History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 15

Author: Andrews, Martin Register, 1842-; Hathaway, Seymour J
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1490

USA > Ohio > Washington County > Marietta > History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 15

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The contest between Washington County and its neighbors was only an incident con- nected with our emergence from a provincial to a national State. At first each little group of settlers had its prejudices against all other. The New England emigrants did not like the settlers from Virginia or the Scotch-Irish from Pennsylvania, and both Virginians and Pennsylvanians hated the Yankees. Many years ago an old lady, whose parents had brought her in childhood to a part of Ohio al- most exclusively settled by Pennsylvanians, used to give this amusing incident of her first visit to one of her new neighbors. After she had been in the cabin a little while and had been very curiously surveyed by a ring of chil- dren, one of them exclaimed, "Mother, get her a piece of bread. We want to see a Yankee cat. ' It took a long time to wear away these provincial prejudices and teach each little group that they could learn some useful lesson from the other.

Puritan ideal of union, order and na- tionality seemed for a time to be supplanted by the Jeffersonian doctrine of equality and personal liberty. But we have learned that the two are not antagonistic. By the fusion of the colonies the best in each of them has sur- vived.

When General Putnam was striving to keep the Constitutional Convention away from Chillicothe, he little thought that his own great- grandson would make that town his home. Rufus Putnam is now on honored citizen of Chillicothe and has no fear of riot or insult from his fellow townsmen. The Scioto di- vides neither State nor people. The contend- ing elements have blended to build up a grand commonwealth. It is not strange that Ohio has given to the nation such a rich treasure of jewels-that illustrious group of soldiers and statesmen. Every section of the older settle- ments gave some of her noblest sons and daughters to subdue the Ohio wilderness and

HARMAN BLENNERHASSETT. FROM A MINIATURE PRESENTED BY HIM TO DUDLEY WOODBRIDGE

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build up a new empire. In the last half cen- tury Ohio has been repaying that debt with a generous interest.

HARMAN BLENNERILASSETT.

This romantic episode in the history of pioneer times gave brightness and beauty to those years of toil, but the tragic end which awakened the interest and sympathy of the whole country was the direct result of political strife.

It is not strange that the story of this trag- edy on the Ohio has been treasured with so much interest. When the white settlers came to the valley of the Ohio, there were scarcely any red men along its banks: the home of the tribes was far to the North or away on the waters of the Tennessee. The story of that other race who once inhabited this region was buried in their mounds and ramparts and the scenes of their busy life covered again with a dense forest. Hence. the new race found no stories associated with the beautiful sites which they had chosen. The Ohio had along its bank works as oldl. perhaps, as the Roman towers on the Rhine, but there had been no continuity of race to preserve and build up its traditions. No wonder, then, that the sad story of the Blennerhassetts has touched the hearts of all who live in this region. Many of our readers, no doubt, will eagerly read this vivid retelling of an old but always inter- esting story.

Ilaiman Blennerhassett, born in Hamp- shire. England, at some date between 1764 and 1767, educated in Ireland for the profes- sion of the law, came to Marietta with his family in 1797 and the next spring purchased the upper lobe of the island which still bears his name. It is in the Ohio, 14 miles below the mouth of the Muskingum. Here he fitted up a home luxurious and grand for those times -a veritable palace in comparison with the plain homes at Marietta and Belpre. In this beautiful place he lived until 1807. In 1805 the tempter and destroyer came.

The fascinating Burr won the heart of the

genial Blennerhassett and persuaded him to invest his fortune in a venture which even yet has in it something of mystery, but which at the time promised wealth and fame to the sanguine promoters.

A filibustering scheme to seize some of the Spanish territory of Texas-a scheme no bet- ter and probably no worse than that of Lopez in 1851, of Walker in 1860, or of many others that have been favored by Americans-was interpreted by the sycophantic worshipers of the reigning Jefferson, and especially by the drunken General Wilkinson, into a plot to de- stroy the Union. That Burr was not unwill- ing to see the West become an independent empire is probable, indeed almost certain. There were many true men in Kentucky and Tennessee who felt even at the beginning of the foth century that Spanish misrule in North America should be ended, if necessary by force. Senator Blount, who was expelled from the United States Senate for entering into a plot in 1706-07 very similar to that formed by Burr jo years later, did not for that reason lose any of his popularity in Ten- nessee. But Jefferson could not neglect the opportunity to crush his hated rival. Aaron Burr. Governor Tiffin detained the boats which had been built on the Muskingum: the Virginia militia ravaged the beautiful island home: Burr and Blennerhassett were taken to Richmond and there, after a tedious trial, re- leased. A little later Blennerhassett's beau- tiful home land was seized by a creditor and the family with a small remnant of their prop- erty went to Mississippi. Nothing remains of his buildings, which were destroyed by fire in 1811: even the foundations were dug up long ago, and part of the site is now covered by a bowling alley and dancing hall erected for picnic parties.

