USA > Ohio > Perry County > History of Perry County, Ohio > Part 3
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Total Thickness. Feet.
Shale
25
25
Bastard Lime
15
40
Sand
10
50
Coal (No. 6)
10
60
White Slate
65
125
Sand
15
140
White Slate
25
165
Blue
10
175
Sand
10
185
Slate
50
235
Shale
35
270
Sand
30
300
Black Shale
10
310
Lime
25
335
Shale with Concretions
100
435
Slate
25
460
Limestone (?)
30
490
Shale
35
525
Salt Sand
30
555
White Slate
100
655
Slate and Concretions
25
680
Shale
15
695
Little salt sand
20
715
White slate
100
815
Slate and Concretions
100
915
Brown Shale
40
955
Black Shale
38
993
Top Berea
993
Bottom of Berea
1,008
32
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
The Berea sand is of a light gray color, fine grained, and usually a pure quartz. The "pay streak" or the part containing the oil and gas ranges in thick- ness from 3 to 8 feet.
The wells are cased through the salt sand at a depth of about 555 feet. The amount of salt water found in the Corning field, especially in the eastern part, is wonderful. It seems to have some effect on the gas presstire. The western part of the field, in the vicinity of Oakfield, is practically free from salt water. Here is where the strongest gas poducing wells are.
Near Junction City has been bored the deepest well in the county. It reached the Clinton Limestone at a depth of 3090 feet. It is in the Clinton rock that gas is found in the Sugar Grove field. The fol- lowing is the approximate depth and thickness of the various strata.
Feet.
To the Berea sand
826
Thickness of the Berea, to the shale.
40
Thickness of sahle to the Niagara
1.154
Thickness of Niagara to Shale. 930
Shickness of shale to Clinton. 140
The Clinton is about 30 feet thick. A small amount of oil was found in this rock.
Saltlicks.
Our county is moderately well supplied with Salt- licks. The largest and best known is the one at Mc- Cuneville. Near Baird Furnace, 'in Mondaycreek, on Salt Creek, is another one, but it is small. At the "Lick School House" in Clayton is another. Likewise there is one in Harrison. Several smaller ones are to be found in various parts of the county. Salt water is found in abundance in all of our oil and gas wells.
LIDEY'S ROCKS.
THE BIG SASSAFRAS.
33
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
Lidey's Rock.
Among the bits of Natural scenery in our county is Lidey's Rocks, in southern Reading township. The wildness and picturesqueness of the scene is in sharp contrast to the surrounding country. Here a small stream has eroded the rocks in such a way as to give a person a very good idea of how the water can chisel in minature, thousands of fantastic forms.
These rocks served at one time as a shelter for hunting parties of Indians. Under one of the ledges of rock can yet be seen the mortar in which they cracked their hominy. This locality is now a favorite resort for picnic parties.
The High Rocks.
Near the Old Stone Fort at Glenford, is quite a beautiful example of the erosive power of water. The rocks here belong to the conglomerate series that over- lies the Sub-carboniferous or Maxville Limestone. At this place the water has eroded the softer portions away and has left standing tall, Titanic-like pillars that are at least seventy feet in height. The cause- ways between these masses of rock wind about in devious ways and thereby lend to the enchantment of the place. These rocks are seldom visited, but they deserve more attention, for in many ways they surpass Lidey's Rocks.
The Bear Dens.
In southern Jackson township are the Bear Dens. The mass of sand rock has been left here in a miscel- laneously confused heap. There is beneath one of these rocks, a narrow opening which leads to a series 3 H. P. C.
-
34
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
of large chambers. It is asserted by old settlers that it was once the haunt of numerous bears when Bruin was monarch of the Perry county woods and wan- dered through its mazes in search of mast and wild honey.
Why Rushcreek Bottom is so Flat.
In going from New Lexington toward Bremen, one can not help but notice how near to the tops of the hills Rushcreek is. On either side of this valley, the creeks have cut their channels much deeper. Lower Rushcreek is especially flat and marshy, while its en- tire course is subject to frequent inundations. The reason of this is apparent when we examine the soil between Junction City and Bremen.
