USA > Ohio > The history of the state of Ohio; from the discovery of the great valley, to the present time > Part 43
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In the year 1800 Trumbull County was organized from lands belonging to the Western Reserve, and an immense population flowed into it from Pennsylvania. At the commencement of this year there were but sixteen settlers in that region, but the num- ber very rapidly increased. The following story is told respect- ing one of the adventures of these pioneers :
"A Mr. Oviatt was informed that a considerable number of huge rattlesnakes were scattered over a certain tract of wilder- ness. The old man asked whether there were a ledge of rocks in the vicinity, and if any springs issued from the ledge. Being answered in the affirmative, he rejoined, 'We will go about the last of May and have some sport.' Accordingly they proceeded through the woods, well armed with cudgels. Arriving at the battle ground, they cautiously ascended the hill step by step in a solid column. Suddenly the enemy gave the alarm, and the men found themselves completely surrounded by hosts of rattle- snakes of enormous size, and a huge squadron of black snakes. No time was lost. At the signal of the rattling of the snakes the action commenced, and hot and furious was the fight. In short, the snakes beat a retreat up the hill, our men cudgeling with all their might. When they arrived at the top of the ledge they found the ground and rocks in places almost covered with snakes retreating into their dens. Afterwards the slain were collected into heaps, and found to amount to four hundred and eighty-six, a good portion of which were larger than a man's leg below the calf, and over five feet in length."
Cornelius Feather, who gives the above narrative, adds : " One circumstance I should relate, with regard to snake hunting. Having procured an instrument like a very long chisel, with a handle eight or nine feet long, I proceeded to the ledge alone, placed myself on the body of a butternut tree, lying slanting over a broad crevice in the rocks, seven or eight feet deep, the bottom of which was literally covered with the yellow and black serpents. I held my weapon poised in my right hand ready to give the deadly blow; my left hand held a small branch to keep my bal- ance, when both my feet slipped, and I came within a hair's
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breadth of plunging headlong into the den. Nothing but the small limb saved me from a most terrible death, as I could not have gotten out had there been no snakes, the rocks on all sides being nearly perpendicular."
In the session of Congress of 1800 the Northwestern Territory was divided into two parts. The eastern portion, which still re- tained the name of the Northwestern Territory, embraced the re- gion now included in the States of Ohio and Michigan, contain- ing eighty thousand square miles. The western, which was called the Indiana Territory, comprised all the country from the great Miami westward to the Mississippi, and from the Ohio River on the south to Lake Superior, and the sources of the Mississippi on the north. It spread over the vast area of one hundred and eighty thousand square miles, embracing the pres- ent States of Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
Governor St. Clair was very unpopular. His awful defeat by the Indians was never forgotten or forgiven. By the census of 1800, the territory over which he presided contained a population of forty-two thousand, a number nearly sufficient to entitle it to admission into the Union as a state. Earnest petitions were sent to Congress to that effect. On the thirtieth of April, 1802, an act of Congress was passed authorizing the call of a convention to form a state constitution for a state to be called Ohio.
The convention assembled at Chillicothe on the first of No- vember, and on the 20th of the same month a constitution was ratified, and signed by the members of the convention. It became the fundamental law of the state, by the act of the convention alone, not being referred to the votes of the people.
This constitution was remarkably democratic. The right of suffrage was conferred on all the male white inhabitants of the state above twenty-one years of age. The members of the House of Representatives were to number not less than seventy-two nor more than seventy-six, and were to be elected annually, appor- tioned among the counties according to their number of votes.
The Senate was to consist in number of not less than one-third, nor more than one-half, of the members in the lower house, and were to be elected for two years. The governor chosen by the people for two years, was not to hold office more than six years out of eight. He was intrusted with but very little power. He could grant reprieves and pardons, could convene the Legislature, and
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could fill vacancies in state offices when the houses were not in session.
The judicial power was vested in the Supreme Court, Courts of Common Pleas and in Justices of the Peace. The judges were elected by joint ballot of both houses, for the period of seven years. The justices of the peace were elected by the townships for three years. Though St. Clair was a candidate for governor, he received but few votes. The almost unanimous choice fell on Edward Tiffin. The boundaries of the state were laid down as now recognized.
