The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 26

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

USA > Ohio > Miami County > The History of Miami County, Ohio > Part 26

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AN OLD-TIME SCHOOLHOUSE.

During the early settlement of this county, a schoolhouse was built near the farm of Mr. Mackey, which, perhaps, was the first built in the county. From the description of an eye-witness, we apprehend the facilities for literary attainments were not what they are now. We will follow our cicerone along a blazed path through the woods to the old log schoolhouse ; rapping, a voice from the far inte- rior says, " Come in;" we pull the latch-string, enter, and are requested by the schoolmaster to take a seat, which we at once proceed to do, settling down on a

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puncheon-bench, the wonder and cynosure of all eyes. The first thing we see is nearly the whole end of the house converted into a fireplace, within whose capa- cious depths a blazing fire sends forth light, heat and cheerfulness. Our gaze being attracted to the outside, we look, not through French plate-glass, but a hole, made by sawing off a log and replacing it with paper well greased with lard; our attention is recalled by a shrill voice, " Master, may I get a drink ?" The urchin goes to the bucket, setting on a bench near the door, takes the tin from its accustomed peg, dips it full, drinks a few sups, holding it over the bucket meanwhile, pours the balance back, and, after looking around awhile, goes back to his seat, and, with his dog's-eared book close to his face, is soon lost in study. We notice the benches are made out of flat rails, and puncheons with pins in them for legs ; backs they have none. The master has a table, made by driving pins in the wall and placing hewed puncheons on top of them. Under each window, a similar contrivance accommodates the scholars. While examining these unique writing-desks, we are again startled by a sharp cry, apparently in agony, of, " Master, please mayn't I go out ?" Consent is given, and the boy hurriedly moves toward the door, paus- ing to take down a crooked stick and carry it out with him. Our curiosity is excited, and, while the master's back is turned, we ask a big white-headed boy near us, what it is for ; who, opening his mouth wide and staring at us in blank amaze- ment, says, " No other boy don't darst go out while that stick is gone." As incen- tives to close application to study, we observe a rule of about a pound in weight, and a formidable-looking beechen rod, whose acquaintance every boy in school has long ago formed. Dilworth's Arithmetic, Webster's Spelling-book and the Testa- ment were the text-books. We noticed the boys all writing, but none of the girls; turning to our friend Tullis for an explanation, he said it was not safe for girls to learn to write, as it would culminate in love-letter writing, clandestine engagements and elopements. He said women were allowed to study arithmetic, though, for Miss Polly Caldwell studied as far as long division, and Mrs. Kyle, while a widow, got as far as reduction. He says Polly Caldwell was a weaver, and required the aid of figures to make her calculation for warping. If she were putting in an 800 web, and had 15 spools, she must know how many " bouts" to run on the bars. With 15 spools, every "bout " would give 30 threads ; therefore, dividing 800 by 30 would give 26 bouts and 20 remainder; so she would run on 27 bouts, and carry back what the reed would not hold.

There seems to have been a diversity of opinion among teachers in regard to the beneficial effects to the scholar arising from more or less noise : some con- tending that the more noise there was the better, as it would accustom one to the habit of doing business in the midst of noise and confusion ; and, moreover, that a boy could get up a spirit of inspiration by stentorian competition with his fel- lows. Some advocated quietness, but it was agreed by all that, when the recita- tions were over, and the whole school were on the spelling lesson; the boy that could spell the loudest should stand head. It was interesting to see the boys at the end of the bench standing on tip-toe, with every muscle in a quiver, waiting for the master to say " noon," in order to get out first and raise the biggest yell.

From here we will go to a.

TEMPERANCE TALK,

but fear it will end in a corn-husking. Mr. Tullis was the principal speaker. He says the uses and abuses of whisky have undergone as great changes as the appli- ances for literary purposes. What we, in this age of refinement, call auctions, were sales in early times, and the auctioneer was crier. When the sale was about to commence, the crier would mount a box, with a bottle of whisky in his hand, and invite competition, always offering a "dram" to the next bidder to inspire him. It would have been preposterous to have attempted to cut a field of wheat, or husk a crop of corn, without whisky. The wheat was cut with sickles, before cradles were introduced, and then it was cut with cradles until the reaper super- seded the cradle.

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CORN-HUSKING.

