History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 88

Author: Perrin, William Henry, [from old catalog] comp; Battle, J. H., [from old catalog] comp; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852- [from old catalog] comp; Baskin & Battey, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1034

USA > Ohio > Crawford County > History of Crawford County and Ohio > Part 88

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The story of Mother Cherokee, one of the most intelligent of the old squaws, was related to Mr. Winstead, concerning Col. Crawford's death. Mother Cherokee had been an eye- witness to the horrible torture, and frequently related it to the younger generation. Her story

of the engagement and capture does not differ materially from that of Walker and others, but her story of the execution was "that but one white man and Simon Girty were present ; that Col. Crawford was not tied to a stake, but his hands were bound by a withe over a limb of a tree above his head, and left in that position all night and the next forenoon, until other war- riors could arrive to witness the burning. Quite a number slept the night before around the same fire, near by that used to torture him. All having arrived by noon on the following day, they began by taking brands from the fire, and touched him first on the toes, his leaping causing great amusement for the bystanders. When the feet and toes were no longer sensible to the fire-brands, they would apply them a little above, benumbing the limbs by inches, so that the torture might be prolonged and life pre- served as long as possible. When this process had been pursued until the numbness was ap- proaching rapidly his vitals, they cut the withe, and Crawford fell forward upon his face. A squaw, with a piece of bark, scooped up some coals and hot embers, piling them between his shoulders, which caused him to immediately throw himself over, but he was unable to rise, as his legs and hips were entirely benumbed." The substance of the above was so often re- lated, and with such accuracy, by "Mrs. Chero- kee," that Mr. Winstead thinks it the nearest correct account of this horrible execution.

Mr. Winstead removed from his Sandusky home to a quarter of Section 11, in the northern part of Todd Township. In the late spring of 1837, a rough cabin was erected from the near- est logs, which had puncheon floors, but his first house was ornamented with glass window panes. So thick were the woods that he was obliged to cut a wagon road to the present site of Osceola, before he could get to his farm with oxen and wagon. This led to the Perrysburg road, which gave him access to Upper San- dusky. In the following year, Mr. Tuttle built

612

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

a water-mill upon the Broken Sword, which fur- nished them lumber for further improvement ; the first lumber, however, was obtained at the old Indian mill, at Upper Sandusky. In the same year, a number of families settled at Osceola, among whom were Mordecai McCau- ley, Jacob Yost, Adam Bair, Daniel Tuttle, Z. P. Lea, David Kisor and others. Mr. Winstead wished to have a clearer road between his farm and the village, so that, in the following year, a wood-chopping bee was given by him. Says he : "I got two miles of road cleared fur a gallon o' whisky," a drink that it will be ob- served the primitive settlers of this forest were partial to. Edward and Ozro N. Kellogg were his first near neighbors, who purchased farms at the same date as Mr. Winstead, but did not move upon the land until 1838. The dense for- est and thick underbrush, together with the miry ravines, made traveling, other than on foot, almost an impossibility for a greater part of the year. These few families were obliged to be satisfied with the usual fare of pioneers for several years after their neighbors to the east and south were comfortably fixed. The improvements and enterprise on every side of them was a great advantage to them in furnish- ing them supplies. The stock from the plains and other settlements, especially the hogs, would wander into these unfenced woods, for mast and browsing, which supplied them with a change of diet in the fall of the year.

From these settled districts, this forest be- came so supplied with the wild hog that it was dangerous traveling without a rifle to protect one's self. A narrow escape is related by Mr. Winstead, concerning Zach Lea. Mr. Lea, in company with Mr. Forster, his son-in-law, were in search of their winter's meat, in the fall of 1841. After a short journey, in the northern part of this wood, Mr. Forster spied his game, leveled his fusee at a swine industriously plying her art of cultivating the soil. The ball was not fatal, and her unprecedented squealing

caused Mr. Lea to make his retreat to a neigh- boring log, but he was not secure, for her grim, bristly mate, being warned of danger, by the yells, came dashing through the under-brush, with all the rage of an infuriated lion, and with a bound, knocked Mr. Lca headlong from the log. The timely presence of their bull dog turned the foaming boar from his victim to self-defense. Had it not been for this, Mr. Lea said he could not have escaped with his life. Their principal supply of meat came from the deer and turkey. Deer were frequently met with as late as 1850, and, in recent years, the neighboring forests contained flocks of the wild turkey. Their ammunition was too ex- pensive to waste upon squirrel and quail, so that this game became very plentiful.

