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 67
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There was, however, no time to be lost ; their safety depended on instant flight-and gathering up all their movables, put off to Limestone, now Maysville, as a place of greater safety, where the men in the pirogue left them, and as my informant said, never heard of them more.
Thos. M'Donald built the first cabin in the county, but we are ig- norant of its site or the date of its erection .* Early in the settle- ment of the country the village of Alexandria was founded at the mouth of the Scioto, on the west bank, opposite Portsmouth, which, at the formation of the county, was made "the temporary seat of justice and courts ordered to be held at the house of John Collins." Being situated upon low ground liable to inundations, the population of this place, once considerable, has now become so small that it does not exist as a town, though map-makers do not appear to have as yet learned the fact, and will not, perhaps, for years to come.
The " French Grant," a tract of 24,000 acres, is situated in the southeastern part of this county. "It was granted by Congress in March, 1795, to a number of French families who lost their lands at Gallipolis, by invalid titles. It extended from a point on the Ohio river 1} miles above, but opposite the mouth of Little Sandy creek in Kentucky, and extending eight miles in a direct line down the river, and from the two extremities of that line, reaching back at
* Col. John M'Donald, his brother, is our authority for this assertion.
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SENECA COUNTY.
right angles sufficiently far to include the quantity of land required, which somewhat exceeded four and a half miles." Twelve hun- dred acres additional were, in 1798, granted, adjoining it towards its lower end. Of this tract 4000 acres directly opposite Little Sandy creek were granted to Mons. J. G. Gervais, who laid out a town upon it which he called Burrsburg, which never had but a few in- habitants. Thirty years since there were but 8 or 10 French families residing on the French Grant, and we doubt if any are now left there.
Portsmouth, the county seat, is situated on the Ohio river just above the mouth of the Scioto, at the termination of the Ohio canal, 90 miles s. of Columbus, and 110 above Cincinnati by the river. It is a town of considerable business, and does a heavy trade with the iron works; three steamboats are continually plying between here and the iron region in the upper part of this and in Lawrence county, and two run regularly between here and Cincinnati. In the town is a well conducted free school, which has 9 teachers and 320 pupils. It is supported mainly by property bequeathed for this purpose, yielding about $2000 per annum. Portsmouth contains 1 Presbyte- rian, 1 Episcopal, 1 Methodist and 1 Catholic church, 2 printing of- fices, 1 rolling, 1 merchant and 1 oil mill, 1 carding machine, 1 forge, 2 founderies, 17 mercantile stores, and a population estimated at 2500. A company of eastern capitalists are constructing in the old channel of the Scioto, opposite Portsmouth, a commodious basin with dry docks attached for the building and repairing of steamboats.
In the vicinity of Portsmouth, on both sides of the Ohio, are some very extensive ancient works which have excited much curiosity.
Wheelersburg, 9 miles above Portsmouth, on the river, is a flour- ishing town with from 50 to 70 dwellings. Rockville, Lucasville, and Sciotoville, are small places.
SENECA.
SENECA was formed from old Indian territory, April 1st, 1820, or- ganized, April 1st, 1824, and named from the tribe who had a reser- vation within its limits. The surface is level, and the streams run in deep channels. The county is well watered, has considerable water power, and the soil is mostly a rich loam. It was settled principally from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New York, and by some few Germans. The principal farm products are wheat, corn, grass, oats, potatoes and pork. The following is a list of its townships in 1840, with their population.
Adams,
1250
Hopewell,
913
Reed,
1214
Big Spring,
926
Jackson,
596
Scipio,
1556
Bloom,
1168
Liberty,
1084
Seneca,
1393
Clinton,
2197
763 Thompson, 1411
Eden,
1472
London, Pleasant,
974
Venice,
1222
The population of Seneca in 1830, was 5157, and in 1840, 18,139, or 35 inhabitants to the square mile.
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SENECA COUNTY.
Fort Seneca, a military post built in the late war, was 9 miles N. of the site of Tiffin. It was a stockade with a ditch, and occupied several acres on a plain, on the bank of the Sandusky. Some vestiges of the work yet remain. It was only a few miles above Fort Stephen- son, and was occupied by Harrison's troops at the time of the attack on the latter. While here, and just prior to Perry's victory, Gen. Harrison narrowly escaped being murdered by an Indian, the par- ticulars of which we derive from his memoirs.
