USA > Ohio > Erie County > History of Erie County Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 3
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28 .
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
camped. Here he soon after made a peace treaty with the chiefs and sachems of the hostile tribes.
So ended this struggle that has been known in history as Pontiac's War. Peace again was restored, not long, however, to be enjoyed by the already over-burdened American colonists before the whole country was thrown into a state of excitement growing out of the wrongs inflicted by the mother coun- try, and which finally resulted in overthrow of British rule in America.
Before entering upon a narrative of the events of our country succeeding Cresap's War, in order to be entirely just toward all writers, is given an ac- count of the destruction of the Indian crops in this county, alleged to have taken place in 1763, but it must be said that the statement lacks verification by the standard authorities. It is as follows:
" In June, following (1763), Captain Dalzell, on a coastwise voyage from Niagara to the relief of Detroit, with a force of two hundred and eighty men, stopped at Sandusky, burnt the fields of standing corn, and the Wyandot vil- lage at Castalia ; then marched his men northward, to Detroit, and relieved the garrison at that place."
The expedition sent out by the commander-in-chief of the British forces to relieve Detroit, was placed under command of General Bradstreet, and its de- parture was made from Niagara. On their way the Wyandot village and crops were destroyed, and it is, of course, possible that their destruction may have been accomplished by a detachment from Bradstreet's troops under command ·of Captain Dalzell ; still no standard authority credits the latter with command of the expedition sent to relieve the post at Detroit.
CHAPTER V.
Events Preceding the Revolution - Twelve Years of Peace-Growing English Power - Early Commerce of the Lake - The Second Sailing Vessel -- The Beaver - The Moravian Missionaries and Indians - Their Settlement in Erie County - The Revolution.
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0 F the British and Americans who had been in the closest frendship, and un- der the same banners had passed to and fro over the county and the lakes, there were not a few who in twelve more years were destined to seek each oth- er's lives on the blood-stained battle-fields of the Revolution. For a while, however, there was peace, not only between England and France, but between the Indians and the colonists. The Six Nations, though the seeds of dissen-
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PRECEDING THE REVOLUTION.
sion were sown among them, were still a powerful confederacy, and their war parties occasionally made incursions into their county, against their old ene- mies, the dwellers of this region, but the latter generally avoided an engage- ment and withdrew upon their approach. Hither, too, came occasional de- tachments of red coated Britons passing along the borders of the lake and bay in open boats journeying westward to Detroit, Mackinaw and other forts and trading posts.
Along the borders of this country, too, went nearly all the commerce of the upper lakes, consisting of supplies for the military posts, goods for barter and trade with the Indians, and the furs received in return. Trade was carried on almost entirely in open boats propelled by oars, with the occasional aid of a temporary sail. In good weather tolerable progress could be made, but woe to any of these frail craft which might be overtaken by a storm.
The New York Gazette in February, 1770, informed its readers that several boats had been lost in crossing Lake Erie, and that the distress of the crews was so great that they were obliged to keep two human bodies found on the north shore, so as to kill for food the ravens and eagles which came to feed on the corpses. Other boats were mentioned at the same time as frozen up or lost, but nothing was said as to sail-vessels. There were, however, at least two or three English trading vessels on Lake Erie before the Revolution, and prob - ably one or two armed vessels belonging to the British government. One of the former, called the Beaver, is known to have been lost in a storm on the southeastern coast of Lake Erie, and to have furnished relics found in that vi- cinity (Eighteen-Mile Creek) by early settlers, which by some have been attrib- uted to the ill-fated Griffin.
It was about the year 1770 that the great body of people known as the Mo- ravian Missionaries and Indians left their established home on the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania, and emigrated westward to various places in Ohio and elsewhere. Their Pennsylvania settlement and colony was in the country of the Shawnees, among whom they had made many converts and strong friend- ships. By the treaty and sale of 1768 concluded between the Iroquois and the proprietaries of the province of Pennsylvania, the lands occupied by the Shaw- nees and the Moravians as well, passed into the control of the proprietors, whereupon the occupants prepared to vacate, although such action was not en- forced.
