History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley, Part 49

Author: Caldwell, J. A. (John Alexander) 1n; Newton, J. H., ed; Ohio Genealogical Society. 1n
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Wheeling, W. Va. : Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 728

USA > Ohio > Jefferson County > History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley > Part 49
USA > Ohio > Belmont County > History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley > Part 49

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Catharine married a Mr. Wells, and subsequently, at his death, a Mr. Green. Eliza married Mr. Williams, Cynthia married Daniel Zane, and had a numerous family, of whom Mrs. Judge Cranmer, Orloff Zane, Mrs. McSwords, Mr. Ham Phillips, C. L. Zane and D. Zane are still living. Sally mar- ried E. Hildreth, and has two sons, Dr. E. A. Hildreth and S. P. Hildreth, Esq., now living in the city. Hannah married Mr. Fawcett, and at his death a Mr. Smith. Nancy married John Miller. Of the children who survive her there are but two, John R. Miller, Esq., and Ann.

SILAS AND ANDREW ZANE.

Of these two brothers little can be gathered of their personal history. Silas is mentioned, with other influential citizens, as having, by personal influence and efforts, contributed to the success at Fort Henry, and Andrew was killed by the Indians while crossing the Seioto.

ISAAC ZANE

was a somewhat more conspicuous character. He was taken captive when but nine years of age and carried to the Indian towns, where, he afterwards stated, he remained four years without seeing a white man. He became thoroughly Indian

*Anthony Dunlevy's Declaration for a Pension, October 3d, 1832.

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO.

in his habits and appearance, and married the sister of a dis- tinguished Wyandot chief, by whom he raised a family of eight children. He acquired, with his tawny bride, large landed property, and became an important man in the confederacy. But, notwithstanding all this, he remained true to the whites, and often was the means of communicating important intelli- gence, which may have saved the settlements from most bloody visitations. He was one of the party which accompanied the army of General Richard Butler, one of the commissioners ap- pointed by the government in 1785 to hold trcatics with the Northern and Western Indians. He acted as hunter for the army of Gen. Butler, and rendered efficient service in supply- ing it with game of all kinds for food. His name very fre- quently occurs in Gen. Butler's journal of the expedition. From the great numbers of buffalocs, bears and deer he killed he must have been a very useful man in the expedition.

In consideration of these services the government granted him a patent for ten thousand acres of land on Mad river, where he lived and died.

THE M'COLLOCH FAMILY.

Among the earliest settlers in Northwestern Virginia were the McCollochs, who emigrated from the south branch of the Potomac, in 1770, and located on the borders of Short creek, a stream which empties into the Ohio river nine miles north of Wheeling creek. The family consisted of four brothers. Abra- ham, George, Samuel and John, and two sisters, onc of whom Eliza- beth, was the wife of Ebenezer Zane, who, with his brothers, Jonathan and Silas, came from the same neighborhood, and settled at the mouth of Wheeling creek.

The father of the McCollochs, whose name was also Samuel, is said to have been sent by the government somc time pre- vious with a number of men from Alexandria over the Alle- gheny mountains to Fort Pitt. History only spcaks of the settlement of the four sons and two daughters, but the present descendants assert that the father accompanied them down the river with the Zane's in the spring of 1770, and that after settling them upon the ridge bordering on Short creek, he, with his wife, returned to his native placc across the mountains, and after some years was taken off by the yellow fever.

Between the two younger brothers of the McColloch family, Samuel and John, whose daring achievements in Indian war- fare fill the pages of history, scem to have existed a more than fraternal intimacy, arising not only from congeniality of dis- position, but from community of interests and pursuits ; con- sequently they were much together, and their history is in some degree blended.

Samuel, whose name has been immortalized by his famous leap down an almost perpendicular precipice to escape the In- dians on the 2d of September, 1777, has thereby become the most noted member of the family, in historical annals.

At a very early age he distinguished himself as a bold and effi- cient borderer. As an Indian fighter he had no superior. He seemed to track the wily red man with a sagacity as remark- able as his efforts were successful. He was almost constantly engaged in excursions against the enemy, or "scouting" for the security of the settlements. It was mainly to these energetic operations that the frontier was so often saved from savage depredation, and by cutting off their retreat, attacking their

hunting camps, and annoying them in various other ways, he rendered himself so great an object of fear and hatred. For these they marked him and vowed sleepless vengeance against his name. To many of the savages these brothers were per- sonally known, and were objects of intense fear and hate. Nu- merous artifices were employed to capture them; their ene- mies anticipating, in such an event, the privilege of satiating their vindictive malice, by the infliction of a lingering and cruel death. Of this design, on the part of the Indians, the brothers were aware ; and in their almost miraculous preserva- tion, in various contests with them, gratefully acknowledged the interposition of an invisible power in their behalf.

