USA > Ohio > Ashtabula County > History of Ashtabula County, Ohio > Part 62
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INDIANS OF CONNEAUT.
These ancient people were sueeeeded by various tribes of Indians. The first of these known to the white settlers were those inhabiting this region at the time of the arrival of white imuigration in 1796-97, said to be a remnant of the Mas- sasauga tribe, dwelling on the present town site of the village of Conneaut, under a chief by the name of Macqua Medah, or " Bear's Oil." This warrior's village consisted, at that time, of some thirty or forty eabins, inhabited by as many sepa- rate families. They were a feeble people, unable to offer sueeessful resistance to the eneroaehments of the whites, and very soon retired from their pleasant hunt- ing-grounds on the banks of the Conneaut. Their cabins were rude structures, about twelve or fifteen feet in height, formed of logs, with bark for roofs, but presented an appearance of neatness and comfort seldom observed among the Indians. Here was their council house, and here their king's palace, which the settlers, with little respeet for the dignity and sanctity with which they were undoubtedly associated in the minds of these red children of the woods, converted the one into a barn and the other into a poultry-house. When the Indians were about to abandon the country, their chieftain, in a very threatening manner, warned the whites against ever trespassing upon a certain spot of ground, declaring that if they did not respeet his wishes he would return and sealp the inhabitants " as far as he eould pole a eanoe up the ereck." This spot, so sacred to the Indian king and his people, contained the grave of his mother, and was designated by a square post some eight or ten feet high, painted red, and sunk into the ground, and stood on the margin of the ereek, near where the present iron bridge now erosses the stream, east of the village. The lands between the post and the mouth of the creek were the " consecrated spot." The settlers paid little or no attention to this demand.
The immediate eause of the expulsion of " Bear's Oil" and his tribe from Con- neaut was a murder committed by one of his party of a white man whose name was Williams. This individual, about the year 1797-98, in traveling from Detroit to Presque Isle, or Erie, had sold an Indian a rifle, for which he agreed to trust him for a specified time, and receive his pay in peltries. After the delivery of the rifle, Bear's Oil, either from motives of friendship or from a desire to involve Williams in difficulty, told him that the Indian was bad, and that he would not get his pay. Thereupon Williams went to the Indian, demanded the return of his rifle, and compelled him to give it up. Incensed at this procedure, on Wil- liams leaving the village, the Indian waylaid his path as he was passing down the beach and shot him, a few miles below the mouth of the Conneaut, and again possessed himself of the rifle. As soon as the eircumstanee was known to the commanding offieer of the military post at Presque Isle, he sent to Bear's Oil, demanding the murderer. Bear's Oil, after some hesitation, agreed that if an officer and a suitable number as guard were sent forward to take charge of the prisoner, he would give him up. On the arrival of the guard, they were invited by Bear's Oil to remain until morning. The invitatiou was accepted, and when suorning eame they were gravely iuformed by the chief that they had deliberated upon the matter, and had decided not to yield up the murderer ; at the same time making a show of his foree, which consisted of thirty or forty braves, armed and painted in a warlike manner. The guard, unable to contend with so large a foree, retired to their bateau, which had been left at the head of the dead water, and deseended the creek, not, however, without apprehension of a salute from the Indians' rifles as they passed some of the elose thiekets which covered the shore. No interruption of the kind, however, occurred, and they returned with all possi- ble expedition to Presque Isle.
Upon the receipt of the intelligence the troops at the garrison, with as many volunteers as could be suddenly collected, were embarked in boats, with orders to proceed to Conncaut, seeure the murderer, and to infliet such ehastisement upon the whole party as the nature of the case demanded. But arrived at the antiei- pated seene of action they found the village deserted. The enemy had fled and left them nothing upon which to expend their valor. No war-ery greeted their ears. Old Maequa Medah understood the nature of the eall that was likely to be made upon him, and had launched his canoes and paddled them up the lake as far as Sandusky.
Thus disappeared, never again to return, Bear's Oil and his people. It is said that he located on the Wabash.