The friendly Indians of the Delaware, Shawanese and Seneca tribes had been invited to join him. A number had accepted the invitation, and had reached Seneca before the arri- val of the Kentucky troops. All the chiefs, and no doubt the greater part of the warriors were favorable to the American cause ; but before their departure from their towns, a wretch had insinuated himself among them, with the intention of assassinating the com- manding general. He belonged to the Shawanoese tribe, and bore the name of Blue Jacket ; but was not the celebrated Blue Jacket, who signed the treaty of Greenville with Gen. Wayne. He had formerly resided at the town of Wapakoneta ; he had, however, been absent for a considerable time, and had returned but a few days before the warriors of that town set out to join the American army. He informed the chiefs that he had been hunting on the Wabash, and at his request, he was suffered to join the party which were about to march to Seneca. Upon their arrival at M'Arthur's block-house, they halted and en- camped for the purpose of receiving provisions from the deputy Indian agent, Col. M'Pher- son, who resided there. Before their arrival at that place, Blue Jacket had communicated to a friend of his, (a Shawanese warrior,) his intention to kill the American general, and requested his assistance ; this his friend declined, and endeavored to dissuade him from at- tempting it, assuring him that it could not be done without the certain sacrifice of his own life, as he had been at the American camp, and knew that there was always a guard round the general's quarters, who were on duty day and night. Blue Jacket replied, that he was determined to execute his intention at any risk, " that he would kill the general if he was sure that his guards would cut him in pieces not bigger than his thumb nail."
No people on earth are more faithful in keeping secrets than the Indians, but each war- rior has a friend from whom he will conceal nothing ; luckily for Gen. Harrison, the friend of the confidant of Blue Jacket's was a young Delaware chief named Beaver, who was also bound to the general by the ties of friendship. He was the son of a Delaware war chief of the same name, who had with others been put to death by his own tribe, on the charge of practicing sorcery. Gen. Harrison had been upon terms of friendship with the father, and had patronized his orphan boy, at that time ten or twelve years of age. He had now arrived to manhood, and was considered among the most promising warriors of his tribe : to this young chief the friend of Blue Jacket revealed the fatal secret. The Beaver was placed by this communication in an embarrassing situation, for should he dis- close what he had heard, he betrayed his friend, than which nothing could be more repug- nant to the feelings and principles of an Indian warrior. Should he not disclose it, con- sequences equally or even more to be deprecated were likely to ensue. The assassination of a friend, the friend of his father, whose life he was bound to defend, or whose death to revenge by the same principle of fidelity and honor which forbid the disclosure.
While he was yet hesitating, Blue Jacket came up to the Delaware camp, somewhat in- toxicated, vociferating vengeance upon Col. M'Pherson, who had just turned him out of his house, and whom he declared he would put to death for the insult he had received. The sight of the traitor aroused the indignation and resentment of the Beaver to the highest pitch. He seized his tomahawk, and advancing toward the culprit, " You must be a great warrior," said he, " you will not only kill this white man for serving you as you deserve, but you will also murder our father, the American chief, and bring disgrace and mischief upon us all ; but you shall do neither, I will serve you as I would a mad dog." A furious blow from the tomahawk of the Beaver stretched the unfortunate Blue Jacket at his feet, and a second terminated his existence ; " There," said he to some Shawanoese who were present, " take him to the camp of his tribe, and tell them who has done the deed."
The Shawanoese were far from resenting it ; they applauded the conduct of the Beaver, and rejoiced at their happy escape from the ignominy which the accomplishment of Blue Jacket's design would have brought upon them. At the great treaty which was held at Greenville in 1815, Gen. Cass, one of the commissioners, related the whole of the transac- tior to the assembled chiefs, and after thanking the Beaver, in the name of the United States, for having saved the life of their general, he caused a handsome present to be made
459
SENECA COUNTY.
