USA > Ohio > Portage County > History of Portage County, Ohio > Part 31
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112
Having brought to a close my narrative of the volunteering, organizing, adventures, inglorious capture, parole and return home of our company-the first military company ever raised in this part of Ohio-I propose now to refer to subsequent events, in which the people of Portage and adjoining counties were concerned. The capture of the army under Gen. Hull caused much alarm, as might be expected, in all this region, as our population was then very sparse, and all the region west of the Cuyahoga River and the Portage Path was then very sparsely settled. Not an organized township or military company
O
mary A. Woodbridge
275
HISTORY OF PORTAGE COUNTY.
existed in Medina County, which then extended west to Huron County, and was attached to Portage for civil purposes, the whole region sixty-eight and a half miles in length from east to west, and twenty to twenty-five in breadth, contained in 1810 less than 3,000 people, and had not increased very much in two short years. All that region west of the eighth range included then a single battalion, commanded by Major, afterward Col. George Darrow. The townships of Streetsboro, Brimfield, Freedom and Edinburg were then unsettled. Franklin and Suffield had but very few settlers. So that the thinly settled counties of Portage and Cuyahoga were then the frontier, and it is not strange that the people of this region were much alarmed on learning the news of the capture of all the army raised for our defense, all between us and the victorious British and their savage allies. The record I copy from our Regimental Record book will show something of the alarm felt by our home friends on the first news of the disastrous capture of our army.
Copy of records of the Second Regiment, Fourth Brigade, Fourth Division, Ohio Militia. [Begun on page 33.]
Orders were received from Brig. Gen. Paine, dated July 6, 1812, requiring thirty men to be drafted, including one Lieutenant, one Sergeant, one Corporal and one Fifer, to hold themselves in readiness to march at a moment's warning, and orders were issued by the Major commanding, to the commissioned officers, to meet at Ravenna, the 14th of July, 1812, and on said 14th day of July the following officers met at the Court House in Ravenna: Stephen Mason, Major-Commandant; Major, Thaddeus Andrews; Captains, Delaun Mills, Joshua Woodward, Asa K. Burroughs and Timothy Culver; Lieutenants, Oliver Snow, John Redding, Linus Carter, Hezekiah Hine, Charles Gilbert, Ira Morse and Isaac Merriman; Ensigns, Asa Truesdale, Hezekiah Nooney, Anson Bee- man, Frederick Caris, Jr .: and agreeable to said officers' request, the Major commanding ordered that there be drafted from the First Company, First Battalion, three men; from the Second Company, First Battalion, one Lieutenant and three men; from the Third Company, First Battalion, four men; from the Fourth Company, First Battalion, one man; from the First Company, Second Battalion, one Fifer and six men; from the Second Com- pany, Second Battalion, one Sergeant and three men; from the Third Company, Second Battalion, one Corporal and four men; from the Fourth Company, Second Battalion, two men, with orders to hold themselves in readiness to march at a moment's warning, armed and equipped as the law directs.
Then follows the dates of several commissions, to-wit: Hezekiah Nooney's commission as Captain; and Ella Willmot's commission as Ensign of First Com- pany, First Battalion, both dated June 18, 1812. Also Linus Curtis' com- mission of Second Company, First Battalion, dated August 28, 1812.
An express from Gen. Paine, dated Painesville, August 22, 1812, was received the same day, and orders were immediately issued by Thaddeus An- drews, as Major commanding, to have the regiment meet at Ravenna forth- with. An express from Maj .- Gen. Wadsworth, dated August 23, was received by Maj. Andrews, to have the regiment under his command meet at Ravenna immediately and await there until further orders were received from him. At 9 o'clock P. M., the 23d, Maj .- Gen. Wadsworth delivered verbal orders to Maj. Andrews, to have the regiment, as soon as embodied at Ravenna, march for Cleveland. The regiment was embodied at 11 o'clock A. M., the 24th, and marched at 3 P. M. the same day, and encamped at Mr. Roundy's. The next day, the 25th, marched from Mr. Roundy's and encamped at the center of Hudson. The next day, marched from Hudson, and arrived and encamped at Tinker's Creek, and the next day, the 27th, marched from Tink- er's Creek, arrived at Cleveland, and reported the regiment to Maj .- Gen. Wadsworth, who ordered the regiment to encamp in Cleveland, and await fur- ther orders. The 30th, the following order was received, which was read to the regiment on the 31st.