The ruins of a more ancient village, said to have belonged to a remnant of a tribe of Seneca Indians, were yet remaining at the time the first settlers arrived. This village was located on the east bank of the creek, near the Harmon farm. There were evidences of the ground having been cultivated, and an apple-tree was found here in a thrifty condition. They probably lived here as late as the time of the treaty of Greenville, in 1794. They had been engaged in the Indian war, so disastrous to the white settlers, when General Harmon, in 1790, and Governor St. Clair, in 1791, led the armies of the Ohio settlers against the red men and were sorely defeated. At St. Clair's defeat on the Miami, November 4, 1791, two young men were taken prisoners by this band of Indians and were brought to this loeality. They were without doubt the first white men that looked upon this region, and were eaptives for a number of years. The name of one of these individuals was Edmund Fitz Jeralds, but that of the other cannot be ascertained. They were among the number that survived the slaughter on the Miami, when the Americans were defeated by the savages with the loss of more than six hundred of the militia. They were at first a part of a large company of prisoners, but as the different tribes marched homeward and began to separate, each clan, as its share of booty, took a number of the prisoners, and Fitz Jeralds and his com- panion became the spoil of this Seneca tribe, and thus were brought to the banks of the Conneaut. Their arrival was celebrated by the customary praetiees adopted by the Indians upon like oceasions. The prisoners were muade to run the gauntlet, to receive the requisite number of kicks and blows, and to listen to the taunts and jeers of their eaptors. The moment of supreme solicitude, however, arrived when the braves assembled in solemn council to decide what should be done with the prisoners. Would the sentence be death ? and if so, would it be death from the tomahawk, or death from the rifle, or death at the stake ? It was a moment of fearful suspense. Soon the decision was announecd. One was to die, the other to be spared. Fitz Jeralds was the fortunate one. His companion was doomed to die. The youthful Indian warriors must needs be taught the art of torturing an enemy. They must be instructed in the character of that fierce eruelty necessary to be employed in dealing with a foe whom they hated. Fitz Jerald's companiou was sentenced to be burned. A red-oak tree was selected, and certain significant signs rudely carved upon it, so that ever afterwards it should be a living witness to the young warriors of the scene of cruelty about to be enacted. There appeared upon the bark of the tree the figure of a tomahawk, and that of a sealp. To this tree the young mau was firmly bound. A large quantity of hickory bark was collected, tied up in fagots, and placed around him. The young mau's distress was beyond all expression; that of Fitz Jeralds was from sympathy nearly as great, and yet he dared not speak or he too might become a victim to their eruelty. Would nothing happen to release the young man from the fate awaiting him ? Would no one plead for him, or even beseech them to shoot him instead of burning him to death ? Yes. There appears upon the seene a young maiden squaw whose heart was stricken with sympathy aud grief, and, like Pocahontas, she carnestly plead for the life of the young vietim. Her entreaties were heeded, and Fitz Jeralds' companion was rescued from a frightful death.
The young man became a favorite with the Indians, and soon was intrusted with important matters of business, and was employed as their agent iu trafficking with the whites. Iu the course of a few years he was sent to Detroit with a quantity of furs to be exchanged for needed supplies, and improved the oppor- tunity to make good his escape. He returned to Conneaut in the year 1800, and himself related the eireumstanees herein given, and pointed out the very tree to which he had been bound, whereon were plainly to be seen the significant signs the Indians had eut upon it.
Fitz Jeralds remained in captivity. He assisted in cultivating the soil with a wooden hoe, and in guarding the fields of maize from destruction by animals. How long he remained with the Indians is uot known; but after the whites arrived he became a citizen of this eounty and resided here many years.
THE FIRST RESIDENT A HERMIT.
