USA > Ohio > The Western Reserve and early Ohio > Part 13
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Through all the warp and woof of the troubles of these Christian Indians, can be seen and felt the malign influence of that arch conspirator of the Cuyahoga Valley, Capt. Pipe, King of New Portage, and Cov- entry's sole magistrate.
FIRST MALE WHITE HELD IN NORTHERN OHIO THE FIRST WHITE RESIDENT OF SUMMIT COUNTY
SMITH'S CAPTIVITY ON THE RESERVE
Col. James Smith was taken prisoner by the In- dians, in a foray into Pennsylvania, in the year 1755. In this narrative of his captivity he gives some inci- dents of his stay with his Indian captors on the West- ern Reserve. He speaks of the Canesadoohorie River, which was the Indian name for the Black, which the party of his captors struck at its mouth, and finally fol- lowed south until they came near the East Falls, which is now within the corporate limits of Elyria, where they buried their canoe and erected a winter cabin which is supposed to have been located on Wintergreen Point. Smith in his narrative goes on to say: "It was some time in the month of December when we finished our winter cabin; but then another difficulty arose-we had nothing to eat. While the hunters were all out ex- erting their utmost ability, the squaws and boys, in which class I was listed, were scattered in the bottom lands, hunting red haws and hickory nuts. We did not succeed in getting many haws, but had tolerable suc- cess in scratching up hickory nuts from under a light snow. The hunters returned with only two small turk- eys, which were little among eight hunters, thirteen squaws, boys and children. But they were divided equally.
The next day the hunters turned out again, and succeeded in killing one deer and three bears. One of
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the bears was remarkably fat and large. All hands turned out the next morning to bring in the meat.
During the winter a party of four went out to the border of Pennsylvania to procure horses and scalps, leaving the same number in camp to procure meat for the women and children. The party of scalp hunters returned towards spring, with two scalps and four horses. After the departure of the warriors we had hard times, and though not out of provisions, we were put on short allowances. At length Tontileango had fair success, and brought into camp sufficient to last ten days. Tontileango then took me with him in order to encamp some distance from the winter cabin. We steered south up the creek, ten or twelve miles and went into camp."
This brought Smith into Medina County where he and the Indian Tontileango went into camp on the east branch of the Canesadooharie, or Black River. This was near the close of winter and while engaged in pro- curing game in which they were very successful, they discovered a stray horse, mare and colt, that had been running wild in the woods all winter and were conse- quently very wild and could not be approached. The old Chief however was resolved to have the horses and proposed to Smith that they run them down.
Smith says : "Tontileango one night concluded that we must run them down. I told him I thought we could not accomplish it. He said he had run down bears, buffaloes and elks and in the great plains with only a small snow on the ground, he had run down a deer; and he thought that in one whole day he could tire any four-footed animal except a wolf. I told him
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that though a deer was the swiftest animal to run a short distance, yet it was easier to tire than a horse. He said that he would at all events try. He had heard the Wyandots say that I could run well and now he would see whether I could or not. I told him I had never run all day. He said that was nothing, we must either catch these horses or run all day. In the morn- ing early, we left camp, and about sunrise started after them, stripped naked except breech-clouts and mocca- sins. About ten o'clock I lost sight of Tontileango and the horses, and did not see them again until about three o'clock in the afternoon. As the horses ran all day in about three or four miles square, at length they passed where I was, and I fell in close after them. As I then had a long rest, I endeavored to keep ahead of Tontileango and after some time I could hear him after me calling "chako, chako-anaugh," which signifies "pull away" or "do your best". We pursued on, and about an hour after sundown, we despaired of catching the horses, and returned to camp, where we had left our clothes. I reminded Tontileango of what I had told him; he replied he did not know what horses could do. They are wonderfully strong to run; but withal we had made them very tired. Tontileango then concluded he would do as the Indians did with wild horses when out at war; which is, to shoot them through the neck under the mane, and above the bone, which will cause them to fall and lie until they can halter them, and then they will recover again. This he attempted to do; but as the mare was very wild, he could not get sufficiently near her to shoot in the proper place; however, he shot, the ball passed too low and killed her. As the horse
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and colt stayed at this place, we caught the horse and colt and took him and the colt with us to camp."