George W. Leith, of Nevada, the history of whose grandparents, John Leith and Sally (Lowry) Leith, are so intimately connected with the Indian history, that it need not be recorded here. The name of Judge Leith occurs in all the official proceedings, in the formation of the township. The fruit of his labor and brains may be observed in almost every enterprise of the township. His intimate acquaintance with the Indians for many years gave him a knowl- edge of their customs and habits, quite ex- tended and varied. "In all their proceedings in public assemblies," says the Judge, "they were courteous and obedient to their speaker and chiefs ; never, in all their public transac- tions, did I see two attempting to speak at a time." This same courtesy was observed in their business transactions and social relation, and even in their quarrels," as the following anecdote will illustrate: "Seated one autumn day at the village of Osceola, where the Indi- ans were constantly loafing, my eye fell upon a very interesting and comical sight. Two Indians, having some misunderstanding over the ownership of a pair of fine turkeys, fell to quarreling ; the one was a large, raw-boned, surly fellow with down-cast eyes, would not

613

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

move a muscle; the other one was of small stature, having one leg all drawn out of shape. The little lame Indian would bob around his adversary like a blue-jay, gesticulating most wildly, abusing his opponent with the strongest language at his command. When he would cease, absolute silence would prevail for several minutes, then the large one would reply with- out stirring, in equally opprobrious terms. Silence again for several minutes, and the lame one would commence his bobbing and hopping." The great contrast in the two characters, and the courtesy of silence between the speeches of each, almost convulsed the by-standers with laughter. No other citizen, perhaps, did as much personal work at the village of Osceola, in her different business transactions in the first six years, as Daniel Tuttle, better known as "Bishop Tuttle," at present, a resident of Texas Township.

Mr. Tuttle came to Osceola late in 1840. He was attracted to this location under the county-seat " boom," an account of which will be given in connection with the village history. Mr. Tuttle's life has been one of great activity and wide observation. He was born at South- bury, Conn., in 1801; was left an orphan at three years old. After a schooling of four winters, he was bound out to a clock manufact- uring company, Jones & Darrow. At twenty- six years of age, he became their traveling agent in the East, and afterward through the Central and Southern States.

Between the years 1827 and 1840, he had traveled from Portland, Me., to New Orleans, being a " Yankee clock-peddler" at many inter- mediate points. He came first to the intended county seat in 1840, when the Osceola road was an Indian trail from Bucyrus to McCutch- insville. Mr. Tuttle, being in Bucyrus, ob- served at what cost her citizens were obtaining their lime, hauling it forty miles, determined on his return to test the calcareous quality of the Broken Sword shale. He stated to his

friends at Bucyrus that this was the quality of stone from which to manufacture lime, but was jeeringly contradicted. He succeeded in pro- enring some fine quality of lime from his first trial, and immediately contracted with Bucy- rus builders to furnish them lime at 12 cents per bushel. In 1841, he constructed a rude kiln and employed Lyman King to do the burning.

At the residence of Daniel Tuttle, which stood opposite the present dwelling of Mr. Wilson, in Osceola, quite a strange incident occurred, that would be remembered by almost any Eastern-bred family of later day. In their first cabin, they were unprovided with locks, and scarcely did they ever attach any addi- tional fastening to the outer door. One night, shortly after they moved to their new village home, Mrs. Tuttle was awakened by some strange noise in the house. As it consisted only of one room, and that well lighted by the flickering blaze from a huge fire-place, it was only necessary in order to search the house to lift her head out from under the "cover," and inspect matters. On doing so, she was ex- tremely frightened at seeing the floor filled with sleeping, snoring Indians, none of whom had registered "to be called for the early train." The involuntary landlord left his easi- ly accommodated guests to "sweetly sleep till morn." They had been to Bucyrus, indulging too freely in their " national beverage," and the six-mile trip to Osceola had worn off the ex- hilarating effects so that they had taken this means of getting a comfortable place in which to sober up. This trick was frequently re- peated in after years, not only with Mr. Tuttle, but other of the early settlers. They were so sly and quiet in their nocturnal intrusions that it was a rare occurrence for them to be detect- ed. After the further opening up of the Per- rysburg road, there was some general travel that made a demand for a public inn. Mr. Tuttle built a small addition to his house,

