Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I, Part 77

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 77

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The Two Bachelor Hermits .- Among the early residents of Auburn township were two singular old bachelors, named Varnica and Wadsworth. They were hermits, and lived lonely and solitary lives in rude caves dug by

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themselves in the side of embankments, the roof being supported with upright posts, standing at intervals within the cave. People called them crazy and the eccentricity of the two gave abundant credence to the reports. They shunned all associates except their faith- ful dogs, and were never seen in the neigh- borhood settlements, unless called there for supplies or to dispose of provisions.

Varnica was a German, and could handle the glib idioms of his native language with a grace and flueney that proved his education to be of unusual excellence. It became cur- rent, and was universally believed that he had been an officer in one of the European armies, possibly in that of Napoleon Bonaparte. His language and manners indicated that he was familiar with military tactics, and his inability to speak English proved that he had not re- sided long in America. Although he lived in poverty, and went dressed in insufficient and even ragged clothing, he seemed to have an abundance of money, which he kept hid in out-of-the-way places. He entered a quar- ter section of land, upon which he resided until his death. But little money was found after this event, until a will was found among his papers, bequeathing his land, and a few hundred dollars in money, to a young man named James Wilson, with whom he had lived at the time of his death. He was always silent and melancholy, and seemed to have a deep-rooted sorrow preying upon his mind, robbing it of joys that make life en- durable. By the provisions of the will, Wil- son was made executor, and was enjoined to distribute the balance of the money among poor and friendless females. This provision was a denouement to some, who had noticed that Varnica shunned the opposite sex as he would the plagues of Egypt, his conduct giving rise to the report that his life had been blighted by a woman. The will disclosed the hiding place of $2.200 in gold, which had been concealed in a gate post, into which a hole had been bored and the gold dropped in, after which the hole had been closed with a pin of the same wood as the post. He died in 1840, and Wilson faithfully executed the provision of the will.

Wadsworth was a graduate of Yale College, and had evidently fitted himself for the min- isterial profession. He lived in a cave on his land, and, though bent almost double from un- known circumstances, was possessed of en- ormous strength. He carried his melons, potatoes, and other provisions, in a sack on his back, from house to house or to some of the surrounding villages. He was a recluse, and seemed contented only when he could brood without molestation over his mysterious life. He had rich relatives living in Boston, who occasionally visited him and tried to in- duce him to abandon his life of poverty and loneliness, but without avail. A happy smile was never seen upon his sad face, and, when he at last died, in about 1838, his property was claimed by his eastern relatives.

Lost People .- About one mile south west of Galion, was a double log-cabin, in which two

families lived, one by the name of Erysman and one by the name of Dun, or Doormise, who had a little daughter about four years of age. The mother was boiling sugar water in the woods near by, and had the little girl by her. Thinking it time the little one was in the house, she went with her to the fence, lifted her over the enclosure and told her to amuse herself until the mother arrived. Nothing was ever seen of the little girl after that day. A number of strange Indians (called Canadians, because they belonged near the lakes, where the settlers were French) had been roving around the settlements, and but a few hours before the child was missed a party of four or five had been to Mr. Hos- ford's to purchase some whiskey. But a few days before a party of Indians, supposed to be the same, had been to the house of Benja- min Sharrock, and attempted to negotiate for a young girl whom they wanted to raise in their tribe, and be adopted as one of them.

When the poor mother came in from her work and found that the little daughter had not come in the house, she knew almost in- tuitively that the little one was lost. She was frenzied with horror, and a strange terror crept over her; in a frantic manner she roved up and down the woods, one moment calling in endearing accents the name of her little child, and the next the woods would ring with her piercing shrieks, her cries and appeals to heaven. Word had been sent to Mr. Asa Hosford, and he came with men as promptly as possible ; for three days and nights the woods were searched ; parties of men were sent with information in every direction, but all of no use. The frantic mother suffered so much, that all the good-hearted old pioneers tried to think of some expedient ; finally they ceased their search in the woods and began to drag the creek. Men, women and children, with poles, rakes, grappels, and every imple- ment that could possibly be of use, were brought out for the purpose. But hopes of the lost one died within them, and the search was gradually given up, and the bright little one lost forever.

