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 64
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Near Adena, in a beautiful situation, is Fruit Hill, the seat of the late Gen. Duncan M'Arthur, and latterly the residence of his son-in- law, the Hon. Wm. Allen.
DUNCAN M'ARTHUR, who was of Scotch parentage, was born in Dutchess county, New York, in 1772, and when 8 years of age, his father removed to the frontiers of Pennsylvania. His father was in indigent circumstances, and Duncan, when of sufficient age, hired out as a laborer. At the age of 18 years, he was a volunteer in Harmar's campaign. In. 1792, he was a private in the company of Capt. Wm. Enoch, and acted with so much intrepidity in the battle of Captina, (see p. 56,) as to render him very popular with the frontier men. After this, he was for a while a laborer at some salt-works near Maysville, Ky., and in the spring of 1793, engaged as a chain-bearer to Gen. Nathaniel Massie, and penetrated with him and others into the Scioto valley to make surveys, at a time when such an enterprize was full of danger from the Indians. He was afterwards employed as a spy against the In- dians on the Ohio, and had some adventures with them, elsewhere detailed in this volume. He was again in the employment of Gen. Massie ; and after the treaty of Greenville, studied surveying, became an assistant surveyor to Gen. Massie, and aided him to lay out Chilli- cothe. He, in the course of this business, became engaged in the purchase and sale of lands, by which he acquired great landed wealth.
In 1805, he was a member of the legislature from Ross, in 1806, elected colonel, and in 1808, major-general of the state militia. In May, 1812, lie was commissioned colonel in the Ohio volunteers, afterwards marched to Detroit, and himself and regiment were included in Hull's surrender. He was second in command on this unfortunate expedition ; but such was the energy he displayed, that, notwithstanding, after his return as a prisoner of war on parole, the democratic party, in the fall of 1812, elected him to congress by an overwhelm- ing majority. In March, 1813, he was commissioned a brigadier-general in the army, and having been regularly exchanged as prisoner of war, soon after resigned his seat in congress to engage in active service.
About the time the enemy were preparing to attack Fort Stephenson, the frontiers were in great danger, and Harrison sent an express to M'Arthur to hurry on to the scene of action with all the force he could muster. Upon this, he ordered the second division to march in mass. " This march of the militia was named the ' general call.' As soon as Governor Meigs was advised of the call made by General M' Arthur, he went forward and assumed in person the command of the militia now under arms. General M'Arthur went forward to the scene of action, and the militia followed in thousands. So promptly were his orders obeyed, that in a few days the Sandusky plains were covered with nearly eight thousand men, mostly from Scioto valley. This rush of militia to defend the exposed fron- tier of our country, bore honorable testimony that the patriotism of the citizens of the Scioto valley did not consist of noisy professions, but of practical service in defence of their coun- try. This general turn-out of the militia proves that General Massie, and the few pioneers who followed him into the wilderness, and assisted him in making the first settlements in the fertile valley of the Scioto river, had infused their own daring and enterprizing spirit into the mass of the community. Among these eight thousand militia were found in the ranks, as private soldiers, judges, merchants, lawyers, preachers, doctors, mechanies, farm- ers, and laborers of every description ; all anxious to repulse the ruthless invaders of our soil. Indeed, the Scioto country was so stripped of its male population on this occasion, that the women, in their absence, were compelled to carry their grain to mill, or let their children suffer for want." These troops having arrived at Upper Sandusky, formed what was called the " grand camp of Ohio militia." Gen M'Arthur was detailed to the command of Fort Meigs. The victory of Perry, on the 10th of September, gave a fresh impetus to the army, and Harrison concentrated his troops at Portage river, where, on the 20th, the brigade of M'Arthur, from Fort Meigs, joined him. On the 27th, the army embarked in boats and crossed over to Malden, and a few days after, Gen. M'Arthur, with the greater part of the troops, was charged with the defence of Detroit.
