History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 18

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 18

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In 1800, the seat of government of the North- west Territory was removed. by law of Congress, from Cincinnati to Chillicothe. The sessions of the Territorial Assembly for that and the next year were held in a small two-story, hewed-log house, erected in 1798, by Bazil Abrams. A wing was added to the main part, of two stories in

* Recollections of Hon. Thomas Scott, of Chillicothe-Howe's

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height. In the lower room of this wing, Col. Thomas Gibson, Auditor of the Territory, kept his office, and in the upper room a small family lived. In the upper room of the main building a billiard table was kept. It was also made a re- sort of gamblers and disreputable characters. The lower room was used by the Legislature, and as a court room, a church or a school. In the war of 1812, the building was a rendezvous and barracks for soldiers, and, in 1840, was pulled down.

The old State House was commenced in 1800, and finished the next year for the accommodation of the Legislature and the courts. It is said to be the first public stone edifice erected in the Ter- ritory. Maj. William Rutledge, a Revolutionary soldier, did the mason work, and William Guthrie, the carpenter. In 1801, the Territorial Legislature held their first session in it. In it was also held the Constitutional Convention of Ohio, which be- gan its sessions the first Monday in November, 1802. In March, 1803, the first State Legislature met in the house, and continued their sessions here until 1810. The sessions of 1810-11, and 1811- 12, were held in Zanesville, and from there re- moved back to Chillicothe and held in the old State House till 1816, when Columbus became the permanent capital of the State.

Making Chillicothe the State capital did much to enhance its growth. It was incorporated in 1802, and a town council elected. In 1807, the town had fourteen stores, six hotels, two newspa- pers, . two churches-both brick buildings-and over two hundred dwellings. The removal of the capital to Columbus checked its growth a little, still, being in an excellent country, rapidly filling with settlers, the town has always remained a prominent trading center.

During the war of 1812, Chillicothe was made a rendezvous for United States soldiers, and a prison established, in which many British prison- ers were confined. At one time, a conspiracy for escape was discovered just in time to prevent it. The plan was for the prisoners to disarm the guard, proceed to jail, release the officers, burn the town, and escape to Canada. The plot was fortu- nately disclosed by two senior British officers, upon which, as a measure of security, the officers and chief conspirators were sent to the penitentiary at Frankfort, Kentucky.

Two or three miles northwest of Chillicothe, on a beautiful elevation, commanding an extensive view of the valley of the Scioto, Thomas Worth --

ington,* one of the most prominent and influential men of his day, afterward Governor of the State, in 1806, erected a large stone mansion, the wonder of the valley in its time. It was the most elegant mansion in the West, crowds coming to see it when it was completed. Gov. Worthington named the place Adena, " Paradise "-a name not then considered hyperbolical. The large panes of glass, and thenovelty of papered walls especially attracted attention. Its architect was the elder Latrobe, of Washington City, from which place most of the workmen came. The glass was made in Pitts- burgh, and the fireplace fronts in Philadelphia, the latter costing seven dollars per hundred pounds for transportation. The mansion, built as it was, cost nearly double the expense of such structures now. Adena was the home of the Governor till his death, in 1827.

Near Adena, in a beautiful situation, is Fruit Hill, the seat of Gen. Duncan MeArthur, t and later of ex-Gov. William Allen. Like Adena, Fruit Hill is one of the noted places in the Scioto Val- ley. Many of Ohio's best men dwelt in the valley ; men who have been an honor and ornament to the State and nation.

Another settlement, begun soon after the treaty of peace in 1795, was that made on the Licking River, about four miles below the present city of Newark, in Licking County. In the fall of 1798, John Ratliff and Elias Hughes, while prospecting on this stream, found some old Indian cornfields, and determined to locate. They were from West- ern Virginia, and were true pioneers, living mainly by hunting, leaving the cultivation of their small cornfields to their wives, much after the style of

* Gov. Worthington was born in Jefferson County, Va., about the year 1769. Ile settled in Ohio in 1798. Ile was a firm believer in liberty and came to the Territory after liberating his slaves. He was one of the most efficient men of his day ; was a member of the Constitutional Convention, and was sent on an important mission to Congress relative to the admission of Ohio to the Union. He was afterward a Senator to Congress, and then Governor. On the expiration of his gubernatorial term, he was appointed a mem- ber of the Board of Public Works, in which capacity he did much to advance the canals and ralroads, and other public improve- ments. He remained in this office till his death.

