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 73
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At the time of laying out the town plat, an old Indian of the Pottawatomie tribe, was encamped near, and told the writer that he had with his family spent forty winters there, and had expected there to leave his bones ; but, added he, the game will soon disappear after your chain has passed over the ground ; in a few days I shall take my leave, and, added he, while tears almost choked his utterance, I shall never return again to this place, and the haunts of the deer, the bear and the raccoon, will soon be broken up, and brick houses take the place of my wigwam !! This Indian had been a brave, said " he owned a farm on the river Raisin, in Michigan, which he bought from the government." He had a red haired French woman, of near his own age, a prisoner taken from Montreal in infancy, for his wife ; but every winter he returned to his native haunts.
Soon after the first settlement of Van Wert, a spring of clear pure well water was found, which had been carefully hidden years before by the Indians, with a piece of bark about 6 feet square. This bark had been peeled from a black walnut, flattened out, the earth scraped away from around the spring for about 16 inches in depth, the bark laid flat over all, and then the whole carefully covered with earth, so that no trace of the spring could be seen. After removing the bark, the spring again overflowed and resumed its old chan- nel to the creek.
Capt. James Riley was the first white man who settled in Van Wert county ; he moved his family into the forest, on the St. Mary's river, in January, 1821, and began clearing up a farm and the erection of mills. In 1822, he laid out a town on the west bank of the river, opposite his mills, and named it Willshire, in honor of his benefactor who redeemed him from African slavery. His sufferings during his shipwreck on the coast of Africa, and subsequent captivity among the Arabs, have been detailed in a volume by himself, with which the public are already familiar. In 1823, he was elected as a single representative to the state legislature, from the territory which now, comprises the counties of Preble, Mi- ami, Darke, Shelby, Mercer, Allen, Van Wert, Putnam, Paulding, Defiance, Williams, Henry, Wood and Lucas, fourteen counties, which now, with a largely increased ratio of votes, send eight representatives and four senators. During that session, which is justly pointed to as pre-eminent in usefulness, to that of any one previous or subsequent, he bore a conspicuous part, and assisted in maturing the four great measures of the session, viz : the act for improving the state by navigable canals; the revenue act, in which the first at- tempt to establish an ad valorem system of taxation, was made ; the act providing a sink- ing fund, and an act for the encouragement of common schools; the last named, and so much of the first as relates to the Miami canal, were originated by him, and called his measures.
Capt. Riley lived at Willshire 7 years, but his health and constitution had been de- stroyed by his sufferings in Africa, and in the spring of 1828, he was carried to Fort Wayne for medical aid ; after lingering on the verge of death for several months, he was taken on a bed to New York, and in 1830, had so far recovered as to resume his nautical life. In 1831, he made a voyage to Mogadore, to visit his benefactor, Mr. Willshire, es- tablished a trade there, and subsequently made nine voyages to that country, during one of which he sent his vessel home in charge of another, and travelled through Spain, to Mont- pelier in France, for the benefit of surgical aid. The winter of 1839-40, he spent at Mo- gadore and the city of Morocco, which latter town he visited in company with Mr. Willshire, and, in consequence of this visit, the Emperor granted him a license to trade with the peo- ple of his seaports, during life, upon highly favorable conditions, never before granted to any christian merchant. On the 10th of March, 1840, he left New York in his brig, the Wm. Tell, for St. Thomas, in the West Indies, died when three days out, and was con- signed to the ocean. The vessel returned to Mogadore for the cargo provided by him, and was wrecked and lost while at anchor in the harbor ; all on board, save one, perishing .*
Willshire, founded in 1822, by Capt. James Riley, is in the sw. corner of the county, on the St. Mary's river, and contains 1 church,
* The sketch of the county is from a correspondent.
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2 stores, 2 grist and 1 saw mill, and about 100 inhabitants. Section Ten is on the Miami Extension canal, and has a good canal water power, as well as being the best accessible point on the canal from the county towns of Van Wert, Putnam and Allen. It was laid out in 1845, by O. H. Bliss and B. F. Hollister, and has about 300 in- habitants.
WARREN.
