counterfeit Detector, monthly.
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