In consideration of his many very efficient services, Samuel McColloch was commissioned Major in 1775.

While the enemy was pressing the siege of Wheeling, in 1777, Major Samuel McColloch, at the head of forty mounted men, from Short creek, made their appearance in front of the fort, the gates of which were joyfully thrown open. Simulta- neously with the appearance of McColloch's men, re-appeared the enemy, and a rush was made to cut off the entrance of some of the party. All, however, succeeding in getting in except the gallant Major, who, anxious for the safety of his men, held back until his own chance was entirely cut off. Finding him-

self surrounded by savages, he rode at full speed in the direction of the hill.

The enemy, with exulting yells, followed close in pursuit, not doubting they would capture one whom of all other men, they preferred to wreak their vengeance upon. The Indians drove the gallant Major to the summit of a lofty hill, which overhangs the present city of Wheeling. Knowing their re- lentless hostility toward himself, he strained cvery muscle of his noble steed to gain the summit, and then escape along the brow in the direction of Van Metre's fort. At length he at- tained the top, and galloping ahead of his pursuers, rejoiced at his lucky escapc. As he gained a point on the hill ncar where the Cumberland Road now crosses, what should he suddenly encounter but a considerable body of Indians, who were just re- turning from a plundering excursion among the settlements.

In an instant, he comprehended the full extent of his danger. Escape seemed out of the question, either in the direction of Short creek or back to the bottom. A fierce and revengeful foe completely-hcmmed him in, cutting off every chance of suc- cessful retreat or escape. What was to be done? Fall into their hands, and share the most refined torture savage inge- nuity could invent ? That thought was agony, and in an instant the bold soldier, preferring death among the rocks and bramble to the knife and fagot of the savage, determined to plunge over the preeipice before him. Without a moment's hesitation, for the savages were pressing upon him, he firmly adjusted himself in the saddle, grasped securely the bridle with his left hand, and supporting his rifle in the right, pushed his unfaltering old horse over ! A plunge, a crash,-crackling timber and tumbling rocks were all that the wondering sava- ges could sec or hear. They looked chagrined but bewilder- ed, one at another ; and while they inwardly regretted that the fire had been spared its duty, they could not but greatly re- joice that their most inveterate enemy was at length beyond the power of doing further injury. But, io! ere a single savage had recovered from his amazement, what should they see but the in vulnerable major on his white steed, galloping across the pe- ninsula. Such was the feat of Major McColloch, certainly one of the most daring and successful ever attempted. The place has become memorable as McColloch's leap, and will remain, so long as the hill stands, and the recollections of the past have a place in the hearts of the people. Our cngraver has given a very effective and correct representation of this "Icap."

It is to us a matter of great regret, that more of the stirring incidents in this man's life have not been collected and pre- served. We have heard of many daring feats of personal prow- ess, but they come to us in such a mixed and unsatisfactory form, as to render their publication, at this time, unsafe.

In the spring of 1782, General Irvine called a convention of the lieutenants of the several counties and the principal field officers of the militia, as well as citizens of note, in the Wes- tern Department, for the purpose of devising means for the de- fense of the border. The convention inct on the 5th of April, and we find the names of Major Samuel McColloch and David Shepherd, as the representatives of Ohio county, Va.

From the year 1777 to 1782 Major Samuel McColloch com- mandcd at Fort Van Meter, styled the "Court House Fort," from the circumstance of the first civil court in Northwestern Virginia being held in it immediately after the organization and separation of Ohio county from West Augusta. This fort was one of the first erected in this part of Virginia, and stood on the north side of Short creek, about five miles from its con- fluence with the Ohio river. During many consecutive sum- mers the inhabitants of the adjacent neighborhood sought security from the tomahawk and scalping-knife of the merci- less aborigines within its palisades; agricultural labor being performed by companies, each member of which wrought with one hand while the other grasped a weapon of defence.