276
HISTORY OF PORTAGE COUNTY.
CLEVELAND, HEADQUARTERS, August 30, 1812.
MAJ. STEPHEN MASON .- You will dismiss the regiment under your command for the present, but under the express conditions that they hold themselves in readiness to march at a moment's warning. JOEL PAINE, General- Brigade.
After the foregoing, copied from page 33 of the Record, follow several pages of names of those who thus marched to Cleveland, with their several charges for services thus performed. The charges were mostly for nine days' services for each private, except Capt. T. Culver's company from Randolph, and Lieut. Morse's company from Deerfield and Atwater, both of which com- panies had charged ten days' service for each private, all at the rate of $5 per month, carried out, the one at $1.50 and the other at $1.60. I know not whether the men were ever paid, but I know that many of them got their land warrants, for I helped obtain them, and those men who did not obtain war- rants, or their widows, can have them. I would like to help them to warrants.
That it may be known who were the pioneer men of those days -- but few of whom now remain-I will here insert the names of those who thus responded to the call of their country, to defend it against the British and their sav- age allies, who were then daily expected on our frontier, after the news arrived of Hull's surrender, when many were so alarmed as to prepare to flee the country, and some, I believe, did leave. I copy the companies, in the order as I find them on the record, each company record separate, and all charged as in actual service from the 24th of August to September 1, 1812, inclusive, and each signed by its Captain or Lieutenant commanding.
RETURN OF FIRST COMPANY.
First Battalion, Second Regiment, Fourth Brigade, Fourth Division, Ohio Militia.
Captain-Hezekiah Nooney.
Lieutenant-Oliver Snow.
Ensign-Ella Wilmot.
Sergeants-Seth Harmon, Gersham Judson, Horace Ladd, Ariel Walden. Corporals-Henry Blair, Phineas Pond, Moses McIntosh, Bazel Windsor, Jr. Fifer-Joseph Skinner.
Drummer-Virgil Moore.
Privates-Jotham Atwater, Thomas Bright, Peter Carlton, Henry R. Fer- ris, Samuel Judson, Eleazer Ladd, Ezekiel Ladd, Lyman Leland, Samuel Moore, Jr., Moses Pond, David Pond, Franklin Snow, John Gardner, Elisha J. Wilmot, Patrick Ray, William Russell.
RETURN OF SECOND COMPANY.
First Battalion, Second Regiment, Fourth Brigade, etc.
Lieutenant-John Redding.
Ensign-Asa Truesdale.
Sergeants- Chester Adams, Oliver Mills, George Young, Benjamin Higley.
Corporals -- David Bancroft, Elisha Hutchinson, Caleb Stow, Hiram Mes- senger.
Fifer-Freeman Conant.
Privates-Oliver Alford, Levi Alford, Artemus Baker, Rodolphus Ban- croft, Asahel Blair, Simon Babcock, Abraham Dyson, Hezekiah Higley, Ephraim Hacket, Thomas Johnston, Orrin Pitkin, Joseph Southard, Ephraim H. Seeley, John Streator.
277
HISTORY OF PORTAGE COUNTY.
RETURN OF THIRD COMPANY.
First Battalion, Second Regiment, Fourth Brigade, etc. Captain-Joshua Woodward. Lieutenant-Linus Curtis. Ensign-Anson Beeman.
Sergeants-Almon Babcock, Elijah Smith.
Privates-Alanson Baldwin, Ralzaman Loomis, John King, John Smith, Peter Wolford, Abel Forsha, Abel Thompson, James Knowlton, George Barnes, Quartus Noble, Ebenezer Broadway, David Crosby, Jesse Miller, James Cook, Silas Owen.
RETURN OF FOURTH COMPANY.
First Battalion, Second Regiment, Fourth Brigade, etc.
Captain-Asa K. Burroughs. Lieutenant-Hezekiah Hine. Ensign-Richard E. Gay.
Sergeant- Samuel Munson.
Privates-Joel Baker, Abel Hine, Lyman Hine, Ephraim Brown.
RETURN OF FIRST COMPANY.
Second Battalion, Second Regiment, Fourth Brigade, etc.
Lieutenant-Ira Morse.
