USA > Ohio > Ashland County > History of Ashland County, Ohio > Part 21
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"The cool spring is ever flowing, Through the change of every year, Just as when the Indian maiden Quaffed its waters pure and clear." ..
In 1782, Helltown was abandoned, the Indians fleeing in alarm when they heard of the massacre of the Moravian Indians at Gnatenhutten, some going to the Upper Sandusky country and others joining a party of white renegrades of whom Tom Green was the leader, founded the town of Greentown on the Blackfork. The Indians killed at Gnadenhutten were of the Delaware tribe and kinsmen of the Helltown squad.
At the time of the advent of the white settlers here the village of Green- town contained from one hundred and fifty to two hundred families, who lived in pole cabins. In the center of the town was a council house built of logs. While the Indians there were principally Delawares, there were also Mingoes among them, and some writers have confounded Greentown with the "Mingoe cabbins" spoken of by Major Rogers, but Dr. Hill thought the "cabbins" referred to were on the Jeromefork, near the place where the Mingo village of "Mohickan Johnstown" was afterwards located.
The white settlers maintained friendly relations with the Indians for some years, but when war with Great Britain was impending it was noticed that both the Greentown and the Jeromeville Indians made frequent trips to Sandusky, and when they returned were always well supplied with blankets, tomahawks and ammunition, evidently supplied to them by British agents who were engaged in trying to ingratiate themselves with the Indians against the whites.
In June, 1812, the United States declared war against Great Britain, after which the estranged relations between the settlers and the savages de- veloped into threatened rupture and resulted in the forced evacuation of Greentown, followed with the murders of the Zeimers, Copus and Ruffner,
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also other crimes and atrocities. The reasons generally assigned for the killing of Copus was that he had accompanied Captain Douglas to Greentown and had advised the Indians to a peaceful removal. And it is stated that the Indians had a grudge against the white settlers up the valley, whom they charged with tying firebrands to their horses' tails.
The Indians also claimed that the settlers made them drunk on metheglin and then cheated them in trades. Metheglin was distilled from wild honey, which was plentiful in those days. It was a favorite drink, was very intoxi- cating and it is said that those who indulged in this delicious nectar could hear the bees buzzing for several days thereafter. The white settlers often joined the Indians in athletic sports on the campus of their village, in which "run, hop, step and jump" and wrestling were the favorite amusements, but the Indians never took defeat graciously.
Greentown was situated on the east side of the Blackfork, three miles above Perrysville. There the Blackfork, after straightening somewhat from its tor- tuous course and running south for a short distance, makes a graceful curve to the east at the southwest limits of the Greentown grounds, courses along the base of the south side of the ridge, then turns again to the south and resumes its zigzag wanderings until its waters unite with those of other "forks" and form the Mohican river. Greentown was founded in 1782 and was destroyed by fire in 1812, thirty years after its founding. The cabins comprising the village stood principally upon the rolling plateau-like summit of the hill, each Indian selecting a site to suit himself, with but little regard for streets or regularity. A sycamore tree, which in the olden time cast its shade over the council house of, the tribe, still stands like a monument from the past, grim and white, stretching its branches like skeleton arms in the attitude of benediction. A wild cherry- tree stands several rods northeast, around which there was formerly a circular mound, evidently made by the Indians, and still discernible; but whether it was used as a circus ring for athletic sports, or as a receptacle, is a matter of con- jecture. Many think it was for the latter, as trinkets, if not valuables, have been taken from it; but no general exhumation was ever made.
The burial ground is at the west end of the knoll upon which Greentown was situated and is somewhat triangular in shape. Heretofore, the ground has been held in superstitious, if not sacred, veneration. But it will soon be turned over to the plowshare and the agriculturist.
Caldwell's Historical Atlas of Ashland county states that the Greentown Indians were removed to Piqua, Miami county, by Captain Douglas and Captain James Cunningham, which implies that there were two companies of soldiers in the escort, but the number of troops is not given. The route of march was via Lucas to Mansfield, where they encamped near Ritter's run, west of South Main street for several days. After being joined by the Indians from Jerome- ville, Colonel Samuel Kratzer conducted the command and removed the savages to Piqua, crossing Alum creek at Fort Cheshire, in Delaware county.
