History of Muskingum County, Ohio ; with illustrations and biographical sketches of prominent men and pioneers, 1794, Part 15

Author: Everhart, J. F; Graham, A. A., Columbus, Ohio, pub
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: [Columbus, O.] : F.J. Everhart & Co.
Number of Pages: 600

USA > Ohio > Muskingum County > History of Muskingum County, Ohio ; with illustrations and biographical sketches of prominent men and pioneers, 1794 > Part 15

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thirty-six degrees west, thirty-four links distant ; thence, by the northerly bank of the Sciota river, to the place of beginning. And the other tract, containing six hundred and forty acres, and bounded and described as follows, viz .: Begin- ning at the southwest corner, at a stake where a white oak twenty inches diameter bears north fifty-one degrees west, twenty-two links distant, and one other white oak, twelve inches diameter, bears north fifty-eight degrees east, thirty-six links distant ; thence north eighty chains, to a post in a prairie ; thence east eighty chains, to a post, where an hickory five inches diameter bears north forty-four degrees west, six links distant ; thence south eighty chains, to a post, where a black oak eighteen inches diameter bears, south forty-five degrees west, five links distant, and one other black oak, fifteen inches diameter bears north eighty degrees east, thirty- five links distant ; thence west eighty chains, to the place of beginning. To have and to hold the said three tracts of land, with the appurten- ances, unto the said Ebenezer Zane and his heirs forever.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the said John Adams, President of the United States of America, hath caused the seal of the said United States of America to be affixed, and signed the same with his hand, at the City of Philadelphia, the fourteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred, and of the Independence of the United States of America the twenty-fourth.

[L. S.]

JOHN ADAMS, By the President.

TIMOTHY PICKERING, Secretary of State.

Of these three tracts Ebenezer Zane gave to his brother Jonathan, and his brother-in-law, John McIntire, that at the crossing of the Mus- kingum river, for their assistance in opening the road heretofore described.

Zane and McCulloch established a ferry across the Muskingum in 1797; this was afterwards known as the middle ferry. The upper ferry, which crossed from the foot of Market street to Lee street, West Zanesville, was kept by Daniel Whitaker in 1800. And about 1806 Rufus Put- nam, Increase Mathews and Levi Whipple, managed a ferry from Zanestown to Springfield, as Putnam was then called! They paid a yearly license of from $10 to $15 for the privilege. McIntire paid the same. Shortly after starting the first ferry it was conveyed to Wm. McCul- loch and Henry Crooks for five years. At the instigation of John McIntire, Whitaker conveyed the upper ferry to "Black Mess," who con- tinued to run it until the bridge at Main street was built. "Black Mess " was a slave when he lived in Mary Land ; he ran away in 1799 and hired to John McIntire, in Wheeling, Va., Lto help move his family to this place, where he ar- rived in May, 1800. His master heard of him and came aiter him, but he saw his old master

HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO.

first and escaped to the woods. John McIntire expressed his opinion that it would be difficult to find him, and offered $150 for him, which the master accepted and released his claim on him. He no doubt fully repaid Mr. McIntire, as he lived with him as a faithful servant many years. At the time of taking charge of the ferry his home was on River street, in West Zanesville, and he died there in 1840. He was good natured, " a fair performer on the violin," and a great favorite, being ever on the alert for a frolic. The humor and cunning of this negro is aptly illustrated in connection with his marriage, the certificate of which is here given, premising that the 'Squire agreed to marry Black Mess and Ann Thompson, like white folks, for which he should receive one dollar :

" I do certify that 'Mess Johnson,' a black man, and Ann Thompson, a black woman, was married before me the eighth of November, 1808.

[Signed. ]

SAMUEL THOMPSON, J. P."

The ceremony was performed in John McIn- tire's house, where Black Mess was living at the time. When the 'Squire had made " the twain one flesh " according to law, he asked for his re- ward. The newly made husband informed him that when he (the 'Squire) had kissed the bride, as he was accustomed to do when marrying white folks, the dollar should be forth coming ! 'Squire Thompson gracefully declined, saying that he did not want Mess' dollar.

In the spring of 1798, Elias Hughes, with his wife and twelve children, accompanied by his nephew, John Ratliff, with his wife and four children, came " to the mouth of the Licken," and built their cabins on the north bank, where they resided about a year, and removed twenty miles up that river, where Mr. Hughes died in 1843, being about the age of ninety years.

