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 82
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Manufactures and Employees .- The Dewey Stave Co., 27 hands; Enterprise Window Glass Co., 67; James Hardy & Co., general machine work, 6; Rock- well Brothers, flour, etc., 4; North Baltimore Bottle Glass Co., 94; A. Barnd, sash, doors, etc., 11 .- State Report, 1888.
Population, 1880, 701. School census, 1888, 362. Capital invested in manufacturing establishments, $20,000. Value of annual product, $21,000 .- Ohio Labor Statistics, 1888. Census, 1890, 2,857.
GRAND RAPIDS is twelve miles west of Bowling Green, on the Maumee river, the Miami & Erie Canal, and on the T. St. L. & K. C. R. R., which crosses the river by a fine iron bridge 900 feet long. Newspaper : Triumph, Crosby & Freiss, editors and publishers. Bank : George P. Hinsdale. Churches : 1 Pres- byterian, 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Catholic. It was laid out in 1837, under the name of Gilead, at the head of the first or Grand Rapids of the Maumee.
Population, 1880, 332. School census, 1888, 163.
FREEPORT P. O., Prairie Depot, is ten miles southeast of Bowling Green, on the O. C. R. R.
Population, 1880, 216. School census, 1888, 204.
TONTOGANY is six miles northwest of Bowling Green, on the D. & M. and B. G. & T. R. R. It has 1 Presbyterian, 1 Methodist Episcopal, and one Evan- gelical church. School census, 1888, 114.
BRADNER is twelve miles southeast of Bowling Green, on the C. H. V. & T. R. R. School census, 1888, 144.
PEMBERVILLE is nine miles east of Bowling Green, on the Portage river, and on the C. H. V. & T. & O. C. R. R. Newspaper : Wood County Index, neutral, C. R. F. Berry, editor.
Population, 1880, 644. School census in 1888, 341 ; John S. Hoyman, super- intendent of schools. Capital invested in manufacturing establishments, $25,000. Value of annual product, $26,000 .- Ohio Labor Statistics, 1888.
WESTON is eight miles southwest of Bowling Green, on the C. H. & D. R. R ..... Newspaper : Wood County Herald, Republican, S. E. Burson, editor and pub- lisher. Churches : 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Presbyterian, 1 Catholic, 1 German Reformed. Bank : Exchange (A. J. Munn & Co.), J. V. Beverstock, cashier. "
Population, 1890, 845. School census, 1888, 275. A correspondent writes : "The rural district surrounding our village is specially adapted to agriculture, gardening being one of the chief pursuits. Soil very fertile, and our county con- tains one of the largest oil and gas wells in the State. Is bound to become the wealthiest in every respect of any county also in the State."
HASKINS is on the right bank of the Maumee river, eight miles northwest of Bowling Green.
Population, 1880, 381. School census, 1888, 121. I. N. Van Tassel, super- intendent of schools.
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وجديد
584
WOOD COUNTY.
BAIRDSTOWN is sixteen miles southeast of Bowling Green, on the B. & O. R. R. Newspapers : Times, independent, G. G. Grimes, editor and publisher. Population, about 350.
MILLBURY is eighteen miles northeast of Bowling Green, and eight miles southeast of Toledo, on the L. S. & M. S. R. R.
Population, 1880, 483. School census, 1888, 106. Census, 1890, 609. JERRY CITY is ten miles southeast of Bowling Green. 3
Population, 1880, 234. School census, 1888, 121.
RISING SUN is fourteen miles southeast of Bowling Green, on the C. H. V. & T. R. R.
Population, 1880, 344.
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585
WYANDOT COUNTY.
WYANDOT.
WYANDOT COUNTY was formed from Crawford, Marion, Hardin and Hancock, Feb. 3, 1845. The surface is level and soil fertile. About one-third of it is prairie land, being covered by the Sandusky plains. These plains are chiefly bounded by the Sandusky, the Little Scioto and the Tyemochte, which last signifies, in the Wyandot language, "around the plains." This tract in its natural state is cov- ered with a rank, wild grass several feet in height, and in some parts are inter- spersed beautiful groves of timber.
