History of Logan County and Ohio, Part 33

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; O.L. Baskin & Co
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin
Number of Pages: 798

USA > Ohio > Logan County > History of Logan County and Ohio > Part 33

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In spite of these privations, these implaca- ble foes of the whites still continued their single-handed warfare against the settlements. The erection of Fort Harmer, in 1985, on the right bank of the Muskingum, where it joins the Ohio, and the creation of Fort Washing- ton on the site of Cincinnati, in 1989, with

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the numerous settlements that gathered about them, aroused the Indians to greater deeds of violence. Early in this year, a treaty was made with the Wyandot, Chippewa, Potta- watomie, and Sac nations, in which the treaty of Fort MeIntosh was renewed and con- firmed. It did not produce the favorable re- sults anticipated, as the Indians resumed hos- tilities in the same year. In the fall of this year, therefore, fitting out a force of 1,300 men, Gen. Harmer proceeded to attack the towns on the Miami of the Lake, near the site of Fort Wayne. The tribes made a common cause, and united to defeat him. Harmer suc- ceeded in burning the towns, but, dividing his force to devastate the country, he was at- taeked with great fury by the allied Indians, and beaten in detail, when, disheartened by the loss of some 400 of his men, he retreat- ed, entirely unsuccessful in his proposed in- imidation of the savages. The Indians, em- boldened by their success, redoubled their efforts to drive the pale faces beyond the Ohio, and in the following year Gov. St. Clair, collecting a force of some 3,000 troops, set out for the towns on the Maumee. The object of this expedition was to estab- lish a fort at the Miami village, that stood on the site of Fort Wayne, Ind. On the even- ing of November 3, the army reached a branch of the Wabash, in the northern part of what is now Darke County. Here they were at- tacked on the following morning before sun- rise by some 3,000 Indians, and thoroughly defeated, with a loss of some 600 men killed. In these actions the whole Shawanoese nation was engaged, and their chief led the united forees of the allied savages. These successes on the part of the Indians now thoroughly alarmed the whites, and the attacks upon the frontier, becoming so frequent and disastrous, that emigration was almost suspended.

"President Washington now urged forward the vigorous prosecution of the war for the

protection of the Northwest Territory, but various obstacles retarded the enlistment and organization of a new army. In the spring of 1:94 the American Army assembled at Green- ville, in Darke County, Ohio, under the com- mand of Gen. Anthony Wayne. a bold, ener- getic and experienced officer of the Revolu- tion. His foree consisted of about 2,00') regular troops, and 1.500 volunteers from Kentucky."* On his advance Gen. Wayne directed his march to the Shawanoese town of Blue Jacket, at the junction of the Maumee and Auglaize rivers. Here the savages had a large town, extending a mile or two along the east bank of the Auglaize River, provided with fine orchards, which the French had planted, and surrounded by a thousand acres of corn. On the approach of the troops the natives retired, and assembled their combined forces, composed of Shawanves, Delawares, Miamis, Pottawattomies, Chippewas, Ottawas and Senecas, at the rapids of the Maumee. The night previous to the battle a council was held at Presque Isle, when it was deeided not to attack Gen. Wayne's forces at night. On the question of meeting him on the following day there was a diversity of opinion-Little Turtle, a prominent chief of the Miamis, op- posing the fight, and Blue Jacket, then in chief command, strongly urging the Indians to meet the troops. The latter prevailed, and on the following day, August 20, the hostile forces met, resulting in a disastrous defeat to the Indians. After remaining on the ground for some days, the army returned to Blue Jacket Town, laying waste the villages and corn fields for some fifty miles on each side of the Maumee. On arriving at their destina- tion they proceeded to build Fort Defrance. The result of this action was very dishearten- ing to the Indians, but buoyed up by the memory of their former victories, they con- tinued to hold out against the whites. *IIowe.

