USA > Ohio > Greene County > History of Greene County : together with historic notes on the Northwest, and the state of Ohio, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and all other authentic sources > Part 18
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" Joanna Maria Heckewelder, daughter of Rev. John Heckewelder, was born at Salem, one of the Moravian villages on the Tuscarawas, April 16, 1781, and she was the first white female child born upon Ohio territory, as to whose time and place of birth, and death, and subsequent history, there is positive certainty. Her death took place at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, September 19, 1868, in the eighty-eighth year of her age.
"I believe it is generally conceded that the first white child born within our State, after the permanent settlement at the mouth of the Muskingum, was Leicester G. Converse, whose birth took place at Marietta, February, 7, 1789, and who died near said river, in Morgan county, February 14, 1859.
ORGANIZATION OF THE SECOND GRADE OF TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT.
"The Governor having satisfactorily ascertained that the conditions existed entitling the territory to the second grade of government, that is, that there were 'five thousand free male inhabitants, of full age,' within the territory, he, on the 29th day of October, 1798, took the preliminary steps to effect that object, by issuing his proclamation,
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HISTORY OF OHIO.
directing the qualified voters to hold elections for Territorial Repre- sentatives on the third Monday of December, 1798. The election was held in pursuance of said proclamation, which resulted in the follow- ing gentlemen being chosen to constitute the popular branch of the Territorial Legislature for the ensuing two years :
MEMBERS OF TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURE OF 1799-1800.
Return Jonathan Meigs, Washington county.
Paul Fearing, Washington county.
William Goforth, Hamilton 1 66
William McMillan,
John Smith, 66
John Ludlow, 66
Charles F. Chabert de Joncaire, Wayne county. Joseph Darlinton, Adams county. Nathaniel Massie, 56
Robert Benham, 66
James Pritchard, Jefferson 66
Aaron Caldwell,
Thomas Worthington, Ross "
Isaac Martin, 66 66
Elias Langham, 66
Shadrack Bond, St. Clair 66
Samuel Findlay, 66 66
John Small, Knox 66
Edward Tiffin, 66
" The above named gentlemen met at Cincinnati on the 22d of Jan- uary, 1799 and nominated ten men, whose names they forwarded to the United States Congress, five of whom were to be selected by that body to constitute the Legislative Council of the Territory. They then adjourned to meet on the 16th of September, 1799.
" On the 22d of March, 1799, either the United States Senate, the United States House of Representatives, or the President of the United States (authorities are not agreed), chose from among those whose names had been suggested to them the following gentlemen, to compose the first Legislative Council of the Northwest Territory, their term of office to continue five years, any three of whom to form a quorum :
Jacob Burnet, of Cincinnati, Hamilton county. Henry Vandenburg, of Vincennes, Knox county. Robert Oliver, of Marietta, Washington county. James Findlay, of Cincinnati, Hamilton county. David Vance, of Vanceville, Jefferson county.
" The ordinance of 1787 named Congress as the authority in whom was vested the right to select five from the list of ten persons to consti- tute the Territorial Council. But it will be borne in mind that said ordinance was passed by a Congress that legislated in pursuance of the Articles of Confederation, while yet we had neither President nor United States Senate, hence authority was given to Congress to make
John Edgar, Randolph county. Solomon Sibley, Wayne Jacob Visgar, 66
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the selection. But it is highly probable that the aforesaid authority was subsequently transferred to the President, or to the Senate, or to them jointly.
FIRST COUNCIL AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
" Both the Council and House of Representatives met at Cincin- nati, September 16, 1799, and effected a permanent organization. The Council perfected its organization by the election of the following officers :
President-Henry Vandenburg. Secretary-William C. Schenck Doorkeeper-George Howard. Sergeant-at-Arms-Abraham Cary.
"The House of Representatives completed its organization by electing as its officers the following gentlemen :
Speaker of the House-Edward Tiffin. Clerk-John Riley. Doorkeeper-Joshua Rowland. Sergeant-at-arms-Abraham Cary.
" Thirty bills were passed at the first session of the Territorial Leg- islature, but the Governor vetoed eleven of them. They also elected William H. Harrison, then Secretary of the Territory, a delegate to Congress, by a vote of 11 to 10 that were cast for Arthur St. Clair, Jr., son of the Governor, then a promising young lawyer of Cin- cinnati, and who then held the office of Attorney-General of the Territory. The first session of the Territorial Legislature was prorogued by the Governor December 19, 1799, until the first Monday of November, 1800, at which time they reassembled and held the second session at Chillicothe, which, by an act of Congress of May 7, 1800, was made the seat of the Teritorial Government until otherwise ordered by the Legislature. This, the second session of the Terri- torial Legislature, was of short duration, continuing only until Decem- ber 9, 1800.