614

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

which was afterward enlarged into a two-story frame tavern, in which he presided as "mine host" for several years. He was the enter- tainer of the Osceola Company that met in this village quite frequently in the first few years of its existence to arrange their fiscal matters. Mr. Tuttle engaged in the fur trade in 1842, and did other trafficking with the In- dians. In the years 1842-43, he was offered by his Indian customers a fine lot of venison hams, which he purchased and sledged to San- dusky City, receiving but 6 cents per pound. Mr. Tuttle was the first Postmaster, and re- ceived his commission from Postmaster Gen- eral Amos Kendall for the years 1841-42-43. His remuneration came from the postage, the price of a letter ranging from 5 to 25 cents, be- ing regulated by the distance transported. The mail in those years was necessarily limited at rural points, but the paucity of mail matters at this post was very marked, there being on an average about three letters and two papers at each mail, which came once a week from the East and West.

Another of the early settlers possessing business enterprise was Samuel Swineford, who moved to the Broken Sword in 1841 and en- gaged in the chair manufactory. After three years of this business he moved upon a farm two miles northeast of Osceola, from there to Van Wert, where he is at present engaged in the grocery business. John Horrick bought eighty acres southwest of Osceola, at the sales, and made great improvement in clearing and farming his land, at the same time exercising his talents in presenting the political issues of the day to his neighbors, being especially earnest in the Harrison campaign. Mr. Hor- rick raised a family of two sons and three daughters, some of whom are still citizens of Todd. He removed to Indiana in 1870. Rev. Samuel P. Shaw was one of the most noted citizens that dwelt in the land of Todd. His education and public labors, together with his

financial success, have given him a reputation beyond his neighborhood and State. He was admitted into the Ohio Conference in 1825, discharging his pastoral duties for thirteen years. In 1839, he moved upon his farm in southern Dallas and traveled the neighboring circuit in connection with his business. In 1855, he moved to this present township, where he resided, four miles south of Osceola, until his death in 1875. The remains of Rev. Shaw were interred in the Monnett cemetery, in Bucyrus Township.

It is not definitely remembered who has the honor of being the "first-born " of this township. It is generally conceded to Mr. William Hartman as being the father of the first " bouncing boy, weighing eight pounds," August 1838. The whereabouts of this hon- ored personage, we were unable to learn. The first marriages celebrated in the north- ern part of Todd, were Isaac Miller and Miss Jane Lea, and Stephen White and Miss Mary Lea, 1838, by Zalmon Rowse. One of the first altars erected to Hymen in the village, was at the residence of William E. Brown. William W. Norton, of Big Island, Marion County, and Mary Brown, of Osceola, were here sacrificed to appease that deity's ire, January 8, 1841, by J. C. Stein, Justice of the Peace for Bucyrus Township. This ceremony is vividly remembered by the latter official, who relates some of the circumstances con- nected therewith as follows : "I was called upon to perform this ceremony at a time of year when the most miserable of all roads were at their worst. There was sufficient frost to make the walking uncertain and the ice on the streams unsupportable. It was an impossibil- ity to drive from Bucyrus to Osceola in a bug- gy, could one have been procured. Allowing myself plenty of time, I concluded to make the trip on foot. After a circuitous meandering through the woods, over logs and through mud-holes, I arrived at Grass Run, which was

615

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

quite swollen and bridgeless. The lateness of the hour forced me to a hasty decision, which was to attempt to cross on rather an insecure limb ; but, like a friend in need, it failed to furnish its support at the most critical mo- ment, giving me an opportunity to rehearse the oath before the evening ceremony, in water up to my neck, at freezing point. I arrived a little late at the village and coolly walked to a friend's to brush up a little for the festive occasion. The ceremony was performed with- out referring to the incident."

It was not an uncommon thing for the mer- chants to transport their goods by pack-horses, so miserable was this quagmire between Buey- rus and Osceola, pseudonymously called a road. The risk of injury to goods transported over such a bog was often equal to the price of the mer- chandise, as the following incident will prove : Previous to the removal of the Wyandot In- dians to their Kansas reservation, Osceola was one of their favorite loafing places ; especially would they frequent this locality on the Sab- bath Day. Jacob Yost, who kept a supply of "goods " on hand that was notoriously in de- mand with the Indians, wished to supplement his limited supply for the coming Sabbath's trade. Himself, Mordecai McCauley and Adam Bair started, on foot, for Bucyrus, with two jugs apiece, and were making excellent time until they arrived on their return at the Broken Sword. McCauley, who was already feeling the ground arise before him, ventured first upon the ice, and unceremoniously sat down between two broken jugs of the " sup- plies." His maudlin companions upon the bank quoted him several chapters of profane history as a reprimand for his carelessness, and the proprietor, with an exemplary stride, led the way with his precious freight, when sud- denly he saw something at the surface of the ice, he wanted to mark with his thumb, and, in his rush, with his foot, called the attention of his comrade, Bair. to the same object. Here

