The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county, Part 40

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 40

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After going a quarter of a mile they were unable to proceed farther, ar it was then agreed that Mitchell should remain with the wounded, while Per should take the rifle and endeavor to reach the settlements up the river, ar bring relief ; but in any event to return with or without assistance. Per first went back to poor Wernock, who was still alive and sensible of his hop less condition, replenished his kettle, brought fire to the other party, ar started for the settlements.

Fortunately for the wounded men, they were near a small stream fro which they could get water, in an old woolen hat. In the evening Mitche went back to see Wernock and reached him just as he was dying, and staye with him until dark, and lost his way in attempting to return to the oth camp. Patterson and Templeton not knowing what had become of Mitchell, ha a sad night of it, but at day light the next morning he found them, and durin the day moved camp 200 yards up a deep ravine and further from the rive

Patterson could not move about, but was compelled to lie upon his left sid and in the rain, until the next day Mitchell found that close by there was rock projecting from a cliff, that would protect them from the storm, to whir place he moved them, then gathered papaws and grapes, which was all the had to eat. They knew from the howling of the wolves in the direction of th fatal camp that they were feasting upon the bodies of their late comrades McNutt and Wernock.

The third day after the attack, Patterson's arm became very painful, th splints and his shirt were cemented together with blood, and stuck so tight his arm that they were several hours in loosening it with applications of war water ; his arm was then dressed with oak leaves and was much more comfor. able ; but little could be done for the terrible tomahawk wound in his side.

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Time dragged slowly for the hungry suffering men, and when the four cys had passed that Perry had allowed himself, they talked over the dangers t which he was exposed, the distance he had to go, and the improbability of his r'urn, but concluded to wait for him until the 20th and then if relief did not cne, they would attempt to reach the fort at the mouth of the Kanawha. Bout noon of the 20th, Mitchell gave them a lot of papaws and went back to Is station at the river to watch for boats, and in an hour he returned with a cnpany of men.

The brave true friend Perry had returned with Capt. John Walls, his cicers and nearly a company of troops from the fort at Grave Creek.

The wounded men were taken to the river, supplied with food, and their wunds properly dressed. The Captain had the bones of McNutt and Wernock } ried, then the whole party went in the boats up the river to GraveCreek.

For nearly a year, Patterson was unable to do anything, and laid all that tue under the surgeon's care.

In September, 1777, having recovered his health in Pennsylvania, he souldered his rifle and returned to Kentucky.

The next year, he was with Col. George Rogers Clark in the Illinois cam- ign. Returning to Kentucky, in September he was enrolled in the militia at harrodsburg, and during the winter was made Ensign of his company.

In March, 1779, he was ordered with twenty-five of his men to establish a grison north of the Kentucky River. April 1, Ensign Patterson with his tenty-five brave comrades, were in bivouac near the big spring, the beautiful jeation, that, three years before, he and those with him had named Lexington. bril 2, work upon the block-house began, and soon afterward the stockade us extended to inclose the spring. And thus, with one half of his command guard, the others cutting out the logs, was the first settlement at Lexington, Iv., made, near what is now the corner of Main and Mill streets.

Robert Patterson afterward entered the land and laid out the city of Lex- gton.

A crop of corn was raised by the garrison that first year, but the settle- ent did not increase in numbers until the following year.

In July, 1779, with his detachment, he joined his company, Levi Todd, aptain, that formed part of Bowman's expedition against the Shawnee town Old Chillicothe.

Immigrants were coming to Kentucky in large numbers, and upon the re- In of the expedition from north of the Ohio, the block-house at Lexington as strengthened, and a few of the bolder of the new-comers built cabins ad- ing its protecting walls.

The fort, which had by this time become a place of some importance, had sumed the shape of a parallelogram, two sides of which were formed by the posed walls of two rows of cabins, the extreme ends of the fort being defend- Il by stockades of sharpened posts fixed securely in the ground, and furnished ith ports. The pickets and walls were about ten feet high.

Another row of cabins stood in the center of the inclosed place, which was rge enough to shelter, not only the settlers and new comers, but also all the ve stock which might, at any time, have to be driven in from the reach of leir destroying foe. The fort had but one gate, a large slab one.