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After the resignation of Harrison, in the spring of 1814, M' Arthur, being the senior briga dier general, the command of the N. W. army devolved on him. As the enemy had re tired discomfited from the upper end of Lake Erie, and most of the Indians were suing for peace, the greater part of the regular troops under his command were ordered to the Niagara frontier. M'Arthur had a number of small forts to garrison along the frontier, while he kept his main force at Detroit and Malden, to overawe the Canadians and the scattering Indians still in the British interest. The dull monotony of going from post to post was not the most agreeable service to his energetic mind. He projected an expedition into Canada, on which he was absent about a fortnight from Detroit, with 650 troops and 70 Indians. At or near Malcolm's mill, the detachment had an action with a force of about 500 Canadian militia, in which they defeated them with a loss of 27 killed and wounded, and made 111 prisoners ; while the American loss was only 1 killed and 6 wounded. In this excursion, the valuable mills of the enemy, in the vicinity of Grand river, were destroyed, and their resources in that quarter essentially impaired. After re- turning from this successful expedition, the war languished in the northwest. General M'Arthur continued in service, and was at Detroit when peace was declared.
In the fall of 1815, he was again elected to the legislature. In 1816, he was appointed commissioner to negotiate a treaty with the Indians at Springwell, near Detroit ; he acted in the same capacity at the treaty of Fort Meigs, in Sept., 1817, and also at the treaty at St. Mary's, in the succeeding year. In 1817, upon being elected to the legislature, he was a competitor with the late Charles Hammond, Esq., for the speaker's chair, and triumphed by a small majority. The next summer, the party strife on the United States' bank ques- tion, which had commenced the previous session, was violent. M'Arthur defended the right of that institution to place branches wherever it chose in the state, and on this issue was again a candidate for the legislature and was defeated. " A considerable ma- jority of members elected this year were opposed to the United States bank. 'Mr. Ham- mond was again elected a member of the assembly, and by his talents, and readiness in wielding his pen, together with his strong and confident manner of speaking, was able to dictate law to this assembly. A law was passed at this session of the legislature, taxing each branch of the United States' bank, located in the state of Ohio, fifty thousand dollars. When the time arrived for collecting this tax, the branch banks refused to pay. Mr. Ham- mond had provided in the law for a case of this kind : the collector was authorized, in case the bank refused to pay the tax, to employ armed force, and enter the banking house and seize on the money, and this was actually done ; the collector, with an armed force, entered the branch bank in the town of Chillicothe and took what money he thought proper.
" The bank brought suit in the United States' circuit court against all the state officers concerned in this forcible collection. Mr. Hammond, a distinguished lawyer, with other eminent counsel, were employed by the state of Ohio to defend this important cause. The district court decided the law of Ohio, levying the tax, unconstitutional, and, of course, null and void ; and made a decree, directing the state to refund to the bank the money thus forcibly taken. The cause was appealed to the supreme court of the United States. Mr. Hammond defended the suit in all its stages. The supreme court decided this cause against the state of Ohio. Thus was settled this knotty and vexatious question, which, for a time, threatened the peace of the Union."
In 1819, M'Arthur was again elected to the legislature. In 1822, he was again chosen to congress, and became an undeviating supporter of what was then called the American system. " While General M'Arthur remained a member of congress, he had considerable influence in that body. His persevering industry, his energetic mind, his sound judgment, and practical business habits, rendered him a very efficient member. He would sometimes make short, pithy remarks on the business before the house, but made no attempts at those flourishes of eloquence which tickle the fancy and please the ear. After having served two sessions in congress, he declined a re-election, being determined to devote all his efforts to arrange his domestic concerns. He left the field of politics to others, and engaged with an unremitted attention to settle his land business."
In 1830, M'Arthur was elected governor of Ohio by the anti-Jackson party, and on the expiration of his term of office was a candidate for congress, and lost his election, which terminated his political career. By an unfortunate accident, in June, 1830, M'Arthur was horribly bruised and maimed. From this severe misfortune his bodily and mental. powers constantly declined, until death, several years after, closed his career.
Duncan M'Arthur was a strong-minded, energetic man, and possessed an iron will. He was an hospitable man, close in business, and had many bitter and severe enemies. His life adds another to the many examples of the workings of our free institutions, of one rising from obscurity to the highest offices in the gift of a state.
