USA > Ohio > Auglaize County > History of western Ohio and Auglaize County, with illustrations and biographical sketches of pioneers and prominent public men > Part 12
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In the month of June, 1794, three Indians, two men and a boy, and myself, started on a candle-light hunting expedition to Blanchard's fork of the Auglaize. We had been out about two months. We returned to the towns in August, and found them entirely evacuated ; but gave ourselves little uneasiness about it, as we supposed the Indians had gone to the foot of the Maumee rapids to receive their presents, as they were annually in the habit of doing. We encamped on the lowest island in the
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middle of a corn field. The next morning an Indian runner camne down the river and gave the alarm whoop, which is a kind of yell they use for no other purpose. The Indians answered, and one went over to the runner and immediately returning told us the white men were upon us, and we must run for our lives. We scattered like a flock of partridges, and leaving our breakfast cooking on the fire. The Kentucky riflemen saw our smoke, and came to it, and just missed me as I passed them in my flight through the corn. They took the whole of our two months" work, breakfast, jirk, skins and all. One of the Kentuckians told me afterwards that they got a fine chance of meat that was left.
Wayne was then only about four miles from us, and the vanguard was right among us. The boy that was with us in the hunting expedition and I kept together on the trail of the Indians till we overtook them, but the two Indians did not get with us until we got to the rapids.
Two or three days after we arrived at the rapids, Wayne's spies came right into camp among us. I afterwards saw the survivors. Their names were Miller, M'Clellen, May, Wells, Ma- haffey, and one other whose name I forget. They came into the camp boldly and fired on the Indians. Miller got wounded in the shoulder ; May was chased by the Indians to the smooth rock in the bed of the river, where his horse fell. He was taken prisoner and the rest escaped. They then took May to camp. They knew him, he had formerly been a prisoner among them and ran away from them. They tied him to a tree and shot him to death.
On the next day, being about six miles below with the squaws, I went out hunting. The day being windy I heard nothing of the firing of the battle, but saw some Indians on the retreat. One Indian, whom I knew, told me I had better go to camp, for the Indians were beaten, and they are preparing at camp to make their escape. I went and found it as he described. The runners towards dusk came, and said the army had halted and encamped. We then rested that night, but in great fear. The next morning the runner told us the army had started up the river towards the mouth of the Auglaize. We were then satisfied. Many of the Delawares were killed and wounded. The Indian who took May was killed; and he was much missed, for he was the only gun-smith among the Delawares.
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Our crops and every means of support being cut off above, 'we had to winter at the mouth of Swan creek, perhaps where Toledo now stands. We were entirely dependent on the British and they did not half supply us, and to make the matter worse, the shrub which causes the staggers in cattle grew abundantly in that neighborhood. The Indians knew it, and said in the fall while other vegetables were abundant that as soon as they failed their cattle would eat it and die, and then their dogs would eat of the cattle, and they would all die too. This they said before it happened, and I saw the cows eating of it afterwards, and as the Indians expected, they began to die one after another-next the dogs died. I know the shrub whenever I see it, and am quite sure it will give the milk-sickness, as it is called, but can not say but some mineral water may. give it too, or at least aid the leaves of the shrub. I showed the shrub to Mr. Renick, of the Scioto valley. He took some home, and, as I heard, fed a favorite calf with it, which killed it. The best and most simple, as well as effectual, cure or relief for the milksickness, is to take a chicken and boil it in water enough to leave half a gallon when the chicken is done; then let the patient drink constantly of that, without salt, and he will be relieved almost immediately.
The starving condition of the Indians, together with the pros- pect of losing all their cows and dogs, made the Indians very impatient, and they became exasperated at the British. They said they had been deceived by them, for they had not fulfilled one promise. It was concluded among them to send a flag to Defiance in order to make a treaty with the Americans. This was successful. Our men found the Americans ready to make a treaty, and they agreed on an exchange of prisoners. I had the pleasure to see nine white prisoners exchanged for nine In- cians, and the mortification of finding myself left, there being no Indian to give. for me. Patton, Johnston, Sloan and Mrs. Baker of Kentucky, were four of the nine, the names of the others I do not recollect. Patton, Johnson and Mrs. Baker had all lived with me in the same house among the Indians, and we were as intimate as brothers and sisters.
