Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I, Part 141

Author: Howe, Henry, 1816-1893
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Cincinnati : Published by the state of Ohio
Number of Pages: 1006

USA > Ohio > Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I > Part 141

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HOG CREEK MARSH, comprising twelve and one-half square miles, is mainly in Wash- ington township. By ditching and also by deepening, widening and straightening the channel of Hog creek for a distance of four miles, which took six years of labor, from about 1868 to 1874, these marsh lands have been reclaimed. Thirty years ago these lands were almost worthless, a hot-bed of malaria, the resort of all sorts of venomous reptiles. The lands will now average sixty dollars per acre, and are among the most valuable in the Scioto Valle !. The expense of draining was about thirteen dollars per acre.

The wide a itches are cut by huge dredges worked by st. am-power; the small lateral ditches are cut by spade. A picture of one of the dredges is before us, an improved dredge-boat, the invention of Colonel C. H. Sage. It is a scow drawing two and a half feet of water, twenty-six feet wide and seventy- two feet long, at work in the Scioto marshes, and the colonel himself is supposed to be on board, as he has charge there. The view is from the rear, and the scene around is wild and picturesque. A clearing wide as a road

has been cut through the original forest, through which is a wilderness vista for miles. A large area of the ditch is in the foreground, at the rear of the boat, where the water looks as placid and pure as a mountain lake, and reflects upon its surface, in pleasing vividness, forest, sky and scow.

The dredge has a roof on posts some seven feet high, but is open at the sides and rear, into which we can gaze. In front are some huge spars coming to a point about twenty feet above the prow of the scow, with another beam, the pioneer of the concern, from the point of which hangs a huge bucket or dip- per, which swings to alternate sides of the ditch and deposits mud as it goes, fifty-four feet from the centre of the turn-table. Evidently it was not made for ocean navigation ; but it is a fact that some years ago in an adjoining county, near the head-waters of the St. Mary's we believe it was, a scow-dredge was built in a swamp and then dug its way out until it floated into a river and got an ex- perience of river navigation.

The Ditch Laws of the State are admirable. The system is very simple. Parties wishing their land ditched petition the county com- missioners, who first examine, by sending an engineer to run the necessary levels, and, if his report and plans are favorable, they grant the request and assume the expense and su- pervision of the work. To meet the expense the county issues its bonds, running a term of years. The interest on the bonds, and finally the principal, are met by increase on the tax value of the land.

It is by this system that the Black Swamp and other low wet lands of the Northwest are becoming the garden of Ohio. The people no longer shake with the chills and fever, the snakes have wriggled away, and big crops, sunshine and gladness have come over the land.

GREAT TREES.

This county had some noted trees. One termed "Hardin's Great Walnut " has thus been described by Mr. James Cable : It stood 22 miles east of Kenton, in the centre of the Marion pike. Its roots-large spurs- extended twenty feet from the body each way, the body growing well to the ground. It died in 1832, and was cut in 1837. The diameter is not known, but its body measured seventy-two feet to the forks, and large rail- cuts were made from each fork. Large stiles had to be cut in the body to notch it for the saw. The tree was without a blemish. Mr. Cable said it was the best tree he had ever seen.

Walnut was abundant in the vicinity. On section twelve, near by, Mr. Johnson, an old Indian scout, reported that a walnut was cut in 1789 which measured four feet and a half in diameter. It was cut for bees by a white man. The stump was standing late as 1879. It was reported that a white man was killed near it by an Indian. This was probably the first tree cut in Hardin county.

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HARDIN COUNTY.

CAPTURE AND ESCAPE OF DR. JOHN KNIGHT.

The earliest known incident of striking interest occurring within the limits of this county was the escape of Dr. John Knight in June, 1782. He was brother- in-law of Col. Crawford, and had been captured with the Colonel and two others near what is now Leesville, Crawford county. After the burning of Crawford, Knight was painted black and next morning put in charge of an Indian named Tutelu, a rough-looking fellow, to be taken to the Shawnee town of Wakatomika for execution.

