History of Medina county and Ohio, Part 15

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926; Baskin & Battey. Chicago. pub
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1014

USA > Ohio > Medina County > History of Medina county and Ohio > Part 15

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Meanwhile, Worthington pursued the ends of his mission, using his influenee to effeet that organ- ization, "which, terminating the influence of tyr- anny," was to "meliorate the circumstances of thou- sands, by freeing them from the domination of a despotie chief." His efforts were successful, and, the 4th of March, a report was made to the House in favor of authorizing a State convention. This report was based on the assumption that there were now over sixty thousand inhabitants in the proposed boundaries, estimating that emigration had

inereased the eensus of 1800, which gave the Ter- ritory forty-five thousand inhabitants, to that num- ber. The convention was to ascertain whether it were expedient to form such a government, and to prepare a constitution if such organization were deemed best. In the formation of the State, a change in the boundaries was proposed, by which all the territory north of a line drawn due east from the head of Lake Michigan to Lake Erie was to be excluded from the new government about to be called into existence.

The committee appointed by Congress to report upon the feasibility of forming the State, suggested that Congress reserve out of every township sections numbered 8, 11, 26 and 29, for their own use, and that Seetion 16 be reserved for the maintenance of schools. The committee also suggested, that, "religion, education and morality being necessary to the good government and happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall be forever encouraged."

Various other recommendations were given by the committee, in aeeordanee with which, Congress, April 30, passed the resolution authorizing the calling of a convention. As this accorded with the feelings of the majority of the inhabitants of the Northwest, no opposition was experieneed; even the Legislature giving way to this embryo gov- ernment, and failing to assemble aeeording to ad- journment.

The convention met the 1st of November. Its members were generally Jeffersonian in their na- tional politics, and had been opposed to the change of boundaries proposed the year before. Before proceeding to business, Gov. St. Clair proposed to address them in his official character. This propo- sition was resisted by several of the members; but, after a motion, it was agreed to allow himu to speak to them as a citizen. St. Clair did so, advising the postponement of a State government until the people of the original eastern division were plainly entitled to demand it, and were not subjeet to be bound by conditions. This advice, given as it was, eaused Jefferson instantly to remove St. Clair, at which time his office ceased .* "When the vote was taken," says Judge Burnet, "upon doing what

* After this, St. Clair returned to his old home in the Ligonier Valley, Pennsylvania, where he lived with his children in almost abject poverty. Ile had lost monev in his public life, as he gave close attention to public affairs, to the detriment of his own business. He presented a claim to Congress, afterward, for supplies furni-hed to the army, but the claim was outlawed. After trying in vain to get the claim allowed, he returned to his home. Pennsylvania, learning of his distress, granted him an annuity of $350, afterward raised to $600. He lived to enjoy this but a short time, his death occurring August 31, 1818. He was eighty-four years of age.

HISTORY OF OHIO.

he advised them not to do, but one of thirty-three (Ephraim Cutler, of Washington County) voted with the Governor."

On one point only were the proposed boundaries of the new State altered.

" To every person who has attended to this sub- ject, and who has consulted the maps of the West- ern country extant at the time the ordinance of 1787 was passed, Lake Michigan was believed to be, and was represented by all the maps of that day as being, very far north of the position which it has sinee been aseertained to occupy. I have seen the map in the Department of State which was before the committee of Congress who framed and reported the ordinance for the government of the Territory. On that map, the southern bound- ary of Michigan was represented as being above the forty-second degree of north latitude. And there was a pencil line, said to have been made by the committee, passing through the southern bend of the lake to the Canada line, which struck the strait not far below the town of Detroit. The line was manifestly intended by the committee and by Congress to be the northern boundary of our State; and, on the principles by which courts of chancery construe contraets, accompanied by plats, it would seem that the map, and the line referred to, should be eonelusive evidence of our boundary, without reference to the real position of the lakes.

" When the convention sat, in 1802, the under- derstanding was, that the old maps were nearly correct, and that the line, as defined in the ordi- nance, would terminate at some point on the strait above the Maumee Bay. While the convention was in session, a man who had hunted many years on Lake Michigan, and was well acquainted with its position, happened to be in Chillicothe, and, in conversation with one of the members, told him that the lake extended mueh farther south than was generally supposed, and that a map of the country which he had seen, placed its southern bend many miles north of its true position. This information excited some uneasiness, and indueed the convention to modify the elause deseribing the north boundary of the new State, so as to guard against its being depressed below the most north- ern eape of the Maumee Bay."*

With this change and some extension of the school and road donations, the convention agreed to the proposal of Congress, and, November 29,

their agreement was ratified and signed, as was also the constitution of the State of Ohio-so named from its river, ealled by the Shawances Ohio, meaning beautiful-forming its southern bound- ary. Of this nothing need be said, save that it bore the marks of true democratie feeling-of full faith in the people. By them, however, it was never voted for. It stood firm until 1852, when it was superseded by the present one, made neees- sary by the advance of time.