him out of the goods which he had sent for the purpose of the treaty. It is impossible to say what was the motive of Blue Jacket to attempt the life of Gen. Harrison : he was not one of the Tippecanoe Shawanoese, and therefore could have no personal resentment against the general. There is little doubt that he came from Malden when he arrived at Wapakoneta, and that he came for the express purpose of attempting the life of the gen- eral ; but whether he was instigated to it by any other person or persons, or had conceived the idea himself, has never been ascertained. Upon the arrival of the chiefs at Seneca, the principal war chief of the Shawanese requested permission to sleep at the door of the general's marquee, and this he did every night until the embarkation of the troops. This man, who had fought with great bravery on our side in the several sorties from Fort Meigs, was called Capt. Tommy; he was a great favorite of the officers, particularly the general and Commodore Perry, the latter of whom was accustomed to call him the general's Ma- maluke.
The Senecas of Sandusky-so called-owned and occupied forty thousand acres of choice land, on the east side of Sandusky river, being mostly in this and partly in Sandusky county. Thirty thou- sand acres of this land was granted to them on the 29th of Sep- tember, 1817, at the treaty held at the foot of Maumee Rapids, Hon. Lewis Cass and Hon. Duncan M'Arthur, being the commissioners of the United States. The remaining 10,000 acres, lying south of the other, was granted by the treaty at St. Mary's, concluded by the same commissioners on the 17th of September, in the following year. By the treaty concluded at Washington city, February 28th, 1831, James B. Gardiner being the commissioner of the general government, these Indians ceded their lands to the United States, and agreed to remove southwest of Missouri, on the Neosho river.
At this time, their principal chiefs were Coonstick, Small Cloud Spicer, Seneca Steel, Hard Hickory, Tall Chief and Good Hunter, the last two of whom were their principal orators. The old chief Good Hunter told Mr. Henry C. Brish, their sub-agent, that this band, which numbered about 400 souls, were in fact the remnant of Logan's tribe, (see p. 409,) and says Mr. Brish in a communication to us : "I cannot to this day surmi. why they were called Senecas. I never found a Seneca among them. They were Cayugas,-who were Mingoes,-among whom were a few Oneidas, Mohawks, Onon- dagoes, Tuscarawas and Wyandots."
From Mr. Brish, we have received an interesting narrative of the execution for witchcraft of one these Indians, named Seneca John, who was one of the best men of his tribe.
About the year 1825, Coonstick, Steel and Crack'd Hoof, left the reservation for the double purpose of a three years hunting and trapping excursion, and to seek a location for a new home for the tribe in the far west.
At the time of their starting, Comstock, the brother of the two first, was the principal chief of the tribe. On their return in 1828, richly laden with furs and horses, they found Seneca John, their fourth brother, chief, in place of Comstock, who had died during their absence.
Comstock was the favorite brother of the two, and they at once charged Seneca John with producing his death by witchcraft. John denied the charge in a strain of eloquence rarely equalled. Said he, " I loved my brother Comstock more than I love the green earth I stand upon. I would give up myself, limb by limb, piecemeal by piecemeal,-I would shed my blood, drop by drop, to restore him to life." But all his protestation of innocence and af- fection for his brother Comstock, were of no avail. His two other brothers pronounced him guilty, and declared their determination to be his executioners.
John replied that he was willing to die, and only wished to live until the next morning, " to see the sun rise once more." This request being granted, John told them that he
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460
SENECA COUNTY.
should sleep that night on Hard Hickory's porch, which fronted the east, where they would find him at sunrise. He chose that place because he did not wish to be killed in the pres- ence of his wife, and desired that the chief, Hard Hickory, should witness that he died like a brave man.
Coonstick and Steel retired for the night to an old cabin near by. In the morning, in company with Shane, another Indian, they proceeded to the house of Hard Hickory, who was my informant of what there happened.
He said, a little after sunrise he heard their footsteps upon the porch, and opened the door just enough to peep out. He saw John asleep upon his blanket, and they standing around him. At length one of them awoke him. He arose upon his feet and took off a large handkerchief which was around his head, letting his unusually long hair fall upon his shoulders. This being done, he looked around upon the landscape, and at the rising sun, to take a farewell look of a scene that he was never again to behold, and then told them he was ready to die.