While following the chase in this hunting camp, Smith had an adventure with a bear. The Canesadoo- harie was famous among the red races of Ohio for the number, size and quality of its bears. The Black Swamp was an excellent nesting place as well as a se- cure retreat for the animal. Even after the red men departed from the Reserve the pioneer hunter made this his hunting ground when after bruin. After win- ter had actually set in a bear would select some hollow tree, or cave where they ewould make a nest and lie some three or four months in a comatose condition, without eating or drinking. After the back-bone of winter was broken bruin would wake from out his long sleep and come forth in the world once more.
The bears in ascending and descending, would scratch the bark off the trees, leaving unmistakable signs of their occupancy. Finding a tree in which bruin had its habitation, Tontileango and Smith resort- ed to the following tactics to arouse Mr. Bear and bring him forth. They felled a small tree so that in falling it would rest across a limb of the bear tree. It was the business of Smith to climb up, rouse bruin and force him forth from his death-like sleep, while the Indian stood on the ground with his weapon ready to drop him when he should appear. They once found a bear about forty feet up in a large elm. The chief got a long pole and some dry decayed wood, which he tied. in bunches with bark and climbed the tree carrying with him the decayed wood, pole and fire. He then placed his rotten wood on the end of the pole, and setting it on fire,
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thrust it into the hole. He soon heard the bear snuff, and then descended rapidly to the ground, seized his gun and waited for bruin to come forth. Upon experi- menting he found it too late to see the sights of his gun. Dropping the weapon to the ground, he seized his bow and fitting an arrow, sent it swiftly and surely, striking the bear behind the foreleg, bringing him thundering to the ground.
When Smith was captured he was compelled to run the gauntlet on the banks of the Allegheny, opposite Fort Duquesne and was nearly killed in the attempt. After he recovered he was taken to an Indian town on the Tuscarawas, where he was adopted into the tribe, and then moved north into the Reserve. As the process of adoption may be interesting to many we will give it in his own words.
"The day after my arrival, a number of Indians col- lected about me, and one of them began to pull the hair out of my head. He had some ashes on a piece of bark, in which he frequently dipped his fingers in order to take the firmer hold, and so he went on, as if he had been plucking a turkey, until he had the hair all out of my head, except a small spot three or four inches square on my crown. This they cut off with a pair of scissors except three locks which they dressed up in their own mode. Two of these they wrapped around with a narrow beaded garter made by themselves for that purpose, and these they plaited at full length, and then stuck it full of silver brooches. After this they bored my nose and ears and fixed me off with ear-rings and nose-jewels. Then ordered me to strip off my clothes and put on a breech-clout. They then painted
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my head, face and body, in various colors. They put a large belt of wampum on my neck and silver bands on my hands and right arm ; and so an old chief led me on the street and gave the alarm.
"Hallo! Coo-wigh"-several times, repeated quick- ly. All who were in town came running and stood around the old chief who held me by the hand in their midst. The old chief made a long speech, very loud, and when he was done, he handed me to three young squaws who led me by the hand down the bank into the river, until the water was up to our middle. The young squaws then made signs to me to plunge myself into the water. They laid violent hands on me and I for a time opposed them with all my might which occasioned loud laughter by the multitude on the bank of the river. At length one of the squaws made out to speak a little English and said: "No hurt you".
On this, I gave myself up to their ladyships who were as good as their word; for though they plunged me under water and washed and rubbed me severely yet I could not say they hurt me much. These young women then led me to the council house where some of the tribe were ready with clothes for me. They gave me a new ruffled shirt, which I put on, also a pair of leggins done off with ribbons and beads, likewise a pair of moccasins and porcupine quills and red hair, also a tinsel laced cappo. They again painted my head and face with various colors and tied a bunch of feathers which stood up five or six inches into one of those locks they left on the crown of my head. They seated me on a bear-skin and gave me a pipe, tomahawk and polecat- skin pouch, which had been skinned pocket fashion, and
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contained tobacco, killigenico or dry sumach leaves, which they mix with their tobacco; also punk, flint and steel. When I was thus seated, the Indians came in, took seats and for a considerable time there was pro- found silence-every one smoking."
This was followed by a chief who made a speech adopting him into the tribe, after which they had a feast of boiled venison and green corn.
