USA > Ohio > Picturesque northwestern Ohio and battle grounds of the Maumee Valley, an art and historical work of the worthwest section of the Buckeye State > Part 6
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about him. This suddenly conceived, and as sud- denly executed act of Perry, marked the supreme moment in the great battle. It turned the tide of victory. The lowering of the motto from the Law- rence had, as it were, taken the enemy by surprise; the firing of their ships for the moment ceased. They looked only for the surrender flag to be hoisted. Once on board the Niagara, the motto Hag, "Don't give up the ship," went swiftly up its halyards, and flut- tered in the breeze as defiantly as a few moments before it had waved above the dead and dying on the decks of the Lawrence. Cheer after cheer went up from every Ameriean boat; the breeze seemed to catch the inspiration, and on, now swept the boats, the valiant Perry leading with the Niagara, his new flagship, right in among the British vessels. The battle raged fierce and hot on every ship. "Order elose action !" commanded Perry, and the brave Elliott obeyed. "We're all right now," cried an old battle-scarred tar, as he saw Perry take command of the Niagara. Even the shattered ship Lawrence, al- most deserted, had caught the spirit of victory. Up
PULLING CASING OF AN OIL WELL.
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PICTURESQUE NORTHWESTERN OHIO
BURNING OIL TANK.
to the masthead had Yarnell hoisted the Stars and Stripes-her colors were at the peak. "Don't give up the ship," rang in the ears of the brave Yankee seamen, and they fought with a desper- ate valor, daring and dash that fairly stunned the Red Coats. Their fire was swift, sure and terrible. Vessel after vessel of the British was in turn attacked, riddled. stripped of her masts and sail, and left helpless.
We all recall the words of Dewey as he gave the quiet command to fire at Manila. So Perry, nearly a century before, with like coolness, stand- ing on the forward deck of a mere toy boat com- pared with Dewey's great Olympia, said: "Have you the range there, Judson?" "You may fire." The final encounter was soon over.
"Cease firing," came the order from Perry, as the smoke, clearing away, revealed a British officer coming to the bulwarks of his disabled vessel, waving a white flag-that blessed harbinger of peace.
"Call away a boat." he said, "and put me on board the Law- rence. I will re- ceive the sur- render there."
Wounded men crawled to the ports to greet their victorious commander, and tears filled his eyes as he step- ped upon the deck of his own vessel baptised in the blood of his countrymen. When British officer after offi- cer of the de- feated fleet BURNING OIL TANK, NEAR LIMA came forward to offer his sword, the hero of Erie, in quiet recognition, said: "I re- quiest that you keep your sword. It has been bravely used and worr." When the court was taken after the battle it was found that twenty-two men had been killed and sixty-one wounded on the
"WELL SHOOTERS." Starting Out With Their Nitro-Glycerine Wagons to "Shoot" an Oil Well.
flagship Lawrence; two killed and twenty-five wounded on the Niagara; on the Scorpion two killed, and one on the Arion; three wounded on the Caledonia, Somers and Trippe, making a total loss for the American fleet of twenty-seven killed and ninety-six wounded. Twice had the British officer in command, Commodore Barclay, been wounded, and ren- dered helpless by injury to the only arm he had. The dead sailors of both fleets, each wrapped in a sailor's shroud of a hammock with a round shot at his heels were buried in the waters of Lake Erie. The next day the six dead officers -Midshipmen Henry Laub and John Clark and Lieutenant Brooks of the American fleet, and Captain Finnis, Lieutenant Stokes and Lieutenant Garland of the British fleet-were placed in rudely con- structed coffins and following a solemn procession of boats, row- ing minute strokes to the sound of the solemn dirge of the band, were conveyed to the shore of Put-in Bay Island for burial. The officers and surviving crews of both fleets followed and about the open grave stood the victorious Perry, sup- porting upon his arm the torn and shattered form of the brave Commodore Barclay.
AMONG THE OIL WELLS ON A PRIVATE LEASE.