Shane and Coonstick each took him by the arm, and Steel walked behind. In this way they led him about ten steps from the porch, when Steel struck him with a tomahawk on the back of his head, and he fell to the ground, bleeding freely. Supposing this blow suffi- cient to kill him, they dragged him under a peach tree near by. In a short time, however, he revived ; the blow having been broken by his great mass of hair. Knowing that it was Steel who struck the blow, John, as he lay, turned his head towards Coonstick and said, " now brother, do you take your revenge." This so operated upon the feelings of Coonstick, that he interposed to save him ; but it enraged Steel to such a degree, that he drew his knife and cut John's throat from ear to ear, and the next day he was buried with the usual Indian ceremonies, not more than twenty feet from where he fell. Steel was arrested and tried for the murder in Sandusky county, and acquitted.
The grave of Seneca John was surrounded by a small picket enclosure. Three years after, when I was preparing to move them to the far west, I saw Coonstick and Steel re- move the picket-fence and level the ground, so that no vestige of the grave remained.
A writer in the Sidney Aurora, a few years since, gave a narra- tion of some of the religious rites of this tribe, just prior to their de- parture for their new homes. We extract his description of their sacrificing two dogs to the Great Spirit.
We rose early and proceeded directly to the council house, and though we supposed we were early, the Indians were already in advance of us.
The first object which arrested our attention, was a pair of the canine species, one of each gender suspended on a cross ! one on either side thereof. These animals had been recently strangled-not a bone was broken, nor could a distorted hair be seen !. They were of beautiful cream color, except a few dark spots on one, naturally, which same spots were put on the other, artificially, by the devotees. The Indians are very partial in the selection of dogs entirely white, for this occasion ; and for which they will give almost any price.
Now for part of the decorations to which I have already alluded, and a description of one will suffice for both.
First-A scarlet ribbon was tastefully tied just above the nose ; and near the eyes an- other ; next round the neck was a white ribbon, to which was attached some bulbous, concealed in another white ribbon; this was placed directly under the right ear, and I suppose it was intended as an amulet, or charm. Then ribbons were bound round the forelegs, at the knees, and near the feet-these were red and white alternately. Round the body was a profuse decoration -- then the hind legs were decorated as the fore ones. Thus were the victims prepared and thus ornamented for the burnt offering.
While minutely making this examination, I was almost unconscious of the collection of a large number of Indians who were there assembled to offer their sacrifices.
Adjacent to the cross, was a large fire built on a few logs; and though the snow was several inches deep, they liad prepared a sufficient quantity of combustible material, re- moved the snow from the logs, and placed thereon their fire. I have often regretted that I did not see them light this pile. My own opinion is, they did not use the fire from their council-house ; because I think they would have considered that as common, and as this was intended to be a holy service, they, no doubt, for this purpose struck fire from a flint, this being deemed sacred .*
* The Indians, we are informed, on these occasions, kindle their fire by the friction of two dry sticks .- H. H.
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461
SENECA COUNTY.
It was a clear, beautiful morning, and just as the first rays of the sun were seen in the tops of the towering forest, and its reflections from the snowy surface, the Indians simulta- neously formed a semicircle enclosing the cross, each flank resting on the aforesaid pile of logs.
Good Hunter, who officiated as High Priest, now appeared, and approached the cross ; arrayed in his pontifical robes, he looked quite respectable.
The Indians being all assembled -- I say Indians, for there was not a squaw present du- ring all this ceremony-at a private signal given by the High Priest, two young chiefs sprang upon the cross, and each taking off one of the victims, brought it down and pre- sented it on his arms to the High Priest, who receiving it with great reverence, in like man- ner advanced to the fire, and with a very grave and solemn air, laid it thereon-and this he did with the other-but to which, whether male or female, he gave the preference, I did mot learn. This done, he retired to the cross.
In a devout manner, he now commenced an oration. The tone of his voice was audible and somewhat chanting. At every pause in his discourse, he took from a white cloth he held in his left hand, a portion of dried, odoriferous herbs, which he threw on the fire ; this was intended as incense. In the meanwhile his auditory, their eyes on the ground, with grave aspect, and in solemn silence, stood motionless, listening attentively to every word he uttered.
