USA > Ohio > Seneca County > History of Seneca County : Containing a detailed narrative of the principal events that have occured since its first settlement down to the present time > Part 4
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INTRODUCTION.
he was met by Indian messengers, with whom an agreement was made, that hostilities should not take place until the next morning, and that then an amicable conference should be held. Just before day-break, the savages, in violation of their engage- ment, made a sudden and furious attack upon the troops in their encampment. Nothing but the precaution of sleeping in order of battle, on their arms, saved them from total defeat.
A dreadful slaughter was made, but the savages were finally repulsed, dispersed, and their town laid waste. In the same year, occurred an event of more momentous consequence to the west, than the issues of a thousand battles. This was the voyage, from Pittsburgh to New Orleans, of the first steam boat ever launched upon the western waters.
In June, 1812, the United States declared war against Great Britain. Of this war, the west was a principal theatre. Defeat, disaster, and disgrace marked its opening scenes ; but the latter events of the contest were a series of splendid achievements.
Colonel Croghan's gallant and successful defense of Fort Stephenson, was among the most brilliant. He was in the 22d year of his age, when left by General Harrison, in command of 160 men, and with one six-pounder at Fort Stephenson. On the evening of the first of August, the British and Indians, who had come up the Sandusky river, from the bay, commenced from their boats a heavy cannonading upon the fort, and threw in a great number of shells from their batteries. They contin- ued their operations without success, until the evening of the second, when, after throwing a great number of balls from a six-pounder, at the north-west angle of the fort, for the purpose of making a breach, a column under the command of Lieuten- ant Colonel Short, advanced to the point on which the artillery had been played, with the intention of storming, but the judi- cious management of Colonel Croghan, foiled the enemy .in his attempt. The ditch which surrounded the works, was 5
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INTRODUCTION.
about eight feet wide, and of equal depth. This the enemy had to enter before they could approach the pickets, which had a bayo- net driven through the top of each, in a horizontal direction. While in this situation, a six-pounder which was masked in a block-house, poured upon them a tremendous shower of musket balls, which did terrible execution. This so confounded the assailants, that Lieutenant Colonel Short, who had previously ordered his men to scale the pickets and show the d-d Yankee rascals no quarters, now exhibited a white handkerchief as a signal of distress, evincing a disposition to have quarters shown him, after he had proclaimed that the garrison should be mur- dered. It was, however, too late ; the next discharge proved fa- tal ; he fell, and Lieutenant Gordon, of the 29th regiment, died by his side. This was near two hours before sunset. The firing from the block-house, was principally directed at the ene- my, who had taken refuge in the direction of the ravine, the slaughter there was immense, and General Proctor, who commanded in person, ordered the allied armies to retreat to their boats. The greater part of the night, was occupied in carrying off the dead and wounded ; and from the number of trails, it was evident, that no less then fifty of the dead were dragged away. About thirty killed, including the two officers just mentioned, were left in the ditch and ravine, and thirty prisoners, eighteen severely wounded, which General Proctor in his hurry, left behind, were afterwards brought into the fort. Major Croghan had but one man killed, and seven slightly woun- ded. The brevet rank of lieutenant colonel, was conferred by the President of the United States, upon Major Croghan, and the ladies of Chillicothe, presented him with a sword, and a flattering address.
Croghan's gallant defense of' Fort:Stephenson, Perry's vic- tory upon Lake Erie, the total defeat, by Harrison, of the allied British and savages, under Proctor and Tecumseh, on the
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INTRODUCTION.
Thames, and the great closing triumph of Jackson at New Or- leans-all reflected the most brilliant lustre upon the Ameri- can arms. In every vicissitude of this contest, the conduct of Ohio, was eminently patriotic and honorable. Her sons volun- teered with alacrity their services in the field ; and no troops more patiently endured hardships, or performed better service. Hardly a battle was fought on the western frontier, in which some of these brave citizen soldiers, did not seal their devotion to their country with their blood.
In 1816, the seat of the state government was removed to Columbus, and the year following, the first white settler located himself within the present limits of this county.
HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.
CHAPTER I.
Aborigines-War between the Wyandots and Senecas-Naval fight-The Wyandots settle upon the Sandusky-Treaty with the Indians-Grant of land to the Senecas-Seneca Indians-Their removal to the west- An execution for witch-craft.
