USA > Ohio > Darke County > History of Darke County, Ohio, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume I > Part 28
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"With mirthful laugh and joyous song They through the forest strayed, Nor thought that they were doing wrong In being undismayed ; But, ah! in deep and somber shade Two dread Wyandots stood ; Who had their every act surveyed, Yet did their sight elude.
"With axe upraised and gleaming eyes They from their covert sprung; In vain were uttered mercy's cries And hands in vain were wrung- In vain the two together clung And called their mother's name- The whetted axe that o'er them swung Fell swift with deadly aim.
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"Their golden locks that in the morn A mother's pride had shone, Red dripping from their heads were torn To deck an Indian zone; Beside a gray primeval stone Their mangled forms were laid, Where oft in sadness and alone, The mother wept and pray'd.
"Yes! on yon hill of gentle rise, Whose base yon brook flows round- The gallant Cloyd, with streaming eyes Low placed them in the ground ; And now, though time with lengthen'd bound Has measured sixty years- He comes to view this spot renowned And shed again his tears.
"But O! what changes time has wrought, Since here amid alarms, These murder'd ones he bravely caught Within his stalwart arms ; And braving death in all its forms, Wiped from each lovely face The gore that veil'd those youthful charms That death could not efface.
"No mother smoothed their silken hair, Nor deck'd the pulseless breast ; No funeral hymn rose on the air When they were laid to rest ; No words of solace were express'd When closed the lonely grave, All sounds save sighs were there repress'd- The sighs of soldiers brave.
"Alas! the breast with grief must swell, The eyes with tears must flow; The heart must ache, and bid farewell To cherish'd ones below ; But who that mother's grief could know, Could feel her heart's deep pain, When, wild with tears and nameless woe, She mourned her children slain."
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The poem was well read and made a decided impression.
After a dinner a procession was formed and a committee of the following representative young ladies escorted tlie coffin containing the few remains of the unfortunate children to the new cemetery : Lilly Perry, Adda Benham, Eirma McGinnis, Cora VanTilburg, Isleoel Blessing, Edna Comp- ton, Mary McConnell, Flora Tomilson, Clara Crider, Ella Helm, Lizzie Biltimier and Fannie Frizell.
A few brief and well chosen remarks were made at the grave by Rev. H. K. McConnell of the Christian church, after which an appropriate selection was sung by the little pall- bearers and the benediction pronounced by Levi Purviance.
On the same day a large field boulder, weighing about four tons, was swung under a wagon drawn by six horses, and transported to the cemetery where it was placed over the new grave, where it may be seen today inscribed with the brief but impressive words: "In memory of Patsey and Anna Wilson, killed by the Indians at Greenville, O., in 1812, aged 14 and 8 years."
Dedication of New Court House in 1874.
Many notable scenes took place in the county seat dur- ing the stirring days of the Civil War as described and sng- gested eleswhere. After the close of this conflict, the resi- dents of western Ohio, who were tired of accounts of camps and battles, of slaughter, misery and hardships, eagerly de- voted themselves to the arts of peace, and took up the prob- lems of life with renewed determination. Years of hard labor and sacrifice ensued, but before another decade had closed old "Darke" had forged ahead and was assuming an enviable position among the counties of the state. Her prog- ress was well typified by the substantial new court house in 1874. The dedication of that structure is aptly described by a former attorney and historical chronicler.
"It has been mentioned before that in the year 1874 the new court house was finished. In the summer of that year the business of the courts was transferred from the old to the new court house. This proceeding was done with con- siderable ceremony. Notice had been given that on a certain day the new court house would be dedicated. Quite a con- course of people collected in town. At one o'clock p. m. the people collected in the old court house, which was soon
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crowded, when Wm. Gilmore, of Eaton, a prominent lawyer, and the same year elected one of the Supreme Judges of Ohio, and who had practiced his profession a great many years at this bar, and who had also been judge of this court, as orator of the day, ascended to the judge's seat, when he made the following remarks as well as can now be remem- bered: 'Forty years ago this very year, this old house then new was dedicated to the use of the courts as a tem- ple of justice. Here used to assemble in those early days of your county when this house was new such eminent judges and jurists as Joseph H. Crain and William Holt, who in succession first occupied the seat and dispensed even-handed justice to all. In 1840 and 1841, the seat was occupied by Judge Holt, then by John Beers, and in succession by Clark and Hume, of Hamilton, then by Judge Haines, of Eaton. then by W. M. Wilson and William Allen, of your own coun- ty, then by your humble servant, then by Jas. McKema, and last, though not least, by David L. Meeker, your present judge.