The strange Indians were never seen in that vicinity thereafter. It was the theory of those most versed in Indian affairs that some chief was desirous of bringing up in his tribe a white squaw that in time should be the wife of one of his favorite sons, or his legitimate successor. The only mitigation of this horrible destiny was the fact that nearly all remembrance of her parents and her inno- cent childhood joys would be obliterated from her memory.

Near the same place a family by the name of Bashford had taken a little girl to raise. She went out to find the cows, which, by the ringing of a bell, she soon discovered ; but she was confused about the route to be taken for the house. She kept cool, and de- termined to stay with the cows, knowing that when they were found she would be all right. She followed them around until they laid down, when she crawled up and laid as near the back of an old cow as she could for the

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sake of warmth. In the morning she was found rambling around with the cattle and her feet somewhat frost-bitten. She was much alarmed by the howling of wolves through the night.

There were hardly any roads except Indian trails, and women and children were often lost in passing from place to place, and in some instances men were lost. A man by the name of Samuel Dany went into the woods to shoot a deer ; he soon became lost, and wandered round and round until he be- came perfectly confused. At last he came in sight of a cabin and a woman standing in the door; he walked up to the fence and inquired where Samuel Dany lived. She laughingly told him he might come in and see. He was overjoyed to discover that it was his own wife and his own home.

Indian War Dance .- When the first set- tlers came to Polk, they found a village of Wyandot Indians on the south side of the Oleantangy, on ground that now forms the northern part of Galion. They were peace- ful and well disposed toward the white set- tlers, and rendered them valuable assistance in the erection of their cabins and at log- rollings. At one time Mr. Hosford had em- ployed a number of them to assist in a log- rolling. In the evening, when the day's work was done, they all assembled in Mr. Hosford's kitchen ; being slightly intoxicated, they were in humor for some demonstration of their pent-up spirits. Mr. Hosford, think- ing to amuse all present, and desiring to wit- ness some of their ceremonies, proposed that the Indians should give an exhibition of their war dance. They readily acceded to his re- quest, and immediately placed one of their number, by name "Buckwheat," in the cen- tre of the room, and commenced a horrible dance around him. .

Hideous as they were of themselves, they added to their repulsiveness contortions of body and countenance. They whooped and yelled and grew fiercer in their actions, till they finally dragged Buckwheat roughly from his seat and threw him violently upon the floor. One of the braves placed his foot upon Buckwheat's neck and went through the pantomime of scalping him, while others represented themselves as plunging their knives into the quivering victim. Buck- wheat played his part well; he was person- ifying a white man in captivity. So realistic was this tableau, that a white man present became enraged at the apparent fear and trembling of Buckwheat, and it almost re- quired the personal restraint of Mr. Hosford to prevent Buckwheat being killed. Mr. Hosford had reason to congratulate himself that before the exhibition commenced all arms and weapons had been concealed. This mimic dance and death of a white man at this period made a lasting impression on those who saw it, and it brought vividly to their memories the horrible atrocities perpe- trated in this near neighborhood but a com- paratively few years before.

How to Find Honey Bees .- Many persons

at an early date engaged in bee-hunting. A Mr. Schauber sold enough honey to secure the purchase-money on what is known as the Schauber farm. The beautiful forests abounded in bee-trees ; it is surprising to see the countless swarms that spread over the West. The Indians considered them the harbinger of the white man, as the whites do the buffalo and deer of the Indian, and note that as the larger game retires the bee ad- vances.

The Indians with surprise found the mold- ering trees of their forests suddenly teeming with ambrosial sweets, and nothing could ex- ceed the greedy relish with which they ban- queted for the first time upon this unthought of luxury of the wilderness. The honey-bee swarms in myriads in the noble groves and forests that skirt and intersect the prairies, and along the alluvial bottoms of the crceks and rivers. The hunters generally place a piece of comb on a tree, and await the arrival of workers. As soon as the bees have loaded themselves with honey, they take their flight straight for their own tree with their load. The hunters run after them with head erect and eyes aloft, frequently stumbling over ob- stacles at their feet ; in this manner they track the bees to their individual colonies, mark the trees, and seek for more. They dare not cut down the trees until fully prepared to take away the honey, for the bears, skunks, rac- coons and possums have sweet teeth and would soon devour any honey within their reach. The bears will gnaw for days together until they make a hole in the trunk, big enough to insert their paws, and then draw out honey, bees and all.