The soil of bottom lands is always the same as that "of the hills, lining either side. Such is not the case with Rushcreek. This soil is that of the neighborhood between Rushville and Pleasantville. It accordingly contains considerable "till" and other "drift" materi- als. At Rushville, Big Rushcreek "rushes" through a break in the hill which it has made. The narrow pass- age would cause the water to run swifter at this place. "Reaching the flat territory, just south of this "break," the water would spread in every direction. Little Rushcreek would consequently receive a considerable share of this back-water, with its accompanying silt. The water then subsiding very slowly would leave the detritus behind. In this way it is estimated that lower Rushcreek valley was filled to a height of sixty feet.
35
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
The Mastodon.
The fact that the remains of many Mastodons have been found in Ohio, leads us to the opinion that Perry county must have known about these immense moun- tains of flesh. After the Ice Age, a dense growth of vegetation sprang up. The Mastodon being herbiv- brous would naturally seek for places where food was abundant. Northern Perry would be of especial value to him. The land was swampy; the vegetation was of quick growth, thus making it toothsome. It is in such places that the remains have been found.
We may be sure that one of his kind once browsed in Thorn township, near the Big Swamp. Parts of his skeleton have been found along Jonathan's Creek. Eleven of his teeth, weighing from ten to seventeen pounds each, adorn the private museums of their find- ers. A part of a rib, measuring about forty inches has been picked up in the alluvial plain of the Moxahala. As the stream changes its course, other parts of the frame of this ancient Perry county citizen may be unearthed.
Since the above was written, the author has learned that the tooth of one of these mammoth creatures was picked up in the neighborhood of Chapel Hill:
Birds of Perry County.
Black Throated Loon - Gavia arcticus.
2. American Merganser - Merganser Ameri- callus.
3. Hooded Merganser - Lophodytes cucullatus.
4. Mallard - Anus boschas.
5. Black Duck - Anas obscura.
36
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
6. Gadwell - Chaulelasmus strepera.
7. Baldpate - Mareca americana.
8. Green-winged Teal - Nettion carolinensis.
9. Blue-winged Teal - Qurquedula discors.
IO. Cinnamon Teal - Qurquedula cynoptera.
II. Shoveller - Spatula clypeata.
12. Pintail - Dafila acuta.
13. Wood Duck - Aix Sponsa.
14. Redhead - Aythya americana.
15. Canvas Back-Aythya vallisneria.
16. American Scaup Duck - Aythya marila.
17. Lesser Scaup Duck - Aythya affinis.
18. Ring-necked Duck - Aythya collaris.
19. American Golden-eye - Clangula americana.
20. Barrows' Golden-eye - Clangula islandica.
21. Buffle-head - Charitonetta albeola.
22. Ruddy Duck - Erasmatura jamaicensis.
23. Lesser Snow Goose - Chen hyperborea.
24. Greater Snow Goose - Chen hyperborea ni- valis.
25. Blue Goose - Chen caerulescens.
26. American White-fronted Goose - Anser albi- frons gambeli.
27. Canada Goose - Branta Canadensis. 28. ·Brant - Branta bernicla.
29. Sandhill Crane - Grus mexicana.
30. Virginia Rail - Rallus virginianus.
31. American woodcock - Philohela minor.
32. Wilson's Snipe - Gallinago delicata.
33 American Golden-plover - Charadrius do- minicus.
34. Kildeer - Aegialitis vocifera.
35. Bob-white - Colinus virginianus.
36. Ruffled Grouse-Bonasa umbellus.
37
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
37. Wild Turkey - Meleagrisgall opavo fera.
38. Mourning Dove - Zenaidura macroura.
39. Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura.
40. Marsh Hawk - Circus hudsonitis. -
4I. Red-Tailed Hawk - Buteo borealis.