To appreciate places of historic note, one must enter into the feelings by reading its history and learning its traditions. Standing upon the site of old Greentown, the writer realized that the valley, whose broad and fertile acres spread out before him, was the place where the civilization of this part of the
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west was first planted and from which it extended to the golden shores of the Pacific.
Greentown was burned in August, 1812, by a party of soldiers who were absent from their commands. To understand the burning of the village it is necessary, at least briefly, to review the situation of the country at that time, the summer and early autumn of 1812, especially that summer in the Blackfork valley, a summer in which the earth was bringing forth a bountiful harvest; a summer luxuriant with flowers and musical with the carol of birds by day, while at night the moon was wont to peer atwixt the leafy branches of the forest, casting its pale glimmers of light through the languorous atmosphere ere it sailed forth into the open space of the sky to keep watch and ward over those who slept, as if to say, "Peace! be still." But those peaceful days and restful nights of nature seemed but a mockery, for they were days of toil and nights of watching for the white settlers who worked hard and dwelt in insecurity, for the Indians were liable to come upon them, like the proverbial "thief in the night," unawares.
As the times became more threatening, with indications of an Indian out- break probable at any moment, the several families kept sentinels on guard to warn them of the approach of stealthy foes.
THE BURNING OF GREENTOWN.
The burning of Greentown has been criticized and censured by senti- mentalists who regarded it as a breach of faith with the "noble red man" who was cruelly driven from his "happy hunting grounds" into forced exile.
But the burning of that village was not a breach of faith, for the officers did not sanction the act. It was done without warrant by five or six stragglers who had dropped out of the ranks for that purpose. They were militiamen who had suffered wrongs too grievous to be borne from the bloody hands of the Indians and it was but human nature for them to retaliate.
It seems like a maudlin sentimentality to dilate upon the wrongs which the white settlers committed against the Indians, for the few misdeeds that may have been done by the pioneers were too insignificant to be given prominence in history.
In the early history of France we read of the dark and bloody acts of the Druids and how they immolated human life in their forest temples, but it was as a religious rite, as an atoning or propitiating sacrifice and while we stand appalled at the bloody spectacle, our condemnation is somewhat mollified when we consider the motive that prompted the act.
But with the Indians it was cruelty for cruelty's sake. They were savages and through all the civilizing influences of a century, they are savages still. Even those who have been educated at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, at the expense of the general government, drift back into barbarism, as a rule, after they return to the west.
Let those who have tears to shed over the burning of Greentown read the accounts of the Wyoming massacre and its aftermath of butcheries and then
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consider the Indians' bloody deeds in our own state and county-of cruelty, torture and death; these three, and then tell us where is their claim for charity ! Settlers have returned from the hunt and chase and found their cabins burnt and their families murdered. The bloody tomahawk and gory scalping knife had done their work, and mutilation had been added to murder. Notwithstanding the beautifully drawn and charmingly colored word picture given us by novelists history teaches us that the Indian is cruel, deceitful and blood-thirsty by nature and devoid of the redeeming traits of humanity.
VII.
CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES.
ASHLAND, A TWENTIETH CENTURY INLAND CITY.
BY WILLIAM A. DUFF.
Ashland, Ohio, is a city of intense, vigorous individuality. Substantial, progressive and up-to-date, having doubled in population in the past decade and still enjoying a healthy, vigorous growth, it stands among the cities of the Buckeye state an example of civic push and patriotism-a city that has found itself. Its population now is eight thousand and every indication is that this will be doubled within the next few years, for its people-employer and em- ployes, business and professional men-are demonstrating constantly what can be accomplished in building up a city where the citizens work together loyally, persistently and harmoniously for the public good, not only in encouraging home enterprises that have started up and in bringing in new manufacturing institutions, but in looking after the highest and best welfare of its people and supporting those movements which make for the betterment of humanity and a more abundant life.
The Ashland of today is a city of automobiles and wide, brick-paved streets, rapidly growing manufacturing institutions, churches and public buildings that would do credit to a much larger city, beautiful residences, hospitable homes, and public spirited citizens.
