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 74
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The chief made him pay for the animal, Mr. Butler receiving therefore two deer skins, which the Indian indignantly kicked toward him. It was soon after that Mr. Butler's cabin was burned, and he claimed that the gang of Indians did it. Mr. Butler rebuilt his cabin on the same spot, and lived there until his death in 1837.
The Morgan Block-House .- This fort stood on the Thomas Dowty farm, was quite a large structure, and a source of protection to the pioneers. During the summer of Ilull's surrender a company of soldiers was stationed here from Tuscarawas county. A would-be brave soldier of this company was ever boast- ing of his courage, and ached for a fight with the Indians. The boys concluded they would accommodate him. They caused to be painted and decked in true Indian costume one of their number, and had him secrete himself in a swamp close by. The company proceeded on one of its scouts and passed by this swamp, when the mythical Indian sprang out, yelling, , and pointing his gun, took after this Sir Val- iant soldier, who rushed at the top of his speed and concealed himself in a marsh. The company and the painted gentleman rapidly returned to the block-house. Soon thereafter the would-be Indian fighter, who had lost his shoes in the swamp, returned. Some of the boys went in search of his shoes, and brought them to camp.
AN INDIAN SCARE.
To show the uneasy and excited state of the public mind for some time subsequent to Hull's surrender, we relate an incident that occurred'in what was called Smith's settle- ment, near the site of the present county infirmary. One afternoon two of the Smith women had heard what they supposed to be guns firing in the direction of Wooster "at the rate of five hundred a minute." The neighborhood was soon assembled, numbering between thirty and forty persons, men, women and children. After consultation it was de- cided that James Melntire should approach Wooster cautiously to ascertain the exact state of affairs there, and that the balance of the company should at once set out for Steu- benville by way of the Indian trail, the women and children on horseback, the men on foot with their guns.
The party travelled in silence during the entire night, not a child giving the least sign of fretfulness. In the morning they were overtaken by MeIntire, who brought the welcome news that Wooster was resting in quietude, and that the noise that had fright- ened the two women was the sound made by men cutting straw with axes in a trough for feed. At this intelligence the main part of the fugitives returned, hungry and weary, to their cabin homes in the forest. A few, how- ever, continued on their flight to the old set- tlements in Pennsylvania.
CHIEF JOHNNY-CAKE "SKEDADDLES.' Nevertheless this stampede of the settlers
was not without thrilling incident. When the party in its flight was crossing Big Sugar creek, they discovered a camp-fire close to the Indian trail, the Indian dogs barked, and immediately Indians raised the whoop. At this the company took shelter in the brush- wood as best they could. All became quiet in a short time, when those with guns began to scout around in order to ascertain the char- acter of the Indians in the camp. They proved to be Chief Johnny-Cake and his tribe. The story the whites told alarmed ' thein, and they said they also would flee the country, as they were, as friendly Indians, “ equally in danger from the hostile tribes, but that they must have their supper first off the deer that was then roasting at the fire.
Afterwards, MeIntire passed their camp blowing a large tin horn, and riding at a full gallop to overtake the flying settlers and ap- prise them of their groundless apprehension ofdanger, at which Johnny-Cake and his braves evidently fled supperless, as the returning settlers next day found the camp entirely deserted, and the deer, burned to a crisp, still suspended over the smouldering embers. Johnny-Cake and his people were never seen again by the whites in that settlement, al- though they had lieretofore been inconven- iently familiar.
REMAINS OF BUFFALOES AND CEDAR TREES.
Between Springville and Millbrook the land-owners in plowing, but more especia !! y _. in ditching, come in contact with the remains of cedar trees. Half a century ago immense logs were taken ont, three feet from the sur- face, that had lain there for ages, and were sawed into boards, Trees were found three and four feet in diameter. More recently, in ditching in the lowlands directly south of Millbrook, have been found more of these cedar relics. What is mysterious about this is the fact that there are no cedar forests in that section, nor have we any knowledge of them from any source whatever. South and east of the village on the old Culbertson farm, and the one where James Bruce lives, were found buffalo skulls and horns, and remains of liuman bodies of immense size.
ADAM POE, THE INDIAN FIGHTER. .
