History of Coshocton County, Ohio, its past and present, 1740-1881, Part 43

Author: Hill, Norman Newell, jr., [from old catalog] comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A. A., & co., Newark, O., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Newark, Ohio, A. A. Graham & co.
Number of Pages: 854

USA > Ohio > Coshocton County > History of Coshocton County, Ohio, its past and present, 1740-1881 > Part 43

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Their winter food consisted of such wild game as they could capture in the forest. Deer, bear and turkeys, were moderately plenty at some distance from the Indian villages. In the fall season, for two or three years, the band to which young Stilley belonged, hunted along the Koko- sing and Walhonding, and generally brought in a good deal of game. When their wild meat was scarce, they used hominy, and a sort of soup made of beans, corn, and a little bear or deer flesh. Young Stilley accompanied his old Indian father on his hunting excursions down their favorite Kokosing two or three times. Their encampments on these occasions were not a great distance from the present site of Mount Vernon At that period there was not a white man, except the Canadian traders and a few captives, within the present limits of the State The valley of the Kokosing existed in all its original grandeur. Its luxuriant forests towered almost to the heavens, while wild game ranged in native free- dom among the undergrowth.

Young Stilley occasionally met Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy, and his little sister, as they traveled with the bands to which they belonged. These tribes hunted mostly within the present limits of the State of Michigan, and traded at Detroit. The furs and peltry secured by the Wyandots of Up- per Sandusky were mostly purchased by French and Canadian traders in exchange for ammuni- tion, blankets, tobacco, trinkets, and that bane of the Indian and white man. " fire-water," or bad whiskey. The route from Sandusky to Detroit was difficult, and the Wyandots preferred to trade at home. When war was threatened, their chiefs and leading men made frequent visits to Detroit to talk with their "English Father." Though often in the neighborhood of the river Raisin,

young Stilley was not permitted to see Detroit until his release from Indian captivity.

In the summer of 1782, the noted Wyandot chief, Big Foot, with his four brothers, and four or tive warriors, left Sindusky for a raid on the settlements opposite the mouth of Yellow creek, along Raccoon and Peter's creek. They killed an old man in his cabin, and perpetrated other crimes in the settlements, and with their plunder and scalps crossed the Ohio. They were followed by the famous Indian fighters and spies, Adam and Andrew Poe, and some six others, and over- taken on Yellow creek, where a fight ensued, and the Indians were all killed but one. When the surviving Indian reached the village of Upper Sindusky he raised a dismal howl. The solitary and grief-stricken savage remained in the forest one day and a night, howling like a wolf. He then approached the camps and related the contest be- tween Big Foot and the "Long Knives." The Wyandots lamented the death of Big Foot and his brothers by much groaning and many tears.

Big Foot was a brave warrior and a cunning enemy, and was regarded by the Wyandots as invulnerable. Part of the Indians who accompa- nied Big Foot, had been present at the capture of Kennedy and young Stilley. Their raids were now closed forever.

Young Stilley knew the Poes very well, and says the strength and size of Big Foot was greatly exaggerated. He and his brothers were above the ordinary size of Indians-were very fine looking, courageous and active. Both the Poes were much larger than Big Foot. He thinks the reason why Big Foot held his own, arose from the fact that he was nearly nude, and Poe could not grip him, while Poe's clothing furnished Big Foot an advan- tage.

At the close of the Revolutionary war in 1783, an arrangement was made with the British and Indians to bring the white captives to Detroit, to be delivered to their friends. Detroit was a small village, and had a fort and stockade. The Wyandots soon brought in Mr. Kennedy, his family, and little Strah; but retained John Stil- ley, who was then regularly adopted in his tribe. Ile had become so much attached to his Indian parents, and the wild roving life of the Wyandots, that he had no desire to return home. He was then dressed in the Wyandot manner, his hair all plucked out save a small scalp-lock, which was or- namented with gay colored feathers. They had pierced his ears and the cartilage of his nose, and inserted rings and a brooch therein. When painted he resembled the true Indian. He was then something over twelve years of age, full of life and adventure.

When the prisoners were all brought in there were over 90. They remained several months at Detroit awaitng an opportunity to return

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home. In the spring of 1784, after the Indians had become pacified, and understood the terms of the treaty between the United States and Great Britain, Mr. and Mrs Kennedy determined not to return home without John. Mr. Kennedy and a few friends, learning that he and his tribe were encamped near where Malden now stands, deter- mined to visit, and if possible, rescue him from his Indian allurements. On reaching the camp, they found him more an Indian than a white boy, painted, dressed in deer skin, hair worn in true In- dian style, rings in his ears, with bow and arrow, and deeply fascinated with his present condition. He loved his grave old Indian father and mother, and had nearly forgotten his own language. It was difficult to persuade him to return. After many interviews, he finally accompanied Mr. Kennedy to Detroit.

