History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 13

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1104

USA > Ohio > Summit County > History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio > Part 13

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).

By July, "the leaves were fully out," the con- ferences among the tribes were over, and, on the 15th of that month, the commissioners met Brant and some fifty natives. In a strong speech, Brant set forth their wishes, and invited them to accom- pany him to the place of holding the council. The Indians were rather jealous of Wayne's continued preparations for war, hence, just before setting ont for the Maumee, the commissioners sent a letter to the Secretary of War, asking that all warlike demonstrations cease until the result of their mis- sion be known.

On 21st of July, the embassy reached the head of the Detroit River, where their advance was checked by the British authorities at Detroit, com- pelling them to take up their abode at the house of Andrew Elliott, the famous renegade, then a British agent under Alexander McKee. McKee was attending the council, and the commissioners addressed him a note, borne by Elliott, to inform him of their arrival, and asking when they could be received. Elliott returned on the 29th, bring- ing with him a deputation of twenty chiefs from the council. The next day, a conference was held, and the chief of the Wyandots, Sa-wagh-da-wunk, presented to the commissioners, in writing, their explicit demand in regard to the boundary, and their purposes and powers. "The Ohio must be the boundary," said he, " or blood will flow."

The commissioners returned an answer to the proposition brought by the chiefs, recapitulating the treaties already made, and denying the Ohio as the boundary line. On the 16th of August, the council sent them, by two Wyandot runners, a final answer, in which they recapitulated their

HISTORY OF OHIO.

former assertions, and exhibited great powers of reasoning and clear logic in defense of their po- sition. The commissioners reply that it is impos- ble to accept the Ohio as the boundary, and declare the negotiation at an end.

This closed the efforts of the Government to ne- gotiate with the Indians, and there remained of necessity no other mode of settling the dispute but war. Liberal terms had been offered them, but nothing but the boundary of the Ohio River would suffice. It was the only condition upon which the confederation would lay down its arms. " Among the rude statesmen of the wilderness, there was exhibited as pure patriotism and as lofty devotion to the good of their race, as ever won ap- plause among civilized men. The white man had, ever since he came into the country, been encroach- ing on their lands. He had long occupied the regions beyond the mountains. He had crushed the conspiracy formed by Pontiac, thirty years be- fore. He had taken possession of the common hunting-ground of all the tribes, on the faith of treaties they did not acknowledge. He was now laying out settlements and building forts in the heart of the country to which all the tribes had been driven, and which now was all they could call their own. And now they asked that it should be guaranteed to them, that the boundary which they had so long asked for should be drawn, and a final end be made to the continual aggressions of the whites; or, if not, they solemnly determined to stake their all, against fearful odds, in defense of their homes, their country and the inheritance of their children. Nothing could be more patriotic than the position they occupied, and nothing could be more noble than the declarations of their council."*

They did not know the strength of the whites, and based their success on the victories already gained. They hoped, nay, were promised, aid from the British, and even the Spanish had held out to them assurances of help when the hour of conflict came.

The Americans were not disposed to yield even to the confederacy of the tribes backed by the two rival nations, forming, as Wayne characterized it, a " hydra of British, Spanish and Indian hostility." On the 16th of August, the commissioners re- ceived the final answer of the council. The 17th, they left the mouth of the Detroit River, and the 23d, arrived at Fort Erie, where they immediately

dispatched messengers to Gen. Wayne to inform him of the issue of the negotiation. Wayne had spent the winter of 1792-93, at Legionville, in col- lecting and organizing his army. April 30, 1793, the army moved down the river and encamped at a point, called by the soldiers "Hobson's choice," because from the extreme height of the river they were prevented from landing elsewhere. Here Wayne was engaged, during the negotiations for peace, in drilling his soldiers, in cutting roads, and collecting supplies for the army. He was ready for an immediate campaign in case the council failed in its object.