Adam Poe was born in Washington county, Pa., in the year 1745, and died September 23, 1838, in Stark county, four miles west of- Massillon, at the residence of his son, An- drew Poe. In 1813 Adam Poe removed from Columbiana county, Ohio, to Wayne county, bringing with him his wife and youngest son David, and danghter Catharine. He first settled in Wooster, his family living on North Market street, and he followed the business of shoemaking for three years, being then nearly seventy years old. He was a tanner by trade and an excellent shoemaker. IIe then removed to Congress township and lived on a farm for nearly twelve years, when,
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growing old and infirm, he removed to Stark county, where he died.
The following adventure was related by his daughter, and had never been published be- fore it appeared in Douglass' " History of Wayne County :"
ONE WHIPS FIVE.
While living on the Ohio two Indians crossed the river, both of whom were intox- icated, and came to Adam Poe's house. After various noisy and menacing demonstra- tions, but without doing any one harm, they retired a short distance, and under the shade of a tree sat down and finally went to sleep. In the course of two hours, and after they awoke from their drunken slumber, they dis- covered that their rifles were missing, when they immediately returned to Poe's house, and after inquiring for their guns and being told they knew nothing about them, they boldly accused him of stealing them and in- solently demanded them. Poe was appre- hensive of trouble, and turning his eyes in the direction whence they came, discovered three more Indians approaching.
Without manifesting any symptoms of sur- prise or alarm, he coolly withdrew to the house, and saying to his wife, "There is a fight and more fun ahead," told her to hasten slyly to the cornfield near by with the chil- dren and there hide. This being accom- plished, he seized his gun and confronted the five Indians, who were then in the yard sur- rounding the house, and trying to force open the door. Hle at once discovered that the two Indians who came first had not yet found their guns. and that the other three were un- armed. So he dropped his gun, as he did not want to kill any of them unless the exigency required it, and attacked them with his fist, and after a terrific hand-to-hand encounter of ten minutes, crushed them to the earth in one promiscuous heap. After having thus vanquished and subdued them, he seized them, one at a time, and threw them over the fence and out of the yard.
THE INTREPIDITY OF HARRY FRANKS.
Henry Franks was born in Fayette county, Pa., and came to Wayne county, Ohio, in 1816-17, settling on a farm a short distance sonth of Doylestown, where he died in 1836. Henry Franks, known as " OHl Henry," with some others, was taken prisoner on the Ohio river by the Indians when he was a young man, and held in captivity by them. IIe was tall, straight, and a large, powerful man, and his captors immediately fancied him, and by ceremonies introduced him to Indian citi- zenship. Its first condition being to run the gauntlet, he was compelled to comply with it, and at the end of the race he was, to save his own life, forced to strike an Indian with his hatchet, whom he nearly killed. This suc- vessful act of daring on his part ingratiated him with his captors, who exclaimed, "He make good Indian." Mr. Franks receiving
a wound in this test of mighty manhood, the Indians instantly took charge of him, nursing and treating him kindly until he thoroughly recovered. After the capture of Crawford in Ohio, and during the excitement of his horrible death, all of which Mr. Franks wit- nessed, he made an effort to escape, in which he was, successful. He fled to the lake shore, boarded a British vessel, went by water as far as Montreal, crossed to the American side, and thence on foot to Philadelphia, Pittsburg, and to his home in Fayette county, Pa., after a captivity of five years.
A GANG OF OUTLAWS.
The Driskel family were among the first settlers of Wayne county ; they came from Columbiana county prior to 1812, and for a. time lived near Stibbs' mill, on Apple creck. - For some years they were generally regarded as honest and respectable citizens, but sus- picion of dishonest practices finally fastened upon John Driskel and Steve Brawdy, a con- nection by marriage. Brawdy was arrested and sent to the penitentiary for stealing a heifer and making a murderous assault and stabbing Moses Loudon while the latter was assisting in his arrest.
A series of thefts and other unlawful acts had convinced the authorities that the neighi- borhood was infested with a gang of outlaws, and the arrest and conviction of a young man named Ben. Worthington, for stealing a yoke of oxen from Gen. Beall, led to revelations that proved Driskel and Brawdy were the leaders of this gang.
A CONVICT ESCAPE.
Driskel was finally arrested for stealing horses in Columbiana county. He was sent to the penitentiary, and with a chain and fifty-six weight fastened to his leg was set to work on the Ohio canal. He made his es- cape by picking up the ball in his hands and starting on a run. Immediately six guards fired their guns at the escaping convict, but failed to hit him. Arriving at a farm-house, he found an axe in the wood-shed, and sev- ered the ball from the chain. He then made his way back to his family in Wayne county, where the chain was filed from his leg.
