The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county, Part 38

Author: W.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1214

USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county > Part 38

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John F., born October 29, 1814, married Effie A. Rogers April 20, 1843, ad is still living with his wife and three daughters in Dayton. He is an lder in the First Presbyterian Church, and is the only child of Robert Ed- ar's now living.

In the war of 1812, Robert Edgar was a soldier in one of the companies t mounted rangers from this county, and among the interesting relics of that loody border war, is his sword now in possession of his son, John F. Edgar.

The care of the four children and the managment of the farm during her usband's service in the army devolved upon Mrs. Edgar, who. with the other rave, true-hearted women of that day so nobly bore their share of the dangers nd trials incident to frontier life. Her babe, Mary. was but a year old, yet he brave mother with the aid of her three children, Jane eleven years old; Robert, nine years old; and Samuel, six years old, took care of the cattle, cul- ivated and harvested the grain, and kept the farm in good shape until the re- urn of her husband. The farm was not exposed to Indian attacks like those n the western and northern parts of the county; yet the anxiety for the safety of her husband, the common danger to all frontier settlements, the care and re- ponsibility of the family, and the burden of farm work taxed her heart and

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

strength to the utmost. Her gallant soldier husband returned safely to his family to live in the peace won in the victory over the savages and their British allies.

Mr. Edgar and his wife were members of the Presbyterian Church, he having been active in its first organization in Dayton, and helped to get out the logs and put up the little log cabin meeting-house in the hazel thicket back of the corner at Third and Main streets, in the year 1800. He died December 19, 1838. Mrs. Edgar died November 25, 1844. The Edgar name is perpet- uated through the son Samuel D. who was married in 1845. and succeeded to the ownership of the farm, and died in 1874; and, in the division of his estate. left the homestead to his son Charles, who was born May 29, 1851, married Caroline L. Bidleman January 26, 1871, and diel November 23, 1877.

Margaret, Emma B. and Robert C. were born at the old home in Mad River Township. The son, Robert C., was born June 5, 1877, and is the rapre- sentative in the fifth generation of the descendants of Robert Edgar the eider, his great-great-grandfather, who emigrated to this country in 1739; and of his great-grandfather who was one of the pioneers of Montgomery County, and of whose life this sketch is written.

MAJ. GEORGE ADAMS.

One of the bravest, most experienced and daring Indian fighters among the earliest settlers of Montgomery County, was Maj. George Adams, who was born in Virginia October 26, 1767, served as a drummer boy in the Revolution ary army, and came West with dispatches to Gen. Harmar in the fall of the year 1790.

Adams, with a companion. came down the Ohio River in a canoe from Pittsburgh, as a bearer of dispatches to Gen. Harmar, at Fort Washington. Gen. Harmar's expedition had marched against the Indians, and Gov. St. Clair. who was at the Fort. desiring to aid in forwarding the dispatches, proposed to furnish Adams with a good horse, saddle and bridle, if he would follow Harmar's trail. Adams, equipped with rifle and ammunition, and provided with parched corn, some flour and a piece of pork, started without delay, and at the end of the fourth day, overtook the army near the old Chillicothe town, on the Little Miami River, and delivered his dispatches to Gen. Harmar. He joined one of the companies of Kentucky Mounted Infantry, in Maj. Fontaine's battalion, and continued with the expedition to the junction of the St. Joseph and St.

He was in Col. Mary's Rivers (now Fort Wayne, Ind.), where the army, in detachments. suffered mortifying defeat on the 19th and 22d of October Hardin's fight of the 19th, and participated in the disastrous battle of the 22d. It was shortly after sunrise that Maj. Fontaine with his battalion charged the Indians on the west bank of the St. Joseph River, and was killed. George Adams was close by the Major at the time, and although himself wounded, was still fighting. In the fight of October 22nd, in a fierce hand to hand contest with the savages, he was five times severely wounded, yet mirac ulously escaped, but was pronounced to be in a dying condition.

From the failure to carry out the plans for a surprise of the Indian camp. the savages escaped, but making a stand, a scattering fire was kept up in the regular backwoods style, where each man treed and fought on his own book.

