Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I, Part 65

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 65

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At sixteen Thomas Morris shouldered his musket to repel the aggressions of the In- dians, serving several months in Capt. Levi Morgan's rangers, stationed near Marietta. At nineteen he was employed as a clerk in the store, at Columbia, of the then famous Baptist minister, Rev. John Smith. Novem- ber 19, 1797, he married Rachel Davis, daughter of Benjamin Davis, from Lancaster, Pa. In 1800 Thomas Morris and his wife re- moved from Columbia to Williamsburgh, where, in 1802, he commenced the study of

THOMAS MORRIS

LATE U.S.SENATOR was Born January 3" 1776 Died December 7" 1844.

Unawed by power. and. uninfluenced by flattery. he was through life the fearless advocate of human Liberty.

MARLEY

4. E. McCall, Photo., Bethel, 1887.

MONUMENT TO THOMAS MORRIS.

law, without friends, pecuniary means, or a preceptor, with a growing family and but few books. After the hard labors of the day he studied at night by the light of hickory bark or from a brick-kiin which he was burning for the support of his family. With resolute purpose and iron will he succeeded in over- coming these formidable difficulties, and in two years was admitted to the bar. In 1804 he removed with his family to Bethel, and in 1806 was elected a representative from Cler- mont.

In the Legislature his abilities soon placed Irim among the most distinguished men of the State. He labored for the equal right of

all, and to conform the civil government to the principles of justice and Christian moral- ity. He opposed chartered monopolies, class legislation, and traffic in spirituous liquors, believing in a prohibitory high license. He was a warm friend of the common schools, labored earnestly for the extinction of the law of imprisonment for debt, and advocated the doctrine of making all offices elective. In 1828 he introduced a bill to allow juries before justices of the peace, and one the next year that judges should not charge juries on mat- ters of fact. In 1812 he obtained the passage of a bill allowing the head of a family to hold twelve sheep exempt from execution for debt. In 1828 he endeavored to obtain a law taxing all chartered institutions and manufactories and exempting dwellings. He foresaw the great future of Ohio, although he alone of the public men opposed the canal system, for he deemed it impracticable, and prophe- sied that in twenty years Ohio would be cov- ered with a network of railroads and canals superseded.

An incident will illustrate the wonderful progress since that time. When the Legis- lature adjourned in March, 1827, the mud roads were about impassable and streams over- flowing their banks. But Mr. Morris deter- mined to overeome all obstacles, and with Col. Robert T. Lytle embarked in a canoe or "dug-out" with their baggage, and after a passage of some hundred miles down the Scioto from Columbus in this frail craft reached Portsmouth, where they took a steam- boat, reaching home after a perilous journey of four days. This transit now by rail takes less than four hours.

Thomas Morris was elected Senator in 1813, 1821, 1825, 1827, and 1831, and while occu- pying this position for the fifth time was elected United States Senator for the term of six years from March 4, 1833, having as colleagues from Ohio Thomas Ewing (four years) and William Allen (two years). On the opening of the United States Senatorial ses- sion in December, 1833, Mr. Morris became actively identified with the anti-slavery move- ments against the aggressions of the slave power.

To him were addressed the memorials and petitions from all parts of the land, and in spite of the frowns and entreaties of his own party, he would introduce them all, although

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on all other subjects he was in full accord with it. In Thomas Morris the apostles of human freedom found their first champion. The Congress of 1837-38 saw a deep and agi- tated discussion of this question, and Mr. Morris replied to the arguments of John C. Calhoun, in an able and elaborate speech, which attracted the attention of the whole country by its bold and truthful utter- ances.

February 7, 1839, Henry Clay made a great speech, to counteract and arrest the public agitation of slavery; and two days after Thomas Morris replied to it, in the mightiest and crowning effort of his life, concluding with these prophetic words (golden in the light of subsequent events) : "Though our national sins are many and grievous, yet re- pentance, like that of ancient Nineveh, may yet divert from us that impending danger which seems to hang over our heads as by

a single hair. That all may be safe, I con- clude that the negro will yet be free."

This noble speech startled the Senate, pro- duced a marked sensation throughout the country, and electrified the warm hearts of humanity the world over. John G. Whittier, the poet, then a young editor, said : "Thomas Morris stands confessed the lion of the day."

