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 24
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In 1805 he was a member of the Legisla- ture from Ross ; in 1806 elected colonel, and
in 1808, major-general of the State militia. In May, 1812, he was commissioned colonel
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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 overwhelming majority. In March, 1813, he was commissioned a brigadier-general in the army, and having been regularly ex- changed as prisoner of war, soon after re- signed his seat in Congress to engage in active service.
Military Services .- About the time the enemy were preparing to attack Fort Stephen- son, the frontiers were in great danger, and Harrison sent an express to M'Arthur to hurry ou 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 frontier of our country, bore honorable testimony that the patriotism of the Scioto valley did not consist of noisy professions, but of practical service in defence of their country. This general turn-out of the militia proves that General Massie, and the few pioneers who fol- lowed 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 enterprising 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, mechanics, farmers 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 occa- sion, 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 con- centrated 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.
After the resignation of Harrison, in the spring of 1814, M'Arthur, being the senior brigadier-general, the command of the N. W.
army devolved on him. As the enemy had retired discomfited from the upper end of Lake Erie, and most of the Indians were suing for peace, the greater part of the reg- ular 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 Cana- dians 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 the force of about 500 Cana- dian militia, in which they defeated them with a loss of 27 killed and wounded, and made 111 prisoners ; while the American loss was only I 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 returning from this suc- cessful expedition, the war languished in the northwest. General M'Arthur continued in service and was at Detroit when peece was declared.
The U. S. Bank Contest .- 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 Spring- well, near Detroit; he acted in the same capacity at the treaty of Fort Meigs, in Sep- tember, 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 ses- sion, 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 majority of members elected this year were opposed to the United States bank. Mr. Hanmond was again elected a member of the assembly, and by his talents and readiness in wielding his pen, together with his strong and confi- dent 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 ease the bank refused to pay the tax, to em- ploy armed force and enter the banking house and seize on the money, and this was retually done ; the collector, with an armed force, entered the branch bank in the town of Chillicothe and took what money he thought proper.
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"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, was 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."
Political Honor .- 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 is called the American system. "While General M' Ar- thur 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. Hle 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 de- termined to devote all his efforts to arrange his domestic concerns. He left the field of politics to others, and engaged with an un- remitted attention to settle his land busi- ness." In 1830, M'Arthur was elected gov- ernor 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 hospitable, close in business, and had inany bitter and severe enemies.
TRAVELLING NOTES.
Upland Cemetery, at Chillicothe, is an especially interesting spot, both historic- ally and pictorially. In it lie the remains of four governors of the State : Ed- ward Tiffin, the first governor, 1803-1807; Thomas Worthington, 1814-1818 ; Duncan McArthur, 1830-1832, and William Allen, 1874-1876. The cemetery contains abont 100 acres of woodland, partly old forest trees ; largely intermin- gled are evergreens, as Irish juniper, Norway spruce, white and Varia pine
life. He fell at Stone river, December 31, 1862, universally lamented.
The cemetery is about a mile south of the city, on the western hills. There, on the most northerly point, at an elevation of 170 feet, overlooking the beautiful city which he founded, is the monument and tomb of Nathaniel Massie. The view is singularly beautiful and commanding, embracing the city, the windings of the Scioto, with Mount Logan in the distance. The shaft of the monument is of Scotch granite, about th rty feet high, and on its face is this inscription :
GEY NATHANIEL VARSLE,
CHILLICOTHE.
Born in
GOOCHLAND COUNTY, VIRGINIA,
Dec. 28, 1763 ;
Died, Nov. 3, 1813.
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Drawn by Henry Howe in 1846.
AWE FIRST OHIO STATE-HOUSE.
ps, at bush ju
Among the interes nont is that in memory of tien. Joshua W. Sill, a very promising sube alicer one of the earliest of the cities of the war.
THE COUNTY BUILDINGS, CHILLICOTHE.
These occupy the site of the old State-House.
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ROSS COUNTY.
.
Mr. Massie was originally buried on his farm. In June, 1870, the remains, with those of his wife, were removed here. Near the Massie monument is the Soldiers' monument, an imposing structure. It is of marble, about twenty-five feet high ; consists of two cubes on a pedestal ; on them are bronze tablets, with inscriptions, and figures in basso-rilievo. The whole is surmounted by the figure of a soldier in bronze, at rest, in graceful attitude, leaning on his musket.