The pioneers who found their way into the beautiful valley of the Muskingum, now so widely known, were men of nerve and rare sagacity, familiar with the red men of the forest at home, and in no wise inclined to under-value their judgement in selecting the domain over which it would be most profitable for them to roam ; and knowing that " the northwest country" was a great hunting ground, their eyes were naturally turned to that country as the "land of promise." This will be apparent when we re- call their home surroundings, which the follow- ing extract will serve to sliow :

" October 29th, 1731, Jona Davenport made affidavit at Philadelphia, Pa., that a French agent had, every spring, for several years past, come down to the Shawanee settlement at Alle- ghany, and consulted with the Indians there. James Le Tort made a similar affidavit at the same time. Attached to the affidavits is a men- orandum of the number of Indians. Among them are " three Shawance towns on Conumach creek, forty-five families, 200 mien.' Next to this is the item. ' Asswikales, fifty families,

lately from South Carolina to the Potowmack, and from thence thither.'-[Penn. Archives, Vol. I, pp. 299, 300.]

Thus we see, also, that Indians traveled over all that country.

Now Isaac Zane was born on the south branch of the Potowmack, in Virginia, in 1753, and it is safe to conclude that his kindred were well acquainted with Asswikales. Indeed the sequel of his first and doubtless providential de- termination, was to accomplish a happy mar- riage, and cement the bonds of peace, then be- ginning to prevail-between the Indian and pale faces. A treaty to this effect having been en- tered into by the great Shawanee nation, of which the Asswikales were a part, and the Con- gress of the United States. The storms of anger had ceased, the council fires were burn- ing brightly, and intercourse between the two races was pacific. Isaac Zane was at that impressionable age when the gentle god- dess comes with her divinest allurements, and he said :

"As unto the bow the cord is, So unto man is woman, Though she bends him, yet she follows, Useless each without the other !

And when he found himself in the presence of the great chief of the Asswikales, who knew so much about the people, who was rich in love of hunting grounds, in the region of the Elk's Eye, and richer still in having a comely daughter, he reminded him of all the past, and asked to be his son, saying :

"After many years of warfare, Many years of strife and bloodshed, There is peace between us, O, Asswikales, Between the Shawnee and pale faces, Give me as my wife this maiden, Minnehaha, Laughing Water," Loveliest of lovely women !

"And the ancient arrow maker Paused a moment ere he answered, Smoked a little while in silence, Looked at Isaac proudly, Fondly looked at Laughing Water,

And made answer very gravely :

"Yes, if Minnehaha wishes; Let your heart speak, Minnehaha !" And the lovely Langhing Water Seemed more lovely, as she stood there, Neither willing nor reluctant, As she went to the brave Isaac, Softly took her seat beside him, While she said, and blushed to say it,

"I will follow yon, my husband !" * From the sky the sun benignant Looked upon them through the branches, Saying to them, "O, my children, Love is like sunshine, hate is shadow, Life is checkered shade and sunshine, Rule by Love, O, happy Isaac !"

HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO.

And it came to psss that the Great Spirit gave this happy pair a comely daughter :

Comely in her form and lithencss, Filled was her mind with brightness,

Versed in all the great traditions, And of singers, the most elysian ; Men were joyous at the sound Of the rich melodies of her voice, Until one day as they found,

She was a white man's choice, And to him had welcome given. Then their joy was turned to anguish,

And their very souls were riven, For without her they must languish ; But they breathed an invocation Of blessing on each nation, In her so fully blended ; And their fervent prayer ascended,

And will ascend forever, To bless the singer and her lover.

This comely maiden became the wife of Wil- liam McCulloch, who, having found an eden in this charming, valley was soon enjoying the sunshine of her love. By the margin of the waters, where the Muskingum gently glides, there was built their cabin home. And there on the 7th of April night, 1798, their son, Noah Zane McCulloch, was born, and was probably the first white child born within the limits of what is now Muskingum county. The cabin was built on the spot where the canal waters traverse the south side of Main street.

The trading post was now rapidly growing into the likeness of a white settlement and ac- quiring the modes of civilization, and as such was called Westbourne, and was on the west side of the river, within the boundaries of the Eighth Ward, as now designated. October 27, 1798, the Postmaster General recognized the right of the citizens to mail facilities, and by contract authorized the transporting of mail to and from this point, and at the same time changed the name to Zanestown-in compliment of Mr. Zane. The following year Messrs. Zane and McCulloch laid out the town into squares and lots. Henry Crooks came about this time and resided with McCulloch. He built his cabin during the winter of 1798-9, just where is not now known, only that it was within the boundaries of what is known as the Seventh Ward. Mrs. Crooks was the only white woman this side of Lancaster. Mr. Crooks' brother Andrew and wife, and sons George M. and Jacob, and daughter Nancy, joined them soon af- ter. They were followed by John Bland, Henry Smith and - Priest, who brought their families with them from "the Kenawha coun- try."