While here, he sent a letter to the Secretary of War, detailing the circumstances, and suggesting the probable course he should follow. He re- mained here during the summer, and, when apprised of the issue, saw it was too late to attempt the campaign then. He sent the Kentucky militia home, and, with his regular soldiers, went into winter quarters at a fort he built on a tributary of the Great Miami. He called the fort Green- ville. The present town of Greenville is near the site of the fort. During the winter, he sent a de- tachment to visit the scene of St. Clair's defeat. They found more than six hundred skulls, and were obliged to "scrape the bones together and carry them out to get a place to make their beds." They buried all they could find. Wayne was steadily preparing his forces, so as to have every- thing ready for a sure blow when the time came. All his information showed the faith in the British which still animated the doomed red men, and gave them a hope that could end only in defeat.

The conduct of the Indians fully corroborated the statements received by Gen. Wayne. On the 30th of June, an escort of ninety riflemen and fifty dragoons, under command of Maj. McMahon, was attacked under the walls of Fort Recovery by a force of more than one thousand Indians under charge of Little Turtle. They were repulsed and badly defeated, and, the next day, driven away. Their mode of action, their arms and ammunition, all told plainly of British aid. They also cx- pected to find the cannon lost by St. Clair Novem- ber 4, 1791, but which the Americans had secured. The 26th of July, Gen. Scott, with 1,600 mounted men from Kentucky, joined Gen. Wayne at Fort Greenville, and, two days after, the legion moved forward. The 8th of August, the army reached the junction of the Auglaize and Mau- mee, and at once proceeded to erect Fort Defiance, where the waters meet. The Indians had abandoned

* Annals of the West.

HISTORY OF OHIO.

their towns on the approach of the army, and were congregating further northward.

While engaged on Fort Defiance, Wayne received continual and full reports of the Indians- of their aid from Detroit and elsewhere; of the nature of the ground, and the circumstances, favorable or unfavorable. From all he could learn, and considering the spirits of his army, now thoroughly disciplined, he determined to march forward and settle matters at once. Yet, true to his own instincts, and to the measures of peace so forcibly taught by Washington, he sent Christopher Miller, who had been naturalized among the Shawances, and taken prisoner by Wayne's spies, as a messenger of peace, offering terms of friendship.

Unwilling to waste time, the troops began to move forward the 15th of August, and the next day met Miller with the message that if the Amer- ieans would wait ten days at Auglaize the Indians would decide for peace or war. Wayne knew too well the Indian character, and answered the mes- sage by simply marching on. The 18th, the legion had advaneed forty-one miles from Auglaize, and, being near the long-looked-for foe, began to take some measures for protection, should they be at- tacked. A slight breastwork, called Fort Deposit, was erected, wherein most of their heavy baggage was placed. They remained here, building their works, until the 20th, when, storing their baggage, the army began again its march. After advancing about five miles, they met a large force of the ene- my, two thousand strong, who fiercely attacked them. Wayne was, however, prepared, and in the short battle that ensued they were routed, and large numbers slain. The American loss was very slight. The horde of savages were put to flight, leaving the Americans victorious almost under the walls of the British garrison, under Maj. Campbell. This officer sent a letter to Gen. Wayne, asking an explanation of his conduet in fighting so near, and in such evident hostility to the British. Wayne replied, telling him he was in a country that did not belong to him, and one he was not authorized to hold, and also charging him with aiding the Indians. A spirited corre- spondence followed, which ended in the American commander marching on, and devastating the In- dian country, even burning McKee's house and stores under the muzzles of the English guns.

The 14th of September, the army marched from Fort Defiance for the Miami village at the june- tion of the St. Mary's and St. Joseph Rivers. It

reached there on the 17th, and the next day Gen. Wayne selected a site for a fort. The 22d of Oe- tober, the fort was completed, and garrisoned by a detachment under Maj. Hamtramck, who gave to it the name of Fort Wayne. The 14th of October, the mounted Kentucky volunteers, who had be- come dissatisfied and mutinous, were started to Fort Washington, where they were immediately mustered out of service and discharged. The 28th of October, the legion marched from Fort Wayne to Fort Greenville, where Gen. Wayne at once established his headquarters.

The campaign had been decisive and short, and had taught the Indians a severe lesson. The Brit- ish, too, had failed them in their hour of need, and now they began to see they had a foe to contend whose resources were exhaustless. Under these eircumstances, losing faith in the English, and at last impressed with a respect for American power, after the defeat experienced at the hands of the "Black Snake," the various tribes made up their minds, by degrees, to ask for peace. During the winter and spring, they exchanged prisoners, and made ready to meet Gen. Wayne at Greenville, in June, for the purpose of forming a definite treaty, as it had been agreed should be done by the pre- liminaries of January 24.