"'Of the legal gentlemen who attended this bar from abroad were Joseph H. Crain, Wm. Holt, David Stoddard, Charles Anderson, of Dayton; William McNut, Joseph S. Hawkins, David Heaton, Abner Haines and your humble servant, of Eaton ; John Beers, Hiram Bell, W. M. Wilson, C. F. Dempsey and others of your own county. Besides these, as accasional visitors on special legal business, your bar has been honored by the name of L. D. Campbell, Thomas Cor- win and C. L. Valandigham, whose stirring eloquence has reverberated around and through this room and shook and caused to tingle every nerve in your system.
"'Of those renowned judges and jurists, whom we were so glad to meet and see, J. H. Crain, David Stoddard, Thomas Corwin, C. L. Valandigham, Wm. McNut, J. S. Hawkins, Abner Haines, John Beers, Hiram Bell and W. M. Wilson have passed away and entered the silent shades. We shall hear them no more. Their eloquence will not again thrill our bosoms, but a voice they left in our hearts and affections is still felt, and long may their memories live. While remem- bering these legal gentlemen we would not forget another frequenter of this house, and though he was neither judge nor juist, but an humble page and constable, who so fully attended to our wants and comforts about the court house for so many years, and greatly endeared to us all. I allude
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to Eleazer Sharp. He, too, has passed away to that home from which no traveler returns, and which we are all nearing with each revolving year. These were the tenants and the life of this house and its business. Some of whom have grown old, and worn down by the cares of business, have fell by the wayside. The tenement they occupied has also grown old and must soon give way for another. We have not met here at this hour to bid farewell to this old house, not the memories and pleasant incidents kindled here but to these old walls. And now, farewell, old court house, the honors that belonged to you we this day transfer to another. Your halls will henceforth be silent. No eloquent appeals will any more resound within you to listening jurors and audi- tors. No strife nor bickerings. No heart burnings nor back- bitings. No more efforts of crime to conceal itself behind a legal dodge or false statements of perjured witnesses. Nor will . wrong and oppression any more drive innocence and virtue to the wall. These latter we would leave and bury forever, and ever forget them if we could, but like the fatal ignatus fatuis, unbidden, feared and loathed, undesired, they will follow. Farewell, old court house, forever, farewell.' The people now left the old court house and re-assembled in the new house. Mr. Gilmore again took the judge's stand and spoke somewhat as follows:
".My friends, we are now in the new court house of Darke county, and Darke county needed a new court house. Here you have one, large and finished in all its compartments. I see no marks of either poverty or stinginess about it, nor yet of useless expenditures. A house suitable to the great and growing country of Darke county and an honor to you who have furnished the means to build it. This grand and magnificent building we now dedicate and to the purposes for which you have intended it. In this beautiful building you intend your courts to assemble. Here you intend that justice shall be administered, and the public business of your county be transacted. Here is your Recorder's office, the Probate office, the Treasurer's office, the Auditor's office, the Commissioner's office, the Clerk of the Court's office and Sheriff's office, with large and commodious rooms for the use of jurors, a council room, with several other rooms an- ticipating any further need-and this great court room, ca- pable of accommodating 1,000 persons, all of these are now set apart to their appropriate uses, and will henceforth be occupied by the proper officers, and that pertaining to his
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office. This court room is made large and commodious that the people may from time to time assemble here to see and hear the manner in which the courts are conducted, and that they may keep a watchful eye upon the manner in which justice is administered. This is one of your great safe- guards, for no court nor jurors, however corrupt in secret transactions, are willing to commit a flagrant outrage against right and justice in the face of the people. In these times of general intelligence it can no longer be presumed that the people will not see partiality or an attempt to evade the law by either court or juries. Justice is easily wounded, and like oppression will cry out, and it is woe to the man who stifles justice or puts the heel of oppression on innocence. The day was when the word of a jury court was law, and the verdict of a jury was not to be gainsaid, but those days have passed away and the decisions of courts and the verdict of juries are as freely mooted and criticized at this day as the conduct of a general in the field, or any other public officer. I would not intend to create, or even leave an impression that courts in any age of the world have been generally corrupt. But on the contrary history will bear me out in the broad asser- tion that no part of the public administration of any nation, ancient or modern, has sustained a better reputation for honor and lionesty than the judiciary. It has been the good fortune of mankind for the ages past, as we may hope it will be for ages to come, to be as a general thing blessed with honest and competent judges. Indeed much of the civilization and lib- erty enjoyed by the world at this time is due to the con- struction of the laws by the judges of the past. And great things will yet be done in the future to uphold and perpet- uate christianity, civilization and liberty. The life, liberty and reputation of man is often held and treated by the rabble as things of small importance, and tyrants may and have ground to the dust the innocent who have fell into their power. But not so with the courts of justice. The great and leading principle with them is now and always has been to shield the innocent, guard the reputation and preserve the life and liberty of all.