Sergeants -- Hamlet Coe, Jeremiah Jones, Alexander K. Hubbard. Corporal-Caleb Mattoon.
Privates-William Hartzel, Robert Taylor, Jr., Moses Baldwin, Allen C. Baldwin, Elijah Mott, John H. Whittlesey, Asahel Blakesley, Jesse Sutliff, James Laughlin, Almon Chittenden, Abraham Hartzell, Ami Baldwin, Ralph Granger, William A. Strong, Joseph Carter, John Quier, Horatio Day, Ezekiel Mott, Ira Mansfield, Peter Hartzell, Peter Mason, John Hartzell, Jr., Ephraim B. Hubbard, Amos Morse, Garrett Packard.
RETURN OF SECOND COMPANY.
Second Battalion, Second Regiment, Fourth Brigade, etc.
Captain-Frederick Caris, Jr.
Sergeants-David Collins, Titus Belding, Samuel Coe, Gersham Norris.
Corporals-Samuel B. Spellman, Ariel Case, Lemuel Chapman. Fifer-Asahel Gurley.
Drummer-Alpheus Andrews.
Privates-Abraham Reed, Timothy Reed, Robert McKnight, Jr., John Will- yard, Mason Richardson, Ephraim Chapman, Chester Chapman, Beman Chapman, Daniel Collins, Joseph R. Bostwick, Calvin Ellsworth, Charles H. Bostwick.
RETURN OF THIRD COMPANY.
Second Battalion, Second Regiment, Fourth Brigade, etc.
Lieutenant-Charles Gilbert.
Sergeants- Hugh McDaniel, Lyman P. Gilbert, Truman Gilbert. Corporals-Gaius Smith, Zebulon Walker.
Privates-Amasa Preston, Chauncey Lowry, Adna H. Bostwick, John Shaw, John Fisher, James Tuttle, James Hazzard, Gabriel Cane, William Jewel, Marvin Gilbert, Dalton Trowbridge, John McKelvy, Roswell Smith, David Gano, Nicholas Shank, Joseph Lewis.
278
HISTORY OF PORTAGE COUNTY.
RETURN OF FOURTH COMPANY.
Second Battalion, Second Regiment, Fourth Brigade, etc.
Captain-Timothy Culver.
Lieutenant-Isaac Merriman.
Sergeants-Walter Dickinson, William Rogers.
Corporals-Oliver C. Dickinson, Ephraim Sabin.
Privates-Arad Upson, Freeman Upson, Elisha Sears, John Goss, The- ophilus Cross, Josiah Ward, Henry P. Mosier, Jehiel Savage, Joseph Harris.
After the eight companies I find a list of regimental officers, including regimental staff, as follows:
Major Commandant-Stephen Mason.
Major-Thaddeus Andrews.
Adjutant-Erastus Skinner.
Quartermaster-Charles Curtis.
Paymaster-Hiram Roundy.
Clerk-Frederick Wadsworth.
Assistant Quartermaster-Arthur Anderson.
Quartermaster Sergeant-William Kennedy.
Surgeon-Joseph De Wolf.
Fife Major-Philo Hall.
Privates-Horace Burroughs, Greenwood Burroughs, Daniel Ward, Ashur Gurley.
With the wagon transportation, Robert Eaton and John Sabin are named, and the United States is charged with their services with teams; Sabin's $13. - 75, and Eaton's $16.33. Total charged for the regiment, $546.60.
These muster or pay rolls are probably copies of those sent to the War Department, on which the money was expected to be drawn. In copying, I have abbreviated and omitted some formalities of the pay roll. As far as I know, nearly all the adult male population were included in the rolls, as not more than one man in ten was past forty-five.
On page 39 is the record of the draft made, agreeable to orders of July 14, 1812, to-wit: First Company, First Battalion, David Pond, Ezra Chaffee and Eleazer Ladd. Second Company, First Battalion, Lieut. John Red- ding, Hezekiah Higley as a substitute for Seth Cole, George Young and David Wood. Third Company, First Battalion, David Thompson, David Grier, William Jones, John Baldwin. Fourth Company, First Battalion, Abel Hine.
