History of Ashland County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 13

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

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* The day before the surrender, the fifteenth of August. G.veril Hull pitched a markee in the centre of the encampment, of's most singulair Appearance, with red and blue stripes painted on the top and sides, which gave it a strong resemblance to the British flag' As the general ind not erected a tent in camp since the fourth of July, this became an object of surprise, and was evident portentons of the ist. See Brown's History of the second wat for Independence, pare

A tourt matria convened at Many, New York, in The winter of 1814, sentenced General Hull to be shop ; bet appering to Mus ie a. lutionary record and services, against the charge of thelon, Mr. Mad. ison remitted the sentence of the inthit ury court.

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HISTORY OF ASHILAND COUNTY, OHIO.

three hundred head of cattle. The army was composed of brave and patriotic men, officered by such men as McArthur, Cass, Finley and Miller ; yet the fort was surrendered without resistance! The news of the sur- render of Detroit was so unexpected, that it came like a clap of thunder to the ears of the American people. The disastrous event blasted the prospects of the cam- paign, and opened the northern and western frontiers of Ohio to savage incursions. The news of the disaster soon reached the pioneers of Richland and Ashland counties, and they were deeply alarmed at the appalling prospect of soon hearing the yells of the Indians of the northwest in their midst. Governor Meigs and the authorities of Washington, made haste to furnish pro- tection for the border states, and to renew the struggle ' with the now triumphant British and Indians.

At the time of the surrender, two thousand militia un- der Major General Payne, a battalion of mounted rifle- men under Colonel R. M. Johnson, from Kentucky, a brigade of militia under the orders of Brigadier General Tupper, and nearly one thousand regulars under the command of General Winchester, were advancing to sup- port General Hull, and had reached the St. Mary's, . . when the news of the capture was received. But for the timely arrival of the above force, a wide scene of flight, misery, bloodshed and desolation must have ensued in the border settlements. Nearly half the territory in Ohio must have been depopulated, or its inhabitants fallen victims to the tomahawk and scalping knife. This force was sufficient to arrest the tide of savage invasion ; but it became necessary not only to repel invasion, but to subdue the foe. The governor of Kentucky brevet- ted William H. Harrison a major general and he took command of the army of the northwest and marched to "the relief of Fort Wayne, which was invested by Indians and British from Malden, on their way to the frontiers of Ohio. The Indians and British fled at his approach. This was early in September, 1812. Soon after the sur- render of Hull, two block-houses were built on what is, now the public square of Mansfield. The first was built by the company of Captain Shaeffer, fromn Fair- field county, and the other by the company of Captain Williams of Coshocton. About three and a half miles below Mansfield, on the Rocky fork, another block-house was built, and the company of Captain Martin, of Tus- carawas county, was stationed there. The block-house was named after Mr. Jacob Beam, who had located on the Rocky fork in the spring of 1811, and put up a log cabin and cleared a small piece of ground. In the fall of 18if he put up a small log mill which had one run of stones. It was probably the first mill in Richland county. Mr. Beam was born in the State of Pennsylva- nia.

During the summer of 1812 Andrew Newman put up a small saw mill on the same stream two and one-half miles below Mr. Beam, and was engaged on the race when the Zimmer-Ruffner tragedy occurred, and sought protection at the Mansfield block-house.

In the meantime John Baptiste Jerome was arrested, by order of General Beall, and confined some weeks in

the block-house at Wooster, to prevent him from com- municating with the Indians, as was alleged.