"On May 9, 1800, Congress passed an act establishing the Indian Territory, with boundaries including the present States of Indiana and Illinois, and William H. Harrison, having accepted the office of Governor of said Territory, it devolved upon the Territorial Legis- lature, at its second session, not only to elect a delegate to fill the vacancy occasioned by his resignation, but also to elect a delegate to
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HISTORY OF OHIO.
serve during the succeeding Congress. William McMillan, of Cin- cinnati, was elected to fill the vacancy, and Paul Fearing, of Marietta, was elected to serve from the 4th of March, 1801, to the 4th of March, 1803. They were both reputed to be men of ability.
" By the organization of the Indiana Territory, the counties of St. Clair, Knox and Randolph were taken out of the jurisdiction of the Northwest Territory, and with them, of course, Henry Vandenburg, of Knox county, President of the Council; also Shadrack Bond, of St. Clair county ; John Small, of Knox county, and John Edgar, of Randolph county, members of this popular branch of the Leg- islature.
"On the 23d of November, 1801, the third session of the Terri- torial Legislature was commenced at Chillicothe, pursuant to adjourn- ment. The time for which the members of the House of Repre- sentatives were elected having expired, and an election having been held, quite a number of new members appeared. The Council remained nearly as it was at the previous session, there being not more than two changes, perhaps only one, that of Solomon Sibley, of Detroit, Wayne county, who took the place of Henry Vandenburg, thrown into the new Territory. Robert Oliver, of Marietta, Wash- ington county, was chosen President of the Council in place of Henry Vandenburg.
" The House of Representatives at the third session of the Terri- torial Legislature was composed of the following gentlemen :
Ephraim Cutler, of Washington county. William Rufus Putnam,
Moses Miller, of Hamilton county.
Francis Dunlavy,
Jeremiah Morrow,
John Ludlow,
66
John Smith,
Jacob White,
Daniel Rceder,
Joseph Darlinton, of Adams county. Nathaniel Massic, -
Zenas Kimberly, of Jefferson county. John Milligan,
Thomas McCunc, 66
Edward Tiffin, of Ross County. Elias Langham, 66
Thomas Worthington, of Ross county.
Francois Joncaire Chabert, of Wayne county. George McDougal, of Wayne county. Jonathan Schieffelin,
Edward Paine, of Trumbull county.
" The officers of the House during its third session were as follows :
Speaker of the House-Edward Tiffin.
Clerk-John Reily.
Door-keeper-Edward Sherlock.
" The third session of the Legislature continued from the 24th of November, 1801, until the 23d of January, 1802, when it adjourned
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A SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF OHIO.
to meet at Cincinnati on the fourth Monday of November following, but that fourth session was never held, for reasons made obvious by subsequent events.
" Congress, on the 30th of April, 1802, had passed an 'act to enable the people of the eastern division of the Territory northwest of the river Ohio to form a constitution and State government, and for the admission of such state into the Union on an equal footing with the original States, and for other purposes.' In pursuance of the afore- said enactment, an election had been ordered and held throughout the eastern portion of the Territory, and members of a Constitutional Convention chosen, who met at Chillicothe on the first day of Novem- ber, 1802, to perform the duty assigned them. When the time had arrived for commencing the fourth session of the Territorial Legisla- ture, the aforesaid Constitutional Convention was in session, and had evidently nearly completed its labors, as it adjourned on the 29th of said month. The members of the Legislature (eight of whom being also members of the Convention), therefore, seeing that a speedy ter- mination of the Territorial government was inevitable, deemed it inexpedient and unnecessary to hold the proposed session.
" The Territorial government was ended by the organization of the State government, March 3, 1803, pursuant to the provisions of a con- stitution formed at Chillicothe, November 29, 1802, by the following named gentlemen : Joseph Darlinton, Israel Donalson, and Thomas Kirker, of Adams county ; James Caldwell and Elijah Woods, of Bel- mont county ; Philip Gatch and James Sargent, of Clermont county; Henry Abrams and Emanuel Carpenter, of Fairfield county ; John W. Browne, Charles Willing Byrd, Francis Dunlavy, William Goforth, John Kitchel, Jeremiah Morrow, John Paul, John. Reily, John Smith, and John Wilson, of Hamilton county ; Rudolph Bair, George Hum- phrey, John Milligan, Nathan Updegraff, and Bazaliel Wells, of Jefferson county; Michael Baldwin, Edward Tiffin, James Grubb, Thomas Worthington, and Nathaniel Massie, of Ross county ; David Abbot and Samuel Huntington, of Trumbull county ; Ephraim Cutler, Benjamin Ives Gilman, Rufus Putnam, and John McIntire, of Washington county.