Mr. Story states that in an early day, Doudy, an Indian, with his squaw, cut down a bee-tree. The grandfather of Story was along; the honey was very fine, and the In- dian, who was very fond of Mr. Story, sent him a large piece of comb on a piece of shellbark. Story was quite overcome by the generosity of the Indian, who, he says, was gentle in peace, while desperate and brave in war.

Petroleum Nasby Characters. - Porters- ville gained national notoriety during and since the last war, by being the celebrated Cross Roads where the fictitious personage Petroleum V. Nasby first began to chronicle his experiences, and to send communications to the Toledo Blade and other well-known newspapers. Many of the incidents and cir- cumstances narrated by him, though given with partisan partiality, actually transpired ; and all the principal characters, such as Nasby, Bigler, Bascom, Pogram and others, were taken from fancied resemblances to in- dividuals residing in the village at that time. The inquisitorial eyes of the nation became centred upon the little town, and the charac- ters drawn have become almost as well known to the citizens of the United States as those of Dickens or Shakespeare. They have become permanent characters in standard American literature. It was not long before the renowned Nasby sold out at Portersville

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(if the figure may be indulged in) and estab- lished himself at the "Confedrit X Roads, which is in the State of Kentucky." Several of the originals from which the principal characters were drawn are yet living in the village, or in other parts of the county. The legend of Nasby's trials in the political world, like that of the fanciful Don Quixote, will ever remain connected with the unpreten- tious little village, and will afford abundant material for gossip for scores of years to come.

Abundance of Game .- Crawford county was a favorite hunting-ground for the In- dians, and the early settlers found an abun- dance of game. Deer were very plenty, but for the first few years the slaughter of deer was carried on so wantonly that the more thoughtful and prudent among them saw that those animals were soon destined to be- come unknown in the country, unless some means could be devised to end the useless slaughter.

Bawling up Deer. - The Indians who camped on the small streams throughout the country killed hundreds of them for nothing but their skins, leaving the flesh for the wolves and buzzards. During the season, when the fawns were young, the Indians, in order to kill as many deer as possible, were in the habit of what was called "bawling up a deer." They imitated the bleating of a fawn in distress, when the instinct of the doe to protect her young was on the alert and paramount; and when she ran to her off- spring she was shot by the Indians. In this manner large numbers of does were slaugh- tered.

After a few years the settlers forbade the Lidians coming to the neighborhood to kill duer; and on one occasion, when they dis- obeyed the command and killed a fine doe by the "bawling process," several settlers, among whom was one of the Chilcotes, of Cranberry Township, and Enoch Baker, in- formed them emphatically, with a significant tap upon the rifle, that if the act was re- peated the Indians doing it would be shot. This put a stop to the destruction in that di- rection, and the settlers were requested not to slaughter the animals unnecessarily. Ira Blair, on one occasion, remained in the woods for three days, killing during that time eight deer.

It is related by Amos Morse, that, in about 1821, Jacob Byers made a contract with Ru- dolphus Morse, the father of Amos, to the effect that he could kill more deer the next day than Mr. Morse could bring in. The bargain was made one evening, during a heavy fall of snow. Byers knew that the following day would be an excellent one for the hunt, so early in the morning he started out.

He had an old flint-lock rifle, that had evi- dently seen any amount of service, as the parts were tied together in many places with bands of tow. But the gun proved very effective in the hands of the experienced Byers, who, during that eventful day, killed

seven deer, all of which were brought in, ac- cording to agreement, by Mr. Morse, except one, which had been mortally wounded, and had been followed and killed about eight miles east of the township. The approach of darkness prevented Mr. Morse from bring- ing this animal in, and he therefore failed to live up to his part of the agreement.

Fawns were often captured alive, and after a few days elapsed they would follow the members of the family around like dogs. Almost every cabin had its pet deer or fawn. Bells were hung around their necks to prevent theru from getting lost in the woods.

