USA > Ohio > Champaign County > The history of Champaign and Logan counties : from their first settlement > Part 5
USA > Ohio > Logan County > The history of Champaign and Logan counties : from their first settlement > Part 5
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37
Matthias McComsey with Phebe Logan.
Joseph S. Carter with Miss Fisher, daughterof Madox Fisher, of Springfield.
John Downey with a Miss Parkison.
John McCord with Sarah Kenton in 1811, and John G. Parkison with Matilda Kenton, both daughters of General Simon Kenton,
John Hamilton came here about 1814, and soon after intermar- ried with Miss Atchison, sister of Mrs. J. H. Patrick.
Doctor Evan Banes with Miss Ward, daughter of Col. William Ward, Senior.
John G. Ford with
Thomas Ford with a Miss MeGill, daughter of James McGill. James Scotton with a Mis- McGill, sister to above.
Jacob Lyon- with Miss Robison.
Col. Douglas Luce with Miss Taylor, daughter of Alexander Taylor.
Daniel Sweet with Miss Thompson.
John Helmick with Miss Rosey-grant.
William Patrick with Rachel Kirkpatrick.
I will close this list here; and introduce the name of Calvin Fletcher, who came here a poor boy in 1817, without any means, worked his way as best he could until by perseverance in study, qualified himself for the bar; married a Miss Hill, sister of Col. Joseph Hill, and soon after, without even money sufficient to take himself and wife comfortably, moved to Indianapolis, where he applied himself assidiously to business, and at his death in 1866, by reason of the intimate relationships and early associations of the writer of this with Mr. Fletcher, his family telegraphed him the sad intelligence, requesting his attendance at the funeral; which invitation he promptly accepted, and when at the residence of his early friend, he learned the fact from those who knew, that his es- tate approximated to near one million of dollars.
It may also be stated that in addition to the foregoing list of early pioneer- a very large number of enterprising young men came to Urbana and located themselves as merchants, mechanics, &c. I
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will name a few, Hezekiah Wells, Thomas Wells and William Me- Donald (whois wellknown, and came here at an early day, connected himself in a mercantile interest, and became afterwards a public man, he representing this county in the Legislature in after years.) William Neil, late of Columbus, commenced business here as a merchant, in a small frame near the stove store of John Helmick. He was likewise the Cashier of the old Urbana Bank. J. Birdwhis- tle, about the beginning of the War of 1812, opened & hotel in the corner building lately torn down by Kauffman and Nelson on cor- ner of fractional lot No. 2, and will here note that Joseph Low, father of Albert and others, continued the sanie business after Birdwhistle, in the same house ; John and Uriah Tabor manufac- tured hats on the hill west of the square on West Main Street, near the present residence of E. Kimber. - Price had a shoe shop, location not now recollected. Henry Weaver, a previous old set- tler of Mad River township, came to Urbana with his small family about 1813, built the small room now standing on the east end of Mr. Ganmer's present residence on lot No. 160 Scioto Street and occupied it as his family residence, in which he also had a shoe- bench and worked at shoe-making, connecting with it a stall for the sale of apples. This was the beginning to the vast amount of wealth which he has acquired and is now enjoying in the eighty- fourth year of his life. George Bell, who came here at an early day erected a small nail cutting establishment on lot No. 160, North Main Street, near the present location of P. R. Bennett's jewelry shop. Francis Dubois opened a kind of tavern stand in a double Jog house ou the corner of in-lot No. 24 near the First M. E. Church building. The Gwynnes located here within the years indicated in these sketches, and opened what was then a large dry goods store in a red one-story frame building on lot No. 154, being the lot now occupied and owned by Mr. L. Weaver; William Downs was also one of the early settlers here, and carried on blacksmith- ing. John Hurd was one of the oldest settlers, and learned the trade of blacksmithing with Alex. Doke, and carried on the busi- ness afterward to some considerable extent. John Wallace and Elisha C. Berry came here at a very early day as carpenters, and when Reynolds and Ward had determined to establish a factory, they were employed to erect the large building now occupied by Mr. Fox, and in the process of its erection Mr. Wallace met with an accident that came near proving fatal ; he was employed about
.