In the courthouse park stands a beautiful monument to the soldiers and sailors of Ashland county, the gift of a noblehearted woman, Mrs. Mary F. Freer, now deceased, in behalf of her husband, the late Jonas Freer, wealthy stock-buyer and banker. In the tower of the Methodist church opposite the courthouse is the town clock, presented by her during her lifetime, and south of the city is the Ashland County Children's Home, a farm of ninety-one acres, another of her benefactions.
The churches of the town and the Ashland library also benefitted by her generosity. Her example has been an inspiration to others.
The public spirit of Ashland people is evidenced in the building of the new Young Men's Christian Association home for which forty thousand dollars was raised, in a brief campaign, a few months ago. Its Men's Federation which at its last annual banquet had some twelve hundred men in attendance has been a power in the moral uplift of the city and for higher ideals of citizenship.
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Ashland's postal receipts are the largest of any city of its size in the United States and its wide awake Commercial Club of which former Mayor A. S. Miller is the secretary, is constantly on the lookout for new industries which will be a benefit to the city. Within the past year several new and growing industries were added. The new Myers building, a fine large five-story brick block at the corner of Main and Center streets is the latest addition to the business part of Ashland.
Although Ashland is nearly a century old-William Montgomery laid it out back in 1815 and named it Uniontown-it has every characteristic of vigorous youth. Its early settlers were sturdy industrious people of indomitable will and strength of personality ; men and women of conviction, lovers of home and all that makes home the brightest spot on earth, and these traits of character stand out clearly in their descendants who have helped to make Ashland what it is today. Some of these early settlers came from New York and Connecticut and many others were Pennsylvania Germans. When the postoffice was established in 1822 and the name of the village was changed to Ashland it was a settlement of some twenty log huts. In 1846 when Ashland county was formed Ashland had become a village of thirteen hundred population. Despite its increased importance as the county seat the growth of Ashland was slow even after the Atlantic & Great Western Railroad, now the Erie, was completed through the town about the close of the civil war. In 1880 the population had increased to
three thousand. In 1838 the old Ashland Academy was founded and for ten years or more exerted a wonderful educational influence in this part of the country. Inseparably connected with the academy in the memory of the older residents of Ashland is Lorin Andrews afterward president of Kenyon College and the first volunteer in Ohio in the war of the rebellion.
He was born in a log hut, the fourth white child to be born in the new settle- ment of Uniontown. I have often heard my grandmother tell of his helpfulness to the young people, his geniality and warmheartedness and his power as an orator. For some years he was at the head of the academy and he left the impress of his character and teachings for good on the lives of hundreds.
In 1850 the academy became a part of the union schools of Ashland and the high educational standard of the old academy has always characterized the public schools, the high school numbering among its alumni alumnae scores of men and women who have attained high places in the world's activities.
The central building erected nearly thirty years ago at a cost of thirty-two thousand dollars is on the old academy grounds. The Rev. Dr. Joseph E. Stubbs, now at the head of the University of Nevada, was superintendent of the Ashland schools for a number of years. The present superintendent is Pro- fessor J. A. McDowell, who has just been reelected for three years.
There are six public school buildings in Ashland. The new Walnut street school building, large and splendidly equipped, was opened at the fall term, 1908, succeeding the little old brick building that was one of the landmarks of South Ashland. Ashland is the seat of Ashland College, an institution founded by the Dunkard church about thirty years ago. The college stands on an eminence in the south part of the city and is one of the first buildings to meet the eye of the incoming visitor. The college passed through a long period of advers-
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ity but a few years ago was established on a broad and permanent basis, with a splendid endowment, an excellent and devoted faculty and now has over two hundred students, from many states. The Rev. Dr. J. Allen Miller, the dean of the institution, has given some of the best years of his life to the building up of the college, which is a credit to the Brethren denomination to which it belongs. From its theological seminary have gone out many splendid men who are doing valiant service for the church.