THE country, watered by the Sandusky and its tributaries, was originally inhabited by a powerful and war-like tribe of In- dians, known as the Wyandot or Huron tribe.
According to a tradition of this nation, their home was once, on the north side of the river St. Lawrence, down to Coon lake, and from thence, up the Utiwas. Their name for it, was Cu- none-tat-tia. The Senecas, who were blood relations of the Wyandots, owned the opposite side of the river, and the island on which Montreal now stands. They were both large tribes, consisting of many thousands.
A war originated between the two tribes, in this way: A man of the Wyandots wanted a certain woman for his wife ; but she objected and said he was no warrior ; he had never ta- ken any scalps. To accomplish his object, he raised a small war-party, and in their scout, fell upon a party of the Seneca hunters and killed and scalped a number of them. This caused a war between the nations, that lasted more than a century, which they supposed was fully a hundred winters, before the French came to Quebec. 5*
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HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.
They say they were the first instigators in the war, and were generally beaten in the contest. Both tribes became greatly wasted in the conflict. They often made peace ; but the first opportunity the Senecas could get an advantage against them, they would destroy all they could, men, women, and children.
The Wyandots, finding they were in danger of being exter- minated, concluded to leave their country and go far to the west. With their canoes, the whole nation made their escape to the upper lakes, and settled in the vicinity of Green bay, in several villages ; but after a few years, the Senecas made up a war-party, and followed them to their new settlements, fell on one of their villages, killed a number, and returned .- Through this long period, they had no instruments of war but bows, arrows, and the war-club.
Soon after this, the French came to Quebec, and began tra- ding with the Indians, and supplied them with fire-arms, and various other implements. The Senecas having got supplied with guns, and learned the use of them, made out a war-party the second time, against the Wyandots, came upon them in the night, fired into their huts and terrified them exceedingly: they thought at first, it was thunder and lightning. The Senecas did not succeed so well as they expected. After a few years, they made up a third war party, and fell upon the Wyandot villages and took nearly all of them ; but it so happened at this time, that nearly all the young men had gone to war with the Fox tribe of Indians, living on the Mississippi.
Those few, that escaped the massacre by the Senecas, agreed to give up, and go back with them, and become one people ; but requested of the Senecas, to have two days to col- lect what they had, and make ready their canoes, and join them on the morning of the third day, at a certain point, where they had gone to wait for them, and hold a great dance through the night.
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HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.
The Wyandots sent directly to their other two villages, which the Senecas had not disturbed, and got all their old men and women, and such as could fight, to consult on what measures to take. They came to the resolution to equip themselves in the best manner they could, and go down in perfect stillness, so near the enemy as to hear them. They found them enga- ged in a dance and feasting on two Wyandot men they had killed and roasted, as they said, "for their beef," and as they danced, they shouted their victory and told how good their Wyandot beef was. They continued their dance until the latter part of the night, and being tired, they all laid down and soon fell into a sound sleep. A little before day, the Wyandot party fell on them and cut them all off; not one was left to carry back the tidings. Thus ended the war, for a great number of years.
Soon after this, the Wyandots procured guns from the French traders, and began to grow formidable. The Indians, who owned the country where they had resided for a long time, proposed to them to go back to their own country. They agreed to return, and having proposed themselves as a war-par- ty, they returned-came down to where Detroit now stands, and agreed to settle in two villages, one at the place above men- tioned, and the other, where the British fort, Malden, now stands.
But previously to making any settlement, they sent out in canoes, the best war-party they could make, to go down the ยท lake some distance, to see if there was an enemy on that side of the water. They went down to Long Point, landed, and sent three men across to see if they could make any discovery. They found a party of Senecas bending their course around the Point, and returned with the intelligence to their party. The head chief ordered his men, in each canoe, to strike fire and offer some of their tobacco to the Great Spirit, and prepare for action.
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HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.
The chief had his son, a small boy, with him ; he covered the boy in the bottom of his canoe. He determined to fight his enemy on the water. They put out into the open lake- the Senecas came on. Both parties took the best advantage- they could, and fought with a determination to conquer or sink in the lake. At length the Wyandots saw the last man of the Senecas fall ; but they had lost a great proportion of their own men, and were so wounded and cut to pieces, that they could take no advantage of the victory, but only gain the shore as : on as possible, and leave the enemy's canoes to float or sink among the waves. Thus ended the war between the two na- 'ons, forever.