By act of Congress, the sixteenth section in each township was set apart for the use of schools. Where that section had been disposed of, other and equivalent lands were granted. Thirty- eight sections of land, where salt springs had been found, were always to belong to the state, never to be sold. One-twentieth of the proceeds of public lands sold within the state were to be appropriated to the construction of roads.
One of the first acts of the State Legislature was to organize seven new counties. There were now fifteen counties in the state. Many of them were large and very sparsely settled. At this time nearly all the northwestern part, including nearly one-half of the state, was in the possession of the Indians. In some of the new counties many rude and very savage people were gathered.
Green County embraced a good farming region on the Little Miami River. We have fortunately a perfectly correct picture of the first court-house erected in that county. Then it was almost an entire wilderness, the primeval forest waving gloomily, yet, sublimely, all around. A few log cabins were scattered about, miles apart, amidst the giant trees of the forest. Each cabin had its little patch of corn, thickly dotted over with girdled trees, whose leafless and dead branches presented a very cheerless view. Many of the cabins were the abodes of contentment; and the most warm-hearted hospitality was ever to be met at their firesides. The path through which the traveler passed from one of these cabins to the other was designated simply by blazed trees ; that is, trees from which the bark on one side had been hewn off.
Strange scenes were sometimes witnessed in these courts. The first court in Green County was held in the log cabin which was also occupied as a residence by Peter Bordus. General Benjamin Whitman was the presiding judge. He had a sturdy neighbor,
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Owen Davis, not far off, whose cabin and mill combined, were on Beaver Creek. These were the days of pure democracy, and there was truly no respect of person. While the court was in ses- sion, Davis charged another man, out of doors, with stealing his swine. A hard fight ensued. Davis severely whipped his oppo- nent. But Davis was a lover of justice, and meant to be a firm supporter of the laws.
MICH ENG
FIRST COURT HOUSE IN GREEN COUNTY.
Bearing many marks, in dishevelled dress and hair, and bruises of the fight, he went into the court room, that is, the cabin, and approaching the table where the judges sat, addressed his neigh- bor, Judge Benjamin Whitman, saying :
" Ben, I have whipped that accursed hog thief. What's the damage? What's to pay? There's my purse. Take what's right."
Suiting the action to the word, he threw his purse upon the table, containing eight or ten dollars. At the same time, shaking his clenched fist in the judge's face, he added : "Ben, if you'd steal a hog, I'll be hanged if I wouldn't whip you too."
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The judge decided that the damage was about eight dollars, which he took from the purse.
The whole taxable property at this time in the county returned by the assessors was three hundred ninety-three dollars and four cents. The general aspect of the people was quite uncouth. Many wore moccasins instead of shoes. Coats, hunting-shirts and pantaloons were made of deer skins. Almost every man appeared armed with a good rifle and a formidable looking knife. There was not, it is said, at that time a single pleasure carriage or a bridge in the state. In traversing the woods, it was more safe to follow the pocket compass or the sun than to endeavor to search out the narrow bridle-paths marked by blazed trees.
Almost every farmer kept a large number of dogs to protect his swine, sheep and poultry from wild beasts. The swine mul- tiplied so rapidly that thousands of them ran wild in the woods.
An untoward event occurred in Trumbull County, which, for a time, threatened to bring on a general Indian war. A Mr. Joseph McMahon was absent from his cabin, near Warren, when a small band of Indians came along, bound on a drunken spree. A chief of some note, called Captain George, was with them. They entered the cabin boisterously, and treated the family with rude- ness. Mrs. McMahon was greatly terrified. The Indians threat- ened to kill all the family-at least Mrs. McMahon so under- stood their gestures.
As soon as the savages had left, she either carried or sent word to her husband of the outrage. He however did not get the news: until noon of the next day. McMahon was a fearless, impetuous man, and he resolved to inflict severe chastisement upon the Indians for the outrage.
He had a neighbor, one Richard Story, who had severely beaten an Indian for stealing some whisky. The proud Indians could never forget blows received from a white man. The Indian who had been thus beaten was a malignant, ill-favored fellow, called Spotted John. He was so named from having his face all spotted over with hair moles. It was said that he had threatened to kill Story for the blows which he had received from him.