The modus operandi with corn was for all hands to go to the field and jerk off and throw in heaps until dinner; after dinner, to take out the wagon and haul it home. It was either thrown in one long pile, or, what was better, in two piles ; and, when the crop was gathered, all the neighbors came together for a night husk- ing ; two captains would be appointed to divide the hands, and, if the corn was all on one pile, a rail was laid so as to divide it equally. One captain had first choice of hands, the other choice of heaps. Then all went to work with a will. The cry would frequently be heard, "It's a great while between drams." When one party would get done, they would put the bottle into the hand of the captain, and two stout men would take him, one by each leg, and "hoist the captain " and carry him over to the other side. The swinging of hats, and the shouts of victory, " made the welkin ring," and then all would drink. It was not always the best huskers that were the first choice, but one who could hide most corn in the husk, in the husk-house, was sought after.

John. S. Williams, of the Pioneer, says that he and his brother went to a Friends' settlement to a husking in 1804 ; as usual, the heap was divided, and they were chosen on opposite sides. Peach brandy flowed freely. He thought to be a man he must drink when men drank, and the consequence was, he got most glori- ously drunk. The last remembrance of the husking he had was throwing corn in the husk." Total abstinence from all remembrance overtook him till they let him fall in carrying him to the house. Again he relapsed into total forgetfulness till 3 o'clock, when he awoke with the chimney at the wrong end of the house, his brain turned topsy-turvy, and his feelings otherwise much worse than when he took the quack medicine above described. His brother had gone home ; he fol- lowed him at daylight, and joined him at work. He expected the Friends would disown him, and was afraid to go to meeting or see an overseer for months.

GAME AND HUNTERS.

The rich, juicy grass, cool, sparkling springs, deep forests, pellucid streams, . afforded sustenance and delightful retreats for every species of game ; from fish to otter, from the squirrel to the cougar and bear. The scream of the " painter" and the squall of the wildcat, mingled with the sweet song of the thrush and the howl of the wolf, drowned the melodious notes of the mocking-bird, while stolid bruin roamed the woods, with no ear for music, except the squealing of the pioneer hog. The rifle was an inmate of every household, in the use of which our forefathers were very familiar, and who were very solicitous in keeping it in perfect working condition. Those who could afford it, kept two rifles, one for large game, carrying about forty to the pound, and a smaller, or squirrel rifle, running about 120 or 130 or 140 bullets to the pound. The powder-horn was made from the horn of the ox, boiled, and scraped so thin as to transmit the rays of light, & round block of wood neatly fitted to the bottom, and a plug inserted in the smaller end, with usually a buzzard's quill for a charger. While all were more or less familiar with the rifle, a few became experts through constant use, as a profession. Among those who followed it as a kind of profession, we may mention Charles Wolverton, " Bill "Hunter, John Rogers, John Flinn, Henry Kerns, Jacob Mann and Peter Harmon.

All kinds of larger game seem to have been abundant during the early set- tlement of the county, such as deer, bear, wolves, wildcats, and an occasional cougar. Turkeys, pheasants, etc., were abundant, and, with the venison-saddle, graced the table of almost every pioneer home.

While it is impossible at this late date to ascertain the number of large animals · killed by hunters, we can only judge of the abundance of game by comparison with an adjoining county. It is on record that David Loury and Jonathan Danalds, among the first settlers on Mad River, killed seventeen bears in one sea-

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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY.