Smith was taken to the Indian town of Tullihas, on the Tuscarawas River, twenty miles above the "Forks of the Muskingum" when he was adopted into the tribe. In the winter of 1755 they lay at the "Falls of the Canesadooharie" (Falls of Elyria on Black Riv- er). After remaining here some weeks they moved eastward and northward twenty-four miles "To a large creek that empties into Lake Erie betwixt Canesadoo- harie (Black) and Cuyahoga." This was Rocky River. He continues: "Here they made their winter cabin in the following form: They cut logs about 15 feet long, and laid these on each other and drove posts in the ground at each end to keep them together; the posts they tied together at the top with bark and by this means raised a wall 15 feet long and four feet high, covered with linnbark."
He describes their canoe of both birch and elm bark and says: "This vessel was four feet wide, three feet deep and about thirty-five feet long; though it would carry a heavy burden, it was so artfully and curiously constructed that four men could carry it several miles from one landing place to another or from the waters of the lake to the waters of Ohio." (Portage Path).
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Some time in October, 1756, another adopted broth- er older than Tontileango came to pay us a visit and asked me to take a hunt with him on Cayagaga." (Cuya- hoga). This older brother is supposed to be Captain Pipe, whose Delaware name was spelled Tanhangecan- ponye, but the Ottawas spelled it as Tecanghretanego. "Tontileango said he was a chief and a better man than he was and if I went with him I might expect to be well used."
Smith went with the old chief and was introduced to a sister by the name of Mary, which the Indians pro- nounced as Marilly. He asked why she had an English name and was told that was the name the priest gave her when he baptized her and was the name of the mother of Jesus. He said that there were many of the Indians who were a kind of half Roman Catholics. Her Indian name was Onolaska and her tragic death is still commemorated by Onolaska's Tower in Ashland County.
Onolaska, sister of Capt. Pipe, was in love with a fine young chieftain, who desired to marry her but could not, because, according to the Delaware law Capt. Pipe, the head of the family, would have to give his con- sent, which he would not do. The maiden in a moment of despair threw herself from a pillar of rock rising some 150 feet above the surrounding country. The pillar in Ashland County is called to this day Onolaska's Tower.
The next morning after the burial the body of the lover was found on her grave. He died from the poison- ous juice of the Mayapple, self administered.
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Smith continues : "After remaining here a few days the party embarked in their canoes, paddling along the shore, (Lake Erie) until they came to the mouth of the Cayagaga, (Cuyahoga) which empties into Lake Erie on the south side betwixt Canesadoo- harie (Black) and Presque Isle (Erie)"
"We turned up the Cayagaga and encamped; here we stayed and hunted for several days and so we kept moving and hunting until we came to the forks of the Cayagaga (site of Akron). This is a very gentle river and but few ripples or swift running places from the mouth to the forks." Here the Western Reserve sur- veyors came with their boats in 1796 and built their supply camp nearly a mile up the east branch of the river. Continuing Smith says: "Deer here were toler- ably plenty, large and fat; but bear and other game scarce." He means elk and buffalo of which he fre- quently speaks. "The upland is hilly and principally second and third rate land; the timber chiefly black oak, white oak, hickory, dog-wood. The bottoms are rich and large and the timber is walnut, locust, mul- berry, sugar-tree, red haw, black haw and wild apple. The west branch of the river interlocks with the east branch of the Muskingum, (Tuscarawas) and the east branch with the Big Beaver Creek that empties into the Ohio thirty miles below Pittsburg.
From the forks of the Cayahaga to the east branch of the Muskingum there is a carrying place where the Indians `carry their canoes, etc. (Portage Path-163 years ago) from the waters of Lake Erie to the waters of Ohio. From the forks (Akron) I went over with
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some hunters to the east branch of the Muskingum, (in Coventry the Tuscarawas) where they killed sev- eral deer, a number of beavers and returned heavily laden with skins and meat, which we carried on our backs as we had no horses.
A little above the forks, on the east branch of Cayahaga are considerable rapids, (Big Falls) very rocky for some distance, but no perpendicular falls".
This party went forty miles, according to their estimate of how far they could walk in a day, northeast to Beaver Creek, near a little lake or pond which is about two miles long and one broad. (Geauga Lake) Heckewider's map of 1796, gives this lake in juxta- position of both Beaver Creek and the Cuyahoga, and of about that size.
