USA > Ohio > Historical collections of Ohio in three volumes ; an encyclopedia of the state : with notes of a tour over it in 1886 contrasting the Ohio of 1846 with 1886-90, Vol. III > Part 23
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The business of Chillicothe is much scattered. The grain business alone is larger than the entire business of some other Ohio towns of more than half its population. On April 1, 1852, a great fire swept away a large part of the main business street, and a better class of structures succeeded.
The St. Paul's, the first Episcopal church (the first Episcopal west of the Alle- ghenies), is still standing in Chillicothe, on the east side of Walnut street, near Main. It was built of stone on a brick foundation, and cost $924. On Septem- ber 21, 1821, it was dedicated by Bishop Philander Chase, assisted by Rev. In- trepid Morse and Rev. Ezra B. Kellogg, the latter of whom became its first pastor.
In 1834, the church was sold to Archbishop Purcell, and used as a Catholic church until 1852; later by the priests as a residence. It was again sold in 1865 and is now occupied as a private residence.
In the War of 1819, Chillicothe was a rendezvous for United States troops. They were stationed at Camp Bull, a stockade one mile north of the town, on the west bank of the Scioto. A large number of British prisoners, amounting to several hundred, were at one time confined at the camp. On one occasion, a conspiracy
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was formed between the soldiers and their officers who were confined in jail. ' The plan was for the privates in camp to disarm their guard, proceed to the jail, release the officers, burn the town and escape to Canada. The conspiracy was disclosed by two senior British officers, upon which, as a measure of security, the officers were sent to the penitentiary in Frankfort, Ky.
Four Deserters were Shot at Camp at One Time .- The ceremony was impressive and horrible. The soldiers were all marched out under arms with music playing, to witness the death of their comrades, and arranged in one long extended line in front of the camp, facing the river. Close by the river bank at considerable distances apart, the deserters were placed, dressed in full uniform, with their coats buttoned up and caps drawn over their faces. They were confined to stakes in a kneeling position behind their coffins, painted black, which came up to their waists, exposing the upper part of their persons to the fire of their fellow-soldiers. Two sections of six men each were marched before each of the doomed. Signals were given by an officer instead of words of command, so that the unhappy men should not be apprised of the moment of their death. At a given signal, the first sections raised their muskets and poured the fatal volleys into the breasts of their comrades. Three of the four dropped dead in an instant ; but the fourth sprang np with great force and gave a scream of agony. The reserve section stationed before him were ordered to their places, and another volley completely riddled his bosom. Even then the thread of life seemed hard to sunder.
On another occasion, an execution took place at the same spot, under most melan- choly circumstances. It was that of a mere youth of nineteen, the son of a widow. In a frolic he had wandered several miles from camp, and was on his return when he stopped at an inn by the way-side. The landlord, a fiend in human shape, apprised of the re- ward of $50 offered for the apprehension of deserters, persuaded him to remain over night, with the offer of taking him into camp in the morning, at which he stated he had business. The youth, unsuspicious of any- thing wrong, accepted the offer made with so much apparent kindness, when lo! on his arrival the next day with the landlord he sur- rendered him as a deserter, swore falsely as to the facts, claimed and obtained the reward. The court-martial, ignorant of the circum- stances, condemned him to death, and it was not until he was no more, that his innocence was known.
The corpses of the deserters were placed in rough coffins made of poplar, and stained with lamp-black, and buried on the river margin. After a lapse of years the freshets, washing away the earth, exposed their re- mains, and they were subsequently re-interred in a mound in the vicinity.