son, and that, during the lifetime of the former, he had killed over a thousand deer. The bear were mostly killed off at an early period ; yet, they have been killed in this county in considerable numbers. One was killed by Henry Kerns in the fall of 1816, whose quarters are said to have weighed 400 pounds. It was seen by Dr. Coleman, who ate a piece of its fiesh, and certifies to its immense size, as well as to its extraordinarily good condition, its ribs being covered with from three to four inches of fat. While bear were comparatively scarce, deer, on the contrary, were, in an early day, very plentiful. In a journey from Stillwater to the Miami, it was not unusual to see as many as eight and sometimes more, very tame, and easily approached on horseback. Wild turkeys were abundant, and many were caught in rail pens, or killed with the rifle. The former mode was made use of when quantities were sought. A common four-square rail pen was laid up, about ten rails high, and covered, and an opening left at the bottom, along which a train of corn was sown ; the turkeys, in picking up the corn, would follow it into the pen, and, as a turkey, when alarmed, always looks up; they would always fly up, and never see the opening at the bottom. Thus whole droves were taken at once. In the fall of 1817, a hunting party was organized in Licking County, which was attended by some members of Miami. An unsettled tract, five miles square, was laid off, and arrangements made for the company of about 150 men to come in from four directions, all converging toward a common center, of one mile square, before any shooting was allowed. Having driven the game within the prescribed limits, the shooting began, and the crack of rifles could be heard in every direc- tion. The circle gradually closed in to half a mile square, and the firing re-com- menced. The deer could be seen flying from side to side, turkeys running in every direction, and bear stalking in the midst. Finally the circle closed, and brought together 25 deer, 2 bear, 350 turkeys and 1 wolf. The locality was far from any house, and, darkness approaching, most of the party camped for the night on the spot. Wagons arrived with provisions, a good supply of the aqua ardent, and the night was passed in a regular Nimrod festival.

In early days wolves were quite plentiful, and often destroyed the few sheep the settlers had. By act of Legislature a bounty of three dollars was allowed for each wolf scalp, payable out of the county treasury. This was a powerful incen- tive to the professional hunters, and Lupus was in continual danger of losing his caput on every excursion after fresh mutton. One of his most inveterate enemies was one Tom Rogers, who made wolf-hunting a specialty. Tom was a very eccentric character, and appeared fitted by nature to his calling. Six feet high, with mocca- sins, buckskin breeches, linsey wamus, wolf-skin cap, with the tail hanging down behind, long black hair and beard, leather belt, with large knife and tomahawk, heavy rifle, pouch and horn-all conspired to render him in appearance a fit asso- ciate of wolves, bears and other denizens of the forest; and, once seen by his fellows, he was not soon forgotten.

Tom was somewhat of a hermit, often living for weeks and months in the woods near the pioneer settlements, watching his line of traps, deadfalls, and wolf- pens, depending wholly upon game for sustenance. He constructed bark huts for his own accommodation, at different stations along-his line of operations, which he used as store-houses for his venison, turkeys, coon-skins, and wolf-scalps, and for the secondary purpose of sleeping in bad weather. When convenient, he would call in at a frontier cabin, and exchange venison or turkeys for bread, but the wolf was his ambition, and other game was slain simply for food. Tom generally came to town twice a year to exchange his wolf-scalps for their price in cash, bringing with him other furs, such as coon-skins, mink, and an occasional otter. He took advantage of the potency of that delightful perfume, asafoetida, in attracting the wolf, and purchased large quantities of it to use on his traps. Although records are lost in which the number of wolf-scalps were kept, with the amount paid out for the same, yet we are assured that Tom drew largely therefrom.

In the winter he would spend a few days in the settlement, at which time he was the delight of the circle of men and boys who eagerly listened to his many

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tales of contests with wolves and bears while alone in the forest, none of which, unfortunately, have been preserved. Tom was exclusively a hunter, and never invested his earnings in public lands. He was known as Old Tom Rogers for forty years, during which time his domain was invaded by the settlers, his game driven off or killed, and Tom, at the age of nearly fourscore, retired from active duties and sought rest and shelter in the County Infirmary, in which he spent the few remaining years of his life, meditating upon and recounting the scenes of his many adventures, and finally, in about three years after his admission (1859), passed from earth.

Coons were very numerous, and generally hunted with dogs, at night, when the deep baying of the hound was sweet music to the pioneer boy, as well as full-grown man. The flesh of the coon was relished by the Indians, but to the white man the skin was of value as a general currency at from two to four bits, according to value.

PIGEON BOOSTS.

It was stated by the earliest settlers, that in 1803 there was a pigeon-roost back of Staunton, extending about two miles in length to Spring Creek, and half a mile in width, where the pigeons congregated by the million during the breeding season, constructing as high as a hundred nests in a single tree-top. The noise of this place, made by the continual fluttering, and breaking of limbs, could be heard for quite a distance, and each morning, it is said, the ground was strewn with dead and wounded birds, so that the pioneer in the vicinity had pigeon without gun or club.