On the 30th July, 1782, arrangements were made by the in- mates of the fort for the performance of field labor. To the commander and his brother, John, was assigned the dangerous duty of rcconnoitering the paths leading from the river, to ascer- tain, if possible, whether there were any Indians lurking in the vicinity. Leaving carly in the morning, in the discharge of their mission, after proceeding some distance, the former, im- pelled perhaps by a sudden premonition of the tragic fate which befell him, returned, and, depositing with the wife of his brother John, his watch and several other articles, gave di- rections as to their disposition, in the event of his not return- ing, and, leaving a kindly message for his youthful bride, soon rejoined his wondering companion.

They traversed the path lying along the south bank of the creek till within a short distance of its junction with the Ohio,

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO.

where they erossed, and followed the direction of the river to the Beech bottom, a distance of three miles, when, perceiving no indications of an enemy, they retraced their steps to the mouth of the creek, a short distance above which they ascended a steep and rugged eminence, well known in the neighborhood by the signicant cognomen of "Girty's Point." The notorious renegade, Simon Girty, having on several occasions, when conducting parties of Indians into the settlement, with diffi- culty escaped capture by the infuriated whites by a rapid flight over the craggy and precipitous path.

Congratulating themselves on the absence of immediate dan- ger, the brothers pursued their course in the direction of the fort, on the summit of the elevated ridge rising abruptly from the northern bank of the creek, and had arrived at the termi- nation of a deep ravine which made up from the stream-John being somewhat in advance of his brother, and riding round the top of a large tree which had fallen across the way-when a low, half-suppressed growl, from a well-trained hunting dog which accompanied them arrested their attention. No time, however, intervened for scrutinizing the cause; a volley of bullets from an invisible foe revealed it. On reaching the path John turned to look for his companion, whose blecding form, with feelings of unutterable anguish, he beheld falling from his horse, and, ere it reached the earth, a stalwart savage sprang from his covert, tomahawk and scalping-knife in hand, with which to complete the bloody tragedy and secure a trophy of victory. While the exulting victor was in the act of scalp- ing his victim the younger brother, with a frenzied resolution, suddenly wheeled his horse and, amid a shower of balls, elevat- ing his rifle, quickly sent the swift messenger of death to the heart of the murderer, whom he had the exquisite gratification of seeing spring into the air, then fall to rise no more. Hav- ing performed this feat, he, as fast as possible, his enraged ene- mies in full pursuit, their balls perforating his hat and hunt- ing-shirt, made his way down the ravine and soon reached the fort in safety, his brother's horse closely following him.

The next morning a party from the fort, proceeded to the spot where the sanguinary deed had been perpetrated, and found the mutilated remains of their beloved commander. . The In- dians, influenced no doubt, by that species of hero-worship, inherent in their nature, causing an undoubted admiration of personal valor, had abstracted the heart of their victim ; which, it was afterward learned, from one belonging to the party, had been eaten by them ; a practice in which they occasionally in- dulged. Parkman, who was well acquainted with their habits, says : "The Indians, though not habitual cannibals, some times, eat portions of the bodies of their enemies, superstitiously be- lieving that their own courage and hardihood will be increased thereby."

This fatal rencounter was, doubtless, instrumental in the sal- vation of the lives of all in the fort; it being subsequently ascertained that the party committing the murderous act, con- sisted of upwards of one hundred warriors, en route to attack it. After the escape of the surviving brother, aware that notice of their propinquity would be given, and immediate pursuit made, they hastily retreated to their towns west of the Ohio.

The remains of Major Samuel McColloch were interred in Fort Van Meter; but not unwept nor unhonored. There were present very many who knew and appreciated the sterling worth of the forest soldier, and by whom the memory of his noble qualities and tragic fate was long cherished; and to this day, in the vicinity where the circumstances transpired, the name and fate of the hero are as familiar as household words.

Major McColloch had married a Miss Mitchell only six months before his death. His widow afterward married Andrew Woods.

The place where this fatal disaster occurred, "was on the farm now owned by James Ridgely, on the road known as Girty's point road, about two miles from the mouth of Short creek, Brooke county. His remains were interred near Fort Van Metre, where rest many of the patriots and pioneers of the land. No stone or monument has ever been erected, by their unappreciative descendants, to mark the last resting place of these noble men. Even the trees which were wont to smile upon their graves were not suffered to stand and tell to future generations where their ashes rest.

ABRAM M'COLLOCH.

Abram McColloch, brother of Major Samuel, figured quite ex- tensively in the early history of Richland district as it is now called, having engaged to some extent as a scout among the In- dians, by whom he received a wound in the hip; its effect was

prevented from becoming fatal by a book which he carried in his pocket. This happened in early life. He followed farming as an occupation. He married Alcy Boggs and was the father of eleven children, six sons and five daughters, of whom one daughter and five sons, are living.

