USA > Ohio > Seneca County > History of Seneca County, from the close of the revolutionary war to July, 1880 > Part 53
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Joseph Herrin's father and mother, with their families, came in 1826; the children were all single then, except Mrs. Hines; the rest were married here.
When the Herrin's folks came they stopped at our house, and we were so crowded some had to sleep in wagons.
My parents had twenty-one children altogether, of whom sixteen were then living. I am the youngest of the family.
Mrs. Rachael Frees was also married. She was a sister of the Herrin boys also.
Thomas Vanatta came two years after and settled where some of his daughters are still living. Peter Schuk lived there once.
The first school house was built on the Bradley place, and Jonas Doan taught it. Another log school house was put up north of the road and oppo- site the church on Rocky creek.
Hugh Welsh settled on the Richardson farm and lived there when we came. Birnsides were also here before us and lived on section twenty-eight.
We had to go clear to Columbus for flour, and cut our way through the woods. We lived on milk and potatoes for a good while until we could do better. I used to plongh with a wooden mold-board and wore buckskin pantaloons.
JACOB HOLTS
Was born in Frederick county, Maryland, June 17, 1786, and was mar-
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CLINTON TOWNSHIP.
ried to Susannah M. Fiege, who was a sister of the father of John Fiege, of Tiffin, Ohio. They moved to this county and arrived in Tiffin on the 28th of April, 1834 and settled on .the northwest quarter of section fifteen, in Clinton, where the son, Dennis, still lives.
Mr. Holts was about five feet, eleven inches high, straight and mus- cular, but not fleshy; he had dark brown hair, a large, dark eye, black, bushy eyebrows and a very expressive countenance. He spoke slow and positive, and while his conversation was pleasant and agreeable, he nevertheless carried an air of personal dignity about him that cor- responded well with the general respect he enjoyed in the community. He died December 28, 1859.
PETER MARSH
Was also a Clinton township pioneer. He settled in the northwest quarter of section twenty-seven, about the time the McEwen family came here. He was then a young man but recently married. He, his wife and his wife's sister, who came with them, were all three ex- cellent singers. They all belonged to the Presbyterian church, and were very nice, kind and quiet people. Mr. Marsh used to teach sing- ing school and soon became very popular in the neighborhood. He started a Sabbath school and a prayer meeting in the vicinity and took a great interest in church affairs generally. When the first railroad from Sandusky, by way of Republic, was being built, he took a job of grading a mile, including the fill over Willow creek. The company failed in making payment as it was agreed, and Mr. Marsh broke up, losing nearly all he had. He left and located in Kenton, Ohio, where he recuperated to some extent, and where he and his wife both died.
COLONEL BALL,
After whom the fort and Spencer's town were named, was present at the great Whig celebration, at Fort Meigs, in 1840, where a friend of mine saw him for the last time. He was six feet high, well propor- tioned: his hair was gray and bushy; he had a florid complexion and wore side whiskers; he had gray eyes, thin lips, heavy jaw, a loud, clear voice, talked scholarly and lived with his family in Rich- land county at that time. He was a powerful man and walked very erect. Before his hair turned gray it was of auburn color. His entire make-up exhibited great force of character and energy.
Clinton township has an excellent market, is well watered, enjoys the privileges of the city of Tiffin with her schools and otherwise, while the land is in a high state of cultivation and very valuable. Splendid farm houses in all directions indicate the general prosperity of the people.
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HISTORY OF SENECA COUNTY.
As already mentioned, the township was organized in June, 1820, and the first election was held on the 15th of June, 1822. The population of Clinton, including Tiffin. in 1840, was 2,195; in 1850 it was 4,330; in 1860 it was 6,041; it increased to 7,174 in 1870, and in 1880 it is 1,701. Tiffin, in 1880, has 7,882 inhabitants, which, added to the township, makes 9,583.
Tiffin proper, in 1840, had 788 souls; in 1850, 2,718; in 1860, 3,992 and in 1870, 5,648.
JOHN DITTO
Was one of the early settlers of Clinton. He came in 1822, and set- tled in section thirty-one, where he owned eighty acres, and he also owned another eighty in Eden. These lands he entered at the Dela- ware land office, and immediately thereafter built his cabin in the woods. He was a small man, less than medium size, and compactly built. He was very industrious and honest, a good hunter and inter- esting talker. He verified his hunting stories by his singular habitual expression of "bei der liebens." There was no meaning to it, but it was intended to fix the story beyond all question of doubt. He spoke German mostly.