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Wayne's plan of occupying their country and devastating their corn fields and villages put another face upon affairs, and though urged to resistance by Girty, Elliott and MeKre, who had great influence with the Indians, and were ably backed by the British authorities, the hos- tile tribes concluded a permanent peace with Gen. Wayne, at Greenville, on the 3rd of August, 1:95. There were 1,130 savages present, and among them the chiefs, Tarhe, Buekongchelas, Black Hoof, Blue Jacket and Little Turtle. By this treaty the line between the United States lands and those of the In- dians was fixed, beginning " at the month of Cuyahoga River, and from thence up the same to the portage between that and the Tus- carawas branch of the Muskingum; thence down that brauch to the crossing place above Fort Laurens; thence westerly to a fork of that branch of the Great Miami River, running into the Ohio, at or near which fork stood Loramnie's store, and where commenced the portage be- twoon the Miami of the Ohio and St. Mary's River, which is a branch of the Miami which runs into Lake Erie; thence a westerly course to Fort Recovery, which stands on the branch of the Wabash; thence south- orly in a direct line to the Ohio, so as to intersect that river opposite the month of the Kentucky or Cuttawa river." This line passes through the central part of Logan County, in a southwesterly direction, dividing the township of Boke's Creek, Rush Creek, Washington, Bloomfield, and forming the northern boundary of the townships of Harrison and Lake. Thus, after over forty years of the bitterest warfare against the whites, and that with scarcely an interruption, the Shawanous buried the hatchet, not to dig it up again against the whites. This prace, however, was not brought about by any sud- den conversion of sentiment, but from the die- tates of prudence, in the face of circumstances which left extermination as the only alterna-

tive. Although the site of the Mackachack towns were thus ceded to the Government, the Indians, after the general pacification, ro- turned and re-built their waste places. As late as 1800 the Wyandots had a village on the siteof Zanesfield, which they called Zane's- town. In the same vicinity was Solomon's Town, where Tarhe, " The Crane," a noted Wyandot chief, resided. On the site of Belle- fontaine the Shawanoe chief, Blue Jacket, had a village, and not far away was Read's Towns where there were a few cabins. Three miles north of the site of the county seat was the village of the Delaware chief, Buckongehelas, and Lewistown, on the Great Miami. Wapato mica was not re-built, but a trading station on MeKee's Creek, four miles south of Bellefon- taine was known as Mckee's Town. The Shawanoes had settled a town on the Au- glaize River, which they called Wapaghko- netta,* after a noted chief of the tribe, and continued to live here in considerable num- bers.

It was hardly to be expected, however, that the nature of these implacable foes of the whites should be so suddenly changed as never again to harbor thoughts of revenge. Not long after the conclusion of the treaty at Greenville, the far-famed Tecumseh became a chief among his people, the Shawanoes. Not- withstanding he had shared in the crushing defeat administed at the battle of the Fallen Timbers, by Gen. Wayne, he did not share the prudent counsels of the okler chiefs, Black-hoof and Blue Jacket, but moving about among the people of his own and other tribes, secretly fostered their expiring hope for re- dress and revenge against the whites. In 1805, through the influence of his brother and him- self, a large part of the Shawanoese nation was induced to settle at Greenville, when his brother, assuming the office of Prophet, by a pretended sorcery, acquired a wonderful Wapakonetta, the county sent of Auglaize County.

HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

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influence over the tribes that came in contaet with the scheming brothers.

The effect of all this upon the newly recon- ciled savages was soon apparent in this vicinity, and notwithstanding the powerful efforts of Black Iloof and the other more prudent chiefs, Tecumseh actually appeared on the Miami at the mouth of Stony Creek, a mile below the site of the village of De- Grafl, at the head of 700 warriors, painted and plumed for war. The settlers who had built their cabins in the vicinity, were greatly alarmed at the reports, and sent out Col. Ward, Col. MePherson and Simon Kenton, to learn their business. Kenton was spokesman, and putting a bold front on the matter, said all they cared to know was their disposition, "for," said he, " we have plenty of men to meet you." After a council of the chiefs present, a peaceful answer was returned, and the threatened war was deferred. A little incident occurred at this time, however, which shows how much the peaceful answer was probably due to Kenton's attitude. An In dian who had abused a settler's wife some time before, had been whippe l by Kenton's order, and at this meeting the fellow appeared sulky. Kenton, observing him, calling his comrades one side, told them he had nothing to defend himself with if the savage should attack him, and was furnished with a dirk. On returning to the Indians, Kenton, carrying the knife in his hand, struekit into the trees as if inviting an attack from his sulky adversary. This confident carriage had its effect upon the savage, who approached Kenton with outstretched hand, remarking, " Me velly good fliend."* These peaceful overtures, though gladly received, were accepted with many mental reservations, and in the following year a fort was erected in what is now Mad River Township, Champaign County.

