USA > Ohio > Auglaize County > History of western Ohio and Auglaize County, with illustrations and biographical sketches of pioneers and prominent public men > Part 58
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"A few days afterward a report that General Wayne was advancing brought large numbers of Indians, who encamped in the neighborhood of the post. Lewis had enlisted the sympathies of a companion, Mr. Thomas Matthews, and they resolved to go out to the Indian encampment, though without much expecta- tion of finding the missing one. They went, and after moving about among them in a seemingly unconcerned manner, a woman clapped her hands and cried out, 'Lord have mercy upon me.' He knew her at once, and immediately turned his back toward her and walked away, telling Matthews who she was. They dare not go to speak to her, but turned their course toward the fort, observing the situation of her hut, the lay of the ground, and timber around the camp. They noticed that a large white oak tree with a dense top lay prostrate not far from the tent. They also noticed that the squaw had a cow tethered near her hut. It was arranged the next morning that Matthews should go the following day to the squaw with a loaf of bread and try to exchange it for milk. Matthews went, and fortunately, Mrs. Kinnon was called to interpret. This gave him the opportunity he desired, and he managed the bread and milk talk with the
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plan of escape, which she agreed to. The officer in command! of the pickets was in sympathy with the efforts of rescue, and. gave Lewis and his companion passes to go and come at any hour of the night. They went to the fallen tree top as soon as it became quite dark, and waited there until near daylight, but Mrs. Kinnon did not come, and they were obliged to return to the fort disappointed. The bread and milk strategy was tried again by Matthews. He found that she had been out nearly all night, but in another tree-top. He soon made her understand which tree was to be the meeting place, and returned. They were again passed through the lines the next night, and waited in the tree top until Mrs. Kinnon arrived. The greeting was short. They started at once for the fort. Not deeming it safe to take her- into the fort, he took her to a large brush heap near the fort, in the middle of which he had made a hollow large enough for a person to sit in quite comfortably. Here he left her well pro- vided for with water and provisions. The next day had nearly passed when he heard that the Shawnee had been ordered down the river, and thence to Turtle Island. He immediately went to. the boat and frankly told the captain the circumstances and asked' him to carry him and his sister to Turtle Island, which he reluct- antly consented to do. He then went to the fort and took an extra suit of clothes that he had, to the brush pile, in which attire. she accompanied him under the guise of a sick soldier. They succeeded in getting on board the vessel without attracting atten- tion. By daylight the next morning they were safely moored ' at Turtle Island. Here they took passage on a brig for Detroit. When they reached a tavern Mr. Lewis was so overcome with his anxiety that he became sick, and was confined to his bed for a week. Upon his recovery he procured a pass from Colonel England, and took passage on a vessel to the mouth of the. Genesee River. From there they traveled on foot to where he had left his horse on his outward trip. When they reached the place they found that the horse had been traded off, but they received another in return for it. On this horse the sister rode- and he walked by her side, all the way to New Jersey. They reached Summerset in October. As may be imagined, there was. great rejoicing in the family and in the entire neighborhood.
"Mr. Lewis remained in New Jersey about a year, finishing
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his professional studies, when he married and moved to Hamilton, Ohio. Here he practiced his profession until 1813, when he was appointed surgeon of the First Regiment, third detachment of Ohio militia. When news came that the British and Indians were collecting strongly at Fort Meigs, the First Regiment was ordered down the Auglaize to that point, but Dr. Lewis was left at Fort Amanda in charge of the hospital."
Army surgeons were so few in number at that time that it became necessary for Dr. Lewis to visit the company at Wapa- koneta, and the troops at St. Mary's, in addition to his hospital duties at Fort Amanda .*
"The soldiers who died in the hospital were buried on the north side of the ravine, north of the fort. The names of the soldiers buried in this cemetery are unknown, as the records of this post were destroyed at the time the national capitol was burned by the British."