Mr. Ditto was born in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, October 14, 1785. He told the writer that he voted at the first elec- tion in Seneca county; he lived and died a Democrat. His wife's name is Elizabeth, who is the daughter of Louis Eckhart. She was born June 13, 1795, and is still living, enjoying good health, on the old homestead, near the Mohawk road. They had eleven children, of whom two are still living, viz: Mrs. DuBois and Mrs. Henry Sheets.
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CHAPTER XXXIII. EDEN TOWNSHIP.
T. I, N. R. 15 E.
T' HIS township was organized in 1821, as already stated, and the election of its first officers was also mentioned. When Mr. Butterfield says that it was so named for its remarkable fertility of soil, it is strange that the early records spell the word "Eaton." The township settled up rapidly after the first settlers had located, and there are many good reasons for it. The pioneer settlers were intelligent and good men. Such always make good neighbors. The soil was rich, the timber excellent, and the fine water privileges of old Honey , creek inviting. The proximity to the county seat and many other, things, induced selections of homes along this stream.
In 1824 it was the most populous township in the county. In 1830 it had 819 inhabitants; in' 1840, 1,471; in 1870, 1671, and in 1880, 1,598.
William Fleet is perhaps the largest land owner in the township. Samuel Baker, John L. Downy, John Seitz, Samuel Herrin, A. N. Arm- strong, Ed. Wing, C. Y. Brundage, Abr. Brown, H. H. Schoch's heirs, Fred. Borck, Charles Meeker, the Klais', S. M. Ogden, Hez. Searles, Eden Lease and others are among the most successful farmers.
Where the Kilbourn road crosses Honey creek, Colonel Kilbourn in 1824 surveyed and platted a town he called Melmore, already described and sung. Case Brown was the principal proprietor. John C. Jones erected the first dwelling house on the plat. He died here in 1828. Buckley Hutchins, who figured very largely as a man of business, was the first postmaster. In 1830 its population was 130; in 1880 it is per- haps less than 200.
The names of many remarkable personages are identified with this township. The Butterfield family used to live here. One of the sons is the celebrated historian, Consul W. Butterfield. One of the daughters is the present Mrs. Hyacinthe, of Paris, whose husband is a Catholic priest of great distinction, and who, while he was priest at Notre Dame,
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preached and wrote against celibacy of the priesthood, and to prove the sincerity of his teachings, married a sister of Consul W. Butterfield. She was then in Paris, a correspondent of the New York Herald and Madam Demorest's papers, and noted for her great intelligence, grace- fulness and beauty. Mr. Anson Burlingame, who has become so dis- tinguished in his mission in China, used to teach school in Eden town- ship. General Gibson was raised on the banks of old Honey creek, in Eden, and while he speaks in glowing colors of her pioneer settlers, there is always a moisture observable in the southwest corner of his eye.
There never was another such man as Philip J. Price, and if room would permit, a description of him would fit here. Eden had a number of local characters of mark. Dr. Selden Graves was a most remarkable man in every way. He was stern in his bearing, honorable in his deal- ings, a good physician, an excellent neighbor; a man of clear judgment and of wonderful endurance. In every walk of life he was respected and esteemed.
On the 16th day of July, 1836, (Saturday,) the M. E. church was raised in Melmore, and Amroy Butterfield, assisting as one of the hands, was killed by the falling of a piece of timber. He was then father of eight children, Consul W. and Mrs. Hyacinthe among the number. . John Gibson's was the first barn that was raised in the county, and Thomas Baker introduced the first Merino sheep into Seneca, from Steuben county, New York.
Melmore was quite a trading post at one time, and its citizens were possessed of a spirit of enterprise that would have been a credit to any town. When the question of the Mad River and Lake Erie railroad was being agitated, great efforts were made to have the line from Re- public through Melmore, by way of Upper Sandusky, to Springfield, and when that failed, Melmore determined to have a railroad for its own use, and to run a line from Melmore to Republic, and to intersect the Mad River road there. Meetings were held in Melmore, Republic and Tiffin; a temporary line was surveyed between the two places; com- mittees were appointed, and books opened for the subscription of stock.