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the hip in the roof on the south side, when the scaffolding gave way and precipitated him to the ground, making a cripple of him ever after. Mr. Wallace being a very worthy man with consider- able culture, was elected Sheriff, and held other important public trusts up to the time of his emigration west, years afterward.
About the end, and at the conclusion of the war, many accessions were made to the population from New Jersey, Kentucky and other places, but as there are some other subjects before that time that need attention, I will have to bring this to a point, by remarking that this historical dotting of business men and business places might be greatly extended in locating tailor, shoemaker, cabinet, wheelwright, carpenter, chair, saddler, potter and other mechan- ical shops ; adding to the list other mercantile interests not already noticed.
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CHAPTER VIII.
MILITARY OPERATIONS IN WAR OF 1812.
The war of 1812, and its relationship with the population of Ur- bana may here claim a passing notice. Urbana was a frontier town upon the southern border of an almost unbroken wilderness, with- out any public highways north of it, except a very short distance in that direction. Its location naturally made it an objective point as a base for army operations, and as such, it infused a good degree of business, bustle and animation among its citizens.
His Excellency Return Jonathan Meigs, Governor of Ohio, made it a strategic point, in concocting measures bearing upon the then exposed condition of the frontier settlements. He here held councils with Indian tribes as already intimated, and from his room in what would now be called the Doolittle House, issued and sent forth his proclamations as Commander-in-Chief. And imine- diately after the declaration of war, on the 18th of June, he desig- nated this place as the rendezvous for the troops of the first cam- paign of the war. Here it was that General Hull was ordered to bring his forces, being three regiments, under the respective com- mands of Colonel Duncan McArthur, Colonel Lewis Cass, and Colonel James Findlay, for the purpose of being here organized with other forces, and they were eucamped on the high grounds east of the town, resting their left on what is now named East Water Street, on the lands of Kauffman, Nelson and Berry, ex- tending north through their lands, and the lands lately called the Baldwin property, to about East Court Street. They remained bere some two weeks for the arrival of Col. - Miller's regiment, which had gloriously triumphed under General Harrison at the battle of Tippecanoe, the previous November. And as a testimo- nial of the high appreciation of their valor on that occasion, the citizens of the town united with the troops in making the neces- sary preparations to receive the gallant Col. Miller and his veteran regiment, with both civic and military demonstrations, in honor
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of their chivalrous deeds. Two posts, one each side of the road, about twenty feet high, were planted at what would now be known as the foot of the Baldwin hill, a little southwest of the present residence of Mr. Marshall, on Scioto Street, and an arch made of boards was secured at the top ends of the posts, with this inscrip- tion in large capital letters, "TIPPECANOE GLORY," on its western facade; with the national flag floating from a staff fast- ened to each post that supported it.
These preliminaries being all completed, and the time of arrival being at hand, General Hull with his staff, accompanied by a body- guard, headed By martial music, moved from the camp to the Public Square and halted, to await the approach of the veterans, who were advancing under flags and banners with appropriate music, at quickstep on South Main Street, and at this juncture Col. Miller called a halt, with the additional orders to deploy into line and present arms, as a salute to General Hull, under the star spangled banner which had been by the citizens unfurled upon a fifty feet pole in the center of the Public Square. Whereupon the General and his staff with suwarrows doffed, rode slowly in review along the whole line. Then, after the necessary movement to re- form into a line of march, the General, staff and guards formed themselves at the head of the regiment as an escort, and at the command, "To the right wheel ! Forward, march !" they moved slowly with martial music and colors flying, between lines of citi- zens and sokliers, the latter resting right and left respectively at the posts of the triumphal arch, and the former resting on the Public Square and extending eastward to the military lines, all being under complete civic and military regulations, agrecably to an arranged programme.
