Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I, Part 90

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

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The Indians murdered several of the in- habitants in the fire-lands. One of the most barbarous murders was committed in the spring of 1812, upon Michael Gibbs and one Buel, who lived together in a cabin about a mile southeast of the present town of San- dusky. The murderers were two Indians named Semo and Omic. The whites went in pursuit of them ; Omic was taken to Cleve- land, tried, found guilty and executed. Semo was afterwards demanded of his tribe, and they were about to give him up, when, anticipating his fate, he gave the war-whoop, and shot himself through the heart.

In the late war, previous to Perry's victory, the inhabitants were in much dread of the Indians. Some people upon Huron river were captured by them, and also at the head of Cold creek, where a Mrs. Putnam and a whole family by the name of Snow (the man excepted) were attacked. Mrs. Snow and one little child were cruelly butchered, and the rest taken captive, together with a Mrs. Butler and a girl named Page, and carried to Canada. They were, however, released or purchased by the whites a few months after. Other depredations and murders were com- mitted by the savages.

SANDUSKY IN 1846 .- Sandusky, the county-seat, is situated on Sandusky bay, 105 miles north of Columbus, and 60 from Cleveland and Detroit. Its situation is pleasant, rising gradually from the lake, and commanding a fine view of it. The town is based upon an inexhaustible quarry of the finest limestone, which is not only used in building elegant and substantial edifices in the town, but is an extensive article of export. A few hundred yards back from the lake is a large and handsome public square on which, fronting the lake, are the principal churches and public buildings. The first permanent settlement at Sandusky City was made in June, 1817, at which time the locality was called Ogontz place, from an Indian chief who resided here previous to the war of 1812. The town was laid out under the name of Portland, in 1817, by its proprietors, Hon. Zalmon Wildman, of Danbury, Ct., and Hon. Isaac Mills, of New Haven, in the same State. Ou the first of July of that year, a small store of goods was opened .by Moores Far- well, in the employment of Mr. Wildman. The same building is now standing on the bay shore, and is occupied by Mr. West. There were at this time but two log-huts in the place besides the store, which was a frame, and had been erected the year previous. One of the huts stood on the site of the Verandah hotel, and the other some sixty rods east. The first frame dwelling was erected by Wm. B. Smith in the fall of 1817, the second soon after by Cyrus W. Marsh, and a third

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in the succeeding spring by Moores Farwell. The Methodist Episcopal church, a small frame building, and the first built, was erected in 1830 ; the Episcopal and Presbyterian churches in 1835; the Wesleyan chapel in 1836, and the rest since. Sandusky contains 1 Episcopal, 1 Methodist, 1 Congregational, 1 Reformed Meth- odist, 1 Catholic and 1 German Lutheran church, I high school, a large number of dry-goods and grocery stores, several forwarding and commission houses, 2 furnaces, 1 oil mill, 2 extensive machine shops for the manufacture of the iron for railroad cars, 2 printing offices, 2 banks, and a population estimated at 3,000. This town is now very thriving, and promises to be, ere many years, a large city. A great impetus has been given to its prosperity by the construction of two rail- roads. which terminate here ; the first, the Mad River and Little Miami railroad, connects it with Cincinnati ; the other connects it with Mansfield, from which place it is constructing through Mount Vernon and Newark to Columbus : a branch will diverge from Newark to Zanesville. This last is one of the best built rail- roads in the country, and is doing a very heavy transportation business. The commerce of Sandusky City is heavy, and constantly increasing. The arrivals at this port in 1846 were 447, clearances 441 ; and 843,746 bushels of wheat were among the articles exported. On the farm of Isaac A. Mills, west of the town, are some ancient works and mounds. In the late Canadian " patriot war," this city was a rendezvous for " patriots ;" they had an action on the ice near Point-au- Pelee island with British cavalry in the winter of 1838. They were under Capt. Bradley, of this city, who has since commanded a company of volunteers in the war with Mexico. In this action the " patriots " behaved with cool bravery, and although attacked by a superior force, delivered their fire with steadiness, and re- pelled their enemy with considerable loss .- Old Edition.