42. Broad-winged Hawk - Buteo platypterus.
43. Pigeon Hawk - Falco Columbarius.
44. American Sparrow Hawk - Falco sparverius.
45. American Barn Owl - Strix pratincola.
46. American Coot - Fulica americana.
48. Short-eared Owl - Asio accipitrinus.
49. Screech Owl - Megascops asio.
50. Great Horned Owl - Bubo virginianus.
51. Snowy Owl - Nyctea nyctea.
52. Black-billed Cuckoo - Coccyzus erythroph- thalmus.
53. Belted Kingfisher - Ceryle alcyon.
54. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - Sphyrapicus va- rius.
55. 3 Red-headed Woodpecker - Melanerpes ery- throcephalus.
56. Northern Flicker - Colaptus auratus luteus. 57. Whip-poor-will - Antrostomus vociferus.
58. Nighthawk - Chordeiles virginianus.
59. Chimney Swift - Chaetura pelagica.
60. Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Trochilus co- lubris. 61. Kingbird - Tyrannus tyrannus. 62. Crested Flycatcher - Myiarchus crinitus.
63. Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata.
64. American Crow - Corvus americanus.
65. Bobolink - Dolichonyx oryzivorus.
66. Cowbird - Molothrus ater.
38
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
67. Yellow-headed Blackbird - Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus.
68. Red-winged Blackbird -Agelaius phoeniceus.
69. Meadowlark - Sturnella magna.
70. Orchard Oriole - Icterus spurius.
71. Baltimore Oriole - Icterus galbula.
72. Rusty Blackbird - Scolecophagus carolinus.
73. Purple Finch - Carpodacus purpureus.
74. American Goldfinch - Astragilinus tristis.
75. Tree Sparrow - Spizella monticola.
76. Swamp Sparrow - Melospiza georgiana.
77. Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis,
78. Rose-breasted Grosbeak - Zamelodia ludo- viciana.
79. Scarlet Tanager - Piranga erythromelas.
80. Purple Martin - Progne subis.
81. Barn Swallow - Hirundo erythrogaster.
82. Tree Swallow - Tachycineta bicolor.
83. Bank Swallow - Clivicola riparia.
8.4. Water Thrush - Sciurus noveboracensis.
85. Mockingbird - mimus polyglottos.
86. Catbird - Galeoscoptes carolinensis.
87. Brown Thrasher - Harporhynchus rufus.
88. House Wren - Troglodytes aedon.
89. Wood Thrush - Hylocichla mustelina.
90. American Robin - Merula migratoria.
91. Bluebird - Sialia sialis.
92. Ring-necked Pheasant-Phasianus torquatus.
93. English Sparrow - passer domesticus.
94. Red-bellied Woodpecker - Melanerpes Caro-
linus.
95. Chipping Sparrow - Spizella socialis. 96. Field Sparrow - Spizella pusilla. 97. Towhee - Pipilo erythrophthalmus.
39
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
98. Indigo Bunting - Cyanospiza cyanea.
99. Red-eyed Vireo - Vireo olivaceous.
100. Yellow-throated Vireo - Vireo flavirons.
IOI. Blue-headed Vireo - Vireo solitarius.
I02. Yellow Warbler - Dendroica maculosa.
103. Bald Eagle - Haliaectus leucocephalus.
104. Downy Woodpecker - Dryobatespubescens mnedianus.
105. Bronzed Grackle - Quiscalus quiscula aeneus.
106. Great Blue Heron - Ardea caerula. Green Heron.
107. Whooping Crane - Grus americana.
108. Passenger Pigeon - Ectopistes migratorius.
109. Kentucky Warbler - Geothylpis formosa.
IIO. White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis.
III. Tufted Titmouse - Parus bicolor.
II2. Wood Pewee - Contopus virens.
II3. Phoebe - Sayornis phoebe.
Animals.