On the breaking up of spring we all went up to Fort De- fiance, and on arriving on the shore opposite we saluted the fort with a round of rifles, and they shot a cannon thirteen times. We then encamped on the spot. On the same day Whingwy
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Pooshies told me I must go over to the fort. The children hung around me crying and asked me if I was going to leave them? I told them I did not know. When we got over to the fort, and were seated with the officers, Whingwy Pooshies told me to stand up, which I did. He then rose and addressed me to about these words, "My son, there are men the same color with your- self. There may be some of your kin there, or your kin may be a great way off from you. You have lived a long time with us. I call on you to say if I have not been a father to you? If I have not used you as a father would use a son?" I said, "You have used me as well as a father could use a son." He said, "I am glad you say so. You have lived long with me; you have hunted for me, but our treaty says you must be free. If you choose to go with the people of your own color, I have no right to say a word, but if you choose to stay with me your people have no right to speak. Now reflect on it and make your choice, and tell us as soon as you make up your mind."
I was silent for a few minutes, in which time it seemed as if I almost thought of everything. I thought of the children I had just left crying; I thought of the Indians I was attached to, and I thought of my people which I remembered; and this latter thought predominated, and I said, "I will go to iny kin." The old man then said, "I have raised you - have learned you to hunt. You are a good hunter - you have been better to me than my own sons. I am now getting old and I cannot hunt. I thought you would be a support to my age. I leaned on you as on a staff. Now it is broken - you are going to leave me and I have no right to say a word, but I am ruined." He then sank back in tears to his seat. I heartily joined him in his tears, parted with him, and have never seen or heard of him since.
I learned the Delaware language well, and can speak it now about as well as English. I will here give the Delaware names of a few streams and can at other times give more. Sepung is properly what we call a stream, there being no distinction to runs, creeks and rivers, as with us. They called the Ohio, Whingwy Sepung or Big Stream. Paint creek, in Ross county, I never heard called Yoctongee ; but we called it Olomung Sepung or Paint creek. Seclic Sepung or Saltlick creek, what is now called Alum creek. Whingwy Mahoui Sepung or Biglick creek, or
.
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what we call Big-walnut creek. Keewhong-she-con Sepung or Whetstone creek, which is still its name. The Scioto we so called, but it is not a Delaware name, and I do not know its meaning.
It was about the first of June, 1795, that I parted with Whing- wy Pooshies. The next day I started for Fort Greenville. I rode on a horse furnished by the Americans. I was under the charge and protection of Lieutenant Blue, who treated me with every kindness, and, at Fort Greenville, had a good suit of clothes made for me by a tailor. We had been there about a week, when a com- pany of men arrived from Cincinnati, among whom was a brother of my brother's wife, with whom I had lived and from whom I was taken. He told me of a sister I had who was married and lived about nine miles from Cincinnati, up the Licking, on the Kentucky side. I then left Mr. Blue, at Fort Greenville, and went to my sister's. She and all the neighbors seemed to be overjoyed, and a great crowd collected to see me and hear about my living among the Indians.
I then went to Grant's salt-works, up the Licking, to hunt for them. I made money there at killing deer at one dollar a piece, and turkeys at twelve and a half cents. I had nothing to do but shoot the deer down and dress it or help to do it, as they always kept hands along to carry in the meat, etc. I bought me a horse and had money left to take me to Pennsylvania. I went with a man named Andrew Lewis. There was great joy again at my brother's on my return to his house from whence I was taken. My sister-in-law, in particular, semed much gratified with my return, as did the great crowd which here again collected to see me and to hear the narrative of my captivity.