The Wyandots afterward settled in this country, and their principal town was upon the Sandusky. But little was known of them or their country prior to the war of the Revolution. During this conflict, they became extremely troublesome to the back counties of Pennsylvania and Virginia ; particularly to those of Washington, Youghiogany and Westmoreland.
In the early part of the year 1782, these irregular excur- sions became so galling, that the ill-timed, and melancholy ex- pedition of the unfortunate CRAWFORD, was concerted against them, particulars of which, have already been given in the In- troduction. After this defeat, which stands upon record, as one of the most calamitous and disastrous expeditions that ever stained the American arms, the aggressions of the savages were much more frequent. The frontiers were continually harassed by them, indiscriminately murdering those of every age or sex; or hurrying them captives to the wilderness, to be tor- tured with all the cruelty which savage ingenuity could devise.
The fury of the Indians of north-western Ohio, was not checked, until they were aroused from their coverts by the victorious Wayne. In 1794, he dictated to many of the nor- thern tribes, the terms of peace. From this event, down to the
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HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.
renewal of the war, under the auspices of Tecumseh and the Prophet,* they remained comparatively tranquil. The deatl of their chief, and their total defeat by Harrison, destroyer forever their power in the north-west.
On the 29th of September, 1817, a treaty was held at the foot of the rapids of the Miami of Lake Erie, between Lewi Cass, and Duncan McArthur, commissioners of the United States, on the one part, and the sachems, chiefs and warriors of the Wyandot, Seneca, Delaware, Shawanee, Patawatima, Otty. wa, and Chippewa tribes of Indians, when all their lands withi: the limits of Ohio, were ceded to the United States, forever .-. At this time, there was not a single white settler within the pre sent limits of Seneca county.
At the treaty just mentioned, the United States granted t Takawmadoaw, Captain Harris, Isahowmasaw, Joseph, Tawg- you, Captain Smith, Coffeehouse, Running-about, and Wij ingstick, who were chiefs of the Seneca tribe of Indians, a tract of land, containing thirty thousand acres, lying upon the eart side of, and adjoining the Sandusky river, and mostly within the present limits of this county. There was an addition of ten thousand acres, lying south of this tract, granted to the Senecas, by the United States, on the 17th of September, 1818; at which time, a treaty was held, supplementary to the treaty of the Miami of Lake Erie. The whole tract, consisting of forty thousand acres, has since been known as the "Seneca Reser vation."
Although this nation was called the " Seneca tribe of II dians," there was not, in reality, a Seneca among them. The were chiefly Cayugas ; with a few Mohawks, Onondaga Tuscarawas, Wyandots and Oneidas. But the Mingoes wer originally, Cayugas, and their chief was the celebrated Logan
* During the late war, the Wyandots, Shawanese and Senecas, remained friendly. the United States.
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HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.
After the murder of his family, of which he speaks in his mas- terly speech, sent to the governor of Virginia, the Mingoes were scattered in bands, over the territory north west of the Ohio.
Their hunting grounds, were principally, upon the Scioto, and Olentangy ; and as one of the Seneca chiefs very signifi- cantly remarked, " their children were raised upon their backs," indicating that they had no particular home. At the time of the treaty, they had concentrated upon the Sandusky, and it is a fact worthy of notice, which has been attested by a Seneca chief who knew him well, that upon its banks, were spent some of the last days of Logan, the Mingo chief.
The Senecas lived upon their grant, until their removal to the west, which was agreed upon at a treaty held at Washing- ton city, on the 29th of February, 1831. This treaty was made between James B. Gardiner, commissioner on the part of the United States, and Comstock, Seneca Steel, Captain Good-hunter, Hard-hickory and Small-cloud-Spicer, chiefs of the Seneca tribe. George Herrin, acted as interpreter ; and Henry C. Brish, as sub-agent. The whole of their grant of forty thousand acres of land, was ceded to the United States, giving them full authority to sell the same ; and the proceeds were to be placed in funded stock, at five per cent. interest ; which was to be paid to the Indians as an annuity, after deduc- ting the cost of building for the latter, a saw and grist mill. The United States also gave them seventy-six thousand acres of land, lying upon the Neosho and Cowskin rivers, north-west of the state of Arkansas, and ninety miles above Fort Gibson.