The prisoners were shipped to Sandusky bay, and upon landing employed two Indian guides to conduct them to the settlement east of the Ohio. They all-ninety-two or three-passed up the Sandusky river, across the Olentangy, through what are now Marion and Morrow counties, to the west branch of the Kokosing, and thence down said stream through the present site of Mount Vernon; down the Wałhonding near where Coshocton stands, thence by Indian paths across Tuscarawas and Jefferson counties, to the Ohio river. Before reaching the Ohio river, by com- paring destinations, they learned that nearly all their Tellow captives belonged to Kentucky, Vir- ginia and Pennsylvania. Very few crossed the river with Kennedy and young Stilley. Most of the captives never met again. At this time they found no improvements between Upper Sandusky and the Ohio.

Young Stilley remained on Peter's creek, with his mother, some five years. Learning something of the wilds of the territory of Kentucky, from returning adventurers, he determined to abandon his home and visit the hardy pioneers and hun- ters of the " dark and bloody ground." He and a friend built a large pirogue which they launched, and placing therein such provisions, clothing and ammunition as they might need, and taking their rifles, they descended the Ohio, and landed, in 1789, without accident, at Limestone, near where Maysville now stands. They found a small settle- ment at Wheeling, Marietta and Gallipolis. The forests on the banks of the Ohio were dense and in full leaf, and scemed to press upon the shore like a mighty wałl. Although the Shawnces had often crossed the beautiful Ohio to harrass the set- tlements of Kentcky, they met no hostile bands on their trip down the river.

Mr. Stilley remained at Limestone a short time, and upon learning that there was a settlement on the Elkhorn, he determined to visit it. In com- pany with several hunters, be passed through the

forest to that region. He had been there but a short time, when he became acquainted with the brave hunter and Indian spy, Simon Kenton. Kenton, at that time, had command of a small company of spies and scouts, who patroled the Elkhorn for a distance of tifty miles to guard the settlements against surprise by hostile bands of Shawnees and Miamis, who refused to be pacified or submit to a recent treaty. He joined Kenton's company, and became an active minute man. During his stay on the Elkhorn, some three years, owing to the vigilance of Kenton and others, the settlements remained nearly undisturbed by the savages. Elk and buffalo were yet quite plenty, and Stilley often joined parties on hunting excur- sions. He passed down Licking river on one of his hunting trips, to where Covington now stands, and thinks he shot a panther within its present corporate limits The animal had treed, and had a peculiar white spot on its breast, at which he aimed and struck, killing the ferocious beast al- most without a struggle. While in the Elkhorn settlement, he also became acquainted with a noted hunter named Neal Washburn, and a Mr. Robinet, who kept a pack of fine hunting dogs.

After the repulse of General Harmer in 1790, and the disastrous defeat of General St. Clair in 1791, and General Wayne was ordered to the west, John Stilley determined to become a sol- dier. Ho volunteered in a company commanded by Captain Rollins, raised near Paris, Kentucky, for a term of four months ; and passed with the Kentucky troops, by Fort Washington, (Cincin- nati) and up the trail of St. Clair to Fort Re- covery. At the expiration of his service, he re- turned with his comrades to the Elkhorn settle- ment, where he remained but a short time, and re-enlisted for a tour of five months. The Ken- tucky troops were hurried forward, and partici- pated in the noted battle of "Fallen Timbers," where the Indian army was overthrown and compelled to submit to a humiliating treaty, which deprived them of a vast amount of terri- tory, and crushed their military prestige, Mr. Stilley regarded General Wayne as a courages and far-seeing commander; and just the man to strike terror into the heart of the blood-thirsty savages led by Little Turtle, Captain. Pipe, and other wily chiefs.

At the expiration of his second term of service, he again returned to the Elkhorn settlement. Ile remained there hunting and farming until about 1797. He describes the hunters and pio- neers of that time as being the most courteous, hospitable, whole-souled and brave people he ever knew. Their cabins, to use the old phrase, " had their lateh-strings always out." They traversed the forest for miles to aid each other in putting up cabins, rolling logs, planting eorn and clearing fields. They divided their surplus grain for seed,

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and thus contributed to the enlargement of the settlements, and the general prosperity and hap- piness of all.