Area, about 400 square miles. In 1887 the acres cultivated were 127,700; in pasture, 56,450; woodland, 36,770; lying waste, 1,336; produced in wheat, 453,013 bushels; rye, 5,694; buckwheat, 434; oats, 406,780; barley, 10,747; corn, 1,103,949 ; meadow hay, 19,776 tous; clover, 4,613 tons; flaxseed, 862 bushels ; potatoes, 63,204; tobacco, 200 lbs .; butter, 388,374; cheese, 24,300;" sorghum, 1,682; maple syrup, 4,730 gallons; honey, 3,014 lbs .; eggs, 488,210 dozen ; grapes, 1,040 lbs. ; sweet potatoes, 84 bushels ; apples, 10,384; peaches, 1,011 ; pears, 828; wool, 409,387 lbs. ; milch cows owned, 5,160. School cen- sus, 1888, 6,974 ; teachers, 237. Miles of railroad track, 89.
TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS.
1880.
TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS.
1880.
Antrim,
1,928
Pitt,
1,268
Crane,
5,027
Richland,
1,676
Crawford,
2,213
Ridge,
639
Eden,
1,793
Salem,
1,547
Jackson,
1,331
Sycamore,
1,058
Marseilles,
840
Tyemochte,
1,620 4
Mifflin,
1,455
Population of Wyandot in 1860 was 15,956 ; 1880, 22,395; of whom 17,650 were born in Ohio; 1,475, Pennsylvania ; 507, New York; 208, Virginia ; 173, Indiana ; 28, Kentucky ; 1,037, German Empire; 214, Ireland ; 116, England and Wales ; 43, France ; 35, British America ; 11, Scotland ; and 6, Sweden and Norway. Census, 1890, 21,722.
This county was, from an early day, a favorite residence of the Wyandot Indians. It is noted for being the scene of Crawford's defeat in June, 1782, and his subsequent death by the most cruel tortures.
The view representing Crawford's Battle-Ground was taken on the road to Tiffin, three miles north of Upper Sandusky, and one west of the Sandusky river. The action, it is said, began some distance north of the cabin shown, in the high grass of the prairie in which the Indians were concealed. The parties afterwards were engaged in the grove or island of timber represented in the view, called at . this day "Battle Island," in which the principal action was fought. Many of the trees now [1846] bear the marks of the bullets, or rather the sears on their trunks made by the hatchets of the Indians in getting them out after the action:" The large oak on the right of the view has these relics of that unfortunate en- gagement. A part of the whites slain were buried in a small swamp about thirty rods south of the spot from whence the drawing was taken. It is not shown in the view, as the scene is represented to the eye as if looking in a northern di- rection.
The annexed history of CRAWFORD'S CAMPAIGN we take from Doddridge's " Notes : "
Crawford's campaign, in one point of view at least, is to be considered as a second Mo-
ravian campaign, as one of its objects was that of finishing the work of murder and plunder
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WYANDOT COUNTY.
with the Christian Indians at their new es- tablishment on the Sandusky. The next object was that of destroying the Wyandot towns on the same river. It was the resolu- tion of all those concerned in this expedition not to spare the life of any Indians that might fall into their hands, whether friends or foes. It will be seen in the sequel that the result of this campaign was widely different from that of the Moravian campaign the preceding March.
It should seem that the long continuance of the Indian war had debased a considerable portion of our population to the savage state of our nature. Having lost so many relatives by the Indians, and witnessed their horrid murders and other depredations on so exten- sive a scale, they became subjects of that in- discriminating thirst for revenge which is such a prominent feature in the savage char- acter, and, having had a taste of blood and plunder without risk or loss on their part, they resolved to go on and kill every Indian they could find, whether friend or foe.
Preparations for this campaign commenced soon after the return of the Moravian cam- paign in the month of March, and as it was intended to make what was called at that time "a dash," that is, an enterprise conducted with secrecy and despatch, the men were all mounted on the best horses they could pro- cure. They furnished themselves with all their outfits except some ammunition, which was furnished by the lieutenant-colonel of Washington county [Pennsylvania].
The Rendezvous and March .- On the 25th of May, 1782, 480 men mustered at the old Mingo town, just below the site of Steuben- ville, on the western side of the Ohio river. They were all volunteers from the immediate neighborhood of the Ohio, with the exception of one company from Ten Mile in Washington county. Here an election was held for the office of commander-in-chief for the expedi- tion. The candidates were Col. Williamson and Col. Crawford ; the latter was the suc- cessful candidate. When notified of his ap- pointment it is said that he accepted it with apparent reluctance.
