USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > The Cincinnati miscellany, or, Antiquities of the West, and pioneer history and general and local statistics, Volume I > Part 14
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Although the question I asked, respecting the etymology of Wood County, has been already answered in the columns of the Western Gen- eral Advertiser, the following communication derives interest from the historical record con- tained in the closing part :
URBANA, O., 30th Oct., 1844. MR. C. CIST :
Dear Sir-Your paper of 23rd Oct., contains an article on the names of Counties in which you say the name of Wood, defies your scrutiny .- Your question whether it can be named after Judge Reuben Wood, is meant, I suppose, to express doubt and possibility.
The County was named after Col. Eleazer D. Wood, a gallant officer of the last war, who was distinguished in the sortie of Fort Meigs, and who fell at the head of his regiment in the sortie from Fort Erie, on the 17th Sept.,"1814. He was also distinguished as the officer who discovered and reported to Gen. Harrison, the fact of the enemy being formed in open order, at the bat- tle of the Thames, which led to the order for Col. Johnson's celebrated charge with his moun-
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The name of the County was doubtless con- ferred by Gen. Harrison, who was a member of the Ohio Senate, in 1820, when the County was created. The "New Purchase," as then called, embracing all the country north of the old In- dian Boundary, was, at the same time divided in- to Counties,as follows :-- Van Wert, Mercer, Put- nam, Allen, Hancock, Hardin, Crawford. Marion, Seneca, Sandusky, Wood, Henry, Paulding, and Williams. It is probable that he suggested most of the names; and I have heard him state that the names of Paulding, Williams, and Van Wert, suggested by him, were objected to for want of euphony, and, I think, for want of dis- tinction in the persons,
Yours respectfully,
J. H. J.
Growth of the City.
In a late number of the Advertiser a calcula- tion was made, predicated on the votes given at the General election on the 8th ult., which point- ed out 70,636 as the population at this time with- in our corporate limits. This estimate seems cor- roborated by the late presidential election also.
As a means of judging the growth of particu- lar districts of our city, the population may be distributed among the wards as follows:
1844.
CENSUS OF 1840.
FIRST WARD, 4963
8869
SECOND
do
8929
5370
THIRD
do 8048
7325
FOURTH
do 7264
6087
FIFTH
do 10863
9341
SIXTH
do 7094
4577
SEVENTH
do 8950
4743
EIGHTH
do 7416
.new ward
NINTH
do 8109
·new ward
70,636
In comparing these tables it must be recollect- ed that since 1840, two new wards, the 8th and 9th have been added. That the first ward now comprehends but a small although compact part of what originally bore that name, that the se- cond is the only ward which has gained any terri- tory : that the third, fourth and sixth wards have each lost a part of their territory since, and that the fifth is reduced one half nearly in its breadth, and the seventh has lost four-fifths of its original limits. With these allowances it will be seen that the principal growth of our city is in the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th wards, in other words, that its increase has been mainly in the northern and western regions of Cincinnati.
City Buildings.
A new style of building fronts-of which there are two specimens on Fourth street, east ot Plum, in the dwelling houses just putting up by S. S. Smith, and S. C. Parkhurst,-is just becoming introduced here. It is a variety of white lime stone or marble from the Dayton | Mr. B. Ezekiel, aged 58.
quarries, and will, I have no doubt, be general- ly employed for this purpose in future.
Our city is not only rapidly increasing its buildings, but is imbibing a purer taste in the display of its buildings, public and private. We are all under obligation to Bishop Purcell, for the introduction of the Dayton limestone, which in the new Cathedral, I believe, he was the first in the city, to make use of for ornamental pur- poses.
Anecdote of Lough, the Sculptorr.