It is a well-received tradition that the pre- cise spot where the Doctor ontwitted, over- powered and escaped from his Indian guard was in Section 8, Dudley township, on the north bank of the Scioto, near the residence of the late Judge Portius Wheeler. The spot is on the old Shawnee trail, from the Wyandot and Delaware villages on the San- dusky and Tymochtee to the Shawnee towns on the Big Miami and Mad rivers, passing through what is now known as the townships of Goshen, Dudley, Buck Hall, and Taylor Creek. The details, as told by Knight, are these :

They started for the Shawnee towns, which the Indian said were somewhat less than forty miles away. Tutelu was on horseback and drove Knight before him. The latter pretended he was ignorant of the death he was to die, though Simon Girty told him he was to die ; affected as cheerful a countenance as possible, and asked the savage if they were not to live together as brothers in one house when they should get to the town. Tutelu seemed well pleased and said, "Yes." He then asked Knight if he could make a wig- wam. Knight told him he could. He then seemed more friendly. The route taken by Tutelu and Knight was the Indian trace leading from the Delaware town to Waka- tomika, and ran some six or eight miles west of what is now Upper Sandusky. Its direc- tion was southwest from Pipetown to the Big Tymochtee. They travelled, as near as Knight could judge, the first day about twenty-five miles. The Doctor was then in- formed that they would reach Wakatomica the next day a little before noon.

The Doctor often attempted to untie him- self during the night, but the Indian was very watchful and scarcely closed his eyes, so that he did not succeed in loosening the tugs with which he was bound. At daybreak Tutelu got up and untied the Doctor. They had built a fire near which they slept. Tu- teln, as soon as he had untied the Doctor, began to mend the fire, and as the gnats were troublesome, the Doctor asked him if he should make a smoke behind him. He said, "Yes." The Doctor took the end of a dog- wood fork, which had been burnt down to ahout eighteen inches in length. It was the longest stick he could find. yet too small for the purpose he had in view. He then took up another small stick, and taking a coal of fire between them, went behind the Indian,

when, turning suddenly about, he struck the Indian on the head with all his force. This so stunned him that he fell forward, with both his hands in the fire. He soon recov- ered, and springing to his feet ran howling off into the forest. Knight seized his gun, and with much trepidation followed, trying to shoot the Indian ; but using too much vio- lence in pulling back the cock of the gun, broke the main-spring. The Indian continued his flight, the Doctor vainly endeavoring to fire his gun. He finally returned to the camp from the pursuit of Tutelu, and made prep- arations for his homeward flight through the wilderness. He took the blanket of the Del- aware, a pair of new moccasins, his " hop- pes," powder-horn, bullet-bag, together with the Indian's gun, and started on his journey in a direction a little north of east.

About half an hour before sunset he came to Sandusky Plains, when he laid down in a thicket until dark. He continned in a north- easterly direction, passing through what is now Marion, Morrow. Richland. Ashland, Wayne, and so on, until evening of the twen- tieth day after his escape, he reached the month of Beaver creek on the Ohio, in Beaver county, Pa., and was then among friends. During the whole journey he sub- sisted on roots, a few young birds that were unable to fly out of his reach, and wild ber- ries that grew in abundance through the forest.

THE TORNADO OF 1887.

On the night of Friday, May 14, 1887, the western part of Ohio was visited by one of the most destructive storms known in the history of the State. While great damage was done to property throughout other coun- ties, its effects in Hardin and Greene coun- ties were particularly disastrous. The de- struction in Greene was largely caused by flood, the damage in Hardin principally by the great force of the wind ; it partook more of the character of a tornado, the effects being similar to those of the tornado which had visited Fayette county the preceding September, nearly destroying the entire town of Washington C. H.

Commencing in the western part of Hardin county the storm travelled in a northeasterly direction over a course of about eight miles, leaving destruction in its path. It passed out of Hardin at the northeast corner, and did great damage in Wyandot county.

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HARDIN COUNTY.

TRAVELLING NOTES.

At Kenton on this tour we met Gen. James S. Robinson. We were glad to meet him again, having made his acquaintance on our original tour, but had not seen him since. In the interim he had an unusual career, civil and military. He was born of English parentage, near Mansfield, October 14, 1827. He was bred a printer and editor, looks like the typical John Bull, but is every inch an American. He is a tall, somewhat huge man, with clear, weighty voice, one with strong convictions and frank in their expression. He was secretary of the first Republican State Convention ever held in Ohio, of which Salmon P. Chase was president ; has held many other political and civil offices ; is the only person ever elected to Congress from Hardin county, first in 1880 and then in 1882 ; was Secretary of State from 1885 to 1889.

He enlisted in the civil war as a private, and ere its close had become a full brigadier and brevet major-general. He was in the Virginia campaign under Fremont ; was in Sherman's march to the sea, and had some interesting ex- periences at Gettysburg, incidents of the first day's fight and what he saw while he lay wounded and a prisoner within the enemy's lines. We abridge from a published account.