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BATTLE GROUNDS OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY
OIL TANK FIRE NEAR LIMA
The Battle of Lake Erie marked a turning point in the life of the young and struggling republie. It settled forever its supremacy upon the lakes that separate it from British territory. It did more than that. It opened the way for the vietorious mareh of General Harrison and his army into the enemy's territory to the north, and made possible the settlement of the vast territory of the West and its development into the sisterhood of states that now erown our flag with their cluster of forty-five stars. That battle, though small both in numbers and instruments of warfare, was yet one of the great sea battles of the world-great because fought with a bravery and daring that startled the world-led by a commander who showed himself to be one of the world's heroes, and great because stupendous and far-reaching in its results.
DESCRIPTIVE NOTES.
INDIAN ROCK, or Inscription Roek, is located on Kelley's Island, Lake Erie, in Erie County. The roek is 32 feet greatest length and 21 feet greatest breadth, and 11 feet high above the water in which it sets. The roek is of the same stratification as the island, from which it has been separated by lake aetion. The top presents a smooth and polished surface, and upon this are
AN ELEVATED PIPE LINE, Used to Convey Steam for Power to Each Well From Main Boiler House.
eut the many inseriptions, figures and deviees as seen upon the roek in illustration on page 35. These rude pieture in- seriptions deseribe some thrilling and interesting stories of the oeeupation of that section of Ohio by the Eries-of the coming of the Wyandots-of the final triumph of the Iroquois. Some of the caricatures, as interpreted by Shingvauk, a learned Indian, represent some chief and warrior of distinetion, his pipe that he is smoking after a fast; ornaments of leather, worn by distin- guished warriors and chiefs: feather ornaments; symbols denot- ing a fast of ten days, and that he fasted the whole time, except at sunset : a journey in snow shoes; war elubs; a road or trail, and of serpents who beset his path. It is the best seulptured in- seription known to have been left by the Indians in this State.
THE OLD INDIAN MILL is located in a picturesque spot on the left bank of the Sandusky River, about two and a half miles northwest of Upper Sandusky. The original mill was situated a few rods above the site of the present one, and it was built by John Garrett for the benefit of the Wyandot Indians about the year 1825, and at the special instance of the United States Government. John Garrett was a white man, but his wife was a Wyandot Indian woman. The pioneer settlers availed themselves of the advantage of this grist mill from the very be- ginning, and remote settlements continued to be supplied with flour and meal until after the Wyandots departed, in 1843, for
FILLING A TORPEDO WITH NITRO-GLYCERINE
DRILLERS AND PUMPERS OFF TOWER.
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PICTURESQUE NORTHWESTERN OHIO
SOLAR REFINERY, NEAR LIMA, BUILT IN 1887 BY STANDARD OIL COMPANY.
their far western home in Kansas. The red mill continues to rumble along at its work to the same old tune it hummed while working for the red man seventy years ago. Its original patrons and operatives are all gone to the Great Beyond, and it is hoped
that the old Indian Mill and its companion piece, the old Mission Church, may be preserved and continue to increase with the flight of increasing years.
MISSION ISLAND, MAUMEE RIVER .- The first Presby- terian Mission was established on the bank of the Maumee, ten miles above Ft. Meigs, about 1821 or 1822. The society bought a large tract of land, including what is known as Mission Island, which contains about 300 acres. The first principal of the school established here was Rev. Isaac Van Tassel. This school was maintained under great difficulties, as the white men tried to prevent the Indians from sending their children to school. The Indians received secular education readily, but did not so readily receive religious instruction.
INDIAN ELM, MAUMEE .- This tree is opposite Ft. Meigs, and from its top Indian sharpshooters har- rassed the soldiers in the fort. One obnoxious buck, after hitting several soldiers, and while tantalizing the others and daring them to hit him, was shot by one of the men in the fort and fell headlong to the ground. The tree was not afterwards used as a hiding place for Indian marks- men.
IN THE OHIO OIL FIELDS.