The names attached to the following notice will revive early recol- lections and help to preserve memories of those days. This notice was published in the Tiffin Gazette of May 30th, 1836, and long before a railroad reached Republic:
MELMORE AND REPUBLIC RAILROAD.
Notice is hereby given that the books of the Melmore and Republic rail- road company will be opened for the subscription of the stock of said com- pany. at the house of Jacob Buskirk, in Melmore, and at the house of Mr.
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Miller, in Republic, and at the house of Calvin Bradley, in Tiffin, on the 4th day of July next, and will be kept open for five days in succession, from 10 o'clock A. M. until 2 o'clock P. M.
Buckley Hutchins,
Thomas J. Baker,
Timothy P. Roberts,
P. J. Price,
William Patterson, Samuel Waggoner,
Case Brown,
Isaac J. Halsey,
Calvin Bradley,
Micagah Heaton,
William Cornell, Hamilton McCollister,
Selden Graves.
May 30th. 1836.
The road was never built, because the stock was not taken very fast, but some of these gentlemen entered into the enterprise with great energy.
The old pioneers had their weaknesses also, and were not angels at all. Old Adam was still alive in some of them (as now), and re-gener- ation had not become universal.
Hamilton McCollister was a justice of the peace in Eden, and his neighbor, Mathew Clark, . not having the fear of God before his eyes, one Sunday morning looked for his hogs, that got away from him the day before Uncle Mathew's dogs followed him, and 'Squire McCollis- ter saw Clark driving the hogs home. This act was a clear case of" Sabbath breaking in the mind of the court, and on the next morning the 'Squire sent the constable and had uncle Mathew arrested. It was a clear case; the court saw it himself, and Mr. Clark was fined. The officers of the law taxed no costs. The insulted law was vindicated, and that was enough. This was on the 13th day of November, 1827. But uncle Mathew felt aggrieved for being arrested, and old Adam got up to law-heat in him, so he goes to Tiffin for redress, and Dickinson & Rawson filed a declaration against McCollister for $3,000 damages for false imprisonment.
The 'Squire employed David Higgins to defend him, and when the case was finally tried to a jury, they gave the plaintiff a verdict of $21.50. At the next trial the jury could not agree. The case at last was taken up to the supreme court, where it was discontinued.
The Rev. Joseph Bever kindly presented to the writer a statement of his early recollections of Eden, as follows:
I am a son of Peter Bever, one of a family of thirteen children : was born in Virginia in 1815. My father moved from Virginia to this county in the fall of 1823, and settled on the banks of Honey creek. The prospects of opening a farm and making a living here in this forest, for so large a family, were not very flattering, for Senera county at that time was nearly an un- broken wilderness. It had neither roads, bridges, markets, or any other advantage. Persons who never saw this country as it looked fifty-seven years ago, cannot imagine how dense the forest was, and the underbrush
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that met the eye on every side. If you can imagine a little spot of about an acre, cleared off, and a log cabin standing in the middle, and all around you an unbroken forest, with underbrush and vegetation so dense that you could not see ten feet ahead, especially in the bottoms-then you can form some idea of the wilds of Seneca county in 1823.
We settled about five and a half miles south of Tiffin, and about three miles northwest of Melmore. Both towns were very small villages, then built of log cabins. We had no neighbors nearer than Melmore and Tiffin, except Jacob Price, who lived about one mile south of ns, and Ruel Loomis, who lived about the same distance northeast of us, on school section sixteen.
About half way between us and Titlin was the village of Mohawk Indians, who were quite friendly, and visited us very frequently. Indeed, they be- came quite troublesome after we had lived here a few years, for they made their friendship a source of annoyance by their constant and persistent beg- ging. They wanted white bread every time they came, and that was very often. Sometimes whole squads came, together with their guns, bows and arrows, then women and children, and wanted white bread for all of them. At begging the Indian seems to have no conscience for either frequency or quantity.
The second year after we came here we cleared a field of bottom land about half a mile down the creek from our house. Between this field and our house was very thick woods, and as I was going to the bottom field one day alone, I espied an Indian coming around a little curve in the path, and supposing he had not discovered me. (and I being a little timid lad of about eleven years.) my first thought was to get out of his way. so I stepped to one side and laid down behind a large oak log, expecting the Indian to pass by with- ont noticing me. But the first thing I knew he looked over the log and ex- claimed " Cool !" and langhed heartily. I was deeply mortified, but my fear was all gone.