He entered the fight as commander of the Eighty-second O. V. I., two other colonels ranking him. But in five minutes one was wounded and the other (Colonel Musser, of the Seventy-fifth Pennsylvania) killed while engaged in conversation with him, which de- volved upon him the command of the brig-

GEN. JAMES S. ROBINSON.

ade. The firing was from the right flank and front and was very destructive of human life. His regiment went into action on the morning of the first day's fight with 19 offi- cers and 236 men. It lost all but 2 officers and 89 men. After the death of General Reynolds and other disasters an order was

issued assigning to Robinson the command of the division, but ere it reached him he was struek in the left breast by a minie-ball, which passed elear through his body, making a gaping wound.

This was just at the edge of Gettysburg, and as he fell his troops were forced to give way before the overwhelming forces of the enemy, who swept on and over the field on which he lay wounded. He was taken to the residence of a couple of maiden ladies by the name of MePherson, sisters of Hon. Edward Mc Pherson, late Clerk of the House of Rep- resentatives, where he lay upon the kitchen floor during the night. The following day he was taken up-stairs and placed in a bed, looking out upon the busy scenes being en- acted in the town. In the meantime he had had no treatment whatever. Some water was brought him, which he poured through his wound and which ran through his body like through a sieve. To this the general at- tributes his recovery from a wound which would have killed almost any other man.

After an examination of his wound the surgeon coolly told him that he could not possibly recover and that he had better com- plete at an early moment whatever arrange- ments he wanted to make preparatory to a voyage across the dark river. But the colo- nel intimated that he had some faith in his reeovery and that he had no arrangements to make just yet. Another surgeon came who succeeded in finding a small dose of mor- phine. This gave relief. and he was able to sleep for a few hours. During both days of the battle he could hear the rattle of the musketry and the roar of artillery on all parts of the field.

On the afternoon of the third day. when the signal-gun was fired and the artillery opened from both lines, the shock was ter- rific. It fairly shook the building which he occupied. Then came a lull and after that the rattle of musketry. Just as the sound

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HARDIN COUNTY.

of musketry died away an officer belonging to General Lee's staff came riding through the town opposite the general's window, evi- dently carrying orders from General Lee to General Johnson on the left. The rebel pro- vost marshal, who was commanding in the town, occupied the hotel office as his head- quarters. He was heard asking Lee's staff officer for the news at the front.

The officer replied : "Glorious ! Long- street is driving the Yankees to h-]." The general says that that was an anxious mo- ment for him. Finally the roar of battle en- tirely ceased and only an occasional shot was heard along the line. Just then a captain on Lee's staff came riding down with orders to Johnson, probably countermanding the previous order. The rebel provost marshal again asked the staff officer for the news at the front. He said : "Bad enough. Long- street has been repulsed, with terrible slaughter, and everything is going to the rear in utter confusion."

Those were words of good cheer to the old soldier. He called to a soldier who had re- mained with him to come forth from his hiding-place and requested him to open the back shutters of the house and raise him up and let him look over the battle-field. He saw great confusion in Lee's lines. Am- bulances, caissons and ammunition wagons were going to the rear in great confusion. The retreat continued all night long.

As he lay there wounded, sceing the panic and confusion that had seized Lee's troops, he longed to get word to Meade that he might pursue. Meade had 16,000 fresh troops, and had he done so he has always- felt that then and there the rebellion would have ended.

About daybreak, on the morning of the 4th, he heard the welcome voices of his own regiment, as they came marching through the town, calling upon some rebel soldiers who had taken refuge in a barn to surrender.

We again visited Kenton Wednesday, September 11, 1889. This was Pioneer Day on the County Fair grounds, a memorable occasion, the dedication of the pioneer cabin, which had just been completed, to commemo- rate the virtues of the fathers and mothers who had laid the foundations in the wilder- ness of Hardin. Among the multitude who poured in from the country were many who had brought the old-time tools and imple- ments and placed them in the cabin, as spinning-wheels, flax-boards, Dutch ovens, tables, chairs, reels, knives, forks, spoons,

pewter and wooden utensils, guns, cabin- lamps, etc., that had done grand service in the olden time, even as far back, perhaps, as the days of Lexington, for there were some old flint-lock guns that must have flashed their light in or near that dim remote. In- deed, even in the present sense, it was a dim remote, as shown by the specimens of the cabin-lamps, for the pioneers must have had the vision of bats to have seen much by them. They consisted simply as receptacles for a lump of grease, with a rag laid in for

a wick. These were either shoved into crevices between the logs of the cabin or, if they were extra splendid, they were hung by a wire. Our engraving is from one of this

......