WARREN Was formed from Hamilton, May 1st, 1803, and named from Gen. Joseph Warren, who fell at the battle of Bunker's Hill. The surface is level or undulating, and the soil very fertile, producing annually over a million of bushels of corn. Considerable water power is furnished by its streams. The principal crops are corn, oats and wheat. The following is a list of its townships in 1840, with their population.
Clear Creek, 2821 Hamilton, 1718 Union, ~1617
Deerfield, 1875
Salem,
2955 Washington, 1306
Franklin, 2455 Turtle Creek, 4951 Wayne, 3392 The population of Warren in 1820 was 17,838, in 1830, 21,474, in 1840, 23,073, or 57 inhabitants to the square mile.
In the latter part of September, 1795, about one month after the treaty of Greenville, Mr. Bedell from New Jersey, made the first settlement in the county. Previous to this, Mill Creek, eleven miles from Cincinnati, was the frontier settlement in the Miami valley. He erected a block house as a defence against Indians about a mile south of Union village, at a place since known as Bedell's station. Shortly after, a settlement was commenced at Deerfield by Gen. David Sutton, Capt. Nathan Kelly and others. In the course of two or three years many other settlements were made, principally by people from New Jersey.
Among the early settlers was Capt. Robert Benham. He lived in a double cabin about a mile below Lebanon, on what is now known as the Fearney farm, where he died a few years previous to the late war. He was one of a party of seventy men who were attacked by Indians near the Ohio, opposite Cincinnati, in the war of the revolution, the circumstances of which here follow from a published source.
In the autumn of 1779, a number of keel boats were ascending the Ohio under the command of Maj. Rodgers, and had advanced as far as the mouth of Licking without ac- cident. Here, however, they observed a few Indians, standing upon the southern extremity of a sandbar, while a canoe, rowed by three others, was in the act of putting off from the Kentucky shore, as if for the purpose of taking them aboard. Rodgers immediately or- dered the boats to be made fast on the Kentucky shore, while the crew, to the nuniber of seventy men, well armed, cautiously advanced in such a manner as to encircle the spo. where the enemy had been seen to land. Only five or six Indians had been seen, and nc one dreamed of encountering more than fifteen or twenty enemies. When Rodgers, how ever, had, as he supposed, completely surrounded the enemy, and was preparing to rush upon them', from several quarters at once, he was thunderstruck at beholding several hun-
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dred savages suddenly spring up in front, rear, and upon both flanks! They instantly poured in a close discharge of rifles, and then throwing down their guns, fell upon the sur- vivors with the tomahawk ! The panic was complete, and the slaughter prodigious. Maj Rodgers, together with forty-five others of his men, were quickly destroyed. The survivors made an effort to regain their boats, but the five men who had been left in charge of them, had immediately put off from shore in the hindmost boat, and the enemy had already gained possession of the others. Disappointed in the attempt, they turned furiously upon the enemy, and aided by the approach of darkness, forced their way through their lines, and with the loss of several severely wounded, at length affected their escape to Harrods- burgh.
Among the wounded was Captain Robert Benham. Shortly after breaking through the enemy's line he was shot through both hips, and the bones being shattered, he fell to the ground. Fortunately, a large tree had lately fallen near the spot where he lay, and with great pain, he dragged himself into the top, and lay concealed among the branches. The Indians eager in pursuit of the others, passed him without notice, and by midnight all was quiet. On the following day, the Indians returned to the battle-ground, in order to strip the dead and take care of the boats. Benham, although in danger of famishing, permitted them to pass without making known his condition, very correctly supposing that his crippled legs would only induce them to tomahawk him upon the spot in order to avoid the trouble of carrying him to their town. He lay close, therefore, until the evening of the second day, when perceiving a raccoon descending a tree, near him, he shot it, hoping to devise some means of reaching it, when he could kindle a fire and make a meal. Scarcely had his gun cracked, however, when he heard a human cry, apparently not more than fifty yards off. Supposing it to be an Indian, he hastily reloaded his gun, and remained silent, expecting the approach of an enemy. Presently the same voice was heard again, but much nearer. Still Benham made no reply, but cocked his gun and sat ready to fire as soon as an object appeared. A third halloo was quickly heard, followed by an exclamation of impatience and distress, which convinced Benham that the unknown must be a Kentuckian. As soon, therefore, as he heard the expression, " whoever you are-for God's sake answer me !" he replied with readiness, and the parties were soon together. Benham, as we have already observed, was shot through both legs ! the man who now appeared, had escaped from the same battle, with both arms broken ! Thus each was enabled to supply what the other wanted. Benham having the perfect use of his arms, could load his gun and kill game with great readiness, while his friend having the use of his legs, could kick the game to the spot where Benham sat, who was thus enabled to cook it. When no wood was near them, his companion would rake up brush with his feet, and gradually roll it within reach of Ben- ham's hands, who constantly fed his companion, and dressed his wounds, as well as his own-tearing up both of their shirts for that purpose. They found some difficulty in pro- curing water at first, but Benham at length took his own hat, and placing the rim between the teeth of his companion, directed him to wade into the Licking, up to his neck, and dip the hat into the water (by sinking his own head.) The man who could walk, was thus enabled to bring water, by means of his teeth, which Benham could afterwards dispose of as was necessary.
