History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 39

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 39

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In the year 1800, there were living in what is now Summit County, bands of Delawares, Senecas, Wyandots, Chippewas, Ottawas, Min- goes, and very likely members of other tribes. But six years before, the most of these had been at war with the whites, and it was no wise impossible that the savages might again fall upon the settlers at any moment. All the war- like customs of the tribes were retained and practiced, probably to keep the warriors in trim for another struggle, should it break ont. By 1805, many settlers had appeared in the county, and the movements of the Indians be- gan to be closely observed. They mingled freely with the whites, and although many personal encounters occurred, yet no general outbreak was made. It became the custom of the white hunters, many of whom had participated in the fierce border wars, to assemble at the Indian villages to talk with the natives, trade with them, race with them, shoot with them, and silently observe their peculiar customs. The Indians, regardless of the prospect for continued peace, still held their war and scalp dances, and engaged in all their wild and savage customs. The hunters, when present, were often invited to join the revelry, which they frequently did, but not with the peculiar and graceful skill of the natives. Large fires were lighted, and the savages, armed and painted as if for the war- path, surrounded them in circles, and then, with

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a wild, monotonous song accompaniment, they began their dance around the fire, springing up and down, first on one foot and then on the other, chanting in the meantime a guttural " he, he, he ; haw, haw, haw !" blending their dance with innumerable antics, grimaces and contor- tions, and interspersing their song with wild whoops, made to quaver at first by the motion of the hand on the lips, but ending with a clear- ness and force that made the forest ring. Liquor they dearly loved, and, when thirsty, would part with anything they possessed to secure an ample potation of their favorite beverage. Un- der its influence, their savage and warlike spirit became dominant, and they were ready and anxious to assert their demands, and en- force them if they were denied. They often entered cabins and demanded whisky, and, if it was denied them, they often took it, espe- cially if the men were away from home. In a case of this kind, the women were usually wise enough to get rid of their guests at the earliest possible moment, before the liquor began to as- sert itself, as otherwise fright, anxiety, danger and, possibly, injury, were sure to result. Some- times, however, the Indians refused to go, but remained to flourish their scalping-knives and tomahawks around the heads of the children, and terrify the distracted mother by threats of death. Sometimes the husband and father would return while the Indians were at the height of their deviltry, in which case a fight, often accompanied with wounds, was sure to ensue. Numerous instances of this character will be found in the chapters of township history. Capt. Heman Oviatt established a store in Hudson Township, where liquor was kept for sale. The Indians were drawn thither, and numerous drunken brawls occurred in the neighborhood. In the absence of Mr. Oviatt, his wife occupied the position behind the coun- ter (if there was such a piece of furniture), and dealt out goods and liquor to the whites and Indians. On one occasion of this kind, when there was a small temporary encampment of some twenty Indians, under the sub-chief, Wab- mung, near the store, and the men were at work in the woods, at a considerable distance from the house, and out of sight, an Indian pre- sented himself, saying that the chief, Wabmung, had sent him to the store to get a small keg of whisky. The credit of the chief was good, and Mrs. Oviatt gave the messenger the liquor.

It occurred to her soon afterward that the chief had not sent for the whisky at all, but that the Indians, having no money nor credit, and desir- ing a spree, had adopted the ruse to secure the liquor. She instantly made up her mind to re- gain what was left, at any rate. The Indians were taking on at a great rate, and did not per- ceive her until she had seized the keg, and had gone some distance, on the run, toward the store. A few half-drunken ones immediately set up a yell and pursued her, but she succeeded in reaching the store before the Indians. Eliz- abeth Walker, a hired girl, was holding the door, and she slammed it shut as soon as Mrs. Oviatt had entered, but not before the foremost Indian had caught up a frying-pan that was on a bench at the side of the house, and had struck savagely at the hired girl, preventing, at the same time, the complete closing of the door. He began pushing hard at the door, and as the two women saw that he was half-helpless on account of the liquor he had drunk, they suddenly threw the door open, seized the Indian, who had fallen prostrate, dragged him into the room, and closed and barred the door just as several others threw themselves against it. The Indian in the room began kicking and thrashing around, whereupon the two women got some loose ropes and tied him securely. By this time, the Indians on the outside were pounding loudly on the door, demanding admittance ; but Mrs. Oviatt caught up a rifle, and pointing it through the window, warned them to leave or she would fire, at which they withdrew a short distance. She directed Betsy Walker to go to the loft and blow the horn for the men, which was promptly done, and soon they appeared, whereupon the Indians beat a retreat. The captive Indian was kept until dark, when his squaw appeared, and asked for the person of her recreant lord, but this was denied until he was completely sober, when he was allowed to depart with the ropes still about his arms. The last seen of the couple was the tumble they took together over a rail fence .* This event is narrated to illustrate a common occurrence, differing only in minor particulars. Sometimes the difficulties resulted in severe fights, but usually all the transactions between the two races were amicable. When the Indians ex-

