Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I, Part 47

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 47

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During the summer the men left their women to raise the crops and idled their time; in winter they engaged in hunting, but such was their scrupulous honesty that if one found the animal of another in his trap he removed the game, suspended it near by, and reset it. The missionary Harvey greatly ingratiated himself with the Indians. In the early part of his mission there was living among them a Polly Butler, a half-breed, being the daughter by a Shawnee woman of General Richard Butler, an Indian trader before the American Revolution, and who was second in command at St. Clair's defeat and among those killed.

She was accused of bewitehing one of the tribe, and at night fled to the house of Har- vey for protection, saying in broken English, They kill-ee me ! they kill-ee me !" She brought with her a little ehild. A small dog which followed Harvey was killed, lest his noise should betray her hiding-place. Tensk- watawa, the Prophet, brother of Teeumseh, was at this time living in the village, and was exorcising a siek man for witcheraft. Harvey, who had visited him, carrying food and nourishment, found him at one time ly- ing on his face, his back bare and his whole body so laeerated that he was in danger of death from loss of blood. The Prophet was present, and being asked by Harvey why this brutal treatment, he replied that the inei- sions were made to extract the combustible matter which the witch had deposited. The

good Quaker drove the Prophet out of the house and dressed the siek man's wounds.

The Indians eame next day to Hawley's house in search of the fugitive ; she was se- ereted between two beds, and they failed to discover her. Later eame the chief Wease- eah, or Captain Wolf. He was a friend of Harvey. The result of the interview was that Harvey went with Weasecah to the Couneil House. The Indians were dressed some of them in war paint, while Weaseeah made a brief address to them ; but it was of no avail. Then Harvey through the inter- preter told them with great composure that he had come with Weaseeah to intereede for the woman; but seeing that they had re- solved to follow their own course, he had pre- pared to offer himself in her stead ; that he had no weapons and was at their merey ;

302

AUGLAIZE COUNTY.

they might do with him as they thought best. At this the noble chief Weasecah took hold of Harvey's arm and said : "Me Qua-ke-lee friend." He begged the chiefs not to suffer their friend the Quaker to be harmed, but they were still determined not to submit to the proposition. He offered his life instead of his friend's.

This heroic attitude of the Quaker, with the loyal and brave act of the noble chief, checked the tide of hostile feeling, and for a minute all were in suspense. Then chief after chief, to the number of six or eight, stepped up to Harvey, each offering his hand, and saying, "Me Qua-ke-lee friend." Weasecah then argued with them eloquently, and at last the whole council of- fered their hands in friendship, Tenskwatawa, the Prophet, only excepted, who sullenly left the council house in defeat. It was hard for Harvey and Weasecah to prevail on the poor woman to leave her place of concealment. She remained in the Quaker's house for sev- eral days, and then returned to her people and lived in peace.

This was the first successful effort to arrest the monstrous practice of destroying life on charges of witchcraft among these Indians. The Indians were only a little later than the whites in these matters. Thousands were put to death in Germany alone, in the cen- tury Columbus discovered America, on charges of witchcraft.

In 1830 the mission schools came under the charge of Mr. Henry Harvey, and when the Indians were removed to Kansas the Friends' mission schools were taken with them under his charge and that of his family.

In 1842 Mr. Harvey returned to the East. When about to leave, the Indians bade them an affectionate farewell. One of their num- ber whose English name was George Wil- liams was appointed to extend the farewell of the whole tribe, and in doing so he spoke as follows : "My brother and sister, I am about to speak for all our young men and for all our women and children, and in their name bid you farewell. They could not all come, and it would be too much trouble for you to have them all here at once, so I have been sent with their message. I was di- rected to tell you that their hearts are full of sorrow, because you are going to leave them and return to your home. Ever since you have lived with us we can all see how the Quakers and our fathers lived in peace.