The Iroquois claimed title to this whole country of Pennsylvania by con- quest, and from that time the Shawnees were a broken people, many of whom came to Ohio and made a settlement in this region, while others remained on the Susquehanna, as they were permitted to do by the conquerors. Rev. Chris- tian Frederick Post seems to have been the leader of the missionaries, and his influence among all the Indian people was something remarkable. He was the great mediating power between the whites and natives in time of trouble, and
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
his strength among the savages was attained through his entire freedom from deception, sham, avarice. Truth and singleness of mind were his characteris- tics. The Indians knew this and trusted him as fully as if he was of their own people.
Some of the Moravians accompanied the Shawnees at the time of their ear- liest immigration into Ohio, but the great body did not come until many years later, the time mentioned above. One branch or body of them made a settle- ment in Erie county on the Huron River about two miles from Milan, but after- ward moved to Milan. The precise date of their coming is not known, but it is supposed to have been soon after the Revolutionary War; still some authori- ties place their coming at an earlier day.
Concerning these people in this county we extract the following sketch from the work of Mr. Henry Howe, the sketch having been contributed by Rev. E. Judson, of Milan : "On the spot where the town of Milan now stands, there was, at the time of the survey of the fire-lands in 1807, an Indian village, con- taining within it a Christian community, under the superintendence of Rev. Christian Frederick Dencké, a Moravian missionary. The Indian name of the town was Petquotting. The mission was established here in 1804. Mr. Dencké brought with him several families of Christian Indians from the vicinity of the Thames River in Upper Canada. They had a chapel and a mission-house, and were making good progress in the cultivation of Christian principles, when the commencement of the white settlements induced them in 1809 to emigrate with their missionary to Canada. There was a Moravian mission attempted as early as 1787. A considerable party of Christian Indians had been driven from their settlement at Gnadenhutton on the Tuscarawas River, by the inhuman butchery of a large number of the inhabitants by the white settlers. After years of wandering, with Zeisberger for their spiritual guide, they at length formed a home on the banks of the Cuyahoga River near Cleveland, which they named . Pilgerruh, "Pilgrim's Rest". They were soon driven from this post, whence they came to the Huron, and commenced a settlement on its east bank, and near the north line of the township. To this village they gave the name of New Salem. Here the labors of their indefatigable missionary were crowned by very considerable success. They were soon compelled to leave, however, by the persecutions of the pagan Indians. It seems to have been a portion of these exiles who returned in 1841 to commence the new mission."
In 1775 the Revolution began. Its important events were enacted without the boundaries of what now constitutes the State of Ohio. Still, it is to that war that Erie county owes some of the most important events of its early his- tory, for, by reason of the sufferings of residents of Connecticut at the hands of the British, the whole body of land now embraced by the county and more, was donated to them, and the historic "Firelands" were brought into exist- ence. This subject will appear fully discussed in a later chapter of this work.
31
ACQUISITION OF LAND TITLES.
During the War of the Revolution, Indian sentiment was divided. The pow- erful Six Nations, through the influence of Sir William Johnson, and, after his death in 1774, of his nephew, Colonel Guy Johnson, remained true to the cause of Great Britain, while many of the tribes who had been allied to the French during the early wars, inclined to the cause of the colonies, who were receiving not only sympathy, but substantial support from the French government. Still, many tribes were unwilling to aid the patriot cause for the reason that their settlements were becoming too numerous, and they were transgressing against what the Indians firmly believed to be their undeniable rights. The inhabit- ants of this region were not called into active service, either aggressive or de- fensive; they were destined to wait for coming years when later wars called them into action, which ended in their defeat, the loss of their favorite hunting and fishing grounds, and they themselves compelled to end their days in a new country beyond the Mississippi.
With the surrender of Cornwallis, in October, 1781, hostilities ceased. In the fall of 1783 peace was formally declared between Great Britain and the re- volted colonies, henceforth to be acknowledged by all men as the United States of America, of which Lake Erie formed a portion of the northern boundary. Although the forts held by the British on the American side of the line were not given up for many years afterward, and although they thus retained a strong influence over the Indians located on this side, yet the legal title was admitted to be in the United States. Thus the unquestioned English authority over the territory of Erie county lasted only from the treaty with France in 1763, to that with the United States in 1783, a little over twenty years.