In 1797, I came to this place, that is now Columbus, Ohio, and have resided here ever since, generally enjoying good health, never having cost a dollar in my life for medical aid, and without ever wearing anything like a stocking inside of my moccasins, shoes or boots, from the time I went among them to this day ; and I can say, what perhaps few can say at this day, that my feet are never cold. At another time, the Lord granting the opportunity, I will give more of the incidents of my life, as connected with the settlement and improvement of the country. One thing seemed remarkable. While among the Indians I often prayed to be released from my captivity and to live among a Christian people again, promising if
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the Lord would grant that blessing, I would make an open pro- fession of his name. Soon after my arrival in the neighborhood of Pittsburg, I thought the time had come, but my courage failed, and I prayed to be excused till I settled in the world. That prayer seemed to be granted ; and, soon after I settled on the Scioto, the impressions that the time had revived, with seemingly double force, and I was made to give up, and have from that time to this enjoyed the consolations of religion, which none can appreciate but those who have experienced it.
Given under my hand, in the city of Columbus, Ohio, this 29th day of January, 1842.
JOHN BRICKELL.
CAPTIVITY OF JOSEPH KELLY.
(From S. P. Hildreth's Pioneer Settlers of Ohio)
During the treaty of Greenville, in 1795, Colonel Meigs was appointed commissary of the clothing department, issuing the goods furnished to the Indians as well as the troops. Here he exercised his benevolent feelings in behalf of the whites who were prisoners with the Indians, to see that all were delivered up, as stipulated in one of the articles. Amongst those who were known to have been captured, was John Kelly, a lad taken from Belville, Virginia, 1791, and whose widowed mother now lived at Marietta, her husband being killed at the same time. In the autumn of 1795, the Indians had brought in and given up all their prisoners, yet no account could be had of young Kelly, and it was quite uncertain whether he was dead or alive, as no news had ever been received of him since his captivity. But as the Indians seldom or never put boys to death, after they were prisoners, it was probable he was yet living, and kept back by some family who had become greatly attached to him. Although nearly all hope had ceased of his re- covery, yet Mr. Meigs continued to inquire of every new Indian face he saw at the store. At length two Indians said they knew of two white boys on the heads of the Auglaize river, who were kept back by their owners. Hoping that one of these boys might be the widow's son, he immediately applied to General Wayne for a mes- senger to be sent for them. One of these Indians, as a guide, and a white man were sent out. Joseph had been adopted into the family of an old warrior, named Mishalena, who had lost five sons
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in the wars with the whites, and had now no child left but a daugh- ter ; and yet he adopted this boy, the son of his mortal enemies, as his own, and ever treated him as such. What a lesson for the professors of Christianity! Mr. Kelly says that the old warrior was one of the most kind and benevolent men that he ever met with in his life, as well as of a noble and commanding appear- ance. He was now too old for war, but in great favor with the tribe, as one of their most able counselors. His adopted mother's name was Patepsa. She never accepted him with the hearty good- will and affection of Mishalena, but always gave him plenty to eat, when she had it. Joseph was only six years old when adopted, but was now eleven. He parted with his Indian parents and the boys of the tribe with nearly as much regret as he had formerly done with his white ones. He had lived with them so long, in the wild freedom of the forest, that he had forgotten his native lan- guage, and almost his former name; for his Indian parents had given him a new one, Lolaque, but for brevity, spoken Lala. They accompanied him to Greenville, parting with him very reluctantly, and poor Mishalena was now left in his old age like a deadened forest tree, around whose roots no green shoot appears. As a part- ing gift he presented his son with a beautiful bow and arrows, made with his own hands. The boy who accompanied him was named Bill, from Kentucky, whose family were all killed at the time of his capture. He had forgotten the family name, but had been adopted by a widow, who had no children. She loved him with all the tenderness of a natural mother, and parted with him in deep sorrow. On the arrival of the two boys at the fort, Col- onel Meigs sent for the tailor, and had them fitted out with new warm woolen dresses, after the fashion of the whites, and the blan- ket and leggings of the Indians laid aside. A short time before, he had written to Mrs. Meigs, that no discovery could yet be made of the widow's son, and that he greatly feared he was dead, cau- tioning her not to let the afflicted woman know the worst of his fears. Joseph's mother had described his hair, eyes, and looks so accurately, that at the first glimpse of the two boys, he picked him out. The Indian interpreter soon confirmed his opinion, by talking with him in the Shawnee dialect. On being questioned, he remem- bered the names of his brothers and sisters, and that his own name was Joseph Kelly. This satisfied him that he was the lost son of the sorrowing widow, who for the whole period of his absence,
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had never omitted him in her daily prayers, or sat down to the table- with her other children, without mentioning his name. So anxious was this good and kind-hearted man to restore him to the bereaved mother, that he started, in February, across the swamps and path- less forests for Marietta. A young, active Shawnee Indian, named Thom, guided the party, which consisted of six soldiers and six or eight horses, through the wilderness, without deviation, and struck the Muskingum river at Big Rock, a noted Indian land- mark, twenty-four miles above Marietta.