Thomas Morris was far in advance of his time, and in less than a month after the de- livery of his great startling speech he left the Senate and public life, a political exile, his party having refused to re-elect him to the Senate. Mr. Morris soon became identified with the "Liberty Party," and in 1844 was its candidate for Vice-President. He died suddenly December 7, 1844, aged sixty-nine years, with his intellectual powers unimpaired by age, his physical system in vigorous ac- tivity, and his heart still warm in the cause of freedom.

WILLIAMSBURG has 1 Presbyterian and 1 Methodist church. Chair factory of S. D. Mount, 23 hands ; C. H. Boulware & Bro., chair factory, 20; Snell & Wil- liams, planing-mill, 12. Pork-packing, tobacco preparing, and tanning are carried on here. Population in 1840, 385; in 1880, 795.

Williamsburg, as previously mentioned, was laid out in 1795-96 by Gen. Wil- liam Lytle and his brother, and was originally called Lytlestown. His life was one of much incident. He was the grandfather of Gen. Robert T. Lytle, the poet- soldier, killed at the battle of Chickamauga. The following facts respecting him are from Cist's Advertiser :

Gen. WILLIAM LYTLE was born in Cum- berland, Pa., and in 1779 his family emi- grated to Kentucky. Previous to the settle- ment of Ohio young Lytle was in several desperate engagements with the Indians, where his cool, heroic bravery won general admiration. Before the treaty of Greenville, while making surveys in the Virginia military district in Ohio, he was exposed to incessant dangers, suffered great privations, and was frequently attacked by the Indians. This business he followed for the greater portion of his life. In the war of 1812 he was ap- pointed major-general of Ohio militia, and in 1829 surveyor-general of the public lands of Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. In 1810 Gen. Lytle removed from Williamsburg to Cincin- nati, where he died in 1831. As a citizen he was distinguished for public spirit and benev- olence, and in his personal appearance and character strikingly resembled President Jack- son. Beside the facts given under the head of Logan county, we have space for but a single anecdote, exhibiting his Spartan-like conduct at Grant's defeat in Indiana. In that desperate action the Kentuckians, over- powered by nearly four times their number, performed feats of bravery scarcely equalled even in early border warfare.

In this struggle Lytle, then hardly seven- teen years of age, had îth his arms shattered, his face powder-burnt, his hair singed to the roots, and nineteen bullets passed through his body and clothing. In this condition, a re- treat being ordered, he sueeeeded in bringing off the field several of his friends, generously

aiding the wounded and the exhausted by placing them on horses, while he himself ran forward in advance of the last remnant of the retreating party to stop the only boat on the Ohio at that time which could take them over, and save them from the overwhelming force of their savage adversaries.

On reaching the river he found the boat in the act of putting off for the Kentucky shore. The men were reluctant to obey his demand for a delay until those still in the rear should come up, one of them declaring that "it was better that a few should perish than that all should be sacrificed." He threw the rifle, which he still carried on his shoulder, over the root of a fallen tree, and swore he would shoot the first man who pulled an oar until his friends were aboard. In this way the boat was detained until they came up, and were safely lodged from the pursuing foe. Disdaining personally to take advantage of this result, the boat being crowded almost to dipping, he ran up the river to where some horses stood panting under the willows after their escape from the battle-field, and, mount- ing one of the strongest, forced him into the river, holding on to the mane by his teeth, until he was taken in the middle of the stream into the boat, bleeding and almost fainting from his wounds, by the order of his gallant captain, the lamented Stucker, who had observed his conduct with admiration throughout, and was resolved that such a spirit should not perish ; for by this time the balls of the enemy were rattling like hail about their ears.

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THE LOST CHILD.

Two sisters living in Williamsburg-Lydia Osborn, aged eleven years, and Matilda Osborn, aged seven years-started on the afternoon of July 13, 1804, to drive home the cows, following the paths which led to the "big field," about a mile from the village, where the cattle were wont to range. They were guided in their movements by the tinkling of the cow-bells, and perhaps were led off from the main path by this means and lost their way. The elder girl, Lydia, supposed the cows were going away from home, and left her little sister, Matilda, to make a detour and head them off, but without success. So she returned to where she had left her sister, but could not find her ; after wandering about for a long time and crying out her name she started for home, as she supposed, but took the wrong direction, wandered on, and was lost in the wilderness. The younger sister followed the sound of the cow-bells and arrived safe at home.