*This circumstance is narrated on the authority of Mrs. Eliza- beth ( Walker) Tappan. the hired girl who was present, and who is yet living in Boston Township, at the unusual age of ninety-three year -.

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pected to have a " loud" time with whisky, it was their custom to give up their weapons to their squaws, so that no lives would be lost. In 1806, their difficulty with Daniel Diver occurred, by which Nicksaw, a son-in-law of the chief, Jolin Bigson, was shot by the Indian slayer, Jonathan Williams, an account of which will be found in another chapter of this volume. The village of Stigwanish was on the Cuyahoga, in Boston Township. Here the tribe had erected a wooden god, probably Missabiza, " the great tiger," and when they departed on their hunting expeditions, they were accustomed to hang their choicest tobacco around his neck. Some of the earliest settlers, knowing this, and being very fond of " the weed " (not altogether an unusual circumstance), often slyly appropri- ated it. So far as known, no judgment was ever sent against them for the sacrilegious act.

At the time of the Diver difficulty, the In- dians held a council, in which some of the war- riors insisted that the Indians should begin an indiscriminate slaughter of the whites before the latter had time to unite on a defense. The Indians were thoroughly incensed, but after a time better counsel prevailed. They saw that, while they might have a temporary advantage, and perhaps slay many of the whites, the tide of war was sure to turn against them with overwhelming force. The white hunters often got the Indians drunk for no other purpose than to get the better of them in trade. When their senses returned, the Indians, not recollect- ing anything of the affair, demanded their prop- erty, and, in case of a non-compliance with their demands, a fight was sure to ensue. As winter approached, it was the custom of the Indians to lay in an abundance of wild meat and provisions, and seek the shelter of their larger and permanent villages, there to remain during the cold months in comparative com- fort ; but when spring came, with her pleasant weather and green leaves and grass, the winter residences became almost deserted, and the tribe, divided into small bands, often compris- ing the members of but one family, traveled far and near, to spend the warm months in hunting and trapping. They pitched their wig- wams on the banks of streams or by some pleasant lake where an abundance of fish could be obtained. It is asserted by the old settlers that the Indians never wantonly slaughtered the game, allowing the meat to lie in quantity

on the ground. On the contrary, they killed only what they expected to use. They were often hired to hunt for the settlers. They would bring in a deer and exchange it for pro- visions, such as potatoes, turnips, pumpkins, melons, etc. At other times, they would agree to furnish so much game for a specified quan- tity of whisky, corn meal, flour or money. Stigwanish, the chief of the Ottawas, and John Bigson, his son, are said to have been fine specimens of the North American Indian. The latter was about six feet in height, straight as a reed, possessing an enormous chest; was long-armed and powerfully built, with a pair of coal-black eyes that seemed to see every- thing at once. In truth, he was as fine a man as was ever pictured on the page of Cooper. Stigwanish is also said to have been a fine old fellow. He possessed some noble traits of character that made him prominent among his tribe, and a model for the imitation of the whites.