In the fall of 1831, this tribe to the number of five hundred and ten, started for their new home in the west. A part un- dertook their journey by land, and after experiencing numer- ous hardships, and meeting with many accidents, finally suc- ceeded in reaching Missouri by the next spring. The division
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HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.
under the immediate charge of their sub-agent, Mr. Brish, traveled by water, encountering but little difficulty.
They finally all met on the 26th of April, above St. Louis, and arrived at their new homes, the 4th of July, following .- Twenty-eight of their number died on the road.
The home of the Senecas is in a beautiful country, which, it is feared, will not remain long in their possession. The des- troyer is among them, and their number has already greatly de- creased. On the 26th of August, 1845, they numbered, in all, including men, women, and children, but one hundred and fifty-three. The last two years have proved fatal to many .- The survivors live in comfortable houses, generally, and raise good crops of the coarser grains.
Their idea of education, is too ingenious to be overlooked ; " for," say they, "it may perhaps be reconciled to the con- sciences of white men, who have a great many laws, contracts, &c., written upon paper, and education is necessary to evade them. But we have but few, and they are written in the heart!"
The following highly interesting narrative, of the execution for witch-craft, of one of these Indians, named Seneca John, is from the pen of Henry C. Brish, a resident of Clinton town- ship, in this county.
" About the year 1825, Coonstick, Steel, and Cracked Hoof, left the reservation, for the double purpose of a three years hunting and trapping excursion, and to seek a location for a new home for the tribe, in the far west.
" At the time of their starting, Comstock, the brother of the two first, was the principal chief of the tribe. On their return in 1828, richly laden with furs and horses, they found Seneca John, their fourth brother, chief, in place of Comstock, who had died during their absence.
"Comstock was the favorite brother of the two, and they at once charged Seneca John, with producing his death by witch-
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HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.
craft. John denied the charge, in a strain of eloquence, rarely equaled. Said he, 'I loved my brother Comstock, more than I loved the green earth I stand upon. I would give up myself, limb by limb, piecemeal by piecemeal ; I would shed my blood, drop by drop, to restore him to life.' But all his protestations of innocence, and affection for his brother Comstock, were of no avail. His two other brothers pronounced him guilty, and declared their determination to be his executioners.
"John replied that he was willing to die, and only wished to live until the next morning, to see the sun rise once more .- This request being granted, John told them that he should sleep that night on Hard-hickory's porch, which fronted the east, where they would find him at sunrise. He chose that place be- cause he did not wish to be killed in the presence of his wife, and desired that the chief, Hard-hickory, should witness that he died like a brave man.
"Coonstick and Steel, retired for the night, to an old cabin near by. In the morning, in company with Shane, another Indian, they proceeded to the house of Hard-hickory.
" A little after sunrise, Hard-hickory heard their footsteps up- on the porch, and opened the door just enough to see out. He saw John asleep upon his blanket, and they standing around him. At length one of them awoke him. He aroce upon his feet, and took off a large handkerchief which was around his head, letting his unusually long hair fall upon his shoulders .- This being done, he looked around upon the landscape, and at the rising sun, to take a farewell look of a scene that he was never again to behold, and then told them he was ready to die.
" Shane and Coonstick, each took him by the arm, and Steel walked behind. In this way, they led him about ten steps from the porch, when Steel struck him with a tomahawk on the back of his head, and he fell to the ground, bleeding freely. Sup- posing this blow sufficient to kill him, they dragged him under
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HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.
a peach tree near by. In a short time, however, he revived -- the blow having been broken by the great mass of hair upon his head. Knowing that it was Steel who struck the blow, John, as he lay, turned his head towards Coonstick, and said, ' Now, brother, do you take your revenge.'
" This so operated upon the feelings of Coonstick, that he interfered to save him ; but it enraged Steel to such a degree, that he drew his knife, and cut John's throat from ear to ear ; and the next day he was buried with the usual Indian ceremo- nies, not more than twenty feet from where he fell.
"Steel was arrested, and tried for the murder, in Sandusky county, and acquitted. The grave of Seneca John was sur- rounded by a small picket enclosure. Three years after when I was preparing to move them to the west-says Mr. Brish-I saw Coonstick and Steel remove the picket-fence and level the ground, so that no vestige of the grave remained." 6
CHAPTER II.
Simon Girty-His character-Attack on Fort Henry-Girty's harangue- Attack upon Bryant's station-Girty's speech-Answer of Reynolds- Girty's cruelty to Crawford corroborated-His death-Seneca Indians sacrificing two dogs to the Great Spirit.