These manifestations of hostility soon

*Antrim's History Logan and Champaign Counties.

caught the watchful eyes of Gen. Harrison, and in the fall of 180? he sent an address to the Shawanoes Chiefs, in which he exhorted them to send away the people at Greenville. This address resulted in the removal of Te- cumseh and his followers, in the spring of 1808, to the lands on the Tippecanoe. As matters progressed it became evident that the Indians under the lead of Tecumseh were bent on again trying conclusions with the whites, and after various efforts at compro- mises Gen. Harrison met the hostile savages, November 7, 1811, and gained the brilliant triumph of Tippecanoe. At the very out- set of the war of 1812, Tecumseh was on hand, with his followers, ready to join hands with the British, who had befriended him to . the extent of furnishing him with the munitions of war in the preceding year. In all these hostile manifestations, how- ever, it was but a small part of the Shawanoe nation that followed the lead of this rash chief. The greater part of the nation had gradually withdrawn before the advance of the settlements, and had their villages at Wa- pagh-ko-netta, on Hog Creek and the upper waters of the Maumee. The unsettled condi- tion of Indian affairs, however, made some precautionary measures necessary to secure the continued friendship of this powerful tribe, and for this purpose Gov. Meigs came to Urbana in the spring of 1812 to confer with the Shawanoes and Wyandottes .* In these negotiations, " Col. James MePherson, one of the Zanes, and perhaps one of the Walkers," were engaged to bear proposals for a council to these tribes. It was in the latter part of June before the council con- vened, but its results were very satisfactory to the government. The Indians expressed themselves as friendly to the United States Government, and accepted the proffered sup- port and protection offered by the Governor. *Antrim'sHistory.

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HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

A fort was erected soon afterward at Zane's town for the protection of their women and children, and was in charge of Col. MePher- SON.

Others of the friendly tribes were placed under the care of Col. Johnston at Piqua, Miami county, and at Epper Sandusky, under Maj. B. F. Stickney. Here these tribes that had never before been idle when there was fighting to be done, resisted the machination of the British agent, and in spite of wanton injuries inflicted upon the members of their tribes by the undiscriminating militia, stood fast by their treaty of peace at Greenville.

A remarkable incident of the faithfulness of the. Sha wanoes is related by Col. John John- ston in Howe's Historical Collections of Ohio." At the beginning of hostilities in the Northwest Fort Wayne was in danger of at- tack. " In the garrison were many women and children, who, in case of attack, would have been detrimental to its defense, and it therefore became necessary to have them speedily removed. Col. Johnston assembled the shawance chiefs, and stating the case, re- quested volunteers to bring the women and children at Fort Wayne to Piqua. Logan immediately arose and offered his services, and soon started with a party of mounted In lians, all volunteers. They reached the post. received their interesting and help- less charge, and safely brought them to the settlements, through a country infested with marauding bands of hostile savages. The women spoke in the highest terms of the vigilance, care and delicacy of their faithful "unctors." In ISH, an offensive and de- lenstve alliance was formed with the Shaw- anoes med other friendly tribes, the former proving in many instances valuable and trusty scouts, and able warriors. In the general pach ation of Isti. by a treaty at the rapids of the Manger, the shawanoes were given a

county, within which was their council house at Wapaghkonetta, and also a tract of twenty- five square miles, which included their settle- ment on Hlog ('e.k; by the treaty of the succeeding year, made at St. Mary's, 12,800 acres ajoining the cast line of the Wapagh- konetta reservation were added. A reser- vation of 40,300 acres around Lewistown, in Washington township, in this county, was granted also to the Shawanoes and Senecas jointly. The name of the principal town on this reservation was given for a noted Shaw- anoe chief, who made it his place of residence. AAn aged white woman by the name of Polly Keyser, did his drudgery when the whites first made his acquaintance. She had been taken prisoner in early life near Lexington, Kentucky, and had been adopted into the tribe. She had an Indian husband and two half-breed daughters. Another "pale face " who had been adopted into this nation, was James McPherson, or Squa-la-ka-ke, "the red faced man," as the natives called him. He was captured at Loughry's defeat, when on his way to join Clarke's expedition. He was engaged in the British Indian department, under Elliott and M'Kee; during his captivity he married a fellow prisoner, and after the treaty of 1495, came into the service of the I'nited States. He had charge of the Lewis- town reservation until 1830, when he was succeeded by John McElvain.