A LOG-CABIN LAMP.

splendid kind, brought on to the ground by Mr. John P. Richards, a pioneer from Buck township, which came from his father, who used it in New Hampshire about a century back. Its material is brass, and it is black with age and use. To our vision, having tried it, we discover that it has. a decided ad- vantage over a respectable-sized lightning- bug-that is, the light is more steady.

The exercises consisted mainly of speeches by Gen. Gibson, Col. Cessna, Henry Howe, etc. ; singing by the Old Fogy singers, of Logan county, winding up with grateful reso- lutions by the committee of the whole to Col. W. T. Cessna, president, and Dr. A. W. Munson, secretary, of the Pioneer Associa- tion, for their services in bringing the build- ing of the cabin to such a happy conclusion, wherein about every log was the gift of some one family who had hauled it on to the ground as their especial pet log, in some cases miles away, from the "dim remote" of their tree lands. The Old Fogy singers were a most attractive feature, in the quaint costumes of the olden time, with their hair smoothly parted in the middle, with not even a solitary "bang" to molest the dome of thought. Then their old hymns and fugu- ing tunes reminded of one especial fugue that was sung in the ancient days wherein the treble and alto would start out and sing :

"Oh ! for a man ; Oh ! for a man ; Oh ! for a mansion in the skies."

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HARDIN COUNTY.

And then the tenors and basses reply

"Bring down sal ;- bring down sal ;- bring down salvation from above."

The Old Stage Driver .- Among the old pioneers present at the dedication was Harvey Buckminster, born in 1800, the last year of the last century, whose unusual experience has thus been often related, and should have this permanent record. He was a Vermonter, and came to Ohio in 1828, when 28 years old, first settling on the Sandusky plains, where, in the person of Miss Abigail Brown, he ob- tained a good wife and made many friends among the Indians. He borrowed money- three dollars-to pay for his marriage license, and mauled 1,200 rails at twenty-five cents a hundred, to pay it back. During the summer after he was married he engaged to mow the meadow of a neighbor who lived five miles away, and walked there and back daily, re- ceiving as compensation for each day's work six pounds of pickled pork, then worth about four cents a pound. He then engaged in driving stage on the deep muddy roads through dense forests between Bellefontaine and Upper Sandusky, the home of the Wy- andots, in the night season, when it was often so dark that he could not see the wheel- horses, when he would be compelled to carry a lantern, and with a pole pry out the stage .. coach from the deep holes or over stumps in

the road. He followed this occupation for six years, and eventually bought a tract of woodland and cleared it at a place called Grassy Point, now in Hale. There he opened a house of entertainment in a primitive style for travellers on the road. The Shawnees and Wyandots were quite numerons, and he was often visited by them, and became on friendly terms with their leading men. For thirteen winters he bought furs for the North- western Fur Company in northwestern Ohio and Michigan, paying out some $5,000 annu- ally to the Indians and white hunters, by which he secured a competency.

He used to relate this incident, which oc- curred under his observation, in one of his trips to Sandusky. A young Indian having been found guilty of killing another Indian by a council of the Wyandots, was sentenced to be shot. The culprit was taken to his place of execution, pinioned, blindfolded and made to kneel by his coffin, when five young men-Wyandots-being supplied with rifles, four of which only were loaded with balls, at the word "fire " simultaneously discharged their pieces, when four balls entered close to- gether the breast of the unfortunate young man. The wife of the doomed man was present at the execution. She was at the time with child, and when it was born there were four distinct red marks of the bullet- holes, and the appearance of blood trickling down from them on the breast of the child.

OHIO NORMAL UNIVERSITY.

ADA is fourteen miles northwest of Kenton, sixty south of Toledo, on the line of the P. Ft. Wayne & C. Railroad. It derives its main interest from being an educational point. It was laid out in 1853, and was called Johnstown until in- corporated'in 1861. It is the seat of the Ohio Normal University, the largest institution of the kind in the State, and which has been recognized by the gov- ernment by its sending an army officer and ordnance to give instruction in military tactics. It has thirty instructors, male and female ; H. S. Lehr, president. Its enrolment of pupils for 1889 was 2,473, many for brief courses. The town is lighted by electricity and the fuel used is natural gas. Newspapers : Record, neutral, Agnew Welsh, editor and proprietor ; University Herald, college, Herald Company, publishers ; One Principle, religions, Rev. J. M. Atwater, publisher ;

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HARDIN COUNTY.

Holiness Conservator, religious, Revs. Rowley and Rice, publishers. Churches : one Methodist Episcopal, one Wesleyan Methodist, one Presbyterian, one Evan- gelical Lutheran, one Baptist, one Catholic, one United Brethren, one Reformed and one Disciples. Bank : Citizen's, P. Ahlefeld, proprietor. Population in 1880, 1,760. School census in 1886, 763; Alexander Comrie, superintendent.