"During the winter of 1812-13, the garrison at Fort Amanda was constituted a shipbuilding company. A number of men were detailed to select trees, another company to cut them down, a third company to saw them into boards and posts, and a fourth company to convert the manufactured lumber into flatboats. This work was accomplished by a company of Ohio militia and a few regular troops from Fort Winchester. Seventy-five boats were constructed here in March and April of 1813. General Green Clay, of Kentucky, arrived here on the 28th of April on a forced march to relieve Fort Meigs, then besieged by British and Indians. Twelve hundred men embarked on these boats and floated down the Auglaize and Maumee rivers to relieve the besieged fort. Some of that fleet of boats were used by Commo- dore Perry in buoying his larger vessels over the shallows at Put-in-Bay, on the day of his celebrated victory."
The shipyard was located on the east bank of the Auglaize River, almost due east of the fort.
During the war the fort served as a retreat for scouts, dispatch carriers, and officers traveling from Cincinnati, Frank- linton and Fort McArthur to the armies in the north.
At the close of the war in 1814, the occupants of the fort
* Dr. Lewis died in Hamilton county, Ohio, July 19, 1851, of apoplexy.
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were mustered out of service, and the block-houses thereby be- came tenantless for a period of three years.
In January, 1817, Peter Diltz came up from Dayton and moved into the small block-house in the northeast corner of the quadrangle or parade ground. In this log house, Francis Diltz was born, September 20, 1817, and here the family resided until 1821, when they returned to Dayton. Previous to leaving the county Mr. Diltz built a log cabin for the Sunderland family.
"Andrew Russell, the second pioneer, arrived in June, 1817, and took possession of the largest block-house at Fort Amanda. the same which was used as officers' quarters in 1812-13. Here his daughter Susanna, afterward wife of Charles C. Marshall, was born, July 13, 1817. Here Mr. Russell died in April, 1822, and was buried in the military cemetery by Dye Sunderland. Diltz and Van Ausdall."
"William Van Ausdall and family came up with Diltz and Russell from Montgomery county, Ohio, and made the storehouse in the center of the stockade his temporary home. In the fall of that year he erected a log house on section 15, where he resided until 1821, when he moved to Michigan with his family. In 1824 he returned to Fort Amanda, where he died the same year and was buried in the military cemetery."
The settlers who came into the county, after the immigration noted, were Henry Hartel, in 1820; Dye Sunderland and family, in 1821; William Stewart, George Kephart, Jacob Hartel, Peter Sunderland, Wm. Sunderland, Benjamin Russell, Samuel Stew- art, Joseph Sutton, Thomas Adams, Ferd. Miller, Solomon Carr, Samuel Washburn, William Berryman and brothers, and Daniel Hoak.
Of the early adventurers who came to Logan township, the name of John Chapman, or "Johnny Appleseed,' as he was familiarly called, must not be omitted. He was born in Spring- field, Massachusetts, in 1775. Of his early life but little is known, as he was reticent concerning his personal history. A half-sister of his, who moved to the West at an early date, stated that Johnny had, when a boy, shown a great fondness for natural scenery, and often wandered from home in quest of plants and flowers, and that he liked to listen to the birds singing and to gaze at the stars. His penchant for planting apple seeds and
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cultivating nurseries caused him to be called "Appleseed John," which was finally changed to "Johnny Appleseed," and by that name he was called and known everywhere.
The year that Chapman came to Ohio has been variously stated, but to say it was a hundred years ago would not be far
M
"JOHNNY APPLESEED."
from the mark. He was first seen on the Ohio River above Steubenville, in charge of two canoes, lashed together, and laden with sacks of apple seeds.
The field of his operations in Ohio was mainly the valleys of the Muskingum River and its tributaries, and his mission, for the most part, was to plant apple seeds in well located nurseries, in advance of civilization, and have apple trees ready for plant-
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ing when the pioneers should appear. He also scattered through the forest the seeds of medicinal plants, such as dog-fennel, penny- royal, catnip, hoarhound, rattlesnake root, and the like.
We hear of him as early as 1806, on the Ohio River, with canoe loads of apple seeds gathered from the cider presses of western Pennsylvania, and with these he planted many nurseries in the counties of Ohio.
Chapman visited Auglaize county about 1820, and planted a nursery on the Berryman farm in Logan township, and another on the Richard R. Barington farm, south of St. Mary's.
The trees in many of the pioneer orchards of Logan town- ship were obtained from Johnny's nursery. Some of them still' bear fruit.