In 1800 he married Rebecca Thompson, of Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, and remember- ing the beautiful country along the Kokosing, determined to find a home there. In 1805-6 the lands along that stream. within the present limits of Knox county, were being surveyed into tracts of eighty and one hundred and sixty acres. In 1805, Moses Craig, a relative, settled about one mile west of the site of Mount Vernon. Mr. Stilley, in the spring of 1806, visited Mr. Craig, and located a military tract adjoining him, and clearing a field, planted it in corn, and remained through the summer months cultivating it. In the meantime he cut logs, and by the aid of the neighborhood settlers, erected a cabin. In the fall he returned to Peter's creek.

In the spring of 1807, a company consisting of Robert Thompson and wife, John Stilley, three children and his mother, John Stilley, (a nephew late of Morrow county), and a colorel boy by the name of Benjamin Trusser (who died in Janes- ville a few years since, well advanced in years), with teams and covered wagons, loaded with such houscholl articles as were needed, started for the wilds of Ohio. Their route was from Peter's creek to Cannonsburgh, Pennsylvania, thence to Wellsburgh, Virginia, thence to Steubenville and Cadiz, thence to Cambridge, thence along Zane's old trace to Zanesville and Newark, and thence to the present site of Mount Vernon. They were detained several days at Will's creek in conse- quence of high water, and had to camp out be- tween Zanesville and Newark. The trip took thirteen days, and they were much wearied.

rushed into the stream, pursuing, overtaking, and safely conducting the horse of Mrs. Stilley out. As long as Billy Montour, Tom Lyon and the Greentown Indians visited the Kokosing to hunt, they were kindly regarded for this generous act.

John Stilley served creditably in the war of 1812, as adjutant of Colonel Kratzer's regiment, and as a volunteer in defence of Fort Meigs. He was a bravo, activo, and able soldier.

After the close of the war, Mr. Stilley, like his thriving neighbors, entered actively upon the task of clearing up his farm, which was hand- somely located, and is now one of the most de- sireable homesteads in Knox county; and, like a true pioneer, always had his latch-string out. As the population increased, his good judgment, business qualities, and integrity, gave him weight with his follow-citizens. The records of Knox county show that John Stilley was more fre- quently, perhaps, than any other pioneer of the county, selected upon the juries drawn to deal out justice between man and man. In the spring of 1824, he was elected justice of the peace, and in the fall of the same year county commissioner. These trusts were faithfully executed.

In 1852, he was attacked with paralysis, with which he lingered a short time, and died March 10. He sleeps by the side of his faithful wife, (who survived him a short time), near his loved Kokosing, where he had so many adventures in his youth.

Probably the next white men to pass across this territory were the Moravians, who, as prison- ers, were taken from Moravian towns on the Tuscarawas river to Upper Sandusky, by British emissaries. These peaceable Christian Indians were charged with being spies, and with holling treasonable correspondence with the Americans at Pittsburgh and perhaps other points, and of harboring other Indians friendly to the American cause. Upon these charges they were arrested by Captain Matthew Elliott, of the British army, who had under his command about three hun- Alred hostile Indians. Making no resistance, they

As soon as John Stilley had fully rested from the trip, he took two horses and returned to Peter's creek for his wife and small child (now the wife of Benjamin F. Smith), who were unable to come with the former company. He pro- ceeded down the Kokosing and Walhonding to where Coshocton now stands, thence to New Philadelphia, thonco to Steubenville and thence to Peter's creek. He had most of the way but an Indian trait to lead him; but this being the route he had traveled to and from his captivity, it was somewhat familiar. On arriving at his i were made captives, September 11, 1781, and by old home, Mrs. Stilley mounted one of the horses this overpowering force compelled to leave their much-loved homes and take up their line of march for the Sandusky river. Upon this march they followed the Indian trait down the Tuscara- was to the month of the Walhonding, in Coshor- ton county; thence up that stream to the mouth of the Kokosing; thence up the Kokosing. and on to the Wyandot town, near the present site of Upper Sandusky. The missionaries thus forcibly and undertook the journey. They traveled the same route and came through with but a single accident. When they were crossing the Wal- honding, the horse of Mrs. Stilley being a poor swimmer, became alarmed and turned down stream, and was about to reach a steep bank. when Mrs. Stilley would have been thrown and probably drowned. Fifteen or twenty Greentown Indians were encamped near the bank, and Billy Montour, seeing the danger, mounted a pony and

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removed were Revs. Zeisberger, Senseman, and Jungman, of New Schonbrunn; Revs. John Heckewelder, and Jung, of Salem, and Rev. Wil- liam Edwards, of Gnadenhutten.