This was a remarkable place for beaver. After various adventures in pursuit of beaver and other game, they went to Big Beaver, and in March, 1757, re- turned over the Fort Pitt and Sandusky Indian trail to the forks of the Cuyahoga (Akron) where Smith de- livered the first sermon ever delivered in the Cuyahoga Valley and it was on swearing. He did not believe in profanity. Smith tells of two hunts, one was a drive in which they killed thirty deer. The other was a fire ring hunt, in which each hunter secured ten deer. He does not state the number of hunters.
Smith was only eighteen years old when captured in 1755. In 1759, having all liberty possible, he escaped and returned to his home in Pennsylvania. On his way he passed through Medina, Summit, Portage and Ma-
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honing Counties, over the Fort Pitt and Sandusky Indian trail.
In 1786 he became a Captain of Pennsylvania vol- unteer Indian hunters, equipped and painted as Indians. He was a soldier of the Revolution and afterwards set- tled in Kentucky where he spent his declining years. He was much respected and was for several terms a member of the Kentucky Legislature, as well as the first white Indian captive held in the Western Reserve, and consequently the first white man who resided for any amount of time in Northern Ohio.
INDIAN HOLMES
John Holmes or "Indian Holmes" as he was called by the early whites, was a white man, a Frenchman, an oddity, one of those strange, migratory squatters, whom the earliest whites, whether explorers or set- tlers, found living on the Reserve; this class of men were reticent about their antecedents and but little was known, or could be found out about them or their past. In the earliest records of the Reserve we catch glimpses of Holmes here and there; now here, now gone. He represented a class of men isolated from their kind, leading lonely lives of the natural man. Woodcraft and skill in hunting and trapping were their character- istics ; leaning strongly towards nature's heart, they had become skilled to read her language. Every track on the ground, a broken twig, misplaced leaves, the look of the sky, the sound of the wind, the ripple of a sudden wave upon the waters, were signs they knew, and a language that told to them strange tales in the wood- man's lore.
In common with others of his class, Holmes had an Indian squaw for a wife.
Previous to 1755, the French had a trading post on the Cuyahoga, called on a map printed at that date, "French House".
The first purchaser of land in Green Township was John Kepler, who came in 1809. He found then living in the township the families of John Cruzen, David Hartman, Basil Viers and the Dixons. William Trip- lett came in 1807, but when the others came history is
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dumb and tradition saith not. But whenever they came, Holmes was then here, living on William's Run, with Williams, an Indian. The tradition of the town- ship speaks of Holmes in the following language: "Johnny Holmes, an old fellow, was raised with the Indians and was possibly a half-breed. He married an Indian squaw and they lived with Williams, an Indian." In 1811, when hostilities broke out, Williams was anxious to leave for Upper Sandusky, but Holmes did not wish to go and this created bad feelings between the two. Williams left with his wife and after two days sent back for Holmes, reporting that he had reach- ed a place where much game abounded ; this had the de- sired effect upon Holmes, and he left with his wife for this favored locality, but upon reaching the place found that Williams was still feeling savage toward him, for at supper time he refused to let Holmes have anything to eat, but supplied Mrs. Holmes and his wife. This to Holmes was a very bad sign and he left that night for his old home by a different route from the one he had previously traveled. By special agreement his wife returned another way ; they met in a secret place in the vast wilderness that was known to both; they were then tired and hungry, so famished that they were will- ing to feast on a hedge hog which Holmes shot. This old fellow afterward settled near New Portage, and after living there several years, moved away. We find traces of Holmes in Coventry and afterwards in Nor- ton. Oliver Durham and Benjamin Dean were the first settlers who came to Wadsworth and purchased land. They came on March 1, 1814. Holmes was then living in Wadsworth, in a cabin in Holmes Hollow. Holmes
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Brook and Holmes Brook Hill were named after him and retain their names to this day. Holmes was very helpful to the early settlers and helped build the first settlers' houses. On March 17, 1814, he helped to "roll up" the first log houses of the Durhams and Deans. The others at that raising were Basley, George and James Cahow, Jacob Van Hyning, Theodore Parmelee and Geo. Hethman. Van Hyning then lived on Wolf Creek in Norton, and others in or near the present site of Akron.