In the eight years of his residence on the Ohio it was natural that a man of Blemer- hassett's culture and intelligence would have intimate social and business relations with his neighbors at Marietta. In private collections and in the library of Marietta College are pre- served many of his letters and numerous relics

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HISTORY OF MARIETTA AND WASHINGTON COUNTY,

of his island home. Among his intimate friends were Dudley Woodbridge, a prominent merchant of those times, with whom he formed a business partnership for the sale of imported (English) goods, Paul Fearing, a representative in Congress, Griffin Greene, a cousin of the American general, and David Putnam, the first preceptor in Muskingum Academy. When Blennerhassett first came to Marietta, he brought the following letter of introduction to Mr. Woodbridge :

PITTSBURG, July 31, 1797.

SIR :

Presuming upon a short acquaintance I take the liberty of introducing to you my friend Harman Blennerhassett, Esq., a gentleman from Europe who wishes to become a resident of the Western Country. He visits Marietta and the adjacent settlements for the purpose of observation. Any information you may please to show him will be fully compensated by his acquaintance and gratefully acknowledged by Your very Humble Serv't D' W D TURNER

In the numerous letters from his Western home, there is revealed the genial, hospitable gentleman, honorable in his dealings, hope- ful in the midst of discouragements, The following letter to Griffin Greene, Esq., is typ- ical of many which he wrote in his quiet, peace- ful days :

BEAU PRE ISLAND, Supr 22d 98

DEAR SQUIRE :

In pursuance of your letter I enclose you my Dit for the ant of your Demand on the score of our last Dealing as by our Friend's Capt D'hebecount's accts returnel to me which 1 take it for granted are correct :- 1 have not particularly examined them yet for want of time, but rest persuaded that should any error ap- pear at any time, you and I shall be equally forward on both sides to rectify it.

I have since a week or ten days past entertained a hope that your occasions would not press for my Dft till things looked up better at Philadelphia where every- thing is so deranged by the common calamity that for- eign bills of exch. I find must suffer a heavy deprecia- tion. This consideration however, I have made give way to your necessities.

On the subject of the Boat I wish to have a little unreserved conversation with you. I therefore beg of you to slip down and give me the week you have prom- ised me. Let me add, among your older acquaintance perhaps you have not one disposed toward you with more friendly sentiments than

Dear Squire Your Obliged Hble Servt, HAR'N BLENNERHASSETT.

The "common calamity" was the war act- ually begun by France. It will be recalled by the student of history that in 1798 Washing- ton had been called to the command of the army and that the general expectation of the people was that the war with France would be continued. Hence foreign bills of exchange were subject to an unusual risk; they could be sold only at a heavy discount.

We will pass over the eight quiet years and give another letter written shortly before the outbreak of the storm. This letter ad- dressed to Dudley Woodbridge, gives us a hint of the way in which slave labor might some- times be used even in the territory reserved for freedom :

May 20. 1806.

DEAR D'Y.

I forgot to mention to a small business I wish you to transact for me at Mar'a viz-to place Kager for a year or by the month with Lincoln or Allen. The latter K. tells me offers at the rate of 110 Drs. a year. But Mr. L first spoke of hiring him. I want 120 Drs. if I am to find his clothing. but will take the above offer if Mr. L will not give my demand. I wish you would take the trouble to write or get written a few lines by way of an article or ohlig'n as security for the wages specifying the time an owner of a slave may safely hire one there. Whenever Kager shall earn for me 4 years wages I mean to set him free. [Then follow directions about some produce he had sent to Marietta to be sold.] Yours &c ..

HAR BR HASSETE.

