USA > Ohio > Shakers of Ohio; fugitive papers concerning the Shakers of Ohio, with unpublished manuscripts > Part 28
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-21st. The boat pushed off about 3 o. clock - stayed about an hour, and then pushed off again - went through the lower cut-off and got into the Ohio just about sunset - and began to stem the current but the motion was not quite so rapid as it had been comeing down the
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Wabash - However the boat was kept a going all night, and just about daylight on the morning of the
-22. we passed Evansville, And landed at the Yellow Banks about one o. clock - Here we unloaded the property belonging to the South Union company, and left it in the care of Samuel McClelland and Wash- ington Rice - After which the boat pushed on all evening and night without any difficulty
-23d. Pushed on safe and easy all day - and just at six o clock we landed at shippings-port K. Y. and lay too for the night - we soon learned that the boat could not pass over the falls -
-24th. We continued on board of the boat all day - Louis Will- hite and . Tilar Baldwin from Pleasent Hill came on board today and we were very glad to see them
Sabath 25th. The weather is fine and pleasent. The most that is worthy of remark for this day, Is the great number of people from Louisvil and Shippingsport that appeared on the bank. Intencely gazeing at - what they called a new and strange circumstance - viz - The Sabath strictly observed on board of A steem-boat - We however spent the day and night as comfortable as our situation would admit of -
26th. People and property were all unloaded and halled round the falls and those that were bound for Union Village, were shipped on board the steemboat Decatur bound for Cincinnati - And those that were bound for Pleasent Hill were shipped on board of a Keel boat, for Kentucky River, and lashed a longside
The opperation of this day has finished the long service of sepparat- ing this small society into three campanyes - The South Union Devision was finished on the 22nd at the yellow banks - And the Pleasent Hill Devision is finished today - Each property with their property are now on board of their respective boats and the passage from one boat to the other was only a narrow plank, and of course our conimunications were lessened in a great degree - so much so, at any rate the Separation was almost complete - we lay all night in the port of Louisville -
27th. The Engine was early in motion this morning. And the Old Commodore set his face for Cincinnati - the day was pleasent, the wind high and the river very rough - However we sailed well all day - and till about two hours after dark, when we arrived at the mouth of Kentucky river.
The moment of our final parting had now ariven, and the narrow path between the boats prevented the vocal expression of many compli- mentary good wishes for each others well-fare- One of the brethren performed the chief part of the ceremony of biding farewell"-
The Keel-boat was soon unlashed and put to shore for the balence of the night. and the Commodore bore away for Cincinnati -
28th. The poles and oars had now to be substituted for the steem Engine and through much difficulty, hard labour and fatigue we ascended the river very slow - Of which a minute account of every days pro-
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cedure was not kept probably oweing to the sickness that was on board - As all had bad colds and felt more or less unwell and quite unfit for the preasent fatigue- On the 5th of April Wm. Redmon was taken with a severe chill and fever - And after spending two sleepless nights and days on the boat without eating anything -he was taken ashore and left at the house of a friendly man, where he lay all night and part of the next day - when Louis Willhite came to his assistance with a cariage and took him home -The rest of the boat company was still makeing the best of their way up the river - And so it come out that the whole company arived safe at Pleasent Hill on the 9th of April -where they. met with many friends, and every possible attention that their situation required - And after resting and recruiting a few days they were all settled at their respective homes -
And so ended the tedious journey of the Pleasent Hill Company on the 9th of April 1827 -
On the night of the 27th of March the Decatur left the Keel boat at the mouth of Kentucky and went on about four miles and stoped for the night, because of darkness -
28th. The Decatur moved along unmolested until the steem boat Atalanta run afoul of one of his wheelhouses and rather like to have crippled the Old commodore a little, so that he had nearly been some- what lamed on that side - This Circumstance created many unpleasent feelings among the brethren and sisters - And also many hard speaches among the boatmen and sailors for a few -minutes - However it was soon all blown away like steem when the blast was over. - and the Old Commodore moved on with all the majesty and Independence he was master of - when we got to the mouth of the big Miami. Elder Archa- bald and some others landed at Lawrenceburgh. and the boat went on to cincinnati, where we all landed safe. and met our good friends from . Union Village with cariages prepared to convey us to their Hospitable habitation - we remained all night in town -
29th. At eleven o.clock the whole company moved off from Cin- cinnati we proceded as far as Reading and stoped for the night -
30th. Early this morning the wheels were in motion, and we went on well till we arived safe in Union Village - where our friends uniformly bid us welcome - And treated us with all the kindness and respect that heart could wish -
This completes the second tour of moveing from Busro to Union Village - We spent several days in resting and Visiting from house to house - dureing which we were treated with every possible degree of kindness and friendship -. After we had thus, recruited a few days we were conducted to our respective homes for the remaining part of this uncertain Life -
And so Ends, this short Memorandum of Remarkable Events, on the 30th of March, 1827.