George Adams' horse was killed in the first dash at the savages, and Adams was shot in the thigh. He then fought from tree to tree. His arm was broken by a bullet. He was shot in the side, the ball cutting through the flesh and lodging under his other arm. He was shot in the breast, the bullet lodging under his shoulder blade. Yet notwithstanding these severe wounds, he was not totally disabled, and to stop fighting was death. Seeing an Indian

Christian h. Bremer

DAYTON

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

ear, who had just fired his rifie. he gave chase. overtook him, tomahawked im, and while scalping him, five other savages came up and fired at him. n the effort to grasp his rifle, he found that his arm was paralyzed from being roken and the severe wound in the shoulder. He caught his rifle with his ther hand, and escaped into the thickets before the Indians could reload. He ad killed five Indians in the two days' fighting, but now, from great loss of lood, his strength only lasted until he got back to the battalion. where he fell xhausted upon the ground, and was one of the few wounded who escaped and rere carried on litters into camp. The surgeons dressed his wounds, but stated hat it was impossible for him to live through the night. and his grave was ug ready for his burial, before the retreat should begin. Contrary to all expec- tions, he was alive in the morning, and was carried on a litter between two orses the next day's march; and in the evening, there still being no hopes of is recovery, a second grave was dug for him. He was thus carried in a weak nd unconscious condition from day to day, back to Fort Washington, where for any weary weeks his life hung as by a thread, but finally he fully recovered. et carried for the rest of his life the two Indian bullets in his body. one in his noulder, the other in his thigh. He again became a strong, robust man. bout five feet eight inches tall. His hair was red, and he wore it very long. [e was as brave as a lion, used to the life of a woodsman, quick in expedients. elf-reliant, perfectly acquainted with the trails through the forests, and the cation of Indian villages, and from his knowledge of their haunts, habits and odes of warfare, his services were invaluable in all campaigns against the ivages from St. Clair's defeat in 1791, until the close of the war in 1795. le was in St. Clair's defeat November 4, 1791, but escaped without injury, al- hough he was in constant service through the campaign, scouting through the ndian country, frequently having running fights with the savages. but as his oject was only to get information, he avoided observation and battle.

January 26, 1792, he married Elizabeth Ellis, probably at Limestone, Ky. he was born in Northwest Virginia, or in Greene or Westmoreland County. enn., March 31, 1773. George Adams was a Captain of scouts in Wayne's rmy, in the campaigns of 1793, 1794 and 1795. On one of his expeditions orth into the Indian country, his two intended graves were pointed out to him y one of his comrades, who had assisted in digging them in 1790.

He passed safely through the perils of Wayne's active aggressive war. endering conspicuous service in all important movements; and when the In- ians had dispersed after the conclusion of the treaty of peace at Greenville. ne necessity for the services of Capt. Adams and his brave men no longer ex- sted. They could then locate their lands and settle down to enjoy the peace nd possession their valor had aided in conquering.

In consideration of his services as drummer boy in the Revolutionary rmy, he received a warrant for 100 acres of land, which he located south of [amilton, Ohio, and lived upon it for a short time.

Knowing thoroughly of the rich lands up the Miami, toward Mad River. ne profusion of luxuriant verdure and native vegetation to be found in its rich. plendid bottoms, and over the rolling timber lands; when it was found that le Indians would respect the treaty by leaving this valley unmolested and lear to settlers, Adams ventured into the forest with his little family, and many others came to settle around him on Silver Creek (Hole's). His services the Indian wars entitled him to a large tract of Government land. He ntered 400 acres of first-rate land in Sections 21, 27 and 28, Range 6, Town- hip 1, east bank of the Miami, and built his cabin in the bend of the river. elow but near to Silver Creek (Hole's). With his family he brought their anty cabin furniture and supplies, his rifle, ax, and one horse critter, begin-

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

ning life in the backwoods by cultivating that year (1797), a little garden and corn patch at the edge of the prairie on his land.

In the river were fish in abundance; and in the woods game and wild honey, so that even in that first year there was but little privation for his fam- ily. With each year his farm was improved, furniture and cabin were made more comfortable. In the fields were cattle and hogs, and the fertile soil yielded abundant crops. The farmer and his family had bread and butter, milk, meat and vegetables in plenty for themselves, and gave freely of it to hungry travelers and wandering Indians.

Until after the year 1800, he had no near neighbors, and but few cabins had been built. After that year, land was more rapidly taken up and the road up the river was in constant use.