'The army marched along " Williamson's trail," as it was then called, until they arrived at the upper Moravian town, in the fields be- longing to which there was still plenty of corn on the stalks, with which their horses were plentifully fed during the night of their en- campment there.
Shortly after the army halted at this place two Indians were discovered by three men, who had walked some distance out of the camp. Three shots were fired at one of them, but without hurting him. As soon as the news of the discovery of Indians had reached the camp more than one-half of the men rushed ont, without command, and in the most tumultuous manner, to see what hap- pened. From that time Col. Crawford felt a presentiment of the defeat which followed.
The truth is that, notwithstanding the se- crecy and despatch of the enterprise, the In- dians wore beforehand with our people.
They saw the rendezvous on the Mingo bot- tom, knew their number and destination. They visited every encampment immediately on their leaving, and saw from the writing on the trees and seraps of paper that "no quar- ter was to be given to any Indian, whether man, woman or child."
Nothing material happened during their march until the sixth of June, when their guides conducted them to the site of the Moravian villages on one of the upper branches of the Sandusky river ; but here, instead of meeting with Indians and plunder, they met with nothing but vestiges of deso- lation. The place was covered with high grass, and the remains of a few huts alone announced that the place had been the resi- denee of the people whom they intended to destroy, but who had moved off to Scioto some time before.
In this dilemma what was to be done ? The officers held a council, in which it was determined to march one day longer in the direction of Upper Sandusky, and if they should not reach the town in the course of the day to make a retreat with all speed.
The Battle .- The march was commenced the next morning through the plains of San- dusky, and continued until about two o'clock. when the advance guard was attacked and driven in by the Indians, who were discovered in large numbers in the high grass, with which the place was covered. The Indian army was at that moment about entering a piece of woods, almost entirely surrounded by plains ; but in this they were disappointed by a rapid movement of our men. The bat- tle then commenced by a heavy fire from both sides. From a partial possession of the woods which they had gained at the onset of the battle, the Indians were soon dislodged. They then attempted to gain a small skirt of wood on our right flank, but were prevented from doing so by the vigilance and bravery of Maj. Leet, who commanded the right wing of the army at that time. The firing was incessant and heavy until dark, when it ceased. Both armies lay on their arms dur- ing the night. Both adopted the policy of kindling large fires along the line of battle, and then retiring some distance in the rear of them to prevent being surprised by a night attack. During the conflict of the afternoon three of our men were killed and several wounded.
In the morning our army occupied the battle ground of the preceding day. The In- dians made no attack during the day, until late in the evening, but were seen in large bodies traversing the plains in various direc- tions. Some of them appeared to be em- ployed in carrying off their dead and wounded.
In the morning of this day a council of the officers was held, in which a retreat was re- solved on, as the only means of saving their army. The Indians appeared to increase in mmmber every hour. During the sitting of this council, Colonel Williamson proposed taking one hundred and fifty volunteers, and
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587
WYANDOT COUNTY.
marching directly to Upper Sandusky. This proposition the commander-in-chief pri- dently rejected, saying, "I have no doubt but that you would reach the town, but you would find nothing there but empty wigwams, and having taken off so many of our best men, you would leave the rest to be destroyed by the host of Indians with which we are now surrounded, and on your return they would attack and destroy you. They care nothing about defending their towns ; they are worth nothing. Their squaws, children and property have been removed from them long since. Our lives and baggage are what they want, and if they can get us divided they will soon have them. We must stay together and do the best we ean."
The Indians Renew the Battle .- During this day preparations were made for a retreat by burying the dead. burning fires over their graves to prevent discovery, and preparing means for carrying off the wounded. The retreat was to eommenee in the course of the night. The Indians, however, became ap- prized of the intended retreat, and about sundown attacked the army with great foree and fury, in every direction, excepting that of Sandusky.
When the line of march was formed by the commander-in-chief, and the retreat eom- menced, our guides prudently took the diree- tion of Sandusky, which afforded the only opening in the Indian lines and the only chance of concealment. After marching about a mile in this direction, the army wheeled about to the left, and by a circuitous route gained the trail by which they came, before day. They continued their march the whole of the next day, with a trifling annoy- ance from the Indians, who fired a few dis- tant shots at the rear guard, which slightly wounded two or three men. At night they built fires, took their suppers, seeured the horses and resigned themselves to repose, without placing a single sentinel or vedette for safety. In this eareless situation, they might have been surprised and cut off by the Indians, who, however, gave them no dis- turbanee during the night, nor afterwards during the whole of their retreat. The number of those composing the main body in the retreat was supposed to be about three hundred.