"You have treated our children well, and your doors have always been open to us. When we were in distress you relieved us ; and when our people were hungry you gave them food. For your kindness we love you. Your children and our children lived together in peace, and at school learned together and loved one another. We will always remem- ber you, and teach our children to never for- get your children. And now, my brothers and sisters, I bid you farewell and Caleb and his sisters, and the little boys and their sis- ters farewell !" He then took Mr. Harvey by the hand, saying, " Farewell, my bro- ther," and then taking the hand of Mrs. Harvey said : "Farewell, my good sister." He then bade the children an individual farewell and went away in sadness.

St. Mary's, eighty miles northwest of Columbus, lies within the oil and gas belt. In June, 1887, its daily production of gas from six wells was 25,000,000 cubic feet. Its daily production of oil is also quite large. St. Mary's is on the line of the Erie and Miami Canal, and on the L. E. & W. R. R., at the junction of the Minster branch.

The town is on elevated ground, 398 feet above Lake Erie. A large canal basin is in the place and abundance of water-power is afforded by the Mercer County Reservoir. The town is supplied with light and fuel from natural gas owned by the corporation.

Newspapers : Argus, Democrat, D. A. Clark, editor ; Sentinel, Independent, F. J. Walkup, editor. Churches : 1 Presbyterian, 1 Methodist, 1 Baptist, 1 German Prot- estant, 1 German Lutheran, 1 Catholic. Bank of St. Mary's, F. Dieker, cashier.

Manufactures and Employees .- R. B. Gordon, flour, etc .; C. Buehler, job machinery, 14 hands; L. Bimel & Son, carriages, etc., 90; John Ladue, oars and handles, 20; St. Mary's Woolen Manufacturing Company, woolen blankets, etc., 141 ; Nietert & Koop, flour, etc .- State Report.

Population in 1880, 1,745 ; school census in 1886, 761; C. F. Wheaton, super- inzandent.

St. Mary's was from early times a noted point, being a village of the Shawnees. Gen. Wayne on his campaign camped here and called the place "Girty's town," from James Girty, a brother of Simon, who lived here with the Indians and gave his name to the place; Harmar was also here prior to Wayne. In the war of 1812 there was a fort at St. Mary's, which for a time was the head- quarters of Gen. Harrison. It was called Fort Barbee by the regiment of Col. Barbee which built it. Another fort was also built by Col. Pogue at the

AUGLAIZE COUNTY.

305

Ottawa towns on the Auglaize, twelve miles from St. Mary's, which he named, from his wife, Fort Amanda. The regiment of Col. Jennings completed the fort, which his troops named Fort Jennings.

There were four Girty brothers, Thomas, George, James and Simon. James was adopted by the Shawnees; George by the Delawares, and Simon by the Senecas. James was the worst renegade of them all and took delight in inflict- ing the most fiendish cruelties upon prisoners, sparing neither women nor chil- dren. Simon was the most conspicuous, being a leader and counsellor among the Indians. It was while at St. Mary's that General Harrison received his commission of major-general. The old Fort Barbee stood in the southeast corner of the Lutheran cemetery.

St. Mary's will long be memorable as the last home and final resting-place of that old hero AUGUST WILLICH. On his monument here is this extraordinary record : "Born Nov. 19, 1810, in Braunsberg, Prussia; died Jan. 22, 1878, at St. Mary's, Ohio. Commanding army of the Revolution in Germany,

GEN. AUGUST WILLICH.

, IN ER AUN'BORG FAUSSIA

DILO JAM.22. 678-

AT 34MARY'S QHID __

COM OG APMY OF THE.

PRIVATE SALGY 3 V 5.

FOL- 32 REGI.IN FOL. INF

A4625.461#

BRIG.GTN V: 794>

JULY 17 :802.

· ET MANI. GEN U SVOL OCTIN'21 1445.

A.WILLICH

MOSS ENG GAN

WILLICH'S MONUMENT.

