History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 10

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co.
Number of Pages: 1096

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into prominence as an important place. By some means, their expectations failed, and only the dilapidated village of Clarkesburg perpetuates their hopes.

The conquest of Clarke changed the face of affairs in relation to the whole country north of the Ohio River, which would, in all probability, have been made the boundary between Canada and the United States. When this was proposed, the strenuous arguments based on this conquest, by the American Commissioners, secured the present boundary line in negotiating the treaty of 1793.

Though Clarke had failed to capture Detroit, Congress saw the importance of the post, and resolved on securing it. Gen. McCosh, commander at Fort Pitt, was put in command, and $1,000,- 000 and 3,000 men placed at his disposal. By some dilatory means, he got no further than the Tuscarawas River, in Ohio, where a half-way house, called Fort Laurens, for the President of Congress, was built. It was too far out to be of practicable value, and was soon after abandoned.

Indian troubles and incursions by the British were the most absorbing themes in the West. The British went so far as Kentucky at a later date, while they intended reducing Fort Pitt, only abandoning it when learning of its strength. Expeditions against the Western Indians were led by Gen. Sullivan, Col. Daniel Broadhead, Col. Bowman and others, which, for awhile, silenced the natives and taught them the power of the Americans. They could not organize so readily as before, and began to attach themselves more closely to the British, or commit their depredations in bands, fleeing into the wilderness as soon as they struck a blow. In this way, several localities suffered, until the settlers became again exasper- ated; other expeditions were formed, and a second chastisement given. In 1781, Col. Broadhead led an expedition against the Central Ohio Indians. It did not prove so successful, as the Indians were led by the noted chief Brant, who, though not cruel, was a foe to the Americans, and assisted the British greatly in their endeavors to secure the West.

Another class of events occurred now in the West, civil in their relations, yet destined to form an important part of its history-its land laws.

It must be borne in mind, that Virginia claimed the greater portion of the country north of the Ohio River, as well as a large part south. The other colonies claimed land also in the West under the old Crown grants, which extended to the South or Western Sea. To more complicate mat-

ters, several land companies held proprietary rights to portions of these lands gained by grants from the Crown, or from the Colonial Assemblies. Others were based on land warrants issued in 1763; others on selection and survey and still others on settlement. In this state of mixed affairs, it was difficult to say who held a secure claim. It was a question whether the old French grants were good or not, especially since the change in government, and the eminent pros- pect of still another change. To, in some way, aid in settling these claims, Virginia sent a com- mission to the West to sit as a court and determine the proprietorship of these claims. This court, though of as doubtful authority as the claims themselves, went to work in Kentucky and along the Ohio River in 1779, and, in the course of one year, granted over three thousand certificates. These were considered as good authority for a definite title, and were so regarded in after pur- chases. Under them, many pioneers, like Daniel Boone, lost their lands, as all were required to hold some kind of a patent, while others, who possessed no more principle than "land-sharks" of to-day, acquired large tracts of land by holding a patent the court was bound to accept. Of all the colonies, Virginia seemed to have the best title to the Northwest, save a few parcels, such as the Connecticut or Western Reserve and some similar tracts held by New York, Massachusetts and New Jersey. When the territory of the Northwest was ceded to the General Government, this was recognized, and that country was counted as a Virginia county.

The Spanish Government, holding the region west of the Mississippi, and a portion east toward its outlet, became an important but secret ally of the Americans. When the French revolt was suppressed by O'Reilly, and the Spanish assumed the government of Louisiana, both Upper and Lower, there was a large tract of country, known as Florida (East and West), claimed by England, and duly regarded as a part of her dominion. The boundaries had been settled when the French first occupied Lower Louisiana. The Spaniards adopted the patriarchal form of rule, as much as was consistent with their interests, and allowed the French full religious and civil liberty, save that all tribunals were after the Spanish fashion, and governed by Spanish rules. The Spaniards, long jealous of England's growing power, secretly sent the Governors of Louisiana word to aid the Americans in their struggle for freedom. Though

HISTORY OF OHIO.

they controlled the Mississippi River, they allowed an American officer (Capt. Willing ) to descend the river in January, 1778, with a party of fifty men, and ravage the British shore from Manchez Bayou to Natchez.