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BATTLE GROUNDS OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY
SOLAR REFINERY AT LIMA. LOADING RACKS IN FOREGROUND.
THE INDIAN JAIL at Upper Sandusky was ereeted by the Wyandot Indians about the time the government established an Indian Ageney. There were two stories in this rude jail. The first story's eeiling was about eight feet high and had one small window in south end. It had two doors, the outer door made of heavy plank batten, and inner door an iron grated one. The outer door was so arranged that it eould be opened so a person eould eon- verse with the prisoners from the outside. Several Indians were eon- fined in this jail for murder. They were given a trial under Indian laws. convieted and shot and their remains are in the Indian grave- vard near the site of the old In- dian jail. Nothing now remains of the old jail.
REV. J. B. FINLEY .- A prom- inent itinerant Methodist minister among the Indians. He labored in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. He wrote an "Account of the Wyandot Mission," "Life Among the Indians," and several other works.
REV. MONOCUE .- He was a man of great eloquenee and of great service to his tribe-the Wyandots-as a local preacher. Rev. J. B. Finley speaks of him as "my faithful Indian friend and brother."
BETWEEN-THE-LOGS .- Born about 1780 of Seneea and Wyandot stoek. He was above medium stature. He fought with the Indians when General Wayne was defeated, and was after- wards made chief of his tribe. Possessing a good memory, he was made chief speaker of the nation. As head chief of the Wyandots,
RESERVOIR AT BUCKEYE PIPE LINE CO.'S STATION, CYGNET.
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PICTURESQUE NORTHWESTERN OHIO
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NEEDLES EYE, GIBRALTER, PUT-IN BAY.
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BATTLE GROUNDS OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY
he refused to fight against the Americans, and, leaving the coun- eil, united himself with the American cause. He went to Canada in company with General Harrison at the time of his invasion. Between-the-Logs was the first convert under Stewart, the eol- ored missionary. He often attended the annual Ohio conference, and frequently made eloquent addresses.
TECUMSEH, "The Meteor," was one of the most heroie characters in Indian history. He was the son of an Indian ehief of the Shawanoes tribe, and born about 1770, in a hut constrneted of round saplings, chinked with sticks and elay, along the Great Miami River, near Piqua, then a pleasant plateau of land, with a field of eorn, not subject to overflow. It is yet to this day, as seen in illustration on another page, a eorn field. Teeumseh was the youngest of triplets, which were very rare among Indians, and the worthy seion of a warrior raee. The period of the Revolution was during his youth, and he spent his boyhood days among the coming and going of many war parties, and the attaeks of the soldiers upon his people's villages. Reared among such surround- ings, hearing the beat of war dums from his earliest infancy, it is no wonder that he imbibed the military spirit and agreed with Thayendanega, "that he liked the music of the harp, and the organ still better, but he liked the fife and drum best of all beeause they made his heart beat quick." At 17 years of age he distinguished himself in an attack npon some boats on the Ohio River. One of the men taken prisoner in this battle was burned. The sight of this burning was abhorent to Teeumseh, and he persuaded the party not to burn any more prisoners. He was prominent in the battles at Ft. Roeovery and at Fallen Tim- bers. He was elected chief of his tribe in 1795. He lived near Piqua till 30 years of age, and then moved to the White River, in Indiana. He aided materially in forming eonspiraeies among the different tribes against the Americans. He was the chief speaker in the eouneil held at Vineennes, Indiana, in which Gen- eral William Henry Harrison represented the Americans. At this eonneil, Tecumseh eontended that he would resist every ees- sion of land, unless made by all the tribes. He said he was op- posed to any further intrusion of the whites upon the Indian lands. The eouneil adjourned in disorder, and each side pre- pared for war. During the War of 1812 he was appointed brigadier-general in the serviee of the English king. He distin- guished himself at the battle of Ft. Meigs. He fell at the battle of the Thames, but the Indians would never reveal how he met his death. Teeumseh's name, unlike that of other aborigines, has been nearly preserved by the interpreters as spoken by the Shawanoes. His name has been variously translated in former times as "Panther-Lying-in-Wait," "Crouching-Lion" and "Shooting-Star." It was the totemie emblem of a Shawnee elan, and the members of this elan, to which Teeumseh, or Teeumtha, belonged, were consequently elassed as the decendants of a round or elaw-footed progenitor. The quiek motion of a "meteor" or "shooting-star" was evidently likened to that of a lion or wild- eat springing upon its prey, and the yellow eolor of both may have made the comparison more effective. All over America the natives supposed these celestial bodies to be the souls of the dead, and as they travel mainly in a westerly direction, they are be- lieved to return to their western abode. In the west lies the Pacific ocean ; therefore, the tribes west of the Rocky Mountains think the souls are returning to that great aquatie world. To all primitive people the home of the deceased lies in the west, for there set the celestial bodies which represent the souls of the de- parted ones. Colonel W. S. Hateh, of Cineinnati, in the war of 1812, gives this deseription of Teeumseh as last seen by him: "The personal appearance of this remarkable Indian was uncommonly fine. His height was about five feet nine inehes, judging him by
his own height, when standing close to him. His face, oval rather than angular; his nose handsome and straight; his mouth, beau- tifully formed like that of Napoleon I, as represented in his por- traits: his eyes clear transparent hazel, with a mild, pleasant ex- pression, when in repose or in conversation; but when excited in his orations, or by the enthusiasm of conflict, or when in anger, they appeared like balls of fire; his teeth, beautifully white, and his complexion more of a light brown or tan than red; his whole tribe, as well as their kindred, the Ottowas, had light eom- plexions; his hands and arms were finely formed; his limbs straight; he always stood very erect, and walked with a brisk, elastie, vigorons step: invariably dressed in Indian-tanned buck- skin ; a perfectly well-fitted hunting frock, descending to the knee, was over his underclothes of the same material; the usual paint and finish of leather fringe about the neck; a belt of the same material, in which were his side arms-an elegant silver-mounted tomahawk, and knife in a strong leather case-short pantaloons, connected with neatly fitting leggings and moccasins, with a mantle of the same material thrown over his left shoulder, used as a blanket in eamp and as a protection in storms." He was an able eloquent orator and a fearless warrior. He was possessed of a silent, stern nature, and of a commanding appearance. He was naturally a diplomat. All things considered, he was one of the greatest men the Indian raee ever prodneed.
WYANDOT MISSION CHURCH .- The first Mission Church among the Wyandots was established at Upper Sandusky, by the Methodists. John Stewart, a mulatto, and a member of the Metl :- odist Church, began preaching to the Indians here about 1816. But the first regular established Mission was organized by Rev. James Finley, who formed a church and established a school about 1824.
ROCHE DE BOEUF .- This rock is located in the Maumte River, a short distance from the present site of Waterville. The legend in connection with this rock, as told by Peter Manor, the Indian seout, is as follows: "While the Ottawa Indians were encamped here, one of their children, while playing on Roche de Boeuf, fell over the precipice into the river and was instantly killed. The dusky husband, on being informed of the fate of his prospective suceessor, at onee sent the mother in search of her papoose, by pushing her over the roeky sides into the shallow waters of the Maumee. Her next of kin, aeeording to Indian law. executed the murdering husband, and was, in turn, executed in the same manner, until the frantic passions were cheeked by the arrival of the priniepal chiefs of the tribe. This outburst eost the tribe nearly two-thirds of its members."
INDIAN CHARACTERISTICS AND CUSTOMS .- Intem- peranee to a great extent prevailed among the Indians: there was however, as wide a contrast in this respect as with the whites, and some of the more virtuous refused to associate with the others. This class also cultivated their little farms with a degree of taste and judgment; some of these eould eook a comfortable meal, and I have eaten both butter and a kind of cheese made by them. Many of them were quite ingenious and natural mechanies, with a considerable knowledge of and an inclination to use tools. One ehief had an assortment of earpenters' tools, which he kept in neat order. IIe made plows, harrows, wagons, bedsteads, tables, bu- reaus, ete. He was frank, liberal and conscientious. On my ask- ing him who taught him the use of tools, he replied. "No one:" then pointing up to the sky, he said, "The Great Spirit taughi me. "
County Sketches.
