The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 24

Author: W. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1880
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051

USA > Ohio > Miami County > The History of Miami County, Ohio > Part 24

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).

It appears that the District of Newberry, in South Carolina, furnished numer- ous emigrants for this county during the years 1801 to 1805. Georgia and Ten- nessee also furnished many, most of whom belonged to the denomination of Friends, and left their native country on account of their extreme aversion to the institu-

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tion of slavery, and a remarkable prophecy delivered by one of their venerated religious leaders. In the year 1801, Henry Fouts came to this county and settled while yet a young man, in Section 33, Union Township, and during the same year Leonard Eller settled in Section 35, both from the State of North Carolina. These, with their families, seemed to be the first settlers of that locality. Coming at the same time, it appears a little remarkable that one should settle on the west and the other on the east side of the river. It attests, however, the fearless spirit that reigned in those men, who did not even seek mutual protection from the dangers that so closely environed them. It appears that Fouts manifested the better judg- ment in his selection, for, in addition to its richer soil and superior location, a fine, ever-living spring ran through his lands, of sufficient size and fall to propel all kinds of machinery, and with these accessories his lands were greatly superior to Eller's.

Henry Fouts was a very quiet, unassuming man, splendid physical development, industrious habits, energetic and persevering, and every way adapted to the hard- ships and labor attending the clearing out and building up a home in the forest. Generous and liberal in his nature, he supported the feeble efforts of his neighbors, to provide the means of educating their children. Of five daughters and one son, whom, during his lifetime, he sent to school at the old West Branch Schoolhouse, but two, viz., Mary Wheelock and Rebecca Vore, are now living, both residing on the land given them by their father. Though not strictly a member of any church, Mr. Fouts was a Quaker in faith, and attended their church.

It may be said, in truth, of Henry Fouts, that the sound of his ax was the first to break the silence of the forest west of the Stillwater. By him was built the' first house, by him was cleared the first land, the first seeds sown west of the river. Though he came there young, he did not live to see a turnpike passing through his lands, much less a railroad. He died in the prime of manhood in 1822, leaving behind him an unincumbered patrimony, a portion of which, if not all, is still held by his descendants. His remains lie in West Branch Burying-ground. Leonard Eller came at about the same time, and from the same State as Mr. Fouts. He was & much older man, and possessed more means. the greater portion of which he invested in lands. His five sons settled near him, and, being robust and industrious, they soon made a visible mark in the forest. In the year 1802, John Waggoner, from North Carolina, after having wintered in Waynesville, in what subsequently became Warren County, came to this county, and located in Section 33, in Union Township, about February or March. Owing to the inclemency of departing win- ter, his sufferings were more than ordinary, yet it was necessary to begin his clear- ing early, so as to put in his spring crop. Waggoner was about twenty-seven years old when he came here, and had a wife and two step-sons, Martin and Noah Dav- enport, both too young to render him any aid. Of his own in after life he had five children, all of whom raised large families. Jacob, the only son of John Waggoner, was remarkable for his superior ingenuity and judgment, being one of the best mechanics of his day, and so much the superior of his father that the old gentle- man yielded him precedence on every occasion.

In the summer of 1802, the little settlement received valuable accessions in the persons of John Hoover, Caleb Mendenhall and Joseph Mendenhall, also from North Carolina. These with their families, clustered around the little nucleus already formed, adding to its strength and social comfort, as well as facili- tating labor. Section 33 had been purchased by a speculator, and thus was sold in small quantities to settlers who did not have the means to buy in the large quantities offered by the Government. Of the four last-named families who came in 1802, John Hoover's was the oldest, and, being possessed with some means, he gave land to all of his sons, of whom there were seven, and three daughters. Though his sons were all practical farmers, they followed other occupations. Henry, the oldest, was a surveyor, and also a magistrate for many years. Abraham ran a saw-mill, and Joseph, the youngest, was a school teacher. They were all born members of the society of Friends, and intelligent thinking men. Of his ten B

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children, not one is now living but whose posterity extends to the fourth generation.

The old gentleman was very economical, and his wife, Sarah, being a woman of great piety, industrious, and an excellent manager, through the combined efforts of each, they succeeded in treasuring up a very handsome competency for their children. He having died nearly forty years ago, his lands are now mostly in the hands of strangers, who plow and reap, little caring for the privations and toil required to wrest the now beautiful fields from the dense forests of 1802.

