USA > Ohio > Wyandot County > Past and present of Wyandot County, Ohio; a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievemen, Vol. I > Part 5
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36
Again efforts were made to effect a peace with hostile tribes, but by reason of British influence they proved unavail- ing and as a last resort General Harmer was directed to attack and destroy their towns. He marched from Fort Washington in September, 1790, with 1,300 men, of whom about one-fourth were regular troops. When near the Indian towns, on the Miami of the Lake, in the vicinity of what is now Fort Wayne, Indiana, an advanced attachment of 210 militia fell into am- bush and was defeated with severe loss. General Harmer, however, succeeded in burning the Indian villages, and in destroying their standing corn. The army then commenced their march homeward. They had not proceeded far when General Harmer received intelligence that the Indians had returned to their ruined towns. He immediately detached about one-third of his remaining force under the command of Colonel Hardin, with orders to bring them to an engage- ment. Hardin succeeded in this early the next morning; the Indians fought with desperation, and the militia and regular troops behaved alike with gallantry. However, more than one hundred of the militia, and all the regular troops except nine were killed, and the rest were driven back to the main body. Dispirited by this misfortune, Harmer immediately marched to Fort Washington or Cincinnati. Thus the object of the expedition in intimidating the Indians was wholly un- successful.
-
48
PAST AND PRESENT OF WYANDOT COUNTY
Gaining increased confidence in their prowess and ability to successfully contend with the white troops of the Ameri- cans, by reason of their victory over a portion of Harmer's army, the Wyandots, together with other tribes composing the Miami league, continued hostile. Therefore, in 1791, a new army, superior to Harmer's was assembled at Cincinnati un- der Major General, or as then termed General St. Clair. The regular force amounted to 2,300 men; the militia numbered about 600. With this army St. Clair commenced his march toward the Indian towns on the Maumee. Two forts, Hamil- ton and Jefferson, were established and garrisoned on the route, about forty miles distant from each other, yet misfortune attended the expedition almost from its commencement. Soon after leaving Fort Jefferson a considerable number of the militia deserted the army. The first regiment under Major Hamtranck, was ordered to pursue them and secure the ad- vancing convoys of provisions, which it was feared they de- signed to plunder. Thus weakened by desertion and division, General St. Clair approached Indian villages. On the 3d of November when at what is now the line of Darke and Mercer counties and within two or three miles of the Indian state line, he halted, intending to throw up some slight fortification for the protection of baggage, and to await the return of the absent regiment. On the following morning, however, about a half hour before sunrise the American army was attacked with great fury by the whole disposable force of the Northwest tribes-the Wyandots, Delawares, Shawanese, Miamis, Ot- tawas, Chippewas, and Pottawatomies. The Americans were totally defeated. General Butler and more than 600 subaltern officers and enlisted men were killed.
The vigorous prosecution of the war for the protection of the Northwest Territory was now urged by President Wash- ington but various obstacles retarded the organization of the new army. In the spring and summer of 1794, however, an American army was assembled at Greenville, in Darke county, under the command of General Anthony Wayne, a bold, ener- getic and experienced officer of the Revolutionary war. His force consisted of about 2,000 regular troops and about 1,500 mounted volunteers from Kentucky. To oppose him the In- dian tribes above mentioned had collected their whole force, amounting to more than 2,000 warriors, near a British fort, erected since the treaty of 1783, and in violation of its obliga-
49
PAST AND PRESENT OF WYANDOT COUNTY
tions at the foot of the Maumee Rapids. They were well sup- plied with arms and ammunition, obtained at the British posts at Detroit and on the Maumee, and felt confident of defeating Wayne. But "Mad Anthony" was a different kind of general from those who had previously commanded in the West, and when, on the 20th of August, the hostile forces of red men and white men met at the Maumee Rapids, or the battle of Fallen Timbers, the former were completely routed and fled in the utmost precipitation from the field.