During the month of June, 1795, representa- tives of the Northwestern tribes began to gather at Greenville, and, the 16th of the month, Gen. Wayne met in council the Delawares, Ottawas, Pottawato- mies and Eel River Indians, and the conferences, which lasted till August 10, began. The 21st of June, Buckongahelas arrived ; the 23d, Little Turtle and other Miamis ; the 13th of July, Tarhe and other Wyandot chiefs ; and the 18th, Blue Jacket, and thirteen Shawanees and Massas with twenty Chippewas.

Most of these, as it appeared by their statements, had been tampered with by the English, especially by McKee, Girty and Brant, even after the pre- liminaries of January 24, and while Mr. Jay was perfecting his treaty. They had, however, all de- termined to make peace with the "Thirteen Fires," and although some difficulty as to the ownership of the lands to be ceded, at one time seemed likely to arise, the good sense of Wayne and the leading chiefs prevented it, and, the 30th of July, the treaty was agreed to which should bury the hatchet for- ever. Between that day and the 3d of August, it was engrossed, and, having been signed by the various nations upon the day last named, it was finally acted upon the 7th, and the presents from

HISTORY OF OHIO.

the United States distributed. The basis of this treaty was the previous one made at Fort Harmar. The boundaries made at that time were re-affirmed ; the whites were secured on the lands now occu- pied by them or secured by former treaties ; and among all the assembled nations, presents, in value not less than one thousand pounds, were distributed to each through its representatives, many thousands in all. The Indians were allowed to remove and

punish intruders on their lands, and were permitted to hunt on the ceded lands.

"This great and abiding peace document was signed by the various tribes, and dated August 3, 1795. It was laid before the Senate December 9, and ratified the 22d. So closed the old Indian wars in the West." *

* Annals of the West."

CHAPTER VIII.

JAY'S TREATY-THE QUESTION OF STATE RIGHTS AND NATIONAL SUPREMACY-EXTENSION OF OHIO SETTLEMENTS-LAND CLAIMS-SPANISH BOUNDARY QUESTION.

W HILE these six years of Indian wars were in progress, Kentucky was admitted as a State, and Pinckney's treaty with Spain was com- pleted. This last occurrence was of vital impor- tance to the West, as it secured the free navigation of the Mississippi, charging only a fair price for the storage of goods at Spanish ports. This, though not all that the Americans wished, was a great gain in their favor, and did much to stop those agitations regarding a separation on the part of Kentucky. It also quieted affairs further south than Kentucky, in the Georgia and South Carolina Territory, and put an end to French and Spanish intrigue for the Western Territory. The treaty was signed November 24, 1794. Another treaty was concluded by Mr. John Jay between the two governments, Lord Greenville representing the English, and Mr. Jay, the Ameri- cans. The negotiations lasted from April to November 19, 1795, when, on that day, the treaty was signed and duly recognized. It decided effectually all the questions at issue, and was the signal for the removal of the British troops from the Northwestern outposts. This was effected as soon as the proper transfers could be made. The second article of the treaty provided that, "His Majesty will withdraw all his troops and garrisons from all posts and places within the boundary lines assigned by the treaty of peace to the United States. This evacuation shall take place on or before the 1st day of June, 1796, and all the proper measures shall be taken, in the interval, by concert, between the Government of the United States and His Majesty's Governor General in America, for settling the previous arrangements

which may be necessary respecting the delivery of the said posts; the United States, in the mean time, at their discretion, extending their settle- ments to any part within the said boundary line, except within the precincts or jurisdiction of any of the said posts.

" All settlers and all traders within the precincts or jurisdiction of the said posts shall continue to enjoy, unmolested, all their property of every kind, and shall be protected therein. They shall be at full liberty to remain there or to remove with all, or any part, of their effects, or retain the property thereof at their discretion; such of them as shall continue to reside within the said boundary lines, shall not be compelled to become citizens of the United States, or take any oath of allegiance to the Government thereof; but they shall be at full liberty so to do, if they think proper; they shall make or declare their election one year after the evacuation aforesaid. And all persons who shall continue therein after the expiration of the said year, without having declared their intention of remaining subjects to His Britannic Majesty, shall be considered as having elected to become citizens of the United States."