JOHN M'COLLOCH,

succeeded Major Samuel McColloch, as heir to the estate. He married Mary Bukey and raised a family of eleven children, two of whom are now living.

THE WETZELS.

In all the records of thrilling events in border warfare, there is no name that stands out more prominently than that of Wetzel. As stated in another portion of this work, John Wet- zel, the elder, a brave and honest old German, came out with the Zanes in 1770 and settled on Wheeling creek, but erected his cabin so far from Fort Henry as to be beyond its immediate protection from the attacks of the Indians .* It is not certainly known whether he came from Maryland or Pennsylvania. His family consisted of himself and wife, five sons and two daugh- ters. The sons werc named, respectively, Martin, Lewis, Jacob, George and John. The whole family became hunters and In- dian fighters, but the most daring and successful of all was Lewis, who was the most famous scout of the western border.

The elder Wetzel spent much of his time in locating lands, hunting and fishing. He was frequently warned against ex- posing himself to the Indians; but, heedless of the same, he continued to widen the range of his excursions, until at last he fell a victim to the active vigilance of the savages. In regard to his death De Hass makes the following statement :

"He was killed near Captina, in 1787, on his return from Middle Island creek, under the following circumstances : Him- self and companion were in a canoe, paddling slowly near the shore, when they were hailed by a party of Indians, and or- dered to land. This they of course refused, when immediately they were fired upon, and Wetzel was shot through the body. Feeling himself mortally wounded, he directed his companion to lie down in the canoe, while he (Wetzel), so long as strength remained, would paddle the frail vessel beyond the reach of the savages. In this way he saved the life of his friend while his own was ebbing fast. He died soon after reaching the shore, at Baker's station, and his humble grave can still be seen near the site of that primitive fortress. The author, anxious to as- certain with undoubted certainty the date of Wetzel's death, and learning from a reliable source that the place of his burial was indicated by a stone inscribed with the initials and year, visited the spot in the summer of 1849. With great difficulty he found the place, and identified the grave of the elder Wet- zel. A rough stone marks the spot, bearing in rude, but per- fectly distinct, characters 'J. W., 1787.'"

The farm on which the grave of Wetzel is located is now owned by T. B. McFarland, situated in Franklin district, Mar- shall county. The inscription on the rough stone is still distinct.

LEWIS WETZEL.

The exact date and place of Lewis Wetzel's birth is not known, but he is said to have been born in 1764, and was therefore twenty-three years of age at his father's death. The first feat worthy of notice in his career occurred when he was fourteen years of age. On this occasion he and his brother Jacob were captured by the Indians, which circumstance is variously stated by different authors. We have an account that seems to be better authenticated than the statements that have been generally published. It was in June, 1778. Martin, the eldest son, went hunting ; John, the youngest, was sent to the fort on an errand ; the old man, his wife, daughters, and Lewis and Jacob remained at home to hoc corn. The two boys hap- pening to be working in a separate part of the field, were sud- denly startled by the crack of a rifle and the savage yell of two Indians, who rushed out upon them and made them prisoners. Lewis was struck by the bullet and slightly wounded in the chest. The old man, his wife and daughters, on hearing the re- port of the gun, immediately hid themselves in an adjoining thicket, where they remained until the Indians had departed.

*IIis settlement on Wheeling creek was about 14 miles from the river. The farm on which he settled and lived is situated in what is now Sand Hill district, Marshall county. It is now subdivided and owned by several parties, among whom are Alexander Caldwell, sen., E. and D. Lutes, Il. McCombs and others.

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES, OHIO.

PRISONERS AND THEIR ESCAPE.

The Indians then crossed the Ohio, near the mouth of Mc- Mahon's creek, and went into the wilderness, carrying the boys with them. On the night of the second day they encamped in what is now Goshen township, Belmont county, at a place called Big Lick. As Lewis was only fourteen and Jacob twelve,* the Indians neither tied nor placed a watch over them. The moon was near its full, and the sky was clear. Late in the night, after the Indians had fallen into deep sleep, Lewis, who had kept awake, aroused Jacob, and they set out to effect their escape. They were bare-footed and feet-sore, so they had not gone over two hundred yards when they set down on a log to decide what should be done.

"Well," said Lewis, "we can't get home bare-footed. You stay here and I'll go and get moccasins for us."