"Joseph Darlinton, of Adams county ; Francis Dunlavy, Jeremiah Morrow, and John Smith, of Hamilton county ; John Milligan, of Jefferson county ; Edward Tiffin and Thomas Worthington, of Ross county ; and Ephraim Cutler, of Washington county, were the eight gentlemen of the last Territorial Legislature that were also elected members of the Constitutional Convention."
CHAPTER XIII.
ADMISSION OF OHIO INTO THE UNION - POLITICAL HISTORY - EARLY LAWS OF OHIO.
THE ADMISSION OF OHIO INTO THE UNION.
The mooted question as to the exact date of the admission of Ohio into the Union, may be illustrated thus : A man knocks at my door; I give the old-fashioned response, "come in." Now, is he in when I say " come in," signifying consent, or is he not in until he comes in ? The enabling act, for the formation of the State of Ohio, was approved April 30, 1802; the Constitution was formed November 29, 1802. The act empowering the State to execute laws, was not passed until the 19th day of February 1803, and by which she was admitted and fully recognized as one of the States of the Union.
POLITICAL HISTORY.
The first General Assembly under the State constitution, convened at Chillicothe, March 1, 1803. The Legislature enacted such laws as the new State required, and created eight new counties. The first State officers elected by this body were, Michael Baldwin, Speaker of the House of Representatives ; Nathaniel Massie, Speaker of the Senate; William Creighton, Jr., Secretary of State; Colonel Thomas Gibson, Auditor; William McFarland, Treasurer ; Return J. Meigs, Jr., Samuel Huntington, and William Sprigg, Judges of the Supreme Court ; Francis Dunlavy, Wyllys Silliman, and Calvin Pease, Judges of the District Courts.
The second General Assembly met the following December, which passed a law giving to aliens the same proprietary rights in Ohio as native citizens. Acts were also passed, improving the revenue system, providing for the incorporation of townships, and establishment of a board of commissioners of counties.
In 1805 Ohio gained possession of a part of the Western Reserve, through treaties with the Indians at Fort Industry, and subsequently, all the country of the Manmee was ceded to the United States.
One of the most stirring events of this year was the conspiracy of
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POLITICAL HISTORY OF OHIO.
Aaron Burr, whose bold and gigantie scheme for the dismemberment of the Union and conquest of Mexico fully developed itself ; all under the ostensible purpose of settling the Washita lands. At this period a war with Spain seemed inevitable ; and Burr's plan was, to seize Mexico, and with the aid of Generals Wilkinson, Swartwout, Blannerhasset, Davis Floyd, Tyler Sparks, and Smith, with an army of seven thousand men, which would be strengthened as they proceeded on their way to New Orleans, Vera Cruz, and finally to the City of Mexico. Happily, through the exertions of United States Attorney Davies, of Kentucky, and a Mr. Graham, the scheme was discovered ; which led to the trial and acquittal of Burr. Nothing of great historical importance occur- red from this time, until the smouldering fire of Indian hate and revenge, which had for years been kindling under the eloquence of Tecumseh and the cunning of the Prophet, his brother, broke out in 1810.
Tecumseh had always claimed that the treaty of Greenville was not binding because all the Indian tribes were not represented.
After various councils between General Harrison and the Indians, all prospect of an amicable settlement was put to flight by open hostilities. The Prophet and Tecumseh had assembled an army at Tippecanoe, in what is now Cass county, Indiana, which. the former had, through conjuration and other means, inspired with a kind of religious enthusiasm, which led them to expect certain victory over the pale-faces, whom the Great Spirit hated. In 1811 General Harri- son marched against them, and gained a decisive victory over them, which broke the Prophet's power, and, for a time, secured peace to the frontiers. During this year, the first steamboat launched upon western waters, made a trip from Pittsburgh to New Orleans.
The year 1812 found the Indians generally in their villages. Tenskwatawa, the Prophet, like Æsop's braying donkey dressed in a lion's skin, had proved himself a boasting liar, deserted by all his band. But the indefatigable Tecumseh was ever active, and, though the battle of Tippecanoe was fought without his knowledge, and against his advice, and his plans for uniting all the tribes frustrated, various depredations were committed, and several councils held, in which Tecumseh always took a haughty part, until at last, in June, 1812, he went to Fort Wayne and imperiously demanded ammunition. Ammunition was refused, and the agent made him a conciliatory speech. Tecumseh replied that his "British father would not deny him," and after a few moments' reflection, gave the war-whoop, and left for Malden, where he joined the English.