THE notorious SIMON GIRTY, was adopted by the Seneca In- dians, and became an expert hunter. He was from Pennsyl- vania, to which state his father had emigrated from Ireland .- The old man was beastly intemperate, and nothing ranked higher in his estimation than a jug of whiskey. "Grog was his song, and grog would he have." His sottishness turned his wife's affection. Ready for seduction, she yielded her heart to a neighboring rustic, who, to remove all obstacles to their wishes, knocked Girty on the head, and bore off the trophy of his prowess.
Four sons of this interesting couple were left-Thomas, Si- mon, George, and James. The three latter were taken prison- ers, in Braddock's war, by the Indians. George was adopted by the Delawares, became a ferocious monster, and died in a drunken fit. James was adopted by the Shawanese, and be- came as depraved as his brother. It is said, that he often visit- ed Kentucky, at the time of its first settlement, and inflicted most barbarous tortures upon all captive women who came with- in his reach. Traders, who were acquainted with him, say, so furious was he, that he would not have turned on his heel to save a prisoner from the flames. To this savage, are to be at- tributed many of the cruelties charged upon his brother Simon
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HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.
-yet he was caressed by Proctor and Elliott. In Kentucky and Ohio, Simon sustained the character of an unrelenting bar- barian. Sixty years ago, with his name was associated every thing cruel and fiend-like. To the women and children, in particular, nothing was more terrifying than the name of Si- mon Girty ! At that time, it was believed by many that he had fled from justice, and sought refuge among the Indians, deter- mined to do his countrymen all the harm in his power. This impression was an erroneous one. Being adopted by the In- dians, he joined them in their wars, and conformed to their usa- ges. This was the education he had received, and their foes were his. Although trained in all his pursuits as an Indian, it is said to be a fact, susceptible of proof, that, through his im- portunities, many prisoners were saved from death. His in- fluence was great, and when he chose to be merciful, it was generally in his power to protect the imploring captive.
His reputation was that of an honest man, and he fulfilled his engagements to the last cent. He was intemperate, and when intoxicated, ferocious and abusive alike of friends and foes. Although much disabled the last ten years of his life, by rheumatism, he rode to his hunting grounds, in pursuit of game .*
In September, 1777, Girty led the attack on Fort Henry, on the site of Wheeling, during which he appeared at the window of a cabin, with a white flag, and demanded the surrender of the fort, in the name of his Britannic majesty. He read the proclamation of Gov. Hamilton, and promised the protection of the crown if they would lay down their arms, and swear alle- giance to the king. He warned them to submit peaceably, and admitted his inability to restrain his warriors, when excited in the strife of battle. Col. Shepard, the commandant, promptly
*Campbell's Sketches.
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HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.
replied, that they would never surrender to him, and that he could only obtain possession of the fort, when there remained no longer an American soldier to defend it. Girty renewed his proposition, but it was abruptly ended by a shot from a thoughtless youth, and Girty retired, and opened the siege, which proved unsuccessful.
Baker's station, in that vicinity, was also attacked, not far from this time, by Girty and his band, but without success.
In August, 1782, a powerful body of Indians, led by Girty, appeared before Bryant's station, in Kentucky, about five miles from Lexington. The Kentuckians made such a gallant resis- tance, that the Indians became disheartened, and were about abandoning the siege; upon this, Girty, thinking he might frighten the garrison into a surrender, mounted a stump, with- in speaking distance, and commenced a parley. He told them who he was, that he looked hourly for reinforcements with cannon, and that they had better surrender at once ; if they did so, no one should be hurt ; otherwise, he feared they would all fall victims. The garrison were intimidated ; but one young man, named Reynolds, seeing the effects of the harangue, and believing his story-as it was-to be false, of his own accord, answered him in this wise : " You need not be so particular to tell us your name ; we know your name, and you, too. I've had a villainous, untrust-worthy cur-dog this long time, named Simon Girty, in compliment to you ; he's so like you-just as ugly, and just as wicked. As to the cannon, let them come on; the country's roused, and the scalps of your red cut-throats, and your own, too, will be drying on our cabins, in twenty- four hours ; and if, by chance, you, or your allies do get into the fort, we've a big store of rods laid in, on purpose to scourge you out again." This response of Reynolds, was effectual :- the Indians withdrew, and were pursued a few days after, (the defenders of the fort being in the mean-time reinforced,) to the
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