As late as 1818 there was another pigeon-roost, twelve miles east of Troy. Dr. Coleman says he visited this roost with a party of men at night. They arrived at the locality about sunset, as the pigeons began to come in. The noise of the pigeons coming in was like the roar of a cataract, for an hour and a half, till some time after night. It being moonlight, they experienced no difficulty insecuring at full supply of the feathered game. Since the beech timber has been cut away, and thegpigeon harvest destroyed, they have become scarce.

SQUIRRELS AND SQUIRREL HUNTS.

On account of their continual inroads upon the corn-fields, the gray squirrel was a great annoyance to the early settlers. The large amount of dead timber left standing afforded them an asylum from which they could invade the corn-fields, and lay up for winter use an ample store; for they are very provident and indus. trious little animals, and always have a full "larder." Sometimes in the early spring, when their little stock of nuts was growing scarce, they would dig up the newly planted corn; but their principal ravages were committed on the growing crop, from the time it was in the milk till matured : and they were so numerous as sometimes to destroy half a crop. One or two hours' killing, seemingly served but to increase their numbers, and, as time was of great value to the settlers, they concluded to set apart a day for a general massacre of the little " varmints," and as an incentive to competitors, a subscription was set on foot among the farmers of so many bushels of corn to be given to the hunter who should present the greatest number of scalps. A few miles south of Troy, in a district the especail object of incursions, three hundred bushels of corn were subscribed, to be divided into three premiums of one hundred and fifty, one hundred, and fifty bushels, to the hunters that would bring in the most scalps during a hunt of six days in the district. None but experts competed for the prize, each killer was allowed two rifles, a loader, scalper and a driver : scalps to be put on a string, and takenas evidence of the number killed; In the hunt above described, Elias Gerard brought in about 1,700 scalps, the greatest number killed by one man, which entitledhim to the first premium. To Charles Wolverton the second was awarded for 1,300 scalps.

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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY.

The migratory habits of the gray squirrel are well known by those at all familiar with its history. A general emigration took place about the year 1828-29 from west to east. They congregated in a large body and moved along en masse, neither turning to the right nor left-towns and villages did not swerve them from their course-but, passing through fields and towns, crossing streams and even rivers in their course. The latter seemed to disconcert them somewhat. Climbing up the trees that bordered the bank, they would survey the difficulties before them, and finally each one obtained a piece of bark, and the whole fleet would launch their frail little vessels and, with many accidents and serious loss of lives, land on the other side and pass on their course. During these migrations immense num- bers were slain, the boys and men knocking them in the head with clubs.

The stampede of 1828 lasted about twenty days. The non-professional hunters each fall would form companies, and go to the northern frontiers to hunt deer, turkeys and honey. In the course of a week or two they would return with a wagon-load of game, and, perhaps a barrel of honey ; the latter the production of the common bee, which, at that time, literally swarmed in the woods, and nearly every hollow tree abounded with ambrosial nectar. In 1825, or later, the moth made its appearance, and nearly exterminated this useful little insect. Wolf-pens were frequently built by the early settlers, for taking this ravenous scourge of the sheep-fold. They were from eight to ten feet square, and built up like the per- pendicular walls of a cabin, to the height of three or four feet, then gradually drawn in to a common center like a modern quail trap, with a hole about two feet square, left open on top. Meat was then placed inside, and the wolf would climb with ease up the sloping sides and jump in through the hole, but, when he had eaten the meat and his thoughts turned to the outside world, he found that he was a prisoner for life, and that life very brief, for soon the pioneer put an end to his existence ; and, it is said, Tom Rogers used to leap right down amongst them and kill them like so many hogs ; for the wolf, though savage when free, when confined is a whining coward. It is said that turkeys could be seen by the acre, in the fall, eating beech nuts.

MAILS.

The manner in which mail matter was conveyed to and from Miami, in the days of its early settlement, as compared with the present mode of transmitting tidings, presents a striking contrast. Letters were by no means insignificant affairs in those days, and to be made the happy recipient of one on mail day was to become envied by the disappointed crowd who had not been so fortunate. The stamped envelope had not been invented, and such a thing as delicately tinted, finely scented note paper had not been conceived of by the most fastidious youth of the day. The letter was simply folded, and the superscription written on a blank page ; the necessity of mucilage was not known, inasmuch as a wafer or red sealing-wax answered every purpose ; and, in order to transmit this primitive document through the country, it was necessary to pay the United States a reve- nue of 25 cents. Once every two weeks, the blowing of a horn announced to the people in the neighborhood the arrival of the horseman with the semi-monthly news. The mail-bag, by no means overflowing, was extricated from the saddle, where it had served as a cushion, by the mail-carrier, who, giving the crowd of anxious lookers-on a look of haughty indifference, waited till its contents were exchanged, then, with the few additional letters, moved on his round. Such, then, were the first mails in the country. Now a three-cent stamp will send a letter, if need be, from ocean to ocean, or the telegraph a message, with lightning speed, far across the waters.