The Retreat .- Most unfortunately, when a retreat was resolved on, a difference of opinion prevailed concerning the best mode of effeet- ing it. The greater number thought best to keep in a body and retreat as fast as pos- sible, while a considerable number thought it safest to break off in small parties and make their way home in different directions, avoiding the route by which they came. Accordingly many attempted to do so, calen- lating that the whole body of the Indians would follow the main army; in this they were entirely mistaken. The Indians paid but little attention to the main body of the army, but pursued the small parties with such activity that but very few of those who composed them made their escape.
The only successful party which was de- tached from the main army was that of about forty men under the command of a Captain Williamson, who, pretty late in the night of the retreat, broke through the Indian lines under a severe fire, and with some loss, and overtook the main army on the morning of the second day of the retreat.
For several days after the retreat of our army, the Indians were spread over the whole country, from Sandusky to the Mus- kingum, in pursuit of the straggling parties, most of whom were killed on the spot. They even pursued them almost to the banks of the Ohio. A man of the name of Mills was killed, two miles to the eastward of the site of St. Clairsville, in the direction of Wheel- ing from that place. The number killed in this way must have been very great ; the precise amount, however, was never fairly aseertained.
Colonel Crawford Captured .- At the commencement of the retreat Colonel Craw- ford placed himself at the head of the army and continued there until they had gone about a quarter of a mile, when missing his son, John Crawford, his son-in-law, Major Harrison, and his nephews, Major Rose and William Crawford, he halted and called for them as the line passed, but without finding them. After the army had passed him, he was unable to overtake it, owing to the weari- ness of his horse. Falling in company with Doctor Knight and two others, they travelled all the night, first north and then to the east, to avoid the pursuit of the Indians. They .
directed their courses during the night by the north star.
On the next day they fell in with Captain John Biggs and Lieutenant Ashley, the latter of whom was severely wounded. There were two others in company with Biggs and Ashley. They encamped together the suc- ceeding night. On the next day, while on their march, they were attacked by a party of | Indians, who made Colonel Crawford and Doetor Knight prisoners. The other four made their eseape, but Captain Biggs and- Lieutenant Ashley were killed the next day.
Colonel Crawford and Doetor Knight were immediately taken to an Indian encampment at a short distance from the place where they were captured. Here they found nine fellow- prisoners and seventeen Indians. On the next day they were marehed to the old Wyandot town, and on the next morning were paraded, to set off, as they were told, to go to the new town. But alas ! a very dif- ferent destination awaited these captives ! Nine of the prisoners were marched off some distance before the colonel and the doctor, who were conducted by Pipe and Wingenund, two Delaware chiefs. Four of the prisoners were tomahawked and sealped on the way, at different places.
Preparations had been made for the execu- tion of Colonel Crawford, by setting a post about fifteen feet high in the ground, and making a large fire of hickory poles about six yards from it. About half a mile from the
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WYANDOT COUNTY.
place of execution the remaining five of the nine prisoners were tomahawked and scalped by a number of squaws and boys. Colonel Crawford's son and son-in-law were executed at the Shawnese town.
Dr. Knight was doomed to be burned at a town about forty miles distant from Sandusky, and committed to the care of a young In- dian to be taken there, but escaped. See Vol. II., page
Thus ended this disastrous campaign. It was the last one which took place in this sec- tion of the country during the revolutionary contest of the Americans with the mother country. It was undertaken with the very worst of views, those of plunder and murder ; it was conducted without sufficient means to encounter, with any prospect of success, the large force of Indians opposed to ours in the plains of Sandusky. It was conducted with- out that subordination and discipline so requisite to insure success in any hazardous enterprise, and it ended in a total discom-
fiture. Never did an enterprise more com- pletely fail of attaining its object. Never, on any occasion, had the ferocious savages more ample revenge for the murder of their pacific friends, than that which they obtained on this occasion.
Should it be asked what considerations led so great a number of people into this desper-, ate enterprise ? Why with so small a force and such slender means they pushed on so far as the plains of Sandusky ?