The Old State Capitol, shown in the en- graving, was destroyed in 1852. The old building stood on the site of the present court-house, exactly where is now the court- room of the latter. The small building on the right was used by the treasurer and au- ditor. The building partly shown in the rear was the stone jail. The church in the rear is yet standing. In the year I made the sketch, March 6, 1846, a noted burglar and murderer, Henry Thomas. was hanged on a gallows erected before the front door. It was the second criminal execution in the county since its organization. Hle was hanged for the murder of Fred. Edwards, storekeeper at Bonneville. Thomas sold his body to Dr. Hull, of that place, who preserved the skele- ton.
The Ohio Eagle. - The Chillicothe Library has about 9.000 volumes. I went in to see the "Ohio Eagle," the identical eagle that for nearly half a century had stood perched on the summit of the cupola of the Old State House and glinted in the first rays of the morning sun as it came up from behind Mount Logan. It had been placed there as a relie. It was made of four pieces of sheet- brass, rivited, two feet and six inches high, two feet broad, and black as a stove-its gilt long sinee gone. It never was much of au eagle, but served for the beginning of Ohio, and should be duly honored.
The Old Librarian .- About as great a. enriosity as the eagle was the librarian hin- self, Mr. Henry Watterson, who was within two years as oll as that bird. He thus gave me his record, extraordinary for the genus homo: Was born in Albany, N. Y., March 25, 1804 ; therefore, then 82 years old. 'Came to Chillicothe in 1841 ; is an omnivorous reader, but reads no fiction except Scott's novels ; walks six miles daily; height, 5 feet, 92 inches ; chest measurement, 32 inches ; weight, one hundred and four pounds ; had one leg broken ; one arm broken onee and another broken three times, and the last time it was broken it was broken in three places ; had six attacks of fever-in one of them was so far gone that his mother made his shroud ; recovering. she changed it into a shirt; it went on duty as a shirt until it was worn out as a shirt. To have eighty-two years of his- tory thus personified, and so much broken, too, and once so near dead, withal, and yet nimbly mount a step-ladder and bring down from a top shelf some of the gathered wisdom of the ages for one's edification, was a marvel indeed.
The Old. Constitution Table .- In the re- corder's office stands the table on which was signed the old constitution of Ohio, adopted
November 29, 1802 ; and that table has been in constant use from that day to this. It stands on its old legs, save one. The top is of black walnut and the legs cherry; its height, 2 feet 4 inches ; its form, oval, 6 feet long and 3 feet 8 inches wide. On this table once stood Hon. Thomas Scott and made a speech to his fellow-citizens, congratulating them on the adoption of the constitution. He had been secretary of the convention. In 1846 he was one of its five surviving mem- bers, two of whom were Joseph Darlington and Israel Donalson of Adams county ; the other two names not recollected by me, if then known. It was from the manuscript of Judge Scott that I obtained the items re- specting the first settlement of the county.
Chillicothe has changed but little since that olden time of 1846. The best residences are scattered. The houses, with rare exceptions, are the old-style square houses, sometimes called "box-houses." They are largely of brick, with large rooms, some two and a few only one-story high, with ample yards and gardens. No fanciful architecture, with os- tentatious, sky-climbing towers, no pepper- box-shaped pinnaeles greet the eye. Money was largely put inside for comfort and conve- nience and having " a good time generally all around," and the old-style people got it.
The town was great in character, having had so many strong first-class men as its leading citizens. It was the admiration of strangers in its halcyon days, and among these was Daniel Webster. He went into the country and I believe ascended Mount Logan, and had an eye-feast as he looked over the valleys of the Scioto and Paint creek. The beauty and fertility, the immense fields of corn and wheat, the fat Inscious cattle and the vast domains of single owners, filled him with the sense of agricultural magnificence new in his experience. Ever after, when any Scioto valley people called upon him, he was strong in his praises, which made them feel good, though on one or two occasions this was marred by his blunder, when allnding to the beauty of Paint creek, by his calling it Pain creek.