For the First Company, Second Battalion, David Abbott, David Baldwin, Lelon Landon, Merrick Ely, Robert Taylor, Jr., William Hartzell, Joseph Hartzell (Fifer). For Second Company, Second Battalion, Sergt. Gersham Norris, Ariel Case, Robert McKnight, Jr., Timothy Reed. For Third Com- pany, Second Battalion, Corporal Zebulon Walker, Adna H. Bostwick, John Shaw, Gabriel Cane, John Fisher. For Fourth Company, Second Battalion, Levi Seeley, Jr., George Burr.
The following order was received from General Paine:
PAINESVILLE, September 18, 1812.
COL. JOHN CAMPBELL-Sir: You are hereby ordered to draft out of the regiment under your command, thirty men, including one Lieutenant, two Sergeants, two Cor- porals, and one Fifer, to be in readiness to march at a moment's warning; and you are to march twenty-two men to join Capt. Lusk at the Portage, of the former draft. They are to furnish themselves with knapsacks and blankets, and they are to be furnished with arms and equipments .by the public. JOEL PAINE, General- Brigade.
In compliance with the above order, orders were issued to the commandants of companies, to furnish their respective quotas; and the following persons
279
HISTORY OF PORTAGE COUNTY.
were returned by the commandants of companies, as persons legally notified to march on said tour of duty, viz .: David Pond, Eleazer Ladd, Seth Cole, Ebenezer O. Messenger, Harvey Messenger, David Thompson, Zenas Carter, Norval Carter, Abel Hine, David Abbott, William Hartzell, David Baldwin, Robert Taylor, Jr., Benjamin Marshall, Robert McKnight, Jr., Timothy Reed, Gabriel Cane, John Fisher, Adna H. Bostwick, John Shaw, Levi Seeley, Jr., and George Burr.
And also to comply with the said order of the 18th of September, the fol- lowing persons were notified to hold themselves in readiness to march at a moment's warning, viz .: From the First Company, First Battalion, Jotham Atwater, Jacob W. Pettibone, William Russell, Sergt. Gersham Judson, Corporals Moses, McIntosh, Bazel Windsor, Jr. From Second Company, First Battalion, Asahel Blair, Joseph Southard, Thomas Johnston. From the Third Company, First Battalion, John Baldwin, John Shaler, Alanson Bald- win, Isaac P. Skinner.
From the First Company, Second Battalion, Moses Baldwin, Allen C. Baldwin, Elijah Mott, John H Whittlesey, Asahel Whittlesey. From the Second Company, Second Battalion, Robert Collins, Jr., Abram Reed, Mason Richardson. From the Third Company, Second Battalion, Jabez Gilbert, William Jewel, David Gano, David Calvin. From the Fourth Company, Sec- ond Battalion, Alpheus Dickinson, Arad Upson.
Verbal orders were given by Maj .- Gen. Wadsworth at the Portage, to Stephen Mason, Major Commandant of the Second Regiment, Fourth Brigade, Fourth Division, on the 28th of September, 1812, to march all the mounted men, who could be immediately raised in said regiment, to Gen. Wadsworth's headquarters at the Portage. And agreeably to said orders the following per- sons mustered at Ravenna, Ist of October, marched to Portage, and reported to Maj .- Gen. Wadsworth, viz .: Stephen Mason, Major Commandant; Joseph De Wolf, Surgeon; Rufus Edwards, Quartermaster; Delaun Mills, Captain; John Caris, Lieutenant; Asa Truesdale, Ensign; Titus Belding, Gersham Nor- ris, Samuel Coe and Chester Adams, Sergeants; David A. Rumsay, Henry Blair, Caleb Stow and Moses McIntosh, Corporals; Daniel Ward, Drummer; Joseph Skinner, Abraham Dyson, Bazel Windsor, Jr., Gersham Judson, Henry R. Ferris, Horatio Taylor, John Willyard, John Redding, John Gardner, John Shaler, Joseph R. Bostwick, Orrin Pitkin, Quartus Noble, Rodolphus Bancroft, Simon Babcock, Samuel Judson, Samuel Moore, Jr., Titon Rudolph, William Kennedy, Jr., Wareham Loomis, Ezekiel Ladd, Charles Bostwick, John Smith and Ephraim Hacket, Privates.
The following order was issued:
HEADQUARTERS, PORTAGE, October 2, 1812.
MAJ. MASON-Sir: You will march all the mounted meu of Col. Campbell's regi- ment to Huron, with all possible dispatch. Furnish them with three days' provisions. Report yourself to Gen. Perkins. ELIJAH WADSWORTH , Major- General.