In this war, the Scioto Valley at one time was largely depopulated of its able- bodied men, who on the opening of hostilities rushed to the defence of the northern frontier. The ladies as usual took part in their especial lines; so when Major Croghan, the youthful hero of Fort Stephenson, had made his gallant defence " under the influence of Divine Providence," as they wrote to him, August 13, 1813, they sent him a sword. On its receipt he handsomely responded. Thirty- seven ladies contributed in the patriotic purchase and signed their names to the letter of presentation. They are annexed for the gratification of their descendants:
Mary Finley, Rebecca M. Orr, Elizabeth Creighton, Eleanor Lamb, Nancy Waddle, Eliza Carlisle, Mary A. Southard, Ruhamah Irwin, Jane M. Evans, Mary Curtis, Nancy MeArthur, Naney Kerr, Sally MeLane, Cath- arine Fullerton, Ann Creighton, Ann M. Dund, Margaret Keys, Charlotte James, Esther Doolittle, Susan D. Wheaton, Deborah Ferree, Frances Brush, Elizabeth Martin, Jane Heylan, Lavinia Fulton, Mary Sterret, Susan Walke, Margaret MeLandburgh, Margaret MeFarland, Eleanor Buchanan, Eleanor Worthington, Catharine Hough, Judith Delano, Margaret Miller, Mary P. Brown, Jane McCoy, Martha Scott.
BIOGRAPHY.
EDWARD TIFFIN, the first governor of Ohio, was born in Carlisle, England, June 19, 1766. He received a good English education and began the study of medicine, which he continued on his emigration-at 18 years of age-to Berkeley county, Va. In 1789 he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. In the same year he married Mary, sister of Thomas Worthington, of Charleston,
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DR. EDWARD TIFFIN, OHIO'S FIRST GOVERNOR.
Nugent, Photo.
THE OLD CONSTITUTION TABLE.
The table on which the first Constitution of Ohio was signed, and it is still in use in the Court House at Chillicothe.
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W. Va. (afterward governor of Ohio). In 1790 Dr. Tiffin united with the Methodist church, was ordained deacon by Bishop Asbury, and all throughout his subsequent career continued to preach with much fervor and power.
In 1796 he manumitted his slaves, and, ac- companied by his brother-in-law and Robert Lucas (all three subsequently became gov- ernors of Ohio), removed to Chillicothe. Dr. Tiffin was of genial temperament, of high professional and general culture, and above all, of high moral purpose and charac- ter. It is small wonder that such a man be- came immensely popular. Gen. Washington, in a letter to Gov. St. Clair, speaks of "Dr. Tiffin's fairness of character in private and public life, together with knowledge of law, resulting from close application for a consid- erable time." In 1799 he was chosen to the Territorial Legislature and unanimously elected Speaker, which position he held until Ohio became a State.
In 1802 he was chosen president of the first Constitutional Convention, and his superior ability and acquirements so impressed his fellow-delegates that at its conclusion the convention made him its candidate for gov- ernor, to which office he was elected in Jan- uary, 1803, without opposition. Two years later he was re-elected, again without oppo- sition, and the office was tendered him a third time, but declined.
The new State of Ohio was fortunate in having as its first chief executive a man of such extraordinary and versatile talents and acquirements. The formative condition of affairs gave opportunity for the display of Gov. Tiffin's genius, and his able administra- tion was of inestimable value in developing and advancing the interests of the young Commonwealth. The most notable incident of his administration was the suppression of the Burr-Blennerhassett expedition. In his message of January 22, 1807, President Jef-
ferson highly compliments Gov. Tiffin for his prompt and efficient action in this affair.
At the close of his second term Gov. Tiffin was elected to the United States Senate, and performed valuable services for Ohio by se- curing appropriations for the improvement of the Ohio river, the mail service, and the survey of public lands.
In 1809 the death of his much-beloved wife was a serious blow to Senator Tiffin ; he resigned his seat in the Senate, and deter- mined to retire from public life ; but in the following year he was elected to the State legislature, and was made Speaker of the house, serving for several terms.
He married a second wife, Miss Mary Por- ter, of Delaware. Like his first wife, she was a woman of much beauty of person and character.
Upon Madison's election to the Presidency he appointed Senator Tiffin to organize the land office. When Washington was burned by the British, in 1814, Dr. Tiffin was so prompt and expeditious in removing the records of his office to a place of safety, that his was the only department whose books and papers were unharmed. Wishing to re- turn to Ohio, he, with the consent of the President and Senate, exchanged offices with Josiah Meigs, Surveyor-General of the West. Ile held this latter office until within a few months of his death, when he was removed by President Jackson. Dr. Tiffin died Au- gust 9, 1829; his widow survived him until 1837 ; three of their daughters were living in 1889. Their only son, who had studied his father's profession, was killed in a rail- road accident, while returning home from Paris, where he had been attending medical lectures.