That part of his farm near the mouth of the creek was known as Adams' Prairie, where in after years militia camps were located and camp meetings were often held. The New-Light Church people in the early days, at stated times, held services in his cabin, and in later years he became a zealous member of that church.

At the Indian alarm in 1799, Adams organized the settlers of the neighbor- hood as a garrison for the defense of Hole's Station, and the cabins around. There were no whites west of the river, and it was feared that the Indians might come down the Bear Creek trail, to destroy the feeble settlements along the river from Hole's Creek down to Hole's Station. For a few days, possibly for a month, scouts were kept out, and the families repaired to the block-house each night, but the danger passed without the settlements being molested. In fact, the settlers of Montgomery County never were really disturbed by Indian war parties, although until 1811 it was a common thing for them to be here ini small parties of hunters and traders. George Adams was the father of four sons-George, Thomas, William and Caleb-all of whom are dead ; and four daughters-Elizabeth, Cynthia, Martha and Nancy; the latter is dead, but the' others were living not long since.

Under the militia laws of Ohio, some time after the county was organized, Adams was commissioned Major of one of the Montgomery County regiments. and held that position at the time hostilities began against the British and Indians in 1812. By order of the brigade commander, his battalion was as- sembled at the prairie on his farm near Alexandersville, April 16, of that year. and from it the ranks of Capt. Perry's company of United States Ranger were filled.

Maj. Adams was in constant service through the war. In August, ima mediately upon receipt of the news of Hull's surrender, he marched with hin battalion to the frontier and was in command of the post at St. Mary's until the arrival of Gen. Harrison and his army, the last of September.

By reason of his well-known bravery and knowledge of Indian warfare he was assigned to the command of a regiment of scouts for special service to the front of Harrison's army, and in the country over toward Fort Wayne. trusted officer who gallantly performed the important duties assigned him.

When the road had been once more opened to the Maumee Rapids, to Maj. Adams was assigned the duty of keeping clear of Indians the country around Fort Greenville and up to St. Mary's.

At the close of the war he was in command of Fort Greenville, and wa not relieved until after the Indians had quieted.

It was while scouting in that vicinity at that time that he selected th land on Greenville Creek. He entered the land, about a section, in 1815, an during that winter or early in the spring of 1816, he moved out with his family and that year built a grist-mill, a small water-power mill from which h

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

urned out coarse corn meal, and flour that customers had to bolt by hand. That was the pioneer mill of Darke County, and for a long time had trade from Il the settlements around.

Maj. Adams was a genial, fun-loving man, widely known, respected and popular. His neighbors were people, who, like him, had come West in search f homes, participated in the Indian wars, and upon peace being declared in 814, had settled down in their backwoods homes, a neighborhood of congen- al spirits, the little settlement taking the name of "Adams' Mill"-a popu- ar place for old time gatherings, shooting matches. horse-races and like sports.

There are yet many people living in Montgomery and Darke Counties who ave pleasant recollections of association with the battle-scarred old pioneer varrior.

His land was five miles east of Greenville in Section 33, Adams 'ownship, named in honor of the gallant old Major. That country was new nd sparsely settled. Small parties of Indians were constantly passing long the trails that led to their villages, or to the forts at New Lexington, Fort Black (New Madison), the stockade near Covington, and to the fort at Upper Piqua.

For the wounds received in 1790, and for disabilities incurred in the war f 1812, he, for a number of years, drew pension from the Government.

He was elected Associate Judge Common Pleas Court of Darke County, by he Legislature at the session of 1829-30, and he held that position until his eath in 1832. Maj. George Adams died at his home five miles east of Green- ille, November 20, 1832. His wife Elizabeth died in the same house February 2, 1847.

They are buried in the Martin Cemetery, three miles east of Greenville.

DR. JOHN HOLE.

Closely following the Dayton Colony up the Miami, in the spring of 796, were parties of settlers who located at favorable points along the east ank of the river, between Hamilton and Dayton. Squatters took possession of he rich bottom opposite the mouth of Bear Creek. Maj. Adams selected his land ut the mouth of Silver Creek (Hole's); Col. Jerome Holt took land that is now n Van Buren Township, while others ventured farther up Silver Creek Hole's), on lands now in Washington Township.

Dr. John Hole purchased 1,440 acres of land in Township 2, Range j, and in the spring of the next year moved up from Cincinnati with his family.