On the 8th of May, 1779, Spain declared war against Great Britain; and, on the Sth of July, the people of Louisiana were allowed to take a part in the war. Accordingly, Galvez collected a force of 1,400 men, and, on the 7th of September, took Fort Manchac. By the 21st of September, he had taken Baton Rouge and Natchez. Eight vessels were captured by the Spaniards on the Mississippi and on the lakes. In 1780 Mobile fell ; in March, 1781, Pensacola, the chief British post in West Florida, succumbed after a long siege, and, on the 9th of May, all West Florida was surrendered to Spain.

This war, or the war on the Atlantic Coast, did not immediately affect Upper Louisiana. Great Britain, however, attempted to capture St. Louis. Though the commander was strongly suspected of being bribed by the English, yet the place stood the siege from the combined force of Indians and Canadians, and the assailants were dispersed. This was done during the summer of 1680, and in the autumn, a company of Spanish and French resi- dents, under La Balme, went on an expedition against Detroit. They marched as far north as the British trading-post Ke-ki-ong-a, at the head of the Maumee River, but being surprised in the night, and the commander slain, the expedition was defeated, having done but little.

Spain may have had personal interests in aiding the Americans. She was now in control of the Mis- sissippi River, the natural outlet of the Northwest, and, in 1780, began the troubles relative to the navigation of that stream. The claims of Spain were considered very unjust by the Continental Congress, and, while deliberating over the question, Virginia, who was jealously alive to her Western interests, and who yet held jurisdiction over Ken- tucky, sent through Jefferson, the Governor, Gen. George Rogers Clarke, to erect a fort below the mouth of the Ohio. This proceeding was rather unwarrantable, especially as the fort was built in the country of the Chickasaws, who had thus far been true friends to the Americans, and who looked upon the fort as an innovation on their territory. It was completed and occupied but a short time, Clarke being recalled.

Virginia, in 1780, did a very important thing; namely, establishing an institution for higher edu-

cation. The Old Dominion confiscated the lands of " Robert Mckenzie, Henry Collins and Alex- ander McKee, Britons, eight thousand acres," and invested the proceeds of the sale in a public semi- Lary. Transylvania University now lives, a monu- ment to that spirit.

While Clarke was building Fort Jefferson, a force of British and Indians, under command of Capt. Bryd, came down from Canada and attacked the Kentucky settlements, getting into the country be- fore any one was aware. The winter before had been one of unusual severity, and game was ex- ceedingly scarce, hence the army was not prepared ro conduct a campaign. After the capture of Rud- dle's Station, at the south fork of the Licking, Bryd abandoned any further attempts to reduce the set- tlements, except capturing Martin's Station, and returned to Detroit.

This expedition gave an additional motive for the chastisement of the Indians, and Clarke, on his return from Fort Jefferson, went on an expedition against the Miami Indians. He destroyed their towns at Loramie's store, near the present city of Sydney, Ohio, and at Piqua, humbling the natives. While on the way, a part of the army remained on the north bank of the Ohio, and erected two block-houses on the present site of Cincinnati.

The exploits of Clarke and his men so effectually chastised the Indians, that, for a time, the West was safe. During this period of quiet, the meas- ures which led to the cession of Western lands to the General Government, began to assume a defi- nite form. All the colonies claiming Western lands were willing to cede them to the Government, save Virginia, which colony wanted a large scope of Southern country southeast of the Ohio, as far as South Carolina. All recognized the justice of all Western lands becoming public property, and thereby aiding in extinguishing the debts caused by the war of the Revolution, now about to close. As Virginia held a somewhat different view, the cession was not made until 1783.

The subject, however, could not be allowed to rest. The war of the Revolution was now drawing to a close ; victory on the part of the colonies was apparent, and the Western lands must be a part of the public domain. Subsequent events brought about the desired cession, though several events transpired before the plan of cession was consum- mated.

Before the close of 1780, the Legislature of Virginia passed an act, establishing the "town of Louisville," and confiscated the lands of John

HISTORY OF OHIO.