Sandusky City, on Sandusky bay, an inlet of Lake Erie, is 100 miles north of Columbus and midway between Cleveland and Toledo. It is on the line of the L. S. & M. S. ; I. B. & W. ; L. E. A. & S. ; and S. M. & N. railroads. County Officers in 1888 : Probate Judge, Albert E. Merrill ; Clerk of Court, Silas E. Bauder; Sheriff, Thos. A. Hughes ; Prosecuting Attorney, Cyrus B. Winters ; Auditor, Wm. J. Bonn ; Treasurer, Jas. Alder ; Recorder, John Strickland ; Sur- veyor, Albert W. Judson ; Coroner, Louis S. Szendery ; Commissioners, William Zimmerman, Jas. Douglass, John L. Hull. Newspapers : Register, Republican, J. F. Mack & Bro., editors and proprietors ; Journal, Democratic, C. C. Bittur, editor and publisher ; Democrat, German, Democratic. Churches : 1 Congrega- tional, 4 Episcopal, 3 Catholic, 1 Baptist, 1 Colored Baptist, 1 Presbyterian, 1 Friends, 1 Methodist Episcopal, 1 Colored Methodist, 4 German Evangelical, 1 German Lu- theran and 1 German Methodist. Banks : Citizens' National, A. E. Merrill, pres- ident, Henry Graefe, cashier ; Moss National, A. H. Moss, president, Horace O. Moss, cashier ; Second National, R. B. Hubbard, president, A. W. Prout, cashier ; Third National, Lawrence Cable, president, E. P. Zollinger, cashier.

Principal Industries and Employees .- D. J. Brown & Co., hoops, etc., 35 hands ; Germania Basket Company, baskets, 31 ; George W. Icsman, saw mills ; Sandusky Tool Company, edge tools, 230; Ohlemacher Lime Company, lime, 34; J. B. Johnston & Co., lime, 14; Kilbourne & Co., cooperage, 20; J. T. Johnson, plan- ing mill, 31 ; B. & O. R. R. Shops, railroad repairs, 130 ; B. & O. Grain Elevator ; J. M. Soncrant, cooperage, 20; Johnson, Kunz & Co., lime; Schoeffle & Sloane, doors, sash, etc., 45; Woolsey Wheel Company, carriage wheels, etc., 143; B. B. Hubbard & Son, planing-mill ; August Kunzman, carriages, etc., 10; Lea, Her- bert & Co., planing-mill, 22; Saudusky Machine and Agricultural Works, en- gines, reapers, etc., 45 ; Barney & Kilby, engines, etc., 206 ; J. C. Butler & Co., doors, sash, etc., 142; Eureka Lumber Company, planing-mill, etc., 44; I. B. & W. R. R. Shops, railroad repairs, 164; The Sandusky Wheel Company, carriage wheels, etc., 260 ; Anthony Ilg & Co., lager beer, 12 ; Albert Schwehr, cigar boxes, 37 ; Portland Boiler Company ; Frank Slang, lager beer, 15; J. Kuebler & Co., lager beer, 22; Hinde, Hansen & Co., paper, 18; J. S. Cowdery, crayons, chalk,

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etc., 42 ; G. B. Hodgeman Manufacturing Company, cooperage, 112 .- State Report for 1887. Population in 1880, 15,838. School census in 1886, 5,861 ; Alston Ellis, superintendent.

Sandusky has the largest and best harbor on the great chain of lakes, having the advantage of a large and land-locked bay, while the other lake ports are mostly but the mouths of rivers. This bay is eighteen miles in length, furnishing ample room for all the water craft that ever conld be required.

Drawn by Henry Howe in 1846. THE HARBOR OF SANDUSKY.

It is claimed for Sandusky that in the manufacture of wheels and other wood implements that it exceeds any other city of the Union ; that of the 1,800 hands in its shops and factories an unusual per cent. are skilled mechanics, and married men, and very largely own the houses in which they live.

Ohio Soldiers' and Sailors' Home .- In the latter part of the year 1885 P. R. Brown, Commander of the Department of Ohio, G. A. R., learned that some old soldiers, survivors of the civil war, were living in county infirmaries. He imme- diately set inquiries on foot and learned by the end of the year that there were 300 such ; and that many others, equally destitute, were supported by private benevolence. Soon after Gov. Foraker's inauguration, in January, 1886, Commander Brown conferred with him, and found his sympathies warmly enlisted.

A bill was introduced in the legislature and met with such general favor, that on the 30th of January an act was passed to establish "The Ohio Soldiers' and Sailors' Home," for all honorably discharged soldiers, sailors, and marines who have served the United States government in any of its wars, and who are citizens of Ohio at the date of the passage of this act, and are not able to sup- port themselves, etc., etc., and who cannot gain admission to the national military homes.