His father. Zachariah Hole, married Phoebe Clark, in Virginia, about the rear 1750. Their second child, John Hole, was born there in 1754. The son was raised on the farm, but received a good education, and, when quite young, studied medicine and surgery under the instruction of Dr. Fullerton.

In Virginia, the militia were organized for defense of the colony, under the resolutions offered by Patrick Henry, in the Provincial Convention that as- sembled at Richmond, March 20, 1775. So that in the uprising of the people throughout the colonies, after the battle at Lexington and Concord, Virgin- ans promptly responded to the call for troops to resist the threatened advance of the British from Boston.

Dr. John Hole marched, with a battalion of Virginia militia. and shortly after their arrival at the American camp, then encircling Boston, he was com- missioned Assistant Surgeon in the Continental army, and continued in active service through the Revolution.

He was in the battle at Bunker Hill, and when the army was re-organized, with Gen. Washington as Commander-in-Chief, he was assigned to the medi-

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY,

cal staff, in the division of gallant Brig. Gen. Richard Montgomery, in whose honor Montgomery County is named ; and it is very probable that it was at the suggestion of Dr. Hole that the county was so named.

During the assault upon Quebec, before daylight, on the morning of De cember 31, 1775, Dr. Hole, with other Surgeons of the American Army, estab- lished the field hospital near the walls of the fort, and it was there that Gen. Montgomery's body was brought immediately after he was shot through the heart. The General was leading and cheering his men when he received his death shot,

The army retreated a short distance down the river and went into camp for the winter, but were forced to retreat in May following.

August 4, 1778, Dr. Hole married Miss Massie Ludlow, of New Jersey. and before the close of the war three children were born to them.

In 1787, they moved to Virginia, but after a short absence, returned to New Jersey, where they remained until early in 1796, when they came West. traveling in a large covered wagon, arriving in Cincinnati early in April, where the family stayed until the next spring.

Leaving his family comfortably fixed in Cincinnati, Dr. Hole came up the Miami, and after visiting the several little settlements around Dayton, de- termined to locate on Silver Creek, and bought the land previously described. paying for it in military land bounty warrants granted to him as an officer in the Revolutionary army.

He built his cabin close to the creek. on the spot where David Gephart's new two-story frame house now stands. a short distance below E. Bellaman's mill, It was a round-log cabin, puncheon floor, cat and clay chimney. He! cleared and grubbed several acres of land, chinked and daubed his cabin, and during the following winter made frequent trips to Cincinnati, and moved out with his family early in 1797.

The family then were, himself and wife, his son, Jeremiah, eighteen years old; Elizabeth, eleven years old: Jane, nine: David, six; Nancy, one. Benches and bunks had been put up by the Doctor, other cabin furniture and cooking utensils were brought along, so that, comparatively, the family were comfortably provided for.

With their own rifles, the Doctor and his son, Jeremiah, kept the table well supplied with game, and the two older daughters could help very much in the corn and truck patches. and in burning brush and tending the burning log-heaps.

A narrow, winding path led down the creek to the road that ran along the river.

The Doctor met with no serious obstacles in establishing his family in their new home, although, with all other settlers, they suffered very much from fever and ague. He was the only physician in that part of the valley, and, for many years, was in active practice in the cabins for ten or twelve miles around, riding night and day, often, from the necessities of the situa- tion, having to bivouac for the night in thickets through which the bridle- paths led.

Money being so scarce and of such little use on the frontier, his bills were settled at the convenience of his patrons, by the delivery to him of prod- uce or cattle. For a year's attendance as family physician, a two-year old heifer, or six Barbary sheep, a mare with foal, 200 bushels of corn, etc. Due- bills would be given, such as these:

"For medical service, I owe Dr. John Hole one pair leather shoes for a boy child.

(Signed)

BENJAMIN ROBBINS."

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

" Due to Dr. J. 'Holes, fifty pounds of salt.

(Signed) BENJAMIN ARCHER."

" November 1, 1801. I agree to deliver to Dr. J. Hole a winter's smoking f tobacco, or five venison hams.

(Signed) G. ADAMS."

In 1799, Dr. Hole built a hewed-log mansion on the hill, a short distance Northwest of his cabin, where his daughters. Matilda and Phebe, who are yet iving, were born. From his comfortable circumstances and well known hos- itality, his cabin was a great stopping place for travelers and new-comers, and lso had many visits from roving Indian parties.