Holmes once saved the life of David Blocker. Blocker was in the grasp of a large black bear, which had Blocker down, his fangs fastened in him, when Holmes blew out the brains of bruin. The Rev. Edward Brown in his "Wadsworth Memorial", speaking of the man, says: "The first white man who ever had a hab- itation in Wadsworth, was a former Indian trader of English birth, from Montreal, by the name of John Holmes, who marrying among the Indians, lived among them as hunter and trapper, and was known to the white people as 'Indian Holmes'. The remains of his old cabin used to be pointed out to me, near the brook that bears his name."
Another writer states that Holmes came to this country with a stock of goods, belonging to other parties, the goods were lost and Holmes being afraid to go back, remained in the country.
However that may be, Holmes was the first white settler in Wadsworth Township.
STRANGE ADVENTURES OF CHRISTIAN FAST
Christian Fast, pioneer and settler in northern Ohio, American soldier, Indian captive, and Indian brave, was a typical frontiersman. Mr. Knapp says: "When a boy of sixteen, Mr. Fast was captured by the Delaware Indians near the "Falls of the Ohio". He had enlisted in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, in a company of two hundred men, who were organized for the pur- pos of chastising the Indians for depredations com- mitted upon the frontier settlements. This force de- scended the Ohio in boats, and some distance above the falls became separated into two parties, Fast being among those in the rear. The advance party had driv- en posts in the river, upon the top of which they placed directions addressed to those who were following them, indicating the point where they would find the anchor- age of the party, who would be in waiting for them. These written directions it was supposed fell into the hands of the Indians, who had whites among them com- petent to read and who thus became informed of the movements of their foes. The rear party was attacked by the Indians on both sides of the river, while the men in the boats were making towards the shore to cook a heifer they had killed. The largest boat in the fleet, in which was Mr. Fast, had landed, and the others were making preparations to do so when the attack began. The smaller boats immediately put up stream, but the larger one was hard aground and could not get off.
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Of the one hundred on board, all but about thirty were killed. Young Fast jumped into the water, receiving at the same time a flesh wound in the hip. He swam to the opposite shore where he was met by three Indians, who demanded that he should surrender, as- suring him of friendly treatment. He again plunged into the current, the three Indians firing at him as he swam, one of the balls grazing his neck, momentarily stunning him. He concluded to strike the shore sev- eral rods below where the large boat was grounded ; but on approaching the shore, he again encountered the bullets of the Indians, and again made for the middle of the river. Some distance below he discovered a horse-boat belonging to his party, and at once resolved to reach and board it. Just as he had succeeded in get- ting aboard, the Captain received a wound in his arm, and waved his hand to the Indians in token of surren- der. The boat was immediately boarded by the Indians and the whites taken prisoner."
"An old Indian took charge of Fast, by whom he was taken to Upper Sandusky. The prisoners were divested of their clothing and as their march led through a rank growth of nettle-weeds, it was inde- scribly painful. Fast becoming maddened with pain at length refused to go forward and bearing his head to his captor, demanded that he would tomahawk him and thus put an end to his sufferings. The Indian took compassion on him and restored his clothing. During the remainder of the journey he was treated with marked kindness. At Upper Sandusky, he was adopted into a distinguished family of the tribe."
He visited the lamented Col. Crawford in 1782,
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after the defeat of his expedition and was within hear- ing of his groans and cries while being burned at the stake by Capt. Pipe.
"About eighteen months after Fast's capture, an expidition left Upper Sandusky for the purpose of at- tacking the white settlements and fortifications at Wheeling. Connected with this expedition was the notorious James Girty. Fast, who now possessed the full confidence of the Indians, was also of the party. The expedition reached its destination and beseiged the fort at Wheeling three days and two nights. On the third night Fast determined upon attempting to effect an escape. Approaching his adopted brother at a late hour of the night, he awoke him, complaining of thirst and urging his brother to accompany him to a place where they could procure a drink of water. The Indian pleaded weariness and urged his brother to go alone, insisting that no harm would befall him. Thereupon, Fast taking his camp-kettle, steered directly for his father's house in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, about thirty miles distant. The night being exceedingly dark, he made slow progress and at daylight was yet within hearing of the guns of the beseigers and be- seiged. As soon as daylight appeared, he pushed for- ward and soon discovered a fresh trail and found that about thirty Indians were ahead of him making for the white settlements in Washington county, Pennsyl- vania. On reaching the spur of a ridge, he discovered that the trails separated, and that the Indians had formed two parties, each pursuing parallel lines through the valleys. He hoped by vigorously pursuing the middle and straighter course, to get in advance of
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