History of Ashland County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 11

Author: Hill, George William, b. 1823; Williams Bros
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: [Cleveland] Williams
Number of Pages: 896

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The major part of Mohican township was burnt over, and the timber much destroyed. In the swampy marshes, alder-bushes and willows were the principal timber, The timber on the uplands was generally white oak, hickory, dogwood and ash, much injured by fire. Indian trails leading down the Mohican, and out of the northwest, northeast, and southwest parts of the township, are often mentioned by the surveyors. The Indian village of "Mohican Johnstown," on section eighteen, containing "about fifteen" persons, is noted. This was probably about one-fourth of the actual population, the bilance being engaged in hunting. The Indian reservation in Mohican township consisted of four sections (sever. eight, seventeen and eighteen), of which they retained the title until about the year 1848, when the general

HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.

government purchased their lands, and subdivided them into quarter sections, and they were sold at the Wooster land office to purchasers. The sectional subdivision of this township was surveyed by Jonathan Cox, and com- pleted on the tenth of December, 1806, shortly after the range line had been run.

The survey of Perty township was commenced on the second of October, and completed on Sunday, November 15, 1866, by Jonathan Cox. In running the south boundary, going west, at the southwest corner of the thirty-sixth section, they crossed a well worn and much used Indian trail, known as the Wyandot trail, extending from Sandusky to Fort Pitt or DuQuesne. It passed through section thirty-six in a northeasterly direction, over the Muddy fork of Mohican John's creek, which was fifty-eight links wide, and ran southeast. The land here is described as level, and grown up with brush eight feet high, with but few trees of common size, having lieen often burned over by the Indians. The whole south line was pretty much burned over, leaving much brush and undergrowth, and but few large trees. On the sixth mile they came upon an Indian trail or path, much used, bearing northwest; and then to a creek (Je- rome fork of Mohican John's creek), seventy-five links wide, running southeast. In running the east boundary, the land is described as being mostly level; the timber, white oak, hickory, sugar, maple, and some ash. The land in this township varies from rich to second and third rate, and is gently rolling, with oak, hickory, sugar, wal- nut and cherry timber .*

Jackson township was surveyed by Maxfield Ludlow, who commenced on the south boundary line on Satur- day, October 4, 1806. In running the south line, going west, he came to the Muddy fork of Mohican John's creek, sixty links wide, and running southeast and heads north west. The land, second rate; from the creek, gen- tle ascents and descents; timber, beech, oak, sugar, hickory, and undergrowth throughout the whole line. In subdividing into sections, he commenced on the first mile north of the southeast corner of the township, on the east boundary. On the second tier of sections, south side of the township, Mr. Ludlow struck a blazed road i which starts from the center of the fourth township and range in the United States military lands, and leads to the mouth of the Kayahoga (Cuyahoga). The fifty-sev- enth mile-tree bears northeast and southwest. This road subsequently became the Cleveland road, and passing through the north corner of Perry township, enters Mont- gomery at the late residence of James Boots, passing by the farm of Aaron Markley, through Ashland, and south-

*About the year 1808, Joseph Larwill, of what is now Wooster, sur veyed the sectional subdivisions of Perry township. While thus en- gaged, "Captain Pipe" and several of his warriors came upon the surveying party and ordered them to desist, saying: " You go tick- tuck, tick-tuck, all day. Me cut your legs off, then how you go tick- tuck, tick-tuck ?" In the meantime, his warriors seized and ran away with the chain, and thus put a stop, for a wshuie, to the work. -- Loter to the author by Hon. A. H. Byos, of Wonder, Univ.

+ This was the line of the old Cuyahoga road, which had been sur- veged and blazed from Franklinton, in Franklin county, Ohio, to the mouth of the Cuyahoga river, some time previous to the range and sec- tion surveys.

west to Mansfield. It passed between sections nineteen and twenty and eight and nine in Jackson township, where it intersected the Connecticut Western Reserve line. The land of this township is described as good, and the timber is especially praised by Mr. Ladlow.