Drawn by Henry Howe in 1846.
ADENA.
Two or three miles northwest of Chillicothe, on a beautiful elevation command- ing a magnificent view of the fertile valley of the Scioto and its bounding hills,
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is. Adena, the seat of the late Gov. Worthington. The mansion itself is of stone, is embosomed in shrubbery, and has attached a fine garden. It was erected in 1806, at which time it was the most elegant mansion in this part of the West, and crowds came to view it, in whose estimation the name of the place, "Adena," which signifies " Paradise," did not perhaps appear hyperbolical. The large panes of glass and the novelty of papered walls appeared especially to attract attention. Its architect was the elder Latrobe, of Washington city, from which place the workmen also were. Nearly all the manufactured articles used in its construction, as the nails, door-knobs, hinges, glass, cte., were from east of the mountains. The glass was made at the works of Albert Gallatin and Mr. Nicholson, at Geneva, Pa. The fire-place fronts were of Philadelphia marble, which cost $7 per hun- dred for transportation. The whole edifice probably cost double what it would have done if erected at the present day. It is now the residence of the widow of the late governor, of whom we annex a brief notice .- Old Edition.
THOMAS WORTHINGTON, one of the ear- liest and most distinguished pioneers of Ohio, was born in Jefferson county, Va., about the year 1769, and settled in Ross county in 1798. He brought from Virginia a large number of slaves, whom he emancipated, and some of their descendants yet remain in Chillicothe. A man of ardent temperament, of energy of mind and correct habits or life, he soon became distinguished both in business and in political stations. He wasa member of the con- vention of 1803, to form a State constitution, in which he was both able and active. Soon after that he became a senator in Congress from the new State, and was a participant in
the most important measures of the admin- istrations of Jefferson and Madison. At the close of his career in Congress, he was elected governor of the State, in which capacity he was the friend and aid of all the liberal and wise measures of policy which were the found- ation of the great prosperity of Ohio. After his retirement from the gubernatorial chair he was appointed a member of the first board of canal commissioners, in which capacity he served till his death. A large landholder, engaged in various and extensive business, and for thirty years in publie stations, no man in Ohio did more to form its character and promote its prosperity. He died in 1827.
The pioneer author of the Scioto valley, Col. JOHN MCDONALD, should be gratefully remembered. He was of Scotch (Highland) stock ; was born in North- umberland county, Pa., January 28, 1775. In the spring of 1792 he joined Gen. Massie's settlement at Manchester. He was a boatman, hunter, surveyor, Indian fighter, and, under Massie, took a prominent part in all the expeditions leading to the settlement of the Seioto valley. He was a colonel in the war of 1812, and held various civil offices. He died on his farm at Poplar Ridge, Ross county, September 11, 1853. He was a modest, valuable man. His little book, now out of print, " MeDonald's Sketches," details the woful experiences of the carly explorers of the valley with lifelike truthfulness and simplicity. The sketches of Worthington, Massie, and MeArthur, herein given, are abridged mainly from his " Sketches."
NATHANIEL MASSIE was born in Gooch- land county, Virginia, Dee. 28, 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 seventeen 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.
His Characteristics .- " Young Massie soon became an expert surveyor, and it was a mat- ter of astonishment (as he was raised in the dense population cast of the mountains) how soon he acquired the science and habits of the back woodsmen. Although he never prac- tised the art of hunting. he was admitted by all who knew his qualifications as a woods-
man, 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 hunger with more composure than the most of those persons who were in- ured to want on the frontier. He could live upon meat without bread, and bread without meat, and was perfectly cheerful and con- tented with his fare. In all the perilous sit- uations in which he was placed, he was always conspicnous for his good feeling and the happy temperament of his mind. His com- age was of a cool and dispassionate character, which, added to great ciremspection in times of danger, gave him a complete ascendancy over his companions, who were always willing to follow when Massie led the way."
Surveys Land .- He also soon became in-
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GEN. DUNCAN MCARTHUR, Governor of Ohio, 1830-1832.
THOMAS WORTHINGTON, Governor of Ohio, 1814-1818.
WILLIAM ALLEN, Governor of Ohio, 1874-1876.