Thus was the permanent settlement at Lexington effected, in the midst of he thrilling events of border warfare. It was the outpost of pioneer settle- ients, guarded by a band of the bravest of Indian fighters, who with their flint- ock rifles, drove back the savages and their allies.

Ensign Patterson was the commander and leading spirit of the station ; he

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

headed the desperate forays of its little garrison, and was ever their trustec leader. He with his comrades were men born for pioneer times and emergencies

Having selected and carefully marked his land, and made entry under the Virginia law, with full and accurate description, late in 1779 he built a cabir for himself within the stockade ; and before the close of that cold winter he went to Franklin County, Penn., and on the 29th of March, 1780, married Elizabeth Lindsay at her father's house, and shortly afterward started for their Kentucky home, where they arrived safely.

In August of that year, he served as Captain in the expedition organized by Col. Clark against the Indian towns, Old Chillicothe on the Little Miami. and Old Piqua on Mad River.

April 7, 1781, upon the recommendation of the court of the county of Fay! ette, he was commissioned Captain of Virginia volunteers, by Thomas Jeffer son, Governor of Virginia. August 19, 1782, he, with his company, was in the disastrous battle of Blue Licks. During the retreat, being nearly exhaust. ed. and hard pressed by the savages, Aaron Reynolds overtook him, and, see ing his desperate situation, dismounted and gave him his horse, helped hin into the saddle, and took his own chances on foot. Patterson escaped; bu Reynolds, after swimming the river, was taken prisoner by three Indians. Very soon afterward two of them started to capture some other. whites, and Reynold knocked the other one over with his fist and made good his escape.

Capt. Patterson presented him with 200 acres of land in gratitude for his timely aid and generous service.

Joel Collins, a boy who had stayed in the block-house at Lexington when the men marched to the relief of Bryant Station, in telling of the terrible ex perience they had, said that he should never forget the shouts of joy that were raised, not only by Capt. Patterson's young wife, but by all the people of the station when he entered the gate of the fort the day after the battle of Blue Licks. While they were crowding around him, some of the men observed " Why, Captain, there are bullet-holes in your hunting-shirt." "Likely enough," said he, " for I have felt a smarting sensation in parts of my body." He permitted his clothes to be removed, when two or three black streaks, made by rifle balls, were plainly seen on his side and back.

In the fall of 1782, Capt. Patterson was in command of his company ir Col. Benjamin Logan's regiment, in Clark's expedition against the Indian towns at Piqua, on the Miami, and at the Loramie portage; and on the returr march, camped two or three days at the mouth of Mad River.

The next year, he built a log house at the southwest corner of Hill and Lower streets, Lexington, and, with his family, moved into it. The log house was in time succeeded by a substantial stone house, in which the family lived until their removal to Ohio.

In 1783, he was elected Justice of the Peace for Fayette County. He par- ticipated in the early military conventions of the State. In July, 1785, he was chosen delegate to the convention that met at Danville August 8 and adopted the petition to the Virginia Legislature for the separation of Kentucky and its formation into an independent State of the Union.

In September, 1785, Gov. Patrick Henry, "with the advice of the Council of State, and upon the recommendation of the worshipful court of the county of Fayette," commissioned Robert Patterson as Colonel in the State Line.

In the fall of 1786, with his regiment, he crossed the Ohio at Limestone, and marched, under Col. Benjamin Logan, to the destruction of the Macka- cheek towns on Mad River. November 5, being then in command of the left wing of the attacking force, he became engaged in a hand-to-hand contest with & savage chief; the Indian, in warding off a sword thrust by Col. Patterson,

moram Wyatt Sr

DAYTON

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

suck him with the muzzle of his rifle, breaking two of the bones of his right End. The result of this expedition was the burning of eight of the Shawnee tens and the destruction of great quantities of corn and provisions. Col. Etterson not receiving proper surgical attention, inflammation ensued, and cised the old wound in his arm, that he had received ten years before, to break o'; afresh, and it never again healed, but remained open until his death, more tun forty years afterward.

In January, 1788, Col. Patterson was in Limestone to arrange for a colony to locate on the Ohio opposite the mouth of the Licking River. This was in p:suance of the plan adopted in the fall of 1786 to establish a post there as a ble for operations against the Indians in the territory at the head-waters of tl Wabash, Maumee and Miami Rivers. Delays occurred, and but very little Ws accomplished until in August, when Mathias Denman, who had bought the lad on the Ohio, opposite the mouth of the Licking, came West, and, on the 2 h of the month, at Lexington, entered into an agreement with Col. Patter- s. and John Filson, by which a settlement was to be effected on the land a )ve described,

December 28, the party, after a rough passage from Limestone, landed at tl high bank opposite the mouth of the Licking, and, with but little delay, bran work upon their cabins.