The reservation life of the Shawanoes was as peaceful and happy as could be desired. The whole country was stocked with an abundance of game, while their own territory furnished a secluded spot for their towns, free from the eneroachments of the whites. The natives were frequent visitors among the whites, and it was a common thing to see them with their families during the summer, onramped in some shady spot on the bank of a stream, the men hunting deer or lying about the camp, while the squaws were busy making

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or vending their baskets. M. Arrowsmith, in | between the two races, the more prudent of Antrim's History, relates several incidents illustrating their character in dealing with the whites. An Indian came to Thomas Kenton to buy a horse; the animals were running at large, and going to look at them, only one filled the eye of the savage. Mr. Kenton demanded eighty dollars, but the Indian offered seventy, and finally displayed both open hands seven times and a single hand once, signifying seventy-five dollars; this was agreed upon, but there was only seventy-four dollars forthcoming; Kenton trusted him the dollar to be paid on a certain day, which came to hand promptly as agreed upon. They were fre- quently found about the large towns on the frontier, and the storekeepers carried on a 1

thriving trade with them, selling the finest broadcloths to the squaws for petticoats, and the brightests prints to the men for shirts. The store of Gen. Gardner was the principal place for this trade in Bellefontaine, and he relates many interesting incidents of his dea}- ings with them. On one occasion an , Indian with his squaw came in the store to trade, the man remaining apparently uninterested, while the squaw bought the goods he desired. While thus engaged, an older squaw rode up on her pony with her papoose strapped to her back, and coming into the store, placed her pa- poose in the hands of the Indian without saying a word. This action caught the eye of the man's young squaw, who, without a word of explanation, set upon the mother, when en- sued a scene of screaming and hair-pulling, probably not excelled in our civilized com- munities. The older squaw was finally ex- hausted; seizing her heir and " ground of of- fense," she mounted her horse and left without a word of explanation, the Indian in the mean- while, as well as the occupants of the store, looking on with apparent indifference. Trials of skill and drinking bouts were of frequent occurrence, but there was but little friction

the tribes sanctioning any punishment which the justice of the case demanded. Ka-los- i-tah was a noted Shawanoe wrestler, and his contests with the most expert of the whites are remembered, and related with great zest by the older inhabitants. He was in his prime about the time of the removal of his tribe to the West, and was probably the most powerful man in the Northwest. At a grand hopping-match during the treaty making, Ka-los-i-talı dis- tanced all competitors by going nearly fifty feet in two hops and a jump. On this occa- sion a wrestling-match was made up between him and a noted white wrestler by the name of Wilson. The Indian made a wager of a finely wrought belt against a checkered silk handkerchief, with Judge McCulloch, that he would throw his antagonist. After they had assumed their positions the Indian giant al- lowed his antagonist to do his utmost before attempting any aggressive movement. After using every art and displaying his full mus- cular power, Wilson failed to move his oppo- nent. "Now, me!" said Ka-los-i-tah, and Jaid Wilson on the ground gently as a child. Some people of Kentucky brought a stalwart negro to test the champion's powers, who caused even the friends of the Indian to in- dulge in serious doubts as to the outcome of the contest. The contest was not so unequal as the preceding one, but the red man threw this black antagonist to the ground with such a heavy thud, that only the by-standers pre- vented the contest taking on a more serious ending. Wrestling with this native athlete was at best a very serious business, and several suffered a broken leg for their te- merity in challenging him. At West Liberty, on one occasion, a conceited saddler by the name of John Norris, tried conclusions with him. He had scarcely exerted him- self, when catching his antagonist with his

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" grape-vine twist," he snapped Norris' leg like a pipe-stem. As Norris sank to the ground, the only reply the imperturble In- dian made to the expostulating eries of the whites, was, "leg must be rotten!" In the zenith of his glorious prime, Ka-los-i-tah was considerably over six feet in height, weighed about two hundred pounds, was strong as a buffalo, and as lithe as a tiger. A long career of intemperance enfeebled his powers, and he was in later years frequently defeated when under the influence of liquor. At Wapagh- ko-netta Reservation the Shawanor Chiefs Blue Jacket and Black Hoof resided, and at their village had fine orchards planted by the French, and a delightful location, embracing some 66,000 acres. Here, previous to 1829, Vol. John Johnston presided, with David Robb as sub-agent. The latter, in a communi- ration embodied in Howe's Historical Collec- tions of Ohio, gives an interesting account of the reservation life of this nation, He says:

"Inteneperance tra great extent prevailedamong the Indians ; there was, however, as wide a contrast in this respect as with the whites, and some of the more virtuous refused to associate with the others, This el 4 also cultivate l their httle farias with a degree of tte un I judgment ; some of these could cook a com- tortalle meil, and I have raten butter and a kind of cheese made by them. Many of them were quite in- gemona and postural mechanics, with a empiderable knog ler of, und an inclination to use tools. One that had in muortment of carpenter's tools which he kept in nett order. He ma le jours, harrows, wagons, Felterla, tal os, bore ns, etc. He was frank, liberal and con cienti ms. On my nsking him who taught Fim then eof tools, be rephel, " No one; then pointing up t the sky, le End, " the Great Spirit thought re."