We have seen but one letter from Mrs. Blennerhassett, and that is only a fragment, supposed to have been written December 12, 1806. We are indebted for this and other papers to Mrs. J. A. Gallaher, a granddaugh- ter of Mr. Woodbridge, to whom the letter was addressed :

Our runaways have just arrived and would start immediately off in the wherry if they could only get a supply of biscuit. I enclose the order of Mr. B. to get it from Jones & I wish also to have your keel boat loaded & sent down with as much provisions of all sorts as it will carry, also to get another keel boat of Mr. Miller's which lies at Colonel Lord's, and load it and send them down with as many hired hands as can be got. Mr. Elliott was to have Muncel's bill discharged and two coils of rope got which he left at Muncers. I wish to settle all accounts with Miller. My mind is so distracted I scarcely know what I write hutt hope to see you. Yours. M. BLENNERHASSETT.

III

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

On the 2d of December, 1806, the Ohio Legislature met in secret session at Chillicothe to discuss the movements of Burr and Blen- nerhassett. The following orders show the result of the deliberations :

The State of Ohio.

To JOSEPH BUELL, Esq .. Major General of the Third Division of the Militia of the State of Ohio.

You are hereby authorized and required, with such of the Militia of your Division as you may think nec- essary, to arrest and secure Harman Blennerhassett, Esq., if he may be found within the jurisdiction of the State of Ohio, to answer to the following charges, to-wit: that he the said Harman hath fitted out and is attempting to fit out, and hath procured to be fitted out on the Muskingum river within the Jurisdiction of this State a number of Batteaux, with the Intention that such Batteaux shall he employed to disturb the peace and tranquility of the United States, all of which Doings of the said Harman Blennerhassett are con- trary to an act of the State of Ohio entitled "An Act to prevent certain Acts hostile to the peace and Tran- ¿quility of the United States, within this State."

And you are further authorized and required to take possession ot and detain the Batteaux aforesaid, t )- gether with all their Tackle, Apparel, and Furniture and the same securely to keep according to the pro- visions of the fourth section of the above recited Act. Given under my Hand and Seal at Marietta, in the State of Ohio, this Tenth day of December, Anno Domin' One Thousand Eight Hundred and Six. RETURN JONATHAN MEIGS, JR .. Agent commissioned by the Governor of the State of Ohio.

MARIETTA, 16th December, 1806.

CAPTAIN TIMOTHY BUELL, Greeting

You are hereby authorized and empowered to raise hy voluntary enlistment two sergeants, one corporal, one drummer, one fifer and * privates for the service of the United States to be stationed in the County of Washington. They will receive such pay and rations as the troops of the standing army.

By authority. JOSEPIT BUELL, Mjr. Genl. 3d Div Militia, State of Ohio.

The number of privates was given in the commission but the figures are no longer leg- ible. In the roll of the company, which has been preserved, there are 35 names. Dr. S. P. Hildreth states that they were posted near the mouth of the Muskingum during the win- ter of 1806-07, and that many amusing scenes occurred during this period.

The following letter addressed to Mr. Fearing gives us a little hint of Henry Clay's opinion concerning the relations of Burr and Blennerhassett :

LEXINGTON, Aug. 2nd, 1807.

DEAR SIR,

Or inquiry I find it will be in your favor to attach the Debt due by Gen. Beauel | Buell} on the Virgima side as the property of Burr. Clay is of the opinion it will do. You will therefore by some means get him over and have a writ served on him. If any difficulty should arise concerning bail you will please apply 10 Mr. MeNeill, who. I presume. will oblige me therein. In the meantime I suppose the other attachment need not be altered or relinquished. Clay thinks that as the whole expedition was fitted out for Burr. although Brht. was the person who paid for these boats and cargoes, yet it is probable that he can be considered in no other light than as the friend or agent of Burr. Perhaps you can obtain some information from Barker respecting the person who required them built and gave directions as to their form, number. &c. You may find sufficient evidence to prove that Blennerhassett said they were for Burr. I will expect to hear from you shortly.

Y'r Oht Servt ROBERT MILLER.

The attempt to attach under Virginia pro- cess the boats and cargoes seized by General Buell under orders from the Governor of Ohio was not successful. The property which had not been lost or destroyed was sold at public auction in Marietta. One can hardly read these old letters without being convinced that in equity Ohio and Virginia owed a large debt to Blennerhassett for property wasted or reck- lessly destroyed. In the light of subsequent events there is something pathetic in the fol- lowing appeal to Dudley Woodbridge:

NATCHEZ. Feby 23. 1807

DEAR DUDLEY.