RANGE SIXTEEN

is composed of Hanover, Greer, Vermillion, Montgom- ery and Orange townships. Hanover was surveyed by James Hedges, who commenced March 15th, and ended March 25, 1807. The east boundary had much burnt woods. On the fifth mile going south, came to an oid Indian boundary line, being perhaps the north line of the Jelloway reservation, in Knox county. The line runs southwest across the township, and passes out nearly in the middle of section thirty-one. . In subdividing the township, between sections one and two, he touches Arm- strong's creek, one hundred and fifty links wide, running southwest. This creek is so named from Captain Ann- strong, an Indian chief who resided at the village of Greentown, some eight miles higher up on the stream. It is also described by other surveyors as the Muddy or Black fork of Moltican John's creek, but more properly known as the Black fork or principal head of the Wal- honding or White-woman's river. The junction of the Clear fork with the Black fork is mentioned, the width being one hundred and forty links. In running the south boundary, going west, came to an old Indian path or trail leading north and south --- perhaps to the Jelloway settlement on the Walhonding. The land of Hanover is described as being rugged and poor, with stunted tim- ber, much burnt on the northeast part of the township.

Green township was also surveyed by James Hedges in April, 1807. In running the south and east bound- ary of this township Mr. Hedges seems to have been much embarrassed over the variations in His compass. In order to test the accuracy of the survey the lines were re-surveyed. He could not determine the cause of the variation. Along the south line. land rolling and cimber much burnt, underbrush plenty. On the west boundary, going north, came to Mohican John's creek (Clear fork) one hundred and fifty links wide-runs east from: northwest. On the fourth mile to Muddy fork of Mohican John's creek one hundred and fifty links wide, runs southeast. Crossed over and came to an Indian village in the line. This was the village of Greentown or Armstrong's village, located on section eighteen. Here a section post was stuck in a coinfield. The nun- ber of Indian families residing at this village is not given, but must have been fifty or sixty. The village was situated on a roiling slope of land extending down to a bend in the Black fork ; and the spot upon which the graveyard and village were placed must have con- tained from four to five, acres. These Indians offered no resistance to the surveyors. Indian trails, mich used, were found leading northwest and down the stream The land of Green township, down the valley, is regarded as prime, though wet and marshy. The timber in the valley and on the hills adjacent was much burnt, and the undergrowth thick and difficult to pass. Tilt-

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.

ber -- white oak, burr oak, dogwood and ash. Balance of the township rolling land, second rate.

Vermillion township was surveyed by Jonathan Cox, in April, 1807. In running the south boundary, which was done in October, 1866, James Hedges, by whom it was done, became greatly confused over the variations of the length of the line. He re-surveyed it three times and observes : " I am at a loss to know what cause to attribute the increased length of the south boundary line of said township twenty-one, range sixteen. The chain- ing on said boundary must be imperfect, or the variation must operate very partial in running south on west line of said town." On the third survey he says : " I find the chaining correct. I am now much perplexed to know the cause of my westing or inclining south. The variation must operate very partial, or my compass inust have been unluckily altered." He then re-surveyed the west boundary, and coming to the southwest corner of said town observes: " Here I experience troubles of a new kind, having already spent two days and a half waiting on an Indian chief* who appeared hostile to our business ; also laboring under the difficulty of- a hand being absent thirteen days on a tour for provisions, in the meantime having lived eight days upon boiled and parched corn, I now find my camp robbed of some nec- essary articles, and two hands that I left to keep the same revolted and run away; these difficulties increased my range and town lines not being finished, expecting shortly other surveyors after me to subdivide; all con- spire to make me unhappy. No alternative remains but to proceed to Owl creek and get hands and provisions. This being the twentieth day of October, 1806." This suspended operations until April, 1807, when Jonathan Cox proceeded to subdivide the township into sections. In running along the east boundary Mr. Cox came upon Indian trails muchi traveled, running northeast and op- posite. 'These trails doubtless passed over to Green- town, along what is now known as the old Portage road, and led from Mohican Johnstown. About one mile south of the northeast corner he found a path much traveled leading northwest and opposite.t Along the west boundary in the southwest corner of the township were also much traveled Indian paths. The land of the township is described as mostly of gentle ascents and descents ; timber -oak, hickory, sugar, maple, ash, some walnut, chestnut and dogwood.