About this time, Captain Douglas was dispatched with his company, by Colonel Samuel Kratzer, who had arrived in Mansfield with his command, from Knox county, to remove the Indians from Jerometown and Greentown, as a measure of safety to the settlers, to some other part of the State. Captain Doughs pro- ceeded quiety to their villages, but when he arrived at Greentown, Captain Thomas Armstrong, the chief, hesi- tated about obeying the order of removal. He had about eighty warriors under his command, and could have made a vigorous resistance. Fearing trouble, Cap- tain Douglas, before attempting to use force, proceeded to the residence of James Copus, some two and a half miles further up the Black fork, and requested him to accompany him and his guard to Greentown, to use his influence to induce the Indians to depart without further trouble. Mr. Copus had the confidence of Armstrong, and felt that he would be doing injustice to his Indian neighbors to interpose in the matter, without the most positive assurance from Douglas that their property would remain safe until peace, and that no violence would be offered his Indians on their way to Urbana, the point to which they were to be removed. On receiving these assurances, he and his three sons (Henry, James, and Wesley) accompanied. Douglas to Greentown. When they arrived, Armstrong and his people were greatly excited, and fears of a fight were entertained. Armstrong was an old man, and much esteemed by his people. He trembled with excitement when the consul- tation took place. On appealing to Mr. Copus, as to whether their property would be safe, he responded that Douglas had pledged him that it would be, and, though he was sorry they had to leave, he thought all would be safe. Prior to this, the Indians had assured Peter Kin- ney, a neighbor, that, it permitted to remain, they would surrender all their guns and war-like weapons, and answer to a roll call every day; but Dougias insisted that his orders were to remove them, and he intended to obey them. Accordingly, after the assurances of Mr. Copus, Captain Armstrong held a consultation with his leading advisers, and consen ed to go. A schedule of their property was taken by James Cunningham and Peter Kinney, and they took up their line of march across the Black fork, to the new State road, and pro ceeded thence to Lucas, and from there to Mansfield, and encamped in the ravine southwest of the public square. A few of Douglas' soldiers, perhaps eight or ten, remained in the village until Armstrong and his people had disappeared in the forest, and then, to the surprise and horror of Mr. Copus and his three sons, deliberately set fire to the village, and nearly everything in it was consumed in their presence.+ This is the statement of Wesley Copus (died in 1876, at the age of

"Mis. James Irsin, Janelatet of Judge Fever Kirney, who was near the village and conversant with the history of the removal, states that only part of the huts were borned by the soldiers of Douglas, and that the renaming huts were burned be the army of General Crook, who encuaged some days on the site of the village. The army devoured the balance of the Indian core, hogy, and cattle.

PRIEST & STOCKADE # 1812.+ == >

STHE ZIMMER . CABINES

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.

seventy-four years), who was present and saw it. He attributes the untimely death of his father to this piece of perfidy on the part of Douglas and his men. After being joined by a few Indians from jerometown, includ- ing the wife and daughter of Baptiste Jerome, a French- man, Colonel Kratzer and his command conducted the Indians through Berkshire, and across Elm creek, in Delaware county, to Urbana, where the settlers were more numerous, and where many peaceable Indians resided; and left Captain Armstrong and his people, as well as the Jerometown Indians-and the wife and daughter of Baptiste Jerome, who soon died from . exposure, and were never again permitted to see husband and father! Jerome Inmented the fate of his wife and daughter for many years, and often shed tears over their sad separation ..

CHAPTER XXII.

OCCURRENCES DURING THE WAR.

A Part of the Greentown Indians, and a Number of Wyandots, Re- tura. - The Murder of Martin Ruffner, Frederick Zimmer and Fam- ily, on the Black Fork. - The Tragedy at the Cabin of James Copus. and His Death. -- The Rescue of His Family.

ABour two weeks after the removal of the Green and Jerometown Indians, the murder of Martin Ruffner and the family of Frederick Zimmer, sr.,* took place. Mr. Ruffher and a brother-in law, named Kichard Hughes, erected cabins not a great ways apart, in the spring of IS12, about half a mile north of west of the present vil- lage of Mifflin, into which they moved. The mother of Mr. Ruffner, and a brother, aged about nineteen years, named Michael, accompanied and boarded with Richard Hughes. The wife and child of Martin Ruffner came on late in the summer. They bad ali resided in Fairfield county, Ohio, for several years, from whence they had gone to Canton, Ohio, and entered their lands. Mr. Zimmer located his tract about two and a half miles southeast of Mr. Ruffner, and, having put up a cabin, moved into it with his wife, daughter Catharine, and son Philip, aged about nineteen years. Being an old man, he was marble to do much work. Desiring to rapidly prepare zome fifteen or twenty acres for corn, be hired Michael Ruffer, brother of Martin, to assist him. In the meantime, Martin Kuffner and a bound boy named Levi Berkinbizer, kept bachelor's hall in his cabin, work- ing and doing their own cooking.