The party reached Marietta early in March, and the fervent, oft-repeated prayer of the widow for the restoration of her lost son, was at length answered, to the great joy and thankfulness of Colonel Meigs, by whose unwearied exertions and perseverance it had been accomplished, as well as to the delight of the mother.
GREENVILLE TREATY.
"In June, 1795, the representatives of the northwestern tribes began to gather at Greenville, and on the 16th of that month, Wayne met them in council ; the Delawares, Ottawas, Pottawotto- mies, and Eel river Indians; and the conference, which lasted till August 10th, commenced. On the 21st of June, Buckongehe- las arrived ; on the 23d, the Little Turtle and other Miamis; on the 13th of July. Tarhe and other Wyandot chiefs reached the ap- pointed spot ; and upon the 18th, Blue Jacket with thirteen Shaw- nese, and Massass with twenty Chippewas.
"Most of these, as it appeared by their statements, had been tampered with by McKee, Brant and other English agents, even after they had agreed to the preliminaries of January 24th, and while Mr. Jay's treaty was still under discussion. They had, how- ever, all determined to make a permanent 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 of the chiefs prevented it, and upon the 30th of July the treaty was agreed to which was to bury the hatchet forever. Between that day and the 3d of August it was engrossed, and having been signed by the various nations upon the day last named, on the 7th was finally acted upon and the presents from the United States distributed forthwith. While the council was in session, some mischief had been done in Virginia by a band of Shawnese, but on the 9th of September these also came to Green-
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ville, and gave up their prisoners and asked forgiveness. The basis of the treaty of Greenville was the previous one made at . Fort Harmar, and its leading provisions were as follows: Hos- tilities were to cease and all prisoners were to be restored.
"The general boundary lines between the lands of the United States and the lands of the said Indian tribes, shall begin at the mouth of the Cuyahoga river, and run thence up the same to the portage between that and the Tuscarawas branch of the Muskin- gum, thence down that branch to the crossing place above Fort Laurence; thence westwardly, to a fork of that branch of the Great Miami river, running into the Ohio, at or near which fork stood Loramies' store, and where commences the portage between the Miami of the Ohio and St. Mary's river, which is a branch of the Miami which runs into Lake Erie ; thence a westerly course, to Fort Recovery, which stands on a branch of the Wabash ; thence southwesterly, in a direct line to the Ohio, so as to intersect that river opposite the mouth of Kentucky or Cuttawa river.
"And in consideration of the peace now established ; of the goods formerly received from the United States; of those now to be distributed ; and of the yearly delivery of goods now stipu- lated to be made hereafter : and to indemnify the United States for the injuries and expenses they have sustained during the war - the said Indian tribes do hereby cede and relinquish, forever, all their claims to the lands lying eastwardly and southwardly of the general boundary line now described ; and these lands, or any part of them, shall never hereafter be made a cause or pretense, on the part of the said tribes, or any of them, of war or injury to the United States, or any other people thereof.
"And for the same consideration, and as an evidence of the returning friendship'of the said Indian tribes, of their confidence in the United States, and desire to provide for their accommoda- tion, and for that convenient intercourse which will be beneficial to both parties, the said Indian tribes do also cede to the United States the following pieces of land, to-wit:
"One piece of land six miles square, at or near Loramie's store, before mentioned.
"One piece, two miles square, at the head of the navigable water or landing, on the St. Mary's river, near Girty's town.
"One piece, six miles square, at the confluence of the Att Glaize and Miami rivers, where Fort Defiance now stands.