they remained eyeing one another, while the contents of six jugs of "old rye " was running around them on the frozen surface, unable to get away. They began picking holes in the ice with their knives, to collect the valued com- modity. As fast as these reservoirs would fill, the economical artificers would imbibe the contents. They soon became so lushy that they unconsciously fell over and lay there until they were dragged to the bank and taken to their cabins for repairs. Another incident of a biba- cious character occurred under the observa- tion of Mr. Winstead. It illustrates, however, much more wit than the above occurrence. Schierhess, an Indian of some note among the Wyandots, came to the village with a limited amount of collateral security to procure some stimulant for his squaw, who was quite weakly and had the care of a papoose. Schierhess in- vested all his purse in whisky, but before he left had made an inward application of the tonie for the strengthening of his own system. The bar-tender doing strictly a cash business and the Indian's funds exhausted, it became necessary to obtain some medium of exchange to procure the stimulant. Schierhess addressed Jimmy MeKane, a white settler, who stood near, and asked him to purchase a bee-tree. The bar- gain was stated and accepted by MeKane, who paid 50 cents, the price asked for the bee-tree. Schierhess purchased his liquor and went his way with it, and McKane, with buckets, ax and assistance, started to the spot described, and found a hickory sapling, blazed by a tomahawk, and, at a distance, a poplar sapling, with a similar blazed spot, and, between the two, a large oak, all of which had been definitely pic- tured ont by the Indian. But, upon felling the oak, not a sign of bees or honey was to be found. A few days after, he met the Indian, whom he immediately accused of lying to him. Schier- hess looked sternly at McKane, and asked if he did not " find the two saplings, blazed by a tomahawk, and the oak between them," to

616

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

which MeKane assented. " Well," said the In- dian, " there were two truths to one lie, heap dam better than a white man do," and pulled out some money and repaid McKane. Among the early industries that have not been men- tioned, was the tannery, in 1847, at the southwest corner of the village of Osceola. Amos Souder " hung out a calf-tail" and offered to pay " cash for hides and pelts." Mr. Souder continued this business some twelve years, converting the local supply into leather for the Sandusky City market. The tan-yard has never been re- paired, and at present the township "sports " no tan-vats. Another enterprise that has ceased to be carried on is the saleratus manu- factory. In 1858, R. G. Perry launched forth his capital and started to manufacture the car- bonated pearl-ash for the many matrons in the bread-baking business. The fiscal returns were too meager to warrant a continuation, and this business was followed no more in Todd, at the end of four years' trial. The most lucrative pursuit for the capital employed, as well as the principal source of revenue to the village, is the manufacturing of lime. This trade, that was opened up by Bishop Tuttle's ex- perimental burning, has been continually en- gaged in until the present date. William Miller and the three sons of S. D. Snavely are the principal parties now engaged in the traffic ; David, Joseph and Moses Snavely, each run- ning kilns, which, with Mr. Miller's, makes in all from 200 to 250 kilns that are annually burned, realizing, on the average, $50 per kiln. They supply the neighboring towns for build- ing and gas purposes at $18 per bushel, deliv- ered.

The only grist-mill of any special note, is the present Limestone Island Mill, situated in the easten edge of the village, upon what was for- merly an island in the Broken Sword. It was built as a water-mill, in 1854, by David Neely, the dam was destroyed in 1860, and the race is now "run " out. Mr. Neely sold the property

in 1862, to A. N. Stonebreaker. After five years, it again changed hands, Judd and Deck being the purchasers. In 1867, Garrett Zeigler invested in the property, and was the sole proprietor for four years, when it was again sold, Mr. Stull being the buyer. After owning it from 1871 to 1873, he took, as a partner, Mr. A. N. Phillips, who is at present running the mill at its full capacity, both for local custom and general trade. Enough has incidentally been mentioned already, concern- ing the roads of Todd, to give the general reader some idea of their former condition. Be- ing so densely covered with timber as was this township, the roads when once hewn for wagon passengers, were scarcely exposed to the sun's rays an hour per day, and, when cut into ruts, with the exception of the month of August, they were not free from water and mud the entire year. Various expedients were re- sorted to, but the wealth of the township has not warranted making any permanent improve- ment as yet. The plank road, leading from Bucyrus to Osceola, was only temporarily of any value. The boards, exposed to sun and water, were soon warped and loosened, making the board track impassable for vehicles after a few years' usage. By an efficient system of drainage and grading, the roads for most of the year are as passable as those of the neighbor- ing townships of greater age and wealth.