South Union, September 17, 1832 - Kentucky.
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Copyed by Samuel S. McClelland, for William N. Redmon of Union Village, Ohio -
NOTE :- William Redmon died at Union Village, Feb. 1, 1876, aged 76.
NOTES BY THE EDITOR.
1. I find no other record of this campmeeting, neither do I know of any instance where the Shakers held a campmeeting. At the time men- tioned John Dunlavy and the major part of his congregation had become Shakers.
2. Elder Solomon King and Benjamin Seth Youngs. The former was born Jan. 22, 1760; arrived at Union Village June 29, 1805, and was second in the Ministry under David Darrow until 1825, when he became acting first; left Union Village in 1835 and died at Mount Lebanon, N. Y. in Aug. 1858. Youngs, one of the original triumvirate that introduced Shakerism in the West, was born Sept. 17, 1774; became first in the Ministry at South Union, Sept. 25, 1811, and so continued until he was ordered to Watervleit, N. Y., in 1835, and died there in 1855.
3. Now Pleasant Hill, Ky.
4. George Legier, born Nov. 1, 1767; joined Shakers in 1805, and died May 5, 1850; farm Deacon at Busro.
5. Of Samuel McClelland but little is known. He probably united at Union Village, and on the final abandonment of West Union, he was transferred to South Union, and there remained until 1839, when he left, married and then removed to Indiana.
6. Archibald Meacham continued first in the Ministry during the existence of the Society. He was born Jan. 12, 1774 and died in May, 1844.
7. Ruth Darrow was a daughter of David Darrow. She was born Nov. 29, 1780; arrived at Union Village May 31, 1806, and died at West Union, Sept. 18, 1814.
8. Saloma Dennis, second in the Ministry, was born Apr. 3, 1783; united with the Believers in 1805, and died Jan. 9, 1853. Her right name was Edith.
9. James Hodge, born June 9, 1781; joined Believers Dec. 6, 1807, and died Mar. 24, 1865.
10. Probably this was the same Robt. Gill who had entertained the missionaries on their early travels, and who then lived near Pleasant Hill, Ky.
11. This would indicate that the Prices, from Eagle Creek, lived together in their new home.
12. Peggy Knox was born Feb. 18, 1789; converted in 1805, and died May 31, 1855.
13. It was in May that Issachar Bates arrived at West Union, in .company with old John Knox, "to help gather the people to Archibald." I have sketched Bates elsewhere in extenso.
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14. The Shakers did not make special efforts to convert negroes,. but occasionally admitted such to membership.
15. Joseph Allen, born Aug. 9, 1772, came to Union Village in 1808,. and returned to Tyringham, Mass., in 1819 second in the Ministry at South Union in 1811.
16. William Davis, born Dec. 13, 1781; converted in 1805, and died Jan. 10, 1846.
17. Patience Naylor born June 18, 1794; converted 1807, and died July 16, 1861.
18-19. I have been favored by A. G. Hollister with a copy of the- following letter from Issacher Bates written to Richard Spiers, and dated at Union Village, Ohio, Dec. 13, 1811. "Beloved Deacon Richard :
As I have a privilege in union with my Elders to send a short narration of sundry things that have taken place in course of my labors. the season past, and feeling confident . that my Elders and brethren in the East will make suitable allowance for my infirmities, I shall care- fully proceed to write. Having spent the winter in Ky. I returned in. March to Turtle Creek. The 23d of April, I sat out for the Wabash. Arrived there the 29th. Found Archibald, James, Ruth and Saloma safely arrived in that country and in health, and enough to do. They received me thankfully, and opened the door for my gift. Surely said I, here is work enough for us all, and this witness was true. There were upwards of 200 professing faith, that were resident at Busero, and about 140- just arrived from Eagle Creek. The latter had neither house nor cabin to move into, nor any land of their own. And, tho' some of them had money to purchase with, there was no Land Office opened, so our first labor was to get them settled to the best advantage, & to raise a crop, which we accomplished through the kindness of the Busero brethren,. so that every family has raised plenty. And tho' there was almost a famine for bread in that part of the world, yet all the Believers had plenty through the summer, and some to sell and give to the world.