It was his practice to visit and prune each of his nurseries. once a year. He extended his operations to the Maumee country, and finally into Indiana, where he died in the seventy-second year of his age.
Johnny was fairly educated, well read, and was polite and' attentive in manner and was chaste in conversation. His face was pleasant in expression, and he was kind and generous in disposition. His nature was a deeply religious one, and his life was blameless among his fellow men. He regarded it wrong to spend money for clothing to make a fine appearance. He usually wore a broad-brimmed hat. He went barefoot, not only in the summer, but often in cold weather, and a coffee sack, with: neck and armholes cut in it, was worn as a coat.
"Johnny Appleseed's" death was in harmony with his un- ostentatious, blameless life. He planted that others might harvest .. His benefactions were enjoyed by those who never saw him. Self-interest played no part in his good works.
Chapman resided in Richland county during the last years: of his life, and gave his attention to the many nurseries he had planted in that section of the State. For a time he lived in a. little cabin near Perrysville, Richland county, but later in Mans- field with his half-sister.
A monument was erected to his memory by the citizens of Mansfield in 1900, on which the following inscription is engraved :
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IN MEMORY OF JOHN CHAPMAN, Best Known as JOHNNY APPLESEED, Pioneer Apple Nurseryman of Highland County From 1810-1830.
The following list of original land entries also serves as a record of the advent of the pioneers. With a very few excep- tions, the purchasers became residents of the township:
Town. 4, South Range 5, East.
1821.
Andrew Russell, E. Frac. N. E. qr. and W. Frac. N. E. qr. of Sec. 22 ..
1822. Andrew Russell, S. E. qr. Sec. 22.
1823. Dye Sunderland, N. E. Frac. Sec. 27.
1825.
James Crosier, S. E. Frac. N. half, and N. E. Frac. S. half of Sec. 27 ..
1826. Thomas Merryman, S. Frac. S. half of Sec. 22.
1832.
Henry Stoddard, S. E. Frac. N. Robert J. Skinner, Sec. 2. Josiah Clawson, Sec. 2.
W. qr. Sec. 11 and 2.
Henry Stoddard, Sec. 35.
Charles Parnell, Sec. 11 Philip Terwilliger, Sec. 2.
James Crosier, Sec. 35.
Cornelius Hall, Sec. 30. William Barr, Sec. 36. Amos Smith, Sec. 3.
Ebenezer Buck, Sec. 22 . Isaac N. Skillman, Sec. 30. George Chaney, Sec. 1.
1833. Isaac Terwilliger, Sec. 11. William Taylor, Sec. 35. Martin Higher, Sec. 34.
1834. John A. Dodds, Sec. 30. David Young Davis, Sec. 36 ..
1835. Simon Perkins, Sec. 30. Horace Coats, Sec. 30. Simons Perkins, Sec. 6.
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Robert Moody, Sec. 6.
Thomas Clawson, Sec. 10. Adonijah, Elizabeth, Mary Jane, and John Whetstone, Sec. 3.
Demas Adams, 20.
James Stewart, Sec. 28.
Geo. B. Holt, all of Sec. 32.
Edward Helfenstein, all of Sec. 34.
Elijah Kemper, Sec. 36.
Patrick Moore, Sec. 36.
Henry Barnes, Sec. 36.
Job Haines, Sec. 2. Henry Barnes, Sec. 2.
Jacob Baker, Sec. 2.
Harrison Gregory, Sec. 3.
William Ringer, Sec. 3.
E. G. Barney, Sec. 3.
John Ellis, Sec. 3.
Jacob Baker, Sec. 10.
Michael Ringer, Sec. 10.
William P. Morey, Sec. 12.
Abelard Gutherie, Sec. 34. Edward Helfenstein, Sec. 35. Abraham Harvey, Sec. 12.
Thomas Sutton, Sec. 27. Samuel Whetstone, Sec. 27.
Simon Whetstone, Sec. 27.
William Demiston, Sec. 19. Jacob Brown, Sec. 24. John Baker, Sec. 25. George W. Richardson, Sec. 34. Horace W. Wheeler, Sec. 4.
Abraham Miller, Sec. 20. Jacob Brown, Sec. 24. Lancelot Junkem, Sec. 24. Solomon Yoakum, Sec. 24.