In a few days they had killed all the squirrels and birds within reach, and the man with the broken arms was sent out to drive game within gunshot of the spot to which Benham was confined. Fortunately, wild turkeys were abundant in those woods, and his compan- ion would walk around and drive them towards Benham, who seldom failed to kill two or three of each flock. In this manner they supported themselves for several weeks, until their wounds had healed, so as to enable them to travel. They then shifted their quarters, and put up a small shed at the mouth of Licking, where they encamped until late in No- vember, anxiously expecting the arrival of some boat, which should convey them to the falls of Ohio.
On the 27th of November, they observed a flat boat moving leisurely down the river. Benham hoisted his hat upon a stick and hallooed loudly for help. The crew, however, supposing them to be Indians-at least suspecting them of an intention to decoy them ashore, paid no attention to their signals of distress, but instantly put over to the opposite side of the river, and manning every oar, endeavored to pass them as rapidly as possible. Benham beheld them pass him with a sensation bordering on despair, for the place was much frequented by Indians, and the approach of winter threatened them with destruction, unless speedily relieved. At length, after the boat had passed him nearly half a mile, he saw a canoe put off from its stern, and cautiously approached the Kentucky shore, evidently reconnoitering them with great suspicion. He called loudly upon them for assistance, mentioned his name, and made known his condition. After a long parley, and many evi
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dences of reluctance on the part of the crew, the canoe at length touched the shore, and Benham and his friend were taken on board. Their appearance excited much suspicion. They were almost entirely naked, and their faces were garnished with six weeks' growth of beard. The one was barely able to hobble upon crutches, and the other could manage to feed himself with one of his hands. They were taken to Louisville, where their clothes (which had been carried off in the boat which deserted them) were restored to them, and after a few weeks confinement, both were perfectly restored.
Benham afterwards served in the northwest throughout the whole of the Indian war- accompanied the expeditions of Harmar and Wilkinson-shared in the disaster of St. Clair and afterwards in the triumph of Wayne.
LEBANONIHOUSE
Broadway, Lebanon.
Lebanon, the county seat, is 28 miles NE. of Cincinnati, 80 sw. of Columbus, and 22 s. of Dayton, in a beautiful and fertile coun- try. Turnpikes connect it with Cincinnati, Dayton, and Colum- bus. It is also connected with Middletown, 19 miles distant, by the Warren county canal, which, commencing here, unites there with the Miami canal.
This vicinity was first settled in the spring of 1796, by Henry Taylor, who built a mill one mile west, on Turtle Creek. Shortly after, Ichabod Corwin, John Osbourn, Jacob Vorhees, Samuel Shaw, Daniel Bonte, and a Mr. Manning, settled near him. Lebanon was laid out in the fall of 1803, by Ichabod Corwin, Ephraim Hathaway, and Silas Hurin. Then one house was on its site, a two story log dwelling, built in 1797, by Ichabod Corwin, which stood on Broad- way, opposite the present residence of Mr. Edwin A. Wilds. When the town was laid out, this was occupied as a tavern by Ephraim Hathaway, under the sign of a black horse, and continued a place of "entertainment" for travellers until about 1810. A store was also opened in this building in the summer of 1803, by John Huston, Justice as well as food and clothing, was for a time dispensed there, -- the act forming the county, making this the place for holding courts, which it continued to be for about three years, when the first court house, now used as a town hall, was built. Among the early settlers of Lebanon, are recollected the names of Wm. Ferguson, Daniel F. Reeder, John Adams, Joshua Hollingsworth, John Prill, Peter Yauger, Samuel M'Crea, David Corwin, Richard Cunningham, Wm. R. Goodwin, and Judge Joshua Collet, the first lawyer in the county. In 1806 the Western Star, then a Jeffersonian paper, and now continued, was established by Judge John M'Lean. Lebanon
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is the present residence of Hon. Thomas Corwin. In 1810 the town was incorporated.