The point at which they were left to take care of themselves, their wives, children and Indian captives, was on the banks of the Sandusky river, not far from where the Broken Sword creek emp- ties into it, about ten miles from Upper Sandusky. Here they selected a location, and, without delay, built a village of small huts to protect themselves from the inclemency of the weather. This village soon took the name of "Captive's Town," and was situated on the right bank of the Sandusky river, about a mile above the mouth of the Broken Sword, in the present township of Antrim, Wyan- dot county.

During the progress of the Indian war from 1788 to 1795, the noted scout and Indian fighter, Captain Samuel Brady, on several occasions passed through what is now Coshocton county. His operations are detailed elsewhere, as are also those of Lewis Wetzel, another noted scout, and a cotemporary of Brady's.

The notorious Girty boys and their white as- sociates, Colonel McKee and Matthew Elliott of the British army, were frequent visitors to the Indian towns on the Muskingum. The two lat- ter were notorious as British agents, and were continually inciting the Indians to engage in war upon Americans, furnishing them with arms and ammunition for that purpose. They were continually passing and repassing through the Indian country, were personally acquainted with nearly all the chiefs of the various tribes, and were always personally welcome in the wigwams of the savages, as they always came loaded with presents for the red men. Their operations ex- tended through the Revolutionary war and the Indian war of 1788-1795. In this latter war they were central figures, and were often personally on the battle field encouraging the Indians. They always found an efficient and able coadjutor in the Delaware chief, Captain Pipe, who with his band, for some years occupied the valley of the Walhonding.

The operations of the Girty boys were among all the various tribes occupying what is now the

State of Ohio, and their deeds of daring and cruelty will be found in all the annals of the northwest territory. Anything in the way of history written about the Indians of Ohio, re- garding their operations between the years 1760 and 1800, would be incomplete without some mention of the Girtys.

This notorious family was first heard of in Western Pennsylvania, living on what was known as Girty's Run. Here Simon, the most noted of the brothers, was born about the year 1745. The father was an Irishman and a drunkard, and was killed by a man with whom the mother pre- ferred to live. The family was morally rotten from the beginning, and having thus a fair start in the world, the boys maintained their parents' reputation to the end. The sons were Thomas, Simon, George and James. The three latter were made prisoners early in life by the Indians. George was the one adopted by the Delawares, and taken to their towns on the Muskingum. He remained with this tribe until his death, and is said to have been a fearless, cunning, desperate fellow-a perfect savage-and engaged in many battles against the whites. Later in life, like his father, he gave himself up to drink, which finally killed him. His death is said to have occurred on the Maumee river, about 1820.

James Girty was adopted by the Shawanees. As he grew to manhood he became dextrous in all the arts of savage life. He easily added to an uncontrollable disposition all the vices of the de- praved frontiersmen and Indians with whom he associated. He was a frequent visitor to the soil of Kentucky during the raids of the Indians in that direction, and many of the inhabitants became victims of his cruelty. Neither age nor sex found merey at his hand; he delighted in carnage and bloodshed. If it were possible, he was probably more savage in his nature than either of the three brothers, and in this respect suited well the bloodthirsty Shawanecs from whom he took his lessons. When unable to stand on his feet he murdered with his hatchet eaptive women and children who came within his reach. He was a monster of cruelty, many of his most barbarous acts being charged upon his brother Simon, on account of the latter's greater conspicuity and ac- tivity. His death does not appear on record.

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HISTORY OF COSHOCTON COUNTY.

Without doubt he was a frequent visitor to the Indian towns on the Muskingum.

Simon was adopted by the Senecas, and be- came a very expert hunter. He was possibly a little higher up in the scale of humanity than his brothers, though a perfect savage. He exercised some influence over the Indians, was entrusted by them with the conduct of many expeditions against the whites; associated much with McKee, Elliott and Proctor, and was much more cele- brated than George or James. His name was associated with everything cruel and fiend-like; to women and children especially nothing was more terrifying than the name of Simon Girty.

He deserted the Indians at one time and re- turned to his relatives near Fort Pitt. When the Indian war began in 1788, he sought a com- mission to fight against them, but being refused this, on account of his known bad character, he became exasperated and rejoined the Indians, ever after remaining a bitter foe to the whites. A review of his life would require a volume. It is intimately connected with the Indian history of that exciting period. He many times visited the Indian villages on the Muskingum and passed through this region often on raiding ex- peditions into Virginia and Western Pennsyl- vania. He was a man of extraordinary physical strength and powers of endurance. He was about five feet ten inches in height ; hair coarse, black and generally uncombed ; forehead low, eye- brows heavy and shaggy and meeting across his short, flat nose ; eyes gray, sunken and averting, lips thin and compressed, and wearing, as he did continually, a dark, forbidding, sinister expres- sion of countenance, he was the perfect picture of a villain.