A few days after this one of these Indians, Isaac Brandt by name, came to our house with two little axes he had made by a blacksmith in Mehnore for his two boys-he said-and asked me to turn the grindstone for him to grind the little axes. I had turned grindstone before to sharpen axes forged out by blacksmiths, and as they were all very thick at the edge, I did not crave the job. I made all sorts of exenses, and told him that my father would whip me for leaving my work and turn the grindstone for him a half day, and all that. Brandt replied : "Tell fodder Indian here ; grind axe ; had to shove." So I turned for him until he was done. In the meantime he tried to teach me Indian, but I concluded that it cost more than it come to. But to present me with some compensation when the grinding was done he took my hand and shook it very heartily, thanking me for the service.
At that time it was an easy matter to raise grain and vegetables where the land was clear, but the great trouble was to save them. Squirrels, chip- monks and other vermin were so abundant that they would devour a field of coru almost entirely, being surrounded by thick woods and weeds. We used to have dead-falls for every fence corner. and some one of the family had to go around the field with a gun nearly all the time at certain seasons. I re- member well that during the warm weather, such was the stench from the carcasses of dead vermin, that it became nearly unbearable.
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Game was plenty in those days, and when meat was wanted it was easily procured by killing some deer, turkey, or other game. Honey creek and the Sandusky river were teeming with fish, some of them of enormous size. When we wanted fish, we took our poles and lines to some eddy in the creek or river and caught fish behind some boulder or log, where they seemed quite tame. Creeping up to them quietly, we often caught them with the hand. In the winter when the ice was thick enough to bear a person, we cut holes in the ice and canght them with snares made of horse hair, tied to a stick. The loop was passed over the head and caught them behind the gills.
We were not annoyed with ravenous animals, except wolves. These, how- ever. were quite numerous for a few years. Sometimes they would run our stock into the barnyard after night, and annoy them nutil the dogs made their appearance, when they would scamper.
My brother Solomon is still living on an eighty acre lot of father's old farm, and has lived nowhere else since we first settled in this county. Per- haps you cannot find another man in Seneca county who has lived on one farm fifty-seven years. We suffered a great many privations and incon- veniences that our people now cannot appreciate. We had no roads, no markets. no churches, no schools, and not much society. We received a bush, not a book college education. J. BEVER.
VAN MATRE.
The best historic exposition concerning the family of the Van Metre (Van Matre) and the Mohawk reserve in Eden township, the writer has been able to find, is contained in a letter that Judge Pillars, of Tiffin, many years ago, wrote to a relative of this Seneca Van Metre, then living in Cincinnati. The Judge was so kind as to place it at my dis- posal, and with his permission I copy the whole letter:
TIFFIN, SENECA COUNTY, OHIO. SUNDAY, December 12th, 1858.
Daniel Van Matre, Esq., Cincinnati, Ohio :
DEAR SIR: We were talking on the 29th ultimo, in Cincinnati, about one John Van Matre (always spelled Van Meter), a brother of yours, or a brother of your father, I don't remember which-being taken by the Indians -- a reservation of land being made to him in this county, etc., etc.
The facts connected with his life, etc., are of great historic interest to me, and of course are of the same and still greater interest to you. I will give yon my understanding of them, and propose that you shall correct my errors and supply any deficiency.
ยท
John Van Matre, or Van Meter, was stolen by the Indians in March, 1778, at the age of about five years, at Greenbriar, near a place now called West Liberty, in the state of Virginia.
The people of the neighborhood, having been frequently alarmed by In- dian aggressions, had assembled on that day for the purpose of building a fort to protect themselves. It was a beautiful day in the spring, and two of the elder boys of the Van Matre family were ont to a "clearing" to fix up 34
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some brands. John, or Johnny. as he was called by the family, accompanied them, while the father went to the fort, and the mother and sister remained at home.
The boys had but just got at their work, when a party of Indians came upon them. The two older ones made their escape, but Johnny was taken. The Indians then went to the house of Van Matre, and set it on fire, having first killed his wife and daughter. Then they fled to the wilderness, carry- ing with them their captive boy.
He grew up and always lived among the Indians, and partook of their manners, habits, dress, etc., etc. He forgot entirely his native tongue, though he learned it again before he died. Ile always remembered, how- ever, that his name was Johnny Van Meter.