The virgin forests of Perry county afforded ample haunts for all animals characteristic of this latitude. The woods were full of them. The bear was unques- tionably the undisputed monarch of the wilds, as he ambled over our hills and valleys. The panther was a close second in point of rule, as he crouched on the l'mb of a giant oak, ready to spring upon the timid deer when the latter bounded through the underbrush. Wildcats and catamounts were plentiful. The wolf made the night hideous with his cry. The smaller ani- mals, such as the fox, squirrel, rabbit, raccoon and opossum, fairly swarmed. Wild turkeys made this their feeding ground. Prairie chickens nested and brooded in the tall grass. Pigeons in countless num-
.
40
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
bers roosted in the tree tops and scores of varieties of other birds twittered and sang and made gay the forest world. In the creeks whole "fleets" of ducks were convoyed by their leader, while in the dark under -- brush lay the deadly rattlesnake ready to sound his warning, or the copperhead to strike his fangs into the intruder.
The Indian had not destroyed them all and long after the white man came they were far from being scarce.
Forests.
With but few exceptions the entire area of our county was covered with forests. The oak was the giant, found in every part of the county. It was then as now, the most plentiful of our trees. The oak was not a favorite among the settlers of the county, because, before the days of saw-mills, timber that could be split more casily was utilized. The tall, ar- rowy poplars or tulip trees, thus came to be the prime favorite for building purposes. There were "chestnut ridges" in every township. On the low lands, the pon- derous button-wood or plane-tree changed his coat twice a year. The walnut selected his habitat in the rich soil of the valleys. The shell-bark hickory annu- ally cast its fruitage on the ground. Grape vines threw their trellis work from bough to bough, and each year, paid their tribute to Mother Earth. Nestled in the coves of the hills were hundreds of sugars, through whose veins was coursing the saccharine fluid that had never as yet poured forth its fountain of sweetness. The buckeye grew along the creek banks in the southern townships. Cedars bastioned the rocky hill-sides of Madison where the Moxahala cut its way toward the sea.
41
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
The flora of the county was profuse. It is said that in the hills, west of Sugar Grove in Fairfield county are a greater number of plant species that can be found in any similar area in Ohio. Lying contiguous-to that section, our county partakes of some of its abundance. Lily pads covered the Great Swamp, cranberries grew on its marshy banks, Jack-in-the-pulpits nodded be- neath their canopies, bulrushes grew on the creek bot- toms, while wild flowers bedecked the mossy ledges and sent out their "sweetness on the desert air." It was a dark, dense world, where only wild animals and wilder men could live. But through the uncounted ages, while empires and dynasties rose and fell, while men strutted about for their brief day on the stage of ancient civilization, the giants of our hills were making ready for the Pioneer's ax and the mould of the wood was gathering slowly for the plow of the Hero of the Forest, who, out of the experiences of the older times, should lay the foundations of a newer and stronger Commonwealth.
THE BIG SASSAFRAS .- What is said to be the larg- est sassafras tree in Ohio, grows in Section 13 Pike township, near the Dean schoolhouse on the Moxahala road. Its shape is more that of an oak or chestnut than a sassafras, which usually grows tall and crooked. This tree has a girth of over fourteen feet.
Pre-Historic Race.
"As o'er the verdant waste I guide my steed, Among the high rank grass that sweeps his sides, The hollow beating of his footsteps seems A sacrilegious sound. I think of those Upon whose rest he tramples. Are they here -
42
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
The dead of other days? And did the dust Of those fair solitudes once stir with life And burn with passion? Let the mighty mounds That overlook the rivers, or that rise In the dim forest crowded with old oaks, Answer. A race, that has long since passed away. Built them; a disciplined and populous race Heaped with long toil, the earth. while yet the Greek Was hewing the Pentelicus to forms Of symmetry, and rearing on its rock The glittering Parthenon. These ample fields Nourished their harvests; here their herds were fed, When haply by their stalls the bison lowed And bowed his maned shoulder to the yoke. All day the desert murmured with their toils. Till twilight blushed and lovers walked and wooed In a forgotten language, and old tunes. From instruments of unremembered form, Upon the soft winds a voice. The red man came - The roaming hunter-tribes warlike and fierce. And the mound builders vanished from the earth." - Bayard Taylor.