Robinson, a young half-breed Pottawatomie, afterward one of the principal war chiefs of that tribe, was present at the battle with Wayne, and in later years was in the habit of de- scribing it very clearly. It appears that the chiefs of the allied tribes, had selected a swamp for the battleground. They formed their line, however, a half mile in front of it, on the summit of a gentle elevation, covered with an open growth of timber, with no underbrush, intending, when Wayne attacked them to fall back slowly, thus inducing the Americans to fol- low them into the swamp, where the Indians would have every advantage, and where they expected a certain victory. But "Mad Anthony" soon broke up their plan. As we have shown nearly one-half of his little army was composed of mounted Kentuckians, whom he formed in front of his infantry. After a few volleys from his infantry, always very trying to the nerves of the red men, he ordered the mounted men to advance. The Indians had never seen men fight on horseback, and sup- posed they would dismount when they reached the top of the ridge. But instead of that they began to trot, then drew their swords, those terrible "long knives," which always inspired the Indians with dread, then broke into a gallop, and the next moment were charging at the top of their speed. "Oh," said Robinson, "you ought to have seen the poor Indians run then."
They gave but one random fire, and fled as fast as possible toward the swamp. But it was too late. The mounted Ken- tuckians burst through them like a whirlwind, and then wheeled about to cut off their retreat, while the infantry came up on the double-quick, and barred their escape in that direction.
"Oh," the chieftain would continue, "it was awful."
Robinson admired his conqueror so much that he named one of his sons "Anthony Wayne" and always expressed the most profound respect for that dashing soldier.
Vol. I-4
50
PAST AND PRESENT OF WYANDOT COUNTY
Wayne's victory at the "Fallen Timbers" did not at once , reduce the savages to submission. Hence, their country was laid waste, and forts were erected in the heart of their terri- tory. At length, however, they became thoroughly convinced of their inability to resist in a successful manner the Ameri- can troops and sued for peace. A grand council was therefore held at Greenville, in the summer of 1795, and on the 3d of August of that year, General Wayne concluded a treaty of peace with the Wyandots, Delawares, Shawanese, Ottawas, Chippewas, Pottawatomies and Miamis, beside some less im- portant tribes. More than one thousand Indians were present. The principal chiefs were Tarhe, or the Crane, of the Wyan- dots, Buckongehelas, Black Hoof, Blue Jacket and Little Tur- tle. A majority of the chiefs had been tampered with by the British agents and advised not to make peace with the Ameri- cans, but their people having been reduced to great extremities by the generalship of Wayne, were determined to make a per- manent peace with the "Thirteen Fires" as they termed the original states of the federal union.
The basis of the treaty of Greenville was, that hostilities were to cease, and all prisoners be restored. Article 3 defined the Indian boundary as follows :
The general boundary line 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 thence up the same to the portage, between that and the Tuscarawas branch of the Mus- kingum thence down that branch to the crossing place above Fort Laurens; thence westerly to a fork of that branch of the Great Miami river, running into the Ohio, at or near which fork stood Loromie's 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 (erected on the grounds where St. Clair was defeated in November, 1791), which stands on a branch of the Wabash, thence south westerly in a direct line to the Ohio, so as to intersect that river opposite the mouth of Kentucky or Cuttawa river.
By the terms of the treaty the Indians also ceded to the United States government various small tracts of land sur- rounding military posts erected and to be erected. Also, the right to the people of the United States of a free passage by
51
PAST AND PRESENT OF WYANDOT COUNTY
'land and water through the territory still owned by the Indians. The reader will understand that the Indians relin- quished all claims to the lands lying eastwardly and south- wardly of the line above described, in consideration "of the peace now established; of the goods formerly received from the United States; of those now to be delivered; and of the yearly delivery of goods now stipulated to be made hereafter; and to indemnify the United States for the injuries and ex- penses they have sustained during the war."
On the 4th of July, 1805, at a treaty made at Fort Industry, on the Miami of the Lake, between the United States of America and the sachems, chiefs and warriors of the Wyan- dot, Ottawa, Chippewa, Muncie, Delaware, Shawanese and Pottawatomie nations, it was determined that the boundary line "between the United States and the nations aforesaid shall in the future be a meridian line drawn south and north through a boundary to be erected on the south shore of Lake Erie, 120 miles due west of the west boundary line of the state of Pennsylvania extending north until it intersects the bound- ary line of the United States and extending south until it intersects a line heretofore established by the treaty of Green- ville. Thus, all the lands lying east of the above-described line, bounded southerly and easterly by the line established by the treaty of Greenville and northerly by the northernmost part of the forty-first degree of north latitude, were ceded by the Indians to the United States by article 4 of this treaty, the United States delivered to the Wyandot, Shawanese, Muncie and Delaware nations goods to the value of $20,000, and stipu- lated for a perpetual annuity of $9,500, payable in goods reckoned at first cost in the city or place in the United States where they should be procured.