Encounter with Wolves .- Mr. Baker owned one of these pets which was prized very highly by the members of his family. One day, while it was feeding near the cabin, Mr. Tyndal, who was hunting in the woods, pos- sibly thinking it was a wild one, shot and killed it. He also killed several others about the neighborhood, when the indignant owners came to the conclusion that it was prepos- terous to look any longer upon the act as a mistake. Enoch Baker became quite an ex- pert hunter, and in 1887 was still living in Auburn township, on the farm purchased by his father in 1826. On one occasion, when returning late at night, or rather early in the morning, from "sparking" a neighbor's daughter, he barely escaped being devoured by wolves. He had left the cabin of his sweetheart and was walking along through the forest, swinging his cane and whistling, as boys do yet when returning on similar oc- casions, when the distant howl of a wolf was borne to his cars. The howl was repeated, and soon the woods were filled with a chorus of terrifying sounds.

The boy was terribly frightened, and as he had several miles to go before reaching home, he started rapidly on the run, hoping to reach his father's cabin before the wolves closed upon him. He ran on as swiftly as his feet would carry him, but soon the foremost wolves were seen bounding along at his right and left.

He swung his club aloft and shouted, and the wolves fell back a short distance, only to again approach nearer than before. But the panting boy was almost home. He struggled on, with the wolves about him, and finally ran into the clearing around his father's cabin, when the animals fell back and were soon lost to sight in the dark forest. This was a lesson to the youth, but it did no good, for the next Sunday night he was out late again for the same reason.

Catamounts .- On another occasion, Wil- liam Johns, a neighbor, having lost several pigs through the agency of some wild animal that carried them off one by one on succes- sive nights, offered Mr. Baker a dollar if he would kill the animal. Baker accordingly established himself with his dog in the cabin of Johns to watch for the animal during the night. About twelve o'clock the swine were heard squeaking, and Baker opened the door and told the eager dog to go. Away it went after some large animal, that bounded off

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into the woods and ran up a tree. Baker followed and saw by the light of the moon a catamount crouched on a large limb above his head. He fired and the animal fell to the ground dead. The death of the catamount stopped the destruction of the swine; but Baker refused to take the dollar he had earned, being satisfied with the skin of the animal. At another time, when returning from a neighbor's, his dogs treed two catamounts. After a lively skirmish, dur- ing which he experienced considerable per- sonal danger, he succeeded in killing them both.

Squirrels .- The woods were filled with squirrels, which came by the hundreds into the corn-fields and dug up and destroyed the growing grain. Hunts were frequently or- ganized to rid the forest of these pests, and often on such occasions hundreds were killed and for days after the hunters' families were provided with an abundant supply of choice meat. A hunt of this character was pro- jected one day by a party of settlers, among whom were Thomas Cooker and Enoch Baker. When niglit came and the hunters assembled to see who had been most success- ful, it was found that almost 200 squirrels had been killed. As each hunter brought into the room the squirrels he had killed, Baker, to the astonishment of all, lugged in a large catamount as the result of his day's hunt. It was conceded by all that he had done the best day's work.

Encounters with Bears .- At another time, William Cloe, then a boy about sixteen years old, called the dogs one evening, and started in search of the cows. The dogs left his side, and he soon heard them barking furiously at some animal that had turned at bay. He hurried forward and saw them standing guard over a large hollow log, and, from their cautious movements, he knew they were confronted by an animal of which they were afraid. He stole cautiously forward from the rear, and, peering under the log, saw the huge paws of a bear. The boy was without a gun, but, determining to attack the bear at all hazards, he armed himself with a heavy club and resolutely approached the log. While the attention of the bear was di- verted to the dogs, which, emboldened by the approach of the boy, had renewed the attack with great fury, he seized it by the hind leg and pulled it from the log. Before the ani- mal eould recover its feet, the boy dealt it a terrible blow across the head, repeating the act again and again, until life was extinct. When the excited boy returned home without the cows and related his adventure his story was not believed until the dead bear was seen.

