USA > Ohio > Erie County > History of Erie County Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 54
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The battle of Lake Erie was a notable event of history, and the prepara- tions for it were made in the little harbor on the south side of Kelley's Island. Here Perry lay with his fleet, and here he received on board the thirty-six Ohio, Pennsylvania and Kentucky volunteers from Harrison's army ; and here he was visited by General Harrison and his aids, Cass and McArthur, to talk over and plan the coming battles, which were destined to result so gloriously to our country, and close the war.
From 1812 to 1818 it is not known that there were any white settlers on Kelley's Island. During the latter year a man named Killam, with his family and one or two men, came here and built a cabin and remained until 1820. It was at this time that the first steamboat was built on the lake, and called
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Walk-on-the- Water. A sail-boat also made short trips between Sandusky and the island to meet the steamboat, which could not go to Sandusky every trip, and received her passengers from Venice and Sandusky in this way. Walk-on-the- Water was wrecked October 19, 1820. During these two years Killam was employed to supply the fuel for the boat, and this had to be cut and boated out to the steamboat. It was red cedar, which was very abundant in this locality. After the wrecking of the Walk-on-the- Water, this business was stopped, and Killam left the island in 1820. From that time until 1826 there were no permanent residents here. About this time a couple of men employed by Killam to get out wood, continued their work from time to time, and one of them is connected with the history of the island from the Point which bears his name. Barnum's Point is on the east end of the island, and carries with it the memory of these times, when these two men became ene- mies, and Barnum killed Grunmet, who was standing to shoot him. It was decided that the act was done in self-defense, and Barnum moved away from this section of the country.
In 1826 Elisha Ellis and Peter Shook obtained contracts for two pieces of land, and Ellis proceeded to build a house on his into which his wife and him- self moved.
Shook went away and never returned to the island, and in 1828 Henry Ellithorpe went there to begin stock raising. During the winter of 1828-9 the only inhabitants of this township were Mr. and Mrs. Ellis, Mr. Ellithorpe and Frank Saunders, who worked for Ellis. In December, 1830, Henry Elli- thorpe was married in Sandusky to Elizabeth Neal, and took her home on the ice, taking along six head of cattle. He built a house of cedar on the bank of the lake, and here was born October 6, 1832, the first white child, a son, and named George Ellithorpe.
Of 2,888 acres of land, comprising this island, only six acres were cleared in 1833, when Datus Kelley and his brother Irad visited it with a view to pur- chasing land and going into the cedar business. Before this, however, Cap- tain Ransom, of Sandusky, and Burr Higgins had had an interview with the agents of the principal owners of Cunningham's Island, but this resulted in a disappointment and the purchase was not effected. The first purchase of lands was effected on the 20th day of August, 1833, and consisted of a con- tract made by the attorney of John A. and Mary Rockwell, and Alfred E. Perkins, for 1,444,92. 4100 acres, or almost one half the total area of the island ; for this they paid $2, 167.35, or one dollar and a half an acre. Other purchases followed, and in the autumn of that year a double log-house was built for a boarding-house. During the following winter the present wood-dock was commenced, and by the next spring was sufficiently finished to afford a land- ing to steamboats, and the business of wooding was begun.
Up to the year 1837 this had been a part of the township of Danbury, and
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KELLEY'S ISLAND.
was included in Huron county. That year, however, a change was made, and Erie county was created and Kelley's Island was set off as a part of it. The Legislature in 1840 enacted a law that " all that tract known as Cunningham's Island, situated on the south side of Lake Erie, be constituted a township, to be known as Kelley's Island."
On the 6th of March, 1840, was passed an act creating the county of Ottawa, which should include within its boundaries the new island townships of Kelley's Island and Van Rensselaer. The first election for organization as a township was in April, 1840. There were fifteen votes polled, and in May an election was held for county officers.
As the population increased and its business was entirely with Sandusky, its connection with Ottawa county became very irksome, and a determination was formed to effect a separation and be reinstated in Erie county. In Feb- ruary, 1845, the Legislature passed a law to that effect, so that in the short space of seven years Kelley's Island formed a part of two townships and four counties, and of the four children of Mr. Addison Kelley, born in the same house, no two were natives of the same township or county.
