Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I, Part 58

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 58

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372

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.

CHAMPAIGN.

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY was formed from Greene and Franklin March 1, 1805, and the temporary seat of justice fixed in Springfield at the house of George Fithian ; it derived its name from the character of the surface. About half of it is level or slightly undulating, one-quarter rolling, one-fifth rather hilly, and about five per cent. prairie. The county is drained by the Mad river, which flows through a beautiful country, and with its tributaries furnishes extensive mill privileges.

Its area is 420 square miles ; in 1885 acres cultivated were 164,602; in pasture, 34,213; woodland, 62,669 ; produced in wheat, 561,614 bushels ; corn, 1,978,697 ; broom brush, 65,050 pounds; wool, 195,008. School census in 1886, 8,439; teachers, 168. It has 78 miles of railroad.

TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS.

1840.

1880.

TOWNSHIPS AND CENSUS.

1840.

1880.

Adams,

970

1,445

Mad River,

1,894

1,997

Concord,

935

1,157

Rush,

1,226

2,150

Goshen,

1,406

2,607

Salem,

1,402

2,108

Harrison,

790

973

Union,

1,249

1,588

Jackson,

1,431

1,901

Urbana,

2,456

7,781

Johnson,

1,213

2,479

Wayne,

1,300

1,631

Population in 1820 was 8,479; in 1840, 16,720; in 1860, 22,698; in 1880, 27,817 ; of whom 21,793 were Ohio-born.

URBANA IN 1846 .- Urbana, the county-seat, is forty-two miles west-northwest from Columbus. It was laid out in 1805 by Col. Wm. Ward, originally from Greenbriar, Va. He was proprietor of the soil, and gave a large number of the lots to the county, with the provision that their sales should be appropriated for public objects. He also named the place from the word urbanity. The first two settlers were the clerk of the court, Joseph C. Vance, father of ex-Governor Vance, and George Fithian, who opened the first tavern in a cabin, now forming a part of the dwelling of Wm. Thomas, on Sonth Main street. Samuel M'Cord opened the first store, in the same cabin, in March, 1806, and built, the same year, the first shingled house, now the store of Wm. and Duncan M'Donald. In 1807 a temporary court-honse was erected, now the residence of Duncan M'Donald. A brick court-house was subsequently built on the public square, which stood many years, and then gave place to the present substantial and handsome building. In 1807 the Methodists-those religious pioneers-built the first church, a log struc- ture, which stood in the northeast part of the town, on the lot on which Mr. Ganson resides. Some years later this denomination erected a brick church, now devoted to the manufacture of carriages and wagons by Mr. Childs, in the central part of the town.

The first settlers in the village were Joseph C. Vance, Thos. and Ed. W. Pearce, George Fithian, Samuel M'Cord, Zeph. Luce, Benj. Doolittle, Geo. and Andrew Ward, Wm. H. Fyffe, Wm. and John Glenn, Fred. Ambrose, John Reynolds and Samuel Gibbs. Of those living in the county at that time our informant recollects the names of Jacob Minturn, Henry and Jacob Vanmetre, Nathaniel Cartmell, Justice Jones, Felix Rock, Thomas Anderson, Abner Barret, Thomas Pearce, Benj. and Wm. Cheney, Matthew and Chas. Stuart, Parker Sullivan, John Logan, John Thomas, John Runyon, John Lafferty, John Owens, John Taylor, John Guttridge, John Cartmell, John Dawson, John Pence, Jonathan Long, Bennet Taber, Nathan Fitch, Robt. Nowce, Jacob Pence and Arthur Thomas. The last named, Captain Arthur Thomas, lived on King's creek, three miles from Urbana. He was ordered, in the war of 1812, with his company, to guard the public stores

373

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.

at Fort Findlay. On his return he and his son lost their horses, and separated from the rest of the company to hunt for them. They encamped at the Big Spring, near Solomonstown, about five miles north of Bellefontaine, and the next morning were found killed and scalped. Their bodies were brought into Urbana by a deputation of citizens. On the 4th of July, two months previous to this event, The Watch Tower, the first newspaper in the county, was commenced at Urbana ; its publishers were Corwin & Blackburn. Urbana is a beautiful town, and has, in its outskirts, some elegant private residences. The engraving is a view in its central part, taken from near Reynolds' store. The court-house and Methodist church are seen in the distance. The building on the left, now occupied as a store by Wm. M'Donald, was, in the late war, Doolittle's tavern, the headquarters of Governor Meigs. The one in front, with the date " 1811" upon it, and now the store of D. & T. M'Gwynne, was then a commissary's office, and the building where Col. Richard M. Johnson was brought wounded from the battle of the Thames, and in which he remained several days under a surgeon's care. Urbana contains 1 Associate Reformed, 1 Presbyterian, 1 Baptist and 1 Methodist church, 2 newspaper printing offices, 1 woollen factory, 1 foundry, 2 machine shops and 20 mercantile stores. In 1840 Urbana had 1,070 inhabitants .- Old Edition.