Connelly, who was one of its original proprietors, and who distinguished himself in the commence- ment of Lord Dunmore's war, and who was now a Tory, and doing all he could against the patriot cause. The proceeds of the sale of his lands were divided between Virginia and the county of Jefferson. Kentucky, the next year, was divided into three counties, Jefferson, Lincoln and Fayette. Courts were appointed in each, and the entry and location of lands given into their hands. Settlers, in spite of Indian troubles and British intrigue, were pouring over the mountains, particularly so during the years 1780 and 1781. The expeditions of Clarke against the Miami Indians ; Boone's cap- tivity, and escape from them; their defeat when attacking Boonesboro, and other places-all combined to weaken their power, and teach them to respect a nation whose progress they could not stay.

The pioneers of the West, obliged to depend on themselves, owing to the struggle of the colonies for freedom, grew up a hardy, self-reliant race, with all the vices and virtues of a border life, and with habits, manners and customs necessary to their peculiar situation, and suited to their peculiar taste. A resume of their experiences and daily lives would be quite interesting, did the limits of this history admit it here. In the part relating directly to this county, the reader will find such lives given; here, only the important events can be noticed.

The last event of consequence occurring in the West before the close of the Revolution, is one that might well have been omitted. Had such been the case, a great stain would have been spared the character of Western pioneers. Reference is made to the massacre of the Moravian Christian Indians.

These Indians were of the Delaware nation chiefly, though other Western tribes were visited and many converts made. The first converts were made in New York and Connecticut, where, after a good start had been made, and a prospect of many souls being saved, they incurred the enmity of the whites, who, becoming alarmed at their suc- cess, persecuted them to such an extent that they were driven out of New York into Pennsylvania, where, in 1744, four years after their arrival in the New World, they began new missions. In 1748, the New York and Connecticut Indians fol- lowed their teachers, and were among the founders of Friedenshutten, "Tents of Peace," a hamlet near Bethlehem, where their teachers were sta-

tioned. Other hamlets grew around them, until in the interior of the colony, existed an Indian community, free from all savage vices, and grow- ing up in Christian virtues. As their strength grew, lawless whites again began to oppress them. They could not understand the war of 1754, and were, indeed, in a truly embarrassing position. The savages could form no conception of any cause for neutrality, save a secret sympathy with the English; and if they could not take up the hatchet, they were in the way, and must be removed. Fail- ing to do this, their red brothers became hostile. The whites were but little better. The old suspi- cions which drove them from New York were aroused. They were secret Papists, in league with the French, and furnished them with arms and in- telligence; they were interfering with the liquor traffic; they were enemies to the Government, and the Indian and the white man combined against them. They were obliged to move from place to place; were at one time protected nearly a year, near Philadelphia, from lawless whites, and finally were compelled to go far enough West to be out of the way of French and English arms, or the Iroquois and Cherokee hatchets. They came finally to the Muskingum, where they made a set- tlement called Schonbrun, "beautiful clear spring," in what is now Tuscarawas County. Other settle- ments gathered, from time to time, as the years went on, till in 1772 large numbers of them were within the borders of the State.

Until the war of independence broke out, they were allowed to peacefully pursue their way. When that came, they were between Fort Pitt and De- troit, one of which contained British, the other Americans. Again they could not understand the struggle, and could not take up the hatchet. This brought on them the enmity of both belligerent parties, and that of their own forest companions, who could not see wherein their natures could change. Among the most hostile persons, were the white renegades McKee, Girty and Elliott. On their instigation, several of them were slain, and by their advice they were obliged to leave their fields and homes, where they had many comforts, and where they had erected good chapels in which to worship. It was just before one of these forced removals that Mary, daughter of the missionary Heckewelder, was born. She is supposed to be the first white female child born north of the Ohio River. Her birth occurred April 16, 1781. It is but proper to say here, that it is an open ques- tion, and one that will probably never be decided,

HISTORY OF OHIO.

i. e. Who was the first white child born in Ohio " In all probability, the child was born during the captivity of its mother, as history plainly shows that when white women were released from the Indians, some of them carried children born while among the natives.