When Messrs. Irad and Datus Kelley had purchased the island, they found several squatters with a little improvement here and there. These they pro- ceeded to buy off, and generally did so with little trouble. There was one man, however, not so readily dispossessed-he claimed to have purchased his tract and refused to give it up without being forced to do so by the law. The result, though expensive, and costing, it is said, as much as the purchase of the island, was beneficial in many ways, for it proved that the Kelleys titles could' not be set aside.
After Mr. Kelley built the docks, he turned his attention to the matter of education and built a school-house. This was done entirely at his own and his brother's expense. It was the first frame building ever erected on the island, and has since been used as a cooper and blacksmith-shop. It is the first building north of the present residence of George Kelley.
Mr. Kelley was a natural reformer. He believed that no place could grow, or community prosper, without a basis of substantial qualities ; and these were, in his estimation, education, frugality, and temperance. Having provided a school-house he next proceeded to offer a reward or bonus to his men (in ad- dition to their regular pay) for dispensing with intoxicants. There are men still living who date all their success to the encouragement afforded them at that time by the precepts and example of Mr. Kelley.
At this time Mr. Kelley had not moved here, but spent half of every year here. In 1836 Mr. D. Kelley resolved to make his permanent residence on the island, and moved his family into a small log-house situated where Mr. George Kelley's house now stands. In 1338 he built a frame house, where he continued to reside until he built the old part of what is now known as the
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Island House. At this time there were twelve families on the island, wi .: with the men who boarded in them, constituted the entire population of K- . ley's Island fifty years ago.
Quarrying stone, getting out cedar posts, chopping steamboat wood, c'. was the business carried on at that time. All the money made heretofore h : ! been made by stone or cedar, but after 1836 steamboat wood formed th- largest item of trade. There could be no farming carried on until the l ... : was cleared, hence it became necessary to offer such inducements that this steamboats would stop for wood. This effected two things-clearing the la! ! and opening communication with the ports on the lake. Not only was M !: Kelley the pioneer of education and civilization on the island, but his son, M: Addison Kelley, who is still living, furnished the model for the first boat that was built here. It was not like other boats, but was intended to weather the storms of all seasons. It was launched early in 1839 and named Number () !!! She proved herself worthy her title when she outlived the worst gale ever known here, in which the schooner Helen Mar was lost with all on board. This boat was so constructed as to right herself in all positions. Her keel was an oak plank, seventeen inches in depth and four inches thick, with an iron shoe on the bottom of it that weighed nearly a ton.
The growth of Kelley's Island has been almost phenomenal. No sooner had the Kelleys become its owners than they commenced a series of improve- ments, and proceeded to put their lands in market at fair prices. The earliest purchasers directly from D. and J. Kelley, were Addison Kelley, John Titus, James Hamilton, Julius Kelley, Horace Kelley, J. E. Woodford, G. C. Hunting- ton, Patrick Martin, Bernard McGettigan, S. S. Dwelle and James Estes, most of whom are still occupying portions of the land they purchased. Instead of one there are five good school buildings. A stone building with lot donated and built by Datus and Sara Kelley, is open to public services of all profitable kinds. There are four churches; each of these support their own minister, and have regular services. And more prominent than any of these buildings is the Is !- and House, a fine summer hotel built in 1874, and destroyed by fire in IS77, and subsequently rebuilt, and is one of the attractive features of a visit to Kei- ley's Island. It was originally the property of Addison Kelley, who sold it to Messrs. Colby, Hickox and Matson of Mansfield. It has since changed hands, and in 1874 was elegantly fitted up by its new proprietor, Jacob Rush. It is 224 feet by 40, three stories high, with grounds elegantly laid out, and all the accessories of a delightful summer resort.
There has been a phenomenal health fulnesson this island ever since its first settlement. Doctors and lawyers have found but little to do there, and for many years Mrs. D. Kelley was the main reliance in all cases of sickness. Al- though the population has increased rapidly, and Kelley's Island is now in per- fect cultivation carrying on several branches of trade, and attracting large num-
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KELLEY'S ISLAND.
bers of visitors yearly, it has never lost its individuality as the home of the Kel- leys. With the exception of Julius Kelley, the entire family of Datus Kelley, his sons, their wives and families; his daughters, their husbands and children have been residents of the island. In 1847 George Kelley, eldest son of I. Kel . ley, moved on with his family.