THE BOWER OF THE LOST CHILD.

The following is from the touching account of the Rev. J. B. Finley, who was with the party in the search for her :

Night came on, casting its darkened shadows over the forest, but she came not to greet the anxious eyes of her parents ; their child was in the woods exposed to the savages and wild beasts. The neighborhood was aroused with the alarm of " lost child !" Every heart was touched, and soon in every direction torches were seen flashing their lights into the darkness of the forest. Bells were rung, horns were blown, and guns were fired, if perchance the sonnd might reach the ear of the lost one. The news reached the settlement where we resided, and as many as could leave home turned out to seek for the lost child. Some signs of her tracks were discovered crossing branches and miry places ; all indicating, however, that she was going farther into the wilderness.

On the third day Cornelius Washburn, the famous backwoodsman and hunter, arrived

with about five hundred others and accom- panied by his noted hunting dog. We were now deep in the wilderness and made prepara- tions for camping out that night. At day- break we were again ready for our search, but as the collection of people was so numer- ous we formed into companies taking differ- ent directions and meeting at night at a place designated. Money was collected and sent to the settlements to buy provisions. Our numbers increased so that on the seventh day there were more than a thousand per- sons, many from Kentucky.

Washburn discovered the place where she had slept for several nights. He also saw where she had plucked and eaten foxgrapes and whortlc-berries.

The place she had selected was where one tree had fallen across another, which was lying down and afforded a good protection.

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To this place the whole crowd hurried. Nothing could restrain them so eager were they to find the lost child.

In all these journeyings the father was present, so absorbed in grief that he could neither eat nor sleep. Sorrow drank up his spirits, and he refused to be comforted. When hope was kindled he seemed like one frantic, and flew in every direction, calling most piteously the name of his child, "Lydia !" "Lydia !"

The eighth morning the company started out abreast, about three rods apart, with a man in the middle and one at each end of the line, whose duty it was to blow horns at intervals to keep the line in order. The line extended for several miles.

On the morning of the fifteenth day we found on the north fork of the Whiteoak her footprints in the sand where she had crossed that stream. These footprints greatly re- vived our hopes, as they appeared fresh. Sending back a man to notify the main body we proceeded up the creek until we came to a large blackberry patch. Near this patch we found a neat little house built of sticks over which were placed, in regular layers, pieces of moss. In the centre was a little door, and in the interior was a bed made of leaves, covered with moss and decorated with wild flowers. All could see at once that it was the work of a child, and as we gazed upon it the tears stole freely down our cheeks.

Here away in the wilderness, far from human habitation, had this child constructed this miniature house, and thus recalled the scenes of home, sister, mother and father.

The child must have been here several days, for from her little house to the black- berry patch she had beaten quite a path.

Discovering no fresh signs of her presence we determined to return to the main creek and wait the coming of the company, and prevent, if possible, the eager crowd from rushing on and destroying the signs. More than a thousand men camped along the creek that night.

Fearing the consequences of disclosing our discovery that night we kept it secret until morning, when, forming the company into military order, we marched them out into the opening flanking out right and left. They surrounded the entire space, forming a hollow square. At the sight of the little bower a scene occurred which it would be impossible to describe. Here were brave stalwart men, who had been subjected to the perils of the wilderness, contending for every inch with savages and wild beasts, whose hearts were never known to quail with fear, who at the sight of that little bower were melted to tears. But when the father came up to the little dwelling his own dear child had built, and exclaimed, "Oh! Lydia, Lydia, my dear child, are you yet alive ? " a thousand hearts broke forth in uncontrollable grief.

The result of investigation showed that the tracks were several days old. Horse tracks were also found, and the conclusion was that she had been carried away by the Indians.

Two miles from "Lydia's camp." for so it is called to this day, they found her bonnet, and farther on an Indian camp several days old. Further pursuit being considered use- less the company disbanded and returned to their homes.

The father never gave up the search, but penetrated the wildest solitudes and sought her among the Indians till the day of his death. The lost was never found.