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POLITICAL HISTORY OF OHIO.
In the same month war was formally declared between the United States and Great Britain, of which the West was the principal arena. Opened by the disgraceful surrender of General Hull, by which Detroit, Michigan, and the Canadas were ignominiously given up to the British, followed by defeat in other directions, the national repu- tation was only regained by a series of brilliant victories achieved by gallant Croghan at Fort Stephenson, Oliver H. Perry on Lake Erie, Harrison at the Thames, and the crowning triumph of Jackson at New Orleans. In all of these glorious records Ohio's sons took a prominent part ; scarcely a battle was fought, not participated in by Ohio troops; and the words of the immortal Miller, at Lundy's Lane, "I will try, sir," still ring proudly in the ear of every true patriot.
In 1816 the State house and other public buildings, for the accom- modation of the legislature and State officers, having been erected, the seat of State government was removed from Chillicothe to Colum- bus.
The first legislation relating to a canal connecting the Ohio with Lake Erie, took place in January, 1817; no further steps were taken until 1819, when the subject was again agitated, but not until 1820 was any tangible proof of the success of the scheme evident. On the recommendation of Governor Brown, an act was passed appointing three Canal Commissioners, who were to employ a competent engi- neer and assistants for the purpose of surveying the route of the canal. The action of the Commissioners, however, was made depend- ent upon the acceptance by Congress of a proposition made by the State for a donation and sale of the public land lying upon, and adja- cent to, the route of the canal. By reason of this restriction, active measures were delayed for two years.
In 1822 the subject was referred to a committee of the House, and its feasibility having been strongly urged, James Geddes, of New York, a skilful and experienced engineer, was employed to make the preliminary examination and surveys.
After all the routes had been surveyed, and the proper estimates laid before the legislature, that body passed an act, February, 1825, providing "for the internal improvement of the State by navigable canals." Immediately after, the State carried out the provisions of the act, in excavating the present canal, which has been of so great value to her commercial interests.
On the 4th of February, also, in 1825, the same act authorized the making of a canal from Cincinnati to Dayton, and the creation of a canal fund; the vote in the House being fifty-eight to thirteen; in
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POLITICAL HISTORY OF OHIO.
the Senate, thirty-four to two. On the following day, an act was passed providing for a system of Common Schools.
During the previous year, the Miami University was established at Oxford, Butler county, Ohio, deriving its endowment from a township of land six miles square in the northwest corner of Butler county, which had been located there in lieu of a township originally granted by the United States, for the endowment of an institution of learning, . in Symines's purchase between the Miamis.
The Black Hawk war of 1832, being local in nature, caused no serious perturbation in the State worthy of note.
During the years 1836 and 1837, serious apprehensions of a civil war were felt, arising out of the disputed southern boundary of Michi- gan. The ordinance of 1787 provided that three States should be formed out of the northwest territory, also giving Congress the power to form one or two others north of an east and west line through the head or southern extremity of Lake Michigan. This, at the time Ohio was admitted, was construed to mean that the two said States were not to extend south of the east and west line thus specified, which would include Maumee Bay in Ohio.
Michigan disputed this construction, and when Ohio sent surveyors to fix the line as thus defined, the Michigan territorial authorities organizea an armed force, and drove them out, and stationed a military party on the ground.
Commissioners were sent by the President to the disaffected parties, urging them to await a decision by the proper tribunal ; and when Michigan sought admission into the Union, she was required to recognize the boundary as claimed by Ohio, which she finally did.
In 1837 and 1838, a rupture between the United States and Great Britain was threatened by a revolutionary movement in Canada. Among the States that gave aid and sympathy to this movement, was Ohio, who sent a regiment under the command of Lucius V. Bierce, of Akron, which engaged the provincial militia in a severe fight, and eventually cut their way through Windsor, and escaped to Detroit.
In 1839, W. H. Harrison was nominated on the whig ticket, and in the summer and autumn of 1840, a very exciting canvass ensued. It was assumed that inasmuch as Gen. Harrison was an old pioneer, and lived in a pioneer structure, that his latch string was always hanging out, and that a perennial stream of hard cider flowed for all who might apply. As a natural result there was a lively log cabin and hard cider emigration to his home, and much consumption of spir- ituous liquors, dissipation and drunkenness.
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POLITICAL HISTORY OF OHIO.