The history of Kelley's Island could not be written without a special men- tion of the different steamboats that have helped in her march toward civiliza- tion. Since 1839 the main reliance had been Number one, which after a few years of hard and faithful service was pronounced unseaworthy, and plans were formed to build a successor. The possibility of using steam was discussed, but no one thought it could be done. While the decision was not yet made, the matter was decided in a most unexpected manner in 1846. In the spring of that year Mr. Addison Kelley had occasion to go Venice on Number one. The vessel was in a poor condition, and the weather stormy. He concluded it was not safe to return until the storm abated, and in the evening strolled into the office of H. N. Fish, and while discussing the limited means of communication between the Island and the outer world, Mr. Fish suggested that a small steam- boat might be built, by which they could go and come as they chose. Mr. Kelley saw the advantage of this, but stated that they were not able to do this; whereupon Mr. Fish promised them a liberal sum as a loan, to be paid for in transportation, and also promised the business of carrying the wheat from Fre- mont, if they would build a boat of sufficient capacity. On Mr. Kelley's re- turn home he laid the matter before Mr. D. Kelley, who must be the principal stockholder. He took hold of the matter at once, and in less than one week from the time of its first suggestion, the steamboat known as the Islander, was under process of construction. She was a decided success, and did her work well for years, but was at length superseded by the Island Queen in 1853. She was commanded by Captain Orr, and sold in 1866. When she was built she was thought to be too large for the service, but eventually proved to small. She was finally captured by the rebels and sunk in 1864. She was recovered in a few days, comparatively uninjured, and two years later her owners and some others formed a company and purchased the steamer Evening Star. The Star was a new boat of three hundred and forty tons, with a beautiful model low- pressure beam-engine, and cost $45,000, with an additional $1,000 for fitting her up. Her speed was fine, and her carrying capacity unequalled at that time, often carrying on an excursion twelve hundred passengers. Her captains were successively Captain Magle, Kirby and Brown. She was sold in 1872 with the Reindeer, and since that time the islanders have owned no steamboats.
In glancing over the statistics of 1863, it is amusing to note the entries, showing the still primitive condition of Kelley's Island :
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Domestic imports nothing whatever except building materials and family supplies. Foreign imports, none.
Exports, coastwise.
Red cedar, 714 cords $4,291
Limestone, 390 cords 780
Steamboat wood, 3,248 cords .. 4,102
Corn, wheat and pork 2,000
$11,083
Steamboats and Vessels.
One steamboat, 80 tons $5,000
One sail-boat. 150
Number of men employed on same 7
180
Population, 1849
1863. 600
Not only did Mr. D. Kelley build the first school-house, give the first im- petus toward thrift, temperance and success on the island, but he started grape- growing, which has since become such an important industry here and else- where. In the year 1846 the value of grapes sold by D. Kelley did not exceed five dollars. In 1861 the value of the grape crop was $51,080 from one hun- dred and twenty-eight acres. This does not give a fair average per acre, as many of the vines were bearing for the first time. When it is remembered that the first vine was set out in 1842 by Mr. D. Kelley, who had brought cuttings from his old home in Rockport, the advance is marked and more than satisfac- tory. In 1844 the first Catawbas were planted from cuttings obtained from Judge Ely of Elyria. Mr. Carpenter bought a farm on the west end of the Isl- and, and commenced setting out vines until in two or three years he had more vines than any of the older settlers. There was no thought at this time of making them into wine, for the thought had been advanced and believed that no wine could be made from these grapes that would keep. The demand for grapes steadily increased, and in 1855 it was much easier to sell them at ten cents a pound than it had been nine years before at five.