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CHAPTER VI.
Extinguishment of Indian Titles to Land - Treaty at Fort McIntosh - Fort Laurens - Fort Finney - Battle at Fallen Timbers - Wayne's Victory - Treaty at Fort Industry - Text of the Treaty -The Indian Title to Lands of Erie County Vested in the United States - Later Events -- The War of 1812-15.
TN the peace treaty made between Great Britain and the United States no provision was made for the Indians who had been hostile to the American arms. It became, therefore, one of the most important duties of the govern- ment to peaceably acquire the Indian title and there seemed to be a general de- sire to possess the territory northwest of the Ohio River. The British gov- ernment had already offered their supporting Indians territory in the Canadas, but this offer was accepted only by the Mohawks.
32
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
The treaty at Fort McIntosh was made on the 21st of January, 1785, with the Wyandots, Delawares, Chippewas and Ottawas, by the terms of which they released all claim to lands of the Ohio Valley, and established the boundary line between them and the United States to be the Cuyahoga River, and along the main branch of the Tuscarawas to the forks of said river near Fort Laurens, thence westwardly to the Portage between the head waters of the Great Miami and the Maumee or Miami of the lakes ; thence down said river to Lake Erie and along said lake to the mouth of the river Cuyahoga. This treaty was ne- gotiated by George Rogers Clark, Richard Butler and Arthur Lee for the gov- ernment and by the chiefs representing the several tribes.
Subsequently, on January 31, 1786, at Fort Finney, the Shawnees accepted the terms of this treaty and became a party to it. This treaty retained to the several tribes mentioned the right to possess the lands along Lake Erie from the Cuyahoga to the Maumee, and thenceforth they, the Wyandots, Ottawas, Chippewas, Delawares and Shawnees occupied the lands of Erie and adjoining counties.
The treaty at Fort Harmar, held by General St. Clair, January 9, 1789, was but confirmatory of the former treaties, and was necessitated by the dis- content of the tribes who were parties to them.
It was not long, however, before the Indians again violated their agreement and their acts led to the salutary punishment administered by Gen. Wayne in the ever memorable battle of Fallen Timbers on the 20th day of August, 1794.
This decisive victory resulted in the treaty at Greenville, in which Wayne met chiefs of the most powerful of the northwestern tribes and made an amica- ble adjustment of all difficulties.
It may be stated as a matter of fact and interest that the insurrectionary movement on the part of the Indians that led to their chastisement at Fallen Timbers was instigated by the British occupants of the forts in the Maumee country. And further, after Wayne's victory some unpleasant words passed between the officers of the post and Wayne's men. This coming to the ears of the " old warrior," he at once intimated that if they wanted a taste of his met- tle their wishes should be gratified. Wayne knew perfectly well that the jeal- ous and beaten British had incited the Indians to such acts and depredations as they had committed.
Of the many treaties made with the Indians for the purpose of acquiring the title to lands claimed by them there was not one perhaps in which such extreme care was exercised as in that held at Fort Industry on the 4th day of July, 1805. A portion of the lands involved in this purchase were the Western Reserve of Connecticut, the title to which had been ceded by that State to the United States, subject, however, to the rights of owners prior to Connecticut's deed of cession.
33
ACQUISITION OF LAND TITLES.
It was the intention of the agent of the government that the council should be convened at Cleveland, but owing to the inability of the representatives of all the tribes to meet there, another meeting was arranged to be held at Fort Industry, on the Maumee, which was done on the 4th of July, 1805.
It is possible that the reader may be somewhat confused regarding some of the provisions of this treaty and their application and force, but after having read the chapter on the " Western Reserve," and the " Firelands" the whole subject will become clear.
The treaty with its preceding certificate and the president's proclamation in conclusion is as follows: "To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting : I certifiy, that the annexed writing contains a true copy of a treaty concluded with certain Indian tribes at Fort Industry, on the 4th day of July, 1805, the original whereof remains in this office. In faith whereof, I, Robert Smith, secretary for the department of state of the United States of America, have signed these presents and caused the seal of my office to be af- fixed hereto, at the city of Washington, this 22d day of March, A. D. 1809, and in the thirty-third year of the independence of the said States.