Urbana is forty-seven miles west of Columbus on the C. St. L. & P. R. R., and ninety-five miles northeast of Cincinnati on the N. Y. P. & O. R. R. It is also on the C. S. & C. R. R. It is the county-seat of Champaign county, and the centre of a very productive farming district. County officers in 1888 : Probate Judge, David W. Todd ; Clerk of Court, Griffith Ellis; Sheriff, R. P. Wilkins ; Proseenting Attorney, Evan P. Middleton ; Auditor, J. M. Fitzpatrick ; Treasurer, Richard S. Pearce ; Recorder, Theodore G. Keller; Surveyor, James Swisher ; Coroner, J. A. Dowell ; Commissioners, L. H. Runyan, John P. Neer, Jacob MeMoran.

Newspapers : Urbana Daily Citizen, Republican ; Urbana Citizen and Gazette, weekly, Republican, Citizen and Gazette Company, proprietors, Joseph P. Smith, editor ; Champaign Democrat, Democratie, T. M. Gaumer, editor and proprietor ; Monthly Visitor, James F. Hearn. Churches : 1 Baptist, 1 Colored Baptist, 1 Cath- olie, 1 Christian, 1 Lutheran, 3 Methodist, 1 Presbyterian, 1 Protestant Episcopal and 1 New Church. Banks: Champaign National, P. B. Ross, president, W. R. Ross, cashier ; Citizens' National, C. F. Colwell, president, W. W. Wilson, cashier ; Home Savings, Z. T. Lewis, president, T. J. Lewis, cashier ; Third National, John H. Young, president, A. F. Vance, Jr., cashier.

Manufactures and Employees .- Dimond & Peck, carriages, 11 hands; C. G. Smith, leather, 6 ; Colwell Lumber and Manufacturing Co., 11; J. J. Robinson & Sons, brooms, 9 ; J. R. Fuller, brooms, 32 ; The U. S. Rolling Stock Co., freight cars, ete., 355; C. A. Miller, job machinery, 10; Edward Bailey, lumber ; Perry & White, brooms, 72; R. Anderson, job iron castings; Aughinbaugh & Baker Bros., carriages, 13; Wm. H. Crane & Co., stoves, etc., 15 ; Henry Fox & Co., woollen blankets, etc., 44 ; J. T. Woodward & Co., flour, etc .- State Report, 1887.

Population in 1880, 6,252. School eensus in 1886, 1,906 ; A. C. Duell, snper- intendent.

The Urbana University was founded here in 1850, and occupies a pleasant site. It is under the direction of gentlemen connected with the Swedenborgian or the New Church. Urbana is more mercantile than manufacturing and the country around is exceeding rich, with great diversity of products in stock and grain. In the centre of the public square stands the Soldier's Monument.

Urbana was a point where the main army of Hull, in the war of 1812, concen- trated, ere leaving for Detroit. In the war it was a general rendezvous for troops, before starting for the North. They encamped in various parts of the town. Quite a number of sick and disabled soldiers were sent here, some of whom died : the old court-house was used as a hospital.

374

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.

The celebrated Simon Kenton was here at an early day. Judge Burnet in his letters states that when the troops were stationed at Urbana, a mutinous plan was formed by some of them to attack and destroy a settlement of friendly Indians, who had removed with their families within the settlement under assurance of protection. Kenton remonstrated against the measure, as being not only mutinous but treacherous and cowardly. He contrasted his knowledge and experience of the Indian char- acter with their ignorance of it. He vindi- cated them against the charge of treachery, which was alleged as a justification of the act they were about to perpetrate, and reminded them of the infamy they would incur by de- stroying a defenceless band of men, women and children, who had placed themselves in

their power, relying on a solemn promise of protection. He appealed to their humanity, their honor and their duty as soldiers. Hav- ing exhausted all the means of persuasion in his power, and finding them resolved to execute their purpose, he took a rifle and declared with great firmness that he would accompany them to the Indian encampment, and shoot down the first man who dared to molest them ; that if they entered his camp they should do it by passing over his corpse. Knowing that the old veteran would redeem his pledge, they aban- doned their purpose, and the poor Indians were saved. Though he was brave as Cæsar, and reckless of danger when it was his duty to expose his person, yet he was mild, even tempered, and had a heart that could bleed at the distresses of others.