The range boundaries of Montgomery township were surveyed by Maxfield Ludlow, in October, 1806. In running the south boundary, going west, seventeen chains and twenty links from the third mile stake, he came to an Indian path or trail running southeast and northwest. This path is described as a well worn road or trail. This is the well known path of the Wyandots, which was followed by Major Robert Rogers, in 1761, in his route to the forks of the Muskingum, on his return to Pittsburgh, or Fort DuQuesne; as well as b; General

R. Beall in his expedition to Sandusky. This trail passed over the farin known as the late residence of John Mc- Cammon, thence across the Ryal farm, in Milton town- ship, into Richland county, in a northwesterly direction. through Bloominggrove township. The east boundary of the township is noted as "flat, and marshy, with bot- toms subject to overflow;" the timber, elm, maple, sugar, swamp,-oak and alder-bush. On the third mile going north, a plain, much traveled Indian path or trail, lead- ing northwest, was seen. This path passed by the old Newell farm, thence to near the covered bridge on the Wooster road, where it divided, one branch leading up the Catotaway, and the other near the bridge on the Harrisburgh road, by the old residence of Daniel Carter, subsequently known as the John Mason farm. The lands of Montgomery township on the east are described as level and rich; in the middle and west part of the township, as rolling and of good quality. The timber --- ash, walnut, oak, hickory, cherry, sugar and maple, with considerable undergrowth, and a number of glades. The subdivision into sections was surveyed by Jonathan Cox, in November, 1806.

ANTIQUITIES.

On surveying the fifth tier of sections, Mr. Cox passed an ancient intrenchment or earthwork, containing about eight acres, on what is now known as the Gamble farm, on the north side of Ashland. This earthwork was cir- cular in form, and had a gate-way looking to the south- west. The embankment walls were between three and four feet high, and perhaps eight feet wide at the base. A forest of timber-oak, hickory, sugar, maple and asl: grew in and about this old fort, showing that it had not been used for centuries. By whom, and when, this work was thrown up, and for what purpose, will, perhaps, never be clearly ascertained. This curious old fort is yet remembered by the old settlers, though it is scarcely traceable, from the fact that it has been plowed over for more than fifty years. It was located on the plateau, just north of the residence of the late Henry Gamble. The Orange township boundary and sectional sub- divisions were surveyed by Maxfield Ludlow in October 1806. In tracing the south boundary, going west, on the third mile, crossed an Indian trail bearing northwest and southeast ; and about half a mile west came to a creek sixty links in width, and running south. This was where James Wright formerly lived. The trail crossed the stream at the bridge near Jacob Young's house, and passed up the west side of the stream east of the residence of the late Patrick Murray, thence north- west near the shore of Vermillion Inke. From the point where it struck the south line of Orange township, the trail passed by the Crouse school-house and come- tery over the old farm of Peter Thomas, to near the res- idence of Stephen Wolf, thence in a southeasterly direc- tion across the Catotoway to Rowsbargh, and from there to a point where it intersected the old .rail lead. ing from Mohican Johnstown to near the present site of Wooster: and was much traveled by the Wiandres and Ottawas in their excursions to the east part of the State. About the year 1816, the path was surveyed by Rev.

"Probably Captain Thomas Armstrong of the Greendown village It the Black fork.

This was the old! Huron or Wyandot frad leading across Vrimillion, Montgomery and Milton Township ,

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.

Jame., Haney, of Savannah, who was a practical surveyor. to Rowsburgh, and from thence to Wooster, the late Samuel Urie, sr., being one of the viewers, and was open- ed as a road, and was the common highway of the early pioneers of Orange and Clearcreek townships.

The evidences of Indian occupation in many parts of Orange township, at that period, were numerous. The aborigines, it seems, were accustomed to assemble annu- ally in the spring, in large numbers, upon the lands subsequently owned by Isaac Mason, Jacob Young, Jacob Heifner and Peter Biddinger, to make sugar and hunt, which custom they kept up until as late as 1815 or 1816. Mr. Biddinger, being a gun-smith, was often visited by them for repairs to injured or broken flint- locks.

The soil and timber of Orange township do not differ materially from Montgomery. The land is described as level, and of gentle ascents and descents.

RANGE SEVENTLEN.