"'Away back in the infancy of courts and of civilization justice was sculptured in marble in the habiliments of a fe- male, as less liable to corruption than the male, with a pair of evenly balanced scales in her hand, and blind that she might not be prone to favor by her sight. Such a figure you have affixed to the external front of your court house, not that (21)
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you would thereby intimate that you would have your judges blind, but as a hint that they should see no favor on either side, and that they be moved neither by pity nor passion to the prejudice of justice, and right here in this house as year after year shall drop into the great reservoir of eternity, right here as your county shall year after year rise in her greatness and her commercial interests increase with her growth, may justice be done.'"
Unveiling of the Wayne Treaty Memorial.
In February, 1906, the Greenville Historical Society de- cided to select a suitable site and place thereon a large me- morial boulder commemorating Wayne's Treaty of 1795. Frazer E. Wilson, Jacob W. Morrison and Wm. I. Swartz were appointed as a committee to carry this decision into effect. A search was soon begun for a granite boulder large and shapely enough for this purpose. After diligent search a fine specimen of black diorite boulder was located in the Meeker woods north of Greenville creek, near the site of the killing of the Wilson children before mentioned.
On the fourteenth day of March considerable snow fell, a 'mud sled' was improvised and the huge boulder, weighing nearly four tons, was transported to the lot belonging to Chas. Katzenberger (No. 70) on West Main street opposite the reputed site of the treaty, through the generosity of Mr. Geo. A. Katzenberger, then president of the soceity.
By dues and special subscriptions the society then secured a beautiful bronze tablet 20x28 inches in size, bearing the following appropriate inscription, inclosed in a circle and surrounded by the emblems of savage warfare and peace :
"Placed to commemorate the Treaty of Greeneville, Signed August 3, 1795, by General Anthony Wayne representing the United States Government and the Chiefs and agents of the Allied Indian Tribes of the Territory Northwest of the Ohio River MCMVI."
LACL DEEMONTHE THE
THEATY OF CHEENEVILLE
GENERAL ANTHONY WAYNE
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT FIND THE CHIEFE AND AGENTS OF ERE ALLIED INDIAN TRIBES OF THE
WAYNE TREATY MEMORIAL, GREENVILLE, OHIO, UNVEILED BY THIE HISTORICAL SOCIETY AUGUST 3, 1906
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This tablet was firmly attached to the front face of the boulder and unveiled with appropriate ceremonies on August 3, 1906, the one hundred and eleventh anniversary of the signing of the treaty.
President Katzenberger delivered the speech of presenta- tion on behalf of the Historical Society; Mayor Thos. C. Maher accepted the monument on behalf of the city, and S. M. Gorham, Grand Sachem of the Ohio Red Men, and Hon. E. O. Randall, secretary of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society, Hon. C. R. Gilmore, of Dayton, and Mrs. Edward Orton, Jr., Regent of the Columbus Chapter of the Ohio Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, delivered appropriate addresses.
The unveiling was done by Masters Sanford Irwin and Os- car Kerlin, Jr., descendants of Thos. Irwin and Major Adams, respectively, who served in the Indian wars.
Music was furnished by the Greenville band and a salute fired by Company M, Third Regiment, O. N. G.
The preliminary parade was participated in by the Green- ville band, Jobes Post, G. A. R., Little Turtle Tribe and visit- ing Red Men, Company M, Third Regiment, members of the Historical Society, Reppeto's drum corps and an improvised troop of "Redskins" led by Mr. Alvin Kerst.
Although the day was quite sultry and a small circus of- fered a counter attraction, a goodly sized crowd witnessed the parade and listened attentively to the dedicatory speeches, which were pronounced interesting, instructive and appro- priate to the occasion.