There were several Indian councils in Urbana at an early day, which were usually held in a grove near the old burying ground : distinguished Shawnee and Wyandot chiefs were generally present. Before the settlement of the town, in the spring of 1795, Tecumseh was established on Deer creek, near the site of Urbana, where he engaged in his favorite amusement of hunting, and remained until the succeeding spring. His biographer gives some anecdotes of him which occurred within the present limits of the county.

Anecdotes of Tecumseh .- While residing on Deer creek, an incident occurred which greatly enhanced his reputation as a hunter. One of his brothers and several other Shawanoes of his own age proposed to bet with him that they could each kill as many deer in the space of three days as he could. Tecumseh promptly accepted the overture. The parties took to the woods, and at the end of the stip- ulated time, returned with the evidences of their success. None of the party, except Tecumseh, had more than twelve deer-skins ; he brought in upwards of thirty-nearly three times as many as any of his competitors. From this time he was generally conceded to be the greatest hunter in the Shawanoe nation.

In 1799 there was a council held about six miles north of the place where Urbana now stands, between the Indians and some of the principal settlers on Mad river, for the ad- justment of difficulties which had grown up between these parties. Tecumseh, with other Shawanoe chiefs, attended this council. He appears to have been the most conspicu- ous orator of the conference, and made a speech on the occasion which was much ad- mired for its force and eloquence. The inter- preter, Dechouset, said that he found it very difficult to translate the lofty flights of Tecum- seh, although he was as well acquainted with the Shawanoe language as with the French, which was his mother tongue.

Some time during the year 1803, a stout

Kentuckian came to Ohio for the purpose of exploring the lands on Mad river, and lodged one night at the house of Capt. Abner Bar- rett, residing on the headwaters of Buck creek. In the course of the evening he learned, with apparent alarm, that there were some Indians encamped within a short distance of the house. Shortly after hearing this unwelcome intelligence the door of Capt. Barrett's dwelling was suddenly opened, and Tecumseh entered with his usual stately air : he paused in silence and looked around, until at length his eye was fixed upon the stranger, who was manifesting symptoms of alarm, and did not venture to look the stern savage in the face. Tecumseh turned to his host, and pointing to the agitated Kentuckian, ex- claimed, "A big baby ! a big baby !"' He then stepped up to him, and gently slapping him on the shoulder several times, repeated, with a contemptuous manner, the phrase, "Big baby ! big baby !" to the great alarm of the astonished man, and to the amusement of all present.

A severe tornado, on the 22d of March, 1830, proceeding from the southwest to the northeast, passed over the northern portion of Urbana. It demolished the Presbyterian church and several dwellings, and materially injured the Methodist church. Two or three children were carried high in air and killed ; boards, books and various fragments were conveyed many miles.

Urbana was early somewhat famed for its political conventions. The largest probably cver held in the county was September 15, 1840, in the Harrison cam- paign, when an immense multitude assembled from counties all around. A caval- cade miles in extent met General Harrison and escorted him from the west to the

$181

J.R

Drawn by Henry Howe, 1846.

PUBLIC SQUARE, URBANA.

F. T. Graham, Photo., Urbana, 1886.

PUBLIC SQUARE, URBANA.

[Both views were taken from the same point. In the old view the building with the figures 1811 occupies the same site as that of the building with a tower on the right in the new view.]

SIMON KENTON

F. T. Graham, Photo., Urbana, 1886. THE GRAVE OF SIMON KENTON.

From a painting owned by Robert Clarke, Cincinnati, O. SIMON KENTON.

377

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.

Public Square, where he was introduced to the people by Moses B. Corwin and made a speech two hours in length. He was at this time sixty-seven years of age, but his delivery was clear and distinct. "Dinner was had in the grove of Mr. John A. Ward, father of the sculptor, in the southwest part of the town, where twelve tables, each over 300 feet long, had been erected and laden with provisions. Oxen and sheep were barbecued, and an abundance of eider supplied the drink for the dav. In the evening addresses were made by Arthur Elliott, ex-Governor Metcalf, of Kentucky, who wore a buckskin hunting shirt, Mr. Chambers, from Louisiana, and Richard Douglass, of Chillicothe. The day was one of great hilarity and excitement. The delegations and processions had every conceivable mode of conveyance and carried flags and emblems with various strange mottoes and devices. Among them was a banner or board, on which was this sentence :

The People is OLL KORRECT.

This was the origin of the use of the letters "O. K.," not uncommon in our own time.