The Wyandots were also interested parties in the treaty of Detroit which was concluded on the 17th day of November, 1807, and as the lands ceded were for the most part within the limits of the present state of Michigan we refrain from further mention of its provisions, etc.
The treaty of Brownstone was made November 25, 1808, between William Hull, governor of Michigan territory, and the Chippewa, Ottawa, Pottawatomie, Wyandot and Shawanese nations. This treaty related mainly to the cession of lands for roads through the territory still owned by the Indians. Among the routes then ceded was a "tract of land, for a road only, of 120 feet in width, to run southwardly from what is now called
52
PAST AND PRESENT OF WYANDOT COUNTY
Lower Sandusky to the boundary line established by the treaty of Greenville, with the privilege of taking at all times such timber and other materials from the adjacent lands as may be necessary for making and keeping in repair the said road, with the bridges that may be required along the same." This, probably was the first highway projected by the English speak- ing whites, or Americans, in a direction which would lead through the present county of Wyandot.
Meanwhile, from the date of the conclusion of the treaty of Greenville until the beginning of the last war with Great Britain-1812-15-the Wyandots, true to their treaty obliga- tions remained at peace with the Americans. In 1812, how- ever, at a time when the great Shawanese chieftain, Tecumseh, and his brother, the Prophet, were endeavoring to array under arms all of the northwestern tribes against the Americans, a great Indian council of the northern nations was held at Brownstone in the Michigan territory. At that meeting Tarhe, or "The Crane," and Between-the-logs were among the chief representatives of the Wyandots. The eloquence of Tecum- seh's adherents, and the glittering promises of the British agents, proved to be as nothing to them and they firmly rejected all overtures to join in the war against the Americans. True, a few fiery young warriors of the Wyandot nation did enter the British service. But Tarhe, Between-the-logs, Summundewat, Big Tree and the major portion of the Wyandots, remained faithful to their pledges. These chiefs left the Brownstone council, returned to Upper Sandusky, and immediately joined the American cause. Fort Ferree, at Upper Sandusky, and Fort Meigs, at Lower Sandusky, were erected upon their lands. Here were concentrated large numbers of troops from Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Ohio, under General Harrison, and here were they treated in the most friendly manner by the Wyandots. When General Harrison invaded Canada, he was accompanied by a large party of Wyandot chiefs and warriors. But the principal object of his Indian friends was to detach that part of the Wyandot nation from the British interest, who, by the surrounding Indians had in a measure been forced to join the English. This was effected.
We now come to the consideration of an event which, by its realization, placed the Wyandots upon a comparatively small tract of territory or "reservation" where they remained until within the memory of some present inhabitants of Wyan-
53
PAST AND PRESENT OF WYANDOT COUNTY
dot county. We allude to the "treaty of the Foot of the Rapids of the Miami of the Lake," which was concluded on the 29th of September, 1817, between Lewis Cass and Duncan Mc- Arthur, commissioners of the United States, and the sachems, chiefs and warriors of the Wyandot, Seneca, Delaware, Shaw- anese, Pottawatomie, Ottawa and Chippewa tribes of Indians. The articles of this treaty, which have an especial reference to our topic, are as follows :
"Article 2. The Wyandot tribe of Indians, in considera- tion of the stipulations herein made on the part of the United States, do hereby forever cede to the United States the lands comprehended within the following lines and boundaries: Be- ginning at a point on the southern shore of Lake Erie, where the present Indian boundary line intersects the same, between the mouth of Sandusky Bay and the mouth of Portage river; thence running south with said line to the line established in the year 1795, by the treaty of Greenville, which runs from the crossing place above Fort Laurens to Loromie's store ; thence westerly with the last mentioned line to the eastern line of the reserve at Loromie's store; thence with the lines of said re- serve north and west to the northwest corner thereof; thence to the northwestern corner of the reserve on the River St. Mary's at the head of the navigable waters thereof ; thence east to the western bank of the St. Mary's river aforesaid; thence down on the western bank of the said river to the reserve at Fort Wayne; thence with the lines of the last mentioned re- serve, easterly and northerly to the north bank of the River Miami of Lake Erie ; thence down to the north bank of the said river to the western line of the land ceded to the United States by the treaty of Detroit, in the year 1807; thence with the said line south to the middle of said Miami river, and easterly with the lines of the tract ceded to the United States by the treaty of Detroit aforesaid, so far south that a south line will strike the place of beginning.
