History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 33

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

USA > Ohio > Knox County > History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present > Part 33

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Two weeks after the removal of the Greentown Indians, Mar- tin Ruffner, and the Zimmer* family, living on the Black fork, about five miles north of the site of the burned village, were murdered. The deed was supposed to have been committed by a portion of Armstrong's band, in retaliation for the injuries they had suffered, and it was also supposed they had a grudge against the Zimmer family, as members of that family had, on different occasions, tied clapboards to the tails of their ponies. Their ponies were allowed to run loose in the woods, and an- noyed Mr. Zimmer by getting into his corn-field. Any insult to their ponies was made a personal matter, and resented ac- cordingly.

Martin Ruffner came from Shenandoah county, Virginia, and settled in Pleasant township, Fairfield county, Ohio, in 1807. He was accompanied by his mother, brother Michael, and a sister, who married one Richard Hughes. Martin Ruffner re- turned to Virginia a year or two before he settled in Richland county, and married. In the spring of 1812, he and his rela- tives located on what is now Staman's run, in Mifflin township, half a mile a little north of west of the present village of Mifflin. He was of German origin, a bold, fearless backwoodsman, and

* This has generally been written "Seymour," but the correct name has been ascertained to be Zimmer. The settlers in that direction (in- cluding this family) were Germans, and their pronunciation of the name Zimmer sounds very much like "Seymour," hence the mistake.

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an uncompromising enemy of the Indians, several of his friends and relatives having been murdered by them. On his arrival in Mifflin, he built a cabin on the brow of the hill, not far from the Black fork, about five minutes' walk from the present resi- dence of Mr. Jacob Staman, and on the latter's farm. While building this cabin and clearing around it, with the help of a bound boy named Levi Bargahiser, his mother and brother boarded with his hrother-in-law, Richard Hughes, while he and Bargahiser kept "bachelor's hall" at the cabin. They had just entered their lands at Canton, and were preparing for a perma- nent residence.

Mr. Zimmer, with his family, came about the same time, lo- cated his land and built his cabin about two and a half miles southeast of Mr. Ruffner. His family consisted of his wife, a beautiful girl named Kate, and his son Philip, aged nineteen. He was an old man, not able to do much work, and, desiring to prepare some fifteen or twenty acres for corn, he employed Mi- chael Ruffner to assist his son Philip.

Early in September, one afternoon, while Michael Ruffner was walking along the trail leading from the cabin of Frederick Zimmer to that of his brother, he met a party of Indians* who were well armed with guns, knives, and tomahawks, and ap- peared very friendly. They asked him if the Zimmers were at home, and upon receiving an affirmative reply, passed on. Hav- ing his suspicions aroused, he hastened, to the cabin of his brother Martin, and informed him of his meeting with the In- dians. Martin's suspicions were aroused, and taking down his rifle, he mounted a fleet mare, and rode rapidly down the trail to the Zimmer cabin. He arrived before the Indians; and after a short consultation it was decided that Philip Zimmer should hasten to the cabin of James Copus, who lived about two miles further south, on the trail, give the alarm in that neighborhood, and return with assistance. Meanwhile the brave Ruffner was to remain and defend the family. Philip Zimmer hastened to Mr. Copus' cabin, and from there to John Lambright's two miles further south, on the Black fork. Lambright returned with him, and, joined by Mr. Copus, they all proceeded together to the Zimmer cabin, where they arrived in the early part of the evening. Finding no light in the cabin, and all being silent, fears were entertained that the inmates had been murdered. Mr. Copus moved cautiously around to the back window, and lis- tened a moment; but hearing no movement, he crept quietly around to the door, which he found slightly ajar; and pressing upon it, found some obstruction behind it. He at once sus- pected the family had been murdered; and on placing his hand upon the floor, found it wet with blood. There was no longer any doubt. Hastening back to Philip and Lambright, who were concealed a short distance from the cabin, he stated his discoveries and convictions.