1849 ; private 9th Regt. O. V. I .; Colonel 32d Regt. Ind. Vol. Inf .; Brig .- Gen. U. S. Vol., July, 1862 ; Brevet Maj .- Gen. U. S. Vol., Oct. 21, 1865."

A friend in St. Mary's who loved him as a brother thus outlines for these pages the story of his heroic and noble life.

· General August Willich was born in Braunsberg, Prussia, Nov. 19, 1810. When twelve years of age he was appointed a cadet at the military school in Potsdam, and three years later he entered the military academy in Berlin, whenee in 1828 he was commissioned a lieutenant and assigned to the artillery.

Democratic sentiments were prevalent amongst the officers of this corps and many were transferred to other commands. Willich, then a captain, was sent to Fort Kolberg in 1846; he resigned his commission, which a year later was accepted. Thereafter he became a conspicuous leader of the revolutionary and working classes, assuming the trade and garb of a carpenter.

In March, 1848, he commanded the popular assault and capture of the Town Hall in Cologne; a month later the Republic was declared in Baden, and Wil- lich was tendered the command of all the revolutionary forces ; on April 20, 1848,

304

AUGLAIZE COUNTY.

this force was attacked by an overwhelming force of the government troops, de- feating and scattering them, Willich, with over a thousand of his followers, sought and found refuge in the young and hospitable Republic of France.

The next year, 1849, Willich again crossed the boundary and besieged the Fortress of Landau, until it was relieved by an army under the Prince of Prussia, now Emperor of Germany. After several other exploits, all revolutionary forces were defeated, and on July 11th the last column under Willich crossed the border to Switzerland.

Crossing France on his way to England, Willich was arrested in Lyons by order of the then president, Louis Napoleon, to be surrendered to Prussia, but released in consequence of public demonstrations in his favor.

In 1853 he came to the United States, and found employment on the coast survey from Hilton Head to South Carolina, under Captain Moffitt, later com- mander of the rebel cruiser "Florida." In 1858 he was called to Cincinnati to assume the editorial chair of the German Republican, the organ of the work- ingmen.

On the breaking out of the war he joined the 9th Regt. O. V. I., and as private, adjutant and major organized and drilled it. After the battle of Rich Mountain he was commissioned a colonel by Governor Morton of Indiana, and organized the 32d Regt. Ind. V. I., with which he entered the field and participated in the battle at Mumfordsville, Ky., Dec. 16, 1861. A few days later occurred the brilliant fight of the regiment with the Texas Rangers at Green river, under Col. Terry, who was killed, and totally routed.

General Willich's history thereafter is part of the history of the Army of the Cumberland. His memorable exploit at Shiloh was followed by a commission as brigadier-general. At Stone River, by the unfortunate fall of his horse, he was taken prisoner. At the battle of Chickamauga he held the right of Thomas' line, and with his brigade covered the rear of our forces on its retreat to Ross- ville. At Missionary Ridge his brigade was among the first to storm the rebel works, resulting in the rout of the enemy. His career in the Atlanta campaign was cut short by a serious wound in the shoulder, received at Resaca, Ga.

He was then placed in command of the post at Cincinnati until March, 1865, when he assumed command of his brigade and accompanied it to Texas, until its return and his muster-out as brevet major-general.

In 1867 he was elected auditor of Hamilton county ; after the expiration of his term in 1869 he revisited Germany, and again took up the studies of his youth, philosophy, at the University of Berlin. His request to enter the army in the French-German war of 1870 was not granted, and he returned to his adopted country, making his home in St. Mary's, Ohio, with his old friend, Major Charles Hipp, and many other pleasant and congenial friends.

In those few years he was a prominent figure in all social circles, hailed by every child in town, and died Jan. 23, 1878, from paralysis of the heart, fol- lowed to his grave in the beautiful Elmwood Cemetery by three companies of State militia, delegations from the 9th Ohio and 32d Ind. Vols., the children of the schools, and a vast concourse of sorrowing friends.