Early in September, one afternoon, while Michael Ruffier was on his way, on the old Indian trail leading from the cabin of Frederick; Zimmer to the cabin of his brother, through the forest, he met two Indians who were weil armed with guns, knives, and tomahawks, and

seemed very friendly to him. Stopping him, they asked if the Zimmers were at home. He replied, they were. They then passed into the forest; and he hastened on and stated to his brother the occurrences on the way. Martin Ruffner suspected mischief -- took down his gun -- mounted a very fleet mare,* and rode rapidly down the trail to put Zimmer on his guard, and notify the other settlers in the vicinity. He arrived before the In- dians, and Philip Zimmer was dispatched to inform James Copus, who lived about two miles further south, on the trail. Having notified Mr. Copus, he hastened from thence to inform John Lambright, who resided about two miles further south. Lambright returned with him, and, joined by Mr. Copus, they all proceeded to the cabin of Mr. Zimmer, where they arrived in the carly part of the evening. Finding no light in the cabin, and all being silent, fears were entertained that the In- dians had killed the inmates. Mr. Copas moved cautiously around to a back window and listened a mo- ment, but hearing no movements he crept slyly around to the door, which, on examination, he found partially ajar, and, pressing upon it, found some obstruction be- hind it. He at once suspected the family had been murdered, and, on placing his hand upon the door, found it wet with blood ! Hastening back to Philip and Lambright, who were concealed a short distance from the cabin, he stated his convictions, when Philip became fantic with grief and excitement, and desired to rush into the cabin to learn the whole truth concerning the fate of his venerable parents and sister. Suspecting In- dians were concealed in the cabin, awaiting his return, Messrs. Lambright and Copus induced him to accom- pany them. "On arriving at his cabin, Mir. Copus hasuby took his wife and children and poceeded with Mi. Ham- bright to his residence. There they were joined by his wife and children. From thence they pressed on to the cabin of Frederick Zimmer, jr., brother of Philip, and he and his brother joined the fugitives, and they has- tened along an Indian path rear where the village of Lucas now stands, and stopped at the cabin of Davil Hill, where they remained until the next morning. Hill and family then accompanied them to the block house

"Statement of Daniel Houver, a neighbor of Martin Ruther in Fairfield county, Ohio, who now resides in Richland county, about three miles northwest of Mifflin, on the west side of the Black fork. He is now (18;3) seventy-nine years of age. He came from Rockmet. ham counts, Virginia, and settled on the waters of Kush cork, in Main. field county, about the year 1803, with the family of his father the had Known Martin Kuffner in Shenandoah county, Virginia. Xoff'wr moved to Pleasant township Fairfield county, Ohio, in IBoy acen. panied by his mother, brother Michael, and a sister, who montrant one Richard Hughes. Martin Reiner returned to Virginia a year or two before he moved to Richland conny, and married. ile and his relatives located on what is now Staman's rua, half a nale is- low Mithin, in the spring of 1812. Mr. Hoover was in Mansfield, on Its way to Kutter's when Hull surte adored, and, taking into view the excitement produced to the disaster, thought it prudent to return home, where he remained anti! 1314, and then removed to and com. rienced improvement of the Sum upmy which he now testes the

s. me as giren in the farging skerd. "

Ist timerled Verdey Cique, who remembered .f . occurrence very distinctly, He died in right agent seventy fom seuls.

. M. Zinimer purchased his land at Canton, in the spring of this for wlach he obtained a derd, or pateat, signed by Presileat Madison:, Sender 2, 8g. It was recorded in the land maier, in the men Plahp Zimmer - by modern settlers pronounced Semota of Seymour.

HISTORY OF ASHILAND COUNTY, OHIO.

at Jacob Beam's, where they arrived safely and gave the alarm. Mr. Copus, Philip and Frederick Zimmer, Hill, Lambright and a number of soldiers, well armed, pro- ceeded by the most direct route, through the forest, to the cabins of Martin Ruffner and Richard Hughes .* They found that the cabin of Ruffner had not been dis- turbed, and that Levi Berkinhizer, the boy, had slept there, alone, the night before, and that the cabin of Hughes had also been undisturbed. Ruffner had, a short time prior to this, on learning of the surrender of Hull, sent his wife and child to Licking county in com. pany with young Berkinhizer, to reside with Mr. Laird, an uncle, who lived about one and a half miles from Utica. After the return of the boy, they did their own cooking. Kuffner was a large, fearless man -- had been on good terms with his Indian neighbors-in fact, when he came on to locate bis land, in passing through Green- town an Indian volunteered to show him the picce he entered, telling him "it was good land-had Indian huts on it; had apple trees, good water, and other advan- tages." He had cleared, and planted four or five acres of corn, which was attended by himself and Berkinhizer.