McMahon and Story repaired to Warren to beat up recruits to go with them, and in vengeance to put to death the whole band. It was Sunday morning. They soon raised a strongly armed party of sixteen to go with them to the Indian encamp-
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ment, there to decide what measures of revenge should be adopted. There was at Warren an excellent man, mild and judicious, by the name of Captain Ephraim Quimby. He was familiarly acquainted with the Indians, for they had often stopped at his house, which was a sort of tavern. His honorable treatment of them had won their confidence and affection. He resolved to accompany the party, hoping, by measures of conciliation, to avert . hostilities.
When the party had arrived within half a mile of the Indian camp, Mr. Quimby proposed a halt, stating that he would proceed alone to the encampment, ask for an explanation of their conduct, and ascertain whether they were for peace or war. He knew that it was a very hazardous enterprise, as these children of the forest had their whisky bottles with them, and they often acted from momentary impulse. He therefore informed them that if he did not return in half an hour, they might infer that he was killed, and that they must then prepare for war.
The half hour passed and he did not return. The impatient McMahon put his little band in rapid motion. As they emerged from the woods, in view of the encampment, they saw the Indian chief and Captain Quimby talking very earnestly together. Sev- eral other Indians were standing peaceably around. Among the rest was Spotted John, with his wife and daughter, a child about thirteen years of age.
The whites marched directly up to where the Indians were grouped. The chief, Captain George, was chivalrously proposing that the difficulty should be settled by a sort of duel between him and Mr. Quimby. In his own language, which Captain Quimby understood, he said, as he held his tomahawk in his hand :
"We fight. If you kill me, the Indians shall not revenge. If I kill, your people shall not revenge."
Mr. McMahon was at the head of his band, within a few feet of the chief. Next to him stood Story. McMahon instantly raised his gun, which was already cocked, and shot the chief dead. At the same moment Story discharged his rifle and shot Spotted John dead, the same bullet passing through his wife's neck and the shoulders of his daughter.
The Indians, thus taken by surprise, fled with loud outcries. The whites pursued, firing upon them as rapidly as possible. The women and children, panic-stricken, screamed piteously as they 32
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dispersed in all directions. Several of the Indians were killed before the pursuit was relinquished. The party who had com- mitted this foul murder then returned to Warren. The little community of white settlers was thrown into a state of consterna- tion. They knew full well that the Indians would not allow such an outrage to pass unavenged.
Those of the Indians who escaped, stopping first to bury their dead, fled as rapidly as possible to Sandusky to rouse the powerful tribes residing there. It so happened that Colonel James Hillman, of Youngstown, the next morning, Monday, came to Warren. He was one of the most enterprising and estimable of the pioneers of the West. He was very extensively acquainted with the Indians, and enjoyed their full confidence.
For several years he had been employed in forwarding goods and supplies, on pack-horses, across the whole breadth of Ohio, from Pittsburgh to the mouth of the Cuyahoga, where Cleveland now stands. There they were shipped to Detroit, by a small schooner called the Monongahela. The caravan with which, in single file, he traversed the broad wilderness, consisted of ten men and ninety horses.
Starting from Pittsburgh, they forded the Beaver River about four miles below the mouth of the Shenango. Thence they fol- lowed up the left bank of the Mahoning, crossing it three miles above the present village of Youngstown. The trail then led directly west, through uninhabited wilds, where Milton and Ra- venna have since sprung up. There was not even a solitary log cabin along this route at that time. They crossed the winding Cuyahoga River near the mouth of Breakneck Creek, and again crossed it at the mouth of Tinker's Creek. They followed down the left bank of the river to its mouth, where they had constructed a log store-house to receive their goods while awaiting ship- ment.
By such journeyings for eight years, Colonel Hillman had be- come intimately acquainted with many of the Indians. He spoke their language quite fluently. Warren, in Trumbull County, was sit- uated on the Mahoning River. Not far from there there were some salt springs, where a large party of Indians had been encamped for some time making salt. Colonel Hillman, with Mr. Young and Judge Pease, of Warren, immediately set out for the salt springs, hoping to appease the Indians. They knew that they were justly
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exasperated, and to satisfy them that the whites did not justify the murders, both of the criminals, McMahon and Story, were arrested and held for trial.