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JUDGE LYNCH ACTS.
An effort was made to recapture him, when, to elude pursuit, he led for a time a" roving life, stealing horses and concealing them in thickets, burning barns, houses, etc., finally leaving the county. Shortly afterward he was captured in Ashland county, and started for the penitentiary in charge of two men, from whom, by his shrewdness and force, he managed to escape while stopping over night in Sunbury, Delaware county. He was next heard of in the West, where his family and confederates joined him and con- tinued their criminal pursuits for some years. In time the Regulators of northern Illinois
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rose upon them, capturing old John, his son William, and others of the gang. These were immediately shot, and his youngest son David was soon afterward caught and hanged to a tree by Judge Lynch.
"The leading villanies of this gang-com- posed of John Driskel's family, Brawdy and others-consisted in burglaries, incendiarism and horse-stealing. They concealed their stolen horses in the dense thiekets of the woods, stole corn from the farmers to feed them, and at a suitable opportunity con- ducted them out of the county. They were men of invincible courage, of powerful phys- ical strength, and enjoyed nothing so well as a carouse and a knock-down.
A NOSE FOR AN EAR.
On one occasion at a public muster in Lisbon, Columbiana county, John Driskel challenged any man to a fight. No one re- sponded to his challenge, when, selecting a large, bony specimen of a man, named Isaac Pew, lie offered him sundry indignities, and then, suddenly and without warning, hit him a stunning blow, sprang upon him and bit off Pew's ear. When next muster day came around Driskel and Pew were both present ; the latter remarked, "He has my car, now I'll have his nose." Pew followed Driskel around, and watching his opportunity, sprang upon him and bit his nose off.
A TERRIFIC HITTER.
On another occasion old John was parading the streets of Wooster, talking boisterously and shouting that he weighed 208 pounds, and no man could whip him. Smith MeIn- tire, who was clearing off some land on the Robison farm, south of Wooster, came to town in his shirt-sleeves to procure tobacco. MeIntire was a good, quiet citizen, indus- trions, honest and honorable. Being a very muscular-looking man, Gen. Spink and Mr. MeComb approached him and asked him if. he thought he could whip that man, pointing toward Driskel. McIntire said, " I can whip anybody, but I don't know that man, and I am a stranger here, and more than that I am a peaceful man ; " whereupon he started back to his work, when Spink and MeComb called to him to return. Hle obeyed their summons and, after some entreaty, consented to whip Driskel, upon the consideration of preserving quiet and establishing order. Spink remarked to Driskel that, here was a man (pointing to McIntire) that he had not yet whipped, when
Driskel rapidly advanced toward him and said, "Do you think you can handle me?" to which MeIntire responded, "I do." Driskel said, "Well, let us take n drink, and then to business." MeIntire responded, "I want nothing to drink." Driskel took his drink and faced MeIntire, and when the word "ready" was given McIntire hit him one blow that knocked him insensible, and so serious was the result that Dr. Bissell had to be called, and it was several hours before he- rallied from the prostration.
A BURNT OFFERING.
Not satisfied with this encounter, in a short time afterward he challenged McIntire to a second test, which the latter accepted, havingy General Spink and Colonel James Hindman for his seconds, Driskel choosing for his backers one of his sons and his son-in-law, Brawdy. The contestants met, and with a similar result. MeIntire, after his adversary was on the floor, picked him up like a toy and started with him toward the fire-place exclaiming : " I will make a burnt offering of him !" but which rash purpose was pre- vented. This fight occurred in the bar-room of Nailor's tavern.
MARKET HOUSE MOB.
In 1833 a market house was erected on the southwest side of the public square in Wooster. The dimensions of the building were about 75x40 feet, one story high, with ceilings arched and plastered.
In a few years after its construction, located in such a prominent place, it soon became a nuisance to the citizens doing business around the public square, and the town authorities were besieged for its removal, but refused to act in the matter. An unsuccessful attempt was made, by an unknown incendiary, to destroy it by fire. Finally, on the night of August 9, 1847, a number of disguised men, said to be among the "first citizens," made an attack on the market house. They were armed with axes, hooks, rope and tackle, and with the assistance of a strong horse soon razed the objectionable structure to the ground. This act created considerable ex- citement ; the dignity of the law had been offended. The mayor offered a reward for the apprehension of the guilty participants, but no arrests were made, as the sympathies of the public.were with the despoilers, al- though many deprecated the accomplishment of the end by such unlawful means.
