History of Ashland County, Ohio, Part 7

Author: Baughman, A. J. (Abraham J.), 1838-1913. cn
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1012

USA > Ohio > Ashland County > History of Ashland County, Ohio > Part 7

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A blockhouse was erected by his men, a short distance northeast of the present site of the mill, on a gentle rise of ground, where the settlers commenced at once to concentrate. Mr. Eagle also conducted a guard of eight or ten men to protect a small blockhouse or cabin at the Finley and Collyer settlement, about five miles down the Jeromefork, near where Tylertown now. stands.

In the meantime, Robert Newell and family, George Eckley and family, Jonathan Palmer and family, James Wallace and family, Christopher Trickle and family, James Bryan and family, Ezra Warner and family, and David Noggle and others, not now remembered, gathered at the new blockhouse. The families of Benjamin Cuppy and Jacob Fry did not remain at the fort, but passed on east. It was noticed, when all had gathered in, that Daniel Carter and family were missing. Much uneasiness was evinced concerning the safety of Mr. Carter and family. He resided up the stream, about nine miles from the blockhouse, and one mile northeast of the present site of Ashland. Absolom Newell, the eldest son of Robert Newell, volunteered to go and inform Mr. Carter and family of the danger that threatened them. Being an active young man, he soon reached the cabin of his father, some five miles up the Jeromefork which he found almost consumed by fire. Supposing Indians had set it on fire and were concealed in the vicinity, he hastened back and related the circum- stance to the company at the blockhouse. David Noggle, a warm friend of Mr. Carter, at once offered to undertake the hazardous task of reaching him on horse- back. Thirty soldiers were detailed for the expedition. Mr. Noggle and the soldiers followed a trail cut through the forest by Mr. Carter when he removed his family to his new cabin, which passed south of Newell's, thence over lands more recently owned by Mr. Smucker, Samuel Swinford, and the late farm of Daniel Carter, Jr., and so on to his cabin. Mr. Noggle reached the cabin sometime before the soldiers and found Mr. Carter at work with his team, all safe. From circumstances afterwards developed, it appears that a body of Indians had that very morning passed through the cornfield near the cabin, but had offered no harm to Mr. Carter and his family.

Mr. Carter hastily placed such clothing and bedding on his wagon as he could conveniently remove, and taking his family, accompanied Mr. Noggle. They had gone but a short distance when they met the guard. The soldiers continued in the direction of the deserted cabins of Cuppy and Fry, and on

HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY

approaching the former, found it yet burning, and some of the soldiers dis- covered the rear guard of the Indians skulking in a cornfield. On looking towards the cabin of Mr. Fry, a half-mile west, they could see the smoke ascending from it. They then turned about, and retraced their steps to the blockhouse at Jerome's place, where Mr. Carter and family had arrived a short time before. Mr. Carter and family did not remain at the blockhouse; but passed on through Wooster to New Philadelphia, Tuscarawas county, where he and his family remained until February, 1813.

The band of Indians that burned the cabins of Newell, Cuppy and Fry was undoubtedly the same that the day before made assault on the Copus cabin.

At this time there were six or eight families in the Vachel-Metcalf settle- ment, some two and a half miles southeast of the fort on Jerome's place, among whom were those of William Bryan, James Conley, Elisha Chilcote, Benjamin Bunn, James Slater and James Bryan. These met and constructed a fort two stories high, the walls of the second story projecting beyond the first on all sides. The floor and sides of the second story were pierced with port-holes. The pioneers with ox teams, axes and strong arms soon erected the fort. The lower story had strong doors securely fastened, and were occupied by the women and children, while the men with their rifles occupied the second story in hours of danger and alarm. A patch of ground was cleared around the fort and enclosed by a palisade twelve feet high, with a strong gate, which enclosed about one fourth of an acre, and all the families of the neighborhood gathered into this fort, while their horses and cattle were placed within the palisade. The settlers remained in this fort during the winter of 1812-13, and a part of the summer of 1813, while cultivating, by occasional visits, small patches of corn and vegetables with pickets to prevent surprise by the Indians.

Hill's History of Ashland county says that the Priest fort was erected near the banks of the Mohican, not far from the point where the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad crosses that stream at Loudonville. The fort was surrounded by a picket of heavy split timber about twelve feet high and en- closed about one-fourth acre of ground. It had a strong gate hung on wooden hinges. In cases of necessity the horses and cattle were brought within the enclosure.