For many years Ashland was a typical county seat. It grew a little from year to year. Wealthy farmers feeling the weight of years turned over their farms to their sons and came into town to live a retired life. County officers who moved in from other parts of the county when they assumed their duties at the courthouse usually made the town their home after their terms of office expired. New residences were built to replace old ones and gradually the frame structures on Main street gave way to substantial brick business blocks. For years the only paved street Ashland possessed was cobblestone paved Main, a trip over which was fraught with jolts and jars. Some years ago this relic of other days was taken up and a brick street laid. Now Ashland has twelve miles of brick paved streets and several other residence streets are being paved this year.
It seems only a short time since the lamplighters made their rounds at eventide in Ashland and again at ten o'clock or thereabouts to turn off the lights but in reality it is something like twenty years since the electric light plant was put in and arc lights adopted for street lighting.
In due time a water works system was installed, water being secured from deep drilled wells northeast of town and pumped to a stand pipe on a height southwest of Ashland thus giving ample pressure. Ashland's water supply is of the purest. A complete sewer system with sewage disposal plant is another of the improvements of later years.
There are three banks in Ashland, the First National, of which J. O. Jennings, now ninety years old, is the president, and Joseph Patterson, cashier ; the Farmers' Bank, of which J. L. Clark is president, George R. Freer, cashier ; and the Ashland Bank and Savings Company, of which I. H. Good is president, and Dr. Levering cashier.
Ashland has free mail delivery and rural delivery over four routes. The Central Union Telephone company has an office here for toll line service but the local exchange is owned by a home company, the Star Telephone company, which also has a number of exchanges in this and adjoining counties. Ash- land's newspapers are the daily and weekly Times Gazette and the Press, a week- ly both highly creditable publications.
A new era dawned for Ashland when the Ashland & Wooster Railroad was constructed a dozen years ago. It was the one thing needed to put into rapid motion the forward movement which has made Ashland one of the most prosper- ous inland cities in the state. This line less than thirty miles long connects Ashland with the Pennsylvania at Custaloga. Its builder was H. B. Camp, a capitalist from Akron, now deceased. Mr. Camp took a great interest in Ash- land and assisted in securing new industries for the town, one of them being the
FRANCIS GRAHAM
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Faultless Rubber company, in which hundreds of operatives find steady employment.
F. E. and P. A. Myers, owners of Ashland's largest industry, the pump and hay tool works of F. E. Myers & Brothers, which employs some eight hun- dred men, have been actively identified for years with the forward movement of Ashland. Their influence was potent in securing for Ashland the A. & W. Railroad and various new industries and the extension of the Cleveland, South- western & Columbus interurban line through Ashland, putting the town in direct trolley connection with Cleveland, Mansfield and Columbus, was brought about in a large measure by the untiring efforts of F. E. Myers, who is now the president of the company. This line is opening up a splendid territory for Ashland business men. Heretofore the smaller towns to the east have had poor facilities for getting to Ashland and back home, now the two hour schedule ena- bles them to do their shopping in Ashland and get home without losing much time. The Ramsey line which has been built from Lorain to Wellington is to be extended to Ashland, probably within the next year and then built south into the coal fields and connect with H. H. Rogers' Tidewater line to the Atlantic coast. The A. & W. is to be a part of the line, having been purchased by the Ramsey people over a year ago.
Ashland has a number of patent medicine and stock-food industries, the Dr. Hess & Clark stock-food plant being the largest concern of the sort in the world. J. L. Clark, one of the proprietors is president of the Farmers' Bank and identi- fied with the Y. M. C. A. of which he is president.
Ashland has a great variety of growing industries which are its pride. It is a prosperous city and a city of splendid morals, an advantageous environment for the raising of children. The town has had no saloons for the past four years.
Ashland has many fine churches with large congregations. The denomina- tions represented are, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Congregational, Chris- tian, United Brethren, Brethren, German Lutheran, Evangelican, Catholic and the Salvation Army. The latter owns a barracks.
Ashland people are enthusiastic over the outlook for the future growth of the city. The town is located in the midst of a remarkably fertile agricultural region. The farmers are prosperous and even from the early days Ashland has been a great trading point.