After an absence of six days, Mr. Hedges returned from Owl creek, having secured hands and provisions to continue the range and subdivision lines. He com- menced operations about the twenty-eighth of October, 1806, and concluded the sectional surveys about the second day of December. In running the south bound- ary of township twenty-two (Milton), he says the line passes over steep hills, amid "timber much burnt, with much underbrush, vines and briers;" timber, oak, chest- nut, hickory and dogwood. On the second mile going west, "passed over a small wet prairie, and then crossed Black or Muddy fork of Mohican Johnscreek," after- wards called by him, Armstrong's creek. He says : "This stream promises fair for navigation, being a dead, still current, one hundred and forty links wide, runs southeast." The Black fork is now the boundary be- tween Richland and Ashland counties in Mifflin town- ship. Small flat boats, we believe, have been propelled as high as Perrysville in carly times. Mr. Hedges then proceeded to verify the east boundhry line of the town- ship, running north. This line was mostly over hilly land, the timber being oak, elm, beech and hickory, with much brush and grape-vines. He experienced some of the difficulties occurring on the south line of Vermillion in the third and fourth miles of this line. He says the "needie appeared not to work well, but the converging of the line to the one formerly run appeared to be nearly uniform throughout the six miles. The cause of my falling so far to the west when running south is to me not known." It may be that his compass had received some injury, but it seems to have been all right in the sectional subdivisions. Query : Was there some me- tallic influence arising from iron ore in the southwest cor- ner of Vermillion township? Mr. Hedges failed to comprehend the phenomena. Who will find valuable ores in that neighborhood ? The supposed rich ores are found in the lakes of Millin, and are bog ores. In run- ning the sectional subdivisions the land in the east part of the township is described as billy, and the soil gener ally good. The western part was composed of level

land, part bottoms and wet prairies. In section twenty- six he reaches Armstrong's creek, one hundred and eighty links wide. From this point, he calls the Black fork, Armstrong's creek." In section twenty-three he finds a small lake, and a stream ten links wide flowing into the north and out of the south side of it. An old Indian path or trail enters the south part of the township, a few rods east of the Black fork, and continues northwest near the little lake, thence across the old Ruffner farm to the lands of Joseph Charles, continuing up the Black fork into the southwest part of Milton township, where it passed over into Butier township in Richland county, and probably united with the old Wyandot trail.

Milton is a fractional township, two miles of which, on the western side, were not annexed to this county when it was created. The sectional subdivisions were surveyed by James Hedges, who commenced the work November 4th, and ended November 20, 1506. Mr. Hedges failed to note many things of interest in his surveys, and, in this respect, fell far behind Mr. Ludlow and Mr. Cox. These surveyors not only noted carefully the kind and quality of timber, but also the direction and size of the streams, the Indian trails, villages, and other objects of curiosity. The south boundary of Mi !- ton is noted as uneven and hilly, land second rate, and timber composed of oak, beech, and hickory. The east boundary is noted as generally level, soil good; timber the same as on the south line, with sugar maple, dogwood, and an occasional wild cherry. The land of the township is described as of gentle ascents and de- scents, some places level; soil good for farming, and, generally, more or less clayey. It has an abundance of water, flowing from clear, pure, and never-ceasing springs. In the neighborhood of the Short farm is to be found one of the strongest springs in the county.

Clearcreek township was surveyed, and subdivided into sections, by Maxfield Ludlow, in the fall of :807. It is, also, a fractional township, being only four miles wide, from east to west. In running the south bound !- ary, the land is described as level, and second rate: timber, white oak, hickory. sugar, beech, and the usual undergrowth. In the subdivisions, the lands are regard. ed as generally level and rich, and the tinber of good quality. In some sections, he passes over beautiful farming land. In sections thirteen and twenty-four, he came to the bank of a lake, which bears northwest and southeast; turned, and made an offset south : found the lake to be twenty-three chains south of the line, and twenty chains wide, from east to west; found an okl Indian path, bearing northwest and southeast, on south side of said take. This trait kept down the Vermillion river, which heads at the northwest corner of the lake, and runs northwest. In sections thirteen and fourteen. he again strikes the lake, which bears northwest three- quarters of a niile, crossed the head branch of Vern !! lion, twenty links wide: again crosses the Indian path, bearing northwest and southeast : namm, between sections one chd twelve, came upon another Indian path, leading northwest and southeast. This path must have branched at the lower end of the lake.

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.

In April, 1808, after completing the subdivisions, Mr. Ludlow proceeded to re-survey the Connecticut line, be- ing the south boundary of the Western Reserve. He commenced at the east line of range fifteen, and ran to the west line of range seventeen. He commenced at the eighty-third mile west, from the east range, or range one. This line had been surveyed prior to that time, by a Mr. Pease. On the eighty-fourth mile west, he reached the present boundary between Ashland and Wayne counties. About one-sixth of the ninety-first mile, going west, he struck an old Indian path or trail, north and south. This was in section two, on the north boundary line of Orange township. On the ninety-seventh mile, he came to a plain Indian path, bearing northwest and southeast. This was in section two, on the north bound- ary of Clearcreek, according to Ludlow; but Mr. Pease makes it in section four, in Orange township. . On the ninety-eighth mile, he crossed Vermillion river, forty links wide, and came to west boundary of Ashland county on the ninety-ninth mile, going west.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE ERECTION OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY.