"Who were the Mound Builders?" This in the ininds of most people has never been satisfactorily an- swered except to the answerers themselves. There are many theories extant. A few are plausible ; many are superlatively nonsensical. Most of the latter are hastily built deductions, based an fragmentary evi- dence. The remainder are evolved in the fertile and highly imaginative minds of theorists. The origin of the Pre-historic Race of America has been attrib- uted to every nation known to ancient civilization. It has been asserted that they came from the Nile: that these transplanted Egyptians built the mounds in the western world. in rude copy of the pyramids in the land of the Lotus.
1
1
1
1
1
1
.
1
1
1
a
Stone Mound
Spring at foot of hell
THE STONE FORT. (Courtesy of Ohio Archaeological and flistorical Society.)
26 Acres-
1
C
-
43
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
Others maintain that they were the lost Children of the tribes of Jacob. Some say they were Phoenicians ; others, Scythians; while still others are equally cer- tain that they were of Welsh extraction. Voltaire had the evolutionary idea, that it isn't necessary to believe they came from anywhere; that they were native to the soil the same as the beaver or the bison.
It is not our intention to discuss any of these the- ories or attempt to answer the original question. It must be said, however, that the subject of archaeology is being studied more systematically than ever and that men are analyzing the subject from a scientific standpoint, and that the "relic hunter" is not now being cited as authority.
It is not out of place, however, to say here, that it is being generally conceded that the mounds and earthworks left by these unknown people are not so old as was formerly believed; that the Mound Builder and Indian do not belong to different races; and that the Mound Builders were not such a highly civilized race as has been thought. We have been able to learn only a few of the things concerning these people. All else is conjecture. We know only, that somebody at some time built these strange works. We can only look at them and wonder.
These people lived in our county. They built their mounds and fortifications. We can but describe them as we find them, then the reader can draw his own con- clusions. That will be satisfactory to him at least.
There are over a hundred mounds, fortifications, earthworks and village sites in Perry County. The most interesting and best known of these is the "Stone Fort" at Glenford. This fortification belongs to the class of "Hill-top Enclosures," and is the best example
44
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
of its kind in the state. Caleb Atwater came over from Circleville about 1840 and then published a glowing description of it in the first book ever written on Ohio Archæology. Archæologists from all over the land have visited here and the concensus of opinion is that it is one of the most wonderful of fortifications. This enclosure was evidently erected for defensive purposes. Its area is a fraction over 27 acres. It is made en- tirely of stone. The pieces are of various sizes. None are larger than what can be easily carried and many are much smaller. The present condition of the walls shows only a win-row of stones. Many have been hauled away. When originally built the wall must have averaged from seven to ten feet in height. The entire length of the rampart is 6,610 feet. Within the enclosure is a stone mound, 100 feet in diameter and 12 feet high.
No stones are found within the enclosure. They were evidently utilized in building the work.
Whoever it was that erected this wall, certainly "knew their business." They took advantage of the natural surroundings. The hill upon which it was built is something over 200 feet above the creek level. The sides of this hill are covered with the conglomerate that overlies the sub-carboniferous limestone. This same stone composes the cap-rock of the hill. Where its stratum appears, water has eroded deep embrasures, thus forming natural passage ways. The loose stones were heaped along the edges of the solid rock, so in- creasing the height. With the exception of the south- eastern corner, the hill has no connection with the sur- rounding hills. The top could only be reached by climbing the bluffs. At the point, or corner before mentioned, there is a narrow, depressed ridge, leading
THE WILSON MOUND. (Courtesy of Ohio Archaeological and Historical Society. )
THE ROBERTS MOUND. (Courtesy of Ohio Archaeological and Historical Society.)