As late as 1854 there was comparatively a small amount of land put in grapes, and this was done by old settlers. The first move in the direction of increasing the number of producers was made in this year, when some in- telligent Germans, who had come from the wine districts of the old world, found employment on the Island. They began to see the possibilities of the . future, and desired to buy land for grape culture. Five acres were bought of Mr. Addison Kelley for fifty dollars an acre, and when he was remonstrated with on the exorbitant price at which he valued his land, he replied that he should sell the next higher, and would only sell five acres to the same individ- ual. Within a few days he sold five acres for sixty dollars an acre, and from that to seventy-five, one hundred and one hundred and twenty-five was quickly reached. The grape-fever became more wide-spread, and as yet there were
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MARGARETTA TOWNSHIP.
no checks to the progress of the interest, for rot, late frosts and other evils were unknown for eighteen years. In 1862, after a successful beginning, the rot ap- peared for the first time.
At this date, 1888, of the original Kelleys there are still living many of their direct descendants on the Island that bears their name, but the surround- ings are very unlike those that were known to their ancestors. The entire Isl- and is now in the most perfect cultivation, and as the boat stops at the landing, and the visitors are met by the hospitable inhabitants, gay in boating attire, and waiting with private carriages to drive to their homes, amid luxuriant vineyards and beautiful homes, one can scarcely believe that all this beauty has been the work of half a century-and where elegant homes now abound, the wigwam of the savage formerly stood. Among all the islands of Lake Erie none is more beautiful than Kelley's Island.
CHAPTER XXVI.
HISTORY OF MARGARETTA TOWNSHIP.
B OUNDED on the north by Sandusky bay, on the east by Sandusky city, Perkins and Oxford townships, on the south by Groton, and on the west by Sandusky county and the bay ; range twenty-four; township six. It was formerly known as Patterson, because many years ago, before cities and vil- lages dotted the northern part of Ohio, while Indians still roamed over its broad acres and this part of Erie county was known only as a large tract of rolling land covered with oak openings, and irrigated by streams and marshes, there came to the region a man by the name of Hugh Patterson, a British In- - dian trader, whose name has been since connected with the history of the township. He was not an honorable man and his influence over the Indians was exceedingly pernicious, as he tried to influence them to join the British against the United States, but he had an unlimited amount of confidence in himself, he talked loudly of buying the whole township, and of course had a certain amount of influence.
There seems however, to have been among the Indians some who refused allegiance to him, and in an account given by a missionary at that time, Rev. Joseph Badger, who labored among the Wyandot Indians from 1805 to ISIO, the following incident is given : "On the 28th of July, 1805, the head chief, Crane, sent for us to write for him. After we had taken supper one of the women made a candle of beeswax, and I seated myself on the floor beside a bench and wrote as directed by the old chief, through an interpreter. His
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
address was to the governor at Detroit, and requested that Hugh Patterson. Williams, and one other man should be removed from among them without delay, as they were contriving mischief and troubling the Indians."
The township however continued to bear his name until in 1812, at a meet- ing of the settlers of the fire-lands in Huron, they resolved unanimously that it was wrong for a township to bear the name of so infamous a man, and the choice of a name was referred to Major Frederick Falley who now held a contract to purchase this township. As he had a mother, sister and several nieces whose name was Margaret, he concluded to imortalize them by calling his newly acquired property Margaretta, and from henceforth the name of Patterson sank into oblivion, and the township was duly organized in 1815 by the commissioners of Huron county, Major Falley, Nathan Cummings and Bildad Adams. At this time it was connected with Danbury north of the bay, but two years later Danbury had a separate organization.
The first election was held the same year. The township contains two vil- lages, Venice on the south side of Sandusky bay, and Castalia, both flourish- ing and widely known. The latter attracts to its club houses many of Amer- ica's largest capitalists, and the name Castalia is as familiar in sporting circles as the Adirondacks or Rangely Lakes.
It scarcely seems possible that where this village now stands, formerly an Indian village occupied the ground, but the evidences and proofs of this fact are too numerous and conclusive to admit of doubt. At the time of Hull's surrender, history tells of a general stampede that took place in this neighbor- hood, when men left their property and fields already planted and fled. The forts and mounds found here indicate that at some past time Indians made this a general headquarters. The missionary to the Wyandots, Rev. Badger, was mainly instrumental in keeping these savages from taking sides against us in the War of 1812. The fort near Venice was discovered by Major Falley over- grown with underbrush and timber, but showing a double entrenchment. It has since been completely obliterated by cultivation, and now no trace of it can be found.