+ Gen. McArthur was born in Dutchess County, N. Y., in 1772. When eight years of age, his father removed to Western Pennsyl- vania. When eighteen years of age, he served in Harmar's campaign. In 1792, he was a very efficient soldier among the front- iersmen, and gained their approbation by his bravery. In 1793, he was connected with Gen. Massie, and afterward was engaged in land speculations and became very wealthy. Ile was made a men- ber of the Legislature, in 1805; in 1806, a Colonel, and in 1808, a Major General of the militia. In this capacity he was in Hull's surrender at Detroit. On his return he was elected to Congress, and in 1813 commissioned Brigadier General. He was one of the most efficient officers in the war of 1812, and held many important posts. After the war, he was again sent to the Legislature; in 1822 to Congress, and in 1830 elected Governor of the State. By an un- fortunate accident in 1836, he was maimed for life, and gradually declined till death came a few years after.

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their dusky neighbors. They were both inveterate Indian-haters, and never allowed an opportunity to pass without carrying out their hatred. For this, they were apprehended after the treaty; but, though it was clearly proven they had murdered some inoffensive Indians, the state of feeling was such that they were allowed to go unpunished.

A short time after their settlement, others joined them, and, in a few years, quite a colony had gathered on the banks of the Licking. In 1802, Newark was laid out, and, in three or four years, there were twenty or thirty families, several stores and one or two hotels.

The settlement of Granville Township, in this county, is rather an important epoch in the history of this part of the State. From a sketch pub- lished by Rev. Jacob Little in 1848, in Howe's Collections, the subjoined statements are taken:

"In 1804, a company was formed at Granville, Mass., with the intention of making a settlement in Ohio. This, called the Scioto Company, was the third of that name which effected settlements in Ohio. The project met with great favor, and much enthusiasm was elicited, in illustration of which a song was composed and sung to the tune of 'Pleasant Ohio' by the young people in the house and at labor in the field. We annex two stanzas, which are more curious than poetical:

" When rambling o'er these mountains And rocks where ivies grow Thick as the hairs upon your head, 'Mongst which you cannot go- Great storms of snow, cold winds that blow, We scarce can undergo-

Says I, my boys, we'll leave this place For the pleasant Ohio.

""'Our precious friends that stay behind, We're sorry now to leave; But if they'll stay and break their shins, For them we'll never grieve. Adieu, my friends !- Come on, my dears, This journey we'll forego,

And settle Licking Creek, In yonder Ohio.'"

" The Scioto Company consisted of one hundred and fourteen proprietors, who made a purchase of twenty-eight thousand acres. In the autumn of 1805, two hundred and thirty-four persons, mostly from East Granville, Mass., came on to the pur- chase. Although they had been forty-two days on the road, their first business, on their arrival, hav- ing organized a church before they left the East, was to hear a sermon. The first tree cut was that

by which public worship was held, which stood just in front of the Presbyterian church.

On the first Sabbath, November 16, although only about a dozen trees had been felled, they held divine service, both forenoon and afternoon, on that spot. The novelty of worshiping in the woods, the forest extending hundreds of miles each way; the hardships of the journey, the winter set- ting in, the thoughts of home, with all the friends and privileges left behind, and the impression that such must be the accommodations of a new country, all rushed on their minds, and made this a day of varied interest. When they began to sing, the echo of their voices among the trees was so differ- ent from what it was in the beautiful meeting- house they had left, that they could no longer restrain their tears. They wept when they remem- bered Zion. The voices of part of the choir were, for a season, suppressed with emotion.

"An incident occurred, which many said Mrs. Sigourney should have put into verse. Deacon Theophilus Reese, a Welsh Baptist, had, two or three years before, built a cabin, a mile and a half north, and lived all this time without public wor- ship. He had lost his cattle, and, hearing a low- ing of the oxen belonging to the Company, set out toward them. As he ascended the hills overlook- ing the town plot, he heard the singing of the choir. The reverberation of the sound from hill- tops and trees, threw the good man into a serious dilemma. The music at first seemed to be behind, then in the tree-tops, or in the clouds. He stopped, till, by accurate listening, he caught the direction of the sound; went on and passing the brow of the hill, he saw the audience sitting on the level below. He went home and told his wife that ' the promise of God is a bond '; a Welsh proverb, signifying that we have security, equal to a bond, that religion will prevail everywhere. He said : ' These must be good people. I am not afraid to go among them.' Though he could not under- stand English, he constantly attended the reading meeting. Hearing the music on that occasion made such an impression on his mind that, when he became old and met the first settlers, he would always tell over this story. The first cabin built was that in which they worshiped succeeding Sabbaths, and, before the close of the winter, they had a schoolhouse and a school. That church, in forty years, received more than one thousand per- sons into its membership.