The County Created .- Its Great Extent .- Andrew Craig and Wife .- He is the First Settler in Ashland County .- Alexander Finley and Wife .- Thomas Eagle and Family .- The Primitive Forests.

AFTER the territory of this county had been surveyed into ranges, townships, and sections, in 1806-7, the ter- ritory now composing the counties of Fairfield, Licking, Knox, Richland, parts of Merrow and Ashland, was erected into one county, with the seat of justice at Lan- caster. The inhabitants of Licking, Knox, and Rich- land counties, were then very few, and the settlements far apart. The region about Newark, Granville, Utica, Clinton, Bellville, and Mansfield, had but few residents, and the latter, perhaps, none. The whole of Knox, the teater part of Licking, and the whole of kichland, was thickly covered with the original forest, and was the favorite hunting-ground of the Indian tribes of the Northwest. . No white man had settled within the limits of this county at that period.

The great extent of Fairfield county rendered it very inconvenient for the pioneer settlers in the most remote portions of the county to visit the seat of justice, located at Lancaster. As early as iso6 the question of a divis- ion of the territory into smaller counties was agitated, and many petitions were sent the legislature, then in ses- sion at Chillicothe. The senator and representatives of Fairfield county favored the proposed division, and, in 1808, a bill passed both branches of the legislature, creating and fixing the boundaries of Licking, Knox, and Richfind counties. The county of Richland, in- cluding most of the present limits of AAshland county, was left under the jurisdiction of Know until the legisla-

ture should deem it proper to organize it into a separate county. In February, 1808, a commission, under a joint resolution of the legislature, fixed the seat of justice for Knox county at Mount Vernon, where the people of Richland county would have to attend court until that county should have a sufficient number of inhabitants to locate a seat of justice, and establish a court in her midst. Under this arrangement, in April, ISO3, the en- tire population of Knox and Richland counties was re- quested to assemble at Mount Vernon and vote for a county commissioner, a sheriff, a coroner, township trus- tees, and other officers. We find that the greatest num- ber of votes cast at that election was thirty-six; so that the aborigines of the forest were ten times more numer- ous than their white neighbors.

It is a mooted question as to who was the first white , settler in Ashland county. Mr. Knapp is disposed to award the honor to Alexander Finley, who came from the present site of Mt. Vernon, and located at the pres- ent site of Tylertown, in Mohican township, April 17, 1809. He says: "At the time Mr. Finley settled in Mohican township, himself and family were the only white inhabitants within the limits of the territory that now constitutes the territory of Ashland." Mr. Norton, in his history of Knox county, awards the honor to che Andrew Craig. He gives the following description of Craig and wife, with the reasons for his location at Green- town in 1809:

"From our research into early statements, we are led to believe that Andrew Craig was the first white man who located within the present county limits He was, at a very early day, a sort of frontier enarac- ter, fond of rough-and-tumble life, a stout and rugged man-bold and dare-devil in disposition-who took delight in hunting, wrestling and athletic sports, and "hat fellow well met" with the fachans then inhair- iting the country. He was from the bleak, broken, mountainous region of Virginia, and as hardy a pine knot as ever that country produced. He was in this country when Ohio wis in its territorial condition and when this wilderness region was declared to be in the county of Fair- field, * the sole denizen in this entire district, whose history is now written, tabernacled with a woman in a rough log hut. close by the little Indian held, about half a mile east of where Mt. Vernon now stands, and at the point where Center run empties into the Ko-ko- sing. There Andrew Craig lived when Mt. Vernon was laid out, in 1805-there le was upon the organization. of Knox county, its oklest inhabitant -and there he continued until 1809. Such a bammi-scarum fellow could not rest erzy when white men got thick around him, so he ieft and went to the Indian village -- Greentown -- and from thece migrate:l fariner out upon the frontier, preferring red men for neighbors."

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History of Ashland County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 11

Author: Hill, George William, b. 1823; Williams Bros Publication date: 1880 Publisher: [Cleveland] Williams Number of Pages: 896

Author: Hill, George William, b. 1823; Williams Bros
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: [Cleveland] Williams
Number of Pages: 896