ADVENTURES AND LIFE IN THE BLOCKHOUSES.

General Crook's command, which passed through the southern part of Ashland county and moved to the northwest in the fall of 1812, saw very hard service after leaving Upper Sandusky. The command was ordered to Fort Meigs, with an artillery train and stores, which were dragged through the rain and mud by the soldiers. The command endured great hardships and suffered severe exposures, part of the time wading through mud and water two or three feet deep and being compelled to cut brush and logs to lift them above the water when they encamped at night. General Winchester had advanced with his army, about one thousand strong, to within eighteen miles of Malden, where he was surprised by General Proctor, with his British and Indians, and a battle

HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY

ensuing on the twenty-second of January, 1813, Winchester was defeated with great slaughter. The loss of the Americans was about four hundred in wounded, killed and missing, being fully one-third of all the force engaged in the battle! General Winchester was taken prisoner in the commencement of the engagement; and many of his soldiers, after having surrendered, were butchered by the savages in the most wanton manner, without the interference of the British commander to prevent it. This misfortune disconcerted all the plans of General Harrison for the spring campaign; and compelled him to fall back to Fort Meigs, until the troops ordered into the field by Governor Meigs, should arrive. While these bloody scenes were transpiring, the people of Richland, Wayne, Knox and what is now Ashland counties were again compelled to seek safety in the blockhouses, not knowing what moment the infuriated savages, led on by Tecumseh, might appear in their midst. Along the Blackfork and Clear- fork the fugitives that found safety at Clinton, the fall before, had returned to their homes in the vicinity of Coulter's blockhouse and that of Samuel Lewis, on the Clearfork; though they had spent most of the winter at their own cabins. Their corn crops, though small, had been secured and safely stored; their cattle and swine were under their control. The mills in Knox county, and below Wooster, had been visited and a stock of corn meal laid in for the winter, so that they had an abundance of cornbread and meat; and by the aid of hominy- blocks, there was no imminent danger of starvation, though the situation was rather exciting.

Along the Jeromefork, the majority of the fugitives remained in the blockhouses during the winter. In the fall of 1812, when Captain Nicholas Murray, with a company of sixty men, was ordered by General Beall to advance to Jerome's place, to build a blockhouse, just after he had crossed the Killbuck, he met the fugitive families of John Carr, Christopher Trickle, Matthew Wil- liams, Robert Newell, Ezra Warner, Daniel Carter, Jacob Fry, and Benjamin Cuppy. Captain Murray offered all these families protection, and they all returned with him to Jerome's place, except Mr. Carter and family, who con- tinued their flight to New Philadelphia, Tuscarawas county. These families remained in and around the blockhouse all winter. About the middle of February, 1813, Daniel Carter and family returned from New Philadelphia, and again occupied his old cabin, one mile northeast of the present site of Ash- land, where he found everything as he had left it the fall before. His corn was yet standing in the field undisturbed, except what had been devoured by deer, wild turkeys and small animals.

A pioneer gives the following version of the Collyer affair :

"About the first of March, 1813, in the morning four strange Indians appeared at the cabin of James Collyer, then residing about two miles above the junction of the Jerome and Muddy forks of Mohican, a short distance from Findley's bridge, and asked for something to eat. They appeared to be well armed, and his suspicions were excited. There had not been an Indian seen in that neighborhood for several months, the last of the Mohican John Indians having been sent away by order of General Beall, when he cut his trail the fall before. Putting on an air of confidence and calmness, he invited them into his cabin, entering which, they leaned their guns against the wall near the door,

HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY

and were seated. Mr. Collyer told his wife, who was much alarmed, to set some cold victuals on the table for them to eat. She did so putting on a lot of meat, cornbread and such other articles as she had at hand. Mr. Collyer motioned for them to sit down and eat. They went to the table and were seated, and began to eat heartily of the food. While they were eating Collyer moved cautiously to the point where he kept his gun, which was always loaded, and securing it, placed himself, unobserved, between the Indians and the door, and carefully raising his gun so as to get a range on two of them, prepared to fire, seeing which, Mrs. Collyer shrieked out, and fainting, fell to the floor. This alarmed the Indians, and they sprang to their feet; but seeing the threatening attitude of Collyer, raised their hands and begged him to spare their lives, saying, 'me Goshen Injun, me no harm you.' Thereupon Collyer withheld his fire, still keeping his gun pointed at them-his intention having been after killing or wounding two of them at the table, to club it over the other two, and thus secure them all-he being a powerful man and having had a good deal of experience as a hunter, and in Indian warfare. They continued to protest their innocence of any intended harm to him or his family, when he told them he would spare them on condition of retiring from the cabin and leaving their guns within, when he would remove the flints and priming, and hand them the balance of the food on the table, out at the window, when they should imme- diately leave the neighborhood and never return again. They accepted these conditions, and retired at once from the cabin. After securing the door, Mr. Collyer placed his wife on a bed, and proceeded to remove the priming and flints from the guns of the Indians, and having done which, he passed them out at a small window; after doing so, he handed them the balance of the food, and they disappeared in the forest. After waiting until he was satisfied they were gone and were not intending to attack him, he took his wife and such valuables as he possessed and hastened to the 'Eagle' blockhouse, a strong cabin prepared by Thomas Eagle for himself and neighbors."

The news of this exploit soon reached the blockhouse at Jerome's place, and word of it being sent to Daniel Carter, he again took leave of his cabin, never to return to it, for he was compelled to remain at the blockhouse until the spring of 1814. A few days after this, a number of Indians appeared in view of Eagle fort, and made some hostile demonstrations, but owing to the strength of Eagle's force, they retired in the direction of Jerome's place, killing a number of hogs on their way, and finally disappeared from the neighborhood without doing further mischief. This added to the excitement produced by Winchester's defeat, the particulars of which were now understood at the blockhouse.

On the approach of the season for planting corn, a few fields were put out by the pioneers of the blockhouse. John Carr had about twenty acres cleared ; Ezra Warner had about the same number of acres ready ; and Jerome had some thirty acres, on the bottom beyond the blockhouse. Mr. Carter had four or five acres near the old Indian village, across the Jerome fork. These fields were plowed, and the planting was done, by the residents of the blockhouse, as a community. While part of them planted and cultivated the corn, during the summer, the others patroled the forests in the vicinity of the fort, to prevent surprise and capture by the Indians. When the corn had become sufficiently

HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY

matured for use, the same vigilance prevailed in and about the neighborhood, to prevent surprise. When the crop was gathered it proved to be quite large.

The summer months in this way seemed to pass slowly. The inmates could rarely get news from the frontiers. The defense of Fort Meigs by General Harrison, and his victory of the 5th of May, 1813, sent joy to the blockhouse along both forks of the Mohican. Harrison and his army had endured, in the most heroic manner, the fierce assault and cannonading of the British army, and finally compelled them to march down the Maumee river. In August, the monotony of the blockhouse was again removed by the reception of the intelli- gence of the splendid defence of Fort Stevenson (Lower Sandusky) by the heroic Major Crogham and his men. The signal repulse of the British under Proctor, and their hasty retreat from the locality, gave renewed hope and confidence. On the tenth of September, Commodore Perry captured the whole British fleet on Lake Erie, and by that great achievement the territory of Michigan passed into the possession of the American forces.

In the month of June, Mrs. Anna Carter, the wife of Daniel Carter, and his son James, a lad of six years of age, died in the blockhouse at Jerome place, and were buried in the Carr cemetery near the fort. In September, Christopher Trickle also died in the blockhouse, and was buried in the same cemetery. These deaths were occasioned from malaria and want of proper medical atten- dance, there being no physician within the present limits of the county, at that time.

Upon the recurrence of autumn, the pioneers along the Black fork, the Cedar fork, the Lake fork and the Jerome fork, busied themselves in storing their meagre erops for winter. Stibbs' mill, and one or two other mills on the Vernon river, each running one set of buhrs, some of which were "nigger head," were visited by pioneers with pack horses and small canoes, loaded with shelled corn, to be converted into meal. Their food consisted of cornbread, johnnycake, mush and milk, potatoes, vegetables, and principally wild meat, cattle and swine being very scarce. "Store tea" and coffee, were exceedingly rare and very costly. "Store goods" were a thing of note; and the calicoes of that day were a luxury few could afford. Homespun and wove linseywoolsey, and flax or linen garments were the best to be seen; and many a daring, whole-souled pioneer felt proud, clothed in such garments. Salt and flour were luxuries that few could use profusely. Salt was purchased at Zanesville and Pittsburg, and from its price had to be used sparingly. Ammunition, such as lead and powder, was obtained from the supplies furnished the soldiers left to guard the block- houses. So far, then, as food was concerned, the inmates of the blockhouses "fared sumptuously" -- to use an expression of an old gentleman who was quartered in one about two years. Nothing happened in the fall of 1813 to materially disturb the quiet of the pioneers of this region.