"Elder Jones, in 1806, preached the first ser- mon in the log church. The Welsh Baptist

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Church was organized in the cabin of David Thomas, September 4, 1808. April 21, 1827, the Granville members were organized into the Granville Church, and the corner-stone of their house of worship laid September 21, 1829. In the fall of 1810, the first Methodist sermon was preached here, and, soon after, a class organized. In 1824, a church was built. An Episcopal church was organized in May, 1827, and a church consecrated in 1838. In 1849, there were in this township 405 families, of whom 214 sustain family worship; 1431 persons over four- teen years of age, of whom over 800 belong to church. The town had 150 families, of whom 80 have family worship. In 1846, the township furnished 70 school teachers, of whom 62 prayed in school. In 1846, the township took 621 peri- odical papers, besides three small monthlies. The first temperance society west of the mountains was organized July 15, 1828, in this township; and, in 1831, the Congregational Church passed a by- law to accept no member who trafficked in or used ardent spirits."

It is said, not a settlement in the entire West could present so moral and upright a view as that of Granville Township; and nowhere could so perfect and orderly a set of people be found. Surely, the fact is argument enough in favor of the religion of Jesus.

The narrative of Mr. Little also states that, when Granville was first settled, it was supposed that Worthington would be the capital of Ohio, between which and Zanesville, Granville would make a great half-way town. At this time, wild animals, snakes and Indians abounded, and many are the marvelous stories preserved regarding the destruction of the animals and reptiles - the Indians being bound by their treaty to remain peaceful. Space forbids their repetition here. Suffice it to say that, as the whites increased, the Indians, animals and snakes disappeared, until now one is as much a curiosity as the other.

The remaining settlement in the southwest- ern parts of Ohio, made immediately after the treaty-fall of 1795 or year of 1796-was in what is now Madison County, about a mile north of where the village of Amity now stands, on the banks of the Big Darby. This stream received its name from the Indians, from a Wyandot chief, named Darby, who for a long time resided upon it, near the Union County line. In the fall of 1795, Benjamin Springer came from Kentucky and selected some land on the banks of the Big Darby, cleared

the ground, built a cabin, and returned for his family. The next spring, he brought them out, and began his life here. The same summer he was joined by William Lapin, Joshua and James Ew- ing and one or two others.

When Springer came, he found a white man named Jonathan Alder, who for fifteen years had been a captive among the Indians, and who could not speak a word of English, living with an Indian woman on the banks of Big Darby. He had been exchanged at Wayne's treaty, and, neglecting to profit by the treaty, was still living in the Indian style. When the whites became numerous about him his desire to find his relatives, and adopt the ways of the whites, led him to discard his squaw- giving her an unusual allowance-learn the English language, engage in agricultural pursuits, and be- come again civilized. Fortunately, he could remem- ber enough of the names of some of his parents' neighbors, so that the identity of his relatives and friends was easily established, and Alder became a most useful citizen. He was very influential with the Indians, and induced many of them to remain neutral during the war of 1812. It is stated that in 1800, Mr. Ewing brought four sheep into the com- munity. They were strange animals to the Indians. One day when an Indian hunter and his dog were passing, the latter caught a sheep, and was shot by Mr. Ewing. The Indian would have shot Ewing in retaliation, had not Alder, who was fortunately present, with much difficulty prevailed upon him to refrain.

While the southern and southwestern parts of the State were filling with settlers, assured of safety by Wayne's victories, the northern and eastern parts became likewise the theater of activities. Ever since the French had explored the southern shores of the lake, and English traders had car- ried goods thither, it was expected one day to be a valuable part of the West. It will be remen- bered that Connecticut had ceded a large tract of land to the General Government, and as soon as the cession was confirmed, and land titles became assured, settlers flocked thither. Even before that time, hardy adventurers had explored some of the country, and pronounced it a "goodly land," ready for the hand of enterprise.