The Governor appointed I. F. Maek, of Sandusky; R. B. Brown, of Zanesville ; Dur- bin Ward, of Lebanon ; W. P. Orr, of Piqua; and Thomas T. Dill, of Mansfield, trustees. Durbin Ward dying, Thomas R. Paxton, of Cincinnati, was appointed in his place, and I. F. Maek was elected president, and R. B. Brown, secretary.

The board, on the 31st of July, having pre- viously examined many titles in various parts of the State, resolved to establish the Home near Sandusky. On the 19th of August, they selected as the site ninety aeres of breezy land, partly wooded, a mile outside the corporate limits of the city ; the land being donated to the State, and guarantees being given for the construction of a large stone sewer from the grounds to the lake, of mains for water, gas, electricity, a railway switch to the grounds

and two fine avenues 100 feet in width as out- lets. The grounds will be beautifully orna- mented, the attractive features including a chain of lakes and shelter house.

The terms have been fulfilled by the county, the city, and by citizens. The legislature has . been liberal in making appropriations from time to time ; the trustees have been earnest in the work and have enjoyed the hearty co- operation of the governor.

Plans have been adopted for buildings to accommodate about 1,000 inmates, and are now in course of construction ; they consist of thirteen cottages of four different designs, dining and kitchen building, power-house, laundry and bath-rooms, hospital, chapel, conservatory, and the administration building, in which are located the offices of the eom- mandant and his assistants and of the Board of Trustees. The buildings are of the best Ohio limestone and sandstone, and from an architectural point of view present a hand- some appearance.

The land lies between forty and fifty feet above the level of the lake, and no higher land is near. The buildings are admirably designed, and are thoroughly built, with ex- terior walls of stone and partitions of brick. No building is more than two stories high. They will be comfortable and healthful, and

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the architectural effect of the mass will be handsome and imposing.

The board is to be congratulated on its choice of Gen. M. F. FORCE, of Cincinnati, for commandant, a gentleman of rare ability, singular modesty and worth, under whose management the Home will assuredly meet the best purposes for which it is designed.

When the Civil war of 1861 was fairly in- augurated Gen. Force was a practicing attor- ney in Cincinnati. He joined a military company, and was soon after promoted to the lieutenant-colonelcy of the Twentieth Ohio, and at Camp Chase proved to be an excellent drill officer. The history of the Twentieth shows what efficiency he developed as a com- manding officer of the regiment, the brigade, and eventually of the division. Stooping over his wounded friend, Adjutant Walker, in the terrible conflict at Atlanta, he received a bul- let through his face just below the eye, and he now bears upon his frontlet the honored

scar of battle for his country. When the army disbanded Gen. Force returned to civil life, and was elected a judge of the Superior Court of Hamilton county, which office he held until his resignation in 1887.

The late Col. Charles Whittlesey wrote of him : "From his father, the late Peter Force, of Washington, he inherits a taste for litera- ture, especially for history and ethnology. His publications, especially those upon the theory of evolution, devised by Darwin, and upon the character of the Mound Builders, also upon his war memoranda, filling one volume of the Scribner Series, display calm and faithful investigation with a clear and facile mode of expression. His address delivered at the first reunion of the Twentieth Regiment, on the anniversary of the battle of Shiloh Church, April 6, 1876, shows the finish of his style and the close personal rela- tions that existed with his men."

Ohio State Fish Hatchery .- On the eastern margin of Sandusky, by the water- side, in a small, one-story, frame building of two rooms, is located the Ohio State Fish Hatchery. Small and unpretentious as the quarters are, neverthe- less a work of great importance goes on within their limits, and it is to be hoped that our State government will take measures for the greater development of this useful institution. With great increase in the needs of its people, a wise government makes provision for keeping its food supplies unimpoverished. The Ohio State Fish Hatchery was founded some twelve years ago at Toledo. Some years later the Sandusky branch was started, and then, owing to a cut- ting down of funds, that at Toledo was closed.

The establishment at Sandusky is under the charge of Superintendent Henry Douglass, assisted by George W. Littleton and six or seven extra assistants en- gaged during the hatching seasons. But two kinds of fish have as yet been hatched, pickerel and white fish ; of these, 65,000,000 pickerel and 100,000,000 white fish were hatched during the past season, 1887-1888.

About April 1st the pickerel eggs are taken and about October 1st the white fish eggs. These are procured from fish caught in nets on Lak: Eric. From the females (which can be distinguished by their unusual size) the eggs are squeezed in three-gallon pans (eggs from three females to each pan). Next six male fislt are picked out and the impregnating fluid squeezed from them into the pan. Males and females are then thrown back into the lake, and the pans containing the impreg- nated eggs are taken to the hatchery.