An individual by the name of Halsted was found residing here at the time the surveyors arrived in 1796, and from his own statement had theu lived here up- wards of three or four years. He therefore eame here shortly after the arrival of the two Indian captives, Fitz Jeralds and his eorupanion. He was discovered by the surveying party who, in running the meridian lines from the base of the Western Reserve to the lake-shore, were guided to his retreat by the sound of his axe. His eabin was situated in East Conneaut, on the farm known as the Baldwin farm, about one-fourth mile from the State line, and one mile to the south of the Ridge road. A strange life did this man lead, and some strange in- fluence had brought him hither. He showed little inelination to be interrogated,
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and but little information could be obtained from him. He stated that he was a native of the Old Bay State, and had lived here a number of years, subsisting by hunting and fishing, and by cultivating a few vegetables on a patch he had eleared around his hut. But of the particulars of his own history, and of the motives that had induced him to undergo this voluntary banishment from home, kindred, and friends, and to make the deep forest, infested with wild animals and wander- ing bands of Indians, his chosen abode, he refused to furnish any account. Per- haps he had become disgusted with the ineonstaney of human friendship ; perhaps he was a criminal who had escaped from the legal consequences of his guilt ; perhaps it was " unrequited love ;" such were the explanations which con- jecture could furnish, but the lips of the man himself refused to open. He mani- fested evident displeasure at the presence of the surveyors, whom he recognized as the advance-guard of a multitude of followers who were destined to people the land. He had supposed he had found a retreat secure from the approach of the white man, and fully intended, without doubt, to spend here the remainder of his days solitary and alone. He had girdled or deadened the tinuber on a few acres adjoining his eabin with the evident design of making a permanent improvement ; but now he abandoned the undertaking, and quitting his cabin he disappeared from the country to seek for some more congenial locality.
THE ARRIVAL OF THE SURVEYORS.
The next event of importance iu the history of the township is the arrival of the party of surveyors on the banks of the Conneaut, July 4, 1796. An account of this occurrence will be found in another department of this work, and hence we make but a casual allusion to it here.
At Buffalo the party halted for the purpose of holding a conference with the Indians, remnants of tribes belonging to the once great aud powerful Iroquois nation, who, notwithstanding the treaty of Greenville, by which the western bands had surrendered all claim to the territory, still maintained that this traet of right belonged to them. An interview for the purpose, if possible, of coneiliating them was therefore held, the leader of the expedition, who acted as agent for the party, being dressed in scarlet broadeloth, for the purpose of enhaneing his eonsequence and producing on the minds of the Indians an imposing effect. Brant, an In- dian warrior and chief of one of the tribes, insisted that he and his people had claims upon the land in question, and that it would be unsafe to enter upon them until those elaimus had been satisfied, insisting that the western tribes had no right to sign away the inheritance of his people. Fearing to dispute the point, the agent assured him that his claims should have the recognition they deserved, and thus, with the distribution of a few presents, were the Indians conciliated.
When the party arrived at Councaut they pitched their tents on the east side of the ereek in a beautiful grove of young maples and other forest-trees which occupied the space between the high bank and the water's edge, a spot well remembered by the early settlers, but which has long since disappeared by reason of the eneroachments of the lake. Upon this same spot, and on ground since covered by the waters of Lake Erie, they afterwards erected a substantial log building, about thirty-five feet in length by twenty in width, designed as a resi- denee, and as a depository for their stores. It is said to have been fitted up with a reasonable attention to convenience, having a well-shingled roof, and the floors, partitions, doors, ete., made from boards sawed out by a whip-saw. This was the first building, with the exception of the hermit's little cabin, a rude structure, erected by the white man upon the soil of the Western Reserve. The surveyors, after thus arranging for their eomfort during their stay in this loeality, proceeded to the southern boundary of the Reserve and began their labors.
THE FIRST FAMILY THAT PASSED THE WINTER ON THE RESERVE.
James Kingsbury, afterwards known as Judge Kingsbury, arrived at the mouth of Conneaut ereek shortly after the surveyors had come; and as the sur- veyors, in the prosecution of their work, receded farther and farther to the westward, they soon abandoned the building they had erected on Conneaut ereek as a place of reudezvous, and removed their stores to the mouth of Cuyahoga river, where they thenceforward made their headquarters. The commodious building thus abandoned became the dwelling-place of Mr. Kingsbury and his family, who continued to occupy it through the severe winter months that fol- lowed. As this was in the year 1796-97, it is thought that Mr. Kingsbury's family was the first that passed this winter on the soil of New Connecticut. In relation to the sufferings of this family, we make the following quotation frou the well-written narrative of Harvey Nettleton, Esq., to whom we are indebted for many of the facts given in this history :
" The story of the sufferings of this family during that severe winter has often been told; but by those who are in the midst of plenty, and to whom want has never been known, it is with difficulty appreciated.