"This done, our next move was to prepare for building a mill,. and through much tribulation on our part, all things went on in a measure- of peace & order.
"But as Satan would have it, a rumor of an Indian war soon broke out, and report said Shakers were at the bottom of it. The country was all in an uproar. The Governor issued orders that every company in the . Territory should muster every week, and be in readiness, for the Prophet was determined for war.
"The Believers were warned every week, and threatened by the . whites, that if they would not fight, and the Indians did not kill them, they would. Still a number of the principal men were friendly. This work was kept up all summer, until a worse took place.
"About the middle of June, a number of the Prophets' party came- to get their tools repaired. There were Shawnees, Kickapoos, Wyandots, Patawatomies, but mostly Winnebagoes. They left some of their hoes.
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with other tools, and took the rest to be fixed at Vincennes, for they were much engaged in raising corn. But the Governor refused to allow them. to be fixed, except particular ones, telling them that they were for war,. which they denied. Then the Governor wrote us a letter with this in- junction, 'Not to do any smith work for them, but we might feed them.' We had before informed the Governor that we had no such connection. with them as people judged, and asked his counsel as to how we should. treat them when they came in. He told us to be kind to them and feed them. We wrote to the Governor that we should punctually comply with his orders, and did so. The Indians returned very sorrowful and much grieved at the white people's jealousy, declaring that they had not so much as thought of war. Howbeit, the Governor sent messengers to the Prophet to come immediately down with his chiefs and attend a council, and answer for his conduct.
"Accordingly, about the middle of July, the Indians began to gather- in from the different tribes, and as we were on the outmost bounds of the frontier, they encamped near us, waiting for the tribes to collect,- which occupied about two weeks, when Tecumtha, then Chief, came on. and.led them to Vincennes.
"These were trying times with us. We had use for all the wisdom and patience we possessed. These hungry creatures were about us nearly three weeks, singing and dancing to the Great Spirit. Some of the time there were upwards of 200, all peaceable, showed no abuse to any one - would drink no whiskey, and never to our knowledge took to the value of one cucumber, without leave. Nor could we discover in them the least hostile symptoms,- still declaring their innocence, grieved that the. people would not believe them - saying to the people, 'Look, see our squaws and children. We do not go to war so. We only come here- because the Governor sent for us.' But notwithstanding all this, the people moved into forts, and into town, bag and baggage, all around us.
"Oh how often did my soul cry out within me, Lord God! What can ail this people? Surely the prophesy of Esdras is fulfilled upon? them? 'Wit has hid itself from them, and understanding withdrawn itself into its secret chamber.' ,
"A number of leading men in the Territory were sorely tried with the manner in which things were conducted. The Governor had the light horse, and 3 or 400 footmen together for a week or ten days, to guard the town against this unprepared company of Indians, squaws and children. After all the parade was over, and every voice from the In- dians was peace, and no foundation but jealousy, to build upon for war, the Governor sent them away with a party of men hard at their heels, to keep them from pilfering from the inhabitants. But this was like setting the dog to watch the butter - for they did more mischief in one night, than the Indians had done all summer.
"This is now about the 5th of August,- the matter is settled. War !" War! War! The Governor receives liberty from the President to:
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manage all these things according to his own wisdom. The militia are .drafted, Believers with the rest -an army is raising, tribulation and vexation are our portion day and night.
"On the 19th, Joseph Allen arrived here, and all the brethren that , could be spared off the plantation, turned in with him to build a grist and saw mill on Busero Creek. At this work, I must confess that a little more zeal than wisdom attended me. Travelling nearly every day 7 miles to and from my work, and sometimes in mud and water to my knees, the effect of which will appear hereafter.
"The drafting was kept up, till every Believer on the muster roll was drafted, but the Believers paid no attention to it. At length the fever and ague began to draft, and that had to be attended to.
"Sept. 2. Archibald, James, Ruth and Saloma set out for Turtle Creek, heavy laden with the weight of those things which they left behind.
"But . as the appointment was, they must go now, or not this sea- son. The day after they started, I was taken down with the fever, and went out of my room no more for 13 days. Here the billows went over my head. Here I lay sick, with as much pain as I thought I could bear - And above 40 more of the Believers down sick at the same time - whole families. The attention of the brethren being all taken up at the mill, I felt that they would be neglected, and would murmur that we had brought them into the wilderness to perish. For it was the Eagle. Creek people that were sick - The Governor expected on every day.