"[L. S.] R. SMITH.
" Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States of America : To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting :
"WHEREAS, a treaty was held on the 4th day of July, A. D. one thousand eight hundred and five, under the authority of the United States, with the sachems, chief and warriors of the Wyandot, Ottawa, Chippeway, Munsee and Delaware, Shawanee and Pottowatomie nations or tribes of Indians at Fort Industry on the Miami of the lake, in the presence and with the approbation of Charles Jewett, the commissioner of the United States appointed to hold the same, the following agreement was made between the said nations and tribes of Indians and the agent of the land companies hereinafter men- tioned.
" A treaty between the United States of America and the sachems, chiefs and warriors of the Wyandot, Ottawa, Chippewa, Munsee, and Delaware, Shawanee and Pottawatomie nations, holden at Fort Industry, on the Miami of the lake, on the 4th day of July, A. D., one thousand eight hundred and five.
" WHEREAS, Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States, did appoint Charles Jewett, esquire, a commissioner to hold a treaty with said Indian Nations, for the purpose of enabling the agents of the Connecticut Reserve to negotiate and conclude a cession of their lands ; and,
" WHEREAS, The company incorporated by the name of the 'Proprietors of the half million acres of land lying south of Lake Erie, called " Sufferers' Lands,"' and the owners and proprietors of the one half million acres of land,
34
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
part of said Connecticut Reserve, lying on the west end thereof, and south of the shore of Lake Erie ; and,
" WHEREAS, The Connecticut Land Company, so called, are the owners and, proprietors of the remaining part of said Reserve lying west of the river Cuyahoga ; and,
"WHEREAS, Henry Champion, esquire, agent of the said Connecticut Land Company, and Isaac Mills, esquire, agent of the directors of the com- pany, incorporated by the name of the 'Proprietors of the half million acres of land lying south of Lake Erie, called "Sufferers' Lands,"' were both duly au- thorized and empowered by their respective companies and the directors there- of, to treat for the cession and purchase of said Connecticut Reserve.
" Now, Know all men by these presents, That we, the sachems, chiefs, and warriors of the Nations aforesaid, for the consideration of eighteen thousand nine hundred sixteen and sixty-seven one-hundredths dollars received of the companies aforesaid, by the hands of their respective agents, to our full satis- faction, have ceded, remised, released, and quit claimed, and by these presents do cede, remise, release, and forever quit claim to the companies aforesaid, and the individuals composing the same, and their heirs and assigns forever, all the interest, right, title, and claim of title of the said Indian Nations respectively, of, in and to all the lands of said companies lying west of the river Cuyahoga, and the portage between that and the Tuscarawas branch of the Muskingum, north of the northernmost part of the forty-first degree of north latitude, east of a line agreed and designated in a treaty between the United States and said Indian Nations, bearing even date herewith, being a line north and south one hundred and twenty miles due west of the west line of Pennsylvania, and south of the northwesternmost part of the forty-second degree and two minutes north latitude, for them the said companies respectively, to have, hold, occupy, peaceably possess and enjoy the granted and quit-claimed premises forever, free and clear of all let, hindrance, or molestation whatever, so that said Nations and neither of them, the sachems, chiefs, and warriors thereof, and neither of them, or any of the posterity of said nations respectively, shall ever hereafter make any claim to the quit-claimed premises, or any part thereof, but there- from said Nations, the sachems, chiefs, and warriors thereof, and posterity of said Nations shall be forever barred.
" In witness whereof, The commissioner of the United States, the agents of the Companies aforesaid, and the sachems, chiefs, and warriors of the respec- tive Indian Nations aforesaid, have hereunto inter-changeably fixed their seals and set their names.
" CHARLES JEWETT, (L. S.)
" HENRY CHAMPION, (L. S.)
" ISAAC MILLS, (L. S.)
" NEKIK, or LITTLE OTTER. (L. S.)"
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ACQUISITION OF LAND TITLES.
Here follows the names of the other sachems, etc., of the aforesaid Indian tribes :
" In the presence of William Dean, C. F. L. C.
" J. B. MOWER, " JASPER PARISH.