In the larger of the two rooms of the hatchery are ranged on each side and in the centre a series of wooden troughs, and below each trough a row of glass jars about two feet high and six or seven inches in diameter. Above each jar is a wooden faucet connected by a rubber hose a few inches long to a thick glass tube in the centre of the jar and of the same length as the jar. Four small "feet" at the bottom of the tube permit the water to flow from it up through the jar to its top where it is discharged into another, thence through other jars and so on. The impreg- nated eggs are placed in these jars and the

water turned on. The water is lake water supplied from the city water works. It is kept cold, sometimes freezing, as the eggs and the fish have to be kept cold until placed in the streams.

After the eggs are placed in the jars they must be kept constantly moving, and are watched night and day, that they may not adhere to each other or the sides of the jars as soon as an egg spoils (which is discovered' by its failure to change color) it must be re- moved ; this is done with a feather.

At the first the eggs have a kind of cream color, from which they change in a month to a much darker color, then in six weeks back to their original hue, and alternate colors in that manner until hatched, which is about two to four weeks for pickerel and five months for white fish. When hatched the pickerel are about one-quarter of an inch long and the white fish half an inch. Each fish is found to have a food sack containing a viscid color- less substance which sustains its life from three to four weeks, but what they live on after that is unknown. In about a year they grow to weigh a pound and increase in weight

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each succeeding year, until the pickerel attains a weight of fifteen to eighteen pounds and the white fish a weight of twenty pounds.

The freshly hatched fish are given away to any one making application for them, the only requirement being that they be placed in some inland stream or lake. They are put up in cans similar to milk cans and are dis- tributed according to order by the agents of the hatchery who travel through all parts of the State. Pickerel only are placed in streams as the white fish will not live in streams, but large numbers of the young white fish have been placed in Lake Erie, resulting in an ap- parent increase in the supply.

After years of effort it has been found im- possible to hatch bass or perch. The difficulty fies in obtaining the impregnating fluid from

the males, who at the season of impregnation go into deep water and defy all efforts to cap- ture them. Experiments have been made by keeping them in captivity, but without avail.

The only way that lakes can be stocked with bass is to catch the young fish with nets and transport them to where they are wanted.

This is often done. A year ago a lot of herring were hatched and placed in some lakes east of Cleveland, and if they thrive the hatching of herring will be made one of the features of the hatchery. Lake Erie abounds with them. They are a small fish, weighing but a pound when full grown, but are very good eating. Some experiments in the propagation of cat-fish are also to be undertaken shortly.

When the first settlers under the Fire-Lands Company arrived at Sandusky they found on the present site of the town a village of Ottawa Indians, and on the peninsula some French-Canadian settlers.

THE STORY OF OGONTZ.

The whole settlement was under the con- trol of an Indian chief named OGONTZ. He was in many respects a remarkable man. Having heen found when a babe in an Indian village in the far Northwest, whose inhabi- tants had all either died off or fled from smallpox, he was taken charge of by French Catholic priests near Quebec, and educated for a missionary among the Indians, and about the time of the outbreak of the Revolution went among the Ottawas to preach Chris- tianity.

He had a strong dislike of the British pro- vincial government, and having gained great influence among the Ottawas, he induced two tribes and some French people in the neigh- borhood to locate at Sandusky, he going with them as priest or father ; at his direction the French settled on the peninsula and the Indians on the other side of the bay.

Finding he could be more useful to these people as chief than priest, he gave up his holy office, was adopted into one of the tribes, and became its chief.

In an account of his life which he related to his friend and neighbor, Mr. Benajah Wolcott, who, in 1809, had settled on the peninsula, he said :

"In my heart I had never been a good Catholic, though I had tried to be a good Christian. I found it, however, much easier to make Catholics than Christians of other Indians. What I mean is, that they were much more willing to observe the forms than to obey the laws of Christianity, and that they grew no better under my preaching. I became discouraged, and feared that my preaching was an imposition and I an im- postor." "

As priest the chief of the other tribe had been guided by him and profited by his coun- sels, but when Ogontz became a chief his jealousy was aroused, and during a drunken orgie he approached Ogontz from behind and

tried to stab him, but Ogontz was on his guard, and instead of slaying him he was him- self slain by Ogontz.