Philip became frantic with grief and excitement, and desired to rush into the cabin to learn the whole truth. In this he was prevented by the others, who feared that the Indians were yet concealed in the cabin, awaiting his return. Persuading Philip to accompany them, they hastened back to the cabin of Mr. Copus, and, taking the latter's family, they all proceeded as rapidly as possible to Mr. Lambright's. This family was added to their numbers, and they pushed on to the cabin of Frederick Zimmer, jr., Philip's brother, and he and his family joined the fugitives. They hastened along an Indian trail, near where the

village of Lucas now stands, and stopped at the cabin of David Hill, where they remained until the next morning, when, accom- panied by the family of Hill, all proceeded to the block-house at Beam's mill. This fort was then occupied by a company. of soldiers under Captain Martin. . A party of these soldiers, ac- companied by Mr. Copus, Philip and Frederick Zimmer, Hill and Lambright, all well armed, proceeded by the most direct route through the forest, to the cabins of Martin Ruffner and Richard Hughes. They found the cabin of Ruffner had not been disturbed, the boy Bargahiser having slept there alone the night before ; and the cabin of Hughes was also undisturbed. Ruffner had, a short time prior to this, upon the surrender of Hull, sent his wife and child to Licking county, to a Mr. Lair, or Laird, an uncle, who lived about one and a half miles from Utica. At Ruffner's cabin they were joined by Bargahiser, Michael Ruffner and Mr. Hughes, and all hastened down the trail to the Zimmer cabin. Entering it, they found the old gen- tleman, the old lady and Catharine, all dead upon the floor and dreadfully mangled. The gallant Ruffner was lying dead in the yard. There was every evidence that he had made a desperate struggle for his life and that of the Zimmers. His gun was bent nearly double, and several of his fingers had been cut off by blows from a tomahawk. The struggle had finally ended by his being shot twice through the body. The details of this butch- ery could never be certainly known, as the prominent actors were all killed ; all had also been scalped. It appeared that the table had been set with refreshments for the savages, and most of the food remained. Whether any of the Indians were killed is not known; they would have taken their dead away with them, and destroyed all evidences, if such a catastrophe had happened to them. It is supposed that eight or ten Indians were engaged in this tragedy.

There is a tradition among the early settlers, that an Indian by the name of Kanotchy was taken prisoner some years after- wards, and related the story of this massacre. It appears from this statement that the Indians entered the cabin and seated them- selves very sullenly, while the terrified Kate was setting refresh- ments for them, as was usual. The heroic Dutchman was the only guard of consequence, as Mr. Zimmer was too old to make much resistance. The Indians made the attack very suddenly. Ruffner, not having time to fire, broke the stock in pieces and bent the barrel double in the terrible fight. The odds were too much for him, and he soon went down before superior numbers. As soon as he was out of the way they killed and scalped the old people. At the commencement of the affray Kate fainted and fell to the floor, and until aroused from this state of syn- cope, was unaware of the murder of her parents. When she came to her senses, she looked about upon a scene of blood and horror, and burst into a paroxysni of weeping. She begged the savages to spare her life, but all to no purpose. They first ascertained from her where her father's money was concealed, and then buried the tomahawk in her brain. While she was in a senseless condition, a consultation had been held over her, to decide whether they should kill her or take her prisoner. It was decided that her life should be taken, but still they hesi- tated, as no one wished to do the deed. At length it was decided that the one who should perform the deed, should be considered as possessing the greatest heart, whereupon this same Phillip Kanotchy stepped forward, exclaiming, "Me kill white squaw, me got big heart." When Kate saw the toma- hawk descending, she raised a beautiful white arm to ward off the blow, which, falling upon the arm, nearly severed it in

"One account makes the number two, another three, another four, and still another, five.

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twain ; a second blow did the work-one quiver, and the lovely life went out.

She was engaged to be married to Mr. Henry Smith, who was at that time in the east, attending to some business; they were to be married upon his return.

Martin Ruffner and the Zimmers were buried on a little knoll near the cabin, in one grave, where the remains still lie. The farm is now owned by a Mr. Culler. After performing the last sad ceremonies over the remains of the murdered pioneers, they returned to the block-house at Beam's, and Michael Ruffner, his mother, and Hughes and family returned to Fairfield county, where they remained.

The settlers were thoroughly aroused by the tragedy, and all fled to the block-house for safety.