CALEB MENDENHALL

settled with his family just north of Waggoner a few months later in the same year. The first night of his arrival was passed in preparing for the comfort of his little family of six children. On the morrow, he awoke and found himself the happy father of a seventh. This little forest maid was named Tamar, the significance of which-palm-tree-was in harmony with the surroundings during her advent into the world. She is now living in Montgomery County, the mother of eight children. Caleb was industrious, economical and, withal, a man of taste and refinement, and to him the credit is due of building the second brick house in Union Township, and among the first in the county. Though possessed of but a limited education, he took a deep interest in, and encouraged, all literary and educational interests. By his wife, Susannah, he had eleven children, all of whom lived to be married, but now only two are living. A rather remarkable feature of this family was, that all the eleven children were born within a period of nineteen years, and the oldest was married shortly before the birth of the youngest, while the remaining ten lived with their parents till 1819. Living adjoining the old West Branch Friends' Church, his house was a favorite resort during their quarterly meetings. When the division in the Church, caused by Elias Hicks, took place in 1828, Caleb took up with the Hicksites, but his wife remained. This severed his connection with the church at West Branch. Subsequently he sold his farm and removed to Indiana, where, about 1850, he died. In the early settlement a project was set on foot to obtain a public library. Caleb was one of five who readily responded, the others being Frederick Yount, Elisha Jones, David Mote, and John Abbott. The price per share agreed upon was three dollars, which, aggregating only fifteen dollars, was considered too little, and solicitors were sent to the nearest neighbors to increase the stock. One man went to Joseph Mendenhall, but failed to get his support, informing Caleb that he believed he would have subscribed had he not been such a mummy. Upon this, Caleb asked him if he knew what a mummy was; this was a poser, and Caleb chuckled over his superior scientific attainments. He had, perhaps, the largest orchard in the whole county ; the trees in course of time interlocking each other, and protecting each other from frosts ; he would have an abundant yield when others failed, often amounting to three or four thousand bushels.

Only two of his grand-children are living in this county, the oldest and young- est; the one sixty-five, the other five, a disparity in cousins most remarkable.

Joseph Mendenhall, who married Caleb's wife's sister, settled immediately north of him, in Section 28, but also owned land in Section 32. That portion on which he resided, had two excellent springs, but the greater part is so boggy that it has been used for nothing but pasture for seventy-five years. Though these brothers came from North Carolina here, they were born in Georgia. About the close of the American Revolution, the Creek Indians made an inroad into their country, killed their mother, and took Joseph prisoner ; being a robust boy, they saved his life, and made a young warrior out of him. Adopted into a family, he became one of their nation, until the treaty of peace, when he was restored to his father. In this county he built one of the first tan-yards, which he managed successfully for many years. Nine children called him father, whom he educated, and lived to see fathers and mothers. After amassing quite a fortune, he died on his old Ohio farm at a good old age, in 1850, leaving a widow, who survived him many years. Thus were two families of twenty children, whose fathers were brothers,

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whose mothers were sisters, reared in sight of each other, going to the same school, attending the same church, growing up in the same atmosphere, governed by the same surroundings, but going out into life in widely diverging paths, and lying down in their final sleep in lands far remote from each other. Thus do cir- cumstances and peculiarities of individual character mold and direct our path- way through life.

In the year 1803, the number of immigrants augmented the settlements already formed, the forests gave way more rapidly to cultivated fields, and comfort and prosperity smiled on the adventurous spirits who courted their favors. Among the settlers in this county during 1803, we may mention Stephen Dye, son of Andrew Dye, who settled on the farm now known as the Bates farm. Mr. Dye was a prominent citizen of this county ; was her first Sheriff, serving eight years. In 1793, he enlisted under Gen. Scott, of Kentucky, and served in the expedition to Zanestown, on Mad River, against the hostile Indians in that vicinity.