THE EARLY MILLS.

The first settlers of Ashland county experienced many privations and inconveniences. A majority of the first settlers were in moderate circumstances,

HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY

and had to depend upon their own strong arms and the smiles of Providence for subsistence. Their food was exceedingly plain, and their habits industrious and economical. Their clothing was generally of the most primitive character, and spun and woven by the faithful pioneer mothers.

From 1809 to 1813 there were but two grist mills within a radius of some thirty-five miles. These mills were owned by Messrs. Shrimplin and Stibbs, and were of hewed logs and quite primitive in appearance. The former was located on Owl creek, some distance below Mt. Vernon. This mill could be reached by descending the branches of Mohican to the Walhonding, and ascending Owl creek or by Indian paths through the forest. By either route it took several days. Stibbs' mill, near Wooster, was less distant, and could be reached by wagon or bridle paths. Packhorses, ridden by small boys, generally made the trip to Stibbs' in from two to three days, depending upon the throng for their grist. These settlements being somewhat earlier in their improvements, generally had surplus corn crops, and were able to supply the new settlers on the branches of the Mohican.

What was known as the "horsemill" was erected in many parts of the county. They were rude affairs, and the machinery was somewhat complicated. They were propelled by horse power, somewhat like a cider mill. Many pro- duced very good meal and flour, and generally had hand-bolts. A description of their machinery would occupy more space than can be allotted in these notes. They were in very general use for a period of about fifteen years. The buhrs of the horsemills were made, mostly of boulders or "niggerheads" and fitted and secured much like the buhrs now in use in the water and steam grist mills.

An ingenious coffee-mill was invented in the days of the early settlement of the county, and it was known as the handmill. They were made from a large boulder, much after the fashion of the coffee mills of today. A hopper was drilled in a niggerhead-stone-and made in the shape of an inverted cone; a cylinder of the same material, exactly fitting the hopper, perforated through the center by a shaft, and also regularly grooved, was placed therein, on a pivot, and propelled by the aid of a lever, by one or two hands, as necessity required. The meal was received in a box below, and sifted by hand. It operated much like the modern coffee mills, and was a great improvement to the former way of putting the coffee in a strong cloth and pounding it fine.

HIill's History of Ashland county tells as follows of the first watermills :

"The numerous small streams throughout the county, during the earlier settlement, furnished valuable mill sites; and a great number of enterprising pioneers erected small grist and sawmills upon them. Before the removal of the heavy forests that covered most of the county, sufficient water was obtained to propel one or two sets of buhrs, in the smaller mills, the major part of the year; but since the forests have been cut away, the water produced by heavy showers is rapidly conveyed by brooks and small streams to the larger ones, while the moisture left on the surface soon evaporates; the result being, that nearly all the smaller mills were compelled to suspend work three-fourths of the year. The consequence is, that while, in our earlier history, every little stream had a grist sawmill, the number has gradually diminished, until there are not over a dozen good mills left, and these are chiefly propelled by steam.

HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY

"It will be interesting to note the history of our mills, from the earlier settlements to the present time.

"It is generally conceded that the first grist mill within the present limits of Ashland county, was erected by Benjamin Cuppy, on a small stream one and a half miles northeast of Ashland, on what is now the Orange road, in March, 1816. It had one run of stones, and ground very slowly, not exceeding four bushels of corn per day. It long since has disappeared.

"About four weeks after the completion of the Cuppy mill, Martin Mason finished a small watermill upon the present site of Samuel Leidigh's mill, on the Troy road, four miles north of Ashland. It had one run of hardhead stones. It was of hewn logs. It was a convenient neighborhood mill for many years, and did fair work.