Thus the years passed by, until the war of 1812. A great deal of apprehension was felt among the settlers at this time, that the Indians might unite in the war on the side of the British, as they were almost sure to do, in which case a fearful time of blood and death might be expected. They were numerous, and a short time before the war an unusual number of war and scalp dances were held, and the Indians seemed livelier than they had been for ten years before. They would brandish their weapons in a menacing manner, and the set- tlers were aware that something unusual was about to transpire. Some efforts were made to ward off the coming calamity, and it is said that a block-house was erected in the western part of the county, where a few settlers assem- bled for protection. During the early summer of 1811, the Indians became very bold and insolent; but finally they all suddenly van- ished, and a few days later, news of the battle of Tippecanoe reached the whites. It was afterward ascertained that, if the British had been successful at Tippecanoe, the Indians would have swept in fury upon the borderers. As it was, they were silenced, and departed toward the setting sun. A few afterward re- turned to the scenes they knew so well, but some of these were killed, and the others dis- persed, and the story of the red man is now told as a bright romance of the past.

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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

CHAPTER III .*

EARLY SETTLEMENT OF THE WHITES-ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY _PUBLIC BUILDINGS- COUNTY SEAT QUESTION-SETTLED BY VOTE-COUNTY OFFICIALS-CON-

GRESSMEN AND ELECTORS-THE COUNTY INFIRMARY, ETC.

[N presenting a brief history of Summit County-its early settlement, organization, erection of public buildings, etc .- the writer will not attempt to rehearse the generally well- known early history of Ohio and the Western Reserve, nor give in detail the thrilling experi- ences of the hardy, enterprising and patriotic pioneers by whom the several townships com- posing the county were originally settled. It is sufficient for the present purpose to say that the first known settlement of whites, within the present limits of Summit County, was made in Hudson, in the year 1800, followed by North- ampton in 1802 ; Stow in 1804; Boston, Cov- entry and Springfield in 1806 ; Northfield and Tallmadge in 1807; Green in 1809; Bath, Norton and Richfield in 1810; Portage in 1811; Copley and Franklin in 1814; and Twinsburg in 1817; and that to the indomi- table energy and fortitude, superior intelligence and unswerving integrity of those early set- tlers, the present owners and occupiers of the finely cultivated farms, and the dwellers in the thriving villages and cities within its borders, are wholly indebted for the priceless heritage which they now enjoy.

Of the sixteen townships composing Summit County, ten-viz., Northfield, Twinsburg, Bos- ton, Hudson, Northampton, Stow, Portage, Tall- madge, Coventry and Springfield-originally belonged to Portage County ; four-viz., Rich- field, Bath, Copley and Norton-to Medina County ; and two-viz., Green and Franklin- to Stark County. Interesting and appropriate sketches of the several townships here enumer- ated, with biographical sketches of the pioneer settlers and other citizens thereof, will be found elsewhere, under their appropriate titles.

With the opening of the Ohio Canal, finished from Cleveland to Akron in 1827, and through to Portsmouth in 1830, and the greatly increased

facilities for travel and transportation which it afforded, not only were the agricultural interests of the State, along its entire line, very largely stimulated, but a very marked impetus was there- by given to commercial and manufacturing in- terests, also. Thus, while the very considerable business operations previously existing at Mid- dlebury, and one or two other points in the Cuyahoga Valley, were materially increased thereby, the completion of the canal was imme- diately followed by the ntmost activity at Ak- ron and Cuyahoga Falls, then just springing into existence as manufacturing villages, both being largely supplied with water-power-at that early day the great desideratum in all man- nfacturing enterprises.

So rapid was the development of these vil- lages, and the several townships contiguous to the great " thoroughfare," that the people soon began to feel that their respective seats of jus- tice, Ravenna, Medina and Canton, where they were compelled to go to serve as jurors and wit- nesses, and for the payment of their taxes, were too far from their business centers, and, as early as 1835, began to talk "new county." The proposition was not at all kindly received by the county officials, and the people of the more remote portions of Portage, Medina and Stark, out of whose fair proportions the required ter- ritory for the new county. if erected, would have to be carved, and nothing was definitely accomplished in that direction until 1840.

In the fall of 1839, by a special effort and united aetion of the voters-both Whigs and Democrats-of the two tiers of townships which it was proposed to detach from Portage County. Rufus P. Spalding, Esq., then practicing law in Ravenna, and Ephraim B. Hubbard, an influen- tial farmer of Deerfield Township, were elected as Representatives to the State Legislature. both of those gentlemen being Democrats, but pledged to the new county project, thus being

$Contributed by S. A. Lane.