If the couplet, now so trite, of J. G. Whittier, " Of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these, it might have been."

ever fell with force upon the ears of mortal, it was doubly emphatic to the early settlers and organizers of the village of Osceola. That which Irving has written concerning the pris- tine appearance of a spot, now far more famous in history than the stream and surroundings of this village, but certainly not more romantic, with some modification, would be applicable to Osceola. "Wildness and savage majesty reigned on the borders of her stream. The hand of

617

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

cultivation had not yet laid down the dark for- est and tamed the features of the landscape, nor had the echoes of civilized commerce broken in upon the profound solitude of the ages. Now and then would break forth from the banks of the Broken Sword, the notes of an innumerable variety of insects which filled the air with a strange, but not inharmonious concert; while ever and anon was heard the melancholy plaint of the whip-poor-will, who, perched on some lone tree, wearied the ear of night with his incessant moanings. The mind of the pioneer, soothed into a hallowed melan- choly, listened with pensive stillness to catch and distinguish each sound that vaguely echoed from the lonely wood, now and then startled, perchance, by the whoop of some straggling savage, or the dreary howl of a wolf stealing forth upon his nightly prowlings." This beauti- ful description is not too highly colored to be an appropriate one for the scenes and sur- roundings of Osceola within less than a half- century past. The capitalists of the surround- ing country, attracted by the wild and romantic scenery of the Broken Sword, looked with a covetous eye upon the possessions of their un- civilized neighbors.

The original plat of Osceola was one of the first sections purchased in 1837, as above men- tioned, by the Osceola Company, composed of Bucyrus and Marion capitalists. Early in the following year, a portion of the forest upon the north bank of the Broken Sword, in central Todd, was measured by the agents of the com- pany for the laying-out of a new county seat, making the main street east and west, ninety feet ; and, at the crossing of the north and south road, of same width, was left a square, the lat- ter deriving its name from the stream it crosses, is designated Broken Sword avenue. There are six streets running parallel with the avenue, beginning at the third one west, as First street. The one running with the stream and parallel with Main, was christened Water street, and

the one at the north of Main as High street. The village derived its euphonious and poetical sounding name from the chivalrous and in- domitable chief of the Seminoles-Osceola. Dr. Andrew Hetich, Sr., of Bucyrus, being an admirer of this valiant chief, and a sym- pathizer with him in his tragical death, sug- gested his as a very suitable name for the em- bryonic city. In latter years, through an inexcusable carelessness, the orthography has been changed to "Oceola," omitting the s. The Postal Department having written to Mr. Garrigus, the present Postmaster, for the way it was most commonly spelled, he was obliged to give preference to the corruption. Although the two orthographies are still used, business men and others from a distance use the origi- nal spelling, which should be preserved.

The company employed Mr. Adam Bair, Mc- Cauley and others to clear off the underbrush, and mark out more distinctly the streets, and put up some cabins previous to the public sale of lots in 1838. The rise and growth of the village can be best understood by listening to the story of Messrs. Winstead, Tuttle, Leith and others who participated in constructing the " citadel and building the outer walls," which, in substance, is as follows : " The Osceola Company had spared no pains to advertise ex- tensively the intended change of the county seat to the new and centrally located village of Osce- ola, upon the Broken Sword. Young men of enterprise and old men with capital were eager to invest in the choice lots. It became a matter of exciting interest to the neighboring farmer who thought himself so fortunate as to be an owner of the suburbs of the county seat, so that, by the day of sale, anxious bidders, with wise looks, hung close to the auction block to be first to get corner lots." Some had the num- bered lots drawn upon a plat of the village, which they would slyly consult. As the crier would call out the lucky numbers they would rush up and invest their all. Lots in suburbs

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 88

Author: Perrin, William Henry, [from old catalog] comp; Battle, J. H., [from old catalog] comp; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852- [from old catalog] comp; Baskin & Battey, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey Number of Pages: 1034

Author: Perrin, William Henry, [from old catalog] comp; Battle, J. H., [from old catalog] comp; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852- [from old catalog] comp; Baskin & Battey, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1034