In 1799 John McIntire built a cabin in a beauti- ful maple grove situated on the site since known as the southwest corner of Second and Market streets. His sagacity prompted him to build a large house, for the double purpose of having a comfortable home and keeping an inn, the want of the latter having been felt on more than one

occasion. Although a one-story house, it com- manded a fine view of the falls and the upper ford. According to Mrs. Charles G. Goddard (good authority), "John McIntire cut down the trees and hewed nearly all of the logs, shaped saplings into rafters, split scantling for door and window frames, etc. The window glass (the first used here) was brought from Wheeling, Va. The house was not finished until the spring of 1800, and was quite a mansion for those days. It is due to Mr. McIntire and lady to say that their accommodations, though in a log cabin, were such as to render their house to the travel- lers a home."-[Howe's Historical Notes of Ohio.]

Louis Phillippe, a noted King of France, was once a guest with the McIntires. Hon. Lewis Cass, in "Camp and Court of Louis Phillippe," thus alludes to it: "At Zanesville, the party found the comfortable cabin of Mr. John McIn- tire, and whose house was a favorite place of rest and refreshment for all travelers, who, at this early period, were compelled to transverse that part of the country. And if these pages should chance to meet the eyes of any of those who, like the writer, have passed many a pleas- ant hour under the roof of this uneducated, but truly worthy and respectable man, he trusts they will unite in this tribute to his memory." The King's visit was probably made in 1802.

According to Silas Johnson, long a servant of John McIntire, "John McIntire was born in Alexandria, Virginia, in October, 1759, and married Sarah M. Zane, in Wheeling, Virginia, in December, 1789. He was a little below me- dium height, rather fleshy, full-faced, rather high forehead, had blue eyes, rather lightish brown hair, wore no beard and weighed between 150 and 160 pounds ; was of a pleasant disposition except when insulted, when he would instantly knock the offender down, and go off about his business. His word was as good as his bond." He died in his stone house, corner of Fountain alley and Second street, July 29th, 1815. His remains repose in the old grave yard at the head of Main street.

Mrs. McIntire was a resolute woman, of good practical sense, and like her husband was quick to resent an insult, and intolerant of what she deemed wrong. Standing in her door one day, looking over the ford at the head of the falls, she saw two Indians, one a great tall fellow, car- rying his bow and arrow, the other his squaw, a small woman, carrying her papoose and cook- ing utensils, struggling along with difficulty against the current, as they waded across. The sight made her angry, and when the Indian came up and asked her for something to eat, she took a stick and whipped him, saying, "Begone, you lazy dog." With an ugh ! he went away, when she gave the squaw and her papoose a hearty meal.

Ät another time when there was to be Method- ist preaching in the court house, and owing to some feud between the janitor of the court house and the M. E. Church, the doors were not opened

HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO.

in time, Mrs. McIntire became indignant and or- dered "Black Mess" to bring an ax, and it needed no more persuasion to induce the janitor to hurry up with the keys. Some one having in- formed Mr. McIntire what was going on, he was told to "go back; Sally will make her way through."

Mrs. McIntire was also a very kind woman, and spent much time visiting the sick and visit- ing and encouraging the settlers and administer- ing to their wants. There were "always good things in Aunty McIntire's larder to eat and to drink, and herbs and roots for medicine when wanted, a bountiful supply of which she furnished to the needy."

Mr. McIntire's daughter, and only child, was born June 3d, 1800. She was sent to Phila- delphia to school, where she graduated, and was to have been married to an Irish Lord about the time she died, which was December 15th, 1820.

Mrs. McIntire, nee Sarah M. Zane, daughter of Ebenezer and Elizabeth Zane, was born in Wheeling, Virginia, February 22, 1773, was married to John McIntire as stated, and again married to David Young, August 15th, 1816. She died in Zanesville, March 8th, 1854. A short time prior to her demise she gave to her faithful servant, Silas Johnson (colored), her large family Bible.