To Ashland people foreign investments appeal less than in most places. Its moneyed men are convinced that money invested at home yields doubly not only in dividends as the business is developed but in enhancing the value of their other holdings and in bringing into the city more people and new manufactories. It is a far sighted policy and one that is showing substantial results. During the financial stringency of the latter part of 1906 and 1907 Ashland scarcely knew there was any tightening of the purse strings over the nation. Its manu- facturing concerns did not shut down; its people were employed steadily and in the midst of the panic some thirty or forty new houses were built.
The city is more nearly on a cash basis than it has ever been and the out- look is bright.
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The elevation of the town of Ashland is one thousand and seventy-nine feet above the sea.
ROWSBURG.
Rowsburg is in Perry township and was laid out by Michael D. Row, in April, 1835. At the time the plat was recorded there was not an inhabitant within the limits of what now forms the town. The first public sale of lots oc- curred in May, 1835, and thirty-five dollars was the highest price paid for a lot at that sale. The population of Rowsburg in 1860 was two hundred and it has not increased much in population since. It is situated on the road from Ash- land to Wooster.
The country about the village contains many valuable farms, and the patron- age of the farmers contribute largely to the growth and prosperity of the town. There is also considerable travel.
LAFAYETTE.
Lafayette is in the north part of the township of Perry, was laid out in the spring of 1835, just prior to the platting of Rowsburg. The original proprie- tors were William Hamilton and John Zimmerman. The location of the village at that time, gave promise of a fair business and considerable growth, being situated on a much traveled road. The country around the village is very pro- ductive, and is filled by industrious, frugal, and prosperous farmers.
PERRYSBURGH.
Perrysburgh, in Jackson township, was laid out October 13, 1830, by Josiah Lee and David Buchanan. It is a small village. The postoffice is named Albion. The village has had a gradual growth.
POLK.
Polk, in Jackson township, was laid out May 4, 1849, by John Kuhn. It is located near the New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio Railway.
RUGGLES CENTER.
Ruggles Center is located on the intersection of the Ashland, New. London and Sullivan roads.
TROY CENTER.
Troy Center, in the center of Troy township, became a village in 1851, upon the addition of Norris division. The corners were resurveyed and consolidated
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in 1868, and platted. The village is now called "Nova." The roads from Sullivan and from Ashland cross at right angles, and form the principal streets. It has a fair neighborhood trade.
NANKIN.
Nankin is in Orange township, was laid out by Amos Norris and John Chilcote, April 22, 1828. It is located on section 28, on a branch of Mohican creek, in the midst of splendid farming lands. It was for many years a flourish- ing village; but its nearness to the county seat has somewhat checked its growth. The New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio Railway passes near the village and has a small station and telegraph office.
The town was formerly called Orange, but was changed to Nankin a few years since.
Remains of one of the most interesting mounds of an ancient race adjoins the town. The track of the old state road leading from Orange to Ashland cut through a margin of the work. The size at the top was about thirty feet in diameter; at the base fifty or sixty feet, and its height from five to six feet above the natural surface. The mound was built upon a natural elevation. In cutting down its side for the purpose of affording a proper roadway, relics of human skeletons, earthen vessels, and war implements were found.
SULLIVAN.
Sullivan is situated in the center of Sullivan township and was laid out in 1836 by Sylvanus Parmely, Ira Parmely, Joseph Palmer and Joseph Carlton, whose lands formed the corners of the center. It has a good school, and is eligibly situated. Its population is mostly from New England. The post- office bears the name of the village. Its principal support is derived from the neighborhood trade.
MIFFLIN.
Mifflin was formerly called Petersburg, in Mifflin township, was laid out by William B. James, Peter Deardorff, and Samuel Lewis, June 16, 1816. It was located on the old state road leading from Wooster to Mansfield. For many years it was very thrifty, and, under the old stage era, and during the early settlement of Richland county, was well patronized by the traveling public. George Thomas erected the first tavern, which he conducted until about 1820. The removal of the old stage lines, and the construction of railroads, diverted travel to other lines, and for many years the village has been sustained almost exclusively by the patronage of the farmers of Mifflin.
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