The General Assembly was required to meet at Chillicothe, the first Tuesday of March, 1803. This change left the territory northwest of the Ohio River, not included in the new State, in the Territories of Indiana and Michigan. Subse- quently, in 1816, Indiana was made a State, and confined to her present limits. Illinois was made a Territory then, including Wisconsin. In 1818, it beeame a State, and Wisconsin a Territory at- tached to Michigan. This latter was made a State in 1837, and Wisconsin a separate Territory, which, in 1847, was made a State. Minnesota was made a Territory the same year, and a State in 1857, and the five contemplated States of the territory were complete.

Preceding pages have shown how the territory north of the Ohio River was peopled by the French and English, and how it came under the rule of the American people. The war of the Revolution closed in 1783, and left all America in the hands of a new nation. That nation brought a change. Before the war, various attempts had been made by residents in New England to people the country west of the Alleghanies. Land com- panies were formed, principal among which were the Ohio Compauy, and the company of which John Cleves Symmes was the agent and chief owner. Large traets of land on the Scioto and on the Ohio were entered. The Ohio Company were the first to make a settlement. It was or- ganized in the autumn of 1787, November 27. They made arrangements for a party of forty-seven men to set out for the West under the supervision of Gen. Rufus Putnam, Superintendeut of the Com- pany. Early in the winter they advaneed to the Youghiogheny River, and there built a strong boat, which they named "Mayflower." It was built by Capt. Jonathan Devol, the first ship-builder in the West, and, when completed, was placed under his command. The boat was launched April 2, 1788, and the band of pioneers, like the Pilgrim Fathers, began their voyage. The 7th of the month, they arrived at the mouth of the Muskingum,

* Historical Transactions of Ohio .- JUDGE BURNETT.

HISTORY OF OHIO.

their destination, opposite Fort Harmar,* ereeted in the autumn of 1785, by a detachment of United States troops, under command of Maj. John Doughty, and, at the date of the Mayflower's arrival in possession of a company of soldiers. Under the protection of these troops, the little band of men began their labor of laying out a town, and eommeneed to ereet houses for their own aud subsequent emigrants' oeeupatiou. The names of these pioueers of Ohio, as far as ean now be learned, are as follows:

Gen. Putnam, Return Jonathan Meigs, Win- throp Sargeant (Secretary of the Territory ), Judges Parsons and Varuum, Capt. Dana, Capt. Jonathan Devol, Joseph Barker, Col. Battelle, Maj. Tyler, Dr. True, Capt. Wm. Gray, Capt. Lunt, the Bridges, Ebenezer and Thomas Cory, Andrew Me- Clure, Wm. Mason, Thomas Lord, Wm. Gridley, Gilbert Devol, Moody Russels, Deavens, Oakes, Wright, Clough, Green, Shipman, Doranee, the Masous, and others, whose names are now be- yond reeall.

Ou the 19th of July, the first boat of families arrived, after a nine-weeks journey on the way. They had traveled in their wagous as far as Wheel- ing, where they built large flat-boats, into which they loaded their effects, including their eattle, and thenee passed down the Ohio to their destinatiou. The families were those of Gen. Tupper, Col. Ichabod Nye, Col. Cushing, Maj. Coburn, and Maj. Goodale. In these titles the reader will ob- serve the prepouderanee of military distinetion. Many of the founders of the eolouy had served with mueh valor in the war for freedom, and were well prepared for a life in the wilderness.