As these veteran United States troops began to move with pre- cise measured tread upon Scioto street, the civic ovation began to unfold itself, in the strewing of wild June flowers by young Misses and Maidens, with which they had been provided, the waving of handkerchiefs of matrons, and the swinging of hats and caps of the sterner sex, with continued shouts and huzzas. These exciting demonstrations continued without abatement until they reached the lines of the troops as already indicated, when the scene changed into a sublime military display, such as the din of muskets, the rattle of drums, and the shrill notes of the bugle, clarionet and fife,
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until they reached the Arch, and while passing through under it, a park of artillery belched forth its thunders in the camp, as the signal of welcome to the brave boys who had distinguished them- selves upon the fields of Tippecanoe. After arriving in the camp they, at the word "Left wheel," displayed to the north-west and halted upon the high grounds now occupied by Griffith Ellis, Mr. Boal and others, in front of the right wing of the troops already en- camped, and there pitched tents. Taken as a whole this civic and military demonstration presented .a pageant never before or since equaled in the new City of Urbana.
This re-enforcement completed the organization of General Hull's army, which was soon ordered to open an army road, which was af- terwards known as Hull's Trace, through the wilderness, and move its headquarters from Urbana to Detroit, reaching the latter place somewhere about the 12th July, 1872. The unfortunate sequel in the following month is upon the historic page, and does not for the object of this sketch require further notice. It might however, be noticed that this army erected while on its march, the McArthur and Findlay Block Houses, and detailed a small force for their protection as posts of security for army supplies in transit to the seat of war, and as a covert in case of Indian raids in their vicinity.
As these sketches are not intended as a history of the war, but only as connecting links to the early pioneer scenes of other days, I need not continue these extended outlines, but mearly remark,. that from the force of circumstances growing out of the fall of Detroit in Agust 1812, the defeat of Winchester at the River Rasin in the early part of the year 1813, and other reverses to the North; Urbana, being as already said a frontier town was made of neces- sity, a busy objective point.
Soon after the events already recited, troops were here concen- trated. Governor Shelby of Kentucky for the defense of our ex- posed frontier settlements, called out and took command in person of some 5,000 mounted men, and encamped them on the south border of the town, resting his right wing about where the upper pond of the factory now is, extending its left westward through the lands now owned and occupied by Henry Weaver and the heirs of the late John A. Ward to Redmond's mill, and they remained several days before moving to the front.
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It may here be also noticed, that Govenor Meigs immediately after the surrender of Detroit, made a requisition and designated Urbana as the place of rendezvous for a large Ohio force under the command of Gen.W. Tupper, and its encampment was on the high grounds north of the Dugan ravine, bordering on what is now known as Lanrel Oak Street.
During the seire of Fort Meigs in May 1813, General McArthur, upon request of the Governor, came here and sent out runners throughout all the surrounding country, urging the male inhabit- ants to immediately assemble themselves at this point, to inaugu- rate measures of defense to the exposed frontier settlements, and for the relief of the besieged fort, which resulted in a large mass meeting from all points south to the Ohio River, and the greater part of them being armed, volunteered to immediately march to the relief of Fort Meigs. The late Governor Vance and Simion Kenton, including m my other citizens of Urbana were among the number, and took a prominent part in the movement, This force being officered by acclamation and duly organized, immediately moved north, under command of Col. McArthur, with Samuel McColloch as Aid-de-Camp. It should be stated that this force was made up of horsemen and footmen, and were with all possible ce- lerity rushed forward some four days' march into the wilderness, until they were met by Col. William Oliver, John McAdams, and Captain Johnny, a celebrated Indian of that day, who had been. sent asspies, with the intelligence that the enemy had abandoned the seige; whereupon these forces returned to Urbana, and were honorably discharged.
Other and various concentrations were here made throughout the war, which need not now be noticed. Permanent artificer shops were here established, a hospital, commissary and quarter- master departments were here organized, and located as already intimated in these sketches ; and Urbana had all the paraphernalia and characteristic appendages of a seat of war, and was to all in - tents and purposes The Head Quarters of the North Western Army, bating a secondary claim of Franklinton.
From here troops were ordered to the front, and assigned their posts of duty ; here army supplies concentrated, and by wagons, sleds, pack-horses and other modes of transit, were sent to all points needing them.
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It has already been intimated that Urbana had assumed the dig- nity of headquarters to the North Western Army ; that the several departments of military camp and depot of munitions of war, were here located under appropriate agencies.