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terested with Gen. James Wilkinson in spec- ulations in salt, then an article of great scare- ity in the West-with what peenniary sue- eess, however, is unknown. Ile was employed as a surveyor by Col. R. C. Anderson, prin- cipal 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 survey- ors. 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 en- countered 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."
Founds Manchester .- In 1791 Massie made the first settlement within the Virginia mili- tary district at Manchester. During the win- ter of '92-'93, he continued to locate and survey the best land within a reasonable dis- tance 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 un- dertaking ; yet no danger, unless very immi- nent, could deter him from making the at- tempt. For that purpose he employed about thirty men, of whom he chose three as as- sistant surveyors. These were John Beasley, Nathaniel Beasley, and Peter Lee. It was in this expedition Massie employed, for the first time, Duncan MeArthur as a chainman or marker."
Explores the Scioto Valley .- " In the month of October some canoes were pro- cured, and Massie and his party set off by water. They proceeded up the Ohio to the mouth of the Scioto, thenee up the Scioto to the mouth of Paint creek. While meander- ing 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 Seioto, 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 connties in the district were well explored and partly surveyed. Massic fin- ished his intended 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. Ile, 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- 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 observation, a correct knowledge of the geo- graphical situation of the country composing the Virginia military district."
Hardships .- " During the winter of 1794-5 Massie prepared a party to enter largely into the surveying business. Nathaniel Beasley, John Beasley, and Peter Lee were again em- ployed 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 Caesar's creek nearly to their heads. By the time the party had progressed 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 somp 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. Rest- ing-time arriving, Massie always gave the signal, and the whole party would then leave their comfortable fires, carrying with them their blankets, their firearms, and their little baggage, walking in perfect silence two or three hundred yards from their fires. They would then serape 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, reserv- ing the other half for covering. The cover- ing blankets were fastened together by skew- ers, to prevent them from shipping apart. Thus prepared, the whole party crouched down together with their rifles in their arms, and their pouches under their heads for pil- lows ! lying spoon-fashion, with three heads
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one way and four the other, their feet ex- tending 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 daylight, 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 reeonnoitre 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 invariable custom in every variety of weather. Self-preservation required this cireumspec- tion." Some time after this, while survey- ing 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 twenty-eight men, suffered extremely in a driving snow-storm for about four days. They were in a wilder- ness, exposed to this severe storm, without hut, tent, or covering, and what was still more appalling, without provision and with- out any road or even track to retreat on, and were nearly 100 miles from any place of shel- ter. On the third day of the storm, they luckily killed two wild turkeys, which were boiled and divided into twenty-eight parts, and devoured with great avidity, heads, feet, entrails and all.
Founds Chillicothe .- In 1796 Massie laid the foundation of the settlement of the Seioto 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 militia
of this region were first organized. Colonel Massie was an efficient member of the con- vention 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.
Elected Governor and Refuses the Office. -Gen. Massie was at this time one of the largest landholders in Ohio, and selected a residence at the falls of Paint creek, in this county, where he had a large body of excel- lent land. "In the year 1807 Gen. Massie and Col. 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 testimony, 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 com- petitor had a majority of votes. After the decision in his favor he immediately re- signed."
After this, he, as often as his leisure would permit, represented Ross county in the legis- lature. He died Nov. 3, 1813, and was buried on his farm. "His character was well suited for the settlement of a new coun- try, distinguished as it was by an uncommon degree of energy and activity in the business in which he was engaged. His disposition was ever marked with liberality and kind- ness.'
DUNCAN M'ARTHUR, who was of Scotch parentage, was born in Dutchess county, New York, in 1772, and when eight years of age, his father removed to the frontiers of Peunsylvania. His father was in indigent circumstances, and Duncan, when of sufficient age, hired out as a laborer. At the age of eighteen years, he was a volunteer in Harmar's campaign. In 1792, he was a private in the company of Capt. Wmn. Enoch, and acted with so much intrepidity in the battle of Captina, 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 pene- trated with him and others into the Scioto Valley to make surveys, at a tinie when sneh an enterprise was full of danger from the Indians. He was afterwards em- ployed as a spy against the Indians 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 Chillicothe. He, in the course of this business, became engaged in the purchase and sale of lands, by which he acquired great landed wealth.
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