Thus he proceeded until the victims were entirely consumed, and the incense exhausted, when he concluded his service ; the oblation now made, and the wrath of the Great Spirit, as they believed, appeased, they again assembled in the council-house, for the purpose of performing a part in their festival, different from any I yet had witnessed. Each Indian as he entered, seated himself on the floor, thus forming a large circle ; when one of the old chiefs rose, and with that native dignity which some Indians possess in a great degree, recounted his exploits as a warrior ; told in how many fights he had been the victor; the number of scalps he had taken from his enemies ; and what, at the head of his braves, he yet intended to do at the " Rocky Mountains ;" accompanying his narration with energy, warmth, and strong gesticulation ; when he ended, he received the unanimous applause of the assembled tribe.
This meed of praise was awarded to the chief by "three times three," articulations, which were properly neither nasal, oral, nor guttural, but rather abdominal. Thus many others in the circle, old and young, rose in order, and proforma, delivered themselves of a speech. Among those was Good Hunter ; but he
" Had laid his robes away His mitre and his vest."
His remarks were not filled with such bombast as some others ; but brief, modest, and ap- propriate ; in fine, they were such as became a priest of one of the lost ten tribes of Israel.
After all had spoken who wished to speak, the floor was cleared, and the dance renewed, in which Indian and squaw united, with their wonted hilarity and zeal.
Just as this dance ended, an Indian boy ran to me, and with fear strongly depicted in his countenance, caught me by the arm, and drew me to the door, pointing with his other hand towards something he wished me to observe.
I looked in that direction, and saw the appearance of an Indian running at full speed to the council-house ; in an instant he was in the house, and literally in the fire, which he took in his hands, and threw fire, coals and hot ashes in various directions, through the house, and apparently all over himself! At his entrance, the young Indians, much alarmed, had all fled to the further end of the house, where they remained crowded, in great dread of this personification of the Evil Spirit! After diverting himself with the fire a few mo- ments, at the expense of the young ones, to their no small joy he disappeared. This was an Indian disguised with a hideous false face, having horns on his head, and his hands and feet protected from the effects of the fire. And though not a professed " Fire King," he cer- tainly performed his part to admiration.
During the continuance of this festival, the hospitality of the Senecas was unbounded. In the council-house, and at the residence of Tall Chief, were a number of large fat bucks, and fat hogs hanging up, and neatly dressed. Bread also, of both corn and wheat, in great abundance.
Large kettles of soup ready prepared, in which maple sugar, profusely added, made a prominent ingredient, thus forming a very agreeable saccharine coalescence. All were invi- ted, and all were made welcome ; indeed, a refusal to partake of their bounty, was deemed ' disrespectful, if not unfriendly.
I left them in the afternoon enjoying themselves to the fullest extent ; and so far as I cound perceive, their pleasure was without alloy. They were eating and drinking ; but on
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462
SENECA COUNTY.
this occasion, no ardent spirits were permitted-dancing and rejoicing-caring, and, pro bably, thinking not of to-morrow.
View in Tiffin.
Tiffin, the county seat, is a compactly built village, on a level site, on the line of the railroad connecting Cincinnati with Sandusky City, and on the east bank of Sandusky river. It is 86 miles N. of Colum- bus and 34 from Sandusky City. It was laid out about the year 1821, by Josiah Hedges, and named from the Hon. Edward Tiffin, of Ross, president of the convention which formed the constitution of Ohio, and the first governor of the state of Ohio in 1803. The town is gradually increasing with the growth of the county. The view was taken in the principal street, and shows on the left the court house, and in the distance the spire of a Catholic church. It con- tains ? Lutheran, 2 Catholic, 1 Episcopal, 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Reformed Methodist and 1 German Reformed church, 5 grocery and 9 dry goods stores, 1 foundery, 2 newspaper printing offices, and had in 1840, 728 inhabitants : it now contains with the suburbs, about 1200.
Opposite Tiffin, on the west bank of the Sandusky, is the small village of Fort Ball, so named from a fort erected there in the late war, and probably so called from Lieut. Col. James V. Ball, the com- mander of a squadron of cavalry under Harrison, while at Fort Seneca in this county. The fort was a small stockade with a ditch, occupying perhaps one-third of an acre. It stood on the bank of the river, about fifty rods south of the present bridge, and was used principally as a military depot. Vestiges of this work yet remain.
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