History of Ashland County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 12

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

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While we are willing to award Mr. Findley all the honor to which he is entitled as a pioneer, we incline to the opinion that Mr. Craig was the first white man that set- tled within the present limits of Ashland county (excepting Baptiste Jerome and Thomas Green); and that Green- town, instead of Tylertown, furnished a home for the new adventurer. Greentown, at that period, contaired from . eighty to one lmndred Indian families, many of whom resided in comfortable cabins. Mr. Heckewelder, in his account of the Indian nations, i says:

. Farfield county was created by a produmation of Le ember Arthur St. Clair, December of 1800; and ongniall contained noch al ge territory of Licking, Anos, Morrow, Richland and Asialand commune ..

+ See transactions of the historical and literary committee of the American Polooptical Society volume one, -printed in Philadelphi ... 18.8, pages 132-3.

HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.

In the year 1308, while I was riding with a number of gentlemen through Greentown (an Indian town in the State of Ohio), I heard an Indian in his house, who through a crevice saw us passing, say in his language to his family : See! what a number of people are coming along! What, and among all these not one "Long Knife" (Virginian). "All .Yengees!" -- then probably observing me, he said to himself, "No! one Quakel (Quaker)!"

How often the good Moravian missionary, Rev. John Heckewelder, passed through Greentown in his mission- ary tours among the Delawares, we are not informed; but the trip made in 1808 throws much light upon the condition of the inhabitants of Greentown, and goes far to show that when James Copus acted as occasional preacher among the people of that village in 1809-10- 11-12, they were not unaccustomed to the presence of the white missionary; and that the Armstrongs. the Jel- loways, Thomas Lyon and other leading Indians were prepared to listen attentively to the heralds of the truths of the Christian religion.

When Alexander Finley and family arrived at their new home on the Mohican, their nearest neighbor, as he supposed, was Benjamin Miller, who resided on the pres- ent site of Wooster. William and Joseph Larwill, now deceased, were then boarding in the family of Mr. Mil- ler, and were young men. Thus, then, the valleys of the Black fork and Mohican were first selected for settle- ment, Messrs. Craig, Eagle and Finley arriving about the same period, in 1809. These valleys at that period were nearly destitute of underbrush and small timber. It had been the custom of the Indians for a long time to burn the undergrowth in Mohican, Lake and Green townships, to facilitate the pursuit of game. Some portions of the hills below Greentown were entirely bare of timber, while in Lake and Mohican timber was scarce and much in- jured by fire. In the early part of the summer the soil in these townships was covered with sedge-grass and pea- vines, which afforded an abundance of provender for cattle and horses, and when cut and properly cured, a very nourishing food for winter.

In May, 1809, Thomas Eagle and family arrived and located on a farin subsequently owned by Henry Treace, near the present site of Mohicanville. There were many Indians in the neighborhood at the time of his arrival. The Indian village of Mohican Johnstown had, perhaps, about one hundred families, composed of Mohicans, Del- awares, Mingoes, and a few Shawnees. Mr. Eagle de- scribed them as being generally harmless, and friendly to himself and family:

Mr. Eagle, and Finley, were under the necessity, for some years, of obtaining their supplies of food from Shrimp- lin's mill, near Mount Vernon. To do so, they de- scended the Lake fork and passed up Owl creek in canoes, with small quantities of corn or wheat, which, having been ground, was re-conveyed to their homes after an ab- sence of several days.

The forest abounded in an abundance of game, and these early pioneers could easily supply their families with a sufficient quantity of flesh, though salt to cure and preserve it was a rare article. While Messrs. Finley and Eagle were engaged in erecting their cabins, and clearing a small piece of ground around them for caltisation,

Captain Pipe, Crane, Jelloway, Killbuck, the Armstrongs, Jonacake,* Buckwheat, Catotaway, and Thomas Lyon were roaming up and down the Jerome fork, the Lake fork, the Black fork, the Walhonding, and the shores of the Ko-ko-sing on hunting excursions. For three years the neighborhood of Messrs. Finley and Eagle remained undisturbed by the children of the forest.

* This name was originally spelled "Johny cake, " but, we think, in- correctly. The "cake" from which he was doubtless named was known by Virginians as "journey-cake," from which "Jonacake" is derived, and is the correct way of spelling it. See Zell's Enclycopedia.

CHAPTER XX.

PIONEER HISTORY.

The Pioneers from 1809 to 18ts. - Two Indian Feasts at Greentown .- Curious indian Ceremonies .-- The White Persons Present .-- Oid Captain Pipe, Armstrong and Lyon.