" Now, be it known, that I, Thomas Jefferson, president of the United States of America, having seen and considered the said treaty, do, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, accept, ratify and confirm the same and every article and clause thereof.
" In testimony whereof, I have caused the seal of the United States to be hereunto affixed, and signed the same with my hand.
" Done at the city of Washington, the 25th day of January, A. D. one thousand eight hundred and six, and of the independence of the United States of America the thirtieth.
1560915
"TH. JEFFERSON.
" By the President
"JAMES MADISON, Secretary of State.
" Recorded and examined by Isaac Mills, Clerk."
Thus, by this treaty, was ended the right to possession or claim of title of any of the Indian tribes to the territory of Erie county, but it was a number of years thereafter before they entirely disappeared from the region, and not until their removal was ordered by the general government, some twenty-five or more years later. Many remained to end their days on their favorite hunt- ing and fishing grounds in the region of the lake, the bay, and the Sandusky and Huron Rivers and other streams of the locality. And we have records, too, of one at least, who performed missionary labors among his brethren, and who finally met a tragic death at the hands of one whom he had sought to befriend. This worker for the spiritual welfare of the resident tribes was the chief, Ogontz, of the Ottawa nation. It is said that his cabin stood upon the site of Sandusky City.
After the extinguishment of the Indian titles to lands in this vicinity had been completed, the proprietors of the various companies took immediate steps for their improvement and settlement; but in this direction not much was accomplished, and only a few families settled on the Firelands prior to the war of 1812. The whole country was in an unsettled condition on account of the difficulties then existing, and which led to the declaration of war, and but a few availed themselves of the offer of lands in Erie county.
The Indian occupants of the soil were unfriendly to the American colonists, and they committed many petty depredations at the direct instigation of the British, who still held various posts on the frontier.
To meet and check these acts of hostility troops were ordered to the north- western country, and the government was strongly urged to place a naval war
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
fleet on Lake Erie to engage the British fleet already there. Hull was in con- mand at Detroit at this time, and while the Democratic or Republican (for at this time they were both one) element of the National Congress was in favor of immediate and decisive action, nevertheless they were continually embar- rassed and hampered by the Federalists who were a large and influential minor- ity of the House, and were opposed to the war and demanded further negoti- ations with Great Britain. This delay enabled the British to perfect their organization and strengthen their military posts.
Early in the year 1812, and prior to the actual outbreak of the war, the Indians of this locality became troublesome-so much so that an organization was perfected at Huron to resist any attack, and, if possible, to prevent further outrages. But while the citizens were in meeting for the purpose stated, a report was brought in that two men, Gibbs and Buel, had been foully murdered at a point not far south from Sandusky. As soon as the report was confirmed, these " Minute men" of Erie county started in pursuit of the murderers and eventually captured them. They were Omeek and Semo. The former was hanged at Cleveland, but the latter, who was not secured until later, knowing his probable fate, died by his own hand.
In the latter part of June, 1812, the war was commenced. Hull, as has been stated, was in command at Detroit, and through his inefficiency and blundering that post was surrendered to the British on the 16th of August, together with the whole command, numbering nearly fifteen hundred men, while the opposing force reached less than one thousand.
Indian outrages in this locality continued even while the British with their allies were besieging Detroit and fighting the various commands sent out by Hull. The record of these events in Erie county and its immediate vicinity are so clearly recited in a local publication, made some thirty years ago, that free quotations are made from it.
" During the same spring (1812) another, and perhaps one of the most barbarous massacres occurring before or since, took place at the head of Cold Creek. There were living there at this time the families of D. P. Snow, But- ler and Putnam, and a girl named Page, all of whom were captured by the Indians. Snow had erected on Cold Creek a grist-mill in which he usually kept corn. The Indians, being aware of this, would come in the night and carry much of it away. Snow devised a plan, by laying boards on the floor leading from the embankment to the mill in such a manner that when trod upon they would give way and let the Indians through. After being caught in this manner several times, they became exasperated and determined upon revenge. Concealing themselves one morning among bushes that lined the creek, they awaited the departure from the house of the men who were culti- vating a field of corn some distance away. After they had gone the savages approached the cabins, captured the women and children, killed Mrs. Snow,
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