Although Ogontz had slain his rival in self- defence a council was held to decide his fate. The Indian law is "blood for blood," and it was very rarely that this law was departed from, and as Ogontz sat on a log facing the lake, a few rods off, the council debated the question of life and death ; and, having de- cided, the messengers of the council ap- proached him. If the decision had been death they would have gone up behind and tomahawked him as he sat. As they neated him the solemn chief sat motionless, looking out upon the expanse of water before him, when the messengers made a slight detour and approached him face to face. The coun- cil had spared his life.

Ogontz adopted the son of the chief, and brought him up as his own, knowing that some day that son would kill him to avenge his father's death.

Ogontz was ever for peace. Foreseeing the war of 1812, he led his people back to Canada, as they could not stay at Sandusky and remain neutral. He said :

"I have done these people (Indians and French) all the good I could and have kept them at peace with each other, and, so far as I could, with all the world; but trouble will' come on us all very soon. I had hoped to spend all my days near this bay. Your peo- ple will take our present corn-fields for them- selves, but we could find others near enough if we could be at peace. A war between your people and the British is close at hand, and when that comes we must fly from here-all of us. Indians are great fools for taking part in the wars of the white people, but they will do so. Ottawas will join the British and Wyandots will join your people. I will not fight in such a war. I wish your side success, but I must go with my people."

When peace was declared between the

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United States and Great Britain he and his tribe went from Canada to Maumee river, and at a pow-wow held there he was mur- dered by his adopted son, meeting the death he knew was in store for him when he adopted the son of the chief he had slain in self-defence.

The lodge of Ogontz was on the site occu- pied by the national bank on Columbus avenue, between Market and Water streets. The bank building was originally the residence of Eleutheros Cooke, and built by him. His son, the celebrated banker, Jay Cooke, was born here in 1821. The family knew Ogontz very well. When a child, Ogontz at times

carried the boy Jay on his shoulders. Out of respect to his memory, Mr. Cooke in after years, when fame and fortune were his, built a magnificent country-seat at Chelton Hills, near Philadelphia, which he named Ogontz. The name of Ogontz is perpetuated at San- dusky by a street, flouring mills, a Knight Templars' lodge, a fire company, etc. When making investigations years since for a rail- road in the Lake Superior country Mr. Cooke found the name Ogontz still perpetuated among the Indians, and in the person of a boy whose acquaintance he made, and who proved to be a grandson of the chief.

Three miles north of Sandusky, in her land-locked bay, lies JOHNSON's ISLAND. Its area is about 300 acres ; nearly a mile long and half that in breadth, gradually rising in the centre to a height of fifty feet. It was originally covered with heavy timber, and a favorite resort of the Indians, who came here in the fishing season, engaged in festivities, and brought their captives for torture.

Its first owner was E. W. Bnll, and it was called Bull's Island, until 1852, when it was purchased by L. B. Johnson and its name changed to Johnson's Island.

In 1811 an effort was made to found a town on the island, and steps taken to lay out village lots; the custom house of the port was located here, but the attempt was unsuccessful and abandoned.

In 1861 the property was leased by the government as a depot for rebel prison- ers. The necessary buildings having been erected, the first prisoners were installed in their quarters in April, 1862, under the charge of Company A, Hoffman Bat- talion, which was subsequently increased to a full regiment, the 128th O. V. I.

The number of prisoners was constantly varying, the largest number at any one time being over 3,000; but, from the period of its establishment until the close of the war, over 15,000 rebels were confined here, and owing to its supposed security, the prisoners were largely composed of rebel officers.

As the war progressed floating rumors of an intended rescue by rebel sympa- thizers in Canada came to the ears of the Federal authorities, and the steamer "Michigan," the only United States war vessel on Lake Erie, was stationed here. In September, 1864, a conspiracy was concocted to release the prisoners, at that time numbering about 2,400, arm them, burn Sandusky, Cleveland and other defenseless lake cities, secure horses, ride through Ohio, raiding the country on the ronte, and join the rebel army in Virginia; at the same time the "Michigan" was to be captured and co-operate with the released prisoners on land. The nar- rative of the occurrences which follows is abridged from that in the Lake Shore Magazine:

John Yates Beall, a Virginian of great wealth and a graduate of Virginia Univer- sity, called "The Pirate of Lake Erie," was the prime mover in this conspiracy, and was aided in the enterprise by that arch traitor and fiend Jacob Thompson, the agent of the Confederate government.

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Historical collections of Ohio in two volumes, an encyclopedia of the state, Volume I, Part 90

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