In his "Ohio in the War" Whitelaw Reid gives Willich extraordinary com- mendation. He says :

In the opening of Rosecrans' campaign against Bragg in 1863 General Willich took Liberty Gap with his brigade, supported by two regiments from another command. Rose- crans characterizes this as the finest fighting

he witnessed in the war. The manœuvring of the brigade was by bugle signals, and the precision of the movements was equal to a parade.

His services at Chickamanga under the direction of Thomas were gallant in the extreme. He was finally left to cover the retreat and maintained his position until the whole army arrived safely at Chattanooga. But it was at the battle of Mission

305

AUGLAIZE COUNTY.

Ridge especially that his military carcer was crowned with one of the grandest feats of the war. Says Reid :

In the action on the third day, when Sher- man had made his unsuccessful charges and Grant gave his well-known order for the centre to take the enemy's works at the foot of the Ridge and stay there, Willich's and Hazen's brigades were in the front with Sheridan's and other divisions in echelon to the rear. The whole line moved in double- quick through woods and fields and carried the works -- Willich's brigade going up under the concentrated fire of batteries at a point where two roads met.

At this point General Willich said that he

saw to obey General Grant's order and re- main in the works at the foot of the Ridge would be the destruction of the centre. To fall baek would have been the loss of the bat- tle with the sacrifice of Sherman. In this emergency, with no time for consultation with the division general, or any other commander, he sent three of his aides to different regi- ments and rode himself to the Eighth Kansas and gave the order to storm the top of the Ridge. How brilliantly the order was exe- cuted the whole world knows.

NEW BREMEN, formerly called Bremen, seventy-eight miles northwest of Columbus, on the L. E. & W. R. R. It was first settled in 1832 by a company organized at Cincinnati for the purpose of locating a town to be colonized by Germans. A committee, consisting of F. H. Schroeder and A. F. Windeler, viewed the country north of Cincinnati and selected the present site. The com- pany consisted of thirty-three members, among whom were Christian Carman, J. B. Mesloh, F. Steiner, F. Neiter and Philip Reis. They purchased ten acres of land from the government at one dollar per acre. The land was surveyed by R. Grant into 102 lots, each 66 by 300 feet. Each member was entitled to one lot, the remainder being offered for sale at $25 each. The plot was recorded in Mercer county June 11, 1833, immediately after which Windeler returned to Cin- cinnati, while Schroeder remained for the purpose of erecting a hut for the recep- tion of the six members who came with Windeler from Cincinnati, a journey occupying fourteen days. The first hut was built of logs twelve by fourteen feet in dimension, and required to raise it the assistance of all the settlers within a radius of six miles. The latest survivors of the first colony were Dickman and Mohr- man, who died several years since.

In those days the nearest supply station was twenty-three miles, and an instance is recorded of one Mr. Graver, making on foot a trip to Piqua, returning the same day carrying on his shoulder a No. 7 plow which he had procured there.

The first families were all Protestants ; their first minister, Rev. L. H. Meyer. A building was erected (1833) at a cost of $40, which answered the purpose of both school and church. In 1835 Mr. Charles Boesel settled here ; he was the pioneer business man of New Bremen, who established its first bank. He died April 17, 1885, aged 71 years, leaving many permanent monuments to mark the events of a progressive, generous and useful life. He was one of the most promi- nent Germans of Northern Ohio, occupying many high official positions of trust and responsibility. In 1835 many of the settlers went to Indiana and worked on the Wabash canal, while the women managed the home farms. During the same year a post-office was established and the name changed to New Bremen.

The Miami canal being under construction in 1838 enhanced the industry and growth of the town, the completion of which formed the first shipping outlet ; and in 1840 a warehouse (Mr. Wiemeyer's) and water mill were established.