When Mr. James Copus and family had remained about five days at the block-house, they became tired of staying, and, hearing nothing of the Indians, determined to return. Having always enjoyed their respect and confidence, and having always been their firmest friend, he felt that they could harbor no ill will toward him or his family. Captain Martin protested against his return, saying that in the present excited . state of affairs he would be running great risk. As Mr. Copus insisted on going, nine soldiers were detailed to accompany him. Mr. Copus had seven children, mostly small. They all arrived safely at the cabin, and found everything as they had left it. In the evening, Mr. Copus invited the soldiers to sleep in the cabin, but, the weather being yet warm, they preferred to take quarters in the barn, which stood four or five rods north of the cabin, on the trail,* that they might have a better opportunity to indulge in frolic and fun, and be less crowded and under less restraint. Before retiring Mr. Copus cautioned them against surprise by any Indians that might be lurking about. During the afternoon, Sarah, a little daughter of Mr. Copus, aged twelve, still living (November, 1880) went into the cornfield a few rods south of the cabin, and, while there, saw an Indian in the edge of the woods skulk behind a brush heap, but, unfor- tunately, did not relate the circumstance to her father. This child, now Mrs. Sarah Vail, aged eighty-one, says the reason why she did not tell her father of her discovery is that he was a very strict man in regard to truth, and, fearing she might have been deceived, did not wish to incur his displeasure by creating a false alarm.

That night the dogs kept up a constant barking, and Mr. Copus had many unpleasant dreams-sleeping but little. He was evidently impressed that danger was lurking near. Before daylight, he invited the soldiers into the cabin, telling them he feared some great disaster was about to overtake himself and family. He again laid down to rest, and, when daylight began to appear, the soldiers insisted on going to the spring, about three rods away, to wash. This spring is one of the finest of the many fine springs in Mifflin. It gushes from the base of a hill several hundred feet high, in a large, glittering current of pure soft water. Mr. Copus again cautioned the soldiers of im- pending danger, telling them that Indians were certainly in the neighborhood or his dogs would not have made such a noise, and urged them to take their guns with them to the spring. They promised to do so, but, on passing out, leaned them against the cabin and went on to the spring. Fatal mistake! The Indians, who had been lurking about the cabin all night,

were watching for just such an opportunity as this. Swiftly, silently, stealthily, as a cat creeps upon its prey, they closed in upon the doomed cabin, and, before the soldiers were aware of their presence, were between them and their guns; then came the horrid war-whoop as a score or more of painted warriors rushed upon them with tomahawk and scalping-knife. It seems that only seven of the soldiers went to the spring to wash, the other two-George Luntz and another whose name is not given-were not probably just ready to wash, and were in the cabin when the attack was made. Of these seven at the spring, three were instantly killed. Three more, whose names were George Shipley, John Tredrick and a Mr. Warnock, finding retreat to the cabin impossible, fled to the woods. These were pursued by the Indians, and two of them toma- hawked; the third, Mr. Warnock, being fleet on floot might have escaped, but could not outrun a bullet. They fired at him many times while running, one of the balls finally pas- sing through his bowels. The Indians were not aware they had shot him, and gave up the chase. He only went a short dis- tance, however, when, growing weak from loss of blood, he sat down by a tree, stuffed his handkerchief in the wound and died.

The only soldier who regained the cabin was Mr. George Dye, who broke through the mass of savages, and sprang through the cabin door just as it was opened by Mr. Copus. He, however, received a ball through his thigh as he entered. As soon as the attack commenced Mr. Copus sprang from his bed, seized his gun and rushed to the door. Just as he opened it, George Dye sprang through, and a volley of rifle balls came with him. One of these balls gave Mr. Copus a mortal wound, passing through his breast. Mr. Copus had raised his rifle, and, just as he was wounded, fired at an Indian but a few feet away, who fell. The ball that caused Mr. Copus' death passed through the strap that supported his powder-horn. This horn is yet in possession of the family; it is a large, handsome one, and a rare relic. Mr. Copus fell, and was conveyed to his bed, where he breathed his last in about an hour, while encouraging the soldiers to fight the enemy, and, if possible, save his family. On the east of the cabın extended a range of hills several hundred feet high, cov- ered with timber and huge rocks, which furnished an excellent cover for the enemy, and gave them a position from which they could fire down upon the cabin; they were not long in seeking this cover, and, from their secure hiding-places, poured down upon the cabin a perfect storm of leaden hail. The door and roof were soon riddled with bullets. The soldiers tore up the punch- eons of the floor, and placed them against the door to prevent the balls from penetrating to the interior of the cabin. Nancy Copus, a little girl, was wounded in the knee by a ball that passed through the door. One of the soldiers, George Launtz, had his arm broken by a ball while up-stairs removing the chink- ing in order to get a "crack" at an Indian. He soon caught sight of ar Indian peering from behind a medium-sized oak that yet stands on the side of the hill about a hundred yards away, and, taking deliberate aim, shot the savage, who bounded into the air and rolled to the foot of the hill into the trail.