A FEW weeks after the arrival of Andrew Craig and wife, he erected a camp cabin about one and a half miles southeast of the Indian village of Greentown, where he resided when James Copus and family landed, some weeks afterward, on his way to his forest home in the south part of Mifflin township. Mr. Copus was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania, about the year 1775. He married in his native county in 1796. In March, :8og, he removed to the Black fork in Richland county. His family consisted of himself, wife and seven children. His route of travel was through Wheeling, Cambridge, Zanesville, Coshocton, and up the banks of the Wa! honding through the Indian village of Greentown. He located at first about three-quarters of a mile northeast of the present site of Charles' mill, on what was after- wards known as Zimmer's run, and erected a small camp cabin of poles. The cabin was constructed by planting two forks in the ground about twenty feet apart, and placing a ridge pole on them, and then leaning split tim- ber against the pole, making a sort of shed roof, the base being about twelve feet wide, leaving a small opening at the top for the escape of smoke. The ends were closea by setting poles in the ground, leaving a door at one end. The cracks were carefully closed with moss gatli- ered from old logs. The floor consisted of the smooth, well packed earth. In this rude structure James Copus and family resided for a period of about eighteen months. Though often visited. in the meantime, by the Greentown Indians, he felt entirely safe, and remained on the most friendly terms with Captain Armstrong and his people. Being a stout, fearless and industrious man, he set to work at once to clear and prepare a few acres for corn, and soon had a small field fenced with brush, and otherwise prepared to plant. Having brought a "yoke of byen" and a cow or two along with him, he felt certain that his family could survive the hardships of pioneer life, aided by his industry. At that time the for-

HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.

ests abounded in the most Inxuriant growth of sedge- grass, pea-vines and other growths upon which horses and cattle could feed and grow fat. In July he had the misfortune to see bis field of corn bitten by the frost and greatly injured. However, though soft, it turned out better than he anticipated. In the meantime he visited Andrew Craig, and purchased a hog or two from him, and by their increase and the use of his trusty rifle lie procured meat enough to pass the first winter in safety. In the spring of 1810 he erected a cabin in the vicinity of an excellent spring, about three-quarters of a mile south of the camp cabin, on the Indian trail lead- ing to Greentown. Here he cleared about twenty acres and enclosed the same with a good rail fence. Here he resided when the war of 1812 commenced between the United States and Great Britain. In the meantime, be- ing an exhorter and local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal church, he was often invited to address the Indians at Greentown, by whom he was listened to with great attention. He soon became intimate with Captain Armstrong, the chief, and the leading men of the village, among whom were Montour and Jelloway.

INDIAN FEAST.

In the fall of 1809 he attended an Indian feast at Greentown, where he met James Cunningham and other new settlers. Cunningham was a native of Maryland, and had emigrated to Licking county, Ohio, in 1804, and front thence to the vicinity of Greentown in May, ISog. His neighbors were Samuel Lewis, Henry Mc- Cart and Andrew Craig. The refreshments (?) consisted of boiled venison and bear meat, somewhat tainted, and not very palatable to the white guests. The ceremonies took place in the council house, a building composed of clap-boards and poles, some thirty feet wide, and perhaps fifty feet long. When the Indians entered the council house, the squaws seated themselves on one side and the inen on the other. There was a small elevation of carth in the center, eight or ten feet in diameter, which seemed to be a sort of sacrificial mound. The ceremonies were opened by a rude sort of music, made by beating upon a small copper kettle, and pots, over the mouths of which dried skins had been stretched. This was accompanied by a sort of song, which, as near as could be understood, ran; "Tinny, tinny, tinny, ho, ha, ho, ha, ho" -- accent- ing the last syllables. Then a tall chief arose and ad- dressed them. During the delivery of his speech, a pro- found silence prevailed. The whole audience observed the speaker, and seemed to be deeply moved by the ora- tion. The speaker seemed to be about seventy years of age. He was tall and graceful. His eyes had the fire of youth, and blazed with emotion while he was speak- ing. The andienice frequently sobbed, and seemed deeply affected. Mr. Copus could not understand the language of the address, but presumed the speaker was giving a summary history of the Delawares, two tribes of which, the "Wolt " and the " Turtle," were represented at the feast. Mr. Copus learned that the distinguished chief who had addressed the meeting, was "Old Captain Pipe," of Mohican Johnstown, the executioner of the