CAPTURE OF THE MOFFITT BOYS.

Nearly one hundred years ago, one bright spring morning, late in March, that gave promise of a good " sugar day," a man by the name of Moffitt, in Greenbrier County, Va., started his two little boys to watch the stock from the sugar camp.

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They started with bright anticipations of fine sport in killing squirrels. As the older was quite proficient in the use of the rifle, he was allowed to take his father's gun, and the little nine-year old boy, with a good rest, could bag his squirrel at nearly every shot. The little fellows, full of youthful buoyancy, started for the camp. The loving mother, following them to the cabin door, called to the older, "Johnny, take care how you handle that gun, and be sure and don't hurt your brother George with it." These loving words were the last ever addressed to ber sons by that mother in Greenbrier County. As her longing gaze followed their receding little forms until they faded out in the distance, she little dreamed of the future before them. When they arrived at the sugar-camp they observed two or three men approaching them, whom they at first took to be neighbors, but, as they approached nearer, they soon discovered them to be Indians. John, the older, presented his gun and stood on the defensive, but the Indian said, in pretty good English, "No shoot me ; good friend ; no want to hurt you !" Retreat was impos- sible, and he and his brother were made captives. We have no account of them until the Indians brought them to their village in Miami County.

John, being a robust, healthy boy of 11, was at once adopted by an Indian family ; but George, being young and rather delicate, was about to be slain, when he awoke the sympathy of a squaw, who claimed him for her child. John was taken by his Indian parents to Gerty's Town (St. Mary's), where he was duly initiated into aboriginal life. George was brought to their village, on the present site of Piqua, known then as Chillicothe, where he was made to run the gauntlet; after which, his adopted mother procured a lot of dry ashes, and placing it on a piece of bark, and dipping her fingers in this, she proceeded to extract the hairs from his head in a manner not at all pleasant to George's cranial comfort, until none were left but the scalp-lock ; then he was taken into the Miami River by two or three muscular squaws, and every drop of white blood-in their estimation- washed out of him. After this he received the kindest treatment, during the period of two and one-half years, the time of his captivity in this village. A year or two after he had been with the Indians, the alarm spread through the village that an army of "long knives " (Kentuckians) was advancing upon the town from the south. The old men, women and children fled westward, in the direction of Stillwater, and the captive boy, George, fled with them, leaving his white friends behind. The cause of alarm was the army of Gen. G. R. Clarke, who invaded the Miami country in 1782 and set fire to the Indian villages and carried general con- sternation and destruction wherever he went. Camping near the present site of Piqua, he kept up a continual skirmish with the Indians during the night, and in the morning he burnt the village, destroyed their corn and returned. The marks of a six-pound shot used against the Indians on this occasion, were plainly visible in a red-oak tree that stood near the spot in which the family of Col. John Johns- ton now lies buried, in Upper Piqua Cemetery, forty-five years after the battle. During the night of this battle the captive, George, was dodging through the brush in the direction of Stillwater, with no exalted opinion of soldiers who would expel defenseless women and children from their homes to wander, hungry and half naked, in the woods. Severe as this was to George, it was the indirect means of his restitution to his parents. Through other prisoners, who were either recap- tured or escaped during Clarke's expedition, Mr. Moffitt obtained knowledge of the whereabouts of his lost boy, and soon after effected his release. Let us go back to the bereaved parents when they learned that their children were captured. The father sold his possessions in Virginia, and moved to Blackford Co., Ky., hoping thereby to be nearer, and more easily learn the fate of his lost ones. John Mof- fitt's captivity continued more than two years after his brother was restored, the details of which we are unable to give. He was ransomed, it appears, at Detroit by French traders, who had been employed by the father ever since their capture to search for and ransom his lost children.

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The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 26

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