No important events in the history of the State occurred till the second constitutional convention in 1850 and 1851, which, among other things, provided for the election of a lieutenant-governor.
At about this time Ohio had assumed the third rank in the Union. Her population in 1830, numbered 937,903; in 1850, 1,980,329; in 1860, nothwithstanding a vast emigration to the west and Oregon, it was 2,343,739. Agriculture and manufacturing industries were in the highest state of prosperity; free schools gave to every child the means of an education, and this was the prosperous condition of Ohio when Abraham Lincoln was elected President.
In 1861, the seeds of rebellion sown by John C. Calhoun, sprang up and deluged our country with a civil war the most devastating that had ever torn through the entrails of any nation on earth. Through the almost prophetic foresight of Gov. S. P. Chase, the militia of Ohio, which had long previously been neglected, were reorganized, and the old rusty cannon only used for Fourth of July celebrations, was brought into requisition, and the small arms were brightened up, and in the face of jeering opposition, companies were recruited and drilled in the cities and towns; and before his second term expired, he had the pleasure of reviewing at Dayton, about thirty companies from different parts of the State, which maintained their organization until consoli- dated into the First regiment in 1861, participating in the war which followed. As a natural sequence, the militia of Ohio were superior to that of all other States.
Prior to the fall of Sumpter and the insult offered to our country's flag, much political difference existed ; but the blood of Sumpter dis solved all factions, and with few exceptions connected all in patriotism. On April 18, 1861, a bill was passed by a unanimous vote of ninety- nine, appropriating $500,000 to carry into effect the requisition of the President. Said sum to be borrowed, and the bonds of the State free from tax and drawing ten per cent interest to be given therefor. Various bills were passed, viz : Declaring the property of volunteers free from execution for debt during their term of service. Any resi- dent of the State giving aid and comfort to the enemy, guilty of treason, to be punished by imprisonment for life, etc. The whole State militia was organized. Arms or munitions of war were prohibi- ted from passing through Ohio to any of the disaffected States. The legislature of 1861 nobly met the extraordinary exigencies imposed upon it, and for patriotism, zeal, and cool judgment, proved itself fully the equal of its successors.
In summing up the part taken by Ohio in the war, we can substi-
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POLITICAL HISTORY OF OHIO.
tute nothing better than the language of Whitelaw Reid : When Lee surrendered at Appomatox Ohio had two hundred regiments of all arms in the national service.
In the course of the war she had furnished two hundred and thirty reg- iments, besides twenty-six independent batteries of artillery, five inde- pendent companies of cavalry, several companies of sharpshooters, large parts of five regiments credited to the West Virginia contingent, two regiments credited to the Kentucky contingent, two transferred to the United States colored troops, and a large portion of the rank and file of the Fifty-fourth and Sixty-fifth Massachusetts colored. Of these, twenty-three were infantry regiments, furnished on the first call of the President, being an excess of nearly one-half over the State's quota. One hundred and ninety-one were infantry regiments, fur- nished to subsequent calls of the President, one hundred and seven- teen of them for three years, twenty-seven for one year, two for six months, two for three months, and forty-two for one hundred days; thirteen were cavalry, and three artillery regiments for three years ; and of these, over 20,000 re-enlisted as veterans at the end of their long term of service to fight till the close of the war. As original mem- bers of, or recruits for, these organizations, Ohio furnished for the National service the magnificent army of 310,654 soldiers. As com- parison, we may say that the older State of Pennsylvania gave only 28,000 more, Illinois 48,000 less, Indiana 116,000 less, and Kentucky 235,000, while Massachusetts was 164,000 less.
Al through the war Ohio responded in excess to every call, and we may repeat with pride the words of her war governor : "If Ken- tneky refuses to fill her quota, Ohio will fill it for her."
Of these troops, 11,237 were killed or mortally wounded in action, 6,563 of whom were left dead on the field of battle. Within forty-eight hours after the telegraphic call of the President in April, 1861, two Ohio regiments were on their way to Washington. An Ohio brigade, in good order, covered the retreat from the first battle of Bull Run. Ohio troops formed the bulk of the army that saved to the Union what subsequently became West Virginia. Also she took the same active part in preventing the secession of Kentucky, the same at Fort Donaldson, Island No. 10, Stone River, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, Atlanta, Fort McAllister, to the sea, and through the Carolinas and Virginia. They fought at Pea Ridge, charged at Wag- ner, helped to redeem North Carolina; laid siege to Vicksburg, Charleston, Richmond and Mobile; at Pittsburg Landing, Antietam, Gettysburg, in the Wilderness, Five Forks, in front of Nashville and
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