lamented Colonel Crawford. At the close of the address dancing commenced. The Indians were neatly clothed in deer skin and English blankets. Deer hoofs and bear claws were strung along the seams of their leggins, and when the dance commenced, the jingling of the hoofs and claws gave a rude sort of harmony to the wild music made upon the pots and kettles. The men danced in files or lines, by themselves around the central mound, and the squaws followed in a company by themselves. In the dance there seemed to be a proper sense of med- esty between the sexes. In fact, the Greentown Indians were always noted for being extremely scrupulons and modest in the presence of each other. After the dance, the refreshments were handed around. Not relishing the appearance of the food, Mr. Copus and the other whites present, carefully concealed the portions handed them until they left the wigwam, and then threw them away. No greater insult could be offered an Indian, than to refuse to accept the food proffered by him. So those present had to use a little deception to evade the censure of the Indians.

In the spring and summer of 1810, the population of Green township was increased by the arrival of George Crawford, David Davis, Frederick Zimmer, sr., Frederick Zimmer, jr., Philip Zimmer, John Lambright, Peter Kinney, Edward Haley, John Davis (a widower), Charles Tannahili, Bazel Tannahill, John Coulter, Melzer Coul- ter, Archibald Gardner, and their families. These settlers commenced improvements along the Black fork, the Clear fork, and the Rocky fork of the Mohican, each erecting a small cabin, and clearing a few acres of ground for corn. The majority of these settlers were of German descent, and had come directly from the west- ern counties of Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, and the eastern part of Ohio; and had found the way to their new homes up the branches of the Mohican, and by Indian trails. Many of them had entered their lands at Canton, Ohio, without seeing them, and had followed their neighbors into these wilds.

While these settlers were erecting new homes along the Black fork, Alexander Finley and Thomas Eagle were being joined, in 1810, by James Loudon Priest, Nathan Odell, Joshua Oram, Benjamin Emmons, John Baptiste Jerome, Ezra Warner, Elisha Chilcoat, Benja- min Bunn, James Conley, Amos Norris, William Metcalf, John Newell, Westel Ridgely, Vatchell Metcalf, Josiah Crawford, and John Shiunabarger. The Odells, Orans, Priests, and Metcalfs, settled in the present limits of Lake township. Mr. Emmons settled in Perry, and Mr. Warner in the lower part of Vernaillion. These settlers were mostly from the border States, and from Jefferson county, Ohio. They had found their way to their new homes like the settlers on the Black fork, and com- meneed the creation of cabins, and clearings, in the same way. Corn was generally purchased and ground, the first year, in Knox county: and the new settlers. either packed it on horses, or descended the Mohican in condes, and transported it in that way. The hominy block was in universal requisition among the early set- tlers; and jonacake, or journey cake, pork, and wild

HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.

game, furnished the principal solid food, while spice- wood and sassafras tea, and milk, furnished the balance of nourishment.

In 1811, Calvin and Joseph Hill, Allen Oliver, Eben- ezer Rice, Joseph Jones, Melzer Tannabill, sr., Lewis Hill, Solomon Hill, Moses Adzit, Jeremiah Conine, Sylvester Fisher, Thomas Coalter, Otho Simmons, and their families, came into the Greentown settlement, along the Black fork. These families were from Penn- sylvania, Virginia, New York, Vermont, Maryland, and eastern Ohio. Soon the woodman's ax was heard in every direction, and cabins commenced to spring up, and fields were cleared and fenced, and crops planted. The most friendly relations existed between the new pioneers and the Indians.

ANOTHER INDIAN FEAST.

In 1811, about two years after the first feast attended by Mr. Copus and Cunningham, another one took place at Greentown. It was conducted very much like the one in. 18og. John Coulter,* who was present, and who is now (1873) in his eighty third year, gives me the follow- ing description of the feast, which Alexander Rice and others confirm :