When the Moravians were forced to leave their settlements on the Muskingum, and taken to San- dusky, they left growing fields of corn, to which they were obliged to return, to gather food. This aroused the whites, only wanting some pretext whereby they might attack them, and a party, headed by Col. David Williamson, determined to exterminate them. The Moravians, hearing of theu approach, fled, but too late to warn other settle- ments, and Gnadenhutten, Salem and one or two smaller settlements, were surprised and taken. Under deceitful promises, the Indians gave up all their arms, showed the whites their treasures, and went unknowingly to a terrible death. When ap- prised of their fate, determined on by a majority of the rangers, they begged only time to prepare. They were led two by two, the men into one, the women and children into another "slaughter- house," as it was termed, and all but two lads were wantonly slain. An infamous and more bloody deed never darkened the pages of feudal times ; a deed that, in after years, called aloud for venge- ance, and in some measure received it. Some of Williamson's men wrung their hands at the cruel fate, and endeavored, by all the means in their power, to prevent it; but all to no purpose. The blood of the rangers was up, and they would not spare "man, woman or child, of all that peaceful band."

Having completed their horrible work, (March 8, 1782), Williamson and his men returned to Pittsburgh. Everywhere, the Indians lamented the untimely death of their kindred, their savage relatives determining on their revenge; the Chris- tian ones could only be resigned and weep.

Williamson's success, for such it was viewed by many, excited the borderers to another invasion, and a second army was raised, this time to go to the Sandusky town, and annihilate the Wyandots. Col. William Crawford was elected leader ; he accepted reluctantly ; on the way, the army was met by hordes of savages on the 5th of

June, and totally routed. They were away north. in what is now Wyandot County, and were obliged to flee for their lives. The blood of the murdered Moravians called for revenge. The Indians de- sired it; were they not relatives of the fallen Christians ? Crawford and many of his men fell into their hands; all suffered unheard-of tortures, that of Crawford being as cruel as Indian cruelty could devise. He was pounded, pierced, cut with knives and burned, all of which occupied nearly three hours, and finally lay down insensible on a bed of coals, and died. The savage captors, in demoni- acal glee, danced around him, and upbraided him for the cruel murder of their relatives, giving him this only consolation, that had they captured Will- iamson, he might go free, but he must answer for Williamson's brutality.

The war did not cease here. The Indians, now aroused, carried their attack as far south as into Kentucky, killing Capt. Estill, a brave man, and some of his companions. The British, too, were active in aiding them, and the 14th of August a large force of them, under Girty, gathered silently about Bryant's Station. They were obliged to re- treat. The Kentuckians pursued them, but were repulsed with considerable loss.

The attack on Bryant's Station aroused the peo- ple of Kentucky to strike a blow that would be felt. Gen. Clarke was put at the head of an army of one thousand and fifty men, and the Miami country was a second time destroyed. Clarke even went as far north as the British trading-post at the head of the Miami, where he captured a great amount of property, and destroyed the post. Other outposts also fell, the invading army suffering but little, and, by its decisive action, practically elosing the Indian wars in the West. Pennsylvania suf- fered some, losing Hannahstown and one or two small settlements. Williamson's and Crawford's campaigns aroused the fury of the Indians that took time and much blood and war to subdue. The Revolution was, however, drawing to a close. Amer- ican arms were victorious, and a new nation was now coming into existence, who would change the whole current of Western matters, and make of the Northwest a land of liberty, equality and union. That nation was now on the stage.

HISTORY OF OHIO.

CHAPTER VI.

AMERICAN OCCUPATION-INDIAN CLAIMS-SURVEYS-EARLY LAND COMPANIES-COMPACT OF 1787-ORGANIZATION OF THE TERRITORY-EARLY AMERICAN SETTLE- MENTS IN THE OHIO VALLEY -FIRST TERRITORIAL OFFICERS-ORGANIZATION OF COUNTIES.

THE occupation of the West by the American, really dates from the campaign of Gen. Clarke in 1778, when he captured the British posts in the Illinois country, and Vincennes on the Wabash. Had he been properly supported, he would have reduced Detroit, then in easy reach, and poorly de- fended. As it was, however, that post remained in charge of the British till after the close of the war of the Revolution. They also held other lake posts; but these were included in the terms of peace, and came into the possession of the Ameri- cans. They were abandoned by the British as soon as the different commanders received notice from their chiefs, and British rule and English occupation ceased in that part of the New World.