He usually wore the Indian costume, without ornament, and often, in later years, a dirty silk hankerchief, supplying the place of a hat, cov- ered an ugly scar on his forehead given him by the chief of the Five nations, Brant, at one time, in a drunken brawl.

After the war he lived much of the time in a cabin located on the Maumee river, about five miles above Napoleon, Ohio, at what is yet known as Girty's Point.

the Thames; another that he died in Canada soon after the war of 1812; but the following ex- tract from a letter written by Daniel M. Work- man, a pioncer of Logan county, Ohio, seems to be conclusive on this point: " In 1813 I went to Malden and put up at a hotel kept by a French- man. I noticed in the bar-room a gray-headed and blind old man. The landlady, his daughter, a woman about thirty, said to me: 'Do you know who that is ?' pointing to the old man. I replied in the negative, and she said: 'That is Simon Girty.' He had been blind about four years.

" In 1815 I returned to Malden, and ascertained that Girty had died a short time previous."

The following is taken from De Schweinitz's " Life and Times of Zeisberger," and refers to the effort of Girty and others, by lying, to incite the Delaware nation to war against the Americans:

"There came to Goschachgunk, in the spring of 1778, some disaffected persons from Pittsburgh, with Alexander McKee, Matthew Elliot, and Simon Girty-an ignoble trio of go-betweens and desperadoes.

"Soon after the arrival of this party, a second appeared, consisting of a sergeant and twenty privates, deserters from the fort, who joined the British Indians. These men all vied one with another in spreading falsehoods among the Dela- wares. The Americans, they said, had been totally defeated in the Atlantic States; driven westward, they were now about to wage an indis- criminate war against the Indians. Such reports produced a general excitement in the nation. Captain Pipe, who had been eagerly watching for an opportunity to supplant White Eyes, and over- throw the policy of the council, hastened to the capital, called upon his countrymen to seize the hatchet, and defend their homes. Who would venture to prate of treaties now ? White Eyes barely succeeded in having the declaration of war postponed for ten days, that time might be given to ascertain whether the reports were true or false. But this did not hinder preparations for the conflict. Goschachgunk rang with the war- song ; rifles were cleaned and tomahawks sharp- ened In order to prevent the rising of this nation and its numerous grandchildren, peace- messager must at once be sent to Goschachgunk. Such messages were prepared, but not a runner could be induced to take them. General Hand's offers of the most liberal rewards were all in vain; the risk was too great.

" In this emergency, Heckewelder and Sche- bosh volunteered their services. Riding three days and two nights without stopping, except to

Regarding his death, one account says he was cut down by Johnston's cavalry in the battle of | feed their horses, in constant danger from the

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war-parties that lurked in the forests, they reached Gnaddenhutten an hour before midnight of the fifth of April. The next day was the ninth of the stipulated term. No contradiction of the reports spread by Girty and his confederates had been received. War was accepted as a necessity even by White Eyes. Of that crisis John Hecke- weller was the illustrious hero. Although scarcely able any longer to sit upon his horse, and although it was at the risk of his life, he pressed on after but a brief rest, accompanied by John Martin, a native assistant, and got to Goschach- gunk at ten o'clock in the morking. The whole population turned out to meet him, but their faces were dark and sinister, There was no welcome given. Not a single Delaware recipro- cated his greetings. He extended his hand to White Eyes, but even White Eyes stepped back. " Holding aloft the written speeches of which he was the bearer, Heckewelder addressed the Indians from his horse. He told them that they had been deceived; that the Americans, instead of being defcated in the Atlantic States, had gained a great victory, and forced Burgoyne and his whole army to surrender; and that, so far from making war upon the Delawares, they were their friends, and had sent him to establish a new alliance. Such news brought about a sudden change in the aspect of affairs A council was called ; the missives of General Hand were deliv- ered and accepted in due form; the warlike preparations ceased ; and, while Captain Pipe and his adherents loft the town in great chagrin, the instigators of this whole plot fled to more conge- nial tribes."

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History of Coshocton County, Ohio, its past and present, 1740-1881, Part 43

Author: Hill, Norman Newell, jr., [from old catalog] comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A. A., & co., Newark, O., pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Newark, Ohio, A. A. Graham & co. Number of Pages: 854

Author: Hill, Norman Newell, jr., [from old catalog] comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A. A., & co., Newark, O., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Newark, Ohio, A. A. Graham & co.
Number of Pages: 854