A most useful and valued acquaintance made in my first sojourn in the "Ancient Me- tropolis " in 1846, was Seneca W. Ely, prob- ably the oldest editor and printer now in the harness in Ohio. He had then been editor and principal proprietor of the Scioto Gazette -a leading Whig journal, founded in 1800, and still in existence-since 1835. and was known and respected throughout the State as an influential writer and politician. Mr. Ely was born in eastern Pennsylvania, learned the trade of a printer at Rochester among the
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ROSS COUNTY.
New York " Yankees," perfecting his knowl- edge of "the art preservative of all arts" in Philadelphia. Ile was an active participator with the older politicians, Ewing, Bond, Stan- bery, Creighton, Thrall and a host of others, in forwarding the principles and fortunes of the " grandest old party ever formed," as he used to express it-the party of Clay, Web- ster and compatriots.
In the 1840's Mr. Ely was one of the first subscribers to the construction fund of a rail- road-the third in the State-from Marietta to the Little Miami at Loveland. He was made one of the officers of the road, but the
SENECA W. ELY.
enterprise exhausted the comfortable little fortune he had acquired, and he accepted the treasurership of the first street railroad in Cincinnati. During the civil war he was em- ployed in sanitary services, especially at St. Louis. From 1870 to 1874 he edited the leading Republican paper of Miami county, and for eighteen months a paper in Circle- ville, and then returned to Cinemati as one of the editorial staff of the Gazette. When . the Gazette and Commercial coaleseed his services were accepted on the joint enterprise, and he continues yet an active member of the editorial corps of that leading journal. Like Greeley, he has passed a "busy life," and though, like the same renowned editor, he may not have
" Gathered gear from every wile, That's justified by honor," -
We believe it may truly be said for him-
"Although your way of life
Is fallen into the sere, the yellow leaf, You've that which should accompany old age, As honor, love, obedience, troops of friends."
EPHRAIM GEORGE SQUIER and Dr. EDWIN HAMILTON DAVIS, the archaeologist, in 1846 were engaged in making their explorations and surveys. and Mr. Ely introduced me to them. Mr. Davis was a native of Chilli- cothe, and was then about 35 years of age. He was a reserved and somewhat diffident gentleman, and of the highest character. 'The latter part of his life was passed in New York, pursuing archaeological studies. Mr. Squier was an entirely different man. He had come from the East to assist in editing the Scioto Gazette. He was then about 26 years of age, blonde, small and boyish in figure, but one of the most audacious, inci- sive spirits I have known. In coming to Columbus with Mr. Ely, just prior to the opening of the legislature, Squier said to him that he was going to get the clerkship of the house. Surprised, the other replied, "Why, Squier, you can't do that ; you've just come to the State ; you are not even a citizen." " I don't care, I shall do it." And he did. He had a talent for management, and not- withstanding his insignificant presence could make his way everywhere, with no fear of power, station, nor weight of intellect and character.
One day he was riding out with Ely, when they came in sight of some ancient earth- works. Hle thereupon inquired about them. The latter told him, upon which he becaine greatly interested, and said that would be his field of work-he did not care about politics. In the course of conversation Squier asked if there was anybody in Chillicothe interested in archaeology. "Yes, there is Mr. Davis, who ten years ago assisted Charles Whittle- sey in his explorations and surveys of the Newark antiquities, and is still gathering relics." The result was, he united with Da- vis, who furnished the funds, and they worked together.
The publication of their work by the Smith- sonian Institution set Squier upon a pedestal. John L. Stephens' work upon the "Antiqui- ties of Central America, " issued in 1841, created a great sensation, showing that that country was a rich field for archæological re- search. Squier, on the publication of their work, applied for and obtained the position of special charge d'affaires to Central Amer- iea, his object being to investigate arehæology and kindred topics. Both he and Mr. Davis died in 1887.
In my last visit to Chillicothe I had the pleasure of meeting Col. WILLIAM E. GILMORE, one of the city's venerables and its postmaster, holding over from Mr. Arthur's administration. A military man, were he a Boston instead of a Scioto valley production, he doubtless to-day would be enrolled in its "Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company," a high private, marching in its ranks, touch- ing elbows with Gen. Banks.
He has a higher honor. He delivered the last speech uttered by mortal man
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ROSS COUNTY.
in the old State capitol. This was in 1852 ; a sort of wind-up blast in behalf of Winfield Scott for President, pungent and humorous.