The first settlement in the Western Reserve, and, indeed, in the northern part of the State, was made at the mouth of Conneaut* Creek, in Ash- tabula County, on the 4th of July, 1796. That

* Conneaut, in the Seneca language, signifies " many fish."

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day, the first surveying party landed at the mouth of this creek, and, on its eastern bank, near the lake shore, in tin cups, pledged-as they drank the limpid waters of the lake-their country's welfare, with the ordnance accompaniment of two or three fowling-pieces, discharging the required national salute.

The whole party, on this occasion, numbered fifty-two persons, of whom two were females (Mrs. Stiles and Mrs. Gunn) and a child, and all deserve a lasting place in the history of the State.

The next day, they began the erection of a large log building on the sandy beach on the east side of the stream. When done, it was named "Stow Castle," after one of the party. It was the dwell- ing, storehouse and general habitation of all the pioneers. The party made this their headquar- ters part of the summer, and continued busily engaged in the survey of the Reserve. James Kingsbury, afterward Judge, arrived soon after the party began work, and, with his family, was the first to remain here during the winter follow- ing, the rest returning to the East, or going south- ward. Through the winter, Mr. Kingsbury's family suffered greatly for provisions, so much so, that, during the absence of the head of the family in New York for provisions, one child, born in his absence, died, and the mother, reduced by her suf- ferings and solitude, was only saved by the timely arrival of the husband and father with a sack of flour he had carried, many weary miles, on his back. He remained here but a short time, re- moving to Cleveland, which was laid out that same fall. In the spring of 1798, Alexander Harper, William McFarland and Ezra Gregory, with their families, started from Harpersfield, Delaware Co., N. Y., and arrived the last of June, at their new homes in the Far West. The whole population on the Reserve then amounted to less than one hun- dred and fifty persons. These were at Cleveland, Youngstown and at Mentor. During the summer, three families came to Burton, and Judge Hudson settled at Hudson. All these pioneers suffered severely for food, and from the fever induced by chills. It took several years to become accli- mated. Sometimes the entire neighborhood would be down, and only one or two, who could wait on the rest "between chills," were able to do anything. Time and courage overcame, finally.

It was not until 1798, that a permanent settle- ment was made at the mouth of Conneaut Creek. Those who came there in 1796 went on with their surveys, part remaining in Cleveland, laid out that

summer. Judge Kingsbury could not remain at Conneaut, and went nearer the settlements inade about the Cuyahoga. In the spring of 1798, Thomas Montgomery and Aaron Wright settled here and remained. Up the stream they found some thirty Indian cabins, or huts, in a good state of preserva- tion, which they occupied until they could erect their own. Soon after, they were joined by others, and, in a year or two, the settlement was permanent and prosperous.

The site of the present town of Austinburg in Ashtabula County was settled in the year 1799, by two families from Connecticut, who were in- duced to come thither, by Judge Austin. The Judge preceded them a short time, driving, in company with a hired man, some- cattle about one hundred and fifty miles through the woods, follow- ing an old Indian trail, while the rest of the party came in a boat across the lake. When they ar- rived, there were a few families at Harpersburg ; one or two families at Windsor, twenty miles southwest; also a few families at Elk Creek, forty miles northeast, and at Vernon, the same distance southeast. All these were in a destitute condition for provisions. In 1800, another family moved from Norfolk, Conn. In the spring of 1801, sev- eral families came from the same place. Part came by land, and part by water. During that season, wheat was carried to an old mill on Elk Creek, forty miles away, and in some instances, half was given for carrying it to mill and returning it in flour.

Wednesday, October 21, 1801, a church of six- teen members was constituted in Austinburg. This was the first church on the Reserve, and was founded by Rev. Joseph Badger, the first mission- ary there. It is a fact worthy of note, that in 1802, Mr. Badger moved his family from Buffalo to this town, in the first wagon that ever came from that place to the Reserve. In 1803, noted revivals occurred in this part of the West, attended by the peculiar bodily phenomenon known as the " shakes " or " jerks."

The surveying party which landed at the mouth of Conneaut Creek, July 4, 1796, soon completed their labors in this part of the Reserve, and ex- tended them westward. By the first of September, they had explored the lake coast as far west as the outlet of the Cuyahoga* River, then considered

* Cuyahoga, in the Indian language, signifies "crooked."- Howe's Collections.