The firing became incessant on both sides; wherever the soldiers could make or find a place to fire through they returned the Indian fire with precision and effect. One savage fell mor- tally wounded directly in front of the cabin, early in the engage- ment, whether from the ball from the rifle of Mr. Copus is not known. During the battle he was endeavoring to crawl toward the trail, and, although moaning and evidently dying, he at- tempted several times to elevate his rifle to discharge it upon

*A barn occupies the same spot still, and the trail is now a well trav- elled road.

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the cabin, but his strength failed him. A soldier, seeing him attempting to shoot, sent a friendly bullet to ease him of his earthly cares and anxieties. He was shot through the head.

The battle lasted from daybreak until about nine or ten o'clock, when the savages, finding they could accomplish noth- ing more, raised the retreating yell, gathered up their dead and wounded (one account says nine in number) and left ; first firing upon a flock of sheep, which, during the eventful morning, had huddled together upon the brow of the hill, looking down in strange bewilderment upon this scene of bloodshed. The poor affrighted animals tumbled down the hill one after another, until they lay in a heap at the bottom.

As soon as the Indians disappeared, one of the soldiers crawled out through the roof of the cabin, and made all possi- ble haste to the block-house at Beam's for assistance. The day before, Captain Martin had agreed to call at the Copus cabin the same evening with a number of soldiers, and remain all night. But he and his soldiers, having been scouting all day and finding no signs of Indians, concluded that all apprehen- sions of danger were frivolous, therefore neglected to appear as agreed. He encamped above, on the Black fork, and, on the morning of the disaster, moved leisurely down the trail from the direction of Ruffner's, reaching the scene of the fight too late to aid in the fearful struggle. On approaching the cabin, he and his soldiers were awe-stricken on beholding the work of death around them. They attended at once to the wounded, and the grief-stricken family of Mr. Copus, who were weeping over the murdered husband and father. Search was made for the Indians, but, from the trail through the weeds that grew luxuriantly around the base of the hill, it was found that they had retreated around the southern brow of the bluff, gone up a ravine about a quarter of a mile away, and fled in the direction of Quaker Springs, in Vermillion township, and hence pursuit was abandoned.

Mr. Copus and the murdered soldiers were buried by the command in one grave, at the foot of an apple-tree, a few yards south of the cabin, where their bones yet repose. Captain Mar- tin then took the family and wounded, and began his march to the block-house. Proceeding up the valley about half a mile, they halted for the night, placing pickets about the camp to pre- vent surprise. In all, there were about one hundred persons in this camp that night. The wounded were carried on poles, over which linen sheets had been sewed, making a sort of stretcher. The next morning the little army passed up the trail, near the deserted cabin of Martin Ruffner; crossing the Black fork about where the State road is now located; that being the route by which Martin had advanced. The whole party reached the block-house in safety that evening. About six weeks after this, Hemy Copus and five or six soldiers returned to the cabin, and, on their way, found Mr. Warnock leaning against a tree, as be- fore stated, dead. They buried him near by.

Thus ends the last tragedy of the Greentown Indians. Their reasons for killing the Zimmer family have been noticed. Their reasons for killing Mr. Copus probably were that he had been instrumental in getting them removed; that is, fearing bloodshed, he had used his influence to get them away peace- ably, on promise that their property should be protected. Find- ing their village destroyed, they entertained bitter and revenge- ful feelings toward Mr. Copus. As to the number of Indians engaged, nothing whatever is known. It was found on examina- tion of the neighborhood of the Copus cabin, that forty-five fires had been kindled, just south of the corn-field, near where Sarah

had seen the Indian. These fires had been kindled in small holes, scooped out of the ground to prevent their being seen. Mrs. Vail thought the Indians had feasted on roasted corn the evening before the attack. Some writers upon this subject have inferred from the number ef fires that there were forty-five Indians engaged in the attack. This reasoning is erroneous, as Indians have frequently been known to build fires for the pur- pose of deceiving their enemies; and, on the other hand, half a dozen Indians might have used one fire.