The feast was prepared and held in the large council house. In the center of the building was a mound of earth, perhaps eight or ten feet across and two feet in height. The kettles for cooking the supper were placed around the edge of the mound, over small fires, and bear's flesh and venison put in them. In the center of the mound a large fire was kindied, which blazed with great brilliancy. While the supper was be- ing cooked an occasional choice morsel was thrown into the large fire as a sacrifice to the Great Spirit. A great number of distinguished chiefs and warriors from Upper Sandusky, Jerometown and other parts, were present and participated in the ceremonies. While the supper was being cooked the leading chiefs and warriors commenced to move in a solemn procession around the altar, sometimes singing, sometimes delivering short speeches in their native tongue. While this was going on the balance of the audience were arranged in lines two or three deep around the inside of the council house, which, according to Mr. Howe, was about sixty feet long and twenty-five feet wide, one story high, and enclosed by clapboards. The singing was a soit of low, melancholy wail accompanied by a sort of grunt, contortions of the face, and sin- gular gesticulations of the arms. The exact meaning of the speeches and other performances was not understood by Mr. Coulter and the other guests. The chiefs and other distinguished warriors present made a fine display as they marched around the altar, arrayed, as they were, in costume which exhibited many gay colors, arranged so as to produce a fine effect. As on the former occasion, their leggins were ornamented with dry deers' howfs, which produced a rattling noise as they mareled around the central mound. These ceremonies produced a profound impression on all present. Whether it was a recital of the history and achievements of the Deharautres, or whether it postended future trouble, and was an offering to. avert the calamities of var, could not be divined by those of the white race present. The ceremomes lasted two or three hours, and then the cooked venison and bear's mea: were distributed among the audience and the ceremonies closed with a general hand-shaking, congratulations and other friendly tokens. Mir. Coulter, Wesley Copus and other invited guests, feel confident that they met "old Captain Pipe" of Jerometown, there. There were from three to four hundred Indians prosent, and Wesley Copus says that Thomas Lyon, who was a warm friend of his father ( James Copus). prepared a choice bit of venison for him. We are compelled to believe that "old "Captain Pipe" was present. This was the last we hear of him at any public gathering in this region ; and we are inclined to think tins feast foreshadowed the calamitous war of 1812, which commeneed a few months after that fest.

MMlong the Jerome fork and the brooks that flowed into it, in the same year (1811) we find Jobn Carr, Jaines

Coliyer, James Slater, James Bryan, Joseph Chandler, sr., Robert Newell, Robert Finley, George Eckley, Jona- than Palmer, James Wallace, Thomas Newman, and per- haps a few others and their families.

At this time there was not a white man in Montgomery, Milton, Clearcreek, Orange, Jackson, and the three northern townships. The number of the cabins in the lower part of Vermillion, in Lake and Perry, as well as all over Mohican, was rapidly on the increase; and the prospect for a large influx of settlers in 1812 was fair. The pioneers were keenly alive to their interests, and traveled far and near to aid each other in raising cabins, felling the forest, rolling logs and fencing new fields. Many hardships were encountered the first year or two, by reason of unripe grain, and the great distance to be traveled in reaching mills. Still, those difficulties were met with fortitude and soon overcome.

The spring of 1812 saw the tide of emigration on the increase. At that period a war was impending between Great Britain and the United States. This checked the influx of the pioneers, for it was evident the Indians of the northwest would be invited to assist the enemy. In fact, it had been observed for nearly two years, that the Greentown and Jerometown or Mohican Johnstown In- dians had been in the habit of making frequent visits to Upper Sandusky, and always returned with new blankets, tomahawks and ammunition in abundance. Indeed. it was suspected that British agents were busily at work sowing the seeds of disaffection among the northern Ohio Indians.

A few families settled on the Black fork in 1812, among whom were Samuel Hill, Sinon Rowland, (single) Martin Ruffner, Richard Hughes, Henry Smith, (single) Archibald Gardner, and Michael Ruffner, (single).

On the Jerome fork and vicinity, we find the popula- tion increased by the addition of the families of Thomas Carr, William Bryan, and perhaps one or two others.

In January, 1812, Daniel Carter, sr., located about one mile northeast of the present site of Ashland; Chris- topher Crickle at the east end of Ashland, where Mark- ley's brick house formerly stood; Benjamin Cappy near the Orange road, on the farm owned by the late David Sloan, and Jacob Fry near the present residence of Ico Wertman, on the Troy road, while Robert Newell located on the old McGuire farm, near where the brick house now stands. All north of this region was a dense forest, and had not been disturbed by the presence of the white hunter or settler. Messrs. Carter, Cuppy, Fry, Newell and Trickle put up small cabins, soon to abandon them for a home in the Jeromeville block-house.

* Since decease.l.

5.5

HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.

CHAPTER XXI.

THE WAR OF 1812.

War Declared against Great Britain. --- The Concentration of Troops 1 Northwestern Ohio .- The Disgraceful Surrender of General Hell. Threatening Aspect of the Border. - Removal of the Jerome and Cheentown Indians.