One day while the Doctor and his son were in the clearing, three Indians ame to the cabin and asked for dinner, which Mrs. Hole at once began to pre- are. Being somewhat uneasy, however, she got one of the Indians to blow he conch shell, as a signal to her husband, who, with his son, hastened with heir rifles to the cabin, but the Indians were peaceable, and after their heal, went to the woods and killed a buck, taking to the cabin the hind quar- ers, in return for the good treatment they had received.

The stream upon which the Doctor bad located had been known to sur- eyors and explorers, as Silver Creek, but from his prominence as a physician, nd the fact of his being one of the largest resident land-holders of the coun- y, as a matter of convenience in giving direction, it soon got to be known as Iole's Creek, and for more than eighty years has held that name in honor of im, as one of the first and most prominent of Montgomery County pioneers.

Doctor and Mrs. Hole, and their children, were members of the early Bap- ist Church at Centerville. He was the first person baptized in Hole's Creek; vas an active, influential member of the church, and lived a consistent Chris- ian life.

Of the eleven children born to them. Mary, William and Polly Ludlow lied in infancy,

Jeremiah, born in New Jersey, June 10, 1779, died in Washington Town- hip, this county, July 9, 1811.

Elizabeth, born in New Jersey, November 27, 1786, married William Dodds; lied in September, 1852.

Jane, born in New Jersey, October 5, 17SS, married the Rev. Jacob Mulford, a pioneer Baptist preacher of this valley, died August 3, 1866.

David, born in New Jersey, August 7, 1791; married Margaret McClucas; lied January 16, 1829.

Nancy, born in Cincinnati, May 20, 1796; remained single; died January 17, 1840.

John Ludlow, born in the little cabin on Hole's Creek, June 3, 1798; mar- ied Susan Hatfield; died June 3, 1849.

Matilda, born in the hewed-log " mansion house," on Hole's Creek, De- cember 4, 1799; married Elisha Hopkins December 25, 1823. Her husband died August 23, 1849. They had no children. Mrs. Hopkins, now nearly eighty-three years old, is living on part of her father's estate, near Hole's Creek in Washington Township, and is probably the oldest native of the county.

Phebe, born in the cabin home on Hole's Creek, March 11, 1802, was never married, and is yet living on her own property, near where her father's first cabin was built, on part of the land that he entered in 1796.

From exposure, incident to his service in the Revolutionary army, the toil and anxieties of backwoods life, long rides and character of his experience in the practice of medicine through the scattered cabin settlements in all kinds of weather, Dr. Hole's health began to fail, so that at the outbreak of the war, in 1812, he was obliged to decline the position tendered him, in the medical staff

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

of the army. He died January 6, 1813. His wife died July 25, 1842. They, with five children, are buried in the old cemetery, one-half mile north of Cen- terville.

ZACHARIAH HOLE.

Father of Dr. John Hole, lived in the colony of Virginia, where about the year 1750, he married Phebe Clark. Their eight children were born in Virginia.

Their son, Zachariah, married Hannah Delay; Daniel married Polly Beedle a sketch of the life of Dr. John Hole has already been given; William Hole mar- ried Ruth Crane; Polly married David Yazell: Sarah married a Mr. Eaton; Phebe also married a Mr. Eaton; Betsy married John Craig.

A year after his son, John. moved to the West, Zachariah Hole, with his wife and three sons, Zachariah, Jr., William and Daniel, and two daughters. Polly and Betsy, came to the Miami Valley. The father and his three sons bought land on the east bank of the river, opposite the mouth of Bear Creek, which they afterward entered at the land office in Cincinnati, paying $2 an acre for it.

At the time of the threatened Indian outbreak, in the summer of 1799, a block-house and stockade were built upon Zachariah Hole's land, near the river. and the settlers were organized for defense, with Maj. Adams in command. Although there were several cabins between that and Dayton, none could be seen from the narrow road through the woods.

The block-house and stockade were known as Hole's Station, and after- ward became quite a busy little point, where new comers would halt while prospecting for lands west of the river.

Hole's. Station became Miamisburg, and the town was platted in 1818.

Mr. Hole and his wife died, and were buried in the vicinity of the town.

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The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county, Part 38

Author: W.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 1214

Author: W.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1214