Amidst the various conjectures that may have arisen in your mind out of the friendship I long thought yon had for me. respecting the situation of my family and the destiny that awaits me. it will not be indifferent to you to hear that we have sought an aslyum here from the persecution that has pursued us, where we shall remain in expectation of collecting so much of the wreck of our property as we can receive, three' yon and others.

Your letters therefore will be anxiously looked for and the earliest statement and remittances you can for- ward of the property or its proceeds which I paid for before I came away.

I need not advise you of the dilapidated stat: of my affairs or suggest the narrowness of my means to resettle my family. Your punctuality and industry will save both: and the temper of the times however big with terror and alarm will not cover in your mind with the garb of treason or conspiracy the operations of buy- ing or selling provisions here or at Marietta. I allude to the pork, biscuit and whiskey-which if not sold at

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HISTORY OF MARIETTA AND WASHINGTON COUNTY.

Marietta I will bona fide sell at this place .- unless some new law shall previously compel me to engage by what months they shall be eaten or drunk. I am very desirous to receive my acc. with you together with your order in my favor on Capt. Elli, and Shaw. Yon will all use every intelligence you can collect to inform me how far my family may hope for indemnity from the govt. of Ohio and Virginia for any part of my prop- erty detained or destroyed. For myself. I am satisfied 1, abide any chance of consideration for actions I never committed in which I will always be ready to exculpate you from any participation otherwise than as a merchant having no interest or concern in any views that have been attributed to Col. Burr injurious to the U. S.

I write to Col. Cushing and Mr. Jas. Wilson in re- quest their special exertion to collect and forward to me here for the use of my family every article of my property that will be worth transportation.

Col. C. will inform you of the situation in which I am placed here under charge of being an associate of Col. Burr, who has substracted himself from the treach- ery of his friends and the persecution of his enemies.

It would astonish you to witness the prosperity of this country arising out of the cotton business. If you could visit this place you would not hesitate to take your stand amongst merchant, selling from 200 to 200,000 dollars worth of goods with an average profit of 50 per cent.

For further particulars I will refer you to Col. Cushing and the better information I shall hereafter collect and with our best wishes for your -elf and family I remain, Dear Dudley

Your sincere friend, HAR. BLENNERHASSETT.

P. S The want of our negroes and horses con- -titntes our greatest embarrassment If you can suc- cred by any means to get them all down on Mr. Jones' vessel or any other the carliest opportunity you will confer a signal obligation upon inc. H. B.

Mr. Woodbridge was unable to carry out Blennerhassett's wishes concerning credits and other personal property, for everything which Burr's creditors could seize was tied up by le- gal processes in the Virginia and Ohio courts. Although property amounting to many thous- ands of dollars was wasted or destroyed, Blennerhassett seems to have met every legal obligation in an honorable way, and after a delay of six years Mr. Woodbridge was per- mitted to pay him the balance, $330.20, due him on goods.

In a letter to David Putnam, dated "St. Catharines near Natchez. July 15. 1808," Blennerhassett gives many directions about the sale of his property and especiallly of the island which he offers "for 30 prime hands,

allowing two boys or girls not under 13 to go for a hand."

Of his own work he reports, "With a force of but 8 or 9 hands in the field and with an overseer on a farm I rent for $300 my cotton crop will fetch me $2200. A negro bought here will clear himself in two years."

From a long list of articles bought at pub- lic sale for Robert Miller, one of Burr's cred- itors, we select the following items :

6 Mahogany chairs SII 00

2 Concave glasses 2 00

I Barometer 3 00

I Microsope 10 00

I Telescope 50 00

I Quadrant 10 00

I Case of instruments 6 00

7 Vols. Repertory of arts. 4 00

I Luciad 2 75

I Decameron

I Doz. wine glass 75

I Decanter 1 00

2 Goblets I 00

AIr. Miller had previously given directions from his home in Kentucky to bid on such articles as could conveniently be brought down the river but not to offer more than half the real valtie.

In Blennerhassett's letters, written after the tragedy that robbed him of his beauti- ful home, there is no trace of bitterness. Even the scoundrel who had betrayed him and t then "subtracted himself," is dismissed with a single line. How carefully, too, he pro- tected the reputation of his Marietta friends, who for years had known him as a neighbor vet had no knowledge of any scheme for seiz- ing Spanish territory!