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The preceding biography, with that which follows of Genera. Nathaniel Massie, is derived from M'Donald's sketches.
NATHANIEL MASSIE was born in Goochland county, Virginia, Dec. 28th, 1763. His father, a farmer in easy circumstances, and of plain good sense, educated his sons for the practical business of life. In 1780, Nathaniel, then being 17 years of age, was for a short time in the revolutionary army. After his return, he studied surveying, and in 1783 left to seek his fortunes in Kentucky. He first acted as a surveyor, but soon joined with it the locating of lands. " Young Massie soon became an expert surveyor, and it was a matter of astonishment (as he was raised in the dense population east of the mountains) how soon he acquired the science and habits of the backwoodsmen. Although he never practised the art of hunting, he was admitted by all who knew his qualifications as a woodsman, to be of the first order. He could steer his course truly in clear or cloudy weather, and compute distances more correctly than most of the old hunters. He could endure fatigue and hun- ger with more composure than the most of those persons who were inured to want on the frontier. He could live upon meat without bread, and bread without meat, and was per- fectly cheerful and contented with his fare. In all the perilous situations in which he was placed, he was always conspicuous for his good feeling and the happy temperament of his mind. His courage was of a cool and dispassionate character, which, added to great cir- cumspection in times of danger, gave him a complete ascendancy over his companions, who were always willing to follow when Massie led the way."
He also soon became interested with Gen. James Wilkinson in speculations in salt, then an article of great scarcity in the west-with what pecuniary success, however, is unknown. He was employed as a surveyor by Col. R. C. Anderson, principal surveyor of the Virginia military lands, and for a time was engaged in writing in the office of Col. Anderson, who had the control of the land warrants, placed in his hands by his brother officers and soldiers.
" A very large amount of these, so soon as the act of congress of August, 1790, removed all further obstruction, he placed in the hands of Massie, to enter and survey on such terms as he could obtain from the holders of them. As the risk of making entries was great, and as it was desirable to possess the best land, the owners of warrants, in most cases, made liberal contracts with the surveyors. One-fourth, one-third, and sometimes as much as one-half acquired by the entry of good lands, were given by the proprietors to the surveyors. If the owners preferred paying money, the usual terms were ten pounds, Virginia currency, for each thousand acres entered and surveyed, exclusive of chainmen's expenses. These terms cannot appear extravagant, when we consider that at that time the danger encoun- tered was great, the exposure during the winter severe, and that the price of first-rate land in the west was low, and an immense quantity in market.
" The locations of land warrants in the Virginia military district between the Scioto and the Little Miami, prior to 1790, were made by stealth. Every creek which was explored, every line that was run, was at the risk of life from the savage Indians, whose courage and perseverance was only equalled by the perseverance of the whites to push forward their settlements."
In 1791, Massie made the first settlement within the Virginia military district at Man- chester. (See p. 21.) During the winter of'92-'93, he continued to locate and survey the best land within a reasonable distance of the station of Manchester.
" In the fall of the year 1793, Massie determined to attempt a surveying tour on the Scioto river. This, at this time, was a very dangerous undertaking ; yet no danger, unless very imminent, could deter him from making the attempt. For that purpose, he employed about thirty men, of whom he chose three as assistant surveyors. These were John Beas- ley, Nathaniel Beasley, and Peter Lee. It was in this expedition Massie employed, for the first time, Duncan M'Arthur as a chainman or marker.
" In the month of October, some canoes were procured, and Massie and his party set off by water. They proceeded up the Ohio to the mouth of the Scioto, thence up the Scioto to the mouth of Paint creek. While meandering the Scioto, they made some surveys on the bottoms. After reaching the mouth of Paint creek, the surveyors went to work. Many surveys were made on the Scioto, as far up as Westfall. Some were made on Main, and others on the north fork of Paint creek, and the greatest parts of Ross and Pickaway counties in the district were well explored and partly surveyed. Massie finished his in- tended work without meeting with any disturbance from the Indians. But one Indian was seen during the excursion, and to him they gave a hard chase. He, however, escaped. The party returned home delighted with the rich country of the Scioto valley, which they had explored.