ON the eighteenth of June, 1812, the United States declared war against Great Britain and her dependencies. The national pride of England had been deeply wound- ed by the treaty of 1783, that gave independence to the colonies. The events of the Revolutionary war forcibly constrained Great Britain, reluctant as she was, to sur- render all control over the thirteen colonies; yet, she re- fused to execute the treaty in good faith, and availed herself of every equivocation to justify ber perfidy. She agreed to vacate all the western ports from Oswego to Michilimacinac; but, contrary to the express terms of the treaty, retained forcible possession of them. This breach of faith subjected the United States to the expense of a long and bloody Indian war. In that war, the Indians were supplied with the means of death from those very ports. The governor-general of Canada, Lord Dor- chester, was industrious in instigating Indian hostilities all along our frontiers. His agents were distributing arms, ammunition, food and blankets among the Indians during the campaigns of Harmer, St. Clair and Wayne. McKee, Girty and Henry, were busy in their efforts to excite the whole Indian race against the pioneers, and offered liberal rewards for every scalp brought by the In- dians to Malden. To aggravate the matter, a systematic rule of impressment was adopted in the British navy during the French war, and large numbers of our sailors and seamen were torn from American vessels on the high seas, and forced into the British service. The adminis tration of Jefferson and Madison had protested in vain against these outrages, and war became inevitable. The British agent, Mr. Henry, was dispatched through the New England States with power to corrupt and detach them from the Union, and re-annex them to the British empire.

While these things were transpiring, war was declared. Mr. Madison made haste to meet the storm !. The waters of lakes Erie, Huron and Michigan, as well as the terri- tory of Michigan, northwestern Ohio and northern Indiana, were in a defenceless condition. The Executive of the United States determined to display a respectable ; military force on the borders of the straits separating the lakes. In April, 1812, a requisition was made by the President for one thousand two hundred of the militia of the State of Ohio, who were to be found by the Fourth regiment of United States regular troops, then on their way from Vincennes, Indiana. In obedience to the call, Governor Meigs, with his usual promptitude, issued orders to the major-generals of the western and middle divisions, to furnish their respective quotas of men, who were to rendezvous at Dayton on the twenty-ninth of the same month. In a few days the requisition was more than complied with. Citizens of the Arst distinction were among the foremost to enroll their names. With a celerity never 'equaled in a new country, volunteers col-

lected from every part of the State. They rendezvoused at Dayton, as required. An election for officers took place, and Duncan McArthur was elected colonel of the First regiment; James Findley, of the Second, and Lewis Cass, of the Third .. By the middle of May the troops were provided with blankets, tents, and other necessary camp equipage, and had become expert in military evolu- tions and the manual of arms. Brigadier General Will- iam Hull, of the United States army, was appointed by the government to conduct the expedition. Governor Meigs having assembled the troops in obedience to the orders of the Secretary of War, now surrendered their command to General Hull.

Everything being in readiness for the departure of the troops, they took their line of march on the first of June. On the nineteenth the army passed through the Auglaize region. . . On the fourth of July the army reached the Huron river, twenty miles from Detroit. The British and Indians gave no trouble up to this period. On the fifth of July the army encamped at Spring wells, three miles below Detroit. Detroit contained about two hun- dred houses and twelve hundred inhabitants at that period. General Hull and his army took possession of the fort, which stood upon a handsome eminence of moderate height, about two hundred yards in the rear of the town. The fort had well constructed ramparts of earth, surrounded by a ditch, defended by a double line of pickets ; between this and the town was a stock- ade enclosing about two acres of ground. The area of the fort was about one and a half acies. There were also extensive commons in the rear of the fort, skirted by boundless and almost impenetrable forests, which offered an easy and safe retreat for the Indians. Gen- eral Huil remained in the fort at Detroit, making an occasional feint as if he intended to invade Canada, at one time sending forward a few soldiers, and in a few days recalling them, until the sixteenth of August, 1812, when he surrendered his army to the British commander, Major General Isaac Brock! The circumstances attend- ing the surrender were of the most suspicious character. It was alleged that Hull was under the influence of liquor, that his conduct was cowardly in the extreme. and that he had been actin; under a bribe from the British! * The number of the troops surrendered amounted to about two thousand and five hundred men. The same number of arms was stacked on the esplanade and in the arsenal. There was also an abundance of fixed ammunition. In the magazine was sixty barrels of powder and one hundred and fifty tons of lead. There were twenty-five pieces of iron ordnance, and eight brass field pieces. Hull had also an abundance of flour, and

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History of Ashland County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 12

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