That Blennerhassett had formed no polit- cal plot with the citizens of Marietta to pro- mote disunion is evident from the fact that among his most intimate friends and business associates were many ardent Jeffersonian Re- publicans. It is true that, as he himself ad- mitted, he did publish in the Ohio Gasette, a Marietta newspaper, "a series of short es- says calling the attention of the people of the Western Country to a subject that might en- gage their interest setting forth motives of right and expediency which should

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induce the country west of the mountains to seek a separation from the Atlantic States in a peaccable and constitutional manner." These articles were answered by "Regulus," who de- nounced the thought of separation and defend- ed the administration of Jefferson. "Regulus" was the Jared Mansfield already mentioned as the successor of General Putnam in the office of surveyor general.

Neither Federalists nor Republicans of Marietta had at any time the least sympathy with disunion.

That Burr was at one time engaged in plots illegal, if not treasonable, is probable. One can easily believe such charges when preferred against the first great Tammany boss and the murderer of Hamilton. Yet even he was not proved guilty in the United States court. Against his victim. Harman Blennerhassett, not one word of the charges uttered under the authority of an administration noted for its sonorous proclamations, has been substantiat- ed. All that can be truthfully said is that he risked his fortune in a wild speculation and in the venture lost.

LOCAL QUESTIONS CEASE TO BE THE POINT OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN POLITICAL PARTIES.

The point of division between political par- ties in this county for the period between 1803 and 1812 turned from local to international questions. The Napoleonic wars awakened the interest of all Americans and men were divided into two parties, one of which admired Na- poleon while the other feared and hated him.

to liberate Portugal, Spain and Germany, rath- Ter than with the tyrant who had crushed out liberty in Holland and Switzerland and de- luged Europe in blood, yet they recognized that both France and England had in their strug- gle committed many outrages upon our neu- tral commerce.

Both had violated international law in many ways with an arrogance which no self- respecting power would now tolerate. We had abundant canse for war with France and Eng- land at any time between 1804 and 1812, but the Federalists and Republicans could not agree which score should be settled first. We could not very well fight them both at the same time. The Federalists said, "France is our worst enemy ;" the Republicans said, "Eng- land is doing us the greatest mischief," and the fact that England had so recently been holding a part of our State and inciting the savages to hostility made the people of Ohio believe that the Republicans were right.

The Western Spectator, a Federalist paper, in its "Carriers' New Year's Address" has this to say of Napoleon :

The Gallie despot rules alone. And nations crouch beneath his throne, No more blithe commerce plies her car. And independence quits her shore. Poles, Germans, Prussians, kiss the rod. E'en Austria dreads the tyrant's nod.

Italia fawns beneath his throne. Turks. Russians, tremble at his frown- Where freedom with the Switzer trode And midst his cliffs found sure abode. The blood stained Galhe eagles rise. And liberty and virtue dies !

The veterans who had spent the best years When war with England was threatened in 1812 the Western Spectator finds fault with the administration for not sooner arming against France, but it finds no excuse for the aggressions and outrages committed by Eng. land, and as early as May of that year gives the following news: of their youth in resisting the aggressions of the Tories of England and the prime of their manhood in erecting a bulwark against English armies in the West, resented the imputation of being Tories, but they were filled with hor- ror at the atrocities committed by a Corsican savage who had ruined France in his ruthless "The corps of volunteers, which assem- bled at Zanesville under the command of Col- onel C'ass, arrived at this place on Saturday last and were saluted by the discharge of cannon. efforts to reduce all Europe to his despotic sway. It is not strange that the patriots who had fought to establish a free country would sympathize with the power that bad struggled i They were joined by Colonel Sharp with the

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HISTORY OF MARIETTA AND WASHINGTON COUNTY,

volunteers from this county, and the whole, amounting to about 250, took their departure the next morning."

On the Fourth of July, 1812, the Spectator issued this "manifesto:'

"As war is declared, we must necessarily wish sticcess to the army of our own country; of that country in whose welfare is embarked the welfare of all we hold dear in the world. But a state of war is the last situation in which we will be indticed to be silent on the acts of an administration which we deem unfit to manage the concerns of our country."

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History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 15

Author: Andrews, Martin Register, 1842-; Hathaway, Seymour J Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1490

Author: Andrews, Martin Register, 1842-; Hathaway, Seymour J
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1490