They began at onee the construction of houses from the forests about the confluenee of the rivers, guarding their stoek by day and penning it by night. Wolves, bears aud Iudians were all about them, and, here in the remote wilderness, they were obliged to always be on their guard. From the ground where they obtained the timber to ereet their houses, they soon produced a few vegetables, and when the families arrived in August, they were able to set before them food raised for the

* The ontlines of Fort Harmar formed a regular pentagon, embracing within the area about three-fourths of an acre. Its walls were formed of large horizontal timbers, and the bastions of large uprighttimbersaboutfourteen feet in height, fastened to cacb other by strips of timber, tree-nailed into each picket. In the rear of the fort Maj. Doughty laid out fine gardens. It continned to be occupied by United States troops until September 1790, when they were ordered to Cincinnati. A company, under Capt. Haskell, continued to make the fort their headquarters during the Indian war, occasionally assisting the colonists at Marietta, Belpre and Waterford against the Indians. When not needed by the troops, the fort was used by the people of Marietta.

first time by the hand of American citizens in the Ohio Valley. One of those who came in August, was Mr. Thomas Guthrie, a settler in one of the western counties of Pennsylvania, who brought a bushel of wheat, which he sowed on a plat of ground eleared by himself, and from which that fall he proeured a small erop of wheat, the first grown in the State of Ohio.

The Marietta settlemeut was the only one made that summer in the Territory. From their arrival until October, when Governor St. Clair came, they were busily employed making houses, and prepar- ing for the wiuter. The little eolony, of which Washington wrote so favorably, met on the 2d day of July, to name their newborn city aud its pub- lie sqares. Until uow it had been known as "The Muskingum" simply, but on tliat day the name Marietta was formally giveu to it, in honor of Ma- rie Antoinette. The 4th of July, an ovation was held, aud an oration delivered by James M. Var- num, who, with S. H. Parsons and John Arm- strong, had been appointed Judges of the Terri- tory. Thus, in the lieart of the wilderness, miles away from any kindred post, in the forests of the Great West, was the Tree of Liberty watered and giveu a hearty growth.

On the morning of the 9th of July, Governor St. Clair arrived, and the colony began to assume form. The ordinance of 1787 had provided for a form of government under the Governor and the three Judges, and this form was at onee put into foree. The 25th, the first law relating to the militia was published, and the next day the Gov- ernor's proclamation appeared, ereating all the country that had been eeded by the Indians, east of the Seioto River, into the county of Wasling- ton, and the eivil machinery was in motion. From that time forward, this, the pioneer settlement in Ohio, went on prosperously. The 2d of Septem- ber, the first eourt in the Territory was held, but as it related to the Territory, a uarrative of its pro- eeedings will be found in the history of that part of the country, and ueed not be repeated here.

The 15th of July, Gov. St. Clair had published the ordinauee of 1787, and the commissious of himself and the three Judges. He also assembled the people of the settlement, and explained to them the ordinance in a speech of considerable length. Three days after, he sent a notice to the Judges, ealling their attention to the subject of organizing the militia. Instead of attending to this iniportant matter, and thus providing for their safety should trouble with the Indiaus arise, the

HISTORY OF OHIO.

Judges did not even reply to the Governor's letter, but sent him what they ealled a "project" of a law for dividing real estate. The bill was so loosely drawn that St. Clair immediately rejeeted it, and set about organizing the militia himself. He divided the militia into two elasses, "Senior" and "Junior," and organized them by appointing their offieers.

In the Senior Class, Nathan Cushing was ap- pointed Captain; George Ingersol, Lieutenant, and James Backus, Ensign.

In the Junior Class, Nathan Goodale and Charles Knowls were made Captains; Watson Casey and Samuel Stebbins, Lieutenants, and Joseph Lineoln and Arnold Colt, Ensigns.

The Governor next ereeted the Courts of Pro- bate and Quarter Sessions, and proceeded to ap- point civil officers. Rufus Putnam, Benjamin Tupper and Winthrop Sargeant were made Jus- tices of the Peace. The 30th of August, the day the Court of Quarter Sessions was appointed, Archibald Cary, Isaac Pierce and Thomas Lord were also appointed Justiees, and given power to hold this eourt. They were, in fact, Judges of a Court of Common Pleas. Return Jonathan Meigs was appointed Clerk of this Court of Quarter Sessions. Ebenezer Sproat was appointed Sheriff of Washington County, and also Colonel of the militia; William Callis, Clerk of the Supreme Conrt; Rnfns Pntnam, Judge of the Probate Court, and R. J. Meigs, Jr., Clerk. Following these appoint- ments, setting the machinery of government in motion, St. Clair ordered that the 25th of Deeem- ber be kept as a day of thanksgiving by the infant colony for its safe and propitious beginning.