" Circumstances rendering it necessary during the fall for Mr. Kingsbury to
make a journey to the State of New York, he left his family in expectation of a speedy return, but in his absence was prostrated with a severe attack of sickness that confined him to his bed until the setting in of winter. As soon as he was able he began to return, and procceded as far as to Buffalo, where he obtained au Indian guide to conduct hitu through the wilderness. At Presque Isle, anticipating the wants of his family, he purchased twenty pounds of flour, and continued his journey. In crossing Elk ereek on the ice he disabled his horse, left him in the snow, and placing the flour upon his own back, pursued his way, filled with gloomy forebodings as to the condition of his little family. On his arrival, late in the evening, his worst apprehensions were more than realized in the agonizing seene that met his eyes. Stretched upon the cot lay the partner of his cares, who had followed him through all the dangers and hardships of the wilderness without repining, pale and emaciated, reduced by fierce famine to the last stages in which life can be sustained, and near the mother, on a little pallet, were the remains of his youngest child, born in his absence, and who had just expired from the want of that nourishment which the mother, herself de- prived of sustenance, could not supply. Shut up by a gloomy wilderness, far distant from the aid and sympathy of friends, filled with anxiety for an absent husband, suffering with want, destitute of necessary assistance, she was compelled to behold two children expire around her, powerless to help them. Sueh is the picture presented, truthful in every respect, for the contemplation of the wives and daughters of to-day, who have no adequate conception of the hardships endured by the pioneers of this beautiful country of ours.
" It appears that Judge Kingsbury, in order to supply the wants of his family, was under the necessity of transporting his provisions from the mouth of the Cuyahoga on a hand-sled, and that he and his hired man drew a barrel of beef the whole distance at a single load."
Mr. Kingsbury became prominently connected with the history of the Reserve, and was honored with several important judicial and legislative trusts. He soon removed from Conneaut, and finally settled in Newburg.
THE FIRST PERMANENT SETTLERS.
The year 1798 marks the date of the first permanent settlement in the town- ship. The names of these pioncers were Thomas Montgomery, with his family, and Aaron Wright. They removed in this year from Harpersfield, in the State of New York, intending to settle in Harpersfield township, where some of their friends had taken up their abode the previous year; but arriving at Conneaut, they were so delighted with the country, and the facilities it afforded for getting in erops, that they decided to make this township their home. They found the house in which the surveying party and Judge Kingsbury had lived, and another which the latter erceted before he left this locality, unoccupied, and im- mediately took up their residence in them. These buildings were a blessing to hem, saving them the necessity and expense of erecting new ones. But these werc uot the only source of joy to the new-comers. The Indians had cultivated fields of corn, and these were easily put into condition to yield them a pleutiful supply for their wants the following winter.
Thus they fared much better than if they had gone to Harpersfield, where they would have been obliged to clear the forests before any plauting could be done, and besides would have had to build for themselves eabins in which to dwell. The only other settlement within the limits of what is now Ashtabula County was at Harpersfield, where the Harpers had settled the previous year. The distanec from one settlement to the other was about twenty-five miles, and consequently these pioneer fathers could not be very neighborly with each other. The hardships which they were compelled to undergo werc, indeed, many ; while the advantages, if so they can be considered, were those which arise from the absence of all social and legal restraint, they being a law unto themselves. The next year (1799) Robert, Levi, and John Montgomery, Samuel Bemus, and Nathau and John King arrived from the State of New York, and began settlements along the ereck. The first house built by these first settlers was the one erected by Nathan King, on the north bank of Conneaut creek, a short distance south of John Brown's residence, in 1799. The next was built by Aaron Wright, on the then Ridge road, what is now Liberty street, in the village, on the present site of Geo. W. Cummings' residence. Mr. Wright says, "I once lived sixteeu days without seeing a human face, except my own in a pail of water, which I used for a looking-glass when compelled to shave, and this was the only facility I had for making my toilet for a long time. After my sixteen days' seelusion, a friend called upon me, and of course I was anxious to receive him hospitably and en- tertain him in good style. My larder was wanting in one very important article, viz., meat, the bones of my last porcupine having already been picked. While in this dilemma two other friends called, one of them fortunately having killed a fine turkey. I set him to stripping the feathers, while I prepared my kettle and some dough wherewith to make a pot-pie, by simply putting flour and water together.
RESIDENCE OF S.J. SMITH , CONNEAUT , ASHTABULA Co., O.
S .J. SMITH.
BLOCK AND STORE OF S.J. SMITH, CONNEAUT, OHIO.