In 1790, he was a delegate from Fayette County to the Virginia Legisla- te.

In 1791, with his regiment, he was in Gen. Richard Butler's right wing o:St. Clair's army, and, although his regiment was not broken by the Indian cirge, they suffered with the rest of the Kentucky troops in that terrible de- net and retreat.

In 1792, he was Representative from Fayette County in the first Legisla- tre of Kentucky, held in Lexington, the first capital of the State, under the fit constitution.

In 1803, C 1. Patterson came up from Kentucky and bought land and mill p perty near Clifton, Greene Co., Ohio; but, visiting Dayton on his way home. a:{ preferring this location, he bought the farm south of town and moved here wh his family the next year. He named the creek and farm the Rubicon. H afterward bought land west of the river, so that, in all, he had 700 acres. fim the Germantown pike south and around to the Miami, across the river. al east to the Waynesville road.

In the war of 1812, he was in charge of transportation of supplies from ( mp Meigs, in this county, north to the army.

Col. Patterson was a man of medium height and build. a Christian man. wom all respected and spoke well of. Of an affectionate nature, he was de- ved to the comfort and happiness of his family. For the last few years of h life, he suffered very much from his wounds, and died from the effects of tlm, at 5 A. M., August 5, 1827. He was buried in the old graveyard on F th street, in Dayton. His wife died October 22, 1833, and was buried be- se her husband. Their remains were afterward removed to beautiful Wood- Ird Cemetery, adjoining his old farm. The family lot is on a knoll, from the tx of which may be had an extended view for miles up the Stillwater, Miami al Mad River Valley, and far down the Miami.

All of Col. Patterson's children were born at Lexington, Ky. His first tb) were born and died in the log cabin within the old stockade. They were need for Col. Patterson's half-brother, William Patterson.

Rebecca, born February 9, 1784, married Dr John Goodlet before Col. Etterson moved from Kentucky. Mrs. Goodlet died at Elizabethtown, Ky .. Jhuary 4, 1858.

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Margaret, born June 9, 1786, was married three times; first, to Dr. Vena- ble, then to the Rev. James Welsh, then to Samuel Caldwell. She died at Muscatine, Iowa, in February, 1861.

Elizabeth, born January 27, 1788; married James I. Nisbet, February 20, 1806; died December 25, 1827.

Francis, born April 6, 1791, died September 11, 1854.

Catherine, born March 7, 1793, was married three times; first, to Henry Brown, then to Andrew Irwin, then to H. G. Phillips. She died August 12 1864.

Jane, born May 25, 1795, married John Steele; died in 1876.

Harriet, born March 25. 1797, married Henry Stoddard December 4, 1821 died October 1, 1822.

Robert L., born May 27, 1799, died August 30, 1833.

Jefferson, born May 27, 1801, married Julia Johnston February 26, 1833 died March 23, 1863.

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

CHAPTER XII.

PHILIP GUNCKEL-HENRY BROWN-JONATHAN HARSHMAN-H. G. PHILLIPS.

PHILIP GUNCKEL.

r THE colony of Pennsylvania Germans who settled at the forks of the Twin

Creeks in this county about the 1st of August, 1804, was probably the first o any considerable number of Germans to locate in the Miami Valley. Philip Unckel was the most prominent man in the colony, and was their leader. He ws one of the very few of their number who could talk or understand English.

-- He was born in Berks County, Penn., April 7, 1766, grew up to hard work, Irned the trade of milling, and, in 1793, married Katarina (Catherine) Shaeffer, who was born in Berks County, Penn., July 12, 1766.

Mr. Gunckel had saved some money, and in 1796 they moved to Centre ( anty, Penn., where he built a grist-mill and became proprietor of the vil- lae of Millheim.

Their children-John, Michael, Catherine, Philip, Jacob and Sarah-were bn in Pennsylvania; Daniel P. and Elizabeth, were born at Germantown, nthis county.