During the fall and winter, the settlement was daily increased by emigrants, so much so, that the greatest difficulty was experienced in finding them lodging. During the eoldest part of the winter, when iee covered the river, and prevented navi- gation, a delay in arrivals was expericneed, only to be broken as soon as the river opened to the beams of a spring sun. While loeked in the winter's embrace, the colonists amused themselves in vari- ous ways, dancing being one of the most promi- nent. At Christmas, a grand ball was held, at which there were fifteen ladies, "whose graee," says a narrator, "equaled any in the East." Though isolated in the wilderness, they knew a brilliant prospect lay before them, and lived on in a joyous hope for the future.

Soon after their arrival, the settlers began the ereetion of a stoekade fort ( Campus Martius ),

which oecnpied their time until the winter of 1791. During the interval, fortunately, no hos- tilities from the Indians were experienced, though they were abundant, and were frequent visitors to the settlement.

From a communication in the American Pioneer, by Dr. S. P. Hildreth, the following description of Campus Martius is derived. As it will apply, in a measure, to many early structures for defense in the West, it is given entire:

" The fort was made in the form of a regular parallelogram, the sides of each being 180 feet. At each corner was erected a strong block-honse, surmounted by a tower, and a sentry box. These honses were twenty feet square below and twenty- four feet square above, and projeeted six feet be- yond the walls of the fort. The intermediate walls were made up with dwelling-houses, made of wood, whose ends were whip-sawed into timbers four inches thick, and of the requisite width and length. These were laid up similar to the structure of log houses, with the ends nicely dove-tailed together. The whole were two stories high, and covered with shingle roofs. Convenient chimneys were erected of bricks, for cooking, and warming the rooms. A number of the dwellings were built and owned by individuals who had families. In the west and sonth fronts were strong gateways; and over the one in the center of the front looking to the Mus- kingum River, was a belfry. The chamber beneath was occupied by Winthrop Sargeant, as an office, he being Seeretary to the Governor, and perform- ing the duties of the office during St. Clair's ab- senee. This room projected over the gateway, like a bloek-house, and was intended for the protection of the gate beneath, in time of an assault. At the onter corner of each bloek-house was ereeted a bastion, standing on four stout timbers. The floor of the bastion was a little above the lower story of the block-house. They were square, and built up to the height of a man's head, so that, when he looked over, he stepped on a narrow platform or " banquet " running around the sides of the bulwark. Port-holes were made, for mnsketry as well as for artillery, a single piece of which was monnted in the southwest and northeast bastions. In these, the sentrics were regularly posted every night, as more convenient than the towers ; a door leading into them from the upper story of the bloek-houses. The lower room of the southwest bloek house was oeeupied as a guard-house.

" Running from corner to eorner of the bloek- houses was a row of palisades, sloping outward,

HISTORY OF OHIO.

and resting on stout rails. Twenty feet in advance of these, was a row of very strong and large pick- ets, set upright in the earth. Gateways through these, admitted the inmates of the garrison. A few feet beyond the row of outer palisades was placed a row of abattis, made from the tops and branches of trees, sharpened and pointing outward, so that it would have been very difficult for an enemy to have penetrated within their outworks. The dwelling-houses occupied a space from fifteen to thirty feet each, and were sufficient for the ac- commodation of forty or fifty families, and did actually contain from two hundred to three hun- dred persons during the Indian war.

" Before the Indians commeneed hostilities, the block-houses were occupied as follows : The south- west one, by the family of Gov. St. Clair; the northeast one as an office for the Directors of the Company. The arca within the walls was one hundred and forty-four feet square, and afforded a fine parade ground. In the eenter, was a well eighty feet in depth, for the supply of water to the inhabitants, in ease of a siege. A large sun-dial stood for many years in the square, placed on a handsome post, and gave note of the march of time.

" After the war commenced, a regular military corps was organized, and a guard constantly kept night and day. The whole establishment formed a very strong work, and reflected great eredit on the head that planned it. It was in a manner im- pregnable to the attacks of Indians, and none but a regular army with eannon eould have redueed it. The Indians possessed no such an armament. " The garrison stood on the verge of that beauti- ful plain overlooking the Muskingum, on which are seated those celebrated remains of antiquity, erected probably for a similar purpose-the defense of the inhabitants. The ground descends into shal- low ravines on the north and south sides; on the west is an abrupt deseent to the river bottoms or alluvium, and the east passed out to a level plain. On this, the ground was cleared of trees beyond the reach of rifle shots, so as to afford no shelter to a hidden foe. Extensive fields of corn were grown in the midst of the standing girdled trees be- yond, in after years. The front wall of palisades was about one hundred and fifty yards from tlie Muskingum River. The appearance of the fort from without was imposing, at a little distance re- sembling the military castles of the feudal ages. Between the outer palisades and the river were laid out neat gardens for the use of Gov. St. Clair

and his Secretary, with the officers of the Com- pany.