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IHISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

elected over the regular Whig nominees, Por- tage County at that time, particularly the west ern portion, being largely Whig, on strict party issues ; Simon Perkins, Jr., then as now a resi- dent of Portage Township, a member of the Whig party, being at the time a member of the State Senate.

The Legislature convened and organized on the 2d day of December, 1839, and, on the 17th day of the same month, Hon. James Hoagland, of Holmes County, as Chairman of the com- mittee on new counties, reported to the house "a bill to erect the county of Summit," which was read the first time. The Stark County Representatives, Hons. John Smith and James Welch, the Medina County Representative, Hon. James S. Carpenter and the Lorain County Representative, Hon. Albert A. Bliss, all di- rectly and vigorously opposed the movement ; the first three because of the curtailment of their respective counties, in providing the re- quisite territory for the proposed new county, and the last because of the proposition to trans- fer the townships of Spencer and Homer from Lorain to Medina, to keep the territory of the latter up to the constitutional requirement, after being shorn of her eastern tier of townships. Representatives of several other counties in different portions of the State, in danger of be- ing dismembered by similar new county proj- ects, also earnestly opposed the measure, so that it had to be fought through inch by inch, passing the House by a majority of three only, on the 6th day of February, 1840.

In the Senate, also, the struggle was equally determined and severe, Senators Hostetter, of Stark, Birch, of Lorain, Nash, of Meigs, and Thomas, of Miami, actively and energetically opposing the bill. Active and influential "lob- byists," both for and against the measure, were also in attendance in full force, and the various tactics and devices resorted to in promoting the measure on the one hand, and retarding it on the other, would make a good-sized volume of "mighty interesting reading" if it could be correctly written up. The progress of the bill through the House and Senate, as briefly re- corded in the proceedings of the two Houses, will give the reader a pretty fair idea of the bitterness of the fight, though by no means conveying to the mind anything like an ade- quate conception of the vast amount of argu- ment, eloquence, repartee, vituperation, ridicule

and fun indulged in during the four months, nearly, that it was under consideration.

On motion of Mr. Spalding, the bill was taken up for consideration, December 21, when, on motion of Mr. Welch, the further consideration of the bill was postponed until the second Thursday in January. Yeas, 42; nays, 28.

On motion of Mr. Spalding, the bill was again taken up, January 11, when Mr. Welch moved to recommit the bill to the Committee on New Counties, with instructions to report the number of petitioners and remonstrants for and against the project-which was agreed to.

The committee having made its report, on mo- tion of Mr. Spalding, the bill was again taken up, January 17, when Mr. Welch moved to postpone the further consideration of the bill until the first Monday of December next, which was lost-yeas, 28; nays 32. The bill was then laid on the table.

Mr. Spalding moved to take the bill from the table, January 27, which was lost-yeas, 25 ; nays 30.

Feb. 6 .- On motion of Mr. Spalding, the bill was again taken up, and, after some delay, caused by Mr. Welch moving a call of the House, was put upon its passage and carried- yeas, 34 ; nays, 31.

The bill, as received from the House, was read for the first time in the Senate February 7, and February 27, Mr. Hostetter, of Stark, moved to strike out of the bill that part of the territory belonging to Stark County. Lost -yeas, 15 ; nays, 18.

Mr. Nash, of Meigs, moved to strike out that portion of the bill exempting the people resident in the Stark County townships from taxation for the erection of the public build- ings for the proposed new county. Lost- yeas, 14; nays, 19.

On being read the third time, February 28. Mr. Thomas, of Miami, moved to recommit the bill to the Committee on New Counties, with instructions to so amend as to strike out that part exempting Green and Franklin Townships from taxation for public buildings. Lost- yeas, 13 ; nays, 21.

Mr. Hostetter then moved that the further consideration of the bill be postponed until the first Monday of December next. Lost-yeas, 7 ; nays, 27.

Mr. Birch, of Lorain, moved to refer the bill to the Judiciary Committee, with instructions

HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY.