On the 31st of July, 1857, at the request of General Charles B. Goddard, President of the Zanesville Canal and Manufacturing Company, and Adam Peters, Vice President, William Cul- bertson took the noted McIntire cabin down, it having stood more than half a century-until the winters' storms and summers' scorching heat had rendered it unfit for habitation. He was requested also to preserve one of the rafters and keep it in his possession until he received a written order from the proper authorities to deliver it up. These two gentlemen had contemplated erecting a McIntire High School building in the near fu- ture from funds belonging to the McIntire estate, and intended to place this rafter from the old cabin in the building, with a suitable inscription as a memento that might remind the children of their benefactor, of his industry and benevolence.

At the meeting of the Directors of the Zanes- ville Canal and Manufacturing Company, held January 6th, 1880, the following resolutions were adopted :

Resolved, That the committee on the build- ing of the McIntire Children's Home, be and they are hereby instructed to introduce into the finish of the walls of some suitable room of the new building, one or more of the timbers of John McIntire's log cabin, preserved by William Cul- bertson.

Resolved, That the thanks of this Board are hereby extended to William Culbertson for his care in the preservation of the timbers, and he is hereby authorized to make such use of said tim- bers, as are not required by said committee for said purpose, as he may see fit.

D. C. CONVERSE, Secretary.

On the 8th of January, 1880, Mr. William Culbertson received the following letter :

ZANESVILLE, Jan. 8, 1880. William Culbertson, Esq .:

DEAR SIR-Herewith I hand you copy of res- olutions passed by the Board of Directors of the Zanesville Canal and Manufacturing Company.

Respectfully,

D. C. CONVERSE, Secretary.

This stick of timber, which has been preserved by Mr. Culbertson for almost twenty-three years, will be confided to the care of the Directors of the Canal and Manufacturing Company, to be placed by them in the McIntire Children's Home. Nothing could be more appropriate. The McIntire Children's Home will be the pride of the city and county-will be an enduring monument to those who struggled year after year to give a comfortable home, warm clothing and suitable food to the unfortunate waifs of society.

That kind, charitable lady, who wiped the tears from. the cheeks of the orphans, has a mon- ument in the hearts of the poor more valuable by far, and more enduring than the monuments built of marble and granite, even could stone be piled upon stone, until the pinnacle reached high above the clouds of heaven.

[Other particulars concerning John McIntire and his estate will be found in another part of this work. ]

In the fall of 1799 came John Green, (after- terwards known as "General Green"), and made his home with Wm. McCulloch during the winter, spending his time hunting deer and bear, the most of which he prepared for future use. In April following, he moved his family thither from Wheeling, Va., accompanied by Abraham McCulloch. They had each a four horse team and wagon, probably the first teams brought here. General Green brought with him a pair of hand mill stones for grinding corn. This primitive mill, when in working order, had a pole adjusted to the ceiling of the building, and the other end through the upper stone, which was turned by one hand and the corn supplied by the other. He allowed his neighbors to use it, much to their convenience. Mr. Green's house was a story and a half double cabin, with a porch in front and spacious hall through the middle. It stood about the head of Main street, and opposite Silliman street of the present time. Here the first patriotic demonstration that was made in all this region took place, in the cele- brating of the fourth of July, 1800, and ever after "Green's Tavern" was a noted place. Men came to the celebration with their wives and children, from twenty miles away, to join in the festivities. Orators "almost too full for utter- ance" were there, and did ample justice to the. occasion. Joseph F. Monroe read the Declara- tion of Independence. So great was the throng that a bower was erected for table accommoda- tion, and they fared sumptuously. During "the feast of reason and flow of soal," eloquent toasts were read, and duly honored with the social

HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO.

glass. And when they had made an end of feasting, Thomas Dowden and "Black Mess" brough fourth their instruments and beguiled them with music, while old and young swayed to and fro in the mazes of the dance, which con- tinued until the next day. It is said that Mrs. McIntire lead the dance, and that the ladies fur- nished the tables. Henry Crooks ( the ferryman) furnished roast pig, which was deemed indispen- sable.

About the month of October, 1799, came also John and George Mathews, from Wheel- ing, Va., and built a mill for grinding corn. It was constructed on board a boat, composed of two large canvas, with a water wheel between, and was anchored at the foot of the Fall, near where the lower bridge now stands, and on the east side of the river, and depended on the cur- rent, (which was swift, ) for power. It was well patronized by people from all parts of the valley. This mill was carried down the river by a freshet and lodged in Duncan's Falls. but was rescued and brought back, and continued in service three years, when it gave place to a "tub mill," with one run of stone, located at Moxahala, and was followed by another at the mouth of Joe's run. A part of this last mill may be seen dur- ing low water to this day.