When Mr. Lough, the sculptor, "whom not to know argues yourself unknown," first arrived in London, his purse was an exact antithesis to his mind, for the first was certainly trash, but the lat- ter pregnant with the beauties of his art, which he has since stamped on his creations. He took lodgings in a humble habitation (a shoemaker's we believe,) and there commenced forming the clay which eventually became his "Milo rend- ing the oak." The magnificent work is, as every one doubtless knows, of large dimensions-not quite colossal, but certainly too large to be com- fortable in an attic. The sculptor worked on, and completed it all but the upper portion, which required greater height, How was this to be managed? He would not leave his work incom- plete, but what could be done? The thought at last struck him to break through the roof of the apartment, which, after sundry qualms, he ventured to do. His invariable custom had been to keep the door locked; and now came the aw- ful moment to make known to his landlord the dilapidation which had occured to his property. With fear and trembling the poor sculptor led him to the room, expecting the most summary legal punishment for the injury he had com- mitted. When the shoemaker, however, beheld his work, he was enraptured with its beauty that he said not a word about the injured ceiling, and gave him a pair of razors-all the poor fellow had at that moment to offer-as a meinento that the kindly feelings of a man in so humble a rank of life were thus called forth at the sight of Mr. Lough's first great production. We need hardly add at what value the gift is to this day estimated.
MARRIAGES.
On the 12th inst .. by the Rev. E. W. Sehon, Mr. Wm. C. Whicher and Miss Sarah N. Patterson, of this city.
On the 14th inst., by Elder James Challen, Mr. John Dennhard and Miss Minerva Blair, all of this city.
On the 14th inst., by Rev. Asa Drury, Henry Snow, Esq .. and Miss Catharine L. Lynd, daughter of Rev. Dr. Lynd.
On the 14th inst., by Elder Wm. P. Stratton, Major George Hawpe, of Henry co., Tenn., to Miss Rebecca Wilson, of Mill Creek township, Ohio.
On the 13th inst., by Rev. E. T. Collins, Pius Cham- bers, of this city, and Hannah Chamberlain, of Spring dale.
On the 14th inst. by the Rev. E. S. Southgate, Mr. Thomas Buist, of this city, and Miss Missouri Eliza, daughter of David Downard, L'sq., Campbell co., Ky.
DEATHIS.
On the 17th, ofinflammation of the lungs, ANNA T. CIST, eldest daughter of the Editor of the Advertiser.
In this city, on the 12th inst .; Michael Pugh, formerly of Lancaster, Ohio.
On Tuesday night, at his residence on Longworth st.,
65
CORRESPONEENCE.
CINCINNATI, Nov. 22, 1844.
DEAR SIR :
In the laudable effort you are making to col- lect and perpetuate historical facts, will you suffer me to suggest, that you cannot be too careful in discriminating between statements that are well authenticated, and such as are of doubtful veracity. It has been frequently said, and with some truth, that in the second and third generations of new settlements or colonies, an endless variety of legends are fabricated, with more or less plausibility, which are recited and repeated till they acquire a sufficient amount of confidence to be adopted and recorded as mat- ter of history, although they are unsupported by evidence, and are frequently at variance with known and well authenticated facts.
I have often thoughit that caterers for future historians, have a heavier responsibility on their consciences, than historians themselves, because it is their duty to investigate the truth of all the statements they receive, before they adopt them as true, and give them their sanction; and be- cause the historian, who is neither more nor less than the compiler of facts thus collected, and sanctioned by the chroniclers of the day, is justified in assuming them to be truc, taking it for granted that they have been fully examined, and sufficiently tested by those who have com- mitted them to record. In consequence of the carelessness of those who undertake to collect and preserve detached portions of recent histo- ry, many of the historical works now extant, are so blended with fiction, as, in a great meas- ure, to destroy their value. Statements furnish - ed by those who do not profess, personally, to know their truth, should not be received, or sanctioned, unless they are accompanied with evidence sufficient to attest their authenticity. There is such a propensity in human nature to believe and give currency to fable and fiction, as ought to put the editors of periodical publi- cations on their guard. There is also a great disposition to exaggerate; in proof of which, I refer you to the fact, that stories originally sim- ple, and devoid of interest. after they have been often repeated, assume a character of much importance.
the care and circumspection that can be made use of, much matter, either wholly fabricated, or so materially discolored, and elistorted, as to have but little resemblance to the truth, will find its way into the most carefully managed,and impartial of our periodical/journals.
I have often reflected on this subject, and de- precated the consequences, that are to follow the loose and careless manner in which commu- nications, purporting to be narratives of past events, are received and recorded as authentic, and as such, transmitted to the future historian. He, as a matter of course, receives them as true, having no reason to suspect their verity, or means of testing it, if suspected.