45
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
to higher ground, beyond. On this higher ground is the Wilson Mound, 18 feet high and covering one acre of ground. From the Wilson Mound can be seen the earth enclosure to the north and the Roberts Mound. east of Glenford. The easiest approach to the fort would have been by the Wilson Mound. The builders, however, took the extra precaution to dig a circular moat and to build a wall to protect this point. The diameter of this moat-enclosure is about 150 feet. Good springs of water are easily reached from the fort. Characteristic flint and stone implements have been found in abundance. If this fort were built for clefense there certainly were no bloody battles fought, or the cemetery would be present. At Fort Ancient in Warren County, are two burial places. - one within and one without the fort. None has ever been dis- covered at the Stone Fort.
The Wilson Mound, mentioned above, is one of the best in the county. It belongs to the "Platform" class of mounds. It has never been thoroughly explored. Several shafts were sunk into it and it was found that the mound was at least half stone. Many of the stones showed signs of fire. A considerable amount of ashes and red clay was found, through which were mingled scraps of bone and pieces of mica.
The Roberts Mound, east of Glenford, is the larg- est east of the Scioto River. This structure is 120 feet in diameter and 27 feet high. There are no trees upon it, but old settlers say that sixty-five years ago a very large white oak grew upon its crest. This mound is remarkable because a layer of large flat stones was found under the earth and lining the walls. This was for the purpose of holding the wall and preventing
.
46
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
wash. In this mound were found skeletons partly cremated.
Just north of Glenford on a hill about 100 feet in height, is a fortification and several mounds. South of the fortification is a circle enclosing a bird with wings outspread. This circle is 652 feet in circumfer- ence, 31 feet wide and 4 feet high. The Gateway, 23 feet wide, faces toward the north. The bird effigy from head to tip of tail is 48 feet ; one wing is 122 feet while the other is III feet. The body is 20 feet wide. The total length from tip to tip is 253 feet. Excava- tions were made in the bird effigy and ashes were found.
The flint instruments found in the county were all made of Flint Ridge material. Nearly every knoll in the northern part of the county was a workshop. The Perry County mounds do not show the high degree of advancement that the pre-historic inhabitants of the Scioto region evinced. No copper and very little mica has ever been found in our mounds. Everything points to their belonging distinctively to the stone age. At New Lexington could be seen in the flint quarries, places where these former citizens of Perry County secured and shaped the raw material.
The presence of the Mound Builders in our county is shown by the following :
Thorn Township has 3 circles, 22 earth mounds, I village site, I mound group, I enclosure.
Hopewell, 10 mounds, 3 enclosures.
Madison, 3 earth mounds.
Reading, 15 earth mounds, I village site.
Clayton, 4 earth mounds.
Jackson, 2 earth mounds, I stone mound. I village site.
Sketch of earth forts one and one half miles n.W. of Glenford Orio
n
S
47
HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.
Pike, 3 earth mounds.
Saltlick, I earth mound.
Monroe, I earth mound, I stone mound.
Mondaycreek, 3 earth mounds, I village site.
Harrison, 5 earth mounds.
Reference has been made to the fact that the pre- historic race belonged to the Stone Age of civiliza- tion. The material from which they fashioned their implements came from various sources. The "Drift Region" was amply capable of furnishing all of the granite needed for their axes, celts and gouges. The only difference between a stone axe and a celt is that the axe has a groove for fastening a split stick for a handle, while the celt has no such groove. The latter was used with the hand alone, for stripping the skins from animals or dividing bones at the joints. They were often made from hematite which could be pro- cured in southwestern Ohio or West Virginia. The pestle made from granite is a common find. It is often conical or bell-shaped, made to fit the hand. Its use is too manifest to enter into a description. Corn has been found in these mounds. We conclude, therefore, that one use of these implements was to crack that grain.
Small pieces of hematite, slate and quartz are often found, with grooves cut into their edges, or in the case of slate, a hole is perforated. These were probably used as sinkers, for the Mound Builders really fished. Bone fish hooks have been found in abundance, not in our county, particularly, but in the Scioto Valley.
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