In the spring of 1800 another accession to the population was made by the arrival of Martin Luther Loud Slagor and William Well. Slagor erected his cabin on the site now the northwest corner of Sixth and Main streets, intending to keep tavern, but rented it to Thomas Corderey, who kept tavern in it for several years. Mr. Slagor purchased a small tract of land that has since been knows as "Slagor run," and there was started the first garden, farm and dairy. Mrs. Slagor sold milk, and has been kown to excuse the superabundance of the watery element in that fluid by saying she supposed "the cows had been wading the creek !"

Mr. Ingalls built his cabin near John McIn- tire's, and, considering the ordinance of Con- gress, in pursuance of the "ratification of the treaty concluded at Fort McIntosh (with the Delawares, Chippewas and Ottawas, by which the United States acquired the title of those tribes to all lands lying east and west and south of a line drawn from the mouth of the Cuyahoga, up that river to the Tuscarawas portage and to the Tuscarawas above Fort Lawrence, thence to the Maumee, and thence with that river to Lake Erie," being about three-fourths of the State of Ohio, and including all this region ; which trea- ty was ratified in May, 1785; the aforesaid or- dinance provided that "the land was to be di- vided into townships of six miles square by lines running north and south, and intersected by other lines at right angles. These townships were to be divided into sections, each containing one square mile or six hundred and forty acres, and each range was to be numbered from south to north, commencing on the Ohio river; the ranges were to be distinguished by progressive numbers westward, the first resting upon the

western boundary of Pennsylvania as a base line, which prevented many settlers from becom- ing possessors of the land becanse of their ina- bility to purchase the minimum quantity named, viz. : 640 acres), he entered into the business of purchasing such tracts for the settlers by associ- ating them and sub-dividing the tracts according to the stipulations made between them. He was therefore the first land agent and seems to have conducted the business so as to win the confi- dence of the Government as well as the settler, as he was subsequently appointed collector of taxes on lands owned by non-residents. By act of Congress, dated February 1805, proviso was made whereby settlers might enter tracts of smaller sub-division, such as half and quarter sections. [See Revised Statutes of the U. S., section 2,396, p. 442.]

In 1800 or 1801, perhaps in the early part of the winter, John Houck came to Zanestown and began to do tailoring. In 1804 he was elected constable ; in 1806 was appointed Deputy Sheriff. He was probably the first tailor in the region.

Early in the spring of 1801 Dr. Increase Ma- thews and his brother John started a store in a cabin situated on what is now the northwest corner of Main and Third streets. This was the first store of the kind on the east side of the river. Our informant humorously lists their supply of merchandise as follows: "These two men kept a stock of brandy and buttons, needles and nut- megs, sugar and saleratus, iron and ink, calico and cards, rope and rum, pins and physic, pow- der and bear traps, blisters and blueing, etc." This stock of physic was probably denominated a "Drug Store". In 1803 the merchandise was moved south of the river into what has since been called Putnam, and was located at what is now 108 Muskingum Avenue. Probably soon after or shortly before opening this store Dr. Mat- hews visited Marietta to attend a sale of Gov- ernment land, intent on purchasing the section, or part, in which is now the ninth ward. John McIntire also started for the same place on the same errand at the same time, although neither acquainted the other with the object of his visit. The first night they camped in the woods ; at the close of the second day they arrived in the town of Marietta. Here they separated, Dr. Mathews proceeded up Washington street to the house of his uncle, General Rufus Putnam, who then had charge of the land office. Mr. McIntire found his way to the hotel. At General Putnam's Dr. Mathews met a cousin, Mr. Levi Whipple ; during the conversation that ensued, General Putnam said : "You boys ought to purchase the land, and if necessary, I will aid you in making the first payment." The next day the land was put up for sale and the bidding between McIn- tire and Dr. Mathews was very spirited. At length McIntire, not doubting that he would make sure,of the purchase, bid four dollars per acre. Dr. Mathews immediately bid four dol- lars and twenty-five cents, and as there was no higher bid the land was struck off to him.

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History of Muskingum County, Ohio ; with illustrations and biographical sketches of prominent men and pioneers, 1794, Part 15

Author: Everhart, J. F; Graham, A. A., Columbus, Ohio, pub Publication date: 1882 Publisher: [Columbus, O.] : F.J. Everhart & Co. Number of Pages: 600

Author: Everhart, J. F; Graham, A. A., Columbus, Ohio, pub
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: [Columbus, O.] : F.J. Everhart & Co.
Number of Pages: 600