Andrew Dye, father of Stephen, was also one of Miami's most prominent men. As has been before mentioned, his posterity was almost a fulfillment of the promise of God to Abraham. At or near this time Samuel Freeman purchased the prairie since known as Freeman's Prairie. Reuben Shackelford, William Barbee, Robert Mackey, and a Dutch family on the Statler farm, with a few squatters around Piqua, came to the county about this time, or possibly a little later. Little settlements were springing up, dotting the county all over with life. Along the water courses the chief attraction resided, and consequently, these localities were more thickly settled than other places. Stillwater possessed peculiar attractions from the beautiful scenery, and great water facilities, arising in great part from the numerous magnificent springs, rising in the country beyond, uniting their waters, and pouring in a pure and pellucid channel over rocky precipices into the river, supplying at once the thirst of man and beast, and turning all kinds of machinery for the gratification of his appetite, and amelioration of his privations. During this year, John Mast and his son-in-law, Frederick Yount, came from North Carolina to this county for the purpose of erecting a mill. Yount was sent over the county to select, or purchase a suitable location, who, after traveling up and down Still- water for some time, finally made a selection ; but, while examining more closely the cardinal points of his location, he was startled by observing the letters "R. F." deeply cut on a tree. This to him was the "Mene, mene tekel," divining that R. F. had also chosen this land, and his only alternative was now for Ahimaaz to outstrip Cushi. Immediately starting on horseback for Cincinnati, and by unceasing travel day and night, he reached the land office, made his purchase, and on coming out met his rival on the steps. While traveling through the woods at night near Frank- lin, his hat was brushed off by a limb, and, not finding it readily, he rushed on, and in the morning, while passing a wayside tavern, beheld two plain-looking men just coming to attend to their horses ; believing in hs ifear that one of them was R. F., with incentives more than Tam O'Shanter's Cutty Sark, he put his horse to his mettle, and never stopped till he reached Cincinnati. The letters R. F. were the initials of Robert Furnas, a squatter from South Carolina, whose extreme precaution caused the loss of his selection.

After having secured the land, which was purchased in his name, John Mast proceeded immediately to erect a mill, being one of the first in the county. The four daughters of John Mast married respectively, Frederick Yount, Jesse Friend, Jacob Curtis and David M. Jones. Mr. Mast's wife dying in 1813, he never mar- ried again, but resided near his mill with some orphaned grandchildren, until his death in 1832, at the advanced age of seventy-nine. He was low in stature, and somewhat taciturn.

William Barbee came from Kentucky and settled in Concord Township in 1804. He was one of the most noted men in this county ; genial, whole-souled, and hospitable, he endeared himself to all whose fortune it was to be associated with him. He was the idol and sunshine of his own household. While he was

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kind, he was at the same time firm in character, and inflexible in purpose. He was an inveterate talker, and relished a joke, and was never happier than when sur- rounded by congenial spirits. Sometimes he would so far forget himself as to cause serious concern of his friends for his safety ; for when

"The Souter tould his queerest stories ; The landlord's laugh was ready chorus; The storm without might rain and rustle, BARBEE did na mind the storm a whistle."

I shall give an anecdote in the words of Mr. Tullis, throwing in a little of Tam O'Shanter by way of illustration :

" If the Judge had any foible in his character, it was possibly, he was a little too much inclined to good company. He hardly knew how to tear himself away when surrounded by kindred spirits. As an illustration of that fact, he came into the house about the middle of the forenoon one day, and told Mrs. Barbee she need not hurry up dinner, as he had to ride over to Lexington, and would not be back for early dinner. Dinner was kept till a late hour, but Mr. Barbee did not come ; he was not there at supper; breakfast over, and the second dinner on the table, but the husband and father mysteriously absent. Late in the afternoon Mrs. Barbee could stand it no longer ; she 'knew that he had been thrown by the young horse, and killed.' She little knew that he had met 'his ancient, trusty, drouthy crony-whom Tam lo'ed like a vera brither.' She started on the road toward Lexington, expecting to meet messengers bearing his corpse, when lo ! she met her darling husband so full of laughter that he shook in his boots. Mrs. Barbee was in a different mood. There she stood,

' Gathering her brows like gathering storm, Nursing her wrath to keep it warm.'

She turned a wrathful battery upon him with a will. 'You thought I was killed, did you,' said he. 'Yes, I knew the colt had thrown you, and broke your neck,' said she. 'And you are very mad because he did not do it,' retorted Mr. Barbee. The occasion of delay was, when Mr Barbee got to town he met Mr. Breckenbridge, and fell into a discussion on the slavery question. Mr. Breckenbridge was pro- slavery, and Mr. Barbee was an ultra Abolitionist. The discussion grew so warm that they did not note the flight of time."