ALLEN COUNTY COURT HOUSE, LIMA.
ALLEN COUNTY .- Allen, named in honor of Colonel Allen, a hero of the war of 1812, was formed April 1, 1820, and was temporarily attached to Mercer County for judicial purposes. Many of the original settlers eame from Pennsylvania, and a large part of those settling in the southern part were Germans. The western part of the county is flat and has the usual features of the "Black Swamp." The eastern part is gravelly ridges. The area of Allen is about 440 square miles. The first point within the present limits of the county occupied by the whites was at Fort Amanda, erected in 1812 by Colonel Poogue, of Gen- eral Harrison's army. Here boats were built for use on the Mau- mee and the Auglaize, the latter being in early days navigable for good sized boats. Lima, the county seat. was surveyed in 1831 by Captain James W. Riley. The town was named by Hon. Patrick G. Goode, and in Au- gust, 1831, the first public sale of lots was held. Lima became a thriving town, but it was not until 1885 that it received an impetus which has made it the ARE center of one of the greatest oil fields in the world. While boring for gas, oil was struck, and now in Lima and Allen County there are hundreds of pro- ducing wells, and the "Lima field" has cn- larged until it includes adjacent counties as far north as Lucas. The
city is a Standard Oil Company eenter, and the place one of the most import- ant in its world-wide operations. From it is directed the work of drilling and pimping the greasy fluid in Hancock, Wood, Sereca, Wyandot, Hardin, Aug- laize, Mercer, Van Wert, Putnam and additional territory in other counties. From this industry Lima, and the en- tire region, has been enriched beyond all expectations, and this prosperity has been diffused all over Northwestern Ohio, even into regions where oil is not directly produced. The "Black Swamp" has been, in a large measure, redeemed. and instead of a sparsely settled, malaria infected region. an increasing popula- tion lives in the enjoyment of health and plenty. In 1900 the population of Allen County was 49,976: Lima, 21.273; Delphos, 4,517 : Bluffton, 1,783; Spencer- ville, 1,874; Beaver Dam, 477.
HURON COUNTY .- Huron, named from the Huron tribe of Indians, was erected by the act of February 7, 1809, and organized by the act of January 31, 1815. It was attached to Geauga, pend- ing organization. It was mainly eonsti- tuted from the "Firelands" of the Connecticut Western Reserve. The surface of the land is mostly level, some parts being slightly undulating. The soil is mostly sandy, mixed with clay, forming a loam. In the northwest part are some prairies, and in the northern part are the sand ridges, which vary in width from a few rods to more than a mile. The present area of the county is about 450 square miles. The products include the usual variety of Northeastern Ohio. Nor- walk, the county seat, was named from Norwalk, Connecticut. The site of the town was first visited in October, 1815, by Hon. Elisha Whittlesey and Platt Benediet. The next year the town was laid out by Almon Ruggles. In 1818 the place was made the county seat, and the population was 109. Up to 1852, the
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STREET SCENE AT LIMA, ALLEN COUNTY.
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BATTLE GROUNDS OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY
beginning of the era of railroads, Norwalk was an academy town, the seat of the famous Norwalk Academy. Since then the town had developed into a busy growing city along all the lines of progress. The county has also become thickly settled with numerous thriving towns and villages, all of them seeming to prosper. The population of Huron County in 1900 was 32,330; Norwalk, 7,074; Bellevue, 4,110; Green- wich. 849: Chicago Junction, 2,348; Plymouth, 1,154; New London, 1,180; Monroeville, 1.211.