Art. 3. The Wyandots, Seneca, Delaware, Shawanese, Pottawatomie, Ottawa and Chippewa tribes of Indians, accede to the cessions mentioned in the two preceding articles.
Art. 6. The United States agree to grant, by patent, in fee simple, to Doanquod, Howoner, Rontondee, Tauyau, Ron- tayau, Dawatont, Mononcue, Tauyaudautauson and Haudau- waugh, chiefs of the Wyandot tribe and their successors in office, chiefs of the said tribe, for the use of the persons and for
54
PAST AND PRESENT OF WYANDOT COUNTY
the purposes mentioned in the annexed schedule, a tract of land twelve miles square at Upper Sandusky, the center of which shall be the place where Fort Ferree stands; and also a tract of one mile square, to be located where the chiefs direct, on a cranberry swamp, on Broken Sword Creek, and to be held for the use of the tribe.
Art. 7. And the said chiefs or their successors may, at any time they may think proper, convey to either of the persons mentioned in the said schedule, or his heirs, the quantity se- cured thereby to him, or may refuse to do so. But the use of the said land shall be in the said person; and after the share of any person is conveyed by the chiefs to him, he may convey the same to any person whatever. And any one entitled by the said schedule to a portion of the said land, may, at any time, convey the same to any person, by obtaining the appro- bation of the president of the United States, or of the per- son appointed by him to give such approbation. And the agent of the United States shall make an equitable partition of the said share when conveyed.
Art. 8. At the special request of the said Indians, the United States agree to grant, by patent, in fee simple, to the persons hereinafter mentioned, all of whom are connected with the said Indians, by blood or adoption, the tracts of land herein desribed :
"To Elizabeth Whitaker, who was taken prisoner by the Wyandots and has ever since lived among them, 1,280 acres of land, on the west side of the Sandusky river, below Crog- hansville, to be laid off in a square form, as nearly as the meanders of the said river will admit, and to run an equal distance above and below the house in which the said Elizabeth Whitaker now lives.
"To Robert Armstrong, who was taken prisoner by the In- dians, and has ever since lived among them, and has married a Wyandot woman, one section to contain 640 acres of land, on the west side of the Sandusky river, to begin at the place called Camp Ball and to run up the river, with the meanders thereof, 160 poles and from the beginning down the river, with the me- anders thereof, 160 poles, and from the extremity of these lines west for quantity.
"To the children of the late William McCollock, who was killed in August, 1812, near Maugaugon, and who are quarter- blood Wyandot Indians, one section to contain 640 acres of
55
PAST AND PRESENT OF WYANDOT COUNTY
land, on the west side of the Sandusky river, adjoining the lower line of the tract hereby granted to Robert Armstrong, and extending in the same manner, with and from the said river.
"To John VanMeter, who was taken prisoner by the Wyan- dots and who has ever since lived among them, and has married a Seneca woman, and to his wife's three brothers, Senecas, who now reside on Honey Creek, 1,000 acres of land, to begin north, forty-five degrees west, one hundred and forty poles from the house in which the said John VanMeter now lives, and to run thence south 320 poles, thence and from the begin- ning, east for quantity.
"To Sarah Williams, Joseph Williams and Rachel Nu- gent, late Rachel Williams, the said Sarah having been taken prisoner by the Indians, and has ever since lived among them, and being the widow, and the said Joseph and Rachel being the children of the late Isaac Williams, a half-blooded Wyandot, one-quarter section of land, to contain 160 acres, on the east side of the Sandusky river, below Croghansville, and to include their improvements at a place called Negro Point.
"To Catherine Walker, a Wyandot woman, and to John R. Walker, who was wounded in the service of the United States at the battle of Maugaugon, in 1812, a section of 640 acres of land each, to begin at the northwestern corner of the tract hereby granted to John VanMeter and his wife's brothers, and to run with the line thereof south 320 poles; thence and from the beginning west for quantity.
"To William Spicer, who was taken prisoner by the In- dians, and has ever since lived among them and married a Sen- eca woman, a section of land to contain 640 acres, begining on the east bank of the Sandusky river, forty poles below the cor- ner of said Spicer's cornfield; thence up the river on the east side with meanders thereof one mile; thence and from the be- ginning east for quantity.