"About the year 1817, John Raver put up a small grist and sawmill on a run about one-fourth of a mile northeast of the present site of Rowsburgh, in Perry township. It run about one-third of the time, had an under-shot wheel and one set of stones and a hand-bolt. It stood several years, and was replaced by a mill built some years later.

"During the fall of 1817, it is believed that Constance Lake, of Jeromesville, erected a small log gristmill, where what is known as Goudy's mill, was subse- quently built. The Goudy mill was accidentally burned about 1850. It had sustained a good reputation, and was a great loss to the community. It was not rebuilt, and the site is abandoned.

"Conrad Kline, about the year 1819, built a small horsemill one and a half miles northeast of Ashland, near the late residence of John Mason. It was con- structed in the usual form of such mills, had one run of stones and a hand bolt. It made good meal and flour. It long since tumbled into ruins.

"Jabez Smith, in 1820, erected a sawmill and gristmill half a mile south of the present site of Mohicanville, in Lake township. He sold it to R. F. Chandler, who kept the mill moving until the spring of 1875, when it accidentally burned. It was long a convenience to the farming community, and its destruc- tion was much regretted.

"Robert Crawford, a rugged, enterprising pioneer, put up a large and ex- pensive horsemill on the present land of Albert Tilton, in the southeast part of Orange township, in 1820-21. It had one run of stones, a fine bolt, and did a large business for those times. It was finally abandoned about the year 1837.

"About the year 1823 Thomas Ford put up a small horsemill near what is now known as Ford's meetinghouse. in Clear Creek township. It was a neighbor- hood mill, and did some business for a number of years. It has long since given way to the march of improvement.

"It is believed that Oliver Sloan put a saw and gristmill two miles southeast of Hayesville, about the year 1830. It had one run of stones and a bolt, and did a good deal of neighborhood work. It was conducted, for some years, by a Mr. Vangilder. It is now in ruins.

"John Hendricks built a watermill on Vermillion creek, about one mile west of Savannah, in 1823. It had one run of stones, and a bolt, and did some business. Ile subsequently sold to the late Joseph Roop, who caused a deep ditch, at heavy expense, to be dug from the lower lake, in the hope of increasing

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1896

JEROMEVILLE

JEROMEVILLE MILLS

JEROMEVILLE BRIDGE

HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY

the flow of water; but only succeeded in draining the lower lake. The enter- prise was a financial failure, and the mill went down.

"Conrad Kline erected a small gristmill, about two miles east of Ashland, at the foot of Roseberry hill, in Montgomery township, in 1825. It did some

business, and was carried on some eight or ten years, when it was abandoned.

"John Haney built a small horsemill, on a run east of the village of Savannah, in Clear Creek township, in 1825. It was chiefly used for chopping, in connection with a distillery. It stood but a few years, and went to ruin.

"David Weitzel erected a small saw and gristmill on the present site of the Ashland woolenmills, about the year 1825. It had a pair of coffeemill stones and was used chiefly for chop work. It had also a hand bolt. It subsequently became the property of the late John Jacobs, and was by him considerably im- proved. It was superseded by the large brick flouringmill now owned by John Damp & Company. This mill is propelled exclusively by steam, and its work has long been classed among the finest in the county. It has a fine run of stones and can produce seventy-five barrels of flour per day.

"Andrew Newman built what is now known as the Hershey mill, on the Blackfork, two and one-half miles northwest of the village of Mifflin, in the year 1820. It is regarded as one of the best of its kind. It is chiefly a neighborhood mill, does fine work, and is run by water. It is now owned by Stamen Brothers. "Silas Longworthy built a small watermill three miles southeast of the village of Mifflin, on the Blackfork, in 1825, and sold to John Hewhey, he to Charles Lewis, and he to Daniel Kauffman. It was carried on until 1845, when Daniel Kauffman, a skilful millwright, tore it down and erected a valuable mill which he sold to John Charles. It is propelled exclusively by water, and is re- garded as one of the best in the county. It has a sawmill attached.

"It is believed that James Neely erected a gristmill, on Zimmer's run, two and one-half miles southeast of Mifflin. as early as 1825.

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History of Ashland County, Ohio, Part 7

Author: Baughman, A. J. (Abraham J.), 1838-1913. cn Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1012

Author: Baughman, A. J. (Abraham J.), 1838-1913. cn
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1012