And in compliance with said orders, they marched to Huron and reported to Brig .- Gen. Simon Perkins, who on the 10th of October issued the follow- ing order:
MAJ. STEPHEN MASON-Sir: You will march the officers and privates named in the annexed list to Headquarters at Portage, and report yourself to the commanding officer. SIMON PERKINS, Brigadier- General.
CAMP AVERY, October 10, 1812.
It further appears by the record, that on the arrival of Maj. Mason, Capt. Mills and their mounted men at Portage, "that Gen. Wadsworth gave orders for their discharge, but it does not appear how many or who were discharged,
280
HISTORY OF PORTAGE COUNTY.
as the "list annexed" mentioned in the order of Gen. Perkins is not recorded.
It further appears, that Gen. Paine, on February 2, 1813, by an order dated at Painesville, called for one Lieutenant, one Second Sergeant, one Third Sergeant, one Second Corporal, and eighteen privates from the Second Regiment, "to march to Lower Sandusky as soon as possible, to relieve the men now in service," to comply with which order the following persons were returned by commandants of companies on February 16, 1813, as legally notified to perform said tour of duty, viz .: Virgil Moore, as a substitute for Jotham Atwater, John Gardner as a substitute for Jacob W. Pettibone, Asahel Blair, Joseph Southard, both of whom absconded, Thomas John- ston, Phineas Pond as a substitute for Orrin Pitkin, Charles Carter as a substitute for David Grier, William Jones, John Shaler, George Wilber, Merrick Ely. Moses Baldwin, Allen C. Baldwin, Robert McKnight, Jr., Sergt. Lyman P. Gilbert, John Fisher, Austin Purdy, Sergt. Walter Dickinson, Corporal Oliver C. Dickinson, William Jewel, Richard Rogers, Jr., Alpheus Dickinson and Arad Upson; and on February 15 Lient. John Redding, Cor- poral Oliver C. Dickinson, Richard Rogers, Jr., Robert McKnight, Jr., Alpheus Dickinson, Virgil Moore, John Gardner, John Shaler, William Jones, and Moses Baldwin appeared according to orders at Ravenna, had their equip- ments appraised by Charles Curtis, Linus Curtis, and John Campbell, appraisers, which is the last the record says of the services of those so drafted. On page 42 is the following record: "The Major Commandant issued orders to the Major of the Second Battalion, and to the commandants of each company in the regiment, to meet at the Court House, in Ravenna, on the 29th of March, 1813, for the purpose of assessing fines upon persons who refused to perform tours of duty, when legally called on, and the commandants of companies ordered to notify the delinquents in their respective companies." And this is the last of our war record, as then follows some thirteen large blank pages, left apparently to record the assessment of fines for non-perform- ance of "tours of duty." After these blank leaves follows the regular record of ordinary regimental boards for ordinary business, but no more drafting orders. I think, however, but few of our drafted men evaded the draft. I knew of the services of many of them. Several I knew to be posted at Camp Avery, which was near the present village of Milan, Erie County.
After our return from the service, September, 1812, I knew little of the war movements, except what was found in the papers, and papers were then scarce. I can give little information of the times subsequent to those records, than what I have given in this communication, that would be valuable to the Historical Society. I spent some time in Cleveland in December, 1812, and there became acquainted with Maj. Jessup, Quartermaster Biddle, and his assistant, Mr. Downing, son of Capt. Downing, of Frenchtown, River Raisin, and was informed of the then recent raising and organization of a volunteer company in Cuyahoga and Geauga Counties, with Clark Parker, Captain, and Harvey Murray, Lieutenant. I think it was then out at one of the posts of the West.
I was in Harpersfield in the summer of 1813, when Capt. James Harper was recruiting, and was offered a position by him, but being still a prisoner on parole, would not forfeit my parole. We were not informed of our exchange for about two years after our return. But several of our company did again enter the service, before we were informed of our exchange. I believe Samuel C. Thompson, Charles Carter and John Smith, and perhaps some others, were out in the service some time in 1813 and 1814. Though we were not specially successful, we had much cause to rejoice, and be proud at
281
HISTORY OF PORTAGE COUNTY.
the prowess and progress of our armies thereafter, and of the final success of our arms; and especially that the war finally broke up the baneful influence of the British over the Western Indians, on our territory.