The Urbana Camp-Grounds, three miles east of the city, are regarded as among the most commodious and convenient in the country. They comprise some forty acres. There are here several hundred one-and-a-half story cottages with verandas. The auditorium has a seating capacity of about 3,500. Urbana has long been noted as a camp-meeting community, and several National Camp-meeting Conventions have been held there.

In Oak Dale Cemetery, southeast of Urbana, is a monument of light gray sandstone, about eleven feet high, to the memory of Gen. Simon Kenton. Inserip- tions : north side-Erected by the State of Ohio, 1884 ; south side-1775-1836.

On the north side is a wolf's head, on the south side an Indian's, on the west side a bear's head, on the east side a panther's ; at the foot of the grave is the origi- nal grave-stone of Kenton, a simple slab, 26 by 16, on which is inscribed :

" In memory of Gen. Simon Kenton, who was born April 3, 1755, in Culpepper county, Virginia, and died April 29, 1836, aged eighty-one years and twenty-six days. His fellow-citizens of the West will long remember him as the skilful pio- neer of early times, the brave soldier and the honest man."

Gen. Kenton resided for the last few years of his life about five miles northeast of Bellefontaine, where he died and was buried. The small stone slab above described was put over the spot of his burial. A view of his old grave there will be found under the licad of Logan county. His remains were removed to the Oak Dale cemetery during the governorship of Chas. Anderson. The monument was not erected until more than ten years later, and then mainly through the persistent efforts of Mr. William Patrick, of Urbana, an old lifelong friend of the General, and now living at the advanced age of ninety-two years.

THE ADVENTURES OF SIMON KENTON.

Simon Kenton was born in Fauquier county, Virginia, in 1755, of Scotch-Irish parentage. Having at the age of fifteen an affray with William Veach in a love affair and erroneously believing he had killed him, he fled to Kentucky, and to escape recognition assumed the name of Simon Butler. He was almost constantly engaged in conflicts with the Indians from that time until the treaty of Greenville. He was probably in more expeditions against the Indians, encountered greater peril, and had more narrow escapes from death than any man of his time.

378

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.

The many incidents of his romantic and eventful life are well detailed by his friend and biographer, Colonel John M'Donald, from whose work we extract the thrilling narrative of his captivity and hairbreadth escapes from a cruel and lingering death.

Incursion into Ohio .-- Kenton lay about Boone's and Logan's stations till ease became irksome to him. About the 1st of Septem- ber of this same year, 1778, we find him pre- paring for another Indian expedition. Alex- ander Montgomery and George Clark joined him, and they set off from Boone's station for the avowed purpose of obtaining horses from the Indians. They crossed the Ohio and proceeded cautiously to Chillicothe (now Old- town, Ross county). They arrived at the town without meeting any adventure. In the night they fell in with a drove of horses that were feeding in the rich prairies. They were prepared with salt and halters. They had much difficulty to catch the horses ; how- ever, at length they succeeded, and as soon as the horses were haltered they dashed off with seven-a pretty good haul. They trav- elled with all the speed they could to the Ohio. They came to the Ohio near the mouth of Eagle creek, now in Brown county. When they came to the river the wind blew almost a hurricane. The waves ran so high that the horses were frightened, and could not be induced to take to the water. It was late in the evening. They then rode back into the hills some distance from the river, hob- bled and turned their horses loose to graze ; while they turned back some distance, and watched the trail they had come, to discover whether or no they were pursued. Here they remained till the following day when the wind subsided. As soon as the wind fell they caught their horses and went again to the river ; but the horses were so frightened with the waves the day before that all their efforts could not induce them to take to the water. This was a sore disappointment to our adven- turers.

Captured by Indians .- They were satisfied that they were pursued by the enemy ; they therefore determined to lose no more time in useless efforts to cross the Ohio ; they con- cluded to select three of the best horses and make their way to the falls of the Ohio, where Gen. Clark had left some men stationed. Each made choice of a horse, and the other horses were turned loose to shift for them- selves? After the spare horses had been loosed and permitted to ramble off, avarice whispered to them, and why not take all the horses ? The loose horses had by this time scattered and straggled out of sight. Our party now separated to hunt up the horses they had turned loose. Kenton went towards the river, and had not gone far before he heard a whoop in the direction of where they had been trying to force the horses into the water. He got off his horse and tied him, and then crept with a stealthy tread of a eat to make observations in the direction he heard the whoop. Just as he reached the high bank of the river he met the Indians on

horseback. Being unperceived by them, but so nigh that it was impossible for him to retreat without being discovered, he con- cluded the boldest course to be the safest, and very deliberately took aim at the fore most Indian. His gun flashed in the pan. He then retreated. The Indians pursued on horseback.