The most effectual way of guarding against this evil, is for every one who is in any manner connected with the press, to make it a rule not to admit anything to the pages of his publica- tion, which has not a reliable voucher for its au- thenticity. The truth is, that our editors are too fearful of wounding the feelings of their con - tributors, and under that influence, sometimes receive and publish communications without a responsible name. The task of distinguishing between fact and fiction, between candid and inflated narrative, is often difficult, and some- times impossible. There are, however, some general principles, which, if observed, will serve to lessen the evil.
When a statement is made of any past occur- rence, in which the narrator had no agency, and of which he was not an eye witness, the source from which he derives his information should be carefully investigated. In like man - ner, if the facts must have taken place anteri- for to the time when he could have had cog- nizance of them; if they occurred before his birth, or during his infancy, the same precau- tion should be taken, and in either case, the ev- idence corroborating the statement, should be preserved with it. The importance of exclud- ing fiction and falsehood from historical works, being so universally admitted, it is surprising that there should be so much apathy, and such a want of vigilance on the part of those who are professedly collectors of historical materials. History isread not only to ascertain what has been but to know the results of what has been. It is read to learn the wisdom acquired by other men -to be taught what may be expected to follow any given state of things, by knowing what the same state of things has herctofore produced. We read it to learn and profit by the experience of past ages; we proceed on the principle, that like causes produce like effects-that what has been may be-and we often shape our course by the teachings of history, because we believe ex- perience to be a safe guide in all matters to
Memory is also, more or less treacherous and deceptive; always liable to lose the distinctness of original impressions, and in its recollections, to mingle mere legendary tales with authentic facts. There is also on the minds of most men, a desire, springing from a laudable disposition, to give the best coloring to incidents that affect themselves, or their friends. This often prompts them, innocently, to exaggerate, and sometimes purposely to misstate the truth. In short, there are so many avenues to misrepresentation, and so many temptations to falsify, that with all | which it applies. The study of history is not
66
intended for amusement merely, but to enable [ ken prisoner. It is also matter of surprise, that us, by knowing what has been the course of those who have lived before us, and what were its results. to avail ourselves of their experience without the risque of their experiments.
History has been denominated philosophy, teaching by example, and the study of it, the acquisition of wisdom derived from the experi- ence of preceding ages; but if it be mingled with fiction and falsehood, it ceases to be a reli- able guide, for this plain reason, that we do not sce the true causes of effects, in consequence of error in the establishment of facts alledged to have produced them.
These thoughts have occurred to my mind, and I am induced to present them to your con- sideration, by the circumstance of having lately read two historical sketches, one of which was published in Kentucky more than twenty years ago, and the other, very recently, in your paper. The first is entitled a narrative of the remark- able adventures of Jackson Johonnet, and is full of astonishing feats, performed by the hero of the tale. It sets fortli, that he was born at Casco Bay, that his parents were poor ; that he left them on the first day of May, 1791, being then seventeen years of age; that he proceeded to Boston, where he met with a recruiting offi- cer, and that having listened to his conversa- tions on the pleasures of a military life, the chances for promotion in the army, and the grand prospect of making great fortunes in the Western country, he was induced to enlist. It further informs us that in the beginning of July he left Boston to join the western army ; that on his arrival at Fort Washington, he was or- dered to Capt. Phelon's company, and that in a few days thereafter he set out on the expedition under Gen. Harmar. It tells us also, that on the fourth of August, he was taken prisoner on the Wabash river, and carried to the Upper Miami villages; that the Indians informed him of the destruction of Gen. Harmar's army, and exhibi- ted scalps taken on that occasion; that having endured distress and suffering indescribable, he made his escape on the thirteenth of August, that on the eighteenth he fell in with a scouting par- ty from Fort Jefferson, and that having perform- ed feats sufficient to immortalize his name, he joined the expedition under Gen. Harmar.