Catherine married Lewis Shuey; Sarah married Henry Zellers; and Eliz- aeth married Dr. C. G. Espich. All lived in German Township, this county.

In 1803, Mr. Gunckel, with two or three others, made a trip West to the Cio, and down the valley in search of land for a colony, but, failing to make a urchase, returned to Pennsylvania.

During the succeeding winter, twenty-four German families arranged to s'rt overland in wagons from Berks and Centre Counties, with the understand- 11); that all were to meet at Pittsburgh, and from there journey together down t.o Ohio.

In pursuance of this plan, in several parties. they made the trip over the n untains, and at Pittsburgh united, with Philip Gunckel as their leader.

The people and plunder, horses, wagons and cattle, were loaded in flat- tats for the trip down the river to Cincinnati, where they arrived safely June 2 After a delay of several days, they continued their journey up the Mill Ceek Valley to Hamilton, and on up the Miami to Hole's Station, near where try went into camp, comfortably living in huts and wagons for about two veks, while the men folks were looking around for unoccupied land.

Finding desirable locations along the Miami and up Hole's Creek and far Creek, already occupied, Mr. Gunckel and others crossed over the hill to Tin, where, at the forks of the two creeks, they found a few scattered cabins ad small clearings, occupied by settlers and squatters.

Here were the mill sites that Mr. Gunckel was seeking, and here the rich ttom lands that the colony could occupy.

The new-comers were men of means and nearly all farmers. A dicker vis made with the squatters for their " cabin rights."

The settlers were bought out, enough Government land was taken to give te colony what land they wanted, and the entries were completed at the land cice in Cincinnati.

It was a strong colony of thrifty people, better equipped with cabin fur-

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

niture, cooking utensils and farming implements than frontier settlements or. dinarily were.

About the 1st of August, 1804, the new settlers occupied the few scattered cabins in the clearings, others were built, and all were made snug for the first winter in the wilderness. Hunting parties were kept out, and among the fam. ilies it was share and share alike with the supplies.

The few families who had stopped at Cincinnati and along the way, with some new-comers, came in that fall and the next year.

As soon as the cabins were built, the men were at work in the timber ex- tending the clearings.

Philip Gunckel, with his family, temporarily occupied one of the squatter cabins, and, in the winter of 1804-05, built a two story dwelling on the north side of the creek. It was built of hewn logs, puncheon floors, cat and clay chimney, clapboard roof and doors. The doors were hung on wooden hinges and had wooden latches. When the buckskin latch strings were pulled in, the house was locked up. In this building he opened a country store, using the back part and up-stairs for his dwelling.

The colony was prosperous from the first, and Mr. Gunckel was the inos prominent man there.

December 29, 1804, he was elected Justice of the Peace for German Town ship, and served in that position for many years. His influence soon extender beyond the limits of the settlement, and he became one of the most prominent men in the county. He was a man of robust, muscular frame, six feet tall affable and gentle in manners, temperate in habits and conscientious in hi dealings with men. He was exemplary in his daily life, and an exceptionall. moral man: was never known to use profane language; was even-tempered an of noble bearing. His Christian virtues and high standard of morals gav character to the colony, and made bim the controlling spirit in all matiers o common interest. His clear foresight, untiring energy and sound busines judgment gave him an influence throughout the county second to that of n other man: so that in all matters of public interest and improvement, an county affairs generally, his aid and influence were sought, and he was read and active in all movements for the good and prosperity of the community.

Mr. Gunckel was a member of the German Reformed Church; was one o, the foremost in effecting its organization at Germantown, and with his family was a regular attendant upon all church services, and was leader of th musical exercises. He was a frequent visitor at the meetings of other donom inations, contributed liberally to the support of all, and was highly esteome for such liberal sentiment and bearing, and for his efforts for the promotion ( all enterprises of a religious character.

In March. 1805, the great floods in the Miami and its tributaries put stop to all farm work, and in some of the patches, corn could not be plante until late in June.

After the waters had subsided, Mr. Gunckel began building his saw-mi and grist-mills, and completed them the year following. Being the only mill in that neighborhood for several years, they attracted people to the settlemou" and were the source of great profit to him.