VAN WERT COUNTY .- Van Wert, named in honor of Private Isaac Van Wert, one of the three captors of Major Andre, was formed April 1, 1820. The surface is level and the top soil loam, with the sub-soil blue marl, and very deep, and of such tenaeity that water will not sink through it. Until the land had been drained the crops were very poor, owing to the water standing upon the sub-soil. Captain James Riley was the first white man to settle in Van Wert County, who, in 1821, settled on the St. Mary's River. He also laid out the town of Willshire. Van Wert, the county seat, was laid out in 1837 by James W. Riley, upon the site of an old Indian town, where the warriors left their families while they themselves went on the warpath. Like the other counties of this section of the State, Van Wert was slowly reclaimed from the unbroken wilderness which the first comers found. In addition to the usual privations of pioneer life, the Asiatic cholera came and swept away hundreds of people. At Venedocia, in the southeastern part of the county, is a large settlement of Welsh people who have pros- pered wonderfully. The village contains only 199 inhab- itants, but one religions denomination has erected a church edifice costing $22.000. The entire history of the county has been one of slow, steady and sure development of a remark- ably rich agricultural region. The town of Van Wert is built upon a sand ridge, which extends eastward to Delphos, and further. This ridge is composed of sand and gravel, and VAN WERT COUNTY COURT HOUSE, VAN WERT. slopes to the northward. Westward from Van Wert it extends to near Ft. Wayne. The theory is advanced that this was once the PUTNAM COUNTY .- Putnam, named in honor of General Israel Putnam. the famous Revolutionary hero, was formed in 1820, and was attached to Williams County for judicial purposes shore of Lake Erie, as gravel, smooth round stones and shells all bear evidence of having been deposited on the ridge by water. Van Wert county in 1900 had 30,394 inhabitants: Van Wert, until 1834, when it was fully organized as a separate county. In 6,422: Ohio City, 862; Convoy, 690; Middleport, 604: Will- area it contains about 510 square miles, generally level, and mueh shire, 560.
SHEETS ", AI
of the land originally swampy, but now drained and wonderfully fertile. A large proportion of the population origin- ally came from Eastern Ohio and Pennsylvania, while in Ottawa, Greens- burg, Riley, Jennings and Monterey Townships many thrifty German Catholie farmers have located. In the southwestern part of the county is the site of old Fort Jennings. Two ancient Indian villages were located in this see- tion, near the site of the present town of Ottawa. Kalida, the first county seat, was made the seat of justice in 1834, and was named from a Greek word meaning beautiful. As late as 1846 the county was al- most entirely forest and water. The work of trans- forming these features into one of the most productive and beautiful sections of the State has been largely
MAIN STREET LOOKING EAST FROM JEFFERSON STREET, VAN WERT, VAN WERT COUNTY.
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PICTURESQUE NORTHWESTERN OHIO
THE BLANCHARD RIVER NEAR FINDLAY.
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BATTLE GROUNDS OF THE MAUMEE VALLEY
accomplished within the last 25 years. The construction of the ditches necessary to the drainage of the land and the deter- mining of the apportionment of the cost of such improvements upon the property benefited, has been a task of no small mag- nitude. County commissioners and sur- veyors are still (in 1901) engaged in mak- ing plans and surveys for the construction and repairing of these drains. In 1866 the court house at Kalida was destroyed by fire, and by the vote of the people of the county, the seat of justice was removed to Ottawa, which at once commenced a steady and substantial growth. Glandorf, a German community situated a short dis- tance west of Ottawa, has one of the most magnificent Catholic churches in Western Ohio. Putnam County has for some years furnished the timber for staves, spokes and other wooden products, and scores of mills and factories have been at work cutting up the trees of the immese forests. The Buck- eye Stave Company, with a capital of $1,000,000, has its main offices at Leipsic, in this county. A peculiar kind of clay, CLERE out of which roofing tiles are made, has also been discovered and is being utilized. The population in Putnam County in 1900 was 32,525; Ottawa, 2,322; Glandorf, 749; Continental, 1,104; Leipsic, 1,726; Columbus Grove, 1,935; Kalida, 622.
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