The Little Miami railroad runs four miles east of Lebanon, to which it is contemplated to construct a branch. The Warren county canal is supplied by a reservoir of 30 or 40 acres N. of the town. Leba- non is regularly laid out in squares, and compactly built. It contains 1 Presbyterian, 1 Cumberland Presbyterian, 2 Baptist, 1 Episcopal Methodist, and 1 Prot. do. church, 2 printing offices, 9 dry goods and 6 grocery stores, I grist and 2 saw mills, 1 woollen manufactory, a classical academy for both sexes, and had in 1840, 1,327 inhab- itants.
The late Judge FRANCIS DUNLAVY, who died at Lebanon, in 1839, was born in Virginia, in 1761. When ten years of age his father's family removed to western Pennsylvania. At the early age of 14 years he served in a campaign against the Indians, and continued mostly in this service until the close of the revolution. He assisted in building Fort M'Intosh, about the year 1777, and was afterwards in the disastrous defeat of Crawford, from whence, with two others, he made his way alone through the woods without provisions, to Pitts- burgh. In '87 he removed to Kentucky, in '91 to Columbia, and in '97 to this neighborhood. By great perseverance he acquired a good education, mainly without instructors, and part of the time taught school and surveyed land until the year 1800. He was returned a member of the convention from Hamilton county which formed the state constitution. He was also a member of the first legislature in 1803, at the first organization of the judi- ciary was appointed presiding judge of the first circuit. This place he held 14 years, and though his circuit embraced 10 counties, he never missed a court, frequently swimming his horse over the Miamies rather than fail being present. On leaving the bench he practiced at the bar 15 years, and then retired to his books and study. He was a strong-minded philanthropic man, of great powers of memory, and a most useful member of society.
The Hon. Jeremiah Morrow resides in the southern part of the county. He was a member of the convention which formed the state constitution, a representative in congress at various times, a member the United States' senate from 1813 to 1319, and governor of Ohio from 1822 to 1826. His highness the Duke of Saxe Weimar, who was in this country in 1825, gives in his travels a pleasant de- scription of the then chief magistrate of the state.
The dwelling of the governor consists of a plain frame house, situated on a little eleva- tion not far from the shore of the Little Miami, and is entirely surrounded by fields. The business of the state calls him once a month to Columbus, the seat of government, and the remainder of his time he passes at his country seat, occupied with farming, a faithful copy of an ancient Cincinnatus ; he was engaged at our arrival in cutting a wagon pole, but he immediately stopped his work to give us a hearty welcome. He appeared to be about fifty years of age ; is not tall, but thin and strong, and has an expressive physiognomy, with dark and animated eyes. He is a native of Pennsylvania, and was one of the first settlers in the state of Ohio. He offered us a night's lodging at his house, which invitation we accepted very thankfully. When seated round the chimney fire in the evening, he related to us a great many of the dangers and difficulties the first settlers had to contend with ........ We spent our evening with the governor and his lady. Their children are settled, and they have with them only a couple of grandchildren. When we took our seats at supper, the governor made a prayer. There was a bible and several religious books lying on the table. After breakfasting with our hospitable host, we took our leave.
Union village, 4 miles w. of Lebanon, is a settlement of Shakers, or as they call themselves, "the United Society of Believers." They came here about the year 1805, and now number near 400 souls. The village extends about a mile on one street. The houses and shops are very large, many of them brick, and all in a high degree neat and substantial. They are noted for the cleanliness and strict
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propriety of conduct characteristic of the sect elsewhere, and take no part in politics or military affairs, keeping themselves completely aloof from the world, only so far as is necessary to dispose of their garden seeds and other products of agriculture and articles of me- chanical skill. They own here about 3000 acres of land, and hold all their property in common.