"To Horonu, or the 'Cherokee Boy,' a Wyandot chief, a section of land to contain 640 acres, on the Sandusky river, to be laid off in a square form, and to include his improvements."
Art. 15. The tracts of land herein granted to the chiefs for the use of the Wyandot, Shawanese, Delaware and Seneca In- dians and the reserve for the Ottawa Indians, shall not be liable to taxes of any kind so long as such lands continue the property of said Indians.
56
PAST AND PRESENT OF WYANDOT COUNTY
Art. 18. The Delaware tribe of Indians in consideration of the stipulations herein made on the part of the United States do hereby forever cede to the United States all the claims which they have to the thirteen sections of land reserved for the use of certain persons of their tribe, by the second section of the act of congress, passed March the third, one thousand eight hundred and seven, providing for the disposal of the land of the United States between the United States military tract and the Connecticut Reserve, and the lands of the United States between the Cincinnati and Vincennes districts.
Art. 19. The United States agree to grant, by patent, in fee simple, to Zeeshawan, or James Armstrong, and to Sanon- doyourayquaw, or Silas Armstrong, chiefs of the Delaware In- dians, living on the Sandusky waters, and their successors in office, chiefs of the said tribe, for the use of the persons men- tioned in the annexed schedule, in the same manner and sub- ject to the same conditions, provisions and limitations as is hereinbefore provided for the lands granted to the Wyandot, Seneca and Shawanese Indians, a tract of land to contain nine square miles to join the tract granted to the Wyandots of twelve miles square to be laid off as nearly in a square form as practicable and to include Captain Pipe's village.
By this treaty the United States stipulated to pay the Wyandots a perpetual annuity of $4,000; to the Senecas, $500; to the Shawanese, $2,000; to the Pottawatomies, annually, for fifteen years, $1,300 ; to the Ottawas, annually for fifteen years, $1,000; to the Chippewas, annually for fifteen years, $1,000; and to the Delawares, $500, but no annuity. The United States also engaged to erect a saw and grist mill, for the use of the Wyandots; and to provide and maintain two blacksmiths, one for the use of the Wyandots and Senecas, and one for the In- dians at Hog Creek.
The United States further agreed to pay the sums follow- ing for property, etc., injured during the war of 1812-15: To the Wyandots, $4,319.24; to Indians at Lewis' and Scoutash's towns, $1,227.50; to the Delawares, $3,956.50; to the repre- sentatives of Hembis, $348.50; to the Shawanese, $420, and to the Senecas, an additional sum of $219. It was also agreed to pay the Shawanese, under the treaty of Fort Industry, $2,500. By Article 17, the value of improvements abandoned, was to be paid for.
57
PAST AND PRESENT OF WYANDOT COUNTY
A treaty supplementary to the "Treaty of the Foot of the Rapids of the Miami of the Lake," was concluded at St. Mary's, Ohio, on the 17th day of September, 1818, between Lewis Cass and Duncan McArthur, commissioners of the United States, and the sachems, chiefs, and warriors of the Wyandot, Seneca, Shawanese and Ottawa tribes of Indians. The following are the articles of the supplementary treaty which were of special significance to the Wyandot nation:
Art. 1. It is agreed between the United States and the parties hereunto, that the several tracts of land described in the treaty to which this is supplementary, and agreed thereby to be granted by the United States to the chiefs of the respec- tive tribes, and also the tract described in the twentieth article of the said treaty, shall not be thus granted, but shall be ex- cepted from the cession made by the said tribes to the United States, reserved for the use of said Indians, and held by them in the same manner as Indian reservations have been hereto- fore held. But it is further agreed that the tracts thus re- served shall be preserved for the use of the Indians named in the schedule to the said treaty, and held by them and their heirs forever, unless ceded to the United States.
Art. 2. It is also agreed that there shall be reserved for the use of the Wyandots, in addition to the reservations before made, fifty-five thousand six hundred and eighty acres of land, to be laid off in two tracts, the first to adjoin the south line of the section of six hundred and forty acres of land heretofore reserved for the Wyandot chief, the Cherokee Boy, and to extend south to the north line of the reserve of twelve miles square, at Upper Sandusky, and the other to join the east line of the reserve of twelve miles square, at Upper Sandusky, and to extend east for quantity.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.