The Indian war had settled all fears from that source ; the treaty with Great Britain had estab- lished the boundaries between the two countries and secured peace, and the treaty with Spain had secured the privilege of navigating the Mississippi, by paying only a nominal sum. It had also bound the people of the West together, and ended the old separation question. There was no danger from that now. Another difficulty arose, however, relating to the home rule, and the organization of

HISTORY OF OHIO.

the home government. There were two parties in the country, known as Federalist and Anti-Federal- ist. One favored a central government, whose au- thority should be supreme ; the other, only a compact, leaving the States supreme. The worth- lessness of the old colonial system became, daily, more apparent. While it existed no one felt safe. There was no prospect of paying the debt, and, hence, no credit. When Mr. Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury, offered his financial plan to the country, favoring centralization, it met, in many places, violent opposition. Washington was strong enough to carry it out, and gave evidence that he would do so. When, therefore, the excise law passed, and taxes on whisky were collected, an open revolt occurred in Pennsylvania, known as the "Whisky Insurrection." It was put down, finally, by military power, and the malcontents made to know that the United States was a gov- ernment, not a compact liable to rupture at any time, and by any of its members. It taught the entire nation a lesson. Centralization meant pres- ervation. Should a " compact" form of government prevail, then anarchy and ruin, and ultimate sub- jection to some foreign power, met their view. That they had just fought to dispel, and must it all go for naught? The people saw the rulers were right, and gradually, over the West, spread a spirit antagonistic to State supremacy. It did not revive till Jackson's time, when he, with an iron hand and iron will, crushed out the evil doctrine of State supremacy. It revived again in the late war, again to be crushed. It is to be hoped that ever thus will be its fate. " The Union is insepa- rable," said the Government, and the people echoed the words.

During the war, and while all these events had been transpiring, settlements had been taking place upon the Ohio, which, in their influence upon the Northwest, and especially upon the State, as soon as it was created, were deeply felt. The Virginia and the Connecticut Reserves were at this time peopled, and, also, that part of the Miami Valley about Dayton, which city dates its origin from that period.

As early as 1787, the reserved lands of the Old Dominion north of the Ohio were examined, and, in August of that year, entries were made. As no good title could be obtained from Congress at this time, the settlement practically ceased until 1790, when the prohibition to enter them was withdrawn. As soon as that was done, surveying began again. Nathaniel Massie was among the

foremost men in the survey of this tract, and lo- cating the lands, laid off a town about twelve miles above Maysville. The place was called Manchester, and yet exists. From this point, Massie continued through.all the Indian war, despite the danger, to survey the surrounding country, and prepare it for settlers.

Connecticut had, as has been stated, ceded her lands, save a tract extending one hundred and twenty miles beyond the western boundary of Pennsylvania. Of this Connecticut Reserve, so far as the Indian title was extinguished, a survey was ordered in October, 1786, and an office opened for its disposal. Part was soon sold, and, in 1792, half a million of acres were given to those citizens of Connecticut who had lost property by the aets of the British troops during the Revolutionary war at New London, New Haven and elsewhere. These lands thereby became known as " Fire lands" and the "Sufferer's lands," and were located in the western part of the Reserve. In May, 1795, the Connecticut Legislature authorized a committee to dispose of the remainder of the Reserve. Before autumn the committee sold it to a company known as the Connecticut Land Company for $1,200,000, and about the 5th of September quit-claimed the land to the Company. The same day the Company received it, it sold 3,000,000 acres to John Mor- gan, John Caldwell and Jonathan Brace, in trust. Upon these quit-claim titles of the land all deeds in the Reserve are based. Surveys were com- menced in 1796, and, by the close of the next year, all the land east of the Cuyahoga was divided into townships five miles square. The agent of the Connecticut Land Company was Gen. Moses Cleve- land, and in his honor the leading city of the Re- serve was named. That township and five others were reserved for private sale; the balance were disposed of by lottery, the first drawing occurring in February, 1798.