The total cost of securing and placing the boulder and tab- let and conducting the dedicatory exercise was only about $175.00, showing what a modest sum will do toward marking a historic site when expended by those who are actuated by feelings of patriotism and local pride.
Dedication of the Fort Jefferson Memorial.
Encouraged by the success of the enterprise of placing the Wayne Treaty Memorial, the Greenville Historical Society next determined to erect a suitable memorial on the site of old Fort Jefferson, the most advanced post established by St. Clair on his unfortunate campaign. Accordingly, the own- ers of the site, Messrs. Patty and Coppock, of the Greenville Gravel Company, were persuaded to donate and transfer two
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lots adjoining the Neave Township House lot on the west to the Township Trustees in trust for a park and monument site. On September 12, 1907, ground was broken for the monument by the citizens of Fort Jefferson, granite field boulders were soon collected from the neighborhood and on October 7th the work of erection began. The shaft was erected by Mr. Fritz Walter, of carefully selected boulders, faced on one side, laid in Portland cement and pointed black. When completed it was six feet and six inches square at the ground line, with a shoulder about two feet high, surmounted by a tapering shaft with a total height of about twenty feet. To the north side of this shaft facing the road, was attached a neat bronze tablet secured from Paul E. Cabaret & Co., of New York, and bearing this inscription :
"Fort Jefferson built by the army of General Arthur St. Clair in October, 1791, and used as a military post during the expedition against the Northwestern Indian Tribes MCMVII."
The school children of the neighborhood erected a fifty foot flag staff near the shaft. The dedication took place on October 24, 1907, the one hundred and sixteenth anniversary of the naming of the fort, when the following program was rendered :
"Hail, Columbia"-Deubner's Drum Corps.
"America"-Audience.
"Invocation"-Rev. C. Il. Gross.
Address on behalf of Committee on Erection-Frazer E. Wilson.
Address of Presentation-Geo. A. Katzenberger.
Unveiling-Elizabeth D. Robeson.
Military Salute-Gun Squad Co. M.
"Star Spangled Banner" -- Drum Corps.
Address of Acceptance-Prof. Jacob T. Martz.
Historic Address-Judge Jas. I. Allread.
"Yankee Doodle"-Drum Corps.
Address on behalf of the Red Men-Lewis E. Wills.
Reminiscenes-Wesley Viets.
Benediction-Rev. G. W. Berry.
BOULDER MEMORIAL ON THE SITE OF FORT JEFFERSON. UN- VEILED BY THE GREENVILLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OCTOBER 24, 1907
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The weather was crisp and clear and the exercises were a success in every way.
A novel scene, not on the program, was enacted when an improvised band of motley attired "redskins" under Chief Scout Alvin Kerst, "attacked the fort" from the low ridge to the south. Flitting from bush to bush they fired random shots and took the crowd by surprise, making a very realistic performance.
The cost of the tablet was ninety dollars and the entire cost of the shaft, tablet and dedication about one hundred and ninety dollars.
Since the erection of this appropriate memorial the ground has been fenced and nicely planted with trees, providing a nice park dedicated to the memory of St. Clair and his brave soldiers who suffered in the primitive wilderness.
CHAPTER XIV.
SOME NOTABLE CITIZENS.
Every established community has produced or nurtured men of exceptional energy and ability, who by their activity, local pride and steadfast devotion have made a worthy record for themselves which should be preserved for the instruction and inspiration of future generations.
Darke county is no exception and should enroll on her scroll of fame the names of her citizens, who have blazed the way in husbandry, business, education, medicine, law, politics and the active affairs of men. Among the pioneers we have especially mentioned the names of Azor Scribner and Linus Bascom, the frontier merchants; Abraham Scribner, the poli- tician; John Devor, the surveyor; Abraham Studebaker, the stalwart farmer, besides many others of less prominence. To this notable list should be added the name of
Major George Adams .*
This man was born in Virginia, October 26, 1767; served as a drummer boy in the latter days of the Revolution, and was sent in 1790 with important dispatches to General Har- inar, then in command of Ft. Washington. Adams came down the Ohio river from Pittsburg in a canoe and when he arrived at Ft. Washington learned that General Harmar had started with an army for the Maumee town a few days before. Governor St. Clair, wishing Harmar to get the ex- press, fitted Adams out with a good horse, saddle, bridle, rifle, ammunition and rations and sent him forward. He overtook the army at the old Indian town of Chillicothe, near Xenia, some fifty miles out, on the fourth day. Here he de- livered the despatches to Harmar, joined the Kentucky mounted men and proceeded with the army on its eventful campaign, described elsewhere in this volume. When the
*The main points of this sketch are derived from an article by George A. Katzenberger in Volltre XXII of Ohio His- torical Society Reports.