Mr. Barbee was a philosopher ; not a book philosopher, but a mental philos- opher. If there were any works on natural philosophy published at that early day, they had not reached the far West. He could prove without the use of books to the astonishment of us boys, that if a mosquito were to light on the mantle-piece, it would bend it. It was hard to make us understand when we would burn our- selves, that there is no heat in fire. His conversation was always edifying. It was no trouble for him to prove that persons always did what they supposed would most promote their happiness. When there was no preacher present, he often "talked in meeting." He often amplified at great length the proposition that one always acts according to one's faith. Another subject that he delighted to elab- orate was, that every one had just as much religion as he desired to have. In discussing these subjects, the young people sometimes thought his exhortations prolix.

On the 16th day of August, 1812, Gen. Hull surrendered the American army In Detroit, to Gen. Proctor and his Indian allies, thus exposing the whole north- western frontier to the ravages of Indian warfare ; for Great Britain, unmindful of the scorn she had incurred by employing these ruthless dogs of war, during the Revolution, did not hesitate again to let them loose upon our now defenseless frontiers.

Troops were immediately raised for the protection of the exposed territory, and the command given to Gen. Harrison, who arrived at Cincinnati on the 28th of August, and took up his line of march for Ft. Recovery, the prospective field of operations. We have the record, that, " on the 3d of September, the army arrived at Piqua, a small village on the west bank of the Miami."

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The investment of Ft. Wayne, by the Indians, had caused serious apprehen- sions for the safety of the whole surrounding country. A company of old men was formed in this county, for the protection of the settlements, who rendezvoused at Piqua, for the purpose of organizing and determining upon a plan of operations. William Barbee was elected Captain, and it was determined to march to Ft. Recovery. On the afternoon of their departure, when all were in readiness to move, the captain was nowhere to be found. Surprise and wonder, intermingled with murmurings at his absence at so important a moment, took possession of the little band. Search was made, and still he could not be found. After much delay, however, it was ascertained that he was closeted with Gen. Harrison. The company, somewhat chagrined at this disclosure, chose a Lieutenant as their commander, and marched to Recovery, where they remained under arms till the siege of Ft. Wayne was raised. Gen. Harrison remained at Piqua until the 6th of September. While there, Capt. Barbee obtained a position in the Commissary Department, with his headquarters at Piqua, which he retained until his last sick- ness, when he was removed to his home, where, after a brief illness, he died.

Mr. Barbee was one of the first Associate Judges of this county, having been elected in 1807, at its organization. We place these brief reminiscences at this date, though they carry us forward to the year 1812. We shall be obliged to. touch upon them again in treating of the war of 1812.

William Fischer, or Fincher, settled on Section 27, east of Stillwater, between 1803 and 1804, cleared off and opened up a farm, then removed to another State. In 1804, Georgia contributed largely to the settlers of this county. David Mote, accompanied by his five sons, Jonathan, William, John, Jeremiah and Jesse-all except William bringing families-settled in Sections 20 and 32. During this year, additional settlements were made in Lost Creek by Willis Northcut, following in the footsteps of M. Battrel, who came in 1802. In Bethel also settlements were made. Many persons came to the county during this period, whose names it is impossible for us to obtain. With the advent of every family, the social, commercial, and monetary condition was very materially improved, and a step toward the ease and comfort of those to follow was gained, which of course, caused the rapid increase of immigrants. The condition of the country was changing, the savage wildness of the pristine forest was fast giving place to cultivated fields, and altogether the country was assuming day by day a more inviting aspect. With the advent of 1805 immigration seemed to roll in withincreased vigor. We shall initiate by a lit- tle sketch of John T. Tullis, an old and worthy pioneer of this county, who came in 1805, and through the kindness of whose daughter Mary, we are enabled to glean many interesting historical facts from his pen, as well as that of Dr. Asa Coleman. He says: "In the spring of 1805, when our family came to Miami, father, mother and sister stopped at Col. Patterson's, and the wagon, stock and boys came on to a hut in a bushy prairie, half a mile west of Dayton, where we spent the night. In the morning, all the family having arrived, we pushed on. Three miles from Dayton we found a family by the name of Houzer. The next settlement was Samuel Mor- rison, near Honey Creek. We found the creek a little miry, but finally got through all right. The next break in the forest was Stephen Dye's improvement, Bates , farm ; from thence we moved on through a dense forest to Staunton ; passing on, we next arrived at Joseph Coe's, where we stopped for the night, and in the morn- ing crossed the river and 'put for the settlement,' which we found to be a cabin ten feet square and six feet high, covered with real clapboards. A Mr. Shackel- ford was living in our house when we arrived, but moved into a camp which he had built about eighty rods distant. And now we found ourselves at home, but some of the fixtures were missing. We had no stable into which we could put our horses, and the calf pasture was not fenced; but we could prevent their following the dam, by the use of ropes which we brought for that purpose. We had no alter- native but to trust to the honesty of horses and cattle ; but alas, our confidence was shamefully abused, for in a few days horses and cows, like Saul's asses, 'were