At the time of the stampede a man named Andrews was putting in a hun- dred acres of wheat east of the burying ground, when the panic occurred, and after the troubles subsided he and some of the others came back and harvested their crops with guns on their backs. In 1813 there were but three houses in Cold Creek (now called Castalia), and these were owned and located as fol- lows : Mr. Snow's on the banks of the creek at its source, Mr. Butler's on the opposite bank, twelve or fifteen rods east, and Mr. Putnam's half a mile down the creek on the prairie.
On the 2d of June, 1813, an Indian massacre created a frightful consterna- tion in the little settlement. During the preceding month a party of Indians numbering sixteen, under Pontiac, landed at Pickerel Creek, on a war excur-
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MARGARETTA TOWNSHIP.
sion, and reconoitered slyly until the right occasion offered itself, then, when the men were engaged in the fields at a good distance from the house, and the women and children (twelve in number) were gathered together in the house of Mrs. Snow, who was sick at the time, they made the attack at midday. It was a frightful affair. The Indians rushed into the room, and while one seized Mrs. Putnam by the hair, a second caught hold of Mrs. Butler and a third dragged Mrs. Snow from the bed, and out of the house. When they asked these women if they would go with them they answered in the affirma- tive, and were driven away. The children at play were also seized, and two little boys two years old were killed and scalped. A few rods farther on and they found Julia Butler, a girl of four years, who was also murdered. Mrs. Snow, unable to keep up with the others, was horribly butchered. They then plundered the houses and premises, broke all the crockery and making a pack load of their booty, forced Harry Graves to carry it to the canoes. It was almost sun-down before the men at work knew aught that had taken place. They started at once for Pike Creek, and in the morning were joined by others and followed the trail until the dead bodies of those murdered were found, but no traces of the Indians could be discovered, and they were obliged to return and bury their dead. These were the first interments in the town- ship.
The Indians took their captives to Detroit and gave them into the hands of the British agent, Ironsides, having suffered no violence or injury, except in being forced to walk faster than they were able. They remained in De- troit until the following fall when they were all returned in safety. During this time their friends heard of them, but could not communicate with them, as Detroit was in the hands of the British. Six years after this sad affair, the In- dians again attacked a couple of men who were out on a trapping expedition for muskrats. They had lain down in a temporary hut after collecting a few skins, and were murdered by three straggling Ottawas, two of whom were captured and hung in 1818.
The physical features of this township are rather monotonous as are those of all prairie regions, but this monotony is varied here by streams and springs and two caves. The western half is rolling and thinly timbered, with a com- bination of clay, limestone and sandy soil. The northeast portion was at one time heavily timbered, and had a rich muck soil with clay sub-soil that made it very productive. The second section was heavily timbered, except in the south, which was oak openings, with a gradual descent to the north. The third section is mostly prairie, and used to be called a marsh, until a channel was made for Cold Creek, and by building a railroad, which has drained it and made good farming lands of it. The timber on the timber-lands was mostly oak of different kinds, with a sprinkling of elm and ash, butternut, chestnut and maple. The soil is generally fertile and very productive, but
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
occasional ridges of limestone cropping out make it in some places difficult to cultivate. The soil varies with different localities, sometimes sandy with a pre- ponderance of clay. The township has an immense quantity of stone of a superior quality, suitable for building or paving purposes. It is well nigh in- exhaustible and will supply the demand for centuries.
In the early days of Ohio wild animals abounded here, and those now living tell wonderful stories of hunting and trapping on the very spot where handsome residences now stand. Wild turkeys predominated, and were caught by the Indians in a fashion peculiarly their own, which was afterward adopted by the settlers. This was done by driving them into pens. The more honorable preferred to kill them with a rifle. Wolves had their head- quarters at Cold Creek, and were numerous. Deer abounded and were hunted by the pioneers, who considered this their principal diversion. To-day there are no wild animals to be found in the township except a few squirrels and rabbits.
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