" During the winter of 1793-4, Massie, in the midst of the most appalling dangers, ex- 56
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plored the different branches to their sources, which run into the Little Miami river, and thence passed in a northeastern direction to the heads of Paint and Clear creeks, and the branches that form those streams. By these expeditions he had formed, from personal ob- servation, a correct knowledge of the geographical situation of the country composing the Virginia military district.
" During the winter of 1794-5, Massie prepared a party to enter largely into the survey- ing business. Nathaniel Beasley, John Beasley, and Peter Lee were again employed as the assistant surveyors. The party set off from Manchester, well equipped, to prosecute their business, or should occasion offer, give battle to the Indians. They took the route of Logan's trace, and proceeded to a place called the deserted camp, on Tod's fork of the Little Miami. At this point they commenced surveying, and surveyed large portions of land on Tod's fork, and up the Miami to the Chillicothe town, (now in Clark county,) thence up Massie's creek and Cæsar's creek nearly to their heads. By the time the party had pro- gressed thus far, winter had set in. The ground was covered with a sheet of snow from six to ten inches deep. During the tour, which continued upwards of thirty days, the party had no bread. For the first two weeks a pint of flour was distributed to each mess once a day, to mix with the soup in which meat had been boiled. When night came, four fires were made for cooking-that is, one for each mess. Around these fires, till sleeping time arrived, the company spent their time in the most social glee, singing songs and telling stories. When danger was not apparent or immediate, they were as merry a set of men as ever assembled. Resting time arriving, Massie always gave the signal, and the whole party would then leave their comfortable fires, carrying with them their blankets, their fire- arms, and their little baggage, walking in perfect silence two or three hundred yards from their fires. They would then scrape away the snow and huddle down together for the night. Each mess formed one bed ; they would spread down on the ground one half of the blankets, reserving the other half for covering. The covering blankets were fastened together by skewers, to prevent them from slipping apart. Thus prepared, the whole party crouched down together with their rifles in their arms, and their pouches under their heads for pillows ; lying spoon-fashion, with three heads one way and four the other, their feet extending to about the middle of their bodies. When one turned the whole mass turned, or else the close range would be broken and the cold let in. In this way they lay till broad day light, no noise and scarce a whisper being uttered during the night. When it was per- fectly light, Massie would call up two of the men in whom he had most confidence, and send them to reconnoiter and make a circuit around the fires, lest an ambuscade might be formed by the Indians to destroy the party as they returned to the fires. This was an in- variable custom in every variety of weather. Self-preservation required this circumspec- tion." Some time after this, while surveying on Cæsar's creek, his men attacked a party of Indians, and they broke and fled.
After the defeat of the Indians by Wayne, the surveyors were not interrupted by the Indians ; but on one of their excursions, still remembered as " the starving tour," the whole party, consisting of 28 men, suffered extremely in a driving snow-storm for about four days. They were in a wilderness, exposed to this severe storm, without hut, tent, or covering, and what was still more appalling, without provision and without any road or even track to retreat on, and were nearly 100 miles from any place of shelter. On the third day of the storm, they luckily killed two wild turkeys, which were boiled and divided into 28 parts, and devoured with great avidity, heads, feet, entrails and all.
In 1796, Massie laid the foundation of the settlement of the Scioto valley, by laying out on his own land the now large and beautiful town of Chillicothe. The progress of the settlements brought large quantities of his land into market.
Massie was high in the confidence of St. Clair ; and having received the appointment of colonel, it was through him that the inilitia of this region were first organized. Colonel Massie was an efficient member of the convention which formed the state constitution. He was afterwards elected senator from Ross, and at the first session of the state legisla- ture, was chosen speaker. He was elected the first major general of the second division of the Ohio militia under the new constitution.