W th all their tables and vices, there is something for ir in the Indian character, and one est net 'p with them without having a perceptilde, AHe HE. 0pt. The Indian is emphatically the fir th, clean ex thing to make an Indian tot & h-t n, but very ditheult to civilze or

1 I love khuwn n inober of en prisoners by the holinns t ico n they tormed such

attachments that, after being with them some time, they could not be induced to return to their own peo- ple. There was a woman among the Shawanoes, sup- posed to be near an hundred years of age, who was taken prisoner when young in eastern Pennsylvania. Some years after her friends, through the agency of Iraders, endeavored to induce her to return, but in vain. She became, if possible, more of a squaw in her habits and appearance than any female in the Na- tion.

As a sample of their punctuality in performing their contracts, I would state that I have often loaned them money, which was always returned in dne season, with a single exception. This was a loan to a young man who promised to pay me when they received their annuity. After the appointed time he shunned me, and the mat- ter remained unsettled until just prior to our depart- ure for their new homes. 1 then stated the circum- stances to one of the chiefs, more from curiosity to see how he would receive the intelligence than with the expectation of its being the means of bringing the money. Ile, thereupon, talked with the lad upon the subject, but, being unsuccessful, he called a council of his brother chiefs, who formed a circle, with the young man in the centre. After talking with him awhile in a low tone, they broke out and vociferously repri- manled him for his dishonest conduct, but all proved unavailing. Finally the chiefs, in a most generous and noble spirit, made up the amount from their own pockets and pleasantly tendered it to me.

The Indians being firm believers in witchcraft, gen- erally attributed sickness and other misfortunes to this cause, and were in the habit of murdering those whom they suspected of practicing it. They have been known to travel all the way from the Mississippi to Wapakonetta, and shoot down a person in his cal in, merely on suspicion of his being a wizard, and return unmolested. Wnon a person beenme so sick as to lead them to think that he was in danger of death, it wis usual for them to place him in the woods alone, with no the to attend except a nurse or doctor, who gener. ally neted as agent in hurrying on their dissolution. It was distressing to see one in this situation. I have been permitted to do this only through the courtesy of the relatives, it being contrary to rule for any to visit them except such as had medical care of them. The whole Natien are at liberty to attend the funeral, at which there is generally great lamentation. A chief I probably Black Hooff who died just previous to their removal, was buried in the following manner : They bored holes in the lid of his coffin (as is their

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custom) over his eyes and mouth, to let the Good Spirit pass in and out. Over the grave they laid presents, etc., with provisions, which they affirmed the Good Spirit would take in the night. Sure enonghi ! these articles had all disappeared in the morning, by the hand of an evil spirit clothed in human body. There were many funerals among the Indians, and their numbers rapidly increased. Intemperance and pulmonary and serofulous diseases made up a large share of their bills of mortality, and the number of deaths to the births were as one to three."

In August, 1831, treaties were negotiated with the tribes at Lewistown and Wapagh- ko-netta, for their removal to the West. This treaty was made by James Gardner and Col. John MeElvain, Special Commissioners in be- half of the Government, and in September, 1832, the natives were conducted by D. M. Workman and David Roble to a reservation in Indian Territory on the Kansas River. The following account of their removal we gather from the article of Mr. Robb, quoted from above: " While we were eneamped, wait- ing for the Indians to finish their ceremonies prior to emigrating, we were much annoyed by an unprincipled band of whites who came to trade, particularly in the article of whis- key, which they seereted from us in the woods. The Indians all knew of this depot, and were continually going, like bees from the hive, day and night, and it was difficult to tell whether some who led in the worship passed most of the time in that employment or in drinking whiskey. While this state of things lasted, the officers could do nothing satisfactorily with them, nor were they sensi- ble of the consequences of continuing in such a course. The Government was bound by treaty stipulations to maintain them one year only, which was passing away, and win- ter was fast approaching, when they could not well travel, and if they could not arrive until spring they would be unable to raise a crop, and consequently would be out of bread. We finally assembled the chiefs and other in-

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History of Logan County and Ohio, Part 33

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; O.L. Baskin & Co Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin Number of Pages: 798

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; O.L. Baskin & Co
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin
Number of Pages: 798