The Colonel has had an interesting and lively carcer, as he tells us in his rich and racy autobiography in the County History. He was born in Chillicothe, Nov. 3, 1824, and of excellent parents : his father a purely good, honest gentleman, who promptly dis- charged every duty as husband, tailor, citizen and public man. Then, with a heart-tribute to the memory of his mother, he opens his heart about himself. "Of course," writes he, "as brat, boy and youth-as somebody has divided male infancy-I had lots of fun. I was instructed a little, studied some, and was thrashed much !
"By Mrs. Wade and Miss Jane Luckett, with a slipper ;
"ITiram MeNemar, boxing my ears ;
"Roswell Hill, with a flat ruler ;
" Daniel Hearn, with a hickory switch ;
"John Garret, with a cowhide;
"John Graham, with his tongue; and
"Wm. B. Franklin, with a sole leather strap ;
"All in the order named ; and was so pre- pared for Athens College, which I entered in 1839."
A eruel memory of his childhood had made him hate slavery. This was the sight at Portsmouth of a long coffle of negro slaves, men and women chained, two by two, with children of all ages of infancy following the gang, driven by ruffianly, brutal-looking white men. They were on their way from Virginia to the anetion-blocks in Kentucky and Ten- nessee.
On entering college and avowing his senti- ments, the Southern students called him "a d-d Abolitionist ; " and he had to "eat dirt or fight." "I didn't," he says, "eat dirt, and consequently had a large number of battles forced upon me with the Virginia and Kentucky students." In one of these his arm was broken, from which he suffers to this day. Being full of life and animal spirits, he entered into all the practical jokes and " devilments " of the students, but doing nothing malicions. Finally he played a trick upon Professor Dan Reid, and then, to avoid the danger of being shot out, wisely with- drew from the classic halls. This was in 1841.
He then studied law, became converted in a religions revival, studied at Lane Seminary, was for a time in the ministry of the Presby- terian Church, but when the war ensued was practising the law. He enlisted the first company raised in Chillicothe, and served as a colonel. Since the war he has pursued the law and politics; first in Missouri and last in Ohio, and with force and telling vigor. Ile is a large man, with a somewhat massive
countenance, especially useful for the display of the emotions of a social, kindly and hunor- ous spirit. He is an adept alike with tongue and pen. His paper upon the "Bench and Bar," in the County History, is a unique specimen of character-drawing, with unique characters as models such as no other bar in Ohio could supply.
Ilis eriticism, published Oct. 14, 1888, in the Cinemnati Commercial-Gazette, upon Hinsdale's recently issued work, "The Old Northwest," is in a kindly spirit. While bearing testimony to its scholarship, he very properly points to its omissions in regard to the great work of the Virginia pioneers in the Seioto valley ; and combats the allegation that they tried to fasten slavery upon the State Constitution, and would probably have sneceeded but for the single saving vote in the committee of Judge Ephraim Cutler, of Marietta. Gilmore winds up his dissection of the evidence by the true allegation, that "this was the first time the world had ever heard one word of a struggle to fasten the institution of negro slavery upon Ohio by that convention. For one humble Buckeye," he says, "I resent the imputation upon my ancestry and State involved in the charge that such an .effort was ever made. The Virginians who settled this portion of the territory northwest of the Ohio river never desired to continue negro slavery. Tiffin, Worthington, and many more of them left Old Virginia, and made homes for them- selves and their descendants, because they condemned and abhorred the system. They liberated the slaves they owned in Virginia. Tiffin and Worthington-it is a matter of record-each refused $5,000 for the slaves they mannmitted voluntarily and from con- vietions of duty, and came to the Scioto val- ley with less than half the money they de- clined to receive for their slaves.
" Profoundly honoring the memories of these grand and good men. I cannot silently permit them to stand falsely charged in his- tory with having been participators in and advocates of that institution-now happily passed away-which John Wesley epitomized as 'the sum of all villanies.' "'
The citizens of Chillicothe, with commend- able pride, rejoice in the fact that their town was the birthplace of LUCY WEBB HAYES, and where she passed her youth. Her child- hood home, is or was lately, standing on a street corner, a plain two-story square struc- ture, with about eight rooms, with a hall rin- ning through the centre. Memories of her winsome- ways when a child are cherished by the elderly people.
THE CATTLE BUSINESS.
The stock business of the West had its origin and rise in Ross county and the Scioto valley, and the first imported stock seen in the Northwest Territory was
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