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whites and Indians met in combat on the 22d of October, near the present site of Ft. Wayne, Ind., a spirited engage- ment took place in which Adams exhibited marked bravery and was severely wounded. On this expedition, it is said, he killed five Indians and received four or five severe wounds; one ball entering his thigh, one breaking his arm, another lodging under his arm, while the fourth cut his breast and lodged under his shoulder blade. The army surgeons found him in a very weak condition on the evening after the fight, dressed his wounds, but said that he could not live until morning and ordered his grave dug. On the retreat he was carried on a litter betwen two horses and a grave was dug for him three evening in succession. However, Adams, who is described as being about five feet, eight inches tall, with a shock of red hair, had a robust constitution, and arrived safely at Ft. Washington where he recovered completely. Not daunted by these experiences he continued in the ser- vice of his country as a scout and was with St. Clair in his disastrous expedition. On this occasion he was with Captain Slough and party, who were sent along the trace ahead of the army on the evening before the battle to ascertain wheth- er any Indians were near. At the beginning of the retreat he endeavored to form the panic stricken troops in line but without success.
On January 26, 1792, he married Elizabeth Ellis, probably of Limestone, Ky.
On Wayne's expedition, it is said, Adams acted as Captain of scouts, disguised himself in full Indian rig, and with painted face hung about their encampments where he secured infor- mation of value for his commander. It is probable that he continued with Wayne throughout his campaign and was present during the negotiations which resulted in the treaty at Greenville in 1795.
After the wars he settled for a short time on a hundred-acre tract south of Hamilton, which he secured on a warrant issued by the government for his services in the revolution. Later he entered four hundred acres of fine land further up the Miami near Silver creek (Hale's), about five miles from the site of Dayton, which he secured on account of his services in the Indian war. Here, in 1797, he established himself with his family in a cabin equipped with scanty furniture and supplies, including his trusty axe and rifle, which he considered pre requisites.
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"In the river were fish in abundance, and in the woods, game and wild honey, so that even in the first year there was but little privation for his family. With each year his farm was improved and the furniture and the cabin were made more comfortable. In the fields were cattle and hogs, and the fer- tile soil yielded abundant crops. The farmer and his family had bread and butter, milk, meat and vegetables in plenty for themselves and gave freely of it to hungry travelers and wandering Indians." During these peaceful years of his life his home was used for various meetings, and the major pro- fessed a religious quickening and joined the New Light church. In 1806, probably after the experience, he and his wife united with the Baptist church, called the Union church, near Dayton on the Great Miami river.
In this primitive Arcady, under his own vine and fig tree, enjoying for most of the time peace, prosperity and plenty, he lived until the outbreak of the war of 1812, when he again ·responded to the call of his country and enlisted for service. On account of the hostile attitude of the Indians several block houses were at this time built in Montgomery county as rallying places for the exposed and scattered settlers of Preble, Darke and Miami counties. Troops assembled at Dayton in the spring and summer of 1812, upon the urgent call of Governor Meigs, and on August 26th, six companies. consisting of over four hundred men, were organized into a battalion and chose Major Adams as their commander. "Shortly after this time two regiments of Montgomery county militia were stationed at Piqua, Major Adams' bat- talion was ordered to St. Mary's and Col. Jerome Holt, and his regiment to Greenville, where they were directed to build a block house and stockade. Later as the Indians were threatening Fort Wayne, it became necessary to obtain re- inforcement for Major Adams' battalion, who were about to march to St. Mary's for the relief of that post." At St. Mary's, Adams' volunteers awaited reinforcements which soon ar- rived from Piqua. The troops this collected at St. Mary's are said to have numbered four thousand and were led by Gen. William H. Harrison from that place on September 9th. On the 12th, they arrived at Fort Wayne, where they soon de- stroyed the villages of the hostile Indians. Here Adams' reg- iment was discharged on the 23d of September after one month's prompt and effective service, which was highly ap- preciated by the people of Dayton and the Miami valley.
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