Without pursuing the narrative further, let me advert to the surprising fact, that at the early period to which he refers, when the country was almost entirely destitute of improvements to facilitate travelling, troops could march on foot from Boston to Cincinnati, and having re- freshed at that place, procced to the Wabash river through an Indian wilderness, between the beginning of July, when he marched from Bos- ton, and the fourth of August, when he was ta- | grsdc.
on the fifth of August he saw scalps taken by the Indians at the destruction of he army of General Harmar, and that in the succeeding month he marched under him, on his expedi- tion against the Miami villages, situated at, and near the junction of the St. Mary's and the St. Joseph's Rivers, where Fort Wayne was after- wards erected. You recollect that Col. Harmar received his commission in 1789 -- that he marched from Fort Washington against the Miami villages in September, 1790-that after sustaining what, I think, is improperly called a defeat, he returned to Fort Washington in Octo- ber, by slow and easy marches; and that, carly in the spring of 1791, he retired from the army and General St. Clair was appointed Command- der in Chief. This was about three months be- fore Mr. Johonnet enlisted for the avowed pur- pose of going on the expedition, under General Harmar, and six months after that expedition terminated.
I will now make a remark or two on the ar- ticle which appeared in your paper of the 16th inst, entitled "Biography of Colonel John Arm- strong," with whom I had a long personal ac- quaintance, and of whom I can say that he sustained the character of a brave officer; but it is matter of regret that the writer of the article has not given a more full and connected account of his military services, by which a better esti- mate might have been made of their merit, and of their service to the country. Had he pursued that course, much additional interest would have been given to the narrative. We should, in that case, have known when, where, and on what occasions those feats of bravery he relates were performed, and might have seen their in- fluence on the military operations of the army, and what other portion of the troops were en- gaged in them.
No person will be disposed to question the substantial truth of the narrative, yet every one would have been better able to estimate the ini- portance of the facts stated, if they had been given more specifically, and in a more connec- ted form.
The article contains some errors which the writer will readily see, and promptly correct, as they are no doubt inadvertent. In the first place, it is impossible that the Colonel could have been born in 1775, and enlisted as a sol- dier in 1777-nor could he have been recruiting troops, in Philadelphia, in the spring of 1791, with a view 10 the approaching campaign, under Col. Harmar, for the manifest reason, that that campaign took place in the fall of 1790. I know that he was in Harmar's expedition. Hc was then a Lieutenant in the army, and had the command appertaining to an officer of that
67
The narrator tells us that "he enlisted as a private soldier and that from the eleventh of September, 1777," (which seems to have been the period of his enlistment,) "to the end of the war, he served as a commissioned officer in va- rious ranks."
This, to say the least, is a statement too vague. The writer should have told us, what commissions he held and when they were gran- ted. This might have been done with a little trouble, as all such appointments are matters of record. I am aware that at the close of the revolutionary war, he was permitted to remain in service, but I have no document on hand, from which I can now ascertain the rank he then held. In September, 1789, about six years after the close of the war of the revolution, hav- ing continued uninterruptedly in service he re- ceived the appointment of a Lieutenant, on the nomination of President Washington, which ap- pointment was confirmed by the Senate in June 1790; three months before Gen. Harmar march- ed on his expedition.
He continued to hold the rank of a Lieutenant till March, 1791, when he was promoted to a Captaincy. In that capacity he served till 1793, when he resigned and left the army.
Soon after his resignation he received the commission of a Colonel in the militia of the ter- ritory, which he held in 1796, when my ac- quaintance with him began. For some years thereafter, I belonged to his regiment,having the honor of being a private in Captain Cutter's com- pany, in which I mustered regularly, without promotion, for about twenty years.
If an apology be due for having introduced my own name on this occasion, it may be found in the fact that the incidents spoken of relate to primitive times, when a private militia-man was considered of some importance to the settlement.
Very respectfully, yours,
J. BURNET.
MR. CHARLES CIST.
Relics of the Past.
Capt. John Armstrong to Geu. James Wil- kinson. FORT HAMILTON, Nov. 15th, 1792.
DEAR GENERAL :
rooms; the doors are hung, just finished, floor laid, and partition up, so that you can lodge therein. The building for the reception of for- age is also up, ; and on Monday we shall raise the rafters, but plank will still be wanting. The Magazine is finished excepting the hanging of the doors, and under-pining. Nothing further has been done to the Stables. The meadow is cut and the hay in stack. Major Smith has no doubt mentioned the circumstance of a boy be- ing fired on and chased at his post ; also an al- tempt to carry off the cattle by removing the pickets. Capt. Barbee will no doubt inform you of the rencounter between one of his men and a savage -- the villains are doubtless watching the road, it will therefore be very unsafe for Major Story's express to keep it any part of the way ; if they do it should be in the night time.