Gen. Massie was at this time one of the largest landholders in Ohio, and selected a resi- dence at the falls of Paint creek, in this county, where he had a large body of excellent land. " In the year 1807, General Massie and Colonel Return J. Meigs were competitors for the office of governor of Ohio. They were the most popular men in the state. Col. Meigs received a small majority of votes. The election was contested by Massie on the ground that Col. Meigs was ineligible by the constitution, in consequence of his absence from the state, and had not since his return lived in the state a sufficient length of time to regain his citizenship. The contest was carried to the general assembly, who, after hearing the testi-
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mony, decided that ' Col. Meigs was ineligible to the office, and that Gen. Massie was duly elected governor of the state of Ohio.' Massie, however desirous he might have been to hold the office, was too magnanimous to accept it when his competitor had a majority of votes. After the decision in his favor he immediately resigned."
After this, he, as often as his leisure would permit, represented Ross county in the legis- lature. He died Nov. 3d, 1813, and was buried on his farm. "His character was well suited for the settlement of a new country ; distinguished as it was by an uncommon de- gree of energy and activity in the business in which he was engaged. His disposition was ever marked with liberality and kindness."
Cave of the Scioto Hermit.
About eleven miles south of Chillicothe, on the road to Portsmouth, is the cave of the hermit of the Scioto. When built, many years ago, it was in the wilderness, the road having since been laid out by it. It is a rude structure, formed by successive layers of stone, under a shelving rock, which serves as a back and roof. Over it is a monument, bearing the following inscription :
WILLIAM HEWIT, THE HERMIT, occupied this cave 14 years, while all was wilderness around him. He died in 1834, aged 70 years.
But little is known of the history of the hermit. He was, it is said, a Virginian, and married early in life into a family of respecta- bility. Returning one night from a journey, he had occular proof of the infidelity of his wife, killed her paramour, and instantly fled to
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the woods, never to return or associate with mankind .* He eventu- ally settled in the Scioto valley and built this cave, where he passed a solitary life, his rifle furnishing him with provisions and clothing, which consisted of skins of animals. As the country gradually filled up, he became an object of curiosity to the settlers. He was mild and inoffensive in his address, avoided companionship with those around, and if any allusion was made to his history, evaded the sub- ject. Occasionally he visited Chillicothe, to exchange the skins of his game for ammunition, when his singular appearance attracted observation. In person, he was large and muscular ; the whole of his dress, from his cap to his moccasons, was of deerskin ; his beard was long and unshaven, and his eye wild and piercing. In passing from place to place, he walked in the street to avoid encountering his fellow men. Many anecdotes are related of him.
He planted an orchard on government land, which afterwards became the property of a settler ; but so sensitive was he in regard to the rights of others, that he would not pluck any of the fruit with- out first asking liberty of the legal owner. While sitting concealed in the recesses of the forest, he once observed a teamster deliberately cut down and carry off some fine venison he had placed to dry on a limb of a tree before his cave. Hewit followed, got before him, and as he came up, suddenly sprang from behind some bushes beside the road, and presenting his rifle to his bosom, with a fierce and de- termined manner bade him instantly return and replace the venison. The man tremblingly obeyed, receiving the admonition, "never again to rob the hermit." A physician riding by, stopped to gratify the curiosity of his companions. He found the hermit ill, admin- istered medicine, visited him often gratuitously during his illness, and effected a cure. The hermit ever after evinced the warmest gratitude.
Bainbridge is on Paint creek and the Maysville and Chillicothe turnpike, 19 miles sw. from Chillicothe. It was laid out in 1805 by Nathaniel Massie, and will become the seat of justice for the pro- jected county of Massie, in case it is established. It is surrounded by a beautiful country, and contains 2 churches, a forge, 1 newspaper printing office, S stores, and about 80 dwellings. About a mile Nw. of the town is a small, natural tunnel, about 150 feet in length, through which courses a little sparkling rill. Frankfort, on the north fork of Paint creek, 11 miles Nw. of Chillicothe, and Kingston, 10 NE. of Chillicothe, are also large and important villages. Bourne- ville, 11 miles sw. of Chillicothe, on the above named turnpike, South Salem, 16 sw., Richmond, 13 SE., and Aldelphi, 17 NE., have each from 30 to 60 dwellings. There are other small villages in Ross, but none of much note. In the county, in the valley of the Scioto and Paint creek, ancient works and mounds are very numerous.
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