In 1849 the town was scourged by cholera and 150 died out of a population of 700. Since then it has grown with steady prosperity and now has :

Newspapers : Sun, C. M. Smith, editor and publisher ; Star of Western Ohio, Democrat, Theodore Purpos, editor. Churches : 3 Lutheran and 1 Catholic. Bank : Boesel Bros & Co., Jacob Boesel, president ; Julius Boesel, cashier.

Manufactures and Employees .- W. Rabe, sash, doors, blinds, etc., 12 hands ; Knast & Heinepeld, carriages, etc. ; Bakhaus & Kuenzel, flour and feed ; Bakhaus & Kuenzel, woollen blankets, etc., 18: New Bremen Machine Co., drain tile

AUGLAIZE COUNTY.

machines, 14; also New Bremen Oil & Gas Co., pork packing, etc .- State Report 1886.

Population in 1880, 1,160. School census in 1886, 848 ; Chas. W. Williamson, superintendent.

MINSTER, seventy-five miles west of Columbus, on a branch of the L. E. & W. R. R., is surrounded by a fine farming district. Churches : 1 Catholic.

Manufactures and Employees .- The Metropolitan Mills, flour and feed, 11 hands ; Minster Woollen Mills, woollen blankets, etc., 26 ; F. Herkhoff & Bro., staves and cooperage, 40 ; Fred. Weimann, sawing lumber, 7; Steinman Bros., lager beer ; also 2 boot and shoe factories .- State Report 1886.

Population in 1880, 1,123. School census in 1886, 603.

It was founded in 1833 like New Bremen by a stock association of Cincinnati Germans; they were Catholics. It was laid out by Francis Joseph Stallo of Mercer county as their agent, who named it Stallostown ; the place stifl preserves its German nationality, and has one of the largest breweries in this region, founded by Frank Lang in 1870. The Catholic church is one of the finest in the State, and that religion prevails exclusively.

BELMONT.

BELMONT COUNTY was established September 7, 1801, by proclamation of Gov. St. Clair, being the ninth county formed in the Northwestern Territory.

The name is derived from two French words signifying a fine mountain. It is a very hilly, picturesque tract and contains much excellent land. Area 500 square miles. In 1885 the acres cultivated were 112,269; pasture, 136,301; woodland, 81,396 ; lying waste, 8,684; produced in wheat, 83,141 bushels; corn, 1,095,664 ; tobacco, 1,425,866 pounds ; butter, 743,059 ; apples, 323,137 bushels; wool, 725,463 pounds ; grapes, 229,360; cattle, 22,730; sheep, 158,121 ; coal, 573,779 tous. School census 1886, 18,236 ; teachers, 275. It has 113 miles of railroad.

TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS.

1840.

1880.

TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS.

1840.

1880.

Colerain,

1,389

1,499

Smith,

1,956

1,977

Flushing,

1,683

1,705

Somerset,

1,932

2,241

Goshen,

1,882

2,208

Union,

2,127

1,686

Kirkwood,

2,280

2,028

Warren,

2,410

4,531

Mead,

1,496

1,970

Washington,

1,388

1,633

Pease,

2,449

8,819

Wayne,

1,734

1,719

Pultney,

1,747

10,492

Wheeling,

1,389

1,349

Richland,

3,735

4,361

York,

129

1,420

Population in 1820 was 20,329 ; in 1840, 30,902; in 1860, 36,398; in 1880, 49,638, of whom 38,233 were Ohio-born.

Belmont county was one of the carliest settled within the State of Ohio, and the scene of several desperate encounters with the Indians. About 1790, or perhaps two or three years later, a fort called Dillie's fort was erected on the west side of the Ohio, opposite Grave creek.

About 250 yards below this fort an old man named Tate was shot down by the

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BELMONT COUNTY.