After the murder of the old people, Philip Zimmer, May 1, 1815, and wife Elizabeth, before Thomas Mace, justice of the peace of Pickaway county, deeded the old farm to Michael Culler, who took possession of it, and resided upon the land until his death, in 1876. This deed was plainly signed by Philip and Elizabeth Zim- mer, his wife.

But to rerurn. When they arrived at Ruffner's cabin, young Berkinhizer, Michael Ruffher and Hughes joined the company, and hastened down the trail to the cabin of Mr. Zimmer. On entering it, they found the old gen- tleman, the old lady and Catharine all dead and dread- fully mangled by the savages: Ruffner was found in the yard dead. He had, apparently, made a desperate effort to save the family, during which he had succeeded in reaching the front yard. His gun was bent nearly double, from clubbing it in the cabin. Several of his fingers had been cut off by blows from a tomahawk ; and the struggle had finally ended by his being shot twice through the hody. Ruffner and the Zimmers had been scalped by the Indians. It seemed from appearances, that the table had been set with refreshments for the savages, as the most of the food remained.f The attack must have been very sudden and unexpected : for Ruffer, with his trusty rifle, was more than a matel for two Indians. In- deed, there can, be scarcely a doubt that eight or ten Indians were engaged in the tragedy. It is also prob.

* Statement of Daniel Hoover.

t There is a tradition among the early settlers, that about the year 1815-16, two Indians were arrested in the east part of the State for segue crime, and imprisoned at New Philadelphia; and that while there, one of them Philip Kontoby a Greentown Indian, started that he had killed Katte Zimmer after she had prepaid supper for the Indians. That after Ruftner and the old people had been killed, du halmeg of the letians desired to save Kate, but he returned anel thanhand the week do sinking his tamthink into herb win . Whit many of the pioneers relate :les story, we are not able to with a i anything on record. For at father description of this luchan, sve. also, personal sketch of Robert F. Chandler,

oble that the Indians that committed those murders had resided at Greentown, and had a personal spite to avenge en Mr. Zimmer and family. The older pioneers say the Indians often complained that the Zimmers. had mal- treated their ponies by tying clapboards to their tails, when they were feeding around their fields, to frighten them away; and they had possibly taken this way to complete their retaliation. Their fences were mostly made of brush, and the corn was very tempting to the Indian horses. Any injury to their dogs and ponies was always remembered and resented.

Martin Ruffner and the Zimmers were horied on a little knoll, a few rods from the scene of the tragedy, in one grave, where they now rest quietly .in the dream of death. The farm is now owned by Michael Culler (since deceased), and the site of the grave is pointed out by him. After performing the last sad ceremonies over the remains of the murdered pioneers, they returned to the block-house at Beams, and Michael Ruffner, his mother, and Hughes and family, removed to Fairfield county, Ohio, from whence, we are informed, they never re- turned .*

About five days after the return of Mr. Copus to the blockhouse, becoming weary of staying there, and be- lieving the Indians entertaired no ill will towards him, he insisted on returning with his family to the Black fork. Captain Martin protested that he was incurring much danger in doing so; but Mr. Copus insisting on going back, nine soldiers were detailed to conduct him and his family home. They all anived safely in the afternoon, and found the cabin and stork secure. In the evering Mr. Copus invited the soldiers to sleep in the cabin, but the weather being yet quite warm, they preferred to take quarters in the barn, which stood four or five rods north of the cabin, on the trail, that they might have a beter opportunity to indulge in frolic and fun, and he less crowded and under less restraint. Before retiring, Me. Copus cautioned theai against surprise by Indians who might be lurking about. During the afternoon, sarah, a little daughter of Mr. Copus, aged about twelve yeats, went into the cornfield, a few rods south of the cabin, and wldie there saw an Indian, in the edge of the forest, skulk behind a brush heap, huit neglected to veinte the circumstance to her father + That night the dogs kept up a constant barking, and Mr. Copus bad many an pleasant dreams. Before daylight be invited the sollers into the cabin, telling them he teared some great disaster was about to overtake himself and family. He again lay down to rest: and when daylight began to appear, the soldiers insisted on going to the spring, about three rods away, to wash. The spring is one of finest in the country, and geshes from the base of the hill in a large current. He again cautioned them of impending dan- ger, telling them that Indians were costanh in the

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ATTACK& ON & THE COPUS + CABIN + BY INDIANS - MORNING+OF SEPT.+ 15. +1812.

HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.

neighborhood, or his dogs would not have made so much noise; and said "if they went to the spring, they should take their guns along," which they promised to do; but on passing out leaned them against the cabin, and started for the spring. They had scarcely reached it, when the Indians rushed from their concealment in the cornfield with a terrific yell, and cutting off all retreat, began to shoot and tomahawk the soldiers. Mr. Copus, upon hearing the- uproar, sprang from his bed, seized his gun and rushed for the door. Just as he opened it, he met a ferocious looking savage, and both fired at the same instant, and both were mortally wound cd. The ball passed through the leather strap that supported the powder-horn i of Mr. Copus, and pene- trating his breast, caused him to fall, when he was sup- ported to his bed, where he expired in about an hour, while begging the soldiers to bravely defend and save his poor family from the cruel fate that seemed to await them. Two of the soldiers fled to the forest, pursued by the Indians, and were soon overtaken, killed and scalped; the third had nearly escaped his pursuers, when they fired after him, and shot him through the bowels and foot. He ran about six hundred yards, and becom- ing weak through loss of blood, sat down, and leaning against a tree, stuffed his handkerchief into. the wound and expired. Mr. Geo. Dye, another soldier, (from Morgan county), made a desperate effort and regained the cabin, but was shot through the thigh just as he entered. The killed were Geo. Shipley. John Tedrick, and Mr. Warnock, who fled into the forest. The ground on the east of the cabin was quite precipitous and rose about seventy-five or eighty feet high. It had a small growth of dwarfed timber, and furnished a good lodg- ment for the Indians. A few stunted oaks stood along the brow of the hill, behind which the Indians partially concealed themselves as they loaded their guns. The door of the cabin was soon riddled with balls; and the soldiers tore up the puncheons and placed them against it, to prevent the balls from entering the room and killing er woanding the family. Volley after volley was fired into the building, until the logs were honey-combed with leaden balls. From the elevation obove the cabin, the Indians fired through the roof, in the hope of hitting the inmates. Nancy Copus, a little girl, was shot through the door, above the knee, producing a painful wound. George Launtz, a soldier, had his arm broken by a ball, up stairs, as he was removing the clay and chinking, to enable him to get a "crack" at an Indian! Very soon he saw the "head of the red fiend protruding frem be- hind a small scrub oak, that stands yet on the brow of the Well, above the cabin, and "let drive at it," and the "Indian bounded into the air and rolled down the hill into the trail."

The battle continued about five hours, when the say- ages, despairing of success, withdrew and carried off their wounded and buried their dead. The exact num- he could not be ascertained: neither could the point

I Bu powder horn, a very large on, is set in the possession of the Hans of Mr Wesley Cages, and is a rin role of the days of the

where they buried their dead be pointed out. As a sort of farewell salute they emptied their guns into a flock of sheep belonging to Mr. Copus that had, from fright, hud- dled together on the brow of the hill above the cabin, and killed most of them .* As soon as the Indians dis- appeared, one of the soldiers up stairs cautiously sepa- rated the clapboards of the roof, and passing out, made the utmost speed to inform the soldiers at the block- house at Beam's of the disasters of the morning, and crave immediate assistance. Before leaving the block- house, the day before, Captain Martin agreed to call at the Copus cabin the same evening, with a number of soldiers, and stay all night. Bet he and his soldiers hav- ing been out on a scout all day, and failing to find Indian -signs concluded that all apprehensions of danger were frivolous ; therefore neglected to appear as agreed. He encamped above the Black fork, and on the morning of the disaster, moving leisurely down the trail from the region of Ruffner's, reached the scene of the fight too late to render aid in the fearful struggle. On approaching the cabin, he and his soldiers were awe-struck on beholding the work of death around them. The captain and his men attended at once to the wounded, and the. grief- stricken family of Mr. Copus, who was then lying cold in death, surrounded by his terrified wife and children. Search was then made for the Indians; but from the trail in the rich weeds that grew luxuriantly about the hill. it was found they had retreated around the southern brow of the bluff, and gone up a ravine about a quarter of a. mile away, and fled in the direction of Quaker Springs in Vermillion township; and hence, pursuit was aban- doned. Mr. Copus and the murdered soldiers were buried by the command, in a large grave at the foot of an apple tree, a rod or two from his cabin, where their bones yet repose.

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History of Ashland County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 13

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