Jacob Brown, Sec. 26. Smith Creeman, Sec. 5.
Henry Burnett, Sec. 19. Samuel Thompson, Sec. 19. Michael Milligan, Sec. 19. Barney Lacy, Sec. 20. Benjamin Roudabrugh, Sec. 24. Samuel Neese, Sec. 25.
1836. Isaiah Staley, Sec. 22. Isaac Mills, Sec. 28.
Albert J. Helfenstein, Sec. 34.
Edward Helfenstein, Sec. 35.
Henry Barnes, Sec. 11. Nicholas Munday, Sec. 12.
1837. Edward Helfenstein, Sec. 34. Philip Herzing, Sec. 36. Francis Rain, Sec. 12.
1845. Nathaniel Midberry, Sec. 27. Oramel Henry Bliss, Sec. 27.
1 848. Jacob Overholser, Sec. 24. John Smith, Sec. 20. James A. Culp, Sec. 25. John W. Barr, Sec. 36.
1849. George Gregory, Sec. 20. John South, Sec. 20. David Bower, Sec. 24. Lewis Zerkel, Sec. 24. Horace W. Wheeler, Sec. 4.
1850. Henry Wetzenstein, Sec. 19. Eli H. Stukey, Sec. 19. Thomas Chamberlain, Sec. 19. Henry Miller, Sec. 20. Daniel Brond, Sec. 25. Francis G. Bower, Sec. 25.
George B. Holt, Sec. 8.
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· Emanuel Bowers, Sec. 25. Perry Richardson, Sec. 29. John Daniel, Sec. 4.
James Whetstone, Sec. 20. Jonas Wertman, Sec. 20. Ezekiel Hoover, Sec. 22. Solomon Yoakham, Sec. 23. Jacob Shaffer, Sec. 23. William Krill, Sec. 4. John H. McElroy, Sec. 4. Samuel M. Dixon, Sec. 4. Neil McLachlin, Sec. 8.
Newton Weaver, Sec. 21. Aaron Shaffer, Sec. 21. Jacob Brown, Sec. 23. Abraham Neese, Sec. 23. Ambrose Neese, Sec. 23. Andrew Rogers, Sec. 26. Jacob Penton, Sec. 29. George W. Richardson, Sec. 31. Anson Camp, Sec. 31. John F. Bosche, Sec. 31. George W. Richardson, Sec. 33. William B. Cochran, Sec. 33. Anthony F. Blackburn, Sec. 33. William Miller, Sec. 33. George W. Himmel, Sec. 5. Jacob S. W. Oaks, Sec. 5. James Bowersock, Sec. 5. Elias Hattle, Sec. 7. John F. Bosche, Sec. 7. Almon Wheeler, Sec. 9. Jonas Stoner, Sec. 9.
Jacob Frank, Sec. 21. Josiah Tabler, Sec. 29. Ezekiel P. Howell, Sec. 29. Abraham States, Sec. 29. William Tippie, Sec. 31. Samuel Walker, Sec. 5. William McMullen, Sec. 9.
Francis Mason, Sec. 28. Michael Hartz, Sec. 31. James Bowersock, Sec. 4.
1851. Jacob Wertman, Sec. 20. Jonathan Zirkle, Sec. 20. Bayard Linderman, Sec. 22. James Yoakham, Sec. 23. Leonard Place, Sec. 27. Nathan E. Edman, Sec. 4. David Richardson, Sec. 4. William Krill, Sec. 8. William Richardson, Sec. 34.
1852. Jacob Neese, Sec. 21. Abraham Cirkle, Sec. 21. Jacob Neese, Sec. 23. James Dixon, Sec. 3. George Daniel, Sec. 5. John Clink, Sec. 28. Abraham Cirkle, Sec. 29. David Richardson, Sec. 31. George W. Hubert, Sec. 31. John Whetstone, Sec. 31. Simon Richardson, Sec. 33. William Marks, Sec. 33. Jonathan H. West, Sec. 33. William Mars, Sec. 33. John Mort, Sec. 5. George Daniel, Sec. 5. William Brogdon, Sec. 7.
Enoch McKee, Sec. 7. Robert Slater, Sec. 9. William McMullen, Sec. 9. John Phillips, Sec. 10.