With this I close my communication on the subject of the war of 1812. JOHN HARMON, Ravenna, February, 1870.
In the summer of 1813 every able-bodied man in Portage County not then in active service or on parole was ordered to Cleveland, and the scattered settlements were left defenseless. It is a part of the tradition of that time that the sound of the cannonading in the battle of Lake Erie, fought Septem- ber 10, 1813, was plainly heard in this county. A messenger arrived at Raven- na from Cleveland the same night, warning the women and children, in case of Perry's defeat, to be ready to fly to Pittsburgh. All next day the families residing in this section anxiously waited for definite information as to the result of the battle, but as night came on the sound of a horn was heard in the direction of Shalersville, then a voice was distinguished, and soon an excited horseman dashed into the village with the joyful tidings of Perry's great vic- tory. The terrible suspense and dread of Indians were past, and soon gave way to thanksgiving and rejoicing over the brilliant success of the American naval forces on Lake Erie.
The following distressing incident of this period may appropriately be given in connection with the history of Portage County in the war of 1812. Daniel Cross, an early settler of Randolph Township, hearing that produce and provisions of every sort were very scarce and commanded high prices at the military camp near Wooster, Ohio, set out from his home in December, 1812, with a load of oats for that point. He was accompanied by his son, a young man about eighteen years old. On arriving at Wooster and selling his oats, he found teams so scarce that the army had no means of transportation, and, by the offer of high wages, Cross was induced to go with the army as far as Mansfield, and assist in transporting the forage and baggage of the camp. Here he was paid off, and started for home. On the road between Mansfield and Wooster he purchased seventeen head of oxen and steers, with which he arrived at the latter town on the last day of December, 1812. The following morning, New Year's, he and son started with their stock up the valley of the Killbuck, intending to reach the house of Joseph Harris, who had removed from Randolph Township to the site of Lodi, Medina County, in 1811. Soon after they left Wooster, there came on a terrible snow storm, which lasted three days. Nothing further was seen or heard of Cross and his son, and the fol- lowing March, his family in Randolph Township becoming alarmed at their lengthened absence, sent another son in pursuit of them. Finding they had left Wooster on the 1st of January for the Harris settlement, the son followed their trail, and on reaching the settlement was informed that they had not been there, but that several stray cattle had been " taken up" during the win- ter for which no owner could be found. It was now evident that Cross and his son had perished in the storm which came on soon after they left Wooster, and the settlers of that section turned out en masse to try and find their remains. Nearly three miles southeast of the settlement they found the skull of Cross and some of his bones picked clean by the wolves, also his jack-knife and rem- nants of his clothing, but no trace of the son was ever discovered. The remains of two yokes of oxen, still in yoke, were also found near by. They had been chained to trees, and therefore could not get away with the balance of the cattle, but starved to death in their yokes. The bones of the unfortu- nate Cross were gathered up and buried in a field just south of the present town of Lodi, and his name was carved upon a beech tree which stood close to where he met his death.
282
HISTORY OF PORTAGE COUNTY.
Soon after the return of peace, in 1815, Congress passed a law re-organiz- ing the militia, and making it obligatory for all males between the ages of eighteen and forty-five to perform military duty. The State was divided into military divisions, and certain points designated in each county where the dif- ferent militia companies should meet and receive instructions in the science of war. This was called " company muster," but once a year all of the compa- nies were required to meet, usually at the county seat, to attend the "general muster." The militia could not draw military equipments from the Govern- ment, but at those musters armed themselves with rifles, shotguns, broom-han- dles, sticks, or any other implement with which they could be put through the manual exercises. The law also provided that if any company would furnish their own uniforms, and otherwise comply with its provisions, the State would supply them with arms and munitions. Several companies of this class were organized from time to time in Portage County. On performing military duty for seven years in time of peace, the members of those independent companies were exempted from poll tax. Sham fights would sometimes be gotten up for the purpose of indulging the popular taste for excitement. About 1833 a cel- ebrated sham fight, with real Indians as opponents, took place in the southern part of the county, which is yet well remembered by many of the older inhab- itants. Those sham tights and training days were looked upon with much favor by all classes, as they were days of recreation, social joys and friendly greetings.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.