The war virtually closed by the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, Va., October 19, 1781. The struggle was prolonged, however, by the British, in the vain hope that they could re- trieve the disaster, but it was only a useless waste of men and money. America would not be sub- dued. "If we are to be taxed, we will be repre- sented," said they, "else we will be a free govern- ment, and regulate our own taxes." In the end, they were free.

Provisional articles of peace between the United States and Great Britain were signed in Paris on the 30th of November, 1782. This was followed by an armistice negotiated at Versailles on the 20th of January, 1783; and finally, a definite treaty of peace was concluded at Paris on the 3d of the next September, and ratified by Congress on the 4th of January, 1784. By the second article of the defi- nite treaty of 1783, the boundaries of the United States were fixed. A glance at the map of that day shows the boundary to have been as follows: Beginning at Passamaquoddy Bay, on the coast of Maine, the line ran north a little above the forty- fifth parallel of latitude, when it diverged southwest- erly, irregularly, until it reached that parallel, when it followed it until it reached the St. Lawrence River. It followed that river to Lake Ontario, down its center; up the Niagara River ; through Lake Erie,

up the Detroit River and through Lakes Huron and Superior, to the northwest extremity of the latter. Then it pursued another irregular western course to the Lake of the Woods, when it turned south- ward to the Mississippi River. The commissioners insisted that should be the western boundary, as the lakes were the northern. It followed the Mis- sissippi south until the mouth of Red River was reached, when, turning east, it followed almost a direct line to the Atlantic Coast, touching the coast a little north of the outlet of St. John's River.

From this outline, it will be readily seen what boundary the United States possessed. Not one- half of its present domain.

At this date, there existed the original thirteen colonies : Virginia occupying all Kentucky and all the Northwest, save about half of Michigan and Wisconsin, claimed by Massachusetts; and the upper part of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, and the lower part (a narrow strip) of Michigan, claimed by Con- necticut. Georgia included all of Alabama and Mississippi. The Spaniards claimed all Florida and a narrow part of lower Georgia. All the coun- try west of the Father of Waters belonged to Spain, to whom it had been secretly ceded when the fam- ily compact was made. That nation controlled the Mississippi, and gave no small uneasiness to the young government. It was, however, happily set- tled finally, by the sale of Louisana to the United States.

Pending the settlement of these questions and the formation of the Federal Union, the cession of the Northwest by Virginia again came before Congress. That body found itself unable to fulfill its promises to its soldiers regarding land, and again urged the Old Dominion to cede the Terri- tory to the General Government, for the good of all. Congress forbade settlers from occupying the Western lands till a definite cession had been made, and the title to the lands in question made good. But speculation was stronger than law, and without waiting for the slow processes of courts,

HISTORY OF OHIO.

the adventurous settlers were pouring into the ernment) was estimated to be about twelve thousand. country at a rapid rate, only retarded by the rifle " In one year, after the close of the war, it increased and scalping-knife of the savage-a temporary check. The policy of allowing any parties to obtain land from the Indians was strongly discouraged by Washington. He advocated the idea that only the General Government could do that, and, in a letter to James Duane, in Congress, he strongly urged such a course, and pointed out the danger of a border war, unless some such measure was stringently followed. to 30,000, and steps for a State government were taken. Owing to the divided sentiment among its citizens, its perplexing questions of land titles and proprietary rights, nine conventions were held before a definite course of action could be reached. This prolonged the time till 1792, when, in De- cember of that year, the election for persons to form a State constitution was held, and the vexed and complicated questions settled. In 1783, the first wagons bearing merchandise came across the mountains. Their contents were received on flat- boats at Pittsburgh, and taken down the Ohio to Louisville, which that spring boasted of a store, opened by Danicl Broadhead. The next year, James Wilkinson opened one at Lexington.

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History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 10

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co. Number of Pages: 1096

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co.
Number of Pages: 1096