BIOGRAPHY.
REASIN BEALL, was born in Montgomery county, Maryland, December 3, 1769. In 1790 he served as an officer in General Harmar's expedition against the Indians. In March, 1792, he was appointed an ensign in the United States army, and in 1793 battalion-adjutant, serving under Gen. Anthony Wayne in his campaign against the Indians. Resigning from the army he settled in Pennsyl- vania in 1801, and two years later removed to New Lisbon, O., where he remained
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until 1815, when he removed to Wooster. During his residence in New Lisbon he filled various public offices, and took much interest in the militia. In Sep- tember, 1812, he was made brigadier-general of Ohio volunteers. He immedi- ately organized a detachment, and at the head of several hundred men marched to Wayne and Richland connties to protect the frontier, and subsequently joined the troops under Generals Wadsworth and Perkins at Camp Huron, when the com- mand devolving upon General Perkins as senior officer, General Beall returned home.
In 1813 he was elected to Congress, resigning his seat in 1814 to accept the office of register of the land office for the Wooster district, which office he held until 1824. He was chosen to preside over the great Whig mass convention held at Columbus, February 22, 1840, and afterwards was chosen a Presidential Elec- tor. He died at Wooster, February 20, 1843.
JOHN SLOANE was born in York, Pa., in 1779. At an early age he removed to Washington county, Pa., and from thence to Ohio, settling first in Jefferson county and then Columbiana county. He was a member of the State Legisla- ture, 1804-6, serving as speaker the last two years. He was receiver of public moneys at Canton in 1808-16, when in conjunction with General Beall he removed the office to Wooster. He remained in the receiver's office until March, 1819, when he resigned to take a seat in Congress, to which he had been elected the preceding fall. He served in Congress by successive elections until March, 1829.
In 1831 he was appointed elerk of the Court of Common Pleas, which place he held seven years. In 1841 the Legislature appointed him Secretary of State for three years. On November 27, 1850, he was appointed by President Fill- more Treasurer of the United States, serving till April, 1853. During the war of 1812 he was colonel of militia. He died in Wooster, May 15, 1856.
EDWARD THOMSON was born in Portsea, England, October 12, 1810. When seven years old his parents removed to Wooster, Ohio. He studied medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, receiving his diploma when nineteen years old. He practised in Wooster and Jeromeville. He united with the Methodist church April 29, 1832, and the following July was licensed to preach. On September 19th of the same year the conference at Dayton admitted him on trial. From the first his great abilities were apparent. In 1837 he became principal of Norwalk Seminary, and in 1843 was offered the chancellorship of Michigan University and the presidency of Transylvania College. In 1844-48 he was editor of the Ladies' Repository, which position he resigned to accept the presidency of the Ohio Wes- leyan University, where he remained until 1860, when he was elected editor of the Christian Advocate. Here he remained until 1864, when he was elected Bishop of the M. E. Church.
He was an eloquent and powerful speaker, a profound student, and an able editor, but his highest achievements were in the department of education. "Here he seemed a prince in his native domain. He ruled by the charms of personal goodness, and by the magic spell of an inimitable character. He taught with felicity, and made every topic Iuminous by fertility and aptness of illustration."
He was married in Mansfield, Ohio, July 4, 1837, to a daughter of Hon. Mor- decai Bartley, afterward Governor of Ohio. His first wife died December 31, 1863. IIe was married a second time May 9, 1866, to Miss Annie E. Howe, well known for her piety and poetic genins. Bishop Thomson died in Wheeling, West Va., March 22, 1870, and was buried in Delaware, Ohio. In 1846 he received the degree of D. D. from Indiana Asbury .(now DePanw) University, and in 1855 that of LL.D. from Ohio Wesleyan. Among Bishop Thomson's published works are "Educational Essays" (new edition, Cincinnati, 1856) ; " Moral and Religious Essays" (1856) ; " Letters from Europe " (1856), and " Letters from India, China and Turkey " (2 vols. 1870).
FRANCES FULLER was born in Rome, N. Y. ; her younger sister, Metta, was
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born in Erie, Pa., in 1831. The family removed to Wooster in 1839, and the daughters received their education in the public schools of that place. They both acquired considerable reputation for literary ability, not only as writers of poetry, but also for their prose contributions to the press.