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nowhere.' Firewood was plenty, and what, in our circumstances was better, it was very cheap." On the west side of the river the population was very scarce. Ten miles from Dayton, and the same from Troy, stood the solitary cabin of Samuel Freeman. On the north was Reuben Shackelford's camp, and near this, William Barbee's cabin ; still further north one mile was the clearing of Robert Mackey. On the Satler farm were the old folks, and a family of healthy Dutch boys ; and a few squatters in Piqua. One cold day in 1805, Mr. Tullis says he and his brother Joel had been sent to Henry Gerard's mill, on Spring creek, and on returning had to cross the river angling down stream. The ice floating down against the horse from behind, caused him to plunge, and throw Joel off into the river. He wore a great-coat which flew over his head, and, becoming saturated with water, was so heavy he could not rise to his feet. While he was in this condition, and his horse floundering by his side, Mrs. Hamlet happened to go to the door, and, seeing his precarious situation, called to her husband who was in the house. He ran to the river, and, observing the corner of Joel's coat, plunged in and rescued him from a watery grave, just as he had relinquished all hope, and made up his mind to die, and was going down the last time.

In this year, 1805, Mr. Youst, Mr. Peck, Mr. Thomas, and Mr. McJimpsey, settled near each other just below town, and Mr. Gahagan located on what was subsequently called Gahagan's Prairie. At the toll-gate below town Mr. Orbison began a clearing. These immigrants were all men of small capital, and had sold their farms in the Fast and come West to buy cheap lands for their children. In the spring of 1805, the tide of immigration flowed unremittingly into this county. The Miami Valley seemed to be the Mecca of their desires. Preachers and exhort- ers led the van ; among the former, Armstrong Brandon, who is described as being a dashing young clergyman, endowed with force and energy of character. Of the latter class, we may mention Thomas B. Kyle, and a younger brother, Samuel, both licentiates. So that, in an ethical direction, the little settlement had superior advantages. To these were added at the season of germination many noble plants, such as Mathew Caldwell, Alexander Mccullough, James Marshall, Alexander Telford, Henry Orbison, James Orr, Joseph McCorkle and John John- ston, all with the exception of Orbison, locating on the west side of the river. Mrs. Mary Reeves Beedle, with her family, emigrated from Kentucky to this county about this time. Having lost her husband thirteen years previous, she depended for support mainly upon her son Daniel, then only thirteen, who, by his energy and industry, proved that she did not lean upon a broken staff. Amid the privations of a life in the wilderness, he bravely encountered and overcame every obstacle. Actuated by love for his mother, and indomitable will, sustained by a robust physique, he willingly endured every hardship, undertook any labor necessary to the comfort and support of those dependent upon him. Without & murmur would he go barefooted through the midwinter snow to cut wood to keep others warm. It is recorded of him that he had a great aversion to riding, and would, though a horse and saddle were at his command, walk even to Greenville and return, a distance of fifty miles. His moral qualities seemed to be commen- surate with his physical, and, in addition to mens sana in corpore sano, we may well say mens sibi conscia recti. Possessing a high sense of honor, he never conde- scended to things of baser stuff. He married Elizabeth Lindley, by whom he had four sons and two daughters. His wife died in December, 1855, and he, August 11, 1877, at the age of 85. Alexander Telford emigrated from Kentucky in 1805, and located in Montgomery County ; remaining only one year, he came to Miami County, purchased land and became a permanent settler, rearing a large family. His son, Dr. J. G. Telford, who came with him, studied medicine with Dr. Asa Coleman, and practiced in an early day, in this county. He was very philan- thropic in his views, and was of incalculable assistance to many young men struggling for an education. His sterling integrity created many warm friends, and various offices of trust were heaped upon him unsolicited, as evidences of the

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The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 24

Author: W. H. Beers & Co. Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1051

Author: W. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1880
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051