In his retreat he passed through a piece of land where a storm had torn up a great part of the timber. The fallen trees afforded him some advantage of the Indians in the race, as they were on horseback and he on foot. The Indian force divided ; some rode on one side of the fallen timber and some on the other. Just as he emerged from the fallen timber, at the foot of the hill, one of the Indians met him on horseback and boldly rode up to him, jumped off his horse and rushed at him with his tomahawk. Kenton concluding a gun-barrel as good a weapon of defence as a tomahawk drew back his gun to strike the Indian before him. At that in- stant another Indian, who unperceived by Kenton had slipped up behind him, clasped him in his arms. Being now overpowered by numbers, further resistance was useless- he surrendered. While the Indians were binding Kenton with tugs, Montgomery came in view and fired at the Indians, but missed his mark. Montgomery fled on foot. Some of the Indians pursued, shot at and missed him ; a second fire was made and Montgomery fell. The Indians soon returned to Kenton, shaking at him Montgomery's bloody scalp. George Clark, Kenton's other companion, made his escape, crossed the Ohio and arrived safe at Logan's station.

The Indians encamped that night on the bank of the Ohio. The next morning they prepared their horses for a return to their towns, with the unfortunate and unhappy prisoner. Nothing but death in the most appalling form presented itself to his view. When they were ready to set off they caught the wildest horse in the company and placed Kenton on his back. The horse being very restive it took several of them to hold him, while the others lashed the prisoner on the horse. They first took a tug, or rope, and fastened his legs and feet together under the horse. They took another and fastened his arms. They took another and tied around his neck, and fastened one end of it around the horse's neck ; the other end of the same rope was fastened to the horse's tail to answer in place of a crupper. They had a great deal of amusement to themselves, as they were preparing Kenton and his horse for fun and frolic. They would yelp and scream around him, and ask him if he wished to steal more horses. Another rope was fastened around his thighs, and lashed around the body of his horse ; a pair of moccasins was drawn over

379

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.

his hands to prevent him from defending his face from the brush. Thus accoutred and fastened the horse was turned loose to the woods. He reared and plunged, ran through the woods for some time, to the infinite amusement of the Indians. After the horse had run about, plunging, rearing and kicking for some time, and found that he could not shake off, nor kick off his rider, he very quietly submitted himself to his situation, and followed the cavalcade as quiet and peace- able as his rider.

Reaches Chillicothe, the Indian Village .- The Indians moved towards Chillicothe, and in three days reached the town. At night they confined their prisoner in the following manner : He was laid on his back, his legs ex- tended, drawn apart, and fastened to two sap- lings or stakes driven in the ground. His arms were extended, a pole laid across his breast, and his arms lashed to the pole with cords. A rope was tied around his neck, and stretched back just tight enough not to choke him, and fastened to a tree or stake near his head. In this painful and uncom- fortable situation he spent three miserable nights, exposed to gnats and mosquitos and weather. O, poor human nature, what miserable wretches we are thus to punish and harass each other. (The frontier whites of that day were but little behind the Indians, 'n wiles, in cruelty and revenge.) When the Indians came within about a mile of the Chillicothe town they halted and camped for · the night, and fastened the poor unfortunate prisoner in the usual uncomfortable manner. The Indians, young and old, came from the town to welcome the return of their successful warriors, and to visit their prisoner. The Indian party, young and old, consisting of about 150, commenced dancing, singing and yelling around Kenton, stopping occasionally and kicking and beating him for amusement. In this manner they tormented him for about three hours, when the cavalcade returned to town, and he was left for the rest of the night, exhausted and forlorn, to the tender mercies of the gnats and mosquitos.

Runs the Gauntlet .- As soon as it was light in the morning the Indians began to collect from the town, and preparations were made for fun and frolic at the expense of Kenton, as he was now doomed to run the gauntlet. The Indians were formed in two lines, about six feet apart, with each a hickory in his hands, and Kenton placed be- tween the two lines, so that each Indian could beat him as much as he thought proper as he ran through the lines. He had not run far before he discovered an Indian with his knife drawn to plunge it into him ; as soon as Kenton reached that part of the line where the Indian stood who had the knife drawn he broke through the lines, and made with all speed for the town. Kenton had been pre- viously informed by a negro named Cæsar, who lived with the Indians and knew their customs, that if he could break through the Indians' lines and arrive at the council-house in the town before he was overtaken, that they

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Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I, Part 58

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