"Opposite the fort, on the shore of the river, was built a substantial timber wharf, at which was moored a fine cedar barge for twelve rowers, built by Capt. Jonathan Devol, for Gen. Putnam; a number of pirogues, and the light canoes of the country ; and last, not least, the Mayflower, or ' Adventure Galley,' in which the first detach- ments of colonists were transported from the shores of the ' Yohiogany' to the banks of the Muskingum. In these, especially the eanoes, during the war, most of the communications were carried on between the settlements of the Company and the more re- mote towns above on the Ohio River. Traveling by land was very hazardous to any but the rangers or spies. There were no roads, nor bridges across the creeks, and, for many years after the war had ceased, the traveling was nearly all done by canoes on the river."

Thus the first settlement of Ohio provided for its safety and comfort, and provided also for that of emigrants who came to share the toils of the wilderness.

The next spring, the influx of emigration was so great that other settlements were determined, and hence arose the colonies of Belpre, Waterford and Duck Creek, where they began to clear land, sow and plant crops, and build houses and stockades. At Belpre (French for "beautiful meadow"), were built three stockades, the upper, lower and middle, the last of which was called "Farmers' Castle," and stood on the banks of the Ohio, nearly oppo- site an island, afterward famous in Western history as Blennerhasset's Island, the seene of Burr's con- spiracy. Among the persons settling at the upper stoekade, were Capts. Dana and Stone, Col. Bent, William Browning, Judge Foster, John Rowse, Israel Stone and a Mr. Keppel. At the Farmers' Castle, were Cols. Cushing and Fisher, Maj. Has- kell, Aaron Waldo Putnam, Mr. Sparhawk, and, it is believed, George and Israel Putnam, Jr. At the lower, were Maj. Goodale, Col. Rice, Esquire Pieree, Judge Israel Loring, Deacon Miles, Maj. Bradford and Mr. Goodenow. In the summer of 1789, Col. Ichabod Nye and some others, built a bloek-house at Newberry, below Belpre. Col. Nye sold his lot there to Aaron W. Clough, who, with Stephen Guthrie; Joseph Leavins, Joel Oakes, Elcazer Curtis, Mr. Denham J. Littleton and Mr. Brown, was located at that place.

"Every exertion possible," says Dr. Hildreth, who has preserved the above names and incidents,

HISTORY OF OHIO.

"for men in these circumstanees, was made to se- cure food for future difficulties. Col. Oliver, Maj. Hatfield White and John Dodge, of the Water- ford settlement, began mills on Wolf Creek, about three miles from the fort, and got them running; and these, the first mills in Ohio, were never de- stroyed during the subsequent Indian war, though the proprictors removed their familes to the fort at Marietta. Col. E. Sproat and Enoch Shep- herd began mills on Duck Creek, three miles from Marietta, from the completion of which they were driven by the Indian war. Thomas Stanley be- gan mills farther up, near the Duck Creek settle- ment. These were likewise unfinished. The Ohio Company built a large horse mill near Campus Martius, and soon after a floating mill."

The autumn before the settlements at Belpre, Duck Creek and Waterford, were made, a colony was planted near the mouth of the Little Miami River, on a traet of ten thousand acres, purchased from Symmes by Maj. Benjamin Stites. In the pre- ceding pages may be found a history of Symmes' purchase. This colony may be counted the second settlement in the State. Soon after the colony at Marietta was founded, steps were taken to occupy separate portions of Judge Symmes' purchase, be- tween the Miami Rivers. Three partics were formed for this purpose, but, owing to various delays, chiefly in getting the present colony stead- fast and safe from future encroachments by the savages, they did not get started till late in the fall. The first of these parties, consisting of fifteen or twenty men, led by Maj. Stites, landed at the mouthi of the Little Miami in November, 1788, and, constructing a log fort, began to lay out a. village, called by them Columbia. It soon grew into prominence, and, before winter had thoroughly set in, they were well prepared for a frontier life. In the party were Cols. Spencer and Brown, Majs. Gano and Kibbey, Judges Goforth and Foster, Rev. John Smith, Francis Dunlavy, Capt. Flinn, Jacob White, John Riley, and Mr. Hubbell.

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History of Medina county and Ohio, Part 15

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926; Baskin & Battey. Chicago. pub Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago : Baskin & Battey Number of Pages: 1014

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926; Baskin & Battey. Chicago. pub
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1014