When, in 1806, there were fears of an Indian outbreak, it was not thougi necessary to build a block-house at Germantown. The settlements west of th Miami were not much exposed to attack. and the block-houses at New Lexing ton and in the northern part of this county, and up Mad River at the mouth ( Donnell's Creek, formed a strong line, through which the Indian war parties neve ventured. Hunting and trading parties of Indians were often in camp alor Twin and Bear Creeks, and down the Miami even as far as Hamilton, but no

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

a er 1811. At the time of this alarm, however, the whole country west of the rer was thoroughly patrolled until the danger had passed.

In November, 1806, Mr. Gunckel bought land of James Hatfield and Rob. e Hardin, on part of which he afterward laid out the town of Germantown.

At the general election, October 17, 1806, he was chosen to represent the c inty in the Fifth General Assembly of Ohio, convened at Chillicothe the first Unday in December of that year.

With Gen. E. Munger, he represented this and Preble Counties in the sventh General Assembly, convened at Chillicothe December 5, 1808.

Business at his store and mills had so rapidly increased, and the demand property in the neighborhood was so great, that he, in 1813, moved the s re into a larger building, on the property that he the next year divided into 1.s and platted as the town of Germantown. He donated a lot to each church organization. a burying-ground and school lot, and contributed liberally toward tà erection of the churches. The lots were sold so rapidly that he soon made a additional plat.

By act of the General Assembly, February 13, 1816, he was appointed As- s'iate Judge of the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, and served as such ttil February, 1831.

Soon after his appointment as Judge, while he and a neighbor, Charles ( Walpers, were hunting in the woods north of Germantown, he was acci- hatally shot by his companion, who tired at some birds rising from the un- oyebrush, not knowing that Judge Gunckel was in the thicket, and, unfortu- Itely, in range. He was severely wounded in the thigh; was carried home c a litter, and was confined to his room for several months, and at several thes it was thought he could not live. The wound was painful for many Vars.

In 1839, when he was seventy-three years old, he was elected to and served County Representative in the State Constitutional Convention.

His wife, Catherine. mother of his eight children, was short in stature, kind and easy manners, quiet and unobtrusive. Their married life and home (cle was all happiness; their home and surroundings were congenial; and dge and Mrs. Gunckel contributed largely and cheerfully to the happiness ¿d comfort of their neighbors. Mrs. Gunckel died at Germantown August 2, 36.

His second wife was Mrs. Loehr, of Warren County, widow of Fred- dick Loehr, and mother-in-law of the Judge's son, Philip Gunckel. Jr. After few years, she died, and for some years he remained single, then married the wird wife, Widow Elizabeth Wise, mother-in-law of his son, Daniel P. Gunckel. he survived him. All are buried in the Germantown Cemetery.

As the fitting close of a long, active and useful life; in the possession a large estate, that had been accumulated by his own efforts; enjoying the spect of the community in which he lived; with the love and veneration of s children and their families, the patriarch. Philip Gunckel, the founder of e colony at Germantown, lived to celebrate the eighty-second anniversary of s birth, and died a month later, May 24, 1848.

HENRY BROWN.

His ancestors were Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, who emigrated to this untry from the North of Ireland about the year 1740 and settled in "Bur- n's Grant." which included a half-million acres of land on the Shenandoah id James Rivers, in the colony of Virginia.

Henry Brown was born near Lexington, Va., about the year 1770, and ved there until 1793, at which time he came to the Northwestern Territory --

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

as Military Secretary for Col. Preston, who was in command of a regiment in Wayne's army, then organizing at Cincinnati for the advance against the In- dian tribes. Mr. Brown was afterward interested with others in forwarding supplies to the army, and to the garrisons at Forts Hamilton. St. Clair, Green- ville, Jefferson, Recovery. Defiance and Wayne.

From the nature of the roads and the difficulties and dangers of the serv. ice, all supplies were forwarded by pack-horse trains. This department war in charge of an officer who was designated as "Pack-Horse Master General." The trains were divided into "pack-horse brigades," of sixty to seventy five horses each, with a Captain in charge, and men to load and unload. drive and care for the horses. Armed scouts necessarily accompanied these pack-borst brigades as guard against Indian attacks. Mr. Brown was thus employed with the army until, in the spring of 1795, he entered into partnership with John Sutherland, at Hamilton, where, in a double log cabin that stood south of the stockade, they opened their first stock of goods. Their business was trading with the Indians.

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The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county, Part 40

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