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HISTORY OF ASHTABULA COUNTY, OHIO.
I soon had supper in readiness ; and my friend has often informed me that it was the best meal of victuals to which he ever sat down, made up of my pot-pie, bread, pepper, and salt. When it was time to retire I spread my straw bed upon the floor as usual, and by lying crosswise four of us enjoyed a comfortable night's rest."
The year 1800 notes the arrival of Seth Harrington, Jas. Ilarper, and Jas. Mont- gomery, with their families, and Daniel Baldwin and James and Nathaniel Laughlin. The Montgomery families and Mr. Harper settled at first on the east side of the creek, near the lake. Mr. Baldwin and the Laughlins first settled on the west side of the creek, near the Harbor, but soon removed to the east part of the township, on lands now owned and occupied by Hugh and Wm. Laughlin. It has been impossible to obtain the exact dates of the arrival of some of the carly settlers of this township. Dr. Nehemiah King, the first physician who settled in Conncaut, is among this class ; also, Peter King, Jr., Elisha and Amos King, Peter King, Sr., Hananiah Brooks, Caleb Thompson, William Perrin, David Gould, Zebadiah Thompson, Seth Thompson, Jr., Joseph Tubbs, - Pitney, - Harvey, Daniel Sawtelle, - Robinson, and James Dunn. The Kings were quite a numerous family among the carly settlers. They were from New Hampshire. Peter King, Jr., settled on the present William Storey farm, at the junction of the Gore and Ridge roads. Elisha King settled on the south side of Conneaut creek, near the centre of the township, on the farin now owned and occupied by O. L. Ilouston, and Peter King, Sr., settled on the north side of the creck, near the present residence of C. R. Goddard, Esq. Hananiah Brooks first settled on the present Gilbert farm, on the east side of the creek, opposite the Harbor. Caleb Thompson's residence was on the site of the old fair grounds at Conncaut Centre, and that of Seth and Zeb- adiah Thorupson was in the south portion of the township, on the present L. L. Skinner farm. Joseph Tubbs settled on the present Wilder farm, near Amboy, Danicl Sawtelle near the present residence of D. Cummings, at Conneaut Centre, and the Pitney family near the Harbor.
In 1807, Ezekiel and Thomas Olds settled in the township. Ezekiel Olds settled on what is known as the Ralph Wright farm, on south ridge, but after- wards, in 1814, removed to the eastern portion of the township, settling on the farm now owned by John Dean. Josiah Brown, Sr., from Stanstead, Lower Canada, settled in the township near the present site of the residences of Joseph and Josiah Brown, in the year 1807.
In 1809, David, Joseph, James, and Stephen Hicks, brothers, arrived in Con- neaut, and settled in the western portion of the township, near the present site of the Amboy cheese-factory. They also came from Canada, though natives of Ver- mont. In 1810, Henry Lake and Dr. Nahumu Howard and family settled in Con- neaut. Dr. Howard was from Kennebec county, Maine. Hc settled near the site of the present residence of P. M. Darling, on Ilarbor strect. Mr. Lake was a native of Vermont. He started the first furnaec in Conneaut, on the flats of the creek, a short distance above the paper-mills. Ile was afterwards landlord of the old Mansion House. Charles De Marranville and sons Lewis and Jabe settled in the south part of the township, on the south ridge, in 1811, on the farm now occupied by descendants of the family. This same year, Earl Pierce, from New Hampshire, settled on the lake-shore, near the present Kelsey fariu.
Accessions to the settlement were now becoming quite frequent, and in various parts of the township began to appear the pioneer's cabin ; the dense forests began to disappear in many localities, and in their stead could be seen fields of wheat, corn, and other grain.
EARLY EVENTS.
Aaron Wright erected the first grist-quill in the township in 1806-8, on the present site of Mr. Rathbone's mill. Prior to this time the settlers were com- pelled to carry their grain sixtecu miles in order to get it ground, the nearest mill being this distance from Conncaut, at Elk Creek, Pennsylvania. Mr. Wright says, " I have often carried a bushel and a half of wheat on muy back to this mill, and if on my return my provisions failed, I struck a fire, dropped some water in the mouth of my bag with my hands, and mixed my bread, and then spread it on a basswood bark, brought for the purpose, and baked it before the fire."
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