9 HAC
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"One piece, six miles square, at or near the confluence of rivers St. Mary's and St. Joseph's, where Fort Wayne now stands, or near it.
One piece, two miles square, on the Wabash river, at the end of the portage from the Miami of the lake, and about eight miles westward from Fort Wayne.
"One piece, six miles square, at the British fort Omatenon, or old Wea towns, on the Wabash river.
"One piece, twelve miles square, at the British fort on the Miami of the lake, at the foot of the rapids.
"One piece, six miles square, at the mouth of said river where it empties into the lake.
"One piece, six miles square, upon Sandusky lake, where fort formerly stood.
"One piece, two miles square, at the lower rapids of the San- dusky river.
"The post of Detroit, and all the lands to the north, the west and the south of it, of which the Indian title has been extinguished by gift or grants to the French or English governments; and so much more land to be annexed to the district of Detroit, as shall be comprehended between the river Raisin on the south, and Lake St. Clair on the north, and a line, the general course whereof shall be six miles distant from the west end of Lake Erie and Detroit river.
"The post of Michilimackinack, and all the land on the island on which that post stands, and the main land adjacent, of which the Indian title has been established, by gifts or grants to the French or English governments, and a piece of land on the main, to the north of the island, to measure six miles on Lake Huron, or the strait between Lakes Huron and Michigan, and to extend three miles back from the water on the lake or strait; and also the island de Bois Blanc, being an extra and voluntary gift of the Chippewa nation.
"One piece of land, six miles square, at the mouth of Chicago river, emptying into the southwest end of Lake Michigan, where :a fort formerly stood.
"One piece, twelve miles square, at or near the mouth of the Illinois river, emptying into the Mississippi.
"One piece, six miles square, at the old Peorias fort and vil- lage, near the south end of the Illinois lake on said Illinois river.
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"And whenever the United States shall think proper to survey and mark the boundaries of the lands hereby ceded to them, they shall give timely notice thereof to the said tribes of Indians, that they may appoint some of their wise chiefs to attend and see that true lines are run according to the terms of their treaty.
"And the said Indian tribes will allow to the people of the United States a free passage, by land and by water, as one and the other shall be found to be convenient, through their country, along the chain of posts hereinbefore mentioned; that is to say, from commencement of the portage aforesaid, at or near Loramie's store, thence along said portage to the St. Mary's, and down the same to Fort Wayne, and thence down the Miami to Lake Erie ; again, from the commencement of the portage, at or near Lora- mie's store, along the portage, from thence to the river Au Glaize, and down the same to its junction with the Miami, at Fort Defi- ance ; again, from the commencement of the portage aforesaid, to Sandusky river, and down the same to Sandusky bay and Lake Erie, and from Sandusky to the post which shall be taken at or near the foot of the rapids of the Miami of the lake; and from thence to Detroit. Again, from the mouth of the Chicago to the commencement of the portage between that river and the Illinois, and down the Illinois river to the Mississippi; also, from Fort Wayne, along the portage aforesaid, and which leads to the Wa- bash, and then down the Wabash to the Ohio. And the said In- dian tribes will also allow to the people of the United States the free use of the harbors and mouths of rivers, along the lake ad- joining the Indian lands, for sheltering vessels and boats, and liberty to land their cargoes, where necessary for their safety.
"In consideration of the peace now established and of the cessions and relinquishments of lands made in the preceding ar- ticle, by the said tribes of Indians, and to manifest the liberality of the Unted States, as the great means of rendering this peace strong and perpetual, the United States relinquishes their claims to all other Indian lands, northward of the river Ohio, eastward of the Mississippi, and westward and southward of the Great Lakes, and the waters uniting them, according to the boundary line agreed on by the United States and the king of Great Britain, in the treaty of peace made between them in the year 1783. But from this relinquishment by the United States, the following tracts' of land are explicitly excepted :
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"The tract of one hundred and fifty thousand acres, near the rapids of the river Ohio, which has been assigned to General Clark, for the use of himself and his warriors.
"The post at St. Vincennes, on the river Wabash, and the lands adjacent, of which the Indian title has been extinguished.
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