This he did. On returning to his brother he said :

"We ought to have a gun; papa needs it ; I'll get one."

He went back to the camp, but had scarcely reached it, when one Indian began to mutter in his sleep, raised on his elbow, rolled over and laid down again. Lewis stood over him, with a tomahawk uplifted in both hands, intending to sink it in his brains if he awoke. He obtained a gun, and the little fellows again struck out on the trail for the river. They had not gone far before the Indians, who had discovered their escape, were close on them. They stepped aside into the bushes and their pursuers passed them. They fell in the rear and followed on. Soon the Indians returned for their horses, and the lads again went into the bushes. When the enemy was out of sight and hearing they made fleet steps toward the river. They were pursued by the Indians on horseback, but they again dogged them, reached the river at a point opposite Zane's Island, con- structed a raft, crossed on it and arrived at Fort Henry the same day.

LEARNS TO LOAD HIS GUN WHILE RUNNING, AND ITS ADVANT- AGE IN THE FIRST FIGHT.

In early youth, Lewis Wetzel acquired the habit of loading his gun while at a full run, which gave him a great advantage as an Indian fighter, and was of immense consequence in the next important event of his life. This incident in his career, occurred when he was yet but sixteen years old, and was a most remarkable event-an exploit rarely equalled for courage and daring in any country or any age. Some time during the sum- mer of 1780, a party of Indians had crossed the Ohio, and stolen several horses from settlers on Wheeling creek, and were ma- king their way back to their towns on the Muskingum, and further west. A party of the whites were soon gathered, and enroute to recapture the horses and punish the savages. In the pursuit, the party passed the farm of the elder Wetzel, who was then absent. Lewis was engaged in cultivating a crop of growing corn. They solicited him to join their party. He had been forbidden by his father to leave his home, but the adven- ture was too great a temptation for the spirit of young Wetzel, and he was easily persuaded to join them. He accordingly took from the plow a favorite mare of his father's, and started along in pursuit of the fugitive Indians. They had not pro- ceeded far until they came upon the enemy, who were carelessly loitering about their camp, apparently off their guard, and pro- bably thinking they had safety on their side, as the Ohio river was between them and the neighborhoods upon which they had lately committed depredations. The stolen horses were span- celed, and grazing at a short distance. They were easily sur- prised, and fled, leaving the horses, which were recovered. The party of settlers having accomplished their purpose, prepared to return, but their horses were jaded and hungry, and they agreed that the horses they had ridden, should be turned out to grass, three of their number left to bring them after they had refreshed a short time, and the balance of the company, with the recaptured horses, should commence their retreat back to the settlements. They had not proceeded many miles, until they were overtaken by the three of their number they had left behind to bring their horses, who informed them that soon after their departure they were surprised by the savages, who made their appearance between them and their horses, leaving them no alternative in saving their lives but to aban- don everything and escape by flight, which they succeeded in doing, overtook their companions, but left their horses in the hands of the enemy. A parley was called, and the hasty deter- mination was soon formed to continue their way homeward

and leave the Indians in possession of the horses. To this de- termination Wetzel earnestly remonstrated. The loss of a fa- vorite animal improperly taken away from home, the disap- pointment of his first adventure, and the wrath of a father whom he both feared and loved, drove him almost to despera- tion. He protested he would never return alive to his father without the mare-swore he preferred the mare without his scalp, to his scalp without the mare, and urged the company to return and retake the horses. In this he was overruled in council, against which decision he uttered bitter anathemas. He next proposed that if only one man would join him, he would return and contest the right to the horses, but no one would volunteer. He then swore that he would go alone, that the mare he must and would have, and was actually upon the point of starting, when two others, who had been active in in- ducing him to go, reluctantly agreed to accompany him. The three left their companions on their way to their homes, and started back in search of their horses. They soon reached the camp and found the Indians engaged at their meals with the horses safely secured at a short distance. The Indians were three in number, equal only to themselves, but the companions of Wetzel hesitated and desired to return, but Wetzel counted chances and insisted upon success. The plan of attack was soon agreed upon.

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History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley, Part 49

Author: Caldwell, J. A. (John Alexander) 1n; Newton, J. H., ed; Ohio Genealogical Society. 1n Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Wheeling, W. Va. : Historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 728

Author: Caldwell, J. A. (John Alexander) 1n; Newton, J. H., ed; Ohio Genealogical Society. 1n
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Wheeling, W. Va. : Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 728