Upon reaching the springs, not an Indian was to be found. It was not doubted that they had all fled to gather strength for signal vengeance. Great was the panic in the cabins of the whites through all that region. Many packed up their goods preparing to seek refuge in the larger settlements. The little hamlet of Youngstown was but ten or twelve miles east of Warren. Both settlements were about to be abandoned. The leading inhabitants met for consultation, not a little indignant with the culprits who had thus suddenly plunged them into these dreadful perils.
During the night Story had escaped from his keeper, John Lane. It was decided that McMahon should be sent to Pitts- burgh, to be kept in close imprisonment until he could be tried. Colonel Hillman then advised that a deputation should be sent to a large Indian village, on the waters of the upper Mahoning, with endeavors to avert the threatening danger by making some suitable atonement.
It was a very hazardous undertaking. It was a part of the In- dian religion that the death of one of their brethren must be avenged by the death of a white man, and that in the spirit land he would be made glad in witnessing those tortures which were avenging his death. Any one who should go on this mission would not only be exposed to the peril of being immediately tomahawked, but to the awful doom of being put to death by lingering torments. Heroically, Colonel Hillman volunteered his services. We can hardly conceive of an act of greater heroism. Another man, Mr. Randall, volunteered to accompany him. Though urged to go strongly armed, Colonel Hillman declined taking any weapon of defense whatever. The exigencies of the case were such that not a moment was to be lost. Both of the men mounted their horses, and pressing as rapidly as possible through the paths of the forest, came upon an encampment of Indian warriors just before sunrise. They were seventeen in number and were asleep, each with his gun and powder horn resting upon a forked stick at his head, ready to be grasped at any moment.
Hillman was in the advance. As he approached, the tramp of his horse awoke the savages, and instantly every one sprang to his
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feet, with gun in hand. Seeing the colonel and his companion riding quietly into their encampment, totally unarmed, they gath- ered around them. A chief by the name of Onondaga, who knew Colonel Hillman, happened to be among the warriors. Hillman. told him frankly the object of his visit. He condemned McMahon entirely, and assured the chief that the culprit was then on his way to Pittsburgh, to be tried for the murders he had committed. He said also that though Story had escaped, every effort would be made to re-arrest him, and bring him to punishment.
The chief, Onandaga, seemed greatly agitated, and manifested very deep feeling in view of the murders. He said, however, that nothing could be done until another chief should arrive, who had gone to a distance to summon the braves of the tribe, to confer and decide upon the question; and that he expected their arrival that afternoon.
In the course of the day they came, while in the meantime Colonel Hillman and his companion were treated with cold courtesy.
The chief who came with the band of warriors was called Cap- tain Peters. He did not know Colonel Hillman; but the moment his eye rested upon two white men in the encampment, his fea- tures expressed the most implacable hatred. The colonel imme- diately sought an interview with the two chiefs, and endeavored by every means in his power to induce them to listen to terms of pacification. But it was evident that his words produced but little effect. He said to them:
"We condemn the conduct of these wicked men. We will, if possible, bring them to punishment; and we will, as an atonement for the crime, pay you five hundred dollars if you will bury the hatchet and return to friendly relations with us."
"No, no!" was their persistent reply. "We must go to the San- dusky, and hold a council with the chiefs there before we can decide what shall be done."
Hillman replied : "Will you hold a council there, light the war- torch, rally all the warriors throughout the forest, and with savage barbarity come and attempt to massacre all your best friends among the whites, in consequence of the crimes of two men, whose crimes they denounce, and whom they will severely punish, and for whose conduct they are anxious to make all the restitution in their power?"
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The chiefs evidently felt the force of this reasoning. They were embarrassed, but shaking their heads, they said:
"We can do nothing; we must lay the affair before the council of the chiefs. Within fourteen days some of our number will return and inform you on what terms peace can be restored."
With this answer, Colonel Hillman and Mr. Randall returned to Warren. Not knowing what the result might be, in both of the Villages of Warren and Youngstown they made vigorous prepara- tions for defense, in case they should again encounter the doom ·of another Indian war.