Mrs. Copus and her family were removed to Guernsey county, Ohio, by Joseph Archer and George Carroll. They were hauled through the forest to Clinton, Newark, Zanesville and Cam- bridge by a yoke of cattle, in an ordinary cart. The journey consumed many days, during which most of the family were .compelled, on little food, to walk over a rough path, wade small streams, encamp by the wayside, and always in fear of being pursued and captured by the savages. They returned in 1815, and found their cabin as they had left it. A few of the Green- town Indians had also returned and re-erected their cabins, but peace had come by that time, and changed, somewhat, the sav- age nature of their Indian neighbors, with whom they ever after lived in peace and friendship.

There are yet a few mementos of that battle on the Black fork remaining. A single log of the old cabin remains, and is doing duty in a smoke-house on the premises. The oak, be- hind which the Indian was shot, still stands on the hillside, its top partly dead. A neat frame house stands a few feet west of where the cabin stood, and is occupied by Mr. John W. Vail. The spot is a lovely one. To the east, the steep, precipitous hill rises abruptly, and is yet covered with timber and great rocks. It is several hundred feet high, and from its base still gush the waters of the beautiful spring, just as they did on that fatal morning when they were dyed with human blood. Half a mile south, on the Black fork, lives Mrs. Sarah Vail, in a cabin alone, which she has occupied fifty-seven years. She and her sister, Amy Whetmore, now living in Seneca county, are the only surviving members of the Copus family, and were witnesses of the battle. Mrs. Vail was eighty-one years old January r, 1881. Her mind is still clear and strong and she has a vivid recollection of that fearful tragedy.

After the war the Indians came straggling back to occupy their old hunting grounds, although but few of them had any fixed residence-they soon disappeared forever from this region.

By the treaty concluded at the foot of the Mau- mee rapids, September 29, 1817, Lewis Cass and Duncan McArthur being commissioners on the part of the United States, there were granted to the Delaware Indians a reservation of three miles square, on or near the northern boundary of Ma- rion county, and adjoining the Wyandot reserva- tion of twelve miles square. This reservation was to be equally divided among the following persons: Captain Pipe, Zeshanau or James Armstrong, Ma- hantoo or John Armstrong, Sanondoyeasquaw or Silas Armstrong, Teorow or Black Raccoon, How- dorouwatistic or Billy Montour, Buck Wheat, Wil- liam Dondee, Thomas Lyons, Johnnycake, Cap-

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tain Wolf, Isaac and John Hill, Tishatahoones or Widow Armstrong, Ayenucere, Hoomauon or John Ming, and Youdorast. Many of these Indians had lived at Jeromeville and Greentown.

By the treaty concluded at Little Sandusky, Au- gust 3, 1829, John McElvain being the United States' commissioner, the Delawares ceded this reservation to the United States for three thousand dollars, and removed west of the Mississippi.

CHAPTER XX.

THE FIRST WHITE MEN.

CAPTIVITY OF JAMES SMITH-HIS LIFE AMONG THE IN- DIANS-CHRISTIAN FAST, SR .- HIS CAPTIVITY AND ES- CAPE-J. LEETH AND HIS ADVENTURES-JOHN STILLEY -- THE BEAUTIFUL KOKOSING -INDIAN LIFE AND MANNERS -SETTLENMENT OF MR. STILLEY IN KNOX COUNTY-THE MORAVIANS-THEIR PASSAGE THROUGH THIS COUNTY AS PRISONERS-CAPTAIN SAMUEL BRADY AND HIS SCOUTS -- THE PRISONERS DELIVERED TO GENERAL BOQUET-SIMON GIRTY AND OTHER RENEGADES.

F OLLOWING the Mound Builders and Indians came the superior race to occupy the soil of Knox county. The first permanent settlement of the county was made in 1803; prior to this, how- ever, a few white men passed across, or occupied, for a short time, this territory. These may be un- noticed so far as history gives any account of them.

James Smith, a native of western Pennsylvania, is supposed to have been the first white man to set foot on the soil of Knox county, although other captives among the Indians, or white renegades among them, may have been here before Smith; but the latter is the first, so far as is certainly known.

He was captured near Bedford, Pennsylvania, when about eighteen years of age, by three Indians on a marauding expedition in the spring of 1755, a short time before the defeat of General Braddock. He was taken to the Indian village on the Alle- gheny, opposite Fort DuQuesne, and compelled to run the' gauntlet, where he nearly lost his life by the blow of a club from a stalwart savage. After

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History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 33

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