1853. William Rouch, Sec. 23. Robert H. Gilson, Sec. 29. Josiah Faber, Sec. 29. Thomas F. Chamberland, Sec. 31. Joseph H. Richardson, Sec. 33. John H. McElroy, Sec. 5.
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1854.
. Simon Whetstone, Sec. 27.
Henry Whetstone, Sec. 33.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS. Justices of the Peace.
W. P. Morey 1851-52.
Jacob Baker 1852-53.
Daniel Bigelow 1853-54.
John Grubb 1854-59.
David Bigelow 1859-63.
Wesley Snok
1863-66.
George Lathrop
1866-75.
John S. Butcher 1873-76.
C. Adams 1876-79.
John S. Butcher 1879-84.
J. H. Creamean 1884-86.
George D. Lathrop
1886-87.
Charles Lathrop
1887-1900.
D. W. Reed
1899-1903.
Clarence Lathrop
1900-1903.
Township Clerks.
Henry Daniels 1872-76.
W. N. Dingledine 1876-86.
L. C. Baker 1886-88.
W. G. Brorein. 1888-93.
W. N. Dingledine
1893-1903.
Township Treasurers.
William A. Baker
1875-85.
George Hirsch 1885-86.
D. W. Kiester 1886-89.
W. N. Dingledine 1889-91.
J. B. Edman. 1891-93.
J. H. Gochenour 1893-1900.
Samuel Walker
1900-1903.
ROADS.
At the time of the organization of the township in 1848, the Defiance road was the principal one, the others being called "hoop pole roads." The construction of roads and the building of bridges were slow of progress until 1880. That year marks a new era in the history of the township. In that year the Kos- suth and Amanda roads were constructed. Two years were sufficient to demonstrate to the public the great utility of these
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. public enterprises. Since that time nearly every public road in the township has been piked. Since 1880, the rude wooden bridges have been replaced by substantial iron structures.
SCHOOLS.
At an early period in the history of Logan township a log school house stood on the George W. Richardson farm, in which one Benham, and subsequently William Knittle, taught school. In 1829, Archelaus Martin presided over a school of about fifteen pupils. The pioneer schools were all conducted on the old prin- ciple of subscription, the amount stipulated being a certain amount of tuition per pupil. About 1840, however, the people began to take action in the matter of organizing common school districts. As the population of the township increased school districts were organized and log school houses erected to meet the growing requirements of the public. In 1860 there were six sub-districts, two east and four west of the Auglaize River. At the present writing there are seven sub-districts and one joint district. In each of these districts there is an elegant brick school house, supplied with all the modern appliances necessary for such schools.
CHURCHES.
In 1833 the Rev. James B. Finley organized Methodist Epis- copal societies at St. Mary's, Fort Amanda and Lima. For a number of years services were held in the block-house in the southeastern corner of the fort. In 1848 (see Allen County His- tory) an M. E. church building was erected on section 24. Since that date the German Methodists have built a church on section 20. Later the United Brethren Church built on section 28.
These different denominations preserve harmonious relations. and are free from sectional strife.
BUCKLAND VILLAGE.
Buckland Village, the only one in the township, was platted by Josiah Clawson and John H. Gochenour, November 27, 1872, and was originally named White Feather after an Indian village located near by. After the construction of the Lake Erie and Western railroad the name was changed to Buckland in honor of General Buckland, of Fremont, Ohio, one of the promoters of
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the road. The name was not changed officially, however, until 1891, when a petition was presented to the county commissioners. to incorporate the village and change the name from White Feather to Buckland. The petition was granted, and an election of village officers ordered. The village at that time had three hundred inhabitants.
At the first election, held in 1892, W. G. Brorein was elected Mayor; W. U. Lathrop, Clerk; W. N. Dingledine, Treasurer ; T. Bodkin, Marshal; and R. W. Sharp, M. D., J. H. Gochenour, D. W. Kiester, Henry Sites, Fred. Ziegenbush, and A. Nuss, members of the Council.
The old town of White Feather occupied the west half of the northwest quarter of section eleven, and the east half of the north- east quarter of section ten, and the lots were numbered from one to thirty. The Auglaize River flows along the eastern border of the village, and the Lake Erie and Western Railroad extends through it from east to west. In 1874 the first addition to the village was made by J. H. Gochenour, and later three more were made by him. An addition was also made by Josiah Clawson.