William's brother Daniel remained one night at the cabin of a relative near West Liberty, and early the next morning, before daybreak, started for home. He was accom- panied by a large bull-dog, belonging to Enoch Baker, and after going a short dis- tance he was startled by seeing several wolves running along in the woods on either side of and behind him. He started forward, but had not gone ten paces before a pack of eleven wolves, with open mouths, bounded toward him from behind. A large one, the leader of the pack, was almost upon him, when it was seized by the throat by the dog and pinned to the ground. The others fell back, giving the boy time to ascend a small iron-wood tree, and, after a short fight, the wolf escaped the hold of the dog, and to- gether the whole pack turned and disap- peared in the woods. The boy had been saved by the dog from a horrible death.

One day Seth Hawkes, hearing one of his hogs squealing loudly in the woods about a quarter of a mile from his cabin, hastened out to see what could be the matter. A large log lay upon the ground between him and the squealing hog, and nothing could be seen by ` the settler until he reached the log and peered over. There lay his hog upon the ground, while standing over it, with their sharp teeth and claws in its flesh, were two large bears. The animals instantly perceived the intruder and turned upon him furiously, but he ran to a small trec, and sprang into the lower branches just in time to escape the claws of the larger bear, which had swiftly pursued him. The furious animal began making desperate efforts to reach the settler. It at first endeavored to climb the tree ; but, failing in this, it retired to a short distance, and, turning, ran toward the tree with the apparent intention of leaping into the lower branches. The terrified Mr. Hawks sat on a limb above and regarded with no little con- cern the efforts of the bear. He began hal- looing loudly for assistance, and the bear in- creased its efforts to reach its enemy. It soon wore quite a path in running to the tree, and would leap high enough to seize one of the limbs in its teeth. After about half an hour Rudolphus Morse, who had been ap- prised by Mrs. Hawks of the dangerous situa- tion of her husband, appeared upon the scene, whereupon the bears, whose fury had spent itself, apparently realizing that it was no longer wise to dispute against such odds about the ownership of the hog, shambled off through the woods as fast as their feet could carry them. Many other interesting anecdotes of a similar nature are related by the old settlers.

CRESTLINE is situated at the crossing of the P. Ft. W. & C. and the C. C. C. & I. Railroad, about 13 miles from Bucyrus. It was laid out in 1851 by Rensel- laer Livingston and originally bore the name of Livingston. It is in Jackson township, comprising only 8 square miles, probably the smallest in the State. It is a railroad town and supported mainly by the railroad shops located here. Be-

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fore the day of railroads a town on this spot was not thought of. Men who are still in the prime of life remember when it was a good place to hunt deer. The site is flat. When laid out it was thought to be the highest point above sea-level in the State, hence the name Crestline. It has two newspapers, Advocate, Ind., D. C. Billow, editor ; Vidette, Dem., W. W. Pope, editor. Churches : 1 Methc . dist Episcopal, 2 German Lutheran, 1 English Lutheran, 1 German Reformed, 1 Presbyterian and 1 Catholic. Babst's Banking House, Babst Bros., proprieto.s, Jacob Babst, cashier.

Manufactures and Employees .- Talbot & Co., meal and feed, 4 hands ; Eckstein & Ross, planing mill, 14; J. W. Pond & Co., flour, etc., 3; P. Ft. W. & C. R. R. Co., railroad repairs, 156; N. Burch Plow Works, plows, 8 .- State Report 1887. Population in 1880, 2,848.

New Washington village had in 1880 675 inhabitants, and Leesville Cross Roads 213.

CUYAHOGA.

CUYAHOGA was formed from Geauga county, June 7, 1807, and organized in May, 1810. The name was derived from the river, and is said to signify, in the Indian language, "crooked," a term significant of the river, which is very wind- ing, and has its sources farther uorth than its mouth. The surface is level or gently undulating. Near the lake the soil is sandy, elsewhere generally a clayey loam. The valleys of the streams are highly productive in corn and oats ; in other parts the principal crops are wheat, barley and hay. The county produces a great variety and amount of excellent fruit ; also cheese, butter, etc. Excellent grind- stone quarries are worked, and grindstones largely exported. The sandstone from these quarries is a great article of commerce.

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Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I, Part 77

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