The spot of Lydia's bower is pointed out to this day in Perry township, Brown county ; a citizen of that township, Mr. L. W. Claypool, in speaking of this occur- rence, has given some additional items:

Cornelius Washburn engaged in it with the keen perceptive intelligence which only a noted hunter possesses, and that it was won- derful to see him calm and thoughtful walk- ing slowly along noting a leaf upturned, pea vine, brush or anything disturbed, while others could see nothing except at a time when he would point out to them tracks of the child on the sand bars, beds of leaves or the like. Some of the searchers made so much noise, hollowing, blowing horns, etc., that Washburn begged of them to desist, and he would find the child, insisting that after she had been lost so long that she would hide from man as quick as she would from a

wild animal. They would not heed him but dashed ahead. Mr. Claypool continued : I was once lost when eight or nine years of age with Jake Ashton, a year younger, and can fully realize Washburn's assertion of fright. We went out early in the morning to hunt the cows ; soon the path gave out and we were lost in the flat beech swamps between Glady and Glassy Runs. We wandered about until night, coming out at a new road recently underbrushed just at the time that an infair party of about a dozen couple on horseback were passing. Although knowing most of them we hid until they passed.

NEW RICHMOND, founded about 1816, is the largest and most important busi- ness village in the county. It is on the Ohio, twenty miles above Cincinnati, with which it is also connected by railroad, and three miles below the birthplace of Gen. Grant. It has newspapers : Clermont Independent, B. L. Winans, editor ; The News, A. Townsley, editor. Churches : 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Colored Metho-

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dist, 1 Colored Baptist, 1 Baptist, 1 Presbyterian, 1 Christian 1 Catholic, and 1 Lutheran. Bank : First National, Franklin Friedman, president, D. E. Fee, cashier.

Manufactures .- J. & H. Clasgens, woollen yarns, 97 hands ; Friedman, Rob- crts & Co., planing-mill, 20. Tables and carriages are also made here. Popula- tion in 1880, 2,545. School census in 1886, 675; George W. Fetter, superin- tendent.

The Philanthropist .- In 1834 James G. Birney began the publication of his noted anti-slavery publication, The Philanthropist, in New Richmond, under the assurance of the Donaldson brothers and other well-known anti-slavery men that he should be protected from mob violence. A native of Kentucky, he could not even attempt the issue of his paper there, much as he wished. In 1836 he re- moved his paper to Cincinnati, where, on the night of July 30, a mob having the countenance of the leading citizens broke into the printing-office, and destroyed the press and scattered the type. While at New Richmond lawless men threatened to sack the office ; but, at a signal of danger, the people of the village at a public meeting resolved to stand by Mr. Birney at the peril of their lives. In 1844 Mr. Birney was the " Liberty Party's" candidate for President, with Thomas Morris for Vice-President. They received 62,163 votes.

THE UNDERGROUND RAILWAY.

Anti-Slavery Settlers .- Clermont county, and indeed the Ohio river border, was largely settled by men from Maryland, Virginia, and Kentucky to escape the baleful institution of slavery. These men became the strongest of anti-slavery men, and the position of Clermont was pre-eminent in the great struggle that ended in the emancipation. Judge Burnet, in his "Notes," in his account of the dele- gates who framed the first Constitution, says " that Gatch and Sargent from Cler- mont were among the honored men who successfully labored in the construction of the State Constitution and the early legislation of Ohio; that they were elected because they were anti-slavery men, and they were Virginians, and both practical emancipators." Obed Denham, a Virginian, the founder of Bethel, in his con- veyance, wrote as follows : " I also give two lots in said town for the use of the regular Baptist church-who do not hold slaves, nor commune at the Lord's table with those who do practise such tyranny over their fellow-creatures."

Fleeing Slaves .- The position of Clermont on the border made it the first place of refuge for fleeing slaves. Byron Williams in the history of the county gives these facts : " Nothing was done to entice slaves from Kentucky ; only as they came were they sped on their way. True men never refused bread to the beseech- ing negro fleeing from chains and with his face toward the North Star."

The owners pursuing the negroes were informed who were most likely to have assisted the fugitives, and, returning in baffled rage, heaped curses loud and deep on names of persons and localities in hearing of slaves, who reverently preserved the stealthy knowledge for their own time of need.