Dayton resulted from the treaty made by Wayne. It came out of the boundary ascribed to Symmes, and for a while all such lands were not recognized as sold by Congress, owing to the failure of Symmes and his associates in paying for them. Thereby there existed, for a time, considerable un- easiness regarding the title to these lands. In 1799, Congress was induced to issue patents to the actual settlers, and thus secure them in their pre- emption.

Seventeen days after Wayne's treaty, St. Clairs Wilkinson, Jonathan Dayton and Israel Ludlow contracted with Symmes for the seventh and eighth

HISTORY OF OHIO.

ranges, between Mad River and the Little Miami. Three settlements were to be made: one at the mouth of Mad River, one on the Little Miami, in the seventh range, and another on Mad River. On the 21st of September, 1795, Daniel C. Cooper started to survey and mark out a road in the pur- chase, and John Dunlap to run its boundaries, which was completed before October 4. On No- vember 4, Mr. Ludlow laid off the town of Day- ton, which, like land in the Connecticut Reserve, was sold by lottery.

A gigantic scheme to purchase eighteen or twenty million acres in Michigan, and then pro- cure a good title from the Government-who alone had such a right to procure land-by giving mem- bers of Congress an interest in the investment, appeared shortly after Wayne's treaty. When some of the members were approached, however, the real spirit of the scheme appeared, and, instead of gaining ground, led to the exposure, resulting in the reprimanding severely of Robert Randall, the principal mover in the whole plan, and in its speedy disappearance.

Another enterprise, equally gigantic, also ap- peared. It was, however, legitimate, and hence successful. On the 20th of February, 1795, the North American Land Company was formed in Philadelphia, under the management of such pat- riots as Robert Morris, John Nicholson and James Greenleaf. This Company purchased large tracts in the West, which it disposed of to actual settlers, and thereby aided greatly in populating that part of the country.

Before the close of 1795, the Governor of the Territory, and his Judges, published sixty-four statutes. Thirty-four of these were adopted at Cincinnati during June, July and August of that year. They were known as the Maxwell code, from the name of the publisher, but were passed by Governor St. Clair and Judges Symmes and Turner. Among them was that which provided that the common law of England, and all its stat- utes, made previous to the fourth year of James the First, should be in full force within the Terri- tory. "Of the system as a whole," says Mr. Case, "with its many imperfections, it may be doubted that any colony, at so early a period after its first establishment, ever had one so good and applicable to all."

The Union had now safely passed through its most critical period after the close of the war of independence. The danger from an irruption of its own members; of a war or alliance of its West-

ern portion with France and Spain, and many other perplexing questions, were now effectually settled, and the population of the Territory began rapidly to increase. Before the close of the year 1796, the Northwest contained over five thousand inhabitants, the requisite number to entitle it to one representative in the national Congress.

Western Pennsylvania also, despite the various conflicting claims regarding the land titles in that part of the State, began rapidly to fill with emigrants. The "Triangle" and the "Struck Distriet " were surveyed and put upon the market under the act of 1792. Treaties and purchases from the various Indian tribes, obtained control of the remainder of the lands in that part of the State, and, by 1796, the State owned all the land within its boundaries. Towns were laid off, land put upon the market, so that by the year 1800, the western part of the Keystone State was divided into eight counties, viz., Beaver, Butler, Mercer, Crawford, Erie, Warren, Venango and Armstrong.

The ordinance relative to the survey and dis- posal of lands in the Northwest Territory has already been given. It was adhered to, save in minor cases, where necessity required a slight change. The reservations were recognized by Congress, and the titles to them all confirmed to the grantees. Thus, Clarke and his men, the Connecticut Reserve, the Refugee lands, the French inhabitants, and all others holding patents to land from colonial or foreign governments, were all confirmed in their rights and protected in their titles.

Before the close of 1796, the upper North- western posts were all vacated by the British, under the terms of Mr. Jay's treaty. Wayne at once transferred his headquarters to Detroit, where a county was named for him, including the north- western part of Ohio, the northeast of Indiana, and the whole of Michigan.

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.

History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 13

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848- Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey Number of Pages: 1104

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1104