"O, my sorrow! my sorrow! I cried, but there were none to help me. And to mingle my bitter with gall; some of the wicked Pottowat- omies came by night and stole our team from the mill ground, four of the best horses that were owned by Believers, that were given up for the work. The brethren were thrown into confusion, and came to me for ยท counsel. Nothing would satisfy them but to follow the thieves. Ac- .cordingly two of the Believers and a world's man set off, which was a great grief to me. They followed them about 90 miles, overtook them, and took the horses from them without meeting resistance. The Indians soon persued, run them about 10 miles, retook the four, and the two they rode on, with the saddles, saddlebags and bridles, and escaped. I11 about six days, Capt. Robbins, who went with them, came in and said he saw an Indian shoot, and saw black Abraham fall, and that was the last he saw of the Brethren. A few hours after, James Bromfield came in and gave the same account of Abraham, the next morning Abraham came in well. By this time the loss of the horses felt very small to_me, seeing the Brethren were alive, and had kept the counsel that was given them, not to fight. This loss, which was about $500, was gain on the . other hand, for it cooled the prejudice of the world, concerning our friendship with the Indians.
"I will just note that this a trick these wicked Pottawatomies have
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carried on two or three years, to follow the Prophet's party and steal,. that it might be fathered on them that did it not. This was about the 16th. I got about so that I could ride and visit the people. But there was so much confusion and sickness, that it was hard work to keep- their spirit up. They had been warned and drafted so many times, they concluded it would take the chief they had to pay their fines.
"The 17th, the army began to come on-one company of light horse, and two companies of riflemen encamped by us. The contractor used our shop in the dooryard for a store house, and made a slaughter yard at the back of it. Here it was, drums and fifes, blood and whisky ! Alas! alas! here they staid, waiting for the troops to come on. They had their washing, baking, some lodging, and all their forage for their . horses, from us, though they paid for it, and behaved with civility toward the Believers. Yet, alas! alas! about the 26th the whole army came, with the Governor, and encamped at the same place. In their army were 500 regular troops from New England, commanded by Col .. Boyd, from Boston.
"Here the kind hand of God, in His Providence, was stretched out a little to help us. These people testified that they were acquainted with the Shakers at the East, and they were a good people. Col. Boyd bore a public testimony in Vincennes and other places, that the Shakers at the East, were the best people on this earth. This blunted the edge of every weapon that was formed against us. He appeared to be as glad to see us, as tho' we were his natural kin.
"There was also Col. Davis from Kentucky, who commanded the troop of horse. He was acquainted with Believers there, and was very friendly. As he was a lawyer, and Joseph Allen was acquainted with him, he went to him for counsel. For at 12 o'clock all the brethren that were on the muster roll, were ordered to join the army.
"We went to the Governor, according to Col. Davis' counsel, and told him what we do, and what we could not. The Governor replied that he knew our faith, and the matter might rest until he returned, and that he would assist us in forming a petition to the Assembly, to be released. This settled, Believers continued their kindness to the army, and the army was very friendly, and much applauded us for our kind- ness. On the 28th, the army marched, and left their sick with us.
"They marched forty miles up the Wabash, to Tarhole, where they built a garrison. We had news and company, every day a plenty, such as it was. On the 30th, Archibald and others returned, and I was thankful, not only that they had come, but that the army had gone before they came, tho' there was confusion enough left behind them to distress us, day and night. We labored our best to dispel the darkness that was left among Believers, but it was deeply rooted. Sickness pre- vailed. Notwithstanding the mill and other business went on tolerably well.
"Joseph Allen staid till the 21st of Oct., and then returned to Ky.
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The 24th, I set out for Turtle Creek; left Archibald, Ruth and Saloma, which were all that were sent for helps, for James was left at Turtle Creek. It felt very hard for me to leave them, altho' it was in union, and we still hoped that the tumult would end without fighting. I arrived at Turtle Creek on the 30th, and being somewhat impaired in body, it was thought best for me to stay awhile and recruit. So Matthew Houston, Calvin Morrell, and Peggy Stewart were sent down to help them."
20. The Valley of the Mississippi from New Madrid, Mo. to the mouth of the Ohio, in one direction, to the St. Francis, in another, was so convulsed as to create new lakes and islands. The shocks were also felt in South Carolina.