FOREST is twelve miles northeast of Kenton, at the crossing of the P. Ft. W. & C. and I. B. & W. Railroads. It is surrounded by a fine grain and fruit pro- dueing country. Its principal manufactures are lumber, tile, brick and handles. City Officers, 1888 : Matthew Briggs, Mayor; Fred. Hune, Marshal ; W. P. Bowman, Clerk ; J. F. Nye, Treasurer ; J. L. Woodward, Street Commissioner. Newspapers : Review, Independent ; Harvey S. Horn, editor and publisher. Churches: 1 Presbyterian, 1 Methodist Protestant, 1 Methodist Episcopal. Bank : Nye's (John F. Nye), J. F. Nye, cashier. School census in 1886, 413; C. F. Zimmerman, Superintendent. Population in 1880, 987.

MT. VICTORY is in the southeastern part of the county, on the line of the C. C. C. & I. Railroad. It is surrounded by a fine farming and grazing country. It has one newspaper, Observer, Independent, E. E. Lynch, editor. Churches : 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 United Brethren, and 1 Wesleyan Methodist. Prin- cipal industries are M. E. Burke & Co., flouring mill, and Boyd Bros.' handle factory. Population in 1880, 574.

DUNKIRK is an incorporated town on the P. Ft. W. & C. R. R., twenty-six miles east of Lima and ten miles north of Kenton. Churches : 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 United Brethren, 1 Wesleyan Methodist, 1 Presbyterian, 1 Adventist, 1 African Baptist. Newspaper : Standard, Independent, O. Owen, editor. Bank : Wood- ruff"'s, John Woodruff, president ; A. B. Woodruff, cashier. City Officers: D. F. Fryer, Mayor ; Calvin Gum, Marshal ; Gage Helms, Clerk ; J. M. Hutchin- son, Treasurer ; Jacob Rinehart, Street Commissioner. The surrounding country is very productive, and all kinds of grain are raised in abundance. Population in 1880, 1,131. School census, 1888, 431. H. B. Williams, Superintendent of Schools.

PATTERSON is ten miles northeast of Kenton, on the I. B. & W. R. R. School census, 1888, 141.

RIDGEWAY is on the C. C. C. & I. R. R., ten miles south of Kenton. School census, 1888, 83.

ROUNDHEAD, a hamlet in the southwest corner of the county, was named from Roundhead, a Wyandot chief, who had a village there. Major Galloway, who visited it about the year 1800, stated that there were then quite a number of apple trees in the village, and that the Indians raised many swine. Roundhead, whose Indian name was Stiahta, was a fine-looking man. He had a brother named John Battise, of great size and personal strength. His nose, which was enormous, re- sembled in hue a blue potatoe, was full of indentations, and when he langhed it shook like jelly. These Indians joined the British in the late war, and Battise was killed at Fort Meigs.

887

HARRISON COUNTY.

HARRISON.

HARRISON COUNTY was forined January 1, 1814, from Jefferson and Tuscara- was, and named from Gen, Wm. H. Harrison. It is generally very hilly ; these hills are usually beautifully curving and highly enltivated. The soil is clayey, in which coal and limestone abound. It is one of the greatest wool-growing counties in the Union, having in 1847, 102,971 sheep, and in 1887, 137,891.

Arca about 320 square miles. In 1887 the aeres eultivated were 53,153; in pasture, 122,743; woodland, 34,105; lying waste, 489; produced in wheat, 198,991 bushels; rye, 1,465; bnekwheat, 346 ; oats, 196,930; barley, 575 ; corn, 517,601 ; broom corn, 1,000 lbs. brush ; meadow hay, 62,708 tons ; clover hay, 1,050; potatoes, 33,324 bushels; butter, 415,440 lbs .; cheese, 10,000; sorghum, 2,645 gallons ; maple syrup, 2,851; honey, 14,559 lbs .; eggs, 414,588 dozen ; grapes, 8,900 lbs .; wine, 90 gallons; sweet potatoes, 141 bushels; apples, 18,- 558 ; peaches, 8,199 ; pears, 1,305 ; wool, 826,386 lbs .; milch cows owned, 4,993. School census, 1888, 6,529 ; teachers, 181. Miles of railroad track, 55.

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Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I, Part 141

Author: Howe, Henry, 1816-1893 Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Cincinnati : Published by the state of Ohio Number of Pages: 1006

Author: Howe, Henry, 1816-1893
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Cincinnati : Published by the state of Ohio
Number of Pages: 1006