The first store and residence were erected by Philip Stiles in 1873.
The following is a list of the village officers since it was. incorporated :
Mayors.
W. G. Brorein 1892.
Joseph Pillars 1895.
Frederick Ziegenbush 1898.
S. W. Jones 1901.
Clerks.
W. U. Lathrop 1892.
W. U. Lathrop 1895.
J. Brorein 1898.
L. A. Reed 1901.
Treasurers.
W. N. Dingledine 1892-98.
J. Borton 1901.
CHURCHES.
In 1878 the first Christian Union Church was erected in the north part of the village. As the village grew in numbers the
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· membership of the church became proportionately greater, until 1898, when a commodious frame church was erected in the central part of town. The church membership is 75. The Sabbath School enrollment is 60.
SCHOOLS.
Soon after the incorporation of the village, and the election of a Board of Education, a substantial brick school building, containing three school rooms, was erected. The Schools under the charge of Mr. T. A. White are equal, in point of efficiency, to any of the village schools of the county.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
RUSSELL BERRYMAN, son of William Berryman of Devon- shire, England, was born in that country, January 9th, 1816. Owing to his hunting propensities, and his numerous infractions of the game laws of the realm William Berryman and family, accompanied by his brother John, left Devonshire, and came to Dayton, Ohio, in 1820, where he purchased ninety-three acres of land, located in what is now one of the densely populated wards of that city. After their arrival at Dayton, his brother John went south and was never heard of afterward. William Berryman, after the purchase of his land at Dayton, devoted his attention to farming until 1825, when he sold his Dayton prop- erty and moved to Logan township in Auglaize county, where he purchased ninety-three acres of land in the northeast quarter of section 27. He immediately erected thereon a commodious log house for the accommodation of his large family, consisting of himself, his wife and twelve children. He chose for his house a location near the Auglaize river, immediately south of what is known as "Johnny Appleseed's" nursery. Here he reared his family and resided until his death, which occurred in 1837. After his death the farm passed into the possession of Russell Berry- man, the subject of this sketch. Mr. Berryman was twice mar- ried. Of the first marriage five children were born: Ephraim, John, and James; Cornelia, who married Dr. Edward Stocken, and Rosabel, wife of F. Blackburn. Of the second marriage there were born, Abraham, Thomas, William, Warren, Russell and Guy, who died in infancy; Flora, who married John Miller ; Mercy, unmarried ; Margaret, who married L. Cochran ; Rosetta,
45 HAC
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wife of William Myers; Martha, wife of Arnold Taft, and Cora, wife of Benjamin Shappell.
The few pioneers residing in Logan township in 1825, were surrounded by Indians. A tribe of Shawnees was located at White Feather near Buckland, a second tribe of Shawnees at Shawnee Town, where the Children's Home in Allen county is situated, and a fierce tribe of Ottowas, north of Fort Amanda. Being in constant communication with the Shawnees, Berryman soon acquired their language, and often participated in their sports and feasts. As he spoke the language with fluency, he was frequently employed as an interpreter. Later in life he amused his friends by dancing Indian dances, and describing Indian pow-wows. On one occasion he witnessed an incident in his boyhood that occurred at James Crosier's house, located about two miles up the river. An Indian named Leeso, a noted thief of Shawnee Town, pawned a log-chain and two copper kettles at Crosiers for two bladders filled with whiskey. As soon as he received them he started west in the direction of the river, intending to cross and indulge in a drunk. He was hardly out of sight when Indian whoops were heard in the opposite direc- tion. A few minutes later three Indians mounted on ponies rode up to the house and inquired for Leeso. They were informed that he had been there a short time before, and that he was prob- ably by that time across the river. They immediately started in pursuit of the thief and overtook him near the river. They relieved him of his ill gotten whiskey and whipped him nearly to death with hickory switches, and left him lying on the bank of the river. They then returned to Crosier's and demanded the stolen goods, which were returned to them. Being satisfied with the restitution, they returned to Shawnee. Leeso survived the chastisement and lived to commit. numerous thefts in after years.
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