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to so amend as to strike out the two Lorain townships. Lost-yeas, 9 ; nays, 25.

Mr. Hostetter moved to amend so as to leave the matter to the voters of the proposed new county, at the next October election. Lost- yeas, 10 ; nays, 24.

The question then recurring on the final pas- sage of the bill, Mr. Hostetter demanded the yeas and nays, which were ordered, and were as follows : yeas, 19; nays, 15. The bill as passed is as follows :

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, That so much of the counties of Portage, Medina and Stark, as comes within the following boundaries, be, and the same is hereby erected into a separate county. which shall be known by the name of Summit, to wit : Beginning at the northwest corner of the county of Portage ; thence east on the county line to the northeast corner of the township of Twinsburg, in said county of Port- age ; thence south on the line between the ninth and tenth ranges of townships of the Western Reserve to the southeast corner of the township of Spring- field, in said county ; thence west on the line be- tween the counties of Portage and Stark to the northeast corner of the township of Green, in said Stark County ; thence south on the east line of said township of Green, to the southeast corner of the same ; thence west on the south line of the town- ships of Green and Franklin, in said county of Stark, to the southwest corner of said township of Frank- lin ; thence north on the line between the counties of Stark and Wayne to the south line of the county of Medina ; thence west on the south line of the county of Medina to the southwest corner of the township of Norton, in said county ; thence north on the line between the twelfth and thirteenth ranges of townships of the Western Reserve to the northwest corner of the township of Richfield, in said county ; thence east on the north line of said county to the southwest corner of the township of Northfield, in Portage County ; thence north on the west line of said Portage County to the place of beginning; and for the purpose of restoring the county of Medina to its constitutional limits; the townships of Spencer and Homer, in the county of Lorain, be, and the same are hereby, attached to, and made a part of, the said county of Medina.

SEC. 2. That all suits, whether of a civil or criminal nature, which shall be pending within the limits of those parts of the counties of Portage, Medina and Stark, so to be set off and erected into a new county previous to the organization of said county of Summit; and all suits pending within the limits of said townships of Spencer and Homer, pre- vious to the taking effect of this act, shall be prose- cuted to final judgment and execution within the counties of Portage, Medina, Stark and Lorain, re- spectively, in the same manner they would have been if said county of Summit had not been erected, and the said townships of Spencer and Homer had not been attached to and made a part of said Me- dina County ; and the Sheriffs, Coroners and Consta-

bles of the said counties, respectively, shall execute all such process as shall be necessary to carry into effect such suits, prosecutions and judgments, and the collectors of the taxes for said counties, respect- ively, shall collect all taxes that shall be levied and unpaid within the parts of the aforesaid counties, previous to the taking effect of this act.

SEC. 3. That all Justices of the Peace within those parts of the counties of Portage, Medina and Stark, which by this act are erected into a new county; and also within said townships of Spencer and Ilomer, shall continue to exercise the duties of their offices until their times of service shall expire, in the same manner as if they had been commis- sioned for the counties of Summit and Medina, re- spectively.

SEC. 4. That on the first Monday of April next, the legal voters residing within the county of Sum- mit shall assemble within their respective townships at the usual places of holding elections, and proceed to elect their different county officers, who shall hold their offices until the next annual election, and until their successors are elected and qualified.

SEC. 5. That the Courts of Common Pleas and Supreme Court of said county shall be holden at some convenient house in the town of Akron until the permanent seat of justice for said county shall be established.

SEC. 6. That Commissioners shall be appointed agreeably to the act entitled, " An aet for the estab- lishment of seats of justice," to fix upon a perma- nent seat of justice for said county of Summit, agreeably to the provisions of the above-recited act; and the Commissioners aforesaid shall receive a com- pensation for their services out of the treasury of said county of Summit ; and said Commissioners shall be authorized to receive propositions for the erection of suitable county buildings by the citizens of such towns and villages as may desire to have the seat of justice of said county established within their respective limits ; and in no event shall any tax for the erection of county buildings for said county of Summit be imposed upon the citizens of the town- ships of Franklin and Green, which townships are taken from the county of Stark, for and during the term of fifty years from and after the passage of this act.

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History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio, Part 39

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