Shakers Dancing.
The community are divided into five families, each family having an eating-room and kitchen. A traveller thus describes their cere- monies at the table.
Two long tables were covered on each side of the room, behind the tables were benches, and in the midst of the room was a cupboard. At a signal given with a horn, the brothers entered the door to the right, and the sisters the one to the left, marching two and two to the table. The sisters in waiting, to the number of six, came at the same time from the kitchen, and ranged themselves in one file opposite the table of the sisters; after which, they all fell on their knees, making a silent prayer, then arose, took hold of the benches be- hind them, sat down and took their meal in the greatest silence. I was told this manner was observed at all their daily meals. They eat bread, butter and cakes, and drank tea. Each member found his cup filled before him-the serving sisters filling them when required. One of the sisters was standing at the cupboard to pour out the tea-the meal was very short, the whole society rose at once, the benches were put back, they fell again on their knees, rose again, and wheeling to the right, left the room with a quick step. I remarked among the females some very pretty faces, but they were all, without exception, of a pale and sickly hue. They were disfigured by their ugly costume, which consists of a white starched bonnet. The men likewise had bad complexions.
Franklin is 10 miles Nw. of Lebanon, on the Dayton and Cincin- nati turnpike, with the Miami canal running east of it, and the Miami river bounding it on the west. It was laid out in 1795, a few months after the treaty of Greenville, within Symmes' purchase, by its pro- prietors, two young men from New Jersey, Daniel C. Cooper and Wm. C. Schenck, father of the Hon. Robt. Schenck. The first cabin was built by them, on or near lot 21 Front street. In the spring of '96, six or eight cabins stood on the town plot. A church, common
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for all denominations, on the site of the Baptist church, was the first erected ; it was built about the year 1808.
View in Franklin.
The town is on a level plot, and regularly laid out. The view shows on the right the Methodist church, next to it, merchants' block, beyond the Baptist church, and on the extreme left, the spire of the Presbyterian church. Franklin contains 3 churches, a high school, 4 dry goods and 2 grocery stores, 2 forwarding and commission houses, and had in 1840, 770 inhabitants.
Waynesville is 9 miles NE. of Lebanon, on the Cincinnati and Columbus turnpike. This place was laid out in 1802, by Samuel Highway, for himself and others. This vicinity was first settled in 1796, by Mr. Highway, Dr. E. Baine and others. Its first settlers were Friends, who now comprise a large part of its population. About a quarter of a mile east of the village runs the Little Miami railroad. From near this road the town, which lies principally upon a side hill, shows to great advantage. Within a few years past, Waynesville has taken a start, and is now a thriving business town, containing 2 Friends' meeting-house, 1 Methodist church, 4 mercan- tile stores, 2 flouring and 2 saw mills, 1 woollen and 1 last factory, and had in 1840, 427 inhabitants, since which it has nearly doubled in population.
. About 6 miles east of Lebanon, on the Little Miami river, is a very extensive ancient fortification, called Fort Ancient. The extreme length of these works, in a direct line, is nearly a mile, although, fol- lowing their angles-retreating and salient-they reach probably a distance of six miles. The drawing and description annexed are from the article of Caleb Atwater, Esq., in the Archeologia Americana.
The fortification stands on a plain, nearly horizontal, about 236 feet above the level of the river, between two branches with very steep and deep banks. The openings in the walls are the gateways. The plain extends eastward along the state road, nearly level,
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about half a mile. The fortification on all sides, except on the east and west where the road runs, is surrounded with precipices nearly in the shape of the wall. The wall on the inside varies in its height, according to the shape of the ground on the outside, being genc- rally from eight to ten feet ; but on the plain, it is about nineteen and a half feet high inside and out, on a base of four and a half poles. In a few places it appears to be washed away in gutters, made by water collecting on the inside.
At about twenty poles east from the gate, through which the state road runs, are two mounds, about ten feet eight inches high, the road running between them nearly equi- distant from each. From these mounds are gutters running nearly north and south, that appear to be artificial, and made to communicate with the branches on each side. North- east from the mounds, on the plain, are two roads, B, each about one pole wide, elevated
m
B
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