On the day appointed, four or five Indian chiefs, with a suit- able retinue, came to Warren. The occasion was one of so much importance that three hundred white people had assembled in the little hamlet, anxious to learn the result. A resident of the county writes :
"The chiefs were conducted by Mr. Hillman to the place pre- pared to hold their council. After the ceremony of smoking, the speeches were commenced. It was generally conceded that the Indian chief, Captain Peters, had the best of the argument. Throughout the whole of the consultation he showed a decided superiority over the whites opposed to him, in adroitness and force of reasoning, although our people had appointed three of their best men for that purpose, all of whom had prepared themselves for this encounter with Indian shrewdness."
The Indian chiefs demanded that McMahon and Story should be surrendered to them in Sandusky; that they should be tried by the Indian laws, and if found guilty should be punished by them. They were told that this was impossible, since Story had fled from the country, and McMahon was already a prisoner in the jail at Pittsburgh, beyond their jurisdiction, to be tried by the laws of the whites. At length, after long discussion, they came to a result which was accepted by both parties. It was agreed, simply, that McMahon should be brought under a strong guard to Youngstown, there to be tried by the white men in accordance with their laws. And that the Indian chiefs should be permitted to be present, to see that the trial was fairly conducted. The Governor of Ohio ordered a special court for that purpose. Return J. Meigs and Benjamin Ives were the judges.
Persons from a great distance attended the court. It was be- lieved that many unprincipled adventurers had come, resolved to
-
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rescue McMahon, should he be found guilty. Many of these men deemed it no greater sin to shoot an Indian than to shoot a wolf .. The Indian chief, Captain Peters, sat by the side of the judges.
One man testified falsely, as even a majority of the whites be- lieved, that McMahon fired in self-defense; that he was retreating and trying to escape, when he saw that he must either kill or be killed. The jury, probably somewhat over-awed by the menaces of the white men crowding around, accepted this testimony. When the Indian chief heard it he whispered to Judge Meigs that the jury would acquit the prisoner. Under the circumstances, it is very much to the credit of the Indians that they accepted the re- sult, with the admission that the prisoner had been fairly tried by the laws of the white men. Thus was tranquility restored and a horrible warfare averted, which certainly would have resulted in the loss of thousands of dollars and of hundreds of lives, creating. and entailing unimaginable misery. And these great results were mainly accomplished through the sagacity and Christian spirit of a single man, Colonel James Hillman.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE CHARACTER OF THE SAVAGES.
MR. GOODYEAR'S NARRATIVE- VARIETIES OF CHARACTER - ANECDOTE OF THE INDIANS AND THE IRISHMAN -THE INDIANS JOE AND JACK - BILL BURNS, THE DESPERADO-THE INTER- VIEW IN THE HOTEL - FIDELITY OF JACK - EFFECTS OF FIRE WATER-LABORS OF THE WOMEN -THE MEDICINE MAN- CAUTION OF THE INDIANS- TERRIBLE FIGHT WITH THE WYAN- DOTS-THE SURRENDER OF CAPTIVES - AFFECTING ANEC- DOTE - GENEROSITY OF THE WYANDOT INDIAN.
IN THIS history I have had constant occasion to refer to the Indians, in their primeval home in the wilderness, to their char- acter, their customs, the wrongs inflicted upon them, and the terrible wars into which they were thus provoked. The Indians are fast passing away, and all the memorials of their transitory life upon this continent will soon disappear. Their memory is fast sinking into oblivion. A friend of mine, William E. Good- year, Esq., of Fair Haven, Conn., passed eight or ten years of his early manhood in the midst of the tribes occupying the heart of our continent. In kind response to my earnest request he has furnished me with a few pages, describing the scenes he has wit- nessed in the great Wilderness of the West and of the character and customs of the Indians, whose lodges he has so often visited, and of whose hospitality he has often partaken. Mr. Goodyear writes :
"Agreeably to my promise I will give you my ideas of the Indians of twenty years ago, or more, while I was among them, and with whom I spent nearly ten years of my young manhood. The greater part of that time, as I now look upon it, is a source of sadness to me. Many events occurred which I could wish had never transpired; and yet, upon the whole, I cannot but think that I have learned a lesson which but few persons ever have a chance to learn. As I look back upon my many hair-breadth
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