21. Several violent shocks were felt in Caraccas, March 26, 1812. The surface undulated like a boiling liquid, and underground there were terrific sounds. In an instant the whole city was a heap of ruins, under which 10,000 of the inhabitants were buried.
22. Rachel Johnson was born May 10, 1779; came to Union Village in 1807, and returned to the East in 1835.
23. Calvin Morrel born Apr. 29, 1765; converted in 1805, and died Sept. 3, 1833. He was a physician.
24. I find that Joseph Lockwood was a very active Shaker; birth unknown; united in 1805; started for Mt. Lebanon June 3, 1809, and early took an interest in West Union.
25. The precipitate flight of the Shakers from Busro is a sad commentary on their wisdom. The leaders had either lost control of the community, or else, what is more likely, shared in the common fears. Living so close to Vincennes, they should have known that city would be protected, and the Busro community was too serviceable to be left in jeopardy. Issachar Bates (MS. Autobiography) says "it was tumult upon tumult, war, war, all the people talking of armies coming among us till the greater part of our people were so filled with fear that they could not rest day nor night; so we held a council and concluded to move out of that place and go among our brethren in the other states where there was not so much danger." Elder Henry C. Blinn (The Manifesto. Jan. 1885) says that "Gov. Harrison very kindly offered to assist the Believers to a residence in Vincennes, and would provide all the tents that they would need, and then guard the place with his soldiers." There must be some mistake here, Gov. Harrison at that time had reached Piqua with the Kentucky troops, and sent a detachment to the relief of Ft. Wayne. He was nowhere in the vicinity of Vincennes at the time named. The attempt of the Indians against Ft. Harrison, on the Wabash, was foiled by Captain Taylor, afterwards President of the United States.
26. The following account of the journey is given by Calvin Morrel, in the MS. Record Book of the Whitewater Community: "Every team, waggon and carriage was put into requisition. What added much to the
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affliction was that many of the people were sick of the fever. and some very sick. Perhaps this number might have amounted to twenty or more. However the sick were taken into wagons and accommodated as well as the case would admit of. The best of the property having been loaded up. And the flocks and herds gathered by the 15th day of Sep- tember, 1812. This suffering company were ready to take their flight & leave their peaceful home, to go they knew not whither. Having left behind them 150 acres of corn, their whole stock of hogs, many of their cattle, and much other valuable property. Also grain in the ground, and stacks of different kinds. About two weeks previous to this move Eldress Rachel Johnston & Calvin had been sent from Union Village on a visit. This was a fortunate circumstance for the sick, as E. Rach- ael's skill in nursing tended greatly to alleviate the suffering part of that body. It is not our intention, neither would it be a pleasing task to describe the tribulation and almost endless perplexities of moving a com- pany of more than 300 Men, Women, and children through mud and mire. and storms of rain, with old wagons, worn out gears and balky horses, upwards of 400 miles. Yet we cannot forbear having been an eye witness of the whole scene. to bestow now and then a passing remark as we jog along through mud and storms. You may consider the camp in motion, with every now and then a wagon stuck in the mud. Some one two or three of the cattle breaking off. And for the first day or two returning home. After that lost in the woods. After a sore travel of five or six days. Safely landed on the Kentucky side, and camped on the lower end of an extensive cane break a little above what is called the Red Bank. In the mean time be it remembered that about 6 of the Brethren tarried on the ground to take care of what was left behind. Among that number was William Davis, who was at time the principal Deacon. Though William saved much, and after all that was done, the loss of this move and waste of property by the army, has been computed at ten thousand dollars. After waiting two or three weeks at the Red Bank, word came on by one of the brethren from the Village to move on as fast as possible, for that place. And the camp was soon in motion being glad to get off from a place where we had been very inhospitably treated by the surrounding inhabitants. Having had several valuable horses stolen and a number of our cattle. Our intended rout was through Kentucky, having in contemplation to pass by our brethren at South Union and Pleasant Hill. From this place our Keel boat passed up the river for Cincinnati. and the teams started for South Union. the roads at this time were very dirty. and frequent rains was constantly increas- ing the mud. and some teams had heavy pulling to get along. We shall only mention an afternoon's travel and fare at night as a specimen of our journey to South Union. The rain began to come down about 3 o'clock at which time we were met by a number of brethren and horses. 8 or 10 were mounted, and set out for the village. Matthew Houston was along, tarried all night. The rain increased till sunset when we
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