"The Indians called the river 'Cuyahoghan-uk,' 'Lake River' It is, emphatically, a Lake river. It rises in lakes and empties into a lake."-Atwater's Hli tory of Ohio.

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by all an important Western place, and one des- tined to be a great commercial mart. Time has verified the prophecies, as now the city of Cleve- land covers the site.

As early as 1755, the mouth of the Cuyahoga River was laid down on the maps, and the French had a station here. It was also considered an im- portant post during the war of the Revolution, .. and later, of 1812. The British, who, after the Revolution, refused to abandon the lake country west of the Cuyahoga, occupied its shores until 1790. Their traders had a house in Ohio City, north of the Detroit road, on the point of the hill near the river, when the surveyors arrived in 1796. Washington, Jefferson, and all statesmen of that day, regarded the outlet of the Cuyahoga as an important place, and hence the early at- tempt of the surveyors to reach and lay out a town here.

The corps of surveyors arrived early in Septem- ber, 1796, aud at once proceeded to lay out a town. It was named Cleveland, in honor of Gen. Moses Cleveland, the Land Company's agent, and for years a very prominent man in Connecticut, where he lived and died. By the 18th of October, the surveyors had completed the survey and left the place, leaving only Job V. Stiles and family, and Edward Paine, who were the only persons that passed the succeeding winter in this place. Their residence was a log cabin that stood on a spot of ground long afterward occupied by the Commercial Bank. Their nearest neighbors were at Conne- aut, where Judge Kingsbury lived; at Fort MeIntosh, on the south or east, at the mouth of Big Beaver, and at the mouth of the river Raisin, on the west.

The next season, the surveying party came again to Cleveland, which they made their headquarters. Early in the spring, Judge Kingsbury came over from Conneaut, bringing with him Elijah Gunn, who had a short time before joined him. Soon after, Maj. Lorenzo Carter and Ezekiel Hawley came with their families. These were about all who are known to have settled in this place that summer. The next year, 1798, Rodolphus Ed- wards and Nathaniel Doane and their families set- tled in Cleveland. Mr. Doane had been ninety- two days on his journey from Chatham, Conn. In the latter part of the summer and fall, nearly every person in the settlement was down with the bil- ious fever or with the ague. Mr. Doane's family consisted of nine persons, of whom Seth, a lad six- teen years of age, was the only one able to care for

them. Such was the severity of the fever, that any one having only the ague was deemed quite fortunate. Much suffering for proper food and .medicines followed. The only way the Doane family was supplied for two months or more, was through the exertions of this boy, who went daily, after having had one attack of the chills, to Judge Kingsbury's in Newburg-five miles away, where the Judgenow lived-got a peck of corn, mashed it in a hand-mill, waited until a second attack of the chills passed over, and then returned. At one time, for several days, he was too ill to make the trip, during which turnips comprised the chief article of diet. Fortunately, Maj. Carter, having only the ague, was enabled with his trusty rifle and dogs to procure an abundance of venison and other wild game, His family, being somewhat acclimated, suffered less than many others. Their situation can hardly now be realized. " Destitute of a physician, and with few medicines, necessity taught them to use such means as nature had placed within their reach. They substituted pills from the extract of the bitternut bark for calomel, and dogwood and cherry bark for quinine."

In November, four men, who had so far recov- ered as to have ague attacks no oftener than once in two or three days, started in the only boat for Walnut Creek, Penn., to obtain a winter's supply of flour. When below Euclid Creek, a storm drove them ashore, broke their boat, and compelled their return. During the winter and summer fol- lowing, the settlers had no flour, except that ground in hand and coffee mills, which was, how- ever, considered very good. Not all had even that. During the summer, the Connecticut Land Com- pany opened the first road on the Reserve, which commenced about ten miles south of the lake shore, on the Pennsylvania State line, and extended to Cleveland. In January, 1799, Mr. Doane moved to Doane's Corners, leaving only Maj. Car- ter's family in Cleveland, all the rest leaving as soon as they were well enough. For fifteen months, the Major and his family were the only white per- sons left on the town site. During the spring, Wheeler W. Williams and Maj. Wyatt built the first grist-mill on the Reserve, on the site of New- burg. It was looked upon as a very valuable acces- sion to the neighborhood. Prior to this, each fam- ily had its own hand-mill in one of the corners of the cabin. The old mill is thus described by a pioneer :

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History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 18

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