The answer is, that many believed that the Moravian Indians, taking no part in the war, and having given offence to the warriors on several occasions, their belligerent friends would not take up arms in their behalf. In this conjecture they were sadly mistaken. They did defend them with all the force at their command, and no wonder, for notwith- standing their Christian and pacific principles, the warriors still regarded the Moravians as their friends, whom it was their duty to defend.
We have omitted to copy from the preceding the account of the burning of Colonel Crawford, for the purpose of giving the details more fully. "The spot where Crawford suffered," says Col. John Johnston, " was but a few miles west of Upper Sandusky, on the old trace leading to the Big Spring, Wyandot town. It was on the right hand of the trace going west, on a low bottom on the east bank of the Tyemochte creek. The Delawares burnt Crawford in satisfaction for the massacre of their people at the Moravian towns on the Muskingum." It was at a Delaware town which extended along the Tyemochte. The precise spot is now [1846] owned by the heirs of Daniel Hodge, and is a beautiful green, with some fine oak trees in its vicinity.
The following is from Heckewelder, and describes an interview which Craw- ford had with the Indian chief, Wingenund, just previous to his death. Some doubts have been expressed of its truth as the historian Heckewelder has often been accused of being fond of romancing, but Colonel Johnston (good authority here) expresses the opinion that "it is doubtless in the main correct "-that it gives the spirit of what was said.
Wingenund, an Indian chief, had an inter- view with Colonel Crawford just before his execution. He had been known to Crawford some time before, and had been on terms of friendship with him, and kindly entertained by him at his own house, and therefore felt much attached to the colonel. Wingenund had retired to his cabin that he might not see the sentence executed ; but Crawford sent for him, with the faint hope that he would inter- cede for and save him. Wingemnid accord- ingly soon appeared in presence of Crawford, · who was naked and bound to a stake. Win . genund commenced the conversation with much embarrassment and agitation, as fol- lows :
Wingenund-"Are you not Colonel Craw- ford ? "
Crawford-" I am."
Wingenund, somewhat agitated, ejaculated, "So !- yes !- indeed !"
Crawford-" Do you not recollect the friendship that always existed between us,
and that we were always glad to see each other?"
Wingenund-"Yes ! I remember all this, and that we have often drank together, and that you have been kind to me."
Crawford-"Then I hope the same friend- ship still continues."
Wingenund-" It would, of course, were you where you ought to be, and not here."
Crawford-"And why not here? I hope you would not desert a friend in time of need. Now is the time for you to exert yourself in my behalf, as I should do for you were you in my place. "
Wingenmd-"Colonel Crawford ! you have placed yourself in a situation which puts it out of my power, and that of others of your friends, to do anything for you."
Crawford-" How so, Captain Winge- nund ? "
Wingenund-" By joining yourself to that execrable man, Williamson, and his party- the man who, but the other day, murdered
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WYANDOT COUNTY.
such a number of Moravian Indians, knowing them to be friends ; knowing that he ran no risk in murdering a people who would not fight, and whose only business was praying."
Crawford-" But I assure you, Wingenund, that had I been with him at the time this would not have happened. Not I alone, but all your friends, and all good men, whoever they are, reprobate acts of this kind."
Wingenund-"That may be; yet these friends, these good men, did not prevent him from going out again to kill the remainder of these inoffensive, yet foolish Moravian In- dians. I say foolish, because they believed the whites in preference to us. We had often told them they would be one day so treated by those people who called themselves their friends ! We told them there was no faith to be placed in what the white man said ; that their fair promises were only intended to allure us that they might the more easily kill us, as they had done wany Indians before these Moravians."
Crawford-"I am sorry to hear you speak thus ; as to Williamson's going out again, when it was known he was determined on it, I went out with him to prevent his commit- ting fresh murders."
Wingenund-" This the Indians would not believe, were even I to tell them so."
Crawford-" Why would they not be- lieve ?'
Wingenund-" Because it would have been out of your power to have prevented his do- ing what he pleased."
Crawford-"Out of my power ! Have any Moravian Indians been killed or hurt since we came out ?"
Wingenund-" None ; but you first went to their town, and finding it deserted, you turned on the path towards us. If you had been in search of warriors only, you would not have gone thither. Our spies watched you closely. They saw you while you were embodying yourselves on the other side of the Ohio. They saw you cross the river-they saw where you encamped for the night-they saw you turn off from the path to the deserted Moravian town-they knew you were going out of your way-your steps were constantly watched, and you were suffered quietly to proceed until you reached the spot where you were attacked."
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