Indians very early in the morning as he was opening his door. Hir daughter-in- law and grandson pulled him in and barred the door. The Indians, endeavoring to force it open, were kept ont for some time by the exertions of the boy and woman. They at length fired through and wounded the boy. The woman was shot from the outside as she endeavored to escape up chimney, and fell into the fire. The boy, who had hid behind some barrels, ran and pulled her out, and returned again to his hiding-place. The Indians now effected an entrance, killed a girl as they came in, and scalped the three they had shot. They then went out behind that side of the house from the fort. The boy, who had been wounded in the month, embraced the opportunity and escaped to the fort. The Indians, twelve or thirteen in number, went off unmolested, although the men in the fort had witnessed the transaction and had sufficient force to engage with them.

Captina creek is a considerable stream entering the Ohio, near the southeast angle of Belmont. On its banks at an early day a sanguinary contest took place known as " the battle of Captina." Its incidents have often and variously been given. We here relate them as they fell from the lips of Martin Baker, of Monroe, who was at that time a lad of about twelve years of age in Baker's fort :

The Battle of Cuptina .- One mile below the mouth of Captina, on the Virginia shore, was Baker's fort, so named from my father. One morning in May, 1794. four men were sent over according to the custom, to the Ohio side to reconnoitre. They were Adam Miller, John Daniels, Isaac M'Cowan, and John Shoptaw. Miller and Daniels took up stream, the other two down. The upper scout were soon attacked by Indians, and Miller killed ; Daniels ran up Captina about three miles, but being weak from the loss of blood issuing from a wound in his arm was taken prisoner, carried into captivity, and subsequently re- leased at the treaty of Greenville. The lower scout having discovered signs of the enemy, Shoptaw swam across the Ohio and escaped, but N'Gowan going up towards the canoe, was shot by Indians in ambush. Upon this he ran down to the bank and sprang into the water, pursued by the enemy, who overtook and scalped him. The firing being heard at the fort, they beat up for volunteers. There were about fifty men in the fort. There being much reluctance among them to volun- teer, my sister exclaimed, "She wouldn't be a coward." This aroused the pride of my brother, John Baker, who before had deter- mined not to go. He joined the others, four- teen in number, including Capt. Abram Enochs. They soon crossed the river, and went up Captina in single file, a distance of a mile and a half, following the Indian trail. The enemy had come back on their trails, and were in ambush on the hill-side awaiting their approach. When sufficiently near they fired upon our people, but being on an ele- vated position, their balls passed harmless over them. The whites then treed. Some of the Indians came behind, and shot Capt. Enochs and Mr. Hoffman. Our people soon retreated, and the Indians pursued but a short

distance. On their retreat my brother was shot in the hip. Determined to sell his life as dearly as possible, he drew off one side and secreted himself in a hollow with a rock at his back, offering no chance for the enemy to approach but in front. Shortly after two guns were heard in quick succession ; doubt- less one of them was fired by my brother, and from the signs afterwards, it was supposed he had killed an Indian. The next day the men turned out and visited the spot. Enochs. Hoffman, and John Baker were found dead and scalped. Enoch's bowels were torn out, his eyes and those of Hoffman screwed out with a wiping-stick. The dead were wrapped in white hickory bark, and brought over to the Virginia shore, and buried in their bark coffins. There were about thirty Indians en- gaged in this action, and seven skeletons of their slain were found long after secreted in the crevices of rocks.

M'Donald, in his biographical sketch of Governor M'Arthur, who was in the action, says that after the death of Capt. Enochs, M' Arthur, although the youngest man in the company, was unanimously called upon to direct the retreat. The wounded who were able to walk were placed in front, while M' Arthur with his Spartan band covered the retreat. The moment an Indian showed him- self in pursuit he was fired upon, and gener- ally, it is believed, with effect. The Indians were so severely handled that they gave up the pursuit. The Indians were commanded by the Shawnee chief, Charley Wilkey. He told the author (M'Donald) of this narrative that the battle of Captina was the most severe conflict he ever witnessed ; that although he had the advantage of the ground and the first fire, he lost the most of his men, half of them having been either killed or wounded.

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Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I, Part 47

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