1. Wm. Jordan managed the Quartermasters department.
2. Alex. Doke had charge of the artificer yard and shops.
3. Zephaniah Luee was issuing commissary.
4. Dr. - Gould, physician andI surgeon to the hospital.
5. Jacob Fowler was a general agent an I contractor for Govern- ment supplies, by virtue of his functions as head of the Quarter- masters department for this point.
6. Major David Gwynne, who exercised the office of a pay- master, had his headquarters here.
This was also a recruiting station, the late Josiah G. Talbott, the father of Decatur and Richard C., &c., in his younger days was a Lieutenant in the regular United States service, belonging to a company commanded by his brother, Cipt. Richard C. Talbott, and. enlisted at this point quite a number of recruits. He married a Miss Forsythe, near the close of the war, and some years after located in business as a hatter, and remained here to the time of his decease.
And in this connection one other individual deserves to be
. noticed, for the valuable service; he bestowed during all the war, in aiding the government by aly mraments of money and means when her treasury was greatly depleted, and waited the re- turn for such advancements until she was able to refund; he was actuated in his course entirely through patriotism as a private in- dividual, and not as a public functionary; many poor destitute soldiers would have had to have gone into winter service destitute of blankets and other indispensable articles promotive of comfort, had it not been for the kind interposition of his patriotic soul. John Reynolds was the man whoe aets I have attempte I to de- scribe. Mr. Reynolds well deserves this tribute, and aside from those acts, Urbana owes him a debt of gratitude for his devotion to her interests during a long life of usefulness; he indeed contrib- uted greatly in building up the interests of both town and county, and his name should be cherished in Urina as a household souvenir.
Governor Vance, at a very early day, as one of those sturdy ath-
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tetic young men that could endure hardships and face danger, or- ganized a volunteer company of riflemen, selected from the sur- rounding country for several miles, who were like him, fitted for the times. They were mostly old hunters, well skilled in the use of the rifle ; many of them could make a center shot at a target seventy-five vards off. The company being of the material de- scribed, elected him Captain, Col. Wm. Ward, Jr., Lieutenant, and Isaac Myers, Ensign. They were denominated minute men and rangers, and whenever any imminent danger from Indians was apprehended, Captain Vanee would call his company together and move it to the point of danger, and if necessary erect a block house for the settlement. This was done apon several occasions before and during the war.
And it may be here noted, that during the war Capt. John Mc- Cord and his whole company of Militia were by the Governor or- dered to Fort McArthur for one month, to protect it and the gov- ernment property from depredation. This latter company for- nished all its quotas upon regular drafts ; these facts are given to show that Urbana did her part in the defence of the country dur- ing the war of 1812-15. And the same may be said in reference to the country organizations of the militia. I will name Captain Bar- ret's Company, Captain Kizer's Company, and all others within my knowledge, promptly responded to calls made upon them.
I will dismiss these rambling generalities, and say a word in re- lation to Governor Vance as a neighbor and friend ; he came here at a very eurly day with his father, Joseph C. Vance; his opportu- nities for instructions were limited, yet by dint of close application, attainded to such general knowledge of men and thing, as to after- ward qualify him for the most important trusts, and bec une in- deed distinguished in public life, of which i, however, will not at- tempt further tospeak, as his official life has become matter of his- tory. He had all the nobler qualities that adorn the man ; he had a heart to sympathize with the distressed, and relieve the wants of the needy, and all relationships, the fast friend to those who sought his friendship. Although decided in his political opinions, he would always concede merit even to his opponents, if the occa- sion required it. This trait made him many friends, even among those who differed with him.
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CHAPTER IX.
SIMON KENTON.