I have thought proper sir, to detain at this Port, four of the Columbia militia, whose terms have not expired, to serve as spies to apprize us of the approach of our enemy-who being dis- appointed in their favorite object, [ stealing hor- ses] would embrace a secondary one, that of ta- king scalps, The number of small parties en- ployed daily in the woods will, I hope justify the measure.
First Ward -- Cincinnati.
I have just completed the enumeration of build- ings in this ward, and find that there are within its bounds 15 public buildings and 720 dwell- ings, shops, store houses, mills and offices-total 735. Of these 551 are built of brick, and 184 are frames.
Of these public buildings, there are one Fire Engine house, an Observatory-one Bank,-the Commercial-a Theatre-the Seminarv of "Soe- urs de notre dame"-the Post Office, and nine Churches, to wit: Christ Church on Fourth st.,-Wesleyan Chapel on Fifth-Welsh church on Harrison -- Disciples' church on Sycamore- Fourth Presbyterian church on High st .- Welsh church on Lawrence st .- Jews Synagogue on Broadway -- Bethel and True Wesleyan, African churches.
Of these buildings there were at the close of the year 1842,
Stone 1 Bricks 463 Frames 163 Total 627
Built in 1843, 0
=
4
26
do 1844, 1
71
10
46 82
177 735
It will be seen that the number of buildings in the First ward for 1844 surpasses that of 1843 more than 3 to 1. I suppose that to be a propor- tion of this year over the last which few other wards can maintain.
Your letter of the 12th inst come duly to hand. From the unfinished state of the Total 556 building you have ordered to be erected, we could not possibly spare a second team from the Port, and the one sent in was of little worth- every exertion is used to complete the building as soon as possible ; but unfortunately for us, we have lost two days this week in consequence of The first ward embraces a territory heretofore densely built in such of its parts as were at all built on, which accounta for the last year's build- the wet weather. Our mason is aick, and one other of the sawyera, ao that both sawa are idle; the celler unfinished, as also the plastering your | ing extending to no more than 26 houses; and
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it is principally by building east of the Canal, and a few scattered open spots in the ward that the additions this year have been made.
The buildings of each year improve on their immediate predecessors, as a general rule, in value, beauty, and convenience. Among those of 1844, a fine block put up by A. Irwin, the man- sion house of E. S. Haines, a block at the cor- ner of Pike and Symmes, and varions single buildings are observable for their fine appear- ance.
Baum street, on a range with Lock street, and in its rear, a new street, has been opened during the present year, and is filling rapidly with build- ings; and High street, which for years seemed to have no connection between its eastern and western point, is grading down at a rate which before many months will throw into occupancy a section of the city valuable, because contigu- ous to its canal and ship-yard business opera- tions.
The Observatory is progressing rapidly to its completion, and promises to become an object of distinguished noticc and interest to strangers, especially travelers on the Ohio.
Twenty years ago I stood on part of the present Observatory premises, surveying the City, then a place of two thousand houses, and fifteen thou- sand inhabitants, hardly one-fifth of its present population and buildings. As I had never been on it since till yesterday, it may easily be con- ceived, what a change and a progress the scene which lay before my view presented .- Twenty years hence the city will doubtless ex- hibit from that point, the view of a dense mass and wide extent of buildings. through which the eye will seek in vain for objects so distinct as to locate any particular spot -- our Court House and church steeples only excepted.
Relief for the Destitute.
A society has been lately formed and is get- ting into operation under the most favorable aus- pices, whose object it is to provide employment for the poor during the winter season. It pro- poseo,
1. To procure a wood yard ,
2. To provide wood, which shall be sawed and split at the yard, by those who cannot ob- tain other employment.
3. The labor to be paid for at a less rate per cord than the regular prices in the street.
4. The wood to be sold at an uniform price through the year.
5. Purchasers may be supplied with any a- mount, not less than the value of ten cents.
6. The refuse wood or that which cannot be split, to be given to the poor.
The following advantages are expected to re. sult :
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