In after life he was induced to visit some of his relatives, but utterly re- fused to remain with them. preferring, as he said, the innocent, unrestrained indulgences of the Indian's life, to the arbitrary restraints of civilized society.
He married an Indian woman, by whom he had one child only-a son, whom he called John. His wife's name was Susan Brandt, a name well- known in the state of New York, and in the history of that state, and a rel- ative of the celebrated Joseph Brandt, who, in 1787, completed the transla- tion of St. Mark and other portions of the scriptures and the book of common prayer, into the Mohawk language.
The Mohawks were originally a powerful tribe of Indians, inhabiting the country from the northwestern part of Pennsylvania, north through New York mto Canada. Their true name was the Bears. Mohawk being but a corruption of their name for Bear.
The Brandt family was the royal one of the Mohawk nation ; the chiefs always coming from that family, either by descent or election, probably the latter.
There is a likeness of one of these Brandts, an Indian chieftain, and it is the noblest head I ever saw.
The Mohawk nation gradually wasted away, and finally emigrated west. or at least the central portion of it, and at last settled down in this county, and within two and one-half miles of where Tiffin now stands.
On the 29th of April, 1817, a treaty was held at the foot of the rapids of the Miami of Lake Erie, near Perrysburg, Wood county, Ohio, between Lewis Cass and Duncan Mc Arthur, commissioners of the United States, of the one part. and the sachems. chiefs and warriors of what was then called the Wyandot. Seneca, Delaware, Shawnees, Potawatomie, Ottawa and Chippawa tribes of Indians, when all their lands within the limits of Ohio were ceded to the United States forever.
Now at the above treaty there was not in fact a Seneca Indian present. Instead of the Seneca it was the Mohawk tribe of Indians that participated with the other tribes in that treaty. or at least the remnant and head portion of the tribe.
At this treaty there was reserved by the United States :
"To John Van Meter, who was taken prisoner by the Wyandots. and who has ever since lived amongst them, and has married a Seneca woman, and to his wife and three brothers. Senecas, who now reside on Honey Creek, one
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thousand acres of land, to begin north 45 degrees west, 140 poles, thence and from the beginning, east for quantity."
This John Van Meter was Johnny, the captive boy, and this Seneca woman whom he had married was the last female, and these hier three brother, Senecas, were the last males of that great, noble, christian and royal family of Brandt, the ruler of the Mohawk nation of Indians.
They were consequently Mohawks, not Senecas. The names of these three brothers was Thomas, Isaac and Paulus Brandt. Thomas was the chief of the tribe.
The tribe continued to reside upon the above reservation until in 1829, when they joined other Indians and left the country. The place or locality goes to this day by the name of Mohawk, or Mohawktown. It is noted on the map as " Van Meter Reserve."
At the time the Mohawk tribe left here, as above mentioned. it didn't ex- ceed probably twenty-five families.
John Van Meter lived, died and was buried on the reserve. and I am as- sured that one of our physicians has his skeleton. His death was some years before his tribe moved west.
He was a man of more than ordinary decision of character, of a benevolent disposition. and friendly to the whites. This county commenced to be settled along in 1817, 1818 and 1819. Van Meter was comparatively wealthy, owning large stocks of horses, cattle, etc. These early settlers had to rely much upon his generosity, and it was never in vain that they sought relief at his hands.
Ile died, leaving his son John, above spoken of, his only heir. A suit was afterwards commenced by some of the " Van Matres " against this son John. Jr., to recover his father's share, one-quarter of the above reserve. This suit was predicated upon the ground that the son John, Jr., was not the heir at law of John Van Meter, for the reason that the latter and his wife, Susan, were never married according to law, and that consequently the plaintiffs were the true heirs.
The son John, Jr., proved, however, that his father and mother were mar- ried : that his father went out and killed some venison, and brought it in, and his mother brought in some corn : that she then dressed and cooked the venison and corn, and the two parties then ate it together, in the presence of witnesses, and that that was the marriage ceremony among the Mohawk Indians.
The court held the marriage good and valid, and John, Jr., the lawful heir.
Jolm, Jr., and his three nneles, the Brandts, sold out the Van Meter reser- vation, in 1828, to Mr. Lloyd Norris, who afterwards lived (and died) upon it, for the sum of $2,500.
In 1829 the Mohawk tribe, as I have said. moved west of the Mississippi river. John. Jr., went with them.
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