In 1852 Frances removed to Michigan, a year later was married to Jackson Barrett, of Pontiac, Michigan, and subsequently removed to the Pacific Coast. She obtained a divorce from Mr. Barrett, and was married a second time to Mr. Victor, a brother of her sister's husband.
We give an extract from one of her poems entitled " The Post Boy's Song :"
Like a shuttle thrown by the hand of fate, Forward and backward I go ; Bearing a thread for the desolate To darken their web of woe ; And a brighter thread to the glad of heart, And a mingled one to all ; But the dark and the light I cannot part, Nor alter their hues at all.
METTA FULLER, the younger sister, at the age of fifteen, composed a romance, founded upon the supposed history of the dead cities of Yucatan, and entitled " The Last Days of Tul."
In July, 1856, she was married to O. J. Victor, and the following year removed to New York. Numerous prose and poetical, humorous and satirical productions over the nom de plume of "Singing Sybil " attest her genius. The following from " Body and Soul " is an example of her poetry :
A living soul came into the world. Whence came it? Who can tell ? Of where that soul went forth again, When it bade the earth farewell ?
A body it had this spirit knew, And the body was given a name.
Whether the name would suit the soul The giver never knew, Names are alike, but never soul, So body and spirit grew Till time enlarged their narrow sphere Into the realms of life, Into this strange and double world, Whose elements are strife.
N. P. Willis wrote concerning these sisters : "We suppose ourselves to be throwing no shade of disparagement upon any one in declaring that in 'Singing Sybil,' her not less gifted sister, we discern more unquestionable marks of true genius, and a greater portion of the unmistakable inspiration of true poetic art than in any of the lady minstrels, delightful and splendid as some of them have been, that we have heretofore ushered to the applause of the public. One in spirit and equal in genius, these most interesting and brilliant ladies, both still in the carliest youth, are undoubtedly destined to occupy a very distinguished and permanent place among the native authors of this land."
THOMAS. THOMPSON ECKERT was born in St. Clairsville, Ohio, April 23, 1825. . In 1849 he was appointed postmaster at Wooster, and in connection therewith operated the first telegraph line to that place. He became an expert in telegraphy, and, being possessed of fine executive abilities, soon won his way to a high position in the Western Union Telegraph Company.
During the war he was superintendent of telegraphy for the Army of the Potomac. In September, 1862, was called to Washington to establish the military headquarters in the War Department buildings.
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From this time till the close of the war he was on intimate terms with President- Lincoln and Secretary Stanton. In 1864 he was brevetted lieutenant-colonel, and afterward brigadier-general. The same year he was appointed Assistant-Secretary of War, resigning in 1866 when he became general superintendent of the castern division of the lines of the Western Union Telegraph Company, and in 1881 became vice-president and general manager of the company.
WILLIAM B. ALLISON was born in Perry, Wayne county, Ohio, March 2, 1829. At school he was somewhat fa- miliarly known as "Big-Eyed Bill;" and the girls of those days about Wooster, Ohio, used to langh at the awkward and overgrown youngster, who took it good hmoredly, however, and soon showed ' that he had good stuff in him. A lady who was in school with him says :
" Little did any of us think that boy would ever amount to anything. He was at the foot of our class and the butt of all, he was such a greenhorn. He lived on a farm, and walked into Woos- ter every day to school. He never wore any suspenders, and was always hitching up his trousers like a sailor. When we girls made fun of him he would run af- ter us, and if he caught one that girl was sure to be kissed. And he had a hor- WM. B. ALLISON. rible tobacco breath. I believe that boy chewed tobacco from the time he put on boy's clothes. But he was kind hearted and would never tell the teacher, no ... matter what we put on him. Yes, 'Big Eyed Bill ' was patient as an ox."
Mr. Allison has grown into much more manly and graceful shape, and has acquired great mastery of the world's ways; he is, in fact, a large, handsome and graceful man, and in personal intercourse quite polished and agrecable.
When Mr. Allison's academic course was ended, he alternately taught school and attended college for some years, graduating at the Western Reserve College, at Hudson, Ohio. In 1851 he was admitted to the bar in Wooster ; in 1854-56 he took an active part in politics as a Republican, and in 1857 he located at! Dubuque, Towa, which is still his home.
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