I will next introduce the name of General Simion Kenton, and say a few things from personal intercourse with him. I need not rehearse the thrilling scenes connected with his early eventful life. History informs us of his early departure from his Virginia home, one hundred years ago with an alias to his name, his adventures with the early pioneers of Kentucky, his associations with Daniel Boone, George Rogers Clarke, and others, his many wild adven- tures and hair breadth escapes, his capture by the Indians, his rela- tionships with Simon Girty, his running the gauntlet on several occasions, his riding the wild horse without bridle to guide it through dense thickets of under brush. I repr t Ineed not speak of these scenes as they are all on the historic page. But will speak of him as a citizen of Urbana, as a neighbor, and a friend. Thavs already stated in these sketches, that he was the Jailor at my first acquaintance, and as strange as it may now sound, he wasa pris- oner by legal construction to himself. In his early Kentucky life, he engaged in some land speculations which involved him, and some creditor pursued him with a claim which was unjust as he alleged, and which he was unable to pay. A capias, or full execu- tion, for want of property, was levied on his body, and to avoid being locked up in his own prison-house, he availed himself of the prison-bounds, which at that day were between Reynolds street and Ward street north and south, and between the east line of the town and Russell street east and west, according to my present recollection. These bounds, by legislative provision, afterward embraced the whole county. He was soon released, however, froro this constructive imprisonment. These prison reminiscences are here given to expose some of the barbarisms of the law of that day, which put it in the power of a shylock creditor to harass his debtor, even to the incarceration of his body if so unfortunate as to have no property upon which to make a levy. General Ken-
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Con, as a neighbor, was kind and obliging, and as a friend, stead- Cast ; he was generous, even to a fault, affable and courteous in all his relationships, and for a man without scholastic culture was re- markabty chaste in his behavior and conversation. He was un- assuming in his whole deportment toward others, never arrogat- ing to himself superiority over those with whom his associations brought him in contact. Although docile and lamb-like in his general intercourse in life, vet, if occasion prompted it, he could doff the lamb, and don the ion. I will give an instance: As has already been stated, the friendly border tribes of Indians had been invited to come into our vicinity for protection, and after they had accepted the offer, some hostile savages had made their way into une of our settlements and committed an atrocious murder, which had created intense excitement throughout the whole country, End the spirit of revenge was aroused, and found its way into an encampment of soldiers in this place, and it soon became known that a conspiracy was about being formed in the camp to move up- on the friendly tribes above indicated and massacre tin men, wo- men and children, in retaliation for that murder. Some of the citizens of Urbana, with General Konton at the head, remon- strated with them; he being chief speaker expostulated with them, giving his superior experience in regard to the Indian char- acter; told them that every circumstance connected with the mur- der clearly removed every vestige of suspicion from those friendly tribes, and told them the act would di-grace them as soldiers ; and would implicate each of them in a charge of willful murder. At this point General Kenton and the citizens retired, but soon Learned that the nellish purpose was determined upon, and prep- ærations made to move upon the Indian camp. When General Kenton, rifle in hand, accompanied by his few fellow-citizens, again confronted the malcontents, and told them they were not soldiers but cowards, and under a solemn imprecation, with eyes flashing fire, told them that if they went he would go too, and would shoot down the miscreant who would first attempt to com- mit the deed, and that if they succeeded, they would have to do it over his dead body. They found with whom they had to deal, and hesitated, and calmed down, and the poor Indians were
Enill now give an incident to show the spirit of forgiveness the i he would manifest toward an old enemy. One morning, at
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the close of the war of 1812, might have been seen on one of our streets a tall, well-built specimen of an Indian, enquiring for the residence of Simon Butler, and soon after, General Kenton might have been soen moving on the same street; the two personages met, eyed each other & moment, and immediately were in each other's most affectionate embrace. It seemed that the Indian had been his adopted brother during his captivity, and as such had formed strong attachments. General Kenton took his Indian brother home, and kept him some days as his visitor.
The writer of this, though very young at his first acquaintance with General Kenton, seemed to secure his confidence, and the General would take pleasure in rehearsing the scenes through which he passed ; and as some individuals of this day are trying to disparage him by calling him an Indian horse thief, I will state as nearly as possible General Kenton's own version, and in his own language: "I never in my life captured horses for my own use, but would hand them over to those who had lost horses by Indian thefts, nor did I ever make reprisals upon any but hostile tribes, who were at war against the white settlers." He disa- vowed taking from friendly Indians horses or other property, then why should he be assailed as a horse thief when he only did such acts as are of common practice in a state of war ?
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