The late Robert E. Fee, of Moscow, was, it is true, charged with abducting slaves, and at one time was under requisition for the same.

Robert Fee and the Kidnappers .- About the year 1840 a family of blacks, living for years in the south part of the county, were, except the father, kidnapped at night and carried into Kentucky, under the plea that the mother was a runaway slave, and her children, though born out of bondage, must share her lot. Robert Fee devoted himself to their rescue by legal means. He followed them into a distant State into which they had been sold, and narrowly escaped death. The mob, raging for his blood, actually passed through the room adjoining his hiding- place. The affair produced much excitement, and caused many hitherto neutral people to join the opposition to slavery. The family was hopelessly lost and sepa- rated, but Fee repaid his wrongs many-fold.

A light was said to have burned in his house all night to guide travellers across

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the river. His doors were barred, and his family, girls and all, slept with loaded firearms in ready reach. His house was surrounded again and again by violent slave-hunters. The romance of the border of that day was thrilling in the extreme, though its actors were but plain farmers and timid shadow-fearing fugitives.

There was no preconcerted action on the part of the men so engaged, yet there was a kind of system. When runaways got across the river, the Fees and others, according to circumstances, either hurried them on or secreted them until the hunt went by. They were then guided northward, generally throngh Tate township, where they were cared for by the Rileys, Benjamin Rice, Richard Mace, Isaac H. Brown, and others. The route from thence led by various ways to the Quaker settlements of Clinton county. The work was generally done in the night, to avoid trouble with some who for the sake of rewards were often on the watch. Few were ever captured, and many hundreds must have escaped.

A Fourierite Association was formed in the county in 1844. The Phalanx bought three tracts of land on the Ohio, in Franklin township, and put up some buildings. At the end of two years, seeing that communism did not better their lot in life and the association getting in debt, they closed up its affairs.

A Spiritualistic Community bought their buildings. At its head was John A.

BIRTHPLACE OF GEN. U. S. GRANT, POINT PLEASANT.

Wattles, with a following of nearly 100 persons. It was based on principles of business and religion, and involving a system of communism. In the great flood of 1847 their main building fell and seventeen lives lost, which ruined the enter- prise.

UTOPIA .- The little village of Utopia was established at this era by Henry Jer- nagan, one of the Fourierites, and on Utopian principles. Many of the old mem- bers of the Phalanx moved thither, and carried on various avocations. For a time Utopia was a happy, beautiful place; the people had few wants, and these were supplied at home. They eventually became restless, and some of the better class moving away and others moving in harmony with its trustees, its Utopian features dissolved.

POINT PLEASANT, a little village or hamlet on the Ohio, about twenty-five miles above Cincinnati, will ever be memorable as the birthplace of Gen. U. S. Grant. This event took place April 27, 1822. The next year the family removed to Georgetown, Brown county, which became his boyhood home. His father the year before had married Miss Hannah Simpson, of Tate township. At the time of his birth Jesse R. Grant was employed in the tannery of Thomas Page. The house in which the young and poor couple resided belonged to Lee Thompson. I

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remains as well preserved as originally built ; a lean-to kitchen has since been added. It is a one-story frame, 16 x 19 feet, with a steep roof, the pitch being five feet, and on the right or north end is a huge chimney, affording a spacious fire- place. The window-panes are very small, and it was quite a humble domicile, having but two rooms : that on the right being the living-room, and that on the left the bedroom in which the general first saw the light.

CHRONOLOGY OF GEN. GRANT'S LIFE.

1822. April 27. Born at Point Pleasant, Ohio. 1839. July 1. Entered West Point Military Academy.

1843. Graduated from West Point.

1845. Commissioned as second lieutenant, and served in the Mexican war, under Gens. Taylor and Scott.

1848. Married Miss Julia Dent, of St. Louis, Mo., while stationed at Sackett's Harbor, N. Y.

1852. Ordered to Oregon.

1853. Commissioned as captain in August.

1854. Resigned from the army in July.

1854-59. Lived in St. Louis.

1859. Removed to Galena, Ill., engaged in the tanning business with his father and brothers.

1861. Commissioned as colonel. Made briga- dier-general in July, in command at Cairo; saved Kentucky to the Union. In November fought the battle of Belmont.

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Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I, Part 65

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